Tonight is Leather Night (calm down ladies) when I'll try and get all the belts and pouches done.
Wednesday, 10 December 2014
Lion Rampant Retinue (9)
I applied washes to the coats of the first batch of archers (I could only fit two washes in my bag).
And I painted most of the basecoats on the next six.
Tonight is Leather Night (calm down ladies) when I'll try and get all the belts and pouches done.
Tonight is Leather Night (calm down ladies) when I'll try and get all the belts and pouches done.
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Lion Rampant Retinue (8)
A productive evening in a Swindon hotel room:
Hope to get the other six to the same state this evening.
And maybe apply washes to these six.
Hope to get the other six to the same state this evening.
And maybe apply washes to these six.
Monday, 8 December 2014
To Swindon!
This morning (assuming the Blogger publishing scheduler thingy works) finds me on a train to glorious Swindon. For overseas readers Swindon is a desolate, blasted place of shattered hopes and crushed dreams. A bit like Mordor. Or Pittsburgh.
Anyway, four nights in a hotel means an opportunity for some painting. So I've prepped twelve more Perry Bretonnian archers for my Lion Rampant force.
Hoping to get the basecoats done, and maybe the washes too before I return to civilisation.
Anyway, four nights in a hotel means an opportunity for some painting. So I've prepped twelve more Perry Bretonnian archers for my Lion Rampant force.
Hoping to get the basecoats done, and maybe the washes too before I return to civilisation.
Here they are, all glued to Brenda's face.
And now with added sandiness.
And finally all whited up and ready for some brushwork.
Sunday, 7 December 2014
Warpigs
I actually finished painting this unit back in July for the Council of War event at Warhammer World.
However as I painted the models and pigs separately I found it really hard to get the riders on, so they stayed separate (and falling off) until I finally snapped after the game at Steve's.
So after some cursing, levering, prying and glueing, here they are in all their glory.
Friday, 5 December 2014
Orcs against Nurgle in the Warhammer End Times
Last night I made my first visit to the newly opened North Notts Gaming Hall to christen the venue with a 3,000 point End Times game of Warhammer.
I spent the first 45 minutes or so admiring the handiwork, and biting down my jealousy that Steve has a man cave and I don't. Reader I had proper bilious green Shed Envy.
Anyway, eventually there was a game to be played.
I had hoped to field all greenskins but failed to find the mojo to paint anything new, and while I could just about have scraped together 3,000 points it was (to my mind) very character heavy and lacking in fighty green bodies. So in the end I swapped out the level 4 Orc shaman and a few other bits for a unit of nine Ogres.
We rolled up battle line. Actually we rolled up Watchtower, but decided that wasn't the fun we were seeking for the first big game in the Hall, so we re-rolled.
Sadly I was so overcome with the awesomeness of my suroundings I completely forgot to even think about deployment and in fact forgot about the Ogres entirely until most of my army was down. Which led to a less than useful deployment all round with stuff behind other stuff and things generally in the way.
And then we were off.
To be honest my memories are a little vague of what exactly happned and the pictures don't help much. So I think I'll just stick them here with a few ribald coments underneath and then wrap up afterwards. Hope everyone's good with that.
No doubt a more triumphal version of events will appear over on Stevo's blog shortly.
I spent the first 45 minutes or so admiring the handiwork, and biting down my jealousy that Steve has a man cave and I don't. Reader I had proper bilious green Shed Envy.
A couple of pre-game shots that fail to convey the full majesty of the North Notts Gaming Hall
Anyway, eventually there was a game to be played.
I had hoped to field all greenskins but failed to find the mojo to paint anything new, and while I could just about have scraped together 3,000 points it was (to my mind) very character heavy and lacking in fighty green bodies. So in the end I swapped out the level 4 Orc shaman and a few other bits for a unit of nine Ogres.
We rolled up battle line. Actually we rolled up Watchtower, but decided that wasn't the fun we were seeking for the first big game in the Hall, so we re-rolled.
Sadly I was so overcome with the awesomeness of my suroundings I completely forgot to even think about deployment and in fact forgot about the Ogres entirely until most of my army was down. Which led to a less than useful deployment all round with stuff behind other stuff and things generally in the way.
And then we were off.
To be honest my memories are a little vague of what exactly happned and the pictures don't help much. So I think I'll just stick them here with a few ribald coments underneath and then wrap up afterwards. Hope everyone's good with that.
The green team
'Orrid Chaosymens
Dogs to the fore
End of Chaos turn one
The giant spots a worthy foe
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The trolls get to work
The powers of Chaos had magically boosted the dog's toughness, which, together with their high WS made them a harder nut than expected for the trolls to deal with.
An unwise advance
Chaos charges break out all over
Should have swapped the nets for swatters
Chariots getting charged. Bad scenes.
Sorcery
In my turn I cast Curse of Da Bad Moon, killing a couple of Chaos Warriors. In Stephen's turn it span back through his troops, killing another couple before landing squarely on the Big 'Uns. Ouch.
Dogs squished, lets be 'avin yoo.
Boars doing chariot's work for them
Hmm, dis is hard work.
Rolled up newspaper?
