End of the Road (pt. 4)

 Damn. That was one hellova puddle!

That turbine will never crank over like that...

Not too much to report this go round. Decals have been applied, the car revarnished, and the (potentially first) layer of dust wash applied. Once dried, blended and then varnished (which always lessens the dusty appearance) I'll see if I want to apply another layer of dust or not. To date I've not added more than one, but we'll see...

It's the 501st Legion...erm, no. Those guys are fighting for the wrong Emperor. So then 501st Transportation company? 501st Regiment? 501st vehicle? Who the hell knows. 

Unless it looks bad when dry, I may not even try and blend the back end, as that's always the dustiest part of any vehicle. 

*****

On a totally unrelated note, I spotted this seemingly pristine M-60 out in Front of the Newport Tennessee National Guard post and had to stop for a few pics. 

More close by to me is the Kingsport Tennessee National Guard post which also has an M-60 out front. However that vehicle is sadly neglected and rusting into oblivion quite unlike this one. 

End of the Road (pt. 3)

Ready for decals...or is it?

The Imperial Standard Transport Mk VII, based on a civilian pattern, is utilized for the transport of military officers, dignitaries and other persons of considerable rank. Primarily only the Guard's senior officers use the Mk VII, as wealthier persons and officials have far better options available to them!  Other patterns are also used as patrol and pursuit vehicles for Arbites, enforcers and the like. The Mk VII however was designed with military use in mind, and is thus built to a higher standard (supposedly). 

Nope the camera always finds more need for touch ups...

LOTS of touch ups!

Armor plating and projectile proof windows have been added to a sufficient level to ward off small arms fire. However heavy and/or anti-tank weaponry will easily penetrate the vehicle. The Mk VII's small size and likely the erratic path of travel due to a panicked driver are far more liable to help ward off such attacks than the armor itself would. The Mk VII has the same standard power plant of the civilian models, which with the added weight of armor makes its performance sluggish at best (if an officer needs a speedy transport, he/she'd best secure a Valkyrie). Also of note: the Mk VII's fuel consumption rate is abysmal even by Imperial standards.

Note the concealed heavy stubber just to the upper right of the turbine.

Additionally, a heavy stubber is hidden in the vehicle's front. The weapon itself is woefully inaccurate as it is fixed forward and 'aimed' via the steering wheel. It is fitted with a single ammo drum which can only be reloaded after first removing the driver's side front wheel (maintenance of the gun itself only gets worse from there...).

Instead it is intended to scatter or at the very least distract any would-be assassins or insurrectionists looking for an easy kill. That said, more than one over-enthusiastic (and posthumously court-martialed)  officer has ordered his driver into a suicide charge under the misguided assumption that the Mk VII is an effective assault unit. 

'Does it have a trunk? No need for that, we'll just strap your suitcase to the rear bumper instead!'

In terms of ergonomics, like the rest of the Imperium the Mk VII's designers don't believe in those. Laughably referred to as a 5-passenger sedan, the front seats the driver and a bodyguard or similar flunky. Whereas the cramped rear seat normally seats a single occupant, or else two in tight quarters. Passengers of above average height will find themselves sitting diagonally, or else with their knees jammed into the seat in front of them if they don't have the whole seat to themselves. 

Whilst the seats themselves are comfortable (at least when compared to those on the average Chimera), larger than civilian model tires were added to 'improve traction and off road performance'. However the wheel wells weren't enlarged to accordingly necessitating a much stiffer suspension, giving the Mk VII a (quote) 'bone jarring' ride on even decently maintained paved surfaces. Unpaved roads are best if avoided, and when venturing off road...the Mk VII usually gets stuck well before losing sight of it.

The End of the Road (pt. 2)

The dust wash on the road will be toned down a bit after this is matte varnished. However currently it's 30 degrees Fahrenheit and dropping so...there will be none of that tonight!

As you can see, I've finally started work on this little project after gathering the bitz necessary way back in November's part 1. Really this progressed far quicker than I anticipated, and as such only the staff car remains to be painted. Admittedly though, that will take a bit more time than the two Guardsmen and their base did (especially as the car will in the end be as dusty as this road is).

Anyways, here are a few close ups of the project so far:

Yup, it's a dead end alright. The double white lines separating the lanes of the road (which is undoubtedly much wider than this base) are almost obscured entirely by the desert sands. 

