Dragged into Turbolasers Bonus Episode: New Eldar models in 2022!

The Eldar in 2022!

In this episode we are joined with an old high school friend and Eldar fan, to talk about the newly revealed Eldar model range. We discuss the new renditions of many Eldar classics, like the Avatar of Khaine, and Phoenix Lord Maugan Ra, and speculate on what might be coming in the future.

Paul-Friedrich von Bargen's 3D printable Space Marines

MKV Heresy Armor next to a True-scale Dark Angel.

With the advent of relatively inexpensive, high quality 3d printers and 3d sculpting software, more people are experimenting with creating their own unique models. In particular, recognizing the demand for better-scaled and proportioned Space Marines, a host of people are creating “True-scale” Space Marine models. These eliminate the need for extensive Primaris conversions to create models that fit alongside the other 40k model ranges. Not all of these are created equal: some do not take the opportunity to fix the anatomical issues inherent to classic Space Marine models, and just copy the GW design, but make them bigger. Paul-Friedrich von Bargen, or bolterjugend.idstein on Instagram, recently started creating 3d printable files for different Power Armor marks, starting with MKIII Iron Armor, before creating MKIV and MKV, along with Terminator armor. Importantly, he corrected some of the more egregious anatomical issues with the classic GW Marine design, such as giving the models a proper abdomen. While you can get his 3D printable files to print them yourself, not having a printer, I contacted him directly to get some of his MKIII Iron Armor Space Marines. To my surprise, he sent a lot of additional printed models, including a single MKV Heresy Armor marine! With this post I wanted to talk a little about the quality of the models and show one I built!

The Wier Cult: Wilbur Whatley commissioned a piece of art for us!

The Wier Cult.

It is amazing to reflect on the progression of Between the Bolter and Me, now that we are approaching 10 years! It has grown substantially over the years, branching out into a podcast, a Twitch channel, a YouTube channel, and even a growing Discord group. Although we primarily started blogging to share our creations and thoughts, we quickly realized the best part is connecting with others who have shared interests. It is building and connecting with a wider hobby community. We have tried to do this in different ways, like holding hobby challenges (Death Guard, Bonereapers) and showcasing some of our favorite hobbyists each year. Ultimately, we just enjoy chatting with other people involved in the hobby! While we hope that we impart to others a fraction of the inspiration we get from these interactions, it can sometimes be difficult to know if we are having an impact, particularly with the decline of blogging and the faceless aspect of podcasting. Recently, this niggling thought was silenced by our friend and fellow blogger Wilbur Whateley, when he gifted us a piece of artwork he commissioned Roberto Cuevas Guerrero to create, featuring the three of us as Tzeentchian cultists! It is a fantastic piece, fitting Guerrero's signature style using the sharp contrast of black and white to emphasize all of the fine and often unsettling details he incorporates. Getting such a thoughtful piece of artwork was really touching and we wanted to share it with all of you. Now we just need to find a place in our respective hobby spaces to frame and hang the artwork!

Left at the Bottom of the Garden: Hoodie Crows

A pair of delightful hoodie crows!

Last month, I painted Deirdre, a small ghost model, created by Andrew Rae of Statuesque Miniatures. It was a fun process, and it encouraged me to consider painting some of his other creations like Left at the Bottom of the Garden, a series of lost and abandoned toys. I settled on painting a pair of adorable stuffed birds, the Hoodie Crows!