On the Workbench [July] - Horus Heresy Dark Angels

 

Hello and welcome back! Today I'm sharing some recent hobby builds..and other stuff. With the Saturnine box dropping soon, I decided it was time to build the remaining MkVI marines I had from the prior launch box. I had three MkVI infantry sprues (15 marines) remaining, so I built ten as a Seeker squad.  MkVI armor was known to have improved systems that could be exploited by forward deployed Seeker squads. The squad is mostly deployed with bolters to take advantage of the special ammunition provided to Seeker squads.  I added meltabombs and a couple magna-combi weapons with melta guns to give the squad punch against hard targets and a plasma gun for the Sergeant, because, Dark Angels.

The remaining five marines were issued autocannons because I love the dakka and still have weapoins left over from the earlier released boxes heavy weapons. I have a feeling this isn't an optimal weapon for the game, but at this point I have built missile launcher, lascannon, multi-melta, and Volkite culverin squads.  So I have a few options for heavy support - for a game I have only played maybe once or twice when the first edition rules were the only way to play.

I then decided to keep on building (I do *love* building marines) and pulled out a box of Legion Recon marines that I've been sitting on to go with the Legion Vigilator.  These models will give me a small Firewing contingent for the collection.

THEN, I picked up the plastic Sicaran as a Father's Day gift to myself. This was part of an expedition to a local GW store which I don't typically frequent. However, on this day I decided on a pilgrimage and wanted to pick up something interesting to support the store. 

The last model I had from the last HH box set was the Praetor with Power Ax.  He sports a MkVI helm which coincidentally goes well with the MkVI Command Squad box I also had laying about. I had planned to use the parts for scratch building, but decided to assemble a command squad for this Praetor instead. I can always mix the four non-banner bearing Chosen with the MkIII command squad if I want a larger command squad for a (mostly mythical) game. Regardless, and before the Saturnine box has even released, the mere hype of new rules and models has inspired me to build 26 marines and a tank.  And not to stop there, I also decided it was time to prime everything that I had sitting around in bare plastic.

This is only half of what I primed.  I forgot to take a picture of the first lot which also filled the nine "priming sticks" shown above. There are 96ish models in the this second lot, so assume about the same in the first.  That's a lot of priming.  Thankfully, I have an airbrush booth that vents outside so I can prime away during the hot humid summer months here with wild abandon. These are primarily Dark Angels models, but the keen eyed will spot a few Custodes models in there as well.

I burned through two rattle cans of Rust-oleum 2x Ultra Cover Flat Black primer, finishing off with a dreadnought I didn't photograph and this Sicaran Punisher I picked up off eBay some time ago. I didn't take a pic of the fully primed tank, but I took this one to remind me of the prior paint job. Many apologies to the previous owner.  

As I have been building models it became clear I was going to need more display case space. This led me in June to pick up a new IKEA Milsbo display case.

I added strips of self-adhesive LEDs to light it up and stuck my painted collection of House Taranis Knight suits in there to start.  I followed suggestions from Spikey Bits for the lighting. With a cross of lights at the top and strips down the front corners and door centers, the case illuminates models well.  Here's a close up of those knights.

Other than the reflections, the lights at the front are not visible, and so do not blind the viewer.  I'll be moving models into this case to make room for more Dark Angels in the other two Detolph cases I have been using, which are now squashed side-by-side at the other corner of my basement hobby space.

40K on the left, 30K on the right

So that's that. 26 models built, ~200 models primed and a new display case. No other painting, but still a lot of production and I still have a final set to prime which will add 30 or so more models I think. Oh, and that doesn't count a few tanks that need priming as well. Lots of future painting projects are waiting in the wings. I keep adding shelves to the Detolph cases, but I'm near the limit there.  Tall models like the Knights have moved to the new cabinet so I'll likely finish adding shelves to these cases for more infantry and vehicles that fit.

What's on your workbench??

Cheers and Happy Gaming! 

DKoK Heavy Weapons Squad (Stubbers) - To DONE!

 

Hello and welcome back!  My how time flies.  I managed to skip at least a week of posts somewhere in there, but it's not because I've been lax in the hobby.  I've been poking away at these guardsmen and a few other things I'll share in good time.  But today's post is about for the Krieg.

It amuses me that this updated plastic heavy weapons squad will be the first that I have completed for the collection. I have several of the Forge World teams on Secret Weapon Miniatures bases as shown above.  Only my custom rocket launcher squad has anything more than primer on it. And that's a shames since that weapons option has been long gone from the army in the rules. *pout*

I took my time with the details - not in the name of care, I mean I simply took my time. 😂 I added what I hope look like topo lines and points of interest to the map the spotter is referencing.  In the close up it's messy, but I think it came out well for the effect at arms length.

