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.

 

Empire Cannon

Was Karl Franz compensating with the scale of his ordinance?

Once again contrast paints proved a great boon for this model.

Only metallic parts have been painted utilising traditional acrylics.

 Everything else is an undercoat and a single coat of contrast.

Empire Generals - Finished

Well this is embarrassing... I finally completed a couple of generals for my Warhammer Empire army.

The one on foot is only five or so years old but the mounted one made his first appearance on Khaki Drab in July 2012.

I've been playing Warlords of Erehwon recently which led to a resurrection of the project. Of course in the time that's passed the Old World has been destroyed and replaced with the Age of Sigmar, though GW are trailing the original Warhammer's return.


Three years, maybe I'll get them all done by then.

Everything is contrast paints except the metallics and the lettering on the shield. The Italia theme was entirely accidental!

Chaos Defiler

In the annals of science fiction war machine design there have been many that have appeared somewhat impractical. The AT-AT walkers of Star Wars bubble straight to the top of my mind, they certainly look good on the big screen when being pestered by Luke Skywalker and his rebel cronies in their speeders but are they really a good design for warfare?

Have aesthetics toppled practicality?

I doubt they have a low radar profile, to be honest they are so big they would probably turn up on my car's GPS. They certainly don't do stealth with those reverberating, ponderous, titanic footsteps and whilst we are on the subject of ponderous footsteps, I guess the top speed isn't going to get the people at Top Gear excited (though some of the optional extras - large laser battery etc. might make it a more attractive buy).

But, they are not the most impractical design I've come across, that definitely belongs to GW's Chaos Defiler. Six legs, so I guess it might scuttle speedily, except the front two have huge mechanical claws which when coupled with the spindly mid and back legs does give it some balance issues. As with AT-AT it's not going to be stealthy (when is Chaos in 40K - ok I did not see the Alpha Legion coming but who does?) and it does come with its own daemon which may cause a little dimensional instability or random consumption by the warp.

It is spikey though and when it comes to chaotic optional extras you can never have enough spikes upon which to impale the deluded servants of the false emperor, can you?

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!

 

 

 

Imperial Guard - Scions

These chaps were bought as a bodyguard for Inquisitor Greyfax.


Not sure where the Red Beret came from... in the mythos apparently

As such I don't expect them to last long, they'll either fall prey to some Xenos nasty, be consumed by the immaterium or dispatched by the zealous Inquisitor herself. After all in the grim dark there are no innocents!

If you're gonna have a plasma gun it might as well be a big 'un

The blue uniforms were a foray into using the Citadel Artificer Tint Set which provides some highly concentrated pigment to make colours pop or in this case give a metallic a bluish hue.

Dark Vengeance, Dark Angels

I undercoated these ages ago but left them forgotten on an unloved garage shelf. Then in one of my foray's into said garage I spotted them and it was near Christmas and maybe I was full of Festive Spirit, or some kind of spirit, so I rescued them and tarted them up a bit.

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

Being Dark Angels they look quite Christmassy; green, red and flashes of white, and bone but let's ignore that.

Heavy plasma gunner

These are from the Dark Vengeance box set released in 2012 and came with 6th edition rules which I read but never played (along with 5th, 7th and thus far 8th though 8th reads well).

Sergeant

They will appear at an unspecified time in the future on the Morgoth XIII table.

Trooper

Deathwing Terminator

The last completed figure of 2016. A test piece for the Dark Angels' Deathwing terminator squad that has been hibernating in the garage for a few years.

Happy New Year to everybody when it comes.

Time for a Little Chaos...

Every army in Warhammer 40K needs a little cannon fodder; the Imperium has their guard, the Taut, Kroots and the Eldar... well maybe they're too posh to deal with the sacrificial classes.

Chaos has cultists to fulfil the role of pointless gestures and these chaps are taken from the Dark Vengeance box set I bought about four years ago (which gives some unwelcome insight to my painting lead time).

