Warhammer Fantasy Battle Tabletop Gaming

Horus Heresy remake by Fantasy Flight Games - new release

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:22:00 +0000

Games Workshop's popular board game from the 1990's has been remade and is being released again by Fantasy Flight Games

Set in the Warhammer 40k world, Horus Heresy is civil war across galaxies. The 2 player board game pits Space Marines against the Chaos Space Marine traitors who fight under the banner of Horus, it includes "...over 120 detailed miniature models including 10 plastic terrain pieces, and more than 200 cards to bring this sweeping conflict to life on a stunning map of the war-torn Terra" (from Fantasy Flight Publishing).

fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=988 (for more, copy this into your browser)

I don't know a lot about this game but from what I can tell so far and reading around the internet it looks to be a pretty high quality production like all of the other recent Fantasy Flight releases.

A Delicate Warhammer Balancing Act... or not ?

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:32:00 +0000

Do Warhammer Fantasy Battle Tournaments need balancing or is it a bad idea ?

I stumbled across a Finnish gaming site recently and was about to leave when I saw some Warhammer tournament rules written in English, they looked interesting and I was compelled to stick around.

The rules were quite strict and their purpose obviously to address imbalances that the writer or tournament organisers perceived between the various army books. I was intrigued and it actually gave me pause for thought.

I'm well aware that some people consider certain rules, magic items, characters or even whole army books to be out of kilter with one another but it's now left me wondering whether such strict application of alternative army selection rules is a good idea or not.

Does it simply create a more level playing field, does it take something from the game or does it do both ? Would I prefer such tournaments or rather plan my attacks around the existing unchanged army book rules that I'm familiar and comfortable with ? Indeed, would it add to the game if I was having to adapt to some new enemies and possibly change my preferred army lists to cater for the restrictions ?

To be frank, it's a tough one. I have had my bad experiences with certain magic items and special characters but it usually just motivates me to find a better way to handle them and leaves me thinking that I was a bit dumb to approach a battle in the way I did. I have also been on the winning side when my opponent is no doubt thinking the same or... is he thinking, "that unit/weapon/rule is broken and I wish we had banned it before the game !"

I'm very much undecided and looking for opinions, I posted the discussion in the forum along with the tournament rules. I'm hoping this will be a hot topic because I'm sure it will arouse a bit of passion, I know I will have a lot to say and ask. If you'd like to join in, please feel free or just follow it here:-

Warhammer Fantasy Tournament - Army Selection Rules, is it the right thing to do ?!

PS. the forum sometimes take a day or 2 to rev up into gear so you might want to check at a later date when the members are in full argumentative action :)

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (2009 edition) has just been released by Fantasy Flight Games

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:47:00 +0000

Fantasy Flight Games have made a really professional looking job of the latest edition of WFRP

It looks like the game will be well supported too with a campaign called The Gathering Storm and an Adventurer's toolkit in development.

Here's the detail from Fantasy Flight Publishing:-

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is a new, exciting way to experience the popular Warhammer Fantasy setting. It is a grim world, constantly at war. As a hero, you will take up weapon, spell, or prayer and do your best to combat the might of enemies terrifying to behold. As the Game Master, you will make the lands of the Old World real as you craft the story, the people, creatures, and the mysteries the other players will encounter during their adventures.

Everything your group needs to begin its adventures in the Old World is included in the Core set. This Core set is an excellent way to bring new players into the fold, as well as to reward experienced roleplaying with new and exciting innovations.

4 comprehensive rule books provide all the knowledge you will need on the Old World.

Over 30 Custom Dice give you unprecedented options for story-telling

Party sheets provide new skills and abilities to keep everyone engaged

30 different careers and 4 different races offer a multitude of character options

More than 300 cards keep you in the game, no need to look up skills or abilities

Three character keepers designed to hold everything your hero will need each session

It's looking good for $99.95 USD. Here's the Fantasy Flight Page if you're interested:-

fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite_sec.asp?eidm=93&esem=2

Also, here's a free (16 pages long, 3meg) pdf for an introductory adventure called "A Day Late, a Shilling Short":-

fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/wfrp/WFRP-download-promo/wfrp_day_late_shilling_short.pdf

For those keen on pursuing an adventure or two while at work/school/college, we run a few text based Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay games on the Battle Reporter forum here

Images are © Fantasy Flight Publishing. All rights reserved. Used without permission.

"Forged by Chaos" a new Warhammer Online based book by Black Library

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:44:00 +0000

A new Warhammer Online (almost Fantasy Battle) based book from C L Werner

Mythic and GW have very different takes on this book, check out these comments...
from Mythic:-

"FORGED BY CHAOS provides readers with a horrific look into the warped minds of the soldiers of Destruction - the megalomania of the Dark Elves, the destructive single-mindedness of the Greenskins, and the unholy obsessions of Chaos", said Jeff Hickman, Studio Executive Producer for Mythic Entertainment. "C.L. Werner provides a never-before-seen look at a single side of the Realm vs. Realm conflict, and shows just how fragile, and deadly, this alliance of dark powers can be."

from Games Workshop:-

"All across the the Empire, the servants of Emperor Karl Franz's Griffon order are struggling to turn back the armies of Chaos. Two such heroes the witch hunter Udo and the warrior priestess Annaliese are caught up in the conflict as they journey into Reikland in trying to aid the war effort. At Altdorf, the capital of the Empire, the warriors of Karl Franz must make their stand lest all the land be lost to Chaos."

I kept having to check that I was reporting the correct news and it was the same book ! Mythic do go on to say...

"...the Raven Host of Chaos is poised to march upon the Empire of Man in an unstoppable tide. To ensure victory against the Emperor's Order of the Griffon, an elite party of Chaos warriors is tasked with the quest to find the Spear of Myrmidia and fully unleash the power of the Winds of Chaos."

Which sounds a bit more like the Chaos / Empire war that the GW version speaks of.

It's in the new releases section of GW's site under "books" for $7.99 US or £6.99 in the UK.
For mythic's press release:- warhammeronline.com/pressreleases/20091203.php

Image is © Games Workshop Ltd. All rights reserved. Used without permission.

Games Workshop are cutting the cost of Christmas with a discount "Citizen's Rewards" scheme and free shipping.

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:52:00 +0000

A reward scheme is in operation at Games Workshop called "Citizen's Reward" - it could be a good time to buy your new Warhammer Skaven Fantasy Battle Army !

You need to register on Games-Workshop.com to qualify (I haven't checked all the GW sites but I presume the offer is active everywhere, it certainly is in Europe and the US)

For the UK and Europe... for every £100 / euro 100 you spend between 1st and 15th Dec you get a £10 / 10eur voucher for money off your next purchase (but it must be used between Sat 26th Dec and Sunday 31st Jan - that's the catch !). For the US it's $15 for every $150.

There's another thing too, free shipping for orders over £10 / 10eur / $15 US / $20 CAD for most of December (although it depends where you are in the world). Also, if it's a problem shipping to your home or work they'll ship to your local hobby store.

Just check out the home page on Games-Workshop.com for your country's GW deal.

I thought my blog readers might be interested in the news. It's a modest deal but nicely timed especially with the shipping offer.

edit: post corrected thanks to DezartFox from the-vanus-temple.com.

Make your own modelling flock (coloured sawdust) for Fantasy Battle terrain / scenery / gaming boards and miniature bases.

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:18:00 +0000

Save hundreds of dollars by making your own cheap Warhammer modelling flock

Youtube is a great place to look for modeling tips and MiniWargaming have uploaded some great miniature modelling / gaming related videos - this one's about making your own flock.

It's so easy, providing you know where to get your hands on some sawdust and green paint. You can save a LOT of cash, in fact it can save you hundreds of dollars if you're preparing a whole board and associated terrain and scenery.

Some very unusual and unqiue Fantasy Miniature sculpts for use in Warhammer Battle

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:05:00 +0000

I found the below seller on eBay today while looking for Nautican type miniatures. They sell normal Warhammer but also have some very different, wierd and wacky sculpts, especially for Chaos models. Some of them are extremely large !

Unique Chaos and Daemon miniature sculpts

I forgot to mention it when it happened but about a month ago a very good value Vampire Counts army was bought through the eBay adverts on this site for about $177.50 US. The metal Vampire figures and Black Knights alone are probably worth that. In case you're interested:-

cheap Vampire Counts Army sold on Battle Reporter

It just goes to show what you can get if you shop around on eBay and manage to get lucky (it looks like the winner was only having to bid against 3 others).

Preventing March Blocking : Warhammer Tactics to stop the enemy from "March Blocking" your army

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:46:00 +0000

The skill of March Blocking is really important in Warhammer Fantasy Battle. For masters of the Fantasy Battle game, the ability to stop your enemy from march blocking is maybe even more important.

