Getting Carried Away

EDIT: Refinements have been made since this post, found here :)
I've recently re-thought my miniature storage solutions in a rather complete overhaul kind of way.

All my models until now have been stored in either KRMulticase card or aluminium cases, and to this day I would recommend them as a solution to anyone that wanted foam for their toy soldiers.

I saw a video a long time ago and I've wanted to attempt something similar ever since. Fast Forward to when I started my Eldar Exodite project, and I had large dragon models which were unsuitable for foam due to size, and I came back to this idea to attempt my own version.
The video in question uses a brand of craft items which seems to only available in the US, so I humbly present my UK version of the entire thing.

The case itself
A cupcake carrier, available here (bearing in mind you will be removing the inserts designed for the cakes and thus the pink), they are also compatible with each other with regards to the clips on the side to join layers.

Magnets
You will need to magnetise both the carrier, and your miniatures. I use the magnetic sheeting self adhered to the bottom of each section of the case, on which I use a baking tray. The beauty of this is that, instead of permanently affixing sheet steel or similar to the case and then popping magnetised miniatures on/off this, the baking tray is removable, and perfectly serviceable as a 'tournament tray' to move minis between tables etc.
As far as magnetising miniatures go, I won't reinvent the wheel and describe the process as it is done here near perfectly. the only extra steps I take are to build the green stuff up the sides of the magnet a bit and then drench the whole assembly in super glue. I'd rather the magnet stayed inside the base when I remove the miniature than remaining connected to the tray.

Transport
For some of you, you're done! Congratulations, your new army transport solution is complete bar personalisation (stickers/painted logos, I've no idea - go nuts) and expandable by the purchase of further carriers whose trays can click to the bottom of your existing case.
My own solution however has one further step. Call me vain, call me paranoid, call me what you will, but I don't relish the thought of going to work, and subsequently carrying my (transparent) case around Leeds city centre during the evening. I'm also not convinced that the plastic handle & lid would bear the weight of a whole tray full of say metal troll bloods and another tray of metal dire trolls for example.
What I landed on here is a simple, cheap holdall in which the case sits very comfortably, and leaves room for a jumper/jeans & tshirt/books/dice/templates etc.

Caveats

• I've yet to work out a way of transporting gargantuans and the like using this method. My first thought was to have a new case, removing the bottom floor of the top case and permanently affixing it to the bottom, making a double tall space for them to stand in. I've no idea how to do this though. Hot glue and a dremel are my first thoughts but I don't know how this would change the rigidity of the whole thing etc.
• Some models need more than one magnet underneath to prevent them sliding if the case is jostled at all - getting on and off the train etc. This isn't really a concern though as the magnets are cheap enough to add a pair to metal warbeasts rather than just one. Three to the base of the likes of extreme models etc etc
• Tall models won't be happy here. straight off the top of my head i'm thinking of Molik Karn/Mulg. I don't yet have a solution, which is disappointing because I won Molik, and will own Mulg soon enough. However, all my blindwater guys fit in there just fine, the tallest of which being a Blackhide Wrastler I guess, I also tested a Bronzeback Titan.

All in all, I'm really pleased with my version of this from the original video, and think it's a pretty solid solution.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for stopping by

Lofty

Breaking Radio Silence

Hi all


I know its been a while, but I'm getting back into the hobby world again.


Long story short, I've just started a new job and its one in a team of people whole play role playing games and inline games so being 'the guy with the toy soldiers' is in no way an issue :)


I've been to my first Leeds Warmachine gathering on Thursday just passed and will be attending them every fortnight when they are on. My intention is to play alternate Hordes and Malifaux and maybe even Guild Ball and Infinity in the future.


I've got a lot to update so I won't go on for much longer in this post, other than just to say that I'm hoping to keep up a regular log of what I'm getting up to with my hobby :)


This evening, and evenings this year in fact, I've been doing odd bits and bobs and I've finished off a few WIP blindwater pieces which I spray coated in a large batch today. I'm hoping to get some airbrush basecoat time soon.

Thanks for stopping by

lofty

Ch ch ch ch changes!

I've been remiss in updating this month for which I'm sorry.  

Long story short there's a few things going on at work leaving me as the only person in my team so I can expect to be a lot more busy and work more weekends (inorite) for the foreseeable.

Also I'm writing this on the train. I really need to remember my tablet and try and find a keyboard that will work with it!

Let's not dwell on that though, as I have been hobbying during radio silence.
I blitzed through my ideas for the Wraithknight and as I neared completion I got a bit fed up of not really knowing how to finish it to be honest. I don't like the feeling of 'I have to get this done' so I took a sidestep and assembled my Wraithlord

And some Wraithguard

I saw some Wraithguard somewhere with swords/axes and shoulder mounted weapons which I'd love to be able to emulate but I've no clue how really!

As you can see though, I've added tusks(?) Or horns I guess to both types of unit and will be replicating the Wraithlord's bone crest to a lesser degree across his smaller friends. The idea being that each wraith contains the spirit of a great hero and his mount.

I also managed to get the scaly bits done on my Cold Ones/Carnosaur and the first colour on the bases in preparation for doing the underneath colours once the bases are done.

Lastly, I managed to get corsair cloaks onto my Exarchs so they are ready to be primed and added to their units.

That's pretty much everything I think :) I'll get some more Wip shots of the lizards up at some point soon.

Thanks for stopping by
Lofty

The devil is in the details

Hi all

I've decided to get some models ready for spray priming if I get chance this week, as I have a real yearning to get some painting done.

This involved giving the cold one (jetbikes) a once over for mould lines etc., and finally getting my Autarch jetbike done.  To this effect I've given him some personal belongings and added some horns to the mount

I also worked on the weapon rig for the Wraithknight, adding some vents/power chamber type items, and a pair of horns.

I also added some greenstuff to the skull, where the horns meet, and in the eye sockets which were flat backed, I made them concave like they should be.

That's it for this week, Hopefully I can get some spray coating done tomorrow. It's forecast to be wet though so I will have to try and get this done somewhere in the house...

Thanks for stopping by

Lofty

Progression

Hi all

Writing to you fresh from a weekend of pretty much solid hobbying (with housework in and between).
I managed to get the base for my 'Wraithknight' done and dusted, sealed ready for spray coating.

The premise is a nest of dragons eggs, which the wraith is protecting. There are many and varies bones etc from previous hatchings and their first meal.  I like the idea of the progenitor of the planets dragons guarding the next generation very closely.  I'd like to get a 'farseer' on the base somewhere intereacting with the nest, but that all depends on how the dragon ends up on the base as I dont want it looking cluttered.

I also managed to magnetise the wraithcannons and the suncannon to the weapon mounts so that I can configure the load out as appropriate.  I've come a cropper however when trying to mount everything to the carapace I made (altered from the sneak peak shots posted earlier).

The piece in the foreground of the image is the shoulder mounts from the wraithknight kit, where the smaller weapons would be mounted. I have these reversed so that they are flush with the curve of the carapace I've made, however it all looks a little crowded with the heavy weapons mounted further up the spine as seen in the picture. I'm not really sure what to do otherwise. I did consider mounting the heavy weapons on these shoulder mounts and having the scatter laser et al mounted somewhere else on the model but I'm yet to discover where they would fit and look seamless.

EDIT - Struck with sudden inspiration, how awesome does this look?!
I think this might have just solced the issue to be honest. It also serves to blur the line between undead dragon and high tech weaponry a lot more. Marvellous

-----Please let me know how this lkooks as I'm struggling to get my vision of this model to work-----

Not much else to update for the time being really. A friend of mine has suggested we play Inquisitor (a 'specialist game' from GW) except in a 28mm format.  I'm keen on this as I never played it when it came out, and searching for inspiration on the internet has turned up some truly inspiring kitbashes for Inquisitors and their retinues. I also have some pretty good ideas & back stories mumbling away in my subconscious which I will share once I've read up on the game rules etc some more :)

We will also be returning to Mordheim! I can't express how chuffed I am with this, as experience based campaign games are simply the best type of miniatures game to plkay in my opinion, and Mordheim is one of the best. Gorkamorka being my first experience way back in the day... I will be making a Norse warband, and thoroughly enjoying it. Expect updates et al when appropriate.

I'm well and truly broke at the moment so I will be pushing through existing projects for the forseeable future, but updating when I can.

Thanks for stopping by
Lofty

So it Begins

I was going to post teasers with no explanation but I cant bring myself to do it ;)

This is of course my work on a counts as Wraithknight based on a venerable dragon (Elgadon in fact) who has been sustained in life through soulstones and jazz.

The armour on his back won't look so daft when the wings are attached, and is going to house the Wraithknight weapons I have on order!

That's all I'm giving away for now :p

Thanks for stopping by
Lofty

Festivities

Hi all

It's been a few weeks since the last update, but the reasons are pretty valid. The first week in August was performance week for the theatre company I'm involved with, and the week after that we were at a festival, so time has been pretty short to say the least. Then of course I'm having to work this afternoon grumble grumble...

There are a few things to update on though so let's talk about that.
I played another game with my friend, but lost this one only barely.  A lot of fun again, and my Striking Scorpions managed to almost save the day. I struggled to make my Jetbikes effective, and they got chewed up pretty quickly. Perhaps not fully understanding the rules didn't help. In fact it didn't at all :p The game was organised relatively last minute so next time I will have chance to buff up.  My avatar took names yet again, as did the borrowed Wraithlord, but my Dire Avengers got shredded despite being in cover, meaning that they struggled even more to be effective against T5 Nurgle marines :(

On the bright side, the case worked well, and kept everything dry etc. I just need to finish adding magnets to bases and think of something deeper to carry the dragons et al.

The only other news really is some random purchases of ten corsair bodies (with cloaks of course) for less than just ten cloaks, and far more readily available. Out come the clippers, and job done! There are enough now for my Exarchs, Autarch, 'Shining Spears' and spare.
I also stumbled across some High Elf Shadow Warrior torsos + cloaks for £3.00 posted rather than just the cloak backs (out of stock) for £1.50 each! Warlocks here we come!
Lastly but by no means least, I managed to snag a Zombie dragon kit, after receiving an email saying it was restocked, I jumped on and bought it with what I think is the right sized base. I then started to bookmark the correct weapon components for the Wraithknight and check their availability daily, to the extent that the day they came in to stock, I had bought them out of stock by the time the email came out!
What all this comes to really is that next week and bank holiday Monday (who doesn't love those?!) I will be getting my very own version of a Wraithknight together, with WIP photos out the ears!

Sorry it's another one with no pictures, but hopefully there will be a good amount soon with my Wraithknight build.

Thanks for stopping by
Lofty