Angels of Death

I know I have included some shots of my Crimson Fist Assault Marines before, but I've never run a post featuring them.  And just today I finished a project long in the making of giving my sergeant/captain some cool blue wings, so I thought I'd give the boys their due.

My flamer-toting marine is armed here with a new Blood Angels' style hand flamer.  He used to have one of the hand flamers from way back in the 80s (or 90s?), but when this new improved version came out, I had to upgrade him.  He also has a little loin cloth and a flame-colored knee pad to make him unique.

You'll notice none of these models are exactly the same, they all have some small change of color or head or weapon that makes each a unique character.  I do that as much as I can, though it's not possible with all models (partially due to sheer numbers).

This is Jose Wales, my plasma pistolier.  Sometimes he's a sergeant, sometimes he replaces the flamer.

This rough customer I call Freddie Kruger.  For general games terms he's usually just another marine, but I once used him as a sergeant counting as having a lightning claw (so no extra CCW but he got to reroll wounds due to his vicious twin chainswords).  I picked this head becuase it calls Hannibal Lector to mind.

I've always called him Diomedes after the badass of the Iliad but it doesn't quite sound right.  He is my usual sergeant with twin lightning claws and melta bombs, but sometimes I run him as a full captain.  I liked the look of the normal jumppack but wanted to try the recent Blood Angel Sanguary Guard wingpack on him.  Not quite sure I'd love it, and because I like the ability to change looks on my guys, I magnetized both packs.

And now I feel silly for doubting how cool he'd look with big blue wings!  Very happy with how it turned out, though it was a bit of work.  The wings look like they are actually supposed to connect to the backs of the S-Guard themselves, not their packs, so I had to use some greenstuff to secure the wings to the jumppack. Turned out totally worth while though.  Now I almost HAVE to take him as a captain next time just to justify his tricked out ride--er, uh, his badass wingies.

Challenges: Voices of Reason (and new shooting)

Thank you for all the great feedback I got from the fellas at creativetwilight.com on my mad scientist rules for fighting Challenges.  And those of you who have voiced concerns are all right, of course—neither version I did ended up very balanced. 

My main objective was to give Challenges some teeth and value.  My experience with them thus far is useless annoyance.  I hate that to refuse a challenge makes your character worthless but to actual fight the challenge--and winning or losing it--does nothing.  But you voices of reason have all been correct, the way I have it doesn’t soften that, it makes it worse.  Powerful close combat models could still take terrible advantage and imbalance the game.  And as I am an anti-competitive player, I would hate to see an army built around one or two guys geared for winning purely through challenges.  I tried to make this game aspect more meaningful and ended up making it super-powerful instead.

So how about this:

Take 3: Everything is the same as in book but --

1. Refusing a challenge: You can refuse without penalty with a successful LD check but at half your normal value (round up): this is you trying to convince everyone within ear shot that you’re not a coward, you just don’t think you should have to fight the challenger just cuz he insulted your mama.

2. Fighting a Challenge: double each characters' wounds inflicted during a challenge when totaling the combat resolution for the round.

3. If you win both the combat and the challenge, when your unit makes a consolidation move, roll 2D6 and pick the higher.

And that's it.
I understand the “diving on the grenade” thing to draw a badass away from the rest of your unit, but I don’t think that should be the only function of a challenge and I don’t think that refusing it should automatically castrate your character.  So this gives you a chance to back out while still laying odds that you’ll have to kill the grenade diver first.  It also gives some value to the challenge while it's happening, and grants a small reward for winning. 

I think these meet my objectives without replacing every chainsword with a daemon weapon.  Hopefully a more balanced approach.  Now I’m going to stop fiddling with the rules and just paint some guys already.

