Camera Comparison (old vs. older)

Just a little fun with the cameras tonight.  I finally found the charger for my 2 year old Casio Exilim 7.2 Mp camera after having it be lost for a few weeks.

This first pic is from my 8 year old Olympus Camedia 2.1 Mp.  The second if from my Casio.  Both are pretty much in default mode, with only the macro setting on, no flash and using self timer.  I think both cameras were using f1.8.  The setup for the mini was exactly the same for both pics, meaning I didn't move the mini or the lighting between shots.  The only change was switching the tripod over to each camera.

I like the colors a lot more on the newer camera.  I wonder if CCD technology has gotten better or is the internal software better now.  Looking at the two pics I would say the Casio pic looks more like the mini, warts and all.  Clicking on each pic here should give you a good idea of how much more information the Casio records than the Olympus.

And because I just can't seem to give up goofing off and go to bed here are a couple more pics I took tonight with the Casio.  It takes nice pics, but it really captures the flaws too.

Hobby Tip: Stronger Superglue Bonding

Bonding large metal pieces together can be a challenge, especially when the bonding surface isn't shaped convenient for pinning.  One trick I just started using is to sandwich a small piece of absorbent paper in between the pieces.  Here's how you do it.

1. Get a paper towel, fast food napkin or possibly even toilet paper (basically any paper that can absorb the glue) and tear out a single ply.

2. Place a drop of super glue on one surface  and then place a small patch of the paper onto the super glue.

3. Place another drop of superglue onto the matching surface and press onto the paper.  Hold together until glue is fast.

4. Trim any paper protruding from the join.

After the glue dries you will find the glued join is extremely strong.  As an example, I glued the two body halves from this Hordes model (Skorne Titan Gladiator) together using this technique and was unable to pull the two halves apart.  I could probably separate them with a tool, but with just my fingers is was very difficult.

As an aside, this technique will add a very thin spacer in between the two pieces, but the tolerance of these pieces is typically more than enough to allow for it.

Blood Raven Painted (to date)

My Saturday battle with Joe's fully painted Goff army really has me inspired.  Tonight I got as many models as were possible out and painted the final little details on them, then arranged them for the group picture here.  They all have chapter symbols and squad symbols now.

Shown here are:

• Captain in terminator armor
• Chaplain w/ jump pack and plasma pistol
• Librarian
• Captain w/ power weapon and bolter
• Sergeant w/ power fist and bolt pistol
• Sergeant w/ power weapon and bolt pistol
• Sergeant w/ chainsword and bolt pistol (Assault on Black Reach model)
• Sergeant w/ chainsword and bolt pistol (Battle for Macragge model)
• 15 Marines w/ bolter
• 2 Marines w/ missile launcher
• 1 Marine w/ heavy bolter
• 2 Marines w/ flamer
• 5 Assault Marines (inc. Sergeant w/ power weapon and bolt pistol)
• 6 Sternguard Veterans (inc. combi-melta and combi-plasma)
• 5 Marine Terminator squad (inc. Sergeant w/ power weapon and storm bolter)
• Dreadnought w/ missile launcher and plasma cannon

The funny part is that I can barely field over 1300 points with what I have painted.  Finishing up the Land Raider Crusader and the two Razorbacks (Stronos pattern and TL heavy flamer) will increase that another 420 points.

Blood Ravens Dreadnoght

This fellow was fielded yesterday against the Orks (Orks!  Purge the beasts!)  I didn't know I was playing Orks when I put him in the list, but the ability to drop two templates was certainly appreciated.  The plasma template scattering off the target nearly every time was irksome.

The body is an AoBR dread, which I had originally painted for a "Black Reach in a month" painting competition, in which you paint the entire box in four weeks (it was a tie in with the release at our local GW store.  I lost, thank you berry munch.)  The top book thingy is from the Librarian in terminator armor, and makes it nice and Blood Raveny I think.  The missile launcher arm is from a regular dread kit, with some plastic tubing put inside the arm socket to make it fit the smaller black reach dread's peg.  I did a youtube video a while back on how to do it, but lots of people have listed easier ways since then.

The plasma cannon is a little different.  It's a devastator plasma cannon, mounted to the multimelta arm of the black reach dread.  I had to sculpt just a little of the segmented cord at the bottom to make it match, so it's a fairly straightforward conversion.  Now that the plastic venerable comes with a plasma cannon arm you aren't forced to make your own or buy from ForgeWorld.  Have you seen the venerable dread sprues?  I want.

Dwarf Engineer (contest winner)

I spent part of the day at Get Your Game On today hoping for a game of 40k.  In the four or five years that I've been playing 40k, I have fewer than a dozen battles fought.   Today was another, and another notch in the "never won a game of 40k" belt.  More on that in a minute.

First off, though, I'd like to show off the mini that won the Paint Creek "Strategic Redeployment" painting contest when they closed.  50 Dwarf engineers were given out at the ill fated GW store the week before they closed, and they were judged in a painting contest a week later at the new "place" to be, Get Your Game On.  My entry won, and I received a battleforce as my prize (I chose Eldar.)  The engineer is painted in the color scheme of my friend Bill's Dwarf army (a great deal of which I still need to paint for him.)  It also matches (roughly) the University of Michigan school colors, and since Get Your Game On is smack dab in the middle of Ann Arbor I'm guessing that have a soft spot for that color scheme.  I'll be giving this to Bill as a display piece.  I'm quite pleased how it turned out.

So in term of playing 40k, the store was absolutely devoid of warhammer/40k players when Stef and I got there ... roughly 4:00 PM.  I immediately got the "don't want to be here" feelings going, but Stef convinced me to sit and paint for a while.  Less than half an hour later, a fellow named Joe came in with enough Orks to play the 1500 points of marines I had brought.  The fight was on!

Joe had a Goff warband painted much like my own (although he had many, many more models painted.)  We got sieze ground / dawn of war, and I took first turn.  I won't do a play by play, but I did learn a few things I will share.

