Procrastination by Numbers

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Friday 20th December 2013



It's F... F... F... freezing, and incidentally Friday too. But before you head out in the cold read this!

Today's Forgotten Special Character is an impish character that those with a long memory for characters without models might remember them prancing around!

[spoiler]
20th December: Wychwethyl The Wild, Wardancer Champion



Name: Wychwethyl The Wild, Wardancer Champion

Original Points Cost: 100 points

Background: Wychwethyl the Wild, baffled enemies with his dancing skills and unpronounceable name. His dancing is so noisy and energetic that it is he who wakes Orion and Ariel after their long winter sleep, with a cup of tea and a biscuit. If the two gods continue to slumber Wychwethyl wakes them with his drum.

Original Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves – 4th Edition



Last Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves – 4th Edition

Special Rules:
Wychwethyl the Wild, Wardancer Champion can choose any opponent to fight in the unit regardless of whether they are in base-to-base contact. Once per battle he can use a dance where he attacks every model in the front rank of the unit. He carries the magic item The Drum of Orcskin (one use only, the unit adds D6 inches to its charge).



My Memories of the Character: No one in my gaming group at the time had the Wood Elves, so any Wood Elf character without a model was never going to get found out about!

Inclusion in 8th Edition: His rules and magic item don't seem that horrendous (unlike a lot of 4th edition characters) so I'd reckon they could be used as presented. Though he'd be pretty good using his dance against a horde unit.

There never has been a model, but there are Wardancer Champion models so that's a good place to start. I'd add a drum to the model to at least show some effort and represent The Drum of Orcskin.



[/spoiler]

Love us and comment on us now, because like the Snowman and the unwanted Christmas puppy in the New Year we will be dead.

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Saturday 21st December 2013



Forgotten another Special Character, god your memory must be terrible, you are getting old. I suppose I better remind you of yet another one.

I'd happily offer £100 to anyone who claims to remember this character, but I suspect you're a lying cheat so I won't pay. This is a White Dwarf only character gifted with sword and magic.

[spoiler]
21st December: Lord Salendor of Tor Achare



Name: Lord Salendor of Tor Achare

Original Points Cost: 345 points

Background: Lord Salendor was a High Elven noble who was a bit of a show off, being versed in both the magical arts and in sword play too. He was a tactical genius able to match his Dwarfen rivals in the War of the Beard, plus he was pretty good at Draughts too.

Original Appearance: White Dwarf 267 (March 2002)



Last Appearance: White Dwarf 267 (March 2002)

Special Rules: Lord Salendor was armed with two hand weapons and was a Level 2 Wizard. He had the following special rules: one unit could redeploy in the High Elf deployment zone after all deployment complete; he always strikes first and has a 4+ Ward save; all of Salenodr's hits have an additional -1 armour save modifier.



My Memories of the Character: Salendor appears in three part White Dwarf article which gives special rules for The War of the Beard, listing army lists, special characters and magic items used in this epic conflict. I don't really remember too much about it.

Inclusion in 8th Edition: Most of the rules simply transfer across to modern day Warhammer, particularly the always strikes first one!!

There are tips in the White Dwarf about converting Lord Salendor, which suggest using a Shadow Warrior and covering the armour up, as he's a spellcaster. Something we seem to have forgotten about with the Loremaster of Hoeth! Cough cough!!

The Shadow Warrior kit sounds like a good place to start though for this tactical genius, maybe arming him with a second sword. As that sets him apart from modern day Elves.



[/spoiler]

There's more tomorrow, make sure you join us, or I will come round and slap you!

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Sunday 22nd December 2013



Started the Christmas shopping yet? No, no, you probably haven't have you. Oops!

Today's Forgotten Special Character is a bloody frenzied killer, which literally rules out no one in the Warhammer World. As a further clue he dates back to the 4th edition Warhammer Army books. Any guesses?

[spoiler]
22nd December: Tullaris of Har Ganeth



Name: Tullaris of Har Ganeth

Original Points Cost: 223 points – 4th Edition, 95 points – 7th Edition, 107 points – 8th Edition

Background: Tullaris of Har Ganeth, is the leader of the Dark Elf executioners with a fearsome reputation. He once famously killed the entire population of a town simply as he didn't like the name. Residents of Slough fear he may one day visit them. His vicious tendency for bloodshed, once meant he slew five prisoners in one swipe of his blade, beginning the famous five a day policy of the Executioners. Even the Witch Elves fear that one day he may attack them and cut their long flowing hair!

Original Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves – 4th Edition, no model currently available.



Last Appearance: N/A – Currently Available.



Special Rules: Originally Tullaris had no special rules, just bearing the magic items The Black Amulet (rebounds wounds on a 4+) and the Executioner's Axe (effectively killing blow). Upon his return in 7th edition he became a unit upgrade to the Excutioners making the unit cause Fear. He added +D3 to combat resolution if he killed a character in a challenge and had The Blade of Har Ganeth meaning he could re-rolled failed rolls to wound. In 8th edition he now becomes a Hero.



My Memories of the Character: Of the many Dark Elf characters I remember he is not one, lack of model despite appearing in three army books being the main cause. Though I do remember The Black Amulet as the must have magic item way back when.



Inclusion in 8th Edition: Quite an easy inclusion as we have rules, and the new Dark Elf plastic Executioners kit give an easy option to build a bespoke unit leader to represent him.

[/spoiler]

More tomorrow. Probably. Unless I die, or the world ends, or the internet dies, or I find something better to do.

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Monday 23rd December 2013



Well if you haven't got how this works by now, there really is no help for you.

Ok so this special character belongs to a race for which Games Workshop (and Forgeworld) make no models for any more. Any guesses?

[spoiler]
23rd December: Gorduz Backstabber, Hobgoblin Chieftain



Name: Gorduz Backstabber

Original Points Cost: 93 points

Background: Gorduz Backstabber was an exceptionally long-lived Hobgoblin, thanks primarily due to him not trusting any other hobgoblins and his exceptionally luck. No one could understand why he had not been killed off long before, much like Piers Morgan.

Original Appearance: White Dwarf Presents: Warhammer Chaos Dwarfs – 4th Edition



Last Appearance: White Dwarf Presents: Warhammer Chaos Dwarfs – 4th Edition.

Special Rules:
Gorduz Backstabber has a 4+ ward save when he is on his last wound.



My Memories of the Character: Apparently my memories are rubbish as I really thought a model existed for this character, but apparently it does not. Maybe Mr Shakey Shakey my previous regular Chaos Dwarf opponent used a random Hobgoblin character model for him?

Inclusion in 8th Edition: Good luck making Hobgoblins from scratch!

With thanks to Mr Shakey Shakey for providing access to the White Dwarf Presents: Warhammer Chaos Dwarfs – 4th Edition book

[/spoiler]

Join us tomorrow for the final day of our Forgotten Character fun!!

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar Tuesday 24th December 2013



This is it the final day of the Forgotten Special Characters Advent Calendar, shed a tear, then go get pissed!

The Forgotten Special Character will be virtually unheard of. If you are old enough to be alive when this model was around, you will be too old to have a sufficiently working memory to remember this one!

[spoiler]
24th December: Aldebrand Ludenhof, Elector Count of Hochland



Name: Aldebrand Ludenhof, Elector Count of Hochland

Original Points Cost: 120 points

Background: Aldebrand is the Elector Count of Hochland a small and rather unimportant realm, much like Wales. He is a massive fan of hunting, and every room in his palace stinks of dead animals that have been stuffed. Aldebrand even carries a Hawk into battle with him, in a way that implies that bringing pets to battle is even vaguely practical.

Original Appearance: Warhammer Armies: Empire – 4th Edition, model released White Dwarf 184 (April 1995)





Last Appearance: Warhammer Armies: The Empire – 4th Edition

Special Rules: Like all the Elector Counts, Aldebrand carries a Runefang (no armour save, even magic armour, all wounds against Undead models count as two wounds). Aldebrand's hawk gives him an additional Strength 3 attack that strikes before all other models.



My Memories of the Character: Aldebrand was part of the vast wealth of Special Characters that the Empire had, which always seemed unfair at the time. If that didn't make him obscure enough he was one of the four virtually identical Elector Count characters. It was the 1990s equivalent of trying to identify and individual member of Union J.

Inclusion in 8th Edition: It's pretty easy to make your own Elector Count in the current Warhammer Armies: The Empire though the Runefang is a hell of a lot better than it used to be. To be honest adding in the existing rules for the hawk is unlikely to break the game, so I reckon value the hawk at 10 points?

