#DonateorPaint

Templecon 2015 Painting Log

If you look at the Templecon website you can see by the countdown clock that there are only 101 days (at the time I wrote this) prior to the beginning of the convention. If I take out the few days leading up to the con that leaves me 14 weeks, give or take, to get my painting done. I have decided that the best way to accomplish my painting goals is to put the list to paper (actual and virtual) and try and plan out a points per week requirement. I intend to put the paper copy next to my painting station as a constant reminder/motivation/shaming tool. The list below if very large and intimidating at initial glance but this is nearly an all inclusive list and,  while I'd like to accomplish all of it, only some of it "must" finish. A second factor that comes into play hopefully making this a little easier is the fact that a large portion of the list is already assembled and in many of the pieces are partially painted. I will be breaking the list down into three categories and color coding theme for purposes of the blog:

Primary
Secondary
Tertiary  

As you look at the list below it should be pretty clear as to the theme for the minis in the primary category. These are the minis I need to finish for my "Templecon 2015 painting challenge" with my Canadian brothas Jamie and Chadi. If I can pull it off I'd like to post some updates here on their painting progress as well as one or two of my local guys I'm trying to rope in as well.

Warcasters: (25pts)
Exulon Thexus
Captain Damiano
General Ossrum
Durgen Madhammer
Drake MacBain

Warjacks: (76pts)
Earthbreaker (18pts)
Galleon (19pts)
Nomad (6pts)
Warden x2 (6pts/ea)
Wrecker x3 (7pts/ea)

Units: (84pts)
Alexia1 (5pts)
Arcane tempest gun mages (6pts)
*Officer (2pts)
Cephalyx mind bender & drudges (6pts)
Cephalyx mind slaver & drudges (6pts)
Nyss hunters (10pts)
Boomhowler (9pts)
Herne & Jonne (3pts)
Kayazy assassins (8pts)
*Underboss(2pts)
Aiyana & Holt (4pts)
Press gangers (6pts)
Sea dogs (8pts)
*Mr Walls (2pts)
*Riflemen x3 (1pt/ea)
Tactical arcanist corp (4pts)

Solos: (57pts)
Alexia2 (4pts)
*Thall warriors x6
Anastasia (2pts)
Bloat thrall (2pts)
Grogspar (2pts)
Cephalyx agitator x3 (2pts/ea)
Cephalyx dominator (1pt)
Killingsworth (2pts)
Eiryss1 (3pts)
Eiryss2 (3pts)
Hawk (2pts)
Gorman (2pts)
Harlan (2pts)
Kell (2pts)
Rockbottom (2pts)
Machine wraith (1pt)
Dougal (2pts)
Ogrun bokur (3pts)
Orin (2pts)
Pistol wraith x2 (3pts/ea)
Raluk (2pts)
Rhupert (2pts)
Taryn (2pts)
Thor (2pts)

There is the list as it currently stands. I think I have included everything but who knows as I banged this out on break last night at work and I'm ready for a nap;) When calculating the pt cost of the minis needing to be painted I just assumed a cost of 5 pts per caster just like an assassination in SR. If my math is correct the list adds up to a grand total of 242 pts which will mean I need to accomplish approximately 17 pts/week to have the list fully painted the week  prior to Templecon. The Templecon painting list is now on paper and staring me in the face time to get down to the cave and get to work (after I grab some sleep).

Kickin' the Tires on Mercenaries

Last weekend I borrow the wife's minivan and drove the gaming crew drove down to Gamers Gambit in Danbury Connecticut for the Dark Omen Invitational Qualifier (DOIQ)......and hopefully the Dark Omen Invitational (DOI) itself. The Saturday DOIQ was a 64 player SR2014 tourney with players gaining access to the DOI on Sunday. If I remember correctly we ended up with 57 players showing up to the event (we had two pay but not travel with us). The DOI was a 16 player masters which players qualified for via other regional events and was also a Warmachine Weekend Qualifier. The winner of the DOI not only secured a spot a WMW but would also have their airfare and room paid for which was pretty amazing. The Prize support for the weekend was pretty sweet as one player was randomly selected on Saturday to receive a 50pt list of their design and those playing the alternative event on Sunday (ie didn't qualify for the DOI) where entered in a second drawing for another army.

