The Thirteenth Company

Back again!

2014-11-20T23:52:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone!

Wow has it been a while since I updated this blog!

Since my last update, my mild Carpal Tunnel Syndrome really started to be inconvenient. I finally made the plunge, and switched to an airbrush, hoping to alleviate my symptoms at least somewhat. It was effective for a while, but eventually even that wasn't enough. Coupled with my typing-centric job, the pain and numbness got in the way a lot. A few months ago, I had surgery on my left hand, and it has completely relieved my symptoms. I'm back to normal, for the most part, thought I've grown to really like the results I get with my airbrush.

I'm currently working on an Ogre Stonehorn commission. It's about 99% done, just awaiting the arrival a bit that was missing when I received the model from my client/

This project has been a lot of fun. It is really the first Warhammer Fantasy Battles model I've pained, so it's been fun working my way through it.

It is also the first real "organic" model I've worked on since I did some Fenrisian Wolves a ways back. Working on an animal model like this is a unique challenge compared to most 40K stuff's technical style.

Next up, I'm working on a Malifaux Guild crew, as well as expanding my Minotaurs and Eldar; And, if I get bored, I might plug away on my Zone Mortalis terrain some more.

Thanks for reading!

Angron, Primarch of the World Eaters complete!

2013-07-28T22:11:00.002-04:00

I've been working on this special model for a long time, and I'm finally satisfied with it.

It seems like it is much easier to get great painting result on a great model, and Forge World knocked their first Primarch out of the park, if you ask me!

I really like the design of the base on this piece. The Angron model sits on a 40MM base, that fits into the larger 60MM scenic base for display purposes. When you use Angron in a Horus Heresy game, you just pop the model out.

Both bases are given highly detailed resin pieces for detail, and they look amazing. The only complaint I have is that the larger piece, for the 60MM base, doesn't go to the edge of the base. If you look at Forge World's example, you can see how jarring and unfinished it looks. It is a shame to leave such a beautiful piece that way, so I added some texture to the rest of the base to blend it. It took several layers to get it perfect, but I am really happy with the results.

This is the first time I've experimented with weathering powders, and I think they worked great. They really add a lot of texture and weight to the finished model, and they were super easy to use. Secret Weapon Miniatures recently released a pigment fixer, which made the process really easy. I also used their pigments, and couldn't be happier.

Here's a final pic, of the two pieces as I discussed above.

As much as it pains me, I've decided to sell this model. It is beautiful, but, ultimately I don't have the room for it (especially without a World Eaters army to accompany it).

If you;re interested, you can find the eBay auction HERE.

Thanks for looking!

Reentering Realspace!

2013-04-14T16:10:00.000-04:00

Wow! It have been SOOO long since I updated this blog! I didn't realize it had gotten away from me like this! A lot of changed since my last post... I've lost at several tournaments, but won another "best painting" award! I've added a huge Necron army to my collection (posts incoming!) and had started a CSM army before getting sidetracked. My carpal tunnel has really started to flare up when I paint, so I've recently invested in a airbrush (a Badger Renegade Velocity), in the hopes that it with reduce workload and time. I'll be starting a Horus Heresy: Betrayal Imperial Fists list to break in the airbrush, I've been wanting to challenge myself with a yellow project for a while now, and shading light colors seems like it lends itself to airbrushing. For now, you'll have to make do with some pics of my last (probably) completely hand-painted model, a CSM Helbrute!

I was working on a small Emperor's Children army, using some of the Dark Vengeance stuff as a starting point. Since my wrist issues have flared up, I'm moving on to the airbrush project. This one was very time and effort intensive, but he is probably some of my best painting work.

I spent a lot of time wet-blending and working on zenithal lighting by hand, and I really think he came out great.

I also did some conversion work: adding a Reaper Autocannon in place of the Multi-melta. I used plastic rod and jeweler's chain on that, and, if I recall correctly, a Necron Immortal gauss bit for the bayonet.

