Lip Beating - Severius hammers Thagrosh

Where I live the loser of a fight is often described as having "the lips beat off of them". This happened on Saturday night when Kenoth of Menoth brought a dead hard 50 point nSeverius list to the throwdown in St. John's.

His list had 5 jacks (Reckoner, Crusader, 2 x Revengers, and a Repenter) along with full units of Choir, Cleansers and Knights Exemplar, and the usual Menothian suspects.

I had 2 Carniveans, a Seraph, a Nephilim Protector, a Harrier and a Shredder, along with full Legionaires, 3 Warmongers and the War Chief, and 2 Shepherds.

We played ten minute turns. I won the roll off, and it had been so long since that had happened that I had forgotten how to play first, so I passed the first turn to Ken.

What I Did Wrong

Poorly Deployment

My deployment, the supposed reason I went second, was not good. I placed the Legionaires opposite the Knights (and a Paladin of the Wall). This was not the right thing to do. What I should have done was either deploy the Warmongers opposite these laddies of Menoth, or else I should have led everything with the Legionaires with the Warmongers behind them and opposite the Knights as a counter-charge unit. The Knights were a big problem for me and I had to deal with them properly ab initio.

Tactica Idiotas

My tactics were poor. This was displayed in my poor deployment, of course, but also in my decision-making during the game. On my second turn I slammed one Carnivean into a Revenger and Reckoner, knocking both down, and then charged the second Carnivean into the Reckoner after Slipstreaming it. Notionally, there is nothing too, too wrong with this, and neither was vulnerable to charging Knights on Ken's next turn (though there was a Crusader to think about), but throwing both of my heavy hitters into the maws of the enemy was perhaps not so wise. There is no magic to knocking things down any more unless there is a game-changing shooting attack to follow and, as it turned out, I nerfed the Carni's charge damage roll on the Reckoner anyways (I rolled a 1 and a 2 and didn't even bother with the third dice). By the end of Ken's following turn both Carniveans were dead. I got one back on the feat, but it was still very poorly done on my part. Interestingly, I had to actually back both Carniveans into the melees, arse first, which unerringly displayed in a figurative sense the position that I had put both of them, and myself, in with this grand, suicidal gesture.

Emotional Barbeque

I played this game standing up. I need to sit down when I play. I have way more fun and success that way. My dice rolling was absymal. The truth is I have to boost - not to make a 7, but to make a 5. My dice rolling is so crappy that for it to even out I would need to roll 5's and 6's for about the next 107 years, and that's just not going to happen. But I know all this, and my style has evolved over time, subconsciously I think, to take this into account. Here, I got into a fey mood during the game, after rolling shite dice for three rounds straight, so that in the end I just got a little moody, and when I missed my attack roll when charging the Repenter with my Seraph I started to lose interest in the contest. My final play of the game involved rolling a 3 on a Mutagenesis onto a Choirboy (I needed a 5) and I conceded. There is no need of this. I painted 4 Legionaires and a Protector for this game. I have always known that 1) you have to be good to be lucky, and 2) you have to laugh in the face of bad dice. I wasn't good, and so I wasn't lucky. And when I got unlucky, I forgot to laugh and to just have fun and think on how lucky I am to be able to have a game of Hordes every couple of weeks. I'll have to think on this.

Time Mismanagement

I knew I was going to have problems with time when I used all but 1:45 on the first round. I mean, this is not a hugely complex list. Every turn that followed saw me missing the play of a number of models. I missed a Vengeance attack with my Legionaires, and I missed their regular move altogether in the same, or another, turn. I think I played 1 Shepherd once in the last three turns of the game, and I think I played each of the Harrier and the Protector once only as well. Now this is something that I can fix with practice and, probably, with some list management. But it has to be said that I used to be better able to play Hardcore at 750 points with 7 minute turns than I was on Saturday night past at 50 points using 10 minute turns. I think I am getting old. Maybe I need to start at 12 minute turns and then work down from there.

What Ken Did Right

Ken was a fell opponent playing a dead hard list. So, an experienced foe using, with craft, a combination of Eye of Menoth + Choir + Jacks + Ashes to Ashes + dice rolling which invariably succeeded and, more often than not, succeeded with a plentitude of dice in the 4-6 range = a hammering to remember.

