Epicast Tek Archway

 Epicast once made Games Workshop 40k items under license until Forgeworld started in 1998. No idea when this Tek Archway was made but it has been a decade or two since I bought it. Primed black it was painted with cheap gunmetal and silver, then small conduits painted Rhulic Gold and large pipes and knobs painted Pig Iron. Because it has no controls or scale indicators on it, it could be used for just about any miniature game.

Miner Creations and Muse on Minis Templates/Steppers/Gauges

I had the pleasure of purchasing templates from Miner Creations recently at a game convention. I bought them specifically for Guildball but will be using them for any game that uses 30/40/50mm bases.

The steppers are perfect for determining how far you can go when weaving in and out of your opponents models. I also got two sets of melee gauges which are really handy for determining how close you want to get and better assist in movement.

I also chose the colour to go with my other range templates from Muse on Minis that I bought early this year. Also shown are the base markers (left side) so that you can mark where your model is before moving it around.

Now I just need a good universal case to have these in with some other doodads.

40k Barricades

Although these barricades are made for the Games Workshop Warhammer 40k game, they can be used in any game with similar scales. It is no longer sold.

The terrain was painted with various dollar store paints and washed with GW Agrax Earthshade before a final drybrush of very light grey.

 

Epicast Electic Van Den Graaf Generator

From a now defunct company, Epicast, comes the electrical generator.

I painted it up with dollarstore paints and a GW Asuruman Blue wash for the blue effects. I also used a Prismacolor black pen for the lightning effects.

This terrain piece should be good for many different games.

Industrial Pipe Terrain

Here is the Industrial pipe terrain. Made by Armorcast a long time ago.

I used dollarstore paints and drybrush techniques.

Armorcast Pipe Walls

Next up for terrain is the Armorcast Pipe Wall system. These pipe walls provide cover and are also reconfigurable.

They were primed black Krylon and drybrushed with dollar store paints (very dark grey, light grey, light grey/silver 50/50 mix, and various colors for the controls).

Science Fiction Accessory Set

Another bunch of terrain that I finished is the Science Fiction Accessory Set from JR Miniatures.

 I used various dollar store paints. As you can see, it is perfect for Infinity and Warhammer 40k.

The tactical table. I painted various coloured dots to represent different forces and objectives.

 I like these pieces because they can be for any scale.

Kinda retro computer with a Combined Army hacker trying to break in.

 The drone looks like it might take a nap.

Rociante Jack

The Rociante jack is a good one for additional long range damage and for melee casters because of the bonus to defence against melee attacks when the caster is nearby. It is Diamyo's personal jack but it can be useful for others, including Constance Blaze in a mercenary list.

I started off with Krylon black primer spray paint. Then a rough brushing of P3 Traitor Green and shading with P3 Thornwood Green. Additional shading was done with GW Gryphon Sepia and P3 Coal Black mixed 50/50. For highlight I used Traitor Green mixed 50/50 with P3 Menoth White Highlight. I then drybrushed P3 Bloodstone on the jack to make it look like it had been hastily painted over weathering and damage.

Then it was P3 Pig Iron drybrushed heavily on the metal parts. For the damaged slashes I used P3 Thamar black to paint a line and then just below it painted a line of P3 Cold Steel. The wood part under the gun was painted Gun Corps Brown and drybrushed with Rucksack Tan. I then washed it with Army Painter Strong Tone Ink. The base was painted with P3 Gun Corps Brown and arcs painted with P3 Bootstrap Leather.

Its not my best job but now I can move onto my Rhulic forces.

New 2014 Ork Codex...Mob Rule...and does it really matter

So I picked up the new Ork Codex and thinking about it and playing Orks again got me exited about dusting off my painted models and enthusiastic about putting together and painting new ones...but does it really matter with the new "Mob Rule"? Is it the same old Orks?

