A fortnight ago I made my way to Wargames Workshop in Kingston, Milton Keynes, on a Monday evening after work to play my first game of Warmachine. I had made contact with a really nicely fellow called Rob (Rangerbob on the Privateer Press forums) and he had agreed to run me through it. I did my level best to get pain to my Protectorate of Menoth miniatures before the game, ignoring the unit since we were going to play the "Mangled Metal" scenario which is a Warjack and Warcaster death-match. Rob and Glenn, who was a helpful observer/guide, giving me advice and clarifying queries I had.
In the end I didn't get everything painted, but there was paint on the models, and that is what matters. I've made a short little YouTube video with some thoughts on the game and on my paint scheme going forward.
In short, it is a really tight game, with a solid community and "scene". The chaps who were teaching me were really nice and are keen to foster a larger community. In fact, I was so enthused by the game that I immediately arranged to teach my local wargaming opponent, Taff, how to play, and last Thursday evening we ran through a quick Mangled Metal game, with Taff taking command of Kommander Sorscha. His impression was positive, so that bodes well. I am hoping to get involved in the Milton Keynes Journeyman league when that begins in September with my Protectorate of Menoth stuff. Whilst I was initially attracted to Khador's Tzarist/Soviet aesthetic, I really like the Protectorate of Menoth playing style. so I think that for now I will continue to build upon those things which are already painted.
I am currently wrangling with a lighting problem. My trusty hobby lamp's bulb died an untimely death a couple of weeks ago, and despite replacing it with more bulbs, I can't seem to get hold of proper, natural light bulbs. I've had a chat with the chaps at the club, and they have directed me towards something that might work.
The frustrating part is that I had quite a productive weekend, and finished off a fair few bits that were sat upon the painting table. I took photos, but had had to play with them extensively to get the colour to look half true to life.
Here they are:
Two more Ultramarine brothers, this was the only decent photo.
I have completed two more Ultramarines for my 30k army. I still have a fair bit of resin waiting for paint, a lot of which was donated kindly by Mr. T before he absconded to Canada. I am holding back a bit on this front with the promise of Ultramarine specific things next year. But I just can't help but work on these in parallel with whatever else is on the table.
Stacking.
Cover me brother!
Two veterans for my Dark Angel Command Squad. I decided to go for a close combat based unit, and as such power weapons abound. I particularly enjoyed building these fellows. The Apothecary is now almost done, the white being an absolute pain, and then all I have to do is the Champion and the Standard Bearer. I also bought the Dark Vengeance expansion set for Dark Angels, a video review of which is now on YouTube.
At the moment I am looking to bulk out the Dark Angels with a flyer and some vehicles, so a Vindicator should be appearing soon. Additionally, I am probably going to mount my Command Squad in a Razorback for some protection and a little fire support.
I've also begun working on my Warmachine stuff again. Below are my first Warjack (Crusader?) and High Exemplar Kreoss, who has featured on the blog before. I repainted his Menoth crosses to match the 'Jack, and will probably repaint the metal parts of the 'Jack when I get an opportunity as the bronze isn't quite what I want. A club member has a Minotaur Space Marine army, and his bronze is fantastic. He has kindly shared his recipe with me, which I shall shamelessly steal and use for my own devious ends.
I've made contact with the Warmachine/Hordes community near my workplace of Milton Keynes, and a kind forum member on the Privateer Press forums (Rangerbob) has offered to teach me how to play. So a warm welcome indeed, and impetus to paint my figures.
Finally, more Vikings. These were painted an age ago, and are undergoing a bit of upkeep following years of neglect. I have a few more on the desk, and then I need to count how many of these hairy marauders I actually have. I think that Saga might now be within reach.
As a final note, I have actually finished my Soviet Strelkovy Company. I tried taking photos, but the lighting was miserably bad, and at 15mm scale, the figures looked awful. Once I sort out my lighting I will post some pictures.
