Layer up! Suneokun's budget approach to big foam boxes...

A Really Useful Box ... does exactly what it says on the tin.

It's a running joke at the club that Suneokun's approach to miniature transport is about varnish more than carry cases. I don't believe in forking out £100's for what effectively is a foam box. They're not efficient for home storage, it takes a hour to extract all your mini's. However, with one eye on the tournament in June "BLOGWARS" ... I'm thinking of upgrading from my current budget storage method - a posh paper bag.

So here's Suneokun's outline on house to transport mini's on a budget.

STEP ONE: Purchase Plasti-kote Clear enamel spray paint

Unlike gloss varnishes, this spray goes on thick and fast ... it's never distorted on me and it's both utterley shiny AND utterley indestructable. The enamel sets hard like a clear bullet proof jacket and has never ever scratched on me. To do a quick 'bullshit' test, I pulled a guardsman and took my nail and firmly scratched the surface. I got below the paint after the 7-8 scratch ... on plastic - that's pretty good.

STEP TWO: Purchase Army Painter Dullcote

Now you can choose to leave your little men shiny - it looks great on Nids, Tau, Marines and others. It really pops. However if you prefer 'true-colour' (and it sucks for photos) get some 'Armypainter matt varnish' or "Dullcote'. Now this is a spray to spray carefully ... don't stick it to them like the Plasti-cote or you might get misting and other nasty effects (note the advantage of the plasti-cote!) Now you've got double layered toughened glass mother-humping miniatures.

STEP THREE: Purchase a Really Useful Box
Rymans have released a fantastic range of 'really useful boxes' and they well are. I was like a kid in a candy store trying to think through my useful box and what would fit in it. My BLOGWARS list (1750pts) fits neatly inside a 9L (Blue - classy!) box with a in built pencil tray (that holds all my dudes) for £8.49. It's awesome.

It's a bit pedantic, but the pencil tray has also allowed me to split my squads into the different trays ... allowing for easy extraction ... that reminds me - I must number the trays (only kidding - but not!)

They are also available at Argos and elsewhere.

Conclusion

So that's it ... nothing fancy. But I just spent £20.09 and my case is smaller and more convenient than yours, plus my models can fall off buildings (and even tables) and I don't cry... it's the way forward. Additionally, I don't need a 'display table' on top of my carry box, as this simple solution does both - and I can quickly decant the dead back into their units.

Painting Showcase: Haqqislam so far

This is more of a work in process than anything else. After photographing all the models, I've spotted so many 'adjustments' that need to be done that it really means I'm back to the drawing board with this lot. That said, the models are amazing and fully worth a drool over ... even if my painting could be improved and my basing attempted!

A SHORT NOTE ON SHOOTING PEOPLE

In Infinity (unlike 40k) there are no definite range problems. Most weapons can fire 24-36", but don't expect to hit anything at that range. This is because between the -6 for range and the -3 for cover (which is like GOD in infinity), your 11+ BS just dropped to 2 ... giving you a 1/10 chance of hitting.

Once you've hit, then life is good, a rifle is a solid weapon and has a good likelihood of dropping Light or Medium infantry ... but hitting?

What needs to be remembered is that unlike 40k, the fella or lass being shot at can react! This means that if you are shooting your 3 shots at 1 or 2 out of a D20 to hit, he has to roll less than his physical (12) but more than you. Giving him a 50% chance of avoiding your hits altogether.

So this is why the range on Sniper Rifles, HMG (Heavy MachineGuns) and Autocannons are cool. The ability to get a +3 bonus on the to hit at 32-36" means than you're rolling a 12 to hit rather than a 2 or a D20 (and you get 4 shots with the HMG).

LIGHT INFANTRY - GHULAMS (Maximum limitless)

Ghulams can come with HMG, Panzerfaust and be a hacker, doctor or lieutant ... they die very quickly too.