That's why I love this post on the Battle Reporter Forum from member Darthweasel.

(Sigmar: This article was written for Warriors of Chaos that are particularly prone to enemy march blocking tactics. The principles of the article can however be equally applied to many other armies).

The Warriors of Chaos rely on two areas of the game in search of victory; magic and close combat. With only the Hellcannon and Marauder Horsemen providing range, the vast majority of the Warriors success is found in base to base combat.

Unfortunately, the skilled opponent is quite aware of this and therefore seeks to keep the Warriors from getting into that highly desired status of the carnage and devastation of melee combat. One favourite tactic is to deploy plenteous march blockers.

These annoying units, often as little as one flyer sneaking around behind Chaos lines, can cause havoc with even the best battle plan. Their mere presence inside that 8” halo slows the Chaotic advance to a half-speed crawl. This is bad for Chaos as every turn outside of close combat, even if they are not taking casualties, is a turn the opponent has won.

Furthermore, it is rare for Chaos not to be under fire in those turns it takes to cross the field. Waves of arrows, cannonballs, stones, and magic come at them, reducing their already slim numbers and therefore their expected advantage once they reach combat.

A single Wood Elf Great Eagle, for example, which costs but 50 points, can easily cost the Warriors of Chaos the use of over 1000 points for an extra turn or two simply by preventing them from marching.

It is an important facet of the game, therefore, to learn how to deal with march blockers. Fortunately, the Warriors of Chaos have a wonderful tool for doing just that. Costing just 30 points, having a secondary role within the army, and the definition of expendable, that unit is the Chaos Warhounds.

Taking just a minimum unit size of 5, they are cheap and effective. While many players prefer to use their Warhounds to go after enemy War Machines, enemy spell-casters, to serve as a screen against shooting, or even to re-direct the charges of the enemy, it is possible they have an even more valuable use.

That would be to block the march blockers.

Simple terrain realities often means there are only one or two locations where march blockers can land to serve their purpose. Many, though certainly not all, march blocking units have quite limited capabilities in combat and instead rely on finesse, speed, and agility to accomplish their purposes. That means even squishy, pedestrian combat units like the Warhounds present a genuine threat to them. They simply need to be used in a new way.

Let us assume you have a unit of Dragon Ogres, a block of Marauders, a block of Chaos Warriors, another marauder block, and a unit of Knights in a battle line in the order stated above running from left to right. The idea is to have the center of your battle line pin the enemy in place while your fast moving wings collapse their respective flanks and begin rolling up the opposing battle line.

Your opponent, being a self-absorbed individual of evil who does not comprehend how the world is an infinitely better place if you win than it is if he wins, decides to foil this plan by slowing your wings with march blockers.

He will, by definition, have very limited places to place those march blockers. He has to get them within 8” of the target units. Once his assigned march-blockers do that for even as little as one turn, they have achieved their objective and are therefore expendable. They have already bought the time they paid for.

It is therefore incumbent upon the Chaos player to prevent them from stopping you from using your speed. Enter the Warhounds.

With their movement of 7”, they can move as quickly as your Knights and Dragon Ogres. That means they can keep pace with them.

Using the rule that enemies must land at least 1” away, you can therefore position your wonderfully cheap 30 point Chaos Warhound units 7-¼” behind or to the side of your flanks, as the need of the moment presents, and leave the march blockers no place to land that will allow them to march-block your key units.

In truth, since you do not really want to get your wings too far ahead of your core units that will be doing the pinning, you might even be better served to use them more centrally in your army. This might allow your opponent to march-block your wings, but your center will be able to move ahead the full 8” per turn, which will allow them to pin your opponent’s center as quickly as possible while still leaving your wings in position to flank any enemy unit that tries to flank your center.

You could lead your army into battle with units of warhounds 7" ahead of your main battle line. Should your opponent choose to land between your Warhounds and key units, you simply charge them. You should win the combat more often than not which will not only give you a few victory points, it will often allow your Warhounds to charge again next turn and possibly draw an enemy unit out of position, thus again multiplying their roles.

Just one or two units can achieve this goal and are well worth the 60 points sacrificed to ensure that the 1-2 thousand points you really want to get into combat will arrive in as timely a fashion as possible. Just use them to block the march blockers. Points well spent.

by Darthweasel (from the Battle Reporter Forum, see link "Warhammer Forum" above)

Bretonnian Vampire Counts Warhammer Army

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:34:00 +0000

Not a new Warhammer Army book but a nice unusual, very different and refreshing fantasy take on Vampire Counts.