So I bought my Warmachine starter box in February, and here we are at the start of May and I haven't really said much about it. I have yet to play a game, but since I have a deep aversion to playing with unpainted miniatures, that first game is still a way off. I began by painting High Exemplar Kreoss who was featured on the blog a while back, largely because he looked more imposing and interesting than Kommander Sorscha. I am happy with what I achieved, but as I intimated in my earlier post, I am finding working with restic a little irritating and I find it a little disappointing that Privateer Press would stoop to using such a nasty material.
However, I suppose that these are starter set figures, so I will hold off further judgement on the quality of Privateer Press until I pick up some other stuff from blisters and other boxed sets. My point stands though, with Games Workshop the beginner is treated to lovely miniatures, such as the Dark Vengeance boxed set; contrasted with the offerings for Warmachine I would say that Games Workshop wins this round. I have almost finished my first Warjack, a Crusader. I find that most of the Warjacks look the same to me, so I need the cards to help me differentiate between them. Once I become more familiar with the game I am sure that I will remember what is what.
In addition to trying to get the feel of Warmachine in a tactile fashion, I have also read the rulebook. Again, I am disappointed in my $100 starter set. I have flicked through the rulebook several times, but not that much, and already the central sheets of the booklet have come loose. What a shame. I have never had this happen to me before and I am shocked and appalled! Well, not really, just disappointed. Again Privateer Press aren't putting their best foot forward. Given that for most people a starter set is the "gateway drug" into a miniatures game, the combination of restic miniatures with odd flash and strange sprue joins, and a rulebook that collapses in your hands, this is a major misstep for Privateer Press. I know that the wider wargaming community criticises Games Workshop for many things, including pricing and their shop floor manner, but the one thing that they really get is how to sell a game system with a single box. I remember getting into Fantasy and 40k via the starter sets in 6th and 3rd Editions respectively, in the end I didn't play any of the factions in either set, but the rulebook and the contents of the boxes got me hooked on a world which I love visiting time and again. With Warmachine I simply don't get the same feeling of excitement at discovering a new world, the Iron Kingdoms is just a little dry.
I get the feeling that Warmachine was designed first and foremost as a game, and then someone decided to bolt on some background story. This is of course a gross simplification, but I get the sense that the "fluff" of Warmachine is entirely secondary. That said, I have been watching loads of battle reports and introductory games on YouTube, and the actual ruleset seems water tight and elegant. So inasmuch as I don't care much for the setting, I am actually intrigued by the mechanics of the game. I will however have to hold off final judgement until I have had a chance to play with my toy soldiers.
In the meantime, I am preparing for my imminent return to the UK on the 14th of May. I am looking forward to being reunited with H, and my dogs. Furthermore, I'll have my wargaming infrastructure around me so that I can hopefully produce some better YouTube content and take some decent pictures.
Another slow week. Having spent most of it down on the Gold Coast engaged in work, I lacked the opportunity to get much done. I did however, manage to finish off my High Exemplar Kreoss for Warmachine, all he needs now is a little basing to finish him off. Quite happy with the paint job I have achieved, but I find these "restic" miniatures a little strange to paint. I've tried using a roughly Menoth palette, but still allowed them a wide enough berth for the figures to cameo in 40k games as Mechanicum or Ecclesiarchy forces if I want them to.
I am going to get started on some Warjacks for the Protectorate of Menoth next, try and get through those so that I can start learning the game with some human aid, as I am finding it hard to absorb the rules ex libro quite difficult. It isn't so much that the rules are unclear or even that complicated, but frankly, I am reading rules that I haven't had a chance to apply in a situation, it lacks tangibility.
Brother Crixus, ready for action.
The Dark Pact isn't forgotten! I also got another 30k Ultramarine done, Brother Crixus who will join Sergeant Demetrios of Orpheus to take the fight to Horus's lapdogs. Next up on the Ultramarine queue is Demetrios Poliorketes, who will be revealed once ready for the camera. And apologies for the poor quality of the above photos, I took them at the painting desk with my iPad camera. Once the last of the three "Demetrioi" is complete I'll do some better shots of them. Here are some more pictures of Crixus.
