News, Updates & ramblings

This Blog is acting as the news and updates page for my new website, HobbyBrush.com.

The website itself is the archive of my painting through the last decade or more, with easy navigation around what now amounts to over 3000 images of wargames figures & display miniatures.

It is also the repository for my musings, workbench notes and reports on all things gaming and miniature painting that I get up to.

I've been collecting miniatures for 24 years and have covered most scales, periods and styles in that time. Don't expect consistency on one project here - there will be variety in project, but hopefully consistently high standards!

Thanks for reading!

Sunday 27 November 2011

Before I disappear....

I'm off on a course this week, and on a rare holiday next week, so Updates may be slow. I've not been away from work for more than 5 days in about 8 years, so I'm very much looking forward to the break but it does mean that updates will be slow once again but I have some great galleries both right now for you and waiting in the wings for my return, so fear not!

Of Gaming...

I love my Kazak Medic! That pretty much sums up my gaming from last monday. We played a Doubles game of infinity, with Myself and Eddie (as the two Ariadna commanders) taking on the abominable alliance of James and Dan.

The First turn was looking pretty dire as 3 of Eddies newly painted beauties fell in the first couple of activations, and our forces were forced to hit the ground all across the board. By sheer luck, this also took out Eddies Lieutenant, so things were really looking Grim and we'd not even activated yet!

The next three turns came down to a bitter struggle trying to clear a route for my medic to make a Dash to our fallen comrades and apply some aid. Finally the way was clear enough for me to take the chance, and dancing through a hail of bullets he reached the line of 3 stricken bodies. Not only that, but he managed to revive two of the three and just in time too. In the following activation, the enemy took out another of Eddies troops which would otherwise have forced him into retreat.

With our line balanced once more, Eddie did a fine job of taking his revenge, whilst I mainly rolled terrible dice and missed with a million Missile shots. The final outcome - Victory to Ariadna, and it was all thanks to my Medic and Eddies shooting!

Of Painting...

I had a great weekend in London last weekend and followed it with a day at Twickers watching Rugby yesterday (crap game, great day..) and a day with Kim today. So yes, I'm still working on the second Regiment of Legionaries. With the Holiday and Course in the next fortnight, my plans for my painting schedule are already looking dodgey... :os

But, lets not dwell on the possible doom ahead and instead enjoy the labours of weeks past. I've updated the 28mm Roman Gallery with pictures of the now completed Archers regiment, the first regiment of Auxillaries and the First Regiment of Veteran Legionaires. (11 pictures)

It's at this point that I should probably point something out. Because I am not painting these Romans for anything in particular, I am using them to try out a few different things. So you will notice that there will be a variety of basing between regiments, and most of the regiments will have one element or another painted in a different style. This includes trying washes and "Dips" that have sat on my shelves unused for years. Hopefully the results will still look relatively cohesive as a final complete army, but if it doesn't it's not too much bother!

I have also uploaded another Guest Gallery. I had one planned, but I'm still waiting for an email with some background info (HINT HINT JAMES!!!). So in the mean time I'm afraid you'll just have to make do* with Rhys Knight's Ad-Mech Army for 40K. (39 pictures)

Totals:
New Galleries: 1
New Pictures: 50


*When I say "Make do", I mean please cover your keyboards with a drool-proof sheet as these things are gorgeous... ;)

Wednesday 16 November 2011

SURPRISE!


What's this? A mid-week update? Bet that caught you un-awares!

Truth is, I'm away at the weekend and might miss the next update so a mid-week workbench post seems ot be in order.

Of Painting....
I'm still yet to get the first regiment of Roman Legionaires finished, or either the Auxillaries or second hlaf of the archers photographed, but I remembered I had some WIP photos I never posted, so here they are as proof that they at least got this far (and honest, they have been finished!




Beyond them, I've started eyeing up the next little project. I only have the Romans because I bought a huge stockpile of DRM figures when Ian closed down his games store, the HobbyBox. This stuff has been sitting around for a fair while now without being touched and its time I changed this. What's more, its time I really knocked some stuff out fast and I know I can do this with DRM's 6mm sci fi range, having painted thousands of them already!

Here's the latest round of reinforcements having been cleaned and prepped for undercoat.



