The last day...

It has arrived.  The last day of the year.  In time honoured tradition, it is a time for recounting the past and reminiscing.  However...nuts to that!

I am going to be enjoying a few drinks tonight and watching the new year arrive.  In the meantime, I have got a little bit further with my hover-boarding Beetle-bot...well, a lot further actually:

Click the Pic!

I still have to add the Green Stuff to the resting one's chest/back and then finish all of the boards but these three will form the first Wraith unit.  Unfortunately, the second unit will only have two members...but that will be plenty to add flavour to the little army.

Well, if you are going out tonight, stay safe.  If you are staying in tonight stay cheerful and if you are at work I hope you get the opportunity to make merry at some point.

Happy New Year to everyone out there.

See you from behind the safety-match!

It's a WIP surfer-dude!

Just a couple of WIP shots of what I have managed to come up with so far, using the Necron boxed sets:

Click the Pic!

He will represent a Wraith in a Necron army and rides a hover-board into battle.  I have another four to put together but I will fill in the gaps on this one first.

I also played about with some spare components and came up with an ickle sniper:

Click the Pic!

Again, it is WIP and needs a bit of tidying up but it is, what it is.

See you from inside the tin!

I've only gone and done it again...

One of the worst things about Christmas is getting gift vouchers.

Hear me out on this.

Gift vouchers are great.  They allow you to buy what you want from a shop and can also be considered a present because they aren't cash.

But the trouble starts when you go to spend them.  Spending gift vouchers rattles your inner cage and unearths some of those ideas that only come out when you get gift vouchers because you have to spend them in a certain place.

To explain my views...I received some Games Workshop gift vouchers this Christmas.  I like getting them because I can spend them on paint.  However, when there are more vouchers than you need paint for, there comes a problem...what to spend the rest on?

Last year, I spent them on a box of Necron Warriors and a box of Space Orks.  This year, I bought some paint and was thinking what to spend the rest on when it suddenly dawned on me...Special Necrons to convert into more specialised Beetle-bots.

So I have bought a box of Lychguard and a box of Immortals.  The reason I bought the Immortals was to make...Beetle-bot Immortals!  I bought the Lychguard to build...Beetle-bot Wraiths!

...Wraiths!?

Well, the Lychguard have some nice big shields that are perfect for hover-boards and the box also contains all sorts of blades and scythes so they are perfect to represent the Wraiths.

Both boxes contain a wealth of other components so I may end up with a few extra specialised units as well.

...and here was me hoping to concentrate on finishing the Tunnel Fighter army!

...That said, I have a second Marauder APC coming from Fenris Games to act as transport for the medical squad and for some reason that I am completely unable to explain, I have a second Thunderbird 2 on it's way from E-Bay.

Oh, come on!  Where would I be without far too much to occupy my time with?!

See you from the mosh pit!

Today's chatter...

It is really annoying when you have an idea, know exactly what you want to do but don't have a simple method of putting it down as hard-copy somewhere.  I can draw but I need things to be 3d so I can turn them over in my hands to get a proper idea of perspective.

I suppose I could get a 3d modelling program for my PC but it would still be just an image with nothing solid to actually hold on to.

I expect that I will build a scale model out of cardboard but it seems a waste of valuable time to me...time I could be using to build the real thing.

...Oh...I'm talking about dropships, if you haven't gathered :) .

I have the design.

I have had the design in my head for a long time BUT it only goes as far as the outside so I will have to think about the internals.  Today I have been thinking about retractable undercarriage and have worked out a way of opening the external doors before the undercarriage drops...it's all done with rotation and levers...of course, I have to build the legs, wheels, lever/roller system, hinges for the doors...not to mention the rest of the ship!

I suppose I'll get the drawing to a standard where I can scan it at some point...

While all that thinking is going on, I have been painting the drone vehicle and due to it's larger size, I have just finished base-coating it ready for it's wash in Devlan Mud.

Time flies...

See you from the back of the bus!

We're airborne!

Before I start, I'd like to welcome Jeff and...'a mystery follower' to my blog.  If the mystery follower who joined yesterday/today, would like to introduce themselves, they will get the usual welcome personally.  No matter who it is, I would like to welcome you both to Inso's World and would also hope that you take away ideas and feel happy sharing your own here.

Today I went shopping and have returned with a new helicopter.  It is a little larger than the ones I usually fly around my living room and it has induced fear in all those I hover over...I love it!  I'm sure I'll pop a pic up at some point.

So, yesterday I finished a drop ship but today, I finished the K9 squad transport for my Tunnel Fighters:

Click the Pic!

As much as it isn't an armoured vehicle, it fits in nicely with the police dog-unit that it more or less represents in the army so I am quite pleased with it.  It is painted in quite a flat style but it is in tune with the mechs so, again, I am happy with the finish (even if it isn't as accomplished as I can manage).

Next on the painting table (vehicle wise) is the Drone unit transport and it is quite a lot bigger than the K9 one so it will take a little longer.

It is all ticking along nicely.

See you from behind the radiator!

Into the Abyss.

A long time ago in a galaxy not too far away...

...well...this galaxy actually.  An addicted hobbyist decided to put together a small Starship crew.  To go with the crew, a starship was needed; a SMALL starship...

Click the Pic!

The trouble with small starships is that they look a bit...small so in order to readdress the balance, the starship was miraculously transformed into a dropship by...calling it a dropship instead.  

As time progressed and the paint changed from off-white to a flame colour and got thicker and thicker, the enthusiasm waned and the poor little dropship was consigned to the attic for an eternity.

until yesterday when I had to put a box in the attic and was drawn to the box that happened to be right at the bottom of a pile of boxes.  Inside the box...was another box!  Inside that box were three partially-converted Tau Devilfish and a mysteriously wrapped bundle that needed to be taken down stairs...in the bundle was a poor little dropship with a ghastly paint-job.  

There was no way it could stay like that so I threw some Necron Abyss at it and stippled on a few other coats of paint and it ended up like this:

Click the Pics!

Now the starship crew have a dropship to get them from the 'Galaxy', into the 'Abyss' and onto the planet surface.

The dropship is a very simple conversion.  I bought a 10 inch Thunderbird 2 toy (from the motion picture), chopped off the tail's cross-member, filled in the front windows with green stuff, glued a plastic spoon to the top and filled the gaps/built a window frame with green-stuff.  Underneath the nose is a Spartan shield that is painted as an observation window.  That is all I did.  

I think it looks the part...

See you from the port-side observation deck!

Dropship woes.

Well...a funny thing happened today.  I went up into the loft to put a box up there and one thing led to another...and I ended up bringing down one of my old stalled projects.

It stalled because I had painted it in awful colours and had given up on it...well I decided that the voices couldn't be ignored today and I have been re-painting it a lovely shade of...

...well I guess you'll see what my little dropship looks like tomorrow, won't you?!

Fear not.  It isn't the one that has been eating at me, just another one from days of yore :D .

Tomorrow, I will mostly be sharpening my elbows because I am going shopping with my family.  God help them because I detest shopping during Christmas when the sales are on.  It seems to turn people into zombies...hey, there's a neat idea for a zombie themed game...people turned into zombies as a result of blind capitalism.  I think it would be most satisfying playing a game where you can get miniature revenge on the type of people who bump, push and charge at you during sales shopping.

"Push in front of me, will you?" The adventurer screamed "EAT CHAINSAW DEATH!!!"

I may throw that one to Vampifan, he's well into all things zombie.

See you as I leave things in my elbow fuelled wake!

Landing on Boxing Day.

To start today's post, I'd like to welcome Mark Beardmore to Inso's World. Hopefully, there will be something to inspire or interest you as you stroll around the grounds :).  Make sure you get involved and feel free to ask questions and give ideas...it costs nothing and shares the wealth.

So...it is Boxing Day...the day after the biggest day of the year.  I am happy that everything went well on the day because I was responsible for dinner!  I always knew my goose was cooked; even before I cooked one yesterday...but the fact that everything landed on the table at the right time, was cooked and there was enough of it means that I managed to get it right so I am happy.

Boxing Day is the big exhale after Christmas.  All the build up has gone...the big day has gone...it is all quiet in the house with children clinging to their beds and parents too tired to move far from the sofa.  It is a time for chilling out and reflecting...

...but with quiet times come the voices...

...and at the moment, they won't leave me alone! I am beset by thoughts of Dropships.  I have been looking on search engines, trawling through E-bay, drawing pictures...and I know what I want to do but it will be a lot of work and I don't know where it will be stored once it is finished.  The basic idea (even though it will make it more difficult) is to make a Dropship that fulfils the following criteria

1.  Large enough to carry a mechanised platoon with troops dismounted from their vehicles (vehicle and troop space)
2.  A detailed cargo area.
3.  A detailed cockpit area (with crew).
4.  Modular construction (with a possible thought of casting).
5.  It must look functional and able to travel in space and in atmosphere.
6.  It will be made with Grymn in mind.
7.  It will be VTOL but with wheeled undercarriage (that way it can manoeuvre on the ground and be towed)

It will be a big project with a big final product so it will take a long time but it seems that this is one itch that I am really going to have to scratch because it won't go away.

