Painting - Archon Coldbane

Put the finishing touches on Coldbane's 'Archon Coldbane' last night while that little wedding was on the tele. Coldbane says he probably won't be using the soultrap in game but it looks cool and there is plenty of room for a pistol under the cloak.

The agoniser and arm are from the plastic witch sprue and the base is an Iron Halo Battlefield of Thran one I had in a bitz box.

The rest of his Dark Eldar force will be on flagstoned bases so the slightly raised more detailed base just adds to the Hq choice.

Painting WIP

For my Eldar I only really have to paint up my Striking Scorpions so thought I'd start trying some paint schemes out. I originally was going to paint them a dark tin bitz based 'Predator' inspired fashion but thought it would look horrible alongside the rest of my arctic based force. Looking at the Warmachine Retribution of Scyrath book I painted this fella up and quite like him.

Didn't take long either which was nice.

I also have to get stuck into Hoverd's Sisters and Coldbane's Dark Eldar.

I was going to go for a dark red industrial tone for the Dark Eldar but with High Elves and Sisters I'm already painting a lot of red. Looking at the Raiders and with some freehand in mind for the hulls I quikly painted this guy last night. Obviously Coldbane has to approve but he's pretty much leaving it up to me.

I'm all inspired now to paint again following Runefang and with Dark Eldar, Sisters and probably more High Elves to work on I have a nice selection to work on.

The Avatars back in

For the last few months since 40k Masters I have left my Avatar on the shelf when feilding my Eldar.

Now my reasoning for this was get some more points to spend, he usually dies in each game and with Dark Eldar being a regular opponent his survivability was compromised.

However I miss him, I like the fearless bubble he brings, he ties up units well especially melta squads and he attracts and soaks a lot of heavy fire all for the bargain value of 155 points... and he looks cool!

So with trying different variations of my FoB and Masters lists I've come back round to something like this.

Avatar 155
Farseer, stones, spear, doom, fortune, both runes 158

10 Striking Scorpions, exarch, shadowstrike, stalker, biting blade 202
5 Fire Dragons, exarch, Dragon breath flamer 92
Wave Serpent, twin EML, cannon, stones 140
8 Harlequins, kisses, shadowseer, death jester 216

5 Dire Avengers 60
Wave Serpent, twin EML, cannon, stones 140
5 Pathfinders 120
3 Jetbikes, cannon 76
3 Jetbikes, cannon 76

Nightspinner, cannon 125
2 Warwalkers, scatter lasers 120
Warwalker, EML 70

Total 1750

I will playtest it a bit but number one is the Avatars back and he brings all his wonderful destruction and annoyance to the enemy. Nightspinner is enough as 2 while fun is not really needed. 2 Scatter walkers is again enough as I find 3 overkill while including a single walker by itself with 2 Eldar Missile Launchers gives some nasty outflanking krak shots. The harlequins have lost their Troop Master as with the Avatar back they dont need the expensive leadership buff. Dire Avengers reduced as they only get out of the Wave Serpent when it gets trashed and I have Scorpions now as I love the models and they are so useful and versatile especially for outflanking to stationary mech and shoving a S7 or 8 Biting blade into its gears.

I'll let you know how it performs but it checks most boxes for tactical flexibility and toys I like... shame I can't use a Wraithseer though...

High Elf Rookie at Runefang

I just enjoyed the most fun weekend of gaming away I have ever had. Not to rain on the other events I've attended but Runefang's fun campaign format and the 2 40K games I had on friday really set this weekend apart.

I stayed with my usual gaming host (cheers Wil) and had long discussions about the game systems, where we want our individual projects/forces to go and general gaming nonsense. In the evening we had a quick game of 40k in 40 minutes which involved my Dire Avengers being butchered at range via an Immolater, large Sisters heavy bolter squad and some sisters on foot. However turn 2 saw my warwalker and scorpion unit outflank and in promptly clear the table of the Emperors armoured ladies.

Shortly another player arrived to team with my host and we set to a 3000pt game of 40k with 1500 of new Grey knights and 1500 of Sisters of Battle go to war vs my 2 1500 Eldar lists for a random objective game. A few cokes, beers, American Idol insulting and hours later saw the Imperial Alliance wrest a desperate victory from the clawing hands of the Craftworld. Awesome destructive game.

Things to know - Grey Knight Terminators with varied assault weapons = wound allocation ftw and Riflemen Grey Knight Dreadnoughts are just horrible. Still tempts me to make my own variation of a Grey Knoght army but well see...

Onto the main event - RUNEFANG

I am not an experienced fantasy player in regards to the last couple of editions but as I am enjoying the fun and speed of 8th ed I jumped at the oppurtunity to play in a fun non-competitive event and it paid off.

After scouring the net for tips and advice on High Elves it all looked the same to me and as I like to play lists a little different fromm the current norm I ended up taking stuff I liked which included a Prince on a Dragon, couple low mages, BSB, swordmasters, LSG, spearmen, archers, dragon princes. Very small army and it showed at deployement in all 5 games. So with some encouraging words from my team mates on Team Resplendant I set off to defend our northern territories from the depredations of the Old World.

I played Neil's Brettonians first in a Watchtower game and learnt that I had to get the Dragon into combat asap otherwise hes just a big target, also the fine points of movement were clarified in my mind over the game as I have only played 8th with friends at home. With a bare handful of Elves left on the table at the end and still holding the Watchtower I lost as it was only worth bonus victory points under the campaign rules. First game as I'd predicted with a loss to me but I was here to learn.

