Procrastination by Numbers

[The Trampoline]

Apart from the heavy bolters and missile launchers the heavy weapons are very expensive on a devastaror squad. You're better buying lascannons in your tactical squads as it's a far cheaper way of getting them in the army (and neccessary for tank busting.) I'm planning on running  missile launchers in my devastator squad, good long range, high strength (I default to firing krak grenades rather than flak).

I managed to shoot down a flyer with one of them a couple of games ago, I was most pleased, I rolled the neccessary 6 to hit, 5 to penetrate and then a 6 to blow it up!

When I eventually return to my Crimson Fists I plan on running a unit of devastators with 4 heavy bolters for some anti-infatry firepower. My Fists will be more anti-personnel (as in to take on Orks.) However, that's just one of many projects.

[cunningmatt]

Suspect your mates advice is pretty accurate, but I like the way jump pack troops look, so would like to have some in any army I ran!

Indeed Jump Packs look cool, in my pathetic opinion,

Matt, a slight tangent but if you're going to be buying a lot of tanks do you have a space in which you could use an airbrush?  If so for <£100 you can get a decent compressor and airbrush which makes doing tanks a doddle.

Not really only have the balcony which is exceptionally weather dependent. Plus at least you can slop on copious quantities of Caledor Blue on a tank in front of Dancing on Ice or Splash! 

[The Trampoline]

Indeed Jump Packs look cool, in my pathetic opinion,

They do look cool and so do the chainswords and bolt pistols. I've got 10 that I will try and paint up towards the end of the blog to use in larger games (against lightly armoured armies) for fun. For the moment while I'm learning the game I'll leave them on the painting table.

[roland murat]

I've given some thought as to what you may want to get for your SM. Rather than waffle about individual units I've knocked up a quick list based on AOBR and using assault marines

Captain - power weapon

10 Tactical marines - Missile launcher, flamer, melta bombs
Rhino
10 Tactical marines - Plasma cannon, plasma gun
Drop pod

5 Termies
Dread - Multi melta
drop pod
10 Sternguard 2x combi-melta
drop pod

10 assault marines - sarge w/ fist and plasma pistol, 2x plasma pistol
8 bikes - 2x melta, fist attack bike w/multi melta

This comes to 1,750.

The idea is the dread and sternguard come down T1 and tie up chunks of the other army buying time for the FA options to close in and choose their target. The army will struggle to deal with enemy air but the lack of vehicles and the quick attack options should limit the potential for sky based death. The third pod can come down empty - its just included to ensure the two with the good stuff in land T1

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Update 96 – The Transfer Window Tuesday 22nd January 2013



Coming up on this week's Procrastination by Numbers:

• 96.1 – Meet the Team
• 96.2 – Tale of Gamers: Ultramarines – Month 2, Day 59
• 96.3 – Ultramarine Shopping, Part 2
• 96.4 – Bray Shaman Painting Guide
• 96.5 – Get In Touch

96.1 – Meet the Team

With Matty the Painter busy having rows with his own warped psyche, other people have to help him write the blog. Let's meet them:

Matty the Painter



Matty the Painter is the main writer on Procrastination by Numbers, and his brain represents the place where the other writers live. He is a prolific Shakeaway drinker, and he can be followed on Twitter at @ProByNumbers – go on he might follow you back.

This week Matty has been struggling to contain the little bit of wee that keeps coming up when he thinks about the new Warriors of Chaos.

The Resident Six-Year Old Artist



For all those things that can't be photographed, the resident six-year old artist has joined (read "been imprisoned by") the team. Bribed with Smarties and the promise of seeing daylight again, she draws all the pictures this blog needs. Her recent work includes the iOS6 maps.

This week the resident six-year old artist is upset that all the snow has gone, that or she's been crying about missing her family again. Typical!

Mr Shakey Shakey



Mr Shakey Shakey is Matty the Painter's Wood Elf painting friend. He's been painting a Wood Elf army for about 24 years now. His name is nothing to do with the popular milkshake, but instead refers to his inability to hold a paintbrush steadily in his hands.

Still nothing...

