Space Hulk - 2nd Edition - Ultramarines Terminators

Fully equipped with knowledge, wisdom and understanding of my previous project, I set out to paint another squad of five terminators. I wanted to paint a squad of Ultramarines, just like how they're depicted in the Space Hulk 2nd ed. mission book.

Space Hulk - 2nd edition - Blood Angels Terminators

Ever since I've Gone Pro, I fooled around with some forty kay Terminators. A couple of years ago I bought a 2nd edition Space Hulk boxset. I figured those Terminators would be easy airbrush practise and guess what, that's exactly what I got.

Initiatly, I just wanted something to spray paint on and be done quickly, but as the project progressed I realised I couldn't and I ended up doing the whole ensalada.

I started out with one squat of terminators and used the Space Hulk Mission Book for inspiration. I thought the Blood Angels would be the easiest to paint up.

Mold #74: Fieldstone Walls

Things are starting to return back to normal. The holidays are coming to an end and the kids are going back to school. I haven't been able to do much hobby related work during the holidays. I kinda took a break of all that. Sometimes a break is all you need to rekindle the interest in the hobby. Especially when you're painting Warhammer Forty Kay.

Remember my previous article of me Going Pro. Well, I used 2nd edition Space Hulk Terminators to experiment and practise my airbrush techniques. I never really liked painting Forty Kay or Terminators in particular, but I thought it would be different painting them with an Airbrush. The Airbrush part was really fun and exciting, but I'm having a real hard time finishing them. They're so boring I actually fell asleep one time while painting.

In an effort to keep me interested I decided to shift my focus on a little terrain project together with the kids. I'm always looking for ways to include the kids in one of my hobby adventures. Usually those endeavours end up with me being highly agitated, but this time I actually enjoyed the whole process and more importantly I think they did too.

A while ago I made a Fieldstone Bridge from a Hirst Arts mold. In that post I mentioned you could make stone wall sections with the same mold. I still had a lot material left from doing the bridges, so I figured to make some wall sections while the kids joined me and played around with the remaining materials.

Wall sections (picture made by Thantsants)

Modular Activity Table

Wait, you said you'd let it rest... Yes, don't worry. I just stumbled across this while surfing the web. Thought I'd share it. It's a bit low for a wargaming table, but interesting nevertheless.

Here's the link to the website containing all the details.

Going Pro

Normally I don't ask much for my birthday, but this year was different, I told my wife I wanted an Aeolian Knight or otherwise a divorce. Sometimes you have to up the stakes if you really want something. No, I'm not talking about a Greek knight with wings. I'm talking about this little piece of Chinees engineering.

Quite surprisingly it turns out our marriage is actually worth something. Having searched for it myself, I know they're not easy to get. I'm sure I'll be repaying her for the next couple of centuries or so with expensive gifts.

Citadel - C23 - Pit Fighter

I wanted to do something different, something larger than a Dwarf. I believe many of you have the opposite problem, but I've got too many goodfellas.

I bought the Citadel C23 range on ebay some time ago and thought to paint one. The one with the hook and the iron leg seemed easy enough. Just lot of skin and iron. I believe this model was sculped by Bob Olley and is called the "Pit Fighter".

If you're planning on painting these old models be sure to examine them for little cracks and patch them up with putty before painting. I noticed some cracks appeared under the right armpit and back side.

This time I finished the model in only 2 weeks instead of 2 years!

Exit, Stage Left!

Alas, the campaign has ended and failed to meet its goal. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of setting it up and learned a thing or two about product marketing. I feel I did the best I could with the time/effort available and would have loved to see the table being used by people - other than myself.

There are probably a few things I might have done differently/better. A clearer campaign statement, professional video presentation, additional perks, just to name a few. Still, there was enough enthusiasm and interest in the table, but for most I believe the price was simple too high.

My MGT experiment ends here. I would like to thank everyone for their support and positief feedback. Special thanks go out to those brave few who actually contributed their hard earned cash, which of course will be refunded.

Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience.

MGT Update 7 - Stretch Goal?

10 days left to go and 42% of the campaign goal covered. If you're out there, NOW is the time to contribute!

According to the poll, about 60 people said they wanted a Modular Gaming Table if the price was right. 3 of them bought a table. This leaves us with 57 prospects. Obviously, for them the price is not right.

