From the Drawer of Shame and other places

So with lockdown still in full effect it's really just been more painting for the last week. So much more painting. But while this last week has been a bit of a scattergun approach to what I've been working on, it has been surprisingly productive.

I started working on some of the bits that have been in the Drawer of Shame (admit it, you've all got one) for too long and, as there are still a few projects on the list from there, I'm going to keep trying to plough away through them.

From the Drawer of Shame
First off, from my 'why didn't I just finish these when I got them?' category, some Foundry Peons that go in with my Wild West Mexican collection. I already have two with cane knives and these two have been sitting around since goodness knows when. Since I had the white paint out, I smashed them out.

Some time ago I also picked up some rooftop / walkway scatter that wasn't planter boxes for my sci-fi table. I primed it with the remnant of a white primer can and finally got off my chuff and put some actual paint on them. The finish is a bit ropey as I wound up having to put a base coat on with some artists acrylic I usually use for making snow but they'll do until I can get some 400 grit sandpaper and tidy them up a little bit on the really big flat surfaces. I think some branding for the vending machines is also required so will get to work on how to do that.

And actual projects!
This next beastie is a rescue project I've blogged in the past. This Imperial Guard Basilisk is the kind of artillery that should never be on table in a tabletop game, but is too cool not to have. I've replaced the hatch, added the stubber and rails at the back and filled and smoothed out some of the side panels where the original owner attached accessories with plastic glue (please, God, no) before giving it the dark green and mustard yellow tiger stripes that are common to all my Guard armour.

I love that it has a crew complement too and instead of attaching the dozer blade to the front I fitted it to the rear, like a proper recoil spade. Also chalk up a goal of 'add something to a 40K army for April!

I've also been at work on my 15mm World War II collections as well. I've decided to split my Late War up into a StuG company that will be painted for summer and set for the Western Front and Italy, and a Grenadier company that will take up the core bits of my 653 Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung, and will be painted for winter and set for the Eastern Front.  This has meant starting some serious TLC and repair work on the StuGs first and part of that is adding some scrim to the vehicles to give them a bit more texture.

I started with the big guns, the Nashorns and the Firefly, just to see how it would come out. I like the finish of the bushy brush foliage covering the front plate so will be doing something (although probably a bit less seriously, as they're less ambushy) similar on the StuGs.

Next Time
I have *actually* started painting my Knights! I know! I'm as amazed as anyone. So they'll get done, along with some Deathwatch, both of which are nearing completion and I've got a couple more things from the Drawer of Shame that are going to get done. And then I might have to go back to the Drawer of Shame and see what else is in there that could go into the rotation.