Wednesday 18 July 2012

No Grand Plan: One Year's Progress

So its been one year since I abandoned my hobby.

Fed up with price increases, endless new editions, far too frequent use of adjectives such as 'cool' and 'awesome' to describe things, terrible White Dwarfs, I left the hobby.

Packed up the paint brushes. Put away the pants. Retired the files and blades.

But how I missed it!

So I decided to 'go retro' and collect, paint and game with classic Citadel Miniatures and original Citadel paints.

I thought that I'd be, largely, on my own - but Oldhammer has developed, and painters, collectors and gamers with similar interests to me exist the world over.

It is certainly an exciting time.

The purpose of this post is twofold; one, to unashamedly blow my own trumpet and, two to, inspire me to get on with my plan (pulling the finger out) to have these armies completed in five years time. What you are about to see consists my entire output over that last twelve months. I must admit, there have been times when no paint has touched lead for some weeks but I am still amazed at what can be achieved over relatively a short space of time by a working father of two, as well as playing the Witcher 2 and Skyrim in my free time!


Warhammer Armies style posing by yours truly. Next year, I'll be able to wear my Oldhammer T-Shirt!


Orcs, goblin wulfboyz, bloodletters and skeletons 


More of my skeletons, a hidden fleshound, a chaos sorcerer, minotaurs, beastmen and champions of Nurgle. 


Beastmen and thugs of Slaanesh with a hidden champion of Tzeentch- can you spot him?


Skaven, a troll, a champion of Slaanesh, some obscured chaos hounds and beasts of Khorne. 


A grand total of 81 painted and based Citadel Miniatures. Too be honest, this is more than I have probably ever painted in the last 20 years! There is still so much to be done; my chariot need completing, a Tzeentch Warband as well as continuing to produce units for the Undead and Orc and Goblin armies. Additionally, I am trying to devise a scenario to play that will get 99% of these miniatures onto a wargames table. Any suggestions to help with this particular endeavour would be appreciated!

I better order some more brushes!

Orlygg.

15 comments:

  1. Wonderful miniatures, so many classics there! That's pretty great for 12 months, I could only dream of painting that many in a year to that standard.

    Glad to hear you found your way back, there seem to be a lot more of us old school guys than I ever thought.

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  2. Well done, they look awesome. You've definitely stoked my interest in old editions. I also hit that brick wall and jumped off the edition rollercoaster a year or two ago. I might do a project using non-retro models but painting (and maybe converting) them in the 'old style'...

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  3. Nice work!

    This hobby is not for lazy people; so consider yourself blessed with the gift of fury, furious painting!

    Now show us your manicured gaming table!

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  4. 'Warhammer Armies style posing by yours truly. Next year, I'll be able to wear my Oldhammer T-Shirt!'

    And have grown a mullet. Your collection is indeed breathtaking to behold. AND you've managed all this whilst simultaneously playing Skyrim? Doubly impressive.

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    1. Skyrim and regular painting have fallen by the wayside for me, well done that man!

      Great collection for 12 months (well and for any amount of time too.)

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  5. It's funny how daunting painting armies can be but if you knuckle down to it, just a couple of hours a day, even one hour! and the things just fly off the painting table. Be the tortoise, not the hare!

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    1. Absolutely. I try to get at least an hour in 4-5 days a week.

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  6. Great looking collection there sir! I am goblin green with envy...

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  7. Great stuff! The pose cracked me up, I can see those army display shots from the book clearly in my mind.

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  8. Beautiful!! I can't stop looking at your army. Outstanding work! Thank you, these pictures have really kick-started my day. And thanks for your great site too!

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  9. Lovely post you've done here! Specially the part when you confess you "Put away the pants" (4th line, LMAO!!).

    I think I was feeling the same like, in the late 90s. Once orks changed imaginative nasty variety for the brutal kewl gorkamorkish look I also put away my pants (can't stop that sorry ;) and quitted gaming since in the early 21st century I decided that it wasn't fair for me to leave the hobby just cause corporate bulling so I started sculpting and painting my own models at my own pace and aside of any known ruleset.

    I still have 1st and 2nd ed. minis and ruselets but I refuse to use/paint them. I love the freedom that imply not sticking to any game mechanics/fluss when doing minis.

    All that said, I love those old school minis, ful of character... you did 'em justice. Thanks for sharing that with the rest of the world.

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  10. Well done Orlygg. A lovely collection of miniatures. I love that you re-captured that Old School painting style. I've been trying to re-learn it for years, so I'm very much looking forward to you Oldhammer painting articles in the new magazine.

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  11. Great stuff - I trust you'll be tearing the sleeves off your Oldhammer T shirt? ;)

    Great output and it all looks awesome and cool (sorry!)

    I'm glad the Golden Gobbo has come along to kick my arse out of my current painting lull!

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  12. Really wonderful collection of old figures really well done! I bet they were just as much fun to do as any of the current plastics! I paint far too much in just one style. You've inspired me to have a go at creating something different. Shame I got rid of my old White Dwarfs as they were such good painting references.

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  13. Been lurking and watching your blog for a little while now, and I have to say, your collection of old chaos minis is fantastic. I had no idea there was even anyone else out there who also had a fascination with the old Realms of Chaos books, minis and rules. Until I stumbled on your blog that is! Keep up the great work!

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