35th Post - Update

Ok so I'm sorry I've let this languish for so long. I'm graduating at the end of this semester and I've been breaking my back trying to study. I've also managed to finish a few more commissions such as 275 Flames of War 15mm Russians for Bob, 80 15mm Germans for Mac and I'm working on 80 more 15mm Germans for Mac.

Bob and Mac are good friends of mine and they've just restarted their Flames of War hobby... well game I guess since I'm doing the hobby.

Next up I've been working on the Damoclese rhino, it's almost done with decals applied. Next step is to gloss and flatten the decals then weather the whole tank. I'm not going to be doing much weathering because I like my marines battle ready.

Dad and I have also been working on the warhounds. We've got lights installed, sound boards ready to be wired and even put some paint down on them! Well it's just the reactors.

I've also been selling some of my unused models. I've now sold off nearly all of my Fantasy stuff, leaving only the pile of 2nd hand Empire models left. I've also started selling my Warmachine models. I've come to realize that with the monetary and time investments I've been sinking into the 40k universe I really don't have much left for other game systems. Don't get me wrong I've started branching off into Battle Fleet Gothic (played my first game) and Epic 40k (Started buying companies of tanks), Aeronautica Imperialis (purchased 4 planes), but I think my table top gaming is going to be in just the 41st millennium.

34th Post - 3 Sanguinary Priests

Well I've been doing a lot of sanding on the titans lately so no pretty pictures of them, however I was able to finish some quick Sanguinary Priests for Bob. These 3 guys were done in about 2 hours total.

33rd Post - It's been a while

Hi guys!

I'm afraid I've been a bit busy doing some stuff since my last post. First up I finished the Blood Angels commission

Here's the Golden boys from the commission

32nd Post - 28 more terminators

Well the titans have been slow going. We've basically taken the time to bring the other 3 into line with the first.
So in the mean time I've been working on a little commission (20 sanguinary guard, dante, and sanguinor) and painting some terminators. I've tried a few things out on these terminators that I like. First I've tried dryrbushing the light gray for all of the highlights. Second I've treid Kermi brown with bleached bone highlight instead of scorched brown with bleached bone highlight for all the parchment. Both these slight changes have increased the speed at which I can paint terminators, and I managed to paint 28 of them since my last post!

31st Post - Legion of the Damned are DONE

Well I can check that off the list (apart from the oop and limited models).
I can also check off one of my resolutions as I finally acquired the Iwo Jima and Uriel Ventris dioramas! I'm still on the look out for some Mechanicus and select Marine and Guard stuff but the Ultramarines were the hardest part.

Next up on the painting table is Bob's Sanguinary Guard, Dante, and Sanguinor (GOLD BABY!) I've got another 12,000 points per side battle coming up. This time between Kenny and his friend Eric (before he's shipped back overseas) and myself. We've decided no super heavies and no flank marching. It's going to be their 12k of Blood Angels and Guard vs my 12k of Marines and Guard.

Ok, I may have gone a little nuts on the pictures but here they are:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v314/Foda_Bett/40k/Space%20Marines/Other/?start=all
Chaos black was NOT used on these models. Most of these models were done with dry brushing. After I black washed the flames I brought them back with dry brushing, and that's how I did the braziers by dry brushing the flames. Same thing to highlight the guns, and that is even how I did the bone (except for the noses of the beakies). A small dry brushing can go a long way.

I think they're probably the best line infantry I've done. Obviously some flaws here and there but I'm tired of painting them.

I've also been invited to be a co-author at Game Headz blog at
http://game-headz.blogspot.com/
so expect to see some stuff from me over there.

30th Post - Back from WARcon, LoTD Guard conversion

Well I've back from WARcon.
I ended up getting 3 wins, 2 Draws, and 2 Losses. The points were a little weird (going from 0 - 50 per game in most cases) and I played a couple of jerks and some REALLY great opponents but all and all I had a blast. Hanging out with Bradford, Michael, and all the people we met was definitely the highlight! Dave Taylor taught and awesome class and I learned some sculpting tricks that I'll be trying out later.

But now that I'm home it's time to go back to painting. First up I put the orange down on the flames of the Legion of the Damned.

29th Post - Termi and Thunderfire pics, LotD paint

Well you’re in for another barrage of pictures I’m afraid.
First up I got my portable light booth set up and took some photos of my thunderfire cannons.

