Dreadtober 2025 - Introduction

It's that time of year again. Time to blow the dust off another Dreadnought and replace it with a layer of paint. My painting mojo has been a little lacking of late, so I'm using Dreadtober as an excuse to get the brush moving again. I also have an excess of unpainted Dreadnoughts laying around, so this will hopefully move another one into the painted pile.

With thanks to Marc over on the Dreadtober blog.

I'm going to be doing another Contemptor Dread for my Night Lords Heresy force this time around. I already have three painted, so he'll be in good company. This one is armed with a Gravis Autocannon and Power Fist just because it looks cool.

Built and ready to go.

As you can see from the above, the model is built and undercoated, so all I have to do is slap some paint on it. How hard could that be? Well, I suppose we'll find out.

See you in a week for a progress (or lack of progress) update!

Nagash: Supreme Lord of the Undead

Further to my post last week about my Tomb Kings army, I thought that this guy deserved a post of his very own. That's right, it's Nagash, the Supreme Lord of the Undead! I was very lucky to be given this classic metal model by a friend and wasted no time (well okay, a few months) stripping off the old paint and getting him ready for the battlefield once more.

Menacing or goofy, you decide

I grew up with this model leering at me from the pages of White Dwarf and the old Fantasy rulebook. Over the years he's been much maligned by the online community and topped the "worst model ever" list several times. Despite all of that, I find him rather charming.

He would have made an imposing figure back in the day

Rather than mimic the classic colour scheme I decided to paint him in a similar way to the rest of my tomb kings. I always enjoyed seeing him ranked up inside a unit of skeletons, so it was important to me that I could pull this off. I was a bit worried that he might end up looking drab with all the bone, khaki, and brass, so I added a few spots of green to give him a bit of colour.

I've yet to try him out on the battlefield as we don't generally use special characters in our games. However in this case I'm sure we'll make an exception. He's a monstrous prospect in 5th edition, with all sorts of special rules and a wizard level of 5. He also costs nearly 800 points by himself - that's a lot of power packed into a 40mm square base!

The scourge of the Old World

 

Warhammer Fantasy - Classic High Elves

Something different today with a few classic plastic miniatures. I grew up playing fantasy battles in Warhammer 5th edition, so these high elves are highly nostalgic for me. I have painted a few High elf models previously from the Island of Blood set, and although the models are nice, I found them very time consuming to paint.

With that in mind I decided to try batch painting the old monopose plastic archers, to see if I could get a good, efficient result.

Classic colours, blue and white

With the use of a few contrast paints, I was able to turn these around in a reasonable time frame. I was surprised how well the old plastics have held up. Some of the features are a little large, but overall they're still good models. It's great to have a finished unit which looks as though it might have graced the battlefield back in the day.

I then turned my attention to some of the plastic spearmen. If anything I'd say these are even better than the archers in terms of model quality. The features seem a little finer and they have quite a lot of sculpted detail.

The static pose is quite nice for High Elves too.

I was lucky enough to be given a collection of metal High Elf models which contained enough for a full command group for this unit. I later learned that the champion pictured above is actually an old High Elf Lord model, so he could lead the army if needed. However I'm determined to add a mounted general at some point.

The unit reached 15 models in all with a full command. However I don't seem to have taken a photo of them, so you'll just have to make do with these 8.

Just imagine there's 7 more of them

 

Warhammer Fantasy Battles: Tomb Kings

Continuing with some of the projects I've been working on. I discovered that an army list for Tomb Kings was written for 5th edition fantasy in a copy of White Dwarf. After hunting it down I decided to start an army.

I've used a mix of models throughout, but I think they've turned out quite cohesive and the army looks nice as a whole. To start with, here's some classic GW skeletons from the old vampire counts range which were supplied with some decidedly Khemri looking metal parts for the banner and musician.

