Proyectos para 2020

Llega el fin de año, llega el momento de la revisión anual periódica.

En 2018 conseguí todos los objetivos marcados y alguno extra. Para este año me marqué objetivos poco ambiciosos y no sólo los he conseguido, sino que he completado varios de los extra otra vez y he pegado un buen meneo a la montaña de miniaturas pendientes.

Vamos que 2019 ha sido un éxito absoluto.

Los objetivos que me marqué fueron:

1. Terminar Kill Team de Genestealer Cult
2. Pintar Space Hulk
3. Pintar Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower

Los Genestealer se pueden ver aquí, aquí el Space Hulk y aquí el Silver Tower.

Adicionalmente, de los objetivos extras, finalicé mi ejército Skaven para T9A y comencé la ampliación de la banda Kill Team de Genestealer a ejército 40K, vamos que terminé pintando mas de 150 miniaturas en el año, que para mi es un record absoluto histórico como se puede ver en la gráfica mas abajo.

Por lo tanto, para este año que entra, los objetivos van a ser bastante ambiciosos ya que llevo dos años seguidos cumpliendo:

1. Terminar Ejército 40K de Genestealer Cult
2. Pintar equipo Blood Bowl no muerto
3. Pintar Warcry: Iron Golems y bestias caóticas
4. Pintar HeroQuest clásico

Eso sería un total de:

1. 37 infantería y 1 tanque (¡Baneblade!)
2. 14 miniaturas
3. 20 miniaturas
4. 35 miniaturas

Total: 106 + 1 tanque
Ambicioso, pero se puede conseguir.

Como objetivos extras tengo, sin ningún order en particular:

• Pintar LotR: Nazgul en bestia alada y Balrog
• Continuar colección primarcas
• Coleccionar y pintar los cuatro (nuevos) grandes demonios de Fantasy
• Pintar Kill Team Marines

En realidad, me gustaría reducir al máximo la montaña de pintado, por lo que lo mejor sería hacer los objetivos, sólo necesito la motivación adecuada y no acumular cosas nuevas. Si pinto todos los objetivos la montaña se vería reducida a 30 miniaturas... lo que sería perfecto.

Montaña de pintado

Aprovecho este momento para echar un vistazo a lo pintado respecto a lo acumulado este año. En general, ha sido un año muy bueno. He pintado mas de 150 miniaturas, de hecho, es el año que mas miniaturas he pintado nunca.

Exactamente, he pintado 175 miniaturas, superando en 50 mi anterior marca. Contando lo comprado, el resultado es -70 respecto al año pasado, se puede ver el gráfico actualizado aquí debajo.

La lista completa de lo acumulado a día de hoy, 138 miniaturas, consiste de lo siguiente.

Colección Héroes y Villanos Señor de los Anillos (2)

• Balrog
• Nazgul en bestia alada

HeroQuest clásico (35)

Early Imperial Roman (15)

Colección Héroes y Villanos de 40K (2)

• Eldrad Ulthran
• Avatar

Primarcas 30K (1)

• Perturabo

Primaris 40K (8)

Miniaturas Sueltas (6)

• Goku
• Eddie de Diego Serrate
• Sumothay
• Exalted Valten
• Gotrek & Felix

Genestealer Cult (37)

• 13 Genestealers (no comprados aún)
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph
• 1 Metamorph

Blood Bowl - No muertos (14)

Warcry (20)

• 12 Bestias caóticas
• 8 Iron Golems

Broodlord

Here is the very last miniature painted in 2019, as even though there is still time until the end of the year, I know I won't have more painting time.

It is a Broodlord to lead the 40 Genestealers of the Army.

I have painted him in a similar way as the Patriarch. Which is basically a scaled up version of any Genestealer.

And here is a family picture of all the Tyranids of the Army, so far...

Updated progress on the Army.

Done (53)

• 27 Genestealers
• 1 Broodlord
• 3 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Patriarch
• 1 Neurothrope
• 1 Primus
• 10 Neophyte
• 10 Aberrants

Pending (37)

• 13 Genestealers*
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph
• 1 Metamorph

Painted in 2019.

Genestealers (IV)

Here are another five Genestealers for the second unit. This unit already contains two Genestealers from the original Kill Team. I can differentiate them by checking the weapons, this unit does not have scything talons.

There is an easter egg in this picture. I found in my bitz box a Genestealer from the old Space Crusade without head... I decided to attach a Cthulhu-like head and bring him back to the gaming boards after probably something like 20 years in a box. A well deserved return to life!

