Painting Screamers of Tzeentch

I followed up another old project of mine. You may recognize these guys from several of my battlereports.

Prime and basecoat

I primed these guys in white, then applied a blue basecoat without much care. The interesting fact here is that I watered down and mixed my blues, producing a rather unique blend of unreproducible shades.

Wait for a year or two (optional)

Paint the horns

I applied several coats of bonewhite until I managed to cover up the slashes of blue across all the horns (claws? bones?). I highlighted the large mandibles with a white drybrush, then applied tiny bits of white to the smallers horns for extra highlights.

Paint the eyes

With so much blue, I decided to go for orange eyes for contrast. 

Basecoat in white first, for good coverage.

Apply orange.

Apply black strips for cat-like eyes. Bonus points if they don't all look in the same direction.

Paint the tongue

For more contrast, I went with a red tongue, highlighted with pink.

Highlight the blues

While noticeable from up close, the blue shades that I had once applied are barely visible from a distance. So I decided to do some highlighting work. I applied patches of dark blue is seemingly random places (to cover up any spot where the white primer shines through the basecoat) and also on the raised spots on one of the screamers. 

I mixed my blue with white, and applied a light blue edge highlight on the fins.

Work on the bases

I always begin by basecoating the base. This way I make sure that if I miss any spots with the flocking, I won't have the black (in this case, transparent) base shining through.

These guys are bright, but lack the myriad colors that my other daemons possess. So I decided to spice up their bases with some colored rocks.

I had some mixed sand ready from when I painted the Pink Horrors.

Apply a thick coat of PVA glue, then sprinkle on the sand. The mixed sand had the advantage of looking more natural then the Horrors' bases where I artificially mixed it in layers, but the disadvantage of the larger red grains not sticking on. So I applied more PVA glue and manually put on more of the red grains.

Make sure to seal the bases, otherwise the sand will fall off.

Finished!

Painting fire

I did this a couple of times before. This time, I painted a torch that I sculpted myself from green stuff.

Basecoat in dark red; then apply successive layers of lighter colors.

Blood red:

 Orange:

 Yellow:

The trick is to apply the successive layers to progressively smaller surfaces, leaving some of the previous layer to shine through.

Magnetizing a Manticore

I needed to magnetize this manticore. Reason: in MAGUS, it can be used with or without wings (and different tails) to represent different creatures.

First, I drilled all the holes. 

The tail part was simple enough:

But the wings needed more care. I was certain that a 2mm magnet will not hold a large metal wing.
So I prepared for surgery:

I drilled two holes in each wing:

And the same in the body.

Then, I inserted the magnets with the help of green stuff.

I did not want to just use glue, as the body will have to look good even without the wings. Glued magnets might not fill the holes completely.

Same principle applies for the tails:

And the wings. I was not careful, and the magnets were stuffed in with varying polarities. I had to make sure that their counterparts in the wings would have the right polarity:

Finished!

M.A.G.U.S. - adventures in Gro Ugron

Gro Ugron is the land of the orcs. Is this picture a portent of things to come?

Introduction

After recovering the runestone, our employer, the wizard, hired us for another mission. We had to take the runestone to a couple of his wizard friends, currently living in a fortress town on the borders of Gro Ugron. We got our magic items: a runic halberd (which I had to buy a new one, since the old one was wrecked), a glove that creates throwing daggers, and a flaming sword. Just in case, we spent a bunch of extra money, and Aegon now had a staff that created and controlled undead. Surely, nothing would be able to stand in our way! Brimming with confidence, we walked through the portal conjured by the wizard. Time to do stuff.

Wasting time in a small village

The wizard said that opening a portal near the border fortress would be dangeous (what a wuss), so we exited near a small village, at about 2 days walking distance from our objective. We got ahold of the mayor, who showed us the right direction. Of course, we couldn't just leave like that. Phempheus insisted on buying some moonshine, while Aegon picked plumes to brew some laxatives. Finally, we were on our way.

Arrival at the fortress

After 2 days on the road, we arrived at the gates of the fortress. Obviously, this was around evening, so the sentries did not want to let us in.

They got tired of us after a time, and called their boss...

...whom we managed to convince.

We arranged quarters in an inn, but not without incidents. Aegon wanted to brew his laxatives. The innkeeper gave him cauldron, but then served our own breakfast in the same one the morning after. We were already expecting the speed test that followed as we raced towards the bathroom.

After breakfast, we started towards the huge tower in the middle of town. We met a couple of unpleasant guardsmen, who informed us that we may indeed speak with the wizards, provided that we wait for our turn - about 2 weeks. We tried reasoning and persuasion, but to no avail. Phempheus ran out of patience and waved his sword around. In a fortress. Near the barracks.
... we awakened bruised and beaten up (at around half health), in our underwear, in the dungeons.

The fortress' dungeons

Surprisingly, we weren't underground. The prisoners were kept in a walled enclosure. We managed to untie the ropes before the other prisoners got a hold of us. It seemed like there were 2 factions, and they were just about to fight over the rights over us. We did not want to wait for the outcome, so we attacked the stronger faction. We didn't have any weapons, but the lightning conjured by Aegon, as well as the flames of Phempheus did their job. That is, until we got knocked out after a couple of bad maneuvers and worse dice rolls.