For those who don't keep track of such things or simply aren't aware of them, do yourselves a favour and have a look at the Independent Characters Hobby Progress Challenge forum. I am currently engaged in the HPC as a means of getting my Dark Angels done, but the real pleasure is the community spirit and seeing other people work and reach their goals. Furthermore, there is some exceptional talent on the forums, and it is inspiring. For my next trick, I will be painting up three more Tactical Marines who will join Squad Raphael. The box of three arrived at Irresistible Force this week, and I picked them up this morning. Hopefully by Sunday night they will be complete.
Believe it or not but Games Workshop make a little box of three Space Marine. The sprue inside looks like this and provides one with a little boost to increase numbers, which I need since I foolishly did three tester marines from the Dark Vengeance set. What a clown.
Not much by way of customisability but they'll do the trick to get my squad up to ten men. The scouts I won on eBay also arrived this week, there are six in close combat configuration. I am planning on doing a squad of five for the HPC which I may add to as it progresses. Furthermore, I also bought some things off a chap on the http://www.wargamerau.com/ forum, which he sent out today, I expect they will get here mid next week. I got a Command Squad, Tactical Squad and 15 Ultramarine shoulder pads for $65 Australian, so around £30, including postage. What a deal! So the Dark Angels are starting to shape up nicely.
It is just too hot to paint today. The humidity is simply killing us all, so the pool is the only safe place left to us. Hoopefully I can basecoat tonight when it is cooler.
Another week has passed, and some hobby has occurred. I am still working on my Hobby Progress Challenge for 2014 and as of this evening I have completed four Tactical Marines. Now I only have three more Dark Vengeance bods to go, a chap with a plasma gun, one with a plasma cannon and a veteran sergeant. I hope to have these finished by the end of the weekend. Here are some pictures:
I am quite happy with how they have turned out, just some static grass and base edges to go now. For the HPC I need to get the squad up to ten, but I have already painted three marines who won't count towards the challenge, so I will have to find three more marines. Once I have some more disposable income I will get these along with the static grass I need. If I can these extra three done by the end of February, great, but certainly my March commitment will be Deathwing terminators.
In other news, I am still working my way through the Warmachine rulebook, and painting my Menoth caster, who I hope to finish by the end of the weekend as well. I also began assembling my Khador warjacks. One observation is that the restic that they are cast out of is pretty naff to work with, not a massive fan. Mantic used the same type of plastic for some of their Kickstarter stuff, and it just isn't good enough.
On the reading front I am now well into Mechanicum and am enjoying exploring the Martian priesthood more thoroughly. I think that where Battle for the Abyss really expanded the naval element of the 30k/40k universe, and introduced the Saturnine fleet, which was really cool, Mechanicum does the same for its namesake, and already I see my Warmachine warjacks as Mechanicum knights.
Well, gentle readers, that is all for now. Carry on.
In my last post I mentioned that I was thinking about a new skirmish game, I had thought to try either Malifaux or Warmachine. Well, on Saturday morning I head over to Irresistible Force to pick up a few more paints, I needed some more metals. While I was there I asked Gavin, the owner, about Warmachine. I am by no means new to wargaming, but the whole Privateer Press sensation passed me by, it must have been kicking off during my lengthy hiatus. It seems that it is the game of choice for competitive play, the rules being super tight. Furthermore, the community likes it as a tournament ruleset, and apparently there are tournament specific variations on the generic ruleset. Another interesting thing is that it is fully compatible with the "fantasy" counterpart Hordes, which only expands playability.
Back to my tale, I spent about an hour chatting to Gavin, having a look around and eyeballing the lovely figures on offer before stumbling across the starter set for Warmachine and Hordes. I stood there for around five minutes, thinking, erring, before committing, I will play this game. So I picked up the awesome looking boxed set with great steam powered machines. Additionally, the store has a very active Warmachine scene, so I can get a game which is a bonus. Of course I need to learn to play first.