I also added a missile bit to the maw on the other hand, so that I could play it as a Missile Luancher if needed. The nice thing is, the conversion is subtle enough that it can still be played as a Powerfist if desired. I also did the base in cork, something I've been itching to try. It was really simple, and worked really well. I plan on using this method in most or all of my future projects. As always please let me know what you think of the model and paint! Sadly, I'm selling this one on eBay. :( Since I am switching to airbrushing, and I am a stickler for cohesive painting, I abandoned the rest of my CSM plans. I can't paint an entire force the way I did this model! It will take me ages, and I will likely ruin my wrists! ;) If you're interested in the model, here's a link to the eBay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181122617312#ht_500wt_1288

Thanks for reading!

Dave

Foodhammer 2K11 Best Painting

2011-12-22T20:40:00.002-05:00

Everyone,

Just a quick update today, time is limited! Last week, a friend and I made the trip up to Flint, MI (4 hours!) to play in the Foodhammer 2011 charity tournament!

A big "Thanks!" to all the guys at Fresh Coast 40K and Gamers Sanctuary for hosting this awesome tournament! We had a great time, and met some great people!

Alas, I didn't fare very well in the gaming part of the tournament. But, I did take home the awards for Best Painting! Here's a pic of the army I took to the tourney (credit goest to Fresh Coast 40K for the pic):

Thanks again to all the guys at Fresh Coast 40K for the kudos! I've spent a lot of time and effort on my Space Wolves over the last 2+ years, and if is awesome to think that other appreciate it, too! There were several armies at Foodhammer that were super-well painted; I'm honored and humbled to have been awarded Best Painting from that field!

That's all I've got time for this week... please check out my Commissions page if you're interested in some work. I've recently simplified and reduced the pricing structure, so now is a great time to get some work done!

As always, thanks for reading!

-Dave

Contemptor Dread Update, Death Company Stormraven WIP

2011-10-22T16:26:00.000-04:00

Hey all,

I've made some serious progress on my Angels Sanguine Contemptor Dreadnought. I've still got some weathering and stuff to finish, and the base only has a basecoat, but it's starting to come together.

I also still need to finish environmental effects, like sand on the Dread, and blood from the Dark Eldar Scourge.

This model has been a ton of fun to paint. There are lots of details, but they aren't overwhelming in the way they are on some infantry models (I'm looking at you Wolf Pack). Kind of purely by chance, this thing sort of ended up as a test for my Angels Sanguine paint scheme. I think it's working really well.

The Dark Eldar Scourge on the base has been fun, too. It isn't a model style I'm used to, which is a nice change.

I've also made some significant progress on my Death Company Stormraven. This has been the most enjoyable vehicle model I've done from GW. They have made serious strides in model design and mold processes, even since the Land Raiders and Rhino that are out now.

Some people seem to be put off by the look of the model, but I actually like it a lot. It's a bit on the small side, but I think it fits the overall Space Marine aesthetic really well, and it is intimidating on the table.

I still have another few X's to paint on, but I've been debating on their location. I want to put one somewhere on the tail, probably on the top of the stabilizer wings (or whatever they are), and I think I'm going to put one on the front of the assault ramp.

All the weapon options are magnetized (though they aren't all painted yet), so I can change the Melta/Bolter on the front, and use any of the top-mounted turret options. I magnetized the Storm Bolters on the side doors inside the model, and did a little bit of modding, so they just pop on and off.

More Dark Eldar details on the base here, this one is a chunk of a Raider. The base is from Secret Weapon Miniature's Desert Mesa series. I can't say enough positive things about Justin and the crew over there!! They offer a terrific product line, with great prices, fast shipping, and great customer service!

I also use their Flight Stand Widget to mount the Stormraven, which includes the 1/2" thick acrylic bar and a mount that glues to the bottom of the model. It works great, and I find it far superior and sturdier than the standard GW stand. I also inserted a magnet into the rod, and one on the base of the model. This keeps the Stormraven in place a bit more securely, and still allows the base and model to be separated for transport.

