A Small Change

Having hit 300+ followers, I figure it’s time I share the love properly, finally pulled my head out of my ass and put a proper blogroll up.

The 400+ blogs I follow appear in the list, but only the top 25 recently posted will be visible.

I’m thinking of a bit of a redesign so take this as the first tiny step in that direction.

I wont be changing what I do at all, but I wouldn't have 300 followers with the blogrolls of others, so I slapped one up.

If you aren't in there, and think you’d like to be, let me know in a comment :)

The Second Drop Pod Conundrum

Dreadnought drop pods.

What do you do?

It seems there are three choices, none of them ideal.

Forge world

Awesome model, but.. over fifty quid a pop. for what is essentially terrain. hm.

Games Workshop

Lots of folk use a normal DP and don't put the harnesses in. but similarly, some folk have issues with that, cos “it’s not the right one”.

Scratch build

Okay, so the effort would be an issue here, but also, it’s highly unlikely that you;d be able to make opening doors, and no matter your skills, it’s still going to feel, if not look like a blue peter job.

I honestly think this is the only model in the whole of the GW codex/range that has this issue. and it’s simply because there is a model that’s almost right.

Tyranid? no issue, there isn't a model, do your best.

I suppose the best analogue is the Hydra, there isn't a GW model, but there is a FW one, so some use FW and some build their own conversions of chimera. either is valid, no-one complains.

But somehow the dread drop pod causes more issues than that.

So, Where do you stand, scratch, FW or GW without it’s guts?

 

(images borrowed from the net, if it’s yours, and you’d like me to take it down, please drop me a line. no infringement or claim is intended.)

Logan Grimnar, Rune Priest and Wolf Guard Terminators Built!

So I’ve assembled the wolfwing troops for now. I’m not sure 15 is enough at 1750, but with thier support we’ll see how they do and adjust accordingly.

It’s really no hardship to build these :)

The Man Hisself, Logan:

And the squad he will lead:

 

The Rune Priest:

and his Squad:

This fellow:

at 1750 is just a termie with TH/SS and a Squad leader, but at higher points he can stand in for Arjac

    

His Squad is rounded out by the guy you’ve seen getting test paint.

Not a lot of dudes.

The plan is for drop pods all round, the two Dreads youve already seen, two MM/MM speeder and two AC/HB Preds.

Like I say likely not at all optimal, but should be fun and I’ll let you know once I get a playtest or two in :)

For now…

PAINT!

Shall we fight in the shade?

300?

Cool.

Scary.

Cool.

Look, just, thank you. anyone who reads without being a follower, anyone of the 300 who follows, Thanks.

Ron at FTW has been posting recently about why we do this, what our blogs are for. and this seems like a good place for me to answer.

I’ll be honest, on my recent return to the hobby, I had no players around me at first, no local scene I was part of, and so to get opinion I went to a few forums.

That was okay, I got some useful feedback, but after a while I began to notice that these forums were essentially cliques that were only interested in certain things, and I lost interest.

It’s about that time that a couple of refugees in the process of moving from forum to blog were posting to each other, I joined in, and followed them here. one no longer posts, but the others were Big Jim and Admiral Drax. If you look right back at my first post, you’ll see Drax was my first commenter.

The supportive nature of the blogosphere, and more than that the explosion of sharing of creativity and passion out here was enough to get me hooked.

So I show people what I’ve been doing, and they tell me if they like it, luckily they often do. I also show people how I’ve done stuff, I suppose that’s the teacher in me; and I ask the community that reads questions to help me decide things.

More recently I’ve been going to play games, both at the highly entertaining Blog Wars but also with fellow bloggers at their kind invitation.

It’s been very good for my hobby life, and for that I thank you. If something I’ve done has been useful, or entertained for a short time, I’m honestly honoured to have been able to provide you with something.

What’s next?

