Jezzials - Painted.

Back in July I started painting these guys.

It has taken a long time, this is mainly because of a lack of enthusiasm and partly due to a lack of time.

As the enthusiasm was missing I only painted when I had a little keen for it. I know that if I force myself to paint I do a poor job of it. I am happy with how they turned out, took a while but at least I made a good job of it.

Shields where painted separately and glued on after everything else was done

Attempted some faint crosshairs on the scopes.

All the snipers are standing on a small hill made from mulliput, so that the gun is over the shield bearers.

Next project will be this assassin, donated to me by my good friend and regular opponent Drew.
Few bass coats have been done sofar, the real challenge with the black cloaked models is to layer on other colours to show the details on the black clothes.

Sigmar power up the core! - Age of Simgar - Retraction and Exposition

Sigmar powering up the Core

New exposition 

Page 119 of Quest for Ghal Maraz. Mallus (core of the world that was) is swollen from the stormcasts victorys

"To their right loomed the sphere of Mallus, the world remnant. It had swollen in the wake of the Stormhosts’ first victories. The metal was glutted with magic, and the surface glinted with an iridescent sheen."

The planetary core is swollen by the storm cast victorys.

Will it continue to swell as the stromcast win more victories?

If so, is that Sigmars aim, to power up the core? And to what end, what will he use the power for?

Retraction ish
In my last post I went into great detail as to why we could have seen a Stormcast Eternal in End times khaine.
But now I am less sure of my exposition
I have since read Quest for Ghal Maraz, Gardus (who was trapped in Nurgles garden) escapes the realm of chaos, and reappears heavily in the book. 
This is not to say what I said in the previous blog is wrong, but that it is less likely, as his time in Nurgles garden is described as always running and makes no mention of any other adventure in the garden of disease.

Stormcast eternal in Endtimes;Khaine

         
          *** Warning Spoiler Alert***
If you intend on reading End times;Khaine or War Storm, go no further, you have been warned.

Back during the end times one of my favourite stories from Endtimes;Khaine was Alaroth's journey into Papa Nurgles garden. On quest the rescue the goddess Shalya, he meets several companions. A scholar, a mortal wizard and a Knight.

Now at the time there was alot of forum speculation on the identity of the knight, most claiming it was some spacemarine (i don't play 40k so wasn't that bothered, but thought it could have been a nice cross over of the games).

But now I am not convinced.

I have re read the description of the knight.
He is described as being of a larger stature, in silver armour, in carries a sword, talks strangely, and with a wave of his hand, blue fire erupts amoungst his enemy's.

Now I suspect a lot of assumptions have been made for people to guess him a spacemarine.

So let me make some of my own, I believe this is our first look at a stormcast eternal.....Now let me explain why.....

I have just finished reading Warstorm. The last story in this anthology, details the exploits of the Steel souls warrior chamber, led by Lord Celestant Gardus, known as Steel soul.

The stormcast of his legion do not wear gold armour, oh no they wear silver armour.

Without giving away the entire story, during a fight against nurgle demons, Gardus throws himself into the portal from which the demons are coming straight through from Nurgles garden. The great unclean one holding the portal open follows him in and the portal closes behind them.

It is remarked in Warstorm that an enternals soul in the realm of chaos would not return to sigmar. And the final scene of the book is Gardus, running from the Great unclean one through nurgles garden, the impression is that the chase has been going for a while.

Now it is easy to assume that he is caught and tortured, and that is how we find the Knight in the end time book, chained down and covered in pestilent insects.

His size and armour described in the Khaine story match that of Steel Soul's though he appears to have lost his hammer. And the blue fire that appears with a wave of his hand (viewed from a distance) could be the celestial hammer ability of the Lord Celestant has on his warscroll.