I used masking tape to make the X's on the wings, I think they came out really sharp. You might have noticed that the Stormraven is more heavily highlighted than the Contemptor. I did this for 2 reasons: it's a flying vehicle, so is exposed to constant wear when used; and its a Death Company transport. In my mind, the Death Company wouldn't have a lot of time to spend worrying about their transports aesthetics, so it would get worn out fast.

That's it for this week! As alsways, comments and critique are welcome! Keep in mind, though, that these are works-in-progress!

If you like what you see, consider hiring me to paint your models for you! See my info page here!

Thanks,

Dave

Commission Update and Continued Discounts

2011-10-13T21:07:00.000-04:00

Everyone,

I've finished a recent commission of D&D figures, and thought I'd share the results. First up is a pair of some sort of Lizard-Men with a flamethrower. These guys were a lot of fun to paint, since they're a bit of a departure for me.

Next, we have a pair of Orcs. I painted both, and actually sculpted the axe that the smaller one has from greenstuff and plastic card:

Here's a close up of the shield on the big one's back, with a freehanded symbol that the client requested:

I also have a wolf-man paladin, which I painted and did some sculpting work on:

The model was originally an ape-man of some sort, but I sculpted a new face from green stuff, to make it look more like a wolf-man. I also freehanded the wings on the shield. It is, apparently, a shield of throwing, and the client wanted something to indicate that on it.

The last painting work on this set was on a swordmage character:

I also did a bit of model repair on a model he'd already purchased painted, as well as basing:

That's it for this week. I'm still plugging away at my Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought, and putting the finishing touches on my Angels Sanguine Death Company Stormraven. Hopefully, next week, I'll be able to share more.

Remember, I'm still running a sale on commissions!! If you order 5 or more models worth of work, you'll receive 20% off!! See my commissions page for details!

Thanks for reading!

Dave

Contemptor Dread WIP, Lone Wolf, and Discounted Commissions!

2011-09-24T16:14:00.001-04:00

As you can probably tell, Space Wolves is my army of choice in the world of 40K. I love the fluff, they suit my play style, and they have a terrific codex. But, sometimes, I get tired of painting blue all the time! Over the last few months I've been planning a totally fun (that is, not competitive at all) Angels Sanguine list as a side project. It has been pretty slow moving, but painting red and black is nice for change!

Once I saw the Contemptor Dreadnought from Forge World, I knew I had to have one! So, I decided to pick one up to use as a Librarian Dreadnought in my Angels Sanguine list. It arrived on Wednesday, and I got a chance to assemble it this week:

This model was an absolute joy to assemble! Basically, every joint on this model is either a ball socket or a rotating wheel joint, which makes is extremely poseable. You can really get unique stances and poses with this kit. I've got him stepping on a Dark Eldar Scourge, and he is on a Desert Mesa base from Secret Weapon Miniatures.

Since I'm using him as a Libraran Dreadnought, he is equipped with a Force Weapon. I had one left over from the Blood Angels Furioso kit (which I used to make a Death Company Dread), so I used that. I modified it a bit, since the Contemptor is so much taller than a standard Dreadnought. I cut the shaft in half, added some plastic rod to the middle, and sculpted a bit of green stuff for a handle. I think it looks pretty cool, and the added height is definitely better.

I still have to add a ton of Librarian details (Psychic Hood, icons, etc.), but I'm pleased enough with the start to show it off. I've also taken some pics of a Space Wolf Terminator, which I usually use as a Lone Wolf:

I finished this guy a while ago, but I like him a lot. I love the wolf pelt/cape thing, and really like the Space Wolves Storm Shield, too.

The shoulder icon was drawn on with a Micron pen, all my Space Wolves have Ragnar's markings.

