Production Line - Day 10 - Praetorian Highlanders built and let the painting begin...

Some better progress made yesterday especially after I came in from a nice cold 4 1/2 hour cycle and refused to move from the warmth of the front room for the rest of the day.

I need to get the new figures up to the same stage as the previously prepared ones and then it will be onto the eye-crossing stage of kilt painting.

 

 

 

Production Line - Day 9

Well, the weather was too nice yesterday to sit around indoors but all the squads are nearly complete, with one Sergeant left to build, and the Curious Constructs lascannon has been added to the third squad.

Undercoating too follow next and while they are drying off, I can start on finishing off some kilts.

 

Production Line - Day 8 - Here's Some I Prepared Earlier

As previously stated, yesterday saw me change tack and moving away from the 40 GW Praetorians I still have to paint up to finish off some Highlanders that have been bubbling away for some time now.

First up is a squad made up of Victoria Lamb's latest incarnation of her Highland Guard based on the models she converted years ago that became GW's Drookian Fen Guard ( I must admit I'm a bit chicken and egg on whether her models inspired GW's background or if it was the other way round). I don't use her Highland Guard heads but stick with pith helmets. These models are resin and are so much better than the already excellent metal first generation models.

Moving onto the metals, shown below is the core of a Platoon Command Squad.  The officer is Vic Lamb's Captain Caine model but with the upper half transplanted onto some kilted legs.  These three will be joined by two melta gunners.

In need of some extra members, this squad will receive a Sergeant, a Guardsman and two Heavy Weapons Crew.  I'll see what I have from Curious Constructs in my bits box for these.

The second squad is in need of a finished paint job.  The Gatling (Heavy Bolter) is one of Col Gravis' first stab at heavy weapons before his first resin Kickstarter.

A previously completed squad however I may have a dig around and see if I have some bits available for a special weapon Guardsman.

Production Line - Day 7 - Greenjacket Veterans complete

So, Day 7 and the three Veteran squads are complete.  With the trial squad that makes 40 veterans to add to the overall Praetorian force.

I had a play around with one squad and, with some gratuitous use of cutters, files, brute strength and ignorance, manage to add some plasma weaponry to the army.

Now where are all the kilted ones...?

Production Line - Day 6

I've made more progress than I thought I would so hopefully tomorrow's photo will see the three squads of Veterans complete.

 After that, I'm not going to start on redcoat GW Praetorians (that 40 odd can wait for another day) but I have been quite slow in finishing some of Victoria Lamb's Highlander models so I'm thinking of tackling something different.

The Production Line - Day 4 (and 5)

Well, no progress made yesterday as I was too busy having a great time but a fair amount fitted in on the 24th.

Production Line - Day 3

Good progress being made.  It helps that the Christmas shopping was done early this year and, as I grow older and mature, I no longer feel the need to go into shops and enjoy getting in the way of panic buyers.

Production Line - Day 2 with added The Trooper!

I found some time in the evening and was able to crack on with the majority of the uniforms for the first 30....

...but with it being Christmas some liquid refreshment brought a halt to the proceedings.  Well, at least the label shows a Redcoat!

The Production Line Day 1

And so it begins again.  Another 3 squads of Veterans to paint up as the first target and after that, see how many Redcoats can be done before real life gets in the way again.

What to dive into over Christmas?

Turkey or 70 Praetorians?

The 30 on the right will be painted up as Greenjacket Veterans, the ones on the left will join their redcoated brethren.  Of course this will mean another tabletop muster.  The kneeling Guardsmen may be paired up with a lascannon team crewmember so I can man up some spare heavy weapons I have laying around.

Likelihood of being done by the end of the holidays isn't great but its nice to get some motivation on.

A Little Side Project Nears Completion

Finally, a little something that was slowly being worked on as and when I fancied is getting closer to completion.

I thought I'd put together a scout detachment for my Praetorians using the bikes as produced by Curious Constructs and an Airfix Land Rover kit with some leftovers from my bits box.

 

Squad and Transport Finished...now about another 60 to go!



 Finally, the first of the veteran Squads and the Taurox complete.

After another bout of weakness upon finding another 22 on Buy It Now for £32 (postage included), I have about another 60 plus to paint up.

Why do we do it?

SOMEBODY MAKE THESE!!!!!!!

Excuse the shouting!

Last month Wargames Illustrated advertised an Osprey book concerning Steampunk Military.  I was going to buy the hardcopy but noticed that Amazon was punting the kindle version for £0.99. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00N4TDS4O/ref=docs-os-doi_0

With the breaking strain of a soggy kit kat, I pressed buy and had the book in my mitts in seconds...

The photos below are from the Great Britain section and all I can say is...

I want an armoured steam punk Scotsman...with an HMG gun arm but most of all...built in bag pipes!!

 

Note, these cavalry also have exploding lances.

 

 

Royal Engineers

 

Royal Marine underwater assault.

 

 

The Beast is getting there....with the veterans lagging behind.

A burst of weekend activity has seen the Taurox almost completed with just the fine details and tidying up to do to go.  Not so good news on the Veterans however, next weekend I have what is known as a Cheeky 'Arry Extenders so may have more time available on the Friday to get some hobby time in.

A Small Amount of Progress...plus One Prepared Earlier

Real life and aiding friends move masses of paving stones have dented attempts at hobby time this weekend but the veteran squad now have painted helmets and I've started on the Taurox.

I've stuck a Curious Constructs head on the gunner as their helmet is more in keeping with the GW style.

Plus the Hydra that I finished up earlier this year.