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Welcome fellow dakkanoughts. After many years reading other people’s threads and blogs I have finally been persuaded to start my own log (I have my partner to thank for finally pushing me to do it - so basically what follows next is all her fault!).

Firstly an apology - i’m not the fastest painter, so progress I imagine will be slow (almost painfully slow) but hopefully it will galvanise me to get rid of some of the extensive backlog which i have accumulated. In the meantime it will also allow me to dig out and chronicle some of the stuff that i have painted over the years. Taking a leaf from others (@Nevelon) I will try and set my self a goal (or goals) in order to keep things progressing.

Secondly - there was a basic plan - or at least a target in my head, that i have been aiming for over these past few years. The cunning plan (baldrick-esque in nature) is to paint a full Ultramarine company of marines (2nd company to be precise) and this has been my goal for at least 10 (cough cough… 15…. cough 20) years. Now i have managed to accumulate the miniatures, and I have completed a few squads already and just need to progress with the building and painting of the remaining marines (I estimate 4 tactical & 1 devastator squads to complete plus a few tanks if I’m uber keen).
Now unfortunately I have often become sidetracked, there was a purchase of the Deathstorm boxset, Strike Force Ultra, a few Horus heresy boxsets and Adeptus Titanicus but I can move on to all of them later. This means that the basic plan which i started with all those years ago has grown significantly with the potential to end up horribly out of control (too late I fear). Overall it will revolve around the original second company but with additional support elements, including, some of the First company, part of the Tenth company, Blood Angels, Imperial Fists, Iron Hands, Dark Angels, Imperial Guard, Grey Knights, Deathwatch and potentially some Squats (Leagues of Votann for the newbies). So whilst this is going to be mainly an Ultramarine blog it will also include all of these other elements.

Thirdly - as way of introduction - I started collecting and painting back in the second edition (90’s) and became hooked. Now lack of funds prevented me from purchasing everything I wanted (and now looking back and seeing how much the prices have risen i only wish i had bought more!). I then lost interest in the hobby for a number of years (uni and life getting in the way) but then once i had settled down with a job and flat (and spare cash) my interest in the hobby came back and i started to paint and collect more. Now changes in personal life and the introduction small people into the world will mean I have both more and less time for hobbying activities. I have also started watching some painting videos (for hints and tips - youtube is a wonderful thing) and have subscribed to the Combat Patrol magazine so no doubt there will be some xenos taint occurring as we progress.

Fourth - taking a lesson from other people (e.g. @Nevelon) I think I am going to set myself goals to try and hit. I think they are going to be a little fluid to start with and I will just see how i get on. So here we go -
1. Painting target - 2 a month - not the biggest target but we can see how we get on, I’m hopeful that i will manage to exceed this (especially with the back log I have!)
2. Buy more than I paint… nope sorry thats the wrong way round - paint more than I buy! Gifts are a bonus extra so don’t count!
3. Base 30 marines - I think the more complex problem is figuring out what habitation they will be fighting in and how I am going to base them.
4. Update the blog regularly (vague i know but...)

ARCHIVES
So without further procrastination (and in the hope that at least someone is continuing to read on) here was where i started with my first marines. I suppose it is fitting to look back before moving forward, hopefully at more pace than i have previously. Here they are, not the best (probably not the worst) but i’m proud that they are some of the only miniatures that i have actually finished and based, almost 30 years ago! I haven’t decided whether they should be included in the company as an ode to young me, or superseded, although given how short of painted tactical marines i am, i think they will remain for now.

I think for 13 year old me it wasn’t too bad, granted i didn’t water down the paints and likely applied it with a large brush but as a first attempt it will do. I will look to touch them up when i get a chance, time and storage (or a plastic bag as others would call it) haven’t done them any favours!

Welcome to Dakka, blogging, and the Ultramarines!

A company goal is insane, but gloriously so. You going all firstborn, or going to mix in primaris? The 2nd company actually some full man for man descriptions. Working off one of those? Or as the mood takes you.

A lot of us have similar paintjobs hiding in the back of the shelf. The stuff I did at the start was not the best. Keep painting, keep improving. Looking forward to seeing your newer models and where you end up!