Also, I've decided to run a promotion on my Commission Service!! For the next 30 days (through 10/24), any commissions that are scheduled (with a minimum of 5 models per project) will receive a 20% discount!! That is like getting work on one model for free!

Please check out the Hire Me page for prices (please not, they do NOT reflect the discount) and contact me if you are interested!

As always, thanks for reading!

-Dave

Kitbash Rune Priest

2011-09-10T15:24:00.002-04:00

Hey all,

Been a bit busy with a commission this week, so I am a bit behind on updates. But, I've finished a kitbashed Rune Priest, which I'd like to share.

This Rune Priest is entirely from the Wolf Pack box, but I used some plastic rod to make the Runic Weapon a but unique.

I also went a unique direction with the shoulder-pad markings, using the same fang theme that my entire army has, but with a different color scheme. I went with Enchanted Blue, to tie him to the typical Librarian color that most Space Marine Chapters use.

I used the same technique as I did for Logan Grimnar's Axe Morkai on the Runic Weapon. I went with a purple effect, so it would stand out a bit on the tabletop.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how he turned out. I think he has a really aggressive look, and he looks great on the tabletop. Of course, this just make him draw even more fire than usual...

I've got some commission slots open. If you're interested, check the details on the Hire Me page, and contact me!

Thanks for reading!

Dave

Now taking Commissions!

2011-08-30T12:53:00.000-04:00

I am proud to announce that The Thirteenth Company is now taking painting and modelling commissions! You can find all the relevant information on the "Hire Me!" page, but in summary:

The Thirteenth Company offers full-service painting and modelling for gamers without the time or desire to paint their own models. I can take on projects of any size, from a single model to an entire army. I pride myself on high quality painting services at a reasonable price.

One of my first commissions was for some Dungeons and Dragons miniatures for a friend of mine. Here are some examples (with an Ultramarine for scale(:

I've considered offering commissions for a while, but it took some time to figure out the logistics and economics. I'm excited about the opportunity to paint something other than Space Wolves!

I hope you'll take a look at the "Hire Me!" page and consider my services!

As always, thanks for reading! Comments and critiques are always welcome!

Dave

Njal Stormcaller and Canis Wolfborn

2011-08-18T20:23:00.000-04:00

A bit late posting this week, I've been busy with a D&D miniature commission for a friend (update forthcoming!)...

This week, I thought I'd show off a couple of Space Wolves special character models. First up, we've got Njal Stormcaller:

This actually one of my oldest Space Wolves models, and the first metal model I ever painted. Finecast wasn't even rumored at the time, but I wish I'd knows it was coming. I find metal models a real pain to work with, and I like the sharpness of the Finecast models.

I played a 2000 point game recently, and fielded Njal in place of a vanilla Rune Priest. I had 2nd turn, so a couple of his buffs weren't in effect, but he was pretty valuable anyway. Unfortunately, he took wounds in the game when I rolled perils of the warp, killing him in turn 4. Statistically, I don't think that would happen often in a game, but I'd like to field him a few more times before I make a final judgement call. The model is great, though.

I went a bit heavy on the snow effects for Njal. I really wanted him to look like he'd been in the elements for a while, fighting implacably for the All-Father.

In the same 2000 point game, I fielded Canis Wolfborn, too. I've played with him a few times, and he seems to die a lot before he can get into combat. Truthfully, I think the size and look of his model make him a target in games, but he was really valuable in this match.

Again, I wish I'd waited for the Finecast version. He's a seriously heavy model! I learned in this last match that, if he survives to make in into combat, he is SUPER vicious! A minimum of 7 rending attacks on the charge, with a 19"-24" assault range is a pretty tough combo. Ultimately, I think he is probably only worth it against horde Orks or Tyranids, where his attacks can decimate a larger squad, and he is more likely to not die to shooting.

I really love the level of detail on Canis' model. The fur looks amazing, and he is positively huge! He even has his helmet hanging from his belt!

