Month in Review - July 2021

 Hey guys, short update to cover a lot of stuff this month.

Go like, share, subscribe and all that jazz.

Stay safe.

Cheers,

John

Month in Review - June 2021

OK, halfway point of the year, so, can't really skip this update right?  So, what have I managed to get done so far then, considering 6 months in I had about 2 months of not hobbying...

June Progress

 

Painting Resolutions 

1. Continue to work towards Grymkin being fully painted (HORDES) 

Not touched them, as predicted, because I've been focussed on the big army projects, but, with them wrapping up this month, I should get to these soon.

2. Complete the Tales of Instahammer challenge (Warmaster) 

Got it done in the end.  Smashed the 2000pt list I had planned out with a load of extras, so I'm sitting on over 2900 at the moment, and can field a 3k list once I paint up a couple more units of Zombies to meet the minimum requirements.

Vampire Counts, 2985 points
Warmaster Revolution
--------------------------------
 180 - 6 Skeletons
 140 - 4 Zombies
 110 - 2 Ghouls
 240 - 4 Grave Guard
 540 - 6 Ethereal Host
 440 - 4 Black Knights
 240 - 6 Dire Wolves
 130 - 2 Fell Bats
 150 - 1 Vampire Lord
 680 - 6 Vampire
     - 2 Winged Nightmare (160)
     - 1 Black Coach (40)
 135 - 3 Necromancer
--------------------------------
2985 - 34/17

 

10mm scale 3d prints from Forest Dragon

3. Paint 6+ points for Age of Crusades (SAGA) 

Managed to get caught up with this one too, ended up with 2 points of Hearthguard, one standard and one with Heavy Weapons, 3 points of Warriors, 12 standard and 12 with Crossbows, and a point of Levy with Bows.  I also painted up a couple of Lifeguard so that I can play Hermann Von Salza, and use the models I don't field as the "free" unit he summons.

 

#heerschau2021 SAGA Age of Crusades Ordensstaat (Crusader Miniatures)

Warlord/Hermann Von Salza with Lifeguard

Ordensstaat Hearthguard (Crusader Miniatures)

4. Paint a lot of Warbands (Warhammer Underworlds ) 

Doing pretty well here, I had planned to try and get one warband done a month for the first half of the year, then do two or three a month for the rest once my online challenges had finished.  Kinda smashed it this month by adding a further 5 to the ones I had already done.

 

Godsworn Hunt - Nightvault (Games Workshop)

The Wurmspat - Beastgrave (Games Workshop)

Garrek's Reavers - Shadespire (Games Workshop)

Spiteclaw's Swarm - Shadespire (Games Workshop)

Hedkrakka's Madmob - Direchasm (Games Workshop)

I currently have Myari's Purifiers and Rippa's Snarlfangs part done on the workbench, and Magore's Fiends and Thundrik's Profiteers primed, then it's just a case of picking up the ones I don't have yet.

5. Project: Shieldwall 

Haven't added anything since January, but I did paint January to June's quota back then...  Got 8 more heavily armoured types basecoated and washed ready for layering though.

Vikings (Wargames Foundry)

 

6. Monthly Fun Mini 

 Knocked out a 3d print for this one this month.  I actually organised a small group to do a randomly allocated colour and theme on a single mini each month to give me some direction for doing these.  The theme was stripes and the colour choice was orange, so, here she is.

Vae Victus Miniatures

7. Blood Bowl Team 

 Well, I can't undo it, so they are still done.

Plastic Ogre team - Blood Bowl (Games Workshop)

8. Terrain

 I have clipped out some of the terrain pieces from the Mortal Realms magazine, and the 3d printed statue is still sitting untouched.  I reckon I can get this stuff done now that things are opening up again, and I can hopefully nip over to Warbases to get some custom bases made to do a full set of SAGA suitable terrain.

 

 Gaming Resolutions

9. Play 26 (or 52) Games 

Played 3 or 4 games so far... hoping to get more in with my upcoming holday, and with things opening up a bit.

 

10. Start a Blood Eagle Campaign.

Errr... nope.  But not had a chance to get out gaming so...