• When it comes to taking objectives, 4 squads of 5 marines would have been much more useful than 2 squads of 10.  I will be breaking into combat squads in the future.
• Nobs with a painboy are scary even when foot-slogging.  He took mostly huge choppas as wargear, which still allows armor saves but wounding on a 2+ means you are going to take a lot of them.  
• Six sternguard can effectively destroy a mob of 20 boyz holding an objective.  If you are inside 24" those Hellfire rounds just tear anything up.  Once the mob was reduced a bit I got close enough to rapid fire, making him choose between keeping the objective or leaving it to charge at me.
• A Land Raider Crusader can kill an Ork Warboss in the shooting phase, unlike the rest of my army.
• When given the chance, don't forget to contest the objectives.  In the last turn I could have run a dreadnought over to the objective the Nobs were holding and potentially won the game (we drew at 1 objective each.)
• If the Ork Warboss w/ Klaw makes his invulnerable save against your force weapon, prepare to get the big hurt.

And here are a couple more views of the Dwarf Engineer:

Rat Ogre Bonebreaker (complete)

This guy has been done for a while, but I don't think I ever posted a pic.  Last week my wonderful, special kitty jumped up on a tray of Skaven in my office sending 20 metal plague monks, 20 plastic plague monks, 25 clanrats, 2 Plague Priests and this fellow crashing to the floot from about 3'.  There was only minor damage to the metal models, and I really think the coats of Minwax polyurethane they got saved their paint jobs.  This fellow lost the warlord's head and got some scratching and mashing.  This pic is after the repair job.

Now that this guy is US3 (according to the new Skaven FAQ) he gets a "look out sir!" roll when in a unit.  I'm so happy!

Every Army Starts Somewhere

And my Biel Tan Eldar army starts with one lonely Guardian.  I really want this to be a nice looking army, so this is the quality level I'm shooting for for the whole thing.  If I can't ever win at 40k I'm going to at least look good losing.

Through various trades, a few purchases and some contest winning, I've actually managed to accumulate a nice sized start for this army.

Some HQ:
Avatar of Khaine
Farseer (bonesinger conversion)
Farseer w/bodyguard box set
(includes farseer, 2 warlocks with witch blade and 1 with singing spear)
...then the contents of a battleforce:
20 Guardians (w/ 2 weapon platforms)
5 Dire Avengers
1 War Walker
1 Wave Serpent
Some Elites...
10 Howling Banshees (w/ Exarch)
20-some odd Harlequins (including 2 troupe masters, 2 shadowseers, a death jester, 4 fusion pistols, and 8 with Harlequin's kiss)
Swooping Hawks box (6 models, inc. Exarch)
Falcon grav-tank
Wraithlord
1 VibroCannon w/ crew
2 old Dark Reapers
1 single Wraithguard

So, Eldar players, what sort of 1500 point list would you make from these models?  I'm leaning heavily toward the Harlequins right now since they will be so much fun to paint.

Hey Austin!

For more than a decade, a friend of mine and I have been calling each other on St. Patrick's Day to sing this stupid little advertising jingle that ABC Warehouse used to play on the radio.  I wish I knew the name of the tune, but everyone associates it with St. Pat's Day and all things Irish.

Anyway...

Even though Austin and I never see each other any more, I submit this as my 2010 entry.  I was too sick yesterday morning to even think about calling anyone, even if I did still have his number.

Painting One of Mine!

Okay camera, I surrender.  You can saturate the colors all you want, and make everything I paint look like it went through the high gamma filter.  I'll just post whatever you give me.

In honor of the new Blood Angels codex I decided to put a little time in on the only Blood Angels models I actually own... the Space Hulk terminators.  For this model I used my super secret formula for painting bright red.  Want the secret?  I knew you would.  Just paint a million freaking thin coats.  After about 800,000 coats it will start to smooth out and by 1M it looks pretty darn good.  Just for fun I put a little green on the gems there and the eyes.  I really want a nicely painted Space Hulk set, and this fellow is a promising start.  Now, only 30 more figs to go!  At this rate I'll be done in 2039!

Ancient Evidence

Ceaseless research and careful archeology in my in-laws bathroom has revealed a surprising fact.

The ancient candle makers clearly knew the "sweep kick to roll tackle" combo move.

Can I get a "MORTAL COMBAAAAAAAT"?

Skorne Basilisk Pair

Lunchtime is getting more productive, especially since I've decided not to eat most of the time.  (But, Mike!  Not eating isn't healthy! you say.  Well, for me there's a pretty strong correlation between a "normal" sized lunch and the nigh uncontrollable urge to nap at about 2:30.  I can handle about 200-300 calories at noon, and any more that that knocks me out.)

But anyway.....

Skorne!  Brian gave these to me, oh, three years ago or so to paint in exchange for some Menoth figures.  I still have a couple Titans and a Cyclops to finish, but the Basilisks are pretty much done.  The skin is white primer with a heavy GW flesh wash, then highlighted up with mixture of tallarn flesh and skull white.  The red is mechrite red with a wash of devlan mud (yes, that's all.)  The ropes are snakebite leather with a highlight of khaki.  The crappy photo comes courtesy of my Samsung cell phone camera.

Now, to finish the Cyclops and on to the Titans.  I'm a little concerned about the Titan Gladiator because I dropped him on my desk and he exploded into nearly all his component pieces.  I definitely have some pinning ahead of me.

I Am The Winner?!!?

I must be, because it even knows what town I'm in right now!  That's so cool!  I didn't even know I had a message account at the ad-banner place.  Yay for internet!

...And Then This Happens

Everyone seems to be using Facebook all the time for pretty much everything (and by that I mean virtual farming, sending people virtual faming paraphernalia, challenging each other to quizzes about virtual farming, etc.)  I had started a Facebook account waaaaay back when it intended for University affiliated people.  I lost interest soon after.

