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

Yes Ma'am...

This week I finally finished the two minis I've been working on, took a little longer than I was planning but their both now done and ready for showing off.

First up we have the Regis Evangeline Margeritte d'Sarck, Imperial Commander and Governor of Euphoria dressed to impress.

Whatever you do don't mention the nose...

She is actually the Governor's Daughter from Black Scorpion Miniatures. I originally intended to use a Reaper mini for d'Sarck but that turn out to be too tall, whilst I don't usually worry about height that much she was literally head and shoulders above all the RT minis and would have had to be some form of mutant...
So I went with this mini instead, which is resin. Unfortunately due to the casting she basically had no nose so this shows my first ever attempt at green-stuffing. Its probably a little big and a bit squiffy, but that just allows me add a bit of background about her being touchy if anyone points out her nasal deformity...

Then we have Regis d'Sarck's personal bodyguard dressed in full ceremonial armour. He goes by the name of Tyghert Ankh...

This was a model I've been planning for a while, I just thought it was the perfect use of the Mk1 Power Armour

And a quick pic of the whole Governoral Entourage...

Do keep up...

Probably do another yearly round up next and maybe set some new resolutions as well as look over how well (or not) I've done with this years.

Till next time...


Cap'n Smyrk

More Hideous Mutants and Suicidal Agents of Chaos...

So continuing my adventures in Chainsaw Warrior...

I once again managed a pretty impressive character, 14 Endurance, 13 Wounds, 11 Close Combat, +2 Marksmanship, 8 Agility and 6 Equipment Points.
I managed to get the Chainsaw and a number of other useful bits of kit. The only down points were his average Agility and the fact that the gun I picked up was the mostly useless Blaster...

Suitably equipped I set forth into the building and happily carved my way through a multitude of Zombies, Chaos Agents, Rat swarms and doors. Until I encountered the most powerful of the Mutant Things (Combat Value 16).

Why hello there Ugly...

My Rad Suit minimised the amount of radiation he inflicted on me and it was straight into the hacking and slashing. A handy piece of equipment gave me a close combat of 15 just one less than my opponent and I was not especially worried.

What followed was one of the most frustrating displays of (computerised) dice rolling I have ever seen...

The Mutant proceeded to roll a series of 10 and 11's which I had to roll box cars to beat or even draw against, which I simply couldn't. On the few occasions that it did roll low I proceeded to manage just enough to draw...

Finally vanquishing the monster I was reduced to just 4 wounds but I plunged on until just a few cards later I met up with the bane of my computerised existence the Suicide Chaos Agent!

Oh no not you again...

Swiftly my battered Warrior drew his Blaster and snapped off a shot.

Which promptly missed and he was blown to smithereens...

On the next game I managed to get my hands on a Teleporter a nifty bit of kit that allows you to go and get a replacement Laser Lance without having go back through all the cards again. Brilliant that will make the Suicide Agent less of problem, although I was stuck with the pathetic Blaster again.

However despite having an Agility of 10 I failed to dodge an exploding trap which proceeded to destroy my (guess what...) Teleporter. Thus when just a few cards later the b*@$!&d Suicide Agent popped up again (and my Blaster once again missed) he blew up my Laser Lance. Aided by several Secret Passages I made my way back out and in again with my new Laser Lance (and finding a gear cache on the way where I replaced my useless Blaster with a Sub-Machine Gun).

At this point I met another Suicide Agent who (dodging my shot... again...) blew up my shiny new SMG. Fortunately I was a eaten by rampant Zombie just a couple of cards later saving me any further frustration...

Notably this was not the first time a seemingly ridiculous series of dice rolls have hampered me in fights against one of the tougher opponents. Whilst I'm tempted to go for one of the lower difficulty levels these only increase your chances of getting better stats and equipment, which as my first play through proved is of no help when you are let down by the vagaries of the (computer-generated) dice.

Next time Darkness... Next Time...

On the modelling front Regis d'Sarck and her bodyguard are both coming on nicely so hopefully I'll be able to show them off by the weekend.

Till Next Time...


Cap'n Smyrk

60 Minutes To Save New York...

So something a little different some actually gaming!

Well sort of... Not the tabletop sort.

As you may have guessed from the title I'm talking about Chainsaw Warrior the classic GW survival board/card game.

Now I don't own and I've never played the original game but reading various online reviews and play throughs has inspired me to get the new digital version for my tablet.

Now this has several different difficulty levels but I've felt compelled to play on the Hard difficulty as this matches the original board game.

I've managed about six plays through so far, my first time I lucked out stats wise apart from agility but eventually fell foul of a suicidal Chaos Agent who blew up my Laser Lance and I had to fight my way back out again to get another one.

On my third play through I actually managed to make it to the second deck, but never found Darkness. My recent plays have been mostly sabotaged by poor a hand-to-hand skill or endurance.

The game has proved just as difficult as suggested but I'm having a blast none the less.

On the modelling front I've just started on painting the personal bodyguard of Euphoria's governor replete in his ceremonial armour so hopefully I'll be able to show him off soon.

Till next time...


Cap'n Smyrk

A Perfect Gentleman...

So this week I've been working on several things including starting work on a model of the Spitfire I helped dig up but also I've managed to paint up this guy, one the scavengers from EM4.

Hugh Ponsonby Wilberforce at your service...

Ready for anything...

He part of a new project for me, not directly Oldhammer related but in a similar vein.

The idea is basically a sort of miniature driven narrative story set in a post-apocalyptic world. This guy is going be the sidekick for the main character who I've yet to paint up.

They will likely be some cross over between the miniatures in this story and my Euphoria gangs. This setting will probably involve a mix of old GW minis and others manufacturers, certainly I already see a sideline for Sphinx (from Cap'n Smyrk's crew) in the story.

Anyway now all I need to tie the ideas down and think of a name for it...

Till next time...

Cap'n Smyrk

Silent Death...

Finished off the Assassin today, haven't decided on a name for him yet but he's definitely going to work for Inquisitor Tycho.

Further photo experimentation this time trying out a non-white background. I'm quite pleased with how he's come out and happy I didn't go with black.
Not sure my attempt to replicate the bone effect I did on the Death Jester on the skulls worked out as quite as well but I'm think it's ok.

Return of the Shady Space Ninjas... 

Painted his sword in a scabbard since it seemed more sensible that way.

Just deciding on what to paint next although with the big IMPS Nationals show coming up in November my historical modelling projects are probably going to take over priority. On that note I have considered showing some of my historical stuff here but as its not Oldhammer or even wargaming related I haven't done so.
However I may start another blog for that stuff, dunno if they're of any interest to most Oldhammers but I'll put up a link when or if I ever got round to it.

Till next time.


Cap'n Smyrk