Sandra the Tactical Pot Plant



Sandra the Tactical Pot Plant is a brand new member of the Procrastination by Numbers team, not only is she's the independent adjudicator for all Procrastination by Numbers competitions. But she is a Warhammer tactical genius and can often be found revising the rules and coming up with the filthiest armies known to man.

Sandra the Tactical Pot Plant has already put her order in with OG Games for all the new Warriors stuff!

96.2 – Tale of Gamers: Ultramarines – Month 2, Day 59

There's literally two days left of Month 2 (which has been extended to include all of December and January), and the exciting news I can confirm is that... insert drumroll... I've finished my first two months' worth of models. Whoop-to-the-whoop-to-the-whoopedy-whoop!

Before I get too excited and blow my thunder early on showing you the photos, there's the small matter of how I finished the models off. First on the list of chores to do was give a quick tidy up to the two squads, mainly this was tidying up the blue power armour where it had been caught with other colours during the detailing process. I was worried this would be tricky given how my armour had come out, but a spot of Alaitoc Blue, and then a dab of
Guilliman Blue over the top hid the spots remarkably well.

Next up I worked on the Captain, as he was awaiting some extra colours. I basically painted him the same as the other Marines in the army, but between each colour layer used on the original Marines, I added in a 1:1 mix of the two layers.



Once the Captain was bought up to finished, it was time to add some details to the whole squad. Personally I'm not a massive fan of adding loads of scripture and markings all over the power armour. I want my Marines to look clean and tidy.

I did however add some "text" to the Purity Seal Parchment – this after all is effectively the 90-Day Money Back Warranty for Space Marine armour, so I think it's worth filling out. This was actually a lot easier than I first expected, and was simply some lines of Rhinox Hide painted with a Fine Detail Brush, which looked pretty effective.



I then added some text to the scrolls on the Captain's gun and banner, and the Terminator Sergeant's chest plate. I wanted to come up with something different to what the 'Eavy Metal version had on the models but I couldn't think of anything better than "ULTRA" for the longer scrolls, and for the gun I couldn't think of any useful small words other than copying "REX" – I thought about "POO" but that had the potential to be awkward. I promise to do better next time!!







To paint the text, I did a rough outline in Dawnstone, before painting over with Abaddon Black – the best tip I can give you here is start with the middle letter of the word and then work outwards, it will give you much better spacing and avoid the unfortunate situation of your word getting scrunched up at the end of the scroll.

Like all good Space Marines, chapter markings are important. By choosing Ultramarines, one of the standard chapters, I had the advantage of being able to use the transfers supplied in the box.



I say advantage, I didn't get on brilliantly with the transfers – it was a bit of a frustrating process. That said I think I managed to get them to come out all right in the end, though any hints and tips you have would be welcome!

There's a handy guide to applying transfers in the How to Paint Citadel Miniatures book, so I used this as a starting point. N.B. Blame them not me if I've done something terrible!!



First up I covered the shoulder pads – the area where the transfer was to be applied, with 'Ardcoat to prepare it for the application of the transfer (don't ask why, am just doing what I've been told!).



Next I snipped out the transfers from the sheet, the guide suggested using a craft knife. However I don't have one of these – I've always found a scraper, file and clippers more than sufficient for tidying up my models and significantly less likely to cut my fingers off! I am after all a klutz. But scissors proved more than useful here.



I then placed the transfer on some wet kitchen roll, allowing the transfer to absorb water and then separate from the backing paper.



Using a wet paintbrush I then slid the transfer into place. This sentence sounds a hell of a lot simpler than it actually was! In practice I found the transfers had trouble lying flat on the curved surface of the shoulder pad, this I helped by snipping the top of the transfer (in between the prongs of the 'U') so that the transfer could slightly overlap itself. I knew there was a very good reason I chose Ultramarines, not sure how I'd have done this with another chapter!!! Also a lot of the transfers broke up slightly, which wasn't helpful. Though with a lot of patience I got each transfer (or parts) lined up in the right places.



I then dabbed the water away with another piece of kitchen roll, trying to smooth out any wrinkles – which again was a lot simpler to say, in practice this left some wrinkles behind. And you had to be really careful not to dislodge the transfer.



After leaving them to dry I then covered the whole shoulder pad with Lahmian Medium, which sealed the transfer down. This did seem to do a good job of stopping the transfer moving.



