Getting Back to 30k

Land Raider, Armoured Proteus Variant, painted in the colours of the VI Legion Astartes - resin model from Forge World.

It had been a while since there has been 30k content moving across my painting desk, and as the dust settled on another Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge, the thought had been growing in my mind that it was about time to add to the painting side of my 30k pile. When Curt's annual Challenge wraps up, I always take a short breather, but I do sort of always need to be painting something, and usually only a few days go by before I am itching to get the brushes to work on something.

Always fun to check out the not-carbon-neutral propulsion systems on The Emperor's vehicles...

At around the same time the Challenge wrapped up, GW made the formal announcement of new plastic models coming for the Horus Heresy range...well, the jolt of marketing hype pushed my brushes into action. You can see the initial results here - an "Armour Proteus" Land Raider, painted in the colours of the VI Legion Astartes, the Vylka Fenryka. 

I should note, however, that this particular tank was more of a re-paint than a new assemble/paint job. I am doing a bit of consolidation on the loyalist side of my collection, and the vehicle models that had previously been part of my small Iron Hands force are being "re-assigned", as it were, to other loyalists. I'm sure Ferrus Manus would be furious, but...well, who cares, he was beheaded anyway.

Land Raiders are iconic pieces of 30k/40k kit, and I am particularly fond of this "Armoured Proteus" variant for the vehicle, with the twin heavy bolter mount on the front. These vehicles provide combat power and transport capability - and if you play using the fan-made 8th/9th edition of the rules, they are also close to indestructible on the table.

Twin lascannon batteries on the side sponsons, classic Land Raider armament, ready for action on the gaming table.

GW's marketing has launched the steady drip of preview photos and articles that will be released bit by bit in the run-up toward the release of what appears to be a new edition of the Horus Heresy rules. Wow! There will be lots to say and vent about that as time goes along, but for now, it is good to be painting some more stuff for my 30k collection - I hope to be sharing more with all of you as the spring goes along. That's all for now - thanks for ready, and happy painting and gaming!

Painting Challenge Submission 17 - Orc Characters and Support for Warmaster

Some supporting bits for my 10mm Warmaster Orcs - metal figures from GW.

This is yet another of my concluding submissions to AHPC XII. As the end of the Challenge approached, I thought I would round out my Warmaster Orcs a bit more. That project was a major focus for me during this edition of the Challenge, and it seemed right to make the initial force more complete. Here we have an assortment of Orc characters and commanders, as well as a good old rock lobber - fun awaits! These are all metal castings from GW's long-lost "Warmaster" figure range.

Here's a serious Orc Lord!

One of the (many) things the "Warmaster" rules get so perfectly right is the use of characters. I know one common detraction for the "Warhammer Fantasy Battle" game was the way overpowered characters can take over the game. "Warmaster" is much better - the characters are essential, of course, but indirect. They cannot succeed on their own, they have to work through the units they command. They can enhance them, yes, and have a notable impact, but in doing so they are also creating risk. 

The Wyvern is tricky to assemble (and needed a pin for the base), but what an awesome figure, I just loved it.

Tried to get a leathery look for the wings on this monster.

Even the characters riding terrifying creatures, like this Orc Warlord on a Wyvern, are therefore very influential, and powerful, but also at much more risk than the equivalent in a standard Fantasy Battle game. This figure is a favourite, something I have wanted to paint ever since I saw it in a GW catalogue so long ago. It has been sitting in a blister pack in my horde for something like ten years? How fun to get some paint on this beast at last!

Let's go ladz!

Suitably angry and armed boyz for the chariot.

Nasty war boars ready to charge home!

We also have an Orc hero riding a war chariot of some sort - will be a useful commander to use when the big guy on the Wyvern is not around. That chariot looks like a totally safe ride, I'm sure everyone on board will be fine, right? 

A weedy little gobbo shaman...

Orc Shaman with handy skull supply!

"Warmaster" also totally gets the magic aspect of fantasy wargaming correct - the magic is important, but won't win anything on its own. Still, the Orcs can now get in on the spell-casting with two of the heroes here - one is an Orc Shaman (with a handy skull-shaped altar, just for Barks!) and the other is a Goblin Shaman, with a couple of squigs on hand because obviously...squigs, right?

"Put yer back inno it!"

Finally, we have a rock lobber and crew. The Orcs don't really have much in the way of missile-armed troops in their army. Given their preference for brute force, that makes sense, but going up against all of those cannons and crossbows in the Empire, they could use a little bit of artillery, and this rock lobber fits the bill. 

Troll-powered trebuchet. I'm sure things will be OK with this, right?

You get more crew figures than can actually fit on the game-sized base, so I put the "commander" for the lobber on a seperate base, leaving the poor troll and two gobbos on the same base as the lobber. Looking at the contraption, I can see the orc wanting to keep a bit of distance, in case things go wrong...

