Talk Wargaming - Wargaming Media Distribution.

ITEM FOR SALE - x3 Unfinished Ork Boyz - 40K

2020-02-16T13:58:00.002-08:00

x3 Unfinished Ork Boyz - 40K

Price: $15
Shipping: $1.00

Pennsylvania, USA

3x Partially Painted Ork Boyz For Warhammer 40K, Pennsylvania, USA, bretbrenning@gmail.com

ITEM FOR SALE - Bolt Action Soviet Officer

2020-02-16T13:54:00.000-08:00

ITEM FOR SALE - Bolt Action Soviet Officer

Price $35
Shipping $2.99

Pennsylvania, USA

1x Painted Bolt Action Soviet Officer W/ Secret Weapon Miniatures Urban Rubble Base, Pennsylvania, USA, bretbrenning@gmail.com

ITEM FOR SALE - Bolt Action Soviet Veteran Squad

2020-02-16T13:49:00.003-08:00

ITEM FOR SALE - Bolt Action Soviet Veteran Squad

Price: $200
Free Shipping

Pennsylvania, USA

10x Painted Bolt Action Soviet Squad, Pennsylvania, USA, bretbrenning@gmail.com

ITEM FOR SALE - Bolt Action American W/BAR

2020-02-16T13:43:00.004-08:00

ITEM FOR SALE - Bolt Action American W/BAR

Price: $9.99
Free Shipping

Pennsylvania, USA

1x Painted Bolt Action American W/ BAR Weapon. Pennsylvania, USA, bretbrenning@gmail.com

Tau Commander Limit- Good For The Game, Bad For The Edition

2019-07-04T12:39:00.002-07:00

Tau are on their way. The Fifth Sphere of expansion has started. However, it will be noticeably lacking a command presence. By that of course I am referring to the new 1 Commander per detachment limitation in the Tau Codex.

Tau Commander Limit- Good For The Game, Bad For The Edition

By: Sepulchre Of Heroes

Link To Website: http://sepulchreofheroes.blogspot.com/

I understand WHY something had to be done about Commanders. Spamming them was-

1- Not fun for your opponent
2- Slightly unfluffy
3- Slightly OP and likely to improve with a Codex over an Index

I am not going to advocate that NOTHING should have been done. Just that the solution GW came up with was the wrong one in my opinion. It was a lazy fix at best, and one that damages the core concept of 8th edition at worst. Furthermore, it didn't really address the underlying problems that lead to commander spam.

First of all, no other army really has a cap like this. The only limit of 1 per Detachment I can think of is the Solitaire for Harlequins. To be fair though, its kinda in the name... I mean 2 Solitaires just doesn't make a lick of sense. Futhermore, Harlequins are at their core an Ally army. They are designed with that in mind. Even Custodes have more unit choices that Harlequins, and will only get even more as FW is added to their range. Harlequins though have little room for growth and shall for ever remain as an optional add on for most players.

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Some out there have pointed to things like Astra Militarum Command Squads and their "One per officer" rule. One per something else is not the same as just ONE. In a single Battalion, for 630 pts-ish I can get

-3 Tempestus Scions
-3 Scion command squads with 4 plasma guns
-3 Units of Conscripts.

So in 2000 points, I could spam that, have 12 CP, and still have 100+ points to spare. WITH 9 COMMAND SQUADS. And not that bad of an army. So as I said, not the same.

So this is the only instance of this type of limit to exist thus far in this form. BUT the following things are kosher

-5 Grey Knight Grand Masters in Dreadknights
-5 Custodes Shield Captains on Jetbikes
-Magnus and Mortarion in 1 Detachment
etc. etc.

While Commanders may be more optimal (though that is debatable when it comes to Custodes Captains), the point is it is allowed.

This is where it can be considered damaging to THE EDITION. I am specific on that. Because where as Commander Spam may be bad for the game, THIS EDITION is built on the fundamental principle of "Build the Army YOU WANT. However you want it, build it. Here are the Detachments to do so, with their own unique advantages and disadvantages. But essentially do what you want.

Except field multiple Tau Commanders in a detachment.

It goes against what GW was trying to do I feel and is inconsistent with their design philosophy to date. I had hopes that we, as a playerbase, would finally see one whole release with one design philophy in place. Now I am skeptical of that happening (and its possible that this already marks a breaking point).

I also begins to recreate the animosity at the end of 7th Edition. Formations and Decurion style detachments had created "Haves vs Have-Nots" with the armies. Some armies had everything on the silver platter. Others had garbage. Now you have a new Tau player looking at these other armies with Supreme Command detachments spamming characters saying "Why can't I do that?"

To thoses who says "It's not fluffy," well niether is 5 GK Grandmasters in Nemesis Dreadknights. And beyond that IT IS FLUFFY. I mean look at the Farsight Enclaves and the Eight. Seems like 8 commander level dudes all together has precendence. More than numerous other Detachments that are allowed (looks back at Magnus and Mortarion playing together).

There is also another side to this. What people hated was 1 or 2 supreme command dets of JUST Tau Commanders. A Brigade with 2 Commanders in it is not that unreasonable is it? No. It seem pretty legitimate IMO. But No one was running Commander Spam because of the synergistic effects of numerous commanders. There was no "stacking" buff from them. Rather they spammed them because they were super efficient points wise for what they did. This is where the crux of the problem was.

So what could GW have done to fix the problem instead? Well here are a few ideas

1- Increase the points on the commander! Easiest and most legitimate. A 15 to 30 point increase on it wouldn't neccessarily make it hard to fit into a battalion or brigade (especially with how cheap Fire Warriors are) BUT multiply that by 5 in a Supreme Command det... and well you have A LOT more points added to the list.

2- Make the "OP" Weapons on the commander cost more. Several other armies have different point costs based on stats. SM Characters spend more for Thunderhammers, Powerfists and Lightning Claws. Imperial Guard with 3+ BS spend more on plasma guns. It just makes sense and is in line with the rest of the books in 40k.

BUT REALLY there were bigger problems that LEAD to commander spam being a thing. Commander spam was just a SYMPTOM of 2 larger issues IMO, and there are some fixes for those too...

3- Make the supreme command detachment less broken. I don't think getting rid of it is the right move like some people say, but it REALLY should be 0 or -1 CP., maybe even -2 CP. +1 CP is just too much a bonus when spamming numerous HQs is ALREADY a pretty great bonus. Its definitely something people would have to consider before taking it.

4- Address Character Targeting. It is still broken IMO. A few changes need to happen. First of all they should be targetable if there is no other unit within 6" of them. The point of the rule is they are hiding in a crowd. If they aren't near said crowd... well how are they blending in? Secondly if the closest target is out of LoS, but the character ISN'T then they should be targetable. Lastly, Characters should have to share a unit type with what they are hiding in. Infantry, Monster, Vehicle, Bike, Cavalry, etc. etc. If you have a character walking next to a tank, and the unit shooting only has lasguns... you'd best believe they would likely shoot the thing they have a chance of killing.

To sum up, WHILE SOMETHING needed to be done to stop the abuse of commander spam, GW I believe went the wrong way with it AND is acting in interest of the meta rather than the health of the edition as a whole, and really just took the easiest way out, addressing the symptom rather than the problem.

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Link To Exact Story: http://sepulchreofheroes.blogspot.com/2018/03/tau-commander-limit-good-for-game-bad.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

TalkWargaming: How To Paint Khorne Bloodreavers

2019-07-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

TalkWargaming: How To Paint Khorne Bloodreavers

Blood for the Blood God and paint for the Paint Pot! We take a look at Khornes cannibalistic followers in this how to paint guide for the Bloodreavers.

Making use of the Army Painters range of paints we have a step by step guide for painting your Age of Sigmar miniature. In addition to the written guide we have also created a video that takes you through the steps from basecoat to finished miniature.

Paints Required

Below you can find the list of Army Painter paints required for this tutorial.

Priming

The miniature was primed with the Army Painters Barbarian Flesh spray primer. This particular colour was chosen based on the fact that most of the miniature is bare skin. This would save time covering of the flesh at a later stage. Additionally, the lighter tone of the primer would also be of benefit when painting the red and brown areas of the miniature.

Basecoats

We start painting the Bloodreaver by applying the base colours to each of the areas of the miniature. It is advised to apply several thinner coats to achieve a nice even coverage on which to work on:

Bone & Cloth Wraps - Skeleton Bone
Trousers - Oak Brown
Fur & Leather Wraps - Monster Brown
Boots - Matt Black
Loin Cloth & Armor - Chaotic Red
Horns - Uniform Grey
Weapon Blades & Shafts - Gun Metal
Brass Adornments - Weapon Bronze

Washes

Once the base layers have been completed we can now start adding some shading to the miniature using ink washes. These are watery, translucent paints that can be applied over the base layer. They will pool into recesses creating better definition once dry.

Bone & Cloth Wraps - Soft Tone Ink
Trousers, Horns, Weapon Blades & Shafts - Dark Tone Ink
Fur, Leather Wraps & Brass Adornments - Strong Tone Ink
Loin Cloth & Armor - Red Ink
Skin - Flesh Wash

Highlights

To further enhance the shading on the miniature the next step is to add some highlights. These involve applying a lighter tone of paint along the edges and upper areas of the miniature. These should be thin but not so as they are no longer visible.

Bone & Cloth Wraps - Skeleton Bone
Trousers - Leather Brown
Fur & Leather Wraps - Monster Brown
Boots - Uniform Grey
Loin Cloth & Armor - Dragon Red
Horns - Ash Grey
Skin - Tanned Flesh & Matt White 1:1 mix.
Weapon Blades, Shafts & Brass Adornments - Plate Mail Metal

Extreme Highlights

Extreme highlights are much like normal highlights except they are usually much lighter in tone and should only be used sparingly on the model. Extreme highlights should only be applied to the upper edges and corners and should be as thin as possible.

Skin - Tanned Flesh & Matt White 1:1 mix.
Loin Cloth & Armor - Pure Red

GETTING STARTED IN WARHAMMER 40,000!

2019-06-19T16:04:00.001-07:00

Today I’ll be discussing the varies ways to break into the Warhammer 40,000 hobby scene with advice on choosing a faction, play style, and what to buy first!

GETTING STARTED IN WARHAMMER 40,000!

By: Mac Wade

What’s up everyone? Today I’m going to discuss how to break into Warhammer 40k. Over the years, this has probably been one of the most often asked questions I’ve gotten from new players interested in the hobby. And it makes sense right? With all the factions, codices, army builds….it can be overwhelming. Especially when you start looking at the price tag on a lot of the kits put out by Games Workshop. But fear not dear reader. We seemed to have entered a new age where Games Workshop is more involved with the gaming community than ever and is actively trying to make this wonderful hobby more accessible to new players. With that being said, let’s dive into what this article is really about.

Picking an Army

“So many choices…”

Depending on what you’re looking for in the hobby, this can be really easy or a kind of hard. There are so many choices, playstyles, and cool looking models that you simply can’t decide. Then again, you may be the type of person who walks in, grabs the first thing that looks cool and goes to work. Either way, I’d like to throw a few things out there for you to consider, a little food for thought.

First, try and decide what style of army you’d like to play. I say that, because like most games, some factions are better at certain things than others. For example, if you want a fast moving army that flies across the board and punches stuff in the face, then Blood Angels or Khorne Daemons may be your bread and butter. On the other hand, you may want to sit back and blast your opponent off the table with overwhelming firepower. If so, T’au or Astra Militarum may be a better army for you.

“See that guy? Shoot him and everyone around him”

The point is, figure out what you like and start there. And there are numerous ways to figure this out. Talk to people at your friendly local gaming store (FLGS) who can give you some pointers. Look for battle reports on YouTube or just google tactics for that faction. There are so many places that can tell you how an army plays that it won’t take long to figure this out. And keep in mind that just because you play a certain style of army doesn’t mean you can’t still have elements of both. A great example I can give is the Dark Angels Space Marines. They were the first army I started to collect and they have traditionally been an army that likes to shoot stuff off the table. But they have a unit called Deathwing Knights that are amazing at close combat. In fact, they are some of the best terminators in the game and have the ability to clear out hordes of enemy models in close combat.

Once you’ve figured out HOW you want to play, the next part is figuring out WHAT you want to play. The best way to do this would be to start at the Games Workshop webstore. Browse the different armies and look at the models. What color schemes do you like? What models stick out to you? Which ones do you hate? Look at the models in the army and narrow it down as best you can. Another way to do this is, again, go to your FLGS and see if anyone there has the armies you are interested in. Maybe they have a display case set up or some store armies that will give you a better feel for how the armies look. Check out google and see what images pop up. Go nuts here!

Dark Angels Inceptor from Dark Imperium

Keep in mind though, that most armies have more than one color scheme. For example, if you decide you want to play Space Marines, you would next need to decide which Space Marine Chapter you want to play. Not only will they come with a different color scheme, but different Chapter Traits that allow them to be better at certain things. This will apply to a majority of the armies out their like T’au, Tyranids, Adeptus Mechanicus, and the list goes on. And, if you’re like me, the lore behind each army is as much a factor as how the army plays. Get online and start looking around. There are tons of web pages dedicated to the lore behind each faction that will tell you all about them from the fall of the Aeldari to when the Imperium first came into contact with the T’au and Tyranids. Some sites to check out are Lexicanum and 40k Wiki. The latter has an app that’s pretty handy as well for looking up stuff if you’re bored and on the go. Also, if you google (Insert Army Name) Tactics, a 4chan page should be one of the first options that can give you a breakdown off all the different units.

And while I’m here, let me go off on a small tangent. Don’t feel like you have to be strictly bound by the box art. If you like a model but not the color scheme, change it. Like, the new Primaris Space Marine may be the coolest models Games Workshop makes but you hate all the color schemes on their website or in the codex. That’s fine. Make up your own! Mimic one you find online, do whatever you like, go crazy. I guess my point here is make your army your own and you’ll get a lot more enjoyment out of it! Anyways, back to what I was saying.

“Eliminations Protocols Engaged”

Once you’ve finally decided on a faction, the next big step is actually buying a model kit to start with. Again, what you do here will depend on what you’re looking for in the hobby and how much you want to go in at first. Games Workshop currently puts out all kinds of deals on starter kits. Some examples are the Dark Imperium box set, Know No Fear, First Strike, Renegade, and Forgebane. These are generally designed for new players who are looking to jump right in and start playing. Don’t feel obligated to start with these though. While they can be a great starting point, things like Forgebane may not include the faction you’re wanting.

