More Power

This blog was supposed to be about terrain so here is something a little terrain related.  I picked up one of these today from Lidl to help with a my next terrain project. A bargain £39.99 it will make my life so much easier and it comes with a decent guarantee so even if the shoddy brand name turns out to be shoddy I'll be able to get a replacement.  Fingers crossed the weather improves slightly so I can feel my fingers and pull them away from the blade quickly.

Icy Grip Tourney

20th of NovemberIcy Grip
Glasgow Uni Food Hall.

Bit of a wall o' text and my first go at something resembling battle reports.  If i didn't have a memory like a sieve I'd probably be better at Warmachine.  The Tournament was run by Andy and was great like all the events he has run in the past we'll not talk about the key and the angle grinder.

I've been looking forward to this tournament for the last month so I have been frantically painting my army trying to get at least 1 of my 35 point list completed before it came around.  I almost managed the painting but decided a good nights sleep would be better than completing the Black 13th.  If you didn't know already I play Cygnar(We're the good guys).  Strangely it wasn't my first choice of army but a £15 battle box got me started and some slightly compulsive buying later my army has grown over the last year to quite a size.

I'd hoped to do better in this tourney than I had managed in Dundee....last.  Shouldn't be to hard.  Here are the 2 lists I took to the event.


List 1

Type: Skirmish (1 caster, 35pts)
Points: 35
Commander Coleman Stryker (*6pts)
* Charger (4pts)
* Lancer (6pts)
* Ironclad (7pts)
Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team (4pts)
Sword Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
Captain Arlan Strangewayes (2pts)
Journeyman Warcaster (3pts)
* Hunter (6pts)
Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator (1pts)
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord (2pts)


List 2

Type: Skirmish (1 caster, 35pts)
Points: 35
Captain Kara Sloan (*6pts)
* Hunter (6pts)
* Defender (9pts)
Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team (4pts)
Long Gunner Infantry (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
Sword Knights (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Journeyman Warcaster (3pts)
* Firefly (5pts)
Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)
Stormsmith Stormcaller (1pts)

My first game was against Frazer Edinburgh PG.  He was playing Trollbloods so I had a feeling this might not go well. I hate tough so much and whole army with tough really “grinds my gears”   He won the roll and elected to go first.  His Fenn Blades and Burrowers ran up the field and started threatening my control area immediately.  I know how scary Weapon masters with reach can be and have a vague idea what the burrowers get up to.  I hung back to avoid the charge next turn.  I managed to judge that distance correctly.  This allowed me to take out a good chunk of both units but they were only his speed bump and I was soon reeling.  The rest of the plan wasn’t so great. I sent the Black 13^th to the flank.  They got mauled by an Axer.  My hunter and Charge spent the rest of the game fighting off trolls and never go to do any effective shooting.  I basically fed my Ironclad to his Mauler. Striker was soon taken out with the second wave of trolls.

Frazer's List

Points: 35
Borka Kegslayer (*5pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 3 Stone Scribes (3pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Pyg Burrowers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 2 Grunts) (6pts)
Trollkin Fennblades (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)

My second match was a bye.  This gave me a chance to refresh before my next battle.

The Third Game was against Martin. We were trying out the new Scenario with the corner deployment.  I thought this would suit Kara Sloan shooty list but 26 steelheads…EEK. I won the first turn and moved into position to start firing. MY Long Gunners covered his objective the defender and hunter covered the middle and my min unit of Sword Knights backed up by the black 13^th went for my objective.

Mixed in were my Stormcallers so they were spread out to triangulate using the firefly as their frontman.  Martin said it himself “first turn is easy everything runs” Second turn He was in range of the guns I popped Kara’s Feat maybe not the best use of her feet but it allowed me to make loads of shots that were unlikely to miss.  Around 15 dead  Steelheads later 2 units were fleeing and 1 had only 2 guys left.  That was good.  It all got a little confused from there.  Magnus went to the objective and was behind a wall giving him stupid levels of defence.  This put him out of range to allocate focus to all his jacks but made him really hard to kill.  Kara took a rocket to the face leaving her on 5 wounds but sod it’s she was going to try for the kill anyway.  It didn’t happen and she was left flapping in the breeze.  Magnus tried to get her last few hit points but forgot she had Arcane shield as well as 3 focus and did exactly 3 damage too few.  The battle was over.  Kara won…people say she is bad in scenarios in this one her army worked well for me.

