Adeptus Mechanicus entry for the 2017 Inner Circle event.

Well, Games Workshop’s Inner Circle event has come and gone.  I entered at my closest store (Warhammer – Northwoods outside Tampa).  It’s a little over an hour away.  I went to all of the build-up events to work on conversions and to meet some of the regulars.  I have to say, between the manager Johnathan and a great group of hobbyists, they create a great atmosphere.

Anyway, I decided to enter the Graia Forgeworld Mechanicus that I have been working on this last year.  The event was a great reason to kick things into high gear, finish some units that were still sitting in boxes as well as inspiring me to build some of the conversions I had in mind.  (The converted Dominus models are my favorites.)  You guys can let me know what you think of the force.  It came in 1st place with players choice for the store but did not make the cut for Dallas.  Overall, I am really glad I took on the challenge.  It even got me to build a display board.  Enjoy!

 

 

A little holiday chaos

Most of what I have been painting lately has been for a friend’s Adeptus Mechanicus army.  Almost 70 models in and I needed a little break.  Too many of the same model in the same color scheme can sap the motivation and creativity quite a bit.  So, while waiting for the next order for him, I decided to delve into the “bin if projects to be”.

I’m sure that you all have one.  A box of models that you bought with the inspiration just rushing through you.  The idea for a great color scheme or unique conversion (or the thought of crushing your local nemesis) drives a wedge between you and your money and you find yourself riding home with your next GREAT WORK.  Then you get home.  There’s no room on the painting table.  You need to finish that last last squad for an upcoming tournament.  Maybe you realize you are now short rent money (because of your new purchase) and so you have to paint something for someone else before enjoying your new toy.  Whatever the case, once stalled, these projects can get pushed back and pushed back until one day you look in a box at the back of the closet and re-discover that thing that you just had to have.  In my case, I keep that box close so that when I need to take a break I can resist the urge to shop and finally get to it.

This time the project is a Forge World Khorne Bloodslaughterer.  The piece is very dynamic and has a lot of character.  It is the kind of piece that really stands out on the table top.  Having never built one, I did make sure to take some in-progress photos.  I put them into a brief tutorial to help you a smooth build should you build your own.  I also used some of the techniques from my tutorial on making your own scenic monster bases from CDs.

Here it is!  BLOOD!!!

Feel free to ask questions, comment, and share.

Quick and Dirty – Old CD’s into Scenic Monster Bases

Okay, who here does NOT have a stack of old CD’s laying around?  If you don’t, you are under 20 years old or entirely too tidy.  I have a stack of these tucked into a back drawer to use for basing smaller terrain pieces, hanging outside windows to keep birds from crashing into them, drink coasters, and even for a very dangerous game of catch (seriously, this can hurt you!).  However, probably the best use for these derelict storage media is as scenic bases for larger models.

Many larger models don’t come from the manufacturer with bases and I think that this makes it harder to tie the models visually to the rest of your force.  Good basing gives context to your models and that helps the entire group of figures look like an army.  This is especially important when your force might not have uniforms or insignia or a regimented paint scheme.

Continue reading…

No matter what language, it’s still Merry Christmas!

I hunted across the length and breadth of the internet.  From all around the world, I present to you my (not quite yet) complete list of Christmas Greetings.  Spread the joy with friends and family everywhere.  Even if you don’t use one of the translations below, remember that Christ is the reason for the season.  Share His spirit and be a blessing to everyone in your life.

Feel free to send along additions or corrections.  I know my brother will come up with some that I missed.

• Afrikaans Gesëende Kersfees
• Afrikander Een Plesierige Kerfees
• African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
• Albanian Gezur Krislinjden
• Arabic: Milad Majid or Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
• Argentine: Feliz Navidad
• Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
• Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
• Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
• Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
• Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
• Binary Code (for the computer geek in your life): 01001101011001010111001001110010011110010010000001 00001101101000011100100110100101110011011101000110 11010110000101110011
• Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
• Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
• Brazilian: Boas Feliz Natal or Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
• Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
• Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
• Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
• Chile: Feliz Navidad
• Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
• Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
• Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
• Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
• Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
• Corsian: Pace e salute
• Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
• Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
• Croatian: Sretan Bozic
• Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
• Danish: Glædelig Jul
• Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
• Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
• Elvish: Ná merye i turuhalmeri!
• English: Merry Christmas
• Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
• Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
• Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup
• Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
• Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
• Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
• Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
• Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
• French: Joyeux Noel
• Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
• Galician: Bo Nada
• Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
• German: Froehliche Weihnachten
• Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
• Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri’cho o Rish D’Shato Brichto
• Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
• Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
• Hebrew: Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
• Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
• Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
• Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (actually Good New Year, closest I could get)
• Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
• Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
• Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
• Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
• Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
• Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
• Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
• Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
• Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
• Klingon (Star Trek): QISmaS DatIvjaj ‘ej DIS chu’ DatIvjaj
• Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
• Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
• Latvian: Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu!
• Lausitzian: Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
• Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
• Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
• Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un ‘n moi Nijaar
• Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
• Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
• Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
• Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
• Maori: Meri Kirihimete
• Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh
• Morse Code: — . .-. .-. -.– / -.-. …. .-. .. … – — .- …
• Navajo: Merry Keshmish
• Norwegian: God Jul or Gledelig Jul
• Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
• Papiamento: Bon Pasco
• Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
• Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
• Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
• Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
• Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
• Portuguese: Feliz Natal
• Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
• Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
• Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
• Romanche (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
• Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele
• Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
• Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
• Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
• Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
• Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
• Serb-Croatian: Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
• Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
• Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
• Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
• Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
• Slovene: Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
• Spanish: Feliz Navidad
• Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
• Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
• Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (actually Good New Year, closest I could get)
• Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai
• Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
• Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
• Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
• Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (actually Good New Year, closest I could get)
• Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh
• Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
• Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic
• Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye’dun!

