History of a Gaming Table Part II

Hey there Chaos worshipers! Glad you could all come around to this neck of the woods again. I'm a bit of a happy Chaos camper these days- I'm feeling a lot better health-wise, and I've gotten back on track with my 40K modelling addiction. I just played a game (see my previous post for the Battle Report), and it was a close one but a fun one (just how I like it... except against Joe... then I just want to win immediately and crush his hopes). The new Codex is looking really good so far, and I'm getting the hang of 6th edition now.

A few months ago, I put on this blog how I had to give up my gaming table. I simply no longer had room for this behemoth which had been designed by my friend Pete, put together by several friends, and painted by yours truly. But now, I simply can't let it take up so much room, so I gave it to Joe. It is now in his garage (more on that in another post). However, I still wanted my own gaming board of some kind- after all, what would I do with all my urban-themed terrain?

So, after considering several options, I decided to go with wooden boards from Home Depot. These boards are sized 4' x 2'. I figured that they would be sturdy enough for the job, but also very storage-able, so that they don't take up much space (which is why I needed to get rid of my table to begin with). Best of all, they are two sided- I could very easily paint up both sides, thus doubling my battle surfaces.

After buying 5 boards, I began the project on Memorial Day. I had bought tow shades of grey as well as black paint for the roads. I wanted it to look like my old table as much as possible (see: History of a Gaming Table Part 1 for a comparison). On the first two, I measured out the roads and the blocks. Now, I'm not the perfect with measurements like that, but I managed to have the roads be the same size and connect between the two boards. It was unbearably hot that day, but I finished the two boards by early evening. I was very pleased with the boards, I managed to make them look just like my old  table- or at least close enough to make me happy.

I got to the other three boards at the end of June. I decided to play with the roads a bit, leaving bigger blocks on one, more roads on the other, and finally one that was just block, no roads at all- if I wanted to make a very crowded section of buildings all together. Again, it all went together very well, and I was very pleased to have my "urban battle table" back, but in store-able form.

I began to plan for the other side of the boards. I had made my Dark Eldar with desert basing (Chaos was urban basing, natch), so I decided to make the other side into a desert/wasteland. I bought appropriate paints, and decided to try sand to add texture. Now, because I was ill, I didn't get to do it till this past week, however, I had a marathon session, and I painted 4 boards in the desert color (didn't do the 5th because I ran out of paint, and I figured 4 would be enough anyways). I dry brushed a lighter brown on the texture, and it turned out surprisingly good.

My brother and I decided to play our recent game on the desert side, since it looked so good. The board looked great during the battle. We used a few things that matched the table terrain-wise, and I now want to make a ton of desert terrain... My friend Pete is ready to help make hills and such. I am also re-painting my crashed Aquila ship for desert terrain (I had it urban/grey crash debris, easy enough to change and, frankly, I have more than enough urban terrain anyways).

So, by going the board route, I now have a double sided board system, and it takes up zero room when stored. That's exactly the solution I was working toward, and I'm thrilled that it worked the way I wanted it to. At any rate, I hope that "History of a Gaming Table" parts 1 and 2 will have inspired you, whether its about a gaming board, terrain ideas, modeling inspiration, or whatever. Hope you've enjoyed this.

Until next time...

1st Battle With The New Chaos Codex!!

Hey there everyone! It's certainly been exciting times at the old Chaos ponderosa- I've been reading and re-reading the new Chaos Codex, cross-referencing with the 6th edition book, writing down key rules, studying the new options, etc. Whew!

Ohhh!! Shinny!

Now, some people are already pronouncing the Chaos Codex to be a wonderful triumph or an unmitigated disaster. I am certainly leaning toward the former, in terms of the book's presentation. The artwork is simply amazing- full color, with lots of new art- all of which is stunning. The fluff is solid (though not spectacular- I wish there was a bit more here). The layout and format is excellent, plus there's good sample models and paint schemes, etc. It is a quality product , no doubt.

The real question for any Codex though is the rules- how will these guys play on the field? That is the million dollar question. But one can't just read the book and few times and Bam! pass judgement on the rules themselves- you need to play a few matches in order to even begin to have a basis to formulate such conclusions. Luckily for me, I managed to get in a game this week using the new book.

My new Desert/Wasteland gaming boards

 However, there is an additional wrinkle for me. As my readers are aware, I was very ill this summer, requiring surgery and a slow recovery. The fact is I haven't even played that many 6th edition games- three, as it turns out. So, not only am I learning the new Chaos rules, I am also still getting the hang of the 6th rules in general- yes, much of it is the same, but so much has been changed or even slightly altered. Flyers, Monstrous Creatures, Charge Rolls, and much more... Hehe! That's a lot to learn- but hey- that's part of the fun.

