Warhammer World GT3 Planning

I've mentioned a number of times about the upcoming Warhammer World 40k Grand Tournament in February. I'm still stuck trying to decide what to take and in discussions with a few people they've advocated taking the nids again. I've done some quick Pro/Con tables to help make the decision.

Pros	Cons
More competitive More familiar with their rules Looks more striking on the table - painting competition	Taken every time to Warhammer World Lots of baggage Slow to play
Questions
Hive Fleet choice? Do I take the skyshield? [Struggling to fit it in points-wise] Do I take the Swarmlord? Brigade or 2 battalions?

I tried to look at a Brigade for the extra Command Points but I think I make too many compromises to fit everything in. Two Battalions seem reasonable but there are a lot of variations within that. Do I take the Swarmlord, if so do I also take a Flyrant? I might be able to run 2 Trygons. I want the Tervigon and Termagants but I could try a Tyrannofex and I have the Carnifex too. Hive Guard are definitely in and Genestealers, Malanthrope a possibility and a Broodlord. The Skyshield is potentially worth it if I take the Tyrannofex and it looks so cool, but there are so many units I could take fitting in something quite static might not be the best choice. It does make the army stand out though...

Dark Angels and Imperial Knight

Pros	Cons
Taking something new to Warhammer World Reasonably effective at Blog Wars Less figures - faster to play? Less baggage	Comeptitively not great Doesn't stand out as much on the table - painting competition Unfamiliar with rules - slow to play More still to paint
Questions
Land Speeders - Typhoon or can I get Dark Shroud done? Switch to Cerastus Knight Lancer

Having removed the Apothecary from my Blog Wars list and the Codex points drops I have room for my Predator in my list, which I would definitely take if I can finish it in time, which is feasible. I'm less convinced about the Land Speeder Typhoon though, my Dark Shroud would be much better and buff the bikes but I don't hold out much chance of completing it in time. I've had people point to the faction's lack of competitiveness but I found them far more 'killy' than my nids at Blog Wars.

That said I didn't win a game and as Martin at Wargames advised am I 'aiming to win the tournament?' - 'No'. 'Do I aim to make top 30?' - 'No'. So the choice of armies is based on painting competition and do I think the Dark Angels are even worthy of a nomination? I honestly think they are but so far they don't seem to do as well as the nids, even though I think they're better painted.

I've still a lot to paint and decisions to make. The other fact is which I'd have fun playing most. The nids are easier but so much slower due to numbers. But unfamiliar rules make the Dark Angels slower to play than you'd expect

If I choose solely on aspiration for the painting competition then it should the nids with the Skyshield, but I want to give the Dark Angels their shot, which then turns everything on its head. I wouldn't mind if this was a circular argument but it's more an infinite loop folding back in on itself which is why I'm still painting both factions. Which reminds me of this:

UPDATE, some may have noticed the premature publication of this post yesterday and having rescheduled it for it's rightful publication today I had a night to sleep on it. I woke up this morning and it immediately popped into my head - I will take Tyranids! I smiled to myself nodded my head and went that's a relief I've decided. Then I suddenly got very sad I wasn't taking the Dark Angels, ha, ha. I'm so messed up! :) One might say I now know which I want to take - the Dark Angels but my subconscious was telling me otherwise...

So, 'nids or Dark Angels, what would you take? Maybe the consensus will sway me one way or the other...

Hobby Spends 2017

Following on from last years spending record I've kept another log for 2017 [and will do so for 2018]. The final figure of £490.09 was £120 less than last years gross spend of £610. But again I had £116 come in and I've actually got another £60 sitting in my Amazon account for new toys. Amazon may not be the most cost effective choice for buying GW but it's an option that doesn't cost me anything in real terms.



So my net spend of £373 over 12 months is £45 less than last year! My monthly spend has dropped by £3 and although I've got the hotel still to pay for next years GT3 tournament, half of the cost [the tournament ticket] was already paid this year. Aside from that I'm going to try and focus more on the models I have than the new ones I could get, that's why I'm holding on to the Amazon Vouchers, the plan was to pick up some Neophytes but I could get a Rockgrinder instead, not to mention another Land Speeder to create a Talon Master/Sableclaw... Either way I'm better waiting until the Genestealer Codex comes out.

Anyway, I had a good year, bring on 2018.

'nids part 234 - Rippers & Trygon - Bonewhite & Chitin highlights, Fleshy bits and stuff

It's all mixed up now. I cracked on with the Rippers, as you can see they are almost complete. Not sure if its 100% clear they're bursting from the ground but they definitely look a lot better than my original Rippers.

These need their teeth painting, another coat or two of Valejo Heavy Red on the base edge and then Army painter Anti-Shine Varnish.

Here's the second set of Bonewhite highlights on the tail. So pleased with the result and just how fibrous it looks. I originally intended for these front sections to also be Chitin blue, given it doesn't feature on the plastic version and would add some extra variety. Considering the result I don't feel so bad about the lost opportunity now.

