Pirates!

As I am sitting around waiting for my wife to have our new baby, I figure I'd post some of recent WIP shots of my Legends of the High Seas crew and their ship, which is a 10 gun brigantine cast in resin from Old Glory


Here we have the Captain, (right) his 1st mate (w/Spyglass) and a crewman Miniatures are Crusader, the mate is this promo mini that came with the book if you ordered it through the Warstore or Brigade games.



Here you can see the detail and the imperfections of such in the ship..resin casting is tough and this ship is definitely not the best cast..I have a lot of filling and sanding to do to get this this to my own personal standard..Not the most fun, Painting these guys is blast and I am going to take them to about as good a level as I can go.

I am making good use of GW's washes on these guys which speeds things up quite a bit I have about 2 dozen Pirates of various types, keeping them all close to the same scale is tough with all the different models out there, I put these guys on the tall timber bases so they'd be at the same height as some of my reaper and GW models, I am probably going to eventually paint up 30 or so Pirates..enough to crew a large ship. (bases courtesy of Back2base-ix)


Here is a longer view of the ship, it has ports for 10 cannons..I'm only going to use 8, mounting swivels guns on the bow and stern..leaving a bit more room on deck for figures, per the High Seas, I need 5 men to crew the ship and 2 men per cannon to fire it every turn...assuming I'm firing either the port or starboard separately per turn...I need a minimum of 13 men to crew this ship (which is about the max figures that can fit on it..... since in a standard scenario you squeak out more than a dozen men with standard points Ships are basically for campaigns, rather than skirmishes. I've bought a bigger ship...(a toy version of "the black pearl" I am going to convert. That one's is Spanish galleon which should comfortably hold about 30 models. A point of note if you are going to get into this game, expensive resin ships like this (about $85 shipped) seem like a good idea..but its still a ton of work. I bought the toy ship for $20 delivered and it going to take probably similar hours to finish and it's going to look better
and be more practical for boarding skirmishes...

Sailing on a sea of grass, man! I need to make some kind of nautical surface for this game, I already have the all the buildings I need for a Port Town, I'm working on a few ideas. Thanks for looking!

Warhammer 40K- Confessions of serial gamer

About time I say something about the new edition of 40K, since it's all everyone seems to be talking about it. I picked up the Gamers Edition on its release day as I wanted the Ammo Crate and the token and template set. I really like the new books presentation and its a nice overall package, however it hasn't done a hell of alot to motivate me to dust off my Space Marines and get them on the table. All I need to do is finally build 2 more Rhinos and a Razorback and I'll have decent 1250 sized force of Ultramarines..problem is I can't get motivated to build those last three vehicles. Why?, - It's a couple things. If you've followed all the talk for the last months about the new editon you're aware that one of the big selling points about the new ruleset was "True Line of Sight" and an effort to make the game "less abstract" This was one of the things I really disliked about 4th edition (other that getting blown off the table 1st turn) was the "invisible pillar" terrain as well as the carrying over of wounds into the squad when only one model could be seen, unfortunately they fixed the former but specifically excluded the latter, which completely negates the entire principle of "true line of sight" as far as I can tell. This will have all kinds of ramifications to many of the other cool things they added like the new only "troops" can score..(not only can only troops score but even ONE troop can score if he can hold his position). The problem with stupid abstractions like wound carry over is it allows your opponent to shoot his entire squad (or squads!) at just "ONE" exposed model and carry over enough wounds to wipe out other nine guys that are totally concealed..That just sticks in my craw..If GW had just stuck to their guns and given us "true line of sight" across the board for all the rules. I feel I would like the new rules much better and it would be a much better game.

I played a brief skirmish with the new rules as test game for a pal whose putting a scenario together for a table at the upcoming Games Day Chicago. It was IG vs Tau...I was playing the Tau just using squads of Fire Warriors to blast out bunkered down IG with a Leman Russ squatting on an objective. I had unlimited troops, the IG had a set number of guys so the scenario was basically a last stand for the IG, how long can he survive type thing..they were still working the bugs out, (where is all that cool Tau tech when I need it, I asked?) but regardless the new rules weren't really doing anything for me- granted I was using just Tau Fire Warriors, so I was just shooting away while the Russ blasted entire squads aways with the new blast weapon rules. (which make blast weapons about 10 times better, I never even bothered to shoot a frag missile before as the Krak was so much better) Anyway, no fault of the scenario...it was a work in progress, it just wasn't motivating me to run and go get a 5th ed game in.