El Conclusion

I want a rematch! And, I need to play an army that requires me to roll 4's, not 5's.
I don't care what the faction is. Any suggestions?

Gaming Progress

Von Moltke the Elder said that no plan will survive first contact with the enemy. And so it was. After initially playing 2 or 3 games with Menoth lists (nSeverius and Vindictus), and making the usual renewbie mistakes that have to be expected with a return after long absence to Warmahordes, I decided to play on the more familiar ground of my nThagrosh Legion list.

Successes, albeit successes still riddled with inexcusable errors, have followed with victories in my last three games, one against a 35 point Rhyas list, and two others against the High Reclaimer at 35 and 50 points.

My 35 point list is essentially as follows:

nThagrosh
Carnivean
Seraph
Shredders(x2)
Harrier
Legionaires(x6)
Warmongers(x3)
Warmonger War Chief
Forsaken
Shepherd

My 50 point list grows from that. I added a Carnivean and a Shepherd for the game and thought I had 50 points. Actually it turned out I had 43 points, as I had dropped one Shredder (which brings up the topic, for another time, about playing with point differentials). Let's just say that I get mathematically challenged when tired and rushing through the set up phase.

Anyways, to bring it up to 50 points I will either add a Nephilim Protector or 4 more Legionaires and 2 more Warmongers. All of these miniatures are on the painting table and only the 2 extra Warmongers are in any danger of not being completed this week. I will post pictures in the next few days.

Other thoughts occur to me. The Forsaken remains a profoundly psychological wargaming piece. It attracts significant enemy attention - i.e. focus and fury - and, because of that, it does not often get an effective Blight Shroud attack. Against the High Reclaimer Ashes to Ashes is the death of it. I did keep it back a bit in the Rhyas game and it removed a Raptor with boosted attack and damage rolls, so that is a consideration. But I could have done so much more if I had played it closer to the warbeast/lock scrum in that contest. Otherwise, while 2 Shredders are often said to be better than one, with nThaggie I wonder.

The other gaming I have been doing involves introducing a friendissima to Hordes. This has involved 4 battlebox games, with her playing Lylyth (which I have now painted for her) and associates, and my playing the Morghoul box. A rewarding experience it has been. It is amazing how much one can learn, or confirm, teaching the game to another, and I have grown very keen to play Morghoul again after, maybe, 4-5 years on my various shelves. Of course, I have lost every game, and that is as it should be.

In the last game I wanted to Trample into the Carnivean with my Gladiator as a Shredder was in the way, but my friend entreated me to advise her what to do, having picked up a gleam of wickedness in my eyes I suppose. I had to tell her to move one of her other Shredders into a position in front of the Carnivean that resulted in ending my proposed Trample short of the Carni. We did go through the whys and wherefores of it all, so the next time I shall show no mercy, though no doubt I'll still lose.

I highly recommend teaching the game. People often say that those that can not do, teach, but I think teaching helps with doing. Or something like that.

Back in the saddle again

Colleagues,

So, after a long hiatus due to overwheming work and other things I am ready to start playing again. My main focus will be getting back into Warmahordes. My plan is to play multiple factions on an ongoing alternate continuous basis in the following manner. To do this properly I'll need to play 2-3 games a week. That cannot happen for the foreseeable future but I expect it to be at least possible by sometime early next year.

Khador - Harkevich (caster ordered - army is painted except for Harkevich and Black Ivan)

Menoth - nSeverius (caster and army almost painted)

Cygnar - nHaley and/or possibly Seige (a fair bit of work left to paint this army...I'll probably continue to borrow Jason's nHaley army for the foreseeable future)

Cryx - nDeneghra (have only to paint Deneghra - the army is fully painted though some elective rebasing and recolouring continues)

Retribution - Rahn (this caster almost painted along with a large Retribution force to accompany him...I have to model Discordia)

Skorne - nMorghul (painted, as is army - I may look at eMorghul here if do not need to buy much to go along with him)

Legion - nThagrosh and eThagrosh (both painted, as is army)

My goal is to become good enough at WM/H to at least vigorously compete at a major tournament next year. By playing this many casters I hope to learn their factions (my education in Circle and Trolls will no doubt continue apace from Ken and Jason). It would be nice if Ken were to do the Harbinger as I need to practice against her. As well, I would really like to learn how to play my Khador well against a Saeryn Angelius list, and I need to better learn how to play eThagrosh against pretty well everything. Finally, it would be a fine thing if Mark decided to play eSkarre (hint, hint, hint).