I stumbled across the Kharak Studios blog for the very first time this morning and was pleasantly surprised by some excellent miniature painting. The miniatures are indeed well painted but it's not that which caught my eye but the painting and modelling style.

Check out this rustic looking Vampire Counts army, the miniatures have a hint of Bretonnia to them and are very much undead, unlike some other more garish undead miniatures you often see on the battle ground. It really makes a very nice change in my opinion (to get a real feel for the "Bretonnic" nature of the army read the painters notes on the site).

Here's some of the other Warhammer Fantasy Battle miniature's these guys have done. I'm not sure what the deal is but I think they're in business for painting commissions for anyone interested in their style. They also do 40k.

Just pop them a comment at: kharakstudios.wordpress.com/category/warhammer/

...and I guess they'll be in touch. I really like their Gobbos too....

Images used with permission from nayrelen (kharakstudios.wordpress.com)

Games Workshop's free Games Day Miniature for 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:02:00 +0000

A rather excellent Warhammer Fantasy Battle Chaos Sorcerer miniature.

It will be the same model for GW Games Day for all countries.

It's obviously most suitable for a Warriors of Chaos Army but I suspect you could find a place for it in a Daemons of Chaos or even a Beasts of Chaos (soon to become Beastmen army)

Image is © Games Workshop Ltd. All rights reserved. Used without permission.

Beastmen Army - New Gor Standard Bearer Miniature Picture and Beastmen Advert

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:50:00 +0000

Games Workshop are doing it again ! That is, getting my feral beastial heart pumping, my sweaty beastman claws itching and hooves stamping.

Here is a miniature photo of things to come, this one if the Gor Standard Bearer from, I presume, a future White Dwarf - thanks to Elazar the Glorified for posting this on the Battle Reporter forum Beastmen Army thread.

This is definitely going to be my next Warhammer Army, I have resisted the temptation for too long, I can't wait ! One problem, I only have about three months to paint all my Nauticans !

Image is © Games Workshop Ltd. All rights reserved. Used without permission.

Beastmen to replace Beasts of Chaos - NEWS and Army Book Cover (Released in February 2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:44:00 +0000

A slight shift away from Chaos now Warhammer Fantasy Battle has a Daemons and Warriors of Chaos Army ?

I think we might see more emphasis on feral beasts and less on Chaos manifestations. I suspect all the usual units will be available but a change in approach would help to open the way for Games Workshop to come up with some new unique Beastmen units and army rules. Less chaos worshipping is the way forward - after all, which would you rather share your house with... a Beast of Nurgle Chaos Spawn or a house trained Centigor ? Actually, on reflection, that question isn't as easy to answer as I first thought :)

From Games Workshop online subscription :-

"Incoming! Beastmen -In the dark places of the world, the Beastmen have been gathering in number and in February they will unleash their rage on the Warhammer world with renewed vigour. A feral army of twisted monsters, the Beastmen have inhabitant the dark forests and wild places of the world since such places existed. To lead a Beastmen army is to field vast herds of braying, brutish beasts who worship Chaos in all its forms, and who fight to level the civilised world.

This will be the first time ever that the Beastmen have had their own, completely stand-alone, army list. The forthcoming Warhammer Armies: Beastmen is full of twisted monsters old and new, and an all-new lore of magic. The Beastmen are the original inhabitants of the Old World: in February 2010 they come to reclaim it from the hands of Men."

Image is © Games Workshop Ltd. All rights reserved. Used without permission.

Warhammer Miniature Painting Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:44:00 +0000

The Battle Reporter forum is hosting a Warhammer Fantasy Battle miniature painting competition (all the details are in the below link)

The competition deadline for painted entries is 10th Jan 2010.

So we know you are the painter of the model(s) in question please post a photo (by 3rd Jan 2010) of the unpainted or undercoated Fantasy Battle miniature here* with a handwritten note next to it saying something like... "battle reporter painting comp #2"

* note: we're mainly a Fantasy Battle forum so we would prefer WFB miniatures although last time we did get some other entries (40k mainly) so we will accept other models if we have to !

All entries will be posted on the forum and added to a poll for forum members to vote on. The results will be announced around about the 17th Jan 2010.

