Sons of Horus Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw Completed

With our kitchen remodeling almost complete, I was able to relax a bit and finish the dreadclaw. This guy was painted to fit into my existing Sons of Horus army, so I couldn't stray too far from my original color scheme. I'm happy with it. It sits proudly on my shelf alongside other loyalist Sons of Horus. I may wait a bit before tackling the 2nd one. Perhaps I'll attach that to my Ultramarines. One of the best parts of Horus Heresy is seeing loyalists and traitors using the same equipment.

Sons of Horus Anvillus Pattern Dreadclaw WIP

I've had to focus my energies elsewhere for a bit, but with renewed hobby mojo, I jumped on our weekly hobby video chat and grabbed a model to paint. I needed something easy. I picked a dreadclaw. So, first mistake down for the evening. At least it will be easy hold....nope...At least I'll know what side is up.....nope....

I had a lot of fun starting this, and I think it is going to look cool when finished. At the moment I'm thinking the door/eye should be blazing orange. I can then weather it back with dark black brown paint chipping. 

Abaddon First Captain Sons of Horus

I've had this Abaddon and Loken diorama for years sitting half finished in my display cabinet. A trip to Adepticon and a purchase of Secret Weapons Miniatures rubber colored paint gave me the push to get this done once I got back.(well, that and the horrific cold I picked up). Could I push the shadows a bit? Yes. Could I highlight the leather some more? Yes. Will I? No. I am content knowing this half finished diorama  is no longer in my cabinet. I'm tempted to remove the miniatures from the larger base and let them stand with the other infantry, but for now, they are locked in this fight pose.

Sons of Horus Dreadnought

After taking 60 photos of this guy, I think it is time to give up. These are the best shots I can get of him. Clearly, my photography skills have atrophied! Nonetheless, I am happy with the model, and look forward to putting it next to my original SoH dreadnought. Even though my style has changed  since I started my SoH army, I think this guy will fit in just fine. And if you disagree with that, he's got plenty of firepower to convince you. :)

Sons of Horus Contemptor WIP 1

I haven't painted a 28mm 30k unit in a while, so I grabbed a dreadnought that had been languishing under my desk for several years and made some progress. This guy was is fully magnetized, so the arms move, and the missile launcher comes off. What you see in the photos is the first phase of painting. It is at this point that I varnish the model and add transfers. That is my worry. My transfers are pretty old now. I'm hoping they don't silver, but I think that is real risk. Despite that, I am eager to push the project forward. After transfers I can begin enamel pin washes and oil streaking. That is my favorite part of painting. Environmental effects totally change a model.

Warhounds and Army Shots

This makes up one side of the forces that I am painting for our club games. Depending on how I run it, I either need to paint up orks, or planetary guards next. Orks would allow some practice games to get players used to their units. I also want them to feel the superiority of Astartes. The will make the betrayal games better.

Thunderhawk Transporter & Specialists for Epic 30k

My Sons of Horus now have HQ and specialist stands for the troops. The librarian was especially fun to paint. You can really see how much better GW plastics got in the later models. The scale, design, and form is vastly better. GW could do epic easily today. Next up are some World Eaters.

On The Painting Table: Thunderhawks & Reinforcements

After all of those dwarves, I needed something to jump start my painting. Some unfinished Epic models fit the bill perfectly, especially since there will likely be an Epic 30k event shaping up in the future. I'm a bit rusty with the air brush, but I think once I've applied a filter, these will fit right in. I still need to come up with some flight stands for the thunderhawks. After seeing Brian's drop pods clapped to telescoping rods at NOVA this year, I think these need to come in on tall stands. That is unless they are flying at the nape of the earth. You know, giant bricks are so agile that they can do that. :)

Sons of Horus Thunderhawk Epic Scale

Epic 30k has really caught my imagination. It is played at a scale where Thunderhawks and super heavy tanks make sense. Naturally, I had to have a flight of Thunderhawks. Yep, you heard that right. I have a full 8 of these guys to paint. They are split evenly between transporters carrying rhinos, and the traditional gunship model pictured here. I plan to paint at least two different legions, possibly four, in order to play Istavaan III, so quite a few were needed. When they aren't being used for Epic, or Aeronautica Imperialis (think X-Wing but 40k), they will sit on the shelf fueling my imagination.

Epic 30K Troop & Army Shots

I had a packed of GW rectangular style bases arrive and decided that meant it was time to paint up some infantry. I have one detachment of tactical, three stands of devastators, four stands of terminators, and one captain stand. Once I complete two war hounds, I will have the basics of a nice little Sons of Horus force. I plan to paint up a World Eaters force to complement these. The change in color pallet will help keep the painting interesting. After that, I might have to tackle the Imperial Guard army. I managed to find two pristine Imperial Guard detachment boxes from the Epic 40k relaunch, which includes Valhallans and Catachan jungle fighters. I think those boxes are going to be a bast to paint.

Four Dreadtober Sons of Horus Dreadnoughts Completed

The Ork dreadnought is on hold while I decide if I want to paint it up for display purposes, lacking it, I had to find something to paint in order to fulfill my Dreadtober pledge. Enter Epic 30k. I had a lot of fun painting up a full unit of these guys, even applying panel shading on them as if they were 28mm instead of 6mm models. Since I had the paint out, I went ahead and painted up some land speeders, some original plastic land raiders, and three shadowswords for the force. The last shot is just a photo of what I have painted so far. Once I get some stands of infantry painted I will have a usable force. I've been holding on painting any infantry until I figure out how to base the minis. The crackle paint bases are serviceable, but rather dull. 

(ok I know 6mm dreadnoughts is not what Greg had in mind when he cooked up Dreadtober, however I found a way to make it work! You know what, I think I probably painted the most dreadnoughts for Dreadtober. Go me!)