Return of the Cold September

Return of the Cold September

Eldar Pirates

Old World Army Challenge 8

After taking a year off the OWAC (#7) I'm back for The Ocho in 2025. This year I'm returning to the Crew of the Cold September project from OWAC4, Eldar Pirates based (loosely) on the Eldrich Raiders army list from Chapter Approved: Book of the Astronomican plus the subsequent White Dwarf articles that followed.

Instead of copy/pasting the full text here here, I will direct you to the intro & monthly entry pages. 

Intro:

https://oldworldarmychallenge.blogspot.com/2024/12/zerotwentythrees-eldar-pirates-intro.html

January:

https://oldworldarmychallenge.blogspot.com/2025/02/zerotwentythrees-january-eldar-rank.html

February:

https://oldworldarmychallenge.blogspot.com/2025/03/zerotwentythrees-february-eldar-rank.html

However, here's a few preview photos.

Since it's been a few years since the previous project and they've been hidden in bins since then*, I created a quick ID guide using the OWAC4 images to help me remember how to paint the new infantry squads! There are slight variations in the "uniform" on the different green squads. The two "heavy" squads below have identical color schemes, now that I'm looking at that I should have made some minor variation. 

Five Parsecs from Gaming

It appears to have been a while since I've updated. That's due to the lack of painting or gaming since the beginning of July. 2021 has not been kind.

First, a bit of catching up. Early in July I posted my wrap-up for the 2021 Old World Army Challenge. I've never had difficulty finishing a painting challenge until this year. In fact, I skipped everything other than the OWAC. (No "Big April", "Month of Marsh", or "Orctober" for me.) But at least I'm happy with the end result of OWAC 2021!

https://oldworldarmychallenge.blogspot.com/2021/07/zerotwentythrees-post-owac4-eldar.html

Recently (last two weeks or so) I've squeezed out some time at the painting desk again. Thank FSM. I needed it. Painting is my anti-stress, my meditation. And I needed it.

I've been continuing with the sci-fi theme, participating in the "squad challenge" that the OWAC group does as an off-season warm up or something like that. Essentially, it's painting 10 figures with a common theme over 2 months. I'm continuing with sci-fi, painting some more "supporting characters" for a hopeful solo campaign of Five Parsecs From Home. More on that later.

So the painting...

First 3 of the 10 figure challenge. Nulltron, washed up egotistical robot overlord; Slem, time and space displaced fianna Fimir turned galactic fringe bounty hunter; and Jaz, just Jaz.

David Rattenborough, famed Spaven naturalist & mutalogical engineer, with his field assistant, Gleek. Seen here with a vox caster, no doubt presenting the findings of his latest expedition.

99% done painting. Still need inspiration to hit for something entertaining to paint on the scroll.

Not sure if she's summoning them up from below ground or about to get eaten. Pic could be telling either story.

Stalking the crystal fields.

Small terrain piece kitbashed from various bits of trash.

Mostly I work. This year we had an official OK for costumes on the Friday before Halloween, we decorated like we never have before, and our last hour of the work day was "trick or treat."  So this was my casual Friday look. Unfortunately I didn't have any video meetings. "Yes, behold the wraith who designs your retail stores!"

June Old World Army Challenge Entry (Eldar)

Last month of the Old World Army Challenge. Wrap up post will be coming soon, with pics of the whole pirate force together. But here's the June entry (which I barely managed to finish on time.)

March OWAC Eldar

I almost forgot to post my March entry for the OWAC!

Basic pics of the 10 Eldar pirates below. More info at my OWAC entry: http://oldworldarmychallenge.blogspot.com/2021/04/zerotwentythrees-march-eldar-pirates.html

 

 

 

February OWAC4 Entry

My February entry in the Old World Army Challenge is up! Go there for all the words and pictures. I'll just post a teaser below...

http://oldworldarmychallenge.blogspot.com/2021/02/zerotwentythrees-february-eldar-pirates.html

Old World Army Challenge 2021 -January Entry

I was getting nervous. Work and personal life were keeping me busy through the third week of Janary and I hadn't started my first month's entry for the Old World Army Challenge!

But after a frenzied weekend-plus of painting, I managed to pull it off.I was helped out by the relatively simple color scheme. I painted Eldar serpent squads to match the previous test figure.

See more preview photos, words & stories, and stuff at the actual Old World Army Challenge blog! Go there and see how I have already derailed my carefully planned out OWAC schedule right out of the gate. Take a look at the other AWESOME entries that have been posted by other participants so far.

