A Case for the Arcanists

It's still GenCon. I am still ridiculously jealous of everyone who's in Indianapolis right now enjoying it. Ridiculously jealous. At least I have a friend out there currently grabbing all the bits and pieces I'm after though to send them to me - so that's nice, and of course there'll be pics and blogs when they arrive.

Sadly I'm not getting this Whiskey Golem

This got me thinking about where all these would go, though. Most of the stuff he's picking up for me is Arcanists or 'basic' bits (the new Crossroads book, Arsenal/Fate decks etc...) but there are a couple of crews and, of course, a Nightmare Edition Whiskey Golem. The fact that there is a Miss Ery coming too makes me think I'm about to start a Neverborn side project, and the fact that one of the boxes was The Dreamer's 'Hide & Seek' box certainly backs this up. I also have the Tara that I recently painted, an Outcasts/Resurrectionists crew. The Whiskey Golem and the 'The Kin' box also suggest I might be sidling into Gremlins too (but they're not a real faction apparently, so that's okay).

As such, I decided I wanted to do a picture blog today, just showcasing where I keep my Arcanists. See all the pictures after the break!

How I Paint: Greenskins (Gremlins and Piglets)

There seems to be a running trend recently, with most of my blog posts originating from the Facebook group 'A Wyrd Place' (which if you're a Malifaux fan, you REALLY should be in!). Someone mentioned that they'd need to learn how to paint gremlins and pigs. 

Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to have an actual task to do. I really enjoy responding to suggestions. However, I decided not only to do a painting guide, but to prove how fast it could be by Live-Tweeting it all AND timing it. More on that later. Anyways, below you'll find a brief guide for painting Malifaux Gremlins and Piglets. This method does also work for goblins and orcs of all varieties too.

How I Paint(ed): Herald of Obliteration

A couple of weeks ago I received a 'Herald of Obliteration' box (Tara's crew, Nightmare Edition) from the USA courtesy of one of my commission clients. Whilst I'd built, based and painted (well, Tara and Karina) his translucent 'Herald' crew, this crew was part-payment for the job, and thus mine to do with as I pleased.

Herald of Obliteration

Nightmare Edition

After the break, I'll discuss how I painted this crew in a little under 1hr 40mins from brush up to brush down (yes, I've actually started timing them).

A Few New Models

Just a short post this time. I wanted to show off a few new models that didn't quite fit into other posts. 

First up is Angelica, for Colette's crew. Angelica is the Mistress of Ceremonies and apparently likes to bring her foot stool with her on all her outings!

Second up is the Mechanical Rider. I thoroughly enjoyed this model as it's very different I every other Malifaux model I've painted. I tried to keep as close to the box art as possible, which made the metal interesting. 

Thoughts, comments and critique are, as always, welcome!

Children of December: Rasputina

I mentioned previously that my first ever box of Malifaux was the 'Children of December' box - Rasputina's crew. I also mentioned that, since I had rebased my Arcanist crews, I needed a new CoD box. Below are the results. 

Rasputina

Wendigo

Ice Golem

Ice Gamin

Also, after months of searching, I finally managed to find a Snow Storm. Or rather, I gave up trying to source one in the UK so found a good site based in the USA that had reasonable shipping charges. 

That arrived at last and I thoroughly enjoyed painting it. 

Snow Storm

As usual, any comments or questions you may have are welcome!

M&SU Assets : Ansalea Kaeris

Today I finally finished painting the last Arcanist crew to complete the Faction (excluding Ironsides as no models currently exist for her or her crew) - Ansalea Kaeris and the M&SU Assets Box. 

How I Paint: Ice

I'll be honest, one of my favourite types of blog to write are the How To Paint series. It was also the thing I enjoyed most about working for Games Workshop - teaching people how to paint. If I could find a way to do that as part of StormFront Studios (My Commission Painting business) I would be one happy bunny.

Ice Golem, painted using this guide.

Today, I wanted to show you how I paint ice. You'll need the paints above, and a good drybrush. I use the Citadel Large Drybrush for every step shown below. There are also other ways to paint ice, this is just the super-quick way I do it.

How I Paint: Brilliance

This week I was asked how I painted my Jakob Lynch crews, specifically the 'Brilliance' (that is the glowy blue bits). Sadly, I'd just finished painting a commission crew which would have been perfect for a step-by-step article. 

