Newest Project - Impetus Fantasy - High Elves

So, in May of 1996 I saw the WFB 4th edition box in a store at the Yorkdale Mall in Toronto. That's what started all of this madness and it was the High Elves (which I didn't know at the time were all Jes Goodwin sculpts) that really grabbed me. It's 14 years later now, and those Elves are finally going to make it onto the table with my first Impetus Fantasy army. There will be other miniatures...I've had years to pick and choose. This first miniature, for example, is a GameZone Miniatures High Elven Lord. He will, in due course, be surrounded by his guard, like King Harold at Hastings. The style of this sculpt is very derivative of Mr. Goodwin's.


This is another heavy infantry base, like the king's above, 12 cm frontage and 6 cm deep. Here he is, a Jes Goodwin-sculpted hero. A great miniature, timeless really. His command of Elven spear will be added from the containers below shortly.

High Elven artillery, the rightly dreaded bolt-throwers of WFB. These are on a 12cm x 6cm base.

The cavalry, 5 of the Goodwin-sculpted Siver Helms in wedge formation on a 12cm x 8 cm base. I had to cut these off the GW cavalry bases they had been glued onto for years.

Here are the basic troops, loads of Elven spear and bow from the 4th edition box of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. If these miniatures are ever going to be improved upon by GW, it can only happen now, starting with the new range for 8th edition and the contents of the Island of Blood baxed set. Everything in between has been the makings of a sad panda, all dancing fools and smiling ponys.



Most of the miniatures above (excepting the Gamezone Lord) were sculpted and in production by 1993. It just goes to show that just because something is new doesn't mean it is better, though it has to be said that this is just my opinion.

Painting for Khador - Harlan Versh and his Trusty Rocketeer

Here is the Illuminated One and his trusty sidekick. I just finished these tonight. Harlan Versh is going to be my go-to merc solo for a good while, and I'm going to play a Winterguard army for the next year or so.

Front view:

Rear View:

Painting Khador - Kovnik Joe

I just finished this fellow. My inspiration to add him to my army was Mr. Flanzer's win at GenCon. Paints are GW Foundations, old Citadel metals, Reaper Clear Red, and a few other odds and socks. I have a full painted and based Winterguard unit + UA + 2 Rocketeers. I have one more Rocketeer to finish. I'll spray the entire unit with Testor's Dullcote then, and post a picture of them with the mortars and field gun.

Well, you know Dad, plans can't fight.

So earlier this evening I'm playing a game of Warmachine against Patrick, who will be five next month, and he's just feated with Vlad to move his jacks (Behemoth, Destroyer and Juggernaut) into my grill on his first turn, and I realize that with Engine of Destruction I can charge with Feora, and I decide not to, instead muttering something about my plan for eventual world domination, and Patrick, hearing this, says to me: "Well, you know Dad, plans can't fight." And I stand, amazed, at hearing von Moltke issuing from the tabula rasa of the mind of my 4 year old boy.


By the way, I have to play Feora now as my Kreoss suffered from the fury of Patrick, or to put it as von Moltke would have, "No miniature with rules that upset a young Khardic lad will long survive the first encounter with the boy's main strength."

Postscript GenCon + New miniature projects

There were a few things I forgot to say about GenCon, mainly because I had no pictures.

Fisrt, a big thanks to Matt Dipietro of Privateer Press for showing me and Ken his two-brush blending technique and some other tricks and techniques I filed away.

Second, it was very nice to talk to Ron Kruzie of Privateer Press about the fact that my four year old boy plays his painting video regularly (which is a little remarkable, though he just defeated me in a inter-faction Khador game about five minutes ago) and whether or not another video will be forthcoming in that series.

Third, Ken and me both played the Ex Illis demo. It was very nice. This company is Canadian (from Quebec) which is pretty inspiring.

Now for the pictures:

Here are my Dark Age Dragyri Ice Caste heavies. I picked up the Soul Warden from Cool Mini or Not at GenCon. I already had Lucky Kai (the biggest monster) and the Ice Elemental. I just built Lucky Kai and the Soul Warden. Absylonia is there for scale.


Here are the Dragyri slaves. Got these at GenCon. All in I have a 502 point army. And I just downloaded the rules and all of the factions for free. Thanks Dark Age.