PAINTING UPDATE
Now given everything I’ve said at the start you would think that the painting table would be dedicated or at least cover something that would contribute to my original goal, but oh no (and this is partially where the problem comes from!). Following the arrival of the latest Combat Patrol magazine and watching painting youtube videos (as an aside does anyone else find watching painting videos quite therapeutic and good way to go to sleep at night?), I currently am trying to paint two termagants and a genestealer in hive fleet Leviathan colours. It was particularly fun tonight as my boy (5 years old) took an interest and decided he wanted to help paint as well so he helped base coat two other termagants and then proceeded to try to copy me with the other base colours.

But don’t fear avid marine fans there are also a few marines sitting on the work station, two librarians, a devastator sergeant and what is proposed to be a 1st company veterans squad.

My collection doesn’t have many librarians so i thought it would be good to add a few to the army to allow me to field a Librarian concave. The librarians are custom built using some grey knight parts (acquired from eBay as a bulk lot when i thought I needed a spare terminator arm - which it turns out i didn’t - oops). Librarians in an Ultramarine army never stand out well (blue on blue) so i’ve tried an alternative scheme on them so that they have a little variation - let me know what you think? I’m not happy how the swords have turned out thou - i was trying something different and I don’t think it quite works, so i plan on redoing them both.

The devastator sergeant is fairly self explanatory - I hope - and will mean that I only have the heavy weapons to complete to finish off the squad. He only has the blue applied so far but i like how he looks. (Especially as using the extra legs and the bits box you get a whole extra marine - legs always seem to be the premium item that I’m missing).

The veteran squad is an amalgamation of mainly old metal models, including the original veterans boxset, the white dwarf limited edition supplement and a games day model (2008 i think). The games days were always these wondrous things i heard about but never attended and they always used to have cool limited edition models and previews for upcoming armies. Thanks to the wonders of eBay i have managed to acquire a couple of the captains which are now currently residing in various squads. I’ve only put down the base colours on some of them and now batching the base colours on the last two. (The eagle eyed among you will notice there is only 8 models, and that because i haven’t figured out the best way to paint the last two members as they are in lots of bits!!)

Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Nevelon wrote:
Welcome to Dakka, blogging, and the Ultramarines!

A company goal is insane, but gloriously so. You going all firstborn, or going to mix in primaris? The 2nd company actually some full man for man descriptions. Working off one of those? Or as the mood takes you.

A lot of us have similar paintjobs hiding in the back of the shelf. The stuff I did at the start was not the best. Keep painting, keep improving. Looking forward to seeing your newer models and where you end up!

Hi Nevelon, thanks for reading. I'm currently 96 pages through your blog and enjoying, learning and taking inspiration from all of it.

A company is insane - i'm not going to lie - but its fun - and ever since seeing the whole Ultramarine chapter in White Dwarf in the 1990's (the image with the thunderhawk gunship) I have fancied trying to achieve it. I"m not crazy enough to aim for a chapter. I"m going for firstborn only - call me nostalgic - although when thats completed (or possibly before) I might try and mix in some new Primaris. I've gone with the 2nd company cause i like the colour (weird excuse I know) and whilst I have seen quite a few iterations of descriptions over the years I'm just going to be sticking to what I fancy (and what I have) rather than trying to emulate any specific build.

Now i just need to keep painting and continue to dig out some more of my old models!

Some of those old WDs were real inspiring. Many an hour was spent pouring over them.

You are crazy to read my whole blog. It’s over a decade of rambling hobby.

 Nevelon wrote:
Some of those old WDs were real inspiring. Many an hour was spent pouring over them.

You are crazy to read my whole blog. It’s over a decade of rambling hobby.

Yeah, those old WDs were great, I think I started around 190 and was an avid subscriber well into the 350’s - I may even have a few of them lying around somewhere. I still remember when they did something crazy, the marine chapter picture, the first apocalypse battle, the large 20,000 point warhammer battles, the launch of battle fleet gothic.

