40K EDITORIAL: Which Transport for the Word Bearers?

Jwolf here. Aventine and others are starting the process of bringing the Horus Heresy campaign book up to 5th Edition and the current Codices. I’m building a new Heresy-era Word Bearers force to play in the campaign, and thinking of which transports best suit my purposes. During the Great Crusade, the Word Bearers were thorough and much slower to assimilate planets than most of the other Chapters, so I’m focused on lots of infantry without too many expensive upgrades, so Land Raiders aren’t going to be the vehicle of choice. I’m weighing the merits of the three basic transport options, and here are my thoughts so far.

Rhinos seem to be the best overall for my purposes. As the mainstay Marine transport, and I expect to use Rhinos more than anything else. First, the whole squad fits inside, meaning that I’m not required to combat squad the unit for the transport to be viable. Second, they’re cheap and simple – Rhinos are a bus, and nothing else. Third, the Repair ability means that an immobilized Rhino might get moving again (and they do so at annoying times when I play against them, so hopefully they’ll be as annoyingly resilient when I field them). Rhinos will generally hold my standard Tactical loadout of Sergeant with Powerfist, 7 GIs, Missile Launcher, and Meltagun.

Razorbacks present a complex set of problems. Since they are FAV 11, I can’t see spending the points to get any of the fancy turrets, so it’s the twin-linked Heavy Bolters that I’m considering. That’s not an inconsiderable bit of firepower to add for only a few points. I like Razorbacks as bunkers for a combat squad with 5 bodies and nothing else, or perhaps a reaction unit of Sergeant with Powerfist, 3 GIs, and a Flamer. The other half of the squad with a Missile Launcher is cheap and expendable, and used in an anti-transport capacity.

Drop Pods have been done to death locally, and pretty much every knows how to deal with a Pod heavy force, so I won’t feed my Marines into the meat grinder. I am considering adding a Drop Pod or two. My plan would be to add a Drop Pod first for a Devastator Squad and another for one Tactical Squad. I could then drop the Devastator’s Pod empty on turn 1 or the Tactical’s, depending on the situation after deployment.

~I’m particularly interested to hear what other Loyalist players have found to be useful, especially in Razorbacks, as my Marine play is primarily either Chaos or themed games, and Razorbacks aren’t commonly used by anyone locally (which may answer the question of how good they are, but it’s worth a shot, right?)

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Pic of the Day 11-23-09

Pic submitted by: Charles-Tuey

I think it's gonna jump!!!
~Your daily dose of tabletop fun! Enjoy. If you have an awesome shot you think would make a great BoLS pic of the day, email us. We love spectacle and characterful shots so lets see what you budding photographers can do!

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THQ NEWS: Blood Bowl Dark Elves Ship

Latest from THQ:

"Blood Bowl welcomes a new playable race as the dreadful Dark Elves join the 8 other races already in the game. The newcomers may be the last to enter, but they have every other team aghast with fear and awe in equal measure. For they encompass the best traits of the best teams in the whole of the Blood Bowl world, in one perfect package. Or so their arrogant coaches would have you believe!

This new team enters the Blood Bowl arena with their own Star Player, cheerleaders, all new model designs and unique animations.

We invite you to meet the new race right away with an exclusive video showing off these players that combine the traits of Wood Elf agility with a more obvious brutality. A real treat to play and to watch!

Also, please note that "Blood Bowl: Dark Elves Edition" is now available in stores. This edition includes an 80-page illustrated strategy guide."



Screen Shots Page


~I'm pretty surprised they did an expansion for this product. Anyone picked this one up?

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40K PLAY AID:Forgotten Heroes

Welcome to part one of a Warhammer 40,000 special characters reclamation project that I call "Forgotten Heroes"! In this article, I'm updating three classic characters.

I've chosen three very cool but very different characters to update to 5th Edition for the inaugural article. First, the mysterious Cypher of the Fallen Angels. Secondly, the vile Foulspawn of Nurgle. And, finally, the noble Captain Invictus of the Ultramarines.

Without further delay, let's jump into it!

---

CYPHER
Cypher is an enigmatic character, but here's what we know about him. He's a catalyst for death and destruction, although he rarely takes active role in the devastation. Cypher wears the unadorned black power armor of a Fallen Angel, and he carries a mysterious sheathed sword and two exquisite pistols. Cypher is so skilled that he can aim and fire both pistols, even in the heat of close combat. He has a seemingly supernatural ability to escape capture. Cypher is also sometimes accompanied by other Space Marines in similar black armor.

