My 40K projects, Progress YTD

 I mentioned earlier that I have been working on a lot of 40K this year. How much? The following is a list of all that is finished. Almost every mini was purchased this year, and all have been painted this year. “In progress” indicates minis that have been started but are not finished. I did not include any minis still on sprues or in boxes, etc.

Crimson Fists, 3rd Company and Reinforcements:

• Captain (Tactical Marine with some kitbash bits)
• Captain in Terminator Armour
• Primaris Captain (Indomitus)
• Primaris Lieutenant with Auto Boltrifle
• Primaris Lieutenant (Indomitus)
• Judiciar
• Apothecary
• 1st Squad. 10x Tactical Marines
• 2nd Squad. 10x Tactical Marines
• 3rd Squad. 5x Intercessor Marines
• 4th Squad. Intercessor Sergeant
• 7th Squad. 3x Space Marine Bikes, 1x Attack Bike (Multi-melta)
• 7th Squad. 3x Inceptors (assault bolters)
• 9th Squad. 5x Hellblasters
• 2x Rhino APC
• 1x Predator Tank (with extra turret)
• 1x Razorback
• 1x Venerable Dreadnought with two alternate weapons
• 1st Co., Squad A. 5x Terminators, + 1 extra heavy weapon Terminator
• 1st Co., Squad B. 5x Terminators
• 1st Co., Squad C. 5x Assault Terminators
• 9th Co., Squad 10. Hellblaster Sergeant
• In progress: Librarian in Terminator Armour, 5x Assault Intercessor (8th Co., Squad 8), 10x Assault Marines (8), Chaplain, Librarian, 2x Rhinos, 4x Hellblasters (9th Co., Squad 10), 5x Devastator Marines (Sq. 10), 5x Infiltrators (5), and plans for more.

Ursus Phratrie, custom Space Marines Chapter, 4th Company

• Captain in Phobos Armour
• Lieutenant in Phobos Armour
• Primaris Librarian
• Squad 1. 5x Intercessors
• Squad 2. 5x Infiltrators
• Squad 3. 5x Infiltrators
• Squad 7. 5x Assault Intercessors
• Squad 9. 5x Hellblasters w/ Heavy Plasma Incinerators
• Squad 9. 3x Suppressors
• Squad 10. 3x Eliminators
• Squad 10. 3x Eradicators
• Redemptor Dreadnought 
• In progress: Nothing at the moment, but I have plans to expand. Oh my, yes. Heavy Intercessors, another Lieutenant, a vehicle or two...

Space Wolves

• 5x Reivers (Kill Team)

Van Saar Gang (Necromunda)

• 10x Van Saar gangers

Goliath Gang (Necromunda)

• 10x Goliath gangers

Escher Gang (Necromunda)

• In Progress: 10x Escher gangers

Orlock Gang (Necromunda)

• In Progress: 12x Orlock gangers

Cult of the Four Armed Emperor Genestealer Cult

• Patriarch w/ 2 Familiars
• Magus
• Primus 
• Sanctus
• Nexos 
• Kelermorph
• Iconward Acolyte
• 5x Hybrid Acolyte
• 10x Hybrid Neophytes
• 10x Purestrain Genestealers
• 12x Brood Brothers
• In progress: Achilles Ridgerunner

Tau Vior’la Sept

• 5x Fire Wariiors (Breacher)
• 5x Fire Warriors (Strike)
• 1x MV-1 Gun Drone
• 1x MV-7 Marker Drone
• 1x DS8 Remote Support Turret
• In progress: 40x Kroot Carnivores, Kroot Shaper

Eldar Craftworlds

• In progress (all older metal sculpts, since I don't do "Fine"cast): Striking Scorpions Exarch, Swooping Hawks Exarch, 5x Swooping Hawks

Terrain

• Lots of it. I have painted Killzone platforms and terrain, a lot of third party/3D printed stuff, Tyranid bioterrain, Promethium Relay pipes, Battlefield in a Box rocky hills (added tufts and some paint, etc.), Armoured Containers, etc...
• In Progress: 8x 3D printed bulkheads, 2x 3D printed buildings, 6x Sector Imperialis Objective Markers

So, as you can see, the shutdowns have been helpful in my painting, as have contrast paints, which really speed up my process.

