This hobby can be overwhelming, in that we have endless dreams for what we want to accomplish, and yet we're limited by money, time, skill and opportunity. Our minor successes can be dwarfed by our pile of unpainted lead! Therefore, I have pledged to spend more time celebrating when a project hits a major milestone.
Today, I am celebrating the fact that my Grey Knights for Warhammer 40,000 are now a legal force at 440 points, one leader and two squads. At least, they're legal by the rules and codices I have, which are not the latest versions!
I have started 40K many times over the years, have collected many boxed sets, have played a few games, but this is the first time I've ever put a table-legal force together.
As you can see, I went with the common-sense viewpoint that Grey Knights should have a grey paint scheme.
The first figure I painted was the leader, Castellan Crowe. This took me out of my comfort zone, as I wasn't sure I had the painting skills to pull off a suitable paint job. I know the result won't win any painting contests, but for me, it's the top of my game! He looks like he's been to hell and back.
This is a Grey Knights Strike Squad, a basic unit. Assembling the figures was unpleasant because of tiny parts and trying to get everything posed correctly, especially the guy with the psilencer. Painting was straightforward except for the shoulderpads, which had a spot which seemed intended for a name to be lettered – again, out of my comfort zone, but I learned I could do a new thing!
The Purifier squad was more of the same (in fact, same kit, different options), and I never did get the Nemesis Daemon Hammer (a two-handed weapon) quite right (it'll probably snap in half someday).
But I got the force done, and now I'm off to finish up an enemy force!