One Week Hobby Challenge end of week review

(Okay, long story short: when I looked at these pictures on my laptop while I was writing this post they looked fine. Now I look at them on my desktop as I post them they look far too shadowy. Hopefully they look okay but I really need to get one of these daylight bulbs people on hobby forums enthuse about and maybe that'll solve the problem once and for all.)

A productive week. Not only did I get the Glade Lord finished for my One Week Challenge but a few other bits and pieces along the way. I've got a head of steam up now and hopefully I can carry that momentum forward and get more done next week.

This week's models, in order of completion:

Model 2015.1: Astra Militarum Silvik 23rd "Fixers" Guardsman with lasgun
(Statuesque Miniatures head conversion)

Test model for my Astra Militarum regiment the Silvik 23^rd “Fixers” using the Statuesque Miniatures heroic scale female heads conversion set. As previously noted the head doesn't have the right connector to fit the torso, at least for any pose other than ironsighting so I'll need to learn to sculpt a join before doing any more.

I think a darker grey for the flak armour would compliment the grey better in future, though. I'm rather proud of the red edging, though.

Models 2015.2 and 2015.3: Orks Gretchin with grot blasters.

These Gretchin represent something important to this project: easy victories. Small, simple models that can be dashed off in a session or two. Its a nice feeling to finish something and it gives you a boost to your momentum. Since between the twenty-strong Gretchin mob, Mek Gun crew and other random Grots I've got about thirty that I can stick on one side of the painting table one or two at a time just to chip away.

Model 2015.4: Alvin Callum, Inquisitorial Acoltye with laspistol

The first of my Inquisitor's warband: Alvin Callum,Imperial Strategist and former scrivener for the Avalon Free Press' devotional pamphlet The 700 Wonders Of The Imperium. He's a polymath recruited by my inquisitor to act as his mission operator. His strategy commission was part of a longterm undercover assignment. I've been using this character for over ten years in every Imperial army I've ever had and its actually a bit of a treat to myself to finally make a model for him.

Models 2015.5: Wood Elves Glade Lord with great weapon and Asrai longbow

The main event, of course, is the Glade Lord I was painting for my One Week Challenge. Its a lovely model to paint, at least once you've worked out where the loincloth ends and the cape begins. I “highlighted” the armour using a shade since its far too delicate for me to even attempt it with an actual brush. I'm really going to have to work out some background for this guy as I want to use him a lot, I absolutely love this model

Model 2015.6: Mehendri Korendorf, Vampire Counts Necromancer

 

I've been using this Necromancer model for the better part of a year with it very nearly almost completed and I took the chance to finish him off. I'm not entirely satisfied with the pale flesh method I tried but I really didn't feel like repainting it.

Model 2015.7: Orks Mek Gun Crew Gretchin

Another Grot, this time crew for my Mek Guns, and probably my favourite of all the Grot sculpts. I like the little welding mask and the comical little pose. It also have me a chance to experiment a little with what I wanted armour plate to look like in the army. I didn't want to go with any of the usual Orky colours and the blue-green of Stegadon Scale Green suits my idea for a navy theme.

One Week Challenge #2

If there's one thing my Ork army needs its more heavy armour, plus I want to try something rather larger than a single character. The Meganobz seem relatively simple: once I've got the green flesh and the armour painted there's just the details to fill in. Also, they were a birthday present (well, three of them were) and it seems ungrateful not to have painted them. 

100 Models #2: Vampire Counts Wight King

Vampire Counts Wight King

single plastic miniature

Games Workshop £9

With the application of a sheet of A4 to provide a neutral background and using the timer on my camera so I don't judder it as I press the button I think I'm getting much better pictures. I just have to figure out how to switch off the flash to get rid of those shadows and I'm set. Anyway, onto the miniature:

This is a far more complicated model than the Cairn Wraith. It has a lot of layers so you really have to go in with a plan for painting it. Some layers need drybrushing, some need inking and it can tie you in knots. This is actually my second attempt to paint one of these, having hashed up the first go so comprehensively I had to buy a new model (the original is in a drawer waiting to be paint-stripped and turned into Bretonnian Paladin).

