Iron Kingdoms at War

Reclaimer: Final Warmachine Mini of the Summer...

2011-09-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a great summer vacation as far as getting a lot of mini painting in. Here is my final completed mini of the summer...a Protectorate Reclaimer...

Working on a new blog project which I'll be launching soon...

Product Review: Dark Sword Miniatures Masterworks Painting DVD

2011-08-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is something I don't usually do with the blog but I know I have some readers who, like me, are always looking to improve their painting and learn a few, new tricks. Recently I saw the trailer to Dark Sword Miniatures "Masterworks Miniature Painting With Jen Haley and Anne Foerster" 3 DVD set which you can see here...

I ordered the DVD set directly from Dark Sword and it arrived just a couple of days later. Now I have been a fan of Jen Haley's work for a few years now but I wasn't as familiar with Anne(shame on me!). To be straight to the point, it's an EXCELLENT DVD set for painters of any level and I can't recommend it strongly enough.

I will break down my review to a quick areas of interest/concern:

Cost: The DVD set retails for $50. It is a very fair price given that you are getting 3 DVD's that are fairly comprehensive and include many hours of advice and on-screen painting tutorials. There are many painting tutorial DVD's I have eyed over the internet but have been reluctant to purchase, knowing that the $30-$100 cost could easily buy me a bunch of minis instead! However, having taken the plunge on this, I am so happy that I did...it definitely delivers everything that it promises.

Presentation: The DVD menus are easy to navigate and broken into various topics that you can select to see a tutorial one particular aspect of the hobby. The actual video consists of panoramic shots of Jen and Anne discussing theory and technique, and high resolution close-ups of minis that they are working on. The lighting, audio and editing are all high quality. Problematic quirks of miniature painting DVD's like painter's hair in the shot and focus problems are nearly non-existent. Every technique was clearly presented on the video so that what the artists are trying to convey are clear and crisp.

Contents: The wide array of topics covered in the DVD's is impressive. Many times painting DVD's will be too ambitious and try to cover too many techniques with limited time commitment...this 3 DVD set allows the painters to be comprehensive and giving reasonable time and explanation to the myriad of methods they employ. You have the whole gambit of pertinent topics here including(to name just a few): Brush & Paint Selection, Shading, Highlighting, Washes & Glazes, NMM(Non-Metallic Metals), Cloth Texture, Color Theory, Problem Colors(White, Yellow, Black, Red), Prepping, Finishing and MANY, MANY MORE! There is definitely much to chew on here for both novice and veteran painters.

Style: I love the approach of this DVD. Instead of just one artist talking you through their approach, there is a great "give and take" between Anne and Jen; this really sets these painting DVD's apart from the rest of the crowd. The painters convey many times that there is "more than one way" to get nice results...and often they show their different approaches to certain methods. If you are relative beginner I highly recommend popping in the third DVD and going right to the "Conclusion" chapter where Jen and Anne offer solid advice on one's mindset and approach to the hobby in general.

Closing Thoughts: This DVD will be a great resource to me for years to come I am sure. I am someone who has been painting minis for many years, but often feels like he's stalled in his progress and techniques...not quite being able to take things to the next level. Well, as they say in the video there is no "magic pill" to make one a better painter, or any real shortcuts, but with this tool at my disposal I definitely have no excuses not to improve. I look forward to re-thinking many methods I use in painting and trying both the conventional, and unconventional, techniques that Anne and Jen teach in the DVD's. On a side note, my wife and I have been married for 19 years(this Sunday) and we both have hobbies...none of which are in common. Though she's always been very supportive of my mini painting(which I appreciate!), it was her sitting next to me as I watched these DVD's that made her decide to give the hobby a try...if that's not an endorsement for the Dark Sword DVD set I don't know what is.

Maybe you are looking for me to rate this DVD...well, the text above make it clear how I feel so the usual cliches all apply: Five Stars, 10/10, "Perfect", etc.

If you have any particular questions about this DVD set feel free to post a comment and I will be sure to reply with details.

Thanks for reading/viewing...
Happy Wargaming Everybody,
~Gareson

Half Brick Easy Basing Tutorial

2011-08-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

I often see, either on the gaming table or the internet, painted minis that are finished up except for basing. Now of course for the fanciest basing you'll really need to pre-sculpt or integrate the details ahead of time(see some of Adary's great articles on Just the Bases). However, if your mini is all painted up and glued onto the base, there are still some nice basing effects can you achieve "around" the planted mini. There's always simple basing with sand(see this article), but one of my favorites is something I call the "Half Brick" or "Ruined Road" effect. The concept here is that the base depicts a decayed roadway or tiled chamber which has eroded so that earth or dirt covers half of the base.

For this tutorial I am going to use a Daughter of the Flame mini from Privateer Press(Warmachine). She's all painted up(more or less) but needs a nice base. Now of course PP bases, as with most miniature companies, are black discs...mine only appears grey because I glued the figure onto the base before I used my grey primer:

In the pic above you can clearly see the indentation where the metal tab on the bottom of the mini inserts into the "slot" on the base. Obviously our basing effect will need to erase that(which it will).

Step 1: Creating the Brick(or stone) Effect

For this step you can use any number of materials to create your brick material. You can use Green Stuff(or any two part modeling putty), spackle(filler) or Vallejo stone texture effect. However, for this tutorial I will use my preferred material: Milliput.

I like Milliput because it is a simple two part putty that is easy to mix, work with, and, most importantly, dries and hardens fairly quickly. Within a couple of hours of mixing and applying the Milliput you can paint over it(something like Green Stuff would take longer).

I mix up a little bit of Milliput and I apply a small ball to the base on the side where I want the brick. Now certainly you could carefully work around the mini's feet and do the entire base in 'brick', but again, I'm doing a "Ruined Road" style. With your finger and/or the flat side of an x-acto knife blade, work the Milliput into a flat shape that covers roughly half the base. I would suggest wetting your fingers or knife blade with a little water because the Milliput is a little tacky.

You'll notice that I've not completely covered the slot on the base; this is not a problem because our sand texture will take care of that later.

Now I take my x-acto knife and cut vertical lines in to establish the rows of bricks...making the lines roughly parallel and equidistant from one another. Try not to push too hard all the way to the base as you carve these lines as you could cause the Milliput to shift and separate...just gently scribe in the lines.

Now I have gone back with the knife and etched in the horizontal(well really they are at a 45 degree angle in the photo) lines to create the separate bricks of this road(or chamber floor). At this point the brick effect looks pretty good but to create a little more of a rough stone or weathered effect...

I use and old drybrush and lightly stipple indentations into the Milliput surface. I can also make larger dents, or even cracks, with the x-acto knife. The photo doesn't show it on this bright Milliput, but there are some nice surface irregularities that will show up layer with a wash(see below).

Step 2: Painting the Bricks

Painting the finished bricks is easy! Now usually when I am doing this type of basing I depict grey stone or red bricks, but for this mini I want something that looks somewhat more arid as is the setting where you'll often find the Protectorate of Menoth units operating so I will be working with tan.

After a couple of hours after applying the Milliput(with a little help from hot lamps), I basecoat the brick surface with Reaper's Tusk Ivory from their HD series of paints(any light tan would do the same thing). The wet paint above is not very visible, nor are the brick details, but we'll fix that with the next step.

After the basecoat is completely dry, I thin down(with water) some Sepia Ink from Vallejo's Game Colors line. I generously apply this over my bricks and make sure the entire surface gets this wash. The details in the bricks are starting to pop now...including the irregularities that we stippled in. You could go back and drybrush on your basecoat color to highlight the raised details(or even line/block in some shading), but we'll keep it simple here. Of course if you were simulating grey stone bricks I would suggest a light grey basecoat followed by a black wash.

Step 3: Sand Texture

Well, as this is a "Half Brick" base effect we need to do something with the other half. We're going to apply a simple dirt texture using sand. For a thorough tutorial on this simple basing technique you can see this article(which includes a video). However, so we can be thorough here, let's do a quick walkthrough....

After the brick "wash" has completely dried, take watered-down glue(or Mod Podge is my preference) and apply it to the other half of the mini's base. Make sure you not only cover the entire non-brick side, but that you overlap a little and apply some adhesive over the edge of the brick(as shown above).

Dip your miniature in sand, blow off any loose grit, and now you have texture on the other half of your base.

Step 4: Paint the "Dirt"

After your sand has dried you can quickly paint it up to look like dirt.

I use a simple approach of (1)Dark Brown Basecoat (2)Dark Tan Highlight and a (3)Light Tan Highlight. In the pic above you can see the three particular paints I used(P3 Battlefield Brown, Beast Hide and Menoth White Base)...but any substitutes would work just as well. The highlights were simply applied used dry-brushing to bring out the texture of the sand(dirt).

Step 5: Paint the Base Lip
Well, with all that Milliput, sand and paint, the lip of your base needs to be cleaned up to finish your model(especially as mine was primed grey as previously mentioned). At this point you want to find a nice black(I like Reaper Pro Series Faded Black) and paint the lip or round edge of your base. It's not shown here, but I attach my mini to a temporary stand(poster putty on top of an old paint pot) so I can get all around the base neatly.

In the end, here is the final effect...

Now the tutorial above may make this seem like a long process but to be honest it is quick, easy and painless. I personally think its a great way to give an already painted and mounted miniature a respectful base with a little something beyond just dirt texture. In the end you could add a little foliage or moss to the base...but I like the simple, desolate look of the base as is in most cases.

***Update***Here are links to a three video tutorial put together illustrating the effect above(double click on the embedded videos to enlarge them)...

I hope you found this tutorial helpful and can make use of it in the future...thanks for reading/viewing!
Happy Wargaming Everybody,
~Gareson

Warmachine Battle Report: Shooting Gallery Showdown(Khador v Cygnar 40 pts)

2011-08-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

My son, Gareth(a.k.a. GDogsDog) usually beats me in our Warmahordes showdowns...and today was no exception. I was able to talk him out of his favorite army(Cryx) so we could change things up a bit...but it didn't change the outcome.

Pre-Game-Here is a breakdown of our staring forces and deployment:

Cygnar(Gareson) in Blue, Khador(GDogsDog) in Red, Mercs in Green and Orange
Key Terrain Points- 1&3: Rocky Outcroppings(Rough), 2: Forest, 4: Shooting Gallery(Rough)

My Battlegroup Center

Cygnar(Gareson) 40 pts in blue above...

Left Flank: Trenchers & Trencher UA(T), Rhupert Carvolo(R), Grenadier(G)

Center: Alister Caine(A), Ironclad(I), Lancer(L), Hunter(H), Squire(S)

Right Flank: Charger(C), Journeyman Warcaster(J), Gun Mage Captain Adept(G)

Army Observations: I(Gareson) like surgical strike mixed forces...so I brought a bunch of agile lights and toolbox models. I was risking running a fragile force against his Khador heavies, but hoping for a warcaster assassination opportunity.

Gareth's Center and Left

Cygnar(GDogsDog) 40 pts in red above...

Left Flank: Irusk(I), Destroyer(D), Juggernaut(J), Mule(M), Dirty Meg(D)

Center:Kodiak(K), Man o' War Kovnik(M)

Right Flank: Valachev(V), Croe's Cutthroats(C)

Army Observations: Gareth(GDogsDog) likes "heavies", and his force selection certainly reflects this...bringing four heavy jacks in a 40pt game reflected his "big stick" approach:

My Right Flank Diversionary Force

Early Game: Winning initiative, my first thought was to get to cover(I know the range and power of his heavies!). My trenchers, with a Grenadier light 'jack in tow, as well as the musical stylings of Rhupert Carvolo(THE Piper of Ord) moved towards a grove of trees(2). I dug-in early hoping to anchor my left. Meanhwile, main battlegroup moved into a rocky outcropping for cover(3) while my right flank advanced into the Cygnarian Shooting Gallery(4). I knew my Charger and Journeyman 'caster were no match for what he was sending my way on my right, but I had to try to divide up his heavies by splitting my forces.

Mule paves the way with GDog's battlegroup close behind.

GDog pretty much moved as I thought he would early game, with Croe's Cutthroats moving into rocky cover(1) and his main battlegroup moving towards my Charger at the shooting gallery(4). However, early on I noticed his Kovnik and Kodiak moving there as well which I wasn't counting on(as the old military axiom says "No great plan ever survived contact with the enemy"). Early on things went poorly for me on the right...I expected to take a beating there with my little Charger but I needed to pin him there longer so I could maneuver in my center for a counter-strike. As it happened, blast damage attacks from his Mule and Destroyer took out my Gun Mage on turn 2 and wounded my Journeyman! I hated to do it, but I moved my Journeyman to my center, knowing the right was already lost.

Mid Game: By turn three it was clear that things were already going poorly for me. My right flank diversion had turned into a disaster and all I had to show for my feint was a shredded light jack and two k.i.a. solos. More importantly, Irusk was tightly protected by a train of four heavies as GDog had shifted his Kodiak to that part of the field as well.

My Charger is in trouble!

My Charger fought valiantly to the end, but the tide of enemy heavies was too much for it to hope to hold against.

Trencher smoke cover.

On the left flank my trenchers used smoke bombs to shield attacks from the "stealthy" mercs opposite me. The only real bright spot of this stage of the game for my Cygnarians was my Hunter light 'jack who got off a few pot shots(using Caine's Snipe spell) at Gareth's Destroyer, doing some serious damage with his armor piercing gun.

GDog owns the shooting gallery.

