Help me choose a 2015 sci-fi WH40K force project - pics added 24/12/2014

[Vanvlak]

I have had a rough year due to a spot of burn out, and although I painted over 150 models (which is for me a record) in 2014, my aim went all over the place, without any focus. Although I am happy to be completing the odd small force of 5-10 models, I really do need to get a larger force done, for no reason other than to clear a bit of lead+plastic pile out of the way.

The force will not be up to date with 40K rules or lists (gave up on that some years back), and will be outdated by a couple or more editions. I chose these particular forces (I have several others) as I feel like some sci-fi stuff which is not excessively gothicky, and I can get away without painting flesh in all cases.

If I left the choice up to myself I'd dither and falter and never make a start, so I'm asking for your votes to make the choice. My end of the deal will be to do the job and post pics.

[CptJake]

Go bugs!

[Inso]

If you have trouble with focusing on a project, maybe it is because it is 'all the same stuff'... so Necrons and Tyranids would probably be a difficult thing to stick with (as they are really uniform in colour).

If you go with Dark Eldar you have the option of all different sorts of troop types and if you feel like you will get bored, you can go 'harlequin' and paint them all differently.

If you go for the Haemunculous route, you will have to paint a bit of flesh... but it can be all sorts of colours as they can be alien or even zombified if you like... lots of options.

[The_Beast]

Not voting; no short abhumans...

Doug

[jp762]

If you have trouble with focusing on a project, maybe it is because it is 'all the same stuff'... so Necrons and Tyranids would probably be a difficult thing to stick with (as they are really uniform in colour).

If you go with Dark Eldar you have the option of all different sorts of troop types and if you feel like you will get bored, you can go 'harlequin' and paint them all differently.

If you go for the Haemunculous route, you will have to paint a bit of flesh... but it can be all sorts of colours as they can be alien or even zombified if you like... lots of options.

...what he said...
True, all true.

[Sbloom141]

My first thought was Dark Eldar because of the nice models... (And I had third ed Dark Eldar back in what...1999?) however I think if motivation is your problem, doing some Necrons should be relatively quick and easy, and give you momentum you can carry onward to other projects.

[Vanvlak]

Go bugs!

They seem to be!

If you have trouble with focusing on a project, maybe it is because it is 'all the same stuff'... so Necrons and Tyranids would probably be a difficult thing to stick with (as they are really uniform in colour).

If you go with Dark Eldar you have the option of all different sorts of troop types and if you feel like you will get bored, you can go 'harlequin' and paint them all differently.

If you go for the Haemunculous route, you will have to paint a bit of flesh... but it can be all sorts of colours as they can be alien or even zombified if you like... lots of options.

Good point; however I will stick to the votes. I have a handful of each of the three forces painted, and in good dithery mode I have around 3 colour schemes for each so far....! I will not repaint these, so there will be a bit of colour, and I'll even come up with an excuse for it.

Homunculus army..... I come from an age when that was just a troop choice 
Flesh - nothing against it, but flesh and human type eyes are the parts I find most tiring to paint, so I'm avoiding these.
Variety - not to worry, I tend to digress even when sticking to one army, so there will be some odds and ends to keep me motivated.

Not voting; no short abhumans...

Sigh - that is one force I do not have, although I own half a dozen Deadzone types. Then again, the eyes-nose-beard job is one which would slow me down considerably  Although I do admit to painting the beards on my Epic scale lads, the Squatachans.

Thanks for the input and voting. 

[Daeothar]

I went with Space Bugs (from Outer Space) as well, for the simple reason that they're the only army I have not dabbled in (yet).

Necrons were the first army I ever completed to meet army list requirements (all the old metal models and conversions), so I can confirm that they're easy and fast enough to do, if you stick to the traditional metal paintscheme.

But they also require a lot of detailing, such as eyes, logos, trims etc. And the (not so) new range has an abundance of that. So overall, not as quick to finish up as they would seem at first, and should you go with another theme than metals, you're in for some serious shading and highlighting as well.

I also did up a 3rd ed. Dark Eldar force, but never got far into it. The models were not great, but I started them about 6 months before the new range came out, so I felt all my pretty conversions were rather lacking by the time all the new shiny stuffs were hitting the shelves. Shortly after, I burned out on 40K, and they've been boxed and stored ever since.

