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.

On the Workbench

It has been some time since I have updated the blog,  but that is not to say that I have been idle with regards to the hobby.  I just sort of lost steam with the battle reports, as I usually do.  From now on I will probably condense the reports into a single tournament summary post.  Once in a while highlighting a very good or close game with its own battle report.

The primary reason I got into this hobby is the building and painting aspect.  Being able to play with all of my models is really an excellent bonus to that and has become a larger part of my enjoyment. That being said I'd rather not turn the blog into a chore by trying to force myself into writing bat-reps and just write about what I do each week.

Several weeks ago I finally got around to painting some more Dust Warfare stuff.  First up is the first walker I have painted the Medium Panzer Walker.  I recently found out about a relatively new hobby shop a few blocks from where we game every week.  They don't carry much in the way of wargaming but they have begun to stock some Games-Workshop products.  They have an awesome collection of scale kits and a wide array of paints and weathering products.  I picked up the DAK weathering kit from AK Interactive, it includes a wash, a streaking grime, and a filter.  I watched a few weathering tutorials and ended up with what you see here. The filter helps modulate the base colors, the wash helps bring out the details, and the streaking grime adds streaks of washed down grime.  I also started using a fine sponge to add the chipping and then paint some some finer scratches here and there.

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.