 

11. Play 3 New Games.

I'd need to play games for this to happen, right?  I did pick up a Freefolk starter for A Song of Ice & Fire though.

 

12. Play 6 Boardgames. 

 Nope.

 

Hobby Resolutions. 

 

13. Weekly Social Media Post 

Managed 19/26 or so, so far.

14. Do a Month in Review post every month. 

4/6 so far.

15. Games Room furniture.

Nope.

16. Go to 4 Shows or Conventions.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...  Even the ones that have been announced are now getting cancelled.  Maybe I can just buy a load of stuff online while not playing games to do a lockdown version?

 

 

So yeah, that's the 6 month wrap up, getting there with a lot of stuff, a few resolutions ticked off already, some I can't complete but can still have a good go at, and a few that wel, I won't know until another 6 months have passed.

 

 

Amount	Task	Completed
28	Fully Paint Grymkin (HORDES)		0%
83	Tales of Instahammer (Vampire Counts)	83	100%
47	Paint 6pts Saga Age of Crusades army	47	100%
22	Paint Shadespire Warbands	10	45%
50	Project Shieldwall	25	50%
12	Random Fun Minis	6	50%
17	Blood Bowl Team	17	100%
4	Terrain		0%
	Paint Osprey Wargames forces		#DIV/0!
26	Play 26 Games	4	15%
4	Blood Eagle Campaign		0%
3	Play 3 new games		0%
6	Play 6 Boardgames		0%
12	Maintain blog with monthly posts	4	33%
52	Social Media post every week	19	37%
2	New Games Room Furniture		0%
4	Go to 4 shows or conventions		0%
372		57.80%

 

Stay safe folks, and I'll be back soon with another update.

 

Cheers,

 

John

Month in Review - February 2021

 Back again with another monthly update.  So, what have I been up to then?

February 2021

Jut that little lot, another 47 minis added to the painted tally.  I managed to get a full brigade of Grave Guard done for Tales of Instahammer, because that is a monstrous unit on the table, probably second only to Black Knights in the army, as well as two units of Fell Bats, because they are monstrous bats, and just to make sure I stuck to brief, the General riding a Zombie Dragon (I'll do a foot general for June, but this was one of the few "monstrous" entries in the list.

Black Guard (Forest Dragon)

Fell Bats (Forest Dragon)

Vampire General on Zombie Dragon (Forest Dragon)

As well as the Instahammer stuff, I knocked out 1.5pts of Warriors for the Heerschau challenge (because it gives me a full unit for Lion Rampant).  I still have to do a banner, but am undecided if I'll get a printed one, or go for hand painted to match the shields.

Teutonic Warriors (Crusader Miniatures)

I did get 2 more units of Viking Hearthguard basecoated and washed, but my favourite brushes were on their way out, so I didn't get them layered up and highlighted, but, I was well ahead on Project: Shieldwall anyway.

Viking Hearthguard (Wargames Foundry)

Fat dead brushes only means one thing, battering out some Warhammer Underworlds warbands with judicious amounts of contrast paints.  In short, I finished off three warbands, making up for not doing one last month, and putting me ahead for next month.

The Eyes of the Nine were the first warband I did, and you may be surprised to see black base rims, but brown just wasn't going to work with the tiles...  Then I worked on Mollog's Mob and Hrothgorn's Mantrappers (alongside the Dread Pageant, but they aren't finished yet)

Eyes of the Nine (Warhammer Underworlds - Games Workshop)

With the Eyes, I went with a lot of blues and yellows, because Tzeentch, and had a lot of fun painting the Brimstone Horrors.  The bigger Horror was initially Pink, then Sarah pointed out it's a Blue one, so, I just slapped more paint on it...

Mollog's Mob (Warhammer Underworlds - Games Workshop)

With Mollog's Mob, I wanted him to have a kind of albino-ey look, like something that lives deep underground and has a pallid, clammy look.  Didn't spend too long on the little critters, but I did paint the Bat-Squig to match my other "normal" ones.

 

 

Hrothgorn's Mantrappers was next, basically using them to experiment with colours before I 'tackle' the Blood Bowl team.  I think I prefer the lighter green skin on the Gnoblars, and I'll probably use that for the Blood Bowl ones.

