WAAAGH!

Hey bloggers,

No that isn't a reference to our favourite greenskins heading off to conquer a new galaxy, it's the noise I'm currently making with all that's been going on lately! I went to put a post up the other day but blogger was down so apologies for that missed post but wow what a week its been.

On the home front I've been tidying/organising my hobby lair/study which has made my girlfriend somewhat happier. I don't have any images for you yet as it's still a work in progress but after quite a few trips to IKEA I have pretty much all the shelving I could need (well fit into the room to be precise). Once I have the desk cleared I will have to start looking for some paint storage/display options. Does anyone have a system they like or can recommend? I don't want them in a case as I think that will be harder whilst I'm in the middle of a painting frenzy to stop and swap colours, esp with the addition of non Gw paints with which I'm not fully used to yet. Please comment away!

I actually put some paint to model the Friday before last! I'll tell you it's been a while but man was it good to get back on that bike, shaky as I was. As such I worked on painting up my Tandarians as there are plenty of guardsmen who need some love but don't require the level I will put into my marines or other more elite armies, well elite compared to guard infantry.

We have Forgeworld Chaos Dwarfs coming our way and damn do they look nice. Some really great ideas and models there. I love the inscriptions on the inside of their shoulder pads and the totem on top of their standard bearer. New Dark Eldar were released but without the uber fliers we were expecting. That's cool, just another nice mini to await release. Damn it's looking more and more like I'll need to collect Dark Eldar. That's something I might do when I'm sent North for six months at the end of the year and beginning of next (don't worry, it's for work not an exile imposed by my missus). Since I will be away from all my hobby mates and hobby supplies and minis I figured I might start a totally new army which I don't need anything else for. So pretty much nothing Imperial really, or in power armour. Not that I'm not looking for some new Northern Hobby mates when that time comes!

Maelstrom Games has their new sales restraints imposed in a few short weeks which I will be away for whilst it happens. Not that I won't still support them through their other systems but after losing Flames of War and Gw it's really limiting what I can get from them.

Finally Finecast has come. This will be a talking point for sometime I'm sure especially since the speed between the announcement of such a major change in such a casual manner hasn't given everyone enough time to digest how this will affect things. Most people are probably just looking at what they buy as now being resin rather than metal. sure it'll be lighter and easier to cut but will it be brittle? If I drop my Wood Elf Dragon is it more likely to shatter or to loose the tips of its horns than the metal one? How are Gw staff going to teach Timmy Ten-year-old hold to build his new character when he hasn't built any himself? Is it safe to? So can we work on Forgeworld and other resin pieces in-store now? Do we all need to wear dust masks when in store working on our new models?

I'm sure you can see some of the implications of these sorts of questions and the big shift in how the stores are currently run to allow for this new material. And if it is a wonder hybrid of plastic and resin how do we work with it? Glue it? Will it melt whilst filing? Will it jump down our lungs and murder us as soon as look at it? (I'm sure it won't but that's how some stores treated Forgeworld when it was starting to appear at their hobby tables) And I'm sure for many others this won't spell the end of metal models. I have a back log of Gw metal models like you wouldn't believe, not just a whole host of characters and elite units but Vostroyans, Steel Legion, Praetorians and Sisters of Battle. Then there are the other companies that make pretty toys which I collect, more casually sure but there isn't a model made for Incursion that I won't buy at least twice (and have already done so or plan to do)!

Alot of stuff going on and still mulling over what has just happened, but the first thing I'll be doing is thinking if there is anything I need from Maelstrom.

Tandarian Army, 1750pts List

Hi there bloggers,

On Saturday I went back to my parents' house for a visit and found my Imperial Guard List for my Tandaris force. I still haven't fully filled out their back story but they are a light armoured/semi mechanised force that escaped the destruction of their home planet by the forces of Nurgle and the Plague Virus. They were withdrawn along with the Vostroyan regiments sent in and since their home planet has been lost they now operate with and administratively come under the command of those Vostroyans. In many ways they mimic the Vostroyans in terms of structure and tactics, this is through necessity as much as choice since any resupply of equipment and arms now comes from the Vostroyans. Where as the Vostroyan's equipment are heirlooms of magnificent craftsmanship the Tandarian equipment are those produced by the Vostroyan forges to some of the highest standards in the Imperium. Both armies boast such wonders as the Leman Russ Battle Tank as no Son of Vostroya would leave such a valuable new found ally without the best equipment, but compared to the ancient Machine Spirits of the Vostroyan tanks there can be no compare.

