Thunderhawk build :part 1

I know it does not look like much but it was like 2 hours of work with a dedicated heat gun just straightening it all out.

I know some people will say Boiling water does the trick , my response is "well yes it does, but what do you do when the part is about 18"+ inches long"... go to a closed school or Prison to borrow one of the Mega pots? Yeah you get my point.

This is the "Before" picture.... note the resemblance to a Banana

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fQ23hvEdNXg/SpX4-w4O-aI/AAAAAAAAAUg/BjRqeY2SYqM/s1600-h/IMG_0501%5B1%5D


and here is the "After"
And here are a few more to show that the front is now straight enough to start the test fit for the Assault ramp and nose.
I know it's just the first "baby"steps, but it is a major deal so that I cna test fit every thing and figure out what all needs to be sanded/filled. If the stuff was not straight, it would have been a P.I.T.A.

I will start sanding tomorrow since I have a Half day at work and No Xmas shopping or parties to go to... Yes I have no friends.... Pitty Party !

HoHoHo!

The Kalm Before the Waaagh 2010 !

IT's BAAAAAAACK... one of the Best little "friendly" tournaments in the country...

Several of the big personalities in the industry have rated it on the "must To-DO List" every year. In the same vein as Adepticon but with southern charm and more "cozy" ( read as Smaller).

It is at a new loctaion and looks to be like the same old hijinks... FUN!

Its run buy some the 40k half of the Big Waaagh.... So it is a Non ASS-HAT admitted turny.

You can play to win but if you are one of the following don't attend:
a: Ass-Hat...
b: under 21, you will be stopped at the door, there is an open bar! Adult beverages served
c: Can't play to have fun while while ... well... playing... you can still play to win but don't be a jerk ( Yeah I suck but , well I know I Suck, take it easy on me !)

THERE IS LIMITED SPACE! Every year the slots book up well in advance... DO NOT WAIT if your are Thinking of coming... Last year it booked up in like under a week.

This is a Truly Unique event that is a lot of fun, before the serious big time turny's and Gt's start.
Good chance to try out your new army builds against competitive players in a relaxed environment.

See you all there!


http://thekalm.com/

Major Build anouncement! FW Thunderhawk...

I Finally have got in to the building and modeling mood again.

While the wife was ordering presents on my PC last night I started on the next major Project for Game-Headz....


Forge World Thunderhawk...

I ordered this after I got back from the Big Waaagh this year along with some other Resin that I either sold there or new kits had come out. It was a Large order so the customary Free express shipping was involved...

On the initial kit opening I was impress by the size and that it came with all the Hellstrikes it could carry instead of hitting you up for them separately like on the IG superheavy flyers...

After looking at things a big more I was a bit dismayed at some of the casting... needless to say on the main Hull it was very Poor. The main hull was bent like a Banana and had a slight twist to it...the interior details were not well cast, almost like not enough resin was used. I later come to find out hull was this way due to the Age of the Molds that were used... The Reaver I built earlier this year at the time had only 379 uses or so , while the Thunderhawk was at least double that and the design and casting was much older and less modular....That being there are Large and Thick highly detail parts on the T-hawk, while on the Reaver the Parts are big but several SMALLER (kinda) parts would go together to make a Larger Sub Assemble, so large Number of highly detailed "smaller" parts ( legs are 97 parts by themselves from the waist down to give you a rough Idea of the numbers we are talking about), which helps in the casting process , less wear and tear on the molds , and more detail...

I had previously posted a pict of how bent the T-hawk hull was, so for me this time on this build
I will have to do things differently than on the Reaver. It will not progress any where as fast.
I will start putting up picts as I go most likely starting tonight.

I don't think I will be able to really break things down to Major sub assembly's at all. The guns, missiles and engines can be slightly done by them selves , while the wings and cockpit to a point can be also.

I started cleaning up and straightening the "lower" hull last night. Jason donated a good heat gun to the cause , and it did wonders , but I will have to work on it bit more and post some before and after picts.

So order of build:
Inspection and catalogue of parts
Clean up and straightening
Test fitting of major sub assemblies
Chemical degreaser bath ( 4-7 days) detail clean up ( there is a TON of mold release on this kit very greasy and has very apparent Sheen to it)
Prime
Send major parts to Jason for Air brushing
Cockpit/lower hull Assembly/assault ramps
Upper hull/canopy
Tail section & engines
Wings....
Weapon systems (bolters, Turbolaser, Missiles)
Details and touch up.

The paint colors right now will be my death wing colors Testors Black Chrome trim ( wich ironically is a very flat black and not metallic at all) English desert red ( well it's a redish pink....lol)and Testors Metallic black... With Bolt gun , Bloody red, Burnished gold, and a couple of the Silver and whites from GW for details and highlights...