But wait Kye! the time line is completely wrong.
Yes I am well aware that chronologically, the End time happened long before the Age of Sigmar.
But i have heard it said in Black libary literature the further you travel into the realm of chaos the less meaning time has. And that at the centre of the Realm of chaos, where Nurgles own manse is located, the ruinious powers become omnipresent in the affairs of the mortals. Because time has no meaning there. And it is only when they venture out, to meddle in the mortal realms that they lose the omnipresence.

A massive leap in assumption making, but a fun one.

If any one is interested in proving me wrong please, let me know why the Knight is definantly some spacemarine, cite your source material and I will look into it myself.

But for me this was an Easter egg of what was to come. Dropped quietly into an End time book. I enjoyed making the connections and double checking the Khaine book after I thought of it. It seems to fit.



Edit: additional
If you enjoyed this exposition please read the Follow up article here.

Age of Sigmar - Skaven vs Orruks

I was finally able to arrange a game of Age of Sigmar (AoS hereafter). My good friends Drew brought his impressive collection of Orruks and Gits over. 

So when arranging the game we first spoke about wound counts, warscroll type restrictions. But after pondering this a while, we decided that we are both sensible chaps, and we can take our opponents enjoyment into consideration during our set up. With that in mind we decided to keep the games on the smaller side, but the problem is we had so much we wanted to try out, it was hard to choose what to use, so our armies were more to the medium size.

We decided to play on a small board size 4' by 4'. But other than that we played it straight out of the book.

Game 1

Rolled up scenery, choose a diangle set up, and started throwing down.

Deployment

10 River Trolls

2 Boar chariots

Azhag the slaughterer

Mangler Squig

Orc Shaman on Boar.

18 Boar boys

Giant

Warpfire thrower

6 Stormfiends (on of each weapon)

Packmaster

5 Jezzials

Rattling gun

Warlord

Grey seer

25 clanrats

Hell pit Abomination

Packmaster

Poison wind launcher (hiding behind the rocks)

Turn 1 top Orruks

Orruks take the top of the turn and move up, but are to far back to charge anything.

Turn 1 bottom Skaven

Mystical rocks befuddled the HPA and he does nothing this turn.
Warlord commanded the clanrats to gnash-gnaw their bones. Seer cast Vermintide on the Boar boys, killing 2
Jezzials hold postion everything else moves up.
Skaven shooting is awesome, Jezzials drop Calvary with ease. Stormfiends rip into their ranks as well. Rattling cannon blasts into the mangled Squig for a few wounds. And the warpfire thrower drops flaming hurt on the giant. Clanrats fail to make a 6 inch charge.

Turn 2 Top Orruks

Orruks keep the initiative, Azhag flies over the rocks to where the mortar is hiding. Everything else's moves up to prepare the charge. On the Charge, boar boys charge the Stormfiends. Giant charges the weapon team. Chariots and Manglar charge the clanrats. Azhag charges the mortar.

Giant and Azhag stomp their weapon team targets. Chariots smash some rats. Manglar is also in contact with the fiends and goes for them, boar boys bounce off the fiends (rubber spears). In return the fiends decimate the boars.

Turn 2 bottom skaven

No photo

Abomination is befuddled again. Stormfiends beat up the remaing boar boys. Grey seer Arcane bolts the giant. Jezzials shoot and wound Azhag. Rattling gun wounds a chariot. Clanrats have inspiring presence and hold dispite casualties taken.

Turn 3 top Orruks

Azhag is befuddled by the mystical terrain

Trolls charge the Abomination. Giant charges Jezzials, but also stays in range of the Stormfiends. But badly wounded he is unable to do and telling damage (and few wounds on the fiends and a dead Jezzial team) and in a surprising turn of events the remaining gun teams finish of the remaining 2 wounds on the giant. Luckily it topples away from it's killers. Fiends kill the last of the Boar boys (that was a big unit. Took a lot of chewing). Abomination kills a single troll and in return the trolls floor the Abomination (it does not rise again).

Turn 3 bottom Skaven

No photo

Rattling gun, Greyseer and the warlord pull back, away from the trolls.