I did my best to lower the price as much a possible. I'm in the position to buy the materials at a discount, I got access to the machinery and know-how to work with the materials. Believe me, the current price is at its minimum. To give you an idea, making a table like this at a local welder will cost you about 800 - 900 euros.

However, there's another way to lower the price, but this requires an investment of about 3000,- euros. The investment involves the development of a plastic connection bar. Something similiar to the one below. The new connection bar not only reduces material and labor costs, but also improves overall stability and weight capacity considerably.

Early adopters of a MGT set buy a table, but more importantly they contribute to the further development of the table. Furthermore, early adopters will receive future upgrades like the new connection bar above for free.

I'm willing to invest if the campaign succeeds, but are you willing to contribute?

Marauder - MB1 - Dwarf Regiment

Ever since they first appeared in WD issue 117 I wanted to have them. Dwarfs, Marauder Dwarfs to be exact. I must have looked at the ad a million times by now, imagining how they would gloriously march into battle, but it was never meant to be, until recently...

Ad from WD117

MGT Update 6 - Going Live!

I thought about making a video before and I probably should have made one at the beginning of the MGT campaign, but I didn't, until now. What better way to demonstrate the table, than to simple show.

I made three videos in total. One showing the construction of a 2x3 setup, one showing the deconstruction and another one showing the construction of the storage setup. I'm also demonstrating my personal gaming boards both in the table and storage video. Enjoy!

Note: the gaming boards are intended for demonstration purposes only.

Video 1 - 2x3 table (construction)

Video 2 - 2x3 table (deconstruction)

Video 3 - storage (construction)

MGT Update 5 - Examples

So, you want a MGT set, but can't really decide yet? Let me show you what one MGT set gives you in terms of table configurations, besides what has already been demonstrated.

1.

2x4 feet

 2.

4x4 feet

 3.

4x6 feet

4.

Half star setup

5.

2x4 feet layered setup

Having two MGT sets opens up a whole set of configurations. One of such is the "star" configuration shown below, perfect for fighting out siege games.

Star setup (two MGT sets combined)

MGT Update 4 - International Shipping

For the past few days I've been receiving questions about International Shipping rates. Even though the world seems more connected than ever, sending a package around world without selling your kidney is not as easy as it seems. Especially when the package falls outside the maximum allowed size restrictions.

However, there is still hope! There are still companies offering reasonable shipping rates with flexible size restrictions. Therefore, I can now offer a fixed shipping fee for shipment to the USA. I've added a new perk for shipment to the USA.

Please contact me if you desire to know your International Shipping fee and I'll do my best to find the best deal.

MGT Update 3 - Adjustable legs

A double MGT set has been claimed! White Knight, know from WK's Miniature Imperium decided to take the plunge. Many thanks for his contribution. Be sure to check out his blog and his wonderful collection of Renaissance themed fantasy miniatures.

Another table has been claimed while writing this update. It seems like the campaign is starting to take off. Again many thanks for your contribution. This leaves us with only 6 more tables to go!

left: old static leg; right: new adjustable leg

Some might have noticed a difference in the legs on the pictures shown on the blog or on the gallery section of the campaign website. This is due to some improvements that have been applied after the prototype table was made. The new version has adjustable legs while the prototype table has static legs. The picture above shows both versions side-by-side.

So why the need for adjustable legs? First, the adjustable legs are lighter, have lower production costs and are removable for easy packaging. Secondly, the legs adjust themselves to uneven floors for stable footing. Thirdly, they are required when combining multiple MGT sets together to form one table.

Let me elaborate the last statement. We know the table has a slight downcurve due to the 1 mm space margin between each connection point. The longer the table, the bigger the downcurve. When combining two or more tables together to form one big table, you have four extra legs at your disposal. These extra four legs are used to give extra support to the table. See the picture below.

Two MGT sets combined together to form one big table

You need adjustable legs to span the distance without disturbing the downcurve, otherwise you get a "telephone line" effect which might push the gameboards apart from each other. Adjusting the outer legs at a higher level and the inner legs at a lower level, prevents the "telephone line" effect from happening.

The leg consists out of three components. The aluminium bar, a metal-threaded insert and a standard machine feet. All of which are easily replaceable when damaged.

The parts that form up an adjustable leg.