That’s where I would suggest looking at the Start Collecting! boxes. You really can’t go wrong with these as they usually include a unit of troops, an HQ choice, and some type of support unit. These are great for jump starting your collection with models that both look cool and you’ll use as you get more involved in the hobby. Plus, they are a really good deal and you end up saving a decent amount of money as opposed to buying them separately. Once you have a few games under your belt, you’ll be able to better judge what you want to buy next, whether it’s another Dunecrawler for your Adeptus Mechanicus force or some more Necron Warriors for your awakening Dynasty. You may even decide to just by another Start Collecting! box which isn’t a bad idea in some cases since they really do save you money. When I started my Astra Militarum army I bought two of the Militarum Tempestus boxes!

Something else to consider is eBay. Don’t feel obligated to start off buying brand new kits from the FLGS or online, although I do believe supporting your local FLGS is important and I will probably talk about that in a future article. But for those of us who aren’t really sure what army we want or are on a strict budget, eBay can be an easy way to get into the hobby. You can find some really good deals on there that will allow you to break into the hobby at a reasonable price as opposed to spending a ton of money right out the gate. I still get models from eBay on a fairly regular basis just because they are so much cheaper. And if you’re the kind of person that isn’t keen on painting, you may be able to get a reasonably sized starting army with a decent paint job at a good price.

Or, if you have a ton of money and no time to paint, you can just get a whole professionally painted army right out the gate…for a pretty hefty price of course. The downside to eBay is you may get models you don’t really want with the lot you buy, they may not be assembled with the wargear you want, and the paint jobs might be…shall we say sub par? That being said, it’s a great place to get your feet wet! Also, see if your local gaming club has a Facebook page. Someone local may be selling some stuff and cut you a really good deal to boot. There are also a ton of buy, sell, trade groups on Facebook as well where you can get some really good deals that are worth looking into. Just be careful on there and use PayPal or a similar service to make sure you aren’t left eating the cost if someone isn’t as trustworthy as they should be.

“What did I just see?”

I will put my own opinion in here and say that the Dark Imperium box set is probably one of the best deals for new players if you’re considering a Space Marine or Death Guard army you want to build and paint yourself. It includes dice, rulers, models for a decent start at two different armies, the big rule book, and a small fold out reference guide with the core rules. It also has rules for the models in there though they may be outdated as Games Workshop has come out with a codex for each since the initial release and I’m not sure they have updated the model rules to reflect that in the box set. And if you go this route and decide you want to become a follower of Nurgle with the Death Guard, you may be able to trade or sell the Space Marine half of the box set for the Nurgle half. And vice versa if you love the Space Marine side. Also, the smaller versions of this, like Know no Fear, may be a good starting place just to get a feel for the game with a smaller monetary investment, so figure out what’s best for YOU and go with that!

A few more tips

I know I’ve mentioned this before but I’ll say it again, visit your local FLGS as soon as you can! One of the best things about this hobby is the community. You can meet experienced hobbyist there that can help guide you towards what armies you may like the most and what kits to buy next. If you’re lucky, they may also have some store armies you can borrow to play a few games with to both get a handle on the rules but also to get a better feel for what you want to play. If you’re super nice and/or lucky, there may even be a few gamers like me around who have multiple armies you can play a few games with and just borrow one of ours!

Another bit of advice I wish someone had told me is to not rush out and buy hundreds of dollars’ worth of models all at once. And this may seem counter-intuitive, I mean, you’ve decided to make the plunge, why not get enough stuff to build a 2,000 point army this weekend and get to playing? But hear me out. First off, you have to build and paint it. I have seen players time and again rush out and get enough stuff to build a 2,000 point army, build part of it, and never actually paint even that because they feel overwhelmed. Heck, I’ve been guilty of this myself. I’d suggest getting maybe a start collecting box or maybe one of the boxed games like Forgebane first. Get these built and try to get a few games in while you work on painting them to keep this from happening.

“So….many….models…”

This also leads me into my next reason, you’ll have a better grasp of what models you’ll want next after playing three or four games. Something else a lot of us are guilty of is buying models before we really know how an army plays or what we like. We spend all this time building and painting them but then never actually put them on the table top because they don’t fit into our play style, list, or they just don’t have good rules. This also may seem contradictory because early in the article I mentioned buying the models you like. I’m not saying you won’t eventually want to buy and build something just because it’s cool, I’m just saying I wouldn’t do it if I’m first getting into the hobby. I mean you’ve put the time, effort, and money into that beautifully painted model, you’re going to want to play with it and you want it to do work! So just think about that.

Finally, the last thing that any new player should have is a list building app for putting an army list together. For starters, it’s a great way to get a sneak peek at some of the units, their rules, and their wargear options to help figure out exactly what you want to run. It will also make building army list a little easier and help you figure out what units to buy next by seeing what works best with the models you have now. I will add a disclaimer that the rules and points aren’t always exactly correct but they are close enough for friendly games and learning to play. I mean, if you were going to a tournament you would need to check the list but that’s a topic for another day!

Teaching Old Models New Tricks. Do Old Models Have A Place In Today’s Conversions?

2019-06-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

From a simple arm or weapon swap to a maddeningly complicated kitbash with parts from a laundry list of models

Teaching Old Models New Tricks. Do Old Models Have A Place In Today’s Conversions?

By Matthew Davies

laundry list of models, a conversion is a fantastic way to personalise any force, alien, heretic,
imperial or undecided. As time moves on, new parts are constantly being made, available
presenting thousands of new potential ideas and possibilities. And that’s before we consider
third party bits makers, historical kits, even children’s toys, which opens several routes to achieve the goal of a cool custom character, tank, monster or whole army. The hobby
wouldn’t be what it is without the mad, crazy, beautiful and bespoke creations we are all
capable of creating. New kits, it seems, are making things easier and more convenient for
everyone who even as a vague notion of customizing a model with more than a snazzy paint scheme…

But as we advance in what many consider a golden age of converting, does this mean we should stop looking to the past for donor models and bits? Is it ever worth using old, lower quality sculpts when instead we can benefit from crisp lines and ease of use that today’s plastic and resin kits can offer? I thought I would attempt to answer that question for those who are on the fence.

Old models have a significant part to pay in our great hobby. Not only do they show us how
far things have come in terms of sculpting technology and individual skills but a lot of these
models are great to have in any gamer’s collection, and still of use to people. Not just the
‘Oldhammer’ collectors; many average armies can still enjoy the odd vintage piece dotted in
the collections to add a bit of flavour. Classic commissars, retro robots and old Orks are
great additions, whether using new rules intended for their modern counterparts, or a count-
as unit with a similar profile.

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Even if they’re never used on the tabletop they make for interesting curios and display pieces. For instance, I had in my spares drawer an original Space Santa model from GW. Early 80s I believe, and of no use whatsoever in either my Thousand Sons, Vraks renegades or Undead armies, but I couldn’t get rid of it either. There was something about it that made me nostalgic for a time before I was even born, let alone introduced to the hobby. As someone who was introduced to the world of Warhammer in 2003, my experience of these early days was non-existent. I was grasping the nuances of Chaos Space Marines and Bretonnians, just about managing to assemble the basic sets correctly (mostly) with little knowledge of what came before the then current range of plastic and hybrid kits. Only in the last few years have a I really taken an interest in older models and their potential in the alchemical process of kitbashing. What started it all was a series in some old White Dwarf articles, featuring a customized Iron Warriors force. Some of the models used parts from then current plastic and metal kits, and a bit of Forge World, plus some older metal imperial and chaos marines. With a desire to mimic the conversions I searched hobby shops high and low for these models. On my travels I ended up coming across a couple of the old collectors’ guides for Chaos Space Marine and Warriors of Chaos. The books opened a new world to me, the ‘old world’. These books were a fanatic source of ideas, and presented new potential sources for conversion and chaotic corruption. As an avid converter I compare converting and modelling old models it to stuffing a Hellcat Hemi into a 60s Charger. Like models, some car guys would see that as impure, but to many its a sensible idea to revive an old item with newer, better parts, and opens hundreds of new possibilities. Modelling is the same. Many models can benefit from something as simple as a new head or hands. Especially ones that have had a hard life.

By improving the damaged, incomplete and imperfect things we find to create something that feels new once again. I have a quite a good example in my own collection. I acquired an old Renegade from those early days of the Chaos line-up, missing an arm, a backpack and a staff tip, long lost to time and a pair of ravenous clippers. Previously damaged and unloved, it was renewed with a Scion power fist and backpack. It makes for an interesting model, one I can confidently claim is one of a kind. With a simple colour scheme and a bit of imagination I could use it in 8th edition. One of the Changeling’s many forms? A long-forgotten traitor warlord wandering the daemon worlds in the eye? Endless possibilities, thanks to an old relic.

There are always going to be a few issues in using old models in conversions. One of the biggest (pun somewhat intended) is scale creep. An old ork Stormboy or Terminator looks laughably small against their modern counterparts. Even the mighty land raider of the day
looks dinky when compared to the much bulkier, meaner offspring. If you’re just using one or two older parts it’s less obvious, but the scale issues become more apartment the more of the original you use.

If you’re used to working exclusively with plastic kits it can be much harder to work with older models. A lot of older figures and kits were cast in metal, and I’ve noticed that even plastic models can be a bit more brittle. An original metal dreadnought (ferrous infernum) is much harder to customise than the current plastic replacement kit, and this can present a challenge. The classic Chaos Predator (One of my pride and joys, above) is another example. It is rewarding to make it work in the end, but it’s easy to wonder why you are
doing this when you can get a new plastic model that’s similar, readily available and far easier to work with.

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A model’s individual rarity can also present a big barrier. Sometimes you have a great conversion in mind using an old model, but must abandon it when you consider how many times you can realistically recreate it. Using a couple of old parts on characters and tanks is
most often the easier route, as you’ll only have a few of those in a typical army, but converting larger squads such as cultists and Ork mobs made take more of your time and budget to source multiples of the same parts.

One of the biggest barriers to retro conversions is the same faced by those using only the newest kits, cost. Even the more common models of yesteryear can fetch a significant price, especially iconic kits like the Land Raider or RTB01 marines. Even a barely usable model
can put a dent in your wallet. If you have deep pockets it’s not so bad, but if like me you have a set hobby budget, that dream conversion based on an original Space Crusade dreadnought or the event-only Archaon on foot will have to wait a little while longer. On a
similar note, can you afford to cut up those rarer models? Some models can fetch a significant price, and you could use the money raised to fund many more projects in same cases. If you’re not motivated or bothered by money, fair enough, but you do find yourself
asking if you can bring yourself to cutting in half a model that could pay for a whole box or two of the latest plastic kits.

Whilst I have never experienced this next issue first hand, I could see why this might be a contentious problem. The matter of store support. If a potential customer asks about your custom models or the kits used, and the store manager has to say ‘sorry, we don’t sell those’ it doesn’t look good on them and may prevent a sale. Some may wish to showcase only what they do sell, and it’s understandable, as in many cases a live game can make for a great attraction when introducing people to the hobby. With a business head in, would you want to show odd things people can’t buy in your store? A gaming club would be a different matter as that is a much more hobby-orientated arena than a sales-based one. At the end of the day store managers need to make a living too. On balance, what conclusion can we draw on the use of classic models and parts in new conversions? The simple answer is it depends on what you look for in this hobby. There’s always going to be people for using old models, those against it, and those who couldn’t give two Jokaeros. Whether its liberating, heresy or something in between, at the end of the day it’s a very expressive personal hobby, and how you choose to express yourself is up to you. Providing it doesn’t intentionally offend people, go for it. Create those amazing captains, revive that Gorkamorka gang with new gubbinz, or make something new using the latest plastic kits. The only person you need to impress is yourself*, if you’re happy with what you’ve made, who’s to tell you that it is wrong?

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Well, unless you’re a commission modeller with clients to please…

Battle Report - 2000 points - Ultramarines vs Imperial Fists

2019-06-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

We played a deployment 6, maelstrom of war (Chapter Approved) mission 4.

Battle Report - 2000 points - Ultramarines vs Imperial Fists

By: Varcan Cluster (Apart Of Talk Wargaming Network)

Link To Website: http://varcancluster.blogspot.com/

We played a deployment 6, maelstrom of war (Chapter Approved) mission 4.

My list was an unusual one for me, but one that I am tempted by (with further play testing and tweaks of course!)

Ultramarines Battalion - 1232 Points

HQ
Captain - Plasma Pistol, Power Axe
Primaris Lieutenant - Master Crafted Bolt Rifle

Troops
Intercessor Squad (5 Intercessors), Auto-Bolt Rifles x 5, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher, Power Sword x 1
Intercessor Squad (5 Intercessors), Bolt Rifle x 5
Intercessor Squad (5 Intercessors), Bolt Rifle x 5

Heavy Support
Hellblaster Squad (5 Hellblasters), Plasma Incinerator x 5

Dedicated Transport
Repulsor, Las-Talon, Twin Linked Lascannon, Storm Bolter x 2, Icarus Rocket Pod, Krak Launcher x 2, Ironhail Heavy Stubber
Repulsor, Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Twin Heavy Bolter, Storm Bolter x 3, Fragstorm Assault Launcher x 2, Krakstorm Assault Launcher x 2, Ironhail Heavy Stubber x 1

Custodes Patrol Detachment - 766 points - see below, all proxies

HQ
Shield Captain in Allarus Terminator Armour with Castellan Axe

Troop:
Custodian Guard, (5 Custodians), Guardian Spear x 4, Sentinel Blade x 1, Storm Shield x 1

Fast Attack:
Vertus Praetors, (4 Vertus Praetors), Interceptor Lance, Hurricane Bolter x 4

Command Points: 6
Relics: Santic Halo (Free) - Space Marine Captain
PreGame Stratagems - None

Garviels list you can see below:

Battalion Detachment

Captain: Power fist, Storm shield

Librarian in Terminator Armor - Force sword

Troops

Intercessor Squad:Bolt rifle, 5 x Intercessor

Tactical Squad: Meltagun, Heavy Bolter, 10 Marines

Tactical Squad: Meltagun, Lascannon, 10 Marines

Spearhead Detachment

Lieutenant

Heavy Support

Devastator Squad: 4 x Lascannons, 5 Marines, Cherub

Hellblaster Squad: 5 Hellblasters

Land Raider Achilles: Quad launcher, 2x Twin multi-melta

Vanguard Detachment

Lieutenants

Elites

Apothecary

Company Ancient

Relic Contemptor Dreadnought - C-beam cannon, Twin heavy bolter

Relic Sicaran Battle Tank - Heavy bolter, Two lascannons

Deployment

Length ways deployment did not help one bit here I think!

