N.I.M.G.C. Tournament Scenarios & Special Rules

Tournament Special Rules
"This Is Where Legends Are Born"

Supreme Commander: Nominate one of your HQ characters to be your Supreme Commander. He/She gains the Eternal Warrior special ability if they do not already have it. In addition, your Supreme Commander allows you to take any one Non-Tank, Non-HQ unit as a troop option instead of its standard FOC slot. If the character you selected as your Supreme Commander already has a similar benefit (Such as an ork Big Mek allowing a Deff Dredd as a troop), this is overruled by the Supreme Commander Benefit.

Battle Points: Each battle will gain you battle points, with possible bonus points added for achieving certain objectives each mission.
Win = 7 Battle Points
Draw = 3 Battle Points
Loss = 1 Battle Point

Places will be determined upon total final battle points.
Special Notes: Minimum battle points obtained per mission = 0
Also, simply destroying all of your opponents does not grant you all the possible bonus battle points. You MUST complete each task at the end of the game to get the points.

Mission #1 - The Face of the Enemy
"Area unknown, secure sectors and report enemy contact."
Deployment: Pitched Battle.
Objective: Seize Ground with 5 Loot counters. 4 are placed 15" from each table edge and side, one placed in center of the map.

Bonus Battle Points:
+1 Your Supreme Commander Survives
+1 Killed Enemy Supreme Commander
+1 Secured at least one opponent's table side objectives.
-1 Your Supreme Commander Dies
-1 Opponent secured at least one of your table side objectives.

Mission #2 - Sow the Seeds of Disruption
"Locate enemy command center, and destroy communications array"
Deployment: Spearhead
Objectives: Capture and Control

Bonus Battle Points:
+1 Your Supreme Commander Lives
+1 Killed enemy Supreme Commander
-1 Your Supreme Commander Dies

Mission #3 - Only One of Us is Leaving Here Alive
"We have them now, prioritize your targets and annihilate the enemy"
Deployment: Random as per normal game.
Objectives: Modified Kill Points

• HQ Units are worth 3 kill points (Characters plus retinues must all be killed to get these points. Only killing retinues gets you nothing!)
• Elites/Heavy Support/Fast Attack are worth 2 Kill Points
• Troops are worth 1 kill point.

Bonus Battle Points:
+2 Your Supreme Commander kills enemy Supreme Commander
+1 Your Supreme Commander Survives
-1 Your Supreme Commander Dies

Weekly Update: The Emerald Eye

This week's update of the Emerald Eye is kind of special. This week I want to discuss a model I have completed but consider a failure and/or disappointment.

I have been eager to paint a fiend of Slaanesh since I traded for four of them over the fall. I thought the design of the model was rather interesting and felt I could do a decent job with them. The model painted above was my first attempt at one. I thought I could use the same skin tones that I used for the daemonettes, but the end results are not as striking as I could have hoped for with the model.

The next issue with the model was the tongue. When I received the model, the tongue was missing. I decided to create a new one from green stuff that was much more "impressive". The problem with the tongue is that it broke off three times during painting. At this point, I have decided to leave it one and just paint it. From certain positions, the repeated reattachment and touch-up is obvious.

Along the lines of the tongue, I wish I would have pinned the model to the base. The base was designed to rest on a square base (pictures next week) so that it can be used in WFB. The problem is that the weight of the model causes it to break from the base if held in the wrong position. This was a clear oversight on my part and something I will correct with the next one.

Returning to the painting, the green shoulder marks are terrible looking. I liked what I had done with the one daemonette and thought it would work here. The mistake I made was spacing the birthmarks to far away from the green claws. I should have painted less of the claws green in retrospect.

The basing also didn't come out like I had hoped. I had created an engraved eldar symbol out of green stuff, but the final paint job is lacking and may be touched up over the weekend.

At the end of the day, I will keep the model as is for the moment, as I need it for the tournament in April. I am not sure how I will approach the other three fiends at this point. I believe I need to reconsider the paint scheme I had for them. Maybe the body should be green and the claws purple. I honestly don't know at this point.

White Dwarf & Army Books/Codices

Anytime a discussion appears about White Dwarf (WD), the internet is divided by those defending it and those bashing it. I find it rare to read someone who is actually on the fence with regards to the magazine. Personally, I still read every issue of the magazine while hanging at the store, but rarely do I purchase it. Along these lines, I like to read the various comments about the magazine, but rarely do I become actively involved in them.