(Hat tip goes out to my old college roommate Drew for inspiring this post.)

via No matter what language, it’s still Merry Christmas!.

Merry Christmas And Happy Warhammer!

I hope that all of your holidays are happy and healthy.

Now, here are a few Christmas-themed samples from around the web and around the world.

A few classics to remind us of how far we’ve come – “Dead Lead” – Episode 1

I found Azael’s Bitz Box after he left some kind remarks in the comment section.  I really enjoyed how he has been going back to some of the classing miniatures of the past and bringing them to like with really quality paint jobs.  This has inspired me to start posting some of my older pieces here as a bit of a palate cleanser.  I’ll occasionally add more as I find or take pictures of some of these “oldies-but-goodies.  I have a tendency to break out some “dead lead” when painting units for other people gets a little tedious or I need some inspiration.  Though I am a decidedly fervent GW collector (I have an example of almost every metal space marine ever sold in my collection), I do have the odd Reaper, Grenadier, RAFM, Ral Partha, Iron Claw and other miniature lurking in the boxes.

So, here is my first installment in this “dead lead” series.

The fist model is a Young Valten (standing) from the GW “Storm of Chaos” event.  then next 2 are converted GW minis that I gave to gaming friends as a wedding gift.  These represented their favorite D&D characters – dwarven berzerker and witch.  The last five were painted to represent the player characters in a local Pathfinder gaming group.  All of these were painted in the early to mid-2000’s.

(BTW, if anyone knows the manufacturer of the last five models, please let me know in the comments.  I think that they are Reaper but I’m not sure.  Thanks.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mechanicum Triaros Armored Conveyor

So, a little tease on the Mechanicus front.  I painted up one of these Forge World beauties for the ever growing army of my friend J.S.  This is quite a nice model with lots of detail to bring the Martian atmosphere to he tabletop.  I stayed with the color scheme of his other Mechanicus pieces.  The result is quite striking I think.

The body and top are monolithic pieces that (in my case) did not align as well as I would like.  I donned a dust mask and wrapped a wooden block wrapped with 400-grit sandpaper to get a flush join.  If you have trouble identifying the surfaces that need sanded, briefly sand one face on the wooden block to get it mostly flat.  Do NOT remove a lot of material at one go.  A half-dozen passes of the block will help get things started.  Then you should rub that face with a pencil  .Press the mating face of the complimentary piece firmly against it.  Look for smudges of transfer to identify the spots on it that need smoothed down.  Repeat while alternating pieces until you get a good join.  Remember to alternate which piece you sand so as not to remove more than absolutely necessary.  This method helps get a tight and flush join without removing too much material or resorting to large amounts of greenstuff plugging.

Assembly is pretty straight forward.  However, with the way the final assembly would hinder painting detail, I did paint the model in assemblies – body, shroud, gears, and sides.  Because of the small number of large pieces and the way that they join, the model required very few pins.  I did go ahead and magnetize the weapons and targeter because the stems seemed a bit fragile for the weight of the model.  Any shift during transport might have snapped them off.  Be careful to ensure the model sits flat when gluing the tracked sections to the body.  I have seen some of these with a terrible wobble to them.

Overall, another fun model from the boys at Forge World.  I’m sure that I’ll be doing more for the Mechanicum.  But, for now, there is a fresh batch of Skitarii sprues waiting to be assembled.  Onward!

 

Mechanicum Triaros – left

Mechanicum Triaros – right

Mechanicum Triaros – rear

Mechanicum Triaros – close

Mechanicum Triaros – front

Mechanicum Triaros – front close

Sigismund – The Black Templar’s Way

The Forge World Character Series of models for the Horus Heresy have brought many of the iconic figures of the Warhammer 40,000 universe to life on our tabletops.  No matter what chapter of the Emperor’s finest you favor, you have to admit that this series has raised the expectations of quality and detail in the industry.  And, to show that some real thought went into the creation of these pieces, they made sure that the display bases still allow the model to be fielded on a game appropriate size incorporated into it.

