Month 3, Wave 2, lets get right into it!

Halfway through the challenge, and the production line is still producing guardsmen.

Last month I talked a bit about the theme and my thoughts on the colors I’ve chosen to use, painting the Mordians. And as this month’s slice saw me completing another platoon of more or less the same minis, there isn’t much to say about the painting itself.

So lets spend some time addressing the minis themselves. When I started out collecting 40K back in the happy days of the 90’s, I went with the Tallarn army. But ever since then I’ve always had my eye on the Mordians, so it wasn’t hard choosing them as the third company of the Screaming Camels Regiment, when chances made it possible.

Painting 150+ minis seemed a bit overwhelming at first, so I knew I had to put together a plan to get the job done, going into a 6 month painting challenge, while reality still might prove to be the most difficult challenge. 

One of the recurring “issues” with all the 2nd. edition Guard armies, is the limited amount of poses. While it’s easy enough to do a squad of 10 different guys, it’s quite impossible not to end up with a multitude of the same poses when doing the amount I’m doing. I chose to adept this fact into the early part of my batch painting, simply by splitting the many batches up by poses (if you’re ever into batch painting like I’ve been doing this challenge, I’ll highly recommend trying this).

 When batch painting, there’s one thing above all else, I’ve learned through the years. I simply need to shut my brain down and just go through the motion. And what this “pose-prodution” has shown me in this challenge, is that this is easier when every batch consists of the same mini. It might seem boring, and I guess its not a “method of painting” for everyone, but it really does you good or me at least 😉

 Doing these batches I’ve had the same approach on everyone. Base color the entire mini first, then 1st and 2nd drybrush followed by skin, boots, guns, webbing and finally details. When doing it this way, it’s simply way easier and faster as every mini in the batch have the exact same output and pose, making it less likely that you forget something in the progress, that you have to go back and paint at a later stage (I obviously speak from experience here).

At some point during the production line, I started sorting the minis into squads and platoons. It wasn’t my intention at first, but somehow I ended up with several squads of the same pose, three of which is in this month’s slice (most likely hard to see in the picture). And honestly, I think it actually works quite well with the Mordians and their uniform parade kind of feeling. 

It’s funny how this hobby sometimes still can surprise you, even after 30 years. The big wheels on the Autocannons and the wounded gunners on three of them (again, hard to see in the lousy pic…sorry), was a new thing for me when I initially picked up this collection. I love how there’s still room for a little variation in an army that’s older than my time in the hobby. At some point in the future I might go back and give the wheels (and possibly the heavy weapons) a bit of a touch up, as I’m not entirely sure I did them enough justice. But that’s an issue for futureh this month’s slice, I’ve already gone above and beyond the points I’ve originally pledged, though the load-out have changed slightly during the first three months. For the latter half of the challenge, it’s all bonus models, which I find truly exciting.

For the Emperor, and the Screaming Camels

Pledge – Slice 3

2nd. Platoon Command Squad – 86 pts

Lieutenant (Chainsword, Bolt Pistol)

4 Guardsmen

– Meltagun

– Autocannon

March – Bonus

5 x Imperial Guard Squad –  647 pts.

3 x Sergeant (Power Sword, Las Pistol)

2 x Sergeant (Chain sword, Auto Pistol)

45 Guardsmen

– 2 x Grenade Launcher

– 2 x Flamer

– 1 x Meltagun

– 5 x Autocannon

Wachtmeister:  I had big plans for this challenge in the way of bonus entries and not only do I think they are going to happen, even if they did they would barely add up to two months of Mørk’s output.  I also put a lot of work on future Wachtmeister, but I think future Mørk will be taking a well deserved nap after this challenge!  I do like the big wheels on the guns, they do add something special to the figures.

Maddix, Orphidian 23rd (Imperial Guard Black Codex – It’s 2nd Edition!!)

<<<Message begins>>>

There have been reports of close attacks on our positions from the Commissar.

As such, I have dispatched our Assault Squad to supplement the patrols.

I am promised that the reinforcements will enable us to push the boundary further and fully secure the surrounding area.

The Emperor Protects.

<<<Message ends>>>

Month 3, Slice 3! This time I got to have fun with stripes! 

164pts Assault Squad & 2 Flamers, Veteran Sergeant

10 models

So that’s a third squad sorted, this time armed with Chainswords and laspistols (mostly) and a couple of Flamers to clear the foliage, just in case. Had to use the token red on the Flamers, and yellow hazard striped Chainswords.. it helps tie my RT models to 2nd Ed more!
No bonus models this month, as I’m working on a decent “month six” bonus round.