Retro, but still good models

I was very lucky to be given these by a friend who was getting rid of their old fantasy models. Some of the skeletons had suffered a bit over the years, but generally they weren't too difficult to rebuild.

The banner actually looks a bit 40k

I went for a turquoise colour on the shields in an effort to make them look more like Khemri skeletons and less like Vampire counts.

Next up is a classic screaming skull catapult. This is original metal, although the crew were sourced from separate sources. It's a wonderfully goofy model and I'm very pleased to have it in the army.

Nothing better than classic undead

Then we've got some tomb kings horsemen. I think these were originally released for 6th edition fantasy. They're basically the original skeleton steeds with some newer riders added and the iconic Tomb Kings shields. To me these seem very authentic and go a long way to making the army look correct.

Even got the command group

After painting these I noticed I had done the base rims in the wrong colour, so had to go back and redo them.

I didn't bother to take another photo though

Next up is the Tomb King himself. In the 5th edition list the Tomb King always comes with a chariot and the whole thing has a single stat line. I guess this was an attempt to simplify an army that would field a large amount of chariots. At first I didn't like this, but it actually seems to work well on the tabletop, so I've changed my mind since.

Behold the glory of Khemri

I sourced this model from TT Combat as part of their Maxmini range. It's a great little kit that required some clean up, but I'm happy with the end result.

The core of the army is made from skeletons which I bought from Warlord Games. They're very cheap and easy to paint which was very appealing when large units are the order of the day. The construction method on this kit is a little unusual, but once you get it down they're fairly straightforward.

Skeletons with spears

The boxed set also came with a Liche model who I've painted up to add some much needed magical support to the army. I've found that the Khemri list struggles to fit as many magic users as the Vampire Counts because of the general. So adding additional wizards is a must.

Leading from the front.

The Warlord games kit comes with no options for command models, so these were made from a variety of spares I had leftover from other kits.

Skeletons with swords

Then I added another chariot because the army desperately needs them. This was a rebuild of another of the original Tomb Kings kits. The crewman was replaced with one of the Warlord models as were the javelins.

Ride!

I'm quite pleased with the pose I managed on this chap. I think it adds some dynamism to the model.

Replaced the bow as well.

Finally, here's another shot of some of the skeletons led by a classic mummy sourced from Maxmini. I really like these guys and I think they are very similar to the old metal mummies from the classic undead range.

The banner was stolen from a space marine.

Night Lords - Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness

It's been forever since I've posted here, but I've not been idle. For your amusement I present a selection of miniatures from my ever growing Night Lords Legion army which I've been building since the release of the Horus Heresy second edition.

First up is a converted Chaplain which I made from one of the Praetors which comes in the Age of Darkness box.

Jump Chaplain

I decided to go with an axe on this guy and then field it as a Headsman's Axe in game. I know technically they're supposed to be chain weapons, but my regular opponents can't tell the difference. I added a jump pack so he can support either my assault marines or night raptors depending on which squad is being played.

Pretty pleased with that axe

Next up is Sevatar. Technically my Night Lords are on the road to Terra, so he shouldn't be included as part of the army. But he's a brilliant character and a cool model to boot, so I had to have him in the collection.

Death to the False Emperor!

Speaking of Night Raptors, here's a unit of 5 I added to the army. I have 5 already painted from my forays into the Horus Heresy during the first edition for the game. So generally I envisage that these will be used as a big unit of 10. Clocking in at a whopping 400 points, they're terribly inefficient, but I do love the models and the background.

Lightning claws are always good

I painted a classic box dreadnought which I've had kicking around for years. It's a really nice classic Forgeworld model and I'm glad to have it finished and added to the army.

Old school cool

Last but very much not least. I painted up a super-heavy tank in the form of the Falchion. I got this in a part trade with a friend who had started building the kit but lost enthusiasm. It needed a fair bit of repair work to get it to a decent state and I needed two attempts to get it painted because the sponsons were absolute murder. I'm very jealous of anyone who owns the modern kit which comes with the plastic sponsons.

