Legion Imperialis Solar Auxilia Ordnance – Medusas and Basilisks
Given that the Solar Auxilia needs some more firepower, I made my next priority painting some Basilisks. With four extra chassis, I filled them out with Medusas, as they might be useful in missions that require buildings to go away.
Next: probably moving on to Titans! Plus some more Orks, Marines, and Tyranid Gothic Ships!
Legion Imperialis Astartes Infantry – 4th box complete, plus apothecaries!
Been working on this off and on for a while, but I’ve finally finished my 4th box of Legions Imperialis Astartes Infantry!
Starting off, I corrected an oversight. The new rules allow for Apothecaries to be attached to Legion Bolter units, so I fished out some models from my bitz box (never throw anything away!) and made four Bolter bases with Apothecaries:
Next, a fourth Captain
Bolters
Terminators
Plasma Gunners
Assault Marines
Missile Launchers
…and Dreadnoughts
Next: more Legions tanks, Solar Aux Infantry, and some Orks!
Tyranid Gothic expansion – more escorts!
As you saw earlier, I helped two people at AFK get into Battlefleet Gothic. Talk of a campaign was had, but there were not really enough people to make it work.
I considered at this time to use my Tyranid fleet. However, when breaking down the points, I didn’t really have enough to do a full campaign list.
So I did what I do.
I went overboard.
Six Kraken with torpedoes. These are Warrior bodies, Mawloc fangs on the side, two Gaunt Adrenal Glands for the rear thruster, and flesh hooks for the torpedoes.
Five more Kraken with Massive Claws. I have several of these already, this brings the total to 11. The front is a Hive Guard Spike Rifle, the back is a Devourer, and the armor vanes are Genestealer armor plates cut in half.
A similar build, Kraken with Feeder Tentacles. These are Spore Mines cut off the base with Flesh Hook tips covering up the cut ends. The top is cut off with clippers and stuck onto a Venom Cannon with more Genestealer armor on the sides.
Again, I’ve made these before, but now I have more. Vanguard with Feeder Tentacles. Hive Crone Tentaclid with Fleshborers on the bottom as thrusters.
I made these a while ago, but hadn’t shared the pics. The fighters (left) are venom glands with a flesh hook tip as the rear thruster. The Assault Boat (right) is the top of a Ripper, with the top of a Spinefist in the rear and two venom glands at the front. Both are supported with the stalks of Flesh Hooks leftover from clipping the tips. Remember, NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY! You never know when it could come in handy.
Next: Legion Imperialis Astartes Infantry, the fourth box which will give me full formations of the support stands!
Khalil and Piers – Azure Flames Primaris Captain project complete!
In 2024 I set out to replace all of my older and almost never used Space Marine Captains with Primaris versions of themselves (which also probably would rarely be used).
2025 sent that for a curveball with all of my painting competitions. There were only two left and they sat on the backburner.
In truth, they were 99% done until today. I was waiting for a custom waterslide transfer order. Now, they are finished.
I’ll start with Khalil. He uses the new (but not the newest!) Space Marine Captain with Jump Pack model. Because the newest model allows for Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield, I used Vanguard Veteran bits for the arms. Additionally, older players will recognise that head from the 3rd edition Tactical Squad box; the same head I used for Khalil in his two previous models.
Standard paint job, but I’ve added a glow effect that I practiced on my Inceptor models last year for the jump pack. I also gave special attention to the script on the shield and pauldron.
Khalil was recruited from an ailing Hive world past its prime; where being able to climb the rotting superstructure of the domes meant the difference between life and death. He broke the record for shortest time in the aspirant trials, and was, after serving in the reserve companies, assigned to a Land Speeder squadron. His squadron was destroyed by the forces of Victor Kalan during his dark campaign with The Alliance, but Khalil managed to crawl from the wreckage with what remained of then Lieutenant and soon-to-be-Captain Edgard. Khalil continued to serve and was promoted to Captain during the opposition campaign against Grimgull the Red. Khalil himself had the distinction of ending the Red Ork, but not before Matthius, Prophet of the Four had reclaimed the daemonsword Ba’arzunipal.
After the Chasma Spica war, Khalil struck out with a portion of the fleet after the fleeing Chaos Warlord Esharradon of the Sicarii. The relentless campaign of vengeance earned him the nickname “Fury of Iperin” as he was a living embodiment of the wrath of the Azure Flames’ new homeworld.
Before the Omega War, Khalil almost lost his Battle Barge, His Anvil (additionally most of the 7th company and his own life). However, due to the brave actions of Zeraf Antonius, His Anvil was salvaged and refurbished. Now, Khalil lives every day trying to live up to the name Fury of Iperin, slaughtering the foes of the Imperium with speed and precision.
