Modeling: Autocannon Rebuild

Offering a new take on an old weapon, im bringing my 2nd edition metal Tallarn Autocannons into the 41st millennium. Here is where we started straight from the Games Workshop website:

Used without permission (cause they don't answer email)

Inspiration: Idea Gallery Updates Three

Over at Warseer a member by the name of Forgenoiser put together quite an idea for how to turn a chimera into what looks like a Marine AAAV to me. You can find the posts HERE. But some of the pictures are right here:

Project Complete: Vindicator... of Dewm!

I finished up this Vanquisher awhile ago, all that is left to do is a new tank commander for it, but thanks to the magnets I installed - that will be easy. Also, im trying to decide on how to do the tank commander in the first place, I have a feeling there will be a metal Desert Raider chopped in half - but that will be for another time! The side is fairly simple, just a bag on top of the sponson and the drag chain bent slightly to rest under the sponson. I cut off the co-ax heavy stubber from the kit and put in a standard heavy stubber next to the vanquisher barrel, this removed the Death Korps feel of the turret. Also, this gives the shot of that extra armor on the side:

5 Minute History: Valkyrie

The Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier is an armed VTOL transport used by the Imperial Navy in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game. In the game background, the aircraft's role is the transportation of special forces infantry in the same way as the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters used by the 160th SOAR of the US Army. The Valkyrie acts as an armed troop transport providing fast deployment to ground troops in a survivable platform that can lay down suppressing fire for the troops it delivers.

5 Minute History: MY Storm Troopers!

Storm Troopers arrived on the scene in 1996 with the release of the 2nd edition codex. With their foppish little barrettes, horrible faces and single pose they were a dream for hobbyists, or not.  My Storm Troopers have always been a command squad for at least 3 paint jobs that I remember.

Games Workshop - Used without permission (I asked but never got a reply!)

Inspiration: Idea Gallery Updates Deux

As always these are not mine, things found that might be either burried in the depths of history or forgotten about. First up is Col Corbane and his take on a Hydra anti-aircraft defense vehicle which was recently finished and you can see here. Corbane has since taken a leave from the world of blogging, but already came back, so give him a comment to let him know we care!

House Esher: Hardened Veterans Part 4

Well the squad is finally done! 3 coats of matte finish and now the complete pictures. There are 16 total Hardened Veterans that I converted from an old House Escher Gang, and wouldn’t you now it, I just found 3 more laying in another box. Maybe ill get those done after the autocannon updates, the demolisher, the valkyrie and everything else in the que!

Painting: Guard Color Selection

Painting your guard: a topic of much potential disaster. Everyone will, no doubt, have their own opinion on the subject about what they think looks good, but simply looking great is not a realistic selection criteria for Imperial Guard camouflage, and here’s why. Criteria one: complexity. Look at the photo below, does the cammo look great, heck yeah it does. Does that cammo pattern take some time to create, again – heck yes it does. Now, do you want to paint that pattern on every trooper in your 60+ infantry model army? Probably not.

Image used without permission

Hardened Veterans: House Escher Part 3

The majority of the girls were finished this week, last thing will be to do a mass production of the canteen/knife belts as seen last week. That won’t take long. But right now I have been at it for too long, and I just found 3 more primered Escher Gangers in a box, so im making small mistakes and decided to let them sit. There is a Demolisher and a Valkyrie that need completing in time for the local gaming convention in August, and at the rate I get things done ill need all the time I can get.

Collection: Unreleased Tallarn Sniper

Games Workshop produces hundreds of new model each year, from entire new army lines to limited edition castings like the Sergeant Centurius they did for the 100th store opening, so its reasonable to think that some of them never see the light of day. Apparently this is one of those minis.

Front of the base reads "Guard"

Imperial Guard Army List: SPOCON

SPOCON is an annual shindig here in the Inland Northwest much like other annual conventions held around the country. It’s a SCI-FI / Fantasy event featuring gaming, comics, quest speakers, a writing contest and other accoutrements of general geekdom. Of course there will be a tournament for 40k players featuring an ‘Adepticon’ style unique missions and game play married to a NOVA style scoring system for overall champion with points for painting, sportsman ship and gaming.

