T minus twenty till Planetfall. Commencing smack talk!

Grey Hunter 1: "Lord Hrothgar looks worried.."

Grey Hunter 2: "Worried about the huge score of planetary guard that have gone missing in the past few days since those Blood Angels got 'ere I bet.."

Grey Hunter 1: "Or he must have heard about the traitor invasion fleet heading this way, I hear it's twice the size he thought.."

Grey Hunter 3: "I 'eard it was ten times the size, we are going to be outnumbered atleast a hundred to one!"

Grey Hunter 4: "He's worried we fight for a lost cause!"

Skald Yurgan Thunderhowl: You're right Brothers, Lord Hrothgar is worried.... hes worried they'll be late!

"We may be few and our enemies many. Yet so long as there remains one of us still fighting, one who still rages in the name of justice and truth, then by the Allfather, the galaxy shall yet know hope" - Ragnar Blackmane

- Ollie

Two weekends to go...

Technically, there are four weeks to go until 'Planetstrike Weekend'. However, I have a 30th birthday to attend next weekend, ten pints to drink, a kebab to wish I hadn't eaten, and a hangover to enjoy. Also, the fourth weekend of the remaining time is the event weekend itself. Finally, I don't really get to paint in the week anymore (for the next few weeks) because everybody is doing overtime at work as we hurtle towards our final deadline. I work in the video games industry, and our game is getting ready to ship for the Christmas period. So, I have two weekends (i.e. four days) remaining before Planetstrike weekend. Am I on schedule? Naturally!

More pledges complete! My two Deathguard Kill-Teams with Plasma and Rhino transport are finally complete. I would have liked to spend more time on some of these cool old-school minis, but I have to stay on schedule. Here they are:

I also got hold of a third old-school Obliterator, and rebased the three of them on 40mm bases:

With four days' dedicated painting remaining, I am obviously eager not to waste any time. I have three Terminators to paint in order to complete the squad, and the Black Legion Vindicator, which I have made some early steps on tonight. Here's a work-in-progress (WIP) snap. Everybody likes painting table WIPs:

I'll get the Vindicator finished on the weekend of November 6th-7th, and the three Terminators done the following weekend.

Seems crazy to say it, but time is running out. I cannot wait to see our painted armies fighting it out over a painted gaming board and scenery. It's the most stunning sight a gamer can enjoy. Add tea, and you're getting into religious experience territory.

See you on the other side!

-Scott

'You, who have the spark'

In a letter from the novelist Emile Zola, to the artist Cezanne:

'There are two men inside the artist, the poet and the worker.
One is born a poet, one becomes a worker. And you, who have
the spark, who possess what cannot be acquired, you complain
when all you have to do to succeed is exercise your fingers,
become a worker.'

(Letter of 16 April 1860, in Zola, 1978, p. 146)

My painting pledge - one that will push the bounds of my saniity to levels only previously explored by those in padded cells...

I have sworn to paint a 1500pt force of Blood Angels to game with the two fine gentlemen below. The list is a fast moving, hard hitting army that gets in the enemy's face quickly and bloodys their nose. It contains the following:

HQ

Reclusiarch - no upgrades

Elites

Two sanguinary priests. One with a jump pack and power sword, the other with terminator armour

Terminator Assault Squad Garion - Five men, two armed with thunderhammer and storm shields and three armed with twin lightning claws. They ride to battle in the Land Raider "Hammer of Baal"

Troops

Tactical Squad Vittorius - 10 men armed with a missile launcher and melta gun. Sgt Vittorius is armed with a combi melta and a power fist. They ride to battle in a Rhino.

Assault Squad Nero - 10 men armed with two melta guns. Sgt Nero is armed with a bolt pistol, power sword and melta bombs.

Assault Squad Cestus - 10 men armed with two melta guns. Sgt Cestus is armed with a bolt pistol, power sword and melta bombs.

OK, its not exactly an amazing army. The tournament players who have optomised their lists for all eventuallities will likely pore scorn over it.....i dont care. It plays ok and suits my style of gaming. I like a decent fight in the centre and as long as i kill a few models, win, loose or draw i feel like i've had a good time.

Most importantly, it represents an army that is almost fully painted. At the time of writing this, i have only six more models to complete. Two terminators, a reclusiarch, two sanguinary priests and a land raider. The priest in terminator armour is proving somewhat complex but i have a model almost complete. My saviour has come in the form of the Space Hulk terminators. These wonderful models fit perfectly into any Blood Angels force and the skillful modeller can even turn them into other chapters. I have scene Dak Angel, Space Wolf and Ultramarine coversions. Games Workshop frankly should award large, gaudy medals to all the model sculptors.....But i would say that as a Blood Angels player. In a fit of inspiration (plus some sage advice from Ollie) i carved apart a terminator i had the foresite to purchase from Ebay and set to work. The chalice was taken from Space Hulk aswell and the arm built from three different terminator arms (again thanks to Ollie for some space Wolf terminator arms!). The Narcacium was culled from a sanguinary priest i had built a while back and pinned in place having had the hand removed. He still sits on top of my model cabinet waiting to be finished. I will complete him when i get my order of green stuff. Until then i can amuse myself with painting the others. A feat that is starting to drive me a little mad! Having painted just about 40 space marines in a few heated painting sessions spread out over the year i have had enough.....though my trials and tribulations will be another post. Next up i need to lay down my ideas for the back stories of the main characters in my force. This is something Scott, Ollie and myslef have in common. Your guys need names. They need stories to inspire you and your opponent/avid game watchers. Otherwise its just chess with dice. So, i have my date to work to. I have the models ready to paint, do i have the stamina. I hope so or Scott will be wrapping an iron bar around my head! (probably not but i'll never hear the end of it!).