CYPHER..........................................................151 points

	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
Cypher	5	6	4	4	2	5	3	10	3+

Composition:	Wargear:	Special Rules:
* 1 (Unique)	* Power armor	* And They Shall Know No Fear
	* Plasma pistol	* Fallen Angel
Unit Type:	* Bolt pistol	* Gunfighter
* Infantry	* Frag and krak grenades	* Divine Protection

Note: Cypher is an Independent Character and may be taken as an Elite choice for Chaos Space Marine or Imperial Guard army.

SPECIAL RULES
Fallen Angel: Cypher is often accompanied by a retinue of Fallen Angels. The Fallen Angels are a squad of Chaos Space Marines selected as normal from the Codex: Chaos Space Marines, except they may not be upgraded with Squad Icons.

Note: As long as Cypher is attached to the squad, the Fallen Angels benefit from Cypher's And They Shall Know No Fear special rule. Also note that the Fallen Angel squad is a retinue (see the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook for details on retinues) and does not take up an additional slot in the Force Organization Chart.

Gunfighter: Cypher's skill with his exquisite pistols are legendary. His shots wound on a 4+, regardless of the victim's Toughness. Such is Cypher's skill that wounds caused by his Shooting attacks are allocated by his controlling player, rather than the opposing player. His pair of pistols fire together as a single ranged weapon with the following profile:

Range	Strength	AP	Type
12"	X	2	Assault 4

In addition, Cypher continues to fight with his pistols in close combat. He counts counts as being armed with a power weapon and gains the +1 Attack bonus for being equipped with two close combat weapons.

Divine Protection: If Cypher is ever affected by an attack that would cause Instant Death or remove him from play, he only takes a single wound from the attack. If Cypher is reduced to 0 Wounds or would be removed as a casualty for any reason, don't remove him from the battlefield -- just place the model on its side to note his location.

At the beginning of his controlling player's turn, roll a D6. On a 1, 2 or 3, Cypher is removed from play without a trace. On a 4+, he has cheated certain death again, scrambling into view of his attackers, bloodied but unbowed. Cypher is restored to 1 Wound and may be placed anywhere on the battlefield within 12" of his current location. He can move and fight normally in the turn he reappears. Furthermore, in missions that use kill points, Cypher (and his squad of Fallen Angels) never concedes a kill point.

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FOULSPAWN
Foulspawn was one of Nurgle's most vile and diseased Champions. It is said that the mere sight of him was so disgusting that even the most stalwart warriors were unable to act against him due to uncontrollable gagging and wretching in disgust. Nurgle was so fond of the horrifying Foulspawn that he blessed him with Spawndom. Not only did Foulspawn survived the terrible process of becoming a Chaos Spawn, he thrived in his new state. By some quirk of fate (or whim of Nurgle) Foulspawn regenerates by absorbing the flesh of living creatures. He also gained the gift of a long, sticky tongue, which he uses to grab and swallow still-living creatures whole.

FOULSPAWN..........................................................160 points

	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
Foulspawn	5	4	5	5	10	2	D6	10	-/5+

Composition:	Special Rules:
* 1 (Unique)	* Fearless	* Rending
	* Eternal Warrior	* Mindless Hunger
Unit Type:	* Invulnerable	* Toad-like Tongue
* Beast	* Slow & Purposeful	* Absorb Bodily Tissue
		* Cloud of Flies

Note: Foulspawn may be taken as a Heavy Support choice for a Chaos Space Marine or a Chaos Daemon army. Foulspawn counts as a Daemon in a Chaos Daemon army.


SPECIAL RULES
Mindless Hunger: Foulspawn must always move as far as he can toward an enemy unit, and he must always assault if an enemy unit is within range. In close combat, Foulspawn has D6 Rending attacks -- roll every time he is about to attack. Foulspawn cannot contest an objective.

Toad-like Tongue: Foulspawn is gifted with a sticky, toad-like tongue which he uses to grab victims and suck them into his all-devouring maw. As a shooting attack, Foulspawn may select any infantry, jump infantry, beast, cavalry or bike model in line of sight and within 12". The model must take a Strength test (see Characteristic Tests in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook). If the model fails the test, it is swallowed whole and removed from play. If the test is successful, the model is moved into base contact with Foulspawn and Foulspawn counts as having charged in the subsequent Assault phase.

