Reincarnation - Kingdom Death Phoenix

This is the second time I've painted the Phoenix, and it's just an epic model, regarding both scale and detail (and quantity of creepy little hands).

This time, I went with a more traditional red paint job, though still with true Kingdom Death gross fleshy bits.

I am the Lizard Queen, I can do anytheen. - Deadsculpt's Lascivia

Where Ignava has a slick sci-fi feel, I decided to work with Lascivia as her more organic counterpoint.

Hall of Fame - Kingdom Death final survivors, and years 19-20

So, a fun set today- my favorite characters from each of the three campaigns we've completed each got custom models.

Big Guns Never Tire - Astral Claws Devastators

Huron's "Though my guards may sleep and my ships may lay at anchor, our foes know full well that the big guns never tire" is one of the more memorable 40k quotes IMHO, despite being a bit silly these years later. I'm pretty sure it had at least a little to do with my eventual choice of Astral Claws.

The Walls Have Eyes? Watcher and Kingdom Death years 13-19

The Watcher is a pretty snazzy ghosty guy, had a lot of fun painting him in a near-monochrome, with a few tones of grey and just the teal as light sources.

Someone Else's Tale - Review of Megacon's Myth

The defining narrative Megacon put out, of a game of the players' experience, falls short.

With their rhetoric and rules gaps, it certainly didn't feel like much of a story, and definitely not my story.

A Two-Plus-Two-Equals-Four-Man - King's Man, plus Home? settlement years 7-12

I really like the contradictions in the King's Man- it's a model covered in faces that's faceless, and it's an automaton that has personality.

A Spudman (I've got eyes all around!) - Deadsculpt's Ignava

The Alien/Xenomorph series was a pretty influential part of my childhood* so it was fun to do a paint job based on Giger's aesthetic, to match the model.

Happy-Turkey Day - Kingdom Death Display Phoenix & Innovation tracker

...Not to be confused with "Happy Turkey Day," since it was his day for some fun, rather than time to overeat. Well, actually, the big guy is (very loosely) based on the glossy teal-black of an Ayam Cemani black rooster (breed) instead of any sort of turkey.

The Kingdom Death Phoenix, painted as my interpretation of the Golden Eyed King of 1,000 years (which is one of the coolest boss titles I've ever seen). I think he's one of the most ambitious models I've painted, and I've one word for you: Texture.

A New Frontier (For Some) - Wild West Exodus Rules & Miniatures Review

I always enjoy a little freehand, and again based the various face paint on traditional variations. The shaved heads are relatively simple but I think add a lot of flavor.

My first foray into Outlaw Miniatures' Wild West Exodus was full of good discoveries- it's got some cool minis and the rules cover a solid middle ground between small skirmishes and larger, squad-based system.

Bayou Buddies - Hordes Gatormen

Wrongeye and Snapjaw are still my favorite gators, and some of my favorite Hordes models in general.

And So We Return and Begin Again. Kingdom Death Messenger of the First Story + settlement years 0-6

The Messenger of the First Story's reference to Ayla is pretty transparent, but a fun one. It also seemed appropriate for her to be the entry for the beginning of our play-through.

No. 26... No. 26... - Malifaux Dreamer model

So, I'd actually been thinking about this guy for more than a year now, when it came time to execute.

Lighting the Way - "Kingdom Death: Monster" Monster Review

There'll be quite a few times where you end up feeling kinda' like this. Let's call this Figure 1 for ease of reference.

Any of my regular readers would have probably guessed this review was a long time coming. First, the purely subjective.

Within two sessions, Kingdom Death established itself as one of my group's favorite games. Since we've gotten it, we've played it at least ten times as often as all other games combined. It's spent large periods sitting on the dining room table half-unpacked, because we plan to play it again in a day or two. The box has gotten dust in it, not from disuse, but from the lid never being on.

Normally, we slowly get in to games, playing two or three sessions, feeling it out, and then it either enters the regular loose rotation or is dumped because it's not our taste, etc.

And while I'm obviously heavily involved in the hobby, I've dropped pretty games with lackluster rules before (sometimes quickly), so this isn't just about it being extremely pretty, though it is.

As always, I try to keep things in perspective, but it's hard to hide my love of this game.

Old Skool - Vladimir the Dark Prince of Umbrey & Iron Fangs

Vlad always had a cool, classic Dracula feel, to me. The dark red & gold's a nod to the blood knight sort of vibe and of course Khador's standard red.

Of Our Elaborate Plans, the End. Casting, Converting, and Kingdom Death years 20-23

A King's Man fight. Don't worry, it's just staged.

Starting off, some scenery that's been building to this point for a long time.

The Spice of Life - Dominion Expansion Reviews (general and specific)

I've now been playing Dominion for a little over 3 years and have 4 of the expansions and one promo card (and of course the core).

I still very much enjoy Dominion, but have found that it's not nearly as tight as I first felt it was.

The following review builds on my review of the core Dominion set, and assumes having read it, and/or familiarity with the core game.

The End of the Beginning of the End - Kingdom Death's Butcher, and settlement years 18-20

Khorne, eat your heart out. Actually, no, I think this guy might do it for to you.

Self-Propelled Artillery - Astral Claws Mortis Dreadnought

This was a fun guy to work on- my favorite part of the Astrals Claws aesthetic is the mix of functionalism and ornamentation, and I think I hit it nicely on Amru, with a pretty basic blocky look, but the gold trim and imperial skull honor marks across the "shoulders."

