2015 a year in review.

Once again it is that time of the year where we secretly pat yourself on the back under the pretence of looking back over the previous year.

This one is going to be easy.

The first six months of the year can be summed up in a single word MORDHEIM!!!!!!!!

Painting Mordheim,

creating mordheim terrain, 

So close. . . . .so close, to finishing the Demi Company.

Another six Ultra Marines finished up, this time from the Devastator Squad.

Considering the simplicity of the paint scheme and techniques they even look half decent, close up.

I have some Terminator marines to go and some other bits which will see me through January but the four below finish off the Demi Company

So close to finishing . . . . . so close.

I am so tempted to finish them off but I am back to work on the 4th and have a shed load of stuff to get done before going back.

We will see. . . . 

Now the numbers;

Miniatures painted / sold this year = 238

Miniatures bought 56

443 miniatures to go!

182 in the Black this year

Tis the season . . . . . for Smashmouth Bloodbowl!!!!!

While wearing a Reindeer onesie.

Yep thats me!!!!

It's Christmas and that means only one thing. . . . . My brother and I pulling out the Astrogranite for our festive (since 1988!!!!) game of Bloodbowl!

We still play 2nd edition rules and I recieve the kick off and make a break down the right wing.

Worlds collide in the middle of the pitch as our Blockers lock horns to dominate the centre of the pitch.

Top night at the 'Essex Legion'!

Despite the two losses!

With the School Holidays begun and me absolutely hanging by the end, I was allowed to skip the Kids Swimming and Bed time and get down the Legion for the full 5 hours!

I knew it was going to be a big night when I turned up bang on 5pm and the Car park was already chock a block.

More Ultra Marines!!

5 Weeks into my Demi Company and here is the story so far. . . . .

The third Tactical Squad is finished with the exception of the flamer marine.

The fella with the mohawk has always reminded me of 'Rouge Trooper' from my 2000AD days so he got the blue skin and white eyes.

It was only after I had applied the transfers I noticed how simular the Tacital Squad symbol is to the 'Souther' symbol and kicked myself for the missed opportunity.

I am now half tempted to kitbash up some 'Rouge Trooper' Scouts but as always time will tell.

I also made a start on the Devastator squad.

22 compulsory miniatures to go and maybe some extra heavy weapons and a Command Squad to paint up and I will be all finished . . . . If only I played 40K!!!

Also had another couple of miniatures go to better homes via Ebay.

Miniatures painted / sold this year = 232

Miniatures bought 56

449 miniatures to go!

176 in the Black this year

Seasons Beatings. The Armoury play 'The Killing 3000'.

Whats says Christmas more then kicking lumps out of your fellow gamers in a Gladitorial death match?

Once again the arena is set and ALL the terrain comes out the tub and makes it on the table.

Next we pick our entry point and roll for scatter.

Russel decides to start the Christmas spirit early and tries to drop on top of Jiri to rack up the early bucks!

The new rule is there is no shooting in the first round now but it forces Jiri to pitch in and try to weather the storm.

I bunker my 'Pat Sharpes' behind a ruined building and get into a protracted firefight with Tim's Khador, which costs me my Sniper.

 

Ed spotting an opportunity, slinks round the bunker and waits for his chance to strike against my weakened forces. The paranoia mounts as I start to wonder if a secret pact has been forged between Tim and Ed?

Macca's Paras continue to forge into the centre of the battle field and are met by Tims Khadorians.

Yep still going at it!

Just to add to the misery, Tim decides to open up on full auto in to the melee!

I am forced to leave a Guardsman to cover Tims forces. This leaves him open to a barrage of fire and not surprisingly full of holes by the end of the turn.

Having finished off Jiri's team, Russel turns his attention to Tims forces. Tim decides to leg it!

Ed has my nuts in a vice so I decide to play a command card and get in the grill of Ed's leather clad ladies.

The next turn I am lucky enough to win initiative and wipe out his ladies in melee and survive Eds retaliatory cannonade.

Macca closes in on Russel's forces. Several Grenades lobbed over the top of the barracade fails to dislodge Russels 'Breaker'. Looks like Macca will have to do this the hard way!

Is that another conga line Macca?