Initial Game Room Photos

   Here are some photos of the game room. It has actually advanced a good bit since this point, but I haven't got those photos handy at the moment. I will see what I can do to remedy that in a few days.

Custom table for RPGs in progress.

Each side has cupholders, drawers, and a power outlet for a tablet.

Also, a storage shelf underneath.

Fridge and armchair

 

Built in shelves

WIP shot of the stonework going up

Faux stonework done

Length of the room

Project Review, Fall 2016: 25/28mm

A recap of what's going on:

    With the start of fall coming on, I decided I need to survey my madness. To wit, I am looking at each wargaming project I have ongoing, and what the status of said project currently is. 

   To define, a 'project' is a faction or force for a particular genre in a particular scale. Therefore, 15mm British WW2 and 28mm British WW2 are two different projects, as would be a 15mm DAK force, as would a British Paras vs. a British 8th Army force. Since there are so many and in so many scales, this shall be a short series of posts rather than one mega-post.

   For status, I shall use 'planning' (want to buy minis), 'active' (not playable but I am currently working on it), 'inactive' (unplayable but on to-do list), 'dead' (can't play, not doing anything, don't plan on it), 'playable' (enough to play, still adding to it), and maybe rarest of all, 'finished' (can play, no plans to add to it).

   I've already done the Small Scale projects, and the 15mm projects, if you missed those.

25/28mm

1. VSF Eureka Pond Wars: dead
2. VSF Lizardmen: inactive
3. VSF/Colonial British: playable
4. VSF German: playable
5. VSF Automaton: finished
6. VSF Martian: inactive
7. VSF Vardu: inactive
8. VSF French: inactive
9. VSF Russian: dead
10. VSF Japanese: dead
11. VSF Turkish: dead
12. VSF Parrotmen: inactive
13. VSF Characters (HM Victoria I, others): playable
14. Skyrunners VSF Racing: dead
15. EOTD/IHMN Werewolves: finished
16. EOTD/IHMN Gentlemen: finished
17. EOTD/IHMN Police Constables: playable
18. IHMN Lord Curr's Company: playable
19. IHMN Servants of Ra: playable
20. IHMN Society of Thule: playable
21. Colonial Boers: dead
22. Gutshot Cowboys and Lawmen: finished
23. Gutshot Banditos: dead
24. Terrain Old West: dead
25. Terrain Sci Fi: inactive
26. Terrain VSF: inactive
27. Terrain Fantasy: inactive
28. SAGA Normans: dead
29. SAGA Vikings: dead
30. SAGA Arabs: dead
31. Roleplaying Heroes: playable
32. Roleplaying monsters: playable
33. Doctor Who Daleks: inactive
34. Doctor Who Doctor and Companions: active
35. Doctor Who Angels: active
36. Doctor Who UNIT: planning
37. VBCW Free Welsh: playable
38. Warmachine Cygnar: playable (marginally)
39. Hordes Circle Oroboros: inactive
40. Hordes Minions: inactive
41. Warhammer Empire: inactive
42. Warhammer Lizardmen: inactive
43. WH40K Imperial Guard: inactive
44. WW2 British Paras: planning
45. WW2 Germans: planning
46. AT-43 Therians: dead
47. AT-43 UNSC: dead
48. AT-43 Red Blok: dead
49. Star Wars Prepaint: dead
50. Warhammer High Elf: dead
51. Warhammer Bretonnian: dead
52. Highland Badgers: playable (old and need re-paint)

Note: EotD is "Empire of the Dead," IHMN is "In Her Majesty's Name," VBCW is "A Very British Civil War."