Big and brutal

I really love the way this thing looks; it reminds me of the old mammoth tanks from Command & Conquer.

I should have added a couple of havoc launchers

Monster March - Classic Ogres - Week 4

It's been a bit of a disjointed week on the painting front, so much so that I've sort of forgotten about these ogres I managed to finish off!

Fresh from their raid on the local brewery.

Don't panic, I haven't painted all of these within the week. In fact after last week's update, I only had the banner bearer left to paint. Of course I had to go to the trouble of making him a banner out of green stuff! I've been putting this unit together as part of a goblin army I'm making for Warhammer fantasy fifth edition and I'm pleased to report that this brings them up to the 1000 point mark.

You can see a couple of Golgfag's ogres lurking in the back.

The majority of the unit are models from the early 90's back in the herohammer days. I've supplemented these with three of Golgfag's ogres which were part of the regiment of renown released later on. I think they match pretty well but I must admit I prefer the older models. I've had these models hanging around unpainted for over twenty years, so it's quite delightful to have them all painted up.

Sorry the photos are all a bit samey.

So what's next for Monster March? Well, I have a Kings of War giant which I would love to include in this growing goblin army. However it's a huge model and I'm not sure I'll be able to get it done in time. Still, I'm determined to make the effort, tune in next time to see how far I get!

Monster March - Golgfag's Ogres - Week 3

Monster March marches on and I have kept up the pace this week. Last time I pledged to paint some classic ogres to join my growing goblin army and I'm pleased to say I've finished two more.

Hideous? Or full of character?

I've had these models for decades and never painted them (or even fielded them) so it's been really nice to pick them up and get them finished off. Honestly I'd kind of written them off as ugly old sculpts that I would never want to paint, but they have proved to be incredibly enjoyable. These old metal hand sculpts have lots of nice details and respond really well to simple techniques like washes and drybrushing. I've enjoyed them so much that I've now painted seven of them!

The drummer is wandering off to the right for some reason.

Those of you who are long in the tooth (like me) may recognise these models as some of Golgfag's Ogres which were released as part of the fifth edition fantasy Dogs of War army. Honestly the only reason I have them is because my local store was doing a promotion at the time where they gave them away for free if you spent a certain amount. I guess they weren't selling well! 

I'm really enjoying Monster March this year; as always it's being superbly run by Swordmaster over at Path of an Outcast. Loads of people have joined the challenge and seeing the work they are producing is very motivating. Keep up the good work everyone!

Right, I've got another ugly old ogre to paint so I'll see you next time for more Monster March!

Monster March - Warhammer Hydra - Week 2

We're back with another installment of Monster March. Last week I pledged to paint a hydra to join my old school goblin army and I've raced ahead with the painting. Behold the result below!

Somehow, it's finished.

Yep that's right, I went and got all excited and finished my pledge in the first week. It wasn't all plain sailing though and I'm still not one hundred percent sure about the finished model. If you like it, leave some positive reinforcement in the comments to stop me from repainting the damn thing!

As I said last time, I really wasn't sure which colours to use on this beastie. I knew I wanted to use green so that it tied in with the goblins. So I started with a Vallejo yellow-green basecoat, but that really didn't look right.

Yeah, I hate it.

After doing this basecoat on Wednesday night, I slept on it and then covered all the green areas with a layer of contrast terradon turquoise the next day. That made me feel a little better about things.

I chose the orange because a hydra strikes me as a semi-aquatic creature and I thought something like a fire bellied newt might look cool. Plus in Warhammer 5th edition they can breathe fire so I wanted something that would tie in with that. I basecoated it with Vallejo game air orange over a white undercoat which looked quite nice but was a bit wishy-washy.

Basecoats looking better.

So I painted on a sort of striped pattern with Citadel blazing orange which gave it a bit more life. It still needed some depth though, so I put on a coat of Reikland fleshshade. I tried doing the claws in purple but that looked dreadful as well, how frustrating! In the end, I settled on a nice neutral colour.