Prisoners of the orcs

The next awakening was even worse. We were in the back of a wagon driven by an orc. We arrived at the orcish camp and were thrown into cages. We had to wait until nightfall before we could chat with the other prisoners. One of them - introducing himself as a spy for the wizards - informed us of the arrangement between the humans and the orcs. The humans sold the criminals to the orcs, who worked them to death in the iron mines, selling the iron in return for more prisoners and weapons. It was a fine arrangement for everyone except the prisoners.

We reassured the guy that we would escape the following day.

What is the worst thing that can happen, right?

M.A.G.U.S. - kalandok Gro Ugronban

Why is this post not in English?

Gro Ugron? Akkor biztos lesznek orkok valahol...

Bevezető

Miután megszereztük a múltkori rúnakövet, megbízónk újabb küldetésre fogadott fel. El kell juttassuk a követ valami varázsló ismerőseinek, akik jelenleg egy végvárban tevékenykednek, Gro Ugron határán. Bátorításul megkaptuk a varázstárgyainkat: rúnamágiával erősített alabárdot (amit meg kellett vegyek, a régi totálkáros volt), végtelen mennyiségű dobótőrt termelő kesztyűt és magát lánggal beborító kardot. A biztonság kedvéért még elköltöttünk egy csomó pénzt, és Aegon felszerelte magát egy élőholtat termelő és irányító bottal. Igy tuti nem lesz gondunk semmivel! Átsétáltunk a varázsló térkapuján. Ideje működni valamit.

Idővesztegetés egy kis faluban

A térkapuból kilépni direkt a végvár mellett veszélyes lett volna a varázsló szerint (szerintem meg csak bátortalan volt), úgyhogy egy kis falu szomszédságában landoltunk, 2 napi járóföldre a vártól. Hamar előkerítettük a bírát, aki útbaigazított minket a vár felé. Természetesen nem hagyhattuk ennyiben. Phempheusz pálinkát vásárolt, Aegon hashajtót akart keverni szilva esszenciából. Aztán sikerült elindulnunk.

Fogadtatás a várban

2 napi gyaloglás után szerencsésen megérkeztünk a várhoz. Mondanom sem kell, hogy este volt, mire odakerültünk, és a kapuőrök nem akartak beengedni.

Egy idő után megunták a dumánkat, és előhívták a főnököt...

... akit végre sikerült meggyőznünk.

Elszállásoltuk magunkat egy fogadóban. Nem minden incidens nélkül: Aegon meg akarta főzni a szilva esszenciát. A fogadós másnap abban az üstben készíttette a reggelinket, úgyhogy következett a már várt gyorsaságpróba a WC felé.

Ezek után elindultunk a vár közepén meredező torony fele. A kapuban néhány mogorva őrrel találkoztunk, akik közölték, hogy a varázslók várólistája elég hosszú, kb 2 hét múlva kerülnénk sorra. Próbáltuk szép szóval, érvekkel, de nem tudtuk őket meggyőzni arról, hogy beengedjenek. Nem segített az sem, hogy bepálinkáztunk előtte. Phempheusz kifutott a türelemből, és meglengette a kardját. Egy végvárban. A kaszárnya mellett.
... össze-vissza verve (fele élettel), egy szál gatyában ébredtünk a tömlöcben.

Várbörtön

A börtön ezúttal nem földalatti, dohos akna volt, hanem egy nyílt, körbefalazott tér. Sikerült kibújni a kötelékekből, mielőtt a rabok ránk tették volna a kezüket. Úgy nézett ki, hogy két társaság van, és éppen most küzdenek meg értünk. Nem akartuk kivárni az eredményt, és nekiszöktünk az erősebbik csapatnak. Persze fegyvertelenül nem értünk volna el sokat, de Aegon villámai és Phempheusz lángjai megfelelően arattak, amíg sikeresen ki nem ütöttük magunkat pár szerencsétlen kockadobás eredményeképpen.

Orkok fogságában

A következő ébredés még ennél is keservesebb volt. Egy ork szekerében zötykölődtünk a táboruk felé, majd ketrecbe löktek. Esteledésig vártunk, amíg ki tudtuk faggatni a többi rabot az ottani helyzetről. Egy tag, aki a varázslók kémjeként mutatkozott be, elmondta, hogy az embereket ércbányákban dolgoztatják halálra. A bűnözőket eladják az orkoknak cserébe a kibányászott vasért. Mindenki jól jár, kivéve a rabok. Megegyeztünk újdonsült barátunkkal, hogy másnap megszökünk.

Mi a legrosszabb dolog, ami történhet?

Daemons/Black Legion vs Astra Militarum/Imperial Knight, 30.08.2016

I haven't had a game since the tournament, and it was time to make a comeback. Also time to find an opponent I haven't played against yet, and to try out something I haven't played yet.