That's it for this week. Next week, I hope to have some updates to the gallery page, and to get my commissions pricing and policies up as well.

As always, thanks for reading! Comments and critique are welcome!

-Dave

Logan Grimnar Conversion

2011-08-07T15:32:00.000-04:00

This week, I've decided to show off my Logan Grimnar conversion. I posted some WIP shots a while back, but I've since completed him. Here he is in all his glory:

I really, really dislike the official GW model for Logan, and when I started this model it was only in metal. Finecast wasn't even a rumor yet. I didn't want to try and kit-bash a metal model, so I decided to make my own. I used some arms, legs, a torso, and a head from the Space Wolves Terminator box, but I sculpted his bear from green stuff. I used the fur cape from the Chaos Terminator Lord box, and added a wolf pelt from my bitz box to the top. I then sculpted the arms of the pelt by hand as well.

I wanted Logan's Axe, Morkai, to be special, and stand out on the table. I used 2 Chaos Power Axe blades, which fit the fluff about the weapon nicely, and attached them to a Power Weapon arm from the SW Termies. The double-headed wolf icon is cut from plasticard, and appears on both sides.

I decided to paint the Power Weapon effect in green, since my Space Wolves Army has no other green in it. This makes the Axe Morkai, and Logan, really stand out when I field him. I am really pleased with the Power Weapon effect, as well as the free-handed shoulder pad icon. All my other Space Wolves feature Ragnar Blackmane's iconography (except for Arjac Thunderfist), but Logan deserves his own pack marking on his shoulder! I think it is officially supposed to be white, but I painted in in Chainmail, so it would look a little cooler. You might have noticed the Hormagaunt in Logan's left hand:

I use Tyranids as details for several of my Space Wolves HQs and Special Characters. I like the flavor it adds, and it is another awesome detail that helps powerful units stand out. Logan is grasping this 'guant in his fist, which was an interesting modelling challenge. I ended up using my Dremel Stylus to drill out holes for the fingers of Logan fist to fit into, then sculpted some "guts" oozing out, to add to the effect. I also added the wrist-mounted Storm Bolter, which Logan Appears with in some illustrations.

A bit of bark to make the model taller, and some snow to finish the scenic effect, and he was complete! I'm really happy with how he turned out, and I love having a unique model for this character. He's always a conversation starter in games, too.

As always, thanks for reading! Comments always welcome!

Dave

Wolf Scouts & Wolf Scout Snipers

2011-07-31T12:41:00.000-04:00

This week, I decided to show off my 2 Wolf Scout squads. One squad is pretty basic:

It's a 5-man squad, with few upgrades. But, there is one Scout with a Meltagun:

The Meltagun is kit-bashed a bit. It is a Bolter, with the barrel of a spare Dreadnought Multimelta glued on. I also added the fuel tank (or whatever it is) towards the rear of the gun. Last, I glued a small length of guitar string for the tubing slung underneath. It isn't perfect, but I didn't want to hunt down Meltagun bits or buy the metal set GW makes.

Next up, we have a squad of Wolf Scouts with Sniper Rifles:

No major conversion work here, but I added another homemade Meltagun to the Scout with the rolled up cloak (on the far left). It is glued to his back, you can see it here (on the far left, poking out about the Scout in front of him):

This one is a Bolter with some plastic rod acting as a Melta barrel. I didn't have another spare Melta laying around, so I had to improvise. I had planned on painting a camouflage pattern on the cloaks of this unit, but I couldn't find one that didn't look "toyish" to me. And, since Wolf Scouts don't have access to stealth cloaks, I let it go. I like the look of the simple, white cloaks, though.

As always, thanks for reading! Comments, criticism, etc. always welcome!

-Dave

Land Raider Twins

2011-07-24T14:30:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,

It's been a while, but things have been hectic lately. I've actually managed to get a lot done over the last few weeks, and even managed to get 3 games of 40K in! I don't have battle reports, but I won 2 out of 3. I'm starting to get the hang of list building a bit, and I am also getting to know my units a bit better, which is helping.