The Empire plastic hero kit would be a great place to start here, ideally you'd want to find a Hawk to include which might be quite hard. I know a lot of the High Elf kits have birds such as the Seagull included in the Lothern Sky Chariot kit. You might be able to do better than that!!



[/spoiler]

Nope this isn't a modern Advent Calendar there's no chocolate on Christmas Day you greedy pig. In fact there's been no chocolate on any day, but there we go.

Thanks for all those of you have read, enjoyed and commented upon this calendar. I will see both of you in the New Year. In the meantime Merry Christmas!!!!!!

[The Trampoline]

My first proper Empire army was Hochland, so I was very aware of this character. However, my main memory of him from when I was getting into the hobby in the mid 90's was that his wayward newphew was sent to Thurkinson's Island to set up an imperial coloney in part of the Return to Thurkinson's Island campaign the studio played and featured in White Dwarf.

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Update 114 Happy Same Old, Same Old Year Monday 6th January 2014



114.1 Happy New Year

Given that the vast majority of people on this forum don't care about Warhammer any more (sad fact), and this is a Warhammer related blog I thought I'd give something for everyone. So here presented for you is a post direct from another non-Warhammer blog I write, this week all about New Year's Resolutions. Don't worry the two of you who still like hobby fun, because afterwards I will talk about my hobby resolutions from 2013 and those going into 2014. So enjoy...

Happy New Year, welcome to 2014!

The year is barely a few days old and already you've cast off your New Year's Resolutions faster than that four-sizes-too-big Christmas jumper that Nan knitted you!

You had good intentions. You started well. You didn't mean to fail within the first week. But the Resolutions were made in a happier time. You were still enjoying the Christmas feasting. You had that weird free time between Christmas and New Year which is sort of like guilt free slobbing time. Plus you were basking in the warm glow of having escaped being with the family. And as an extra bonus, you'd got through Christmas Day without having killed any of your relatives, not even one. Despite them clearly deserving it on multiple occasions, you'd reserved the carving knife solely for the turkey and did not garrotte anyone with a string of fairy lights. So no wonder that when you were in that virtually post-Olympic Gold winning euphoria, you'd made some rather rash promises about how you were going to change your life. Now in the cold light of January you've come to terms with the fact that you are a poor, obese recovering alcoholic. And you've re-joined the drudgery of day to day life, without even the comfort of a little tinsel around your office PC and the knowledge that the nearest Bank Holiday is so far away that it might as well be in orbit of Jupiter. Given these circumstances the idea of shedding a few pounds, or going to the gym more often than you renew your TV licence, seem like Herculean endeavours. And it's virtually impossible for you to have succeeded.

My advice, which is almost certainly unwelcome, annoyingly far too late, and will be forgotten by the time you set your 2015 resolutions, would be to make your goals quantifiable. Give yourself a barometer of success that you can actually measure your achievements or otherwise against, rather than some abstract wishy-washy goal that is about as easy to evaluate as a University Challenge question. For example, the goal of "going to the gym more" is so open to interpretation that it almost becomes meaningless. If you didn't go to the gym at all in 2013, then simply turning up once in your sweat bands to sign up will have achieved your goal; even though your body still retains the dimensions of the average Zorbing sphere. It's too easy to argue your way out of going to the gym with such flimsy a target, so you stay in bed rather than hitting the treadmill. Guilt-free in the realisation that yes you are shit at going to the gym this year, but you were really shit at going last year so you still pass the New Year's test. Had you set yourself a less vague target of say "going to the gym once a week", it would be a bit easier to measure success or failure. Of course you could still cheat and simply turn up every week to get a packet of Pickled Onion Monster Munch out of the leisure centre vending machine before sodding off home. But if you are able to rationalise that to be an exercise success, then there's no hope for you and you might as well give up and roll around in a swimming pool sized tub of lard. Obviously a quantifiable target must also be an obtainable target, if you set yourself the target of "going to the gym five days a week from 9am to 5pm" you will almost certainly fail - or you're a gym instructor using your New Year's Resolutions as an opportunity to address an appalling attendance record. But we'll discount that as a possibility.

You almost certainly couldn't care what New Year's Resolutions I've set myself this year. But despite that I will continue on unperturbed to tell you that I've set two New Year's Resolutions this year. The first one of these is to try and stop procrastinating so much which, judging by the length of this rambling blog, you'll have already concluded I have spectacularly failed. You may have also noticed this goes against my rule about New Year's resolution setting – in that it's not a measurable target. To be honest I wasn't really sure how to turn "not procrastinating" into a quantifiable target, and I was worried if I spent too long thinking about it, I would end up failing the resolution very early on. I'm not sure how well it's going to work out, but I'm hoping that rather than spending the day unsure what to do with myself, which paralyses me into doing nothing, I'll actually get on and do something, regardless of whether it's the optimum use of my time. Well I say that but I'll probably just look at Twitter a bit then scratch my bum and play Candy Crush, but hey ho.

My second New Year's Resolution, which is one which myself and my flatmate have made in a joint house resolution, is to stop watching Dave. I'm referring to the television channel, not an attention seeking mutual friend called David we may have (just in case we have any attention seeking friends called David who infer this from my ramblings). There's nothing wrong with Dave the channel, in itself, the problem is that generally speaking in our flat the phrase "there's nothing on the telly" means that it's neither 'Qi' or 'Have I Got News For You' on Dave, which seems to be all we ever watch of an evening now. I mean 'Mock the Week' is ok, but who needs to see a repeat of it? And as for 'Man vs Food', in my current obese post-Christmas state there's the very real and present danger that I might mistake the television for a mirror and that will be depressing for everyone. I should of course say there is nothing wrong watching 'Have I Got News For You' and 'Qi'. It's just that it's all I ever seem to watch, I score 500 points on each edition of 'Qi' because I've heard the answer to every question at least a dozen times. At social occasions I can't comment on the latest film releases, television programmes or DVDs I've watched but I can recite verbatim the wisdom of Stephen Fry. For example did you know that the word Trivia comes from the Latin words Tri meaning three, and Via meaning roads? And refers to locations in Ancient Rome where three roads met and people came to discuss gossip, hence Trivia. It's interesting, but after about three minutes of facts like that, people tend to find me a bit weird and wander off. And I end up spending the rest of the party wondering if there's time to get home and catch 'Qi' on Dave. 'Have I Got News For You' is also great but having seen the same episodes week in week out my sense of the timing of current affairs is completely screwed. I think Colonel Gaddafi died every week for the last two years, and the G4S bungling of the Olympic security staffing contract has turned into an ongoing soap opera; albeit one with a rather repetitive plot.

So with a stack of unwatched and unwrapped DVDs going unloved in the flat, we've banished Dave from our viewing schedule so that we can set to work broadening our cultural horizons. Or watch the 'Qi' DVD Series Box Set. No we mustn't, it must be new programmes, new experiences. Well we'll start with the DVDs we've watched before, I mean we don't want to get too adventurous at this early stage in the year.

Best of luck with your New Year's Resolutions, I'll try and get round to keeping you updated with mine. That's if I manage to write another blog this year, there is a new series of 'Have I Got News For You' starting on Dave soon, so I might be busy.

114.2 2013 Resolutions Update

Back in Update 93, a terrifyingly long time ago, well actually this time last year (as you'd expect), I wrote my resolutions for 2013. So now it's time to look over the distressing failure that was 2013 and try and see what we can salvage from the wreckage. So here are the eight resolutions...

2013 Resolution 1: To Paint at Least Five Pieces of Terrain

On the plus side we can start with some good news. Resolution 1 was a simple one to paint five pieces of terrain. And this one I actually managed painting three Citadel Woods and three Citadel Hills, giving me a nice smattering of terrain so my home table top is no longer barer than Harry Hill's head.





You can see more on this in Update 102 and 104, should you so wish.

Status: SUCCESS

2013 Resolution 2: To Enter a Non-Doubles Waaagh!

Given this was a rollover resolution from 2012 I had low expectations for this, but no I actually managed it. You can have a look in Update 109 if you don't believe me. As I played in Wandsworth Waaagh! and lost – to be expected really.



Good job I entered it when I did, as that turned out to be the last ever Wandsworth Waaagh! I don't think I was the cause of this decision, but I did get hideously drunk and flash my genitals to everyone there. Oh no wait, that was a deeply disturbing dream I had, no more Brie before bedtime.

