On a whim i decided to take some newly forged terrain pieces for a spin. Quick game.
Reusing my epic trees but made up some coaster size plates to put them in (back quarters). And made some foliage-something pieces (front quarters) from some orange juice bottle tops.
Deployed: Investigator/IG left side, Magos and cultists to the right.
Forces moving up. Previous game had less cover in the centre from memory.
The battle extended most of the way across the board instead of resembling toddlers playing soccer.
Think the game only lasted 6 or so turns. IG were ahead when i called it a day.
Game only took about 1/2 hour to get through. the runs and stats becoming more familiar. No rule tweaks as i was going along helped.
End of game results. Still working out a good format for cards/stat recording but this was not terrible.
Equipment required. All on something the size of an oversized place mat. Then again a monopoly board or standard chess board are much the same too. Not so typical for tabletop war gaming though.
I'll be looking to add some mission goals next time around rather than just slog it out in the middle.
I'm thinking that randomly rolling asymmetrical goal might really suit this setting - as in one side need to i.e. assassinate the other commander, and the other side needs to i.e. get as many characters off the other side of the board or something.
Am also considering making some more character models, specifically some demons. I don't have a lot of convertible 'human' size models around (marines are generally too big). however i could potentially use some of those and just melt them with a lighter or something... not going to bother printing specifically for this game so will just see what's in the bitz box.
[later: the only decent human size models i have in filament are the vraks infantry (don't really want to dispose of those just yet) and the old BT neophytes. Given i'm planning on disbanding that army they might be fair game. slightly bigger than 'normal' models but possible.]
Until next time...
[Original Draft - 20191230]
Necromunda is or was in a kinda holding pattern as it were.
We have a game scheduled for the afternoon at the next meet (January) but my models, board and accessories (cards etc) are all complete.
There was a big release of a huge and colossally expensive box set which, unless you wanted a leg up on terrain, was not worth the ducets. 'You'd probably be better off buying a 3d printer given the asking price' range of expensive (read: pretty crazy).
Anyway there was a new close combat gang in there that looked vaguely interesting. However our local meta (as tiny as that is) tends to lean more toward the cc gangs than otherwise already.
I guess as a response to this i had it in my head to perhaps go for the Van Saar gang, known (notorious perhaps) for their ranged game. Mix things up a bit.
Go For It...
I knew the local FLGS had a box sitting round forever so i ducked in and picked it up a few weeks ago. It then proceeded to sit, not knowing what to do with them - don't get me wrong i have plenty of little projects on the go - but whenever the Van Saar box caught my eye it was a matter of pretending i didn't see it most of the time.
Over i time i grew a twofold plan:
i) build the box i bought as a 'competition' style gang. So a base force of lasguns and add-on bits that scream VAaaaaaNSAAaaaaR! These guys have been around for a while and i did some research on how they operate, how best to use them, and based on that and some sample lists came up with a list and loadout that i think should be suitable.
Here we have the seven person gang WYSIWYG'd for my list. The wysiwyg only applies to the guns technically as they have an assortment of grenades and knives and whatnot because ruleOfCool - these are not factored into the 1k of standard points.
ii) I've ordered a second box so that i can make them up as per the front cover. The models on the front cover are not indicative of the best way to use the models in an 'points game'. the total war gear represented there is about 1,800pts, so either you take 5 models with expensive shooters or you need a different gang for 1,000pt pick up games.
That said for each of the other gangs i've built them as per the box pic and my OCD will not allow Van Saar to deviate from this pattern. My thinking is that if/when Necromunda blooms in Sydney i will be able to supplement my 'comp list' with ringers from the original box art series.
Having the box model can be helpful for demos if someone 'knows' the basic gang based on introductory vids and walk-throughs etc. If you pull out a gang that is entirely customised it may be harder for an initiate to empathise with.
Building...
The models were some of the most finicky, fiddly models i've had the displeasure of assembling - and given i've added hundreds of bolt pistols to 6mm infantry this is saying something. Anyway within 24 hours i had everything built as required.
The list itself could be considered a bit gamey, but tough poop.