An overhead view of where the desert scrub meets the road.

I do wonder if that Uplifting Primer has a catechism of navigation? I sold my copy years ago for 3-4 times what I'd originally paid for it, so I can't consult the book to see myself. 

There doesn't appear to be any dead ends on that map, though you have to wonder just how close they are to that dashed 'front line'. 

Clearly this officer has somewhere to be. 

Another view of the same.

After the primaris ancient scrollwork debacle, I took special care in painting on the M and A, luckily the P is obscured by the driver's hand.

Hopefully I'll be able to get the staff car primed, painted, weathered, and the whole diorama varnished and complete soon! Though as I remarked to Neverness earlier, I am debating on whether or not to glue the car in place, or keep it separate to use as a (sort of) Centaur proxy.  

Silver Drakes Sergeant

On my signal, unleash hell...

A few months back, I bought a squad of assembled and (mostly) base coated silver Intercessors to serve as reinforcements for my Silver Drakes due to my Ultramarines army having substantially depleted the Drakes' numbers. Naturally though, as I was on a Smurf painting kick at that moment, 3 of these new recruits were commandeered by GW's poster boys.  

Of the remaining seven, there was a sergeant model (as well as one of the aforementioned Ultramarine converts) who was painted in the prior owner's chapter colors: Silver bodies, red arms, and black pauldrons. No idea if that's a canon color scheme or a homebrew, but they stood out like a sore thumb amongst my painted, unpainted and base coated marines alike. Thus, it's likely that my last painted marine of 2021 is this repainted Silver Drakes Sergeant. 

Its curious at how a bigger scope (and presumably different ammo) change this rifle into a heavy weapon.

No doubt the Heavy Support chevron on his pauldron has likely already raised an eyebrow or two. My Silver Drakes army is a small, 500pt patrol list. Marked out as the 8th reserve company by their purple chest aquilas, all of the company's squads are intercessors.  As such this sergeant's squad is armed with stalker pattern bolt rifles, serving as the army's light fire support unit. 

I'm sure that even the mention of the stalker bolt rifles will elicit cries of disbelief as I've never once seen them fielded by anybody! Indeed, there are obviously far better options available. Still, stalker intercessors are where future Eliminators come from and besdies, it's just a fucking patrol. It's not supposed to be a well rounded force. 

Boy cutting the decal just right around that braided cord on his pauldron was a treat. Kinda hard to see due to the wash, but it does line up beneath said cording. 

If it makes everyone feel better, the Drakes are likely to get my servo-strike bofors turret, as well. Whilst that was originally planned to go to the Smurfs, Neverness had suggested that I get more Hellblasters after our last game. 

Sci-Fi City in Knoxville which is conveniently located on the route I take to my folks' house is (was?) having a 30% off everything sale. As such the Utramarines' Hellblaster corps increased by another ten, which with the removal of the turret from their list, ought to round that army out to about an even 1k. 

Some day this squad is going to cause a lot of hurt. 

On station once again.

 o/

Sans helmet, he can now stare death directly in the eyes!

This lone Fire Warrior was a 1-off paint job I did some ways back when a bit too much OD Green globbed out of the dropper bottle whilst painting something Bolt Action and I didn't want it all to go to waste it. Anyways, I brought him into work to 'stand guard' in my cube and thus he came into immediate combat with...our cleaning lady. 

Didn't matter which nook or cranny I tucked him into, I'd always come in the next day to find him somewhere else on my cube's shelf. His first injury was when I came in one day to find his Pulse Rifle almost snapped in two indicating his first fall to the floor. That was an easy fix.

After a few more months are waging war vs. a feather duster wielding blue hair,  I arrived to find him decapitated!  Victorious she surely thought: Take your toys home nerd! Thusly defeated, he indeed was taken home, his helmeted head was never to be found. 

He's got a bit of a gnarled look about his face due to the dry brushing on his head and face. I'm rather pleased with that. 

He knocked about in the clusterfuck that is my hobby desk for a few months until, on a whim I scrounged thru my bitz for a new noggin, and painted him up earlier this week. He's now back on station and will likely take a cue from my chocolate chip camo marine by meekly cowering standing guard beneath one of my computer monitors, which is apparently safely out of range. 