Here are the 2 joint winners (Guardian and Dims) of painting competition #1 :-

What do you win ? Well, lots of respect and lots of forum reputation points !

White Dwarf November 2009 magazine (WD359 UK edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Games Workshop's November '09 White Dwarf contents review

SKAVEN ! A great issue for Fantasy Battle players, enough of those silly bolters, lasers and chainsaws ! Roll in the Doomwheel, Plague Furnance and thousands of scurrying verminous Skaven.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle content

New Skaven Releases (5 pages)

7th Nov Releases

Skaven Army Book (£15 GBP, Euro 22.50), Clanrats (£20 GBP, Euro 26), Stormvermin (£30 GBP, Euro 39)

New Skaven Characters - Packmaster Skweel Gnawtooth Warlord Queek Headtaker, Deathmaster Snikch (prices: all £8 GBP, Euro 12.50)

21st Nov Releases

Skaven Screaming Bell / Plague Furnace (£35 GBP, Euro 45.50)

Skaven Doomwheel (£20 Euro 26)

Skaven Battalion (£55, Euro 85) Includes:- 40 Clanrats, 20 Plague Monks, 2 Rat Ogres, 6 Giant Rats, 3 Packmasters

Liber Chaotica (2009 Hardback) Black Library advert - a study of Chaos powers !

The Verminous Horde - Skaven Design Notes (10 pages)

Skaven 2 Page advert for plastic kits

a good Games Workshop Battle Report : Skaven vs Dwarfs 3,500 pts (20 pages)

Fantasy Battle battalions 2 page advert including all boxed contents / prices

Jervis Johnson's Standard Bearer feature about his opinion on the future of the hobby in relation to technology and the changing times - I couldn't agree more !

Special Report : painting masters - 8 pages of some awesome miniatures form some of the best painters in the world ! Fantastic.

Warhammer 40k Contents Summary

Black Library advert - 3 books (Blood Pact by Dan Abnett, Innocence Proves Nothing by Sandy Mitchell, Iron Company by Chris Wraight)

Forge World - a 16 inch high (!!!) Reaver Titan

Space Woves : The Battle for Fenris (8 pages Battle for the Fang - Campaign Rules for Apocalypse - not a battle report)

Battleforces - 2 pages advert showing boxed contents and prices

Battlefield Challenges by Jervis Johnson : Dawn Raiding - (2 pages) special rules for attackers and defenders somewhat different to meeting engagement rules.

Dom Murray's Space Wolves army (2 pages)

'Eavy Metal Masterclass - Space Marines (10 pages)

Lord of the Rings contents

Strategy Battle Game : In Sauron's Sinister Service - profiles for Haradrim, Easterling and Mordor forces released last month (6 pages)

LOTR War of the Ring: Campaigns in the South (8 pages)

Other Stuff

Small articles and adverts about clubs, Warhammer Invasion, the Games Workshop website, Christmas gifts and GW wish lists, Warhammer World visits, boxed subscriptions etc.

One last thing....

A small note on page 10 about a black Scorpion (a real one) attacking some Empire Halberdiers. Is this a cryptic clue suggesting that the next Rulebook 8th edition supporting boxed set will be Tomb Kings vs Empire or are GW just having a laugh ?!

a Superb Warhammer Fantasy Battle Report (great photos and even better story)

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:54:00 +0000

BatPadre, one of the Warhammer Battle Reporter forum's most valued members has come up with an Epic of a Fantasy Battle Report ! Zombie Pirates (Vampire Counts) vs, err... Living Pirates (Empire)

I've just posted the report which has great pictures and a fantastically compelling storyline on the:-

Warhammer Fantasy Battles Hub

All credit to Padre, he's the king of Battle Reporting !

Here's the:-

Warhammer Battle Reports by author link page

...where you can find Padre's other great reports (I thoroughly recommend the Vampire Counts vs Dwarfs battle).

Live Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Worldwide chat !

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

The Fantasy Battle Reporter Warhammer Roleplay forum is running a live discussion about ongoing role playing adventures on the forum.

The Chat takes place on 6th Nov 2009 (see times below). Everyone's welcome, whether or not you're currently playing one of the games. This might be your opportunity to find out more and get involved, the roleplays are proving very popular on the forum.

Note: you'll need to join the forum to be able to see and access the Chat feature at the top of the forum (don't worry though, it's free). The roleplay chat will be the only ongoing chat so just click the Chat link and you're in !