Speaking of Blood Bowl...

Primed and ready to go.

I didn't get a "fun" mini painted this month, I had started the Mom Miniatures Barbarian Giant, but didn't even get all the basecoats on, still, that's a good start for another month, and it had sat most if not all of last year on the shelf primed.

 

 I have also been back out in the workshop pottering away, so that has divided my hobby time (we won't mention the 155+ hours of Assassin's Creed Valhalla...) and knocked up two sample planters over the weekend.

I mentioned last time I had a surprise package in from Cromarty's Forge, it contained a number of 15mm scale Lizardmen prints, which are very nice.  I want to do a separate post about them, but the Kickstarter for the files and printed models is currently running, and well funded, so gratz John.

 

So yeah, 47 added to the tally (broke 100 already) and I'll leave you with a quick shot of the bench earlier before I moved the new recruits up into the cabinets.

New brushes arrived!

See you next month,

John

	Amount	Task	Completed
	28	Fully Paint Grymkin (HORDES)		0%
46	83	Tales of Instahammer (Vampire Counts)	46	55%
12	49	Paint 6pts Saga Age of Crusades army	12	24%
3	22	Paint Shadespire Warbands	3	14%
25	50	Project Shieldwall	25	50%
1	12	Random Fun Minis	1	8%
	17	Blood Bowl Team		0%
	4	Terrain		0%
		Paint Osprey Wargames forces		#DIV/0!
3	26	Play 26 Games	3	12%
	4	Blood Eagle Campaign		0%
	3	Play 3 new games		0%
	6	Play 6 Boardgames		0%
2	12	Maintain blog with monthly posts	2	17%
8	52	Social Media post every week	8	15%
	2	New Games Room Furniture		0%
	4	Go to 4 shows or conventions		0%
100	374		26.74%

2021 Hobby Resolutions

OK, let's kick off the year with a whole bunch of new (well...) challenges for the forthcoming 12 months.  I'm keeping the 16 project format (8 painting, 4 each of gaming and hobby) and I'll set them out and discus what I'm planning to do for each one.  Leaning more towards the pessimist/realist end of the scale rather than delusional/optimist, I doubt the arrival of a new year will magically lift all the restrictions we are living with, so, it makes sense to keep the majority of the challenges painting and solo oriented.  If the restrictions are lifted early enough in the year, I'll revisit this around June and maybe bump some of the numbers up for the Gaming resolutions.

Painting Resolutions

 

So, as far as painting goes, the last 6 months of 2020 were a challenge as Sarah was working from home and took up residence in the games room.  Couple that with the fact she was generally starting every day after I had got in, and I really didn't have much access to my desk.  I took the executive decision to strip down my paint station (the horror) and set up a desk downstairs to use as my new painting area meaning I don't really have an excuse for not cracking on with things after work if she is working.  Well, that's the theory at least...

1.  Continue to work towards Grymkin being fully painted (HORDES)

Let's start the ball rolling with a returning challenge.  I've worked away at these over the last 3 years, and have definitely broken the back of this one.

 
I currently have 28 models to do for this to fully paint my backlog, I already have all the Warlocks painted, along with 2+ of every Warbeast, all of the solos and units and a Battle Engine.  The 28 remaining models will fill out all the Units to maximum Field Allowance.  From there the only things I am missing will be a 2nd Deathknell (questionable) and the Oblivion and Riot Quest releases, although they aren't strictly speaking Grymkin models for the most part.  At a very minimum, I'd like to finish at least...  all of them?  It might tempt me in to picking up some of the newer releases, just for Faction completeness you understand.

2.  Complete the Tales of Instahammer challenge (Warmaster)

So I managed to finish this last year, probably made up the points I didn't do 2 years ago in extra models, so I'll give it another bash.  I'm not sure I can squeeze much more Stormcast into the cabinet, so, I'm taking a slightly different approach this year and going for a Warmaster force instead.  Tiny Tales of Instahammer it is then.  Planning to do a full 2000pts over the 6 months and trying to match up to the various challenges.  The astute amongst you may have realised that I still don't have all the Black Gate Ogres for my planned list, but, I do have a resin 3d printer (early Xmas present to myself last year) and have printed out a ridiculous amount of 10mm Vampire Counts miniatures.  Obviously each base counts as 1 mini, even if it has 12 or so figures, so a unit nets 3 minis painted generally.  At least the characters are quick, right?  