HQ - Company Command Squad with Regimental Standard, Power Weapon and 3 Flamers - 90

Elite - Storm Trooper Squad with 2 Meltaguns - 105

Elite - Psyker Battle Squad with Overseer and 6 Psykers and Chimera - 135

Troops - Platoon Command Squad with 4 Flamers - 50

Troops - Infantry Squad with Autocannon and Grenade Launcher - 65

Troops - Infantry Squad with Autocannon and Grenade Launcher - 65

Troops - Infantry Squad with Lascannon and Sniper Rifle - 75

Troops - Special Weapon Squad with 3 Flamers - 50

Troops - Veteran Squad with 3 Meltaguns and Chimera - 155

Troops - Veteran Squad with 3 Meltaguns and Chimera - 155

Fast Attack - Valkyrie with Multi Rocket Pods and Heavy Bolters - 140

Fast Attack - Vendetta with Heavy Bolters - 140

Fast Attack - 2 Armoured Sentinels with Autocannons - 120

Heavy Support - Leman Russ with Lascannon and Heavy Bolters - 185

Heavy Support - Leman Russ Demolisher with Lascannon and Plasma Cannons - 220

By dropping the Armoured Sentinels and the Psyker Battle Squad and Chimera I get a tidy 1495pt army so I'm pretty happy with this list. Any ideas or comments?

Which Army Should I Do in Preperation for 8th Ed??

Hey there Bloggers,

Sorry for the distinct lack of posts at the moment but I've been fairly busy as the house is being painted, I'm going to the gym and for runs trying to get myself fit again, I've just graduated and the job I'm currently applying to has a pretty involved application process. I have been squeezing in some hobby and the Tandarian Army is starting to progress as I have been working on around 26 Guardsmen through their first few stages of painting. Once I have finished a few I'll make sure to post some pictures. And Fleet in a Week is just waiting for Max to jump on board (no pun there I promise)


















Meanwhile I'm torn....
8th Edition is only a few short weeks away and I'm always missing out on games at the start of new Editions and Codex launches. I've heard a bunch of the rumours just like everyone else and it's kinda pointless speculating too much until we get the book in our hands and play that sucker through. But to do so you need an army and although Skaven started me off in the hobby I've only ever played with a small Wood Elf Army which isn't finished and that was some time ago.

So the Question is... What army should I get ready for 8th??
Sure it WON'T be finished (I'm not deluded) but at least I'll have a decent start to the army and if I focus on building then maybe I can get some smaller games happening to begin with.

Skaven

Empire

Vampire Counts

All three have strong reasons and I'm pretty excited by all three at the moment and can give you big background stories to each of the armies (which I will do over the next few weeks) But the question is which one?? Poll in the usual position to be open until one month before the launch of 8th. I may break and start doing a bit of hobby in each until the poll closes but if one is clearly winning from early on I may just get a start on it!

Thanks Bloggers and I will document the process of this army much more closely as your reward for helping me to decide!!

Yet More New Blood Angels Sanguinary Guard!

Hey there Bloggers,

Well I made it into the City Store again today wrote up a 1750pt list for my Tandarian Imperial Guard army with some help from Jason and got to work on a few more Sanguinary Guard. I'll post up my 1750pt Guard list in the next few days as I'm sure this is of more importance to many of you!

So I've now gotten four Sanguinary Guard built!































The Banner Bearer under construction. When building this one the left arm actually uses a "standard" shoulder pad rather than the angelic one as otherwise the shoulder pad clashes with the wing. This one almost caused me some strife but I was able to fix it before it had dried.














He didn't turn out to bad I think. The banner itself has a great amount of detail and would work well with minor adjustments for Successor Chapters or Dark Angels.














This guy had a few of his pieces already chosen so I had to use some of the pieces already clipped and cleaned but I think it's a great model with a pretty rad pose.































I'm just wondering what I can use these guys for in the armies I'm working on as I'm sure I'll end up getting a box or two of them.

New Imperial Guard and Treadheads

Hey guys...

Check out these rad new Imperial Guard models on Gw's website!
I'm pretty impressed so far. I think I'll have to get some for my Tandaris Army....


The Imperial Guard Tank Crew have to be my favourite release of this month I think (as Space Wolves are next month :D ) Those guys are so full of character to my mind.

They are definitely going to be joining the ranks of the Tandaris soon. Not sure thought if I should use them as tank crew or just as extra cool minis....















Imperial Guard Tank Commanders: Well I think I have the right two buried away somewhere but I don't have that Commissar Commander. He's a definite acquisition I'll need to make.















Tank Stowage: I've been searching for some extra baggage to add to my tanks other than the two from the heavy weapons teams (which I need for my veterans) and the one from the Tank Accessory sprue, which I need to get a few more of so I can enclose the tracks of my tanks.















