Jon's Birthday Festivities

    Yesterday being my birthday, Rachel treated me to all sorts of fun things! She made a breakfast of pancakes, I didn't take pictures, but she also made a delicious homemade chocolate peanut butter cake for after supper. We actually went out to Caraway Grill for a birthday supper, and despite the weekday, cold weather and pandemic, the four open tables there were full. This place is a bit of a hole in the wall, tucked away on the opposite side of the casino. Without Covid restrictions, it would have about 9 tables of 4 which would be PACKED with a 20 to 45 min wait if you wanted to dine in. If you are in Regina, it is thee place for east Indian cuisine. 

    Enough of my obsession with Caraway grill... (I believe I've had like 5 birthdays there). Back to Feb. 10th, along with the treats Rachel picked up some reinFORCEments for my Star Wars Legion. Myboth brother, Shawn, also picked up the Inferno Squad. When I was opening his gift I thought they might've both picked up the same boxes for me. Luckily that wasn't the case. 

    I still have two sets of the core Rebels to paint up, was planning to do some quick contrast paint scheme for them, but haven't figured which one to choose! I think most of the reason Rachel picked up Clan Wren is due to finishing The Mandalorian back in December. What do I paint them up as? A ragtag group of mandalorian resistance fighters all from different clans or a uniform clan? The latter is appealing for me as that's how I have painted most of my armies, but I like the idea of  7 rainbow of bounty hunters, a magnificent seven if you will.

    But the true gift was getting Rachel to play Warhammer Underworlds with me. Rachel got tried of remembering all the different seasons of Underworlds in which I used to refer to the game so she started to call it Shadowfax. I don't think any season had fax or shadow in it, but GW does have the license for Lord of the Rings so maybe next season?

Start of the game

Lots of sun glare, sorry, deceiving sun

Magore's F(r)iends close up.

Her duffus opponent trying to crouch into the picture

Whelp! Guess Rachel is going first.

    Rachel rolled 3 criticals and one "eyebrow" or support, which is the second symbol used to determine ties if both players have the same amount of criticals. Very strong opening dice roll which unfortunate for Rachel didn't carry over into the actual game...at least not at first.

    I didn't take many pictures of this game, being a very aggressive warband, the Khorne fighters were able to get into range quickly. It also didn't help that Rachel placed a lethal hex right beside one of her objectives. Zharkus or Ghartok? drew first blood, taking out Ahnslaine.... pushing her into the pit with a drawn back move.The rules, at least when I glanced over them, didn't state that if lethal hex kills would give glory. What I saw was when out of action, reward glory. If this is incorrect, I might have to apologize to Rachel for being a cheater on my birthday.  

In the 2nd round.

   

    One of the objectives in my hand from the start of the game was to defeat a leader with Riptooth, looking at the picture above, I believe Zharkus pushed Ylthari into the pit for 1 damage. Ylthari also took 1 one damage from casting a spell and getting two critical hits, this was a new rule for me, it's called a backlash. Her spell triggered her reaction, letting her heal one wound, which then inspired her. But as she tryed to climb back out of the pit, Riptooth was there to push her back in or at least that's how I saw it. How many tree people can fit in one pit?

Answer: 3

    By the end of the second round, Rachel only had one friendly Gallanghann left on the board. His Glaive made it easy for Rachel to pick off wounded Bloodreavers from afar. 

Rachel pouting, poor rolls and one fighter on the board.

Gallanghann, the last shining beacon for the Ylthari Guardians.

By turn three Rachel had only Gallanghann and a spell that targeted a friendly Gallanghann or a friendly fighter adjacent to a friendly Gallanghann. She found the wording on Healing Amphora a bit funny but it did heal the friendly Gallanghann, inspiring him. With the distance and being able to deal additional damage from her reaction on critical hits on defense dice, Rachel was taking out most of the wounded Fiends. 

Friendly Gallanghann using the very bottom of the glaive to reach over the pit.

Two crits on defense, this tree was a lot tougher to push into the pit.

By the end of round three, Gallanghann had trapped Riptooth in a corner, picked off Zharkus or Ghartok? And had landed a few hits on Magore himself. He was definitely the MVP of the match. With all said and done, the score was 5-2, Rachel had some disagreements with dice rolls.