 

 

After being away from sci-fi painting/gaming so long, I'm getting psyched up about this project as well as the Meat Hating Robots. Jamming out to space themed music while working on these projects, too. Current mood:

I'm also working on some fluffy setting stuff. A lot in my head or in Google Docs files right now, but I've been letting bits slip in the OWAC entry, my Instagram account (@023minis) etc.

Unexpectd Bot Progress

Two former security bots recruited (/liberated from their corporate jobs) into the Meat Hating Robot Pirates. Not sure who made these figures, I got them second hand quite a while ago. Still working on an actual ship & crew name...








Works in progress. Almost done with the next two bots. The cruciform "face" on the harvester bot was silver at first, but I think the black works better. These two are from Effin Cool Miniatures' Metamorphosis Alpha range.


As I paint each of the Meat Hating Robot Pirates I'm mentally working out their backstories. I'll eventually post words & pics for the whole crew on here. These two are early members of the crew and rebelled against & escaped from the rogue trader they served. I like the idea of them as a team. There's a third figure from the pack who may join them (below.)






On deck.

Astroslannican Pt. 0

I am exploring the possibility of putting together a small Slann army for Rogue Trader using Diehard Miniatures Eru-Kin figures. (They looks awesome.) Possibly for the next Old World Army Challenge, which is rumored to be opening up to the 41st millennium.

While the Slann had a detailed entry in the RT core rulebook, the were coldly cold-bloodedly ignored in subsequent publications.

So that's where I hop on to the scene. The first step in my process is making sure that my character/unit/vehicle entries look suitably retro. So I'm recreating the graphics & layout used in the RT book as well as the army lists in Chapter Approved. I still have to refine the design, but here's where I'm at so far. Still work to do....

And here's a fresh,  contemporary entry template. Not quite 100% there yet, but working on it!

Kill Team & Memories

Over the weekend I played my first two games of Kill Team and enjoyed it quite a bit. There's a lot to like in the game. It was also great seeing old friends as well as meeting some new players. I'm looking forward to playing some more.

My 40k minis are all gone, and I have not yet painted my Meat Hating Robot Pirates -- and from the look of it, they're not very suited to proxy for anything in Kill Team. BUT, I did have something else, something old. My old Nurgle chaos cultists, which were built from old Skaven. I used them as proxies for the Genesteal Cult. Thus: Cheese-stealer Cultists. I just needed to paint two large aberrant (didn't get the second one completely finished... yet) and a model with a mining laser (old half finished jezzail conversion.)

I played two games, one against Eldar, the second against Tyranids. Opposite styles of play, and my Cheese-stealers were right about in the middle it seemed - not overwhelmingly good at close combat or shooting, but decent at each. So they did well.

I'm now looking into acquiring some legitimate Adeptus Mechanicus minis. (Though I may turn them into AdMech renegade meat hating robot pirates...)


In addition to playing a few games and visiting with friends, I rummaged through my friend Rich's collection and pulled out a few things to take home. I picked out some wormie things and some beat-up chaos knights, and a pair of old warriors. But the most important thing to me was to have one of his WWI planes. He's the reason I got into WWI aviation, both in terms of gaming and history. I chose an Albatros D.V -- my first love in planes of the period. I never had much luck with it, but I used this model many times over the years (decades!) in games of Blue Max & Canvas Eagles. It's a fine looking model of a fine looking plane. Maybe someday I will finish my own planes (currently stalled... haha) and play some more. Until then, I'll have this one out on display.

I couldn't pass this next one up...

The Grenadier giant on the right was on display in Rich's living room at both houses he had while I knew him. In the latter, he was on a hill facing a dwarf giant slayer (I should have looked for the dwarf so I could recreate the scene at home!) situated on a table beside the TV/entertainment center. He will obviously have a place of honor in my giant collection. If not for the memories, then possibly as the heaviest model I own! I'll need to find a spot for him in our family room.

I also picked out the second giant, on the left as well. It's based on a Larry Elmore painting, a print of which hung in Rich's game room alongside many others.


One final, totally unrelated item. I picked up this from the local craft store...

The Marienburgers need an airship. The basket will be replaced with a suitably sized armed & armored gondola.

Switching Gears for a Moment

If things go according to plan, I'm going to try out Kill Team this weekend and get to spend some time with some old friends.

Most of my 40k stuff is long gone, and my pirate 'bots don't really fit within the 40k framework, so...

Dusted off my old cultists plus a few half-baked conversions that I'm going to try to finish.

What, no Spaven in Kill Team? OK... let's call them a Cheese-stealer Cult. Mostly shotgun (and a couple of flamer) armed neophyte hybrids, with a couple of Aberrations. That bell? The biggest power hammer you've seen.