Absorb Bodily Tissue: Foulspawn gains +1W for each casualty he causes in close combat or using his Toad-like Tongue, up to a maximum of his normal Wounds characteristic.

Loathsome Putrescence: If Foulspawn rolls doubles for his Slow & Purposeful move, he takes a wound (no saves allowed) at the end of the Movement phase. In addition, if Foulspawn rolls a 6 for his number of Attacks, he takes a wound (no saves allowed) at the end of the Assault phase.

Cloud of Flies: Foulspawn is surrounded by a thick cloud of stinging flies and counts as having defensive grenades.

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CAPTAIN INVICTUS
Captain Invictus was the leader of the Ultramarines First Company during the tragic defense of the polar fortresses in the Battle of Macragge during the first Tyrannic War. The elite veterans of the First Company were pivotal in defending the planetary defense of Macragge long enough for Marneus Calgar and the Ultramarine fleet to achieve a victory over the Tyranids in deep space. When Captain Invictus' body was discovered, it was noted that he was surrounded by a massive pile Tyranid corpses, twenty yards deep.

CAPTAIN INVICTUS..........................................................142 points

	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
Invictus	5	5	4	4	2	5	4	10	2+

Composition:	Wargear:	Special Rules:
* 1 (Unique)	* Terminator armor	* And They Shall Know No Fear
	* Teleport homer	* Plasma Blaster
Unit Type:	* Power fist	* Veteran Bodyguard
* Infantry

Note: Captain Invictus is an Independent Character and may be taken as an HQ choice for Space Marines army.

SPECIAL RULES
Plasma Blaster: The plasma blaster was a specially built combi-weapon crafted by the famed Artificer Putus in the 38th Millennium. It incorporated two plasma guns on a weapon mount suitable for replacing the storm bolter on a suit of Terminator armor. The plasma blaster uses the following profile:

Range	Strength	AP	Type
24"	7	2	Rapid-fire, Twin-linked, Gets Hot!

Veteran Bodyguard: As Captain of the Ultramarines First Company, Invictus is able to equip his personal troops to the highest standard. He may be accompanied by a Terminator Squad retinue. This command squad is purchased like a normal Terminator Squad, except that one Terminator is may be upgraded to an Apothecary for free. In addition, one model may be upgraded to carry the Company Standard for 15 points.

Note: Also note that the Terminator Squad is a retinue (see the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook for details on retinues) and does not take up an additional slot in the Force Organization Chart.

First Company Veterans: Captain Invictus carefully expanded the Ultramarines First Company with stolid veterans from the entire Chapter after the heavy losses of the Corinthian Crusade. As a result, every member of the First Company is a seasoned veteran. An army led by Captain Invictus may select one of the following types of units to count as Troops selections for the army: Terminator Squads, Terminator Assault Squads, Sternguard Veterans or Vanguard Veterans.

~I'd love your thoughts and feedback on these forgotten heroes! If you actually give any of them a spin in a game, please let me know what happened. You can leave comments here or email me at mkerr@chainfist.com.

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Goatboy's 40k Thoughts: Are we not playing enough Plastic Dudes?

Goatboy here again - today I want to talk about something I have been discovering as I've been playing with my Space Goats army. I've slowly started to add more guys to the army and have been noticing the dramatic effect it has had on my opponents as well as my overall game play. We all love our super bad ass HQ's, elites, and Heavy units but when the game is finishing up, all we can really see pushing us into the winners bracket is the troop squads we have left.

I know I championed the thought of less troop and more killing stuff. As each new codex comes out the overall power level of the scoring unit has become better. Almost as good as some of the other units in the game. You mix that with the overall ability of threat balance and control and you've got yourself a troop choice that is not regulated to under 400 points in an army. So today - I want to champion the idea that more guys is just better. Here are 3 reasons why:

Psychological Threat

If you set up 60 3+ armor saved guy across the table, most opponents will have a bit of a double take. Taking out that many guys is really hard, especially when you also mix in a good weapon match to give just about anything a threat. I have had many games where the opponent is like, "Crap, I have to take out 30 more guys in transports too?" A horde of guys is always something to worry about, whether they are green skins or covered in a make believe super plastic.

Objective Threat

That many scoring troops is a pain to deal with. There are very few armies that can conveniently kill all your models in the first 3 turns. Having 3+ scoring units is a great way to ensure that you can get one or two at the end of the game. A lot of games are decided by only having one objective. So getting a chance to grab 3 is something that a lot of armies will find hard to deal with.