I have yet to decide if I will put Atmospheric scoring on it or other weathering , or leave it "Factory Fresh" . Jason no doubt will push for the weathering, with the really good weathering he has started doing to all his IG stuff.

I've never been big on that , but have recently done some weathering on several FW terrain kits.

Well the adventure has begun. I and kinda going at this blind , since the Instructions really suck compared to the Titans from FW and I've yet to find a Good build up of one with Photos..
I'll try and detail it as much as I can , And really suck meaning a 4-5 page photocopied instruction sheet vs a 23+page with tips and detailed sub Assembly instructions.

Praise be to the Tech Marines and the the Machine god ( we all know its the Void Dragon, stop Hiding it)....

March Battle missions models...

Early Xmas present for you all.

This is from the UK Jan WD.. by way of reds8n on several forums..

White Dwarf 361, Jan 2010, page 12 wrote:
Alongside this exciting new Expansion for Warhammer 40,000 we're releasing a swathe of fantastic new Citadel miniatures to support many of the races, including a new Basilisk and Chimera. In March's White Dwarf we'll reveal all, showing the exciting new releases, as well as introducing the Warhammer 40,000 Battle Missions book itself.


There you go , told you so.. a month or so ago... No word on conformation on Hydra or LR though.

If you have not heard Nids are up for Preorder..

I won't go in to a long review , or spill many rules leaks, but the New Nids and New Codex are up for Pre-order at GW now.

Highlights:
Hive tyrants... the only HQ in the dex ( not including named special Nids , old one eye, red terror)
Broodlords... work like Sgts for Marine squads
The battle box has nothing but troops in it... yes Warriors (in some form) are now troops
Carnifexes can be taken in broods of 3 ( IG tank co's any one?)
Hiveguard 2 shot Str 8 possibly Indirect fire weapon or no cover save...
Pyrovore.. shoots flame blasts, this may be the Anti tank all nid players have been waiting for.
Venomthrope... hits on 2+ , emits spore clouds.
Mawloc ... can attack and dis-engage from combat apparently or some thing like it.
Trigon... well its a trigon.. tunnels , fires a electrical blast short range and Raveners can come threw the tunnel... oh and Apoc data sheets are coming in Feb WD.


http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/armySubUnitCats.jsp?catId=cat1430057&rootCatGameStyle=wh40k

PS: Battle Missions.
One should expect a decent amount of releases for SM, IG, and Ork, stuff has been confirmed for these 3 races, but no one else. The Kits are just speculation but it could be like the COD ( Tau second wave and releases spread out for just about every one) release or PS ( Marine wave 2)

The space marine releases MAY have a direct tie in with another Codex a month or so later ( Blood Angels?) ( Passably a new plastic Dread kit) big news.. and if so I'm SOOOOO broke! Plastic Thunderhawk..... damn, you all know it was going to happen after me getting the FW kit. Always does.

IG's ... Look for some of the Artil to finally come out passable the stormtroopers and LR and Chimera ( Artil and the tanks are very good bets, since they only require 1-2 different sprew compared to the Hellhound and Demolisher kits, storm troopers to me are sill pipe dreams) Look at the pict released for the the Battle Mission already... the Basilisk looks a bit different, especially on the treads ( kit bash?)

Orks... Warboss kit, Buggies, Trac's, Plastic Killer cans ( 3 pack) and plastic Deff dread.
I think there are some picts of the Kans and the buggies that have been out for a long time see if you can find them, hint they are in a WD and few if any have said much about them ;) and the Cad's of the Traks has been around for a bit too.

First modeling done since SEPT!

I've been unmotivated !

I finally got some thing done today...
Start to finish it was not much but Maybe I stay motivated.

I started and finished a second Tri Laser blaster for my Reaver I did last summer.

The game play Cheesiness is very high, but playing the horde armies I do... the 6 Pizza plate sized "D" strength shots is almost a requirement. Also knowing that my Reaver is going to be drawing all the fire away from ....well every thing else is also good.

I'll post a pict or two in a bit for proof of my motivation, but it looks exactly like the other one down to the silver dollar sized magnet.... UA and UF both suck! GO TIGERS!

Nid Box set up for pre order.

Update!
Unfortunately the rumors were true.... No Carnifex in the new Nid army box

Contents...
3 Warriors
8 Genesteelers
16 Hormagaunts
16 Termagants
Update! ( they are not pictured , but are listed as contents )
3 Ripper swarms


That's it folks....

It's up for Advance order but not on the Advance order tab?

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat320001a&prodId=prod370004a

If wanted, give us a shout.
Good troop builder to build up a army , or get you started if you are just picking it up for the first time in Jan. I think we may have some of the old boxes left too, with the Carni's!