Last of 2017?

I finished up a bunch of stranded models on my desk top.  Finished an Yderis scout, a squad of five Pirate scouts, and two Dark Reaper exarchs (based on the sadly awful 2nd iteration of the Dark Reaper models).

Not overly chuffed with them as the dip went on rather thick and kinda ruined them, but models are models.

Dire Avengers...bloody thousands of 'em.

Finally able to pull myself out of a depressed non-painting slump of about three weeks.

I salvaged the following eBay auctions:

And this is the result.

This is my third squad of Dire Avengers - now I have three full units of ten (including Exarchs).  I just really like the figures and keep happening upon them on eBay.  Not a great or spectacular paintob, but competent and I'm happy with them.

I've recently decided to change the Craftworld strategy I've been using in Warhammer 40K 8th, so perhaps these guys will pay off.

Games!: Warhammer 40K

Played and observed some games of 40K with some buddies...sadly I didn't take many pictures, and some of these armies are new and very much "in progress".

 Quick game against some Dark Angels for a mini-tournament.

 The game next door on our three-game table.

 The start of an oddly non-violent game between Tyranids and Imperial Guard.

 The Tyranid gargoyles take lots of fire from deployed guardsmen.

 A Tyranid Carnifex leads the charge into the midst of the Steel Legion.

 Gargoyles deploy behind the IG lines to cause trouble.

 A Lictor emerges to eat some heavy weapon guardsmen.

 The tech priest tries desperately to fix the Chimera as it drives in reverse, away from the Carnifex.

 A table set up for a game or two of 40K...I promise I'm working on some actual 40K terrain.

 Eldar of the Yderis Craftworld face off with Brazen Claw Space Marines.

 The Brazen Claws prepare to lay into the weak Eldar.

 A Chimera on the prowl.

Brazen Claws face off with the Imperial Guard across the acid river, Primaris marines in support.

Oktos, Exalted Champion of the Wandering Sons

...or something like that.

This is Oktos, an Exalted Champion.  Like the unnamed Sorcerer in my army he sports the homage-armour of the Death Guard appearance.  He's the primary opposition to Chapter Master Khyrum Saal - having embraced the attention of the Chaos Gods.

The small faction of my army which has accepted the Chaos Gods will be primarily white-armoured and will be the ones predominantly bringing in daemons and directing cultists.

It is a mystery, even to Khyrum Saal himself, why Oktos and the "true believers" have not overthrown him.

Guns for Days.

I received a few more weapon options for my Predator tanks - I picked them up from Blood and Skulls Industry on eBay --- as I do most of my resin bits for these Rhino-Russ projects.

The weapons have been painted and magnetized so I can run any version of the "Hellforged" Predator from the Forgeworld books - or any of the normal Predator options.

Khyrum Saal, Chapter Master of the Wandering Sons

This is the quick kit-bash I did for my custom character, Khyrum Saal.  He is the aged Chapter Master of the Wandering Sons - my Chaos Renegade Chapter.

I'll be filling out his lore and fluff when we get more stuck into our narrative campaign which is coming up - suffice to say he's not overly enthused by being rescued by the forces of Chaos after being sent on the Abyssal Crusade.

He carries a Balecrafter Storm Bolter and the Blade of Briseis - both of which are minorly custom weapons.

The tentative data-slate:

Cultists.

I also whipped up eight more cultists.  Unlike the autogun guys, I'm not a huge fan of some of these close combat guys - but I had them sitting around and they were pretty quick to paint up.  Can always do with a little bit more chaff.

The Leviathan walks.

Well, I went to purchased my first ever large resin model (and...I hate resin).  I just liked the look of the Leviathan dreadnought so much, I couldn't help but pick one up.  Turns out it can run with my Chaos Space Marine force.  I bought the model stats-unseen and only subsequently realized it looks mighty potent.

A second one may or may not be en route.

Games!: Warhammer 40K - Yderis vs. Dark Angels

Continuing our campaign, my buddy John and I snuck in a game of 40K last night. I managed a win with a large amount of fragile Eldar bodies!

 Playing on my Mordheim mat with Old West terrain is getting old...a 40K table is on the way!

 The Striking Scorpions attempt to steal the hidden power core (the token) but are eliminated by strong Dark Angels characters.

 Hot bike-on-bike action as the Spears attack the Ravenwing.

 Yderis plans for the defense as the Dark Angels obtain the power core and need to move it off my table edge.

 The Farseer guides the Dark Reapers with their lethal fire.

At the end of the game, Swooping Hawks descend to make an impossible wall of fire - preventing the Dark Angels from getting off the board.

Games!: Warhammer 40K, new paintwork on the Prism, and a Singer of Bones!

I got in a few splendid games of 40K with my buddy Rob on his gorgeous 40K table.  Two relatively small games, one Eldar defeat, one Eldar loss. Some great photo opportunities - and Rob was encouraged to paint the rest of his army so we could get even more pretty pics!

 The Avatar attempts to chase down Marines escaping with the objective.

 Shining Spears keep an eye on proceedings from above, waiting to pounce.

 Game one, the Eldar prepare to hold a landing pad.

 Eldar Rangers cover the approaches from elevated positions.

 Called to war in times of desperate measures - the Guardians hold down the flank.

 Eldar defense, viewed from above.

 His forces shattered, the marine Captain plots his revenge.

 Steeling himself, the Marine Captain prepares a suicidal final charge from above.

 Game 2 - the Fire Dragons discover the objective on the first turn - the Marines deploy from their Thunderhawk to destroy them.

 The Marine dreadnought takes aim at the Eldar forces nearby.

 Eldar search through the ruins for the objective.

 Sinister Dark Reapers keep an eye on Marine forces from an elevated position.

 A Warlock on jetbike leads his Aspect Warriors into battle.

 The gorgeous table for Game 2.

 The Marine Captain leaps from the floating island above, diving onto the Farseer.  This was foreseen and the Eldar Farseer impales the Captain on his Singing Spear, but not before the Captain buries his lighting flaw into the Eldar's flesh (The Captain was slain, the Farseer reduced to one wound!).  Thus ended the first game.

 Game 2- the Captain lands to slaughter the Fire Dragons and steal their prize.

 The captain has picked up the objective and is attacked at the table edge by the last few surviving Striking Scorpions (he would escape with one wound! GAH!)

 Dark reapers fail to get eyes on the target models.

 Table for Game 2.

Table for Game 2.

I also touched up and changed the paint on my Fire Prism - as I disliked the look so much I almost eBayed it.

I purchased and painted up some better Predator weapons and finished up a 2nd turret:

I salvaged an eBay Warlock and turned it into a Bonesinger for my army.