Playing Infinity is totally unlike 40k. You run a small group of crack (or cheap) commandos and your job it to either achieve a nebulous objective or to wipe out the enemy. As such, the troop types are divided along generalist lines ... you can have medium infantry, heavy infantry, Specialists and Light Infantry (plus Remote robots and dreadnoughts - but that's by the by)...

Ghulam are the bread and butter of the Haqqislam army. They may not be able to shoot for toffee, but they are steady troops that have some serious upgrade options like Missile Launchers, Panzerfaust and Heavy Machine Guns.

The advantage is that Ghulams are limitless ... meaning that 12 Sniper Rifles can be a reality at 300pts and still leaves lots of toys.

LIGHT INFANTRY - MUYIB (maximum 2)

Muyibs are great fun to field and have lots of tricks to keep enemies occupied

A fellow player expressed serious 'manlove' for the Muyib (this IS NOT becoming a theme of this blog people!) It's a cool and highly versatile set of models that are sappers and anti-tank theme'd. They get mines (cool), including viral mines (double cool) and also get panzerfausts and other ridiculous weaponry.

SPECIALIST - TUAREG (maximum 2)

Tuareg Sniper Lady... complete with chocolate icecream face?!?

Tuareg's are middling shots and come with ho-hum weaponry. They do however have a huge advantage, they get Thermo-optic camoflague. This means they can be 'infiltrated' anywhere on the board and get the drop on people. When attacking, only a few hardcore opponents can actually 'react' to a Tuareg's attack. She also has mines. She also appears to have been eating chocolate icecream like my son!

SPECIALIST - FIDAY (maximum 1)

Fiday makes opponents cry ... he just doesn't play by their rules.

Most valuable player. Think Jon Grammaticus in the Dan Abnett book 'Legion'. This guy can impersonate the enemy, cannot be fired on and has a good shotgun and an awesome explosive close combat weapon. He's nasty.

MEDIUM INFANTRY - DJANBAZAN (maximum 2)

Arguably my favourite model and the first port of call in most lists...

These guys are the must have of the Haqqislam list. Awesome models are complimented by killer stats. They are middling tough ... but have one huge advantage. They have multispectral visors (level 2, to be precise) ... think Sam in SplinterCell. They spend most games playing 'spot the twat' with all the enemy in camoflague... and then shooting them in the head.

In a game where cover is god, and people have camoflague left right and centre, this is very veyr disruptive. To add insult to injury, they also have regenerate - so unless you shoot them with something pretty tasty - they can resurrect.

MEDIUM INFANTRY - LASIQ (maximum 2)

Lasiq, the viral Sniper rifle, combined with her camoflague and climbing abilities make LAsiq truely handy.

The Djanbazan is the ultimate anti Camo man, the Lasiq is a MI with attitude. Reasonable stats combined with Viral weaponry and camoflague make this lady a nasty piece of work. Not as 'instant love' as the Djan's, but VERY cool.

HEAVY INFANTRY - JANNISSARY GUARD (maximum 2)In my mind's eye ... this is what a Space Marine SHOULD look like!

Awesome armour, two wounds ... these guys should be considered the space marines in this list. The HMG and a close in attack make this fella doubly nasty. Even the basic weaponry of a Jannissary is a AP rifle (which halves the enemies armour), but this fellas real trick is all about the HMG! That said he does cost 2 support weapon cost to a Ghulams 1 when fielding an HMG.

HEAVY INFANTRY - AL FASSED (maximum 1)

The Al Fassed (right) is as tough as the Jannissary (left), while the Asawira in the middle tops the pair.

This ladies a bit of a shock, for although the model is half the size of a Jannissary - she's got almost identical stats and for 10 less points. This one comes with a boarding shotgun, which is a close range armour piercing death merchant.

HEAVY INFANTRY - Asawira (maximum 1)

Sounds more Far East than Middle East, but the Asawira is the toughest of the lot. Armed with a AP rifle and Explosive Close Combat Weapon, the Asawira has a combination of Martial Arts and Regeneration on a highly armoured and highly lethal build. The real strength is that an Asawira can be a doctor or a lieutenant... a regenerating version of either can make or break a game.