With that done I tidied up the transfers using White Scar on the "U" symbol and Alaitoc Blue, with a dab of Guilliman Blue for the background. Painting over the wrinkles in the "U" symbol actually did a really good job of disguising them. And in the end, despite a lot of swearing, I was pleased with how they came out.



The Tactical Squad Sergeant came with an additional challenge due to the Purity Seal on his pad, to get round this I cut a section out of the transfer bigger than the Purity Seal. Applied it on in the appropriate place and then used White Scar to fill the gap.



The Captain had his own set of problems; firstly there weren't enough transfers in the pack for him. Secondly his cloak covers half of his shoulder pad, I painted on my own "U" symbol freehand using White Scar. It took quite a lot of tidying up to get it right, but in the end I was pleased with the result. The cloak's position gives me a certain level of freedom from it being perfect.



And whilst the results on the Captain are good, it has convinced me I don't want to go freehand on all the shoulder pads in my army!!

With that done all that remains to add is the finished pictures of the Captain, Tactical Squad and Terminators. Thoughts please, as long as they are positive – negative ones will make me cry!!

So first up, here's the Tactical Squad:













The Terminators:













The Space Marine Captain:







And here's the obligatory, army shot for so far...



96.3  – Ultramarine Shopping, Part 2

So last week I asked your thoughts on how to progress with my Ultramarines army, and I was deluged with a raft of responses. So many, many thanks for that, I will now examine them all and explain why I have ignored them all and made a completely different decision! Haha, no that's not quite true!

I should at this point, make it quite clear that all my comments are entirely based on thoughts on what models I like and want to paint. I have NO idea how to play Warhammer 40,000 and therefore what is worth taking, I haven't even read the rulebook! I know, I know, my intention is to take my newly painted Ultramarines to OG for some introductory games to get me knowing what to do so I can at least be more informed!

Any-who, here are some of the additions that you suggested, and my thoughts:

Drop Pod

I would strongly consider a drop pod for the dreadnought though - equipped with MM and a flamer they are a good way to try and nick first blood.

If you're planning on using the black reach dreadnought then definately get a drop pod for it.

I have to be honest, I'm not sure about the Drop Pod. It's not the model, I think it's the imagery – I want my futuristic war to involve tanks and craft that fly and take off and hover (don't worry I'm not getting a Forgeworld Thunderhawk Gunship - £399.99 madness!), Drop Pods don't quite have the right sci-fi imagery for me. The model is ok, but for only 35 points basic it's a lot of painting – I've got to do 250 points a month!!! Maybe,... but I think I want some tanks first.

Whirlwind

Whirlwinds are not very good apparantely, I've not used one myself but my 40K friends at Spiky told me to steer clear of it.

God dam it!!! I really wanted a Whirlwind, I might still get one hahaha! But I will definitely hold off for the time being.

Predator

...the Predator is very good. I've been using mine with the autocannon and with heavy bolters makes a very good anti-personnel tank capable of shooting light tanks and skimmers. I used two the other day and had them moving in front of my Rhino's providing a very good shield.

The Predator has survived your comments; currently this is my favourite of the Space Marine tanks. And is definitely high up the wish list. Hmmm...

Battleforce

Don't bother getting the battleforce, unless you're really dead keen on getting the assault marines and scouts. Scouts are largelly here nor there... Assault marines are no better than normal marines in combat, the only thing is the extra attack which after fighting a few combats in 40K isn't much cop unless they're a tonne of you...

Also you get 15 marines and you only need another 10 to make up your second tactical squad (you only need 2 squads, anymore is a waste.)

I quite like the unit of scouts as a cheap unit to drop in your deployment zone and capture objectives.

The scout kit is quite nice too.  That said they all rather stupidly have forgotten their helmets... One might also question giving the guys with the lowest balistic skill in the army the sniper rifles, surely they should go to the crack shots... Oh well!

However, scouts are good to sit on an objective in your deployment holding it. With camo cloaks in cover soemthing silly like a 2 or 3 up cover save.

I'm intending to use scouts to sit on a home objective (possibly behind an aegis defence line with the sarge manning a quad gun or lascannon depending on what I go with)

Foolish!! 

