I've been less active hobbywise a little bit lately, more hours at work and the missus' new job means we had to re-arrange our daily rythm and tasks a bit, leaving me with less energy for the hobby.
But that doesn't mean I've been sitting still completely.
I've made some progress on the Grav-skiff/"float boat" for Mare Solum/Inquisimunda/Necromunda. The grav-panels and propulsor engines have been installed:
The prow is nearly finished as well: Mesh windows, and a twin autocannon turret:
The autocannons are magnetised to a metal strip (the white part) in the turret, to they can be positioned and, more importantly, swapped out for other gear. (Please excuse the black smears, to prevent the inside of the ship showing through the mesh, I had to primer the interior black, a few wayward fingers left evidence of their passing...)
I'm currently building the attachments for the two ball-turrets in the front of the hull, these are also magnetised to accept either: a pair of electro-goads, a barrel for either an odd pattern of autocannon or maybe chem-sprayers and a pair of directional shield-generators. The latter I still need to build.
The ship also needs a steering station on the rear wall of the cabin, where there is precisely space to place a 25mm base. I'm thinking of adding some sort of steering/stabiliser fins to the spots where the original model had it's propellors.
The turret still needs it's alternate gear: a twin-linked harpoon cannon and an elaborate sensor-suite.
And then there is making the thing look like a working vessel: Tarps, tools and cabling here and there, as well as the (remains/attachment points for) gear that shows that this is a retrofitted civillian/working vessel. Oh, and a definitive base.
The idea is for this ship to be able to swap equipment so that I can use it as a harpoon-hunting vessel, a research vessel or a gunboat, or any hybrid of the three, depending on what the scenario/story requires at any point. I can see this thing hunting Sump Spiders on Necromunda, or transporting a covert Inquisitor for a raid on a remote island base or for explorers or salvagers to gather intel on some strange readings just of the coast off some island on Innsmouth Secundus/Mare Solum... ;)
It's not for a particular warband or project, just something that caught my imagination on the Mare Solum Facebook group and I just had to build.
Aside from this project, a friend bought an Imperial Knight (just a week before the new releases were announced by GW) and asked me to help assemble/magnetise it. Here's the carapace pieces and the mechanical skeleton separated out after assembly and before painting.
It;s a really cool kit, great to build. If I weren't "forbidden" from buying it before my birthday next month by my wife (I swear she's up to something... ;) ), I'd have pre-ordered the Imperial Knights: Renegade box for myself. I've always liked the 40K Knights, and with previous releases I've managed to stay sensible, but this year's Knight releases may push me into starting a Household of my own!
As I was inspired by the big Knight, I decided to assemble (and mildly convert) the tiny ones I do have:
After all, if I do cave, I can use them as colour scheme testers, or if I end up not starting a Knights army, I can use these to play "travel" Imperial Knights: Renegade. Just get the rules from somewhere and replace inches with centimetres.
See you next time!