In hindsight, I realize the map is likely folded so I could have painted more map stuff on the other side.  Perhaps I'll go back in at some point and correct that.

This squad is assigned to the 262nd siege regiment. I didn't take good angles to show the insignia, but all troops bear the regimental numbers on the right shoulder, and the Astra Militarum badge on the other.

It's a shame they removed the loader from each weapons team.  Not only will it cost time for these gunners to swap out the dual clips, but you can imagine these being too heavy to maneuver through the mire of a battle field with only one soldier. I liked the Forge World take on that with their model line, even if I didn't prefer the running soldiers for my collection.

The scenic bases painted up well, and I like how the addition of the shell casings played out. I might have liked to add a few more casings to each base, but this is fun and flavorful. Hobby pack-rat for the win!

Oh, I did get a couple side shots that show the regimental numbers and Astra Militarum badge with more clarity along with a closer look at the model detail.  These were great fun to paint up.

So that's another project in the DONE box and another completed squad for the Death Korps of Krieg (FINALLY).

When I was playing more, the rules just didn't seem to favor the guard and as a result I gravitated more to painting Dark Angels and other projects.  However, I love the look and challenge of painting up DKoK models.  I'll look to include a squad or two here and there as I continue with tiny dudes, super soldiers and other projects. Just so much fun stuff to get paint on!

I hope something here has inspired you with your own projects.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

DKoK Heavy Weapons Squad (Stubbers) WIP - Part 2

 

Time to share some progress on the Death Korps of Krieg heavy weapons squad.  With the weapons mostly done, I turned to the crew.  Following the recipe from the tab on this site, I started making progress...

Here is progress on the spotter.  No highlights yet, and maybe 70% base coated?  I need to do webbing, backpacks respirators and other gear.

And the first gunner. I've been batch painting, so everyone is basically at the same point, progress-wise.

And here's the second gunner.

And finally the third gunner. Since I'm batch painting, I folded in the artillery crew as well.

Here is the trooper bring tools to the big gun.

Next the spotter/range-finder.

And the third crew member, standing over-watch. With the crew standing, it's easier to see some of the progress on the boots and pants that is mostly hidden in the pics of the heavy weapon gunners.

I also found these metal sprues of large caliber weapon shells from the Secret Weapon Miniatures that was. They should go well with the heavy stubbers.  I plan to scatter them about the bases to make it clear the heavy guns have been put to good use fending off the enemies of the Imperium.

Maybe a TO DONE pic next...or soonish?  These fellas are coming along well enough.  I'm balking at the details, but I'll set to them soon and bring the project home.  Then I will complete the big gun to put paid to these new DKoK models.  It has been very fun working on the new plastics over the brittle resin of old.

So until next time...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

DKoK Heavy Weapons Squad (Stubbers) WIP - Part 1

 

Greetings and welcome back.

As promised, it's time to paint some Krieg on 262Krieg!  I decided to start with the heavy weapons squad, which as you can see above is coming along famously. But it all started with a mass priming session...

 I love using double-sided scotch tape and a piece of stiff cardboard, or a paint stirring stick for getting lots of things primed quickly now.  I used to hand hold everything with gloves but it takes MUCH longer than this. I save pieces of good cardboard and other materials from the various packaging that moves through the house from time to time. Of course, it helps that I have a dry(ish) basement and a spray booth that vents outside

Bulk priming like this helps keep me moving.  It always seems harder to get a project going if the pieces aren't even primed. But this article is about heaving weapons, and you can see some resin bases above for my gun pits.  These are originally from the Secret Weapons Miniatures trench work line, when they were operating.  I definitely miss their bases...

Next up everything was sprayed with a rattle can using Army Painter Uniform Grey.  Thank goodness I had a couple cans left from the early days to match my paint recipe.  No idea if this is still around, or if it still matches.  I have a dropper bottle or two for these new plastics that will hopefully cover enough to get the project finished.  Using a spray on base coat makes these fellas so much easier to paint in bulk. I'm also spoiling my next project here.

I set to work on the heavy stubbers first. Nothing fancy at this point. Weathering and highlights will come last after final assembly. The guns and gunners are not yet attach to make painting easier. The guns have a black wash and transfers applied.

Next I started on the bases.  These need to be almost complete before the guns and gunners are glued down into their final positions. I intend to tie everything together in the end with some weathering powders and what not.

I'm pretty happy with the results so far.  Dirty Down rust was applied to the metals backing up the sandbags. That may be visible if you click through to the larger images. The upright wooden posts are painted in a different, darker wood color to pick them out as a different material than the duck boards.

