Objective Accomplished: 1000 Pageviews

The autumn is at the gates and this weekend, the 1st major milestone that I had set was reached.

One thousand pageviews , not counting mine of course,  is reached. I started this blig back on February (2014), as a hobby journal for my 558th "Ira Divina" Death Korps Company.  Since then I tried to keep you up-to-date with any progress made and also share with you successful techniques and also epic fails.

I wish I could thank each one of you from United States, United Kingdom. Germany, Australia, Vietnam, Spain, France, Canada, Denmark, China, Saudi Arabia and Sweden

Thank you all for the support! Your feedback is invaluable!

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AEGIS Defense Line - Krieg Style

Today I also started a new project. I will try to replicate the ADL in a more gritty style. The pics below are from a proof-of-concept model that I build with some FIMO clay and some stirring sticks. You can read more about creating sandbag walls here.

It is about 5 cm wide and 3,5 cm tall, so I think that it fits for the purpose.

I will keep you updated with the progress.

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Mk2 Tactical Field Tent Complete

Just finished the detailing and a few touch-ups. I am about 90% satisfied with the result. Comments and criticism are welcome.

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The future of Death Korps

Perhaps some of you have noticed the out of stock label in some of the Krieg models in Forgewold's store. This made me think about the future of our beloved army.

Since my early concerns and fears, that they are dropping the production line, proved wrong after reading a forum or two and also Forgeworld Newsletter #411:

"Been waiting to deploy fresh troops to your Death Korps of Krieg army? Well, now you can as the following Death Korps of Kreig Infantry kits are back in stock and available for you to order!"

They have spent time and money to craft new molds and restock. That's good.

DKoK army is very unique (and expensive) in WH40k universe and as such needs more love from the original creators. A couple of new sculpts would rejuvenate the product line and align to the new codex and general GW face lift.

Third party companies have seen the opportunity and created similar products to compensate with the lack of new models from FW.

100 years after the dawn of WW1, that is the main inspiration for the Krieg product line, would be a perfect milestone for a brand new model!

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7th Edition FAQs Updated!

Something originally from BoLS with links to all the updated FAQs of 7th ed. 

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Tactical MK2 Field Tent - Update

Another piece of terrain, fully scratch-built, for 558 Ira Divina Company. MK2 tents are standard issue equipment for command squads and act as field HQ for the company. Made of highly durable and lightweight fabric and nanocarbon matterials, provides protection against unfriendly environments, radiation, biological agents and also has anti-ballistic properties against small firearms.

Rules-wise (needs refining) provides 4+ cover save and has one (1) Structure Point.

Here is the making of...

Now it also has a base made of plaster gauze, white glue and some sand.
Needs touch-ups and a nice matte varnish coat.

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How to: Create kuler paint schemes

Typical questions in the hobby:

• "Will these colors look right on the model?", 
• "How to paint my army in order to look cool?", 
• "How to choose a unique color scheme?"

If you have asked yourself these questions before and found it hard to answer, then I think I can help. Actually, Adobe can. Adobe has created a nice and easy online tool that allows us to create a nice color palette with only a couple of clicks. 

So visit kuler and get hundreds (or even thousands) unique color combinations that look really cool. All you have to do now is pick a test model and give it a shot!

Added value #1: You can create a palette from an image by selecting the camera icon on the right.

Added value #2: You can select other palette algorithms (or Color Rules as Adobe names them) from the menu on the left.

Since the kuler app also gives you the RGB values for each color, here is the mapping to Citadel Color Range

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Letters of war

1.173.999.M41

My own beloved wife,

I do not know how to start this letter. The circumstances are different from any under which I ever wrote before. I am not to post it but will leave it in my pocket, if anything happens to me someone will perhaps post it. We are going over the top this afternoon and only The Emperor knows who will come out of it alive.

I am in His hands and whatever happens I will look to Him in this world and the world to come. If I am called my regret is that I leave you and my bairns. I go to Him with your dear face the last vision on earth I shall see and your name upon my lips, you the best of women. You will look after by darling bairns for me and tell them how their daddy died.

