N3!

Got my copy of n3 the other day! Allow me to fully digest it's contents, free and Unencumbered by internet opinion, before I spew forth my take on it

Funding goal 1 reached!

Woo! There will be bridges! 

Sold the Storm Giant and the Mirkwood Spiders for £70 to a nice chap in Italy 

That means I will have at least 5 of the nice Plastcraft bridges for my board. Come on eBayers, get buying!

The Carnevale Project

So I paid into my first ever Kickstarter earlier this month, backing the Carnevale kickstarter by Vesper-On games. I have to say, it looks very cool.

Kickstarter is an odd beast, especially with established companies using it to fund things that already exist. I guess in one way it ensures that there is a market for your product.

Which got me to thinking about my own projects. Usually I have grand plans, go way over budget then can't be bothered to build what I've bought, but planning the project like a kickstarter with stretch goals might be both fun and a good way to control the project.

I need to build a board for Carnevale, and I'd like to have it ready for when my Kickstarter pledge arrives, around April 2015. 

Simultaneously, I've put all my spare Battle of Five Armies stuff up on eBay. My intention is to fully fund the Carnevale board with the eBay money. So, the more I sell, the more I can stretch to a better board! The total maximum for everything for sale is £380

Let the planning begin:

Concept: a 30"x30" board depicting 18th century Venice, consisting of canalways, streets, bridges and buildings, such as the one seen here in a Vesper-On 'a kickstarter video. 

Basic Project: £0

If I make no money from eBay, then I must build the board with stuff I already have. I will have a 30"x30" printed mat as part of the Carnevale Kickstarter, which will form the base of the board. I will make a series of 30mm high boxes out of styrofoam which will serve as platforms. I will make bridges from styrofoam but they will be basic. Buildings will be styrofoam, and there will only be a few.

Stretch Goal 1: £50: Bridges!

I will add five of the Venetian bridges from Plast Craft Games

Stretch Goal 2: £100: Buildings:

I will add two of the two-storey buildings from Plast Craft Games

And one of the three-storey buildings

Stretch Goal 3: £150: Spruce up

I will make the platforms to a higher standard. The corners will be clad in embossed brickwork/ stonework, and lined with plasticard strips.

Drains will be made from styrene tubing. 

The tops of the platforms will be made from foam PVC with tectured wallpaper to represent the flagstones 

Stretch Goal 4: £200: More buildings!

I will add a two storey building with terrace 

Plus an extra two-storey building and an extra three-storey building. 

Stretch goal 5: £250: Another Level!

I will add three connecting bridges

And a further two-storey building

Stretch goal 6: £300: Better water!

I will build a 30"x30" base board with a proper water effect to represent the canal water

Stretch goal 7: £350: Street furniture!

I will add a set of the Wolsung range street scatter from micro-art studios

And also a set of their stands 

I will also add street lamps, although I can't find a good supplier just yet

Final Stretch Goal: £380: the chapel!

If all my wildest eBay dreams cone true, I will crown it all off with the Chapel

Well, that was fun, now I just wait to see how many pennies roll in!

Space Hulk- squad Lorenzo

I haven't been lazy! I just forgot to update the blog

Finished the first squad of terminators for space hulk. They're such busy models that they took an age, but I like the way the came out , even if I can't photograph the red 

Just for  fun...

Battle of Five Armies- test game

Jack and so had a run through a game of Bo5A using just the plastics from the boxed game-

The rules seem awesome, although I'm not sure if we played them right or not! Time for a review later I guess.

I think it could definitely work with two boxes sets and all the metals as a big participation game 

Turns out, lots of goblins defending a hill can be pretty damn tough. Dwarves and Beorn are hard as nails. I love the command system in the game, it gives a sense of overall command and messages not getting relayed properly

Much fun. More soon

Goodies from Antenociti's Workshop

Earlier this year I did a commission for Antenociti's Workshop for their Designed for Infinity range. I've been using their products since 2005 so it was great to do some painting for them.

Anyway today I recieved a package from them with some goodies, which was overly generous of them. All of it will find it's way into my Infinity Terrain set I'm planning for Third Edition!

Obviously they didn't send me the toaster, that's mine...

