'nids part 276 - Rippers

Afternoon #warmongers and I've been #paintingwarhammer on those Tyranid models, but I've started to 'taper' [as warhannam calls it] my efforts and focus on the Rippers. So I applied the first set of chitin highlights, against protocol as I normally do the bone first - inside > out!

I think I had some turquoise on my palette I needed to use up, which is why I went for the chitin first. I think it might have been over 2 nights. I know a lot of people hate the Forgeworld models for how much effort they take. These aren't that bad but there were moments where my motivation was challenged.

But I was able to surf that crest, get the second highlight done and then crack on with the first bone highlights. With only four to do it was manageable so every time it felt overwhelming I'd almost completed what I had to do. Progress was steady and I could see that my focus would bear fruit reasonably quickly.

This was such a brilliant project to take on after the Deathwing Knights - so much effort, so many decisions and details. While the Rippers I can do without decisions or delay and just get on with them.

I did have the common sense to keep one of my recent Rippers around, just so I could see how much effort I'd put into them to ensure consistency.

I was surprised to note [although it's not quite apparent in this pic] but my old Ripper on the right has more dark blue visible. My newer ones have more turquoise, not a problem it just surprised me I'd been more reserved.

Anyway, almost done at this stage, but I don't think I took anymore pictures as progress was so rapid, just teeth, eyes, claws, a highlight of the red and additional highlights on the tongue and Hive Node. Pick out the Bonewhite chips and edge the base and varnish - gotta love the little fellas.

'nids part 275 - Tyranid Warrior Termagants, Rippers - MOAR basecoats and shades

Afternoon #warmongers and I've been #paintingwarhammer on those Tyranid models. I was getting all the chitin plates basecoated. The 5 Devgaunts, some made from Hormagaunt 'chassis'.

The Rippers

The lone Warrior

The Hive Guard

And I got the wash done as well. With the motivational challenge of my Deathwing Knights it is always handy to have something simple but with significant impact to a model up your sleeve. 

Washing all these 'nids, alongside all the metallic edging for my Adeptus Titanicus titans gave me a huge hit of progress on a lot of models. It also put me in a position where these can be moved onto the next stage as and when I feel overwhelmed by the Deathwing.

It was however not without issue. I had been using my Valejo sepia wash, mixing in some Instar Water+ to thin it down as I'd got the same crusty deposit in past applications as I did with Seraphim Sepia.

It didn't quite solve the problem, as you can see on the head crest it's still there, but not as bad as Seraphim Sepia. You would expect me to be livid at this point but as I'm running a Strong Tone wash over the top of it I don't think this will be a problem in the end.

Hive Guard conversions got the same treatment.

And there were deposits int he crevices also. I think it's the heavily recessed areas where the wash pools.

Some have suggested it's the separation of the matting agent, who knows?

I quickly remembered to wash these two in Soft Tone as well.

You can see that there was not the same problem with the Army Painter washes.

The Valejo wash does describe itself as a dipping wash so perhaps applying it with a brush is not the best application. Maybe you treat it the same way as an Army Painter Quickshade, although I believe they're much thicker. Doesn't really matter though, I'll just keep on painting.

'nids part 274 - Tyranid Warrior Termagants, Rippers and Carnifex head - basecoats

Afternoon #warmongers and I've been #paintingwarhammer on some outstanding Tyranid models. Outstanding in the sense they need to be painted, not so much they are 'amazing'. I have these 5 Devgaunts, some made from Hormagaunt 'chassis'.

I know this isn't exactly quality content but what I wanted to showcase just how bad my basecoats start off. Coincidentally Marc over at Old School Gaming did a similar post on his Iron Snakes, but I think my Tyranid are in a much worse state initially.

I had undercoated these red, but with hindsight I should have done them Bone colour, like I used to. It's much easier to cut in the red elements. I had started carefully doing the Bonewhite but after one ad a half models completely lost patience and just splashed on a load of paint expecting to pick out the red areas much as I used to do the 'liver' wash that I originally used to do.