Game 2 saw me play Pete Dunns Panzer skaven force with Battle for the Pass. An awful lot of rats opposed me on the board and a brief account of my forces destruction can be read here http://thefieldsofblood.blogspot.com/2011/04/skaven-runefang-wrap-part-one.html having the small amount of models really had me doubtful of the lists performance over the rest of the rounds but learning a few tips from Pete and Team Resplendants constant strategising had me enjoying myself immensely.

Game 3 was against Jack Dunn's Goblins. Again the Elves faced a mass of greebly creatures vastly outnumbering them but I knew my list would only work aggresively had me deploy as such and a mass punch up ensued. The Dragon terrorized a flank keeping the Arachnarok at bay while the Bolt thrower granted to me from my teams pool shot the giant arachnid dead over the course of 4 turns. Jack suffered some unfortunate animosity results and the usual goblin shenanigans of exploding squigs and fanatics made a mess on both sides until the Elves declared a victory much to my suprise!

Day 2 had my Dragon led army puch further into the Realm of Mens central regions. I fought Kent's Wood Elves and was determined to show him the folly of allying with the younger races. A first tunr Dragon charge into one of the Wood elf archer blocks had my general 'safely' in combat and as the rest of my forces advanced in support a long long long... combat ensued. Most of the game then involved a good part of each sides forces moving into the fight with the High Elf Prince who eventualy lost his scaled mount and struggled against a +4 toughness buffed Eternal Guard unit. Finally the High Elf forces broke the combat and the Prince ended the game taking refuge from Wood Elf arrows in a ruin. With Seaguard patrolling the forest borders harrasing dryads and warhawks the points were tallied and the High Elves had won again hoorah.

Finally I played Joel and his wonderful looking Empire army, he was the final member of the Realm of Men trio I had to face and my Prince and his army were set to put all the tactical knowledge theyd gained over the weekend to practice.

We got Watchtower which I had possession of and the Seaguard set up within. With a burst of flame and smoke a cannonball sailed across the battle field smashing into the scaled form of the Prince's Dragon severly wounding it. Pistoliers harassed my archers. Unsuprisingly a large unit of fanatics charged at the tower slaying most of the Elves within but the lone surviving champion held on as the Imperial Knights surged toward my flank. In retaliation my Dragon and Dragon Princes charged the knights while my forces headed toward the massed Imperial ranks of infantry. The Prince and knights broke the human cavalry and ran them down ending up across the centre lines in front of the halbedier horde. The watchtower was taken by the fanatics then reclaimed by the Swordmasters while in spite of his dragon being worn down the Prince endured with support from his Spearmen and broke through the halbediers to face the last block of human infantry, the swordsmen with the human mage lord. A game of great rolling from me including pretty consistent channeling, horrific rolling from Joel and a lot of laughs saw a final High Elf victory with few humans left standing on the table.

So I won 3 of 5 games!?! with my elite team of fashion models, flower pickers, tree huggers or whatever else Team Resplendant got called over the weekend ;) A lot more than I thought I would have. A final land grab and muscling over terrain saw the High Elf nation broke into 3 clusters of territory which we designated to each Elven general and we placed 3 of 7 for the teams hoorah.

In conclusion I still dont think my list is very good and I learnt that Death magic is rubbish on a high elf mage. My playing and rules improved greatly over the event with help from all my opponents and team mates. I really want to play a lot more fantasy now and having made some good contacts through the event I should be getting some more regular games in. I don't know if I'm really sold on the Elves but I'll finish the army and hopefully get a nice big unit of White Lions or Phoenix Guard at some stage but I do have a large painted Vampire Count I could 'resurect', a FW Keeper of Secrets who could use a team of daemonic deviants to keep company and with the incoming Tomb Kings looking all shiney and alluring I may have 2-3 armies before I know it.

Thanks heaps to Pete Dunn for running Runefang and I will be doing my best to attend anything similar

Good day to get a lil older

Yesterday was my birthday and what a fantastic suprise I received when before I went to work at 5am my wonderful wife gave me a couple of gifts one being a FW Keeper of Secrets!!! The sneaky tart got it off trademe weeks ago and must have paid attention as I commented on how I've always wanted one ;) Awesome

Now I have to finish some High elves fast, plow through Dark Eldar, Sisters of Battle, some additions for my Eldar for High Lords and my long suffering unfinished Eldar Revenant Titan then I may grace the Daemons smooth resin lines with the caress of a brush... ahem and now I need an army to accompany the daemonic lovely.

PS Check out Fields of Blood, the new TK models are HOT, that army books a preorder for sure.

More Eldar goodness for FW

Look at what was on BoLS

Well I sure as hell want one of these once they're available. Certainly gives an answer to the Librarian Dreads right Tiros? ;)

GK Ideas

Well I've had a few days to look over the new Grey Knight Codex, can't say I have paid a lot of attention to the Grey Knight entries themselves and yes they do take up the vast majority of the book but its the odd bits and pieces I like.

I can take Coteaz and field an Inquisition army with units comprised of the wonderful Inquisition Henchmen choice. Dedicated assault teams of arco-flagellants, death cult assasins and crusaders. Heavy weapon teams of plasma cannon servitors, Jokaeroa, hellrifle toting Inquisitors. Daemonhost units in a shackled rune coated Chimera. Psyker Squads ferried about in a sterilised warded Rhino... and all troop choices with Coteaz. Add Assassins for an Elite or two, a stormraven or two as personal Inquisiton gunships and a Dreadknight with a shackled Daemon or Psyker as crew and I can have a pretty cool looking radical Inquisition army which is very very likely I will work on for a varied and fun alternative to my beloved Eldar.

Also what do people think of the idea that a Grey Knight army with all their psychic powers would make an awesome Thousand Sons list! Pre heresy anyone?