Hobby Spending - February 2022.

 

Continuing on with keeping track of hobby spending this month.

As a reminder my budget is nominally £50.

Last month I was £15.95 under budget.

February spend totals:

Pot of Ulthuan Grey - £2.75.

Pot of Averland Sunset - £2.75.

Total for February - £5.50.

Budget for February - £50.

Plus/Minus Budget - Minus £44.50.

Plus/Minus Yearly Budget - Minus £60.45.

Well under budget for the month, only purchasing two pots of paint (sadly neither of which I have had chance to use yet...).

Plans are for the Ulthuan Grey to go towards White Scars and the Averland Sunset for Imperial Fists. Both of these ideas are to go towards a Siege of Terra project I am working on.

Hopefully March will give some hobby time back and I can get posting things. Looks forward for an "Old Stuff" post on the 2nd though.

Until next time...

February has been a lean month hobby wise, in between a family week away in North Yorkshire, at work I've been busy passing out of training and signing off on the various locations we shunt and shunt and dispatch trains from around our yards. Each place has to have its own assessment and rules questions answered, so I've been busy with that and have one location left to do

Warhammer Underworlds - Lady Harrow's Mournflight.

 

They were close, the Skaven rabble had no idea just how close to death they were. Lady Harrow drifted forward slightly surveying the hunched ratmen as they busied themselves with something she couldn't make out.

She turned her attention to her sisters who were bound to her by Nagash's whim.

The Screaming Maiden to her right, skull forever locked in a silent scream. 

The Anguished One, head always dipped as if in mourning for the things she has done since raising as a Banshee.

Finally Widow Caitha, eyes forever blazing with hate for the living.

The vermin cannot be allowed to sully the city of Shadespire, Lady Harrow thought to herself and launched herself forwards out of the wall she had been floating through.

Her sisters followed her lead, all screaming as they three themselves into combat with the Skaven, who panicked turning to grasp for weapons which passed through their spectral foes.

Chill bladed daggers flashed through the gloom and slashed through furry bodies causing squeaks of pain. In a matter of seconds six of the vermin were down bleeding from fatal wounds.

Lady Harrow pursued one of the last ratmen screeching all the while, he showed considerable bravery for his lowly species by turning and brandishing his spear before him.

She floated just out of reach, grinning skull mocking the living before she dived low and passed straight through him.

His fur turned white and he aged prematurely in seconds as he robes continued to pass through him. Cloth became brittle and threadbare, metal rusted and corroded, teeth rotted and fell from his mouth as eyes turned white with cataracts and the creature fell blind, before finally keeling over dead.

Invigorated, Lady Harrow straightened herself up floating several feet above the floor. She turned and spied with last remaining for, the enemy leader standing resplendent in his armour. As resplendent as a four foot tall ratman who slunk from the sewers could be that was.

Made of different mettle then his warband, he stood resolute in the face of death, spitting and squeaking curses at the Banshee's which circled him preparing for the killing blow...

*****

Lady Harrow's Mournflight is a warband for Warhammer Underworlds, the warband skirmish/board game from GW's Age of Sigmar setting.

Fraser bought me the Direchasm starter box which comes with Lumineth and Slaaneshi Warbands, he bought himself the Banshee warband and needed it painted for mid-February.

Here they are in all their ghostly glory:

Lady Harrow at the from and then left to right are Widow Caitha, The Anguished One and the Screaming Maiden. 

I took time to add some more colourful details to this set. Introducing red as a spot colour on all of the miniatures, which shows up well against the black corsets. Again this contrasts against the predominantly white ghostly robes, a little gold and dark silver for the daggers and just the bases to paint after that.

Warhammer Underworlds miniatures all come with sculpted bases tied to whichever warband they are coupled with. The Banshee's have a graveyard look with gravestones and other elements appearing across the set, the creeping vines and roses are another repeating motif.

They are reprints of the Myrmourn Banshee set for the Nighthaunt army of which I've already painted a set, so here I present both versions of The Anguished One.

One the left is the paint scheme I adopted for my Nighthaunt army and on the right is Fraser's Underworlds miniature.

You can see the difference in the two miniatures just from the colour selection, as well as the height difference from the sculpted base to the battlefield base I used.

Well, the only thing left to do is to take some time writing the names on the base rims and give them a blast with a Matte Varnish before posting them off to Fraser in time for his event in a couple of weeks.

I'll look at doing one of the other Warbands as a quick change of pace in the future as and when I get sick of my main project for the moment.

Until next time...

