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Now that the commission is finished, and the Fly the Flag painting competition is over, it is time to get back to Hive Fleet Fester.

This is Brood Infex, a warrior brood. I now have synapse, (as well as two troops and an HQ). The entire force is still only around 500 points, but it is growing.

Up soon is Frankie, the slaughterfex, then more gaunts, and more gaunts....

Honestly, I am not too happy with the "brain bug", he seems a little off. The other two, I like alot.

As always, comments are appreciated (especially if you have an idea about making "brain bugs")...
Ricalope, SL.

Fly the Flag (Finished)

My entry for the Sheffield Irregulars is finally finished.

The regimental standard bearer leads his comrade, a vox officer, out of the relatively safety of the barricade and into the street. The yellow unit badges mark them out as members of the command squad. The vox officer has been severely wounded on his left side, there is no blood, and is most likely concussive trauma.

As a painting project, this was fun, yet there are many areas that were hard to get at. As for the construction, it was the result of after-Hallowe'en brainstorming.

The stages these two went through to get this far are the construction and painting.

As always, you comments are appreciated,

Ricalope, SL.

Warp Wednesday Eight: What is this "Tank Spam" you speak of?

"Big guns never tire."

Welcome to Warp Wednesday Eight. Each week I dig out something out of the maelstrom of my gaming room and dust it off. While I take pictures, I try to figure out something to rant about...

In my relatively short time on the interweb, I have come across a term previously unknown to me. I have been collecting tanks (read: playing Imperial Guard) for almost six years or more, and have been accused of being a tread-head (and once an "armoured-cheese-monkey").

I never heard the phrase "tank-spam" before. So I decided to do what any good tank commander would, research. It seems I am often a spammer.

So, in my defense, I would like to point out some serious facts regarding using a lot of armour with the Imperial Guard. First is the quality of our troops, or lack of... Second is the new vehicle assault rules added to the thinly constructed rear areas.

Psychology is the real threat of tank-spam, seeing a wall of iron spitting death at your troops is demoralizing. I believe this feeling is only equalled by the pride of fielding twelve tanks...

The best defense used against me has been to make traffic jams by wrecking my vehicles. This increases cover and decreases line of sight. It also severely disrupts movement, making remaining tanks vulnerable and isolated. And squadrons have their own problems...

In response to the new codex, one of my platoons have been given transports (making them an armored platoon?) and recently they have been enjoying high kill counts as well as getting broken all over the place. Since the new rules, over half of my tanks die ever game.

Well, tell me what you truly think of tank-spam, how do you play with or against them? Or just enjoy the pictures of my gorgon...
Thanks for the inspiration,
Ricalope, SL.

Lustgrinder Finished

Lilith is finished. After three weeks of sculpting (and an entire roll of GS).

This has been one of the most ambitious projects I have attempted, and I am pretty happy with the result.

Also, this has been the largest commission piece I have been requested to do, and this first commission I will not be painting.

I urge you all to watch Samalander's blog for painted progress of Lilith and for all the other Slaaneshi fun that goes on there.

It almost makes me sad to not be working on Lilith anymore, although a lot of work, she was fun.

It started here with the blue print, then it grew here, here, here and here. That will give you the full progress in order.

Well, until next time, thanks for the inspiration,
Ricalope, SL.

Lustgrinder (Almost There)

There is little left to do now, she is almost done.

I heard her name will be Lilith, and I am really happy with the project so far.

All that is left is; base-stuff, green stuff on the arms and nose, Slaanesh symbols, and the back 'vanes'.

I am Interested to know what you all think of her so far, anything that seems 'wrong' or more work?

Warp Wednesday Seven: Superfluous Eldar Pics

It is warm in the warp today, hope you all are well.

I know, many of you read this blog to look at the pictures, so here are some superfluous pictures of my exodites taking a wrong turn through a warp portal. I am (very) slowly working on an exodite army and have a couple of things planned for them (keep watch for a carnosaur in the near future).

I am not sure about the rest of you, but I am lucky enough to have some regular opponents to play against. This, more than anything else, provokes me to build an army and get it table-ready. I refer to this as the "arms race" and it seems the other players have the same syndrome as well. I am referring to the habit of getting that bigger, better, killier model than the one that beat the bejeebus out of you the last game. For instance; a friend of mine (who is insane) built a mechanical squiggoth (aka "the giant metal pig"), and even though the Emperor has blessed me with a tank division, and they have only seen the monstrosity once, I am planning a churchtank, just so I have something bigger.

Also, having regular opponents, creates storyline. The war that has followed me from house to house, has a long history, and many units have the honour badges to prove it. Grudges are made, (my autarch currently has a warboss to settle with), and models acquire history and a reputation.

Both of these factors will foster the most important aspect of the game (in my opinion), the spirit of the game. It is a board game, (with toy soldiers), but when there is history and character it becomes something better. Once this happens the cheering, taunting and other hubbub get started, it becomes an event.

Just something I noticed...
Happy Wednesday!
Ricalope, SL.

Lustgrinder (quick post)

This is going to be a quick post, as so many of you want to see the legs.

I finished the basic structure, and am waiting to flesh it out with more green stuff. The legs are not glued on, but I hope these pictures give you a good idea of the way it should look.

Next up, the arms.

Ricalope, SL.

Soulgrinder: In Progress, Part 2

More progress has happened on the soulgrinder. The ribcage was made bigger, as were the breasts. Her neck was filled out, and she also got some cheek-wires. This is the most sculpting I have done on a single model, and I am quite impressed at how easily things are progressing. Tomorrow I will begin work on the legs and more to the body, this way I can stand her up, fill out the hips and add dreads.

Until next time...keep inspiring me ;)
Ricalope, SL.

Warp Wednesday Six: Skulls, dragons, flags and gems.

Lets talk about little things, little things like wound markers and other such counters. They are so easy to make, I am at a loss as to why everyone who games doesn't have a set. Of course, they are most handy because it stops players from rolling their mage's spells/carnifex's wounds, and that is why I recommend them. But more importantly, they are fun to make/paint (and they take little-to-no time).

These guys are what I call "weird little guys." They represent wounds, doom and some remain in play spells. Luckily, many of the spells of Tzeench are colour coded...


Here we have dispel scrolls and more odd markers. The eldar statue represents bladestorm most of the time.

I had a whole lot of marine flags lying around the bitz box, so my sisters of battle were made faith markers. When used, the marker is placed beside the unit until the effect wears off, then, when units die, the faith markers get added back to the pile.

Wounds, as in piles of skulls. The key to having counters that can be used for different armies is in the basing. All the bases (except the faith markers) are done in a neutral theme, and a lot like the table at home.

Lastly, the six markers of gemstones these are all numbered 1-6 underneath. Originally they were used as objective counters, now they serve well as gone to ground markers as well as flags for cityfight (for my eldar and bugs).

Well, happy Wednesday!
Ricalope, SL.

Soulgrinder: In Progress

Here is a little teaser of the Soulgrinder I am making for a friend on commission.

I started with abusing the eldar wraithlord and warwalker kits (sorry, no pics of the legs yet). The body is being built up with Tamiya sculpting putty, which is softer to work with but dries harder than the GW greenstuff. Details will be added with more green stuff soon.

Until next time,
Ricalope, SL.

Fly the Flag (PIP)

So the two guardsmen are getting some paint. As usual, I start with the under suits (but not the highlights), this comprises of bestial brown to bubonic.

Next, the basecoats for the other three main colours are done. In this case, catachan green, dark flesh and midnight blue.

The Armour (midnight blue) is highlighted with shadow grey, then codex.

The weapons, (canteens and whatnot) are brought from catachan green to camo. The flesh os painted from dark flesh, to tanned, then dwarf. Hormagaunt purple was used to make bruises, and codex grey for stubble, (each of these were mixed with dwarf flesh 50/50).

Finally, I have the other basecoats done. Scorched brown for leather, khemri brown for the litany and skulls, and scab red and regal blue for lights, button and thingies.

More soon...I just hope that female soul-grinder stops looking at me funny...

Ricalope, SL.

Blueprint: Soulgrinder

I have found myself in a commission. It is not an uncomfortable feeling. I have been asked to make a female soulgrinder devoted to Slaanesh for a good friend. Since I really like her painting skills, I will only be doing the assembly.

The plan is as follows; the body will be centaur-like, made of eldar walkers, female/daemonettish, be large, and still fit into the rules without too much hassle. As with most warp-spawned ideas, I am starting with the blueprints. I checked the assassin body to a wraithlord for scale, and I will need to find a new body. Otherwise it looks sound to me.

I am picking up the bitz on saterday, so work will start soon. This idea partly spawned from the "wraithknight" idea I had for my craftworld eldar. After doing this model, I might work upon that.

Tell me what you think...
Ricalope, LoC.

Warp Wednesday Five: BFG's

Welcome back to Warp Wednesday. Today, I would like to show you some tank porn. This would be I21-3 (2nd squadron of first division, tanks 1 through three), a trio of vanquishers.

The centre tank is named Apotheosis and is a commissar tank. It features the Styges pattern turret from Forge World, where the other two have guns made from banablade battle cannons.

There are some markings of note:
-Inquisitorial I's are the symbol of my Imperial Guard (Inquisitorial Shock Troops), each one is made from a putty mold.
-Dragon Head Medallions are campaign badges from the war over at Hive Chemrol (Glasgow House).
-Shields depicting lions are campaign badges from the Rendus expedition (Bay St.)
-Gun markings include diamonds (for infantry kills) and triangles (for vehicle kills).
-Most have an alfa-pattern engine in the back (the exhaust vents on either side).

Granted, vanquishers were better in the old edition, being able to fire anti-tank or regular pie plate (at a greater range), but I like the aesthetic of the big guns. The only time all three are fielded is during an apocalypse game, when their firepower becomes a high threat, and in such games they usually rack up a nice kill tally.

Hope you enjoy!
Ricalope, SL.