Oh! How I love you all and as I sit here waiting I wonder what you are doing at home. I must not do that. It is hard enough sitting waiting. We may move at any minute. When this reaches you for me there will be no more war, only eternal peace and waiting for you.

It is a legacy of struggle for you but The Emperor will look after you and we shall meet again when there will be no more parting. I am to write no more sweetheart… Kiss the bairns for me once more. I dare not think of them my darlings.

Goodbye, you best of women and best of wives, my beloved sweetheart. May The Emperor in His mercy look over you and bless you all… May He in that same mercy preserve me today. 

Eternal love from
Pvt. 558-147523-628

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News and rumors 0.131.014.M03

War on a new front!

Video from Spikey Bits with sneak preview of White Dwarf #15 New 7th Edition 40k Preview Warhammer 

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0.126.014.M03 - There is no time for peace...

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Serendipity terrain - Update

Sorry I didn't post any WIP shots but I had a slight issue with my camera. Here, still WIP, my new piece of terrain. Almost complete, but I would like to add more brown hues and some water effects to increase the gritty/muddy look.

Materials used:

• Balsa wood (1 mm as a base) about 6" square
• Slides of paper tube for the craters base shape
• Plaster gauze
• White glue

Progress so far:

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Serendipity terrain

+++ INCOMING TRANSMISSION +++

++FROM SGT. 558-482934-023++

++TO 558 ASSAULT BRIGADE HIGH COMMAND++

++DATE 1.087.998M41++

++CODE 62AC22C59ABF12BF168B217711F5D3B0++

++CLEARANCE INDIGO++

++SUBJECT SABOTAGE REPORT++

++DURING NIGHT HOURS OF 1.087.998M41 CHAOS FORCES INFILTRATORS MANAGED TO BREACH OUR PERIMETER AND SUCCESSFULLY IMPLANTED IED ON EQUIPMENT OF THE I/PLATOON. INFILTRATORS SPOTTED AND EXECUTED ON THE SPOT BY DUTY GUARDS. OUTCOME ONE (1) STORM CHIMERA [SN 287-4657-558-42] DESTROYED. TWO (2) INFILTRATORS NEUTRALIZED AND IDENTIFIED AS LOCAL CHAOS AGENTS. INCREASED PERIMETER DEFENSE ESTABLISHED. FIELD INTELLIGENCE REPORT 13.8% PROBABILITY OF ALPHA LEGION OPERATIVES IN AREA.FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS.

THE EMPEROR PROTECTS++

+++ END OF TRANSMISSION +++

I have done many stupid things during my (short) modeling career, most of the times because of ignorance and inexperience. This time it was my impatience that gave me troubles. To cut a long story short, while I had almost completely magnetized the hull of the Storm Chimera I put it into the oven (about 30-40C) for a couple of minutes, for the glue to dry faster. My beloved wife - completely unintentionally - raised the oven temperature to about 100 C. This couple of minutes were enough for me to have a realistically melt chimera hull. Though I was frustrated, it was an accident.

So I cleaned it up, primed it grey and airbrushed it to the colors of 559th Ira Divina Company.

Currently I have sealed it with mat varnish and applied a burnt umber (what an irony...) oil wash.

 A new piece of terrain emerges from its (nearly) ashes.

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The Storm is coming...

A few days ago I received a parcel from Forgeworld. Project Storm Chimera was about to begin!

The Storm Chimera is a minor Chimera variant used by the regiments of the Death Korps of Krieg. The preferred combat doctrine of the Death Korps holds that either its troops not be reliant on mechanised transports or that its regiments utilise much larger and heavier transports such as the Gorgon for heavy assaults. As such, the Chimera sees limited use in the Death Korps of Krieg and most commonly as the Storm Chimera variant. This configuration is issued to specilised frontline assault units and is simply an up-armoured standard Chimera with extensive ablative armour plating to increase its endurance. The Storm Chimera is also always armed with a turret-mounted Autocannon in place of the standard Multi-Laser,  for both its increase in firepower and its ease in munitions resupply.

