Droning on...

 Before Christmas I finished off three Plague Drones that have been sitting on my half finished heap of abandonment. When I first started them, I wanted to magnetize their fragile legs and rider for more easy transportation to games. At some point I broke my hand drill bit and ran out of magnets, so they languished in the miniature prison called The Heap.

 No longer, these prisoners of their owner's apathic ways have come to an end!

Despite my fussing about with magnets I decided to only magnetize the limbs on two of the drones. The one with the dynamic pose, is clearly the one I just glued. Really like the pose, but boy is it going to be tough to transport. 

Shelf of Plagues

Here is a shot of all the Nurgle Daemons I have, oh and some plague skaven behind the big fella. 

I have a few more nurgle units to paint up:

• 5? Or 10 putrid blightkings (some might turn into kitbash fodder, could see 15 work for a slaves to darkness mortal)
• lord of plague
• Gutrot Spume
• Bloab Rotspawner (might need to actually magnetize this model to make any three of the brothers) 
• 3 nurgles
• of course three MORE plague drone of nurgle

I believe that's all... at least for AOS nurgle. I do have more skaven but they are clan rats. An idea dawned on me that the clan rats could worship one of the four gods, instead of the horned rat. Could give features of their chosen god if the Island of Blood models lend themselves to kitbashing.

Next on the Hobby Desk

    Couple more models left to show off from 2022, then onto hobby resolutions!

Triple the Glott, Triple the Fun! - Monster May(hem)

         Here we are, final day of May. More importantly, the end of the Monster May(hem) challenge! I didn't get around to the Idoneth Deepkin, instead I opted to paint some of the Giant Spiders I picked up from Wargames Atlantic as they can be used in Rangers of Shadowdeep which requires 6 or more. A quick peek through the rules and I didn't find anything about what base size these giants spiders should be. The box comes with 12 of each size so that shouldn't be a problem.

    These boxes are great, they have victims that are wrapped up in webbing and options to make sci-fi spiders with guns! If the stinger wasn't lethal enough, the plasma gun will be! Combining a Goblin box from WA allows you to make Spider Riders, pretty nifty box. However, not having instructions and fiddly spider legs doesn't make it easy to assemble. A good trick is using baking soda with your plastic glue, makes it harden quickly so you can get onto the other 7 legs and 2 mandibles. In the future, I might use the plasma gun arms of the spiders on some Tyranids, there is also some cybernetic implants too. 

    Someone reminded me on a comment on Facebook that due to rules changes (and also new shiny models), The Glottkin is now over priced for points and no longer has the keyword Daemon. Clearly, this lump of flesh is a Mortal. I am probably the last person to follow meta for games, Rule of Cool is number one in my books. Looking up the base size, it is a 130mm, which a Great Unclean One is also on. Could easily be a proxy model for his daemon counterpart, not in tournaments of course but in friendly games. 

        I painted Ghurek's left tentacle with a rotten segment on the upper section. I figured this was the start of his putrid mutation, bound with rope in hopes of stopping the spread of the diseased flesh only for it to consume his whole body. For the base I used Crayola Model Magic Clay, I purchased a box of six packets and one of them covered this base. For the pools of standing water, I used a mix of white glue and Super glue. For my first time, I also created a brown ink wash to cover Ghurek's body. All and all, I am pleased with the results, especially my base. It's not that I am getting better, but more that I am trying new technics and putting time in them. My skaven were the first models that I started to paint my bases for and they have come a ways since then.

    So with the Glottkin being three brothers and my 6 spiders, that's nine models for Monster May(hem) right?

    I really enjoyed painting monsters over the month, maybe next year I will go for quantity instead. Don't forget to check out the other entries on Angry Piper's blog as he will have a round up there.

Next on the Hobby Desk

    I will be on vacation* for a good section of June, but I will be participating in a Warcry Tournament once I get back. My time away will help me decide what warband to bring. I probably should try to do some scenery.... if only there was a challenge for it....

*Parental leave but with beaches!

    

Monster May(hem) 2022

    This year I will be participating in Angry Piper's Monster May(hem). He has been running it every year now for quite sometime. And every year there are some mind blowing entries. Take a look at some amazing work by theses fellow bloggers. 

