20 Questions Answered. Sort of.

Well, it was inevitable that my immune system would eventually relent and I would catch the latest viral sensation going around the blogosphere, courtesy of Fran and Ray. (Sorry, it's not a virus).

And of course, please visit Scipio's blog where I caught the sniffles... 

Favourite Wargaming Period, and Why?
Very difficult, despite temptations of the Russo-Japanese War, the Mexican Revolution and the Mexican American War amongst others, it probably would have to be the “Arthurian” era, the post-Roman era is just hugely interesting. I also have a very soft spot for the Interwar period, cramming in as it does the Russian Civil War, Spanish Civil War, the Chinese Warlord Era and Civil War - a great period for the clash of ideologies before they almost became parodies of themselves in WW2 (not in the humorous sense, but in that they had become entrenched and stagnant).

Sculpted 40k Draco Banner Painted

Update: Here is a slightly better picture after I added the layer of Skull White and another coat of Blood Red. Also oxidised the banner head a little more. Look out for Banner Mk2 with a little more detailing....

 Last night I was sat trying to do some Proper Work. Honest. However, I kept catching the Draco banner that I'd crafted the other day out of the corner of my eye - perched as it was on the corner of my desk.. I though the putty looked a bit heavy. Why not have a 5 minute break and quickly whittle it down to something a bit more realistic, I thought to myself. That turned out okay, in fact some of the edges and flat surfaces created by carving away dried modelling putty wood add to the fabric effect. I filed the Milliput wind-sock down a little and that would the night's work done.

Painting Doubts? Give it a go!

Obligatory Stock Photo

I never liked painting. Actually that's not true. I never used to like the idea painting. It really has nothing to do with act of painting itself, but something else completely. I'm sure many people have that Friend. That Regular-Opponent-That-Paints-Too-Bloody-Well. Someone who's army and miniatures you look at and think “I could never do that.” When I first started as a wee young whipper snapper in the decade before last, that friend was our Eldar player. He was our group of friends' Resident Artist. At the time I thought “I could never do that” and it has long been this train of thought that has made me wary of picking up a paintbrush. I'm looking at their superb army across the table and I know they're looking across at mine, which in my mind is nowhere near as good.

Painted Spears of Mawdryn Space Marine Scouts! (WIP)

Finally, after some time, I have the first painted Mawdryn miniatures to share with you all. They are still work in progress, but by the time you read this blog post, most of the work should have been finished....

Setting the Scene

These are the converted Scouts of my custom Space Marine Chapter, the Spears of Mawdryn. Just as a recap, and for the uninitiated, they have nothing to do with Peter Davison or Doctor Who, but the name is a not-so-subtle homage. The Chapter is based on Arthurian/Romano-British and Celtic historical elements, with a few nods to Arthurian myth and legend thrown in the pot too. They're not glorious heroes, nor are they particularly renowned throughout the Imperium; they're pretty scruffy underdogs that perhaps certain Chapters might look down their noses at.

Hobby Update: Space Marine Chariot, Draco Banner and converted Scouts

The old Chariot with rider blu-tacked

Fanfare please... So, after moving house recently (technically twice), having to take on more hours and work and other general business – plus a good helping of procrastination on my part, work has been resumed on the Spears of Mawdryn miniatures! 

Space Marine Chariot Revisited

A few months ago, I hastily constructed a Space Marine Chariot Attack Bike (prophetically preceding the 6^th edition chariot rules... and what's this medical stuff they have in there now...)   In the post in which I covered the conversion of the model, I also mentioned an idea I had to make sure no model was wasted. As the chariot body itself is too small to hold a round base, I had the idea of placing pins in the feet of the “chariot rider” and drilling corresponding holes into the floor of the chariot. This enables the miniature to be securely placed in the vehicle but also makes him relatively easy to remove. Once removed I can then put in a chap armed with a melta or heavy bolter (and with similarly pinned feet) to transform the chariot into your standard issue, vanilla Space Marine Attack Bike.

Along with drilling holes into the chariot floor, I also intended to drill the same holes into round bases. This meant that when the axe-wielding chariot rider, or the melta and heavy bolter armed marines were not getting a lift onto the field by chariot, they could still be used elsewhere on the table in another squad.

Armed with a new pin vice and drill bits from HobbyCraft, kindly bought for me by my fiancée, I set to work putting the plan into action.

Everything's gone green...

Creating Fluff: Space Marine Hierarchy Chart

Its that time again. In a recent post, I wrote about creating fluff and matching the right type of fluff with the right army (or character or whatever). At least I think I did, I'm not sure what actually made it to the page through the haze of insomnia.To perhaps illustrate what I was trying to cover, I thought I'd use this recent piece of fluff documentation (I create plenty of it so hopefully no one realises I'm behind on my painting schedule, and by doing so end up further behind... the irony).