JanuWaaaghry - Odds and Sods.

 

Warboss Gorgrok looked out over his warband from the top of his Battlewagon. A score of Boyz gathered round the slab sided vehicle, arguing and gesticulating at each other as they formed into different mobs each beneath a different Job leader.

His alliance with Big Mek Badrek had been fruitful in the extreme. A full mob of heavily armed Lootaboyz swung their heavy gunrigs around, trying to catch the Grotz at their feet with the sharpened blades attached to the crossbeams.

Slinking around the Lootaboyz making last minute adjustments to each weapon were a pair of Spannaboyz, members of Badrek's mekshop. They pulled levers, reconnected energy wires and performed last minute "percussive maintenance" as they called it. Which looked suspiciously like just hitting things with a big hammer, but Gorgrok wasn't a Mek so didn't care really.

His new Stormboy Mob landed in a pile and quickly stood upright to attention trying to make it all look planned as their Nob howled orders at them and dusted down their 'oonimforms.

He grinned at their antics then scowled as he spotted some Grotz making a break for freedom, just as he was about to shout the hooded form of Zogtoof leapt forward. Whip cracking and catch-pole snatching up the runaways they were hurled back into the mob.

They were gathering on Morkz 'Ead, the Greenskins name for a prominent hill overlooking the next Imperial targets they were going to hit. All they were waiting for was word from the Kommando Mob under Boss Teefskar to return, having better kept to their promise of "blowing up the 'umies wagonz"!

All was set and Gorgrok let a huge fanged grin spread across his face as he realised the now larger warband he commanded.

*****

I have been busy with work recently, so couldn't post this last JanuWaaaghry post until today, but this marks the last few Greenskins I managed to get painted during the month.

I grabbed another five Grotz which I found in the bottom of the box, two metal Spannaboyz from Gorkamorka era in order to add to the Lootaboyz, I'm still working on the remaining Lootaz and a third Mek for them. Finally I started a ten Ork Sluggaboy mob, but only got the first five finished.

Photos;

The Grotz to add to the completed mob so far:

Start of the Slugga Boyz mob, the other five are part painted:

The Spannaboyz from Gorkamorka, the one on the left has a head swap and a Slugga swap, the one on the right is stock from the blister:

Finally, here is a photo of everything that was painted during JanuWaaaghry

A reinforcement total of 44 miniatures, not bad for a months worth of painting around job training and assessments.

I think I need a pallette cleanser this month, so I'm looking at Stormcast and a few Warmahordes or maybe some Horus Heresy bits to paint to completion.

I'll return to the Greenskins in a bit, as I have a clanking cacophony of Killa Kanz and Deffdreads to get done, as well as a 4th edition Kult of Speed force I pointed up for a possible 5th edition game against Dave if we can ever arrange it.

Until next time...

Hobby Spending - January 2022.

 

So an idea that I've looted from Confessions of a 40k Addict is to keep track of how much money I'm spending on the hobby in general.

This idea came about from talking with the Mrs about our respective hobbies. I always joke to her about crafting materials she buys and the amount of books she keeps buying (I think she's got over 2,000 in her collection which she's read, my bookshelf is nothing compared).

She said that I always seem to be getting parcels delivered from eBay, and I countered with the same about books from her Facebook Book Groups (some friendly banter, not an argument before anyone gets the wrong idea).

Also this is a good idea as having changed careers and now earning almost double what I did before, it is tempting to "splash out" constantly, even though we're meant to be saving money for house remodelling!

So I'm going to do an end of month post totalling up that month's spending and what it was spent on.

Now unless there is something of a really good deal, I am aiming for a budget of about £50 a month as I mainly need supplies rather then miniatures.

Also if I sell any excess gear I have, that money will go into the hobby fund as it's cash which has already been spent on the hobby and is being reinvested, this is what I am telling the Mrs, so...yeah!

At the end of the year I'll do a full total and see how much I actually spent throughout 2022 on the hobby.

January spend totals:

Pot of Earthshade - £4.55

Self-Adhesive Beads X2 - £3

Pack of XPS foam sheets - £2

Pack of Corrugated Card - £1.50

Metal Ork Deffdread X2 - £23.

Total for January - £34.05.

Budget for January - £50.

Plus/Minus budget - Minus £15.95.

So this month was mainly supplies, a lot of crafting materials for making armour panels and rivets with. 

Earthshade is ALWAYS needed and the Deffdreads are something I've always been looking for on eBay to match my Killa Kanz, but they always seem to be ridiculously priced. 