Thanks for reading - there was one more submission before things concluded in AHPC XII, and I will post that shortly, but in the interim, happy brushing everyone!

Painting Challenge Submission 16 - Plastic Death Korps of Kreig

A squad of "Death Korps of Krieg" troops - plastic from GW.

Continuing with my wrap-up/catch-up posts of final AHPC submissions, we have a selection of cheerful fellows to represent a squad of troopers from the "Death Korps of Krieg", a military unit set in Games Workshop's "Warhammer 40k" universe. With a name like that, you know they MUST be happy chaps, right? These are multi-part plastic 28mm figures from GW.

The "Death Korps" have a specific story in the lore of the 40k setting, but it's a bit TL/DR. Suffice to say the setting offered the sculptors at Forge World, (the sort-of-associated-but-not-totally-coordinated-but-still-wholly-owned-or-something GW studio) a chance to explore a particular design theme for the "Imperial Army" troops - that theme is "World War I, but, you know, in the year 40,000". This sort of look had been attempted by others, but the Forge World sculptors at the time hit it out of the park with the "Death Korps of Krieg" - a full range of figures blending the kit, look and despair of troops on the western front in 1916 with certain 40k flourishes (skullz!).

Lots of detail on the kit.

Can you spot the small skullz?

The Krieg sculpts from Forge World were amazing. They were - and still are - a stark contrast to the plastic offerings of the day (either the deeply uninspiring Cadians, or, much worse, the complete-crap Catachans). As nice as they were, however, they were only available from Forge World, and so were seldom seen on gaming tables.

Communications trooper.

Love the flare pistol.

Another comms trooper...not sure what I was thinking by doing two of them...oh well...

Really like this pose.

Fast forward to summer 2021, and the release of a new edition of the "Kill Team" rules from GW. The new box set had guardsmen from the "Death Korps of Krieg" - and they were plastic! I picked up a set, and wow, I think this might be the start of something...the figures are so cool, with lots of options for assembly.  I built this unit mostly to represent a basic infantry squad (one sergeant, one special-weapon trooper), but I did mix in a couple of specialists with comms equipment for use with "Kill Team".

The grenadier is fantastic, loading another round...

Suitably action-ish pose for the officer.

It would make sense for GW to add a couple of more plastic sets for the Krieg troopers - all they need are heavy weapon crews, and some officer sets. That said, GW's moves often don't...make much sense? We'll see. But I certainly am going to track down a few more boxes of these fellows, it will be a fun new-project for the future!

A couple of the regular chaps aiming their laser rifles.

I loved working on these figures. It will take a bit of time, but watch for more to appear in this space, as I don't think I will be satisfied with just one squad...thanks for reading!

Painting Challenge Submission 15 - Are We Ready For Some Blood Bowl?

It's Blood Bowl time! Here come the Hochland Hammers!

Spring has arrived - on the calendar, if not in the climate - and that means another edition of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge has come to an end. The final couple of weeks of the AHPC tend to be a real mad dash, as Challenge participants cram to finish off projects old and new, and rack up as many points as possible. You can see from the frenetic activity here on the blog (which is awesome - keep it up!) just how much paint the Conscripts tossed at figures through the final phases.

I will catch up myself now, with a series of posts showing my final work for AHPC XII. And to get started, I have this submission, which would push me across the line for my own points target. It felt it fitting to use a Blood Bowl team to push across the proverbial line. So I present the "Hochland Hammers", a team of Imperial Nobility, for GW's Blood Bowl. 

I think these are the bodyguards...I assume meant to protect the thrower, like offensive linemen or something.

So what can I tell you about Blood Bowl? Nothing! I have never played it. I have been aware of it for the entirety of my 30+ years of interest in the hobby and GW, but I have never, ever played it, or given it much more than a glance and a chuckle. 

My thrower...hasn't played a game yet, and he already looks like he wants to re-work his contract...

But, having moved to a new town, I am keen to meet new hobbyists and gamers. And here in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, they play Blood Bowl. There is a league, entering its third season, and all of the players in the league, polite and fun participants in the assorted historical and 30k demo games I have been staging here at the local hobby shop, have been urging me to play Blood Bowl. 

The blitzers. I wonder how they will do against Khorne-worshipping linemen?

I was reluctant, feeling I could not get a team painted in time, as the league starts in March - but since it appears you only need 12 or so players, I thought "why not?". When in Rome, right? I want to meet new players, and get to know the local gaming community a little better. Plus, there are always hilarious Blood Bowl-themed entries in The Painting Challenge. I picked the Imperial Nobility box off of the shelf at the beginning of March, and got cracking with the brushes. I chose the colours of Hochland - the same colours of my very, very old Empire Army from Warhammer Fantasy Battle, that still sits on my shelf today. 

Ah, the colours of Hochland - quick and dirty to paint!

I already can't recall what position these two play, but the fact that they keep tankards with them at all times makes me confident they have "what it takes" to succeed in Blood Bowl.

