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.