Hail Caesar Fantasy! Wood Elves Quick Pics

Here is some quick pics of the finished Wood Elf Army for Hail Caesar Fantasy!

The army consists of:

A Great Green Wyrm Ridden by a Hero:

The beardy treemen can be seen on the left

An Army General Command Stand, Assorted Generals, Heroes, and Wizards stands, A Heavy Cav unit, A Centaur Hvy Cav Unit, A Scout Cav Unit, A Unit of Treemen, A Tree Man Hero Unit:

Heroes and leaders in foreground, heavy cav and centaurs in midground, scouts in background

Hvy Cav, Centaurs and Scouts

  2 Units of Pegasus Rider Cav, 2 Units of Centaur Bow Lt. Cav, 3 Units of Wood Elf Light Infantry Long Bow Archers:

Pegasus Riders in Front, Centaurs behind, Archers behind, Hvy Infantry to right

 Heavy Spear Infantry Unit, Elite Guard Hvy 2 Handed Sword Infantry, 2 Units of Medium Hunter Infantry, 2 Units of Medium Spear Infantry, Guard Arrow Lords(Medium Long Bow Infantry):

Hvy Infantry Left to Right

 All told its 11 Units of infantry, 9 Units of Cav, 2 Huge Monster Units, 8 Heroes, Wizards and Leaders, and 1 Army General Stand.

I have another Heavy Cav Unit, Skirmishers and another 2 Hunter Units to do. I will probably add another two units of Treemen(GW plastic Dryads), and would like to add a unit of Eagles.

That would get me up to 28 Units of Infantry, Cav, and Monsters plus leaders and heroes. that puts 1 large division in each players hand if we have 4 Wood Elf players. Or two regular sized divisions if we are playeing 3 players a side. Perfect.

I think I am going to build a light box like the one Space Jacker built, only bigger since I photgraph units more than singles, so I can maybe eventually get a few good shots on here.

Since this was pretty satisfying, I am going to get the Orcs basing finished so we can have a proper game, then on to some terrain to match.

Happy Rolling!

LA

Quick Update 2-25-13

Just a quick update to let you know what I have been up to:

Living in the Midwest has been fun this month

1. Finished a couple more units for Epic. Gotten tired of painting Blue. The Ultras have a nice sized force to fight with. I have a Thunderhawk, A Bike Company, and a Terminator Vetaeran Company to paint to fill in some gaps.

2. Wanted to do something different during the snow days so I broke out some 15mm Fantasy and started to paint a couple of Wood Elf and Orc Units for Hail Caesar! Fantasy. I finished a Rock Lobber Unit that is a Splintered Light Troll thriowing a giant rock, being whipped by a huge Black Orc in full armor. Added some boulders and voila! A literal Rock Lobber Artillery piece.

Unfinished piece. Love the Splintered Light Orcs. Have a very nice Demonworld feel to them. A more traditional rock lobber in the background.

Next was the Demonworld High Elf Dragon, that I wanted to paint as a Green Dragon for my Wood Elves. I'll Pick Up another one for my High Elves, Or use one of the Reaper Bones ones that are coming next Month !?!?!!!.  So I painted him a nice two tone green and leathery wings color to blend end with the forest and the rest of the Army.

I then decided to do THE GREAT BASING CHALLENGE!!! I have this nasty habit of not wanting to put basing of any kind on my figs until the entire Army is finished. That way it is consistent, and since it takes a long time for me to paint an entire army, I may change how I am going to finish them along the way. Saves me headaches. Well, Since I was enjoying my 15mm Fantasy guys so much, I decided to put all the resin sand flocking on the Wood Elves and Orc Armies. I got the entire Wood Elf Army base material on, dried and painted a base brown. I have a 3 part paint system for basing across all my figures so I get a consisient result for my terrain and figure bases. Its craft paint. I just label the tops I, II, III for base, mid , and highlight and done. Add some tacky glue and flock with static grass, or flocking depending on your scale. So I expect to have the Orcs and the Wood Elves properly finished and ready to rumble soon. No more playing with unfinished bases for those boys.

