193 Hardened Vets Gallery + NEW BANNER!

NB: If you've come to this post for examples of camouflage, check out numbers 5, 13, and 15a for alternatives.

Hi, All,

I got a lovely gift through my email today: a new banner from Suneokun over at Pathfinder! Suffice it to say that I think it's great, and I'll be putting it up directly - THANKS, MATEY!
What a nice chap he is, eh?

Now, a lot of folks seem to be working on hardened veterans at the moment, and it struck me that mine are in no way collated, so please find below a collection of all of my hardened vets, with a few notes and observations and some links to their main posts. This is in no particular order, and some of the best models are at the end of the list:
[NB: Not all pics are good quality and many don't do the models justice. Some models are frosted, too.]

1) G/Sgt Harker proxy and some cronies, incl. missile launcher, h/flamer, grenade launcher, demo charge (front-left) and melta gun:

2) G/Sgt Harker details:

3) Missile launcher details (I really love this model with his sawn-off launcher, but I need to update his 60mm base and give him a new loader):

4) Heavy flamer details (I enjoyed converting this, and it's a fun option to play!):

5) Demo charge details (note alt. camouflage on his rolled-up cloak):

6) Melta gun (from the FW Cadian command team):

7) My veteran sergeant. It's old now, but I really like this model - his cap was my first ever greenstuff sculpt!

8) Shotguns:

9) Vox:

10) Sniper and flamer (the pics aren't great, but I love this simple sniper conversion):

11) Another group shot - this time from part of my tournament entry last year:

12) This is my veterans' lascannon heavy weapons team:

13) This is a very clear study of the veterans' paint and camo scheme - in this case a grenade launcher with an 'uban' camo cloak. Note all my vets have their own simple heraldry on the right shoulder:

14) and one of my favourite models, the interchangeable autocannon/heavy bolter team:

15) Finally, the latest vets added to the pile (and more-or-less the last), some additional special weapons:

15a) Note that I here tried a different style of camouflage on the grenade launcher - a brief discussion of which may be found here [the normal camouflage is very simple too - there's a tutorial here]:

Thanks for taking the time to peruse; do let me know if you've any thoughts or comments...

- Drax.

PS: This is them in action:

192 Very Slow Progress (GCSEs - don't ask!)

Hullo, All.

I'm very busy right now marking GCSE English coursework and collating students' folders for entry next month. If you don't know what that means (or what it entails) consider yourself lucky. The bottom line is that modelling and painting are both taking a back seat for a while, so updates from me will continue to be limited - probably 'til Easter.

Oh, and just a quickie: I bought 'Battle Missions' and I must say it's a rather well put together book. Well done, Jervis.

Pic stolen from GW website.

Take care, all, and happy modelling!

- Drax.

191 Time for Change?

Evening, All.

I've been busy with work* recently, and - as such - have had less time for painting. I'm also keen to get as much as I can finished in time for post 200, so they're likely to be a little thin on the ground for the next while.

Which brings me to this:

Is it time for a change, I ask myself? I think, for example, that it's time I culled my 'Glossary' from the right-hand sidebar, as I haven't updated it from the last codex and people seem so much more versed in the jargon these days - understandably so.

But what about the layout?

I'm very grateful to those of you who follow or who read my stuff regularly, and especially those of you who comment - thanks - but I'm not ignorant of the fact that mine is one of the most visually lacklustre gaming blogs I frequent!

I always try to post pictures, I keep it free of clutter, and I strive to keep my posts accurately phrased and appropriately referenced, but I've never really bought into the whole green-and-blue background thing, and the image at the top is a little boring.

So...

Is there anything anyone would like to see? I know my posts don't have a 'theme' or a weekly special slot - this is pretty much a run-o'-the-mill progress blog - but if you've ever thought 'Why doesn't Drax do this...?' or 'Why does he always do that...?' then I'm interested to hear your thoughts.

Also, if I do change the template, do you know if I can keep my second sidebar?

I'm making slow painting progress now half term is over (see glossary), but I hope to post a unit next weekend, maybe. Oh, and:

Congrats to Col Corbane on getting through an awesome and [literally] inspiring first year!

- Drax.