Model Railroad Slums puts the HO back into train sets, if you know what I mean.
OMG, I can't believe I just made a model train scale joke. Get me my medicine!
Seriously though, props to this guy. Inventive converted and scratch built cityscape scenery that puts a fantastic twist on the standard model train layout.
These Microfluorescent T4 Low-Profile Ultra-Slim Linkable Light Fixtures (T4, T5... whatever it takes) look perfect for lighting my work desk in the living room.
At "only 0.75in wide by 1-3/8in high" and with bulbs that will illuminate my workspace with 6400k light, they are perfect for adding more light to my painting area.
Am I a commercial yet?
On the scratch building tip, Andrea Press puts out a book called Conversion and scratch building of model figures E that looks pretty good.
Reaper makes these cool Starter Level Sculpting Armatures for sculpting your own figures with green stuff.
Neat. Makes me wish I could do that.
From Design at the Necromundicon:
GW's models are about 30 millimeters in height for the average man- and bases only make them look taller. The figures are not proportional though- everything's much chunkier, especially weapons. If you plan to use real models for anything (particularly military models), be aware that although 1/48 scale is most accurate, it is extremely hard to find- you're better off starting with 1/35 scale and selecting smaller vehicles (World War I and II tanks are smaller than modern tanks, for example). Ideally, an unarmored figure(Imperial Guard or Necromunda) should look good in one of the doors or hatches of a vehicle. You may have to replace the existing doors or hatches with your own (the hatch on the Vehicle Accessory Sprue is great for this job!). You will almost always want to replace personal weapons with 40K bolters, etc, and bulk up vehicle weapons with larger tubes to make them look right. For accessories like gas cans and oil drums, 1/35 is slightly oversized, but it looks great (and provides more cover!).
| SCALE METHODS: | Historical Figures | Model Trains | Military Models |
| WARHAMMER, WH40K | 30MM (not 25!) | "O" scale is almost perfect | 1/48 (hard to find though). |
Necromundicon is awesome, but you might not see why at first. Beyond a nice collection of Terrain How-To Pages, there's also a lot of great inspiration to be found on the Gothic scenery (don't miss the effects page) and Industrial scenery pages.
Tehnolog is a Russian gaming company (cue Yakov: "In Russia, wargames play you!" ) that makes games that are warhammer like I think), but they also make really cheap terrain sets for wargames. Nice bits. They're available at the The War Store for pretty cheap (small boxes US$10).
Bunch of terrain and wargaming stuff I don't want to lose. Anyone smell some burnt geek?
Hovels is a really nice collection of resin buildings (supplied unpainted, of course). The main downside of the collection seems to be their pricing scheme of HH and D (with the chart telling you that HH = US$30.99 & D = US$3.19 on another page). 25mm scale sets include Various European, American Civil War, Middle Eastern, "Oriental," and more.
The Miniature Building Authority seems like a similar deal. The buildings are a bit more expensive, but they have a lot of pictures. I'm not sure if they come unpainted or not. The Town Church would be a nice model for my Witch hunter army, once I crazy inquisitionized it up a bit.
DigitalDioramas.com is a (perhaps/unfortunately) dead web magazine about military modeling and making dioramas of battles, etc. Lots of relevant stuff there for terrain makers.
It is so simple, I can't believe it didn't occur to me. You can use greenstuff to make molds for shaping greenstuff.
GREEN STUFF CASTING, SECRET OF THE PROS
Ahhh, Drunk Dwarves are funny.
Saint Demiana, the chaste and fighter virgin. If that doesn't qualify as a Sister of Battle inspiration link, then I don't know what.
God, I'm such a geek.
Mayne Thiele, a professional miniature painter (it's amazing to me that this exists, but cool) has a nice tips & tricks page on his website.
Games Workshop has a really nice Working With Green Stuff tutorial.
Green stuff, by the way, is actually Kneadatite, which is also known as Sculptors Epoxy Putty. It's the standard material for doing "conversions" of miniatures. Which is cool. I think my favorite tip in the GW tutorial is the making purity seals page.
