Terrain Update 7/8/15

Holiday weekends mean extra time off... to do chores.  I failed at getting much done over the weekend.  That combined with camera problems (I forgot to use it) made for a low production terrain weekend.  It's been pretty hot the last few days here but was able to get some hobby done.

Roughed out the base for my water tower.

Attached base to water tub

Glued together some barrels for use in rubble piles. (no pic)

Gave a stone look to the first floor of my "tavern."  I'll give the upper floors a stucco look with some filler before painting.

Stone look on first floor

I already had some city walls cut however I thought I could do them better so I made some changes on that front.  I didn't want to waste the foam, so I used filler to go over the walls.  After it drys I'll give it a grayish brick look.

Filler being added to "channels"

I reinforced my city wall towers and have prepped them for painting.  I will be using a "stone" spray-paint over this.  Then I'll remove the tape and hopefully I'll get a block look.

Sloppy horizontal lines

Sloppy vertical

I put a "stone" floor on my town square thingy.

I would like to get some mdf board to make simple bases for my rubble piles.  I want to re-base my gallows, stocks, fruit stand, and well.

I know I said previously I need to finish up what I already have started but I found some pvc pipe I can cut up to use for statue bases.  Later, I mean, I'll do that after I finish all this other stuff.

Terrain Update 7/2/15

I didn't have much time to work on stuff last night but I used the time I had pretty efficiently.  I was able to finish laying out and gluing down the field stone look on an elevation section.  I am looking forward to seeing how this project finishes up.

Flagstone laid out and glued down.

The next step is to sand the cardboard edges to look warn and smooth.  Then I'll put grit in the gaps and it should be ready to paint.  The sides of the section will have a brick pattern carved into it.  I haven't decide exactly how to do it but I think it may involve spackle.

I should have a bit of time over this holiday weekend to get some more done.  Now that I'm getting more of this terrain stuff done, I want to play even more.  Fingers crossed I can find some time and someone to play against.

On another topic, Chaos Cup 2015 is in September and I've got tons of roster thoughts running through my head.  Pre-registration began yesterday and there is a bonus to paying and turning in your roster early.  Play is a ways off but I want to get registered soon.

Nose, meet Grindstone

I haven’t posted hobby stuff in a long, long time.  That’s not just because I’ve been lazy, I just haven’t had the time.  I’ve had a couple opportunities to play but no one else has been able to play at those times.  I’ve also been sick for some of the time and busy for the rest.  I’ve taken my newly diagnosed diabetic cat to the vet many times and that’s contributed to the lack of free time as well.  My wife and I had a garage sale this past weekend and now I can get some stuff done.

On the terrain tip I realized I need to finish up what I have instead of starting anything new.  I used some brown and black spray paint I had laying around the garage to give a base color to some ruins, fencing and wood stuff.

Spray pained base color/primer.

I found a tutorial for using thick cardboard to make up a flagstone look.  I’ve started to make some risers take on that look.  I also added some height to the edges of one elevation change.

My first attempt at a flagstone pattern.

Wood glue for adhesion and water to aid with curling.

I decided one of the elevation changes should have some walls built up.  I'll add some ropes to it to use as rope and hooks.  I like the options it will give.

Built-up about 1/2 inch with some scrap foam blocks.

I will finish up these buildings first then the flagstone.  After this I’ll finish work on the water tower, town walls and watch towers.  This should catch me up on what I’ve started and then I’ll do more.  My goal is to have this stuff finished up by August 1.

Now onto some miniatures.  I need to finish up the witch hunters that are almost done.  After that I will finish up the skaven warband my friend is using.  After that I’m going to show some love to some Blood Bowl teams for a bit.  The next tournament that I’ll be attending is Chaos Cup 2015 in early September.  I think I’ll be playing a different team than I’ve played in the past so I need to get that going.  Also I am painting up a hobgoblin for the CC legacy team, so I need to get going on that.  My goal is to have these things done by September 1.  The Blood Bowl team and player must be done by September 1.

In order to keep up with my non-specific posting goals, I should be posting quite a bit.  I hope to get in plenty of play too.  A friend wants to show me the Star Wars game also so hopefully I can learn that soon too.

This all sounds like a lot to do this summer but I think it’s doable.

In the Meantime 6/2/15

Another Monday has passed and we weren't able to get the large group together for some Mordheim action so a couple of us played our little side game instead.  We've played two of the side scenarios in the past and the score was Skaven 1, Witch Hunters 1 but in the most recent game three members of the WH band died.   So we were a bit short handed.  In the post game searching roles we did find an elf ranger, so there was that.

The scenario was a chance encounter (or something like that).  The Skaven deployed first and went first.

Skaven turn one saw them move forward and fire a steady barrage of slings toward the Witch Hunters.  Eight projectiles missed their targets, one knocked out-of-action a zealot with a bow, and one glorious stone did a wow.  The skaven needed a 7+ to hit the elf ranger; the rolls came down as 6, 4 (needed to hit), 4 to wound, and 4 to stun.  I didn't even get to use my new toy!

Turn one for the WH saw the ranger roll over, some hiding, and my lone crossbow shot stunning a night runner.

