New blood

After the Austrian Salute and Sigur’s painting induction Number One Son has expressed an interest in painting toy soldiers, “Just like Papa”. So we sat down with catalogues and looked in my cabinets and he decided that he wanted to paint Space Marines. He was greatly taken by the blue of the Ultramarines.
So before I went to London I hit eBay and searched for Space Marines, found some and had them sent to my Daughter’s so I could collect them and save on postage.
After my trial and tribulations in London I was able to get back home in time for his birthday where he would get them.
The set I got was all the marines from GeeDub’s Dark Vengeance box set. We sat down and looked at the figures, I have to say that I am very impressed by the plastics GeeDub produce. I fell in love with the High Elves from Island of Blood and now these are worming my way into my affections. They are very crisply detailed and look to be a joy to paint, I wanted to steal one to paint, but I wasn’t allowed. Anyway looking at them it became apparent that they were a specific chapter and not generic marines. I said that as they were his figures he could paint them anyway he chose, looking at illustrations he chose to go with the green livery, Dark Angels, instead of his previous choice of UltraMarine blue.
Next up came construction. Then came Priming which involved setting up the compressor and airbrush. All of this also came with the first steps of zen patience, because nothing can be done instantly.
Painting was the next step and Number One knocked out a figure an hour.

Hard at work

Hard at work


The overall aim was to get him to game, but I didn’t want to complicate things too much, just toys on the table.
So I made up a very simple ruleset.
Movement 4 inches. I used some marker rods for ease.
Shooting/hand-to-hand combat hit on a 4, 5 or 6.
Armour save 5 or 6 (in our first battle it was 4/5/6 but it was a bit too easy)
Three lives.
Our first battle.

Our first battle.

I lost.

Our next combat

Our next combat


This was our second battle using ten of my marines and ten Orks.
Needless to say, I lost.

