A new year and a new set of models to compare

Hey all, happy new year!  Post is a little later than I intended, but lets pretend it was intentional to happen in the new year :)

I've been putting off a set of models for a while now, mostly due to not being used to large units to put together.  Anyways, after putting together the super cheap models from Warzone I picked up on Ebay, I found I really liked them

Since I have around 80 of these, I figure I'll be busy for a long time.  While I was at it, I decided to start the Mantic models I bought for a steal.  Here is one of the Corporate guys put together.

Holy crap do I hate this model.  I'm still planning on painting it up to compare it to the Warzone model, but I'm already seeing I won't be relying on this.  Top it off that the plastic is super hard and near impossible to work (I tried to remove the waist area so I could mix and match the top and bottom halves with the zombie/ghoul parts, but it was not to be.

The zombie/ghouls, however, look fantastic.  They require some (read: a lot) of gap filling, but they are so good looking I just don't care.  I can't wait to have a group of these ready to shamble across the battlefield and annoy my opponents.  Give 'em hell, boys!

That's about it for this week.  It's a new year, filled with hobby potential.  Hope all of you take care and have yourselves a wonderful new year!

Completed unit of 9 Custom Screamers

Welcome back fellow hobbyists.  This project of scratch built Screamers feels like I've been at it forever, but I can finally say I have a completed unit to show off.

While it's been fun designing, casting, building, and painting the unit, it feels like a long time coming for these guys to be completed.  Still, there is one more unit for me to complete before I have the two units of 9 I'm planning on drawing from for any Daemon armies I plan on playing.  Until then, I only have the unit shown below to use.

The bases were done in the same style as the other chaos bases I made, featuring a wetland swamp theme.  These were created using broken up rocks, static grass mixed with leaf litter, and finally filled with clear Realistic Water from Woodland Scenics.  I'm regretting using this a little bit as it tends to shrink when it dries, making things in the swamp look different than when the liquid was poured.  I may look into a 2 part clear resin or other effect for my future water needs.

Other projects are moving along slowly but should have something ready for next week.  Right now, though, I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor.  Till next week, take care and happy hobbying (and holidays)!

Custom Screamers progress report

Hey all, welcome back to Scratchbuilt 40k.  I know, it's been a very long time since I've updated the site, but like in all cases of life taking up too much time, the hobby suffers.

But lets forget all that and focus on what I have been able to do in the short amount of time life has afforded me.  Regular readers may remember I had sculpted a model to represent the Tzeentch Screamers found in the Chaos Daemons codex.  Over the last few months I have had the opportunity to duplicate the model, creating two units of 9 each.  I've mostly painted one unit of them, as we see below.

The other 9 will be painted soon as well, though I haven't had the chance to complete the bases yet.  That project will be for this week.

Additionally, I've received a slew of models to use as cultists/zombies.  When I say a 'slew', I'm not kidding.

I anticipate these taking a very long time to put together in a way in which they are varied from each other.  In the end I will want 30 zombie style figures and 30 gun wielding cultists.  Just enough to fill the maximum unit sizes for the Chaos Space Marine codex.

That's it for this week.  I have a lot of work to do yet on the other models, but thankfully I have a lot of time opened up to me.  Till next time, happy modeling!

Hiatus- Just 2 more weeks

Hang tight, folks.  I know I haven't updated in quite a while, but rest assured in a couple weeks you'll have more posts than you can handle.  I promise :)

40k Is As Expensive As You Make It

Welcome back, all.  Today I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart- getting the most out of the hobby.

When I began this this blog in April of 2010, I belonged to a local playgroup in my small city in Wisconsin.  Most of us had a small budget for gaming and it was decided we would limit ourselves to one game to reduce costs.  Since most of us knew 40k and already had models for the game, it made sense to stick with the system.

Since then, however, many in the group have experienced burn-out.  Some have massive time constraints which prevent them from being able to meet up for game nights.  Others never really had the patience for a game of 40k and lost interest half-way through the game.  And yet, still others have said it's far too expensive to play the game.

I hate that one the most.  We all experience the dent in the wallet this game can present, but there are many ways we can mitigate the cost of playing table top games.  Alternate, cheaper miniature options are everywhere and present an interesting visual change from what we expect.  Scratch building the more expensive kits can do this as well.  Creating new and interesting models from existing kits or simply attempting to sculpt my own models.

I know eventually everyone will come back around and want to play some 40k again.  Until that time, I shall continue painting, enjoying the building of armies who may not see a game for quite a while.