Dread Lord Biddliplop, Watcher of Rain and Master of Deadly Wind

My December entry in the Old World Army Painting Challenge...

More over at the official blog!

SOLD - Death Korps of Krieg Army

I have decided to have a purge. I have a stupid number of models tucked around my house, many of which have not seen the light of day in years. The first to potentially be headed to parts unknown is my Warhammer 40k Death Korps of Krieg army.

The points of this force will vary depending on the exact combination of wargear you might add, but here is the full list with Power Values if you want to use the Forge World Death Korps list...

Death Korps Marshal (Power 3)
Death Korps Field Officer (Power 2)

Death Korps Infantry Squad (10 models) x4 (Power 4 each, 16 total)
Death Korps Grenadier Storm Squad (5 models) (Power 3)
Chimera (Power 5)

Death Korps of Krieg Command Squad (4 models) (Power 3)
Death Korps Combat Engineer Squad (10 models) (Power 8)
Death Korps Commissar x2 (Power 2 each, 4 total)

Hellhound (Power 5)

Death Korps Leman Russ x2 (Power 12 each, 24 total)
Heavy Mortar (1 model with 3 crew) (Power 3)

Baneblade (Power 30)

If you want to field them as 'generic' Astra Militarium you can add the following units...

Ogryns (3 models, converted with gas masks) (Power 4)
Armored Sentinels x2 (unique conversions) (Power 3 each, total 6)

For the later, I treated them as tracked vehicles rather than walkers, but the rest of the stats were the same. These are called Scylla Light Tanks and are patterned after conversions shown in White Dwarf sometime in the 90's...

Right, so 80 points (not including the Baneblade +30) for a Forge World list or 90 points with the generic options. You can work out the point values later. I warn you, I build armies with units I like rather than the best combination of gear, so I won't vouch for the ability of these guys in a tournament setting!

There a couple of odd models left over because the army was originally designed for an earlier list. I have another command squad with an auto-cannon team (no longer allowed in the new list), a sixth Grenadier (as you might have seen from the pic, but left out from the list above to make the Power Value work), and two more heavy mortars (no crew) painted. You could probably use the extra Vox-caster as as Master of Ordnance!

The starting asking bid is roughly the cost of buying these models unpainted, meaning you get all of my hard work for free so please don't ask if I'm willing to negotiate on the price. If they don't sell, I'll probably just pack them away for a day when I decide I might want them again...

The models were painted with Wargames Foundry colors and I will provide the list so you may expand on the collection.

Check it out HERE...

Edit: Well, that took less than 24 hours! Sold!

Slann Spawn Band Regiment

This was my first month's effort for The Old World World Army Challenge...

Head over to the blog to see more pics of these models, plus three dozen more Oldhammer armies underway!

EXTERMINATE!

EXPLAIN! EXPLAIN!

No idea why, other than I'm a huge Dr Who fan!

I've had these since Warlord came out with them. There are dozens of different paint schemes to use for Daleks, but this seemed like the path to cause the least sanity loss in repetition. I painted all six of these lads in one session so I think I choose wisely.

I have zero idea what I'm going to do with them as far as gaming, but I suppose as time travellers they could literally end up among any of my historical or sci-fi games... maybe Konflikt '47 (I haven't mentioned K47 on the blog before?... well, stay tuned...).

Of course, then I could get this guy on the table too...

Hmmm... need to add grass to the evil salt shakers. I normally just use earth bases for sci-fi models and I didn't realize the Doctor was different until I added the pic. I'll add grass to make the 'set' match. I've got another six Daleks and the hunky Davros to add to this little group and I may try to get to them over the upcoming holiday weekend.

The Old World Army Challenge

I've joined a painting challenge to complete a 1000 point Oldhammer army in six months, at a rate of 200 points per month (with one mulligan month in case sh!t happens). That seems a leisurely pace to me, but that's kind of the point. It's really easy to build up an army over time and we always have the option to paint more than 200 points. I haven't been painting much at all recently and I thought the challenge might be a way to gather a bit of inspiration.

With around 30 talented members of the Oldhammer community participating, we seem to have every 3rd and 4th edition Warhammer army covered and I'm looking forward to watching these armies grow. I'm painting a 3rd edition Slann army (really the only edition I've ever wanted a Slann army). There are very few examples of painted armies of these guys around these days. The models were hard to find even when they were new. The range was never really expanded either, with many troop types composed of a single model.

