Sunday 16 September 2012

FAQ looky - Aegis Defence Line

Now this is one that I don't like. If you recall when I posted the Eldar Defence Line details pictured below I agreed with comments about it's single fixed build. Not just for transport reasons but it's not versatile and it can't be split and scattered over the battlefield, well it IS 'Battlefield Debris' afterall.


Here's the FAQ:

Q: Can you deploy the Aegis Defence Line sections in two or more groups of two or more sections apiece (this way, they will still be in base contact with at least one other section)? (p114)
A: No – the Aegis defence line sections must be deployed in an unbroken chain, though they can be connected end-to-end such as in the example shown on page 114.
So it would seem it's only 'debris' insomuch as it's in one solid piece. Of course this disappoints me as I feel if you're paying the points for a tactical reason you should be able to pursue those tactics. However I have reconciled my disappointment as being able to split the line and position 'staging posts' allowing you to creep from cover to cover is perhaps a little shady. I still think it could have been resolved with a middle ground approach of suggesting that it could form no more than two lines perhaps...

Sadly, it's just a loss of something before I've even got to benefit, well not true I've used it twice now and both times it was split but I'm not entirely sure that tipped the balance of play. It makes a mockery somewhat of 'short' and 'long sections' but nevermind we live and learn.

Saturday 15 September 2012

100000!


100000 page views! It may have been search bots or my own constant monitoring of the blog but it's a milestone, thank you for everyone else who has bothered to pop along.

A freebie - Biomancy Psychic markers


The more games I play the more markers I find I need, latest is Biomancy psychic power markers. Constantly rolling for Warp Speed and Iron Arm each turn and adding D3 I&A or D3 S&T to the psyker means you really need to keep track of what's doing what. Of course there's other rules attached to these powers so I've included an asterisk to remind you to check out the full rules but each marker has +1, +2 or +3 respectively so you know what your psychic monstrosity is doing.

Additionally there are some Enfeeble and Endurance markers, three of each in case you have a few psykers. As per usual my suggestion is print 'em out, mount 'em on mounting card, sellotape for faux lamination and cut 'em out neat and tidy like. Bob's your Uncle [he actually was] and Fanny's your Aunt [she wasn't, it was Joan].

Enjoy!

Usual step-by-step:
  1. Print
  2. Apply double sided tape to back
  3. Stick to mounting card
  4. Carefully apply sellotape to top if you want them pseudo-laminated
  5. Cut out with craft knife/scalpel
  6. Amaze your friends and enemies with these cards
  7. Tell them to visit 40kaddict.blogspot.com for their own free markers.

Friday 14 September 2012

FAQ looky - Scout/Infiltrate



New FAQ's came out the other day. Obviously we all look for the the thing that interests ourselves. Sometimes you miss the other stuff so I thought I'd look through and pick out some things that struck me, explain why I got struck and then maybe you might see something you've otherwise missed. I'll be adding these in amongst my other posts so bonus content for all.

One big thing for me was in relation to my oft bemoaned 6th Edition issue that primarily focussed around the inability to assault from outflank because Stealers get the Infiltrate rule. Of course you can still Infiltrate but equally the Infiltrate rule states:

"A unit that deploys using these rules cannot charge in the first turn."
However the new FAQ has a precedent that changes the implication of what this means, it's the same terminology, but in reference to Scout.

Q: The rulebook states "A unit that makes a Scout redeployment
cannot charge in the first turn." Does this mean that if your
opponent has the first turn and you go second, your Scouting unit
can charge? (p41)
A: Yes.
Therefore when you reread the Infiltrate rule and apply the the above FAQ:

"A unit that deploys using these rules cannot charge in the first turn."
It must effectively mean that if your opponent has the first turn and you go second, your Infiltrating unit can charge! So G.O.D. help anyone who starts the game in a position where my Stealers are hiding 12-18".

Thursday 13 September 2012

'nids part 53 / Terrain is everything - Tyranid Quad Gun pt3.

