Back in the Saddle

Friends, I am glad to say that I have finally, it seems, gotten back into the groove of gaming and blogging. At least somewhat. My health problems are behind me for now, and its full steam ahead.

I finally touched brush to metal again yesterday morning. I have received a pair of incomplete Praetorian Sentinels (Games Workshop) and some additional Praetorian Imperial Guard troops (again, Games Workshop) via eBay in the last few weeks. They all need a repaint, both to match my other troops and to make them more Victorian in feel. I'll post in progress pictures, of course. The Sentinels are going to be assigned as armored support walkers to the 17th Lancers, I think. At least, that's how I am planning on painting their drivers, as lancers. I'll probably affix a pennant to each as well, red over white, just for snazzy looks.

As far as conversion work goes, I need to put together a coal bunkerfor each. I may have to order the bitz for the roll cage, as those are missing. I haven't decided if I really want that though. And I suppose I could always scratchbuild one instead. One Sentinel has a very neat looking computer flat screen monitor kind of thing going on in place of the gun, but that will have to go. Simply too high tech for VSF feel. I'll probably arm them with either twin voltaic light rifles (lasrifles) or flameguns, as I did the 15mm steam tank mentioned elsewhere in the blog.

Paint scheme-wise, the Sentinel I have started to paint is getting a blue-gray paint job all over. Very 'battleship' looking. I'll add a good bit of brass accent here and there, especially around the hydraulics tubes. Black india rubber hoses as well, with brass couplings, what? The second Sentinel is still in its ochre and green camouflage as purchased. Not really a bad job of camouflage painting, but just not fitting into my VSF ideal.

Quick uniforms question: Does anyone know what color the plastron on the tunic ought to be for lancers? Still dark blue? Or should it be facing color (white, I think)? I may paint it white anyway, just to get a bit of contrast out of them. White sunhelmets, of course.

Final note for today, I have finished writing my first short story based on Victorian Science Fiction and the early exploration of the luminiferous aether. Now all I have to do is write about a half dozen more and start shopping for pubblishers, what? Fame and wealth just around the corner, haw haw.

Until next time...