August update; Getting back into the swing of things.

   So far, I am happy with my progress. By no means am I anywhere near where I should be. Yet the fact that I am actually doing something is a very big step in the right direction.

   I feel I am about 2-3 sessions to having these 4 initial figures completed. I have missed a couple spots, and I need to touch up a couple things, but I'm almost done with the figures. I'm planning on holding off on the bases until they are all done.

   I do have a couple problems I need to fix though. As you can see in the pictures, I have 2 broken models. One should be simple and straightforward with fixing the axe. The other, not so much. I love how dynamic the new models are, but they have so many fragile points to them! He broke at the toes. The toes that were holding him up! I'm going to have to be very careful with him when I fix him.

  Well, here's to hoping my next post sees these four models finished and the next 5 started! It sure feels great to be doing something again!

For the Month of August, I pledge....

For the month of August, I pldege to at least paint, and finish, my Fyreslayer Warcry force.

I only have 9 models to paint for this force and i don't see any real reason why i shouldn't be able to finish this pledge.

As you can see, i've already got a good head start on nearly half of the models. Starting usually isn't my issue.... it's finishing.

But, the models are primed. My area is clean. i have a head start. And I have nothing better to do!

I shall post updates as i go along! I am shooting for at least weekly, if not more.

I hope I can show you some finished models soon!!!!!

Just do something already!

Tomorrow is the last day of the month. I've pretty much wasted all my time in regards to hobby related work. I need to get out of the dumps and at least do what I can to enjoy my hobby. To do as much as I'm able without actually gaming. To that end, I want to set myself some simple goals, in no particular order;

-Finish my Fyreslayers for Warcry. I've started them. They look good. I need to finish them.

-Paint a Blood Bowl team. I say it's my favorite GW game, I need a team to prove it!

-25 point Crusade force for 9th edition. If I actually paint some Primarus marines for the new world of 40k, i can justify getting more!!!

-500 point force of Horus Heresy. Just get something done!!! 

I don't think it's too much to ask myself to actually commit and follow through on these simple tasks. I'm always making one excuse or another, and I need to stop doing that. Yes, I am more writing this all for myself. I know no one reads any of this, there's nothing to really read!!! I can't even keep myself posting on this stupid blog!

I know I create my own excuses as to not continuing. Not finishing. I'm tired of it. I keep seeing all of the cool new things coming out and it kills me that I don't really get to participate in any of it anymore. I won't have any free time to go and do the things for a very long time. I don't have anyone that I can really discuss the things I enjoy anymore. I'm already really fucking miserable, I might as well be doing something I used to enjoy. I know it's still a part of me, and I hope I can still enjoy it, because I still want to be a part of it!

A new year, a new attempt

     So, obviously, I haven't been very active. In any hobby aspect that is. Well, unless you count accumulating! That I've been doing in spades..... But, a new year is upon us now, and with it comes new attempts and challenges.
     Currently I am sitting on nearly 20,000 points of legion models in various states of progress. My goal for the year is to actually, and finally, get a routine down so that i might be able to put a dent in my collection. I'm not going to set any hard deadlines for myself as to what I have to get done by what date. I just want to get into a routine and actually paint. If I can meet some of the soft goals I have in mind, all the better.
     Some of those goals are rather simple. Learn to confidently use my airbrush, regularly post my progress and thoughts onto this blog, and get at least a small, playable force painted up. Basically it all comes down to making a routine and sticking to it the best of my ability.
     One thing that I am hoping to follow through on is a chronicling of my progress along with three other people starting their own Horus Heresy forces. We will have four different legions being built. Luckily, it worked out to two loyal and two traitor legions being built. My Salamanders, along with Blood Angels, Word Bearers and Emperor's Children. Chances are I will also share their progress here also.

So, here's looking forward to a new year, new attempts and hopefull progress!

The Pursuit of Normalcy and Routine

Well, it's been almost a year since I last posted anything. Not that anyone has missed it or been looking forward to my ramblings...

Many things have changed for me over the last year. The biggest of which was the arrival of my first child! My wife and I could not be happier with our little girl, Always Sophia Wright. Yes, I named my daughter Always Wright. I also named one of my cats Marneus Catgar "the Bagelbiter."

With a little one in the house, my time is much more limited now. It also means that I have some home re-modeling that needs to be finished up in order to get Alway's room ready for her, and create a joint hobby room for the wife and I. Which means, much work to be done before i can actually get down to a routine and paint an army. With any luck, by Groundhog's Day, I will have all that finished up and I can actually paint something!

On the painting table....

     A group of friends and I have gotten together and started a little bit of a painting challenge. We created our own little group on Facebook, so that we all had one place in which we were able to create albums and post our progress. We have created some basic guidelines as you can see:

     Beginning on February 9, 2014 members of this challenge will be tasked with painting a specific Force Organization Chart selection of a Warhammer army, of their choice, within a set time frame.

