Oldschool "Epic" Tyranid Heirophant - Finished

 Here is the little finished bug.

 

Oldschool "Epic" Tyranid Heirophant - WIP

After the Exocrine, I've acquired a taste for bigger tyranid models and the next ‘epic’ beast is already in the making. Unlike the original Epic version, however, I won't be building the weapons above the head, but rather hanging downwards, just like the current Forgeworld version. 

You can download the files here: https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/space-bugs-insectes-de-l-espace-61-artist_t

After an initial trial run, I printed out the body and head again in a larger size. While the rest of the model is 250% larger than the original, the body and head are 350% larger. The first printout was also not completely clean and contained errors.

Oldschool "Epic" Tyranid Exocrine painted

It was fun to paint the Exocrines and the Termagants. Looking at them gives me a cosy, nostalgic feeling. I've also printed a second exocrine in the meantime and I'm even thinking about going one size bigger. 

Oldschool "Epic" Tyranid Exocrine

I'm still riding the nostalgia wave. So I'm returning to my retro Tyranids. I'm starting with an Exocrine in the old Armorcast design and a few Termagants with Spike Rifles.

The original Armorcast Exocrines are now rare and expensive. That's why I looked for printable files. I found two quite good versions. One is free, the other costs just under 11 euros:

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/alien-bio-tank-mbt

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/space-bugs-insectes-de-l-espace-30

I liked the 11 Euro version a little better:

I printed the Exocrine in two parts with my FDM printer and then glued them together. It worked surprisingly well.

Old, older, Oldcrons - Necron Raiders Destroyers

I was lucky enough to get my hands on three of the first Necron Destroyer models. These were painted quite quickly and fit in well with the other models from that period. To be honest, I wasn't a fan of these models before, but now I quite like them. They are absolutely archaic and have an interesting, unusual design.

Old, older, Oldcons - Army Shots

My small Oldcron army has now been completed. So I didn't miss the opportunity to take a few atmospheric pictures. I hope you like them and feel transported back to the 90`s and the old White Dwarfs.

 

 

 

(Single pictures of the Destroyers will follow tomorrow.)

Dire Chicken Heavy Scout Titan

Initially, I was less than enthusiastic about the Dire Wolf Heavy Scout Titan and I shared the malice regarding its unfavourable advertising image aka ‘the chicken’. The plastic kit does offer a slightly more dynamic stance. Nevertheless I went ‘all in’ on the ‘chicken’ theme.

Presenting the ‘Dire Chicken Heavy Scout Titan’ for my Slaanesh themed Legio:

The head comes from this old style Slaanesh Titan/Knight model. So it's also a tribute to the 90s.

I'm already looking forward to the first games with the Neutron laser.

Old, older, Oldcrons - Immortals and more Warriors

Recently, I painted five more old Necron Warriors and five Immortals.

In contrast to the Necron Warriors, the Immortals are bulkier and far more intimidating. Their larger frames and heavier weaponry make them a menacing foe. Nevertheless, the simple Warriors look great next to the imposing Immortals, creating a diverse and striking force.

With these models finished, I'll soon have enough painted miniatures to play my first "40k in 40 minutes" games.

 

Old, older, Oldcons

I would like to present my new, small army of Necrons. Although "new" is very relative. The army will consist of the very first Necron models from the 2nd Edition.

The models of the first Necrons were simple but impressive. Their skeletal appearance, combined with the cold, metallic aesthetic, clearly distinguished them from other armies. The first miniatures conveyed an eerie, almost ghostly atmosphere that fit her backstory perfectly. Back then, humanity didn't know who or what Necrons were. Therefore they were introduced as Necron Raider and there was a very manageable number of models.

The Necrons brought unique gameplay mechanics that set them apart from other armies. Their "We'll Be Back" rule, which allowed them to rise again after death, reinforced the feeling of their unstoppability and immortality. These rules made them a strategically interesting army that opened up new tactics and ways of playing.

For many long-time gamers, the very first Necrons certainly bring back memories of the early days of the hobby. The simplicity and charm of the old models are of particular value to many fans. The introduction of the Necrons in 2nd Edition later expanded the Warhammer 40k universe significantly. They brought new stories and a new dimension of threat into the background. Their connection to the C'tan, the god-like beings, and their hostility towards other ancient races such as the Eldar, enriched the lore and created exciting narrative possibilities.

It was cool to browse through the old White Dwarfs (217 - 218 - 220) to get in the mood and indulge in nostalgia:

However, I don't want to 100% imitate the old Necrons and will bring a little more colour into the game. I painted the first models and the colour scheme somehow went in the direction of classic Khemri or the Nihilakh dynasty.

 

Iron Hands: Assault Marines

To give me more punch in close combat with my Firstborn Marines, I recently bought ten Assault Marines cheaply and gave them a simple paint job. I also used a few other bits to build a second Sergeant in case I ever want to play two squads of 5. Quick 'n' dirty:

Yesterday and the day before yesterday, I used extensively for gaming. 