While my Charger was intact this worked for me, but once it was gone, his Mule and Destoyer turned their "full attention" to my Hunter. This wasn't so bad(blur was cast on my Hunter and it was in cover) until drifting misses started crashing down beyond my Hunter...taking out my Squire and Journeyman Warcaster(so much for moving him to safety).

Late Game: Gareth's blast damage assault on my center having further deprived me of forces meant that I was going to have to pull off something tricky to win. At this point he was already moving in with his heavies on my right flank...if he advanced to far, too fast, I might get a shot off at Irusk!

My Trencher force pushes out, hoping for a shot at Irusk(right).

I advanced to the center with my Trenchers, the Grenadier and Rhupert, hoping to flank Irusk. Even if Gareth moved to block me, he would likely be splitting his assault force to do so, so I further enticed him by engaging with what was left of my battlegroup.

I have his attention!

Now certainly my Trenchers paid for their advance into the open...his heavies(and Croe's coming from behind) decimated my infantry! However, I had a brief opportunity...the assassination attempt I was hoping for!

My Hunter has line of sight to Irusk!

My Hunter moved back in for a shot at Irusk, his heavies divided between my Trenchers and my engaging warjacks(led by the Ironclad). GDog is usually VERY protective of his 'casters, so I knew this was likely my one opportunity. I boosted my attacks with spells and focus, but the Hunter missed repeatedly!

Irusk out of danger...not so much my Ironclad.

Now aware of the danger, GDog tightened up around Irusk. In the meantime, his Kodiak and Juggernaut had dismantled my Ironclad.

The End...

End Game: With very little left to fight with, I did my best, but GDog's largely intact army pounded away at my remnants until Caine himself ran out of room to run!

After Battle Conclusions: Gareth brought a broadsword and I brought a stiletto. If I was going to win, I had to find an opening and strike swiftly at the right moment or his raw power would overcome me. The latter happened. I was hoping for a better opportunity for assassination than my Hunter strike later in the game, but Gareth did a really good job of keeping his guard up.

Bested by my son..once again!(but it was fun!) I'd love to say I taught him everything I know...but honestly...he's just good!

Epliogue: Ironically, look at just what arrived in the mail!...

A little late!

Strakhov: Necessity is the Mother of Invention

2011-08-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

That's right, necessity is the mother of invention. I was reminded of the old axiom when I screwed up painting this miniature! I'm sure I'm not alone...but I find that eyes are a challenge to paint(especially on a certain squinty-eyed Khadoran warcaster). The point of no return on a mini is about my fourth attempt to fix an eye...because after painting over the eye sockets 2-3 times you've built up enough paint that you've got a "bump" there and it won't look right...which means stripping the whole mini of paint and starting over. Well that happened with Strakhov, but I didn't want to start over as, unlike usual, I'd already painted about 1/2 the mini before getting to his face. So I modded him mid-stream...suddenly that left eye got a "green stuff" patch and the scar was lined more vertically to match an eye wound. In the end...I like it!
(click on images for larger pictures)

The other change I made to Viktor Strakhov(besides the eye patch) was to give him dirty blonde hair(as opposed to gray)...I just envisioned him a little younger in appearance than he is usually depicted.

His paint scheme was a dark "black ops" version...he was meant to match my Khador Kommandos(he also got the "ruined trench" basing treatment). In fact, here is with his comrades...

Thanks for viewing...Happy Wargaming everybody!
~Gareson

Vanguard Bodyguard

2011-08-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

When I purchased this model months ago it was my intention to give it a Khadoran paint job and give to Zerkova(allowed under one of her army lists). However, in the end, my Llaelese sympathies drove me in a different direction. Most of my mercenary 'jacks are fairly muted and plain in appearance...appropriate for irregular warmachines maintained by knives for hire. However, I decided that Ashlynn deserved a special warjack for her Highborn battlegroup...so I gave the Vanguard a Royal Llael paint scheme based on the heraldry on Ashlynn's portrait in the Mercenaries Forces book. My 'fluf' is that this is Ashlynn's personal bodyguard warjack...and great care(and cash provided by Cygnarian agents) is taken to keep it's paint job fresh, as it is an important symbol of her resistance movement. Here is how it came out...

The designs on the shield were challenging...as freehand is not my strength. However, I had a vision of what I wanted, and I decided to work 'outside of my box' in order to improve a weakness. One thing I am happy with is the shading on the warjack...though subtle, it represents a patience I don't usually have for using ultra-thinned-down paints. It took 7-8 basecoats(each) of purple and yellow...because I knew to get those light shades to look right that I couldn't cut corners.

Thanks for visiting!
~Gareson

Kossite Ambush!

2011-08-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

Recently finished a unit that was not a chore to paint! Painting commonly uniformed troopers can get a bit monotonous...ask any mini painter! However, these Kossite Woodsmen, Khadoran auxiliary troops, were a pleasure to finish up....that's the beauty of irregular troopers: a mix of attire. These models were largely speed-painted, so details might have suffered a bit...but a few washes and dry-brushing strokes seemed to have made them tabletop ready! I'll let you be the judge...
(click on images for larger pictures)
Group shot...

Individual pics...

Now I found a little silly that the set of minis had 5 poses for 6 minis(4 original, 2 of the same(the archer above)). I decided to slightly mod the archer pose with some green stuff to add a bandana and a cape(so at least the 'twins' look a little different from each other)...

So there they are, ready to ambush from the table edge! For a snow-basing tutorial(which I used on the figures above) see my article on the "Just the Bases" blog.

Old Man with Equilibrium: Orin Midwinter

2011-08-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those nights when you can't sleep because you have an idea for how you want to paint a certain miniature? Laying in bed you think, "Ahhh, but I could try this-or-that effect!"....and then you have to get up and paint(even if its 3am). That's what happened with my Orin Midwinter figure.

The Privateer Press sculpted him with such a dynamic pose, it cried out for a base that showed off his balancing skill...
(click on images for larger pictures)

Here are a couple shots that show is leaf scatter basing done(homemade style) with Birch Catkins...

Basing 101: Dirt Texture

2011-08-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

There are few things as sad as a wonderfully painted miniature on a plain, undecorated base....especially when a basic texture effect is so easily achieved cheaply and quickly. This is Basing 101: using sand as dirt texture for your wargaming mini. Now for veterans this is a 'no brainer'...a tried and tested method for quickly getting your mini finished and table-ready. So my audience for this post are mainly those new to the hobby(although hopefully there will be a trick or two of some use to veterans as well).

Here is my sad little Kossite Woodsman who is embarrassed by his plain base. Now Kossites, according to Warmachine rules, can deploy onto the table later in the game using their "Ambush" tactic. This guy, however, might resist ever coming on to the table for the shame of his undecorated base!...
(click on any images for larger pictures if needed)

The good news is that with some inexpensive tools, and minimal time, he will have a base he can be proud of! Let's talk materials: sand, old paint brush & Mod Podge(or white glue)...that's it. Let's talk sand first. For about $5 you can get a bag of sand at the hardware store that will likely be all that you'll ever use. What you are looking for is a sand with a natural, beach-like texture which has variable grains in it. I like Quikrete's Play Sand(but if you live near a beach, nature has already provided of course).

But be careful with "Play Sand"...you don't want the uniform, bleached-white stuff. This also goes for "Craft" or "Scenic" sand like you'll find at Michael's...its a processed, fine grit sand that won't look natural when you paint it..don't use it.

As far as adhesive you can go two routes; you can use watered down white glue or a craft sealer such as Mod Podge. I like Mod Podge because it essentially is watered-down glue right out of the container...no need for an extra step! Use and old paint brush(not one for miniature details)...you can clean it up with water afterwards(white glue and Mod Podge are both water-based)...but why use a nice brush if you don't have to?

With materials out of the way, let's talk process(and uber-easy process).

Step 1: Applying Adhesive-Avoiding the miniature itself, apply the Mod Podge(or glue) around the base of the miniature. Also try to avoid getting the adhesive on the outside lip of the base. If there is a little "dip"(recess) where the slotted bottom of the figure is embedded, be sure to fill it in with your adhesive.

Step 2: Applying Sand-Take your miniature and "dip" it into your sand container in a sidways motion, making sure the base is submerged in the sand. Once the base is saturated with sand, tilt the figure sideways and shake off excess grit. Also, after you take out the mini, blow on its base to remove any loose sand.

Step 3: Sand Clean-Up-Look at your mini, if there is sand glued on the outside of the lip, simply use your finger to wipe it off(so that the round edge of your base remains untextured).


At the tip of the red arrow you can see the excess		sand that I will wipe off.

At this point your mini should look something like this...

After letting the sand dry(30 minutes should do) you can apply a base coat of paint to your miniature. I take a three step, quick approach to this for simple dirt basing. I use a basecoat of P3's Battlefield Brown(Dark Brown), followed by successively drybrushed highlights of P3 Beast Hide(Dark Tan) and then P3 Menoth White Base(Light Tan/Beige). Here is my mini and my paints readied....

Step 4: Basecoat Paint- Open your Battlefield Brown(or similar paint) paint pot. Load your brush with water before dipping it into the paint...we want a "runny" load of paint on the brush. When you put the tip of your watered-down paint on the base, the paint will be "soaked up" by the dry sand and naturally travel across the base on its own. The beauty of this is that you don't need to put your brush near the feet of your mini(or cape, etc.) and risk painting over your miniature. It's a neat trick...

Of course, if you use dropper bottles for your paint(such as Vallejo, Reaper), just water down your paint on your palette. Whichever method you employ, don't water down your paint too much or there won't be enough pigment and the sand's natural color will show through...experiment to get the blance right(you can always paint over your first layer if it was too thin). Your basecoated mini should be left to dry before you go on to the next step(put it under a hot lamp to speed up the process if you want).

Step 5: First Highlight- Time for some drybrushing fun. Take your middle hue(mine is P3 Beast Hide) and grab a nice drybrush. Put some paint on the tip of your brush and wipe off most of it on a paper towel until just a little pigment is remaining. Drybrush the base of your figure in a sideways motion make the sand grain details start to "pop". I don't worry if I hit the feet/boots of the figure a little as this gives them a traveled, dusty look...but you can avoid this if you so choose.

Step 6: Second(High) Highlight- Now we're going to emulate Step 5 but with a lighter color(P3 Menoth White Base/light tan). You don't need to clean your brush in between steps 5 & 6 so long as you brushed off most of your paint from step 5. Load the tip of your brush with your lightest paint and brush most of it off on a paper towel(as with previous step). Drybrush this color onto your base to further accentuate the dirt(sand) details. You're almost done!

Step 7: Base Clean-Up- Well at this point with all the sand texturing, base-coating and drybrushing, the side lip of your base likely needs a little cleaning up. We're going to go around the lip of the mini with a flat black paint to finish him(I actually MUST do this because, as you can see, I had primed my miniature in grey). For this step I like to attach my mini to an old paint pot(or bottlecap) using a little dab of poster putty. This allows me to paint around the edges neatly and allows the paint to dry without making contact with your desk surface. You can see the simple process below...

Ignore the paint pot color, its just being used as a temporary base.

And that's about it! Now a couple of things to keep in mind...
1. The dirt texture looks nice enough, and is table ready, but you can always add details like static grass, grass tufts, leaf scatter, moss(see this tutorial) or snow(which is what this Kossite will be getting!).
2. In the tutorial I painted just one mini...if its a unit you would do one step at a time for all your minis(as a batch).
3. By changing the hues you can use the same texture for a differently themed base. Want your sand to represent a desert base?...use Beast Hide(Dark Tan) as your base and then highlight with Menoth White Base(light tan/beige) and then Menoth White Highlight(ivory) successively.

If you would prefer a video walkthrough of this simple method, I have uploaded one to my Youtube Channel. You can watch the embedded videos below(or double click on them for full screen, HD versions):

Announcing "Just The Bases"...

2011-08-11T04:21:00.000-07:00

"Natural Textured Base" by Adary

Adary(a regular contributor on the Privateer Press forum) and myself(Gareson) have teamed up to launch a blog(Just The Bases) dedicated to creating custom bases for your miniatures. Though it is in its infancy, and will certainly get 'dressed up' and filled up with more content in the future, you can check it out here...
http://justthebases.blogspot.com/

Our goal is to create a repository of custom basing techniques for your PP miniatures. We will fill the site with a variety of both video and pictorial tutorials showing you how to achieve nice results for your bases.

Go take a look and be sure to check back...we've got more content planned. We would love to include more people from the PP community in this team effort! If you would like to become a member of our blogging team...
1. leave a comment(here or on the justhebases site letting me know)
2. share a link showing some of your custom base work

Happy Wargaming Everybody!
~Gareson

Figure Feature: Gun Mage Captain Adept

2011-08-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

A great toolbox solo(especially for fighting my son's pesky incorporeal Cryx models), the Gun Mage Captain Adept is a great mini that, I believe, clearly inspired Privateer Press to go back and rework their Gun Mage unit to match the quality of this sculpt.

Here's my take on him...

He was a lot of fun to paint(as is the case with most Warmahordes figures). I gave him a custom base carved into Vallejo Stone texture. I hope you like the effect...

On my front burner now is a unit of Kossite Woodsmen....and not being a cookie cutter standard uniform type unit(which look great but are drudgery to paint) I am actually looking forward to doing them!

Happy Wargaming Everybody!