Believe it or not, I think I read half your blog about 4-5 years ago, before I had a break from the hobby, but I’ve started back again and reading a few others LDP, Gitsplitta, Eggroll, RandyMcStab, to mention a few. I find them partial inspiration, curiosity and show me what I could aspire to do. I think it was RandyMcStab’s fault I that I acquired some imperial guard - and I’m sure it was his chimeria tank design I’ve copied although I’m not 100% sure. Some of LDPs conversions along with the speed and quality are awesome and your Ultramarines are great. I’ve never really commented on any blogs before just read and lurked, but I’ve been persuaded to start (who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks)!

I always assume more people lurk then post. So even if it feels you are just posting into the void, they are out there. I know I read a lot of blog posts without commenting. I dislike making what I think are posts without adding something. “Me too” or “nice job” just feels like I’m padding my post count. But when I get even that level of post in my own blog, it helps keep me going. So while I try to be more constructive, sometimes I post little things j8st so people know they are not alone.

There are a lot of great people here. They come and go. Sometimes when I read my old stuff I remember old friends and send thoughts their way wishing them well. And sometimes they return. But there are always other, new friends. Forums are good like rhat.

PAINTING UPDATE
I finished the base colours on termagants and genestealer, then proceeded to give them all a little purple wash. Now my paint collection is currently devoid of a purple wash so I mixed one up using Baal Red and Asurmen Blue - which surprisingly are still going strong given their age (circa 2008). I think the wash has tied them together well, they need a few highlights on the carapace and a few details picking out but i like the results - slowly bit surely moving forward. You’ll notice there are 4 models (the 3 i was working on and the one my boy started, which i have tidied up). The scheme is quite quick to do, i just need to find a lighter purple for drybrushing on the carpace and I’ll be happy!

I’m working on the marines as well - i'm missing painting the marines and want to get back to the veterans squad. Plus i want to get the first 8 done so i can dig out the last two and get them done as well! I’ve finished the base colours them, so now i need to tidy them up, then start washing (nuln oil is the weapon of choice for most of them). I can’t figure out how to do the arms for them - but if i get the bodies completed thats 90% of the work done. I’ve completed 5 of them only 3 more to go.

I have to confess i did get a little distracted thou, the latest combat patrol magazines came through and the Farseer began calling to me so he was rapidly built and joined the ongoing painting pile. Im painting him following the magazine guide for the base colours initially, then will probably end up deviating for the shading and highlighting as i don’t really want to wait a year for the final details!

Oh, NOW the filthy xenos come out.

For the nids getting a paint scheme you can bang out quick and easy is critical. So many little gribbly guys needed for a good swarm.


Seer is looking good. Is it just the angle or did you adjust the spear?

 Nevelon wrote:
Oh, NOW the filthy xenos come out.

For the nids getting a paint scheme you can bang out quick and easy is critical. So many little gribbly guys needed for a good swarm.


Seer is looking good. Is it just the angle or did you adjust the spear?

lol - believe it or not - this is the first time i have really painted any Xenos, but it makes a nice change from marines (of any colour). Not sure how much of a swarm I will amass or whether they will just be a little distraction from time to time. It is nice just to put a few base colours down, chuck a wash over it and consider them just about done!

Sorry to disappoint but the Seer is just the standard build.

PAINTING UPDATE
So this weekend was yet another attempt by myself to age gracefully and to obtain that wisdom which apparently occurs with the passage of time. It was however a momentous occasion (kind of but not really) as it marked the first birthday since being a teenager in which I have received hobby gifts. My partner played an absolute blinder, and amongst other things, I am now the proud owner of a wet palette (which makes painting and blending so much easier) and some new paints. She got the message on the make and colours which i wanted but was a little exuberant when ordering them and got a few extras - not that i am complaining!! My son (all 9 weeks of him - so no idea how he paid for it) got me a blade guard veterans box so over the moon with that as well. All in all a good haul.



I had been holding off doing the swords on the librarians until the wet palette arrived, and fortunately I managed to get a bit of hobby time tonight to see what I could do with the new tools. I think they need a little more highlighting on the armour, but after that they will be complete (aside from the bases). The wet palette does seem to make things so much easier, and the paint seems to go on a lot smoother from the palette - I"m not sure how i have managed before now!