Here's the blurb...

Please join us for the first ever "Warhammer Fantasy Battles Roleplay Discussion!"

Do you wonder what is really going on in the Roulette Fantasy RPG? Want to know more about the Mouth of Fire 40K RPG? Looking to join up with the odd group of heroes in the Dwarf Fantasy RPG? Want a little help creating your first character? Want to give a storyteller a piece of your mind? This is your chance!

Both Son of Khaine and Guardian_A will be present to answer questions and discuss their respective games.

Discussion will take place on: Friday November 6th at 8pm-9pm Central Time (US & Canada)

The Worldwide times

US & Canada times: 6-Nov-2009
8pm Pacific Time Zone (US & Canada)
9pm Mountain Time Zone (US & Canada)
10pm Central Time Zone (US & Canada)
11pm Eastern Time Zone (US & Canada)

Europe: 7-Nov-2009
4am for UK and Portugal
5am for the countries between UK and Ukraine
6am for Eastern Europe
7am for Western part of the European Russia

Australia : 7-Nov-2009
12pm (Noon) Western
1.30pm Middle
2pm Eastern

Warhammer Fantasy Battle Video Reports now on 2d6.blogspot.com

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Battle Report Videos on the Warhammer Fantasy Reports Hub !

After watching a couple of decent Video battles recently I have decided to start adding some of them to the Battle Reports blog (2d6.blogspot.com). I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner really ?!

Here's a small taster of things to come...

Warriors of Chaos vs Vampire Counts Battle Report Video

The Battle Reports site will continue to concentrate on mainly written reports with maps / photos because I think you get more out of them in terms of tactics and learning the game. However, when I find a good video report (just like when I find a good narrative / story report) that I think has a lesson or 2 and is well presented, I will add it to the hub.

Ultra Indulgent Master Painters Paint Set from Citadel Games Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:30:00 +0000

This is what I call a painters paradise. No Fantasy Battle miniature should be afraid of a brush wielded by someone owning this case of paints !

Games Workshop are giving you every painting tool in the trade. All you need is a lot of practice and there's no shortage of paint for that. Santa's sack might be heavy this Christmas (although you'll need to get in quick because it's another limited stock job)

Citadel's Mega Paint Set (Games Workshop website)

From GW's website:-

"The Citadel Mega Paint Set contents:

One grey Figure Case. The trays have deeper slots than those found in standard Citadel Figure Cases, and have custom slots for holding: 76 paint pots, four tubs of basing materials, one tube of PVA glue and a number of Paintbrushes.

Ten Citadel Paintbrushes, including: Fine Detail Brush, Detail Brush, Standard Brush, Large Brush, Basecoat Brush, Small Drybrush, Medium Drybrush, Large Drybrush, Wash Brush and a Stippling Brush.

One 118ml tube of PVA Glue.

Four tubs of basing materials, including: a 5g tub of Scorched Grass, a 5g tub of Glade Grass, a 5g tub of Static Grass and a 50g tub of Modelling Sand.

All eight Citadel Washes, including: Gryphonne Sepia, Ogryn Flesh, Baal Red, Devlan Mud, Badab Black, Leviathan Purple, Asurmen Blue, Thraka Green.

All 18 Foundation paints, including: Iyanden Darksun, Macharius Solar Orange, Mechrite Red, Tausept Ochre, Calthan Brown, Khemri Brown, Tallarn Flesh, Dheneb Stone, Gretchin Green, Knarloc Green, Orkhide Shade, Fenris Grey, Hormagaunt Purple, Mordian Blue, Chardon Granite, Necron Abyss, Adeptus Battlegrey, Astronomican Grey.

All 40 Citadel Colour paints, including: Sunburst Yellow, Golden Yellow, Blazing Orange, Blood Red, Red Gore, Scab Red, Dark flesh, Dwarf Flesh, Elf Flesh, Liche Purple, Warlock Purple, Regal Blue, Ultramarines Blue, Enchanted Blue, Shadow grey, Space wolves Grey, Ice Blue, Hawk Turquoise, Dark Angels Green, Snot Green, Goblin Green, Scorpion Green, Rotting Flesh, Camo Green, Catachan Green, Graveyard Earth, Scorched Brown, Bestial brown, Vermin Brown, Snakebite Leather, Bubonic Brown, Vomit Brown, Desert Yellow, Kommando Khaki, Bleached Bone, Fortress Grey, Codex Grey, Chaos Black, Skull White, 'Ardcoat (Gloss Varnish).

