Deathjack (Cryx)

This year I've been painting mostly Warhammer Fantasy stuff so the plan is to shift to something different from cute and vivid Chaos stuff. Washing-off container was full of models, but arm of Deathjack emerging from paint stripper was clear sign what strikes painting desk next.

This thing is painting and assembling nightmare. I know that not only pinning all those metal bits was one, fuc#ing pain in the ass, but also it's the third Deathjack I've been working on... Yup - apparently I am kinda sadomasochistic 🥴

I was pretty sure some pics of other Deathjacks were posted somewhere on early stage of blogging, but I must have been wrong. The only photos available now are the ones on CoolMiniOrNot: model from ~2007 and model from ~2010. Back days we used to play Warmachine a lot, but after the game fever worn off and true life kicked in, the game was dropped and I sold most of my Cryx collection. Some years later it turned out my buddy was getting rid of remains of Warmachine stuff and I was lucky enough to get some badly assembled and thick-coated models. It was actually the same guy who managed to assemble Cybertronic Eradicator Deathdroid's legs wrong way so as you can see - it was serious case 🤪 

As for and model - it's big, metal, heavy and pain in the ass to paint. As you can see compared to Warhammer Inquisitor (or whatever the hell this guy's job is) DJ is probably larger then dreadnought. As for Inquisitor - I got it during one of Chest of Colors miniature exchanges long time ago (thanks again TMZ!). Because the model has lots of hard to get spots, decision was made to paint the parts first and assemble them later - just like I did with Lich Lord Terminus. Should work...

The only thing to consider now is choosing colors. I don't think it's gonna be gaming model ever, so it doesn't have to stick to original Cryx aesthetics. I am thinking about bright armour plates (baige? bone? grey?) and dark metallics (brass? tinny tin?) with some glowing effect, but that's just the idea. I want to make the right decision, paint it and NEVER EVER PAINT THE 4TH ONE 😁

KV-2 (work in progress)

This time heavy piece of soviet w.i.p. rolled in: KV-2 tank.

Looks like it's the beginning of the second Bolt Action army so I can play with my son when he gets little older (by that time I should have enough of painted Soviets for 1000 pts game).
I loved this piece from the very first look: this monster is just so clanky, unproportional and just silly I had to paint it!

I realised until now I painted only like 3 winter themed models so these guys are gonna be white. Dirty white. Whitish...

At this moment I am waiting for the supplies delivery so I can add dirt, snow and more dirt (weathering is just the biggest fun in the painting business), but since model is nearly done I thought I could spill the beans and share the w.i.p. shots from the eastern front:

Converted Hellhound - "Dagon" (under construction)

Hello,

The previous post was quite a success (apparently there's still large demand for vehicles in the hobby) so here's another one coming: Hellhound.
I've always liked this model - the concept of 20 ton fire spitter wreaking havoc on the battlefield is just delicious! Original model EE was nothing special though - bag of bits to be added onto Chimera hull. Not mentioning these were rather silly bits - I mean, for fuck's sake - napalm tanks outside the tank? Just under rotating flamer turret???

Easy now... Easy... Inhale... Exhale...

So recently I've spotted really cool Chimera conversion - basicaly the turret section was moved back + some other minor changes. After spending some time browsing google pics it turned out such modification is quite popular - it makes the tank just sweet.
I decided to give a try to something similar. Not mentioning I had some oldschool tank crewman almost totally forgotten buried in the pile of shame.

I got the model and started cutting. I was shit scared - I've never performed such a severe operation on brand new model before. Hands were shaky but it was a success.
Below is overall shape - decision was made not to add too much extras (tools, weapon cases, spikes, whatever) on the model. I imagine it as Ash Wastes war machine - it has only what's absolutely necessary and nothing more.

I already have idea for another one - also converted model, which will be either mobile communication center (with some extra armour and 'uuuge antenna), engineering vehicle (dozer blades) or tank / bunker destroyer (lascannons). This one will be painted with greens and shall be named Hydra ooor... Dagon 2*.

Anyway - here's the model shortly after surgery:

And here - after some airbrush fun.