   As you can see, there are a lot of dead projects in this scale. Ambition and ooh shiny got the better of my good sense over the years, and I almost never get rid of anything. Most are things where I have only a few figures, just testing the waters really. Which is good, I suppose. It's also by a fair margin the single longest list, which honestly surprised me. I thought the 15mm list would be the biggest.

   Also, I am shocked to see that I was considering up to 20 (!) different VSF projects in just 28mm. Twenty! I'm a sick man, really, I need help.

Project Check, Fall 2016: 15mm

A recap of what's going on:

    With the start of fall coming on, I decided I need to survey my madness. To wit, I am looking at each wargaming project I have ongoing, and what the status of said project currently is. 

   To define, a 'project' is a faction or force for a particular genre in a particular scale. Therefore, 15mm British WW2 and 28mm British WW2 are two different projects, as would be a 15mm DAK force, as would a British Paras vs. a British 8th Army force. Since there are so many and in so many scales, this shall be a short series of posts rather than one mega-post.

   For status, I shall use 'planning' (want to buy minis), 'active' (not playable but I am currently working on it), 'inactive' (unplayable but on to-do list), 'dead' (can't play, not doing anything, don't plan on it), 'playable' (enough to play, still adding to it), and maybe rarest of all, 'finished' (can play, no plans to add to it).

   I've already done the smaller scale projects, if you missed that.

15mm

1. VSF/Colonial British: playable
2. VSF/Colonial French: playable
3. VSF Martians: playable
4. VSF Venusian Lizardmen: playable
5. VSF Automatons: finished
6. VSF/Colonial Germans: playable
7. VSF Monstrosities (Dr. Vardu): inactive
8. VSF Japanese: dead
9. VSF Texicans: inactive
10. VSF Papal States: dead
11. Colonial Zulus: finished
12. Colonial Mahdists: dead
13. WW2 German DAK: inactive
14. WW2 British 8th Army: playable
15. WW2 US Marines: active
16. WW2 British Paras: dead
17. 30YW Imperial: inactive
18. SF FedArms: playable
19. SF PLA: playable
20. SF Xin: inactive
21. SF Tigrids: playable
22. SF Prang: planning
23. SF Chuhuac: playable
24. SF New Vistula Legion: inactive
25. SF Xenomorphs: dead
26. SF Civilians: active
27. SF Star Vikings (multi-race force): active
28. Terrain SF: playable
29. Terrain desert: playable
30. Terrain jungle: active
31. Terrain urban historical: inactive
32. Spanish Civil War Requetes: inactive
33. Fantasy Football Orc Team: inactive
34. Fantasy Football Human Team: inactive

   Again, I think that's pretty much it for 15mm projects. I may have missed one or two. Up next is the 25/28mm list. It's even longer, I fear.

Project Check, Fall 2016: "Odd", Fleet and 6mm

   With the start of fall coming on, I decided I need to survey my madness. To wit, I am looking at each wargaming project I have ongoing, and what the status of said project currently is. 

   To define, a 'project' is a faction or force for a particular genre in a particular scale. Therefore, 15mm British WW2 and 28mm British WW2 are two different projects, as would be a 15mm DAK force, as would a British Paras vs. a British 8th Army force. Since there are so many and in so many scales, I think this shall be a short series of posts rather than one mega-post.

   For status, I shall use 'planning' (want to buy minis), 'active' (not playable but I am currently working on it), 'inactive' (unplayable but on to-do list), 'dead' (can't play, not doing anything, don't plan on it), 'playable' (enough to play, still adding to it), and maybe rarest of all, 'finished' (can play, no plans to add to it).

