And Now For Something Completely Different:Fantasy

It would be easy to imagine that the above photo is meant to show you the utter clutter of my hobby space. However, the real intent is to show you just how much of that space is covered with Warhammer Fantasy Dark Elves. I am not a fantasy player. Like many 40k players, I was drawn in by the originality of the grim dark future. I am not enthralled at all by the Fantasy background, but I do like the miniatures, and once that Black Dragon was released I was sold. I think this army will look fantastic when painted however I am intimidated by the sheer number of miniatures needed for a fantasy army. How is it possible to paint an army in a reasonable about of time (e.g. a couple of weekends)? There must be over 200 miniatures on that table. Just removing the mold lines is going to take a full day.

This brings me to...

John's List of Ways to Improve Fantasy Without Having Played It*(tm)

1. The models should be smaller, so I can enjoy larger batters. Not Warmaster small, but like half the size they are now. The middle ground between Warmaster and fantasy is where the money shot is. 
2. Troops models should be modeled in 1 or two parts so large 100+ units could be put together easily.
3. Boxes should contain enough troops for a meaningful unit size. Buying 4 boxes of executioners is a pain, when the minimum unit size is absurdly small
4. Round bases...oops sorry reflex. Bases should have magnets in them that hold them to the movement trays. 
5. No dwarves. It happened to the Squats, let it happen to fantasy dwarves.
6. Less Magic. Let the troops fight the battle, not the heroes. 

*these rules are subject to change based on actual game play experience. Reading this list may cause anger, panic, derision, blurred vision, or dizziness for Fantasy players. If you experience a nerd rage lasting 4 hours, please consult a therapist.

Flesh Tearers & Gabriel Seth

After painting the Flesh Tearers Razorback/Rhino/Baal Pred/Vindi magneto-tank, I knew I had to paint more guys from that chapter. Differing from my first Flesh Tearers squad, I used less Blood Angles bits on this. Two of the guys have none for instance. I also used older mark legs. In terms of painting these guys almost painted themselves. I stiff have to break out the air brush for the power axe, and the weathering powders for the legs in order to tie them into the base, but I had so much fun making and painting these that I wanted to share them. (oh, a little orange wash on the damaged black parts is needed as well)

Now does Gabriel Seth fit in my army? I don't know. My only significant playing experience is the NOVA open. It was a trial by fire, which I loved, however I learned that infantry should never get outside their tanks. It is more likely that I paint up two Flesh Tearers Vindicators, since the kit is awesome, and making heavily damaged FT versions would be fun. I think I need to stop thinking with my NOVA training and go back to playing what looks good on the table. That is the only way I am going to every field that beautiful Storm Raven (yeah, I love the kit). At the NOVA I was taught that SR's were basically big grey flying targets that started and ended the game in the same place if I took first turn.

And now for something completely different......

I've been building a large Dark Elf fantasy army.

I may even play it before it is even primed.

Do I dare post shots of that army here? I mean this is a 40k hobby blog, not a square-baser joint.

Quick BA Army shot

My wife and I have been busy painting our master bedroom, which gave me the excuse to not move my BA force and NOVA swag from the dining room table. I know having one chore completed does not cancel out the other, but hey, I wanted to see the force together.

With paint fumes wafting, I snapped this shot of the army, now repaired from the load of damage entailed using my cardboard box+ double sided tape method of army transport. In the end what did me in was not pinning my troops to their resin bases. If I had done that, the chance of their bases sticking to the tape when I pulled the miniatures off would have been less. I think magnetizing bases is the way to go long term. It is far more convenient having a way to quickly place miniatures standing up rather than trying to squeeze them into foam cutouts. Even my tanks stayed where they needed to in the box, and I am a pretty aggressive driver. There was ample opportunity for acceleration to cause harm.