 And there we have the progress so far. I paused to build an additional five Deathriders to fill out a full squad of ten. But now I'm back on painting full time and should be starting the gunners very soon, once I'm satisfied with the bases. I'm very happy to have found these resin bases for this squad lying about. I'm quite guilty of "over-collecting" to the point of hoarding, some might say.  But it's at times like this that it pays dividends.

I hope you've found something here to inspire your own projects.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

On the Workbench [February] - Death Korps of Krieg!

 

Greetings and welcome back.  So I said to myself when the DKoK box released that I have all the resin Krieg I need and even some plastic thanks to Kill Team.  But then there was a little crack in my armor, in the form of one teensy squad of five engineers and their updated "cyclops" mobile demolition platform. Well the set only lets you build one of two options for every model (except the "cyclops") and a full squad can be ten soldiers, so yeah, a second batch of 5 were required. OK, I'm good.  It's just 12 more models.

They look real slick! I then realized I'd need the new rules and heck, this fella on eBay is offering the paper material from the box AND Lord Marshall Dreir in the bargain for a reasonable price - and of course I want the luachbox DKooK art on my codex! So yep, picked that up.

But this is the famed Death Korps of Krieg, right?  So the big guns really never do tire...so toss in an artillery piece - I mean what's the point of the rest without THAT? Yeah, you can see where this is going...

At this point you sorta HAVE to have the Death Riders too (and why didn't I just buy the damn launch box in the first place...I'm saving nothing by picking this stuff up piece meal on eBay...).  The models are pretty fantastic in plastic; never mind that I already have 9 or 10 in resin...nope, gotta have 'em. I couldn't sleep at night if I didn't pick them up.

What, only five?  Cheapskate...

Oh, and then what's that? A new DKoK themed command squad?  Seriously?! Well Lord Marshal Dreir isn't going to push this lot about by himself, now is he?! SO, yeah, put that in the cart...

OK, we're good. It's a lot, but it's Krieg and that's good stuff. Wait, no, no we're not good.  There's the new heavy weapons set and at this point we can't have all of this and leave just that one box on the shelf.  I mean I have 13 or 14 DKoK heavy weapon teams in resin, so I don't NEED three more (and a dude...?).  But at this point we all know this hobby isn't really about needs...

Wait...where's the spotter dude?

And that's how I ended up with 29ish new DKoK models in plastic, all assembled this month. I have no regrets; they really are well designed and great fun to stare at.  They might even be good in a game. But whether they are or not, this blog was inspired by the DKoK and I figured it's about time some more Krieg got painted.

The keen eyed veteran may recognize all the resin bases from the Secret Weapon Miniatures that was. I have a silly large collection of resin Krieg, and I bought many trench work bases early on to be sure I could mount the whole collection on them. So I dug out what was left to use while building these new models.  The heavy weapon bases are larger than the new bases, but the rule of cool, right? Besides, all the other teams are mounted on these bases and these new models fit like they were made for them.

As for the rest, there's a lot of scenic bits on the new models, so I'm leaving those on the plastic bases. I can add gravel and what have you to blend the plastic in to fit the rest of the look here.  And while I'm on that subject, I thought I'd share my process for building out the artillery gun base... 

I went ahead and glued down the plastic base components that came with the kit in a fairly obvious but pleasing configuration. Then I figured I'd vary the ground cover a bit.  Where the troopers stand and move about, the ground should get a bit trampled and packed down. Probably water collects there too when it rains. So I decided to use poster tac to mask off those areas when I applied my typical mix of basing gravel.

 

Then I pulled up the poster tac after the glue had dried.  Some of the putty is stuck in the glue around the edges, but this is taken care of during later stages. I chose GW Agrellan Earth texture paint to be my packed down, and now parched earth. But first, I needed some gloss coat to insure the Agrellan Earth cracked well.

 

Once that dried I went over all those areas with the Agrellan Earth. You lay this stuff on good and thick to get a good result.

 

Then I headed off to bed, so the magic could happen.  Watched earth never cracks, so they say...

And voila'! Some parched earth. I guess it's not as trampled looking as I might have liked...and I'm killing myself inside for not thinking to use a trooper boot to stamp a ton of foot prints into the earth prior to the crackling...but it's not bad at all for a homemade scenic base.  Should fit in with the resin stuff just fine once painted. You can see the fully assembled model in the title pic above.

With that, February draws to a close. I'll prime this batch and then see what I get paint on next.  With MonsterMarch looming large, I might have to go back to The Lion (cheating?  he is a beast...in combat...). Or perhaps tackle my first Tyranid since 3rd edition. I did promise a new faction before becoming obsessed with tiny troops and tanks. I dunno...but I think the Krieg probably wait for April.

Check back next week to see where the Changer of Ways points my brush. Until then...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!