The Rapid Assault Force approaches

I managed to get the first element of my Rapid Assault Force (almost) finished this week! This Chaos Hellblade (from ForgeWorld) took quite a bit longer to paint than it did to assemble, but it is nearing the finished line. I've gone for a "reversed" scheme for my RAF flyers, using Dheneb Stone for the base color and Scorched Brown/Dark Flesh for the Chaos star.

The Step-by-step painting guide is as follows:

• Drybrush entire Hellblade with Tin Bitz

• Drybrush with Boltgun Metal

• Wash with Devlan Mud

• Wash patches of the Hellblade with Leviathan Purple and Thraka Green

• Wash with Badab Black

• Paint Windsor & Newton Liquid Mask on the metal, where you want the chips to appear. The edges of the wings are a great place.

• Paint the Hellblade with Dheneb Stone

• Drybrush with a mix of Dheneb Stone and Skull White

• Peel off the Liquid Mask, exposing the darkened metal below

• Hit the edges of the exposed metal with Mithril Silver

• Highlight the edges of the chips with Skull White

• Shade the Dheneb Stone with Gryphonne Sepia painted carefully into the recesses.

• Basecoat the Chaos star with Scorched Brown

• Highlight with Scorched Brown/Dark Flesh mix

• Edge highlight with Dark Flesh/Bleached Bone mix

Detail everything else.

As you may have noticed, the cockpit glass is black. That's for two reasons:

a) I wasn't happy with any of the paintjobs/color schemes for the pilot

b) I lost the original canopy and built a new one from plasticard

Of course, as soon as I finished painting the new canopy I found the old one!

Back in November I donated a 28mm Single Figure paintjob to the Mechanicon '09 Charity Auction. The winner of the paintjob recently sent me his chosen model, Forgefather Vulkan He'stan. I'll be shipping him off next week.

And the base is from Dragon Forge Design.

What a week!

So, after years of suffering from nothing more than the odd "change of season" cold, a viscious stomach virus decided to take a liking to my innards! It ran roughshod over my daughter and her daycare family too (all the kids, all the parents), which means it was a miserable week in more than just our household.

So, very little hobby time as I lay cramped up in bed or doubled over the porcelain throne. I'll try to get some new stuff done this week and up for you to see. I might even get the Hellblade completed (fingers crossed).

Anyway, I'll leave you on a brighter note. A buddy of mine in Massachusetts is starting his very own Indy GT, the Boston Brawl! On May 15-16, in Cambridge, MA (a very nice part of Boston in my opinion) you'll be able to play in an absolutely great event! Alex is one crazy, enthusiastic guy. I remember when I first met him, playing in the 2003 Vancouver GT while he was wearing a tiara and feather boa (apparently he lost a bet the night before), good times, good times.

So head on over to Alex's website, check out the details, and please, forgive his spelling and punctuation ; )

The Rapid Assault Force advances

Late-breaking News!

Like my friend Jeff Hall (of The Adept's Forge), I too will be helping the good folks of Games & Stuff in Glen Burnie, MD, celebrate their 10th Birthday. I should be thee from 7-9pm, hanging out, talking to people about painting and conversions. If you want to ask any questions about my recent stuff, just drop by! Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming...

So, I'm finally getting some paint on the Hellblade! Although this model was incredibly easy to assemble, I think it's going to take a bit longer to paint it up the way I want.

As you can see, I'm going for a bit of a switch-up on my Rapid Assault Force. Instead of the dark red of my Blood Pact tanks, I'm going for an off white scheme. However, I did start things off the same way. A heavy drybrush of Tin Bitz, a lighter drybrush of Boltgun Metal, then thinned washes of Devlan Mud, Thraka Green patches, Leviathan Purple patches, and Badab Black.

Once all those washes were dry I painted Liquid Mask in patches onto the Hellblade, painting more onto the leading edges and strategically placed streaks. This was followed by two thin coats of Dheneb Stone (I'll bust out the spraygun for the Locusts), then a drybrush of a Dheneb Stone/Skull White mix.

