#ArmiesOnParade2022

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity anyone that follows the blog knows I am a big fan of #ArmiesOnParade I first entered in 2013 and have taken part every year since. Only last week we had Parade Day, or I would have done if not for the COVID, but there was the Awards show for the online entries [which I shared earlier this week], so it seems odd to be talking about Parade Day 2022

But that is what Games Workshop is doing - they posted a new community article here: www.warhammer-community.com/2021/11/23/armies-on-parade-gets-bigger-and-better-with-a-year-round-schedule-of-events/ Announcing a 'year round schedule of events'. And here they are:

• January – February: New Year New Army
• March – April: Battlefield Behemoths
• May – June: Gods of War
• July – August: Wizards and War Machines
• September – October: Fields of Battle
• November: The Grand Finale

I'm hopeful that this will really help the event grow. Honestly, I thought this year's AoP was a little lacklustre. Despite, or perhaps because of instore entries I think there was far less boards shown on social media. Although I'm not a huge fan of the competitive aspect it did always prompt people to celebrate what they'd won and share their boards in the process. But I don't recall seeing half as many of those sorts of posts, even compared to last year when it was all online submissions. Additionally, Tyler Mengel has been sharing multiple posts on Warhammer Community about AoP months in advance to gee up interest. It was quite an increase in promotion for it, although sadly the official website hasn't had quite the level of attention it should - still showing AOP 2020 information. I did message them about fixing it but they didn't update it.

I do have some reservations about the new format though. I'm not sure which year AoP started, it was at least 2012. I thought at that stage I didn't have an army to display and certainly not a board, and boards were mandatory back then. I wasn't naïve either - AoP is a great marketing tool to encourage hobbyists to buy more figures. I think this in part is why some folk were dismissive of seeing the same army displayed in successive years. But I always felt it was a parade of your army and no one should be penalised for not having the funds to start a whole new army. So, January - February's theme feels a little disappointing. 

From a commercial sense it's genius - lots of Christmas money to spend and hobby pressies fresh out of the box, it's ideal for the community and GW. However, I hope they're clear about just how optional these themes are. The most important thing I learned about AoP over these 8 years is just how inclusive it is, a fact that I think is lost on many hobbyists. They see the competitive side, they see the amazing boards and there are many people who are just daunted by the level of effort and detail. And, they believe they can't win and so don't join in. But it is a parade, it is an opportunity to showcase your army, your hobby, in whatever form that takes. People get too hung up on winning rather than standing up and saying "this is my army, and I'm proud of my hobby". The minimum requirements have come down, you don't need a board and there are no model requirements. So, even the newest beginner with a handful of figures - even a Warhammer Underworlds warband could theoretically take part - that's how inclusive it's become. So I hope this aspect doesn't become 'pay to win', or even 'pay to join in' - that even taking part you need to evidence a new army or similar requirement. 

On the plus side I'm not entirely sure what I would display in 12 months, so perhaps these themes might provide suitable direction to focus my hobby efforts. But I am a slave to my whims and motivations and they don't always align with what I want or need to do - just look how long it took me to fit #DreadTober into my hobby schedule. Perhaps some folk refer to do their board first, which helps inform their basing with countersunk bases in the board. But, and I'm guessing here, if boards are supposed to be 'September - October: Fields of Battle' that could throw some people's plans out of whack. This is all new though and the details are very light at the moment. With more information down the line I'm sure some of my fears might be averted. 

What do you think about this new format? Does it make you more or less inclined to take part? Does it feel too much like 'organised fun' or a great structure to build a board and army around? Let me know.

Whats on my palette?

Bless me #warmongers for I have sinned, it's been over two months since my last confession! Not to mention a while since I actually blogged [#ArmiesOnParade notwithstanding]. This was a number of reasons - burn out possibly being one of them

I pushed to get stuff completed for the end of the Hobby Season and then I tried to re-ignite my mojo with #DreadTober but I just needed a break. add to that we've got a new cat that is just too cute and I'm quite happy sitting watching TV with it on my lap and the hobby just wasn't there for me.

Anyway, when last we took stock I had these four items to do:

1. Ravenwing Talon Master
2. Aegis Defence Line weapon mount
3. Imperial Knight Preceptor weapons
4. 6 x Middle Earth Moria Goblins

And I did two of them. The weapon mount progressed a bit but is back on hiatus. The Talon Master is also paused, waiting for the urge to just crack on with it and also get some of the other Ravenwing bikes up to the same point so I can batch them all together... I did of course finish the two Helverins so I haven't been completely idle. But where does that leave me now?

