AAAaaannnnnnnnd I'm back in the room

So, for the few of you that follow this blog may have noticed that I haven't posted for a good few months and the only reason for this is I'm plain lazy so my apologies.

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That`s not to say I've not been busy painting and playing and I've finally got a 1750 army list I am happy with and have had some success with.

Company Command squad

Company commander

Astropath

Master of the Fleet

2 x Melta gun

Chimera with hull Flamer

Veteran Guard Squad

Veteran Sergeant

2 x Melta gun

1 x Auto cannon

6 x Guardsmen

Chimeria with hull Flamer

Veteran Guard Squad

Veteran Sergeant

2 x Meltagun

1 x Autocannon

6 x Guardsmen

Chimeria with hull Flamer

Veteran Guard Squad

Veteran Sergeant

3 x Meltagun

1 x Autocannon

5 x Guardsmen

Chimeria with hull Flamer

Leman Russ Executioner

Sponson Plasma Cannons

Leman Russ Demolisher

Hull heavy Flamer

3 x Vendetta

Veteran Guard Squad

Veteran Sergeant with Shotgun

3 x Flamers

6 x Shotgun armed guardsmen

Demolitions

Basilisk

Guardsman Marbo

I think it seems to be pretty standard amongst the 40k Guard tournament players (which I don't play) but I have to say that this list was mainly an evolution of many defeats and chin wags with the 3 other chaps I play regularly with who are tournament players so my list has had to become rather streamlined in order to try to win a few games.

Also been trying my hand at some converting, made myself a Marbo figure which I`ll get some photos of once I rescue him from Brads garage and some converting (not much but I'm happy with them) for my air assault vet squad which I've got some photos of but they aren't that good so Ill post when I've got some more.

Also been going through my "painted" miniatures and given some of them a touch up or complete repaint to get them to a standard I'm happy with.

I'll get some posted in the next week or so. Hopefully I will start to post semi regularly again.

Thanks for reading

We took a hammering Sir!!

Last night played Cpt_Yukka with his Tau and what a pasting I took!!

I took a gamble and scout moved my Vendetta gun ships to try to remove his hammer head turn 1 and banked on seizing the initiative which failed and they all smoking wrecks after his shooting in turn two. With my Chimeras and Demolisher's getting immobilised or knocked out I was never really able to get to grips with his army. When I did manage it I hammered him but good but by then it was too little too late. He had me flanked and spanked (and the dice gods were with him) at one point he made nine 4+ cover saves with a single unit. I missed a charge with Marbo (what a guy!!) and he got cooked plasma style buy fire warriors.

The game has got me thinking that perhaps the demolisher's might not be worth their points, sure the big ass S 10 AP 2 pie plate is nice but the short range was a real draw back in this game but for the 5 points less I can get a standard Russ with a lascannon with a much bigger range but I loose 2 points of S and 1 point of AP.

I don't know if 3 vet squads in 1500 points is enough but Ill keep plugging away at it.

If anyone has any thoughts lemmie know

Rick

Fire from the Skies

Finally got my first Valkyrie kit a couple of weeks ago to start to get the last few points of my 1500 point list done.

Built it over the following week n between moving bits of my house to storage and what a pig this kit is to build. Partly my fault for not reading the instructions properly and checking bits were going on the right side of the model but the tail section would not fit square no matter how much I tweaked, repositioned and faffed about with it. The next couple I build I hope will be better but who knows.

Its taken all that time to get it built and basic colours on it, then I thought I might have a go at paint chipping and kinda went a bit daft. I figured the Imperial Guard/Navy wouldn't take the time to repaint just repair and rearm so I spent about 4-5 hours weathering the edge of the plates. It needs decals, the cockpit painting and I need to get the forge world vendetta kit ordered, painted and fitted then based. I`ll be doing that once I get the other 2 put together and basic paint job on them so I can game with them. I'm playing a League game next Thursday so I have until then to get them done, I might even manage to get some bonus points for having them painted if I make/buy Marbo (what a guy) in time.

I decided to paint the cockpit , I didn't want the glass showing through so I thought some groovy one way glass was the best option (and I didn't have to paint the crew inside which I`ll use on another project I have in mind. A good site to look at is Cammo Specs, I just hope the technique scales up to 28mm.