Fleet Scale (smaller than 6mm)

1. Dystopian Wars (DW) Federated States: playable
2. DW Prussian: playable
3. DW Indian Raj: planning
4. Sky Galleons of Mars (SGOM) British: inactive
5. SGOM Martians: inactive
6. Aeronef Italians: dead
7. Terrain: inactive

6mm

1. VSF French: inactive
2. VSF German: inactive
3. VSF British: inactive
4. VSF Venusian Lizardmen: planning
5. VSF Martians: inactive
6. OGRE - Combine: playable
7. OGRE - Paneuropean: playable
8. Quar: inactive
9. BattleTech (multiple unspecified houses): playable
10. Modern/Cold War US: planning
11. Modern/Cold War Soviet: planning
12. WW2 Allied North Africa: planning
13. Kaiju: planning
14. Terrain: inactive

"Odd" Scales

1. Matchbox Scale Car Wars: playable
2. Silent Death: dead
3. X-Wing: playable
4. Dark Future: inactive

   That pretty much does it for the smaller stuff. Unfortunately, these are the shorter lists - 15mm and 25mm will be longer, and will each get their own post in the next few days. Each has more than thirty entries...

Epic Gaming

   I'm considering yet another new project: Epic 40K. But not GW's current version. I never owned Space Marine or Titan Legions, the earlier versions of 6mm-scale gaming set in GW's Warhammer Universe, but I did play it and enjoy it a couple of times. So, being totally barking mad, I thought it might be fun to add this into the mix and list of projects.

   Ebay has copies of the rules and boxed sets available, and for moderately reasonable prices (~$100-120), considering all the minis and templates and such included. I am tempted to go that route. But I also found online a fan-produced version of the rules known as NetEPIC. They have rules and army books, and include all the errata as well. I'm quite impressed with their layout and simplicity.

  So this is a new project in the early planning stages. I actually have some of the minis that I bought for other projects already in hand. Not enough to make a coherent force, you see, but perhaps a goodly start? And the minis are easily available on eBay and other sources. Some aren't cheap. But the vast hordes aren't exactly expensive. And, being plastic, an old box will not have suffered from the dreaded lead-rot that has destroyed so many old sealed up metal minis (like that box of Star Frontiers minis I bought a few years back).

   I definitely want Space Marines (both Loyal Chapters and Traitor Legions). I may add Orks, Eldar, and Imperial Guard to that. Maybe some Imperial Fists? Or is that too much yellow? Blood Angels might be cool. NOT Space Wolves.

Lots of Boats

   According to my son Greyson, "if it doesn't have boats, it isn't art." By that logic (with which I disagree, by the way) my paint table is art. Because it is currently covered with boats, both large and small.

   The large is an Old Glory Colonial Steamer (15mm) that I received as a birthday present about four years ago, I think. It's coming along well, but painting planking is a bit wearing. SO I am doing it in bits while I work on other boats, too. Color scheme is dark grey hull (VMC Grey Black) with red gunwales (VMC Red). Decking is a light tan (VMC Buff), the pilot house and paddles are dingy white (VMC Offwhite) and the upper works are dark wood (VMC Flat Earth). 

Here's the stock photo:

Available Here

   I haven't attached the smokestack because I can't find the finial. The stack will be black, the finial brass. I did attach the upper works, and added balsa planking to the top of the pilot house. I am not going to permanently attach the forward gunshield (though I am painting it for drop-in use) and the bulwarks added to the rear of the boat are out. I plan to add rope stays to the stack, and some sort of awning (removable, I think) to the rear of the boat. I will also add a flagpole which can be swapped out for various nations to use.

   I am a little extra excited about this project because I measured this boat for a fit when I had some custom Martian canals made up last year (or was it two years ago now???). Now I will have a vehicle with which to dominate the canals of Mars. Rule, Britannia!

   The other boats on which I have been working are a starter set of Dystopian Wars Federated States of America ships. So, nine frigates, three cruisers, and a battleship, plus tiny flyers and two bombers. Plus turrets, and drop ins like rocket batteries and shield generators. You know, the usual VSF-y stuff.

