Hobby Progress Challenge 2014

The intrepid writer assembles "quality" Swedish furniture.

Today H and I braved driving tropical rains to go to IKEA. It was my first time, and I hope the last time. We returned with some house things, which I duly set about assembling for Lady Tottington whilst she commented upon my labours. How very manly of me.

In between being put to work as an indentured servant, swabbing floors, assembling furniture and generally grafting, I managed to make it to Irresistible Force in Tana Merah today and pick up some paints and brushes. What an experience. The store is small, but oh so lovely. The owner is a nice chap who I didn't have a chance to introduce myself to properly as I was in a rush. He likes cricket and wargames, so there isn't much to dislike. This will be my first local gaming store and I am chuffed. Once I am a little more settled I'll set about trying to sound out the local gaming scene.

10 paints and three brushes, $80AUD, ouch!

I decided also, to join the Independent Characters "Hobby Progress Challenge 2014". As a long time fan and seeing the virtue of the HPC I think it will be good for me. So I duly threw my hat into the ring on the IC Podcast forums, you can see my thread here. The immediate upshot has been that I have made contact with a local, Bowlzee. Perhaps one day our completed forces can do battle in Sunny Queensland.



I think I will be running the HPC blogposts in parallel to the forum thread so as to document it here, perhaps in more detail. We shall see. Below is my initial list for the 1000 point Zone Mortalis list, for which I have chosen the Attacker Force Organisation chart.


Company Master Balthasar - Power Weapon. - 105


Librarian Turmiel - Lvl 2 Upgrade. - 100


Tactical Squad (10) including a Vet. Sergeant (plasma pistol, melta bombs), Plasma Gun, Plasma Cannon. - 200


Deathwing Terminators (8) including a Sergeant, Assault Cannon, 1 Chain Fist. - 377


Ravenwing Attack Squadron (3) including a Vet Sergeant (melta bombs), Plasma Gun. - 110


The total at the moment is 892 points, which I will jockey up once I have a better handle on where the project will go. Until then citizens...

+ The Emperor Protects +

Plans for 2014, Australia

So I am currently on an aeroplane over Iraq, wending my way at several thousand feet towards Dubai. After a short stop H and I will head off across the Indian Ocean to Brisbane, Australia and our new life. Packing was hard. Ten years of living in the UK has meant a natural accrual of goods, the detritus of life, being a magpie gamer my quantity of "stuff" is next-level. So a hard decision lay ahead, I had one suitcase, and only 30kg to pack my life into, and of course some of my allowance was shanghaied by Lady Tottington for her various items for beautifaction. In the end I came away with two small, flat boxes of around 20cm by 15cm. Inside these little boxes is a precious cargo...

The pictures above are the lot. I chose to take the Dark Angels portion of the Dark Vengeance boxed set, with a snazzy limited edition Chaplain and four terminators from the Assault on Black Reach boxed set. I have made a start on painting some of them already, the figures are really pleasing and there is the making of something greater amongst the elements I already have. In addition I also packed my Forgeworld things for the Dark Pact. There are two unfinished Mk. III Tactical Marines, and the parts for another three. Amongst the bits are two more Mk. V Marines, and my resin bits, the command upgrade, Iron Hands bionics, Deathwatch Kill Team upgrade kit, and the Mk. IV character upgrade set.

I also thought I would take something totally wild, so I packed my Corporation Dreadball team which remains unpainted. The central idea being that living nomadically leads towards skirmish games/board games. I did toy with the idea of bringing a Deadzone faction, but frankly assembling the figures nearly gave me an aneurysm, so I thought better of it. Instead, I might look into starting Malifaux. I've been listening to the Malifools podcast for months, ostensibly for the bants. Mike Marshall et al are always entertaining, sometimes insightful and always a delight. I especially enjoyed the Malinoobs segment and their guest stars over the last few months. Anyway, I suppose that ultimately it boils down to what community exists in the area we are in, but certainly the proliferation of plastic boxed sets makes Malifaux a good choice being both small and lightweight. Furthermore, with the higher cost of gaming in Australia something with a lower model buy in (a boxed set is enough to get started) is very much appealing. 

So these are my thoughts as we begin our descent into Dubai. It is 0800 local time, the sun is already baking the land below us, and we have another day's flying ahead of us. I'll be listening to more Malifools, some Independent Characters and generally be mulling over what 2014 could hold in store for me on the tabletop front.

Carry on Citizens. 

Painted Figure Showcase for December/January

As I draw dangerously near to my departure date for Australia, I have been hastily trying to get a bunch of near finished stuff on my desk completed. Below is, for your delectation, gentle readers, some eye candy of what I have been up to.

First up, we have Dark Pact 30k Ultramarines. There are two more on my desk to make the first squad up to ten. The lighting outside made these guys look slightly lighter than they really are, still I think you get a sense of the figures. These Mk V power armoured marines actually look pretty good all painted up.

Left to right: Aurelian, Mox Viridis and Cain the Younger.

I also finished my Imperial Officer of the Fleet. Lord Admiral Marcus Erasmus, Hammer of the Eastern Fringe, declared "Soter" (Saviour) by the High Oligarch of Venda, approved by the Cardinals Major and the Volksraad of the same system. I will write more about him in a separate post. My previously published Armsmen are his bodyguard for planetside occasions.

I have also finished a few Orks. The colour scheme is all intimately linked to my Imperial Guard who hail from Venda Prime. I tried doing hazard stripes, and I think with practice I will get the technique down. They aren't a high priority asset for painting, but Imperials always need an opponent. 

 Finally, I have been busy working on the Dark Angels from the Dark Vengeance boxed. These figures painted up a treat and I was very happy with my Deathwing armour. The lighting in these shots doesn't really show the figures as they really look, as I said the colours seem a bit washed out in the photographs. I have done the Tactical Marines with 5th Company Markings.

So, my goal for the end of the weekend is to finish a battalion of French Legere in 28mm and to base my painted Fire & Fury Confederates (15mm). And on Sunday, I shall have to decide what gets to come with me to Australia.

+ The Emperor Protects +