Well a whole heap of more of the same really, I am looking into finding a local club in order to try and get more games in, so that might see more batreps appear. I’m also considering entering a few more IRL and web based painting comps, as I feel I wont start to get better really unless I’m putting my guys down next to other people models.

other than that, you tell me, Is there anything I don't do enough of you’d like to read more of? anything I do too much of that you could live without? I’m a teacher, feedback is always welcome :)

oh, did I say thanks?

:)

The Drop Pod Conundrum

To Glue, or not to Glue, that is the question.

Whether tis nobler on the table to weather the ..

 

Images stolen from GW as mine aren't painted yet, used without permission

Yeah, I’m done with that. but the question remains.

I’m going to go through the arguments here, because I really can see both sides.

Glue em shut!

Because most other vehicles have glued shut doors.

Because nid drop pod (spore whatsists) conversions have glued shut doors

Because the fluff says the blow off, not open so whats the point.

Because we measure from the hull anyway.

Because painting inside vehicles is hard.

Leave em openable!

Because they are meant to open on landing, dummy.

Because it prevents LOS arguments

Because the gun is inside!

You see I’m not debating how the model works, what its rules are etc.

I fully accept that you can draw LOS through a drop pod after landing and it confers a cover save. I accept that however its modelled you can fire the bolter/missiles after landing. This is because in the rule the doors come off when it lands. I’m not suggesting as some RAW adherents will that i can deploy 2” from the tip of a door because its open topped, I fully accept it’s the hull I deploy from.

Ultimately I think I’m planning on gluing them shut, because I’m working on this whole army being NMM and having 5 drop pods.

25 NMM drop pod tread plate door insides would probably drive me mad.

So, If I turn up with glued Drop Pods, but fully accepts that they aren't LOS blocking and assert I can fire out too, would you find that a problem?

Or should I just shut up and paint the damn things inside and out?

Space Wolf Dreadnought Conversions

Continuing the theme of sorting out my space wolf army, and essentially “giving up” as my mate puts or, or “shelving” some of my other guys, I thought I;d show you what I’ve done to these guys.

Yeah, my Grey knight and AoBR Ultra dreads.

I stripped off any conversion bitz and detached the arms, piling everything in some of plastic tub.

Then I introduced them to an hour of fairy power spray.

The GK dread came out stripped to its primer, but the UM one needed more persuading, so back in it went.

My bitzbox and Greenstuff and a blast of new primer later, and here we have two new Space Wolf dreads.

The las/missile guy, he looks like he was a long fang in life, so i gave him iconography according, and then I carried on to give my close range dread some blood claw iconography.

I’m also thinking of painting the right arm of each black, and giving them Logan’s icon there, as though these Dreads are still wolf guard.

Weep not for them, for they have found new life in service :)

Two Year Anniversary Prize (almost) Finished!

When Commissar Dave and I exchanged emails about his victory in the prize drawing, he had some awesome ideas about how he’d like a marine painted.

Not being a marine player, he wanted it to be for display rather than play, and his first thoughts were just for something weathered and well worn, but no real paint scheme was in his mind.

Ultimately, his praetorian army led to thoughts of a desert camo scheme.

I suggested one of the original Badab schemes and then we were on a winner.

A different chapter badge appealed, but that was the paint scheme.

I suggested using a different mini than the one originally offered as the prize for a couple of reasons, firstly the AOBR captain is all cloak and that wouldn't have worked as well with the camo, secondly I had an old 2nd ed bolter in a bitzbox just begging to be used on this model.

so, a dremmel a metal death company marine, a marauder head, an old bolter and a spare jump pack later…

 

There’s no chapter badge yet, as I intend to print a decal (yeah I know, wussing out on the freehand) and I may still push a couple of highlights brighter, but for all intents and purposes he’s done.

I enjoyed working of this guy, and am quite happy with the results, in choices and style if not always in technical execution :)

I hope Dave finds him worth popping on a shelf. (or ebay, I dont mind :) )

Thanks for reading!