Piers was named by my friend Joe during our writing of Big Game V. I chose his first name after Virgil from the 90’s television adventure cartoon Might Max. Piers’ voice is Virgil’s haughty British one on the occasion that I hear him speak in my head. He uses the new Space Marine Gravis Captain model, modified with a bit of green stuff at the shoulder to cover one of the WORST MODELING GAPS I HAVE SEEN in a modern GW model. Additionally, the helmeted head had the neck clipped and was attached to the hip, and the head replaced with the pewter head that Piers’ previous model had (the Captain with the Thunder Hammer from the old pewter Master of the Chapter box set).
Piers has a small OSL effect on his wrist, and the VII on his leg is a custom decal that I ended up painting over. The “purple” from the printer was a bit more like dark purple and red pixels, probably due to printing limitations, and the top had an unsightly white stripe. I covered it gently with the same purple as the cloak.
The Azure Flames have a policy; if they answer your distress call and fail, they save whoever they can as Chapter Serfs. If they succeed, they ask for a percentage of age-appropriate boys to take the tests to join the Chapter. This policy has been in place since the Azure Flames were the Sons of the Salamander. One year after their Founding, the flagship His Hammer responded to a daemonic incursion on a small space station. Few survived, but Chapter Master Logain himself led the counter-incursion and banished the last of the daemons back to the Warp. With a successful mission, the station owed a portion of its youth to the Chapter, and that was Virgil Piers, the only surviving child on the station.
Born in the void, trained to operate high tech void weapons for the majority of his life, and possessing a once-in-a-generation genius, Piers showed tactical acumen that made him a Sergeant faster than anyone else in the Chapter (only later surpassed by Zeraf Antonius). Ambushes, sieges, counter-sieges, line duty, covert actions, and any other scenario was understood, enhanced, and executed superbly under his leadership. His experience in Void Combat let him eventually be appointed Master of the Fleet by Atrus himself. Piers rarely leaves the Command Throne of His Hammer II. Now that the Chapter has a homeworld, he tends to lead expeditions on behalf of the Chapter. Only recently during the relief of the 4th company on Altea has he commanded the fleet in its entirety.
And that wraps up the Primaris Captain project! Now all ten captains plus the Chapter Master have new models and backstory.
Next: Legion Imperialis Astartes Infantry!
Ork Warbosses!
Just in time for the new Warboss model to come out and add a machine gun Grot to the Warboss’ unit, I have completed two older Warbosses to lead Lads and Nobs alike!
The distinguished gentleman on the left is Finecast, with a plastic Nob power klaw and a Squig added. Note that the cloth on his bosspole is unique; the Finecast pole snapped and there was no way to pin it, so I sculpted cloth to compensate. The wonderful customer on the right is the Assault on Black Reach boss, with a custom resin base he had from his former owner. Once again a squig was added.
Next: Two Space Marine Captains are almost done, and I’m going to finish my fourth box of LI Astartes Infantry to finally be able to field maximum units of specialty troops!
Ork Kommando Addendum – Weapon Options
When I made my Kommandos in 5th edition, there were no official models, and much fewer options. In January I planned to add two custom shootas, a breaching ram, and a rokkit launcha, but my basement was too cold to paint in. Then, in February, I was on vacation and had a major surgery. But I’m back, and the new Kommandos are finally done!
The custom shootas are big shootas with other things bolted on. The breaching ram is the official model, bitz ordered.
Next, I continue the project I started in 2024, the Primaris Captain project with Khalil with Jump Pack and Piers in Gravis! Stay tuned!
Fourstrands 15th anniversary! AFK swap meet!
This past Saturday I celebrated the 15th anniversary of Fourstrandshobby.com! I’m a bit bad at remembering to post about it though. However some really cool stuff happened!
AFK Games in Holt hosted a swap meet, and I’m glad to say I sold a bunch of stuff sitting in my basement gathering dust. I also picked up a Star Wars board game. But the best part was meeting a younger guy and another guy my age who play Battlefleet Gothic! Expect a battle report and possibly a campaign!
Further, Lexington and Andy were there and we caught up on old times! Great memories. I also brought my Bitz Boxes and gave away some bitz to some younger kids who were just getting in to 40k!
Next I have some vacation planned, but I’m adding to my Ork Kommandos and trying to finish the Primaris Captain project!
Finish It Complete! All Painting competitions finished!
It is done! All painting competitions are one hundred percent complete!
This has been a long time coming. So many things to paint. There were a lot of difficulties, like the tiny details on all the Legion minis, the colors on the Necromunda girls, and the sheer volume of the Orks. But I worked hard and budgeted time, and it paid off.
Without further ado, here’s the final project: The Nicassar Dhows!