Another perspective on my board

We decided to use the new desert/wasteland battle surface that I created- I will post an article on how I made it after this article- I promise. I found something quick and easy, and I want to tell you about it, as I'm very excited over it. At any rate, though I have the new boards, I don't have much "desert style" terrain, so my brother and I decided to  keep the terrain sparse, quite befitting of a desert wasteland deal.

My old bone bridge- plus an objective marker

I used a couple of bunkers, my Chaos Shrine (which fits in with any style of terrain, it is Chaos after all), the Chaos ruins (painted a desert color, funny enough), and my old bone bridge. I also had two old pillars from armorcast that I painted a while ago. So, while there wasn't a ton of terrain, it actually made of a very interesting battle, while still looking like an empty desert.

They're baaaaaacck!!

 So, my brother and I played a 1900 point game- Grey Knights up against my Death Guard Plague Marine army. So, what did I take? Hahaha- I've been waiting ages to play with my Plague Zombies again- so of course I played with Typhus as my HQ- bringing with him 2 squads of 30 zombies apiece. I also had 2 squads of Plague Marines (1 Rhino, 1 Land Raider). I decided to go a bit more mechanized than usual (wanting to try out the vehicles rules)- the aforementioned Land Raider, a Vindicator, a Predator (Twin Las and two Heavy Bolters), and a Heldrake (for which I used my FW Hell Talon). I also took a "Hellbrute" (Dreadnought) with a Las and Missile Launcher (my Dreads never get into close combat). Finally, I took a Sorcerer at Mastery Level 2.

This sucker is huge!!

My brother, meanwhile, took a Nemesis Dreadknight, Captain Stern, 3 squads of terminators, 2 squads of regular Grey Knight marines, and a Land Raider and dreadnought of his own. Now, he doesn't have enough Grey Knights, so he used some of my Ultramarines as stand-ins, which was fine by me. We were now ready to throw down...

Bwaiins!! Bwaiins!!

So, first we rolled for mission- we got the first one, Crusade, with a Dawn of War deployment. We rolled 5 random/unknown objectives and placed them. My Warlord trait was already a given with Typhus, while my brother rolled Master of Offense. For who goes first, I won that roll, so I decided to deploy first (thus going first). I placed my Death Guard out on the table, and then my brother placed his Grey Knights on the other end. Then, I rolled both for psychic powers and on the boon table (I had taken mutation for both my Plague Marine squad champions and Sorcerer. 30 points- wanted to see how it would happen). For psychic powers, Both Typhus and the Sorcerer rolled 6- this meant they had the Wind of Nurgle (large blast). For Typhus I chose the primaris power Flame Breath, and my Sorcerer chose the power Smite. As for the boons- hahahah!  Nurgle must be mad since I haven't played with the Death Guard in a bit- for my champions, both rolled a 16- no gift granted. Shucks!! My Sorcerer meanwhile rolled a 36- giving his power sword the fleshbane ability- that's not too shabby at all.

The forces of Nurgle, Lord of Decay!

So, to start with, I moved one group of zombies to claim the objective at the foot of the bone bridge- I figured my brother would try for that with his oncoming Dreadknight, but even he would be hard pressed to remove 30 zombies from there. The second objective near me was the one on the roof of the bunker- the second squad of zombies was near there- but 30 can't possibly fit in that bunker, so I sent them forwards instead. I moved the Rhino up 6", and I moved the Predator and Dreadnought up to the wall of the Chaos shrine for protection (the Pred could then have view through the open side as the GKs came through). Then, my Vindicator fired a blast at the Dreadknight, doing no damage- yep, the slap fight had begun there. Finally, my Land Raider shot and killed one terminator. In the GK half, the Grey Knights claimed their first objective. The Dreadknight fired at my Vindicator, the blast drifting off the table. His Land Raider shot my Rhino- immobilizing it. All his troops moved forward, though he let Stern hang back for an unknown reason.

"When there's no more room in the Warp, the dead will walk the galaxy"

So, turn 2, I rolled to have my Heldrake come in- I rolled a 1. Crap- I hoped I didn't waste points on that guy. My 2nd group of zombies continued their advance toward the third objective. My Death Guard squad and Sorcerer got out of the Rhino and moved to the bunker objective. My Dread climbed the rock side to stand on top of the Shrine. My Predator, Dreadnought, and Land Raider fired at the 2 advancing Terminator squads beginning to go through the narrow pass on the Shrine's side. The Vindicator moved toward the bone bridge, firing at the Dreadknight and causing a wound. In the Grey Knight half, his Dreadknight advanced along with a GK squad, and he again hit my Vindicator, but failed to get even a glance. His terminators took shots at my 2nd zombies- as did his Land Raider, and I lost a bunch, but 30 fearless is a lot to get through.

Typhus thought the battle would be decided on the flanks, not the Shrine. The Grey Knights begged to differ.