Vampire Counts, 2000 points
Warmaster Revolution
--------------------------------
 120 - 4 Skeletons
 140 - 4 Zombies
 110 - 2 Ghouls
 240 - 4 Grave Guard
 180 - 2 Ethereal Host
 440 - 4 Black Knights
 160 - 4 Dire Wolves
 130 - 2 Fell Bats
 230 - 1 Vampire Lord
     - 1 Winged Nightmare (80)
 160 - 2 Vampire
  90 - 2 Necromancer
--------------------------------
2000 - 26/13

 

 

3.  Paint 6+ points for Age of Crusades (SAGA)

Jumping on the Heerschau 2021 challenge from Stronghold Terrain, it's basically Tales of Instahammer but for SAGA.  Not sure exactly how it pans out, the full schedule hasn't been revealed, but I'm going to try and get some of those Teutonic's from Crusader Miniatures done.  Even if I don't have a dedicated Warlord model yet.  No idea what the final list will look like (fingers crossed for lots of Hearthguard) so I'll assume an even split of 2pts each of Hearthguard, Warriors and Levy and add a tentative 49 (including Warlord remember) minis to the list.  Currently sat with 12 mounted Hearthguard, 8 foot Hearthguard and the same again with Great Weapons, and 24 Warriors and the same again with Crossbows, so I just need to source some suitable Levy figures if the need arises.

4.  Paint a lot of Warbands (Warhammer Underworlds )

So it seems to be tradition now that I get the latest Underworlds box set from Sarah each Christmas, and last year was no exception.  I have 3 Warbands to do for Season 1, 4 for Season 2, and currently own 2 of the 5 I still need to do for Season 3, plus the 2 from the Champions of Dreadfane set.  There has been a teaser image for Season 4 (Direchasm) so that adds another 8 Warbands (including those in the box).  Don't know the exact numbers, but it is 70 minis up to and including the Direchasm starter.  That leaves 6 warbands so, guessing at least 3 minis per set is another 18, so, again, a tentative 100 to finish them all?  Looking at the teaser image, we have Undivided Chaos Warriors, Lizardmen, Vampirates? Savage Orcs, Ossiarch Bonereapers and Idoneth Deepkin.  I think.

 

 

 

 5. Project: Shieldwall

 

The plan for this is to just keep chipping away at more Viking models whenever I get the chance.  I have a load of Foundry Vikings based and primed to get started, as well as the remaining Footsore ones to fill out the range, a huge pile of Foundry still to be prepped, the Artizan ones, some Bad Squiddo ones, you get the drift.  I'd be happy with doing a few each month, so anywhere from 24-48 over the year?  Let's just round it up to 50.

6. Monthly Fun Mini 

 

This kid knows more about blending than me...

 

Bit of a change of pace this one, just knock out an average of 1 random fun mini every month.  Having access to the 3d printer now, I can quite easily get random stuff that takes my fancy and doesn't necessarily have a place in the other challenges.  I might use it as an excuse to do one off minis and try out new techniques, or stuff in bigger scales or a bust or something.

 

 

7. Blood Bowl Team

 

 

 A nice simple one for this, paint up a Blood Bowl team.  I have played numerous games over the last couple of years on Xbox, but none on the tabletop, so let's see about fixing that.  Sarah's Admin team is doing an online BB league with the view to meeting up at some point in the year once things are back to 'normal' and playing games with their levelled teams outside of cyberspace.  Guess I better have a team done too then, so I'm not left sitting thumbing my hole while they all play games.  Current thinking is the Ogre team, because it is the only new plastic one I have, although the Necromantic and Nurgle teams are very tempting.

8. Terrain

With a view to playing more narrative style games, I really want to update my terrain collection from flat MDF.  I reckon a good mix of MDF or plastic terrain will be a start to a more immersive tabletop, so, 4 terrain pieces over the year.  I'm leaning towards some Dark Age styled housing, maybe a forest or marsh, some scatter terrain and walls or somesuch.  It's a very repeatable challenge, so, if successful, might make a return next year.  Yeah, who am I kidding?  Even if I don't do it I might just leave it on the list out of laziness...

