Hmmm...

So if I'm going to blog from Templecon, it looks like it'll need to be a two-pronged assault: Use the phone for pics and then go in and edit the entry with the iPod. I despise the crap that shows up on the picture messages from the phone and would rather go in and clean them up.

But, at the same time, it lets you, my handful of readers, know that I'm posting while AFK. I like the emails sent from the iPod because it tags it for you. I'll go back and try and edit the last post with the iPod and see how much of a pain it is. :P

From my phone

And here's a shot of the river city warmachine sweatshirt i had made to see if pics from my phone show up ok. entries sent from phone will lack capitalization - and paragraphs!

Edit: looks like I can edit while I'm in HTML mode but not preview. Makes sense I guess. Now the trick is to learn more of the shortcuts with ye olde iPod touch...

Testin

Trying to see how this email posting thing works, just in case I have
time to blog ffrom Templecon next week.this assumes I'll have wifi
access too.

Next up: test from the cell phone.

Sent from my iPod

The big push

These are the models I need to have painted by Wednesday. 

• Stormguard (10)
• Stormguard (10)
• ATGM (6)
• ATGM (6)
• Stormsmiths (3)
• ATGM UA
• Piper
• Ashlynn
• Reinholdt
• eEiryss
• Ol Rowdy
• Thunderhead Mk II
• Vanguard
• Sentinel
• Sentinel
• Bokur, aka Nikolai

If I did the math right, it's something like 46 models. It is very realistic to get all 20 Stormguard done today. I should be able to knock out the Gun mages too. Sunday is a lost day for painting since there's work and a Super Bowl party. But that still leaves me with enough time to get it all done. 

And since I'm painting for me, tabletop is acceptable. The models that get special attention will be the Thunderhead, Rowdy, Ashlynn, Vanguard, ATGM UA and eEiryss.

The other thing I realized -- I only knew I was going to Templecon barely over a month ago. I knew it was insane to think I'd have fully painted lists, but you've gotta try, right?

Keep your fingers crossed.

I've also got a unit of Steelhead Halberdiers I'm speed painting for a client. ;)

But if I can get this done, everything else will be cake...

T-minus... oh shit.

I should be more worried about the lack of models I have painted for the Challenge -- 21/69 completed with 5 (FIVE) days to go. I can do 30 troops in the next few days. Sword Knights should be finished tonight and then I'll press on and get Stormguard finished.

Then it's Ol' Rowdy and Thunderhead Mk II. Plus all the solos and Ashlynn and the Vanguard.

But yeah. Ten days until Templecon and me in Rhode Island for more Warmachine than I can handle. That's the t-minus that has me saying "oh shit" -- Will I be fully painted for Templecon or not? That's my worry. I know I've blown the Challenge; the Kriel Warriors aren't getting painted, neither is Kruger. But that's OK. I'll come pretty close.

Anyway, I'll survive. I think.

But here's an update, since I've been slacking. Again.

I can has Press Gangery!

So I got a cool package delivered to me at the game store on Friday. It looked like this:

I was expecting my MonPoc order, but when I opened the box, this was on top:

I've been a Press Ganger since Oct. 16, 2008. Now I finally have my shirt so I can be all official and stuff. Oddly enough, I feel the need to paint up one of my Mariners...

Here's a little story about the day I became a member of the Press Gang.

At 11:08 a.m. on Oct. 16, 2008, I got the email from Privateer Press saying I had been accepted as a member of their volunteer corps. I think I actually read the email around 11:16 a.m. Regardless, it made me very happy and I was excited to be a part of the group. Seriously, it's something I had wanted to be a part of for some time.

At 12:36 p.m., I got the call from my uncle saying my grandfather had died. It was expected, but it didn't make it hurt any less. Needless to say, I was in very low spirits that day. I was going to go to work, but that just wasn't going to happen. My shift got covered, I ended up at the store and went home after a few hours.

The one bright spot through all of this was becoming a PG. I'm sure it'll sound stupid to some folks, but it gave me something to look forward to. And now that I've been in for a few months, I've made some really good friends and will get a chance to meet some of them next month.

As much as I like WM/H and promoting the game and running events, I appreciate the camaraderie from the Gang and the friends I've made even more. It's amazing how being a part of a group of people who are passionate can change your outlook.

Anyway, that's my goofy little story.

Thanks for reading.

The poorly aimed Pounce

Day 17 is one to forget. I was truckin along on Kromac, and Lil Kromac took a dive and ended up in three pieces -- a poorly aimed pounce, as Devilsquid put it on the forums.

