An Old Cottage on Old Stuff Day

Finally Old Stuff Day falls on a Sunday and thus on my usual blogging day. This means, in addition to show of a bit of what I did during the last week, I also get to put a spotlight on some old posts of mine as well as those of other bloggers!

Pict 1560: Warhammer Forge Cottage

Pict 1561: Warhammer Forge Cottage

First up, however, is the one miniature I finished since my last post: To do something completly different to my Blood Angels, I painted up this Cottage made by ForgeWorld for Warhammer Fantasy. I painted it using my usual recipe to go with my other Fantasy terrain. I really like the simplicity of the sculpt. It does not even have any skulls mandatory for later Warhammer sets, so it will fit nicely on a table used for games of Middle-earth SBG.

Pict 1562:  Legio Solaria Warhounds, House Procon Vi Cerastus Lancers (WIP)

And to show of what else I have been doing: The Legio Solaria Warhounds and the Cerastus Knights have had the base colours finished as well as the decals and the oil wash. Once the latter has fully dried, the Titans and Knights should be done quite quickly.

Man, it was great fun to think about blogs and specific blog posts that I liked during the last few years. I also scrolled through some of my favourite blogs, which was a very enjoyable evening. Please do have a look at some of these posts and maybe give these blogs a follow if you don't already!

 Old School Gaming - Forest Dragon

Marc's blogposts are always a delight, but I really loved the Wood Elf Highborn riding on the classic Forest Dragon he painted a few years back. The colours are super smooth and vibrant and the base uses a lot of different textures including some seeds that look a bit like dragon eggs.

Chucking Monkeys - Carnifex in Drop Pod

While I'm not painting any Tyranids right now and I don't really plan to, I think about this conversion every once in a while. Actually putting a Carnifex into the Tyranid Drop Pod is such a cool idea. It really makes you see how the miniature works within the world.

Confessions of a 40k addict - Devilgants

40kaddict really is a prolific blogger and his Tyranids are iconic. Once you see them, you will always recognise them! The linked post shows a group of Termagants armed with Devourers – my favourite load out when I started playing them, even if it doubled their points costs.

Kaiju Country - Imperator Titan Build

Goddenzilla's Imperator Titan build is an amazing read and I highly recommend the whole series. This particular post shows his process of detailing the immense engine and in particular the build of the head.

Rob Hawkins - Skaven Orrery

Another great project log that follows an amazing build. Rob's skill in utilising the Citadel plastic parts, combining them and adding in his own parts is such an inspiration!

262nd Death Korps of Krieg - Reaver Titans

After getting into Adeptus Titanicus recently, I went back through DAM's posts of Titans to look for inspiration on posing mine. They were some of the first posts on the blog that I read and I still love DAM's use of colours and his basing!

Death of a Rubricist - History of the Leman Russ

Speaking of small scale miniatures, I love this look back through the history of the Leman Russ. Before reading, I had no idea how many different miniatures were released for it. Its a fun design exercise to compare the details through the various iterations.

Würfelwiese - Acastus Knight Porphyrion

I really like Würfelwiese's painting style, the colours are always so strong and the contrast with with shadows really makes them pop. The Knight in the linked post is also impressivly weathered and the addition of a Techpriest on the base really sells the size of the engine.

Omnissiah's Skunkworks - Replicating Reavers

Carl only recently migrated his website to blogger and I'm very happy that the beautiful Titans (especially the Legio Solaria) still have a place on the internet. One of his current projects is to rebuild a classic Titanicus army from White Dwarf with modern plastic kits.

Nicky Grillet - The Wandering Ruins

Nicky also recently revived the blogging on her website. I love the mood she packs into her miniatures and her terrain. Looking through her pictures is always an inspiration!

And to advertise some of my own goods as well, here are three posts that I am particularly proud of:

Building an Uruk-hai army like it's 2001

I'm still very proud of my full metal Uruk-hai Scout army and have recently taken it out to play some games with it. To have a bit more versatility when list building, I have contemplated converting some more Scouts without any equipment, but for now the blogpost from five years ago is still a good representation of this collection!

Cursed City completed

This one really is one of my greates accompishements! I love the look of all the completed miniatures and I really would like to play another campaign. I'm still missing some more miniatures for the expansions but with all the stuuf I have on my desk right now, I don't see myself painting them in the next little while. Still, getting to look at these pictures brings me joy!

Converted Mordor Troll Chieftain

Lastly, this big guy in probably my best conversion to date. It really pushed my ability to use green stuff and I'm still very happy with it. It's a bit sad, that I can't really use him in a legal list right now. But I could see myself getting some Morannon Orcs to revive my Black Gate army.

