When The Little Blue Bird

 Who is seldom heard starts to sing "Spring, Spring"

Yesterday didn't quite go as planned as I got all the boxes out and looked at the sprues and thought, yeah no, that's too much.

I had a trip out to buy more glue from a local store that stocks Warhammer stuff, then headed to B&Q to get my youngest daughter's birthday present then home for a nap.

After I'd eaten I figured I needed to build something today so I settled on 1 Centaur then thought "it'll not take much more time to build the others while I'm here."

So I got all 3 regular versions and the Greaves Centaur out and made a start on building them all. The only complaints I have with these are those front section of the wheel arches could be better labeled as to which way to go and the bonnet sides could have a slot to click into so you know it's in the right spot, but beyond those 2 minor details I really like how this goes together, I can't see myself building the riders in the Centaurs to use in the Centaurs, but I might add them to the tanks with at least Escher heads and arms.

So I'm probably going to have to find some auto cannons to stick on the Greaves Centaur for my heavy weapon team, or heavy bolters as I have 2 spare from the Predator, same with Lascannons... So I have options here for weapons teams in the back, just might need some magnets for this. 

Romantic Sponges They Say Do It.

 

With an actual weekend off I started on the Rogal Dorn today getting the faded pink on the rest of the tank.

Tomorrow I need to find the rust paint I have and try that on the tanks to see if that looks better than the chipping pen I have used.

Tomorrow I'm planning to build either the other Hippogriffs or the Centaurs, the 3 squads of 10 are built as is the heavy weapon squad, so it's just finding the time to paint them.

If things go really well I might even see about building the other 2 Dorns for this army. 

Second Day Off in 12 Days

 

After I'd chilled and had my day at the cinema and eaten a forgettable Nandos and a really good Mexican I got the boxes of tanks open as I'd taken the opportunity to grab some more satin black and plastic primer spray paints while out picking up something for next years project. 

So this morning the main plan was to get things sprayed, 2 of the Dorns are black and one is grey, as one is for the next army.

The 4 Hippogriffs are all black as are the 4 remaining Centaurs, as I was running out of the black some of the sprues ended up being grey primer instead of black.

I put sprues in separate boxes, so 2Dorns are in one tank battalion box, with the part grey one in the A M combat patrol box. The 4 Hippogriffs are all in one box, as are the 4 Centaurs and 2 A M squad sprues.

I also got my assembled Guard out to have a proper look at it and make a decision.

For the Centaur Riders I've got a Orrlock heavy weapon team I'm going mount in the low sided Centaur, and 2 squads of mixed Orrlock and A M minis.

Plan A for tomorrow is to build as many of the Escher Gang as I can to make 30 to mount in the RSVs.

What's left?

30 A M troops, 3 Las Cannon Teams, 2 Morter Teams and 10 Tempestus Scions.

So what do I need to do here?

Okay I think I need to add another Squad to this second bit and move some minis around to add some variety, they're are a few more Orrlocks left on sprue, including a couple of the jump pack prospects, I might have a look on ebay at the Tempestus Aquilions to make up a squad as well as a 3rd Morter team, I'm sure I've got a Morter somewhere I can use for this. To finish this I'll need a command squad and after my mate joked about 60 grots, the super heavy with the Vulcan mega bolter on it. Seeing what I have that just needs a touch up is pretty good, I'll have a platoon, if I don't already, with some options. I'm still blue sky thinking of a Thunderbolt fighter and a couple/3 maybe 4 Valkyries for a Tempestus Scion platoon.

That last bit is probably going to stay blue sky & nebulos until the Codex gets updated.

So remains of the year;

Tank Battalion 

Tank Riders

Support Formation + super heavy.

A M Combat Patrol with Dorn and sentinel.

Genestealer cult combat patrol with Malcador tank and I'll add the 2 Orrlock quad bikes here as well after a repaint, they'll fit in with the Attalan Jakhals.

If that's done it'll be looking at what I want for the Exodites next

Even Goldfish In The Privacy Of Their Bowls Do It.

 

Games Workshop do sell very limited edition, tartan print, you need to get the long stand first, and it will only work if you use a left handed paint brush.

Plenty left to do here, and the on foot version is getting a version of the regular uniform colours, but that's at home and I'll probably get that version started when I painted the first squad of Centaur riders. 

Lithuanians in Let's Do It

 

I sat down with the pinks before I got ready for to go to work. 

I sat with the pink horror and did the one side face of the tank to see how this would look. I also did the cannon mounting plate, then gave that a layer of fulgrim pink. This didn't come out how I was hoping so with the side face I just did in effect an edge highlight. With the sponson on the side the I think I'll go with a blend of the pink horror and fulgrim so it's not as pale but other than that, this is what I'm aiming for 

This definitely has worked and turned out how I had hoped it would.