The lists I chose for the qualifier were as follows:

Highborn Covenant

General Ossrum (*5pts)
* Ghordson Earthbreaker (19pts)
Arcane Tempest Gun Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
* Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer (2pts)
Greygore Boomhowler & Co. (Boomhowler and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
Herne & Jonne (3pts)
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt (4pts)
Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios (3pts)
Goblin Tinker (1pts)
Master Gunner Dougal MacNaile (2pts)
Professor Victor Pendrake (2pts)
Taryn di la Rovissi (2pts)
Thor Steinhammer (2pts)

Four Star Syndicate

Captain Damiano (*6pts)
* Nomad (6pts)
* Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2pts)
Alexia Ciannor & the Risen (Alexia and 9 Risen Grunts) (5pts)
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters (Cylena and 9 Grunts) (10pts)
Kayazy Assassins (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Kayazy Assassin Underboss (2pts)
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution (3pts)
Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist (2pts)
Kell Bailoch (2pts)
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor (2pts)
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord (2pts)
Wrong Eye & Snapjaw (9pts)
* Bull Snapper (3pts)

All in all I was happy with my lists but was VERY inexperienced with them. I played the Ossrum list twice prior to the event and I never played the Damiano list. I seem to have misplaced my SR sheet so I don't have everyone's name but I promptly went 0-4 followed by a bye and then I got paired up against one of our guys and won finishing the day at 2-4. Round one I got paired up vs Cryx and was a little sloppy with my caster placement and got pDenny'd. He feated, scourged, parasited, and then a couple Nyss shots later I was done. The next two rounds I deathclocked myself vs Legion and Trolls and I don't recall how I lost round 4 vs Protectorate. If it wasn't abundantly clear before it surely is now you shouldn't play brand new factions/lists at large events if you have any desire to do well ;) One of our guys qualified for day two so the rest of us got into the spell draft event on Sunday to try and win the next raffle army. Adam lost in round two of masters so we all dropped after the raffle was drawn and headed back home. While I was unreasonably disappointed with my results it was a fun weekend of Warmachine and hanging out with friends. I look forward to learning my mercs lists a lot better and hope to have a pretty firm grip on them by the time Templecon rolls around.

I Feel the Need....the Need for Speed(painting)

In my last post I showed you the wolds I assembled last weekend at my parents house. Well I decided I needed to bang these guys out in short order just because. So here they are painted in about ~6-8 hours total spread over a couple sessions over two days:

One big happy family of new toys

Woldwarden

The Woldwatcher trio

Hands down has to be the most enjoyable unit in the game to paint

One big happy rock family

While I was painting up these new additions I took the time to finish up Megalith and mostly finish a Woldguardian. The guardian still needs his base to be finished and both need their gems painted but you get the idea. I just need to finish Baldur2 or Bradigus and I can put these guys on the table as a full painted army... something I don't get to do nearly enough. I need to put down some grass tufts on the new minis to match the watcher and warden I painted over two years ago but man it was fun to just bang out 26pt in what felt like no time......why cant all minis paint this fast? 

I'm not sure when I will get to a warlock for these new minis as I have troll stuff I want to get to and a painting project for Templecon 2015 I really need to start. I'm also looking to make a 4+ hour road trip with my buddy Nick aka PG_Naseluk down to Connecticut this weekend for a steamroller event on Saturday. We are still trying to hash out some of the details so we don't drive all that way for an event we haven't brought the right stuff for or for no event at all.....but if we do go I would like to get Borka2 table ready during the day today (just in a playable state not fully painted) so I can try him out tomorrow. Have a great weekend y'all.

