37th/41st Rat Trappers

[Ragsta]

The drybrush looks excellent, I am very pleased for you mate :)

That Valk is coming along nicely, I think it would be awesome to go on your mantle piece, let alone your desk! Covered in bullet proof glass and with your rats selloptaped to it for added protection.

The latest Strakken looks cool! Very dynamic! Afraid my knowledge of all those backpacks isn't too hot but a HW one would look badass. Do you have any SM Scout backpacks leftover from the ones you recently worked on? (Haven't forgotten y'know ;) ) They might look good on him too.

[Explodingboy]

Well Jihad, consider yourself enlightened.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20159-1.jpg

1- Forge World Cadian accessory kit.
2- Kasarkin power plant
3- Cadian HW backpacks
and on the end the 2 vox options (I prefer the Catachan option by far)

And to help make deciding easier, or voting in your cases, a few test pics.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20162.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20164.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20165.jpg

Also noticed this one in my pile of bitz, remove the medic logo and I think it might work.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20166.jpg

My personal preferanc at the moment is Medic and Kasarkin backpacks (kas, because it means I can just run a power lead to his gun for the ammo clip.)

Explodigboy.

[Ragsta]

Yeah, I was leaning towards the Kask one myself, somehow an officer lugging shovels and loads of gear around seems odd... When he could just get some poor grunt to do it instead ;)

[-=Lazuli=-]

I like the first one!

[jstalker]

Your straken is looking pretty sweet,
I would love to see how you'd pull off a conversion on the new metal one!

[Explodingboy]

Right, not soo much to report on tonight, but as I'm thinking of things to do, I felt I might as well drop a post in here.

Strakken is pretty much to the stage where all parts and pose have been decided, and most of the gluing has been done, (keeping the backpack and base seperate until after the Green stuffing is done.) I'm thinking of keeping his shoulder pads full sized with minimal damage so I can have abit of free hand fun. Something abit more personal heraldry style.

Vertical split green and red, with skull overlaid (possibly reversing the colours as it crosses the center point, and also a small checkered rim design. Since this is supposed to be the commander, and I'm supposed to be practicing my free hand with this project.

Along with general fiddling I also spent alittle bit of time with the Valk, and have begun painting the sides of the canopy so they'll be ready to assemble in the near future.

As a side note, my parents are moving house in a short amount of time, and They unearthed some of my preciouses, that I had left/lost/misplaced. Last Summer I was at home and spent an entire weekend trying to find a number of models that I was sure I had kept, Tanith infantry, Ork snipers, Dwarf Rangers, basically allot of my best conversion pieces, had no luck at all, but it appears they ended up in a box of Christmas stuff and if they're kind enough to post them should be with me again in the near future (otherwise, They'll keep them safe for me to collect in August.)

Thats about all my jabbering done for tonight.. 10 past 11 an all, probably need to call it a night before the lady beats me again for keeping her up, night all, thanks for all your comments of late really helps me stay focused.

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

Right no pictures at this minute, as there isn't really much progress to show right at the moment, abit of work done on the Valk and then I was going through all my previous models to decide what was being kept and what was being completely overhauled. As a result I now have a 800pt list as a goal to work towards, and due to recycling the earlier veterans, shouldn't take too long to achieve.

So with no further ado, I might as well share what I plan to have achieved.

Command HQ
-Strakken
-Vox, Medic, Regimental standard

Veterans
-Bastonne
-melta,melta, ML, vox

Veterans
-Demo
-Plasma,Plasma, HB, vox

Veterans
-Demo
-Flamer, Flamer, HB, vox

-Valk, HB

-Marbo

Essentially, its a fake platoon. With Close Air support. I might do a WIP group shot, Just to prove that I have it all bar the 4man command squad and a couple of special weapon troops. Allot of the work will be re basing, and touching up the colour scheme of the original 37th so that they have all the highlighting and camo that the display group have.

Currently I'm just working on finishing something tangible, while not letting my mind get too far ahead, (I have a few thoughts towards a second platoon, Chenkov using the Empire knights as a base, 2 squads using Empire handgunners, and 30 of my militia figs as Conscripts, but I'm focusing on the 37th first, due to having all the parts available.)

I did, sell my old PS2 today so some time tomorrow I may pop into the shops to get the Catachan command squad as I want their regimental banner and some extra special bits and bobs for Strakkens command unit.

Otherwise, I'll be back tomorrow with something more impresive update wise, or at least a couple of pics minimum.

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

Righto all,

Incoming triple and possibly, quad post due to pic limit. Before you get too excited, It's a craft knife only update, haven't had much time to paint as of yet, mainly reorganizing as mentioned earlier and as also hinted at, I did acquire the Catachan command squad see next post for those fun photos though.

I'm going to attempt the colour coordinated list of things to do post now so wish me luck.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20182.jpg

HQ - 1 standard Vet required.

Troop 1 - assembled, need rebasing and paint.

Troop 2 - require 1 plasma gunner, rebasing and paint

Troop 3 - require Demo trooper and Melta gunner, rebasing and painting.

Elite - Finished.

Valk - Needs crew and highlighting + base details.


And for a couple of detailed shots of the new stuff, Firstly a picture of Strakkens command Squad

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20172.jpg

And the conversion closeups.

Standard bearer, hacked body from legs, replaced Catachan torso with cadian, not as pictured added shoulder pad with skull from the Valk kit
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20173.jpg

And the medic, cut the bandage holding arms back to the elbow, and removed the syringe arms just past the elbow, will sculpt rolled sleeves later this week.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20174.jpg

And because I couldn't fit it into the earlier group picture, the proof that the Valk isn't entirely being neglected.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20183.jpg

As a heads up, I'm not painting any more tonight because I just got back from seeing a mate at the pub and it's taking me more than normal effort to keep this post looking legible after 8 pints that I'm not sure I'll appreciate any achievments with a paintbrush by the morning.

Peace out dudes.

Explodingboy.

[Ragsta]

Everything looks encouragingly close to completion, plus I think that Command Squad will look badass with all the subtle conversions!

Hope the head isn't too sore today, mate haha! I will update my log with pinkness very soon seeing as you were so kind as to post on it. Think I may have sorted some work out for myself tho, so could take a while to update!

[confused but smiling]

Your army looks great - i cant wait to see what you do with the other parts from the catachan and cadian command sets. the command squad looks awesome as do your veterans. keep it up, i'll keep my eye on here :D

[Mr Kibbles]

The Valk is looking good, as is the Command Sqaud.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Wow, the Valkarie is amazing. The Command Squad is looking good.

[Explodingboy]

Thanks all once again for the kind words of support and so on.

It's 11:34pm so no photos I'm afraid as A, I'm sitting in Bed and B, there's no sunlight and the room lights are awful (ie non existent, seriously there are only 2 ceiling lights in this entire 4 room apartment) Instead I can offer you words of my progress to keep you all entertained until what I hope to be a mega update tomorrow picture and progress wise.

All models have now been assembled, scavenged etc, 36 models 1 vehicle for 800pts, On the to do list for the morning is;

1- Add battle scratches and pouches/kit to every bare spot, no single trooper is to look the same, and there all to be armed to the teeth.

2- Attempt my very first casting session, thats right folks I'm going to stop putting it off at long last tomorrow as I begin mass producing bases.

3- Crack out the greenstuff, I've been promising it for a while and now with all models assembled there is no longer anything left to wait.

4- Make more bases depending on the success of the casting (ie; more bases from scratch or another batch to cast from for more variety.

So like I said, busy busy tomorrow and this weekend

Explodingboy

ps: Jihad, I felt fine in the morning I think it was at least 8 pints but I really wasn't counting, but plenty of Orange juice high pulp cures all.

[Explodingboy]

Right ..

err,, possibly not the best start to a day.. pictures will follow but not just yet.. I will tell you how disastrous it all went though.

Mixed the silicone without too much trouble.. might not have used quite enough catalyst, so one point to remember there for next time. but then it all sort of went a bit tits up.

The mold leaked..

a lot..

and hasn't stopped yet either it's down almost an entire lego brick to the extent that the base I'm supposed to making the mold of is starting show.

So out of 3, 1 leaked, 1 wasn't quite enough silicone to start with and the third.. is currently looking to be the success.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20184.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20185.jpg

Explodingboy

[Ragsta]

I'd request an Inquisition Killteam if I were you. That ooze looks disturbing.

[Explodingboy]

Righto, its time to present the fruits of my labour, and no its not a look at my fiances belly pic.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20190.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20193.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20188.jpg

After the disastrous initial sessions, once everything finished setting (around 4hrs hence why I think I got my mixture a little off.) The molds separated from the originals without too much effort ( 2 of the 3 are very shallow to the point of seeing daylight through parts ) The resin mixing and pouring seemed like a walk in the park, I really like 1:1 ratios, that's my level of mathematical ability right there.

Set in seconds, did not expect all the heat ( makes sense chemical reaction wise, but I don't think I've seen it mentioned in any resin casting guide, also it has a rather unpleasant smell)

Theres abit of an issue with bubbles and generally poor finish on what should be the flat edges, so if anyone who happens to do allot of casting might be watching this thread and has some suggestions, I'm more than welcome to hear them.

Explodingboy, (will probably work on preparing a second batch of bases to cast for the rest of tonight)

[tcraigen]

I find that if I do my casting on an old table or a plank of wood that if I bang the base a couple of time quickly and vibrate the bubbles to the surface that also pulls the resin into those deep little trouble spots, some people even go as far as an electronic back massager to do the vibrating. I find the best way to mix proper batches is giant seringes from chem labs. You can get decent ones from medical supplies shops.

[Explodingboy]

If your possibly still around Tcraigen, Is it worth trying to push down ontop of the resin with something flat to try and force them to fill out better around the very top of the mold and keep a more level finish around the edge?

I found the resin itself started to harden and set the very second I poured it into the mold, is that normal or a result of me perhaps stirring it for too long?

[Magos Errant]

Excellent job on all of your minis, and bases, Explodingboy! Flora and Fern look really cute, too. :D

[Uriain]

Hey just wanted to say that your guys are looking really good, really enjoying the gritty level that you are putting out, very outstanding.. Definitely subbed

[Explodingboy]

One more I'm just going to bed post, so no pictures included but reasonably achievable promises for an update early tomorrow.

I made a second attempt to construct more molds, 2 this time, 1 hopefully a success, 1 fail.
The fail was for another 60mm HW base, Nothing horrible like it leaking everywhere instead it was just an error in measuring leaving me with not quite enough to get a good covering, so its very, very thin and will probably fall apart on the first cast if not before.

The hopeful success was a second batch of 4, 20mm bases, Good coverage, no leaks, But the bases shifted while I was pouring (partly because I had been abit lazy) so until I crack it out and flip, I won't be able to tell how viable it will be. Somewhat tacky still at the moment so I'm going to leave it until morning.

For tomorrow though, 4th of July and being in America, I'll be taking the lady out to the events down town so she can get her bit of journalistic thing done then at some point where supposed to be going to a BBQ with her parents : (, But I intent to do at least 1 casting of at least 8 20mm bases first thing (experiment with some weight and pressure to try and flatten them out a little better, Also found my sand paper so I'm going to clean up the first attempts a little more too.) Then if I get time later in the day I'll probably cast a few more and maybe play around making some more master pieces that I could cast (found some Nid skulls that I want to put onto some bases amongst other rubble ideas.)

Explodingboy. night all.

[Explodingboy]

VICTORY!

Made a few changes to my process and it's resulted in allot less bubbles around the top of the base. Still not perfect but I'm getting a good idea on where I'm going wrong. ie: not being so heavy with the grease made a vast improvement.

