M42 - Novamarines

On 17 June, the eighth edition of Warhammer 40,000 was released.  Alongside the release are new "bigger and better" Space Marines - Primaris Space Marines.  The starter box set for the game is an outstanding deal for anyone interested in either the Primaris or new Deathguard models and it includes the big Rulebook.

Instead of painting the Primaris as 3rd Company Ultramrines to fight alongside my existing 3rd Company, I decided to pursue a new Space Marine army.  I will likely add a small detachment of 3rd company Primaris in the future.  The difference gives me a a different scheme to paint.  However, at the same time, I wanted a direct connection back to the Ultramarines, and specifically, my 106th Company of Legion XIII.

In this case, my head cannon is the Novamarines 4th Company trace back their first members to the 106th Company of Legion Ultramarines.  The 4th Company returned to Ultramar and took up the defense of the sub-sectors its forebears defended in the Heresy and fought bravely on the despoiled garden world of Iax.

I will also be attempting to print my own transfers for chapter symbols, hopefully with great effect.

In Process of highlighting

Ancient Mikael - Contemptor Dreadnought

Yesterday, I painted up a slightly modified Betrayal at Calth boxed set Contemptor Dreadnought.  I added three pieces from the now out of print Etched-Brass Ultramarine icons.

The model was straightforward to paint.  I think it was intricate enough to require a paint brush throughout vice the possibility of airbrushing large areas.  My airbrushing skills, confidence, and equipment are not yet ready to take on using it for carapace surrounded by details.

I made up the name Ancient Mikael while writing the post.  But the more I think about it, the more fitting it is.

More images below...

Roboute Guilliman

Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the XIII Legion, Ultarmarines

I completed Roboute Guilliman.

I was incredibly intimidated at the prospect of painting this model.  I was worried about doing justice to the incredible model and the character..

I have been playing Ultramarines for over two decades.  The story of Guilliman in the second edition Codex: Ultramarines appealed to twelve-year-old me.  I had been fascinated by the Roman Republic/Empire and story of Macragge and Guilliman paired right alongside that fascination.  The Horus Heresy material only added to my loyalty to the XIII, its Primarch, and what they represent in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

In my past few weeks of downtime, I have dedicated a few hours each day to painting some of my "back-log" of miniatures, as the past half dozen post show.   After finishing the Suzerains, which are highly detailed and have a lot of similar details to Guilliman, I planned to paint the miniature.

The main body did not present anything particularly new or challenging.  The marble effect was a new challenge for me and took multiple layers and attempts make it close to what I wanted.  I think it came out pretty well, not professional marble, but good.

More images...

Starting a Primarch

This past weekend, I began working on Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the XIII Legion Astrates, the Ultramarines.  Painting a Primarch is a bit intimidating and I wanted to finish the Suzerains (who can serve as his bodyguard) before embarking on the effort.  I am steadily working on the Primarch himself.  Painting the marble of the base will be a new technique and I will probably practice on something else first.

Basing Guilliman

Suzerains Complete

A second update in the same week!

Very High Angle View

Just showing off the completed Suzerains.  I have begun cleaning up Guilliman for assembling and painting.

Closer-Up, Lower Angle

I am steadily working down my backlog of modelling and painting projects.  Partly to make room for new projects in the coming months.

Back to Games Workshop

Suzerains in work

As I finished up models for various other systems and my local community gets excited about the new edition of Warhammer 40,000, I have returned to painting Games Workshop/Forgeworld products.

I am almost complete on the second set of 5 Suzerains for my Horus Heresy Ultramarines.  With the excitement around 40k, I may crash on assembling and painting the Primaris by July for the Fate of Konor Campaign.  In addition, I may look at finally adding long awaited 1st Company Terminators and Veterans units to my 40k Ultramarines.  I anticipate lots of blue in June & July.  I need to paint faster.

Geiers and third Ragnarok

Pair of Geier bombers, Top & Bottom

Over the past week and Saturday morning & evening, I painted up the pair of Geier bombers and my third Ragnarok pocket battleship.  Finishing out these three models completes out all the Danish and Prussian lend-lease ships I have.  I have been playing at least a game of Dystopian Wars each month, which helps with the motivation to paint stuff up.

I still have a few Dystopian Wars models I can paint, 2 or 3 Korsor corvettes and 5 mine markers.  When my brother's Kickstarter box shows up, I will have a box or two of "new" Prussians to field.  I will need to decide if they are actually Prussian, lend-lease, or maybe something else.  I doubt the Danes would sit out a Baltic war, maybe they are working to prevent the British from pushing through the Danish Straits.

Third Ragnarok pocket battleship

 I am now pivoting back to another project, partially inspired by the coming update to 40k.