I don't want to buy much more in terms of miniatures at this point in time...money is tight, but unfortunately I think I absolutely have to pick up at least one Ravagore, along with a Scythean and a blister of Stingers. As well, Anyssa Ryvaal is a must have so that I can finally decide upon whether the Raptors are to be, or not to be. The reason I am concentrating on Legion is because it's the only faction I have where I can play two versions that I like of the same caster with anything approaching familiarity and comfort. That said, I might even look at playing Lylyth in the same light, though that could just be other peoples' meta talking at me from the warp.

Otherwise, I intend to paint a 15mm French HYW army for Impetus...I have the figures, but no camp yet. I also am definately going to complete my High Elven force for Impetus Fantasy. I hope to play this game on a larger table size than 4x4 as the miniatures are 28mm.

I've got the rules for Gruntz. If I get into it, which is not impossible to imagine, I'm going to cheap out more than a little on 15mm figures, and whatever tanks and walkers I decide upon.

Infinity and Dark Age are both on my list as well. Both games are entering the hallowed and familiar phase of the release of new editions. Infinity's has yet to be released, I think - I have a starter Pan-O force for that - and the new Dark Age rulebook has just been released this month for $20...a very acute loss leader indeed. I have a 50 point Dragryi force for that game. I played a demonstration game at GenCon 2010. Dark Age is a game that is an awful lot of fun to play.

To be clear, Warmahordes is my number one priority with Imptetus 15mm coming in a strong second. I'll fill in on everything else as opportunity presents.

Game on,

Keir

Aventine Late Etruscan 28mm Impetus Army NIB

Here's what I have, NIB, never touched:

For the codes 1 through 5b I took a mix of scuta and hoplons.

2 x ETR001
2 x ETR002
2 x ETR003
2 x ETR004
3 x ETR005a
3 x ETR005b
2 x ETR006a with scuta
2 x ETR006b with scuta
2 x ETR007a(s)
4 x ETR007b(s)
3 x ETR008a
3 x ETR008b
3 x ETR009
3 x ETR010
1 x ETR11
1 x ETR12
1 x ETR13

These were retail 150 quid when I got them in June 2009.

There are 114 foot and 12 cavalry

CAN $150 plus $20 shipping in North America (excluding the north).

Pictures available.

Many more armies to come.

Let me know.

Warmachine on the Road: Haley goes to War

I've always played widely amongst the factions, and lately, due to travel to Town where a good friend (Geektactica) has a Cygnar army I can play, it's Haley.

This is the scene at the end of the first round. Mark played very agressively, He had first turn and he started towards me all out right from the beginning. All I did was to cast Arcane Shield on the Hunter and on the Longgunners and Temporal Barrier, which caught only the foremost Boneturkie, though that was something. I also took out the arc node on that jack with a shot from the Defender. One of the moves forward I made was with my Journeyman Warcaster. This was thoughtless on my part and, as shall be seen below, led to a Turn 2 demise of that valuable soldier.


Here is Mark's army right up in my grille by the second round. Note how he has engaged one of the Satyxis Raiders with my Lancer...cunning fellow. He Hellmouthed the Journeyman Warcaster and two Longgunners into a sludgy oblivion and engaged one of my Longgunners with Bane Lord Tartarus. Thankfully they passed their terror test, but I guess a Command of 8 is sweet. Note to file to hide the Journeyman from now on.