First, Chilla-Bot and I took a dig at Adeptus Titanicus:

The next day I played a retro game with my son using the 5th edition 40k rules: 

 

Order of the Sacred Rose: The Ardentia Secundus Incident

Last weekend, I played the first 40k games with my Sororitas. It was against a friend's Dark Angels and Grey Knights armies. And what can I say? We hadn't had so much fun playing 40k in a long time! We were using the 5th edition rules, so there were no problems with "rules-bloat" and the "mental load" was limited. There were also no Primaris. 😁

We managed to play two very exciting games in just under 5 hours with 1,500-point armies on each side.

In an old convent of the Adepta Sororitas on Ardentia Secundus, a Space Marine in dark armour has been hiding for days. He looks and speaks like one of the Astartes, but something inexplicable surrounds him.

Suddenly, the roar of engines breaks over the convent, and before the sisters can prepare themselves, they are surprised by a sudden attack from the Ravenwing. The Sororitas rush to the defence, their hearts filled with determination and faith. The battle is short but fierce. The Sisters of the Covenant fight with brave hearts and unwavering will, and although they suffer heavy losses, they manage to fend off the Ravenwing attack for the time being.

As the smoke of battle clears and the Sororitas tend to their wounded, they discover that the dark-armoured Astartes has disappeared...

 

In the days following the devastating attack by the Ravenwing, another threat looms over the battered planet. A new ship manifests from the turmoil of the Warp. The Grey Knights, the legendary warriors of the Ordo Malleus, sent to eradicate any trace of darkness that may have remained on the planet, descent.

A desperate battle breaks out once again outside the Covenant as the brave sisters of the Adepta Sororitas resolutely confront the mighty Grey Knights. Their hearts filled with unyielding faith and determination, they fight doggedly against the overwhelming might of their opponents.

The air fills with the sound of bolter shots and the metallic clash of blades as the sisters of the Covenant stand against the Grey Knights with courage and united will. Their faith in the Emperor gives them the strength to stand against the looming darkness, and their resolve is unwavering.

In a desperate battle that causes the walls to tremble, the sisters succeed in repelling the Grey Knights' attack. Their determination and faith in the God-Emperor prove too powerful. The Grey Knights realise their mistake. Respecting the sisters' unwavering will, the Grey Knights retreat in defeat, their mission unfinished.

It was fun to play with the Sororitas. MVPs were St Celestine and the Death Cult Assassins. The Acts of Faith were okay, but I need to familiarise myself with them more. I'll probably paint more Seraphim next. They were pretty good, just because they were so fast.

Printheim - Part II

I want to show you how I built the individual panels that form the basis for Printheim: 

To prevent the individual panels from warping and breaking, I reinforced them with wooden battens. The battens were glued and also nailed on.

Once the glue had dried, I glued a cork mat on top of the panels. These mats will serve as a base for everything that is coming later. And that´s it. Easy, cheap and straight forward.

I also had to familiarise myself with the print files first. The first house was printed quickly, but when positioning the first miniature, I realised that the house looked too small. After I scaled the files up by 20%, it looks fine.

The larger scale makes everything look "realistic" and the minis actually fit through the entrances. On the picture below, you can clearly see the print lines (0.2mm). I will try to soften these later during priming.

Printheim - Just another Mordheim Project

Ever since I was able to play Mordheim a few times on Goatmörser's fantastic gaming board a little over ten years ago, I've always been intrigued by the idea of creating my own gaming board that captures the dark atmosphere of the City of the Damned.

Such a project always seemed too intimidating and time-consuming. Many Mordheim projects drag on for years and then somehow never get finished. I can't rule out that not happening here, but I will take a few shortcuts.

That's why I decided to take a different approach and will be focussing on 3D printing (FDM). Hence the name for this project:

I hope to complete this project in the next three to four months.

The first step was the rough planning of my game board. To start with, I will build four individual boards measuring 60x60 cm. I roughly sketched out how I imagined the cityscape, with narrow alleyways, dilapidated ruins and dark corners inhabited by sinister characters. Then I started looking for suitable 3D print files. Fortunately, there are plenty of free and reasonable prices Mordheim terrain files online, such as these from MINIATURELAND.

I've completed a few larger terrain building projects like my Sororitas Shrine, Retro Orc Killteam board, Combat Arena Board or a Blitz Bowl Pitch. But that's precisely why I know what a huge task it can be to build a board like this. So kudos to all those who do it completely by hand!

To further enrich the gaming board, I will use prefabricated terrain such as from the "Terrain Crate" series from Mantic Games. The status of the first board currently looks like this:

As you can see, it will be a temple plus three ruined houses, some trees and a wall. While this first tile is still at ground level, I will also use platforms on the upcoming tiles to make the playing field a bit more interesting vertically. However, I won't be using cellars or bodies of water. They look great, but I don't see any real added value in terms of gameplay. For me, they are simply dead areas.

By the way, I won't be printing the platforms, but building them myself. They will be roughly in the style of my Blitz Bowl Pitch.

I'm looking forward to your suggestions/tips and hope that "Printheim" won't be boring despite the printed terrain. Hopefully the matching paint job will bring everything together nicely and make the terrain look unique.

Order of the Sacred Rose - Rhino #2

I have finished painting the second rhino for my Sororitas. The exciting thing about this model was that I used a second-hand Rhino and pimped it up with Mulliput parts due to the lack of original parts. I created the moulded parts with the help of Oyumaru aka Instant Mold. The Milliput-Rhino is in no way inferior to the original. It is just considerably heavier. 😁