I plan on updating more regularly, so I'll keep this post somewhat short. I've pretty much completed my Land Raiders. As I was taking these photos, I've noticed some things I forgot to paint. First up, here's my standard Land Raider:

It has the Space Wolves doors from Forge world on it, as well as some bits from the brass etch Space Wolves kit. I'm not 100% happy with the look of GW's washes on vehicles, but I managed to make it look acceptable. The snow is from Gale Force Nine's basing range. Here's a side view:

Next up we have my Land Raider Crusader:

This one has the same Forge World doors and brass etch. Here's a side view of this one:

The name on the plate is Tanngnjostr, the name of one of the goats that pull Thor's chariot, the other one (the standard load out) is called Tanngrisnir. You can read about the myth here.

I think the names sound cool, and fit the Space Wolves fluff perfectly.

That's it for this week. As always, and feedback or thoughts are welcome. I'll leave you with this preview of my Las/Plas Razorback, a work in progress:

Thanks for reading!

-Dave

First Imperial Sector building finished!!

2011-05-23T06:39:00.000-04:00

Wow, it has been too long since my last post! Things have been hectic around the old homestead, so hobby time has been prety hard to come by for the last few weeks...

But, I have had time to (mostly) finish up my first Imperial Sector building:

This is the Manufactorum kit, the simplest and smallest of the kits included in the Imperial Sector. I used about 2/3 of the bits for it, and managed to make a fairly interesting building. Here's a detail shot of one of the Adeptus Mechanicus logos:

I put a bit more effort into those, but the rest of the building is pretty simply painted. I picked out a few details here and there, to add a bit of color, but the bulk of the building is painted as follows:

1.) A simple, but fairly heavy coat of Krylon Grey Primer spray paint
2.) A liberal "wash," using diluted black acrylic craft paint
3.) A light drybrush of Codex Grey paint from GW
4.) A heavy drybrush of Skull White paint from GW

Then I painted all the various details like I would a normal model.

The rubble is mostly chopped up sprue, but I alse used some basing grit from Gale Force 9 in several sizes, and a bit of the concrete rubble GF9 makes.

Eventually, I'd like to add some snow effects, to match my eventual Space Wolves themed game board, but I'll probably do that to all my completed buildings at one time.

I've already made another building, a bit larger and more ambitious, but it isn't painted yet. The Basilica Administratum kit is much more detailed, and will be more challenging to paint. I plan on an even larger building (on a 1-foot by 2-foot piece of board, instead of 1-foot by 1-foot like this one) to use up the majority of the rest of the kit (mostly the Sanctum Imperialis). But, hopefully, I can cobble together a smaller building with the leftovers, for a total of 4.

Overall, I've had a great experience with this kit. The sheer volume of sprues and bits in the kit is intimidating at first, but the buildings go together super easy. I think the square, modular nature of the buidling tiles makes things go super smoothly, compared to GW's vehicle and squad kits.

As always, thanks for reading! Comments and feedback is always appreciated!

-Dave

Space Wolves HQ Conversions

2011-05-01T22:56:00.002-04:00

I finally found the time to snap some pics of a few of the HQ conversions I've done for my Space Wolves force. They are in various stages of painting, but I wanted to share them from a conversion point of view.