Figure Feature/Basing Tutorial: Ragman

2011-08-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, Ragman is a Mercenary solo that I really struggled with in terms of painting. In fact, I stripped him of his paint two times until I finally created a look that I can live with. He's an undead nobleman so the trick was to paint him in vibrant attire while making him suitably dingy from his necromantic enterprises. In the end I went about paint him in nice, bright Llaelese hues(purple & yellow)...then I gave him some intense washes of Secret Weapon Washes Sepia Ink as well as Brown Ink/Exile Blue to make him, well, 'raggedy'. I also used some Tamiya weathering pigments on the lower part of the figure to muck him up even more. In the end, here's how he came out...

I had a lot of fun customizing the base on this figure. I wanted an "overgrown road" theme so I carved some bricks right into the base and then added sand grit on the other half...

Then, to make the "non-brick half" a little less boring I added a little mossy foliage using the blister foam method I found on massivevoodoo.com...

If you are interested, I made a two part video tutorial on my Youtube channel showing how to do this kind of foliage(shallow moss)...
(double click embedded video to enlarge to full size)

Figure Feature: Khador Kommandos

2011-08-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

For a long time I held off on buying these guys...I just wasn't sure I liked the sculpts(was afraid they'd be too diminutive when I saw them in person). Well a few months ago I picked them up and I have finally gotten around to painting them up...well, I like 'em. I opted for a "Special Ops", very dark(black) scheme for these guys...avoiding the greys and greens I often opt to use on my Khadorans. As it was a unit(with Flamethrower attachment) I didn't give each figure the same time I'd give to a solo model, but I think they came out o.k. nonetheless...
(click on images for larger models)

For the bases I used a "Destroyed Trench" theme that I will also be applying to my Kommander Strakhov warcaster model. Basically some balsa wood bits, stryene(for steel trench supports), green stuff sand bags and the usual grit(sand and kitty litter mix). Here's an overhead view for a better look at the bases...

Figure Feature: Khador Manhunter(I wouldn't mess with her)

2011-08-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in the middle of painting a Warmachine or Hordes mini I take a look at the figure in front of me, take a moment, and say to myself "Yeah, that wouldn't be fun to face on the battlefield". I'm not talking about on the wargaming table, but in real life, an angry, dual axe-wielding agile huntress would probably be no fun to engage in melee; such was the case with the "Manhunter"(female variant). I like this solo a lot, not just because she makes a nice addition to my Khador army, but because, let's face it, she just looks cool.
(click on pictures for larger images)

I liked painting the various brown and beige hues that make up her animal hide/fur attire. I tried to keep the metallics muted to match this toned-down theme.

The base was a lot of fun(I getting to the point where I like to "dress up" my solos with custom bases). I decided, to even make her that much more impressive a warrior, to have her balancing on a floating block of ice. I sculpted the "ice" from modeling clay which I sealed with Mod Podge. I painted it with a mix of Cygnar Blue Highlight & Turquoise Ink, and then dry-brushed it with Morrow White. The icy water is Trollblood Highlight with a little white lined in to the wet paint..I coated it with water effects. I thought about putting a gloss on the ice, but looking in my freezer, I noticed that ice is actually rather flat in sheen(or non-sheen). Here's a better look at the base...

Thanks for taking a look....
Khador Kommandoes are now on my front burner with my Warpwolf Stalker and Gun Mage Captain Adept right behind them.

Real Life Warmachine

2011-08-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

I'd like to use my little corner of cyberspace today to honor a very special Warmachine player. You see, a lot of us think we get to play with warmachines...this guy does for real. About a year ago I had some really nice comments on my Youtube channel by 'KuVenet13'. For many of us there are other things that inhibit our spending time on our hobby...chasing down the kids, some paperwork we bring home from the office, or family events. How about a tour in Iraq? Sergeant Kurt Venetis is currently serving his 4th tour in Iraq with the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army.

He is a Sergeant and an Abrams Tank crewman(or as he put it to me "an operator of the fastest most deadly land based weapon system in the world"). In fact, let me share some more of what he is up to with his own words he sent me in an email...

BUT since we are in Iraq, and they don't like us blowing up buildings with our tanks and wrecking their streets, we have MRAPs. Which Stands for Mine Resistant Armored Personnel Carries. I on the other hand affectionately call it my Gun Carriage. I also perform the role of the dismounted squad leader, which means basically that I get out of my truck and running around and play infantry for a while, which isn't what I signed up for, but you know its not so bad.

In fact, here is Kurt and his comrades with his 'Gun Carriage'(good ARM stats I would think)...

I am always humbled by the sacrifices made by people like Kurt. Being just a high school teacher, which doesn't involve trotting half way around the globe and spending time away from my family(and hobbies), I TRULY APPRECIATE the efforts of those who do. In fact, you should know that Sgt. Venetis is married and has two daughters(with two more on the way). Of course he is also a Warmachine player, and invested in the charitable part of the hobby as well. He is working on Foodmachine and Breast Cancer Brawl armies at the moment.

Kurt has a Warmachine blog('Jack Factory) that he hasn't had a lot of time to update(for reasons that I am sure are obvious by now). That being said, he recently posted on his blog with the details of what he's up to now and plans for his site down the line. I would very much appreciate it if you would take the time to follow this link to his blog('Jack Factory), subscribe to him and maybe leave a comment of encouragement.

When the little things(or even big things) get in the way of pursuing your Warmachine/Hordes enterprises, think of Kurt and maybe remember that the obstacles we face are all relative. Plus, the next time you're so into the game that you imagine yourself controlling a multi-ton armored vehicle...remember there's a Warmachine player out there who really does!

Figure Feature: Alternate Alten

2011-08-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

There are few Privateer Press sculpts that I feel a desire to sub an alternate model for. That being said, I'm just not in love with the Alten Ashley model(although the stogie is cool). It's not that it's not a nice figure...I just think they have a better "Monster Hunter" in the PP stable...Seth Alkot of the Iron Kingdom line. I really like this figure(MFKAS-Mini Formerly Known As Seth)...he has a lean, mean look fitting of the character's profile in the Minions book. Here's my take on him...
(click on images for larger pictures)

They show him in a black coat on their website but I kind of wanted him in a more rugged, leather overcoat. I chose Sanguine for the scarf(my story is that he picked it up from the Protectorate when he worked for them) and a military grey/blue for his bedroll(he 'kept' it after serving with the Khadoran forces). I also chose to make his shoulder/elbow armor a nice bronze(maybe they were a parting gift from Cygnarian trenchers).

I used cork tiling for his base(ripped it up) and accessorized with some sand grit, lichen strands and a floral bit(the flowers behind him). You can't see it in the pic but I went over the flat, top surface of the cork with Liquitex Stucco because otherwise it very obviously appears as cork.

Thanks for viewing my "Alternate Alten"!

Figure Feature: Allister Caine

2011-07-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well after playing a bunch of games with Kara Sloan and Coleman Stryker I decided to branch out and get another warcaster ready for battle...thus, Allister Caine is reporting for duty. I really enjoyed painting up this mini...after going heavy on doing units lately it was nice to focus on a single figure. I really experimented with my blending and glazing techniques and I'm generally happy with the results. The face benefitted from a very thin glaze of black(20 water: 1 ink) applied in several coats to create the "Five O'Clock Shadow" effect...
(click on images for larger pictures)

I know sometimes people find their way to the blog who aren't miniature gaming enthusiasts or looking to get started...I thought I'd include a picture next to a quarter for a sense of scale...

Figure Feature: Stonekeeper

2011-07-29T05:38:00.000-07:00

The Shifting Stones will find themselves in many Circle Orboros army lists as will their great unit attachment, the Stonekeeper. I was excited to paint up this solo as I really like the challenge of painting stone, gemstones and the green/gold armor plating common to Circle figures. Hopefully you like the effect...
(click on pictures for larger images)

I'd also like to show you a photo the works in progress on my painting desk right now...

You know what they are, right?

Also, thanks to this post from the Diesel DM blog about photographing miniatures...in my opinion its the best tutorial I've seen about photographing miniatures and it was a big help to me.

Figure Feature: Hunter

2011-07-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

Well I'd been eying the Hunter for a while because not only does it have a nice stat line, it has mean, lean look(not unlike the Grenadier). I decided to paint it up in an alt scheme(Dark Grey) and give it a 'ruined trench' base(barbed wire will be added later- still working on it). In fact, I am creating an entire Allister Caine force with the same paint/basing scheme as well as a Strahkov Khadoran group with the same basing approach(he and Kommandos are in the mail!).

Anyways, here is my dark grey version of Cygnar's Hunter...

Thanks for taking a look...comments are welcomed as always.

Figure Feature: Flameguard Cleansers

2011-07-26T06:16:00.000-07:00

Have you ever run out of steam painting a unit and shelved it with the intention of finishing it later? That was the case with my recently completed Flameguard Cleansers which were a w.i.p. for eight months. When I started a Protectorate army last year I was really excited to buy a unit of Deliverers. Well, when I opened my box guess what was in the inside...a unit of Cleansers?(yeah, weird mispackage oddity). Well I decided to keep them and paint them when I got around to it...they became my perpetual side project. Finally they are table ready...
(click on images for larger pictures)

In the end I was glad I got the wrong item in the box because they ended up being a pretty nice unit(both in look(sculpts) and in terms of stat line!). Also, it helped me with a new system I'm leaning towards from now in order to get units done. While I'm waiting for paint to dry on solos, warcasters and warjacks(and warlocks & warbeasts), I will go to a unit and do bits of it here and there over time....as to avoid unit burnout. Then, one day, as happened with my Flameguard Cleansers, I've suddenly got a painted unit ready for battle(without the painting fatigue of just painting that unit from start to finish).

Five Reasons Warmachine trumps Warhammer 40K...

2011-07-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

O.K., some of your are saying "don't go there", some of you are saying" but I like both games" and some of you are saying..."yeah, that's right" as you read the title of this post. I know game systems have their loyalists, as do the companies that produce them, but I am tired of the beating around the bush and I want to give you five reasons why I believe Privateer Press' Warmachine is a better game than Games Workshop's Warhammer 40K. This post is not directed at Warmachine loyalists...you already know this stuff. This post is not directed at the GW faithful(though I can't understand this group in all honesty)...I won't change your mind. This post is directed at two groups:

1. Disenchanted 40K players(I used to be one) considering another system.

2. Would-be wargamers deciding on which game to pursue.

So here are my five top reasons(yes the list could be longer)...
1. Game Rules: Let's cut to the chase...if you are going to play a miniature wargame, a solid ruleset is a must. Warmachine is known for its easy to learn, yet sophisticated, rules set. Warhammer 40K is known as a clunky system which invites debate over not just the proper application of the rules as written, but the logic behind them. Now I could give a plethora of examples but let me pick one of my favorites. In 40K a unit chooses whether to use a cover save or an armor save(whichever is most advantageous to the defending unit)...this make no sense(wouldn't an armored space marine still benfit from the cover of a crater in addition to his armor?). In Warmachine the armor and cover are treated separately(through ARM and DEF) so that this is not an issue, and the matter is dealt with more logically. It's amazing that after FIVE editions and decades of experience GW could still have such a messy, contentious rules system...while in far less time, and just two tries...Privateer Press has a tight, functional, logical model for wargaming.

2. Entry Cost: Essentially a player can begin Warmachine for approximately $40(give or take) with a BattleBox. A player can start 40K with a set like Black Reach, but we're talking about $100. Now a GW loyalist will say "But WM is a skirmish game and 40K is a large scale wargame". Well that's fine but let's be honest about that scale. Purchasing Black Reach means you've got a small starting force for only Orks or Space Marines...you'll need to spend another $100 U.S. to even begin to flesh out that force to competitive standard. The WM player can easily expand their force in significant ways with a much smaller investment. Also, the would be WM(and Hordes) player can pick up a battlebox for the faction of their choice to get started...they are not limited to the two in a starter set. Even with the upcoming WM starter set(which is two factions), PP will continue to offer the battleboxes and warpacks as a more flexible way to enter the hobby.

3. Internet Friendly: Games Workshop seems to hate the internet. From their own horrible website, their restrictions on image usage, to their shafting of online retailers with highly restrictive policies, they have a great 1986 business model. Privateer Press seems to embrace this modern medium. They have forums(visited by their actual employees) which are a great source of knowledge and advice(and an avenue for customer feedback). GW uses their website as catalog...and that's about it. Now there are some really nice "third party" sites out there like Bell of Lost Souls that promote 40K, but the that same site is often visited by Privateer Press employees who comment on articles about their product line(you don't see that from the GW folks). Here is a great video from miniwargaming.com that goes into detail on some of GW's ridiculous policies.

4. Support Materials: Privateer Press publishes a high quality rulebook and forces(faction) books. Compare your average WM or Hordes forces book to a 40K codex and you'll see a huge difference in quality...especially in terms of color images and the helpful hobby(painting) section in all the PP supplements. I remember dropping $20 for a thin, little Tau codex that later looked pathetic next to my Forces of Khador book(I've since sold my off all my 40K stuff).

5. Release Calendar: This is, to me, the clincher. Warhammer 40K is currently using their 5th edition rulebook. Now since the release of this book(two years ago) they have gradually updated their armies with codex releases staggered over time. Two years later there are still armies that are not up to date with their 'latest' rules system. I knew someone who had a fairly useless Dark Eldar army that they held on to for a year and then sold off in frustration(the codex was hopelessly outdated for the previous 40K edition)...months later the new Dark Eldar codex came out that made their army competitive. Now there are rumors of a 40K 6th edition...so the ridiculous cycle can start all over again. I am so thankful I am now fully invested in Warmachine. Within six months Privateer Press published their second edition rules and faction books for all related armies. Their ambitious release schedule for 2nd edition had the whole game system updated in a short time...while 40K's 5th edition came out well before WM mark II and still all the 40K armies aren't updated all this time later. I could compare the advertisement called "White Dwarf" to the magazine entitled "No Quarter" as an additional illustration of this point...but I think I'd be beating a dead horse.