Projects List, 2014

Just to keep a record of what I am up to, gaming-wise... to be included, there has to be either actual minis in-hand (painted or otherwise) or particular forces planned but not purchased (marked with asterisk). Finished, or nearly finished projects are in green. Not many of those.

Historical:

• FOW British 8th Army (Indian)
• FOW German DAK
• 15mm SCW Carlistas
• 15mm FOG-R TYW German (Catholic/Imperial)
• 28mm SAGA Vikings
• 28mm SAGA Welsh*
• 28mm Dark Ages Terrain*

VSF:

• Dystopian Wars Prussians
• Dystopian Wars Federated States of America
• Dystopian Wars Britannia (w/ Indian Raj and HEIC)*
• Dystopian Wars Terrain
• 28mm British
• 28mm German
• 28mm Russian*
• 28mm French
• 28mm Japanese*
• 28mm Martians
• 28mm Automatons
• 28mm Lizardmen
• 28mm Police (IHMN)
• 28mm Servants of Ra (IHMN)
• 28mm Lord Curr's Company (IHMN)
• 28mm Society of Thule (IHMN)
• 28mm Brotherhood Monks (EotD)
• 28mm Characters
• 28mm Victorian Zombies*
• 28mm Victorian Vehicles (Hansom Cab, Omnibus)*
• 28mm Terrain
• 15mm Martians
• 15mm Automatons
• 15mm Lizardmen
• 15mm French
• 15mm Texicans
• 15mm Papal States
• 15mm Japanese
• 15mm Terrain
• 6mm Germans
• 6mm British
• 6mm Martians
• 6mm Terrain
• Sky Galleons - Martians
• Sky Galleons - British
• Aeronef  - Italians
• Sky Galleons/Aeronef Terrain

15mm Sci-Fi:

• Chuhuac
• Human (Khurasan Federal Army)*
• 15mm Sci-Fi Terrain*

Misc:

• 28mm VBCW - Republic of Wales
• Warhammer Fantasy - Empire
• Doctor Who - 28mm Daleks
• Doctor Who - 28mm Doctor and UNIT*
• Doctor Who - 15mm TARDIS
• BattleTech
• Ogre Miniatures
• 6mm Quar (for Ogre or BattleTech Aliens)

While I am quite sure there are more things that I am currently forgetting, this is the majority of my miniatures-based gaming. Now, add in some RPG and boardgames, and you are looking at a pretty hefty load.

I'm mad. That's the only explanation. And now you know why I sometimes feel overwhelmed and never seem to feel as if I am making progress...

Considering my next major dive.

   Okay, so I have just a few irons already in the fire:

15mm DAK

15mm 8th Army

15mm Spanish Civil War Carlistas

28mm Empire of the Dead

6mm Quar

6mm OGRE miniatures

28mm Very British Civil War Free Welsh

28mm Very British Civil War BUFs

28mm Warhammer Empire

28mm Warhammer Lizardmen (also VSF Lizardmen)

Dystopian Wars

28mm French for VSF

X-Wing (Just a few more, plus some of the bigger stuff)

15mm Renaissance (very stalled project, bordering on dead)

Buildings/terrain for all five scales and times.

   That's just what I can think of off the top of my head. So it's a given that I don't really need anymore, okay?

   But I am really getting interested in some 15mm science fiction skirmish to company-level gaming. So many awesome figures already out there, and Eli Arndt's Loud Ninja Games putting more awesome alien stuff out... I feel like a junkie - I just need one more fix, man!

   So, I want to do this at a reasonable level to start. I have some rules to get me going already, nice and generic so I can use any figures I want.

   I am thinking stand-based company-level to begin. A full company of infantry for each side, plus a few vehicles (assigned as individual vehicles). Maybe a couple of APCs for each side, one heavier ground vehicle, and some kind of air support. Here's my outline for a human force, just over 100 figures total, not including vehicles.

