Author Archives: Azazel

Azazel’s Monster March 2021 Round-Up #Monstermarch5

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So here finally is my final Round-Up post for Swordmaster’s Monster March painting challenge. Once again I’d like to thank Swordmaster for running this challenge, as it always provides good motivation to get some of my larger models completed, even if I did my usual thing and got distracted from my original target models – in this case, a set of 6 yetis that are still WIP (the same happened to me in Fembruary!) Though at least the Yetis got started, and I’m sure they’ll be finished in the next couple of months.

The stuff I did manage to complete is a bit of a mix of models with very different motivations behind getting them completed. That I had been stuck on for some time (Rocket and Groot), something that had sat around primed for months and only got started while showing a technique (Shadow Dragon), something else that had sat around primed for months and suddenly looked like an “easy win” (Muiral the Misshapen), a couple of models I’d wanted to paint for awhile and just needed the motivation to kick me up the arse (Varghulf and Thrasher Snail) and something I’d wanted to buy and knew I could use this challenge – and fast Amazon shipping – to order and smash out within a couple of days (Shambling Mound). Funny(?) that the models I really failed on were the ones I’d initially intended to paint for the challenge(!)

I did have a hand in guiding Marouda through her three models for the challenges and helping her with some of the finer details, so I guess I can just blame her for not getting those other models done. Or maybe Maneater on XBox. 😀

Once again, a big thank-you to Swordmaster for running the challenge again this year, and I look forward to the next one! 😀

Marvel Crisis Protocol: Rocket and Groot #Monstermarch5

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Marvel Crisis Protocol: Rocket and Groot

And today we have my final models for Swordmaster’s Monster March painting challenge, though there remain a few more to come for Ann’s “Neglected But Not Forgotten” challenges (2 more posts, to be precise). Also, one more Monster March model from Marouda to (hopefully) be posted up tomorrow.

Marvel Crisis Protocol: Groot

I. AM. GROOT.

“But Azazel!” you theoretically argue. “Rocket and Groot aren’t monsters! They’re heroes, and Rocket is sooo cuuuute! And Groot is soooo adorable!” Well, sure. I’m not going to argue the latter of those points. They are both heroes, of course, but in wargame terms, just take a look at the pair of them. Even if you really want to disqualfy the triangle-faced monkey because it’s small, the other one is basically a Treeman/Ent/Huorn/etc, and we know that those qualify for this sort of thing!

Marvel Crisis Protocol: Groot

Anyway, the painting of these two took months. Even though one is a small figure and the other one is theoretically very simple (what with the wood and all) the assembly on Rocket was pretty crappy, as FFG/Atomic Mass use way too many parts for their models, but even when I was past that, I ended up agonising for ages on them. Groot was actually “finished” at one point, but I was still unhappy with him, so I brought him back inside and did some more until I was satisfied enough to call him done.

Marvel Crisis Protocol: Rocket and Groot

I did add a bunch of extra detail to their bases, mostly slate shards and some sand in order to really mess up the sidewalk where it’s been smashed in and smashed through by Groot’s extended arm (just look at what Rocket’s standing on up there!) The little debris on both of their bases just looked too clean, so I added the slate so we could have some more shattered concrete!

Marvel Crisis Protocol: Rocket Raccoon

It’s another case where the challenges literally were the things that got me motivated to finiosh this pair off. Especially the Monster March one, since I knew I could double-dip with Ann’s challenge for Groot. In the end, I still had to force myself to wade through Rocket, but he came out ok in the end.

Marvel Crisis Protocol: Rocket Raccoon

And yeah, I realise that starting my Crisis Protocol heroes and villains by sidestepping the core set models and going right for an expansion maybe isn’t the usual way to do it, but I was sucked in by the prospect of painting Groot quickly. And failed at that. I’ve got another two CP models on the desk that I’m honestly not looking forward to moving on with as well. I’d love to play the game, but painting these models is a real drag, unfortunately.

Marvel Crisis Protocol: Rocket Raccoon

I’ll get a Monster March round-up post together in the next couple of days, and then finish up my final other models from March, and then a Monthly round-up, so at this rate I’ll be finished with March posts in about a week. I should hopefully have something painted from April by then…