I've been busy

Last base painted and now everything I need to test the rules for Operation Squad is done. Tonight these will get a good coat of gloss varnish followed by transfers and pigments to dirty the boots.

Hope you like them!

What is Operation Squad?

Glad you asked... something that got me back in painting my WW2 project again. After the Bull from my last post is now complete, he still needs a nice base. I already did a test but I am not sure if I will stick to it. So I put it aside for a while to work on something different and come back later with some fresh new ideas.

A few months ago I bought the Operation Squad rules. A ruleset I do really like and always wanted to give a try. A few weeks ago Warlord Games released the first expansion which covers all kind of vehicles. This got me back in setting up a small squad for some tryouts which do need some work and paint. On top of this Warlord announced a new Ruleset for 28mm WW2 gaming they will publish in a cooperation with Osprey.
Something that will get me wild surely.

So... what is next on my schedule? I currently work on some American Infantry.

Mostly American Infantry from Artizan but I couldn't find a nice medic. So.... I had to come up with a small conversion. The mini you can see on the right is a Offensive Miniatures American Paratrooper medic with legs from an Artizan American Infantry model. I think it will be the next I will work on when the BAR und the MG assistant are done. Hope you like them!
 
Any comments or criticism from you?

Times up... put away your pencils, aehhhm brushes!

Ok, I hit the deadline yesterday. Did I make it and is the Garden of Morr painted?

No.... I must admit that I did not make it! But...  I quit painting it over a week before the deadline. I could not stand painting another skull. But before I start complaining the win goes to Sascha. Congratulations!

But I will work on the rest of the box and hope to get it done without stress in the next weeks.



But did I take a break from painting... not really. I took up that Oger buzz that is somehow in the air at the moment and finished a mini I started a good time ago. I'm not satisfied with the highlights but nothing a blending can not repair. So enough for the talking and here are some quick shots... Hope you like it!

Day ... erm, 14?

It's been quiet here... too quiet. But I have been busy and made good progress. At least I think that I did!

Ok, what have I done till the last entry... everything has been undercoated black and all parts expect the crypt buildings got the stone parts painted in a grey midtone. After a few tryouts I am now satisfied with the palette and hope this will speed up painting the rest .

But one thing horrifies me already, painting all the skulls which are really uncountable on all the different parts.

But now a quick WIP-picture with my mobile. Better ones when I'm done with those nasty skulls...

Day 3

Ok, I must admit that I am a small step behind my expected plan. But here is a photo of what I have done till now.

The sprues are done and each thing is ready for priming. After thinking of blacker white primer I finally will use the black one tomorrow and ready my trusted airbrush to get the first grey mid tone done. I think the next photos will show you the first WIP shots... so stay tuned!

And Now for Something Completely Different - Day 1

It has been quiet here for quite a long time. Any excuses what took me so long? Hmm, I spent some time on the hobby and did paint a bit... but not as much as I liked to.

But a few days ago I finally met up with some friends for a game. And as we looked over the upcoming Miniature releases I stumbled over the New Garden of Morr from Games Workshop. This really looked ace in the pictures and I muttered to myself that I would really like to paint  this one. A friend hearing my mumbling said that I would not make it ... as always. I looked at him and answered "It'll be done in a month, deal?"

So keep the story short, I got myself quite a challenging bet and a good chance to keep new posts coming here on the blog. The content of the box must be painted till the 8th September and the finished results must be postet here as a prove that everything is done in time.

I post my progress as I will tackle myself through this box. So here we go:

Day 1
Started unboxing the sprues and I'm surely getting crazy painting that many small skulls. Note to myself, better check the pictures for those fiddly details in the picture next time. But I build the first 7 parts of the box. Three crypt-like buildings and two fences to go and everything will be done. Not that satisfied with the look of the
bases. I think I will put some sand on these and tomorrow it is time for the undercoat. As my girlfriends birthday is tomorrow I will not have the chance to get alot of things done. So some quick pictures when I'm done building tonight.

Listen to me, you whore-gutted, pock-marked, motherless scum... I need a favor.

Strange headline for a blog? Right... but some of you might identify it as a quote from Vasco Rodrigues in the TV-Mini Series Shogun from the 80s. But where will this take us? ... I started a new project.

I've been toying with the idea of medieval Japan for quite a long time. It got me hooked from the time I first saw the Perrys Miniature Line some years ago.

A few weeks ago a friend told me about an article in Wargames Illustrated, where Aaron Loomis worked on the Legend-Ruleset from Warhammer Historical and adapted it for the Feudal Japan background. It was published under Legends of the Rising Sun and is really worth having a look in my opinion.

This rules pushed me over the edge and as I read that there will be a possibility to get the required miniatures on the Tactica I made this a new project for this year.

So what am I up to next? After some Osprey Research and watching the Shogun-DVD (I just had to buy it) I will get the blisters next weekend. I already put up a small Samurai warband for 100 pts. So expect some WIP shots at the start of next week!

What is coming up in 2011

A lot of people start talking about, what they plan for the new year. What projects they are going to work on and what new things they are up with. Seems not such a bad idea for myself.

So what am I interested in this year? First I will work on my Bolsheviks for the Russian Civil War. I like to give the Triumph & Tragedy rules a try and will build up a starting force with the Copplestone Miniatures I already own. First pics will be in the next post I think...

The other project is my WW2 force. I already started some tests for an American Infantry last year. Not sure if I will stick to Rules of Engagement oder Disposable Heroes here. Found some guys over at the Sweetwater forum and think that this is the push I need to get something done. Will use mostly Artizan and Bolt Action for the Infantry and Tamiya and Bolt Action for the Vehicles.

Last thing is a British fleet for Trafalgar. Already got the ships and I think I will spend some time on these when I need a break from the 28mm.

But we will see at the end of the year what progress we all archived, right?

Here we go....

So welcome to my new blog. Will post here to keep you informed about what is up on my desk at the moment.

To get things started, here is the mini I use as my avatar.

I hope you like what you see and comments are always welcome!