 

Gaming Resolutions

 

So, Gaming Resolutions are a bit up in the air right now, all things Lockdown considered, so I'll start with smaller numbers than normal, and look into things later on in the year and maybe bump them up later depending on how things pan out.

 

9.  Play 26 (or 52) Games

Pretty simple, averages out to 1 game every couple of weeks to begin with, or 1 a week if I can get out to play.  Hopefully, the restrictions get lifted early enough and I can get out to the club again.  Worst case scenario, redlining a full weekend of Shadespire to rack up a load.

 

 

 

10. Start a Blood Eagle Campaign.

Hopefully I can make good on this one this year.  Planning for 4 session and I guess if the lockdown restrictions stay in effect, I can use that time to build up the warbands and scenarios plan, then try and get the games done at the end of the year.  Again, inspired by John E's excellent umpiring at the club, I'd like to make this a long running thing if it takes off.

11. Play 3 New Games.

 Pretty simple, play 3 new games this year.  Getting back to the club is good for this, so, again, fingers crossed.

 

 

12.  Play 6 Boardgames.

I want to get some board gaming done this year to make use of the various ones I have picked up over the years.  Shadespire is an easy point here, and I want to play Blood Rage again.  Beyond that, no solid plans, although Hate might factor in, but it is a big box to deal with.

Hobby Resolutions.

13. Weekly Social Media Post

In the age of technology, this should be an easy one providing I can be bothered.  I'm aiming for a #workbenchWednesday post on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter or whatever, should probably do a bit more YouTube stuff too, seeing as that fell by the wayside once I was back at work.

14.  Do a Month in Review post every month.

Simple really.  Just to keep everyone (all 20 of you) up to date with what I'm up to.

15. Changing (Games) Rooms

What with relocating my painting area, the plan is to build a new games table and unit for boardgame and figure case storage.  it's a bit of a combination of my hobbies and I want to open up the games room a bit more and deal with the clutter a bit better as it always seems to pile up.  The plan is to build an extending tabletop that starts at 4'x4' and opens up to a 6'x4'.  There isn't really a need for a permanent 7'x4' board when most of the games we play use a 4ft table.   It should sit on 4 small bookcases and slid out when required, but slide away when not in use to avoid it becoming a dumping ground.  The second thing is a unit that will hold a number of figure cases and most of the board games that I have, just to clear up more space.  I have the shed mostly done, and should be able to get something functional sorted out.

16.  Go to 4 Shows or Conventions.

Same as this year.  Get out the house.  Spend some money.  See some people/cool things.  I'd be happy to get at least 1, but aiming for 4.  Fingers crossed.




 As far as the blog/my hobby is concerned, along with the above #hobbyresolutions, I am going to be giving some thought to the following.

1.  Cut back on buying loads of new miniatures.

I mean, 3d printing minis doesn't count as buying, right?  But still, I don't want to just be adding to piles, I want to make a inroads into the leadpile and keep at it.

2.  Continue with Project: Shieldwall

Paint Vikings.  Easy enough right, especially as I have some planned.

3.  Catalogue the Lead Pile.

Yeah, still crazy business I know.  But I did start it last year.  Actually, it occurred to me that it is now easier to get rid of stuff because if the notion ever takes me to do something that I'd already cleared out, I can print a new or similar thing in a lot of cases.

 

 

4.  Start working on Osprey blue book forces.

So I've kept on top of buying these up as they are released and I want to try and paint up at least one force for every title.  Using a combination of models already painted and stuff I have planned for this year, I'm going to start tracking my progress.


 

So, that is, going by the spreadsheet, a grand total of 451 various miniatures/tasks to be completed, so, to add to that, I'd like to have painted forces for at least 3 different Osprey blue books just in case I run out of things to do...

After that big wall of text, all that remains to be said is I wish you all a better, a happier and healthier 2021 and may you end the year with at least as much hobby enthusiasm as you started it.

All the best,

John