PAINTING UPDATE
It has been slow progress this week, the in-laws (ish) have been staying and Im back doing evening sport again both of which have curtailed my free time for painting. I did manage to get a little done but hit a slight speed bump on the way. I had been painting the tyranids in typical hive fleet Leviathan colours, but my partner liked the turquoise colours she got me for my birthday and wanted to experiment on a spare miniature. So she did the carapace on one of the models. Now to be fair it didn’t look too bad, but still it was a deviation from the Leviathan scheme that my OCD mind wasn’t quite ready to accept. But after she finished i completed the remaining base colours, tidied it up and applied a crimson wash (Carroburg i think). I then highlighted the carapace on all the models to order to get a fair comparison between them (worm purple for the Leviathan and ray gun glow for the test model) followed by a white dry brush to finish them off.

I think I’m going to call the test models finished (bases not included), I could do more too them but they are meant to be quick schemes to let me go through them quickly. I think the Leviathan colour works well on the Genestealer so will be sticking with it for them.
- Wratihbone, Barak-Nar Burgundy, Mech Grey for the base;
- Purple wash, although i think i will likely end up more with Carroburg Crimson;
- Worm Purple and White to highlight;

For the gribblies, termagants, whilst the Leviathan colours are nice (no shock there really), I do like and probably have been swayed by the alternative scheme, and it is probably close enough for me to say it is all one hive fleet. The paint scheme will therefore either follow that above, or more likely i will switch purple colours for the following
- Cursed Blue base
- Ray Gun Glow and white highlight

I’m not sure I have got the handle of taking good photos yet - I like the background but need to work out the lighting - problem for another time.

ARCHIVE
In order to claim at least some ongoing credibility about it being a marine blog with an achievable goal, i’ve snapped some photos of my only other completed tactical squad. Now since those early marines I believe my painting skills have improved marginally, here is my most recent tactical squad (painted circa 10 years ago), I would like to think they are to a reasonable table top standard. Looking back at them they definitely need a slight touch up here and there, and the bases aren’t completed (which is no great shock). I still need to find a balance between quality and speed. I also need to work on techniques to make things look good quickly (small goals i know!)

Within the army, for my most recent models i have decided to take an alternative approach to the norm within the squads. For tactical and devastator squads the sergeant is the most senior member and the only one with a close combat weapon. So why on earth would he have a two meter long banner pole strapped to his back-pack? Its not exactly going to aid his combat prowess. Therefore I have made an executive decision to give the banner to another member of the squad, i.e. a sacrificial lamb (heresy!!). It also means within the squads there is another focal point (which i think can only be a good thing). I think this is/was the last squad I built with the banner poll on the sergeant - all the ones built since then follow the above philosophy - so watch this space moving forward.

Also nice if you combat squad them. The guy with the banner can be in charge of the back half of the squad.

Precisely, although it now draws attention to another miniature that needs to be of a better quality. And looking at the photos there is a lot more work needs done o raise their standard!

For tactical and devastator squads that certainly works, but for assault squads I have found it more of a challenge!

 JordySteve wrote:
Precisely, although it now draws attention to another miniature that needs to be of a better quality. And looking at the photos there is a lot more work needs done o raise their standard!

For tactical and devastator squads that certainly works, but for assault squads I have found it more of a challenge!

For when I didn’t want to go full back banner, but wanted a little something, I’d put a banner topper right on the backpack.

 Nevelon wrote:

 JordySteve wrote:
Precisely, although it now draws attention to another miniature that needs to be of a better quality. And looking at the photos there is a lot more work needs done o raise their standard!

For tactical and devastator squads that certainly works, but for assault squads I have found it more of a challenge!

For when I didn’t want to go full back banner, but wanted a little something, I’d put a banner topper right on the backpack.

That’s what I have ended up doing on the assault squads and terminator squads - will need to get a few photos sorted and then post them!

PAINTING UPDATE
I’ve had limited opportunity over the weekend to paint (due to life and family) but managed to get some stuff done the past two nights. I’ve managed to get two more termagants base painted and washed, the devastator sergeant has had all his base colours applied and I’ve have only the metal touch ups to complete on the last 3 veterans and then all the base paints will be completed on the 8 of them as well.
The termagants are non-leviathan turquoise, but my OCD is fine with that. The sergeant I think is looking good, and it has been nice painting him compared to the veterans as he is simpler with less fancy pouches and details. I think I will feel better about the veterans once the wash is applied and it will tie them altogether nicely. Hopefully get another chance during the week to get that done.

