Soul Drinkers Assault Marine

I've been working on my Soul Drinkers some more, although I havn't made the greatest of progress.

Still, I got one Assault Marine nearly done, hailing from Tellos' blood-soaked following. To those who havn't read the books, he's basically an Assault Marine who's fallen to Khorne, but hasn't realised it it yet.

I still need to finish up the blood on this guy, but so far I've been focusing on finding the right balance between him being blood-soaked, yet being able to distinguish Soul Drinker heraldry underneath.

There'll be another nine like him when he's finished, acting as Blood Claws in an allied Space Wolves detachment led by a Wolf Lord representing Tellos himself. I'm thinking of doing the Tellos conversion next, before finishing off his following, but I'm not sure yet.

More soon!

Soul Drinkers Tactical Squad WIP

While I'm waiting for bits and pieces to arrive for my Song of Ice and Fire project, I turned my attention to my Soul Drinkers, stripping the paint off the few remaining models from my previous attempt at them and repainting them.

There's still bits to do, including the mutated head on the guy in the front centre, the basing and freehanding chalice symbols on to their shoulder pads, but I'm pleased with them so far.

What do you guys think?

Stark troops

 Something rare and exciting happened:  I actually got some models fully painted!

Specifically, I finished the first three Stark troops for the Song of Ice and Fire game I'm working on. They don't quite match up to the look of the Stark troops in the TV series, but I was basing their colour scheme more on what I imagined when I first read the books.

I think they look pretty good (even if I say so myself), although I do think I need to re-base the guy in the second photo, as the snow base didn't turn out as well as I thought and do a small retouch, as I only realised after finishing him that there's a mold line on his spear arm, but those are really minor things that are easily fixed.

I'm still amazed Ive actually got something finished. I think it's down to the fresh enthusiasm I'm feeling now I'm working on something other than GW stuff (I know it's technically GW, as I'm using their models as a base, but it's still a switch in universes). GW's been feeling a bit stale for me recently and it's shown in my painting. Let's hope the break will allow me to approach my other projects with a new sense of gusto!

A Game of Ice and Fire

After some discussion with some people down at Peterborough Gaming Club a few weeks ago, I had the idea to build some models for a skirmish game based within the world of George RR Martins Song of Ice and Fire series.

Having given it some thought and scoured the internet for suitable models and rulesets, I've decided to use a modified version  of GW's Return of the King ruleset, as it's a very nice, yet vastly underused skirmish system.

I've decided to convert the bulk of the troops from the LOTR model range as well, although certain characters and troop types will come from other ranges. With the right conversions, I reckon the Rohirrim and Gondor ranges would make brilliant base models for converting Stark and Lannister troops respectively.

With this in mind, I bought myself a box of Rohan Warriors make some test models. After a little sculpting work, I've come up with this for Stark soldiers:

They're very basic conversions, but I think they're quite effective.. I've sculpted some fur around their shoulders and turned their shields around to hide the horse motifs. Obviously they'll be painted into the grey and white of House Stark, which will help sell the conversion further still.

What do you think of them? Is there anything I should add or change about them?

Thoughts on the new codex

With pre-orders going up last night, then the chaos of trying to access the site today, my mind's been firmly focused on the new Space Marine codex today and how I'm going to make use of it. I thought I'd post up my thoughts.

Ok so far, I've got three forces planned, all of which I've been had in the works on and off for years now:

1. Soul Drinkers

These guys are going to be my main SM force and my go-to army if I want a game using the codex. In keeping with the background laid out in the novels, I'm not including any vehicles in there save for maybe a counts-as Stormraven to represent the shuttles they use to get around in.