Board Threat

The new codexes have done a great job of dropping the overall points cost of troop units, letting them make up their points a lot easier to do now. Most troops have options that lets them be a threat to all unit choices. Whether they have to force a ton of armor saves, blow up some kind of mechanized threat, or just stick in combat for long enough to let you shoot the guys after they "win" during their turn; troop units have just gotten better. Nothing is better then using a 170 points of guys to take out a big threat like a Land Raider or some kind of Monstrous Creature.

I know not all the codexes have the options that some of the newer ones have. Most of the time, an overall points drop across the board would usually fix most of the older books. Letting units do more at less points costs can usually alter a unit from mediocre to actually usable. But that isn't a decision that is up to me, but something GW seems to be doing with each new release. With the upcoming Nids codex coming out are we going to see a Renaissance of the Horde rearing its ugly head? Will we see more horde style marine armies start to come out as massed bolter fire becomes something more then just trying to force a bunch of 1's to be rolled on a d6?

Here is a Space Wolves/Goats army I have been messing around with. It sits at 4 troops (one can't score) and I still feel I could use another. If Eldar weren't as annoying I would probably drop the Rune Priest to get some more armored jerk faces.

HQ: Wolflord, Thunder Wolf, Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield, Saga of the Bear, Runic Armor - 260pts
HQ: Canis - 185pts
HQ: Rune Priest - 100pts (Living Lightning, JoTWW)
Elites: Wolf Guard (3), Powerfist (2), MoW - 109pts
Elites: Iron Priest, Thunder Wolf, Wolftooth Talisman, Cyber Wolves (4) - 165pts
Troops: Grey Hunters (8), Melta, MoW, Rhino - 175pts
Troops: Grey Hunters (8), Melta, MoW, Rhino - 175pts
Troops: Grey Hunters (9), Melta, MoW, Rhino - 190pts
Troops: Fenris Wolves (12) - 96pts
Heavy: Long Fangs (6), ML (4), HB - 135pts
Heavy: Long Fangs (6), ML (3), HB (2) - 130pts
FA: Thunder Wolf Cavalry (5), Powerfist - 280pts

Pts - 2000pts

This list could probably drop the Iron Priest and look at adding another Grey Hunters Squad. I would probably drop the Wolves too. The reason Canis will stay in is that there isn't a cheaper option for this type of combat Wolflord. Yes he has 2 less Leadership and no Inv save - but mix this with the hit of the Saga of the Bear Wolf lord as well as Canis and you have a really deadly combination. But yeah I could add in another Grey hunters squad with Rhino as well as one extra Wolf Guard with a different load out to really up the "horde factor" of 3+ armor save guys on the table.

Give it a try and see about adding in another troop squad to your current army list. I have had many games where the ability to get 2 far reaching objectives has won me an otherwise "lost" game. Giving you ton of chances to get the job done and hold onto the win is something that a lot of armies need.

As usual, if you have any questions please feel free to email me at GoatboyBOLS@gmail.com.

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Pic of the Day 11-22-09

Pic submitted by: Eric Zhang

A Marshal this badass deserves a Haiku contest! GO!
~Your daily dose of tabletop fun! Enjoy. If you have an awesome shot you think would make a great BoLS pic of the day, email us. We love spectacle and characterful shots so lets see what you budding photographers can do!

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WARMACHINE: Armies of the Iron Kingdoms: Cryx at a glance

Rising like a cancer from the waters off Cygnar's coast lie the Scharde Isles. This is the dark realm of Toruk the Dragonfather, immortal, all powerful, and evil beyond human reckoning. Toruk is the first dragon, and is, as far as any scholar knows, as old as Imorren itself. His very presence is an enigma to scholars of all faiths, as his presence seems removed from the machinations of any known deity. He is clearly a supernatural being, and he and his progeny are reviled in equal measure by the members of all other religions. It should come as no surprise that such a powerful entity is himself considered a god by many, and his clerics wield dark unholy powers. So evil is this foul beast, that his very presence warps the land and its inhabitants with his so-called dragon blight. His servants may be marked with inhuman spurs, scales, horns, or a suitably terrible visage.

