[PROJECT NEWS] A Bit Stalled.

Welcome back,

                                   a bit of a general update on progress today. As things have been so hectic of late, I haven't had time to take any pictures (not that there is much to take pictures of to be honest). So what have I been up to?

Well I built another two of my Martian tripods and came to the conclusion that they definitely need some sort of support if I want to use them for gaming. I'm thinking that I'll drill small holes underneath the body and mount them on brass rod for support (now I just need some brass rod to get on with that), secondly I'm going to mount them on CD's as bases, after a quick test I realised how difficult they can be to pick up so, I'm thinking either a double layer of CD's to help with that or a solid terrain piece that I can grab a hold instead of the models. So basically I'm waiting on materials and a bit of experimentation to proceed with this part of the project.

I've also been preparing the next Infantry Battalion of my British Army for painting, normally this would be an hour or so's work for the entire battalion (to snip each stand of four in two and then glue them to wooden spatula's for painting) but it took me that long to do two company's worth. The problem being that I bought a battalion of Baccus infantry in marching pose which come on a much narrower sprue and which has to be cut three times instead of just once (and I can't quite get my cutters in between the individual models so it's more like 6 cuts). Suffice to say I was a little frustrated, I'll get back to them soon though for once they are finished I can move on to my Lancers and my Machine Guns.

Finally there has been more work on a small terrain project, inspired by Christian's entry in the Build Something Contest on Lead Adventure I'm attempting to make a 6mm version. Progress is a bit slow but I'm getting there, pictures will be forth coming as soon as it looks like something.

And that's about it for the moment, a bit of a rubbish update but an update no less.

Haarken

[W.I.P] Martian Tripods.

Welcome back,

                                   well it was almost inevitable that I would post another tripod related update today and well here I am (So much for slow and steady). I just couldn't resist having a crack at putting one together if I only so I could get a better impression of their size. I have to say that after one false start where I'd picked up two right legs rather than a left and a right, it went together really easily, I used a combination of green stuff and super glue to hold the legs in place . I'm still mulling mounting it on a metal rod to attach it to it's base as it's rather delicate, I figure I can probably disguise it as a tree or piece of terrain but I think it would lose the effect of the open space under the legs. Much pondering will commence shortly. Anyway more pictures.

Martian Tripod & Baccus 6mm Colonials

Martian Tripod & Baccus 6mm Colonials

Martian Tripod & Baccus 6mm Colonials

 

Size Shot

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Haarken

[PROJECT NEWS] The Fighting Machines Emerge.

Welcome back,

                                    Well the Martian tripods have arrived and let me tell you I am incredibly happy with them, whilst they are not exactly what I was looking for and they're probably not most people's cup of tea, I think that they are simply fantastic and that they will be a brilliant addition to my project.

Tripod

Slight and spindly really doesn't go far enough to describe how very fragile and delicate these little beauties are, cast in resin and reinforced with tiny steel rods for support, they are the most fragile models I've ever handled, still can't let a little fear get in the way, they're just models at the end of the day and they just one purpose. Wargaming.

Tripod

There were a few bits of flash to clear up, but nothing too difficult and nothing unexpected, still dry fitting them at the moment, seeing how they fit together and trying to work out if I need to add some extra support (I'd rather not have to but it might be necessary to mount them on a rod through the body and let that take all the weight).

Tripods Legs with Baccus 6mm Colonial Infantry for Scale.

I'll be progressing with these very slowly, I really want to take my time and get them done to a good standard so it might be a while between updates on these, I will of course be updating other bits of my project along the way.

Thanks for reading.
Haarken 

[PROJECT NEWS] Martians On The Way!

“As Mars approached opposition, Lavelle of Java set the wires of the astronomical exchange palpitating with the amazing intelligence of a huge outbreak of incandescent gas upon the planet. It had occurred towards midnight of the twelfth; and the spectroscope, to which he had at once resorted, indicated a mass of flaming gas, chiefly hydrogen, moving with an enormous velocity towards this earth. This jet of fire had become invisible about a quarter past twelve. He compared it to a colossal puff of flame suddenly and violently squirted out of the planet, "as flaming gases rushed out of a gun." 

