Tau Ghostkeel Battlesuit - 4 Hour Speed Paint

As a bit of a challenge, and for a bit of a change of pace, I painted this Battlesuit (and the 2 drones) over the weekend. I had the idea that I would try to paint it to a high standard as fast as I could. With that in mind, I thought I would aim for about 3 hours on the main suit (with some additional time given to the drones that I didn't really factor in). In the end, he came in at 4 hours 30 minutes, but that includes 30 minutes on the drones. I also ended up applying the undercoat with the airbrush rather than a spray can due to the cold weather and that ate up at least 20 minutes or something. Still, I'm happy with the results and it made for a great Sunday afternoon slice of hobby.

Colour wise, I painted the body with a black through to white blend (2 layers of grey there in the middle). I went back and added a bit of Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue to the recesses to get some interest and to stop it being so monotone. I highlighted the upper edges of the panels with Vallejo white.

I painted the base with Vallejo Cavalry Brown, washed it with Khorne Red and then progressively drybrushed Vallejo Orange Brown, Rakarth Flesh and Pallid Wych Flesh. For the OSL bits, I airbrushed in a dot of Vallejo Escorpina Green. I then washed the area with Waywatcher Green and highlighted with Moot Green and then a mix of Moot Green and white.

That pretty much sums it up. I hope you like the finished mini. Did you notice the incredibly unintentional mistake (one of his lower legs is on the wrong way round! Whoops!!). I plastic glued it too, that sucker is permanent! Luckily, it doesn't notice really. I only worked it out half way through painting him.

100,000 Hits - A Benchmark in Blogging

Well, I finally got to 100,000 hits! I haven't been very active on the hobby front for a month or two, as I've been taking a bit of a break from all things Wargaming related to focus on a few other hobbies that I have going on at the moment.

Regardless of all that, I logged in this morning to the rather pleasant news that Tabletop Apocalypse was still chugging away and that over night Google had delivered the hundred or so hits that I needed to reach 100,000.

I would say that I feel surprised at how successful things have been, but honestly when I started, I figured almost anything on the internet would generate thousands of hits regardless of how interesting it was; I mean there are a lot of people out there and they use the internet a lot right? Blogging should be easy .... right?

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a lot harder than I thought. That said, I get a few hundred views most days now, but when I started it was hard to get a few dozen. In particular, the fiction seems to go down like a wet balloon with several holes in it, but as I enjoy writing it, it won't be going anywhere soon. I guess nobody really wants to read infantile comedy fiction on a blog that is mostly about painting.

Advertising wise, that ad for Play Asia has generated a wallet-crushing $2 of store credit for me. Maybe in another 10 years, I can get something in the sale. Well worth the effort! On the upside, winning the GK competition has left me with a rather large backlog of free anime figures to paint ... probably at least 2 years worth...

Overall though, I'm calling it a win. I haven't been posting a lot lately, as like I said, I've been on a bit of a break. With Christmas on the horizon, I'm sure there will be a few miniatures coming to drive me out of temporary retirement!

Thanks to anyone who reads the blog regularly, as I doubt I would still be posting without  regular commenters and fellow bloggers. If there is anything you'd like to see more of, chuck a comment below and I'll see what I can conjure up! (People want a lot more Bungo the Barbarian right????....right???)

Necromunda Escher Paint Scheme - Test Miniatures

I've been making some good progress on the Escher gang this week, and today I'm presenting the first finished miniatures. I actually meant to post this article when I finished the first one, but as I was a day or two late, I finished a second one! At this rate the gang will be ready to fight in no time!

For the colour scheme, I really wanted to evoke the classic look that Necromunda always had; with bright colours and patterns. I'd always fancied having a go at paining an army "2nd edition" style, so the gang was a great chance to take a trip down memory lane without having to commit to it as permanently as painting a whole army would've been (I think  have enough armies at this point too...).

It seems that the classic colours for Escher gangers tended to be yellow, so I wanted to work that in there. I've also gone with bright blue and some reds (especially on the weapons) to get that old skool primary colour mash-up going on. I've done a few areas with hazard striping too as it is classic, and not that hard really. I got a lot of practice in on the technique while I was painting my genestealer cult.

Vertical striped leg? I don't know if I'll be attempting that again soon. I do like the green hair ends though.

The old miniatures stand up pretty well considering that they're about 20 years old! I think the original game had great styling for the time, and the proportions are pretty decent. When I think back on the old mono-pose plastics that I used to collect compared to these, I really have to ask myself why I didn't buy more Necromunda at the time.

