Update: March 1, 2017

Another month of 2017 has passed. This last month, I started painting a little bit more, trying to at least get three or four hours a week in every other week. I also managed to get in a game of Kings of War this last Saturday at my local game store while the U.S. Masters Tournament was taking place in Nashville. I gave up my spot on the West Coast team this year because I was not able to travel due to work and the impending birth of our second child (which as I write this should be coming any day now). I will have a full write-up of that game in about a week or so as I managed to track the game pretty closely while I was playing. My DnD group has also managed to get in a couple more games, though we are having some trouble clearing a dungeon due to some repeatedly bad dice roll (we've been in the same dungeon for three sessions already clearing only a few rooms at a time). Anyways, here's how the painting is coming along with the Ratkin army:

Update: February 01, 2017

Operation try and paint at least one hour a week has been in full gear and I'm slowly (oh, so very slowly) getting my Ratkin done for my Kings of War army. I haven't dedicated much more than an hour a week yet (I might have gotten two hours in last week), but progress is progress and deserves to be acknowledged.

Update: August 22, 2016

When we last left the Ratkin project, things were looking failry bleak with not much progress at all. I had just finished the first base for a unit of Clawshots and was playing around with both the Secret Weapon rust powder and the Games Workshop Oxide wash, which, when combined, makes for some pretty awesome rust effects. Here's how we were looking a few weeks ago.





























Since that time, I have been busy working on getting the Clawshots themselves done, and then working on several other bases for the larger units. First up is the Clawshots. Picture 1 is the unit in progress and picture 2 is the same finished guy from the other angle. I used the same oxide and rust effect on the gun, and I think it really makes the weapon look old, used, and not taken care of. Perfect for the rats.

Picture 1 - His good side.

Picture 2 - His other good side.

Picture 3 is the remaining Clawshots from my first run (those that I could easily see in the bitz box and were primed) waiting on some paint. I have about another 12 or so, and I am thinking of being able to do either 4 or 5 units of them in the future just for extremely large point games and to make the army look nice on the shelf. Pictures 4 and 5 are more work on the models that will go on the first base. I really like the fact that I don't need to stack tons of models down on the base to show off the units and can instead focus on spacing and basing to make the unit look cohesive and full.

Picture 3 - Four more guns!

Picture 4 - Starting on the blue robes after a quick all over wash.

Picture 5 - Working on highlighting the fur tones and beginning work on the guns.

Pictures 6 through 9 show the finished Clawshot unit ready for the table top. I might add another rat gunner eventually so that the unit looks a little more fleshed out, but three models is sufficient to meet tournament requirements, so that is where I will stop for now until I finish up everything else I have going on.

Picture 6 - Clawshots ready to go

Picture 7 - close up of the right side and the rat's rusted gun

Picture 8 - Rat butts.

Picture 9 - a view from the other side, rat toenails included free of charge

Other than the finished Clawshot unit, I have been working on the bases for several hordes and regiments which you can check out the progress below. These bases need to be finished up in the next several weeks before the West Coast GT in mid-September.

Horde base and another Clawshot base after priming and an initial brown basecoat

First level wash on the bases

Starting the basing highlights and beginning to work on the stone pieces

Starting the highlights on the stone pieces and picking out random detritus on the bases 

A few more regiment and horde bases waiting in the wings.

Next up is finishing the bases and doing a couple of test models for both the blight units, warrior units, and various weapon teams that will be used in the army. I hope to have a couple of test models done in the next week along with the horde and regiment bases so that I can use them at the West Coast GT so my opponents know exactly what each unit is. That beats having to stick unpainted, unprimed straight plastic models on the bases. But with only two and a half weeks before the tournament, we will see how much I am able to get done before then. Though I hope to completely finish the army before next year's tournament season.

Waaagh!Paca 2015: Armies on Parade

So I am back from Waaagh!Paca 2015 which happened just a little over a month ago. Right after I got back I put all these pictures on my computer, but just never managed to take the extra step of posting them on the blog as things were busy. But, as things have calmed down a little, I thought it was time to show off a large number of the armies from this year's tournament. [Note: This is a picture heavy post.]