Here are three more GenCon purchases. On the left is Tierdeleira, a Werner Klocke Dark Elf sculpt for Reaper. The other two are Enigma releases cast by Cool Mini or Not. Wonderful. These will all be unit leaders for my Impetus Fantasy army.


Finally, my Weird Old West warband. I picked up the Ronin blister from Wyrd Miniatures at GenCon. I had Rasputina and both Victorias already, pre-Malifaux, actually. The first Victoria is going to be an almighty christer to model the two swords on to. Anyways, we'll see.



As to my GenCon shopping list I got Wyrd Miniature's new Nightmare and Lord Chompy Bits duo. I didn't buy Cool Mini or Not's giant eagle resin figure. I regret that. Exceedingly.

I also went to the Thunderbolt Mountain booth, met Tom Meier and John Kellner, both charming fellows, and picked up a pack of 20 of their exquisite Byzantine spearmen. In terms of news on where they are going with upcoming production, Mr. Meier told me to expect a release of platoons with support elements of 1/48th scale WW2 US paratroopers and SS sometime in the relatively near future. In his words, most of the sculpting is done, it's just a matter of getting the production details finished.

GenCon Report

So, my plane arrives in Indianapolis at 8:20 AM Central time, Thursday, August 5th, 2010. I am a vegetable, but one capable of panic. I make it to the Convention Center directly from the airport in a taxicab by 9:15. I pick up my badge and ticket package from Will Call after another line up and then try to find the Privateer Press tournament (which has moved from the Wabash).

I find it in time to register and play Rite of Passage. My first game is against Orboros. This picture was taken before the start of my first turn. My army looked nice. I lost. I can't remember why.



This is towards the end of my second game. What fun we had in this game; I was throwing his Thunderhead about (I missed Nemo with it! Gah!) and he was frying me up pretty well.


This is after the first round of the third game. I thought it was sick that I had to play the very winged Legion list I sort of picked Legion in order not to play. It's kind of like circumcision...you're awake and it hurts a lot. Most of his models were somewhat painted.


In this game I lost to a man wearing a kilt. This has happened to men all over the world for many centuries, Highlanders being what they are. There were a few kilts at GenCon this year. No tartan though.


This is the crowd before one of the many doors into the exhibit hall on Friday morning. The picture doesn't do the scene justice.


I have to get one of these forts for the boys. Fantastic. By Conte.


Okay, now we are into the serious worship of minis. Dark Age had their booth with Cool Mini or Not. I think the latter now owns the former. Anyways, these are the Dragyri, which I quite like. I picked some up and am modeling them as I load these photos. We played a test game. A truly excellent small scale skirmish game. Very good mechanics. Nice. I'm in. Totally.


Ah, Kenoth of Menoth loves the Skarrd.


These are the Brood. Yum. We saw the new rule book (sans colour). Excellent looking. I can't wait.


So, Cool Mini or Not also are now producing Gamezone in North America. This is one of the Dark Elven figures. Jaw dropping.


As is this fellow. I have this figure.


And I have this Sandra Garrity sculpt, of a miniature formerly of the now defunct Magnificent Egos line, which Cool Mini or Not appears to possibly own as well. I have to paint this.


This is an original Cool Mini or Not release for Gen Con. It was worth every bit of the $70 they wanted, but I had to eat. And I already had my $70 miniature for the convention, Lord Chompy Bits and Nightmare (see below). By the way, this eagle is huge; that's a 28mm elven figure on its back.


Now this is a new release for Hell Dorado, which is now owned by Cipher Studios. We couldn't get a demo of Hell Dorado despite three visits to the Cipher Studios booth. This figure is called Augustinius Raimond, and I had determined to pick it up before the convention. I looked at it twice or three times in its blister and I thought the detail was soft and the cuts shallow. I didn't buy it.


This is my first Iron Arena game on Friday, against Quinton P. In this first picture my army is approaching the ball of metal death. He shoots my Carnivean to the right, but it has the spell Unnatural Aggression on it.


Here is the result. I was able to advance 6' in my maintenance phase with said Carnivean and charge Karchev. I feated but the winds of stupidity blew into my cranium and I did not cast Manifest Destiny. Karchev had three points left after all was said and done, and I died. Quinton was a good guy.


