Eldar: Guardians

These guys are part of the first reinforcements for my Eldar allies force.  I should get a different color background to photograph against, so the white helmets and guns don’t get lost.

Eldar Guardians (first half, front)
Eldar Guardians (first half, front)

The heavy weapon platform is magnetized, and the weapons can be swapped with War Walkers

Eldar Guardians (first half, back)
Eldar Guardians (first half, back)

I’ve gone for painting all the blisters on my Eldar as gems in a couple colors.  I think it adds a nice bit of detail.

Eldar Guardians (second half, front)
Eldar Guardians (second half, front)

This is a pretty old kit, but it goes together pretty well.  The arms are matched, but once you cut them off the sprue it’s hard to see which goes with which.  Since I generally don’t glue on arms until after I’m done painting, I need to keep track of it through priming and painting until I get to final assembly.  I ended up sketching out each pair’s defining characteristics (the pendant and arm angles, mostly).

Eldar Guardians (second half, back)
Eldar Guardians (second half, back)

 

Backlog complete

Finishing Andre Durand brings my backlog down to zero for the first time since I started tracking it.  This seems like as good a time as any to talk about what the backlog means to me, and how it I use it.

I started using Kanban Tool to track my hobby progress after hearing about using kanban boards on the Independent Characters.  I’ve set up categories for different projects (Space Marines, Dark Eldar, Eldar, Reaper, General Hobby, etc), and using swimlanes to roughly divide up the categories into systems (40k, 40k models from when I played way back in 2nd/3rd, Malifaux, other).

I set up the columns to track the state of each model/unit/project:

  • Acquired: I own the model.
  • Selected: The model is currently selected to be completed.  More on this later.
  • Assembled: The model is assembled, including any gap filling or the like.  If I intend to paint the model in subassemblies (which is almost always), then the subassemblies are completed.
  • Basecoated: The model is primed and any airbrush basecoat is complete.
  • Active Paint: Just what it sounds like.  Even if there are a number of models or units ready for paint, there’s usually only one or two that I’m working on at a time.
  • Painted: Painting is complete, but there’s still work to do.  This might include varnish, basing, decals, or final assembly.
  • Done: Finished and ready to use.

I’ll often batch up a couple of things for priming and airbrushing, then pick them off for active paint one at a time.  Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate for spray-based varnish, so models sit at Painted for a while.

I try not to buy too far ahead of what I can paint, or buy things I’m not intending to immediately paint.  Ideally this would mean that few things sit in Acquired without being Selected.  Most of the volume is individual models from the Reaper Bones Kickstarter, but there are also leftovers from bundles and some limited editions pieces.  Most unpainted stuff that I have from my first foray into 40k (2nd/3rd edition days) isn’t in here, unless I intend to paint it up.

Between overbuying at a store closing at the end of 2013 and buying the Space Marines Strikeforce to build up for the Inquisition War, I had too much backed up.  I declared no buying more models until I cleared it.  Naturally, I cheated some — I bought some Malifaux for the summer painting contest and in their Gencon deal.  I pulled some models out of my deeper stash.

The backlog won’t stay clear for long.  I’ve already picked out a few more Reaper Bones to paint, and bought a box to expand my Malifaux collection.  There’s always the next thing.

Random: Andre Durand, Time Chaser

Andre Durand here is the latest miniature from the Reaper Bones Kickstarter to be completed.

I kept it simple, just some basecoats, washes, and drybrushes.  I did pick out a bit more of the detail with the highlight after drybrushing, though.

Andre Durand

And with that, the backlog is officially complete!  Which, of course, means I’m free to buy more miniatures, so I’ll probably build up a new one all too soon.

Updated November 2017 with improved images.

Ultramarines: Multimelta Marine

While I was painting up the last Tactical Squad, I added one more into the mix.

I bought a devastator box for cheap over a year ago, and have waffled on what exactly to do with it.  It doesn’t have enough included duplicated weapons to make an effective Devastator Squad or to equip a bunch of Tacticals.

Multimelta Marine

I decided that I was letting the indecision hold me back from doing anything with them, so I’d make up the multimelta as an option for one of the tacticals.

I went with marking it for Squad I, since that’s the one without raised Ultramarines shoulder pads, so I thought it would fit in the best.

The end of the backlog is so close I can taste it.  Just one more Reaper Bones to go!

Updated July 2018 with improved images.

Hobby, games, and other amusements