Eldar Starter Set

Finished these a while ago and just realised they had not made an appearance on Khaki Drab! So a quick rectification before they notice (being ancient, near immortal Space Elves they probably need a few centuries to become aware of the omission) - here are my Saim-Hann:

Not many of these guys are actually alive...

War walker

Wraithlord

Farseer and Wraith Guard

As ever these days with the GW stuff this is contrast paints for the big block areas and acrylics for the detailing and metallics.

Haven't decided whether to pop transfers on or not but ages to decide, its all Blood Red Skies in the garage at the moment!

Firestrike Servo-turret

Some heavy support for my Imperial Fist Primaris Marines. Most of it was completed using Contrast colours but the metallics as ever are standard acrylics; a little of the yellow highlighting is acrylic also.

Imperial Fist Infiltrators

These well camouflaged (if deployed in custard) chaps are from the GW Shadowspear box set released in 2019. They finally had a date with a brush at the start of the year along with a Lieutenant from the same set.

Group Shot

Think this is a great sculpt, looks as if he's just dropping a grenade into a bunker

The lieutenant and a marine using his bolt pistol

The two sergeants

All of these were done with a contrast paint base coat over a cream coloured undercoat, which gives a real warmth to the yellow. Edge trim and metallics were completed with standard acrylic paints and the shoulder badges came from GW's Imperial Fists conversion kit.

Necrons

These have been in the paint queue since 2018 when I picked up the Forge Bane box set at Warhammer World and then supplemented it with a few additional pieces.

These were a simplified colour scheme; spry painted in Iron Breaker then given a wash with Nuln Oil (the Gloss version) and finished off using Nighthaunt Bloom (blue/grey), Hexwraith Flame and Tesseracht Glow (for the greens). There's a random bit of gold in their too. I used my standard Mars type basing to fit in with my Sector Boards.

Scarabs

Overlords

Warriors

Immortals with gauss blasters

Lychguard with warscythe

Annihilation Barge 

Indomitus Box Set

What's in the box? 

Every time GW release a new version of Warhammer 40K I immediately pledge not to get sucked in again. I have books that go back to the original Rogue Trader tome from 1987 and given I've only played the game a couple of times in the last decade (solo at that) it should be easy. But... then GW publish another new box set with another collection of fine sculpts and there goes this months spend.

There is no doubt, like countless others, I am addicted to the plastic crack that GW are pushing.

The latest box set proved no exception. It sold out in minutes on release in July and GW nearly had a customer relations disaster having promised that anybody who wanted one would get one. But GW are not the company they were ten years ago and within 48 hours announced that they would take orders for a few weeks and then do a second run.

Mine arrived last week and as is usual with GW the standards are very high.

The back reveals the potential for a moulded plastic Nirvana.

The GW Trolls like to tease with gorgeous cardboard sleeves before you reach the actual riches beneath!

Finally the heavenly sprues are revealed in all their intricate glory.

These are push fir models which GW have gradually been getting better at over the years. It does cut down the pose options but in general GW's figures are pretty much unique this doesn't matter. Hopefully a combination of quick assembly and the Contrast paints I drone on about incessantly will mean getting them to a table top won't take long. There are two armies Primaris Space Marines (as always) and Necrons.

In addition there is a scenario book:

 And a limited edition version of the new rules:

Guess I'm off to the Grim Dark Future, again.

More Chaos Marines

Some reinforcements of the psychic kind. First up a Dark Apostle and his damned attendants.

Then a Master of Possession from the Shadowspear box accompanied by a couple of his experiments.

Base colours are Contrast, metallics are standard GW paint.

Imperial Fists Scouts and Psyker

Seems to be a theme this month and that theme is Warhammer 40K. Not deliberate, just got on a roll with the Contrast paints which make churning out fantasy troops very easy.

These guys are from the Shadowspear box set released in the middle of 2019. I'd always wanted yellow marines but had avoided them due to the difficulty I always had with yellow. In these guys it simply a base coat of Wraithbone followed by a coat of Iyanden Yellow taking care to avoid pooling.

The only non-contrast colours are the red trim which is traditional acrylics.

