Tiger Stripes!

An image of the triangles at full size


The banner after it has been trimmed



Just a quick one for you tonight. The images above show how I am getting on with my local GW stores Games Day banner. So far I have worked out the sizes, cut the cloth using a template for the black tringles and pinned them together. As you can see i made the triangles all the same size but a little too large for the orange background, this enabled me to position and cut the black to size maing it easier to get it right.

The next step will be to make the blue shield and white imperial wings shown on my previous post below). I am thinking of having these printed onto a banner and then cutting them out this will make them look more effective and will be much quicker than trying to make them out of material.

As I move on with the project I will keep you updated. If you have any comments please dont be shy.

Time to paint?

I don’t know about you but the thing I find hardest to do is paint, or to be exact have time to paint. I regularly spend time forcing myself to paint an army just so I have something that looks good on the field. This does work I even completed 2000pts of Tyranids in 7 days last summer. The thing I had a problem with was whether the models that I painted looked rushed or not? I recently spent quite a sum of money on a complete Marine company with all its ancillary support I wanted to paint this completely before I start using it in apocalypse games. I did play with the idea of making it a white army but the reality of this quickly became apparent. I eventually stuck with a templar imagery based codex marine force in red and bone with some key models in white for contrast (I was trying to get a mirror of the original Knights Templar) This seemed like a good idea to me and it certainly looked good in the tests that I did my biggest problem was…having the time to paint!
This brought me on to my next question, how can you paint a large amount of models well with as little work as possible? Now I know that this is an age old question and that people far wiser than me have gone mad musing over this but the other day I was perusing the info on BOLS and there was an excellent post from Goatboy on themes when painting a 40k force. His comments made me think about what I really want from a force for 40k. I don’t want to win golden daemon and I certainly don’t want to make my models look as clean and crisp as the Eavy Metal models. I want my forces to be dark and textured with vast contract between dark and light much like the fictional world in which we set our weekly playing with toys. With this in mind I began to play with how I would paint the rank and file troops in the force.



The image above shows the first 3 models that I have painted for the army they are part of one of the devastator squads and as such will probably not be used much from day to day in games so it won’t matter if they have gone a little wrong.



I started by spraying all the models with a red primer. I got mine from Halfords it’s a great paint with a low price they do it in grey, black, white, red and mustard yellow (good for bad moons me thinks)
I then played with paint then ink and just paint if you look at the image of the 3 marines the one furthest right is 3 layered and the one in the middle is 2 layered. The 3 layered version was one layer too many it had no real bearing on the overall look of the model so I scratched it and just started to ink then layer on blood red. This gives a good stark basis for the detail to be added. I completed each model in around 20 mins with a bit of waiting around, this seems awfully quick and will look effective on the battlefield, which is after all what I paint models for!

Well that’s the space marines covered I will add posts as I complete more of them, especially the vehicles it will be interesting to see if the same process works on a larger model.

Well that didn't work!

After my first battle with my Imperial Guard I can honestly say that the 1500 pt list I posted the other day doesn’t work. This is the first time that I have used the imperial guard, having wanted to field an army of guardsmen for many years. The list was toothless, it had no real punch and didn’t allow me any way to take objectives or knock the enemy off theirs. The best unit I found was the Valkarie and even that got downed the turn after it arrived. My placing of the models didn’t really work for me as I treated them too much like a space marine army. I didn’t realise they were so easy to kill! My veteran unit with Harker in died to a man in 2 turns and did very little damage and the creed was a massive waste of points, he would be great in a larger force though.

So with this in mind I have decided that I need more teeth. I have a number of tanks that I have collected over the years so I have decided to re model the force with a few more tanks and a few less foot troops. Here is the list that I have decided upon for my next game this week.

1500 pt Imperial Guard list. (take 2)

Company Command

2 snipers, astropath, heavy bolter 100pts

Elites

5 Ratlings 50pts

Troops

Platoon Command, 2 snipers, heavy bolter 50pts
Infantry Squad, Sniper Rifle, Autocannon 65pts
Infantry Squad, Sniper Rifle, Autocannon 65pts

Platoon Command, 2 snipers, heavy bolter 50pts
Infantry Squad, Sniper Rifle, Missile Launcher 70pts
Infantry Squad, Sniper Rifle, Missile Launcher 70pts
Mortar Squad 60pts
Mortar Squad 60pts


Veterans, power fist, 3 meltas 115pts


Fast Attack

Valkarie, las cannon 115pts

Heavy Support

Leman Russ, heavy bolter sponsons 170pts
Leman Russ, heavy bolter sponsons 170pts
Manticore 160pts
Basilisk 125pts

Tactics

The essence of this army is stand and shoot. One thing that I did learn was to kill the enemy before even thinking about moving to take objectives. The infantry have been given more killing power with the heavy weapons and the command squads will be more effective due to positioning. They will not move so I have much less of an issue with where to put them on the table. The armour will work to flatten the enemy line using its big guns. These can also be put in cover to give them more survivability. The valkarie will outflank and deliver the veterans to an objective and then cause havoc in the rear of the enemies lines using those excellent missiles to great effect.

