Night Goblin Spearmen to Level 1 - Start to Finish

Our LGS is pushing painted units quite strongly and I welcome it. One of the biggest attraction for new players is of course nicely painted armies facing off each other. When I looked at my army one of the biggest units that could do with some paint was the large unit of 49 Night Goblins. 

Majority of the models are all from the previous Warhammer Fantasy starter box set called the Battle for Skull Pass. It came with 40 Night Goblin Spearmen and another 20 Night Goblin Archers. It is by far the best way to raise a Night Goblin army fast and cheap. 

Also, looking at them, it is quite easy to get them to Level 1 which was rather surprising. I'll go through the details with each picture

Base them all with sand and sprayed them with Flat Black. I had painted a few models at the front from about 4 years ago

Boltgun Metal to all spear tips

A bus is quite intimidating

Bases go a long way to enhance the look of these minis. Started with a quick drybrush of Snakebite Leather on all bases

Get a cheap and hard bristled brush to execute this. You will destroy your good brushes

Hit the bases with Bleached Bone to highlight the sand. While that was carried out, I started working in the skin with Knarloc Green. Remember, this is targeting only level 1 so we really don't have to worry about highlights to the skin until much later

Then I hit all the shields with Blood Angels Red. I have also completed wetbrushing their cloaks with Chardonite Grey

I find that working on the same colour across 49 of them to be the best. Wash your brush every 3 to 4 models depending on how quickly your paint dries. This is to prevent your paint from drying on the brushes leading to splayed bristles. 

So as I was painting I dropped one of the little guys on the floor. Stepped on it and then picked him up. After 5 minutes, I felt something wet and sticky under my foot. 

So I took a peek and found that my foot was bleeding! LOL never challenge your miniatures! 

Got back to work on their shields rims with Boltgun Metal. Remember at each stage, use one colour and try to complete the entire stage in one seating. 

Finished painting up the spear hafts with Scorched Brown

At this stage you can see that the unit is pretty much ready for the table top. At Level 1, they are all in base colours but because they are so tiny, you can't really tell whether they are at Level 1 or 2, making your work highly efficient in man hours.

There are a few more steps to get them to Level 2 (which is mainly for my units):

1. Yellow to shield embossing
2. Streaks of Goblin Green to skin
3. Bleached Bone to teeth
4. Space Wolf Grey to create hood dags

Once you do the 4 steps above, no one can complain about your beautiful minis!

Also on the table now is a unit of 20 Night Goblin Archers. I am contemplating using 2 units of 20 Archers in some of my games. However, I think I may have to complete my Savage Orc Boyz before I can start working on those Archers. 

Keep following us! 

Basing up the Rock Lobba

In anticipation of my 2500 point game with Defu who is back from New York, I am preparing my army to be fully based and ready for battle. My priority is to get them up and running, sacrificing painting for models on the deck supported by the right movement trays and bases. Warhammer Fantasy is quite a 2D type game unlike 40K which tend to use the vertical plane so getting the bases all done up right is important. 

I have painted up the Rock Lobba so I started work on its base. While the rulebooks do not state what size the warmachine is on, I just took one of the movement trays which housed the Rock Lobba nicely. It had to be able to accommodate the crew's footing as well. 

Using the old movement tray, I took the larger one to be the base for the Rock Lobba

To fill up the internal area, I measured and drew a box on a spare cardboard 

Getting a flush fit is important for me so I went back to this part with the metal ruler and knife to get a smooth plane

The card was not thick enough so I  used 2 layers. This is a spare cut-out so I can show you how it works. Now the entire movement tray is filled with card

I then trace a second piece 

Stack them both together internally and now you have a flushed base for the Rock Lobba

Flushed on all sides

Nice and clean base

Magnetised the bases of the crew. I used rare-earth magnets as my crew are metal and I wanted them to stick to the base

Traced out their footing on the base

Dry fit to ensure that this was correct

Once I cut the holes out, I used PVA glue to put the board into the space and glue it all down

Now for it to dry. Leave something heavy like this tub of sand and PVA glue over it to create a strong sandwich. 

Layer PVA and then add sand to the top

Do not get any PVA into those holes otherwise you will be spending a lot of time cleaning it out

Leave it overnight. Usually I would basecoat the entire model with spray can black but since the model has already been completed, I had to work on it by using a brush and paint instead.

Keep everything nice and smooth

Once the base is ready, bring the crew back

Pop them on the base and viola, they are stuck to the base, nice and secure

Nice and secure

WHIP! 