Necromunda Wk5- Brutality

It was time for Graf Orlock to assert his dominance over the Yellowjackets. In this week's scenario, a remote dome far outside of Sourbridge's boundary was being scouted, not just by the Yellowjackets, but also by those crazy Cawdor, Jebediah's Revenge. The dome, an old hab farm known as Buried-Wych, turned out to be useless, but when the two gangs locked eyes on each other, out of sight of the law, a confrontation was bound to happen.

The gangs were split up into groups which arrived randomly. I was playing against Ryan, who hitherto-forth shall reside in the group of good people to play games against. Two of his juves and a mangled, multi-impaired ganger turned up, so I sent Lynch and Bryce, my grown-ass Juve, along with Nickl, the new flamer heavy, into tunnels to deal with them. Lynch gunned down the ganger, taking him out. The poor guy already had every injury going...

After surviving pistol fire, Nickl was lined up for a brutal flamer shot to take out the two remaining juves. He pulled the trigger and...bang! Blew up in his face! Useless boy! Bryce managed to shoot one of the Juves from his perch

Lynch got into combat with the remaining Juve, wanting to wrap his chain around his head. Unfortunately, the Juve was a secret combat expert! He rolled two crits and bashed Lynch's skull in.

Bryce followed up his earlier attack and finished off Cletus

Knave, the scum, Kyne, and the new juve, Garn, turned up and got into position, closely followed by Jebediah himself! The crazy bastard took Knave out and Garn down.

Kyne shot up Jebediah's henchmen, but the old leader got up close and blasted him with a shotgun round

On the other side of the board, Graf Orlock and Brannan turned up and mauled a juve and heavy, but not before Graf got taken out by a lucky autopistol round

Bryce, the ruthless little sod, managed to shank not one, but two downed gangers, using his impetuous skill. At this point, both of us had been passing multiple bottle rolls, I had 5 guys out of action, Ryan had 7. Only Jebediah remained active, and finally failed his bottle roll. Victory Yellowjackets!

Graf and Kyne made full recoveries, Garn recieved impressive scars. Lynch suffered a head wound, and Nickl got she'll shock. 

Kyne, however, contracted spore sickness whilst working the spire cave. 

Because there were so many wounding hits, almost everyone advanced, some several times. 

Graf thankfully rose to Gang Champion level (it was a bit embarrassing having a 44xp leader...), becoming Impetuous and gaining 1 strength.

Harkan decided he is now an inventor. I am loathe to call him an inventor until he actually invents something

Kyne rose to BS5, which makes him formidable with his crack shot ability, if he recovers from his sickness

Brannan, the boltgun wielding Weaponsmith , gained rapid fire with his boltgun

Lynch gained a BS increase 

Bryce gained a point of strength and 'Counter Attack'. I often think that grown-juves make odd gangers, but with A2, S4, WS3, impetuous and counter attack, he's grown into a little combat dude

Ryan's guys got a variety of head and hand injuries, except his beaten up old ganger, who finally croaked. 

Next week I must work the weekend, so who knows if the Yellowjackets will make another outing? 

54mm stone troll WIP

Progress!

Necromunda wk4- the rise of Graf Orlock

P'It all started with that weird kid. 

The Yellowjackets were just about as feared as any other big gang in Sourbridge. They controlled everything as far as the Junktion, and had settled boundaries with the Misfitz after several infamous clashes. 

"King" Rogan Ironfist started out as a solid and dependable leader, gritty and fearless in a scrap. But as the money started to flow in, King Rogan started to let himself go. A steady diet of ratburgers and all the Wildsnake he could bully out of Gorgon's Hole eventually led to grumbling that the old leader had lost his grip. 

When a quiet stranger appeared in Gorgon's Hole offering cash for a simple job, greedy old Rogan almost bit his hand off. Some kids from the Spire had found their way downhive. They didn't belong. The stranger wanted them back.

There's no such thing as a secret in Sourbridge, and as the Yellowjackets tracked the missing kid to the ruins of Old Swine Ford, the Van Saar scum known as the Bumblebears attacked. 

The Yellowjackets took a beating, but found the kid hiding and shaking in the ruins. She looked no older than fourteen standard years, but odd somehow. Brannan beckoned her to follow him, which she did without question. He could almost smell the reward. He cheerfully let off a burst from his Boltgun at the advancing Van Saar. The noise made the kid shriek, and all around her, debris, rivets and bolts flew outwards with kinetic force. The kid was some sort of rogue psyker. Dangerous to be around.