Blood Angels Tournament Prep and Legions Imperialis Escalation

A good few weeks of highlighting stuff saw me finishing the next few Blood Angels I needed for the next few weeks: Assault Marines for my Legions Imperialis collection to play in the second game of an escalation league. And of course the Lascannon Support Squad for an upcoming Heresy tournament.

Pict 1552: Legions Imperialis Assault Marines Aerial Attack

Pict 1553: Legions Imperialis Blood Angels Assault Marines

These Assault Marines painted up astonishingly fast. The base colours and wash were done over the course of two evenings with the highlights taking only two additional ones. I'm really looking forward to having this full detachment assaulting the back lines right out of a Thunderhawk flying overhead.

Pict 1554: Blood Angels Lascannon Drop Assault

Pict 1555: Blood Angels Lascannon Heavy Support Squad

The Lascannons should really help my winning chances, seeing as they are discussed as a somewhat overpowered unit. I have not used them yet in any games, but I have been on the receiving end of them. We'll see what they can to in two weeks time!

Pict 1556: Blood Angels Drop Pod

Pict 1557: Blood Angels Drop Pod

Man, during some of the stages of this Drop Pod, I just wanted to get the painting over with. One set back was the way I did the decals: I had not used any Micro Set like I usually do and after the oilwash, the outline was quite visible. I hope the glaze of red helped top tie them in once more... These larger panels also felt like a different thing to paint, since up until now I had mainly done Infantry or Dreadnought miniatures for my Heresy Blood Angels. I'm not perfectly happy with the finish on the doors, but the weathering does hide most of the worst offenders.

Pict 1558: Blood Angels Dreadnought Drop Pod (WIP)

The other Drop Pod I want to have finished for the tournament in mid-march is this big boy to transport my Leviathan. While it is bigger than the normal Drop Pod, I hope it should be done quicker since there is way less interior detail. Anyway, two weeks should be enough, if I don't get distracted...

Pict 1559: Legio Solaria Warhounds, House Procon Vi Cerastus Lancers (WIP)

Speaking of distractions: I really had to do something other than highlight Blood Angels after all of the above. I recently played my first introductory game of Adeptus Titanicus and I really enjoyed it! As of now I am not quite able to field a legal Maniple and so to rectify this issue, I stared the work on the next three Warhound Titans for my Legio Solaria. Stippling the green armour plates is quick work, but it does so much to bring them to life! There is not that much more detail work to do (apart from the bronze trim) on before the decals and the oilwash. I also did the base colours on two additional Cerastus Knights to go with the Warhounds.

 

More Orcs, more Blood Angels

Another two weeks that have been quite productive! I finished some Orcs and three Spectres for my Minas Morgul army as well as some more reinforcements for my Legions Imperialis Blood Angels in the form of Tarantulas and the first Legio Solaria Warhound. I also started to work on some more Blood Angels for the Horus Heresy.

Pict 1540: Spectres and Orcs on the Outskirts of Mordor

Pict 1541: Mordor Orcs, Dummer, Captain

Pict 1542: Mordor Orcs, Dummer, Captain

First up I finished two of the lovley metal Orcs with bows as well as a Captain and a Drummer. The latter might no longer be able to double up with a hero's heroric march, but should still allow my Mordor Orcs to cross the battlefield a bit faster. In the one game I used him, I did make the mistake to also count his drumming to affect the Uruk-hai part of my Cirith Ungol army when it only affects Mordor Orcs. Still, he should come in usefull! Next up will have to be the Taskmaster to fill out my toolkit and of course there are still some more poses from the metal sculpts that I have not yet painted.

Pict 1543: Dead Marsh Spectres

Pict 1544: Dead Marsh Spectres

Formerly known as Dead Marsh Spectres, the Spectres are now availiable to a few more lists. I'm really happy to have these painted, since now I will be able to play my normal Orcs as part of Minas Morgul or Angmar army. I might also expand into a full Shadows of Angmar list by painting some more heroes.

Pict 1545: Legions Imperialis Blood Angels Tarantulas and Plant the Standart Objective Marker

These little critters were done quite fast after the last post. I'm looking forward to playing them more - they seem to be a cheap way to hold and defend an objective marker in your own deployment zone at least for a while.

I also worked up the courage to do a free hand of an angel on the little banner for my Plant the Standart marker. While it might not be the the best that could be done, I'm happy with the result. Especially considering the size of the surface I had to work with.

Pict 1546: Legio Solaria Warhound Titan on the Prowl

Pict 1547: Legio Solaria Warhound

Pict 1548: Legio Solaria Warhound

Pict 1549: Legio Solaria Warhound

The first Legio Solaria Warhound is done! After the last post there was not to much more to be done, but glazing on a highlight on the red and white panels always helps to elevate the paintjob. I have already prepared the next few Warhounds by de-chaosifying two Legio Mortis engines that I got second hand.