The 1999 codex rule Mob Rule, stated that if the the leadership check fails, another 2d6 was rolled and if the result was equal or less than the number of orks in the squad, they would pass. It also had a cool "mobbing up" rule where a fleeing Ork squad could combine with another squad within 6", with a leadership check of the falling back squad (only usable for foot troops).

The 2007 Codex had a similar rule where the number of Orks in the squad could be substituted for the leadership score. If they have 11 or more models then they are fearless.

The new 2014 codex Mob Rule is very very different in a horrible way. Firstly, non-character Orks have a leadership of 7. This fails 15 out of 36 times or almost 42% of the time. Even Nobz have this leadership value. Now if a squad fails a morale or pinning check, they have to roll on a new chart. You have a 50% chance of having a "Squabble" and inflicting a random number of hits randomly in your squad. Oh, and if you have fewer than 10 models you don't have to roll for random damage because you just fail the test. Then you have a 33% chance of "Breaking Heads", only applicable if you have a character, and you have the same result as "Squabble", random hits randomly (except the character) and failing if you have less than 10 models. The last 16.66% of the time, unless you are in close combat you fail. If you have a bosspole you can get a reroll unless you rolled a "Breaking Heads" result. Therefore it is skewing you to choose a character with a bosspole and taking lots of Orks in a squad if you want the same effect as the previous two codexes. They no longer gain immunity to leadership checks by having a big squad! Sure it still gives an opportunity to not flee after failing a check, but its so time consuming and counter to the last fifteen years of Orkiness, and that's not including what might be in the original army book more than two decades ago. So...does this rule really matter to me. Yes, these are not the same Orks. They are more cowardly. More timid.

Please allow me to ramble and rant a bit about the last five years of my experience with Games Workshop.

I enjoyed my first ever tabletop army, the Necrons. The models were cool looking and my paint job easy and functional. I also won as often as I lost but what really mattered was having a group of friends that also played and we played to have fun.

Then my friends were not as interested and I started playing at the local Games Workshop store, but playing less and less. The only factions I played were the Necrons, Orks and Chaos Space Marines. The Necrons I could win at fairly often. The Orks did not win that often but I had a blast with them which dropped as I left the store wondering if I wasn't competitive enough. The Chaos Space Marines were alright for winning and playing but my heart was not in them. By this time my switching forces to find the spark of enjoyment and victory meant I was not good with any army. My heart was not in the game.

The second last time I played was a Dark Angels force I bought cheap off a dude. I studied the army rules and took them to a local game convention, Gottacon. Because of my inability to hear over the noise and unfamiliarity with the army, I made mistakes and did not make it a fun time for my opponent. It left a sour taste in my mouth because I wanted to capture that sense of fun for everyone that myself and my friends had. It also made me worry as I had accumulated many armies that I had never played because people were selling them cheap. This added to the daunting nature of painting them and becomeing proficient with them. I had too much of something my heart was not into.

Then Warmachine came as a breath of fresh air. I then dropped interest in Warhammer 40k and Fantasy but kept getting models that looked cool or were cheap from others selling them. To me Warmachine was a game that required less time painting but a steeper learning curve. This was a challenge because it forced you to pay attention so I started playing my Warmachine Khador dudes once a week and my skillset grew. My Games Workshop models were left in the dust.

Then the new Necron Codex came out. A fellow who knew I had Necrons offered to try his Chaos Space Marine army out against it to see how the rules worked. I lost and we discussed how the many new Necron models could be used to beat his new models in his armies new codex. I also lost because I was unfamiliar with the new Necron army and the new 40k rules. I also was cheesed at the many many new models that were out when I had everything that was out before the new codex was published. I would have to buy more to be competitive and win. I did not want to buy more for a game I had not played for a year and might not play in another year.

That is when I knew that I was ready to stop playing Games Workshop's business game. The game of more, more, more. I started organizing the armies I didn't like, knew I would never play or find time to paint and sold them. That happened last August and since then I have made lots of money for purchasing other games, travel and treating my wife to a few luxury meals.