Gonna Be a Cold White Christmas - Sorscha & Greylords

Finishing up some more Khadorans...

Cast of Characters - More plaster casting & Kingdom Death settlement years 13-17

Some more sculpting and casting, today.

Expeditions into the Unknown

Just a quick one today.

Flame On! - Salamanders Forge World Squads

Nothing says retro 40k to me like old flamers and old missile launchers.

Positive, Negative - Plaster Casting & Kingdom Death Settlement Years 7-12

Another combined creative project and battle report dual post. This time, with plaster!

Promethean Cult - Salamanders Tactical Marines

Just a short one today.

I wish I could take credit for the idea (I can't- that would be my client's), but I think the flame and rune motifs on Word Bearers fit very nicely in, for some more variety in these Salamanders.

Hatchet Women - Arena Rex Zephyri

For those of you who read my review a little bit back, you got a preview of Frigge already (and thanks for reading!). Obviously, the emphasis was her freehand shield.

Following Safety Protocols - Astral Claws plasma tactical squad

Just a fun little combat squad today. My favorite's definitely the veteran plasma gunner with bionics (the head's obvious, but his left arm is also from the Iron Hands set).

Dry Death - Deadsculpt's Pavor, Keeper of Fear

Another of Deadsculpt's horror line, the subdued Pavor.

Lantern-side Stories - Kingdom Death Savior, and 4 more years of fighting monsters

Starting to get into light spoiler territory...

Wilderness Training - Khador Irregulars

It's not often that I include more personal stuff, but an interesting little bit of my family history- one of my my great uncles was actually a sharpshooter in the Russian army during WWII.

Flame Units Only - Salamanders Heavy Flamer Squad

I think it's something with my origins playing Eldar back in 3rd edition that warms my heart to see a whole unit of specialists.

It might also have to do with how 40k's shooting rules really are not built for the model of generalists & specialists, or specialists in two different areas, being in the same squad, and how the HH load-outs for the most part bypass this entirely. I think that giving all squads a single split fire attack would have gone a long way to making a lot of the formations that are supposedly a good idea but are actually a waste of time viable, but c'est la vie- FW's pseudo-patch does a good enough job of responding to the issue.

Also, it would probably be a bad idea to charge these guys.

Lantern-side Stories - Kingdom Death First Story miniatures, and 7 reports EDIT: 8th

So, Kingdom Death is all it's cracked up to be. In my not-so-categorical-opinion.

Some sort of Deep-Space Potato? - Astral Claws Converted Storm Talon

"Redemption of the ludicrous" is a term I throw around occasionally.

A Healthy Glow - Kingdom Death Alison the Twilight Knight, plus mini-materials review

I am really goddamn excited about Kingdom Death: Monster finally arriving any day now.

I just finished painting my first of their new plastic line's promos which arrived ahead of the core game, and I think Alison the Twilight Knight is one of the best models I've done recently.

My Other Car's a Centaur Demon - Journey: Wrath of Demons Review

Journey, Marrow Production's ode to the classical epic, Journey into the West. A review of their cooperative game through mythical China, including plays of the first three scenarios.

Sympathy for the Devil - Malifaux Lucius & co. update

So, it felt about time for Lucius to get a face (mask?)-lift.

Ye Olde Burninator - Salamanders Heavy Flamer test

A continuation of the previous Horus Heresy Salamanders--

Are You Not Entertained? - Arena Rex review

So, Arena Rex has been around for a bit now, is finally available post-kickstarter and, in short, I'm quite pleased with what Red Republic Games has come up with.

Meat Sack - Night Lords Oblitarators

So... yeah. Obliterators took a bit of work to get them both to a point I liked and one I thought at least kinda' fit Night Lords.

Hands Around My Throat - Forgotten Marshal and Friends

My take on Malifaux's new Forgotten Marshal, using the older Miss Terious as a base.

It Ain't Me you Gotta' Worry About Now - Sedition Wars Riddick Homage

A quick one today, I was originally going to paint him with some more shadow, but thought the little on his base and very dark color scheme would be enough. That, and I think that the lighter skin as contrast worked better than one more effect would.

If You Can't Beat 'em, Join 'em - Astral Claws Bikes

I resisted these guys for a long time, but they're so damn useful, and even have fluff/mechanics connected to Astral Claws. So, yeah... I eventually caved.

LACK OF SUBTLETY. - Khador Behemoth conversion

The Behemoth is one of my favorites, though it took some work to get there.

Bleeding Hearts & Liberals - Lamenters Test, also a little background and request for advice

Okay, seriously- I think I need to stop at three Power Armor armies.

Workin' in a Coal Mine... - Mei Feng & kang

Going with a more industrial/down-to-earth look for this pair...

How I Roll - Night Lords Rhino + another mini-report

Big spiky evil tanks and subtle don't go together very easily, but I tried.

Come to Me. I'll Be your Guardian Angel - Malifaux Outcasts

Okay, first, to anyone who catches the title reference: Kudos. Also, I assume you can't read those lines not in to voice?

Hammernator! - Space Hulk terminators, con'td.

I wish all my terminators fought as hard as Sergeant Gideon...

Colonial ConApts - Angry Mojo MDF Hive review & assembly tips

To start off, this is my first MDF kit that wasn't a prefab (...ironic, given the kits represent prefabs...). I have quite a bit of hobby experience, but Angry Mojo's "The Hive" MDF kit was new to me.

When Push Comes to Shove, You Gotta' Do What you Love - (Injun) Joss

Joss just looks so happy about his job.