Dreadtober 2025, Fire in the Void - part 4.

 

Fire in the Void

The chronicled account of Brother-Sergeant Kael'en Dra'vok, Salamanders 4th Company

---

Part IV – The Enemy's Face.

Through the smoke and ruin stepped a figure of dark command: Captain Malric Veyden, a cunning warlord of the Astral Claws. Unlike.his liege, Lugft Huron, he did not rely on charisma or spectacle. His strength lay in numbers, strategy, and precision. Behind him, a tide of Silver and Blue-armored warriors spilled forth, bolters spitting death, chainswords revving in mechanical glee.

Veyden’s eyes glinted with malice as he surveyed the battlefield. “The Salamanders bleed,” he whispered through vox, each word a blade of taunting ice. “Yet they will not fall until the last breath is spent.” His command brought coordination to the chaotic corridors, every reinforcements deployed with terrifying timing.

Bray’Arth raised his weapons, feeding flames through the hallway. Bolter fire and close-combat fury tore through Veyden’s forces, but the sheer weight of the enemy pushed back the Salamanders. Kael'en’s squad found themselves isolated, flanked on both sides. The narrow corridors became deathtraps, and every step forward demanded the courage of Imperial Heroes.

Malric Veyden himself struck with deadly precision, a whirlwind of sword and bolt, carving through space and flesh. His presence unnerved even the most stalwart Salamanders, forcing them to recognize the depth of the threat. It was not merely a battle; it was a crucible of attrition and will.

The Salamanders braced. Even in the face of staggering numbers, even in the shadow of a cunning warlord, they would not falter. The fire of Nocturne would find its mark.

*****

So the end of Dreadtober approaches, and I've not gotten Bray'arth Ashmantle completed.

Le sigh...

In spite of my best efforts, I've had to put the hobby down for a bit and take care of the Mrs who is having health problems.

I have managed to get Bray'arth's right arm completed fully to give an idea of where I am going with him eventually:

And the full Dreadnaught for the deadline and how far I got:

I had to ditch the printed base as it warped for some reason, so I'll scratch build starship bases when I get into Project Badab fully.

*****

The Hall of Flames

The munitions corridor was a death trap. Ammunition racks stretched for fifty meters, volatile promethium tanks lining the walls. Kael’en hesitated for a fraction of a second—but Bray’Arth did not.

He ignited both flamers, the streams merging into an inferno that devoured the length of the hall. The Astral Claws screamed as fire rolled over them, detonating shells and fuel in a chain of explosive purgation. The shockwave washed over Bray’Arth’s armor, bathing him in a glow of righteous fury.

When the smoke cleared, the corridor was gone—transformed into a twisted, glowing passage of melted steel. The few survivors stumbled through the haze, their armor sloughing from their bodies. Bray’Arth strode among them, claws striking down the fallen like an executioner in a temple of flame.

Kael’en’s voice came softly over the vox, reverent, almost prayerful.

“Ashes to ashes. Fire to fire.”

Bray’Arth’s response was a low, mechanical growl.

“Thus the forge is purified.”

He moved onward, unyielding, as the fires of his wrath continued to burn behind him.

---

Until next time, have nice day...

Dreadtober 2025, Fire in the Void - part 3.

 

Fire in the Void

The chronicled account of Brother-Sergeant Kael'en Dra'vok, Salamanders 4th Company

---

Part III – A Setback

A scream echoed down the metallic corridor, a sound of terror and finality. Brother-Sergeant Kael'en Dra'vok dropped to his knees beside the motionless form of Chaplain Xav'ien impaled by a power sword from some unseen assailant. The hallway smelled of burnt ceramite and the metallic tang of blood. Silence fell, a deadly quiet over the remaining Salamanders, even as Bray’Arth’s flamers ignited in vengeance.

Xav'ien had been a beacon of morale, his voice a hammer of faith. Without him, hesitation flickered like a candle in the wind. The Astral Claws exploited the moment, pressing with reinforced squads, storming from concealed passages. The Salamanders faltered, retreating to more defensible positions.

Bray’Arth’s fists tore through enemies with unchecked wrath, but even the Dreadnaught’s might could not hold every breach. The corridors were narrow, the fire deadly, and the shadows teemed with foes emboldened by the loss of the Chaplain. Kael'en gritted his teeth, rallying what remained, but every step forward demanded blood, every corner held ambush.

For a brief, horrifying moment, the assault threatened to stall entirely. A secondary breach tore open a side corridor, and more foes poured through, their armored forms gleaming black under emergency lighting. The Salamanders’ advance faltered; the cost of Xav'ien’s death became grotesquely clear.