The Leader and one of the Champions have combi-plasma guns (above). These were chop-shopped together as there wasn't any on the sprue (?? wtf GW given these are one of the most popular upgrades, based on forum chatter!)
The second Champion has dual Plasma Pistols (one of the few out-of-the-box loadouts).
All the leaders got 2nd head-tails (not really sure what they're meant to be from the fluff) to help differentiate them as well. just a bit of modelling fun.
The remaining Gangers are armed with lasguns (x2) and lascarbines (x2).
I've only built 7 of the models (out of 10) as an artistic decision. There's still enough bits and bobs (more or less) to build the other 3 models but i was aiming for my gang to look a certain way (uniform and with 'helmets'). The support fighters are looking-down-the-barrel serious - providing cover and forming the battle line. The command level have dynamic looking models - also reflecting their intended role on the field (jump out and gank the enemy before ducking back into cover). Basically I didn't like the look of the other models that much - no one was puffing an iho stick or doing their fingernails but they didn't fit the aesthetic.
Plus, the 2nd box should have a couple of usable lasgun/carbine dudes that could be used too.
20200121
After all the Epic stuff was squared away i made a brief return to the Van Saar.
My local flgs didn't have the green i was looking for so i found an undercolour and a blue wash.
All models now green'd.
Below, contrast between the raw green (right) and blue washed (left).
20200421
Three months later, started this post ages ago hey.
Done. like done, done.
This is the full collection, all 17 models. I managed to batch paint everything over the last week or so. Blocking in the main colours was the most tedious part (green, grey, leadbelcher etc) after that they finished off quickly. I don't really enjoy painting 28mm.
This is the "Comp" squad...
More of everyone.
I tried using the paint handle thingy but found it annoying. Needed to rotate the models too much on all axis to make this a good option.
So i've decided that all my Necromunda models will be going on clear acrylic disks. The 'normal' bases hide the underlying terrain which looks derpy. Am in the process of painting on a marker for front facing and will also write their names on the edge of the disk. Not sure how effective (/easy to read) that will be.
[later: ta da, only the "comp" squad done. will do up the box models... sometime. [later: they are now done.]]
The bases a probably a couple of mm over regulation size but given it makes no practical difference, [shrug]. I won't be able to magnetise these ones so will need an alternate boxing solution. Will probably revisit all the old models and re-base them all too eventually. Am out of disks at the moment and not in anyway enthused about that project.
[later: As far as i can tell this offers no advantage to the model, if anything it's worse as it makes them a larger target and probably means more enemy can pile on for a Close Combat assist.]
Quick Fluff
So the "Comp" squad consists of...
Tepay Rysaph (Leader) - Combi Plasma/Lasgun
Jander Sanute (Champion 1) - Dual Plasma Pistols
Dale Odnia (Champion 2) - Combi Plasma/Lasgun
Tom Brierlev - Las Carbine
Serge Elmsal - Las Carbine
Karem Lasvi - Lasgun
Gok Moorgat - Lasgun
If we were playing true comp/campaign stuff these guys would probably end up dead within a couple of games so probably not worth getting attached to names/roles/history etc. We generally don't play that way though. For now, that's enough.
So that's it. Van Saar and Necromunda sorted.
Until next time....
With all the equipment finished off i thought i'd have a trial game utilising and reviewing the scale-based adaptions to the rules etc.
This is the board and bits set up and ready to go.
On the left is an investigator and two imperial guardsmen. On the right is a chaos cult magos and four chaos cultists. The guardsmen have slightly better stats, though i haven't worked out the points precisely at this stage, so just went with a 2:1 list.
The following is a quick run down (quasi-battle report). There were 9 turns all up.
No one has moved yet.
End of turn 1: Both side move up at full speed. 2x move actions. Speed value now 40mm for all characters.
End of Turn 2: On the lower portion of the board (lower) the chaos magos and two cultists are ganging up on one guardsman. On the upper portion of the board (upper) the investigator and one guardsmen are facing 2 cultists.
End of Turn 3: The cultists (lower) provide ranged fire at the guardsman and the magos closes for close combat. The investigator (upper) moves forward for close combat and the cultists use ranged attacks - investigator takes some damage causing breaks later in the game.