Now if I'd done a Skeleton Bone prime, and then masked off the base and done that Red Oxide, I could have saved myself a bit of effort. Or perhaps, primed red and zenithal bone?

Whilst I was at it I threw on some Bonewhite on the 4 bases of Rippers hanging around.

I was a little more cautious on these, mainly to ensure the Red Planet BASE! was retained. All of these Tyranids will keep sitting on the shelf. Every now and again I'll add another step in the painting process until I reach the tipping point whereby a small push would get them done, should a window open up to focus on them. 

I had these Carnifex heads knocking around for a while so it made sense to get their first basecoat on too. All my nid bits are now ready for Bahama Blue on the chitin, but also cutting in that red for the fleshy parts where necessary.

With my Blood Bowl Ogre done and getting through these while I also finish off my Middenheim Marauders turn counters and a few Blood Bowl balls it's about time to take stock of what's on my palette, so expect an update next.

'nids part 270 - Rippers - Big Build TO DONE!

On to basing up the Rippers I used some cheap filler to blend the ground in a bit more.

Then I got some thin slate and crushed it up to make more of a fractured crust they'll burst through - more represetative of their tunneling rules.

Now, the red stuff is some Martian Ironearth that i thought I could just paint on and get the fractured earth effect. But the paint had started to dry out and it went on more like peanut butter. I really didn't think it would crackle, so I panicked and blobbed on the PVA and slate. It obviously did crack and even pulled apart the filler as it shrank! But the slate worked out OK too.

I may even give some of my older Ripper bases a little paint touch up when I get round to painting these - the older ones look a little tired and it wouldn't take too much effort just to bring them up to current standards, although I'm sure I'll live to regret considering it...

I final coat of PVA and sand and they're built

Wait a minute, look what's just snuck up as well. I couldn't just leave the Spinemaws in box. I have quite a few spare Infestation Nodes so I thought it would be nice to use une to raise them up. As the Spinemaws are all the same height you have to do something to get variety and for even more I glued the node on top of a 25mm base on the 40mm base. I then filled in some of the space with bits of hardboard and smoothed it all with filler again with a final coating of sand - so 'stretch goal' ;)

 Big Build - TO DONE!

I builds it, I gets the badge!

'nids part 269 - Rippers - Forgeworld inspired conversion

I'm continuing my Big Build theme and finally plucked up the courage to do my next three Ripper bases in the style of the Forgeworld ones. As you can see they got built and are considerably bigger and more representative than my first press-mold prototype.

I had been struggling to work out how to build these up, then I just started gluing chunks of hardboard to a 40mm base with the press-mold Rippers coming out of the base [plus one Warrior face pushing through the ground].

All in I think there are 12 Rippers on the base, 4 of which are the plastic ones.

  The next base I tried to use some of my Ripper side pieces glued to a vertical strut but it looked really odd and I ended up with the three heads running up the spine of the strut to try and hide it. Hopefully it won't be noticeable that those two halves are different.

I'll need to blend them in with a bit of ground material as they burst through the dirt. I think there are 14 on this base.

The last one, I think there are 15 or 16 on this, including 4 plastic and one Warrior face again. I pretty much used all my plastic Rippers.

All I have left are the Spinefist Maw variety, the two other upright versions [one with the horn on its head] and a couple of the others, in case I ever need to make any more press molds. It's unlikely though. The Spinemaw Rippers might make a base but it's an odd one I don't really need.

Now to blend them into the ground...

