WIP update

 Last week I spent a bit of time getting five more Eloi Zephyrs ready, to be played as Eldar Wave Serpents in Epic.

That leaves five skimmers on my work bench, and I did manage to fling some paint their way as well, but some time was spent preparing a new project (to be presented later).

The grand total of my Eloi-count-as-Eldar is now getting to a decent size, close to 3000 points painted (not even playing the Baneshees as Titans, only Wraithknights).

I do have some non-Vanguard models for this force as well, but they are not fully painted (and the Hornets barely have official Epic rules anyway).

For this week I aim to put some paint on my new secret project, and finish up the remaining support vehicles above. After that: A pair of proper Titans!

Completed: 5 bases this week, 28 total this month.

November recap

One of my objectives of this new era of the blog is to document my actual progress.

As a first version then, here is what has been on my work bench so far during November:

 

First out is finishing off two formations I've had lying around for a long time, and one recently acquired.

• Newly released Eloi Crystal Lance tanks (to be played as Eldar Fire Prisms)
• Eloi Jetbikes with two Support skimmers (Windrider formation, with a side board of two Vypers)
• And one more Guardian formation, for the those important Core slots (enabling the smaller Troupes)

 

After their performance in my last game, I just had to put some paint on my Super Heavy Tanks (Tempest at Vanguard, played as Scorpion and Cobra in Epic).

The turrets are magnetized, so both can be played as either version. Each vehicle have a few bespoke details, to let the artisanal nature of Eldar war machines shine through.

These three have not technically been painted this month, but have had a final coat of matt varnish applied, so technically been worked on. Scale wise they can be played as either Revenant Titans or Wraithknights.

So far I have used two of them to stand in as Revenants, but that might change now that I have two Vanguard Harpies lying around...

Last week was something of a terrain binge, I have had several pieces of semi-completed terrain bits lying around, and also realized that I need some bigger items to hide behind (Eldar cannot take the same amount of punishment as many others...).

With that in mind I have painted up the ruins I made before, with a simple greyish schema, built a new bigger ruin with a bit more dirt and ground colour, and then made a small hill with trees on, to give a perfect place for infantry to take up defensive positions.

The trees are made from Green Stuff Worlds plastic Bush Armature, but they are perfect for 6mm trees, just add some flock. The hill itself is made from cork, as I find it to be both light and robust. It was painted in a similar fashion to the larger ruin, giving it a reddish dirt base with cheap acrylic highlights.

Last but not least comes the first batch of vehicles for the month, five transports for my poor bloody infantry... Four of them will probably end up transporting the infantry mentioned earlier, and the fifth will be a good starting point for an Aspect Warrior motor pool. All that remains is to put some contrast on the bone, and then pick out the details.

Score so far for the month:

18 bases painted!


 

The more things change...

 I've come to realize that I miss blogging.

As such, I will actually re-start this, but with a new focus.

Over the past years, ever since Spartan Games folded, I have jumped a bit back and forth between various game systems, Gates of Antares being a major one, but not really sticking to anything for any longer sense of time.

Sure, some 15mm projects here and there (more on what I have actually done here later), but so far no rule system has ticket all of my boxes.

The reduction of pandemic restrictions earlier this year (has it only been 6 months? Feels like so much longer) has enabled me to travel for work again, bringing some potential for gaming along with it (family obligations leaves little time for gaming in an ordinary day).

To that end I have had to reconsider my engagements in the hobby a little bit. Don't get me wrong, 15mm is an amazing opportunity for experimenting and putting your own spin on things, but in the end you need to have a community and opponents to play against. Bringing your own DYI project means selling it to at least one more person, and that itself is an investment in time and energy.

To get around this I have had to look at what actually gives more bang for the buck, what is easy to get gaming with, and pay some attention to what is easy to travel with.

To that effect I have re-discovered the game that brought me back into the fold all those years ago: Epic Armageddon. I bought some Vanguard Miniatures Eloi last year, but this year a flurry of recent releases has really promoted it to my primary game. As an added bonus I have managed to get buy in from my usual partner in crimes, so regular opponents is not an issue either. The fact that there is no shortage of gorgeous models these days is not exactly a downside, either...

Apart from that I have a small project ongoing that really re-connects with my gaming roots; building a fantasy force of Wood Elves, using a little bit of mix and match to get the kind of warband that I really want. This fills a nice DYI niche, and fantasy models is something most opponents have lying around, so a good rule set is all that is needed.

To that end, I am a little bit going back to the origins, proving that the more things change, the more they stay the same...