Ben’s desk a year in review

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Jon

Having given up on 40k and writing for ChapterMaster’s Ben has managed to kick out an amazing amount of Gaming standard models over the last year. Ben has this to say.

“This year has very much been a case of quantity over quality in my model painting. There have been a few reasons for this.

1)The ever increasing number of unpainted models in my collection.
2)The house I recently moved to having a lot less natural light reducing my ability to put finishing touches on models to certain times of day, when I’m in the office normally.
3)A general reduction in spare time due to work and famIly commitments.
4)Being disheartened by some of the releases this year, mainly codex causing me to abandon projects part way through such as my Tyranid, Grey Knight and now Blood Angels army.
5)My new airbrush. Which is good at covering models in paint but not so good for painting parts of models.

In many respects this has been the year of finishing the gaming table, which I’ve done both to inspire battle thirst and because I can paint buildings in poor lighting and while half asleep watching TV.

Space Wolves
2014 started out with Space Wolves, some of these Grey Hunters were technically painted in 2013 but I forget which. This intent was to complete a Great Company for Apocalypse however I’m yet to get any further than coating the dreadnought in frendress grey.

The year also finished with Space Wolves as I tried to get my final remaining Rouge Trader Space Wolf painted, alas N’jal is no way need complete.

These Thunderwolves are also far from complete, but are just about table ready.

Tyranids
My long and troubled love affair with Tyranids ended this year as the studio failed to un break my hormaguant and geanstealers with a new codex for the last time, so I’ve moved to pastures Greener. In other word I quit using Tyraninds and started another attempt at an Ork Army. Before doing so I managed to finish base painting my Swamlord and got a Zoanthrope finished for what would have been my new Hive Fleet.

Ultramarines
These Ultramarines were started during Christmas 2013, but it took me a few months to get to the last 3 marines. These were also my last plastic Tactical Squad for my 4th company.

These devastator marines were painted for my last game of Apocalypse in order to add a few more heavy weapons to a devastator company. These are
Obviously a mix of old Rouge Trader power armour variants with Forge World Horus Heresy heavy weapons

These veterans were from the very large box of metal marines in the cupboard. I’ve banned myself from ebay for my New Years resolution. We’ll see how many months I manage. These 3 models enabled me to field a full 10 man stearnguard squad.

My final instalment of Ultramarines is Ureal Ventris and his command squad. While not quite finished, I’m very happy to field this unit.

Imperial Knight
Time for the big guy. The long awaited model. Those that follow my blog will know I’ve been bugging the design team for an imperial knight since they did the BaneBlade. Again there is a lot still to be done to this model, but it’s fine for the table.

Shortly after starting on the knight A friend and I discussed playing one of the 5th edition special missions with a mind field, so I finally and quickly knocked out these mines from the original planet strike release.

Orks
As part of my drive to complete old models I had another go at the Black Reach set. This time I found the experience a lot more enjoyable, so there is hope I’ll finish of the job in 2015.

Grey Knights
After picking up the last model needed to add a power armour Squad to my very small Grey Knight army, thanks Gaz. Unfortunately the new codex, which I understand had nothing wrong with it other than not being available in paperback, means continuing with my Grey Knights sits a long way down my priority list. So another project is on ice.

Now to the buildings.

And the good old moon scape

Objective markers

Emporer’s Children
The final work of the year was the Emperors Children and Hawk Lords.

I’m not very keen on the Purple and Gold Emperors Children vehicles that I’ve seen. I also want to be able to use my Forgeworld tanks in all my marine armies so I’ve painter my Land Raider in codex grey an will be fitting changeable doors and extra armour.

Eldar
This jet bike is not really mind but I quickly painted the helmet and nose for someone In December.

Happy New Year from Chaptermasters

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Jon

It’s been a bit of a weird year for 40k fans. The surprise end of 6th edition 2 years earlier than expected, the rise of Imperial Knights and other super heavies, six new 40k codex, the end of White Dwarf and Games Day, the start of Warhammer Visions, Warhammer Fest and White Dwarf weekly, the second wave of new Tyranids less than 12 month after their new codex releases. The end of Matt Ward and kidnaping of Jervis, Phil and Jemery (have you seen them recently?) If nothing else you can’t say it’s been boring year for 40k. I don’t know anyone who has dropped the hobby this year, quoting the cost of competitive play and the unbalance created by super heavies. However I don’t know of anyone who has rejoined after quitting under 6th edition. Lets all hope the new CEO will understand the damage GW management have done over the last few years and start to invest in the segments of the market that promote long term growth of the hobby. I hope your own game group faired well this year and you have been able to keep modelling, gaming and painting.

Jon, Ben and Gaz.

D.I.Y. 40k Desert Battle War Game Table using Sand

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Jon

Desert Battle War Game Table

Ben has been hard at work in his Christmas Break building a Desert Game Table for 40k. Ben had this to say.

I’ve been wanting a desert game board for a long time. The news that Gaz had to give his desert mat back to his brother convinced me it was time to stop wanting and commit some time to the desire.

To start of I wanted to try out and cost up a few alternatives. First in my mind was the GW Realm of Battle Game Board. Certainly the easiest way to go but also the most expensive and way beyond my budget and storage capacity.