I won't be at Games Day this saturday as my second daughter is coming sometime this week, so I'll home either waiting for/ or greeting my new girl or be at the Hospital waiting. All the great tables and games at Games Day last year got me pretty psyched to get my Marines on the table and I had good time in the Combat Patrol tourney. No such luck this year (as if I was there I'd be playing in the Fantasy GT anyway) but I'm not getting any extra motivation from the event.

I've been pretty mired down in a variety of other games and projects at the moment, including both my Legends of the High Seas Pirates and my pirate ship, as well my new LotR Mordor force. as well as new gaming table comprised of mostly Hirst Arts buildings. I am really liking both those games quite a alot as they have low model counts and a good rulesets with lots of campaign detail. I also have Celts on the back burner for Ancient Battles (if my models ever get released from Wargames Factory) and of course Warhammer Fantasy Vampire Counts and I am even thinking of trying a all Goblin Army just for laughs as I have 1000+ points alreadly built and they would be very easy to fill out ( I think I mentioned in a previous post my VC are going to be a very tedious build) So you might actually see Goblins before VC, we will see. Point is- all of this is keeping 40K and my Ultramarines from getting any love, I like the models, I like the game- I just can seem to wrap my head around liking the rules. Hell if they release a $200 Thunderhawk Gunship, I'll be the first guy at our shop to pre order it- the question is will I ever game with it or will stare back at me from the shelf collecting dust like my Marines?...I am really hoping the new SM codex in September lights a fire under my ass or I'll be the guy that says..yeah I play all GW's games- except it's most popular one. I know I need to play more the problem is with all I have going on 40K games need to rock me from the get go and they just are not.

Mighty Empires III- Round 9

7/15@ Games Workshop, Oak Park


Standings before last round

Josh- Chaos Undivided- 18- Capital
Anthony- Orcs and Goblins 16- Capital
Andre-Dwarfs 16- Capital
Bill- Vampire Counts 13- Capital
John- Empire 10- Captial
Kenny- Ogres 8
Billy- High Elves 7
Joe- Lizardmen 6

STRATEGIC EVENTS

John- No Guts, No Glory
Ken- Land Grab
Billy-Building Boom
Bill- All or Nothing
Joe- War Tax
Anthony- Fortune Favors the Bold
Josh- Survey the Battlefield
Andre- Scouts


CAMPAIGN EVENTS

John- All is Well
Anthony- Infamy
Bill- Corruption -100
Ken- DISASTER- passes all
Joe- Corruption -100
Andre- Corruption -100
Billy- Thy Lord Returns- Teclis
Josh- Infamy


Items awarded via events tables
(this can be used at no cost to the player but do count against character
item limits)

Andre: Rune of Battle, Master Rune of Challenge (and
Bill: Drakenhoff Banner, Dispel scroll x2
Josh: 2 Dispel Scrolls
Joe: 2 Dispel Scrolls
John: 2 Dispel Scrolls


REVENUE

John- 350
Anthony- 400
Kenny- 175
Joe- 150 (war tax/ corruption =0) 150
Andre- 575 (corruption -100) 474
Billy- 325
Josh- 675
Bill- 425 (-100) corruption = 325

ALLIANCES-

High Elves- Empire- Dwarfs
Ogres- Lizardmen



CHALLENGES
All Players are default 2000 points before reinforcement purchases
Empire, Dwarfs, Orcs and Both Chaos factions are default 3000 points


INVASIONS

ORCS VS CHAOS- F4- G4


OPEN CHALLENGES

DWARF VS VAMPIRE COUNTS
DRAW

LIZARDMEN VS VAMPIRE COUNTS
VAMPIRE COUNT-MASSACRE ( concession by Joe Round 6, awesome game)

VAMPIRE COUNTS VS EMPIRE
EMPIRE MASSACRE!- (Concession)

LIZARDMEN VS HIGH ELVES
DRAW

OGRES VS DWARFS
DRAW


Special Characters
(each army has a access to a special character who is revealed over the course of the campaign, those in bold have joined their Empires)

Dogs of War- Lorenzo Lupo
Dwarfs- Thorgrim Grudgebearer
Ogres- Skrag the Slaughterer
Chaos Undivided (josh)- Galrauch
Lizardmen (joe)- Lord Kroak
Empire- Karl Franz
Vampire Counts- Mannfred Von Carstein
High Elves- Teclis
Chaos Undivided (jeff)- Archeaon
Orcs- Grimgor Ironhide

It's going to be a close finish between Andre/ Anthony and Josh...Bill's got an outside will "all or nothing" but needs 3 massacres to do it!

