Spearhead - time for the Good Guys

 I admit to quite enjoying painting basic Stormcast.  They’re quite straightforward to paint to a decent standard.  GW Retributor Armour base, Gulliman Flesh over, then highlight and detail.  The hero types still suffer from a bit too much twiddly detail, but not too much. 

Still baffled at some of GW’s design choices though.  I get that this isn’t a multi pose model, but each shield is designed to only fit one specific Stormcast, despite them mostly being identical and otherwise all having the same fit and proportions.  Not a big issue, just seems unnecessarily complicated.

I can’t help thinking that if Warhammer Fantasy had stuck with the concept of the Gods of Law that was around in the early days (and early WFRP), these models might fit the role of ‘demons’ of Law.

More Spearhead. Big Ratty boize

Not exactly current affairs, but the third issue of Spearhead was three Rat Ogres.  Although I’ve done loads of ogres before, rodenty ones were a first.

Assembly wasn’t too bad by modern GW standards.  I ended up with a bit of a gap in one, but it was my fault rather than the kit, and not very obvious in the end.

They had a base coat of Colour Forge Dead Animal Bits (great colour, great name), and white drybrush, then I made wide use of contrast paints and washes.

That looks sore!

Spearhead 1

 It’s that time of year when GW publish a part work magazine, this time Age of Sigmar based.

I often pick up a few of these as it’s a cheap way to try painting something I wouldn’t usually buy.  This time I’m a bit more invested though - in September the (not so) Little Miniature will be off to secondary school, and she’s quite excited to find out they have a Warhammer Club.  However I suspect they’re not going to be playing Old World so it won’t hurt to have a few Age of Sigmar models around.

Issue one had some sort of Stormcast Dude and his pet, and a Skaven Grey Seer and Engineer, and I got them painted a couple of weeks back.

I wasn’t sure what I’d make of the Skaven.  Last ‘modern’ GW model I attempted was a tech priest, and I hated it - loads of fiddly, hard to paint details and bits that snapped off.  I was worried these would be similar but actually really enjoyed them and I’m very pleased with the result.

I started with a base of Colour Forge Desert Sand, the dry brushed with white, and made extensive use of contrast paints.

The Stormcast was lovely and quick and simple: gold armour, blue cloak, done.  The Griffon thing ended up a bit too dull looking, so I used different contrast paints to give some of the black feathers a sheen - inspired by magpies and starlings.  I think it worked relatively well.

I’m still unsure about aspects of the modern GW style though.  The move to 3D sculpting results in clothing having too many sharp folds for my taste, and I’m not keen on how many models end up with long swirly ends on cloaks or flaming whateveritis’s all over them.  I nearly trimmed the ends of the Grey Seer’s cloak off on principle.

Next up, my first ever rat ogres.

Gribbly Aliens

With the Bretonnian Damsel having broken my painting drought, I’ve got down to work.  First up, completing all the genestealers from my copy of Space Hulk (joining the terminators a did relatively recently), and the rest of the hormagaunts I’ve had for years.

A quick job for both using sprays, washes and contrast paints.

Oh, so many genestealers!  I couldn’t do a Tyranid army, it would be too painful a painting exercise!

And whoever designed the hormagaunts back in the day did not think about balancing them!

Just a Damsel….

… not a rational basis for a system of Government.

Old GW Bretonnian Damsel.  Another of those models that has been sitting around for paint for a long time.  Inspiration was my daughter asking if I had a model she could use as a sorceress in her D&D games.  Colours were her choices, and very fine they proved to be.

Great way to break my recent painting drought.

Colonel Schaeffer’s Last Chancers

In my previous post I mentioned I was spending some time completing unfinished projects.  This is another one.

Around two decades ago I picked up the set of Colonel Schaefer’s Last Chancers (probably from the Derby GW store on Sadler Gate).  I don’t even recall why, I knew nothing of their background (other than the obvious Dirt Dozen theme) - I think I just liked the models.  I painted a few at the time, but never finished them.  Now I thought it was time I got around to it.  

Colonel Schaeffer, Demolition Man, and Hero

Scope, Brains, and Ox

Rocket Girl, Fingers and Grease Monkey

Shiv, Warrior Woman and Animal

If you can, have fun guessing which ones were done recently, and which are now roughly twenty years old.