Ed and I manage rip each other to bits before the last of his team fall to the ground. I then manage to hunt down Tims remaining Sniper. It would sound braver except for the fact the Sniper had run out of ammo two turns before.

Maccas forces continue to hoover up our decimated forces.

"Your next mate!"

At the end of turn ten only 3 players remain and a final count up of the bounties sees Macca the run away winner!

Just want to wish all the gamers at the Armoury a lovely Christmas and look forward to locking horns with you all next year!

Well it made me laugh.

It turns out I am an Ultramarine, nut hugger!

I continue to knock out the Ultra Marine Demi Company.

Turns out white it not only a nightmare to paint but also to photograph.

Three Terminators finished off this week and half an hour of decent sunlight this weekend saw me finish off the Terminator Sergeant.

Was at a loss with what to do with the shoulder shields. I did not want to ignore them nor spend ages free handing designs on them.

In the end I plumped for an idea I read as a kid in an old White Dwarf where they had differentianted some epic Rhino's with the symbols of a pack of cards. I liked the idea that is was seen as some ancient knowledge of unknown means that had been adopted by the Imperial forces so used it here.

 I also managed to get 4 Marines painted up to 'transfers' stage . . .

 In a moment of weakness I painted the white 'go faster' stripes on the Beakie helmets and they immediately looked tons better.

This does mean I will now be going back through the Demi Company and repainting all the 'Beakies'!


Despite the simplicity of the techniques used I do really like the way their turning out and think they will look the business when fielded on mass.

Should have the rest of this squad finished by next week.

Miniatures painted / sold this year = 220

Miniatures bought 56

461 miniatures to go!

164 in the Black this year

Ultra Marine, Demi Company. The story so far.

Warning crap photos to follow. . . . .

Even with the simplified paint scheme and the batch painting I have only got two miniatures painted this week.

This is how my Demi company looks now. . . .

This is how it looked 10 days ago. . . .

Here is a shot of the Assault Marines finished

and the rest of the painted figures.

The good news is I have also finished off two Terminators and the remainer of the Company are primed and zenith sprayed so there is half a chance this lot will be finished off before the end of the year.

A couple of miniatures have been sent off to better homes thanks to ebay and I can see another load being listed between now and New Years now my paypal account has been sorted.

Miniatures painted / sold this year = 217

Miniatures bought 56





464 miniatures to go!

161 in the Black this year

Hitting a target is easy . . . . .

. . . .  . . . all you do is shoot first and call whatever you hit the target!!!!!

Here are the first of the Assault Marines finished.

I actually finished all six but the sun set before I had a chance to take any more pictures.

Will post photos of the rest of the squad but will have to see if I can catch the light.

The Munchkin had me up at silly O'clock this morning so I got all this lot below, undercoated and zenith sprayed with Gunmetal spray. . . .

I am going to see if I can get a Terminator squad finished this week.

Miniatures painted / sold this year = 214

Miniatures bought 56

158 in the Black this year!

full house at the creative biscuit. . . . .AGAIN

Once again the third Thursday of the month saw the herberts that is the Armoury gaming club converge on the Creative Biscuit in South Woodford.

We had;

Khador Vs Shiney robots,

Crocs Vs Racist Elves,

and an actual game of Warhammer Fantasy, 8th Edition!!!!!

Next meeting is the 18th of December and it looks like we will be ripping each other apart with a game of the Killing 3000!

I have a cunning plan!

I have been trying to paint. . . . . . I really have!

It's not like the old days were my job was a doss and I could find a quiet corner to paint. My new job is brilliant but it is pedal to the metal the second I walk in the door (usually 7.15am) to the second I leave (about 5.30pm to pick up the kids).

By the time I get home the light is shot and I cannot paint the figures on my painting table to the standard I desire.

So what to do?

Well, I have pulled out this lot. . . . . 

It's my Demi company of Space Marines.

Do I play 40K . . . . . . NO!

Do I plan to. . . . . . . Not really!

But I do sort of like the look of Space Marines, I find Imperial Guard far more interesting within the 40K universe but I figure this lot painted up to a basic table top standard should look ok.

I have made a start already for Space Hulk and there are these fellas done already.

So it looks like I have about 44 figures to finish.

Not going to set a target of finishing them all but any I get done are chips from the lead mountain.

Fingers crossed.