Austrian Salute 2016

salpan25
This is my third visit to this show, my second as an exhibitor. I’m lucky as this is fairly local to me as I too am based near Salzburg.
We got here at 08.30 on the dot and were greeted by an empty room with tables set up and neatly labelled. My thoughts were, “Oh dear!” Or something similar but more vernacular, I could have had some more sleep. But people soon turned up and very soon the room filled.
Getting set up
This version of Salute is slowly growing and I think that soon a bigger venue will be required. But when I spoke to Walter, the show organiser, he was keen to keep the show at this current venue, “Small is beautiful” were his words on the matter.
Grumpy Old Tin was sited right next to the entrance and it proved to be a sweet spot as people browsed as they came and went.
Panorama
Here are some of the games and exhibitors at the show. If you want a more eloquent description and more photos I’ll refer you to this post from Battlebrush Sudios.
http://www.battlebrushstudios.com/2016/03/show-report-austrian-salute.html
Opening Speech
The day starts off with Walter’s address where he greets everyone. Walter, or El Cid as he is also known, runs the local gaming club/store and is the organiser of this event.
Zone Mortalis
First up was an extravagant Forgeworld Zone Mortalis board and loads of Forgeworld models. They were running a Heresy game using 40K rules.
Command and Colours
There was a game of Commands and Colours with Ancients. They were using Hexon terrain and I wanted to look a little later at the figures and terrain, but I blinked and vooom they had disappeared.
Templates and Widgets
Next to this was Templates and Widgets selling laser-cut bases and markers. I still haven’t quite forgiven him for disrupting my Wife’s skiing plans, but that is another story for another day.
Casual Painting
In the far corner was Casual Painting. The painting was well done but quite reliant on airbrushing which would have been nice if they had demonstrated it.
Firestorm Armada
There was a game of Firestorm Armada by Spartan Games and displayed on the table were some of the Halo Fleet Battles boxes which caught Number 1’s eye as he is becoming a little Halo addict.
DBA
In the middle was a table with a rather lonely man showing off his DBA/DBM rules. I’ve since learnt that he is an authority on the ruleset so it was a pity that noone was really interested. He had some cabinets of some painted 15mm figures for use in the game. He told me that he gets them painted in Sri Lanka. We are at opposite ends of the painting spectrum he has more money than time and I have more time than money.
Infinity
Close to me me was a game of Infinity with a container full of the sadly no more containers from Rackham’s AT-43. They are very nice.
Malifaux
Directly behind me was a table playing Malifaux. There was an interesting use of carpet tiles as a playing surface which I shall bear in mind.
Team Yankee
Flames of War modern using the Team Yankee rules. Nice looking terrain and scenery and the armour was painted well.
Painting Competition
The painting competition. Sadly not enough light for my poor old eyes and not enough space to get a look at the figures which was a pity as there was some good painting. This year it was single figures; Historical, Fantasy, Sci Fi and Steampunk. I entered three figures, but didn’t get a mention. So I need to up my game on that front.
Napoleonics
This was a very nice looking 6mm Napoleonic game using rules from Kugelhagel.
6mm Napoleonics
The figures were beautifully painted, sadly my little camera wasn’t up to capturing them in all their glory.
Chain of Command
There was a Chain of Command game using 15mm Battlefront figures. It used a battlemat which looked quite nice but it was very thin. I’ve been thinking about battlemats but I haven’t found anything, as yet, I’ve been totally sold on.
Frostgrave
Being 2016 there was the inevitable game of Frostgrave which it seems is “The” game of the moment. Nice buildings from Battlefield in a Box, but as with everything I like, are discontinued, The boards were very good and were made from sheets of insulation foam.
By Fire and Sword
Right at the back was a display game of By Fire and Sword which was tied in nicely to an actual shop selling that and a few other bits and pieces.
Shop
John Carter of Mars
After lunch up popped a game of John Carter of Mars, where the ancients game had been. They were running it using the Heroscape ruleset and were using Heroscape hex terrain.
Triumph and Tragedy
Triumph and tragedy. Tales of Adventure, Fortune and Fate. A 28mm skirmish game.
Guns at Gettysburg
The big game was Guns at Gettysburg a big 28mm American Civil War game using the General de Brigade rules.
They won a prize for the best table at the show.
Battlebrush Studios
Then finally there was Battlebrush Studios with Sigur doing painting demonstrations.
Number 1 Son and Sigur
I left Number 1 Son in his capable hands.
Number 1 Son
Here is Number 1 Son with his number 1 painted soldier.
This year was more positive for me. Time didn’t drag. I sold more stuff. And I was approached to exhibit at a show in Germany.
http://www.die-gruene-horde.de/index.htm

So what have I been up to during radio silence?

Well I haven’t been painting prolifically as I have been mostly working on the house.
I joined a Facebook group called 1houranight which sets monthly targets and this has been keeping me motivated.
Anyway here is a selection of work. Apologies for the variable quality of photos, one of this year’s targets is to set up a little photo set-up so I can take decent photos.
Moonraker Miniatures
The Adventurer, his Concubine, his Accountant and his Bodyguard.
These are from Moonraker Miniatures and are part of my Rouge Trader collection.
Mirleton
This was a Christmas present.
It’s from Mirleton. I was disappointed to find out that there is only one pose of this as I wanted a small unit of Skaven cavalry.
Bad Squiddo
Another Christmas present a Female Orc from The Dice Bag Lady aka Bad Squiddo Games.
mine4
This is from Scibor and I bought it because a friend of mine is really into Dwarves. Seriously into them. And the thought of one of his little men consorting with one of the hated enemies will drive him to dispair.
Spellcrow?
This one is from Spellcrow I think.
Ozzy
This is Ozzy. He was a giveaway from Casting Room Miniatures. An offshoot of Foundry. Sculpted by none other than Kevin Adams. This plus a sale and free postage was too good an offer to pass up.
Ogryn
This is a test paint for my Imperial Guard Ogryn unit.
Dirty tracks!
Some armour for my Imperial Guard. I think I may have gone over the top with dust and mud.
mine2
This is from Kromlech. They are doing some very characterful Orks and Goblins. I have my eye on some more Goblin Pirates.
Anyway that is a round up of most of what I’ve painted. That I can remember. Sometimes I am getting a bit “Senior”.

