+ inload: Warmachine +

+ My gaming group have recently – or at least, over the past year – taken up Privateer Press' Warmachine game. Collecting and painting the models has been an interesting contrast to the Games Workshop models with which I'm more familiar, and I'd like to explore this in a future blog post or two.

+ However, time is at a premium at the moment, so instead, here are some WIP shots of a figure on which I'm currently working, a Cygnar Journeyman Warcaster. + 

+ This figure is metal; and intended as a gift. As a result, I wanted to make sure that it's as good as I can make it. Since I'm fairly unfamiliar with the Warmachine aesthetic, I wanted to start with something I am both enthusiastic about and familiar with – the face. 

+ Journeymen are supposed to be young, up-and-coming Warcasters (a sort of steampunk wizard), so I painted this figure with a cool, pale basetone leaning towards green; then added touches of red and purple for the lips and the areas above the eyes respectively. This sort of work is a balancing act between making the figure feminine and making her look like a drag queen.

+ As the full figure shot (left) shows, the 'make-up work' is subtle when viewed from further back; but the face successfully gives the model a feminine feel. +


+ Human skin can be painted fairly similarly across genres, and the face is an obvious focal point for any miniature. I would normally leave it 'til near the end of the figure; a reward, if you will, for painting the rest. 

+ That would have been a sensible idea here, as I painted this ages ago and then never got round to finising her off until very recently. +












+ The aesthetic is brighter and considerably less Gothic than the Warhammer world, and the recipient is a Final Fantasy fan, so I didn't want the figure to be too muted. Bright blues, strong contrasts in the metals and cloth, along with some gold hints give the model a nice rich, positive feel. 

The figure now awaiting basing.

+ With her bright new armour, she's got a nice feisty, optimistic atmosphere that fits in nicely with the background. +

 + This close-up of the face shows why I used a greenish base. The green is muted by subtle touches of Ogryn Flesh (a red-based GW wash) in the recesses and on the surface of the cheeks, which gives a much more realistic final effect of pale skin. Working from a pink-, yellow- or red-based paint would have left her too ruddy or bright, which would have lost the bright, fresh youthful look (emphasised further with some blonde hair). 

+ Note also how the eyeshadow and lips are enriched by the red wash, but become more subtle as the skin also gets warmer. The overall effect knocks back the more obvious make-up look, giving a more au naturel appearance more suited to a pragmatic, capable, military figure like this woman. +

+ inload: Ultramarines +

+ I've been building my Ultramarines army for years now – I started my Warseer blog back in 2008*, and it has since hit half a million views. Quite a humbling number!

+ Here's a quick snap of the first marine of the latest batch to have the blue highlighting started. This is made with a mix of Mordian Blue and Fenris Grey (I think; it's the new Space Wolves Grey equivalent, anyway), which is applied to the highlight areas and blended away. This will in turn be highlighted up with a lighter mix made from Fenris Grey and a touch of pure white to get the final highlights; after which it's on to basing and details. +






+ Currently on the workbench is a big batch of more regular marines. It's at this point that I'm reminded why I like big infantry armies. Individuals are great, and being able to bring your artistic focus on to a single miniature is wonderful; but seeing a group of models come together to form a complete, mobile diorama, where they can interact with one another to realise the artworks of the Warhammer 40,000... well, that's just wonderful. +

* Noospheric uplink code: http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?146205-Praetors-of-Calth-%96-Pre-Heresy-Ultramarines

+ inload: Brother Taarlach of the Iron Tenth +

It is a very reaction peculiar to humanity to give titles to momentous events. It is an assertion of power; as though by labelling the impossible we render it smaller, tamer. More... controllable.

Of course, the Isstvan Dropsite Massacre was a term given after the events – long after the blood had dried up and the echoes burnt away. The name packaged the horror; rendered it relatable to the wider war. It became another entry on a list, like the Cold Gulf Catchments, the Ghoul Star Advances, or the Battle for Ibysia. 