Yet even in setback, there was resolve. Kael'en’s voice rang out with the Canticle of Nocturne, steel in every syllable, rallying and calling the warriors forward. Bray’Arth’s systems hummed with the promise of retaliation. The Salamanders would not yield. They were fire made flesh, and fire consumes all.

*****

This is the latest third installment of Dreadtober 2025.

I've been very hit and miss with this project as I've had a busy month with work and running the Mrs around to hospital appointments, so obviously hobby related guff has taken a backseat so far.

With a good week and a half of leave from work and nothing hospital related (fingers crossed) for the foreseeable future, I managed to sit down and have a good painting session this past couple of days and get some serious progress done on Bray'arth.

Firstly I managed to get all the basecoats down, inspire of having lost my pot of Runelord Brass for an entire afternoon...

A lot of the metals are Runelord Brass, mainly for trim on the edge of armour, and Leadbelcher which is for all the mechanical bits and pipes, etc.

Retributor Gold was used for the chapter symbols and the written plates which are riveted onto Bray'arth's chassis in various locations.

The Flames have been started with Averland Sunset and the black panels are Corvus Black, as I wanted a really dark black-grey as opposed to a pure black colour.

The main colour everyone is probably wondering about is the green, which is Waaagh! Flesh. I nice rich dark green, which I feel pulls towards that 30k look without having to go out and buy new paints like Vulkan Green, etc.

The next step is the messy one, in that he gets covered entirely with Agrax Earth shade.

This shades the entire model in one go, warming the metals and adding depth to the green, whilst adding a richness to the Corvus Black, which I only found out by accident when painting some Black Legion.

This is how Bray'arth Ashmantle stands at the moment. Next steps are to reblock in the base colours and then edge highlight. Finally the flames will get that classic GW yellow-orange-red transition if I can pull it off.

I've still got plenty of time to get him finished, later in the month then I originally planned, but that's life.

*****

 Shadows in the Halls

Darkness settled like a shroud in the underdecks, the kind that swallowed even auspex readings. Bray’Arth paused, motionless save for the slow exhale of his reactor core. “They hide,” he murmured through the vox, “like vermin in the forge’s ash.”

Then came the strike—shapes falling from the ceiling vents, silent and fast. Renegade assassins, their armor blackened and their blades poisoned with cowardice. They struck with desperation, blades scraping harmlessly against his armor before flame erupted in retaliation.

The corridor ignited. Shadows screamed as they burned, their forms thrashing in the sudden inferno. Kael’en’s squad moved in behind him, precise and merciless, cutting down any who escaped Bray’Arth’s reach.

One assassin tried to flee. Bray’Arth extended a claw and caught the foe mid-stride, lifting him effortlessly. “You chose darkness,” he rumbled, voice echoing like a furnace god’s verdict. “And the dark will claim you.” The renegade’s body turned to ash in his grip.

When the flames subsided, nothing moved but the slow drift of smoke. Bray’Arth advanced once more, the firelight dancing over his armor as he whispered a single word—half machine prayer, half vow.

“Purge.”

---

Until next time,  have nice day...

Dreadtober 2025, Fire in the Void - part 2.

 

Fire in the Void.

The chronicled account of Brother-Sergeant Kael'en Dra'vok, Salamanders 4th Company .

---

Part II – First Push

Through the atrium, the Salamanders surged like a tide of living flame. Bray’Arth’s claws shredded reinforced armor, scattering renegades like chaff before a storm. Kael'en moved beside him, the thunder of his boltgun merging with the rhythm of his heart, each burst a promise of vengeance.

The Astral Claw’ numbers were great, yet disorganization marked them. Brother-Captain Jorath Vey'len, a stalwart of the fourth company, directed flanking maneuvers against the renegades with grim efficiency. Corridors became crucibles; fire licked every wall, every ceiling vent, and every corner became a tomb for the overconfident enemy.

Yet the enemy struck with cunning. Explosive charges littered junctions, and close-range firefights erupted as loyalist warriors were forced to leap from cover to cover. Despite these trials, Bray’Arth moved like a sentinel of flame, shielding the advancing Salamanders, a living engine of destruction.

Kael'en’s squad cleared a reinforced door with a Melta charge, revealing a command nexus within the ship. Holo-screens flickered in alarm; the Astral Claws were attempting to regroup. The Salamanders pressed, each step forward bringing them closer to the heart of enemy command, each shot fired a statement that mercy was extinguished in the void.