The thing about WD for me is that I want to purchase a magazine that contains three types of content. The first type of content is actual reflections upon the hobby and individual approaches to it. I remember fondly the original Tale of Four Gamers and love that style of articles. The next kind of content is painting guides. I like to read detailed information on how a model was painted.

The last kind of content I like is rules updates. Bringing home the first WD with the expanded necron rules was like finding a beauty naked woman under my bed that was interested in me. (Okay, maybe not that good) My point is that it was content that I could use and was excited to read. The same was true for the recent blood angel’s list. Even though I don’t play marines, I was eager to purchase the issues containing the update.

It is my desire for this last kind of content that got me to thinking about the other often debated topic related to the hobby; the release of codices. There is always the question of when will codex “x” be released. Often the answer is vague at best and usually doesn’t include any justification for when it will be available.

It was this unpredictability that got me to thinking about how to combine my desire for more rules content with a more structured release schedule for codices. My solution, start publishing army lists in White Dwarf.

If army lists were moved to White Dwarf, GW could make a number of simple changes that would help the community and resolve a lot of the current debates across the internet.

First, army lists could be routinely updated (~16 months for 40K, ~24 months for WFB), thus allowing for “issues” with an army list to be addressed in a more timely fashion. If unit A is undercost, you know in the next two years that it will be fixed. This would also mean that players know that their army will see an update sooner than later.

Another advantage of this approach would be that armies will likely see smaller, but more frequent updates to their model range. I applaud the new approach of releasing models in waves instead of all at once, but it seems the approach only benefits certain armies at a time. How much nicer would it be to know every army will get 1-2 plastic kits approximately each year?

This idea doesn’t come without some potential concerns, but I think I may have answers to them. The first concern is with regards to people who miss a certain WD. Most stores that carry it usually have more issues than they can sale. If not, I am certain they can increase their order to account for the increased sales. Also, GW could make the army list available online a few months after it has been released. Or for those that prefer a hard copy, they can purchase that WD from GW direct (bonus for them).

The next concern is with regards to the fluff. My solution would be a series of books like Xenology that focuses on one race/army. The advantage of this approach would be that the fluff shouldn’t change as often as the army lists, so the books would have a longer shelf life. Also, do you need to bring the fluff with you when playing a game?

The last concern that I will address is with regards to the cost of WD. GW has been quoted as saying that they make their money off the models, not the rules, so why not raise the cost of the magazine to $10.00. The elevated cost should offset the increased page count. Also, there should be a noticeable increase in sales, which would also help to offset the cost of the magazine.

Keep in mind that this is just a rough draft of my idea. I post this to share my thought and encourage others to post their own on the topic and ideas written.

Update: The Space Hulk Challenge

The Realms of Equinox Present’s

The Space Hulk Challenge

To promote my blog and build excitement towards the impending release of Space Hulk, I will be running a small contest. Beginning on 02/16/2008, select and paint a model or small diorama depicting something taking place within a space hulk. This could be a traditional diorama of a terminator and genestealer fighting in a hallway, or something new and radical like a harlequin entering a hulk from the webway. The important thing is that the entry must give the impression of taking place within a space hulk.

The Rules
1. Models MUST be Games Workshop. They may be heavily converted, but it must be clear that they are primarily composed of GW models/bitz. FW models may be used.
2. Entries must clearly depict something happening within a space hulk. Equinox has final discretion on whether an entry meets the criteria. Entries that don’t meet the theme of the contest may be resubmitted prior to the final submission date.
3. You must be a follower of “The Realms of Equinox” prior to submitting an entry.
4. Your entry must be painted between Feb 16, 2009 – March 28st, 2009. Proof of work will be required as part of the submission process (see below).
5. Submissions will be accepted between March 1st 2009 - , March 28st 2009. This gives you plenty of time to build/paint your entry. Minimum of 2 Photos will be required of your entry: Work in Progress showing the date, and a completed work. The completed picture file can contain multiple pictures, but only one picture file will be posted per entry. The deadline for submissions will be March 28th, 2009 11:59 PM CST. To submit your photos, please email them to: equinox999equinox@yahoo.com
6. All completed submissions may not appear on any other site or blog before April 13th, 2009. Works in progress may be posted on other sites and blogs before April 13th, 2009. (This is to encourage people to talk about their creations and build excitement around the contest) Any entries found to be violating this rule will be banned from the contest.
7. Voting will be done by the followers of “The Realms of Equinox”. Photos will be placed on the blog and each follower will get to vote for their favorite entry. Voting will take place between March 31st, 2009 - April 10th 2009.
8. The winner will be announced on April 13th 2009. The Winner of the contest will receive a $25.00 gift certificate for the Warstore. (Note: The Warstore is not sponsoring this event, I am purchasing the gift certificate from them as they are internet based and very reliable.)
9. If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section of this blog entry.