Gotta be Some Kind of a Record (for me)

Over the weekend we headed back to my parents house to spend a few days. This typically turns into a zero percent hobby time weekend but for some reason this weekend things just "clicked". In my last post I showed the GenCon pre-releases I was able to get my hands on and Circle has been calling me since I knew Thorle was heading my way. I brought a few blisters with me to my folks and even had my wife pick up a few more minis while she was out shopping with my mother one day (I know crazy). Here are the results of the weekend:

As you can see I cleaned and prepped a 'lock, one heavy, three lights, a solo, and a unit (ok I know shifting stones are a joke of a unit but its a unit). If we count the warlock as 5pt that's a total of 33pt assembled in a weekend which is unheard of for me. Really early and no idea if it is any goo but I was thinking of this as my first Bradigus list:

 

Bradigus Thorle the Runecarver (*6pts)
* Woldwatcher (5pts)
* Woldwatcher (5pts)
* Woldwatcher (5pts)
* Woldwatcher (5pts)
* Woldguardian (9pts)
* Woldwarden (9pts)
* Woldwarden (9pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
* Stone keeper (1pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Blackclad Wayfarer (2pts)
Gallows Grove (1pts)
Gallows Grove (1pts)

 

I have no idea if it will be any good but I liked the feel of it and think it has some play (from my circle noob point of view). Ok I need to go prep some of these bases and do a little more assembly then its prime time!

GenCon Pre-release Unboxings

How's it going y'all long time no post. Things have been pretty busy here and I haven't really had much to blog about. After getting back from the Southern Ontario Open I had a pretty big lull on the gaming front for no real reason other than life I suppose. The cave has started to see some activity over the past week or so and I have some projects I need to get rolling on (more on that soon) but today I'm showing off some new toys. I wasn't expecting to be able to get my hands on any of the GenCon pre-releases but last Thursday I found out there was a potential ninja available so I jumped at the opportunity. In the past it has seemed PP has limited people to only one of each item so I didn't figure I'd be able to get much but seeing as no one was asking for Bradigus Thorle I jumped at the opportunity. I went to the store Thursday to play some of my trolls and our ninja extraordinaire Brian scored me more than I expected......good thing I brought extra cash.

The sexy sexy nondescript black box. I love these :)

Gold cards!

Bradigus is  a white metal/resin model as you can see here with the majority of the model being done in resin. I have found that some of the more recent PP resins have been super clean and needed little to no cleaning (Bearka and Dozer) this mini was not as clean as those previous minis.

Not too bad easy enough to clean.

The plug inside the fold on the left of the cloak has me a little concerned.

All in all not a bad sculpting job. There is a little more work then I would have liked but seeing as I have no pressing need to get him on the table I can take some time. I find the nice thing about working with wolds and rock is if there is a "problem spot" I can just hack into the piece and make it a chip in the rock ;) I have to say I really like this mini and his rules and seeing as I am a big fan of the rock part of circle and have a small all rock force already Bradigus felt like a "must" have.  

Next up is the opera pig herself Helga

Nice and simple two piece sculpt but will most likely need to pin the arm.

Up close and personal. I don't see myself playing pigs but I have loved the idea of this mini since PP showed here are in the Templecon Keynote. I painted a Lord Carver for my but Les aka PG_Oxyguy a few years back so I will need to figure out what I did on his flesh cause I was happy with him. My initial impression of Helga are that she has a solid stat line and a nice spell list too bad she is in pigs. The more and more great spells show up on the these pig 'locks the more I think no pork node for Thornfall....but Scudo will ask at Templecon this year again I am sure......

Last but certainly not least is Ms Jaga Jaga. 

While Helga was a smiple two pieces Jaga clocks in at eight super detailed pieces. 

Details....

Upon details....

Upon details. Jaga is a very solid 'lock (one of best in this book) and while Helga suffers from her pact Jaga benefits. I see taking three units of posse as the back bone for Jaga just like most gator 'locks. 

