Thursday 30 June 2016

30 June - Hordes Legion of Everblight Battlegroup Unboxing

Well I thought I'd try something different with this. The Brother and I had a quick look at WarmaHordes while down at Cancon earlier this year and liked what we saw. While we had picked up the 2nd edition rule books we had yet to purchase models to go with them (actually The Brother had bought a couple of random Cryx bits now I think about it). So with the announcement of 3rd edition I figured it was a great time to have a look at the system and get some plastic to back it up. As the title suggests I've settled on the Hordes faction Legion of Everblight. The Wife has picked herself up a Retribution of Scyrah box. Toby's also jumped on the bandwagon with his Trollblood battlegroup that I'll drop off to him later.


So as to the something different I thought I'd do a little unboxing post today then as I move ahead with assembly and painting put up some updates. I'll be honest I've lost a bit of momentum with the Home Raiders Lilliputians so this will be a nicely timed break.






So after opening the box you can see that there is quite a lot packed into such a small space.








I can see the mini rulebook being handy for a table side reference saving quite a bit of wear and tear on my hard backed full versions.








The Introduction guide is a nice touch starting with some basic faction fluff, a brief description of the provided models in the box along with basic team tactics; and a couple of expanded 75 point lists when you're ready to expand you collection. The second half of the booklet has some step buy step painting guides if you were looking at using the studio colours.




Shredders
Nephilim Bolt Thrower














On to the minis. The box contains a warlock Kryssa, Conviction of Everblight and four warbeasts. Two of the lessor Shredders, a Nephilim Bolt Thrower and a Neraph. The casts look pretty good on first inspection and after a quick dry fit I'm not expecting too much hassle getting them together and onto the table. They all come with a reference card so you can keep track of wounds, quickly find stats and look up abilities.
Neraph
Kryssa, Conviction of Everblight





  




The Basic Training guide is basically a little mission book designed to teach you the basics in a step by step manner.








The last few contents are a really nice touch. A sturdy paper measuring stick, some generic tokens with a nice blank patch so you can use a wipe-able marker to keep track of game effects, some d6s and a double sided play mat.




Hopefully I can get some time in over my weekend and at least get the minis glued and primed.

Monday 27 June 2016

27th June - The Great Niece and Nephew Invasion

With the school holidays it was finally doable for The Sister's and The Brother's kids to come over for a play. After a bit of a movie night (Independence Day) on the Sunday we woke up this morning and headed downstairs for a game. A brief discussion later and a scaled down Frostgrave was on the table ready to play.


We had three chests in the centre of the table guarded by large constructs who all had three lives each due to their job as the magical protectors of the chests. While the constructs were alive they could also summon a single previously fallen adventure from the many skeletons littering the hoard. My sister's eldest decided that fortune would favor the bold and charged in hard and fast but was soon surrounded and pulled down but the silent guardians. The Brother's daughter and The Eldest played with more of a skirmish style and carefully drew out the constructs one at a time picking them off with a combination of their archer and elemental bolt spells. The Youngest however played the role of the scavenger picking off the odd skeleton but carefully skirting the larger monsters grabbing the first chest of the game and handing it along all her troopers getting it out quickly and efficiently. The Brother's Daughter and The Eldest then came to a truce splitting the last two chests between them.






After lunch we had a bit of a painting session with The Brother's Daughter and both of The Sister's Sons sitting down with some Mantic Deadzone plague zombies for a bit of a paint. It was the elder nephews first attempt at painting and I think he's done a pretty good job. I'm sending some wargame factory kits home with the nephews for them to put together and get a bit of practice on (of course they are my mother's that I was supposed to sort out for her, but you should see the size of my painting queue as it is)(also do have her permission) and then I believe they're going to have a go at painting up the set of Dungeon Saga I bought them for Christmas last year.
Elder Nephew
Younger Nephew


Niece


We'll be settling in again for another movie tonight (Ghostbusters) and then maybe a game tomorrow morning before they get picked up.

On the kickstarter front I've been trying to slow down a little and with some success but I've jumped onto the Miniature Wargaming: The Movie one currently running and from the few sneak peaks I've seen on Beast of War and the intro video on the kickstarter page itself I think it looks like something worth getting behind.

Wednesday 22 June 2016

22 June - 21st June Dropzone Commander vs The Wife

Well it may have taken us two weeks but we finally got there, who would have thought family and work commitments would go and get in the way of gaming but there you go ;).

So after her painting spree we both ended up being able to comfortably get 1500 points on the table. I think once she's done we can both get to 2000 but then it'll be time for some more blisters.







The Wife set up the table and I went for a sector control type mission for
something different (we've only really played find the Intel/objective missions before this).






I won the setup roll, but The Wife took initiative on the first turn. She began with some cautious defensive movement of her aerial gates bringing out some Havens and getting troops into buildings early on for the extra weight of points. I went for a more fast aggressive approach (that's the Scourge for you) just rapidly taking two Marauders loaded with my light tank options (one Hunters, one Reapers) into the neighbouring quarters. The turn continued this way with The Wife solidly filling her starting quarter and myself sending more troops out to the wings and several to push up and hold the centre.

