Terrain is everything - Aegis Defence Line - Lense FX

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity it's #TerrainFriday ... OK, lets just accept every day should be a #TerrainDay! Anyway, Aegis Defence Line... we're getting close to the finish line now. As mentioned these 'lenses' on my bastion were orange glow FX but I didn;t think that would work here so I painted them as red lenses

Just your standard dark at the top, fade to colour at the bottom and a specular white highlight in the middle of the black. Now that's not much of a fade at all, in fact it's almost non-existent/

Because I then coat the lense with Tamiya Clear Red X-27 which smooths it all out, make's it more monotone.

It also colourises the specular highlight but I will pick that out again in this one and be more wary of covering it in the subsequent lenses. I also did the green activation button on the hatch - it's a bit too bright, nothing Tamiya Clear Green X-25 couldn't fix. But although I think the tone is completely incongruous with the rest of the tone of the piece I'm keeping it

I picked out some silver areas as well. Just those scuffs through the rust and where weapon damage has pierced the wall. I could have added a little more to this, Rhinox Hide underneath to enhance the effect and make the silver sit better.

But I was rushing at this stage, cutting corners and I don't feel it loses anything for it, in this case.

If I( wanted a 100% accurate weathering techniques I'd need to really up my game and spend a disproportionate amount of time on these things. As it is they're stylised approximations of weathering effects that I'm happy with.

And I'm OK with that, naturally. Also, as much as I love terrain and I've loved painting these the same question keeps coming back to me...

WHY? Why am I painting these? I'm not playing, even before lockdown we weren't playing and certainly not at my house. Maybe I'll find a use for them in Armies on Parade. I'm thinking perhaps a narrative scene this time based around my Dark Angels defending their Bastions... who knows?

Terrain is everything - Aegis Defence Line - 'Rust and her embrace'

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity it's #TerrainWednesday ... of course it is! Anyway, Aegis Defence Line... some first steps with rust. Now the original plan was to stipple on some browns and whatnot but I just went straight in with a mix of Vallejo Model Wash Rust and Secret Weapon pigment Rust Orange.

The pigment powders usually needs some kind of fixer to keep it in place, it seemed to make sense that i use one that's already adding rust colours.

It also means I can have areas with minor rust, where it's just the Vallejo wash and more exaggerated areas that combine more of the pigment powders, you can see the difference between the two approaches here.

It's a bit hit and miss, sometimes I can go too far. I did consider trying to knock things back with a sepia wash in places, but also a second application of just the Vallejo rust often smoothed things out.

I also tested it out on the backs too.

As well as finishing off all the metallics. I still have to decide on the lenses but with all the rust I think orange isn;t going to work so red appears to be the sensible choice.

I remember on a French exchange going up the Eiffel Tower in Paris and I was horrifies at the massive balls of rust in some places. They had just been painted over in the brown that covers the tower but it always stuck with me. I've gone a bit OTT  on the orange in places but hopefully I can claw it back.

Here too I was very liberal with the powder/wash mix so I'll have to see what I can do with it.

There are the remaining wall pieces to do next and then the lenses, but close to being done now that I have a proof of concept. I don't think I'll even need to sponge on any other weathering effects this has come out so well. it may not be 100% accurate but tabletop wise it's striking and high contrast and that works for me.

Terrain is everything - Aegis Defence Line - Highlighted

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity it's #TerrainMonday ... Anyway, back to the Aegis Defence Line. What with detours to Rotspawns and Munitorum Containers its back to me detour from the Aberrants!

Sorry, colour's gone funny on this but all of the panels have been highlighted and then shaded with black. It always feels odd that I pre-shade prime [most times], basecoat, shade, highlight and then come back in and add shading again!

 All of the Imperial eagles have been painted VGC Stonewall Grey and had Army Painter Strong Tone wash applied. Stonewall Grey highlights next and then some white highlights.

All of the shutter mechanisms have been painted black in preparation for bronze metallics. I won't be blessing them with verdigris but they will be grimy and weathered.

I'm debating the screen/light fittings top and bottom of each panel [6 on the double walls]. On the bastions I did an orange glow. It was a bit rough and ready and not my finest work but here I'm not so sure.