Working to tidy up the conversions, not sure they've be 100% painted in time.

Went to the soon to be going out of business (since Michael's bought the chain and then killed them) craft store and spotted these!

I've got some bits that I had (years ago) started trying to pull together into a fantasy airship. I think I'm going to grab a couple of these....

Oldhammer Legacy Crew '17 (40k)

I previously posted the underhive gang member painted for the annual Oldhammer forum legacy crew. I had trouble deciding what to send for the other (Inquisitorial) faction, which had a black & white theme (vs. the gang's rainbow scheme.) I figured I'd paint two, and pick the better and/or more appropriate one to send...

...and I still can't decide which to send, although I'm leaning towards shipping the commissarial looking lady on the left.  I'd better decide soon -- I'm already late in sending these out.

Paintbrush on Fire

One half of a little something for the Oldhammer forum...

Further Half-Orc Testing, Fathers Day, Bacon & Duct Tape

I finished the two half-orcs I started with, because I wanted to see how they would turn out. Pretty happy with the results. Still haven't decided on a regiment name or emblem, but I do know I want red for what little color they have.

This weekend was Fathers Day. I'm happy to see that, if nothing else, my five year old daughter has caught on to my sense of humor. She apparently picked out the card on her own, and when told it wasn't a Fathers Day card, explained she would just cross it out and turn it into one. So proud. :)

This weekend was also the "Duck Tape Festival" in nearby Avon, Ohio. Did you know they have bacon duct/Duck tape? I do believe the ducts in the basement need some repairs. I think they may be in bacon tape...

Also, I as a Fathers Day gift to myself, I just purchased the Shadow War rulebook. Should be here by the end of the week. I loved Necromunda, and had semi-recently been looking into INQ-28. Also still interested in small games of Rogue Trader. I think Shadow War may be a good comprimise, plus it's a "current" game. Not that I actually play any games in the real world. But at least I will have a new rulebook to fantasize and dream about playing. Should be here by the end of the week.

2016 Review

I only had a few specific expectations for 2016, and given how things are looking at the end of the year (or start of 2017, as I am writing this on New Year Day) I'd say it was a pretty good painting and gaming year -- at least within the context of recent years!

I started off the year by completing a few units that I had intended to do for Deadcember '15 but never had time for: some "skeletal guard" (old GW wights) and non-human skeletons (beastman, orc, skaven, etc.) The "herohammer" era wights hadn't even been on my radar, but I got them as part of a trade and ended up developing a fondness for them.

2016 also saw the start of another tangent project that I've become really excited about: Fomorians. One of the best things about this was that it was a good excuse to try a little bit of resin casting -- something I had been wanting to do for years. In hindsight, I think I could have done a much better job sculpting heads, and I've learned a good deal about the practical experience of mold making & casting, both from my own trials and from the invaluable advice of several people around various forums and social media. Plus the project gave me a good reason to work on some other, accessory figures -- monsters & such. One of my favorite minis from 2016 was the Reaper Bones Frog/Bog Demon. The Fomorian (and Fimir) project has definitely been a fun one, and I look forward to more in 2017.

Earlier in the year I was pretty optimistic about doing some gaming -- still focusing on remote or solo gaming. So I spent some time doing some "wet" Terrain (first wave, second wave), roads (white stone, muddy road) and rough hedges/shrubbery. Very happy with the results, but unfortunately that's all in storage at the moment -- including the table itself.

The reason for the lack of table is an unexpected move to a new house with extremely limited options for gaming space. So that's put a major roadblock in the way of my solo gaming plans.

BUT, on a more positive note, I did do more in-person gaming with friends than I have in a very long time. Two days of multiple games of Kings of War with old friends -- a game which I am now a big fan of. Plus I traveled to the Oldhammer Day USA with another old friend, and got in some great oldschool gaming and finally met some "internet friends" in-person. I really hope I can manage more gaming -- local and otherwise -- in 2017!

One of my other tangential projects, which actually saw use in a game at the Oldhammer Day, was my giant collection. 2016 was a big year (heh heh heh...) for GIANTS. I dedicated my April painting time to painting a few of them (and was very pleased with the results!) and I also managed to pick up an already (beautifully) painted Black Scorpion giant -- one of two "wish list" giants I acquired this year! I also had some fun making giant stat cards for the Oldhammer day (as well as a 3rd ed. style army list for the Empire army.)

There are also a lot of smaller awesome hobby moments from 2016 -- the 'shrooms from DeafNala (via the LAF,) finishing some old Marauder dwarfs, writing out some of my narrative campaign materials, finally painting some Empire halberdiers (I still need more!), and the Westfalia Fantasy Kickstarter....

