Numbing of the Mind

After a day off from my IG painting project I decided to start the phase of the project I was looking forward to the least.  The Infantry.

I really can't complain, in an IG list I've only got about 50 infantry and a squad of psykers.   If I had an infantry blob list I would most likely have sprayed them all brown and called it a day.  I always have trouble painting horde armies, the shear number of models to paint can be overwhelming.

I based and primed up the models last weekend so it was just a matter of diving in.  The Cadians are pretty simple to paint, they have some cloth on their torso's(which I finished half of last night) that need a good wash, some green on their armor pieces and lasguns and some black boots, and they are pretty much done.

Picture Time

I made some major progress on my tanks.  Other then needing to finish the manticores missles and some matte spray they are pretty much done. 

Back in the Saddle

I've been trying to resist many of my latest collecting urges this last few weeks.  I had a brief flirtation with collecting some Tau and decided once again I should wait until they get a new codex.  I figure it will be tough to put that much effort (and resources) into an army that is for the most part going to be in an uphill battle to be competitive.  While being competitive is not my primary motivator, it is tough to put that much time into something only to get your teeth kicked in.

I also had a brief idea to turn some Space Wolves I've got (they are actually my ten year old's, but he doesn't really use them)into a somewhat viable force. After a while of mulling over some options I decided what I really needed to do was kick myself in the butt and actually paint my guard army. 

So that's what I started this week.  I had left my guard in December as a fully assembled but only 30% painted army.  I finished the base coats on the vehicles and that's about it. I finished the wash job on the 2nd Valkyrie(doing the 1st one was the last thing I completed before I shelved the army) and last night I worked on getting the metal bits on the vehicles (10 chimera and chimera chassis vehicles) painted up. Next up, washing the metal bits and detail the tanks (mostly doing the optics).

The real project is going to start when I have to do the infantry....

Capital Gains

I haven't made much hobby progress this week as I've been busy with work and I've been mulling over where to focus my hobby efforts next.   My recent rekindling of my desire to play Orks is one possible avenue to pursue as well as I'd like to get a nice set of terrain for my table done.  I think I'll finish the Valkyrie terrain piece as dessert terrain and I think it would pretty easy (with the wire cutter) to make some dessert rocks, throw down a dessert mat and I'll have a decent set of dessert terrain.

The one semi-hobby related activity I've made progress in is some bartertown activity.  I picked up a damaged land raider for $20 to use as a terrain piece.  I could use it as a CSM piece that is possessed but I think another wrecked vehicle would be much cooler (and I would get a lot more use out of it). 

I also picked up a bike army on bartertown cheap.  I didn't buy it with any intention of using it, but the price was right in that I should be able to flip it on ebay and make some bucks off of it. I'll do even better if I break it up but I'm not sure that's worth the effort.  I occasionally do this kind of thing, usually I do better with these kinds of deals on craigslist/local store markets when I can pick up models at a deep discount.  It's a fantastic feeling when you can fund your hobby from within.   Anyone that knows me has heard me ramble on about how fantastic it can be to sell on eBay, rantings aside from the nutty fees, it is the best way to get afair price for your stuff. Maybe I'll write up a blog list about the method to my madness soon, but I'm not sure that's worth the effort as I do often break even or lose a couple of bucks and I really don't need to get flamed.

Distractions

 

I haven't done a lot on the gaming front, I spent most of the week busy with work and what little free time I had was taken up with posting (and shipping) 100+ RPG sourcebooks.  I decided a few weeks ago to sell off the majority of my RP books, most were just collecting dust.  I had worked in a few game stores in my twenties and RP book collecting became something of a disturbing habit.  I kept a few gems and some modern books but I decided the rest could get sacrificed to the eBay.

I did play in a FLGS' 1850 over the weekend, bringing my Orks.  I knew my Ork list was terrible, but didn't realize how terrible until I got my teeth kicked in by a 'nid list and a Blood Angel player.  I did fair well against an IG list, but it was because I got first turn, survived a bunch of KFF cover saves on my nob unit and got some power claws into base to base with his russ squadron.  

Sideproject - Valkyrie Down (update)

I added some more damage and painted up the crashed Valkyrie's exterior today.  I took the lazy route and used spray paint for the black undercoat as well as the green base coat.  I did end up using a brush to apply some boltgun metal to the inside of the model as well as the heavy bolter.

I started the base of the terrain piece by carving up some foam rocks, putting them on a piece of wood and adding sand.  I gave it a liberal coat of glue/water mix so I could spray it and 8 hours later (took forever to dry) sprayed it black.  It's a bit hard to tell from the photo, but its about 12 inches by 12 inches.

 

Popping my Cherry

Most people who have played 40k as long as I have (more then 5 years on and off) know and understand how important it is to pin their models.   Some models are just so heavy, it is the only way to get them to go together and stay together.  My dirty gaming secret is that I never learned, thinking it was kind of a hassle and just suffered through broken limbs and holding models for an eternity in strange positions while glue dried.

I had planned on continuning the Valkyrie project but the hobby shop didn't have the foam cutter I needed, so I sat down and thought about what I wanted to work on.  I have a decent amount of stuff to paint but I really wanted to model.  I enjoy the modeling part a lot more then the painting of this hobby.   I've been secretly holding a candle for the Tau for a long time, and while I've been resisiting the urge to pick them up until a new codex drops I've been thinking of collecting a few to sate my wandering collecting urges. 

I'd converted a Broadside a while ago and it was the only Tau model I had kept when I had sold off the last army I collected.   He had broken in many pieces so I decided tonight was the night I would put him together.  While starting I decided to give pinning a shot.  I have the tools/pins and just hadn't ever had the urge to try.

Below is the model in pieces.  I put the suit back on the legs, but decided to pin the arms, as they were so heavy. 

 I drilled out the arms as well.

Then I put the pins in and started to assemble the arms.

 

I decided to pin the feet as well.  I broke them off, and put pins in the legs.  It was a bit tricky, as they were at funky angles.  Some of the pin is showing, but I think it will be okay.

All done. It was much easier then I thought it would be, and I'm sure this model will be able to stand up to the rigors of the modern battlefield much better then unpinned.