Griffon Squadron - Valkyries and Vultures

 A late post this week, but a post!

I am taking two weeks of downtime over the end of the year/holidays.  One of my goals is to do some hobby work each day.  I am also at my brother's home for the two weeks - trying to work on me.

Last week and yesterday, I worked on and completed my Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyries and Vultures.  I decided to use some of my Titanicus transfers for Legio Gryphonicus for Squadron heraldry.  I like the idea of a Navy Air Wing's ground assault group/squadron thinking of themselves as Griffons.

Valkyries 1 to 4 and Vultures 5 & 6

Front View

Next project is getting the Blood Bowl Season 2 Box built, maybe even painted.

Completed Warbringer & two Slave Ogres!

 I did complete the Warbringer over the Thanksgiving break and then promptly dove into a side project of two Slave Ogres for Necromunda.  Up next, Valkyries and Vultures for Aeronautica.

I think the Warbringer brings my total Titanicus force to around 2,000 pts.  It also means I can field 2 Maniples in a fight, before adding any Knight household support.  Still looking at adding a Psi-Titan when they are back in stock as well as some more Reavers and Warhounds.

The Ogres were great to do as a side project, totally changing up the color pallete to bright orange, green, and purple flesh tones.

Again, up next is 4 Valkyries and 2 Vultures in colors similar to the Marauder Destroyers painted previously.

More Warbringer Progress

Basic update. Slow progress, adding layers to the Warbringer after washing it in Nuln and Reikland shades.  Really all that remains is to do some additional metallic layers and then sealing.

Part of it is realizing when I have completed a model such as this one.  I have added lots of detail.  Making the metallics pop more and adding some weathering on the top reactors seems about right.

Following this model, I still have not really decided what to dive into next.  I have a pair of Ogres and a bounty hunter for Necromunda, which will be good changes of pace in terms of scale.  They will also be good for heavy contrast use.

I also want to dive into big terrain projects for Titanicus after that.

Warbringer-Nemesis In-Work

 

Pretty simple update this week.  I have been steadily adding the base colors to my Warbringer-Nemesis.  Up next is washing the miniature before adding another layer of each color and then highlights.  I estimate it will be done this weekend - which will mean I should choose something to dive into for the week of Thanksgiving.

Something Completely Different

 This weekend, I had a little progress in terms of assembling and priming some Orgyns Servitors for Necromunda.  However, on Sunday, I took a solid two hours and spent it assembling the Lego Lunar Excursion Module (LEM).

Completed Lego LEM

I really enjoyed the build.  It was an opportunity to escape the kitchen table/COVID office and take over my son's room for 3 hours (while he continued to monopolize the gaming computer).

A Pair of Lighters

This past week, I painted up a pair of Arvus Lighters for Aeronautica.

Arvus Lighters on their stands

I tied them into the rest of my Imperial Navy Air Wing via the blue sections on each wing and yellow lambda and mu markings.

Arvus Lighters from above and the rear

I own another set of Lighters that I plan to paint up as being part of the Ultramarine Legion's administration of the 500 Worlds of Ultramar, but that will be a little bit before I get to them.  I have not yet settled on what I will paint next, either dive into Imperial Navy Air Wing attached to Astra Militarium, ie Valkyries, Vultures, and Avengers or paint up my Warbringer-Nemesis.

Lightning's Complete

Simple update after two weeks of not much progress.  Two weeks ago was very much an end-of-summer cleaning in the apartment each evening and last week was finding the motivation to not just hang out on the couch.

This weekend, I finished out the 4 Lightnings and 2 Lightning Strikes.  Only today as I was selecting the pallet for some Aquila Landers did I realize that I could've/should've used a color other than yellow to differentiate the Lightning colors from the Thunderbolts.  It still very much works.

Four-Ship of Lightnings

Two-Ship of Lightning Strikes

Four-Ship side-on

Two-Ship side-on

Not the Blue Angels

While I am clearly using colors that line up very closely to the Blue Angel's colors that was not the intent, blue and yellow do look good together.