Company Command and Weapons Platoon (25+ recon)

• Commander (1 stand, 3 figs)
• Mortar Squad (2 stands, 2 figs +mortar)
• FO teams (2 stand, 2 figs)
• Recon team (this depends on what I buy. Probably either a drone controller stand with a couple of drones or two bike-types)
• HMG (or equivalent) Squad (2 stands, 2 figs +gun)
• Anti-armour Team (1 stand, 2 figs - probably some sort of rocket)
• Security squad (2 infantry bases, 4 figs each)

3x Infantry Platoon (27 figs/platoon)

• Platoon Leader (1 stand, 3 figs)
• 3x Infantry Squad (2 infantry bases/squad, 4 figs each)

*Infantry bases are in pairs, one pair to a squad. One of the pair has an NCO and three riflemen, one of the pair has the squad support weapon, assistant, and two riflemen.

3x APC

1x Gunship

1x Tank

Heavy artillery not on the board. Any command team or FO can call for it either from orbit or heavy artillery. If I ever bought heavy artillery (not mortars), they would be more as objective markers than combat pieces.

   As far as options to fill this force, I am considering all of the following:

• GZG New Swabian League - I like the new sculpts a lot, and the fan bikes would make perfect recon units. Plus, I might add a squad of combat walkers.
• GZG New Anglian Confederation - again, good power armour. And I like the Gurkhas and Marines in berets.
• GZG Colonial Defense Forces - I like the cavalry as recon units.
• Khurasan Terran Federal Army - I could add in the K9 team.
• Khurasan Control Battalion - I like the heavy armor look. Maybe just a platoon for assault troops or in vacuum?

   I like the infantry from several other companies as well (Rebel Minis, Clear Horizon, HOF, Laserburn, Ion Age...), but they don't have any mortars, and I really want mortars as an integral part of the company structure. I would consider them for skirmishing, where all you would have would be direct fire weapons - all indirect would be off board, even the light stuff.  

   Am I insane? 

Three new projects considered...

Greetings all!

I am suffering from project paralysis at the moment. I don't really need a new project to distract me further from the dozen or so ongoing ones in which I am currently involved (some might say 'mired'). But, three things are currently tickling my creative juices a bit.

15mm Spanish Civil War. Zach wants to do this. He has another friend of ours, Gerald, already sold. As in, he's already purchased miniatures. I have not bitten down yet. It is intriguing, but I am not sure that I am enough interested in it to take the plunge.

15mm Sci-Fi. I would really like to do a science fiction game. Aliens (I think the Chuhuac) versus humans, battling for control of colony worlds. A campaign across several worlds would be even better, fighting out the First Chuhuac War. I also like a lot of Khurasan's aliens, too, so I may go total space opera with tons of alien cultures all warring against each other.

28mm Post-Apocalypse. Thinking like Across the Dead Earth, or an adaptation of In Her Majesty's Name rules to post-apocalypse. I think it would be simple enough, as the rules are very mod friendly. I like the skirmish/gang level. Campaign system would be cool here, as well, with rival gangs fighting over scarce resources and valuable territories.

So I thought maybe I would get some help from my faithful readers, some input, to help break the lockup. Naturally, a poll sounds like a good way to go about gathering data. Plus, of course, you could respond to this posting with pertinent comments. I'd like to avoid discussions of the merits of Russian neo-punk versus Pushtu Rave bands, if you don't mind. At least this time.

In other news, I got an email today informing me that an Ogre Mk. III was on its way to my happy home. Which will be happier still once I have the Mk. III in it.

Resin Minerals Painted

I bought a pair of pieces of Armorcast's resin "Pyrite Crystals" from a local gaming shop last week, and got them painted up over the weekend. Finally had time to take a photo of them and put together a few thoughts about them, especially as compared to my previous crystal project, the green 'handwavium' ones I made of carved pink foam.