The first push ended with the corridors of the Obsidian Vigil littered with bodies, yet the Salamanders held their formation. For a moment, victory seemed near. But the void is patient, and patience harbors its own horrors.

*****

So, the first proper post of Dreadtober 2025 will be a short one, but decent progress has been made.

Bray'arth Ashmantle is now assembled, but in four sub-assemblies for painting.

I managed to get a slight striding forward pose with the legs without too much work which I am happy about, on e I've angled his body for final assembly he'll be purposely moving forward.

The base, I have a mixture of industrial type bases for Project Badab as everything is going to be based upon spaceship boarding (I'm writing my own campaign system to follow, more on this soon). Some of the bases are as thick as this one, other are a base topper thing type, so I made the decision to just put everything ontop of a base and go from there making a unified basing scheme.

Next was priming.

Bray'arth I primed Death Guard Green this is because I am heading towards the darker Horus Heresy colour scheme e rather then the really bright primary green of 40k.

The next step will be getting a layer of Waaagh! Flesh down as this is the best green I have available for the scheme, without going out and buying new paint. Abaddon Black, Runelord Brass, Retributor Armour and Leadbelcher will finish off the main colours, the flame motif's will get their colours later after the wash stage.

The base was primed white in readiness for a light off-white style basing scheme, think like the corridors in the habitation unit in the first Alien film, but weathered and lived in.

That's the image I have in mind, and everything will contrast nicely against it, and the planned scenery I have in mind for Project Badab.

*****

The Melta Breach

The bulkhead ahead was a barrier of black iron and defiance. For a moment, silence reigned—then Bray’Arth stepped forward. “Stand clear,” he intoned, his voice low, ancient, and absolute, clear through the vox-grille.

He raised his claws and unleashed twin streams of searing flame. Metal softened, screaming as it warped, before the Dreadnaught’s shoulder drove forward. The door burst inward with a detonation of sparks and superheated air.

Through the breach, the Astral Claws rallied, their defiance commendable but meaningless. Bray’Arth surged into them like a living siege engine, one claw crushing a defender against the wall, the other tearing a bolter from another’s grip before reducing its bearer to cinders. The corridor filled with smoke and heat, but to him it was home—an echo of the forges of Nocturne

Sergeant Kael’en’s voice filtered through the vox, steady and reverent:

“The way is open. The fire leads.”

Bray’Arth did not answer. His sensors were already sweeping ahead, tracking movement deeper within the vessel. The machine-spirit within him burned with purpose. The flame had found its fuel.

---

Until next time, have nice day...

Dreadtober 2025, Fire in the Void - part 1.

 

Fire in the Void

The chronicled account of Brother-Sergeant Kael'en Dra'vok, Salamanders 4th Company

---

Part I – The Initial Assault

The void was a frozen tomb. The Obsidian Vigil, support cruiser of the Astral Claws chapter, drifted silently, its bulk punctuated by the flickering energy spark gleam of shattered void shields and splintered hull plating drifting in the void. Through the darkness, fiery beacons streaked across the gap—assault pods, forged in the fires of Nocturne itself, carrying the wrath of the Salamanders. Inside, the ceramite-suited forms of the Chapter’s 2nd Company braced for the violent welcome the renegades would deliver upon their arrival.

Bray’Arth Ashmantle’s Dreadnaught hull glimmered with the patina of countless campaigns. His twin-linked heavy flamers roared to life, spilling searing tongues of flame into the breach, wreckage stillsettling at the assault pods violent approach. He moved with methodical precision, feet of adamantine stepping over molten wreckage as he led the charge. Brother-Sergeant Kael'en Dra'vok followed close, bolter at the ready, every fibre of his being a furnace of righteous wrath.

The breach was met with a storm of bolter fire and the burning walls of flamer weapons, meltas splintering bulkheads and illuminating the void-torn corridors with brief, blinding brilliance. The Astral Claws defenders recoiled, their ferocity undiminished, but the Salamanders advanced. Smoke and flame mingled with the acrid stench of plasma, painting every surface in molten gold and crimson.

Kael'en’s squad moved with practiced synchrony, breaching doors and cutting down foes before they could form cohesive ranks. Every strike was precise; every flamestoke a cleansing judgment. The corridor’s end opened into the central atrium of the Obsidian Vigil, where the roar of battle awaited.

Even as the Salamanders pressed, the whispers of fate drifted through the smoke. Bray’Arth’s visor glowed, scanning for targets of import, while Kael'en’s heart hammered in anticipation. They had taken the first step into the heart of darkness—but the shadow of the Astral Claws would not yield so easily.