Dark Debts

Alas, until such time as I get another Jakob Lynch commission (or finally decide that I do want a Jakob Lynch crew for myself...) this article will have to do!

Sorry, No Blog Today...

Apologies for there not being a blog today, I spent all of last night and the vast majority of today in hospital having blood tests, medication, various tests, and a damn cannula shoved in the soft of my elbow...

Commission: University of Transmortis

In addition to the Seamus (Joker) crew, I was also asked to build and paint the University of Transmortis box. This box isn't just four very cool models for the Resurrectionist faction, it also includes three story encounters (one of which is a solo 'solitaire' style game).

After the break I'll be showing off the contents of the box, including shots of the stat cards and the painted models.

Hire A Crew: Children of December (Rasputina)

Yes, I have a Rasputina crew for sale! Funny story this one, find out more after the break!

Commission: Why So Seamus? (Shadows of Redchapel)

Recently I received an exciting commission offer that's taken me a bit longer than usual to achieve (testers and research on one hand, and health issues on the other) but I'm personally chuffed with the results. 

The commission? Shadows of Redchapel with a Joker theme (from Batman)!

Hire A Crew: Dark Debts (Jakob Lynch)

This week, in between painting commissions and hospital/doctor visits (nothing overly serious, just considerably uncomfortable) I managed to paint up a Jakob Lynch - Dark Debts crew.

This crew is always troublesome for me. I really like Jakob Lynch's back story, and a part of me always wants to hold onto him and his crew, expand it with some Beckoners, Mr. Graves, Mr. Tannen, and maybe some Depleted, and have it as a B-Side Crew.

Malifaux Masters (Tactica): Colette Du Bois

Today I'm breaking the program and jumping madly ahead with the Malifaux Masters series, and looking at Colette and her crew! I was intending to work my way gradually through Wave 1 first, but a thread appeared on Colette up on 'A Wyrd Place' (mainly because I put it there...) and I wanted to share the responses, because they were amazing.

It's worth saying before we continue that what follows is in my own words, but that most of the ideas came from one David McGuire. After the break, we'll examine Colette and her crew in a very different manner to the rest of my Malifaux Masters posts. This one is less of a card breakdown, and more of a Colette Tactica.

Box Backgrounds - Wave One Arcanists

Hot on the heals of the Malifaux Masters series I wanted to scratch another little itch of the community. Both on the Facebook group 'A Wyrd Place', as questions on Twitter and real life, I've been asked a few times what the fluff is for [Insert Model Here]. I should add that 'fluff' is a commonly used term for 'background story' in video games, tabletop wargames or other media where the 'history' is fictional. 

In answer to these questions, I thought if do a very quick rundown of the models in each Arsenal Pack as a very quick and basic look at who they are, and where they're from. These blog entries in no way compete to actually reading the full background of each character (found in Malifaux, Rising Powers, Twisting Fates, Storm of Shadows, and Malifaux 2nd Edition). Those books also contain wonderfully written stories and little snippets of information about the world itself. 

Anyways, starting with my Faction of choice, The Arcanists; here's Wave 1!

Reconnoiter in the Badlands

Monday night is Red Steel Gaming in Preston, and once again, I had received a challenge of a game of Malifaux, against the same opponent who had taken Sonnia Criid in the previous report. So we agreed on a time, drew up our game and prepared for a dust up!

...well, at 50ss it was technically a scrap, but hey!

Malifaux Masters: Lady Justice

This time around on Malifaux Masters, I'm going to take a trip Downtown to the Governor General's HQ and have a look into The Guild. Specifically, Lady Justice.

The Star Theatre

Today I built and painted my Showgirls crew. Okay, so Colette Du Bois herself was already built and painted, but here's the rest of them!

Colette Du Bois

Malifaux Masters: Seamus

Today's Master of choice is, again, something a little different. Mad Hatter meets the Joker with more than a splash of Jack the Ripper thrown in. Yes, it's the malevolent and mischievous Seamus of the Resurrectionists.

The Powder Keg

Recently Games Workshop have been at the forefront of some worrying social media developments. Globally, hobbyists and staff members alike have voiced concern over the companies decisions recently that seem to many to be putting the business beyond the community that supports it. Whilst certainly, I understand that sometimes the community has to make sacrifices for the business so that the business can continue to support the community (the one man store model, as an example) there are sometimes events that make my mind boggle. I genuinely believe that my insistence on supporting the community was instrumental to my dismissal from the company back in December.