Salamander Update - Creating Master Librarian Vel'cona

Very soon after completing my version of Mir'San with Lightning Claws, I began working on a new Librarian to replace the one I made at the beginning of this year.  To be honest, the only issue I have with the old one is the tendency it has to topple when caressed by a light breeze which isn't conducive to maintaining a good paint job.  Considering the amount of enjoyment I got while painting the blue armour I jumped at the opportunity to build another Librarian.

It's about this point that I decided to splurge a bit and purchase a number of plastic components from a number of plastic kits that were combined in an attempt to make a unique whole.  As is usual for my IC's, I've used the legs and chest-piece from the Sanguinary Guard box, as well as an axe head from one of the Glaive Encarmines to create his force axe.  The haft of the weapon, the psychic hood, the right arm and the majority of the accessories came from an assortment of Grey Knight boxed sets.  These can be picked up from Hoard 'O Bits for a song (at least for us Aussies anyway).

With a bit of work and some creative placement of greenstuff, Master Vel'cona was ready for base-coating.  Unfortunately I was a little over-eager when I was building him and while applying the first layer of paint and I've forgotten to take WIP shots, so unfortunately he's at quite an advanced stage in the pic above.  Originally I had him armed with a force staff, but I decided the in-game benefits weren't worth it and changed it to an axe.  Never underestimate the glory that comes from wielding an AP 2 force weapon.  You might strike last, but whatever you hit will pretty much die screaming.

Here's how he stands currently, patiently awaiting another session "under-the-brush".  More armour has beren painted and I've spent some time working on the extra details present on the model.  I'm not sure why, but I'm really enjoying painting this guy.  Maybe I just enjoy painting blue...

Catch you all later

Trev

Salamander Update - Sternguard Edition

It's been a while since I last wrote about these guys.  Since last time, I've spent a good bit of time working on two new members that will make up the first demi-squad of Sternguard for my Salamander army.  The first of these is a standard marine armed with a bolter.  Nothing special and yet I feel he stands out nonetheless.  Perhaps it's the silver arm that does it.  For me, there's something about the fairly standard 'I'm-going-to-gun-you-down' pose that's particularly fitting for these guys.  This model also uses Forgeworld MK V 'Heresy' pattern armour on the arms and backpack, as it matches the plastic chest piece that comes with the standard plastic boxed set.

The next fellow has been recently completed and continues the use of combi-weapons to enhance the fire-power available to the squad as a whole.  With this guy finished, my merry band of veterans have swollen to a hefty three members.  Hopefully over the next week or so I'll be inspired to paint the next two veterans needed to complete the demi-squad.  Another combi-weapon and a Sergeant will be perfect additions I think.  Now to get them built and painted.

With this guys finished, the updated stats are as follows:

Miniatures Purchased: 8
Miniatures Painted: 41
Points of Painted Salamanders: 495 pts

Catch you all later

Trev

Community Awareness - Caring for Club Terrain

 

It seems that everywhere I look on the online community I'm treated to views such as the ones above.  Spectacular tables that are filled with mind-blowing terrain that is well built and painted to a spectacular degree.  Let's be honest here, if you're reading this article, you're most likely looking at the pics above, wishing your local club had terrain so damn good and I don't blame you one iota (if you're local club HAS this terrain, you're a lucky bastard and I'm very jealous right now...).  I mean, look at them! Each table is filled with mesmerizing details that allow you to immerse yourself in a world of your own imaginings.  Players become gods among men, striding the battlefield while putting their foes to the sword.  And yet when we go to our local club for a game, this is what we find...

Can you see the Marines?

This is our reality.  Dull, unpainted, basic terrain whose greatest achievement would be allowing players imaginings to be played out in vintage black and white.  Why must we be subjected to games with unpainted and crappy terrain?  Why can't we have something nice too?

The simple answer is: You don't deserve it

Countless are the times I've opened boxes of club terrain only to find some new piece that's been damaged by careless gamers or have been dented and warped after being thrown haphazardly into a random box.  Last Sunday saw the greatest example of this I've ever seen.

As you can see here, some careless gamers has thrown another gamer's personal terrain into its box without thinking about storage pressure and the power of gravity. As a result, part of the ruin has actually sunk into the pond and become stuck.  The subsequent removal of said ruin resulted in the creation of puncture marks marring the relatively smooth surface of the water feature that this gamer worked so hard to achieve.  This raises the question: How can a club trust players to care for their own terrain if the players themselves cannot respect the terrain created by their peers!?!?!?!?!?  Personally I don't think its too much to ask that you treat all terrain with respect, especially since you didn't have to pay for it in the first place.  THIS IS THE REASON WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS!!!!!!

