SFX048 - Helix Labs

So - first building of the new year.  The Helix Labs (£6 RRP) is one of the smaller building sets, with a main building and a smaller garrison.  Starting here is the "completed" article.  I think they both look pretty quite cool.  When I go back to the weathering and detail stage, I think I'll probably end up picking up a lot of the detail on the "K-Shape" side-piece, but I'm calling them done for now.

Angled view

Straight on

If you're interested, below are some of the WIP stages.  The majority of the construction and painting was done using the same methodology as the Brownstone Rows - spray paints (Halfords red, white and grey primers, and Army Painter Brown), and masking.  Here we go ...

Helix Lab still on Sprue

Body of Main Building

Main building undercoated, test fit of side pieces

Masked side pieces, white already on underneath, red just done

Main building with extra colour (masking tape already removed)

Initial undercoating of the smaller building

 These were the main WIP pictures I took.  The whole building went together quite nicely as shown on the top picture.  As it happened, when I first got sent the building it had been mispacked and there were two sheet 2's.  Therefore I built an additional small building out of that and some spare doorways from the Cradle Commerce building:

Original article on the left, kit-bash on the right

This building took one about 6 hours all in to put together and get to this point ... lets see how it fits on the board.

Until next time Commanders ...

- Bsking

New Year, New Conquest ...

So the end of last year didn't go quite as planned.  Not on the hobby front, just on the 'writing it up' front!

As such, I've decided to come up with a bunch of goals for 2020 that should hold me to task.  Here goes nothing:

Goal #1 - Post every 2 weeks

As stated above, it's not that there's been no progress, I just haven't been writing it up.  The Battle for Earth Event Board is getting there, and the Battle for Earth Campaign has reached the end of the third battle!  I'm drafting articles for them so I won't spoil the surprise, but at least I've got a wealth of material to work with.  So if I fail to post, it won't be for a lack of material.

Goal #2 - Complete the Battle for Earth Event Board

It's the reason I started the blog.  So I should probably make this at least the secondary goal!

Goal #3 - Share my forces from the DropCommander Universe

Once the BfE gaming table is complete, I'm gonna need some forces to fight over it!  I've got semi-decent sized forces of UCM, Scourge, Shaltari & Resistance - in order to make a dent in the painting activities, I'll need an incentive - perhaps this can be it!

Goal #4 - Fight more battles!

There's no point in having all the toys, and no-one to play with!  We'll get the Campaign completed, but then there should be plenty of time after to try some other scenarios etc...  If anyone has any ideas, let me know in the comments below!

Goal #5 - Make sure the "to do" pile gets smaller

With the new Dropzone Commander releases, and the Dropfleet Commander releases, it's pretty certain that the collections (of all types!) will increase.  As such, I'll run a counter on the ol' lead pile to try to encourage a general decrease of the size!

That'll do for a set of goals.  Lets see how it goes ...

- Bsking