In other news...I have been cleaning up some Critical Mass Games, 15mm, 'Protolenes':

Click the Pic!

They are bipedal dog-soldiers and they are bleeping tiny.  I may even end up not painting them because they are smaller than I thought...but they are getting cleaned up, just in case.

Another thing that jumped out at me were some rather nice little toys.  While I was Christmas shopping at a local supermarket, I saw these hanging from a shelf and thought that they would make cool little service vehicles:

Click the pic!

There were only two of them, unfortunately, but they are Matchbox 6x6 ATV, toy cars and once I have sorted out the cockpit and painted them, they will make a great addition to the masses.

As a final note, I have ticked along with the K9 vehicle and have washed it and top coated it ready for detailing...only a small amount of effort required to finish it.  It should be finished soon and then I'll take a squad pic.

Well, I hope everyone had a good day yesterday and are able to chill out today...it is only fair, after all!

See you from the sofa!

Christmas Eve...and I made it :).

Well it is Christmas Eve again and it couldn't be more different than last year with it's -22 degree temperatures and snow all over the place.  Today is cloudy and overcast outside...

...but inside the house it is tidy time!

The TV was so bad that we have some Jack FM radio playing instead. the hoovering, tidying and cleaning has been done ready for the big day tomorrow.  A bit later I will be checking the goose so that I can sort out cooking it tomorrow, fishing out the giblets for some stock, deciding on veg and generally preparing everything.

The lap-top has been dug out for it's monthly dose of up-dates, my work space has been cleared from the dining table, all my WIP stuff is out of sight in one of the many cupboards and everything looks far too tidy...well...far too tidy for MY house anyway!!!

I doubt if I will be able to resist a spot of painting later so I'll be putting some paper down and washing my K9 vehicle with Devlan Mud...and maybe even painting the highlights too...who knows?

What is left?

Click the Pic!

I wish everyone well this Christmas and even if you are not celebrating the event, make sure you stay safe and enjoy the weekend. 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM INSO'S WORLD!

A small army pic...or two...

Before I start what will be, a momentous post, I would like to welcome CounterFett to Inso's World.  I hope that you enjoy your stay and find a modicum of insanity in an overly sane 'real world'.

Well...after two years, various government supplied foreign holidays, a house move, a job move and all sorts of interesting events...I can now post the basic army for the Grymn Tunnel Fighters.

I am sorry for the picture quality but I can't get everything to focus at the same time...so here are a few pix of the basic troop units:

Click the Pic!

Click the Pic!

Click the Pic!

The basic army consists of 110 troops, 11 mechs and 11 APCs.

There are 11 mech units made up of:

COMMAND:

BRONZE - Sgt(Pistol), 4 Troopers(Power-sword and pistol), 2 Troopers(Heavy Flame-thrower), 2 Troopers(Plasma Rifle), Comms robot.

ASSAULT:

RED - Sgt(Pistols), 6 Troopers(Pistols), Trooper with Mini-gun, Trooper with Grenade Launcher, Comms robot. Mech with Heavy Chaingun, APC with twin cannons.

L.GREEN - Sgt(Pistols), 6 Troopers(Pistols), Trooper with Mini-gun, Trooper with Grenade Launcher, Comms robot. Mech with Heavy Chaingun, APC with twin cannons.

D.GREEN - Sgt(Pistols), 6 Troopers(Pistols), Trooper with Mini-gun, Trooper with Grenade Launcher, Comms robot. Mech with Heavy Chaingun, APC with twin cannons.

BLUE - Sgt(Shotgun), 6 Troopers(Shotgun), 2 Troopers with Flame-throwers, Comms robot. Mech with Heavy Flame-thrower, APC with twin cannons.

TACTICAL:

YELLOW - Sgt(Pulse-gun), 6 Troopers(Pulse-gun), 2 Troopers(Heavy Pulse-gun), Comms robot. Mech with High Energy Rifle, APC with Rocket pods.

PINK - Sgt(Pulse-gun), 6 Troopers(Pulse-gun), 2 Troopers(Heavy Pulse-gun), Comms robot. Mech with High Energy Rifle, APC with Rocket pods.