I'm going to be applying some rust effects and powders I'm not sure orange glow effect would stand out. I'm thinking instead to go Tamiya Clear, either Red X-27 or Orang X-26. 

I'm figuring these are lights for the defenders, not radar screens - why would they have radar screens at boot height? So if they're lights you might want ones that only shine minimal light like the red torches the army used to use. Red lenses might look pretty cool against the green walls.

Terrain is everything - Aegis Defence Line - SAY WHAT?!

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity it's #TerrainTuesday ... OK so I did manage to get another piece of terrain work done and arrange it for a Tuesday! Anyway, Aegis Defence Line... I can't believe I've never taken pictures of this up until now. I think I prepared this at the same time as my Bastions which looks like September 2015. You can see Bastion 2 had been sprayed green and shadow washed after all the texture and crackle paints had been applied. The Aegis was probably done as well, I just never applied the shadow wash.

The other day I applied some black wash to them all, the double wall is that stage. Then I applied a mix of stippling and drybrush of Army Painter Angel Green and then VGC Goblin Green for the highlight. Initially I had the side panel highlighted at the top and darker at the bottom but the middle panel was naturally highlighted at the bottom so I switched it as it made more sense. There are still some inconsistencies but it does work better this way.

Far from finished though as you can see the two on the right have has some additional shading. This creates contrast and definition and means the rough drybrush is no bother, particularly with all the texture and the upcoming weathering. There'll be some more black shading to add too for even more contrast and I'll pick out the eagle in Stonewall Grey and White. The reverse is also done but there will be some metallic pieces on there, to match my Bastions.

I was really excited to get the four smaller pieces to a much more respectable place so quickly [a couple of hours]. Then I realised these four small ones are only 33% of the wall, so still 67% yet to do green. And then there is the aforementioned metallics, weathering and greys. But it's fun and I'm enjoying it. I was feeling guilty because it was 'off list' but I just discovered it most certainly is not off list and has been on my list for years. I conceded I said it was low down on that list but what a coup if I can get this done [I will get this done]. WiP for over 6 years - another heritage project could be completed - bring it on!

Dark Angels - Bastion levels of redundancy

Just in case the salt staining on my current Bastion could not be removed I quickly knocked up a spare the other night. Last night I primed it and wisely decided not to use salt but I did want to add a little more texture to the flat surfaces. To achieve this I added a mix of Satin Black paint [the same paint I've had in the garage for over 14 years!] some plaster, PVA glue, some of the finest sand I could 'pinch' out my basing sand and water. The still wet finish looks almost 'Blanchian', probably an ideal derelict structure.

 

However, I looked at the dried version this morning and it's not quite so gross and distressed. I'll be adding some Martian Ironearth and perhaps some Valejo Red Oxide texture in places to make it a little less plastic model and a bit more futuristic Grim Dark fortification. I'll then be adding Hunter Green. I also thought while I was at it I'd also throw in a Defence line and Comms Relay too!

 

I currently have a real sense of hobby momentum, which is only hampered by the lack of time and setbacks that are slowing progress. I really want to get a number of projects done so I can start playtesting the Dark Angels list I have in mind for Blog Wars X.

But this is still great progress and even though it's a second Bastion and defence line and not really on my new Hobby Season list the progress, even if it was thwarted on the first one was so quick I think I can chuck these into the mix without delaying other things too much. Even if I can rectify Bastion 1 and postpone completion of these then the effort so far won't be wasted as it'll be a head start for when I do get chance to complete it, like those 20 genestealers waiting to have their bases painted...

Otty's other Tyranid Fortifications & OOE

Included with the Tyranid Bastion pics were these other nid fortifications. I've never been a fan of the Venom Cannon design but I do think this use of them looks particularly beastly effective:

The plan is to complete a set of tyranid fortifications,starting with the bastion,which is now complete. This shows my quad gun, it's made from spare Hive Tyrant legs,and original screamer killer body and 4 venom cannons. it unfortunately no longer fits on top of the bastion.

You may have seen plenty of defence lines made out of spare Carnifex Carapaces but Otty has made his different with other nid bioforms to create a living wall of flesh to protect the rest of his horde

This pic is some of the tyranid defence lines. Progress is slow, but when finished it will correspond to the correct length of an imperial defence line. It is made out of old gaunts spare tyranid warrior heads and every spare chitinous armour plate I could find.

