Its been a while...

The end of the month is here and I've met my target : )  I even got some warriors half done when down visiting the folks and will boost my unit next month

One game since I last posted against the dreaded girly elves.  I really do resent going second and having re-rolls against me!  When my high initiative is my main asset having it taking away sucks balls...  Battle report here
It was a fun game though and thanks to Anuerin for hosting it.

Here is what I've gotten done.  12 warriors, 2 chariots built and the warshrine painted
Heads will go on the models in chariots once they are based so they aren't looking into the sky!  Still waiting for the warrior for the Khorn one to come from ebay.

I am really quite chuffed with how the warshrine turned out.  At certain points I thought it would look to unwieldy and bare but once the skulls were on it really made it come together and the base helps too.

Here is where I got with the sorcerer.  I have called it a day with him as i'm not happy with the pose, I can't get the legs right!  I may finish him just to get used to sculpting some more as I want to get into that.  Some parts you can't tell i've done but others are poor...
Instead i'm going to buy the Astorath the grim model and convert him instead but can't find him on ebay cheap enough yet though I may plump for the new finecast model for ease of conversion.  To replace him in the target I did 12 warriors rather than 6.

So for next month...  Hmm...  After playing games now I am starting to think more about units to help me win rather than just looks.  I would like a big marauder unit and have read up on how best to kit them out.  at 4 points a model for a WS4 initiative 4 core model is excellent so just a big unit of these would soak up fire then hits and should still hit back well.  Equip with shields and light armour for 5+ then 6+ ward save for 6 points each and with the mark of Tzeench for a 5+ ward save will make them quite durable.
I also like the idea of two hand weapons or a great weapon.  Aaaargh! to many decisions!

What are peoples thoughts on this?
I like the idea of them armed individually to fit in with the chaotic nature of the army however this won't wash in tournaments so.  If I did 10 models with hand weapon and shield, 10 with flails and 10 with two weapons etc then whichever 10 is on the front rank the whole unit counts as armed like them?  This means its easy to see for opponents and I don't have to choose!

Target for September
16 marauders built (with conversions for more armour)
Paint chariots
Convert and paint new sorcerer model

That's all folks...

In gaming news I lost miserably to Mr Lucy's Elves...  Overgrown budgies stopped me moving and charging as I wanted and ridiculously long charge rolls meant my units were taken apart my at least two Elven units at a time.  Lessons learn from this one;

1 - I need some small units to disrupt my enemies movement and stop gaps in my lines to leave them none to disrupt me
2 - Death magic is fun
3 - I really really don't like High Elves!

Modelling wise I've had a good week getting 12 warriors done and my War Shrine finished (barring a few skulls as I ran out)
Progress is slow going with my death sorcerer as its more complicated than I thought and i'm having to green a lot.  My flesh hounds turned up this morning though so i can get my other chariot done :)

Once again all different but tied by black cloak linings and shields.  I need to do a transfer for the banner

I'm quite chuffed with this model.  I couldn't think what colour to do his "belt buckle" so did it in lots.  Very chaotic :)
He's black as according to the bumf in the book the majority of Norse are dark skinned despite GW painting all theirs as pasty white vikings.

So sorcerer, chariot and basing to go, 'till then...

Beaten by old bones...

Grrr, the first time my new Harry Model gets into combat against Craigs Tomb Kings and he disgraces himself by running away!  From skellies!  He caused 1 wound on the Heriophant and then 16 attacks from the unit caused another 2 to crumble!  3 wounds from 21 WS5 S4 attacks!
Still in most of the rest of the game I was rolling extremely well and Craig extremely badly (double 1 for his giants charge sticks out).
I'm not to bothered about losing at the mo until I have a better idea of what i'm doing.  A few lessons were learnt in this game;

1: Ranking up correctly is muy importante
2: Make sure I move my units in the right order so I don't get stuck behind myself
3: Fire magic is pretty pants if you don't get the right spells and don't get the bonus for multiple attacks on a unit
4: My knights need new armour as not one made a freaking save!
5: I need an army standard
6: I need to tailor magic items better to the army i'm facing
7: War hounds are not crap :D

Ta for the game and lessons Craig :)

I'm playing a 2400 pointer next week so I need to get my chosen unit built, a lord and another warrior unit raised to make up the points.

Onto the modelling side.  I'm pleased with my scratch build chariot using the spiky bits from the 40k chaos rhino

From a pile of bits to...

I'm going to have a converted Crom the conqueror model as the warrior in this one.  I figured you wouldn't get a fully blown warrior as a "driver" so used a marauder model instead.  Once painted he will be holding the chains as reins.
I'm going to have a second chariot pulled by two flesh hounds and done up as a Khorn follower simply because it will look cool!

War shrine is coming along nicely.  I need to do the altar and sorcerer then add a load of skulls into it to cover the floor.  Am also wondering whether to include weapons etc as just skulls may be to Khornate.

I still cannot find my knights weapons... Or my champions hands.  Maybe its Tzeentch's way of telling me to give them tentacles instead?

Nearly...

45 minutes to go and I've not quite met my target.  As I said it was ambitious and then got bigger than I thought :-/

My goals were to:
Paint 10 knights
Paint sorcerer & add flaming skull
Make a War Shrine
Finish thunder wolves & paint up riders
Paint up long fangs squad

I've missed out as I haven't done 2 horses and 4 riders but I did complete 4 terminators, another long fang, a wolf priest and finish 2 rhinos as extras to what I thought I had to do to get ready for toy soldier!

