Best Month of the Year

It's birthday season. My two friends and I all have a birthday within a week of each other in July, and with that come a lot of social activities, and busy weekends, so everything is going to be a little quieter on the blog until at least the weekend of the 21st.

Don't despair though as I have lots to write about and some progress photos to share either before then when I get a spare moment or on that weekend. I'll hopefully be able to do a couple of text based blogs in lunchtimes at work with game write up & lessons learned, or ideas & what's in progress :)

Recently I completed the unit of ten banshees I've been working on and got some basing material on then, I also made an Archon from a metal Incubi model, made a start on what will be Ranger proxies, struggled to work out what to do for a warlock, and decided how to approach Shining spears.
Also, the chap below took a lot of work (Autarch with draconic wings) and just needs some greenstuff to fill the gaps in the backpack.

Airbrushing this weekend was out prioritised by a great day out in the sun at Kirkstall Abbey (not religious, it's just a great ruins to walk around and we've never been) and lunch with my wife, and today playing an inaugural game of 8th with my gaming friend which I will have some thoughts to write up on in the coming week.

Lastly, after my wife exceeded her bandwidth on Photobucket and was asked for a stupid sum of money to host her photos 'for commercial blogging' or have the links killed (she earns nothing from the blog so this is extortion really), Photos here will be hosted throughy the blogger album default. A conscious decision was made to move a way from this to Photobucket a few years into the blog, but it seems pretty much a muchness as to where they live, however having the same happen here, and having to re-host photos would be a complete pain

Dragon Knights - Aspects of War

Free time seems increasingly difficult to come by recently which is harrowing after crappy days at work. Hobby time is zen. Anyhow, over the last week or so, progress has been made;

Howling Banshee

The original fluff/concept outlined outlined for this project all those years ago (4 years!) a few plans for different adapted aspects. Howling banshees brazenly taken from this genius imitation and flattery at work. Perhaps the fluff & concept background will get a prose overhaul soon, rather than the musings from last post.

Warp Spiders (still WIP)

Inspired in no small part by these

The legs have been changed, but no heads yet while a good option is sourced. Either Guardian helmets with added mandibles, or the smooth masked Dark Eldar pilot heads. The helmets will also then have the warp spider run decal added.

Both aspect warriors also look 'dark' enough to be used as a counts'as option in a Dark Eldar force. The Banshees could easily be Incubi/Wyches or something if need be, and the Warp Spiders could be Trueborn perhaps. Being more familiar with the rules entries for Dark Eldar might help with better comparisons, but the point still stands :)

Next up, will be some Shining Spears adaptations. Hopefully there will be either an easy way to use the Dark Elf knights legs without it looking too fantasy, or perhaps combined with Dire Avenger bodies, these will look suitably space aged. After all, the Jetbike Autarch needs a bodyguard.
Also on the list are Rangers, Warlocks including one or two mounted options and maybe a mounted Farseer but that's less likely. I also have plans for some Incubi conversions, but I might wait until the rumoured 'Aeldari' release in July is a bit more concrete so as to avoid making proxies for potentially awesome new kits :)

Oh, also this lot:

Hoping also to get some more airbrush time in this weekend, coupled with a first game of 8th with a friend :)

Thanks for stopping by
Lofty

Dragon Knights - The Saga So Far

Whilst I was writing up the project Page for my Eldar Exodites, I thought I would take some quick snaps of what I have built and/or painted so far :)

Autarch

Avatar of Khaine

Farseer (Who I think may be some of my best work)

Spiritseer

Shuriken cannon 'Jetbikes'

'Jetbikes'

Striking Scorpions

Exarchs (with dragon cloaks)

Dire Avengers (Sorry I only checked this photo once I had packed everything away again :/)

Fire Dragon Exarch (with cloak and banner)

Wraithlord (Magnetised weapons not shown)

Wraithguard (Proof of concept)

The good stuff...

WraithKnight (minus weapons/tubing/cabling)

Scenic base (a Farseer watching over a clutch of dragon eggs plus WK)

Waveserpent (Dark Elf Dragon with loads left to add)

Waveserpents (High Elf dragons, both have weapons magnetised but need extras adding)

Hopefully more to follow as I start to pick up the project when I get chance :)

Thanks for stopping by
Lofty

On The Payroll - Brutal Emissary conversion

I'm a guild man.

I've mentioned a few times now about Malifaux, and having a Lady Justice crew. I also have a Lady Sonnia crew box, and a wealth of additional models from the guild faction.

I love the straightforward nature of the guild. Direct damage appeals to me as a gamer rather than being tricksy, or fast or manipulative.

Anyway, I wanted to talk today about my Brutal Emissary model.

I pre-ordered the model as I think it looks fantastic, it epitomises the unforgiving brutal (obviously...) nature of the guild and, in my opinion, will make a great centrepiece for my guild collection.

However, I think that the sword it is equipped with looks unfinished. If I'm honest it looks like a placeholder that was left unfinished in order to release the model quicker. I can't think why else it would be so plain when weaponry found on models like the Judge or Sonnia or Wichling Handlers are at least semi-ornate.

I decided that I would dive in and make my own replacement for this weapon. I spent a long time being indecisive, and trying to convince myself I could make it more ornate when I painted it, or some greenstuff would make it look better. In the end though, I clipped it off the model and left myself no choice other than to replace it.

I looked around at great knives on the internet, and ended up being heavily influenced by Pyramid head's knife from Silent Hill. I measured out the existing blade and marked off the dimensions on some thin plasticard. I sketched out what I wanted and cut the first layer of card to this shape. I repeated the process with two thicker pieces of plastic and glued them to either side to give me a rough shape.

From here, I started to carve and file the contours into the blade to give it an edge and tip.

The Emissary has an ability called "Never bluff a six gun, so I decided I wanted to turn this in to some kind of gunblade (a la Squall from FF VII).

At this stage, I'm still so shocked that I haven't completely ruined the model and been left with no weapon for him, so I forge ahead and start to embellish with greenstuff and attach it to the miniature

At this stage I'm completely taken with the model and painting progresses at a rate of knots, even with me taking my time and using my brand new wet palette to get layers nice and thin, and the rest as they say is history!

I couldn't be more pleased with this, and I love the final look of the model. I kept the base relatively plain in order not to detract from the final thing. Hopefully you like it as much as I do :)

Thanks for stopping by
Lofty