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Author Topic: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-19-2011  (Read 20428 times)

Offline Empire - Ulric

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Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-19-2011
« on: January 10, 2010, 02:01:37 AM »
Hello Everyone!

It's the start of a brand new year, and a brand new Decade as well!

Let me start off with a little bit about myself. I'm a 32 year old Canadian living in Calgary, Alberta. I've been playing Warhammer now for about 14 months and in that time have assembled and painted around 2500 points of Empire. I've also been visiting this site for about a year now, and while I may not post a lot I do read most of what is posted here.

The Empire is my first and only Army and I have been absolutely fascinated with it since I started playing. However as I was brand new to this hobby (or anything like it) when I started my modeling and painting skills were far from good. As such while my first Empire Army turned out decently, it alas is not what I realized I wanted and I know I can do better. I have also come to realize that I absolutely hate the 7th Edition State troop models (All of them) and have as a result been amassing 6th edition and older figures for the past 6 months or so.

At the tail end of last year I sat down and took inventory of what I had managed to collect and I was quite shocked at the sheer number of figures! At that point I decided that it was time to stop collecting and get serious about assembling and painting!

Below is a list of all that I have amassed, in no particular order:

14 Flagellants (5th / 6th Edition)
24 Teutogen Guard with Command (Strip, Prime, Paint and Rebase)
30 Halberdiers with Command (6th Edition)
18 Swordsmen (6th Edition)
30 Spearmen with Command (6th Edition)
30 Pikemen with Command (Converted from 6th Edition Spearmen, 6th Edition Command Blister)
60 Hand Gunners (6th Edition)
10 Knights of the White Wolf with Command
10 Knights Panther with Command
10 Huntsmen
10 Pistoliers (6th Edition)
10 Outriders
2 Hellfire Rocket Launchers and 6 Crew
1 Hell Blaster Volley Gun and 3 Crew (5th Edition?)
1 Hell Blaster Volley Gun and 3 Crew
2 Great Cannons & 6 Crew
1 Mortar & 3 Crew
1 Captain of the Empire on a Pegasus (Conversion)
1 Captain of the Empire on Foot
1 Captain of the Empire Mounted BSB (Conversion)
2 Engineers on Foot
Grand Master of the White Wolf
Grand Master of the Knights Panther
Boris Toddbringer
Warrior Priest of Ulric (Foot and Mounted)
Ar-Ulric on Foot
3 Mounted Wizards (5th / 6th Edition)
6 Foot Wizards (5th / 6th Edition)
1 Limited Edition Teutogen Guard BSB
1 Limited Edition Empire BSB
Ulrican War Altar (Finish Converting, Painting and Rebase)
2 Steam Tanks (Rebase 1)


As you can see that is quite a lot of Figures! and it will be a daunting undertaking to get it all assembled and painted. To that end this year I have decided to participate in the 2010 Monthly Painting Challenge and to post this blog of my progress in order to keep me motivated and painting. Also I wish to share my figures with all of you and solicit feedback from the many painting experts who post here in an effort to improve my painting skills.

My general plan is to paint the Army in the State Colors of Middenland to a high standard. All figures will be mounted on custom Resin Bases, painted in a rocky winter theme complete with snow. All Figures will be magnetized and all units will have magnetized movement trays completed in the same rocky winter theme.

I realize that I have set my goals fairly high, and while I am a good painter, not only do I need to improve I also need to learn to paint faster! I am quite the slow painter. To begin with I am planning on completing 12 - 15 Infantry Figures (Starting from on the sprue or in the Blister) each month.

Any and all feedback is great appreciated and welcomed! Please help a brother Empire General on his journey!

On with the pictures! Below are some assorted snaps of my Workspace: (I apologize if the picture quality is not up to snuff, I'm fairly new at wielding a camera for this type of thing)



The Army to be Painted: (That I could fit on my desk anyways!)













Thanks again for any and all comments and feedback!

Cheers,
« Last Edit: January 19, 2011, 04:31:34 PM by Empire - Ulric »

Offline Empire - Ulric

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Started 01-09-2010
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2010, 02:10:35 AM »
For this project I decided to start with some Flagellants. Mainly because even though I have painted about 100 Empire Figures already, I have never painted any Flagellants and I kinda like the crazy bastards.

Thus my January Painting goal is a complete unit of 14 Flagellants, with a movement tray.

Some WIP shots of my progress thus far. All of the figures are 5th / 6th Edition Metal Flagellants and the bases are resin cast "Slate" theme bases from Back 2 Base-ix.

All cleaned off and ready for Priming



All Primed (bases too) & pinned but not glued



Working on finishing the bases next and then it will be on to the figures!

