As promised, here is the first of the next three projects I’ve got on my bench that I’ll be completing in the next few weeks. I’ll give you a hint at the end of this post what the second of the three projects is.
Onward.
So, this army isn’t mine. It was a commission that I was approached to do earlier on in the year, however due to study commitments I wasn’t able to paint it until now. The owner has been collecting it for some time (it’s epic in every sense, weighing in at almost 4kgs) and it arrived in the post the day I finished my epic scale World Eaters. Enthused by my World Eaters and getting some time to paint again, I attacked this project with gusto. Often I worked 7-9hrs a day on it straight (yes, if you do the math, I painted this in two weeks). I did take the odd morning/afternoon tea break to restore my normality however.
Assembly and preparation were very time consuming (there are over 50 tanks, walkers et al and some 300 infantry). I’ve mentioned in the past about changing paints. Well, I’ve now gone “full vallejo”. The quality of their ‘game colour’ and ‘game air’ range is second to none. For someone who uses an airbrush a lot when I paint, the game air range is magnificent. None, to little thinning required (depending on application and therefore air pressure required). Whist I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Citadel paints, I’ve now moved on (Citadel, it’s not you, it’s me). I was vallejo curious a few years ago when I started using their weathering pigments. I never really considered their paints however. This was until mid-2015 when I purchased Space Hulk. I was in Sydney at the time and dropped into The Combat Company. In Brisbane, where I’m from, there isn’t (disappointingly) any real independent games stores anymore (aside from more broader “hobby” stores). So I was excited to venture in and see what they had. Suffice to say, I was impressed with their on-hand range and saw both the full Vallejo game air, and game colour range. So I picked up a few paints for Space Hulk and my World Eaters. After painting the World Eaters (the white was such a pleasure to use, as was the black undercoat) I decided to convert (Space Hulk remains unpainted…). Everything about the range impresses me. Coverage, consistency, application, storage, colour selection. You name it, it ticks all the boxes.
Enough with the unsolicited plug for Vallejo, and onto what you came here for, painted minis!
MkII Assault Marines with Jump Packs
Caestus Assault Ram – These models are amazing. I’d like to get my hands on some for my World Eaters. There is something very satisfying about having solid metal minis again.
Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer
Contemptor Dreadnoughts and Deredeo Dreadnoughts
Deimos Pattern Whirlwind Scorpius
Demios Vindicator Laser Destroyer
Drop Pods – On round bases to improve game mechanics
Falchion – Very impressive model. Who am I kidding, they all are…
Fellblade – The Astartes super heavy workhorse
Fire Raptors, The Astartes answer to the A-10, or is it the other way around…?
Glaive
Javelin Attack Speeder Squadron
Land Raider Armoured Proteus Squadron with Terminators – When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed
Land Raider Proteus and Firedrakes
Landspeeder Squadron
Objective Markers – My customer saw the ones I did for the World Eaters and asked me if I could make him some, who am I not to oblige?
Predator Squadron, note the different variants
Primarch Vulcan
Rapier Laser Destroyer
Spartan and Pyroclasts
Storm Eagles
Tactical Detachment 1
Tactical Detachment 2
Tarantula anti-air battery
Tarantula with Lascannons
Vindicator Squadron
Xiphon Pattern Interceptor Squadron
Believe it or not, the army is actually bigger than this, I only photographed single units. Some of them are in multiples. My customer liked the bases I did on my World Eaters, hence the resemblance. He isn’t quite so strict with his flying stands or conformity to basing sizes and standards as I am (for tactical purposes I believe) I have no idea how many points this army is, but it would have to be in the vicinity of 20,000 points. I thoroughly enjoyed painting it, and hope to see it across from me on the battlefield one day (no doubt my World Eaters would totally smoke them though, just say’n)
Onto other news. I’ll be attending CanCon in 2016 playing in the Epic Armageddon tournament. Some of you who’ve been following this blog for some time may remember that I went back in 2013 and played in the 40k comp. I don’t want to dwell on my last experience and let it colour my perceptions of other events run over during CanCon. I am really looking forward to attending this year, I know the organiser of the Epic Armageddon competition and know he takes epic scale wargaming VERY seriously. I am confident that every aspect of the competition will exceed my expectations. Expect a full wash up post following the competition. For those interested, I’m using my World Eaters as a generic proxy for a 40k Epic Armageddon Space Marine army.
Anyway, my family and I are heading off for our Christmas holiday tomorrow, so no more painting until early January 2016. Until then, thanks for dropping in, take care and have a safe and Merry Christmas for you and yours.
John
PS. Here is the sneak peek I mentioned of what I’ll be working on next…
The Painting Bunkerc y 