3D6" From Rage Quit

[TkaiC]

P.S. How many inches from Rage Quit today?

A good roll, a whole 9, so safe enough for a few weeks!

Truly bonkers ideas there Mr C, truly bonkers - and not sure how a car ferry will fit even in my largest Slave block!  I like the submarine idea though...although maybe just the one rat with a snorkel!

[cunningmatt]

A good roll, a whole 9, so safe enough for a few weeks!

Truly bonkers ideas there Mr C, truly bonkers - and not sure how a car ferry will fit even in my largest Slave block!  I like the submarine idea though...although maybe just the one rat with a snorkel!

What about an empty boat with no Skaven on called the Mau-rat Celeste?

Now that's good. I've only had 15 minutes thinking time, imagine what I could do with a week!!

[cunningmatt]

A Rat Ogre bobbing up and down in a rubber ring (preferably the type with a seahorse head) - now that could work as a unit filler. Plus you'd only have to paint half a Rat Ogre!

[Deathwing_Matt]

Couple of ideas (stream of consciousness):

- You could use some of the DE Corsair parts for some kitbashing;
- A Kraken for a Hellpit (http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1460123a, or find some of the old tentacles on ebay);
- Paddleboat Doomwheels;
- Warpstone in Tresurechests;
- A fishing boat picking up slaves in nets;
- Skaven mermaids sitting on a rock - half rat, half fish;
- Lots of rum!

[TkaiC]

Great ideas guys!  My current faves are (in no particular order)

The treasure chests (just need to source some!)
The submarine.  It will have ears.
The sandcastles

So that's my modelling challenges for the holiday season.  But, gaming wise, things aren't so rosy:

Roll the dice...oh dear...a mere 5" from the dreaded stomp around and shouting.  Why?  Do you even have to ask?  My rats are rubbish.

Unfortunately that's quite clearly my fault and, therefore, I'm drawing up some new lists to (a) try and start winning regularly and (b) to focus my painting. 

Given my rant on magic, it's with not a touch of irony that List 1 is a spelltastic gunline, List 2 is a classic Hellpit/Cannon/Seer Tournament friendly list and List 3 is all about the combat units (Rat Ogres/Assassin & Chieftain boosted Core/Plague Monks with Plague Banner) but still boosted with Plague Priests a-plenty.

So, painting plan:  A 40 strong Slave unit to be finished by the end of the week (as in Sunday).  So I don't kill myself in rat-related boredom this particular unit has 24 other little chaps in there...Gnoblars to be exact!  Photos will follow this weekend. 

[cunningmatt]

Can't believe the Skaven Car Ferry didn't make it! Hmmph

[TkaiC]

I'll be honest, only because there's not a table big enough to field it!

[cunningmatt]

I'll be honest, only because there's not a table big enough to field it!

You build the car ferry, I'll build the table!!

[roland murat]

If any of these ideas are going to be done in the New year Tom I may have some chests in my bitz box - remind me in Jan if you want me to have a look.

[TkaiC]

Saturday 22nd December...a new dawn!

Well, I was kinda hoping the whole apocalypse would save me from my impending 'death by rat' but looks like that was too much to ask for so this weekend sees my first steps towards creating the first of my new lists:

Warlord - on a Warlitter, Shield, Armour of Destiny, Warlock Augmented Weapon (223pts)
Level 4 Seer - Talisman of Preservation, Earthing Rod (310pts)

BSB (Sword of Swiftslaying) (95pts)
Level 1 Plague Priest (Flail, Ruby Ring) (129pts)

50 Slaves, Musician (102)
50 Slaves, Musician (102)
34 Clan Rats, Hand Weapons and Shields, Full Command (173)
+Mortar (65)
31 Storm Vermin, Full Command and Razor Standard (282)

34 Plague Monks, Full Command and Plague Banner (293)
9 Gutter Runners, Poisoned Attacks and Slings (162)

Hell Pit Abomination, Warpstone Spikes (250)
Warp Lightning Cannon (90)
Plagueclaw Catapult (100)

I've had issues previously with my Skaven being obliterated by hard hitting heavily armoured units.  Although the rats throw out a lot of attacks, they ping of heavy cavalry/elite infantry far too easily.  Therefore I've included two template weapons (mortar & catapult) that ignore armour entirely, plus boosted the Storm Vermin to have a -2 to armour save, ditto for the Warlord who throws out 5 S5 attacks by himself, plus the Razor Standard bonus so -3.  Take that Empire Knights!  The BSB will probably be in the same unit, and his ASF and high initiative makes him a good troop killer/potentially useful in a challenge.

Should I be up against hordes, however, the HPA and Plague Monks come to the fore.  The Monks (deployed as a horde) put out over 50 attacks, with re-rolls to hit *and* wound when the banner is activated (one use).  They're hampered by low initiative (only a 3!  Useless!) and lack of armour, but should chew through most human/lizard/dwarf units singlehanded, and combo'd with Mr Fluffles the HPA, can take on pretty much anyone.

Chaff wise I have 2 huge slave blocks to ruin someone's fun.  They'll be near the general/BSB so that's LD10 with re-roll for quite a long time whilst the rest of the army encircles the foe.  I'm tempted to ditch the Razor Standard and trim 10 Slaves off each unit to free up the points for a third slave block, and so have 3 units of 40, but I think I'll just end up confusing and charge-blocking myself with that many units on the table.

Shooting wise the Cannon is there to deal with any gribblies/monstrous infantry/monstrous cav with its ignore armour and D6 wounds rule, and the Plague Priest has a cheap, long range magic missile that's good against small units early in the game.  The mortar can move and fire so can react to deployment errors whilst the Catapult can potentially maul large units simply due to its large template.

Grey Seer is there to be boring and D13/Plague everyone and, more importantly, dispel big spells from other level 4s.  Gutter Runners are there to scout and hold up the enemy/infiltrate and take out artillery depending on the opponent.

All in all I think this is a pretty vanilla Skaven list (Slaughter comp compliant so will be my Waargh list) that ticks my 'feels Skaven' box (maybe needs a Rat Dart to make sure all Clans are involved), will blow itself up with a few bad dice rolls/crush an opponent with a few good ones, has some decent combat units and is relatively transportable.

I've got probably one slave block and the clanrats done already, the mortar and gutter runners too.  Second slave block by the end of the weekend, then I need another 20 or Storm Vermin, 25 or so Monks, the artillery/HPA, Warlord conversion and Priest.  I have Seer/Warlock models painted up already but am intending on doing the old Bell Seer in the New Year (plus his bell with some added old-school rat ogres pulling it along although that's for Army 2).

So...the Waargh is on the 19th of January...I have 100 infantry models, a Hell Pit and a Cannon to paint.  I also need to convert a War Litter and a Catapult...best get the tea on really.