End of Turn 4: The guardsman (lower) breaks and runs away as the magos charges. The other cultists move toward the fighting at top of the board. The investigate (upper) breaks one of the cultists.
End of Turn 5: The investigator kills the second cultist at the top of the board. The cultists from the bottom of the board start ranged attacks against the investigator. The magos moves up toward the remaining guardsman.
End of Turn 6: The investigator charges a cultist and breaks them. The magos charges the guardsman causing wounds but can't break them.
End of Turn 7: The investigator breaks from ranged attacks. The magos kills the remaining guardsman.
End of Turn 8: The investigator and magos face off, but no definitive result leaves them locked in combat. The last cultist circles looking for a shot at the investigator (can't attack as locked in combat).
End of Turn 9: The investigator breaks and runs off the board.
The final character sheets. The magos was still healthy enough and the final cultist was not wounded at all.
And that was that.
Most of the rules worked as expected. A couple of minor tweaks and clarifications. Overall the game flowed very smoothly, was done in about 40 minutes.
Need to review the scale-relevant rules changes and get that written up.
Until next time...
Plowed through that Death Guard stuff.
Was kind of planning to pick up an AT starter set and be working on that by this stage... but nothing open of course [yawn].
My printer parts came in but it's now acting weird. 3 good prints, then 2 failed prints on 3+ hour prints and running out of cleanup resources (have resorted to metho instead of iso, loo rolls instead of paper towels).
So i got inspired with the planet-28 rules a week or so ago. 'inquisitor'/skirmish rules for pretty much any models you like. Has a few issues that i don't like but overall, a nice simple rule set.
So i wondered... how about 6mm?
why not
This is the second 'board' i constructed. The first was literally A3 size but i made a second that fit on my existing terrain pieces more neatly, plus road at the size of road i use/made, plus side-walk edging which is 'ruler-thickness'...
Fighting on the road was a bit Napoleonic, so i whipped up some drop terrain, resin cast containers and girders made from sprue leftovers. Nothing fancy.
I also whipped up 2 token forces to try the rules with. These are made from (Epic) filament Eldar Guardians that were never going to get used. I had 8 sticks and divvied them up into two forces. One is an Investigator + 4 imperial guardsmen. The other is a 5 Chaos Cultists + 2 Heavy weapons Cultists + 1 Chaos Cult Magos.
I've had about 3 games with the rules developing as the terrain and pieces have been developing. The straight-up planet-28 rules don't precisely fit but only minor changes are really required to get a result.
Anyway, that's about it. Bit of Fun. Time to find something else to keep me going.
Until next time.
Maybe half way... or there abouts.
All the tanks from the first print batch are now painted up and boxed.
6 Sicarans and 2 Fellblades.
Fellblades...
Sicarans...
I tried to put in a bit of effort on the icons this one, even resorting to using the light/magnifier on the desk for probably the first time ever. Even then it was hardly hi-res painting as the brushes are so small and fiddly - not really my scene. Also magnifying them also brings out any errors or smears etc... which you don't really need to worry about too much with 6mm.
They will definitely work at arms length though.
Until my printer bits come through i'm done with this project. Still have several objects to print before the project is complete but that's it for now.
Until next time...
"It's a project i've certainly been contemplating for a while."
Thus started my previous army build. This one, however, was one i didn't know i was doing until it started emerging from the printer (more or less).
There has been a bit of local chatter regarding playing some 30k Epic (regular is 40k era), so Horus Heresy (aka HH). We're looking at doing some games at the start of next year (2021) to give people time to put together some kind of 30k appropriate army - plus of course we will continue to play regular 40k based for people who don't want to get into the 30k thing too.
So i was looking at my print-queue wishlist and i've long had the idea of putting together a Sons of Horus (a fabulous green-blue army) or my fall back Imperial Fists (which can double down on duty within 40k).
For reasons not entirely know i decided instead on Death Guard (DG). These are back from the lime-light in terms of HH fiction and fluff - a less popular faction from my still limited knowledge.
Not normally the kind of army i'd consider myself playing but i'm actually warming to the idea quite a lot and looking forward to seeing how the project pans out.