So let’s see how this works I’ll give an update at the end of the week after I have tried this force out.

For the Emperor!

As I’m about to undertake the task of creating the 2009 banner for Hulls GW Store I thought I might as well make one for the club as well. Hulls Angels is a club I have been running on and off for 3 years now. I’m determined to get a faithful following for the club and the new manager at GW Hull is really encouraging it, go team! I’m intending to run the club every 2 weeks for the foreseeable future and we’ll see where it goes from there.
One of the major job is to get a good corporate image for the club. I have had the imagery aid down for some time but a banner would be a great addition. The banner will be a Space Marine Company design and will be full size, the image above shows how it will look. I intend to make it as realistic as possible with metallic colours and as many additions as possible. I’m even looking into making my own red wax stamp so that I can make real Purity seals.

Listen up you maggots!

With Games Day UK only months away I was talking with the manager of my local GW store this week, he was complaining of the lack of a decent banner at the store. He wants a new one and for some reason I seem to have volunteered to make it! Anyhow you do what you can. After a small amount of worrying what I was going to make I have decided to create an Imperial Guard banner based on the City of Hull and its respective imagery. The Black and Orange of the local football team, the name tigers (also from the football team) and the blue shield and crowns from the cities logo. I think it’s quite striking. It’s amazing what you can get from fabric shops to make effective textile art like this I already have all of the materials required now I just have to learn how to sew. I’m going to start making it this week so watch this space for pictures of me sown to something.

For the Greater Good

I have never taken part in any type of campaign and I suddenly have a real need to take part in one. I have a feeling that I won’t do very well, but that is a different story. I would like to give it a go, not for the competition but to get involved in a large narrative run by others, to be able to get lost in the story through games. I have been looking at a Tau army for a very long time now but have never seemed to get myself to start it.

I really like the idea of a Tau Hunter Cadre; it works in a very similar way to a theoretical modern military force. I like the way that you have to depend on all of the disparate elements of the army to win a game. I have been told that the Tau are very hard to be a success with but I love the narrative concepts that the codex creates in my warped mind, so I’m going to give them a go regardless of whether I am any good with them. I’ll still have fun trying them out.

1500pt Tau Cooperation Cadre

HQ

Shas’o, plasma rifle, missile pod, multi tracker,
drone controller, shield drone. 135pts

Elites

2 battle suits, shas’vre, bonding knife, multi trackers,
Missile pods, plasms rifles, 139pts

2 battle suits, TL fusion blasters, targeting arrays 124pts

3 stealth suits 90pts

Troops

6 Firewarriors, Shasui, markerlght, 80pts

6 Firewarriors, Shasui, markerlght, 80pts

6 Firewarriors, Shasui, markerlght, 80pts

6 Firewarriors, Shasui, markerlght, 80pts

12 Firewarriors, shasui, markerlight 140pts

Fast Attack

8 pathfinders, Rail Rifle 106pts

Devilfish 80pts

Heavy Support

Hamerhead, Railgun, Burst cannons, multitracker 165pts

Skyray 125pts

Broadside 70pts

Tactics

I’m not really sure what I will do with these guys…the basic concept is to use the markerlitghts to support the shooting every turn ad try to blow the enemy off the table. The small firewarrior teams should slow down the destruction of my firebase by the enemy not being able to overrun any longer. The crisis suits will be tasked with pinpointing enemy threats like terminators and destroying them. I also have two suicide suits equipped with Fusion guns and a raised BS, these will target high value enemy armour or leaders. The stealth suits will lurk around at the back of the enemies’ deployment zone distracting my opponent and killing what they can. The pathfinders will infiltrate and not use the Devilfish, which will be used by the large Firewarrior unit and will work as a beacon for my battlesuits. My heavy armour will target high value targets first and then focus on destroying troops so I can dominate objectives.
I don’t really plan on taking objectives but to destroy the enemy to a man. To me this fits in with the way a Tau Cadre would work. I am not sure how this would work in a tournament or gaming weekend. Once I have tested it and built it ill give it a go and see.

For more Tau fun and frolics go to http://warhammer-tau-army.blogspot.com/


GrimJaw

New Imperial Guard Codex

With the new Imperial Guard book out I am itching to try out some new army lists that work well as part of a story line but are still competitive on the table. After finally getting a proper look at the book this afternoon (children take up a huge amount of time) I have noticed that there are so many cool options in it. I have decided to give the list a go to create a force that focuses on one of the main elements of the IG force; orders. For me these really epitomise how the Imperil Guard would work. The theme is going to be a basic light infantry company backed up by specialists and a small amount of armour, let’s see what I can do with it?

1500 pt Imperial Guard Orders list.

