Today is the first milestone for the 13(ish) painters taking part in our six month long painting challenge. You can read the intro post here, but basically we each have to paint 10 Power / 100 points of Warhammer 40,000 miniatures every month or suffer a penalty (with one month off using our ‘mulligan’).

The team discussed what that penalty should be, because we wanted there to be some sort of forfeit, but nothing too painful, and we couldn’t decide between two options:

1. Pick up two super cheap and tacky jackets, so that in honour of Duncan Rhodes, you have to wear ‘two thin coats’.
2. Buy the team cakes (it’s a fact that all game developers love cakes, probably more than is strictly healthy).

In the end we decided to combine both, so each person who fails a month’s painting will buy the team cakes while wearing the two thin coats of shame.

So, with that terrifying threat looming over us, has anyone failed on month one? Let’s find out:

 

AdamW – Orks

For the start of my Evil Sunz Speed Freeks army, I’ve gone with the Kustom Boosta-Blasta and the Shokkump Dragsta. The first vehicles I’ve ever done but lots of fun, enjoyed painting Orks again. Going to have to step it up next month though, going to move on to the Warbikers!

 

Leanne – Orks

I wasn’t totally sure how my colour scheme was going to look when I started this month, I just knew I wanted to make the most aggressively girly Warhammer 40,000 mini’s I could. Short of bows and lipstick I think I’ve managed what I wanted!

These Orks were super fun to paint, they’re so exaggerated already I felt like I couldn’t really mess up too badly for my first 40K mini’s. Overall I have found that I hate base coating with a passion… but love highlighting! Also, Nuln Oil is magic.

 

Jordan – Night Lords

I kicked off my Night Lords with two of the new models from the Shadowspear box. I went with the Master of Possession first because I have a tradition of always starting with a HQ choice. I was pretty happy with the colours I picked out – I’ve gone with silver trim rather than gold because it seems a little more appropriate for sneaky space murderers, so my dudes are going to look closer to how the Night Lords were during the Heresy.

My other choice for the month was an Obliterator to make my total up to 11PL, unfortunately I lost a few weekends and didn’t get time to do my edge highlighting on him (or tidy up my attempts at lightning), but he still meets the definition of “painted”! I’ll hopefully get time to go back and finish him off later.

 

Paul – Death Guard

Mulligan –This month was all about experimenting: I knew I wanted Pallid Hand, but there was a lot of different variations with the color scheme I was either unsure of, or wanted to try. So I decided to mulligan to take the time to go back and forth, trying different things. Diseased flesh, bony protrusions and spines proved to be the most challenging, but now I have a much clearer idea on the direction I want to take with my models. The Plague Lord will be pleased.

 

Keith – Genestealer Cults

So I’ve started with the Magus and Primus for my army (along with a couple of hangers-on). In my mind these represent two key aspects of the Genestealer approach to war with one being subtle and cunning, the other reflecting pure malignant violence.

My background for these has them infiltrating a mineral-processing backwater planet on the fringes of the Imperium. Strategically important and some wealth but also largely ignored by Imperial administration. The sort of place where people from across the Imperium tend to wash up and ideal for anyone keeping a low profile. With this ‘Wild-West’ idea I’m attempting a suitable colour scheme with a lot of natural browns and leather colours. The Magus represents high-society (as far as it goes) and I picked a white scheme for her because this can be a bit of a challenge while the Primus is dressed in a more ‘working class’ fashion with a western-inspired duster coat.

 

Deke – Imperial Fists

Mulligan – I’m very much enjoying getting to grips with painting yellow, and am incredibly happy with the results so far. Unfortunately life threw some curve balls this month and I wasn’t able to finish my commitment, so I’m taking the brave (some might say foolish) decision to use my mulligan and avoid coat-based embarrassment.

 

Stu – Chaos

My force will be made up of Cultists, Fallen and Iron Warriors, so I want to nail each of their paint schemes early. I’ve tried to make my Cultists to look like escaped convicts, as I reckon a prison break is exactly the sort of cheeky shenanigans that Cypher would find himself embroiled in.

Next month, some Iron Warrior Obliterators, converted from the cool new Ambot miniatures.

 

Emyr – Space Wolves

I started with some Intercessors to get a grip on the paint scheme and tricks of painting Space Marines. Then I did a Primaris Wolf Lord so I wouldn’t have to do 10 guys in the first month. The main thing I’ve learned is that free-handing battle markings is a pain, but I’m pretty happy with how they turned out.

 

Thanos – Deathwatch

I have not painted models before and I have to say that this was much more challenging than I was expecting! I’m super glad I chose Deathwatch as I did not anticipate how time consuming assembly and painting would be, plus I dig the silver and gold aesthetic.

I was pretty pleased with how things have turned out, then I saw everyone else’s! I’m going to wait until the end to do my bases and go all in on texture paint. Next month I’m planning to paint a Dreadnought, because who doesn’t like Dreadnoughts?

 

Rich – Adeptus Custodes

I wanted to spend the first month trying to get up to speed on painting again as it’s been a while. Digging out a load of old paints was cool. I decided to start with 3 custodian Wardens and spent a lot of time trying out different colour schemes and repainting.

Honestly the biggest challenge was one of my own making. I painted the major parts before assembling and managed to end up painting 2 right arms and 4 left arms for 3 units. I only realised when it came to assembling, so that was fun. It took WAY longer than expected but I enjoyed every part of it.

 

Julia – Death Guard

FAILED – Despite doing a big fail this month, I am pretty pleased with my first attempt painting Poxwalkers. I fully blame my failure on exposure to Poxwalkers as I was struck down with full blown flu just days after my first contact with them. I have found painting much more therapeutic than I thought it would be and I am definitely more of a fan of shades and bases than I am of doing highlights. I have thoroughly enjoyed creating my toxic swamp bases but feel like my highlighting needs to improve – fast.

 

Dave – Adeptus Mechanicus

I have painted an Armiger Warglaive for my first month as I wanted to paint something big! The hardest bit was trying to do the chevrons where I tried tape and doing it freehand (Duncan makes its look so easy!) but it has come out OK if you don’t look too close! Next up, a Tech-Priest Dominus, Tech-Priest Enginseer and may have a go a some decals to finish these off!

 

AdamC – T’au

(Stu’s note – as it’s 14 Power, we decided Adam should split the Riptide between this and next month’s painting).

My progress so far with the Riptide Battlesuit. I’m pleased with the results so far though it is far more time consuming than I first expected. I’ve enjoyed using an airbrush with this model as it gives really nice gradients. I also decided to change things up for the weapon, as though it’s been taken from a fallen ally, or swapped out and used a lot. Hopefully I’ll finish this guy soon and start cracking on with some troops.

 

Tim – Necromunda

I’m using the painting challenge as motivation to paint up a Necromunda set, to play with the kids. I figure that for 40K the gangs can serve as squads of Imperial Guardsmen, as I understand the Imperial Guard is formed from every corner of the Imperium – including civic-minded Underhivers!

I’m well chuffed with how the Goliath gang came out…definitely the best painting results I’ve achieved – especially considering it’s over a big squad. I took way longer over them than I have in previous painting attempts, but the new thing I found that made the biggest difference was using a headtorch, which I could not recommend highly enough (if you don’t mind looking like a fool when painting in the office at lunchtime).

 

Conclusion

Look for the next post in four weeks, with more miniatures, and a photo of Julia buying the team cakes while wearing the two thin coats (which are spectacularly hideous). In the meantime you can get in touch by leaving a comment below, through our Facebook page or by mailing [email protected].

Thanks,
Stu