There was one small change to the rules based on feedback I have received. Participants may now post WiP (Work in Progress) shots on their websites or blogs. I hope this encourages more people to participate and get excited about the contest.

Weekly Update: On the Bench

On the Bench

"On the Bench" is my weekly update section that looks at what I have going on currently in my office. I'll use this weekly format to show various projects that are in-progress. I'll also use it to discuss how I accomplished certain things like color schemes and models.

This week, I am working on more daemonettes. I also have the first fiend of Slaanesh ready to paint and a test model for some alternative horrors.

Weekly Update: The Emerald Eye

This week's update of the Emerald Eye involves another daemonette from the Deadly Kiss. This model is about 90% complete and only needs to have the elf/eldar bit finished. (The bit cannot be viewed from the angle of the pictures.)

N.I.M.G.C. Tournament (List Two)

So I decided to go back to the drawing board and rework the list to reduce the number of models I need to paint. By inserting a few daemon princes, I was able to cut the number of models to reach the finish line in 1/2.

Keeper of Secrets w/ daemonic gaze, unholy strength, and HnR (250 pts) [HQ]
The Masque (100 pts) [HQ]
4 Flamers w/ bolt of Tz (170 pts) [Elite]
1 Fiend of Slaanesh (30 pts) [Elite]
10 Bloodletters w/ std and musician (190 pts) [Troop]
10 Horrors w/ std and bolt of Tz (205 pts) [Troop]
6 Daemonettes w/ std (109 pts) [Troop]
Daemon Prince w/ iron hide, unholy might, MoN, noxious touch, & breath of chaos (200 pts) [Heavy]
Daemon Prince w/ daemonic flight, MoT, master of sorcery, bolt of Tzeentch, & daemonic gaze (230 pts) [Heavy]

Equinox's Next (Poll Open)

The daemons are still 4-5 months away from being playable in both systems, but I am starting to get that itch to prep for my next project. Prior to this post, I would have included Tau as one of the choices, but I recently traded all of my Tau stuff, so they are no longer on the list.

The thing with the next project is that I am shooting for a 1000 points in the army's respective system. I am hoping to finish the project by Jan 2010 and use it at the appropriate event; Invasion Kenosha if WFB or Adepticon if 40K (Team Tournament or Combat Patrol). The important thing for me when selecting the project is that it feels unique when placed on the table.

When I say unique, this means to me that it doesn't look like every other army being fielded. This approach to the hobby usually means that I build armies that are at either extreme of the power spectrum. I spend alot more time painting and blogging than actual gaming, so how the army actually plays isn't as big of a concern, though I do factor it in to the overall design.

Eldar Army

For years I have wanted to do an eldar army based on the striking scorpions phoenix lord and a hunting party built around him. The original army design included kroot from the merc codex, but with those rules not being allowed by most folks, I have to remove them from the list. With the kroot gone, the only troop choice in the army will eldar scouts/pathfinders, which I think is cool. The elite choice would obviously be striking scorpions, while the fast attack would be warp spiders. If I were to build this army, I would convert the scouts from the guardian and dire avenger kits and use the metal models for the scorpions and spiders.

Imperial Guard Army

The next army I am pondering is one that would focus on tanks and limit the number of foot models in the army. The pending codex (May 2009) seems to be geared towards fitting in as many tanks as possible, plus the sweet new valkerie. With this army, I am considering it as part of a team tournament entry, assuming I can find three guys that want to build the same in the next year.