It was actually funny, because as I fill out my hobby season review post as I complete things I had the unique sensation of if I only finish the Helverins this season that will be enough... that's where my head was at. But, you'll be glad to hear, I do have plans for other things. I'm currently just laying paint down on stuff. I am adding Rough Iron to my Ravenwing bikers - getting those basecoats done. It's grunt work, so doesn't require too much thought or mojo. I want to finish some of my halfling Blood Bowl Players, just so I have an example finished. But I'm also looking bigger. I have cracked on with some Munitorum Containers and I'll be sharing a progress post on these soon.

I'm also looking at my other terrain pieces - moving them on as they've been languishing for a long time. Terrain always feels very special to me [even if I'm not actually using them for anything] and this Sector Imperialis will look awesome once done. I just need to reconcile the same arguments I had with my Sanctum Imperialis.

I really need to do my TT combat terrain too though as I think I might be able to achieve that peace with my decisions on them before I 100% commit to it with the Citadel terrain.

So, these are the things I'll be focusing on and I may just base up my Death Guard Kill Team if I get time. Hopefully I'll feel a bit better too, as this is my last day of COVID isolation!

#ArmiesOnParade2021

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity it's #ArmiesOnParade and I had a plan to enter a narrative battle board online and hoped to Parade in store at my nearest Warhammer in Liverpool with my Imperial Knights - they were the most convenient to transport. However, that got scuppered as I'm currently blessed by Papa Nurgle with the COVID! Yep after a 2 years hiding in my shed I some how caught the pandemic! Nevermind, we'll stick with my online parade.

Following on from last year I did another video to showcase, it helps a bit more than the pics alone. However, you may notice a bit of camera shake as it goes on. This was because my back actually started to give way as I was filming. I did try to fix the shake in Premiere, some bits were super smooth, others just looked weird, so I left it raw. Add to that I'd had a migraine flare up thanks to my rubbish spotlights which took away half my vision with flashes in one eye it was quite the photo shoot. I hope you enjoy the vid.

So, the theme was my Dark Angels defending Ferron Proxima against my Tyranids. 

Of course these have both been my Armies on Parade in the past but never together

But I wanted to feature some of the newer things I'd completed alongside some of the past stars. This meant my Dark Angels were predominantly Green Wing.

This meant I could showcase all my Tactical squads, including the most recent Macragge Squad. Also my Aegis Defence line, Redemptor Dreadnought and my Rogue Trader era Predator and Razorback. 

For the Tyranids I had my scratchbuilt Void Shield Generator, which wasn't initially in scope as I was looking for my Tyrannofex and Tervigon to be the stars, supported by gaunts and Rippers to give that feel of hordes washing over the hasty Imperial defences.

However, the VSG made a nice reflection of the bastion and it was also new and had never been on parade before so it was rude not to include it.

Likewise my Land Raider Redeemer was new and a perfect centrepiece model.

If anything was going sit in the gap between the defence line it would be the Deathwing and their transport. So I added my Deathwing Knights alongside their Green Wing brothers to hold the tide.

I didn't include any medium sized Tyranids as I wanted the contrast between the littlest bugs and the big monsters.

Alongside the Tyrannofexes I had the Carnifex, Swarmlord and a Malanthrope [sadly no room for Trygons].

I'll admit the end result is both tidy and chaotic, I think the top down view helps to define what's going on.

You can see where each forces begins and ends, yes it was deliberate that the defence line was not down the diagonal centre of the board - specifically to give the impression the Dark Angels were outnumbered or being pushed back.

So things were considered and ordered but with so many figures on the word it is rather complex as a display but maybe that's a good thing as it reflects the chaos in the confrontation?

Overall, I'm pleased with what I did, despite the price to both body and mind.

I think it's another great example of how to showcase what you have painted - the new alongside the old and how you can create a parade board with your existing gaming terrain but still make a story out of it.

Warhammer Community will be doing their Twitch showcase at 12:45. Their most recent tweet said "You can see all of the amazing entries for this year's Armies on Parade in our special awards show. Share your board with us below. https://bit.ly/3kIZM0j #WarhammerCommunity"

I impishly commented that it was great they'll be sharing 'all of them'. As much as I would hope for a showcase of all entrants I know it'll be the various winners of both the actual prizes and the numerous special awards.

No doubt they will all be stunning, I've already seen many entries that are such creative feats and beautiful examples of the hobby

I just hope they take the opportunity to do some hobby round-up shows and showcase more than just the winners.

I've seen first hand on Parade Day what it means for a person to see their hobby recognised. 

You see it anyway when someone gets a mention on hobby round-up.

So I really hope that recognition gets spread around.

Regardless, I'm pretty sure social media will be awash with Parade boards for all to see today,

I hope you enjoyed mine, and I appreciate this is still a small substitute for my entire Tyranid army shoot that I've not yet done.

