Belisarius Cawl and Friends

Hello once again Chaos people. Welcome to yet another edition of Chaos Corner. As I promised, I would be getting a bit more frequent in my postings, as real life has settled down a bit for me. Today I have something that isn't Chaos (I don't think... but you never know- he does want to muck about with the traitor legions gene seed after all). Without further ado, here he is... Belisarius Cawl (which I'm just going to call Cawl so I don't have to type his full name each time).

I must say that while I am a Chaos player through and through... I love my Ad Mech army. I have tried my hands at other Imperium armies- Grey Knights, Deathwatch, Ultramarines... but they never quite "got me" the way Chaos did. But that is not true of the forces of the Adeptus Mechanicus. They are a great "new-ish" faction in 40K gaming.

Besides their storyline (which is cool in its own right), the models are just fantastic. They have a ton of detail without being overwhelming. And while they aren't THE most posable, you CAN do conversions and cool poses with them (particularly the Kastellan Robots). The entire range is just so cool, fitting the Mechanicus perfectly. On some occasions I find myself torn- Chaos or Ad Mech?

So I was very excited to hear a few months ago about the Ad Mech getting their own character- Cawl, who would be playing a huge role in the events that have changed the 40K universe just a bit (8th Edition / Primarus Marines / Great Rift). I didn't want the Triumverate box that he came in though. Luckily my friendly storekeeper arranged to have the box split, so I got my grubby mitts on Cawl.

I didn't paint him at first because I was deep into Thousand Sons and didn't want to be distracted. Then my wife and I bought a new house and craziness ensued. I decided that I would do Cawl right after I finished Magnus, which is exactly what I did.

I love the model. Once again, he is very detailed, but its what one would expect from such a character from the Mechanicus. Cords and wires all over him. I love that he's not really human at all anymore.

He looks more alien than human. Again, it fits the narrative and their background perfectly. As for the assembly of the model, I may have cursed  a few times putting him together, but ultimately it was worth it, as he looks amazing.

As for the paints used, I won't get into that. Previous blog entries have detailed my Ad Mech paint scheme so there's no need to rehash it all here. Needless to say, I tied him into the Ad Mech VERY closely. In fact, I used all the same steps, so that he would look exactly the same as the other Ad Mech (a part of one single machine). The ONLY thing I did was that I used some brass for a couple of his arms, just to make his limbs look older / more unique. Otherwise, he is painted just like all my other Ad Mech.

I had a chance to use Cawl in a game a few weeks back. While I lost the game, Cawl was an absolute beast in the match up. I can just imagine that he will be a major consideration whenever I make an Ad Mech list (though he is expensive, he does a hell of a lot).

Alongside Cawl, I also worked on two more Kastellan Robots (which I got from my friend Pete for Christmas). This brings me up to 8 robots (4 with guns, 4 with the fists). I love these models. There is just something exciting abut them being activated by the Datasmiths to destroy a target. I imagine them moving slowly but inexorably, with heavy footfalls and whirring of their limbs (a sound like Ripley in the cargo lifter in Aliens- you know what I'm talking about).

As I was trying to catch up on my modeling, I decided to just make the Robots straightforward, with no conversions. However I did add one little thing- a grate from the new Shadow war Armageddon set. I had the Robot stepping on it just a little, giving him something interesting to do.

Well, that's it for this round of Chaos corner. I hope you liked it.

Until Next Time

Mechanicus Update & 200th Post!

Hey there Chaos lunatics! Old Man Chaos is back once again- though I don't have a lot of Chaos to offer this time. This is however my 200th posting, so I'll make it a double-sized extravaganza. Indeed, like the title says, I've got some brand new Mechanicus stuff to show off. So, without further delay...

I have always been interested in the workings of the Mechanicum. They are a vital part of the Imperium while also being very odd (which, considering the state of affairs in the 41st Millennium, is saying something). I always enjoy an appearance by a Magos in the 40K fiction. They are human, but in so many ways, practically alien.

It was sometime last year that I fell into collecting a Mechanicus army. I am not sure why GW had to make it 2 books- yeah, yeah, to make money, but it makes no sense. Anyways, there are rumors that they will be getting a consolidated book this year, plus a few units (a flyer I hope). That would be better than having to ally Skitarii and Mechanicus- and then flip around 2 books for the rules... ugh.

Both halves have some great models, and a lot to offer a player. I must admit- I was enamored by the Kastellan Robots. I love their size, and the fact that they are actual robots, and not servitors with human components. I like that they come from the Dark Age of Technology- predating the Imperium. I love the concept that they must be constantly programmed- not sentient AI for the Imperium, thank you...