The basic design of this army would be Leman Russ as my heavy choice, hellhounds as the fast attack, troop choices would be mounted units (guardsmen or storm troopers) in chimera, and a command unit that is also mounted. If I have any points remaining, I might use the elite slot to include a dh/wh inquisitor mounted in a chimera. In terms of weapons on the tanks, flamers comes first. Any slot on each vehicle that can be filled using a flamer, gets a flamer. (Burn Baby Burn) After that, its about bolters and bullets. If the new Punisher Leman Russ rumor becomes true, and the 1-3 per slot rumors is true, I will likely want to do three punishers, each armeds with the punisher cannon (Str 5, AP -, Heavy 20) and heavy bolters in the sponsons.

Again, I really like this army, but doing it would depend on whether or not I found a team for Adepticon 2010. Note: After writing that I realized I would also be happy building this army with on other person for other two man events or as an army to be shared. If interested in jumping in on this project, leave a comment or email me.

Centigor Herd

I really like the current centigor models. I also really like beastman in general. Rumors for the future book seem to imply that centigor units would become a core choice and that chariots would move to the special slot. Along those lines, I really enjoyed painting my possessed centigor model for the Emerald Eye, so I am considering this option.

The focus of this army would be painting large units of centigor and filling in the core choices with three chariots for now. Assuming the rumors are true, when the new book hits, the large centigor units could be broken into smaller units which would result in alot of core units to start the army. I want to avoid minotaurs for now and don't think I really want to dedicate the army to any specific god.

Other Options
There are some other ideas I have been tossing about, like genestealer tyranids, deathwing/daemonhunters, the WoC large monster horde and finally the Stegadon Stampede. I like the idea of each of these armies, but none of them seem to have the appeal of the first three armies. Anyways, maybe someone can convince me why one of these choices would be better for me.

The poll is now open and will remain open till March 28th, 2009. I would love to hear comments and thoughts about my various idea. Again, if interested in doing the Imperial Guard idea with me, leave me a comment or email.

N.I.M.G.C. Spring Tournament (Tentative List)

N.I.M.G.C. Spring Tournament (Tentative List)

I’ve been looking at the models I own and what I am wanting to paint for my DoC army between now and the tournament. Over the last week, I have cleaned and based 6 Khorne bloodletters w/ std and musician, 1 flamer and 1 additional daemonette (last edition model). I am thinking that I want to paint more horrors and flamers, especially flamers since they are a point sink and I will only be using them on the 40K side of the army. I’ve also recently acquired a boxset of Tzeentch screamers, but I don’t know if I want to paint them. I am honestly finding that I would like to Emerald Eye 40K version to reflect Tzeentch and the WFB side to reflect Khorne, though either side can be used in either system.

The thing I keep asking myself is how much painting can I get done between now and the event. I have a lot of school work in the next 10 weeks, so I fear the answer to my question is that I cannot get a lot painted. Not a huge problem, I can bring the garbage elder or the necrons if I need a painted army, but not what I really want to do either. I am eager to return to the tournament scene with a fresh army and a renewed view on the hobby, and I feel like bringing an old army will detract from that desire.

Below is the tentative list for the tournament. (Red – Not Started, Blue – Started, Green – Finished)

Keeper of Secrets w/ daemonic gaze, unholy strength, and HnR (250 pts) [HQ]
The Masque (100 pts) [HQ]
Skulltaker (140 pts) [HQ]
10 Flamers w/ bolt of Tz (380 pts) [Elite]
4 Fiends of Slaanesh (120 pts) [Elite]
10 Bloodletters w/ std and musician (190 pts) [Troop]
10 Horrors w/ std and bolt of Tz (205 pts) [Troop]
6 Daemonettes w/ std (109 pts) [Troop]
Total = 1494 points

The Space Hulk Challenge

The Realms of Equinox Present’s

The Space Hulk Challenge

To promote my blog and build excitement towards the impending release of Space Hulk, I will be running a small contest. Beginning on 02/16/2008, select and paint a model or small diorama depicting something taking place within a space hulk. This could be a traditional diorama of a terminator and genestealer fighting in a hallway, or something new and radical like a harlequin entering a hulk from the webway. The important thing is that the entry must give the impression of taking place within a space hulk.