Also despite everyone saying Assault marines aren't that good the few games I did play of 5th Ed I found them to be one of my favourite and most useful units.

Matt, I don't think buying the battleforce is a foolish idea especially if you want to play around with the units and find out which ones you prefer. However, you'll have 5 space marines left over doing nothing (after buying two tactical squads and scouts in your army you don't need a combat squad in your army).

Lots of thoughts here on the Battleforce, mainly the Scouts and Assault Marines. The consensus I'm getting is it's not optimal, but not a bad building block to get us started. I did enjoy Dave's comment about the lack of helmets on the Scouts – though I get the impression with Scouts they aren't allowed them. Yes it's ridiculous, but it seems less ridiculous than having a helmet and choosing not to wear it! At least it's because of an equipment shortage, stupid or otherwise. True the Combat Marines potentially would be spare, but in fairness the cost saving of buying the Battleforce over the constituent parts is more than the cost of the Combat Marines. So I'd be better off buying the Battleforce, even if I just threw the Combat Marines in the bin.

Some people kindly went even further with an entire army list:

I've given some thought as to what you may want to get for your SM. Rather than waffle about individual units I've knocked up a quick list based on AOBR and using assault marines

Captain - power weapon

10 Tactical marines - Missile launcher, flamer, melta bombs
Rhino
10 Tactical marines - Plasma cannon, plasma gun
Drop pod

5 Termies
Dread - Multi melta
drop pod
10 Sternguard 2x combi-melta
drop pod

10 assault marines - sarge w/ fist and plasma pistol, 2x plasma pistol
8 bikes - 2x melta, fist attack bike w/multi melta

This comes to 1,750.

The idea is the dread and sternguard come down T1 and tie up chunks of the other army buying time for the FA options to close in and choose their target. The army will struggle to deal with enemy air but the lack of vehicles and the quick attack options should limit the potential for sky based death. The third pod can come down empty - its just included to ensure the two with the good stuff in land T1

Thanks, I have no idea if this is any good or not! Hahaha. My only initial thought is not many tanks, and lots of drop pods, which is a bit sad. But I do like the Sternguard, and am warming to the Bikes so parts of it certainly could make an appearance.

I'm sure you're itching to know what I choose..., well... I spent a long time considering getting a Predator and the Space Marines with Sniper Rifles (which I prefer the look of to the normal Scouts). But decided I'm going to go with the Battleforce – the Tactical Squad and Rhino seem to be a must, the Scouts will be useful and being a basic Troop choice, I don't think it matters if I also get the Sniper Rifle Scouts at a later date as I'm sure they will all get use filling that compulsory slot choice. The Assault Marines just look fun to paint, and hopefully will be good to include. Admittedly the Combat Squad might not be that useful, but as I said above its essentially free models. Additionally I'm sure I could use them as something simple to help me learn the rules before replacing it with something more exotic later.

I think the Battleforce will give me a couple more months' worth of troops to practice my basic paint job on – they seem pretty similar to the models I've already painted. Plus they'll be simple choices to get me going, before I then add all the exotic stuff towards the end of the project, oh and of course there's a tank! And don't worry Drop Pod fans, I'm sure one will appear one day!

96.4 – Great Bray Shaman Painting Guide

Back in Update 93, I mentioned I'd pretty much finished my Beastmen army. So I thought it was about time I showed you them. Rather than bore you by putting up a load of painting guides in one go (ala Dreadfleet – Update 94), I thought I'd drip feed you them. Which also gives me a chance to repair all the other Beastmen so I can dhow you a finished army shot at some stage!

This week I'm showing off the new plastic Great Bray-Shaman, well it came out within the last 12 months, which given my painting speed is new. Plus given the only other Beastmen Shaman models were released in 1997 I think we can still use the word new. Main thing of note is the cloak made of stitched together flesh, where I basically raided my paints box for every flesh colour I could find.