It was like none of those things. 

We did not know it as the Massacre; though even on the ground it was clear the scale of butchery was unprecedented. Time moved strangely after the first day – indeed, even after the first minutes. Taarlach was unusual in keeping us grounded. My head was full of questions. They blotted and confused me. What was the right action now? Who could we trust? Most pressing of all – where was Lord Vulkan? 

We found Taarlach defending a barricade made up of rubble, rad-soil, and – mostly – dead Iron Hands. He did not fire at us. Indeed, when we came across him, he was unable to do so, having expended the last of his scavenged ammunition in killing an Iron Warrior who had wandered, blast-fried and devoid of his senses, across the landscape of shell-broken Space Marines. 

He was masterfully practical and focussed, in every way but one. He fell in and moved us out to the south of the Urgall Depression. It was a flawless fallback plan that ticked into place like the workings of an clock. 

The sounds of battle fitfully diminished and re-emerged, in the strange hours that followed, as the treacher-legionnaires came across scattered knots of resistance. Taarlach drove us forward mercilessly. I am confident that without him, we would have convinced ourselves to ignore our orders, turned back to find Lord Vulkan – and perished. It is testament to the iron will of Taarlach that he was able to convince us to stay by our duty and rely on our father to meet us.

Of course, he never did – nor, to that matter did Lord Ferrus. In the hours and days that followed, we met dribs and drabs of shell-shocked and mindbroken Imperial Army. Non-aggressive Legionnaires – I hesitate to say friendly, as we were all equally confused by the event, and eager to force the truth from any we met; from whatever Legion, and by whatever means. 

We met none who could offer the slightest explanation or anything but raw speculation. The Isstvan Dropsite Massacre now has a name, but for Taarlach and myself, it was a pilgrimage of sorts. Away from credulity and towards vengeance...

+++
Taarlach marks the first completed marine for my Flight Risk project. An Iron Hand, he was a great opportunity to try out some techniques for whites and blacks; both of which will come in handy for my Ultramarines and orks.

A very rewarding mini-project, Taarlach was completed in a couple of hours using a base of a chromatic black mix (Abaddon Black, Scorched Brown, Orkhide Shade and Necron Abyss) with highlights made by adding Fenris Grey to the mix, and a wash of the black wash (Nuln Oil?).

Iron Hands are great fun to paint – I'd like to explore the X Legion some more.

+ inload: Vicissitudes of the Warp +

+ Chaos Space Marines. These have gone through a lot of changes since their introduction in the Realm of Chaos books, and though a lot of changes have been good in giving them their own identity, the models have never matched the creativity of the single-piece Renegade Space Marines of their first miniature range. 

+ These were wonderfully baroque and strange, and really captured the 'otherness' of Chaos in a way that the later models never did. With nostalgia for the older ranges and a new appreciation for the character that the single-piece miniatures offer, I've been repeatedly tempted to pick up some of the older miniatures, but they are very small! Not a problem in itself, but I was really impressed with the plastic Chaos Chosen from the most recent 40k boxed set.

+ These really show off what GW can do with the plastic technology, and combine a lot of the outré weirdness of the original range with crisper details. I snagged a set for the princely sum of two quid from eBay, and put them together over the weekend. +

+ I couldn't quite resist some minor conversion, so the duplicates carrying boltguns were differentiated slightly – one had the chain detail on his boltgun removed (right), and the other had his head twisted (below), which changes the pose nicely.

 + I've mounted these on 30mm bases (from Heresy Miniatures), as the size increase makes them overhang 25mm bases slightly, and I prefer the larger framing area a 30mm affords.

