Something Smells Fishy to Me - Painting a Piscean Warrior

Back in 1987, GW released its Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader game. Accompanying the rulebook, a small range of 14 miniatures were released in March 1987. The range included a selection of humans and aliens, including a large, rather odd-looking alien with fishy characteristics; a Piscean Warrior:

My original Piscean Warrior - painted ~10 years ago

Wasted Youth: First Ash Wastes Nomad

I've decided that my Brat gang needs some more opposition. Eventually I will finish off the Guilder gang, and have scavvies and techs waiting in the wings, but Ash Waste Nomads really caught my eye. Over the last couple of months I have acquired the classic Citadel and Marauder nomads from the early 1990s and want my gang to have that look: goggles, respirators, layered clothing and (most importantly) broad-brimmed hats!

 

Excellent Ash Waste Nomad banner by Will Beck

Happy Birthday Magpie and the Great Brat Giveaway

Can you believe it? Magpie and Old Lead is 12 months old today! I started the blog mainly as a focal point and repository for my hobby activities, which had been spread out across several forums. To my surprise, over the past year, the blog has become both a motivator for generating hobby content, and a gateway to other peoples’ hobbies.

Spookheads in Ferrograd - A BOYL Webcomic

 

Hooligans in the Hive - BOYL14

+++++TRANSMITTED: Necromunda (Palatine Spire)
+++++TYPE: Spire News Feed
+++++BOYL 014.M3
+++++REF: MAOL/0302995.49L
+++++SUBJECT: UNCONTROLLED GANG WARFARE

>>PROCESSING<<

>>TRANSMISSION<<

Reports confirmed of incidences of uncontrolled gang warfare breaking out in Hive Palatine. Ground car racing has destroyed exclusive upper spire 'Synth Meadows' open space. Vid-logs show alien species outside their designated sector engaged in destructive vehicle to vehicle combat with Hive Gangs and Brats.

>>Download Complete: Vehicles Involved<<

An Interview With...Illustrator Des Hanley

If you've been involved in the Games Workshop hobby for any length of time, you can't fail to be impressed from the lush and plentiful illustrations littered across their publications. From the early days in the 1980s, through to the present time, GW has literally published thousands of wonderful pieces of artwork in rulebooks, sourcebooks and novels. Each piece adds to the atmosphere of GW's fantasy worlds, and many are instantly unforgettable.

40k Chaos 'Abaddon & Cypher' (Des Hanley)

Des Hanley is one of the illustrators who responsible for some of this output. Working as an illustrator for GW from Oct 95 to Feb 1999, he worked on a wide range of projects, including Warhammer army books, Warhammer 40,000 codicies and the Battle Fleet Gothic game. Des has been kind enough to subject himself to being interviewed on his career in illustration and time working for GW.

Coming to the BOYL nicely

This weekend (8/9/10 August) holds the promise of some real excitement for fans of classic Citadel models and GW games; Foundry are hosting the Oldhammer 'Bring Out Your Lead' event; for the second year since its inception. The event is likely to be a rather free and bohemian affair, with a range of games being pushed round some tables. I believe there might also be some consumption of an alcoholic beverage or two in the evenings!

Although I can't attend the entire weekend, I've been given a pass for Friday evening socialising and Sunday gaming. Earlier I pulled together everything I'm planning to bring with me - here's the pile: