Dust Warfare: Frontoviki

More Soviet infantry this week.  Again these were painted in late 2014, I just never took pictures.  These guys are a Soviet Battle Squad.  Frontline infantry, but they come with some decent firepower in the form of their 2 machine guns.  They are not Red Guards like the last unit I posted, so they are equipped a bit differenty.  Most noticeably their armor looks different, but also they wear a simpler and more utilitarian looking uniform.  I went with a Soviet styled amoeba camoflage for their coveralls and Russian Green for their helmets and armor.  I started chipping the armor with sponges on this squad and went back and did it on the Red Thunder.  I still need to do so to my Axis units as well.  

I've got 2 continual complaints on the Dust infantry models.  One is the soft plastic and the other is a lack of detail in most of the facial sculpts that makes them a bit difficult to paint.  I do enjoy the overall look of most of the units though, so I am more than happy to deal with these two, perceived flaws.

Sergei says shoot that way.

Unfortunately, this could be my last post on the blog.  It takes a lot of extra time to take so many photos and I've had less time for the hobby in general.  It's been a nice ride anyway.

APOCALYPSE!

So last month our group had an apocalypse game, 6 players, 5000 points each.  It was Imperial Guard, Blood Angels and Space marines on my team and Chaos, Orks, and traitor Guard on the other side.  By the end the Imperial Side was really decimated, and so we called it after the second session. Defilers and their daemon saves be damned.

Week 1 was our set up and deployment Week 2 saw the forces of evil winning 4 objectives to 2 and a slight advantage in kills as well.  Week 3 saw evil with 9 objective points to 3 and the Imperial forces with enough casualties to render them ineffective against a much larger force.  It was a huge clusterfuck but it was still fun.

Here are a few pictures. With the whole album available here.

Battlefleet Gothic: New Table & Game Report

First up are a few close ups of some celestial bodies which I airbrushed onto my groups new space board.  It's made out of an 8x4 hardboard sheet cut in half.  Spray painted it black, added a bunch of stars and stuff then sealed it with gloss clearcoat.  It does tend to make it reflect the flourescant lights a lot, but it makes the black look so much darker.

First up is a nebula I painted from some images on the internet and it was dubbed by Kevin as the Blue Rose Nebula.

WIP: Vanquisher

Finally decided to start painting one of the Forge World turreted Vanquishers that I got last year.  Using this one as a testbed for some new techniques and thus a whole new sequence of steps in painting my armor.

The steps I go through will be
-Base color
-Modulation
-Decals & Scripting
-Filters
-Chipping
-Washes
-Streaking
-Pick out details
-Clear coat
-Powder pigments

The steps that are added with this tank are the color modulation, filter, washes, and streaking.  The modulation was made possible by my new Badger Anthem aribrush which I mentioned in my last post.  The latter are all made possible my AK Interactive's weathering line which I found at a local hobby store, Section 8 Hobbies.  They are all spirit based and thus allow plenty of time for clean up and add the ability to apply and then dilute and streak with the solvent while on the model.  I got this hull painted and stripped it as best I could, but it's still come out kinda rough with a few details with too much old paint.  The washes have allowed me to bring the lines out much better than if I had not started doing all this extra work.

As of right now I am on the streaking grime step, which is completed on the turret and the hull I will get to tomorrow.  Really glad I found these products, they really make the vehicles come out so much better with just a bit more effort than I already put into it.  Another new technique I used was doing the chipping with a sponge.  Overall, I think that technique worked out great on my Dust walker, but not as well on this.  I think it's better suited to light colored armor. For future IG tanks I will use it, but as a secondary effect to my brushed on chips and scratches.

Of course, it's not complete without an addition from the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer.

I think my next project is going to be the repainting of my Baneblade, Zeal.  I was really happy when I first painted it, but as I have progressed so far it's time for an update.  Expect a finished summary of this tank this week.

Adepticon Style Team Tourny at Millennium: Game 1

Last Saturday was the monthly tournament over at Millennium games in Rochester.  This month it was an Adpeticon style team tournament.  So, my brother and I decided to team up and play Guard & Blood Angels.  The tournament featured a modified force org for each 2 player coalition member.  They used the Adepticon scenarios Road to Nowhere, Over the Top, and Doomsday Device.

Our lists were as follows:
Konrad: Imperial Guard 1000pts

HQ
Lord Inquisitor: Power Sword, Melta Bombs, & Camo Cloak
Elites5 Ogyrns: Chimera w Heavy Stubber
TroopsVeteran Squad: 3 Plasma Guns, Power Sword, Chimera w Heavy Stubber
Veteran Squad: 3 Melta Guns, Demolitions, Power sword
Fast AttackVendetta Gunship: Door Heavy Bolters
Heavy SupportManticore

Garrett: Blood Angels 1000pts

HQ
Librarian: Force Axe, Jump Pack, Codex Powers: Shield of Sanguinius and Unleash Rage
Elites
Furioso Dreadnought: Blood Talons, Melta Gun, Flamer, Drop Pod w Storm Bolter
Troops
Assault Squad: 10 Marines, 2 Plasma Guns, Power Fist
Assault Squad: 10 Marines, 2 Melta Guns, Hand Flamer, Power Axe
Assault Squad: 10 Marines, 2 Flamers, Hand Flamer, Power Sword

Our plan was to have him bring the disarray and close combat pain by deep striking all over the place and to have my Guard bring in the fire-support and backfield mobility with the vets and vehicles.  Also, the Ogyrns allowed me to have my own backfield CC support if needed.  In our practice game we faced a double Chaos list and ended up losing, so that put some doubt to our plans.  We decided not to change anything anyway, and just see how it goes.

GAME 1: Space Marines & Grey Knights

The scenario for the first game was called  Road to Nowhere and featured the Vanguard deployment.  The first Primary Objective was to hold table quarters, doesn't seem too bad, but you need a scoring or denial unit from each team member to score or deny respectively (15 Points).  The Next objective was Victory points with each scoring unit being worth 1 VP and each non-scoring unit worth 2 VP (10 Points).  Secondary Objectives were Slay the Warlord, First Blood, and Linebreaker, each worth 1 Point.  Each scenario featured a Twist of fate for each team member which could be used for a single reroll, a special effect, or saved for 1 Point.   This game the twist of fate allowed each team member to assign a scoring unit to capture a quarter on its own.  We each assign this to one of our troops, me to my Melta Vets in the Vendetta and my brother to one of his Assault Squads.

Our Opponents lists were:

Gray Knights:
HQ
Grand Master: Incinerator, MC Daemon Hammer, Blind Grenades
Elites
10 Purifiers: 4 Incinerators, 2 Halberds, Hammer
Troops
5 man Strike Squad: Psycannon, Razorback w psybolts & Searchlight
Fast Attack
Stormraven Gunship: Hurricane Bolters, Psybolt Ammo
Heavy Support
Dreadnought: Autocannons, psybolt ammo

Space Marines: Crimson Fists
HQ
Librarian: Terminator Armor, Storm Shield
Elites
Ironclad Dreadnought: Seismic Hammer, Hvy Flamer, Meltagun, Drop Pod
Troops
Tactical Squad: 10 Marines, Powerfist, Meltagun, Multimelta, Rhino
Tactical Squad: 10 Marines, Combi-Plasma, Plasmagun, Plasma Cannon
Fast Attack
Stormtalon Gunship: Twin-Linked Lascannon
Heavy Support
Thunderfire Cannon

So, we set up terrain as seen below.  For warlord traits we choose my Lord Commissar and I roll on the strategic column.  I get acute senses for our outflanking units, which is only my Vendetta. My brother and I got first turn and there is night fighting turn 1. Here is the deployment, there is a Rhino to the left containing a tactical squad.

In the movement phase I move up the Chimera with the Ogyrns to the columns, I also deek (deke?) the Manticore to get LOS on their deployment.  Garrett's drop pod scatters and ends up delayed.  Not much to shuffle around until more arrives from reserves.

Not much to do for shooting either, the right Chimera opens fire on the Tactical squad ahead of them.  I don't do any damage.  I then fire the Manticore at them and wind up taking 1 HP from the rifle dread and kill a couple of marines.