Thanks for checking in y'all and stay tuned as there should be some work coming out of the cave soon........

Skull Altar Terrain Piece

A few weeks ago I was getting a lot of packages from various places all with tons of geek goodness. One of the boxes I received was from Dragonforge which had a few more 30mm bases I plan to use for my Cephalyx and a couple terrain items I was curious to check out after seeing them on the site.

I still haven't picked up black primer so I primed grey via the airbrush then basecoated with with VMA black via the airbrush

Next I drybrushed up my standard stone recipe from one of my all time favorite NQ painting articles. The progression is Thornwood Green, Bastion Grey, Trollblood Highlight, and a very light Menoth White Highlight (just on edges) 

Painted up the skulls using VMC Beasty Brown, GW Desert Sand, GW Bleached Bone

Glued down some "dirt" sections

I wanted to try out some weathering pigment for future bases so I made a wash of isopropyl alcohol and Secret Weapons Dark Earth pigment and washed it over my dirt sections and some of the surrounding stone. I also did some "dirt" streaks with the wash down the sides of the altar. I was pretty happy with this but I think I actually need to thin it even more next time I use it. 

All finished up. I ended up doing my traditional dirt paint scheme on the section I glued down but left the wash in the areas next to them. I then added some Army Builder Jungle Tufts.

You should be able to see some of the dirt streaks

I am really happy with this little terrain piece. When I originally opened the the box I was a little surprised with how "small" it was but after painting it and putting next to minis it feels "just right". This painted up really fast with me only using 20 min here and there before heading out to work. I'd say the total time was pretty close to 80 min. I'm really tempted to turn this into a large terrain piece but putting it on an MDF base with some ruined walls and stone to look like a ruined temple section or something but we will see. One way of the other I have a nice new terrain piece for my eventual table and a nice obstruction for squishy Mr Thexus to hide behind ;)

Kriel Reinforcements: Bearka, Dozer & Smigg, and More

Yesterday was a big day in the cave as it felt like Christmas in June. In my last post I showed you all my pretty new Cephalyx and today I will hit up my newest trollblood minis.

The fancy convention black box.....so exciting! Hopefully there will be a bunch of new toys in black boxes like this at Templecon '15

Only 4 pieces to assemble out bear. On first inspection the part are very clean with the mold lines on the bear's body hidden well in the fur. The arms both have vents that need to be cut off prior to assembly but they are not out of control like some of the previous resin models. 

Very sharp detail

You can see the vent hanging under the armor plate. 

Been on a diet Borka? The mini feels a little thin to me as borka doesn't seem to have the bulk of his previous self.  

Dozer really fills up the packaging but is amazingly light

Dozer is made up of 8 pieces which were for the most part very clean and very detailed

Fist is a little dinged up but should be cleaned pretty easily....I hope

"Maybe we over did it on the fist size?" I don't think those bombard shells on the back of Dozer's hands would actually fit in the bombard ;)

Smigg! The little big man comes in 5 pieces (if you count the bombard)

I also picked up Hogle and a second fennblade kithkar. I plan to slot Horgle and a slag troll into my Grim2 list from the SOO and see how it feels. MoM has still been on the MSU kick lately so I've been thinking of trying it out and two kithkars just seem like a must for MSU. 

Lastly I picked up some merc minis in the order that brought me Horgle and the kithkar. A while back I basecoated Les' Galleon and I have toyed with the idea of doing either a Galleon list or Earthbreaker list for myself. Cephalyx being a merc contract has kinda given me an excuse to do a second merc list.....cause you need two for events, right? :)

I've always wanted to play these guys and a second merc list is the perfect excuse, no?

Tactical Arcanist Corp and Ossrum. The TAC will server double duty as they are going to be "Dominated" into my Cephalyx force and Ossrum is there in case I pick up an Earthbreaker cause sniped Earthbreakers sounds like a blast to play.