When is it an army...

...and not just a collection of models?

I ask this, because I would like to know what my army count is right now. If you look at it as any collection of models from the same range, that might vaguely fit a force org chart, then I could have somewhere around twenty armies. If you go strictly by what has models, fits a chart, and has actually seen table time, and I want to keep working on it, that number crashes down to somewhere around three. If you are slightly more generous and say collections that could see table time sooner or later, that number jumps somewhat...

I did some work on the Blood Angels. Let me rephrase that, I did work on a Blood Angel Sergeant. Remember that crazy idea I was trying to talk myself out of, of putting together the entire Chapter? Yeah, properly squashed and buried in the back yard. Oddly enough, it wasnt painting red that killed it, it was working around the red paint that did it. I still like the idea of a full chapter someday, but its going to be in a color that is easier to work with. Like black, or maybe a dark grey. The Blood Angels will join my Crusade project, as a small force I can use from time to time, but I doubt I will expand on them much.

I have considered applying the Chapter idea to the Red Scorpions, but for the life of me I cant seem to build as much interest/insanity about that as I did with the Blood Angels. It might be the awe factor. One thousand marines in black/grey armor just is not as awe inspiring as the same number in red. I am pretty sure its not a cost factor, since what Id be spending extra for FW bits would be countered by what Im not spending on extra Land Raiders and Death Company.

Right now, taking up table real estate I have my Red Scorpions, which are currently all painted, and my Purge Chaos Marines. The Purge are about 65% complete. They all have the basic black and green done, just about half of them need the rest of the detail finished.

I have been considering swapping out them for the Black Legion. A lot more models, and more work to be completed, but simpler to paint, and a lot more variation. Instead of mono-Nurgle, its a combined force from all four Chaos Gods. My Purge force is roughly 2250 points, with all the transports currently required. The Black Legion is WELL over 4k points, with the majority of it being "slow" infantry. But they do have a pair of Land Raiders, and a lot of the more "fun" troop types.

Another thing I have been considering is poking at the Protectorate of Menoth for Warmachine. Religious extremism at its worst (best?) in tabletop form. Of course, that would require me to actually shell out some cash for something besides an army book.

The last couple weeks have had me wanting to do something I have never done before: Painting something just for the hell of it. Ive been poking around the Warstore and CMON, looking for a cool model I could just let go and paint without thinking about how it would fit into this collection or that, but I have not found anything yet...

I better end this wall of text before it crashes down upon me...

Getting (and staying) motivated...

So yeah, I start working on a unit or a couple of models and then the evil computer says "Hey look, I got games here!"... and the next thing I know, its four days later, I cant find my cats, and there is the weird aftertaste of pop-tarts on my tongue...

Ok, its really not like that. But I usually do bite off more then I can chew, and there is a closet full of stuff I bit. Right now, Ive got my Red Scorpions and my Purge Chaos Marines sitting on the shelf, awaiting paint... Ok, not entirely accurate. Of my Red Scorpions, 1 unit, 1 dreadnought, and 1 character need paint. The Purge are a bit further behind, but seeing as they are about twice as many points, I think they can get away with it. They have a Great Unclean One, a pair of Spawn, a unit of Terminators, a unit of Possessed, and a Havok squad to go... and maybe a rhino. I cant remember if that was finished or not.

Both of these armies are in the same shape, basic armor colors are done (dark grey for RS, black and green for Purge), but some of the models still need to be finished.

Ive considered the painting for points system, but decided its not for me. I need to get what I have painted, not add more to the mountain...

I tried something different to get the ball moving today. I chose a single Chaos Terminator, and painted him, all that needs to be finished on that model is the fly symbol and basing. Im thinking I might try doing that to finish the rest of these armies, just do them one at a time. Not efficient at all, but swapping between RS and Purge models might kill off some of the boredom...

Another thing Im considering for motivation I stole from Goatboy, he puts up pics of the models he worked on the week previous. I might actually make myself fight with the camera and start an "end of the week report". Maybe. I should look into building a lightbox first...

