February 2026 review

Finally, sunshine!

Only a week passed between these two pictures. We were hit by quite a lot of snow out of the blue, and just a few days later it was sunny and dry enough to do some priming.

What can I say? More hours of sunshine are such a blessing. I don't mind the snow itself; it's just the impact it has on your day: school buses not running, delays throughout the day, and the fact that winter gives you late dawns and early dusks. Anyway, I'm glad that I can now grab a spray can and prime the miniatures I'm working on.

Imperial Assault Campaign

It wasn't a fluke in our board game group, we're already on our third mission and have set a date for the fourth. This is something I can really appreciate as a working parent.

The game is really challenging, often being decided in the last few turns or actions of each mission. An interesting aspect that I rarely noticed in other dungeon crawlers is that the game master levels up as well as the player characters. This means the Empire has access to more, or at least more elite, troops, balancing out the players' progress and gear. In fact, the combination of the game and our game master made us look up some character guides for the best 'builds'. Our current group comprises Fenn Signis, Jyn Odan, Gideon Argus and Diala Passil, which is proving as of now quite effective.

Restock on paints and tools.

I ordered a bunch of brushes and paints from Radaddel, as well as the two new volumes of John Blanche's Army Painter collaboration. This is something that will come in handy, especially with an eye on En Garde, in addition to Turnip.

I also got two more candidates for Goblin Green, by Big Child Creatives and Two Thin Coats.

Progress of the Imperial Fists

As we had a family celebration and needed more seating in our dining room, I took the opportunity to set up a hobby area while it was arranged. I got things assembled, cleaned them, and then based them.

I must admit that I underestimated how long the partial assembly of the Space Marine would take, as you really have to consider how the arms are positioned in order for the bolters to fit. I will keep the backpacks, shoulder pads and bolters off until they are painted to make those stages less hassle.

I'll also need some 3D-printed pieces, as I'm missing some parts and, with the deadline approaching, eBay hunting is not an option. Seven weeks and counting.

Wildpark Westerwald

I ended February with a visit to a local wildlife park that reopened late last year. There were lots of mouflon, sheep and goats, and I had the chance to get more familiar with my camera gear for the upcoming trips. I'm still lacking a telephoto lens, which I ordered today.

With more trips planned for this year, both for wargaming and spending time with my family, it will come in handy.

Closing out February

We skipped the Dutch Oldhammer Con to hold an all-day painting session at home. This was necessary to make some progress. I am currently considering doing the same for the BembelCup next week. I am hoping for a very late announcement regarding the Bitbox for March, but this is rather unlikely given the radio silence.

Beyond that, I wish you a great start to the new month!