Clash of the titans.
Ogres getting charged. Hmmmm.
And Arrer boys. Double Hmmmm.
The Boarboys bite off more than they can chew.
Observant readers will notice the Boarboys are being led by a somewhat smaller model than might have been expected. Like a massive twit I left behind the only new model I'd painted for the game so had to use one of Steve's as a substitute. Sigh.
Oh dear, oh dear.
Have we even 'urt it yet?
Needless to say this was not a good result for Waaagh Gruzzkup.
Rubbish deployment, not really thinking about match-ups and generally poor play meant that even though my dice were quite hot I was on the end of a pasting.
Nurgle warriors in general are a tough nut for Orcs I reckon and I really didn't help myself.
Still a splendid game that looked terrific and now the Hall has been properly opened for business.
No doubt a more triumphal version of events will appear over on Stevo's blog shortly.
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Hobby Philosphy
This month's Miniature Wargames has an article by Henry about blogging.
The tone is quite supportive of the idea of blogging and explains some of the basics but eventually it veers off into dire warnings about planning your blog and ensuring you have the materials and commitment necessary to see it through.
This is an all too common theme to writing about our hobby. The importance of planning, deadlines, targets, "realistic expectations" and the like.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that a hobby grounded in the martial should frequently favour taking a disciplined militaristic approach to tasks - but even so it saddens me a bit.
I understand that for some people this is a productive and rewarding approach and I have several wargaming chums who have enviable focus and work ethic and consistently deliver excellent projects to fruition. But I am getting a little tired of it being presented as "orthodoxy" and the only viable approach to our hobby.
Note that this isn't an attack on this specific article or magazine. Its a reaction to an attitude I perceive as prevalent across the hobby (and beyond the confines of wargaming) - the view of it as a slog, or struggle to achieve some sort of result, rather than an enjoyable exercise in and of itself.
Personally I get enough of that bollocks at work. And a fair bit in other aspects of my life too.
This is supposed to be a hobby, something I do for fun, and I'm getting a bit ticked off with being hectored by other people for not treating my downtime like some sort of military exercise, with goals and targets and all the other fuckwittery that drives much of modern life.
As humans we spend far too much time in thrall to the idea of plans, of results, of achieving.
And not enough time, in my view, for pleasing ourselves and celebrating what we enjoy.
Rather than measuring yourself against targets and goals, you should be celebrating everything you achieve, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Every time you pick up a paintbrush, roll a dice, stick on a tuft of static grass or just sit in a comfy chair and gaze out of the window and think about toy soldiers is a victory. Its a win for you. You've found time for yourself and you've enjoyed yourself and what could be better than that?
A while ago I realised that I was locked in a cycle that was actually destructive for my enjoyment of the hobby. I'd plan a project, set myself goals, fail to meet them and then spend time mentally beating myself up about that "failure". Many of us have a tendency to be unnecessarily harsh on ourselves about our performance, constantly criticising or belittling instead of celebrating what we do manage and this across all aspects of our lives, not just hobby time. I was doing this with my hobby and the cycle of negativity made me even less likely to pick up a brush. So I made a conscious decision to stop taking that approach. I decided to embrace my butterfly like attention span and to just paint and play whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And if lack of finished models prevented me doing what I wanted to just accept that rather than see it as a failure. I have to say I find I'm getting more painted and modelled as a result and I'm enjoying it all a whole lot more.
As far as blogging is concerned just do it. Or don't. No one gets hurt if you post three times and then stop. It doesn't cost anything and if you enjoy those three posts then that's all that matters. Working out how much time you have to commit to it and planning in the regular updates? Unless you actually find resource planning and timetabling enjoyable in and of itself I really wouldn't bother.
And whatever happens -whether you go on to a glittering blogging career with the accolades of other socially awkward men children with a fascination for toy soldiers ringing in your ears, or if your blog turn into a tumbleweed strewn ghost town after a couple of weeks - try to remember that it doesn't matter - most especially that it doesn't matter to you. You've not succeeded, or failed - you've just enjoyed doing something for yourself.
There's a quote misatributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson that says that life is a journey, not a destination. Similarly the Buddhist approach that it is better to travel well than to arrive.
In our modern, goal and status orientated world where "first is everything second is nowhere" we're in danger in of forgetting that the process is at least as enjoyable as the outcome. No more so than where our hobbies are concerned.
If planning and goal setting and achieving results works for you, all power to you. But if that isn't making you happy, give it up, paint what you like, play what you like. Whatever you do, enjoy and celebrate it.
The tone is quite supportive of the idea of blogging and explains some of the basics but eventually it veers off into dire warnings about planning your blog and ensuring you have the materials and commitment necessary to see it through.
This is an all too common theme to writing about our hobby. The importance of planning, deadlines, targets, "realistic expectations" and the like.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that a hobby grounded in the martial should frequently favour taking a disciplined militaristic approach to tasks - but even so it saddens me a bit.
I understand that for some people this is a productive and rewarding approach and I have several wargaming chums who have enviable focus and work ethic and consistently deliver excellent projects to fruition. But I am getting a little tired of it being presented as "orthodoxy" and the only viable approach to our hobby.