*****

It's that time of the year again, when the blog/online hobby community all take to their painting tables and paint something big and armoured.

Dreadtober is back and I'm going to take part for my fourth year.

With things still being up in the air staff wise at work so to speak, and me not knowing just how much time I'm going to have to devote to the hobby, I'm only working on one Dreadnaught this year, but it's a special one.

As I download various STL files for "Project Badab" (more information coming soon), I have had t make the difficult choice of just which chapters to include in my project, as there are far too many through the entire Badab Wars campaign for me to pick EVERYONE!

One of the Loyalists which was an auto include were the Salamanders, with their storyline within and negotiating a ceasefire and surrender with the Executioners chapter being a particular highlight.
When Forge World were originally producing the Badab War big books, and obviously a slice of models to accompany them. One of the models they produced was a named Dreadnaught for the Salamanders, one Bray'Arth Ashmantle.

Perfect.

Perfect to cross something off the list for Project Badab AND take part in Dreadtober with.

So, with some searching I found an excellent STL of the Dreadnaught and seven hours later, my own model was in my hands, de-supported, washed and cured, ready to begin modelling on.

The STL comes in a LOT more pieces then the original Forge World model, which was a resin base copy of the (then current) plastic dreadnaught.
I'm hoping to have him built by the end of this week (I'm writing this on the second of October. and can then get him primed up this weekend, ready to begin work on.

Please head on over to the Dreadtober blog page as there are eleven or twelve of us taking part again this year, and any and all comments are welcome, as there will be links to everyones blogs/instagram pages with updates and WIP photos and everything.

*****

Fire and Iron

The corridor was a narrow tomb of steel and shadow, yet Bray’Arth Ashmantle moved through it like a living inferno. Every step of his adamantine feet sent shudders through the deckplates, every sweep of his massive claws tore reinforced doors and enemy armor alike. The screams of the Astral Claws reverberated off the walls, drowned beneath the roar of flamers that ignited everything in their path.

Kael’en and his squad flanked him, bolters blazing, but it was Bray’Arth who commanded the space. He was fire incarnate, a sentinel of judgment whose mechanical frame consumed enemy resistance as though it were kindling. Every strike of his claws carved death with precision, every movement clearing a path through the choke-point that had once seemed impenetrable.

A squad of Silver and Blue-armoured foes surged from a side hatch, hoping to stem the advance. Bray’Arth swung his claws in a sweeping arc, tearing the first two apart and sending the remainder sprawling into the walls. Sparks rained from twisted ceramite, metal screamed under the force of impact, and the corridor itself seemed to groan beneath the weight of his assault.

Even in the smoke and chaos, Bray’Arth’s sensors scanned, assessing every threat, calculating every strike, directing the path of destruction. The corridor became his domain, every shadow a target, every spark a warning. No Astral Claw could withstand him; no corner offered safety. He was the engine of purification, and nothing in his path would survive the judgment of flame.

---

Until next time, have nice day...

Death Korps Death Riders, Second Squad.

 

The rolling thunder of an ongoing artillery barrage echoed in the distance as the squad of Deathriders picked their way through the craters and detritus of the previous assaults over this part of the wastelands.

The call for all squads to regroup had come in twenty minutes ago and the riders were urging their bio-modified cybernetic steeds forward as fast as the conditions would allow.

They were being pulled from recon duties to a fast moving counter attack force, but it would take time to gather all their strength.

If only upper command had authorised extra reinforcements for their sector.

The enemy assault had been ongoing for nearly thirty minutes now, judging by the dark ugly smudges of smoke rising in the distance. 

The riders would make the best time they could, the faith and duty of the Kriegsman was without question.

But would the line still be holding when they got there?

The ridemaster upped the pace and his mount looked into a gallop.

Hold the line, he willed, hold the line...

*****

The second squad of Deathriders are complete for my Squadron, which are part of the 261st Siege Regiment.

This is another five man squad with a Flamer included, just to add some spice.

Note Second Squad have yellow stripes, whereas the previously finished First Squad use White as their colour stripes.

Again happy with these, especially now that I've got the trench battleground basing look down. 

True my bases do look very dry and dusty compared to the common tropes of WW1 Trench Warfare, but I like them and they match the terrain I've been working on.

Above is the full squadron so far with both First and Second Squads shown.

Below also accompanying the squads is the mounted Commissar I painted to start this project.

Up next for the squadron is Third Squad, who will use Blue as their marking colour.

Lastly, as a reward I will finish off the Mounted Command Squad who will use a combination of Red and White as their colours.

I have all the miniatures I need printed out for this project, so fingers crossed I can find the much needed time soon.