Funnily enough, it is difficult to spot him among his brothers, the sculpt has aged quite nicely.

Unfortunately, I have not found yet the remaining 13, therefore I can't finish the unit before the end of the year as I was planning. I am painting now the Broodlord so I think I will finish all* Tyranids from the Army on time for Xmas.

Updated progress on the Army... over 50% painted already!

Done (52)

• 27 Genestealers
• 3 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Patriarch
• 1 Neurothrope
• 1 Primus
• 10 Neophyte
• 10 Aberrants

Pending (38)

• 13 Genestealers*
• 1 Broodlord
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph
• 1 Metamorph (just added it as standard bearer)

Painted in 2019.

Genestealers (III)

The last month of the year is starting and with that the final rush to get as many Genestealers painted as possible!

I'd like to get rid of all of them, if possible, although I still need to buy another 13... second hand market is not turning out results at the moment.

In any case, here are another 10, quick paint job following the same style as the others. The first unit of 20 is now complete!

Technique, base and paintjob is the same as for the rest. Total painting time was roughly 4 hours.

Updated progress on the Army... I am rapidly approaching 50% of painted miniatures!

Done (47)

• 22 Genestealers
• 3 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Patriarch
• 1 Neurothrope
• 1 Primus
• 10 Neophyte
• 10 Aberrants

Pending (53)

• 18 Genestealers
• 1 Broodlord
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph

Painted in 2019.

Neurothrope

Here is the Neurothrope that I converted and quickly painted following the same scheme as the Genestealers.

I like how the colour of the brain turned out, I think I managed to get the look n' feel I was after.

Painted in 2019

Updated progress on the Army:

Done (38)

• 12 Genestealers
• 3 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Patriarch
• 1 Primus
• 10 Neophyte
• 10 Aberrants
• 1 Neurothrope

Pending (52)

• 28 Genestealers
• 1 Broodlord
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph

Genestealers (II)

Back in November 2018, I posted the first two Genestealers I painted for my Genestealer Cult Kill Team.

Here are another 10 out of a total of 40 included in the Army.

The recipe is exactly the same one as in the original post. The only difference is that I did not have enough bases so I made 20 more by making copies of original Zone Mortalis bases using greenstuff.

Because these figures come with a smaller base, and because I want all Genestealers to use the same size, that is, 32mm, I clipped them and glued them to small pieces of terrain where they can be attached to the base. That gives them these unique poses and it also makes them almost impossible to stand in formation :)

Updated progress on the Army:

Done (37)

• 12 Genestealers
• 3 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Patriarch
• 1 Primus
• 10 Neophyte
• 10 Aberrants

Pending (53)

• 28 Genestealers
• 1 Broodlord
• 1 Neurothrope
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph

Painted in 2019.

Aberrants (II)

Here is the complete unit of 10 Aberrants painted!

Remember that I showed already the first four here at the end of 2018.

The full unit has four Heavy Power Hammers, four Power Picks and two Heavy Improvised Weapons. Because I only got one Improvised Weapon out of the sprues, I decided to make one by taking a lampost that looks like some kind of computer interface, add some chunk of ground to it in a similar fashion as with the other one and attach it to one Aberrant. I think it fits nicely.

I was also missing an Aberrant that I converted with lots of greenstuff, but I showed him already in this post.

I have altered slightly the original recipe of the Army, to make it easier and faster to paint... I hope the differences between the old and new ones do not stand out so much! The main reason to change the recipe is that I have used white basecoat. I found out that for these miniatures I could save time by simply applying some washes in some areas instead of base and highlight.

Here is the updated recipe for future reference.

First thing I do is dry-brush, therefore, for the Genestealer parts I followed the original recipe. The only difference is that because of the white basecoat, I needed to paint black the areas first.

After that, I paint all the base colours:

• clothes with Beige Brown
• Golden stuff with Tinny Tin
• Red parts with Terracota
• Leather straps with Charred Brown or Neutral Grey depending on the model
• Metal with Gunmetal Grey

After that, all colours are set, I go for washes:

• skin is washed directly on top of the basecoat with Skin Wash
• Armour is washed directly on top of the basecoat with Sepia Wash
• Metal is washed with Strong Tone
• Leather and clothes are carefully washed with Agrax Earthshade

After the washes are dry, I go for the last step of details:

