This week we're back with more of the almost-evil Legion of Everblight. Why are they almost evil? Because everything is relative, and anything that exists in the same world as Cryx has to be considered at least a little bit good, even if by virtue of the fact solely that they are not Cryx.
No matter how you spin it, this week saw the completion of two deathstalkers and two forsaken.
Micro-Lesson: Painting duplicates
There are a couple really good reasons to paint duplicates molds when you're working your way through an army.
First and foremost, you're saving time. Swapping back and forth to repaint the same section takes less time in prep and execution. You also have a chance to practice as you go along, increasing your efficiency with every model beyond the first. More practice also means less mistakes; another big time saver. Finally, if you are mixing any custom colors, this is an absolute must. You'll find that you get more finished models return in exchange for time spent at the table; something we all covet.
Another advantage to taking these models 2+ at a time is that you're saving resources. Paint isn't cheap, especially now that GW has decided we all need to re-buy our entire collections. Any time you draw paint from the bottle, it's in your best interest to use as much of what you took as possible. Having more models to catch the extra pigment means less paint lost to the water cup.
Thankfully in my situation I only had a single duplicate to deal with. With two to four models, it's easy to maximise the benefits of repetition without risking burnout.
Burnout is a term that will be familiar to any player who has assembled a force of Orks, Imperial Guard, Tyranids, or Vampire Counts. As sad as it makes some of us, we aren't machines. Painting the same helmet on the same Cadian Shocktrooper in the same pose for the 47th time is enough to move most to tears of boredom and frustration.
Be sure to keep things manageable if you're taking on a swarm. What number this boils down to depends on the individual painter. Some have a legendary tolerance for repetition, while others squirm at the prospect of more than five.
But if five is your number, let it be your number. IG players still have officers and heavy weapon teams to break things up, Orks have nobs, Vampire Counts have... well Vampire Counts. The point is to paint strategically. Save some special models for further down the road, not only as a reward, but as a good model to take advantage of once you've had all that practice painting your army colors.