It'll be a very fast moving, rapid strike force, albeit using Imperial Fists rules (it's only fitting, considering their origins), probably led by a Tigerius counts-as to represent Sarpedon.That's subject to change though when I read the full rules for him. If the rules don't match up to what I want, I may end up using him as a Chapter Master or allying in some BA allies in order to gain access to Fear of the Darkness to properly represent Sarpedons psychic power: 'The Hell'

Model-wise I'm stripping, rebuilding and repainting my old force to match my current painting skills (my old scheme looks awful by my current standards). On my painting list atm are:

Sarpedon's Force Axe
Chaplain (Iktinos) - probably the new Chaplain with conversion work done
Terminator Captain
Lightning Claw Captain (Luko)
2 x Librarians
10 x Marines to represent Iktinos' "Flock" (to be used as Assault Marines on foot)
20 x Tactical Marines
10 x Assault Marines, including a Tellos conversion
10 x Vanguard Veterans
9 x Scouts
8 x Sternguard

I'm aiming to get these guys done by early next year at the latest.

2. Thousand Sons


Due to the fact that the Sons of Magnus don't have their own rules from FW yet, I thinking of using these guys as a Sternguard-heavy force (to represent their powers), backed up by another Tigerius count-as and maybe some counts-as Centurions to represent Mechanicum support. This is of course, in games where I can't use FW rules. Most of the time, they'll be fielded using the FW Legion list

Having been building them very slowly for over 2 years now, I've got bits and pieces done for this force, but nothing fieldable yet. On my painting list for these guys are:

Ahriman conversion, made from the new Librarian model
2 other Librarians
18 x Scarab Occult Veterans
15 x Spireguard Support (scouts)
6 x Terminators
1 x Land Speeder (FW Javelin - still to buy)
1 x Contemptor (still to buy)

The fact that GW is releasing a Mephiston Red spray will considerably speed up progress on these guys. Even so, I'm putting a longer time scale on these guys. I'm hoping to get them done by summer next year

3. Ragtag RenegadesThe idea for this army came partially from 'Dead Sky, Black Sun' by Graham McNeil and also from the fact that from time to time I like just painting up random marines that don't match my main armies, just to keep things fresh.

The idea behind the army is that renegade and outcast marines from various different chapters have banded together for mutual protection and survival. They aren't chaos yet, but they're renegades who straddle the edge of 'good', surviving in the harshest areas of the galaxy. They still fight the emperors wars, just not as part of their parent chapters any more, stealing and raiding to survive.

It basically allows me to paint single or small groups of models whatever chapters I like and still have the chance to use them in-game. I used to play this force years ago, but the marines got siphoned off for other projects. It was the first army I played with the 5th Edition codex, so I felt it was only right and good that I resurrect it for the 6th Edition book. I'll probably use them as either allies from other codices for my Soul Drinkers, or as a stand alone army using whichever traits I feel like trying out at the time.

Owing to the way I'm building this force, I don't have a set painting list for these guys, aside from a few bits and pieces I already have tucked away in the depths of my hobby cupboard. The following are definitely going to be in there:

5 x Black Templar Sword Brethren (I picked up a box on ebay just in case they went OOP with the merger)
1 x Imperial Fist Sergeant
13 x Tactical Marines of various chapters (to be decided on later)
1 x Dreadnought of indeterminate origin (at the moment)
1 x either Blood Angels or Blood Raven Librarian

With a bit of luck, this should put a crimp in my 'new army itch' as well, saving me money and sanity. I'll only be painting up models I already own, save for a few particularly nice bits and pieces I might pick up through trades or on Ebay (the Iron Hands Sergeant in metal for a start)

So as you can see, I've got big plans for this codex, but it's mainly making use of what I already have and setting myself goals to get it all painted.

I'll still be working on my Sons of Horus and Hochland force alongside these (plus another side-project which I'll reveal soon), but I won't be making any major purchases model-wise for a while,. Obviously I need to keep up with current rules, so the new SM codex and the FW 'Massacre' book are on my 'to buy' list, but those are separate and justified really.

Hopefully I'll get on well with this new plan. We'll see though...

Streamlining my hobby?

Ok, I've accepted that I'm not going to get the list of stuff which I posted a while back done in time for Games Day. Real life's just getting in the way too much.