The basic paint is a mix of 3-1 Chaos Black and Dark Angels Green which I washed with 50/50 water and Badab Black then painted neat Badab Black into the lines between the plates. The paint dried a little bit inconsistent and looks almost a really greenish/blue in some places which adds further to the weathering look. After that the simple, but lengthy job of attacking the raised edges with a thin Bolt Gun Metal/water mix, I think Ill use a thinner brush on the next Valk.

The kit as I said was a swine to assemble and the next one ill paint before I glue the wings on coz painting the damn heavy bolters is proving to be problematic as I just cant get the the damn things.

I'm Back

Well it's been 3 weeks since my last post and my apologies for my absence. Allot has happened in the last few weeks and that has had to take priority.

Last night was the first time in a month I managed to roll my guard out to take part in the friendly league my regular gaming dudes are playing in and what a showing they gave!!! Brad emailed me a new army list he thought might go down a storm and I thought I'd give it a bash. Up-to now I've only build armies around the models I have and the list he sent me included some tasty, tasty figures I'd never used before.

Lord Commissar (with power weapon)

Guardsman Marbo (what a guy!!)

2 x Vet squads in Chimera (3x Melta Guns per squad)

1 x Vet squad in Chimera (3 x Plasma Gun)

2 x Demolisher's

1 x Basilisk

3 x Vendetta Gunships (with heavy Bolter Sponson)

All in all about 1500 points

The list works well, very well. I fought Neils Ork List and I thought I'd lost really early on at the beginning of turn 2 but massed fire power, pie plates and Guardsman Marbo stopped the Horde and then Vendettas knocked out all the really nasty threats out or stopped them coming at me early in the game (a huge sigh of relief that the battle wagon with the death roller spent 4 turns immobilised). It also helped that every chimera he assaulted exploded killing huge numbers of his own boys squads!!.

I wish I'd taken my camera and done a battle report but maybe next time or Neil will do one with a bit of luck.

Someone asked for a tutorial on how I did the heavy weapon teams and I've started it but I'm having to move home so it's going be a little longer (then you can improve on it and put mine to shame).

Cheers for reading

Rick

Gun teams

Since I started this blog I've seen some fantastic painting, conversions, dioramas and some truly lovely armies.

It started me thinking, I've been gaming on and off since I was about 10 and I'm not the ripe old age of 33 and I don't ever remember converting or modelling anything. I think its because I was always worried about making a mistake that would ruin a perfectly good miniature and look like a splat on a base.

I have to say I've been truly inspired by some of the blogs out there of which there are too many to name but if you have posted anything about modelling, painting or converting I'd like to say thank you.

I wanted my weapons teams to be different, to look like they were dug in and going no where, I also wanted them to have a bit of character. This idea started because I was a bit lazy and didn't want to paint the gun crews (I actually gave myself more work) but I'm pleased with the results.

So Below is my first proper attempt at something of my own!!

Colonel Rubin Von Muller and Commisar Hans Von Struder

Ive been painting again. I've been bidding and trying to buy the Original metal Colonel from the old metal command pack and having seen it at daft prices from £15 - £30 I somehow managed to pick him and the whole squad up for £5.50 BARGIN!!!

I tried to paint these two figures at the best of my ability, these really are about as good as I can do at the moment. I tend to paint figures to be looked at at about a foot or two away so I was supprised at how untidy the pictures made my figures look. All in all though I'm happy with the results. I've been following The painting Corps and if you dont read it theres masses and masses of tip, hints and how to`s. It's inspired me to try more modeling rather than just painting and gaming.

He stands out with the white greatcoat and the shoulder pads tie him in to the army nicley.

I painted the Commisar in the usual way, black greatcoat etc, the red makes him "pop", Im not very happy with the gold and I may end up stripping him at some point and repainting. The Bolt pistol has quite obviously been drawn from Regimental stores and again gives him a tie in with the army.

"Tumping Thomas"

Demolisher is done, its a second hand one so the paints a wee bit thick in places but paint stripper and plastic make an attractive puddle.

Again just painted to a very basic level, very little highlighting. Ill probably try weathering this vehicle first.

Its a basic Green and I want to get a cammo scheme for it as its from a tank regiment attached to my lads, the green ties it into the army but it needs something else. Ill decide on it later.

Without further ado

Heres "Tumping Thomas"

Platoon HQ

Next instalment of my guard is done to gaming standard.

The platoon HQ is;

Platoon Lieutenant

3 x Guardsmen with Flamer

1 x Guardsman with Vox Caster



The troopers are simple to do, nice and easy, very quick and they are at a standard I can game with and go back to at a later date to bring upto a decent quality.

