The Lord Captain has forbidden me to write down the events of our journey, but what use is a remembrancer who does not remember? I can only hope that, if we survive, this journal will be a record of victory over these traitors and not an account of the end of our Imperium.

The Emperor protects. ~J

Tuesday 29 December 2015

XXIII. Iron Hands and Future Plans

I finally finished my second Iron Hand Astartes. Yes, it did take far too long. I've been suffering from complete hobby burn out for the last few months, but I realised just a couple of days ago, that the way through it is to force myself to paint.





With the new year looming, I'm in resolution mode and I've been agonising about the future direction of my hobbying. I feel like I need to adopt a more disciplined approach and I'm considering a fresh start.

In the new year I'm almost certainly going to replace this blog with a new one. The main reason is I'm being persuaded that Blogger isn't the best platform around, but I also want to find the discipline to make more regular posts. I think a fresh start will help. I'm aiming for a post a fortnight - if I feel that every two weeks I have to have something worth posting then it'll motivate me to actually do something :)

However, I also feel like I'm at a potential crossroads in subject matter. The truth is I remain torn between the Horus Heresy and more traditional 40k as a setting.

When I look at what Forge World is putting out and compare it with GW's current work, the decision is an easy one. I love FW's models and the quality of those big, black Horus Heresy books is unsurpassed in the entire hobby. However, I find myself missing that part of the 41st millennium that GW seems to (mostly) ignore. Hive worlds, Death Cults, Genestealer covens, Inquisitors, cultists and the Adepta Sororitas. It's a tough choice.

The catalyst that made me start doubting my choices was a novel. Having ploughed through another Horus Heresy novel (and it really did start to feel like a chore reading another 200+ pages about space marines fighting space marines and feeling like the series has just stagnated), I bought the first book in the new Beast Arises series, "I am Slaughter". Halfway through and I'm gripped. The post-Heresy setting is so rich and characterful.

Now, admittedly, I felt the same reaction to the first Horus Heresy novel, "Horus Rising". Perhaps I just like beginnings? But when I made this mini (next thing I intend to paint) some time ago;

I sat back and thought, "That looks a lot more 40k than Heresy". Perhaps I was trying to tell myself something?

3 comments:

  1. Amazing models - both the astartes and the Inquisitor/Swordmaster/ whatever he's supposed to be. Can't wait to see it painted in the new year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great stuff.
    I, too, find the lesser explored side of the 40k universe very interesting.
    Warburton

    ReplyDelete