Thursday 30 August 2018

875pts battle report - Imperial Knights v Tyranids

I managed to arrange a little game with Otty in preparation for Double Trouble 4. Never having solely used my Knights and with their new rules it was a perfect opportunity to familiarise myself with my 3 guys. The main issue with taking the Lancer is you automatically lose half your Stratagems as they invariably work with Questoris Knights, or those with specific weapons. Take away any other Knightly houses and I was left with just on page of Stratagems to choose from! I gave the Lancer Land Strider to add 2" to his move and the Warglaives too. He also had the Sainted Ion Armour for a 2+ save!

Otty brought 2 Broods of Genestealers [one maxxed out], a Broodlord, a Neurothrope and 6 Hive Guard. Otty got first turn, moved the Neurothrope into the crater and the Hive Guard into range of the nearest Warglaive. The fired off two salvoes, taking it down to just 2 wounds


Big Brood advanced, little brood conga'd to secure objectives. No combat this turn but the next turn?


The Lancer advanced, [14" move +2" Land Strider + 2D6" Advance!] so he was really up in their grill first turn. The shock lance put a couple of wounds on the Neurothrope and the charge managed to catch both it and the Hive Guard. I did a lance strike and Titanic Foot Stomp each on both units. I think I killed two Hive Guard but the Neuro remained intact.


The wounded Warglaive held an objective, it's twin managed to kill 1 Genestealer with its Thermal Lance and hold the other.


Genestealers sought revenge for the loss of their pal.


Neurothrope smoted the other Warglaive killing it [he had an auspicious first game].


The Neurothrope was very pleased with itself! He even healed his 2 wounds back with a stratagem.


Stealers surrounded the other Warglaive


And ripped it to pieces with 80 attacks, hitting on 2s, wounding 5/6s re-rolling 1s [Gorgon]. Neither blew up either, just collapsing in on themselves.


In retaliation the Lancer fell back, shot the Neurothope 2 wounds again then stomped all over the Hive Guard! S8 on Titanic feet is awesome!


Can't recall how the Neurothrope died, maybe the shock lance did more than the 2 damage? The Broodlord did 6 Smite wounds on the Lancer though as the small Stealer brood closed in.


I couldn't kill the squad though, one survived to secure the objective while the Lancer was on 19 wounds.


Remaining Stealers and Broodlord arrived.


The Broodlord itself very brave to get within range of my lance, but after the massive Smite last turn took psychic feedback with double 1 perils for two wounds on itself. They could only put 4 wounds on me, keeping me within the top tier [House Hawkshroud looking pretty awesome right now]


In return I kebabed the Broodlord and stomped the lone Stealer [for Blood Points] and then stomped a couple from the big brood.


The end game, for honour and curiosity. Otty had won with objectives it was just a matter of seeing who would kill who first. With Fall Back, shooting and attack the Genestealer still managed to knock me down to the bottom tier. This made it increasingly difficult to land stomps.


But I thinned the brood, reducing their claw attacks.


But not enough as they sliced through my armour and the Lancer too fell without fanfare or explosion.


The conclusion - Land Strider is probably unnecessary in this force - they're pretty fast anyway. +1 attacks is more useful as an extra stomp would have made all the difference against the Stealers/Hive Guard. Not much I can say about the Warglaives, perhaps learn not to 'sell them cheaply'. Hopefully at DT my pairings will provide numbers to hold objectives instead of half my army standing around doing nothing until they were swamped!

It does show how effective a large blob of Stealers can be - they killed a Warglaive without loss and took the Lancer down nearly 600pts and they were still alive! Anyway, bring on Saturday!

If you're interested in any more of my Battle Reports, point your cogitators here: www.40kaddict.uk/p/battle-reports.html

Tuesday 28 August 2018

To Do List 2018/19

Having covered my achievements over the past season it's now that I look forward to the new one.