Status: SUCCESS

2013 Resolution 3: To Carry on Blogging

This is a bit of a trickier one to judge, I mean on the face of it this blog is still here and I am writing today a year later. But we had a bit of a wibbly patch in the middle, there were often long gaps between posts and you'd be forgiven for thinking this blog had died on several occasions. There's a variety of tedious reasons why, despite what you may suspect nothing to do with Warhammer or Games Workshop fatigue. A pinch of crappy work life, a smattering of busier social life (unlikely I know), half a pound of enthusiasm failure, and some frustration with lack of space for new painted models combined to make 2013 a rocky hobby and blogging year. So we'll go for Partial Success as it's a bit of both.

Status: PARTIAL SUCCESS

2013 Resolution 4: To Buy No More than I Paint

I had confidence going into this one; sadly it turned out to be rather misplaced, as I did not make this achievement. I tend to count my models using the seventh edition Warhammer rules for unit strength so I can weight models like cavalry, models and chariots that require a bit more effort than an infantry model. It's not perfect, and I have to be creative for Warhammer 40,000 models, but given it's the same counting system for purchases and models painted it all seems fair.

Using the Unit Strength counting system I bought 221 models and painted 162 models, or if you prefer in points terms it's 5,114 against 3,287 points – still not a great comparison. In my defence I was very lucky to be given a lot of models for birthday and Christmas which accounted for over half of what I obtained. The rest was me buying Ultramarines and an excited splurge on High Elves when the new book came out. Sadly I couldn't really maintain the motivation to get them all painted! Oh well. I did manage a smattering of High Elves, a January burst of Beastmen which finished the army and a reasonable quantity of Ultramarines.

Status: FAILED

2013 Resolution 5: Complete The Tale of Gamers – Ultramarines

I know, I know, I failed this. I ran out of steam I couldn't keep up and I didn't have a big reservoir of Ultramarine models to draw from, which with a few cash flow issues meant I just couldn't keep up.

But in fairness the target was 1,750 point painted Warhammer 40,000 army and I currently have a painted army just shy of 1,200 points. I came a lot further than many did and though I didn't finish it I'm going to count this as not too bad given the problems I faced.



Actually I've painted a few more bits since then, but this is the most up to date shot my lazy self could find!

Status: PARTIAL SUCCESS

2013 Resolution 6: Learn to Play Warhammer 40,000

There's nothing to see here, move along please.

Yeah I've had a few introductory games and read through the most basic rules, but the suggestion that I know how to play the game is a blatant lie. The problem I found is that having focused my army solely on the basic core stuff I was obliterated by heavy weapons that I didn't have any models for, nor know how they work. Which rather than inspiring me to paint and play more just annoyed me!!

Status: FAILED

2013 Resolution 7: Revisit my Warriors of Chaos

Well... does painting a Shaggoth count? Don't get me wrong it's a lovely Shaggoth, but that's all I got done.



I've got a bigger stockpile of Warriors of Chaos models now to accompany the new book, a lot are built and there's a handful of bits nearly finished so fingers crossed 2014 could be the year of the Warriors.

Status: FAILED

2013 Resolution 8: Finish my 6th Edition Dwarfs

Hahahahaha. Nothing not a single Dwarf has been touched with a paintbrush this year. Probably the biggest fail of the lot.

Status: FAILED

That gives a total of 2 Successes, 2 Partial Success and 4 big Fat Fails. Given 2013 probably saw my biggest hobby wobble since I returned to Warhammer several years ago that probably should have been a lot worse. So I don't feel too bad.

114.3 2014 Resolutions Update

So all that leaves is to assemble a set of resolutions for 2014, these will probably be a little more modest than 2013's just because I don't seem to fancy spreading my wings as wide this year but we will see.

2014 Resolution 1: Sort my Armies into my New Storage Unit

A big success for 2013 is that I got a brand new storage unit for my painted models, which I intend to show off on this very blog in the not too distant future. I'm using the opportunity of moving my armies into it, as a chance to tidy up any damage they've suffered and make up missing movement trays for the units that are without. So although this seems a simple task, it is a little more involved than first implied, but I do hope to finish it soon!

2014 Resolution 2: Club Attendance: Minimum Once a Month

My life is such that I am never going to be popping down to the club twice a week on a long term basis I'm afraid. But I do hope that I won't disappear for months on end. I'm going to set myself the rather modest task of visiting a minimum of once a month – hopefully more on many months. But I think just not forgetting about it totally would be a good start.

2014 Resolution 3: Painting Warriors of Chaos: Complete Wish List

Bar going off on hobby wobbles in response to Games Workshop's release schedule I want 2014 to be the year of the Warriors of Chaos. They're a good army that I enjoy and have neglected for too long. I am going to be a bit ambitious and set myself a full wish list here. Most of the models I already own so it's just about knuckling down and getting on with it. Here's the target I'm setting:

• Vilitch, the Curseling currently part painted
• Chaos Lord/Sorcerer Lord on Manticore currently assembled
• Throgg
• Exalted Hero on Daemonic Mount currently assembled
• Chaos Warriors with Halberds Unit currently part painted
• Foresaken Unit
• Chaos Chariot
• Chaos Ogres
• Chimera
• Gorebeast Chariot
• Chaos Warshrine currently part painted
• Hellcannon

It's a long list, I freely admit that, but with a lot of it at least part tackled I am hoping I can get that all done.

2014 Resolution 4: Painting High Elves: Complete New Army Additions

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a vast High Elf army, I'm not sure why but despite loving the new models I've struggled to get many painted up. The Sisters of Avelorn being the only real success here. So in 2014 I want to see a minimum of one of each of the new kits in my army (not necessarily all the options but hopefully all of the kits).

2014 Resolution 5: Update the Blog: At least twice a month

So the blog sort of survived 2013, I wouldn't mind a little more of a flourish come 2014, so I am going for the modest(ish) task of at least two updates a month for the blog – or 24 this year (in fairness technically just doing another advent calendar would count), but I am hoping to get a little more regularity back into my rants.

2014 Resolution 6: Finish Ultramarine Army to 2,000 points

Despite all the evidence to the contrary I have enjoyed painting up the Ultramarines this year, and I am hoping I can finish the Tale of OG Gamers, admittedly way later than anticipated but better late than never. I have an Assault Squad, Vindicator and Predator tank all ready to assemble, and given they seem exciting on the battle field they may inspire me to paint the remaining 800 points I need to do.

2014 Resolution 7: Learn to play Warhammer 40,000

This one is straight from 2013, and it's a simple one to be confident enough to get through a game of Warhammer 40,000 – which means finishing reading the rule book and getting a lot more practice games in. I know what I must do. I will!

2014 Resolution 8: Paint at least one Dwarf and one Beastmen model

This is a minor one I know, but I want to dip my hand in my old favourite armies, even if just for variety. So as a minimum I want to paint at least one Dwarf and one Beastmen model this year. Just one. While the Beastmen are pretty much all done I have a few odd models kicking around, and an urge just to finish off the few Special Characters I never got round to doing. The Dwarfs may get some new releases this year, but I am not that bothered really about new models, it would just be nice to paint a beard this year!

2014 Resolution 9: Paint at least three items of terrain, including one I have built myself

And finally I can't forget the terrain, I've a couple of ideas for building my own terrain pieces this year. So it would be nice to try one. And while I've enjoyed painting the forests and hills this year, I think 2014 needs to see my battlefield gain some buildings. I'm aiming for three pieces of terrain, one of which being my own creation.

Phew! Perhaps it's too long a list who knows? Hopefully we'll still be here in 2015 to review the nine and see if we made it!!

114.4 Get in Touch

All that leaves is for me to be the last person to wish you a Happy New Year. Why not make it your resolution to keep up to date with my blog and comment more?!

As always I am on Twitter @ProbyNumbers where this week I've been shocked by just how much Christmas chocolate I've had. I have a battle report brewing for Update 115 so fingers crossed you'll be reading that soon!!

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Update 115 The Further Adventures of Sorcerer Lord Barlow Monday 13th January 2014



115.1 Ogfort Battle 3 - Introduction

There's no reason why you should have been keeping up to date with my Warhammer Campaign on-goings, a number of the competitors can't even be bothered to keep up with campaign. I say with an impish grin so no one can hate me!

Anyway back in Update 111 I introduced you to Sorcerer Lord Barlow and my Tzeentch Warriors of Chaos army, as they fought on behalf of The Lord of Cowell for the armies of Ogfield, in our bid to capture Ogfort. Yes, there's too many proper nouns in that sentence, but it's recap – now get out of my head critical reader.

