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Hi Folks, I(ve told you this method was rocket fast. My 2 pledged squads are already done! While I usually paint one unit per week at full speed, this time it has been twice taht amount. And in fact in less than one week. Sure, rainy sunday helped. but generally speaking the method for the base colour has saved me some hours. What about the result? Well not that bad for 2 units fully kitbashed and made of bits, putty and hope. One of the units is designe dfor HtH while the second one is a shooty one. My only regret is that the banner is not large enough to get a decal that fits. A shame as there is a Sunblitz brootherhood emblem on the Aeldarii Decal sheet... I will have, some day, to do it by hand. Maybe. In the meantime some details (I thought I had shot a pic of each group of 5, but it looks like it was not the case. Dhu!) So it misses the close up of the Felarch for the shooty squad. Maybe latter. It starts being a lot of things to be done latter. See you with the rest of the pledge done.

Hi Folks, After kit bashing and building VoidReavers, I’ve decided to enlist part of the miniatures as a 3rd vow for CtA25. So I have started working on the paintjob immediatly as time is running fast. I have pledged 2 out of the 3 Reaver units builts ( each with 10 miniatures each). I have decided myself fotr the units kitbashed and not for the genuine from the KT set. I also enlisted the Warlocks and the Troupe Master but this is for another story. Let’s focus on the paint job planning. Method wise, I have decided to try a different approach for these models. Today in the Hobby, I have base coated models in Black. Then I applied a series of dry brushes, with main body in white and legs in grey. Kind of Slapshop pointing its nose? Well, more or less. I had a quite a good idea of the kind of paintjob I wanted to reach. Basically bringing a color shift in my all red Saim-Hann by adding some contrasting eye catching colour that will be a better cutting edge than my dark blue Ynnari aligned Drukharii. I aimed at something like Sunblitz brotherhood scheme as depicted in Imperial Armour book, by a tad darker end/or dirtier. On purpose I have decided to go for Gryph-hound orange as a main colour, keeping the bright red helm though (as red is both a tenuous link with Saim-Hann and Ynnarii congregations). Gryph-hound would be dirtier and darker than that yellow, or at least it was my starting point. In order to get it even more distinctive I had decided to do it à la proxy Slapchop method, more or less as I did on my KT Plasma containers last year. But in orange. For that, the first step has been a black priming followed by series of dry brushes. Mainly a white, more intense on top of the mini, and a grey gradient on legs, from Eshin grey to Dawnstone. Then a big thick layer of Contrast Gryph-hound Orange. As the result was a little bit TOO dark to my taste after drying, even on the white brushed areas, I finished the job with a kind of high light with a Vallejo Flat Yellow on the superior part. Being more convinced by the result, I moved toward mass painting. With this method I have treated 20 models in a single session. This is a huge yield for a very decent result at first sight; at least for Battle Ready Standard. It is nowtime to go to details. Helms will come first, with head made out of red with even brighter red for highlighting. Then will come the other steps that include the leather touch, the capes and/or ribbons, and shiny gold or other glittering gems. Weapons went as for the recent ones I did, keeping wraithbone as a main base. Even if I will not say that Orange is the new Black, mainly because I field redish Saim-Hann (and it is well known that Red has many advantages, for exemple "it goes fasta"), the possibility to add colorful models in an Eldar host through specific schemes for Aspects warriors or added allied such as Corsairs is very refreshing (or at least this is how I feel after fielding so many uniformized armies of Mechanicum Standard Grey troops or Space Wolf Grey during decades…). Let's see you latter with full squads done.