The Rules
1. Models MUST be Games Workshop. They may be heavily converted, but it must be clear that they are primarily composed of GW models/bitz. FW models may be used.
2. Entries must clearly depict something happening within a space hulk. Equinox has final discretion on whether an entry meets the criteria. Entries that don’t meet the theme of the contest may be resubmitted prior to the final submission date.
3. You must be a follower of “The Realms of Equinox” prior to submitting an entry.
4. Your entry must be painted between Feb 16, 2009 – March 28st, 2009. Proof of work will be required as part of the submission process (see below).
5. Submissions will be accepted between March 1st 2009 - , March 28st 2009. This gives you plenty of time to build/paint your entry. Minimum of 2 Photos will be required of your entry: Work in Progress showing the date, and a completed work. The completed picture file can contain multiple pictures, but only one picture file will be posted per entry. The deadline for submissions will be March 28th, 2009 11:59 PM CST. To submit your photos, please email them to: equinox999equinox@yahoo.com
6. All submissions may not appear on any other site or blog before April 13th, 2009. Any entries found to be violating this rule will be banned from the contest.
7. Voting will be done by the followers of “The Realms of Equinox”. Photos will be placed on the blog and each follower will get to vote for their favorite entry. Voting will take place between March 31st, 2009 - April 10th 2009.
8. The winner will be announced on April 13th 2009. The Winner of the contest will receive a $25.00 gift certificate for the Warstore. (Note: The Warstore is not sponsoring this event, I am purchasing the gift certificate from them as they are internet based and very reliable.)
9. If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section of this blog entry.

Space Hulk

With the numerous rumors pointing to the release of a new Space Hulk, I wanted to share my thoughts about its pending return, my hopes for what will be included with it, and finally, I am going promote my first “Realms of Equinox” contest.

I have very fond memories of the earlier versions of Space Hulk. Looking back on those memories, I realize that it was the perfect game for me. It was a collectible game, meaning in this case that I could build and customize my own force. It was also a smaller game, one that required a handful of models on each side and not the ever increasing numbers of 40K.

My biggest hope with this version of Space Hulk is that it becomes the new ruleset for small games set in the 40K universe. 40K is supposed to be the core game, and Apocalypse was released to cater to games on a larger scale. Now is the time for a small scale rule set that allows for fun and interactive games with smaller forces. How cool would it be to play a game of grey knights invading a space hulk converted into a temple of slaanesh. How about an ork controlled space hulk that has awakened the necrons residing at the core of the hulk. I am getting shivers just thinking about it.

With regards to models, I am not sure what I would like to see. Honestly, a single sprue with some different options for each race, like the one released with Apocalypse would be very cool. (I doubt it will happen though…) Outside of that, I am just waiting to see what happens.

As requested in the comments of this entry, here are the current rumors I have seen:

SPACE HULK (http://www.aintitcool.com/)
Okay, last week I told you there was a rumor going around that Games Workshop was revamping and reissuing their classic gateway drug of a board game SPACE HULK for relaunch later this year. After I posted that I got a call from Bigred over at Bell of Lost Souls who had a nugget of info for me. He’d made a few calls and told me without a doubt, IT IS HAPPENING. Sources that are always 100% confirmed that it will be dropping later this year. So I made a few calls of my own. And those calls told me the same thing. Here’s what we know:
-No one has a solid release date, which is par for the course this far out with GW. What we do know is that it is planned for Q3 – or August/September/October.
-GW is no longer in love with the Blood Angels. We’ve got a shitty micro codex that while cool when it came out pales, in comparison to Codex marines. Odds are it will either be A) a popular codex chapter B) Blood Ravens in hopes of drawing in fans of Dawn of War II or C) Dark Angels Deathwing in order to allow players an already playable army in 40K (I’ve actually heard this is a possibility.)
-The new plastic terminators are cheap and easy to assemble. They’re also readily convertible – I picked up 10 of the Black Reach terminators, the metal Thunder hammer/storm shield conversion pack and the TH/SH upgrade sprue from the close combat box and built myself 10 CC termies with only a little additional clipping. Odds are good that they’ll be just like the BRTs, but with different iconography.
-While there’s no price point yet, GW is known for making cheap starter sets. With the ability to field up to three squads of 10 terminators in the current codex, it will be entirely possible to build a fully functional, full sized army from two Black Reach Starter sets (or like most folks are doing, buying one and trading online/with a friend – orks for marines) and SPACE HULK. I imagine you’ll be able to run about 1500pts for somewhere around $100 if you’re smart about it.
If you’ve never played the original, you have no idea how excited the rest of us are. The premise is pretty simple – a giant floating ghostship is adrift in space and filled with aliens known as Tyranids (nids for short.) The Space Marines have sent in their Terminator Suit wearing marines to clean them out. Alien swarms, tight corridors and heavy duty weaponry. It’s a lot of fun. I’ll have more on this as it develops.