Now, turn 3- the game was going well, a slog match befitting the Death Guard, but I knew I'd need something to shake it up- and I thought that may happen as I rolled a 3 and the Heldrake came in. As I understand it- the flyer comes in as a reserve, unable to act- I think. If anyone wishes to clarify for me, I'd appreciate it. At any rate, I now had everything I needed to put on the full court press. My Plague Marines moved to the bunker, claiming the second objective. My vindicator moved onto the bone bridge, firing at the oncoming GK squad, causing a few casualties. My Land Raider  fired at his LR, causing 2 Hull Points of damage, while my Predator fired at the second Terminator squad, killing two more. My dreadnought began a slap-fight exchange with the oncoming GK dreadnought- no damage (bad rolls). Now, my 2nd zombies charged into the one terminator squad (rolling an 11 charge- whoa!!), killing them all (that many rolls means a few ones will be rolled- a matter of probability). First Blood went to me and my zombie horde, who could attack the other Termies and claim the nearby 3rd objective by then.

The Terminator is overwhelmed by undead Imperail citizens- the very people he has sworn to protect!

I was now ahead, 3 to 1 in victory points. However, in his phase I was going to pay. He moved his Dreadknight to attack my Vindicator. All he managed to do was Immobilize, but that meant he would hammer me the next turn and I couldn't escape. His Dreadnought now moved with his GK squad toward the Shrine- he was certainly going to be able to claim that unless my own Dread could stop them. His other Termie squad moved away from the zombies toward the Land Raider and 3rd objective, firing at the zombies in futile defiance. My brother did something rash, firing his LR at my LR, blowing off a sponson Las. Yep- he wanted revenge.

The Heldrake takes aim

Turn 4- I moved my 2nd zombies within striking range of both the other terminator squad and the 3rd objective. My sorcerer left the bunker squad and moved alone toward the Shrine- those GKs were going to get there, and he'd be the one to stop them. Meanwhile, my other squad, along with Typhus, got out of the Land Raider and moved toward the Shrine and bone bridge- my plan was to destroy the GK with the PMs and Sorcerer, while Typhus would go and challenge the Dreadknight. That would be a combat. My Dread fired at the oncoming GK squad, killing one, while my LR and Pred exchanged shots with the GK LR, taking another Hull Point. As for my Heldrake, I made a less than 90 degree pivot, then moved it 24"- over the GK squad near the shrine, and facing the other GK squad sitting on the objective in his deployment zone. I did a Vector Strike on the one squad (killing 1), while shooting at the babysitters, killing 2- it was then that I realized that this flyer business was pretty cool after all. Hehe!! Finally, I moved my zombies to attack the other terminator squad, rolling a 7" charge- and again they killed the last of the termies. This left the zombies in control of the 3rd objective, but in front of the guns of the GK LR. Vengeance would be his...

The Grey Knights advance towards the accursed Shrine

Typhus prepares to meet the Dreadknight head-on

The Grey Knights countered hard. The GK arrived on top of the shrine, while their Dreadnought charged mine- and neither of us had close combat weapons, so now it was a close quarters slap fight. Ugh- Strength 6 against 12 Armor and no power fists- you do the math. His Dreadknight destroyed my vindicator, and now he could move past the bridge toward my 1st zombies and their objective. Finally, his LR fired at the 2nd zombie squad, taking out a bunch- but there was still more than 10 left.

Turn 5 was make or brake- I had more objectives (3 to 2, plus 1 VP for FB), but the GK were now in range to take two objectives away, if I wasn't careful. I needed to get the Shrine objective out of his hands. I advanced the Plague Marines away from Typhus and toward the shrine. Typhus began the climb to the bridge to confront the Dreadknight. Meanwhile, the LR and Pred fired at the GK LR, but I rolled lousy that time. As for my Heldrake, and this is my own fault- I flew him around and did nothing, as I had misread the rules and didn't realize that I could have had him hover. My own fault, but I won't repeat that mistake in the next game... Anyways, my Sorcerer was closing in on the Shrine, and i was getting ready to use his psychic powers.

The Plague Marines march around the Dreadnoughts' slap fight

My erstwhile brother continued his counterattack. His Dreadknight's blast torched a whole bunch of my 1st zombies, but there were still a ton left. The two dreads continued to duke it out, with on one landing a good blow- I got a HP out of him, and that's it. His LR continued to try to decimate the zombies- there were only a handful left, which he could kill off in the bottom of the 6th if he landed all his shots, and I'd lose that objective.

Now it was 6th- final round. I advanced Typhus on the bridge near the Dreadknight, while my Plague Marines and Sorcerer were in range to shoot the GK on the Shrine objective (but too damn far away to grab it in time). It was now or never- my sorcerer used his Plague Wind on the GK squad- it worked, killing them all, as a matter of fact. Excellent indeed. I got him off an objective. Then, Typhus was about to use the same power on the Dreadknight aaannnddd--- rolled a snake eyes!! What!?! That means he took a wound, and then he missed anyways! I can't believe he had that rotten luck.

Typhus was injured (and slightly embarrassed), but won the battle for the glory of Grandfather Nurgle

As for the last phase, the my brother actually resisted taking a shot at Typhus and instead fired with his Dreadkinght again at the zombies, actually breaking their squad coherency with his huge (and well placed) blast. Meanwhile, his LR killed off the last of the 2nd zombies (I knew he would), denying me the objective there too. At this point, the game concluded. As it stood, I had 1 objective (PMs at the bunker), and I had 1 VP for "First Blood". My brother had only 1 objective (in his deployment zone), thus, the Plague Marines won the game. It was a ton of fun, and it got gut-wrenchingly close at the end. There were good rolls, bad rolls, and Typhus whiffed, and I totally messed up on the flyer rules (I kept it moving fast, rather than put it in hover and still shoot), but it was a blast to play. I think, a few more games under my belt, and I'll be totally comfortable with 6th. Meanwhile, I am liking the new Chaos Codex, but there's still a lot to try out, and after this, I can't wait to do so!!

Until next time... 

Book Review (In Brief): The Emperor's Gift

Hey there everybody! Old Man Chaos is back with another posting. Officially, there's only a few more days to go till the new Chaos Codex. I can't wait to get my grubby little hands on that. Speaking of, I did buy the Dark Vengeance boxed set finally, so I'll be reviewing that soon too (have to put the Chaos pieces together first). However, as a result of buying DV, I will have to wait on buying the big Chaos stuff, since the book alone is $50- of course, my birthday and Christmas are coming up (hint hint). Anyways, I will for sure rate the DV box and the Codex very soon.

However, right now, I just finished Aaron Dembski-Bowden's The Emperor's Gift. Now, you all know I think he may be the best Black Library writer out there- his Cadian Blood and Night Lords Trilogy are absolutely perfect works of 40K fiction. However, in this book he is focusing squarely on a Grey Knight brotherhood, which is far from his usual. So, did he knock it out of the park, or is it a swing and a miss? Let's find out:

 For sure, ADB is still the most fluid writer in the BL stable. His writing is concise, but still descriptive and occasionally poetic (for 40K, natch). ADB handles complex action scenes, emotions, and plots with ease. He gets the point across without beating you over the head with it, as some of the BL authors do. Nor is his writing "bolter porn" as it were- there's meaning in his action sequences, and his stories are about characters, not just action scenes staring the same character. Here, ADB primary focus is Hyperion, a new Grey Knight bonded to Castian squad. Hyperion is strong and brave, but he finds it difficult to coordinate his skills with his battle brothers, while at the same time trying to "re-figure" out human emotion from those mortals he serves with. However, trouble comes for Hyperion when word reaches his squad that the world of Armageddon is under attack from the forces of Chaos.

What follows is a very unusual story indeed- the book isn't about the First War of Armageddon- rather, it is how Hyperion becomes part of a task force sent to Armageddon, and then what happens after the wars. It is rather interesting conceit- the War itself is like two chapters long only. The war was longer, but the Grey Knights see battle only once- against Angron himself (very cool, by the way). The remainder of the book is about the moral conflict that follows: what should be done with the loyal soldiers and citizens of Armagedon who saw Daemons- standard Inquisitorial protocol says all must die for seeing "that which CANNOT exist". But the Space Wolves, who have fought for months on Armageddon, want to spare the innocents. Hyperion is torn- he wants to protect humanity, but allowing these people to live will only allow Chaos to spread, unwittingly perhaps, but spread nevertheless.

Therin lies the issue here, for both good and bad. The story has odd fits and starts- the War is truncated, and the first boarding action and subsequent mustering goes on for too damn long. Indeed, at one point I said "I get it- the ship is possessed- move on". And while the Armageddon scenes were cool, it was too brief, and relied on the fact that longtime fans knew the outcome already. On the other hand, the moral issues that Hyperion confronts are truly interesting and deep- we always know that the Inquisition will do such terrible things for the protection of humanity, but here it takes on a more realistic dimension as Hyperion wrestles with the moral implications of what the Inquisition must do. Since the story was told from Hyperion's perspective, it made for fascinating reading.

Even better, ADB has found a great "voice" for the good guys of the Adeptus Astartes , which can be tricky to write for(he can write Chaotic Marines quite well, as we already know). Hyperion is very sympathetic, a hero who wants to understand the humans that he fights to protect. To most humans, he seems cold and fearsome, but he is also capable of gentle warmth, which I thought was a great blend for the Grey Knights. Writing first person allows ADB do bring a great deal of depth here, and it makes up for the books flaws.

The other great thing that ADB does is he plants both feet firmly in the 40K lore. Not only is this about the First War of Armageddon, he also manages to tie this book to others, including The Battle of the Fang, Prospero Burns, and amazingly (and wonderfully, I might add) the Ravenor and Eisenhorn series. ADB did this with his Night Lords trilogy too, which makes his work feel like part of the mosaic of 40K, rather than just one author's take.