Until next time, have nice day...

World Eaters Lord Invocatus.

 

The offerings to Khorne had been great...

Centurion Skaldast, elevated to one of Khorne's favoured champions now rode maniacally down the Imperial defence line, slicing heads and arms with his massive eviscerator chainsword as he went. His Juggernaut goring at Imperial soldiers or trampling the wounded into a bloody paste as it charged, the heating from it's furnace body cooking off munitions as it passed

Ahead, a tight knot of guardsmen were forming around an Autocannon team, being commanded by a Commissar. Rounds sparked from the iron hide of the beast and Skaldast's armour as they hunkered down into a full speed charge.

A lucky shot smacked into the meat of his arm, piercing the soft seal of the elbow joint. Skaldast grunted at the momentary pain and braced to take the Commissar's head.

Like a force of nature the superheated daemonic monster hit the soldiers, crushing two which were unlucky enough to be caught by iron shod hooves the size of their chest. It lashed out and kicked the Autocannon mounting into the air, the weight of the weapon slamming another guardsman into a paste.

As the Juggernaut reared and swung it's head in a vicious arc, a guardsman close to it was blow apart by his lasrifles cooking off and exploding against his chest as Skaldast launched himself from it's back, bringing his chainsword down in a two handed swing.

He missed his target as the Commissar stepped aside, and the chainsword bit angrily into the churned earth, revving loudly as it threw soil and blood about in equal measure.

With a riposte and strike, the Commissars own chainsword swung and sparked along Skaldast's shoulder plates, marking the rune of Khorne embossed in brass. He struck again hitting the side of Skaldast's helmet and momentarily causing the helmet lenses to fill with interference.

The butcher's nails were screaming in the back of Skaldast's skull, demanding he do something to this upstart mortal who has struck him twice.

Blindingly fast, he ripped the eviscerator from the ground, whirled it over his head and slammed it through the chainsword of the Commissar, causing the lesser weapons motors to explode, taking the Commissars hand with it.

With a roll of his shoulders, Skaldast redirected the momentum of the swing and separated the head from neck of his prey.

Stopping to retrieve the head, and Commissariat cap, he turned to find his Juggernaut waiting for him, impatiently pawing at the earth, digging huge clops of turf from the ground each time.

Around them was pure carnage as body parts mingled amongst a growing pool of blood, as the attack moved on again...

*****

Back with another World Eaters model and another Character.

This time a Lord Invocatus*, the character who could have easily been an Aspiring Champion mounted on a Juggernaut.

I used the same red scheme as I did in my last post about the Master of Executions, basically Flesh Tearers Red, Berzerker Bloodshade but this time I layered back up with a little Khorne Red, on the top third of the armour panel.

Likewise the bronze is same scheme being Retributor Armour and Berzerker Bloodshade.

The main difference here though is the Juggernaut, being coal black and having a furnace type look to the rest of the body.

The furnace glow had to be tackled first, and started with a basecoat of Gryph Hound Orange, this was then stippled with Trollslayer Orange, Fire Dragon Bright and then Averland Sunset.

It was then washed with Berzerker Bloodshade, before having a very light drybrush with Averland Sunset again.

The main armour panels were tackled after all this was done, starting with a layer of Corvus Black and then washed with Berzerker Bloodshade, finally being layered back on with Corvus Black, but only a third of the way down each panel.

Metals are the same Bronze as the Lord and the silver is simply Leadbelcher washed with Berzerker Bloodshade, I also took the time to pick out the various trophy skulls and the World Eaters symbol** on his shoulder.

Basing is the usual rocky/deserty scrubland, I used some extra grass tufts which i haven't before on this model, the slightly darker ones.

I normally buy from Warpainter.net 

These new ones I bought from a model railway shop in Caistor, North Lincolnshire, whilst at work*** and they are produced by the model railway manufacturer Peco.

They are darker then my usual go to tufts and a lot more rigid as I cut them in half to make better positioning around the rocky surface I built up using cork.

Whilst slightly more expensive, being 60 tufts for £6 instead of 114 tufts for £5 from Warpainter, I do recommend the Peco tufts for variety and quality.

So, Centurion Skaldast gives me another 20 points for my OPC total for the Plastic Crack podcast, I'm well down on my target, but the year is only halfway gone.

Until next time, have nice day...

*GWs naming convention gets worse and worse.

**I would have preferred generic chaos shoulder pads, but Fraser had already built everything before giving me his army, so I can't complain really (and I wasn't about to fuck around and find out, trying to get the pads off these models and ruining a lot of models in the process... I'll keep them as World Eaters, just allied alongside my Black Legion).

