D&D Wizard's Spellbook

Introduction

Originally, our D&D group got Inspiration for dressing up. Now that I'm a player myself, I thought about doing something for Inspiration myself. My first idea was to create a costume and get dressed. Unfortunately, this went out of style for some reason; nobody bothers anymore. Not that this would deter me, but I ran through some alternatives, inspired by my collection of painted character minis for MAGUS. I came up with the idea of creating a spellbook for my wizard. This has the added benefit of getting rid of the smartphone app for spells: I can keep my gaming strictly "analogue". Which is why we plan pen-and-paper in the first place, right?

After checking with the DM and getting his approval, I got down to business.

Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Level 2

The session started where we left off: fighting two mimics. Thankfully, we dispatched them quickly. The only notable issue was that Selene shot them with acid damage, to which they seemed to be immune, however a failed check convinced her that she should try again. Unfortunately, we killed them before that could happen.

Painting competitions

If anyone had told me this time last year that I would just be passed 3 separate painting competitions, I would have surely laughed. But here we are...

It started with the June painting competition at the Guild Hall. I was invited to be part of the "3-man expert panel"[1], which was quite the experience. With no time to paint up something of notice, I joined with my Bloodthirster with no real hope of winning, more to just show off and be a part of it all. In short, the three of us evaluated the entries before the community vote.

Next came this online painting competition - fitting for the times we live in.[2] I signed on with my Herald of Khorne. 

Finally came the event hosted at Checkpoint. This was originally announced before the lockdown - and so I had the time to actually paint something for it. 4th place isn't that bad. 

[1] Selection criteria: winning the advanced category at least once.

[2] See COVID lockdown.

Painting Skulltaker

Introduction

My entry for a painting competition: Skulltaker!

Yes, I know that he has a new model. I still think this is great. The looks, not the material. 

Dark Tides: Into the Underhive

The session started off with the interrogation scene. With both the psychic power Compel and the spinal column of his brother there as good reasons to talk, Ivill Kreet buckled and gave the agents every information they asked for. It wasn't much to go on, but he confessed to running a smuggling ring. The agents thought they identified the killer in one of the hooded clients smuggled at exactly the right times for the murders to happen. Ivill also turned out to be the one to hack the servitors. 

Reaper Fire Demon finished

Reaper Fire Demon finishing touches

Introduction

I painted this guy about 95% done, then left him at the Guild Hall as I was playing him in the Path to Glory campaign. Then the lockdown hit and he was left there... until now. I took the time for a trip and brought my errant minis home.

Extended base for the Reaper Fire Demon / Bloodthirster

Introduction

The Fire Demon/Bloodthirster's included base is roughly 60mm in diameter. I glued it on a regular plastic base (as the underside is irregular) to make sure everything is precisely as specified. Then, I magnetized it a 120x92mm oval base, for usage in Age of Sigmar/Warhammer 40k.

Dungeon of the Mad Made: Live Reunion

The first offline session since the COVID-related business began! Our old DM also took back his spot. Although we were few, and the distractions were many, we were eager to get back into the fight.

Painting a Bloodmaster, Herald of Khorne

Introduction

I was undecided whether I want to paint more Bloodletters at this point, but then came along my first remote, online painting competition. Now with all the COVID lockdown type stuff happening, time was running short, and I decided against both a more complex miniature and too much experimentation going on. Enter this old Finecast Herald of Khorne, now called a Bloodmaster.

Brass

8th Edition Last Stand - a 40K Competition

With 9th edition Warhammer 40k just peaking around the corner, we took advantage of the COVID lockdown ending to hold one last 8th edition tournament. Organisation was wonky, and we only played 2 games in a single day.

I went to have fun, and to try out the new exalted greater daemons from Engine War. I played both the first and last ranking players, and made the average - 3rd out of 6. Which was better than I expected. :-)

Here's the links to the games:

vs Tyranids

vs Aeldari

And my list. The idea here was to provide a target rich environment and multiple tough monsters. I gave the Great Unclean One 4+ ignoring wounds, one Bloodthirster 2+/4++/6++ and the other one only taking 8 wounds a phase and returning with d6 wounds after dying.

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos - Daemons) [77 PL, -2CP, 1,409pts] ++

• Chaos Allegiance: Chaos Undivided
• Changecaster [4 PL, 78pts]: Gaze of Fate, Ritual dagger, Smite
• Great Unclean One [17 PL, -1CP, 250pts]: Bilesword, Exalted Great Unclean One, Fleshy Abundance, Miasma of Pestilence, Nurglings, Plague flail, Smite
• 30-man Bloodletters [12 PL, -1CP, 235pts]: Banner of Blood, Daemonic Icon, Instrument of Chaos
• 2x 3-man Nurglings [3 PL, 54pts]
• 30-man Plaguebearers [12 PL, 240pts]
• 2x 3-man Bloodcrushers [6 PL, 120pts]
• 2x 3-man Flesh Hounds [4 PL, 75pts]
• 3-man Plague Drones [6 PL, 108pts]

++ Supreme Command Detachment +1CP (Chaos - Daemons) [43 PL, -3CP, 585pts] ++

• Chaos Allegiance: Khorne
• Rewards of Chaos (1 Relic) [-1CP]
• Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury [17 PL, -1CP, 210pts]: Axe of Khorne, Exalted Bloodthirster, G'rmakht the Destroyer, Lash of Khorne
• Daemon Prince of Chaos [9 PL, 165pts]: Khorne, Malefic talon, Malefic talon, Wings
• Wrath of Khorne Bloodthirster [17 PL, -1CP, 210pts]: Armour of Scorn, Axe of Khorne, Bloodflail, Exalted Bloodthirster, Hellfire, Oblivious to Pain, Warlord -> referred to as Arbra'Gax