In Update 112 I fought valiantly and lost to the forces of The Empire during Round 1, in Update 113 I explained how I didn't turn up for Round 2 thereby scoring my best result ever in the campaign so far, now in Update 115 I tell you what happened in Round 3. I did turn up for this battle so this blog post will probably be longer than you hoped for. Sorry.

Here's Pip's background fluff to get you in the mood before my madness takes over:

Having recaptured the villages seized by Oggalyn's raiders, Ogfried's forces seek to break the roving bands of marauders entirely. Hunting down the surviving warbands, they are given orders to capture or slay the enemy's leaders and banner-bearers, the better to break their morale and scatter their forces to the winds.

For this battle I had 2,000 points to play with and given my high level tactical acumen I made some important decision when selecting from my full army 'pool', see Update 111. Those decisions being, not to take the Marauder unit as it's really annoying to pack, and not to take the Warshrine as I haven't built it yet. Very important stuff I am sure you will agree. Rather than bore you with the details of what I took and why (because I fought the battle a while ago, and can't remember), here's the army list with some snaps to keep your eyes from getting bored during my drivel:

Sorcerer Lord Barlow



Chaos Sorcerer Lord (Lore of Tzeentch) Level 4 Magic, with Mark of Tzeentch, riding Disc of Tzeentch. He has the Talisman of Preservation, Crown of Command and Scaled Skin, and wears Chaos Armour. (405 points) Yes I realised it was really stupid to give the Crown of Command to an independent character and not use its effects on a unit, but where were you telling me this when I was writing the army? Hmmmm Hmmmm Hmmm.

Louis the Sorcerous Imp



Chaos Sorcerer (Lore of Metal) Level 2 Magic, with Mark of Tzeentch. He has a Dispel Scroll and wears Chaos Armour. (185 points)

Dermot O'Battle Standard Bearer



Exalted Hero bearing the Battle Standard, with Mark of Tzeentch and wearing Chaos Armour. He has a Great Weapon, Helm of Many Eyes and the Dawnstone. (201 points)

Bootcamp Warriors



15 Chaos Warriors with Mark of Tzeentch and full command. They are armed with hand weapons and shields, and wear Chaos Armour. (285 points)

The Dogs of Tulisa



5 Chaos Warhounds. (30 points)

John's Marauder Horsemen



5 Marauder Horsemen with Mark of Tzeentch and full command. They are armed with spears and ride warhorses. (115 points)

Edward's Marauder Horsemen



5 Marauder Horsemen with Mark of Tzeentch and full command. They are armed with flails and ride warhorses. (120 points)

The Knights of One Direction



5 Chaos Knights with Mark of Tzeentch and full command. They are armed with Ensorcelled Weapons, wear Chaos Armour and ride barded Chaos Steeds. They bear the Blasted Standard. (280 points)

Audience Trolls



4 Chaos Trolls with extra hand weapons. (152 points)

Shaggoth Osbourne



Dragon Ogre Shaggoth with Great Weapon. (227 points)

Ok so it's a s**t army, but I choose a s**t starting list so what could I do?! I was drawn to face Glenn and his Orc & Goblin army which broadly consisted of the following: Black Orc Boss on Wyvern, 2 units of 20 Night Goblins, Giant, 2 units of 5 Wolfriders, a unit of 35 Squigs with handlers, a unit of 20 Orcs, a Rock Lobba, Doomdiver, Battle Standard Bearer and a unit of 8 Trolls. However not a single Shaman amongst them.

Spells wise Louis drew Searing Doom and Transmutation of Lead. Barlow got Treason of Tzeentch, Blue Fire of Tzeentch, Bolt of Change and Tzeentch's Firestorm.

So without further waffling let's get into the battle proper. I should point out that it was a simple game of Blood and Glory as we fought for Standards and General:

115.2 Ogfort Battle 3 – Battle Report

Sorcerer Lord Barlow was pleased, despite missing the recent battle due to performing his New Year celebration concert for the citizens of Ogfort, the reports were good. The other forces allied to Ogfried's banner had done well at driving out the dastardly Oggalyn Daley's troops from the villages they recaptured. The allied forces did not know the true purpose of their campaign, to ensure the Lord of Cowell's Premium Rate Summoning Line remained the primary source of entertainment in Ogford. Never the matter, if it came to it Sorcerer Lord Barlow would get Louis the Sorcerous Imp to delay the allied armies while he retreated. And if they killed Louis so be it, he wouldn't care, in fact he'd probably be pleased.

Buoyed by the success of his allies, the forces of Ogfried were to lead their armies in a glorious charge and destroy the marauding enemy forces. Lord Barlow decided to personally lead the charge and he'd informed all the troops, even John and Edward's Marauder Horsemen, that the primary objective was to destroy the banners and placards of Oggalyn Daley's forces. After all the banners were dedicated to the false gods of Abby Clancy, Susana Reid, Sophie Ellis-Bexter and the bird from Corrie and went against The Lord of Cowell's glorious plan.

Seeing a horde of green-skinned fools ahead Barlow deployed his forces. The foolish Orcs would be crushed beneath his feet, were he not standing aloft Robbie his Disc of Tzeentch.

Deployment

The Hands of Gork, (or was it Glenn?), finished deploying the Orcs with the Trolls on the extreme right, next to the Squig Horde. The artillery took up a position on the rear of the table, surrounded by Night Goblins and Wolf Riders in front. While the Orcs and remaining characters filled in the gaps.



Sorcerer Lord Barlow deployed himself on the east flank with the Knights of One Direction, despite his better judgement he deployed John & Edward's Marauder Horsemen just next to him – it was a terrible shame he would have to sacrifice them to the Night Goblins and their loonie Fanatics. And just in case they failed, the Dogs of Tulisa were there for a similar role.



On the west flank Louis the Sorcering Imp deployed with the Bootcamp Warriors, no longer trusted to help goad the Audience Trolls to battle. They were accompanied by Dermot O'Battle Standard Bearer. While Sharon the Shaggoth deployed on the edge of the line in the hopes to do some horrendous damage to the Orc regiments.



Deployment ended when John & Edward's Marauder Horsemen vangaurded (not a real word!) forward to face the Night Goblins.

Turn 1

The first turn primarily consisted of Sorcerer Lord Barlow sending his troops forwards, Barlow was particularly pleased when Edward's Marauder Horsemen came close enough to one of the Night Goblin blocks to draw out three whirled madman. Finally he would be rid of the moronic Horsemen thought Barlow, however only one Fanatic made the distance, and then only scored a single hit which failed to wound. Barlow cursed loudly.



With the Winds of Magic blowing very weakly all Barlow could do was cast Treason of Tzeentch on the Trolls meaning they would have to take leadership tests on their own leadership next turn.

The Orc & Goblin response is tempered when the Trolls (unsurprisingly) failed their stupidity test and one of the blocks of Night Goblins started squabbling. The Squig horde charged Edward's Marauder Horsmen, who decide that even they're not that stupid and flee through the forest, however the collide with the Fanatic they recently encountered. This time Barlow's wish was answered as the Marauders take 5 wounds, however ever mischievous Tzeentch saves Edward himself leaving the Sorcerer Lord deeply frustrated.



As the rest of the Orc & Goblin army advances the Wolf Riders use their impressive mobility to get round the rear of the Chaos lines.



The Doomdiver and the Rock Lobba both attempt to target Sorcerer Lord Barlow, but the shots scatter away leaving the spell caster unharmed.

Turn 2

The Tzeentch army continued its advance with Barlow's flank surrounding the Trolls, as Barlow recast the Treason of Tzeentch in another weak magic phase.



Otherwise the army continued its advance, while Edward continued his flight.



The Trolls stumble forward again after failing their stupidity test.



While the Wolf Riders charge into the rear of the Dogs of Tulisa.



The Doom Diver scores a direct hit on The Knights of One Direction, the Blasted Standard reduces the strength of the attack but they still take a single wound. The Dogs of Tulisa manage to score four hits on the Wolf Riders but can't score a single wound. In return three of them die and they flee, but the Wolves restrain.



Turn 3

The Audience Trolls charge the Night Goblins who stand and shoot inflicting two wounds, however they don't feel so brave when Sharon the Shaggoth also charges, fleeing and destroying their Fanatics in the process.



The Knights of One Direction and John's Marauder Horsemen charge into the Trolls.