The mold that I started before bed, turned out to be the best one yet, unlike the first 3 this one turned out allot less floppy, so I'd assume that means I did better with the catalyst measurements. Even after everything shifted on the first pour, nothing was totally lost luckily as I managed to pull them back into place with my modeling knife before I finished totally covering it all.

I'm really impressed with how quickly the resin works, And here come the pictures, Currently the plan is to make at least 1 more mold of 4 bases to add that bit more variety some tiled not raised variety, plus some bones.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20196.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20197.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20198.jpg

Sorry about the pics, just noticed they don't really show much.. I'll give the bases a wash of watered down black in abit and come back later with clearer shots.

Explodingboy

[-=Lazuli=-]

Look cool Explodingboy, send me some? :)

[Explodingboy]

PM me if your serious, I'm sure I could sort out a few for you.

edit: 8 more bases have just gone into the latex for molding, expect to see more pretty pictures later tonight.

(that means I'll be able to cast 17 20mm bases at once, so the entire army will be based in two casting sessions.)

[Ragsta]

I am somewhat confused here. Your bases are 20mm, I thought all figs were on 25 mil bases for infantry? Am I being really thick? Sorry bud, really tired too.

They look dang good tho, your force is really going to have that personalised touch with these new bases!

Mebbe you can make a little cash from it too.... ;) If you're truly selfless you could just cover the costs of course.

[Explodingboy]

.. Touch'e,

I suppose they would in fact be 25mm, I always get my numbers muddled up, As there all built up on top of the standard base they are certainly the same size as the originals.. just higher up and prettier.

I'm certainly open to the idea of selling them, if people want them, or trade is an option too since.. I'm always in need of parts.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20199.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20200.jpg

Here is the current selection to cast from, not the best wash, as I apparently didn't get all the grease off them as well as I'd hoped too. The 8 that are currently being molded are personally more exciting so stay tuned for that update later tonight.

At some point I'm going to make some nicer HW bases as I have allot of HW teams to work on in the near future (13 at least in the metal Guard army.) the current mold is somewhat fragile and thin plus its abit bare of detail.

Explodingboy

[-=Lazuli=-]

Look nice. Might want some depending on what army I get next. But seriously, they are amzing. :)

Cheers,

-=Lazuli=-

[Explodingboy]

Right, Sunday morning.. afternoon.. didn't realize it was that late.. hmm..

Back on track though, the last casting session has been completed leaving me with a total of 5 use able molds making 17 bases a run. Plus 1 semi usable HW base mold.

The last few bases didn't turn out as hoped, still good just not as good as I intended, I bought some mesh to make grating but it apparently is resistant to Superglue so it was a hassle to make the masters and then allot of them deteriorated badly while being molded, the results are still useable, just the mesh parts of them didn't really work out as planned.

I'm currently soaking them in hot soapy water and should have 1 of every version painted for my next update later today.

Explodinboy

[Xepher]

You're making bases?! :eek: wow! they look really good! :)




http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20188.jpg



Although this one is making me hungry..looks like a bit of white chocolate :p is that resin then?

[tcraigen]

Sorry I was unable to respond right away, seems like youve been hard at work. First off if the resin seems to be hardening right as your pouring it in you may be stiring to long. What I do is stir like a mad man, suck it into a siringe, and force inject it into my molds. I find you can make sure it gets in deeper, and you dont have to worry about contaminating your mix by poking it or anything. But if you do it this way pull apart the plunger and the vile part right away otherwise you cant ever use it again. You can find slower curing resin if its going to fast for you but I like about a 10-20 min one that way you can get it going faster. I recomend 2 people though one to do the stiring and mixing the other to be filling the molds.
I think if you want mesh to stay down you may have to use something like white glue painted over top of it on its surface. If you coat it a couple times I bet it would prevent it from pulling up in the mold, and wont lose all that much detail.
I hope some of that helps.
also dont forget to wash the heck out of the resin otherwise its really hard to get paint to stick to it.

[Mr Kibbles]

Wasd the casting hard to do Explodingboy?

[Explodingboy]

Thanks for another informative reply Tcraigen, With the bases, I'm finding it pretty effective simply to pour straight into the molds, the only issue I'm still dealing with is trying to get the flat bottom without having to sand it all down.

Kibbles: I'd say it actually hasn't been too hard, It takes a few attempts to work out what the ratios should look like and certainly getting the right amount to effectively cover what your making takes a number of attempts to get the hang of.

I'm sure your all awaiting pictures, unfortunately I didn't quite finish my painting last night (Just got to tidy up the tiles and add rust so expect an update around lunchtime with the pictures, I think currently I have enough bases to sort at most of the 800pts, all if I use the master copies too.

Explodingboy

[Explodingboy]

Right pictures, enjoy

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20201.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20202.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20203.jpg

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Look really good! How many bases of each size you got? *Thinks about what to trade Explodingboy for the bases, working on PM*

[Explodingboy]

Currently I have the 17 Infantry bases, and I'll simply be casting on demand, I have a single mold for a HW base, and I'm thinking about making some 40s soon for a Terminator unit I have kicking about somewhere, that I might do something with.

I'm starting to run low on latex though, so I may just be casting from the current molds I have for a while (got loads of Resin still)

[-=Lazuli=-]

Hmmm, bases for my Blood Angels or Krieg, what do you thinks?

[Explodingboy]

Well, currently It's mainly infantry bases at the moment, so it depends which army mainly has the smaller inf bases. (I'll work on some larger ones later but it will be a while still.)

[Mr Kibbles]

Nice work on those bases explodingboy. Very urban.

[tcraigen]

They look awesome, I like the mix of parts on each one, and the paint looks good. For the flat bottom you could find a non stick pan or plastic sheet and press it on the top ever so lightly and let it dry, or just scrape it quickly I guess. I do see the problem and only other thought I have is; cut a channel in the rubber to the side and seal a flat plate to the open end and stand the whole mold upright and fill the mold from the new channel.

[Explodingboy]

I'm liking both suggestions allot,

I think I'm going to try for the second one out later on today If I do any more casting. (I had a quirk attempt at pushing something flat down ontop but just ended up with these great big air pockets, altough maybe that could of been avoided if I covered it at a angle rather than straight down giving some room for air to get out.)

[Explodingboy]

Right for a change of pace, I've been doing some infantry rather than more bases (although I did admittedly do some basing which is sort of mid ground rather than a total change, but thats for this update)

I don't know if anyone here has been watching the general modeling thread, but I'm now signed up to complete 1000pts of IG in the 40K monthly challenge thread, so we should hopefully be seeing lots of progress again for a change as I aim to complete a squad a month at least, and if I get ahead of myself, I may treat myself with something shiny and new, but I'm starting to get off topic so I'll stop and retrace.

1000pts isn't too much but it requires yet another draft of the army list as currently I was only going for 800pts, Secondly I'm on a very restricted budget ie: nothing I don't already own where avoidable so rather than going airborne vet cavalry with 2 more valks, It's ground pounder time with grunts from the 41st to bulk out the list. Which in turn results in yet another dilemma, and as such today's project. For just over 200pts (Marbo has been taken out too) I'm adding in 1 platoon of 35 men, 4x vox, 2x HB, 1x Lascannon, 1x Powerfist.

The new army list changes a few of the earlier features, no lasgun for sargents and no shotgun for lieutenants being the primary causes of grief because anyone with knowledge of the 2nd edition metal Cadians will know, the lieutenant wields a shotgun and there is only 2 sarge models, one with knife and laspistol (i own 0 copies of) and the sargent from the squad set with boltpistol (I own 4 or 5) Since I don't pay points for bolt pistols and I didn't want every squad to have the same sargent (3 infantry squads in total) So I sat down with clippers and the Command squad plastics and here come the pictures of the results, pre green stuffing.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20204.jpg

most basic conversion, simply cutting out the bolt pistol and adding a Laspistol from the Catachan command set.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20206.jpg

Slightly harder, head and weapon, both parts are easy to recognize so I won't go into detail, I will say that I'm debating a change of head as it seems a little big, if I do it will come from the Catachan command set as all the heads in the set seem smaller than most plastics.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20205.jpg

My favorite one so far, Chainsaw from the normal Cadian plastics and the pointy arm from the command squad.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20207.jpg

Finally the lieutenant, The hardest to make with my limited tools but It came out nicely FW laspistol from the Cadian upgrade pack, although any would do, and the powerfist from the command squad, that fitted even better than I was expecting.

Will sit down later or tomorrow and start adding the green stuff to all the gaps.

Explodingboy.

[Ragsta]

Whoo hoooo infantry!!! I don't tend to look at the 40K painters' thread as it confuses me but maybe I should do so if it keeps your good self motivated bwahahaa!

Sergeant #2's head is a little big I agree, but if you bulk out his collar with green stuff it should be okay- he will merge with his squad anyway! Stupid codex changes, every Guard NCO in the galaxy must be SO happy to have a cruddy pistol instead of a rifle :S

I have a spare lascannon if you wanna do a trade mate, it would need to be stripped tho :)

[Mr Kibbles]

Nice Lieutenant explodingboy. The power fist is a nice touch.

[Explodingboy]

Stupid codex changes, every Guard NCO in the galaxy must be SO happy to have a cruddy pistol instead of a rifle :S

I have a spare lascannon if you wanna do a trade mate, it would need to be stripped tho :)

I think what annoys me most about the loss of the lasgun is the way it breaks up the amount of dice I can roll especially with such a nice new order as first rank fire. I've gone from 8 lasguns (up to 24shots) down to 6, only 18shots : (
since not only does the sarge lose his lasgun so to did the HW loader.

Is that the full lascannon with crew or just the gun and carriage?

[Mr Kibbles]

Yeah i hate it too man. So the loaders are now only armed with laspistols and CCWs aswell?

[Explodingboy]

no, they just have no equipment at all. Really the loader is just a wound counter now its a single model.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Like those guys and chance of Terminator Size bases?

[Explodingboy]

so-so, I'll be making them shortly (most likely at the weekend) but I'll can say fairly certainly that it will most likely only be 2 variants, Planning some raised tiles, cracked with pipes running underneath, sort of like earthquake exposed pipes.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Okay I think we can sort out something as my BA and Krieg could use better bases and one army I plan to get from you. I'll decide after I see the pictures. The ones so far look great.

[Explodingboy]

Well, first comes lunch then I'll make a start on a couple of terminator sized bases, given time to dry, I should have a mold ready by tomorrow morning.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Yay! And then there will be update too.

[Explodingboy]

40mm Terminator bases,

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20210.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20211.jpg

What do you all think? (pictures aren't the best but they're the same tile pattern plasticard as everything else.)

Explodingboy.

[jstalker]

Wow, I missed alot during my house move,
The casting of the bases looks amazing, very well done, I would be very tempted to rembase my entire krieg army on them !


And cool conversions on the old cadians, i miss mine :(

[Explodingboy]

Wow, I missed alot during my house move,
The casting of the bases looks amazing, very well done, I would be very tempted to rembase my entire krieg army on them !


And cool conversions on the old cadians, i miss mine :(


I'm pretty lucky that I don't have much to move (having moved apartments 3 times now, once a year roughly.) Generally can get it all done in 4 car trips.

I was actually surprised how much fun the casting turned out too be.. to the extent that I'm almost to the state of needing to order more supplies. Especially if a couple of deals im working on go ahead.

If you want to pay postage I could send you a few of the extra bases, see what you think of them in person and all.

I'm still not happy with the head swap (changed it recently and still not happy), I'm debating seeing if I can acquire some Mordians on the cheap.. free/trade if possible for some head swapping action instead.

[jstalker]

Yea I would be happy enough to pay postage although I havent got paypal so not sure how to do so >.<

I'd say go for it with the Mordians, they look nice enough to match up with the cadians easily enough

[Explodingboy]

Well, currently the third option, is that I work for scrap, so any interesting bitz, I'm happy to acquire in exchange (don't have the budget these days to buy whole kits for a single part, and the Bitz sites never seem to have stock of what I need.)