27th Post - Legion of the Damned,small commission update

So, now you're asking "Why now, after all the posts you've had why do you chose now to do a history of your marines?" Well the answer to that is simple. I've started working on them again.

I'm afraid I went a little Legion crazy when the new Legion of the Damned models were released. I picked up 1 of every model released and then got a deal for an extra box minus the sarge. So I have 2 full squads, 1 10 man using multi-melta and melta gun, 1 10 man using heavy flamer and flamer.
Here's some pics of conversions I did to make the duplicates from the boxed set not look so samey.

26th Post - Ultramarines History part 6 - Random Stuff

I also built a Vulkan Conversion

25th Post - Ultramarines History part 5 - 8th Company

When the blood angel PDF came out I knew it was a perfect time to come up with a new marine army. So I decided to make the 8th company.

24th Post - Ultramarines History part 4 - Chapter Command

Chaplain Cassius

23rd Post - Ultramarines History part 3 - 1st Company

With the release of the “new” plastic terminators I picked up a box and made a 4 man command squad,

22nd Post - Ultramarines History part 2 - 2nd Company

When I started the 4th edition update I decided to do all my models in drop pods with 2 melta guns in each tactical squad.
Here’s some pics of the squads on my city fight board

21st Post - Ultramarines History part 1 - Starting the army

Well here we are another history post, this time it’s for my Ultramarines.
You may want to get something to drink while this loads.

As y’all have read I originally started 40k with Tyranids. However due to the lack of a codex I decided to start Space Marines. After I read the 3rd Edition Space Marine codex I found I really liked the Ultramarines fluff and special characters, so I started painting my models in the original blue and yellow scheme.

20th Post - Display board

Today I pulled the display board out and took some photos of the army on top of it.
Here's the whole thing.
Colonel with Plasmas.

Flamer squad 1
Heavy support
backdrop
More photos in my PB account.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v314/Foda_Bett/40k/Imperial%20Guard/Painting%20Updates/

Nineteenth Post - Vendettas weathered

Well I've always thought the Vendettas needed something and after coming home from gaming last night I grabbed the Tamiya make up kit and went to town

Here's just 1 bird
The muzzle burns by the cockpit
Looks kind of silly without the gun there.
I think they look good. I'm going to go back with a little brown and hit the engine burns and muzzle burns a bit. I destroyed that little makeup brush they give you so I'll need to go buy another one.

I've got 1 week till I leave and the army is technically done! That's a big improvement from last year where I was painting in the hotel room the night before the Big Waaagh.

So apart from commissions what should I do next?
I've been thinking of trying to finish off my russes or maybe paint some more terminators. Of course I'm going to keep working on the titans but I need micro projects do do in the mean time.
I don't have room to start anymore projects so I need to finish some of the ones I have abandoned.

Eighteenth Post - Infantry finished, Manticore finished, Warhounds dusted off

First up I attached the missiles to the Manticore. I decided to use sticky glue instead of magnets due to the way their built.


I also finished touching up all of the infantry I will be using

And finally I resurrected an old project.
Some of you may remember my old Warhound thread from many years ago
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/205219.page

I have since re-organized the pictures into the new galleries here:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v314/Foda_Bett/40k/Super%20Heavies/Warhounds/WIP/

Well the warhounds have sat (more like laid) around the house since then waiting for a day to be picked up and worked on again. Well that day has come!

Tonight I started dusing off and re-tightening all of the warhound bolts, which proved to be a bit of a job, and tallying their parts. I also glued on some of the broken parts I could find.
Let me start by saying THESE TITANS ARE NOT FOR SALE NOR WILL THEY EVER BE FOR SALE!

Seventeenth Post - Bases ringed, and final 2 hydras weathered

Tonight's update isn't going to be as flashy.

First up I got the other Hydras weathered.

Then I repainted the rings on the rest of the army

I also finished the Callidus and decaled the 4 new recruits (2 plasma gunners and 2 demo charges)
I've started doing touch ups on all of the infantry. As well as basing touch ups and sealing of the bases of the infantry and the movement trays.
Since I finished the majority of the infantry in June 2009 I've pretty much played with them only so they've got some scuffs and paint chips I've got to repair. I'm also cleaning up some of the blending where I can.