Many often question why a being as powerful as Toruk tolerates the presence of the human kingdoms that continue to grow and prosper on the mainland. The answer lies in what might be this being's only folly, for there was a time when Toruk sought to create rather than destroy. He removed his Athanc, a giant heartstone that contains his very immortal essence, and with a mighty claw he fractured it. This created the shards from which would grow his blighted progeny. But the Dragon failed to create the vassals he had hoped for, and instead the fledgling dragons sought to war against their creator. No one can say how many of his new offspring Toruk managed to consume in the ensuing struggle but the battle quickly weakened him, and so he retreated to the Scharde isles as his remaining wayward children fled to their own lairs to lick their own wounds.



In the ensuing centuries the creature built an empire, beginning by swearing the pirate kings of the islands to fealty. Over the ages those surviving kings and many of their vassals have transformed into powerful liches making them the perfect generals for the Dragon's armies. They still hold court in dark obsidian palaces tended to by undead servitors, or wretched living slaves unfortunate enough to be captured alive, or born into a living hell. It is these liches who organize the islands' various necrotechs to create the hordes of mechanically augmented undead and infernal constructs that wage war on behalf of their dark king. These armies are reinforced by the still living inhabitants of the blighted islands: the lithe Satyxis raiders, and the blighted ogrun and trollkin.

While these forces are frequently sent out to harry the mortals on the mainland, Toruk has built his army for a more specific purpose. For while the dragon is more than a match for any one of his offspring, he fears the day when they may form a pact against him. This eventuality fills him with more dread than any mortal can understand, so it is his goal to one day have armies strong enough to both protect him in his kingdom and hunt and eliminate his children. Until that day he knows that the armies of the mainland help keep his progeny hidden. The other dragons are not so resilient as to stand against the full military might of an entire army of men and their warjacks. And so the Dragonfather is content to cull the human nations in subtle measure, slowly adding the ranks of their dead to his own forces, while keeping them from gaining the strength to threaten his own existence.


The lowest echelon of the Cryx military machine is the humble mechanithrall. Pure Necromancy has always proved difficult in Immoren, with too much magical energy being necesary to automate the corpses needed for an entire army. The solution was an undead whose sentience is granted through powerful dark magic, but whose automation is purely mechanical. And so, countless numbers of necrosurgeons and necrotechs must toil endlessly attaching pistons and boilers to corpses gathered from the mainland to create the most numerous of Toruk's soldiers. They are supported by massive Brute Thralls, hulking monstrosities that are the pinnacle of the necrosurgeons art. Stitched together from the corpses of Ogrun, Trollkin, and other larger humanoids they tower over a full grown man. Necrosurgeons themselves frequently accompany their creations to the battlefield, and with the assistance of various clockwork augmentations and their faithful Stitch Thralls, they can rebuild their fallen charges with inhuman speed. Also among the ranks of the lesser undead are the bile thralls, whose body cavities are filled with pressurized acids. Though they are equipped with a release nozzle to spray this poison on their foes, the preferred method of delivery is to release it all at once in a single suicidal burst that will shower any nearby. The elite soldiers of the Cryxian forces are the Bane Thralls, powerful undead created primarily through lengthy rituals which infuse them with unnatural powers. They can cut down the most heavily armored foe and fill any soldier's heart with dread.



The living forces of Lord Toruk are the descendants of the Scharde Isles' original inhabitants, and they eke out a living primarily as pirates raiding Cygnaran and Khadoran shipping routes. In return for safe harbor they act as soldiers for the Dragon King when his armies make war on the mainland. Among these warriors are the Satyxis Raiders, savage women made no less beautiful by the mighty horns protruding from their heads. In addition to inflicting agonizing injuries, their barbed whips create a charge when striking a warjack that can feedback to its controlling warcaster and injure or even kill them. The Black Ogrun are another indispensable addition to any Cryxian raiding party. Their inhuman strength allows them to wield massive harpoon guns which drag their foes into harms way, and their terrifying visage can make even the most hardened veterans quake. But perhaps the most horrible of Toruk's living minions are the vile Bloodgorgers. This ancient kriel of trollkin already had a well deserved reputation for violence, and their exposure to the dragon's blight has caused them to surrender to their depravity.

