Update 12/22/14: Mordheim

My motivations jump around like crazy.  I haven't been in a painting mood for awhile now and I don't want to force it.  But it's not as if I don't want to do anything.  For whatever reason the terrain bug has hit me.  I showed the start of a two story ruin last week and I've started a multitude of other buildings since then.  I want to do at least one more two story ruin and on three story before I start the finishing touches and start painting. 

In the meantime I've been working on a few elevation change sections made from some extruded poly my friend gave me.  I decided one section would look like stone and the other brick.  Here is what I have so far:

I only have a few sides done to this point.  I like the distress look on the brick tile and that is much easier and faster to do.  The "stone" tile takes a long time.  I see from the photo I need to do more depth differences to make the stones look real.  I am happy with the overall look.  I just hope it looks good painted up.  I took a quick scale picture too.  The elevations are high enough to make the players climb or find stairs.

The plan is to have multiple elevation section.  With the brick pattern being so much easier to make, it will likely show up much more often. 

I hope to have a lot more to show you soon.

Update 12/17/14 - Mordheim

Over three weeks and no post to show for it.  I really haven't taken much time to hobby.  This time of year is difficult to find any time away for hobby-ing.  I salute those who have the motivation to take what little time they have to do posting, painting, whatever they can.

I'm starting to get more excited about doing a Mordheim campaign.  I've played 1.5 practice games and think it will be fun.  I've been watching/listening to some YouTube channels lately also.  One is LongIslandWarGaming and the other is TheTerrainTutor.  I've learned rules from LIW and tips for terrain and inspiration from both.  The only problem with that is I keep adding things to my docket and not finishing other things.

Oddly enough I had some sick little ones starting this weekend and caring for them allowed me some time.  After playing, what little I have, I noticed the importance of having terrain for Mordheim.  Terrain cost money, no surprise in that statement.  I don't have much discretionary money and there in lies one of my problems.  In steps The Terrain Tutor with a solution of sorts.  He has a playlist entitled "How to make foamboard buildings and ruins for urban wargaming."  Foamboard is foamcore as I know it and so far, I've found, it can be obtained rather inexpensively.  If you watch any of his stuff my building will look very familiar to his; minus good looking cuts.

Foamcore Ruins

This start took me about two hours only because the windows took about 1.5 of those.  (I need to come up with a better cutting method... or be a better cutter)  I altered his measurements slightly to make the windows slightly larger but with the minis from my Witch Hunters in there the scale looks pretty good.  I know it looks quite rough now but as I go along it should look better.  If it looks anything like his finished building I'll be very happy.  The idea behind this type of building, for me, is that I can use it for play as I finish more steps.  It doesn't look good at this point but it's functional.

I would like to get three or four ruins done to this level before I go on.  Now I just need to figure out a ladder system.  I'll probably use some balsa wood or something.  So far I've spent $3.71 on foamcore board and used 1/3rd of the sheet I bought.  I figure that one sheet (30" x 20") should make me two ruins with some scraps leftover for odds and ends.

Update 11/25/14 - Mordheim

Its been an incredibly long time since I have posted anything.  That could mean a few different things.  In some cases it would mean I haven't done anything, but I actually have... well, some.  Whatever time I've actually had was used mostly for assembly.  I've assembled and cleaned about 30 miniature that I'll paint someday.  Assembly is not my favorite thing to do.

I did break out my new Games & Gears brushes for some painting.  I've never used nice brushes before so I didn't want to wreck them.  I used them for a very small job and so far I like them.

As for the Mordheim work, I added some highlights to some pieces.  Its not much.  I may have found a new player though and soon I may be adding more to my assembly and painting workload.

Start of giving the Capes texture and color

 I've also done more on the gaming table front and I will start photographing some of the progress on that front shortly.

Update 11/3/14 - Mordheim and Nurgle

This is what has been done over the weekend.  I did minimal work on the Nurgle team and my Mordheim warband.

Purple wash over a beige flesh

From the back

Red wash, green wash, and bone on the horns

Some Mordheim stuff.  I almost finished the Warrior Priest and one of the Witch Hunters.

I doubt it but I would like finish my warband this week.

Update 10/23/14: Nurgle

I am having an absolute blast doing my test models for a Nurgle Blood Bowl team.  I finished blocking in the base colors on the pestigor and warrior last night.  I decided I would make some colored metallic colors to use on the armor.  I did this by mixing the base (either green or black) into some Citadel Chain-mail at a ratio of 2:1.

Washes will "dirty" these guys up.

