Spoils of war

Yesterday courier delivered the last part of spoils of recent painting contest, which turned out to be more then successful for my hobby zone. Thank to paintjob I did on OT 34/85 (flamethrower tank) and winter infantry assault squad my hobby supplies got by:

 

-    set of resin bases from Micro Art Studio,

-    IS-2 heavy tank from Modelmania,

-    rust & chipping effects from Rebel.

Must say the Cosmos itself must have guided guys, who were choosing this stuff because all is what I am hoping to use shortly!

Right now I am working on bane thralls unit for Warmachine Cryx force, so these skull bases should fit perfectly spectres hovering over ancient battlefield. It's actually the very first plastic unit from Warmachine line I am working on and must sadly admit - it's f#@king crap compared to it's metal predecessors... 🤬

The other piece is IS-2 heavy tank for Bolt Action. Funny thing because before it arrived I was thinking about the entry for the next edition for the painting contest and suddenly, out of the blue, 46 tons of solution came to my door. These tanks come with assault squad (just like this one) so looks like I got entries for 2 categories.

And the last thing is rust and chipping effects set from Vallejo line. Most of paints I use is Vallejo and I really like this brand, so I am more than happy I got new effects to test. It's rather for painting wrecks but I actually might use it on my next contest entry so close the circle. Soviet armour is not much more then mobile wreck after all 😁

Till the next time!

Doomriders (undead cavalry)

Apparently bunch of skeletons left the closet!

And not only skellies but their meaty mounts as well! That means Army of the dead just got some fast unit (if we can really call anything fast in Undead army). Models you see below are deaders from Black Tree Design line. I got them long time ago so it was high time to see if there's anything going oin in their graves - and there was: boys sure wanted to take a ride...

Painting skeletons is always fun. Too bad these riders have only one version of mount. Sure it's oldchool and has lots of Oldhammer vibe, but painting another version of the very same sculpt is just boring. That's why I gave them different tones - just to make the team bit more interesting looking from over tabletop. Not mentioning the fact in old army books there were colorful zombies (green, yellow or even blue) - not total "grimdark" like nowdays... 🙄

I am big fan of metal models but after dealing with these guys I am pretty sure plastic or resin would be better material. Since everything is metal I didn't manage to pin bits together so there was only superglue used to bring them back to life. And that's the problem - I am pretty sure those heavy shields would be the first to fall off in case of any accident. 

Oh well - at least I don't play WFB anyore so it shouldn't be an issue... 😕

To lead them to battle there's mighty wight lord (painted also this year) and Leopold the Exhumed - which I got no idea how and when (most probably by accident during miniature swap ages ago). On the very bottom of "undead jar" there are some broken parts of skeleton horsemen staggering - I should check if I can assemble any complete models using those bones, 'cuz right now they become part of bases - just like Great Unclean One's...

Hope you like them anyway. Time to decide which models should be next saved from the depths of oblivion.

Great Unclean One

Long time no see. Again... 🙄

For some mysterious reason painting stuff takes me more and more time - my guess the reason was that goddamn summer so Cthulhu be praised for there's autumn ahead.

Anyway today I've finally managed to finish oldie Great Unclean One model from early 2000's. It's probably 4th or 5th G.U.O. piece I painted so far but somehow working on versions of this rotting dude is always ton of fun. Since I had absolutely no gaming use for this model I decided to paint it kinda different way - blue is pretty original tone then it comes to Nurgle stuff. Looking at painted piece I must say I like that color combo.

Like I said I have no use for it so at the end of painting progress decision was made to make a souvenir of this chaotic blob. It's pretty big and eye-catching model so it should look decent in any self respecting office 😎

So here it is: charging troll mutant, straight from rad-zone:

And here: about to devour whole NBC suit squad!

And finally solo session - after eating everything and everyone:

Take care 🦟

Ogre mercs - finished!

It's been a while but recently I simply have no steam for painting. I suppose it's because of that damn sun - it's so hot you can almost see steam over wet palette. Because of this I am even more happy I've managed to cross off another model from ye liste of shame. 