The solution to this model is to paint it from the inside out, innermost layer to outermost. This wasn't exactly a simple process and I had to touch up the innermost layers rather a lot (covering stray Necron Compound off the boot and knee after drybrushing the chainmail, for instance).

An effect I'm rather proud of, but which hasn't photographed well, is the dirty metal effect I tried out on the sword blade. With luck and better photography you'll see a lot more of this effect on my Black Knights and Guardians Of The Covenant but it basically goes like this: basecoat in Leadbelcher, wash Nuln Oil, drybrush the whole area in Necron Compound (or Runefang to suit your taste) and then wash Agrax Earthshade. The brown ink picks out and colours the brighter drybrush layer so you get the look of mottled filth covering the blade.

I also rather like the colour of the cape (Incubi Darkness) and I think I'll use it wherever I can within the arrmy, try to create a more cohesive look for a very disparate force.

The red armour I am less fond of. I went right up far too bright in layering and tried to darken it down again with inks but it didn't quite take.

All in all this was a complicated but very satisfying model to paint. When I'm buying models again (98 to go!) I might get some Grave Guard and paint them to match him, albeit with darker armour. I am painting some units, by the way, it's just that the character models were finished first (there'll be another one on Thursday) so I should make more substantial progress towards my goal soon, especially when I have a chance to basecoat those eleven High Elves I'll need for Sunday's Triumph & Treachery game. 

Campaign Points 1: The Triumph & Treachery to come

Yesterday I had a game of Fantasy in my friend Matt's ongoing campaign. My Vampire Counts versus Ian's Warriors Of Chaos, I lost but what's important is that Ian managed to capture my general Berenice Von Gallenberg. There were two options: I could play a scenario to try and rescue her or Ian and I could come to a deal for her freedom.

The deal we made was as follows: Ian recently lost a territory to Matt's Empire, he wants that territory back. In exchange for her freedom and not being tortured by Slaaneshi sadists Von Gallenberg will ally with him to help re-take the territory. It'll be a three-player game so we'll be using Triumph & Treachery.

So I need mercenaries.

At 2000 points you get 400 points to spend on mercenaries. My mercenaries will be a band of High Elves who have come to investigate this mysterious island that has appeared in the Sea Of Chill. The band's leader, an eccentric Loremaster of Hoeth called Korando, has made a devil's bargain with the Necromancers. He wants to know what is at the heart of the island, what animates it and he suspects it is based in Dark Magic. Dark Magic attracts other Dark Magic so he allies with the undead to use them as sniffer hounds.

The game is on Sunday, I have a week. Unfortunately I can't start until Wednesday because I can't find my primer. It'll be a real time attack to get the mercenaries finished in time. 

100 Models #1: Vampire Counts Cairn Wraith

Single plastic miniature

Games Workshop, £9

Let's talk about simplicity. It's hard to review a simple model. If I were reviewing something like, for instance, the Black Knights I'm currently painting I could talk about the variations between the five figures, the impressive alternative build, the business of deciding on their colour scheme. But this model...?

No bells and whistles, no weapons options, no posing options: just a cloak, a skull and a scythe. There are maybe half dozen different colour areas involved, paint it to look ethereal and you can cut that down to a white basecoat and a wash. Your only real decision is what colour you're going to paint the long, flowing robe that makes up most of the miniature. As you can see I went for a traditional black Grim Reaper-style robe. It may be unambitious but I think the model benefits from a simple colour scheme.

That said I've seen some fantastic Cairn Wraiths with green robes and if I buy a second one I'd be tempted to paint it that way.

The whole model revolves around the robe, which is empty below the skull. It's a wonderful design even if you do have to strain a little to see if you've painted every part if the interior. This simplicity also makes it easy to paint, hence it being the first model to make it off my hobby table in this project (99 to go!).

The only flaw in the miniature is the price. £9 is more than reasonable for a character and if you're using it as a Hero, as I am, you won't feel cheated. It's if you want to run a unit of five of the things you run into financial difficulties because suddenly you're looking at a £45 bill for a very small unit.