Franz versus Von Carstein

Empire Vs Vampire Counts 3000 pts

This game was for round 8 of our Mighty Empire campaign, we aren't close to each other on the map and the game was an open challenge that has no territorial impact on the campaign. This was the first time playing 3K vs VC and it was harder than ever not to mention we where both using special characters, adding a little more difficultly to the match. This more of a battle recap than a full battle report, I just wanted to post the lists and the photos and go over the main details.

Empire Forces

The Emperor Karl Franz -Ghal Maraz - Silver Seal - Warhorse

General of Empire -Sword of Might -Enchanted Shield -Holy Relic -Pegasus

Luthor Huss

Captain of Empire- BSB -Imperial Banner

Warrior Priest -Armor of Metoric Iron - Icon of Magnus

Battle Wizard -Dispel Scroll x 2

28 Swordsman / Full Command
9 Free Company Detachment x 2

10 Handgunners w/ HLR x 2

5 Knights, Musician, Greatweapons

11 Inner Circle Knights/ Full Command - Banner of Valour

19 Greatswords/ Full Command - Banner of Arcane Warding

Great Cannon X 2

Helblaster Volley Gun

Helstorm Rocket Battery

The Vampire Counts

Count Mannfred Von Carstein - Sword of Unholy Power -Book of Arkham -Skull Staff -Nightmare

Vampire BSB -Avatar of Death -Dark Acolyte - The Drakenhof Banner

17 Grave Guard - Banner of the Dead Legion

Vampire Lord -Dread Knight -Red Fury -Walking Death -Dreadlance -Black Peripat -Gem of Blood -Nightmare

Vampire -Red Fury -The Tomb Blade -Flayed Hauberk

17 Skeletal Warriors - Warbanner

20 Zombie Horde

Vampire -Dark Acolyte -Summon Ghouls -Sword of Battle -Cadaverous Cuirass

Corpse Cart

Necromancer -Corpse Cart

20 Ghouls

3 Fell Bats

4 Cairn Wraiths w/Tomb Banshee

The Black Coach


The game was played on my 4x8 table, and the extra room led to a good amount of terrain being on the field. Bill deployed most of his troops tightly packed on his left third of the table while I was spread pretty wide. I had decent lines of shooting for my artillery, most notably my Rocket Battery was all the way down in far corner of the board where it was going to be unmolested for the whole game. I placed my block of troops containing Karl Franz, my BSB, and Warrior Priest dead center so as the VC deployed to my left, I hoped I was in key position for a flanking move.




There were a few highlights in the early game for me, one was getting a perfect Rocket battery shot on target, getting dead center between 3 full units, there close to thirty hits..I maybe scores 15+ kills it was nice but unfortunately a few turns later they had all risen back. I also narrowly avoided a disaster with my artillery as Bill's Fell Bats charged one of my Detachments and I had them flee figuring the failed charged would setup them up a charge from the main block, however my flee roll was a "3" and they got caught meaning the overurn took them straight into my cannon. Thankfully my Handgunners on protecting that board side's flank, could just see enough to wheel in a charge...Bill didn't notice this, and I almost didn't as well since my Handgunners never charge, so you don't think about it. luckly this paid off and the cannon crew held and the bats went POOF. unfortunately things didn't go so well in the Magic Phase.




Games against the VC are all about MAGIC, with Mannfred on board I was facing an uber strong caster, plus every other character was a level 2 caster with only one, Level 1 necromancer. 17 power dice before potential tricks is pretty intimidating, I knew I'd be facing close to that which is why I took the Standard of Arcane Warding (MR 2) and gave it too my Great Swords and Karl Franz's (MR 3) was invaluable...meaning my measly 5 dispel dice had some legs against offensive spells. The problem for me was, Bill was not casting a ton of offensive spells, and when he was my dice and scrolls where about wasted as even if I stopped one, he had someone else that could cast that same spell again, My Knights got wacked with Curse of Years, I saved 3 power dice to dispel it during the top of my magic phase but couldn't hit the damn "8" I needed even with my 1+ armor saves, I still lost 6 knights after two turns before I finally got rid of it. Other than that -all Bills magic was invocations and Dancing for either moves or ASF In short I couldn't stop his magic much at all, so even after I landed my picture perfect charge on Mannfred's unit- Karl Franz's unit on the flank and my Greatswords in the rear...it didn't help because I had some bum rolls during combat. Even thou I won the first combat round handily is wasnt enough to finish off the Grave Guard, and they just got invocated back. I tried to stop his Dance's but couldn't get them all and finally he got his other unit (with his 2nd Lord, a complete killing machine with the Dread Lance and Red Fury) in the rear of my GreatSwords and a unit of ghouls on the flank to boot, With ASF on..I was doomed...My Greatswords took 18 casualties alone (the whole unit, except the champion) Franz and company couldn't come close to enough kills and I lost combat by at least 10 meaning I needed double 1"s even thou I was immune to fear ( icon of magnus) the VC caught everybody Fleeing so it was game over Turn 5's combat res turned the game into a Massacre in his favor.