Cheers,
« Last Edit: January 14, 2010, 12:04:06 AM by Empire - Ulric »

Offline Zak

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Started 01-09-2010
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2010, 05:20:36 AM »
welcome dude, and from the looks of things your going to be very busy for the next few days ha ha
 :smile2:
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Offline Henerius

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Started 01-09-2010
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2010, 12:12:46 PM »
Welcome to the forum and, off course, al the best of luck in the task you set youre self.

cheers,

henerius

   

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Offline Empire - Ulric

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Started 01-09-2010
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2010, 08:22:47 AM »
Well work progresses on the Flagellants. I do have to say it's the first time I've tried painting a large batch of miniatures at once and it can be challenging. It takes sooooo long to get through a single color!

So far the Bases are done and sealed. Only the snow needs to be added and that will be the very last thing done. The Miniatures are all pinned and glued to the bases and their Feet and the undersides of their robes are done.

Just started working on the base colors, three down so far 3 or 4 to go. Then it's on to the fun parts!

Very WiP Shots





I apologizes for the quality of the close up, damd auto focus!



When Magnetizing Resin Bases a Dremel and a good Face Mask are your friend!



Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Offline Zak

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-17-2010
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2010, 03:15:17 PM »
once again nice work so fare looking forward in seeing those bad boys finished  :eusa_clap:
Yes I'm dyslexic so what

Offline Immovable Object

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-17-2010
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2010, 03:17:41 PM »
I love those old flaggies. So much character   :biggriin:

Offline patsy02

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-17-2010
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2010, 03:18:50 PM »
This is a glorious sight.
I agree with the inhumane treatment of animals.

Offline GamesPoet

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-17-2010
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2010, 10:14:16 PM »
Excellent start on those flagellants. :icon_cool:

Looking forward to seeing more here. :icon_biggrin:

Also, can you show us a picture of what appears to be a war altar :icon_question:
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Offline Valetus

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-17-2010
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2010, 04:39:25 PM »
Like the basing

Offline Empire - Ulric

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-17-2010
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2010, 10:22:17 PM »
once again nice work so fare looking forward in seeing those bad boys finished  :eusa_clap:

This is a glorious sight.

Excellent start on those flagellants. :icon_cool:

Looking forward to seeing more here. :icon_biggrin:

That you very much! I quite like these older Flagellant models, however with all the detail they are proving challanging to paint! I will post another update on Sunday, should be done the base colors and a little bit more by then.


Also, can you show us a picture of what appears to be a war altar :icon_question:

That is indeed my converted Ulrican War Altar which is still unfinished. It's painted to the point where I can play with it though. Basically I have the ass end of the Altar left to convert & paint. I've got some wolves and a banner, but what's holding me up is I need to construct some kind of Altar that will fit on the back end of the chariot to put them on. Aside from that I have the actual Arch-lector model, an Ar-Ulric Figure (using a stand in at the moment, that Warrior Priest Model is the First Hero Figure I ever Painted) to paint and glue on and then re-base the whole thing on a new resin base.

I'll post some pictures of it on Sunday as well.

Offline Empire - Ulric

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-17-2010
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2010, 12:15:11 AM »
Weekly Update Time!

To date the bases are done, minus snow and the Base Colors are done on all figures. The Unit's Movement Tray is also built, magnetized and primed.

Updated WiP Picture:



I kinda forged ahead on one Figure, used him as my tester model so to speak. I was going for a lighter look, but yet still dirty as he is a Flagellant after all. He's pretty much done, I just need to do a couple of touch-ups and finish his eyes and mouth.



6 Days to finish these guys in order to meet my January Goal. Looks like I'm going to be doing some power painting. At least I don't have to work this weekend!

Also I promised some pictures of my War Altar. Again it's not finished, I need to find some kind of Stone Altar for the back end to mount the Flag pole and a couple of wolves on and of course finish painting Ar-Ulric himself.

Pictures:







The pieces to be added:



And a close up of the Warrior Priest currently riding the Altar. The little metal plate he's riding on is just stuck on with blue tack and will of course be where the Altar winds up going. He's magnetized so he doesn't fall off all over the place. Also that figure is the first Hero Character I ever painted.



All Feedback is greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Offline Empire - Ulric

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-25-2010
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2010, 02:58:14 AM »
It's Update time again!

Well thus ends the first month of 2010, with me falling short of my painting goal  :icon_cry:

I blame it on having to work a significant amount of overtime this month.

Ah well, seriously though I did mange to complete 7 of the 14 Flagellants and their movement tray.

Pictures:









I guess my February goals will include finishing the 7 Flagellants I failed to complete. It shouldn't take more than a week though as all of the base colors are done already.  :icon_biggrin:

Sneak peek at what's on the horizon:



A cookie to whoever guesses what they are!

C & C are always welcomed!

