Sunday 25 October 2015

Rat Ogres - Painted

Amongst some of the first models I got for my Skaven army, was a box of Rat Ogres. I quickly realised that, they were not effective in 8th edition, thus they have stayed unpainted for 3 years. But in the Age of sigmar, with a packmaster near they are good fun to deploy. So I pulled the finger out and got these 2 brutes painted. 
I apologise for the washed out photos it was dark when I finished these Sunday evening and I won't have the opportunity to do any daylight photos til next weekend.



 Next up are another couple of models I have had for a long time, Ikit claw and a couple of Rat swarms.

Thursday 22 October 2015

If pigs could fly - Jonny Nexus

If pigs could fly - Jonny Nexus

Seven years ago I was fortunate enough to read Jonny Nexus's debut novel Game Night. At the time I was involved in a dysfunctional roleplay group and the book had me roaring with laughter as I drew parallels with my own experiences. It put a twist on my own hobby that made for an entertaining story.

Now seven years later, I happen to see an advert on Facebook advertising his new novel, the synopsis didn't sound like my usual read, but at the low kindle price of £1.99. I decided to try it out.

And I am glad I did.

We follow the investigation of the West Kensington Paranormal Directive Agency. An agency set up by the main character Ravinder who just seems a little bored of a mundane life as a social worker. His client and Co investigator, Professor Richardson. And the final member of the team Jess, a border collie. Each of these 3 take turns as the point of view, and each provide their own personalities.

“As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s opium-taking protagonist once said, once one has ‘eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth’.”

A quote I took from the book where the Professor quotes a Sherlock Homles novel, which i feel has been drawn apon and parodied in Johnny s book. The book feels like a messed up supernatural Sherlock Holmes. Except there is no logical explanation. So the impobable one must be true.

The reason I enjoyed game night, was because it poked fun at my hobby. Low and behold in chapter 3 this book is poking at larp, that gave me a good chuckle.

But it's not just the hobby references that got me hooked but the satirical look at modern life, PCSO's, flash mobs, and conventions, all getting a mention

Things that have influenced me have clearly had a influence on the author and his shows in this book. For example the Monty Python reference, had me chuckling remember ing the original stretch. Adventure books and online text games, that I also enjoyed growing up.

A satirical look at modern British life, with a paranormal backdrop and a geeky upbringing.

As this book is listed as number 1, which leads me to believe that it is the first in the series, I fervently hope we don't have to wait 7 years for another book from this talented author.


Sunday 11 October 2015

Assasin - painted

That was a quick project, I forget how quick a single model is to do after batch painting what is essentially 14 infantry models.







Fairly happy how this guys turned out.

Now moving on I have had these 2 lurking in the box for 3 years now, time to put some paint on them.

Saturday 10 October 2015

Age of Sigmar - Skaven vs Demons of Khorne

Second battle of the evening. This time round Skaven face of against demons of khrone.

Scenario
Our home made scenario for this game is Champions of chaos. Temple of skulls in the middle of the table is worth 2 vps, killing the enemy General is worth 1 vp, and breaking through to the enemy deployment zone is worth 3vps. 

Deployment
Demons of Khrone are lead by a Bloodthirster of Unfettered Rage. His blood host consists of 2 mobs of bloodletters 10 in each. His lieutenant a Herald of Khrone. The vanguard are 4 Bloodcrushers and Karnak!
Fighting for the glory of the Horned Rat. Fang leader Scratch'paw, leads his 9 stormvermin brothers into battle. Supporting them comes 4 Rat Ogres and a Hell pit Abomination, prodded forward by 2 packmasters. Zooming up the flank the electrifying Doomwheel.
Turn 1 Demons
Demons race forward eager for combat. Bloodthirster lands on the temple of skulls. 
Turn 2 Skaven
Scurrying forward the Skaven get into position.
Stormvermin charge up the hill they all hack at the large demon before them and seem pleased with the 5 wounds they inflict apon it. The Bloodthirster roars with unfettered rage and proceeds to kill the vermin to a rat.

Turn 2 Skaven
Seizing the initiative, that pack masters herd their beasts into the fray. Abomination climbs the hill to face down the fearsome greater demon. The rat orges are propped at Karnak.
Karnak savages a Rat orge. But also takes some wounds as the other pummel it.
The Abomination and Bloodthirster shake the foundation of the temple with their titanic combat, both bear the wounds but no clear winner emerges.
Doomwheel stalls on the flank  and jerks forward a short distance.
Turn 2 Demons
Karnak summons his hounds, who then assault the Rat Orges. Skull crushers move to charge the stalled doonwheel.
Rat Orges are still frenzied on the turn they charge, goaded by their pack master, they tear Karnak and 4 of his hounds to shreds.
Barely clinging to life the Abomination tears the bloodthirster down claiming the hill.
Skullcrushers begin to wreck the doomwheel.
Turn 3 Demons
The Herald leads the bloodletters onto temple of skulls, charging the wounded Abomination.
The Herald of Khrone strikes first, wounding the Abomination further, inspired by his presence the bloodletters strike next. Their hell blades finish the job cutting down the monster.
But the death throws activate the resuscitation engine. Pistons fire, fluid injecters pump into the beast, and warplightning super charges it regeneration capacitor, and up stands the Abomination. He then kills the Herald and half of the letters.
Rat ogres surround and kill the last hound.
Blood crushers destroy the doomwheel without taking any casualty.
Turn 3 Skaven
Rat ogres move to and charge the blood crushers.But their claws and jaws are no match for a juggernauts armour. Only one of the demon engines is laid low. In return 2 rat ogres are slain.
Abomination Stomps on and smashes the remaining bloodletters.
Turn 4 Demon
Second unit of bloodletters Sally out of the tower. But are completely distracted when a savage orc board boy streaks across the field.