Otherwise, paypall does work well and isn't too hard to set up. Although as Ebay hates me, I rarely use my paypall anymore.. (trying to make multiple accounts in different countries for different banks confused it so much that it rejects my password half the time, or tries to signs me in to the wrong account the rest of the time.)\

Well, just passed midnight, and the latex has been poured.. slightly miscalculated how much I needed, but Ingenuity was on my side so all the molds will be usable.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20213.jpg

This one, is bitz, not so much because I'm trying to cheat GW out of money.. more that I needed something to test 2part mold making, and didn't want to have to wait until I'd sculpted something from scratch. (the two molds are for slight variations in technique to see which works better.)

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20217.jpg

And here is the brain wave, rather than having 1 thin layer that barely covers either base, one quick blocking off job and I'll have 1 decent mold of a single base (that is as long as the middle pieces don't shift, but it all held while pouring so fingers crossed it will look the same in the morning.)

[Ragsta]

How about some shell casings on the 40 mm bases? I feel that there are some broad spaces on those that could do with being broken up a little bit. Mind you, maybe a few extra wires and tubes would do the job just as well.

Glad you're enjoying the casting, I've PMed you back too. Oh yes, and Sergeant Pinko is coming along nicely, I actually really enjoyed giving him pink pants! Ran out of grey tho so the update will take a while...

Mordian heads on Cadians look very good by the way, trust me on this. I dunno if you really wanna start hacking those figures up just for the heads tho... There may well be guys on this forum who cast what you're after already.

[Mr Kibbles]

Ooooh, it'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

[Explodingboy]

Yeah the 40mm are a little bit barer, than some of my earlier creations. Allot of that is due to not having any terminators to hand to look at the spacing required for their big flat feet.

Good to hear sergeant pinko is finally under way. I look forward to seeing him appear in your log.

Regarding the Mordians, currently rather than removing the heads of 3 I would certainly be in favor of a quick cast of one, and I recently found that not only does one of the guys in my math class play, he actually collects Mordians, so I think I might have to ask him Monday if he has any spares or scrap ones lying around.

Kibbles, certainly will be interesting.. although thinking about it I probably should have cast the other 40mm base first because it has the strangest shape by far and the best chance that something will creep under a part while molding and get permanently stuck.

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Yay, Termie bases, they look nice.

[Explodingboy]

Right, flipped all the two part molds cleaned, created some marker holes, and then cast the second side (fingers crossed for success.) The attempted to cast the second Terminator base.. and thats about where my morning all went downhill.

First pour ran out too soon without covering everything, so I ran to mix a second batch and pour.. and it looks like in my hurry I may have ballsed up the mix ratio.. not feeling optimistic at the stage for the results.

Also, upon inspection of last nights work.. wasn't too happy with the result as the mold came out abit softer than I had hoped for, and I'm starting to run low on the latex so It's not the best time to be repeating all the current molds.

Explodinboy.

[Explodingboy]

Right all evening update.

Didn't get much more done with the molds.. due to the ballsing up of the ratios, I have a feeling a couple of the molds will never work very well. The detail of the faces came out fine but the molds are abit too squishy too do much with (will attempt it, but later when I get hold of some syringes. tomorrows job.)

The really really good news for today is, I Got my deposit back from my last apartment! ie: I know have money to order more latex and buy some proper scales \o/

So hopefully, not so many bad mixes from now on Currently working from measuring cups which I can say for certain.. is a really really inaccurate way to measure anything that is even remotely sticky.

As I haven't been casting, I decided to pick up the ol paint brush instead and hobby knife for a change, and this is why I'll never be as cool as Lazuli. 5hrs later and one poor picture;

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20218.jpg

Thats right folks, all I managed to get done was rebasing a couple of models, attaching extra pouches and a half arsed base coat too 2 miniatures. I'm pretty much a champion procrastinator.
Although I did like that this picture does a good job of showing off the resin bases, alongside 3 hand made ones, and the resin still looks really good.

Explodinboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Lol Exploding Boy. Nice guardsmen! Bases looking good.

[Explodingboy]

Right, Just got back from the shops and the pharmacy.

It has been a so-so successful morning.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20220.jpg

Paper cups, scales, and syringes. 2 parts successful, 1 part semi fail. That being that 9ml syringes where the biggest I could get.. not really useful for anything but the tinniest of molds.

Still, with the deposit money banked, tonight I'll be ordering another batch of latex, and then I'll worry about needing bigger needles. (also, tune in later to see the results of some resin casting.)

Lazuli, the second mold went seriously tits up, so the Terminator bases will be being re-molded tonight, and will be cast sometime sunday at a guess.

Right, I've got a dinner party to tidy up the house for tonight but never fear I'll make time to update with resin casting/success or failiure before midnight.

Explodinboy.

[Magos Errant]

Excellent job on the Guardsmen, Explodingboy! The bases look really well on the minis.

[Explodingboy]

Some more casting news.

I sort of messed it up by accident.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20225.jpg

This one actually did work despite what the picture might show. The gun is useable and the face was perfect.. right up until I tried to remove it and discovered it was still soft. Hence the lack of face. >_<

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20224.jpg

This was one of the bad mold, but as you can see,

BUT IGNORE EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN SAYING BECAUSE O_O

The Genestealer skull in the center is absolutely perfect. no bubbles, no deformities. expect too lots of pictures off it in a short while once I get the camera set up to take a decent image.

The mold was awful, the casting was messy but Eureka, I have made a two part mold success piece!

Explodingboy.

[Magos Errant]

Nice bitz, Explodingboy! Are those GW pieces, cast by any chance?

[Explodingboy]

yeah, I was just some parts to attempt a 2 part mold with, nothing that I'm actually going to be using at all.

[-=Lazuli=-]

"nothing that I'm actually going to be using at all. "

lol. Once you paint them, nobody will know.

[Explodingboy]

lol. Once you paint them, nobody will know.


It's also, Cadian heads.. I have boxes full of spare heads already.

[Mr Kibbles]

What parts did you use for the blond sergeant?

[Explodingboy]

If your asking about the one holding helmet and lasgun in the back row,

it's not actually that exotic. the lasgun arm is a FW cadian upgrade piece everything else is plastic cadian. Legs are the tank commander, head was the bare head from the plastic set with the mic scrapped off and green stuff hair. the armour plate which is highly popular in the first few pages of this thread was simply a normal chest piece with plasticard and green stuff used to make the Vshape on the front. (I'm actually tempted to recreate that part and cast it up if people think they might be interested, drop us a Pm.)

[Mr Kibbles]

It does look cool.

[Explodingboy]

It does look cool.

Originally I was debating making them for everyone, then I decided to keep it to Sargent, and then the entire army changed so it never really got far at all.

I do have a new side project I'm playing around with that chances are will appear here later tonight in picture, as I've been sitting around watching Underworld 3 while at long last doing some green stuff work.

[Explodingboy]

Right, I'm taking the advice from all the sculpting logs around at the moment, and not trying to do everything in a single go. So the pictures here are not necessarily finished items bar 1 and I'll highlight him in a following post.

First up though, ,, on a fairly unrelated post. Better pictures of today's best bits of casting.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20238.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20237.jpg

one very nice Stealer skull, and the first cast of the terminator sized base.

And now the Green stuff, first of all the boring work aka, adding sleeves to Strakken and the Doc.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20231.jpg

And then the super exciting, I've been watching Doctor Who too much Scarf for Bastonne, I will admit that I did make it smaller than the Doctors as it looked odd reaching down to his knees.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20232.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20233.jpg

Once it's dry I'll be adding another layer to most of the scarf onto which the detail and crinkles and such will appear, this is just the first layer to get the shape and coverage done.

and due to the pic limit more too follow bellow.

[Explodingboy]

This is my latest side project and I need some suggestions.

I wanted something with a little more conversion work and originality so I present my first Traitorous Guardsman, Now I just have to decide if I'm using the IG rules or the Bug rules.
In the first he would be a shotgun armed Vet, in the latter a gaunt (and in a unit of 20ish without number, infected conscript esq.) Currently I'm leaning towards the Genestealer/bug cult just because I've got some fun ideas for Hormagaunts and other such critters.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20234.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20235.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/37th/SSL20236.jpg

This guy is all finished and I hope to get a lick of paint on his tomorrow if I have the time. I'm thinking something nice and gaudy with blues or purple...

Explodingboy.

[Mr Kibbles]

Wow, those Bug-guys look awesome. Very good conversion work sir. The casting looks great too.

[spetswalshe]

Yeah, looks very nice, I like the adrenal gland-turned-ammo hopper/power supply.

I've been wondering, what did you use to do the head swap on the Kasrkin sarge? Was it a saw, knife or clippers? Every time I try something like that the removed head is left unusable.

[Explodingboy]

Spetswalshe; The Kasarkin sarge was almost exactly the process you described, clippers first then smooth down with the knife. The head that was removed is unusable but I wasn't attempting to keep it.

It can be done in such a way that you still have a usable head with the above tools.. its not easy but can be done. Use the clippers as far down the neck as possible, work slowly around the head rather than 1 single clip to reduce the amount of damage. If you get it right you should have minimal distortion around the jaw area and the easiest option is simply to raise the collar of what ever model you mount it too.
Alternatively, get a decent modeling saw, so you can get a nice straight cut, under the chin.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Woah, the bug guys look really cool. I like the genestealer skull that you cast, is it from the genestealer frame of the chaos frame? I like the Kaskrikan (sp) guy too.

[Explodingboy]

It's from the genestealer sprue.

Right had an early start this morning, hacking and slashing and now I need some recomendations on how to continue.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20240.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20241.jpg

2nd Gaunt, Still need to add the last bit of tube from the sack to arm.

but this is important one and I'm hoping for lots of opinions.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20242.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20243.jpg

The first Biovore WIP. So far I'm planning to green stuff a new neck joint in, add a Carapace plate to the top of the weapon.. around the middle area and sculpt connecting tissue to help it look more ingrown. And finally green stuff the belly with a connecting tube to the bottom of the mortar.

So the Question I put before you all in two fold.

1) what should I do for arms, I'm thinking twisted back unnarturally and growing into the mortar.
2) floating heads as spore mines. = basic ripper tails with human heads + greenstuff. any objections or does it sound awesome?

Finally, colour scheme, at the moment im thinking Leprous brown fatigues, with Redish armor plates. and very very pale skin, suggestions?

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

Right, I've stopped with the knife for the morning and started working on the test models paint job.

The Biovore mortar man is a bit more assembled now to the point where he just needs copious amounts of sculpting to finish. Later on I'll make a test mine and possibly another gaunt or two.

But this is my real problem at the moment. Synapse creatures..

I'm totally stumped on what to make as Warrior count as figures. I'd really appreciate suggestions for this one as I really would like warriors in the force.

Zoanthropes, I'm thinking some sort of floating psyker/priest Cult magos essentially.

I have a horrible idea for a Hive Tyrant in that big bug with FW loader Sentinels for Tyrant guard, expensive impractical but in hazard yellow would be a really poor Aliens joke.

By the way, I'm going to need parts.. so anybody with spare Adrenal glands/ devourer weapon and warrior/carnifew barbed strangler ammo arm that is up for a trade, drop us a Pm.

[Explodingboy]

Well it's the triple again today.

PIP still but to give the generally overview of the colour scheme here is the test gaunt.
(and apparently I was wrong about my paint scheme, its Bubonic brown not leprous.)