So, what to take away from this? ADB tries some risky things here- his first person Grey Knight narration, his willingness to forgo the battle that most would have expected going in, and his interest in the "clean-up", rather than the war itself, makes The Emperor's Gift very interesting and different from other BL tales. My only issue really was the pacing of the first third of the book, which takes too long. Perhaps if that had been trimmed, ADB could have done more with the Armageddon piece, which I think would have strengthened the weight of the moral questions  asked in the last third. Thus, I award this book 3 1/2 out of 4 Marks of Chaos. Its a good book in the chances it takes, but the pacing could have been better.

Until next time...

"I Love The Drake" / "I Hate The Drake"

Hey there Chaos fanatics! I've been slowly but surely recuperating from my surgery and hospital stay and all that. I have been painting a bit, reading a bit, surfing the web, etc. I realize that I haven't done a posting in a bit, so here I am, back to the grindstone.

It has been a time of change for us Games Workshop and 40K players people, huh? But, is it a case of "the more things change, the more they stay the same" perhaps? Hehe! It depends on which message boards you read of course. Some say that the changes to the rules, WD, and the upcoming Chaos Codex are all fantastic- the rapture is here! Others fear that these changes are the doom of GW- that the Chaos gods are about to destroy everything we hold dear. I suspect, as with most things, the truth lies somewhere in between. I'll give you my 2 cents, which, in this economy, ain't worth 2 cents, but you get what I mean...

Let's talk 6th for a moment. Since I have been ill, I did not get in nearly as many games as I had intended on, though I did play a few. I love the book- the art, the format, etc. I think the rules are also fairly strong, and that there's going to be a lot of things that come to the fore as I play more. I love some of the randomness- random objective effects, random charge lengths (crazy- but I like how it reflects the chaos of the battlefield). I'm not sure yet if Overwatch completely ruins getting into CC, as I'll need more games to determine this. Overall, I think 6th is a strong book, certainly more complex than the previous few editions, which is a plus. I just need to play a few more games to get the rest of the intricacies (I haven't played with flyers or flying Daemon Princes yet, for example).

Now, how about that White Dwarf...? I like most of the changes here. The overall layout was really good. The inclusion of a hobbying section (I love that huge base), and a painting section harking back to ye olde WD. The battle report was much more sharply written, getting right down to the game play. Yes, the book is still a huge advertisement (natch) but it is moving in a much better direction.  Now, all they have to do is have a few fluff pieces in there, and it will be like the old days. However, they MUST ditch the red backgrounds for the pix- it just clashes way to damn much, and I am convinced it made the models look worse.







Speaking of... what about the new Chaos stuff. First, I am sure that the Codex will be up to snuff, based on the pages that have been seen online, Phil Kelly does good work, and we have nowhere to go but up from the past edition. I like the look of the book (hardcover and color), though that cover makes me laugh- Blood Gorgons was an 'OK' book, but now I'll always think of it when I look at the Codex (its nice art, but couldn't we pick from a better book- say First Heretic or something). I can't wait to play with cultists/zombies in a non-Apoc match, that's all I can say. I have already reserved the book at my local store.

As for the models- well, here's where it gets dicey. First, the red backgrounds did no favors for these models. Look at the 360 online or the battle report pics to get a better idea of these models. They are in no way the "abomination" that some have suggested. On the contrary, I think the Heldrake is a very good- check out the Black Legion paint job to see how cool it is. The Maluer/Forge Fiend is a bit unusual, but a good paint scheme and a bit of conversion will make that model into a solid entry. The Warpsmith is a great model, as is the Dark Apostle (amazing sculpt). The Sorcerer hearkens back to the old metal sorcerers (retro, but more detailed). I love the Warp Talons (Yes! Plastic Raptors at last). However, the Mutalators are just plain ugly- yes, I know they look like the Oblits, but- damn they suck. I sense another "Save Money The Chaos Way" in the future when I do those...

Herein lies the rub. I hate to say it, but most of the new models aren't really "Nurgl-y".  Let's take the Heldrake, for instance. It just doesn't scream "Death Guard" to me. Now, you paint that up in Black Legion or World Eaters (imagine a Red and Bronze dragon- holy shit), it its great. Paint it up in a darker Night Lords scheme (the one in the WD is too bright), good. But... Nurgle... meh. I don't know. It just doesn't scream that to me. It did inspire me to finish my Forgeworld fighter though... Yep, I had it for a while but never finished it. Now, it is done, and I intend to use the Heldrake rules (the 'drake wings are based on this model- look closely).

With some conversion, the Mauler/Forge Fiend will find a home in my Plaguemarine force, no doubt. But again, the aesthetic looks better for some of the other legions. I WILL buy a Dark Apostle, but again, he doesn't look to be easily Nugle-fied. As for the Warpsmith, I can paint him to be all rusty, and he'll fit in, though I still am under the old illusion that nurglings run the inside of tanks, thus the Death Guard would not need a Warpsmith. That's just old fluff though. As for the sorcerer, I already have my one from Forgeworld, whom I also recently finished (and I'm pleased with my work, considering I'm still not at my best).