So what happens from here? Well, I expect that Privateer Press will continue to increase their market share and a lot of people will make the switch from 40K to, quite frankly, the better game. Now if you love the lore or the minis of the 40K universe then go about your business(and clunky rules) so you can enjoy the fantasy world of your choice. However, if you are disenchanted by that game, or deciding which one to pursue, please consider the above. I fall in the former group...although technically historical wargaming was my entry into the miniature wargaming hobby, 40K baptized me in fantasy(scifi) wargaming. However, between the awkward rules, feeling I was being overcharged for product and the problems with the calendar for release of support materials, I looked for a better game...Warmachine was that better game. In a way I'd like to thank GW for driving me away...because you really drove me to seek out a better experience.

If you are interested, here is a video where I described my switch over a year ago...
Iron Kingdoms at War: Superior Ruleset

Figure Feature: The Great Bears

2011-07-25T04:39:00.000-07:00

Well as veteran WM/H painters know, painting up units can be a bit monotonous...but then there are "character units" that are usually a pleasure to work on; such is the case with the Great Bears of Gallowswood. Let's start with the great lore for these guys...the survivors of a decimated Iron Fang Company, they have served in all the key battles of the Khadoran Empire.
(click on pictures for larger images)

Painting these guys was a lot of fun...especially the armor and bear pelts. I am still trying to improve on my Khador Red...still not perfected but I'm getting better(I pretty much used the Forces book method for my approach).

The snow effect was my usual concoction of 1 part baking soda, 1 part white glue & 1 part white paint.

Another Shoutout...

2011-07-23T05:33:00.000-07:00

So occasionally I come across the website/blog of a miniature painter who does such amazing work I find myself with my jaw dropping and deciding to pursue one of the following options...
1. give up on my own painting because it could never compare
2. keep on painting with a hope of being that good some day
Well I always choose option 2...but at least I must share what I discovered. In the past I pointed out the amazing work of two women who are mini painters extraordinaire(Marike and Jen Haley), well today I discovered the blog of another woman, Ana(the Painting Mum), a Polish miniature painting artist. Here is a link to her Cool Mini Or Not contributions.

Here's a photo of one of her pieces(be sure to follow the link and visit her amazing work, I dare you to not be impressed!)...

Visit Ana's blog to this mini in greater detail!

Figure Feature: Mannikins & Sentry Stone

2011-07-22T02:37:00.000-07:00

The druids of Orboros are known for their constructs. Though the stone wolds are the more famous of their creations, the wooden Mannikins and their Sentry Stones are feared as well!

I love this little unit(yes unit...why is it still under 'solos' on the PP site?). You have to love the character of these sculpts...
(click on images for large versions)

And I have to show them in 'dancing' formation...

Here's a look at just the Mannikins(I love the head sculpts!)...

And just the Sentry Stone...

Thanks for taking a look!

Oh, and as a die hard League of Legends player, I have to point out that...

'Fiddlesticks' was inspired by the PP Mannikins(in my humble opinion!).

Figure Feature: Widowmaker Marksman

2011-07-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Well, as the Widowmakers are all "marksmen", to be singled out as a "Marksmen" amongst marksmen...you must be something special. Although he's a nice little solo, I plan to make him the "5th man" in my Widowmakers unit.

I waffled on what color to paint his armor plating...Khador Red seemed too conspicuous for a guy trying to be a stealthy sniper. However, in the end, I went with it...my story being that he has been dragged out a Widowmaker Military Academy(where he is an instructor) for an emergency assignment(kind of like Thorwald being from sniper school to hunt Zaitsev at Stalingrad).

Here he is...

The bronze Metallics are mainly by Howard's Hues*Bronze and Gold) with the steel hues mainly old Reaper Pro Series(paint pots) and even a very old Ral Partha silver!

Figure Feature: Tharn Bloodtrackers

2011-07-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Tribal allies of Circle Orboros, the Tharn Bloodtrackers are female warriors who are swift-footed spear-throwers. They will make a nice addition to my Baldur army as they will enjoy the damage buff that he conveys as well as his armor bonus(Stone Skin).

Here's my version of the unit...

I gave the leader of the unit a streak of red in her hair...you have to love her howling war cry pose...

Here is a shot of one of the warriors for a closer look at how I did their bases. The grass are tufts by The Army Painter and the flora are bits of a an old wedding bouquet that was on clearance at a local craft store...

One thing to note about a little "fix up" did with the painting(in case this ever happens to you):
I wanted my Bloodtrackers to have pale skin as shown by PP but after painting and highlighting I found that I'd gone too far...and their flesh was more white than anything else. To fix this I made a very watered-down glaze of P3 Red Ink and washed it over the skin areas...presto...a more normal color without having to start the whole painting process over again!

I Spy Game(Work in Progress) #1

2011-07-19T05:47:00.000-07:00

O.K., in a new blog installment, let's play "I Spy". What work-in-progress minis can you identify on my painting desk? Let's put your Privateer Press miniature knowledge to the test! Bonus points will be awarded for identifying the non-Privateer Press minis on the right hand side. Click on the image for a larger picture...

Add you guesses in the comments section...

Figure Feature: The Piper of Ord...

2011-07-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

I hear music when I see this figure...really...o.k., not really. However, Rhupert Carvolo(The Piper of Ord) does, in game, get to choose from three songs to play to boost friendly units. His "Dirge of Mists" grant a defense bonus to allies(and terrorizes foes), his "Heroic Call" tune grants Fearless and Tough, while his "march" song grants Pathfinder to friendlies. He's a great addition to a Merc army(or 'paying' faction) and I love the figure. The metallics are Howard's Hues which I love(not many fantasy gamers use them but a lot of Historical Wargamers know the paint line well)...

Figure Feature: The Good Nyss

2011-07-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

Well those of you who know the Hordes lore know that most of the Nyss(Dark Elves) were blighted with evil. Well, I love the story of the "good Nyss", Cylena Raefyll and the Nyss Hunters....who escaped the blight and now fight for coin.

The Nyss are tricky because they have black body armor...and making the details 'pop' is a challenge. I actually base-coated the figures black and then dry-brushed(YES, dry-brushed!) the figures with a medium grey. To clean up the dry brush strokes and darken the armor plates back up, I went in and blocked in the inner surfaces of the armor with flat black. The bases included some hand made rocky outcroppings crafted from modelling clay, and set in place with Mod Podge(otherwise they dry up, crumble or slide off the plastic base).

Come on Privateer Press, we want more nice Nyss models such as these...

Post Hiatus Momentum...

2011-07-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

...yeah that post title sounds like a Harry Potter spell doesn't it? Seriously, it has been many months since I posted and there's a good reason...I haven't painted for many months. I used to fight it, but I've learned to accept that I'm a "hobby in spurts" kind of guy. There are sometimes four month periods where I churn out dozens of painted models, and then I need a few months downtime to recuperate...then the cycle starts over again. The only downside is that I don't want to let people down who follow this blog...but...well, it's how I do it.

Anyways, here are my latest figures(excuse the rust, I'm getting my painting mojo back gradually)...
(Click on pictures for slightly larger images)

Herne & Jonne(Warmachine Mercenary Unit)...

Runebearer(Trollblood Warlock Attachment Solo)...

Trollblood Skinner(Trollblood Solo)...

Druid Wilder(Circle Orboros Solo)...

Baldur the Stonecleaver(Circle Orboros Warlock)...

Megalith(Circle Orboros Character Warbeast(Wold))...

Well that's it for now, but I've got a Circle Orboros unit on the front burner that I'll be posting pics of when they're done. Thanks for viewing!

A Year's Progress...

2011-03-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been painting Warmachine miniatures for about a year now, having adding Hordes into the mix this past Christmas. Here's a screenshot of my Collection Manager from the Forward Kommander program for a sense of what I have done...

(yeah, that's 188 WM/H minis that I own now)
As you can see I've accomplished a lot...but I have many unpainted minis awaiting my brushes. I keep my "minis in waiting" on pegs on the wall...

As my collection list above shows, I really like "dabbling" in building many armies rather than specialize in one faction. Actually my big Merc(and growing Minion) collection speaks to this...as I like to fill out many of my faction armies with Merc/Minion support. I've really enjoyed approaching the hobby this way...it keeps me from getting bored with the same scheme(red for Khador, blue for Cygnar, etc.) and allows to me to pick and choose some of my favorite sculpts. Plus, its fun to hop around from faction to faction and grow my armies little by litte.

So what's in the works right now?....

Figure Feature: Grim Angus and Janissa Stonetide

2011-03-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, we all know that the Trollbloods ooze character...that's probably why I ordered too many for Christmas! Now I'm backlogged on painting them(along with various Minions, Circle, Warmachine figures) but I am getting them done slowly but surely. Below is a video clip showing my newly finished Grim Angus and Janissa Stonetide figures...I can't wait to field them!

Figure Feature: Minion Solos

2011-03-14T03:08:00.000-07:00

I recently uploaded a video on my Youtube Channel of various Minion Solos that I finished painting(Pendrake, Gudrun, Rorsh & Brine) and thought folks here might be interested...
(double click video window to enlarge)

Simple "Supply" Cover Terrain for Warmachine/Hordes

2011-03-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

I have been spending the last two months furiously painting minis for use with my gaming club so I haven't done much in the area of terrain. While some basecoats were drying on some solos the other day I threw these together and thought I would share...

They are VERY cheaply made from wooden craft bits from Michael's(the barrels, pot-shaped barrels) and modeling clay(the grain/supply bags). I am sure I could make them look prettier with a little more time but it was a quick little project.

They are meant as simple cover pieces, but I was thinking they could also make nice objective markers...or even mod a game to give the person who captures them some sort of resupply bonus.

Spell Tokens for Warmachine...

2011-02-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

Inspired by this great work at the Warmachine forums, I set out to make some custom spell tokens for Gorten Grundback. I am very new to any kind of sculpting but I kind of like the results anyways...
From left to right the tokens represent the following spells: Molten Metal, Strength of Granite, Solid Ground, Rock Wall, Eruption). I used a wooden craft piece for the metal pot and green stuff/modeling clay for the other items. Lava/molten metal was simulated with a little white glue that I painted over.

I am sure a second attempt would be prettier- but it was a fun little project!

Shoutouts to Two Amazing Artists...

2011-02-02T07:49:00.000-08:00

In case you never noticed the links to the side, I'd like to point out the amazing work of two gifted miniature painters whose sites I visit often. Looking at their painted minis can be humbling but it also serves as inspiration to improve my own work. If you think you're good, be sure to look at their skills for a reality check.

First up is Marike Reimer who can do things with a paint brush that I didn't think was possible...
(be sure to click on the image twice to see the mini its its full-blown glory)

Visit her site "Destroyer Miniatures" and take a look at her gallery!

Equally impressive is the also award-winning work of Jen Haley who also impresses with her skills...

You can visit her wonderful site, Paintrix Miniatures, to see her great gallery and read her interesting personal background story.

I normally reserve my blog for my own painted minis and terrain pieces but sometimes you need to take a moment to pay homage to the masters who "push the envelope" in the miniatures painting hobby. If I ever come by some disposable cash, I'll be emailing both of those ladies for commissioned pieces for a display case!

Figure Feature: Farrow Brigands

2011-01-30T12:28:00.000-08:00

I'd say of all the Hordes unit models the Farrow Brigands have to be my favorite. They of course are the meat and potatoes pig-men "shootey" unit of the Thornfall Alliance Minions.

The Farrow Brigands stat line reads a lot like the Cygnar trenchers including the "Dig In" ability. However, they are a Minions units that will work for ALL FOUR of the core Hordes factions which is pretty cool.

The leader of the unit(pictured in the middle above) can say a different Prayer each turn buffing the figures in a different way(for various offensive/defensive perks).
I know many people are gaga for the Blindwater gators but I think the Farrows are more my style- in fact I might even build a Thornfall army in good time. In the meantime, these guys will be some core support for my small but growing Trollbloods army.

Click below for a video of this Figure Feature:

Figure Feature: Deliverers

2011-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

The first time I browsed Privateer Press' website I loved the look of the Deliverers unit! To be honest the Protectorate of Menoth wasn't a faction I was in a hurry to play but eventually I got around to them and of course, that meant it was time to paint up some Deliverers!

The Deliverers, like the other bread-and-butter Menite militia, Zealots, have a nice Arabian-Steampunk look to them befitting desert fighters. I went with a traditional paint scheme because I think the Sanguine/Menoth White/Black them is full of style.

One of the best things about these guys was assembly...none! That's right, all of the models are one piece so you just slot them into their bases, texture up said bases....prime and paint! As far as in-game- well they all fire blast radius rockets(Skyhammers, AoE=3) that can play havoc with an enemy advance...notoriously inaccurate but, hey, there's enough of them to blanket an area effectively!

For a video of my Deliverers, click below...

Warmachine: Passing On the Awesome

2011-01-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

Today I had a great time passing on to the students in my miniature gaming club(at the high school where I teach) the awesomeness of Warmachine. We had two small 18 to 25 pt. skirmish games and the students really picked up the basics rather quickly.
(excuse the blurry pics, used my camera phone)

One table saw a small Khadorian army led by Sorscha take on a Highborn Convenant Merc force led by Ashlynn. The students did a nice job learning the basics of running, attacking, boosting and jack-marshalling(Hammerfall Highshields took a couple of Gunners).