I started collecting Slann a year ago with a very lucky (and very expensive) find on eBay - the core of several units still in their original blisters! I've expanded the force through purchase of individual models here and there since then and continue to do so when these rare models appear. I only managed to paint ONE model since I started the collection so hopefully I can keep up with the challenge and end up with a new painted army in the process!

Anyway, you can follow our progress on a blog dedicated to the challenge. The painting kicks off November 1st and I'm looking forward to getting started!

Donnybrook... Why You Should Have These Rules!

Wargames Illustrated has a fairly new series that runs in the mag these days, called 'Why You Should Have These Rules'. Apparently it's a shout out for people to submit articles on rule sets they love. Donnybrook, written by myself and Barry Hilton, is surprisingly featured in the September issue of Wargames Illustrated!

The article is written by Rick Hudson and is a glowing review of Donnybrook. This is a gentleman neither of us know or know how to contact to thank properly, so I'll say thanks here. Maybe Rick follows me or follows the LoA blog where we've also said thanks! Producing a book is a huge undertaking, especially with a team of two, and it is always gratifying to see other people enjoying our efforts!

Donnybrook seems have quietly gained a following. Folk's have been using them for conventions. There's a new Facebook group (Donnybrook, the Skirmish Game) set up by fans. We know we've been remiss in supporting the game and hope to fix that it in the future, but many people have taken what's been offered and run with it, which is absolutely in the spirit it's intended!

For those who don't know what I'm on about, Donnybrook is a fast and fun skirmish game set in the period of the League of Augsburg (1660-1720, but read the article - it works almost unchanged for any pre-vehicle period) which is easy to pick up and full of period flavour. The book is 110 pages of rich colour with 186 beautiful photographs, maps, original artwork, seven scenarios, example game in comic strip format, period primer for numerous conflicts, faction guides/force builder, points system and comes with a satin finish full colour quick reference sheet. In is soft cover and perfect bound. The book also contains a force roster sheet template.

The rules are based on a card driven turn system. At a minimum, a force for a small game consists of one Character and four Units. The Character represents YOU on the table top. The Unit sizes range from four foot or three mounted models to twelve foot or nine mounted models, depending on their quality. Standard size games use six Units and large games use eight. There are eight factions to choose from - Army, Civilian Mob, Covenanters, Cultists, Highlanders, Outlaws, Rapparees, and Tribal. There are optional rules for including additional Characters (one per Unit) and these models come with various abilities to influence the performance of your army - most are unique to your chosen faction.

Donnybrook is available in the US from Warfare Miniatures USA or in the rest of the world from the League of Augsburg shop. You can still get printed copies or we have PDF's available which you could have in your possession tonight!

Wandering Around Ireland, Part IV

You thought I'd forgotten about this didn't you? I've just been super busy and these kinds of posts are much more of a time investment than the 'look what I just painted' type (though I've had precious few of those too). The first part of this day saw us around Newtown Butler and Athlone, but the rest was spent around Aughrim!

Again let me mention how strange this battlefield was to me as an American. In the US, I think the entire field would have been seized and turn into a park with admission fees, guided tours, and designated walkways. There was a Battle of Aughrim shop in the center of the small town, but it was closed so we left from there and went to the remains of Aughrim Castle that guarded the causeway.

And when I say we went to the castle, I mean we parked the car, climbed over a pair of bloody fences, traipsed through a sheep pen (see below) and hiked right up to it while discussing trespassing laws in Ireland. Barry assured us he's done this before. I think I could outrun him so I followed along...

Then began an epic car ride along back roads searching for the small plaques that marked specific points in the battle...

Here is Attibrassil Bridge which crosses the Tristaun Stream. Jacobite dragoons held off early attacks by the Dutch, Danish, and Huguenot Horse at this point. These pics involved Barry and I climbing over another wall and scaling a fairly steep bank, but I wanted to get some good shots so I could build a similar bridge for the tabletop. There was a bull in this field (last pic) and though he was a good ways off, we could see the hoof prints in the mud around us. Bob sagely stayed on the road and promised to help us up if the bull came our way - after taking some video with his phone no doubt!

We toured more sections of the forward Jacobite lines. What these photos fail to capture are the slopes and grades of the terrain. There is dead ground where entire battalions would have been hidden at times. The first is good shot of the marshy ground that dominated the center of the Jacobite forward position.