I was ready for the next round of selling armies in the next tier of meh when the new Space Marine codex came out and now the Ork codex has come out. I'm being held back for selling those armies and a few others. Why? Because they have things that I enjoy. They are fun. They can be converted or represent an aspect that I like. Space Marines and Orks are Space Marines and Orks. They don't change at their root. Sure the seventh edition rules favor shooting and the sixth preferred melee. The next edition will change things again. New codexes will always add, alter or delete models and units. Even for the Space Marines, whom are the epitomy of the tried and true, suddenly found new templates of weapons and vehicles for thier factories to produce. What the current GW buisiness model will not change is the fun I have putting models together and painting them. They certainly won't change the fun I had making my Ork 1920's Gangster squad, including a themed vehicle. But fun in putting together a model is not enough. That is where GW falters...the rules. GW makes great models but unbalanced and sucky rules.

That is where I'm going with this thought. I like putting together fun models and/or converting them. Of all the 40k armies, Orks are a hobbyists dream because anything goes. Therefore the Orks I'm keeping. To counter that, I'm keeping my Space Marines because I want to do a fourth company Ultramarine army. The Space Marines I consider straightforward and every classic model is identifyable and a known for what they can be used for. I'll still be able to convert some but they will be my order on the hobby table while Orks are my chaos. Other armies I'm keeping are Space Wolves (for the conversions), Traitor Mutant Imperial Guard (conversions) and Dark Eldar (for conversions and because they are the original versions that nobody wants to buy). For Fantasy I'm keeping Skaven (because they were a gift to me and excellent RPG miniatures), Dwarf (fun and conversions) and Orks&Goblins (conversions). The rest will go to make someone else happy.

I'll assemble, convert, paint and store the GW models that I do have, and take pictures for my blog. Playing, however, will only happen when Games Workshop stop being greedy for the shareholders and they make rules that are balanced as well as fun and challenging. Until then balanced games like Warmachine, Malifaux, and Infinity will be happily played by myself.

Legion of the Damned Space Marines

 

I've had these Games Workshop Legion of the Damned Space Marine classic figs for years now and have been working on the off and on for the last year. These guys are tough with their invulnerable save and now they ignore cover with their bolters. The new models from GW are here. Unfortunately I lost the sheet of what colors I used but will guess with what I can.

I started primed black.

Drybrushed with GW mid color grey.

Washed in GW Green wash.

P3 Menoth White Highlight (with cat hair).

Then for the flames P3 Cygnar Yellow, P3 Orange and P3 Dark Red.

Finally I used light P3 Red for the eyes and P3 Cold Steel for the guns. I also applied a bit of P3 Devlan Mud on the bone parts.

Now I have enough for three partial squads (of 8, 8 and 7).

Now to get back to Malifaux and other things!

Background Histories and Paint Schemes for my Space Marines

Some game systems lend themselves to letting the players make their own backgrounds and paint schemes. It was what drew me to tabletop gaming in the first place with Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40k line of models. Depending on what I bought and scrounge up used, it would drive the background I created for my armies. In other game systems, like Dystopian Wars or Warmachine, the background is standard while it is the paint scheme that can be unique. Looking through my old documents on 40k, I was reminded of the fun I had creating a history. Examples of this were the two Space Marine chapters I created, the “Translocation Rangers” and the “Antediluvian Crimson Order of the Emperor’s Machinations”.

The Translocation Rangers were thought up with the 4^th edition of the codex, because I liked bikes, scouts, terminators and land speeders but did not want Dark Angels because of their dark background. The idea of a lone group of space marines gathering intelligence on the universe and disseminating it to the Imperium sounded really cool. I thought a brown base with green shoulder and knee pads suited them and only got as far as some Tactical Marines and a bike being painted before I focused back on my Necrons (my first 40k army). That and the cheap paint I used looked horrible.