Anyhoo I'm quite pleased with the knights.  Once again I went for individualized looks as they don't get a uniform!  Not sure they tie as well together as the foot troops but once shields and weapons are on maybe that will help.  I wasn't as comfortable as leaving as much black spare this time and it means there are to many colours in there.  When I do the other 10 I can swap some about and match them up more I think.  Or 20 knights in one unit... Mmmmm chargey goodness...

Space wolves are here and the other models are in earlier posts

Shields and weapons are done, just need gluing on but I need new superglue as this one's top is stuck on and isn't coming off for love nor pliers
Once again I've lost some arms for my models.  I keep doing this, I reckon there is an arm stealing gnome running about my house...

I'll get the full 10 knights done by Monday and then Augusts targets are (smaller to give my ass a rest and allow for visiting of folks):

Make up 2 chariots (because I have a cool idea for conversions)
Make up & paint another sorcerer (lore of death)
Paint more warriors to get to 16 models (6 models)
Paint up war shrine

Til next time...

Busy busy busy...

Phew, that was a week of furious painting.  I was sitting down at about 5pm ish then painting until 12 whilst watching crap TV.  Did see a film called keeping mum that I would never have watched otherwise and it was surprisingly good, very strange though...
I've found this makes me able to sit down for longer periods as I don't get bored as quickly.  Only thing is I need to get a bigger table for the living room so I don't have to sit on the floor.  My ass is still aching!  (No smut needed please...)

Anyhoo... All this was in aid of getting my space wolves ready for Toy Soldier. I've uploaded the pics here.  Quite chuffed that I won best painted for 40k!  Though to be honest the competition was really really poor overall.
I managed 2 wins, 2 losses and a draw (technical victory though as it was 11-9) to finish 14 out of 32.  Not bad for my first tournament

Onto my Chaos boys.  I have made no progress painting wise but in 4 days I need to get my knights done and two horsies.  Should be ok...
I did win my first game of Warhammer on Friday against the Chivalrous Kieron.  Battle report is here. to be fair I didn't need to do a lot as you can see, this isn't a slight on Kieron, just the way the board was set up and me having invincible saves!.  I was disappointed Harry didn't get into combat but the sheer thought of facing him was enough to make the peasants run like the cowards they are!

The war shrine giving this unit an extra +1 to armour really helped here as I had deployed next to a haunted mansion.  This was more effective than the peasant archers who couldn't hit a barn door if it was sleeping with their cousin, who is also their sister, auntie and wife...

More bits from ebay have arrived so i'm already thinking about next months target.  It's tricky as I have no real idea what I need to add until I play more games.  Simply marching this lot up did the trick against Kieron but against Anuerin I got wiped out.  I think that was down to having 2 small warrior units though vs a big one.  Oh and Kieron doesn't cheat :D

Right, i'm off to buy a nice comfy cushion and some plasters.  Chaos models are spiky and I've cut myself more in the last 2 months than in the last 2 years!

Ttfn...

Don't panic!

Aaaargh! Toy soldier is in 4 days and I have more space wolves to paint than I thought... 4 terminators, a wolf priest and two rhinos to finish. Plus another long fang for the other squad and a guy with a power fist.
I have now done my long fangs to gaming standard and my Thunder Wolves are done a bit better.  I'm quite proud of these.  They started off like this and now they are like this.  Though for this months target puroses I had already painted the wolves.
Will take better photo's when Its better light, not night time.  Oh and they're on flickr because I wanna keep this on my Chaos boys...

Which brings me to this gorgeous model here...

Sigh...  He has been kept on my desk so I can look at him.  I didn't paint him obviously, this chap here did.  £25 (+£15 for model) including postage!  Bargain and a thoroughly nice bloke too

You see I don't cheaphammer to spend less.  Just so I can buy luxuries :-)

My chosen unit is mustering nicely with a few models arriving from ebay in the last week.  I love the Archaon model on foot, gonna convert him slightly as his pose is a tad crass but only a change in direction of the wrist.
Problem is I find that I can't paint metal models as well as plastic ones :-/  Anyone else get that?

I have managed 2 more horsies as well but will display them all together once done.  Now excuse me while I go back to drooling over Harry... Hmmm, no-one repeat that sentence to my mum please...

July so far...

Ok for me I've been pretty bloody productive so far!

I've put together my warshrine.  just need to decide on a few finishing touches for it now.  I can't decide whether to put a row of skulls at the front or carry the spikes around.
I originally wasn't going to put an altar in.  A shrine isn't an altar but I got the sorcerer model in a bundle deal and don't want to use him elsewhere.  Also I didn't know what to do for a shrine.  So i'm gonna stick a dagger in his hand and use it as an altar.  I have new front wheels on order to match the back ones as well.
Warshrine = about £8.  Cheaphammer that :)
Not 100% about the warriors weapons either... I figured pulling a great big metal wagon they may wanna rest their weapons a little, so slung them on their shoulders.  also toyed with giving them a banner each but thought that may look a little ott?

I've done some horsies too, they need touching up a bit.  I've gone for the same techniques as for the warriors with different colours to individualise them.  I'm keeping to 2 rules though.  If it looks like bone, paint it bone and if in doubt as what colour to paint it leave it black.  This will then tie them all together I hope.  Along with black shields and brown capes to match the foot troops.

Chaos sorcerer is nearly done, just a few tweaks to do!  I'm going to have two sorcerers, one fire and one of death.  So I've tried to paint him in his element but didn't wanna go orange like the empire wizards.
Will take better pics when he's fully done

And lastly because Rich is marking me down for not showing my space wolves! Here is progress on them so far.  I've also re-put together my thunder wolves, just waiting for some shoulder pads before I paint them up.  Only going for tabletop quality with these as they will be rarely used outside toy soldier.

Till next time folks!