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Blog Entry Number One:
This way lies madness...

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” Winston Churchill




So, this being my first post on dakkadakka, I thought I'd start at the beginning...

My name is Rabidus and I am a recovering gamer. It has been 8 years since I got on the wagon and gave up my obsession with pieces of plastic, metal and sharp things... and I must confess, it has been boring. So with the aid of my trusty boltpistol, I'm high-jacking this hear wagon and ridding back into the welcoming fold of modelling...

I have been lurking about this board and the B&C for nearly a year now, dipping my toes into the tepid waters of my childhood and I finally caved sometime last week. The actual, factual and more importantly specific turning point eludes me, but I remember a night of expensive whiskey, cheap chocolate and browsing these forums, admiring the masterful work of the members...stumbling to bed hours later, muttering incoherently...dreams of giant clippers, seas of glue and mountains made of greenstuff...and then waking with the old burning desire to smell burnt plastic and glue gnawing at the back of my head.

So, my journey began with a journey to the haunts of my childhood and to be more precise, my mothers garage. Here I would find the treasure chest of memories some refer to as a 'bits box'. I hadn't remembered quite how much of it there was...


So a nice pile of spruces to cut, burn and mangle and...wait. Whats that red thing next to it...





A suitcase you say. A mighty large suitcase?





Oh snap...





Close in for confirmation....



Dammit soldier, CLOSER!



Yes, I'm getting a visual...that is a lot of bits



So what do all those bits mean? Well, as yet I'm not sure. I think they will have bits to feed most of the ideas I have floating around the dark landscape of my id.

But before the cutting can commence, I need tools to work with and some slight bit of organisation.

So, once I have made a trip to town, I'll post up my weapons of choice and prepare my staging area, then...then the madness can begin.


- Rabidus

p.s. It's good to be back

Sir, are you entering the Scrap Deamon this year ?

Welcome to Dakka, Rabidus! Your story reminds me somewhat of my own, as I too have had strange dreams after an evening of reading Dakka P&M posts where I can actually convert and paint. Unfortunately upon waking I find myself as ham fisted as ever .

There is a certain time in one's life when models are cool.

Then you grow up and all toys, including models, are dumb.

Then you grow up a little more and realize - wait a minute! They ARE cool.

Welcome back to the fold. Looking forward to seeing more of your exploits.

Hmmmm....

If nothing else, you could make a pile of money selling that to a painting or modelling company, and then getting back whole models?

Enjoy! I have similar fun going through my Warhammer cupboard. Be good to see what you come up with.

Blog Entry Number Two:
Of first steps...



“All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” - Mark Twain


Well thank you all for your responses - it does this old warhorse's heart good to be jollied along by fellow inmates in this asylum onto paint.

In response to your enquiries:

Mightmagic: Unfortunatly I shan't be attending the GD this year, unless I get back to grips with everything a lot faster than planned.

Natorum: Yes, dreams can be so misleading and cruel! (Though I always thought ham fisted, just sounds like the coolest ever super power...) Have you got a blog/ gallery on these here hallowed grounds, so I can see your attempts? Maybe we can gee each other along?

Solorg: Testify Brother, TES-TIIII-FYYYYY! Quoted for true - in fact, with your permission, I might include that in my sig?

lords2001: What....and let them have all the fun? My plan is to scour the bag a few times, picking out enough bits and pieces to satisfy my converting needs for the next couple of years and perhaps trade the rest as pre-packed mystery boxes. There are several thousand bits in there, so hopefully enough for all my plans. Obviously I will be supplementing it with additional buys, but you'd be surprised what i have found in there already...

Flashman: Thank you! I will try my darndest and I shall be posting up the first of my experiments tonight, for all your critiquing.


So, on to what I have been doing for the last couple of days...I, as mentioned previously needed an arsenal of personally selected weapons and sophisticated gadgets, if I was to have any chance of surviving the missions ahead. So, I visited my friendly local modelling store, which, to my surprise, I found on a back street around the corner from my house - it was the converted front room of the owner, where he sold all kinds of modelling goodies at rather respectable prices.

So I picked up (in no particular order)

Stanley knives
Modelling knives
Clippers
Jewellers saw
Vice pin and bits
Various thickness' of plastic and brass piping
Plasticard - several sheets, several thickness'
Super glue
Polycement
Brass wire
Files, 10 of
Milliput (just till I find somewhere which stocks kneadatite)
And assorted Lego pieces (all shall be explained in the fullness of time...)

