A slow start to 2010

It’s been a slow start to 2010. January is never good for painting. The evenings are dark, which is discouraging and the weekends always seem to be full of other things which need to be done.

Still, I’ve managed to make a start on my 2010 pledge with the completion of another 72 Mordor Orcs.

Nothing much to say about these really. They were once again “speed painted”. I think they’ve turned out well considering how little time I’ve spent on them.

Mordor Orcs (1)

Mordor Orcs (2)

So a good start with my Pledge for 2010.

Obtained: 1
Painted: 72
Sold: 10
Net: 81

I’m ahead of the game!

eFail

German Zombies - The most fun models to paint of 2009

This will be my last update of 2009.

Pledge progress has been slow over the festive period, although I’ve finally varnished another 5 flesh hounds. This makes my final painted miniatures total for 2009 a quite respectable 715.

Sadly the purchased total is a massive 1584. After factoring in another 45 received as Christmas gifts, then taking off another 31 swapped or sold on, I’m left with a grand total of -883. Or to put it more simply . . .

Epic Fail!

That’s probably a fair description of my Pledge performance in 2009.

Let’s look at those numbers again.

Obtained: 1629
Painted: 715
Sold: 31
Net: -883

So where did it all go wrong?

Too many projects – that was the problem, and the fact I can’t resist a bargain. Looking back through my 2009 purchases I can see that the unpainted stuff was mostly picked up cheap and/or to fuel my interest in War of the Ring and more recently Warmachine.

So what now?

My plan is to try again in 2010. Only this time I’ll stay focused
Perhaps trying to finish a project before starting on the next would help. I’ve not got the willpower though.

I’ve a few potential projects for 2010, including . . .

Warmachine: Khador – I’ve a large collection of recently acquired, mostly built and undercoated models, but I’ll probably hold off painting them until the MkII book is out.

Warhammer: Savage Orcs – I’ve 100+ of these waiting to be painted.

Warhammer: Skaven – I’ve 150+ models already done, and about the same number needing done.

Wargods: Spartans – I’ve been picking these models up whenever I see them cheap for years now. Must have 120+ at least.

War of the Ring: Various – I could finish my Evil armies, although the prospect of assembling and painting 3 Mumakil quite frankly scares me. Or perhaps I could start on one of the Good ones. I’m spoiled for choice.

Those are the likely candidates for 2010. I’ve just got to start one before I’m tempted by anything else.

I’d best get cracking then before the GW release those new Tyranid models . . .

Jagerhunds & Werewolves

It’s unlikely that I’ll get much more painting done this year, so my “Pledge” is doomed to failure. However, I press on regardless to see how much I can actually finish.

Today’s update is seven figures from Westwind Games Secrets of the third Reich range. Three Jagerhunds and four Werewolves.

First up we have my favourite: The Doberman Jagerhund.

Doberman

Followed by a close second: The Rottweiler

Rottweiler Jagerhund

Not to forget: The Alsatian

Alsatian Jagerhund

Unlike the Jagerhunds the Werewolves all have names.

Fenris

Wolfgang

Janus

Mondheulen

And a couple if shots of the “Hunting packs”.

Hunting Pack (1)

Hunting Pack (2)

That’s seven more painted, plus another 4 I’ve sold, towards my score this year – making it:

Bought: 1574
Painted: 705
Sold: 22
Net: -847

All in all a pretty dire attempt.

More Cygnar

Here’s another few photos of my Cygnar. This time a couple of solos.

First up we have the Gun Mage Captain Adept (GMCA)

Arcance Tempest GMCA

And next the extremely useful Journeyman Warcaster.

Journeyman Warcaster

So useful I have the Alternate too . . .

Journeyman Warcaster (Alternate)

Heavy Metal – Cygnar Warjacks

Continuing with pictures of my recently acquired Cygnar army, here are the Warjacks . . .

Centurion

Centurion & eNemo

Charger

Charger (x2)

[Defender] – not yet

[Grenadier] – not yet

[Hammersmith] – not yet

Hunter

Hunter

Ironclad

Ironclad

Lancer

Lancer

Ol’ Rowdy under construction

Sentinel

Sentinel

Sentinel (x2)

[Stormclad] – not yet

Thorn

Thorn

[Thunderhead] – not yet

Finally, a couple of group shots.

