On the Painting Table

Getting back into the blog thing. Finally. Thanks all for you patience, it may or may not be rewarded! (Probably not).

As of writing, I have photo posts scheduled through MAY, and planning on many more once I get my Bloodbound and Ghar photos sorted out.

So, while I am trying to catch up again, I figured Id share some models that HAVEN'T been seen here before.... An Age of Sigmar Lord of Plagues I painted up a little while back. Haven't fully committed to a Rotbringers force... yet. ;)



What I have committed to, though, is a new Thousand Sons army. More about that commitment later... But for now, I assembled a unit of Rubricae this week...

I decided to base them with the AoS Shattered Dominion bases, figured that was good for the Planet of the Sorcerers. Plan was to paint them without bolters in the way... well, plans change... They are currently primed, and expecting to get the first layer of paint not too long after I get off work.

Yeah, yeah, I go and wander off a bit, next thing I know its APRIL and I still havnt blogged!

Ok, quick update tonight, since Im planning on starting something new next week. Or the week after.

Soon.

30k
Death Guard are currently all painted, aside from the design on my Herald's banner. Still have 10 MKIII models to decide on, and where my BaC box is going. Either here or...  Still stuck on the internal debate whether to stick with MKIII for troops, or expand to other marks. Plenty of pros and cons for both sides.

Played a big game with them last month, against 40k Minotaurs and Astral Claws (dont ask). Did fairly well for myself, given that I was a bit concerned about having very little that could deal with Land Raiders. Turns out Id forgotten about power fists...

40k
Other option for those BaC models, adding them to my Storm Fists. Id kinda fell out of love with 40k for a while, but the bug has bitten again recently. They havnt gotten any paint lately, but hoping to fix that very soon...

AoS
Having so much fun with AoS. Doing a big Chaotic mess, with Beasts, Daemons, Bloodbound, Slaves to Darkness, and Nurgle guys, plus Skaven. Also working on a smaller Order alliance, currently just Stormcasts and Free Peoples so far, but tempted to expand.

Had a small game with an old friend on Friday night, a easy learner game to ease him into it. He LOVED it. Might actually get him to play more than once every few years now!

Beyond the Gates of Antares
Between Rob picking this up, and us interviewing Rick Priestly on Fn'A it was pretty much a given that Id be starting Antares. Still only had a single demo game, but Ive gotten about 1500pts of Ghar so far.

Warma/Hordes
Yeah, this has been half dead for me lately. Last game I played was some time last year. Dusted off my Cygnar last week, hopefully getting back into building them for MK3.

Deadzone
Played a few beta games, pretty amusing. Not entirely enough to forgive their use of restic, but still a good time.

Been a while, huh? Cant say I forgot or anything. I just didnt feel like posting. Maybe Ill pick it back up. Or maybe not.

So, post I feel like writing? Not what you are probably thinking. While rules are involved, I am more focusing on my rules for collecting models in a particular system. I figured a while back that the easiest way to contain my "Hobby ADD" was to let it run wild. Yes, this will make sense.

I came up with a few rules, meant to keep me on track, and keep me from blowing money all over on models Id only half paint before getting distracted and moving on. Well, Im still doing that, but at least they are all reasonably themed, so I can use them together.

Easiest example is what I decided on for 40k. I play the Imperium. The way army selection works now, this is a great way to keep a varied force for painting, and for gaming. Ive got Knights. Ive got Mechanicus. Ive got Space Marines. Ive... started working on Imperial Guard. Heh. Sadly, Ive been in a bit of a 40k rut for a while. Simply lost interest in favor of 30k...

Second example would be 30k. Close but not quite what we get for 40k, with army selection being tied to previous editions of 40k. Still, I play the Death Guard Legion, and am allowed to make with allies as I like. So, a Knight, and trying to work in Mechanicum. Night Lords were there first, but count as allies now. I can also add other Legions if/when I feel like it. The reason I was a lot tighter for this system was cost. Ordering from Forge World gets spendy quick. So, I added the caveat of "if they go plastic, reconsider". Well....

The other big set I had specific rules on was Warmachine/Hordes. Tried to keep it all in faction, decided to open it up a bit. Playing Cygnar, Circle, and Farrow, but building 35pt theme forces for which ever caster/warlock I go with. Between the variety of themes available, Ill eventually get a bit of everything, and can "borrow" to go higher if needed.

Now, what about Warhammer Fantasy/Age of Sigmar? Yeah... For the past few editions allies were not really a thing, not in any significant manner. Then End Times hit, and suddenly you could build something new and exciting. Then they tore that up and said "play what you like". Gotta say, between that and round bases, Ive got a supercharged interest in the Fantasy side again. My rules for WHFB were "Add to your armies. Maybe something new if you really like it?" Last army I did was my Undead Legion. Before that, starter Skaven force. So, now Ive got Goretide in the works. Im painting Hallowed Knights. Ive got an old Ogre army, and a large chunk of Undead. Ive even picked up a decently sized Skaven force. And Ive got ideas. So many ideas. Im going to really need to lay down a new rule here, before I go a little too crazy.

Knee jerk idea for restriction is one Grand Alliance, but that doesnt really work, as I have armies from all the Grand Alliances. Well, Ogres are kinda dead in the water, and have been for a while. That clears Destruction. Undeath? Well, I might just push them off on my brother, so he can play with something of his own. Leaves Order and Chaos. On the Order side, I have Stormcast Eternals, and no interest in any of the other forces (until they redesign them, perhaps?). Chaos, oh Chaos. Love the Goretide. Very interested in doing something fun for Nurgle. Skaven can go anywhere, working for anyone. Ive got Plague Monks. Ive got Stormvermin. Clanrats all over the place. Beastmen fall in the same boat, adding variety (and cheaper bodies!) to the more influential forces.

So, I know where my loyalties appear to lay. What am I to do? Well, think Ill say my WH/AoS hobby rule is now Chaos Grand Alliance, with special exception for the Stormcast Eternals available to the Hallowed Knights. Why the Hallowed Knights caveat? I fully expect them to get special characters, and perhaps some unique units eventually. This way, I wont be trying to paint a dozen different Stormhosts. And dont think I didnt already consider that! ;)

Like many wargamers, I raced to my local shop on Saturday morning to get my copy of the new White Dwarf, and its free Stormcast Eternal Liberator. Surprisingly, I managed to paint it all over the weekend.






I tried for a more blue-steel look, kinda like the Grey Knights. Shows up better under the flash...


Before we get all crazy, Im not (currently) planning on starting a Stormcast Eternal army, but I actually do like Age of Sigmar. Waiting to see what else comes along before I decide whether to continue with what I have, or start a new army.