After the 5th edition codex came out, I looked at my four dreadnaughts and Techmarines and came up with the Crimson Order. With the Master of the Forge rule, I came up with a background of remnants of Space Marine chapters defending Mars and uncovering a heretical worshippers of the Dragon God, one of the four remaining C’Tan. After their victory over the heretics they were given chapter status and fight heretics and xenos throughout the Imperium. They believe that because the Emperor is sustained by machines then to be closer to the emperor they must also be sustained by them. Very similar to the Iron Hands but different, although the new 6+ invulnerability Chapter Tactics is a nice touch for warrior models in the 6^th edition of the codex. I envisioned my army being filled in the Elite and Heavy sections with five dreadnaughts, Master of the forge with servitors in a razorback, a Thunderfire launcher, and three squads of troops for around 2000 points. As seen in the picture, their color scheme would be dark reds with a cog on their shoulder pad as a symbol of their chapter. I made one model before I focused on more Orks.

As I dig out my Space Marines and begin to buckle down to make an Ultramarine army, I still fondly remember the armies that might have been. Why am I choosing Ultramarines? The consistency and recognisability of the Ultramarines appeal to one side of me. This does not mean that I should not make them unique, which I will do by individualizing each model in slight ways. Look to this blog for further posts as I assemble and paint them.

Space Marine changes through the Codecs

Over the decades, more model types have become available to hobbyists for Games Workshop Space Marines. STCs (Standard Template Constructs) were being unearthed every few years when a new Codex was made, sometimes for a White Dwarf issue, and other times just disappeared. With the release of the new Sixth Edition Space Marine Codex, I was drawn back to 40k and looked through my old codecs (real and ethereal). I've decided to spend some time to compile what has been added and changed through the years.

From "Codex Army Lists" published 1993 (for Rogue Trader now called 1st edition rules)
Characters (back in the day up to half your points could be spent on models from this category)
-Commander
-Company Banner
-Captain
-Apothecary (with med-pack rather than the current narthecium)
-Chaplain (Champion, Hero and Mighty Hero levels; Rosarius and Crozius Arcanum)
-Techmarine
-Librarian (Lexicanian, Codicer, Epistolary, Chief Librarian levels; force axe/rod/sword were options)
-Veteran Sergeant
Squads (At least one-quarter of your points had to be spent on squads)
-Terminators (regular and assault terminators could be mixed; 5 man squads only; 3+ save on 2d6; Power Fist, Targeter, Teleport Homer and Storm Bolter were standard; Chain fist, lightning claws, thunderhammer and storm shield, cyclone missile launcher, assault cannon, heavy flamer were options)
-Tactical Squad (10 man squads only; one model could have an assault weapon and another a heavy weapon)
-Assault Squad (10 man squads only; with or without jump packs; blind grenades available)
-Scouts (5 man squads only; autogun, boltgun, needle sniper weapon and sword/axe were options)
Support (up to half your points could be spent on models from this category)
-Devastator Squads (10 man squads only and up to four marines armed with heavy weapons)
-Support Weapon Servitor (up to three per Techmarine; weapons came with targeter; mole mortar, multilaser, rapier laser destroyer, tarantula, Thudd gun were options)
-Vehicles (bike, bike and sidecar, dreadnaught [weapons mounted on a dreadnaught get special advantages like rapid fire or more salvos], land raider, landspeeder, predator, rhino)
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Frag and Krak Grenades, blind grenades, plasma grenades, photon flash grenades, Melta bombs, Plasma weapons, Power Glove, Refractor/Conversion/Displacer fields, Power maul, Power axe, power sword, hand and other flamers, grenade launcher, lascannon, various bolters, autocannon, melta weapons, missile launcher with frag and krak, targeter (with heavy weapons; came automatically; +1 bonus to shooting), and terminator armor (with power glove)