In the end the Khadorian heavies were too much to handle(although the Mariner beat up the Destroyer pretty well). It was said to see some of my favorite merc units(Highshields and Devil Dogs) get beat up a little...but they put up a valiant fight!

At the second table the other students had an evenly matched Protectorate vs. Cygnar battle. The Menite heavies(Vanquisher & Crusader) did a nice job while the choir of Menoth sung songs of battle to buff their attacks.

This battle ended in a stalemate(ran out of time) but it wasn't for lack of aggression. Stryker repeatedly unleashed Earthquake while Kreoss responded with often Cleansing Fire. The Vanquisher and Ironclad locked onto each other in close combat while the Lancer and Revenger repeatedly thrusted and parried with their polearms.

The students at this table quickly(and impressively) gained a knowledge of spell-casting, 'jack-buffing and combat modifiers.

It was a lot of fun watching several students learn the game and I look forward to them passing on what they know to others in the club. There's still much to learn, but in a couple of hours time they've mastered the basics and clearly have gained a sense of how different RATS, MATS, DEFS and ARMS affect the game.

It's a game that is simple enough to pick up and enjoy quickly but strategically deep enough to never grow old- that's the greatness of Warmachine!

Update: One of my students was nice enough to send some pics of our battles...he has a much nicer phone(and therefore better photos) than I...

Figure Feature: Madrak Ironhide & Impaler

2011-01-09T19:23:00.000-08:00

Well I finally have painted my first couple of Trollbloods- an army I've been anxious to get my brush on for some time now. You have to love these sculpts...full of power, character and humor!

Madrak is a great figure who, of course, is an "albino" Trollblood. I love the stone, metal and leather details that Privateer put on this guy. This was my first time doing a tartan- and that was a challenge. I pretty much followed the guide in the Forces book for painting it, although I scrapped my first try and started over.

The bases for my first two Trollbloods are fully customized. I used carved sprue for the plant and green stuff for the other details(mushrooms, logs, vines & leaves). I wanted a whimsical, decaying forest theme.

The Impaler has a classic Trollblood Blue coloration and I used the studio models as mu inspiration. Note the turkey(s) hanging from his belt! I find trollblood eyes a little tricky...but I have discovered that "less is more" is the key when it comes to their eyes.

The leather on this guy was fun to do...some Gun Corps Brown, Beasthide, and a couple of other shades all received a wash of Reaper Brown Ink(including the metal bits).

For a full video Figure Feature see below...

Dystopian Steam- Sister Blog Launched

2011-01-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

It's in its infancy but to check out my new blog dedicated to Spartan Games' "Dystopian Wars"(a steampunk naval warfare miniatures game!) click below...
http://dystopiansteam.blogspot.com/

I have a video up there showing an "unboxing" of a starter set if you are interested. I will rarely use this Warmachine blog to make mention of the other blog, but I thought I'd kick it off here for anyone interested(after all, if you like steam-driven warfare, Dystopian Wars might be your 2nd favorite game like me!).

Don't worry, I'm still primarily a Warmahordes guy....but a little diversion is a good thing!

Figure Feature: Protectorate Starting Army

2010-12-31T08:10:00.000-08:00

So I finally finished painting up the core of my Protectorate of Menoth starting army. Having already built a Cygnar, Khador and Merc force, this was my next big Warmachine project.

The models pictured above include the BattleBox minis(Kreoss, Repenter, Revenger, & Crusader(shown as a Templar)) with a Heavy Plastic Warjack kit added(shown as a Vanquisher) and the Choir of Menoth as well. I also ordered the box set of Deliverers, but my first Delivers box actually contained Flameguard Cleansers by mistake. I liked them so I kept them...and ordered an additional box of Deliverers(which were Deliverers!). These two units are still unpainted(and thus not shown).

A couple of things I wanted to mention about painting. First, Menoth White I found to be very tricky. I used the painting technique suggested in the Forces of Warmachine book but as I start with a light grey primer and not a black one, my white ended up being too white so I had to adjust the approach a bit

Secondly, I chose a mosaic tile pattern for the base and I really liked the result. The basing them was a partially ruined Menoth temple that was reclaimed by Menite forces(this the partial tile/rubble effect).

I had a lot of fun magnetizing the heavy warjacks using this tutorial made by Plarzoid at the Privateer Press forums . I highly recommend K&J Magnetics for the magnets...great website, prices and prompt shipping. At any time I can run any two of the following in a battle now: Crusader, Crusader, Vanquisher, Templar. I call these guys my "Protectorate Action Figures" because of the nice, pose-able articulation that comes with magnetizing them.

I really like the Choir of Menoth figures- another example of Privateer Press having the best mini sculpts around!

I am excited to add to this army and I look forward to fielding it of course. For now I am on to Trollbloods but all of my armies, including the Protectorate one, will continue to receive reinforcements of course.

Kreoss and company emerge from the forest, ready to deal death to the Morrowan heretics!

For a more detailed description view the video version of this Figure Feature below...

Cygnarian Shooting Gallery(Terrain Tutorial)

2010-12-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

Well of course everyone knows that Long Gunners only achieve their marksmanship(RAT) with many hours of training...thus the need for the Cygnarian Shooting Gallery!

The moving paper targets depicting Iron Fang Pikemen, Lich Lords and Helljacks provide the real-world combat situation of trying to hit a moving enemy(artwork by Clayman8 and thevampiredeo)...

The words above the firing stalls remind the trainees of an important truth: "One shot could save the kingdom"...

And of course the boulder backstop provides secondary targets in the form of the ever-threatening watermelons and pumpkins!(ever see Mail Call or Lock n' Load on the History Channel?)

The Watermelon/Pumpkin casualties up close(warning-some vegetarians may be sensitive to these images)...

The "Target Shack" where fresh paper targets are loaded on to the revolving chain...

A local villager has contributed a pumpkin for the good of the kingdom(target practice) as a worn-out chain and gear lay abandoned next to the shack...

If anyone has any questions about the project feel free to post them, or check out the vids where I describe the project in detail...

Terrain Tutorial: Field Grass Area Terrain

2010-12-16T17:50:00.000-08:00

Historical wargamers have used coconut fiber mats for field grass and crops on their battlefields for over 30 years...and it's still a useful way to model fields. I incorporated the easily usable material into area terrain for my Warmachine battlefields. Tall grass makes a great +2 DEF cover terrain- not strong enough to stop a bullet and act as cover, but thick enough to obscure the target(especially a Rhulic Dwarf of course!).

Above you can see a "winter" version of the field grass being used in a game.

The individual based 'clumps' can be removed from the area base to make way for figures or they can be used separately on a terrain board without a larger base.

As you can see, even without the area base the smaller pieces can be used as nice "concealment" terrain.

The picture above shows a standard spring/summer version of the field grass.

And above you see some trenchers advancing through that version(sorry the pic is a bit bright).

For a complete "how to" make the terrain elements and to see how I use them in a WM battle take a look at the vids below...

Figure Feature: Grundback Gunners and Horgenhold Artillery Corps

2010-12-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

Some of the greatest miniatures from the Warmachine line are the Rhulic(dwarven) forces from the Mercenaries faction. Plenty of fantasy settings have mountain-dwelling, forge-oriented dwarves...but adding the "steampunk" element gives them an extra dash of character!

The Grundback Gunners are fun little light warjacks that I like to think of as "walking guns"- I mean look at them! I do not yet have enough Rhulic units to field an entire Searforge army but I plan to jack marshall these gunners to my Hammerfall High Shields in the meantime in support of contract armies.

I painted these guys the standard Hammerfall Khaki. I wanted a clean, un-worn look but after my initial paintjob I decided to go back and given them a Gun Corps Brown wash to bring out the details a little more.

The newer Horgenhold Artillery Corps are some of my favorite Warmachine minis to date. I decided to call the main gunner "Red" after the color I chose for her hair. The armor was a combination of Hammerfall Khaki and Thornwood Green. I like the poses of the 'support' minis- the loader and the troop directing the shot. I used my usual baking soda-white glue-white paint mix to make the "snow" for the bases.

The only conversions I made to the model are visible from the rear. I replaced "Red"'s axe with a sword from my bits box and made sandbags out of green stuff as a backstop to the mortar. I am really looking forward to fielding this unit and the long-range punch that it packs.

And above you can see a "group shot" of my new Rhulics!

Double click on the video below for a full "Figure Feature" for these minis on my Youtube Channel...

I Spy: A Cluttered Desk

2010-12-12T04:34:00.000-08:00

So I am knee-deep in WM minis and that is not a bad thing. However I looked up at my desk this morning and realized how much I was juggling in various painting stages...yikes! So I thought we'd play "I Spy"-Warmachine style.

What different WM units/jacks/etc. do you spy in the photo?(click to enlarge)

Terrain Walkthru: Khadorian War Memorial

2010-12-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

I put together a simple little "Khadorian War Memorial" monument the other day(two versions as you can see below) as a little side project while painting up some Trenchers. Well of course I got carried away and the terrain became my main project and the minis my side project(as usual).

The idea was to create a village monument to fallen soldiers where their surviving loved ones could express their remembrance.

The idea of the candles was that loved ones would burn a candle, say prayer, use some wax runoff to affix a 'letter of remembrance' to the base of the statue and then affix the candle. My three red candles are to honor the fallen and the yellow candle(with no matching letter) is to honor a still-serving Khadorian son or daughter.

And here's just another look from the back.

I also put together a "destroyed" version of the memorial with a summer motif.

The story here is that some Cygnarian invaders(or perhaps spiteful Llaelese resistance types?) laid into the memorial and wrecked it.

For a complete video walk-thru discussing the construction, painting and detailing of these pieces double-click on the link below to my Youtube video...

Happy Wargaming Everybody!
~Gareson

Terrain Tutorial: Patchwork Slate Roads

2010-12-04T23:15:00.000-08:00

Wanting a new type of road other than the usual for my Warmachine battlefields, I recently put together what I call "Patchwork Slate Road" sections:

These roads are supposed to be somewhat ramshackle, with stones being quarried from many different places to create their irregular, haphazard appearance:

They were basically constructed from matting board(as the bases), rectangular bits of cardboard and matting board(could use heavy cardboard) and caulking(for the side ridges. I mixed a base grey paint with white, black and blue respectively to achieve the multi-colored effect on the stonework. The static grass in Noch Spring mix. For more information and a complete tutorial, feel free to click on the three part video tutorial below...

Warmachine BattleReport 25pt Cygnar v. Cryx

2010-11-30T18:04:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of a 25 pt. WM battle with Kara Sloan leading an alliance of Cygnarians and their Mercenary hires against Lich Lord Asphyxious and his ghastly Cryxian minions. It was a great battle which saw an early Cygnarian wave of success suddenly met with a fierce Cryx counter-attack. Watch the BatReps below to see what happened...

Cygnar/Merc Army

Warcaster: Kara Sloan

Warjacks: Ironclad(H), Charger(L), Lancer(L)

Units: Trencher Chaingun Crew, Hammerfall High Shield Gun Corps, Dannon Blythe & Bull

Solos: Eiryss

Cryx Army

Warcaster: Lich Lord Asphyxious

Helljacks/Bonejacks: Slayer(H), Harrower(H), Canker Worm(B), Defiler(B)

Units:-

Solos: Pistol Wraith, Necrotech/Scrapthrall, Gorman Di Wulfe

Stone-Wood Split Fence Tutorial

2010-11-28T18:53:00.000-08:00

Always a fan of small, simple terrain accents in addition to large structures, I have put together a video tutorial for an archaic-looking stone/wood fence.

Here are a couple of stills of the easily made fences(supplies=coffee stirrers, cardboard, small bits of styrofoam):

The vids can be found on my Youtube channel(Iron Kingdoms at War) at the links below...
(the embedded vids below may be cut off, double-click on a video to see it at youtube)

My next project will be "Patchwork Slate Road Sections".

Figure Feature: Butcher of Khardov and Wardog

2010-11-27T07:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so long since posting- a lot going on! That being said, I'm back(with a vengeance) to terrain-making and mini-painting for Warmachine! Yes, I have the pictures(and soon more vids) to prove it!

First up is the Butcher of Khardov(I always want to say "Kharkov" after the famous WWII battle!).

I think I've almost shed my rustiness after months off from painting and I'm pretty happy with how he turned out. Usually I don't do "gore" on a figure but a figure named "Butcher" screamed for a little blood in my opinion. I look forward to taking this Khadorian Warcaster into battle, especially because of his earth-shaking "Obliteration" spell.

Next up is the Khadorian War Dog...

The greatest challenge for the Wardog was trying to get the coloration of the fur correct- again, I'm pretty happy with the result. I used some photos of Bull Mastiffs as a reference. At first I thought of having him jumping over a fence, but I used a watch part gear instead(on the base). I've been wanting to field this solo figure for a while now to support my Khadorian 'casters...now I can!

Finally, here's the two figures together. For both I chose a Thornwood Green/Khador Red armor combination(such as seen on the Kodiak in the Forces of Warmachine book)- I just like the way the colors look together.

If you are curious about how I made the "snow" from easily available materials watch the video below...

