Operation Dead-Pile in progress, Necromancer and Grave Guard finished

As far as I know every hobbyist has his own lead-pile or plastic heap: the collection of cool models that just had to be bought, but haven't been painted yet. Recently I started noticing a related phenomenon. I have an ever growing collection of models halfway through a paintjob that subsequently never got finished. Now the lead-pile will be there (and grow) forever, but I think this dead-pile can be rectified (and if not, I'll have a bunch more models painted so its one of those win-win type situations). I've called this new activity Operation Dead-Pile, mostly because I was really stumped for a title to this post (ssssh don't tell anyone). Between my regular painting (currently enjoying old Empire Freeguild models) I'll just grab a unit or model that is languishing with a basecoat and some colors blocked in and finish the thing of (quality be damned!)

The trick to finishing toy soldiers is occasionally just forcing yourself to sit down and do the work. Oh no, forced fun, life is hard ;)

This unit of Grave Guard had been standing around in basic metallics and Kantor Blue dresses for far too long. I planned to paint the accompanying Necromancer on Nightmare as a fun Friday evening's job. This model ended up as 'black shrouded riderless horsey' and his sidekick 'purple guy splayed on a square cavalry base'. The undynamic duo was actually getting quite good at blocking my acces to the water pot, standing in the way while grabbing the airbrush to follow up with a blockade of the wet palette. I started with the necromancer, using an old GW picture as a painting guide and taking special care of his eyes (of course).

I am finally mastering eyes! Yes I'll probably keep shouting this one of the rooftops for some time to come...

The model started its live around 2004 (I think) being called a Necrarch Vampire and it has the pointy teeth to prove it. I don't quite understand why the AoS app has him labeled as a Necromancer on Nightmare. I do know odd stuff happens in the app (and on paper), but this seems a bit silly. I ran him as a Necromancer in his first battle last Wednesday and watching him get thoroughly murdered by a flight of Seraphon Ripperdactyl Riders convinced me to just go for the label Vampire Lord in the future.

I stuck my painted model on the tabletop a day after finishing him, three guesses what happened (hint: it was really gruesome (even for undead standards)).

There he is, proudly bolstering the Nightmare Legion (and seconds before getting introduced to the concept of 'Death from Above'). I probably should mention his base. I used the Dark Runes texture roller from Green Stuff World to make it look a little bit more interesting. I think it makes for a rather effective base.

and off they march, new Realms to despoil and long discussions about the nature of the guy in purple to be had.

On to the Grave Guard group. I actually bought this unit for the bits as I have a group of Blood Knights (not the 'take a second mortgage variants') on my conversion table that needed sprucing up. When I bought them I thought 'how long can ten skeletons take?' Well...quite long if you don't sit down and apply some paint. This is a quick, dirty and simple paint job involving blocking in colors, using Agrax Earthade to sort out the details, basic layering and judicious (I hope) use of Nihilakh Oxide and Modelmates Rust. In the end the models looked a bit boring so I used a bit of paper as a quick mask and airbrushed an interesting green transition on their cursed Great Wight Blades. I ended up free handing a skull on their banner using a (googled) bad tattoo as inspiration.

All in all two more units done, extra eye practice and a small part of the dead-pile has been dealt with. Aside from that 'horsey and purpleboy' will no longer be blocking access to items on my paint station. I like the new program already.

Now where does one acquire pre-painted models to repaint?

In unrelated news, I completely forgot to award myself extra stamps to the bingo card for a few previous jobs. This has been remedied. I've added 'Paint all the miniatures in a board game and play it', for my Silver Tower set and 'Convert a model' for the Grave Guard above as I've added Great Wight Blades in one handed poses for the musician and standard bearer in the unit above. With 13 boxes left open and 2018 having only 3 more months I may have to consider targeting a few spaces to get my bingo in (on the other hand this ambition might join 'getting a display army ready for armies on parade').