Nerd Dads Assemble: Painting Space Dwarfs

I recently started playing a new(ish) game with a few fellow nerd dads Kill Team, and I figured it was time to show off my progress painting one of my 14 special little guys—space dwarf salvagers, to be precise.

This post is light on words and heavy on pictures, but I’ll walk you through a bit of the process.

First Steps (Not Pictured):
Before painting, I spent some time cutting out all the parts, gluing everything together, and giving the whole model a solid basecoat using an off-white shade called Wraithbone. This helps the colors pop later.

Painting Magic:
I’m using Contrast paints—they’re like inks that naturally settle into the recesses while thinning out over raised surfaces, giving automatic shading and depth. I love how intuitive they are. I’m using Citadel paints, but plenty of other brands offer similar options if you’re curious to try them out.

A Quick Thanks:
Huge shout-out to WarHipster on YouTube for the awesome paint scheme guide that inspired this look.

So without further ado, let me introduce you to…
Thayne Varrik “Stoneheart” Drunn of the Heartkyn Salvagers.

Return to Blood Angels

I have been collecting, building, painting, and playing with miniatures on and off since I was less than ten years old. It’s a hobby that I have a real love/hate relationship with. Of all the different miniature games I’ve played, Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 have a special place in my heart, and I always seem to return to them. Whether it’s for the minis, the books, the video games, or something else, Warhammer always manages to light a passion in me.

I first got into Warhammer through my friends in elementary school, and it quickly became a shared interest. Later, when I was around 16-17, I met a friend who was just as into Warhammer as I was, and we bonded over it. My grandpa, who built model ships, also supported my hobby a lot, which meant a lot to me.

Recently, I began playing a god-awful gacha mobile game called Warhammer 40k: Tacticus. While the game is grindy and very much P2W (pay to win), it did reignite my love for Warhammer. My faction of choice has always been the Blood Angels, even though I’ve dabbled in other ones in the past. Blood Angels are part of the Armies of Mankind—specifically the Space Marines. They’re not really the good guys (no one is in Warhammer), but they’re the closest you get to it. These bioengineered warriors, clad in red and gold, are tragic heroes with a vampiric theme. Cursed with the Red Thirst, they crave blood and eventually fall to madness, this Black Rage makes them relive ancient battles without being able to tell friend from foe. Despite this, they try to suppress their urges and act with even more grace, honor, and kindness—at least outside of battle. When facing the enemies of mankind, however, their bloodlust often takes over, turning them into an unstoppable force.

I just think they’re neat.

So, of course, I went to my local geek store, Science Fiction Bookstore, and found a very nice Blood Angels mug—but sadly not the novels I was looking for. I also picked up Space Marine 2 on Steam and have started playing the campaign with a friend. And lastly, I dusted off some old miniatures I had lying around that I want to paint and display.

Having hobbies is great! Having several so you can switch between them when interest wanes is even better.