Turn 1:
I managed to go first (the +1 helped) and I went for the aggressive approach, deep striking in my Shield Captain, and the Custodians (who I had paid 1 command point for to put into Deep Strike). His Hellblasters used Auspex Scan to hit me with 10 shots, of which I failed enough saves that I lost three Custodians - super charged shots of course, not helped by a double 1 for the first two hits that I took on my Storm Shield guy!

You can see the Deep Strike decisions below-

My shooting due to the length way deployment edge wasn't amazing, although I managed to wipe out his 5 man Tactical squad in the centre of the board (Granting me D3 Victory points for Area Denial, and 1 VP for killing something with a unit with Fly, and First Blood).

The rest of my shooting was out of range (other than those deep strikers), and ineffective, I think I took 3 or 4 wounds off the Achilles.

When it came round to my Charge phase, I failed both of my 9" charges, and that included where I rolled a 6 with my Shield-Captain, and when I re-rolled the 1 I had, got another 1! This was not going how I had hoped!

The plan really had been to try and lock his Contemptor & Achilles in combat so that they couldn't affect the first turn.

In Johns first turn, he took 9 wounds off the Repulsor, and killed two of the Vertus Praetors, while also wiping out the remaining Custodian Guard and the Shield Captain! My dice were not with me as I didn't really make it hard work for him - which I had hoped to!

Turn 2:

When Turn 2 rocked around I kept my slow advance up with the Repulsers, wary of the Achilles and its threat with two twin linked Multi-Meltas.

The Vertus Praetors moved up ready to charge the Achilles (still needing a 9... my deployment really was off for them!)

In the shooting this time I managed to kill four guys from one of the tactical squads, and knocked down the remaining Devastators so there were no more Lascannons for me to worry about!

Roll round to the charge phase, and the Vertus Praetors charged, losing one of their number (down to just one now! and failed their charge, again 6 + 1 or 6 + 2 does not a 9 make - I used the command point to re-roll and still no help!

His Turn 2 resulted in little movement, but did bring my Lascannon Repulser down to 2 wounds remain, while his Achilles decided to charge my Vertus Praetor - needless to say this was not the best choice for it, as it was unable to hurt the Praetor, and effectively meant he had to kill an unwounded Praetor over 2 rounds of combat to be able to shoot again - it did Deny me the charge which could have been damaging, but then again so could his overwatch! An interesting decision.

My Hellblaster squad was also wiped out in the shooting phase at this point.

Turn 3:
The Repulsors left all pretence of staying in range for re-rolls to advance into the face of the enemy, with the Repulsor that was undamaged getting its Intercessor squad out, and then moving up so it was in range to charge the Sicaran.

My shooting finally wiped out the remaining Tactical marines (luckily down to a failed morale check that even their re-roll didn't help with.)

In combat I charged with the Intercessors (to try and help lock that Achilles down, and with the Repulsor shooting and charging the Sicaran I got it down to 7 wounds remaining.

In his turn 3 he backed out of combat with both to try and get the shooting done to kill the Vertus Praetor & Intercessors. Due to some unlucky rolling he was able to kill only two of the Intercessors, and only put one wound on the Repulsor.

Turn 4: (Writing this bit a week later so the details might be a little fuzzy!)
The Vertus Praetor got in position to charge the Achilles again (here I had the choice of the achilles or the Sicaran, and to be fair I chose wrong!)

The Repulsor split its fire at the Sicaran & Achilles failing to get its 1 wound removed (he had three 3+ saves and didnt fail one, while the its Strength 5 or higher weapons targetted the Achilles, knocking 5 wounds off it... this was a mistake as I could have just gone to lock the Achilles in combat, and killed the Sicaran outright, which would have also scored me another Tactical objective!

The Intercessors popped some shots at the HQ units he had floating about, but didnt manage anything before charging the Achilles again to ensure it was locked down and couldn't shoot.

In his Turn 4 he backed his Achilles up, and finally nailed the Vertus Praetor with the C-Beam on his Contemptor, while the Characters moved in to finish off the Intercessor Squad.

I hadnt charged the Sicaran - instead opting to throw it into the Achilles, which proved fatal for it, as even on 5's to hit the Sicaran managed to throw out two sucessful Lascannon shots, a Heavy Bolter shot and no less than 5 of its Twin Accelerator cannon shots.

Between this and his Hellblasters my Repulsor was toast, leaving me with a 5 man Intercessor squad - well 3 man by this time and my Captain & Lieutenant left alive.

Turn 5:
My shooting was less effective with me failing to kill his Intercessor squad, his shooting in return wiped out my remaining Intercessors, leaving me with a Lieutenant & Captain alive on the table.

End of Game:
We had to end the game there due to time contraints - we didnt roll to see if the game continued - with two turns I have no doubt that John could have killed both my Lieutenant & Captain as the Quad Launcher didnt require line of site, but we didnt check if they were coming along.

At the end of the 5th Turn John had achieved 7 Tactical Objectives, as had I. I had First Blood, but John would have gotten Slay the Warlord.

I think - although Garviel can confirm - that we agreed for it to be a draw, but marking it as a loss for me wouldnt have been far wrong

Post Match Analysis:
There were some interesting bits in here, but I know where my mistakes were.

Shooting anything at the Achilles was a mistake, I should have tried to take out the Sicaran instead.. I wasted some Lascannon shots on something that got a 4++ save against them instead of targetting the Sicaran that would have only gotten a 6+ save!
Deep Striking in the Custodes - I still think this was the right decision where some poor dice rolling made it look a lot worse than it could have been
Not Advancing the Vertus Praetors... I didnt do this to ensure i got first blood and the objective for killing something with Fly, had I though and I would have had the charge on the Achilles not being charged by it!
Final Turns target selections, I went for the go big or go home approach spliting my fire to try and kill the Sicaran & cripple the Achilles, if it had worked it would have been amazing, but it significantly reduced the odds of my success... I need to do this less!
Apothecary + Company Ancient + Standard of Annoyance + Captain are a very effective combo

Thoughts for the future here for sure, but I look forward to using some real custodes models next time out!

Link To Exact Story: http://varcancluster.blogspot.com/2018/02/battle-report-2000-points-ultramarines.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

TalkWargamingNewswire: Drakenheim Emerging Empires Kickstarter

2019-06-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

6/7/19 – /TalkWargamingNewswire/ - My name is Tim Wingrove, I am the director of Noctis Gaming Ltd and lead designer of Drakenheim; Emerging Empires. I have been a wargamer for 26 years, 8 of which I have been a blogger and written for 2 successful blogs - Battle Bunnies and Age of Warhammer. I have always enjoyed writing and modifying house rules to make games more fun, balanced and entertaining, so the natural progression was to write my own game.

Drakenheim: Emerging Empires Kickstarter

I have always been a massive fan of fantasy and I have been inspired by books such as: Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The First Law and Name of the Wind books. I like these settings as they have a gritty realism but still feel fantastical. My aim was to create a game which can be played any way desired - from small RPG or skirmish up to siege battles lasting a whole day. I feel that I have achieved this and I would love to share it with you.

Click Here To View The Kickstarter

About The Rules For Drakenheim:

- Drakenheim is a 20mm tabletop wargame set in the low fantasy world of Mythrandris. Battles are scalable from small warbands all the way up to large sieges.

- The rules have been created to emphasize the importance of strategy, positioning and movement over lucky dice rolls and endless special abilities.

- A key design choice wa

s to make sure the game felt realistic, while remaining fun for both players - this was achieved by having an ‘active and reactive’ approach to gameplay. For example, when an opponent targets your unit you will have decisions and choices to make that will affect the outcome.

- Although the game is designed to be realistic, it also encourages epic showdowns (imagine the legend of George vs the Dragon), where legendary heroes can do the unbelievable.

- Magic is exceptionally powerful.

- The rules will come in both imperial and metric measurements (this will be standardized for competitive or pick up and play games).

- The core rules will forever be free - this also includes unit scout reports.

If you’re interested in learning more about the game mechanics read on here.

Although the beta rules are complete they will not be available until the start of September - this is because we have a play-testing pledge.

About The Setting For Drakenheim:

- Mythrandris is a low technology, low fantasy world with a touch of dark horror.

- In the current timeline, factions are rebuilding and recolonising throughout the lands of Mythrandris.

- As stretch goals we will be fleshing out Drakenheim with a novella from Gav Thorpe and an art sourcebook from a phenomenal artist (who we are not allowed to announce as yet because he is under contract).

About the models and factions for Drakenheim:

- We aim to release at least 12 factions. This Kickstarter is for the first 4.

- Humanoid models stand about 20mm to the eyes. Larger models like the Orgrek and the Minotaurs are around 25mm to the eyes.

- The models will come in multi part plastic kits for customizability.

- Where it makes sense - there will be both male and female models for armies.

- The models have been designed to have areas suitable for block colour (for ease of painting) but to also have nice intricate details.

Here is a look at the Knight Order:

History:

Knights, from various hosts, crusade far and wide across the lands of Mythrandris. Sometimes they are settled and create vast cities and townships, protecting the local peasantry for a fee. Self appointed kings, emperors and lords often install themselves in these newly formed communities, swelling the Orders numbers with recruits from the populace. Eventually, part of the Order will form a new crusader host and will move on from the original. Most often this is done with well-wishing and vows of brotherhood and fealty, but on some occasions the parting is fuelled by disagreement and hatred - sworn enemies are born in these circumstances.

Yet other crusader hosts live as nomads, off the land and out of tents. It is unknown how many Knight Orders there are active in Mythrandris.

The purpose of the different Orders are as varied as their origins, some are seeking treasures of ages past while others are determined to rid the world of magic-wielders and yet others have no reason to exist other than to support the community they now call home.

How they play:

Knight Orders are a solid all-round faction. They do nothing poorly but neither do they excel at anything.

Their main strength lays in Empire building, where they are second to none. Magic is mainly wielded for buffing or as crowd control but higher tier wizards have the ability to call on some nice offensive spells too.

Miniatures:

The Knight aesthetic is very regimented and the models are about 20mm to the eyes – they will come in male and female options. The weapons are clean and well developed, the armour is fairly plain but with small flourishes. The troop unit will come with options for sword or spear and shield option – the latter of which can also be used to replace a model that loses their mount.

The elite unit has a different helmet, slightly more detail and a two-handed sword that is effective against groups of people and heavier units. The archery unit is equipped with a longbow and small blade at their belt for close combat.

The cavalry unit come on horseback and are equipped with spear and shield options, although the troop swords will also be able to be swapped in.

As an add-on, pledgers will be able to buy mages and warlords which will come in male and female variants, mounted and on foot - depending on popularity, these may end up as high quality resin.

As another add-on - we will provide a custom transfer service for the shields.

Terrain:

Human settlements have a medieval aesthetic – we wanted the architect to be instantly recognisable and relatable but also a realistic scale and have fully developed interiors.

The renders below show a medium/ large dwelling in both ruined and complete forms. We aim to have a large range of terrain – just like the Corustir – like a tavern, Blacksmith and merchant shop as well as small, medium and large dwellings.

To the future:

In the future we would like to add:

· a cold weather unit with furs to protect from adverse climate conditions.

· siege units (both attacking and defending).

· a full range of terrain.

· naval ships of varying sizes.

Here is a look at the Corustir:

History:

The Corustir are the most common type of societal elves in Mythrandris. They often have vast cities and strongholds that owe allegiance to a royal house. Elves as a race, are often very secretive and reclusive, dealing with other factions on their own terms and protecting their own interests above everything else. The Corustir are an example of this - however it is not uncommon for a royal house to have allegiances with the other races.

It is also equally likely to find two Corustir houses that are outright at war with each other. While less likely to be nomadic, it is not unheard of to meet caravans or outposts of Corustir throughout Mythrandris - even as far north as the Great Glacier.

They are formidable warriors, artisans and scholars and where an elven society takes root invariably becomes a hub of commerce and trade in that region.

How they play:

The Corustir are currently the most elite army available in the game. They excel in almost all areas leading them to have a lower model count. They are particularly strong in organised close combat where foes will need to bring superior numbers and flanking manoeuvres to really break them down.

The Corustir wield light magic for buffing, confusing and controlling their enemies before hitting them with brutal fire spells.

Miniatures:

The Corustir aesthetic is a mix of historical Roman/ Greek, but with a subtle touch of High Elf too. We wanted to convey that they are a more disciplined and regimented force. The split between male and female models will be around 50/50 but for our first prototype and render we choose a female to balance out the first four factions.

The model stands 20mm to the eyes and will come on an 18mm base. We hope that the models will be multi-posable so that people can make some great poses of their own. Their troops come with sword and shield options but there will be a stretch goal that will allow for spear and shield. The elite unit wields a double handed sword - excellent for hacking apart heavy foes.

The Corustir will have a ranged unit equipped with long bows for thinning enemy hordes and a cavalry unit which will have the same aesthetic as below but will be on horseback with spear and shield. Elite, archer and cavalry units will also come with an option to add a lieutenant to the force - who can act as sub-commanders for large armies or the nominated commander of smaller armies and skirmish forces.

As an add-on, pledgers will be able to buy mages and warlords which will come in male and female variants, mounted and on foot - depending on popularity, these may end up as high quality resin.

Terrain:

The Corustir architecture is very ornate and spacious - we wanted to convey an established and developed society with very clean and clear lines and features. The renders below show a medium sized dwelling in both complete and ruined form. The building is modular and additional stories can be added and extra roofs purchased for customisation.

We aim to have a large range of terrain including a Corustir tavern, Blacksmith and merchant shop as well as small, medium and large dwellings. What would you like to see?

To the future:

In the future we would like to add:

· a cold weather unit with furs to protect from adverse climate conditions.

· siege units (both attacking and defending).

· a castle/palace/stronghold (both ruined and complete)

· naval ships of varying sizes.

Here is a look at the Drek:

History:

'Drek' was once the slave name that man gave to the Orc. It was originally a derogatory term to desensitise populations against the race. The name Drek has now been reclaimed and is worn as a 'badge of pride' by every Orc warband and society in Mythrandris. Drek are – wrongly – assumed to be big, stupid berserkers with no wit, however there are increasingly more instances of whole societies – both nomadic and settled.

They are tremendous miners of ore and other precious materials due to their sheer strength and endurance, making them highly sought after clients by many of the bigger trade guilds. No civilised race comes close to them in terms of mass or brute might and they are an incredible foe to behold.

Some warbands have gone totally feral and live to fight among themselves and the other races. However, more than once an elven hamlet or a human town has been under siege when a Drek warband has come and saved the populace. Orgrek (enormous half ogres) often follow Drek into battle, using their superior size to batter their opponent. Although much more dense than their half-kin, Orgrek prove to be obedient and capable warriors for a Drek army.