Next on the Hobby Desk

Even though I have seen several tauntauns running about outside, I haven't been painting all that much. To some success, I have been making terrain for Rangers of Shadowdeep. Hope to post more on that once I finish off a couple pieces.

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. 

Bountiful Khorne harvest

Daemon have jumped in line on the paint desk, their nefarious plan of not being part of the grey tide has succeeded. Their legion grows along with the Flesh Hounds that I previously painted for WarCry.

The two Bloodcrushers are going to be used for WarCry, as a normal unit has 2 more then I actually own. (I am even pushing that as one has a daemonic icon, what daemon of khorne would fight with an icon instead of a sword?) 

The bloodletters were crowding the paint desk, as it seemed that's where there home was. We had a gentlemen's agreement that they would move out if I painted them up as well as their buddies (who were sleeping beside the paint rack, drinking and partying throughout the night. Mostly waiting for their proper bases to come, which took slightly over a month to show up.)

Bloodletters ready for bloodshed

This rowdy bunch is off the desk.

The entire Khorne Daemons

With this I now have a budding painted Khorne army of:

Warhammer 40K

Patrol Detachment

HQ

Karanak - 4PL, 75pts

Troops

10 x Bloodletters with banner & instrument - 4PL, 105pts

Elite

3 x Bloodcrushers  with banner & instrument - 7PL, 160pts

Fast Attack

5 x Fleshhounds - 4PL, 100pts

Total: 19PL, 440 pts

I didn't include the 3 metal bloodletters as they don't fill out a fill squad. Once I finish off some of the Ad-mech and Sisters, I might have to paint up a Khorne Daemon Prince to boost the list past 500 pts, I also have a metal Skulltaker that should be painted up too.

I was going to add the breakdown for Age of Sigmar points as well, but it seems Karanak is no longer seen as a Leader for a Khorne army, but the Skulltaker still is. (I hope so they just released a new... model....so did Karanak...) Well that's just silly.

If (when) I paint up the rest of the Slaanesh and Nurgle, I am sure a general daemon list would be close to 2K.

I have been eyeing up the Sigmarite Mausoleum (formerly known as the Corpsewrack Mausoleum when it was bundled for Warcry, adding in rules for the terrain into warcry) to use for Warcry. Rachel could hear my wallet opening and suggested that I painted up her Awakened Wyldwoods instead, as I had more drive to paint them up.

I went for birch trees in a fall transition, they turned out pretty nicely if I do say so myself.

Rachel's Ylthari's Guardians from Warhammer Underworld

After taking the pictures, Rachel did inform me that she still wanted to work on their bases, she has this weekend off so maybe she will put in some painting time.

Added some flock on the sides for moss.

Next on the Hobby Desk

I want to get a backstory together for the Necromunda gangers before posting about them, I have a crusade battle report to post.

 

Season of the Wych -WarCry Campaign Battle #1

            Last week, my family and I went to Duck Mountain for a few days at rented cabins. This was planned back in January, as we don't have a cabin and like to be nomads visiting new places each year. It did help that we went during the week and people don't seemed to be going out for day trips to the park, making it easier to social distance.

On the car ride up, about 3 hours plus some delay around Yorkton as they were making passing lanes, Rachel and I were talking about games that we should play again, and WarCry came up. I suggested doing a campaign, something that she wasn't as into when previously asked but agreed to during the trip. (I feel like the 3 hours of sleep after a night shift might've been a factor.)

On Friday, we started looking at points and units, Rachel needed to assemble her Spite Revenants and I wanted to get some Bloodcrushers painted up. I painted up most of the mount, but didn't have the right oval base (used a 72x52mm instead of a 90x52mm, close enough!) 

Core Rule book focuses heavily on Chaos warbands with name generators and campaigns dedicated to the new cultist models... and some Stormcast.... and a sprinkle of Orks. The Tome of Champions book, covers the factions that came out in the card packs later on, so both Khorne and Sylvaneth. Mercenaries and Monsters (the second expansion book) added in Challenges where your warband could defeat a monster to be able to add it to your roster and yes, campaign battles could be one of these challenges, but alas, I don't have the specific Monsters listed in the book, might have to use the unpainted Glottkin that's been staring into my soul... watching me paint other miniatures.....