***

Oh, while I'm at it I might as well throw this out there too.  I had previously suggested some shooting modifier rules too.  Thinking about that a short time later, I wondered if I'd made shooting too complex too.  One of the things I like about 40K over Fantasy WH is the simplicity of the rules.  WFB is very complex and often takes a calculator to figure out how to proceed.  I do, however, still believe that it should be easier to shoot a huge tank than a single guy dodging between trees.  So I streamlined my previous shooting mods as follows:

1.  Shooting:

+1 to hit	Large Targets:  Vehicles, Walkers, Monstrous Creatures, and buildings are easier to hit due to their size (“broad side of a barn”).
+1 to hit	Crowds: Units of 12+ infantry/beast models, 8+ “Bulky” models, or 6+ bikes/jetbikes/cavalry models make larger targets.
+0 to hit	Fast Vehicles: “Fast”-type vehicles are more maneuverable than other vehicles and do not apply the usual +1 to be hit
-1 to hit	Fast Moving Target: Units/Vehicles that have moved 12” or more, not including charging distances.  Any non-vehicle unit that was in close combat or attempted to engage in close combat cannot claim this modifier as they had to slow down to engage.

   * No more than +/-1 modifier on any shot after adding all relevant modifiers together. 

   * Applies to Snap Shots as well.

   * Does not apply to Template hits.

   * Add or subtract opposite values from scatter totals (so +1 to hit means -1 to scatter).

2.  Snap Shots can be fired for Blast marker weapons but they always deviate (use arrow on a “hit” indication of the scatter die) and you do not subtract BS from the scatter total.  Such is the risk of firing big boom guns from the hip.    

***

I do like this shooting chart.

Okay, now I'll leave the rules to someone more qualified for a while and get back to my models!

REVISED revised Challenge Rules: take two

So my previous attempt was quite a mouthful and hard to chew.  so hard that folks never got it broken down enough to swallow it. and I can certainly see their point.  I tend to get a little carried away sometimes.  Let me try again, using the same ideas and doing away with the advanced "duel" all together, which went even further than necessary.

Here's the short version:

1. Challenge is made.  Attacker has first dibs, defender can if attacker doesn't.

2. If you refuse the Challenge, you make a morale check at half your Leadership.  Failure Demoralizes the character and rest of the unit.

3. During a challenge, double the wounds inflicted by the characters fighting when determining the total combat results.

4. If one challenger dies his side loses automatically and becomes Demoralized.  Finish the units' combat, remove dead models, then make the normal morale check at half their leadership.  If they don't run or get caught by sweeping advance, continue next turn with the loser's unit Demoralized and the winner's Inspired.

5. If both challengers are killed at the same time they cancel out.  Don't count either character's inflicted wounds into the combat total and just let the units fight it out as normal.

Demoralized units halve their Leadership score (round up) and have WS 1.

Inspired units reroll failed morale checks and roll 2D6 on their Consolidation move, picking the higher result.  (The reroll on morale would come in if the combat continued into another turn which they then lost, forcing a morale check to see if they fall back.)

Both Demoralized and Inspired effects end when that combat is finally resolved.  If it runs through several turns and/or another unit joins in, these effects continue.  Once a unit leaves the combat (successfully falls back) it returns to normal and makes normal regrouping checks.

Okay, that's the short version.  If you prefer, stop reading now.  If you want the same rules but with a little more explanation, continue reading:

1.  You declare a Challenge.  The attacking side gets first rights to challenge but if they don't the defender can.  This isn't done lightly, however, because winning and losing have an impact on the rest of the combat.

2. Refusing a challenge.  Instead of your character automatically being whipped and retreating with his tail between his legs (6th ed), he gets a chance to convince himself and his men that he's not a coward, just not stupid enough to fall for this trick.  But that's some fancy talking he'll have to do!

When you refuse a challenge, make a Leadership check at half your normal value (rounded up).  If you fail your entire unit is Demoralized for the duration of this combat (meaning until there is no longer any close combat going on from this engagement and someone has probably made a consolidation move).

Demoralized units count their WS as 1 and their LD as half normal for the duration of the combat.