Fiends shoot at the Trolls then piles in and kill the chariots, Jezzials shoot  at Azhag. Rattling gun shoots at the trolls.

Turn 4 top Skaven

Initiative Stolen!

Fiends move up the kills Orc Shaman. Rattling takes out the last Troll.

And we call it there

Post game thoughts. That mixed unit of fiends is devastating, plenty of shooting and melee attacks coming out of it, lots of wounds and a good save, this unit has it all! In a game that favours elite troop choices this is the skaven one.

Game 2
This game we both wanted to try a formation out from the warscrolls he choose a Greenskinz big mob, and I choose the Verminus clawpack.

Deployment
Skaven
38 stormvermin, 38 clanrats with spears, 2 units of 20 clanrats with rusty blades. Poison wind mortar, Warpfire thrower, Rattling gun. And a Warlord.

Worth noting that I choose my stormvermin champion to be my army leader, as the Verminus Clawpack warscroll allows me to use the warlords command ability even if he is not my army general.
Orruks
Boss on Wyvern, Shaman on Boar. 30 Boys with 2 choppas, 30 Boys with shield and choppa. 24 Boys with bows. 18 Boys on boars.
Turn 1 Top Skaven

In hind sight I should have let the Orukks go first or held back, and got some more shooting done. But I rushed ahead blindly, forward clanrats are inspired! Stormvermin are Gnash-gnawed (i didn't realise the warscroll gives this ability a radius, until my second turn). Shooting was not effective or out of range.

Turn 1 bottom Orruks

Orc boss calls a Waghhhh! Everything moves up. Arrow Boys kill a few vermin. And then.........

CHARGE!!!

Wyvern flies right over the land in the middle of all 3 weapon teams. Orcs slam into the entire rat frontline. Masses of rats die in the impact. Only few of the right flank clanrats survive the hold back the green tide. But the the buffed Stormvermin retaliate, hacking through half of the orcs infront, the rest flee from battleshock. The spear rats use their pile in to slide over under the Wyverns wings allowing most of them to strike at the beast, wounding it. 

Turn 2 Top Skaven
General bellows at his unit to be inspired. Warlord commands everyone to gnash and gnaw (it was at this point I realise that this ability has a radius for this warscroll formation). StormVermin fall back, to recharge using the banner ability, I did this to get more bodies into combat than a 3 inch pile in could do. Warlord charges the Wyvern, hacks it up a bit and then retreats before any retaliation. Stormvermin wipe out the shield boys. Clanrats still in combat with the Wyvern hack it a little and lose many of their own in reply.

Hack and run warlord!

Shield boys wiped out!

Turn 3 bottom Orruks

Shaman casts foot of Gork on the vermin. Arrow Boys shoot a volley into the vermin.

Boar boys charge a wipe out what little remains of the Vermin.

Wyvern stomps bites and stings the remaining clanrats to death.

Turn 3 top Skaven
Knowing the end is nigh! I decided to go down swinging. Warlord commands himself the gnash-gnaw their bones, and charges the wounded Wyvern. Lashes out with his warpforged blade, and strikes down the beast and it's rider.
Turn 3 bottom Orruks
Seeing the boss get taken down the Boar boys taken no chances, and corral the Skaven Warlord.

There will be no escape!

Post game thoughts.
Turns, iniative.
I like that the iniative of the round can be switch makes for a interesting game. In hindsight I can see the benefits of letting the other player have the first turn so they can close the gap for you, and allowing yourself a chance to steal the initiative and get a double turn.

More freedom of movement makes better story's. Like the Boar boyz corraling my Warlord, which would have not been possible in 8th edition.

Battle shock, was good. It worked well in my opinion. I was worried about it, but when you lose a couple of models, maybe a few more will go. But you won't lose entire units to an unlucky roll of double 6. But is you do lose 20 models to enemy attacks then yes the other 20 all most certainly lose their nerve and all flee. It works as a game mechanic.
That said I miss over runs and pursuit.
But I am curious to see how it works with more elite troops (which defeats into my next point.