I made and painted this version of "old one eye", it's sole purpose to make my army a legal blog wars army, by having a named warlord.

The important aspect of this is that Otty will be attending his first Blog Wars. It'll be great for us all to be there and no doubt he'll do well in the painting competition

If I can't get the Dark Angels to a standard I'm happy with I may go with Old One Eye as my Special Character too. We'll have to see.

1500pt battle report - nids vs Astra Imperial Milatarum Guard

What happened here was quite amusing, Ben asked me for a game, proper 7th at 1500pts and I combined a detachment with nid allies so I could get twin flyrants, two Tervigons, one an allied HQ, the other a troop. A Venomthrope, Zoanthrope and brood of 3 Hive Guard. A Dakkafex, Biovore and 30 gaunts plus another 10 for the Allied contingent. The big point being I had ZERO fortifications, no Aegis, Bastion, Weapons Batteries or Skyshield

Psychic Powers Winged Tyrant HQ Winged Tyrant Tervigon CC TR Tervigon Plain Tr The Horror The Horror Onslaught Psychic Scream Psychic Scream Paroxysm Dominion Dominion Dominion Dominion Zoanthrope Dominion Onslaught Warp Blast

The low down:

• Big Guns Never Tire [though apparently they do give up Victory Points when they die, as they score anyway now, good one 7th!] 4 objectives
• Vanguard Strike
• I lost deployment and failed to seize
• Warlord Trait - A 7th ed strategic trait that made Ben's reserves -1. he had no reserves!
• Night fighting turn 1.

Of course the problem I immediately had is Ben was not using the Orks I thought he would take, given they have a fresh Codex, no he went for a slightly more mature Astra Imperial Milatarum Guard. And I could see straight from the get go I was stuffed. An Aegis and a bastion with VSG [yeah, I can't touch them], two Leman Russ [can't touch them], two Wyverns [they'll punish my blobs], Ratling Snipers [bye, bye Tervigons] a Quad Gun and an Icarus [bye, by Flyrants]

Cover was sparse but I deployed my termagants in such a way to be Shrouded by the Venomthrope and give cover to anything else but with the Hellhound Chimera variant with the Inferno Cannon, cover [or lack thereof] is petty much moot anyway

Interesting to note that objectives are now positioned before Deployment setup is rolled, so you put the objectives on the board and then you could deploy in a completely different way than you anticipated. That means you have to be quite generic in where you put them. I placed mine in the Chapel ruin and the crater field in the middle. Ben put his in the blasted forest and just in front of his Aegis at the top.

First up Ben rolls to see what the Crashed Aquila Lander has in store, oh some ancient Achaeotech that is a 1VP objective within 3" of the lander, thank you, he'll have that behind the Aegis on the left of the Bastion. Everything else moves forward and the Torrent on that Chimera flames a couple of Gaunts, now that's unpleasant.

A lot of shooting focuses on my Hive Guard and 3 wounds get stripped off quite quick, despite the Venomthrope. Ratlings got an 'ignore cover' order but there was also re-rolls to hit and wound from some banner/wargear.

Further fire took the remaining three wounds off the Hive Guard for First Blood, but more importantly removing my 'anti-tank'. We also roll to see what my Mysterious objective is - Sabotaged! We then spend the game regularly forgetting to see if it blows up.

The Great Maw spawns out on 10 Termagants, which head for the crater field for some cover. unfortunately their run move is pathetic and they're pretty much dead men walking with that Hellhound nearby, although cover would again have availed them nought. My Flyrant headed to take some shots at the side armour of the Hellhound, but it's AV12 and I had seious doubts about getting three 6's to glance it. Instead I went for the softer option of the Guard blob and trust the Great Maw might eventually get it's talons on the Hellhound. I managed to kill only about 5or 6 with my Brainleech which was unrewarding.

The other Flyrant swooped into cover, I was able to take out a Heavy Weapons team but cover denied most of my shooting. The CC Tervigon spawned out on 11 so no more spawning at all - great! Everything else decamped from the ruins so as not to be blown up by the Sabotaged objective.

Warlord Flyrant takes a couple of wounds

Then a couple more, spawned gaunts also get shot to pieces with just two left. The Second Flyrant in the woods at the top is wounded and falls out of the sky and takes a 2nd wound.