• a bit of Terracota if needed to cover areas where the wash was not correctly applied
• Beige Brown on clothes and one extra highlight with a bit of Bone mixed in
• Silver to highlight metals and add scratches to weapons
• Bright Bronze to highlight golden parts
• Squid Pink for the tongue if applicable or Purple with Bone mixed in
• Bone for teeth if applicable
• Dwarf flesh to highlight skin and another thin one with Bone mixed in

Here is the progress on the Army:

Done (27)

• 2 Genestealers
• 3 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Patriarch
• 1 Primus
• 10 Neophyte
• 10 Aberrants

Pending (63)

• 38 Genestealers
• 1 Broodlord
• 1 Neurothrope
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph

Painted in 2019

Perhaps it is difficult to tell in this picture but new ones and old ones are mixed in, and also the bases were painted differently. On the old ones I used mainly Grey and in the new ones mainly Metal, so they look a bit more shiny.

Ripper Swarms

Here is the first painted unit of this second batch of Genestealer Cult.

I decided to go for the Ripper Swarms as I could paint them at the same time I was doing the bases for the rest of the Army, because of the detail on the bases, I have done them all in a single batch and I glue the miniatures after painting them.

There is not much to say about the Swarms, it is an extremely quick paint job. Dry-brush for most of it, paint a few details and you are done.

The bases took more time in fact.

Here is the progress on the Army:

Done (21)

• 2 Genestealers
• 3 Ripper Swarms
• 1 Patriarch
• 1 Primus
• 10 Neophyte
• 4 Aberrants

Pending (69)

• 38 Genestealers
• 1 Broodlord
• 1 Neurothrope
• 1 Abominant
• 20 Neophyte
• 6 Aberrants
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph

Painted in 2019

Armies on Parade: Skaven

It seems this is the year in which I am crossing off my list many projects!

I made big efforts at the beginning of the year to improve my painting speed and I can really see it is paying back as I am able now to paint fast and with acceptable quality. Of course that means that I did some horrible things along the way, but hey, at least they are painted.

In any case I am already over 100 miniatures painted this year and still two months left to go!

This post is wrapping up the extended Skaven project.

Originally, I closed this project back in 2017. But, after I decided to extend the army to match a 4,500 point army for The Ninth Age, I needed to paint and base a few additional figures.

Well, here is the full painted Army in all its stinking glory!

I am quite happy at the speed and quality I managed to maintain while painting the last stretch. It was roughly a little bit over a month to paint almost 40 miniatures including several big ones.

Here is the mega list of the whole Army:

• 1 Tyrant on Monstrous Rat
• 1 Battle Standard Bearer
• 1 Skrolk Lord of Plague
• 1 Ikit Claw Chief Engineer
• 1 Snikch Assasin Deathmaster
• 1 Gnawdoom Greyseer
• 1 Thanquol Greyseer
• 1 Queek Head-taker Chieftain
• 1 Vermindaemon
• 1 Hero Engineer
• 1 Assasin
• 60 Clanrats with Command Group
• 1 Extra Clanrat Standard Bearer
• 22 Slaves with Standard Bearer
• 29 Stormvermin with Command Group
• 1 Stormvermin General
• 18 Plague Monks with Command Group
• 1 Extra Plague Monk Standard Bearer
• 4 Giant rat handlers
• 36 Giant rats
• 15 Gutter Runners
• 8 Poison Wind Gobladiers
• 10 Plague Censer Bearers
• 5 Rat Ogres
• 1 Screaming Bell
• 3 Warpfire Thrower Teams
• 4 Warplock Jezzails
• 2 Doomwheel
• 1 Warp-Lightning Cannon

And here are a bunch of slightly blurred photos of them in battle formation.

Genestealer Cult conversions

From the Army list I showed previously, there were a few miniatures that I did not manage to buy/find second hand.

Originally, I was not planning on buying a full 40K Army, but once I decided to do it, I wanted to keep the costs as low as possible as well as sticking to a very fixed restrictive list and avoiding going all-in and ending up buying all of the Codex troops... with that I mind, I bought all miniatures second hand for 40%-60% of the retail price. To keep the price low, I really could not afford buying a whole box just to keep a handful of miniatures, so it was time to dig into the bits box and greenstuff...

One of the figures I needed was a Neurothrope, and they are sold only in a box which I did not want to buy, so after browsing a bit the web I found this great post that gave me the inspiration to build my own.

As I did not have access to all the components mentioned there, I improvised a bit. Instead of using a Trygon head crest I used a crest from a Warrior and a few other bits. And instead of a Warrior tail section, I used a Warrior gun. In the end, I managed to get a somehow reasonable result. The miniature is less bulky than the original model and somehow it reminds me of a Zerg, which is anyway more or less a Tyranid, that's why I hope that once painted is ok.

