Wave of Mutilation

An update on the Redemptor to keep me going.  Weirdly, I have almost finished the base.  Just details really and a bit of flock and grass effects to go. This is highly unusual since bases usually bore the crap out of me.  I know that basing is an important part of the ensemble and sometimes it really sets the model off but mostly its just a chore.  Plus, I usually rush it because its the last thing to do before I can call job done.

The rest of the dreadnought is in pieces but its getting there.  The shoulder pad was highly stressful and took an hour and a half to paint.  The finished result isn't exactly what was in my mind's eye and I can't decide whether I love or hate it.  Not exactly codex standard livery but I like to be a special snowflake and it will definitely make the model pop.  I ended up using a transfer for the number.  I was going to free-hand a "2" on it in 40k script.  You know, those upside-down-back-to-front number fives that look really cool.  However, at this point my nerves were shot, my hand was suffering from St. Vitus' Dance having spent so long trying to hold it steady.  So in the end, I used a decal. This was also supposed to be a No.2 but I went a bit nuts with the Micro Sol and tore the bastard in half.  Number 1 it is then.

Probably should have finished by now but my natural ennui started to set in.  I distracted myself by building Tyranid lists but soon discovered that the entire army is suffering from New Edition Wardrobe Malfunction.  There are literally tens of hobbyists out there in the same position as me, uneasily contemplating ripping the arms off their beloved models and replacing them.  Cannibalizing with improved weapon options in a wave of mutilation.  Devourers are, like, totally last year dude and practically every monstrous creature I own has two of them.  Apparently, this year's haute couture is Deathspitters with slimer maggots.  Naturally, I have a total of zero modelled on my Tyranids.  Most of the spare ones were chopped up for use in various conversion projects.  Which is a bit annoying really.  However,  since my faithful twin-linked devourers are all converted anyway and not actually official GW kit, I have decided to take the lazy option and just rename them.  This will save me several weeks worth of work.  Looking at some of the other options, Venom Cannons aren't half bad and Barbed Stranglers are really good. Spinefists, of which I own about 2.8 million, are still more or less shit and I remain completely ignorant about what the hell a Spike Rifle is.

I've magnetised about half of my monstrous creature weapon arms so, if the mood takes me, I can replace them with 8th edition hotness.  The Tyrannocytes weren't quite so lucky and I glued 15 venom cannons on them a couple of years ago in a rush to finish my army for a tournament.  Admittedly, this was an incredibly stupid thing to do whichever way you look at it and I have vivid memories of vapourising most of my own troops with scattered blasts.  I thought my fortunes had changed with 8th edition because the Venom Cannon option is a much better one now and not suicidal in any way, shape or form.  However, I noticed that Barbed Stranglers seemed expensive in comparison and when I worked it out, they do seem like a superior option, especially for stripping away bubble wrap.  So on Saturday when I should have spent the day painting the Redemptor, I wasted most of it rummaging around around in old boxes looking for spare guns and tut-tutting over old, half finished projects which I promised myself I would complete at some point.   Eventually I unearthed all 15 Barbed Stranglers (along with the Death Spitters) in an old tin.  And there was much rejoicing.

One thing I was really annoyed about was my Shrikes, which are now illegal.  You can't take boneswords and rending claws together and there is no way on God's earth that I'm cutting my babies up.  They are amongst my favourite conversions.  Again, I intend to just fudge it and label their feet-hand-things as Scything Talons.  I discovered that I can squeeze a Barbed Strangler (I think that's what it is) into the set as well and it looks quite cool.  Admittedly she has 5 arms now but who's counting?