On their turn Andy's drop pod arrives but mishaps which allows us to place it. The Rhino on the left moves up towards us with the dread and the Knights in the center shuffle up a bit.  Shooting from the Thunderfire takes out 2 HP on the Chimera on the left and leaves it Shaken.  Not a lot of action this turn, but things are just getting started.

Turn 2 and the deep strikes begin.  Garrett puts 2 assault squads that arrived on the right side of their forces and the dreadnought on the left.  My Vendetta comes in and is positioned to fire anywhere inside of their deployment.

Garrett's Furiso fires at the rear of the Ironclad but fails to do any damage.  The manticore fires at their center again and kills the Rifle dread, as well as a hull point on the Razorback. The Chimeras strip 2 HP from the advancing Rhino.  The Vendetta fires at the Ironclad but also fails to inflict any damage.  Finally, the Assaut squads open up on the Grey Knights and Kill most of them.

For their turn the flyers fail to arrive and so they don't have much to move around. Tactical Marines shuffle around and the librarian's unit preps for assault.  The Crimson Fists Rhino moves up on our left flank and the Ironclad shuffles to engage the Furioso.  In the shooting phase they take out a bunch of assault Marines with the Thunderfire but Garrett passes all leadership and they hold fast.  In assault the Ironclad does a HP on the Furioso.

Turn 3 and Garrett's last assault squad show up to try to take out either the Thunderfire or the Tac marines behind the ruin.  I move up my Vendetta to try and take out the troops inside the Rhino. The Ogyrn Chimera advances with the same intent. In shooting, the assault marines on the left fail to do much and the ones to the right inflict a few casualties.  The Chimeras fail to pop the Rhino and so I have to use the Vendetta to finish it off.  The Ogyrns then fire at the survivors and all but 2 are killed.  The Manticore fires at their center again but only manages to strip a single HP from the Razorback.  In the assault phase we lose the Furioso to the Ironclad dread but the assault marines finish off the Crimson fist Tac squad leaving only the librarian and a few strike squad.

Their turn 3 is when things start to get painful, both of their fliers arrive!  The Stormraven heads for my manticore and drops off the combat squaded Purifiers, the Storm Talon heads for my Vendetta.  The survivors from the Rhino move into cover.  Shooting starts and the pain begins.  The Vendetta falls to the talon, failing all jink saves.  All but 1 of the vets inside are killed in the crash, but he immediately gets killed by  the razorback.  The Manticore is blasted by the Stormraven, but it got off 3/4 shots, so that is not too awful.
The Tac squad and Ironclad manage to take out some of the assault marines on the left side.  The Ogyrns lose their ride to I think the Thunderfire.
The other assault marines with the librarian manage to strike some vengeance and wipe out the strike squad, leaving their warlord alone in combat.  However the Ironclad locks combat with the left side RAS and only a few remain.

Turn 4 and we really don't have much to shoot so we don't do any damage.  The assault marines engaged with the Ironclad get caught again but do not die.  The ogyrns assault the tactical marines but end up fleeing.

On their turn they manage to pop the Vets Chimera as well as the drop pod.  The Ironclad locks up the Assault Marines... again.  They just can't get away.  However the Terminator Librarian is slain and we get the Slay the Warlord Secondary Objective.

In turn 5 the Vets shuffle up in the ruins and they manage to snapfire the Storm Talon away.  We also take out their Razorback but our output is too low at this point.  The wreckage comes down and and takes out a few of the veterans in return.
 In their turn the Ironclad finally finishes off the assault squad and the Storm Raven takes out a few of the marines from one of the other squads.

In the end we wound up with 3 points for getting all 3 secondary objectives.  Aaron and Andy took away 26  for taking both Primaries as well a linebreaker.  This game really went to show how influential fliers can be, zooming around causing havoc and destruction with little retribution.  Once their fliers were in they really started doing massive amounts of damage.  After this game we had some doubts about what we would be able to accomplish with this list, it was 2 straight losses if you count the practice game.  It was a fun game overall though, didn't feel overly lost and probably could have done some things better to ensure more units survived.