Note that this isn't an attack on this specific article or magazine. Its a reaction to an attitude I perceive as prevalent across the hobby (and beyond the confines of wargaming) - the view of it as a slog, or struggle to achieve some sort of result, rather than an enjoyable exercise in and of itself.
Personally I get enough of that bollocks at work. And a fair bit in other aspects of my life too.
This is supposed to be a hobby, something I do for fun, and I'm getting a bit ticked off with being hectored by other people for not treating my downtime like some sort of military exercise, with goals and targets and all the other fuckwittery that drives much of modern life.
As humans we spend far too much time in thrall to the idea of plans, of results, of achieving.
And not enough time, in my view, for pleasing ourselves and celebrating what we enjoy.
Rather than measuring yourself against targets and goals, you should be celebrating everything you achieve, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Every time you pick up a paintbrush, roll a dice, stick on a tuft of static grass or just sit in a comfy chair and gaze out of the window and think about toy soldiers is a victory. Its a win for you. You've found time for yourself and you've enjoyed yourself and what could be better than that?
A while ago I realised that I was locked in a cycle that was actually destructive for my enjoyment of the hobby. I'd plan a project, set myself goals, fail to meet them and then spend time mentally beating myself up about that "failure". Many of us have a tendency to be unnecessarily harsh on ourselves about our performance, constantly criticising or belittling instead of celebrating what we do manage and this across all aspects of our lives, not just hobby time. I was doing this with my hobby and the cycle of negativity made me even less likely to pick up a brush. So I made a conscious decision to stop taking that approach. I decided to embrace my butterfly like attention span and to just paint and play whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And if lack of finished models prevented me doing what I wanted to just accept that rather than see it as a failure. I have to say I find I'm getting more painted and modelled as a result and I'm enjoying it all a whole lot more.
As far as blogging is concerned just do it. Or don't. No one gets hurt if you post three times and then stop. It doesn't cost anything and if you enjoy those three posts then that's all that matters. Working out how much time you have to commit to it and planning in the regular updates? Unless you actually find resource planning and timetabling enjoyable in and of itself I really wouldn't bother.
And whatever happens -whether you go on to a glittering blogging career with the accolades of other socially awkward men children with a fascination for toy soldiers ringing in your ears, or if your blog turn into a tumbleweed strewn ghost town after a couple of weeks - try to remember that it doesn't matter - most especially that it doesn't matter to you. You've not succeeded, or failed - you've just enjoyed doing something for yourself.
There's a quote misatributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson that says that life is a journey, not a destination. Similarly the Buddhist approach that it is better to travel well than to arrive.
In our modern, goal and status orientated world where "first is everything second is nowhere" we're in danger in of forgetting that the process is at least as enjoyable as the outcome. No more so than where our hobbies are concerned.
If planning and goal setting and achieving results works for you, all power to you. But if that isn't making you happy, give it up, paint what you like, play what you like. Whatever you do, enjoy and celebrate it.
Monday, 1 December 2014
Orc Warboss on Boar
Having become frustrated with my work on the Orctober warboss (the greenstuffing looks like it was done by an ill focused child with no opposable thumbs) I instead grabbed this one from the "undercoated and set aside" pile.
The shield presented a conundrum. Most of the painted examples (including the "official" GW paint job) have it red, to look like the original grinning skull motif.
However the sculpture is clearly of something's skin (and teeth) stretched across the shield.
My guess is that's what the sculptor intended but then Alan or Gordon, or whoever was in charge of yelling at and belittling sculptors and painters in the Studio at the time, shouted and screamed at them until they painted it red "to look like the grinning Orc symbol!!"
Anyway, I decided it's the remains of his bitter rival, pinned there to dismay his foes and remind his mates "oo's boss" and painted it green.
It's the same plastic Orc Warboss kit as I used as the basis for Grotfang, which really isn't a nice kit to assemble - the two sides of the pig are a poor fit and there are a few undercuts and the like where detail is ill defined.
Smallest boy suggested that the highlights on the black boar weren't defined enough, and he may well be right. Black is always a tricky colour to highlight appropriately I think.
Other than that I'm pretty pleased with him.
The shield presented a conundrum. Most of the painted examples (including the "official" GW paint job) have it red, to look like the original grinning skull motif.
However the sculpture is clearly of something's skin (and teeth) stretched across the shield.
My guess is that's what the sculptor intended but then Alan or Gordon, or whoever was in charge of yelling at and belittling sculptors and painters in the Studio at the time, shouted and screamed at them until they painted it red "to look like the grinning Orc symbol!!"
Anyway, I decided it's the remains of his bitter rival, pinned there to dismay his foes and remind his mates "oo's boss" and painted it green.
Shield detail. See - it's skin.
It's the same plastic Orc Warboss kit as I used as the basis for Grotfang, which really isn't a nice kit to assemble - the two sides of the pig are a poor fit and there are a few undercuts and the like where detail is ill defined.
Smallest boy suggested that the highlights on the black boar weren't defined enough, and he may well be right. Black is always a tricky colour to highlight appropriately I think.
Other than that I'm pretty pleased with him.
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