Lord Barlow bathed in a rich Winds of Magic this time, as both him and Louis the Sorcerous Imp channel making a total of 12 Power Dice. However Louis's success is short lived when he fails to cast Transmutation of Lead on the Trolls. However Lord Barlow opens up a vast assault on the Squig horde threatening his line casting Bolt of Change and Tzeentch's Firestorm. 16 Squigs and 6 Handlers are incinerated in the carnage. The Knights of One Direction spectacularly miss the Trolls and only manage a single wound. John's Horsemen fair just as bad with only a steed causing a wound. In reply the Trolls vomit wiping out the Knights of One Direction. However the Horsmen do hold.



Despite a number of failed animosity tests, the Orcs launch a counter attack, with the Black Orc Big Boss on Wyvern and Giant charging Louis and the Bootcamp Warriors. However in a series of poor rolls the Wyvern fails to make the charge distance, and despite the presence of Dermot O'Battle Standard Bearer the Bootcamp Warriors fail their terror test and flee, leaving the Giant unable to reach his foe.



The Doomdiver finally manages to make a successful strike scoring a direct hit on Sorcerer Lord Barlow, however the combination of his Tzeentch ward save and the Talisman of Preservation save all but one wound. In combat the Trolls, having recovered from vomiting over the Knights, unsurprisingly destroy John's Marauder Horsemen.

Turn 4

Desperate to kill something, anything, the Warriors of Chaos unleash a few charges with Sharon the Shaggoth charging the unit of Night Goblins that escaped her earlier, and Dermot O'Battle Standard Bearer leading the Audience Trolls into one of the units of Wolfriders.



The remaining survivors of Edward's Marauder Horsmen and The Dogs of Tulisa finally make it to the safety of the board edge and scarper. However the repeated cursing of Sorcerer Lord Barlow at Louis the Sorcerous Imp for being a coward makes a difference as the Bootcamp Warriors rally.



The Winds of Magic blow an exceptionally paltry two dice, which Sorcerer Lord Barlow uses to cast the Blue Fire of Tzeentch on the Orc General in the hope of managing an assassination snipe. The random power of Tzeentch generates a pleasing six hits, but they are only Strength1, though the Wyvern does take a single wound.

Dermot O'Battle Standard Bearer personally kills a Wolfrider with every one of his four attacks, however this clearly doesn't inspire the Trolls who fail to score a single hit. It's still enough to send the final Wolf Rider fleeing, the Audience Trolls elect to reform and head back to the main battlefield rather than pursue.

Sharon rips apart 8 Night Goblins for no loss, but the green skins remain stubborn and refuse to flee due to the presence of their general.



The Orc & Goblin turn is relatively quiet as the Giant, Wyvern and Trolls redeploy to get a better position for later. The Orc & Goblin artillery again opens fire at Barlow, but again the shots scatter widely and miss their intended target. The only other action is that Sharon the Shaggoth kills another six Night Goblins.

Turn 5

The Warriors take an opportunity to reposition with no charges this turn. Another weak magic phase produces only three dice and Barlow is unable to cast Tzeentch's Firestorm on the Orc General. However Sharon the Shaggoth does finish off the remaining Night Goblins.



The Orcs unleash a final wave of charges with the Black Orc Big Boss on Wyvern ploughing into the Audience Trolls and the Giant engaging Sharon the Shaggoth. The Wolf Riders attempt a long charge on Sharon, which they fail, but it's simply to get them out the way so that the Trolls can charge Louis and the Bootcamp Warriors.

However before any of that can happen a lone Doom Diver hurtles towards earth from high above the battlefield. A shadow falls across Barlow getting larger and larger until boom, the Sorcerer Lord is blasted clean of his Disc. The Talisman of Preservation fails Barlow and he is slain by the falling Goblin.

Technically at this point the battle was lost as my Fortitude had dropped sufficiently low, however we decided to play out the existing combats to see how they resolved.

In combat Dermot O'Battle Standard Bearer has no choice but to challenge the Black Orc Warlord, who saves the only wound Dermot can inflict. The Wyvern kills Dermot and the Audience Trolls flee but are rundown by the terrifying beast.



The Bootcamp Warriors perform appallingly only managing three wounds on the Trolls, with Louis scoring a fourth, however all of these are regenerated. The Trolls only manage two wounds in return, but it's enough to send the Warriors fleeing, however they do manage to escape being caught.



In the monster fight off, the Giant starts off by thumping the Shaggoth with his club doing an impressive five wounds. Sharon manages three wounds in return with her massive axe, but is then headbutted by the Giant taking her final wound.

Conclusion

Ok so this one was entirely my fault in that I totally messed up with the Trolls, I know they had no banner so weren't an objective and I shouldn't have charged in with the Chaos Knights. But. No don't roll your eyes. But there was a plan, and a logic to what I was doing it was just a bit misplaced. You see the Trolls to me were one of the scariest units in the army and breaking them would have opened up a flank to my attack. So I felt by casting Treason of Tzeentch meaning the Trolls had to use their own leadership, all I would need to do is beat the Trolls in one round of combat and they'd be sure to flee. So in went the Knights and the Horsemen in the flank, all mounted so no stomping. The Knights facing the bulk of the Trolls attacks having a high army save and even a 6+ ward would have reasonable protection. However I forgot about the Trolls' vomit attack and then it was all a disaster. Oops! In fairness I could have hoped for a little more damage from the Chaos Knights, and then later when the Warriors of Chaos faced the Trolls similar disaster. The most feared warriors in the Old World clearly don't like Trolls. Also a bit of magic wouldn't have gone a miss, with no magical opponents I should have dominated the magic phase but of the five phases we had, four of them had winds of only 2 or 3 power dice. Ahhhh! The one chance I did get a big fist of dice I decimated the Squig Horde – again not a points scoring unit, but a big threat to my right flank which was effectively eliminated from that assault. A couple more turns like that would have been mightily helpful!!! Of course Glenn played well, not only on the battlefield but lulling me in with a false sense of security playing the "Oh don't charge my Trolls" card, until revealing his real master plan. I am surprised I didn't see him in last week's BAFTA nominations!!!

Sorcerer Lord Barlow slowly clambered to his feet, wiping the splattered remains of dead Goblin out of his well-coiffured hair. A few feet away embedded in the ground was Robbie. Felled by a falling Goblin it was mortifying, worse even than the time Wagner got through on X Factor. Sharon the Shaggoth smacked a few Marauder Horseman around, she was in a foul mood thanks to her headache and a bump the size of a Squig on her forehead. Sorcerer Lord's anger was enormous, but he managed to contain it, the troops would not benefit from a foulmouthed outburst. Then Louis the Sorcerous Imp bounded over "I'm fine, I ran away whenever I saw danger!". It is recorded that so great was Lord Barlow's rage that his shouting could be heard reverberating in the World's Edge Mountains and all the way to the dark land of Naggaroth.

115.3 Get in Touch

As always you can get in touch and even pour scorn upon my appalling tactical prowess by leaving a comment here. I have already been harassed by a certain Tactical Pot Plant!

And as always I am on Twitter @ProbyNumbers where this week I've been getting my hobby mojo back. Hopefully in Update 116 I will have my first painted models of 2014 to show off. Try to contain yourself, no really try.

[cunningmatt]

Procrastination by Numbers: Update 116 January Painting Corner Thursday 30th January 2014



If you're expecting a humorous account of the wargamming scene, then you've clearly never read this blog before. This update I'm proudly showing off a reasonable haul of painted models that I've completed in January. So more pictures, less waffle, still the same general lack of interest. Off we go:

116.1 Chaos Warriors

Back in Update 112 I assembled a few Warriors of Chaos bits and pieces to expand my army. First up I put together a unit of 24 Chaos Warriors with halberds. As much as you may mock me, I think the Chaos Warriors should be an integral part of a Warriors of Chaos army. And while this unit comes in at a whopping 510 points, I don't always tend to field it at full strength.

Here's some finished pictures for the unit, the command group have a few bits and pieces added from the Chaos Knight kit to make them stand out. And of course I've used the Halberd upgrade pack and the Tzeentch banner pack to add some details to them.















I'm pretty pleased with them. For those that care (mainly me when I'm trying to remember how I painted something), here's a painting guide!