Speaking of tanks I saw a rad tank conversion in the City Store on Saturday which was a Leman Russ featuring the engine/exhaust block off of a Land Raider on the back and used predator side sponsons. This made a really striking looking tank which I think would work well as a Command Tank for a more modern force.

I think I will be sticking to the "older" chassis for the Leman Russes in the Vostroyan Army and the "newer" chassis for the Tandaris Tanks. This means that all the Punishers and such in the Vostroyan Army will be the hull of the current Leman Russ and the Leman Russes in the Tandaris Army will be the new hulls. This is to represent the fact that the Vostroyan Army is much, much older and hence have older (but better maintained and built) tanks where as the newer more modern Tandaris Army will utalise the "fast build" chassis that has just been released with the Punisher et al box.


The only one I'm not so sure of is these guys, labelled Imperial Guard Heads. I'm not even sure what all the heads are meant to be (ie Cadian, Catachan, commanders, vehicle drivers, characters, etc...) Any ideas guys??















These guys are all released here along with Colonel 'Iron Hand' Straken and Gunnery Sergeant Harker, the new Warhammer basing kit (which is pretty nice, I saw it instore on Saturday as Ben got one for his "checked" Orc Boys) and the Dead Grass, which is pretty much the colour I was looking for to use with the Salamanders.

Any Ideas on what I've raised??
Thanks guys!

p.s. Tomorrow I start my conversion of Chaos Warhounds into Fenris Wolves....

Mr Smiggle's Very Busy Day - Part Deus

Hi guys,

Sorry for the lack of updates over the past few days but it's been kinda hectic and my net went down which has only just been resolved today.

So Monday night Little Max and I rented Aliens, gathered at his house and clipped out the key players for Mission 1: Suicide. First he played through as the Marines and then we swapped roles. Not surprisingly the marines lost both times but I was pretty close to taking it out as I foolishly ran to take out the objective rather than just sitting back and flaming the hallway and whittling down the genestealers numbers as I hadn't yet used my flamethrower! Silly mistake!

Tuesday I found my missing hobby bag with my hobby supplies!!!

Wednesday night we met again to play through Mission 2: Extermination. Again Little Max played Marines first as he had actually read the rules cover to cover in preparation for our game.

Thursday I met with Dan Payne who's currently living in Melbourne but was up for the week to visit friends and family. We met up at Chatswood Gw for some quality hobby but spent most of our time talking, talking about Space Wolves and checking out their shiny new 'dex and catching up and all of our Friday Night Crew met up for dinner and we met Matt's brand new son for the first time! :D

Friday we headed into the Gw City Store and I got my paint on for the first time in ages! (pictures to follow soon, I'm without a camera for a few days) I realised how poorly I am painting at the moment due to the lack of practise! So I'm trying to hold out until the end of October so I can really get stuck into painting but will keep working on a model here or there to try and remember what I'm doing. Then Dan and I played Mission 1 in the Store and I won as Marines! Noctis is really notching up a kill count! Then we went to Will's place for Space Hulk, Videos games, chatting and a nice dinner out! I didn't play any Space Hulk at Will's but acted as an unofficial Space Hulk rulebook as it seemed like I had the most experience as everyone was busily assembling their Space Hulk before we arrived.

Saturday whilst waiting for my girlfriend to finish her new uni course I went to the City store to do some painting. Whilst there I randomly ran into Kyle M and saw some of his amazing entries for the Games Day UK and some of his "crap" stuff that "wasn't good enough for uk" and is so going to be entered into GD Oz. I also met his friend Steve who also had amazing painting skills and has only been painting for about 4 years! You might remember his Golden Daemon entries from last year which now feature on the promotional poster for this year's Golden Daemon Oz. These two guys have some amazing painting skills and it was amazing to get to hold these models I had seen and admired for some time. They are both really great guys and were helping out those of us who ran to them for advice and it was great to pick the minds of such great painters and see their work in progress as they plan out future entries.

Golden Daemon 2008 Australia - Open Category - Silver - Kyle Morgan













Golden Daemon 2008 UK - Diorama - Gold - Kyle Morgan













Golden Daemon 2008 Australia - Warhammer 40,000 Medium Miniature - Silver - Steve Guo













Golden Daemon 2008 Australia - Open Category - Bronze - Steve Guo













As Kyle is going to be starting a Space Wolf army for tabletop use when he returns from the UK and France I am hopefully going to get to paint some Space Wolves along side him to improve my painting and learn some more advanced techniques such as damage to their armour. This is something I'm really looking forward to after uni is over as I hope this will really push my painting to a higher level. In preparation I want to try and get in as much practise as possible to at least get my painting back to where it was or to a reasonable level. I figure I will try and imitate his models to the best of my abilities to make sure I don't try and cut corners and so make sure I really push myself. I'm currently thinking I will make this army with Kyle and then I might make another one based on the 13th Company. This will give me another chance to practise what I have learnt and give me two armies with different playing styles. I also really love the 13th Company but am currently thinking of doing one of the other Wolf Lords to begin with based on their history in the codex.

