DISCUSSION: Making plans for 2018

Wathammer: Age of Sigmar
Daughters of Khaine: Witch Aelf

It's been a while since I've updated this, and for lots of reasons: some interesting, most not, but none relevant to the subject. Suffice to say, the last year has been somewhat hectic in non-hobby-related areas and my output suffered. In 2017, I finished a grand total of two painted miniatures: one in January, and one in April. So far in 2018, I'm setting no records, but I've matched that total in February alone and look set to add more in March. (Let's not mention January, eh?) I've also regained some enthusiasm for the hobby, and at last have the free time to make use of it. But how?

DISCUSSION: 2016 in review

Horus Heresy: Imperial Fists Phalanx Warder marine

Horus Heresy: Alpha Legion contemptor dreadnought

Age of Sigmar: Orruk Warchanter

2016 was an interesting year for me as a painter. It's safe to say it wasn't the most productive in terms of output, but what I lacked in quantity, I was pleased to make up for in quality. This was the year that saw me finally take a step up in terms of both ability and purpose. Having painted purely for pleasure in the past, 2016 saw me enter my first competition. I was more than happy to come away with a finalist pin for my efforts, and look forward to more opportunities like that in future.

SHOWCASE: Stormcast Eternal Knight Questor

Age of Sigmar: Stormcast Eternal Knight Questor

Another Stormcast Eternal this week. This time it's the Knight Questor model from Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower. I have to admit that this boxed set looks amazing. There are so many brilliant models in it and, from what I've heard, the game-play is fantastic too. And yet I didn't buy it. I'd like it. I really would. But it would just be another set of amazing models that sits unpainted forever in my study. There were a few models in the set, however, that I liked too much not to have them in my collection, and this is one of them.

SHOWCASE: Stormcast Eternal Liberator

Age of Sigmar: Stormcast Eternal Liberator

Do you remember last July when Age of Sigmar launched and there was a free model on the front cover of White Dwarf? Well, this is that figure: a Stormcast Eternal Liberator. It's been sat on my desk for over a year and—in my 'finishing things' drive I've started of late—I've finally got around to getting him done.

SHOWCASE: Orruk Ironjawz warchanter

Orruk Ironjawz warchanter

I haven't painted anything that isn't a space marine for a while. My desk is littered with power armour and related paraphernalia. Amongst the debris, however, are several examples of non-space marine items waiting patiently for my attention. Since its release in April, the model above has been one of them. This is the first finished model for my modest orruk collection. He's a test piece to see if I like the colour scheme. I decided against the predominantly yellow or red variants from Games Workshop's studio armies—not least because I have plenty of things painted yellow already. Instead, I've opted for a bone-coloured scheme accented with red. There will be more to come from this range as I work my way through them. First, however, I have rather a lot of power armour to get through...

WIP: Orruk megaboss on maw-krusha #1

The 'maw-krusha' so far

Something different. For the first time since Warhammer: Age of Sigmar came out, I'm utterly smitten with an entire new range. Having looked forward to the new dwarf line so much in advance, I was bitterly disappointed by the 'fyreslayers' range when it came out. But with the new 'orruks' (orcs to the rest of us), Games Workshop have finally hit home. I like the Khorne range (ridiculous names aside). I even like the Stormcast range (but hate their lore). I'm at the stage, however, where I roll my eyes and curse "more?!" every time they release yet another kit for either. But with the new 'Ironjawz' orruks, I'm genuinely pleased.

SHOWCASE: Exalted Deathbringer of Khorne

Warhammer: Exalted Deathbringer of Khorne

I finished one! Regular readers (if there are any) will know that finishing a model is a rare treat for me. We're into October and I'm still some way off finishing even twenty models so far this year. With this one, however, I can at least increase the tally by one. It also represents my first finished miniature for the Age of Sigmar range. I'm pleased to introduce you, then, to the Exalted Deathbringer of Khorne.

WIP: Exalted Deathbringer

I've yet to be swept up in the Age of Sigmar excitement. It's not that I'm not interested. I am. It's just that, as a non-gamer, I'm not yet willing to jump on board. The simplified ruleset does intrigue me, and the ability to put together very simple armies for very simple games is far more likely to encourage me to play than, say, the massively over-complicated rules for Warhammer 40,000 these days. I am, however, always interested in a cool model. This Exalted Deathbringer of Khorne fits the bill. This one is still very much a work-in-progress and still has a fair amount of work to do on it, but I'm happy with how it's going and have enjoyed painting it so far. Given a few more sessions, I might even be able to show you the finished piece.