Switch Theme:

Dakka Painting Challenge Round 134 April 2026: Irregular  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain






A Protoss colony world

I think these guys fit the definition of irregular, being a mob of barbarians after all:

These are Hill Tribesmen from the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game, as seen in The War of the Rohirrim. Definitely not a professional army by any stretch of the imagination, and they wear various bits of leather, cloth and fur for clothing and so should appear as a rabble. Perfect for Contrast-type paints if I do say so myself. Here's hoping this can get me out of my current painting funk and actually finish something.

My armies (re-counted and updated on 11/7/24, including modeled wargear options):
Dark Angels: ~16000 Astra Militarum: ~1200 | Imperial Knights: ~2300 | Leagues of Votann: ~1300 | Tyranids: ~3400 | Stormcast Eternals: ~5000 | Kruleboyz: ~3500 | Lumineth Realm-Lords: ~700
Check out my P&M Blogs: ZergSmasher's P&M Blog | Imperial Knights blog | Board Games blog | Total models painted in 2025: 48 | Total models painted in 2026: 2 | Current main painting project: Tomb Kings
 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
You need your bumps felt. With a patented, Grotsnik Corp Bump Feelerer 9,000.
The Grotsnik Corp Bump Feelerer 9,000. It only looks like several bricks crudely gaffer taped to a cricket bat.
Grotsnik Corp. Sorry, No Refunds.
 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

 KidCthulhu wrote:
It's these guys:



So they're fancy and dirty at the same time...


I would go with more deeper tones, like burgundy and corresponding greens and blues. But that’s just me. Or you could embrace the poofy sleeved glory and go with bright yellows and reds.

But the dark colors hide the dirt and bloodstains better, which is better in their line of work as brigands...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
 ZergSmasher wrote:
I think these guys fit the definition of irregular, being a mob of barbarians after all:

These are Hill Tribesmen from the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game, as seen in The War of the Rohirrim. Definitely not a professional army by any stretch of the imagination, and they wear various bits of leather, cloth and fur for clothing and so should appear as a rabble. Perfect for Contrast-type paints if I do say so myself. Here's hoping this can get me out of my current painting funk and actually finish something.


You’ve got this! One layer at a time and they will come together. Just try to make it to the workbench, even if it’s just a few minutes a day to put one coat down.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2026/04/08 10:19:35


   
Made in gb
Dakka Veteran





I'm probably going to paint some Goblin Nasty Skulkers this month
   
Made in us
Grumpy Longbeard






 KidCthulhu wrote:
It's these guys:



So they're fancy and dirty at the same time...

Quite fancy indeed. Can't wait to see them.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
 ZergSmasher wrote:
I think these guys fit the definition of irregular, being a mob of barbarians after all:

These are Hill Tribesmen from the Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game, as seen in The War of the Rohirrim. Definitely not a professional army by any stretch of the imagination, and they wear various bits of leather, cloth and fur for clothing and so should appear as a rabble. Perfect for Contrast-type paints if I do say so myself. Here's hoping this can get me out of my current painting funk and actually finish something.


Some washes and speed paints.
What do you think of giving them green flames for their torches?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Progress, few more days and its done.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2026/04/09 12:44:29


 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York



Getting those basecoats down. Slow and steady…

   
Made in us
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





Tangentville, New Jersey

Okay, let's see if I can finish five of these guys in time...



Still stumped on a paint scheme


 
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut






Mostly, on my phone.

My entry for this month's contest: converted Rat Ogor Star Players






Kreek Rustgouger

Hakflem Skuttlespike

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2026/04/10 16:17:24


Theophony"... and there's strippers in terminator armor and lovecraftian shenanigans afoot."
Solar_Lion: "Man this sums up your blog nicely."

Anpu-adom: "being Geek is about Love. Some love broadly. Some love deeply. And then there are people like Graven.  
   
Made in us
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





Tangentville, New Jersey

Okay, so it looks like I'm going with purple and red:



Looking better than I thought.


 
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Incorporating Wet-Blending





Japan

Good stuff, graven and Kid!

Three more Harlequins finished, apart from basing:



Now showing classic Harlequins!