I will be looking for a dark metallic to use as a rusty looking low light and will absolutely need to give the wheels a Mirky Mire wash but yes I'm loving how these 2 have come out.

I'm hoping to get to Wigan on Saturday to hopefully get the paint I want and order the Autarch for Grandfather Telvig as 

Even Penguins On Their Rocks Do It

 

Is there a chance I could run out of Cole Porter lines to use before I finish this army?

We will find out that's nailed on now. 

I started this thinking the Hippogriff is top small to work for this and when I finished the main element I'm happy to have proved myself wrong.

There's still plenty to do like edge highlights and details and weapons but at its basic level this has worked.

I also formulated a plan for the 3 squadrons I'm using of using a different colour as the base, and will change one of the greys to probably wraith bone for one and build lack on the other, my current vague idea is to use brown on one box and pink on the other.

I really think I need to find some cheap tanks to test this out on before I go ahead with something that could look terrible and it gives me a Tank to practice on. I'll probably wait for next payday before I think about this.

Also a good excuse to get up to Wigan and check out the Warlord store and pick up the M5 light tank they sell

Even Hippopotamii Do It

 

Okay yes, everyone hanging out of the hatches and someone hanging on the heavy stubber looks and is really stupid, but I'm okay with that, I didn't quite get the cuplas sat right on this one so will probably swap out the turrets when I build the next one, and will be buying some black spray to go over all of the sprues. 

Okay when I started this build I felt nothing for the Rogal Dorn, it was just another thing that "had always been there" and it looked a bit wrong. 

So what's changed? 

Building it and having it in front of me. Seeing it I'm pretty sure it's inspired by one of mid war French Renault tanks, just up gunned and grim darkest with a hint of chibiness.

So why pink?

Here's why.

The Pink Panther Mk2 Land Rovers used by the SAS, because during dawn and dusk of a desert night this shade of pink produces the least silhouette. I was hoping the Willis Jeeps used had managed a colour photograph but it hadn't happened.

I gave it a base coat of screaming pink and then a crimson wash. When that was dry I gave the tracks a coat of black and then iron warrior, when that was dry I gave the tracks a wash of Mirky Mire.

I'm leaving this one at home as its a chonky girl so I'll be back on the Hippogriffs tonight, bringing my good brushes as I'm also starting the skirt for the tank riding Commissar Greaves. 

Even Educated Fleas Do It

 

Yesterday {Saturday} I sat down with the Armagedon Tank Battalion box.

Having already put the Greaves Centaur together, not a regular one admittedly, so I decided to put the Hippogriffs together and seeing the time was 9.30pm I made a start on the Rogal Dorn as well. I'm thinking of running this as a Commander, the " drive me closer I want to hit them with my sword" meme was pretty much my only thought here.

I'm thinking of doing this one bright pink, I'd love to paint a smaller version on the side in a chibi style but I'm not that good. 

I also built both the Hippogriffs that came in the box and have those in a box with me to start painting tonight.

I'm leaving the wheels off to paint them so I can get in to all the areas under the mid line. 

In the any other business section I've secured the Eldar Spirit seer that was the Warhammer + mini this time around, this is again for next years project of Grandfather Telvig Exodites, I traded one of the Brutalis dreads, thus leaving me with 3 which is what I need for the projects I've got planned, and the Blade Guard killing an Ork which is going in the Lion's Blades. Lastly with the Bane Blade kit back on preorder I'm pondering a plan, with infantry platoon already next up, do I get one and build it as a Storm Lord, so the infantry platoon can swarm out and start firing while singing Venga Boys We like To Party? Or buy 2 and build them as Doom Hammers? Or have the infantry slog across the battle field and mount an Ogyrn platoon in the Storm Lord? 

Testing Dazzle

 

I made a start on the big part of this army, the dazzle camo tanks.

As this is the command, named Centaur I'm trying to keep it close to how it's supposed to look. 

I do think I can get away with another gold line on the front here.

There's details and edge highlights to do and the crew to finish, I'm even getting a Count Binface to ride this one.

I did buy the Codex yesterday I'm thinking of running as Krieg as I can have a combat engineers squad with shotguns for close encounters.

The other option is Cadian Recon squads, as I also have the field manual app, the recon squads more fit the vibe, but I don't have the shotgun squad options and I'm not sure if I can mix Cadian and Krieg units in my army. 

Testing Colours

 The 2 Commissar Greaves minis testers for colours.

Having limited space I wasn't able to pack too many colours into my box to bring with me and I wanted to test my browns first, I used Catchan flesh as a base and the Dark Star Mirky Mire as a wash with a mix of Catchan flesh and Steel Legion drab as a highlight.