I just put together another flesh tearer squad using MK3 armor legs. It might not have been the best idea, as the legs look a little small for the torsos, especially since I used assault marine torsos which are already a little bulkier than normal. The good think was that the legs gave me a lot of extra space to glue knives, grenades, and pouches. My FT are going to be quite battle damaged like my other squad, and have all kinds of weathering, so they need to look like they have been in theatre for some time.

The NOVA Open

Having just survived the NOVA open, my first tournament, and the most games I have played in a decade, I am at a loss for words. It was simply fantastic. I learned to appreciate the game. I met loads of really wonderful guys, whom I hope I get to see again. There were amazing armies, powerful gamer stench, and the sort of brotherly bond that forms when groups are suffering cumulatively from lack of sleep, food, and well air.

Rather than try to put up my list, which must totally rock, since I won 4 games, and I am a truly horrid player, I'll just point out that it is the blood angels one up top. Never again will I try to finish painting models before a tournament.

John's First List of Tournament Rules:

1. Make your list and paint your models before tournament's eve.
2. Bring a spare shirt, it gets really hot and smelly.
3. Make tournament games secondary to making new friends.
4. Just toss your models in a box. They are going to break anyway by the end of the. tournament when you are too tired to not go godzilla all over them.
5. Bring a movement tray that is also a stand, or steal a garbage can to turn into a stand, or don't bring a movement tray.
6. Always play against Eldar and Tau. (other species may join the list when I eventually play them)
7. Never get out of your vehicles.
8. Play the mission, including secondary objectives. Tertiary objectives are important as well
9. Play in the back room with the bad terrain. People are nicer backer there.
10. Don't be a jerk, but feel comfortable asking for rules clarifications.

I want to play 40k again this weekend. How crazy is that?

just finished painting for the nova open

Next time I'll run stuff I actually have, rather than furiously paint new units the night before! All I want now is to sleep, but first I have to learn the rules to 40k.

earthquake + metal models

We just had a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that bounced all of my metal models around. I now have an epic rebasing/re-glueing task! I had no idea DC even had earthquakes. At least my Ikea display cabinets did not shatter. Kind of amusing that my thunderhawk got air.

+1 to finecast for not breaking like all my old metal models!

NOVA Painting Update

I made really good progress yesterday on the 5 new tanks, though towards the end of the night I started changing my list up, causing me to step back and see what I really needed. I've decided to go with 1 LR godhammer, 3 Baals, 2 Predators, and a Vindicator to round out my armor. Basically my tanks should advance as a wall of steel. Good idea or bad idea, I have no basis for comparison!

Four Blood Angels and one Flesh Tearers anything tanks

Just to throw a wrench in the whole super magnetizing speed painting of 5 anything tanks, I decided to paint one up in a Flesh Tearers color scheme. This way when I field Seth, and his assault squad, I have a place for them to ride. I mean after all, Chapter Master Seth would not borrow a Blood Angel's ride unless he was taking over the chapter. When I started this iteration of my Ba I wanted to have a few squads from each successor chapter, so this fit in nicely with the long term goal. If any of you get a chance to see my army at the NOVA open then you'll know how down to the wire the whole thing was for me. The funny thing is that I am primarily a painter, so speed painting in order to play in a GT is way out of the norm. One of the cool things is that once done, I will be able to field any combination of tanks, be they rhinos, razorbacks, predators, or baal predators. Maybe I will play the game more often afterwards.

The tanks have their armor completed now, and I have begun putting on decals and painting details. (the tanks are a little glossy from the baal red wash, but should be nice an matte at the end)

After the details are done, I'll add battle damage and dust, so it can overlap providing a little more realism. I plan to add stowage to each tank as well. Naturally the FT tank will have the most stowage and battle damage, fitting in with their background of letting their vehicles fall apart. I am looking forward to adding rusty tow lines and such to the FT chassis.

So in terms of playing the game, rhinos are not assault vehicles, but could I move them flat out and ram another vehicle hoping the rhino will explode dropping its payload of troops in front of the target? Would the troops be able to assault? It does not seem like this would be ok, but it sounds really fun to play.