Contact at 4.5 Million km

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System Defense Station 7::Moranus Sector::Gladius System
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VESSEL APPEARS TO BE HUMAN.  PROBABLY OF IMPERIAL DESIGN.  APPEARS TO BE OF FRIGATE CLASS OR SMALLER, BUT NO SMALLER THAN A DESTROYER CLASS.  NO IFF SIGNATURE DETECTED, NOT A NAVY OR FLEET RESERVE VESSEL.  POSSIBLE PIRATE, RENEGADE, ROGUE TRADER, OR DAMAGED VESSEL.  RECOMMEND INTERCEPT IMMEDIATE.  APPROACH WITH CAUTION PREPARE TO DESTROY OR ESCORT.

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Well, it turns out it was a Rogue Trader ship after all.  None other than The Void Falcon owned and operated by the House Dolphinian.  This is our vessel for the Fantasy Flight game ROGUE TRADER, which is seriously fun.  It's a small ship but armed and equipped very well, it's also proven in battle.

I gave it a rather rough looking paint job, with only some accents picked out in the house's colors, blue and white.  Where the hull is painted there are many scratches and burn marks and patches.  Rogue Traders they may be but theirs is a minor house with only a few ships.  The whole point of our adventures is to help it reach greater fame and fortune.

I also painted a lot of little window lights on this ship, as I do with all BFG vessels.  Not sure if you can even make them out that well.  Those first 2 pictures are actually a result of the glow in the dark paint I put on the antennas and engines.  To the naked eye it's easy to see in the dark and looks pretty cool.  To my camera they are but blurry dots in the void.  So, I messed with the pictures a bit to make them look as they did.

Enjoy for now, the next battle report should be out eventually.

Battle Report: September 8th Tournament: Game 1 Imperial Guard Vs Tyranids 1850 Pts

This month's Warhammer 40,000 tournament at Millenium Games in Rochester, NY was last Saturday.  The format was rulebook 40k, pre-set or 'cinematic' terrain if you like, and 1850pts.  No comp, no painting, the only goal here was to win.  Well, win and have fun.

I usually try to make a balanced list or go with something less utilized.  This month I went with something I have found to always be reliable.  The Leman Russ Tank.  Specifically, the Executioner variant as it very rarely fails me when I use it and I always take it with plasma cannon sponsons and a hull mounted lascannon.
The night before the tournament GW dropped the FAQs upon us and the Leman Russ became a Heavy Vehicle, which helps out with a lot of the variants.  I do like the change, even with the lack of movement over 6 inches.  I think the old lumbering behemoth was very characterful.
Here's my list!

Imperial Guard:
 HQ
Company Command: Power sword, med-pack, Standard, plasma gun, Vox, & 2 bodyguards

Troops
Veteran Squad: Demolitions, 3 Meltaguns, Power sword
Veteran Squad: Grenadiers, 3 Plasma Guns, Power Sword
Chimera: Hvy Stubber
Veteran Squad: Sentries, 3 Sniper Rifles, Lascannon, Vox
Veteran Squad: 3 grenade launchers, lascannon
Chimera: Heavy Stubber

Fast Attack
Vendetta Gunship

Heavy Support
Leman Russ Squadron
1>LR Executioner: Plasma Sponsons, Lascannon, Heavy Stubber
2>LR Executioner: Plasma Sponsons, Lascannon, Heavy Stubber
LR Battle Tank: Heavy Bolter Sponsons, Lascannon
LR Vanquisher: Lascannon, Multi Melta Sponsons

My opponent for game 1 was my friend Chris, who drove me to the tournament, and his tyranids:

Flyrant
Trygon
Tervigon
Shooty Carnifex Duo
Shooty Carnifex(In pod)
3x Warriors
1x Hive guard
10x guants
Tyranid Prime

Game 1 used the Hammer & Anvil deployment and Big Guns Never Tire for scenario.  My warlord trait gave my outflanking units acute senses I do no recall what Chris' did.  We roll and get 3 objectives, he places 2 and I one.  Here's our terrain set up.