Really like my work on the skin tone

I hope this helps you guys to prepare your armies for 8th Edition. I know basing them up is not mandatory but in a game of square bases, it seems a little weird having skirmishing units surrounding a warmachine like this. Also, it helps protect the nicely painted minis! 

WIP: Painting the Savage Orc Warboss

So I got around to painting my Savage Orc Warboss and thought I would expand on my tips from my post yesterday. 

Bear in mind that this miniature will get the full treatment, going up to Level 4 (Hero Level). I have defined this to include full shading, multiple levels of highlights (minimum 3 layers). However, I intend to use it also to show you how you can get an army ready to Level 2 quite quickly and put the miniature to the table fast. 

Here are the quick steps: 

Glue up the model and stick sand to the base. Prime model black

Work in the base coats. Always start bottom up, i.e. dirty work like drybrushing of the base and then skin. I used Knarloc Green for the skin, Scorched Brown for wood/bone/straps and Codex Grey for stone

Pick out bone with a layer of Dheneb Stone but leave some of the Scorched Brown showing near the joints

Wash the entire mini with Devlan Mud to organic parts and Badab Black wash to stone

Leave your miniature to dry. We are effectively at Level 1 now. You can actually start gaming with this miniature. With the base done and the mini looking like it has shading, this is all you need to get a game in. This took me about 15 minutes minus waiting time for paint to dry.

Stay tuned for more and as always Follow to get regular updates!

Dust Warfare Stat Cards

So if you are like me and got into Dust recently but would like those really nice cards that come with Dust Tactics, you must be asking yourself, "I wish I had those". I spent some time looking around for alternatives but finally came across one which was just pure brilliance. 

Over on FFG Dust Warfare forums, 536RodneySmith has been putting together awesome stat cards for our beloved game. It captures all the stats and special rules, putting them in one easy to find place. Since I have been asked a number of times where I got them and how I did mine, it inspired me to create a tutorial to make nice cards. 

First go download the cards you are seeking at FFG Forums where you will find the link for a Dropbox album. This has all the units from the Dust Warfare Main Rulebook.

Once at Dropbox, I just downloaded each stat card that I needed. Here are some samples of the cards:

With the newer units from Zverograd, you will find the stat cards which Dakkon and KevinBakon put together in here. Awesome work from everyone involved.

Really handy when these units are so new. A page entry showing where  you can find it's original rules

I then pop them all open in Picasa 3 (which is awesome to manage all your photos BTW) and print them out. I used a set of 4 in 9cm by 13cm.

9cm x 13cm Crop to Fit, a set of 4

Once this is printed, all you have to do is go out and buy some card protectors. I got myself these from a local stationery store for S$1.50 each. They are hard so they do not bend and have a heft to it which I like. I got 15 pieces of them and slipped each of the stat cards into them.

Japanese brand called Card Case size B7

Unit represented! 

Now when I play, I have easy access to them without having to flip my rulebook and expansion books. Yay!

Just yesterday I was using them for a 3-way game! Batrep this way

Sam's Corner: WIP: Dark Angels

Posting for Sam who has been busy with Nurgle...oh wait was infected by Papa Nurgle.


Its been really busy at work and I fell prey to Nurgle's plans, yet again! Just recovered from some flu thingy and am back to painting and some converting. Also plan to draw up some new purity seals.

I did a quick paint up of an old Space Marine I had lying around. Again this marine was previously a Salamander, Space Wolf, Blood Angel and I think Celestial Lion lol!

WIP: Dark Angels Sergeant

Decided to continue my Dark Angel marines from the 5th Company. This one will be my normal Sergeant.

He was primed black and then I applied a layer of Dark Angels Green. Then another layer of Dark Angels Green and Goblin Green mix (80:20).

Highlights were done by adding Scorpion Green to the previous layer mix.

WIP: Ravenwing Black Knights
My Black Knights are mainly just normal Ravenwing Bikers. I'm not too keen on getting the new box set as its a bit too steep for me at the moment. I am resisting temptation..for now ;)

I just added the Plasma Pistols from the Assault Marines sprue to replace the bike mounted Boltguns. And hey, I got some Plasma Talons.

The Black Knight Sergeant's Corvex Hammer is made from an extra Thunder Hammer with one side snipped off. I replaced it with the tip of a scabbard from the Space Marine Scout sprue.

A bit of a closer shot from the front on how the el'cheapo Plasma Talons look.

Enjoy!