Fallen Tree Terrain Tutorial

2010-05-04T03:37:00.000-07:00

Having become very favorable to caulking as one of my newest favorite terrain-making material, I set out on an experimental piece. I've seen some nice pre-fabbed over-sized fallen trees available and I wanted to see if I could make one myself- I was very happy with the results

The materials I used were as follows:
-Caulking(White DAP brand)
-Tin Foil
-Matting Board(for base)

-Sand/Kitty Litter(for earth texture)

1.I began by cutting out my base and then ripping off a 10" or so long piece of good old tin foil. I scrunched it into the basic cylindrical shape of my fallen tree.
2.I coated the foil roughly with caulking using a caulking gun. Using a butter knife, I assured a smooth and complete coating of the tin foil form.
3.Using a toothpick, I engraved lines into the tree running the length of the piece to simulate a bark texture. I also crafted some small knotholes.
4.I let the caulking dry, then based the piece with sand/kitty litter mix. I added some small aquarium stones. After painting I flocked the edges with static grass and added some small foliage.

The pic above gives a sense of scale. I wanted the piece to represent and impressively large fallen tree that would provide cover to a nice-sized unit on the battlefield(although with the above method you could make trees or stumps of just about any size). I am sure I will refine the technique but I like my initial results- especially for such a simple process.

For a complete video tutorial on this piece click on the links below...

Brrrr! Frozen Pond Terrain

2010-05-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

I recently put together a frozen pond for my winter gaming terrain(scroll to bottom for video).

It was a real "throw together" project that I did on a whim, but I really like the result. Construction was very easy...
-base was made from thick "For Sale" sign
-ridge around pond was made from plain white DAP caulking
(pebbles/field grass embedded within)
-ice effect was done using Envirotex

I didn't need to paint the caulking(white will do for snow of course) but for the pond I...
-gave the whole thing a thick basecoat of white paint
-watered down some slate blue and worked it into the still wet white paint in a swirling pattern
(not photorealistic, but I wanted a "wargamey" piece with a hint of blue)
-sealed with Envirotex
You can't really tell from the photos but the Envirotex gives it a fitting, icey sheen.

Best of all, because we're talking all flexible materials(plastic sign, caulking, dried Envirotex), the piece is very durable and flexible as illustrated above- it'll last me forever.

Dirt Roads Terrain Tutorial

2010-04-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

I had some people on my Youtube channel asking me how I made my dirt roads that are in some of my battle reports. As I finally got around to doing a terrain tutorial on these I thought I'd mention it here. My approach is simple, quick and inexpensive. Though it's nothing ground-breaking, it yields nice results for anyone looking to crank out some nice scenery in a short amount of time.

The materials used are...
-matting board
-caulking
-sand/kitty litter
-grass flocking

You can see a two part video tutorial on how to make these road sections, here...

Terrain Tutorial: Mucky Swamp

2010-04-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

Inspired by my Mariner base, I wanted to create a nice swamp terrain piece for my Warmachine boards. I have made some of these in the past but with much more crude techniques- so I wanted to "take it to the next level". The project was a simple one using the following materials:
-hardboard(1/8") (for the base)
-spackle a.ka.a. "filler"(for embankment)
-twigs(for downed trees)
-small stones(for rocks)
-dress pins and green stuff(for cattails)
-make-up brush strands(for field grass)
-green stuff(for lily pads)
-sand/kitty litter mix(for dirt texture)
-Envirotex Lite(for water effect)

I was happy with the finished product. If you want a step-by-step tutorial, be sure to scroll down to the embedded videos or click here...

Warmachine Battle Report: 25pt Stryker v. Irusk

2010-04-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

After a string of embarrassing, decisive losses, the chain has been broken; my Khadorians have finally triumphed! GDog played Cygnar and chose Stryker as his warcaster, while I brought Irusk with his red horde in tow. It was a great game. From the beginning I was used the nice range of my Winterguard Mortar Crew and Bull to slice up his infantry. However, once the heavies were engaged, his Ironclad and Mule were getting the better of my Destroyer and Juggernaut. However, in the end, superior numbers allowed me to give him too many targets, and for me to nip away at Stryker.

See the full video Battle Report below(double click to open in a regular window):

Figure Feature: Mariner

2010-04-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

Envisioning my Mariner as a forgotten 'jack tucked away amongst the refuse of a dockside warehouse, I wanted to give it a "mucky", dirty and rusted look as if its only barely fit for duty. I want the thing to look like it's going to creak and grind as its oxidized limbs try to move the behemoth inland from the marshy coast.
(scroll down for video)

I went a little rust crazy(and muck crazy) to get the effect I was looking for...

Introducing: Tiny Townsfolk...

2010-04-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

My quest to find suitable "townspeople" and civilians to populate my Iron Kingdoms terrain has led me to discover a plethora of great figures that fit this theme. Knowing that there may be others out there interested in similar figures I will share my discoveries with others through Iron Kingdoms at War's new sister blog: Tiny Townfolk. Be sure to visit the link below to see the blog:
Tiny Townsfolk Blog

I will regularly update the blog with newly painted figures and point you to where you can acquire these figures if interested.

Figure Feature: Sam MacHorne & The Devil Dogs

2010-04-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

Having decided to build a Highborn Covenant Merc Army I was immediately attracted to the very versatile and tactically useful Devil Dogs unit. In addition to their array of melee, ranged and special abilities, as well as their solid stat line, Sam is a Jack Marshall who can drive up to two Merc Warjacks. Essentially, that means the Devil Dogs are practically an army in their own right when on the field.

The Slug Guns of the Devil Dogs are VERY short range but high power weapons, but the Pick Axes they all carry for melee deal extra damage to knocked down models- convenient given that one of the Dogs carries a metal net with which to knock down enemy 'jacks.

They were a pleasure to paint, and each sculpt in the six figure box set is a unique sculpt. Click below to see my "Video Figure Feature" for more information...

Terrain Tutorial: Rocky Outcroppings

2010-04-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Recently I completed a "Rocky Outcropping" piece of difficult terrain for my Warmachine battlefields. It is mainly comprised of blue styrofoam(2") boulders plastered with Liquitex Stucco(for the stone effect). I designed the piece not as a solid obstacle but to allow for the movement of minis through the terrain(with cover). I may add a little foliage, but its already a functional bit of terrain. This is a great alternative to similar pieces made by Pegasus Hobbies, and you can knock these off in no time!
Below are some stills, but please be sure to check out my video tutorials for more information...

Rural Homestead Terrain

2010-04-06T16:19:00.000-07:00

I recently completed a small "Rural Homestead" which consists of a small cottage with adjoining stone walls on a slight elevation. It has a squarish base as I was going for the "wargamey" over "realism" approach. Below are some stills, but if you scroll down you can see a four part tutorial on how to make the piece as well as a video describing its painting/flocking...

Video Tutorials

Terrain Tutorial: Warjack Repair Shop

2010-03-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

I have completed a six part video tutorial for how to make a Warjack Repair Shop for your Warmachine battlefield. Though I suppose the regular armies of Khador and Cygnar have their own, advanced facilities for mechanics, I pictured a small row-house type garage where locals service 'jacks that are 'just passing through' their town. Or, perhaps this is a simple little shop where the likes of Dirty Meg service shoestring machines like Mules and Mariners! Here are some shots of the unpainted(except for priming) structure. I will have the model painted up in the future and be sure to post that here. Be sure to scroll down to the video tutorials...

Six Part Video Tutorial...

Market Terrain Bits

2010-03-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

Most wargamers know that there's a lot of great terrain products, including small details(sandbags, barrels, crates, etc.), out on the market. Although I am a consistent consumer of those items(love the Pegasus Hobbies pieces) myself, I sought to 'homebrew' a few bits myself to showcase some inexpensive alternatives. Below are some pics of items I 'dressed up' for Warmachine boards, or you can visit my Youtube tutorial on these small items. If you are new to terrain-building, and looking for a simple project to "cut your teeth" on, here ya go...

The first item is my 'fruit basket". The structure is basically an inverted cap to a spray bottle(such as cleaners, tanning spray lotions, etc.) with balsa bits on the outside. I ringed these with cardboard to create the metal 'rims'. I filled up the bottle cap with foam and placed my "fruit"(in this case, peppercorns) on top. After painting, I had a nice fruit basket...

Second, I found some nice wooden crafts bits(Finial Dowel Cap) at a Michael's that were well suited to becoming "urns" or pottery for my market. I painted them tan, washed them with a brown ink, and added a simple design. I filled the urn with some bristles from a make-up brush(field grass would do as well)...

Finally, I've been looking for a while for wooden craft bits that resemble barrels. Found 'em at Hobby Lobby. These "mini pickle barrels" are to scale and just needed a little dressing up. I tried to carve in the planks but that didn't work out too well- so I drew on the vertical planking lines with a paint marker(fine tip)...

So there you have it- I estimate that for under $7 dollars(including peppercorns!) you could have nine barrels, six urns and 3-4 fruit baskets- not bad!
For a video description of this project click on the video link below...

My next terrain project will be a Warjack Repair Shop!

Painting the Iron Kingdoms Bunker

2010-03-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

I have finished painting up the simple bunker for my Warmachine battlefield. You can see the video tutorial here on how I went about painting it. It's a very functional piece and its size is designed to provide cover to a unit of 8-9 men as you can see in the still pics below. Scroll to the bottom for an embedded video of the painting tutorial.

Reporting for Duty: Cygnarian Long Gunners and Unit Attachment

2010-03-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

They're not going to overpower your foe, but with their dual shots and impressive range they will, at a minimum, agitate the opponent. These guys were more difficult to paint that some of the other WM minis that I've done so far but I am pretty happy with the final effect. Plus, you can take these lads in a Highborn Syndicate Mercenary Army!

The bases for my Cygnarians are what I call my "Ancient Ruins" effect. I covered half the base with a standard sand(which became dirt) that was flocked with a Spring colored static grass. The other half was spackle into which I carved the ancient bricks.

You can check out some stills below or my Youtube "Figure Feature" on these guys...

Terrain Tutorial Warmachine Bunker

2010-03-24T02:23:00.000-07:00

lI have uploaded another five part video tutorial project to my Youtube Channel. This time the subject is the construction of a simple bunker for your Warmachines battlefields. Below you can see a couple of "work in progress" shots of the terrain piece, but be sure to check out the Youtube vids for a more detailed explanation of construction...

Youtube video tutorial...

Painting the Iron Kingdoms House

2010-03-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

Terrain-building has really become a fun part of the overall pleasure of the Warmachine hobby for me of late. I have finished painting my Iron Kingdoms House which you can see below. You can visit my Youtube Channel for a five part tutorial on painting up the house(or see the embedded videos below)

As a final add-on I made different signs that can be attached to the house(Cygnarian and Khadorian respectively).

If you're curious about my low budget approach to painting the structure, check out the videos below...

Warmachine Terrain Project: " 'Jack Trap"

2010-03-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

As a guy who loves terrain-building almost as much as painting Warmachine minis, my eye is always scanning for new scenery ideas. While browsing the beautiful image of Beast 09(Khador Heavy Warjack) on page 79 of the Forces of Warmachine: Khador book, I noticed a nice terrain element as part of the artist's rendering: I have dubbed it a " 'jack trap ". I have modeled it as a separate piece, but you could easily integrate the concept into larger trenchworks(such as shown in the latest New Quarter mag). Now I don't think this would be an impediment to a heavy warjack, but to a light warjack or Man-o-War it would likely present a serious obstacle...

I always like to start my terrain projects with a simple sketch to frame my approach- I suggest this for all terrain builders(and as you can see, you don't have to be a great artist to take this approach!)...

Below is the unpainted(and untextured) terrain piece "in the works". The earthen mound is simple blue insulation foam(from a leftover piece from my Iron Kingdoms house construction). The log spikes are actual tree branches that I scavenged from my back yard(about 1/2" in diameter, giver or take) and sharpened with a utility knife. I didn't want to use wooden dowels because I wanted it to look like crudely cut timber, so actual branches was a nice fit...

The metal pieces were made from the following: steel collars=styrene sheet(from For Sale sign), chain links=jewelry craft chains, rivets=modelling putty. I did add some weight to the bottom of the mound to offset all the wood/chain weight on the one side of the structure to keep it from tipping(I just emplanted an old magnet strip in the bottom of the foam). Finally, the base was textured with a sand and kitty litter mix before painting. I though about painting the log spikes, but in the end I liked the natural look of the branches.

Below you can watch a Youtube video where I describe this project...

Reporting for Duty: Dirty Meg and Mule

2010-03-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

I finally finished painting up Dirty Meg(Mercenary Solo/Jack Marshall) and a Mule(Mercenary Heavy Warjack).

To me Dirty Meg is a great bargain. For two points you get not just a mechanic, but a merc Jack Marhsall that can bring friends to the party such as a Mule, Mariner, Nomad or any number of merc 'jacks! I love the look of the Mule as well as its solid stats. With a nice ranged attack, brutal melee attack and some nifty special abilities(not to mention solid armor), it's a solid choice. For more information visit the Battle College entries for Dirty Meg and Mule.

You can see how I painted them up in the Youtube vid below(best viewed in HD)...

Horgenhold Artillery Corps Figures!

2010-03-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

I don't plan on typically using this blog to recirculate news from Privateer Press but the new figures shown on their site today are too awesome, I need to spread the word! ...
(click on picture for a bigger/clearer image)

The picture is from the Privateer Press website and here is their description...

"The clan lords of Rhul viewed the advent of artillery among the human nations of the Iron Kingdoms with amusement. The Rhulic Moot has traditionally taken a dim view of mercenary operations, but in recent years the profits certain clan lords have gained is difficult to dismiss. Certain provisions were made to allow Rhulic mercenaries abroad to equip themselves with siege cannons and other weapons of war. Their powerful mortars are extremely destructive and can be fired indirectly, giving the Rhulic army an intimidating ability to control the battlefield."