Still need to block in the pestigor flesh and fur.

I have a few ideas in my mind of making these guys look gross.  I'm looking forward to finishing these guys up.

I used some VMC Bronze to accent a little but I don't know if I like it.  We'll see when the models are further along.  I've seen alot of purplish pestigors, blue ones, and brown ones; I'm not sure what colors I am going to use yet but I'll probably paint up all different colors.  There are four on the team so I can mix and match them.

Update 10/22/14: Mordheim

I got a package in the mail that I've been waiting on for what seems like forever.  I backed the Games and Gears, Ichiban Studios brushes.  I haven't used them yet but I will shortly!

I'm almost done with the basecoats on the Witch Hunters.  I used all sorts of mixtures of browns, greens, and reds to get the step done.  I  still need to basecoat some parts and then it's on to shading and highlights.

Close, so close

Update 10/20/14: Nurgle

I didn't post much last week so I'm making up for it now.  Randroid suggested some reds or pinks for my rotter flesh so I thought I'd try it.  I think I may have gone overboard with it so I added back some purple also,

Red and Purple to the Front

Red and Purple to the Back

After that I wanted to put a bit more green back on him and I got some Citadel Athonian Camo Shade.  Mixing up my own was using too much of my materials.  I like the color very much and will probably use it way too often now.  I don't have any photos of this step but you can tell going forward.

I was happy with the flesh now but wanted to make it grosser?, more gross? I don't know.  Anyhow I decided to make his bumps look puss filled. I used very thinned down bleached bone.  I think I may have gone overboard with this too.

Eww

Basecoated the horny things too

He still has some way to go but I can see the end and I think I like it.  Details, horns, and base and I think he'll be done.

I had some extra paint on the palette so I added some color to my other Nurgle stuff.

What color is pestigor flesh?

Dirty warrior

Armor ideas?

Update 10/20/14 - Mordheim

I intended to post something last week but the pictures didn't really show much.  I based the cloaks and hats as seen below.

VMC German Camo Black/Brown

Well you can sort of tell there is a color on the cloaks that's not black but I don't think that warrants a post (even though the posting is intended to motivate me).  I decided I needed to get all of the base-coating done before I could post it.

I want all the cloaks to be the same color to give the Order uniforms of sorts.  Each set of clothes will be different though and all will be dirty and dingy.  I don't want these guys to have bright colors at all.

I've done a bit more work on the Witch Hunters giving them some more color for their clothes and such.  I've only used green and browns currently but I intended to have a better variety of shades as I go.

I don't know why this is going so slow but I'm having trouble with the motivation to paint these guys when the Nurgle rotters are staring at me.  I think I need to play something.  All my "play" time has been playing Dominion, which is fun, but it doesn't get the painting juices flowing.

Update 10/9/14 - Mordheim

I got a little bit more time to paint some on my Mordheim crew.  I used a palette containing Citadel Ratskin Flesh, VMC German Black/Brown, VMC Flat Brown, and VMC German WWII Beige.  I mixed these colors into five different shades to base coat the flesh for the five heroes.  I dropped more Flat Brown than I needed so I started to base one character's boots.

Heroes (yes, I broke my captains hammer)

This whole painting for 15 minutes doesn't allow me to get much done.  I spend five minutes on setup and clean up is another 3 minutes, that leaves a whopping seven minutes of paint time.  I may need to change how I do somethings.

Update 10/8/14 - Mordheim

I haven't been able to do much work on my Witch Hunter warband.  I did get them primed earlier and now I'm on to painting them.  The next time I play I would like to have them all painted.  I can only find about 15 minutes a day to paint/hobby so one color at a time might be the best I can do for awhile.   I applied a layer of VMC Gunmetal Grey to all of the metal bits.  Here are some pics of the warrior priest because he has the most metal areas.

Body Armor

Tattered Sheild and Chaos Hammer

 I hope to get more paint on these guys shortly.  I decided to give myself multiple projects so as not to get burnt out on any one project.  But so far I am excited most about my warband and getting that Nurgle team done. I'll get there.

Update 10/6/14 - Nurgle

My ever slowing progress on my rotter flesh has lead me to a few new steps.  I had already based his skin beige and given him a sepia wash as noted previously.  Now to make him look diseased and decayed.

My first step was to dry brush it with the beige color and then with it lightened by some off white.  I them added some green and blue blotches by thinning the colors down with medium.  The blue areas really stood out.

Dry brushed and blotches

My next step was to mix up a purplish wash.  It was made with beige, green, blue, red, and some flesh wash until I got a dark purple color and then I added medium and water until it was wash consistency.