Our members will have the option of picking and choosing their units to paint. Point values are not taken into consideration.

Points will be earned by participants for taking part in this challenge. 2 points will be earned for completing the challenge on time. 1 point will be earned for completing the challenge outside of the time given for completion.

Completion of a goal will include fully painted and based models.

Participants are urged, but not required, to paint towards a completely painted army of 2,000 points.

Participants are required to post pictures into a participant specific gallery showing work and completion of units. (We want you to show off your work!)

Participants are encouraged to meet with other participants and play games with their newly painted armies. Pictures and battle reports would be greatly recommended, encouraged and appreciated!

This challenge is open to any and all who are willing to take the challenge and post their works!

We would like to ask all members to please keep this group's focus based purely on the painting and modelling aspects of the hobby. We all appreciate constructive criticism, however, bad manners and rudeness will result in banning from this group.



I don't know about anyone else, but I have a hard time starting on painting. Heavy Metal syndrome, fear of failure, pure laziness, life commitments, don't know where to begin..... All of these reasons and more. But, when I get with a group of like minded people and can set stucture and organization to a project, I usually have an easier time of the task. It also gives us deadlines to work against and incentives to work towards. It may just be a point system, but it helps!
     

Started....... yet still waiting to be finished.

     I'm excited to be doing this and have been getting my area ready for all the work that I will be doing. Cleaning all my paint trays and making sure my pots of paint haven't all gone bad. It has been awhile since I last painted.....

     To begin with, our first task will be a troops choice. Since we are working towards getting armies painted, our first three tasks will be to finish two troops and an HQ. We will be working with a two week deadline on most all of our tasks. Should be plenty of time to finish each one!

Another as yet unfinished..... started 2 years ago.... hope 2 weeks will give me drive!

     My List in which I am working towards;
     Praetor, 2x 10 man tactical squads, 10 man breacher squad, 7 man tactical support, mortis contemptor dreadnaught, caestus, 6 man firedrake squad and a predator infernus with magna melta!
1, 997 points with 5 scoring units!

Praetor: Cataphractii suit, Volkite Charger, MC Paragon Blade, Grenade Harness, Digital-lasers,Mantle of the Elder Drake

First Tactical Squad: Bolters, CCWs, Bolt Pistols, Vexilla, Veteran Sergeant has artificer armor and MC Combi-Flamer

Second Tactical Squad: Bolters, CCWs & Bolt pistols

6 Man Firedrake Unit: 3 Thunder hammers and Dragonscale stormshields, heavy flamer, combi-melta, 2 powerfists, MC Power sword and combi-bolter

Mortis Pattern Contemptor Dreaadnaught: 2 twin-linked autocannons, havoc launcher, extra armor

Caestus Assault Ram: Frag launchers and auxillary drive

     I have yet to build the Breacherr squad, Tactical support squad and the Predator Infernus.    

     Not the greatest, or most competitive list by far, but it's only nine units and a big chunk of my collection (currently!) At two weeks per unit, that would be eighteen weeks of work, if kept to the schedule. So that means that if I begin on February ninth, I should have this all finished by June Fourteenth! Or at least that's the plan..... Luckily I amoff on the Ninth and have no excuse at all not to at least start painting that first unit of marines!

Raven Guard inbound!

     Salamanders aren't the only legion that I have always wanted an army for. My second favorite chapter is the Raven Guard. I have always liked assault troops and the whole jetpack idea. And who else embodies that more than the Raven Guard?! Well, maybe the Blood Angels, but the whole vampire thing is waaaaay overdone. That, and I don't want sparkly models! ;-)

     Now, I have to say first off, I did not paint these. I was able to get some commission work done from a local professional painter in a trade. He does a damn fine job, and these are some examples of his "Speed painting" work.

 

     Now, these were models that I had done for a good long while. Hence why all the lightning claws are essentially all the same. I wish the new vanguard box set had come out much sooner. I still have the rest of the squad that I need to get built and to him for painting. Thankfully they will have more variations on weaponry and the legs now that there are the new plastics to choose from. Unfortunatly though, I only have 2 more of the skull style beakie helm from Forge World. So, they won't all be a match in that regards. But they will all have the same jump packs!
    I have three more squads of assault troops planned for this army. The jump packs are what will tie each unit together. One squad will have the same jump packs that come with Shrike (I bought them before GW stopped selling bitz.) The next squad will have the same jump packs that come with Korvydae, from Forge World (that's going to be an expensive unit.....) The last squad, I haven't decided how to model them differently yet. Maybe I can get 10 identical sets from the new vanguard set?
     With any luck, I should be able to get the next five painted and posted up by the end of February!