+ The chap with lightning claws reminded me a bit of a spider (eight claws, fangs in the centre) so I replaced his head with a resin Mark 5 helmet – the studs evoke an arachnoid set of eyes. +

+ The size of the traitor marines is surprising – to the right is a comparison picture with an Imperial Fist marine based on Terminator parts (the 'true-scale' method that I use on a lot of my models) in a similar pose. As you can see, there's not a huge amount of difference – the Traitor is probably midway in height between a standard marine and the larger size shown; but he's also very bulky compared to standard marines, which I really like. +

+ I also treated myself to the new clam-pack single sprue plastic Aspiring Champion, who was assembled completely stock, with the exception of the base. A really nice model, and one that well illustrates the combination of Rogue Trader-era aesthetics –like the fluted, ribbed horns and the soft blend between hard edges and more organic lines (see the collar for a good example) – with the advantages of more modern technologies – crisp detailing like the power axe generator, and the clever use of plastic moulding to give a really dynamic but durable miniature. +

+ Not really sure how I'll paint these lads, but that's rather the attraction – just have fun doing something creative rather than tying them into anything in particular. If you've got any thoughts on whether you'd like to see a particular 'canon' warband or watch me try to make something cool up, I'd love to hear your thoughts. +

+ inload: Dis now belongs to da orks! +

+ Sometimes painting doesn't go quite to plan – and sometimes, you don't have a plan in the first place. These orks in mega-armour were mostly painted last night, in a frenzy of chromatic black, boltgun metal and green. 

+ A mob of four of these blighters is going to cause some impact on the table – though whether through their success or simply the fact they're big heavy metal models, I'm not sure. +

 + This ork, Longthorn, carries the Waaagh banner on his back. The head's from a GW Warhammer orc boss, while the rest of him, like the others in the mob, is the Ghazghkull kit. To add a touch of difference to this one, I've cut the twin-linked shoota and turned it on its side. A minor change, but effective. +

 + A head from the special character Snikrot was used here, along with a slight repose achieved with putty in the armpits. I really like the huge numbers of sensors and lenses on his mask – perhaps a number of looted autosenses from Imperial sources? It gives him a great high-tech look that helps give him a lot of personality. +

+ The third member of the mob has a more ambitious repose; lifting his claw up to crush the enemy. He required putty in the gap between torso and legs, and I also added some detailing on his chest, which is visible underneath his head (taken from the FW Kommando conversion kit) because I haven't used the large 'iron gob' piece on these. 

+ To keep the Goff feel, I restricted the decoration to very minor dags and chequers. I used a chromatic black mixed from various darks like Abaddon Black, Necron Abyss, Orkhide Shade, Charadon Granite and Warlock(?) Purple. This ensures the black isn't completely colourless, which helps to ensure that it doesn't look flat and dead. Of course, because these shots were taken rather hurriedly in midwinter, you can't really make much out anyway! +

+ Here's the last member of the mob, who I think is my favourite – that Brian Nelson look to the head and the great Goff helmet are probably why.

+ Can't quite decide if he should represent the Warboss, Skraga Blacktoof, or just a mega-armoured nob. Thoughts? +

+ inload: Genyx + 

+ Records of the world of Genyx are amongst the oldest in the sector; with partial fragments dating back to pre-Scribe Wars material. Unfortunately, little of this is directly useful, as the planet is believed to have been subjected to an Exterminatus-level event during the Great Crusade, which meant that the records refer only vaguely to 'the planette Gennicks [sic], yclept same by the Awfulle master of ye Legion Outramare in yis yearre of Crusade 222; and noted hens as an aide navigationelle from Hesiodd Spaes.'

+ The planet is relatively well-charted, owing to its astrographical position: not only is it the closest major ork-held world to Imperial space, it also lies on the path of the Hyperion Warp Corridor, meaning that numerous Imperial sellswords, Rogue Traders and ne'er-do-wells have explored it. In turn, their reports have made their way to Imperial Intelligence.

+ Overview +

+ The attached document includes much in-depth material on the planet, so this abstract will concentrate on broad strokes. You are recommended to read, mark and learn as much as possible before deployment; as well as to pass this information on to relevant underlings.

