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.

WIP: Bloodthirster #1

Assembled and ready to paint

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posts lately. I have new models to show you, but the picture quality has been so bad I was embarrassed to post them. When that's rectified, I'll get you up to speed. In the meantime, here's something very different: a Bloodthirster of Khorne. I believe this one is referred to as a Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury, but if it's all the same with you, I'll stick with 'Bloodthirster'. That's what the previous versions of the model used to be called and as I don't plan on buying more than one, I don't feel the need to make a cheesy name even cheesier to differentiate. This one is a relatively new release—a re-sculpt of the classic Bloodthirsters of old, of which there have been quite a few over the years. I have to say I love this model. I never liked any of the earlier versions, but this one finally seems to have captured the essence of the background.

SHOWCASE: Skaven warlord

Warhammer: Skaven warlord

The first of my End Times characters is finished. This is my skaven warlord, henceforth known as Itch Skratchkill. I feel a little bad that the poor chap only has three painted models to lead to war, but as one of them is a rat ogre, hopefully he can hide somewhere and keep himself safe until I make time to expand his hoard.

WIP: Skaven warlord (pre-highlights)

Getting closer...

Greetings, man-thing! The skaven warlord is getting very close to being finished now. Most of the areas have been basecoated and shaded. A few, like the skin, have also been finished. What's needed now are highlights. I need to highlight the armour, metal, leather and wood, as well as a few details like the skull hanging from the banner pole. With those done, there's just one more big section to do before I finish off his base and get him on the shelf, ready to lead my currently non-existent skaven army to battle...

WIP: Skaven warlord (update)

I know it looks rough at the moment, but bear with me, man-thing. This is the skaven warlord I'm working on alongside the grey seer I updated you on the other day. At the moment it's at the stage where I've done a number of basecoats and washes on various areas but haven't completely finished any single part of it. Often when I paint, I'll work on one area to completion before I move onto the next. With a space marine, for example, I'd finish the armour, then get the metals done, then the weapon casings and, finally, any other details. With this model I'm adopting a slightly different technique to bring several stages along together.

WIP: Skaven grey seer

I haven't mentioned my skaven characters for a few weeks. That's because there hasn't been anything to mention. With so much of my attention being focused on my Blood Angels in the last month or so, anything else has taken a back seat. My skaven characters in particular have watched from the side-lines while other projects come and go. Each time I've spared them a glance, I've felt like I need to stop neglecting them and start paying them some attention. Well, now I can.

SHOWCASE: Necromancer

Warhammer: Necromancer

There's a reason I don't finish many of the projects I set myself: I get distracted by other things. My desk is full (literally) of projects I've started and not finished. You can tell the models I'm working on at the moment because they're the ones balancing right on the very edge, closest to my chair. This time the distraction was a model I purchased ages ago. I picked it up because of a book I'm reading (The Rise of Nagash). Having finished it, I don't know why I didn't get around to painting it sooner (except, perhaps, for the other distractions). For various reasons, it was probably a good thing that I waited this long.

WIP: Necromancer

As a writer, I am, as is necessary, also an avid reader. Among the many others I read, books from the Black Library are a common sight on my reading pile. In the wake of the End Times, I'm currently reading The Rise of Nagash, the story of the alliance of the various undead factions aimed at raising the ancient and powerful necromancer from the dead to wreak havoc on (or, somehow, save?) the Warhammer world. As is often the case, reading about a specific faction has inspired me to revisit the models for it, in this case the undead, and specifically a necromancer (not, admittedly, Nagash himself)...

WIP: Skaven Warlord update (plus Grey Seer)

Warhammer: Skaven warlord

I don't have a lot to update you on with this one yet, other than to say this model is now based and undercoated. This is one of those models I'll be working on intermittently between other projects so progress will be slow, but hopefully you'll see some developments on it over the coming weeks. I've started the painting process by dry-brushing the base up to my usual sand colour. There's still a long way to go on it. Next up I plan to work on the robes and the flesh. Most likely I'll finish with the metals and other details.

WIP: Skaven warlord

Warhammer: Skaven warlord (just assembled)

Just a quick post today to announce another project I'll be looking at over the coming weeks. I purchased this model last weekend, using a voucher I received for Christmas (you know who you are—thank you!). This isn't one of my main projects, but will provide a suitable distraction in between. It's a model Games Workshop released on the day I bought it to tie in with the skaven leg of the End Times series. I've been meaning to do more work on my skaven for a long time, so I'm hoping this model will prompt me to get on with it. I wouldn't mind if they became another major project. I definitely have enough of them to paint!

SHOWCASE: Dwarf Runelord

A fun one for a Friday. This is a Dwarf Runelord that was released early last year. I briefly had a small dwarf army years ago when a friend and I used to play Warhammer in the mid-nineties. They were all painted dreadfully and I don't think I still have the vast majority of them. I always loved the character of the models and even though I don't collect them anymore, I couldn't resist getting this one and a couple of others to paint up just for the sake of it.

SHOWCASE: Undead

Warhammer: Undead wight king

Like many others, I got caught up in the excitement of the End Times series for Warhammer when it launched with the Nagash book last year. Undead were one of my first Warhammer armies, almost twenty years ago, and while I haven't had any of the models for many years, I've always maintained a modest affection for them. With the launch of the End Times, I could resist no longer.

SHOWCASE: Skaven rat ogre

Warhammer: Skaven rat ogre

To get the ball rolling on the blog, I thought I'd showcase a few of the models I've painted previously. As I won't have daily updates to add, I'd like to get some content on the blog early on to make it less sparse. I'm starting with this: a Skaven rat ogre from the Warhammer range.