Cryxian warjacks are typically lighter and faster than their mainland counterparts and they fall into two distinct categories. Helljacks are larger and were initially developed to counter the threat of mainland heavy 'jacks. Bonejacks are lighter and smaller than most conventional warjack and usually serve in more specialized roles. Since the initial success of the Slayer, the Helljack arsenal has expanded at a pace limited only by necrotech imagination. The Slayer chassis has since been augmented with various ranged armaments giving birth to the Reaper and the Corruptor. To build a 'jack more suitable for naval combat the Leviathan was born. In addition to being completely submersible, the spider legs that make this 'jack so effective on unstable ships have proven perfect for traversing difficult ground and make it impossible to be knocked down. But the Cryxian necrotechs cannot claim responsibility for the most powerful weapon in their arsenal. The monstrous Deathjack is a nightmare given form. Like a dark boogeyman this construct was blamed for numerous inexplicable attrocities and its name was used to frighten children. Those too rational to believe in its existence were proven horribly wrong when it appeared at the fore of a Cryxian army after being captured and bound into servitude.

The more nimble bonejacks sprint, leap, and even burrow across the battlefield. Their two primary purposes are to arc spells and threaten enemy casters or other vulnerable targets with their mobility. Cryx arc nodes are the fastest and cheapest in the game, and their mobility ensures they can always find a juicy target for their warcaster's spells. They will also be armed with vicious mandibles or the acid spewing ranged weapons you would expect from a Cryx warjack.



Cryx sorcery is some of the most powerful and destructive in Immoren. It is for the most part an insidious blend of the blood magic native to the Scharde isles infused and magnified by the power of Toruk himself. The warcasters of Cryx cast spells that can melt flesh from bone or turn the armor of the heaviest warjacks brittle. They can obscure Cryxian forces from sight or allow them to walk through walls or even enemy soldiers unhindered. They can weaken the flesh and resolve of enemy infantry or infuse their own forces with unnatural strength and skill.

So what does it mean to be a Cryx player? Foremost, the Cryx army has massive assassination potential. Every Cryxian warcaster has a different insidious way to eliminate their rival warcaster. This may be from attacking directly, with arced spells, or using their magic to weaken the warcaster so much that some of their other assassination tools like the leaping Stalker or incorporeal Pistol Wraith, can finish the job easily. Cryx armies also tend to be faster than most having many bonejacks with spd 7 and equally fast Satyxis raiders. Certain warcasters and combos can also really get armies moving across the table. Master Necrotech Mortenebra is the finest example, granting an additional 2" of spd to all warjacks in her already fast battlegroup. The significant debuffing abilities of the Cryx army means that even the heaviest warjacks may be softened up by cumulative armor penalties before the army moves in for an easy kill. Cryx also has access to the cheapest troops in the game with mechanithralls costing a meager 5 points per 10 man unit in Mark II. For 2 pts more, those thralls can be joined by a necrosurgeon and their stitch thralls who will quickly restore them should they be disabled.

What the forces of Cryx tend to lack significantly is staying power. This deficit is most notable with their Warjacks who have not only lower armor, but also a significantly smaller damage grid than those of other factions. With the exception of a few spells that grant stealth, the army lacks for defensive buff spells or abilities as well. Since their troops also tend to have somewhat lower defense and armor scores this means many may not survive their way across the battlefield. Though Cryx does have some very interesting warjack armaments and a few ranged specialists, they still tend to lack for solid firepower. They have to rely on their nimble arc nodes and exceptional magic to eliminate foes from a distance, and use their mobility and strength of numbers to reach their enemies intact.

~And that's Cryx at a glance. There's way too much stuff to cover it all here. In fact this just barely scratches the surface. But if you think this is a good time to renounce former allegiances and swear fealty to the Dragon King there's plenty more to learn at www.privateerpress.com. Have at it guys.

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40k/WFB SNEAK PEEK: 2010 Gamesday Mini

So look what showed up in the BoLS inbox.

Hot off the presses, the new Games Day 2010 Mini.

"The 2010 Games Day miniature is a wonderful Warhammer Chaos Sorcerer sculpted by Dave Thomas. Resplendent with tentacles, skulls and a book of forbidden lore, it oozes character."

~So do any of you guys really go out of your way to collect these limited releases? I occasionally see overpriced Krootbirds, and other Gamesday minis on eBay, but didn't know just how collectible they are?

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Art of War-hammer: Adeptus Titanicus

"The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities... It is best to win without fighting."

As every reader knows, jwolf took home the Forge World Reaver Titan from this years Adepticon. Also, Minus67 has a couple Lucius Warhounds. So I now have the rather arduous task of painting all three of them. Thankfully, my sanity will be spared the assembly which Minus is doing himself.