116.2 Chaos Warriors Painting Guide

Warriors of Chaos Painting Guide – Stage 1



Wood: Drybrush Codex Grey
Base: Steel Legion Drab
Skulls/Horns: Steel Legion Drab
Boots, Belts and Straps: Scorched Brown
Silver Metal: Chainmail
Light Gold Metal: Tin Bitz
Dark Gold Metal: Tin Bitz
Blue Trim: Necron Abyss
Cloaks: Codex Grey
Gloves: Chaos Black
Flesh (where appropriate): Tallarn Flesh
Flames: Skull White

Warriors of Chaos Painting Guide – Stage 2



Wood: Drybrush Fortress Grey
Base: Baneblade Brown
Skulls/Horns: Wash Nuln Oil
Boots, Belts and Straps: Wash Nuln Oil
Silver Metal: Wash Drakenhof Nightshade
Light Gold Metal: Burnished Gold
Dark Gold Metal: Shining Gold
Blue Trim: Layer Regal Blue
Cloaks: Wash Devlan Mud
Gloves: Highlight Scorched Brown
Flesh (where appropriate): Layer Dwarf Flesh
Flames: Layer Bad Moon Yellow, then layer Sunburst Yellow

Warriors of Chaos Painting Guide – Stage 3



Wood: DONE
Base: Drybrush Bleached Bone
Skulls/Horns: Layer Baneblade Brown, then layer Rakarth Flesh
Boots, Belts and Straps: Highlight Scorched Brown
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Light Gold Metal: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Burnished Gold/Mithril Silver
Dark Gold Metal: NONE
Blue Trim: Layer 2:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Cloaks: Drybrush/Layer Codex Grey
Gloves: Highlight Bestial Brown
Flesh (where appropriate): Wash Ogryn Flesh
Flames: Layer Golden Yellow, then layer Fiery Orange

Warriors of Chaos Painting Guide – Stage 4



Wood: DONE
Base: Flock with Scorched Grass, then Citadel Snow, then Citadel Snow (with Skull White paint)
Skulls/Horns: Layer Bleached Bone
Boots, Belts and Straps: Highlight Bestial Brown
Silver Metal: DONE
Light Gold Metal: DONE
Dark Gold Metal: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver
Blue Trim: Layer 1:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Cloaks: Drybrush/Layer Fortress Grey
Gloves: Wash Nuln Brown
Flesh (where appropriate): Highlight Elf Flesh
Flames: Highlight Blazing Orange
Eye of Tzeentch (Standard Bearer): Enchanted Blue, then layered 1:1 Enchanted Blue/Ice Blue, then layered Ice Blue, then layered 1:1 Ice Blue/Skull White, then highlight Skull White, then highlighted Chaos Black, then washed with Gulliman Glaze

116.3 Loremaster of Hoeth

When I started my High Elves back in 7th edition I remember being slightly disappointed that the White Lions and the Phoenix Guard both had their own Special Character to lead them, whereas my personal favourite elite infantry, the Swordmasters had none. So fast forward to now and to be honest it's a surprise I left the new (by my standards anyway) Loremaster model unpainted for so long!!











It's such a great dynamic model that to be honest I really didn't have to do much to make it look good! And obviously my High Elf colour scheme has been nailed over countless units so there wasn't much to decide upon! I did however paint one side of his cloak in a dark blue pattern covered with stars to illustrate the character's importance – I gave Teclis a similar cloak when I painted him way back in Update 85.

The only other thing of note is the ball of magic which I fancied painting a cool green. For me a bright red fireball felt too violent, and having used blue and yellow on the model, I felt green-turquoise was the next option. I tried to do a little bit of source lighting on his hand – though I suspect that may just look like I was sloppy with the green brush!!! I also washed the ball of energy with a very thinned down wash of Mithril Silver which adds a bit of sparkle to the ball and hopefully makes it look less like a squid – though it may just look like a wet squid now.

As before a painting guide for my reference alone! Stop moaning.

116.4 Loremaster of Hoeth Painting Guide

Loremaster of Hoeth Painting Guide – Stage 1



Flesh: Tallarn Flesh
Leather: Scorched Brown
Base: Steel Legion Drab
Silver Metal: Chainmail
Gold Metal: Tin Bitz
Ruins: Calthan Brown
White Cloth: 1:1 Astronomacian Grey/Skull White
Dark Blue Cloth: Necron Abyss
Yellow Trim: Iyanden Dark Sun
Blue Plume:  1:1 Enchanted Blue/Ice Blue
Magic Ball: Knarloc Green

Loremaster of Hoeth Painting Guide – Stage 2



Flesh: Layer 1:1 Elf Flesh/Tallarn Flesh, then layer Elf Flesh
Leather: Wash Nuln Oil
Base: Baneblade Brown
Silver Metal: Wash Nuln Oil
Gold Metal: Shining Gold
Ruins: Wash Nuln Oil
White Cloth: Layer 1:1 (1:1 Astronomacian Grey/Skull White)/(1:2 Astronomacian Grey/Skull White), then layer 1:2 Astronomacian Grey/Skull White
Dark Blue Cloth: Layer Regal Blue
Yellow Trim: Layer 1:1 Iyanden Dark Sun/Golden Yellow, then layer Golden Yellow
Blue Plume:  Dryrbush 1:1(1:1 Enchanted Blue/Ice Blue)/Ice Blue, then Drybrush Ice Blue
Magic Ball: Hawk Turquoise

Loremaster of Hoeth Painting Guide – Stage 3



Flesh: Wash Ogyrn Flesh
Leather: Highlight Scorched Brown
Base: Drybrush Bleached Bone
Silver Metal: Highlight 1:1 Chainmail/Mithril Silver
Gold Metal: Wash Gryphonne Sepia
Ruins: Drybrush Baneblade Brown
White Cloth: Layer watered down Skull White
Dark Blue Cloth: Layer 4:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue, then layer 3:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Yellow Trim: Layer 1:1 Golden Yellow/Sunburst Yellow, then layer Sunburst Yellow
Blue Plume:  Dryrbush 1:1(1:1 Skull White/Ice Blue)/Ice Blue, then Drybrush 1:1 Skull White/Ice Blue
Magic Ball: Highlight 2:1 Hawk Turquoise/Scorpion Green, then highlight 1:1 Hawk Turquoise/Scorpion Green

Loremaster of Hoeth Painting Guide – Stage 4



Flesh: Highlight 1:1 Elf Flesh/Bleached Bone, then highlight Bleached Bone
Leather: Highlight Bestial Brown
Base: Flock Glade Grass
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Gold Metal: Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver, then highlight Mithril Silver
Ruins: Drybrush Rakarth Flesh, then drybrush Bleached Bone
White Cloth: Highlight Skull White
Dark Blue Cloth: Highlight 2:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue, then highlight 1:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Yellow Trim: Wash Ogyrn Flesh, then highlight Bad Moon Yellow
Blue Plume:  DONE
Magic Ball: Highlight 2:1 Scorpion Green/Hawk Turquoise, then highlight 3:1 Scorpion Green/Hawk Turquoise, then highlight Turquoise

Details
Eyes: Paint Chaos Black, then dot Skull White
Gems: Paint Chaos Black, then highlight Scab Red (or Necron Abyss), then highlight Red Gore (or Regal Blue), then highlight Blood Red (or Ultramarines Blue), then highlight Blazing Orange (or Enchanted Blue), the dot Skull White
Cloak (Stars): Outline Shadow Grey, then highlight Ice Blue, then highlight Skull White
Magic Ball: Wash watered down Mithril Silver

116.5 Chaos Warshrine

Fans of my campaign featuring Sorcerer Lord Barlow, last featured in Update 115, will know that I promised myself I'd paint up a Chaos Warshrine in time for the end of the campaign. Well pleasingly thanks to the general lethargy of the other campaign members in getting their games played! (Jokes, hehehehe, don't hit me! Please!) I've had enough time to get it finished off.

Most people know my Warriors of Chaos army is all in Tzeentch affair – a decision made before Gateway and stackable Ward saves for shield armed Warriors, before you judge. And so, given the Warshrine is a centrepiece of model, I really wanted to make sure I added a Tzeentch flair to it.

Fortunately the bestiary section of Warhammer Armies: Warriors of Chaos provides some specific details on what a Warshrine dedicated to each of the Chaos Gods would look like. Quoting directly from page 43:

A Chaos Warshrine's outward appearance often reflects the persona of the deity to which it is dedicated. The Warshrines of Khorne are great constructs of brass and blades that constantly run with rivulets of blood, their every spike adorned with the rune-etched skull of a powerful enemy warrior. Brilliant so a Khorne Warshrine would be easy to make by painting brass with blood splatter and adding spare skulls and spikes. Reading on...

Those dedicated to Slaanesh are gilded carriages of scented silk, wax and human flesh, draped in the still-living skins of those whose organs have been offered to the Dark Prince. A little bit trickier but I reckon adding the various spare body parts with flesh on you can find on a lot of sprues would do that job, plus a few more decadent colours should work. Reading on...