    The basic premise to the challenge is to paint your monsters! The more beastly and yearning for wanton and destruction the better. It's just the beginning so contact the angry piper if you are looking to add your blog/ Instagram for his shout out of all the beautifully ignorant rampaging creatures throughout the month. I will also post my progress here throughout the month.

    A couple years back, I started work on my Glottkin with the idea of using it as a wandering monster in Warcry. Not wanting everything in my Nurgle army to be green, I opted to paint in blues and purples. This model has been toppled off of its pedestal as ugliest mother trucker in Nurgle armies after the new battletome came out last year, replaced by the Hygienically Challenged One. Points wise, The Glottkin is almost double the points, now that's an odor some players would find offensive! But hey, I was smitten by this putrid chunk of a rot it might as well get used in games.

I bought him off eBay around 3-4 years ago, it came assembled. To be honest, I haven't painted a model this big, and if I did, I would vastly prefer subassembly. So I am finding starting this project a bit daunting.

My baseline for the Glottkin

    Lots more basecosting to go, might get a bit distracted with smaller monsters throughout the month. My Idoneth Deepkin fit perfectly into this challenge, sea elves that harvest souls of the living to survive. Teclis' Monsters, if you will. 

     The Glottkin is actually a literal name, representing three kin with the surname Glott. Otto, who wields his dad's scythe, who was a farmer. Ghurk once tall and handsome now is a beast of burden that carries his brothers on his back. And Ethrac a powerful Socerceror of Nurgle. This has basically stayed the same into Age of Sigmar. I never played Warhammer Fantasy Battle, but I do have some of the faction rule books that I flip through from time to time. When I read about the World-that-was, I find myself wanting to know more about it.

Slaves to Darkness Progress #3

     I didn't quite finish what I had planned for last year's goal, okay, I kinda gave myself a bit of an out with painting up 1000 points of Slaves to Darkness instead of finishing off the Premium Battleforce. A Chaos Lord/Sorceror on Manitore and 10 Chaos Knights still reside in the box, both of which might turn out worshipping Slaanesh with how this month is going on my hobby desk.

    That battleforce came out in 2018, I am bit disappointed that I didn't get it finished last year. This is a common problem in the hobby for most people, that it's much easier to look at the new shiny releases and put down money. This year I am trying to hold myself a bit accountable for this, can't cloth a baby with Warhammer. It's all about taking inventory, you want a new Vaan Sar's gang? Well, you have a Escher Gang that would look lovely painted. Oh man that Legion of Nagash Warcry box looks sweet! Didn't you want a Daughters of Khaine warband last year, you have it mostly done even!? And what about the Blackstone Fortress Expansions...

    My point is that all the sets of models you picked up, be it 5 years ago or a month ago sparked joy in your hobby brain. Could be you want to paint it up because look how sweet it is in grey plastic (or metal if it's really been awhile), just think of what paint could do to it. What about this character you bought, he/she/they have such a sweet backstory it would be great to make them come to live on the battlefield. I don't like the head on this model, but really like the body, I could switch the head and arms make this model my own. The miniatures that we spend time and money on excite us, give us joy and fulfillment. Why not relive that moment of joy and paint up some miniatures that have been sitting in the hobby room for their turn, now is always the best time.

    Back to the progress on Slaves to Darkness! I have finished off my 1000 points list they are a colourful bunch soon to have every deity in the mortal realm represented... well, not Tzeentch he is always changing his mind if he will show up or not, god that guy is a flake.

    Let's start with the new entries.... the Chaos Warshrine is up first.

    The design for the ogres carrying the shrine weren't great, either you had the back one floating off the ground or it had a bit of a slant, that's alright, I doubt a shrine carried by two ogres would be all that stable.

Next is the Darkfire Daemonrift, a tear in the fabric of the Realm pouring out raw daemonic magic. This Endless Spell gets more powerful with Wizards and Endless Spells around it. This might convince me to make the Chaos Sorceror on Manitore instead of the Lord.

And the last one, Morathi, now a generic Chaos Sorceress, she is a bit out of place with all these behemoths around her.

A Slaanesh Chaos Sorceress

    With all the new additions, we have an army on our hands. Which looks like...