Warhammer World GT3 - Game 0 Tyranids v Nurgle Space Marines

Game 0 of GT3 as we went early we arrived at Warhammer World at lunch time, ate and then had tables booked for two, half-two. I'd played Otty and Ben in the run up so it was only right I rocked up against Liam's Nurgle Chaos Space Marines and Deamons

The low down:

• XXX [Chapter Approved mission]
• Dawn of War - Table ends pointy deployment
• I chose deployment zone, but I deployed last unit [giving Liam +1 to win first turn]

Bizarrely I had almost zero recollection of this battle by the end of the weekend. In fact I had such a bad memory I had to ask Liam if he could write some notes for the battle report after looking at the pictures. Of course I was so pleased he took up the offer I'm just going to share what he wrote in his words because I find it that much more entertaining :) So this is the game from Liam's perspective and as far as I'm concerned the best battle report I've never written:

TURN 1

I went first moved all the pox walkers up onto the objective (middle board) and the same for the Landraider and the Daemon prince (my right of the board), moved up Mortarian on the left.

Las-cannon took 6 wounds off the spawning beastie…..

4 OBJECTIVE MARKERS HELD (Total=4)

Deep striked Deathshroud terminators in your deployment area.

-1 to hit on Deathshroud terminators and warp speed did not work.

Warlord deep striked to shoot Mortarian caused 1 wound

You moved one of the flying things to assault the Deathshroud.

Shot one and killed another in CC.

I caused loads of wounds back 4 I think

Large wormy thing deep striked behind my lines and with the genestealers assaulted the Landraider.

The Landraider was left with 1 wound but in overwatch it caused 6 wounds.

In the assault phase caused another to the wormy thing.

Other large wormy thing deep striked in the centre of the board the termy things shot 1 million times and caused 12 wounds on the pox walkers.

Giant genestealer took objective on your left.

2 OBJECTIVE MARKERS HELD (Total = 2)

TURN 2

Morty assaulted your flying thing with the Deathshroud and insta killed him twice over.

CP caused the dead walk again and the 20 cultists shot and killed 6 termi things which ended up as pox walkers, then the pox walkers assaulted the termie things and caused 6 wounds and lost 4 in return so 2 up on the deal. First blood.

Landraider left combat and the Daemon prince assaulted your giant genestealer and was promptly despatched by him Booooo but until your turn.

3 OBJECTIVE MARKERS HELD (Total=7)

Other wormy thing and warlord assaulted Morty killed the Deathshrouds in the shooting phase and did a healthy amount of wounds down to 9 I think in CC, but he killed wormy thing in response.

Genestealers charged towards pox walkers caused loads of wounds but 16 I think but Typhus joined in and killed 10 with the help of the pox walkers extra pox walkers appeared.

Wormie thing assaulted Landraider again but died to overwatch I rolled another 6 to hit 6 to would and 6 to damage lucky lucky...

giant genestealer killed Daemon prince in CC

Termie and pox fight, loads died but all were replaced by both sides this was not going to end any time soon.

2 OBJECTIVE MARKERS HELD (Total = 4)

TURN 3 

Yours and mine it was very rushed and blurry

Deep striked Beast of Nurgle and assaulted the giant genestealer killed him and got the objective.

Landraider shot the spawnie beast down to 2 wounds.

Morty killed the warlord.

Typhus and the pox killed all the genestealers through “plague wind” and pistol shooting and assault. Finished off in your turn. The second unit of termie things attacked the pox walkers in the middle this was going to go on forever I was upto 25 pox by now.

4 OBJECTIVE MARKERS HELD (Total=11) + warlord, first blood and behind enemy lines

1 OBJECTIVE MARKERS HELD (total=5)

So there you go, I think Liam was particularly incensed by some particularly fortuitous dice rolling on my part. He also managed to 'troll me' good style when he insisted on using my dead Termagants as recently raised Poxwalkers and I was artfully riled as I was expecting to re-spawn them with my Tervigon and I'd only brought enough gaunts to cover my own needs, certainly not donate them for his use! I also got a bit shouty with him, to my shame, as I was trying to play as a 'tournament simulation' and be pacey and quick to better match the conditions we would face over the weekend. Often we ended up perussing our rule books for clarification, which resulted in our game lasting aorund four hours - so much for tournament simulation! Regardless, we had a laugh and as usual there were plenty of good and even epic moments, I just can't understand why I can't recall them!