Large warboars have been bred to carry the Drek to war as quickly as their powerful legs can carry them – unleashing brutal charges upon smaller infantry units that find themselves impaled on vicious horns or hacked down by the powerful riders.

How they play:

Drek are a tough opposition for lesser armies. A human soldier would have more attacks but Drek have the far greater power. Only the Corustir would struggle against the Drek numerically and even they would have a hard battle in store.

Orgrek are phenomenal foes which can devastate buildings and walls as easily as the ranks of lesser warriors. Drek shamans use many different types of spells but their magic is always brutal to their foe.

Miniatures:

The Drek aesthetic is a very powerful and muscular look and the models are about 22mm to the eyes. The weapons are crude and the armour primitive. The troop unit will come with options for dual wielding or melee and shield option – the latter of which can also be used to replace cavalry models that lose their mount. The elite unit comes in heavier armour and use enormous two handed weapons to cleave through the foe.

Orgrek are even bigger than the Drek, coming in at around 25mm to the eyes. Orgrek come with large two handed weapons and are optimised for cutting through heavier units, units with shields or even breaking down terrain. The cavalry unit come on giant boars and they specialise in a melee and shield loadout.

As an add-on, pledgers will be able to buy shamans and warlords which will come in Drek and Orgrek variants, mounted (Drek) and on foot - depending on popularity, these may end up as high quality resin.

Terrain:

The Drek tend to be more nomadic – living out of tents, huts or just in the wild. When Drek do settle, it is usually in the crudely repaired ruins of a conquered societies.

Although we have the intention to create a full range of Drek terrain – we would like to include our pledgers in the decision making process for this.

To the future:

In the future we would like to add:

· a cold weather unit with furs to protect from adverse climate conditions.

· siege units (both attacking and defending).

· a full range of terrain.

· naval ships of varying sizes.

Here is a look at the Bhur:

History:

Bhur are the brutal result of the horrific union between man and beast. Aggressive, unnaturally strong and with an insatiable anger and hunger - Bhur are one of the most feared races in Mythrandris. Lurking in caves, ruins or living in huts made of the flesh and bones of their victims, they can be found throughout the wild in great number. Bhur herds can consist of as few as a dozen warriors and as large as a thousand.

When the Bhur go to war it is with rampaging Minotaurs and the swift and flexible Centaurs. Led by Shamans, Bulltaurs or Bhurlords the army cares not for riches and gold but only for food, pleasure and sport. They pillage from those they destroy and create the next generation of the herd in rapturous flesh carnivals. Of all the sentient races in Mythrandris, Bhur are one of the least likely to ally or create pacts with others - but it is not entirely unheard of.

How they play:

Bhur are a fast and powerful army. They are a highly mobile force that can cause tremendous damage to a slow or unprepared foe. However, against a well armoured or prepared opposition, the Bhur direct their massive kin the Minotaurs who can bull-charge the sturdiest defence, occupying them long enough for centaurs to flank and assault from behind.

The shamans unleash devastating spells in the form of plagues, disease and decay whilst using more natural spells to boost their own warriors.

Miniatures:

We have made the decision to have male and female versions of the Bhur across the whole range. The weapons of the Bhur are crude yet effective while the armour is minimal and creates a feral image - as the Bhur rely on their thick hide for protection.

The troop unit will come with dual melee weapons, while the elite unit will come with an imposing two-handed weapon that will be very effective against groups of opposition and heavier units. Minotaurs, which will be even more intimidating and effective then the elite champions, are also equipped with deadly double handed melee weapons and will stand at 25mm to the eyes.

The cavalry unit will be Centaurs, which will be equipped with various weapons including a short bow option.

This Minotaur is shown with dual-wield weapons but the finished unit will have two handed weapons:

As an add-on, pledgers will be able to buy mages and warlords which will come in male and female variants, in Bhur (Bhurlord), Minotaur (Bulltaur) and Centaur designs - depending on popularity, these may end up as high quality resin.

Terrain:

As detailed above, Bhur tend to be more nomadic – living out of tents, huts or just in the wild. This makes them very similar to Drek in this regard. Although we have the intention to create a full range of Bhur terrain – we would like to include our pledgers in the decision making process for this and we will listen to feedback once we are in a position to do so.

To the future:

In the future we would like to add:

· a feral pack unit.

· siege units ( both attacking and defending).

· A full range of terrain.

· Naval ships of varying sizes.

That was the last faction focus for this Kickstarter. We have another eight factions that we want to release so we really hope that you have seen something to support in this project.

Click Here To View The Kickstarter

BONUS

The first 1000 pledgers get 50 dice for free!

AND

Timeline of the Drakenheim Kickstarter:

Early June 2019 - Drakenheim will launch on Kickstarter.

Early July 2019 - Drakenheim will go to pledge manager through Game on Tabletop (if the Kickstarter is successful).

End of August 2019 - Beta testing weekend.

September 2019 - Beta rules released.

May/June 2020 - Pledges to be sent worldwide and rules published online.

May/June 2020 - If the stretch goal is reached we will have 1-3 Drakenheim themed evenings (depending on popularity) including a comedy musical/play in the Drakenheim universe (codename: Beauty and the Beastman) - followed by evening entertainment where attendees can get the pledges in person.

The future of Drakenheim:

- We will be creating at least 12 full factions.

- Terrain ranges will be created for each faction.

- A siege expansion and castles will be released.

- A naval expansion and ships will be released.

- An RPG expansion will be released.

- An App that can track club and friend group’s empire building will be released! The App will also have a match finder option.

Click Here To View The Kickstarter

Or Go To https://drakenheimgame.blogspot.comFor More Information
Noctis Gaming LTD

Tutorial: Easy 40K Terrain

2019-05-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

I know what you’re going to say. You are planning on buying and painting the Warhammer Battle Board, and you are going to fill it with lots and lots of painted GW buildings from the big city boxes. Don’t let me stop you; those battle boards and city sets are really cool and well detailed, and they look great all assembled, painted, and crowded onto the battle board.

Tutorial: Easy 40K Terrain

In truth, though, most 40K players have a hard enough time finishing their own armies (and keeping up with the demand of new codexes) to start a major terrain project. Also, with the price of models going up with shocking regularity, a lot of 40K gamers might not have the hundreds (maybe even thousands?) of dollars to fill a Battle Board with GW buildings.

If this is the case for you, here’s a simple and inexpensive way to make passable city terrain in which your models can fight. I tend to use this terrain for a smaller scale of Sci Fi gaming (Battletech, Warlands), but it can work well for 40K models as well.

First, get a black felt cloth that is a foot or so longer and wider than your gaming table. Lightly spray this cloth with gray paint in an irregular pattern, varying the intensity and distance of the paint so that the cloth has a mottled look to it.

While this is drying, go to the Homebase/Home Depot/Lowes near you, and find the electrical aisle. Find some plastic electrical boxes that look like they would make cool-looking buildings, and buy them.

This is an aisle where you can also buy some cool doodads that might look good on top of some of your buildings, like some winged wire connectors or terminals.

Also, get the cheapest flat black spray paint you can find in the paint section.

Spray the buildings flat black, and when they are dry do a somewhat heavy drybrush with a very dark gray followed by a light dry brush with a slightly lighter gray. This should give the buildings some texture, and it should bring out some of the details.

I also find some parts of the boxes that look like windows, and I paint them light beige with off-white highlighting.

I try to paint some little details that will make these boxes seem more like buildings. I like to number some with very small writing, paint some graffiti on others around the bases, and use some of the doodads and my bits box to sci-fi them up a little bit.

Finally, buy some tool box drawer liner and cut a piece wide enough for a road across your table. Distress this road with sandpaper to make it look used.

Arrange these around on your black ground cloth, and the result is a usable cityscape that you can finish in just one or two sessions of painting and modifying.

By: Ilan Mitchell-Smith

The Talk Wargaming Newswire Now Available

2019-05-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

Are you a tabletop gaming company? READ THIS

The Talk Wargaming Newswire Now Available

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Tired of how difficult it is to get your news/advertising across in this industry as you have to jump through hoops in placing your news/advertising individually at many different avenues (websites, forums, magazines, etc) with no understanding of your return for what you expensively paid for and very little options in regards to how many places you can actually go to distribute your news / advertising in the first place?

I know we get it as we’ve also dealt with it, and that’s why we formed a solution.

The Talk Wargaming Newswire

We’ll distribute your company news throughout our own website, social media, Talk Wargaming Network (Follow the links below for more details on the TWG Network) and numerous third party media outlets such as websites, forums, social media pages, podcasts, etc that’ll be seen by thousands of gamers around the globe all for the one price of $59.99.

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Tutorial: Wash Basics

2019-05-28T07:35:00.001-07:00

When I started my Orks oh so many months back, I knew that I would be using the new(ish) Games-Workshop Washes rather extensively, along with a few old school washing techniques I'd learned along the way. You might be new to these wonders of modern painting, and even if you're not, I'm hoping that this set of articles ( which should continue on future Fridays! ) will be helpful in guiding your use of them to new heights.

Tutorial: Wash Basics

By: The Painting Corps

Link To Website: http://thepaintingcorps.blogspot.com/

Today we'll be going over the most basic use of these great paints, adding depth. You've likely seen people all across the net telling people to wash over their entire model with Badab Black or some other dark wash color to bring out all the great detailing that's just waiting to be contrasted with some nice dark recessed areas. And to their credit, they're right! If you're not up for building your colors up from a dark color or going back in and adding it by hand, washing can really speed up the process to great effect.

Have A Blog/Website And Would Like To Get More Exposure For Free? Join The Talk Wargaming Network HERE

To start us off, you're going to want your base colors all opaque and in place on the model. Here you can see I've used my US WW2 color set to paint a nice opaque color scheme on this Slugga Boy from the Assault on Black Reach set. I haven't built any of these colors up past their base color. Keep it neat, keep it clean, and keep the coverage even.

Now the easy, and honestly rather fun, part of the tip! Paint over all the surfaces you want to add the depth to with Badab Black. I have spared the skin on this project, as I use a set of other washes and highlighting that I will be sure to share in the future! Watering the wash down just a bit helps get a bit more even coverage. Be sure to not let a big pool of wash form in any spot and only into the recessed details. Play about with it for a little bit and you'll get the hang of leaving the wash where you want. Your colors will get darkened on the whole, so don't try and leave any spot without the wash, that's what we want!

After letting your wash dry ( Completely!! ), break out your base colors again and use them to highlight your model! No thinking, just reapply your paint to the appropriate areas leaving a bit of the darkened color showing. Use the highlights appropriately and you'll really get a nice effect with hardly any effort! It's all about picking out the higher or edged details leaving that washed down color to the lower or recessed areas of the model.

With this model, I've given him a dusting of Bleached Bone at the end of the process to give him a bit dirtier of a look without taking it too far. This also helps to bring out some of the harder edged details even more, again if you do this step, be sure to stick to the upper details and leave your shadows alone!

This model also uses my Rust recipe in a bit more of a wash fashion ( watering down the paints ), as well as a bit of Freehand for the check-marks and star detail.

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Link To Exact Story: http://thepaintingcorps.blogspot.com/2009/08/friday-quick-tip-wash-basics-i.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

Tip: Airbrushed Highlights/Zenithal Highlighting

2019-05-28T07:24:00.002-07:00

An airbrush is great for a lot of different things. Base coats are just the beginning of a long laundry list of different uses that you can put this fantastic tool to effective use. One such technique I've recently began to use with a variety of models I've worked on has been zenithal highlights.

Tip: Airbrushed Highlights/Zenithal Highlighting

By: The Painting Corps

Link To Website: http://thepaintingcorps.blogspot.com/

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Zenithal highlights break down to omni-directional light sourcing. It's less intense than Object Sourced Lighting, but gives a nice natural feel to your highlights without much sacrifice in time when you've gained an understanding of the overall intent.

When starting off you need to pick your lighting direction. Find a dynamic angle that works for the piece. In this case, I've gone with a slightly in front of the model spot and about 6 inches up and off the piece. The model was primed with Krylon white primer, and I then used my airbrush to go in and add the shading from the underside with VMC Black. This pre-shading changes the hue slightly of our base colors and will help down the road some in respect to washes and depth. You can also create a very nice mood depending on the amount of drama you're setting for the 'scene'. You could likely get much the same effect as I have here using black and white spray primers with a bit more of a controlled spray and careful attention to your angles.

Going back in with my airbrush I've sprayed the base color red, in this case VMC Carmine Red, to the areas I'm working with. This was applied to all of the red areas with no adherence to a certain angle, just getting the base layer down in quick fashion by using my airbrush. The real benefit to using an airbrush over hand brushing your base layer on is the speed and smoothness. Colors that would have taken an hour to paint by hand and get smooth, take minutes.

Going back to my lighting angle, I airbrushed on my first highlight, VMC Flat Red. Maintaining my zenithal angle for this step is crucial to getting the look right. You might feel inclined to dig in and start highlighting everything on the piece, but you'd quickly ruin the effect. Stick to the angle and you'll be able to brush in variations in hue and wash other areas down later.

After your airbrushed highlight, you can go back in and settle other areas with their base colors. For my Angels Sanguine, this means making the color scheme split with VMC German Grey.

As I said above, you can begin to create more variation in the piece with washes and paint by going into recessed areas and toning the colors down as they need it. I used Thraka Green and Gryphonne Sepia to get the higher armor plates to stand out more. Careful application is the name of the game here, don't go overboard and be sure to water them down some as you're using them. Highlights were added sparingly along armor edges and joins and were also kept low key to allow the lighting effect to work. The black areas were washed down as well with Badab Black carefully applied to create different tones in the armor. It was then brush highlighted to mimic the lighting effects.

Overall this is a really useful technique that many out there can make good use of. Don't have an airbrush? Try careful use of spray cans instead. The idea is also possible using regular bristles, but will take longer to accomplish. If you have a one off piece or are just looking for a new way to add some mood to your latest figures, I highly suggest you give this one a try.

Link To Exact Story: http://thepaintingcorps.blogspot.com/2010/05/friday-quick-tip-airbrushed.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

A Guide To Buying & Selling Wargaming Miniatures On eBay

2019-05-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

When it comes to selling stuff on eBay I like to think I'm a cut above the riffraff. During my meager existence I've peddled many thousands of Wargaming products as part of my work with Wayland Games.

Buying & Selling Wargaming Miniatures on eBay

Our Example

Granted, these were brand new in the box shiny figures and not the paint caked variety with upside down heads and two left arms, even so I gained a great deal of experience with the site and also a program eBay put out called "Blackthorne".

So, grab a coffee and gather round - let me share a few things.