Painting total as of 24 April 2026: 45

Painting total as of 12/31/2025: 152 plus a Deva King statue


 
   
Made in za
Guardsman with Flashlight






Only 1 out of my starting 4 minis turned out to my liking, so I will only be entering Artos, King of Albia.
[Thumb - IMG_20260412_144839.jpg]

[Thumb - IMG_20260412_144909.jpg]


Die for the Emperor. Or die trying. 
   
Made in in
[MOD]
Otiose in a Niche






Hyderabad, India

Love Artos, what's the story on him?

 
   
Made in gb
Master Engineer with a Brace of Pistols





Northumberland

Those Harlequins and Rat Ogres look ace lads, nice work!



I'll enter my last 5 kasrkin. Although rather than the two plasma gunners one of them is the Sergeant.

One and a half feet in the hobby


My Painting Log of various minis:
# Olthannon's Oscillating Orchard of Opportunity #

 
   
Made in us
Grumpy Longbeard






@Olthannon brining in the heat! cant wait to see how they turn out.
________________________________________________________________________________

DONE
Palatinate - Irregular Mechanized support.
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/817689.page#11783890





 
   
Made in us
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





Tangentville, New Jersey

Status update:


Left to right: Schläger, Kapitän Schwarzfeder, and Krebs

Pros: Making good time, they look decent enough for table standard
Cons: Some soft Oldhammer details, there's nothing really spectacular with my paintjobs


 
   
Made in gb
Master Engineer with a Brace of Pistols





Northumberland

I posted it in your thread already but well done Mothsniper, those vehicles absolutely rule.

Great work Kid, your faces in particular are excellent. Great name for the guy on the right, I don't think he could be called anything but Krebs?







First of my 5 stormtroopers completed. Sniper Lambley.


One and a half feet in the hobby


My Painting Log of various minis:
# Olthannon's Oscillating Orchard of Opportunity #

 
   
Made in us
Just the Bare Metal




Chicago suburbs

A little late with an entry but what could be more irregular than a Dredd street gang?
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

You can enter at any point up to the final bell. Welcome aboard!

We are about at the halfway point, so plan accordingly. Now is also a good time to start brainstorming about what we want to paint in May and tossing out ideas.

(and be sure your taxes are filed for my fellow Americans)

   
Made in gb
Liberated Grot Land Raida






Northern Ireland

Just chucking this in. Planning some Tau irregulars for Space Wierdos.



We’ll see how far I get by the end of the month.

   
Made in gb
Master Engineer with a Brace of Pistols





Northumberland

Two more stormtroopers with two to go.




One and a half feet in the hobby


My Painting Log of various minis:
# Olthannon's Oscillating Orchard of Opportunity #

 
   
Made in au
Dakka Veteran






Sydney

Daia T'Nara - Star Leopards Intercessors

Spoiler:









The sprues for this squad were actually a prize from my local gaming group's open painting contest last year, won by Brother-Captain Fragman (of the leopard print cape), so obviously they had to be Star Leopards as well, meaning I got to paint the Thundercats logo - which I'd chosen for Fragman because I'd only have to do it once - five more times, getting increasingly wonky each time. The lore is now that each brother-marine paints the symbol himself upon being granted his armour, and they're not trained for art.

   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York



In addition to blogging here, I also post on my FLGS’s WIP Wednesday posts. When I posted my latest WIP, I was asked if I was going to paint or freehand markings.

In response I wrote:As I’m going to have the armor is arctic camo I’m going to have to dig around for some non-white Ultramarine transfers. But I’ve probably got some somewhere. If not, freehand. Although the white “U” masked out of the camo stripes might work as well. Seeing that the underlying color is going to be a more greyish white then the pure white of the transfer. Or I could do one shoulder in blue. Something to ponder while I finish them up.


As you can see, I’m dithering.

Also historically, I did not put chapter markings on my scouts. This dates way back from before I switched from Blood Angels to Ultras, so I could use them with either force. In universe my justification was that their job was to gather intel, not give it out. By not wearing chapter markings their opponent would not know what force they were up against.