I am excited for Chaos, and I can't wait to field my Plague Marines alongside my old plague zombies again. I also want to use the allies rules to bring Nurgle daemons with me again. I have the new plastic Plague Bearers, and have been slowly working on them. Those are great models, by the way. Even if you have some of the old metals, these new plastics are very detailed, and will fit in nicely with the old ones.

I am looking forward to playing with the new rules and the new codex. Its just a few days away now. I know that some people are cynical, but I am hopeful. It won't ever match what we have in our heads, as I think that Chaos players tend to love their fluff/characters/army look more than liking to win. Now, that is not an insult to anyone, I just know that many Chaos players are passionate, and would rather have a codex that allows for fluffy lists than anything else. They are committed to Chaos itself- if they can field daemons and cultists and all that but still face a tough time on the battlefield, most Chaos players would take it. Win or lose, they just want to be Chaos fanatics. Why do you think I haven't gone and played the all-powerful Grey Knights? Or ran my Nurgle force with Spacewolf rules? No. Way. I am a Chaos player (and let's face it- I play Dark Eldar too. Dark Eldar are pretty evil, and no one would say I care about only winning if I have played DE since their earliest incarnation. Ouch- talk about punishment). But now, with the new Codex and the 6th allies rule, I can take my Nurgle Daemons and zombies. Iron Warriors can bring in their Basilisks. Word Bearers and Alpha Legion can bring in their Cultists. I know they'll be more goodies in the Codex; even if not every old time fluff idea CAN be done, it is nice to see that most of it is restored. Reason to be hopeful. Then, Chaos can destroy those hopes by tearing down the false throne and desecrate the weakling Emperor and... ahem. You know what I mean.

Until next time, my friends. 

Oooohhh! Chaos Daemons!

Hey there everybody! I told you I'd be back pretty quick with some new postings. Today we have a bit of an unusual post, but I think you'll like the results. So let's take a look, shall we?

Just before I began to get really, really sick (late July / early August), White Dwarf 391 came out, featuring the new Daemons release. I liked that the issue had the new rules insert- a nice way to boost White Dwarf a bit- now all they need is some stories/fluff, some legit conversion/hobby articles, that sort of thing- and WD will be back to its former glory. One can only hope.

At any rate, I began to drool over the latest models. The chariot looks nice and sharp (hehe!) and I really liked the new Tzeentch plastics- Flamers and Screamers. I was tempted to purchase, but then I remembered a few things. First, Chaos is going to get all kinds of goodies the next few months- perhaps I should wait and see, and then purchase once I can see all the Chaos stuff (though I did run out and buy the new plastic Plaguebarers). I also remembered something else, equally important... I already had like 10 of the metal Screamers in my basement! They had been put together (the tails gave me a hard time back then...), but I had never painted them. I also had a Lord of Change and a box of the new plastic Horrors. I decided to work on these models just before I went into the hospital- and well, you know that bit. When I got out and felt better, I decided to keep going with Tzeentch.



I know what you're thinking: how could you betray Nurgle!! Well, as you probably know, I have a sizable Daemon army, made up of Slaanesh, Khorne, and naturally, Nurgle Daemons. But my Tzeentch daemons had never been fully done. So, I am not really betraying Nurgle, but he is my true Chaos love... Hehe!!

So, let's look at the Screamers first... I have had these guys for a while, as I said. They were put together, but without bases. The tails weren't quite right on a few of them, as I wasn't as good at modeling back then and all. However, I decided to leave them, as they look just fine anyways. I made their bases using brass rod, and I went from there. They really look just fine compared to the new plastics, so why not, right?

Paint-wise, I did Kantor Blue followed by Altdorf Blue. I followed up with a wash of Drakendorf Nightshade. I then did a highlight of Calgar Blue for the spikes, ridges, etc, and the scales I painted Lothern Blue. The teeth (or whatever) I did Ulthuan Grey to make it look like teeth but without going all the way to white. Finally, I did the dorsal tendrils Screamer Pink with highlights of Pink Horror. Finally, I did Gloss Varnish on them- both to protect the metal and to give them a wet look, appropriate for stingrays.

Ultimately, I was very pleased with the Screamers. They looked suitably like stingrays, and had the blue color motif of Tzeentch. As I already said, they are not much different from the plastics, so I'm not missing out here or anything like that. If I were building a scratch chariot of Tzeetch or a disc, I might buy the plastics; as it is now, these are just fine. I'm looking forward to fielding them.

Next up, let's see those Horrors. I know what you're saying- why aren't they pink? Too true, too true. However, I have made my Daemons (and, to an extent, my Chaos Marines) with certain colors in mind. Khorne naturally is reds, Nurgle is various shades of (decaying) green, Slaanesh is various purples, pinks, flesh colors (Ooohhh! Seductive). Tzeentch is predominantly blue. With those thoughts in mind, I really didn't want the Horrors to be pink. Besides, there is certainly precedent for Blue Horrors, isn't there? ("Where once was one, now there is two. Where once was pink, now there is blue"- See? The fluff backs me up!!).