DRN Dannebrog

Profile of the DRN Dannebrog

 This past Saturday, I spent afternoon painting up the DRN Dannebrog for my Dystopian Wars fleet.  The model is an Scandinavian Teutonic Order Aufseher, which I run as a Gewitterwolke in my Danish fleet.  In the rules (currently) the primary difference between the two is that the an Aufseher brings six small robots to the fight.  In terms of game-play, it is my third large ship and is a great and now striking center piece to my fleet.  I enjoy diving it into the enemy fleet and throwing its broadsides left and right.

BMP-1s, SA-13s, and Hinds

I spent this past Saturday mostly painting the details on models I had airbrushed during the week.  With these vehicles completed, I have finished up all the vehicle models I own for Team Yankee.  I still have some unassembled infantry to add my second infantry company.

With the announcement of Red Thunder, I am thinking a slight pause is in order until I can at least look at the book.  I had planned to purchase another box of BMPs, a box of T-55s, and two boxes of  2S1 Carnations.   However, there is some appeal in picking up Yuri's Wolves to get the two more BMPs I want/need and T-64s instead of T-55s.  In addition, there is the possibility of the new 2S3 Acacias.

Next weekend, my brother and I are likely to get at a game, hopefully two games in on Saturday.  Will the BAOR be able to push back the Polish 1st Army?  We will see.

Exciting Summer!

Hobby-wise, I am very excited for the summer.

Airbrushed Support Tanks

I am slowly continuing to assembly my Team Yankee Poles, but instead of diving into a NATO army as my next project there are other systems and models that are attracting me.  

I still have some Dystopian Wars models to paint and the Kickstarter certainly will bring some new cool minis and rules.  These should be a quick work, change of pace, once I have finished the Team Yankee models I have (maybe this week, maybe next).

After both of those projects have been completed, I have my languishing 30k Ultramarines project.  I have 5 more Invictii Suzerains to paint before the Primarch Roboute Guilliman himself.  Then I have lots of other parts of the collection to assemble and paint.  That being said, unlike Dystopian Wars and Team Yankee, I do not have not played a game of 30k in months.

The new Kharadron Overlords Age of Sigmar army is exciting to me as well.  I fully intend to buy a 2,000 point army to paint this summer.  It will be my first purchase from a new local store opening in early June.

Finally, new 40k this summer will bring excitement to the range.  Luckily I have plenty of completed miniatures for it and will be play from the start I expect.  That does not mean that I have not considered yet more Astrates - Howling Griffons. Gah, but that means everything else should be complete - ha!

T-72s & a Platoon Infantry Complete

I finished up my second set of 9 T-72s.  I also completed washing and flocking the first company of infantry.

Sealing 9 T-72s

Pre-Sealing Warsaw Pact Infantry Company

Even More Tanks

After a week of very little progress, Sunday night I worked on airbrushing another nine T-72s.  This will bring the total to 18.

T-72s in the paint shop

Poles 2 - BAOR 1

This past weekend, I played three games of Team Yankee against my brother.  He played British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and I played Poles using the Red Banner list for the first two games and the Volks Armee list for the last one.

Mid-way through Autobahn battle

Our first game was a Free for All, 100 pts, Poles attacking.  For objectives we agreed that it would be the two hills in each others deployment zones.  The Poles far-left T-72 company advanced through the Autobahn stop, winning the exchange of fire with the three Chieftains covering that avenue of advance.  The center T-72 company advanced to provide added pressure and the Hinds swept across the battlefield and engaged the BAOR command element.  The right T-72 company held the flank against the other half of the BAOR forces.  The capture of the hill gave the Poles victory.

Poles fail to hold Chow and Gas

Our second was No Retreat, 100 pts, BAOR attacking.  BAOR Recce elements advanced up their right flank flanking the defended gas stations and forest to come in behind the dug-in Polish infantry.  The Chieftains on the left defeated an advancing attempt by the BMP-2s through the farm fields, but only after losing two of their number to combined fire from the center T-72s and the advancing BMP-2s themselves.   NATO air power DEAD (destroyed enemy air defenses) and then added its pressure against the ground forces.  BAOR forces destroyed the present Polish forces as T-72 reinforcements arrived piecemeal and late.

Our third game was Dust Up, 50 pts, BAOR attacking.  (Sorry no picture)  BAOR Recce forces attempted to pincer the Polish forces, but Polish BMP-1 Recon elements pushed out along the BAOR right, flanking and eliminating advancing BAOR forces.  The delayed arrival of BAOR Chieftains resulted in what is best described as a stalemate between Spartans and a T-72M company on the BAOR left.  The arrival of Polish Hinds with infantry and a second T-72M company shifted the initiative squarely to the Poles, with the Hinds landing around the distant objective.  The successful destruction of 3 Hinds on the ground drove the infantry out of the helicopters early and gave the Poles victory.