Talking of quad guns, here's where we are at. Tyranid armour plates have been sculpted in place. Unfortunately I didn't prep this to be what i had in my head, perhaps a sketch might have been in order. The aspect I'm unhappy about, but will have to accept, is that I didn't bulk out the base enough.


I wanted a more bulbous squashed tomato profile, instead its a bit mushroom like. I also hadn't thought ahead regarding the fleshy top encased in the plates, it needed some texture so I was forced to take a drill bit to it to achieve something. It's the best of a bad job to be sure and I believe it'll get some praise but it's not 100% what I hoped for. You can tell how much I wanted to bulk it out by the empty space in front on the base.

I also added the Trygon Prime tail as a node antenna, with some reasonably sculpted fleshy folds. I also added a slight spinal ride running up the back to the toxin sacs, which I hope don't look too 'stuck on'. The second shot shoes the spinal ridge better.


If you actually look closely on the Tyranid Codex you will notice quite a few little green creepy crawlies pottering around on the crazy Tyranid bio-structures. By all accounts they're the adrenal sac bio-morphs. Almost all of the Tyranid weapons and upgrades revolve around symbiotic organisms that attach to the greater Tyranid creature. But we don't often see many of the little beggars mooching about on actual models as we see in the cover. I've always thought that was a bit sad as plenty of folk will have spare Adrenal Sacs. I've put them on a couple of figures but never been openly creative with their painting, so they don't stand out.

The problem is I never truly decided how to paint them, the Trygon's is just painted bonewhite, the Tervigon is more yellow in place and the one on my Tyranid Prime is practically camouflaged.


I want them to be red, to show the Rage building chemicals inside but will they show  up on Ferron Proxima? Only time will tell but for the mean time I put three of them on the base and they look kind of cool, if a bit bumbling ;)


Tuesday 11 September 2012

Warhammer World - terrain 3

Another terrain-feast, this time the Tomb Kings table. OK I know what you're saying why would I be interested in a fantasy table? Well for a start off the wife is a bit of an Egypt fan so I thought she might like it but equally who knows what lies out in the Badlands of Ferron Proxima and who knows what Avro Vulcan may discover next?!


Again I got some figure eye level shots and the great thing about this board is the majority of the edges are simple lines with the odd curve so they'll be super easy to cut out.


This may look cool in red, no?


Plenty of scope for fluffy compositions, I just need more time to do them?



I'm just snapping pics in the hope I may be able to use them for something, or I'll be doing something and THEN realise I can use this for it. Or instead you can find a use of the uimages.


Monday 10 September 2012

ARRRGGHH! Frost me!


Damn and blast it. The weather was nice yesterday, very warm, so I decided to Purity Seal some figures:
  • Tyranid Aegis Defence Line
  • Tyranid Quad Gun
  • Deathwing Terminators
  • 10 Devgaunts
  • A Ripper Swarm base
  • 4 Hive Guard Conversion
You know where this is going right? I'd say 65% is fine, the Aegis and the Terminators but it's the Hive Guard that took most of the frosting and the Devourers on the gaunts. Now I'm mot sure about the humidity yesterday, it didn't feel humid but as today it's saying it's 75% maybe it was the wrong day but I know full well Hive Guard got more spray than anything else and I think it was my overuse and too close that 'brooked things up'.

I tried looking online for solutions, so I'll be trying the old 're-spray with gloss' technique tonight and also the 'olive oil' solution. Bizarrely when you wet the frosting it disappears but then when the water evaporates it 're-freezes' so I figured that using a paint on gloss varnish might solve that problem and it didn't. All it's done is encapsulate the frosting in a shiny coating. I fear the spray of gloss won't 'melt the frost', now it's been so carefully protected.

Anyway, I'll document the outcome and perhaps try my solutions on the Devgaunts instead of the Hive Guard first! Sometimes you just want to punch yourself for your own stupidity.