Monthly Archives: July 2016

Minotaurs Space Marines – V Squad

by

9

I’ve gone and (finally) completed the last four models for my first squad of Minotaurs Space Marines. Their designation is V squad since I needed a squad number that would fit in their teeny little sculpted tactical marks, and I have almost entirely 40k 2nd Edition decals – at least easily accessible. I plan to have I squad as blinged out, II squad as somewhat less blinged, but still a little bit fancy pants. III wouldn’t fit, and the old-school solution to IV and VI squads seems to be “make your own by combining the V and the I”.

AOBR Tactical Marine, Minotaurs Space Marines

Three more models from Assault on Black Reach (2008), and a Missile Launcher marine from the Second Edition Boxed set (1993).

2e Space Marine Missile Launcher, AOBR Tactical Marine, Minotaurs Space Marines

And yes. I’ve had that guy sitting around in various boxes ever since I bought the starter set right after release back in ’93.

Citadel Space Marine Veteran Captain Flamer Marine Missile Launcher, Rogue Trader 40k2e Oldhammer AOBR Tactical Marine, Minotaurs Space Marines

Looking at this squad, made of 2e and 5e models, it’s amazing how little that the Space Marines have changed since their “update” from the initial run of Rogue Trader “Oldhammer” Beakies to the current form in the early 1990s. A little more bulk, and a little more bling, but very much the same series of models. And I’ve finally got a bunch of these starter models painted! Now working on the next squad, – VI – using some recovered secondhand marines as the base models and some resin pads including a few miscast ones. Sure, FW replaced them, but it would be wasteful to not use them anyway in some form, right?

Undead Army Showcase – July 2016

by

13

Undead Army

This is my second “State of the Army” post, this time showing off all of the completed elements of my (Marouda’s) Undead Army at present. Like the Gondor army, I’ve been working on it on and off over the last two or so years, with a recent push during the last 6 months and the painting challenge. I’ve kept Undead on as one of my main options for the second half of 2016, though I’ve opened up my options quite a bit as painting mostly Gondor and Undead got very old by the end. The Undead aren’t so bad though, as there’s actually quite a lot of variety in there, especially when you combine “Vampire Counts”, “Tomb Kings” and even the spectral elements of Lord of the Rings in general and Mordor specifically.

Undead Army

These photographs were taken during the same session as the Gondor Army and 6-month showcase photos, so there has been a little more movement on these undead since then, specifically the unit base I put together for the trio of Nazgûl. I held off publishing (and writing) this post until now as I could see three sets of army showcase posts in a row getting a little tedious. Besides, I wanted to share my Spehss Mahreens.

Undead Army

The Barrow-Wights in the front row need to have a new unit base built for them as Mantic first Squatted them in KoWII before a protest from players (and with myself as one of the first, if not the first in the departed Beta forums) caused them to be reinstated, though now they’re “Large Infantry” with 40mm bases. I’m not going to rebase my LotR SBG figures, so I’ll be making a – hopefully slightly interesting and imposing – multibase for them. My first failed attempt already sits abandoned on my painting desk. 😛

Undead Army

There are a few variables in here. The various Mordor and Army of the Dead/Oathbreaker models will (theoretically) be split off one day to one or two LotR-themed armies of their own, the two units of skeletons with Greek shields and the odd bit of linothorax armour will go into the Mythical Greek army, along with the pair of Brass/Bronze Bulls, units of Spartans, Talos, and more besides. Tomb Kings stuff, of which there is little to none right now will become it’s own force; and I’ve got a tub filled with Confrontation prepaint Wolfen, a miniscule 12 of whom are pictured here. Though there’s enough of those to happily stay in the Undead while also making up a Lycan-themed “The Herd” army of their own. Until those things begin to happen, though – they’re all combined to form a mighty undead army, led by Neferata (version 1).

Undead Army

There’s another couple of dozen troops (skeletons and zombies) on the paint desk right now, as well as a couple of more centrepiece-type models on the go. I’ll likely keep knocking out a few more undead units as I paint a variety of other things in the time between now and the New Year.

Neferata and Bastet

Marouda took a few photographs as well, managing to take a much better photograph of Neferata than I did when I posted her here – certainly in terms of her facial details not being nearly as washed out as in my own photos. I’m still learning my way around the new camera, but hopefully getting better!

Undead Army

There are a few not-quite-finished models in this photo. 6 Nazgûl (including a few named) and The Witch King. The Confrontation Wolfen also don’t have any paint on them aside from the retail pre-paint. You can also see some more candidates for scenic multibases besides the Wights. Hopefully between some of that and the centrepiece models I need to complete, I’ll be able to show this force off again at the end of the year in a more impressive light.