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20244.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20245.jpg

I'm thinking bone, for the weapon itself + horns, then green for all the tubes and tendrils. Eye's are going to be going yellow or green in the end, and with the gland on his back, I wanted it too look brainish, inspired by the Creature feature, Lost bug fleet, article that used to be on GW site.

Explodingboy.

[Mr Kibbles]

I like his grey skin. Very dead-looking. The fatigues look graet too.

[Ragsta]

That 40mm base came out really well, nice!

Bastonne looks super awesome with that scarf, man! Make sure the colours are the same as the original ;)

I like the idea of the biovore's arms growing into the mortar yeah. Your greenstuff skills seem to be improving rapidly so get in there and do it. The sporemine heads will look cool too, trying to use up your heads eh?

For Warriors you could try and cannibalize Space Marines to represent the tougher stats and CC abilities. Slap some chitin plates and graft talons/scythes onto the arms, boost the height/ size with different legs or tentacles?

[Mr Kibbles]

Umm, guys if its any consolation I've added updates to my own log.

[Explodingboy]

Hmm.. marine has potential, although I'd prefer to keep with the guard and cult theme.

I was considering some sort of super stealer as an option..

Oh, sorry Kibbles, I was about to comment on your log and then started watching a film and forgot what I was up too..

[Mr Kibbles]

Thats ok Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Ok, let's see. For the warriors, use sentinels. I think they would work. You requested my green: Snot Green, Goblin Green, Scorpian Green, Asurmen Blue Wash (I didn't have thraka green, so I used blue, it works). Oh, bits picture:

PM about to be replied.

[Explodingboy]

Right, I have class today, and The Lady of the house is demanding attention, so I might be taking her out for a picnic or something depending on the weather which will seriously hamper my modeling time.

The plan for today is to work more on the green stuff part of my projects, so 2 guants, 1 Biovore, Strakken, and Bastonne. Ideally Bastonne and Strakken should be finished tonight the biovore my take a couple of layers so a couple of days there.

The bitz look good Lazuli, consider it a done deal.

[Bane_sword]

Oooooohhhh, those are some really nice models! The guy with the mortar on his back will be interesting when he will be done. You use drybrush a lot don't you? Or at least there is some drybrush effect on the models. I would recommend you to watch this except to skip the washing ****, just do the drybrush:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWxn_btDDFM . I know i have posted a link to this same tutorial, but it just is too awesome to not post a link to it :D. Hope that helps, Bane sword.

EDIT: you might not be drybrushing but the effect still looks a bit like that.

[tcraigen]

Bubbles in skulls can be a good thing actually, it makes it look like broken skull. and if its in the back it can give it the brain cavity look. Im not saying it should have bubbles but with it, itll look fine. Side note that was one of the first things I cast too.

[Explodingboy]

The dry brushing really depends on how lazy I feel while painting, that and how many I need to paint horde generally equals dry brushed for me.

I'll take a look at the video later on when I've got some time.


Bubbles in skulls can be a good thing actually, it makes it look like broken skull. and if its in the back it can give it the brain cavity look. Im not saying it should have bubbles but with it, itll look fine. Side note that was one of the first things I cast too.

The skull is bubble free, the visable holes are the bullet holes and cracks in the original.

The problematic bubbles where the cadians with 2 out of 3 having no nose? but currently I'm not to worried as the mold was poor quality that I believe that contributed to it too some degree.

And the biovore is starting to take shape.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20248.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20249.jpg

As you can see the gun is melding into the back of the poor guardsman, Once this layer has hardened I'll be adding more between the neck and weapon to bulk the gap.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20250.jpg

And again, once this layer is hardened, more green stuff will go in full length of the wire, and I'll add a few tendrils esq bits coming straight down from the arm stumpt, plus adding the tattered sleeve and such over the top.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20251.jpg

I'm tempted to call the new neck finished, and the second arm will be connecting into the bag once that has been fully green stuffed into his belly.

Explodingboy.

[Magos Errant]

Seriously, excellent job, Explodingboy! The Biovore is really cool.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Hehe the Boivore looks cool, be sure to mount him on the correct base! You are going to use actuall spore mines? Your GS is beast. You don't want to see mine :)

[Explodingboy]

Hehe the Boivore looks cool, be sure to mount him on the correct base! You are going to use actuall spore mines? Your GS is beast. You don't want to see mine :)

You must of missed a post in regards to future conversions.

Firstly, I will be mounting him to the correct base, I stuck him to that to stop me sticking my fingers in the already done bits of green stuff as I worked (needed something to hold him by and that's what I found first.)

I'm too cheap at the moment to pay for spore mines, so I'll be digging through my collection of parts and instead use EXPLODING FLOATING HEADS! essentially, left over guard heads, with green stuffed spines/tendrils, floating across the battle field into the ranks of horrified conscripts before detonating in a shower of brains, bile and acid.

what more could you ask for really :evilgrin:

I'll be working on a couple this week and probably try to cast them to save time as I will be needing quite a few.

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Floating Exploding Heads are cool. Very original.

[jstalker]

hah wow awesome, thats just....
ewww in a good way :P

[Explodingboy]

Right minor set back time..

I ran out of glue.. again.. I swear I only brought super glue last weekend *RAGE*

So no more guants or any of the floating heads until that is taken care of as I can't pin anything.

Instead I'm either casting or sculpting now.. maybe even abit of both if I go for a super productive evening.

Explodingboy.

[Mr Kibbles]

Wow that Biovore is looking nice there bro.

[Explodingboy]

Right it's 12:15 and I'm getting tired..

possibly light headed from fumes.. but either way I feel like I could sleep.

I unfortunately don't have my camera to hand so no pic in this update, will do in the morning though with better lighting too. (I'm not working at my normal desk and this lamp is rubbish)

So rather than anything too precision I've been sitting in bed, casting bases. 38 infantry bases done so far, with minimal rejects (8 mistakes/bubbled) tomorrow I'll work on the biovore, and be making some more master copies for the bases, ideally want about 4 varieties of HW base to cast from, currently have 2-3.

Thanks for all the comments on the biovore, I'm glad everyone is liking him, as I have had doubts about the arms, pre-green stuffing, also, I'll go buy glue tomorrow so expect to see more bug bits appearing in the next few updates.

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

Right, semi productive morning.. if you exclude the fact that I haven't done the dishes or posted the letter I was supposed to have done so far.

We now have 50 inf bases completed, only an additional 8 being rejected for sub par quality. and 3x 40mm terminator bases.

At the same time I've also put together 2 master molds, 1 for the terminator base that went horribly wrong a little while back, and the second for another HW base. I'm slowly learning that by volume was far from being as accurate as weight, but at the same time I hate my scales.

I bought digital thinking they would be more accurate and easier to reset than the other options. what I didn't expect was that they would turn them selves off and hibernate every 2-3mins, on several occasions mid pour. Might be the battery so I'll be taking a look at that later.

Final note for the day is. I love beer..

and also once I get back from the post office, I'll be putting on a film and working on some more Biovore sculpting.

Explodingboy.

[Triggerdog]

Man-o-vore!

[Mr Kibbles]

So are your 2 assimilated IG regiments from the same world?

[Explodingboy]

3 regiments... so far (it has a tendency to grow when I'm not paying attention)

The mental image is 3 regiments, 2 Cadian, 1 PDF. The two Cadian regiments are the remnants of the 37th (roughly 2 companies worth) and the 41st, the regiment that the 37th have been assigned to support.

The PDF, will be the local troops of the as of yet unnamed planet, who have fallen foul of being infiltrated by a Genestealer cult, Who have taken control of key facilities and hives of said unnamed planet, and now locked in combat with the 37th/41st who were the first regiments to respond to the uprising.

I really do mean to write some proper fluff, but my writing mojo, has been severely hampered of late, so its taking allot more effort than intended. Also considering making it a ambushed on the landing site being the reason for the 37th decimated numbers, and a good reason for them to really want blood from the PDF forces who turned on them.

Finally though, PICTURES, more of the Man-o-vore, Thank you for that Triggerdog, I'm keeping it.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20252.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20253.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20254.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20255.jpg

More work, the back of neck, and really most of the weapon is pretty much finished, the stomach is just about done, but its at a stage where I can start working on the next arm, which brings me to the other arm, which will be worked on more while I go back to the tube, (I was hoping to have more completed but it was harder to wrap green stuff around the wire than I was expecting, so I'm going for a couple of lighter layers.)

Explodingboy. (will be back in an hour or two with the days pic in casting.)

[-=Lazuli=-]

Sweet!

(it has a tendency to grow when I'm not paying attention)

lol.

[Mr Kibbles]

wow he looks awesome. Nice fluff too. Would you like to read my story thats in my Sig?

[Explodingboy]

Got through chapter 1, you have some really good stuff there Kibbles, I'm really going to have to kick my ass into gear and write my own.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Ha, I read the first 4 or 5! Real good stuff there.

[Explodingboy]

As promised, the Day in Resin.. or rather the result from my latest 2 molds.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20256.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20257.jpg

Enjoy.

Explodingboy

[jstalker]

I like that last one, the cracks look pretty sweet,

The Man-O-Vore which is an awesome name is looking pretty sweet too, do you have any plans for stealers & a magus or patriach yet/?

[Explodingboy]

The stealers will be pure strain, so nothing needs doing there.

The patriach, I'm debating about currently. Thinking about the old artwork and model, I'm actually debating using a Hive Tyrants rules, and having a big fat stealer being carried by armed minions (wargear) sort in a similar vein to the old Slann priest.. although the how to make it is somewhat harder.. Although I could probably use a Carnifex back (you get 3 or 4 extra in the kit) to make part of a throne.

I do currently have a converted stealer standing straight up which I had been planning to use as a Brood lord in an older army, so that might make it in still.

The magus.. probably have to buy that nice new Astropath model, I was thinking Zoanthrope rules but I did remember an old GW article on bug conversion that used the barbed strangler sack and other things.. ( I need to find it and its not on the site anymore <o>) to make a floating brainish thing.. which would also tie in well to the gaunt having leachy things on their backs.

The only unit I want too take that I have no idea about at the moment, is Warriors.

[jstalker]

Ogryns (or ogres) could perhaps be used as the basis for warrior conversions?

[Explodingboy]

Yeah, size wise, it's not a bad idea.. but for something that's supposed to be leading the troops.. I can't bring myself to except Ogryns leading guardsmen (plus it means money and I'm trying to do as much as I can with what I already own.)

I did consider big stealers, or some sort of Enforcer class.. I suppose maybe something like the old Hybrids perhaps as being the original cult members.

[Explodingboy]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/Tyrant.jpg

Once again, dropping in to show of my artistic qualities before bed.

This is my current idea rule wise Hive Tyrant with bone sword, whip, and claws.
Model wise: Patriach on a throne, with bodyguard/champion with sword, and a second spawn like model sprouting lots of tentacles. Also in pic is possible inclusion of Magus on same base, if the Tyrant has mystical powers.. don't have rules to hand so can't check right now if it can get such upgrades.

It'll be shorter than a proper Tyrant but I think it's clear enough WYSIWYG wise though, plus its more characterful for a stealer cult and in all fairness the broodlord rules don't really match up to the old patriach, in my opinion anyway.

Explodinboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Genestealer will be purestrain? Wait, why not Hybrids, you could hunt down some of the older model (I think I might havd one) and use them, or give the guardsmen 3 arms. Hybrids can still use guns too, check out Belloflostsouls.net for their Genestealer Hybrid mini-dex. :)

Cheers!

[Explodingboy]

Basically, to my knowledge of Stealer cults, is the core compises of Pure Strains.. although..

damm you Lazuli.. know I have worked out how to make the warriors. (I'll put up a pic later of the first count as warrior, I made it ages ago and know it has a use)

I was going to say though, that I planned to use Hybrids to represtent all the different varieties of gaunts, Guard with flesh bores = Termaguants, and Ghouls/guard, with talons for Tormaguants. But now I have some new ideas to play with, be back later with pics.