Which brings me to my Looking Forward to 2017 bit:

I'll start with the good news/bad news part. I started a new job in December. That is, overall, a good thing. I am back to working in architecture, with what seems like a great company filled with great people so far, and a lot of room to grow. But it was a difficult choice. I already miss my previous work, as well as some of the flexibility it gave me. Finding time for gaming & painting has been difficult for years. It's going to be a bit harder now. I'm working longer hours, travelling, and still having to keep up with everything else.

But I'm still looking forward to trying to make time for some hobby stuff. I'd like to plan for some more gaming days/weekends this year. So I hope to make it to my old gaming clubs regular Game Days (was just bad timing this year) as well as meeting up for an Oldhammer event or two again. I had recently started to recruit a friend into trying some miniature gaming, but there's been a lot going on in both of our lives the past few months. So maybe 2017...?

Painting & modelling projects in 2017? I have a three specific things in mind: The first is to continue experimenting with Fomorians, and have enough to put on the table for some gaming. The second is a second round of Giants. Maybe I make April my giant month again. My April Fool's project, I suppose. I have a few left that I'd really like to paint. Third on my 2017 list is Hobbits. Halflings. Halfmen. Whatever. The Westflaia halfmen are some of my favorite recent figures, and although it's yet another tangential project, they're a good fit for combining as a sub-group of my Marienbug army. The Kickstarter reward arrived in the later part of the year, and I'm looking forward to painting them up this year!

Less specifically, a few things I'd like to do in 2017 are more sculpting, and possibly put together a small Rogue Trader/sci-fi warband. I previously mentioned Robot Pirates, which I still love. But the arrival of the Time Robbers figures has me thinking of a Spacetime Bandits warband as another option. Remember that battle scene vs. Evil near the end of the film? I'm thinking something like that in 28mm.


EDIT: Also, I had a pretty awesome Deadcember 2016. Didn't finish everything I wanted, but got some great painting done!

Never Go Full Grimdark

Rogue Dreams

I've been considering a small sci-fi or Rogue Trader project, and after playing RT last week it's on my mind again. Originally I was thinking about returning to my first RT army/figures, oldschool Eldar raiders. But I only have a handful of my original figures, and getting more seems like a big hassle/expense.

The other day, my daughter (5) inadvertently inspired a new idea, tied to the more "open" spirit of RT (vs. later "official" fluff.)

Pirate Robots

Seriously, without even going past those two words, how can this not be a good idea?


Well... OK, the figures. That's a tough start. I've got a lot of ideas for starting points, but none of them are ideal. I'm sort of OK with that, as it will be a big modeling project, and hopefully a unique and fun endeavor. More difficult to work with is the fact that my small gaming budget is completely gone -- indefinitely. So this is a bit of daydreaming. Pirate robot daydreaming. (Maybe and excuse for a bit of scratch-building?)

I'm still fleshing (or un-fleshing) out the concept in my head, but I think they're going to be a band of robots who have attained independent sentience/sapience/self-awareness/whatevs. But they're early in the evolution of AI (or early in our concept of AI,) and bear many marks of the loathsome meat that made them. Really a pretty faulty concept of AI, I think, but I'm aiming for the fun spirit of RT and cheesy space opera rather than hard sci-fi. So... eclectic meat hating robot pirates.

The first figure is easy. I already have it. Painted, even.

And really, this has a lot of what I'm looking for. Sort of rough & primitive, anthropomorphic mechanics, and a bit of (odd) character. But I also want some sinister (without going Full Grimdark -- you never go Full Grimdark) elements. And no meat.

Some of my big challenges would be using figures that are part of other settings, armies, characters, etc. (later 40k, Warmachine, 2000AD, etc.) without being identified too closely as such. Another would be pulling a diverse selection of miniatures together into a cohesive warband (though the "pirate" idea should help accommodate that.) Also, there seems to be a limited variety of human sized robots.

Oldhammer Day USA 2016

I was going to do some good old battle reports, and give a blow by blow of the games this weekend. But I just don't have that in me. I'll leave that to better bloggers. But I did enjoy the weekend immensely, and will report with something like a lengthy summary and some photos. So...

I ran into multiple last minute car problems, and almost cancelled. Luckily I only had to make it from Cleveland(ish) to Pittsburgh(ish) and my friend Bill offered to drive the rest of the way. That was (possibly literally) a lifesaver. It cut my (and my car's) driving by like 2/3, and to be honest, I would have hated driving around that whole DC region.