Hi Folks, After a forced break into my paint job (temperatures raised too much for one week and paint was drying so fast on the brushes that it was just impossible to make anything decent (and/or with an aspect that wasn’t the one of a crusted pie…). I therefore stopped for a while, waiting for more decent temperatures. It has been a little bit of a challenge to overcome the frustration as the work to be done was limited to final touches on a single miniature, my Wayleaper Autarch. The former has been converted from various parts and bitz as you may remember (as you can see there too [How to save an half sliced Banshee - Pointy and Spiky - The Bolter and Chainsword]): - The metal body of the Banshee Exarch (first one ever issuer) - Bitz from the latest guardian plastic box for Chainsword and Fusion gun (the gun is a little bit more complex than that as it is made of small cut parts inc hips held Shuriken catapult) - Jump generator from the Corsair sprue. This last bit is a little bit of a regret as I realized lately that I also have a spare Warp Generator from my Spiders kit. Yet, due to slightly smaller scale of the Exarch body, using it would have looked like unfitting. Between a risk of dumb looking oversized back-pack and a too small one, the last option is probably the less unadapted… The scheme has been the fruit of a long, long, long hesitation. I wanted something closer of the Saim-Hann livery than my previous black/inverted color schemes for my converted Autarch on foot (based on old Drazhar) and my kit bashed autarch on jetbike. I realize all are converted or kit bashed. I put the red without thinking it too much, as well as the black jump generator. It is only then that I felt it was needed thinking it again. I finally decided that getting close of the illustration used on the image for the Aeldarii faction in CtA would have been the way to go. Yet too late. I am not going to get rid of the paint and restart. No way. Not today. So, I have instead went for a focal point on the banshee mask by going toward a more classical bonish face plate and a greyish crest. Not black to be able to have a distinction with the back back… I have chosen the economy of energy; also known as laziness sometimes. Result is a miniature that fits into the panorama and the overall picture of the Aeldarii force of mine, without ostentation and without spark. Homogeneity is a way to say it too. And here it is, completed: Plus the Shroudrunners once glued together: It comes along the rest of the Aeldarii models pledged for this second vow: Which means it is a completed pledge. Now what am I going to do? I have enough models in the pile of shame to fill more Xenos pledges. Or try out some vows in other factions. But I should limit myself to smaller amounts of models (a hero or two for example, or a single squad): indeed time left looks like it is possible to do more my personal and professional schedule does not say the same thing… On the other hand, a small paint job is also a good way to disconnect. (Who am I trying to convince?) Let’s see which road I take.

Hi Folks, Another week, another progress report for CtA25. Although my second vow in the Xenos faction is not yet completed, it is closer of its ending than of its beginning. Indeed, after completing some Warpspiders last Saturday, I finally started working on the hoods, heads and weapons of the Shroudrunners which were set on standby for 3 weeks. I expect completing them in a couple of days, even if they are far from being what I consider as a good paintjob of mine while comparing with the last 2 years of job. Yet, it is as it is, and I will probably not improve them except at resuming completely the paint scheme and stepping back from the sponging technique I have tried on them. ([Edit] Which I do not consider as being an option) The current state of my painting on this vow is the following: - Warwalkers – done - Spiders – done - Rangers – done - Wraithguards – done - Spirit Seer – done - Wayleaper Autrach – 75%. I have started working on highlight and details. - Shroudrunners – 75%. As mentioned above, plus glueing crew on bikes. There are yet some odd stuff in this list, as, except the Wayleaper Autarch which is a conversion from bits and old models, all the other miniatures are relatively new ones. I mean, my purpose as declared is to clean up my pile of shame and bitz box without buying new stuff, except if it bring the small little extra that allow me to increase the cleaning up potential; say for example buying a squad to get enough bits allowing to recycle forgotten bodies in by big Aeldari bitz plastic bag; something like being able to build up 2 squads out of a single box, if you follow me. Clearly buying some Wraithguards and additional squads does not really fit the scheme, does it? This is where I may eventually try out an exercise of bad faith. Let’s talk of the Rangers and Shroudrunners. With the spare guns and slipcover/gun carryage cases, I have enough spares to customize 5 old Guardians bodies waiting in the bitz into 5 additional Rangers. Yet for an economic point of view, it is arguably a poor investment… This so-called demo produced out of my bad faith exercise is however to be counter balanced by another explanation, far more convincing IMHO. In order to know more about it we should step back a long long time ago, when 40k starter box for 2nd Ed has been released. Legendary times, except for old timers. At the time, I was more into WFRP, Bloodbowl, Talisman and WFB. Yet I had the 40k 1st Ed rules and started collecting Space wolves. I was able to field the 3 boxed sets (Blood Claw, Grey hunter and Long Fangs), Ulrick and Ragnar plus a Rhino. My gaming group was focusing on WFB but my best friend of the time started lurking into the local gaming store and finally grabbed the 2nd Ed starting box. It was a familial investment, with his 2 brothers picking up Orks and Marines respectively, while he decided stepping into Eldars. Our first games were with models out of paper silhouettes, just as it used to be in Blood Bowl at the time (it was before the release of the Edition with Astrogranit terrain). Color xerox from WD magazine and slota bases allowed building full forces on a budget; And Scenery was card board made too, so... That year I went on summer camp in Plymouth area (UK) and he charged me with a mission to spend his piggy bank content into Eldar models. I came back with all its list completed: Spiders, Banshees, Plastic Guardians (the quick fit ones with lasgun), Scouts (before they become Rangers) and Dark Reapers. This has been the origin of my obsession for most Eldar models I bought; this obsession being only but fueled by the released that came out in the following years. I have therefore started buying and storing Eldar stuff, inc. a couple of years after from FW, until I started painting seriously this back og with CtA23. 20 years latter or almost. This obsession was rooted into the perceived quality of the models at the time: the sculpts were swift, balanced and more complex and good looking than the bulky SM. Yet, as time passed by, I stayed sticked with SW as my main gaming force for 40k, mainly because I had enough models to play seriously, and also because my investment capacity was such that changing direction at the time was meaning getting a little bit of everything and nothing in sufficient amount to be worth. I did as bees, foraging in gaming stores when I saw a model I liked in the Eldar range, but without making that leap of faith. And I kept my money for WFB (which will be a cause of big frustration when the End of Times came and erased the World that Was, until resurrection of the Old World… but this is a different story). This obsession was embodied into a limited number of models: Walkers, Spiders (which were the deadliest out of the deadly units of that era as far as I remember), Reapers and Scouts. As you see now, this is indeed a best reason for fielding Rangers than pretending using a couple of spare guns. Even if I may end doing it… I have now sufficient earnings to fuel my obsession and addiction, but I lack time. So, I focus on painting side only atm. But digging into the pile of shame reactivated that visceral need to grab the Eldar models I spent so much time staring art in the WD pages that the images are engraved in my eyes by retinal persistence effect. Or almost. I am therefore slowly completing that lust for Eldar models, getting most of the ones I wanted for so long, except Reapers that will be my next dose of Nostalgy driven spending. (I do like these better than the current plastic models, but the plastic ones will do the job too when I will grab some. In a (not so close?) future buy) Never underestimate perseverance (isn’t it a better word than obsession?). See you when the vow will be completed enough to be worth a new post.