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

also.. forgot to mention above, my laptop is on the fritz, so updates might be slow for a while, and I may not be replying to everyone's logs for abit.

Can't figure out whats wrong and its not recognizing the boot discs when I try to reinstall the OS.

[Explodingboy]

Here you go Lazuli,

how about Pure strain Stealers as Warriors, and some hybrid thing for Genestealer units.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20263.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20264.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/Bugs/SSL20265.jpg

It's a conversion and paintjob from about a year ago, so don't panic it will all be redone if it makes the cut into the army.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Yes, looks great! I found a genestealer Hybrid and threw it in the bag, I think it's missing an arm though. I should have a few more somewhere, but alas I have like 5 million stashes of gits laying around... Poor Guardsmen.

[jstalker]

wow now that is cool, mind if i ask how you made it?

[Explodingboy]

Standard stealer, with a hack and slash job around the knees and stomach, pinned into a taller stance.

I was planning to use it as a Broodlord in my bug army, before i decided to go with a Cult theme instead.
If you want I can take some pictures in progress when i make the next two.

[jstalker]

Yes please!

[-=Lazuli=-]

I second that.

[Explodingboy]

Alright, I'll put together another one, probably Friday.. since it will be the start of my weekend. I might try tomorrow but I can't promise anything. First priority is fixing the laptop. Vista black screen of death, Then comes HW bases for Lazuli, and finally my own stuff gets a look in.

I hate technical problems :( especially when I'm flying blind to fix em.)

[Mr Kibbles]

Nice purestrain. Its like "om nom nom nom nom."

[Explodingboy]

Actually, its got a somewhat different nickname here, or used to have until I changed the head and lower arms (it used to have the stealer hands, until I realized Brood lords had to have talons.)

Back in that stage it was more of a GIVE US A KISS! look to it all.. especially with the arms groping the poor guardsman's ****. in some sort of strange waltz clutch.

[Ragsta]

That dude is darn cool. I was thinking late night snog too...

[Explodingboy]

Picture time!

Sat down last night while watching the Golden Compass, and got around to working on the second HW base. I decided that I was really liking the rough and ready barricade look, so I thought I'd make my own.

So last night I got all the boring bits out of the way, and applied the filler, and this morning I got out the green stuff for a Sandbag or two, and started scraping in the damage ( I may add more still as I'm undecided on it at the moment.)

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20266.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20267.jpg

Once the Greenstuff is dried, I'll be casting the master mold tonight before bed (all going to plan I should be making the resin by Sunday morning, I'm getting low on Latex so it's abit fingers crossed that I have enough to cover it all.)

Once I have all the casting done, It's time to start work on a little bit of painting as my guard have been a wee bit neglected of late.

Explodingboy.

[Mr Kibbles]

Nice sandbagging there man.

[Explodingboy]

Okay, may be some delay on round two of casting.

It's been posted to the wrong adress >_<
Aparently they've some how sent it too my old apartment because even though I gave them all my new details, aparently paypall told them the older one.. which is odd as I'm sure I update all my info there too.

The package was dispatched earlier this week so the good news is that it should get to town early next week, and fortunetly I'm friends with the people who currently reside in my old pad (they used to be my downstairs neighbours and when I moved out they moved up.) So the plan is too drop by tomorrow afternoon and let them know that they might have a parcel for me turning up.

Currently though, I'm completely out of Latex now although I still have enough Resin to last me easily into the arrival of my new supplies.

Explodinboy.

[Explodingboy]

Right All I need a colour scheme, or an offer if anyone is interested before I begin to paint.

The plan so far
1- Paint Chaos Terminators
2-???
3- Profit

The problem with the plan so far: I have no idea on what colour scheme to use.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20268.jpg

The unit itself, 2 chain axes, 1 power maul, 1 power fist, 1 chain fist, Reaper Autocannon and 1 combi melta. Due to all the axes, I'm thinking of going for Red and Bone, possibly brass for all the metal work.. or just red and brass with no bone, in a nice Khornate style.

The second project just to prove that I can paint quickly too occasionly (here's lookin at you Lazuli)

Battle for Skull Pass, Goblin horde. Again, paint it up and send it too Ebay, or the trade sub-forum.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20269.jpg

I would do the Dwarfs too.. but I sort of mutilated allot of them for a previous grand idea some time ago, so the numbers really aren't there to make it worth selling.

Colour scheme is decided here though fortunately, it's not so well pictured can be seen on the goblin big boss in the center, and the standard nearer the front. (I'm not going to take a better one because, this is the Sci-Fi forum, so it doesn't seem right to make too big a deal of my side project)

Black highlighted with a dark blue, with old school red wood, the banner isn't finished so the Yellow will be being cleaned up.. I may need to invest in a pot of which ever foundation paint works for yellow.


Also to note, a tale of 40K gammers starts in August, so I need to get as much of this done as possible before the first week of August, so that I'll have time to do some Guardsmen.

Explodingboy (going to go cast some bases for the Terminators.)

[-=Lazuli=-]

Yay! Night Goblins. My Skull Pass set wasn't TOO great and it sold for $115. Use Black Legions or Word Bearers.

[Explodingboy]

Oh, I hadn't really thought of Word Bearers.. how does their scheme tend to go its read and black right?

[-=Lazuli=-]

It's red and silver. It's the one I used for my Chaos, there is a turorial on my log (Page one or two).

[Explodingboy]

Right,

Good news, After I got back from college today, my neighbour drop around with a big ol' package of Resin and Latex that had been delievered to his place.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20271.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20272.jpg

Right here is the current progress on the test Terminator, I'm pretty happy with the red so far, I'm thinking I'll add just a single blood red lining around the edges of each plate, and then finish it with a wash or two. of either Baab black or if anyone recomends the red washes one of them.

Explodingboy.

[Mr Kibbles]

Niice stuff. be interseting to see how it turns out.

[Ragsta]

Nice red, the lining approach should make it pop. Have you received my package yet? Dunno how good the mail is there but it went out last week.

[Explodingboy]

EBAY!!!!

Alright all, gotta post this becuase if I don't tell anyone here I'll have to go wake up the GF and she's not as likely to be excited as I am.. :D

Just struck gold on ebay tonight, All OOP metal Cadians (yes I still have to hoard them whenever possible) the loot itself, 12 Lasgun troopers, 2 Melta guns, 1 HB team.. all standard fair, but this this was the best part..*drumroll*


3 Cadian Mortar Teams \o/

I haven't recieved your package yet Jihad, but things have started to arrive here, this week that were sent at around the same time so it shouldn't be much longer. (I've never waited more than 2 weeks for a large package from the UK, and about 1 week for letters.)


due to the afformentioned ebay, I've not really done any painting particularly tonight bar what is already seen, The Goblins are all based and the last HW base is now in its full covering of latex mold so they should be back in production by tomorrow. And I'll be undercoating the goblin hoard to as its I haven't got any classes to go to but I have the perfect excuse to get rid of the missus for most of the day.

Explodingboy.(YAY MORTARS!)

[Ragsta]

Haha nice win on the 'Bay, pal, did it put you back alot? Now you'll have to make up even more bases for those mortars haha!

I would like to see some more infantry on these hallowed pages. I realise that you are trying to stump up some cash but still...

YAY PESTLES!

[Explodingboy]

Thats actually the even better part. $23, it was an absolute bargin, and too prove a point to my Gf I spent a while this morning going through all the IG lots on ebay, not a single cadian mortar team too be found, told her they didn't show up often. (Absolutely tons of metal Catachan mortars, Valhallan second and Mordian third.)

To prove the point there is a second lot of 18 metal cadians lasguns mainly, With 2 days to go, its already at $40.

Well, in that case, your in luck, I'll be finished with the casting by today and then It's back to the guard (also I picked up a little something for the 37th but I'm keeping that under wraps until I get something finished.)

Explodingboy (I see what you did there)

[Explodingboy]

Got abit more work done on the terminator, not a great deal due to lighting problems.. in that this apartment severly lacks light of all kinds.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20273.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20274.jpg

Still not sure on what wash to use as a finish, and I'm still undecided on the edging, although I'm considering going to the store and getting some Tinbitz, highlighting with boltgun on the extreme edges.

Next up I started work on the converted lieutenant. I'm in the process of rethinking the army list for the 41st currently and due to my ebay win I'm also tempted to use the 41st rather than the 37th for my 40k gamers army. Still got a little bit of time to decide so no huge hurray.

The army list plan with no points associated will be 2 large platoons, one with only squad HW's, and mortar support that will form the fire base, and a second more exotic platoon with HB's and flamers in the units plus priests and power weapons etc, who's role will be to advance upon the enemy. Currently I can muster 7 full infantry units + all required command squads, and possibly enough left overs for a special weapon team or two.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20275.jpg

Here's the lieutenant at the moment, I'm stumpted as to how I'm going to paint his power fist though. Im thinking black with grey/metal edging but at the same time I'm also tempted to go damn the torpedos, and paint it bright red with hazard stripes on the knuckles.

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Oh, yay, the terminator is looking SWEET!

[Explodingboy]

I present the final mold!

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20276.jpg

It turned out lovely if I may say so myself,

no I just need to cast 3 armies worth of them.

[Mr Kibbles]

I like those heavy weapon troopers, and that lieutanant looks great.

[Ragsta]

Consider not washing that Terminator. I like the gritty look of the armour personally but it's ultimately up to you. Nice work on the 60 mil base. Looks great! And kudos for hacking that Lt. apart, must have been a pain chisseling those arms off.

I'm quite annoyed at you for such an eBay steal so... Don't forget those GZG platoons!!!

[Explodingboy]

Actually, It wasn't too hard to hack up the Lt. which was good since I have an awfully poor selection of tools to use, infact I'd say currently the hardest conversion work I've done was trying to remove the sword handle from the back of the chainsaw weilding sarge.. there's no pictures of the back of him because I'm still trying to remove bits of handle before I can re-greenstuff the pouches it covered.

I already have the GZG models, I believe there still in England I'll be collecting them when I pop home this August/September. I thought I had actually brought them but then remembered that they were culled in the take some of the ton of metal out of my suitcase rush. You'll be seeing them appear in the log in good time though.


On the subject of ebay, this was one of the other Cadian lots I was watching, just to put how random ebay can be into perspective. http://cgi.ebay.com/Warhammer-40k-Imperial-Guard-Guardsmen-18X-All-metal_W0QQitemZ220454273146QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item335419407a&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294 %3A50

$102, with 3 days to go.. seriously, If that was a consistent price, I'd currently be sitting on over a grand worth of metal Cadians. This is one very very lucky seller.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Damn you Explodingboy! You have metal Cadians! Those models are so cool (minus the heavy weapons). Liking the base very much!

[Explodingboy]

Right all.

Another Ebay success this afternoon, a few of the old metal tank commanders, the Valhallan and Catachan riders plus 2 catachan HW crew. So I could feasibly not glue the gunners to their chairs and swap them around, or I can use them as pintle weapon gunners when I start hunting down tanks.

Secondly, a big thanks to Jihad, your parcel arrived today so thats a 3rd lascannon and some more special weapons for the Catachan Vet unit lead by Harker. Which by the way seeing how awsome the new Harker model is, I may have to go buy him.

Thirdly, my first ebay loss.. missed out on 3 cadian mortar crew missing one gunner. Oh well mortar squad 2 will just have too wait abit longer :(

Also, I need some advice, whats the best tank for an infantry regiment. I'm torn between Basilisk/Manticore I'd consider the Griffon especially if I can get the old kit but i've not seen it about as much of late. Otherwise I'm thinking just the good old fashioned Russ. (also on that subject is the Demolisher still supposed to be directly linked to the Infantry regiment or was that bit of fluff dropped.)

