Sunday painting

Just a quick spot of painting today. I've had these marines stood in assembled state for years now... Thanks to the Badab War project, they're finally seeing the paint table

And while I do love my Howling Griffons, and think they look great once finished, I seem to have forgotten how much of a chore it is to basecoat the little Battenberg Bastards... ;)
Hopefully I can steal away a few hours on the Christmas weekend to basecoat the red as well.

See you next time!

Howling Griffons, a slow expansion.

Hello again,

Well the planning and scheming for the Badab War Campaign is in full swing, the Belgian wargamers I originally discussed the idea with have gotten their club involved, and a friend from Delft has also dived in. So we're suddenly looking at a full-blown campaign with 9-10 armies! Yay! :D

As a result, my Hobby Mojo has been bubbling again and I'm currently looking very enthusiastically at my little stockpile of Griffons. I have less than I would like, but enough to get a serviceable 2nd edition army out of. Just need to expand a few things. Oh, and paint all those quartered scheme marines....

To get started again, over the past two weekends I've been finishing the two Howling Griffon Terminators that have been on my workbench for far too long. Here they are:

Brothers Darvin and Ahlrig, of the First Company. (Sorry about the glare, the light is a bit crappy today.)

And the view that no enemy shall get of them while they live:

Brother Darvin carries his record of oaths fulfilled with him, as well as the bones of a fallen Battle Brother.
Brother Ahlrig shows his devotion and purity through the brass Eagle and purity seals on his armour:

Helloooo, nurse!

I'm working a late shift tonight (which sadly means I won't get to play Space Hulk: Deathwing on release day, I'll have to wait to tomorrow night). Which means I have some hours of daylight today to take advantage of!

So, I'd like to present a WIP of my Howling Griffons Master of the Apothecarion and Apothecary to the first company:

Naturally, more bling and Griffonisms will be added to the good brother. I would like to show off his personal heraldry though, which I finished sculpting today:

The Griffon's Chapter Icon, the griffon rampant, but grasping the Prime Helix, to display his sacred duty in safeguarding and defending the geneseed of the Chapter.

See you next time!

Medic!

A quick Saturday evening conversion, I present to you Brother-Apothecary Arvun:

Shortly after the release of Burning of Prospero, I chanced on a cheap squad of MkIII marines, thanks to a tip from Gunbird. I intend to use them as extra bits to convert my Howling Griffons. This is the first attempt at such, by combining the MkIII armour with the Apothecary bits from the Space Marine Command Squad. I still need to add the purity seals and other tchotckes that will root him firmly in the 41st millennium.

Brother Arvun is my Howling Griffons 5th Company Apothecary, honoured to wear one of the few MkIII suits the chapter still cherishes. As Arvun is often found in the thick of things aiding and saving fellow Griffons, the extra protection of the venerable suits thick plates is more than welcome!

I really like these MkIII "Iron" armours. And it gave me an idea; while I can't go full Heresy Era with my Griffons (not being a founding legion and all), I might decide to go "historical" with them; Modelling them not to represent a M41 army, but rather an M34-M37 or so army. So with a few more ancient armours still seeing regular use, rather than being hid away in the armoury as relics of a bygone age. It also gives me an excuse to use every single bit of MkVI kit I come across, as those would also see much more heavy use in that era, and they are my favorite armour mark.
I'm kind of liking the idea, but need to mill it over a bit more. It would mean playing and building my Griffons without the weight of the Badab War and the feud with Periclitor behind them. And while the feud with Periclitor isn't my favorite piece of Howling Griffons backstory, I do love the Badab War dearly...
Another thing to consider, should the Time of Ending that 40K is currently entering turn out to be as big a clusterfuck as the Warhammer Fantasy End Times were, I have another excuse to completely ignore it! 
I'm loath to give up the Badab War though, I may just keep my army M41 and use the older marks to really show off the age and pedigree of my Griffons. Luckily I can ponder this at my leisure, as I have absolutely no deadline for this army. :D