That's a lot of heads to paint.

By comparison, the shaman rider was very easy to paint. I already have an established scheme for my night goblins so I just used that. Even perched up there behind the head crest he wasn't too tricky.

The finished article.

Anyway, after what felt like a rather arduous week of painting I'm pleased to have it done. I like the final colour scheme, but I'm worried that it clashes horribly with the rest of the army! At the moment it's sitting in the cabinet next to the goblins and we'll see if I go nuts and try for a repaint.

Putting the hydra aside for a moment, I've somehow finished my Monster March pledge. Time to go for some stretch goals then! I've been working on a unit of old metal ogres as part of the goblin horde and I have a few more to paint, so it seems like a good time to break them out and see if I can finish them as well!

Here's two I made earlier.

I love these classic ogre models and it would be great to finish the unit. Come back next week to see how I'm getting on!

Monster March - Warhammer Hydra - Week 1

Somehow it's time for Monster March again. That seemed to come around quickly!

For those who are unaware, Monster March is a community painting event hosted by Swordmaster over at Path of an Outcast. I have participated for the last four years and am very much looking forward to getting involved again this year with the hydra pictured below.

White undercoat for that old school look.

It's been quite a while since I updated the blog, but I felt like making the effort to support my favourite community painting event. Over the past couple of months I have been delving back into Warhammer Fantasy 5th edition and returning to my early wargaming roots. I've updated my ancient Dwarf army and begun building a horde of Night Goblins as well. The hydra which I will be painting for Monster March will form part of this force.

For anyone who doesn't remember the old orc and goblin rules from 5th edition fantasy (probably everyone?) they have a huge selection of monsters which can be ridden by various characters. I've chosen to add a hydra ridden by a Night Goblin shaman mostly because they're uncommon and I like the model.

The hydra itself is part of the Start Collecting: Anvilgard box set which I split with Blazmo over at Tabletop Apocalypse. He's working on a Dark Elf force, so it worked out nicely. For the shaman rider, I mostly used parts from the Night Goblin boss model along with a couple of chains from the Drukhari range.

So far, I've built the model along with the rider and primed it white. Next up is basing and then I'll start slapping on some basecoats. I'm not really sure what colour I want to paint it yet, so tune in next time to find out!

Adeptus Titanicus - Legio Fureans Warbringer Nemesis Titan

It took me a little while to paint this one up but I'm back with another tiny titan for my Legio Fureans forces.

Serious firepower!

I really like the look of the Nemesis Warbringer, so it's a joy to have one (even a tiny one) in my Fureans maniple. As with my Warhounds, the arms are magnetised so I can change the weapon fit. I didn't bother to magnetise the quake cannon up top as it seems like a really solid option and the modelling looked fiddly. At the moment I've only painted the laser blaster and volcano cannon, but I intend to add a gatling blaster in the near future.

So much yellow paint.

It was pretty arduous laying down all that yellow by hand and then freehanding black flames over the top, but I'm very happy with the final result. I pushed myself by freehanding the Fureans logo on the left kneepad too.

Flame on!

I've stuck with aethermatic blue contrast paint for the weapon glow effects and I'm very pleased with the way it looks. The time investment is very low but the colour really pops, just what you need when you're starting to go yellow blind.

I can't wait to get her on the field, but the Legio Atarus will definitely need some reinforcements before trying to tangle with this beastie. I've made a start working on a Cerastus knight banner to oppose her and I hope to add a Reaver as well. That should even things up and make it interesting.

Fureans walks!

Tune in next time when I hope to have some Legio Atarus titans to show off as well as talking about some of the results of our early test games. We've had a couple so far and I have to say Titanicus is an excellent game!

Adeptus Titanicus - Legio Atarus Warhound Titan

Following on from my last post I've painted up a Legio Atarus Warhound to oppose my Legio Fureans forces.