Purple-ish

The final step was meant to give the rotter a green tint.  I added yellow and blue until I had the green I wanted and then it needs to be thinned down some more.

Greenish

He has since dried and has a disgusting skin tone to work from.  I'm happy with how the skin looks, now to add some detail to it.

I also finally got my Witch Hunters primed and can start getting color on them too.

Some local gamers are in the process of starting up a local game club mostly featuring WHFB which I have never played but am interested in.  I enjoy painting so the thought of painting up a ton of minis is exciting but spend money on all the models I need isn't in the cards right now but we'll get there.

Update 9/30/14 - Nurgle

Well I finally took some time to paint.  Did I paint my witch hunters?  Nah.  Touch-up the DoA?  Nope.  I decided to put one color on some Nurgle BBers.  I have been interested in techniques for rotting flesh.  I had some extra color on the palette so I painted a couple areas on a Nurgle warrior and a Pestigor as well.

The one I wanted to try was the flesh on the rotter.  I put down layers of VMC Germ. WWII Beige and followed it up with a sepia wash.  It will be dry by tonight so I should get to do more tonight.

Rotter

Pesty

Nurgle Warrior

These pictures are more to refresh my memory as to what I'm doing.

Storytime - Mordheim - Getting My Feet Wet

"It's time boy.  You ready?"

"Let's do this."

The oaken door opened onto a dark, dark night.  Kihot is leading us to the western ourskirts of thecity.  Our group has no formation, no rank as we take the long walk toward the trouble.  There have been reports of strange happens beyond the farm lands that surround this area.  Missing livestock, dried up wells, diseased fields.  It is unknown what exactly is causing it but we know it must be stopped.

Brat Khresti raises his hammer as a signal to stop our movement.

"There" warns Khresti.

He motions with the hammer in the direction of a large barn off in the distance.  (How can he see, it's pitch black out here?)  There's no moon to light the sky and our torches make it impossible to see that far.

"They're coming this way. Extinguish your torches."

The darkness is now upon us.  As my eyes adjust in time to see the door of a small, nearby hovel close.

"Slesh, secure that building." commands Kihot

Vtrara and Palomnyk take up their positions at the sides of Kihot and Brat Khresti.  Fanatyk, Oderzymi, and Synyak head out to the left of the order.  And finally, Chayst and myself head to the right.  The fight begins now.

Get to Work!

Oh time, time where did you go?  September has gotten away from me on the hobby front.  I did take part in the US Blood Bowl major, Chaos Cup.  It had record breaking attendance and I wish I could say record breaking play from me.  But, oh well, 2-2-2 is okay I suppose.

Before that some storms decided to roll through the neighbor leaving us without power for three days and then giving me three more days of glorious yard work to complete.  Now things are back to normal so I’ll be able to start more painting.  I also really need to get to build my table, too.

I played my first game of Mordheim with my Witch Hunters against my friend Randroid and his Undead.  We tied in objectives but he knocked all of my Flagellants and one hero out of the game.  So he did much more damage to me.  I haven’t finished painting up the warband so that will be the first painting task.

Here is my To-Do-List (This should last me at least until the end of the year):

• Finish my warband
• Build 4’x 4’ table
• Touch up my DoA
• Build my human team
• Fix a friend’s Undead/Necro team
• Re-paint a Nurgle team that was painted by someone else
• Misc (just on here to justify wasting time on unimportant stuff)

That is more than enough to last me.

Mordheim Update 8/26/14 - Zealots Almost Done

Zealots

It's been more than a week since I last posted on here.  The fact that I did little-to-no work on my warband is a little disappointing but I got stuff done around the house.  In all this time I didn't get to work on my table idea or terrain either.  Last week was a blur.  Oh well back to some hobby time.

I was able to get an outstanding hour and a half in last night.  The majority of the work actually went into doing the final touches on the green-stuff cloaks for my Witch Hunters and their captain.  I'll put some pics up on that probably tomorrow.  I also finished up the cloaks on the three flagellants.  But this post is dedicated to the almost-done zealots.

I wanted to try a few things on these guys and all-in-all I'm pretty happy with them.  The story goes that they were former soldiers turned, well, zealous.  This meant I wanted their uniform and armor to appear broken down and dirty but to hint at former glory.  Not ambitious at all, I know.  Here's what I did.  Before I primed them I went crazy on them with my hobby knife.  With the base coats I painted them up pretty bright with yellow and blue uniforms and metallic silver armor.  Then I used multiple brown washes to "dirty" them up.  I wanted to give a sky-earth feel to the metal but wasn't sure enough of myself to do NMM.  Instead I used brown washes to give the earth feel and mixed up some blue, white, and tan colors with allot of medium to make up my own "sky-wash."  Here are some pictures.