Maybe I just need to make the back part of the brain bulkier. I will think about it.

There is also an Aberrant unit of 10, but I have only 9, although there are plenty of Hybrid Metamorphs lying around... therefore, I just took a pair of legs and added lots of greenstuff on top to model a huge torso, appropriate for an Aberrant. To top it off, I added an Aberrant head and a Power Hammer.
I think this one turned out more or less fine.

Lastly, I wanted to have a Kelermorph, but you can only find him in the Kill Team box, which I did not want to buy just for one single mini, therefore, another conversion was needed... I took a Hybrid Metamorph, gave him three cool looking guns (one of them from the Delaque gang), a backpack full of stuff and with greenstuff I modelled the robes. Out of the three, this is the one I like the most.

I have also done some minor conversions with greenstuff, like adding a new head to a classic Space Crusade Genestealer, but I will just show them when they are painted as there is not much to say about those conversions.
Now, onto the painting table!

Genestealer Cult Army

Back in March I posted for the last time about 40K. There, I showed my Genestealer Cult Kill Team and I hinted at the fact that I was planning to grow it into a full sized 40K Army.

Well, in the meantime I have painted over 100 Fantasy miniatures and the whole Space Hulk, but none of my new GC Army. At least I managed to snitch all of the necessary figures second hand at bargain prices... small victories :)

At the moment I have 23 painted miniatures for the Army, which is not too bad considering the fact that the Army has almost 90!

The guidelines I kept in mind while building a 2,000 point list were:

• lots of Genestealers
• very little or no Heavy Support / Tanks

I like the idea of the Cult being mostly on foot and being led by a massive force of Genestealers with the Patriarch screaming ahead, so that was the first thing I put in the list.

After that I added a few of the miniatures I'd like to have, such as the Aberrants with an Abominant. To top it off a few basic squads of cultists with some of the nice heroes like the Primus, Clamavus and Kelermorph. To round up the points I added a few Tyranids to provide a bit of Physic support and some Swarms to hold off some Troops.

Even though I did not want to have too many tanks, in the end, I could not resist the idea of having one single tank, if it is a massive beast like the Stormsword! I always wanted to have one Baneblade and I never managed to add it to my Imperial Guard. To be honest, back in the day, the miniature was not available in plastic like today so it was much more difficult... In any case, the Baneblade is the only thing I have not bought yet and I consider it a 2020 project, because I want to build it properly so I have the eight variants, also known as the Octablade.

Here is the list, what do you think about it?

1) Tyranid Battalion Detachment - Hive Fleet Kraken

• HQ
• Broodlord
• Neurothrope
• Troops
• 20 Genestealers (2 painted)
• 20 Genestealers
• 3 Ripper Swarms

2) Genestealer Cult Battalion Detachment - Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor

• HQ
• 1 Abominant
• 1 Patriarch (painted)
• 1 Primus (painted)
• Troops
• 10 Brood Brothers (painted)
• 10 Brood Brothers
• 10 Brood Brothers
• Elites
• 10 Aberrants (4 painted)
• 1 Clamavus
• 1 Kelermorph

3) Imperial Guard - Super Heavy Auxiliary Detachment

• Lord of War
• Stormsword

First thing I am painting, after assembling all of it, is the Broodlord and the Genestealers... I have 2 painted so only 38 left to go! Can I do that before the end of the year?

Tyrant on Monstrous Rat

This post makes me quite happy as it marks the very last one I plan to have for a painted skaven. I want to make another one with a group photo, but it won't be because I have just painted another figure.

This is also a significant milestone in 2019 as not only I have finished my goals for the year, but also one of the stretch goals! And I have painted almost 150 figures now... let's see how far can I go.

I have labelled this as oldhammer even though it is clearly not, but I just want to keep the whole army under one label. It is the figure from Forgeworld but I have decided to paint it using the same techniques as for the rest of the army, making sure it fits well with them.

The rat is pretty massive and it is way bigger than its base size, I was forced to buy a new case to transport it together with the cannon as they are both simply way too big for a regular case.

I painted this one with a white basecoat which I don't usually have because most of it is skin and I did many layers of washes and some dwarf flesh to get that (hopefully achieved) putrid look.

It's quite difficult to make good pictures due to the size, when one part is in focus the other side is out of it, so I have made tons of pictures to try and capture it. I hope you like it.

I am already working on the next stretch goal, let's see how that goes...

Painted in 2019