Happy New Year...

 A Happy New Year to Oldhammerers all!

I managed a little bit of painting over the [INSERT HOLIDAY/CELEBRATION OF CHOICE] period and added a couple more models to my tally for the year just gone.

These were a couple of Grenadier/EM4 scavengers that I still had lying around from a batch I bought a while ago.

The rest of that batch ended up as members of my Broad Arrow Gang. These two however with their hoods/masks/cowls I thought were more appropriate to the Cult of the Incandescent Astral Wyrm so they were added to bulk out that faction which now stands at eleven members.

 I kept to my existing theme for this faction with purple, green and red items over individual colours for each member.

Haven't got around to doing a group shot of the whole lot with the new additions yet, still haven't quite mastered photographing large numbers of models.

Although I abandoned doing yearly retrospective posts some time ago (wow... eight years ago it would seem) I had a look back to when I actually used to set myself targets to achieve and see how well I've been doing.

The targets I set for 2016 were the following (and which I didn't meet then...):

1 - Paint at least 26 models.

2 - Base all my models.

3 - Manage at least one post a month.

This year I managed 14 models which is just over half that target (not of course that I was actually aiming for that number), but is more than the 12 I managed in 2022. Overall giving the limited time I've put into this hobby this year I'm actually pretty happy with that output!

And I've managed considerably fewer than one post a month. I've obviously never been that prolific a poster and giving the limited amount I've had to show off this was a target I was never realistically going to manage.

However whilst I still haven't gone back and yet based many of the models I have done I am at least managing to base all the new models I'm painting, so I've definitely improved here.

So what does this little exercise tell me?

Mainly that I'm rubbish at keeping to targets, and that if I'm going to set myself any (which I no longer think I do) I should probably more realistic about what I can likely achieve, what with other hobbies and commitments.

Anyway, I wish you all a happy new year, and good painting!

Till next time...

Cap'n Smyrk

It was my pleasure...

This one is a bit of an oddity for me, not something I originally was planning on painting back when I started the blog.

One of my original projects back then was my Cult of the Incandescent Astral Wyrm, visible on their own page linked above.

The cult was deliberately a fairly generic possibly heretical religious cult from a backwater Imperial world, with no specific leanings towards any of the common cult types seen in the 40K universe. But I always intended to add some additional elements that could transform the basic cult into a definite Chaos or Genestealer cult.

Now I realise that in the original Genestealer cult list it was entirely possible to be both, but for whatever reason I don't particularly like the aesthetic of mixing the two. So I planned to add two separate groups of models that could be added to help turn it into either of those cult types.

Whilst the Genestealer elements are still planned for this post I've been working on the Chaos side of things. I decided to add some daemons to the mix, which is where the oddity comes in...

I've never been a particular fan of Slaanesh out of the Chaos Gods, and never planned to be painting any Slaaneshi Daemons. However the one daemon model I already owned was the original Keeper of Secrets model that had been bought and painted by my late elder brother (previously shown here). So it made sense to use that and add some lesser minions to aid this big boy.

I wasn't going to repaint the greater daemon as I wanted to preserve it in my brother's memory. So I needed to match the new models to the scheme he had used, unfortunately it was painted in original citadel paints, most of which I no longer have. So I've tried to match the colours as best I can with those I have available.

 

 

I'm really very happy with how the blue skin and red claws have come out on these, even if they don't exactly match those on the greater daemon.

Annoyingly I appear to have chipped the paint on one of the claws of this one, didn't notice till I took the picture.

I included the little daemonette familiar model as well.

And a shot of them all with their master for comparison.

That's all for now.

Till next time...

Cap'n Smyrk

Cultists with guns... Big ones...

Bit quiet on the Oldhammer front for me of late but I have finished a couple of additional cultists for the Astral Wyrm Cult.

First up to give the cult some heavy firepower is Brother Reepah.

His colour scheme ties in with that of the Brother's Dymm...

...but with groovy purple hair...

Then there is an additional bullet shield, Brother Slink, who I imagine is some sort of twist.

Finally a shot of whole cult as it now stands.

I will probably add one more member to bring them up to a round ten.


Till next time...


Cap'n Smyrk

Just a quicky...

Just a short post today, as I realised I never put up a group photo of the Astral Wyrm Cult with their new members.

So here they are.

Painting wise I'm working on a trio of Ork Nobz in powered armour who are part way done. Should probably have taken some WIP shots of them but the lights a bit rubbish today so I doubt my camera would manage it.

Till next time.


Cap'n Smyrk

Come join our cult...

So I hope everyone's been having a great year so far.

I've started off my painting this year with a couple of additional cannon fodder valued cult members for the Astral Wyrm Cult.

First up with have Brother Waldo with his (t)rusty autogun and fetching purple baseball cap (do they still have baseball in the 41st Millenium?...)

Accompanying Waldo is his inseparable companion Brother Hertz (another example of my status as an equal opportunities employer...).

A duel eh? Fine I choose Chainsaws! In Outer Space...

With these two the Cult has reached seven members, I plan to bring it up to about ten members including a heavy stubber for a little bit of supporting fire.

Next up may be a few more Orks, I'll need some to act as monsters for my Rogue Trader dungeon crawl game idea.

Till next time.

Cap'n Smyrk

Round Up 2015

Happy new year to all you Oldhammerer's out there, I hope everyone had a enjoyable festive season.