In the past few months, the sheer volume of Facebook invites / friend suggestions has coerced me to try and re-enter the Facebook world.  I accepted many of the dozens of friend requests I had and tried to figure out the best way to utilize it other than making it a public declaration of my various fandoms or my prowess at virtual plowing.

Today, my aunt and uncle sent me a Facebook friend request.... FROM THEIR DOG.

Facebook, I am kicking you out of my life again.  I think MySpace has a couch you can crash on at their trailer, but you are not staying here another night.

Lunchtime Skorne, et al.

I've been juggling projects for people lately, depending on where I am at the time.  At home it's Ulthwe Eldar... mostly.  At work it's Skorne and finishing up the Ghost Stories repaint.  We're going to play Ghost Stories on Friday with fully painted figs.  I'll try to remember to snap a pic or two.

Here we see (thanks to cheap camera phone, thank you berry munch) some of the Skorne models.  To the left front are two basilisks, a Drake and a Krea.  For the life of me I can't remember which is which or why one's eyes are sewn shut.  Directly behind them are two Cyclops Savages, one nearly done and one very basic.  To the right of those are a Titan Cannoneer, slightly modded to be pointing the cannon out, and tongue poking out as she tries to aim.  They don't have fantastic RAT.  Also seen are Reinholdt with plaid pants and a metal bowler, a tin of Shinola and a coprolite.  Behind all that are some books I haven't touched in 10 years, an unpaid parking ticket from 2006 and a postcard of Ypsilanti's landmark water tower.

Annoying in Life...

It's rough, I know, but they're getting better.  I'm thinking a tablet would make life so much easier.

Skaven FAQ is here

Now that GW has had their say on the Skaven mysteries, let's see how I did from my stated stances.

1. Warpstone Tokens and the Storm Banner are "one use only" - spot on!
2. The Doomwheel may not start in the front arc of a unit, then use its movement to maneuver around to hit that unit in the flank or rear. - spot on!
3. Shooting will scatter into Rat Ogres on a 1-4, into other models on a 5-6. - spot on!
4. Only one Night Runner, Jezzail team, Rat Ogre, etc. can be upgraded in a unit, not any and all of them. - not addressed, but I think there was enough consensus on this beforehand.
5. Banner of Verminous Scurrying can only be used to augment a unit's normal march, in the movement phase. - not addressed.  Too bad too, because this is still very vague to me.
6. Template weapons hitting an enemy unit engaged with slaves will be randomized between slaves/enemies. - I was wrong.  Models hit by the template are hit, with no randomization.
7. Plague Priests may not take warpstone tokens. - not addressed, so I stick with my stance.
8. I will never take more than one tail weapon or rat hound bodyguard. A brace of warplock pistols is possible until ruled otherwise, but only because it's a cool conversion option. - Only one of anything is allowed per model, including pistols, so mostly correct for me.
9. The plague censer would benefit from poisoned attacks. In the same way a great weapon keeps its rules (+2 strength, strikes last) with poison, the plague censer is a weapon with its own rules, not a magic weapon. - not addressed. 
10. Slaves breaking from cc will get additional hits under the "Cornered Rats!" rule only for each full rank of 5 beyond the first, not just for each rank beyond the first. - spot on!

So, mostly vindicated.... mostly.

Converting Deffkoptas : Big Shootas

Does it seem strange to anyone else that we need to convert this model to get it back to the basic codex stats?  Oh, well.  If they came with big shootas we'd be seeing hundreds of conversions to rokkits.

The conversion is simple enough.  Get out the ol' bone saw and chop off the ends of the rokkits on the front of the kopta.  Leave some of the rokkit body intact since we'll be using that for the big shoota's body.  You can cut right through the bottom part, and we'll be putting in a little Orky decoration to cover up the cut.

Next you take two diameters of styrene tube, one of which fits inside the other.  I wish I could give you diameters, but I can't find the packaging.  The only really important parts are that one fits inside the other, and that the larger of the two fits on the inside part where the four rokkits used to be.  Take a section of the larger tube about 3/4" long and use a pin vise to drill some holes in it like a machine gun's cooling jacket.  They don't have to be perfect..... if you are converting Orky stuff you already know that.  Place a piece of the smaller diameter tube inside the larger one to make a barrel, and glue this sandwiched between the remaining parts of the rokkit bodies.  After that, glue a short piece of the smaller tube to each of the four rokkit bodies.

Here's a pretty good illustration of what we're aiming for.  Yeah, it's pretty rough, I know.  What we end up with looks like five barrels, easily WYSIWYG for a twin linked big shoota.

Now to fix that ugly flat spot in the bottom.  Take a length of trapezoidal sprue about as wide as the bottom two barrels.  Glue it in place with the smaller edge facing down.  Now cut some rough triangles from plasticard with your plasctic cutters and glue them in the old "dog tooth" Ork pattern.

There!  Wasn't that easy?

The Truth about "Simple Green"

Since I first started reading miniature painting tips online, the cleaning product "Simple Green" has been mentioned as an effective paint stripper.  Having recently found some at my local hardware store, I tried it out today.

First off, we have a very old Eldar Dark Reaper.  This fellow was veritably caked in paint.  Thick, chunky paint.  With no advance cleaning I dropped him in a small container of Simple Green.  What you see here is the same figure after soaking for about three hours.

A light brushing with a toothbrush had paint sloughing off in great chunks.  This is better than I remember metal figs that had been left in brake fluid.  Remember, this is only about three hours!

A rinse under the sink and a little more brushing, and check this out.  I was absolutely amazed.  I've tried other cleaning solutions (ammonia window cleaners, Sol-U-Mel, etc.) and nothing has performed like this.  It's as if acrylic paint killed Simple Green's family, and it is time for revenge.


Go to a hardware store and buy this stuff.  I paid $4.29 for a 24 oz. bottle, and it is worth every penny.

Farseer (from Bonesinger) primed

My Farseer, whom I really wanted to be an original model, is primed and ready for paint.  I really like the way he looks.

