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 DJJazzyJeff wrote:
Wow, Nev. I see so many models move across your bench. How big are your armies now?

Very impressive.

Somewhere between “big” and “stupidly big” OK, so that’s mostly just the Ultras, which are clocking in at something like 16,000 points. Eldar are a much more reasonable 4k, while the nids are just stretching to get to 2k. And that’s not adding my YTD shelf, which is about 1,100 across the 3. Over the course of time documented in this blog (so about 9 years) I generally manage around 2,500 points a year painted. Some of that is fantasy and one offs that don’t fit into my main armies, but gives you an idea how things grow and my pace.

Almost done with the last 2 gaunts. They are at the touch-up stage. Moving along...

So most of these guys are ready for flock. I just put the black wash on the last spore mines. They just need their bases cleaned and rock/tufted to join the others. Who at this point will probably wait for them to catch up.

BGV still chilling in the back with no progress.

Starting to clean and assemble the squad. I do think I’ll spice them up into a bit of a KT. Even if they don’t match the rules, it will give them a bit of flavor. All will still have the basic rifle, but will toss some demo charges, knives, scopes, etc. around.

So some of the new paints look good. Would have looked better before I started my nids. Always felt the purple was too dark, and lo, here comes on the right shade after I’m halfway though. Oh well. Blue contrast shows promise, might grab a pot to test as a replacement for my ink. Also the grey shade looks better over white then apothecary white to help shade white armor. Not that I have a lot left to do. Little worried about the re-formulation on the shades. I like how the Nuln Oil flows for how I use it. Might grab a pot or two before it goes away. Or just test the black contrasts.

Edit: All the gaunts and mines done and based. I’ll need to start another batch of nids across the bench.

Did the cleanup on one of the BGVs. Gaunts are all ready waiting for me to pick the best 5 and get formal shots. Intercessors bodies are cleaned and built, next step is to clean up the bits and bobs that make them who they are. Haven’t started more nids yet. I should, just been a tired week. But it’s Friday, so almost to the weekend!

So the comms and demo guy are done being built. Demo is not much, just a meltabomb hung off his belt. Need to spice up the rest of the squad. I feel a little bad about poaching ideas from my DW KT, but might just go and echo them in blue.

Weather was nice after work, so I broke out the rattle can. I had picked up 2 new ones a week ago. Finished the last of the old. More stuff for the primed pile, which was actually looking a little patchy. Still some grey that needs to be primed, but I like to do small batches and have been building a lot of stuff.

I posted them in the contest thread, but here are the finished gaunts


and all 8 that I did:


I should get a shot of the full block of 20. Might wait until the year ends, and do group shots of the branches of the swarm.

Hope everyone’s week is going well.

That swarm is getting bigger every week, they'd warrant a stockpile of bug bombs by now

Good to see so much progress and excited for the spruced up new marines squad, sounds like fun.

 Viterbi wrote:
That swarm is getting bigger every week, they'd warrant a stockpile of bug bombs by now

Good to see so much progress and excited for the spruced up new marines squad, sounds like fun.

Coms, demo, and scout done.

Scout/recon guy has a phobos shoulder pad and an auspex. Not a huge amount of stuff, but a little extra character. I made another nid talon knife for the vet/CC guy. Used a spare hilt from the BGV box. He’s up next to build. Last guy will probably be the marksman.

Edit:
Quick run after work to the FLGS to pick up my 30k/special weapons boxes that finally showed up. And 2 pots of Nuln Oil before they reformulate it. So it begins...

Little woolgathering before I start my day.

So I started reading the HH rulebook. Getting lots of 7th flashbacks, which is about what I expected. Cleaned up a lot of things, swapped some to older versions of the 3-7 rules range. Like wound allocation, which I approve. Looks pretty clean and playable, but I’m just getting through the core stuff. I’m sure it will get more convoluted later.

Placed an order for more stuff. Nothing that’s going to impact my paint more then I buy goal (which is looking truly stuffed). The loyalist rules, some more rocks and tufts. Just broke down and ordered a 6 pack of the tufts I use. According to Amazon, I’ve ordered frozen tufts 4 times, and that’s not counting ones from FLGS. With all the nids and 30k guys in the pipe, I’m going to need them. Might as well get the bulk discount. Cashed in more reward points and a father’s day gift card, so it wasn’t too bad on the bottom line, but this year’s expenditures have been crazy. I need to stop.