3. Fight the Challenge.  As usual, the characters only hit each other.  Because they are fighting for the honor of their units, their fight is a little more important in the eyes of their men than the rest of the brawling mass.  Calculate their personal combat resolution separately from the rest of the units fighting, then double it and add it back into the total combat resolution for their side.

       Example:  Marines vs. Orks.  The Marine Captain attached to some tac marines challenges the War Boss attached to some boys.  He accepts.  They trade blows.  Captain deals 2 wounds, War Boss deals 1 wound. These double to become +4 and +2.  The rest of the Marines and Orks fight it out, both dealing 2 wounds to the other.  So the total combat resolution scores are marines 2+4 and orks 2+2, so 6 vs 4, the marines win by 2.   Make the usual rolls and results of having won a round of close combat by 2, including fall backs, sweeping advances, and consolidation moves.

So at this point fighting the actual challenge is the same as in the 6th ed rulebook except that you are doubling the wounds dealt by the challengers in the final calculation because their result is more important.

4. One challenger is killed.  Because the challenge and the rest of the massive brawl is all going on at the same time, you finish the close combat round and remove all casualties.  Don't worry about the final combat resolution score because now it doesn't matter.  If your leader was killed in a challenge you automatically lose the combat round.  No unit who watches their hero die can claim victory and they are, in fact, Demoralized.  Their Ld is now cut in half (round up) and WS reduced to 1.  The side whose hero won the challenge is Inspired.  They get to reroll failed morale checks and if they end up winning the overall combat their Consolidation move will roll 2D6 and pick the higher result.

Okay, now finish the combat round, the loser making their morale check (at half power).  If they fail, roll for fall backs, sweeping advances, etc.  If this combat is not concluded at this point (maybe the loser is Fearless or has ATSHNF and so refuses to fall back), the Demoralized and Inspired statuses last into the next turn, and beyond if this engagement keeps going (maybe it's joined by another unit next turn).

If the loser was routed or caught in a sweeping advance, the Inspired winning unit rolls 2D6 and picks for their Consolidation move.  After that the combat is over and they are no longer Inspired.  Move on with the game.

5. Both Challengers kill each other in the same round.  These negate each other.  Don't count any wounds they inflicted in the final combat result and have the units still fighting it out just do so as normal.

The "Get 'im Boss" and "Glorious Intervention" rules stand as they are in the rulebook.

*

I think this simpler version is actually much better.  Sorry, I got a little too into it the first time around.  I hope this makes more sense.  I also think that if you play it out a couple times (as with most rules in the game of 40,000 rules) it'll click better than just trying to read it on the internet.  Please give a whirl and get back to me with feedback, comments, and suggestions.

House Rules: Revised Challenges for 6th Ed 40K

I spent two days working on this; once I got started I was obsessed with hammering it out.  This is a long and exhaustive blog entry but hopefully worth while and not too confusing for any non-neophyte 40K players out there.  If you are as confused or frustrated by the 6th edition rules for challenges as I am, read on...

*

Single combat between unit leaders and champions can make or break the enemy, or their own unit.  Or perhaps a lone hero is faced with overwhelming numbers, but can challenge their leader and win the day after all.  Challenges have the potential to add some great heroic, cinematic episodes to your battles, but NOT as written in the new 6^th edition rules.  As it stands now there is no victory or defeat in engaging in single combat.  Winning or losing means nothing, but for the Emperor’s sake, don’t refuse a challenge!  Refusing one is ten times worse than losing one, which makes no sense, and winning a challenge yields no rewards.  The only reason I can see to issue a challenge is if you expect to get your butt kicked and would rather force the enemy badass to focus all his attacks on one sacrificial lamb just to keep the rest of the unit alive for one more round.  So I say the challenge rules, as they stand, SUCK.  I like the concept but there is no benefit other than pulling the cowardly maneuver just mentioned, and anyone can throw out a challenge even if they expect to lose without penalty.  I think a Challenge should mean something and never be entered into lightly. 