I started with a base of Caledor Sky, with a shading of Drakendorf Nightshade. Then I did the raised parts Teclis Blue (leaving the recesses alone mostly), and I followed with a highlight of Hoeth Blue. If they had feathers, I did a Lorthern Blue highlight. Their tongues I did with the Screamer Pink/ Pink Horror paint combo (like with the Screamers themselves). The eyes I did Moot Green, to convey the otherworldly warp power in the Horrors. I did the teeth and claws Ulthuan Grey (again, tying the Screamers and the Horrors together). Their assorted jewelry I did in golds and silvers, befitting the forces of Tzeentch.

The plastics are nice indeed, though the metals were great too. Unfortunately, there is no plastic model where a smaller Horror is trying to get out of a larger Horror, which I loved on the old ones. I like that they have multiple limbs, and the jewelry is a nice touch, making them look Egyptian or what have you. Just a word of caution: these guys are a bit top heavy if you don't put them on the base just right, so be careful. I had to weight a few of them down.

Finally, my Lord of Change. Now, this is a model I have struggled with for quite a long time. When I was doing my Daemon army, I did the other Greater Daemons and all quite quickly and eagerly. However, the Greater Daemon of Tzeentch always left me scratching my head. Should I do the feathers blue, or should the feathers be multi-colored, befitting a Lord of Change? I tried it, but I did not like the look. And what of the cloak? I tried white, but I hated it.

So, since I was working on Tzeetchian Daemons, I tried him again. The body and feathers I painted Kantor Blue, and with a Drakendorf Nightshade wash, though a much lighter wash than I had used with the Screamers. I then did successive highlights of Kantor and Altdorf on his skin and feathers. For the feathers, I did an Etherium Blue drybrushing, thus making them stand out. The cloak I decided to go for something different. I painted it Khorne Red and hit it with Nuln Oil, with several hits to the folds and recesses. The garment looks a deep color now, and I did Wazdakka Red highlights to the cloaks edges.

The face was something I always wanted, since I first started working on him years ago- two faced, perfect of Tzeentch. So, the one face I did Cadian Flesh and Ungor Flesh, with shading. The other half I did Macharius with Dawnstone highlights and a Nuln Oil wash. I really like how this gives the model more character- a two faced liar, that is Tzeentch to a tee. Plus, one side looks bright and alive, while the other looks dark and dead. Yep, the face turned out really well.

The model looks really good now, though part of me is not happy with it still. Perhaps it is the nature of Tzeentch to always want to change, hence I want to make more changes. However, I know the truth- sometimes you just have to walk away. I have been painting that model off and on for years- and I was never totally satisfied. At this point, I know there is nothing more I can do, so I'm finishing it- done. It looks good enough for the tabletop, and I need to be satisfied with that.

So, what do you think of my Tzeetchian Daemons? Actually, I have 5 Flamers too, though I can't seem to find them currently... Oh well. Take a look and let me know what your thoughts are. As for my next project, I did indeed buy the new Plaguebarers, so perhaps they'll be next. Of course, there is more Chaos coming on the horizon, so who knows what I'll do next? Hehe!!

Until next time...

Old Man Chaos!! Where Have You Been???

Hey there Chaos fanatics! Old Man Chaos is back in action. But where have I been? Why haven't I been posting? Why was my TDKR review so short?Why haven't you reported on things like Dark Vengeance?

Well... without getting too specific on what is supposed to be a fun blog, I have been ill for a few months. I was born with a certain defect, which recently became a major health problem. I thought I was going to be OK, but it only got worse. I ended up going to the emergency room and needed major surgery to fix the defect now. It was a bit scary for me and my family, but it ultimately turned out very well. I was out of the hospital in a week.


I have spent the past few weeks recovering at home, and I won't be able to go back to work for another few weeks. I only just started painting again (a little a day, but longer each day). I haven't written my blog because at first I was too medicated to, and then I have been too tired to until now- I was fatigued, unfocused, and my mind was fuzzy.

Now, as I am well on the road to recovery, I feel better enough to write again. So, I figured I'd begin writing again. I will be writing a longer, more in-depth review of The Dark Knight Rises (it deserves a longer review), and I have some new models to show you. I'll get those up within the next few days.











I certainly am excited about the upcoming Warhammer 40K stuff. I would love to get my hands on Dark Vengeance, but the cash flow is a little dried up lately, as I've got medical bills and all. However, I love those Chaos models. In particular, I love the champion. I also would love to see the Hellbrute up close (I wonder how different the model will be when released individually). Finally, I think I can speak for most Chaos fanatics when I say I am thrilled to see Chaos Cultists. I am really looking forward to making real fluffy scenarios using the Cultists (I already have a ton of Plague Zombies that can be Nurgle Cultists, and I have some Forgeworld Vraks Traitor Guard too). I will need to get some of those new Cultist models too... Hehe!! I can not wait to see what else is up the sleeve of the Forces of the Dark gods.