Apologies but my list is pretty much everything I still haven't completed from previous seasons. But I am working through these each year so the system does work. I've added a few new things though so there are some surprises to look forward to. Obviously my recent purchase of Imperial Knights Renegade changed my plans, casting doubt on my ability to tackle some of my original projects, but we shall see. Anything in bold is a priority, everything else is nice to have.
  1. Develop a more healthy hobby/life balance - go to bed at a decent hour[ish], keeping a record might help [although tried it already for 2 months and it didn't]... 
  2. Find time to play some games, not just tournament play...
  3. At least one new Imperial Knight [I might need this for GT4 in Feb] I'm working on two at once I think that's achievable by Feb as I did the Cerastus in 3 months and I think I've got most of the production issues down now. They should be straightforward after the metallics!
  4. Dark Angel - Ravenwing Dark Shroud
  5. Dreadtober - I don't know what, a Hive Tyrant or Imperial Knight [unlikely in a month] but I want to try and take part in this again I might not complete my goal but the participation might help.
  6. Dark Angel - Ravenwing Bikes [I might convert these to Black Knights]
  7. Dark Angel - Ravenwing Attack Bikes [I might need one of these for GT4 in Feb]
  8. Dark Angel - Deathwing Knights
  9. Dark Angel - Macragge Tactical Squad
The remaining nid and terrain based items are these:
  1. Some bits of Imperial terrain I have knocking about [Sanctum Imperialis, etc.] I could do with these for Armies on Parade but not holding my breath...
  2. Genestealer Cult Abberants [they're all the rage now and I don't even have to arm them all with Power Hammers!]
  3. 2 sets of Ferron Fire Firs - paint.
  4. Tyranid Void Shield Generator [it had some progress last season, I just need to do more, even if it's just as a terrain piece, although unrealistic in the face of other projects]
  5. Some Shadespire warbands
  6. Blood Bowl Humans
  7. Blood Bowl Orks [? yeah not likely but if I can get the hoomies done maybe...]
Pipe dream items - these are things that have been on my list and in all honesty I'm not likely to tackle this year but I do not want them forgotten so I'll just note them as things I'll eventually do, one day:
  1. Tyranid Promethium Relay Pipes
  2. Dark Angel - Aegis Defence Line [totally low down as most of the Fortifications suck game wise but it'd be nice to have some extra terrain pieces and I think it's actually the best value out of the pieces I have]
  3. Tyranid Bastion Crater [I have zero intent to do this this season, if ever, just want to remind myself it exists]
The Big Build will continue this season. Still a lot of what was not complete from previous lists but  the principle is sound and pays dividends with those items that tend to be off-list that get built through to painting and completion.
  • Ravenwing bikes
  • Ravenwing attack bikes
  • Ravenwing Talonmaster?
  • Imperial Knight [x2?]
  • More Ripper Swarms - 3 bases
  • 2 Tyranid Hive Guard kitbashes...
  • Space Hulk Genestealers - get them based!
  • 3 Tyranid Lictors
  • 3 Tyranid Warriors
  • 3 Tyranid Shrikes
  • 5 Dark Angel Veterans/Command Squad
  • Remaining Deathwing Terminators
  • Build some new terrain?
So that's me for 2018/19 I think I have quite a lot on my plate, especially when you take into account I need to balance things a little more. All the best for your own efforts this season.

Sunday 26 August 2018

Hobby Season 2017/18 Review

The 2017/18 Hobby Season draws to a close, and how did I do? Well I managed to complete 6 out of the 17 realistic items on my list. On it's own that seems underwhelming but I've done other items off-list and as you will discover/already know one of the list items pretty much eclipses everything I've done to date anyway. When comparing this Season's output to the previous two Season's, which had been ultra-productive, I was not hoping to maintain that level of delivery, but I'm still quite pleased with the result. Aside from the post-Christmas malaise I think I've been really busy, granted there isn't a huge amount of quantity but quality and mass more than make up for it. I do feel I might be pushing myself a little too hard - I seem to be finishing up later and later in the evening and I think next seasonit's an issue I have to be stricter with myself about as it's not sustainable, but onto what I've acheieved...

First up, the Deathwatch Marines from Deathwatch Overkill. They seem so long ago now but were a key element to my Genestealer Cult themed Armies on Parade board.


Far from being the quick paint jobs I originally planned, the wealth of detail made their progress incredibly slow. Ben particularly likes them in our Deathwatch Overkill games, he said they were my 'best work'.


But while I was at it I also finished my Terminator Librarian from Space Hulk. Although this guy was not part of the Deathwatch it really felt like a quick win to tag along with those marines. With such variety in the mix it was no real hardship to include him.


Even before I varnished the Deathwatch and Librarian I'd moved on to my next project going 'off-list' and picking up two Sentinels to bulk out my Cultists for AoP. It was at this stage I foresaw that I just couldn't get a board done in time and so abandoned the idea of creating a new one and put all my efforts into getting these complete. I was really pleased with the result, I'll get the Flamer to go on the second one at some point.


I even finished a couple of my futuristic containers to add a little more detail to my AoP board. This made me keen to complete the last three remaining Cubes but other more pressing projects will put paid to that urge no doubt.