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

odd.. apparently I forgot to post last night... or I left a strange message one someone elses thread/pm.. note to self, do not attempt to post while heavily disorientated. Well either way, I'm feeling allot better this morning, so whatever it was that made me feel so ill yesterday would appear to have passed.

Here are the pictures of yesterdays work still Wip, but its mainly a case of repainting the shoes, adding camo and cleaning up faces/skin. (the stand in sarge is an exception as he still needs all his washes.) HW team isn't pictured but its the lascannon team I finished earlier in the log just waiting to be rebased and have a little bit of detail added.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20279.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20278.jpg

I've decided that I'm entering this force for the tale of 40K gamers since with all my ebay sucess of late I'm getting all the HW teams I've been needing to fill in the gaps in any army list I try to make.

There is still just one last thing to decide, Artillery or Battle tanks.. the enternal dilema and all that, (although I'm probably going to end up with both, in true IG style)

Explodingboy

[-=Lazuli=-]

Look very good Explodingboy, wash the faces w/ Ogryn Flesh (maybe you did and I can't see it). Looks like you are getting head start for the Tale.

[Explodingboy]

I've been using a wash of Delvan mud for most of the flesh, these particular ones its abit harder to say because the washes were done some time ago, some are flesh wash, others are progressive highlights etc.

The plan is to get a small head start, since I'll be on holiday for a large part of the first real month. I'm missing half of August and the begining of September.

Explodingboy

[Ragsta]

Those latest Guardsmen look very nice, I suspect a departure from your previous paintscheme somehow! Or maybe I too am disorientated (sp?)...

As for your armoured vehicles- do you consider your IG army to be a bunch of grizzled footsloggers or mechanised? Personally I say convert a Griffon (just take a Bassie and chop the barrel up- if you do it right you can swap it out for an actual Basilisk when you fancy) and take a Hellhound too. Your Loyalists sound like they hit the ground hard during the insurrection- I say close support as opposed to tanks would have been more likely in the fluff!

Glad my gift arrived, I WAS wondering- damn postal service! And now the *********** jobcentre have screwed me for tax despite my getting a job! It's a damn conspiracy!!

Keep up the good work :)

[Explodingboy]

Regarding the colourscheme.. it depends which way you look at it.

The 41st use a seperate colour scheme than the 37th for obvious reasons (although there is allot of cross over to keep them looking similar enough to combine on the field.) In regarding the 41st pictured and the ones earlier in the log, it will be the same scheme and I just haven't added the camo scheme to the flak jackets yet. Which might be what you picking up on.

Vehicle wise, I've decided on my first tank, more or less. Since I have 1 unassembled Chimera to hand, I'm going to go Artillery for my first vehicle, Griffon/Basilisk if I can aquire the basilisk sprue or a Manticore If I have to scratch build it.

I'll add more in abit though as I have to run right now.

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

Right, back from the tank thread with a plan, Artillery command forward scout vehicle.
Essentially, chimera with lots of radars and junk, to be used as a count as basilisk.

Basicly, it's an idea that I've told people about many times before, and I know of at least 2-3 examples in logs around here, and it totally slipped my mind before someone suggested it to me. Only consideration now is how to keep it open topped but that shouldn't be too hard to deal with, currently leaning towards making my own back using plasticard to sit inplace of a proper basilisk floor pannel. with radar dish/scanners comming up from it.

In other news today didn't get much painting done because I was busy playing with molds again, but I did work on my 1000pt army list, so comments will be more than welcome.

HQ -100pts
+medic, +Standard, +Vox

Priest -45pts

Platoon cmd -50pts
+power fist, +vox

Infantry Squad 1 -75pts
+Vox, +Lascannon

Infantry Squad 2 -75pts
+Vox, +Lascannon

Infantry Squad 3 -70pts
+Vox, +Missile Launcher

Heavy Weapon Squad 1 -60pts
+3 Mortars

Heavy Weapon Squad 2 -85pts
+2 Missile Launchers, +Autocannon

Platoon Command -45pts
+Power Weapon, +Vox

Infantry Squad 1 - 105pts
+Vox, +Flamer, +Heavy Bolter,
+Commisar

Infantry Squad 2 -70pts
+Vox, +Flamer, +Heavy Bolter

Armored Sentinel -60pts
+Autocannon

Basilisk -125pts

Lots of infantry and lots of firepower, The Second platoon will be combined to make the most of the priest and commisars special abilities and form the basis for any counter attack/advances. First platoon as may have been noticed is established for maximum firepower ^_^

Explodingboy.

[Ragsta]

List looks good- only suggestion might be switch the lascannons out of the infantry squads in 1st platoon and into your heavy weapons squad along with a missile launcher. As it stands, that's like 8 lasguns per squad who won't be able to kill anything if their lascannons shoot at a tank...

Like the sound of your counts as Basilisk! I know you're scratchbuilding and using up your stuff where you can but consider this site if you want to go for that Manticore. There is also an interesting radar dome your Fire Control Chimera might be interested in.

I make small men go splat. (http://www.oldcrowmodels.co.uk/25turrets.htm)

[Duckdude]

Lots of great work from you, looking forward to seeing the forward artillery scouting vehicles. Allways looking for ideas for my own army, and i have never liked the look of the basilisk (except with the crew compartment from forgeworld). So the best of luck to you.

[Romanus]

Nice work so far mate, was always a fan of the original cadian metals. Also like the look of the Chaos Termie.

Cheers,
Rom

[Explodingboy]

Jihad: I'm still debating the lascannons, normally I'd leave them in command squads so they'd be free to snipe at enemy tanks. With the new profile and the vunerability to instant death and the like.. I like to think of it as upping the number of meat shields.

The ML, AC heavy weapon team, that was done with the ideal target of buggies/bikes/skimmers and other such lightly armoured vehicles. Plus with frag rounds decent at engaging infantry targets too.

Anyway, its update time, and today I've had a pleasent visit from the postman.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20286.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20287.jpg

A rather resounding yay as they say, and I'll be cracking out the paint stripper later on. I will say however that it was not all happiness in the household.. there was some minor concern about the packaging of the first ebay win..

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20289.jpg

...
..

Ahwell, I'm sure paint stripper kills germs too.

Explodingboy.

[Explodingboy]

Finally note for the day.. well two.

First I took a head count of all the Metal Cadians I've amassed so far, since I've been asked a couple of times.

1-Creed
2-Captains
4-Sgt

7-Vox

3-Mortars
3-Lascannons
5-Heavy Bolters
1-Autocannon
3-Missile Launchers
3-Flamers
4-Meltaguns
1-sniper

59-Lasguns.

111 models in all. :D

and this ties in well with the second part, I now have a trade log set up to help me acquire more meat for the grinder, see my newly pimped up signiture (I finally figured out how to make my links pretty.)

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Very nice, those older models are very cool.

[Explodingboy]

Right I need some suggestions.

First up on the agenda priests. I had a great idea today while I was in class, Repentia Sisters for Count as Priests, aswell as some of the old Sisters of Sigmar from Mordenheim, because as much as I realise that Priests are highly ineffective rule wise, they're just soo darned characterful that it seems hard to ignore them.

..alternatively.. I suppose I could use some as count as sargents.. get a bit of a crusade them going in the army (any Yay or nays?)

This brings me onto my next point, I'm currently thinking of redoing the colourscheme for my guard. So I might be back later with a couple of test figures.. I'm just going of the bone and green fatigues at this moment in time.

And the final consideration. at 21 pages, this thread has done allot better than I ever expected it to do, so thanks to all who've been contributing and commenting, but I realise I've not had any substantial updates for a while and I'm gone for a month soon, so I'm debating closing this thread down and starting a new one when I get back, something better organised and less scatterbrianed, to really help me focus on a single goal.

Not to mention, my photo bucket account is a mess, but the second I try to sort the pictures out will cause chaos here.. so a fresh start might be the easiest solution, eitherway, I'm going to sleep on it for a couple of days, before I make a decision.

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Priests... I would put them in only for the fun of painting them and fluff.Most Regiments have only one or a few priests. The most I ever saw was one platoon The best model to use as priests in my opinion are Empire Warrior Priests.
http://www.littlemetalmen.co.uk/empire-warrior-priest-random-model-p-2600.html?osCsid=5286b1a0cad1c82dbfc556b24c491703

[jstalker]

I agree with Lazuli, Go for the empire warrior priests, their easy to convert, I just stuck a pistol and grenades onto mine and looks enough the part!
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii242/j-stalker/Photo038-1.jpg

[EmMeTt]

As above, Warrior Priests would be excellent. I would recommend sticking some electronics onto his armour and maybe some cables and it will be cool!

[-=Lazuli=-]

Yes, exactly that!

[Explodingboy]

WARNING NOT MY MODELS!, I just Goggled them.

http://www.ironhands.com/msisber.jpg

Currently I have this model (bella something or other character model.) so I think I might keep her as a priest rather than buying the Empire guys, although they are just as lovely models, I was planning on using them for a different project already.


The other idea I was thinking about was Sisters Repentia, for priests with eviscorators. So ultimetely I want my priests all to be priestess, from some mad cult of the emperor.

[Ragsta]

Well, if you are planning to close this thread and start a new one then you have my support. I can see this thread branching out into new avenues (casting, Genestealer cultists, new schemes for Guard) and think that starting a new thread will give you new drive.

Just stick whoever you want into your force as Priests, they will still look cool and not a lot of armies on this forum have Priests so you win anyway!

[Explodingboy]

yeah, that is pretty much my thinking,

1 thread purely for my guard, and then all the casting and side projects elsewhere.

I'm hoping to add a techpriest too.. If I can find him this summer when I go home. I bought the FW titan techpriest figure, almost 6years ago.. so his current location is somewhat unknown.. especially as my parents moved house 2 weeks ago.

I'll no longer be a Slough lad :( they've moved somewhere a few miles west of Birmingham.

**also, the first test model is almost done, just waiting on the wash to dry before I pick out the metal work so check back in an hour for the picture update.**

[Explodingboy]

Oh I lie, and I tease,

The wash was already dry when I went to check on it and feeling inspired I got all the remaining painting done in no time at all. I may work on a second test figure but In all honesty I'm really happy with this one, and will be most likely to keep it (plus for the overall look of the figure, it really didn't take that long to paint at all.)

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20307.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20304.jpg

and in a return to old school cadians, because I'm using the oldschool models

Blue company, Red platoon, unit 2
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20303.jpg
( I may try using abit of tape to keep it more circular on later figures)

I drew allot of inspiration last night looking at the new fangled digital camo, and the way that it was applied to everything, hence the fatigues, gun, boots, webbing all carrying the camo pattern.

whats the verdict guys?

[-=Lazuli=-]

Wow, probably the best old metal Cadian model I've ever seen. Very nice although I think you might have a problem painting an entire army like that...

[Explodingboy]

I'm sure I'll have painting an army of them in any colour scheme, so I might aswell make it a worthwhile scheme that will improve my abillities overall.

[only joking...]

Real dark and gritty mini's explodingboy you have some serious style :p

[Explodingboy]

Best way to paint guardsmen in my books..

well unless you play Mordians.. who are probably the only regiment to have front line dry cleaners.

[only joking...]

Best way to paint guardsmen in my books..

well unless you play Mordians.. who are probably the only regiment to have front line dry cleaners.

Can my Praetorians have clean uniforms as well :angel::p

[Explodingboy]

good point, I always forget about the praetorians.

Although I think that has more to do with spit and polish.

[Explodingboy]

Based and regimented as the 41st.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20309.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20310.jpg

what do we think?

