Zombie Week: Day Zero

Day Zero... The dead are rising from their resting place, deep in the darkest corners of my hobby cabinet. I need a quick fix that can only be gained from a completed project (too many slow burners at the moment). Zombies will be the first to give me that pleasure of completeness.

If zombies are raised from the field of battle, then shouldn't there be some non-humans in the mix? Thanks to Titan Forge, there are zomblins and undead trolls!

I've had these undead knocking around for a while and it was by chance that I remembered the plan I had to give them a very simple but effective paint job: quick undercoat, shade, highlight, shade, highlight, bang in a couple of signature touches... done. 

I've always like the idea of doing undead as if they are glowing with necromantic energies, which is the only thing giving them any coherency. The rules support this, so why not the paint job? Let's see if I can achieve a necrotic-bile green glow across the whole army.

40k Without A Plot Is A Dull And Limited Game, So For All Gamers Under About 33, Here's The Rogue Trader Plot Generator

Would you like your games to include such things as: Vast floating puddings, death worlds, governors plagued by pirates, mediaeval vampires, agricultural cooperatives, secret viruses, ancient dinosaurs, alien suicide bombers, doomsday devices, motorway ambushes, Greasy Kim's Bar and Diner, allergic atmospheres, scrap yard robots, jealous brothers, over zealous local police, Mysteriously Acquired Crazy Syndrome, unexploded minefields, migrating creatures, ex-wives, malfunctioning weapons, Dr Gostello's Amazing Intergalactic Psycho-circus, experimental androids, camera crews from local media companies? Then the Rogue Trader Plot Generator is for you! Grab your D100 (or borrow your Dad's if you're a youngling) or pick something that takes your fancy or get your GM to do it for you. Enjoy proper gaming! 

And by way of comparison, this is what you get in the current 40k rulebook...

Some John Blanche Art From The 40k Rulebook, Just Because It's Great

Reaper Bones Vs Metal Comparison

You might remember a week or so ago I posted my dabblings with painting one of the new Reaper Bones models. I thought the material was OK, given the price, but there were obvious limitations with the medium. Now Mike over at Constantly Risking Obscurity has just posted some very useful 'case studies' of the comparisons between Bones and metal models. It's certainly a must read for those who might be considering an investment in Bones in the future. A case of 'buyer beware' I suppose... Here's one of his pictures: 

Warhammer 40k: Inquisition Might Be The GW Surprise Release For 2013

A very tasty rumour this one, and potentially a downer if you're anticipating that a new edition of Blood Bowl will be the special box for this autumn.

This, or something like it...?

Rather than paraphrase, here's the text from Faeit 212:

You heard that right. It appears one of the biggest surprises this year is not going to be the re-release of Bloodbowl, but something that is much more insidious.......Warhammer 40k: Inquisition. 

This will be a skirmish sized game of 5-10 models per side, and may end up becoming more than a limited edition run. It seems that seeing all the skirmish sized game out there, Games Workshop is capitalizing on their 40k universe and peoples drive to want a smaller game. Rather ingenious if you ask me. 

Definitely if a game like this was the same scale models as 40k, and was expanded upon as more than just a limted release, count me in. Might have to count me in regardless.
Please remember that this is a rumor, some salt is always required. This breaking rumor comes from TastyTaste and more can be found here on his site. 

http://bloodofkittens.com/blog/2013/07/15/rumor-it-blood-bowl-come-inquisition/via TastyTaste on Blood of Kittens

GW is about to enter the skirmish scene with the release of Warhammer 40k: Inquisition
Inquisition is designed for 2-4 players and each side will use custom cards and dice. Army sizes consist of about 5-10 models per side. A whole new set of models drawn from Blanche artwork will accompany. The game should be flexible as you can make and design your own Inquisitorial retinue. As for rules complexity that is anyone's guess, but the general marketing goal for Inquisition is a gateway game into the greater Warhammer 40k universe.

Beyond that GW, seems to be taking cues from Kickstarter projects like Sedition Wars and home-brewed rules like Inq28 for Inquisitor. This also might not end up as a limited edition run, but that all depends on sales, and if any support is continued will be done through digital expansions and updates.