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Preparing the Models For Sale

Strip the Models

Assuming your painting is pretty bad it’s a good idea to totally strip the paint from miniatures prior to selling them. Don’t simply spray paint them in a plastic colored grey undercoat and pretend that they're new in the photos

This happened to me before and I eagerly gave the seller a nice dose of negative feedback (felt good too).

So why strip them? Simple really, the better you present the models to the buyer the more chance there is that they'll commit.

If you want to know how to strip models have a look on google and find one of the numerous guides out and about on the wargaming forums.

Market Research

Always have a look around on eBay prior to listing, familiarize yourself with the prices people are paying for items similar to those you intend to sell.
On this point don't be surprised if identical items sell for grossly different totals. On the internet there exists a thing called the ePeen and eBay is a notoriously ripe locale for flopping out the ePeen, take this Christmas for example.

I decided, (on account of it being the season of good will and so on and so forth espeically eating with relatives) that I'd entertain myself with the most vile Jumper I could find. Allow me to introduce the most vile Xmas jumper ever made.

The most vile Xmas Jumper in Existence

I did my market research, figured out after browsing through the sellers other listings and history that this beauty would set me back around £20, a reasonable sum of money to look like a complete jackass whilst chewing disgusting food...

What followed was a sellers wet dream, no, a more fitting analogy would be to wake up next to Jessica Rabbit.

...Anyway, we entered into a bidding war, I'm stubborn and tenacious.

I don't lose.

You can see by the bidding history that a bidding war of epic proportions followed, I'm pretty sure this is the most expensive second hand Christmas jumper he's ever sold.

When it comes to eBay, market research is good but expect the unexpected, always.

Price Scale

Now I would love to take credit for this but it's something I found whilst researching so blame the other guy!

Also it gives me a chance to showcase Chalky the Hip Hop Snowman - he loves it!

Pro Painted > New In Box > Well Painted > Stripped > Poorly Painted

Pro-Painted

New in Box

Well Painted

Stripped

Poorly Painted

Standard Color Schemes Sell Better

Whilst on the subject of paint something that you may what to consider when it comes to painting your armies is that usually (well almost always unless you're a top top painter) standard Games Workshop color schemes - like Ultramarines or Cadian Guard etc will sell for more than your custom pink and brown jobs. Why? I guess it's because more people can slot them into their current and existing armies so it widens your target market.

Setting Up Your Auction

OK, so all the stripping and tomfoolery has been ironed out and accomplished. Now it's time to get down to the nitty gritty technical stuff.

This is where it looks daunting, but isn't.

Taking Photographs

Firstly, every listing will need a nice clear image that displays all of the details. Remember that the image is the D weapon of eBay sales. It serves three main purposes.

Reassures the buyer of the items condition.
Shows the buyer what they're bidding for.
Brings people into the auction via the listings.

It goes without saying that the better the picture the better the chances of the sale and also the final valuation. A good photo will add value to the sale.

I'm not going to give the rundown on what cameras to buy because frankly I don't think you need to find a massively expensive camera to take a clear photo.

This Ork picture was taken with a phone (Galaxy S4) camera. Quality shots can be achieved with standard equipment, in today's day of technology.

And these Bolt Action U.S. Soldiers were taken with an (Samsung S6)

Best Times to List on eBay

The eBay site swells like the bosom of a fat guy/chick chasing cake. Sometimes there's a lot of people online and others there ain't.

It's that simple, so you need to make sure the closing time of your listings fall on the periods when the most happy shoppers are busy clicking through the listings (there is one minor consideration with this**).

So let me very briefly go through the best and worst times to list on eBay *assuming you're not a monobrow inbred with buck teeth* you'll be able to figure out the rest.

**Sometimes for popular items listing during offpeak times will enhance the chances of a sale.

Avoid

Listings that end on Friday and Saturday evening. (people are usually at the bar getting their rocks off to Wham! - see you there baby!)

Graveyard Hours suck major ballbag. Don't end listings after midnight (unless you're selling vampiric thralls and golf ball gags)

February is bad. February is traditionally a crap time to sell, if you can avoid it do so - people are busy pleading poverty around then.

Summer Months are worse - I know you can't avoid selling shit on eBay the whole summer but be aware that the trend is for less people to be online and buying during the summer.

DISCLAIMER: I actually have no idea what times Golf Ball Gags are best sold at.

Best Times

Listings that end between 7pm and 10pm in your items region are the best. When we shop online we usually do it in the evenings whilst the missus is ~~watching~~ being brainwashed by the governments latest liberal message. (soap opera).

Christmas is usually a good time to sell, especially wargaming stuff.

End of the month listings are better as most people get paid then, end a listing on the 2nd of a month and you will probably get a better return.

On a side note, if you set the listing time to longer it has a better chance of being seen. My rule of thumb here is to see how many of said item are available on eBay.

If there are very few a longer listing will probably be better, give people more time to find your item and when the final few minutes come around the battle will be epic. Mice the world over will bleed through the onslaught of excessive clicking.

Listing Your Auction

Start Price - Low or High?

It's common for people to shoot straight in with a very high starting price.

Before you do this though take a moment to think about the point of an auction - clearly you want to sell for the highest possible price by enticing the highest number of bidders possible into a bidding war.

You have more chance of doing this with a lower starting value (refer back to the ePeen comments for proof of people going for it in the dying moments of a listing). My rule of thumb is to start popular items which are expected to attract loads of attention at a lower rate and less desirable items at around 40% of my expected valuation.

This by the way is how I operate when I sell stuff.

Description Tips

The description is majorly important, it's either your sexy sales woman with the "I want you" eyes or the fat dodgy car dealer that scares people away.

We dealing?

Here's a list of excellent tips I borrowed from somewhere else.

What is the item?
What condition is it in?
Is the item new or used?
Does it have any breakages?
What country/location is it from?
What methods of payment do you accept?
What are your shipping costs and timescale?

If possible let the buyer know what the item costs new, tell them how much they will save by buying your item. The key is to remove as many doubts as possible and give them no option but to buy!

Also make sure ~~you're~~ your spellings are correct or you will probably lose out on prospective buyers.

PUT IT IN THE RIGHT CATEGORY!

Seriously, some people search through categories rather than via the search function, they'll just hit a category and browse through - make sure you give your item the category it relates to.

Don't forget to mention damages or missing parts as well, it's really not worth the negative red flag you'll get when you send someone a set of plastic arms upside down rave marines.

I got some once, and I hit that idiot with more negatives than Kodak.

Lastly, don't allude to the reasons you're selling. No one, and I mean no one want to sit and go "Hmph...Hmph... okay.....right...(can this person just take my money for the damn miniatures already)....Ohh..I missed that last part you said"

Just get it cleaned, wrapped and sent away.

(Unless someone wants to hear your reason, in that case...unleash the beast!)

* Pro Painted Warning *

Since it's inception the internet has been awash with idiots (and porn) so try not to join them by listing your item as pro-painted without first ascertaining that you are of a pro standard.

We all like to think we're better than we are - but please ask yourself are you truly a professional standard painter?

Lets have a look at this for example.

Is this pro-painted?

He thinks so.

Will he sell this dunked figure? Probably not 50/50. Lying doesn't help to sell miniatures - it just makes you look like a jerk in the long run.

Shipping

Make sure you package things up nice and neatly and I mean this. Assume (Not all of course) that every delivery guy could be in a bad mood, they hate their jobs and they kick the living shit out of your items.

How do I know this? I worked at UPS for a few weeks back in 2006. The way they handled stuff made me want to scream.

Recorded/Registered/Special Delivery

If you send large packages or really expensive items send them as recorded/registered or special delivery (signed for on arrival). If not people will simply lie, say they haven’t arrived and open a paypal dispute.

Without proof of delivery you will lose your item as lost in transit. Once again this happened to me. My missus decided to send a box of Lord of the Rings figures of mine standard delivery, the guy I sold to was laughing all the way to the bank when they turned up.

He opened a dispute with PayPal and claimed all of his money back.

I lost 60 or so well painted models and contemplated going to his address to administer a beating on the doorstep... who am I kidding,

I'm a wargamer, I would of thrown an effeminate punch, missed, fell over and knocked myself out on the plant pot. No, I didn't do that I just sulked.

Handling Costs

Now this one is a real pain in the arse - charge too much and people think you're profiteering or trying to circumvent some of the final valuation fees.

My advice here is be fair, work out how much the packaging costs, how much the postage costs and stick a small sum on top for the "effort" of packing things up.

In today's day where free and quick is the standard anymore, you usually can't pull fast ones like that anymore...(Charging $6 to $7 to send a few items that weigh less than a pound and small enough to fit into the palm of your hand... unless international, a whole different ball game)

Bringing home the BACON

Getting paid is obviously best via cash or cheque as it circumvents the paypal fees.

Most people pay with paypal though so it really is necessary that you include it as a payment option.

Be wary of third party payment offers, like eCheques and remember that much like a standard cheque they can bounce.

Don't ship anything until the money has cleared has cleared. Some buyers are so damn oblivious they don't even realize they didn't pay so you might well have to explain why they haven't received their item two days after "paying".

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Closing

This guide should helps some of you in your buying and selling on eBay. It's just a few of my personal experiences and trapdoors I gloriously fell through on my journey through eBay.

When looking through on the web for wargaming miniatures, let us know the cool finds you dig up for sale.

Identifying Your Hobby Play Style

2019-05-25T12:00:00.001-07:00

Identifying Your Hobby Play Style

Whether you are interested in starting a new force, or are trying to maximize your entertainment with a current one, it is a good idea to take a look at your preferred playstyle and see how you can integrate models and tactics into your games that will bring you the most fun.

Whether you are winning or losing most of your games, if you are doing things you find boring or frustrating during the course of your game, you will get less enjoyment out of the hobby overall.

For example, a player who hates to see her models die will be sad when her gaunts fall in droves, or a player who loves the idea of close combat might not find himself satisfied with playing Tau, regardless of his success.

Below we will check out the different features that compose armies in the game of Warhammer 40,000 to help you figure out what you want to do in your games and how to select armies and models that help you realize that on the battlefield.

Major Traits of "Typical"(Maybe Not) Armies

Generally speaking, there are six main features to consider for any given unit or army, and various strengths and weaknesses can be wrapped up into one of these categories.

This is simply a list of the way I like to visualize things, but when I am considering a unit’s utility or an army’s potential strengths, I observe the following 6 bins: Durability, Numbers, Mobility, Firepower, Combat Ability, and Psychic Power.

Durability is a generic way to think about just how hard a unit is to kill. This factors in things like toughness, armor save, armor value of vehicle facings, Feel No Pain, and wounds, as well as leadership value to see how likely things are to melt under pressure.

Some players don’t mind going the Joseph Stalin route where a few of their eggs get broken in the making of their gaming omelet, but others would prefer to watch enemy fire bounce harmlessly off of a heavy tank’s plates.

If you like the idea of your heroes taking the best your opponent can throw at them, laughing, and continuing to fight on, durable units and factions might be what you’re looking for.

Numbers is the way of figuring out how large, expansive, or numerous your forces can be, or conversely how small and elite of a force you want.

The points cost of certain units means you can field more or less of them and maximum unit size dictates how much you can swell your ranks to make a suitable army.

Some players salivate at the idea of a small band of mighty warriors overcoming the odds, while others prefer to marshal vast legions of models to crush their foes.

Mobility can be defined as how maneuverable your force is. The ability to deep strike, outflank, or scout means your forces can come in from various places and be where you want them, when you want them there.

Other methods for increasing mobility involve using , Weapons that are Assault, Rapid Fire, or Salvo can be fired on the move, while Heavy usually require stationary forces.

Players who find being stuck or slow frustrating might accordingly value mobility, as do players who want to run circles around their opponents, forever just out of reach.

Firepower is the way I like to think about shooting ability.

Number of shots, strength of fire, range of fire, armor penetration values, presence of templates, and ballistic skill all factor in to how well a unit or army is able to blast their enemies away.

Perhaps you value hitting enemies while they can’t hit you back, or hitting things so hard they wither before you.

Massive explosions, screaming rockets, laser beams and machine guns can get anyone’s blood pumping and the way in which you want to shoot, and how much shooting you want to do, should certainly factor into your decisions in a game as shooting oriented as some games.

Combat Ability is the other side of firepower’s coin – how much and how well do you want to batter your opponent’s forces with your teeth/claws/hands/swords/what-have-you?

The presence of dedicated assault troops, attacks value, AP value of weaponry, weapon skill, initiative value, and assault-oriented special rules all factor in here.

There are many flavors; do you like the idea of smashing your enemies hard enough to obliterate them, or would you rather throw buckets of dice in melee and give them a death of 1,000 cuts?

Do you want to be able to strike first and kill them before they can hit back?

Do heroic duels excite you?

Would you rather avoid close quarters entirely and prefer to keep to a safe distance?

The answers to these questions will help you decide how much combat ability you want and what specialties you’re interested in.

Psychic Power doesn’t apply as broadly as the other five traits, but still is important to consider from an army-wide perspective.

Things that factor in include what psychic power tables are available, the number of psykers you can field, their mastery levels, or your army’s Deny the Witch ability.

Maybe a certain power really interests you and would synergize well with the rest of your strategy, or the idea of melting minds and hurling lightning your army is up your alley.

Some forces have plentiful psychic ability and options, while other forces are completely devoid of psychic options.

Finding The Combination You Prefer

What this all comes down to is finding how do you like to play.

Often times you can find what works for you by observation and experimenting with the forces you have, but there do exist other ways to narrow down what you are interesting in doing with your toy soldiers.

One great way to learn more about what you prefer is to considerswapping armies with a friend at the local game store and playing a game with an army you wouldn’t normally field.

You might find that those impulsive and reckless charges that keep getting your Astra Miliatarum into trouble are giving you much more success with your friend’s Blood Angels, for example.

An incredibly expansive resource for identifying and refining your playstyle exists in the form of battle reports.

These can take the form of video recordings of games on Youtube, post-game write-ups on various blogs and publications, and several other forms.

By observing what other players do and seeing what you gravitate towards, you may get a better feel for how you want to proceed with your listbuilding.

Finally, though some players are less inclined to go this route, you can try proxying models.

What this entails is putting in a unit that is ‘counts-as’ something else, or using paper cutouts to represent some other model that you do not own in order to test it out.

It can be very helpful in seeing whether you like the feel and effectiveness of a unit and can help guide you in a direction to decide what to buy or build next.

Next Steps

There are a great many variables involved in the composition of a specific army, and with dozens of different special rules, statlines, and points values scattered throughout any given rule set.