I’m dithering a lot on how I want to build the HH box. Battlescribe is not updated fully, and my book will not be here for a week or so. I do know I want to magnetize the dread, so might need to get more magnets for that of the right size. Spartan should be fairly straightforward. Options will be magnetized, so I can build that before the book. Despite any other uses for the Mk. VI marines, (which is probably going to be a lot of special weapons) I feel the need to put together a ML/F tac squad. Gotta callback to the old RTB01s. I’ve got no plans to pick up the ML/HB box, but can probably poach one for the Mk III/IVs.

I doubt either of the preators are going to be built stock. Not a huge fan of them. We’ll see what happens.

Have a great weekend all.

--Nev


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So finished the build on these guys.

Scout/recon. Auspex and a phobos pad, light on his feet to rove ahead and find the enemy.

Coms. Keeping the main body apprised of status, intercepting signals, e-warfare.

Demo. AGL and a melta bomb to make things go boom.

Vet. Xeno-talon knife, TDA honors token on his shoulder. Probably acting sarge is these 5 men need to operate alone.

Sniper. Right now his rifle is in battle configuration, but he’s got a optional scope and bippod hanging off his belt, as well as special ammo.

The last 2 guys don’t look like much from the front, but have a lot of extra kit. Decided to use the scarred head I painted for the judicar here. I could just clean up a new one, but why when the work is already done?

And with these guys done I can move on to other projects. Which will probably be 30k stuff, but I might bang out 4 more gaunts just to mix things up from the marine fest this is going to turn into.

Nice! Looking forward to seeing them painted up! That heresey box almost got me, too--going to be a lot of marines like you say. Assuming you're sticking to Ultras?

Vejut wrote:
Nice! Looking forward to seeing them painted up! That heresey box almost got me, too--going to be a lot of marines like you say. Assuming you're sticking to Ultras?

I’m not crazy enough to start a new legion when I’ve got a lot of legacy stuff that can fill the ranks. Prior I was using a slightly different paint scheme for my 30k stuff, to help ease the pressure on the lone pot of blue ink. Might try a few experiments and see what the new paints look like. If it’s close enough, might just adopt them overall.

These guys might float higher in the paint order, as specialists they might get done on their own, and not be stuck as a 5 man squad.

Building some beakies:


And you thought it was just going to be the 30k plastics. I need to finish cleaning up the old stuff I’ve been stripping for years now. Still more waiting, but my hands can only take so much scrubbing in one sitting. But I can get these guys cleaned and in the queue.

Also put the base down on 3 spinefist gaunts. Progress. Not enough for a full weekend, but I helped friends pack and spent some time playing Skrym.

Obviously the new guy is just standing more upright. No scale creep. None at all.

The old is new again. Can't wait to see that new tank get blue'd.

 youwashock wrote:
The old is new again. Can't wait to see that new tank get blue'd.

In general I hate painting tanks. So big, so much area to cover. Plus my ink/glaze system of painting blue does not do them any favors. Needs to happen though.

Not a lot of painting progress. Cleaned up the purple on the gaunts, they need their flesh wash next. Did the second cleanup blue on the other BGV, they both need ink. Not a lot of motivation this week, and I’ve got a lot of things planned for and need to be done by this weekend. Plus the summer hours I’m working kill some of the morning time I use to get a layer down. Still adjusting. I’d like to clear the decks by this weekend on the painting side, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Might try though.

Reds down. They need faces, black wash, and touch ups. BGV still need their ink.

Base stuff showed up yesterday.

Hard to tell from the angle, but that’s a stack of 6 tufts.

TGIF all.

Edit: put the black wash on the nids.

I'm a big fan of good basing.

Army Painter tufts are really nice! I've been using them on my Stormcast Eternals' bases. Your swarm is turning out nicely, and I feel you on the new paints. I want to use the new purple for any future Sisters, but it won't match my existing ones very well. I might just do it anyway because it'll look better than thinned-down Shyish Purple, and to hell with it being a perfect match.

Good luck on the HH models; that's a lot of plastic in there, but just think of how cool it'll look once you get it all painted up!

Gitsplitta wrote:I'm a big fan of good basing.

ZergSmasher wrote:Army Painter tufts are really nice! I've been using them on my Stormcast Eternals' bases. Your swarm is turning out nicely, and I feel you on the new paints. I want to use the new purple for any future Sisters, but it won't match my existing ones very well. I might just do it anyway because it'll look better than thinned-down Shyish Purple, and to hell with it being a perfect match.

Good luck on the HH models; that's a lot of plastic in there, but just think of how cool it'll look once you get it all painted up!

