2022 Reflections

2023 comes to a close, so its time to review the year and what I achieved in hobby terms. Despite quite a lot of work travel, including 3 months away visiting in Japan, USA and Canada and well as another few months at sea, its been a quieter but very satisfying year.  As ever the Analogue Painting Challenge was a highlight, starting with Season 12 and Season 13 now underway.

Convention wise I missed most of them, but the Lad did have his debut Bolt Action tourney at Wintercon, coming a most impressive 5th of 23 participants with his 101st Airborne army that he painted this year (https://tasmancave.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-101st-airborne-drop-into-wintercon.html). 

I did manage to get to MOAB though, but seem not to have blogged about it for some reason - really enjoyed it though, and here is a pic of a long overdue catchup with Nic from Eureka Miniatures

Game wise Reilly and I have dug about skirmish level games with Warcry and Kill Team with great success. The release of new new Horus Heresy also got us into a tizz and we have enjoyed a number of 2 and 4 player games of that - we really like the system and the great narrative behind it.

I enjoyed making this chunky lad for my World Eaters force

Other highlights included

2022: the year I discovered Turnip28, to the dismay of all my associates

Battlegroup Stalingrad fighting in the multi-level Apartment complex I made this year

Playing DungeonBowl in the local GW store and having our teams put on display!

Plus:

The Lad turned 21 this year

Expanding and finally using myWar of the Roses Army!

Back to my lists of hobby aims and objectives...did I do them all? no. Did I get distracted? An inevitable yes. Did I have fun along the way? You bet, so thats a win overall!

On the reading front I finished my 10th consecutive Goodreads reading challenge, something I started with my daughter while deployed at sea and have continued ever since.

Finally, while I don't usually mix work and hobby, visiting a USN Carrier at sea and then ride in the back of a Super Hornet this year were rather awesome highlights too :-)

May 2023 bring you all health and hobby happiness aplenty!

AHPC XIII: Last War Trenchers

The Living will Envy the Dead...

The battleground of the Last War is inhabited by the despairing, entirely without hope. Former causes have now been extinguished by an endless struggle for pointless survival. Equipped with the failing relics of industry produced by once proud nations, these scavengers now scrap over the dwindling remains of this once proud world...

I enjoyed making this base and the mysterious signage...

The Last War system has players controlling small bands (5-6 figs) of Trench fighters in narrative style scenarios to fight battlefield horrors in a desperate bid to win resources to enable their continued existence. Encounters can be head to head, coop, or solo, which provides a lot of great play options.

Posed in front of the pdf rules cover

My first trenchers are styled after the Kaiser's army but now reduced to desperate survivors.Models are by Knucklebones miniatures and I have added some extra bits (stick grenades, Grenade satchel, backpack, trench shield) to customise them. The dog came from another sculptor on 3dcults.

I've painted them in a thematically Grimdark style, experimenting with adding textures and using some Abteilung 502 oil washes.  I also spent far more time than usual scratch building each base and liberally applied Vallejo water gel effects to give it all a sodden, miserable vibe.  

The glow from the gasmask lenses and complete lack of visible flesh tries to convey their devolution and reduced humanity. But I could be overthinking it.  On the bright side, they have a puppy to keep their spirits up! ('Trench companions' play a valuable role in the game).

Love the tattered rags adorning these models

In their bunker they have a damaged pianola, salvaged from a long destroyed Chateau and now haunted by a powerful but unknown spirit.  And if one wishes to hear it play, homage must be paid to the duck with the curiously bleeding eyes inside its rasping gasmask...  (Piano also by Knucklebones)

Yes, in my obsessive madness I painted each of those keys individually...

I had a lot of fun obsessing over these models, so yes it was (yet) another of those 'sweat all the details well beyond any points efficiency which is irrelevant' projects :-)

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2022/12/from-paulog-last-war-trench-squad.html

Trencher Modelling Notes

Digital sculpting by Knucklebones Miniatures, printed at 95%

Trench Shield https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/riot-shield-bobbo01
Duck with Gas Mask https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/various/gas-mask-duck

Basecoated in Acrylics and Oil Washed with Abteilung 502 Burnt Umber and Smoke

Uniform Basecoat is Army Painter Uniform Grey

Helmet Camo colours: Red Leather 70818, Green Brown 70879 and Cam Olive Green 70894

Eyes Glow - Uthuan Grey base overlayed with Blood Angels contrast 

Basing - Home made duckboards from coffee strirrers, water effects, Stirland Mud (GW texture paint) drybrushed with GW's Zandri Dust

AHPC XIII: Reilly's Cawdor Gangers

And now the Lad has his first submission posted for AHPC XIII also!

