The blackbirds turn canary

The blackbird turns canary

I've successfully made the first step of the evolution from "Black Avengers" to "Imperial Fists". Having invented a generic black-themed Space Marine chapter as a teenager, I've given in for my love for all the background of the Grimdark and started turning my little toy soldiers yellow. This post gives an impression of the journey my beloved metal Terminators went through.

Stripped by using nailpolisher (acetone as all metal models) & priming white 

This was the first time I stripped models, so after reading some posts in various forums and butchering a poor plastic dude I now found a way that works for me: dipping them in acetone for metal models and parts, and ethyl alcohol for plastic models, and then brush the heck out of 'em.
I will try the ultrasonic cleaner method soon, see if that spares me the hideous brushing.

Base colours yellow, black, red

 My second attempt at painting yellow (see the blue print blastic terminators in the top left), but first time on metal models. Since I prime white most of the time, I don't find it that hard despite my very limited painting skills, once you've learned the many-watered-coats mantra.
Did my first wet-blending on the backside of the coat of the captain. You can't see it in the pictures but it turned out nice, and is a fun technique that I will definetly keep using.

Details and Bases

Just finished the details today. I put more effort into highlighting secondary colours such as red. You can't tell from the pictures, but I like the overall result, adds subtle visual pleasure and certainly pays off.
Since some of the metal rails below the feet broke of when dissembling before stripping, I rebased them on cork plateaus and bigger bases to realign them with the current line of terminators gameplay wise. Went for a lava theme for the cork using dark colours and drybrushing, turned out nice.

Overall I am happy with the result and can't wait to put them on the tabletop again!

 

Battle of Meirraan IV

Battle of Meirraan IV

Is there a deeper meaning to recent events? Eldar reveal their attendence in the sector with a surprise attack on capital city of Meiraan IV, where an interrogation force of the Inquisition steps in, facing the enemy with a strong forces of Sororitas.

Narrative

151.217.M41 Little is known why the Adeptus Sororitas is present in the Meiraan sytem, and even less about the attention the system poses for the visiting Inquisitors. Be as it may, the elaborate society suddently finds itself on the receiving end of an alpha strike performed by a specialised strike force from craft-world M'elh-Bhann. The specific purpose of this operation however remains unknown.

Resolving the battle

Despite being unprepared, the Sisters of Battle manage to set up defences swiftly and denying the Eldar their supporting artillery fire by disabling the Fire Prism. The Eldar strike back by killing the Sisters' vanguard forces and taking hold of the city centre.

This grip is short-termed though as the Penitent Engines destroy the Wraithlord. Meanwhile, fanaticly assaulting Sisters armed with their flamer weapons and strengthened by their firm belief in the Emperor manage to purge the ranks of the Eldar foot troops. The final blow for the Eldar troops is delivered when Eldrad is defeated in close combat, and shortly afterwards the Eldar forces retreat as swiftly as they turned up, leaving the mankind with a solid victory. 

Why and how they ended up in this sector and attacked the city, whether they knew of the presence of the Inquisition force, and what their seers glimpsed in their future remains secret.

Battle of Winders IX

Battle of Winders IX

New factions join the fray, with Adeptus Mechanicus and Iron Hands making first contact to a previously unknown Hive Fleet in the Winders solar system.

Narrative

151.206.M41 The Winders system being remored to having been populated by an ancient techsavvy race, the Adeptus Mechanicus dispatches an exploring party to reveal its planets hidden secrets. Anticipating conflicts with hidden xenos forces, the Iron Hands supply a couple of platoons for fire support. However, when entering the ice world of Winders IX, the boarding party gets trapped into a fight for life and death when discovering Tyranids forces. The reason for the tyranids to attack this ice world remains as mysterious as unknown.

Resolving the battle

Despite having reinforced in a tactical position behind a frozen river, the Mechanicus and Iron Hands are quickly threated by a pride of carnifexes stomping into their direction. A leading predator gets mauled between the claws of the carnifexes, forcing the mankind forces to focus their fire on these moutains of flesh and bones. This enables the tyranids to unleash a mass of psychic attacks as the Imperial troops discover they are not facing one but two hive tyrants both on air and land, aided by zoanthropes and a tervigon. 

Even when the veterans of the Iron Hands teleport into the battle in their mighty Terminator armours, resistance remains futile as the great devourer yet again honours his name by overwhelming the Imperial forces and drawing the invaders off the ice world.

My Grimdark podcast playlist

Podcasts!

