As the house remodel saga continues. Hobby progress has stalled because my Hobby Room is in the remodel area. I have the entrance sealed off with plastic so as little concrete dust as possible can enter. I am much larger than dust particles.

We are getting new fancy floors in our basement. Unfortunately, our house is 120 years old, and the basement is not level. There is a lot of grinding, jackhammering, and laying new concrete to get the new flooring. Lots of dust. Progress is slow. Maybe by the end of the week, I might have access again.

To expedite hobby progress, and because I wanted to. I did purchase a new airbrush for my workplace. It is a budget airbrush but should work nicely for priming and zenithal highlighting. I may even try it on the 3d printed soviet trucks.

I should be on track for the 2nd week of February to complete the full 3000 pt Word Bearers Army. My Ravenguard has been arriving; pictures will be taken later this week.

Here are the Army Lists for the Two Starter Forces

Word Bearers	3000	RavenGuard	3000
Praetor/W Command Squad	235	Centurion Master of Signals	95
Contemptor Dreadnought Talon w/Drop Pod	325	Praetor Cataphractii W Command	240
Destroyer Assault Squad	205	2 Contemptor Dreadnought	390
Veteran Squad w/Rhino	150	Mor Deythan Squad	150
Veteran Squad 1 Missile Launcher	135	Mor Deythan SquadW Storm Eagle	360
Despoiler Squad	100	Terminator Cataphratii Squad	325
Recon Squad w/Storm Eagle	344	Assault Squad	145
Tactical SquadW/ Rhino	145	Tactical Squad	100
Tactical Squad/W Rhino	145	Tactical Squad W Rhino	135
Outrider Squadron	91	Tactical Squad W Rhino	135
Proteus Land Speeders	210	2x Land Raider Carriers	505
Sky Hunter Squadron	105	Basilisk Squadron	200
Land Raider Squadron	250	Sicaran Squadron	220
Basilisk Squadron	200
Predator Squadron	360

There is very little method to my madness for these lists. I think I have enough transport capacity for the Ravenguard for every unit to be mechanized. I hope the fast attacks on the word bearers can work as screens to prevent the Ravenguard from crossing over the bridge. Some hard-hitting tanks, some dreadnoughts. Coming from someone who has never played, this seems like a fun list to play.

The Raven Guard will be 100% complete once they arrive. I have started priming the Word Bearers Tactical Squad in a silver primer and painting the main areas in Flesh Tearers Red. I didn’t like the look on my one test model. One thing I am trying to push myself with is brighter colors. Way too many of my models are muted color-wise, and I would rather they pop on the table. I am going to try a 100% airbrushed marine with a gradient to see how it looks. Then pick out a few silver details. I am not sold yet.

My 100% airbrushed marine makes me much happier. Base/primer coat of Vallejo German brown. Followed with Vallejo Game Air Blood Red and finished with Safety Orange from Army Painter Airbrush paint series. Used Grim Black from speed paints on the blacks. Silver from Vallejo game air on the silvers, and some Army Painter Red Tone for a little more detail. I underpainted it with a shot of Vallejo Royal Purple.

You can see the side-by-side comparison; the gradient model came out much bolder. I will base both models on the next just to see how they look complete. I literally have 250 Horus Heresy Marines lying around. If one or two become sacrifices, I will live.

It is very interesting to me how a base can absolutely change a model. Some dry brushing is a must on the one on the left, a little bit of silver on the blacks with some yellow on the armor. Also, skip the silver toes and maybe go with something else. Silver markings on the pauldron, maybe.

I used the same colors on the marines as I did on the vehicles. I followed this guy’s YouTube guide on how to paint the vehicles. For my first couple of attempts, I am decently pleased. The next step is adding some transfers and a little weathering.