I must say after taking masking film off I had very mixed feelings about the result - in fact I wanted to repaint it right away. But after some time I though there's a chance it won't be horrible in the end:

there'll be lots of parts painted with metalics, there'll be chipped paint, crew should also distract viewers' attention from the browns.

Yeah... There might be potential to be excavated in the end!

Not mentioning out battlefield is painted with browns mostly so tank should fit it just fine. Hope you like it so far.

Btw - there's 5th member of EM4 scavengers gang in the back, 4 more to be repainted and there'll be another full painted Necromunda gang in mu possession! Mwah,hah,hah,ha,haaaa...

*Lovecraft be praised!

Warzone classic Eradicator

Hey again!

This time something quick and still wip-py: Cybertronic Eradicator Deathdroid.

I wanted to keep it for later posting (together with Warzone game report) but since there was no gaming last weekend...

I picked it from the lead pile to paint something else than another zombie and all in all I am happy to see is finally covered with paint. I don't play Cybertronic but this one will be part of several scenarios I have in mind (we all know the damn A.I. was never to be trusted...)

The model I got had no right arm so I needed prosthesis:

first I managed to recast original arm (with Magmascorcher) but since the flamer didn't turn out as nice as I was hoping for it has been cut off and replaced with placcy heavy machine gun from EE range. I must say I like it better than original weapon - deathdroid armed with Titan Megablaster can control most of the battlefield is placed properly.

General painting idea was of course based on the "official paintjob", besides such a baby-blue color will be pretty striking on desert themed field of battle. When I was applying highlights I was quite sure delicate blue won't be enough for painting edges and as you can see - I was totally right. So the first thing to do is to finish edges with almost pure white and enchance the shadows with either olive chalk dirt or reddish-brown rust, haven't decided yet.

I also think some greasy oil leaks wouldn't hurt - there's lots of pipes after all.

Hope you like the current stage of works.

Cheers!

Couple of wips

Hey again,

This time it'ssomething slightly different: wip only post.
I would like to focus painting on these so I can see at least one group finished by the end of the year. It's no painting masterplan, schedule or anything similar for sure: every time I try to organize a bit long term painting nothing works.

So what do we have here?
First: slowly growing Nurgle combat patrol. All models I am going to use are here, except for the last blight. You can see 2 models placed on square bases: they were painted some time ago when I was still hoping for a Mordheim game.
I think I will put these two on round bases and add some sci-fi gear to make them fit better Necromunda, like chainsword for daemon and some grenades for warrior.

Another thing to consider is choosing the pet for gang leader: the candidates are oldie beast of nurgle (right) and metal chaos spawn (back).I want place whole group on the display base so there'll be not enough space for both monsters. The spawn looks better but it has no right arm so I'd have to re-sculpt missing muscle tissue. We'll see.

Now it's time for some sweet stench of burnt heretics!!!
Oh yeah, I've always had warm heart for these frenzied maniacs but hey, how can you resist hoods, chainsaws and gasoline?

Scavvies are more-less finished so I can give a try to these fellas. So far I painted like 3 test Redemptionists but none of them was something worthy keeping. The latest plan is to paint them as Cult Of Purple Hand (you know, The Enemy Within WFRP scenario):
white / bone rags and purple hoods. Rather striking color combo, huh?  

And the last group of old minis: greenskins Mordheim (yeah, right...) band.
Few years back my buddy phoned and said: I am cleaning my old hobby shit, if you don't want what's left from my old orcs and gobbos army - I am throwing them away.

Shortly after several dozens or minis (mostly one pose orcs and goblins) were added to the unpainted pile. I've always loved goblins army: funny rules, cool fluff and fucking sweet sculpts (around Warhammer Fantasy 5th edition that is). As mentioned earlier - don't think I will ever play Mordheim but these models are way too cool just to rest in stringbags so decision was made to choose several representatives of greenskin races and here;s the mob.

Looks like there's a lot to do in 2015!

Laters!

OOP plague marine, Necromunda and bit more just before xmas!

That's quite unexpected for me but it turns out I managed put some more models on The Painted Side! Looks like coming annual summary chart won't look as crappy as I was thinking.