I may possibly make them the 401st.. but I don't think the 41 is that unclear.. I'm undecided.

[Ragsta]

I LIKE this scheme very much indeed. The basing really touches him off nicely. Heh heh, he looks really ****ed off!

The markings are good but I can see why you're pondering the change to 401st. Personally I say stick with 41st, it's part of your fluff. Maybe put the company/platoon/squad markings on the back of his helmet? Might be naff.... Or file down the other shoulder pad and put them there :)

PS Thanks for my little package, this is NOT helping me stick to trying to wrap up my own log!

[Explodingboy]

The only reason to consider the 401st, was if people find the company circle in the center too confusing.. personally I'm happy either way round. I think I will just say 41st, and ignore the fact it might be a little confusing.. that or just not bother putting the 41 on the shoulder. I don't want to move the company/squad markings at all.

but I'm glad you like the scheme, because I've got 10 of them underway as I type.. (well not right at the moment.. stepped away becuase it's 2pm and I've not even had breakfast yet.)

[Mr Kibbles]

I like it. It looks very modern looking.

[jstalker]

Looks very nice!

[Explodingboy]

Okay, I have 9 on the go now..

base coated bone, bubonic and catachan camo stripes.. but I think I'm at the end of my spree for the time being..

it's almost 102 outside.. I think I have burnt my feet walking on the concrete barefoot.. and with no AC in the house the paint is now drying on the brush before it reaches the model..

It's not fun to paint with sweat dripping down the back of your neck.. too damm warm..

So looking forward to being in nice rainy England by the middle of next month.

Thanks for all the comments, I'm glad you think it looks modern Kibbles, that was the plan.

Explodingboy.

[only joking...]

Wow your bases are exceptional explodingboy!

Edit- your going to England on holiday? :D

[jstalker]

heh 102? Whats that, never heard of anything so hot
Good ole england ^_^
where abouts here ya off too?

[-=Lazuli=-]

102? That's a joke, in Texas here the norm in summer is like 105! :) Sometimes it get hotter.

[Explodingboy]

apparently its 104 or 106.. fareinheit today, It's being in the silly USA where they don't use Celcius Jstalker.

And yes, I'm going to England on holiday, it's a small place out in the countryside just West of Birmingham.. thats about as far as I can narrow it down off the top of my head. Parents only just moved so I haven't had a chance to learn the new address yet, this will be my first time to see it since I was over seas while all this was going down.

Will be in Blighty for 3 weeks roughly, mainly around the new house, might head down to Sussex to see my Grandparents and Cambridge to see the other side the family but mainly I plan to chill.

But yeah I can't wait to get back into the English it will rain whenever it damn well feels like it weather, theres something about this weeks of nothing but clear blue sky that creeps me out.. plus the being unbearably hot.

[-=Lazuli=-]

So no updates while you're gone or are you going to update still? :(

[Explodingboy]

well, I was going to update but then I realised it would be a double post and since it wasn't important I decided to wait instead.

either way as I'm here now, Just ordered dinner, 2 for 1 on large pizza at Domminos, Internet pizza ordering is like the most awsome invention ever (plus domminos is 1 block away so it gets here in no time \o/)

On a more important update, I just washed, EVERYTHING. so basicly, there all about done, just need to pick out skin,eyes metals and then any squad details etc, so they should be finished by tonight.

a most productive day if I don't say so myself.

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Yay. Post Pictures I say, added pictures of your bases in my thread.

[Explodingboy]

Alright, Internet Pizza arrived.. in under 15mins too, I love living next door to Domminos.

[Explodingboy]

Right here are the pics for you Lazuli.

I may have to do a second wash, as the original model looks considerably darker than the ones I've just done.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20312.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20314.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20311.jpg

Explodingboy.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Looking very good, Explodingboy!

[Magos Errant]

Those do look great! The camouflage is very cool.

[Explodingboy]

Right, well I'm tired, so I may do a little bit more but chances are I will leave finishing them until the morning.

Just going to give them a second wash for the time being.
then I think I shall go and shave my beard off.. because it's really too hot.

[jstalker]

I think the only crit i really got is the lack of contrast between the armour and weapons, although im guessing that was intentional?

[Explodingboy]

pretty much. I was looking around last night at allot of modern day camo designs, and one of the first things that really caught my eye is the way that most of the packs, fatigues, rifle casing etc, are all given the same camo patterns.

It's also why I delibertely decided to use grey rather than actual metalic colours.. I felt it helps them stand out better without just being shiney bits.

[Explodingboy]

Right, second wash and I actually did the grey too in the end but this really is the end for tonight.. next job is eyeballs, so that needs better light (plus I keep dropping things right now)

but just incase Lazuli gets up before me here is a 2 quick snaps of current progress.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20315.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20316.jpg

as you can see the second wash has brought them all to a closer match to the original, a tad darker, but my learning experiance is certianly, to paint units at a time so that all the washes look the same by the end.

Flesh/eyes and tiny details left now. oh.. and bases but most of them are actually already painted and just waiting for me to swap the figures across.

Explodingboy.

[Ragsta]

These guys look awesome. Your incorporation of weapons and packs into the camo is realistic and looks dang cool. For some reason this squad looks extremely intimidating!

*Sigh* I feel inadequate as a painter, I plan to blind you with golden Space Marines, you evil man. Enjoy you holiday, sir! Hurray for drizzle!

[Explodingboy]

It's okay, I don't leave until the 18 Aug, so I'll be kicking around for abit longer still.

I really have to say, I love this colour scheme, it's so much more interesting/realistic than the green flak with bone fatigues. I'm glad I changed it. Of course it does mean that I now have even more to paint strip.

(off the record I hope to have a second unit done before leaving.. really it's just me being a lazy git and unmotivated, but I need my first month for tale of gammers ready before I go, as the first due date is before I get back.)

Golden marines you say, my interest has been perked, I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I never got on with gold paint.. always ended up watery and streaking or just glumpy glitter that dried to the brush quicker than I could paint with it.

[Mr Kibbles]

My god there amazing.

[jstalker]

dident even notice you were using greys rather than metalics, now thats cool, not quite nmm but it did deceive me !
very good!

[only joking...]

Seriously loving this squad explodingboy...

[-=Lazuli=-]

How did I miss that? Lol, I always get up before you. very good!

[Explodingboy]

I wouldn't be so sure there mate.
I'm regularly up around 4-5am. I just don't always post until later.

Glad you all like them though, should have them finished later today.

[iPaint]

Love the camo, but I think you lose a lot of the model's detail by applying it to weapons, boots, and pouches. Perhaps a light beige color would help distinguish the pouches, and some black or brown for the boots? Just some ideas.

Gotta love old school GW models.

[Explodingboy]

I appreciate the comment iPaint, I think part of the problem is more to do with the pictures themselves, the details are still very clear in hand. I'll try to get some better shots once finished of individual members.

camo has this annoying factor of working better at distance.

[Explodingboy]

Right finished 3 now, just got the skin left on the last 6, and then it'll be time to base them.

Progress is really slow right now, heat is drying the paint far to quickly to get a nice finish so I'm going to stop for the time being, at least until after class tonight, then depending on whether my young lady decides to come home for the first time since Sunday.. apparently she'd rather be at her parents place this week because they have AC.

[-=Lazuli=-]

I wouldn't be so sure there mate.
I'm regularly up around 4-5am. I just don't always post until later.

Glad you all like them though, should have them finished later today.

That's pretty early. I'm up at 7 normally. I think the all over camo is fine.

[Explodingboy]

That's pretty early. I'm up at 7 normally. I think the all over camo is fine.

that it is, I'm not really much of sleeper, I think the most I'm down for is around 4-6hrs.

Okay did a wee bit more progress, nothing to the extent of tuesdays very productive day tommorow will probably when things get finished though worked on allot of the basing today as drybrushing isn't affected by paint drying on the brush like anything else is.

otherwise.. todays been abit unusual so I might go down the pub for some liquid therapy in abit.

[Explodingboy]

Right, guess I might as well let everyone here know whats happening.

Reality is causing me allot of grief today, and college has really left me feeling pretty beaten at the moment.

I mentioned several times about going home to England in a few weeks for a vacation, well I don't think I'm going to come back. After this summer term finishes, I'll be dropping out of college.. again, and moving back in with my parents while I look for a job.

Of course because of leaving the US, it also means leaving my fiance after 2yrs of being together, so I'm not feeling to great about that right now.. basicly haven't slept a wink last night, and today at some point I need to go through my appartment and pack up all her belongings, before she comes around later to collect them all.

so, yeah, I really don't know if I'll get much modelling done today at all,

[Scarper]

I'm sure condolences from someone you don't even know on the internet aren't too much of a comfort, but I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I can't even imagine what a transition like that must feel like, but with luck things won't look so bleak once you're settled down again on the other side of the pond. I sincerely hope things get better for you soon

[-=Lazuli=-]

He got to it first! Yeah, sorry to hear about dropping out Explodingboy. If you make alot of bases you could live off selling them! Sorry man. Sent you PM about package.

[Explodingboy]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Just a small update to say that I got everything to a finished condition, minus basing. Pictures will either be up later or in the morning, personally it's late, I'm tired, stressed and not slept for 2 nights so I may just fold out the bed and chill while watching the Xfiles.

Also done some work on bulking out a base for a mortar team, and depending on how packing goes tomorrow, I'm keen to have either the Commissar or priest done before I leave so that I will have around 100pts done for the first month.

Explodingboy.

[Ragsta]

I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it, that really sucks :( Sounds like you're taking a bit of a battering from more than one direction, which is never fun.

Leave the models for a bit if it makes you feel better, vegetating in front of the telly is an excellent idea! I recommend a large bar of chocolate and a cup of tea too.

I will dish out the golden glories as soon as I can in an attempt to cheer you up by laughing at my efforts. Try and have a relaxed weekend, sorry to your lady too.

PS I will have to avoid pink for these SM, sorry about that.

[Explodingboy]

Well, I've been following your advice Jihad, so far I've got through, all 3 extended LOTR films, the first disc of the Xfiles 2nd season, and just started In Bruges.

I've also had a long talk with my parents last night about going home.. and it isn't looking good. They'd be happy for me to move back in but the new place is apparently even more in the middle of nowhere than I first thought.. and the closest platform to get anywhere that will have work options is 30mins by car. (I can't drive, tried it and failed at that too.)

So yeah, now not only have I gone and lost my good lady,.. I now don't actually know where I'll be living either.. since I stay here and drag through college at some miserable pace, or I go home with no guarantee of actually being able to find a job or any form of civilization. Either way, still heading home on the 19th, but I'll still head back to the US and make a decision then.. if that is at all possible with such rubbish options.

Main event otherwise for today, was the package of bitz that Lazuli sent me, allot of nice finds and parts from kits I wouldn't have the money to buy in ages, so I'm at least happy about that, certainly enough to give me some nice conversion ideas.

Explodingboy. (slowly imploding)

[-=Lazuli=-]

Thanks. Goood to know that you liked them! Sprry about what you're going through.

[Explodingboy]

I don't have any pictures just yet but I will do later on today.

Instead I can offer a small progress report, I decided to work on the priest now, Just need to find a suitable weapon top because apparently I removed the hammer top ages ago, I'm considering leaving it for the time being, since I know I have some Beast men back home that I could acquire some mace like weapons from, unless I have such a weapon on an ork model to steal from.

Secondly I'll be dropping the basilisk from the list and putting in a standard Russ. In much the same way as Jstalker, I'll be ordering the Russ upgrade kit and using the tracks from the Chimera kit, also I'm debating modifying the rear to look like the Macharius.

[Explodingboy]

Right, back with picture.

Striped the priest, and found 1 laspistol and a possible weapon head, I'll use it for know but might pop it off for something better later.