***Being a modeller and Wargamer I am always on the lookout for model supplies wherever I can find them.

The fact that I was driving to Boston to work the Steel Coil train and passed the model shop on the way was a bonus, I called in on my way back to our home yard at Scunthorpe and ended up in a conversation with the elderly man who owned the shop about working on the railway as a career.

Building a better Master of Executions - part 2.

 

"Brace, Brace, Brace for impact" the monotone warning from the servitor sounded within the Deathclaw troop compartment.

Kail stood at ease in his restraints, he hefted his executioner axe and felt the weight of the ancient weapon, passed through the hands of his predecessors.

With a bone jarring impact the assault pod slammed into the enemy cruiser and fired it's metal charges breaching the outer hull.

Every Berzerker within stumbled upon impact causing curses as the nails bit deep at the affront.

They heard the percussive thump of Heavy Bolter fire as the point defences opened up as the servitor droned on.

"Impact successful, creating vacuum proof seal, defences firing, defences firing, defences firing, ten seconds until vacuum seal established"

Kail almost tore his restraint from the wall as he moved, other Berzerkers were with him, but none got in his way, not after the butchery he meted out on his last challenger, who's freshly polished skull now adorned Kail's backpack.

"Five seconds"

The nails dug into the meat of his head, desperate for him to unleash any sort of violence. Other members of the warband we're cursing at the delay, almost coming to blows.

"Four seconds"

Kail backhanded on Berzerker who was trying to punch the warrior next to him.

"Three seconds"

"Control yourself" Kail boxed, shaking his head he added, "pathetic wretch".

Through force of willpower he fought the nails, their base urge to spill blood tore at him, he held it back down, holding it until the enemy were within sight.

"Two seconds"

He gripped the haft of his axe so tight, the bindings creaked, threatening to tear within his grip. The motor for the chain teeth revved, sounding like a predatory animal growling low, waiting.

"One second"

The jostling of bodies stopped as all the Berserkers went still as one, waiting for that delicious moment when...

"Vacuum seal formed, opening Assault Doors"

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!"

Kail screamed as he led the charge, forcing the doors open even as the motors whined and moved the thick blast proof steel.

"SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!"

A tide of bloodthirsty Astartes surged into the decks of the enemy ship and the slaughter began...

*****

It's been a while since I posted anything, but real life tends to get in the way sometimes.

Anyway, the drought is over and the river flows once again.

So, a while ago I converted up a Khornate Master of Executions and then...did nothing with him...

Well, Kail (as I pulled up on a name generator) has been painted and finished for about six or seven weeks now, I just haven't had time to post him up. Until now...

I went for red and brass, and the off-white armour to make him stand out amongst the rank and file Berzerkers to come.

I also wanted a darker red then official GW paint scheme as the newer World Eaters just look like spiky Blood Angels.

I am starting with a Flesh Tearers Red basecoat, along with Retributor Armour and then washing them with Berzerker Bloodshade to give a really deep feel to the colours.

Whilst I didn't highlight the gold, leaving it that grungy bronze colour, I added a sporadic highlight of Evil Sunz Scarlet here and there to him to add that extra level of detail a character model deserves.

The off-white is actually Wraithbone, washed with Bloodshade and then layered back up with Pallid Wych Flesh, finally with Ulthuan Grey on the very highest, light catching areas of his armour.

His greatcoat is Snakebite Leather washed with Earthshade and highlighted with Baneblade Brown to finish off.

Basing in my usual desert/scrubland style with a black rim on the edge of the base.

This model was a joy to kitbash/convert with the spare parts I had at the time. He's got a real, striding to meet the enemy character pose about him and works really well at the head of a World Eaters warband.

He adds 10 points to my hobby total for the year and I've kept track of that during my absence.

As Fraser GAVE* me his World Eaters army the just other week back, I've started work on a few more of the models, but think I'll leave Angron** until last, or very nearly...

Until next time, have nice day.

.

*"I have too many unpainted armies, and I don't play the World Eaters anyway, now that I have my Battle Sister force, do you want them?"

Seriously that was how he opened that conversation.

**Yes he gave me the fucking Daemon Primarch as well....

Death Korps Riders 1st Squad.

 

"Recon the top of the next ridge and then swing South-West to complete our patrol" the Sergeant said and kicked his mount into action as the other members of his squad raised their lances in salute and followed.

The Death Riders rode their mounts through the rocky terrain up the ridge, the beasts clawed hooves finding purchase in even the worst conditions and loose scree.