As to my own work on the figure I'm rather proud of the rust effect on the scythe, achieved through drybrushing (I'm not actually that fond of the effect the new Ryza Rust technical paint gives). The Skavenblight Dinge drybrush on the black robe appears thicker and less subtle now I've varnished the miniature. I want to use the effect again on my Hexwraiths and Deathwatch so I'll have to remember it needs to be very subtle. I don't hate how it's come out, it still looks enough like cloth but if I want to use it as a highlight on, say, power armour it won't do.

Also, it's been so long since I painted a base that I need more practice to get the line between side and top neat and straight. Still, one benefit of this project is that I'll have another ninety nine goes to get it right. 

Hobby Vows passed and failed

Hobby Vow Tracker

Passed: 1

Failed: 1

Last week I set myself two hobby vows. One I passed, one I failed but I can content myself that the one I failed wasn't through laziness.

I failed to paint my three Necromancers but not through lack of effort but rather because for most of the last week I've had a stinking cold and not been motivated to do anything, plus I left my army case at a friend's house and so I didn't have them readily to hand for most of the week.

I have succeeded in the other vow, however, and have not only a colour scheme but theme and self-written background for my new Bretonnian army.

The army will be (predominantly) from the duchy of Artois. It's general, the one I am converting from King Louen Leonceour, will be Sir Merovech of the Quest. This is one of the lords whose heraldry is set out in the Army Book. As it turns out Merovech is the name of a semi-legendary Frankish king from around the 450s AD so I'll read up on him to see if there's anything I can blatantly poach.

The idea at the moment is that Merovech has finished his Quest (and so I won't have to do too much cosmetic surgery on his hippogryph) and has been named by the king as Warden of Artois. Most of Artois is covered by the Forest of Arden so I imagine the people are under constant attack from Beastmen, Goblins, bandits, Orcs, Skaven and feral squirrels. Artois also shared a substantial border with Mousillon, home of Bretonnia's Undead. Thus the king has appointed a warden to co-ordinate the entire military might of the duchy. It allows me to include any units I want without the limitations put on me by saying the army is on crusade.

As to the next two vows:

Vow the Practical

Build the contents of my Bretonnia Batallion. It might look like a lot for a week but the Peasants are actually quite easy.

Vow the Theoretical

Plan out the conversion for Merovech himself. As said above I've decided against making him a Questing Knight because I've seen some amazing conversions using Leonceour's body and a lance. Not sure what I'll do with the Questing Lord body I have spare now but I've seen some very nice kitbashes on the Google Image Search sitting him on a Pegasus.

Though I do feel that perhaps taking a flying mount on the Quest is rather cheating a bit. 

Hobby Log: Warhammer Campaign first game

This is not going to be a battle report post. I'm hoping to do one soon but this is more like bookkeeping. This was my first game using a Vampire-free, Necromancer-themed Vampire Counts list and I want to write down some observations I made during the game.

Battle format and background

Straight-up pitched battle, no fancy rules, 1000 points, my Vampire Counts versus Matt's Empire. Both of our forces were scouting up a mountain pass, to the north of my home territory, to the south of his, the only square on the map separating the two.

The Armies (roughly)

Scouting Party of Berenice von Gallenberg's Undead Horde

Irwin Sollander: Level 2 Necromancer using the Lore of Vampires (General)

Mehendri Korendorf: Level 2 Necromancer using the Lore of Vampires

The Prisoner of Blood Keep: Cairn Wraith

(I know this is 10 points over the character allowance, but we discussed it before the game and Matt gave his Battle Wizard a Channelling Staff to match me)

20 Crypt Ghouls with Ghast

20 Skeleton Warriors, spears and shields, full command

20 Zombies, standard and musician

20 Zombies, standard and musician

Corpse Cart (no upgrades)

5 Black Knights, lances, barding and shields, full command

Expeditionary Force of the Third Army of Nordland

(If I missed something from this I apologise, Matt)

Captain Steiner: Empire Captain with great weapon

Magister Lehrer: Level 2 Battle Wizard using the Lore of Light with a Channelling Staff

Father Wolfgang: Warrior Priest with double hand weapons

25 Halberdiers, full command with detachment of 10 Free Company

20 Halberdiers, full command with detachment of 10 Free Company

10 Handgunners

10 Handgunners

5 Pistoliers with Outrider

The Result

Victory to the Undead Horde. All but the two Handgunner units, the Captain (who was fleeing) and the Light Wizard (who had miscast and lost all his magic) were dead by the end of Turn 6. The mountain pass belongs to the Undead now and I make the first territorial claim of the campaign. Next to move east and try to take the bay Matt's ships are moored in, cutting of their retreat by sea.