ORANGE - Sgt(Pulse-gun), 6 Troopers(Pulse-gun), 2 Troopers(Heavy Pulse-gun), Comms robot. Mech with High Energy Rifle, APC with Rocket pods.

BRIGHT PURPLE - Sgt(Pulse-gun), 6 Troopers(Pulse-gun), 2 Troopers(Heavy Pulse-gun), Comms robot. Mech with High Energy Rifle, APC with Rocket pods.

LIGHT PURPLE - Sgt(Pulse-gun), 6 Troopers(Pulse-gun), 2 Troopers(Heavy Pulse-gun), Comms robot. Mech with High Energy Rifle, APC with Rocket pods.

BROWN - Sgt(Pulse-gun), 6 Troopers(Pulse-gun), 2 Troopers(Heavy Pulse-gun), Comms robot. Mech with High Energy Rifle, APC with Rocket pods.

I haven't posted pix of the specialist units so I will do that once they are all finished.

Today...is a good day :) .

See you from the turret!

Tomorrow...

...an army pic.

A momentous event...

I was going to hold off on this until I had the time to take a big picture but I am so glad to have these finished that I couldn't wait...so here are two BIG pix of my eleven FINISHED mechs:

Click the 'BIG' Pics!

The completion of the mechs takes me another step closer to finishing the Tunnel Fighter army and I am very pleased to have finished them so early in the holiday.  To finish the army properly, I have to finish off the miscellaneous squad, 4 transports (one each for the medics, drones, K9 unit and misc squad) and 15 Clankers (that will take them to a total of 21).  In reality, if I finish off three transports then the army will be fully mechanised (so far) and I can do the rest in slow time.

I am just SO pleased.

I had one of my nights last night and was up until 02:15 so I was always going to be tired...but my lovely wife and I were walking around Tesco at 07:25 so I am a bit worse for wear today.  On the plus side, I found a couple of interesting Matchbox vehicles that will be joining a future project...but that is for another time.

My parcel filled with Twilight miniatures arrived yesterday and I am REALLY impressed with them.  I will be showing them off some time in the near future and have decided that they will be remaining in the fantasy genre...well, my Dwarfs will need someone to trade with, after all.

I have started converting my Ferrus miniature and have been glad to discover that both of his arms are separate from his body so I don't have to chop them off...which is always handy.

I just can't switch off...

...and the voices won't stop going on about bleeping drop-ships...

See you from the waiting room!

Everything has gone grey...

I have been busy painting things today.  Not something unusual in itself but today I have been top coating mechs.  First of all, I finished washing the last one with Devlan Mud and then I commenced the tedious task of re-painting all those grey panels.  So far, I have managed two of them...all the grey panels done...again...in grey...I also managed to finish the pilots in both of them.  So there are still two more to go...all that grey...so much grey...

...once the grey has been finished and the pilots painted, I have the packs, lenses (in the visors), shoulder pads and bases to paint...but at least there will be no more grey.

I will be very glad to see the end of these (as I really like seeing them fully painted but don't always enjoy the process of getting them there).

Also today, I wrapped a few presents, went out for a coffee with my wife (while both the nippers were off visiting friends) and read a bit of Void1.1 to see the rules for Ronin APCs.

What the voices tell me...

...dropships...gunships...Void1.1 miniatures (especially Void Knights)...Daemonscape buildings...bikes.

On a completely separate note...I find it really amusing when people break the law and then moan about it when they are caught.  There is a bloke who has been teaching children to play drums in his garden shed.  They pay him for lessons.  He didn't apply for planning permission and has been forced to stop.

He is moaning about losing his lively-hood but he is using an unlicensed building to teach children to play drums...

Is the building up to code?
Has he applied for a license to teach/run a business from his property?
Has he been correctly vetted?
What are the safety measures in the building?
Is he a noisy neighbour?

who knows?  But I think if a bunch of travellers turned up in his neighbourhood and set up camp, he'd soon be on to the council to shift them on because the don't have planning permission.

I was saddened today when I heard that the dog of a friend of mine had died.  Terrible timing but worst of all, the passing of his dear friend.  I really feel for him.  I still miss my little Smudge and that was 7 years ago :( .

See you from behind the curtain!

A mixed bag today.

I have been busy for the last couple of days and thought that I would share some of the results.  To start with, I have added grey to selected panels on the remaining four mechs:

Click the Pic!

