Category Archives: Forge World

40k, Dark Eldar, Eldar, Forge World, Inquisition War, Malifaux, Reaper, Retrospective, Scale aircraft, Tools, Ultramarines

2014 Hobby Year in Review

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It’s almost the new year, so I think I’m contractually obligated to write up some kind of retrospective.  I started tracking my backlog (and therefore all hobbying) in January, and blogging in May, so I actually have a pretty good record.  In the last few weeks I’ve caught up with all the projects I completed in 2014 but hadn’t yet written up.

Overall stats

I started the year pretty deep in hobby debt, with a significant backlog from a store closing sale, and went deeper after buying a Space Marines Strikeforce for some Inquisition War projects.  I dug myself out, though, and worked all the way through the backlog.

Hobby Progress Burndown (Nov 2014)

  • 60 projects completed
  • 131 individual models
  • 94 infantry models (including 55 40k dudes, 6 40k characters, 17 Malifaux models and 16 Reaper Bones models)
  • 18 vehicles (14 40k, 4 non-game airplanes)
  • 19 markers, tokens, and the like
  • 6.7% of the Bones Kickstarter models completed
  • New workspace, with much more functional desk, shelves, and paint racks
  • Exclusively used painted models in every game

Warhammer 40,000

Revenant Header

The Warzone Harat three-part campaign finished up in January.  The finale was an apoc-style event, which got me to buy and paint up a Revenant Titan, my first experience with Forge World.  The other big ongoing event was the Inquisition War campaign at Endgame, which gave me the excuse to paint up old Necromunda models as the Inquisitor and retinue, and finally do the Deathwatch Kill Team I’ve been considering for ages.

In addition, I had a pretty large backlog to work through, which meant quite a bit of Ultramarines, Dark Eldar, and Eldar got hobbied.

Malifaux

terrortot_headerI’d been contemplating adding a second miniatures game into the mix, but had never pulled the trigger.  Early in the year I got a demo of Malifaux.  Then, Wyrd’s summer painting contest convinced me to pick up and paint a box.  Once that was done, I had no choice but to play.

Since then, I’ve built up a decent selection of models.  I still don’t really know what I’m doing, but I get more confident with every game.

Reaper Bones

I participated in the first Reaper Bones Kickstarter back in 2012, which was delivered in 2013, and I finally started painting in 2014.  For a while I was trying to do one per Thursday (Random Rursday), but that stopped being fun, so I stopped.  I’m still painting them when the urge hits me, and keep a couple primed on standby.

Scale Aircraft

Scale models header

I got back into miniature wargaming a few year ago through scale models.  The nice thing about wargaming is that it has a built-in excuse to show off your work.  I only found a little time for it this year, but like the results.

Looking to 2015

Malifaux is occupying most of my miniatures brain these days.  I’ve got a pretty decent backlog already which will probably take me through February or so.

I’m going to Adepticon in March.  I’m signed up for a mix of 40k, Malifaux, and hobby seminars.  I haven’t decided what, if any, hobby goals I have ahead of the con.  If I want to do anything special (build out my Deathwatch for Combat Patrol, maybe?), I need to get serious about it soon.

Beyond that, it’s hard to say.  I have a hard time imagining myself starting a new 40k army at this point, but I can see myself building my existing ones out.  I have an desire to complete the Neverborn faction in Malifaux (well, the plastics, anyways).  I get to play few enough games that I worry I won’t understand all the rules, much less actually play with them.  Or maybe I should collect masters instead of factions.

I’ve also got my eye on both Dropzone Commander and Firestorm Armada, but I’m pretty sure I already have too many games…

40k, Dark Eldar, Forge World, Spin-o-matic

Dark Eldar: Reaper

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The Reaper came together pretty quickly.  It’s a Forge World resin/plastic kit based on the Raider.  It’s been primed and waiting for me for a while.  I’m not sure how effective it is (it’s gotten nerfed a couple of times with edition changes), but it looks pretty cool.  I may use it as a centerpiece for a haywire-themed army, along with haywire Wyches and Scourges with haywire blasters.

Dark Eldar Reaper

I really like the sail on this model, although it was a pain to get ready.  It came a little warped.  While it easily can be adjusted with hot water, it’s hard to get it straight.  Plus there was a ton of flash in the rigging, although it cleaned up pretty well.

Dark Eldar Reaper (front detail)

Even though these dudes have no rules supporting them, I figured I ought to bling out the model a bit.

Dark Eldar Reaper (rear detail)

One of the more subtle resin bits are these extra trailing blades.  The main gun also runs all the way through the hull, which I think is kind of neat.

This completes my Dark Eldar backlog, so I’m ready for the new codex!

Updated July 2019 with improved images

40k, Eldar, Forge World, Past Projects

Eldar: Revenant Titan

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At the end of 2013, I participated in a narrative campaign (Relic War / Warzone Harat) put on by the G3 Santa Cruz group.  It was a three-part event hosted by Endgame.  I took my Dark Eldar with Eldar allies.

For the finale, they ran an “Apoc-lite” event – basically a high-point game with super heavies, but sticking to the force org chart otherwise.  This was announced at the end of the second day, in November.

I decided to use this as an excuse to get an Eldar Revenant Titan.  With the third game in January, I had about 8 weeks to select, order, assemble, and paint the model.  I made the deadline, but it was a bit intense.

Revenant full
Revenant full

I had originally intended to magnetize the fins on the back, to make it easier to transport.  It ended up wobbly, though, so I glued it down.

Revenant front
Revenant front

The gun barrels are successfully magnetized, so I can (in theory) get sonic lances if I wanted to swap it out.  It also makes it easier to transport.

Revenant cockpit
Revenant cockpit

I didn’t like the hinge mechanism on the hood, so I just snipped it off and put on a couple of magnets (notice a trend?).

I knew that the kit came with two hood options.  I was surprised to find that it also came with a second lower head piece.  I may someday use that for a terrain piece or something.

Revenant rear
Revenant rear

The rod is to hold the whole thing together.  This is a pretty top-heavy model, and even though I pinned all the major joints, there was still a lot of play.  A little acrylic rod fixed it up, although it still makes me nervous every time I move the model.

Revenant base
Revenant base

I have a loose idea of the Dark Eldar/Eldar force being opposed to some Necron force, and using dead Necron bits on the bases.  This model is the most elaborate one by far (although it’s still pretty simple).  I decided that the Revenant just blew up a Tesseract Vault, then jump jetted on top of it to select the next target.

I bought a couple of bits from the Vault kit off Ebay.  The C’tan bit was stupidly expensive (well, it is a standalone unit in Apoc..), so I instead used a Dr. Manhattan HeroClix miniature.  I tried putting the model in boiling water to repose it, but the damn arm wouldn’t stay down.  I ended up cutting it off and putting in some tentacles.  I also made tentacles, using Green Stuff Industries’ Tentacle Maker (though mine are the v1 opaque ones), for the Canoptek thing.  This let me shape them however I wanted before the putty cured.

Overall I’m very happy with how the model turned out.  I wish the airbrushing was a little more consistent, and that it stood upright on it’s own.  It does look nice in the cabinet, but I should find more opportunities to play with it.