Tag Archives: games-workshop

Quick and Dirty Tyranid Terrain Project

Today, I am sharing some terrain for my Tyranid Escalation League. I purchased a ton of terrain from Etsy and was delighted. It has great details and functions nicely in a game.

Due to procrastination, I only had about 2 hours of free time where I would be able to get this terrain ready for the tabletop. I decided to just go for it. I fully painted this terrain using rattle cans and nothing else in about 90 minutes.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1553733003/tyranid-scatter-terrain-scenery-bundle?ref=yr_purchases
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1400349576/the-hive-alien-scenery-terrain-for-war?ref=yr_purchases
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1417470104/alien-infested-ruins-tabletop-terrain?ref=yr_purchases
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1803261885/the-hive-kill-team-set-3d-printed-alien?ref=yr_purchases
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1684087149/tulipa-evolved-infestation-tabletop?ref=yr_purchases
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1669911754/tulipa-the-infested-world-tabletop?ref=yr_purchases
https://www.etsy.com/listing/927375461/alien-hive-army-capillary-spore-stack?ref=yr_purchases
The terrain pictured for the painting is the Alien-infested Ruins and the Tulipa, the Infested World.

The prints are nicely done, and I recommend any of the sellers listed above.

I started with a black primer. I usually splurge for auto-primer when I prep 3D prints. Auto primers fill the gaps made from traditional 3D printing very nicely. All the other paints were simple rattle-can Rustoleum products.

I focused on the buildings first.

The next step was a dusting of winter grey.

Followed up by a decently large spray of Smokey Beige.

Next, I went to work on the various Tyranid pieces.

They get a solid coat of Grape and then a dusting of French Lilac.

I finished with a splash of fire orange and sun yellow, just for some pop.

I did the same thing with the Tyranid pieces attached to the buildings.

Here is the finished set on a table. I was really pleased, given how much time I took. I will maybe airbrush some of the windows and floors to break them up and potentially add a bit of weathering grime. It looks better than basic grey, and I hope this lesson shows that terrain does not need to be an hours-long endeavor. The table is 8′ by 30″, and you can see it has decent coverage.

The Big buildings are also modular.

Tyranid Painting Project

In my 40k escalation league, I decided to pick Tyranids. I had a nice collection I had never brought to the tabletop, and it seemed like an enjoyable force to break out. This is an escalation league.

Overall, I am happy with the force and will probably expand. One thing I learned is that just because airbrushing is faster does not mean it is the best way forward.

To start, I primed all the models with Vallejo Primer Desert Tan.

My most time-consuming step was a mostly red oil wash with a drop of blue. I then wiped off using sponges.

I like the alien feel; it brought out most of the details I sought.

I then painted the caprice armor with Huge Miniatures Green Teal. I was delighted.

If you look closely, I airbrushed the Green Teal on the Exocrine and Maleceptor on the left, compared to the Exocrine and most of the gargoyles that I hand-brushed. I like the hand-painted look more and will forgo airbrushing those pieces in the future.

I painted most of the spikes and nails with Celestium Blue contrast paint. Then, I dry-brushed it with Reaper Mint Green. The tentacles were overbrushed with Vallejo Model Color green-grey.

The look is very alien and nasty, very tyranid-like.

I didn’t take a good picture of the basing, but I wanted it very simple. Volcanic Crackle Paste, Red marble mosaic pieces, snowballs, and clover.

2024 Year in Review

Wow, has it really been 2 months since I posted last. I have not been idle. Just lazy on the writing front. Sometimes, I think I get anxious about not doing what I am supposed to have done, and then I fall further behind. I will make several posts showcasing my accomplishments over the last two months. A half a dozen games and a fully painted Tyrranid list.

My resolutions for 2024 were;

  1. Complete Horus Heresey Word Bearers Army
  2.  Complete through scenario 15 of the Stalingrad campaign
  3.  Complete a Warhammer Fantasy Army, either high elves or Beastmen
  4.  Inventory my terrain
  5.  Spend less money and focus more on 3d printing
  6.  Paint 6 Skirmish forces, either Warcry, Necromunda, Carnivale, Malifauxe, Kill Team, etc. 6 of them.
  7.  100 Blog Posts

I completed the Word Bearers Army with 3500+ points. I still have quite a bit of work to do. I need two more Terminator squads, another couple of dreadnaughts, and new tanks.

I did not even get close to scenario 15. In fact, I only got to 5. I gave up on this as, quite frankly, I just got bored with it. As a plus, I painted 2k points of Soviets and 1500 points of Germans.

I completed a fantasy army, which consisted of the dwarves rather than the high elves, but it was completed.

My terrain was inventoried, kinda, no, not really, I did look at what I have.