Roboute Guilliman

The ying to Abaddon's yang. I'd had this model since it came out but hadn't quite got round to finishing it. With the completion of Abaddon, however, I felt that I needed to balance out the forces of Chaos with something Imperium just in case anything got anywhere near a real game.

Because this model was started before the advent of Contrast paints I had to go back to the old tried methods of three step shading coupled with inks and glazes.

Abaddon the Despoiler

This was one of GW's most popular models of 2019 and was the first time I'd encountered a new(ish) phenomena with GW releases - it sold out on the day of release. This has happened a few times since and I believe it's a case of GW actually underestimating the popularity of a new release. Abaddon's original model was sculpted in the 90's and I had held off purchasing it in the hope of a replacement for more than 10 years.

As ever these days the base colours are all Contrast with metallics and details being completed with the old fashioned three shade acrylic method.

 

Grey Knight Terminators

These have been sitting on the painting desk for a few years just needing some finishing details and basing. Finally, their moment came.

Blackstone Fortress: Traitor Command

I've been collecting and playing this game for a while. With lockdown now in full swing I suspect I'll be playing it a little more. Cunningly the game is actually co-operative in nature and designed to be played against a card drawn/dice driven AI. Only when you have 5 players does one of them actually play the baddy. Because of this it can be played solo with no change to the rules.


It also has a campaign system and provides envelopes to put your characters into 'suspended animation' whilst you pack the game away.


Interestingly, GW have furnished Blackstone Fortress with a collection of villains which have been part of the meta but not supplied with miniatures. There are now Traitor Guardsman, Ogryns, Commissars, Beastmen and Psykers prowling the corridors and all come with WH40K stats.


As well as the base set there are also several add-ons and the troops below come from Blackstone Fortress: Traitor Command. Everything except the metallic are done with Contrast paints.

The Commissar and Ogryn from the Traitor Command set

Contrast Paints - First Try

In June, the day after the Great Game finished I wandered into Games Workshop (I can't quite train my brain to think Warhammer) in Glasgow and picked up a few of the new Contrast paints to give them a go.

I've always liked the idea of Imperial Fists as a legion except for the unfortunate fact that they are yellow. Yellow and I don't get on, it has a habit of going green at the merest hint of brush contamination and even when it works it's either so dull as to be anonymous or so effervescent it dominates the pallet.

So here was a chance, not shading, no highlights just slap it on is what GW said. The result is below.

The yellows and browns are Contrast paints, the metals and red traditional acrylics and washes.

I'll have more thoughts on Contrast in a later post.

Nottingham Loot

Recent trip to Nottingham led me to the HQ store of Warlord Games. Had some interesting chat with the staff there and of course succumbed to a slight spend:

• Celtic cavalry
• Celtic archers blister
• Celtic chieftains blister
• Roman general (who in now way looks like Russell Crowe in Gladiator - honest)
• Roman generals
• Roman auxiliary command
• Blood Red Skies - an impulse buy backed up by some interesting reviews I'd read on the internet. I have an idea for this, more when I actually get round to it!
• Wargames Illustrated - don't always buy this these days but noticed a BLB article!

I was also given a  miniature of a crusader for visiting the store.
I allowed my credit card an evening to recover and then wandered over to Warhammer World (those of a historical disposition may want to look away now).

• Forgebane - self contained WH40K set with loads of cool Mechanicum models
• Some Primaris Reavers... no can't explain that one other than I like the skull motif helmets
• Aeldari web gate - it's scenery, you can't have too much scenery!
• A selection of paint - this is actually for my Romans and Celts!

Now all I have to do is explain this to the better half, on reflection perhaps I should have brought her back more than a mug...

...or maybe not blogged about it publicly!

Dark Angels - Command

Somebody to lead the Dark Angels against the hordes of Xenos and Chaos and other Space Marines (more of which in a later post - to be clear, much later post).

First up the Chapter Master:

A lot of dry brushing on this one which has left a bit of a grainy effect, but to be honest I just wanted him done.

Then a Librarian:

Both are from the Dark Vengeance box and means that only five and a half years after I bought it I'm down to only five minis to complete!

Truly I am living the plastic meeples dream!