Then we looped around to the rear of the Jacobite lines, climbing onto Aughrim Hill (and climbing across yet more fences). There was an ancient Bronze Age fort on Aughrim Hill that St. Ruhe used as a command base. The places is completely overgrown and none of the pics I took around it show anything more than a mass of greenery. Standing inside the bowl of the structure it was more obvious, but from the outside we walked past it the first time. Looking down from the summit of Aughrim Hill, you would have had a good view of the armies as they maneuvered to the east.

Commander Hilton leading the troops in the advance...

Back in the car for a quick trip around to the Williamite position. The Tristaun Stream actually runs through the whole battlefield (see Attibrassil Bridge above). Something that struck me is how tiny this stream was, but it made a formidable obstacle in the battle. I'm thinking I've been modeling my rivers too wide on my game boards! The Tristaun Bridge shows me I'm definitely making my bridges too big...

A little further along behind Urraghry Hill which would have been the command position for the Williamite army (most likely the power poles would not have been there). Hey, look... Sheep!

We considered climbing another fence and climbing to the crest of the hill, but the day was waning and so were we. We still had a fair ride to reach Mullingar where our next hotel was reserved. It turned out to be very posh (thank you, Mrs Hilton). We spent several hours of dinner (closed the place down) and retired to bar, discussing the battlefields, wargames, and toy soldiers. What a great day.

More to come... next we head to the Boyne!

More Donnybrook Dark

Work has been stupid the last few weeks, but I FINALLY got the Scandavian Pack Master model finished for my wolves from my Donnybrook Dark project...

The model is from one of the dismounted dragoon command packs (WLOA89) and I added the cloak with green stuff. I wanted the model to appear more like a civilian or specialist who lives outside of the uniformed discipline of the rank and file soldiers. Using a model from a different theater (and a fur hat) was a great way to make him stand out from the 'turnback' coats of the others, even though I used the same color palette as my garrison troops.

I'm very happy with how this guy turned out and shows even simple conversions can add a lot of character to an army!

Several people have gotten in touch to ask about the wolves. They are old Ral Partha sculpts that I've had for years. They are probably still available somewhere...

More stuff as I find the time...

Sons of Ultramar

My alterego has been extremely busy the last month or so working 50-60 hours a week, but I've not been completely idle on the hobby front - I just haven't had time to sit at the keyboard and post. The newest edition of Warhammer 40k, which I think is the best in decades, has prompted the start of a new army...

The new Primaris Marines are fantastic models. These are Intercessors - the equivalent of Tactical Marines. These new 'true scale' marines have much better proportions and some really dynamic poses. So far most of the offerings have been single pose kits, but for the most part I've been happy to build them as they come. Games Workshop will be turning out flipping great piles of Primaris Marines in the future so there will be plenty of scope of customizing units then.

It's taken me weeks to decide which chapter to paint my shiny new models. Although the background story GW has come up with allows you to field Primaris Marines along side their existing brethren, I didn't want to mix them with my Red Scorpions. I don't really like the idea of my rank and file towering over my terminators so I'm going to build a new army composed of all Primaris Marines and possibly some mortal servants of the Emperor (I have a full set of the Execution Force Assassins I've been looking for an excuse to paint) that won't seem out of place being a head shorter than these mighty warriors.

As you can see, I settled on Ultramarines. I did this for several reasons. My first inclination was to paint them as Imperial Fists. I even did a test model. The yellow armor looks great, but it took forever to get a clean finish, even over a white undercoat. Somehow I also only have ONE squad's worth of Imperial Fist transfers... I must have a hundred sheets of Ultramarine transfers, plus all of the new kits come with them.

Secondly, it is still unclear exactly how the new Primaris Marines are incorporated into the chapter company system. Some of the squad decals now sport numbers higher than ten - the new Space Marine Codex is due out in a week so we should have more answers then, but I was going through this process over a month ago. The poster boys for GW's collection has been the second company of the Ultramarines, so I knew I couldn't go wrong with choosing them. I intend to add squad markings to my units when I have more concrete info.

I'm happy with my choice. These have been relatively quick to paint and if I weren't away from home so much right now I could have had the entire box set finished by now. I haven't decided if I want to add some battle damage or weathering yet - I'm kind of enjoying the factory fresh look of these guys so far.

I'll have lots more Ultramarines (so far I have one box of everything they've released and more on preorder) in the future and post some thoughts on the new 8th edition of 40k as well. We've played more 40k since the launch of eighth edition than I think I played in the entire run of the last edition. I've been using Orks (LOVE these guys in eighth), but I'm looking forward to getting enough Ultramarines painted to get them on the table.