Great Bray Shaman Painting Guide – Stage 1



Base: Steel Legion Drab
Hooves and Horns: Steel Legion Drab
Skeletons and Bones: Steel Legion Drab
Flesh: 1:1 Scab Red/Dark Flesh
Fur: Drybrush Scorched Brown, then Beastial Brown, then Snakebite Leather
Inside of Cloak: Drybrush 1:1 Chardonite Grantie, then Adeptus Battlegrey, then Codex Grey
Cream Fabric: Steel Legion Drab
Rocks: Chardonite Granite
Straps: Scorched Brown
Wood: Drybrush Codex Grey, then Fortress Grey
Gold Metal: Tin Bitz
Flesh Cloak: Patches Painted Tallarn Flesh, Dwarf Flesh, Dark Flesh, Ratskin Flesh or Bugman's Glow

Great Bray Shaman Painting Guide – Stage 2



Base: Layer Baneblade Brown
Hooves and Horns: Wash Badab Black
Skeletons and Bones: Wash Badab Black
Flesh:  Layer 1:1 (1:1 Scab Red/Dark Flesh)/Vermin Brown, then layer Vermin Brown
Fur: Wash Badab Black
Inside of Cloak: Wash Nuln Oil
Cream Fabric: Layer Baneblade Brown
Rocks: Drybrush Tau Sept Ochre
Straps: Wash Badab Black
Gold Metal: Wash Devlan Mud
Flesh Cloak: Wash Ogryn Flesh

Great Bray Shaman Painting Guide – Stage 3



Base: NONE
Hooves and Horns: Feather Baneblade Brown, then feather Dheneb Stone
Skeletons and Bones: Layer Baneblade Brown, then layer Dheneb Stone
Flesh:  Wash Gryphonne Sepia
Fur: NONE
Inside of Cloak: NONE
Cream Fabric: Layer 1:1 Baneblade Brown/Kommando Khaki, then layer Kommando Khaki
Rocks: Selectively drybrush Gretchin Green, then drybrush Fortress Grey
Straps: Highlight Scorched Brown
Gold Metal: Cover Shining Gold, then wash Gryphonne Sepia
Flesh Cloak: Highlight with appropriate basecoat mixed with Bleached Bone

Great Bray Shaman Painting Guide – Stage 4







Base: Drybrush Bleached Bone, then flock Scorched Grass, followed by Snow
Hooves and Horns: Feather Bleached Bone, then highlight larger areas 1:1 Bleached Bone/Skull White
Skeletons and Bones: Layer Bleached Bone, then highlight larger areas 1:1 Bleached Bone/Skull White
Flesh:  Highlight 3:1 Vermin Brown/Elf Flesh, then highlight 1:1 Vermin Brown/Elf Flesh
Fur: NONE
Inside of Cloak: NONE
Cream Fabric: Highlight 1:1 Kommando Khaki/Bleached Bone, then Highlight Bleached Bone
Rocks: Drybrush Skull White, then wash recesses Nuln Oil
Straps: Highlight Beastial Brown
Gold Metal: Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver, then highlight Mithril Silver
Flesh Cloak: Highlight Bleached Bone

96.5  – Get In Touch

This week I'm still clawing for attention, so please fulfil it!! Here's some useful things I'd like to know!

• Transfer applying tips
• What I should be buying for the Ultramarines next
• Bray-Shaman & Ultramarine thoughts

As always I am on Twitter @ProByNumbers so please find me! Thanks for the kind comments there about the Ultramarines!

[Dave]

Transfers - One tip I'd heard is to cut a slit in the middle of the U, it allows any air bubbles to be pushed out of the middle rather than faffing around getting it all the way to the edges and reduces wrinkles, as long as you use a sharp enough knife then it shouldn't show up once the transfer has been put in place.

Buying next... God knows, I did a stupid number of marines.  For army legality you'll need a second core choice which means either another tactical squad or a scout squad, so on that basis one of them would seem sensible but then again if you find you're getting bored of painting troops a nice tank might be the way to go.  In other words, I've no idea make your own mind up!

Thoughts on marines, you might want to check out another painting forum I'm on, they're definitly into their space marines over there, in particular I'll link you Jetfire's space marine blog, all sorts of marines from different chapters but loads of good stuff going on.