So I rewrote the rules.  Please give them a read, give them a try, and let me know how it goes.

IN A NUT SHELL:  Challenges have rewards and consequences!  You can refuse a Challenge when you know you can’t win or it’s not to your advantage and doing so isn’t an automatic whimper-fest for your character.  Chances are, however, that he and his unit will be Demoralized, but if he’s got a silver tongue he can save his own and his unit’s confidence.  Challenge results have twice as much value in the general combat, but this still should not be entered into lightly.  So great is the emphasis on the prowess and honor of their leader that a unit whose Champion has been killed cannot win, not matter the total combat result.  If you lose your men will be Demoralized, but if you win they’ll be Inspired by your heroism.  These altered morale states are temporary, however, and only last as long as the melee does. 

TERMS:

Champion:  A character model involved in a Challenge or Duel.

Combat:  Refers to the brawl currently going on and may span multiple phases or turns.  If joined by other units, affects like Inspired and Demoralized continue, even if one of the initiating units has fallen back or been destroyed.  Combat continues into however many phases/rounds are needed until there is a victor who finishes by making a consolidation move.

Demoralized:  Morale penalty status involved in Challenges.   

            - Leadership is cut in half (round up)

            - WS reduced to 1

            - Ends when the combat ends

            - Fearless units cannot be Demoralized (they care not for such trivial things)

            - Units with And They Shall Have No Fear can be Demoralized, as they value their honor.

Dog Pile:  Cowardly maneuver during a Duel in which one Champion’s unit of onlookers decide they don’t have faith that he’ll win and rush in to join the melee.  Doing so instantly Demoralizes the cowardly champion and his men and gives the opposing Champion two options (see rules below).

Duel:  Special, higher form of Challenge in which the Champions agree to true single combat while their units watch rather than fight, with the prize being “A True Champion” victory point.

Get ‘im Boss:  As described in the 6^th edition rulebook: A Champion’s unit that is not fighting provides rerolls to their Champion, one per five models cheering him on. 

Inspired:  Morale benefit status gained in winning a challenge.

            - Reroll failed Morale Checks

            - Roll 2D6 and pick highest for Consolidation move

            - Fearless units cannot be Inspired (the other side of the “cannot be Demoralized” coin)

            - Ends when they fail a morale check and/or when the combat ends

A True Champion:  The winner of a single-combat Duel (see below) earns +1 Victory Point toward determining the final game winner, just as if he’d taken a Secondary Objective.  Multiple “A True Champion” VPs can be earned by either player in this way.

*

THE CHALLENGE:

            1.  Attacker has first right to issue challenge when charging. If he doesn’t, defender may.  Units joining a combat already in progress cannot issue challenges.

            1a.  If a Challengee wants to Refuse, he makes a Morale Check at half his normal Leadership while he tries to convince himself and his men that it was strategy, not cowardice.   If he fails, he and his unit become Demoralized for the remainder of the Combat.

            2 – The Champions move into base contact and fight only each other.  There battle takes place at the same time as the rest of the combat but only the combatants can direct their attacks at each other.  If one unit is composed of just one Champion, no one else can attack him but the opposing Champion. 

            2a – The 6^th edition “Get ‘im Boss” rule applies only when the rest of a Champion’s unit has no one else to fight, otherwise they are busy.  Their Champion receives one reroll per 5 men cheering him on.

            2b -  The Champion’s combat result is totaled separately from the rest of the combat.  Once the difference in wounds is determined, double it and apply it to the winning Champion’s unit total.  This represents the importance of the single combat going on in the midst of the melee. 

            3 – Total the unit combat result, then add in the modified Challenge combat result.  Determine the overall winner and make morale checks, sweeping advances, and fallbacks per normal rules.  If the Combat continues into the next turn the Champions remain engaged and everything repeats next round/turn.