Hazardous!

The pictures could be a bit better, but I really wanted to get these up on the blog before I painted any more of them. Hopefully they'll be facing off with Ed's Goliaths soon!

Necromunda Escher Gang - The Build

I'd like to say that I've had these sitting around for the last 20 years waiting for the new edition of Necromunda. Unfortunately, that dubious honour goes to some guy that I bought them off of on eBay. I was fortunate enough to get a decent deal though, as with the announcement of the new version of what most people had assumed was a long dead game the prices have skyrocketed.

I was involved in the hobby in the 90s when Necromunda was a thing, but as a penniless kidd, I couldn't afford to play more than one game, which at the time was Warhammer Fantasy. Still, I've always had fond memories of Necromunda, so I was excited to hear about the new version of the game. I do have a few Necromunda figures in my collection, but no actual gangs as they were mostly bitts I bought from the old mail order system because I liked them - like the old Ash Wastes gang sniper. Good times.

Rather than my usual backing, I'm using an old video cassette. I wanted to use something as old as the miniatures!

Anyway, I got to talking to my brother (Ed from the BERSERKERBLADE blog) and we talked about splitting the new box game for Christmas; which should be cool. To add an extra level of fun, we thought we would try and get a head start by scrounging together a few old models, or building a few new ones, so that hopefully we'll have a small force ready to deploy on the day.

I know that Ed will be converting some Goliaths using some chunky Bloodbound warriors (I've given him some cool bits to work with, so I'll be excited to see what he comes up with). Unfortunately, finding modern analogues for Escher gangers was a lot harder, and after a bit of searching I decided to stick with the originals.

Today, I'm presenting the first wave of posts about this project. I've got the miniatures together and ready for paint. In the end, I had to do a few conversions in order to repair some damage; such as the chainsword that I added in place of a missing sword blade or the shotgun ganger that I had 2 of, so I've swapped it for a lasgun and modified the head.. It still seems strange that in the original game they used to encourage conversion as your characters developed. With fully metal models and separate sprues of guns, you have to wonder what kind of maniac would even attempt it!

Paint-wise, I'm looking to combine some modern and traditional techniques; with plenty of hazard stripes, cheques, black flames and patterns. We'll see how that goes, but if I can, I'll try to put some tutorials together to help people with their own projects. If I'm feeling brave, I might even try my hand at some tattoos. After all, it isn't really Necromunda without a few bright colours and some throwback styling!

Necromunda Ganger Names List - Over 500 Crazy Names for all Occasions!

Over 500 names suitable for all houses! Inject some interest into your Goliaths, Orlock, Cawdor, Escher and Van Saar gangs; with names suitable for the lowliest juves to the mightiest champions!

Presented in alphabetical order, this table will give you a great source of names and inspiration to spin your own tales in the sprawling underhive. It can be fun to randomise, as I've handily numbered them, or even to pick 2 names to create even more dynamic characters like "Tobias Tripod" or "Felix Fingers"!