2011 - sadly all links now broken so no pictures (ie don't bother)
http://www.thepainteddragon.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=87
2012
http://www.thepainteddragon.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=961
2013
http://www.thepainteddragon.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=1842

He'd definitely be happy to give any pointers and I seem to remember he had a really quick guide to painting the U symbol but I can't see it so guess it was in 2011, but sure he'd help out if you asked.

[roland murat]

If you want tanks I'm a big fan of the vindi (need to double these guys up though or they die too fast) and the redeemer.

The crusader varient of the LR is possibly more effective but I like the big flame throwers. I have also been assured 'chicks dig it' but I think my source may be a tad unreliable.

[The Trampoline]

Buying next... God knows, I did a stupid number of marines.  For army legality you'll need a second core choice which means either another tactical squad or a scout squad, so on that basis one of them would seem sensible but then again if you find you're getting bored of painting troops a nice tank might be the way to go.

Matt said he was going to buy the battleforce so he'll have two more troop choices with the second tactical squad (in addition to his black reach one) and a scout squad.

Some suggestions Matt

For the tactical squad you'll get in the battleforce get hold of a powerfist and a lascannon. All my 40K friends say powerfists are a must on a space marine tactical squad sergeant. The Strength 8 and AP2 means you can threaten high toughness, Armour 2 troops and walkers, skimmers and even some tanks. Without it these units can walk all over your tactical squads which is very bad since these are your main scoring units. The lascannon is cheaper to buy in the tactical squad than in a devastator squad as well, and the strength 9 and AP2 is very handy for taking pot shots at tanks and Armour 2 or Armour 3 units. Also for the sergeant give him a bolter rather than a pistol, he does not get the benefit of the extra attack for it whilst using the power first and the bolter offers two shots and range.

Stick a power fist on your assault squad sergeant, again for the same reasons as above. Also a flamer on the unit would be pretty good since you can try and flame roast a large squad you're about to assault to reduce the number of them in combat.

With the combat squad you get in the battleforce you could perhaps turn them into a devastator squad. There are plenty of people on ebay or with bits shops selling the heavy weapons, or you could ask the other guys. Only suggestion would be to take 4 missile launchers since you can use the squad to threaten vehicles from range. A mix of weapons seems a bit rubbish, and plasma cannons cannot move and fire so don't waste your time with them. If you go for multi-melters you'll need a tank to move the unit close to enemy targets since 24" range is painfully short in 40k. The sergeant here doesn't need a powerfist since the enemy will most likely shoot this unit from a far to get rid of them. Make sure you pick up his special signum backpack.

In regards to moving forward and what to buy after, a predator tank, a landspeeder (they're hard to use but look awesome!, or a landspeeder storm to use as a transport for your scouts. Hold them back then fly onto an objective with them in later turns. Also I suggest a chaplin with jumpback to join the assault squad to give them re-rolls to hit in combat.

[cunningmatt]

Transfers - One tip I'd heard is to cut a slit in the middle of the U, it allows any air bubbles to be pushed out of the middle rather than faffing around getting it all the way to the edges and reduces wrinkles, as long as you use a sharp enough knife then it shouldn't show up once the transfer has been put in place.

Thanks that sounds good, though it does put me in charge of a sharp knife - scary!!

Buying next... God knows,...

Fair enough. 

Thoughts on marines, you might want to check out another painting forum I'm on, they're definitly into their space marines over there, in particular I'll link you Jetfire's space marine blog, all sorts of marines from different chapters but loads of good stuff going on.

Cheers thanks for the tip, though obviously not as good as this very blog!

If you want tanks I'm a big fan of the vindi (need to double these guys up though or they die too fast) and the redeemer.

The crusader varient of the LR is possibly more effective but I like the big flame throwers. I have also been assured 'chicks dig it' but I think my source may be a tad unreliable.

Well it sounds like there's absolutely no point in me getting a Land Raider then!

For the tactical squad you'll get in the battleforce get hold of a powerfist and a lascannon. All my 40K friends say powerfists are a must on a space marine tactical squad sergeant.

Do I not get a powerfist on the Tactical Squad sprue?

[The Trampoline]

Do I not get a powerfist on the Tactical Squad sprue?

Nope. Try and get one off the OG guys, or ebay it. The bolt pistol and chainswords are not much cop compared to a powerfist.