2014 Roundup

When I started this blog back in March, inspired by the many other brilliant Oldhammer blogs out there, it was to give me the impetus to actually paint some of the classic models I had started buying on E-bay.

Has it actually achieved that?

Well I painted seventeen models in the last ten months, which is infinitely more than I had painted prior to starting the blog. So I can't say I'm displeased with the progress I've made. Plenty more still to paint, and somehow I seem to keep acquiring more :)

Certainly my painting has improved (not to the standards of many others in the community but good enough for me).

So what are the models I did get painted.

The whole lot.

Smyrk's Crew, Arbites and the Emissary

Necromunda Eschers

Cursed Xenos

And a lone fantasy dwarf... (who managed to avoid appearing in the group shot).

So whilst I'm happy with my progress so far it seems customary to set myself some targets for the coming year. So here goes...

1 - Paint at least 17 models. Knowing my work rate and the distractions of real life and other hobbies I'm not going to set too high a target for this.

2 - Base all my models. Its notable with all the models I've done so far I haven't actually properly  finished any of them... As such a definite target is to actually base them all and do the same for all the new ones I paint.

3 - Manage at least one post a month. Looking at my post history for the blog there are two big gaps in August and later October and November where I didn't post anything at all. So next year I'm going to try and keep a more even flow across the whole year.

Right having got that out of the way it just remains to say have a Happy New Year and see you all in the next annum.


Cap'n Smyrk

One (or three...) last thing(s)...

So I managed to bash out three last minis for the year this morning which brings my total for the year up to 16, which is more than I actually expected to manage.

The first one is Montgomery "Squatty" McAlliber Captain Smyrk's squat engineer. I imagine that having been declared a heretic by Inquisitor Tycho Smyrk lost all his Adeptus Mechanicus support but Squatty not being AdMech has hung around.

Can't really see it in my rubbish photo but I'm pretty happy with how his shades turned out.

Check it out! More hazard stripes!

Smyrk and his crew aren't going to be very uniform in their colour scheme and so I realised that I needed something to tie them all together and so as I'd already put some on Smyrk I decided to use hazard stripes.

Then there are the two Adeptus Arbites that I've painted up to accompany Psi-Judge Anjersen.

Arbitrator Joeb, front

And back.

And Arbitrator Luke, front

And back.

Finally I've added some pages as galleries for some of the factions I'm painting up, just Captain Smyrk's crew and the Arbites at the moment as they're the only ones I've got several of but will expand them.

I'll probably do a yearly round up post closer to new year but this is it for now.

Til next time.


Cap'n Smyrk

She Is The Law... (And a Merry Christmas to all)

So Merry Christmas to the blogosphere.

Sorry it's taken so long to get these photos but once I'd recharged my camera my lack of a proper photo setup meant I had to wait until I had a day off work and was actually at home in daylight.

Anyway as an early Christmas present of sorts here's the pics of Psi-Judge Anjersen ;)

I'm quite happy with the way she's turned out so much so I've already started to paint up two of her comrades using the same basic scheme although as they are mini's from two different Arbites ranges there's some variation.

Anjersen is actually quite, shall we say, petite compared to her comrades but that doesn't bother me that much.

Joining the Arbites in the painting queue is the next member of Cap'n Smyrk's crew his faithful Squat engineer Montgomery "Squatty" McAlliber.

Hope to have these three done by the end of the year, as festivities and visits to relatives allow.

So I hope you all have a good festive season and til next time...


Cap'n Smyrk

Here comes the Law...

So I've managed to maintain a small amount of momentum and have painted something else, this time the first of my Adeptus Arbites.

Although technically she isn't actually an Arbite being a GW Judge Dredd Judge Anderson figure.

Unfortunately although I've got her painted my camera battery is flat so I can't show you any finished pics yet but I'll get on that once its recharged.

My intention is for her to be a Psi-Judge (in homage to the original character) armed with a Needle pistol (represented by her lawgiver) and will lead a small team of Euphoria's other Arbitrators.

Hopefully I'll be able to get some pics up fairly soon.

Til then, happy hunting.

Cap'n Smyrk

Cap'n On Deck (Part 2)

Captain Smyrk is now finished, Ive touched up a few details, repainted the scarf like I was considering and giving him a coat of varnish.

I think the scarf definitely works better this colour even though I liked how the shading and highlights worked on the brown...

I've drawn up the stats and background for his rest of his crew but am still deciding on what models I want to use for them.

Got to choose what to paint next as well, ah decisions, decisions...

Til next time


Cap'n Smyrk

Cap'n On Deck...

And so I return after too long an absence, but I have finally regained my modelling mojo and actually have something to show for it.

This time its Captain Julius T. Smyrk himself.

After quite a long deliberation I chose the Imperial Scout to represent Smyrk. Although its maybe not as flashy as a Rogue Trader would normally be, Smyrk isn't technically a Rogue Trader anymore. I think it works well as one who no longer has access to the resources he once did and the hood shows his need to conceal his identity. Shows off his contacts with the darstedly xenos as well.

His clothes are a bit of a homage to his eponymous namesake and I tried to include some good old fashion hazard stripes. I'm fairly happy with how the hand flamer nozzle came out as well. The boots are inspired by the magnetic boots worn by the Starfleet Assassins in Star Trek VI.

He's not quite finished yet, needs a coat of varnish and I am contemplating making the scarf the same colour as the hood, their supposed to be the same thing anyway and the brown tends to get lost amongst the rest of the scheme.

Still working on the rest of his crew including his first mate "Ace" Ryker and head of security Sphinx.


Til next time

Cap'n Smyrk

Thought for the Day: Watch for the Mutant.