All three titans will share the Legio Astraman colors and heraldry. Here's a glimpse of what's done so far. These are primary tests to be sure Minus and Wolf both liked the coloring. Now that both are approved, I can go full steam ahead on the project!
~Lots more pictures and details on the colors and style over at bushido40k.fateweaver.net. More coming as the titan gets further along. Comments are welcome as always!

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HOBBY: PRIMER 101 What's in the Can Man?

A guest article by RedScorpionsGirl

Have you ever sat down and thought about priming? What color to start with, how well it will work, and what you can do with it? There are lots of choices now, simply going to Wal-Mart and getting the .97/can spray, P3 Primer, Games Workshop Primer, Army Painter, and more.

White
Tamyia white primer is superfine, and works better than any white primer I have ever used. You can't wash or ink directly over it, so a thinned down coat of white over it will allow you to wash and ink freely (80% water/20% paint). Models with a lot of detail don't have it obscured by this primer, it actually seems to highlight fine details to a degree. P3 is also said to be a good white primer, (can't comment yes or no on it, haven't tried it) GW white primer leaves something to be desired... Thin, multiple coats needed, and tends to obscure a lot of detail..

Black
Great all around primer, the Krylon is so-so, but if you use anything that is flat black spray (ie. Wal-Mart's .99 cans) they work almost as well as the GW primer, or the P3. I have heard good things about the P3 primers overall, but have not tried it as of yet. Also make sure that you use flat or ultra flat black, not satin or gloss, as the paint doesn't adhere nearly as well to those..

Grey
This is an awesome color to work with. Cool and neutral, I found that grey primer (making sure you don't miss any areas....) with wash will produce amazing space wolves. In my opinion the perfect blue grey without the hassle of using space wolf grey since it doesn't come in spray currently...(hoping for a re-release but not expecting it)

The Army Painter
This primer is amazing. It comes in several different color, yes, I said COLORS! They have pretty much all the common colors, including red (Khorne), blue (ultramarine), yellow (Imperial Fists) , green (Ork), green (Imperial Guard), undead colors of rotting flesh and such, an ideal bone color, and more. They also have a large selection of dips (ends up shading similarly to wash, but not exactly the same result. It's best to check out their articles on the site for a how to, and some examples) and more. This is a great way to speed paint an army, because as long as you are good with a spray can, it facilitates your painting. They also have metal colors, and are intending on getting more in the future. These are wonderful primers, as you can wash directly over them, without an issue. It isn't too hard to find a way to touch up if need be also, as the colors they chose are easy to in bottles. These don't tend to obscure the details at all, and with a simple wash of Badab Black, it brings it to life. Just think about it, a simple coat of primer, wash, and detail the model to your liking. That's it! While they are about the same cost as the Games Workshop Primer, the colors available make it worth the cost in my opinion.

The Army Painter Colors I have Tried Out:

Bone: works great for skeletons of any type. Also gives a great color when paired with almost any of the washes (suggest trial on a small piece of spare plastic to check the effect). Coats great!

Red: it looks cool! Makes a great Khorne color. It is a slap you in the face bright red.. Coats great! Tone it down with a wash, or leave it bright!

Army Green: Looks good! Covers just as well as the other colors I have tried and I like just how flat it truly is. I think it would be a good guard color.

Also, I have tried the Matte Varnish. Unlike GW’s varnish which has a high tendency to fog, theirs has yet to. I have gone out of my way to try it in some of the most unusual situations, and am truly impressed with it. A good investment to protect a good paint job!

GW Primers
These work fine. They have their days, just like any other company does. The fact that they went from 8.00 to 16.00 per can is causing a lot of people to look elsewhere to good primer, as they see that as too much to pay. They have reformulated it several times also, but the price for just black or white primer is a bit much.

Board To Pieces
These work fine as well. I have used black, white, and grey. While they have their days, I am truly not too impressed with the white. The black works well, but the white leaves something to be desired. It seems to be very finicky, and more often than not when I would prime with it, I would see awful fuzzing and thickness. The grey is all right, less finicky than the white, but not quite as clean as the black. Reasonable prices though.

There are a myriad of other options as well, so by all means, don't limit yourself to simply black, grey, or white! Also, think outside the box, mixing primers with washes, to make a simple army combination, or even combining various color washes to get what you want.