Now my phobos get a blue shoulder. But they also have nice formal shoulderpads with a rim and everything. The non-pad shoulder is generally left bare. Exceptions made for HQs.

I know I can get blue :ultra: symbols somewhere, as one of my Lt’s is wearing one.
Spoiler:

Where it came for an do I have 10 more is another question.

So the options:
A - No markings, all stealth
B - Blue/black U’s over camo. Transfers if I can find them, freehand if I can’t.
C - White U’s over camo (this is the easy answer. Well, easy that’s not A’s do nothing answer)
D - White U’s over chapter blue shoulder. Mimics the phobos.
E - Other, please describe.

   
Made in de
Liche Priest Hierophant






I think the standard white chapter badge with black outline on top of the regular camo pattern would look good.

Pure white helped by a black outline should be readable, but also neatly blend in with your camo colors, especially from a distance.

Should be fairly easy to paint, too. Put a black basecoat on the shoulder pad, apply the transfer, and then fill in the remaining spots with your camo colors while leaving the black outline. Should hardly be any more difficult than painting the pattern on its own.

Nehekhara lives! Sort of!
Why is the rum always gone? 
   
Made in us
Grumpy Longbeard






Good progress guys!

@Nevelon
Interesting question.

I can make an argument for each option, but it depends on what is more important like:
Consistency with ultramarine doctrine, whatever looks coolest, whatever reads best on the table, whatever is fastest to paint, ets.
If you can identify what condition is a must, that might help you to make a decision that you can be satisfied with without feeling like you have missed out on a better option.

For me whatever is faster that also reads best on the table is primary.
Because scouts are part of the larger battle group that already has the classic "U" markings.
For scouts, I would vote (A)

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2026/04/18 12:50:51


 
   
Made in gb
Fireknife Shas'el





Leicester

@Nevelon you might want to use the coloured shoulder pad, just so that you can find them on the table. I made the mistake of painting my Tau stealth suits in a military grey like a stealth aircraft and the buggers just disappear amongst the terrain. Turns out camouflage is effective, even at scale!

DS:80+S+GM+B+I+Pw40k08D+A++WD355R+T(M)DM+
 Zed wrote:
*All statements reflect my opinion at this moment. if some sort of pretty new model gets released (or if I change my mind at random) I reserve the right to jump on any bandwagon at will.
 
   
Made in us
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





Tangentville, New Jersey

Meanwhile, I keep pluggin' away:


Wolpertinger Kompanie left to right: Knüppel, Schläger, Kapitän Schwarzfeder, Bucklige Jan, and Krebs

At least I have five done if I can't get any more done this month. It's easy to pick the five best when you only have five finished

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2026/04/19 19:31:05



 
   
Made in us
The Marine Standing Behind Marneus Calgar





Upstate, New York

 Jadenim wrote:
@Nevelon you might want to use the coloured shoulder pad, just so that you can find them on the table. I made the mistake of painting my Tau stealth suits in a military grey like a stealth aircraft and the buggers just disappear amongst the terrain. Turns out camouflage is effective, even at scale!


Oh, I am well aware of the effectiveness of camo. One perk is that most tables are not ice themed, so it will be hard for them to blend.

--

No suggestions for next month? I’ll just grab some from the archives.

   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut






Mostly, on my phone.

Well, how about From the Archives?
Librarians, archivists, researchers- or old classic minis from the vaults!

Theophony"... and there's strippers in terminator armor and lovecraftian shenanigans afoot."
Solar_Lion: "Man this sums up your blog nicely."

Anpu-adom: "being Geek is about Love. Some love broadly. Some love deeply. And then there are people like Graven.  
   
Made in us
Utilizing Careful Highlighting





Tangentville, New Jersey

You'd get my vote, Graven.


 
   
Made in de
Liche Priest Hierophant






I don't think I'd vote for From the Arrrchives. I already painted my pirate librarian.

Nehekhara lives! Sort of!
Why is the rum always gone? 
   
Made in gb
Camouflaged Ariadna Scout





Leeds, UK

Got basecoats done on the bikes. Just need to get paint on the riders now. And the bases.






Link to my Gallery. 
   
 
Forum Index » Painting & Modeling
Go to: