Not dead but napping.

Just a quick update tonight, as I spent most of the day either sleeping or watching Life on Mars (the UK version, naturally) with the wife. Finally got to the end of Series 1...

Anyways, here's a mock-up of what Green Platoon's Gun No.2 is going to look like. I say No.2 because No.1 Gun has the squad NCO and I haven't figured out what that one's going to look like yet.

The loader is not dead, he's napping. He'll have his hands under his head and his helmet tipped over his face, while the gunner is, uh, displaying his opinion of such behaviour through the language of gestures.

Green/Command, let me show you it.

Whee, Green/Command is done. I'm quite pleased with how the tartan on the pipes turned out, but of course the flash washed it out and made it look all pastel-y. Sigh.



Now I'm moving on Green Platoon's Heavy Weapons squad. I decided a short time ago that between the artillery and bajillions of lasguns, I have plenty of anti-infantry firepower, but nothing to hurt high-toughness baddies or transports at range and thus needed to switch the heavy weapons squads to have Autocannons instead of Heavy Bolters. Not wanting to rip apart the existing squad or make new ones, I've tried to come up with a conversion to the heavy bolter body that still looks like an autocannon. I think it works, but I'd love some opinions. It means I'll lose the awesome Vickers MG look, but I'll just have to live with that.

Alles klar, redux

Two updates in one night. I'm on a roll. Well, it's more of a scone, maybe a bun.

First few coats on the three remaining members of Green/Command.



It figures that the pics of what I was pretty pleased about came out not so good. I finished Green Platoon's Commissar, and did some more work on Red Platoon's. To whit, I tried highlighting them both with Fortress Grey followed by a slathering of Badab Black. I think it turned out quite well, even if the pictures didn't.

Green Platoon Commissar with and without flash.


The backside of 'em both.

A'sealing we shall go

Finished the two Sergeants and the two members of Green/Command.



I may have mentioned it earlier, but the pick thing the guy on the right is holding is, I have decided, a 41st millennium version of the hakapik, a tool used in seal hunting. Just an extra tidbit of Canadian in the army...

In addition to the rest of Green Platoon, I've started working on a model for the Boot Camp's "Fix Bayonets!" competition, but I can't show pictures yet. Not that it'll be hard to guess which model is mine...

Green/Command progress

Ahoy, bit of an update this afternoon. First few coats of paint on the two missing Infantry Sergeants and two members of Green/Command.

The last Infantry Squad

At least, the last one until it's not.

Green/D is done! All that's left now is Green/Command, which is next on the desk, then heavy weapons squad. Huzzah!

A year in review, and resolutions for the new year

Like many others of the wargaming blogosphere, I've been thinking about the past year, what it has brought for me, what I've learned, and what next year will hold. 2009 was a good year for me, not just in the hobby. My first game, [PROTOTYPE], was released to generally good results, I celebrated my first anniversary with my lovely wife, my extended family got bigger, and my career continues to advance in exciting ways. I also realized I've been working on the Yukoni for just over a year!

One of the many lovely gifts I received for Christmas this year was a copy of the Wolves codex along with Wolf Terminators. Stellar kit, and a great book! I think the only thing that I've felt a little let down about with the past few codexes, especially Wolves and Guard, was the lack of all the great conversions and non-stock models in the colour pages. However, I have the internet to fulfill that. ;) Anyways, I was toying around with the Wolf Terminator sprue, and I got to thinking about all the different ways I could make use of it, because I am chronically unable to use anything straight out of the box. So I've spent the past few days, when not visiting with family, trying to decide what army I will do once I've got 2000 points of Yukoni. Today, however, I was talking about 40k with some co-workers and I realized that 2010 will be the tenth year I've been in the hobby. Ten years! Kind of shocking. After an evening of pondering on that, and on how I've never been happy with my hobby skills, I've come to my New Year's Resolution: No. New. Armies. I mean it! I still have a lot of work to do on the Guard (four tanks, Marbo and Straken conversions, twenty Rough Rider, a Vendetta and a Vet Squad), but I think that, after ten freakin' years, it's time for me to learn to do stuff more better.

Painting especially has always been a chore, an arduous task I must grind through if I want to play. In fact, one of the major joys of the Yukoni is how easy it has been for me to paint them and get a result that doesn't make me cringe too much. From three feet away. If you squint a bit. In 2009 I've definitely learned a lot about painting and converting, but I would still consider myself barely a Table-Top Quality painter. Thus I came to the second part of my hobby Resolution: I will build, convert and paint a series of models from armies I don't play that I have no need for on the table-top purely as an effort to improve my skills.

This is the list of what I intend to do. It's still very preliminary and in no particular order:

Chaos Marines: Chaos Spawn. Lots of opportunities for more advanced sculpting, and maybe to try on some blending.

Eldar: Wraithlord. Ever since the plastic model came out I've been wanting to do something with it, and this is a good chance.

Necrons: A Lord of some kind. Seems a good model to practice metallics on!

Orks: A Warboss. Sculpting and converting practice, as well as skins and fabrics.

Black Templar: Okay, this one is cheating a bit since I'll be able to field it. A new Emperor's Champion for my kilted Marines (who use BT rules)

Iron Hands: Something. I don't know what. But to learn to paint black, and further develop my ability to convert bionics.

Space Marines: A member of my Thousand Swords Chapter. The model I have in mind will require reposing a Marine and doing some face sculpting. Plus, I really need to learn how to highlight properly.

Space Wolves: A Lone Wolf, howling defiance to the sky, with Frost Blade and Storm Shield. That or a Grey Hunter with a banner for the freehand practice.

Tyranids: A Trygon. It's a delicious model.

Witch Hunters: An inquisitor. Painting fabrics, and lots of sculpting work required for what I have in mind.


So yeah, that's the list. The only thing really missing is vehicles, and that's because I'm already going to be doing five of them for the Yukoni.


Also, I should mention that the resolution only applies to 40k. I mean, how am I supposed to resist plastic Warjacks? I'm weak!


Anyways, I'm done with the text wall. More pictures coming soon, I promise! I hope you all had a merry Christmas season, and a happy New Year.