So, my friend J.S. (who I have painted other Black Templar models for) ordered the Sigismund model from Forge World and asked me to paint if for his crusading force.  Every enthusiastic, he plans on doing heresy era Imperial Fists so he’ll be getting another one of these for that army… some day.  As the project was to incorporate the model into his existing force, I did a little conversion work to tie the piece in with the existing ones.  An easy head swap using a Dark Angels veteran hooded helm is the biggest difference.  I also laminated a shaved-down Black Templar icon from the BT accessory sprue onto the left shoulder.  Just a few gaps to fill and file and the model was ready to start.

 

 

The kit itself comes in a nice presentation style box with a color insert showing the completed figure – no instructions though.  I had no bubbles to fill and the few mold lines I found were very faint.  As is usual with the very thin power swords found on Forge World models, a few minutes soak in hot (not boiling) water softened the piece enough to allow it to be straightened without breaking.  A quick dip into some ice water sets the new shape without you waiting for the piece to cool.  I did go ahead and pin the pieces together even though the model is very light.  It sits high up and could easily be knocked over because it stands above the average marine.  The only real correction necessary was to trim the socket on the display base so that the gaming base would sit flat and steady in it while being easy to lift out.  Without this shaving and trimming you needed to twist the model a couple ways to release it from the display.  Such rough handling could be rough on the finished paint job.

All said, I had a lot of fun with the model.  I’ll put a gallery below and you can check out other Black Templar models at this link.  Enjoy!

Sigismund as he comes from the box

complete display base for Sigismund

complete display base for Sigismund

gaming base for Sigismund

Sigismund on gaming base with display

Sigismund on gaming base ready to play

Sigismund for Black Templars front

Sigismund for Black Templars left

Sigismund for Black Templars back

Sigismund for Black Templars right

Sigismund for Black Templars top

nd versus Bad Moon Ork Warboss

Teasing the Mechanicus

So, I have had a jones for all things Mechanicus since I first picked up Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader in the late 80’s.  Something about those gritty, “hard line” sketches of robed figures festooned with rebreathers, dendrites, and all manner of arcane equipment really brought the atmosphere of the game into focus.  You could almost smell the mixture of incense and ozone and machine oil.

However, other than during the short life of GW’s Specialist Games Inquisitor tabletop game, I have never done much towards modeling Mechanicus figures.  Sure, I have plenty of bits in my bins and there are a few converted models that I tested to see about making some skitari and priests for the Rogue Trader RPG.  But, I have so many other projects (and commissions) on my plate, I could ever justify the time to build a scratch-built “counts-as” army for the Martian brotherhood.  But now, GW has released some gorgeous new figures that really do justice to the “feel” of the Mechanicus.  Forge World has also stepped up to the plate and rolled out their own beautiful pieces

Here are the first few models I have done for a client.  I love the detail and feel of the new pieces.  I know that I’ll be lightening my wallet soon to acquire some of my own.  Later i will do a long post with reviews, tutorial, and some tips and tricks for building your own sons of Mars.  For now, just sit back and take a look at the first few to come off of the assembly line.

 

UPDATE:  For those of you that never saw it.  Here is the Adeptus Mechanicus cake that my beautiful wife got me for my birthday a few years ago.

Kabuki Model For Magnus The Red

Commission piece for a friend.  This approximately 54mm scale model by Kabuki Models “Scarab Knight” is to be used as Magnus the Red in his Thousand Sons army.  Not my usual type of piece, but he wanted a conversion to include holding a Space Wolf helmet with attached spine… ala the movie Predator.

Kabuki Miniatures – Scarab Knight
Magnus the Red

The scarabs added to the breastplate and cloak are from GW’s Khemri line.  The weapon was moved from the right hand to the left to create more motion and a “on guard” feel.  the neck of the Space Wolf helm was hollowed out so the tail of a plastic, skeletal GW horse could be inserted as “spine”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also built up a theme base to match the desert terrain that his K-sons and Black Templars battle over.  The base is cork from the scrapbooking section of a local craft store and the cobra is the trumpet used by a GW skeleton musician.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greenstuff (GW’s liquid as well as the ribbon type) and gap-filling super glue (cyano-acrilate) were used to correct the “handedness of the model and get a better fit for the helmet, staff, and cloak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, the model was very crisp and had good detail.  If I have any complaints they would be that their resin is very brittle, the pale color of the resin makes finding mold lines and bubbles hard to find before painting, and the model comes with no photo of the completed model.  The packaging only shows the artist concept of the model.  This last made determining order of and execution of assembly overly tedious.  Again, not the type of thing I usually paint but it does give me a little itch to dip into the stock of old GW inquisitor scale minis I have tucked away in one of the bins.

 

As usual, feel free to share or comment.  I have a new camera coming so future posts have much better pictures.