So as a follow up to my similar post in 2014 I thought I have a look back at what I have achieved in the last year.

This year I've managed to paint 25 models and greatly increased the cast of my Euphoria setting.

Captain Smryk's crew has grown considerably with six additional members including a first mate, a medic, a pilot and some cannon fodder.

First Mate "Ace" Ryker

Chief of Security Sphinx and Helmsman Pyke

Ensign Rizzo, Doc 'Bones' and Crewman Raybone

Inquisitor Tycho and his retinue have made their appearance.

Ankyra Voth, Inquisitor Tycho, and Gerhard Cornwallis

A sneaky assassin

Regis Evangeline Margeritte d'Sarck, Governor of Euphoria and her entourage has also taken to the stage.

Milady d'Wysper, Regis d'Sarck, Tighert Ankhe and Father Toil

The Euphorian Arbites Precinct has been reinforced.

Judge Diens

Arbitrator Locke

The insidious Cult of the Incandescent Astral Wyrm has continue to gain new adherents.

William Dymm, Vardys Jax, the Emissary, Sister Lorritta, Jakob Dymm

And the Eldar have also gained a few reinforcements.

Including a Scout...

...several extra Fire Dragons...

...and a Death Jester.

Additionally I have painted one extra who isn't connected with Euphoria.

Hugh Ponsonby Wilberforce...

So lets have a look back at my three targets from last year and see what I will set myself for the coming year:

1 - Paint at least 17 models. I've definitely managed this one, having painted 8 more models than my target. Onwards and upwards on this one.

2 - Base all my models. Yeah... so this one I've basically failed at, managing to base only one model...

3 - Manage at least one post a month. This one I did quite well at until June when I didn't post at all. Again during August and September I didn't post, these were mostly due to external factors.

So for 2016 I think I will continue on the same lines with my targets, as real life and other hobbies certainly eat into my time with regularity. Therefore my targets will be:

1 - Paint at least 26 models. Again I'm going to try and at least match my previous years efforts painting wise. I plan to attempt some batch painting of groups of similar models in the coming year which should help with this one.

2 - Base all my models. Going to try again on this one, need to get down to a concerted basing session.

3 - Manage at least one post a month. Based on the last year trying anything more is likely to be difficult.

Inspired by Asslessman and Axiom of Magpie and Old Lead's Rogue Quest I also have an idea for getting in some gaming next year too (at least of the solo variety). Not going into to much detail now but it involves the fact that I have a copy of the old Ultramarines game box complete with its space hulk floor plans...

Till next time.


Cap'n Smyrk

Space Eunuchs (Part Deux)....

I've finished off the Space Eunuch/Adventurer over the weekend.

So I present Vardys Jax, infamous space pirate, mutant and now leading member of the Astral Wyrm Cult. Jax and his crew (of which the Brothers Dymn are part) have come under the influence of the Emissary and now form the most effective fighting element of the cult.

Whilst I'm fairly happy with how he's come out I think I still need to work on my skin technique especially over large areas.

Anyway that's all for now, got several historical projects to get done for upcoming model shows so Oldhammer may be on the back burner for a little bit..

Till next time.


Cap'n Smyrk

Space Eunuchs...

Well long time no see, once again real life has intruded and cut down my hobby time in recent weeks but I'm getting back into it.

Now I don't usually show WIPs, as much because I never remember to stop and take any photos whilst I'm painting as anything else. Today as I don't have anything finished I thought I'd show what I'm currently painting up, which as you may have guessed from the title is the Space Eunuch from the adventurers range.

He is going to be an important member of the Astral Wyrm cult but I'll leave his background until he's finished.

Just base colours at the moment. Tying him in with the rest of the cult.

And one uncomfortable looking set of underwear...

Hope to get him finished up soon and then I'll probably move on to adding to some of the other gangs.


Till next time.


Cap'n Smyrk

The Brothers Dymm...

So after a some hurried painting (by my standards at least...) this week I've managed to crank out a couple of new minis.

These two are going to bulk out the Cult of the Incandescent Astral Wyrm which needs a little more manpower.

So I present William and Jakob, the Brothers Dymm.

It was part way through painting them that I realised they had started looking a little like Ghostbusters...

I wasn't originally intending for them to be quite so similar but eventually expediency won out and I painted them the same.

Stuck with the style I used on Lorrita with purple masks and red gloves (plus the use of green) to tie them together and to the Emissary with out being to uniform.

I imagine that the Dymm's provide the Emissary with some muscle, perhaps acting as his enforcers to suppress any dissent amongst the masses of the rest of the cult. The models I've done so far are the core of the cult, I'll hopefully add so less conspicuous lay followers at some future date.

Now they've expanded to four members I've put up a page for the Cult to join the Euphoria Arbites and Smyrk's crew.


Till next time.

Cap'n Smyrk

Cult following...

Latest addition to my painted pile, this time a follower for my Emissary of the Incandescent Astral Wyrm.

Got a bit of a Jokeresque smile going now that I look at it...

As mentioned last time she's Loritta/Cybergirl from the Iron Claw Space Pirates range. Struggled with painting her, though now she's finished she's growing on me.

A shot of her with the Emissary.

That will be it for this week and work may mean I don't get much done for a little while.

Til next time...


Cap'n Smyrk