Project plan

Justification
The need for a rapid deployment all-terrain vehicle that can provide firepower support to the advancing units.

Step 1. Gather required parts
Chimera Autocannon Turret
Chimera Armoured Skirts
Chimera Track Guards

Step 2. Assembly
I wanted to have all options of this Chimera variant so magnets was the only way.
So, until now, I have magnetized the dozer blade, the hunter-killer missile and both heavy flamer and heavy bolter.

The most challenging part was the hunter-killer missile, where I used a piece of sprue to create a base for the missile.

In the next few days I will also magnetize the Armoured Skirts.

The progress so far:

Step 3. Painting 
...

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News and rumors 0.68.014.M03

Is this the new Imperial Guard Codex??

New Imperial Guard codex. #wh40k pic.twitter.com/Rjj9zcfLhr
— allmyownbattles (@allmyownbattles) March 9, 2014

There are some really nice models to come... Leaked pictures from the new codex!

New Imperial Guard. #wh40k pic.twitter.com/x2QHXr8atp
— allmyownbattles (@allmyownbattles) March 9, 2014

Read more from BoLS here

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News and rumors 0.67.014.M03

Latest update form BoLS

Here is the latest word on the Armored Fist of the Emperor.  Further rumors have come down on exactly what that first week will bring:

Imperial Guard will take up a 3 week release slot.

- Week one is up for preorder with the March 22nd White Dwarf.


Week 1: three kits:

- Ogryns/Bullgryns plastic combo-kit (one unit with ranged weapons, the other with giant shields and close combat weapons)
- Stormtroopers/Veterans combo-kit
- Unseen "Big transport" kit.


This new vehicle is said to be able to move entire squads of Ogryns and other stuff (so apparently more transport space than the Chimera).  This kit is said to be roughly Land Raider sized.  Previous "big tank" chatter over a month ago has also described it as being influenced by the Forgeworld Malcador's design. 

Read original story here

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News and rumors 0.061.014.M03

I have read something like this before. The point is that if Forgeworld products become available through GW shops worldwide, armies like Death Korps will become more accessible to the public, the overall cost of order will go down, as it will minimize shipping costs and finally these armies will get more love.

via an anonymous source on Faeit 212
A number of stores in the North America market has received new order points to go with the new website design.  I know that several stores in Texas, Colorado, California will have their systems up and running, with new training by mid-April.

I have overheard, then read that Memphis, TN store will/already has the update and is rumored to soon be carrying Forge World product.

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Artillery Crew

I could see that the pics quality suck! I dug out my old camera and took a few better shots of the models so far.

Last update includes Heavy Mortar Crew painted at the regular color scheme of Ira Divina Company. Enjoy!!

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Command Squad

The Death Korps of Krieg Command Squad is the backbone of my Ira Divina Company, Infantry Platoon.

• Sgt. 558-482934-023, armed with a power sword
• Pvt. 558-267923-434 as a standard bearer
• Pvt. 558-147523-628, armed with a plasma rifle
• Pvt. 558-649023-229, armed with melta
• Pvt.(COMM) 558-199102-529 as a vox-caster

Their bases are muddy and gritty with a mix of PVA glue and brown, once dry I liberally applied thin coats of all the browns that I have. The planks are made of Starbucks stirring sticks with yellow undercoat and heavy brown wash.

Techniques used for the first time:

• OSL at the plasma
• Gradient painting of the power sword with an airbrush
• Gritty longcoats with a few thin layers of watered down (1:1) dark earth (Vallejo Air), applied below the waist.

