Evilstu’s Fantasy Progress 2020

So I know I said that I wouldn’t be doing an army in a month again this year but here is the army I did this month. Turns out a zenithal preshade plus contrast paints, then a layer paint and black ink wash is just an insanely fast way to get stuff done. Also started using Vallejo textured mud on the bases so can maybe cut out a step or 2 and claw some more time back there.

Force just needs a bit of detail/interest on the bases (leaves and grass) and a matt varnish and should then be good to game with. Banners are all magnetised and I now have enough to be able to swap out for unit affiliations as needed.

Got some extra adds for the force assembled too – a unit of ungors (the old metals are really small compared to the 6th ed plastics but chaos is chaos…) some second hand minotaurs and gors, more centigors and a couple more converted chariots. Added some MDF sheeting to the back of the chariots over the axles as my suspension of disbelief will evidently only extend so far, and converted some chariot riders using banner arms for great weapon hafts. Had aimed to get these airbrush zenithal primed today but spent too long restoring some of the more beaten up Ebay procurements. Will maybe try to get to during the week but realistically it will probably be a next weekend task.

Finally, more dwarves based. Still a few units to prep but have enough for a core force assembled.

Busy season at my place of work is usually Mid-April through to Mid-September with July and August being particularly colorful. Consequently I’ve resolved to try to get a bunch of prep work in over the next couple of months so that I have things on hand to work on if I need to unwind with some therapeutic speed-painting. First up is the core of a Dwarf force – Infantry and ancestral guardians from MOM miniatures, ranged units are form the 7th ed WHFB starter box, characters from various sources. bases were milliput with a GSW textured roller (Pavement I think it was called – I have that one and the cobblestone and they are both very good), 3 part zenithal airbrush preshading using black, grey then white Stynylrez primer.

Next up, more chaos, because more is more. A unit of Avatars of War barbarian marauders (the unprimed ones) mixed in with some GW rank and file models (white primed). Also shown is a metal chaos hero who will probably wind up either as a Khorne champion, or on an Iron Maiden 12′ cover sleeve on reissue…

Next up, assembled a box of Shieldwolf Minis Forest Goblins. 25 to a box. Will need minimum unit sizes of 20 so 5 units form 4 boxes. Plenty of weapon options and command parts included. Good little kit. Bases included were slotta bases hence the blue tape and superglue – i’ll remedy in the basing stage. Planning a yellow basecoat up to a white zenithal preshade and then some GW Orc flesh contrast mixed with Liquitex matt medium in over the skin to do all the hard work for me on this one.

Next up, more beastmen. Decided to re-spray my old minis (except for the 3 Slaanesh themed character models I have painted up to an actually OK standard form years ago- unsure whether to strip and restart or just restore…). Judging by the first half of the project, should actually turn this around pretty quickly once I get stuck in. Again, 3 part zenithal airbrush preshade.

And speaking of beasties, got part 1 of the force based. Still a bit of tinkering to do on the chariot but otherwise from here pretty much just need a matt varnish. Bases were one of the Vallejo premixed mud textures (European)? which is now my new favourite thing. My other new favourite thing is the GSW leaf punch which I finally decided to pick up. Wish I had done this way earlier. Initially struggled with using it as I had read that using glasses cleaning cloths soaked in ink gave the best effect but the punch kept jamming. Have switched to standard office paper and it works just fine. Going to buy some different coloured (stationery) inks to get some autumnal base action happening. Also glued on some woodland scenics ‘Underbrush’ clump foliage. Aiming for a ‘forest path’ style of base. the leaves might be a bit too bright on some of the bases but reasonably happy with the result. If any of it looks too bright I’ll tone down with a drop of ink over the relevant area and try to make some varied hues. Anyhow, pretty much tabletop ready as it stands…

Have stopped tinkering with the three Beastmen chariots for now. The woodgrain on the added chariot platforms needs some serious rework but I will address that later,. For now they are tabletop ready. Which has given me the impetus to kick off the second part of the project, 90+ more infantry, 15 centigors, a block of minotaurs and dragon ogres and a couple of small units of doggies. Once I get through these I have some more Chaos prepped, plus the Dwarves ready to go and some more Forest Goblins I’m still assembling. So everything ready but the coffee…

Pushed on with part 2 of the beastman army, now nearly complete. I just need to paint the base edges and hit with a matt varnish. So a couple more hours work and we’re good. Need to work out what to do next. I have plenty of stuff on the go but as it’s all fairly current I don’t really think it falls in the spirit of the Spring Cleaning challenge. Only army I have that really fits that bill is my KoW undead which I don’t feel like working on presently. I probably should be focusing a little more on historicals anyhow, but fantasy armies are, I find, just so much easier to paint. Possibly due to the slightly larger sculpts? Anyhow…

Also primed and zenithed about 200 Reaper Bones minis that have been sitting doing nothing since years ago. Plan is to do some base layering over the preshading with contrasts and then practice different techniques (NMM, glowy weapons etc) or play with new colours (Just scored some fun metallics from Mig and GSW prior to lockdown…) to bring them up a little thereafter. basically I’m treating all these as practice minis that may one day appear on the tabletop in a future game…

Hope everybody is travelling OK 🙂

Army done to tabletop (for now). Might consider adding a couple more characters for flexibility and I have more minotaurs stashed somewhere. Maybe some trolls as I have some reaper bones ones on hand that would proxy as a mixed unit of chaos trolls quite well but not really looking to go out and add anything like a shaggoth (although Reaper were doing something similar/appropriate for one in their latest kickstarter…). But the bulk of it’s squared away so can draw a line here and move on to the next project.

Did this party up this morning in under an hour watching television. Reaper Bones minis primed black, then with a grey and white zenithal preshade. Just hit with contrast paints. Fastest NMM effect I’m ever likely to get done. I just may get through the backlog of minis yet…

Jumping around between a few bits and pieces. First up, pulling together and restoring a few recent second hand procurements has yielded the following. Can’t make any progress at the moment because I have no space due to a backlog of minor projects I need to clear. Subsequent to this photo being taken I have tidied up the silver primer on the chaos warriors where the earlier red paint coat was showing through too, so all set to go as soon as I have time/space.

May also upscale and print a bigger mammoth 🙂

Barreling on through assorted rubbish when the opportunity presents. Did get the fist part of a halfling army done – well, almost. I just need to glue on a banner and touch up the brown on the base rims – I don’t know why I insist on using craft paint on these rather than model paint, it is always more bother than the saving in cost is worth. the 3 units are from one single box of Wargames Atlantic plastic halflings, caster is from Midlam and no idea where the other character mini is from…

Also been pushing on with the ‘contrast over zenithal preshade’ on Bones minis to get more familiar with the way this paint works. Finished up a batch of orcs (left) gnolls (front) bugbears (right) and some more murder-hobos (rear). I feel these are still a little too dark so hit the remaining batch of uncommenced minis with an additional white zenithal dusting and will progress further thereafter.

Also been trying to get more terrain elements to drop on a table happening. Finally got around to painting up a henge that I got as part of the Bones 3 KS. And further have been working towards a couple of orchards to have as large terrain elements that can be interacted with in fantasy and historical games. Apple trees are from 4ground, orange trees are from EBay…