This one is special - ogre champion from Knightmare Games range, which was part of Oldhammer Weekend 2022 prize box. Not only the model is just super cool, with strong Middlehammer vibe, but it's also the last model my ogres were looking for to form full unit (you can see other guys here #1, here #2, here #3, here #4 and here #5).

I tried to keep color choice similar to rest of the squad so they all look coherent and keep Middlehammer spirit and must say I like the final result. My only regret is I paint so slow and there were other supercool models in the prize box still waiting for some attention (like hobgoblins or even more skeletons...).

As for the lil' undead-familiar it's ordinary skeleton from Rackham's Confrontation range. I found it together with recently painted wulfen zombie, and simply couldn't just put it back to the bucket. These minis are just way too cute! 🤗

That's it for now - hope Army of the Dead will use the mercs properly to spead death and destruction in the Old World!

Wulfen zombie (Rackham)

I was actually looking for other model (broken horn from Ilyad Games demon to be more specific) when I found this guy. This zombie fella is one of few models from Rackham's Confrontation range I've managed to collect ages ago. I remember I got it when Confrontation was still alive and these models were available - for affordable prices that is. 

If I remember correctly part of my collection was purchased as second hand models, and the other part was payment for painting service (like these Mid-Nor perverts).

I was always fond for undead armies of any sort, and Nightmares of Acheron is still probably the best line of undead models evah made. Keeping that in mind I still cannot believe Confrontation didn't manage to get solid position among other wargames - those models are just fucking amazing 😐

No matter how much I like undead models sadly I've managed to collect only few models from this line (surprisingly I have much more Mid-Nor dwarves). Among them there were wulfen zombie triplets. These were very cool models, sadly with no practical use for me. And because of this one of painted zombie wulfens ended up as gift, the other was either Ebayed or exchanged for some hobby supplies and what was left is this zombie orphan... 😢

To make it feel better decision was made to get it painted and placed in Warhammer zombies regiment as kinda filler. This badass stands on 40 mm square base, so it can easily replace 4 rank and file deaders. Not even mentioning the fact having such a beast surrounded by swarm of deaders should look just darn cool. Dead - cool that is... 🥶

And the family postcard from Border Princes:

Machine Wraith (Cryx) 👻

This time it's 100% blast from the past. 

That oldie machine wraith model has been staggering around my painting station for several years, and I got it don't even remember when did I get it. When I found it - it was sealed with thick layer of dust and was a friggin' mess. So decision was made to bring that nasty Cryx construct back to existence - another piece crossed off the list of shame.

Official paintjob is pretty dark, but I rather wanted mine copy to fit remaining Cryx force painted so far, so there's rust, dry pigments and such. After model was varnished with Revell matt it was kinda satin rather matt, so I airbrusheded it with another layer of varnish - this time Vallejo. Whole piece got that "mist" filter (no idea how to name it) and it took another layer of hand applied varnish to make most of it disappear. No idea was is the matter of temperature or varnish itself but I was seriously afraid the model would have to be washed and repainted. But it's more than fine for gaming.

I used to underestimate it back days - until I managed to possess first enemy warjack and turn it against own force. It's pure joy watching enemy smashing own (possessed) warjack in hope to shake evil spirit out of the cortex 😈

EDIT:

I now can see all those pics are kinda blurry. Hope to take some re-shots when the next Warmachine model is painted.

OT 34/85 (painting contest)

And here's the second entry for Strategie historical wargaming painting contest. Once again it's winter themed model but this time from soviet army. Although I don't play this army this model has been rotting in the pile of shame for quite a long time now so I thought I might do it a favor and save it from almost inevitable oblivion.

As for color choice I tried to use similar tones to M4A3 Sherman painted some time ago. Must say I really like that one and in my opinion it's pretty hard to make just boring green tank a bit more interesting. To break basic green some artifical snow was added so the model fits sovied assault squad painted a while back.