The other alternative was F.A.T’s Urban Combat’ F.A.T. Mat. While it’s a lovely design and also a much cheaper alternative to GW realm of battle board, it’s beyond my budget due to international shipping cost almost doubling the price.

So the only option I had left was to upgrading my trusty old hardwood 6 by 4 board.

I looked at a few alternatives for how to create the sand effect. My hope was to use a few cans of spray sand. While the finish was promising the coverage of 1/6 of a table per can meant it was going to cost £60 to get the basic sand covered before even looking at additional paints and rocks.

I then looked at simply glueing sand to my game board or painting it with the GW sand effect paint. While this would have provided an acceptable solution it would have been very boring to create and more importantly to game on. I wanted something that better justified the amount of effort I was going to put into the project. I went to a local model railway shop and bought a number of different grades of sand as well as some larger rocks, about £20 worth in all. I tryed out different combinations mixed in a cup until I found a mix I was happy with.
.

I then had a dig around my own base making kit to see what else o could add to the board to make it more visually interesting. I came across some slate which I though I could use for small scatter rocks.

Before applying the sand I gave the whole board a spray with GW Zandry dust, sand coloured paint.

After giving this just about enough to time to dry, I used a sponge to damp down the wood and applied PVA neat. I used a plastics ruler to spread out the PVA around each board section. Some one who had done a textured board told me bush would have created brush marks in the PVA. I started the texture application by sprinkling on my largest basing slate, then smaller slate pieces, then rocks and then worked I worked down the coarseness of my different sands to create natural patterns, I tried to represent two craters on one section of the board and a rock ridge on another, but this ended up looking more like a path. Most of the sands where applied by dropping them on to the board from about 30cm, this to reduces man made patterns in the rocks. Once all the larger rocks and sand were applied I created wind effects by dropping on the smallest grade of sand from about 15cm away. This all took about 3 hours.

Once the sand has had a bit of time to dry on, I sprayed sections with GW Zandry dust paint to break up the sand pattens.

I then applied the same sand a paint to some old buildings and hills. I also edged some of my craters with sand and called it a day. All this had taken around 5 hours. Although there are a few patches Witch needs a second application I’m very happy with the results.

And the cost?
Sand (model shop) £30
Spray paint and purity seal (GW) £30
Sand spray (HomeBase) £10
Sand pants and 1.5l of PVA (GW and pound land) £10
48x72x6mm Hard board (estimate wicks) £25
Polystyrene (skip) free.

Total build time inc hills and buildings 10 hours.

Total £105

Tanks at Golden Demon 2014

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Jon

The humble tank has had a hard life in 40k in recent years. There was the can opening edition of 40k known as 5th edition, then the event of hull points which both extended and shortened the life of tanks at the same time. Finally there was 7th edition which gave tanks a new lease of life, due to the reduction in armour piercing value of AP2 weapons. However at the same time there has been the introduction of Lords of War, Imperial Knights and Wraith Knights to the standard game table, which has quite frankly squated the place of the tank as the armoured bayomonth on the block. Still it’s nice to see people are still painting them for Golden Demon.

First up we have the lightest tank at Golden Demon, well not really a tank but there are not enough Jeeps to warrant a separate post. I believe this is a Forge World Tauros Rapid Assault Vehicle painted in jungle camouflage.

Next up is a Blood Angle Predator Infurnus.

A rather blurred picture of a Iron Warriors Land Raider

The was one of my favourite tanks. If you have a problem called the Forge World Spartan, painted in Crimson Fist Chapter Colours.

A stunning Forge World Imperial Fist Rhino

The Dark Angels chase the Fallen in this striking air brushed Rhino. This looks like the work of El from Half God Studios. We will be doing a feature on his work next year.

The lone Xeno entry: Tau Hammer Head with a Plasma Cannon Turret.

Today is Christmas Eve and like all respectable men I need to go and buy a lot of Christmas presents, so this will be the last pre Christmas 2014 post on Chapter Masters. Happy Christmas from Ben, Gareth and myself. I hope your Christmas is full of fun and joy and a little 40k.

Contemptor Dreadnoughts at Golden Demon 2014

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Jon

There was no shortage of Contemptor Dreadnoughts in the 2014 Golden Demon competition. So let get right to these exquisite entires.

Sons of Horus Contemptor Deadnought Armed with plasma cannon and power fist. – Golden Demon 2014

Black Templars Crusading Contemptor Dreadgnought armed with power sword and storm shield – Golden Demon 2014

Spacewolves Contemptor Dreadnought Armed with Assault Cannon and Power Fist – Golden Demon 2014

Blood Angels Contemptor Dreadnought armed with Multi Melta and Las Connon- Golden Demon 2014

I would certainly be happy to have any of these as a centre piece to a Space Marine army. I find the Sons of Horus Dreadnought to be the most striking, while for me the Space Wolf Dreadnought holds the most interesting detail to peruse, however the Black Templar dreadnought features some outstanding conversion work and the the is the Blood Angels Dreadnought with much more subtle but still fine details. I’m glad I don’t have to judge Golden Demon, it would go on a lot later if I did.

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