Just the idea that these ancient, lumbering, and unfeeling behemoths are striding the battlefield, acting at the behest of a Tech-Priest- well, I just love that. Over the summer, I painted 2 of the Kastellans. However, over the holidays, I got 4 more (2 boxes). I immediately put them together and began painting them.

First, while I love the models, they are not exactly posable. Sure, you can put the arms wherever, but the body is static, and the legs only seem to go together only one way. I tried very hard to give them some motion- twisting their torsos, trying to get the legs into different positions, etc. For the most part, I succeeded. They have a range of motion now, making each robot look a little different.

One of the things I did not like about the models are their heads. I certainly dislike how GW painted them (just metallic). Kind of boring. After getting some inspiration on the Internet, I made the faceplate look like a computer screen, complete with green scroll lines and a target matrix. Not only did it solve the problem of the bland heads, it also allowed me to give the robots a sense of "looking"- slight variations on where I pained the target matrix makes it look like they are scanning in different directions. It adds to their "range of motion" as it were.

Finally, because I can't help myself, I HAD to convert one of them- I made one ripping apart an Ork. I had been tempted to make it a Chaos Marine, but I have some Ork bits and rarely use them- I figured why not. I used green stuff to make the pulled intestines- and presto, instant bisected Ork.

I also went a little further with the new 4 than I did with the first 2 I did. I put more Thunderhawk Blue stripes on the robots. I faded and scratched them a bit to simulate wear and tear. I wanted to differentiate them all ever so slightly (perhaps they are robots from different areas or forges). The stripes add some diversity without ruining the uniform look.

I am thrilled with the 6. I know its a lot points-wise, but I just love the idea of having six of these things marching towards their foes, each one a tough and durable monstrous creature. Together they look so damn intimidating!

Not to be outdone, my ranks of Kataphrons has also grown, thanks to my birthday and holidays. I made one set Grav destroyers (after years of Chaos being pummeled by Grav- it feels good for me to be the one wielding it in such quantities). I assembled the other box as Breachers. So now I have 6 Grav, 3 Plasma, and 3 Breachers. I may need a box or two more to round it out and give me more versatility.

I initially did not like the Kataphron models- but I must say they grew on me quickly. Like the Kastellan Robots, they don't have a lot of motion or possibility. Nor should they I suppose, as they are mindless servitors. I did try to make them a little dynamic by posing the guns and angling the heads to match.

When I used these a while ago, the Destroyers were most effective against Terminators and Space Marines. AP2 is nothing to sneeze at, and they fire so many shots! I am looking forward to trying out the Breachers next time I play (which should be sooner rather than later).

It is true that I love the fluff and concept of the mechanicus so much- I envision my army having just Katapron Servitors and Kastellan Robots methodically working their way up the field- an implacable, almost silent advance- silent save for the blurts of binaric code as they receive orders and send updates to their Mechanicus masters. Ooohhhh...

Nor have I ignored my Skitarii contingent. My friend Pete got me a box of Sicarians for my birthday. I decided to make them Infiltrators, because their helms make them look more robotic and inhuman. The models went together very quickly, despite their spindly looking nature.

They also painted up pretty fast, except for the wires. There, you really have to take your time, so that each wire is defined and that you don't get that paint on the model. The five of them came out really good, and they match the look and palette of the army. I do not know how useful they are on the battlefield, but I will be sure to put them to the test.

Overall, I prefer the Cult Mechanicus stuff compared to the Skitarii. I just like the idea of robots and mindless servitor drones comprising the entire force. The Skitarii are still (kinda sorta) human, and that doesn't excite me AS much. However, the Sicarians are mostly machine anyway, so perhaps they do indeed fit in. Oh---- I just wish they'd make a single book.

I have a ton of stuff on deck to build and paint. My wife got me Scarbrand- I assembled him, and I plan to paint him in a bit. I still have Mechanicus stuff in various stages of painting, so I want to do them first. It doesn't help that I painted an Ultramarine Drop Pod and a squad of the Centurions for my friend Brian. Technically, its my army, but I've been letting him use it so...

Lastly, I have been reading 40K fiction again (I dropped off it for a bit). I loved Ahriman: Unchained- great "conclusion" to his story. I also read Ravenlord. I loved that story. Corax may well be my favorite loyalist Primarch (though I think he talks too much despite his "taciturn" reputation). I can't wait to see what happens to him next. I also enjoyed the Cain story Old Soldiers Never Die. Commisar Cain going up against Plague Zombies (or "Revanants" as he calls them)- what's not to like. Blackadder and Baldrick in space fighting zombies is as fun as you'd expect. I also read I Am Slaughter by Dan Abnett, which kicks off a year long series about the Ork invasion of the 32nd Millennium. It was not one of Abnett's better efforts (when he is on- damn he is on), though I think he did a great job capturing the petty politicking of the High Lords of Terra. The action was just OK though. Of course, this is just book one. I am looking forward to see what comes next.