I’ve had a long, spotty relationship with baseing. Spotty is probably not the best word. I started bad and have gotten better over time.

At first, it was just green paint on the base of old RP/Grenedier D&D minis.

For a long time I just tidied up my bases with black paint. It at least got rid of the splatter from the mini and kept them uniform.

At some point in the mid 90’s I goblin greened and flocked my undead army. A more classic base from a more civilized time.

Early-ish in this blog I started snow basing. At first I used GW’s winter kit. Little dime bag of flock, some rocks, and dead grass. I think some icicles and frosted panes as well, I should look for those, never used them. Snow was more powdery, finer grain then the Woodland Scenics I’m using now. No that I’d go back if I could. I like the rougher consistency, and it was like $12 for a lifetime supply.

Working through the GW rocks, I started supplementing them by picking up volunteers on my daily walks. The problem with that was the irregular nature and supply of finding stuff the right size. So fairly recently (few years back?) I picked up a pound of rocks from the company I just ordered more from. They offer a range of sizes. In hindsight, the first bag was a little too small. The new ones might be a little big, but I can sift through them and grab the best fitting ones for the mini I’m working on. These at least seem to offer more hight. The old ones were mostly slivers of slate, which at that size are fairly flat.

Outside of my initial start with GW tufts I’ve always used the Army Painter ones. I’m generally quite happy with them, and have burned through a lot over the years. My only major complaint is when they switched from the tear-off sheets of flowers to a tuft based system. I really liked the old style. Somewhere in the back of my mind is the idea of getting some static grass, colored flock, and spray glue and try to replicate them. But that sounds like a lot of work for something that might just fail hard.

--

Gaunts are at the touch-up stage, I’ll get to that later this morning. Hopefully the marines as well, but I’m having a 4th of July cookout on Monday, and need to prep a lot of things and clean up the place a bit. Mostly because I’m crazy. But also because I don’t have people over very often and it gives me a chance to do fun things in the kitchen.


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Q2 halftime report.

I took a pic a few weeks ago, and this isn’t too far off. More nids done. 47 models, not a bad tally. And the 3 guants on the handles are off and waiting to be based. BGV still need ink. So almost 50ish done, which is not a bad tally.

My New Year’s resolutions wrote:
1 Paint 20 members for the primaris battle company 11/20
2 Paint more than I buy. 47/119
3 Paint At least 12 spare bits. I've magnetized a number of things, painted the primary set up, but never get around to doing the other options.
4 Paint at least 3 units that have been in the primed pile/Pile of Shame for 3+ years 3/3
5 Update my blog at least once a week, and maintain a consistent pace of work (1 mini a week).
6 Paint at least one unit for 5 different factions. 3/5
7 Enter and finish an entry every month for the painting challenge. If the monthly challenge stops, enter at least one comp in the year.
8 Buy, build, and/or paint at least one piece of terrain. Try to enter the new format LoER contest at least once.

Doing good on number one. Over half way there, so on target. I plan on doing another 5 man squad this month, so plugging along.
Heh, #2 is bad. If I really push on the nids I might be able to make up ground. 119 is not completely unreasonable with the bugs and the speed i can crank them out at a standard I’m happy with.
Have I done any spare bits this year? Not sure. I should get on this.
TML speeder, scouts, Wave Serpent. Good on this one. I should push past my 3 goal and try to get ahead of the game. But one issue is that things that have been lingering tend to have a lack of interest behind them. Still, needs to happen.
Good blogger, good pace. Almost at my 52 minis a year target at the halfway point.
Eldar Nids and Ultras. Something spooky in October. Need to find at least one new things to mix up the paintbench.
Still going strong on the painting challenge. It’s a little bittersweet that Para missed last month, but I’m now the only person who’s been there for all of them. Bit of pressure to keep at it, but I use it to motivate me, even if it’s a struggle some times.
Technically fine for 8. I picked up some used terrain from the FLGS, and entered a LoER contest. Flocked an old hill, which I didn’t feel was up to the standards of entry, so bowed out of completing the contest. I do wish them the best, and may try again later. With The Boy’s dropping interest in 40k, there is less reason to make sure my home table is stacked.

So overall not bad, but 2 and 3 are looking to be fails unless I get cracking on them.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

That is a pretty solid group for the first have of the year's progress Nevelon.

Happy 4th of July.

Cheers,

CB

You've done a lot better than I have for the first half of the year. Lots of good progress to show! Have a happy and safe Independence Day!

