Solos

Click on any image to embiggify. Worked on a machine wraith and a scrap thrall.
First is the machine wraith. Fairly simple dry brushing.

Then came the scrap thrall, which I tried to make look like it had been freshly assembled.

Primed with white Gesso.
Bleached Bone/White 50/50, then the red wash followed bybleached bone highlights for the human bits.
Boltgun Metal or Shining Gold plus a wash of Badab Black for the mechanicals. The big fist also has foundation Mechrite Red. I think it turned out nicely!

That thing I hate

I actually like metal models. Despite the fact that they are unwieldy, heavy, and fragile, I like the fact that they are a bit of a surprise. You can't really see all the detail until you prime them and give them a nice wash.

That said, I am having a hell of a time trying to pin my Protectorate of Menoth box set. I had forgotten how much a bear it is to do! Add to that the insanely top heavy warjacks and you have a recipe for a drill bit through the thumb.

Pics will be up tonight...I am motivated to finish!!!

Deneghra

Have I mentioned that I hate painting humans? I've never been good at it, and I'm just not patient enough to give the skin tones justice. I'm also having some trouble with my vision, so I don't think tiny subtle blending may be an possibility in a few years.

That said, I'd like to present Deneghra, my first warcaster. She's so new that you can see the Dullcote dripping off of her right now. Still need to do final detailing and basing. Click to enlarge, but don't bother.

OK, so just the Helljack is left, and I have a playable force! Of course, I also have the Protectorate of Menoth box to assemble and paint...

How to play Warmachine and Hordes

I've always liked the guys up in Canada, Miniwargaming.com. A few months ago, they put up a three part video that gives a really concise and thorough overview of the game mechanics. It seems like babble if you don't have the rulebook, but if you do, it's just nice to see the concepts played out in a 2 turn sequence. Check it out:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

3rd Bonejack (Defiler)

Things are chugging along nicely.

Obviously, I still need to varnish and base this little guy, my first Defiler and 3rd bonejack. I first thought these things looked ridiculous, but the whole aesthetic is starting to appeal to me.

They are sort of "Frankenstein meets Chicken" but they are starting to grow on me. I'm going to have to get a pair of Nightwretches to complete the Bonejack set.

I'm actually getting excited to build terrain! Warmachine has a very pirate/medieval feel to it, so building the houses, stonework, and water features will be interesting.

Rulebook, Menoth

Picked up the Mk II rulebook this weekend, as well as the Protectorate of Menoth battle box. The rules seem streamlined, and I'm excited to play. The remaining three models from the Cryx box are about 60% finished, So I'll be ready to tackle the Menites and Terrain shortly!

2nd Bonejack

For some reason, these are easier to paint than Tyranids. My second Deathripper, on the left (click pic to enlarge) is drying from a Dullcote spray. I can see from the enlarged pic that I need to detail the little jaw pistons on both and clean up some edges, but I think they are turning out fine.

I think part of it is psychological; with such a small model count to get started, it feels great to not have to paint in an assembly line.

First 'Jack

I was sitting here looking at these figures thinking that I had gotten in over my head. A second system with models that are REALLY hard to assemble. But I just went for it and tried to paint one of the smaller bonejacks.

Click on any of the pictures for a larger version. It took a remarkably short amount of time, and I think the results are pretty damn good.

So here's the play by play:

Prime white gesso.
Black Plates:
     -Adeptus Battlegrey
     -Adeptus Battlegrey + Black (50/50)
     -Badab Black wash
Skull:
     -Tallarn Flesh
     -Bleached Bone + Water
     -Devlan Mud wash
Glowing Areas:
     -Scorpion Green
     -Thrakka Green wash
Metallic Areas:
     -Boltgun Metal or Shining Gold drybrush
     -Badab Black wash

I finished with a liberal spray of Dullcote. The basing is white glue with aquarium sand and some fake turf. I had to prime with gesso because it's incredibly humid here. I used Flo-Aid with the Gesso, and it made a huge difference in ease of application.

Pinning? Naaahhh.

I started prepping the figures this wekend. A few things of note:

1) The metal is a bit softer than GW's stuff. I found myself inadvertently bending legs while trying to assemble.
2) These are a complete pain to pin. I've given up and resorted to green stuff.
3) I may officially be too old to deal with metal models.

The bonejacks are together as is the warcaster. The big guy is mounted on its base and the arms are assembled but not attached. Stay tuned.

Here we go again

Last year, I returned to a hobby after a two decade hiatus: Warhammer 40k. Unfortunately, I didn't start blogging about my foibles until I was well into painting the 300-odd models taking up my desk.

But today, a unique opportunity has presented itself. I am going to start blogging about my experiences with Warmachine, which has officially started today. I bought the Cryx box set, which has 4 warjacks and a warcaster. This is a playable force, which is jarring, considering what it takes to field a playable army in 40k.


The models are very detailed, and despite the fact that they are metal, I think they will do OK without pinning. We'll see. More tomorrow.