For my Warhammer Army, total fluff. Utterly geeky. Move along, lest ye be blinded by my proclivities.
From: Carl Schmitt, the Inquisition, and Totalitarianism
"This he compares to the Latin motto noted by Goethe in Dichtung und Wahrheit, “nemo contra deum nisi deus ipse”—only a god can oppose a god."
Tertullian: De praescriptione haereticorum (On the prescription of heretics).
Heresy has the following characteristics:
* Heresy, he proclaimed, like persecution, tests men's faith.(2.8,3.6,4.5)
* It was predicted by Christ, and condemned by Paul, who uttered a warning against philosophy and vain deceits.(4.1ff, 6.1ff)
* It is caused by boundless and unfettered curiosity.(8.1ff)
* The heretic, therefore, can be easily discovered: since he seeks endlessly without ever finding, he must always try to doubt the 'regula fidei' which genuine Christians believe without question.(12.5f)
Tertullian's argument relies on two texts and a definition: 'seek and you will find' (Mt. 7.7), 'Your faith has saved you' (Lk. 18.42) and that 'faith' by definition means 'faith in something', and hence involves assent to a credal formula. Since the heretic still seeks, he cannot have found; since he has not found, he cannot believe; and if he does not believe, he is no Christian.(14.10)
From Latin Quotes, Latin Phrases, Latin Mottos and Latin Quotations at Yuni.com:
Auribus teneo lupum - I hold a wolf by the ears. (I am in a dangerous situation and dare not let go.) (Terence)
Aut vincere aut mori - Either conquer or die
Belua multorum es capitum - The people (Belua) are a many-headed beast
Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei - The heavens declare the glory of God
Congregatio de Propaganda Fide - Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith
Crudelius est quam mori semper timere mortem - It is more cruel to always fear death than to die. (Seneca)
Delenda est carthago - Carthage must be destroyed
Deus vult! - God wills it! (Slogan of the Crusades)
Diligite justitiam, o judices terrae - Cherish justice, o judges of the earth
Dulcius ex asperis - Through difficulty, sweetness
Dum excusare credis, accusas - When you believe you are excusing yourself, you are accusing yourself. (St. Jerome)
Dura lex, sed lex - The law is harsh, but it is the law
Ense et aratro - With sword and plow. (citizen-soldier, one who serves in war and peace)
Est autem fides credere quod nondum vides; cuius fidei merces est videre quod credis - Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. (St. Augustine)
et Iesus dixit illi respice fides tua te salvum fecit - And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
Exitus acta probat - The outcome proves the deeds. (the end justifies the means) (Ovid)
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus - Outside the Church [there is] No Salvation. (A phrase of much disputed significance in Roman Catholic theology)
Fax mentis incedium gloriae - The passion of glory is the torch of the mind
Fiat lux - Let there be light
Fiat volvntas tua - Let Thy will [be done] (Biblical)
Fidei defensor - Defender of the faith
Fides punica - Treachery. (Livy)
Fides quaerens intellectum - Faith seeking understanding
Fronti nulla fides - No reliance can be placed on appearance. (don't judge a book by its cover)
Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepe cadendo - The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often. (Ovid)
Imperium - Absolute power
In omnia paratus - Prepared for all things
Ite, misse est - Go, the Mass is finished
Liberae sunt nostrae cogitationes - Our thoughts are free. (Cicero)
Liberate te ex inferis - Save yourself from hell
Magnus frater spectat te - Big Brother is watching you
Me iudice - I being judge; in my judgement
Memento mori - Remember that you will die
Mors ultima ratio - Death is the final accounting
Mortvi non mordant - Dead me don't bite; Dead men tell no tale
Nemo malus felix - No bad man is lucky. (Juvenal)
Nemo sine vitio est - No one is without fault. (Seneca the Elder)
Nihil declaro - I have nothing to declare
Omnes vulnerant, ultima necat - All (hours) wound, the last kills. (inscription on solar clocks)
Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum - Let him who wishes for peace prepare for war. (Vegetius)
Qvae nocent docent - Things that hurt, teach. School of Hard Knocks
Qvi bene amat bene castigat - Who loves well castigates well. Spare the rod and spoil the child
Salus populi suprema lex - The safety of the people is the supreme law. (Cicero)
Sic semper tyrannis - Thus always to tyrants - a statement often accompanying a regicide
Stultorum infinitus est numerus - Infinite is the number of fools. (Bible)
Transit umbra, lux permanet - Shadow passes, light remains (On a sun dial)
Uberrimae fidei - Of the utmost good faith
Ultima ratio regum - The final argument of kings
Vae victis! - Woe to the conquered! (vanquished) (Livy)
Veritas Lux Mea - The truth enlightens me / The truth is my light
and some more....