A 1)            Abel 2)            Abyss 3)            Ace 4)            Aldah 5)            Alpha 6)            Alphimaxx 7)            Ancient 8)            Annaconda 9)            Antoinette 10)          Armondo 11)          Arrus 12)          Artimus 13)          Arturis 14)          Astro 15)          Atlus B 16)          Baagren 17)          Bags 18)          Bakyru 19)          Ballista 20)          Ballistic 21)          Bane 22)          Banshee 23)          Barbaroi 24)          Bastille 25)          Bauma 26)          Baxter 27)          Berk 28)          Big Boss 29)          Big Mah 30)          Bigmar 31)          Bignimuus 32)          Bipod 33)          Bishop 34)          Bjorn 35)          Blade 36)          Blaggins 37)          Blambo 38)          Blango 39)          Blanigan 40)          Blazdemona 41)          Blaze 42)          Blazmo 43)          Blazmollicious 44)          Blekno 45)          Blorth 46)          Blurnz 47)          Bodybag 48)          Bolt 49)          Bomah 50)          Boomer 51)          Borgof 52)          Bort 53)          Bossman 54)          Braces 55)          Brad 56)          Bram 57)          Branigan 58)          Brannigan 59)          Braundo 60)          Breeze 61)          Breezy 62)          Brennan 63)          Brick 64)          Brierley 65)          Broadside 66)          Brock 67)          Brody 68)          Bro-hawk 69)          Bruckade 70)          Bubba 71)          Bugs 72)          Bungo 73)          Burk 74)          Butterfly 75)          Buzizima C 76)          Cain 77)          Calgorin 78)          Callendim 79)          Callus 80)          Cambo 81)          Cammy 82)          Cannibal 83)          Cerberus 84)          Cervantes 85)          Chaos 86)          Chip 87)          Chlomo 88)          Chrone 89)          Chronic 90)          Clarke 91)          Crash 92)          Crimitus 93)          Cromwell 94)          Crowther 95)          Crystal 96)          Cyber 97)          Cybo 98)          Cygnus D 99)          Damien 100)       Danger 101)       Dangerous 102)       Danziber 103)       Danziger 104)       Danziver 105)       Darneria 106)       De La Vega 107)       Deacon 108)       Death Toll 109)       Decimator 110)       Deco 111)       Del’Ragio 112)       Demon 113)       Despair 114)       Desperado 115)       Devil 116)       Digby 117)       Dinosaur 118)       Dixie 119)       Dogboy 120)       Dolph 121)       Doom 122)       Doughboy 123)       Drella 124)       Duke 125)       Dutch 126)       Dutchess E 127)       Eclipse 128)       Edragar 129)       Edwin 130)       El’Boneus 131)       Elbore 132)       Electrolyte 133)       Elgar 134)       Elle 135)       Estobar 136)       Estovan 137)       Estraga 138)       Eugene F 139)       Faith 140)       Fancy 141)       Fandango 142)       Felix 143)       Fingers 144)       Flaive 145)       Flesk 146)       Flisk 147)       Folvus 148)       Fomus 149)       Fortinbras 150)       Fox 151)       Foxx 152)       Fremus G 153)       Gabe 154)       Gambit 155)       Gambler 156)       Gastonne 157)       Gator 158)       Gazmo 159)       Ghost 160)       Gibbon 161)       Gigmar 162)       Gigmus 163)       Ginormotank 164)       Gizmar 165)       Gladius 166)       Glaive 167)       Gloom 168)       Gnoll 169)       Goblin 170)       Gogan 171)       Gogandantes 172)       Goldengaze 173)       Goomer 174)       Grado 175)       Grease 176)       Grid 177)       Grimer 178)       Grind 179)       Grinder 180)       Guardo 181)       Guiver H 182)       Hades 183)       Hairdo 184)       Handsome Harry 185)       Hardy 186)       Harkon 187)       Harkono 188)       Harkonus 189)       Harper 190)       Harpie 191)       Harpo 192)       Helix 193)       Hellebore 194)       Hex 195)       Hilda 196)       Hogan 197)       Hoolahan I 198)       Illya 199)       Indo 200)       Insomniac

