11/100: Bring Out Your Dead!

I decided to get a start on two of my hobby goals I set for this year.  First up was some more units for my Grand Alliance of Death for Age of Sigmar.   I have a lot of undead stuff.  I have been collecting the various incursions of the Games Workshop undead for twenty years.  The fist models I ever bought were a box of skeletons. However one of the problems that I had last year was that I did not have a set goal.  I said I wanted to paint a full army, but there was no structure.   So I wrote a 2000 point army list last week to help me focus.  Now this list is not set in stone.  I am sure as I play more games I am going to drop units and add new ones.  But this gives me a start.

I worked on 3 units for AoS this week.  All of them where old models that I was re-basing and touching up.   I made a new large base for a Corpse Cart.  This is one of my favorite GW models.  It already has so much character.  I added a few tomb stones and graves to the base for ambiance. 

I also re-based and added some highlights to a converted wraith.  I made this guy out of a plastic Empire Wizard and some extra skeleton bits.  

The last unit I worked on was two bases of Bat Swarms.  I do not like the really really old plastic bat swarms.  I do however really really like their rule that gives all enemies within 12 inches -1 to hit.  So I dug out my Lord of the Rings Bat Swarms.  These are great models.  I know I have at least one more somewhere but I am hoping I have a second one to double my unit.  

I was also able to complete my first member of Thorin's Company, Gandalf the Grey.  It seemed fitting to paint Gandalf first for two reasons.  One: he organised the excursion to reclaim the lonely mountain. Two: one of the first models that I painted last year was Gandalf from the Battle of Five Army game.  Maybe this is a new tradition, new year = new Gandalf.   I do have Gandalf the Grey on horseback lying around...

                     

I kept thinking that it was going to be an easy model to paint.  Just a bunch of grey, right?  Trying to find different ways to paint various shades of grey became very challenging.  I almost gave up while working on the robes.  I hated the first highlight but the subsequent layers brought me back and I am very happy with the finished product.  The unique feature that I have found with the Lord of the Ring models is that I can see a very clear progression of my painting skill/style over the years.  Because I have painted the same character in different posses from different sets at different times, I can sit them side by side and compare.  Here is my most resent Gandalf with one that I painted at least three years ago (but it could be from longer ago, I am really just guessing here).  

That is all for this week.  Next week I am going to start on Bilbo Baggins and some Ethereal Hosts for my Warmaster Army.  

Kevin