Time to focus on a new project: Space Wolves

So for a while now I’ve been putting all my energy into my guard, and if you look back through the blog you might see the odd Space Wolf  and the odd Ork.

Well I finally have my guard “Finished”.

This set up here, with the addition of the guys here

now all painted (yeah, I know I need to tak eanother army shot)

Anyway. Now I now that, okay, nothing is ever finished, there are things I want to add, but I have an apoc-playable points value of Guard painted to a decent standard and ready to go whenever. So that tells me it’s time to get some of my other guys up to snuff and out of primer.

I have been reflecting on the armies I own and what I want to develop. I currently have a totally painted guard force, a DH codex mostly painted =][= force, a small contingent of Ultras, Orks, some painted, some not, and Space Wolves, mostly unpainted.

I love the guard, and being vets they play in the middle of the 40k spectrum, not horde, not elite, able to gunline or assault, they really are the swiss army knife, able to do everything but not excelling at any really. they stay and are my current “go-to” army.

 

 

 

The DH. I’ll be honest I don't like the new codex. it’s too cheesy by far, and I wouldn't feel right playing it. so they stay shelved for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The smurfs, well I’ve no real interest in developing them, they aren't well painted or really a cohesive force, so they wont be saleable, so they stay boxed and get the occasional use as a “foe” or guest army.

 

 

 

 

 

The Orks, my horde, I love them they let me paint green and yellow and are fun to model, they stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the wolves. well here's the tricky one, I wasn't totally happy with the test models, or the pseudo netlist I was working with. but out of all the above, a plan begins to form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m aiming then for three working armies, the Guard, which is done, the Orks who will be a horde and the Wolves, who to fill the playstyle slot, need to be built as an elite force.

Yeah, I’m building a loganwing.

I know that they suck, I know DA and Belial do it better, I know. But I want to do it, I’m excited about it, and so I’m doing it.

Expect to see a lot of termies hereabouts. and a lot of losses :)

Wolf Guard terminator: Painting in Progress

I’m getting more used to posting works in progress, though I still don’t enjoy the mess :)

I felt I had to pop this up though, as in response to a post over at the Brush Brothers where you can see someone achieving what I’m trying :)

The brush brothers post has shown me I need to push my contrast harder. I’m getting some smooth blending, but its too subtle in the colour range.

Now, this isn't finished, I had planned to take the gold to white, the silver isn't even started yet and the furs need more. I did think I’d done with the armour, and I am for this model, as I’ve done battle damage and some feeble freehand already, but the next one will get more contrast.

So what am I trying to achieve?

I’ve a post coming about my armies and my next project, but basically I’m going to build a Loganwing. (I know, let the next post deal with the wailing and gnashing of teeth, I know it sucks, but let’s talk about the model for now, the army later :)) Mainly because I’ve always fancied and all termie army and the wolves just have the coolest fit for this.

I decided to try and do a good job on the paint for each model. I know this doesn't look like it yet, but I’m going to be learning a lot here and setting myself new challenges. I’m not using any washes. I’ve become too reliant on GW’s “make everything look better juice” so washes are out. metallics are out, and NMM is in, smooth blends are in, paint chips are in and crappy freehand is in, cos gods know I need to practice that.

I still haven't got the bottle to freehand the wolf that walks between stars though, I’m going touched up transfer there.

Anyway, I hadn't posted in a week, so I thought I’d let you know what I was up to.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned, cos he might look better when he’s finished!

Blog Wars - After Action Review

 

(*Photos shamelessly stolen from various blogs without permission because me camera on my phone is terrible and these are better)

What can I say? The event was very well run, Alex did a fangtastic job of keeping things going even while playing himself. The venue is amazing and I have no excuse for not knowing that, it’s just over an hour away from me. the company was top notch, everyone seemed to be there in the right spirit and I personally saw no asshattery, and nothing too cheesy in the lists, although I do struggle with the new Grey Knight Codex in general, rather than any player I saw’s specific use of it. I think that’s where a really fun codex to play casually and with friends crosses over into a tournament context and starts throwing up issues. but I digress, and it’s a general issue, not one with any player I met, as I will expand on further down.