End of game
We decided to call it there. It was getting late. Our partners were waiting for us upstairs. Could have gone either way, with another turn or 2 but for the purposes of our victory conditions, this is a Skaven win as I am holding the most of the objectives.

Wednesday 7 October 2015

Age of Sigmar - Skaven vs Dwarfs

Time for another battle report.


So playing it straight, no army restrictions save what we decide as we are placing, with the other players enjoyment in mind.

We decided to play an ambush skaven vs dwarfs. Stunties would start in the middle and the skaven would attack 12inches from the  dwarven defences.

Set up
Led by rumours of a massive rat monster in the area. Dragon slayer Dwal and his shamed engineer companion Malik, head out of the stronghold to hunt it. Malik wants to test out his experimental war machine, he calls it Goblinhewer (counts as organ gun). Following the comes 10 troll slayers and leading them are 10 rangers (quallers).

Warlord Shred'claw was happy with the above ground tests of his new purchase, the monsterous Abomination had been worth every warp token. So when he heard of the  slayer Dwarfs scouring the area, he was gleeful to set an ambush so he could see the abomination in action. Gathering his body guard of 10 stormvermin, he commanded his 10 nightrunners hide in the woods. The packmaster he ordered to prod the Abomination cross the field to be bait.
Slayers spot the monster and set up their war machine on the hill.
Deployment
Whilst the Dwarfs are distracted the Nightrunners slink forward.
Turn 1 Dwarf
Seeing the Ambush the Dwarfs hold the high ground. Quarrellers shoot several night runners. Goblinhewer is set to full strength but fails to fine even with engineer Malik assistance it does not work.
Turn 1 Skaven
Goaded into battle the Abomination slams into the troll slayers. Nightrunners attack the quarrellers.
The giant rat monster bites, flails and stomps all of the troll slayers to death, they do not go quietly though as 5 death blows wound the monster.
Enraged at the death of his kindred slayers, the Dragon slayer piles into the monster.
And kills it in short order!
Turn 2 Skaven
Seizing the initiative, the skaven converge on the quaellers. While the warlord scurry-climbs the back of the hill to attack the dwarf war machine.
Warlord shred'claw kills 2 of the war machine crew. Stormvermin gnash and gnaw 6 quallers down, 5 skaven die in return. Dwarven rangers hold the high ground and are inspired, so no more flee from the rat assault.
Turn 2 Dwarf
Dragon Slayer D'wal conter-charges the skaven warlord. Goblin hewer is reset to full power and inspite the gentle adjustment with hammers fails to fire again!
Stormvermin continue to hack at the rangers, but using the cover to it's full advantage one plucky ranger survives a little longer.

Warlord and Dragon slayer exchange wounds but both live to fight a little longer.
Turn 3 Dwarf
Warlord Shred'claw plunged his blade into the slayers chest and watched snuggly as his weapons magics devoured the dwarf.
But D'wal the Abomination Slayer wasn't dead yet, with the last act he lashed out and severed the grinning rat man's head from it's furry body.
Setting Goblin-hewer to half power the contraption finally work eviscerating 4 vermin.
Turn 3 Skaven
What's left of the Skaven make a last ditch attempt to wipe out the dwarf Engineer and his war machine.
The 2 remaining Stormvermin attack the last crewman. 3 nightrunners and the pack master gang up on the dwarven slayer engineer.
But dwarfs are made of stone and take no casualties. The Crew man kills a stormvermin. And the engineer kills 2 nightrunners, the last remaining one flees.
Turn 4 Skaven 
The last stormvermin is slain by the war machine crew member. Packmaster and engineer fight but no wounds are exchanged.
Turn 4 Dwarfs
Finally free the last crewman turns goblinhewer around clocks it to half speed and unleashes the payload on the last rat man on the hill.
"Ha we'll call it skaven hewer from now on!" Said Malik

End of game
A dwarven victory in a very close game. It is always a fear in a game with no balancing system (points) that one player will over whelm the other with a massive model collection. But this game goes to show that if you both consider the others enjoyment, in the deployment then you can balance your own forces, with out setting restrictions, so that both players can compete and enjoy the game.

I haven't reported my last few games not because I haven't wanted to, but because we have been learning the AoS rules. I didn't want to be distracted with taking pictures and taking notes, sometimes I feel it is a disservice to my opponents to be distracted from the game so I can write my notes. But my opponent asked me why I hadn't done it for a while, so i decided to forget the notes take a load of pictures and tell the story of the battle opposed to the rolls and rules.