Showcase: Farsight

Finished Farsight tonight.

Basically copied the paint job on the GW website, except I added some power weapon effects to his sword..

Sword arm is magnetized for easy transport.

That's the last Tau I own that's unpainted.  I would still like to get a 2nd Riptide, but that's pretty low on the priority list.

That's it for now!

Portland Armies on Parade

Well last Saturday night was the Portland Games Workshop armies on parade. There were only 6 entries. I thought it would have been much bigger considering how loose the rules were.

I didn't place. I was very disappointed of course, but meh stuff happens.  At least the Seahawks won.

I finished the last 10 of my hand weapon/shield guys. Didn't bother to take pics, because it's nothing exciting. They look just like these 35:

Still having a horde of Orcs is pretty impressive looking, even if not that great. GW really needs to bring Orcs up to the level of Orks. They should have the same base stats and cost. 

Anyway, I'm almost done with Farsight.  Pretty simple paint job, for a pretty simple model.  I might do something else with the sword, not sure yet. If not, all that's left is the basing.

That's it for now!

Quick take: Star Trek Attack Wing collection

A few other people did it on facebook so I decided to get out everything and snap a pic. It was also a good way to make sure I have not lost anything.

No Dominion anywhere to be found..

Not many updates this month. I'm working on the last 10 Orc boys with hand weapon/shield. It's one of those projects that's been in the bottom of a tub yet always nagging me.  Once these guys are done the only O&C model I'll have left to paint is a Grimgor.

That's it! Until next time..

Next project done: Burnaboys for Toys for Tots.

I just finished my latest project, 6 burnaboys for the Freebootaz forum Toys for Tots charity drive.

I have a much more modest donation this year because this is all I have to donate. 

I did some things different and I really like how they came out. I used colors I've never used before - greens - and a skin I've never done.

I washed the entire model - skin and all - with Agrax Earthshade and then used the waywatcher green glaze over the skin. The resulting shadow is just fantasic. A layer of goblin green and a subtle highlight of scorpion green finish off the skin.

I also used astrogranite texture paint for the first time. It's pretty darn cool looking after a light grey drybrush.

anyway, pics!

Ork Op Ed: Can you run super aggressive?

I've been playing a bit different last few games, running an aggressive assault army. So far, it's worked out pretty well, but won't work against everything.

Still, the idea of playing in-your-face is nothing new with Orks, but the new book allows for a level of durability never seen before from the boys.

Battlewagons, ho!

I've talked about Warbikes and durability.  Well, it wouldn't take much to really exploit this. Add in some troops in battlewagons and you will be playing the whole game on the other side of the table.

Ork Horde Detachment (2000pts)
Warboss, PK, Da Lucky Stikk, Warbike, bosspole
Painboy, Warbike, bosspole
Painboy, Warbike, bosspole

20 Slugga boys, 'eavy armor, Nob w/ PK&BP

20 Slugga boys, 'eavy armor, Nob w/ PK&BP
10 Grots/Runtherd

5 Meganobz
Battlewagon: Big shoota, reinforced ram

15 Warbikes , Nob w/ PK&BP
15 Warbikes , Nob w/ PK&BP
Battlewagon: Big shoota, reinforced ram
Battlewagon: Big shoota, reinforced ram

The one downside is not having any protection for the battlewagons, from like a KFF but hopefully some cover will be available. It's not an issue if you go first however.

But two full units of bikes, both with FNP and one with WS5 will be a huge threat.  But with the warboss tanking with his 3+ cover rerollable and FNP should mean that turn of shooting will be pretty much for naught.

The meganobz add in a little punch for tougher units, and after they get out you can always move a painboy over.

Orks have always wanted to play on the other side of the table, and now they might just be able to pull it off.

Ork Op Ed: Bikes are really good. Maybe the best unit in the Codex.

I recently made my Book of the Beast warbiker video, and after going over the rules it was obvious they are really good.

For my last couple of games, I've actually played them and theory translates into function even better then then I thought.

First, bikes are cheap.  They dropped 7 pts each from the previous book.  For that, they are T5, WS4, S4 on the charge with 3 base attacks.

Second, they are really survivable.  The aforementioned T5, a 4+ armor save and thanks to the new "exhaust cloud" rule they have a 3+ cover save when jinking.

Third, they still have great firepower with 3 twin-linked S5 AP5 shots each with a 30" threat range.  They can be a threat to most flyers with that..

Forth, they are FAST. Just like any bike the 24" a turn movement means you're in your opponents face right away. Did I mention they have 'ere we go, meaning they get to re-roll one charge die? On a BIKE!?!?  They are cheap enough and hardy enough to really be the hammer in the hammer and anvil. Boost them across the board while marching your infantry behind them.  Your opponent will be far to busy dumping firepower into the bikes to worry about anything else..

Last, you can really buff them up.  Now that you can take a painboy as a character, and give him a bike, giving the bike unit FNP is really amazing.

If you really want to go crazy give them a biker boss with Da Lucky Stikk for WS5 and LD9.  It will also allow the biker boss to tank those S10 shots!

The one downside is the low leadership.  Once they drop below 10 models it isn't hard for them to run away even with mob rule.  However if you have at least 10 models they won't run, as the S4 hits probably won't do very much with T5, 4+ armor and FNP.

So are they the best unit in the Codex?  I'm not sure, but it's hard to ignore all that speed, firepower, hitting power and survivability.

To refurbish or not refurbish?

Tonight I put the finishing touches on refurbishing my very first Warhammer 40k model - A metal Ork warboss with big choppa. Which is also my first conversion - adding 'eavy armor and making a grenade launcher for stikkbomz.

Didn't do much, cleaned up the chipped paint, washed, highlights and then a varnish to seal it up.

I've heard some people say you shouldn't redo your old models, but keep them as examples of how you've improved over the years.


Before

After

I'd rather have playable models then relics, but that's me. What is your opinion?

Showcase: Trukk and Trukk Boyz

So my first painted Trukk is done, along with a unit of matching boyz.  I used hairspray chipping, but didn't do a whole lot, I wanted a small amount of chipping.

I really like the purple, and decided to go with that color after the rims of the boys was done in it. I used brown and grey flames on the roof to match the brown and grey in the boy's clothing.

My usual rust and pigment work and it was all finished.

Pics!