Warshrines of Nurgle are fouler still, heaped high with flyblown offal and stinking waste that is host to unimaginable parasites and plagues. A Nurgle Warshrine would be easy then, rotting flesh colours, adding some piles of green stuff as bits of dung. I said easy, not pleasant. Can't wait to find out how a Tzeentch shrine should look...

The Warshrines consecrated to the Changer of Ways are the strangest of all, their frames adorned with silver bells, caged dragonflies and crystalline bones to tinkle and chime with the music of the stars. Oh. How the sodding hell am I supposed to convert that? Plus doesn't it sound a bit like a baby's mobile that you'd hang over a cot?!

Anyway despite the challenges presented above, here's what I've come up with:





I added a few Tzeentch details to it, as well as my usual colour scheme. I tried to replicate the talk of magical "crystals" by adding these hanging from the chassis of the Warshrine:



These are icicles from the Northern Wastes basing kit, which I've washed with either blue, yellow or purple – the colours of Tzeentch. The wash didn't take brilliantly well, but I found a couple of coats and then allowing the icicles to dry upside down (blu-tacking them to the base of a shelf like stalactites) worked well. To be honest they're pretty hard to see what with all the other detail so it probably wasn't worth it, but I know they are there!!!

I've also added some Tzeentch scripture to the book on the altar:



And in addition to the large Tzeentch symbol on the column I added smaller symbols on to the flaming lanterns (covering up the symbols of the other heathen Chaos Gods, see Update 112).

The Slaughtermaster gained a tattoo:



I painted the brutish creatures holding the shrine in a Tzeentchy purple:



The impish character on top of the column has been painted a blue colour. Is he real or is he stone? I'm not quite sure!



And finally I added a few Pink Horrors, repeating my occasional army of theme of mischevious Pink Horrors, this time clambering over the Warshrine.





All of this hopefully adds to the Tzeentch madness. And I have to say I really like the way the model has come out, it definitely dwarfs pretty much everything else in my Warriors army (actually it dwarfs every model I've ever built, it's even taller than the Ghorgon/Cygor kit)
and I'm hoping I've captured the spirit of Tzeentch with it?! Kudos to the sculptor, as I thought this kit was going to be a bugger to assemble, particularly all the sub-assemblies, but they go together really well. My only tip being to turn the Warshrine chassis upside down and glue on the brutes first before basing, rather than trying to line them up on the base! Here's a painting guide for you to ignore, I apologise in advance cos it's fecking massive, but there were lots of things to paint!!

116.6 Warshrine Painting Guide

Warshrine Painting Guide – Stage 1



Altar
Stone: Stormvermin Fur
Wood: Drybrush Codex Grey, then drybrush Fortress Grey
Silver Metal: Chainmail
Light Gold: Tin Bitz
Dark Gold: Tin Bitz
Book Cover: Necron Abyss
Book Pages: Steel Legion Drab
Bookmark: Liche Purple

Slaughtermaster
Black Cloth: Chaos Black
Leather: Scorched Brown
Flesh: Tallarn Flesh
Silver Metal: Chainmail
Light Gold: Tin Bitz
Dark Gold: Tin Bitz
Trim: Necron Abyss
Hair: Chaos Black
Bone: Steel Legion Drab

Column
Stone: Stormvermin Fur
Silver Metal: Chainmail
Light Gold: Tin Bitz
Dark Gold: Tin Bitz
Imp: Necron Abyss
Imp Pattern: Hormagaunt Purple
Imp Tongue: Hormagaunt Purple
Imp Horns: Chaos Black
Tzeentchian Trim: Necron Abyss
Book Pages: Steel Legion Drab
Bookmark: Warlock Purple
Flames: Skull White
Smoke: Skull White
Coal: Chaos Black
Candle: Kommando Khaki
Bone: Steel Legion Drab
Flesh: Tallarn Flesh

Column
Silver Metal: Chainmail
Light Gold: Tin Bitz
Dark Gold: Tin Bitz
Wood: Drybrush Codex Grey, then drybrush Fortress Grey
Tzeentchian Trim: Necron Abyss
Coal: Black
Flames: Skull White
Bone: Steel Legion Drab

Creatures
Silver Metal: Chainmail
Light Gold: Tin Bitz
Dark Gold: Tin Bitz
Leather: Scorched Brown
Flesh: Astronomacian Grey
Cloth: Steel Legion Drab

Warshrine Painting Guide – Stage 2



Altar
Stone: Drybrush Tau Sept Ochre
Wood: NONE
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Light Gold: Burnished Gold
Dark Gold: Shining Gold
Book Cover: Layer Regal Blue
Book Pages: Layer Baneblade Brown
Bookmark: Highlight Hormagaunt Purple

Slaughtermaster
Black Cloth: Highlight 2:1 Chaos Black/Codex Grey, then highlight 1:1 Chaos Black/Codex Grey
Leather: Wash Nuln Oil
Flesh: Layer 1:1 Tallarn Flesh/Dwarf Flesh, then layer Dwarf Flesh
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Light Gold: Burnished Gold
Dark Gold: Shining Gold
Trim: Layer Regal Blue
Hair: Highlight Scorched Brown
Bone: Wash Nuln Oil

Column
Stone: Drybrush Tau Sept Ochre
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Light Gold: Burnished Gold
Dark Gold: Shining Gold
Imp: Layer Regal Blue
Imp Pattern: Highlight 1:1 Hormagaunt Purple/Warlock Purple, then highlight 1:2 Hormagaunt Purple/Warlock Purple
Imp Tongue: Highlight 1:1 Hormagaunt Purple/Warlock Purple, then highlight 1:2 Hormagaunt Purple/Warlock Purple
Imp Horns: Highlight 2:1 Chaos Black/Kommando Khaki, then highlight 1:1 Chaos Black/Kommando Khaki
Tzeentchian Trim: Layer Regal Blue
Flames: Layer Bad Moon Yellow, then layer Sunburst Yellow
Smoke: Wash 1:1 Drakenhof Nightshade/Leviathan Purple
Coal: Highlight Red Gore
Candle: Layer Bleached Bone
Bone: Wash Nuln Oil
Flesh: Layer 1:1 Tallarn Flesh/Dwarf Flesh, then layer Dwarf Flesh

Shrine
Stone: Drybrush Tau Sept Ochre
Wood: NONE
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Light Gold: Burnished Gold
Dark Gold: Shining Gold
Tzeentchian Trim: Layer Regal Blue
Coal: Highlight Red Gore
Flames: Layer Bad Moon Yellow, then layer Sunburst Yellow
Bone: Wash Nuln Oil

Creatures
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Light Gold: Burnished Gold
Dark Gold: Shining Gold
Leather: Wash Nuln Oil
Flesh: Wash Leviathan Purple
Cloth: Layer Baneblade Brown

Warshrine Painting Guide – Stage 3



Altar
Stone: Drybrush Astronomacian Grey
Wood: NONE
Silver Metal: Highlight 1:1 Chainmail/Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Burnished  Gold/Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver
Book Cover: Highlight 2:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Book Pages: Highlight Bleached Bone
Bookmark: Wash Leviathan Purple

Slaughtermaster
Black Cloth: Highlight 1:2 Chaos Black/Codex Grey
Leather: Highlight Scorched Brown
Flesh: Wash Ogryn Flesh
Silver Metal: Highlight 1:1 Chainmail/Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Burnished  Gold/Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver
Trim: Highlight 2:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Hair: Highlight Bestial Brown
Bone: Highlight Baneblade Brown, then Rakarth Flesh

Column
Stone: Drybrush Astronomacian Grey
Silver Metal: Highlight 1:1 Chainmail/Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Burnished  Gold/Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver
Imp: Highlight 2:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Imp Pattern: Highlight Warlock Purple
Imp Tongue: Highlight Warlock Purple
Imp Horns: Highlight 1:1 Chaos Black/Bleached Bone, then highlight 1:2 Chaos Black/Bleached Bone
Tzeentchian Trim: Highlight 2:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Flames: Layer Golden Yellow, then layer Fiery Orange
Smoke: Highlight 1:1 Skull White/Fortress Grey
Coal: Highlight Blazing Orange, then highlight Fiery Orange
Candle: Highlight Skull White
Bone: Highlight Baneblade Brown, then highlight Rakarth Flesh
Flesh: Wash Ogryn Flesh

Shrine
Stone: Drybrush Astronomacian Grey
Wood: NONE
Silver Metal: Highlight 1:1 Chainmail/Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Burnished  Gold/Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver
Tzeentchian Trim: Highlight 2:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Coal: Highlight Blazing Orange, then highlight Fiery Orange
Flames: Layer Golden Yellow, then layer Fiery Orange
Bone: Highlight Baneblade Brown, then highlight Rakarth Flesh