And all this for less than £25.

So, this is just a quick update - tonight I will put in the fruits of my endeavours.


- Rabidus

Rabidus wrote:

Natorum: Yes, dreams can be so misleading and cruel! (Though I always thought ham fisted, just sounds like the coolest ever super power...) Have you got a blog/ gallery on these here hallowed grounds, so I can see your attempts? Maybe we can gee each other along?

Not as yet, for I am a terrible procrastinator. I have some IG I'm playing around with at present and perhaps when I have done some conversions I'm happy with I'll post them up, until then I'll watch threads like this one to see how people get on.

Dear god...i guess that's just plain bittersweet because if i had that many bitz i would be overjoyed then horrified.

troll forged miniatures supplies the cheapest green stuff on the web. 12.50 will get you a 36" roll.

Solorg wrote:There is a certain time in one's life when models are cool.

Then you grow up and all toys, including models, are dumb.

Then you grow up a little more and realize - wait a minute! They ARE cool.

Welcome back to the fold. Looking forward to seeing more of your exploits.

I believe it has a direct correlation (reciprocal, i believe) with the availability of poontang.


Ahhh, poontang... Those were the dark days of gaming.

I too have come back to the Fold with a venegence after a child hood spent fawning the pages of whire dwarf and dreaming about a day when I could afford whatever took my fancy.
and, sweet jesus , thats a bitz box

Notsure if its just me but there does seem to be a huge number of folk coming back into the hobby, any one know why?


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I believe it has a direct correlation (reciprocal, i believe) with the availability of poontang.


Ahhh, poontang... Those were the dark days of gaming.

This'll be great!
You should do an Ork army that quite literally rises from the scrap heap!

Blog Entry Number Three:
Of first attempts...

"In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd." Miguel de Cervantes

Wow, I hope this thread attracts as many comments once you see the pure lack in skill I shall be displaying tonight with my first minis getting posted on this thread...

But to answer:

Natorum: Procrastination is an art I have studied for last 8 or so years. I've found the only remedy is to jump in feet first and in a public place, that way you have someone to answer to!

The Ghoma: I think what really scared me, is how much must I have spent to accumulate that many bits...

Mewiththeface: Thank you, duly ordered!

Citizenprime:..mmm...poontangalicous

trench.one: Ha, I found a stack of old white dwarfs hidden away with the bits box - all of which are being reread to draw further inspiration. I think all a sudden a generation has got old enough to be working and they want to spend it on warhammer!

Boss 'eadbreaker: I have a to do list as long as my arm and you better believe those green buggers are on there!


Ok, so now the hard bit...showing you the results of the last couple of nights work. Now before I do so, please bare in mind I haven't done anything like this in years and even back then, I didn't do conversions of this complexity - so please be nice...


Now this first one is to be my Chaotic Champion: Obviously very early stages, just done the basic bulking with milliput and plasticard to create the power armour on what was an unarmoured model ( a rackham lupine). Changed over the hand to a power fist type contraption, with a bolter mounted on the back (much more to do on that) Started the head, basic shaping and what not...so thoughts?






Second is going to be part of an Inquisitorial force I'm hoping to build...but more on the details of that later. Nothing much done on this guy yet, just kit bashing really - details to be added when green stuff arrives!




C&C very much wanted and indeed, needed.


-Rabidus

p.s. thanks for reading!

These look good!
Especially the chaos champ.
I think you should reangle your Inquisitor's book slightly and thicken it, it looks like he's holding a laptop.

Nice Chaos Lord. And you never know, he could be Googling taunts about the enemy, or keeping up to date on Dakka.

that's some impressive moddeling there mate!

Dont let this fall behind, good modeling there mate!

Blog Entry Number Four:
Christening of Flames...

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit

Yet again, thank you for your notice!

Boss 'eadbreaka: Thank you very much! He is still very early works, have quite a lot planned in regards to detailing on the armour.

Tim the Biovore: Ha! Never leave home without your laptop, because you don't know who might have updated their plog!!

r3n3g8b0y: Ahh shucks, your gonna make me blush!

Captain Klunk: Thanks for the push, that's what this blog is all about!!


So, have done some work on the Inquisitorial force:


As per your kind suggestions and I have re-angled book slightly, thickened (it now has pages!!)