Consistency

It’s been a while, and it gets worse everyday thinking I must add some more content. And then you don’t. And then the guilt builds up. So I am biting the bullet and adding a bit more content. It wasn’t helped by the fact that the editor when using a iPad was decidedly arsey.
This is the next stage for my painting, consistency in basing. I have, now, several armies each with an individual look, so it is important that the units in each army have some cohesion in basing style.
consistency
I am already recording what paints I use in a journal.
This piece of wood has been laser-cut with spaces for some 30mm bases that I don’t intend to use. The plan is to make up these bases as I make my armies and record what I have done in my journal so I will have a written record and a visual one.
I also want to experiment with other basing techniques and record the successful ones for future use.

Product of the Year 2015

This year there are two products of note.
The first is something you wouldn’t normally think of: yoghurt pot lids.
As I have two boys with rapacious appetites I tend to buy half litre pots. They come with plastic lids for resealing. Presumably the manufacturers don’t consider that their product will be consumed in one sitting. Anyway they make ideal one shot palettes, especially when using oil paints. I don’t have to worry about cleaning up, I just toss it in the recycling.
The second product is a paint from Vallejo, Dark Blue Grey.
I have been using it a lot on my Imperial Guard Army and have started using it on my fledgling High Elf Army. I wanted to steer away from the standard Games Workshop blue and white and head for more sea-like greys and blues. This clour just fits the bill.

Return

As some of the more observant of you may have noticed I haven’t blogged much recently. My energies have been diverted elsewhere and have been dealing with some minor depression. The reason for all this is that we have moved. Now we have somewhere permanent to live and I can put down some roots and get settled.
sign
There is a bit of time to wait until I can properly get to work on my Man-Cave as a new boiler and radiator systems have to be installed. Then I can lay a new floor and give it a lick of paint.
Once that is done it will be time to bring everything back from the lager and unpack. I can’t wait to see what treasures I do have.
One thing that I have done is to bring back my glass display case and put my painted stuff in. It is very gratifying to see my work in one place rather than wrapped up in boxes.
image
I have managed to spend some time on the hobby though. Earlier this year I entered my Ork Jet into the bi-monthly Puppets War painting competition.
For those of you who are unaware of Puppets War, they are a Polish company specialising in resin models and extra parts for wargames figures.
http://puppetswar.com/
Can’t recommend them highly enough, some very nice models and a good price!
Anyway, I got a first prize, a voucher to spend in their store. Which I did.
And here is what I got…..

Soaking the parts in washing up liquid solution

Soaking the parts in washing up liquid solution

After a rough assembly i thought the turret wasn't imposing enough

After a rough assembly I thought the turret wasn’t imposing enough

What to use? In the bits box was the lid from a baby food sachet. Seems to work.

What to use?
In the bits box was the lid from a baby food sachet.
Seems to work.

Figuring out where to drill the centre hole for the turret

Figuring out where to drill the centre hole for the turret

The roller at the front was too close. So I built it out a bit. More rivets!

The roller at the front was too close. So I built it out a bit. More rivets!

Extending the arms as it was otherwise going to look like a Tyranosaurus.

Extending the arms as it was otherwise going to look like a Tyranosaurus.

Finished arm with cables

Finished arm with cables

This is the nifty device I used for making the cables. The Tentacle Maker from Greenstuff Industries http://www.greenstuffindustries.com/

This is the nifty device I used for making the cables. The Tentacle Maker from Greenstuff Industries
http://www.greenstuffindustries.com/

Turret. Puppets War sent me a few extra bits in the box and I thought it was only fair to incorporate some into this model.

Turret.
Puppets War sent me a few extra bits in the box and I thought it was only fair to incorporate some into this model.

Undercoated

Undercoated

Base colour

Base colour

A different base colour. I wanted the machine to look cobbled together.

A different base colour. I wanted the machine to look cobbled together.

A bit of rust

A bit of rust

Starting to paint

Starting to paint

Mud and dust

Mud and dust

A bit of colour

A bit of colour

Putting it together

Putting it together

And the finished result

And the finished result