My review:

• Nice quality casting.
• Good stronge yellowish beige resin
• Very little flash or pitting
• Nice lines
• Details okay, but not fantastic. Just a clump of rock crystals.
• Super easy to paint.
• Price: $5.00

What I Did:

1. First I used a sharp hobby knife to clean up the little bits of flash, mold lines, etc.
2. Then I washed the pieces with warm soap and water, rinsed and dried with paper towel. Let it sit overnight to air dry more.
3. Next, a little bit of superglue to fill the few small bubble pits. Let sit for an hour to cure.
4. Then I sprayed each piece with flat white paint.
5. Color on the rocks was achieved by using several coats of thinned Vallejo Intense Blue. Ground color was Ceramcoat burnt sienna.
6. Brush watered PVA glue on base (using 100 for $4 cheap-o plastic bristle brush), then dredge into my Mars ground mix, and let dry.
7. Next morning, two coats fo Testor's gloss, followed in afternoon by Testor's flat.
8. Will finish by brushing on a coat of water-soluble gloss onto the crystals to make them shiny.
   

Unobtainite Deposits

Yesterday I went to a game store in Houston, the venerable Nan's Too. Anyone who has gamed in Houston during the past, oh, 20 years or so, knows Nan's. The nice thing about this place is that, being so old, you can find some older stuff there. I found some older GW minis that I could use, but more to the point for this blog, I got a package of resin "pyrite crystals" made by Armorcast. Got the package for $5. Haven't compared that price to current website price, but it seemed good. Just wish they had had a couple more packages.

The plan is to turn these crystals into the wonder mineral "unobtainite" for Victorian Science Fiction. It cancels out the effects of gravity when exposed to electricity. More power, more anti-gravity.

The resin has been washed, dried and primed. Next step is to get to painting. Blue crystals, red Martian landscape. I'll put photos up when I get some work done on it.

Project List Updated

Two posts in two days! Amazing!

So, nothing much today. I updated my Current Projects listing. A few comments regarding that:

I abandoned the plastic pre-cast rivers project. I decided they looked nice, but were too much work overall. I got about half or three-quarters done with them, but will not be finishing. Anyone wanting them can have them for shipping costs. Let me know (email is probably best).

Quite a few projects have been finished. They are marked "DONE!"

A few new projects have been added, as well. These include Martian Canals, Resin Rivers, an Ethership Field (on Mars) and a Mine Entrance (also on Mars). I was thinking of casting the canals for fun and profit. Anyone interested?

On a final note, having done a lot of re-organizing of my gaming space and looking over all of the stuff I have, I am thinking I need to get to work on more projects! With the newly cleared area available to work again, I think (hope, pray) you should see more activity in that regards and on this blog as a result.

For those of you who have remained with me through the dry spell, thanks. I hope you find some interesting new content here in the coming weeks and months.

-J

Scum in the pond it is...

Okay, I am going to give it a shot, as urged by the poll...

Which, by the way, got a disappointing response level.

I'll let you know how it goes in a day or two.

Jungle and Martian Pools

I've been re-working an old piece of VSF (Victorian Science Fiction) terrain I made over a year ago. I was never really happy with it, but it looks much better now.

Essentially, it's a piece of thin plywood, on which I smeared a fair amount of wood putty, forming some slighty uneven terrain and a depression in the center, for the pool. Sprayed the whole thing in various reddish-browns, then hand painted the center in the blues you see.

Sorry about the blurry shot. Some days I just can't take a decent picture.

What I had to re-work most was the sand/flocking around the pool. Originally, the ground looked more like a hard baked but way too smooth mud plain, not the desert-like surface I envision on a dying Mars' surface. I also added about three additional thin layers of the water to the pond for greater depth. Finally, I had glued in the small cluster of holly berries as some sort of alien reed plant in fruit. I have some more work to do on it, like reed bundles at the edges and some sort of game trail leading to the edge of the pool (maybe scraping away the sand and going back to that mud pack look), but I am much happier with it so far.