Pict 1550: Blood Angels Lascannon Heavy Support Squad (WIP)

Pict 1551: Blood Angels Drop Pod and Dreadnought Drop Pod (WIP)

Lastly, I also started working on some more 28mm Blood Angels. Once again, there is a tournament approaching at the start of March and I would like to finish a few more things for the 3k list I want to use then. Since it will be an event that leans more towards the competitive side rather than the narrative, I am painting a unit of the dreaded Heavy Support Marines with Lascannons. I also plan to use a Drop Pod to bring my Veterans and a Leviathan into battle as part of a Day of Revelations deepstrike assault. There is still about one month to finish them up and I already feel quite good about them. The basecolours, decals and the oilwash are done. Some highlights on the details will be done quickly. Glazing and weathering the red armour panels is always what takes me the longest.

Big into small scale

These past week has been quite prolific! Again, mainly due to finishing up projects from the end of last year, but also some new stuff. I managed to complete a set of Legions Imperialis Tactical Marines as well as the Cerastus Knight Lancers I had started the week before.

Pict 1535: Blood Angels Tacticals advancing with Cerastus Lancer Support

Pict 1537: Legions Imperialis Blood Angels Tactical Marines

So this is the second set of eight Tacticals I painted for my Legions Imperialis Blood Angels. This should allow me to fill up the Core slots for quite a few formations even at bigger points levels. I converted this batch by removing not only the undercuts but also the chain bayonet attachments. I plan to use them as part of a Garrison Force, while the others with the bayonets will have to be a bit more up close in an Aerial Assault or Drop Pod Assault formation.

Pict 1538: House Procon Vi Cerastus Lancers

I also finished up the two Cerastus Lancers from last post. They painted up really fast! House Procon Vi seems to have been a rather serendipitous choice.

Pict 1538: Legio Solaria Warhound (WIP)

After finishing the Lancers, I also got started on this Warhound to add to my Legio Solaria. Again, a really fun colour scheme to paint. But oh so much trim! Though not as bad as the Warlord of course. Nevertheless, I do love the silhouette of the Warhound and look forward to paint more of them.

Pict 1539: Legions Imperialis Blood Angels Tarantuals and Plant the Standart Marker (WIP)

The next little project for the LI Blood Angels will be these Tarantulas and a single banner bearer on a 32mm base. The latter will be my special marker for when I roll up the Plant the Standard secondary objective. I want to try and put a free hand on the banner, but we will see how that turns out. Worst case, I'll have to paint over my attempt and just use a decal as with the Command Squads I painted.

Hitting the ground running

The first two weeks of the year are always good for my numbers, since I got to finish projects that were already mostly done. I started out with Gríma and the Amon Hen statue head for Middle-earth and then did the final highlights on some more Legions Imperialis Blood Angels. After that I also started some more stuff in these universes with more Orcs, an Ent and two small scale Cerastus Lancers.

Pict 1527: Gríma Wormtongue at Amon Hen?

Pict 1528: Gríma Wormtongue

The first model of this year was this Gríma Wormtongue. Again, the new edition is a great opportunity to find these smaller projects and update my armies. The old sculpt gave me a bit of trouble. Especially the strands of hair in the face made painting the eyes quite difficult. Its nice to finally have this model painted! I even got to play a game with it and I am very impressed with him. It was against the the Army of the Dead including Legolas and Aragorn. Gríma really did a lot to keep these two heroes in check while my Uruk-hai Berserkers cut down the ghosts.

Pict 1529: Amon Hen Statue Head

Pict 1530: Amon Hen Statue Head

After painting the Solstice28 idols at the end of last year, I was in the mood to paint more terrain in the same colours. Combining this with the Middle-earth hype, I finally got to the fallen statue head from Amon Hen. A very cool scene in the movies and a treat to have gotten this simple little piece of terrain made by ForgeWorld. The statue once again painted up fast over a few evenings – really satisfying!

Pict 1531: Legions Imperialis Blood Angels Commanders and Veterans

I am taking part in an escalation campaign of Legions Imperialis in the first few months of this year. An opportunity to get some more stuff painted! During the first stage of the campaign I want to power through the main part of my infantry. The first of them are these four here: two command squads and two bases of Tactical Marines. The latter I build with some special weapons and painted them as Veterans accordingly with golden helmets.

