The Beard Bunker

It’s very unusual for me to consider a project “finished”, but this one is.  At least for now.  Whilst some Bearded Bunker dwellers are capable of starting a project, building a modest collection, and then calling it complete, I’ve never been able to do that.  I collect a lot of armies , and after the initial sprint to get them to minimum usable size, they continue on, being added to in fits and starts as inspiration strikes and new models get released.  They vary between 'boxed up and ignored' to 'current burning passion,' depending on the vagaries of the hobby butterfly.  Currently the winds of obsession are blowing the hobby butterfly distinctly Guard-wards, but that is largely due to my most recent success: completing my Knight Lance. Clan Vestrfjall of House Ulfir Armigers L-R: Vapnburtha - Vei Danr, Sverthsegg - Vei Bjartr, Glymja - Vei Asta Questoris L-R: Breithux - Gar Touki, Striiguth - Jafnather Yarl Rúna I previously shared the start of this army , an...

As I write this we're a few months away from Warhammer 40,000's eleventh edition. In the Warhammer Community post describing the new edition's approach to terrain , they describe how different match ups will come with recommended battlefield layouts. This was hitherto something limited to Matched Play, but since that distinction is also being ditched in favour of a more unified player experience, it will now be the default setting for all players. Naturally there are now plenty of people thinking about getting some new acrylic or cardstock rectangles to slap down on their game mats. I wish them all the best.

A while back now, Charlie wrote the excellent Fury of the Swarm expansion for 40k. I think it's fair to say it left an impression, because not only have we continued playing it to this day, but I was left with the overwhelming desire to finally do an army I’d always looked at and admired, but never wanted myself. Tyranids. SCREEEEEEE Conception - Why not sooner? Because the line infantry was mid (until they refreshed the gaunts, which helped push me into it because they're just SO GOOD) and I'm very character focused when it comes to an army. I'll have a definite protagonist character through who I view the army and its exploits, and tyranids can't have that. Their whole schtick is the faceless swarm, and that was a waterline hole in how I invest myself in a project. So the new gaunts came out, and I had a reason to want an NPC army that didn't need a strong character, thanks to Charlie. Let's get it. ...And then Charlie and I got talking, and we both reali...

At this point I’ve done quite a run of “Tom fixes a Primaris kit he doesn't like”.  The Desolators , obviously, the Invictor Warsuit , the Aggressors and Incursors …  Quite aside from my constant tweaking and improving of otherwise acceptable units I just want to do my way.  This isn’t that, well, not exactly.  I genuinely think the Lieutenant With Combi-weapon is a great model (with a stupid name).  I used to be an Ultramarine player when I first started (blindly following the box art without understanding, and then sticking with that choice for many years), and I love this call-back to the Tyrannic War Veterans.  However it doesn't really suit my Raven Guard, who don’t often face Tyranids (since I’m the only person I know in this city with a full Tyranid army*).  Plus the model kind of gives off psycho killer vibes, rather than sneaky beaky.  So, as ever, I made my own. Image Credit: Games Workshop, used without permission for illustrative purpo...

Welcome to a world of infinite possibilities!  Veteran bunker readers will be aware that I’ve been dabbling in 3d printing warhammer bits for a long time, despite the fact I do not have a printer myself.  I recently shared some photos of newly acquired bits to fellow bunkerites, and a few asked about how I went about acquiring them, so I figured why not write a little post to share that knowledge.  Honestly there’s no mystery to it, but these things are often easier if you don’t have to work it out for yourself. Unlike Charlie, I hate freehand, so these lovely raven icons on their shoulders are custom printed Worth noting here that a lot of sites these days are selling 3d printed products, what I’m talking about here is the process of finding or making 3d models and getting them printed for you on demand. Finding Bits There’s two obvious options here, you can find some online and download them, or you can make them yourself.  The key thing is the file type you will n...