Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Two 'free' models plus latest painting updates.

Hey folks,

Hopefully people enjoyed reading my adeptus mechanicus fiction. I've got another story that I may post up if people want to read it. It's called Face Off and features orks and tyranids fighting over a planet while the Imperials desperately try to evacuate the population.

So, as per the title, two free models...what's the deal?

Well I was going through my bits box recently to tidy it up (I find it nice and calming) and a lightbulb moment occured. All Tau devilfish hull vehicles (Devilfish, Hammerhead and Skyray) come with a tank commander on the sprue. It's a tau figure standing upright who is meant to go in the cupola and has a special binocular arm set to go with them.


Picture taken from www.bitsandkits.co.uk

I used one of mine as a test model for my paint scheme and the other one sat in the bits box. Reading Sholto's blog (http://incunabulum.co.uk/blog/) gave me the inspiration for some less combat oriented models that would work for a more RPG setting. To that end I gave both tank commanders a pulse carbine (plenty of those spare) and now they look like capable sentries for a Tau base somewhere.



The picture shows my Giggles Clan models from www.ramshacklegames.co.uk. I'll be using these with some custom rules in 40k games but they will also go really well with the Throne Agent/RPG setting that Sholto has played in. Fun models also and enjoyable to paint. I was talking with Old Shatter Hands recently and it seems like we're at the two ends of the spectrum at the moment. He's played a lot of games recently and really worked on tactics whereas I've hardly played and have been just painting and modeling. What a great hobby that you have so many facets to enjoy depending on your time and motivation.

Also I'm pretty much finished with my Boneyard truck (also from Ramshackle games). I modded this one up to have a set of hurricane bolters on the side and I think it's come out pretty well. The palette is a little too brown right now so I'll be adding some other colours to brighten it up (or maybe some graffiti). Still, this gives an idea of what it will be like. I need to spend a bit more time on my photography setup with lighting etc. I'll probably have a big photo day and then post it all up.

6 comments:

  1. Woah! That thing is cool. I actually like the color scheme...you know what would go well here. some yellow. I feel like I always say that...

    I really like the hurricane bolters on the side. You could easily use this model as land raider or predator in 40k.

    I haven't been able to read the full story yet. I'm planning to this weekend. From what I've read it's great stuff.

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  2. Thanks OSH.

    I've done a bit more painting since this photo including some yellow and black piping. Great minds must think alike. I still want to add a little more to it but not sure what yet. I'll do better photos and maybe you can tell me what it needs.

    Also I'll do some size comparisons shots with my other vehicles etc. It'd probably be best for an ork trukk but I'm thinkint that it might go well in a RPG setting like Sholto's Throne Agent. That sounds like the perfect game for your small table.

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  3. Your Graveyard Tank looks awesome!!!! Is there a turret missing off the top? That take would easily fit in perfect with Orks!!!!

    How's your Tau army coming along now? any new additions?

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  4. Hey pearly, thanks for the compliments. There is no specific turret that goes on top although I've seen a battlewagon conversion that had a turret and looked good. Since I'm not sure which armies these guys will ally with I don't want to make anything particularly specific. As it stands ther is a machine gun and two sets of hurricane bolters so it could easily count as three big shootas.

    Nothing new on the Tau army front. Next on my list is a battleforce and some krootox (just because they look cool) but that won't be for a bit. I've got the marine honour guard set coming through as soon as the warstore backorders the other part of my order so I'll put up pictures of them when they get here.

    Sadly for the Tau, everything there has been derailed because of the arrival of Nuclear Renaissance 2 from one of my favourite companies Ramshackle Games. http://www.ramshacklegames.co.uk/nucren2/boxcontent.html

    I will be purchasing a big stack of resin models from them as soon as the new set is out in the next week or two. I might get some Tau stuff through but I'm already stretching my wife's patience with the number of models I have. It's time to clean up the basement methinks.

    When are you going to add stuff to your blog Pearly?

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  5. Oh by the way Pete I forgot to add on that last comment of mine to say that I absolutely loved your story of 'Secrets of the Noctis'. It was a very good read for a short story!

    I could easily see that being put into a novel if you ever have time to write a more in-depth background to it all. Did you have an idea in your mind about where the 'Man of Iron' came from? or what his purpose was? who he fought for/against? I want to know more about him!!!

    And if your wife can't understand that GW and Ramshackle are more than bits of plastic that creates a huge dent in the joint-bank-account and takes up alot of space; do wot I did with my long-term girlfriend...give her the infamous ultimatum "It's the models or a divorce!" (my girlfriend left me that very hour!! lol)

    As for MY blog? well first I'll need to get a digi-cam; but more importantly I want my army completely painted before I go to blog!
    Most of my Kroot need to be painted yet (I'm rubbish at painting lesh and skin) and several other items/unit could do with a good touching up! Not that they'll ever be anywhere near OSH's painting skills.

    when are we going to see a gallery of all your armies? both GW and Ramshackle???

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  6. Hey Pearly,

    I'm glad you enjoyed Secrets of the Noctis. It was one of my most fun stories to write and wrapped up neatly, while still leaving mysteries and the like. I don't have any intention to write this story up as a longer piece as Graham Mcneil has done a great job in the novel Mechanicum. Also, the time necessary to write a novel is huge (though I reccomend giving it a try) and so I can't spend my time on things that won't be published. Black Library are the only ones who can write in the GW universe and they have specific criteria for becoming eligible to write for them. I'm already overwhelmed with one close-to-completion novel and two ideas for new novels.

    I kept things with the 'man of iron' vague as I wanted to play off the old legends and the newer fluff. For more info see http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Noctis_Labyrinth and http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Void_Dragon

    I'm trying not to spend too much at the moment as well because I've still got a backlog of unpainted models and haven't been able to play much recently. I'm hoping to find time to play against OSH soon and when I get the new Nuclear Renaissance rules I'll see if we can't get a post-apocalyptic gang warfare game running. Mostly though I just don't have time and I feel guilty spending too much money for things that aren't being used.

    Don't wait for your army to be painted to blog. Putting up photos of miniatures as you're doing them can be really good incentive to get them finished. I know that seeing the half done picture of my kroot (on a forum, but it could have been on the blog) made me want to finish them off.

    If you want a quick Kroot scheme you can go for mine.
    - Paint the skin Catachan green, the spines/hair/chest plates scab red, the wood/leather scorched brown, the metal silver.
    - Drybrush the skin with iyanden darksun (yellow), spines/hair/chest plates with bleached bone and the wood/leather with bestial brown.
    - Wash the skin and red/bone parts with gryphonne sepia and the wood/leather/metal with devlan mud.

    It sounds like a lot but it's pretty simple and can be done production line fairly easily. I'll post up a picture or two soon.

    PS: I will do a full army plus ramshackle photo sometime soon. My wife just got a new digital camera so I should be able to get some better shots than before.

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