Martin's List Tier 4 Magnus

Points: 34
Magnus the Traitor (*6pts)
* Renegade (6pts)
* Renegade (6pts)
* Nomad (6pts)
* Nomad (6pts)
Steelhead Halberdiers (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
Steelhead Halberdiers (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
Steelhead Halberdiers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist (2pts)

Last Game I was facing Kris and his Circle. I’ve fought Chris before at the last tournament in Dundee.  He played more or less the same list as last time.  Wolds to the extreme and this time with some Tharn blood trackers. And the stone keeper added.  We played the new scenario with the 2 balls and 2 goals. In this battle I realised I lack heavy hitters.  He was running a Wold Guardian which had 21 armor and removed 1 dice from the damage.  All I could do was hold him up.  Add to that Balders feet and forest spam…I didn’t know what to do. The details I have blanked from my mind.  I’ll conclude by saying I was tabled.  

Kris's List

Points: 35
Baldur the Stonecleaver (*6pts)
* Woldwatcher (5pts)
* Woldguardian (9pts)
* Woldwarden (9pts)
Druids of Orboros (Leader and 5 Grunts) (7pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
* Stone keeper (1pts)
Tharn Bloodtrackers (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)

 

In total 2 wins and 2 loses.  No terrible but room for improvement.  I managed to get best in factions so I have a lovely Cygnar patch to adorn my Figures in Comfort case i hope to get soon. I like the new scenarios.  The corner deployment is great.  That really suits Cygnar’s shooting style. You don’t actually have to move if you can keep your opponent from getting near their objectives with shooting!  The second Scenario is good fun but I didn’t really like it.  Maybe that was because I got pwned and didn’t scratch his army.  What would I Change?  My army list.  Andy the PG who ran the event suggested this could be run as mangled metal tooth and claw.  I’m thinking O’Rowdy,2 Ironclads and a Hammersmith if it’s 25 points. 3 Hammer smiths and 1 Ironclad would be better but you can only field what you have.  And even with 1 Hammer smith I still need to buy it.

I’m taking some photos of my painted 35 points.  So that should be my next update. I’ve also been making a couple of rock walls.  Which are looking nice.  If I like them a lot I’ll do a little guide on how I made them.

Targe 2011 ... The Plan

Next year there will be another Targe and it will be much the same as this one.  A place to meet old friends pick  up some bargains and eat food out of a paper bag.  I've always thought that at these types of events there should be some sort of tournament.  The problem Targe has had before it moved to it's new venue, Websters High School, was no space to host one of these events.  I think this sort of event would be a real bonus to the show to attracting people that would not normally go to what is mainly a historical convention and also to the player as they are all sorts of great stuff there that we can use in our Warmachine games.  I like use the tufts of grass from of the traders on my bases.  I never really got on with static grass.  But that's another blog post

There are a couple of things I'll need to do before this can go ahead
Convince the club that they should allow an event like this.
Request another room from the school to host a tournament. 
Cover the cost of hiring the room.
Become a Press Ganger.

First thing I'm going to try and do is become a Press Ganger.  I've spoke with my Local Game Store owner Gary (Highlander Games, Dundee) and he's happy to sponsor me.  I've just got to get some photo's sorted out and I'm off.  I'm going to apply to cover Dundee and Perth.  Which should let Andy the Glasgow PG play in a few events.

If I get this sorted in less than 3 months I might even be handing over the wooden spoon I won in the last Tournament!  I blame lack of sleep and a 9 month old son but really I was outplayed.  Although you don't expect Kara Sloan to get 1 shotted by a spray attack from a Pure Blood Warp Wolf.  Oh the humanity...I totally had that win up to the point where I lost. 16 on 3d6 that's never going to happen.  Is everyone else the same as me?  When you lost to X army it makes you want to play them?  I really want to start a Circle Force.  Oh but the trolls the trolls they are a calling....can I paint their kilts in my clan tartan....probably not but I'm gonna have a go anyway!