Taken from Bell of Lost Souls [which took them from a spanish site] (belloflostsouls.blogspot.com)
2009 Warhammer 40k & Fantasy
April: Imperial Guard (we hear May)
May: Fantasy Empire 2nd Wave (Empire Steam Tank, Greatswords, "Military Altar") (we hear June, and have no indication of a "Military Altar")
July: Planetstrike (looks like its coming at LONG last)
September: Space Hulk (with all new modern plastic termys, genestealers...the whole 9 yards) (we have no confirmation on this)
October: Skaven (we hear August)
November: An unnamed marine chapter (we hear Space Wolves)
<>

N.I.M.G.C. Spring Tournament

The N.I.M.G.C. will be hosting their spring tournament on April 18 at On-Board Games, 811 W. Lincoln Hwy DeKalb IL 60115. The tournament will be 1500 points with the basic rules posted below.

1. The 'What You See Is What You Get' (WYSIWYG) rule is in effect. That means all units must be easily identifiable as the particular codex choice they represent and that any and all weapons/options taken for a unit must be clearly represented on the model(s).
2. Forge World/Imperial Armor units are not allowed in the 40K Tournaments; however players may still use their Forge World models to represent a unit from their codex. As long as it adheres to WYSIWYG.
3. Special/Unique/Named Characters may be fielded, provided their individual rules allow them to be used in armies of 1500pts or less

As of this post, I am aiming at bringing the Emerald Eye to the event, but I am currently clocking the army at about 800 points painted, so I may need to resurrect the machines if I don't have enough painted in time. Either way, after meeting Andrew at Invasion Kenosha, I am really excited to see what him and the guys at N.I.M.G.C do for this tournament. The good news for me is that I have cleared the date with the wife and confirmed with school that there will no projects or assignments due the week after the tournament. Note: I still feel really bad that I am not going to make the Cheddar Bowl, but my research paper is due the following Tuesday.

In 2009, Equinox returns with a vengeance.

Equinox’s approach to priming models

If I had to rank in order of least favorite to most with regards to the steps that take a model from the blister to painted on the table, I would place priming models just above the bottom of the list. (The bottom is cleaning flash and mold lines.) I wouldn’t hate it so much if there wasn’t the risk of the primer doing something bad and messing up the model. There are many factors that can cause primer to go bad, so I thought I would talk about how I approach the process.

Three Factors

There are three factors that I believe play a direct role in whether a primer will go bad. The first of these factors is the brand of primer. There are many different brands, and while I have not tried them all, I still found the older version of GW’s primer to be the best brand. It rarely flaked when used properly and didn’t require more than one application before prepping (more on prepping below). Sadly, GW decided to change the formula of their primer. The new primer feels like chalk and tends to dry like it. It seems to flake, even with proper application, and doesn’t dry consistent. I’ve heard that GW has recently changed the formula again, but I haven’t tested it. (Maybe something for a future blog.)

The second factor important to priming in my experience is the storage of the primer. I always store my primer inside the house, normally in a closest. What I have found is that if the can gets to hot or cold, the primer doesn’t cover well. The interesting thing is that the outside temperature doesn’t seem to be as important as the actual temp of the primer. I’ve primed on cold and hot days, and while still observing factor three, I have not had any issues with priming models.

The third factor is the humidity in the air. I always avoid priming models if the Weather channel shows the humidity higher than 80%. In my experience, the moisture in the air seems to cause the dreaded flaking more often than not when the meter goes above 80%. Along these lines, I also avoid priming in direct sun or in strong winds, as I believe both can cause flaking due to uneven drying of the primer.