I guess the point of this article is to get you to think about the terrain at your game club and how you treat it before, after and during your games.  We all want great looking terrain to put on out own tables, but first we need to prove that we can look after the terrain we already have.  Just because we don't own something, doesn't mean we can treat it like garbage.  Quite the opposite actually, it means that we need to treat it all the more carefully.  If we don't, then we might not have any terrain at all...

Catch you all later

Trev

Terrain Update - Hab-Block Part 3

With the campaign in full swing, getting this Hab-block finished has become a bit of a priority of late.  Despite my need to flit between a collection of different projects, I've still managed to find time to add some extra details to both the building itself and the ruined interior.

As a means of hiding the joins between the sheets of foamcore, I've been using folded strips of card, positioning them so that it not only protects the vulnerable edges from damage, but also adds much needed 'heft' to the building itself, making it look reinforced enough to look as though the structure is sound.  This will act as the base for the next step of the building process.

 

Once the cardboard work was completed, the fortifications were set to be installed.  I've had a collection of sandbag fortifications in my collection for a while now and I've been dying to use them on something.  A quick application of hot glue and some evenly placed pressure and the rear of the structure was protected against enemy penetration.  Using some modelling paste, I filled in the gaps between the resin and foamcore, and took the opportunity to add some extra details in the process.

Finally, I was able to give the entire building a coat of a plaster, paint and PVA mix to give the building some texture as well as increase the durability of the terrain piece (hopefully).  All walls and intermediate floors got a coating of this, while the ground floor was left in preparation for the application of additional rubble, fortifications and basing.

Al that's really left to do now is the ground floor before I begin painting the piece in earnest, which is something I'm very keen to begin doing.

Catch you all later

Trev

Campaign Update - Battle for Vogen Turn 2

A screen shot from the first of many mega-battles that will occur

Salamanders bravely face the Necron Menace...

The flames of war burn brightly in the 41st Millennium  though no fire burns as bright as the battles that rage within the streets of Vogen.  As ever, city-fights are a hard fought thing, especially when both sides of the conflict are forced to fight against the city itself.  For the last week or so, eager gamers from Kingaroy Wargamers Inc have been furiously playing games in a desperate attempt to force the city into compliance, securing victory for their faction.  But no war is that simple and for every mile of shattered sub-sector, each side has been set upon by the cities inhabitants and the forward scouting parties of the opposing faction.  The forces of Order are dogged by militant gangs and rogue factions of traitorous KZ-PDF, while the forces of Disorder encounter hordes of fanatical Imperial citizens, fearlessly assaulting the Heretics and Traitors armed with nothing but scavenged weaponry and blind faith in their Emperor.  The truly terrifying thing is - the city is winning...

Vogen Turn 1 - Such optimistic beginnings...

In a large portion of games, the attacking players (those fighting for their faction) is being defeated by the defender, who at this point plays for the city of Vogen.  This has made for an interesting situation where the advance of both factions has been delayed significantly thus far.  

The city has not seen fit to relinquish itself as yet, to either faction...

It is of no matter though, as players are quickly getting a handle on their limited armies and will no doubt take advantage of the different events and bonuses that will come into play in the future.  Perhaps we'll see a turn around for both factions in the near future.  Only one thing is certain - the inhabitants of Vogen cannot hold out forever...

Catch you all later

Trev

Salamander Update - Mir'San Part 2

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been flitting between different projects, both Fantasy and 40K related.  The unfortunate thing is that despite the time I've spent painting, very little has actually managed to be completed.  Since my last article relating to Mir'San, I've managed to finish the final details that were plaguing me for so long and am now a proud owner of my first fully painted Captain / Chapter Master model.  Overall, I'm very happy with how he turned out, especially the gold details on the armour and the backpack.

Game wise, he's definitely someone to be feared by everything has doesn't have a 2+ Save, with his lightning claws carving through Characters and Plebs alike.  With him completed, I will continue to jump between my warriors and my Salamanders, no doubt starting on another incarnation of Mir'San in the process.  I'm hoping the next one will be more in line with the Mir'San we all know and love - the Grizzled old Campaigner whose strategic skills are only matched by his ability with a blade.

Miniatures Purchased: 8

Miniatures Painted: 39

Points of Painted Salamanders: 440 pts


Catch you all later

Trev