I dunno, you wait 30,000 years for a bus...

... and  then four of 'em turn up at once!

Need to work out exactly what I'm going to do with these, as they're just the bare shells, without any of the hatches etc. I've got a few bits in the spares box of old and new Rhinos, and might pick up some Forge World Death Guard Rhino Door sets, and make a few mix 'n' match RT/modern conversions.

Other recent reinforcements to the Death Guard are a squad of the original RT Marine Scouts, another tactical squad's worth of metal beakie marines, and an original Dreadnaught. Pics up soon, or at least then I've got some paint on 'em.

Now, back to the painting desk!

So, what have I been up to recently?

Marines, mainly....

Been a bit quiet on the Port Imperiale front, recently, mainly because as well as spending a lot of free time renovating an old house, I've also been challenged to put together a Horus Heresy Army for a bit of a 30k narrative campaign by the http://talesfromthemaelstrom.blogspot.co.uk/ boys.

I've decided to go for traitor Death Guard, as most of my other Chaos stuff is Nurgle based, so I can fit this lot into any future 40k Plague Marine armies I might eventually get finished.

Figure-wise, I've gone for a mix of original RT marines, and newer Forgeworld stuff, where possible, with some conversions based on newer GW models.

I'm really liking the new Horus Heresy range that FW are putting out, there are some nice takes on the old RT ranges, but the cost is rather prohibitive, especially when I'm spending all my spare cash on plasterers and building materials...

Anyway, what have I done so far? Most of these are WIPs, and in various states of finish, but I thought I'd put up a progress report, just to prove I've been up to something...

More after the cut...

This place won't build itself, you know...

Finally made a start on some buildings over the weekend. My ideas for the look of the place are a combination of Mos Eisley, mixed with some of the photos I've seen of the big ship dismantling yards in India/Bangladesh. Buildings built out of, and even repaired with bits of vehicle and spaceship, all filthy, old and decrepit.

Plenty of pics to follow...

All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what has the Imperium ever done for us?

"Now, write it out 40,000 times before sunrise, or I'll cut your balls off."

A long time WIP: Ogryn mercs.

So, I actually started work on these back when the WFB Ogre plastics were fairly newly released, but now I've got some of my long-lost  paintin' and modellin' mojo back, I might actually get around to painting the buggers.

My take on Ogryns

In my version of the RT universe, Ogryns are a little more intelligent than they are in the 40k canon, meaning that they're able to use half-decent tech, rather than just being the dumb lumps of close combat cannon-fodder than they usually end up as in standard IG armies. These guys have decided to jump ship from the Imperial Guard, and have formed their own muscle for hire mercenary unit, based out of Port Imperiale. Usually working for Pirate bands, their massive amount of firepower makes them very dangerous, if a little chaotic thanks to their low overall skills. (Hey, I said they were a little more intelligent, not unstoppable killing machines!) They're entirely capable of taking out enemy armour, thanks to a plethora of salvaged vehicle mounted weapons.

More info and pics...

Something not Port Imperiale related... The Griffin House - WIP.

Fenris recently released a wonderful Lovecraft-inspired New England Colonial style house, called 'The Griffin House' as part of a new range of scenery, called Arkham Avenue.

I missed out on the pre-release deal over xmas, as I was skint, but saw Steders on the FU:UK board was flogging one at the same price, so I had to have it.

Rather than let it sit in a cupboard, as is what usually happens to my scenery projects, I was determined to get it built, and this is where it gets complicated. As it was presumably a pre-release one, it didn't have any instructions with it, and Fenris haven't put full construction details up yet, so I was flying solo, as it were. This is a sort of stream of consciousness, as much as it's a build explanation, but hopefully it might help a few people making it.

So, here goes...

Welcome to Port Imperiale

You'll never leave...