Thursday, 4 September 2025

Treasures of Otty's Hobby shed

Afternoon just thought I'd share some various pics of new treasures added to the display cabinets in Otty's hobby shed.

Otty has created this video, combining some of the early footage after the shed was finished, together with more recent views of the figure cabinets. 


A newly finished exaltation of eagles by Liam.


Eagles are somewhat OP in MESBG at the moment, so Liam had to get an army built and painted.


Meanwhile Ben also has own convocation of eagles in progress.


They'll eventually have 10 of these for doubles! 


Death from above. 🦅


I want to take a moment to highlight something. This is one weeks painting output from Liam!


This includes a random Storm Trooper, two Shore Trooper mortars.


20 Shore Troopers


A 5 person squad of Death Troopers.


8 more Pyke Syndicate foot soldiers.


2 close combat Dark Troopers


Mounted Witch King of Angmar, and his dismount.


Some sneaky thieving Orc and a wraith.



How can you compete with output of such magnitude? This weeks out put was about 12 3D printed WWII tanks, but even so he's so prolific it's frightening. The others are too, I'm the slow one that looks prolific only because my recent batches have been so big. Not that it's a competition...








Tuesday, 2 September 2025

'nids part 382 - Leviathan Tyranids - WHITE BACKGROUND PICS ⚪

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PaintingWarhammer and after the red background pics come the white background pics. The second set of chitin highlights were such a revelation to me. I was totally in the zone. It did not feel at all tedious to do and I was motivated just to crack on and get them done.


Although, I don't think it was in one sitting. But even so I was completely reinvigorated for the last push to do all the little details that makes my scheme more than just 'tabletop'. No way Golden Demon but they're definitely smarter than the average Biovore! 😉


After the second set of chitin highlights I didn't really keep track of how long the red and black highlights took, it was just a lot quicker to crack on without interruptions.


My wife got me a 'getting started with Warhammer 40k' magazine a while back and it came with this unique Termagant [and Infernus marine]. It was like £9 or £10 and she hadn't realised the cost and was not happy when she got to the till. Typically reinforcing the pricey nature of the hobby. I'm really not sure what use he is with broods only coming in multiples of 10, but he is quite cool.


I think I'd found the first brood of 5 Barbgaunts something of a chore. But second time around it was a lot easier.


I was actually quite surprised that those same feelings didn't resurface. I'm not sure if it was the unknowns first time round.


This time I had references to work from so I knew which colours were going where and how to add the chitin striations.


Not that they're perfect, it's just I had a plan to follow. And the second highlights, although easier as you know where they are going, does require more finesse in how you apply them.


So, it's not always quicker, but perhaps it's a bit easier. 


So I still think there's some yellow flock to add on two bases but a brood of 10 definitely looks cool. Not that I can ever imagine me playing all 10. But for Armies on Parade they will look much more impressive altogether.


And the VRL's, as nobody calls them. I do think I should have been braver and swapped the arms around a bit.


The basing helps differentiate them from the original brood of three in their standard poses.


But I think arm swaps would have made them that little bit more different than their twins.


Still, they got done and that's what counts.


And they're different enough to make the brood of 6 more interesting.


And the Neurogaunts, which I love.


I think 20 of these might have pushed me over the edge though. They're not hard to do as there isn't a huge amount of model to paint.


But again GW have added a lot of detail on a very small model so they felt far more time-consuming than they had any right to be.


But look at them, they're sooo cute.


And the main guy. I can't work out if the brain glow works. I think it does, I like it at least. I don't why I'm surprised the yellow glow has turned out green when over the turquoise though. I mean it's basic colour mixing!


But it somehow surprises me but I also love it.


And the little guys. Again, does it look like a weird hivemind glow between symbiote 'neuro' beast and gaunt bioform? I think it just gives enough visual queues to sell it.


And lastly the 3 Genestealers for my Castigator base.


So, 43 models done. This may not be Poxwalker levels of Serotonin high, but I am way more satisfied and proud of my achievements than I thought I would be. Again, a lot of legacy feelings and emotions had kept me from embracing the task, just seeing it as a chore to overcome. I know many hobbyists say that should never be the case, We do this for fun, as they say in certain addictive advertising campaigns "when the fun stops - stop!" But, lets be realistic, sometimes you have to push through. And there is satisfaction from overcoming obstacles and mojo-sapping tedium. If that's what it takes to reach that zen state, sign me up. I'll happily wade through the soul sucking effort if the end result is to feel at peace and one with the project. So I might not feel quite as 'high', but definitely fulfilled in other ways as well.

Now, what's next?