King Rogan saw all this happening, and duly panicked and ran away. The surviving Yellowjackets fought a desperate retreat, ushering the weird kid along with them, trying not to provoke her any further. 

It was Graf who found Rogan after the battle. Drunk on Wildsnake, slumped over a table in Gorgon's Hole. 

"Axel's dead," he growled. Rogan acknowledged the news of the death of the veteran heavy with a blink of his watery eyes. Graf leaned in closer, slamming his hands on the table. 

"They've got Sevan."

Rogan didn't even look up. Addressing his own, ample gut, he slurred "We get the kid? Lotta creds..."

Graf lost his temper. He upended the table and dragged Rogan from the bar by his neck. Throwing him to the floor in the dusty street outside, he watched as he staggered to his feet, drunken rage etched into his face. 

Every door and window slammed shut, but those too curious for their own good watched through holes in steel shutters. 

They say that Graf drew first, but old Rogan charged him down, swinging wildly with his chainsword. But Graf was faster, beating Rogan down with the butt of his rifle. 

Reaching down to the beaten old leader, Graf pulled free the sparstones embedded in Rogan's scalp. Holding them aloft for all the silent onlookers to see, he screamed at the top of his lungs. 

"See this? The King is no more! From now on, the Junktion is mine!"

From that day forth, they called him Graf Orlock.'

Painting update- necromunda, big troll

I've been busy, promise! 

Toiling away at Genestealers mostly, but the Necromunda campaign is becoming so enjoyable, additional models for that are hijacking the painting queue.

My leader, Rogan Ironfist, also known as King Rogan, or King, has become somewhat of a personality in the underhive settlement of Sourbridge. He labours under the false pretence that he is distantly related to the ruling family of house Orlock, but the exact nature of his family connection changes with each retelling. So far, the Yellowjackets have gone from strength to strength, however Rogan has used his cut of the profits to satisfy his enormous appetite. A diet of ratburgers and wildsnake does you no good, and Rogan has been a bit addled of late. Recently, he has decided to hammer a collection of sparstones into his scalp, to give himself a crude crown. Regardless, his reputation precedes him, and he is a ferocious leader in battle . 

I just need to finish the plasma cell glow, correct a few dots of blue where my airbrush spat, and clean up the 'soreness' around his sparstone crown. Next to him is a new model for Brannan, who recieved Rogans old boltgun when I bought that plasma gun. As a Weaponsmith, he can deal with the bolter's poor ammo roll

I also got started on my big troll, mainly as I was in the mood for airbrushing and he's been on my table for too long

Airbrushing and inking done, a bit of handpainting and detail work and he 'll be ready to fight the slayer!

Necromunda week 3: meet Cree. Also, RIP Cree.

"Is that kid still hanging around outside? Tell him to get lost. Whad'ya mean he's got himself a jacket!? Get him out of here!"- 'King' Rogan Ironfist

So now the Yellowjackets and the Misfits have forged a grudging respect for each other. 

After my last game, a juve from my settlement latched onto my gang, frustratingly cutting into my profits and necessitating the purchase of a laspistol for him, not to mention having to model and paint him! This unwelcome Juve, known as Cree, would have to prove himself worthy of that jacket!

First, Danzig and his band of Goliaths with questionable eating habits attempted to rescue Hannibal, their lame Heavy, who I'd systematically tortured. I rolled a 2 to determine how many guards I'd left with him. I chose trusty old Lynch, the lasgun ganger, and I threw Cree into the mix, trial by fire.

The Goliaths sounded the alarm early with their characteristically poor shooting, effectively discharging a shotgun into the air to announce their presence. Steve's whole gang had turned up (minus Chucky, who's old battle wound was giving him gyp), and he never liked sneakin around anyway

It became swiftly apparent that my reinforcements weren't going to turn up in time to help, so Cree, desperate to be a real Yellowjacket, charged towards three Misfits. With a reedy little battle cry, he shot Jaws cleanly in the chest, taking him down. In awe, Vorheese broke and ran! 

In Steve's turn, Ghostface returned fire at Cree, who was hit but unhurt. I began to think that this little Juve might be a hero after all! Unfortunately, he tripped and fell over a railing, injuring himself as he landed. Danzig, the meltagun toting Goliath leader, strolled over and unleashed the melta at the stricken juve, taking him out of action many times over. 