Best of Luck to Kyle in the UK Golden Daemon and French Ravage Mix Open!

Mr Smiggle's Very Busy Day

I was up late last night doing some work on the computer and getting my blog in order. I'm now a part of both the BoLS blogger Group and the FTW blog group as these have been two of the best ways for me to find blogs myself.

After about 4 and a half hours sleep I had to get up and go to the city with my girlfriend for her new university course (starting on a saturday) and getting a few last minute supplies for her friends wedding (at which she i a bridesmaid and I was "uninvited!"). Then after getting her to the bride's house I got to go on my merry way to Chatswood GW to pick up my two shiny new copies of SPACE HULK....

I got suckered into buying the $8 novel by Gav Thorpe, but it should be a fun if not short read :)














Anyway at the end of the day I had:
Two Copies of Space Hulk
A Space Hulk Novel
A Water Pot
Four paints to start trying out some guard schemes
White Dwarf so I can read all about Space Hulk
And was added to the Two Blog Rolls I wanted to.

so after only 4 and a half hours sleep a pretty good day was had!! :D

Tandarian Imperial Guard

Hey guys. I need your help!!!

Which colour scheme should I paint my Cadian Imperial Guard?
So far I have asked four guys and gotten four different answers...


So my army is to be a force from Tandaris which was featured in a series of Australian White Dwarf Articles. It was three battle reports set on the planet of Tandaris where the Vostroyans (with later Daemonhunter Forces) take on the local populace who have been turned Traitor by a daemon plague. As I needed a theme for my Cadian based guard models and I love the Vostroyans and wanted an army a little different from the other Cadians, since most regimental numbers seem to be taken :D , this seemed like a logical and fun choice!

My Tandarian Force isn't fully planned out yet but I know that...

They are a mainly urban force (as to fit in with my Cityfight Vostroyans)
The bases will be loose dirt or rubble possibly with snow? (nothing too fancy)
They will be equipt with Trucks and Halftracks to replace Chimeras and Hydras; ala Dave Taylor Miniatures


So the four colour schemes are....

Dave Taylor's 144th Cadians - Found here











Simon Brown's Cerberus VII Regiment - Found Here and Here











Luther Blisset's Heron Hounds - Found Here and Here













King's Standard Bearer's Cadian VIII Veteran Sergeant - Found Here - New Update Here!



















So which colour scheme do you think looks best or is best for the army I have described?
We are solely judging on colour schemes not paint jobs or conversions as I'm sure I won't be able to do anywhere near as good a job as these guys have done. I've left the poll open for 100 days to try and get as many responses as possible but I'll probably get going on these a bit earlier as I'm dying to get some painting happening!!

edit: Ok after some input from Dave Taylor I've adjusted the poll to around 50 days, ending on my birthday. Also Uni ends just after that so I should be able to kick them off soon after that. Assuming I don't get taken away by The Beast Within....

As I develop and clarify the fluff for my Tandarian Forces I'll let you guys know as it develops. I'm still not sure whether to make them a PDF or a raised guard unit?? Possibly the last unit raised as the planet was consumed by the plague virus... Thoughts? Comments?

Army Progression Checklist September 2009

Hi all,

I'm going to post up my current army progression checklist and every six months update it so I can keep track of my progress (or lack there of). Ill try and keep it all the same format for easy updating and ease of reading:

Warhammer 40K
Ultramarines - 4th Company
Built - roughly 800pts built and based with two tactical squads almost built
Painted - test model almost finished, assault squad base colour and wash applied
Painting Scheme - decided: based on Captain Sicarius Masterclass article
Basing Scheme - decided: slate with fine sand (then grass flock or snow)

Imperial Guard - Tandarian
Built - three squads built with heavy weapons, Converted Leman Russ and Chimera almost complete
Painted - None
Painting Scheme - urban colour scheme: not yet decided upon possibly similar to urban tau scheme from eastern empire or dave taylors 144th cadian diorama
Basing Scheme - urban basing scheme: not yet decided upon

Warhammer Fantasy
Empire - Von Schleickenhammer's Vampire Hunters (including Sylvanian and Stirland Forces)
Built - 15 hand gunners, warrior priest
Painted - Just about to start test models

Painting Scheme - Sylvanian colours as seen in heraldry book and WD articles and units of renoun such as the Essen Death Heads
Painting Scheme - Stirland, and Stir River Patrol
Basing Scheme - soil, undead and grasses