Shadow Commander Kanir Krios (New Warlord for the Ghoul Stars Campaign)

 

I love converting models, and I find that I am not doing it enough lately. One of the few drawbacks of 30k is my own personal desire to create a "historically" accurate fighting force to represent the Post-Isstvan Raven Guard. Because of this, I've been focusing more on painting accuracy and less on modelling creativity. But, thanks to the Ghoul Stars campaign, I was inspired me to build a new warlord. Enter Kanir Krios, Shadow Commander of the Ghoul Stars Expeditionary Force.

This guy is a real bits box king. A mix of standard MK VIII, MK VI, a Space Wolf frost axe and chainsword, as well as a Dark Angels backpack and Forge World shoulder pads. I love his pose, and who doesn't want their warlord swinging a gigantic chainsword. He'll be leading the Sons of Corax into the Ghoul Stars come late May. And, I feel like it isn't a huge stretch to use him as a praetor in my 30k army, which is always nice. I'll be writing up some background on him soon, so stay tuned!

As for this weekend, I'll be up to my ears in Microset applying decals to my Tactical Squads. Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated! Then, on Sunday, I'm hoping to sneak out and get some reinforcements at Games of Berkeley. Have a great weekend, and roll high!

Until next time.

Gonna Go Back in Time!!! (Historical Wargaming in the 40k Universe)

I love historical wargaming. Growing up in New Jersey, you are surrounded by history. As I learned more about it, it became more a part of me. Visiting sites and battlefields from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars drove this passion. I was lucky enough to see first hand artifacts from the soldiers that shaped the history of the United States. This passion inevitably grew into a large collection/addiction for 15mm miniatures. But, along with it comes the responsibility of painting ancient armies. Historical wargamers meticulously represent uniforms down to the color of their socks and the design of their flags. The issue with this is that sometimes it feels more like a responsibility than a creative endeavor.

Part of my Norse Irish DBA Army (15mm)

I think that's why I've fallen so hard for 30k. I have been day-dreaming in the 40k universe since I was a teenager. Doodling army lists in class and reading Black Library stories on my commutes. In my hobby life I think I would often use GW games as my creative outlet (creating chapters and finding odd stories in the fluff). With historical armies, I would spend time researching colors of cloth and histories (often focusing on my own European ancestry). Within the Horus Heresy, I am able to combine both of these aspects of the hobby.

In my current project, a post-Istavaan V Raven Guard army, I feel really fulfilled both technically and creatively. The Horus Heresy is the foundation of the 40k universe. I am able to read about the history in the Forge World reference books, and also enjoy narrative stories like Raven's Flight and Deliverance Lost from the Black Library catalogue. Being able to play the game I love, while also focusing on recreating one of the great armies of the Imperium is a real joy. And, the tools for building these armies are right at our finger tips. Just check out this awesome reference chart from Horus Heresy Book Three: Extermination:

The level of detail here is nuts! Following charts like these provided in the Horus Heresy books are an excellent guide to creating historically themed 30k armies. That being said, don't forget that this hobby is a creative outlet. Paint and play the army that you want to play. But, it is always good for us to push our boundaries and step out of our comfort zones. Putting a little bit of research and working within the loose historical guidelines of 30k will surely make an army even the Emperor would be proud of!

Until next time!

Tools for the Wishy-Washy Wargamer

Hi, my name is Joe and I'm a wishy-washy wargamer. I have a bunch of boxes in my closet filled with grey plastic sprues. A graveyard where weird army ideas go to die. I will dream up an idea for a really cool hobby project, only to have a new vision only a couple weeks later. Early on, this prevented me from building any large collections of one specific force. When allies came around, this got a bit easier. But, it also became more expensive. So here I am, treading water in a sea of grey plastic. 

Our hobby is an interesting mix of creativity and impulse purchasing. Hell, Games Workshop's business model is based on our desire for shiny new toys on a weekly basis! Unless you have carls upon carls to spend on models, how do you manage this? How do you show self control in a swirling sea of pewter and plastic? Luckily, we have some help. Here are a couple resources I've used in the past that have helped me seize control of my hobby.