Well, that's all for now. Until next time...

A Mechanicus Trial Run and Apocalypse

Hey there denizens of the warp! Old Man Chaos is back with another update. I am super stoked for Star Wars- I just can not wait for that! Of course, I am still playing Fallout as well as doing some modelling. I even got in a few games the past few weeks too.

First, lets talk about the big Apocalypse game I played a couple of weekends ago. My friend Nick (whom I met at a tournament at our local over the summer) posted on Facebook that he was trying to get an Apoc game off the ground. I have fought Nick before, and he is an old school player in his technique. He has no interest in formations or anything wild. He is also a fun opponent, as he takes the game seriously but not THAT seriously. He is a cunning one, that is for sure, and I was eager to play him again. As it turned out the timing was perfect for me- I was available.

Nick asked if I could bring anyone else- and it turns out my Padawan learner Brian was also available. In the end, the game was to be 3 on 3- the forces of the Imperium against the forces of Chaos (as nature intended). No one could say how much to bring- so Brian and I were at 5K a piece, this way no matter what we would have plenty, and the others could bring what they wanted.

All, told, it was about a 20K point game (give or take). There were Baneblades, Knights, and my Lord of Skulls sallied forth. Man- the game was a ton of fun! Things were dying all over the place. Sadly, the Lord of Skulls only managed a few kills before being destroyed- he is a great model but NOT worth 888 points!! The best moment came when a single Maulerfiend destroyed an Imperial Knight in close combat. Brian was pissed! And I laughed, and then got a blood token!

The game was a lot of back and forth, and we played for hours! In the end, we decided to pull the plug- and the forces of Chaos were victorious! The win was so very sweet. But, win or lose, the game was just a complete blast. We posted pics on Facebook, and a bunch of people want to play next time. We are aiming for another Apoc game in January.

 I also managed to play my first game with my Mechanicus forces. The battle was against my old friend Joe. He hasn't played in quite some time (life getting in the way, as it does). However, things have settled for him a bit and he wants to give it another go. Sadly, his basement flooded and ruined most of his old stuff, so he had to start over. He decided to focus on his Dark Angels, and he has been busy assembling them and reading the new rules.

At any rate, as I prepared for our 1K point game, I decided to make 2 lists. One would be my standby Khorne Daemonkin. He hasn't faced them (obviously) and Imperiam versus Chaos just makes sense (again, as nature intended). But, looking at my Mechanicum, I saw that I had enough mostly painted to play, so I made that list (for the record, I consider Skitaii and Mechanicus ONE force, so I refer to it as such).

On the day of our game, I gave Joe the option- I basically let him chose. He decided to go with the Mechanicus, wanting to see something totally new to him. The game was held on 2 Realm of Battle boards (enough for our 1K point game). I couldn't help but smile at all the Terminators he was fielding- knowing that the Kataphron Destroyers would Grav them to death. But- should they survive, they would mop the floor with my servitors.

The game was fairly quick. The Destroyers (1x Grav, 1x Plasma) did SEVERE damage to his terminators, pretty much demolishing them. It was painful to see Joe wiped out like that. On the other side of the board, his units shot at my Kastellan Robots. They didn't fare as well, but I think I placed them poorly, and I had one CC and one shooty- I think they have to be all one thing in order to be used effectively. My Skitarii Rangers held against a lot of bolter shots. Finally, my Dragoons (a squad of 2) made short work of a Space Marine squad, and later his Chaplain. Yikes. +3 S on the charge is fairly nasty.

As i said, it was over fast. Joe swore revenge, saying next time he'd deep strike right by my Destroyers and take them down first. That is a real threat. And yet, I just can't get over how effective those Destroyers were. That many Grav and Plasma shots are just vicious. If I could make a whole solid gun line of them, they could take on any power armor / elite foe (not sure how they'd work on hordes like Orks or Nids).

Still, I cannot deny the effectiveness of the Mechanicus units. It plays VERY differently from what I'm used to (Chaos, at heart, is close combat oriented, and the Dark Eldar are all speed). I am looking forward to finishing more of my Mech stuff and using it in larger games.

Well, hope you have enjoyed the pics and "mini" battle report. If possible, I will post a review of Star Wars once I've seen it.

Until Next Time!