Chimera paint job

This is the first Chimera Ive painted to a gaming standard, theres more work to be done on it yet but I want to read up on battle damage and vehicle weathering before I finish it completley, If anyone knows where theres a good one let me know!!!

The pictures are Ok but im sure they'll get better with practice.

One list to rule them all?

Having finally managed to persuade Captain Yukka to nip round with his camera Ive finally managed to get some pics. I originally was supposed to head out to Vapnartak 2010 but Ive not been able to get the time off of work so my 1000 point painting dead line got extended!!

Myself, Captain Yukka, Cpt_Machine and Bradimus Prime have decided to run a friendly 40k league the reults table is on Captian Yukkas blog.

We decided to start it at 1000 points that needed to be painted by Vapnartak 2010 or by the end of febuary if we couldnt go. After a few lists I think this is the final one, the idea was that one list fits all and it gets built on as we go through the league

Company Command
Vox Caster

Platoon Command
3 Flamers
Vox Caster
Chimera

Commisar
Power Sword

Infantry Squad
Vox Caster

Infantry Squad

Veteran Squad
Melta Gun x 3
Chimera

Veteran Squad
Melta Gun x 3
Chimera

Heavy Weapons Squad
Auto Cannon x 3

Heavy Weapons Squad
LasCannon x 3

Leman Russ Demolisher

Basilisk

I liked the idea of having a bunch of foot sloggers who could rain massed Lasgun fire at dismounted infantry and could sit on an objective with support and using the "first rank second rank order" it gives you 40 shots at 24" or 60 at 12". If you field them as a single unit (which I tend to do), even with the BS3 and S3 thats not bad going, an average round of dice rolling should give a 10 marine squad a problem and lighter units orks, nids etc are going to take a kicking.

I gave them a Commisar in the hope that if they do get into close combat they wont run and gives me time to get some support up from the vets or move my heavy weapons teams to a safer possition if threatened.

Now support that unit with 3 las cannon for anti vehicle and 3 auto cannon for light vehicles, heavy infantry and monsterous creatures. A company command squad in 12" means you now have more options, "Bring it down" Raises the chances of killing or stopping vehicles and hopefully giving my guardsmen a nice target.

The Mech Vet squads speak for themselves, rush 'em forward to objective grab or use meltas and sacrifice them for some spot armour removal. The platoon command squad opperates inbetween the Vets and the Infantry to provide flamer support where they are needed.

I wanted some serious pie plate action so opted for a demolisher, heavy armour S10 AP1 gun should discorage my opponent from getting too close and a basilisk S9 AP 3to reach out and touch my opponents dug in units or clear objectives anywhere on the board.

Imperial Fists Terminator list

Me and a mate Bradimus Prime have been discussing a Terminator heavy marine list and heres what we (mainly him) have come up with. I favour the chaplin but he favours the Librarian. All in all small but really punchy.

Cpt Lysander 200

Space Marine Chaplin
Terminator Armour
Storm Bolter 130

Scout Squad with sniper rifles
additional 5 scouts 140

Scout Squad with sniper rifles
additional 5 scouts 140

Terminator Assault Squad
Thunder Hammers, Storm Shields
additional 5 Marines 400

Terminator Squad
Additional 5 Marines
Assault Cannons x 2
Chain Fists x 6 490

Total 1500

More Fisting

I've started the rest of the 5 man Imperial Fists Terminator squad, base coat of Bubonic Brown, wash with Delvan mud and other areas blacked out for later painting.

Imperial Fists

Having got really fed up with painting Imperial guard I decided to have a go at a Imperial Fists terminator. Its a bit messy but I've not tried to do a decent paint job for quite some time (snd the lad I get these off glued the bloody things togeather). Pic aint great quality but the best I can manage at the moment.

A Begining

Right, well I've never blogged before and the guys I play 40k with have all started blogging already so I thought I'd jump on the band wagon.
Ive been playing 40 since I was 10 over 23 years ago but after 10 years of historical wargaming snobbery I decided to start playing again.
Bought myself a load of necrons and played a few games but their inability to deal with heavy infantry and armourin 5th edition make them not a great choice at the moment, but a new codex is rumoured in summer this year so I cant wait. A friend of mine gave me a load of Cadian Imperial guard and I've been building them up since. I'll be posting pictures of my Figures later unit by unit as it gets painted but I need to wait for a mate to pop round with his camera until I pick a decent one of my own up.