Maddix

P.s. Still need to sort out my camera.. and painting  

Wachtmeister:  If you are relying on assault Imperial Guard your lines might be in more trouble than you think.  Still multiple flamers might help soften up whatever is creeping around in the underbrush!

Greetings beloved children of the Star Gods! How are those psychic exercises going? Don’t worry, our psychic beacon will be ready soon if we all work on it together, yay!

So, what should have been a longer month for me coincided with holidays and a lot of family activities that have kept me away from my painting desk and this may be the first slice in years of this challenge where I haven’t been able to complete any bonus models – shame, shame shame!

However, I do have six shiny new Genestealers to add here which will be more than enough to cut through anything that gets near them and I was oh-so-close to getting some more support ready to distract the enemy which will join the rest of my army next month. Hint: What has nine or so arms and sucks? If you answered Def Leppard, you were close but not quite right – wait and see XD

Till next month,

Tain

Slice 3:

6 Genestealers (168pts)

Total: 168 pts

Wachtmeister: Ok, so I totally snorted out loud at the Def Leppard joke. I hope if it’s these guys that are hiding in the underbrush Maddix has enough promethium to burn them up, because even one survivor would be plenty to put a hurting on assault Imperial Guard!

Finished repainting my old Basilisk conversion. I actually got this one during the end of 2nd ed. sale that GW did to shift all the Codex’ etc. I then converted it when the imperial armour masterclass book came out; as I couldn’t afford the Forgeworld model. The armoured compartment is plasticard and a little squatter than the FW model. 

First time round painting, it was very weathered and I essentially followed the masterclass book. But as part of the Necromunda army theme I’ve repainted to match the scheme in the codex for the Necromunda XII. With a hand painted banner, using transfers.

So essentially these are the real Imperial Guard attached to the Penal Legion. 

POINTS

Basilisk 175pts. Extra armour 10pts.

TOTAL 185pts.

So I’m a bit under this month, but I feel like a vehicle or 10 troops is my limit for a month! Maybe I should have done another marine army!

Total models painted – 1

Wachtmeister: I’ve had the privilege of seeing this awesome model a few times in our chat group and I have loved it every time. The colors are spot on, the detailed interior is gorgeous, the flag is terrific, and the free hand unit markings are incredible.  I think this is going to be one of my favorite entries of the month, but there are still a lot of great entries to go through too! 

Salutations, fellow grognards!

This month’s slice is more of the same as the old one, just four Necron warriors, the bodyguards of the Necron lord. As such, the colour scheme is just the same. One of the models has an horrendous mold line which I could not trim in several places, so sometimes I painted it as additional cables, sometimes I hid it with paint.

Last time I promised some insight into the bases. While they look like the classical post 2nd edition Necron terrain, this is just a coincidence. The black soil is just the alien terrain I chose for my Orks (as an alternative to the urban rubble I always use) and I wanted my Necron army to match it like they are fighting on the same planet. It is just a dry grey brushed mixture of texture paste, cracking paint and small pebbles over some cardboard bits, which give the base a somewhat uneven surface. The crystals represent Tiberium ore, a nod to the Command & Conquer saga and the reason they’re glowing green (Also my first OSL!). Finally, I added some black “promethium” pools in order to both add variety to the terrain and to reinforce the idea that this world is rich in mineral resources. By the way, I am using 32mm bases instead of the original 25mm ones because I find they suit those models better and my friends do not care about these details as long as they do not break the game (It also makes them playable for 10th edition, but I am not playing that).

In my opinion, dedicating a bit of time and resources to the bases while playing with the sci-fi nature of 40K helps the models to pop out and makes them more interesting.

Without further ado, here is this month’s slice:

Necron Warriors (x4) = 176 points.

See you next month!

Wachtmeister: Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your basing Viden, they look terrific!  I really like the blue Viden is using, it’s very vibrant!  Base sizes frequently come up as a point of conversation in the 2^nd Edition world.  My take is as long as you aren’t doing it for a benefit and err on the side of caution for things like templates you are good to go.  Afterall, this edition is over thirty years old so picking at minor things like base size isn’t a way to get an opponent! 

The air reeked of decay. Fetid mist clung to the cracked rockcrete of the ruined manufactorum as the Grey Knights advanced through the gloom. Justiciar Aldric Vael gripped his Nemesis greatsword in both hands. He was the tallest of the squad, his blade an extension of his will. His brothers wielded halberds, except for Pieter, who rested his sword across his armoured right shoulder. They all moved like duellists, their stances grounded, weight shifting with deliberate precision. 