Aphelion 109,101,000 km; 0.844 191 AU
Perihelion 107,440,000 km; 0.834 001 AU
Eccentricity 0.0056
Orbital period 401.881 Terran standard
Satellites 4; 1 believed inhabited

Mass 4.9112 x 10^24 kg
Mean density 4.2721 g/cm^3
Equatorial surface gravity 7.88m/s^2 08144 Terran standard.

+ The planet is broadly similar to Terran standard, with only minor gravitional differences. Imperial Naval forces with regiments on deployment are required to adjust their gravity in transit to aid acclimation. Respectfully, Astartes forces are advised they need make no alteration to their usual drills.

+ The planet is hot – all theatres of conflict save the polar assault have a mean surface temperature of ~40C during seasonal deployment; rising to ~43C by the projected end of hostilities. Standard equipment and rebreathers are recommended. Additional hydration packs are being recquisitioned.

+ The planet is densely covered in vigorous jungle, with the major landmasses completely covered. The small oceans are salt-rich and shallow. 

+Tacticum Imperialis +

Jungle environments can be inherently unhealthy, with various tropical diseases that have to be prevented or treated by medical services. 

Likewise the terrain can make it difficult to deploy armoured forces, or any other kind of forces on any large scale. Successful jungle fighting emphasises effective small unit tactics and leadership.

+ Flora and Fauna are believed to be non-hostile; mostly potentially lethal; broadly inedible. All liquids must be sterilised. Failure of Guard forces to follow jungle-theatre prophylactic procedures and conventions will be subject to Commissarial review of Officer ranks. +


+ Thought for the day +
Learn from the enemy's mistakes; make none of your own.

+ Initial deployment theatres +

+ Northern hemisphere +

+ Battlegroup Hastus +

Hastus will assault the largest concentration of orks on the surface, at the settlement coded Bearpit. Lions of Sol have theatre command.

Astartes Assault elements

• Carcharadon Astra
• Lions of Sol

Imperial Guard Assault elements

• Cibernum Pioneer Resistance
• Genhennan 103rd Heavy Infantry
• Lastrati 4th Infantry
• Virtue 3rd Drop Regiment (Regimental deployment)

Imperial Guard Support specialist elements

• Metis Light Foot (Regimential deployment)
• Temperance Drop Engineers

+ Battlegroup Caridas +

Caridas will take and hold the Red Fen region, believed to be relatively heavily defended; and create lines of supply and retreat down to the equatorial regions for all Imperial ground forces. 

Astartes Assault elements

• Invigilators

Imperial Guard Assault elements

• Aldebaran 1st
• Siculan 445th

+ Southern hemisphere +

+ Battlegroup Mensa +

The southern hemisphere has little of strategic worth to the orks – forces deployed here will be supported by Adeptus Mechanicus forces to create reinforced landing zones and Naval refitting yards to support the Grovsenor and Ambitine Front advances in the coming years.

Imperial Guard Assault elements

• Memini 2nd Reserves
• Marrymen 41st
• Rubicon 2888th (Regimental deployment)

+ Mission abstract +

+ Deployment is set for the 1st Secundus M37.778. The southern hemisphere theatre is to be rendered compliant and ready to support ongoing operations by 1st of Commencement M37.779.

+ The Northern campaign is expected to meet stern resistance; Imperial Guard forces will be cycled out on demi-annual tours until functional complicance. Astartes pledges are requested to support for as long as possible until compelled further into orkspace; or Admiral d'Yrbium announces Compliance. +

+ Enemy disposition +

+ Heavy resistance is to be expected around the mobile population centres coded Bearpit, Tangent and Spearmint. Initial reconnaisance by the Metis Light Foot have confirmed ork spoor and tribal markers from the following off-planet ork forces that have moved to support:

Major ork deployments

• Black Sunz (full tribal deployment suspected)
• Golden Horde, The (Believed to be rallying planetary feral ork tribes – Omega threat level)
• Shooty Boyz (support/advisory elements – engage with immediate intent)
• Orful's Oldboyz

Minor Ork deployments

• Redgobz
• Neckslica's Speedas
• Zoddrukk's Sneeks

+ Expect the orks to be highly mobile, highly resourceful and to have dug in. The aboriginal tribes are likely to have liaised with incoming forces, which means the orks will benefit from excellent intelligence and be fully adapted to the hostile environment.