Pict 1532: Procon Vi Cerastus Knights (WIP)

I also had a start on the Knight Household that will accompany my Legio Solaria as well as my Blood Angels. After reading up, I decided on House Procon Vi (having fitting decals on the Solaria transfer sheet certainly helps). The colour scheme is quite simple - mainly steel for the frame and trims, black panels and some blue spot colours - and the base colours went on very quickly. I can see myself painting a lot of these...

Pict 1534: Ent, Orcs and Dead Marsh Spectres (WIP)

I also started to add to my Fangorn collection with this plastic Ent as well as a few more Orcs and Dead Marsh Spectres. The latter will add to my Mordor collection to make it playable as a Minas Morgul list. I love that the Spectres are finally back in Mordor and the list seems quite strong on paper. I'll have to see, once they are done.

The Butterfly's Tally 2024

The Butterfly's Tally 2024

Happy New Year! One more rotation around the sun is completed. And that means it is time to look back at what has been achieved in the previous year. And of course it also means a look ahead and making plans for the year that has just started. Once again, I'm very happy with the hobby I have done in 2024 –

Pict 1523: Legions Imperialis Blood Angels and Legio Solaria Support

The Hobby Tally 2024

Just like last year, I'm going to start by looking back at my resolutions from the start of the year to structure my revision of this year's hobby:

• Paint 2 pieces of terrain each for the SciFi and the Fantasy collection
• I just about managed to sneak this goal in during the closing days of the year by painting the Solstice28 icons, which I will count towards my fantasy terrain. The scifi terrain is covered by the Zone Mortalis tile I put the finishing touches on only shortly before that. Since it is so big, I will allow myself to count it as two for the sake of achieving my goal!
  

Pict 1514: Zone Mortalis Reactor Tile

Pict 1519: Solstice28 Icons

• Finish up the Cursed City collection. This is 10 Grave Guard, 5 Direwolves, 3 Vargheists and a Necromancer – 19 miniatures in total, the should be doable!
• I started to work on this goal early on in the year and completed the Necromancer alongside some older Vampire miniatures. The other miniatures, however, are still primed a ghostly white...

Pict 1415: C18 Vampira, Necromancer and Neferata

•  Once again paint more than 100 miniatures
• While I was distracted from the Cursed City miniatures, I did once again paint over 100 miniatures. Again, I only reached this goal in December, but I do like it that way – that means it is an achievable but still demanding challenge. The group photo of my Legions Imperialis Blood Angels is representative of one focus, others I will look at further down this post.

Pict 1524: Legions Imperialis Blood Angels and Legio Solaria of 2024

• Lastly, make a concerted effort to buy less new stuff, paint the stuff I have and play with it
• Looking at the numbers over on the left, I am pretty content. It looks like I did indeed buy fewer miniatures – the smallest number since I started tracking in fact! Gaming took a bit of a backseat, but I still managed to play quite a few systems: The Horus Heresy, Legions Imperialis, Middle-earth SBG and Alkemy
   

If you want so look back at my painting progress of previous years, here are the links to the tallies of the past: The Tally 2017, The Tally 2018, The Tally 2019, The Tally 2020, The Tally 2021, The Tally 2022, The Tally 2023

Other notable projects of 2024

Pict 1525: Fangorn Army

Picking up after the list of gamesystems I played this year: Among them was (only) one Middle-earth tournament. I did quite enjoy this one, however, and I painted Treebeard and Quickbeam (now renamed to Birchseed) to complete a Fangorn army. I still have one more Ent to paint and now with the new rules, this looks like one easy pick-up to build out my roster. This new edition will probably mean more Middle-earth miniatures to come this year!

Pict 1526: Heresy Blood Angels and Raven Guard of 2024

All of these "big scale" Heresy miniatures were painted in concert with gaming events as well. Adding to my Blood Angels to have variety during a tournament and one narrative game day. The latter also inspired me to go ahead an paint the small allied detachement of Raven Guard. These still have to see the table, but I hope to remedy that soon!

Pict 1451: Rados Cults Starter Set

One of the smaller systems I have is Alkemy. With the Rados Cults I started a small warband and have even begun to build them out a bit more. Playing a real skirmish system is really something different to what I usually play and something I'd like to do some more in this coming year.

Hobby Plans for 2025

Speaking of plans for this upcoming year, I will also close this retrospective of 2024 out with plans for 2025. Overall I'm very happy with my goals from last year and will carry them over. I will, however finally give into my hobby butterfly persona and will refrain from giving myself any resolutions containing any particular miniature ranges and will simply go, where the games I actually play / my whims take me. So this is what I want to do:

• Paint 2 pieces of terrain each for the SciFi and the Fantasy collection
  
• Once again paint more than 100 miniatures
  
• And again, buy less new stuff, paint the stuff I have and most importantly play with it!