And on another good note, I only have about 70 Wood elf figs left to paint and they are completely done. A unit of Skirmishers I need to mount on pennies as single skirmishers, a unit of medium infantry Hunters, some assorted characters and wizards, and a unit of heavy cav.

I will take some pics when I finish the Wood Elves this week.

Stay warm, but stay frosty.

LA

Update 2-14-13 Happy Corporate Forced Feelings of Intimacy!

Happy made up holiday from the greeting card companies! (I'm looking at you Hallmark. No really, I'm looking down the street at the headquarters)

On this day of love and false hope of story book romance, I thought I would give my gentle readers a quick update of things I love.

1. I love that I have an embarassment of riches in the hordes of miniatures slumbering to be painted in the Workshop of Doom.
2. I love that my gamers ADD has manifested itself in way that I can literally change to almost any period at any time and have at least one unit to paint or play with.
3. I love old GW boxed games. Boy they have really tanked it after that.
4. I love 3d CAD sculpts for machinery and equipments. And the sculptors just keep getting better. Thanks for pushing the envelope Spartan.
5. I love that my family knows how much I love the hobby and that at XMas and my Birthday, there is always at least one gaiming or mini gift for me.Usually lots.
6. I love my gaming group. They are a great group of guys, who know how to enjoy the hobby. Each brings something different to the mix and we are all better for it. Thanks BG's. Wish I had been there more recently.
7. I love the Wife, the Boys and the Family, etc
8. I LOVE MY DOGS. Nothing puts me in a better mood than playing with the two of them.

And here's a picture of a cinnamon roll in the shape of a vagina that the BAron sent me this morning. If you turn it upside down, it looks like a heart. Kinda.

On the Update side of things:

I finished 3 support cards of troops for the Ultra Marines. 3 units of Dreadnaughts, Robots, Tactical Detachment.

I base painted a unit of Dreads and a unit of Land Speeders for the Imperial Fists as a test go cause I was tired of painting blue.

Spartan Games have now put up for free in pdf their spaceship rules - Firestorm Armada, and their Fantasy Naval Rules - Uncharted Seas. Can't go wrong with free. And their sculpts are second to none. I am going to pick up some US fleets for my BDay and probably order some more assorted stuff. I have to admit, I am as intrigued by their scenery lines as their mini lines. Beautiful stuff.

The Numancia Dragoons taunt me from their perch. I really must finish them soon. Probably on my B-Day weekend when I can carve some time away.

Enjoy your loved ones. Hold them tight and tell them you love them on every other day besides today so they know you mean it and you know they have heard you. Nothing else really matters cause despite the great gathering of toys, you can't take them with you, and the worms don't like gaming. All the love, LA.

Epic 40k pics - Marines

Took some really quick pics this morning before work of my progress on the Marines for Epic. I have a small Blood Angels contingent, which is mostly old but a few newer things. A fully mixed and very large Ultra Marine (I prefer the separate Ultra as its own word instead of the Ultramarines run together) force. I had visions of doing the whole chapter, but I think I will beg off of that and instead expand the Blood Angels force a little, and do an all old-kitted Imperial Fists force. The Blood Angels, and the 2nd Company of the Ultras were painted by my bro-in-law and I got those and an awesome Squat force in some horse trading. That leaves me without a Crimson Fists and Dark Angels forces(which were favorites of mine to paint) in 28mm. So we shall see what the end result is. Let's just get through the Ultras first.