Or at least it might be, right up until his old feather dusting nemesis sees that he's returned... 

Ultramarine Primaris Ancient & Friends are complete

 o/

To quote Neverness who saw a preview of this model:
'That's the face of a guy who stares down Greater Daemons!'

Well these three were a bit of a slog, especially after the Banner scroll debacle. Said debacle delayed this post by about a week, indeed my prior post was to come after this one to be honest. 

However, as I was getting ready to take pics of these three completed minis, I noticed only then that my Hellblaster was sporting a tactical arrow rather than devastator chevron. Thus they were delayed once more. 

First up, the Ancient:

Ultimately, I'm happy with the result (Note: the discarded Primaris Lt. helm half buried at his feet).

A chunk of Rhino door from an unidentified chapter/warband/legion rounds out the battlefield debris on his base.

The rear view, which in his battlefield debut was backed into a table corner, surrounded by a daemonic horde of Slaanesh.  

Second up is my first painted Hellblaster:

This unit is golden in every game in which they're fielded. That is why I've been so slow to paint them as they sometimes moonlighted as Silver Drakes. 

The aforementioned corrected unit icon.

Next is my final (female) Intercessor:

As she is the last Intercessor in my squad of 10, it goes without saying that clearly Ladies First doesn't apply on Macragge. 

Not sure who's box o' ammo she's standing on, but it looks cinematic enough.

With her helm sporting a red stripe she'll serve as her sergeant's squad 2nd, and will lead the separate combat squad when I opt for that deployment option.

Lastly, a group shot of the three:

I think that that's enough painting of Smurfs for a bit. Surprisingly, I'm getting dangerously close to having my whole (little) army painted!

Frankie (briefly) joins the Empire!

 

Frankie carefully choosing his maneuvers, with his dial hidden from my view beneath the table (because you know, they're so transparent to begin with...).

o/

Frankie stayed home with us this past weekend, so as per our usual when he does so, the two of us spent a few hours at the FLGS playing a game of X-Wing. Our game was already well under way before I ever thought to take any photos, so instead of the usual bat rep, what follows are just a few highlights. 

This was the first time I've used my beloved Scarlet Harlot since we've started playing again (necessitating it's removal from retirement in the display case). The ship, purchased as a Rebel Sympathizer and with Lando Calrissian at the helm would survive the game with only minor damage. 

Once again Frankie wanted the rather large (star wars legion sized) 3D printed asteroid terrain. We decided that fighters could pass thru the arch unhindered as his red canopied TIE did the turn before, and my Z-95 was doing in this turn (though you can barely see it). 

I would allow his Decimator to make that turn without flying off of the board (as that would have effectively ended the game prematurely). However my ARC-170 inflicted a critical hit that rendered all further hard turns as stress maneuvers which greatly hindered the ship's already poor handling. 

RAMMING SPEED!!! Seriously, this ability is the ONLY reason to use the Decimator. Though the Harlot's Anti-pursuit lasers chipped a point of damage off of the Decimator as well!

As the big ships sized each other up for another close and punishing pass, I would cash that earlier favor to allow the Decimator to remain on the board when I misread which direction Zev's TIE was facing and picked a maneuver that would run it straight off of the board. However Frankie promptly blew it to pieces afterwards so I guess it was a moot point.

By this point, the Decimator was on it's own and collecting both standard damage cards and crits like it was a hobby. I was down to the Scarlet and a Z-95 though the latter was well out of position and would play no more part in the game. Lamenting his choice of terrain, I 'saved' Frankie from an inevitable collision with a rather large rock next turn by finishing off the Decimator. 

His three crits which really made the Decimator's life difficult, though he was at least able to flip the left-most card over, prolonging the ship's lifespan for another turn. He ought to have flipped the center one over as well as I read it now, but I think it was only in effect for one extra turn where he thankfully would've turned anyhow. 

***

While Frankie enjoyed the ability to hit enemy ships intentionally to cause damage, as well as the high speed and maneuverability of the TIE fighters, he didn't like the TIE's fragility at all! When I asked what he thought about playing the Empire, his response was simple: Never again. 

Next time he wants to try Scum and Villainy, though he's also made it clear he'd like to try some other games as well. Cue the Space Marines...