My people. Sons, and daughters of Helghan...

++ Warning this post is a bit long winded. I tried to put in some pretty pictures to make up for it ++

For anyone that has known me for a long time, they would be well aware of my love of the Kill-Zone Series. Recently I found out that quite possibly the best shooter of all time (Ok, that's really just my opinion), Kill-Zone 1 was released in HD on the PS3. Considering this I still have actually managed to be semi productive in my hobby this past week, even when off defending Vekta. It was while I was playing the game I was reminded of how badly I wanted to re-create a Helghan inspired IG army. However this never came to fruition due to my lack of resources and skills. However during this week when I have been assembling my Scions unit I realized that these models could make a good base for this plan (As I try to justify the amount of time I have wasted on replaying Kill-Zone).

One of the images in the new codex, its like they knew exactly what I had in mind.

If anyone has played the game, the distinctive features of the Helghast were their red/orange glowing eyes and gas masks. Looking over some GW images I think that I should be able to achieve this on my Scions. Making the lights, lenses and control panels red and orange - but more on this later when I actually get to painting.

Firstly I want to point out that I really both love and hate the new scion kit, and it's only after assembling my first 5 troopers that I have come to this realization. The kit comes with a wide range of extras that can be used on customizing your troopers, which I like, but also there is a limitation of available poses with certain components (like special weapons and war gear). For example, all the Hell-guns have power cables that attach to the backpack (which is good, providing you can get them lining up right) however when you try to outfit your trooper with a Vox-Caster the cabling is replaced. Meaning if you want your troopers to have both a Vox and still use a Hell-gun, you will have to convert something. This isn't fatal just more of an annoyance, and there are other examples of this throughout the kit (like the plasma gun). If I was assembling these models 8years ago (back when a power sword and power fist on a Devastator Sargent seemed like a good idea) it wouldn't be as much of a problem. But now I want my models to not only be game functional but also tell a story.

So in the meantime until I can work out how to convert these issues out of the plastics, I will be sticking to stuff that I find both game effective and able to fit with my parameters of the equipment making sense. And on that note here are the troopers.I assembled them to form a squad of 5, with 1x special weapon (hot shot volley gun) and a Tempestus (Sargent with bolt pistol, replacing his 6" las pistol) and the rest equipped with hell-guns. I tried to get WIP shots of them but I was having too much fun assembling them to remember. I also apologize for the photo quality, as A) I took them with my potato (Iphone) and B) was losing light.

2x Scions with Hell-Guns

1x Scion with Hell-gun and 1x Scion Tempestor

1x Scion with Hot shot Volley gun

I really like the way the kit works (minus the above gripes), and I cannot wait to grab a few more to try out different combos with the cables and Hell-guns. I also found it really easy to get a sense of movement throughout the squad which I like. Furthermore I have my first squad ready to undercoat and paint. In the mean time I still have half of Kill-Zone 1 to finish (for inspiration - Its what I keep telling both myself and my girlfriend) and I have to paint these guys and a commissar. Wish me luck.

All the best,

Brodie

PS I was going to complain about the box to my family, friends or significant others but I knew they A) wouldn't care and B) seriously wouldn't care. Plus I know you guys would appreciate it, right? Right.

Back in the Saddle

Wow.

I remember in my first blog saying as a 'joke' that this would be a record of my progress or lack there off. So on that high, the last 3 months have just flown by. Its funny how hobbies have to take a back seat to reality. Unfortunately my hobby and most other areas of my life had to take a back seat whilst I complete placement (for my university degree), my university degree and working so I can afford to eat (or buy more plastic crack as it seems but I will get to that later). However after my hiatus I have gotten back into the hobby (again) and I thought I'd share some progress and also some lessons I have picked up along the way.

So as much as I try to throw myself back into Warhammer Fantasy, I keep getting distracted by the lure of 40K. So to placate myself I recently dropped some cash (a bit) on getting myself set up in the 40K realm. With the new 40K rulebook, IG codex (Sorry Astra Militarum) and Militarum Tempestus resource books now purchased (Ok, a fair bit of cash) I have well and truly developed the 40K bug. For anyone who knew me, I used to love playing an Witch Hunters Storm Trooper army, so the idea of running a storm trooper army really appealed to me.

I also picked up over the last month some Tempestus Scions and also the new plastic commissar (Fine, it was a lot of cash). Firstly looking over the boxes I am in love with the scale GW has been able to recreate with their plastics. I have been far too used to the more chunky assembly however these guys actually look size appropriate. Considering this is my first jump back into the hobby full scale, I really don't wanna do things by halves. So I also took a look at a webstore called Back to Base-ix to purchase some really neato bases (neato is really an understatement check them out for yourselves) for my troopers. I decided on the ruins/rubble combo as I want this army to have a strong city fight theme.

You get a base, and you get a base,
and yooooooooou get a base
- Oprah

With the arrival of my new bases I set about getting some models put together. I started off with the plastic Commissar. I am not kidding, the size of this guy is impressive for a fully plastic kit. He was so small that to get him assembled I found him very fiddly (especially considering I needed to pin him to his new base) however I have managed to get him together with only minimal cursing and green stuff usage.

Because of the size of his foot/calf
I ended up using a pin to 'pin' him in place.

I like the sense of movement this base
gives the model.

The finished product.

So with my first assembled model of the year (Only took me 9 months) I look forward to moving onto the Scions. Painting maybe a completely different matter (HA!). Till next time (hopefully not in 3 months time) Catch ya,

Brodie

finished model with some of my old storm troopers. I
am really looking forward to this army.

P.S. I cannot believe the green stuff I bought 3 years ago had not dried up. I should add context, it survived 3 Australian summers. Well played GW.