But pricey at 60+ odd points... (that's two heavily armed Djanbazans...)

CONCLUSION

The army so far has been an interesting treat. Remember that you are often only fielding 10 of these models, this leads to multiple combinations and abilities. Coming up I have motorbike troops, deep strikers, suicide attackers, forward observers, Death Robots and even a TAG (or Dreadnought to us 40kers). This is great.

On the painting side, does anyone have any suggestions on the scheme, highlighting the detail and getting more impact ... beyond "go back and do it again!"

Army Showcase: Tyranid Splinter Orobus

Background

Hive Splinter Orobus first entered the Kochi sector 83 years before, while tendrils were repulsed, a select number of Ore refinery asteroids were decimated during this preliminary stage. While the quashing of this infestation was a priority, it was nearly an impossible task. The splinter is believed to have launched multiple spore clusters, nestled within asteroid and hulks throughout the intercine warzone.

As has previously been noted, the machinations of a subset of the Alpha Legion, believed to be the Swords of Alpharius, have only recently been discovered. Their nestine actions may explain the fighting on all sides, from Tau Cadre J'Etsu and rumours of an Ork Hulk entering the region ... nothing bodes well. Now the Swords of Alpharius have converted Kochi Vrai to their cause... and the corruption sets in. Beset between the Tau and the traitors is a hard place.

Even with the might of the Kochi VIII at his command, overall commander Munk struggled to bring his forces to bear and large number of genestealers and other bioforms nested throughout Kochi and the surrounding sectors. With a warzone to move within and such disruption to exploit, refugees pour from sector to sector and stealer cults thrive.

Such is the aspect of Splinter Orobus. The worm of the underworld.

Troops


Termagaunts are plentiful (30) in hive fleet Orobus ... I've always preferred the vanilla kind as the Fleshborer (although nerfed under the new rules) has a particularly nasty bite.



24 Hormagaunts bring me cheap and fast close combat options. Against marines, those attacks can really mount up ... I've seen 12 Hormagaunts slaughter 5 terminators. With the upgrades, they become seriously tasty.


I love stealers. The GW model, complete with fluff, is just so much more nefarious than their inspiration - Ridley Scotts Alien. The Broodlord rarely gets to come as he's more baggage than benefit - and I miss his inhuman strength.


The Tyranid Warriors ... 4 with Deathspitters and rending, and 5 with Devourers, lash whips and boneswords. Three cheers for the turkey heads...


The Rippers... and spore mines? I've produced 15 ripper bases purely for the pleasure of growing my own army ... go parasite!

Elites


OOP, but close to our hearts - its a Zoat! I generally play him as a proxied HiveGuard in friendlies. The Hiveguards a lovely model - but bloody heavy! The Zoanthropes are far too top heavy and the lictor?? Generally stays at home, unless I feel like proxying the Deathleaper.

Fast Attack


I love Gargoyles. Tactically and strategically they are great value ... but they are a pain to cart about and constantly breaking! Between the Gargoyles and the Hormagaunts I'm fully stocked for 'pointyness' and am NOT interested in Dark Eldar!

HQ


The two conversions above are for the Prime and the Parasite. The Parasite is too much fun (especially against Eldar, Tau and Guard) where spawning Rippers is the goal. The Prime's lost a lot of his lustre since the FAQ banned him from a warrior spore. He could roll with the Hiveguard but it seems a little pointless.


This magnetised Carnifex has been playing Tervigon so long I've slotted him into the HQ section. Who wouldn't want a T6 6W troop choice?

Heavy Support


A Trygon and a Trygon Prime. I'm not a fan of the Mawloc - great model, but the lack of attacks and rerolls make him a bit hit and miss. I'd rather be, well, eating stuff!


And finally the Mycetic Spores. I have a leftover (homeless) Tyranid Warrior, who is going to be subsumed into another Spore. I prefer the larger bases as I think this looks the best.

Conclusion

Challenge Suneokun is completed ... with over 2500pts of Tyranids based, painted and built in one month. The defiler is standing by ... and my thoughts on that to follow!