Leader

• Chaos Sorceress Lord - 110 pts

Battleline

• 20 Chaos Marauders - 160 pts
• 20 Chaos Warriors - 360 pts
• Chaos Chariot - 120 pts

Behemoth

• Chaos Warshrine - 170 pts

Endless Spell

• Darkfire Daemonrift - 80pts

Total: 1000 pts

For matched play at least, Narrative and Open play.... well that's a different story, add some Khorne and don't get me started on the Nurgle I could add! 

Leader

• Chaos Sorceress Lord - 110 pts

Battleline

• 20 Chaos Marauders - 160 pts
• 20 Chaos Warriors - 360 pts
• 10 Bloodletters- 110 pts

Behemoth

• Chaos Warshrine - 170 pts

Other

• Chaos Chariot - 120 pts
• Bloodcrushers - 120 pts
• Flesh Hounds - 100 pts
• Karanak - 140 pts

Endless Spell

• Darkfire Daemonrift - 80pts

Total: 1200 pts

I am sure the Nurgle I have painted up would add another few hundreds, maybe I'll figure that out later.

Next on the Hobby Desk

Well, the girls are taking their time to get ready this month. Gotta sharpen their claws, and apply their make up. You know how hard that is with crab hands!? I have added more then just seekers to the desk now, hope I can get them done by the end of the month.

    

Season of the Wytch - WarCry Campaign Battle #3

     The forests of the Eightpoints are twisted and terrible things, and even you fear to tread beneath those branches. Yet there are places where nature once thrived, and the spirits of the land may persist there still. You follow the dim song of these spirits until you discover a clearing claimed by another warband. They cover the land in their filth, tormenting the weakened spirits further. Water the ground with the interlopers’ blood and you may energise your kin enough to see them aid you.

This was the first convergence for the Nature's Byrches called the Crimson Downpour. I was a bit antsy to get rolling, so we rolled off for all the normal stuff, only to half way through realize that convergence have their own terrain, and victory rules. Vanquish was the victory conditions, attackers trying to kill off all of the models in the hammer deployment. Where as, we used Assassinate, attackers trying to take out the enemy leader. Similar enough for me.

I decided to use my Slaves to Darkness warband for this game, as narratively it seemed to fit better. They won't be receiving experience at the end of the game, but Rachel's trees will be. Then when we switch, I'll get Rachel to make a Khorne themed warband for the Brass Gods? for their convergence, as they are trying to hunt down a follower of Khorne that had fled a battle. Giving me experience for that battle. Seems even enough to me. 

First turn, Rachel and I both bank our wild dice to use next turn. We rolled off to determine who would be attacker, Rachel won the roll off, picking to be the defender. I would need to force her to the edge of the board or kill her outright to win. The twist was Foreboding Location, which was fitting, all dice values were reduced by 1, making it impossible for us an ability higher then 5.

We both rolled 2 doubles and two singles for initiative, rolling off, Rachel took the first turn. Daonti takes off 4 damage from the crab arm with her long bow. Ove, the maurader beside the fence, runs through the crypt. Hoping to tie up Daonti in combat next turn. 

The board somewhere in the midst of turn one.

Halvdan Plax (Crab Arm) shows off the new damage tokens.

Scophulis (nurgly head Leader) and Lepus (downward sword) starting position

Otta was eager to get into the action, trying to take cover behind on of the crypts. Tossing a javalin at Thronrir, only about to deal 1 damage, from the reduction of the dice values from Foreboding Location. I guess Otta must have seen a ghost of his ancestor. Thronrir the Hunter didn't take his eyes off the marauder horseman, sticking the horse with an arrow, taking 4 damage off him.

Scophulis "runs" as far as he can go, for a heavily armored nurgle chaos warrior that only walks at 4 inches, he moves 8" towards the dryads. The leader on the card has two weapons instead of a shield, so it's a bit deceiving when the model can deal out 5 hits but has a toughness of 5 instead of 6 like the regular shielded Warriors.

Spyrath clashing with Scopulis, wounding him for 1 damage.

Got into the game and didn't take any pictures of turn 2, not a whole lot that happened besides the Slaves to Darkness advancing into the middle of the battlefield. Loralith walked the spirit path, tunneling underground and popped up in front of Scopulis beside Spyrath. From the previous battle, Loralith found Serpent Venom to coat her claws with, striking the leader with poisonous scrapes, leaving deep gashes in the chaos warrior's black armor. Lepus was stuck with a couple of arrows, as well as Ove who ran down the middle.