I dropped onto a series of auctions and the guy was more then willing to sell both at once.

They might need a little work, but that's part of the deal when buying second hand miniatures.

Until next time...

JanuWaaaghry - Kommando Mob.

 

Delicately parting the undergrowth, Boss Teefskar crept towards the unaware Guardsman on watch. He moved with a grace and silence which were entirely at odds with his species, as Orks are want to charge shouting at the enemy.

His camouflage greatcoat and backpack blended with the surroundings, he'd even go so far as to cover himself with soot to cover his green skin.  

Shadows played across the area as he drew a spot blackened knife from its sheath and prepared to take out the sentry. His suppressed Slugga hung from his hip, silent and unused for now, similarly with his Power Klaw which he kept deactivated until the attack had started proper.

Moving away from the shadows he clamped a massive clawed hand over the sentries mouth and spun him round. White eyes wide with fear met pitiless red eyes for a second before Teefskar dragged the blade across the sentries throat causing a gout of blood to spray. He caught the dead weight of the body and carried it to a hiding spot, then turned and raised his fingers counting down as the other members of his mob crept from the shadows.

"Lads, you'se know da plan. Get the bombs into place and rekonvine 'ere. You'se got five minutes, go" he ordered with a guttural whisper.

All the other four camouflaged Orks crept away, 'Korporal Kutta' covered with knives motioned for "Burna" to head towards his own objective.

'Slugga' moved in the opposite direction, hefting a Slugga in each meaty fist. Finally 'Da Scope' started climbing to get into position to provide covering fire with his heavily modified Shoota with its huge magnifying scope.

Teefskar twisted and snuck through the shadows like the rest of his Boyz and approached the fuel dump ahead. Stacks of stinking promethium barrels covered with camo nets stretched up Infront of him. He took the blasta-charges from his pack and began unwinding the fuses, placing them in between barrels and under netting making sure everything was hidden.

He has just connected the last wire to the detonator when he froze. Some instinct deep inside told him to keep as still as possible, fighting every Orky instinct to leap out and slaughter the 'Umies passing. He heard them chatting in their stupid high pitched voices and held still as one threw its used smokestick into the dump. As they left he picked up the stick and pinched the spark dead between his fingers shaking his head.

Moments later the Kommandoz had all gathered again where the first sentry was stashed, just as Klaxons began wailing at the lack of response from the dead guardsmen. 'Umies began shouting, raising their high pitched voices and causing snickers from the Orks. 

Teefskar silenced them with a glare, trying to count down.

"Free", "Two'z", "Wun, Ere we go ladz" he whispered before pressing down on the detonator button.

Fierce explosions kicked off across the Imperial forward base and screams started as Guardsmen were caught in the blasts.

The fuel dump, Artillery emplacement, communications mast and the command bunker all blew out in sequence and the Kommandoz all grinned at each other with another job well done and the fear they'd caused amongst their enemies. Let the others have their own ways to wage war, this was theirs and they were experts.

"Good job ladz, Kutta make sure to get Da Scope on our way out and we'll head back to base now, stick any 'Umie that gets in yet way, but don't get dead" Teefskar ordered and the Orks slunk away into the undergrowth once again.

*****

I asked in the Lootaboyz post about what I should work on next and both Dave and Chris suggested that I start with the Kommando mob.

These models are based upon the Kromlech greatcoat Ork bodies, which were a little armoured compared to the fluff, but worked for my purposes as I though Orks only going to war in their T-shirts were stupid. Especially so considering that they actively emulate their enemies in other ways.

I leaned heavily on the tropes of specialists within the mob, thinking of some of my favourite movies like Predator and The Expendables where each member of the unit has a specialist role within the mob.

So obviously Teefskar, is 'Da Boss' with his Power Klaw.

Pictured here as well is Korporal Kutta, is the knife specialist, he has three knives on the model, but I imagine he has an arbitrary number of knives secreted throughout his uniform and backpack*.

The next three are Slugga, who is a badass who dual wields pistols.

Burna, is the mobs close support member hefting his Burna to well...burn stuff.

And lastly, Da Scope, is an Orky sniper with the modified Shoota, as ridiculous as this sounds I love it!

I know I'm going to get asked how to make the suppressed gunz, so here's a little tutorial:

I take a steel rod (this one wrapped in plastic) and cut a section of about 6-7mm.

Trim the coating away for the last mm.

I add a 3-4mm section of plastic tube which fits over the now exposed steel rod.

