Compendium Updates
Check the sections to the right. Blood Bowl has been given a version 2.0 upgrade with MASSIVE re-organization. Battlefleet Gothic also got a minor tweak. Rules for setting up Warp Rifts were added to the terrain setup section.
On my plate 9/26/14: Distracted Edition
Things are not going great, but it’s high time for me to stop letting life get in the way and do some hardcore hobby action! All three of my readers demand it! Well, truth be told, they’ve been a bit silent, but I can feel it in their hearts. My hobby bones are rumbling.
Bones rumble, don’t they?
Battlefleet Gothic Tau – As my Tau player dropped out during our campaign I sort of lost interest in painting this fleet. However it’s about 1/3 done and I want to finish it so it should be my primary goal. Other projects should jump in. Status: 3 more capital ships, a large selection of escorts, and some defences left to do. I also have to pick a scheme for the Nicassar. Perhaps earth tones? Or go super extravagant with gold?
Azure Flames – I need to finish my Grav Sternguard. Next, a 5 man non-jump-pack assault squad with 2 flamers. Finally, I need to make some new sergeants with power swords. I have been getting MURDERED in challenges with Power Fists. I also need Centurions, a Hunter/Stalker, and a Stormraven.
Orks – MORE LADZ! I also need to buy some Fighta-bommaz and perhaps some new Big Gunz.
Battlefleet Gothic Eldar – I purchased a pre-painted Eldar fleet, but it had no light cruisers. I won one of each light cruiser in an auction and I need to strip them and try to match the paint scheme of my new fleet.
Battlefleet Gothic Necrons – I need a paint scheme and I need to get painting. They are the last thing for Gothic. Until I buy a new fleet NO BAD BOZEMAN!
Blood Bowl Orcs – I need to make four Cheerleader goblins, and then paint them as well as my four Assistant Coach goblins and the team coach, Warboss Grimfang da Lotz.
Epic Orks – Gotta finish that 3000pt teaching list.
Epic Eldar – Gotta make a 3000 pt teaching list and build it and paint it as the Yme-Loc craftworld (gray and orange with white details)
Epic Lost and the Damned – 3000pt teaching list and paint it.
Necromunda – Paint my Escher gang, Razor and the Scumettes.
Epic Space Marines – Finish painting a whole chapter so I can say “I have painted a whole chapter of Space Marines.”
Space Hulk – Wait for an ebay auction for the new mission book and rulebook, and the new tiles. Also “acquire” the expansions. *looks innocent*
A Funeral for Specialist Games
Specialist Games has been unsupported for a while now. If you’re unfamiliar with me and my site, just look to the upper right. I’m a huge cheerleader for Specialist Games. I shed a tear when they stopped selling, but at least they kept the rules online for free. It was a nice nod to the past.
The new Games Workshop website puts an end to that. No more specialist. Pour out a ’40 for them; they’re gone for good.
That’s not to say they’re DEAD. You can still find the files online in several places. I am considering building a Specialist Shrine right here on Four Strands Hobby just to make the files available to myself and others.
If you play specialist, KEEP IT ALIVE. Share it. Lend armies or fleets to friends. Our friends are not gone so long as we remember them.
On My Plate: 1/5/14
I have so many projects that I’m working on that I can’t really decide which to do, so hopefully laying them all out will let e get perspective.
-Battlefleet Gothic Necrons: Must come up with a paint scheme and paint. I’m thinking Gold with green power pathways that have “pulses” of energy in a lighter green.
-Battlefleet Gothic Tau Kor’Or’Vesh: Another scheme and paint. Perhaps Farsight Enclave? Maroon and grey look good together.
-Azure Flames Grav Project: I have four tactical marines and two magnetic biker arms to complete. After that, ten Sternguard veterans with Combi-Gravs. Yes, ten. Suck it superheavies and giant monstrous creatures.
-Blood Bowl: The Grimfang Scrappaz coach is partially done, as are assistant coaches. I need to do a few cheerleaders and then paint them all. I also need to do an Apothecary and Bloodweiser Babes…
-Epic: Finish painting Azure Flames, finish painting Ork 3000 point teaching list, finish Lost and the Damned Chaos Altar conversions, build and paint Eldar, and find two of the new version of the Revenant Titan for the Eldar. Last ones on ebay went for $150 for the pair.