Blood Angels - Without Rhinos-yet

Ultramarines - 2nd Battle Company, 6th Tactical Company, Plus Armored Support from  3rd Company

Blow up of 6th Company and 3rd Company Armor

6th Company Rhinos, and 2nd Company Marines

2nd Company Rhinos, Robots, and Bikes, 3rd Company Armor

The Five Specials - left to right - Chapter Commander, Librarian, Tech Priest, Chaplain, Apothecary

Chapter commander in gilded Land Raider

Librarian in gold encrusted Rhino

Chaplian and Apothecary (yes helix is wrong)

Tech Priest and Servitor

Next is the workbench at the Workshop of Doom, and the weight of the tiny little figs waiting patiently for detail. The Rest of the Ultra Marine Force.

Tactical Marines for the 3rd Battle Company, Land Raiders for the 1st Veteran Company, Rhinos for the 3rd  Battle Company, Thunderhawks and Contemptor Dreads, Current Dreads and Old Skool Robots, New Skool and Old Skool Land Speeders

Blow up of some of the sticks

Primed New Skool Drop Pods (the old skool ones are going with the  Imperial Fists), New Skool Bike Company, Devastators for 3rd Company, 1st Company Termonators  

I choose to paint my Ultras not ultramarine blue, but Game Color Royal Blue. Its a bluer color, without the deep grey of the ultramarine blue, and I like it better on the small models. The wash is home made. I am running dangerously low on Devlan Mud wash. I only have 2 pots left. So I mixed up my own that got pretty close. Its got water, dish spot remover (as a flow aid), paynes grey, charred brown, black, hull red and beasty brown paint as well as a few drops of black pelican ink in it. It worked out pretty good and is sufficiently dirty without being black. That's what I loved about devlan. It had a really great property to grunge up anything in just the right way. So next up is the 1st Company, then the support equipment and finally the 3rd Company.

I have more than enough Marines to play right now, but I want to Round out the Ultras first, fill in the rhinos and a few tactical and special cards for the Blood Angels, and then I will need to decide on the enigmatic Eldar (always my favorite) or the Brutish Ork Horde. Either is ready to go. As are Chaos and Tyranids. I would like to do the Armies in pairs. So maybe this way:

Marines and Orcs
Squats (half way done)
Eldar and Chaos
Guard and Tyranids

Hope you have enjoyed.

LA

Shout out for Iron Painter Studio-anything 15mm or Smaller

I think its all of our collective duty as trawlers of the interwebs to let others of like mind know about things we like or that are of interest in our great and varied little hobby. Especially people who are painting and gaming and just doin their own thing.

I have certainly extolled the Virtues of following Spacejacker's Blog Tiny Solitary Soldiers and you have been rewarded.

So here is another find The Iron Painter Studio. His motto is 15mm or under, all day, any day. I like that motto. And his banner right now is a pic of an exceptionally well painted Epic Ultramarine force. So win. Here is a pic I nabbed from is site. Hope he doesn't mind. He's only got 9 followers, which is a travesty if you like 15mm or smaller sci fi, fantasy, or historical minis(he does them all). Go check him and follow his site. Its worth a look.

GZG 15mm - Painted by Iron Painter Studio - Awesome stuff

EPIC 40k on the Horizon!

Been a little slow on the blog with acyual painted work so I hope to remedy that this week. I seem to be back in the swing of things and had some great time to paint this weekend. So here is what I have been working on.

I have put the Spanish Drgoons on the shelf (they weren't vexing me, just not into them right now) and have pulled out an old favorite. EPIC.

I am going to revisit this old friend, rules and all, and have some fun.

First a discussion of rules.

I have played only the first two editions of Epic. I loved them and Second edition is one of those Top Ten games for me. It was always a lot of fun, the armies were bright and colorful and looked great on the table, and the rules were simple and playable. It could get slow with a lot of troops on the table, as always happened, but still a great game.

Adeptus, where it all started

SM 1st Edition Epic

2nd Edition

Titan Legions

I have gotten some differing opinions about using some of the newer rules.