 Nevelon wrote:



At some point in the mid 90’s I goblin greened and flocked my undead army. A more classic base from a more civilized time.

Ahh to be a young 'un basing your minis with the mightiest of paints, goblin green. Those heady days were the grass really was greener. And goblinier.

Great progress Nevelon!

Thanks guys.

Hope everyone had a nice Canada Day (belated), 4th of July, good riddance to the colonials, or just a nice summer weekend. Or winter, for those on the flip side. I think I packed more socialization into the last 3 days then I did the whole prior month. Plus all the prep work to get ready to host a cookout on Monday.

Downside to all this is the lack of progress. I did manage to get the first blues down on 3 marines today. One perk of the rain we got today is I get to skip my lunchtime walk and get some paint down. I want to get the BGVs done, but honestly my shoulders are bugging me a bit, so I’m trying to avoid too much precision work. I should just pop them off the handles and move some gaunts across that space until I’m in the mood to finish them.

The legion book for loyalist 30k rules showed up today. I should start looking at what I can do with what I have. Amusing note: when checking my order on Amazon, their “suggested other products” they were trying to upsell me were mostly resins for 3D printers. Too funny.

Hope everyone’s weeks are going well. I’ll try to get some more paint down and pictures later. And build more stuff. Pile of Shame is not going to take care of itself.

Hey look! Actual painting progress. Got the ink down on the BGV. So many bad angles and nooks that are hard to get a brush on. Going to need a lot of touchups. Luckily, not a huge amount of edge highlights going to be needed. I’m not going to bother on a lot of the shadowed/recessed parts, which is most of them.

Base coats going down on the riflemen. Plugging away.

Need to clean/build more stuff. Kinda stalled on that. Part of that is a little decision paralysis due to thumbing through the 30k books trying to figure out what I want to do. Part of my wants to toss points efficiency out the window and just run 100% on rule of cool. But the number crunching min/maxer in me is having little fits over the idea. For example, you can give legion support squads chainswords, in addition to their guns. But it adds 5 points a model, which isn’t nothing. The concept of equipping 10 of them with Assault 2 Volkite chargers (a free option) and then piling in with sword/pistol has a certain appeal. Worth ~200 points of my army? Plus transport costs? Not sure. For the same cost of the chainswords I could take the Volkite Calivers which are heavy 3 with twice the range.

And I need to switch gears back to the different rules. Can you assault out of a rhino? (no) How many units can embark in a transport? (one, plus characters). These kind of distinctions are relevent and will affect what I build. Like is it worth building a support squad of 5 melta gunners? Kinda pricy, and they would need a transport, but can’t share one. What other ways do I have to get melta downfield?

So yah, decision paralysis.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend,

--Nev

On the one hand I very much understand that feeling--getting it with my CSMs (does this min sized hb-toter squad really need to burn the theoretical points for plasma pistol-fist on the sarge vs. All the bling/bp-chainsword just looks boring...), and there's basically 0 chance they ever hit table. On the other hand, we do this hobby to push cool models around, and the volkite-sword thing or just 10 melta piling out of a rhino just sounds cool.

Quick WIP



Spent my lunch break putting on decals. Just need flock.

And a in-focus picture. But that’s what I get for racing the clock.

Bladeguard looking really good, Nev.

Coming along Nevelon.

Cheers,

CB

Those gaunts and bladeguard are looking sound, the red on the nid weapons is very nice.

I’m not going full GW “Red era” as I tone down the brightness with some Nuln Oil, but I do think it adds some nice otherworldly charm to the little buggers.

Better finished shot.

And the BGVs:


Glad to be done with these guys. It’s not just the shields, but just a lot of places it was hard to get a brush on. And due to these guys being the Indominus ones, they had a little soft detail in places. But they look cool, and should do fine on the table. Or will once I paint a sarge for them. 2 guys does not a squad make, although I could field them as victrix HG.

Not a huge amount of other progress. Clipped the Mk VI to make 4 more, base coated 2 nids with Grey Seer. But mostly been spending my free time watching TV (binged Wandavision to watch the new Dr. Strange, which was just OK) and replaying though Skrym (they will make anyone the archmage these days). Not a lot of energy for doing stuff. Vacation next week, going to visit my folks, so not painting, but maybe a bit of a recharge.

Hope everyone’s week is going well.
--Nev

Slow progress, but progress.

TGIF. Have a good one everyone.

Far better than I've been doing lately.. Keep at it!

I'll second that; slow progress is more than I've been doing lately. Which is bad because I'm already WAY behind for the year.