Doing the army shuffle...

Im rethinking some armies, rebuilding projects, and looking ahead tonight.

Imperial Army - Im gonna consolidate the two projects back into a single project I think. It was an amusing idea, but I dont really have the motivation to do anything with it. My current plan (this week! ;D) is to finish what I am working on with the Space Marines, assemble my Imperial Guard and paint them up too. Eventually I want to add an order of Sisters of Battle (prolly the Order of the Bloody Rose), and some Grey Knights... and maybe even an Inquisitor or two! But additions are down the road.

Main plans are Red Scorpion, Imperial Fist, and Marines Errant forces finished up to complete battle companies, and have at least one of every entry in the codex painted. After the IG codex is out, Ill be working on my Cadian 42nd (because 42 is the answer!).

Army of the Dark Gods - This will be the dark mirror of the Imperial Army project. Lots of Chaos Marines, working under the banner of Abaddon (but that doesnt mean Ill be using him!). Ill add some traitor guardsmen to the mix, and hope that GW eventually realizes that people would like to see the LatD list resurface. Daemons will also be involved, but this project is waiting in line behind everything else for now.

Main plans are to fix my Black Legion models, and probably expand on them and The Purge. I havnt really decided where I want to go with them from there, but Im half thinking a second traitor legion will be contributing troops...

The Walking Dead - This is my Fantasy project. Currently its my Tomb Kings, but I want to work up a Vampire Counts force... I had an idea a while back to do a "Historical Carstein" army. The idea was that Id have about 5k worth of models, with large games being led either by Vlad or Manfred, while smaller games would be led by Konrad, or maybe Manfred the Acolyte. This would be the first time Ive actually built an army around special characters. One of the ideas I was playing with was the whole army of Sylvania thing... having the dead, and playing around with the Empire list as well, for the living occupants of those evil lands.

Main plans here are to finish painting the Tomb Kings, expand them to 3000 points, and create a playable 500 or 1000 point list for the Vampire Counts... and eventually decide if Im going to do the Sylvanian Empire list.

Eventually I want to do a second Fantasy project, but Im not sure what it will be. Maybe if I dont do the Sylvanian Empire, Ill do my Akhaz Boki Dwarfs with Empire allies...

Saturday Game

Mikie and I had our game this afternoon. 2250, Nurgloid Chaos Marines VS Sisters of Battle. Game should have been a win for me, he had a single squad of battle sisters left, where I had about 70% of my force remaining. However, it was not. I keep telling people that my Nurgle armies are hell for me to win with, but hell to win against. Mikie saw that first hand.

We had three objectives, and none of them had any troops nearby at the end of the game (I had a plague marine squad about 15 inches from one, and was trying to get there for T6).

That photo above does not inspire confidence, does it? That was my To Wound roll with my Greater Daemon after he charged a unit of Nuns... Hit six times, rolled a one for ALL the wounds...

And yes, I still need to get that second sheet of fabric to base my table...

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly...

The Good News: My company finally got someone to work the day shift, so Im not pulling 10 hour nights anymore!

The Bad News: My company finally got someone to work the day shift, so Im not pulling 10 hour nights anymore.

This is about 20 hours off each of my paychecks that Id gotten used to, and that I was able to use for some mini-crack. So, Im trying to decide if I just want to slow down, if I should take this as a chance to paint stuff thats been sitting in the Closet of Doom for the past few years, or if I should look into that AdSense thing to keep the plastic and pewter flowing....

Anyone got anything nice or bad to say about the program? If I put the ads up, would people stop visiting?

And now, the Ugly, so this isnt a totally off topic post ;)

I broke down and told Mikie what army Im playing this weekend, so that means I can tell you all too! I will be rolling out 2250 points of The Purge Chaos Marines against his Nuns with Guns on Saturday! Ill get an army list posted when I get home, and maybe even a pic of my models...