But I think I need a while to recover from doing this one!

Anyway, I hope you have a great Parade day too.

I've actually done some hobby recently so there may be some posts incoming.

All the best for Armies On Parade 2021!

Imperial Knight - Armiger Helverins TO DONE! White pics #Dreadtober part 10

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity it's the 'tenth' of #Dreadtober and it's the last of my #ImperialKnights Armiger Helverins. They're complete and here's the obligatory white background pictures.

This project started off so well and participating in Dreadtober is the sole reason I would have completed them. As the month wore on I got more tired, the weather got worse, I was disappointed at the priming fail and I was less inclined to paint.

 

That said, they weren't too hard really. They feel deceptively complex but they're not. It definitely helps to  note done what elements need toe be done and tick them off as you go along. It helps predict how long it'll take and how much effort you have to put in.

 

I do love the yellow chevron, I need to come up with names for all my Armigers and my Cerastus. This one may be Clatterbridge, I'll need to get a title for him. Do Armiger pilots get to be called 'Ser', I'll have to check the Codex.

I needed to fill that space on the red shoulder with those decals, it was so empty otherwise. But now it looks so cluttered! Ha, ha, I don't mind it's nice to have some busy models.

The number was a potential nightmare. When I had originally done the chevrons so they didn't match the carapace the number was going to go horizontal and would mostly fit in the yellow bit, I was going to outline the letters yellow where they strayed into the black. When I swapped the pattern I was worried it wouldn't work and it was only as I was adding it that I noticed it would fit diagonally inside the yellow stripe and it became my favourite bit on the model. In fact I now wish I could have had all the numbers angled like this.

The stripe on the Autcannon shields aren't angled the same but luckily when they're posed you don't notice. The Blessed verdigris on the carapace 'collar' is a bit ropey too.

I just love it so much. Sure it doesn't quite fit with the other three, but it definitely helps make it a standout model - a leader among the Armiger's which is what I was aiming for.

I had to make that left shoulder red as I'd already taken so much red off the model to make yellow and black. It's rather odd to see the white cog symbol on it, I'd have preferred a black; which is odd because when I did the Warglaives I was more keen to have white decals on the red and was disappointed when there were only black.

I did a slightly more simplified orange glow effect this time round. Usually I add some yellow into the mix but this time it's just a couple of oranges and white. It's actually more vibrant than the Warglaives so I may stick with that in the future.

I think this base could have done with a bit more debris - green panels and grey 'rebar' mesh like the Warglaives, that would have helped tie it in with them more. The shading at the base of the cliff was originally much darker but Vallejo Rust Model wash helped blend it more so its aligned better with the other bases.

Again, I love this resign base and raises the model up another centimetre.

 

The Blessed Verdigris on the debris worked really well and matches my Sanctum Imperialis. But that scale on the gravel is just too much. I should have added some of my own sand in places to level things out a bit.

I went with the yellow grab handles this time as I liked them on my Questoris knights. Also, my initial concerns about the chevrons on the carapace collar were perhaps unfounded as otherwise there would have been very limited yellow and black on this.

Of course that's a direct counterpoint to Ser Clatterbridge who is full of it, but even so it did need something to break up the red, black and white.

Nice Blessed Verdigris tide mark there on the left autocannon, but we can't win them all.  

I also added chevrons on the groin plate, Ser Clatterbridge has these mirrored.

I split a black cog decal for the other side of the plate and also added a mechanicum cog above it, as if it was connected. Random yellow arrow decal on the thigh plate too, just to break things up [as if the battle damage wasn't doing that]. It was surprisingly difficult to get that particular decal to stick in that spot.

And the tiled base. What do you think? I think it's redeemed itself in the end. But I actually think that's because the Army Painter Anti-shine has come out with a satin finish rather than the proper matt it can do. I really shook the bottle and did a second coat on it but it was still satin.

Close up of the Blessed Verdigris.

Here we have a comparison with one of the Warglaives and I'm overjoyed at how they're both consistent and yet very different. 

I think the red and the battle damage in particular match up very well and it's great I was able to pull that off despite such a long gap between painting these.

I really, really love Armigers. I would love and army of them led by my Preceptor but it's entirely daft and I won't do it. But, I do have a couple of Sentinels for my Genestealer Cult that may fill that itch although I see I never even included them in my TO DO LIST! Anyway, what next? I may have a bit of a break but I still have the Ravenwing Talonmaster and Attack Bikes. I also want to paint the yellow munitorum container using the gamboge effect I started on Ser Clatterbridge. I think that will be surprisingly swift to do - a week or so. And finish some of my Blood Bowl halflings. I just need to have a break and come back refreshed.