Tabletop Gaming 2.0...

Golem Arcana "kickstarted" today. I have to say that I'm excited by it. Having a fully fleshed-out digital format seems to be a great way to get new players interested in tabletop gaming without having them pour large amounts of time/money into rule-books, paints, etc. I have many friends who easily fit into this category, and I can see this as a great gateway for them to have exposure to tabletop gaming. The models look great, especially the Gudanna, which will be gracing my collection as soon as they become available. However, while I like having them pre-painted, I have my own color scheme in mind.

I really like the idea of having digital rules that are readily available. That's something that Games Workshop and Privateer Press are only just getting into...and aren't doing a great job of it. Perhaps one day I'll be able to have a reasonably-priced digital rule-book that allows me to quickly find and compare rules.

I'm a little curious to see how responsive the game is. It's no secret that I despise War Room, and how cumbersome it can be on certain platforms. It'll be interesting to see how well Golem Arcana fares on alternative Android platforms.

Speaking of platforms, I've been experimenting with my basing materials. I picked up a Circle Argus and a Circle Winter Argus for a uButcher proxy. While I'm not planning on keeping them long-term, I kind of wanted to show them some love. Typically, I use a mixture of white glue and sand. I then prime it, and paint it. This time, I covered the base with gorilla glue, then coated it in sand. As the gorilla glue expanded, I could "mould" the base into a rough, hilly terrain. I'd like to try it on a larger scale to see how well it works for a possible table design. For small-based models, it was perfect.

LPS 4 Life!

So, I haven't posted much lately. I've been busy with life, upcoming child, school, etc. Still, I've managed to paint some Doom Reavers, Trollkin Whelps for the annual model exchange, as well as getting some work done on a few solos. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures. We have several cameras around the house, but the point-and-shoot has been misplaced for several months. I thought about using Christa's SLR, but I really have no interest in adjusting lighting, aperture, or any of the other things photographers care about.

Now that my n00b camera has been located, I can get to work recording my accomplishments. I've started work on the Conquest I picked up at Lock & Load last year. So far, it's just the torso. I'll be painting the arms separately, and then attaching them later.

There are two other projects I have on my plate as well. Assembling a 1500 point Ork list for 40K, and repainting my daughter's LPS.

Yes, I said LPS. Apparently, she wanted to make blood for them in order to have zombies. While I appreciate her ingenuity, she used an entire pot of my Khador Red Base to do it. I'm not entirely broken up about it, since that was a shitty pot of paint anyway, and this gave me an excuse to purchase a new one. Unfortunately, I'm left with this:

And this isn't the only one. I had originally thought I could dip them in Simple Green. However, that'll remove all of the paint, including their facial features, etc. So I'll be stripping the paint, and repainting them. It should be fairly straightforward, except for their eyes.

All of their eyes "sparkle" to let you know how amazing they are. I might slap some glitter on them prior to sealing, so you know exactly how amazing they've become.

EDIT: Damn, looks like the card reader isn't working. I'll upload the pics at a later time.

Scoping out a bombshell...

Privateer Press released two "Convention Exclusive" models in time for Gen Con this year. However, they also released them on the Privateer Press store. I think this was a good move, since not everyone has the ability to attend every convention annually. Both models look really good, but as a loyal supporter of Khador, the Bombardier Bombshell is particularly special. I knew a few people who ere going to Gen Con, and thought about having them pick one up for me, but it didn't work out. I assumed Privateer Press would be back-ordered on their store, so I opted to not order one.

Luckily, my friend Steve had my back. I received the Bombshell in the mail last night. Let's take a look at it...

The mysterious, unopened package.

Surprise!

Thank you, Steve. You are indeed a good friend as well. Now we just need you to join the hallowed ranks of the Khadoran elite.

The most important piece of this mini.

A chainblade, just waiting for some action.

Another type of "action."

The rest of the pieces, including a frosty mug of ale.

The detail on this model is great. Plus, it can be used in tournaments. I'm not sure if I want to paint it myself, or commission the work to someone. It is definitely a model that I want to display, so I may end up hiring someone to do it.

Inside the Box: Khador Heavy Warjack Kit + Torch

It's been a while since I've made any posts. Rest assured, I'll be fixing that oversight.

For being a Khador player, I'm fairly low on warjacks. I currently own one Destroyer, Drago, and two Juggeranuts (one classic). With the release of Colossals, Privateer Press is turning away from infantry-heavy lists in favor of warjacks...sort of the opposite of Games Workshop which is focusing on infantry with 40K's 6th Edition. That being said, I scored a Heavy Warjack Kit and the upgrade kit for Torch on eBay. (Thank you Discount Games!) I plan on magnetizing this, and will make subsequent posts on my progress.

So...let's get to the pictures!

This is the nondescript, unmarked packaging.

Torch and the Heavy Warjack Kit just begging to be assembled and painted.

Torch in all his glory!

Torch's statistics card. Notice the huge RAT, as well as immunity to fire and corrosion. You Menoth and Cryx players should beware...

This is a close-up of Torch's head. I'm going to need a very small drill, and a small magnet in order to make it removable.

