Grundback Gunners

The Grundback Gunner can boost all attack and damage rolls for the spray for one focus. Think on that for a moment. All. That means hitting high defence models consistantly and also doing excellent damage. Auto include in a Rhulic force I can confidently say.

I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts.

Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The red accent area was painted with Skorne Red then drybrushed with Khador Red and finally lightly drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft. I then drew Rhulic glyphs on their sides with a paint pen.

I only glued one gun on as I want to change up how many Gunners and Blasters I may want for a list.

Malifaux 2E - 2015/2016 Wave and Avatars

Malifaux is currently undergoing playtesting for its third or 2015/2016 wave. You can download the cards here. The forums for discussing and suggesting changes are here.

I like how many tabletop games are having betas for rule versions and additions. Warmachine/Hordes had an open beta for the MK2 that lasted for half a year. Infinity had a closed beta for their third edition of the rules that lasted two years. Malifaux itself had an open beta for the rules and the previous two waves. Its a great way of doing business as it keeps the community engaged and invested in the future of the games they play.

The Avatars are also going through a huge change, with the forum thread here. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Masters channel energy rather than change shape now;

2. Will be only available during campaign play but players can agree to use them during normal play;

3. The option to introduce non-campaign avatars is an option for the future, but no plans currently to do so;

4. Making new plastic avatar sculpts for all masters will not be done. Instead, a different 50mm insert base for each faction will be made and the master model will be placed on the insert avatar base to represent the change;

5. Emissaries of Fate will be introduced for each faction. These are evolved effigy models on 50mm bases. If you have an old avatar sculpt, they are tournament legal to use them as these emissaries. The Arcanist Emissary is pictured above;

6. These emissaries will also have zero cost upgrades specific to each master in its faction. These upgrades flavour it for each master it is playing with. With this in place, the old avatar model sculpt look and feel mimic what this new idea is portraying and can be used for this purpose.

The reason they explain for this change is that the rules for avatars have to be balanced so that it is not an auto include in games. The process for becoming an avatar can well lose you the game because you are not going for victory points. Since they will be balanced and not something the consumer will automatically buy, the potential new avatar sculpts may just sit on the shelves of merchants. The cost of making them are also large to the company and the consumer. As quoted from the company rep on the boards: "We firmly believe that our customers will be happier (and spend more money, let's be honest, this isn't charity) when we design fun things they *want* to buy, rather than expensive things which they are *required* to buy."

I am satisfied by the changes to Avatars. I have only assembled and painted my Lilith avatar but I still have ones in the box waiting for when I make their master: Perdita, Lady Justice, Sonnia Crid, Hoffman, Pandora, Candy, McMourning and the Viktorias. I was even thinking of making a Lucius avatar from the new plastic Lucius and the two lawyers. I like how I can use them as Emissaries, so that I don't have to buy those models for the factions I have avatars for. Taking avatars out of tournament play is also good as it would take away from the game with a stranger. I'll still make the avatars models I have and pick up the emissary of fate and avatar bases of factions I don't have when playing them.

Grundback Blasters

 The Gundback Gunner is a small Rhulic jack that can pack a punch. They have two things going for them; they are cheap in points and they can boost to hit and damage for one focus. Do not be thinking they can take down heavy jacks though as three of them could do some damage for the same cost but thier role is more for light jacks and multi-wound models.

 I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts.

Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The red accent area was painted with Skorne Red then drybrushed with Khador Red and finally lightly drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft. I then drew Rhulic glyphs on their sides with a paint pen.

I only glued one gun on as I want to order two extra Gunner guns so I can switch them out if necessary for a list. Now onto more Rhulic!

Rhulic Warcaster - Gorten Grundback

To begin my "Year of the Rhul" in Warmachine, I've chosen Gorten Grundback. He's a solid spellcaster with a useful feat and good spell list.

I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts. The face was done with Dark Flesh then a drybrush of Midlund Flesh and a light drybrush of Ryn Flesh.

Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The red accent areas were painted with Skorne Red then drybrushed with Khador Red and finally lightly drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight. The leather parts were painted with Bootstrap Leather and drybrushed with Gun Corps Brown and lightly drybrushed with Rucksack Tan. The goggles were painted with Arcane Blue. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft.

Along with the Forge Guard i finished two and a bit years ago I have the start of a Mercenary Rhulic Searforge, Highborn Covenant or Four Star Syndicate force. I plan on playing this caster a few times as a Highborn Covenant caster, so I can use the Alexia's I finished late last year, then play at least twenty games with him as a Searforge caster.

Infinity 3E - Core or Background Book

I've been a fan and player of Infinity for the last three years, with large gaps as the player base is not large in Victoria. The rules were so much superior to Warhammer 40k and other 28-32mm scale sci-fi games i've played or seen. I was happy to continue painting my Combined Army and Haqqislam forces and play the occasional game. Then I saw the Beasts of War videos for the new 3rd edition of Infinity that I posted about here. Once i got the new starter box, I hungrily awaited the full rulebook which I picked up just before the Winter Holidays.

Hooray for good editing! Previous editions were visually gorgeous but plagued with spelling and grammar mistakes that detracted from the product. No longer. I've only read the core or background book cover to cover and was super impressed. The slipcase comes with two books in a slipcase: a background book and a rulebook.

The number of grammar or spelling mistakes was down to a handful. The art and history of the world of Infinity was expertly laid out including a snapshot of the different types of troops in each faction.

Now onto the rules!

2015 Gaming Resolutions

I was very successful in my painting schedule last year. This was because I set a reasonable and measurable goal and aided in no small part to painting at work during my lunch break. I'm planning another year of painting and have the following in the year 2015:

Privateer Press/Warmachine/Rhulic: I was able to assemble, prime and get the first of four steps done on all my Rhulic forces. I'm now concentrating on Gorten Gundback and some jacks to get playing. I'll finish the rest as the year progresses.

Malifaux/Guild: I want to purchase the plastic "Bound by Law" kit to make Lucius's totem as well as more models so I can field him more effectively. I also want to paint a few other Guild models like Perdita's avatar, the constructs, Pale Rider, Pathfinder and the Governor's Proxy.

Malifaux/Neverborn: Candy, Mr Tannen, Mr Graves and the Beckoners are all Mimics and add to Lucuis options as he is a mimic as well.

Malifaux/Mercenaries: I want to be able to complete the models that can be used as Mercenaries so I can use them with other gangs and factions. Its not required now but will pay off dividends for the future.

Infinity/Operation Icestorm Starter box: I'll assemble and paint the Pan Oceana and Nomad forces in the starter that I purchased last year.

Infinity/Haqquislam: I have a 400 point army assembled (expanded from the 300 point suggested list) and primed so I want to get these guys finished so I can expand on this faction and my Combined Army.

Spartan Games/Planetfall: This will be the Aquan forces that I got from the double starter a friend and I got.

Guildball: The kickstarter that I participated in should be in early this year and I will get the Masons and Brewers teams going this year.

Terrain: The only terrain I did last year was for Dystopian Wars. Now that I have Deadzone and Maki Container kickstarter terrain as well as lots of others that are collecting dust I need to get off my butt and make it.

I also want to set a goal of playing all the board games and role playing games I have purchased but not played yet. This is a little more problematic but achievable. There are Mouse Guard, Star Wars: Age of Rebellion, Durance, Apocalypse World, Diaspora, Dread and The Shab-al-Hiri Roach for RPGs. For Board Games there are leHavre, Caylus, Brass, Throgh the Ages, A Few Acres of Snow, Combat Commander: Europe and I have not finished a game of Twilight Struggle nor Paths of Glory yet and wish to.

I will of course be posting about the above as I complete/play them.

Madelyn Corbeau

Without any attacks of any kind, some dismiss this model's abilities. Her ability to seduce enemy models to advance and attack other models as well as move a friendly model 3" if an enemy is in her command area is extremely useful.