I'll start with my favorite conversion so far, my take on Logan Grimnar:

I'm not too impressed with the official Games Workshop model for Logan, I think it needs an update. In this conversion, there are bits from a Space Wolves Terminator box, some Chaos Lord bits, lots of green stuff (mostly fur) and a but of plasticard. Oh, and the Tyranid in his grasp there. Logan is still a few steps from final paiting, though. Here are some more angles:

Next up, we've got Ragnar Blackmane:

Again, I found the Games Workshop model wanting, so went my own way. I tried to ape the official model's pose a little, though. Also, this was the first conversion I attempted, so it isn't very ambitious. It's a fairly vanilla model, all parts from the Wolf Pack box. There fur cape and the fur on the figure's left shoulder-pad are hand sculpted in green stuff, though. Here are a few more shots:

More recently, I worked on a conversion for Arjac Rockfist:

For this model, I used a torso and shoulder pads from Scibor's Monstrous Miniatures which give Arjac a really unique look, and I feel fit his fluff. The Foehammer and Anvil Shield are both custom made, from combinations of green stuff, bits, and plasticard. Here's some more detail:

I've posted a pic of my Bjorn the Fell-Handed before, but I've got some new angles this time.

Bjorn is mostly made up of Ironclad Dreadnought bits. I wanted to give his chassis a tougher, older look, but I wasn't into the Venerable model as much. There are tons of random bits from the Space Wolves terminator kit, as well as the Wolf Pack box, and the claws on the Dreadnought CCW are custom sculpted. The Lascannon arm is from a Venerable Dread box.

These last few conversions are not painted yet, but I wanted to show them off anyway. First we have two Rune Priests:

Nothing too fancy, just a bit of kit-bashing on the Runic Staffs. I wanted them to stand out a bit on the table, and I thought the long staff helped a lot with that. I also have a Wolf Priest (with Jump Pack):

You might be starting to notice a bit of a theme to my Space Wolves: I hate Tyranids, so, by extension, my Space Wolves hate them, too. There is a small amount of green stuff on this model, on his right leg. Other than that, it is all Wolf Pack bits and some brass etching from the Forge World Space Wolves brass kit. And, of course, the Jump Pack. Here are some more shots:

These last models are not HQ choices, but I spent a lot of time on their conversions, so I wanted to share. Here are my 3 Thunderwolf Cavalry:

All three of the mounts were made from the Knorne Bloodcrushers kit, with liberal amounts of green stuff fur and tons of bits form various Space Wolves kits.

That's it for this week. Feedback and comments are welcome! As always, thanks for reading!

-Dave

Space Wolves Terrain Update

2011-04-23T08:31:00.000-04:00

Today, I thought I'd share some of the terrain pieces I've been working on. Not all of them are complete, but I've made enough progress to feel comfortable showing them off.

First up, my Aegis defense line:

If you're familiar with the Aegis kit, you'll notice that the gun is different on the one I assembled. I used the Autocannon parts from the Aegis kit to make arms for my Dreadnoughts, seen here. At one point, I was planning in simply tossing the gun emplacement and using only the Aegis walls, but I came up with a better plan.

When I made my Land Raider Crusader, I had the Flamestorm Cannons (meant for a LR Redeemer) left over. I kit-bashed them a bit, with the help of some plastic tubing, and completed the gun emplacement with them.

At first, I thought that a Flamestorm Gun emplacement was a bit silly. But, since I've used so many Tyranids in basing and kit bashing (as victims and caracasses) on my Space Wolves forces, it kind of make sense.

I recently purchased the Honoured Imperium set, which has some awesome pieces. First, the simplest piece, a chunk of ruined imperial building:

This piece is pretty small, but could provided a bit of cover. Here's another shot for scale:

After I saw the sprues in the Imperial Sector, I realized that this is just a cut-up rearranged bit of that kit. Also, forgive the basing on theses pieces, I ran out of hobby snow. Eventually, they'll based to match my future snow-themed game board.

The next piece from this set is much cooler. A shattered Aquila:

And lastly, the coolest piece:

I love this statue! I made some modifications from the basic piece. I added some damage and bullet holes across the surface. I also removed the laurel and skull from the shield, and replaced it with a space wolves icon, sculpted in green stuff:

I also added some iconography to the shoulder pad and modified the skull on the pommel of the sword to make it look like a wolf skull:

I plan on picking up another of these sets, so I can have a companion piece for this statue. I plan on using them to make a sort of gate, with the two statues standing vigil. When I get that started, I'll share some photos.