I got home with my shiny new box and eagerly opened it up. Booklets, rulebook and bags of figures (which appear to be restic) all awaited my eager hands. My box has two factions, Khador and the Protectorate of Menoth, and I decided to paint up the casters from both sides first, to set the tone for the forces. I decided to paint both sides with a red colour in the mix so that I could field them together in 40k if I wanted to as, Guard, Mechanicum or Ecclesiarchy forces.
I really like the aesthetics of the figures, I don't know how I feel about the Iron Kingdoms fluff yet as I don't really know all that much about it, and it doesn't really figure as prominently as the background of the "Galaxy in Flames" of 40k, but I can catch up with that later. The steampunk style of the machines has a Mechanicum feel to it, and certainly the Khador infantry would look awesome fighting for the Emperor of Mankind.
This chap could quite easily be an Ecclesiarchy Cardinal, or perhaps a Martian Techpriest.
I have been reading the little rulebook as and when I could, but I always find the best way to learn a new game is simply to play it. Once I have painted up some more stuff I will try and arrange a game with someone at Irresistible Force. I have an aversion to playing with bare figures. One of the major problems I have had so far is that Warmachine doesn't lead with its fluff like Warhammer and 40k do, so I don't really know which faction I want to play from a fluff perspective. I also struggled to find a good beginners guide, but then stumbled across the unfortunately title "Vomkrieg" blog who does a really good series of blog posts on starting Warmachine, you can see it here. I think I need to do some more reading when I am not totally shattered from working a twelve hour day, and things might be a little more "in focus". So there we have it, a new game with a low model count committed to. Hopefully I will find the game enjoyable, if not my Imperial 40k Collection has just gained some more bodies anyway.
One of the problems I face at the moment, besides relative joblessness, is the fact that I can't game. Not that I have ever been a prolific gamer, but with so much free time on my hands it seems a waste to not be able to indulge. The issue is that, even if I wanted to, I can't. I have with me a Dreadball team and some 40k Dark Angels, but I am not in a position to play as I am not overly familiar with Dreadball, and don't have all the books and such with me. I will need to make contact with a Dreadball player first, and then rely on their stuff to get up and running, only providing my own team. As regards 40k, I have nothing of note painted, and the scale is so small now that only Killteam is viable. I love Killteam, I remember the rules for it in White Dwarf many years ago, it is a great game to play with good friends, perhaps as part of a larger narrative. It does not, however, play well for a pick up game. Also, given that I haven't play a game of 40k since the 3rd edition rules, it probably isn't wise to start with Killteam.
Therefore I am in somewhat of a quandary. I need to find the local game that has a following, and it needs to be small in terms of models. I spoke to Gavin at Irresistible Force, and his group are big Warmachine/Hordes players. I always liked the look of the Jacks, but I got the idea, and I don't know where, that I wouldn't like the game. The other contender is Malifaux. Slightly more out of the way for me, but the game sounds brilliant. I am an avid listener to the Malifools podcast, and the general chat about the game and the sense of community, even on the competitive side, seems to me to be a winner. The problem is that I have never played. The good news is that the models are beautiful, and many will, I suspect, fit well into a 40k setting or Mordheim setting. So I am very tempted.
I suppose the fact that for either game I can pick up a crew for around 50$AUD and get playing is a good thing. Warmachine is also highly developed on the iPad, with the rules and other aids being available, helping me as weightless rulebooks are a must for me. I think the next step in this journey will be to arrange a demo game. I need to play these games and see the models in the flesh before I decide what to commit to, but at the moment I tend towards Malifaux.
Regular readers might scoff, "do you really need another game?" Well, the answer is simply that I don't view my miniature collection as something that is mutually exclusive. I can see myself using Warjacks in 40k skirmish games, or Malifaux characters on the streets of Mordheim, and why not? So in real terms, my only investment into a game system is into rules and that can come later.
Any thoughts on the matter will be highly appreciated.
