A long overdue hobby update!

 Welcome back to the Vault everyone! 2025 is going by in a blur; I last posted in February, almost started a post in March and now it's the end of May. Whilst blogging has been lacking, I have been productive on the painting and gaming front.

I've attended two 40k tournaments; First Founding Doubles and the Mayhem singles event. I've taken Chaos Knights to both, even painting a couple of extra Huntsman for Mayhem. Both events were fun but I achieved a bit more success at Mayhem placing 7th, and reminding me there are brief moments when I'm not terrible at this game!

Painting wise I also finished up the Astral Claws Termie Boarding Actions force with the Libbie and Assault Terminators.

Hobby Bingo 2025: January Progress

 Welcome back to the Vault! I've painted a few bits and pieces in January and made a dent into my Hobby Bingo card! First up is a Chaplain in Terminator Armour for my Astral Claws Boarding Actions force.

Happy New Year from the Vault

 Welcome back to the Vault, and a Happy New Year to you all! 2024 was quiet on the blog front, but busy painting and gaming wise culminating in a Cawdor Gang being painted over the festive period.

I think my model count was something like 70 infantry, 6 bikes and 17 tanks/vehicles completed over 2024, so not a bad total all in all.

2025 is shaping up to be busy for gaming with Necromunda, Badab War themed Boarding Actions and D&D already in the diary.

Here's my Cawdor Gang (the trash collecting Midden Men) to see in the New Year.

First up is the Leader:

Warsmith's Words: Magic Trev the Sorcerer

 Greetings fellow Warsmiths! A very quick update to share a picture of the latest addition to the Iron Warriors. This is Magic Trev the Chaos Sorcerer.

In my head I was working up some cool fluff for this model; he just needed a name. The supportive caring nature of my friends came through once again as Neil immediately christened him Magical Trevor. Who apparently is a thing and has his own song. Who knew? I didn't; clearly I am too old.

So Magic Trev is bitter as befits all Iron Warriors, but mainly because he knows he's really good at magic but the other Iron Warriors don't care. They are much more interested in siege-things and big guns.

So look out for Magic Trev coming to a tabletop near you!

Warsmith's Words: Traitor Guard

 Welcome back to the Vault! I've had a miserable snotty cold over the last few days so I've hunkered down in the Vault and finished off a couple of projects I've had on the go for a while. 

There's a Traitor Guard Squad plus Enforcer and Ogryn Brute to lead them. And a particularly scuffed up transport to shuttle them around the battlefield.

Warsmith's Words: Iron Warriors Predator

 Welcome back to the Vault! It's been a long time since I last posted; I have to confess I've lost the passion for blogging, but I can't quite bring myself to admit the Vault is done. My friend Pete has been successfully blogging with a series of shorter (LOL) Leagues of Votann posts and I thought I might try this format for a while.

I have continued painting and playing 40K in the mean time (as well as some D&D) and I've recently completed a trio of Chaos Predator Destructors.

Recent painting efforts

 Welcome back to the Vault. It's been quiet here, but the hobby machine keeps on running. I thought I'd post a quick update with some of the recently finished models.

First up is the most recent project; a Chaos Knight all ready to support the Iron Warriors at a Highlander event next month.

Alongside 12(!) War Dogs (I've also painted two more Stalkers since the last post) this brings the Knights project to well over 2000 points.

Chaos War Dogs

 Welcome back to the Vault! My gaming partner and I had a fun day at the Meme Team doubles last weekend, placing mid-table results wise. My eye is now looking towards Mayhem, and pondering what to take to this 1500 points singles event.

A strong contender is my most recently finished project; a Chaos Knights force composed entirely of War Dogs! I started this last year with the intention of a few models I could ally into either my Death Guard or Iron Warriors, but it's taken on a life of it's own.

This project was tackled as something of a speed painting project; minimal colour choices applied as simple base colours and zero shading/highlighting. I'm quite please with the result and the army can easily be evolved to the "next level" if I want to add more details, etc.

Time for the potato-cam pics! First up is the Stalker Warlord:

Warsmith's Words: Exalted Champion

 Welcome back to the Vault! I am playing in another doubles tournament next weekend hosted by the legendary GR Meme Team. This time I'm taking the Iron Warriors alongside my partners Traitor Guard, so a very thematic pairing!

I'm running a Legionnaire heavy list backed up with some tanks and transports. For my Warlord I'm trying out an Exalted Champion as he gives out some tasty buffs to his unit for both shooting and melee. 

I've kitbashed my Champion from a Chosen with some Havoc and Warpsmith bits and I'm pretty pleased with the results. His little plasma gun counts as his combi-weapon and the choppy axes count as his exalted weapon. I hope he's suitably effective on the tabletop!

Golden Gaming: Adeptus Custodes ready for battle

Welcome back to the Vault! Next weekend is First Founding's Doubles tournament and I will be attending with my shiny Golden Boys aka The Adeptus Custodes.

Work has been hectic this month but I have managed to find the time to finish up this small but lethal force. Let's have a look at the list!

Happy Christmas from the Vault

Another year almost done, and that means time for another Christmas Hobby Challenge. This year's theme was "Giving", and I went with the best gift in the 41st Millennium; Nurgle's Plagues.

The rules were essentially paint a model which grants some sort of buff (gift) to other troops or units. This should be for a force we own so we can then play them in a group game in the new year. Bonus points awarded for Christmas colours, snow or other festive nods.

So I chose the Biologus Putrifier for the Death Guard. This guy grants his unit Lethal Hits, and the grenade racks where just asking to be painted brightly as Christmas baubles.