This means that a given army can be written a number of ways and no army is required to be built in a specific, stereotyped way.

The ‘consensus’ concepts of each army’s abilities are not set in stone, and with each new release of things as they continue to evolve.

Many stereotypes also have exceptions: it is pretty well known that Dark Eldar are fragile with weak armor and low toughness, and therefore must rely on mobility, cover save, feel no pain, and night fighting tricks to stay alive.

However, a Dark Eldar list can be written in a way to maximize its durability, and the Haemonculus Covens supplement allows for a Dark Eldar force that is dramatically more resilient than the garden variety kabalite list.

In short, you often can find a way to play almost any army in the style you prefer, though some are more amenable to certain styles than others.

If you’re interested in learning more, swing by our list of Army Selection articles to see what forces and options are available and get started on figuring out how to tailor your list to your preferred playstyle!

Making Hyper Realistic Marble Bases

2019-05-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

Want to learn how to make these realistic marble bases for your miniatures?

Making Hyper Realistic Marble Bases

Want to learn how to make these realistic marble bases for your miniatures?

Once your signed up the marble basing tutorial video will be sent to you shortly afterwards.

CRAFTWORLD ALAITOC - ASSEMBLING A WARHOST

2019-05-24T12:26:00.001-07:00

In September of 1988, I'd just turned 13, and was in the 3rd year of my time at High School.

CRAFTWORLD ALAITOC - ASSEMBLING A WARHOST

By: Contains Graphic Images (Apart Of Talk Wargaming Network)

Link To Website: http://containsgraphicimages.blogspot.com/

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By this time, I was in the wargaming hobby, but had yet to buy myself an army, but with the release of that month's White Dwarf, that was to change, and a life long obsession with one particular race began...

White Dwarf 105 for me, is in many ways as important than the now classic White Dwarf 127 (more of that later).

From the moment I saw the cover, with the beautiful Dave Gallagher artwork, I knew I was hooked.

A hoed figure leaping over a stern faced clown with a skeletal-clad warrior hiding the foreground? All the colours, contrasting with the death-like figure, weapons blazing at an unseen enemy... this was an army I wanted to find out as much as I could!

The article on the Harlequins began to tease at the fate of the Eldar, the fight between the Laughing God and Slaanesh, the god created by the excesses of the Eldar Race in ancient times, how the Harlequins told the tales of the doomed race through a dance, which whilst beautiful was both tragic and deadly...

It also told of the Craftworlds which the Harlequins visited, the immense space ships upon which the remaining Eldar lived their lives, floating across the galaxy, desperately trying to avoid the fate which befell their ancestors.

The Army its itself was a thing of great fun - as was the case with most armies at the time, it made for brilliant skirmish level forces, with each Troupe member having a role to play (plus extras which haven't made it into the modern day such as the Great Avatar, the Warlock and High Warlock), and was fun to use.

However, a spark was lit in me- I wanted to know more about the Craftworlds - who were these Eldar?

White Dwarf 127 gave us the answers.

Much has been written about this seminal issue, by writers greater than I - and I strongly recommend you visit Gav Thorpe's Blog for an interview with Jes Goodwin to read more on how the Eldar came to life from the main designer himself.

Needless to say, from both the artwork, the models, and the accompanying stories I was hooked - a doomed race, living life by a strict code in order to avoid repeating its past, the colourful Aspect Warriors who fought alongside the rank and file of the Guardians, the Farseers and Warlocks, and the Godlike Avatar... here was my army.

The question was, which Craftworld would I choose?

Shortly after the release of the Aspect Warriors and the army list, Games Workshop released a new set of Eldar Guardians - a hybrid metal / plastic kit, this made adding Guardians to your army quite simple.

Both the box and the accompanying White Dwarf article used a scheme which I was familiar with and liked - blue bodies, yellow helmets, which was to become the colour scheme of the Craftworld Alaitoc.

I chose this colour scheme to be my own, and now, over 20 years later, I still use this scheme - here's some of the units that I currently have in my army:

Classic Eldar Guardians, used in my current army as Storm Guardians - the arms and weapons are plastic, the bodies metal - a real pain to build, but so full of character!

A Farseer and Warlock Conclave. The Farseer and several of the Warlocks date back to 1990 when I bought them, stripped and repainted recently.

Wraithguard - a relatively new plastic kit, one that's full of character and a joy to build and paint!

War Walkers - I've also got a squad of three of the original metal Walkers to add to the army shortly!

Vyper Attack Bikes - fast and deadly!

Wave Serpent Transport

And a variant of the Wave Serpent - this was the original Forgeworld Kit before Citadel released the all plastic Kit - I prefer this one I have to say, and wish I had more of them!

Forgeworld Hornet light attack skimmer - very much like the Vyper, the Hornet is fast and packs a punch!

I'll be showcasing more of the units, and the stories behind them in coming posts - in the meantime, please let me know what you think of them, and your favourite Craftworld!

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Link To Exact Story: http://containsgraphicimages.blogspot.com/2018/03/craftworld-alaitoc-assembling-warhost.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

SAGA-Pitched Battle

2019-05-24T11:56:00.001-07:00

Myself and Adam got together for our regular SAGA game last night at the Hobby Bunker. We both had obtained our Age of Magic SAGA source books last weekend at Huzzah but we really have not had a good look yet so we went with the Viking Age warbands

SAGA-Pitched Battle

By: Fuentes Deonoro

Link To Website: http://fuentesdeonoro.blogspot.com/

I again fielded my Skraelings and Adam this time decided to bring his Irish. I really dislike fighting the Irish as their BB is quite a challenge.

We again played the Chaos setup from the Book of Battles and ended up with the following:

Scenery-Bleak Moor-(standard set up)

Deployment-Pitched Battle (18" deployment area on player's table edge with a split army)

Special Rule-Fog (no shooting or charge beyond M in first 3 turns)

Victory Conditions-Carnage (Survival points rather than Massacre points)

Game Length-Cautious (5 turns only)

Irish

Warlord

2 Curaidh

Javelin-armed Hearthguard-1

Javelin-armed Warriors-3

Wolfhounds-1

Skraelings

Warlord

Javelin-armed Warriors-5

Bow-armed Levy-1

Here is the set up of the terrain, so 3 out of 4 pieces with uneven terrain which clearly favour the Irish. Three pieces blocking LOS. Adam was the active player but I got 4 SAGA dice on the BB before his 1st move.

My right flank: I had a unit of Levy and a large 12 man unit of warriors on this side. Adam had a unit of Warriors and 2 Curaidh. I was not really well prepared here as I had used my 4 SAGA dice to generate 2 totems. I was eventually able to take down a Curaidh but as you can see both my units were cut down.

My left flank: Here I had 3 units of warriors and my Warlord. Adam had placed a unit of Hearthguard, his Warlord and a unit of warriors in the scrubland with another unit of warriors and his wolfhounds in the open ground.

I was able to knock down his wolfhounds quickly to 4 figures with the Skraeling ability of Tribal Tactics. Adam decided to send in his unit of warriors to counter. A fairly even battle but javelin armed have a slight advantage when attacking.

On to penultimate turn, I advance 2 units of Warriors and my Warlord to the scrubland, this is quite sucessful with both shooting and melee going to my advantage......

........last turn, this is really where I screw up what could have been an easy victory. I set up my BB properly but I need to get my warriors to advance to attack the Irish in the open first by we obey and then initiate Tribal Tactics for a 2nd attack getting 3 javelin throws in the last turn. Instead, my Warlord attacks the 3 warriors in the scrubland forgetting to do this first. My Warlord goes in and kills all the warriors but at some risk as his bodyguards are more than S away, but he survives but I can not use Tribal Tactics on my warrior unit as there is nothing within M to shoot. The game ends in a tie!

It was a fun game. I really felt I was done for most of the game as my initial set up was poor and my right flank collapsed almost immediately. I did push back on my left flank and was relatively successful and could have won the game if I had not royally screwed up my last move.

So an 18-18 point tie. It was a fun game, the Book of Battles really has changed the game of SAGA, as every game is quite different and we have not even got past the first chapter.

We might see some Age of Magic in our next game but it will take some planning, we will have to see.

Link To Exact Story: http://fuentesdeonoro.blogspot.com/2019/05/saga-pitched-battle.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

Tutorial: X – Wing AT-AT & AT-ST Models

2019-05-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

I decided it was about time I got the armoured might of the Emperor's '8th Iron Legion' painted and based up ready for the table-top (I have plans for these fellas in a forthcoming themed game)

Tutorial: X – Wing AT-AT & AT-ST Models

By: Hobby Before I Die

Link To Website: http://hobbybeforeidie.blogspot.com/

An AT-AT from the '8th Iron Legion' strides through the low-lands of Dandoran...

... And a rendevous with an Imperial Shuttle ready to disembark a squad of feared Dark Troopers...

So, let's crack on and head to the Walker Factory...

The bases were cut from 3mm MDF. Size wise, they match the dimensions of two large X-Wing ship bases positioned end to end. For flexibility, I wanted to create modular scenic bases (more on this in a minute), so the walkers needed a way to slot on and off their bases. Fortunately, the Action Fleet toys already had suitable holes positioned in their feet, so it was a case of creating 'pegs' with a width that provided a firm enough fit to allow the model to stay securely on it's base, whilst being able to be removed with a slight tug...

The AT-STs bases match the size of standard X-Wing ship bases...

The AT-AT is lowers into position

With the main bases constructed, it was time to move on to the scenic 'over-lays'...

The modular over-lays were cut from plasti-card. For the first batch, I went for a woodland / jungle finish. These were created by gluing on modelling sand, a couple of coats of mud effect paint and a suitable dry-brush highlight. Once dry, I patch covered the bases with two different types of flock, one light and one dark, to add a bit of contrast. The final touch was to glue on some foliage clusters from Woodland Scenics.

As a test run, I also created an alternate Hoth / snow world base for one of the AT-ATs. This was built in much the same way, but this time finished off with Army Painter snow effect...

The finished bases...

Right, now onto the minis.

Like many galactic nuts, I've been playing a lot of Star Wars: Commander on the ol' dog n' bone recently and I've been inspired by the lush forest setting of Dandoran...

The planet Dandoran. Home to Simon Le Bon.

I've also been inspired by the Imperial Veteran units and in particular, the bad-ass looking black AT-ATs...

The Veteran AT-AT received a blast of black car primer, followed by a gradual highlight of GWs Dawnstone grey. The glowing red command view-port was painted before the undercoat and masked off with tape. A whole lot easier to paint that way :)

Rancor. Even AT-STs need to fear what awaits in the woods...

The paint job for both the standard AT-ATs and the AT-STs pretty much followed the same approach, apart from this time, they all got a blast of grey car car primer ;). The models then all received a wash of GW's Nuln Oil, followed by a highlight of Administratum Grey mixed with a little White Scar...

The '8th Iron Legion' ready to crush the Rebellion...

All that's left now is to build a board for the Legion to wage war on...

Until next time ;)

Link To Exact Story: http://hobbybeforeidie.blogspot.com/2014/11/x-wing-at-at-and-at-st-models.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

Red Planet Basing

2019-05-22T10:46:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the last few months I've done a lot of basing of miniatures and thought it was an opportunity to show some the process from start to finish. I've made referrence to my Red Planet Basing tutorial many times but that tutorial didn't feature much in the way of step-by-step so I'd hoped to address that deficiency with a new tutorial. In truth the pictures aren't great but it may yet be of benefit to thos ewishing to replicate the surface of Mars or Ferron Proxima itself.

Red Planet Basing

By: 40K Addict

Link To Website: http://www.40kaddict.uk/

To complete the process you will need a tube of Vermillion Artists Acrylic [ignore the Yellow Mid] I get mine for Home & Bargain for £1 and it's great stuff.

You will also need a bottle of docrafts Artiste craft acrylic Pumpkin ~~flavoured~~erm, coloured. You'll also need various washes equivalent to the late great Devlan Mud or Badab Black, I use Army Painters range because it's the same stuff, cheaper, still available and doesn't screw up your miniatures if the batch of 'shade' is deffective.

Now there are two methods to doing these bases that should bring about the same results, heres the first one

This particular group of bike bases is made using my patented mix of 'sharp sand'. This will kill your brushes to paint as it is indeed sharp but I've still got a massive bag in the shed so I sift and graade it for a variety grain sizes. As the bases are separate I sprayed these with Red Oxide car primer.

Because the car primer is darker than starting with Vermillion I wash these with the Devlan Mud equivalent wash. You could try a thinned down paint but we all now washes are the bomb and work better but certainly on a big base or piece of terrain I would opt for a watered paint.

Once the wash is dry you drybrush with the Vermillion.

You then mix Vermillion and Pumpkin 1:1 and drubrush again.

Finally a very light drybrush of Pumkin.

Then you need to pick out individual grains with Bonewhite. Try to look for interesting ones, having a mixed grade of basing material helps here. It's always good to target those grains that are surrounded by more visible shades as the contrast between dark and Bonewhite is more effective. Be very careful not to do too much and make sur ethe individual grains are not too large. You're aiming to make the base more interesting, with a bit of variety not overshadow the model.

This base for 'Pestilence' follows the same principles - Red Oxide

Shadow wash

First highlight Vermillion.

Second highlight Vermillion/Pumpkin 1:1

Add the Bonewhite chips.

Finish off by Mechrite Red [or equivalent - 3 coats of Vallejo Heavy red] and some yellow Autumn Flock from Gale Force 9 [yeah the colours look way different!]

The alternative method of painting is usually when base and model are already attached. In this case you paint the base with Vermillion, sometime adding some water, the craft acrylic is a thick paste. Adding water helps the paint flow into the crevices in the sand, be careful though, adding water may dilute your PVA if it has not dried completely. This will result in a gloopy sandy red mess. Once the Vermillion is dry, usually overnight the proces is the same but the wash will be a Badab Black equivalent. As the base is much brightes you will need a darker wash to tone it down.

Once dry add your Highlights as before and pick out the bonewhite chips.

Add flock, usually in the cracks and crevices. Vegetation will naturally occur in these places and they will likely stick better to the PVA if it's not on open ground. This bit is fiddly but it's worth it.

Pick out any other details on the base, this Hive Node also has gloss varnish applied to the tentacles. it's a small thing, possibly unnoticed by many but I know it's there so it's worth doing.

Apologies again for the inconsistent photography. I may well do another set in good lighting with my digital camera so you have an accurate record, but not before I do my Brown Basing guide, that I used on these guys:

Link To Exact Story: http://www.40kaddict.uk/2014/07/red-planet-basing-pt2.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

2000PTS Battle Report - Tyranids v Tyranids

2019-05-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since I played Otty, but I figured it would do us both good to pit our nids against each other to help us get up to speed for GT3. More for him as he has limited 8th edition experience but with us both running gribblies there was far more learning to be had and sharing of ideas and concepts.