Challenge Suneokun Update #3 - Gargling

Despite a night of ironing, and multiple nights of replastered, re-coved and repainted dining room painting I am currently ahead of schedule. The blog is keeping me focussed, combined with the sneaking suspicion that while I may have vastly overestimated the amount of time required to base 100 mini's (it's a couple of hours, not 5 evenings) I'm concerned that my planned layout for weeks 3 and 4 are ridiculously light.

• Week 1 objective (last week): base 100 mini's. DONE!
• Week 2 objective (this week): paint and base 21 Gargoyles and 15 Ripper Swarms. GARGOYLES ARE 80% THERE WITH ONLY INKING, BASING AND HIGHLIGHTS REQUIRED. RIPPERS TO GO.
• Week 3 objective (next week): paint and base Trygon, 2 Hiveguard and a Zoanthrope.
• Week 4 objective (week before Christmas): convert, paint and base 5 Tyranid Warriors and a Mycetic Spore.

So... I should get the Gargles finished tonight. 5/15 Ripper Swarms (now there's a survey worth reading!) are complete, requiring only basing, which leaves me 10 swarms left... infinitely doable. So do I try to add in the Spore conversion this week, or break in the Trygon?

It's certainly an interesting psychological aspect to this. I've never 'scheduled' my painting before. It's always been at my 'regular' whim or because I have a game coming up. Simply writing down an expectation online seems to have galvanised something in me, and I'm finding myself flying through 20 models at twice the speed I would normally.

The added incentive is that I'm also riven with guilt that these models have been languishing in the 'almost complete' pile for too long. Truly completing my first army (my forth one, Chaos Space Marines) seems to have galvanised my desire to see the others done. And showcase them here.

Challenge Suneokun Update #1 - The Baseless

In a random panic I got confused and thought yesterday was today and I was out all day tomorrow. In an odd twist of events, so did my other half. It's like being in a house when the clocks go back ... A WHOLE DAY - very weird.

Apart from gaining another 24 hours, the panic also spurs some mad flocking death rolls and so I can proudly boast the following 82 flockers:

• 21 Genestealers
• 24 Hormagaunts
• 31 Termagaunts
• 5 Spores (I misplaced two!)
• 1 Broodlord

BASELESS: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

I also black-based the two Hiveguard and the Trygon and prepped the Gargoyles for painting...

A productive day. The danger is that I now take the foot off the pedal, but I have a whole room the cove, paint and have re-carpeted before next Wednesday. So whatever I can achieve this week will ease the pressure next week.

If I can get the base coats done on these Gargoyles - I can hopefully get them out of the way over the weekend.

Here's hoping - but a good start.

Challenge Suneokun

The objective is to attempt to pull myself away from Fallout 3 long enough to complete the following before Christmas.

NB: This 'finish the Tyranids before Christmas' challenge was attempted two years ago and was an epic fail then as well .... many of the challenges today are leftovers from yesterday - so here's to trying!!

Completed Nids (painted and based):

• Warrior Prime (thanks for the FAQ nerfing GW - he's now pointless!)
• 4 Rending and Deathspitting Warriors
• Zoanthrope
• 2 Mycetic Spores
• Trygon Prime

Baseless Nids (Nids in need of basing):

• 24 Hormagaunts
• 21 Genestealers
• 30 Termagaunts
• Broodlord
• 8 Spore Mines

Unloved Nids (Nids in need of painting and basing):

• 2 Hiveguard
• Zoanthrope
• 20 Gargoyles
• 14 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Trygon

Barely Nids (Nids in need of Coversion, painting and basing):

• 5 Tyranid Warriors with Lash Whips and Boneswords
• 1 Mycetic Spore

Da Kunnin' Plan (Tyranid Variant Unknown)...

Week 1 (29th November - 3rd December): Base the minions. Getting in on a high and trying to get the momentum going ... I intend to base all 79 mini's in a week. That's 15 a night... which is achievable!