Finally I could get to my favorite part. Stripping off the Liquid Mask, exposing the darkened metal underneath. I continued a few more steps, but I'll save those for another post.

The Chaos Locust vector-fighter that Thomas and I are working on continues apace. I decided to build the engine pod, taking some design cues from the Hellblade's engine. Here it is above, and you can see the comparison below.

I'm pretty happy with it. You can do a lot of fun things with some tubing, plasticard, and Dragon Forge power cables.

I hope you enjoy it! More to come soon.

The origin of the Rapid Assault Force

Well. It has begun. The first plane for my Rapid Assault force has rolled off the production lines. I bought the Forgeworld Chaos Hellblade Fighter after I returned from the Battlefoam Wild West Shootout Tournament back in October 09 (so long ago).

After an overnight soak in some cleaning liquid and a thorough scrubbing with an old toothbrush (and the tweaking of one of the Hellblade's bent wings), the plane went together incredibly easily! Only 11 parts with no real hassles at all. If only they were all like this. I started wondering how many more I should acquire.

Anyways, after assembling the Hellblade it was time to get started on the Locust vector-fighter. Early last year, Thomas Wynn and I discussed the possibility of converting (somewhat enmasse) the fins from Drop Pods into Chaos fighters, later dubbed "Locusts" by Mr Wynn. We sketched up a few things and the project went on the Back Burner™ for over nine months. Recently I asked Thomas if he still had the sketches. Turns out he'd turned some of the sketches into cut components. He'd worked out everything for the flat plane of the wings, so I now get to work on building up the rest of the beast (engine, weapon mounts, air intakes, running lights etc), then we can go back to the computer-aided drawing board.

Here's a comparison shot. They'll actually be pretty close in overall length, but the Locust might appear a tad bulkier. As you can see I've started building up the detailing, the cockpit...

...the air intake, and underbelly.

And here's a final shot of the work thus far.

Until next time.

Cheers

Dave

Happy New Year (and Happy Birthday)

So, a new year is upon us and I must say I'm in a much better "place" than I was at this same time last year.

I've got a great job, working on Wargames Illustrated (the world's best wargaming magazine) with the lofty title of U.S. Editor. I get to co-ordinate articles and photos with U.S. contributors, visit wargaming conventions in the role of roving reporter, layout six or so articles each issue, and play an active role in the content planning for future issues. It really helps that I work with some great guys in the U.K. (and around the world).

I have some great friends (that I had at this time last year too). This blog and "social networking" activities have helped me stay in touch with them as well as reconnecting with many more. Huzzah for the internet!

And best of all my family has grown. Emily has been loads of fun! Watching her grow up has been a real treat. Although it has really eaten into my hobby time, I wouldn't have it any other way. Even now she's practicing pulling up on the couch and chewing on the edges : )

And my blog has grown quite rapidly (the Happy Birthday bit was for this blog, one year old today). I must thank you all for your support. It's great to know that folks enjoy the stuff I do. 75 posts in 2009 (just under 1.5 per week) was a pretty good pace, and 437 followers for the year is great too. I have a fun competition planned for when the blog hits 500 followers, so make sure you point it out to your friends ; )

Anyway, on to the toy soldiers! Last year I finished of a couple of commissions, including this trio of Pre-Heresy Emperor's Children Space Marines. A Chapter Standard flanked by Chief Apothecary Fabius Bile on the left and Captain Lucius on the right.

I realized I hadn't posted a close-up pic of the Standard Bearer, so here he is.

And although my original projection of five hobby days over my break has dwindled to around three, I did manage to get my Chaos Hellblade into it's cleansing bath. With only 12 pieces to it, it should be pretty simple to get it assembled, as soon as I straighten out a bend in the right wing.

Something else the keen-eyed among you will notice is that the Locust vector-fighter that Thomas and I are working on is a a bit bigger than the Hellblade. Mmmmm...

More Rapid Assault updates next time.

Cheers

Dave