Small elite units are definitely the flavour of AoS, the Stormfiends were really good. Lots of wounds, good save, made them hard to kill. And then in combat even the range weapons clubbing does 2 damage per, and the melee weapon armed fiends get an extra wound to boot on top of the great damage out put. I think the A-team (one of each weapon options) will come out more often.

War gaming future?
I like this game it is fun. But I am willing try other things. In that regards I have spoken briefly with Pete, about trying to play Kings of War. And worse case I still have my 8th edition books, although I look back at 8th and remember it's own imbalances and problems and I am not keen on jumping back into that complicated mess of a game.

Skaven Warlord - Painted

A great friend of mine was awesome and found this little gem at the gaming store he goes to regularly. What a beautiful model. It is the Gamesday 2011 free miniature.

 A couple of progress pictures I took during the painting process.
Base coating all the sections like this is un-usual for me, but I had no clear idea how to paint this guy, so I did this so I could get a better idea how to go ahead with the painting.

 Notice the shield glued on here, that got ripped of for the painting, yes I know you can't see behind the shield when it's on, but I know it's painted behind there!

 Next into the painting box, 7 Skaven Jezzials.
With the future of whfb and AoS up in there air, many people are flipping out. So before I make any snap decision, I will have a few games of AoS. I might even teach my 8 year old to play. And just paint the last few bits in my skaven army and relax and watch how AoS developed.

Stormfiends - painted!

It is with an immense sense of achievement that I can finally showcase the "finished" Stormfiends. 

3 months after I started painting them, and 4 months since I started the project in February!

I use the quotations marks, as I need to take a step back for a week or so and return with fresh eyes, so I can 're examine them and find what I have missed. But for now I am happy with the finished product.

The models are huge with so much detail, painting 6 as a batch was a mammoth undertaking. I'd recommend, only doing 2 (3 at a push) at a time, to anyone else considering doing 6.

6 rattling cannon fiends!

Having all the weapon options magnetized, gives me a lot of replay ability with these guys I have played they in 3 battles so far and never used the same weapon load out yet.

Hideous brain rats backpacks

Here is the box of all the weapon option available (minus 2 rattling cannons). I need to think of a more preminant storage for them.

Look at the lovely detail work on thoses stitches and scars.

Well crap! I forgot those armour plates would cover it completely!

Some progress pictures I took through the process.

Pipes arfter layering

Green pipes, base coat

Armour complete

Moulder madness vs Charican hunters - 2000 point Battle Report

I was very happy to hear from my Elven opponent recently when he got in contact to arrange another game. We decided on 2000 points. I told him I would be taking a themed list but also warned him it was not a soft list. Here is the text I sent him, 

"Be warned themed skaven is still brutal, All my clan moulder stuff, HPA stormfiends, Rat ogres, giant rats, plus the usual infantry."

so he was well warned before the game.

Skaven Army

Grey seer - Skalm, earthing rod, 4++

Chieftain - bsb, 5++

41 Stormvermin - FC, Razor Standards

24 Clanrats - Sheilds, FC

2 units of 49 Slaves, Mus, Champ.

2 giant rat darts

1 rat swarm

5 rat ogres, 1 master breed, 3 packmasters

3 Stormfiends all with Doomflayer gauntlets

Hell pit abomination.

All of my Clan Moulder beasts! A themed list but by no means a easy list to beat. With no shooting. I will push forward hard and fast.

Elven host

Alith'Anar

LoreMaster - Book of Hoeth, Armour of silveredsteel.

Noble - Way Shard

30 spearmen - FC

15 White lions -FC flaming banner

10 Gladegaurd - hagbane.

5 Darkriders

2 Whitelion Chariots

Bolt Thrower

10 Shadow warriors.

A different list to what my opponent would normally take. Scouting units would prove troublesome if allowed to get behind me early on, but I have enough units to block of all my back field from them. The big unit of spears that will be turning up turn 2 could prove disastrous. But as I had no war machines to protect I decide to push everything forward early and turn back with what ever is available, when they show.

