Adrian's dwarves - March rank and file month means it is Hammer Time (217 points)

Rank and File Month #2

Another month bite the dust. 

Today it is the turn of the heartguard of King Kazador. His hammerer unit, the Hraesvelgr Guard. Or what it is left after the disastrous siege of Karak Azul. Reformed after the massacre of the Throne Room during the brief occupation of the hold, they want to seek vengeance for their King, the king's kidnapped heir and their relatives killed in the assault. 

When Kazador seeked to launch his vanguard in a mission ahead of his army in the valley, they were the first to respond and to arrive next to the clansmen of Hammergrim.

The orcs launched a fierce attack, with several big ‘uns sperheading the assault. They thought that the seven dwarves have spent their last ammunitions and would be, at last, an easy prey. 

They did not expect such a strong defence and counter attack with the king’s guard leading the carnage. Wave after wave crashed again and again against the dwarf defences, unable to reach the mine shaft. The orc commanders wondering what have gone wrong with the initial plan. Yet again.  

March was a bit more treacherous than February as I suddenly had less spare time to get to the brushes. It was a productive month nonetheless. 

9x Dwarf Hammerers -  217 points

The selection of old models I chose for the hammerer unit was pretty easy to paint, even more than usual dwarves. They are pretty much covered in mail armour with decorated plates, usually in gold or bronze. 

 

I added some tone variation using blue and red washes instead of the black/smoke tint. But that’s it, pretty doable in the few time I had. 

Too easy to finish here. It was necessary to add some spice to this month. 

Here comes the shields, random motifs and the banner. I came first with the winged hammer design before searching for a proper name to the unit. For the moment there is no champion, so it is not “someone’s regiment of renown” apart from Kazador’s guard. 

 

 

The name comes from the viking myth of the giant eagle that makes the wind when it takes off. It also fits the norse look of the hammerers, especially with those Marauder norse dwarves in the mix. 

Aaaand, I decided to paint something else. Both in the “spice up the month until I’m in trouble to finish it on time” mindset and to have at least 10 models. I didn’t want to cheat with the 9 man (dwarf) unit lacking Kazador, so what other model would I paint? 

Of course, the largest one. 

Here comes

The baggage train - is this thing worth any points??

 

Spoilers, Gorfang will not get this juicy cart of gold, gems and other dwarf goods. 

And that’s it. Next month King Kazador will show, routing the wave of orcs that tried to push when the engineer's artillery went silent. Probably finish the clansmen banner too, I did not forgot that, now that I am eager to paint more motifs after these shields and banner. 

Until then, Adrian’s out.

JohnR's Month 3 - Rank and File (1063.5 points)

 Another month of painting, another month of wrestling with the camera trying to get decent photos :)

I started with the dark elves this month and their contingent is pretty much done. 5 doom steeds, 18 witch elves, an assassin and the contingent commander to add to the crossbows done in January.

Dark elf characters. On the left is the contingent commander: Baron Susrucha. He was sent to the empire of the Hobgobler Khan as an ambassador by a minor Naggaroth noble house. However the house was wiped out in one of the interminable internecine struggles of that dark kingdom and Susrucha has found himself adrift in a hostile land. He's joined the Axis of Evil while he works out his next move. He's very loosely based on Hasekura Tsunenaga.

5 doom steeds led by a level 5 hero.

The witch elves. I took a few photos of the unit on its own but they were all cr*p. At least this one shows the shields (which are drawing pins). Their hair also got a bit 'Bubblegum Crisis' but I think it looks pretty cool and adds some colour variation to the army. Also I never repaint anything: once it's done, it's done.

I finished the dark elves with some time to spare so dipped into the reinforcements / lead pile and painted a unit of plague monks for the skaven. Plague monks are pretty bobbins in 3rd. If I remember correctly they don't get frenzy, can't have more than basic hand weapons and are limited to a unit size of 20. They're led by the plague priest Derek (front right with warp scroll) and include 2 censer bearers.

Derek loathes Aksys. He suspects that the names the skaven have been given are not, as Aksys giggling told them, those of mighty human heroes but rather some kind of joke. Jabberwock or not he thinks they should slit the old codger's throat in his sleep.

This month's output:

17 witch elves: standard and musician, crossbows and poisoned weapons:     374 points

4 doom steeds (+2 shock elite): light armour, lance, shield, barding:               164 points

Level 5 witch elf hero: light armour, shield, crossbow, poisoned weapons:       56 points

Level 5 dark elf hero: lance, light armour, shield, warhorse and barding:          63 points

Level 10 dark elf assassin: light armour, poison, additional hand weapon:        94 points

Level 15 dark elf hero: light armour, shield, crossbow, poisoned weapons:     137 points

19 plague Monks: standard and musician:                                                          94.5 points                      

2 Plague censer bearers:                                                                                      80 points

Level 10 skaven hero:                                                                                         50 points

The army so far. Not sure what I'll paint next month - work and home life have got a bit hectic and we're supposed to be going abroad for the last two weeks of April. So if I haven't posted by then it'll probably be a mulligan lol.

Mariano´s Wood Elves - Glade raiders (Mounted archers) - 185 pts

Rank and File month #III

Well, due to "real life" this post is almost the same as the one in February. Congratulations to me, I have twin posts!!! I was completed sure to finish two units this month and... I wasn´t able to... So no more hopes for future months, just regular planning painting...

What have I done this month...?

5 x Glade Raiders with light armour and long bows                                                                       185 

Total points: 610

Time to show you some pics... hope you like them.

Last month I had mixed feelings when I finished the monthly post. Well, thi month I have not mixed feelings  at all, I'm not happy 

Third month is always a difficult month. I really feel tired of painting the same day by day, but I know as soon as I finish April I´ll be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel... so I have to stay positive, take my brushes and think "No more mounted archers for me...".

See you next month!!!!

AdamH’s Skaven - March Rank and File – Random rabble of relentless rats (210 Points)

This month has been a tough one for me for a number of non-challenge reasons, and to top it all off I am writing this while suffering from the dreaded plague of the 19.

I had intended to get the rest of the packmasters for this unit completed as well however I ran out of time. I will try and do them next month in addition to what I had originally planned.

For those of you wondering about the dogs, they are actually an old 3rd edition Skaven beast option but since I play 5th edition I use each one as two giant rats.

Once again here is a close-up of some of the more ‘interesting’ models, due to the vast majority of the unit being pretty samey:

A little bit of OSL on old Thrott's warpstone eye:

I’m going to stop promising that I will show off more interesting models though because I don’t want to be thought of as a liar.

My submission for March is as follows:

UNIT	EXTRAS	#	TOTAL
REGIMENTS
Giant Rats (2.5)		60	150
Packmaster (10)		6	60
TOTAL			210

 

Copper Oracle | 4. Rank and File Terminators and Dreadnoughts (886 pts)

The Hammer had fallen, Dreadnought drop pods smashing into the beleaguered Mantis Warrior defences. 

The Munitions depot had been a strong point and the defenders had dug in well, but  it was not enough and as the pods burst open with a falling panels and hails of twin-linked Bolter fire the air was filled still further with the screams of incoming jump packs.

Within the command complex the Mantis Warriors prepared for the their last stand as casualty reports  and sector losses poured in. Captain Azteem and his surviving command squad faced the blast door in grim preparation for the end, their fingers set against the triggers they would never press.

Light filled the room and from it stepped Squad Kempler, the teleporter light fading to be replaced by the Fire Hawks bright armour and fire of storm bolter and heavy flamer. 

Captain Azteem was the last to fall, small comfort as his cold weapon fell from his hand and hit the floor moments before the blast doors gave way before them. 

Chapter Vs Legion. Anonymous memoirs of the Badab War

My plan for March was a simple one, tactical squad with another Dreadnought and some Techmarines as stretch goals. 

While I started on batch painting the tactical squad, bases and then base yellow I worked on the Dreadnought and Techmarines to break up the monotony.

With the three done well ahead of schedule, I felt confident in dipping into my regular painting queue some Doctor Who Krotons and Quarks and a couple of test pieces for 40k in 15mm my gaming group was looking at. An excuse to try Fire Hawks in 15mm and also become a test to see if I could do their logo in freehand. Up to this point I had avoided unit details as I was mulling over using decals or 3D print, but ended up happy with the result that I could create with a 5 step paint plan and I felt I was able to reproduce, thankfully clouds are quite forgiving.

Original Fire Hawks logo

Contemptor and Marine (based on a penny) for 15mm scale

With a couple of weeks to go the Real World intervened and the time I had planned was heavily reduced so I switched over to my Terminator squad and another Dreadnought which would give me 11 figures (count 2 for Dreadnoughts) and get to the finish line for the month!

Brother Wardens Bosphus and Suluris supported by Techmarines Ghenit and Yartik

Terminator Squad Kempler in Relic Saturnine Pattern Terminator Armour

The First Company are known as the Destroyers, a name taken from the World Eater Terminator bodyguard Unit. 

March Completed forces

With a bit of time spare, I was able to go back and add the Chapter badge to my previous painted forces as well as company details for my Dreadnoughts and squad Sergeant helmets. I used the book Insignium Astartes as a guide.

Three Completed Dreadnoughts with updated Chapter badge and 8th Company Shield

Techmarine detachment

Assault squad updated with Chapter logo and squad sergeant repainted helmet

Completed Fire Hawks so far...

1.  "Devourers' 1st Company, 5th Squad, Squad Kempler

Terminator Squad (5)

Storm Bolter and Power Fist, one marine with Heavy Flamer, Sergeant with Storm bolter and Power Sword = 450

2. Brother Warden Bosphus

Contemptor Dreadnought

Duel Boltgun x 2 = 201

3. Brother Warden Suluris

Contemptor Dreadnought

Duel Boltgun x 2 = 201

4. Techmarine Ghenit

Bolt pistol = 17

5. Techmarine Yartik

Bolt Pistol = 17

Total = 886

Grand Total so far = 2244

Grant's Wood Elf Host - Month 3 *Leader Month* (993 pts)

 This month was an unexpected triumph on the painting front. My partner contracted Covid early in the month, and despite our best efforts, I managed to get it too. In suitably annoying fashion, first testing positive on the first day she returned a negative lateral flow. I was dangerously close to thinking that I was immune. I would not survive a zombie movie.

I didn’t have a particularly nice time of it, and ended up taking a week off work as a result. Basically all I could manage to do, other than laying in bed watching prestige dramas, was a bit of painting. I’d paint a couple of colours, go lie down for an hour, paint a couple of colours, go lie down for an hour, and repeat that throughout the day. Definitely not recommended, but I did manage to get a lot done on the painting front.

I’d mentioned in previous blog entries that I was planning on adding some stretch goals to my project, and I’d initially planned on making a start on them in this month. Covid meant that I didn’t feel up to doing any modelling prep, bases etc, so I’ve moved up my Leader month, since I already had them good to go. Totally champagne problems.

I’ve managed to do a lot this month, completing my 40 archers, finishing the unit of Spear wielding kinband, the cavalry, and the Beastmaster and his Boar buddies. From the initial 2000pt list that I submitted at the end of 2021, I only have the Treeman left to paint. We’re nearly twice as far through the project as was expected, which is a lovely place to be!

Let’s take a look at this month’s offerings-

8 Archers (Brown Hair mk2) – 88pts

5 Warrior Kinband, Spears - 50pts - 3 in the month's brown, and 2 additions, to round out the regiment of 20 to have 4 of each of the 5 hair colours in the army.



1 Boar – 6pts

1 Wood Rider, Longbow – 26pts (will probably upgrade this chap to be a Hero)



1 Glade Watcher (Level 5 Hero) – Great Weapon 50pts

1 Standard Bearer and Musician, Spears – 40pts - 1 of each of the hair colours I hadn't added to the Spears above.



1 Wood Lord (Level 15 Hero) 128pts – Additional Hand Weapon +1pts, Longbow +3pts, Eagle +75pts, Hail of Doom +25pts – 232pts - Obviously inspired/plagiarised from the definitive Eagle rider conversion from Mike McVey.

                                                                               

1 Sylvan Chieftain (Level 20 Hero) 168pts – Baneblade +5pts, Hail of Doom +25pts – 198pts - Using Elric, the White Wolf from the Eternal Champion range here. Think it fits in quite well with the Wood Elf aesthetic.

                                                        

1 Sylphseer ( Level 15 Wizard) – 203pts - I used Kaia Stormwitch for this. 'Officially', she was the standard bearer from Skarloc's Archers, and I'd planned to use her in the Spears unit in a similar role. I hated the newer Wizard mini, so she's been upgraded. I'm happy with this, even if her staff is maybe a *little* too big for a wizard rather than a banner pole.

                                                        

1 Wight – 100 pts - I used the Vidyagg, Life Elemental model for this. It's a beautiful old Nick Bibby miniature, and I'd definitely recommend it.

                     

For a monthly total of 993pts for the month! Adding to the previous month’s totals, the project now stands at a total of 1724pts!

I’ve made a start on the expansion to the Army. My plan for the next couple of months is to do more infantry – Another 20 strong kinband with basic handweapons, and to add some Wardancers as well. Wardancers are the definitive non-Archer Wood Elf troop to me. When I think Wood Elves, I think about Archers and Wardancers. It’d be remiss to not include these, so we’ll do them over the next few months. I’m then planning on closing out with my Wild card month, where I’ll paint the Treeman from the original project plan, and add an Elven Attack Chariot and another Eagle rider. If I can find enough, I’d like to track down some Marauder Archers to add some more of the Elite Archer types. This should be more than enough to get us up to 3000pts.

In the meantime, this is what we're looking at for the units of the project.

See you all next month for some more rank and file.

Spears - Lots and lots of spears

Beastmaster and pals

Wood Riders

Archers