I get first turn and deploy as seen below; the Vendetta and the melta vets are coming.  I put the snipers in the ruin and the objective turns out to give a +1 to cover, meaning they gain 1 2+ cover save while camping the objective.  I wish I could get this every game I played.  The command is on the floor below them to issue orders and guard against assault.  Everything else deploys to advance and crossfire.

Here is Chris' deployment.  The Trygon and pod Carnifex are in reserve.  He fails to seize but we do have night-fighting for turn 1.

Turn 1

I advance the Grenade vets in their chimera and the Leman Russ Battle Tank, keeping everything else stationary.

In the shooting phase I put almost everything I have at the Carnifex team, between everything I score a lot of hits, and he makes a good amount of saves but I still end up killing one and putting 3 wounds on the other.  I also put 2 wounds on the Prime from splash and I think kill 1 gaunt.

In his turn he spawns a unit of 15, the maximum without doubles.  He moves up the gaunts, prime, and remaining fex.  He casts some boons to them, I think increasing the toughness or some such.  The fex shoots at the Chimera and manages to stun it.

Turn 1 Summary: Guard 3 (Objective), Nids 6 (2 Objectives)

Turn 2

First I roll for the Valkyrie and it does indeed arrive.  I advance everything but the Grenade Launcher Chimera and the objective holders.  

In shooting I finish off the carnifex gaining First Blood and since it is a Heavy it gains me 2 Victory Points.  The vendetta shoots at the Tervigon and does 1 wound.

On his turn all of his reserves arrive the flyrant comes in from his end.  The carnifex and trygon come in on my side.  Of course, everything else advances.  He spawns 12 guants this turn, still no doubles.

The fex shoots the rear of my other Chimera and stuns it.  The pod shoots and my command squad and kills bodyguards.

In the assault phase the prime charges in on my GL vet Chimera and blows it up.  The squad holds its own in the cover  I lost 3 scrubs.

Turn 2 Summary: Guard 5 (First Blood, Heavy Kill, Objective), Nids 7 (2 Objectives, Linebreaker)

Turn 3

I make another on the near table edge with the Leman Russ, going for the linebreaker.  The lower chimera rotates to face the fex, the executioners turn to face the trygon, the vanquisher turns to face it as well, and the Vendetta turns on the flyrant.

This turn I take out the tervigon, put some wounds on the flyrant and on the carnifex.

It was the first aerial combat of the day.

The tyranids advance again and he spawns 14 more guants. The carnifex moves in on my command squad.  Shooting from the flyrant takes the vendetta down a hull point.  The pod manages to wreak my other chimera.

In the assault phase the fex goes into my command squad, the guants attack my dismounted plasma vets.  The fex is downed by my command but the guants take out the veterans.  The same squad that turned back a unit of reavers a few months ago.

Turn 3 summary: Guard 7 (1 Objective, First Blood, 3 Heavy Kills), Nids 7 (2 Objectives, Linebreaker)

Turn 4

I move the vendetta towards the corner and dismount the Vets with Grav Chute Insertion, they do not scatter and none of them die.  

Shooting does little damage this turn I think I manage 1 wound on the tervigon and 1 on the flyrant.

On his turn he advance gaunts towards my Melta vets and the flyrant at my Executioners.  He shoots at the vets and kills a few and then assaults the Executioners to little effect.

Turn 4 Summary: Guard 8 (1 Objective, First Blood, 3 Heavy Kills, Linebreaker), Nids 7 (2 Objectives, Linebreaker)

Turn 5

I forgot to take any pictures this turn but it mostly involves me killing the flyrant.  He returns fire and kills a couple more veterans from the melta squad and some from the sniper squad with the pod.

Summary

In the end this game was pretty close, at first we thought it was a draw because we forgot to count each heavy killed as another Victory point.  I had some very good rolls this game, and my shooting was especially effective.  In the end I wound up with 10 VP; 3 for my objective, 1 for linebreaker, 1 for First blood, 1 for slay the warlord, and 4 for Heavy kills.  Chris came up with 7; 6 for objectives and 1 for linebreaker.

Mt next batrep may be up next week and will detail the events of my first battle against Daemons.