2000PTS Battle Report - Tyranids v Tyranids

By: 40K Addict

Link To Website: http://www.40kaddict.uk/

The low down:

· Front-Line Warfare [Chapter Approved mission]

· Hammer and Anvil - Table Ends deployment

· I chose deployment zone, but I deployed last unit [giving Otty +1 to win first turn],

· Otty won first turn, I failed to seize

Otty was running the Swarmlord in a pod, with Genestealers in a Trygon tunnel. Another unit of Genestealer backed up by a Broodlord, 3 Dakkafex, a Tyrannofex [with Rupture Cannon], 3 Hive Guard, a brood of Rippers and 3 Zoanthropes all as Hive Fleet Gorgon. Objectives were in the Spore Chimney, inbetween the two woods by the craters

Another objective was inbetween the two alien pods and the one in my deployment zone was just by my Skyshield on the right in this pic. All the trees were counted as cover but Line of Sight blocking behind - you could shoot into but not behind because Otty had limited terrain and it seemed like the best way to deal with it.

Otty surged forward.

Unfortunately the Stealer got a short advance of 1 or 2.

Swarmlord arrived in his pod, with Genestealers in a Trygon tunnel.

The Swarmlord 'flung' the Genestealers forward. Shooting took place and one of the Hive Guard went down. The Tervigon also took a number of wounds but I may have got some lucky dice rolls to survive a particularly devastating round of shots.

The Swarmlord wasn't going to reach the Hive Guard so he went for bigger prey and charged the Skyshield.

He took 7 wounds off the platform while the Genestealers clawed through the Hive Guard [First Blood], losing two of their own number to 3 overwatch hits! In response I moved the Tervigon and gaunts back, to give room for the Trygon and my own Stealers. The Tervigon regenerated two or three wounds to be back on 11.

My Broodlord headed for the Swarmlord on a suicide mission.

Trygon and Gaunts tunneled up in Otty's DZ while Flyrants arrived in front and behind his lines to squeeze it between them. Shootin had limited effect from the Gaunts, even shooting twice. I managed to put a few wounds on both Zoanthropes and Hive Guard but the combined shots of the Flyrants put only one Hive Guard down.

I made almost all of my charges [except for the Termagants]. Flyrant on the left got to the nearest Carnifex and killed it. Flyrant in the DZ got the Tfex and managed some wounds. Trygon failed charge on the Zoies, was just short on the Behemoth re-roll and a 4+ command re-roll of the low dice got me in.

I'd move the Termagants up to stall the stealers. Shooting took out some of them [I think 2 were left after this] and the Broodlord died against the Swarmlord but not before putting at least 3 wounds on him.

My 17 Stealers and Trygon both got into assault against Ottys 20. My Stealers killed 19 of them, with the Trygon squishing the last one. I consolidated towards a Dakkafex getting within 1" to force it to Fallback next turn, Otty didn't think he could have a free attack with the Carnifex that turn but I am convinced he could have.

Otty's turn and he went for my Tervigon to try and feedback on the Gaunts. He would then Smite it to take it back down to 9 wounds.

Zoanthropes fell back from the Trygon, everything else remeained locked in combat.

Tfex and Flyrant kept wailing on each other.

Swarmlord assaulted the Tervigon.

He sliced and diced but could only manage 8 wounds.

Leaving the lady on her last wound.

I may have paid 2CPs to interrupt and assault with the Stealers but they failed to deliver and were mullered for it.

Otty's trygon joined the fray but only to squish some Gaunts who failed to kill any Stealers.

My turn and the Flyrant fell back to shoot the Tfex or the Hive Guard hiding in the Spore Chimney. Gaunts repositioned.

Rippers arrived to contest the Objective.

Psychic Phase and my Tervigon Smite's the Swarmlord. I get 11 on my Psychic test and then 6 on my D6 Mortal Wounds, by this stage the Swarmlord had 5 or 6 remaining and is destroyed in a haze of Psychic fury.

To add insult to injury the Tervigon re-spawns 10 Fleshborer gaunts who fell back from the Trygon to allow the Warriors to shoot it, for a wound or two.

Trygon eats through the Zoies [with help from the Devgaunts shooting], Flyrant kills the Hive Guard with Brainleech worms. The second Flyrant swoops across to the Dakkafex and support the Trygon but fails to kill any green nids.

Otty's Trygon eats though theWarriors...

...and moves down to take on the Tervigon with Rippers appearing in my DZ, just managing to fit in 9" away.

I'm thinking this is a bad dice role, perhaps the Tervigon got shot by the Trygon's Bio-Electric Pulse. It definitely died, then the Termagants got killed and with no Synapse to hold them they were wiped out giving Otty the objective in my DZ.

The Flyrant continued to struggle with the Carnifex and but finally killed the Broodlord.

Which meant he was left with the Dakkafex who just didn't have sufficient attacks, damage or AP to put wounds on him.

Made even worse by the arrival of the second Flyrant.

We decided to call it a draw at 2am. Subsequent turns I'd have probably won, and with hindsight the Trygon holding the objective in my DZ was actually contested with the Skyshield, but the Rippers would have been on it next turn to tip the scales in Otty's favour and no doubt the Trygon could have removed the 13 remaining wounds on the fortification.

Otherwise we both had our opponents objectives and a middle objective each. Otty had First Blood, I had Slay the Warlord and we both had Linebreaker. Overall it was a good game but then I think I had the upper had so I'm a little biased but we spent a good deal of time discussing options and approaches [hence the finish time]. Hopefully, Otty had some thoughts on adjusting his army, just the 6CPs is a worry for me. He rang me the next day to say he'd managed to add a Vanguard detachment for a 7th as despite my advice the lists he could make with two Battalions or a Brigade were so far removed from how he's used to playing he wouldn't know what to do with the list. I agree he needs to use what he's comfortable with so fingers crossed 7CPs will be enough [he's hoping to get some back with the Feeder Tendrill Stratagem off the Genestealers.

Link To Exact Story: http://www.40kaddict.uk/2018/02/2000pts-battle-report-tyranids-v.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

How To Apply Decals

2019-05-21T11:05:00.001-07:00

I decided to create this page to help other gamers apply decals to their models and figures, as well as to remind myself how it's done. It's really quite easy, but there are some pitfalls that novices always fall into.

How To Apply Decals

By: http://ordinarygaming.blogspot.com/p/how-to-apply-decals.html

Link To Website: http://ordinarygaming.blogspot.com/

My Street Creds

Before I got into miniature gaming, I used to be a model railroader since the age of 12. I became so good at detailing, painting, and decaling locomotives and freight cars that I turned it into a nice business that helped put me through college. Several hobby shops in Eastern Pennsylvania used to sell my models so fast that often I could not keep up with demand. I also used to take private commissions and sell my models at many train shows in PA, NJ, and MD. Over the years, I've gotten to know the owner of Microscale Industries as well as many model railroad manufacturers, helping them create accurate decals and models. So I've literally painted and decaled 100's of models in my life--none of which I ever owned!

Using Setting Solutions

Always, always, always apply decals on a glossy surface using a decal setting solution. Even if you are like me and use flat acrylic paints on military models and figures, spray your figures with a coat of gloss varnish made for acrylic paint. Notice that I did not say semi-gloss varnish or Future floor wax or glue or any of those other nutty methods gamers talk about on TMP. I said gloss varnish made for acrylic paint--don't be cheap!

Why? Decals need a smooth, glossy surface to avoid nasty air bubbles and to allow the setting solutions to bond the decal into the paint, literally turning the decal into paint instead of just gluing it to the surface. Besides, the gloss varnish will nicely protect the model or figure from handling, alays a plus. And don't worry, you'll be applying a few thin layers of Testors Dullcote to the entire model or figure when finished, killing the gloss completely. Tip: always apply spray varnishes in multiple thin coats, not one soaking coat--another novice mistake that can lead to unforeseen problems years in the future.

3 Types of Setting Solutions

When it comes to decal setting solutions, you have three choices: Walther's Solvaset, Microscale's Micro-Set, and Microscale's Micro-Sol.

Micro-Set by Microscale Industries

Micro-Set actually is a weak acetic acid, something along the lines of vinegar without the nasty smell, so to speak. It is the weakest of the three solutions but should be your go-to solution for floating and setting the decals onto the model. Basically, it's a pre-softener for the decal.

Here is the blub from Microscale's website: "Micro-Set prepares the surface with special wetting agents that cuts the oils in new paint and converts the adhesive on the back of the decal to a stronger and more lasting one. And finally, Micro-Set slightly softens the decals film to make it more flexible so that it can conform better to the model's surface. Better adhesion by the decal to the model prevents tiny air bells from occurring and results in an invisible carrier film or the so called 'painted on look'."

Solvaset by Walthers

Solvaset is solvent based and is another version of Micro-Set, so to speak. Walthers made this for the thicker decals of the 1960's and 1970's. As a result, it is stonger than Micro-Set. I used to use Solvaset quite a bit back in the day because I used to used some thick decals as well as thinner decals. Today, all decals are thin. If I were to use this, I would dilute it with water at least 25%. However, if you can get Micro-Set then go with that instead because it's not as harsh as Solvaset and is more forgiving.

Micro-Sol by Microscale Industries

Like Solvaset, Micro-Sol is also solvent-based, hence the 'sol' in both products. However, Micro-Sol is a bit weaker than Solvaset. In fact, you may not even need to use Micro-Sol unless the decal will go over rivets or other irregular surfaces. This product literally softens a decal so much that it appears to become paint on the model, conforming to those nasty rivets and such. Now, if a solution can soften a decal that much do you see how mishandling Micro-Sol could ruin a decal and model? Yep, so be careful using it or Solvaset. Only use it once the decal is set or mainly dry (the Micro-Set has been whisked away with the corner of a paper towel). Micro-Sol allows the air under the decal to escape so the decal and paint can bond. Watch how it's done in the videos. And remember, it takes only seconds for Micro-Sol to begin working. Leave it alone! Don't touch the decal until it's dry--even if the decal wrinkles. Wrinkling is normal. It will flatten out. If you have some stubborn bubbles or the decal just hasn't adhered to the rivets, you can always apply some more Micro-Sol until the problem is fixed. Add small amounts at a time so as not to destroy the decal.

Tip: You can gently prick any stubborn air bubbles using the sharp tip of a fresh Xacto blade--the Micro-Sol will blend the decal film together like magic, providing you didn't butcher the decal when popping the bubbles. Micro-Set can also do this, but if it doesn't work then bring out the Micro-Sol.

Basic Instructions for Applying Microscale Waterslide Decals:

These instructions come from Microscale's FAQ, which you can read at their website.

1. The object to be decaled must have a clean and relatively smooth glossy surface.

2. Cut out the Decal lettering and dip in clean water (preferably Distilled water) anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds. Note: Some lettering might take a longer soaking time than other sheets. Set the Decal on a damp paper towel for a short period of time or until the Decal slides freely on the backing paper.

3. Place Decal where desired on object. It might be of help if a layer of Micro-Set is brushed on the object first and then place the Decal. This process will allow the Decal to avoid the Silvering effect that can happen with just the water. Work as fast as you can in placing the lettering as the Micro-Set starts the wrinkling of the Decal and setting it to the object.

4. Blot gently around the edges of the Decal with a paper towel or tissue to remove excess water and allow to dry completely. Add more Micro-Set as necessary over the top of the Decal very carefully. This process will make the Decal lettering a part of the model.

5. When placing a Decal on slightly irregular surfaces, use Micro-Sol. This is the stronger of the two products and aids in soften the Decal to fill the contour, rivets and crevices on the object. The setting solution also improves adhesion by eliminating the tiny bubbles that can be trapped under the Decal film.

6. When the Decals are completely dry, it is necessary to wash off the Decal glue and water spots from the object with a damp paper towel or you may brush the water on and then dab it dry. Do not wipe the Decal lettering. Drying time may vary, but allow several hours or overnight to before proceeding.

7. It is recommended that a clear protective coating be applied to the entire surface of the object. The over spraying of the Decals will protect them from handling and seal the painted surface.

Link To Exact Story: http://ordinarygaming.blogspot.com/p/how-to-apply-decals.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

Tutorial: Soviet Infantry Summer Uniforms & Winter Uniforms

2019-05-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

This a part in an ongoing series of articles documenting the research I have been doing for painting my 28mm Black Tree Design miniatures for 1:1 skirmish gaming. Finding historical information on Soviet uniforms that gamers can use was very difficult, with much of it scattered across various Osprey and other books, along with some websites.

Tutorial: Soviet Infantry Summer Uniforms & Winter Uniforms

By: A League Of Ordinary Gamers

Link To Website: http://ordinarygaming.blogspot.com/

Series Overview

I hope folks find this series of articles helpful and might even stir some interest in gaming the Eastern Front. While I painted 28mm miniatures, nearly all this information is useful for all miniature sizes.

Color Variations

Since the Soviets had practically no quality controls in place, uniform colors were amazingly varied. The basic summer tunic and trouser color is an olive shade of khaki, though the color varied widely from drab olive green to a pale brown to a light cream color. Just take a look at the color variations among the reenactor uniforms sold at Trident Military.

I saw the same color variations among the color photographs I saw in the books I used, as well as among the original color photographs online and color photographs of original uniforms. (Just be careful when looking for color WWII photos online because there seems to be a hobby of colorizing old black and white WWII photos.)

Besides the variations in the cotton cloth dye, many of the color variations came from the cloth fading in the harsh weather and poor dye quality. Normally, the fresh troops who were sent to fill the gaps in shot-up units would wear the darker shades of olive khaki, whereas the hardened veterans would be wearing the lightest shades of khaki.

Painting The Figures

Because I wanted to reflect the chaotic nature of a Soviet platoon that had been fighting for a long time in Stalingrad or elsewhere, with new soldiers replacing dead soldiers while fighting aside veterans with the 1000-yard stare, I painted the tunics and trousers on my figures a variety of shades. Often, the tunics and trousers would be different colors. This fits in with the Black Tree Design figures, which represent Soviets in late 1943.

A Word About The Paint Colors I Chose
I decided to paint my soldiers based on the paints I could easily get my hands on and what already was in my collection. I primarily used Reaper paints because I could get them discounted locally from Cool Stuff Inc, a major online game discounter with a brick-and-mortar store. I also used some Vallejo paints because I had bought them years ago when I painted my 15mm figures. I also used some craft paints because I have a massive collection of them, though craft paint military colors tend to be lacking. While it can be frustrating to figure out what colors to use for Soviets, it's also very liberating because there is no "correct" shade of anything! Feel free to experiment as you please, and have fun with it.