In my turn two I bolster the two spawned gaunts with the eight remaining from my allied brood. The Great Maw heads for the Hellhound, needing an 8" charge, it manages 5" so fails it's assault.

My second flyrant Vector Strikes the lead Wyvern. I get a pen and the tank cannot shoot or move next turn. I shoot the back of the second Wyvern, I glance and pen but only prevent it shooting next turn.

The Dakkafex follows up too but I'm not sure what it did this turn as nothing else dies. He had Onslaught so he was run and shoot, maybe saving throws were very effective? More importantly though with that Grav Wave generator in front of the units and cover I can't charge the distance to get into assault.

The Nephropid captures an objective, only to discover, unsurprisingly, that it is also Sabotaged!

Anti-air trains it's sights on the Flyrant...

...and shoots it to pieces.

With space to manoeuvre the Hellhound reverses from the oncoming Great Maw. Concentrated fire puts five wounds on it.

But it takes pretty much all the remaining fire for the kill shot. I immediately 'go to ground' with the nearby gaunts. You don't get a cover save from the Brood Progenitor backlash but it will help next turn because they will be immune to Instinctive Behaviour. Ben thinks this is a dubious tactic, that he could understand them being able to go to ground should he be firing directly at them but they're being hit in a different way. The description is specific that they're being hit as if by a shooting attack from the Tervigon. I think the argument should be that perhaps they should have no right to go to ground because they can derive no benefit, but counter to that you always take your best save anyway so even if they were entitled to a cover save if they had a 4+ save and went to ground in 5+ cover they'd still get 4+. I'm confident I can do it but if anyone want's to chip in their thoughts feel free.

War gets into range of the Wyverns, I actually whoop when I find out they're a squadron so his shooting effects them both. I'd been floundering at the thought one would go and the other would carry on. even so I only manage a few hits. I managed to get a few hits with glances and pens. Ultimately his cover save would stop most of them except one pen gets through. I roll to see damage and on the front Wyvern and get a 6, plus one for open topped and the Wyvern blows.

The explosion takes out a couple of Guardsmen and hits his Squadron buddy, I roll and get a glance, wrecking the second Wyvern thanks to it's last Hull Point. Finally some luck! With War on the rampage all the Defenders train their guns on the beast and let rip.

Stripping all four wounds off the behemoth.

Things are looking dire but I still have a chance to steal this with 3 objectives I can control and the other one I can contest. I head the Tervigon forwards to take fire and shield the Termagants who can contest the Grav Wave objective.

My plan works too well and the Nephropid implodes.

About 5 gaunts die in the synaptic backlash. The other gaunts head to contest the other objective. I'd moved my Zoanthrope across and cast Dominion which kept everything in Synapse and also re-invigorated the gaunts that had gone to ground.

Unfortunately a dozen Termagants is no match for the massed las fire and Inferno Cannon set against it.

I try to run and contest but can't get more than an inch or two. It's turn four and I think I'm all done.

Technically, having called it, this is a Crushing Defeat. I'm actually unhappy about this shift in 7th to levels of victory. Calling it, like I did, seems an amicable acceptance but then to be branded not just defeated but 'crushed', well it's not really in the spirit of the game to me. Anyway, Ben had First Blood, Slay the Warlord, had killed 2 Heavy Support, Archaeotech objective and 1 objective for 8VPs. If we'd gone into 5 turns he would easily roll over the objective in the craters for another three and most likely got Linebreaker too, with the Hellhound, for 12 VPs all in.

Meanwhile I had either 1 or 2 VPs from the Wyverns, I think it's just 1 because they're a squadron and most likely would have had the blasted woods objective and the ruined chapel. That would have got me 7 but would have been dependant on the remaining Termagants not being gunned down by the Aegis Defenders and the Zoanthrope continuing to hold the Chapel and neither being blown up by the sabotaged objectives. This would have net me 7VPs but you can see that despite the monumental losses [and awful dice rolling] I wasn't too far off the mark from Ben. Had a couple of units just survived a bit longer [Catalyst anyone?], or been more effective in their attacks I might not have suffered as many losses and would have been able to snatch it.

The funny thing was that we played on the night Brazil got hammered by Germany so I can't feel too bad, at least it wasn't 7:1 ha, ha!