-Necromunda: Hired Guns are a priority if there’s going to be a campaign at AFK, and I also have Razor and the Scumettes to paint…
-Saratogan 58th: Still need a viable 1500 point list and/or allied detachment to take with the Azure Flames. Note sure what I want.
-WAAAAGH! Smartyskull: Still need to paint half the stuff and find ways to improve the case situation, some stuff is getting dinged.
-Fantasy and Warmachine: On hold
Based on the above, I think I’m going to work on the Flames. They are my main army, and grav weapons are FUN.
Update: Power Loss and super secret project!
So, long time viewers (all four of you) know that I live in Lansing, MI now, and that Lansing was recently wiped off the map by an ice storm. I lost power for 8 days. However, I was not idle in that time. BEHOLD! MY xmas present to my roommate Jen!
The Reik River Raiders are a bunch of Goblins from the foothills near the city of Reikland, bankrolled by the mad scientist Dr. Emmet Von Braun. Von Braun has them test his latest weapons and potions on the blood bowl pitch. In addition, the Goblins have bribed two river trolls from the Reik River to be their muscle. Von Braun hopes to use the profits from the Reik River Raiders to bankroll his further attempts to undermine reality through science!
Next: a battle report between me and Lexington of Dice Abide! Salamander Space Marines (6th ed) vs. Orks! No holds barred, no aircraft, no superheavies! Stay tuned!
Blood Bowl Coach: Lord Kroak, last of the First Generation Slaan
Lord Kroak now watches over his children, the Konquata Monitors. He directs them with his undying will. Plus he has a nifty hat.
Look forward to another post today!
Grimfang Scrappaz done! Linemen and Troll Down Marker
Orc Linemen for the Grimfang Scrappaz complete! Here’s a photo of the whole team.
Next: Coaches, support Staff, etc. and a possible new project… I must be stopped.
Starting a Blood Bowl team.
Today I ran a demo for Blood Bowl at Highland Library. I’m hoping I piqued enough interest to get people to start their own teams.
So, how does one start their own Blood Bowl team? With Games Workshop discontinuing all of Specialist Games, this has become harder, but not impossible or expensive, depending on what you want to do. First, have someone who knows Blood Bowl demo the game for you. Then, read the team lists and pick a team. Only then should you buy. You have four options.
1. Buy the Blood Bowl box set, preferably ordering through a local game store. This will get you an Orc team and a Human team. Sell one of the teams to a friend. This is the only way to buy direct from Games Workshop anymore. The box set was still sold on the website as of the posting of this article. Sadly, this is not an option for players who do not wish to play Orcs or Humans.
2. Camp on ebay. This is an easy way to get a team. However, there is no guarantee. The team you are looking for may have several auctions right now, or none. Just do a search every morning and wait. The biggest problem with this is variability. Some players getting rid of their team can let it go for a steal, and some people who have delusions of grandeur sell a poorly painted team with a $300 buy it now. Just be patient.
3. Use existing pewter, plastic, and Finecast minis from the Warhammer Fantasy and 40K lines to convert your own team. This is what I did with the Konquata Monitors and the Grimfang Scrappaz. It helps to have a small amount of putty sculpting skills as well. This works best with Chaos, Dwarf, Elf, Goblin, Human, Khemri, Lizardman, Ogre, Orc, and Skaven teams, but not so well with others. Choose a team, look at existing model lines and get ideas. Hopefully you’ll have a good one.
4. Go to a third party. Mantic Games makes amazing Blood Bowl teams, but I can’t find them on their website. They must have been forced to stop. Look around for other companies. Reaper makes good fantasy models that could be easily converted to a Blood Bowl team. Meiko minis has good elves, ogres, and Nurgle. Impact minis has a huge selection and great support models.
Check all of the above options before buying. I searched ebay while writing this, and found several auctions of full team at less than $50. Buying plastic either through bitz order or box sets could set you back $40-$80 depending on what you need.
Blood Bowl Black Orc Blockers and Troll! Plus, Blood Bowl and Epic Compendium!
Black Orc Blockers are done, as is the Troll! Next: Blitzers for the Scrappaz and Coaches for both teams.
Also, in case you hadn’t noticed, I put up a Compendium for both Blood Bowl and Epic Armageddon! See the links in Features to the right.