3rd Edition

 Supposedly the best rules version of the game, at least by the designers. Simplified everything. It made a lot of moves to speed things up by making it much more generic. It also brought the glorious new sculpts of the Eldar and other updates of classic imperial and space marine armor. I will eventually play it, but my heart is still in Second Edition.

4th Edition

 The current set of the rules, available as a free download at the GW site. Gone are the Company Cards system, and again a much simpler game. The design aesthetic for some things in this version got away from GW. and Quite frankly this version of the Eldar and Imperial Titans are some of the worst models GW ever produced. that is why they quickly dumped the stiff and stupid looking Eldar ones and went back to the classic sleek and fast looking ones. There were major changes made to the army lists as well. One of my fellow BG's likes this version of the game.

Crowd Sourced Revised Second Edition

I have followed this version since its inception. A nice reaction by the internets to counter the game tat GW was putting out. This crowd sourced version is incredible. It has detail, heaps of army lists, crazy support on the message boards. Its really a great version of the game that tries to address some of the short comings of Second Edition. If you want to get the Old Skool vibe of Second Edition, but want a better tweak of those rules. Play these rules.

So After all of the thinking and talking to some folks, I am going to build and paint my armies according to the Second Edition Force Cards. This would give me maximum flexibility to use them since those forces tended to be bigger(except some SM detachments).

And since I kept, or traded or have bought off of ebay heaps of Epic stuff (It is one of my constant searches on ebay) they have been patiently waiting to be painted. I am pretty excited about this one. It is a pretty big part of my overall gaming collection. I am excited to dive right into it.

And I have. I'll post some picks of my Ultra Marine Army I am doing. It was partially Started by my Bro in Law and I traded my last remnants of Flames of War stuff for it. He had a Battle Company, With Supporting detachments of Predators, Razorbacks, and Whirlwinds and Old Skool Thunderhawks. He also had a Small Blood Angels Force. A Tactical Company with supporting Predators, Vindicators, Predators, Whirldwinds, and Thunderhawks. Beautiful.

I have forged ahead with Putting together an Ultramarines Tactical Company, Army Specials including Chapter Command, Librarian, Apothecary. Chaplain, and Tech Priest. I have A Battle company on sticks with their Rhinos. As well as a Terminator Company,  a couple of new Thunderhawks, a mix of old Skool Contemptor Dreads along with with Current Style Dreads, New and Old style Land Speeders, a New Style Bike Company, New Style Drop Pods, and more. Its been fun putting this all together. My Marines will be a mash up of all versions of the game. And this fits well with the Ultra Marines.

I am also doing a small force of Imperial Fists, since they are my favorite Marines. It will be entirely done with Old Skool components so it can double as a Heresy Era Force with the Blood Angels that are already done. I thought about doing a Heresy Era World Eater and Death Guard Force as well. We shall have to wait and see.

Now I know a bunch of you don't care about the 40k fluff and to be honest neither do I. But there is some great nostalgia associated with this fluff for me so bear with me.I will be putting pics of painted minis on the site soon. I have a bunch to show you.

After that, the Orks or Eldar sit patiently waiting. So count on sporadic posts about Epic this year to go with Nappies, Post Apoc and and 15mm Sci Fi and Fantasy.    

REAPER BONES - SLOW CRAWL VIDEO!

For those of you waiting til March for your Bones to arrive, meet your Doom! Here is the Vampire level pledge in one slow video crawl. And for everyone (and I mean everyone) who bought a bunch of extras, Oh my god!



When will I ever paint these. Man.

It looks very good, but check out the candle sticks on the candelabras. Bent over. I have been worried about how the bones material will work with slender things like weapons and such. Generally it looks like pretty good, but there will probably be a couple of issues. Rubberized plastic has memory, so if these are pulled out hot and the pulling distorts something it could stay that way. It will be interesting to see. On the other hand, if you are a kitbasher or modder, just look at the variety of stuff you get and the ease with which you can cut and snip it.

Looking forward to March.