            3a – If one Champion is slain his side automatically loses the combat.  Still complete the combat through all Initiative phases and tally the total Combat Result .  After the overall winner of the Combat has been determined, the unit whose Champion has been slain in the Challenge makes a Morale Check.  If they won the overall combat then they make their check as if Stubborn.  If they lost or tied in the overall combat, they immediately become Demoralized and therefore make their Morale Check at half their normal Ld (no other modifers for losing apply). 

            If this unit that has lost the Challenge passes their Morale Check the fight continues next turn as normal, though they remain Demoralized until the Combat ends, having seen their Champion laid low.

            If this unit that has lost the Challenge fails their Morale Check they Fall Back as normal and are subject to sweeping advance.  They remain Demoralized until the end of the Combat (which may be right now if they escape into a Fall Back move).            

            The unit whose Champion has won the Challenge by killing his enemy is now Inspired and remains so until the end of the Combat (which may be right now) or until they fail their own Morale Check (including their Inspired reroll) within the same Combat.

Fearless units are immune to morale and therefore do not suffer from Demoralization nor benefit from Inspiration.  In Challenges they still double their combat result, however, and can still fight Duels to earn “A True Champion” reward.  If they lose a Duel they will still Fall Back as per the terms of the Duel.

THE DUEL:

A Duel is a specialized, honorable form of Challenge in which the Champions’ units do not engage in the fighting at all; instead they send only their heroes forward and vow that the single combat will determine the winner between their units. 

            1.  First a regular Challenge is accepted.  Next decide if it will be a proper Duel.  This means only the Champions will fight for the honor of their units with a Victory Point at stake to the winner and guaranteed death and retreat for the loser.  Both players must agree; no one can be forced into a Duel. 

            2.  Carry out the Challenge.  The rest of the units are still considered to be “in combat”, thus cannot be shot at or engage in anything except “Get ‘im Boss” support.  The fight is to the death and once a winner and loser (dead hero) are determined, apply the following results:

            -- The Loser dies.  His unit automatically Falls Back.  No morale check is taken and no sweeping advances can be made against them.  If they hit the board edge they are removed from play.  The unit may attempt to Regroup next turn as normal.  Fearless and ATSKNF units do Fall Back as per the terms of the Duel (possibly off the board) but automatically Regroup next turn. 

            -- The Winner’s unit makes an Inspired Consolidation Move (roll 2D6 and pick the highest) and earns one “A True Champion” Victory Point! 

“Dog Pile” – Occasionally a Champion’s unit loses faith in their hero and decides not to stand by to watch him slaughtered, but instead throws honor to the winds and rushes in to save him.   A Duel must be in at least its second round of combat before Dog Piling is an option and the decision to do so is made before any blows are struck.  One side declares that they are making a Dog Pile and Piles In to combat.  This cowardly lot and their feeble champion instantly become Demoralized and stay that way for the remainder of the game (not just the combat).  The other player now has two options:

            1.  If he also has a unit cheering him on they may now rush in to counter the enemy without penalty.  At this point the Duel ends and it becomes a normal close combat round (with one side forever Demoralized).

            2.  The champion continues and heroically takes on the entire enemy unit by himself!  In doing so he instantly becomes Inspired for the remainder of the game (or his life, whichever is longer) and if he wins he will earn TWO A True Champion Victory Points.

Thus Dog Piling may save your hero, but it’s a terrible curse and risk.  But perhaps you have a shooty unit who doesn’t plan to enter combat again anyway and it’s worth the risk?  Or you are sitting on the board edge and know that a retreat will destroy you?  Then again your betrayal might just make your opponent into a legend!

*

Glorious Interventions – GIs can be conducted as described in the 6^th edition rulebook when a new character comes in and attempts to take the place of another in a Challenge or Duel.  When this happens, however, the replaced champion is subject to Demoralization.  He makes a morale check at half his normal Ld and if he fails becomes Demoralized for the remainder of the combat. 