That's it for this week, next time I hope to share some of my kit-bashed and customized Space Wolves HQs.

Thanks for reading!

-Dave

Imperial Sector First Impressions

2011-04-12T18:54:00.000-04:00

If I have time, I'll do a more formal unboxing later. For now, I thought I share some quick first impressions of a recent birthday gift, the Imperial Sector:

The first thing I noticed? This box weighs a TON! There is a lot of plastic in this thing!

There are a total of 14 sprues in the box, in 4 different styles:

(2 of these)

(4 of these)

(3 of these)

(5 of these!)

That is a serious amount of plastic! It seems like, with this amount of pieces, I should be able to create several unique buildings.

I'll post something more in depth later, as time permits, but I was so excited by this box I had to share!

BTW, please forgive the picture quality. In my haste, I used my phone to snap them.

Thanks for reading!

-Dave

Space Wolves Mech units on Parade

2011-04-10T14:13:00.001-04:00

So, if it wasn't clear, I play Space Wolves. As much as I enjoy modeling infantry, I really get a kick out of Warhammer 40K vehicles. So, I figured I'd start things off with some of my tanks and Dreadnoughts.

First up, my Rhino and Whirlwind models:

There's not a lot of customization on these, but there are lots of bitz from the Wolf Pack kit, and the Forge World Space Wolves brass kit and Space Wolves Icons kit.

The Rhino was the first vehicle I painted, it was a lot of fun.

Next up, we've got my Predator:

I originally bought this kit with plans to magnetize it, and use it optionally as a Rhino. After some painting, I realized that the sponsons and doors were too tight to work easily. So, I ditched that plan. However, I was able to keep the magnetized set up on the actual sponson weapons and the weapon on the turret. Here's the the other options:

I have a Land Raider and a Land Raider Redeemer as well, but they are not far along. I hope to share them in a future post. I can share my Dreadnoughts, though.

Some of my first customization work was on my Bjorn the Fell-Handed model:

I started this one with an Ironclad Dreadnought kit. I think it lends the chassis a bit of age, without the guadiness of the Venerable model. The claws on the CCW are custom sculpts, as is the wolf-pelt on the banner. The arms are magnetized, so I can switch out weapon options.

My 2nd Dreadnought is based on the model in the Assault on Black Reach starter kit:

Since I rarely actually play a list with Bjorn, I actually use this Dread more often. I love the Tyranid Gargoyle in the CC arm! A friend donated that bit to me, and I had fun cutting it up and using it for this model. The arms on this one are magnetized, too. Here's the autocannon variants:

The last model, for now, is my Drop Pod:

This was a real challenge to paint! I assembled the whole thing first, which made painting the seats a real pain! I think it cape out pretty good... though, when I build my next one, I think I'll paint it when it is partially assembled...

Thanks for reading! Hopefully, I'll post next week with some more tanks, or some terrain...

-Dave

The Warp is stirring.... again!

2011-04-05T14:53:00.001-04:00

Wow! Has is really been almost 18 months since I last updated this blog? Is it really even fair to claim I updated it then? Only 2 posts, and both nearly void of content... it's kind of embarrassing, actually.

A lot has happened since I started this blog, and I never really got to the chance to get it off the ground like I wanted. But, I'm back at it, and I hope to get it started in earnest now.

My Space Wolves army has grown quite large, and I hope to share some pics this weekend.

Thanks for reading!

Space Hulk!

2009-12-22T15:54:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my hobby blog! I'll be mostly posting about Warhammer 40K, and my Space Wolves army here. However, I may occasionally talk about other hobbies, too.

We'll start things off with some pics of my Space Hulk army:

Some Space Marines, to start the show:

And a few Genestealers:

More to come! The Sons of Russ are incoming!!

-Dave

The Warp is rumbling...

2009-12-21T23:49:00.000-05:00

Something is stirring in the warp...