First Infinity Models Painted: Ariadna Loup-Garous

I've been in a bit of a painting slump but am finally getting back.  I've been assembling terrain like a madman over the last couple of months.  My goal is to get 4 4x4 tables at my house for infinity so I can start hosting.  If you've ever played the game you know how terrain intensive that is!

Here's my first batch of miniatures I painted for my Ariadna Merrovingian Strike Force.  I started with the Loup-Garous.  I love how this link team performs in the game, they're brutal.  It looks like they may be one of the more intensive paint schemes with all of their capes.

What I found is the real challenging part for me is switching scales.  All of the tiny straps and details that are way easier to paint on heroic 28mm.  Now that I'm looking at the pictures zoomed in, I want to go back and touch up some things.

I basically went with most of the color schemes straight from the book.  It was fun doing such a small batch of models.  I could mix paints on the fly and it allowed me to try things I wouldn't normally undertake if I had to batch paint hundreds of models (or tanks).

The bases I used are from Dragon Forge Design.  Great product from those guys.  I am not totally sold on the grass I put on the bases, but I wanted to break up the drab concrete a little bit and figured grass would be growing through the cracks.

Now onto the rest of my Ariadna models.  The next batch will be the troopers as well as the Chasseurs.

City Tiles for Infinity

I'm anxious awaiting for my Secret Weapon Miniatures Kickstarter to come in, but I couldn't wait too long.  Figured I'd whip up some easy tiles for 2 4'x4' tables.  My Dad is a genius at woodworking and I spent an evening with him last week doing tons of cuts.  The thought is on these tiles that I'd be able to customize and make cool little vignettes on the "blank" ones and have some standard roads to make as big of a city as need be.

Here's my example straight road tiles.  The roads are 5" wide which seems to be about right for two of the Antenocitis Workshop cars to drive side by side.  The "blank" tiles will be raised by one level so they're flush with the sides of the road.  I'll go and pick up some textured paint to lay down, it should go pretty easy.

Hopefully this will give me some quick and effective city tiles.  I'm really looking forward to doing some fountains, parks, etc.

Since I'm torn between doing a futuristic city and a more modern one, I'm going to do two themed tables... one of each!   The more futuristic buildings will come from MicroArt Studios, Sarissa Precision, CNC Workshop and Warmill and my more modern day buildings are coming from Demo's Laser Cut Design as well as Sarissa Precision.  Here's the links to the sites if you're interested in their stuff!

Demo's Laser Cut Designs Modern Day buildings, reasonably priced, very easy assembly
Antenocitis Workshop Awesome scatter terrain (cars, planters, ads)
Warmill Really cool future buildings.  Lots of clear acrylic parts, tons of character but a little pricey
Sarissa Precision haven't received them yet, but they have a ton of ranges (modern, historic, future).
CNC Workshop I love their stuff, very cool future buildings, crates.  If only shipping from Australia was cheaper.
Micro Art Studios the official Infinity terrain

I'll do some reviews on the buildings over the next couple of weeks.

Thoughts on Terrain

I'm still plodding away at adding to my Tau/Eldar 40k force (will probably be my Adepticon 2014 force), but I've really been lured in to doing terrain for other systems.  Since a group of us are getting into infinity, I'm looking at making a quick and dirty urban table.  I think I'll go with a similar concept to what CNC Workshop is doing with their City Tiles

I figure I could make 1 foot square tiles and do cool stuff to go on all of them.  That way I can have some good looking and fast streets as well.  I'd order from CNC Workshop but the freight and cost is just a little too pricey.

I'm also really loving the Spartan Games scale stuff.  We've had a blast playing uncharted seas, and I stumbled upon this demo table for Dystopian Wars.  HOLY CRAP!  

Detailed pictures can be seen at the blog: Hamburger Tactica

Now to figure out how to scratch build some apartment complexes and roads!