They're a chaos/traitor faction and aligned with Nurgle (one of the four chaos gods, specifically of disease and pestilence... perhaps there's a mind-worm regarding the media bleating on endlessly re current RL events).
Generally i prefer running loyalist forces, with the exception of having a mix of 'opposing forces' to i) learn how they work, ii) to be able to mix up the armies being played in the local meta, or iii) provide an opposing force for my opponent if they only do loyalists too.
The 30k era version of the game runs off the normal rules, so a short learning curve there, however the army structures are a bit different - though the differences largely reflect fluff aspects for the various factions rather than major structural changes.
The 30k era is a 'civil war' setting, with 9 vs 9 Astartes legions facing off, plus loyal and traitor guard (regular humans/army), titans, knights, and naval fleets. There are few/no non-human based forces in the 'official' epic lists with the exception of demons; so no Eldar, Orks, Tau etc.
My plan to start on an Eldar force has once again been shimmied down the list. Oh well.
So i started looking at the lists and working out how the formations and units work in general, and also the specifics for the DG. Some time later i've compiled a general print queue and the printer has been off and running.
First off the rank is Mortarion. This is the Primarch (head-honcho) of the Death Guard. Can't wait to get this painted up as it will better show up the contours of the model. He's about twice the height of a regular marine model. The Primarchs were like super-enhanced and generally described as far taller than even the roided up Astartes.
Next i printed some Tartaros pattern terminators.
The 30k models i did previously were a different style so i had to quickly remodel some aspects of the armour. Turned out ok, and there's about 5 different poses. I don't actually intend to be using 'regular' terminators (though they may be required as part of Mortarion's retinue/body guard based on the list), but this (re)model paved the way for a DG specific variant which i was interested in.
The Death Shroud Terminators have space-scythe weapons and i've actually liked these models (28mm/full scale) for quite some time. I have some of the (28mm) helmets around which i intended for a different project (just a really simple style which i liked).
Anyway, these are the first of the 'regular' forces i have on my 'intend to use' list. And i may sub them in on the Mortarion retinue units (will have to check whether they're legal as two different sources say two different things).
Quite a bit to go obviously, but it all has to start somewhere.
This army will probably be a bit more substantial than the Custodes army. There will definitely be a larger variation on the model types being used, and probably 25%-50% larger in terms of model numbers being printed.
Old vs New Death Guard...
The Death Guard has seen some releases in recent times within the 40k era. Generally rotting corpse demons, zombie-esque hordes, and miasma-trailing plague marines are the theme, in sort of a bland khaki-based colour palette.
The 30k DG on the other had are a really neat/tidy force. A 'screaming skull'/bone coloured base with medium-green highlights. Really appeals in terms of painting for some reason. Eyes could do with a break from black or !!BLING!! most likely.
Later 2020-03-31
I remodelled the Fellblade, adding in a bunch of divots and bumps for textural variety. Not that you can see from here... but there is.
Have done all the infantry that was printed. Here the marines on the right are just base sprayed, the ones on the left have a wash of agrax.
Went with the chalky effect paint again, Baudeaux Cream. Quite happy with the finish and colour.
Speaking of paint... again i have accumulated quite a collection of leadbelcher pots (being the base colour for the Custodes probably contributed a bit). Probably four of those are all but empty, with little more than a sludgy smear at the bottom.
Skip ahead several session and the infantry are done. Not a great deal of variety in the type of units. 3 sets of Tacticals, 1 set of Regular Terminators, 1 set of Death Shroud Terminators, 1 Mortarion.
Mortarion turned out ok. Good enough anyway.
He's a bit of a shag-on-a-rock within the army. Most of the infantry models are quite solid and chunky, where as Mortarion is smooth planes, artsy contours and overall a bit nebulous. I don't hate it as it kind of adds a 'wraith-like' feel maybe.
I decided to leave the vehicles behind... hahaha apt (given fluff for this army)... and press ahead painting just the infantry to keep progress going.
In part because i was 3d modelling transports etc (which is still a WIP) and wanted to batch paint all the vehicles as much as possible. Now my printer is waiting for a part so i might end up doing the vehicles i have... which is just 6 Sicarans and 2 Fellblades.