While this looks good on the coat and boots here, I think I need a different colour for the trousers. My first thought was green, as Tank Girl is former army herself but I'm not sure about where to go with that for now.

So the 2 of the colours so far are Pink Horror and Catachan Flesh with a Mirky Mire wash. I'll have a look at what I have in for a choice later or could just do brown jacket and pink pants as those 2 I've painted already do look like they actually work.

I'd intended to root through the paints last night when I got in but I just ate some toast and was in bed before 9pm, so that didn't happen. 

Singing Cole Porter's "Let's Fall In Love"

 Okay the madness has begun.

My long delayed Imperial Guard, sorry it's been so long they're now the Astra Militarum, Terra Australis Chi Visionem Divisione are started with Commissar Greaves / Buck and her Centaur.

The plan is dazzle camo on all the tanks, the recon squads that came in the tank Battalion boxes are getting a suppliment of Oorlocks and Escher gangers to make it bit more wild looking.

Once I've got the numbers sorted I'm thinking to add a Las Rifle Heresy box with the Leman Russ, 2 Sentinels, a command squad and 20 Las rifle troops to add an infantry platoon.

That last part is not firm though.

The Prima Donna is going to get get her own Rogal Dorn Command Tank and Greaves Sword arm. I'm nowhere near building the Dorn Tank yet

The other bit done was Ragnar Blackmane for the Björn The Betrayer army, I've cut the open hand off and replaced it with closed fist, then fitted a Vulkite pistol that if I remember correctly came from a Dark Angels Heresy Cattaphrattii character, I also cut his sword off and replaced it with one of the big 2 handed axes from the Berzerker box. I cut the both hands out, used the sword hand inside the axe head and cut the second hand off the heft. Not sure when I'll paint this one, probably when I get the get the Brutalis Forge Fiend started.

Last thing and speaking of Redempter Dreadnoughts these where waiting for me when I got to work today, at least now I have a plan for 3 of the Redempter dreads now

Another Bits And Pieces Day.

 

Does not look like much, because it probably isn't.

I made a start on my Commissar Greaves on Centaur on Saturday looking through the heads and the prima Donna body, checking how that skirt fits on the legs, and getting a body from the Cutter box to use, the Prima Donna will be getting her own tank, I'll probably give her the Commander Dorn Tank, just need to get a hatch legs to mount the body on, with a Greaves sword arm and the Necromunda mini's pistol arm, getting those legs sorted tonight.

The Greaves mini is being left until tomorrow.

Ragnar is getting a plasma pistol and I'm going to look for a Chain Axe that looks serious. There's a possibility this might go on hold while I get a Kharne, Captain of the 8th Assault Company mini swap the weapons over, or one of the various Cypher minis I have might donate their plasma pistol, but the axe still needs to be good.

Lastly is the 3rd party Björn in heavy armour😜 nothing more on this but painting, but focus for this bit of the week are Greaves and the Tank Commanders Prima Donna. I'm not building a Dorn just yet. 

January To July 2026

 

Well this is, largely, done now, the main element is completed at least.

The army itself is using the World Eaters codex with elements from the main Chaos Codex, with a core of 30 Berzerkers, 10 Jakhals and 10 Legionnaires,

Like every army it's never finished, there's another Terminator character and a Ragnar Blackmane somewhere, the Ragnar would be added to the Berzerkers, there is definitely a second squad of Jakhals that has a firm plan and I'd probably add a cultist squad with similar wolfed up look, the new Chaos bikes with Doom Rider when those get released, potentially keeping some cash available for a potential army box for this, with the plan to paint them as Jade Talons.

Next project is the Armagedon Tank Battalion. This is going to be a big project but will be great fun to do, I'm picking up a book on dazzle camo on ships in World War 1 and 2 before I take the cat to the vets later. 

The Astra Militarum combat patrol will be a much more codex approved scheme in grey with the Genestealer cult planned as a bolt on here, the Astra Militarum here will be getting a Dorn and the Malcador the Russ and another Russ are planned to go in a squadron of 3.

I think this is possibly going to take me to years end. 

A rough plan from where I am on July the 10th 2026; 

chaos bikers are the next planned buy, which is I think a 2027 project

Based on rumours and speculation and thinking this is also a 2027 project, a Ravenwing box is on the agenda, the nebulous plan at this time is to get enough Land Speeders to add to half the number of bike Squadrons, and add the other half will be getting ATVs as support.

I thought this would be a good idea to get this box out and see where it is was at and to make a plan no matter how vague, a plan here is to add Howling Banshees and Warp Spiders with Dragon Knights, replace those Dark Elf Raiders for Dire Avengers.

Not much of a plan beyond that, maybe a bit more will become clearer closer to the Codex release