Not that I'll get to him anytime soon....

This is the danger of commission work.  You see and paint so many of the models that you eventually want to start that army.  Between the thousands of points of Eldar I've painted and Fritz's entertaining tactica, I'm going to do my best to deliver doom to the Mon-Keigh.

Someday...

Matt, you are one sick puppy

This is the example model given to me to demonstrate how a friend wants some gaunts painted.

Um, Matt?  What inspired you to make this thing giving birth to a bunch of rippers?  Seriously, either you have way fewer hang-ups than I do or you have a view of procreation that just makes me feel icky.

That said, this is one cool conversion.  I'll be starting a project blog to cover the progress.  I just wanted to share this freaky nid to you all for now.

Trying a Few Things - Buying a Few Things

I'm trying out Tinweasel's rust effect.  I bought some 0000 steel wool from my local ACO hardware store, filled a Reaper eyedropper bottle with it (loosely packed) and then filled the bottle about 75% full with the bleach / vinegar solution he describes.  The steel almost immediately started to rust, and this oxidation is caused by the bleach I've discovered.  To my surprise, vinegar (an acid) does more to polish metal by removing oxidation than cause the metal to break down.  The bleach, although very alkaline, provides the oxidation reaction.  Go figure.  I'll let you know in a few days how it looks.

While at ACO I also picked up 600 grit sandpaper (impulse buy) and a bottle of (drum roll please) Simple Green!  People have been raving about this stuff for stripping minis for years, but I'd never actually seen it in a store until yesterday.  Then again, I'd never looked in a hardware store.

Catnip is a Gateway Drug

I tip my hat to the good people at Avrett Free Ginsberg for making a cat food commercial that actually makes me want to eat the cat food.

Now if that isn't messed up enough, there was a fairly hilarious parody of this commercial on youtube that was viewable as of yesterday (3.2.10) but that now shows the following message when you attempt to watch it:

So clearly either someone at youtube or someone at the International Olympic Committee has actually been eating the cat food.  Or smoking it.  Or something.  Wait... can cat food be smoked?

Breaking News!

Apparently after a wild night of claiming copyright over everything they saw on youtube, the International Olympic Committee has woken up with a splitting headache and admitted that, yeah, maybe a parody of a cat food commercial wouldn't really be infringing anything they control.  Although you have to admit that "carp ship racing" as a proposed event in the summer games was supposed to be secret for now.  "Dude, remember we talked about that fish boat racing thing the other night?  Those guys at Friskies totally stole that."

What this means for you, gentle reader, is that the link to the potty-mouthed parody works now.

Check out Tinweasel ... NOW

Behold the fantastic painting of Tinweasel!  This guy beat me down in fantasy single fig at Chicago 08, even thought we painted exactly the same figure.  He's good.  Really good.

And he's looking for commission work.

And he's running a contest to give away a commission job.


Go to his blog, follow it and check out how to enter the contest.  Also check out his commission rates.  They are a real bargain for the work he does, and I expect that these rates will go up as more people realize what a great painter he is (and demand increases against a limited supply.... you know the economics people!  Don't make me go all Adam Smith on you!)

Go now!  I command you!

Chain of Events

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

Will Rogers

So, are you experienced?
Have you ever been experienced?
Well, I have

Jimi Hendrix

Cause of death:
Inhalation of vomit
barbiturate intoxication

Death certificate of James Marshall Hendrix, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

----

My boss has the first quote posted next to his office (attributed to Rita Mae Brown) and this little slice of history occurred to me.

Blood Ravens painting tips

Ugolino sent the following:

I'm trying to get into the Warhammer 40k tabletop hobby, and more specifically the Space Marines. I've been trying to paint a Blood Ravens army, but keep on making mistakes. I found your site when looking for a Blood Ravens guide, and I've been using your models as a guide in my attempts. 

How much do you water down each of the layers of red? What exactly constitutes a "thin" coat?

Also, can you tell me what method you used to paint this Raven, if it differs from the one listed on the wiki? (http://coolminiornot.com/109090) He's a bit closer to the specific look I was hoping for with my Ravens than the "take cover" entry.

Thank you.

----

Hi Ugolino,

   Welcome to the hobby!  Thinning paints can differ based on personal style as long as the goal is kept in mind: put color on the mini without the dry paint having a rough or chunky texture.  I've read and number of guides that said "the consistency of milk" but I never really figured that one out.  Start with 50/50 paint water and get a controlled brush load to avoid the thinned paint wicking everywhere on the mini.  Touching the edge of the paint brush (about halfway between the tip and the ferrule) to a coffee filter will draw extra moisture away from the bristles so you can control application better.  If you are getting smooth results with 50/50 stick with that or try even thinner.

Red is tough to get solid in few coats.  I recommend GW's mechrite for a base coat, and then red gore built up to your desired shade (for Blood Ravens anyway.)  You can do a highlight with blood red, but be cautious because it's very orange compared red gore.  A little bleach bone / red gore makes a nice edge highlight and isn't too pink or orange.

One thing that helps me is a wet palette.  They are really cheap to make, and I posted a how-to here:
http://underempire.net/index.php?showtopic=25553

That fellow (my Blood Ravens test model from '05) was painted before the current wash range or foundation paints came out, so I most likely painted him all red gore (over black primer... it would have taken a few coats to get the color solid) and then gave him a wash in "Future" floor polish wash (50/50 water and Future + some GW brown ink.)  Nowadays a 50/50 diluted GW Devlan Mud wash might do the same thing.  The mechrite red gives a very good base red too... way easier to deal with than black.

Maybe this combo might work... just off the top of my head.  If I was going to try and recreate that model with the current range, this is what I would do.
1. basecoat mechrite red.  Total model coverage.
2. wash Badab Black.  Again total model coverage.
3. paint armor areas red gore.  Multiple coats until color is consistent.
4. Paint shoulder pads bleached bone (coat until consistent color)
5. wash enture model with 50/50 water/Devlan Mud wash.
6. Paint details like eyes

One of the important things about red gore is that it looks purple
when the coverage isn't good enough.  Just keep applying thin coats
and the color will even out to a nice, rich red over time.