Wow, can't wait to field that in Rhulic Mercs army! Plus, you have to love the female dwarf as the main gunner- women dwarves seem to get so little attention in fantasy worlds! Check out the helmet on the dwarf on the left...very nice! As always, the Privateer Press sculptors 'get' what games want, and create minis many of us can't wait to get our hands on!

Terrain Tutorial: Warmachine Crates

2010-03-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

There's many great crates out there for use in miniature wargames. Pegasus Hobbies makes affordable resin sets, many wargames terrain companies make nice casts, and on eBay you'll find some neat custom pieces. Of course, you'll spot many fine examples in the Privateer Press source material as well(Mark II Rulebook, No Quarter Mag., etc.). I wanted to create something original that still fits the Iron Kingdoms style. Visit my three part Youtube video tutorial to see how to make crates for Warmachine...

Project Brief
Materials Needed: Small Piece of Thin Balsa Wood, Two Part Modeling Putty, "For Sale" Plastic Sign, 3/4" x 3/4" Wooden Craft Cubes, White Glue
Time Required: 20-30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Terrain Tutorial: Iron Kingdoms House

2010-03-13T18:28:00.000-08:00

Today I compiled a four part video tutorial on how to make an Iron Kingdoms style house. The inspiration was an article in an old No Quarter as well as visuals in the Mark II rulebook. I hope you find it helpful or inspiring...

If anyone has any further questions feel free to comment. I will be positing videos and pictures of the painted project in the future.

Khador Week...

2010-03-12T16:38:00.000-08:00

In honor of the Forces of Warmachine: Khador book coming out, I have dubbed this "Khador Week". Privateer Press delivers a great supplement again, and I celebrate by making some Khador minis. See me launch "Khador Week" on Youtube...

Cryx v. Khador Battle Report(17pt skirmish)

2010-03-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

Check out my latest video battle report where GDog's Cryx dismantle my poor Khadorians...

Warmachine Terrain Project: Water Tower

2010-03-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

In the steam-powered Iron Kingdoms, water and coal provide the fuel for war. I set out to make a simple water tower terrain piece for my WM games. There are many great tutorials out on the internet for making water tower terrain such as the great one at Terrainthralls. That being said, I wanted to make a couple of modifications to the stuff I've already seen to create a simple little project using easily acquired materials.

Step 1: Snack Can Slicing
For the first step you'll need a cardboard snack can that you can cut in half(I used a Slim Jim's can- short Pringles cans, etc. would do the trick too). I used a small x-acto saw but there are many ways you could cut it...

Step 2: Creating the Water Tank

Creating the tank was very easy. Just use small craft sticks(coffee stirrers) and cut them to size. Make sure you use the half of the container with the solid, metal bottom. Then use white glue to apply them to create the wooden structure of the water tank. Later I will add styrene(cheap $1 "for sale" sign plastic is perfect) rims around the 'barrel'(see later pictures below).

Step 3: Crafting the Roof
For the roof of the water tank I cut out a disc of styrene(yard sign). Make the sure the disk is wider than your tank because when you "dome" the roof into a cone shape, you're going to lose some width. Cut a slit from the edge to the center...

To create the dome shape overlap the disc a bit where you made the incision and secure with super glue(or white glue if you pin it). After that is firm you can cut plastic strips that will run from the perimeter to the center. I finished off the piece with a simple thumb tack on the top and 'rivets' cut from styrene with a leather whole punch.

Step 4: Placing the Water Pipe

For my water pipe, to give it that 'alternate universe" Iron Kingdoms feel, I decided to have the water pipe come from the bottom of the tank rather than from the front like a classic water tower. My pipe, as you can tell, is a simple 'bendy straw'. I cut a small hole into the tin bottom with a utility knife(you could use a drill mind you)...

Step 5: Building the Base and Putting It All Together

The base is a simple frame using balsa wood and craft sticks- you create any simple structure you like. Now typically the 'stilts' of water towers are higher, but I wanted a short, stunted look- as my water pipe protrudes from the bottom of my tank...

In case you are wondering, the water pipe just threads between the frame pieces. I used super glue to affix the roof to the water tank and white glue to attach the wooden frame to the tank.

Step 6: Added Bits and Details

Now for the fun of making this look like something. Cut strips of styrene to add metal frame reinforcing rings around the tank. Add some rivets to complete these rims.

For some detailing of the base and pipe I did a couple of little things. First, I cut rectangles of styrene and creased them, applying them as reinforcements on the joints in the wooden frame...adding rivets to complete the 'rickety' look. The pipe was modified by inserted a smaller plastic straw from a juice box(At the time I actually asked one of sons to drink one so I could have the straw). I inserted the smaller straw into the other one and used modeling putty to create a flexible bladder where the two join. Finally, I strung(glue on) some cheap jewelry chain to the bottom of the can, added a metal(soldering wire) hook to the end of the pipe- creating a rest for the pipe so it wouldn't hang down freely when not in use. A small piece of sprue made a spigget for the end of the pipe..

At this point you could attach the whole thing to a terrain base and texture and flock it but there are two areas of thought on this. First, an 'unbased' terrain piece can fit any terrain or ground cover on your battlefield. If you flock a base(with spring grass, snow, etc.), then it could look out of place on some types of terrain. The other philosophy is that a terrain piece always looks more 'finished' with a nicely decorated base. You'll have to decide.

And here is the finished, painted piece...

For a quick video tour of this project go to the video below...

Small Warmachine Terrain Projects: Oil Drums and Coal Bin

2010-03-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

As promised, I am posting some more small terrain project ideas for your Warmachine battlefield. Let's get this clear first, I love much of the professionally made terrain bits out there by companies like Pegasus Hobbies(great barrels, crates, etc.). It's not my goal to reinvent the wheel but to conceive of novel terrain 'bits and pieces' that fit the Iron Kingdoms setting.

First, my "Khador Oil Drums"...
I thought to myself, do all oil containers have to look like the classic WWII(and beyond) oil drum? Who's to say the nature of containers isn't a little different in the Iron Kingdoms? I saw some "Candle Cup" wooden bits at Michael's and envisioned something different...

All these odd-shaped wooden bits needed was a lid and a little bit of detailing to become Khadorian oil drums(I bought a bag of wooden circular shapes on the cheap- the small rounds were perfect lids for my drums)...

Using the simple glue drop method(as the rivets had to be small), I envisioned lids securely fastened on top of the drums...

I painted up the drums with a gunmetal color and a little rust effect. To make the rivets a little more distinct I decided to highlight them with a copper paint. The variation in the foreground is a variation of the concept- a seal "wooden" barrel using strips of paper as metal framework. You can also see(barely visible), on the right I painted the word "oil" in Khadorian in an off-white background. +4 cover for the Trencher Chaingun Crew!...

For my second little project I decided to make a "coal bin". I mean, in a world of steam-driven machinery, surely there must be ample reserves of coal on hand! I mainly used the same materials that you can see in my tutorial on fence-making. I built an "x"-structured frame for the bin with matchsticks to begin(on a foamcore base). I added small pieces of wood to these frames(as shown in the second pic) to create an even edge upon which to attack end caps of "metal".

The main planks of the coal bin are the craft sticks/coffee stirrers cut to fit the frame. Just use some white glue and drop them in...

The end caps to the coal bin represent sheet metal and are made from plasticard(actually inexpensive "For Sale" sign plastic). The rivets were made from modeling putty, but you could use the leather punch or glue drop method if you prefer...

I textured the base using sand and used cork bits as my coal load(use model railroad coal or whatever you like). I actually filled the bed with some spackle(filler) and just placed the "coal" on top- so I didn't need as much cork material in the end. I did a quickie paint job and my coal bin was ready to provide cover...

I also thought it would make a great scenario objective- maybe the warjacks need to resupply on coal during combat or they shut down by a certain turn- just an idea.

Whimsical Terrain Project: Paper Mache House

2010-03-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

You know you love building terrain when not only can you spot junk in a craft, toy or grocery store and see miniature battlefield components, but when your six year-old son spots something and says "Daddy, couldn't you use that for train"(he means "terrain"). The other day I was at Michael's(craft/art store) to pick up some paint brushes and my son spotted one of these...

The label underneath this says "Paper Mache House"- but all I saw was a Cygnarian house! Now as you can see from the next picture, it is really a box....

...but the scale was perfect for Warmachine. I love building structures from styrofoam and foamcore, but here was the basic structure of a house- ready to go. Before getting down to business I set out some parameters for the project....

1. I wouldn't alter the basic structure with serious exterior additions.

2. I would only embellish the structure with small add-ons(rivets, tiling, etc.)

3.I had to disguise the gap between the two pieces of the structure, while...

4. ...leaving the structure in two pieces so that it could still function as a camouflaged container.

First I made the roof look more separated from the structure by using cardboard rectangles(cut from a cereal box) for tiling...

Then I decided to do some metal frames from plasticard. Now the plasticard I chose was the from the cheapest source imaginable- a cut up $1 "for sale" sign from a discount store. The upper horizontal frame was placed strategically to disguise the gap where the two paper mache components connect. With the same plastic source I punched out rivets using a rotary hole punch(such as the ones used for leather-working). The rivets around the chimney are a bit different as they are cut from modeling putty. The wooden horizontal frames and door are all "etched in" with an x-acto knife- the paper mache can be detailed quite easily.

And below you see the final, painted house. It's less that perfect, but it's a fun, QUICK project. I probably got carried away with the rivets, but sometimes fantasy gaming is about getting carried away!

I noticed that the space above the windows was a little too "spacious". Perhaps I should have made this a two story house, but the location of the separation made this tricky. One could cut down the bottom a piece an inch or two if they wanted to( but with parameter #1, I wanted to see what I could do with the intact structure. As a partial remedy, I added the sign(to fill this void) as a finishing touch. It bears a frothing flagon of beer and the word "ale" in both Cygnarian and Rhulic(as the dwarven merc patrons would surely flock at reading it!).

Now what I really like about this little terrain piece is that it's more than a terrain piece- it is still a box. This last photo shows that I can hide away a bunch of gaming accessories inside(a faction deck, templates, tokens, dice and a measuring tape). I could easily have placed more inside but I wanted you to get a clearer view.

So that's about it. Head to Michael's, pick up your Cygnarian house/tavern, and get to work. Oh, did I mention the house only cost $2?

It's not the prettiest terrain project in history but it was a fun one.

You can view a video description of this project below...

Heavy Infantry Support for Khador and Cygnar

2010-02-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

I finished my Khador Mortar Crew and Cygnar Chaingun Crew. The Chaingun was ineffective in the first game I fielded it(see last Battle Report), but now the curse of the unpainted mini is cast off! I have yet to use the Mortar Crew in battle but I am very much looking forward to it's 20" range!

These were my first Winterguard and Trencher pieces so I experimented a great deal with paints and washes- some of it good, some not so good. I chose a darker metal(old Ral Partha "Copper") for the Trencher armor and I like the look. I also went with a blue-grey overcoat for the Khador men.

These may not look like great paint jobs but I have to tell you, I've become a better mini painter since starting Warmachine. The sculpts just ooze character- and they deserve my best! I'll get better in time, but my main advice to beginners is SLOW DOWN. It pays big dividends to allow yourself at least an entire day, or multiple days to spend on just one model.

A final note about bases. All of my Khadorians have a snowy motif to match my Winter Village terrain, while my Cygnarians have an old stone with grass growing over it to match my Ancient Ruins terrain.

The red/grey Khador color combo reminds me of the Wicked Witch of the East's guards' uniforms from the Wizard of Oz- ever see it?. Sorry, can't resist...

Warmachine Terrain Project: Simple Fences

2010-02-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

Small terrain elements can spice-up a battlefield and alter tactics. often gamers throw down some hills and trees but forget "the little stuff". I wanted to show how to make some simple wooden fences for a Warmachine game in this tutorial. You'll find that with relatively small investments of time and money, you can mass produce these for your battlefield.

Step 1: Foamcore Bases

First, cut some rectangles of foamcore board about 6 inches in length and 1 inch wide. Note that these were not cut very neatly(foamcore is a pain to cut), but in the end you'll see that this really doesn't matter.

Step 2: Rounding and Beveling the Foamcore Bases

Next you need to round off the corners of the square bases with either scissors or a hobby knife(such as x-acto knife or utility knife). You'll also want to bevel the edges at an angle. As shown in the second picture. Make sure your hobby knife has a fresh blade- foamcore hates dull blades! At this point peel off as much of the top layer of paper from the foamcore as you can(the top layer is the side with smaller surface area once the beveling is done).

Step 3:Placing the Wooden Posts

Now it's time to start building the fence! Begin by pre-"digging" four(or three) post holes using your x-acto knife or a small dremel. For posts I suggest "matchsticks" that are available at most craft stores. No, they're not really matches, just wooden bits about the size and shape of wooden match(but a bit longer). They are cheap alternatives to balsa wood- but that is your back up if you can't locate the sticks that I used. You'll need to cut each matchstick in two. Go ahead and place a drop of glue in each of the holes you created and then insert the sticks(half sticks). I prefer Weldbond Glue(available at Michael's or on Amazon in the USA, plentifully available in Canada as I understand it), but any 'white glue' such as Elmer's will be fine.

Step Four: Gluing on the Wooden Slats

At this point you can complete the structure of the fence by gluing on the horizontal slats. You could use any balsa wood but the cheap alternative I prefer are "coffee stirrers" or "Skinny Sticks" such as shown in the top picture. They are almost 6" in length(that's why we cut our foamcore to about that length in Step 1). I intentionally chose a picture of where one of the slats has 'dipped' and is not straight to point out that, when making multiples of a similar terrain item, variation is always good. Perhaps the top slat has come lose, or some Iron Kingdoms farmer hastily erected it due to wandering livestock!