MGT Update 2 - WAF

Good news everybody, the first MGT set has just been claimed by none other than Thantsants himself! Not familiar with him or his work? Be sure sure to check out his blog Somewhere the Tea's getting cold.

But, we're not out of the woods yet. 9 more tables need to be claimed for the campaign to be successful. Now, I'm sure you're all trying hard to convince your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend or yourself that you really need a MGT set. To help you with the challenge I've summed up a couple of pointers to win the argument.

1. Be sure to mention that the table can be stored and tucked away out of sight when not used. Occupied space can be reclaimed!
2. Got an old table? Compromise and exchange the old for a new one. This one worked really well for me. It got me to do the project in the first place.
3. Promise to do better, to change, give something in return.
4. It's an unique oppertunity, a one time deal, you earn this, don't let them take this away from you!
5. Be creative...

Got any good tips you want to share with us? Feel free to comment.

MGT Update 1 - 3D gaming

Managing a kickstarter Indiegogo campaign comes with great responsibility. One of such responsibilities is to keep the campaign alive. According to the Indiegogo Team one should post update's every 2 days. This will ensure people won't lose interest, I hope. So, for the next couple of days you'll be hearing from me everywhere you go. Please don't blame me, I'm just following orders.

My first update is about 3D gaming. I wrote about this a bit in the post Modular Gaming Table: Part 11. At the time I demonstrated the table in a 2x2 layered configuration. Not particularly the ideal setup when playing in 3D, because you wouldn't be able to reach all parts of the table. This post will demonstrate a configuration better suited for 3D gaming.

The two pictures below show a two-layered configuration which can be made from one MGT set. Both players can stand at either side of the table and still be able to reach all parts. The table can represent a variety of things like a dungeon, space hulk, building or an underground complex. Obviously my boards don't represent any one of these and specific boards must be made for that.

I hope this demonstrates some of the possibilities, enough to spark your imagination?

two-layered 1x3 straight setup

two-layered 1x3 corner setup

Indie Go Go Go...

First of all I would like to thank everyone for taking their time to vote. Although the poll has not ended yet, I think it's safe to say the results are more or less known.

I'm not entirely sure whether or not the results of the poll are accurate. The poll seemed to be stuck somewhere around the 60 votes and votes seemed to come and go? I'm no expert on polls, but aren't votes supposed to be permanent?

Whatever the case, we know 57 of the 60 votes voted in favor. The majority of the votes voted "Yes, but only if the price is right". That last part got me busy during the last few of weeks, in which I did all the research necessary for producing and delivering a table. All steps of the process are mapped out and documented. Producing a single table at a time is costly, but ordering a batch lowers the price considerably and allows me to offer it for a reasonable price.

I have decided a crowd funding campaign would be the ideal place to kickstart this project and start raising funds. I created an campaign on the Indiegogo fundraising platform. The campaign will run for 45 days. The goal is to raise enough money to order at least 10 or more tables. All contributions are refunded if I fail to meet this goal. Production starts when the campaign ends and the goal is reached.

Now without further ado, I present you the "Modular Gaming Table" campaign.

To be successful this campaign need to be relayed in many places. For this to happen I'm counting on you to help spread the word around you.

Even if you don't have any direct interest in a MGT, or if you cannot afford to support the effort financially, It will be greatly appreciated that you spread the word around (on your blogs, on forums, everywhere you may see fit, but please no spam!)

Polling for Possibilities

It's been two months since my last post and to be honest I haven't got anything to show. Well at least not on this blog. Gaj down over at "Warhammer for Adults" is working his socks off to deliver us with reports from the remote game "The Bridge over the River Chai", which we've been playing these last three months.

Running the game took all my hobby time and even if there was time I couldn't spend it on painting, because the gaming table was standing in front of my painting table. Now that the game is finished, I'm back working on a project I started before this whole modular gaming table thing happened. I'll go into more detail on this in another post.

The reason for this post is of a different nature. Ever since I've finished the Modular Gaming Table I've been entertaining myself with the thought of making it comercially available. To be clear, I'm talking about the table, not the panels. There're a lot of things to consider before starting such a thing. One of such things is to find out whether there's a demand for it.

To find out I've setup a poll asking some basic questions. I'll let it run for 80 days and find out whether it's worth persuing or not. Thank you for your time.

A Modular Gaming Table

Storage option

With panels

Storage with panels