Almost there...

The first squad is now sitting pretty on their resin bases and really looking the business!

Now I need to stop being a coward and try the Chapter Symbol on the shoulderpad.

Notes to self:

- drill out the stormbolter barrels, they look silly!

- re-black the base edges

Lest We Forget

We Will Remember Them

Base Progress - Pics

Finally got some pics downloaded of the Deathwing bases. This project has once again proved that if you are a rather average painter (like me), you should spend more time on your basing for a better overall effect! Click for larger images

I also tried some blood splatter with Scab Red and Blood Red as per the GW tutorial here:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat410002&categoryId=1100020§ion=&pIndex=0&aId=1400009&start=1 My blindingly obvious tip for preparing these bases: They are resin. They chip when you drop them...

Comments and suggestions welcome!

Base Progress

I've been playing around with the great Dragon Forge bases I got last week for my Deathwing Squads.

First impressions:
Grey resin, crisply cast with no flash at all. Very nice detail, just as per the website.

Utility:
Because I'm using the old 2nd edition version of plastic terminators, some of the split level bases won't work too well with them. Thats fine: I got 2 sets (of 10) so there are plenty of suitable ones and those which arent will be used in due course for my 1st edition genestealers.

Painting:
Black spray undercoat
Heavy drybruch of Bolt Gun metal
Some details picked out in Dwarven Bronze.
Heavy Devlan Mud wash
Stipple with a buildup of Negro Flesh (Coat d'Arms), Terracotta and Hobgoblin orange highlights for rust effects
Very light Bolt Gun Metal drybrush


all good so far, just a final Black Ink wash for the recesses and I'll be finished....right?
Ooops - wrong! The black ink stole all my colours - grrrr....
Started again, stopping at the last drybrush!


Took some pics but cant d/l them from the camera for some reason - will post as soon as I can.

These look great up close, but perhaps are a bit dull from a distance. Maybe the next batch need a grey basecoat at the start to lighten them up a bit. Once I have the Terminators fixed on I'm planning some blood splatter effects too.

Still trying to formulate a plan to paint up damage and dents on them. Suggestions welcome!

Simple Green

I was asked about this when I mentioned it as my paint stripper of choice. I've used it on both metal and plastic figs with absolutely no damage whatsoever. I simply dump the mini into a container of undiluted solution for at least an hour (and sometimes many weeks if I forget about them)

I found a review over at The Astronomicon here:
http://theastronomican.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-simple-green.html

Here in Australia its commonly available, including at Bunnings.

Postal Goodies

Bits for my Deathwing guys arrived in today's post! Firstly, the Dragon Forge bases I ordered, which have now been cleaned up and basecoated black ready for some attention.

And secondly, some extra bits for my second DA Squad off ebay- an Assault Cannon, and a nice DA Power Sword and bolter combo (for the 2nd Squad's Sgt). These shoulder pads seem a bit small though - are there meant to be extra pads over the top? If so....bugger! In the meantime I'm half-way through stripping the rest of the second Squad figs ready for some love once all the bits come together.

Genestealer Pics - Part 2

Comrade James' mate Jase has provided us with the details of how he painted these hideous beauties:

Undercoat: spray black

Carapace:
Regal blue with Badab black wash went over drybush regal blue
1-1 Regal Blue And Ice Blue drybrush, highlight edges with Enchanted blue, Space Wolf Blue on bare edges

Body
Basecoat mix 1-1 warlock purple and hormagaunt purple, mix 1-1 black with lithe purple watered down as wash.
1-1 Hormagaunt purple and Space WOlves grey drybrush,
1-2 mix Hormagaunt and Space Wolves grey, lighter drybush
Space Wolves grey very light drybrush

Claws : black with fortress grey

Teeth : white

Genestealer Pics

In the spirit of focusing on the Hive Mind, here are some pics of some Genestealers that my mate Jase (of Landraider fame) has done as a commission job.

Remember: A friend is just prey you haven't eaten yet.....

Approved Bedtime Reading

Its not Kipling but it is a fun read!

Genestealer Tactical Tips

From HulkSkulker's Knowledge Base, these ones are still valid for 3rd Edition.

"Pincer" Attacks - Although you don't want your genestealers skulking around alone, you should spread them out in a way that could make a marine susceptible to multiple attacks from different sides. Yes, genestealers have a pretty low chance of dying in close combat, but it would be nicer if that chance was 0! The best feeling of all is when the marine would have killed the genestealer, but didn't because the dice roll was only counted as defense!

You need to use a two sided attack on marines. In this way, if you attack a marine from any side other than his front (besides those with Thunder Hammers and Lightning Claws) he is only rolling for defense. Higher marine scores will not kill your genestealer. The trick is to lure him into facing one way either by attacking him, or making him use overwatch in a single direction. If you are able to attack him from any other direction, you just got a free attack.