201)       Invictus 202)       Iron-Side 203)       Iron-Wall 204)       Isaac 205)       Isometric J 206)       Jambo 207)       Jamo 208)       Jamone 209)       Janboe Tigg 210)       Jazreko 211)       Jean-Paul 212)       Jehmboi 213)       Jesse 214)       Jessie 215)       John Boy 216)       Jom 217)       Jorick 218)       Jorrmughand 219)       Judge 220)       Judgement 221)       Juggernaut K 222)       Kain 223)       Kein 224)       Kesk 225)       Kibore 226)       Killer 227)       Kindler 228)       Kingsley 229)       Kisk 230)       Knight 231)       Knoll 232)       Krash 233)       Krass 234)       Kraus 235)       Kresnick 236)       Krystal 237)       Kurn 238)       Kurt L 239)       La Flaga 240)       Lacey 241)       Lafayette 242)       Lance 243)       Lariat 244)       Layla 245)       Layland 246)       Lazlo 247)       Lazmar 248)       Lazmo 249)       Leda 250)       Light 251)       Liligrith 252)       Lilith 253)       Lindengarde 254)       Liquid 255)       Lizard 256)       Longinus 257)       Lordaron 258)       Lorenzo 259)       Lorettica 260)       Lothar 261)       Luca 262)       Lucien 263)       Lucifer 264)       Luna 265)       Lunchbox 266)       Lupo 267)       Luther M 268)       Macaroone 269)       Mammoth 270)       Man-Hunter 271)       Manny 272)       Man-Tracker 273)       Marionette 274)       Markus 275)       Maroone 276)       Marv 277)       Marvin 278)       Master 279)       Mastodon 280)       Mastoone 281)       Maudr 282)       Maudrick 283)       Maverick 284)       McNelly 285)       McSteel 286)       Mekno 287)       Meknolite 288)       Mercury 289)       Merrus 290)       Molder 291)       Monk 292)       Monkey 293)       Mordo 294)       Mr McStabby 295)       Mu 296)       Mute N 297)       Nel 298)       Neptune 299)       Newt 300)       Nicodantes 301)       Nicodantia 302)       Nitro 303)       Nobby 304)       Noblar 305)       Nolt 306)       Noober 307)       Noobler 308)       Noth 309)       Nyx O 310)       Odarg 311)       Ogre 312)       Oily 313)       Old Fashioned 314)       Olly 315)       Oni 316)       Ophelia 317)       Orc 318)       Orpheus 319)       Oswald P 320)       Paz 321)       Peclaw 322)       Pecs 323)       Pecto 324)       Pegasus 325)       Perfect 326)       Perfecto 327)       Pez 328)       Phobos 329)       Pixel 330)       Pixie 331)       Plesk 332)       Pluto 333)       Pokaro 334)       Pope 335)       Prefect 336)       Priest 337)       Primal 338)       Prime 339)       Primus Q 340)       Quadraped 341)       Quadro 342)       Quasimodo 343)       Quiet 344)       Quill 345)       Quinn 346)       Quintus R 347)       Rathbone 348)       Reptile 349)       Rhino 350)       Ripper 351)       Riz 352)       Rock 353)       Rogan 354)       Rolendorph 355)       Rolo 356)       Rook 357)       Rory 358)       Roth 359)       Rotor 360)       Rotundicuus the Great S 361)       Saffron 362)       Saussage 363)       Schizo 364)       Screamer 365)       Sellford 366)       Septo 367)       Shade 368)       Shadow 369)       Shady 370)       Shallica 371)       Shalozar 372)       Sheera 373)       Shina 374)       Shogun 375)       Shotgun Smile 376)       Shrendo 377)       Shrent 378)       Sinner 379)       Sirius 380)       Skinner 381)       Skip 382)       Skuzmo 383)       Skye 384)       Slade 385)       Slave 386)       Sly 387)       Slybore 388)       Solid 389)       Sorica 390)       Sorilla 391)       Spazmo 392)       Spider 393)       Stanhope 394)       Statham 395)       Stitch 396)       Strato 397)       Stun 398)       Stunner 399)       Stunty 400)       Styx

401)       Su 402)       Sydell 403)       Sykes 404)       Syndro 405)       Syndrone T 406)       Tabby 407)       Tag 408)       Tammy 409)       Tank 410)       Tankjr 411)       Targarro 412)       Tarquin 413)       Tartarus 414)       Tattoo 415)       Tekno 416)       Teramorph 417)       Terraformer 418)       Terror 419)       Tesla 420)       Tessic 421)       The Baron 422)       The Beast 423)       The Body 424)       The Boss 425)       The Butcher 426)       The Master 427)       The Mule 428)       The Toupee 429)       The Unit 430)       Tiberius 431)       Titan 432)       Titanicoor 433)       Titus 434)       Tobias 435)       Tony 436)       Total 437)       Tribore 438)       Trick 439)       Tricks 440)       Trip 441)       Tripod 442)       Tripp 443)       Troll 444)       Twin 445)       Tybun U 446)       UFO 447)       Ulf 448)       Ultimatum 449)       Ultimore 450)       Ultus 451)       Unicorn 452)       Ururu 453)       Utilitus V 454)       Vagabond 455)       Valeria 456)       Varnogrand 457)       Verrick 458)       Vex 459)       Virus 460)       Voldo 461)       Volton 462)       Voltron W 463)       Walleye 464)       Walloon 465)       Walton 466)       Wayland 467)       Weapon X 468)       Werewolf 469)       Weyland 470)       Whistler 471)       Wiggins 472)       Wild Cat 473)       Wild Dog 474)       Wilderness 475)       Wilf 476)       Willamena 477)       Willendorph 478)       Wintleberry 479)       Wirt 480)       Wisk 481)       Wistler 482)       Worthy 483)       Wrinkly 484)       Wyrt 485)       Wyvern X 486)       X 487)       Xander 488)       Xill 489)       Xorpo Y 490)       Yanus 491)       Yeoman 492)       Yoof 493)       Yosef 494)       Yugo 495)       Yulantee 496)       Yurem Z 497)       Zack 498)       Zak 499)       Zandimuus 500)       Zardon 501)       Zeelix 502)       Zephyr 503)       Zill 504)       Zillonia 505)       Zoltan 506)       Zonethrope