Epic Moments of Battle

The first shot fired saw Matt's Battle Wizard casting Shem's Burning Gaze and vapourising my Corpse Cart in one shot.

My Black Knights rolling the 11 they needed to make a Turn 1 charge into the Pistoliers who had used their Vanguard move to jump forward, hoping to take out a flank quick and easy. Matt's Pistoliers are old enemies of mine and this game marks the very first time I have ever actually taken them out. Though they escaped my Black Knights by fleeing they later ended up bogged down in combat with my Skeletons.

Faith in Sigmar proved a poor shield and the Cairn Wraith skewered the Warrior Priest in a challenge.

The final combat of the game was an epic scrum with Captain Steiner besieged on all sides: Zombies to the front of him, Skeletons on the right flank, Crypt Ghouls and the Cairn Wraith to his rear. The now-powerless Battle Wizard even got in on it, bravely (or stupidly) charging the rear of the Zombie unit. Sadly, my Black Knights couldn't equal their Turn 1 feat and roll another 11 to take the Battle Wizard in the rear. The Halberdiers fought to the last man but it all proved too much for Steiner who fled in fear in the last seconds of the game.

Lessons Learnt

Surprisingly, I do not miss having Vampires. I especially don't miss having a Vampire General and having to choose between holding him back from combat and wasting his devastating potential or sending him in and risking the Instability tests I'd have to take if he dies.

Instead I had a Necromancer with a Cairn Wraith standing next to him ready to accept any challenged on his behalf and even issue a few of his own. In a larger game I intend to take a Wight King but the Cairn Wraith proved more than adequate and was very good at taking out Matt's characters, none of whom had the magical attacks needed to harm an Ethereal foe. I was planning on including a unit of Wraiths in the future but I think I'll keep him as a solo act to play bodyguard to one of the Hero-Level Necromancers whilst my Wight King does the same for the Master Necromancer.

I was also planning on spending points expanding the Zombie units but seeing how many Invocations of Nehek I got off I think two 20-man units are more than sufficient, though I do need to paint more spare (perhaps in Nordland colours?).

The Corpse Cart is a target, even unupgraded it has scary potential, so in future I must deploy it in cover.

The Black Knights' ability to move through obstacles is great not just for charging enemies but for escaping those horrible situations where you overrun and stop slap bang in front of a missile unit. It happened in this game, I took out some Free Company, overran and found myself sitting in front of ten handguns clicking ominously into ready position. The next turn I made a dash (well, ish, I couldn't march) through a small building and blocked off their line of sight.

Crypt Ghouls make a great unit to accompany my General. They might have no armour save but you can always bring them back using Invocation. Between the 20 Ghouls and his Cairn Wraith bodyguard my General managed to make it through the battle without a scratch. 

Hobby on Holiday

I've got a week off and nothing to do (except blitzing my flat and having a right old clear out, but that's neither here nor there) and so I want to get on with a little bit of hobby, finish some longstanding projects.

I've been feeling really inspired by my old Vampire Counts army recently. Over the last couple of months I've played a few games and bought a few new models but not got much painting done. As such I have a bunch of models in various states of not finished sitting on my painting table:

1 Wight King

1 Cairn Wraith

1 Tomb Banshee

2 Necromancers (the plastic one and a Finecast Amber Wizard)

5 Black Knights

3 Varghiests

I'm also acid-bathing the Sartosan Vampire I use as my General because the paintjob on him is frankly embarrassing. I was going for “ethereal blue” on his clothes but landed closer to “hospital pajamas”.

I should say I know I'm not going to get all these models done in a week. Maybe if I were doing this number of rank-and-file models it'd be doable but these are mostly character models so I want to do a good job on them. Really I just want to see how far I can get with this list in a week.

And to keep myself honest I've finally had my digital camera fixed so I can use the blog to track my progress and shame myself into knuckling down on this one. My attempts to paint a Tomb Kings army in a month failed miserably so let's see if I can do better with a target I have no reasonable expectation of meeting.