Yes, thats a re-inforcement for my Kraytonians. There's a mix of 42 vehicles & aircraft (6 aircraft require converting & aren't in this shot) and 85 stands of infantry or cavalry. I also have 11 Super Heavy Flyers, but they're not getting a look in yet.

Basically the plan is to get the Romans and these all done for Christmas. Then move on to more detailed painting of Fubarnii for World of Twighlight and Ariadna for Infinity. In the mean time I've also been challenged (by my girlfriend no less... I dont think she likes seeing me..) to enter a coupld of painting competitions, so we'll see if the plan holds up at all!

Of Gaming...
Just got time for a quick gaming update as well. Played Infinity against Eddie for the second time last Monday. Far more knowledge of the scenery requirements was a great help and Eddie had set up an interesting board for us to fight across by the time I got to the club.

I made a fair few mistakes and Eddie was on the game, with his Autocannon managing to pin down not one but two main routes of advance with some very good manouvering fire throughout the game. In short, I lost hideously but had a great time doing so - Cheers Eddie! More next week!

Sunday 13 November 2011

Old boards and Guest Galleries

It's going to be the story of the next few weeks I'm afraid - I've got a lot on, so it'll only be quick updates from me squeezed in where I can.

The good news is that we have some truly beautiful Guest Galleries Lined up ready to fill the gap!

This week, Guildford Games Clubs esteemed chairman, Eddie Turner, gets his first airing on the web, with his Guest Gallery of "Not" Blood Angels for 40K (9 pictures).

From me there's something slightly different. Its a photographic project log, split over two years, of building and then expanding the Terrain Boards for the Seeds of War Demo Games, as seen at many a show across the UK! (54 pictures).

Totals:
Galleries: 2
Pictures: 63

Sunday 6 November 2011

Just a little one..

Just a little one today as I'm all over the place this weekend, but am determined to keep the updates flowing!

Of Gaming...
I Played Infinity last Monday against Eddie Turner. A finer hobbyist is hard to find, but for knowledge of Infinity we were both rather lacking - it being his second game and only the third of my own. We were both playing Ariadna however, which did help limit the special abilities a little.

He was plagued by some bad luck ("Lucky" hi sniper fell off a roof as his very first activation...) and fell foul to both our naivities when it came to terrain layout. A shooting duel erupted down one very long corridoor beween my Line Kazak with Missile Launcher (Hereafter known as "Bugs") and his Tank hunter with Autocannon (hereafter known as Elmer (Fudd) ). His autocannon came off the worse for ware, and it continued from there. I got caught in a fearful crossfire at one stage, which saw the temporary demise of "Bugs", but it all swung my way when a lucky shot took out his lieutenant, and then a mad rampage by my one painted model - the Chasseur, got lucky the following turn and took out his newly appointed replacement lieutenant!

At the end of the game, I'd lost Bugs, He'd lost over half his force, but we were both smiling so a success all round! Mores the point - rematch on Monday!

Of Painting:
There's not been much of this, but there's been loads of prepping going on for the next few "jobs". One regiment of Legionaires is ready for paint, another are cleanded & ready for assembly. I've also started to look ahead to the next project, but more on that next week!

The only painting I've completed is the 8 Auxillary Archers mentioned last update.

So, on the matter of Updates, what's new?

I've uploaded a new DRM gallery - "The 5th Race". Its all pre-release models from years back. Will they see production? Your guess is as good as mine, but they're pretty none the less! (25 Pictures)
And the second And Third Guest Galleries from my recent photoshoot at the Guildford Games Club are both up. Dan and Marks' forces were two of the main influences in me deciding to do the guest Galleries in the first place, so it seems right they should be among the first online! Small, but perfectly formed, I present the Warmachine Cryx force of Dan Gardiner (4 pictures), and the Warhammer Chaos Force of Mark Shaw (9 pictures).

Totals:
New Galleries: 3
New Pictures: 38

And an update on the Pledge!
I've not bought anything new at all this month, so its looking good! Unless you count transfers, in which case you can... umm... well, get a life really ;op
The Pledge:
Models Bought: 37
Models Painted: 101
Months into the Pledge: 6