From http://www.24hourtranslations.co.uk/lphrases.htm
and http://www.sunsite.ubc.ca/LatinDictionary/HyperText/latin-dict-full.html
a cruce salus - from the cross comes salvation
AMDG (ad maiorem Dei gloriam) - for the greater glory of God
Haereticus (Latin for The Heretic)
mortifera : deadly things
mortuus : dead, deceased, passed away, gone West, departed.
monachus : monk.
Monasteriense : Munster.
monasterium : monastery, abbey, convent.
militaris -e : of a soldier, military, martial.
miles militis : soldier, warrior, knight.
meretrix meretricis : prostitute, whore, harlot.
malum : evil, misfortune, misdeed, crime, injury, damage.
malus peior pessimus : bad, wicked, evil.
salve veritate - saving the truth
semper fidelis - always faithful
semper paratus - always be prepared
uberrima fides - utmost good faith
urbi et orbi - to the city and to the world
vae victis - woe to the conquered
verbatim et litteratim - word for word and letter for letter
(verbum sapienti sat est) - a word is enough to the wise
veritas nunquam perit - truth never dies
veritas vos liberabit - the truth will set you free
via - by way of
Via Crucis - the Way of the Cross
Via Dolorosa - the Way of Sorrow
vivat rex - long live the king
Dragon Forge Design has a decent tutorial called Welcome to Base Work 101 which explains how to make high quality figure bases
Brushthralls.com has a proverbial boatload of miniature gaming tutorials, from using basic tools and techniques (like priming, pinning, glazes, washes, etc.), in depth specific tutorials (e.g. how to shade a cape, or paint realistic metals), to modeling tips and very in-depth articles on how to paint specific miniatures (geared towards Warmachine, I think).
Tons of photos, very clear explanations. Fantastic. They use Vallejo paints tho, so... well, I don't really know what difference that makes anyway.
stephane.info's Wargaming section has a number of articles about the Warhammer hobby that seem to be pretty fair (but critical) looks at games workshop.
I post some geeky things, but OMFG this one's gonna be geeky fer real. I'm playing around with painting my little figures again, so I've been looking at websites devoted to the hobby. Here's the good one's I've found:
TerraGenesis. Awesome terrain site, they have a forum now, which seems kind of dead. Maybe it's just the summer.
Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic. "For miniatures painters, by miniatures painters." It has a lot of nice tutorials. Hasn't been updated due to a World of Warcraft addiction. I know what he means.
Chest of Colors seems like an interesting place. Nice gallery, some ho-to's.
Hirst Arts Fantasy Architecture Inc. - "Build your own castles easily." Sells molds for casting your own bricks for building castles and the like. Crazy insane or insane crazy? It actually looks like fun, but knowing me I'd have to get some help actually casting the bricks. They also maintain a very nice Tips & Tricks Page for assembling & painting things with their blocks.
Orcsdrift makes nice looking castles and stuff.
The Foundry maintains the The Foundry Library, with many pages discussing how to paint their miniatures. Apparently there is a "style" of painting called "Foundry Style" based on how they paint, but I can't figure out how it's different.
Wet Palette:
Apparently, painting is easier using something called a wet palette. Fair enough, I think I have all the stuff I need to make this at home.
Electric Ocean has an illustrated guide: Electric Ocean > Electric Ocean > Mini Pics > Mini Painting Tools
You were warned.