The Chitin on the tail is definitely something I've been avoiding and as the base edge on the Rippers was drying I used it as an opportunity to tackle some of the plates. I'd done 12 of them before I started to get bored and as I still had some Turquoise on the palette I managed another two or three more.

Frustratingly I only did one side of the tail and I'm not even halfway up the tail on that side. You can just about make out as the tail curves up the plates get compressed, which means there are a lot in a small space. Then as they go up the back they get bigger, which will take just as long as the small ones. The brush strokes are pretty rough though, hopefully the next highlights will be sharper.

But the purpose of this effort was to move it on, and I've done that at least. I think I may get all the first highlights done and then focus back on the Land Speeder Dark Shroud for a bit to take a break from this.

HAPPY X-MAS

Merry X-Mas from Professor Egon Seuss and the rest of the Magos on Ferron Proxima. Additional felicitations from the guys and gals at the Vulcan Institute of Techno-Archaeology. May all your X-mas wishes be plastic [or resin, but not Finecast].

In case you're not X-mas orientated please accept the following good wishes:

'nids part 233 - Trygon & Genestealer Broodlord/Patriarch - Bonewhite & Chitin highlights, Fleshy bits and stuff

I've been avoiding some of the Chitin highlights on the Trygon, the final largest] carapace plate and it's tail but after painting the Rippers Chitin I had the turquoise out so I at least finished the carapace.

Meanwhile I'd avoided the Chitin by painting the Bonewhite. Mixing up the process so I can't keep track of what I'm doing si both freeing and frustrating. All but four of the talons have had their highlights done but the tail has come across particularly well with the striations far less cartoony than usual.

The head also got highlights and I picked out the flesh bits in Valejo Heavy Red to make them stand out more.

I'm really going to have to do something about that gap I didn't fill between the top of its gum and side of it's mouth! The eyes also got done. They are far from perfect but actually far better than I thought I'd get away with as they are so recessed they're hardly visible at all. Moar Bonewhite next.

The Broodlord/Patriarch had some 'glow' effect put around the eyes and veins on his head. Unfortunately the glow on the eyeball went wrong so this is after ignoring it for a week and then splodging on some Valejo Dark Green onto the eyeball to cover it up. It has certainly made it a lot better and I can start in again on the eyeball.

Then it's highlight the claws. Can't remember if I've said but the Terminator helmets in the skull pile are either Deathwatch or pre-Deathwing Dark Angels [or Consecrators?], for the history buffs. But I'm not going to indicate which for added mystery.

'nids part 232 - Rippers get some paint on

I've been splitting my time between the various projects - Rippers, Trygon, Land Speeder Dark Shroud, while the Broodlord reached an almost finished state then I messed up his eyes so he's on hold while I recover the strength to fix it.

The Rippers in particular have progressed with pace as I applied the base coats, washes and first Chitin highlights.

Second highlights and Bonewhite 1, not to mention the eyes and blacked out the teeth.

I also added some Valejo Heavy Red on all the fleshy bits just to make them a little more defined.

Second set of Bonewhite highlights.

Claws and teeth still to do but next up the base.

I think this is just first stage Vermilion Red Planet BASE! highlights.

I managed the second stage highlights as well, but don't think I took pictures.

I was really quite pleased with my progress but I'm beginning to feel a little fatigued.

I don't think this is my usual post-Christmas Malaise come early, just end-of-year tiredness. The weather has been awful, making the desire to troop down to the shed unappealing. It's dark and cosy in the house and I'm just tired. An early night followed by a 1am finish, followed by a 12:30am finish, followed by an early night - no wonder I'm feeling the strain. Anyway, they're nearly done.

Terrain is everything - Warhammer TV Tables

Following on from the debate over the terrain Ben and I used in our last match I decided to share with him what GW themselves are using on their Twitch Channel during Warhammer TV Live. I took these screengrabs from a game last week.

Going into this I was already aware how much terrain they use but what I did notice that was surprising was just how few fire lanes are available. The Ferratonic Furnaces, combined with the Munitorum Containers means there are hardly any complete lines of sight from one deployment zone.

Definitely for Ben, or anyone who employs a gunline this would present some challenges. Preventing your opponent from just sitting still and shooting without any disadvantages, but also making those artillery pieces that can shoot without line of sight all the more valuable.

Ben had actually considered dropping the units that could do that but if the normal tables at Warhammer World have had increases in terrain he may well be needing the ability to shoot without line of sight.

They certainly love their Munitorum Containers, over £125 worth of them on one table!

Lots to think about going forward as I'm beginning to realise I'll need to step up my own endeavours in terrain - whether that is producing some of my very own Print & Play buildings, completing my container STC, or creating new pieces and STCs from scratch it looks like I'm goignn to have to find some time to get some done...