The next step is to wash them with Devlan Mud and re-paint all the grey.  I guess that it will all be worth it once they are all finished...

...on the subject of grey, the next squad of bikes for my Void project is finished:

Click the Pic!

They have slightly smaller decals and a more regular camouflage pattern than the last squad but I think that they will fit into the platoon fine.

The Pug squad has got a fully painted leader now so I'd like you to meet Meg:

Click the Pic!

She is finished but I am still in two minds as to whether I want to add some camouflage to her...I quite like her plain and she is so small that painting the camouflage will be quite fiddly...Hmmm...decisions; decisions.

Finally...it isn't purple but it is an interesting shade of red...

...to cut a long story short, I opened a secret Santa gift at work and it contained a hint that my hair was grey...so I applied it and now it isn't!  I suppose, in the light of day, I should have thought about it more sensibly but hey...I'm on holiday so what can possibly go wrong?:

Click the Pic!

...and so the world turns...

See you from the stage, man!

3...2...1...HOLIDAY!

I have started my Christmas holiday today and I am looking forward to two weeks where I can relax and recuperate from a year of high-paced challenges, varying emotions and a complete change of working environment.

I was out last night and because I was 'duty driver' I returned home late but sober...something I am really not used to.  As a side effect of all that diet-coke and orange juice, I was up fairly early and have already glued the sand to a few bases; ready for them to be painted later on.

What is on the cards?  Well, my main goal for this holiday (apart from all that family stuff that I will be enjoying), is to get the last four of the Tunnel Fighter mechs finished.  It is a relatively small goal but it is one that will signify a lot...another milestone in the Tunnel Fighter history.

In amongst the mechs, there will need to be a few minor distractions and I have some other little bits and bobs to keep the mental juices flowing...a pug squad, some vehicles, some more Void stuff, the sci-fire and maybe even some Mantic dwarfs...but the main thing will be keeping up the pace on the mechs.

Well...if you are on holiday now, I hope you have a good one.  If you haven't started your holiday yet, I hope you have a good holiday when it arrives.  If you aren't getting a holiday this year...I hope you get what you can from your time and eventually get the rest/recuperation you are owed.

All the best and stay safe.

See you from the dug-out!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention...don't drink and drive and if you know someone who is/is about to either stop them or shop them...

Click the Pic!

A short story.

Just for a change, I thought I'd throw together a short story about a lowly Grymn trooper making a very important delivery...so here it is. Enjoy:

A Special Delivery.

Tomlinz neatly placed the package in the stowage compartment in his Grav-bike. It wasn’t too heavy so there was no need to adjust the repulsor arrays to compensate. He jumped into the pilot’s seat and gunned the engines before waving to the ground engineers and lifting into the air.

Tomlinz was very proud to have been given the honour of delivering the package. It was marked as top priority; essential for front line activities and it meant that he had taken another step up with the responsibility and trust that his seniors gave him. As he darted along the tracks, feet above the ground, the head-up display (HUD) glittered with holographic images of the trees and terrain that was dashing past. Occasionally, a red warning would flash if he got within a couple of metres of an obstacle but Tomlinz was an accomplished flier and avoided the hazards easily. He was having a peaceful trip at the moment but knew that it would be a little trickier once he crossed the border and entered the disputed territory.

The first sign of the ambush was the motion sensor beeping a warning with accompanying red dots appearing on the HUD. Tomlinz was quick to react and slowed quickly to re-arrange his route. The beauty of the warning system was that it had a good range and as long as you reacted quickly, you would have plenty of time to get out of trouble. After a quick course adjustment, he set off again and zipped through a small forest; avoiding the main track and the enemy soldiers that were lying in wait. As he zipped though the trees, his motion sensor beeped again to indicate that the ambushers were moving towards him and although he tried to avoid them, there was the sound of small arms fire and the associated ‘WHIP…WHIP’ of rounds flying past. Tomlinz accelerated and took evasive action but was un-able to avoid all of the incoming rounds as some bounced off the armour of his bike. Just as he thought he was past the worst of it, the HUD illuminated with a flashing array of cautions and the warbling beeps that accompanied them filled his ears. “MASTER CAUTION! ENGINE 2” was quickly followed by a marked drop in power and a sudden lurch to the right. Tomlinz kept his cool and immediately shut the offending engine down whilst flicking the emergency power switch for the remaining engine. He was still leaning to the right so he compensated with an additional boost to the repulsor on that side to offset the imbalance. He was lucky; the corrections worked and he was able to continue on his way. It was then that he realised that the HUD wasn’t indicating any motion and the incoming rounds had ceased…he was past the ambush.