Step Five: Texturing the Bases

Now we must give the bases a "dirt" texture with a nice coat of sand(much like you might use to base a miniature). Be careful that the sand you buy has an irregular and variable grain to it(like sand on the beach). Hardware store bags of sand are usually best(but avoid white "Play Sand"). I coat the base with "Mod Podge", a transparent glue-like sealer from craft stores, and then dip the piece into my sand...shaking off the excess. You could just easily water down some white glue and use that as your adhesive. I also choose to glue some small pebbles around some of the fences for a little variation- it makes for a nice effect on the completed project.

Step Six: Painting on the Basecoat and Highlights

There are a plethora of ways to go about painting but I'll give you a simple method. My first rule of painting terrain items is: use inexpensive paint. Terrain pieces are large, so you'd quickly use up your P3 or other miniature paints to paint them up. I suggest cheap but reliable "craft paints" such as those of the (in the U.S) Folkart brand. If you've got a paint that you use for dirt landscapes for your terrain board, you'll want to use that. I paint all of the fences(and their bases a basic brown).

Now for some quick detail you can use a lighter brown and then a tan to highlight the base. I use only the tan on the wood of the fence itself. Also of note are the pebbles(now "rocks") that I paint up in various shades of grey. For a little variation you might put some high grass sprigs on some of the bases(as shown above). Yuo can use "Field Grass" scenic material, or, as I did, leftovers from my wife's old makeup brush(yes, I asked first!).

Step Seven: Flocking the Base

For a final detail now we flock the base using static grass. There are many varieties you can choose from. I water down some Elmer's(or other white glue) and paint it on with a brush in patches around the base. In general, try to apply the grass on the lower elements of the base and only sparingly under the fence. Once you've painted on your glue, dip the piece into a container of your static grass, invert the piece, tap on it briskly to eject lose fibers, and you are done!

You can see some of the finished pieces integrated onto a gameboard. The great things about small terrain pieces such as fences, stone walls, crates, barriers and trench sections is your ability to reconfigure them to create different types of situations on your battlefield.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment or email me!

Video Battle Report: Cryx v Cygnar (small battle)

2010-02-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

GDog and I had another small game as we work through the Mark II rules. We did a little Cryx v. Cygnar gaming using our Ancient Ruins terrain(and some other bits). He really ruled me...and I discovered how much I hate(and underestimated) bonejacks! Between their arc nodes and their high DEF they were pesky buggers!

Gareson's Cygnarian Force=Kara Sloan, Chaingun Crew, Ironclad, Charger, Dannon Blythe and Bull
GDog's Cryxian Force=Deneghra, Slayer, Deathripperx2, Defiler, Necrotech and Scrapthrall, Gorman de Wulfe
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the report...

(note: Bull cannot really shoot as part of Kara's Firing Squad feat as he is not part of her battlegroup- a small oversight which did, fortunately, did not impact the game's outcome)

"Widowmakers" Episode 1: Likely Route of Passage

2010-02-24T14:08:00.000-08:00

“Widowmakers” is set of “serial” installments of tales of a group of four Khadorian Widowmakers and their many exploits. Join Cera, Alexi and their comrades and face the innumerable dangers of sharpshooters at the front!

Likely Route of Passage
"Widowmakers": Episode 1

All she really could sense was her trigger finger against the cold firing mechanism of her hunting rifle, the brush of an occasional fallen leaf grazing her face in the slight autumn wind, and the sound of a scuttling squirrel that darted up and down a nearby tree. She wasn’t sure how long she and her three comrades had lied prone in this position…all that mattered is that the targets had not yet presented themselves. Her eye was glued to her scope which revealed little more than the endless sea of trees that was the southern Thornwood. Back at headquarters, three days earlier, when Cera Jovnik and her three men were briefed on the operation, they were excited to ‘get to it’ and go into the field. However, though they were patient professionals, missions like this became exercises in patience, even for the likes of the Widowmakers.

The briefing, given by none other than Kommandant Irusk himself, had revealed the critical nature of their latest assignment. Intelligence reports from the front spoke of missing frontier pickets and messengers well behind the lines, all having vanished without even a trace of struggle or bloodshed. It was likely that the Cygnarian devils were trying to intercept and interfere with communiqués at the front. Irusk presented two possibilities: this was either the work of a local insurgency supported by the Cygnarians across the border, or, more ominously, the handiwork of the Black 13^th. In either event, headquarters had plotted a scatter chart of the disappearances and had pinpointed their current location as a likely route of passage for the enemy and their captives. So here they were.

Cera looked over to her second, Sergeant Alexi Novnin, who gestured by tracing a line across his mouth with a finger: a sign that he wanted to speak; she subtly nodded. “Perhaps they were wrong back at H.Q. and we should redeploy a little more to the east” Alexi whispered, his voice barely audible except to the well-disciplined ears of a sharpshooter. “Agreed” Cera responded with some reluctance, their investment of time in this spot having come to nothing. Yet, as the four began to rise and shed their sheathing of fallen leaves, they heard voices coming their way. “Back down!” she commanded to her comrades with a more brisk yet still muffled voice. She accentuated the urgency of her command by pointing firmly at the ground.

They had originally sounded like they were right upon them but it took two minutes for the enemy sortie to come into sight. “Not Black 13^th.” was Cera’s first thought, and she lamented not having the opportunity to dispense with the troublesome, if not elusive, special operatives of the enemy. Instead, through her scope she looked upon four Cygnarian commandoes dressed in their bronze and leather panoply of armor and long grey overcoats. They were in standard dress except for their usual blue pauldrons which appeared to be painted over in brown. With these regulars was a non-descript man wearing the garb of a local huntsman and, most importantly, a soldier in Winterguard uniform who was gagged, bound, and tethered to one of the Cygnarians. Cera gestured the plan with the silent precision of crisp hand signals and Alexi relayed the exact same series of gestures to the two other men down the line. She pulled the butt of her rifle in a little closer to her shoulder and inhaled…

[to be continued]

Ancient Ruins Terrain for Warmachine

2010-02-22T14:46:00.001-08:00

I have decided to post some video and pics of my Ancient Ruins terrain usable in Warmachine games. The design concept was to create a set of pieces that could be reconfigured in multiple ways to create original battlefields each time. The narrative is that these ruins date well before the Iron Kingdoms, even the Orgothian invasion, to a forgotten civilization. The main pieces, the "rune pillars", have inscribed runes atop each column in some long forgotten hieroglyphs.

Video Battle Report: Cygnar v. Khador 15pt Skirmish

2010-02-21T14:48:00.000-08:00

GDog and I(Gareson) had a fun little 15 pt skirmish battle today on our Khadorian Winter Village terrain.

GDog's Cygnarian Force=Coleman Stryker, Ironclad, Charger, Lancer, Eiryss, Gorman de Wulfe
Gareson's Khadorian Force=Kommander Sorscha, Destroyer, Juggernaut, Dannon Blythe and Bull

Observations: In previous match-ups GDog noticed that I had usually split my force and attempted to flank him. Therefore, he decided to keep his army 'clumped' as a single strike force to overwhelm the divided elements of my army. However, I did not diffuse my forces and when I caught him with his models all close together, it created a great opportunity for Sorscha to catch him with her Icy Gaze feat.

Dannon Blythe and Bull

2010-02-20T21:54:00.000-08:00

These scuplts(which neither my painting or photos do justice) are the reason I LOVE Privateer Press! Warmachine figures ooze attitude- and the Mercenaries Dannon Blythe and her trollblood companion, Bull, are no exception. These two bounty hunters have a variety of great abilities including "Prey" where they can basically pick a particular enemy model to pick on throughout the game. Also, Bull's powerful gun "Demolisher" provides an excellent ranged attack. When teamed together in play, they basically buff each other and achieve some very intimidating bonus moves. For more details on their abilities, see their Battle College report.

As far as painting goes, I didn't stray too far from the schemes shown at the Privateer Press website. I did deviate with Dannon a little bit, giving her vibrant colors for her top and overcoat. I thought she should appear rustic enough to look the part of paid killer, but bright enough to still have a feminine allure. Bull is my first ever Trollblood painting attempt so I was a bit worried that his flesh wouldn't come out right- I'm fairly happy with the result.

Khadorian Winter Village(video)

2010-02-20T11:43:00.001-08:00

I uploaded my completed Khadorian Winter Village terrain for Warmachine to Youtube. The project was a lot of fun and I plan on expanding the village in the future with a railroad and a small factory.

Khadorian Widowmakers Unit

2010-02-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

I think what first drew me to Warmachine was the fantastic sculpts of their minis. The "half medieval, half industrial" look of the miniatures in a world where steam-powered machines meets middle ages' stlye knights are wonderful. Therefore, it was a pleasure to paint up these Widowmakers.

The Widowmakers are a Khador faction unit with "Hunting Rifles" which give them a nice ranged attack. They can get forward deployment on the board and can pathfind their way through difficult terrain with no movement penalty. They also have "camouflage" which gives them extra benefits from covering and concealing terrain. If you will, they are the 'rangers' of Khador.

I love the look of these minis and deciding how to paint them was difficult. I definitely wanted something muted for their overcoats so I went with an olive green color. That being said, I wanted them to show their Khador pride so the armor plates, scabbards and coat turnbacks are red. The female leader I have dubbed "Sarah" as my wife of the same name is tall, blond and a very tough lady! Although the photos aren't great I was very happy with how the faces came out- some new techniques worked for me. The bases have a snow motif- I used sand-textured bases, white paint and some baking soda for the snow effect.

Warmachine Batrep 1: Khador v Cygnar

2010-02-08T17:45:00.000-08:00

Today was my first Warmachine game! My son and I have finally have filled out our ranks of starting Khador and Cygnar armies with enough minis to play. My son played Cygnar and took the following:
-Coleman Stryker(Warcaster)
-Lancer(Light Warjack)
-Charger(Light Warjack)
-Ironclad(Heavy Warjack)
-Gorman de Wulfe(Merc solo)
I played Khador and took this army:
-Kommander Sorscha(Warcaster)
-Juggernaut(Heavy Warjack)
-Destroyer (Heavy Warjack)
-Eiryss(Merc solo)

Below you can see our battlefield(Khadorian Winter Village) and deployment edges...

I cautiously move into town, waiting to see what Gareth has in mind as far as movement...

Gareth keeps his forces tucked in tight behind cover as he enters the town(sorry, haven't painted Cygnar yet)....

...but then he splits his forces. He moves Stryker and his Lancer to his left, holds backs his Ironclad in the center and goes right-flanking with Gorman and his Charger. I think he has made a critical error, moving his Charger out of his warcaster's control area.

The Destroyer, with his long range bombard, covers the central area of town(this should keep Gorman and the Charger away from the beating I plan to give Stryker!) while Eiryss takes the left(off screen) to further pin down his right. My Juggernaut heads down the right behind the tavern towards his Lancer and Warcaster. . I keep Sorscha's command zone near my two 'jacks.

Gareth moves his Lancer out with Stryker in support. Stryker's ranged attack fails to penetrate my armor. Here is where I make a critical error. Over-zealous to beat up on his Lancer with my heavier Juggernaut, I run in to attack him. At first everything is great...my initial swing of my Ice Axe cleaves off his left arm and cuts into his cortex- no more shield or focus for him! But wait, the old adage "Out of sight, out of mind" betrays me. What's right behind that tavern? Yeah, his heavy- his Ironclad! Silly me!

In the meantime on my left flank Gareth tries to run Gorman in to throw an Acid Flask at Eiryss, but he misses pitifully. Apparently endeavoring to match his poor aim, I run with Eiryss for a double melee attack and miss with both my crossbow bayonet and my sabre. Pathetic!

Gareth's Ironclad has now engaged me behind the tavern but I survive the first blow. Sorscha uses her feat to freeze the Cygnarians in this area, and I use this respite to finish off the Lancer. Unfortunately, a turn later when the Ironclad gets his second swing in I lose my axe arm and my cortex due to a devastating blow.

In the turn while his left flank units are frozen by my Icy Gaze(feat), Gareth freely moves his Charger through the middle of town and lays a couple of shots into my Destroyer- both shots hit but fail to penetrate my heavy warjack armor-plating. In the meantime, Gorman successfully disengages, circles around Eiryss, and this time hits her with a second Acid Flask attack- she does not survive. There goes my flank!

After another round of my doing decent damage against his Ironclad, Gareth responds with a surprise move. His Ironclad disengages from my Juggernaut and scoots over to Sorscha. With a devastating melee assault boosted by his warcaster, I lose my leader in a single melee attack. Warcaster dead....game over.

Visual Recap....S=Stryker,L=Lancer,I=Ironclad,C=Charger,G=Gorman,J=Juggernaut,S=Sorscha,D=Destroyer,E=Eiryss:

Epilogue:
Well, once again Gareth has bested me in a wargame! I learned a valuable lesson- be sure to protect your warcaster! Looking back, I realize I could have tried the same thing against his very aggressive caster, but I focused on his 'jacks instead. He was the first to seize the moment though and deliver the critical strike! I also learned that though the brawn of my heavy warjacks was worth the cost, he presented too many targets which gave him more tactical options. I will have to look out for this when we are field much larger armies some day. Bottom line- I LOVE Warmachine. Great rules, great minis....great fun!