Salamander Terminators

Here are some photos of the Salamander terminators I've just finished. It took a lot less time than I thought which is good for keeping me motivated. I've started on an assault squad and a command squad to add to my growing army. The command squad is an old Blood Angels Honour Guard squad from a few years ago which should work fine (as long as I can remove the BA imagery from the marines). Then it'll be time to start on some vehicles.

Salamanders

Here are some photos of the Salamanders I've been working on. I'm pretty pleased with the results although it is frustrating that so much time is spent detailing the chests, only for them to be covered by the weaponry. At least I know it's been done.

I'm going to make a start on the terminator squad from the AoBR set to add to these troops. I'm also strangely enjoying painting these models at the moment - smaller squads are the way forward.

Painting: Redux

So I've started painting in earnest again after a break of a few weeks. My enthusaism in this area really does come in fits and starts. I'm currently painting up the contents of the AoBR set. I've decided to paint them as Salamanders (breaking a habit of a lifetime as all my other Space Marines are Blood Angels). I thought it would be easier to paint and highlight green rather than red and overall, I'm finding the painting of Space Marines a much better affair than usual. Since my painting skills aren't the best, lots of flat armour doesn't suit me well because it's difficult to drybrush or extreme-highlight. I'm doing my best.
Most of the tactical squad is done and some of the dreadnought. Then I'll tackle the Captain (without trying to make him look too 'Christmassy' - green armour, red cloak) and finally the terminators.
I'm still getting to grips with the foundation paints and the new washes, but they appear to be working well and are generally making the job a whole lot easier. Thankfully, WD have been printing a lot of painting advice, as well as adding new content to the website to help which is exactly what I need. I'm not sure I'll ever have the confidence to paint something without a guide because more often that not, it'll go wrong!
I was thinking about my aim in painting yet another new army, and I've decided that within a year, I'll enter a tournament to try my hand at something new. Whilst this does put pressure on what little painting skill I have, it'll be worth it to be working towards a goal, and try and win some games in the process. But we'll wait and see.

Another game, another defeat

Played one of the missions from WD345 using the contents of AoBR and, surprise, surprise, I lost again. I don't know what it is with my tactics but defeat haunts me at every corner (of the battlefield). Awful dice rolling and poor tactics were the mainstay of the game. On the other hand, I've never seen an opponent roll so many 6s!
I made more silly mistakes and came across some real issues. In one example, I sent a mob of boyz towards a SM 5 man combat squad. I fully expected to rip them to pieces, what with the Ork's furious charge and subsequent 3 attacks at S5, but along the way (with a fleet roll of a 1) I was charged by the SM dreadnought. Without a single Ork who could actually hit the thick armour of the dreadnought, I was completely stuck. An entire mob stuck in limbo without any hope of getting out of the mess.
I searched the rulebook for any hint of a way out - is there anyway a unit can voluntarily fall back? The rules seem to suggest that falling back can only happen as a result of a failed morale test. In the situation I came across, it effectively lost me an entire unit.
Any help would be much appreciated and any hints so I can secure a victory in the future would also be very much welcome.

Assault on Black Reach Playtest

Just played my first game using the contents of AoBR and the new 40k rulebook. My overarching experience are the sheer amount of special rules to remember. I'm sure that there weren't that many in the 2nd Edition!
I was facing the Orks in the scenario from the WD345 and I made rather too many 'schoolboy errors' leading to a rather poor defeat. I had no idea about the 'turbo booster' rule that the deffcopters have allowing them to move 24" and gain a 3+ cover save in the next turn! Bah. Nor did I realise the effectiveness of being able to run in the shooting phase if units forfeit shooting (essentially allowing a fleet roll). The Orks were upon me by turn 2 leading to some unnecessary casualties. The terminators pulled through, however, smashing the Nobz apart (hooray for power fists and s8 attacks!).
I also neglected to remember the 'And They Shall Know No Fear' special rule for Space Marines leading to my Commander falling back and being cut down by the Ork Warboss. Bah.
I haven't played a proper game of 40k for so long I'd completely forgotten the basics! It was much fun though, especially using my newly painted Salamanders for the first time.
I will endeavour to get my revenge when I can, and once I've finished painting the terminators. Then I can tackle the Commander. With green armour, I'm not sure what cloak he should have. The Ultramarine paint scheme is white and red but I'm not sure if that will work with a Salamander leader. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Assault on Black Reach

Got my hands on the new 40k box set (on the day of its release surprisingly) and what an immense set. Without a doubt, the greatest set GW have released (Battle for Skull pass obviously outdoes its 40k counterpart due to the number of models, but not it terms of minis) simply due to the detail of the models. Not only are the rules included, but the two armies are a great starter for anyone. Whilst it has taken an age to prepare the minis for painting, it's going to be worth it!
I've decided to paint the marines as Salamanders, mainly because I've had enough of painting Blood Angels. I'm using snot green as a base with a thraka green wash and a highlight of scorpion green. Still getting to grips with the new inks - do you wash the entire model with the ink or just the recesses that you want to be shaded? I'm sure that I'll find out through trial and error.
My only gripe with the new boxed set is the lack of a playable campaign in the rules, but I guess the White Dwarf campaign will make up for it.
The photos below are of the Salamanders in progress.