Anyway the army is coming along nicely, with possible the majority of small fiddly painting done.
Until next time...
I have a new project underway at the moment. Another army... spoilers (expect posts soon).
After looking around the usual sources for a particular model i couldn't find what i was looking for. And the model i had made previously (even without looking) wasn't going to cut the mustard in resin.
Specifically I'm looking at a 'Storm Eagle' transport, which is a smaller variation of the Thunderhawk.
I decided to remodel a new one from scratch, which is well underway, but i thought i'd also lightly document the process i go. It's all very basic really, it's not super-pretty either but it gets a model made. i'm definitely no graphic artist, but in this instance - since no one already put in the work for me damn it - i guess i have to make it.
As a starting point this is my first iteration at a Storm Eagle (left - the right one is a Fire Raptor). It's super basic and it works for fdm - and that's all that can be said for it.
It would look rubbish amongst a resin resolution army.
The way i make 3d models is a VERY manual process. Normally i start with pictures as end/top/side-on as possible (schematics). I then trace around the image to get a starting point. Which end/top/side is used as 'picture 1' depends a lot on the model being done - here, it's 'top'.
In the diagram above you have the original pic (right), the traced over object (i have mirror imaged the two sides so what i do in one happens to the other, thus showing a 'complete' model), and the boxes show the relative 'end size' (wireframe) for a Thunderhawk (bigger), and Storm Eagle (smaller). I did a tiny bit of interwebs research to find the relative sizes of the two fictional vehicles.
In this case i also did a side on trace which wasn't as helpful as i'd thought. Anyway the process at this stage is all about connecting lines and extruding rectangles and triangles (pulling them into 3d solids from 2d shapes) until you get something vaguely resembling the desired object.
In the pic above i'm working on making the overall 'body' shape. the wings, trails and any fine detail are in the far future at this stage.
We skip ahead by many hours here...
The general 'blocking-in' of the vehicle is almost done. In the wireframe you can see a 'rescaled' version of the object at the front. this shows a more a less a print scale object.
In this instance i just worked straight off the size of the image - the object at the front is the main 'workspace'.
This is where it's at at the moment. Looks much like the previous, but i've pretty much finished the overall shape and will now continue on to add some finer details. i say finer deliberately because even though we're talking resin over fdm there's still a finite limit on the resolution you'll actually be seeing on the printed model i.e. there's no point going overboard.
[aside: this is something i notice on a lot of models from thingiverse. the modellers aren't necessarily printers so even though their models are fantastic on screen and full of wonderful detail, they lose a great deal of detail when expressed on a printer. i mention it only because it's sometime frustrating to have models lose that available detail or more practically become so thin that they are virtually unusable.]
In this model there are several pieces that are a darker grey (excluding the bonnet and windscreen). these are all individual objects so they can be repositioned easily or handling separate of the main 'body' object. Eventually i will merge them all together and making this a 'one-piece-print'.
I was able to mainly reuse the landing gear from the Thunderhawk model, which is always a consideration to save work.
[Later 2020-03-29]
So here we have (almost) the final model that i released on thingiverse (sans-underwing guns). i smoothed some edges, added some 'gills' and 'fins' as required to make the shape a bit more interesting... basically breaking up large, flat, plain surfaces which are considered a bit dull.
Consider this one of those puzzles they used to have in newspapers... 'There are 7 differences between these two pictures. see if you can find them all.'
hint: there are far more than seven...
Overall... very happy with the result. Went to print out the two i need and accidentally punctured the final spare vat film i have for the printer... dagnabit!
So printing on hold until replacements parts arrive.
I have another model to make for this army. a ground transport this time which i won't bother documenting. Point of this one was to give an overview of the process which is probably covered sufficiently. It took many hours of dragging lines and faces around by minute amounts (literally 0.2 of a mm at a time). Several sessions of may be an hour here, half an hour there... early mornings, late nights... basically whenever the tv is the most rubbish and the partner is watching it.
Actually can't wait to print these bad boys out. always nice to have a physical proof that your model is 'as intended'.
Until next time...