Independent Characters Hobby Progress Challenge

The mother of them all. The knight in shinning armor in the battle against grey plastic. Committing to this challenge is a great way to keep your focus on one specific project. Let all the internet know that you are going to paint a squad or model over thirty days. Accountability and support are so important when working on a large project. The forum members at the ICs are there to offer both, in spades. Submissions for February are due on the 15th, so make sure to get your commitment in soon!

1HourANight Facebook Group

A take on the #rudgietime/#tuttletime method. Spend one hour a night focused on the hobby. That can be modeling, sculpting, painting, etc. Post your pictures and get great feedback from an active community. Feedback can be a difficult thing to receive, but every gamer knows where you are coming from. Once you get rid of that fear, you will see that you can really produce some beautiful minis in a short amount of time. I also advocate the hour a night method as an almost meditative activity. Allowing yourself to be fully consumed by the hobby you love should leave you feeling relaxed and confident in your abilities. 

Blogs, Gaming Groups, Friends and Significant Others

If either of those options make you feel uncomfortable, then I'd suggest reaching out to your friends and family. Tell people what you are working on, and talk about it! My wife is a huge help when it comes to this. I'll tell her about one of my projects, and she'll ask me what I'm doing or how it's coming along. If your friends know you are working on a neuron army but see you painting something else, they'll ask how your death robots are coming along. Pallet cleansers A little motivation goes a long way. The blog has also been a big help here.

I had written in a previous post that I was going to do my Raven Guard on 32mm bases. Being the impatient guy I am, I immediately based them on their snug 25mm rounds. Once I finally received my 32s in the mail, I was stuck on what to do. Should I rebase the marines, or just leave them as is. Remembering my written commitment to 32mm bases really helped here. Like runes etched in stone, I was bound to upgrade. So I went from this...

To this!

And you know what? I was happy! Probably why I originally made up my mind on the larger bases. Commitments in your wargaming hobby are important. Don't overburden yourself, but make sure to set high goals. And, most importantly, be proud of your work! 

Until next time!

Lords of Chaos Painting League (January Winner)

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Almost three years ago my wife and I moved from Fresno to the Bay Area. It was a really bittersweet moment for me. Living near San Francisco had always been a dream of mine. But, leaving my gaming buddies behind was one of the harder things I've had to do. Sure, we still keep in touch. But, we don't get to see each other or play nearly as often as we used to or I'd like. So, last year we started a Facebook group called the Lords of Chaos. Originally, it was going to be a Warhammer Fantasy league. That didn't work, so it continued as a way for us to share gaming stories and photos of our minis. Even though we were scattered across California, it was a way we could all keep in touch.

Fast forward to this year, Mark had the excellent idea to start a hobby progress competition amongst our group. We all jumped on board and started the Lords of Chaos Painting League. Rules are simple; post a picture of your unit/mini and then get it painted within the month. Then, everyone votes on their favorite model (you can't vote for your own, Joel). Winner for the month gets four points, second gets three points, third gets two points, and fourth gets one. We just finished our first month, and Scott took home the win with Lokhir Fellhart (pictured above). Here are the standings as of now.

Scott 

1st, (4pts)

Joe

2nd, (3pts)

Joel

3rd, (2pts)

Mark

4th, (1pt)

This has already been a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to the way this pans out over the rest of the year. The competitive aspect drives you to push your own skills, but the fact that it is just a group of really close friends keeps everything light. If you have gaming buddies you don't normally see, try it out! If there are two things that gamers love its painted miniatures and beating their friends. Watch out Scott, I'm coming for you!

Until next time!

Blood for the Resin Gods!!! (My First Forge World Day)

Yesterday I receive the most wonderful present to myself. Fifteen marines in Mk VI power armor and one sweet Raven Guard dreadnought. After washing, trimming, and making myself bleed (for the thousandth time) my guys are ready to assemble. I decided to go with the 32mm bases for this project, so I am just waiting on them before I put my bird gang together.