Magic

Skaven - Warp lightning, Scorch, Death frenzy, Howling Warpgale.

Elven - All signature spells.

Grey Seer Kye, led his beast host from the tunnels directing them in to an ordered battle line where his supreme being would be safe in the back of the formation. After his warlords last defeat at Elven hands he was determined to show the lackeys how a true Skaven directed his forces to victory!

"Move fool-cowards, flee and I will have you hides flayed from your backs."

Deployment

Skaven left to right - Ratdart, HPA, stormfiends, Slaves,Stormvermin, clanrats behind with Seer and BSB, Slaves, ROrges, Swarm and a Rat dart.

Elves Deployment, left to right - Bolt Thrower (in building) Shadow watchers, Lion chariot, Whitelions with Loremaster, Glade guard, Dark riders, Alith Anar. The spearmen in the back will be Ambushing. 

Vangaurd
Dark rider re-deploy away from the HPA.

Elven host turn 1

Moving fairly aggressively, the elves get into position for their bow shots. The winds blow moderately this day, (8-6 magic dice) the loremaster summons a big fireball, he casts with irresistible force. It slams into the Abomination dealing 2 wounds.

The dimensional cascade that follows tears 11 White lions to shreds, but the lore master is lucky and resists the pull of the warp.

Alith'Anar, ledgendary archer of the shadow lands, misses his shot at the Abomination!

Gladegaurd fair little better, hitting a couple of times, wounding once, only to see it regenerated. Bolt Thrower is also unable to bypass the regeneration.

Combined shots of the Dark riders and shadow warriors, only manages to wound a Rat Ogres and kill a single pack master.

Skaven turn 1
Slaves charge at the Dark riders, who flee. Swarm charges the Shadow warriors, who flee.
Other slaves charge at Alith'Anar, who stands and shoots. Killing 5 Slaves. Stormfiends then charge him and he flee's.

(7-4) The Grey seer casts Scorch at the glade guard it kills 6 of their number. Warp lightning is dispelled. Howling warpgale is cast (and I completely forget about it next turn)

Elven host turn 2
Both lion chariots charge, one slams into the stormvermin, the other into the Abomination. Dark riders, Shadow warriors and Alith'Anar all rally. Lore master exits the White lions, prefering his chances alone better. The Way shard Noble, leads his 30 spears onto the battlefield in the rear of the skaven lines.

The Loremaster attempts to give the chariot wildform, but is dispelled. But Iceshard blizzard is cast successfully on to the stormvermin. Elven shooting kills a packmaster and a Rat Ogre, and wounds another.

The impact of the lion chariot, and the crew and lion attacks are only able to do 2 wounds, in return the Abomination deals 3 wounds. Combat is a draw.

The other chariot does better. Nine dead stormvermin and as they are effected by icesharded blizzard, they are only able to deal one wound in return. But the steadfast unit holds fast.

Skaven turn 2
Giant Rats start to charge the Dark riders flank, they flee to the other side ofthe building. Rat Orges charge the Shadow warriors, to late the run or shoot, they draw swords and prepare for combat. Left flank slaves reform and swiftly move to intercept the Ambusing Spear elves.

Stormfiends charge into the chariot abomination combat.

(5-4) Another Scorch kills 3 more Glade Guard, Warp lighting is dispelled. Grey seer eat his 2 tokens and casts Death frenzy on the Stormvermin, one of the tokens is bad and he takes a wound.

In combat the Shadow warriors hack down 2 Rat Ogres, but in return the frenzied beasts kill 7 warriors and stomp 2 more, that last one breaks and runs. But is caught by the pursuing beasts.

With death frenzy now aiding them, the Stormvermin hack down the chariot. And reform for the next combat.

