The Hive Empire - my second bug fleet

Here it is, my Hive fleet, from Studio Bergstrom:

I got inspiration from Desertscribe's (Super Galactic Dreadnought) paint scheme for his entomolians, as I already mentioned here, but my bugs got a little more contrast between front and rear colors. Turned out nice, I think.

I also painted their underside on a different color, as he did to his. It adds a nice bug feel to the ships.

I liked that copper look so much that I ended up painting Pahoota's ships (Solipsist Gaming) on that scheme, as well:

More stuff out of my painting desk now, making space for the Warmachine models I recently purchased (man, painting 28mm is a chore...)

*End of Transmission*

Hive Empire is here!

My Hive Empire Fleet, from Studio Bergstrom, arrived this week. Here it is:

Irresistible Sword Class Battleships

Hornets, Swords of Retribution and Virus Class

Queen of Millenia Mothership (upside down, only realised it later...)

The Mothership is a true beauty, impressive design, but unfortunatelly rather fragile. One of the... Uh... Tentacles... (?) was broken, despite the careful packing Drew put around it to trying keeping it safe.

On the pic below you can see how tiny is the only conection of the tentacle to the main hull. (the curved tip left to my fingers).

Anyway, I pinned it and the problem is gone now.

I was particularly intriged as to how they were cast, since the metal around the gems are one-piece parts...

The color scheme for them is chosen already, as I mentioned earlier, so all I gotta do is put my hands to work on these goodies.

Besides my Hive Fleet, some Menoth Warjacks, from Warmachine, are on my table, as well as Pahoota's  (from Solipsist Gaming blog) gifts to me:

Models already based and primed (believe it or not, the primer's label read "matt" on it...)

*End of Transmission*

My (first) Bug Fleet

Finished my Entomalian Fleet. Here it is:

Initially, I thought of using Desertscribe's Entomalian paint scheme for mine, but I realised I had a problem: I liked both Desertscribe's and the Studio's jobs for the bugs, and I purchased a Hive Empire Fleet from Studio Bergstrom for which I had no idea of colors to use.

Desertscribe's Entomalians

MKP's colors for the bugs

Bergstrom's Hive Empire Fleet (pic from the site)

To work this out, I chosed to stick to the green theme for the Entomalians and use Desertscribe's scheme for my Hive Empire. So I get to have both variations for bugs colors and don't have to come up with a new look for the Hive Empire. 

This is the pic I used as inspiration to come up with my stile of green for the Entomalians:

The quality of the pics of my ships here isn't the best, as glow is always a chore to get right on pics, but I assure you they are very shiny in person, just as the exosqueleton of a real bug. I haven't sealed them yet, but I'll do that using glow varnish, to preserve the natural glow of the paints I used.

I also applied myself to get a nice glow look on the engines, but once again, the quality of the pics don't show that. Too much light reflection coming from the bedroom's window (even though curtains are closed).

Let's try that with the ships upside down:

And now, the fighters:

Light Fighters

Heavy fighters

They were all based on Studio Bergstrom's silicon stands, and I fit 5 on each, as they were too big to be fit 6 per base, as I usually do. I had enough fighters to come up with 12 squadrons - 6 light and 6 heavy.

Next on the Wish list is the Carnivorans and the Earth Alliance fleet form Babylon 5.

While I wait for these, I'll invest my hobby time on getting my ruleset finnally ready.

*End of Transmission*

Entomolians are here!!

I'm back home after 3 weeks away at work. Waiting for me was my Entomolian fleet, from Monday Knight Productions.

Those are unbelievebly detailed models. I'm marvelled by these ships. The Super Galactic Dreadnought is a monster, and I'm happy I got it on metal, rather than resin. The weight adds to its colossal feel.

Monday Knight claims that the new resin version holds just as much detail. If this is so, then it must be an excellent resin they are working with, because the amount of detail on those metal models is truly remarkable.

I also got the fighters for my Entomolians, but forgot to take pictures of them. Sorry...

I spent a good time trying to figure out what each piece of detail is supposed to represent on the ships. Energy conduits, launch bays, power cores, shields generators and weapon arrays... Lots of weapon arrays.

The SGD has 2 absolutely huge guns aiming straight forward. I suppose they must be hundreds of meters long. That means a gun as long as several football fields in line (!). Oh, boy, it's going to be fun to create game stats for such guns...

Speaking of gaming, I didn't forsake the development of Pax Stellarum. This trip I was on was out of my plans, but now I'm back and am willing to finish it off quickly!

PS: Some among you may have noticed a little something on the first pic: the feet of one of my "hugeclix" on the top left. I'll eventually post about my collection of heroes, but this is subject for another day.

*End of Transmission*

My 2012 Wishlist

I have so many interests involving spaceship miniatures and wargaming in general that I try to have some sort of annual planning to purchase them all.

In my current wish list, for instance, are all fleets of Galactic Knights (Starfleet Wars), Stargate and the Sorylians from Firestorm Armada, not to mention the last fleet missing on my Babylon 5 collection: The Earth Alliance.

Sorylian Dreadnought

Aquarian Leviathan Class Dreadnought

Ancient Cruiser

Earth Force Poseidon Super Carrier

Oh, and there is also the Mon Calamari, which I'm in need to make up a rebel fleet to oppose my Galactic Empire forces...

Mon Calamari Class 85 Cruiser

My gaming budget allows me to get a fleet each month, so it's going to take me all remaining months before the end of the world in december (?) to hit my entire current wish list.

The situation would be somewhat manageable if spaceships were my only gaming interests, but (unfortunatelly) they aren't...

I'm also building not one - or two - but three Warmachine armies: Khador, Cygnar and Menoth. The minis are not only gorgeous but a lot of folks on my local gaming club are playing it, so, several potential adversaries! 

(I mean, come on... How am I supposed to resist THAT?)

What about you guys? Do you have an annual gaming purchase planning as well?

*End of Transmission*