 

Golden Gaming: Adeptus Custodian Guard

 Welcome back to the Vault! It's been some time since I've posted, but fear not, I have been both painting and gaming! It turns out that 10th edition 40K was pretty awful at launch for a variety of reasons, so I've actually been playing other systems (Kill Team 18, Necromunda, D&D 5e) over the summer, and painting models to match.

Since the 40K balanced data slates have dropped the game seem to be returning to a semblance of sanity I'm dipping my toes back into the system. It's time to learn a the new edition with a new army so I'm painting up some Adeptus Custodes! First off the paint desk are a squad of Custodian Guard.

Warsmith's Words: Preparing for 40K 10th edition

 Welcome back to the Vault! Since my last post we've had the release of 10th edition, and I've spent a fair amount of time building the shiny new models in the Leviathan box. That's an awful lot more models added to the Pile of Promise.

I've played a couple of games with the new rules, and they are OK; some stuff I like and some changes which just leaving me shaking my head wondering what the hell the designers were thinking.

I've got a 10th ed tournament in a couple of weekends which should be a lot of fun, and a good opportunity to get some familiarity with the rules. The Iron Warriors will be in attendance, although I still haven't settled on a list.

Painting wise I've butterflied around a few projects. First up is an Iron Warriors Terminator Lord: 

Power Armoured Paint: Ultramarines

Welcome back to the Vault! I'm taking advantage of a lazy Father's Day to build some new models for my Iron Warriors to hit the 10th edition 40k table top. But that isn't the topic of today's post! 

Having painted an awful lot of Silver and Brass in recent months I fancied painting a change of colour scheme. I've played a decent amount of Boarding Actions recently and so I thought a new 500 point boarding force would be fun to do. I have an awful lot of Space Marine models in the Pile of Promise, and so here's a fully finished set of 40ks Poster Boys, the Ultramarines.

First up is the Leader; a sneaky Phobos Librarian

Warsmith's Words: Mayhem! Trophies!

 Welcome back to the Vault. I had a fantastic day at the Mayhem tournament. Gaming wise I placed 13th out of 30 having games against Votann, Iron Hands and a mirror match into a Iron Warriors. 

I won against the Iron Hands, and suffered two losses. Regardless of the results all the games were good fun and I'd love to play against any of my opponents again.  The opposing Iron Warriors list had some interesting unit selections which has got me thinking about what to build and paint next.

Putting the gaming to one side I did take home a trophy. Varchilde's IV legion were awarded Best Painted Army! Absolutely chuffed to have won this, and it now has pride of place on the shelf in the front room.

Warsmith's Words: Spawns and Fiends, oh my!

 Welcome back to the Vault. My obsession with all things Chaotic continues with some more additions to the Iron Warriors. First up is the mighty Forge Fiend. I fully intend to bring this beastie to the Mayhem tournament next month where I fully intend to abuse it's shooting capability with the Methodical Annihilation Stratagem.

Warsmith's Words: March to Victory

 Welcome back to the Vault! I can't believe it's over a month since my last post; time is flying by these days. Whilst the blog has been quiet, my hobby activities have not. I played in First Founding's Doubles Tournament where my Iron Warriors and Lyle's Emperors Children won two out of three games, finishing 8th out of 18 games. As always I enjoyed the day and I'm looking forward to Mayhem where I'll be taking the Iron Warriors to their first singles event.

I've also played some smaller games; a 500 point Boarding Action (a format which has a lot of depth to be explored) and a couple of narrative Kill Team '18 games where my Death Guard have been trying to board an Imperial Cruiser manned by White Scars and Omega Guardians.

I've also been painting Iron Warriors. What feels like a lot of Iron Warriors! So bit of a picture dump next...

First up is the Master of Execution.

Warsmith's Words: Raptors and Warp Talons

 Welcome back to the Vault! Life has been very full on recently, but I've found some time to write a blog post. My hobby time still continues to be very Iron Warrior focused, although it feels like there's been more playing than painting recently!

I'm currently painting 10 Possessed; the sculpts are lovely, but the level of detail on them is insane! I've finished the trim on all the power armour, and am now considering the fleshy/spiky/gribbly bits. I'm taking these fairly slowly just to avoid burning out.

I do have a back log of completed units to share on the blog. So for today here are the Raptors and Warp Talons.

Warsmith's Words: Iron Warriors 'Brute Squad

 Welcome back to the Vault and a (belated) Happy New Year. Whilst I am not really one for new year resolutions I would like to continue with my painting streak, and play more games. I think lockdown got me into a much more "stay at home" mindset, and I'd like to change that in 2023, taking more opportunities to participate in the more social aspects of our wonderful hobby.

I painted over 100 models last year (a record I think), and I still have a number of them to share on the blog. First up are a pair of Helbrutes. Nothing says Chaos Space Marines more than these corrupted Dreadnoughts.

The first Helbrute is equipped with a Multi-Melta and punchy fist:

A Tale of Two Santas: Chaos Noctilith Crown

 Welcome back to the Vault, and a very Happy Christmas to you all. Regular readers will appreciate I haven't posted in a while; I've made some priority changes to my schedule in the last couple of months and whilst I am blogging less I am painting more. There is a veritable back log of Iron Warriors to share in upcoming posts.

I've been involved in a Christmas painting challenge. In 2020 a number of my friends participated in a "Tale of Four Santas" producing painted models as gifts for each other. This year we revisited the challenge in a slightly different manner; each participant would keep the model but the particular miniature had to be inspired by the lyrics of the "The Twelve Days of Christmas". 

For me there was an obvious choice; the Chaos Noctilith Crown aka the Stargate. The central ring would serve wonderfully as a Gold Ring.