Offline Captain Schweinkreiger

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-25-2010
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2010, 03:25:45 AM »
horray for teutogen guards in simple green!
The most persistent sound which reverberates through men's history is the beating of war drums.  ~Arthur Koestler

Offline Empire - Ulric

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-31-2010
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2011, 03:51:44 PM »
Arise from the ashes, to show my glories......

It's a new year once again, and once again I aspire with all kinds of painting and hobby related goals for the year.

It has definitely been a long time since I last updated this blog (almost a year) and I have done quite a lot of work on my army over that span. However with everything that happened in last year I've not completed anything close to what I wanted to accomplish. Building a house, packing and moving, unpacking and a crazy work schedule seriously takes a bite of of your free time.

Of course it also doesn't help that I am notoriously slow to paint and assemble models! For example a single model (even rank and file! is about 5 hours work, start to finish)

I've got an inventory of models I have to update, as I never did quite get to the point of being able to stop buying the odd model off eBay and now I definitely have way more models than I know what to do with. Once again I resovle to paint more regularly and updated this painting blog as I can. (Hopefully every 2 weeks or so)

I'll be adding a lot of pictures over the next couple of weeks, mostly work in progress shots of stuff. However until then I will add some pictures of the Army I brought to Mythacon in Calgary last weekend. Everything I put on the table was unfinished and is still works in progress, but at least everything was base coated at the minimum.

Pictures:


Our ill fated assault on a Dwarven Battle Line!


Teutogen Guard, Works in Progress


Teutogen Guard, Side Shot


Crossbowmen, with Wizard


A group shot of most of the 1250 Points I brought. Aside from the Cannon and Mortar most models have Base Coats done only.



All of the pictures from the fantasy event can be found here:

http://s1092.photobucket.com/albums/i416/TheDESPOILER/MYTHACON%20FANTASY%20EVENT/

This event was a 2500 Point team tourney (Each player had to bring a completely legal 1250 point list) and my partner was a Brettonion player. Of the three games we lost the first two 8 - 12 and 7 - 13 in battle points and then tabled our opponents 20 - 0 in the third game. Overall we finished in 6th place out of 14 teams.

The first game came down to a Waaaagh! spell that got through our defenses at a critical time, and the second came down to a mistake that we made. Our Battle line was taking on a Dwarven Battle line (we charged) but after the first round of combat we forgot to combat reform our two horde units into deeper ranks for Steadfast. Needless to say the following Dwarven Counter charge was excruciatingly painful. Ah well live an learn.

I'll add the lists we brought later tonight. We definitely spent way too much on characters........ but it was our first team event and we really had no idea what to expect in opposing armies.

The winning army was a double team of wood elves! In the final game they picked apart a Dark elf list that was about as nasty as you could make it. Double Hydras, Double Hordes, Sac Dagger, a ton of Crossbowmen....... I was shocked to say the least.

The event was well run and I have to give mad props to the organizers!

Offline Kirgan

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-19-2011
« Reply #15 on: January 19, 2011, 09:20:02 PM »
Here it is some idea for War Altar http://warhammer-empire.com/theforum/index.php?topic=33701.msg508317#msg508317  it is my old work but idea is here  :happy:
Commission Painting-PM  :)

Offline ChumpChange

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-19-2011
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2011, 01:38:47 AM »
Excellent army so far. I am looking forward to seeing it completed (as though any army is ever truly completed :roll:).
Some thoughts: I really like the paint job on the bear model. I am planning on painting my bear white. Hopefully, it will turn out as nice as yours. Also, I like the greatsword unit. I am planning on using the limited ed. army standard bearer to fill out my unit as well. Two standards leading the teutogen guard looks good. It makes the unit look more "official" somehow...less like hell's angels.
Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd. --Voltaire

Offline The Peacemaker

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-19-2011
« Reply #17 on: December 05, 2011, 03:07:21 AM »
Have you considered converting some unit fillers? The bear is pretty cool.

Keep posting what you got. Your army is huge and I want to see finished results!
+ I love the old edition models.

I started empire in the summer of this year, bought one of the battleforces and was very disspointed at the state troops casting/molding quality. Although I do not mind the halberd arnd handgun arms. Luckily i had the 5th edition starter set + a box of swordsmen stashed away in a closet from my first attempt to get into fantasy many years ago.




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Offline Kirgan

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-19-2011
« Reply #18 on: December 05, 2011, 09:41:53 AM »
Nice start but to much machine and fire arms for Ulrics taste  :engel:
Commission Painting-PM  :)

Offline Gregourious

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Re: Empire - Ulric's Middenland Army Blog Updated 01-19-2011
« Reply #19 on: December 05, 2011, 11:16:01 AM »
Good work so far keep at it, its all about the journey......

The bases look great and are in theme for Ulric. Could you add some brown grasses here and there? :eusa_clap:

I really do like the Teutogen Guard models.

Greg