Hope that helps,

   Mike

Fixing Micro-Cracks in Pewter

Casting errors are an unpleasant fact of life in this hobby.  The ones that can be fixed subtractively (by removing material) are considerable easier to correct than the ones that need to be removed additively.  In the case of the micro cracks seen below in the highlighted area, you will need to fill them or they will show up in your final product.

In terms of additive material, we'll need something that will flow (or be pressed) into the cracks, but not change the surface of the sculpt.  Two part putty is difficult to limit to just the cracks.

The trick is something you probably already have in your kit: Citadel 'ard Coat.  Unlike regular acrylic paint, the varnish is nicely self leveling and isn't as prone to drying with a texture.  Brush a thin coat of varish over the cracks and let dry.  The shiny results are shown here.

After a little Reaper brush-on white primer, the cracks are gone and the surface of the cloth appears unchanged.

Now to go fix the rest of the flaws that show up in the photo....

Eldar! Purge the Witches!

Check out the Farseer from my upcoming Biel Tan Eldar army, converted from the limited edition Bonesinger model that was given away with White Dwarf subscriptions a few years ago.  He's mostly stock, with a helmet conversion to move one of the two antlers he had to a rear mounted crest (more in line with the current Farseer models, although I'm still torn on whether he looked better before) and the side "pipes" on the helmet made from Wraithlord fingers (a favorite Kroot snack I hear.)  The singing spear is the Dire Avenger power weapon with a spearhead made from a couple Skaven spear blades from the prior clanrat model glued together, filed, drilled, carved, and now pretty much unrecognizable.

I haven't posted pics on the blogs in a while, mostly because our newer camera is missing again.  I managed to get the eight year old camera and find a huge 16 MB card for it and get this pic.  Why I chose a new conversion over other models I've been dying to photograph is beyond me.  I have painted Bonesingers and warlocks in progress for a conversion job.  I have desperately wanted to photograph and post Matt's huge Tyranid thing that is giving birth to a swarm of rippers.  But, no.  I take one pic and then life get back in the way.... well, enjoy this one anyway.

On a separate note, here are some minis I converted up a while ago but have never painted yet.  You should be able to identify the components, but I'm fairly happy with how they came together.  I was on a bit of a magnet kick, so excuse the minis with different magnetized options shown as different pics.

Eldar Help: Mystery Gun

Okay, you old and wizened 40k players.  Please, please tell me what this gun is.  I'm fairly confident the other gun is a shuriken pistol from the similarity to the current miniature range, but what is the highlighted gun?  A fusion pistol?  Something I've never heard of?  I got this fellow (and another old Harly) in a trade and I'm just curious.

Thanks!

Realistic Winter Basing

Materials required: geographic location in SE Michigan.

Yeah, it snows here.  Sometimes a lot.  Then it melts.  Then it snows again.  Yesterday the lawn was almost devoid of snow.

Sorry for the misdirection.  This isn't really about miniature basing... I just wanted an excuse to post a picture of today's fun.  The kids got the day off elementary school but the University is still open, so I'm at work.

Quote of the Day

From Wednesday 2/17/10...

Stef: So the girl finished drying my hair and put the hairdryer on the counter, but the weight of the cord pulled it off and it smashed on the floor.  She was bummed because it was a $75 hairdryer.
Me: Does it make me a huge nerd that I immediately thought of the principle of a space elevator when you described that?
Stef: (reassuringly) No....
Me: (whew)
Stef: Sitting there painting a little space alien while I told you made you a huge nerd.

I tell ya, Eldar get no respect.  :-/

Supporting the Narrative

15 years ago, a friend and I were discussing the video game X-COM: UFO Defense (or UFO: Enemy Unknown as it was known in Europe.)  In this game, one controls a squad of operatives as they combat UFO invasion by cleansing crash sites, reverse engineering alien technology and repelling alien terror missions.  This friend of mine told me of another friend of his who played X-COM as though the operatives all had personalities and relationships.  What resulted was as much a one person role-playing game as a strategy game, where she would decide each squad member's actions on the battlefield in a character appropriate way.  If one fellow's girlfriend was in trouble he would take risky action to help protect her.  If a squad member is killed the others would get scared and duck for cover, etc.

I have discovered that this is the most entertaining way for me to play tabletop war games.  Play to win, but do it in such a way that you are telling a story.  When my Harbinger of Menoth was killed, her nearby choir charged the Man-o-war Drakhun that did her in to avenge their beloved leader, blocking the charge of the knights nearby.  Was it the most effective choice?  Probably not.  Did it make for good story?  Definitely.  Was it all the more satisfying when the choir took down the Drakhun on the charge?  Heck, yeah!

So before you drop that unit of Eldar Fire Dragons into the middle of the battlefield with the intent to pop a tank and then get creamed in assault, remember that these are members of a dying race who have lived hundreds of years and tread many paths of expertise.  Would they or their commander throw their lives away in so cavalier a fashion?  Would your Ork warboss hang back from assaulting a unit of Space Marine Veterans because it would leave him in a vulnerable position or would he be barely containing himself to get stuck in?

Give your little toys an identity and you will be rewarded with a compelling story, win or lose.

Quote of the Day

Persons A and B are walking on campus....

A: Hydrogen is the most abundant thing on the planet.  Next highest is stupidity.
B: I thought stupidity would be #2.

Neither Scenario Bodes Well

There are only two scenarios I can imagine for how this notice came into being.  Either the public was confused by both "Please Prepay" and "Please Pay in Advance" or someone at the oil company with enough authority to decide the wording on the gas pump signs thought this was a perfectly cromulent use of the language.

