Khador - 35 Point Achievement!

And here's the full army shot! So that's 1 warcaster, 2 solos, 4 infantry, 5 large infantry and 3 heavy warjacks. Fairly low model count actually, but with 3 heavy warjacks and the 5 large Man-O-Wars, it still looks fairly formidable.

I plan on running some practice games now that I have two full 35 point armies painted up, and I'll see if I can do some Battle Reports as well.
I plan on taking a week off painting, just to give myself a break before launching into my Hordes armies. I'm still really excited to start though, so maybe I'll just started getting them assembled...

Sync out.

Khador - Kodiak

I had doubts about this Warjack - I thought his head looked kinda goofy, sorta like he was wearing some douchey hat. But he grew on me, and his Armoured Fists do look pretty kick ass.

And that's my Khador complete! I started work on my Khador on December 6th, with the assembly of the Khador contents of my Warmachine Two Player Battle Set. It's now December 30th, so just under a month to finish off a 35-point Warmachine army - not too bad! I'll start using this as a benchmark to get my upcoming Hordes armies finished too.

Alright, I'm going to go outside now and see if I can sort out a whole army shot - stay tuned!

Sync out.

Khador - Koldun Lord

Being honest, I wasn't looking forward to painting this model. He just isn't a model I particularly like, and I found it difficult to motivate myself finish him up. Still, I vowed that I wouldn't even touch my Hordes until my Khador was done, so I pushed through and got him painted up anyways :) I plan on using him to marshall my Destroyer, which I read is a common and effective tactic.

One more Warjack to go, and my Khador are finished!

Sync out.

Khador - War Dog

It was really difficult getting the colour on his fur right - I tried a few different light brown paints before settling on a colour that I thought looked a little more natural.
I've still got to do his snow basing, but I'll do that together with the Koldun Lord and Kodiak.

And that's the 25 point mark for my Khador! I'm not sure what I'm going to do about a group photo, as my backdrop isn't big enough to fit all of them and lighting is going to be an issue. Hopefully I can figure out something tomorrow.

Sync out.

Khador - Last Models Undercoated!

I spent Saturday morning assembling the Koldun Lord and Kodiak before getting an undercoat on the last three models for my Khador. After opening my Christmas present yesterday (two Hordes armies - yay!), it's going to be tough getting through these last three models with my new shiny Hordes calling out to me - but I swore I'd finish my Khador before starting on them!

Sync out.

Khador - Man-O-War Shocktroopers (Max)

My Christmas holidays started today, so with the day off I managed to finish off the last of my Shocktroopers. It was a tough week, as painting each of these guys takes significantly longer than standard infantry units (like the Widowmakers I painted last week). I'm glad I managed to get the unit done though, and am quite pleased with how they look all together.

Now just the War Dog to go, and my Khador will be sitting pretty at 25 points!

Sync out.

Khador - Man-O-War Shocktroopers (Min)

First thing - these guys have a LOT of hard-to-paint places. Between their legs and behind their shields are particularly tricky to get paint on, but I guess in the end you can't really see them anyway.

Also to note about painting these guys - they're big. I had always kind of thought they were standard infantry units, but they're actually quite big - bigger than Space Marine Terminators, and probably as big as some of the light 'jacks from other factions.

I'm still chugging along, trying to get one of these guys painted everyday! Hopefully have the max unit finished by the end of the week!

Sync out.

3 More Sleeps Til Christmas...

My safely packaged Hordes armies!

I mentioned earlier that I put through an order with Defiant Gaming for two 35-point Hordes armies - well I was very happy to come home yesterday to find that the package had arrived!

Inventory check. Not really, Defiant haven't gone wrong
before... I just wanted an excuse to look at my toys!

Last week when I put my order through, there were a few items that were out of stock. I wasn't really fussed, as Dan was still going to send me through the majority of the order which was in stock, and send the rest through when possible - so I wasn't expecting to receive my complete armies until next year sometime.
I was ecstatic to receive an email from Dan at Defiant Gaming, saying that he had gotten hold of the out of stock items, and I would be getting them just one day after receiving the majority of my order! Another example of Defiant's brilliant customer service!

Back in your box, and under the tree!

So I've received the bulk of my Christmas present this year with the rest arriving today. The wife allowed me to open the package to check that the order was correct (but I wasn't allowed to open the individual model boxes!) before putting the box under the tree. I did manage to take some sneaky photos, which will help to get me through until Christmas!