The Plague Marines emerged from the shadows, their bloated armor encrusted with filth and rust. Flies swarmed around them, thick as smoke. Without preamble, they raised their boltguns and let loose a fusillade.

“Cover!” barked Aldric.

The Grey Knights moved as one, pivoting to deflect incoming rounds. Vael stepped into a high guard, twisting his blade to catch a bolt shell and deflect it wide. Others followed suit, turning shots aside with their polearms before closing the gap.

Brother Pieter thrust his blade forward, using half-swording techniques to guide the blade through a weak point in a Plague Marine’s corroded gorget. The creature gurgled, its rancid breath spilling forth as it collapsed. Another Grey Knight executed a feint, shifting his halberd into a reverse grip to hammer a helm in before following with a slicing cut that severed the foe’s arm. But for every Plague Marine they struck down, more pressed forward, undaunted by the slaughter of their kin.

Vael swung his greatsword in a sweeping arc, his blade shearing through a rusted pauldron. The Plague Marine grunted, wheezing as its ichor-slick entrails sloughed out. But even as it fell, another was upon him, jagged knife slashing out. The Grey Knight twisted, but not fast enough. The rusted blade bit into his vambrace, sending a vile sickness creeping up his arm. He gritted his teeth and whispered a prayer of resilience, pushing through the pain.

The squad was surrounded now. The Plague Marines pressed in, bolters cast aside, wicked knives glinting in the dim light. Death, it would seem, had a deadline to keep. Suddenly, a white-hot explosion of plasma tore through the air.

Marshal Ferric Voltrane strode through the smoke, his crimson robes billowing. His augmetic eyes glowed balefully, his plasma pistol steaming as it vented excess heat.

“Reckon y’all could use a hand.”

Behind him, ten Electropriests surged forward, their bodies shrouded in crackling arcs of power. They struck with open palms, electricity arcing from their hands to the Plague Marines. Corrupted ceramite blackened and boiled, flesh beneath vaporised in an instant. The air filled with the stench of burned rot.

Voltrane switched to his power axe, gripping it with both hands. With practiced efficiency, he drove the crackling blade through a Plague Marine’s chest, bisecting it in a burst of molten slag. The tide had turned.

As the last of the corrupted fell, Vael turned to the Magos. “Efficient.”

Voltrane’s right eye flickered in a digital wink as he holstered his pistol. “Wastes power otherwise.”

Grey Knights: 350

Electro Priest Squad: 140

Tech-Priest Magos (displacer field, power armour, plasma pistol, power axe, rad grenades, bionic leg, warp jump): 150

Total points: 640

Model count: 16

Wachtmeister:  I really love the purple on the force weapons, and the red and white tilting plates.  They really help make the Mechanicum elements appear part of the same army.  And speaking of making things look like they belong I love how M4cr0Dutch is using classic 2^nd Edition weapons on his newer models, it really does help make them look like they belong!

March was a bit of a rush

First the addition of the month:
Techmarine, 53 pts – Servo-arm, Plasma pistol, Bionic eye

 Tactical Combat Squad, 162 pts, Meltagun, Chainsword, Boltpistol

 Scout Squad, 119 pts, Chainsword, Bolt Pistol

 Rhino, 60 pts, Auto launchers, Supercharged engines

 For a total of 11 models, one transport, and 394pts.

The month started with a 12-day delay due to international traveling. Once I got back, I had the tactical started but suddenly felt the need to do the scouts, too…. The tech machine has been sitting on my table since January. I found another model in my stash and decided to go with it instead of the intended model. The bottom line is now this is done, and it made my list “legal”
The rhino was somewhat planned, assembled, and primed. It just got finished faster than I thought.

The current status is 18 models, 4 bikes, 1 dreadnought, and 1 rhino for a grand total of 1231 pts!!!

The 2 follow-up questions are: What’s happening with the land speeder? And can I do 3000 pts before the end of June….

In the meantime, 

Keep painting, 

Cheers
J

Wachtmeister: The Death Company going into battle in a Rhino is a surefire way to end up dying in 2^nd Edition, but at least they’ll be going in style!  Julien is on fire and his army is looking terrific all together!

The air shimmered as the Night Lords’ sorcerers completed their ritual. A rift tore open before the cathedral’s gates, spilling iridescent mist and the keening wail of tortured souls. From it emerged a Keeper of Secrets, her form a vision of perverse beauty—silks flowing like liquid night, four arms weaving patterns of hypnotic light, her blue eyes aglow with cruel delight. The Night Lords stepped back, their skull-helmed leader barking a command: “Unmake their faith, daemon. Feast on their hope.”