The sky earth feel is a little heavy but it works for a first try.

I think they are sufficiently dirty.

I just need to finish up their bases and do some small touch-ups and they're good enough for me.

Mordheim Update 8/15/14 - Flagellant Accent Colors

Alright!   I made a whole 25 minutes for painting last night.  I decided to glaze the other two flagellants.  Until I get them finished they won't be giveen their proper names so I'll refer to them as red, yellow, and green.  Red has an orange accent.  Yellow has a green accent.  And the green one has a red accent.

Red doesn't have a front accent

... to the back

If I get some time this weekend maybe I can finish these three.

Storytime - Mordheim - Dinner

I am utterly exhausted.  I thought I was more than prepared to take on this task.  All I want to do is rest.  Right now the bare rocky ground would be welcomed.  My eyelids are so heavy, my muscles are so sore.  We enter the building.  I don’t have a room of my own to slink into so I shuffle toward the great room.  That makeshift cot is there.  Ah, sleep.  Brat Khresti has left me to go to his quarters.  I open the door daydreaming and yearning for the approaching sleep.

Oh man…

The disappointment was evident on my face.  Eight sets of eyes look up at me.  I think I’ve interrupted dinner.  Dinner.  Yeah, yeah, I am hungry.  I pull up a chair and reach for some bread.  The eyes that looked up at me now pierced my skin.  Just the weight of the stares stops my hand.

"Hungry?"  Kihot questioned.

"Yeah."  I said sheepishly

"Do you think that's for you?"

"Uhm..."

"What did you do to earn that?"

"Nothing"

"Do you still think you should do that?"

"I need food.  I can go get some bread from my bag, I can pitch in."

"I don't think you can."

The fearful look on my face was now replaced by a look of confusion.

"That is the bread from your bag.  It's a treat for us. No mold.  We couldn't resist."  Kihot chuckled.

The confusion was replaced with relief.

"Dig in!"

Mordheim Update 8/13/14 - Red Flagellant's Accent Color

I squeezed in about 20 minutes worth of painting last night and decided to do the accent flap on the "red" flagellant.  I decided to do his flap in an orange color.  I used VMC Flat Brown, VMC Germ. WWII Beige, and P3 Khador Red Highlight to mix up different glazes.  I happy with the way it came out.  I think I like how this method turns out but it takes a long time.  The area I painted was tiny.  I added a touch of VMC Off-White to the last layer.  This is how it looks.

20 minutes and all I painted was that little flap

I think it looks sufficiently dingy for the type of life he leads.  His robe looks chalky from the basecoat so I'll try to fix that.   The other flagellants didn't do that so I must have messed up on the colors on him, I don't know, but at least I only need to fix one and not three.

Mordheim Update 8/11/14 - Green Stuff Sculpting (Almost Done)

Whew.  I'm so close.  Just a few more steps and I'll be ready to prime and paint the warband heroes.  All of the capes and hoods are basically done.  I think I'm going to try to add some folds via green stuff sausages, using a tip I saw in a video.  Also I still need something to bring the warband together.  I have an idea for that.  I would like to get that done soon.  Here are the last of the basic hoods and capes as well as an almost finished version of my favorite miniature, Brat Khresti.

Witch Hunter Captain

I can see already I made him hard to paint

Witch Hunter

Blank spot on base may get filled by a "ruin"

Warrior Priest

Brat Khresti

I've been getting faster at things so I am better able to take advantage of small windows of time.   I'm still undecided on the skulls on the warrior priest, hmm.

Mordheim Update 8/8/14 - Green Stuff Sculpting

I didn't think I'd get the chance to do much last night.  Turns out I sculpted two capes and one hood in one hour.  I only have one cape and two hoods to go!  I am finding it a touch easier to sculpt and I am definitely getting faster.  I've got an idea of what to do to tie the warband together.

This model will have a hood.

The hood is down on his back.

I did my first hood and think it has turned out okay so far.  I realized as I was writing this post that this is the first appearance of the warrior priest.

The hammer is from a chaos warrior box.

The torso is from a Blood Bowl human lineman.

I think I'll remove the skulls... maybe.

Getting closer, I think the September deadline will be doable.  Please leave a comment on your opinion on the skulls and such.  Thanks.