***

So there’s the Brink Method of Fighting Challenges in 6^th Edition.  What do you think??  Comments and feedback welcome, and please, try it out.  I can't wait to give it a try and see how it goes!

WAR STORIES (and the end of 2012, part 2)

J and I played two games in about the last month or so, both smaller point values and still quite long games that never reached turn five (we are SLOW).  Our molasis-like game play stems from not playing 6^th ed enough and having to reference the book too often.  Sixth ed has also made me doubt everything I knew about 5^th (which I knew pretty well), so I always have to double-check.  I also would have to check some game notes while writing these quickie battle reports, because I don’t remember everything that happened.  We’ll just hit the highlights.

1. ELDAR vs. SPACE WOLVES:  I think it was about 1500 points or so, maybe 1250.  The object was to grab a relic at the center of the board and take it home. 

The Eldar deployed in a spread-like-cream cheese pattern; in other words, too thin.  The Space Wolves quickly took the center of the board with a drop pod strike, a landraider full of blood claws, and some pouncing thunderwolf cavalry. 

Lightning strikes accompany the arrival of the SW warlord, a formidable Rune Priest, who took possession of the relic in the first or second turn.  I seem to remember a lot of lightning being called down but I don’t think it ever amounted to much (J’s dice have some unknown grudge against him that continues to this day).  The Dire Avengers, always one of my fave units and never meeting my expectations, started out too far from the action to ever be of much use.  The Eldar’s expensive ghost warrior Wraithguard all fired their reality-tearing wraithcannons at the the landraider... and as usual, failed to do squat before they were returned to the grave.  Even at T6, when a wave of 15 savage bloodclaws led by Lukas and a Wolf Priest slams into four lousy wraithguard and a warlock, they don’t last long. (actually, i think the warlock hung on and survived, thus robbing me of the chance to shoot at the bloodclaws on my turn!) 

My guardians died early, as they are apparently trained to do, then broke and ran off the board despite the warlock’s Embolden which allowed him to reroll the failed morale check!  First I rolled an 11, then a 12!  Thanks for coming along, fellas. 

The elusive Harlequins actually did their jobs well.  One of the TW Cavalry models was killed by the Deathjester’s shrieker cannon, thus the wolf and rider exploded in a gory fireworks display, and the THC failed their pinning test.  The shaken wolf riders crouched behind their rock and waited for the harlies to summersault into combat.  Clowns died but finished the wolfriders in the process.  They then turned toward the savage mob of bloodclaws (while trying to dodge frag missiles from the long fangs up yonder) and met them in battle.  ...I don’t quite remember but I’m pretty sure the harlies didn’t survive the next shooting round and following melee.

The wraithlord did what giant construct monsters do best – it charged the landraider and in two round of kicking and smashing, destroyed the supertank by hand.  Go-o-o-o Wraithlord! 

The Eldar HQ – a jetbike-mounted farseer riding along with Shining Spears (not pictured) -- came out of reserve, zipped across the board, and charged the long fangs in their nest in the back, killing them with laser lances.  Then the farseer caught a plasma bolt to the back of the head and met instant death from a grey hunter. 

The game ended in turn 4 I think, due to time, with J having the relic and more VPs.  Score one for the Space Wolves! 

**

2.  CRIMSON FISTS vs DARK ELDAR: Only 1000 points, as we knew it’d take forever, and it did.  I think we only completed turn three.