After another hour of uneventful travel, Tomlinz reached the first check-point for the Grymn outpost. It was set quite away from the actual camp to ensure that there was time to flag up defence, should there be enemy attack. The guards checked Tomlinz’ ID documents and were very pleased to see that the package was safe on board. One of them dashed into the bunker to pass on the information and when he returned, he said that the gates would be opened from now on and ID checks wouldn’t be necessary. It was, of course, a very urgent delivery. Once he was cheerfully waved through the barrier, Tomlinz continued on his journey and as he passed through the remaining two check-points, the guards waved and cheered at him. After a couple of minutes, he reached the main gate and was met by a junior officer who checked his details and made sure that the package was safe. Tomlinz picked up the package and followed the officer through a doorway that was situated on the side of a sheer rock-face and led into the depths of the ground. In a couple of minutes, after passing many side offices, he was led into a large hall and seated all around were Grymn soldiers on benches, looking expectantly towards him. He walked over to a very senior officer who warmly shook his hand and received the package from him; signing the docket in the process. The senior officer turned to his adjutant and said “Prepare accommodation for this Grymn, he will need to wait until tomorrow for the reply”. With a ‘yes sir’ the adjutant hurried off and Tomlinz was ushered to a small seat with some refreshments on hand.

The senior officer stood up and faced the gathered Grymn. “Mail call!” he shouted “The Christmas mail is here!” He tore open the package and started to call out names for the gathered troops to collect their messages of good will.

“Trooper Tomlinz, isn’t it?” the officer asked.
“Yes sir” He replied.
“You’ll drink well tonight, my lad!” he said as he raised his voice to shout “let the festivities begin!”

On another note...

'What the Voices Tell Me'

On my conscience today we have dropships, Void army selection for VASA, Mantic sci-fi dwarfs, 'THE HOLIDAY PROJECT' and little-purple-people.

See you from the stern!

It's a complete void...

Before I start, I'll say welcome to the newest follower of Inso's World and that would be psychobob808. Welcome Psychobob808, I hope you enjoy looking around but please watch your step...you never know what may be just around the corner.

So, I received a nice little parcel today and it stimulated a brief period of exploration in one of my storage cupboards.

It is funny really...as a bit of a miniatures hoarder, I occasionally need to reacquaint myself with my collection and today, I did just that.

What did I find? Well...to go with the five VASA Archangels that I received in my little parcel today, I found 5 Black Legion with wings, 10 Black Legion with jump-packs and 5 Shuriken Guards with wings....that is a total of 25 jump troopers in anyone's calculations!

Five of the Black Legion need a little TLC because they were an E-Bay lot and the little balls were removed from the end of their staffs for some reason...so I will need to replace those. The Shuriken Guard are a little bit on the squiffy side so they will need a little extra clean-up...but apart from that, they are all good to go.

It is a shame that I couldn't get access to my other cupboard...that is where all of the marines live and I reckon I must have about 30 VASA marines to go with the army. I seem to have secretly collected quite a lot of VASA kit...so secretly, in fact, that I didn't even realise it myself!

So...to keep with the Void theme, I have base-coated the small bike squad and am in the process of giving them a wash with Devlan Mud, ready for the next stage. Isn't it great when someone sets a little challenge that gets you painting things you hadn't looked at for ages.

...and don't look now but the Pugs are purple...and it made this cat very unhappy:

See you from the bridge of the HMS Starchaser!

WHAT...A...WEEK!

It has been a rather interesting week for me. Lots of things have happened and the biggest was a change in job.

I have now moved over to my new job and I have now got my feet beneath the desk and have started to take on tasking. The people are good and they are starting to get used to me, even though I haven't let ME out of the bag too much yet (don't want to scare the natives too much, too soon). It is an eight-to-five job and it will enable me to regain some of the routine I lost whilst working shifts. It is early days but I think I will fit in nicely. This week we have 'secret santa' and a Christmas party to look forward to. Should be nice.

As I mentioned yesterday, I went to a Christmas party with people from my last job this week and had a great time. I also have had to recover somewhat (sleep has been a rare and wonderful thing this week).

I have collected a lovely, runny, head-cold this week and have been feeling a little bit sluggish. Add to that the fact that I am breaking in a new pair of RAF shoes this week and I must look like a hunched old crone whilst walking to work!