The Basic Process

My basic process for priming is to do the follow.
1. I clean the model, usually with some warm water and dish soap.
2. Once the model is dry, I will get the can of primer and give it a good shake for about a minute. I cannot stress enough how important it is to shake the can. (The directions on the can are not lying about doing it.)
3. Next I place the model onto a large flat surface. I usually use a piece of cardboard placed on a work bench.
4. Once the model is placed, I will give the can another quick shake and then test spray the can onto some cardboard. I’ll actually let the spray run for a few seconds to make sure it is coming out okay and to remove and bad primer that may have been caught in the nozzle.
5. With the primer tested, I then apply a slight level of coverage across the whole model. I don’t sit on any one spot for long and try to cover as much of the model in the first spraying as possible.
6. Once the first layer is applied, I will let the model sit for 15 – 30 minutes. I’ll usually check it once around 10 minutes and make sure there is no flaking. If I see any, I take rag with a little acetone and wipe the bad spot away.
7. After the first layer sets, I will rotate the model to hit the areas I couldn’t get in the first spraying. Again, I will avoid sitting on any single spot and try to keep the coverage light.
8. With the second layer applied, I will give the model another check after 10 minutes and assuming it passes the flake test, I will let it sit for a few hours or overnight.
9. Once the model has sat, I will usually brush over it with diluted primer (I like Vallejo) and let the “wash” dry before I start to paint.

Weekly Update: The Emerald Eye

The Emerald Eye (02/09/2009)

Just wanted to post some recent pictures of the Emerald Eye.

The Summoner's Cadre

With the Combat Patrol filled, I am looking at the prospect of playing in the WFB team tournament on Sunday. I’ve been tossing around the idea of a WoC/DoC combination that reflects a powerful wizard summoning daemons to the battlefield. At this point, I have the models and a theme; I am just lacking the partner to share my vision.

The Summoner’s Cadre
Warriors of Chaos List
The Master of Realities (Sorcerer Lord)
Lvl 4 Caster, Mark of Tzeentch, Skull of Katam, Book of Secrets, Golden Eye, Conjoined Homonculus (410 pts)

The Apprentice (Chaos Sorcerer)
Lvl 2 Caster, Mark of Slaanesh, Spell Familiar, Favour of the Gods (145 pts)

5 The Scribes of Reality (Marauder Horseman)
Mark of Tzeentch, Spears, Full Cmd (120 pts)

10 Guardians of Pleasure (Chaos Warriors)
Shields, Mark of Slaanesh (170 pts)

The Library of Realities (Chaos Warshrine)
Mark of Tzeentch (150 pts)

Daemons of Chaos List
The Lady of Pleasures (Herald of Slaanesh)
Many Armed Monstrosity & Level 1 Wizard (190 pts)

The Librarian of Realities (Herald of Tzeentch)
Daemonic Robes, Flames of Tzeentch, (165 pts)

24 Horrors of Tzeentch
Std, Icon of Sorcery (315 pts)

10 Daemonettes
Std (132 pts)

3 Fiend of Slaanesh (165 pts)

Adepticon Combat Patrol

I’ve been pondering whether or not I will attend the Combat Patrol tournament at this year’s Adepticon. I love the format, but I am not a supporter of Adepticon. This year though, the cost of admission includes a very respectable amount of swag, so the entry fee into the convention is justifiable.

As I look at what I have painted for Chaos Daemons that can be applied to a 40K Combat Patrol, the list as of today stands at:

10 Bloodletters
10 Horrors
1 Masque
1 Daemonette

With regards to stuff that I have in process:

1 Herald of Khorne on Juggernaught (Converted & Based)
4 Daemonettes (Converted & Based)
1 Fiend of Slaanesh (Converted & Based)

As it stands, I can field the completed stuff into an army that looks like this:
5 Bloodletters (80 pts)
5 Bloodletters (80 pts)
5 Horrors (85 pts)
5 Horrors (85 pts)
1 Herald of Slaanesh w/ Daemonic Gaze (65 pts)

Using this list, my group A would be the horrors and herald and my group B would be the bloodletters. The problem with this list is that it lacks some of the visual elements that bring the various models together when used for WFB. The reason this is important is that painting is part of this event and I would like to score well.