Once turn 2 was finished, turn 3 our reinforcements arrived, Rachel's on my side of the board, and mine on the opposite side. Close to her leader.

Maudelith Bloomwych and Sventa form Rachel's Dagger deployment.

Three Mauraders, Guthroth, Jorg fell hand and Styr flank the Sylvaneth from behind.

Islalith protects Daonti, blocking off Halvdan from attacking her, letting Daonti aim into unsuspecting Chaos Warriors. Thronrir the Hunter loosens two arrows into Ove, piecing the Marauder's gut, slaying the dark god worshiper. Halvdan would slay the tree revenant with an onslaught.

Otta engages Daonti (Leader), trampling her for minimal damage before fighting. Hoping to keep her in combat so she won't be able to shoot her powerful twice next round. Meanwhile, Flytt locks up Ove and Slothi (the second marauder by the fence) to prevent their Leader from taking more damage. 

Slothi's skeleton jumps out of his skin as Flyt shrieks, forcing him to become immobile, but still can attack

Scopulis is out numbered by the Spite Revanants, Dvon and Loralith, both able to chip off health from the Leader. Lepus waddles slowly up to the fight, still out of reach to help his commander out.

"Don't start the fighting without me!"

"Psych!"

Lepus climbs the fence, barely able to make it into combat with Thronrir the Hunter. Barely cutting into the bark of his arm. Doanti disenaged from Otta, seeking strength in numbers. At this point the Sylvaneth Leader envokes the Envoy of the Everqueen ability, giving all Sylvaneth within 6" +2 toughness and +2 Strength, making it much harder to damage their Leader.

You can't keep a good horseman down, Otta crashes into Daonti.

Scopulis takes out Dvon, Loralith, Spyrath (not pictured) his putrid blood pooling on the snowy wastes as he falls over the fence.

Slothi is assailed from behind by Sventa, Halvdan watching on.

In the middle of the fenced off area, there is an exchange of blood. Daonti, who disengaged from Otta and hopped over the fence, shoots at Lepus, a serated arrow punching through his bulky tower shield and into his chest dealing 7 damage to the Chaos Warrior. Enraged by his feeling death's cold hands around his throat. Lepus' rusty bastard sword cleaves off Thronrir's paldron like shoulder bark for 10 damage. Thronrir, trapped between a Chaos Warrior and a marauder (which must have went early but didn't do enough damage to be written in the notes.) unleashes his bark-knuckles on Lepus punching him twice for one damage.

Just as Scopulis manages to scale the fence, an arrow from Daonti catches the Leader in head, dropping him onto the ground.

Thronrir protects Doanti from charging marauders, he also punches a horse, which I assumed looked like this....

Halvdan Plax moves in on Daonti, but only able to inflicted 2 damage on the Leader.

Jorg and Styr slash strips of bark of Thronrir, but not enough to kill the mighty tree warrior.

After slaying Slothi, Sventa faces Guthroth between the fence.

Lepus piles into the carnage, but Thronrir still stands.

Recovered from the punch to the face, Otta's horse tries to finish off Daonti. Rachel wouldn't tell me her remaining wounds but I think it was getting pretty close to zero, but not close enough!

Victory for Rachel's Nature's Byrches!

Scopulis' corpse festered on the ground, his body food for the young spirits he had tormented. As with all nurgle's followers, death becomes life, an inescapable cycle that is law even in the Everpoint. The spirits sing in loud rejoice as they fly about the Sylvaneth liberators. Daonti smiled, knowing this would only be the beginning of her crusade to rid the Everpoint of corruption.

What a game that was! Rachel had killed my leader, and 1/3 of my warband  as well as won the match. With her 3 previous Glory Points, she had enough for a dominion, gaining her an extra 50 points to add to her warband next game. No one was slain in the aftermath step, needing a 2 on 2d6. Rachel rolled low on the Artifact table, giving her nothing, but the Serpent Venom retained it's power.

Next on the Hobby Desk!

I have another Crusade battle against Pilon to write up, as well as the backstory for the "Divine Twilight" Cawdor gangers. The Barracades are mostly done, just need to work on the objective markers to finish it all off.