All seven Citadel Colour metallic paints, including: Burnished Gold, Shining Gold, Dwarf Bronze, Tin Bitz, Boltgun Metal, Chainmail, Mithril Silver."

new Games Workshop release : Realm of Battle Gaming Board extensions

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Tabletop Gaming Boards don't come much better or bigger now that the Citadel battle ground has been given extensions that can make it 8 ft x 4 ft !

I found the Realm of Battle gaming board a touch on the expensive side but it's such good quality that it's difficult to imagine being able to produce a better homemade diy board.

One thing that GW's gaming table does really well is the hills. Your troops can actually move up and down them without falling over ! Most homemade boards have stepped hills or (worse) hills that are smooth but too steep and not navigable for anything other than a metal behemoth on a monster base.

These extensions mean you have a few more customisation options and the board is better sized for 3000+ pt battles (or even 2000pt battles if you're deploying "horde" armies)

More details on the GW website - Realm of Battle Board extensions

Image is © Games Workshop Ltd. All rights reserved. Used without permission.

Warriors of Chaos Dragon Ogre Tactica by darthweasel

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

An excellent Warhammer Fantasy Battle tactics article from darthweasel, one of the Battle Reporter forum's most respected members.

The Warriors of Chaos are an interesting army. They have quite limited range, with only the Hellcannon, Marauder Horsemen armed with throwing axes or javelins, or magic able to do damage outside of close combat. This makes it imperative for the Warriors of Chaos to quickly come to grips with the enemy.

Unfortunately, they are also hampered by being among the slowest armies. Their cavalry is equal only to the slowest of enemies and some armies move 1-2” quicker in the Cavalry wing. Meanwhile, the infantry is slower than the various Elf armies, slower than the Ogres and Skaven, and faster only than the Dwarf army

This means the Warriors of Chaos, an army for whom speed is at a premium, are at best an average speed army. As a result, armies with excellent shooting capabilities can often pick apart the elite Chaos Knights and Chaos Warriors before they can come to grips with the enemy. How to deal with this problem?

How about a unit with M7, T4, and W4? Enter the Dragon…Ogres.

They rely primarily on their speed and toughness to survive. Their combined armour save is 4+, but this will often be reduced to 6+ or even completely negated by many weapons that will shoot at them such as cannons, repeater bolt throwers, and other artillery.

At the same time, their 4 wounds apiece means they have to be shot a lot to keep them from reaching their goal which will generally be done in 2-3 turns at most.

With a base S5 and 3 attacks apiece, they will normally hit 50% of the time and wound at much higher rates. So they are a potent force the opponent must respect.

The downside is clear; their high cost of 65 points apiece means with no upgrades, 3 of them cost 195 points, just 5 points left than a unit of 5 Knights with no upgrades.

So lets compare the 2 units.

Their speed is even, their strength and toughness are even, the Ogres have the advantage in wounds and the Knights have the advantage in attacks (5 Knights with 2 attacks = 10, plus 5 Horse attacks at lower WS and S, 3 Dragon Ogres with 3 Attacks have 9 attacks). Both cause Fear, the Knights have a vastly superior Armor Save and the Ogres are immune to Lightning-based attacks.

Clearly, for similar points they have similar capabilities. The Knights have more possible upgrades, which can be a tremendous advantage as the addition of a War banner gives the +2 to the Combat Resolution, an option the Dragon Ogres do not have.

By contrast, the Dragon ogres have one giant advantage over the Knights. Whereas every wound done to a base 5 man unit of Knights reduces their effectiveness by slightly over 20% (Unit Strength), the Dragon Ogres do not begin losing effectiveness until they have taken 4 wounds.

Do not underestimate the importance of this. With LD8 and the Will of Chaos, the Dragon Ogres pretty much have to be killed to the last Ogre. With their re-rolls for failed panic tests, they will pass a whopping 89% of their tests.

This means they are highly effective in fulfilling dual roles.

First, their imposing presence and death-dealing capabilities will draw a tremendous amount of attention from your opponents. They will concentrate firepower and magic on them. Now, it might seem silly to use 195 points (or more if you upgrade them) as target presence. But they can withstand an awful lot of firepower and still be a threat when they get to their target.

Additionally, it will allow you to bring your game-winning units, say Chaos Knights, into the positions they need to be in to get off their lethal charges.