One Stormfiends impact hits with the doomflayer gauntlets is enough to destroy the right chariot.

Elven host turn 3
With no other option available the spear elves charge the slaves.

Dark riders rally and reposition behind skaven lines

(4-3) The Lore master attempts a big fireball, but is dispelled by the Skaven wizard. Shems burning gaze is successful and kills 6 stormvermin.
Alith'Anar shoots his moonbow at the Abomination, hits wounds bypasses regeneration and kills the Abomination!

Slaves lose many of the number but not enough to break steadfast, the elves lose one of their own.

Skaven turn 3
Stormvermin charge at the Lore master, who is either very stupid or very brave and holds his ground.
Giant rats and the swarms charge into the building the bolt thrower is hunkered in.
Clanrats and the skaven leaders reform to face the spears behind them. As do the Stormfiends who make haste to a flanking position.
Magic (7-6) see the Grey Seer successfully cast Scorch and Warp lighting at the spearmen in combat with the slaves killing 11 of the Elves.

The lore master hacks down 2 Stormvermin, but is brought down by many attacks from the death frenzied Rats, who continue to drop dead from the spell effects, the enraged rats over run straight into Alith'Anar.

The bolt thrower crew are assaulted by many rats, they slay 2 of the bigger specimens, but one unfortunate Elf is dragged down by shear weight of small furry bodies and is slain. Combat is a tie and the rats retreat back, and prepare to surge the building again.

The slaves and spearmen, exchange casualties, the slave champion being one of them. But seeing the skaven leaders close behind coming to their aid, boostlers their
moral and they continue to hold.

Elven turn 4
White lions rally having fled a charge earlier. Dark riders move to shoot the rats attacking the building. With no magic phase, the bolt thrower shoots multiple bolts at the Stormfiends, causing 2 wounds.

Dark riders shoot the giant rats, killing 4 and the packmaster driving them forward.

Alith'Anar falls in combat against the rabid stormvermin.

Stormvermin cannot over run a second time (much to my disappointment) so choose to reform to face the White lions.

Two dead Elves, and half a dozen slaves corpse's later, the rats are still steadfast and hold.

Skaven turn 4
Stormfiends charge the flank of the spear elves. Slaves and Stormvermin charge the White lions. Rat swarms assault the building. Bunker turns to face the fast cavalry.

Magic (5-4) Scorch is cast with irresistible force. 2 dark riders suffer, firey deaths. In the backlask, the Grey Seer has two spells blasted from his mind and feels his ability weaken.

The swarms of rats attack the lone crew member, he does one wound to the rats and takes none in return.

Four stormvermin die to great axes, but all the White lions dies to the rabid remaining vermin.

A devastating Stormfiends flank charge impacts many deads elves, desperate to finish one of their assailants, they focus on the slaves and kill 6 more. But the fiends follow with melee attacks and stomps. The few remaining elves lose their nerve break and run.

Thoughts
I have a lot of respect for my opponent, even on the back foot from his turn one mis cast he managed to stay positive and give a good game, that he never gave up on, even in the face of a crushing defeat towards the end he stayed upbeat, much respect to him.

Could well be my last game of 8th edition warhammer, I had a lot of fun.

Bolt thower operative Tyr, surveyed the field from his position atop the building, twice he has had to draw blade to defend the home he had garrisoned from rodent attack, and twice he drove them back so he could keep shooting his warmachine. But the day was truly lost now, the noble and his spears had been forced to retreat. 
He removed the precious firing mechanism from the bolt thrower, and leaves the easily replaced bow and tripod. A glance over the edge of the building shows the fast cavalry waiting for him with a riderless horse, with rats lurking in the lower floor he takes the emergency exit over the side of the building and into the empty saddle.
Riding with the haste of elven steeds they quickly catch up with a band of survivors, amongst them a wounded but very much alive Alith'Anar. 
"Make haste to Tor Calae, warn them that their numbers are too many, they will be on the city 2 days from now."