This team includes a thrower, linemen, bodyguards, and a couple of blitzers - I think? I'm not sure. The box came with two thrower figures, but I only painted the one, thinking that you would not have two throwers on the field on the same time - although I don't know that, as I don't know a thing about Blood Bowl. 

Blood Bowl appears to involve a ball and violence. So this fellow should come in handy.

I've sourced a jaunty hat for this guy, but that is still in the post, so this is how he will likely play his first couple of games.

Multiple members of the local league, upon hearing that I was painting up the Imperial Nobility team, assured me that I would "need" an Ogre. So I ordered one of those too, and got him ready to go.

I also painted up some trinkets/markers that came on the sprues. I am trying to find figures to represent coaches, and an apothecary, but I am assured I "have what I need to play a game" at this point. We'll see!

Are we ready for some Blood Bowl! Hell yeah!

So...I am finally trying Blood Bowl! Travel plans will delay my first game, but I do hope share tales of my trouncing in the local league as it starts to occur! Thanks for reading!

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge 12 Submissions

 I can apparently only give attention to one blog, so throughout the painting challenge I haven't posted here. Now that the challenge is over I decided to make a super post with all my submissions from the challenge. The main theme are World Eaters Space Marine Legion for Horus Heresy rounded out with a few other odds and ends. It was nice to get a bunch of stuff painted and I'm looking forward to it next winter.

World |Eaters Tactical Squad

W.E. Rampager Squad

Deredeo Dreadnought

Callidus Assassin

Culexus Assassin

Eversor Assassin

Vindicare Assassin

W.E. Terminators

W.E. Contemptor Dreadnought

Imperial Inquisitor

Ambull Alien

Wargames Exclusive Imperial Arsonist

Grey Knight Terminators (Original Metal)

W.E. Assault Squad

Thanks for visiting.

Painting Challenge Submission 14 - Warmaster Orcs!

Ready for war! 10mm Orcs for "Warmaster" - GW metal castings.

This submission to Curt's "Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge" carries, for me, a huge dose of nostalgia - here is a force of Orcs for GW's "Warmaster". These figures are all metal castings from GW - in my opinion, some of the best metal fantasy castings ever done by GW, or done by anyone. I don't want to bore you with the long story of gradually acquiring these OOP figures over many years, keeping them as part of my Smaug-like hobby horde...but The Painting Challenge smiles upon long-unpainted figures, and for the 12th edition of the Painting Challenge, I felt it was finally time to open these packs and get paint on these Orcs!

I find I can't quite throw these away...that is probably a bad sign...

There are three units of Orc boyz, two units of Goblins, a unit of Orc boar riders, a unit of Goblin wolf chariots, along with a couple of character bases - and to cap things off, a Giant! Enough to cause plenty of trouble on a raid out of the mountains and into The Empire! 

Three Regiments of Orc boyz! The core of the army.

Beautiful castings.

So many small details...really tried to capture it...

"Warmaster" is, flat out, one of the best rule sets GW has ever produced - indeed, one of the best sets of rules, period, its core mechanics having served as an underpinning for so many other rules that followed. The accompanying line of miniatures that GW released to go along the game were amazing, just wonderful castings. Painting these was definitely a "labour of love", and I tried my best to capture the many, many small features cast on to these stunning figures - a squiq here, a bone there...all sorts of wonderful little details - many perhaps beyond my brush skill, but I gave it my best shot. 

The goblin regiments...I wish I could secure more of these units...note the Orc in the front rank to keep an eye on the other gitz...

I love the poor smashed cart on the Giant's base...

Ready to crush some more stuff!

 

The Giant in particular is such fun to work on - many, many, many little details, like the smashed cart on the base, the poor patrons of the cart either hiding, or already stuck into the giant's belt for consumption later...what a cool figure. He should be fun to unleash in the game.

The boar riders, ready to charge home!

Gobbo charioteers - ready to rampage!

Curt and Byron, among others, have been posting some amazing 10mm fantasy work of their own during this Challenge. They have been basing their awesome figures for other games, but for me, I wanted to do plain old fun "Warmaster", so I based the figures up for the classic game - ready, one day, I hope, to take on my Empire troops on a game with my friends! 

Here are the characters that came with the Orc starter army. The Warlord is on the right, and an Orc boss is on the left.

As I said at the open of this post, the nostalgia factor on these figures is tremendous. For me, they are a connection to GW's Fantasy "Old World", still one of my favourite fantasy settings. I have a few more packs of Warmaster Orcs that I hope to paint up before this edition of the Challenge ends...after all, even with all of the Orcs you see here, this is actually a pretty compact Orc force for the game. Still, even if my brushes don't find more Orcs before Spring arrives, at least there is a force that is ready to go! 

Here is the full bunch - ready for war!

Thanks for reading, and have a great week! We are in the final stretch for the Painting Challenge, so watch for more in this space as the battle against the unpainted lead, plastic and resin continues!