The second piece here is one I mentioned a few weeks ago. Its going to use a pot-topper for the grass around the pool. I have a few shots showing how I built up the pool, then primed and painted the interior of the pool and the rest of the base.

So, you can see the progression through the process. I poured water (first layer) into it late yesterday evening, so I have to wait until tonight to add more. It will also get three or four layers of the water. I have even thought of painting in a little green on one of the middle layers, after it dries, to get a little of a scummy water effect. What do you think? I'll poll it, I suppose, since I like to keep polls up anyway. Let me know, and make comments on what you think I should do.

Rivers Project, Part 3

So, I have finally gotten around to pouring some of the realistic water effect stuff into some of the river sections.

The stuff is pretty easy to work with, you just use it in thin layers. As you can see, I used some modelling clay to block the ends of the pieces so the liquid would not simply run all over the place. Then I set it aside to dry for a day.

After 24 hours, I poured a second layer. Again, let it sit for 24 hours.

It was actually more like 3 days before I got back around to these sections. I scored the ends along the modelling clay with a craft knife. Always use a fresh sharp blade - I probably keep the guys at X-Acto in business. Sorry about the blurry picture.

Now all you have to do is flock the banks, which I am going to try to get to this afternoon. Which means you may finally get to see some finished pieces in the next week or so. Note that I highly recommend you finish all of your pours and let it dry all the way before even thinking about flocking. The reason is simple: little bits of flock always get trapped in the hardening water. It isn't the end of the world, but it looks better without.

I have some custom pieces I need to work on to finish the project, and of course all that flocking and sanding and such. I hope to have a decent shot or two of some finished pieces by the end of the week. Until then, check out some of my other projects that I am updating.

Current Projects Jan 09

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Okay, so I am finally getting back to thinking about doing something.

I know I need to finish the Rivers project how-to. I'll get on that soon, I promise. Really.

The other two projects that are percolating in my head are telegraph lines and a pond project.

The telegraph/telephone lines are really just the poles. I have four ready to spraypaint. I'm making about ten of them, total. The idea is to give the impression of a line of telegraph poles, not create a massive network of them. Protecting them may become the point of a scenario.

The pond is going to be based around the pot-toppers I just bought at Michael's Craft Store the other day (mentioned in a previous post). I have a basic plan for the project thought out, but no actual work has been accomplished. I hope to do something on it this week or perhaps the weekend.

Rivers Project

[Carried over from my defunct Napoleonics blog]

[Originally posted Saturday, September 27, 2008]

I started a new terrain project last night, one that has been sitting in the Closet for more than a year. I bought some styrene sheets last year at Historicon from a company called Precision Products [www.appliedimaginationinc.com]. These sheets are 16"square, 0.025" thick, with vacuum-formed terrain impressed into the sheets. The two sheets I bought are 1" Straight Rivers [SKU 16091] and 1" River bends [SKU 16092]. The Straight Rivers has four lengths of straight river, each approximately 15" in length. The River Bends includes:

2 x 45 degree bends
2 x 90 degree bends
3 x Y-Junctions, and
1 x Wooden Bridge

I have cut out two pieces so far, the bridge and one 90 degree bend. Yesterday I filled the styrene hollows with DAP Water Putty to prevent it from crushing or flexing, and then glued each piece to a 1/16" plywood base. Late last night I primed the two pieces with flat white spray paint, the cheap stuff from WalMart. Today, I applied basecoat colors, using cheap craft paints. Sorry about the blurry picture, I was hurrying.

So far, I am pretty pleased with the results. The water putty has added some heft and rigidity, as has the plywood base. It is taking the paint really well, too.

I will be adding a link to all the photos to the margin tonight. I'll post more when I make some more progress.

Still to come:
Drybrushing for detail
Add flock and ballast
Pour scenic water into riverbanks
Build a hand rail. The only drawback is that the piece will lose its scale-neutrality if I do that.