Hi Folks, It is astonishing how much hobby tasks you can complete when kids are in summer camps. Last few days saw me completing the Rangers and the Spirit seer. Whereas I also started priming and making the cloaks on the shroudrunner riders. It is therefore a total of 15,5 points painted out of the 38 pts vow. And the rest of the pledge is already quite well launched, with only WarpSpiders being in a state of still being on sprues. The rest of this sunday, thanks to the rainy day, will leave me even more time to keep on progressing: base colours on war walkers and keeping on working on the shroudrunners. I did not do anything on the Autarch since I set the base colours. and Warwalker have been built in subassambly last night and are ready to receive their first base colours too. I am currently thinking about how to paint the Spiders. Whereas I am a little bit fed up with red, I still want keeping it to link with the Craftworld. I am therefore thinking about an inverted colour scheme, à la Spiders' Phoenix lord: black bodies and red warp generator. But I will give it a night or two in order to decide if I go that way or change my mind. See you soon with more progress or maybe even sooner if I have some lightspeed progress.

Hi Folks, Less than one week after pledging a second vow, I already have some progress with one completed unit of Wraithguards. And a small close up on one WG: One big advantage of the Saim-Hann paint scheme (oand of COntrast color range) is that is is relatively easy to harvest quick results. Without any kind of irony, I can say that I spent as much time painting and flocking the bases that doing the bodies and heads. Gamewise I have decided fielding this army only becaus eI have suffered so big losses from Wraith weaponery in a game last year that I needed to pick up some just to confort me back... Pure jealousy and alt-FOMO. As I have been a little bit disorganized, trying spong painting techniques for example, I have started almost everything, beside my entries for 12MoH that will probably be worked on this week-end. Shall I complete the Rangers and Spirit seer that are very very close to completion first. So, the completion rate for this pledge is: - Autarch - base colours only - Seer - finishing touches (gems and head) and basing to be done - Rangers - heads and basing to be done - Shroud runners - bikes done, crew to be started (these are not even primed) - Spiders - sprues primed - Warwalkers - sprues primed (and one icon cliped away to be used on Wraithguard base) Not that bad so far. I am even ahead of schedule. See you once more stuff will be done.

Hi Folks, In my Blogs' last installement I was wondering what could be a second pledge within the spectrum of options available in my backlog: https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1137-cta25-1st-vow-completed/?do=getNewComment In the end I found that it could eventually be… both things at the same time. While maximizing points in the Xenos Stronghold and giving priority to the Crafworlders I might be able harvesting some points while painting relatively simple schemes in a potentially limited amount of time (i.e. before end of August – after that I will have to go back to a kind of “intensive summer school” to register for a new professional qualification required as a must have for my current position… So bye bye Hobby time until certification being issued, except last minute small stuff and/or brain relaxation time). So my second pledge will be: - 5 Wraithguards and their Spiritseer – 5 + 5 points - 1 Converted Wayleaper Autarch – 5 points and Master of the Forge entry - 2 Warwalkers – 6 points - 5 Rangers and their token – 6 points - 5 Warspiders and their token – 6 points - 3 Shroudrunners – 6 points Grand total: 39 points (8 units) I will be in batch painting mode probably. To fit to the schedule, I should issue 2 units a week. Hum… See you once some progress will be worth being reported.

Hi Folks, This second week ends up with 2 completed units: the Kabalites (Hand of the Archon) and the kitbashed Archon. Some close ups of the Kabalites: The scheme is going to be reproduced once again on the crew members for the Venoms. The Archon (also aligne din the Master of the Forge subchallenge) is based on a kit bash from a GSC Magus: The Venom motojets will be my next unit to be completed in the challenge I guess. These are already quite advanced in the process: Let's see if I can get these a little bit more advanced in the second half of July. See you.

Hi Folks, Some 5 days after the kick-off of CtA25, I have managed some serious progress on my first units enlisted in my Xenos' pledge. Kabalites bodies are now completed and the kit bashed Archon may probably require only a few corrective touches of 0000 brushed plus basing. You can see bellow that I did not changed my scheme and sticked to the Arkhelian blue. Sorry, it is supposed to be a green. Next step will be heads and weapons. The Archon (based on the GSC femal magus with very little swaps) is quite distinct. This so-called follower of Ynnari will be useful either as a converted Wytche Maiden or a devoted Farseer. Multipurpose character. Pic is not that great and too dark. anyway, I will try to take a better one once the model will be finished, basing included... That's all for the moment. More work in perspective. I have just made the barbed wire floors of the vehicles and set a first layer of Incubi Darkness on the caracasses of the Venoms. More latter i.e. in a few days. See you.

Hi Folks, While the countdown to CtA25 launch date is slowly but surely reducing, it has been time to revisit my list of stuff available for being enlisted. As I am still in the queue for some bases ordered, stuff I need in order to progress on my Corsairs kitbashes (a contribution likely to reach 30/35 pts easily within a more global 70 pts and something of Aeldarii) I have decided to phase my vows in a different order. The first key decision is to go Drukhari. And all my other Xenos vows will compute there too. My first vow will be based on the material accumulated and some recent additions (A Succubus and a Venom). Let’s see: - 10 Wytches - 10 Kabalites (Hand of the archon KT box) - The kit bashed Archon I showed previously here: Ynnari Priestess - a quick kitbash - Pointy and Spiky - The Bolter and Chainsword - The Succubus forementioned - 1 Raider - 2 Venoms out of which the one recently bought. Grand total: 44 Pts. Or something like that, as I have to check out how much points are loaded on the various vehicles. NB: 2 Kabalites are in the plastic bags I could wait for the delivery man, but I am not willing to postpone my June paintjob too much. Indeed, summertime is somehow susceptible to be quite busy and leave me with less hobby time than expected. Said otherwise, there are good chances that what has not been painted in June will not be painted this season at all. Just with that list I may have something like 1 month busy on the workbench, knowing that I usually complete approx. 1 unit a week on average. Should the production rate be that one, it is rather a 7 weeks load, i.e. up to end of July. There are anyway shortcut and time saving approaches: I have already painted Kabalites and built a Raider, so I can save time as I do not have top test schemes and as I am aware of the best strategies for the vehicle building. Even if in the latter case it might be a tad different as I plan to use the crew of the Venoms to get a Wytches’ operated boarding boat, while the Kabalites will take place in the Venoms jetbikes. And if I go Wytches for the raider, I might affect the paint scheme of the vehicle to, in order to get something more edge cutting. May be a bicolor scheme with a reddish (something like the scheme of iamluketaylor but may be reversed) or bonish prow instead of a full Incubi Darkness hull? Unless I play on panel lining only going to the quite usual red used on GW schemes? Or I go to a simple chevron band and a red sail… I still have to give it a though. Or two. I will then shift to Corsairs/Aeldarii reinforcements or GSC once the first bunch of miniatures will have been done. The latter just grew up of 2 pts thanks to 2 additional spore mines found back. I have also gathered enough bits and crates to build up a new pile of scrap/Scenery worth a few points. And what about the rest of the Pile of Shame? Well, my not-GSC/Astra Militarum home made Regiment has not bee kitbashed yet. And my AdMechs are primed but I am still not in the mood to paint them: I will bring me too close of completion of a force I invested a lot of myself into, so I prefer postponing this moment just a little bit. After all, I have just finished painting my OldWorld dwarf army accumulated over 20 years this weekend and the milestone is a little bit bitter: “what’s next?” is what prevails. Such a feeling I am not willing to experience again too soon. Even if it is only a matter of postponing for a few months… See you in a few days when I will have started working on this pledge.