Bases and blisters

This blog post feels like it has been a thousand years in the making...

 A couple of days weeks months ago I reviewed the Age of Sigmar Hero Bases, and now the time has come to take a look at the Warhammer 40k Hero Bases. I bought them shortly after the AoS ones, now that the 8th edition of 40k is looming around the corner I was reminded about these bases and dug up the photos I took back then.

The first sprue with some large pieces on it. Is that a Leman Russ turret? (Yes it is...)

The second sprue also has a bunch of large stuff on it, although not as large as the first.

Unlike the AoS set there are no single piece bases in this set. There are also only eight bases compared to the eleven in the AoS set.

These are the smallest ones and consist of two parts each.

I feel they could all function as objective markers. It will be hard to pose a figure on that bomb anyway.

Quality-wise they are on par with the AoS bases. Great sculpting, some nice scenes, mostly good details although a bit soft in a few places.

Next pair of bases are a bit bigger and higher. Still only two pieces.

Obvious place for a hero to perch with nice big elevated but flat areas to stand on.

The fit was not great, and the back was very featureless but I suppose you should only look at them from the front anyway.

The next two bases feel like the belong more in an industrial setting. Great with all that Mechanicus terrain just released.

Four pieces for the left one, two pieces for the right one. (The right is 32mm wide btw)

Completed. A broken pipe with a broken threadplate to stand on, and a jumble of broken metal beams.

I feel that both pieces work better without the top bits though. And that pipe would make an excellent objective too.

Last we have the Leman Russ turret. This is a corker.

Six bits to this one. That the hatch is loose ia a bonus since you can put a dead figure in there if you want to.

The bottom base is 60mm across, so this is for something big. Note the very soft detail closes to the camera.

And what would the bases be without skulls?

Human, ork, tau (I think), that birdlike beak-skull and genestealer skulls even.

Speaking of Mechanicus terrain I got the Shadowwar: armageddon set, mostly for the terrain. I have fond memories of Necromunda, so it's nice to see those rules make a comeback, but to be honest I have too many different games to play. Still, you never know, and the terrain was a bargain. I didn't want to painstakingly paint all the details by hand, so I decided to use the salt technique.

First I undercoated the models with Ironbreaker spray. When that was dry I wetted the surface and sprinkled lots of salt on it.

Time to hit it with Army painter yellow. (You could use any spray really... I just happened to have a can of yellow.)

Allow the second spray to dry, then scrub away the salt with warm water and a stiff brush.

I really like the flaking blistering yellow paint. Now for some washes and pigments.

And that's that. Hopefully next blog post won't be as long a wait as this one... Happy gaming!