Also, they're the only one of your choices that require 'normal' painting all over. So no inking and drybrushing for them; they will all require layering, blending and all that for your shading and highlighting. So possibly too labour intensive to get a full army done in a reasonable time (read: before burn-out).

So that leaves the bugs. I have never dabbled with them. In fact, I've never even played a game against them! And I've done my share of tournaments back in the day too. So I know very little of them, apart from having read the codices.

I really like that one can get rapid and good looking results with minimal efforts, especially when going for a horde army (I once entertained the idea of an all CC army, with huge hordes of Hormagaunts, and some very large heavy hitters; a sea of chitin rolling over the table). So basecoating, dipping/shading, and then drybrushing and picking out of details.

So, if only because I've never done them, I'm supporting the bug vote. And also, I think that they're the army that will net the fastest results, and in my experience, getting results is the best motivator...

[Vermis]

After reading the topic, I vote for nids. From previous experience, you might need a lot if them (if you don't go nidzilla) but an individual gaunt doesn't need too many colours or finesse. I'm guessing most of the rest don't either - though when I gave up 40K, tyrant guards were still the new kids. I can barely recognise or name half of what's in that range now, let alone how fiddly they are.

I remember when all this was fields.

[Vanvlak]

I really like that one can get rapid and good looking results with minimal efforts, especially when going for a horde army (I once entertained the idea of an all CC army, with huge hordes of Hormagaunts, and some very large heavy hitters; a sea of chitin rolling over the table). So basecoating, dipping/shading, and then drybrushing and picking out of details.

So, if only because I've never done them, I'm supporting the bug vote. And also, I think that they're the army that will net the fastest results, and in my experience, getting results is the best motivator...

That fits.

After reading the topic, I vote for nids. From previous experience, you might need a lot if them (if you don't go nidzilla) but an individual gaunt doesn't need too many colours or finesse. I'm guessing most of the rest don't either - though when I gave up 40K, tyrant guards were still the new kids. I can barely recognise or name half of what's in that range now, let alone how fiddly they are.

And that.
Mind you, Vermis, I have to admit to a whole lot of ignorance of the new stuff, and my nearest to Nidzilla proportions would be the good old Carnifexes (Carnifices?) Of which I own three - including the beloved old, old metal screamer version 
My army will probably fit no known codex, but be assembled just for fun - and for occasional use as generic bad (or good) guys in fun games, or in small groups against supers etc.
If the Nids win, still 8 days to go! Hive Omnomnom could still be challenged by the Cabal of the Acute Isosceles Ear or the Deceptinecrons.

[Vermis]

My army will probably fit no known codex, but be assembled just for fun - and for occasional use as generic bad (or good) guys in fun games

A commendable philosophy. I've been thinking the same myself - I still have a box or two of those nids and things that need (re)painting, then I'll take a look at the Bugs book for ViDe:FuCo.

(IIRC nidzilla lists kicked into gear in 4th ed, when you could take fexes as elites; but like I say I dunno after that. Given that they've had much more huge stuff piled on, like most 40K/WHFB armies, I guess it's still a thing.)

[Gun bunny]

  smoke drifts fog like around the perimeter, as a pulsing sound like like the approach of some colossal steam engine grows louder by the moment.    the undivided attention of all is drawn to the smoke as the pulsing sound becomes clearer shadows begin to flit around the edges of vision and the sound of a million voices are drowned out by the basso rumble of  OM-NOM-NOM OM-NOM -NOMOM-NOM-NOM a living tsunami has come for you all..

[Vanvlak]

smoke drifts fog like around the perimeter, as a pulsing sound like like the approach of some colossal steam engine grows louder by the moment.    the undivided attention of all is drawn to the smoke as the pulsing sound becomes clearer shadows begin to flit around the edges of vision and the sound of a million voices are drowned out by the basso rumble of  OM-NOM-NOM OM-NOM -NOMOM-NOM-NOM a living tsunami has come for you all..

Cinematic 
I guess the name will stick.

[Elbows]

May I make a silly suggestion...if your models are out of print and you may not be playing current 40K etc...why not sell the lead pile off? 

[Vanvlak]

May I make a silly suggestion...if your models are out of print and you may not be playing current 40K etc...why not sell the lead pile off? 

Heh - never 
I am terrible at selling old models off, only did it once with a couple of models I still regret selling. I am a hoarder, and I also love the older stuff to bits, and since I mostly paint and build instead of playing it's not that much of an issue.
I should perhaps clarify that the burn out is due to work, not gaming stuff