Cold War T-62 company

 

My first entry for this years Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge was completed on day one.

I set the alarm for 0530 in the morning and bleary eyed, with a cup of coffee in hand I slapped a coat of Russian Green on these chaps and bases with some dull brown emulsion before starting work for the day - I'd booked a half-day off.

After lunch I was able to complete the basecoats mudding with Flat Earth and then followed by an Iraqi Sand dry-brush and once dry slap on some Military Shade and returned once that had dried to complete the bases. 

The tanks are 3D prints at approx. 12mm scale that chum Drew printed for me on his Elegoo Mars. These will add a whole new option of cheaper tanks to my Seven Days to the River Rhine Soviet force that currently fields the much more up to date and expensive T-64B.

I'm looking forwards to getting these on the table.

Anglo-allied Skirmishers

More finishing clutter on the painting table with these few figures finished up and added to the Anglo-allied 1815 collection.

These have been laying around on the painting table for a long time, the only one that I had to add any paint to was the Dutch-Belgian officer. The others were all painted as part of earlier units and never used at the time. 

Only five figures but three different manufacturers, The the KGL sergeant is a Perry plastic, one of the Hanoverians and both of the Dutch-Belgian militia are Front Rank, while the other Hanoverian is a Warlord Games plastic. 

Preparing for the Painting Challenge has really helped to clear the decks this year.

The next few posts will be my AHPC entries.

Gaslands: Highway Patrol Honda Civic

 

More clearing the decks for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. This Hot wheels Honda Civic has been pushed to the corner of the paint desk since I moved back to Madison in April and the build was done a few months prior to that.

It's a pretty simple build, the wheels from the basic model were replaced by ones from an Etsy seller, fat tyres on the back with spiked hubcaps. The lighting array was from the same seller. I'd also added a front ram, but that was lost in the move.

I've painted it to match the truck I did a couple of years ago so can now field a Highway Patrol team if the whim takes me.

6th Regiment of Dragoons - The Inniskillings

 

Another win against the pile-o-shame are the 6th Regiment of Dragoons for my 1815 Anglo-Allied force.

I painted the other units in the Union Brigade (1st Dragoons and 2nd Dragoons) over two years ago so these are very tardy - not usually a trait of British heavy cavalry.

The figures are all from Brigade Games sculpted by the very talented Paul Hicks.

I do find painting cavalry a chore, but at least the unit and brigade are now finished and my WIP backlog pretty much cleared in time for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge that starts on this coming Thursday.

Like the Exploring office, I had to use Testors "not very" Dullcote, but I now have some leads on some W&N Professional Matt varnish.

Some individual shots of the Dragoon stands showing the detail on these lovely Hicksy sculpts.

The flag is from GMB Designs, and as ever a great piece. It may not show in the pictures, but I went for a scarlet jacket on the officer, while the rest of the troops got a darker, duller red.

Brigade Games exploring officer

I know, it's been over a year since my last post. In my defence I had been preparing for another transatlantic move, but I've now been in Wisconsin since April so that's a pretty weak excuse.

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge XIV is imminent so I thought I should get my finger out  and clear the deck of work in progress.

 

This Brigade Games Exploring Officer has been part painted at least these past three years and was a matter of just finishing off the basecoats followed by a wash and highlights.

I've ran out of Windsor and Newton Professional Matt Varnish, and it seems to be permanently unavailable here in the USA, so the slight sheen is a result of using Testors "not very" Dullcote. If I do ever get some W&N again, I'll likely give them a coat.

This chap will serve as a character in our Sharp Practice games and as an ADC in our larger General D'Armee games.

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Halloween Candle Jacks

 

It's been over two and a half month since I last posted anything and what with the house move and everything the painting mojo has been low and the time to work on getting it back up has been limited.

Last week I picked up a pair of Candle Jacks from Northstar. On Monday I got a "sorry we missed you" from the Post Office and rescheduled delivery for Friday, we would be cutting it fine to get them done in time for Halloween.

The parcel eventually arrived on Saturday, I would need to crack on to get them done today. 

These are multi-part, but quite easy to put together with mitre-bond one of the one with sword and shield is a three part kit, the one with the axe a four part kit. The castings only took a little cleaning up.

After assembly and sticking on a 30mm Warbases base they were first painted with Vallejo Black Surface Primer and once that was dried given a heavy dry brush with Ivory.

The main body was done in a basecoat of Citadel Contrast Cygor Brown and then highlighted with VMC Beige Brown. The shaft of the axe and the back of the shield were done in Contrast Wyldwood, although strangely there is not much contrast between that and the Cygor Brown.

The vines were done in Contrast Dark Angels Green and the shield in Contrast Leviadon Blue and Nazdreg Yellow.

I then started on the heads, the Ivory was reapplied to give a clean base and then I painted the eyes and mouths with Contrast Iyanden Yellow, with the Ivory reapplied at the centre of the eyes. The Pumpkin skin part was done on Contrast Gryph-hound Orange with darker layers added in the recesses.

The weapons and shield rim and boss were picked out in Contrast Black Templar and then highlighted with a couple of layers of VMC Gunmetal Grey before being filthied up with Dirty Down Rust.

Once dry the base was finished and the figure given a coat of VMC Matt Varnish.

Happy Halloween

T'au starter force

 

It's been over seven weeks since I last posted. In the meanwhile I have played many great games but have not had the time to record them.

I've also been making some slow process on painting a force of T'au for Warhammer 40K

Process has been very slow, initially I assembled all the force and then sprayed it all with Colour Forge Wight Bone paint and it was a fucking disaster. Everything went chalky and bobbly and over 200 pounds worth of figures almost went in the bin.

It was perfect conditions for spraying, a dry summers day with temperatures in the low twenties, so I'm not buying any of that "poor conditions nonsense."

I'll not be using that shit again, it's not like it's even a cheap alternative to the GW sprays.

After a trip to the Dettol bath and some meditation exercises I'd calmed down enough to start painting them.

Being a kid who grew up gaming thinking for myself I don't like being told what colour I need to paint Sci-fi figures so decided I wanted dark grey uniforms with black armour and then a bit of orange detailing.

I've not decided on a Sept yet, but am leaning to Farsight Enclaves.

Coldstar Commander with High energy burst cannon, Pulse rifle, Missile pod and Shield generator

The weapons are magnetised so I will be able to swap them out for other options

The Commander can be posed on a normal base or a flight stand

Cadre Fireblade with Fireblade Pulse rifle

Strike Team with Pulse rifles

Missile pod also has magnetised weapon options 

Strike Team with Pulse carbines

Again the missile pod has magnetised weapons options

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits

The Shas'vre has magnetised weapon options so can switch out for a Fusion blaster

Another unit of XV25 Stealth Battlesuits

Again the Shas'vre can swap between the options

Pair of TX4 Pirhanas

The gun drones can be detached and used separately

This lot allows me to field a 750pt force with a choice of a few options. I've got a few more bits in teh backlog to paint to take me up to about 1500pts.

First game tomorrow against Sams' Genestealer Cult.