In a loose line the five riders crested the ridge and came to a halt, looking over at the vista before them.

The Van Meersland wastes stretched in every direction they could see, and more importantly the defence lines of the Vraksian renegades were laid out in great detail as they observed.

Great diagonal zig-zag trenchlines spread in either direction, communication trenches and gun pits moving away from the front, but the skyward pointing barrels of the artillery pieces were clearly visible, silhouetted against the sky.

The Sergeant pulled a picter from his backpack and began taking picts for high command and army intelligence to look at.once he was finished, his men looked to him to set the pace as they began the long March South-West and back towards friendly territory.

*****

The next models of the 261st Siege Regiment have been completed and these are a mounted section and accompanying Commissar.

These models are 3D prints of STLs from the creator RedMakers on MyMiniFactory. I was taken by the more dynamic poses of the models as opposed to the more static poses of the Forge World models which used to be available.

These men follow the previously described paint scheme of the Grenadier's, as this is the uniform of my chosen regiment, and I must say I am more then happy with how they have turned out.

The Sergeant and a Lancer:

I wanted these to reflect a little differently then the standard line troops, so the white stripe down their shoulders was added as a flash detail, the red pennant was just a "what colour can I pick up without looking" choice.

Another Lancer and the Flamethrower:

In the normal rules for the Death Riders, they are not allowed to have a special weapon (Meltagun/Plasmagun/Flamer) but after seeing the STLs I decided to play loose and fast with them in order of Rule of Cool!

These are the first unit for a squadron of Death Riders, I have three five man squads printed and a five man command squad, I just need a fourth squad to complete the squadron in the future.

The Mounted Commissar:

This was the model which started this section of the army, as RedMakers were offering him as a free STL, very heroic posed model that he is.

The red scabbard on the sword was to tie in with the riders, the rest of him was painted as the other Commissars from the previous post.

His mount, like all the other Death Riders, is simply Reikland Fleshshade straight over a light grey undercoat.

I use a cheap grey primer I picked up from The Range, but Citadel Grey Seer would work just as well as a base for this.

The bases were finished in the way previously described, with sand, sawdust and AK diorama paste mixed together and then some modelling barbed wire added.

I am only claiming a Rank and File box on my Hobby Bingo card for this post, as I have better character models I want to paint, so I am keeping the boxes available for them in the future.

With that in mind, it fills one box for 10 points and setting myself up for a line with the Elites box later on,:

For the OPC, there are six riders and six mounts, and at ten points each, gives my score a boost by 120 points!

This leaves me with 330 out of 6,000 points completed.

Until next time, have nice day...

Death Korps Grenadiers 1st Squad.

 

Morning rose on Vraks, the sunlight hazy through the dust kicked up by the artillery duels continuing day after day.

In the dull morning light, the Grenadiers of the 261st Siege Regiment finished their prayers and gathered their gear.

Weapons were slung over shoulders, ammunition packs counted and stocked up, along with any grenades needed. Metal rattled against metal as the armour plates they wore were checked for damage and securely fitted.

They moved along the trench towards their jumping off point from the orders circulated from higher command.

Other platoons of the regiment gave them salutes or nods as they passed, for these were the Grenadiers, the ones who had already made their peace with the Emperor and we're essentially 'Dead Men Walking'.

Ladders were finally pulled into place and each man took his assigned position. Ready to climb out of the security of their trench and charge across No-Mans Land, to glorious death, in service of the God-Emperor of mankind.

*****

With some time for hobby, I made a good start on my Krieg force. The models are 3D printed and whilst not direct scans of the out of production Forge World grenadiers, are close enough for my liking that I am comfortable printing a force of them all together.

I decided to start with a Grenadiers squad including a Heavy Flamer team (always loved the FW model, so when I found the STL it was a must have), and a couple of Commissar models I found at the same time.

My choice of regiment is the 261st Siege Regiment, because I preferred their old colour scheme in the Imperial Armour books:

I really liked these with the more British looking Khaki overcoats, as opposed to the more French Blue scheme I've been painting for Fraser.

I also liked the contrast of the dark grey body armour over the lighter khaki greatcoats.

So the full Grenadiers Squad look like this:

I took extra time on the bases, covering them with a mixture of AK Desert sand paste and sand with some sawdust thrown in as well, then as it was drying I added more sand on top and some coiled model barbed wire to add details.

Eventually I want to get some AK wet effect, and add some puddles into some of the dips on the bases for puddles and mud.

The squad sergeant and special weapons:

For a bit of a spot colour, I painted the power cables of the weapons in yellow and washed them with Earthshade to make it a dirty, weathered look, but still bright enough to draw the eye to details.