So I finally had one of those doh! painting moments they were talking about on the forums. I had Kromac in hand, he slipped and landed on the chair. I didn't try to stop him, which would have made it worse. I reached for him, he fell, bounced off my foot and onto the carpet. I didn't think it was all that bad until I saw his torso and then noticed he was missing an arm. *sigh*

It was easy to glue the torso on and get that all lined up, but I fucked up the right arm and now have a gap I'll need to GS. I tried to reposition the arm, but it wouldn't budge. So I used some Zap-CA to firm up the bond (should've done that to begin with) and since that glue is thinner than water, it got all over the place. I set the model aside and did some very angry base coating of Gun Mage Captain Adepts. About 90 minutes later, the pair were ready for details and final highlights. We went to dinner, so I didn't get them done. But it'll happen tonight. Along with the completion of Kromac.

Updates

OK, so I have been more of a slacker than Jen. I dropped out of the January Challenge, well, because I did. I didn't like the pressure I was putting on me to get things done, and the December holidays happened, and I wasn't in the groove of painting for the last part of the month.

I am just now getting back in the groove of things, and I have my first commission work: Mr. Kenny's Cygnar forces. I painted one Arcane Tempest Gun Mage and got the go ahead for the rest of the army. Here lies the challenge. They will be painted close to stock, the only difference being that they will be base Exile Blue instead of Cygnar Blue.

The first models on the desk are the rest of the ATGMs, and then probably Long Gunners and Trenchers. I may break things up by doing warjacks in between (or even during) units. I will try to post pictures as I get things done.

On a personal note, I have Brun and Lug inkedand ready to highlight, and I am slowly working on Gravus and a unit of Vengers (Protectorate Cavalry). Since I am still not working, I know I have plenty of time (at least until I go back to work, which should be spring, probably late).

January Challenge ~ Day 12

A quick update since I've been a slacker lately.

Finished the Striders most recently. That was a tough group of models to paint after the success that Warpy II proved to be. I don't know what it was about the Striders, I just didn't ever want to get them painted. I've been working on Bruce's Sisters of Battle and I'm painting them white (insanity, I know). I wanted them done last night, then tonight and well... maybe tomorrow?? I still have Kriel Warriors to paint. *sigh*

Played 1000 points vs. Staggs last week and got my ass kicked. Turn 3, after eStryker had murdered eCaine (who went all Matrix and shit, dodging a Centurion charge), the fate of the world rested with Ashlynn, who feated and rolled a crapton of dice. She did damage to Stryker, but not enough to kill. The reload shot from Reinholdt did jack and shit. Then it was up to the JWC... boost the attack, roll 5 dice thanks to the feat... and 1, 1, 1, 2, 2. And that was that. Her name will be Donny, after the character in "The Big Lebowski."

The best thing out of the game? My Sentinel (now dubbed "Kieffer," after the Nihilist played by Flea) rolled a 6 on the strafe attack. Thanks to the ATGM UA (aka "The Dude") and ricochet, I pulled off the coveted 14-shot storm of bullets. That killed not a single Storm Blade because eEiryss failed to shoot the unit to trigger Unravel and kill the upkeep. Yeah. It sucked. Oh well. 

Here are some pics from last week. You guilted me into it.

This is Warpy II. Easily the best model I've painted in two months.

The Dude, aka Jeffrey. He spilled his White Russian while marshaling the Sentinel.

The hated Striders, who are less hated because they're done.

Of course, I've also chosen to be derailed by some graphic design projects. I admit, I'm very proud of the results. 

Devilsquid on the forums asked me to make a banner for his new breast cancer awareness army. How could I say no?

Finally, I've been toying with t-shirts for ye olde Warmachine group. Playing with what I've done for my forum sig, I came up with this:

In our local meta, if it's a new model, it dies first. Then we ask, "what did that do?" It's also fitting because Boise PD has a rep for shooting first, missing a lot, then asking questions. I'm submitting the design to PP for final approval after I post this.

Anyway, that's about it for now. I will try to be better about keeping this updated, but honestly, the best place is my painting thread on the boards, unless there's stuff I can't really post there.

January Challenge ~ Day 4

Well, one mini painted so far -- Thorn. I'm pretty happy with the way he turned out. Now I just need to get some commissions done so I can pick up the new goodies that come out Wednesday -- Gun Mage Officer (aka The Dude) and Troll Hero. I have Striders on the desk right now, but Rowdy is calling to me, as is Kromac.

Anyway, here are a few pics of Thorn.

Yeah, he's a little beefy. But we like that.

Splashes of yellow that have become a part of the "new" paint scheme.

Glowing blue eyes. Yet he remains cheerful and full of glee.

More pics here on Flickr.