------------------------------------------



Stay right there! - Genestealers have the benefit of a lot of movement. With 6 APs, thats 150% of a marine's movement. Heck, it's the only thing genestealer's have got until they get up close! But don't let that fool you into thinking you should use all your APs every chance you get!

When a marine is in overwatch, he is only allowed to fire if he sees an enemy move. Use discretion when moving! You can get greedy with each step, and risk that one, single genestealer getting killed while all the others sit behind a corner. Or you can move one genestealer up a few spaces, and if he survives, move all the others up behind him using the fact that he blocks LOS. This especially works in rooms, where a single genestealer can move to the center, and if he survives, all remaining genestealers can scuttle in and fill the room! Just watch out for flame throwers! http://www.geocities.com/hulkskulker/strategygs.htm

More Tips

By Donogh:
It's been a decade since I've played Space Hulk (1st Edition) but these should be in your playbook...
Sometimes it may be in your interest to try to get the Marine to jam, even exposing a victim Genestealer to more shots than necessary. This would be useful in a case where the Marine is at the end of a long corridor, and is at the extreme range of your 6APs, or when you want to tempt the Marine player to eat up his reserve of CPs before your main attack. Try some cheeky 90degree turns...

Try closing the door after you when you move in close to the Marines. It'll cost him more to open it than you, and it'll cut down his range (of course he can shoot it down, but that'll take APs as well)

[By Tas: This is one of Comrade James' tradmark moves too!]

By Ogrefencer:
Another good tactic for the chittering hordes is the old 'T-junction special' - this being when a marine is on overwatch facing up the stem of the T the stealer player, assuming he survives when he moves into the top of the T stem should then stop moving. Any stealers behind him can then either queue up behind him or move across the junction behind the static stealer (and therefore out of LOS). I also like closing on marines and diving just into a side corridor a couple of squares away - it keeps them honest!

Terminator Painting Comp

Definately not my work!, but you'll likely be interested in these fantastically painted models which were recently submitted for a painting comp. Great stuff! http://exodites.blogspot.com/2009/10/jawaballs-painting-contest-part-5.html

You can find the other runners up here:

http://warhammer40kbloodangels.blogspot.com/search/label/contests

SH Battle Report - Mission II: Exterminate

The Lad tried his hand at being the Marine Player for Mission 2, and a fine job he did. I knew this one was an easier mission for him to break his teeth on and I also removed his time limit. Nonetheless, he beat me fair and sqaure - Bravo!

Key observations- the change in overwatch jam rules makes a big difference in this game. Those CPs go a long way now and they are some long, long firelanes for the stealers to traverse (see above pic for a SM view!)

I'm loving the Guard rule too and the Lad employs it well (unlike me who keeps forgetting because its new. The Sgt with Thunder Hammer combo is rather awesome and his cleaned up over a dozen of the 36 Stealers in this scenario before he fell.

Looking forward to trying this scenario from the other side!

SH Battle Report - Mission I: Suicide Mission

Played within an hour of opening the box the other night, because we just had to get the fantastic new tiles into action right away. My veteran BA Terminators (of 1st edition era) loved crashing through the new hulk! The chittering Lad played the 'Stealers...

The Brood Lord awakens and stares me down pre-game.
(The cool little Skull box in the middle was a Christmas present from the lad last year - it makes a great holder for the Command Point chits!)

Rear Guard takes post in the nick of time

Sarge clears the Way

Sarge is Down! Protect our geneseed Bad time for a jam The Flank crumbles Cleansed but fallen....a Draw is declared!

Notes to self:
1. Get a black drop cloth - the wood grain is not worthy of the new tile awesomeness
2. 20 years of procrastination is enough - paint those bloody genestealers!!!
3. Rebase my old termies. Grass is just silly!

Deathwing Update 2

Did a bit more tonight: finished off the highlightng, redid the bolter casings green with highlights (matched the chest eagles better), inked and highlighted the eys, drybrushed the Crux terminatus and gave the Sgt's powersword a good crack. Also played about with re-mudding the shoulder pads and much happier with the end result now.

Still waiting on those bases....curse those manufacturers for locating their factories on the other side of the world...