Badges, every gamer loves badges.

After Action Review: Fighting Grey Knights

I had the pleasure of playing against a couple of Grey Knight armies this weekend, both played by very capable gamers who are experimenting with their lists. Both of the two lists I had the opportunity to play were dramatically different and yet kinda similar. One game was a win, the other a loss. Both games offered some great insights into how the Grey Knights work. Below are some of my general observations about the games and what I learned about Grey Knights during them.

House Esher: Hardened Veterans Part 2

Work on the conscripted Esher gangers continues in the forges of Tallarn. Bringing out the full character of the Sergeant and her powerfist is important on this mini I think, the positioning was critical to getting her running forward pose to look plausible, now I need to match that modeling effort with an equal amount of paint:  

House Esher: Hardened Veterans

Moving across country will accomplish a great many things, like finding an old House Escher Gang lying about. So now, for something totally different, House Escher Hardened Veterans:

Yes - that is a power fist. Yes - she loves to use it.



Modeling: Making Custom Decals

Most, if not all, Games Workshop kits come with water slide transfer sheets that allow for some customization on your miniatures. However, while these sheets are a great starting point they might not provide everything you are looking for. For the hobbyists out there looking for something unique or a very specific symbol, type of lettering or name you can try and search through thousands of decal sheets out there for kits from airplanes to tanks, but its far easier to do what the manufacturers do - make your own.



Anyone know where I can get some WWI ammo crate markings in 1/6th scale?



Sentinels: Custom Bases and Paint

Another week, another small update: Sentinels are complete with basic paint job, nothing fancy just the basics. Highlights and shading await next week, yippie!

Yes that's a Tallarn heavy weapon gunner in that scout variant, I use the metal heavy weapon gunners for lots of things in my army, on to the front:

Reader E-mail: IG Army List Question

Tallarn, I posted an army list over on (a forum to remain nameless) that's been collecting mothballs, and was wondering if you could take a look at it and add some input. Fair warning- it's a little long. Here's the copy/paste from (forum of Erudite intellect that can't muster one reply in 14 days...):

Sentinels: Custom Bases Part Deux!

Now that the molds for the bases have dried it is time to test them out. I am so glad I decided to experiment on the Sentinel Bases before deciding to try and rebase the entire army: lots of learning going on here. So I cast the first of the bases today, mixing the resin is a simple 1 part ‘A’ and one part ‘B’ process. Pour equal parts of each, the kit comes with measuring cups, into a plastic cup, mix for 30 seconds and pour into the molds:

Sentinels: Custom Bases

What follows is a cautionary tale of hobby ideas gone awry, I tried to cast my own bases and I should have known better. The cost of the materials and time involved is a lot unless you are going to try and sell them, so take my advice and purchase them from one of the many online sources available. My little project documented in this update only served to raise my respect for guys that actually do mess with resin casting. For the rest of us, just buy it from them!

With the project of rebasing the entire force on the horizon (I cannot stand the standard bases I am using) I needed to decide between purchasing resin cast bases or creating my own, it goes without saying that I will be purchasing all my future bases! So I decided to experiment a bit on the sentinels. Here are the two base variations I tried:

Hobby: Color Selection Help

Meet Shamus and Angus, the two names I was not allowed to give my first born son, the Squad leader and Platoon Leader of my newly levied Veteran Platoon. On the left is Shamus; the dapper looking Sergeant that has a drinking habit, not a drinking problem mind you, as you can clearly see by the leather bota bag in his left hand. And Angus, the equally dapper Platoon Leader with the bolt gun and faith that his cloth shirt, and refractor field generator, will save him from harm. Obviously years of combat have rendered their thick skulls impervious to enemy weapons as both have decided to leave their helmets safely attached to their belts. Both of them are sporting their combat kilts from Victoria Lamb's fall line of battlefield accessories.