However, I did spend less money; I did not do more 3d printing. This year should be better for 3d printing. I am getting much better at it, and the new printer is fantastic. I need to do a review.

I painted 4 skirmish forces. One Blood Bowl Team, One Marvel Crisis Protocol Group, 10ish Harry Potter Figures, and One Warcry Warband.

100 Blog Posts, 33%, are not good but not bad. Considering there were 4 months with zero posts. It seems a weekly post would be more effective.

Other Things
Complete the Black Seas ships (thank you, Kevin Bush)
Completed armies for the 100 Years war
Completed Mancrusher Gargants

How to improve;

I was actually more successful than I thought I would be. The thought this weekend of completing the review was it would be abysmal. Instead, I was a little encouraged.

Review My Goals
It seems like I tend to get bored quickly with a project. The Stalingrad project, for example, was exciting for a few weeks, then a chore for a few more weeks, then a burden. Hobbying should never be a burden. If I had looked at the list of hobby goals, I would have grabbed a Kill-Team, Warband, or other item and given myself a break.

Understanding Limits
I just don’t get enough hobbying done in a week to get enough content for two posts. I may do one battle every two weeks and complete one or two units every two weeks. People don’t care much about my thoughts, but I could review more products. This year, 50 posts seem more reasonable.

Also, to understand my limits, I must understand my attention span. I have three rulesets I have been working on for various games and a dozen campaign and army ideas; traversing from one to another will be necessary.

Have Fun

This hobby should not be a chore or a burden. If I am not having fun, do something enjoyable.

Until 2025.

Horus Heresey and Stalingrad 2

Another battle in the books.
Overall, I was impressed by how much closer this one came out. If the Contemptor for the defending Word Bearers does not roll five consecutive failed saves to become destroyed. I actually think the Word Bearers could have pulled it out. Instead, the Ravenguard cruised to victory but with heavy losses. The scenario played much more evenly than in the Bolt Action version. An additional 500 points to the Word Bearers would have balanced the scenario perfectly. I have another lopsided scenario coming in the next couple of weeks, which will be interesting.

Battle Rules

This is another river crossing scenario. This time, the defenders are dug in and prepared for the enemy. However, the enemy has numerical and technological superiority. One thing that Horus Heresey plays much better at than Bolt Action is the addition of flying units.

The Ravenguard are attempting to cross into the city. The Word Bearers are holding. Teams get 1 VP for each unit destroyed and 1 VP for each unit on the Word Bearer side of the river.


Army Lists

Word Bearers1250
Legion Cataphractii Praetor135
Contemptor Talon w/ Graivtron Gun and Melta195
Mhara Gal Dreadnought240
Terminator Cataphractii (6)210
Despoiler Squad100
Despoiler Squad100
Legion Avenger Strike Fighter150
Predator120
Predators are the best tanks. The Strike Fighter punched well above its weight. The despoilers were used to fall back and shoot. The Mhara Gal was useless.
Ravenguard2500
Strike Captain Alvarex Maun/ Command and Drop Pod260
2x Contemptor Dreadnought with Graviton Gun400
Destroyer Assault Squad250
Rapier Battery65
Assault Squad145
Assault Squad145
Tactical Squad100
Dark Furies150
Javelin Squadron x3270
Fire Raptor Gunship315
Basilisk Squadron200
Vindicator Squadron x2245
I was delighted with the Rapier Battery. The Dark Furies did work to remove the dreadnought, but the Fire Raptor didn’t do much. Vindicators shouldn’t have been brought based on their range; I don’t think I even fired with them.

Set-Up

We are on a 4×4 Table with an impassible river directly down the middle. There are heavy woods on the Ravenguard side with some hills. There are hills and some fortifications on the Word Bearer’s side.

Deployment

Not much to report. The Furies, Assault Squads, Destroyer Squads, and Strike Captain are all in deep strike. The flying bases indicate the flying machines. I knock them over too often.

Turn 1

Turn one involved a lot of shooting. I gave the Word Bearers the first turn. I didn’t think there was actually going to be a game. I thought the defenders would get wiped off the table right away. The Strike fighter gets solid hits all game long on the Raven Guard heavy units.

Turn 2

More shooting; a Javelin was destroyed, and a couple wounds to a Contemptor from the Rapier battery. Cover saves doing work here.

Turn 3

The Ravenguard strike. The entire deep strike force hit hard. Many casualties. The despoilers on the bottom left were destroyed, as was the contemptor. The Dark Furies did not miss a hit or a wound, which was ridiculous. Then, the Contempor missed most of the saves. It, of course, took down many furies with it. Enormous casualties on the Ravenguard.

Turn 4

I thought the bearers would pull it off at this point. Multiple Javelins down, the terminators were unkillable. Then, the Rapier destroyed the Mhara Gal, allowing free reign to kill the Predator.