I initially started trying to paint the Lightnings a purple and off-white, with blue accents.  The initial attempt did not look good, the purple and blue too close in "value."  Thus I have chosen to go the same color pallet I used for my Thunderbolts.  A bit more yellow this time around, with the core of the lightning being the bright yellow, along with the wing tips.

Another Wave of Aeronautica

 

The Next Wave

After finishing up the Knight Household, I am returning to the most recent wave of Aeronautica Imperialis.

I plan to paint the Lightnings in a deep purple, giving them a more royal color scheme.  I need to decide how to fit in the deep blue as well on them to tie them to the rest of my Imperial Navy Air Wing.

My current plan for the Valkyries and Vultures is to have them match my Marauder Destroyers.  The Arvus Lighters will be more utilitarian, a grey pallet with the deep blue as an accent.

Also waiting in the wings, is my Warbringer Nemesis Titan.

Iaculator Vera

A Prisoner Exchange

Summer is wrapping up in the northern hemisphere and I have been busily working these past few weeks.  I am on day 2 of a much needed vacation.  In this summer of covid, my brother's family and I hatched a silly idea for what we have called a "Prisoner-Exchange."  His wife swapped locations with my son and me.

More Cerastus Knights for House Ærthegn

For the boys, this week is much more of a hobby week along with some catching up on some pop-culture (The Mandalorian).  I am working on finishing up the commission of House Ærthegn and hopefully building out some Aeronautica Imperialis as well as a Warbringer-Nemesis titan.

In-Work Acastus with Conversion Beamers

About two months ago, my brother purchased a 3D printer.  This lets us do some straight-forward conversions or additions that would normally take much more effort or bits searches.  We also have ordered name plates for a slew of miniatures from Versatile Terrain.

For some reason this did not post last week!

Completed Knight House commission project

More of House Ærthegn

 My brother and I played a game solid game of Adeptus Titanicus the weekend after my last post.  He tried out the knights I had gotten him and immediately embraced them as one of his favorite units.  

True Messengers and Tiger Eyes clash

A consequence of this was that he commissioned me to triple the number Knights he has.  Last month, I successfully doubled his Knight force, adding a second Banner of 3 Questoris and a Banner of 2 more Cerastus.

Three Questoris

Two more Cerastus

That leaves me with projects for this month of 4 additional Cerastus (the recently released variants) and a pair of Acastus Porphyrions.

Even more Cerastus in-work

Barracudas Complete

Completed Box of Barracudas

Simple enough post for this past week.  I completed the box of Barracudas this past weekend.  One of them (the lead) is painted up as the Ace and is in the same colors of Red Horizon, should I or my son choose to run him as such.

Having painted these guys up, the four Tigersharks should be pretty quick.  That will easily bring the Tau force up to more than 250 pts, probably approaching 300 pts.

Top Details

Undersides & Tops

Tau for Aeronautica

In-Work Barracuda

I have started to work on the six Barracuda's I picked up. I am aiming for something reminiscent of the original Tau color scheme.  I aim amazed at the quality of just how detailed these models are.  Games Workshop's investments about a decade ago have allowed them to make amazing models and at 8 mm scale!

I am looking forward to additional Tau vehicles - I am hoping that the main studio or Forgeworld eventually produce the Orca and Manta.  It will be far off I expect, as they were not included in the core rules. I do expect Forgeworld to be releasing the Remora drone fighter.

Undersides of the Barracudas

Axiom Maniple Complete

Legio Praesagius Axiom Maniple with House Vornherr in support

This past weekend, I completed my second Reaver Titan for my True Messengers Axiom Maniple.  It was great fun and I decided to freehand the Legio symbol on it!

Lex Potentia completed

Legio Praesagius Freehand

This led me to also updating the Warlord Titan's right shoulder with the symbol as well.

Updated Warlord right shoulder

Overall, I enjoyed painting the Maniple.  I think the next step for them will be getting name plates for each of them from Versatile Terrain.

Lex Potentia under Construction

The unprimed Lex Potentia

I have started in on painting up my second Reaver Titan for my Adeptus Titanicus True Messengers force.  For this second Reaver, I decided to make its positioning more dynamic, but having it stand on a raised item.  I took spare components from the Warhound set and modeled the destroyed body of  a Fire Masters Warhound.  I also used some Ork aircraft machine guns to model a gun emplacement, abandoned by some traitor cultist.