Twenty five of these charming, slightly mutated, homicidal maniacs are heading to downtown Morgoth XIII for a relaxing evening of murder and pillage.

The posse includes two heroes.

The group were painted using three pallets, one dark red, one brown and the third sandy.

This is based on the colours used to paint the sector boards last year so should hopefully blend in.

All are of course GW's finest.

Leman Russ Battle Tank

The 327th Cadian Regiment gets a delivery of what forms the backbone of the Imperial Army's armoured cadre. The Leman Russ battle tank.

Just followed the painting guide from GW. Used to be three shades per colour, now it seems to be six. You'd almost think they were making money out of selling paint.

I'm sure I can get it on a table top soon... but I suspect the 6mm stuff will get a battle first.

Commissar Kervon

Stoical chap this, ready to face down the forces of Chaos and gun down any of his comrades who don't feel like facing the forces of Chaos.

 

 

Mind you before he gets a chance to rid Morgoth XIII of demons, cultists and assorted mutants he'll have to survive an onslaught from a Tau invasion force.

 



Imperial Guard Valkyrie

A flyer from the 327th Cadian regiment.

This is the first vehicle in what will hopefully be a short army project (no sniggering at the back).

The Cadians will be the first to be deployed in the new sector piece I'm working on.

In time the sector will also see combatants from two Space Marine Chapters, Tau and the forces of Chaos.

Fortunately, most of these are already painted.

WH 40K Sector Part 1

I have a dream...

Admittedly it's not a very good dream but at least its a goal of sorts!

What sort you may ask?

Well, the rather pathetic sort really; I'd like to have a proper Warhammer 40,000 board with some decent scenery. I've an idea for a campaign which may or may not make it's way onto this blog (or indeed on to a gaming table). But first I need the terrain.

So here are a few of the building blocks. First up a really big statue:

Some ruins, painted in a multitude of fetching greens and reds (it's a Martian theme) which have singularly failed to show up in the photograph. But they're there, honest.

Finally, a tall spikey topped building (I was going to say crenellated but spikey is so much more Gothic Space Opera I feel). I've included my favourite grizzled Space Marine to demonstrate scale.

All models are Citadel's finest.

Big Gunz

 

The Boyz are back in town. And this time they've got a big gun!

 

As can be seen from the poses above, in their spare time this gretchin crew form a Saturday Night Fever tribute act. I should've painted the one at the front in a white suit.
.


 

All are Citadel's finest.

Feeling Blue, Again...

The next group of Blue Marines prepped and ready for spraying. This time it’s going to be the big boss himself Marneus Calgar:

 

 
His retinue are lingering somewhere too, including a fiendishly detailed standard bearer.

And some Stern Guard. Ready to take on the Tau hordes. Next stop is Morgoth XII providing I get the terrain finished…. it will happen and possibly even before the fortieth millennia dawns!

Nostalgia

In the recent house move I came across an old Citadel box from the mid 80s.

 

Originally the box contained these not so fine fellows:

 

I’m sure the figures are now residing in my parent’s loft (the term loft hardly does that room justice, it has windows, radiators, carpet etc. My Dad practises his 9 iron up there – I’m not joking)

But they had been superseded by my infamous Blood Bowl team the WCC (Wee Caledonian Crushers nothing to do with cricket or cream teas, sun lit lawns or fair play).

The figures themselves are from the Blood Bowl expansion pack Dungeon Bowl which also came with an Elf team (which my friend Richard kept), pit traps, exploding chests, spiked balls (catch that) and all sorts of hysterical nastiness. Have fond memories of these chaps and still have the team roster, not to mention a whole background story scribbled somewhere. They played in several competitions and even got a run out at Games Day in 1989 which led to me getting a summer job in GW in Glasgow.

Nice to see the little fellas! Wonder if my parents’ cavernous loft is hiding some Astro-granite?

Sergeant Telion

This is one of my favourite GW miniatures mainly as it is one of the few that show a bit of age. I guess in the Dark Millennium few have the opportunity to become veterans.