Inspired by the plentiful birch trees in Duck Mountain, Rachel wants to try painting up her Spites like birch trees, she also enjoys the use of name play, and thus Nature's Birches was the name of her Warband that she came up with. Her quest:

The Season of Retribution

Rotting Marvolion. That is the name you hear upon the spirit-song, the name howled in rage by sorrowful forestsprites. After the most recent engagements of the War of Life, Marvolion has retreated to his sickly lair in the Eightpoints to perform unspeakable experiments on the captured spirits of your fellow Sylvaneth. You cannot simply abandon your kin to such a horrific end. Find Marvolion’s lair and unleash upon him nature’s unfettered wrath.

Nature's Birches are led by Daonti Heartoak, her soul is afflicted by an age-old melancholy (no body cares about the trees anymore!), despite or maybe due to her melancholy she believes that life must be spread across all of the Mortal Realms, even in the most desolate of regions.

Nature's Birches

Daonti Heartoak - Leader - 240 pts

Thronrir The Hunter - Bow Kurnoth Hunter - 200 pts

Sventa Twistbranch - Kurnoth Hunter Sword - 180 pts

Lorelith Bloomwych - Axe Tree Revenant - 50 pts

Maudelith Bloomwych - Scythe Tree Revenant - 50 pts

Islalith Bloomwych - Sword Tree Revenant - 50 pts

Davonne Spritekin- Spite Revenant - 70 pts

Spyraff Spritekin - Look left Spite Revenant - 70 pts

Flyt Spritekin - Schemin' hands - 70 pts

Total: 980 pts

The Flesh hounds have picked up a trail in the wind, hoping to lead them to a deserter. 

The Blood God's Due

Khorne is an uncomplicated god. To gain his favour, a would-be champion need only kill, often and indiscriminately. Those who breach this covenant are subjected to the full force of the Blood God’s fury. You have heard tell of Tarkus Brondt, a warrior who committed the unforgivable sin of retreating in battle. The raging bellow that echoes through your mind speaks to your god’s command. Run Brondt to the ground and prove that none escape Khorne’s wrath.

The Teeth of Red Rampage are led by Burning Ash, a flesh hound that focuses on one thing, becoming a red headsman, using one quick strike to kill it's quarry. Khorne smiles on Burning Ash, blessing him with blood that glows like molten brass.

Teeth of Red Rampage

Burning Ash - Leader - 240 pts

Bonegnash - Flesh Hound (ork skull) - 170 pts

Neckrender - Flesh Hound (two horns) - 170 pts

Gutwrench - Bloodletter - 70 pts

Furious Blade - Bloodletter - 70 pts

Red Butcher - Bloodletter - 70 pts

Skullcleave - Bloodcrusher - 185 pts

Total: 975 pts

Reaching the Zarakh Expanse, the Sylvaneth spotted a roving band of Khorne Daemons. Their appetite for murder was well know, and it was best to strike first before they got any closer. Spotting some near by ruins, Daonti took the warriors that could keep up with her, the rest would have to catch up with them. Schemin' Hands Flyt noticed it at first, that the Khorne Daemons were spread out, some of them were now on their left flank as well. Nature's Birches steeled themselves, ready to strike hard.

Shield and Hammer placed on the upper corner of the battlefield

Dagger and Shield on the opposite corner.

Daonti Heartoak didn't like the idea of being sandwiched between Khorne Daemons, she would need to strike hard and first. Gutwrench was in her sight, gloating out in the open. With two arrows, the vial daemon was slain. (for now)

Daonti and the "scary trees"

Excited by the bloodletting of his comrade, Skullcleave races into the battle, eager to prove himself to his Dark God.

 Bonegnash too is overwhelmed by the prospect of tearing into the enemy, using it's Hungry for Flesh on Sventa Twistbranch, making his one move into a 14" move instead and still being able to attack! Yikes! (I used one of the doubles from my initiative)

Bonegnash slashing at Sventa, causing only a handful of wounds.

Sylvaneth position at the end of turn one, cameraman didn't deem the position of the Khorne Daemons important, so you don't get to see them. (they are just cowering on the other side of the wall, just don't tell Khorne)

The shrill howls of the flesh hounds bounce off the ruins, echoing into the hearts of their soon to be victims. Just as the hounds grow close though, so too does the Sylvaneth's slower members. Daonti notices an artifact on the Bloodcrusher as it moved in. Around it's slender arms was a dark artifact used in rituals to corrupt the land. Daonti lets out a series of chitters to signal to her warband that Skullcleave must be brought low.

