Shadow War - Archeology part one

One of the joys of Shadow War - Armageddon is the ability to use all those odd boxes of figures that you bought but never got round to doing anything with.

So I had a look through the boxes in various locations (and reunited the Tau Pathfinder instructions with the kit) and found these.

Though not actually a Kill Team choice in SWA, the renamed Stormtroopers have various uses for Imperial Guard or Inquisitor kill teams.

I knew I had a box of Pathfinders somewhere, and a couple of weeks ago I did find the instructions, and now they are reunited with the kit.

I bought a number of boxes of the 2005 Chaos Marines cheap at Salute one year (what year I do not know). It is the original multi-part figures (two lots of four Chaos Wombles with a Chaos mutation sprue and a Chaos Marine sprue with a Heavy Bolter and Officer bits). They were originally bought to supply bits for Forge World Chaos Marine conversion packs.

Dark Space Pixies (or in this case Maniac Nightmare Pixie Girls - and boys).

 And finally a box of Skitarii (I have an Enginseer as well).

Started with the Chaos Wombles. The plan is a stripped down squad of five, very basic weapons.

For The Greater Good - part four

There has been a conjunction between my camera and the two Crisis suits (there was also an unfortunate conjunction between the Monat suit and the floor which snapped both ankles of the suit).

So after pinning (0.7mm brass rod) the ankles back together here are the pictures.

First up is a Fireknife-7 configuration suit (suit configuration names are from The Guide To Mech Tau)

Next up is a Monat suit.

In the original Codex, it was not made clear that if you had two identical weapons, that they had to be twin linked, so when I built this suit it was designed to have two (not twin linked) fusion blasters.

Now I am undecided between continuing with the original design (Sunforge - TL Fusion Blaster and shield) or a Helios with Plasma Rifle and Fusion Blaster (and shield)

As this suit was designed to have the weapons mounted on the shoulders, there was no room to add the multi tracker allowing shooting with two weapons. Though the multitracker was hardwired (previous Codexes) I wanted a representation on the figure.

Looking at the accessory normally used to represent the multi tracker, I noted that it would also work as a head, so I drilled a hole for a central eye and used plastic rod to make the lens and added the usual two aerials from a standard head to the side.

I also added an unfolded hand, the fingers again made from plastic rod.

I used the same painting technique as the fire warriors.

Next up a Stealth Team and a Piranha.

For the Greater Good, part three

I make haste slowly.

First squad of Firewarriors.

Same style as the earlier one.

I have two Crisis suits nearly finished, I just need to get them and the camera in the same place.

For the Greater Good... Part Two

So, on Thursday I visited my my local purveyor of plastic and resin and had another chat, mainly about the recently released Space Pixies. However, slightly inspired (and having chatted about painting techniques), I was inspired to revisit the Firewarriors that I undercoated back in April (Glaciers are always rushing around in my opinion).

So, I decided to paint through one figure to come up with a coherent paint scheme that I could complete before all the stars go out.

So I started with an base coat of Humbrol 93 Desert Sand spray, followed by some filling with Humbrol 93 acrylic.

 I then used GW Scorched Brown to paint the under suit, and Vallejo Black for the Tau logo, vent and the handley bit on the bottom of the backpack, face plate and the circular bit on the gun. You may notice that this is a different figure, yes, I forgot to photograph the base coated figure...

 I then dry brushed with Karak Stone followed by Dheneb Stone (a colour that will be sadly missed).

 I then washed the whole figure with GW Flesh Wash (in the old hexagonal bottles, I have some very ancient paints).

 Another drybrush, this time with Humbrol 93. The lenses were then painted whte then Blood Red. The Tau logo was repainted. The base was then given a coat of Wilko Wood Adhesive and then piled Woodland Scenics Ballast Light Grey Fine over the adhesive. It will be painted later (Graveyard Earth or its equivalent).

It is not going to win a Golden Demon, but once the base is painted it will be playable.

So, I now have a plan, but how long will it be until I have an army to fight For The Greater God...

For the Greater Good... Part one

Games Workshop's recent release of the third iteration of the Tau and a conversation with Daniel, my local purveyor of plastic and resin, prompted me to have a look at what I have previously purchased.

Inspired by the new Codex, I even started assembling some of my previously purchased items. As you can see, some of the boxes are from the original release all those years ago.

So I now have six assembled Tau Firewarriors and a Fireblade awaiting undercoating, plus I have even started assembling the plastic torso of a Forgeworld XV89 Iridium armoured battlesuit (I had forgotten what a chore that was).

By the way, there are more boxes awaiting assembly, these were the most easily accessed.