From DavidB - More Catachans....also Ray and Fran! (160 points)

I unfortunately missed last week, but my civilian job had me on overtime. With the cold temps, flu stricken co-workers, and my 12 hr shifts...well I did get to paint a little! I have seen everyone's posts even if i didn't leave a comment. But I was able to briefly forget about the snow and cold in my downtime of viewing the scads of World War, Nappies, medieval, Scifi, and fantasy works on view! ;)

Which brings me to this entry. My first time going to war in the 80's was a total disconnect from home. Cars, movies, family, people..huge changes on my return. My last deployment to Afghanistan was really different than the ones before. When not on mission, we had Internet, current movies, pizza, hamburgers, face book, email, ...home was a lot closer. Hour shift left the time with my kids and wife scant on Skype as we were in total opposite time zones, but after that little moment all I had was gym, movies, and the Internet till the next mission.

I missed gaming and painting and having battle with my friends, so I began to search war gaming on the Internet. I found Ray's blog and his great looking minis and flags...of course I also found our favourite Irishman Fran. Those two were constantly at it and turning out all sorts of minis. It reminded me of my friends back home. I started my own blog when I got home and probably would have left it after my initial posts, but Fran and Ray kept showing up and commenting which kept me at the brushes. Resilience is having something constructive to do as well as support of friends and family.

Fran to the left and Ray to the right. Fran favours a grimy camouflage scheme while Ray prefers

the more "uniform" look.

" What are we here for, Lurker?"

"ORKS, you iggit!"

"Orks don't exist"

"Then what did you just chop up?"

"A tree."

The Catachan Pattern Variant uses the chain blade and heavy flamers. Heavy flamers use promethium, but I suspect that the Badger and Lurker have swapped that fuel for Dettol. If you have no idea what that is, read Fran's blog!

Three plastic mortar teams for a heavy slot, I'd like to get another three.

I mixed up the bits from the infantry and used extra bits to jazz up the real estate on the bases

Three snipers for an elite choice, they get to stay hidden till used.

These are the metal ones, I think they are still available but in resin now.

A whole unit of "tread fethers" the missile ,er, rocket launcher teams are not allowed as a heavy weapon choice unless placed in a platoon squad, and they haven't been slotted in either platoon as I like the heavy flamer more.

These were an eBay purchase and came assembled as they are shown.

Twelve remnants from the force organisation. They can be used for all sorts of stuff including remnant squads, I can even make another elite assault team from this bunch also.

The command squad. This is GW's way of apologising for the plastic infantry. Every special weapon including sniper rifle and heavy flamer is included in the kit. Every bit in the kit is really good too.

The grass snakes medic and the plastic heavy flamer that is even better that the metal ones! The Doc is about to give someone a pick-me-up. Drink water and change your socks are the only words anybody has ever heard him say... 

The commo trooper has a huge radio set for the commander to talk over everybody!

A scarred Mohawk head and this wonderful kinda relaxed pose- I hid the skull he is standing on in static grass. His scarred face had angular features like mine, so I gave him some proper war paint and reddened his weapon arm with red ink.

Lots of detail on the plastics including the medical emblem on doc's backpack. The carbine with doc was added on. Although he has a bone saw and knife, I thought he needed a rifle and the stock-folding lasgun seemed a good fit.

Another shot of the First Nation hidden in the force! ;)

I haven't gotten Col Stracken, but here is Sly Marbo. We all know the riff he is taken from!

Probably one of my favourite special character sculpts too.

And here is the entire Catachan Deathworld Veteran force- The Grass Snakes. I have no more Catachans in the house other than the Orlock gang I plan to repaint. They get their first outing this Monday in the jungle against orcs. I'm on vacation now....well after military drill this weekend.

12 Catachans

3 mortar teams

3 tread-fethers

3 snipers

4 command squad troops

1 special character

and of course...

The Lurker and Badger....hmmm,

Doesn't quite have the same ring as The Falcon and the Snowman does it?!?

Well, another huge deployment of the dreaded Death World forces, and another avalanche of points burying me in a side duel...so...many...Catachans....David, you are a machine! There is a lot to choose from in this submission - including Ray and Fran, who I'm sure will chime in with some comments (helpful or otherwise) below, but my favourite has to be that Mohawk carrying the standard in the command group.  Great paint work all around, but he certainly stands out.  

I wish you and this lot the best as they venture into the jungles against the Orks next week! It can be a rough go with newly painted figures, but I expect they will honour the spirit of their "home" - the death world of Catachan! Another 160 points David, well done.