So now I've got to:
Weather Vendettas
1/2 Touch up old models

Sixteenth Post - 4 bases 2 hydras 2 mystics and a callidus

Well I've been away for a bit with work and what not so it's time I get back to work on my army!
I've got 2 weathered hydras now and now I've got 2 more to go.


I also finished the 2 mystics I needed.

I also started the Callidus


Next I glued the canopies to the Vendettas. I also glued the resin Vendetta together.
Finally I painted (and sanded) 4 galeforce 9 lazy trays... err movement trays.

So now I've got to:
Weather 2 Hydra upper 1/2s
Weather Vendettas
Decide if I like the new base ring color
Decal new guardsmen
Touch up old models

All this by the 28th.

Fifteenth Post - Straken's new arms, finished Psykers.

Well I finally finished off the last 2 Hydras. These 2 didn't seem to like the older magnets I'd installed in their turrets so it took some work to cut them out and put new magnets in them

Then I finished the Psykers.
I'm trying a new color around their bases. I don't know if I like it yet. It does have the benefit of creating a definite separation of models.

Finally while waiting for the Pyskers to dry I decided to try out those new Max Mini bionic arms!

I also primed the 2 mystics and assassin.


So now I've got to:
Paint 2 mystics
Paint callidus assassin
Weather Hydra upper 1/2s
Double check magnets for Vendettas (a couple were loose the other day)
Weather Vendettas
Install cockpit in resin Vendetta
Install Canopies in Vendettas
Decide if I like the new base ring color
Decal new guardsmen
Touch up old models

All this by the 28th.

Fourteenth post - Battle psykers, weathered missiles

Another night another layer of paint!

I added sand to the Vendetta's bases.
I added some slight weathering to the manticore's missiles so they don't look so factory fresh. I realize they're 1 shot but I figure they'd be driving around for a while before they spotted a target worth firing one of the rockets at.
I also flattened the psykers and overseers and added some green and metals to them.



Also I built another hydra, this one seems to stay together better so now I've got some experimenting to do with the others.

Thirteenth Post - Vendetta Lascannons and Psykers

First up is the battle psykers I managed to get their base coats down and dipped them in minwax like the rest of my guardsmen.
Here's some photos of the lascannons for the Vendettas and the missiles for the manticores.
I color coded the lascannons so I don't get them mixed up.

Next up is highlighting the psykers after they dry, painting a callidus assassin and 2 mystics.
I'm down to 16 days before it all has to be done so its becoming crunch time.

Twelfth Post - manticore nearly done, hydra treads done

Well I've been working on the now WarCon army.
I've painted and rusted the treads for the Hydras

I also painted up the bases for the vendettas. Next up is some drybrushing and sand.

The Vendettas got some touch ups and sealer. They're still lacking their guns.

Next up is the nearly finished Manticore. It's only lacking it's missiles now.


Well I'm off to another family funeral this week so it'll be a while before I get another update in.

Eleventh Post - Death Company Done, valk progress, more guard stuff.

It's been a while, I totally forgot to update the blog in the flurry of BoLS prep I've been doing.
I got the death company finished and delivered as well as the characters I was working on with them.
Pictures below (more pics in my photobucket)




Overall the figs came out good and Bob was happy thus I got paid.

Considering that was nearly 2 weeks ago I've got more news.

Next up was the Manticore for my guard. I converted it so I could magnetize on the kit's 3 missiles or put on a deathstrike missile (to be built later).


I also decaled up the valkyries. The forgeworld decals are a bit horrible and could have been put on as 1 large piece but they didn't include enough space in between for the panels. Instead you're expected to disassemble to decals and the put them down. If they would have added some spacing on the decal sheet this would be fine but there's barely any room to get a pair of scissors in there! They turned out ok, I've got some touchups to do with paint but them's the breaks.




Next up I started work on my Hydras. I've decided NOT to just stick something on my chimeras as that'd look goofy. Instead I'm going for a leman russ chassis (it's higher ;) ) with a special add on... take a look.



I've got some more work to do before I'm happy with them. Right now they keep falling over because they're so blasted top heavy.
So that's it from me.
BTW blame Bradford for my lack of posts. He recommended Fallout 3 to me and after picking it up I can't stop playing it.