Company Command

Creed, Kell, 1 sniper and full advisors 315pts


Elites

10 Ratlings 100pts

Troops

Platoon Command, 2 flamers 40pts
Infantry Squad, flamer 55pts
Infantry Squad, flamer 55pts
Infantry Squad, Sniper Rifle 55pts

Platoon Command, 2 flamers 40pts
Infantry Squad, Grenade Launcher 55pts
Infantry Squad, Grenade Launcher 55pts
Infantry Squad, Sniper Rifle 55pts
Mortar Squad 60pts

Veterans, Harker, sentries, 3 snipers,
missile launcher 185pts

Veterans, power fist, 3 meltas 145pts

Fast Attack

Valkarie, las cannon 115pts

Heavy Support

Leman Russ, heavy bolter sponsons 170pts

Tactics

The essence of this army is orders. I have used Creed and Kell purely for their skills in giving orders and the likelyhood that the orders will be followed. The sniper rifles of the ratlings will support all teams by pinning key enemy units and slowing them down; with any luck they should kill a few too. The Mortar squad will support in this.

The infantry squads are split into 3 types, flamer squads for taking close objectives. Grenade launcher squads will work as tactical teams and sniper squads will support from a distance. The two platoon command squads will linger behind the infantry squads and add the weight of their flamers to any units that they can and give orders when appropriate.

The real objective takers are the veterans. The first squad with hark in it will work as a infiltrating firebase that should be able to deal with most enemies at a distance. The second squad will enter play in the valkarie; these are designed to be an armour killing.

Finally, you can’t have an IG army without a Leman Russ. This will be tasked with destroying enemy armour and /or large units and drawing a large amount of fire.

This army seems to me to be very balanced and while not particularly effective in any one phase should be challenging to play with and against. I’ll give it a go and see how it gets on.


GrimJaw

Map Based Campaigns...any ideas?

Evening all, here is some background on a 40k map campaign that I have been toying with for some time (years in fact) These few paragraphs show the basic history of the area known as the Cerberus Gulf. Over the next few months I am intending to add to this by creating gaming rules and a way of using the map above to play campaigns in this area of the 40k Universe.

History of the Cerberus Gulf.

The Cerberus Gulf is located to the far north east of the galactic Imperium. The sector has been isolated by warp storms since the 36th millennium and as such is a great mystery to the augers of the Imperium. The Warp storms began to abate towards the end of the 40th millennium and rogue trader fleets began to make forays into the southern part of the sector through an area of space known as the Gemini Gate. What they found was a troubled area of space beset by xenos and heretics and surprisingly humans loyal to the Emperor holding out in this maelstrom of conflict.

In the 41st millennium the campaign has been running ferociously for approximately 1000 years, with no end in sight. Imperial forces have made decisive drives into the sector only to be pushed back by warp anomalies or vast hordes of xenos pouring from the Cerberus Gulf sub sectors.

With the arrival of new forces from all over the Imperium lead by Warmaster Crescentius and the pledge of many Astartes Chapters the campaign has had new life breathed into it. The Imperium is now ready to begin to retake this sector in the name of the Emperor of mankind!

While the Imperium prepare to invade the sector many alien and heretical overlords watch from the shadows, readying themselves for combat, some relishing the opportunity to enslave humans, destroy the unbelievers, or just preparing to defend their way of life.

Who will prevail in the Cerberus Gulf, will the Imperium retake its lost lands or will a new warlord create an empire in Imperium heartlands.

Anybody got any ideas they would like to share?

Hello...Is anybody there?

Calling all in His name …. Emperors Tarot is here!

My name is Ross (aka GrimJaw) I have been gaming for 25 years this year. I have played many armies over the years across many gaming systems but 40k seems to be the one that I return to again and again. I have recently come back to the gaming side of the hobby after a short sojourn, I didn’t like 4th edition much. Since I started with 5th edition I have built up quite a few armies including Tyranids, a good sized Ork Waaagh! (unpainted at the mo.) An Emperors Fist Tank Company, a complete Space Marine Battle Company with support and I have just started an Imperial guard Regiment/Company (depending on how you see it) I intend to bolster this with as many super heavy tanks as I can get my hands on in the future as well as looking at some other xenos forces for a campaign or two.
My main objective for this blog is to increase people’s use of GW narrative and the best way to get this narrative onto the table. This includes modelling, army lists, painting and converting, but my main concern is how these best support the narrative intentions of the hobby. For me there is no point in playing a game against an opponent that just wants to power game, not that I disagree with wanting to win but in my opinion the game should be played in a way that takes into account the narrative as much as the outcome. The mission of this site is to discuss many of the elements of the hobby that we hold dear. To build a community of likeminded gamers that discusses the merits; and pitfalls of our addiction and possibly even meet to play the odd game against each other.
If you, like me feel that the story is as important as the score then please join my little band of merry gamers by following this blog. I already have plans for this blog; these include developing a map based campaign that I have been toying with for some years. I have a number of interesting modelling and painting assignments including a Warlord Titan and the largest apocalypse army you have ever seen.

So lay your cards on the table!

Join me…what would you like to see?

GrimJaw