A Banner-of-Three and Two-Ship

Yesterday evening, before typing this up, I completed two additional Imperial Knights of House Vornherr.  I now have a Banner of Knights sporting Knight Close Combat Weapons and Thermal Cannons.

Banner of Imperial Knights

Part of the enjoyment of painting models for Adeptus Titanicus is that each one can really be an individual.  This is true for both the Titans and the Knights.

In addition, mid-last week, I also finished up my Marauder Destroyers.  This completed my Imperial Air Wing ahead of the release of the Taros models next weekend!

Marauder Destroyers and Details

The Air Wing

In-Work Marauder Destroyers

A simple post this week.  Colors other than the camouflage of green and dark blue on the top of the Marauder, they are pretty close.  I think I will have them done before this coming weekend with an hour or two of effort.

In-Work Marauder Destroyers

I expect to finally play a few games of Adeptus Titanicus this coming weekend at my brother's to celebrate his birthday (barring symptoms - stay-safe - small bubble expansions here and there, talk to those that you are planning to meet with and exchange potential contact details).

Ærthegn Banner and Lance Gift

My brother has a full Maniple of the Tiger Eyes Titan Legion that he had commission painted.  Back at the end of last year, I picked up the Knight Household box and even more Knights. I have my own House Vornherr to add to, I decided for my brother's birthday I would provide him with some Knights.  For his traitors, I choose House Ærthegn to partner with his Tiger Eyes.

Long Range Knight Banner

Cerastus-Lance

I had a lot of fun painting these guys up.  They were a departure from my normal colors and allowed me to focus on details.  They also let me include techniques I had learned on previous projects, like weathering.  I also utilized the Contrast paints in combination with regular paints.

I luckily got the basing information from my brother and his commissioned painter.  I am hoping they look solid alongside his Tiger Eyes and that he is interested in using them alongside his Tiger Eyes.

Warhounds on the Prowl

This past weekend, I finished up the pair of Warhounds for my True Messengers maniple.    I used a mix of transfers from the Warhound box and my Horus Heresy Ultramarines box.

I think these Warhounds have been on long campaigns with an Ultramarines fleet.  While the Battle Titans have seen brutal action on major campaigns, the Scout Titans have supplemented subjugation campaigns on smaller worlds or against lightly defended Xenos worlds.

Pair of Warhounds on the prowl

From the other side

Still plenty of Titanicus to come in terms of my hobbying.  Up text, is a pack of 5 Knights as a gift for my brother.

A Small Pack

In Progress Warhound Bodies

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been slowly painting up a pair of Warhounds for my True Messengers maniple.  They have been fun to pour detail into and I am really happy with the scale of the minis.  The decision to move up from 6 mm to 8 mm was a good one on Games Workshop's part and really makes these models shine.

I had hoped to finish these guys up this past weekend, but I did not end up dedicating the time to do the work.  I did however assemble and prime the follow-up project, another gift project.  These guys will be done up in House Ærthegn black and red to pair with a Tiger Eyes maniple.  Hopefully the basics of the scheme will allow me to do a good job on them and get them to the recipient around the appropriate date.

Another Gift Project

Ork Air Waaagh! Complete

This past week, I finished up two more Ork Fighta-bommers.  This brings my Ork Air Waaagh! to roughly 330 points before any upgrades, aces, or crew.  It also means I have fully painted the Ork
range for Aeronautica Imperialis.

Da Air Waaagh!

This collection was a pleasure to paint.  Using Contrast paints and allowing the paint to flow some only helped with the "Orki-ness' each model.  A shout out to Le Blog de Kouzes and Da Gretchin Army that inspired the color scheme (from 2014).

Four-ship of Fighta-bommers

For the Aces, I decided to paint one as the named Black Vulture, another that can stand in for Da Big Burna (above and after the break), and a final one that is a reverse of the overall Air Waaagh, but that is so he blends in more with his Imperial prey (who are also blue).