***
The third slice consists of a Keeper of Secrets, a greater daemon of Slaanesh. This is the 3rd edition version with the “cow head” released in 1999. There was another version released a few years later with an alternative (worse IMO) head.

I more or less painted it the same way as the GW Studio model, and I used the same methods as on the Daemonettes from last month.

The Keeper of Secrets weighs in at a respectable 280 points (taken from the character allowance) in the game, and it must be summoned onto the board or possess a model (a cheap Aspiring Champion preferably). The daemon causes terror, comes with a psychic mastery level of 4 and has the Aura of Slaanesh special rule (opponents must make a Ld test on 3D6 to be able to attack the daemon in hand-to-hand combat). It has a massive WS9, S7 and A6 so it’s quite the beast up close and personal (just where Slaaneshi daemons want to be)!

***
Lirathene the Soulweaver
1x Keeper of Secrets (280)
Total: 280 points

***

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oddgits.hut

/Ted

Wachtmeister: I agree with Ted, this is definitely the better of the two heads produced for this model.  He did an excellent job on the model as a whole, and it really fits with the rest of his Slaanesh Daemons.  It does sound like the Night Lords have quite the hold on this challenge though.  Better watch out for your skin everyone!

Howdy.
This month was just a continuation of last month’s tactical squad. I made the decision to paint a bunch of badly painted, eBay rescued plastics and a metal sergeant (who dosen’t have a finished bolt pistol arm yet).

I chose the plastics because really wanted to play around with more free handing. Each model was given several freehand elements. Two bone areas, at least one flaming leg, a flaming shoulder pad, and a skull or crossbone shoulder pad. I really should have taken some before and after picks, but that was the furtherest thing from my mind while trying to get these dudes finished.

Keep up the good work everyone! I’ve been really impressed with how all awesome everyone’s armies are turning out.

5 Legion of the Damned Tactical Marines (230 points)
-Sergeart w/ chainsword and bolt pistol
-3 Marines w/ bolters
-1 Marine w/ missile launcher

Wachtmeister: I love how FE Warrior is “just” doing a continuation on a tactical squad, but they are covered in awesome free-hand.  FE Warrior has taken these bog standard monopose Space Marines and made them into something spectacular!

What a month March was! I’m VERY glad I got started right away this time around. It is only  4 models, but this month threw me a lot of curveballs- on March 17, what I can only assume were marauding leprechauns burst a pipe in my upstairs bathroom and flooded my kitchen and hobby space. So… I got my painting done, but my basing materials ended up in a box moving to storage while the house dries out… please forgive the unflocked bases. I should have materials back next week (but not my hobby space, sadly…)

These four miniatures are four that I have had for 25 years, but never liked the paint job. I’ve always found the robes/sash/shoulderpad situation on the 2nd edition farseer to be confusing. All in all, I’m really happy with how these four turned out. I recently got some fluorescent paints and may have been a bit excitable with my glow effects, but I had fun!

This month’s numbers:

3 Dark Reapers – 201 points

Farseer w/ Spirit Stones and Witch Blade – 215 points

Wachtmeister: I’m very glad to see Deacon finish off his Dark Reapers.  I saw them kicking around in a box of Eldar he had at his house and tried talking him out of them during a previous challenge and am glad to see I failed and he succeeded in painting them!  I love Deacon’s take on the Farseer, once again his whites, blues, and yellows are looking crisp!  I’ll forgive the unflocked bases considering he took the time to paint them, the unmitigated disaster his flood created, and the fact that my wife would kill me if I was too harsh on one of her favorites of my friends!   

The old metal Space Ork line is a neverending surprise of fun details. As I painted them I noticed a bunch of tiny things I overlooked when arranging the army into painting blocks. I even needed to check out solegends.com to confirm some of them. In this month’s mob of 20 orks there was an extra plasma gun, 2 power axes, 1 power fist, and a cigar that I didn’t notice at first glance. As a result of the newfound gear my WYSIWYG squad isn’t exactly codex-legal, but it IS cool.

Blood Axe Mob: 20 Boyz (heavy bolter, plasma gun, flamer, chainsword, 2 power axes, power fist) 322 points

You can follow my hobby progress on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pygmyhippo/

And you can find many more photos of my miniatures and hobbies on my blog at https://giantpygmy.com

Wachtmeister: The rule of cool overrules the codex.  When you look this good you can get away with minor equipment issues.  I really like the standard bearer in his grey mechanics coveralls, and the Ork in the pickelhaube with the chain nose rings!

Once again the crew put together an excellent set of models, I’ll see you back here next week for Wave 3!

-Wachtmeister