+ Naval forces will be at the disposal of all Imperial commanders, cross services. Ork aircover is anticipated to be low, but the jungle canopy means that air support networks are near-impossible to detect. Expect a precociously high level of preparedness from the orks.

+ Engage and destroy are standing orders. +

+++Images used without permission+++

+ inload: Forces of the Scallops Stars 4 +

+ Metis Light Foot +

+ The Helswall system lies in the spinwards reaches of the Hesiod-Siculus subsector, near the Scallop Stars border, and has long-provided tough and resourceful regiments to the Imperial Guard. The three principal planets usually contribute their own regiments, but in cases of unusually high levels of recruitment, they are known to combine individual companies into one of the so-called 'Mongrel' regiments. 

+ The Light Foot were the sole regiment supplied entirely by the forest world of Metis to the Fourth Great Purge. Their superlative fieldcraft skills proved invaluable during the planetary invasion of Genyx, which marked the first large-scale planetary assault by the Ambitine Purge Fleet.

+ The world of Metis has a higher gravity than terra, and the dense forest cover and low population density has bred men and women that are tough, stoical and resourceful. The planet is lightly populated and most inhabitants are isolationist, living individually in short-term 'wood-igloos'. They gather semi-regularly to meet family obligations and to trade. Large-scale mobilisation is seen as a necessary duty to which most Metans acquiesce, however grudgingly; but the planet has an extremely high Arbites presence in order to enforce the tithe.

+ Metans are famed both for their personal adaptability and initiative, and unfortunately also their insubordination. Metans called to serve off-world frequently find themselves wrong-footed by the void gravity and claustrophobia of life on ship, though they generally quickly adapt. The term 'Metan' quickly entered the Fleet's officer slang as a shorthand term for soldiers that were irascible and violent – perhaps unfairly, as the Light Foot quickly settled once granted leave to bivouac throughout the ships, rather than being cramped into barracks. +

+ Desetar Goran Chomatemj +

+ Desetar is a non-commissioned officer rank, which grants command over a handful of other soldiers. A Desetar might find himself tasked with leading anything from a single fireteam up to an entire platoon, but more often he will be serving under a higher rank, and specialised.

+ Chomatemj has been issued with a short-band communication device. The bulky Braun VI-pattern long-range backpacks were issued as standard, but suffered a near total attrition rate on Genyx. It was widely-held belief amongst Imperial command that the Metans were deliberately abandoning the awkward packs or cannibalising the parts to create short-band communications that were considerably more useful to their independent modus operandi. For obvious reasons, such reports were not passed on to the Adeptus Mechanicus – the High Command taking the Metans' reports of mecahnical failure at face value on the basis that the operational ability of the regiment increased as their comms-gear deteriorated.

 + Members of the Light Foot were deployed as infiltrators, sappers and generalists in support of the main Astartes drive on Genyx. Members of the Lions of Sol reported their admiration of the Metan's stoical and self-reliant attitude, and they worked unusually closely with the troopers.

+ Chomatemj is pictured here bearing a clearly non-standard boltgun. The ident tags mark it as drawn from the Forgeworld Conisium in the Hynde's Crimson Star system; a drawing point for the Stellar Steeds Chapter – also operating on Genyx.

+ The hard grey carapace and light fatigues pictured here were standard; though many of the Light Foot opted to wear only a light flak vest in the steaming heat of the Genyx campaign.

+ Chomatemj is also carrying supplies sufficient for a two-day ranging deployment, including a camo-cloak.