Hobby Room

This post, is a little late, but I was unable to update this blog after Waaagh!Paca 2015 as I was preparing for the 2015 U.S. Masters and up to my neck in work. With this little "i'm back" post, I thought I would take the opportunity to show everyone my Hobby Room/Office. As I'm sure you will notice from the following pictures, there are tons and tons of unpainted models and a lot of boxes just waiting to be open.

Waaagh!Paca 2015: Painting Update #3

Well, Waaagh!Paca 2015 is only a few days away, and after another week of painting at night, I have managed to completely finish two units and the third is very close. I'm hoping to finish it Wednesday night so that I don't have to bring any painting materials to the tournament. Here is how everything is turning out:

Waaagh!Paca 2015: Painting Update #2

Another few weeks have passed, and now I have even more of my Waaagh!Paca 2015 army painted. Let's take a look at what progress I have been able to make over the winter holidays.

WaaaghPaca 2015: Painting Update

So Waaagh!Paca 2015 is on the horizon and I have my eyes set on finishing up a good portion of my Wood Elves army for the event (though I may lean Eternity King if I like how it plays). To that end, I have been painting (when time allows) and trying to finish up at least a few key units. Right now I am working on finishing three core units of Glade Guard and a Sisters of the Thorn bunker.

Paint Blog: Sisters of Thorn (Part 1)

It's been a few months, but I have finally gotten some paint on some models. Right now I am working on the first group of five Sisters of the Thorn for my ever expanding Wood Elves army. My plan is to have a unit of ten completely finished (though I will probably only run 8 or 9 in a 2500 pt. game). This unit is going to be a mage and battle standard bunker run with the MR(1) banner giving the unit a pretty hardy 3++ against magic missiles and a 4++ against standard shooting. Anyways, rather than spend an article on tactics, let's take a look at how they are looking after a few hours of paint.

WaaaghPaca 2014: Armies in Review (Part #2)

Here are the last run of army pictures from WaaaghPaca. Enjoy while I paint Dark Elves for the upcoming tournaments.

Ed Phillips: Daemons of Chaos

Ed's army in all its glory. Look at all those sweet conversions.

The Nurgle "Khorne Skull Cannon" bug thing.

Epidimius on his mount.

Characters

Plaguebearer unit

Beast of Nurgle units and furies.

Solo beasts!

Flying plague drones and their skull pile. Maybe they think they are Khornish?

Chris Yu: Orcs and Goblins

A blurry photo of Chris Yu's orc madness.

Squiggy!

Characters

Goblin banner

Squig diver!

Chris Tomlin: Dark Elves
This army is just absolutely amazing! I especially loved all the hand painted banners. This was the army that won Best Painted at the tournament.

Chris' army in all its glory.

Corsairs with sad heart banner.

Executioner horde

Battle Standard Bearer with beautiful free-hand banner

Manticore rider with full scorpion tail!

Side of corsair unit

Tomlin's hydra

Dark Rider unit #1

Dark Rider unit #2

Shades

Another view of the Manticore on flying base.

Dark Pegasus Rider

Peg rider again

Executioner unit filler

WaaaghPaca 2014: Armies in Review (Part #1)

I'm taking a little break this week as I am swamped with work and life. As such, there will not be a battle report this week. However, I don't want to leave everyone empty-handed. Rest assured, battle reports are being finished and will be forthcoming, as will some new articles on my thoughts on the new dwarfs, and even a new feature delving into the tactics of specific units. But, that will take some time, so here are some of my favorite armies from WaaaghPaca 2014:

Painting Contest Progress #3

Another few days have passed, and a little bit more time was spent on the paint competition miniature. Here is my progress:

Painting Contest Progress #2

A little more than a week has passed since I worked on either paint contest model. The models are due Saturday and I don't think I am going to be able to finish them both. So, I made an executive decision to finish one of the models (even if it is not perfect) so that I have accomplished something. With that being said, here is the progress I have made in the last two nights.

Painting Contest Progress #1

So as I posted a little while ago, I have been working on two models for an upcoming paint contest. I generally don't enter paint contests with delusions of winning, but I find that each time my painting gets a little bit better. As such, I enter the contests to see if I can't place a little higher or try out a new painting technique. These pictures are about a week old, and much more progress has occurred, but I have been busy. And without further ado, here is my progress so far: