Graeme's Skaven - January - Rank and File #1

Graeme's Skaven - January - Rank and File #1 (45 points)

I expected getting back into the OWAC saddle was going to be a challenge, and I wasn't disappointed.

Breaking last year's record of 2 painted miniatures wasn't going to be difficult, but getting the minimum 10 done before the end of the month came down to the wire, again.

Scraping in by the skin of my rodent teeth, I present my motley crew for January:

January's mob

I've mixed feelings about these. I had to rush in the end to get them done in time, so the bases still need flocking, the Clanrats are missing their shields, and there are a few things that I'm going to tidy up later. So, on the scale of things, not my best effort.

On the other hand, I had to start facing the realities of getting older by using a magnifier while painting, to take some of the strain off my eyes. It's definitely helped there, but also let me see all the flaws and sloppy errors I make while painting, in glorious detail. I think I'm painting more neatly now, and can pay more attention to details (because I can finally see them!), but this has the downside of costing more time. I'll have to adapt a little, to up the tempo...

The bug-eyed monster

Anyway, I'm happy with what I did paint, and I suspect I'll be satisfied once I finish off those niggling details that are missing. I've been getting into the swing of things the last week, so I'm planning on painting smaller batches, to help speed things up.

Some more detailed photos of the meagre January offering:

Skavenslaves with spears - front

Skavenslaves with spears - rear

Clanrats with swords - front

Clanrats with swords - rear

One of the things I forgot to prep, due to my last-minute switch of army, was some suitable shields. And the weather over in The Netherlands hasn't been conducive to undercoating anything - the temperature hasn't gotten up to 10°C in more than 2 months. Fingers crossed things get warmer soon.

Luckily, this edition of OWAC doesn't have a minimum points requirement per month, otherwise I'd be in a spot of trouble...

5 Skavenslaves, armed with a hand weapon and spear - 15 points

5 Clanrats, armed with a hand weapon and light armour (with shields still to be done) - 30 points

So, a whopping 45 points of Skaven rank-and-file to add to my army!

On to February! More of the same, I suspect. Although I might have to do a small batch of Giant Rats to meet the figure count in the shortest month...

Adrian's January Rank and File month - The Crazies (265 points)

Rank & File Month #1

Sir, there is no signal in all the resistance channels,we're deploying near the planned contact point.

[The Stormbird lands in a fairly large parking area]

Sergeant Damocles: Wait... this is, this is a large mall?? 

-Lieutenant Bahamut: Err, supply area. The entire moon is mostly a supply area.

-Sgt. Damocles: We're looking for a resistance...armed...in a moon-sized mall?

...

Wait, we can see now the situation here. By the throne, I think that they did not need us here. Everything is on fire!

-Lt. Damocles: Did they started the rebelion?

-Sgt. Damocles: I doubt it sir, people are shooting each other.

-Lt. Damocles: The security forces are responding fire against militiamen?

-Sgt. Damocles: They are firing against armed civilian, against each other, against random properties, against... against us? *firing sound* RETURN FIRE TO THOSE IDIOTS!

*bolter fire*

Sir, we're proceeding to the meeting, landing zone clear.

-Lt. Damocles: *sigh* try to get some info. Maybe ask first, fire later.

 

Combat demi-squad with the second in command back banner.

Brother Froth crush the enemies in the parking area looking for signals from the loyalist militia or any resistance members.

Sadly, a trail of destruction of the madmen shooting each others is the only thing that they see. Doing their part into the surrounding chaos.

 

Sergeant Damocles and the other half of the squad reach a quarantine zone. Some sort of sanitary emergency has occured just before everything went nuts.

-Sgt. Damocles: Command, we've found no signals from the resistance. There was some kind of emergency and we're receiving the broadcast that was emiting before the safe area went down. We need instructions.

-Lt. Bahamut: Proceed to the administrative area right after the loading bay A47, the mall..supply directory must be there. If any authority or member of the resistance has tried to survive and coordinate the remaining forces we may reach them there.

-Lexicanum Trent: And try to not shooting them before we can interrogate any survivor... I have a feeling about what we will uncover in that building.

Hi everyone, first squad done! More to go.

Contrary to the pain of preparing the miniatures, the beakies were a pleasure to paint. Pretty easy and fast. I did had to "make" some details as they lack a bit, especially compared to the metal C100 marines. 

The Anvil Industry (normal size) infantry pouches packs makes for perfect extra detailing and allowed me to paint some grenades and leathers in the plastic beakies that gives them a homogeneous look with the metal marines. Just for your information, the scale is fine contrary to maybe post 2nd ed marines.

The absence of heavy or special weapons helped to streamline the process. But I felt that one plasma gun here and its glowing effect would have been perfect. 

Smsh, I should have made them veteran marines, because they're the cool guys that have special weapons in the HH.

 

I couldn't resist to make some markings too. As I said, I followed mostly RT markings except some additions like the black shoulder armour for sergeants and the black parts of the backpack, similar to the 2nd ed Epic art. 

I just love some of those latter armour variations and markings, and they combined perfectly with the orangeish red of RT marines.

Stay tuned for next month update.

Adrián’s out.

AdamH’s OWAC VI Jan Post – The Hag Graef Griefers

Month one, my first “troop” month and I almost failed right out of the challenge. I was away for most of December and half of January so my preparation time was zero, I did manage to undercoat my models before I left but that was it. 

I started painting on the 16th of January and unfortunately I think it shows in the final products. I am normally quite a slow painter, even more so when I don’t know the scheme so I had to really push myself hard to get these done in time, and as I am writing this post on the evening of the 31st I don’t think I could have cut it much closer.

There are a few details I had to just admit to having to come back later to complete, and some highlights that weren’t as smooth as I would like. The worst part though is I feel the scheme isn’t that great but I didn’t have time to do much about it.

Anyway enough talk, time for pictures:

I don’t think it helped that I am generally not that jazzed about elves in general.

I like the Witch Elf models but the rest of these were pretty meh to paint.

However that just means it is all uphill from here! I have some great teams coming up that I do love the models of, and with a couple of exceptions have some ideas for schemes.

Anyway one more thing from me before I sign off for the month, I owe our glorious leader a tribute, so here is the 13th member of the currently unnamed Skaven team who will be sneaking their way over the pond soon enough:

Here is to next month’s contribution (which I am also a little worried about since I have another week away from tomorrow and it is a short month), something both a little darker and more colourful with a chonky boi addition!