Generous Chicken

"Generous Chicken"

Expo Marker on White Board

January, 2010

Got My Game On

I went to the second half of the "Strategic Redeployment" from Paint Creek Crossing to "Get Your Game On" in Ann Arbor.  The folks there really went out of their way to make the Paint Creek refugees right at home, including setting up additional gaming tables and a paint bar.  The only thing I would have liked is more light at the paint bar, since it's in the back of the store and has worse lighting than the front of the store.  Just the addition of a $25 overhead light in the area would fix that problem.

I won the painting competition (and won a battleforce!) for the Dwarf Engineer we all received on the last Saturday of Paint Creek and got to take home the Warpstone trophy.  I'll defend it next month in their painting contest.  So far the category seems to be "open" so I'll have to put something really over the top together.

Thanks, GYGO!

3D-TV: 1999 Technology

All the news reports about 3D-TV at CES this year got me wondering what the technology would be like.  After a little digging, I am sorry to say that it's nothing new.  I was experiencing this 11 years ago on my PC playing "Giants: Citizen Kabuto" and "Tomb Raider 2" using an Elsa 3D Revelator video card.

The 3d effect is achieved by using glasses that have LCD "shutters" that block one eye at a time from seeing the screen, switching back and forth many times a second.  Synchronized with an image on-screen that switches at the same same rate between two slightly different images give the illusion of 3D.  The more similar the two images are, the further the object looks away from you.  It's a very effective method, if a bit flickery.  The video card required special drivers to render essentially two versions of each screen, with the z distance controlling the difference in images.  A small IR-LED emitter on top of the computer monitor told the glasses when to switch eyes.

While the effect was cool, I eventually gave up on the technology.  The glasses were irritating to wear (and 3D-TV uses these same sorts of glasses) in light of the fact that I already wear glasses.  They just didn't give me that "kick back and have fun" feeling.  We'll see if future Budweiser commercials will feature a roomful of people watching sports wearing big 3D glasses.

A Universe Of Foreheads

Ah, the authentic Star Trek experience...

A friend of mine just got in the Star Trek Online beta.  The company that made STO also made City of Heroes, so we were expecting a great character creation process and it did not disappoint.  You can pick from a few stock races or just make your own.  Imagine the thousands of freakish forehead possibilities!  My friend made the most grotesque dude he could imagine, with a huge, corpulent torso on long spindly legs, thicks arms that didn't even reach his waist ending in a child's hand.  Add huge feet and a head designed to look like it's wearing a thong and you have Ensign Beefcake!

You start the game in the lounge/bar area.  He immediately started dancing, then jumped up on the bar and started to dance, interposing himself between two NPC conversing over the bar.  They continued as if nothing strange was happening.

I really wonder what the final audience for this game will be.  The signal to noise will be low enough that serious trek fans probably won't be able to stomach it, and I don't know how much material the Star Trek universe would provide to an adolescent sense of humor before it turns entirely to griefing.

For now, he will cruise around the galaxy on the U.S.S. Sausagefest.  Another friend of mine started yesterday aboard the U.S.S. Enterherprize.

Yeah, I hang with a sophisticated crowd.

EDIT:  It's nice to see that PvP chronicled this experience as well. 

Adeptus Sororitas Flororitas

Instead of painting on my lunch hour yesterday, this is what I did.

Three little words:  time well spent.

Not The Answer I Was Looking For

I saw a news story about Avatar's box office take, and the fact that it's #2 for all time.  I mentioned this to my wife in passing.

Me: "Avatar is #2 for all time box office.  You know which is #1 right?"
Stef: "No.  Tell me."
Me: "Titanic."  (said like it should have some meaning)
Stef: "Yeah?  So?" (not seeing the connection)
Me: "What do those movies have in common?"
Stef: ".... blue people."

I had to leave it at that.  I was laughing too hard to answer the question for real.  She is wickedly clever sometimes.  She asked me later what the real connection was and I told her about James Cameron's involvement.  "Oh, yeah yeah....that's right."

The Final Hours of GW Paint Creek Crossing

Yesterday was the final day for my local GW store.  Most of the people I had met and befriended there since itsApril 12, 2007 opening showed up for the last day or two to play/paint/goof off one final time.  It was bittersweet to be sure.  Manager (and only employee for this store) Brett gave away some left over promotionals and non-GW terrain pieces the store had accumulated over the years.  Tables were moved to see what goodies could be found under them.  Lots of people lingered until the final moments of the store closing.  I did.

I don't curse the name of GW for closing the store.  Michigan has a terrible economic slump right now.  Several of the stores in the same complex have closed in the past year alone, including the pet store right next door.  There are other game stores around here, but I don't know of any as nicely accoutremented as a GW store.  Most stick gamers in the back of the store (or worse) on folding tables with crumbling terrain, poor lighting, and no place to paint.  FLGS be aware, after Paint Creek Crossing the ante has been raised.  Give me a decent place to play and I will buy things at your store.

Another thing that occurred to me is that I entered my first painting competition at this store, and displayed my Golden Demon winning model there as well.  If I compete now I don't really feel like I have a home store with whom to share my triumph.  (Side note, I'm really hoping that one year from now Ang will be able to have a fantastic store running.)

So farewell Paint Creek store.  You were great fun at times, and you were craptastic at times, but you will be the metric upon which I measure all other game stores.

(above: moving terrain boards and tables around to look for anything that might have gotten lost.  You have to admit, that's a cool environment with all the wall art and flags.)

2010 Tyranids Commentary

Sometimes the simplest commentaries hold the most wisdom.


Yes, he speaks truth.

EDIT: I showed Jay this video.  He asked why I used music from Dawn of War when there are no Tyranids in Dawn of War.  I told him about Dawn of War II, and showed him a clip of gameplay that included some 'nids.  Instead of being delighted, he shrieked in horror when he saw what was going on.  "They're killing the Tyranids!"

Disappointment: Warpstone Painting League

From this.

Purchase a Tyranid Trygon/Mawloc kit, assemble it, and paint it this weekend and enter it in a competition to win the Warpstone Painting Trophy pictured here.