The first Legio Atarus titan walks!

At times this felt like a bit of a grind to paint because I don't find the colour scheme as exciting as the yellow and black of Fureans. However, now that it's done I'm very pleased with the finished product. I chose to arm this one with two twin turbolaser destructors (the best weapon name in the whole of 40k!) just so that the two Warhounds have different weapons. The weapons are magnetised in any case, so they can be swapped out between games.

Turbolasers! Zap zap.

As with my Legio Fureans titan I've used contrast paints for the eye lenses, weapons and the base. I'm really liking the easy effect of using these paints and definitely want to experiment with them more in future.

Engine War!

So, with one titan each for the traitors and loyalists it's time to get a couple of test games in! Come back next time for a quick rundown of my thoughts on the game and to find out the winner of the first little skirmish.

Adeptus Titanicus - The first steps of a new Princeps

 As the title suggests I'm dipping my toes into a new game. Namely Adeptus Titanicus!

Painted up my first Warhound.

As many of you will know, I am a regular 40k player. However, a number of factors have made me want to move away from 40k. First off, lockdown due to Covid-19 has caused a dramatic decrease in the number of games I've been able to play over recent months. This, coupled with the increasing complexity of faction special rules (most prevalent with Space Marines) has made me lose interest somewhat. I still love 40k and still want to play it, but it feels like time for a bit of a step back and to try something new.

I've wanted to try smaller scale gaming for some time but have been put off of Adeptus Titanicus due to the pricing. However, as it was my Birthday this month I was able to get the starter set as a gift from my lovely wife. So far, I'm very impressed with the miniatures and the rules, although I've yet to try them out on the tabletop.

I chose Legio Fureans, basically because they look cool.

In terms of the awesome little titans, my plan is to paint them up as two different forces. That way I might be able to do a bit of socially distanced gaming with them. I've chosen Legio Fureans as my traitor forces and painted up the first warhound in their colours. I've named her Bavajuda, which roughly translates as Spite.

For the loyalist forces, I'm thinking that it will be Legio Atarus. That way I can set all the battles within the second Paramar V campaign which creates a nice historical narrative.

Final shot of Bavajuda.

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. Working from home has somehow left me less time for blogging (I kind of feel like it should be the other way around!) I will make the effort to do more regular updates here so you can follow my Titanicus journey.

Cerastus Knight Atropos - Painted

Greetings all! Sorry posts have been a bit few and far between, I've been working from home these last few months and it's been a bit disruptive for my blogging schedule. I haven't been idle on the hobby front though. I used the time to break out my Cerastus Knight Atropos and get her painted.

Hazardous!

The Atropos is my favourite pattern of Imperial Knight so I pulled out all the stops to try and do the model justice. I tried really hard with the hazard chevrons and the checkerboard and overall I'm really pleased with the way she turned out.

Some tasty transfers too.

The kit itself was delightful, absolutely festooned with quirky Mechanicum details. Anyone who's handled one knows that the Cerastus kits are immensely poseable and I tried to get some dynamism into mine without going too crazy.

Profile shot.

Those of you who have followed this blog for a while will be familiar with the green and beige scheme common to my knights and adeptus mechanicus. I've used the same scheme here and I've tried to add some more interest with the patterned panels and transfers. I tried to make the base interesting too by adding a small piece of terrain and some rocky debris.

Detail of the base.

I'm really thrilled to have added the Atropos to my collection. I've had the kit for a couple of years but was put off from attempting it because I wanted to do it justice. Now that it's complete I'm pretty damn happy with the finished product.

Right side.

As far as the tabletop goes, 9th edition is looming and we are supposed to be getting revamped rules for all Forgeworld models. I'm not sure what this will mean for the Atropos, but even if her rules are rubbish I'll still love her.

Hopefully I will be doing another post shortly showing off some of the other things I've been painting while at home. Come back soon and check it out!