Project 6 Start - Saga

I mentioned in the last post that I've discovered yet another new game. That game is Saga. 

It's another skirmish level game, this time set in the Dark Ages. Think Vikings!!! I've seen a few games from afar at the club, then arranged to sit down and talk one through with a couple of helpful chaps. It's great. Simple but subtle in the mechanics, it looks a lot of fun. 

I have picked up the rules and some models to build up my first horde of Vikings (games have around 20 to 70 models per side depending on how elite you want your force). I've also signed up for a participation event on December 4th for those interested in the game. So this project is to get to grips with the rules and bulild my Vikings. I'm not going to make it for the event date but I think models will be provided so that's ok. 

This will be the third new system I've picked up this year (after X-wing and Deadzone) and although they use up time i might have otherwise spent on GW games I definitely don't regret it. The variety of rules and models is really enjoyable. Remembering all the rules from multiple systems is a bit tricky though...

Projects - general update

Slow going really doesn't do my progress justice, but I'm not giving up. 

Project 2, the bloodbowl teams, is being shelved for now - the bloke I was going to be trying it out with and I have been playing a lot of Firefly board game and have now moved on to X-wing in a big way so I don't know when Bloodbowl will be back on the table. 

Projects 1 and 3 (both for the first mission of the campaign my brother and I will be starting) are still ongoing but are not the priority at the moment. 

Project 4, the Necromunda Redemptionists, have been shelved. Interest in Necromunda doesn't seem to be there at the club right now, and Deadzone is filling my need for sci-fi skirmishing for now. 

Project 5 has stolen the show. I've been green stuffing my Rebs to cut down on gaps, and have built the Plague models from the starter set. Disappointingly 2 models appear to be missing. I haven't yet contacted Mantic on this because I want to build up the Enforcers first to see of any of them are missing too. 

I've also built up the terrain. Wow. This stuff is incredible. Yes it's been designed with cubes in mind so it fits the Deadzone mechanics, but I think it would fit right in to any sci-fi setting such as 40K or Necromunda. I've started saving up (slowly) for an airbrush, which will be just the thing to get this thing painted. 

I've had 4 games so far, 2 for the campaign, and am really enjoying it. Still getting to grips with the rules but getting there. 

So this has taken up a lot of my time, explains the sidelining of much of the other stuff. The other main reason is that I have discovered yet another new game, to be discussed further in the starter post for project 6...

Project 5 Start - Deadzone!!

So quite a slow start to this blog then - though that's dependent entirely on my hobby progress, so surprisingly not much of that over the last 4 weeks. On the other hand, joining a local gaming club has been a real breath of fresh air - meeting new people and actually getting some games in on a regular basis as opposed to only occasionally.

The reason I've been able to get these regular games is that I have really opened up to non-GW game systems, some others of which will no doubt appear in future posts. The one which has jumped straight to the top of my priority list is Deadzone.

This game is similar is scale and scope to Necromunda (which may be why it appeals so much to me), being a skirmish level game of around 10 models per Strike Team (gang). I had heard of it before but knew next to nothing about it. Now that I have experienced the game I am gutted to have missed out on the initial Kickstarters for it. There are currently 6 factions available, with a seventh expected next year, and the models are great. 

I was very lucky that a few weeks ago I noticed a couple of guys learning the game and they were happy for me to sit down and check it out with them, and I got hooked just from watching them go for it. My fortune doubled-up the following week when a campaign was announced for the system at the club, for which we had the first game last week. So that meant I had to get a strike team sorted out pretty quick, and this has taken up a fair bit of my hobby time. The results are the models below.

This faction, the Rebs (Rebels), appealed to the most aesthetically - I love the variety in sizes and looks of the different humans and aliens for this faction. I'm hoping to get this lot painted up during the campaign.

I have also now picked up the main box, and so there's a ton of plastic terrain and 2 more faction starter sets to build up - plenty to get on with.

Project 4 Start - Redemptionists / Cultists

I've just started going to a wargaming club and one of the regulars mentioned the possibility of a game or two of Necromunda sometime. 

I LOVE NECROMUNDA!

My brother and I play every once in a while and it's a great game that I wish hadn't been discontinued. 