Welcome back to the hobby, and welcome to the forum.

I recently came back to my blog, and in a similar position to you in trying to regularly maintain a blog while managing life and all other commitments. I tend to find it quite good for keeping me honest with painting, and sharing ideas / goals / finished miniatures is great.

You've got a bold goal of a whole company. I commend your audacity! And rejection of Primaris (for now) in favour of first born - more power to you!

 Zambro wrote:
Welcome back to the hobby, and welcome to the forum.

I recently came back to my blog, and in a similar position to you in trying to regularly maintain a blog while managing life and all other commitments. I tend to find it quite good for keeping me honest with painting, and sharing ideas / goals / finished miniatures is great.

You've got a bold goal of a whole company. I commend your audacity! And rejection of Primaris (for now) in favour of first born - more power to you!

Hi Zambro, thanks for the intro. I’ve been a fan of Dakka and its inhabitants for a while, but nice to be interacting now.

Like you I am hoping the blog will keep things moving along and at least make me progress through the pile of shame I have accumulated, and if I’m being honest continue to grow!

Given some of the projects displayed here I don’t think it is too big a target, although I wouldn’t say it is too audacious in contrast with someone who was completed both White Scars and Imperial Fist armies which are both notoriously easy colours to paint with!!! Whilst the company is first born I’m not going to deny that some Primaris have leaked into my collection and whilst a few are earmarked to be Ultramarines, I do have different plans for some of the others!

PAINTING UPDATE
Small progress again this evening, but every little helps. All the veterans and sergeant have now been washed which I think pulls them together a little, it adds a nice edge to all the colours as well. The wash does manage to point out all the pesky mould lines that i have missed Now need to start on the next coat of blue before highlighting begins. I did take the opportunity to go over the red on the sergeant, provide some highlighting and add the veteran stripe to his helmet.

I have also been playing around with the Farseer, I added colour to some of the gems and i thinking i have finished his base (minus the trim - which issued would be black but now I’m not as confident.

I have a few photos today, although the kitchen lighting isn’t the best so apologies in advance.

Yo, Steve! Welcome back to the hobby, welcome back to the forum! We're kindred spirits in that we've returned to the hobby (again) as part of the great cycle of Warhammer life. You give it up, you put it away, only to haul it out a few years later and get the bug again!

Absolutely loving seeing your earlier paint jobs, and your growth with your newer. Your old jobs are all still pretty good! And painted models are always better than unpainted! I've got a firstborn force I'm working on, too. Absolutely love seeing the older models getting some love.

Also, big fan of seeing users from the UK on here. Keep posting, keep updating us!

Hi Tek, welcome to the blog.
Yeah I agree warhammer is the thing you do, give up, get interested again, deny the interest, secretly follow, purchase something new and shiny, get interested again and continue on like you never left! It’s addictive!

There is something about the older models, probably memories of youth, but I definitely prefer them. I definitely need to start working through my older stuff and get it painted! Your Sons of Medusa are looking good, I have to try and catch up with you!

ARCHIVE - ULTRAMARINES 2ND COMPANY
Disappointingly the painting progress has been slow this week, between rugby training and family stuff I haven’t managed to sit down and do anything, so instead i’ve decided to starting cataloguing what i have already done, getting photos and documenting what other things i have painted already. And given that this started with a goal in mind, it is only right that i show how far I have got with things to date. It is likely will have to go back and do some touch ups on the models when I get round to basing them, but until then here is the current status.

May i present assault squads 7 & 8 of the 2nd Company, one with jump packs and the other on foot. Now typically I would try give an amazing narrative reason why they both don’t have jump packs, but in all honesty it is because the blister pack (yes that is written correctly) which had some of the models in didn’t come with jump packs and so one of the squads doesn’t have jump packs. The squads are a mixture of the metal and plastic models and whatever else I could find to put in there (old or new), I particularly like the squad leader and sergeant in the non-jump pack squad. And in keeping with my thoughts on banner poles these guys have truncated standards to represent each squad.