Ironclad & Centurion

Cygnar group shot

For Cygnar!

I’ve recently acquired two small Cygnar armies. One was bought from the Colours Bring & Buy and the second from the Warfare one. Both were painted by the same painter. It’s a simple but effective paint scheme and looks effortless, but I suspect a great deal of effort has gone into perfecting this technique. It’s not a style I’ve ever tried, but I’ll be giving it a go shortly as reinforcements are under construction as I type.

First up I have my Warcasters:

Captain Allister Caine

Captain Allister Caine

Commander Adept Nemo

Commander Adept Nemo

General Adept Nemo

General Adept Nemo

Commander Coleman Stryker

Commander Coleman Stryker

More of this army to follow over the next few days, but in the meantime here’s a sneak peak at one of the jacks . . .

Centurion

Axe to mouth, baby!

Brainwurst! – Americans

Another update and another batch of figures for Secrets of the Third Reich from Westwind games. This time it’s the 12 American figures from the Brainwurst set.

Brainwurst - US Armoured Infantry (1)

Brainwurst - US Armoured Infantry (2)

Brainwurst - US Armoured Infantry (3)

Brainwurst - US Armoured Infantry (4)

Brainwurst - US Armoured Infantry (5)

Brainwurst - US Armoured Infantry Medic

How did I miss that mould line?

Warfare saw a few more figures added to my stockpile, although I was restrained and kept the number to 10, and one of those was the freebie that came with the new Doomsday source book for Secrets of the Third Reich. I’ve not had a chance to more than glance at the book, but my first impression is a good one, even if it will no doubt lead to more purchases in future.

Still the Brainwurst figures add another 12 painted, and with the 10 purchased, that makes my score for the year:

Bought: 1574
Painted: 698
Sold: 18
Net: -858

Even more Soviets

Here are some pictures of my final batch of Secrets of the Third Reich Soviets (for the time being – with Warfare coming up at the weekend there’s every chance I’ll buy some more).

First up is one of the special characters: Sickle. There’s a corresponding “Hammer”, but he’s having some bits and pieces pinned on at the moment.

Sickle

Sickle (2)

Next we have sniper Vasily (the Hare) Zaytsev, pictured here with another Soviet Officer.

Vasily (the Hare) Zaystev

I’ve also finished a handful of other Soviet Officers and Snipers. All in all there’s a total of 8 of them including Vasily.

Soviet Officer

Officer & Vasily

Soviet Officers

Soviet Snipers

That’s another 8 figures, which makes my score for the year:

Bought: 1564
Painted: 686
Sold: 18
Net: -860

Girls with Guns

Not all defenders of the Motherland are shambling Zombies. Soviet women bear their share of the burden in Great Patriotic War against the Evil German Undead Warmachine. While most toil in industry, transport, agriculture and other civilian roles, working double shifts to free up enlisted men to fight and increase military production, a sizable number of women take up arms to deal with the hated invaders more directly.

A shining example is Nika the Widowmaker.

Nika the Widowmaker

But not all female defenders of the Motherland are snipers. Women of the Soviet Union can also be found wielding the famous PTRD Anti-tank rifle.

Soviet PTRD (1)

Nika & PTRD Rifle girl

Armed Women of the Soviet Union

That’s another 3 figures, which makes my score for the year:

Bought: 1564
Painted: 678
Sold: 18
Net: -868

Comrade, are you ill?

Another painting update. This time it’s 24 Soviet Zombies for Westwind Games: Secrets of the Third Reich.

There’s 4 of the “Bomb” Zombies . . .

Soviet Bomb Zombie

Soviet Bomb Zombie (2)

Soviet Bomb Zombies

Soviet Bomb Zombies - rear view

There are also 20 “Normal” Zombies. I love the model with its arm in a sling. You can almost imagine the medic at the field aid station saying “It’s only a flesh wound, Comrade. Just wear this sling and you’ll be fine”.

Soviet Zombies

More Soviet Zombies (2)

That’s 24 more models towards my pledge.

Which makes my score for the year:

Bought: 1564
Painted: 675
Sold: 18
Net: -871