On the other hand, i've decided to set myself a simpler goal: Streamline my hobby.

I think it's safe to say that I've got too many projects on the go. So many in fact that I'm never likely to finish them all. Therefore It's time to have a serious think and work out what ones are most important to me. The ones that aren't so important are either going to be sold or given to gaming friends who would appreciate them more.

Once my project collection is back down to a reasonable level, I can then complete the remaining ones and start thinking ahead to new ones. Sounds simple, right? We'll see, I suppose. I need to do something though and soon, otherwise my model/project collection going to reach a kind of critical mass and implode on itself.

Anyone got any thoughts or suggestions?

Soul Drinkers WIP

I mentioned last week about how I'm resurrecting my Soul Drinkers for use with the new Space Marine codex. Well after a few days of feeling rather downhearted over the rumours of overpowered Ultramarines chapter tactics that outclassed the Imperial Fist ones in every way (Soul Drinkers are IF Successors, so I'll be using those), the rumour mill calmed down a little and started talking about more balanced rules, reigniting my enthusiasm for the new book.

So I started painting up some models.. First of all,  I was working on a Vanguard Veteran:

It's a pretty standard model atm, but I'm focussing on painting each one in stages. This guy's going to have a mutated left arm and a jump pack, but those come later.

The other model I've been working on is the start of a Terminator captain:

It doesn't look like much, but it's quite an important model to me. The Soul Drinkers only possess one suit of Terminator armour, which is worn into battle by their Master of Recruits. This gives me the opportunity to go to town and make a really unique looking Terminator character. As the eagle-eyed amongst you may have notice, I've put a FW Cataphractii torso onto normal Terminator legs.

Now I'm not going to do much more than paint the body of this guy until the book's out. Then I can see how closely chapter tactics are related to certain characters and what load-out a character using the Imperial Fists rules would benefit most from. This guy may become anything from a captain with a Storm Bolter and Relic Blade to a counts-as Lysander.



Also, with rumours of being able to ally with other chapters within the same codex flying around, I'm thinking of digging out some Sword Brethen models which I have stashed away and painting them up, along with some Imperial Fists, making a 'Sons of Dorn' alliance on the tabletop. Should be an awesome sight to see. I reckon. More on that soon though. For now, I'm off to paint some more stuff...

Huzzah! Airship progress!

 After a lot of work, I've finally managed to make some progress on the airship.

I know it's not the clearest of pictures (Ill try and get some better ones tomorrow), but as you can see, the prow of the ship is finished and the sides are pretty much done as well.

This means that the hull is nearly complete now, allowing me to to get to work on the detailing and the gas balloon.

I have to say, even getting to this stage is making me very happy indeed. This thing's been sitting half finished on my shelf for nearly two years now and seeing the progress I'm now making is a good feeling.

Hopefully I'll actually get it finished this time

BFG Thunderhawks and Dreadclaws

Next on my list of BFG progress are easily the most fiddly models I've ever built:

Forge World Thunderhawks and Dreadclaws, mounted onto 20mm fantasy bases to represent squadrons of boarding craft. These things were incredibly infuriating to mount onto small sticks to attach to the bases. I found myself cursing at them many a time, but I finally got them done.

The picture above shows them after I applied the first wash when I came to paint them. Eventually they're going to be the same shade of green as the rest of my Sons of Horus and be fully detailed. For now however, they'll do as they are. I can always come back to them later

Thunderwolf Lord WIP

No hre's something that hasn't been seen on here for a while: my Space Wolves!

Continuing with my new philosophy of 'No project left abandoned', I've been working on the Thunderwolf Lord who's been staring accusingly at me from my 'in progress' project shelf for the last year.

I finally did a bit of work on him, mainly on the gold trim and flesh tones on the wolf . His Frost Axe seems to have gone missing somehow, so I'll need to replace that at some point, but that's no biggie. I'm just happy to see progress being made.