Both hounds pop into the battlefield, pinning Spyraff Spritekin

We have heard your complaints about the photographer, he has been flogged in the streets and humiliated publicly by displaying his poor work. The new photographer has been threatened for the same to be done to them if quality doesn't improve.

Lorelith and Thronrir The Hunter catch up to the party.

Sventa lays down some hurt onto Bonegnash, he was Trampled under foot before being slashed into, causing 14 damage. In retaliation, Bonegnash uses Rainstorm of Ghyran to recover from his wounds (the twist for the battle lets anyone recover in combat if they use a double), then chomped down on some delicious tree bark. Yum! Sventa still survived with 2 wounds left!

Emo Bloomwych sisters look in horror.

Daonti Heartoak senses the weariness of battle settling in over the members of her warband, she invokes Envoy of the Everqueen, a quadruple ability that gives all fights within 6" of the leader a bonus +2 to Strength and Toughness. This made Skullcleave a bit hesitant about fighting some buff trees. If Khorne asks, the sun was in his eyes and deemed the fight unhonourable to have such a disadvantage.... also there is no proof, from what I can tell, Skullcleave is just running into battle according to the other pictures.

Daonti shoots a volley of arrows into Skullcleave, only dealing 2 damage due to cover.

Spyraff Spritekin desperately strikes Burning Ash, only able to do the equivalent of applying sunscreen somewhat roughly. Neckrender snaps the twig in two before the Hunger sets it, running off to Lorelith to use her as a tooth pick, to pick out the splinters of the last tree he had for lunch.

Burning Ash rushed over to the Emo Sisters as Rachel calls the Tree Revenants due to their long hair. Might be a bit long for Emo hair cuts though, getting closer to metal band.

"Double bubble disco queen, Headed to the guillotine"

While Skullcleave was getting all the sun out of his eyes, there was a slap fight between the Bloodletter and the Spite-Revenants, it was a draw.

*both wave drop their weapons and flail hands at each other*

 Daonti used a Rampage, giving her a bonus move and attack with a quadruple roll, running out to shoot at Skullcleave. The flurry of arrows weren't enough to take the Bloodcrusher down, but it was weakened.

Neckrender takes a few hits from Davonne, then Neckrender his back.

Burning Ash's molten brass blood is the last warm sensation Islalith feels before succumbing to her wounds. 

Bonegnash finishing off Sventa, but with a heavy price.

 Skullcleave slices at Schemin' hands Flyt, then running towards Doanti for a sweet action shot.

Glad Rachel took this picture, too bad Skullcleave is held together with sticky tac.

This was a fun game, it's a bit strange playing as Khorne Daemons trying to protect something instead of just slaughtering everything. Rachel and I finished off the aftermath section for the campaign, there was a lot of bonuses for killing off the enemy warband which we both didn't about, it's just that the daemons are all about that, gaining bonus attacks for killing stuff.

I ended up getting 8 glory points, 1 for participating, 1 for killing off 1/3 and 2/3 of the Sylvaneth and 5 points for winning. Rachel got 1 point for participating in the battle. We each searched for a lesser artifact, Rachel got a consumable item - Swiftwind Dust - giving the user +1 movement for the entire battle. I rolled and got a consumable item - Ironoak Seed - giving the user +1 toughness for the entire battle. All units survived, rolling a Full Recovery on their injury roll. Daonti got a Destiny and Furious Blade, these are used for re-rolls and aren't spent when used, BUT they can be lost if the fighter rolls poorly on the injury roll.

Each campaign has three convergence, mandatory quests that must be won before continuing on, with the rest of the quests. There are also command Traits and Greater Artifacts that unlock later on in the campaign.

Looks like Rachel and I will both need to paint up more units, as there are a few ways to increase the Warband size by 50 to 100 points.

Coming Soon to the Hobby Desk!

I basically have the Sisters of Battle done, just need to finish the bases. I also picked up the Daemonifuge which might be one of the next projects, didn't great her rules just yet, but I should pick that up soon.

Maybe some Necromunda gangs too? Whatever it is, hopefully it doesn't take as long as the sisters did.