 Yup.  It's another "opportunity" to buy a model and speed paint it.  I was really hoping for something other than another "Iron Buyer" promotion.  The Trygon/Mawloc is pretty big, is it not?  I have a hard time seeing someone buying it on Saturday, painting it for 4pm Sunday judging and doing any reasonable work.  Maybe I just paint too slow, but I really struggled to get Harry the Hammer painted in 25 hours (elapsed time, not painting time) and he was good-not-great.  I really look forward to seeing the winning pieces for this competition.

Or maybe it's just sour grapes because this painting competition isn't playing to my strengths...

EDIT: Go figure. I won one of these for a painting competition held when my local GW store closed. It's actually a neat little trophy.

Starting a New Army: Dip the Toe or Just Jump In?

I'm a relative newcomer to this hobby.  At the age of 41 years I've only been wargaming for just over 5 years.  In that time I've probably played two dozen games tops, all systems combined.  The armies I have started are as follows:

• 1 Warhammer Fantasy army (Skaven)
  
• 1 Warmachine army (Protectorate of Menoth)
  
• 4 Warhammer 40k armies (Blood Raven marines, Orks, Witch Hunters, and Eldar)

Notice the discrepancy there? I found myself compelled to start other 40k armies in addition to my (and everyone else's) original marine army because I loved the models.  After buying small portions of each of the above 40k armies, it has become clear to me that I will probably never paint enough of them to make a 1500 point list.  As such I am liberated to paint them for fun... the main impetus behind purchasing them.

Now, for the first time, I am considering jumping in fully with a wolf/spider mounted goblin list for WHFB.  No Night Goblins allowed.  Since I already have a few units for the army lying around, the complete 2k list would only cost about $200 more at this point.  I am dangerously close to just jumping in and buying everything needed.  This offends my sense of frugality, since I have unpainted Skaven, Menites, Marines, Orks, Ordo Hereticus, and Eldar patiently waiting in the basement.

So the question to you, wargamers, is do you buy a model or two and ease slowly into a new army or do you go nuts and drop $400 in a week to get a playable force?  Do you sell your old army to do so or just whup out the credit card?

What? 2010?

My wife's first words of 2010 to me: "Put down that knife."

And now, in the words of someone else...

You run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
and racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same (in a relative way) but you're older,
shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Normally I save that for birthdays, but it felt appropriate for the entry of 2010.
2010, and no flying cars.
Where is the justice?

Painting Commission Rates

***NOTICE *** 

I no longer accept painting commissions.  This page is archived for reference only.

==================================================================

I accept commission painting requests from single piece to full army.  Price will vary based on quality desired and possibly number of models.  If you really want me to paint your entire army at top quality I'm willing to do that as long as you are willing to pay.  If you compare the price for each level of work against the time I spend on each model you'll see that I don't exactly pay myself minimum wage here.  I take great pleasure in knowing models I have painted are seeing battle throughout the world.  By the way, whoever has the Night Goblin with Bunny Slippers, I'd love to know how he is doing.  For many examples of my work over the last few years, visit my CMON Gallery or my Photobucket account.

The following quality/price points are for more typical models.  The price may be modified somewhat by complex color schemes or other time consuming requests.

Basic / Troops Quality - this is your basic infantry model, such as an Empire Spearman, Space Marine, Eldar Guardian, etc.  This level of quality is more than "two colors and dip" and includes detail such as eyes, if applicable, and possibly some freehand work (chapter symbol, Ork dags, etc.)  Horde armies inquire about large unit discounts.  This pricing level does not include any Warhammer/40k models on >25mm bases or warjacks/warbeasts.  No conversion work is offered at this quality level.
Typical work time is 2-4 hours / model.

• Painting: $8/model
• Cavalry / Bike mounted: +$4/model
• Assembly: +$1/model
• Basing: +$1/model

High Quality - this level is for elite model that you want to give a bit more love to, such as Howling Banshees, Terminators, Sisters Repentia, etc.  Extra attention will be given to highlighting, shading and details on these models.  Minor conversion work is available at a premium at this quality level.
Typical work time is 4-6 hours / model.

• Painting: $20/model
• Medium Model (WH Ogre, Light Warjack/Warbeast, Troll, etc.): +$10/model
• Large Model (Heavy Warjack/Warbeast, artillery piece & crew, Eldar Vyper, etc.): +$15/model
• Cavalry / Bike mounted (single rider on horse/bike/Krootox, etc): +$10/model
• Vehicle (medium tanks, Rhino to Land Raider sized): +$20/model
• Large Mount:  varies by mount (a Warhawk would be less than a High Elf Dragon)
• Assembly: +$1/ infantry model
• Assembly: +$3/large model
• Assembly: +$5/vehicle
• Basing: +$1/model

Top Quality - this level is for display models or the Lords/HQ of your army to make them really shine on the battlefield.  The price includes custom basing and a very high quality paint job and minor conversion work, if desired.  Major conversion work is available for a premium at this quality level.
Typical work time is 12-24 hours / model.

• Painting: $45/model
• Medium Model (WH Ogre, Light Warjack/Warbeast, Troll, etc.): +$20/model
• Large Model (Heavy Warjack/Warbeast, artillery piece incl. crew): +$35/model
• Cavalry / Bike mounted: +$20/model
• Large Mount: varies by mount/size 
• Assembly: included
• Basing: included

Terms:  Once scope of job, painting scheme and price is agreed upon, a 20% down payment is required.  You may send models to me or have me purchase them for you at 10% off retail price (plus sales tax.)  After receiving the models I will start a custom project blog, your choice of public or private, and begin painting.  Updates will be posted as often as is possible.  Once painting is complete and approved, full payment is expected.  Once full payment is received, the painted miniatures will be shipped insured and with signature confirmation.  Shipping of the completed product (in the U.S.) is included in the price.