Coming up next... The fist squad

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News and rumors 0.045.014.M3

Republished from belloflostsouls.net
Read full post here
Imperial Knights
Imperial Knights Codex (March)
Knight Model makes multiple variants.
40kRadio adds:
1st Army: Imperial Knights Army
2nd Army: MechanicumArmy
3rd Army: FreebladesArmy (Mercs thatcan ally)
Imperial Guard (Astra Militarum)
-Plastic Ogryns
-Plastic Stormtroopers
-New large tank
40kRadio adds:
-Commissar Squads
-New Larger Transport
-Stormtroopers,Commissar Squads,and Bullgryns are Astra Auxilary. These units may be takenas "plug-ins" to other Imperial armies.
-Catachans and Cadians are covered in the new codex. Catachans are not going to direct only.
Warhammer 40,000 7th Edition
7th Edition arrives in May
-A "true" release
- Updatedfortificationfules
- Integrated super-heavy rules
- Clarifications and FAQed rules from 6th
Lower quality chatter speaks of:
-Overwatch altered to deny shooting next turn
-Unit to unit assault leaping via consolodation moves returning to the rulese

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Heavy Mortar from Forgeworld

Recently, I finished a Forgeworld Heavy Mortar that is Element (I) of the 1st Battery of Ira Divina Company. I have also magnetized the wheels with a couple of 2x1mm rare earth magnets.
The model was very easy to assemble with minimum flush and mold lines.

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How To: Make a sandbag wall

I had many inquiries regarding the method I use to build sandbag walls. So I decided to make a brief tutorial about the subject.

The method used is not a sophisticated one and I cannot claim originality or copyright.

Material used

• FIMO clay (I suppose that it works with any type of modeling clay but I use this brand) 
• Piece of textured cloth (personal taste goes here) 
• Piece of gloves (optional but useful) 

Paints, ordered by use (Personally I use Vallejo)

• Black (for basecoat) 
• Brown (heavy drybrush) 
• Yellow (light drybrush) 
• Brown wash (oil/acrylic) apply freely all over the model 
• Highlight with light brown or even white 

1. Pickup some of the clay and work it with your fingers to get warm and soften up.
2. Make a sausage a couple of millimeters thinner than the size you want to achieve.
3. Use the textured cloth to roll the clay so the texture transfers to the clay.
4. Flatten the clay with your fingers.
5. While still covered use a slashing tool to cut partly equal sized pieces .
6. Use the same tool and press gently to the side of each bag to make the sewing line.
7. Handle each piece and build your wall (gloves are useful in this step)
8. Let it dry (or cook it) according to instructions

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Small bunker

So, it's getting final, this is the result of my first 3d modeling attempt. It is based on the blueprints of a Belgian bunker of WW2, re-scaled for use with my Death Korps of Krieg army. The roof is removable and in the interior fits a 60mm base.

Total dimensions (LxWxH): 12x14x6 cm

I  have located a 3d printing service near-by. If the cost is affordable I'll give it a shot and print it.

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Small bunker - Detailing

It's cold and rainy the last couple of days and I had the time to add some detail to the small bunker

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Bunker Concept 3D Art

Quite recently, I started using Google SketchUp to create some 3D concept models. This is the first model of a series of WW2 inspired bunkers for my Krieg army.

I will start looking around for a decent 3d printing service to build a prototype.

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Death Korps of Krieg - Ira Divina Company

Just before Christmas, I started a new Death Korps of Krieg (a.k.a DKoK) army and though quite expensive, I like their theme a lot. For the paint scheme I chose dark blue colors with bronze details and the gritty-dirty-muddy look. As for the name, I found that Ira Divina (Latin: Divine Wrath) is an appropriate one.

The army currently consists of:

• 1x Command Squad
• 1x Infantry Squad Firing
• 1x Heavy Mortar & Crew

A total of 19 models, which are almost finished painted and based.

Next I'm planning to get (not in this order):

• a Chimera (and convert it to an Assault Chimera) 
• a Leman Russ Tank
• another 10 man squad
• a Centaur Carrier

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Post of Initiation

Welcome to Astra Militarium! I'm a Warhammer 40k hobbyist, self taught painter and collector. I will use this blog to share my thoughts and work, so if you are interested feel free to come aboard. I do not intend to challenge the intellectual property of anyone, if offended by something in this post please contact me.

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