obsidian3d's 40k painting and modeling thread

[obsidian3d]

Hey folks,

I've got a thread started for my Strange Aeons stuff, so I though I could do the same for my Warhammer 40k bits too.  I actually have some figures painted but no full squads ready to show off.  The first stuff I actually bought was the 4th edition starter box...and I've painted some of the lander pieces from that...although looking back on them they probably need redone.  I just finished painting the markers that came in that box, and an old barrel.

The shield/ force field generator things.


Some fancy looking buoy or engine.


A custom base that I couldn't get a miniature to stand on, so now it's an objective marker.


I took these pictures at night, so yeah they're pretty awful.  I've endeavour to have better ones for next time I post!

[obsidian3d]

(Reposted from http://obsidian3d.blogspot.ca/2012/08/another-hobby-update-40k-paired-painting.html)

As I paint more and more of my lead and plastic toys, I continue to be amazed at the great skill I see all over the various boards and blogs dedicated to the hobby. Recently I was trying to put together my Immortals starter box for Hell Dorado. The main character of the faction has a really unique design and as such, has proven a huge pain in the ass to even just put together. I'm nearly finished, but am quite honestly afraid that he'll break should I even look at it wrong, let alone when I try to pick it up. But I do think it'll look great when it's painted... Here's an excellent example I found on James Wappel's blog (http://wappellious.blogspot.ca/2012/03/helldorado-gallery-1.html).

I have no illusions; my figure will look nowhere near that good.

But back to the topic at hand. Long ago when all I owned were copious amounts of 40k miniatures the gf asked if she could try her hand at painting something. After doing a sample model for her she started working on a small batch of ten Ork Boyz...but her attention waned and only three or four of them were gifted with a base coat of paint. Last month she started up again, and has finally finished her first squad of Ork Boyz!

These guys are from the Assault on Black Reach starter box that came out for Warhammer 40k's fifth edition. I did one model as a guide from start to finish to show her the various techniques she'd be using. Once she had her base coated colors on she did some washes on the skin and weapons. She followed this up with little dry brushing on the black then asked for some more help. So I ended up doing a little bit of the metallic highlighting on their armor, and a dry brush over their weapons and skin. The rest of the work, including the bases was done by her. I think they look very good, and she's quite proud of them (as she rightly should be!). On the downside, she has no interest in playing a game with them, even though I've tried to convince her that she should try it. "There's nothing quite like playing a fun, cinematic game with figures you painted yourself," I said. But alas, she's not buying into my marketing scheme!


As for me, I haven't been idle either. In keeping with her painting of Orks I decided to press onward with painting more of my own Space Marine chapter: the Obsidian Fists. I have a back story and a few named characters written up somewhere, and will happily post that up along with some photos when I get my 1000 point army all painted. I think I only have the Devastators and Terminators to finish painting but until then I'll simply share my finished Dreadnaught: Brother Robinius (also from the Assault on Black Reach box).



Not knowing what to paint next I decided to try out a little social experiment to see if people would actually fill out something as goofy as a "What Should I Paint Next?" questionnaire. I created a simple one-question survey using Google Docs and posted a link to it over on LAF. I put several of the items I've had hovering on my to-do list up for vote. Here are the results of my survey:

I'm pretty sure the results are a little skewed by a little quintuple voting as a huge string of votes came in for the winning entry spaced very evenly apart, but that's alright. If someone is dedicated enough to fill the thing out multiple times, who am I to say that it's not allowed? I've got one other model to finish before I get started on the winner, which is ironically enough, also a Pulp City figure.

Until next time.

[obsidian3d]

Well, even though I can't really afford it, I splurged out the $135 (including taxes) for the new sixth edition limited version starter box for Warhammer 40,000: Dark Vengeance. As to why it's called that, I don't really know. I haven't read through all the paperwork in the box to find out if there is something dark and spooky and...vengeful going on here.

As anyone who has even a passing interest in 40k knows by now, the regular edition starter box comes out next week but Games Workshop released the limited one a week early. What do you get in the limited box that's different? A one-page card stock sheet detailing the stats and construction diagram for a chaplain figure. According to the young fellow at the local Games Workshop, you're getting "a $20 model for only $9!" I'd be inclined to disagree that this is a $20 model, but it is pretty nice, and in reality only set me back $9. On the other hand though, that's about the maximum I'd reckon any plastic 28mm figure is really worth to me.

Across the various pools of darkness that are the hobbyist-infested corners of the internet I've seen a lot of people deriding the quality of the fifth edition starter box (Assault on Black Reach). Personally I think all of those people have been confined to their hobby rooms constructing models and sniffing glue without adequate ventilation. The models from Black Reach were, in my opinion, really great. Easy to assemble, minimal mold lines and great looking once constructed and painted. The contents of the Dark Vengeance box follow suit with that, and in fact are done better, and bigger.

The box is standard GW fare, a little flimsy, but up to the task of holding the contents without sustaining damage. There are four sprues included, as well as the bonus Chaplain. There are two quick reference sheets (one on heavy card, the other on regular paper), a book of instructions for putting the models together, a learn-to-play booklet, a set of blast templates, two measuring sticks, some dice, and the mini rule book.

After looking over all the components I decided to start on the Dark Angel models first. Most of these are three to five pieces, even the bikes. While I'm not sure how I'll be integrating these models into my Obsidian Fist army, I will say that they are great looking figures. The Dark Angel iconography is pretty heavy but every single model looks good. The standout pieces for me here are the librarian and the terminators.

A lot has been made of the preview images for the Chaos figures too, and I will simply say that they are really amazing in terms of details. Some folks will complain a bit that the cultist models, except the leaders, are duplicated but for the record I don't think it really matters here. As long as you don't paint each pair of figures exactly the same and put them in different squads, most folks won't easily notice the duplication. In addition, the figures aren't all that 40k specific so you could easily use them as post-apocalyptic gangers, a Mordheim war band, contemporary cultists or a dozen other things.

The Chaos Chosen models, and the leader model are again, exquisitely detailed. They have nice weight to them and will look truly fabulous when they've been fully painted. I can't wait to add these to my CSM force box and finally get my chaos space marine army taking shape. I've had that other box for almost three years now and really haven't done much with it other than put together a few Khorne Berserkers and the Chaos Rhino.

And finally the Hellbrute model. This thing is SICK. I think it's five or six pieces in total, and looks amazing. I couldn't believe how cool it looked when I put it all together. I glued this guy all together barring the final piece of armor, which I snapped on simply to see how it looked. Now though I think it's stuck there. I tried prying it off (which will make it easier to paint), but didn't have much luck. I'd rather leave it there and have a harder time painting it than forcing it off and busting something along the way.

I have no idea when I'm going to finish gluing and get to painting these guys, but I'm excited at the prospect of doing so. The space marine stuff from my Black Reach set should probably take precedence. There are only a few left from that to do, which will give me a nicely rounded 1000pt list. I'll start adding these pieces to that list after I've had a chance to run through the new rules with my existing army.

Now if only I had a friend that played 40k to game with...

(Re-posted from my blog over at http://obsidian3d.blogspot.ca/2012/09/40k-sixth-edition-starter-box-dark.html. Pictures are available there)

[obsidian3d]

Wow it's been over a year since I bought that box. Consider this my own personal thread necromancy.

Obsidian Fists (40k) - Second Tactical Squad Complete

My space marine chapter The Obsidian Fists are getting close to a strength of 1000 points. Most of the figures in my army come from the 4th and 5th edition starter boxes. The only real addition to those I've made are a chaplain and a devastator squad for heavy support. I also have the 6th edition starter box, but rather than doing Dark Angels I'll probably add them into my Obsidian Fists. It seems silly to start another space marine army...I have plenty of other models for other armies that I could and should work on instead.

Regardless of what I do with the Dark Angels, I just picked up two drop pods for less than 50% of retail. Those additions would push my roster up to 1500 points without too much trouble.

I'm only interested in having forces of around 1500 points or less, because I find anything much bigger than that to be a) WAY too expensive to collect, especially with GW's current prices, and b) cause the game to be longer than I enjoy. Games of around 1500 points just seem to be the 40k sweet spot for me...but that sadly precludes me from taking any allies unless I'm playing friendly games. Oh wait, that's exactly what I intend to do, so I'll just carry on doing whatever the hell I want!

Here's my second tactical squad.





The colours I used are simple. Black primer followed by GW mithril silver for the armor and Testors gloss blue for the contrast armour colour. I used GW Shining Gold and some Gore Red for interest colours and the odd splash of Bleached Bone and Gorthor Brown for pouches and purity seals. The whole thing was followed up with a wash of Badab Black. No highlighting was done on this squad.

[styx]

Nice work, always liked the look of silver with a rich color (like Blue) that anchors an army color together.

[obsidian3d]

Thanks. I'm only hoping the blue paint I have will last long enough to finish the army. I've never been able to find a replacement for it.

[styx]

Thanks. I'm only hoping the blue paint I have will last long enough to finish the army. I've never been able to find a replacement for it.

If you do, let me know, I can point you in a few directions to help color match....of late I have been delving into paint lines of other companies and getting a broader range of color ideas....

[obsidian3d]

I'm thinking I might bump the rest of my 1000 points up in my painting queue. Now that I've finished that squad the army is finally starting to take shape. It needs some battle experience!

[styx]

You should if you feel if you are on a roll.