Space Hulk: A question on the Guard order

Being a veteran 1st edition player I keep forgetting to use the Guard order, but my son loves it and uses it well. But whats the point of fighting in melee in your own turn now? Consider a H2H specialist in particular (Thunder Hammer or Lightning Claws): if a Stealer is 2 spaces away, I could move up to it and have two attack opportunities for my 4 AP OR I can move fwd 2 spaces and go on Guard. That way when the stealer attacks in his own turn, I get to re-roll 1 of my attack die if it goes badly. If I choose option 1 above, I get no re-roll. This means that its better to sit back and give the initiative over rather than attack in my own turn. For storm bolter/assault cannon marines, I get an advantage to shooting in my own phase vice the stealer phase in overwatch (sustained fire bonus, no jams) but for Assault Termies the reverse is true. Don't get me wrong, I think guard is an excellent development for the game, just trying to get my head around it. Thoughts everyone? This question was also posted to BGG here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/457219

Deathwing Update

In between enjoying my new SH set with the Lad (Battle Reports to follow), I've been playing about with the Deathwing painting scheme. Here is an update on hows its going. I ended up using a light white primer followed by a basecoat of a very light grey (Ral Partha, similar to Space Wolf Grey). Another Humbrol dark grey was used on weapons etc. Here they are (minus a chest eagle which I filled in afterwards) - note the Chapter Symbol wings on the Sgt's greave I am particularly proud of this hand-drawn achievement! This was the first time I had used the GW Washes, and WoW! I had fun with them. Very different to the old inks and while prone to some 'coffee staining' type effects, I had a ball with the Devlan Mud, though I need to have another play on the larger areas like the shoulder pads. I tried some deliberate mottling which didn't work so well and need to have a play with it a bit more to look right. I've added some detailing - chest eagles in Salamander Green with a light Green Goblin highlight, and some Dwarven Bronze highlights on skulls, picked out the purity seals etc. Also trying a light blue (GW Lightning Blue) for the eyes - I thought it might help to lighten the model a bit rather than red. Looks good, but needs some inking around the eyes yet to outline and define them. Crux terminatus need a few drybrushes and grey & white highlights to finish them off too. Still working on a plan for the Sgt's Power Sword - I might give the new crackling blue effect a try if I feel brave. Its also the first time I have really used edge highlighting as a technique - not one I usually employ and while extra blending would help, the whole point is for this to be a relatively quick process to get 5 guys ready for action. I've used a 50/50 mix of Komando Khaki and Bleached Bone for the Bone Armour highlights. It looks a bit more subtle in real life than this closeup of course.

So hopefully I can finish off the first Squad this week. Still waiting on the resin hulk bases from Dragon Forge. Overall Ive had a lot of fun trying out new techniques and just getting something done for a change - thanks for the encouragement guys!

Landraider Conversions

Well, after you have painstakingly stripped and painted your new Terminators, if they ever survive their Space Hulk purge they will need a decent set of tracks to get around on the next planet...these are pics of one my mate did up to add lights...I'm glad to say it was destroyed by my Orc Warboss in the first game it played in, and as the first turn was under night fighting rules (Dawn of War) he of course turned the lights on for Turn 1! :)

Opening the Box!

Cost of new game: lots! Domestic justification of purchase: near unbearable Surprise look on the Lad's face: priceless! (Note specific training of the Lad in sniffing that new game smell!)

With the Strength of a warm Mars bar...

I went into the local GW store today, a rare thing for me, but I needed to get some minor supplies to implement the new Deathwing painting scheme kindly shared by Ron. Honestly, Devlan Mud Wash and a light tan colour was all I needed - $12 tops.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: I just need some Devlan Mud wash and Komando Khaki, thanks

Me: Tell me more about how to use these inks

Me again: Yes, they do sound good, perhaps I will take the boxed ink set
(a reasonable escalation at this point I think).

Me: Yes, perhaps you're right, maybe I do need an ink brush, my others are getting a little tatty
(you can see where this is going)

Me still: Do you have any of the White Dwarf issue with the Space Hulk articles ? - I missed that one.
(Alert: moral fortitude crumbling)

Me: Whats that? You have the last copy of Space Hulk in Canberra? No others available? Nah, I'm pretty good actually - I still have all my 1st Edition stuff. Sure I'll have a look in your store copy.
(Warning: collapse imminent!!!)

Me: Yeah wrap all that up, thanks. Here's my credit card...

Now to advise SWMBO :-) At least I didn't forget got the two paints I was after!

Shame and happiness rolled into one...!

Deathwing Painting Tutorial

Ron of 'From the Warp" fame has added a detail step-by step painting tutorial for his Grimy Deathwing. Yes I was one of those who pestered him for it! http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-i-paint-deathwing-quick-and-dirty.html

In the meantime I've finished stripping the first 5 Termies (as much as was going to come off!)and have just finished gluing them together. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to try out Ron's technique this week while I wait for the Dragon forge bases to arrive. I'll also scavenge around for an Assault Cannon for the other squad.