Ultramarine Codex published 1995 (for 2nd edition rules)
-Space Wolves have own codex in 1994
-Dark Angels and Blood Angels get own codex in the "Angels of Death" in 1996
Special Characters
-Chief Librarian Tigurius added with rod as option for him and hood for other librarians
-Marnius Calgar added with gauntlets as an option with the Macragge standard bearer as an option
-Chaplain Cassius added
-Captain Invictus of the First company added
-Legion of the Damned (one 10 man squads only)
Characters
-Terminator Captain added
-Captain, Chaplain, Librarian, Apothecary, Techmarine and Company standard may ride a bike
Squads
-Veteran Marines added (10 man squads only)
-Devastator Squads moved here from support
-Bike squadrons moved here from support (3-5 bikes; have targeter; may add an attack bike)
Support
-Allies chosen from Imperial Guard, Imperial Agents, Squats and...Eldar!
-Tarantula now has varied weapons
-Whirlwind added (fires two rockets each turn)
-Rhino can carry five Terminators!
-Razorback added and carries five models. Lascannon and twin-linked plasma rifle turret option available.
-In order to have a Rhino,Razorback, landspeeder, whirlwind, predator, landraider or attack bike requires a Techmarine in the army!
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Heavy bolter can have Hellfire shells
-Missile launcher can have plasma, anti-plant or melta missiles
-Power Glove, and Refractor/Conversion/Displacer fields dissappear.

Codex Space Marines (for 3rd edition rules)
-Force Organization lists were created
-Blood Angels and Dark Angels get own codexes in 1998 and 1999
Special Characters
-Captain Cortez, Black Templar Emperor's Champion, Salamander Chaplain Xavier, and Imperial Fist Sergent Lysander (in power armor) added
-Chaplain Cassius, Legion of the Damned and Captain Invictus disappear
-Magnus Calgar now in artificer armor. Macragge banner disappears 
HQ
-Space Marine Hero (Leader, Commander and Force Commander)
-Librarian and Chaplain (only one type)
-Command Squad (can be five to ten models in size; can ride bikes; standard bearer, techmarine and apothecary included and no longer independent; can wear terminator armor but very expensive!)
Elites
-Terminators split into ranged and assault. Can be up to ten models in size
-Dreadnaught
-Veteran Squads (can be five to ten models in size; Rhino or Razorback dedicated transport)
Troops
-Tactical Squad (can be five to ten models in size; Rhino or Razorback dedicated transport)
-Scout Squad (can have one autocannon, heavy bolter or missile cannon; can have sniper rifles and close combat weapon/bolt pistol and close combat weapon/bolter/shotgun)
Fast Attack
-Assault Squads (can be five to ten models in size; reduction in cost if no jump packs)
-Bike Squadron
-Attack Bike Squadron
-Scout Bike Squadron added (Three to five bikes; can have shotguns)
-Land Speeder Squadron (one to three)
-Land Speeder Tornado added (only one with current options)
-Land Speeder Typhoon added (only one with current options)
Heavy Support
-Devastator Squads (can be five to ten models in size; Rhino or Razorback dedicated transport)
-Predators divided into the annihilator (lascannons) and Destructor (autocannon and heavy bolters).
-Vindicator added
-Land Raider
-Whirlwind
Dedicated Transports
-Rhino can no longer carry terminators (the vehicle and terminator armor both got bigger...go figure)
-Razorback can now carry six models. No more lascannon and twin-linked plasma rifle turret
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Lost and the Damned, servitor support weapons disappear
-No more allies
-Grenade launcher now a combi-weapon
-Auspex, artificer armor, bionics, chapter and sacred banner, Combi-weapons, holy relic, iron halo, narthecium and reductor, master-crafted weapons, purity seals, servo-arm and signum, teleport homer and terminator honors appear
-Targeters, Missile launcher special ammo (other than frag and krak), Blind grenades, plasma grenades, photon flash grenades, hand and heavy flamer disappear