This is Torch's medal. I was thinking of magnetizing it, but it might actually look good to just permanently attach it. I did something similar on my Classic Juggernaut, and I think it turned out alright.

These are Torch's smoke grenade launchers. As you can see, I'll need to use several small magnets in order to accurately attach them. I was thinking of using magnetic paint, but I'll need to research it a little more.

Torch's "spiked fist" attachment. Can also be used for sprays, and roasting trollkin.

The Heavy Warjack Kit...

Ahhh...a fresh tray of pwnage!

Statistics cards for all four warjacks.

The central torso for all of the warjacks. It needs a bit of filing, but it will be very easy to magnetize with such a large surface area.

A blank, unslotted base just waiting for some love.

 

It was difficult to get an adequate representation of scale in this picture, but these heads are small.

Two arm attachments for the Juggernaut and Destroyer, along with the ridiculously awesome ripsaw for the Decimator.

Shoulder joints, pelvis, Juggernaut's axe, and the Destroyer's axe. 

Open fist for the Juggernaut/Torch. Decimator's gun, and the Destroyer's cannon.

Feet, and the Marauder's ram pistons of DOOM.

Circle terrain.

Earlier in the week, my daughter, Ellie, gave me an oddly-shaped chunk of wood that she found at the park. It reminds me of something associated with the Circle of Orboros for Hordes. In fact, I'm going to make a piece of Circle terrain. I may keep it, or sell it. We'll see what happens. I found some really nice Warhammer fantasy bits. Specifically, a few Dwarf candles, human and Beastmen skulls, and some Wood Elf quivers and spears. I'll add a few pics as I begin working on it.

Trollkin Skinner

I was finally able to meet up with the San Antonio DL's Press Ganger, and swap models. It's a real shame I wasn't able to make it to the steamroller down there. I'm excited about the new rules that are being established. I'll have a chance to experience them during the next steamroller coming up in January.

So, I ended up with a fantastic-looking Gorman di Wulfe. I was given the choice of painting either Targ, a Trollkin Skinner, or Tharn Ravager Whitemane. I was very excited about painting any of them, but Dragon's Lair only had the Skinner in stock. I thought about ordering in Targ, but they've been a bit sketchy about customer orders recently. In the end, I chose the Skinner.

I used a combination of GW, P3 and Reaper paints. I chose to prime it in small sections, and apply the gesso with a smaller brush. This allowed me to fill in each portion of the model fully, and prevent any excess build-up.

I used some GW paint for the tips of the boots, and then Reaper's Muddy Brown for the rest of the boot. I thought about using black, but I felt like The GW black I have was a tad too shiny.

I used P3's Bootstrap Leather for the pants. I like how the P3 and Reaper paint contrast each other. I used the same Reaper paint for the belt and the pouches. GW's Dwarf Bronze was used for the belt buckle. I was thinking about using silver for the three circles on the buckle, but I wasn't sure if that would be too "bright." In the end, I stuck with the bronze.

The Skinner has a scabbard for his machete/sword that attaches to his belt. I chose to paint it separately, and finish out the rest of his pants.

I went with the Dwarf Bronze for it, and added Reaper's Muddy Brown. The cloth that is wrapped around it is Thornwood Green, a P3 paint. It's the same green I used for the weird sash-like thing hanging between the Skinner's legs.

Another angle for the scabbard.

The base proved to be fun/difficult to make. I used by typical method of white glue and sandbox sand. I had planned to pile up a few small rocks from our defunct fish tank as well. I wanted it to appear that the Skinner was climbing a hill. However, I also wanted to add some form of foresty scenery. I used some green flocking, for bushes, and added a few broom bristles to look like trees. I painted them brown, and added some watered-down flesh wash to fill in the cracks and gaps. Unfortunately, I underestimated the size of my fish tank gravel. I found a few small rocks, and glued a few down to the base. I then applied two balls of green stuff, and stuck the model to the base. I tried to attach a few rocks to cover the green stuff, but the rocks were just a bit too large. After the green stuff dried, I painted it with gray paint to simulate a rocky, mountainous area. It's not exactly what I was going for, but I think it looked good.

I'm coming to skin you...

I used P3's Greatcloak Gray for his skin. I really enjoy using that color because it has a slight bluish tinge in the light. I wanted his fur hat and fur cloak to be slightly different. I began with P3's Morrow White. It's a very bright, vibrant white, and really stood out against the rest of the model. I then watered down some Reaper Muddy Brown, and by watered down, I mean it was nearly a wash-consistency. I then gently applied a layer, let it dry, and then applied another. I did this another three times, until it looked as much like a wolf's pelt as possible.

Back with attached scabbard.

I went with P3's Khador Red Base for the eyes. I think it makes him look very fierce and dangerous.

Overall, it was a great experience. I was very happy to paint something for someone else. I look forward to doing it again next year.

Happy Holidays...

I'm participating in a Warmachine/Hordes model exchange between the Austin Dragon's Lair crew, and the peeps from the San Antonio Dragon's Lair. I won't be posting any pics until after the exchange, since I don't want to spoil the surprise. I'm very excited about the model I'll be painting.