Sunday, 31 August 2025

Battle record - Bolt Action - Operation Sealion - 31/08/25

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been trying out different game systems with a game of Bolt Action. Ben has been working for months on an Operation Sealion board. This allows you to play Bolt Action in the setting of Dad's Army, the classic British comedy about the Home Guard in World War 2. Having not finished the game from the previous week we decided to crack on. A mistake in some ways as the invaders had suffered a lot of casualties and Dad's Army was in a strong position. But they fought hard, making the win difficult. Rarely getting their black order dice pulled ahead of our green dice left them at even more of a disadvantage. But we still had a lot of fun, with the game over far too soon.









Thursday, 28 August 2025

Hobby Season To Do List 2025/26

Season of Chrome

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #warhammercommunity having covered my achievements over the past hobby season, it's now that I look forward to the new one.

Last season I streamlined my TO DO LIST - only including things I wanted to do or if I bought something new. Of course I went on to paint dozens of unexpected 'off list' models, with the likes of the Goblin Town Goblins and Scott's Army of the Dead. But that was still fun and so productive. 

Hobby health and wellbeing

As previous years I am going to begin with these two items, which are enshrined as the most important things TO DO every season…
  • Develop a more healthy hobby/life balance - go to bed at a decent hour[ish]
  • Continue to play games, they bring me so much joy and fun...
    • Embrace battle records - to help document that joy and fun without feeling obligated or guilty about not sharing every detail

Tyranids

I had a point a few months ago where I started to think about the new season and it was literally just what I hadn't got around to doing from last season! But for now let's start with Tyranids:
  1. Rebase 20x Termagants
That's it, I don't want to be going back to nids just yet.

Imperial Knights

These were both on last season's list but were sidelined for other projects. I want them both done A.S.A.P.
  1. Cerastus Knight Acheron
  2. Cerastus Knight Castigator

Adeptus Titanicus

I did get silly and bought a Warlord Titan for Adeptus Titanicus. Then I got more silly and got a second! At least one will be my #DreadTober pledge, but I will progress both of them as much as I can throughout October, maybe focusing on one as the month pans out.
  1. Adeptus Titanicus Warlord Titan
  2. Adeptus Titanicus Warlord Titan
  3. Adeptus Titanicus MDF terrain, I think there's a total of 8 buildings and ruins to finish detailing and paint

Dark Angels

I've done nothing on my Indomitus Dark Angels I may actually attempt a unit at some point, now I have my Ironsoul's Condmenors test scheme. But when I eventually go down that route there's no turning back. So they will probably remain on hold, with only the Lion and Sammael as priority and those two tanks... well it'll be one or the other:
  1. Dark Angel - The Lion
  2. Dark Angel - Sammael on Jetbike
  3. Dark Angel - Old skool Crayola Whirlwind, or
  4. Dark Angel - Proteus Land Raider
  5. Ballistus Dreadnought?

Death Guard

They're even less of a priority but if I find the time I may do, as this is all I need to do to finish this army
  1. Gellerpox Infected
  2. Poxwalkers [plus a Goblin Town Goblin]
  3. Foetid Blight Hauler

ArmiesOnParade

  • 2025 - Parade instore
  • 2026 - Decide on what I'm going to do...

Terrain

The very next thing I'm going to paint is the Crisis Protocol/Star Wars Legion terrain for the shed. Hopefully it'll be a quick win for the new hobby season while getting my Titans ready for October. I have some other 40k terrain to do which I would mention but as we don't play it seems misguided to allocate time and resource to it with so many other things [that equally we don't play with but y'know...?] to do.

Turnip28

Maybe finish that squad of chaff, it might not take as much effort as I think...

The Big Build 

Continues, this season. The principle is sound and pays dividends with those items that tend to be off-list that get built through to painting and completion. I did not get to build the two Dark Angel tanks last season. They've been delayed for so long I think enough is enough. Getting them built will at least mean they're ready to be painted. So I will focus on those solely in building. I've so much new Mechanicum stuff but I will not treat myself to building anything from that until these are built and primed. 
  • Dark Angel - Crayola Whirlwind, or
  • Dark Angel - Proteus Land Raider
  • Dark Angel - Sammael on Jetbike
  • Adeptus Titanicus MDF terrain
I've had a number of items that I classed as pipe dreams, both painting and building and instead of keeping them here for the records I'll refer back to a previous season should I need them next season. 

So that's my 2025/26 list, much simpler but how will I know when I'm satisfied? Well I have my hobby points to do that now. The goal is 100 points, which [looking back] I've never missed. But even so, whatever I do is enough. The TO DO LIST is not a stick to beat myself with, it's just there to help direct my efforts. All the best for your own efforts this season.