My wife is poorly at the moment...dizzy with occasional sickness...so I am Mr. House-dad today and have sorted out a nice stew for dinner (lots of pepper). My two teen-aged children are manning the barriers as well so all is as well as it could be.

So...quite eventful.

But what of the hobby? Well...I can't say that I have been over active on the hobby front but I am quite happy to have dug my Tunnel Fighter mechs from the cupboard and especially to have them all painted in gun-metal. I have also painted the pilots, ready for the ink stage that comes once I have painted the grey bits on the mechs. Here's where they are at the moment:

Click the Pic!

After painting all that gun-metal, I needed a break from the mechs so I have started base-coating the bike squad (still a bit to go yet):

Click the pic!

I've only managed to under-coat the Pug Squad...but it may show the details better than raw-lead does...so here they are:

Click the Pic!

Shopping...yes we all like shopping and this week I have purchased a couple of items. I had a small win on E-Bay and as a result, I have a small parcel containing a squad of Void Archangels, waiting at the post office. I have also bought some Twilight Miniatures (as mentioned in my last post). I am not sure whether they will remain fantasy...but we'll see.

I have also added some cash to a Kick-starter project for a band of superhero sculpts called Crossover It looks very promising so if you like the thought of multi-choice superhero sculpts in 28mm, then this may be for you...if it is, then pledge some money.

My final thought for the day is exactly that...a thought. I have decided to add a small section to my blog called 'What The Voices Tell Me'. It will be a little note on what I have been thinking about between posts that may or may not be hobby related and may or may not be something I will pursue/progress...so watch out for it.

Whew! That is it for today. I have things to do.

See you through the red window!

NEWS FLASH!!!

I have just been pottering around the forums (Frothers...be warned, it is a sweary place) and have seen something that made me go straight to the linked page and buy them! These are Dhogu from the World of Twilight range of miniatures and they ROCK!:

Click the Pic!

Click the Pic!

There are a limited amount of pre-release miniatures available from Pyre Studios and I was so impressed with them that I bought a patrol straight away.

Excellent stuff!

I just thought I'd share.

See you from the time machine!

An experiment.

Welcome to todays post and I'd like to kick it off by welcoming two new followers. Welcome Henrique de Moura Paula and Tael! I hope you enjoy your time here and feel free to get involved if there are things you like.

I suppose I am going to have to explain the title of this post. I have seen video clips on various blogs and wondered if I could do something similar...it's all extra stuff to add some interest, after all. so I have been pottering about on the web today and decided to meander through a bit of You-Tube nonsense when I found this:

It is a cat playing an application on an I-Pad that has been specifically designed to entertain cats! What a brilliant idea. The cat certainly seems to be having fun anyway. Hopefully, you will be able to click the play button and get it to play for you...hence the 'experiment'.

On to other things and I have been busy slapping Boltgun Metal paint all over the remaining mechs for my Grymn Tunnel Fighter army and I have managed to coat three out of four...so by tomorrow's post, I will have all four shiny.

I have only managed to under-coat the Pug Squad and have really achieved little else this week because of other activities going on.

Works parties are great. This year we went to a fancy 'big-top' and got to watch acrobats, fire-jugglers and dancers whilst eating a very nice meal. After eating there was a disco with other entertainment including dodgems, roulette, silent auctions and of course getting drunk! I was a good boy and stayed pretty sober but it always entertains me when people spend a fortune to go to these sort of things and get so drunk early in the evening that they miss all the fun! Servicemen are a funny breed.

See you tomorrow :).

Sunday and the re-emergence continues.

After deciding that one of my support vehicles needed some new wheels, I managed to get hold of some yesterday and after ripping them off a cheap 4WD toy, I set about fixing them to the vehicle. While I was sorting that out, I was also assembling the other vehicle...so here they are; the first two support vehicles all assembled, ready for paint:

Click the Pic!

I had to fudge the wheels a bit but I don't think it looks too bad. The larger vehicle had a ramp fitted to the rear and some hatches added to the top. That means the drones can exit and leave the vehicle now. In the above picture, you can also see a Tunnel Fighter. She will be joining the other Grymn in the drone squad so that she can drive and assist.

In addition to the Tunnel Fighter news, I have been working on something a little different to show off. As you know, I have had a few deliveries this last week and amongst them were a small amount of Space Dogs. I decided a while back, that I wanted to put together a small group of space dogs with a leader and what we have here, is the result:

Click the Pic!