Targe 2010

The second weekend in November brings with it Targe, Kirriemuir Wargames annual event.  I've been a member of the club for 20 years and always look forward to the event.  This year was no different.  With over 200 people, loads of nice tables, traders and the Bring and Buy this year was no exception.

Being part of the club it was an early start...8am or if you sleep in 8:45am.  Luckily everything had been set up the night before so being on site bang on 8 o'clock was not essential.  I wandered around for the first 20 min seeing if anyone needed a hand then lent my services to Roddie from Scotia Grendel as he set up his stall.  Scotia has been running for about 15years, you may know them for Urban War or Kryomek. I prefer their micro armor and 15 mm ranges which are a little less well known but their 15mm ancients range Xyston are lovely and if I was every to start that period again I'd defiantly get stuff from them.  Roddie is a great guy and after 15 min of fighting with his stand he was ready to go. He kindly invited me to his castle, yes he really lives in a castle, for a few games of Warmachine before Christmas.

There wasn't much time left before the show opened so I had a quick run.    I managed to pick up 2 second hand Stormblades I need for an incomplete unit from Gateshead Gaming, they are the same sculpt meaning I could well have 4 identical figures but I'm happy I have the unit complete.  I'll get some practice with these guys before the Perth tournament in January.

Next door to that stall was Four A Miniature they have a range of goblins and evil cherubs that if I had a use for I'd defiantly add to my pile of unpainted lead.  Have a look at their site, teh goblins are not on there yet but the casts I saw were samples and have not yet been released so keep your eyes pealed for new stuff from them.  The figures would work well in Malifux and with a sculptor like Dave Andrews of GW fame you know they will be really nice.

Last trader to visit before the show opened was Fenris Games they do laser cut bases and movement trays mainly.  I was picking some 3mm MDF circles to use as wreck markers and for bases I'll need when I'm doing a terrain project in the near future. They have an Ebay shop with most of their lines and also offer a Laser cutting service so if you have your own ideas they can help them come to life.

After that most of the traders were set up so I took my post at the painting competition not a huge amount of entries this year but the stuff that was there was of a high quality.  Midas from our Dundee Warmachine group managed to pick up 3 prizes.  Taking first in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy group.  He's now got 3 trophey for painting on his shelves in his uni halls.  My lonely Gobber Reinholdt didn't win anything.  With hind sight I would say it wasn't the best choice for a competitions piece but with the level of the other entries I don't think model choice was the real issue.

I had a great day catching up with people I haven't seen since last year.  The event raised over £300 for Combat Stress and I got to see the inside of my old school again.  I'm looking forward to next year but now I'm home I need to paint 5 more models to field a paint army for next weekends Icy Grip.  Only 1 List will be fully painted but I'm happy with the progress I've made over the last couple of weeks.

Here are the Rules

I've been trying to get this blog started for a good while.  Now I come to write my first post I'm not sure what to put  in it.  Every blogger must have the same problem, it can't just be me.  So whats the point of this blog?  It's main to promote my terrain.  I enjoy making stuff with foam so as I make stuff I'll post pictures of the finished pieces and the occasional tip and how to guide so you can make your own if you fancy. I'm sure some models from my painting table will creep on and I'll defiantly ramble about my Warmachine games.  I've been playing for less than a year and tbh I'm pretty bad.  In my first tournament I flooked a couple of wins so didn't really do too badly. In my second I came dead last. I'm know the proud owned of a Tesco's Wooden spoon.  Hopefully I won't repeat that performance at this months Icy Grip in Glasgow but with no practice since the last tournament I wouldn't be surprised.

I decided some rules might be worth posting.  Since most of this is unplanned I've only got 5 rules.  There might be more added but since right now it's only me I'll leave it like it is. As for that last sentence see rule 3.

So here are the rules;

1. I can break my rules at any point.
2. No bitching about other people.
3. Don't worry if you don't update the blog.
4. Speling is opsional.
5. Warmachine is a game.  

That will do for now.  It's getting late.  I have work tomorrow.  That's another day without finishing my sword knights.  They can wait until tomorrow.