Endgame is going to be starting a 30k campaign the last week of February, so that seems like a good deadline to work towards. And, with the added dreadnought and a repurposed drop pod, I am already up to 750. I am excited to see how successful this list is, and what tweaks I'll need to make. Here's the list:

Raven Guard 750 pts

Praetor

Pair of Lightning Claws (Ravens Talons), Cameoline

Rites of War: Pride of the Legion

Veteran Tactical Squad x7

Sergeant (combi-weapon), melta gun

Veteran Tactical Squad x7

Sergeant (combi-weapon), melta gun

Dreadnought Talon x1

TL Lascannon, Extra Armor

Deathstorm Drop Pod x1

I'd love to hear what people think about this list. Also, don't miss out on the free ebook Dark Hunters: The Last Detail on the Warhammer app. According to the wiki, the Dark Hunters fight in complete silence. Not sure how that will pan out, but getting free books is always good. 

Until next time!

Nurgle's Rot and my new Yell Hounds Librarian

Well, that sucked. I came down with some stupid cold, and ended up having to cancel the Steiermark game last weekend. That, coupled with being busy at work meant I didn't get my normal hobby time this week. But, do not fret Corsairians! Check out Brother Amergin, Yell Hounds Librarian.

This was a really fun project. I basically rummaged through my bits bag and ended up finding all the makings for this guy. I was debating going for the standard blue, but since the Yell Hounds aren't necessarily codex compliant I felt like a non-standard color would look nice. Since the majority of the  army is grey, red really makes him stand out. And, it was a great opportunity to play around with a color I haven't used that often. Overall, I am really happy with the results.

Next weekend, Endgame is hosting a Highlander event. I've never played in one of these before, and I am really looking forward to seeing the types of list people bring. I have some painting to do before (five assault terminators, a razorback, a drop pod, and my custom Captain Tycho), but I feel like I always work best on a deadline. I am really excited about Tycho (he's in the picture below). Tycho is a really awesome character, and I am looking forward to putting him on the table.

Until next time!

Death Company, I can't deny!!!

One of my favorite things about modern 40k is allies. It opens up a universe of possibilities, and allows for added depth to already complex individual armies. It also really helps you walk the fine line between narrative and competitive play. Now, I love my Eldar. But, There are times when I just want to smash face and use T4 models. 

RAAAAAGGGGEEEEEE!!!!

Following the corsair theme, I wanted to make a renegade Space Marine force. The idea is these guys are teetering on the brink of Chaos, but are more mercenaries and less noise marines. Reading over some fluff and different codexes, I came across one of my favorite units. Blood Angels Death Company. Their special rules really give off a wild mercenary vibe. And, they have access to some fun toys. So, I picked up some stuff and decided to start a small allied contingent of Death Company. I'll update with a list, some pictures, and how these Lost Angels ended up on Tirnan.

Until next time!

Lords of the Deluge (WIP Converted Eldar Farseer)

I have been working through the story behind my own planet in the 40k Universe (Thanks to The Overlords for the inspiration). The planet, Tirnan, suffers from a perpetual storm, know as The Tempest. It's heavy winds, thunder and driving rain has forced it's inhabitants to take refuge in the great pine forests that surround their world's habitable zone. 

Tirnan is home to a small population of Eldar exodites. The most famous of these is the Farseer, Veran Stormborn. Often seen in the company of the notorious corsair, Loki Starborn, Veran has guided his fellow Tirnans to many glorious victories.

The Stormlord

For the model, I used an old Dark Elf Corsair champion and some Dire Avengers bits. Let me know what you think! I am looking for some help with the color of the dragonscale cloak. Main colors for my army are purple and grey. I was thinking a golden yellow. 

Until next time!

WIP Wednesday (Extreme Makeover, Hobby Desk Edition)

I have been known to be messy. Not intentionally, of course. It is just the nature of the hobby. All of us have been at a flea market, on eBay, or searching through dumpsters behind our local game stores from time to time and found that new hotness. I am not immune to these outbursts. Unfortunately, there are negative side effects.

My precious!

So, with some free time this afternoon I decided to tackle the beast and do some organization. Thanks to some IKEA boxes and an additional closet, I now have this.

Ooo! Ahh!

Better! Still a little messy, but more manageable. A nice home for my larger models, and some space on the top drawer to put my WIP stuff. Cleaning is always a cathartic thing, and sometimes it can help people out of a hobbying rut. If you feel stuck, organize your workspace and it should help clear you head. Now, anyone want to start playing fantasy?

Until next time!