For both our security, I prefer to use Paypal for payment.  Other arrangements can be made is that does not work for you.  Please be aware that there may be additional fees for international orders to ship the completed product.  I will do everything in my power to ensure international orders arrive at your door quickly and intact, but once the package leaves my possession I can take no responsibility for it.  Sorry.  In addition, I will not falsify customs documents by under-valuing the contents of any package.

Hints: For extra safety in shipping you could send me assembled models in a Sabol Army Transport or equivalent.  If models arrive at my door without damage in one chances are they will return to you just as undamaged.

What To Do Now:  If you would like to get a quote on a painting job, send me an email saying what you would like, including the type and number of models, the desired quality level and a rough description of the paint scheme you would like.  From there we can work out price point and timing/delivery.

Thanks!
Updated 3/19/2010

RIP: GW Paint Creek Crossing

I am sad.  Today I found out that my favorite local gaming hangout is closing.  On January 11, 2010, the Games Workshop store at Paint Creek Crossing (as well as the one at West Oaks II in Novi) is closing.

I will miss the events, the painting competitions, and the constant availability of six well build gaming tables at all times.  I will miss the fact that there was always someone there with whom to paint or play.  Always.  As much as I like the other FLGS in the area, matching with an actual opponent was nearly impossible.  At the GW store there was always a game going on and always someone asking "Did you bring an army?" when I walked in.

I'm glad to hear that Brett is moving to Chicago to manage a store there.  I'm sorry to hear that the Novi staff are getting laid off.  I understand that Michigan probably can't generate the kind of demand that a GW store would require to stay in business, but the fact that they are leaving the Great Lakes Crossing store open is puzzling.  First off it's a mall store, and their corporate piorities have been to move the mall stores to venues like West Oaks or Paint Creek.  Second, the store is tiny and has no real place to play.  Unless you are basically are there to just buy and leave I can't imagine the appeal of the Great Lakes Crossing store.

Avatar: The Last Rainforest

I enjoy sci-fi more than most, but I am surely in the minority in that I was not sweatily anticipating Avatar.  I didn't find the design of the blue cat-monkey people all that appealing in the teaser clip, and the robot gorilla suits were downright stupid.  I also was perplexed by the idea of this fellow running around in an avatar fighting the big bad company when his body was in a tube on the big bad company's own base.  Oops, I just accidentally tripped over the cord to your avatar-tube-projecting thingy.  Guess the battle's over.

So, with hopes low, the fam and I went to see it on prompting from my mother in law.  The same mother in law who once bought me a Winsor & Newton Series 7 brush.  She has some serious cred.

Let me sum up the plot in bullet point form:

• Man goes to paradise to exploit resources
• Man falls in with natives, specifically female native
• Man's allegiance is turned away from exploitation to preservation
• Man and natives fight exploiters against long odds

The first time I saw this it was called "Fern Gully."  Avatar was incalculably more expensive to make I'm guessing.  Well, calculable to some but not me.  I can't think in numbers that big.   Also, Crysta from Fern Gully was arguably hotter for being more human looking.  Okay... pause for a second.  Did you have an agree/disagree opinion about that "hotter" statement?  Yeah, get help.

Anyway, I guess Cameron wanted to throw a new post-911 twist to the Fern Gully traditional tale by making the natives bigger instead of smaller.  Wow!

Any fans of Hayao Miyazaki will vividly imagine Cameron scribbling notes during every Miyazaki film muttering, "Using that and that .... ooo!  and that!  And that and that..." etc.

Okay, but now to the serious discussion.... Na'vi vs. Ewoks.  Both were kind of in the same boat, except the Ewoks never seemed to give a rip about the Empire until a fruity gold robot showed up on their wooden doorstep.  So let's contrast, shall we?

Ewoks:

• tiny, furry things that could be used to sell fabric softener
• could rig elaborate traps involving logs 7000 times their weight
• killed stormtroopers by chucking rocks at them
• fought an evil intergalactic Empire run by a dude who can shoot lightning out of his hands. 
• suffered one apparent casualty during the entire battle
  

Na'vi:

• huge humanoids who can jump off cliffs and survive by bouncing from leaf to leaf
• ride dragons, and occasionally are led by a messianic figure riding a huge freaking dragon.
• shoot arrows dipped in neuro-toxin (not that the toxin matters much, since the huge Na'vi arrows are more like spears and tend to impale people when they are hit.  Oh, no.  You are now pinned to a tree through the chest and the poison on this "arrow" will kill you in less than a minute.)
• fought against a mining company run by a manager who is concerned about quarterly statements
• suffered a bazillion causalities against the mercenaries working for the mining company
• live above a huge deposit of a mineral with a really stupid name.

Okay, I don't know about you but I'd have to say Ewoks win here.   Granted, if I had to pick the cooler looking of the two I'd go with Na'vi but in terms of pure against-all-odds combat I've got to give it to the Ewoks.  Except for that song at the end of the movie.  Seriously, that made me wish the Empire had won.

Okay, so the final review result:  The movie was good.  The time zipped by and I never had the urge to look at my watch.  I cringed at the profanity, but I have a pretty low threshold for that now that I have young kids.  The violence and sexual content was pretty much Lord of the Rings level.  The 3D effects were immersive without using the "oooo! look at my 3D!" tricks.  If anyone here is on the fence about seeing it, I'd say go ahead if you can stomach all the mother nature worship malarkey.  It's funny... even the testimonial of other nerdy sci-fi types doesn't hold much water with me now.  They all loved Transformers, and that was the worst dog pile of a movie I have seen in ages.

[SPOILER ALERT]
Tragic character note:  there was one character in the movie that my wife and I agree was the most tragic of all.  There are these dragon type thingies that the Na'vi bond with, and apparently they bond for life (cough*Pern*cough.)  Well  when jakesully goes to bond with uber-dragon turok-dinosaur-hunter-thingy what happened to his original dragon?  You never see it again.  Yup, old and busted gets dumped for the new hotness.  Poor little dragon.