Imperial Gaurd Updates - A day of firsts!!

Well folks today I finally took the plunge and did three things I haven't done in a while, with rather pleasing results! I recently decided as I hadn't painted in a while rather then go in blind I thought it a good idea to book a refresher at the local GW store.

Today I headed in to the store and did the first thing I haven't done in a while, which was to visit a GW store. Once inside I met the new store manager, an avid Guard player with too much money and too many armies! Got a chance to look at some of the new scenery and models as well as have a drool over the display armies and the silver Golden Daemon entry in the cabinets.

Once there and settled I did the second thing I haven't done in a while and that's to paint. I must say it was a joy to get some good honest advice and to meet some of the new regulars and gamers as well. The guys and gals (and no I'm not making that up) also took time to look at some of my conversions, most of which have already appeared on the blog and gave some good honest feed back, most if not all of which was positive. I was please when i found that once i was painting the advice given was simple, constructive, patient and helped explain the new foundation paints and the new washes. I found that the techniques I was using weren't new to me and that I simply needed some gentle coaching to wake me up to what I was doing.

The final thing I did today was to actually buy something in a GW store. OK so I was a little bit shocked at the prices now I was pleased that the guys in the store didn't jump on me and suggest I buy everything they were happy just to get me the bits I asked for. A nice change and despite the price differences definitely an improvement on the old style of the stores.

OK so I bet your all wanting to know how I got on with the painting and what it looks like, well its coming up in a second after a brief explanation of what you ll see, but I'm also going to be sneaky and make you all try to work it out! When I went in rather than get a box of Cadians and make a few up, thus meaning i couldn't base them properly, I thought it a good idea to use some of my at ease Cadians as this would give me a clear view of the whole model and what I needed to do and where. So here below are the two models painted today as test models for the force, one by me and one by the store manager. Your mission using either comments or the poll on the side of the blog is to let me know which one is the best model in the first poll and then in the second poll to let me know which one is mine and which one is the store managers!

So here are the front and back pics, the models were rotated not swapped so the model on the right in the top picture is still the model in the right on the bottom picture.

So there you have it, my attempts and the managers attempts, Below is a picture of them from a little farther away to give you an idea of what they look like from a gaming perspective so just let me know.

Please vote in the polls or place your comment below to let me know which is best and who you think did which guardsman.

Comments, criticisms, praise, tips and advice are all gratefully received, please don't hold back, feel free to comment.


Finally I'm also looking for good options for urban bases for the force, if anyone knows of any sellers that do good value detailed city fight style bases for the force (and eventually for the marines too) please let me know as I would like to get a decent set that are easily recognisable, customisable and affordable. Any ideas please let me know.

Enjoy