Creatures
Silver Metal: Highlight 1:1 Chainmail/Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Burnished  Gold/Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver
Leather: Highlight Scorched Brown
Flesh: Layer watered down Fortress Grey, then highlight Fortress Grey
Cloth: Layer 1:1 Baneblade Brown/Kommando Khaki, then layer Kommando Khaki

Warshrine Painting Guide – Stage 4



Altar
Stone: Drybrush Skull White, then wash Nuln Oil in recesses
Wood: NONE
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Book Cover: Highlight 1:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Book Pages: Detail Scorched Brown, then Highlight Snakebite Leather
Bookmark: Highlight Warlock Purple

Slaughtermaster
Black Cloth: Highlight Codex Grey, then wash Nuln Oil
Leather: Highlight Bestial Brown
Flesh: Highlight 1:1 Dwarf Flesh/Elf Flesh, then highlight Elf Flesh
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Trim: Highlight 1:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Hair: Wash Nuln Oil
Bone: Highlight Bleached Bone, then 1:1 Bleached Bone/Skull White

Column
Stone: Drybrush Skull White, then wash Nuln Oil in recesses
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Imp: Highlight 1:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue, then highlight Enchanted Blue
Imp Pattern: Highlight 1:1 Warlock Purple/Tentacle Pink
Imp Tongue: Highlight 1:1 Warlock Purple/Tentacle Pink
Imp Horns: Highlight Bleached Bone
Tzeentchian Trim: Highlight 1:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Flames: Highlight Blazing Orange
Smoke: Highlight Skull White
Coal: Highlight Golden Yellow, then highlight Bad Moon Yellow, then highlight Skull White, then tidy up coals Chaos Black
Candle: DONE
Bone: Highlight Bleached Bone, then 1:1 Bleached Bone/Skull White
Flesh: Highlight 1:1 Dwarf Flesh/Elf Flesh, then highlight Elf Flesh

Shrine
Stone: Drybrush Skull White, then wash Nuln Oil in recesses
Wood: NONE
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Tzeentchian Trim: Highlight 1:1 Regal Blue/Enchanted Blue
Coal: Highlight Golden Yellow, then highlight Bad Moon Yellow, then highlight Skull White, then tidy up coals Chaos Black
Flames: Highlight Blazing Orange
Bone: Highlight Bleached Bone, then 1:1 Bleached Bone/Skull White

Creatures
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Highlight Mithril Silver
Leather: Highlight Bestial Brown
Flesh: Highlight 1:1 Fortress Grey/Skull White, then glaze 1:1 Leviathan Purple/Gulliman Blue
Cloth: Highlight 1:1 Kommando Khaki/Bleached Bone, then highlight Bleached Bone

Details

Altar
Metalwork Eyes: Scab Red, then layer Red Gore, then layer Blood Red, then layer Blazing Orange, then layer Fiery Orange, then highlighted Chaos Black
Page Header: Regal Blue, then highlight Enchanted Blue, then highlight 1:1 Enchanted Blue/Ice Blue, then detail Shining Gold

Slaughtermaster
Eyes: Chaos Black, then dot Skull White
Blood: Scab Red, then layer Red Gore, then Blood Red
Tattoos: Outline Scorched Brown, highlight Chaos Black

Column
Tzeentch Eye: Enchanted Blue, then layered 1:1 Enchanted Blue/Ice Blue, then layered Ice Blue, then layered 1:1 Ice Blue/Skull White, then highlight Skull White, then highlighted Chaos Black, then washed with Gulliman Glaze
Large Creature Eyes: Scab Red, then layer Red Gore, then layer Blood Red, then layer Blazing Orange, then layer Fiery Orange, then highlighted Chaos Black
Creature Eye: Blood Red, then Blazing Orange
Head Eye: Chaos Black, then dot Skull White
Candle Flame: Layer Bad Moon Yellow, then Sunburst Yellow, then Golden Yellow, then Fiery Orange, then Blazing Orange

Shrine
Tzeentch Eye: Enchanted Blue, then layered 1:1 Enchanted Blue/Ice Blue, then layered Ice Blue, then layered 1:1 Ice Blue/Skull White, then highlight Skull White, then highlighted Chaos Black, then washed with Gulliman Glaze
Metalwork Eyes: Scab Red, then layer Red Gore, then layer Blood Red, then layer Blazing Orange, then layer Fiery Orange, then highlighted Chaos Black

Creatures
Eyes: Blood Red, then highlight Blazing Orange, then (large eye only) highlight Fiery Orange, then (large eye only) dot Chaos Black
Warts: 1:1 Dark Flesh/Blood Red, then dot Bubonic Brown

Pink Horrors
Skin: Basecoat: Warlock Purple, then layer 1:1 Warlock Purple/Tentacle Pink, then layer Tentacle Pink, then wash dilute Carroburg Crimson, then layer Tentacle Pink, then highlight 1:1 Tentacle Pink/Bleached Bone (*relayered some of the darkest recesess 2:1 Warlock Purple/Tentacle Pink, as was unhappy with some layering)
Tongue: Liche Purple, then layer 1:1 Liche Purple/Tentacle Pink, then layer 1:3 Liche Purple/Tentacle Pink, then layer Tentacle Pink, then 3:1 Tentacle Pink/Skull White, then highlight Skull White, then wash 1:1:1 Agrax Earthshade/Leviathan Purple/Thraka Green
Silver Metal: Chainmail, then wash Drakenhoff Nightshade, then highlight 1:1 Chainmail/Mithril Silver, then highlight Mithril Silver
Light Gold: Tin Bitz, then Burnished Gold, then wash Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Burnished  Gold/Mithril Silver, then highlight Mithril Silver
Dark Gold: Tin Bitz, then Shining Gold, then wash Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Shining Gold/Mithril Silver, then highlight Mithril Silver
Flames: Skull White, then layer Bad Moon Yellow, then Sunburst Yellow, then Golden Yellow, then Fiery Orange, then Blazing Orange
Claws & Teeth: Chaos Black, then highlight 2:1 Chaos Black/Kommando Khaki, then highlight 1:1 Chaos Black/Kommando Khaki, then highlight 1:1 Chaos Black/Bleached Bone, then highlight 1:2 Chaos Black/Bleached Bone, then highlight Bleached Bone
Feather: Iyanden Dark Sun, then layer Golden Yellow, then layer Sunburst Yellow, then wash Ogryn Flesh, then highlight Bad Moon Yellow
Stone: Charadon Granite, then drybrush Tau Sept Ochre, then selectively drybrush Gretchin Green, then drybrush Astronomacian Grey, then drybrush Skull White, then wash recesses Nuln Oil
Skulls: Steel Legion Drab, then wash Nuln Oil, then layer Baneblade, then layer Rakarth Flesh, then highlight Bleached Bone
Eyes: Paint Chaos Black, then dot Blood Red
Tzeentch Eye: Enchanted Blue, then layered 1:1 Enchanted Blue/Ice Blue, then layered Ice Blue, then layered 1:1 Ice Blue/Skull White, then highlight Skull White, then highlighted Chaos Black, then washed with Gulliman Glaze

Other Details
Crystals: Wash Gulliman Blue or Leviathan Purple or Lamenters Yellow
Chains: Chainmail, then wash Drakenhoff Nightshade, then highlight Mithril Silver
Skulls: Steel Legion Drab, then wash Nuln Oil, then layer Baneblade, then layer Rakarth Flesh, then highlight Bleached Bone

116.7 Ultramarines

Well done if you made it this far down the blog. Seriously, you've done well!!

Now there's every chance you've forgotten I am painting an Ultramarine army, I know I have. But in a bid to pretend I'm still painting them, I have painted this one Terminator I found in a box (back in Update 112). So there we go, that means as long as I paint one more Space Marine model in the next 6 months, I can still claim to be working on an Ultramarines army.



Which means January's model total is:



Not too shabby for a self-confessed procrastinator!!

116.8 Get in Touch

Remember you can get in touch and tell my painting is sh*t, or my blogs are too long by replying here. And as always I am on Twitter @ProbyNumbers where this week I've had my hand forced into collecting Dark Elves. Hopefully in Update 117 I will have played Round 4 of the current campaign. Until then, goodbye!

[underscore]

Blimey, an actual constructed and painted Warshrine! I never thought I'd see the day...

Next thing you'll be telling me that you're planning on actually using it an actual game or something.