3 more sleeps!

Sync out.

Battle: Battlebox - Cryx vs. Khador

I wanted to run a practice game using my newly crafted terrain, to see how the rules played out and to learn how best to use terrain in play. So I set up a small battlebox game with the factions I had painted up - Cryx and Khador!

Deployment 

Khador Turn 1

 The Khador make Full Advances, with Sorcha trailing a few steps behind and casting Fog of War.

Cryx Turn 1

The two Deathrippers Full Advance, while the Slayer makes a Run. Deneghra successfully Arcs Crippling Grasp through the left Deathripper at the Destroyer, following up with Venom Arced through the same Deathripper at the Destroyer - causing no damage but leaving corrosion on the Destroyer. The Defiler Full Advances and hits the Destroyer with a Sludge Cannon attack for 4 damage.

Khador Turn 2

Sorscha discards Fog of War, as the terrain is already providing Concealment to the Khador. The Juggernaut and Destroyer advance, parting to allow Sorscha sight on the Cryx, with the Destroyer missing with his Bombard (I forgot to scatter the missed Bombard!).
Sorscha then casts Tempest at the Deathripper on her left, successfully hitting all the Cryx, knocking them down and damaging each of the units except the Slayer, and boosting the damage roll on Deneghra (Damage: Deathripper 4, Defiler 6, Deathripper 5, Deneghra 10).

Cryx Turn 2

With Sorscha exposed, Deneghra responds with an assault of her own. Deneghra, the Defiler and the Slayer shake knock down. Deneghra uses her feat, The Withering, before stepping back 2" to get out of range of Sorscha's deadly Tempest. Deneghra Arcs Venom through the Defiler, causing corrosion and a massive 14 boosted damage to Sorscha.
With Sorscha exposed and The Withering taking effect, the Defiler still manages to miss a Sludge Cannon attack on Sorscha.
The Slayer then charges the Juggernaut, and after a flurry of attacks with his Death Claws and Tusks, deals 14 damage to the Juggernaut (after the game I realised that I should have used his Special Attack - Death Claws, which would have caused a massive 22 damage, then bought additional attacks with the focus).

Khador Turn 3

Sorscha manages to shake corrosion, but the Destroyer doesn't - taking another point of damage. Sorscha casts her feat - Icy Gaze, which hits all the Cryx but Deneghra. With The Withering stealing her focus, Sorscha casts Tempest again which taps all her focus, but manages to damage and knock down all the Cryx 'jacks and disabling the Defilers Sludge Cannon (Damage: Slayer 1, Deathripper 5, Defiler 6, Deathripper 5).
The Destoyer moves to shield Sorscha, blocking Cryx line of sight on Sorscha, before shooting Bombard at the Deathripper on the left for 6 damage and disabling its Cortex and Arc Node.
The Juggernaut makes an attack with his Ice Axe on the Slayer, causing 9 damage and disabling the right Death Claw.

Cryx Turn 3

With the mighty Khador warjacks again shielding Sorscha, Deneghra makes a final assassination attempt.
Shaking stationary and knock down from the Defiler, Sorscha Arcs a boosted Venom spell through it - aiming at the Destroyer, however still managing to get Sorscha in the template, and further boosts the damage roll - which deals the final damage to Sorscha, winning the game for the Cryx.

Conclusion

I think that both sides had a roughly even amount of ranged spells and weapons, so when it became a ranged battle over the rough terrain, I thought it would be fairly even. But because Deneghra was able to fall back and Arc her spells through her Bonejacks, she was able to deal damage without putting herself in any danger. Sorscha on the other hand had to expose herself and be within range of the enemy in order to cast her spells. The activation sequence used in Khador Turn 3 was effective in resolving this issue though - a tactic of exposing Sorscha, casting with Sorscha, then sheilding her again allowed her to deal damage and remain protected. I'll make sure to remember that tactic for next time!

Another fun practice game - less referring to the rules and was able to understand and appreciate some basic tactics.

Sync out.

Khador - Man-O-War Shocktrooper Test

Alright, applying the colour scheme to this model was a little tricky, but in essence I aimed to paint him as a 'little' warjack - with a similar same colour distribution as the warjacks I painted for the Battlegroup.

I finished this guy off last night, and decided I'd sleep on it and see how he looked today. I think I'll stick with this colour scheme for the rest of the Man-O-Wars too.

Sync out.