Primed with White Krylon primer, then brushed with P3 Skorne Red. Then drybrushed with P3 Khador Red and lightly drybrushed with P3 Khador Red Highlight. The hair, gorget and bike pants were painted with P3 Thamar Black. The Hair was drybrushed with Coal Black and bike pants drybrushed with Battlefield Brown. The knee and back armour was painted with Bootstrap Leather and drybrushed with Rucksack Tan.

The skin was painted with Khardic Flesh, drybrushed with Midlund Flesh and lightly drybrushed with Ryn Flesh. Menoth White Highlight was used on the waist and upper arm frills. Khador Red was used on the lips, Trollblood Blue on the eyeliner and Solid Gold on the earrings, dress trim and fittings. The "Popeye Candy Stick" was painted with Menoth White Highlight, Thamar Black and Khador Red Highight. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Strong Tone wash.

Now for Rhulic Searforge models!

Dungeons and Dragons Next (5th Edition)

A friend purchased the new edition of Dungeons and Dragons, D&D Next. There was hesitation and scepticism on this incarnation, as the 4th edition was very average and felt more like a video game.

Although we have only played two sessions, and already we are talking of playing the rest of the adventure but also playing more of this edition.

What impresses me the most is the simplicity of the core of the game. It gets down to the meat of what Dungeons and Dragons is about...the flavour. Sure they have all the feats and do-dads that you can add to the game but this edition really feels like the classic Dungeons and Dragons. A sort of a D&D real 3rd edition.

Gone are the little bonuses that took away from the game when adding them up. You can have advantages and disadvantages. If you have all advantages, you roll an extra d20 and keep the best. If you have at least one disadvantage you roll two d20s and take the lowest.

Characters are as fragile as they were in 1st and 2nd edition. Goblins can still take down a 10th level fighter if you are not careful and they are more careful. Bonus abilities are handed out sparingly so it doesn't clutter a player with too much choice. Feats are optional as well. You can also download the rules to play the four main classes (fighter, cleric, wizard, rogue) for free here. The main books are excellently laid out and the Dungeon Master's guide is great for new and old players alike.

All in all a great product and one that will get more use than 4th edition ever did for me (read them and shelved them) and a strong contender for standing on the same platform as Pathfinder. May make me bring out my old Mystara collection for converting.

No Thanks!

No Thanks! is a great card game for three to five players. The objective is to get the fewest amount of points. The deck is made up of cards from three to thirty five. To start, the deck is dealt and nine cards are set aside, in the box, face down. That way it is unknown what is missing.

Each player starts with eleven chips (kept secret from other players once distributed) and the top card of the deck is flipped face up. Starting with the first player, players decide if they want the card or not. If they don't they put one of their chips on it. The next person clockwise also decides if they want it.

Play continues until someone is willing to take the card. They get the chips and the card. The card is viewable by all players.

The next card is flipped face up and the player clockwise from the player who took the card starts. Play continues until the deck is exhausted. The reason why you want the cards in the middle is for two reasons. One is that you get chips because if you have no chip to put on the card, you must take it. Two is that if you have cards in series, you only score the lower card value. As well, the chips are worth minus one point per chip.

Here is an example of end game scoring. You score the 7, 11 and 25 for a total of 43. Subtracting five chips leaves you with a score of 38 points.

Now see how having more cards mean less points. here you score the 7 and 25 for a total of 33. Subtract five for 27 points. Remember that players may take the card you need and eat the points so that you don't get the sequence you need.

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.

Malifaux 2E Crossroads

The next Malifaux 2E book came out a few months ago. It has more Masters, Henchmen and other model statistics.

Each of the Masters in the book have their own short story and themed story encounter to play, but any Masters can use it.

As with the large rulebook, each model has the stats and short synopsis of who or what they are.

This book brings the total of Masters to seven for each of the seven factions for a total of 49 Masters. They have not made available many of the plastic kits for these models but it lets you know what ones you may be interested in. A great product.