At any rate, things really went well, and I'm glad I didn't cancel. Bill is an old friend from when I was a GW Outrider, and we've run into each other for years at conventions and gaming events in OH & PA. We drove out Friday and visited another old friend who lives in Glen Burnie, and stopped by Games & Stuff (great store, huge, well stocked, big gaming room.)

We stayed at Jeff's and then drove out to Huzzah Hobbies for Oldhammer Day in the morning. The store was smaller, but still pretty large, organized and professional, an had a lot of gaming space (over half the store) with plenty of tables, terrain, etc. The staff were great all weekend, given that a mob of Oldhammerers had descended on their store and taken over the back half of the main part of the store.

My main interest was getting in some games of WFB3rd, though I had brought a Rogue Trader warband for Escape from Nu Ork. But first thing Friday, I jumped into one of Brian's RT "Battle at the Farm" games.

Bill & Sean's Orks surrounded Farmer Floyd's sheep farm, and I led the valiant Imperial defenders (and only slightly less valiant farm-hands and sheep.) It was a fight down to the last few defenders, but by the end, the orcs were all dead or wandering aimlessly with fried brains.

I enjoyed RT quite a bit, and it has only fueled my recent interest in getting back into some small sci-fi skirmish gaming (like I play more than a few games of anything a year?) Hindsight was telling me that RT was a bit clunky, but the game went pretty well and I may give RT another look.

Still, I was anxious to get into some WFB3. I've got a greater love for pushing formed units of troops around a battlefield than for any sort of skirmish gaming. So Sean offered to face my Marienburgers with his Orcs & Goblins.

Armies were 1500 points (sort of a weekend standard, for the most part.) It was a classic match-up and was pretty close fought. In the end, Marienburg's mercenaries pulled out a win.

There was a bit of stumbling through the old rules (vs. things confused from newer editions,) and I had no idea what to do with an Empire army in 3rd (I used to play Skaven & Dwarfs back in the day) but it went pretty well and was a lot of fun.


I finished the afternoon with another WFB game against airbornegrove26's (givemlead.blogspot.com) Black Vasken. With a twist. The Marienburger's sat this one out and I fielded nothing but giants of various sizes and abilities. Two (Bologs and Waltraud) had apparently been partying before the battle, and showed up drunk.

I think 'Grove does a better job with battle reports than I could, so I will leave the details and drama to him But I do have to admit that one of the highlights was Big Dick climbing up to some temple ruins and throwing everything in sight (pigs, cauldron, priestess (?), and vending machine) at some trolls down below.

(Nigel -- I think -- the troll after being hit by a pig, but the vending machine landed just a little bit to the outside. Later the vending machine would be wielded by Nigel as the tool of Barry the giant's demise. Vorpal Vending Machine?)

It was a bloodbath, to be sure. In the end.... well... keep an eye on givemlead.blogspot.com if you want to find out how it ends.


While some Oldhammerers left the store in search of various venues in which to play Hotelhammer, I was hungry and tired. A truely OLDhammerer. So dinner, hotel check-in, and sleep was all I could manage.

Sunday morning we had time for one quick game, and I picked up one more battle for Marienburg's mercenaries. This time it was against Chris' dwarfs.

Chris fielded a number of newfangled inventions, like a gyrocopter and swivel gun, which were cool to see in action. (Well, until the latter blew half a unit of halberdiers away in a single shot.) Another hard fought game that went back and forth a bit, but in the end the mercenaries couldn't overcome the traditional stubborn tenacity of the dwarfs.

As with most public gaming events, I came home with some loot.

I got the Ork Goffik Rocker for defending the farm from the Orks. The Ramshackle cultist and the \m/ twins \m/ I got as general swag. The chaos warrior I got (along with a modern GW paint set, not pictured -- because how interesting is a box of paint?) from the painting contest. I hadn't even planned on, nor wanted to enter. But I was peer pressured, and participation was apparently semi-mandatory. So I picked two figures (one large catagory, one small) I wasn't using at the time and Mad Marcus, my Marauder Giant ended up winning the large category.



So the whole weekend was really enjoyable and a nice break from reality. I got to visit some old friends, and even ran into someone who used to play with the local group before moving away. I also finally got to meet some people I've "known" through various online communities for a while. And I got to push around some roll some dice and "play pretend soldiers." 

Of course I'm already thinking about next year, as well as having a fire lit to try to do some local gaming again. I think small RT/40k warbands would be fun. As usual, all I need is an opponent... As far as WFB, 2017 is going to be the Year of the Fimir. That was already the plan. I'm also hoping to refine and playtest the multi-player Giant Rumble rules I've been working on.