A Hodgepodge of Adeptus Mechanics

Hey there everybody! Welcome back to yet another scintillating edition of Chaos Corner. Old Man Chaos is back with a bit more from the world of Warhammer 40K. First, I had a 2K point match at my local store this week. I played my Knorne Daemonkin, and my opponent was a general Space Marine army. The game was a good one, as we played with the Tactical Objectives (Spoils of War Mission). I ended up winning 10 to 6. It was a close game for a bit, but as it went on the brutal combination of 3 Maulerfiends, 20 Flesh Hounds, and 8 Chaos Bikes really put my opponent in a pickle. My bikes did get killed, but did a great job harassing. The hounds just couldn't be killed fast enough, and the Maulerfiends ran straight across the table and wrecked havoc on his rear lines. I also took allied CSM- Kharn, 1o cultists and a Heldrake. They all did very little- I started Kharn on the far edge in a Rhino- but I just coudln't get him into the battle fast enough. The Cultists were ignored, which helped me when I got the card for that objective they were sitting on. The Heldrake I equipped with the Autocannon, fearing flyers. But my opponent went man heavy- if I had taken the Baleflamer I could have toasted his whole army. Despite the win, I had 2 rather sad moments. I had tokens to call in a Bloodthirster- and I rolled 12!!! Yikes! And my Daemon Prince took 2 turns to kill a Rhino due to lame rolling. Even though the forces of Khorne won, I suspect he'd like to have a serious talk with this under-performing warband- Lol. Oh, and while I was at my local I saw they're doing a 40K Tournament in September- I know where I'll be going! 

I also managed to finish more Ad Mech stuff. I must confess I haven't gone about this methodically. I have a hodgepodge of models from both books (why is it two books again? Makes no damn sense). I couldn't field any type of real force yet (unless I did unbound and with an Imperial Knight). But, I have been going after models that I like (I'm not a fan of the Electro-Priest models, for example, and I don't know if I'll ever get a box).

For example, I love the Ironstriders- both the Dragoons and the Ballistarii. So I picked one up. I was really torn as to which version to build. I opted for the close combat oriented Dragoon with the Taser Lance. I had this vision of them standing near my Imperial Knight, ready to charge to protect him (or kill any leftovers that his cannons didn't finish off). The idea of them charging in like old knights on horseback intrigued me. Now, I know that only one doesn't look like a huge charge, but I'm sure I'll pick up some more in the next couple of months.

Again, I did him to look like my Imperial Knight. Just briefly, I painted the plates Stegadon Scale Green, with half the plates done in Thunderhawk Blue, followed by highlights of Russ Grey. The trim was done with Balthazar Gold, with Brozne over it. The machine parts I did in Leadblecher, with Nuln Oil wash, followed by highlights in lighter metals, followed by Earthshade in key spots, to look oily/dirty.

The second model I'm showing is the Dunecrawler. This model is amazing, though some of the tiny bits broke on me (one ladder rung, one thin antenna, and the first cannon I was building). It was a comedy of errors- I don't normally make that many mistakes, but I managed to figure it all out. I gave him the Neutron Blaster I believe (tried to build the other one, and the dish section snapped).

Despite the few breaks, the model went together quite quickly. I really like the look of it- part enclosed sentinel, part spider. Again, I painted it the same as described above. There are a lot of wires on this one- I did them in various colors, Khorne Red, Caldor Blue, Yellow/Black.

I know they can be in squads of three, so undoubtedly I may have to get one or two more. I could field them individually or in one unit that way, so I could be tactically flexible. I'll certainly build one to be anti-air, just in case, as Ad Mech have no other anti-flyer capability (and no flyers for that matter).

The final model for today is the Tech-Priest Dominus. I absolutely love the model. It is an absolutely perfect rendering of a higher up Tech Priest, with so many wires, mechatndrils, and servo skull. The model is just brimming with detail. It gave me the opportunity to have several different looking energy weapons (one I did with red as base up to orange highlight, while the other was a buildup of greens- which I decided to use for their eyes too).

The robes I kept slightly darker- I did all the same steps as before, though I used Nuln oil for the recesses and only did some touching up. Thus, the robe looks darker and deeper than the Datasmith's cloak.

 Of special note is the ridges of his metal back. I did the edge and his axe with the new gold paints-  Retributor Armor, followed by highlights of Liberator Gold. I must say the new golds are amazing, with Retributor being a very rich color that goes on very easily. I think that both golds will be useful for future projects too. At any rate, the Tech-Priest came out fantastically, and he looks just fine with the rest of my Ad Mech forces.

I have so far enjoyed working on my Ad Mech forces. They have been a lot of fun to put together and paint (despite my mistakes on the Dunecrawler). I still have to get a few more elements from both books if I am to field any kind of force at all, let alone a battle effective one. Plus, I want to make sure its playable with and without an Imperial Knight. I want to use him more (the whole reason I got Ad Mech to begin with), but I'm sure there will be some games where we don't want super-heavies, so I have to make sure they are viable on their own (I could always ally them with my Ultramarines or my brother's Imperial Guard if he lets me).

I am looking forward to future Ad Mech models. I think I may get a few troop options from both books- this will enable me to field them even if I don't have everything else.

Until next time...