Skaven turn two sent a black skaven in to finish off the ranger.  Also my lone remaining shooting warrior was stunned by a stone.

In turn two for the WH's we passed our route test and proceeded to do a whole lot of nothing.

Turn three for the skaven saw more sling fire take out the crossbowmen and a flagellant was charged and taken out.

Turn three for the WH's didn't happen as we voluntarily routed.

Rolling for injuries at the end saw the flagellant die and the crossbow carrying witch hunter go stupid.  So needless to say I will be restarting that warband.

Unfortunately there are no pictures of this slaughter because my phone ran out of memory.

Update 5/21/15: Mordheim

It seems like forever since I've done any painting and it has been quite a long time.  I got a whopping 15 minutes set aside to paint yesterday and I used it to get one coat of paint on two rats skin.  This should've probably taken about two minutes but I forgot something as simple as how much water to add to my paint.  My first efforts were way too watery and then too thick.  I finally got the consistency I wanted about one minute before my wife called down to me to let me know my timer was going off.  I quick snapped a photo.  I figured it would be a reminder of how much I need to keep painting to even stay okay at it.

It's like riding a bike... the falling off part.

In the Meantime

No Spacehog here.

It's turned out to be incredibly difficult to get the group together for KUMC1, but that hasn't stopped the Mordheim play.  KUMC1 is not defunct.  It will be there when the group can get together but in the meantime, two of us have decided to embark on a different Mordheim endeavor.

We decided to build three warbands a piece and play them in some random fashion.  The first game of this campaign was Witch Hunters versus Skaven.  We are playing these races in KUMC1 but we started these wb's from scratch.  We rolled off to see which scenario from the rule book we would be competing in.  We rolled up Skirmish, which is the most basic for of play.  Set-up and go fight.

The game started with the Rats having the first turn.  They used it move toward the center of the board.  Turn one for the Witch Hunters was the same.  

Turn two meant the Skaven could get close enough to unleash their first volley of sling fire.  The WH sustained no damage from the shots and proceeded to move closer.  Their one missile weapon, a cross-bow, was able to take one verminkin out-of-action.  

Turn three saw the Skaven move tactically out of WH charge range for the most part.  They were still able to fire a large sling barrage.  However, they were only able to stun one zealot.  Turn three did allow for some charges to come from the WH.  The shooting and combat in this round took out two more rats,  another verminkin and a giant rat.  They stunned another giant rat but didn't do enough damage to cause a rout test.  

Skaven turn four saw them take out two flagellants in hand-to-hand combat and they knocked down a WH in shooting.  Witch Hunter turn four started with two crazy zealots charging the assassin.  One almost took out the leader with his spear but it was not to be as the return attack from the leader stunned him.  A WH was able to take out a giant rat that had been stunned earlier and that was enough to cause the rats to route.

Post game exploration earned the WH four shards and the Skaven 3.  The WH also found some stuff it didn't have money for.  Oh well.  Here are a couple pics.

I intend to do some painting and terrain stuff soon.  Haven't done those in a long time.

Darkest Before Dawn 5/1/15

Darkest Before Dawn

There’s power in the nighttime that you won’t find in the day. Greed doesn’t only manifest while the sun is up, it grows stronger in the dark.  Rumor has it that the Scalari hid a multitude of riches around the city and a map to some of these treasures is buried in the square.    

Terrain

4’ x 4’ table.  Each player takes turns putting out terrain on the table.  Each warband will place one treasure chest.

Deployment

Each warband will start within 10” of a table corner.  The warband with the lowest rating will deploy first, then the next lowest and so on.  If there are more than four warbands, play can be on a 6’ x 4’ field and deployment will be spaced out close to evenly.

Starting the scenario

Roll off d6, then go clockwise from the high roller

Ending the scenario

All but one warbands routes, maximum of 8 turns

Special Rules

To open a treasure chest come into base to base contact with a chest.  Roll a d6, on a 4+ the chest opens.  Each chest can only be opened once contains 2d6 gold.  Any chest left un-opened at the end of the game is vacated.

Night fighting – During the first four turns of battle it is dark out.  When shooting, all to hit rolls have a negative one modifier.  Shots needing a 6 to hit (before darkness modifier) cannot be fired. 

Treasures – Beneath the gallows at the center of the square there is a map.  The first hero to come into base contact with the gallows get the map.  If the hero is knocked down/stunned/OOA he drops the map and it is picked up by the attacker.  If the hero is knocked down/stunned/OOA by shooting the map falls to the ground.   The next hero to come into contact with the map now has it.  The hero that holds the map when the scenario ends will add it to his warbands holdings.  If no one holds the map at the end it is lost.

Experience

                +1 to winning warband leader (if multiple warbands fulfill all eight turns this is not given out)     

                +1 survival

                +1 to a hero for any warrior taken out of action

                +1 to the hero that holds the map

The hero holding the map may re-roll one exploration dice.  Also his roll for rare items gets a +2.

The scenario actually started and ended in the dark.  Four warbands routed on their turn four.  The scenario winners were the Ratkateers.  However, they were unable to obtain the map.

Here are some photos of the game:

City setup

City setup

Dwarves to the left of me, Skaven to the right...

Set to Charge a Rat Ogre... didn't go well.