Week 2 (6th December - 10th December): Paint the Gargoyles and the Rippers. This will be the biggest challenge. But don't bleed hearts as the Gargoyles are already half completed and the Rippers are a) half painted and b) very small.

Week 3 (13th December - 17th December): Trygon, Hiveguard and Zoanthrope. The numerous stuff is out the way. 4 big/detailed models stand between me and the final conversions

Week 4 (20th December - 24th December): 5 Warriors and a Spore. Conversion, Painting and Basing is the final part.

The final adjudication will be in the new year... with the prize, A DEFILER for the Chaos Boys!

Does Suneokun have a hope in hell ... encouragement, reverse psychology and mockery welcome...

Swords of Alpharius Nearing Completion...

Just a quick update to say that everything is nearly completed, finished and based. I completed the last chaosmarine squad (the 'converted'), my first CSM Biker and the lesser Deamons too. All that's left now are two rhino's and the two more Chaos bikers.

It's been a fun army to paint and my least 'difficult', amassing 2000 points of marines is pretty easy (it's the stopping buying them that's the problem) ... one thing that this army has taught me is the benefit of properly basing my models. Up until now I've been blindsided towards basing ... now I see it as an insult to a well painted model NOT to finish it properly.

It'll take time, but I'm going to revisit both the Tau and the Guard (and eventually the Tyranids) and base the bloody lot. That'll take until like next Christmas.

Not much to write about as all my spare 'blogging' time has been sucked down a fallout 3 timewarp... I totally dig this game.

The 'Converted'

Basically a bunch of RT era marines with light conversions that I had been using as a Death Watch unit early on. Couldn't bring myself to overpaint the hand-done insignias so I just left them. I guess this unit represent a selection of 'converted' marines who have seen the light of Alpharius and turned against the rotting Imperium.

The Converted show off their shoulder pads ...

The Lesser Deamons

All I can say is ouch?!?

I'm gonna have some fun with this ten! The Omega (Techpriest Chaos Sorceror) who is dabbling in Necron tech has decided to impregnate the most impressive human enemies with glowing stones. When I say impregnate ... I mean stab full of?!? The stones can then be used to rip the individuals clean through reality into the cusp of battle. The resulting mutations result in stronger and insane subjects, although their life are necessarily foreshortened.

First Biker

The last fella is a Chaos biker. All the armies I've collected so far have only ever included one fast skimmer (the Tau Piranha). After facing down jetbikes and marine bikers over the years, this is my first foray into the realms of 24" turbo boosting about the place! Should be fun!

Army Showcase: Swords of Alpharius

Embarrassing Family Photo's, who needs 'em eh?

I'm at 2000 points already? When did that happen? Crikey, but space marine armies are too easy? You do a bit of painting every night, build a few mini's and bobs-your uncle, 2000pts...

The Plague Marines

Did I say it was a good army, well not really?

Here's the damage:

• HQ: Huron Blackheart [170]
• HQ: Chaos Sorcerer - Terminator Armour, Mark of Slannesh, Lash of Submission, Combi weapon (plasma) [145]
• Elites: 5 Chosen - Chump w. PF, 4 meltaguns, icon [175]
• Elites: 5 Terminators - 2 Chumps with Lighting Claws, Chainfist and Combi-melta, PF and Heavy Flamer, PF and combi-flamer, Mark of Slaanesh [265]
• Elites: Dreadnought - Plasma Cannon and Heavy Flamer [110]
• Troops: 9 Alpha Marines: Icon, Flamer, Rhino [185]
• Troops: 9 Alpha Marines: Icon, Flamer, Rhino [185]
• Troops: 7 Plague Marines: Icon, Chump with PF, 2 Plasmaguns, Rhino [271]
• Troops: 10 Lesser Deamons [130]
• Fast Attack: 5 Raptors with Icon and 2 meltaguns [130]
• Heavy Support: Greater Deamon [100]
• Heavy Support: 2 Obilterators [150]

Total 2016

Chapter Background

The Alpha [Huron] leads his Alpha Marine legion into combat

The Swords of Alpharius are a chapter seeded within the Eastern fringe. As an autonomous splinter of the greater Alpha Legion, this new chapter was born of the nefarious deeds of the Alpha Legion on Ghorstangrad. Over near to three centuries the Alpha Legion seeded subconsciously en scribed rites and indoctrination on the sects and gangs of Ghorstangrad. Such was the pervasive success of their infiltration that many of these gang members were wholly unknowing of their hidden corruption as they aspired to inception in the Emperor's Swords loyalist Chapter on Ghorstangard.