The Grenadiers with their Hellguns:

These will be the meat of the army, as they are the mainstay of the units.

To get the weathered effect on the armour, I started with a Basillcanum Grey base layer and washed with Earthshade. I then layered up the grey with Mechanicus Standard Grey leaving the darker patches as either dirt or camo as you choose to look at it.

Next I pulled a couple of Commissar STLs and printed those, here are the results:

The Commissar with the chest plate and the bolt pistol held out will join the higher command squad for the company, whilst the second man with the sword and the "Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer" held behind his back will join the platoon command squad keeping the men moving forward. 

As a size comparison, I wanted my 3D printed models to be scaled to match the proper GW models (in this case a FW one).

I wanted to scale them to match, as that way I can add my forces to Fraser's for a future big game if we choose to do one at Element Games.

Turning to the points for Hobby Bingo and the OPC this year.

Hobby Bingo, these models give me a "Rank and File" box and a "Leaders and Heroes" which adds 20 points to the total and ticks off another two boxes on the bingo card.

As for the OPC, at 10 points each, these models give me 120 points off of my 6,000 point total.

There are a lot more Death Korps coming, along with the renegade Vraksian forces as well. The first couple of battles for the campaign will have to be played out using counters as I haven't got the time at the moment to commit to finishing two full armies, but as things get finished expect to see more from Vraks.

Until next time, have nice day...

Dreadtober 2024 - Dreadline missed.

 

So, Dreadtober has been failed this year.

This is as far as I managed to get with the Meka-Dread painting, real life just caught up with everything.

All the parts have most of their basecoat's down, I just need to add some brass detailing to the bolt heads on the legs and then I can wash everything with the brown weathering shade and then work colours up from there.

I'll get it finished soonish, but I'm just waiting for some good chunks of hobby time as work has ramped up with contracts, so my time is starved at the minute as I'm getting home and spending a couple of hours with the family in the evenings rather then just hobbying immediately when I get home.

I managed to work up the craters, as they were a quick project to finish which kept me in hobby, but anything bigger which requires more time was just not going to work for me.

Real life, always getting in the way...

Until next time, have nice day.

Dreadtober 2024 - Torso work.

 

The madness of Dreadtober 2024 continues, and I started work on the main Torso of the Meka-Dread this past week.

I didn't get any photos of the original colours going on (no point really), but here is the torso alongside one of the Kills Kanz I finished in Dreadtober 2022.

I've stuck to the same overall palette of red, black and white, with a little gold thrown in for a spot metallic.

The rust is still really bright, but you can see the various components better now that there are some other colours present to break up the outline a bit.

The "Face" was stippled with white for the skull, it won't be getting checkers, however the various other white panels definitely will.

I'm also torn between doing the massive eye in a bright yellow or a green glow.

Next it was time to start weathering, Orks never clean their vehicles after all.

So a home ade wash was mixed up, ten parts Rhinox Hide, fifteen parts water, two drops of Washing Up liquid. This last is to break the surface tension of the water and force it to flow around all the details on the model.

I'm using a spare upturned cavalry base to mix in, after a friend nicked (by acciddnt I'm sure) my previous mixing tub after I showed him how to make his own wash for his terrain...

Half hour later, she was dry.

The Rhinox Hide is a little more reddish then brown when it separated out like this, which aids in the dirty/rusty effect, the texture on the skull face itself is really nice.

You can see how it settles into details like the grills at the bottom of the engine area or the tubings on the torso front. 

You can also see the difference in brightness of the rust here in this photo.

Whilst still somewhat prominent on the torso, it's definitely more subtle then before, like on the gun.

Finally I thought I'd end this update with a photo of the current state of play of the dread, you can rally see the difference the was makes when compares with the other subassemblies.

I'm hoping to get some work done on the beast this week, but that depends on both work and my health.

One of the reasons I feel like I am behind schedule is because I have been ill this last week (last Saturday I didn't even get out of bed all day), so I'm hoping it starts to clear up and I can stop having coughing fits* so I can paint normally again.

Next steps are to block in the details on the torso leaving the weathered colours beneath, and to start with the rest of the parts.

It's just this is the start of the time consuming part of painting with picking out panels and details, etc. 

Then CHECKERS!!!!!!!!!

I advise anyone reading to check out the Dreadtober blog here:- Dreadtober as there are some cracking entries being worked upon.

So, Until next time, have nice day...

*Fortunately it's not, whatever variant of COVID is doing the rounds in the UK. It just seems like a bad chest infection/dry insistent coughing.