++ Total: [120 PL, -5CP, 1,994pts] ++

Chaos Daemons vs Aeldari, 2020.07.04

Aeldari

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Aeldari - Craftworlds) ++

• Custom Craftworld: Headstrong, Wrath of the Dead
• Specialist Detachment: Wraith Host
• Farseer: 0. Smite, 2. Doom, 3. Fortune, Shuriken Pistol, Witchblade, Faolchu's Wing
• Spiritseer: 0. Smite, 4. Protect/Jinx, Craftworlds Warlord, Revered By The Dead, Shuriken Pistol
• Warlock Skyrunner: 3. Ghostwalk, 5. Quicken/Restrain, Shuriken Pistol, Twin Shuriken Catapult, Witchblade
• 2x 5-man Dire Avengers, Dire Avenger Exarch: Two Avenger Shuriken Catapults, Exarch Power: Shredding Fire
• 8-man Storm Guardian - Aeldari Blade: 8x Aeldari Blade, 8x Plasma Grenades, 8x Shuriken Pistol
• 10-man Wraithblades: Ghostswords
• Wave Serpent: Twin Scatter Laser, Twin Shuriken Catapult

++ Spearhead Detachment +1CP (Aeldari - Craftworlds) ++

• Custom Craftworld: Expert Crafters, Masterful Shots
• Spiritseer: 0. Smite, 3. Enhance/Drain, Shuriken Pistol
• 3x Night Spinner: Twin Shuriken Catapult
• Crimson Hunter Exarch: Two Starcannons, Exarch Power: Exemplar of the Hunter Shrine, Hawkeye, Marksman's Eye
• Hemlock Wraithfighter: 0. Smite, 4. Protect/Jinx, Spirit Stones

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Aeldari - Drukhari) ++

• Detachment Type: Kabal of the Black Heart
• Archon: Splinter pistol, Venom Blade
• Yvraine
• 3x 5-man Kabalite Warriors
• Raider: Chain Snares, Disintegrator cannon, Phantasm Grenade Launcher, Shock Prow

++ Total: [118 PL, 12CP, 2,000pts] ++

Chaos Daemons vs Tyranids, 2020.07.04

Tyranids

Battalion Detachment +5CP (Tyranids) [119 PL, 6CP, 2,000pts]

• Hive Fleet Adaptations: Metamorphic Regrowth, Senses of the Outer Dark
• Bounty of the Hive Fleet [-1CP]
• Selections: 1 Extra Bio-artefact [-1CP]
• Hive Tyrant [11 PL, 228pts] Selections: Adrenal Glands [5pts], Lash Whip and Monstrous Bonesword [15pts], Power: Catalyst, Power: Onslaught, Prehensile Pincer Tail, The Reaper of Obilterax, Toxin Sacs [4pts], Two Devourers with Brainleech Worms [14pts], Wings [2 PL, 47pts]
• Hive Tyrant [9 PL, 167pts] Selections: Adrenal Glands [5pts], Monstrous Rending Claws, Power: Catalyst, Power: The Horror, Prehensile Pincer Tail, Stranglethorn Cannon [15pts], The Venomthorn Parasite, Toxin Sacs [4pts]
• Neurothrope [4 PL, 90pts] Power: Catalyst, Warlord
• 2x 6-man Genestealers
• 5-man Genestealers
• 3-man Ripper Swarms
• Haruspex
• 6-man Hive Guard, Impaler Cannon
• 5-man Zoanthropes
• 3x Carnifex [104pts] Selections: 2x Monstrous Scything Talons [15pts], Spore Cysts [10pts], Toxin Sacs [4pts], Tusks [8pts]
• 2x Tyrannofex [11 PL, 179pts] Selections: Acid Spray [20pts], Powerful Limbs, Stinger Salvo [8pts]

Painting a resin Bloodthirster (of Unfettered Fury)

Introduction

As part of the Khorne push... an old resin Bloodthirster, now known as a Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury!

June review & July goals

Back to normal! 

Things are back to normal again!

But let's get down to the review. 

With the lockdown gone, we had two (2!) face-to-face Dungeons & Dragons sessions in June. That's great. I loved it. Going back to being Zyn was awesome. 

Wrath and Glory continues to be the "online" game for the time being. The party has completed the first adventure module, and we're set to continue without any issues.

I missed last week's Age of Sigmar game day, but I'll be there (unless something comes up) this Saturday for the 8th Edition Last Stand 40k tournament. I don't expect to win, but it will be fun to meet up with everybody after all this time.

As for at-home hobbying... my Khorne forces have shaped up nicely. Including a couple of miniatures I'm taking to painting competitions. If you told me last year that now there will be 3 in the same timespan... well, I would have laughed. But again, it's great. Obviously I did not paint anything that was on the top of the backlog, so there's still stuff to do before moving on, including my D&D skeletons and zombies, and the Bloodreavers for the Age of Sigmar Path to Glory (assuming it will resume at some point). I also got a huge commission for MAGUS, which was payed for in beer and paints... stay tuned for some experiments with Contrast real soon.