And their Parade looked amazing, despite not creating a custom board. I think it just goes to show that a little creativity with your existing gaming terrain can really add to AoP. The end result was way beyond my expectations, what will I be doing this year?


Rippers were next, I needed them for GT3 and I'd been putting off making them for so long because I was hoping to recreate the old Forgeworld 'swarm'. I managed it with some press-mold extra Rippers with the intention of putting more on the next attempt.


Having finished the Trygon as part of my Big Build I suddenly figured it too could form part of my GT3 army list. So I cracked on with it and he was next for completion. Now this was the 4th completion in a row that was 'off-list' which is fine because he at least had been languishing for a long time in a box and the results more than make up for having queue-jumped his way to completion :)


Movement bases were next on the agenda for GT3. I feel like I shouldn't be including them for some reason, but I could have easily just sprayed them red and left them but instead they were proper Red Planet BASEd! And the extras made them look cool, if unweildy.


A lot of advice came from you all to solve the problem, sadly it was 'locking the stable door after the horse had bolted'. And only slightly less redundant than the trays themselves - that were so impractical I could barely bring myself to use them and eventually consigned them to just decorating the man-cave.


 Fatigue set in mid-January but nothing a few nights off couldn't fix and with only a couple of tweaks required on the Space Hulk Broodlord he was soon boxed off too. He wasn't on my To Do List, bar his brood of Space Hulk Genestealers being part of the Big Build - to base them and be ready for painting, which I've still to do. I liked his magnetised base though, a neat touch that did delay his progress but well worth the effort.


Following on from completing the Broodlord my malaise returned. I was super tired and just not motivated by any of the projects I had been 'simmering' while focused elsewhere. I took a few nights off again and then forced myself to just crack on and do the battle damage on my old skool Predator. Thankfully it took me to the 'crest' and I was able to coast gently through the remainder. You'll have read in the To Done! post just how much this meant to me and right now you couldn't trade me three new Predators [painted] to replace this one!


I then had to finish the 1984 Citadel Samurai for the Eavier Metal 20 year competition. I had no aspirations in the competition, I just really wanted to take part in the group and I hadn't done anything in the previous 'eadbanger events. I confess I rushed it and there are definitely compromises in finish I regret but it is still infintely better than the original Humbrol Enamel paint job I did 33 or 34 years ago.


Half-way point some off-list but the list was embryonic when I wrote it so all these items can be forgiven, particularly as the results were much better than expected. As last year this isn't a huge model count so far, only 26 things, but this was quality, not quantity and having struggled with fatigue I was finally back in a good head space. Thus I prioritised my 'Big 3' - the Tyranid Hierophant, Old Skool/Nu Skool Razorback and my Armigers with the Biotitan taking number 1 slot but proving challenging at points so even the other two ended up stalling and I promptly painted my display base ready for Double Trouble 3.


With that complete I found out GW Manchester was holding a World Record attempt to have the most Knights in the shop on the day of release of the new Codex. Well there's nothing like a deadline to focus the mind and that motivated me to push past the metallic malaise I'd suffered and bring the Armiger Warglaives online. I was actually amazed how easy they were to do once that particular hurdle was overcome.


One of the BIG 3 was complete but despite that success, mentally I was fatigued again. I had the potential quick win of the Razorback. Just a few nights work to complete or attempt to overcome some of the hard slog on the Biotitan so I could feel reinvigorated. I actually got sidetracked with the future containers but it prompted my return to the Biotitan and I became completely focused on getting it To Done! This was my Project Z, on my To Do List for years and I'd finally got it built and painted this season so I could scratch it off the list. I had 26 days left of the season, what else could I do in that time?


Obviously crack on with my Old Skool Razorback, but simultaneously I was finishing up the three future containers, which were completed ahead of the Razorback, thanks to not needing any Tamiya Clear products. The end results are pretty cool, I just wish you could still get these tubs so I could make more :(


And the Razorback was finished just a few hours later, with the Las-Plas armament just taking a little longer with it's Tamiya Clear elements but also the Heavy Bolter Turret was also complete. I thought I really needed another of these Rhinos to utilise the spare turret, but I found out the Las-Plas is no longer an option, so that was a waste of time and it looked so cool too! I suppose I've an Old Skool 'Crayola' Whirlwind that can scratch that itch insetad, maybe next Season. But that means the Big 3 did get completed before the end of the Hobby Season, but could I get the Shadespire Chosen Axes done too?