Along the lines of wanting something that has more of a unified theme in this format, I have been thinking about a list that looks like this one. The bloodletters are complete and the daemonettes, bloodcrushers, and fiends are in some state of work, so it should be possible to complete within two months.
5 Bloodletters (80 pts)
5 Bloodletters (80 pts)
5 Daemonettes (65 pts)
2 Bloodcrushers (80 pts)
2 Fiends of Slaanesh (60 pts)
1 Fiends of Slaanesh (30 pts)

I believe for daemonic arrival, I would divide the groups based on god. The question I am pondering is which group should be my “preferred” group.
Group A
5 Daemonettes
2 Fiends of Slaanesh
1 Fiends of Slaanesh

Group B
5 Bloodletters
5 Bloodletters
2 Bloodcrushers

I think this list would look better and be more fun for me to play. The bad thing about this army is that it would require me purchasing another bloodcrusher, which I can do, but I am not eager to buy any more models at the moment. I’ll need to see if I can make a trade for one.

The Unfriendly Army vs The Unfriendly Player.

After reading some thoughts by others on what makes for a “friendly” army and what doesn’t, I came to the conclusion that most people have the wrong idea. In my many years of experience in this hobby, the only unfriendly armies I have ever seen are ones that are not legal per the rules. Any other definition of a friendly army is purely subjective and therefore is only valid at the individual level. The problem with these individual definitions is that many like to assume that their definition is the only one held by the community and therefore is the true one. This is simply not the case.

One of the greatest things about this hobby is that it is flexible enough to accommodate many different tastes. If someone likes to play narrative games, the setting and background of the game allow for this style of play to thrive. On the other hand, if someone prefers to forgo the background and simply embrace the game aspect of the hobby, it allows for them to create a personalized form of pseudo-chess. The thing about this flexibility is that it means that everyone’s approach to the hobby will be different to some degree.

It is my opinion that this aspect of the hobby, its ability to allow each participant to approach it differently, is what has created the community that we share today. It means the artist can share a common ground with the gamer, but still be unique in their approach to the hobby. More so, it means that the artist can become the gamer if they so choose and the gamers are not limited to their first label. In order for this harmony to exist and continue, there must be tolerance.

This is where the problem of the friendly army mentality becomes a problem, as it is a form of intolerance. It’s the bashing of a player’s army under the guise of balance or “friendliness” without actually knowing the player. Like I stated before, I’ve never seen a valid army that was unfriendly. I cannot say the same about some hobbyist. For every outstanding individual in this hobby, there is another that shifts the curve the other way. The thing that these types of individuals don’t understand is that they have the right to complain, but not the right to bully or pressure others to their way of thinking.

To provide an example of this behavior, let me discuss one term used to describe what some players would consider an unfriendly army, the Herohammer army. For those that don’t know, a herohammer army is one that has the majority of its point invested in characters. This is a completely valid army per the rules, and one that I personally like and support. It’s a great army style for getting started if you enjoy painting and modeling, as it allows for an army to quickly reach higher point sizes. There are hobbyist though that will bash and verbal assault players who like this style. These hobbyists will complain for a host of reasons about the army, but cannot provide a single valid reason for their complaints that are not support by anything more than their personal preferences to how they approach the hobby.

Again, the great thing about this hobby is that it allows each of us to approach it differently and yet still have common ground. We as individuals also have the right to choose who we play and associate with, so it falls upon us to decide those conditions. If someone chooses to play in a public event, they need to understand and expect to play others who approach the hobby differently from them. When they find themselves in this situation, they shouldn’t judge the army, but the person playing the army.

As I write those last words I can already hear the responses about fun and balance. Personally, my measure of whether or not a game was fun is not based on the army, but the behavior of the person playing that army. I’ve been to tournaments where I have lost horribly to “super’ armies, but had a blast getting beaten. On the other hand, I have played supposed “balanced” armies that were being used by guys that I wish I would never have wasted my time on. Just because someone placed a bloodthirster on the board doesn’t mean they are a bad guy or out to win at any cost. In my experience, the guys that typically complain the most about big red are the ones that are the most concerned about winning.

In conclusion, they hobby is like the ocean, diverse and colorful. A player’s choice in models is a reflection of themselves, but it is important to understand what they truly are reflecting. Don’t assume that everyone sees the hobby the same way as you and be tolerant of the fact that people can be different and still enjoy the same thing. Most important, have fun in what you do and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

The Realms of Equinox

After looking at various other blogs using this format, I decided to make the transition. I look forward to posting my thoughts and work in the coming days, weeks, and months and hope that people who visit will enjoy coming here.