  
The second turn began with my Vanguard battle group taking the offensive with my Reapers pulling down a Thunderbird and on the far side my Hunters removing a Tarantula. She answered with her remaining Tarantula and while the laser pod had no effect the gravity cannon quite easily demolished on of my skimmers. My next move was to start pulling apart her anti-air so my Slayers came into play and while her Haven was able to ignore the fire from their Marauder the heavy skimmers themselves took out both her Birdeaters, following which they disgorged their cargo of Razorworms into the nearby building to take out the Braves that had taken possession of it. As the Shaltari infantry braced for attack they sent some gauss rifle fire down on the Slayers managing some slight damage on one of the Scourge vehicles. My Corsairs available this turn I went for a slightly risky attack run against the remaining Thunderbird but the single shot that penetrated the shielding was deflected by armour and her Jaguar proved to be in range taking out one of the Scourge fast attack ships. Her Tomahawks were teleported down in front of the Reapers but some spectacularly poor shooting had not a single anti-air skimmer hit and my answering Prowlers quickly swarmed the alien tanks leaving two of them steaming wrecks. Her Gharial's microwave cannon was only able to kill one of the small Scourge scouts, but her freshly deployed Ocelot easily vaporised one of the Reapers.


Finally in the building the battle began with the worms tearing upward through the floor in their haste to attack the waiting Shaltari Braves. After a short but brutal combat the worms had taken some damage but the Braves were completely outclassed with two thirds of the unit either laying dead on the floor or part way down the gullet of the Scourge terror troopers. Despite their losses, the brave alien warriors held firm waiting for the next attack. Her Kukri entered the battle for the first time managing to take down one of the Prowler's Intruder transport ships. The massive Scourge Annihilator managed a direct hit on the Gharial but those damned Shaltari shields kicked in and the alien commander emerged from the bombardment unscathed. The Slayers however had some success rounding the corner and dismantling the Jaguar and the continued attacks on the Haven from the Marauder finally result in the troop gate being destroyed. The Braves decided to pull out of the building leaving it to the worms allowing a neighbouring unit to open fire on the just departed building bring down some rubble but the worms easily dodge the debris. The final unit deploy deeper into battlefield putting a small amount of pressure on the Scourge flank. The Gharial using the flexibility of the Shaltari gate deployment quickly moves to that flank and takes out one of the remaining Hunters. Meanwhile the Scourge commander in his Desolator drifts over to the nearby Thunderbird and attacks with a non focused ion storm easily disintegrating the Shaltari ship and damaging all the nearby buildings. The Prowlers continue their assault disabling the remaining Tomahawk and swarming onto the Ocelot although the vehicles shields save it this time.

It was at this moment The Wife decided on a tactical retreat [rout :)] leaving the Scourge in control of the field with minimal losses.



Great game The Wife wants a rematch so we've left the table up though we might move a few bits and pieces around. Her downfall which she realised was the way she used the gates, in previous games she's had me on the ropes with her ability to bounce around the table through them and this time I'd managed to surround her and she mostly stood and fought which wasn't working for her on the day. I'm impressed with just how strong the Razorworms are and I can see myself trying to fit more in for focal point missions or the like when I need to clear buildings, although I might tweak my list a little to see if I can fit in the Destroyers to see how they play on the table.

Tuesday 14 June 2016

14th June - 11th June Deadman's Hand vs The Youngest

I've still yet to get the Dropzone Commander game in with The Wife, and it looks like it may have to wait until Sunday but I did get a quick game in with The Youngest on Saturday.

Not much to report it was a bit spur of the moment but after some serious ammunition issues for the Pinkerton's the Indians successfully.... well I guess slaughtered them would be an appropriate term.

The contested town

Repeater rifle on the rooftop

Shotgun wielder ready to engage

Dud shells for the rifle makes for a difficult time

This town ain't big enough for both of us

The bounty hunter somehow survives the onslaught 
Of course it's too much to ask for a last chance

One last chance at saving the town from the savages results in barely a flesh wound
on the chief and the death of several Pinkertons

Might not have been what I was hoping to get on the table but it's always good to get a game in with either of The Daughters. Painting wise the Lilliputians are well under way and I'm toying on either continuing on the Home Raiders factions or get started on either my Veer-myn for Deadzone/Warpath or my Gremlins for Malifaux sometime soon.

Friday 10 June 2016

10th June - Finished Dropzone Commander Scourge Vehicles

So with The Wife doing a bit of a push on her Shaltari painting and challenging me to a game this weekend, I decided to jump the queue a bit with my painting and opened up the Scourge blisters I'd bought myself (an Annihilator, a Screamer & Raider dropship, Corsairs, Razorworms and Destroyers) and got from The Youngest for Christmas (more Reaper AA tanks). I finished off the vehicles over my weekend. I've just got to finish off the basing for the Razorworms, but as of yet the Destroyers remain with just their prime coat.

Should get them game in sometime in the next few days so there will be a report incoming.

Annihilator Side View
Annihilator Front View














Reapers

Corsairs

Screamer Front View
Screamer Rear View


Raider Heavy Dropship

I've just finished priming the Lilliputian faction for Home Raiders so hopefully I'll have some progress on them over the next week.