This is another Iron Arena game on Friday. In this first picture I am in the bunker with most of my army (the deployment rules meant large base models had to start inside). Approaching is a double pronged assault of Khadoran fury.


Here is the picture when I spew out of my hive. This game was another I lost in my assassination run, this time leaving two points on the Butcher. Fun stuff, great table.


Now this picture and the one following are of one of the best wargames I have ever had the pleasure to engage in. Myself and my buddy missed Hardcore on Saturday morning. We were each eating a very fine omellette when it started by my calculations. Never the mind, we decided to play on this exquisite railroad table instead. What a game.


Here is the view from the position of the black robes. Funny, I travelled three thousand miles to play a game against my buddy.



Here is Lord Chompy Bits riding Nightmare. Oh my God, this creation of Wyrd Miniatures for their Malifaux game has to be one of the best miniatures I have ever seen. I am going to convert him into a Khadoran caster for my son. His Feat will be Tantrum, when he will create Nightmare.


Here is the young master, sans Nightmare.


Another view of Nightmare.


And another.


And one final view, complete with a fanatic onlooker.


This is a Wendigo Yeti from Crocodile Games. Superb.


More of the Wendigo. What a painting job. Fine sculpts.


The new Skorne Nihilators from Privateer Press. They actually look better than this.


The new Legion Nephilim Bolt Thrower. Cool paint job.


The new Legion Ravagore. I saw the card. Cool, but I still prefer my Carniveans.


The new Cicle Warpborn Skinwalkers. Nice. And the fellow in the front is another new release, some kind of stoneskin phallus or other if I recall correctly.


The new Skorne Warlock, Dominar Rasheth. My buddy picked up the Skorne army book. Cool warlock.


The new Skorne Ancestral Guardian character solo Hakaar.


The new Skorne Warbeast Titan Sentry. It's contained in Hordes Primal MK II.


The new Skorne Extreme Titan Gladiator warbeast. Huge. Probably unplayable. Marvellous paintjob.


Cryx Warcaster Lich Lord Venethrax. This is long released but I really like the sculpt (very imposing figure) and the painting job.


New Cryx character jack (add-ons for standard Reaper Warjack build).


New Cygnar character jack.


New Khador character jack.


New Menoth character jack.


Cool terrain from Acheson Creations. This would make a great Menoth fort said Kenoth of Menoth. I could only agree, on fear of immolation.


This year I looked at the artist's section in the exhibit hall. I was very impressed, so impressed that I posed for my portrait. It's a reasonable likeness, probably a little understated. And my teddy bear doesn't have a smile.


This piece won the painter's award. I could see it. (Ha Ha).


Kenoth tries for yet another dimension. There's simply no point talking to him, he will not join the real world.


Ex Illis figure. This shows that their plastics can be quite excellent if modelled and painted properly.


This Ex Illis monks are very cool.


The detail on the wings of these Ex Illis angelic warrior types has to be seen to be believed. These sold out almost immediately on Thursday.


This monster works in Ex Illis because their system doesn't rely on basing of individual models. Great price too, less than $50.00.


Here is another one.


Here is my vote for the army of the convention. What a great paintjob, and he was just there playing pick-up games of WFB. Notice the Max Mini helmets on the unit in the front closest to my camera.


There were some nice touches to the army. Here, on the top of the pillar, we see two depraved demonettes (that's redundant) in an embrace.


Here the Lord rides two pony girls.


Here is the pole dancing demonette on the army standard. However, leaving aside these little details, the painting was just amazing. What an achievement.


So here is the last thing I did at GenCon, which was to watch the Privateer Press championship. This is the deployment of the armies, Khador with nSorshca on the left and Cryx with eGoreshade on the right.



The Khador player won with the following 35 point list.

nSorscha
War Dog
Behemoth warjack
Great Bears of Gallowswood
Winterguard Infantry (10)
2 Winterguard Infantry Rocketeers
Winterguard Unit Attachment
Kovnik Joe
Koldun Lord
nEiryss
Widowmaker Marksman
Manhunter

Which just goes to show that it's not the list, it's the player.