For Example:

-Grey Primer + Asurmen Blue Wash= Space Wolf Blue/Grey color
-Grey Primer + Baal Red Wash= a gritty Khorne color
-White Primer + Asurmen Blue Wash(x2 coats)= Great Ultramarine Color
-White Primer + Badab Black + Asurmen Blue wash (x)= Gritty Crimson Fists Color
-Bone Army Painter + Badab Black= Great Desert Scheme

and the list goes on...

Any particular ones you have found that work well?

Not Recommended!
- At all costs, stay as far away from Armoury primer as you can. While this used to be an inexpensive, good alternative to GW, their product has changed, and now, you stand a huge chance of having the primer fuzz up on your models, no matter what conditions you attempt to prime in, and ruin your models. A lot of us have experienced this, and will recommend against it. It takes a lot of time to strip the primer off when it has fuzzed as well, even using aircraft stripper on metal models. Rather disappointing honestly... I know others have had great luck with it, but other than the one stray can of good grey armoury primer, I have asked over 20+ people who have tried it, and they did not have good reviews. I have also talked to several games stores that will not carry it anymore, preferring to carry Army Painter, Games Workshop, or Board to Pieces.

- Gloss Enamel Spray. Enough said in the enamel part. This tends to be shiny, unmanageable, and horribly thick. It shouldn't ever be used on models. If you use this for a primer, there is a good chance that the model may not take acrylic paint over it, or it may shell and crack, or worse. I highly suggest staying away from spray cans of enamel paint (again, this is discounting mixing enamel paint to use in an airbrush. I haven't used my airbrush yet, but am looking forward to it)

- Enamel. In any shape or form, this is a bad idea. It will eventually strip off metal, but with a lot of problems, in most cases, it won't strip off plastic easily, and the consistency of it makes the models look horrid. Testors paint works just fine on the planes and such,, but they tend to obscure a lot of detail, as well as taking a long time to dry (I am speaking of brushing on enamel, not airbrushing, as that seems to have a huge difference when you take the time to do so) among other problems. You can fix a mistake from acrylic with wet brush, but when you try to fix a mistake with enamels it isn't pretty. Also makes the brush taste horrible (come on we all put brushes in our mouth without even realizing it, if you've been painting a long time)

- Gesso. Just don't use this for priming..Period. I can’t stress this enough, this is for painting on canvas, not fine models we work with, and especially not anything produced by Forge World. I know there a few people in favor of it (personally, the excuses are great, I can't spray, I don't want to go outside to have to prime, It stinks, I live xxx or yyy and can't, this is better...etc. I've heard them all with the top one being the individual is just too lazy to go outside to spray), but once you start working on forgeworld models which have an extensive amount of detailing that can easily be covered up with this thick paint, it will ruin a good model. Take your time and spray prime, for optimal results. This prevents puddles, thick spots, and more.

- Poster Paints. This shouldn't need to be here...but....... These are designed for just that, posters and such. These tend to have poor consistency and coloration on models. Will fade fast, and yellow with any degree of sunlight/handling etc. Honestly, it is just best to get regular old acrylic paint. If you can't find a certain color that they make in a poster paint color, look about. There are hundreds of different colors available from several dozen companies, including Vallejo, Reaper, Rackham, P3, Games Workshop, and more.

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40K SNEAK PEEK: Fortress of Retribution Sprues

Pics graciously shared with BoLS by: John's Toy Soldiers

Check it guys!

~I only see a handful of Dark Angel logos to scrape off. Not to shabby if I say so myself. Now who's getting one for Christmas?

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WFB: Alamo Tournament Report (Video)

Hi everybody.

The BoLS video battlereports continue. This time we have Minus67 taking us all on a 2 part summary of his journey to a Warhammer Fantasy GT event, the Alamo in San Antonio TX. A whole lot of us have never been to a tournament for one reason for another, and I think you will have a fun time with these videos. They really give a good feel for what going to one of the many local GTs out there is like. Its great fun, so sit back and enjoy the ride.







BoLS YouTube Channel (check us out)

~Comments are welcome guys! You can expect many more battle reports and videos featuring all aspects of the hobby from your favorite writers, and more. Get on in there and let us know what you liked, wanted to see me improve, and of course Monday-morning quarterbacking is always great fun after a battle report.

As you read this, Minus67, and a group of other BoLS crew are duking it out at the Fantasy Ard-Boys finals in Chicago...and they have the video camera with them. We'll be hearing from them soon.

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