Turn 5

The Raven’s slayed the enemy warlord with the multiple assault squads and the command squad on the Word Bearer side of the river. The Ravenguard took the minor victory at 9 VPs to the Word Bearers 7 VPs. Honestly, if the Rapier does not take down the Mhara Gal. I think the Word Bearers pull this one off. The Mhara Gal would have destroyed another Ravenguard Unit and saved their Praetor, which gives +3 to the Bearers and -3 to the guard. Plus, I think the Predator tank lives.

Below is a glimpse at the next engagement, Stalingrad 3. The table is ready. I need to paint about 30 units.

Time Grows Closer

I have a few things left to finalize the opening battle of the Stalingrad campaign.

Paint German Halftracks, Flamethrower Team, Medic, Spotter
Paint Soviet Bannerman, 5 Trucks, BA 20 Armoured Car, Dog Mines Team

Base all of the above-painted models.

For the Word Bearers

Almost everything needs to be painted. I have most of the models primed which would be good enough to start the campaign I think. Although I have some time Saturday and might be able to bust out quite a few models.

I need to acquire or kitbash 10 Man Despoiler Squad, and 10 Man Destroyer Assault Squad, Legion Chosen models.

I have ordered Destroyer Squads from GW but they have 0 Destroyer Assault Squads. I will add a few jump packs and call it good. For the Despoilers, a box of MKIV marines and the despoiler upgrade should work fine.

Legion Chosen are a little more challenging. I have acquired a couple of Legion Chosen single models, including a bannerman. I still need Legion Chosen marines, so I might just paint regular marines with gold trim instead of silver.

One big thing lacking is the river. I am anxious about painting the river and then filling the pieces with epoxy. It was a very expensive model.

Finally, as far as the future of the campaign. While it is necessary to plan ahead. I also think it would be interesting to look behind. Units can grow. I want to name especially stubborn or heroic units, and maybe, at times, it would be worth losing and withdrawing than going all out and losing your valuable upgraded units. I’ll work on it.

It’s Been More Than A Minute

Wow, every time I considered posting, I just, for whatever reason, found something better to do. I have no excuse other than my own fear and laziness.

So, 10 months. I painted full Star Wars legion forces for CIS and GAR 1200 pts each. 3d printed a ton of geonosian terrain. Painted 30 or so Marvel crisis protocol models. Painted 50 odd figures for DND including terrain. Purchased a couple new airbrushes. Played in multiple leagues once as Genestealers and once as Ad Mech. Fully painting both those armies.

The biggest item is reorganizing my models. I have literally an army for every faction in 40k, Age of Sigmar, The Old World/9th Age, Star Wars Legion, 10,000 15mm napoleonics, 40 odd DBMM Armies, 4 Pike and Shotte Armies, Germans, Brits, Italians, Soviets, USA, Japan in Bolt Action, Germans, Brits, Italians, Soviets, USA in Flames of War, 50+ ships in French, British, Spain and 30+ ships for USA and Russia in Black Seas, and 20 odd pirate galley and such. 6 or 7 lord of the rings armies. All Harry Potter Miniature Adventure Game Models, all Marvel Crisis Protocol Models, 1000’s of DND figures, 3 -4 units of every army in A Song of Ice and Fire Miniatures Game, ummm, most Necromunda factions, most blood bowl teams, most kill teams, most warcry bands. Every Star Wars X-Wing Ship and Armada ship (multiple copies). A couple victory at sea fleets. A Large collection of American Civil War Models, several battlefleet gothic fleets. Some Blood Red Skies, and Aeronautics Imperalis. Recently bought all Star Wars Shatterpoint Models. Also bought all Battletech models. I also have limited numbers of Malifauxe, Carnivale, Conquest, Oathmark, Dead Mans Hand. Whew. Also horus heresey forces. And billion suns 4 fleets.

So that has been happening for two months. We switch from large plastic under the bed style storage bins. To several (10) sheet pan racks 20 sheets high. It has been a chore.

Aiden has been building models after his 2 month break. He has maybe 3 months left of models to catch up on. White Metal Games has finished Orruks, 5 blood bowl teams, Iron Hands, Gargants, and is beginning work on Death Korps. Eric has started on my forge world collection of resin models. The lumineth realm lords are currently 40% complete. Kevin is painting my black seas collection. I have declared war on my mountains of shame and the progress is showing.

I officiated the High School 4A Boys Championship for Wyoming as the Center Referee as well as numerous regional finals. I also centered the Region IX Womens championship match in the college season and did a handful of D1 and D2 playoff matches. Businesses are going well. Upcoming plan on seeing a ton more posts. I have a really interesting idea involving the battle of stalingrad, bolt action and horus heresey.