My Reasoning Behind Who Got What Colors
For the untrained fresh troops, I tried to pick figures with frightened faces, painting their uniforms in darker shades. As in real life, their trouser and tunic color almost always match, assuming they got their entire uniform from the same supply depot.

Veterans got lighter shades of khaki. Some have lighter tunics with darker trousers or darker tunics with lighter trousers. Sometimes soldiers were able to get new bits of uniforms as things wore out, or they simply strip uniform bits off their dead comrades, a common practice in a besieged city like Stalingrad that major resupply issues. Or I simply varied between the Reaper and Vallejo khaki for more subtle variation.

Because I saw this in vintage color photos, a few soldiers got tunics painted Uniform Brown. Because modeling to me is more about creating an illusion of reality instead of an exact copy, I didn't want to get so crazy with "authentic" color variations that gamers would feel that the soldiers didn't belong in the same unit. I didn't want the units too feel too disjointed. (This is why I painted all the helmets and caps the same color, to give some sense of unity across the entire platoon--but more about that at another time!) Having only a few soldiers in brown tunics but khaki trousers gives that variation while keeping the illusion the soldiers belong to the same unit. At least that's my theory!

Patches and Tears
I have seen a number of photos where the Soviet soldiers had different colored patches on the knees and other places that would wear out, though I didn't attempt to include this. Tears and sewn tears would also be common, but I didn't attempt that either. My skills aren't up to that quite yet. (I did give a couple of my guys scars, though!)

Vary It Up
So if you're looking to do a more authentic platoon of Soviet infantry, try to vary the shades of the tunics and trousers. A uniformly equipped and uniformly shaded rifle section or platoon would be fresh untrained meat for the grinder!

Summer Uniform Painting Guide
Below are the colors I used to paint the summer tunics and trousers on my Soviet figures. I've also listed some additional suggestions I've found. Luckily for the Soviet WWII gamer, unlike the French Napoleonic gamer, there is no correct color for anything in the Soviet army! So use whatever you think looks right to you.

Fresh Troops

Highlight: Reaper 9122 Terran Khaki
Base: Reaper 9121 Khaki Shadow
Shade: Reaper 9158 Olive Drab

Veteran Troops
Highlight: Reaper 9123 Khaki Highlight
Base: Reaper 9122 Terran Khaki or Vallejo 988 Khaki
Shade: Reaper 9121 Khaki Shadow

Hardened Troops
Highlight: Reaper 9123 + White
Base: Reaper 9123 Khaki Highlight
Shade: Reaper 9122 Terran Khaki

Brown
Highlight: Reaper 9127 Uniform Brown + Reaper 9123 Khaki Highlight
Base: Reaper 9127 Uniform Brown
Shade: Americana DA180 Asphaltum

Vallejo Variation
One of the figure painting books, I can't recall which one or where I found this, suggests painting Soviet tunics and trousers the following colors using Vallejo paints. The mixes are equal parts.
Highlight: Base Color + 914 Green Ochre + 976 Buff
Base: 879 Green Brown + 882 Middlestone
Shade: Base Color + 872 Chocolate Brown + Black

Michael Farnsworth Guide
Farnsworth's painting guide, available online at Artizan's website, suggests the following Vallejo colors for Soviet tunics and trousers. I'm not much a fan of using Russian Green for the uniforms because the color is a bit too green from my research. Fine for armor, but not for the uniforms I feel.

Standard Uniform Base Color: 924 Russian Uniform Green
Khaki Variants: 973 US Field Drab, 921 English Uniform, or 983 Flat Earth
Tan Variant: 874 US Tan Earth
Faded Beige Variant: 821 German Camo Beige, 847 Dark Sand

What's The Code?
"Hey," I hear you saying, "how did you keep all these colors straight in your head?" That is a very good question, especially considering that I can't even remember my own cell phone number let alone what color I painted something last month!

To keep myself from getting confused, especially if I had to go back later and touch up the paint on a tunic or trouser, I created a simple paint code I painted on each bottle cap. You can see this in one of my progress photos below.

The code to the left is the tunic color. The code to the right on the cap is the trouser color. TK=Terran Khaki. K=Vallejo Khaki. KS=Khaki Shadow. And so on. Yeah, sometimes things just click for me!

Note: I didn't like the green on these helmets, later repainting them darker.

I hope this has helped you get some ideas for painting Soviet tunics and trousers. I'll be doing the gear next, followed by the weapons, along with a selection of books you might find useful.

Winter Uniforms

Series Overview

This is an additional part in an ongoing series of articles documenting the research I have been doing for painting my 28mm Black Tree Design miniatures for 1:1 skirmish gaming. Finding historical information on Soviet uniforms that gamers can use was very difficult, with much of it scattered across various Osprey and other books, along with some websites. I hope folks find this series of articles helpful and might even stir some interest in gaming the Eastern Front. While I painted 28mm miniatures, nearly all this information is useful for all miniature sizes.

The M41 and M43 Winter Uniforms

In earlier articles, I focused on Soviet summer uniforms. Now I turn my attention to the padded winter uniforms, which were designed to withstand the brutal cold of the Eastern Front.

There are two main patterns of padded winter uniforms: the M41 introduced in 1941 and the M43 introduced in 1943. Both patterns feature nearly identical padded trousers, called "vatnie sharovari" in Russian. These are so similar that gamers really needn't worry about the details because on 28mm and smaller miniatures one pair of padded trousers looks just like the next pair to my eyes. However, when we look at the winter uniform's padded jackets, called "telogreika" in Russian, we can spot some significant differences between the M41 and M43 patterns.

The M41 Telogreika
The M1 telogreika has the same large, folded-down collars as the M35 summer tunic pattern, which I discussed in Part 2 of the series. Rank insignia are displayed on these collars, as you can see in the drawing of the uniform to the upper left. As I discuss later in this article, most telogreika-clad Soviet WWII miniatures use the M41 pattern.

The M43 Telogreika

The M43 pattern, on the other hand, eliminated the telogreika's large collar, replacing it with a short upstanding collar buttoned at the top. This follows the same collar design as on the M43 summer tunic. As with the M43 summer tunic, senior NCO's wearing the M43 telogreika were to have shoulder boards displaying their rank insignia. However, photos show that many NCO's chose not to wear any sort of shoulder board on their telogreika. The photo to the right clearly shows the M43 telogreika, though the photo looks like a publicity shot because the uniforms and equipment on these soldiers look practically brand new and way too clean to have seen any fighting. (Soviets in WWII were fond of staging publicity photos, including combat photos.)

Mixing and Matching Jackets and Trousers

Because the telogreika was warmer than summer uniform jackets while still allowing a soldier more freedom of movement, soldiers often wore their telogreika in spring and autumn as well as in winter. You can see this in some photos, with soldiers wearing their telogreika and regular (non-padded) wool or cotton trousers, while other soldiers are wearing the full summer uniform.

In fact, on the cover of Red Army Uniforms of World War II in Colour Photographs (1993), you can see the fellow on the right wearing a telogreika along with the summer uniform trousers. By the way, this is a great book, with each page featuring one or more color photos of reenactors in Soviet uniforms. There is also a section of gear. This book has been a valuable asset for me, but its info can be a bit sketchy at times. You can pick up perfectly fine used copies of the book on Amazon for $20.

The Ushanka

Nothing screams Soviet/Russian winter like the ushanka! The ushanka, which means "ear hat" in Russian, is a distinctive feature of Soviet WWII uniforms and remains popular today. (In fact, my nephew up North likes to wear a rather large ushanka. Of course, we in Central Florida have little use for such a hat. But I digress...) Sometimes you might see this hat called a shapka or chapka, but from what I've read WWII uniform books prefer calling them ushanka. These hats come in many colors, from the same color as the uniforms, to shades of brown, to shades of cream, to shades of grey. The Soviet Star on the front flap could be red or gold, though I prefer red for my miniatures. You can tie the ushanka's ear flaps at the top of the hat, pulling the flaps up, or you can lower the flaps over the ears, tying them under the chin to keep you nice and tosty on those cold Stalingrad nights. Pretty nifty and very Soviet-looking!

28mm Miniatures in Winter Uniforms

On the page WWII 28mm Soviet Infantry, I discuss in detail which miniature companies make soldiers clad in winter uniforms and identify the uniform patterns they wear. (Originally, that page started as part of this article but grew too large!) Still, I'll briefly say that Artizan, Black Tree Design, Crusader, Warlord Games, and West Wind figures all wear the M41 telogreika with large collars. The Assault Group and Victory Force figures wear the M43 telogreika with short collar and shoulder boards. Some figures wear padded trousers, while most others wear regular trousers.

Painting Winter Soviet Uniforms

Information about painting Soviet winter uniforms can be found in Part 5 of the series, Painting Guides, which will be posted in a couple of days. I'll also post it as a page. This is a comprehensive list of guides covering all the uniforms covered to date.

Link To Exact Story: http://ordinarygaming.blogspot.com/2012/05/painting-wwii-soviet-infantry-part-2.html

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

ALTERNATE FACE PAINTING METHOD: A LOOK AT THE VALLEJO FACE PAINT LINE.

2019-05-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

It wasn’t too long ago that I shared what I consider to be a real easy way to add some realism into your face painting projects by simply using inks to transition over your base skin tones, and eventually end up with a finished product.

ALTERNATE FACE PAINTING METHOD: A LOOK AT THE VALLEJO FACE PAINT LINE.

By: Prot’s War In The Warp

Link To Website: https://prot40k.blog/

If you haven’t seen it, or want to see it, that article is linked here: How I Paint Faces: Glazing tricks anyone can use.

In this article I want to go over a very different method created from a more involved process, but the skin tones have what I would call an almost… ‘oil painted’ appearance.

I decided to try out the Vallejo Game Air products for this project and specifically here’s what I used:

Vallejo Game Air products I used for this project.

First off I know there’s a lot of colour theory and where you should put what colour, and when. After years of working in the comic industry I can tell you that people can get away with some really funky, unrealistic stuff if it simply looks ‘good’. What I love about this colour range is the consistency, and the ability to pull off that ‘Oil Painting’ look I referred to before.

So after doing a few models, and dabbling in the deep purple hues with my gold experiments, I just found this was something I wanted to go strongly into with the skin tones. I think if you like this look, Vallejo Game Air makes this really easy to do. All I used was the colours above, and a lot of patience.

So the order goes to hell in a handbasket pretty quickly because once you’ve laid the foundation, you’re going to play it by feel and look until you like what you see.

And here’s the very basics of the colour theory:

You spend 10,000 years fighting for the emperor and you end up with the odd worry line on your face. Botox technology was lost with the STC’s!

Above is the blueprint:

§ Purple lines represent the deepest recesses caused by bone structure and muscles. Here’s were Terracota and Purple mix to give your a warm depth.

§ Red is where we see shadows transitioning into lighter skin tones. We’re simply adding more light flesh tones to our mix.

§ Pink lines represent the light sources most often. Skin can appear lighter for lots of reasons, but on this scale skin ‘shine’ is a great way of showing the tops of larger bone structures, wrinkles etc.

Notice I’ve circled two areas. Circle one is where most of the dark tones went on top of my base colour. Circle two is where a lot of wild blending makes those purples into pinks. A lot of it looks extreme, but you have to go back and forth until you’re happy.

I wish I had taken a picture of my palette. It really does look crazy after a good 20 minutes of doing this. The base above is a very minor example of the amount of mixing that goes on.

Here’s a few WIP’s to show you what went for in the end for skin tone:

Even this blown up, you can see the Deathwatch Captain has some strong striation work in his face. He’s been around…seen some stuff.

The Deathwatch Captain has added striations in his face. This is a hold over from my comic book drawing days. Every hero has an immense amount of jaw exaggeration. The colour is not all about the bone structure. Feel free to exaggerate blood flow, bruising, blemishes, scars, etc. A good example of this is I show more ‘blood flow’ in the temples and cheeks of my faces. I like the emotion this brings to the figure.

A Closer look shows a fairly unrealistic, but warm transition to the underlying muscle structure of the face.

My Deathwatch captain shows rage, and hopefully some maturity in his face. With Trajann Valoris I went for a more ragged, aged, ‘been there, done that’ sort of look.

This is hopefully showing Valoris at nearly real size.

There’s a ton of colour variation going on here. I wanted a combination of age, scarring, and battle experience worn on his face.

Super close up we can see why you should definitely wear sunscreen in the 41st Millennium.

You can see I’ve gone for a bolder transition here on valoris. There’s nothing too subtle about his war torn appearance. I think this is also an important consideration when you are painting an army that is largely mono-chromatic… Deathwatch, Custodes, Grey Knights, etc.

A few parting pieces of advice:

§ Start with your medium colour, ‘cut’ in the dark lines, then work back to light, and lighter yet.

§ Go backwards to the start. Push the mid tones back in between your lowlights/highlights. Are they too subtle? Are they too bland? Keep going until you like it.

§ Why Airbrush paint? It’s pre-thinned. When I’m painting faces, I can’t have drying paint giving me problems, and thinning on the go, especially on a wet pallet is a pain.

§ Don’t be afraid to create you’re own ‘look’. A great comic artist once told me ‘style’ comes from intentionally making mistakes. They have to look intentional mind you. In my case I wanted a ‘blockish’ pattern that cut into the transitions. It reminds me of those old 70’s comics.

§ If you don’t like where it’s going, take a break. I can bang out a face paint in 20 minutes, but when character is at stake, I’ve often taken a week of small sessions here, and there to get it right.

§ Glue the heads on to something easy to hold. Don’t make the mistake I did with Allarus Terminators as an example. I couldn’t get finished painted heads into the model and damaged a few!

§ Finally, and most importantly.. KEEP IT THIN. I’m not joking when I say Valoris probably has about 30ish shades on him. That’s the beauty of the Game Air line if you don’t want to thin your own paints.

That’s about it for this segment. I hope this gives you something to try out on your own. Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!

Thanks for reading.

Link To Exact Story:https://prot40k.blog/2018/06/07/alternate-face-painting-method-a-look-at-the-vallejo-face-paint-line/

(*Disclaimer* we by no means own any of this content as it is owned by it’s credited authors, our goal is to only showcase the content through our platform for wargamers to enjoy and learn)

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Strip the Models

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Standard Color Schemes Sell Better

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Tutorial: Soviet Infantry Summer Uniforms & Winter Uniforms

ALTERNATE FACE PAINTING METHOD: A LOOK AT THE VALLEJO FACE PAINT LINE.

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