These Dhows are painted in the same color scheme as the “official” scheme shown back long ago when GW sold these, but elevated with Turbo Dork paints. They don’t photograph well, but let me assure you they are SHIMMERY.
Of course, these Dhows are magnetized to their bases to allow them to do… this!
Adding the Dhows to the Orbital I painted previously lets me field a Caravan if I wish. Basically a much worse version of the Blackstone Fortress, but also cheaper.
With this, the Finish It competition is complete!
Here is the whole Finish It challenge.
Wait a minute… that’s not my normal work table. That looks like…
WHOA! That’s a lot of minis! In fact, it’s ALL OF THE MINIS I PAINTED THIS YEAR!
Oh, yes, this is pretty far away. Zoom and Enhance! (or just take more pics)
Here’s Q1. The Space Marines are: Chapter Master Perseus (painted BEFORE the competitions but during January), Captain Valerien, a unit of six Intercessors, and a Redemptor Dreadnought. Above them, a Warboss in Mega Armour, five Meganobs, Ten Ork Boys, and a unit of Squighogs plus a Trukk that should have been in Q3 but looks better here.
Q2 starts in the middle with the Necrimunda Escher gangers and friends, then above with the Orks, a Beastboss, ten Beast snaggas, eight Lootas with two Spannas, a Deffkilla Wartrike, three Warbikers, and a Trukk. Below, from Q2 orks, a Shokkjump Dragsta, 10 Nobs, a Big Mek with a Shokk Attack gun, 20 Gretchin with two Runtherds, and a Trukk.
This is Q3 with the first 1/2 year competition. Above, 10 Flash Gitz, two units of 5 Stormboys, and 10 Kommandos. In the middle, the All the Same competition Minotaur, the Color Competition Lieutenant from the Star Cyclones, and the Carthaginian Elephants. Below that, the 1/2 year competition Legiones Astartes Sons of Horus, consisting of two sprues each of: Infantry, Support, Fast Attack, Rhinos, and Kratos tanks.
Finally, here’s Q4 and the 2nd 1/2 year competition. The orks were seen better above. The Finish It competition is eight Tau Wardens, two Tau Messengers, eight Tau Transports, a general purpose Orbital, an Air Caste city, an Orbital with four Gravitic Hooks which can be combined with four Nicassar Dhows to make a Nicassar Caravan, and of course the Dhows and their magnetic bases. Below that, the 2nd 1/2 year Solar Auxilia, which consists of two sprues each of: Infantry, Support, Dracosans, Leman Russ, and Leman Russ Exterminators.
There you have it! That’s a year of painting! Slightly more if you count Perseus. Am I done?
HAHAHAHAHAHA NOPE!
There’s a super secret project I’m working on! (don’t get hyped, it’s small, but it is secret!) Additionally, I am planning out next year; this won’t be at AFK, as my pile of gray doesn’t line up with the competitions anymore.
Speaking of AFK, here are the minis due by the end of the year in the cases, ready for judging:
You’ll notice that the Orks are so numerous they don’t fit on one shelf!
Next, the Super Secret Project, and a timeline for 2026, in which we will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Fourstrandshobby.com!
Color Study – Turbo Dork Absinthe and Pearly Gates
For the final project of my Finish It painting competition, I decided to paint my Nicassar Dhows in the “official” scheme from the GW website back when they were sold, but a little elevated. The scheme is bone and teal. To make this a bit more fancy, I turned to the Turbo Dork line of shimmery iridescent paint. Specifically, Absinthe and Pearly Gates.
Having never used these paints, I decided to do a color study. I undercoated several Space Marines with Wraithbone, Grey Seer, and Black. The two non-black colors had shading, and the black had highlights as seen below:
From left to right, Wraithbone, Wraithbone with Nuln Oil wash, Grey Seer, Grey Seer with Nuln Oil wash, Black with Slapchop highlight, Black with stark white highlight, and Black.
I painted these seven models one side Absinthe and one side Pearly Gates. The density of the paint was extremely low so each model got 2-3 coats until it was smooth. Here are the results:
Undercoating matters quite a bit. I found that shading is significantly reduced. The thin paint works better as a top coat for an existing color. Not shown is a study on the Absinthe over Sybarite Green which works well.
Next: I finish the Finish It!
2nd 6 Month Challenge Complete – Legion Imperialis Solar Auxilia Leman Russ
These little guys have taken a back seat as I attempted to get ahead on other projects, but they finally got onto the front burner. The final entry for the 2nd 6 Month challenge – eight Leman Russ Battle Tanks!
…and here’s the whole 6 moth challenge!
Next: twenty Gretchin and two Runtherds, then four Nicassar Dhows and that will complete all challenges! Plus, a surprise addition!