Just as three of my gang arrived to help, it was already too late, Lynch was taken out of action and I bottled.

Now for the tragedy! Poor Cree, the eager juve who had just wanted to prove himself, who took on three of the Misfit's best and almost came out on top, was very, very dead!

Worse, in a dramatic shift of events, a Lynch was captured!

We decided to play the counter-rescue straight away after our post battle sequence. Most of my guys hadn't even turned up, so only Lynch, the captured ganger, had an advance. +1 initiative

Three misfits guarded Lynch, on the highest, remotest building on the table. Perhaps the cannibalistic Goliaths had heard wrong. Lynch, not Lunch, you morons. Everyone but Graf turned up to help out with the rescue

What followed was an almost picture perfect pincer attack. Kyne and Knave , the hired gun, took the centre route. Rogan and Brannan took the low road, Harkan and Sevan got into a firing position. 

Harkan let rip with his heavy stubber, but once again failed to wound anything after successfully hitting! Unsurprisingly, his heavy weapon sounded the alarm. Cunningly, I'd crept Axel and Bryce underneath the Misfits. Bryce sprinted over and freed Lunch (bagging himself some welcome XP in the process), while Axel let rip with his flamer, taking Hannibal and the Juve down, but failing to wound Ghostface. 

Knave finished off Ghostface by rapid firing his plasma pistol. Just like in my game, reinforcements arrived, and Steve bottled, no doubt worried that Hannibal might become the most injured Heavy in Sourbridge history. Fortunately, all his guys made a full recovery. 

Post game, Axel unsurprisingly advanced, becoming an armourer.

Bryce advanced twice, becoming a top juve, gaining +1 WS and the True Grit skill.

With my stack of creds I bought Rogan a plasma gun and chainsword, as befitting the self-proclaimed King, gifting his boltgun to Brannan, my Weaponsmith, and his sword to Kyne, so now I've got some modelling to do. 

Now the Misfits and Yellowjackets have tangled enough, a youth has lost his life. I heard there's another Orlock gang in town flying yellow colours. I'm coming for them next...

Pirates of the Galleons Graveyard pt 2

Prisoner in the Citadel!

Never too much pirate music!

http://youtu.be/9IQvKvJqPLA

This time, Roth is searching the Corpse Reef for his scattered fleet. It becomes apparent that Arranessa Saltspite has landed on an island home to a Sylvanian Castle, probably hoping to steal some treasure. Unfortunately, she's now under attack from the undead denizens of the Citadel. 

My mission was to use the Heldenhammer to breach the Citadel walls, allowing Arranessa to escape. Once completed, Aranessa had to escape the seascape in her Swordfysh. Unfortunately for me, both the Dreaded Reaver and the Curse of Zandri would be stalking me along the way. 

I wasted no time in navigating the treacherous reef and dropped anchor near the Citadel. I brought the Heldenhammer's crushing Hammer of Sigmar down and...did nothing. The guards of the Citadel opened fire and caused a bit of damage to my flagship. 

At the end of the third turn, both the Reaver and the Curse had arrived, and I was no closer to breaching the Citadel Walls. The Curse of Zandri shocked me with King Amhanotep's excellent command rating, managing to broadside the Heldenhammer swiftly, setting it ablaze with the light of Ptra.

Finally I used the Hammer of Sigmar to breach the walls and free Arranessa, who wasted no time getting back to the Swordfysh, unfortunately, a bad turn of fate produced a Bone Hydra and Lychworm to bar my path. 

The Heldenhammer took an absolute beating. At one point, it was on fire, the rigging was ruined, the wheel stuck and only turning left, it was adrift, cursed by the undead manner, and had numerous crew and hull damage attached to it. Most of the damage was caused by the Zandri but as I attempted to escape jeopardy from the Lychworm, I overshot and ran aground, causing a pack of Bloodsharks to begin their attack. Fortunately though, Arranessa successfully destroyed the Bone Hydra, and on literally the last turn, managed to break free from the reef and escape! Victory for the alliance!

Next time, Dwarf vs Chaos dwarf (and a little bit of Arabyan Sorcerer) clash in a battle for barrels of grog! Yarrr!