I didn’t get any pictures but was able to field an (almost) entirely painted force at that points level, so I have taken pics post-battle.  I had two HQ captains with an assault squad and sternguard, a tac squad, snipers, a predator, and a razorback.  J fielded a Haemonc with wracks, wyches, and warriors, all in their own raiders, plus a talos pain engine and beastmaster with khymera and three reaver jetbikes.  And J found out that playing Space Wolves and DE are two very different things.  The DE’s superior speed got them engaged in the first turn, which turned out to be not such a good idea.  Two raiders delivered the wyches and haemonc/wracks right to me, where I downed both transports (one destroyed by sniper rifle fire!)  and engaged.  I really expected to take more casualties than I did there, but again the marine power armor and T4 are so damned tough!  (Which is why i want to try DE/E myself for a while.)  The haemonc challenged my pistolier captain, apparently to save his wracks from some wrath cuz the haemonc ain’t no fighter.  He died and a handful of wracks retreated, leaving my captain and 2 sternguard alive.  Similarly my assault sarge met the hekatrix’s challenge and died at her hands, but the wyches lost the combat overall and ran.  The assault Captain would go on to fight and kill the beastmaster’s lot and then fight the talos (the fight he was itching for).  In the end the assault team was lost and the Captain died under the Talos’s chain snares, but it was a helluva battle. 

The reavers took out my predator’s autocannon in turn one, then the tank’s heavy bolters killed two bikers.  The last biker would live to harass my men for two more turns, including a dirty picking off of my tac squad’s heavy bolter man; popping out of cover, shooting him in the back, and then popping back inside the ruins.  The tac squad concentrated on the Warrior’s who had taken an objective at the top of the highest ruins, but couldn’t thin them out enough.  The predator charged the building in an attempt to bring it down and immobilized itself.  Thus the Warrior’s won the day. 

In the end the Dark Eldar won: 4 victory points to 2!!  (objective plus linebreaker vs kill the warlord and first blood)

Two fun games for sure, and two victories for J!  If only we could learn to play a little faster....

ODDS AND ENDS (and the end of 2012, part 1)

I haven’t posted anything in a while, reason being between the holidays, travel to and from Ohio, a snow storm, and being very ill, I have been busy.  So here’s a hodge-podge of Chaos Theory to wrap up 2012:

1.  And, HEY, my typing that, i just realized that this blog is now a year old!  Or will be in four days.  Congrats to me!  I’m surprised I have been able to maintain it and am glad to have the handful of followers that I do.  Thanks for tuning in!! 

2.  My hobby plans for 2013 continue to be my Black Phoenix project, a merging of Dark and Craftworld Eldar into one stylish and creepy force for Elven survival.  To that end I have a few recent pics here:

These are my “dark” fire dragons so far.  What’s that?  They just look like DE Warrior builds?  Well, they are.  But since they came out I’ve thought the warriors could make better dragons than the dragons ever did!  Their armor is rigid and scaly and spiky and bladed...  They just look way more like dragons to me.  I’ve got some conversion ideas in mind for the Exarch/Phoenix Lord model and hope to be done with them soon.  And like my previous dragons, i can’t decide on just one paint scheme.  With just these three my brain overlays different colors when I stare at them, so I might just have a uniformly orange helmet scheme and let their armor differ.  When next you see them I hope to have 5 of them painted and ready to burn down the enemy.

I also ordered this Dark Ages model on ebay without really knowing how big it was.  I figured she’d make a good succubus or haemonc or something, but now that I have her I see she is about double the size of an ordinary eldar model so...  I have something else in mind (I love writing up my own fluff for counts-as conversions).  That will follow once I get her painted as well (sometime in 2014 at this rate).

3.  Part of this focus on my Eldar also includes downsizing my overall Warhammer holdings – I have way more crap than I’m ever going to use!  I intend to narrow down my stuff to my Crimson Fists and related marine force and my immediate Eldar needs.  And as I replace Eldar models with converted units, I’ll be trying to shed those too.  I hate to rid myself of all my Chaos stuff though, and probably won’t, but real focus and eye-to-eye realism with myself needs to take hold.  My would-be plans for an ally of nearly every army is just never gunna happen and I need to cut things to the core here.

4.  I have also played two games with J in the last month.  It is unlikely I’ll find the time to write each up properly, but I’d like to give each a quickie report.  But that would make for a very, very long single entry, so I guess I’ll do this in two parts...