This version of tank is equipped with hull mounted flamethrower instead of standard mediom machine gun so I borrowed flame effect from Cryx Defiler. Back days I wasn't sure about using such add ons but now I regret I have only one to swap between models. Must check if I can get any more especially for Cryx death-chickens. That's it for now - back to work 😑

This is what it was when I found it in the bits box btw 😁

Take care o/

US infantry (winter war) #3

Not sure it's because it's been bloody hot here recently, but just a while ago I've managed to finish another bunch of US soliders from upcoming defenders of Bastorne army project (you can see rest of the guys here - squad #1 and here - squad #2). From what I can see these were the last unpainted infantry models from US range I could find - for sure from winter war range.

There's another reason for bringing out Bolt Action stuff on the painting station instead of something for Slaanesh Chaos Army project, and that reason is historical wargaming painting contest (only Polish language). It's periodical event but it's always fun: I guess you can see there models from less popular ranges - mostly wargaming models instead of dedicated display pieces.

I tried to keep similar color choice as on the previous winter squads so they all mix nicely when placed on the battlefield. Also tried not to overdo snow effect. Some artifical snow is just great for the contrast but too much of this stuff can easily ruin the paintjob (I screwed my Dodge 3/4 battle taxi this way).

I know the backdrop kinda sucks for winter themed models but it's the best I could get for my camera settings. Tried several times and have no idea how can I get proper colors using neutral background - like white sheet of paper or something like that. Here they are anyway. There's also vehicle for the same contest coming so stay tuned!

And the whole winter infantry at this stage. I think I might re-paint some old GIs winter fashion, so defenders of Bastogne can get full squads.

Heinrich Kemmler, the Lichemaster

It's good to be dead.

I mean: it's good to be BACK... ekhem, ekhem... Right...

Recent months were some sort of tornado in every aspect of my life: the fact it took me 2 months to paint anything speaks for itself. But there's still everlasting plan to paint models I have during the lifetime so every little counts I guess.

There're many miniatures I'd love to see rescued from the pile of shame, but the one chosen this time is kinda special. With no doubts it's one of my most favotite models ever made: 

Heinrich Kemmler, the Lichemaster.

Not mentioning it's background, the fact there's RPG campaign based on Kemmler's malicious plotting, the sculpt is just Middlehammer's classic. In fact it's the 3rd or maybe even 4th Kemmler sculpt I've painted so far. 

Like many models from the Middlehammer range it doesn't fit models in the unit. No fu#king way. To deal with this problem at first I wanted to put it on slightly larger base (25 mm) but this would also ruin unit's composition. The solution was using even larger base - 40 mm: model fits the unit and also I could add 3 skeletons rising from the ground, so no one can say it's just a filler 😋

It's unique model so decision was made to give it unorthodox paintjob. Most versions of this piece it rather dark, so I painted mine in fashion of ordinary (evil) wizard. It still has rather healthy flesh tone and rather clean hair and beard which makes him rather regular guy (among evil wizards). The staff's top has been taken from zombie dragon - original part broke off a while back and while I am pretty sure I still have it, I thought every way to make model look different is worthy trying. Ok, here's the guy:

Take care 💀

Zombie dragon #2

A while back zombie dragon left the painting station but until now it had no master. Real life duties combined with some expected work to do and other crap prevented me from painting. But last week I've finally found some spare time to finish necromancer rider for rhe beast so I can start planning the next project.

As for the necromancer it's old, horse mounted model, which got it's legs swapped with wight lord. It also got banner pole top from old chaos marauder set so it could carry black-and-white banner (stolen theme thing of the Undead army).

As for color choice I tried to keep is as candy-color as possible so it fits Middlehammer era. Besides it contrasts really nicely with pale dragon and the banner behind. 

And here's the model accompanied by other units from Undead army project. Those banners looks just badass and I really don't mind it's not my idea! 😋 I am pretty sure I had some Black Tree Designs zombie horses staggering around - there should be enough models for small cavalry unit - which means another black-and-white banner coming!