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and here starts yet another House O'Grady distraction...

The Emprah's devout cult followers set out to carve a sector of the hive for their own

 

After a long time coming, and a long time collecting, curiosity got the better of us O'Grady gamers and we finally took the delve to start playing some Necromunda after being prompted by the release of the Ash Wastes Expansion. This was a project I have always been somewhat dreading to start because I was afraid of having to learn the intricacies of oils in order to make these bottom feeders truly filthy, but they seemed like a nice break to start off the challenge from my Horus Heresy force of Emperor's Children which tends to become an stressful and fruitless exercise in chasing the precious perfection... 

The Gang's founding leader, Kayn the Klenser accompanied by his left and right hands, Ezekiel the Devoted and Shambles respectively

Thus the sewer saints after being "shelved" in the pile of potential for a good 5 years, finally received the emperor-sent blessing that is pigment. When brainstorming the colour scheme, I've always like the look of gangs that look the part of men-at-arms with proper medieval heraldry that has just been bastardised for the use of scum at the bottom of the hive. I settled on filthy rags nicely offset with Bone and Purple patterning all over the uniformed high collars and tabards while the rest was just filthy rags, bloody bandages, and rusty scrap armour.

The three Blunderbuss-toting 'Blunderboys', Squats, Squelch, Squints
 

This being my first adventure with oil paints rather than the traditional 'Eavy Metal approach to painting with gazillions of highlights, the base coating process left me quite horrified and hesitant to continue, but I adopted the gang's mantra and let my faith in the god-emprah carry me onwards. The very second the oil hit the test model I knew it had not all been for naught as I absolutely loved the result and riding that high, finished the entire starting gang roster in the next two days. 

The three slum-crusaders(Juves) the gang is starting with,
Slicey, Scramble, and Sizzle

I'm absolutely in love the end results and I look forward to continuing the gang in the new year with more redemptionists with their trademark flaming heads, rats with a remarkable amount of grenades strapped to them, wayyyy too many juves, and the eventual Klovis the Redeemer (and his once rival, now lectern servitor companion, Deacon Malakev)

Thats 9 x 28mm figs for 45 points please. Entry submitted this Yule feast day, M2.022

Patrolman Andre about to learn why
they call him "the Klenser"...

Happy Holidays and Happy painting all,
Right Stuff

http://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2022/12/from-reillyog-emperahs-sewer-saints-45.html

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas everyone - I hope Santa was good to you :-)

AHPC XIII opens with the Last War

AHPC Season 13 has opened this week and I've had a submission scored before Christmas- always a win!

My opening entry for Season XIII is also my first salvo for a small side project. Last War is a small indy produced skirmish level game with a Weird/Horror WW1 theme, with the premise that the War goes on, never ending, with only death awaiting all. You can find a digital copy here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/396497/Forbidden-Psalm-The-Last-War

On that cheery note - Merry Christmas!

What really got me was some wonderful digital sculpts by another small indy company called Knucklebones Miniatures (whom you can find on Facebook, Patreon, and MyMiniFactory).  I just couldn't unsee them, and so (with Reilly's technomage assistance with our 3d printer), here we are. 

Pics thematically taken in front of the Rulebook Cover

While my first Section of Trenchers is under construction, here are the first of their battlefield antagonists - barbed wire beasts. These "Spandau ballet" undead are kept in agonising pain by the cursed barbed wire that is now enmeshed in their bodies as they hunt the living across No Man's Land...  

I sculpted the bases to represent the eternally muddy and moist Western Front 

Great to be back and always good to get onto the scoreboard before Christmas - hope you all have a great one!

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2022/12/from-paul-og-last-war-barbed-wire.html

Modelling notes

Digital sculpting by Knucklebones Miniatures, printed at 100% (would probably drop to 95%)

Bascoated with ArmyPainter Barbarian Flesh, Brybrushed with Pale Flesh

Buboes washed with GW Cathonian Camoshade Green, Drakenhof Nightshade Purple and Vallejo Transparent Red

Highlights with Pale Flesh

Puddles are a mix of Vallejo Water effects gel tinted with GW Zandri Dust

Rampant Return for War of the Roses

First test of the magnetic basing - nil casualties in transportation!

This weekend saw a double christening as Dux Homunculorum kindly hosted me to threw down with some War of the Roses action: our first time using the new Lion Rampant 2.0 rules set, and the first outing for my Lancastrians.

We like matching up asymmetrical forces - similar but not mirrors of one another to make things more interesting.  I went for weight of arrows, while Alan went more diverse.