Here is the scene after my feat turn. Notice the absence of the previously foremost Boneturkie on the lip of the hill on the left (that Mark had arced Hellmouth through), which I CRA'd into a wreck with three Longgunner shots. As well, note the reductions in the size of the Satyxis Raider and the Mechanithrall units (the Brute Thrall is gone too). What I did was put a focus on the Lancer, kill the Raider engaging it, and then arced Chain Lightning at the Raiders killing 4. I also got one with the Defender. This was absolutely critical to my survival. I'd think about engaging with two grunts in a similiar situation down the road when I am in Mark's shoes next, but it has to be said that his model placement was brilliant. The Raider unit was just outside Haley's 10 inch range so I had to arc in the circumstances. The Sentinal double-tapped the Brute Thrall. Oi vey, what a jack!


This skips a bit of the action, which was Mark's assault on the heart of my army with his Raiders, Mechanithralls (three he created with the Necrosurgeon), the Stalker, Tartarus and the Pistolwraiths. Essentially I survived, though I had only four points left on Haley, from a combination of Feedback and two successful combo-strikes on Haley (!) from the Mechanithralls. Anyways, when the dust settled eDennie was not incorporeal and I realized that my one and only chance to pull my nuts out of the fire was to take her out with the Sentinal. To do that I needed to kill two Satyxis Raiders engaging the Sentinal, Charger and Lancer as I needed to move the Sentinal towards eDennie by a couple of inches to get the shot in. It wasn't going to be easy as she was in woods. I had to put three focus on the Sentinal and cast Deadeye on it from Haley. Amazingly, it all worked. Even though I only rolled two shots for my Strafe roll, with Deadeye both hit eDennie, and with boosts both came in at a (fortunate) 28 point damage roll. eDennie only had one focus on her and was double-tapped out of the battle. Great feeling, and a great game. Mark was a fell opponent, and watching him play reminded me of the style of the Cryx player (Chuck?) who was in the Nationals against Flanzer in August. It all could have been so different.

Back from the Desert: Khador action on the road again

I've been completely preoccupied with work for the last month and a half. It's one of those once in a career things, where everything else has to take seat on the side, if not the back. Wargaming ended up in the back. That said, I have wargamed on a couple of occasions in October. The first time I played a Haley army against a Morghoul led Skorne force run by Ken B. (commonly referred to as Kenoth of Menoth or, when playing Puerto Rico, Cornholio). There were no pictures taken but it was one of those games you always remember, filled with courage and event.

The second night of wargaming hapened a weekend later. I played two games, one against the Skorne of Kenoth again (this time with my Vlad list) and then a game between my Butcher list and Jordin's Vayl warband.

In the game against the Skorne I forgot everything I had learned in Haley's triumph of the week before. As well, I am growing increasingly disenchanted with Vlad the Dark Prince in this edition of the game. I actually can't figure out why, but I really like both the Butcher and Sorscha, and I want to return to the Old Witch. Anyways, here is most of my army in deployment (the Widowmakers are on the right flank - a misdeployment as it turned out).


This shows the Skorne force (except for only one merc solo) heading to my left flank, and it wasn't to get away from my snipers).


This is close to the endgame. Basically I ended up feeding my army into a choke point and, quite frankly, that's not my kind of game and it's not my kind of army. If I had IFP or MOW Shocktroopers on the table this kind of attrition battle in a bottleneck would be feasible, I suppose, but I was off my game, I had a thrown together force, and I played like el stupido. I conceded the game to stop the misery for both of us.


My second game was against Vayl. I'd never played against her before (or with her, for that matter). Jordin is a very capable opponent and has played a lot of games with Vayl, but as it turned out he just wasn't aware of the sheer brutality possible with a Butcher led, jack heavy, full throttled, blood frenzied Khador army. Basically I just moved towards him, waiting for him to come into range, and suffered away along the wait. On his first turn he had his Raptors engaging most of my Widowmakers (they were thus done for) and on his second he killed my Manhunter with the Angelius' shooting attack. But in the end, I still had the core of my force, and on the Butcher's feat turn on the first hit with Lola on the Typhon I did 40 points of damage (i.e. 23) and it died as I had damaged it previously with the Wardog. Vayl was dispatched by the Great Bears soon after that. Even then I missed with either 3 or 4 of the Great Bears' six attacks. My rolling had been subpar for the entire night, but you can't blame the dice. Here are the pictures (he had Vayl, Typhon, an Angelius, a Seraph, two Shredders, 3 Raptors and a Foresaken, I had what you see plus the Manhunter (the Widowmaker Marksman is with his cadre and died with them quite nicely). I have to say I learned how to play the Raptors from Jordin, and thanks for that, man.