Leman Russ: Judgement

Just finished painting the lead tank for my Armor Company and Armor Squadron 1.  The tank is called Judgement and it is commanded by Commissar Constantin Braun.  As this is a command tank it has some upgraded sensors and equipment, since it's the company leader I also gave it the GW command upgrade auspex/comms package.  Went about painting this tank in much the same way as my last Leman Russ Tough Bastard and every piece of armor since then.  A simple grey base followed by scratching, damage, and weathering.  It has the commander stripe with the roman numeral I for the squadron number.  Since it's commanded by a commissar it's also got the red and black stripe design on the side.

Here's a front view of the tank, there is a small medallion on the lower left and the name is below the turret on the flat of the hull.

The commander is the Forge World model and is a very nice sculpt.  He took some time to paint as there are a fair number of details to him.  In this picture you can see that I made the heavy stubber as a coaxial weapon as seen on many of the FW turrets.  I made that with a few small brass tubes.

I put about how much stowage as I usually do and of course my ridiculous whip antennas.  There are also purity seals and the like denoting the honors of the vehicle and strength of its machine spirit.  I did not add any mottos to this tank as it's got a commissar as a commander.  So, the only writing I have done is the name and the kill tally on the barrel.  It's a pretty high tally as this guy is supposed to be a company commander and should be pretty good at his job.  I will perhaps use him as Knight Commander Pask from time to time.

I generally apply much more pigment to the bottom of the hull than to to upper portion.  I will have it so that it rests on the edges of the track axel mounts and then lightly brush it up from there to slightly powder the top of the hull as well.  The top of the tank and turret get a little more in spots and streaks.  Where there are bullet marks and hit damage I add some black pigment.  I also add powder residue to the muzzle break because it looks cooler that way even though it's not all to realistic.  I use mig productions pigments, but you can use any brand you like.  I still have the same jars I bought in 2009 and will have them for several more years before they are gone.  They are ground extremely fine and cover and stay adhered very well, even with wargaming use.  I cannot speak for other brands as I have never used them, but Mig get my support.

Finally, a shot of 1st and 2nd squadron lead tanks together. Can't wait to have all 3 squadrons painted up.  3rd squadron will feature the Destroyer Tank Hunter as leader with 2 FW turret Vanquishers to form a tank hunting squadron.  1st and 2nd Squadrons are a mix of the new and old Battle Tank and Demolisher Kits a few of which have several main gun options modeled.  I can field at least 1 of any variant.

That's it for now, not sure what I am going to be working on next, I am currently waiting on some horses to use to make Rough Riders.  I may begin that project next week.  Comments and critique are appreciated, thanks for stopping by.

Hobby: Slat Armor for a Leman Russ

So, because I now have a tank hunting squadron of Leman Russ hulled vehicles I decided they will need extra armor.  I have bought the FW extra armor for the Chimera chassis in the past and am really happy with it, but I wanted something different for these tanks.  I decided to go with slat armor, which operated by detonating explosives before they reach the hull of the vehicle and taking away much of their penetrative power.

Below You can see the frame all layed out over a pattern I have made on a sheet of 3x5 card.

Next I added a few vertical supports and glued it all together with plastruct plastic weld.  Really happy with this product for use with plasticard and the like as it actually bonds the materials and won't be anywhere as brittle as super glue for this application.

Next I begin to add the slats.  I used 2 pieces of balsa to give a uniform spacing and a little tub of basing dirt to hold it in place while I laid each slat.

After a little while I had all the slats glued on, so I just had to give them a little time before I trimmed them all up.

He is the final result.  I really like the way it came out and I will definitely go forward with this project.  I will need to buy some more strip styrene in order to finish the other 5 for the squadron.  Will be adding magnets to the hulls so that they are not permanent.  None of the 3 vehicles have sponson weapons, so this was much easier because of that.  It would be possible to do with sponsons though and I think that it would look pretty cool on a Russ with sponsons as well.

I'm going to be adding some plasticard details to the Baneblade I am reworking in the near future.  At the least there will be mud flaps such as the ones on the FW super-heavies.

Thanks for stopping by.