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