Commanded by Lord Percy I fielded 2 units of Foot Knights (elite foot), 2 units of Billmen (Heavy Foot) and 3 Archers to defend the honour of the true and rightful king.  

Opposing my loyal men was Yorkist sympathiser Lord Scrope, with 2 units of Foot Knights (elite foot), 2 units of Billmen (Heavy Foot), 2 Archers, 1 Heavy Horse and 1 of Biddowers (skirmishers). 

Noble Lord Percy takes the field

Longbowmen on the field, ready to deliver an arrow storm

In the name of King Henry - Advance!

Archers Ready!

The Scrope horse waiting in reserve

The traitorous Lord Scrope of Bolton takes the field

Nock - Draw - Loose!

The enemy advance into Range

Long range fire plucked a few enemy from their feet, but not to any real effect. Perhaps next time I would be better taking less but Veteran Bowmen so more shafts find their place. Unfortunately for these lads, they failed to receive the orders to retire (having failed the movement order test AND the reroll from the nearby Commander) and were thus charged by the advancing Billmen

Most impressively, they stood their ground with grim resolve, throwing back the Billmen with 3 casualties while only taking 2 themselves! Impressive, but as they clapped eachother on the back, the thunder of hooves resounded across the filled and the enemy heavy horse galloped into the attack

Unbelievably, the archers slew half (3) of the mounted knights but were inevitably scattered before them having taken more and failed their Courage check. Well done though lads, you have earned yourself a banner when i get back to the Hobby desk (my dice were hot!)

Incensed at the demise of the brave archers, my Foot knights dove down off the hilltop and into the Cavalry, drawing blood and sending the rest fleeing from the field.

At this point I was running low on remaining playing time and thought it timely for Lord Percy to advance upon Lord Scrope and proffer a duel. 

Fight me you Cad!

Alan was not inclined to accept the glove, but obliged me and did not regret the decision...

Seems to be something wrong with my bloody sword today...

...while the view from other side of the field was far more cheery

And with the Yorkist momentum blunted on the left wing, the battle petered out. I had inflicted far more casualties but my rash duel had cost me my Leader. Swearing oaths of vengeance both forces retired, swearing and the battle was concluded.

Good fun in Alan's great game room

Awesome to get my Lancastrians out for the first time - got some ideas on how the flesh the force out a little more. As ever, Alan is a fun, crafty and sporting opponent and it was great to catch up with him.  We found LR2.0 very easy to pickup - a few things we had to recheck but other wise flowed well and anything we needed was quickly found.  We played the variant where failing a unit activation does not mean the end of the turn, which works well at injecting friction without complete chaos.

Expect to see more WotR models joining my collection during the upcoming Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge season 13, which I have signed up for and looking forward to!

You can see more of Alan's Yorkists on his blog here: https://dux-homunculorum.blogspot.com/2016/06/wars-of-roses-for-lion-rampant.html

Heresy Bash

This week we got a Horus Heresy going, with a rare opportunity for my World Eaters to fight alongside Reilly's Emperor's Children, and facing off against club mates Marty and Lachie, another Dad and Lad combo team playing Ultramarines and Night Lords respectively. Slowpainter John also came along for the spectacle and banter (and chilli I suspect!)

Rolled up a different table setup, which really helped compress the action

We got some new units onto the table, from Marty's lovely Quad Laser Vindicator (aka Space StuG), Reilly's Sabre Strike tank with Neutron blaster (christened the Space Hetzer) and Lord Eidolon, and my recently finished Leviathan Siege dreadnought- carried into battle in a drop pod I was still base coating 2hrs before battle.  All performed well on the table and I can hear the list tweaking already.  We also used the night fighting rules for the first time, which benefited everyone bar Marty

World Eater Despoilers use the ruins to cover their advance up the battlefield.

Once the game got going proper I was pretty wrapped up in the great narrative and forgot to take many pics. As ever, keeping a clever (and well rule read) Lad on each side kept the game flowing.  I had been playing a few rules incorrectly so there was some good system learning along way too.

World Eater Tactical Marines with Chain Bayonets advance...

Having dropping into the enemy line from Orbit, this was the moment I had been waiting for - our first Dreadnought melee clash! Marty beat me to the punch, close assaulting me and the resulting fury saw him explode and nearly take me with him! My Leviathan walked away with his first battel trophy, but with a major and near fatal limp!

Duel of the Fates!

Great mates, lots of laughs and narrative fun - loving the thematic games we are getting and the streamlined rules system. Much more to follow!