In retrospect there was a couple things I should have done, I needed to use my knights to block the unit of Skeletons containing his Lord with the Dread Lance, instead I used my Knights to chase down his Cairn Wraiths..whom while only my Warrior Priest could wound them, I thought I could break in a turn with my combat res. Nope bad play..My Knights then got flanked by the maxed out Black Coach tied up and eventually killed. I really needed them to stay alive until the main charges took place and then support. I also wasted way too much time shooting the hellblaster at things like Zombies, who can just be easily invocated back to greater their starting number. finally I wasted Pistoliers trying to get an early break back behind his lines, the wraiths just charged me and they ran off the table, keeping them out of harms way saving them for second half of the game would have been invalauble even as just a distraction.

One of things I love about Warhammer, is there is something new I learn every game, about the army I have been playing for over a year..That always keeps things interesting. As always thanks to bill for a great game..Although the Empire will definitely curse you Von Carstein, until next time!!

Mighty Empires III- Round 8

7/1 @ Games Workshop, Oak Park



Josh- Chaos Undivided- 19- Capital
Jeff- Chaos Undivided 15- Capital
Anthony- Orcs and Goblins 13- Capital
Andre-Dwarfs 13- Capital
John- Empire 10- Captial
Bill- Vampire Counts 10- Capital
Kenny- Ogres 8
Billy- High Elves 6
Joe- Lizardmen 5


John- Survey the Battlefield
Ken- Scouts
Billy- Land Grab
Bill- land Grab (via Praise)
Joe- Diplomacy @ anthony
Anthony- No Guts, No Glory
Jeff- Fortune favors the bold
Josh- War Tax
Andre- Building Boom


CAMPAIGN EVENTS

John- Hidden Cache (2 Dispel Scrolls)
Jeff- Disaster
Anthony- All is Well
Bill- Rebellion (6) no Income
Ken- All is Well
Joe- All is Well
Andre- All is welll
Billy- Fame
Josh- Famine - 500 gp


Items awarded via events tables
(this can be used at no cost to the player but do count against character
item limits)

Andre: Rune of Battle, Master Rune of Challenge (and
Bill: Drakenhoff Banner, Dispel scroll x2
Josh: 2 Dispel Scrolls
Joe: 2 Dispel Scrolls
John: 2 Dispel Scrolls


REVENUE

John- 0- pays off insurgents to build on Hex I2
Anthony- 400
Jeff- 450
Kenny- 175
Joe- 100
Andre- 500
Billy- 300
Josh- 775+ 100 (war tax) - 500 for famine = 375
Bill- 0- Rebellion


ALLIANCES-

Vampire Counts- Chaos Undivided (jeff)
High Elves- Empire- Dwarfs
Ogres- Chaos (jeff)
Chaos Undivided (Josh)- Orcs




CHALLENGES
All Players are default 2000 points before reinforcement purchases
Empire, Dwarfs, Orcs and Both Chaos factions are default 3000 points


INVASIONS

CHAOS (Josh) VS LIZARDMEN I8-I7
LIZARDMEN- MASSACRE 5EP!!- concession

OPEN CHALLENGES

VAMPIRE COUNTS VS OGRES
VAMPIRE COUNTS- MASSACRE!!!! 5EP

EMPIRE VS VAMPIRE COUNTS

VAMPIRE COUNTS- MASSACRE!!!! 5EP

HIGH ELVES VS ORCS

ORCS- MASSACRE!!!!! 5EP

CHAOS (JEFF) VS DWARFS

DWARFS-MASSACRE!!! 5EP- concession



Special Characters
(each army has a access to a special character who is revealed over the course of the campaign, those in bold have joined their Empires)

Dogs of War- Lorenzo Lupo
Dwarfs- Thorgrim Grudgebearer
Ogres- Skrag the Slaughterer
Chaos Undivided (josh)- Galrauch
Lizardmen (joe)- Lord Kroak
Empire- Karl Franz
Vampire Counts- Mannfred Von Carstein
High Elves- Teclis
Chaos Undivided (jeff)- Archeaon
Orcs- Grimgor Ironhide


note: Dogs of Wars (Erik) had to drop from the campaign, remaining territories went neutral
best of luck in D.C. with the new job Erik, thanks for hanging with us.

Last round is 7/15!!!