Chesney Hawkes leads the Chosen in another burst of "I am the one and only", much to the chagrin of the terminators...

When the Alpha Legion struck, it was with complete skill and utter destruction. Utilising all their subconscious and indoctrinated triggers, they turned loyalist marines on each other. Ghorstangrad fell as the Swords of the Emperor were divided and conquered. The Emperor's Swords were destroyed, Ghorstangrad razed and the geneseed stolen.

...but with all aspects of the most secretive of Legions, the end of the Swords was not obvious.

The Terminators and Raptors lead the charge, backed up by Obliterators and the Dreadnought called 'Relic'...

The Swords Reborn

One hundred years later, reports came of a new Renegade Chapter sporting the colours of the Alpha Legion but separate heraldry. The Swords of Alpharius had been embedded deep within an enveloping nebula and had been biding their time. Infiltration specialists from the Alpha Legion had twisted and reworked the rigid regime of the Swords. They were now a guerilla force in every aspect as potent as their master chapter.

Infiltration into the Imperiums upper echelons had resulted in the wholesale capture of materials, slaves and even intergalactic starships to further their unknowable goals.

The lot so far, a few smurf-boxes and lesser deamons to go...

The Leftovers

As you'll notice from the photo's, I'm missing 2 Rhinos (to be built), 10 Deamons (under construction) and 9 Alpha Marines (basecoated and so near completion). So a few more posts to follow.

A different Lash Sorceror and Razzle-Dazzle Rhino

Techpriest Enginseer?

First up is my latest Character model. He's running as a Terminator Lash Sorceror in order to boost the impact of my Slanneshi Terminators by drawing enemies into the web.

I've had the old Techmarine model knocking around for ages (I bought him as a cheap way to getting 4 servitors for my Guard), I've always like the model as Vanilla Smurfs go. I undertook a quick conversion in turning his backpack upside down and dremmeling off the upside down skullcogs... This then allowed me to extend a banner pole out of the trailing tendrils from his backpack.

In painting him, I wanted to keep him ALL techmarine and all Alpha Legion. The Alpha's aren't known for their psykers, so I think a 'super-techmarine' fills the bill perfectly. To add to the effect, I've painted the crystals on the banner red and green and given him green and glowing armour... looks like this Techno-sorceror has been plundering some Necron stones.

Thus his inimical ability to 'pull' others to him, is it Dark Mechanicus Viruses, Communication interception and misdirection, or more insidious Necrotic technology... I'll have to think on that!

RAZZLE DAZZLE RHINO

Go buy it and read it ... it's like a who's who of brilliance and deviousness - and you discover what Ian (and his brother Peter) Fleming did during the war ... and where BOND came from.

I've been reading a brilliant and inspiration book over the last few weeks called "Churchill's Wizards" by Nicholas Rankin. Within this is an excellent work on the birth of Camoflage in WW1. A we are all aware, Space Marines generally have an understanding of camoflague equal to the early WW1 years.

Razzle Pattern Rhino...

Razzle was a technique employed in WW1 and WW2 which follows the principles of the Zebra. By introducing bright contrasting lines in contradictory patterns across a target, it can decieve the viewer (especially from a low trajectory, like a periscope) and make them think the ship is travelling in a different direction. To paraphrase, "it makes the enemy think you stern is where your bow is"...

Razzle Pattern - Image from Wikipedia, check out their great breakdown on Razzle Camoflague

This inspired me to adopt a 'razzle' pattern on the Rhino. I was aiming for something a little more unique than the standard "I'm bright blue, I'm an ultramarine!" approach ... and also harking back to the late 80's of space marine design ... when pagentry colour marines would hunker down inside highly camoflagued landraiders...