Photo's to come when i can grab a camera!

Simon

Honourbound, the Dreadwolf makes his pledge in the name of the Allfather (..and not being outdone)!

The Saga so far..

Task Force Yggdrasil: 1500 points.

Wolf Lord - Jarl Hrothgar Dreadwolf. - Completed
- Riding Jötunn a Blackmaned wolf.

Rune Priest - Skald Yurgen Thunderhowl. - WIP

The Oathsworn - 3x Wolfguard pack leaders. - Completed

Pack Ásgarðr - 8x Grey Hunters. - Completed
+ Rhino Transport - Completed
Pack Niflheimr - 8x Grey Hunters. - Completed
+ Rhino Transport - Completed
Pack Vanaheimr - 8x Grey Hunters. - Completed
+ Rhino Transport - Completed

Pack Jordmungdr - 3x Thunderwolf Cavalry. - WIP

Council of the Wise - 6x Long Fangs (lead by Sergeant Haakon). - Completed
+ Razorback - Completed

Council of the Wise's Razorback.

Pledges:-
6x Grey Hunters (Pack Vanaheimr) - fulfilled!
5x Missile Launcher Long Fangs -fulfilled!
1x Long Fang pack leader (Sergeant Haakon) - fulfilled!
1x Thunderwolf Cavalry
1x Rune Priest (Yurgen Thunderhowl).
2x Fenrisian Wolves.
Rhino (Pack Vanaheimr). - fulfilled!
Razorback (Council of the Wise). - fulfilled!


(A clandestine tea swilling ceremony made these legally binding)
I'll keep you updated!

- Ollie

Planetstrike Weekend - My Painting Pledges

We recently tried out the Planetstrike rules with a few practice games and really enjoyed ourselves. We found the lists we'd choose as attacker/defender were vastly different to what we'd take for the standard missions, and the different tactics and narrative opportunities provided by the setting breathed fresh life into our games. 

We have also recently begun to discuss our 'next projects' in hushed tones. We decided an entire weekend playing a sequence of Planetstrike narrative games, with finished, painted armies, would provide us with the motivation we needed to finish painting those last few undercoated minis - and be a solid weekend of fun and games at the same time!

So, together we made our pledges, sealed them with tea, bourbon biscuits, quiche (Simon is PRO at baking quiche), beer, and a chinese take-away. We pledged to finish painting what we would need for 'Planetstrike Weekend',  to play November 19th-21st (or thereabouts as real-life allowed).

This was a fortnight or more ago. Although work is cursing my very existence of late, I am on schedule. I have completed my '3 Terminators', and 'Second Plague Rhino' pledges. Here's a snap:

These are 'done enough' to game with, and are painted from the outset to be tabletop quality. They need some finishing touches, but if things go badly, they are fine as they are for gaming with. They are 'in the bank', so to speak.

As I also enjoy display painting, I seem to spend a lot of time being torn between painting for display, and painting for gaming. Truth be told, I prefer painting for display (which is just as well, because I'm a terrible General!). Happily, I am currently free of this mental warfare, as from now until 'Planetstrike Weekend', my painting pledges take priority. I've got to be ready. My friends have made their pledges, and I know they won't break their vows. Neither will I. No matter what other temptations lurk on my painting table. =)

Here are my remaining pledges:

- Plague Champion with Power Fist and 2x Plague Marines with Plasma Guns (completing my second 'kill-team')

- 3x Terminators (completing a squad of six)

- Vindicator

- Rebase and tidy up 3x Obliterators

I am really looking forward to 'Planetstrike Weekend'. Not only is it great to catch up with friends and do some gaming, but the shared pledges and late-night conversations about how on earth we're going to get it all done create a sense of comaradery around the preparations. My own pledges don't look like much, but I get around three hours per week at the moment, grabbed here and there in short sessions, so it's as hard for me to stay on track as the other guys who have a little more time, but more to paint!

We will make it. We're going to come up with some narrative for the games to make them more interesting and memorable. We're going to field finished painted armies, drink beer, eat take-away, and maybe even talk 'next projects'.

I already know what my next project is, but I wont talk about it. If my unpainted miniatures hear me, they may seek revenge at the painting table, the gaming table, or both!

-Scott

Get those brushes out!

So your pet woke you up at 4am, you get back to sleep at 4:30, you’re up at 6:30 to get in the shower, you get the train to work, you rush around all day, people give you grief, you go home and get in at 20:30, you eat something, talk to your wife, help with the washing up, it’s 22:00, you’re dead on your feet. What do you do next?

If you ever want to get that army painted, you head up to the loft and do some painting! Raising an army isn’t easy, not even when you have more free time than I currently do, and I'll be honest, some have less than that.

Last night I got myself to the painting desk for just thirty minutes, and I got a little done on some Terminators I’ve been working on. I didn’t feel like it, I felt like crashing, but this is the reality of achieving your goals. I want to paint these miniatures, so I make the effort. I find the time. I do it even if I'm tired. I will not falter. I will not fall. This is my army, and I'm going to paint it.

This short blog update is for anybody passing by in the future who might be in need of a little motivation. So listen to me: you can get that army painted; you can do it, just stick at it! It’s not wishing and hoping that gets an army painted, it’s sticking to your goals long enough to see the results!

You’re never too tired! Strength and determination are of the mind, not the body! Get the kettle on! Get those brushes out!

-Scott