 

A singularly appropriate phrase it proved. Yet the next day there was nothing of this in the papers except a little note in the Daily Telegraph, and the world went in ignorance of one of the gravest dangers that ever threatened the human race. I might not have heard of the eruption at all had I not met Ogilvy, the well-known astronomer, at Ottershaw. He was immensely excited at the news, and in the excess of his feelings invited me up to take a turn with him that night in a scrutiny of the red planet.” - H.G. Wells

Welcome back,

                                   Just a short update with some news and a particularily pertinent quote from as I'm sure you'll all recognise H.G. Well's “War of the Worlds”. The update is due to the fact that my Martian tripods are almost here (the post man left a note to say they wouldnt fit through the letter box. Unfortunately my next day off is Friday so won't be able to collect it and take pictures of them until Friday. Understandably I'm excited and couldn't wait until Friday to post an update.

Haarken

[Finished] The Floating Islands of Atlantis.

Welcome back,

           Well the votes for the first round of the 2nd Lead Adventure "Build Something" Contest are in and tallied and I placed a distant third behind Malamute and Axelgrunt. The final voting figures for Group B ended up being:

Axelgrunt         - 96 (44.2%)

Malamute        - 81 (37.3%)

Haarken           - 36 (16.6%)

TimHerr1847  - 04 (01.8%)

Congratulations and all the best of luck to Axelgrunt and Malamute who go through to the next round of voting and thank you to everyone that voted for me, I really appreciate the support.

In retrospect I wish I had been a little more adventurous with my entry, it wasn't the most technically impressive build nor did I really push myself to the boundaries of my skills, next time round I'll be aiming for a much more complicated and impressive build. Anyway on to some pictures: -

Up first we have a couple of work in progress pictures that were a little too finished to show at the time, having base coated and dry brushed the whole piece I then decided I needed to add some more interest, cut the green stuff and some Z Scale model tree's off ebay.

Work In Progress: The Floating Islands base coated and dry-brushed.

Work In Progress: The Floating Islands base coated and dry-brushed.

Finally we have the finished piece, I took a fair few pictures for the competition so rather than waste them i'll post them all up here.

The Floating Islands of Atlantis.

The Floating Islands of Atlantis.

The Floating Islands of Atlantis.

The Floating Islands of Atlantis.

And a final picture for a sense of scale.

The Floating Islands of Atlantis.

Naval Brigade of HMS Atropos skirt the edge of the Floating Islands of Atlantis.

Hope you've enjoyed, I know I certainly did.

Haarken

[Finished] The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders).

Welcome back,

                           a brief update tonight i'm afraid, well I finally finished the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), I struggled to get them finished last night due to family duties but now they're all done. These were based and flocked in the same way as the DLI and the Naval Brigade, with Games Workshop Static Grass and Woodland Scenics Medium Green Foliage.

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

As mentioned in previous posts the kilts were painted with Games Workshop Ultramarines Blue with Goblin Green stripes over the top, the tunics were GW Blood Red on top of GW Scab Red.

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

As with the previous finished post I included a couple of pictures of the army as it stands. It's really starting to look like a larger force, I especially love the overall impression that you get from 6mm. Hopefully will begin another Infantry battalion next tuesday as I'm working until then. The plan at the moment is for at least two infantry brigades of three battalions, a cavalry brigade and plenty of artillery along with some vsf goodies.

Pictured: The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), The Durham Light Infantry, The Naval Brigades.

Pictured: The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), The Durham Light Infantry, The Naval Brigades.

Pictured: The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), The Durham Light Infantry, The Naval Brigades.

Hope that's not too many pictures, more updates soon.

Haarken

[W.I.P] The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) - Progress.

Welcome back,
                         as I promised the other day I've made progress on my latest battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), I had a day off work so had a lot of time to work on them. Having painted their kilts on Sunday, I set about painting their socks and tunics on Monday night and the rest of them today.

Work In Progress: The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

As with all of my battalions there are eight stands (one for each company), these are ready for sand and flocking, which hopefully I'll get done tomorrow.

Work In Progress: The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

The helmets are painted white, not strictly correct for home service uniform but the helmets just wouldn't look right the other way, a bit of a compromise but I think they look pretty good. Now just to get them based up.

Work In Progress: The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Hopefully I'll get these finished up tomorrow and a new battalion base-coated, anyway until then...

Work In Progress: The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

Haarken