+ The Genyx campaign was often fought in close-quarters without support; a deadly position that favoured the eager and dangerous orks of the planet. While the Metans were tough and resourceful for humans, they – like other regiments – couldn't compete for sheer physicality with the greenskins. This sat badly with the regiment, who prided themselves on their fieldcraft, and morale was low throughout the campaign.

+ Nevertheless, the Metan Light Foot provided invaluable support for the Astartes forces, and while they took heavy losses on Genyx, their effort and sacrifice ensured that the war could grind on. +

+ inload: Da Blakk Kuttas +

+ I've been working on these orks for a while now, and thought I'd pop up a few pictures of them. +

+ Dedd proppa +

+ Individual shots +

+ inload: Forces of the Scallop Stars 3 +

+ Designated Focus: Redgobz/Bloody Toof Boyz +

+ This tribe was first brought to the attention of the Imperial military during the Fourth Great Purge. Like many ork groups, the Bloody Teef Boyz have had numerous leaders over several generations, and maintain dozens of rivalries and grudges against nearby ork groups. 

+ The homesystem and traditional fief of the ork tribe known variously as the Bloody Teef Boyz, Bloody Toofs, Redgobz and numerous other variations, holds four major worlds: Gorgob (known to Imperial forces as Pallas), Grinsnik, Weteye and Wurrsnaga.

+ inload source: Desk of the Lord Commander Ultima +
+ FAO Imperial Commanders of rank Major (equiv.) or above +
+ Thought for the day: The tallow of man keeps alight the flame of hope. +

+ Contact across numerous theatres has been made with a single enemy force. Believed to have substantial numbers, the 'Bloody Toof Boyz', as they style themselves, are fast beomcing a major threat, and every effort should be made to neutralise their forces and degrade their ability to coordinate, post haste.

+ This missive is intended to spread information about the enemy, in order that he may be identified and exterminated. Do not disseminate this information to the ranks of the soldiery!

+ First contact: The group is unusual in maintaining its own fleet, part of the larger group clustered around the Stellar Wells – the so-called 'Stellar Wells Greens'. However, first contact was made by a ranging picket ship of the Hyperion Front, a vessel belonging to the Stars of Dorn Astartes Chapter. Happening across a superior force of enhanced cruiser-displacement craft in the tribe's distinctive livery, the Furious Anger disengaged after a brief but damaging engagement. Having sustained boarders during the retreat, the Furious Anger was later found to be harbouring a surprisingly sophisticated and self-replicating void-tracking broadcast system. To what end is unclear at this point.

+ Threat level: Extremely high. The force muster is believed to number in the millions; with many subgroups and allied factions. The 'Bloodeater King', the tribal leader, has so far proven elusive. Elements and groups ranging from battalion strength down to unit cells have been positively identified across almost every world during this first year of conflict.

+ Action: On contact, report to fleet command as a priority. The tribe enjoys substantial support and manpower, and must be met with crushing force wherever possible. Levels of engagement up to fleet orbital bombardment have been sanctioned: check with Commissariat and Naval Fleet command.

+ Identification: The tribe appears to have no especial preponderance of 'clan' fidelities, with an equal balance seemingly between Evil Sun, Snakebite, Deathskull and Bad Moon social types, and a scattering of Goff, Blood Axe and minor clans. This diversity and balance makes the group especially dangerous as the typical adaptability and strategies of any clan type are seemingly equally likely to be employed. The clearest identifying mark is the red teeth of the tribe. Believed to have stemmed from the chewing of betel, a rare spice theorised to be native to the ork's theorised homeworld under the codename Pallas. Betel juice is red-staining, giving those enjoying this mild narcotic a distinctive red maw. Leaders of the orks are known to have had their teeth permanently stained, their lower jaws tattooed red, and dozens of other variations. Even their vehicles are daubed with red jaw symbols.


+ Image Captures of typical belligerent for identification only:+ Source: Brother-Sergeant Androth, Ishilites; Birch theatre. +