So what's this time?

First: pit slave model. My opponent runs the gang based on cephalyx slaves models so I got some spare parts, built another ganger, did some paint slapping and another guy is ready to join the ranks of Underhive gladiators.

These fuckers are just pain in the ass to confront in close combat, huge pain in rottin' scavvy ass! Especially when you realize a single successful hit with shears can instantly kill your beloved models, no roll for serious injury!!! ><

Painting this one was nice change after zombies and chaos stuff. It took me about 2 late evenings but I like the result. My opponent should too - especially it's the only painted model in his war party...
As for conversion the only modification here was head swap and adding axe. I know pit slaves can apply same amount of damage with bare fists but I decided the gang begs for bit of variety: cannot stand 10 unpainted models looking more less the same charging scavvy - lines. Shooting them is just like doing them a favour.

These PP guys are slightly bigger than original Necromunda minis which I found a problem first (pic below - guy compared to swarming plague zombies). But when I saw how easily they can run through flesh and bones with buzz saws, drills, shears and everything else then managed to get in Obi I found the idea of overgrown, steroid - driven gladiators quite acceptacle.

Which reminds me - last weekend Aarseth* managed to lead successful rescue mission so the captured scaly came back to the team. Such a loss would be very severe: that fella got nice a advance skill but also costed quite a lot of credits and as we all know - scavvies usually are just beggars.

There is something more painted, something I wanted to see done for a long time and something I am quite proud of: classic plague marine.
When I got the miniature there was a plan to build small chaos warband, more 40k than Necomunda but still something skirmish-like. I got some parts, did some conversions but all in all all parts were sealed in the box and put away for a long time.

No idea why really...
Last week the seal was broken, model was cleaned and about 3 evenings later was placed in the display case among Heresy blights. Me happy.
It the first true plague marine I painted evah, sure - I painted some placcy marines back days but let's be frank about it: only metal counts. As you can see the model was slightly converted so it fits Necromunda better. I really like the idea of Plague Cleansers: corrupted outcasts / cultists supported by some daemons. This should be very powerful NPC group to encounter during the campaign.

Color scheme is nothing original - initially I wanted to paint it with more striking tones (like bone white armour, blackish or striking orange corroded metal parts) but all in all classic color choice won the casting. The next one will be painted probably similar way, I might increase the contrast and test some oxidation though.
I tried to paint some texture on flat areas of the armour but since the pics are bit overburnt it's barely seen now. Lesson learnt: more contrast on this part next time.

You saw the nice pics so now something extra:

my painting desk with some canidates for getting painted - hope to see 2 more finished this month.

On the left - lovely mutie raider from Gorkamorka. I really regret I never had a chance to play the game of get some more models (which reminds me - let me know if you have some spare / unused GM stuff). These fellas fit our ash-wastes-munda perfectly so I hope to add NPC characters to make campaign even more deadly and enjoyable.

2 guys on the right are plague marine buddies of the painted one: another original oop model (once again - if you have some unused oldie plague marines, you know what to do) and converted one. Don't remember the idea standing behind the conversion but it's based on ork body, terminator gear and some junk. I like it much less that back days so lets hope the paintjob can save it.

The last piece for today: skeleton standard bearer.

I wouldn't think about bringing the piece on the desk without Rob Hawkins bloggy. The guy did just excellent job on converting bowmen using old metal models so after I read it I realised there was one heavily mutilated skeleton model in the junk box so the decision was made to make it get up from the hobby grave.

There were no arms and legs so I added placcy legs from skeleton box, old metal arm from skeleton standard bearer (yes kids, in the old days there metal bits added for command group in box of placcy soliders). Remaining parts are: chain, oldie spear and chaos marauder weapons. You can even see wip stage of banner on the right.

I don't think painting this deader will take much time or effort but it should be fun - Undead was my first true Warhammer Fantasy army. I would like to see unit of skellies in the display case one day - too bad I have no gaming use for them.

That's it for now, take care and try to not to step on tox bomb jar!

* da boss of my Scavvies