Something new...

Here's the first model in my Lizardmen army, a Skink Priest that both Ms. D'Ork and Splinter Fleet independently christened "Skank."

Haha, I get it. Because I'm a skink. Bravo.

The internet machine assures me that this is the hero model of choice for small (< 2,000 point) Lizard armies.

Usually I start a new army with the rank-and-file and then work my way up to characters once I have a good handle on the color scheme and techniques. But Core units (skinks and saurus) were still in the mail when I got antsy, so I traveled to GW and bought this guy. What I learned in painting him is that drybrushing isn't enough to give depth to models, even when the model is textured and detailed enough, with raised surfaces to pick up the drybrush highlights. Drybrushing made Skank's skin look formless.  Like a shapeless blue blob holding a stick. Once I saw the problem I was able to properly highlight it, and I'm happy with how he turned out.

No one thing made me jump to Fantasy - it may have started with Splinter Fleet's new dual-use daemons opening the door just enough to get me thinking. Then, an event at the local GW reminded me that 40K is a game of two things: Space Marines and tanks.  My Imperial Guard ally and both of my Space Marine opponents were completely motorized, and so was I, except for my jetbikes. Pop the tank, shoot the marines, pop the next tank, etc. I was overcome by a desire to be rid of both these things at once, and Fantasy does that in a stroke.

I've also been interested in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican (such as Maya) art and culture for some time, so Lizardmen were a natural choice. I toyed with the idea of an Maya-themed Space Marine chapter (strange that GW hasn't fit a chapter into that cultural slot already) before deciding that I just didn't have another 50+ marines in me anymore.

So, here we go. I have the rulebook and the Lizard army book already. Saurus are next.