Lastly I drill a 1.5mm hole 1-2mm deep into the barrel of the Slugga/Shoota in question.

You can go further and drill holes in the suppressor sheath, but I didn't bother as I liked the look.

Painting wise, these Boyz follow most of the same schemes as listed in the other JanuWaaaghry posts. The major difference obviously is the Greatcoats which are dark blue, this was painted using a base of Incubi Darkness, stippled with Thunderhawk Blue and washed with Earthshade. The red are a little darker on these 'Blood Axe' mercenaries so I used Khorne red instead of the bright Mephiston Red.

Next I think I'll finish off the loose members of the Lootaboyz and some Grotz I found in the bitzbox.

Until next time...

* Korporal Kutta is based upon my old Dark Heresy character. 

Fraser invited me to play the game and I agreed, provided I could play an Ork.

This was duly arranged and Korporal Kutta was born, wielding a silenced Slugga and an "arbitrary number of knives", he also had a set of night vision goggles and a Doks kit to heal people. He also ended up with a Jerry can of Promethium which I was going to use to set up a bit of a set piece explosion with one of the other players. Unfortunately the group never played again in that setting, so I'm resurrecting Kutta for this army, he may yet be promoted and lead his own mob in due course!

JanuWaaaghry - Lootaboyz and Spanner Boyz.

 

(I couldn't find the credit for painting this awesome piece).

With a loping run Ghurrob scaled the crest ahead of him, stumbling due to the weight of the Deffgun he carried and the huge amount of ammunition, spare rounds clattering to the floor as he and his mob ran. Grotz scurried gathering the lost rounds and throwing them into a tub they dragged behind them.

"Get out inta a line you zoggin' idiots" Krugmek shouted from behind them, shrouded in a haze of heat discharge as he powered up his Kustom Mega-Blasta. Kicking a grot through the air as he caught up with the Lootaboyz.

"Oi, Badkrak, I've no idea what da zog is wrong with your Boyz today. If you don't get my gunz firin' sharpish, I'll turn dis zoggin' thing on you! Bash some 'eads!" He shouted at the mob leader.

Badkrak turned and snarled at the swarthy Mekboy following them and turned with bared fangs looked over at his Boyz. Each carried the huge rig of a Deffgun, they stood legs braced for the kickback from their weapons.

Grotz ran to and fro making final adjustments that Krugmek called out, polishing aiming gubbinz and flicking switches. Ammobelts rattled as they were loaded and everything spakred with static caused by the build up of electrical energy as capacitors were charged up.

"Roight Boyz, let's show dat loudmouth behind us what Dakka we have. Deffgunz aim for the 'umies, Beamygunz aim for the 'umies wagonz. Got dat?" Badkrak shouted and got a roared response from his Boyz.

"Give 'em da Dakka!" Ghurrob shouted and held down the trigger of his weapon. A stream of sparks errupted from the twin muzzles of the gun and the glowing tracer rounds flew off in a huge arc above the enemy positions.

The ten Lootaboyz were unleashing horrendous amounts of firepower, most of it going above and missing the 'umies they were facing.

Grotz frantically ran between the Orks throwing handfuls of ammunition into the hoppers which were rapidly emptying. A few of the bravest were trying to grab the holding bars of the gunz and aim them down to hit the 'umies rather then miss everything.

Badkrak grinned as his helmet rattled upon his gnarled head. Next to him Ghurrob drooled in ecstacy as they were all deafened by the thunderous discharge. They started to try to aim and causing casualties amongst the Imperials.

An Imperial tank turned its turret and fired an explosive round which tore up the ground infront of them.

"Beamygunz, take out dat wagon!" Krugmek shouted and fired his Mega-Blasta in its direction. A bright ball of superheated plasma screamed it's way down the scree towards the tank, burning the ground as it went. 

Grotz covered their ears against the building whine of the Beamygunz as they charged and fired bright beams of energy which also burned an unfortunate grot who was too close to the muzzle.

Flaming furrows were carved into the ground and the beams moved as the Grotz pulled the Orks to aim at the tank. After another perilously close explosion cause by the threatening tank, the energy beams converged and disintegrated the front armour. A moment later they touched off something inside and the tank blew itself apart as its own ammunition went off.

Krugmek grinned as he watched his creations working blowing stuff up.

'Dis is da life' he thought, and fired another bolt of plasma into the air.

*****

The third post of JanuWaaaghry brings the Lootaboyz up to date with my Greenskins.

Five of these models were painted from scratch, just having their undercoat and orange rust layer applied for almost two years now.