Khador - Shocktroopers and War Dog WIP

Onto the next phase of my Khador - bringing it up to 25 points! In preparation for painting this week, I managed to get an undercoat on the Man-O-War Shocktroopers, and assemble the War Dog.

Sync out.

Terrain - Craters

Compared to the hills I made last week, these were relatively easy - considering the pieces themselves are straight out of the box. I'm not sure what brand of craters these are, I picked them up on sale while on holiday earlier in the year - but they're very similar to Games Workshop's Moonscape (but less than half the price!).

These were pretty much just highlighted, flocked, and then stuck right on the table!

Sync's How To

Materials

Terrain Pieces (Citadel Moonscape is great!)

Static Grass (not pictured below)

Grey Paint (for grey coloured rocks)

White Paint

Equipment

Large Brush

Packaging Sponge (not sure what this is called, but they come in Warmachine blisters!)

1. Dry-brush highlight the terrain pieces

This photo doesn't really look like I've done anything, but I started with
grey paint, and built up the highlights to white.
This is where I use the packaging sponge - after getting some paint on
the brush, I wipe the brush across the sponge until I have the right
amount on the brush for the level of highlighting I'm trying to get.

This photo might be better - on the left is a highlighted terrain piece,
on the right is the piece straight out of the package.

2. Add some static grass

This photo shows the highlighting above much better!
I opted for withered looking grass, as I wanted it to look as though the
greenery near the crater is dying. 

3. Get it on the table!

Sync out.

Khador - 15-point Achievement!

With the Widowmakers finished and joining the Battlegroup, it brings my Khador forces to the 15-point Achievement mark!

I really enjoy building Warmachine armies using the incremental point system in the Journeyman League - it breaks up the army building process nicely, in way that doesn't make the whole process seem so daunting :)

So, I'm gonna work on some terrain now - but after that it's straight back into my Khador with the Man-O-War Shocktroopers and War Dog planned for next week!

Sync out.

Khador - Widowmakers

So that's the unit of Widowmakers done - I've snapped some full army shots so I'll put up my 15-point Achievement post soon.

The Widowmakers look really cool together as a unit, and hopefully they can hold their own on the table top. Looking at them all together like this I think that the colour scheme I'm using translated well from the Battlegroup to this unit - hopefully it translates well to the rest of the army too!

Sync out.

Khador - Widowmaker Leader

I decided I'd use the female Widowmaker as my Leader, although I'm not entirely sure why. She's the only Widowmaker that doesn't have a rifle mount - so I'm assuming that because she doesn't need one, her skill level exceeds that of the other models. She also has a hat.

When I get home from work today I'll get their basing done, and that'll be the Widowmakers completed!

Sync out.

Merry Christmas!

My Christmas present this year from my family is - you guessed it - toy soldiers! I've just put through an order with Defiant Gaming, for two complete 35-point Hordes armies!
If you've seen the 35-point Holiday Bundles offered by Privateer Press, have a go at carting them up at Defiant Gaming - they're cheaper even when including a set of premium Chessex Dice to replace the Privateer Press dice included in the bundles.
And to spread the love this Christmas, Defiant are having a Christmas sale, reducing their already low prices - great service, cheap prices and fast postage - what more could you want?

Season's Beatings!

I understand that as a wargamer, I'm impossible to shop for. My attention span jumps between game systems, armies within these game systems, and then units within these armies - how are my family supposed to keep up?
Well, I have an awesome wife. The standard protocol for my birthday and Christmas is my wife organises contributions from the family, then I get to go shopping with the collection!
It's really win-win for everyone - they don't have to try and figure out what to get me or bother going to get it, and I can get exactly what I want.

Give the gift of war

So with my wife, parents, brothers and in-laws all kicking in, I had enough (and then some) to get a 35-point Hordes army - but that was before Defiant spread the Christmas spirit and decided to have a Christmas sale!
Defiant's Christmas sale, combined with the excess from my Christmas money and a little bit I had saved up, I was able to get another 35-point Hordes army, and some paints on the top!

So stay tuned, PLENTY more Warmachine and Hordes action to come! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sync out.

Khador - Widowmaker

Again, fairly similar to the other two Widowmakers. I've decided I'm going to do my Khador with darker skin and blonde hair, just to take them a step further from the standard Khador look.

So now there's just the Widowmaker Leader to go, and the basing on each of the Widowmakers to finish off - then the unit will be complete and I'll have hit the 15-point Achievement!

Sync out.