Specialist Games

Just dug out an old copy of Man O War and it's got me thinking about all of the games of old which GW used to stock. Such classics as Space Hulk (thankfully have that too), Tyranid Attack, Warhammer Quest, Epic etc etc. I've been having a browse for information about these long lost games and it's such a shame that they no longer exist apart from as ridicuously expensive sets on Ebay. Whilst I spend many an hour playing Space Hulk in my youth, I neglected Man O War meaning that if I want a new fleet to play with I'm going to have to fork out far too much on Ebay for the privilege. After reading some of the fan sites for Man O War, there appears to be quite a market for some sort of re-release of the products. Now, I'm not up on the political reasons for GW getting rid of these standalone games (there appear to be many theories) but surely they would make some money out of a limited re-release? Even something as basic as re-releasing the card ruins for Necromunda or for Mordheim would reap in the money for GW. In this month's White Dwarf, the Standard Bearer section is going on about eventually developing more minatures for the Specialist Games range for the 'veterans' out there. Whether this is true or not I don't know but it makes a lot of sense if you ask me.
I'd love to be able to play some more Man O War, and I'm currently watching some models on Ebay, but I'm not sure I'll be able to afford the final bids. It would be so much easier to be able to order them online straight from the GW website. So if you're listening GW, sort out these forgotten gems.

Finished Dire Avengers

Finally finished the Dire Avengers and I'm pretty pleased with the final result. Used some of the new foundation paints and attempted to use the washes (but to little effect) on them. I've noticed, since claiming to have finishing them that I've missed a gem off the Exarch's chest but that can be done another time. And I've yet to add anything to the Exarch's banner.
Next task is to finish some Striking Scorpions and I need to find an appropriate colour scheme for an Iyandan farseer. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Frustrating Painting

During the holiday I'm enjoying at the moment, I thought I'd be able to get through all the painting that's currently hanging over my head. Hundreds of points of models which have yet to have any more than a basecoat put on them. I don't really have a painting style - I'm not that good to have developed one yet - but it takes me a frustratingly long time to paint up even one unit. And whilst I'm sure it'll all be worthwhile in the long run, I wish I could hurry up about it all and get them onto the tabletop! Just been browsing few a through blogs about quick ways to paint up various Eldar aspect warriors and I have found a few good ideas which I will be trying ot use over the next few weeks in order to get the army off the ground (and actually be able to play some games with them). The foundation paints and new washes appear to be much better then I had previously thought so I'll be using them to full effect.
My mind keeps wandering over to the Vampire Counts army book which looks brilliant but with an incomplete Eldar army and a 1000 pt Empire army still waiting patiently to be used, my imagined Vampire Counts' army will have to wait.

Assault on Black Reach

Just seen the picture for the new 40k boxed set and it looks unbelievable. I thought that the GW was being generous with the Warhammer boxed set, 'Battle for Skull Pass' with over 100 minatures, compared to the 'Battle for Macragge' (which had about 30), but they have really outdone themselves with the contents of the new boxed set.

A full tactical squad, teminator squad, commander and a dreadnought! And three deffcopters! Regardless of whether I like either army, that is a must purchase for only £40. I wrote to the GW only a few months ago complaining about the price rises (£40 for Vampire Counts Blood Knights was one of many examples) and whilst I would love to think they've taken on board the comments, they must have found a cheaper way to mass produce the minatures for this boxed set. Which is great.

Perhaps this means another foray into a Space Marine army (of which I've started a few, but never had the patience to finish them - they seem so dull in comparison to the other option in 40k)? Or a brand new Ork army? More likely, they'll be cannon fodder for the Eldar army I'm concentrating on at the moment.

The Dire Avengers are almost finished so I'll post some images of them for closer scrutiny soon.

Eldar army list

Still painting the Dire Avengers, they're taking much longer than I thought - I think I need to learn the benefits of speed painting.
In the mean time, this is a rough army list for the Eldar army I'm creating, based on what I have at the moment.

HQ
Farseer
Singing Spear, Rune of Witnessing, Spirit Stones, Doom, Guide

ELITES
Striking Scorpions (x5)
inc. Exarch with scorpion's claw, shadowstrike

Fire Dragons (x5)
inc. Exarch with firepike, crack shot, tank hunter

TROOPS
Dire Avengers (x10)
inc. Exarch, power weapon and shimmershield, defend

FAST ATTACK
Swooping Hawks (x5)

Warp Spiders (x5)
inc. Exarch with additional death spinner, powerblades, surprise assault, withdraw

Viper
bright lance, shuriken cannon

HEAVY SUPPORT
Dark Reapers (x3)

Total: 999

Not sure how this will fare in games and I'll have to split the Dire Avengers into two groups of five in order to make the list legal. With the changes in the new 40k rulebook, this is seriously lacking in 'troops' which will have to be remedied. Some jetbikes, guardians and rangers should sort that out.
Best get painting.

Dire Avengers

Here are a few photos of the Dire Avengers I'm currently working on. I always paint the torsos seperately from the arms (so I can get to the details) which makes the process slightly slower (but hopefully worthwhile). I've given the exarch a power weapon and shimmer shield in an attempt to give the squad a little bite if they get drawn into combat.

The Beginning

This is an outlet for my army building of Games Workshop models across all of their ranges. I'm currently working on an Eldar army as well as an Empire army with the aim of using them to take part in some future tournaments (of which I have never taken part before).
You'll notice the name of the blog is 'closet gamer' which is intentional and a reflection of my current state of mind. I have an irrational fear of letting others know about my gaming obsession which goes some way to explain why I'm using this as an outlet for the fruits of my labour.
I also want to use this blog as a way to allow others to comment on the quality of the army I'm creating, both in terms of the lists, but more importantly, the paint job. So as soon as the pictures go up, any feedback would be apprecitated.