At any rate, I'll be back soon with some updates. I have been working on some cool stuff, little by little. I will also remember to do a long review of TDKR.

Until next time...

Review In Brief: Void Stalker

Hey there Chaos fanatics! I'm back with a brief review of Void Stalker by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. I have a few other things I'm cooking up, but I've had a few rough things going on too, so I have been delayed in some of my postings. At any rate, away we go...

Void Stalker is the third and apparently final book of ADB Night Lords trilogy, and boy, is it good. If you have been reading the exploits of Talos and his brothers of First Claw, you simply cannot miss this one. ADB ties up all the story threads that he has been spinning since his first book. The best part is that it all comes together so smoothly, so well, that you just keep turning those pages. As much as I love Abnett and McNeil, I believe that ADB is the best writer that the Black Library has. His work flows so well, the action is brisk, the characters are very well drawn and developed, each with their own arcs through the trilogy. I am actually considering going back and re-reading the trilogy. Now, I rarely do that, and since I have so many other books I want to read, I may not get a chance to. However, the fact that I WANT to should say something towards how good this trilogy is. I just want to hit a few points:

Characters- You must be a truly special author to make people as morally repugnant as Talos and his Night Lords as sympathetic as they are here. You like these characters, but you would never want to hang out with any of them. They do horrific things in this book, reminding you beyond all doubt that they are Chaos Marines. Yet, you want Talos to succeed- even if he is cruel and twisted, he also has a noble side to him- talk about Anti-Hero! He's a marvelous character. So are his other First Claw members- each of them are worthy and have a lot to do: Xarl, Uzas, Mercutian, and of course Cyrion. Their camaraderie (or lack thereof) is a real highlight of the series. Then of course, there's the Red Corsair who is at heart a Night Lord, Variel The Flayer- a fascinating character who shows how somebody from one renegade Marine chapter might join a different renegade chapter/Chaos legion- great stuff. Not to be outdone, there's Septimus and Octavia- the "regular" people of the book, whose plight is complicated by a (un)expected turn in their relationship- again, great stuff, and their quirks make them sound like a real couple, instead of a plot device, which only adds depth to the series. Malcharion makes a great impression as the re-awakened war sage, and then there's Lucoryphus, the twisted leader of the Bleeding Eyes raptors, whose actions in combat are questionable at best (and highly amusing- I wonder how Spirit Stones taste?). Overall, the fate of these characters are excellently done, and you feel for them, even if most of them are horribly evil.

Action- all of ADB have great action sequences, and this book is no exception. Indeed, looking at the whole series, they have an almost "cinematic" quality (I hate using that word since GW is currently obsessed with the notion, but here I mean it with utmost respect). The action is clear to follow, and each has consequences and importance- not just "bolter porn" as some BL books are. The past books have had great action scenes- Crythe, the Cauldron of Blood fighting at The Exalted's command, the "heist" at the Marines Errant monastery,etc. In this, the war is even greater, with The 10th Company invading "Darcharna" (and massacring so many innocents), a tight quarters battle against the Genesis Chapter (absolutely riveting conclusion) and finally a cat and mouse game and last stand against the Eldar, which leads to an incredible conclusion to the series.

40K Fluff- one of the great things about ADB is how he ties his story to the greater 40K universe. He does a great job of making the Night Lords true to the fluff. They are evil, broken demi-gods, who did not ask to be this way but simply are. ADB also does well showing how Nostramo and Konrad Kurze shaped the legion in big and subtle ways- again, playing off the fluff while adding new dimensions and layers. ADB really puts this 10 company warband into the bigger history of the 40K universe, showing all writers that there are parameters for this bleak universe, but its a big sandbox with lots of room for new ideas. ADB takes his new ideas and simply makes sure that they gel with the 40K storyline. Thus, I have felt that reading his books has made the 40K universe come alive away from the tabletop (only a few BL books have done that, but ADB seems to do it consistently, in these, in Cadian Blood, and in The First Heretic, which is phenomenal).

The Ending- I don't want to spoil it, so I won't, though I will say that ADB ends the story of the 10th company, but has left a brilliant ending in place, so that he could revisit the Night Lords. I don't know if he should, perhaps he should leave it here, letting the imagination of his readers run wild with the possibilities of his conclusion. The ending is great- foreshadowed, but still turning out different from expectation.

So, of course I'm giving this four out of four Marks of Chaos. If you have read the previous two, you MUST read this one. If you haven't read any, I would strongly recommend that you do. Any Chaos fan worth his salt should read them; indeed, any 40K fan will find them exciting and a great addition to the 40K world.

Until next time...