Anyway I have a Redemptionist gang that I've now dusted off and plan to get painted. I'm not planning any conversion work here so will start by cleaning them up ready for priming. 

The best part of getting this done is that they will double up nicely as Cultists for my escalation campaign force. With that in mind I've chosen 10 Redemptionists, the majority of which will sub easily for Cultists - the Redemptor Priest with meltagun will have to sub for a cultist leader with shotgun.

Starting pic to follow.

Project 3 Start - Alpha Legion Seeker Squad Strike Leader

This project aims to start killing two birds with one stone. The escalation campaign I will be starting shortly has a narrative element attached, and though this is yet to be fleshed out I already know the Alpha Legion are to be involved. 

My initial 200 point force will consist of the IG platoon from Project 1 and a single chaos space marine aspiring champion. I have been wanting to start building a 30K force for some time and so will be taking the opportunity to start sorting out some marines which can crossover both 40K and 30K, and Alpha Legion seemed ideal. 

I'm just at the planning stage right now. I don't want to pay FW prices at the moment though may pick up the Alpha Legion shoulder pads. So I'm going to try converting something up from a CSM or SM base, I have plenty if both to choose from. I like the look of Mark IV so will be aiming for that. I've found a couple of tutorials on doing this:- 

1. http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/262448-heresy-era-armour-marks-cataphractii-update/
2. http://www.mywargame.com/2009/12/08/creating-pre-heresy-marines-part-4-mark-iv-power-armour/

It's a lot of green stuff work which I'm not looking forward to, but I reckon it will be worth it. 

No pics yet....

Project 2 Start - Blood Bowl starter teams

I will be introducing a friend to the classic game of Blood Bowl in a few weeks. I only have the starter team models at the moment and thought it would be good to get them painted up before kickoff. 

I'm also thinking these can act as painting practice, and a not too awkward way to get into a stride with painting. After around 20 years in the hobby I've managed around 15 painted minis, most of which were done in the nineties and have since been stripped. 

So, initial pics to follow, nothing much happening so far - some minor converting to help individualise the players - mainly some bits chopped off here and there. If I'm feeling brave I might try to re-position a couple of limbs - I want to gain some green stuff experience. 

Project 1 Start - Imperial Guard platoon - 1xCommand, 2xInfantry

So, starting post for my first project: 25 Imperial Guard. I'm using Cadians as the base for these but with a few modifications. These guys are part of the starting force in an escalation campaign I'm starting soon. 

HQ Squad, 2 Platoon, D Company

I think I want to get rid of most or all of the winged-skull iconography because I want them to look a bit ... plainer, I guess. 

When I got the command sprues I noticed little respirator mouthpieces. I like these, so I've decided to use them for everyone - I guess they're in a harsh environment - there's only 5 though so I will be doing some green stuff casting. 

I want everyone to be carting their kit around them and was originally going to base something on the comms pack, but then I saw the medi-pack which I like better for this. I'm going to slice off the side pockets and add some air tanks to connect to the respirators. I have some guitar wire for that. Not sure what I'm going to do with the air tanks on the comms guys yet. 

I didn't like the idea of a mix of bayonets on or off so one squad is fully on and the other off. If I can be bothered I may magnetise some of the special weapons to allow more options later on. 

So pictures follow, showing rough prep, models blu-tacked to work out poses. I've tried to make everyone as individual as possible, mixing up the command sprue with the two Cadian sprues.

1st (Infantry) Squad, 2 Platoon, D Company

1st (Infantry) Squad, 2 Platoon, D Company

2nd (Infantry) Squad, 2 Platoon, D Company

2nd (Infantry) Squad, 2 Platoon, D Company

Intro

I'm JayHeretic and this blog exists to motivate me into getting productive with my hobby-time. 

My hobby is miniature wargaming (primarily Games Workshop, though my horizons are expanding) so getting productive means building more, painting more, playing more - all of which I have been very lazy about over the years.

I'm keen to post regularly, even if infrequently, and hopefully this goal will push me to make some overdue progress.

My first 2 projects are a small platoon of Imperial Guard (no I don't think I'll be calling them Astra Militarum) and the 2 starter teams in the Blood Bowl box set. 

More on these in the next post.