The three games I played on Sunday represent about 20% of my games in 5th. It’s made me realise I do enjoy playing almost as much as modelling and painting, and that I need to get out there and do it yet more. I may even have to look for a club in the local area.

Game one

My First opponent was a tau player, and initially i thought “okay, I’m used to Tau, I’ll be okay” as my friend runs them.

Not so.

This was plasma torrent tau (11 plasma/missile suits and 4 broadsides), run by Craig and effectively. the board had no LOS blocking cover, and he had the only high ground. Not ideal for Mech guard.

Most of my stuff either exploded in midfield or whiffed at his suits saves and shield drones and only ended in a draw because the game ended before he had time to shoot my ass off my objective.

Draw

Game two

Looking at the drawing before lunch revealed I’d drawn Guard, and Tim. This pleased both of us, seeing the only (i think) Valkyrie/Vendetta users at the tourney to face each other felt like karma. (although Andy had his lovely conversions now I think about it)

His army was a stunning looking IA Elysian list, and the dice gods were really not with him during our game. For me it was the almost exact role reversal from my first game. this time I was the guy who has brought more armour, and more gun and the results reflected it. I managed to pop a lot of his AV 12 flyers and that really hurts a list that relies on mobility, I know.

Tim was a great bloke and a gracious player and I did feel very bad as the dice continued to see his vehicles roll 5 and 6’s on pens while i managed to whiff 1’s and 2’s.

Exactly what he didn't need in an annihilation match.

Win

Game three

Grey knights.

Should I stop there?

Actually it was Steve and his list wasn't cheesy, outside the inherent cheesiness of the codex. It was actually quite fun, and with another game and no stupid mistakes I might have made his life much harder.

The stupid mistakes? a) forgetting to roll reserves on turn 4, when the sentinels did come on turn 5 they came on just where they needed to, and another turn of running would have seen them contest. 2) going off mission and chasing up the left of the board for a kill when those troops could have defended an objective and given me a capture. iii) not reserving my Elysian's for late game contestation and using them to whittle away troops when that wasn't really the way I was going to hold of the GK’s.

That’s not to say Steve only won because i made mistakes, or i was tired. It’s simply that IMO the points system refines you to players at your level as the day goes on, so we were quite well matched, and I couldn't afford to make any mistakes at all in such a tightly fought match. and I did.

Either way I doubt I would have pulled off a win, have won, I just feel I should have been able to hold that to a draw.

Lose

I don’t feel bad about my or my armies performance, I’m not an experienced player by a long shot, and at a tourney of 26 to come in 14th is something I’m comfortable with.

I especially don't feel bad because between Tim (see above) and Myself, we split the best painted prize! Tim was very gracious indeed and took only a small nibble from the prize pot allowing me to pick up a box of WGT for a fiver!.

All in all an excellent event, and I will SO do this again.

If I had a single regret it’s that I didn't get to speak to more people, put more names to faces and tell more of the people there how much I enjoy reading their blogs.

With a day to spare!

It seems my blog wars paint is in hand.

I’ve still got tweaks to do, like the muzzles havent been dirtied down yet, and the russ’ oil paints are drying as we speak, but I’m all good for units painted for blog wars, and I’ve got tomorrow in hand.

The light isn't great, still on my new setup, I'll have to fix that. here’s the Cadians I needed to by Wysiwyg, two meltas a sergeant without special weapons and a new Harker, to mark the occasion. still distance to travel with that notion though.

 

The second elysian squad, armed with grenade launchers.

The second stormtrooper squad, with 2x melta, apparently led by Jason Statham. they should be okay then.

I’m impressed that with some pewter butchery I managed to get two full 2x melta squads out a single kasrkin box set with a flamer, grenade and hellguns. with the rise of finecast, gone are such challenges. :(

anyway if you’re on your way to blog wars, I’ll see you there!