Codex Space Marines (published 2004 for 4th Edition rules)
-Chapter traits added for creating your own chapters with flavor. Chapter traits listed include those for the Imperial Fists, Raven Guard, Salamanders, White Scars, Crimson Fists, Iron Hands and Blood Ravens.
-Black Templars get own codex in 2005.
Special Characters
-Kayvaan Shrike, Tyrannic war veterans, Ultramarine Honor Guard added
-Captain Cortez, Black Templar Emperor's Champion, and Salamander Chaplain Xavier disappear
-Chaplain Cassius added back in
-Sergent Lysander now Captain and in terminator armor
HQ
-Commander (Master and Captain)
-Chaplain (Master of Sanctity and Reclusiarch)
-Librarian (Epistolary and Codicier; may have familiar)
-Command Squad (can have special skills; can still be upgraded with terminator armor but still very expensive)
-Terminator Command Squad (four to nine models and special skills)
Elites
-same squads except squads have access to special skills
-Dreadnaught can be venerable
-Techmarine now an elite with various servitors
Troops
-Same
Fast Attack
-Same but Land speeder type now available mixed in squadrons
Heavy Support
-Same with Land Raider Crusader added
-Whirlwind must choose between regular or mine missiles
Dedicated Transport
-Drop pods appear but will be some years before a plastic kit is available.
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Combat shield and adamantine mantle appear
-Autocannons and hellfire rounds disappear

Codex Space Marines (Published 2008 for 5th edition rules)
-Concept of certain choices alter how units are arranged in force organization list added
HQ
-Marneus Calgar can be in artificer armor or not
-Captain Sicarius, Captain Kantor, Salamander Forgefather Vulkan, Kor'Sarro Khan added
-Space Marine Chapter Master with Honor guard option
-Space Marine Captain
-Librarian and Chaplain now only one type. No familiar for librarian
-Master of the Forge added
Troops
-Tactical Squads could take a flamer and a heavy bolter/multimelta/missile launcher for free!
-Scouts can have camo cloaks and Sergeant Telion added as optional sergent
Dedicated Transports
-Same and finally a model for the drop pod
Elites
-Sternguard veteran Squads and Ironclad Dreadnaught added
-Venerable dreadnaught in its own listing
-Legion of the Damned reappear (Its what they do). They can take heavy flamers
Fast Attack
-Vanguard Veterans and Land Speeder Storm added
-Assault Squad can remove jump packs to get free transport
-Scout bikes get grenade launchers and cluster mines
Heavy Support
-Thunderfire cannon, Brother Sergent Chronus and land raider Redeemer added 
-Devastator Squad sergeant gets signum
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Digital weapons, relic blade, and conversion beamer appear
-Hellfire rounds and auxiliary grenade launcher reappears

Codex Space Marines (Published 2013 for 6th edition rules)
-Concept of chapter tactics used
-Veteran sergeants can be taken instead of regular sergeants
HQ
-Marneus Calgar can be in artificer armor or not
-Black Templars back in this codex with High Marshal Helbrecht, Chaplain Grimaldus and Emperor's Champion
-Techmarines may be included, not taking up a slot, for each HQ choice taken
Troops
-Scouts can have landspeeder storm as dedicated transport
-Crusader Squad added for Black Templars only
Dedicated Transports
-Same and finally a model for the drop pod
Elites
-Terminators can no longer have combi-weapons. Land Raiders now can be dedicated!
-Sternguard can take heavy flamers
-Vanguard Veteran squad now elite rather than fast and jump packs are optional
-Centurion Assault squad added
Fast Attack
-Stormtalon Gunship added
Heavy Support
-Centurion Devastator Squad added
-Stormraven Gunship, Hunter and Stalker vehicles added
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Gravity weapons and chapter relics appear
-Missile launchers can have flakk ammo

So you can see that STCs have been lost and found over the millennium in the 40k universe. The models get more detail and have risen in price with or exceeding the economy. What is next for the Space Marines? Only time will tell. I plan on working and re-working my Ultramarines in the upcoming months...before the new Ork codex comes out that is.