Mission: Cleanse and Control, Dawn of War Deployment

Points limit:  1500 points

Lists:

Chaos Daemons: Combined Arms Detachment

• Pink Horrors 
• Herald of Tzeentch, lvl 3 Psyker, Grimoire
• Nurglings
• Herald of Nurgle, lvl 2 Psyker, Doomsday Bell 
• Seekers of Slaanesh
• Kairos Fateweaver, warlord

Black Legion:

• Chosen of Abaddon
• 3-man Terminator squad, 2 combi-meltas, all power mauls
• Terminator Sorcerer, lvl 3 Psyker, Spell Familiar, Melta bombs, Power Staff
• Cyclopia Cabal
• 3x Terminator Sorcerer, lvl 3 Psyker, Spell Familiar, Melta bombs, Power Staff

My plan of action: minor daemons with attached heralds camp on objectives, Kairos flies around and functions as psychic artillery, Seekers grab objectives. Terminators deep strike in as single death star, with Kairos helping on any mishaps. Terminators should get at least Invisibility.

Astra Militarum: Combined Arms Detachment

• 2x 10-man Guardsmen
• 10-man Veteran Squad with heavy flamer and 2 plasma guns in Chimera with multilaser and heavy flamer
• 1 Platoon Command Squad, with Medic
• Ministorum Priest with plasma gun
• Valkyrie (heavy bolter, multilaser, 2x cluster rockets)
• Pask & elite tank with exterminator autocannon, 3x heavy bolter; extra stubber on Pask
• 3-man heavy weapons squad (lascannons)

Imperial Knight

• Knight Paladin: rapid fire battlecannon, reaper chainsword, 2x heavy stubber, icarus autocannon

Opponent's plan of action: tanks and Knight hold the two flanks (so my Cabal can't make them shoot each other), while the blob runs up the middle.

Deployment

Horrors and Nurglings each in ruins, on objectives. Night Fighting in effect. I seized the initiative.

Battle

Daemons, turn 1.

Kairos flies up and does some damage to the blob. Unfortunately, they are Fearless due to the Priest. I drop Molten Beam on the Chimera and forget that it has melta, so only roll a glance.

Astra Militarum, turn 1.

Everything moves up. The soda bottle is NOT a Carnifex.

Tanks fire into the Horrors, which go to ground for 2+, rerolling.

Blob fires into Kairos, who shakes it off with 2++, rerolling.

Daemons, turn 2.

Reserves: Terminators do not come on. I do not reroll with Kairos because then I couldn't help any mishaps. Seekers come on of course, unsupported on the flank with the Knight.

I do not cast Grimoire on Kairos, because he should be safe, right?

Then I do Perils of the Warp (reroll), he takes a wound and fails a grounding test (no more reroll). I do manage to stun Pask.

Astra Militarum, turn 2.

Reserves: forgotten. Oops.

Chimera advances and Veterans get out.

3++ with Grimoire, so only a couple die. One Veteran dies to his own plasma gun. Queue "We burn" by Sabaton.

Concentrated firepower takes Kairos down.

Priest rolls double gets hot, but does not die.

Knight annihilates the Seekers. Should have brought them in on the other flank, but I thought I could run through the heavy weapons teams.

Note that at this point the score was 5-0. I kept pulling the objectives on the other side of the table. Opponent was luckier, also had first blood and warlord kill.

Daemons, turn 3.

Terminators arrive. With no Kairos to help rerolling scatter, I chose a "safe" spot. A good choice, as I scattered off a bit. Now, on to the Psychic phase.

I managed to get off Invisibility on the Terminators. The Horrors did well too, annihilating the Veterans squad down to 1 plasma gunner. The Herald then Possessed himself to become a D-thirster. Maybe I can turn this around?

Combi meltas didn't do anything by the way.

Astra Militarum, turn 4.

Valkyrie arrives. Queue "Ride of the Valkyries".

You know your warp smiths suck when two tanks firing snapshots take down 3 Terminators.

Grimoire failed last turn. Knight and Chimera kill the last Pink Horrors and wound the D-thirster down to 3.

Daemons, turn 5.

Time to make my move. Terminators advance on Pask, get off Hammerhand. Hallucinations target the blob, but fail to kill the priest. Tanks fire at the Valkyrie in their confusion caused by the Cabal, and make it Jink.

D-thirster advances.

The Chaos Gods observe my struggle and deem me unfit for favors. The Herald dies to the Warp Storm.

S10 Power Staves? Yes please.

I could have charged the Chimera with the D-thirster, but that wouldn't have accomplished much. I saw my only chance in thinning the blob and taking over one half of the table. It was a reasonably desperate plan, and the charge, of course, failed by 1 inch.

Astra Militarum, turn 5.

Fire everything!

With the Bloodthirster rolling double ones on armor saves, I conceded.

Conclusion

• If you are using psychic powers, use them at least well. Molten Beam is melta for a reason.
• Grimoire always goes on Kairos. Otherwise, use his reroll better.
• Aegis Defence Line with Comms Relay could have helped with reserves. No other reserve-roll-shenanigans for the poor Chaos Space Marines otherwise.
• Gorgeously painted Guard army, and the Knight is an awesome centerpiece. It was a pleasure getting beaten into the dirt by it.
• Expertly deployed, too. The Shroud of Deceit was meant to not do much this game.