All of the miniatures come from Hasslefree Miniatures and are in the pirate section on their site. I am undecided as to where these will fit in but I reckon they will either be a security team for my Starship Crew or a small team of SHIELD type agents for my super-soldier project...In case you have forgotten, this is the Starship Crew:

Click the Pic!

I am sure that the Pug Squad will fit in wherever I decide to put them.

So tomorrow I start my new job. On the plus side, it is a constant day job (no weird shift patterns) so I will be able to catch up on some sleep and also be able to plan my life a little better...or not...it all depends how things go!

Well...that is it for today. I will post when there is something more to show off!

See you from the corner; standing in the lamp-light!

A little tinkering and a fond farewell.

Today, I am between jobs. I left my last job on Friday and was sorry to go. I start my new job on Monday and am looking forward to a new challenge.

The job I left was working as a Puma, rectification controller on 230 'Tiger' Sqn and I can honestly say that the last three years have been the best of my career.

The job I am moving to is on the same unit (so I don't have to move home) and is a staff job that takes me further towards a desk but ticks a box for further promotion. It is also a job that I have wanted for a very long time so leaving 230 Sqn is very bitter/sweet. My new job sees me liaising with the RAF Puma units and industry/design authorities so it should be quite entertaining once I get my feet under the desk. It doesn't stop me being apprehensive about Monday though...

On to hobby things and I went over to Reading today and picked up some cheap wheels for the K9 vehicle. I have been busy tinkering with both of the support vehicles and once I have attached the wheels to the K9 transport, I will post pix of the pair of them. I have had a bit of a mare with wheels and gluing stuff...and have managed to get glue all over the place! I even managed to glue my fingers together last night (the super-glue tube split and I hadn't realised...) but I managed to sort things out with a little soapy water.

Since I received my parcel on Wednesday, I have sorted out a few miniatures and hope to show a few bits and bobs on Sunday's post.

See? There's always lots going on here!

See you after the start but way before the end!

Recycling

To start today's post, I'd like to welcome Phil C. He has just found his way into Inso's World and will hopefully find something to inspire or borrow for his own purposes. Welcome aboard Phil C, I hope you enjoy your stay.

Recycling is a great way to build armies without buying in lots of new stuff. As you all know, I am a bit partial to buying cheap bits and bobs from E-Bay and I have bought a wide range of 'stuff that might come in useful'. The two vehicles below fall into this category:

Click the Pic!

On the left, we have an IFV from Fenris Games. On the right we have a small van from Ground Zero Games. Two things immediately spring to mind. First, the van has been out of production from Ground Zero Games for a very long time...but fear not! You can now purchase it from Daemonscape on E-Bay. Secondly, the Fenris IFV originally came with a turret but I decided to add a skirt to it and turn it into a small hover vehicle for my Grymn desert army...here is what happened (a LONG time ago):

Click the Pic!

Anyway...I digress...My Tunnel Fighter army is in need of four transport vehicles; one each for the specialist units. Last night I had a sudden brainwave and remembered that I had some resin vehicles hidden away that hadn't been allocated to any projects. I had a quick root around and now have the perfect vehicles for my K9 and Drone squads.

The K9 vehicle will be the GZG van. It has plenty of room to house 6 K9s and 3 Grymn so I won't be converting it at all. When I bought this vehicle, I was warned that the moulds were a bit old so there is quite a bit of clean up to do...and I may end up having to use some Lego wheels...but it isn't un-salvageable.

The Drone vehicle needed to be quite large and as a result, the Fenris vehicle is perfect. I will need to convert a few bits and bobs for it to achieve it's purpose but not too much. I will be adding some roof hatches for the aerial drones to fly out of and will also be adding a large rear ramp for the wheeled drones to gain entry and leave from the back. I am also going to armour-up the front a little. As you can see, I have added spacers to the wheels to add a bit of width to the vehicle so conversion is under way.

As you can see, I now only need two transport vehicles...one for the medics and one for the OGrymn squad. I am thinking about having a flier for the OGrymn (and I already have a kit in mind that, again, I have in my collection) and another vehicle that is large enough to house an operating theatre for the medics...and that one is going to take a bit of thought.

One thing that has happened as a result of my digging is that I have decided to add a second trooper to the drone squad to act as a driver.

...AND...I find I have been distracted again...

At least it is a distraction that has led back to a constructive project.

See you from the deep, dark caverns!