The answer to that question is of course I got it done. Much like last year I went to the deadline on my Hobby Season. I had said I wouldn't do that this time around but couldn't help myself. I have finished the Chosen Axes but obviously haven't taken their picture aside from the one below. I've also got a couple of WiP shots I should have made into a post today but didn't organise things properly. So expect a few more posts to tie up the 2017/18 season even as we enter the 2018/19 one! I'm immensely proud of them, which is making the thought of selling them that much harder. Luckily there is no rush at the moment so I can enjoy them for now.


There we go, 16 'projects' of varying scale I'm pretty chuffed with that. I'm also pleased to see how productive others have been. We all hobby in different ways and thankfully the Hobby Season is flexible enough to accommodate those apporaches and it really has created a structure you can adapt to help you get something done, thanks for taking part.

With a third of my list done it does mean two thirds remain for next Season but there are definitely some new items to surprise and delight, see you on Tuesday for my 2018/19 Hobby Season To Do List. But lets not forget the Big Build...


The Big Build was my scaled down expectations to build miniatures. Ironically it was more of a Great Build than last year's attempt, but I'm really pleased with how much I built and how much then fast tracked through to completion. These Genestealer Cult Sentinels [shown previously] were one of those items from build to completion.


My Trygon was next to be built, the base and pose particularly difficult hurdles to overcome.

The Space Hulk Broodlord also was a challenge due to the magnetised base.
The Rippers for GT3 were next, the 'green stuff' ground bursting Rippers have been a pipe-dream project for years now. To finally give them a go was such an achievement and they came out alright too. I also got them painted as well so I'm really chuffed at that goal achieved.



Then along came the biggest build to date. This project had been lurking in the background for nearly 4 years. The sheer scale of the task with balls-out bravado to properly pin the legs so they didn't bend and magnetise it, just meant I could never fully commit alongside other projects, they always took preference. But I would have a go every now and again, last year saw some significant progress but then it stalled again and finally there was a window of opportunity to finish off the little bits and get it ready to start painting...

In the midst of beginning to paint the Hierophant, Forgebane was released and I used my Google AdSense money to secure the box just so I could add these guys to my Knights. I did a bit of conversion work on the Armigers, making their poses a little more dynamic and magnetising the weapon options. Not sure if I was canibalising my efforts on the Biotitan but it was good to have more stuff on the table so I can have a variety of projects to work on simultaneously - the very purpose of the Big Build.


When I should have been focussing on my 'Big 3' projects I only went and cannibalised yet more of my hobby time by building this Sanctum Imperialis. It was actually on my Big Build To Do list so I don't feel too bad about it and y'know 'go with the flow', but it did slow progress elsewhere and added to me already large list of projects. I did hope ti would also fast-track it's painting but I know I'm going to find this a challenge so it'll probably stall.


Yet more terrain, the last of my Mentos Cubes Future Containers. After the feeling of success completing the OOCL containers I found the last three cubes and they sat staring at me in mute silence for months. The difficulty of fitting them in among all my other projects was resolved in 'building' them during my lunch at work. With the reinforcments done they were then just about finding spare moments to get around to painting them. I was a little overzealous with the sand added to the bascoat but glad they're at least ready for paint.

Funded by my Best Painted Army win from Double Trouble 3 I picked up the Shadespire Chosen Axes expansion for something fun and different to paint, mainly in a bid to see what they'd go for on ebay and perhaps then fund the actual game. They were so easy to build it's almost a crime to include but tough, they were built and I'm claiming it.
And there are various other things started building [two new Knights] and paused [a load more press molded Rippers] after some attention. Maybe they'll mature next season who knows?

Friday 24 August 2018

Terrain is everything - 40k future container scatter terrain - Touch ups

Just a quick one, in amongst completeing the previous future containers I decided to embelish this older green container. It followed a similar pattern to the Maersk Line container and I had a spare stencil template to put a big number on so it was rude not to.


Now although I firmly believe big numbers make anything look cooler there is something about this one that doesn't quite work, perhaps it's just too bright. I also added some more Rhinox Hide sponging and Ryza Rust as well as Valejo Red Oxid paste in places to cover up where the paint has already chipped off. I also weathered up the base a lot to be more durable and fit with the three previous containers.


As you can see its overall colour 'silhouette' has changed dramatically. The overwhelming green its now competing with 25% white and the orange and brown is significantly more noticeable. So I'm a little sad I've lost a solid block of colour but I've just got to accept where it's at now.


Maybe a little more toning down of the number 5, some silver in places and a varnish. There was no urgency in doing it just something I felt it needed.