Having switched away from any form of radio in the car (I can't stand any of the stations another minute, endless loops of crap music in turns with crap talk about nonsense) to podcasts, it's time for me to list my current playlist of podcasts, pretty much in the order of excitement for the next episode:

1. Preferred Enemies - for my personal taste the best podcast around. A bunch of americans from the midwest with a very healthy attitude towards the game, the community, tournaments and the hobby. My favourite part is when Richard goes on one of his cynical Papa Smurf gems. If they manage to establish Pimpcron as a regular, there are miles ahead of anybody else for me.
2. Eye of Horus - 'Straya, Mate! Bunch of aussies from Brisbane talking Horus Heresy. Cons: little bit too much 40k/GW hate; Pros: Australian humour, great fluff background knowledge source
3. Life after the cover save - two presumably drunk americans babbling along about 40k. At least sometimes. Most of the time total derailment into funny stories, hobby, fluff discussions, nostalgia. Politically incorrect and good that way.
4. Masters of the Forge - an american and a norwegian meet on skype, using 40k novels as a bridge to delve deep into Grimdark fluff. I love fluff background, can't spend as much time on reading as I would want to, so these guys supply me my healthy dose of 40k fluff.
5. Beers and bolters - second to life after the cover save as a drunk-people-babbling-podcast, still great entertainment, unfortunately rather unfrequently.
6. Allies of Convenience - a completely different angle to the ones mentioned before. Britland-based, tournament scene focused, but nice insightful thinking on a playing field I rarely enter. Nice to hear some different oppinions from time to time.

Special mention: unfortunately, the Sit and Talks from Miniwargamings Matt have been phased out lately and not always been mp3-available, otherwise would have included them here. Depending on the subject, I either completely disagree with his views or totally agree with them. Either way I like the attitude he brings towards explaining his oppinions and accepting disagreement. 

Battle of Pirophles II

Battle of Pirophles II

Another Battle took place on the Eastern Fringe, bringing together unusual allies.

Narrative

151.128.M41 The initial conflict involved a Nurgle Chaos warband and an Imperial Guard Death Korps. After months of war of attrition in the trenches, the distress signal of the human soldiers was followed by  the dispatching of a strike force of each Imperial fists, Space Wolves and Dark Angels.
The Imperial Fists being the first to join the battle and relieve the fortified position of the Death Korps.
When the two other Chapters joined the fray, one would think of a guaranteed victory for mankind. However, the gutdeep rivalry between the two chapters of Space Wolves and Dark Angels, some misunderstood interfleet communication, a purposeful mention of the world "traitor"here and there and the two chapters find themselves on opposite sides of the battlefield, the Dark Angels mysteriously allying forces with the Chaos warband.

Resolving the battle

After some initial casualties, the Death Korps forces, now guarded by the siege defence specials of the Imperial Fists, cover the enemy with deadly barrages out of their long-ranged artillery. This being already devestating, proves to be too much for the unlikely battle force they are bombarding once the Space Wolves forces join in and cause havoc amongst the enemy lines. The Dark Angels mistakenly (or purposefully?) holding back forces in Reserves leading to the forces going apart with unfinished business, finally resulting in a narrow imperial victory.

Harald Deathwolf & Thunderwolf Cavalry

Bring in the cavalry!

Mostly finished Harald Deathwolf and a bunch of Thunderwolf Cavalry, can't wait to see them run over some blokes on the battlefield! 
Still need to complete the bases and seal them, though.

Exploring the Eastern Fringe

Exploring the Eastern Fringe

This blog is dedicated to describing my journey through the wonderful hobby of Warhammer 40k.
It will mainly include battle reports, hobby progress or army plans, but who knows what comes up over time.

The battles of my armies all take place on planets located in the Eastern Fringe, bordering the Ultima Segmentum.
This region is renowned for being scarcely explored, but highly interesting to a multitude of xenos species as well as man kind.

The following factions have so far been spotted so far in the currently explored sector are (in brackets the controlling player(s))

• Imperium of Man
• Space Marines Chapters
• Space Wolves (Martin)
• Imperial Fists (Martin)
• Raven Guard (Max)
• Dark Angels (Mike)
• Other Imperial Forces
• Imperial Guard Deathkorps (Max)
• Adeptus Sororitas (Max)
• Chaos
• Black Legion (Martin)
• World Eaters (Martin)
• Crimson Slaughter Warband (Felix)
• Eldar
• Craftworld M'elh-Bhann (Martin)
• Xenos
• Necron unclassified Tombworld (Michael)
• Tyranid unclassified Hive Fleet  (Felix)
• Tyranid unclassified Hive Fleet (Martin)
• Tau unclassified Sept (Michael)