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.

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.

Space Hulk!

There is so little happening from a hobby perspective in my life right now, leaving aside the usual imaginings of any committed wargamer, that I have just got to post last night's introduction to GW's latest regurgitation, the 3rd edition of Space Hulk. In short, nice components, nice gaming miniatures, and simple rules which I learnt the essentials of in about 3 minutes.

The first mission in the rules provided in the box is Suicide Run. A Space Marine terminator squad has to destroy a control room to prevent the Tyranid genestealers on the space hulk from exiting it via functioning lifeboats located on same that are controlled from that room. The room can only be destroyed by the flamer armed terminator. The Marine player has to accomplish this or fail. Killing the flamer dude is a win for the tyranid player.

This first picture shows the gameboard after turn 2. There are four genestealer blip markers on the board, one being hidden behind the door at 12:00 o'clock. The Terminator sergeant is leading the way. He is dead hard, but genestealers are dangerous critters in their own right. The rearmost terminator is on overwatch to deal with trouble from behind, the worst kind.In the next picture, the stealers are revealed. The tyranid player did not move blip markers again for the rest of the mission.
In this next picture you will note the absence of the Sergeant. Yes, torn to little pieces after his pistol jammed. One of the great risks for a Marine player is a jammed storm bolter on overwatch as it does lead to unpleasantness. One of the main effects of the death of the Sergeant was to expose his companion bearing the Flamer to unwanted attentions as can be seen below.
The Flamer Marine was able to ward off the genestealers for a while, but on his last firing he was unable to kill the closest of three genestealers he shot at (he rolled a 1 on his to wound roll) which allowed the confrontation below to occur. Genestealers get three attack dice againt the one attack back of this particular Marine. Victory to the Cult!


Final thoughts: this is a very well produced game. It has to be said that this particular mission was not particularly riveting from a gaming perspective. As well, I am in my 5th decade on this planet and I did not play first edition Space Hulk back in the day (25 or so years ago). So I don't have the nostalgia that playing it in my late teens/early twenties would bring to the table today, and I guess it just wasn't that exciting from a gaming perspective. I don't mean to damn it with faint praise. I'll pick the game up if there are any copies left in the MSRP range and it's not too much trouble, but if I can't get it I won't lose any sleep. I am going to paint up a couple of squads of my OOP Deathwing terminators for the next time I play against my friend.

Recommended Read - Irregular Magazine No. 1

This is a free webzine I just came across today. The group (the Sheffield Irregulars) that is behind it look a cool lot. I've always enjoyed painting sessions with my gaming friends and they seem to have taken that to a new level altogether.

A couple of fine hobby articles, one on painting lava bases and one on painting an entire vehicle using only the GW Washes over a white basecoat.

The article on the new Guard Codex is a good laugh. It's been 2 and 1/2 years since I last played 40K with Jason (Geektactica) but I recall enough of the game to know just how broken the new Imperial Guard are. I guess if you're playing against them your opponent will occasionally have to hold you down like Sgt. Barnes, while shouting at you "Shut up! Shut up and take the pain! Take the pain!"

http://warbootsuk.yolasite.com/resources/irregular-magazine_issue1_summer09.pdf

I feel inclined to try my hand at writing a short story so I may win the original of the exquisite cover art.

Most excellent Privateer Press gaming tables

Tour of Duty tables from GenCon 2007. Lots of great ideas here. The centerpieces are related to the scenario, so they do not have to be included on every table, but they are great...erm...centerpieces? One was used for the Nationals final that year, the one with the raised decking with a wooden crane assembly.

Is Wargaming Immature?

I often wonder about this. It's probably a learned horror latent within me from a few of the agonistes of the female persuasion that I've walked the walk with. But, you know, I don't think war gaming is all that bad. Why would it be any different for us than it was in the 19th century when it was considered a leisure activity a grown man could be proud of? Maybe a little like this:



And I did recently observe this person driving down the road near my house:



So I don't think war gaming is that bad at all.