Some classic lead there! The vet with the giant terminator honor necklace is one of the marines that I stripped and repainted from my original BAs to join my Ultras. I had a blister of old assault marines, but didn’t get a squad with JPs until some time in 3rd. I bought a blister of metal JPs to get some of the old guys airborne. I miss blister packs.

 JordySteve wrote:
Hi Tek, welcome to the blog.
Yeah I agree warhammer is the thing you do, give up, get interested again, deny the interest, secretly follow, purchase something new and shiny, get interested again and continue on like you never left! It’s addictive!

There is something about the older models, probably memories of youth, but I definitely prefer them. I definitely need to start working through my older stuff and get it painted! Your Sons of Medusa are looking good, I have to try and catch up with you!

Agreed wholeheartedly. I was first into it as a nipper, around 2ed. Then dropped all interest as a teenager, got back into it around 4th and played consistently until 6th (I was active on here at that time). The dropped out again and _shocking nobody_ got piqued again around the pandemic. It's a constant push and pull lmao

The Sons are slow-going while I concentrate on my Death Guard, but it would be cool to see your army growing alongside them. And ultimately surpassing them as I can't find time to paint them up!

Tek wrote:Agreed wholeheartedly. I was first into it as a nipper, around 2ed. Then dropped all interest as a teenager, got back into it around 4th and played consistently until 6th (I was active on here at that time). The dropped out again and _shocking nobody_ got piqued again around the pandemic. It's a constant push and pull lmao

The Sons are slow-going while I concentrate on my Death Guard, but it would be cool to see your army growing alongside them. And ultimately surpassing them as I can't find time to paint them up!

Slow going is the only speed I can manage, but at least it is quicker than I used to be! And I’m hoping this blog will help speed things up. What size army you aiming for with your Sons?

Nevelon wrote:Some classic lead there! The vet with the giant terminator honor necklace is one of the marines that I stripped and repainted from my original BAs to join my Ultras. I had a blister of old assault marines, but didn’t get a squad with JPs until some time in 3rd. I bought a blister of metal JPs to get some of the old guys airborne. I miss blister packs.

He is a classic model, although even back in the day there was a little size creep between some of the rogue trader models and the 2nd edition metal ones. I got the metal assault squad box back in the day but it was only when the plastic jump packs came out that I managed to finish the squad off. Blister were great, couple of models to paint, plus somewhere to store the bits and mix the paints after you had built it!

 JordySteve wrote:

Nevelon wrote:Some classic lead there! The vet with the giant terminator honor necklace is one of the marines that I stripped and repainted from my original BAs to join my Ultras. I had a blister of old assault marines, but didn’t get a squad with JPs until some time in 3rd. I bought a blister of metal JPs to get some of the old guys airborne. I miss blister packs.

He is a classic model, although even back in the day there was a little size creep between some of the rogue trader models and the 2nd edition metal ones. I got the metal assault squad box back in the day but it was only when the plastic jump packs came out that I managed to finish the squad off. Blister were great, couple of models to paint, plus somewhere to store the bits and mix the paints after you had built it!

Scale creep? In 40k? Nah, it’s a myth. It’s a lot of fun when GW mines the nostalgia and comes out with a modern reimage of a classic model to set it next to the original. No creep at all!

I’m glad I’m a pack rat. I still use old blister packs as a palette when painting and to sort bits while assembling squads. So useful. Feel bad for the kids who never got them. Helpful bit of kit to have on the workbench.

Nevelon wrote:
Scale creep? In 40k? Nah, it’s a myth. It’s a lot of fun when GW mines the nostalgia and comes out with a modern reimage of a classic model to set it next to the original. No creep at all!

I’m glad I’m a pack rat. I still use old blister packs as a palette when painting and to sort bits while assembling squads. So useful. Feel bad for the kids who never got them. Helpful bit of kit to have on the workbench.

It is great when GW come out with a modern image, but it often followed by slight annoyance when I then get plastic envy and have to try and resist the urge to add it to the collection (or pile of shame).

I'll admit i'm quite bad for that as well, and have bits and pieces squirrelled away on the oft chance I might need them (parts of sprues, blister boxes) - my favourite to date is three mini sweet tubs that i figure will be good for some epic terrain, if i ever get round to it! The blisters are just one of those things that you almost can't do without, although with the new primaris the old packs are a little on the small side!