NOVA and a Hobby Change of Direction

Just got back from NOVA.  Almost had everything completely painted.  I made my biggest mistake that I said I wouldn't.  Just didn't get that many practice games beforehand.  Which meant I didn't really know what my army could and could not do.

With that said, I did fairly well.  I went 3-1 on the first half and was put in bracket 3.  I then choked in my bracket and went 2-2.  The first loss was due to a tiebrekaer and the second loss was a little suspect.  I won't bitch on that, but there was some less then fair things that went down on that.

I guess I've reached a point where I need a little change of pace.  I have a blast playing 40k and really enjoy competitive games.  I just need to stop painting armies like it's going out of style.  My wife will agree with that completely.  Some of the 40k big tournament scene has gotten a bit out of hand with the whole Torrent of Fire throwing around phrases like "expert advice" and making the scene some big ego driven top tier crap it's just sucking the fun out of things.

To completely contrast I went over to the Infinity room.  Here is where I felt 40k was 15 years ago.  A growing competitive scene, people generally enthusiastic about sharing the hobby and getting others engaged, very inclusive.  Part of what I miss is really sinking my teeth into a miniature and painting like every model is a hero.  When I was a kid on a very limited budget that's what I did.  I'd like to get back into that spirit.

In addition to that I really want some eye candy terrain.  Really immerse myself in the action, make it a true joy to play on.  With Infinity relying on tons of terrain, I want to create that display board effect that I try when I do my more time intensive display boards.  To capture that feeling of what the army/story/game is all about.

I've picked up some Ariadna models, I absolutely love the Frenchies.  I had to catch myself from thinking right away on my next force, how to expand, all that crap. I'm just going to sit down and really spend some time painting them to a high level, play a ton of games, and make some seriously kick-ass terrain.  Once that's done, I'll look at another force - preferably more anime/outrageous (like Nomads or Yu Jing or Pan Oceana).

With the GW Chicago Battle Bunker rumored to close soon, I'm losing my major 40k hang out.  This will give me a chance to try the whole infinity hobby out, and work on my gaming basement to get some 40k tables going so I can start hosting mini events / bbq gaming drink fests at my house.

There's my rant.  Looking forward to a bit of hobby changing direction!

Wraithknight Finished!!!

He/She is DONE!  If I don't paint another gem in awhile it won't be too soon.  I probably went a little too liberal on what is considered gems, so it almost looks like a cheetah.  But I think it's a pretty cool effect, that's what wraith constructs are all about.

Here's the finished product.  Now only a crap-ton of suits to go before NOVA.

I sized senior wraithknight with his pal the riptide.  Yeah the wraithknight is a bit bigger. 

On to painting some crisis suits.

She Got Legs... Wraithknight Progress

I needed a break from painting the monotonous line highlighting of all the Tau armor plates so I thought it would be great to try a portion of the wraithknight.  Luckily the kit naturally is pinned so I can transport and paint the upper body separately. 

Damn, these legs are long!  I started with just one to see if I like the color scheme.  Here's the progress.

There are so many gem possibilities I just decided that any large circular area I'd just paint the regular color of the army.  I know I probably painted more gems than most people but I really think that is what makes eldar a different army - covered in stones.  Hopefully it doesn't look too "pimply". 

On to the other leg, progress to follow. Only a few weeks to NOVA, gotta get crackin!

Eldar Jebike

Wow, NOVA is approaching fast - only have three weeks to get my painting finished and I adjusted my list yet again... just can't settle on what I want to bring.  Also means I'm painting up a boatload of miniatures in the next three weeks.

Of of those is the Eldar allies portion.  Here's my test model of a guardian jetbike.  I'm keeping the same color scheme as my Tau but having a little more white then blue (Tau is blue with white accents).  Nothing to write home about, it's simple but I think it looks ok. 

Here's what I have on the docket to finish before NOVA!

- 2 more Broadsides
- 5 Crisis Suits
- 5 jetbikes
- farseer on jetbike
- 1 more Riptide (damn they take a long time to paint)
- 1 Wraithknight (he should go pretty quick)