Yes I started painting these Orks when I had my last Apocalypse game against Fraser.

But they're finished now, using the same colours and techniques as detailed in the Stormboyz post.

The other five miniatures were painted way back when in my old Goff paint scheme. I dusted them off with a makeup brush I had bought for drybrushing with, but have since used exclusively as a miniature duster:

And then added a few red and brassy details to bring them into line with the newer painted stuff, I think I'll do this with everything I painted up for Orktober 2020 to refresh the army and make it all look cohesive.

I have a number of choices of what to paint next and would love some input.

As well as refreshing the completed stuff I also have:

1. A third 20 strong Goff mob, or 2 10 strong Kult of Speed mobz (who will get Trukkz in due course).
2. A skawdron of Deffkoptaz, for the Kult of Speed (the old Black Reach ones).
3. A kustom unit of Kommandoz, wearing trenchcoats from Kromlech.
4. A Battlewagon of some kind, possibly.

Most of this needs to either be built or be repaired as I bought 90% of my Ork army second hand in joblots years ago. But it needs to be done, I'll also be continuing to build my Looted Wagon Tank Destroyer as I go, but something on the side is always good.

I look forward to hearing suggestions, leave a comment below.

Until next time...

JanuWaaaghry - Big Mek Badrek and Sparkit.

 

(art by Alex Boyd).

Lasfire whipped towards the Boss and his bodyguard as the Guardsmen targeted the largest threat approaching their position.

Earlier in the battle Warboss Gorgrok and his elite Meganobz had dismounted from their Battlewagon and carved a bloody path through the outer defensive line of the Imperials.

The ordinary Lasrifles were not doing anything other then making the hulking brutes angrier and angrier at the buzzing lights shooting last, but the threat escalated as a searing high energy beam erupted and cut through the armour of Okbok in a spray of sparks and metal shards. The pungent smell of burnt flesh and ozone filled the air around the Meganobz as they all hastily hit the Mega-Boosta buttons and surged forwards as their armoured suits diverted power to the motion rather then weapons systems.

"Oi, Badrek, you'd better get dat fing workin' before we get shot again or else I'll kill you dead!" Gorgrok shouted, leaning into a hail or lasfire.

"Working on it Boss" Badrek shouted back, slamming his hand on the power button to try to get the Kustom Force Field working again. Sparkit, his grot helper was desperately twisting wiring together where it had frayed, burning his fingers as he put his blowtorch down. His own fear of the situation allowing him to work fast and dextrous enough to twist the copper together.

"Work Fasta!" Badrek screamed, as Dagnazz had an arm sheared off by a partial hit from the Lascannon shooting at them. The Nob howled, but then cheered as he realised he'd only lost his Shoots arm, not his Klaw, so began to advance again.

"Try it now Boss" Sparkit wailed, and Badrek's meaty fist smashed into the power button. The air seemed to wobble and glow brighter for a moment. Gorgrok realised that he wasn't suffering impacts to his armour as they were bubbling in the air six feet infront of him, ripples of white light expanding from each stopped shot.

"Boss, watch this!" Badrek excitedly shouted as he fiddled with the buttons on his controller. The energy field surrounding them whined a little and seemed to condense so that things became fuzzy to see through.

The Lascannon fired again, but this time , instead of being absorbed, the energy was reflected back down the beam and exploded the weapon and it's crew in a blossoming mushroom explosion.

Deep booming laughter erupted from the Warboss' and the surviving Meganobz.

Gorgrok turned, he never normally lowered his voice below a shout, so raised it to bellow "Good work Badrek, now keep up!" 

The advance was back on...

*****

Continuing with Greenskin efforts for JanuWaaaghry, I've recently had this Big Mek in the paint stripper and repainted to match my newer stuff.

His Grot oiler there is a 3D printed model Duncan gave me last year, a really nice little thing and I love the welding mask.

The little blip on the eye piece of the Mek is actually a moulding injector port, which I had cleaned up but not gotten rid of entirely. I left it as I kind of like that it adds a central focal point to the big circular magnifier.

I wanted the KFF projection pylons to be a weathered copper look to add something to the model rather then more dirty steel. I carried this onto things like the levers and gauges on the backpack. 

Most of the painting was the same as the Stormboyz and Grotz I'd already finished, just that little Sparkit there got some Goff 'Ardboy checkers to his helmet as he works for one of the Warbands leaders.

Up next are five Loota Boyz, and I'll ask for suggestions for the next step once I've gotten those finished.

Until next time...