Conversion work was fairly easy, removed the right hand and hammer, left the tassel at the very bottom mind, will sculpt a seal at the top of it next, and changed the right hand hammer head for the axe. The last job was to simply file down the necklace and replace with an inquisitor symbol.. I think it actually came from the Inquisitor range (the specialist games one) but I got it years ago so I may be mistaken.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20317.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20318.jpg

Explodingboy.

[only joking...]

Looks grwat. can't wait to see her painted.

[Explodingboy]

I'm thinking a nice pale skin, red hair, but the armor and cloth have me stumped.. at least, I was hoping to avoid flat metal, so I'm considering maybe a black/blue or perhaps something with more white.. though I'm concerned it may clash with a pale skin tone.

[Mr Kibbles]

wow that sounds nice.

[Explodingboy]

Quick update to show some now green stuffed pictures.

While working on the Priest I put the finishing touches to the last 2 Sargents I had been working on a while back, and I also tried to clean the kitchen and.. I have no idea what was in the bin but I know have the fan on full, multiple incense sticks burning and bin covered in lemon scented disinfectant.. and I can still smell it..

anyways, onto the pictures.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20325.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20320.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20323.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20322.jpg

As you can see the head swap although still a little larger than the plain metal heads has been brought in to line more with the addition of a collar which is nice.. because otherwise I'd have had to remove it and wait until I could attain some Mordian peaked cap heads.

Explodingboy.

[Sandgrinder]

Right, back with picture.

Striped the priest, and found 1 laspistol and a possible weapon head, I'll use it for know but might pop it off for something better later.

Conversion work was fairly easy, removed the right hand and hammer, left the tassel at the very bottom mind, will sculpt a seal at the top of it next, and changed the right hand hammer head for the axe. The last job was to simply file down the necklace and replace with an inquisitor symbol.. I think it actually came from the Inquisitor range (the specialist games one) but I got it years ago so I may be mistaken.

img
img

Explodingboy.

Doing an equal conversion myself, but on the acolyte from the Witch hunter command squad.

Looking great indeed.

[jstalker]

You may have a slight problem with the russ upgrade sprue cos it seems as if there is no bottom to the turret on the sprue!

[Explodingboy]

You may have a slight problem with the russ upgrade sprue cos it seems as if there is no bottom to the turret on the sprue!

Yeah, I'm not very impressed with it much, I like the fact it gives you half the sponson and no gun shield for the battle cannon, being the 2 missing parts that I noticed.

I'm pretty sure I could knock up a base for the turret though with plastic card without too much effort, and I actually have 1 battle cannon gun shield in my bitz box, although it would be just as easy to sculpt padding or just drape camo netting across it too.

[Explodingboy]

:(

I got blown off again to all intensive purposes, which mean I now have a second day where I can hardly get out of my apartment due to all my ex's things piled up waiting to be collected, and she's not even going to come until as late as possible tomorrow from the sound of it.

[Explodingboy]

Right, got some more painting done on the priest.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20328.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20327.jpg

The robe parts will go lighter blue (currently about 50-50 black-blue) the hair will get another coat of red then a little bit of orange mix to really give it a nice fiery red. At the moment the armor just has a quick grey drybrush mainly to help me see all the detail rather than anything like a decision on color. The skin is just about finished, I'll be painting the eyes in the morning and then adding one last even paler highlight.

Any suggestions for the pony tail ribbon, I was debating a darkish green.. although I'm also leaning towards white/purity seal colours.

[Explodingboy]

It's an Ebay day today..

otherwise known as I've been a bad boy and spent money I wasn't supposed to have, but I'd like to argue it was for a good cause.

^_^ 2nd mortar team for me, which brings the total to 6 mortars, 4 loaders, 5 gunners. So with the addition of the Griffon loader and a couple of plain troopers, will easily give me all the crew I need.

[Ragsta]

Keep me informed on your 60mm bases, I ssume you'll be working on more of those for the mortars!

[Explodingboy]

I will be working on more certainly probably 2 main variants if cast, though due to the overall height of such a piece, unless I hear some demand it's unlikely I'll cast them.

done a little painting again, it's pretty fair to say most of the pictures have been consistently a step behind whats on the painting table, no pictures tonight though as the camera needs to charge and I'm too tired/lazy to take any right now.

In another piece of good news, I was showing some of the bases off to a guy in my class that happens to be a gamer with a Mordian army and fingers crossed I should have a second order about the same size as Lazuli's with hard cash payment \o/.

[-=Lazuli=-]

Yay! Another lot sold. Great job. The Metal Cadians look good with the plastic bit. On the first LR I built (like 2 years ago) I didn't put on a gun shield. It might be in the bits box I sent you.

[Explodingboy]

I believe I mentioned a gun shield in the bitz box already. ;)

there really were allot of very useful parts in what you sent me Lazuli, I'm very glad I did business with you.

Right, well today I've decide for abit of a change, annoyed with Jstalker always having such lovely unit in terrain pictures, I've broken down today and started making my first piece of terrain, and in true Delves style, its a bodge job from start to finish with no planning what so ever. I'd guesstimate the base at 1ft by 1ft (I measured it with my actual foot so might not being perfect)

The current idea will be for half of the base to be a 3 walled ruin, only ground floor and roof, with the exposed wall facing the other half of the base which will open up to craters, barricade and possibly an entrance trench/barricade.

I suppose I might be a good boy and work out a little bit of a sketched idea in a bit.. currently though I'm gluing the floor plan of the structure to the base.

[Explodingboy]

Got more work done, I'm adding some guttering to the outside of the floor so that the walls are sandwiched for better support.

I've also got the walls basic shape cut out, 3inch high haven't decided on window placement yet, and same goes for the door. The plan is though, I'll be using some cardboard to add detail to the walls, I'll be working on some pics a little later today. Once it starts to look like something.

ps: I'm a sad panda right now, because I just kicked my coffee across the floor :(

[Explodingboy]

okay apologies time.


I did get a good bit of work done on the terrain piece, in that it starting to look like something, I marked out the dugout with teeth made from foam board, which I plan to paper mache over to save on filler. I was waiting for it to dry before I took pictures and while waiting decided to go to the pub.

well its 6 or so pints later and i cant really see straight right at the moment so pictures will have to wait as will the papermach'e for the time being.

also I decided the first thing I'm gonna do when I get back to England is watch all the Joe 90 dvds.

[Explodingboy]

I love my fast metabolism at times. feeling much better now, so its picture time.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20329.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20330.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/SSL20331.jpg

It is admittedly half past eleven, so I won't be starting on the paper mache (plus I think I need more pva glue first)

The outside is fairly self explanatory I hope, the teeth will become the earthworks by filling up the gaps with paper mache, linking them together in 2 lines, the outer wall surrounding the entire breach and an inner wall with the HW team position behind.
Inside of the walls, you can see the ribbing for the floor, again all of this will be covered then a 3rd layer of foam board with plasticard tiling will make the eventual floor for the building itself.

The walls are tottaly plain at the moment but do slot in and out, so I'll pop them out to work on tomorrow while I wait for the papermache exterior to dry.

Explodingboy. (Also you can see the finished infantry minus freehand and basing)

[Mr Kibbles]

I like this explodingboy.

[EmMeTt]

Looks sweet so far, looking forward to seeing more.

[Galvatron1701]

wonderful work, great to see the old metal cadians again.

I was wondering about your female priest- who is she? I've never seen that model before.

Keep up the excellent work!

[Pekel]

I've been enthusiastically following this log for some time now - much respect for your metal model conversions and greenstuff work. That display board should be sweet. Hope you have somewhere nice to show it off - I've always wanted to make display boards but my models are all shoved into drawers between games.

[Explodingboy]

Thanks all for the comments. It's 9:30am, and I just got woken up by a phone call from the college >_< so that is a grand 4hrs of sleep for me last night.

The priest is from the Mordheim range, Sisters of Sigmar .. and she no longer seems to be on the Gw website.. huh.. sorry about that, she was one of the dramatis personae.

Right breakfast then I'll get down to work on the next part of the terrain piece, paper mache for strengthening and shaping.

[jstalker]

Thats looking pretty nice, much better than any terrain I could make,
All my photos were jus taken at a local gw durin games n stuff

Was trying to work out who she was for ages :P :)

[Explodingboy]

I bought her ages ago, back when Slough still had a GW, and no manager.. that guy really killed allot of the fun we used to have.

either way, it was some time after Inquisitor had come out so there was allot of messing around making characters, including the all ork A Team and such, well she was my attempt at an actual inquisitor my other characters being a rag tag of mercs and assassins. including the infamous renegade guardsmen, who never once passed a single climbing test (and frequently breaking his legs) but did have a penchant for crippling opponents groins.

Right got the first layer of paper mache down and it didn't warp the base piece at all that had become a concern at one point. Next step for the morning will be filler madness (this would have been allot faster if I had polystyrene but got to work with whats at hand.) The plan is to raise the inner ditch of the trench and then I will line the floor with mesh and hope to aquire some sticks to make the trench wall supports.

I have also given allot more thoughts to the walls themselves, and I'm thinking of ways to tie it in with the resin bases at the same time. So the building will be bleached bone to match the rubble on the bases of the miniatures.

Plan is to detail the walls before gluing it all down the the base section, and adding some rim at the top inside where the roof will sit in.

[Explodingboy]

Right, I just remembered that I had something else to ask.

I spoke earlier about selling some more bases, well I was trying to decide what to invest the earnings in since although it is a large I did just get a load of resin and latex that will keep me casting for some time to go.

So I was thinking as I'm going to be working with metal models for the next year.. how worthwhile is a dremel tool thing.. because as you can all see I'm abit clueless when it comes to them.

[Ragsta]

Ah yes. The infamous Dremel. There are threads around here that talk about exactly this so try and find one using the search function.

For me, as you know I like hacking things up but I use a couple of knives, needle files and a sanding block and a bit of patience. A Dremel has never been really necessary BUT if you find a cheap alternative (Lidl had one for FIFTHTEEN quid!!!) then yeah go for it. Would save you some time anyway.

[Explodingboy]

certainly part of the reason for considering them, was when I realized they were actually allot more affordable than I had ever expected. Although the pay day could go a long way in liver damaging sustenance.. oh the many complexities of life.

right, this was going to be a good update with pictures and all that exciting stuff.. but photobucket is down for maintenance :( so alas the pretty pictures will have to wait longer.

[Mr Kibbles]

I love the idea of the diorama.

[-=Lazuli=-]

I use my dad's Dremel... Don't really use it that much, but it's GREAT for terrian, saves alot of time. I would say get one if you want to do terrain.

[Explodingboy]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20332.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20333.jpg

Got some more drawing done to mark out details.. I'm going to need to wait until I get to the shops to finish the interior as I don't have enough textured plasticard for the floor tiles.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/Blarg_88/41st/SSL20333.jpg

and this is the plan for the walls, I'm planning to add pillar esq parts and bellow the dotted line I'll just add some cardboard to raise it, possibly adding some very thin strips for a ledge on the line itself.

I'm thinking triagular windows, or small arches on the pannels between each pillar..

[-=Lazuli=-]

I like the newpaper, is it Paper Mache? I used paper mache (sp) to make some craters a while ago... yes, add the pillars, I think you should stick with the normal rectangular winfow though.

[Explodingboy]

yep paper mache, newspaper and glue etc,

In regards to the pillars I'm semi undecided between using card or foam, I'll try both though and see which one looks better.

I was hoping to have done it already but I .. well I went to the pub instead.. still a little tipsy so I'm settling in for the night to watch Xfiles (disc 6 now almost done) either way I did get round to the first layer of filler so the exterior of the trench and board is all starting to take shape.