Camoflagued Landraiders ... well if there was ever a vehicle that didn't need it!

What do you think?

Painting Update: Plague Marines

Finished and based the Deathguard last night. The Swords of Alpharius are looking as follows:

• 1 Huron - complete
• 1 Chaos Sorceror Conversion - converted, nearly finished.
• 5 Terminators - 3/5 painted, 2 are being painted by my 3 year old daughter and 1.5 year old son ... interesting.
• 5 Chosen - complete
• 9 Chaosmarines #1 - complete
• 9 Chaosmarines #2 - 60% painted
• 7 Plague Marines - complete
• 5 Raptors - complete
• 1 Dreadnought - complete
• 2 Obilterators - complete
• 1 Greater Deamon - complete
• 10 lesser Deamons - bought and to be built
• Rhino #1 - built and basecoated
• Rhino #2 - to be built
• Rhino #3 - to be built

UPDATES

You will have noticed that two of the Terminators have laid their lives down for the Dark Gods (or Greater Good?) and become sacrificial test models for my daughter and son.

Another shot of the completed Plaguemarines ... note the blue fists as a nod to they allegiance to the Swords of Alpharius.

My boy is 18 months and my daughter 3 and they both love "paint'n monstas" first thing in the morning (circa 7am), so we have Monster 'E' and Monster 'Pt' for her and him respectively. See the results below, it's great fun painting them together, although I've been informed that I can NEVER OVERPAINT THEM by She who must be obeyed... oh dear!

Monster E and Monster Pt.

It's a lot of fun though.

Painting Update: Marines and Deamons

Out of Production, Small and perfectly formed ... he's almost a mini-monstrous creature and can quite simply hide behind a landraider!

Just a quick update ... the jury's still out (well at least for me) on the ideal shininess of models... but that aside, I've been taking some steps in painting. Currently the Chaos Marines stands as follows:

Huron leads the first two terminators

• Huron - complete
• Chaos Sorceror Conversion - converted, unpainted
• Terminators - 2/5 painted
• Chosen - complete
• Chaosmarines #1 - 7/9 painted
• Chaosmarines #2 - 60% painted
• Plague Marines - 1/7 painted
• Raptors - complete
• Dreadnought - complete
• Obilterators - complete
• Greater Deamon - completed
• Rhino #1 - to be built
• Rhino #2 - to be built
• Rhino #3 - to be built

Some basing required...

So there's a fair amount of work yet to complete ... next up are the troops ... Plague Marines and Chaos Marines look fantastic in their blue and green... much satisfaction.

But I'm lacking long ranged punch and a big 'boomer', the Vindicator, Land Raider and Defiler all bring different sort of long range punch ... but Obliterators give you the most variety and flexibility ... but deploying 6 Oblits is pretty dull... so what would you recommend?

To shine or not to shine...

I have a problem with varnishing... mainly due to a limited access to quality varnish products, I opted to use a clear gloss enamel paint as a varnish. I have subsequently varnished 4 armies (Tau, Tyranids, Guard and Chaos Marines) in Enamel gloss.

They are shiny.

After basing my most recent army, the Chaosmarines, I was looking at the options. Open discussion and constructive feedback down the club came up with a cunning plan:

Step 1: Continue to use the gloss enamel hardcoat, as it is legendarily hard wearing, never chips and presents the original paint job well.

Step 2: Overspray lightly with a matt finish Army Painter varnish to give a professional finish.

Now I know that its the 'wisdom' that models should be matt or maybe a bit satin, but that gloss is sooo 1993 ... but after doing a couple of tester models - I'm unconvinced.

The colours and details on the gloss models really 'pop'. While photographing can be more tricky, to the natural eye, the lustre and finish of the gloss is much preferable.

But I can still hear the 'snickering' at the back of the class...

So what's your opinion, gloss or matt, dull or shiny ... what's your preferred finish?