I have also given him a servo-skull, with a lamp, so he might read in the darkest night! Also gives me a chance to try out some direct-source lighting when I get to painting.

And I've made him some friends!!

What Inquisitorial force would be complete without a fla..BURN THE WITCHES!!!


Standard bearer


Crazed preacher, for extra-heretical stomping


Because a shield and a gun is cool. It is. Trust me.


So your thoughts, as always, are most welcome

- Rabidus

I must say I find myself some what envious of you sir,kit bashing/scratch building is my passion and I would love to have acess to a treasure trove such as yours.
You've done some very nice work thus far and I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what else your "magic suitcase" may yeild.
Welcome back to the wonderful world of minis.

I like them, especially the archaic feel

Very interesting conversions so far, can't wait to see more - also wish I had that many bits and bobs in my bits box, though I am sure my wife does not

Again, great modeling, and the laptop/book is looking more like a book now.

Blog Entry Number Five:
Converting the masses...

“Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” Napoleon Bonaparte

Thanks again for your feedback and for taking a look at my lil' corner of the dakkaverse

FITZZ: Thank you for the kind welcome - and don't be too envious - I can see how having this many bits might turn into an obsession for me - I'm already loosing mucho sleep!

Young_Legion: Thank you very much! These are going to be my count as SoBs, so I wanted them to have that kind of theme. They are only just started, most of the work still to come, so please keep the comments coming!

SilverMK2: Fortunately, I have a very understanding girlfriend - who has, been very forgiving, realising that parenthood can do strange things to a man - like trying to recapture his own youth.

Capitain Klunk: Thank you, again! Glad to see it's more apparent now.


So - I decided to turn my hand to some other wonders in my 'magic suitcase' (thank you FITZZ for giving me the phrase!) and happened upon some Death Korps of Kreig. Now my Inquisitorial strike force will be in need of storm troopers, but I didn't think these were bulky enough to represent them - so to the chopping board!!


Group shot of the first three


Some solo photo op's







Only just started these really - modded gun, added some armour, some minor details - still a lot of work to go, but what are your thoughts? Will they make suitable Inquisitorial Storm Troopers?


Your thoughts are craved!!

- Rabidus

Good to see you have rectofied the book problem!
This is a truly awesome project.

wow, that's just awesome.... wow. i look forward to seeing what else turns up in that mountain of bits.

What dont you have in your "magic suitcase"? (Probably a titan, but anyway)They would be fine as Storm Troopers.

Blog Entry Number Six:
Shield of Faith...

“Try and fail, but don't fail to try.” Stephen Kaggwa quotes

Thanks for popping in, don't bother wiping your feet!

Boss 'eadbreaka: In retrospect it was a glaringly obvious mistake, but it took the kind feedback of those who have visited to show me! Please continue to help and guide (that goes for all who read this!)

children of filth: Why thank you very much! There are still plenty of wonders as yet to be discovered, methinks.

Capitain Klunk: I can only wish I had a titan - though I'm considering a couple of large Mechanicus vehicles - scratch built, but guess where I'll get the detailing from Thanks for the feedback on the storm troopers - I have worked a bit more on them Keep scrolling down to see!)



Right, so a little bit more work - actually a lot more work has happened, but I have as yet to take more pics...however, I'll post up what I have photographed and you can just wait till later for the rest. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Update on Inquisitor: I decided I liked some of the component parts, but I wanted to take a stab at redoing him - most specifically his power armour


Then I added his psycannon weapon


And a cloak (which was made from two cloaks and milliput. It curls around, as if swept by wind. It needs much work still...)




I'm still awaiting my order of kneadite, but when that arrives I'll try adding in some more details to the armour

Also, as my stormtroppers are meant to be heretic/deamon slaying elites, I gave them what any self respecting hunter of the darkness would have - silver stakes (bayonets)


And I have started to work on the count as SoBs from before. I wanted to increase their power armour bulk, much like the inquisitor



I should have some more posted in the next couple of days!!

Your thoughts, as always, are very much needed.

- Rabidus

The last pic is a bit blurry, but everything else is great! The Storm Troopers are awesome, but the first two (From this view) have glue beads on them and look a little rough, but everything else is great!

Well, seeing as you did ask for advice, firstly, the Storm Troopers are wicked, do not change them in anyway!. Secondly, to pick on your inquisitor again(sorry!) his chhest plate looks slightly empty, an aquilla or Inquisition symbol might rectofy that.

Criticiser away!