Second, the combination of 4 wounds apiece and M7 means you are likely to get at least a couple of them across the field. 3, 6, or even 9 S5 attacks can take out a lot of gun lines or, given Great Weapons, perhaps even a monster or two.

Sure, the cost is high, but as a Special choice, you can still fit in a unit of knights and a unit of Chosen if that is your chosen configuration…or even 2 units of Knights, and that is at less than 2000 points.

Consider this; you take 2 units of knights with full command and Mark of khorne and a unit of Dragon Ogres with Great Weapons you have spent 791 points. Throw in a Sorcerer with a couple Dispel Scrolls for your general and you are still under 1000 points which you can use for core units, Exalted heroes, and whatever your little heart desires.

That is a small, compact, hard-hitting force that can move quickly to deal with any threat the opponent can offer.

Additionally, who do they come after? If they divide their fire among your 3 Special unit choices, you already have achieved an advantage through the principle of divide and conquer. If they concentrate on one unit of Knights, they leave the other unit and the Dragon Ogres free to attack their chosen targets. If they choose to target the Dragon Ogres, they leave 2 units of Knights unmolested and 2 fresh units of Knights can do tremendous damage to any battle line.

By including Dragon ogres, you force your opponent to make a difficult decision, and any decision they make is only good for you.

If you want to read more, check out Games Workshop's Warriors of Chaos Tactics.

Games Workshop Brigade boxed sets for Warhammer Fantasy Battle - a bargain !

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Good combinations of Warhammer Fantasy units and around 30% off The Empire Brigade and Orcs & Goblin Brigade miniatures.

I'm usually dubious about special "deals" believing they are usually more "special" for the seller than the buyer !

Anyway, I have done the maths and the new Empire and Orcs and Goblins Brigade Boxes are actually a very good bargain (see below). They are also full of the right kind of units that everyone is likely to use for large and small scale battles.

If you bought the Empire miniatures individually they would cost you (In UK GBP) £135.95, the Empire Brigade is £97.75 which is almost 30% less.

It's the same with the Orcs and Goblins Brigade, although you actually save a little bit more. The price drops from £136.95 to £97.85.

Unfortunately, there is a catch; the Brigades are limited in stock. I hope this is just Games Workshop testing the waters and that these boxed sets will become a permanent feature in the stores. I reckon GW are onto a winner with these Brigades and I really, really hope they bring them out for all the other armies because I have completed my Empire and O&G miniature collections :(

Show off your painted Warhammer Fantasy Miniatures / Terrain & Scenery

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:21:00 +0000

The Fantasy Battle Reporter forum is boasting some fantastic painters now. Why not join us and use the forum as an online display case for your miniatures ?

Join in the fun and show us your painted models, conversions, terrain & scenery.

Most miniature photos get added to the:-
Warhammer Battle Reporter miniatures forum/blog photo slide show

Here are some of the recent forum member miniatures from 7 different members:-

Join the Battle Reporter Warhammer Fantasy forum, it only takes 2 minutes. All you need is an email address and you won't be spammed or revealed to anyone but Sigmar (that's me, I'm the forum moderator). Note: you will need to verify your email address but you could always create a new gmail one, it only take a minute or two.

Warhammer Fantasy Miniatures on eBay - a new search algorithm

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:05:00 +0000

I have implemented a new search to try to find the best, most interesting and inspiring Warhammer Fantasy sales on eBay

Just scroll down the page and see the adverts at the end and let me know if they're the sort of thing you're interested in.

They're certainly tempting me although I'm trying to stick with my Nautican project for now. I have to admit though, I'm not sure my wallet will remain shut when the new Beasts of Chaos are released !

the new Skaven Plague Furnace unit, pictures (incl. sprues) released by Games Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:26:00 +0000

More dastarldy, sneaky Skaven units hit the Warhammer Fantasy Battle ground. This is the Plague Furnace

(alternatively you can assemble this model as a Screaming Bell)

Sprues for the Skaven Screaming Bell / Plague Furnace on Games Workshop website

see Screaming Bell photo on Battle Reporter blog

Image is © Games Workshop Ltd. All rights reserved. Used without permission.

Screaming Bell : new Skaven Model / Miniature pictures from Games Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Sigmar) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:06:00 +0000

The Skaven are scurrying out from their underworld bolt holes again ! Check out the Grey Seer's new Screaming Bell model that can also be fielded as a Plague Furnace...