A Very Orky Distraction

I doubt that I'm the first hobbyist to damn themselves for constantly getting distracted. I'm certain I'm not the last. There are just so many new toys out there demanding to be bought. Things aren't helped by the unique pleasure associated with assembling plastics. During the recent hobby lull that afflicted me due to non-packed paints for a week in Cornwall I filled that vacated hole with reading and planning with the Ork codex - the plan? Feral Orks for the 2014 Armies on Parade. Now that's thinking ahead! But it's meant that for the last fortnight I've been converting batches of models from Orcs to Orks - I started out back in the hobby building on the contents of the Battle for Skull Pass set, so I gathered plenty of greenskins during that re-christening period, almost all of which I didn't bother to paint. Thus, Orks are a great option, especially considering how cool the newish Savage Orcs are. 

There is another historical link here, because I played Feral Orks way back in the days of Rogue Trader. Back then it was as a consequence of having a mix of futuristic and wild boyz, and a distinct lack of any funds whatsoever to use to build an army. Now, things are somewhat different. Consider, for example, the prospect of converting up a whole range of cyborg-squig-creatures to take the place of trucks and battlewagons and bikes... The future is green (with lashings of orange I imagine too).

Nurgle Gun Drone Or Blight Drone Substitute

This interesting little morsel was posted up on the HiTech Miniatures facebook page yesterday. I was thinking it might make a potential substitute for a Blight Drone. I've just taken my drone onto the table for the first time this weekend and it proved to be a rather nifty prospect, being heavy on the weaponry but taking a Fast Attack slot in force organisation. Useful when blasting away at marines and terminators. 

The Dread Maw Bursts Forth

Forge World have finally released the Dread Maw model and here it is:

The rules for this beast are great: it can pop up right under enemy units. The model is pretty dynamic and I rather like it, just look at those rows of teeth. It would've been rather nice though to have more of the model above ground, maybe lancing down on it's foes, rather than just at the point it erupts through the earth. A minor point perhaps. I do hope that FW keep banging out these large monsters and don't become consumed with the Heresy.

Knights Of Badassdom Trailer

As someone who managed to mis-spend a fair amount of their teens playing LARP, this is a film that was just made for me... well, me 25 years ago.

Wizard in Reaper Bones Plastic

Here's a fun little fellow. He's a wizard by Reaper in their relatively new bendy Bones material. Thanks to Andy for giving him to me from his big box of kickstarter goodies. 

I've used him as a test model for my Slaanesh colours and I'm very pleased with the results. If you're thinking about Bones I'd recommend giving it a go. The models are really cheap and although there is patchy definition (what do expect for the price?) these are Reaper minis so there's bundles of character. (Background art supplied by my daughter Astrid).

Armies On Parade - Accidental Nurgle Goo And Gloss

Following a slight problem with a forgotten paint box during my holiday last week, I ended up experimenting with something completely new: Tamiya X series paints. This wasn't entirely intentional yet by happy accident I think I've found a neat way to do the 'gooey' weapons on the Obliterators and Mutilators. These paints are glossy which is very unfashionable these days. I'm hoping they might lend a slight old school edge to this bunch of degenerates. Here's how it's going so far:

This Proves 40K Apocalypse Is A Rubbish Gaming Idea

It isn't the ghastly overpriced toy kits. It's not the silly looking additional rulebook. It's not all the stern faced and surprisingly dull new Space Marine commanders. It's not even the frankly ludicrous notion of ranks of tanks on a 6' by 4' table. No, it's the dice set. This is what proves 40K Apocalypse is a ridiculous gaming idea. If you seriously need over 100 dice to play a tabletop wargame then something has gone horribly wrong and your company really is just a shop front for plastic crack. For every nudge towards sensible gaming that leaks into current rule sets, there's always a kick in the wrong direction like this one, which makes me walk by the GW store, shaking my head. Current 40K is really rather good - then something thickheaded like this comes along and makes a mockery of it all.

Oh yes, and this thing is ridiculous too... how can this be a game for goodness sake!

July White Dwarf Pictures

Courtesy of Johan Märs at Dice and Brush - see his full post here with more pictures. I like the jellyfish Necron guy.

A Day At The Beach Means...

Another big bag of basing materials!

Holiday In The Countryside Means...

Big bag of basing materials!