It has been an interesting couple of weeks, with many thousands of points worth of new miniatures being discovered (they really did multiply in the boxes I had them away in), and new artists joining the team to see this Warhost completed over the next couple of years.
So who are these mysterious and talented folk? Glad you asked...
1. Matt from Above The Tabletop - Now in charge of seeing the Eldar flyers get a good seeing to. With solid airbrush skills and experience dealing with Eldar in general, i've no doubt Matt will nail it.
2. Steve from Third Fate Creations - As noted in a previous post, Steve is in charge of all eight titans, plus Towering Knight Destroyers AND Super Heavy Flyers. There are some very interesting creative ideas being mulled over, with the Flyers being sent out in the next couple of weeks.
3. Shaun Acker - Wraithknights and Wraithlords in abunance are Shaun's gig. Having seen his work with everything from Nurgle to Space Marines and 28 years of painting under his belt, keep an eye out for lumbering death dealing machine goodness.
4. Pierre Loyvet Artworks - A little deviation from the miniature front, Pierre does amazingly detailed illustrations (you may have seen his Blood Angels and Black Templar artwork - plus a kick arse Eva Unit-01). I have got in touch with the promise of sending him my book layout when the wordy stuff is done. Pierre, i've no doubt, will bring my finished miniatures to life in all their glory - tying the book, table and miniatures together in illustration.
The story of why it is never a wise idea to accept guests of the Elven kind...
A word to the wise
"Ask not the Eldar a question, for they will give you three answers, all of which are true and terrifying to know." - Inquisitor Czevak Turns out, the answers are; "Oh, just a few days", "Our friends will be here shortly" and "We have quite the appetite".
Friday, 28 February 2014
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Eldar Planetscape - Spires & Landing Platforms
Elliot from CustomTerrain.net emailed me last night with sketches based on the ones I sent him a month ago (designs that Games Workshop were originally going to make, yet didn't) for inspiration.
The lad has been brainstorming ways of forgoing too many interconnecting platforms, instead opting for integrated Webway Gates for travel between buildings. A MUCH better idea. This isn't to say there won't be a bridge or two, however this direction works very well and allows for a more dynamic table game play wise.
More of the project can be followed here.
The lad has been brainstorming ways of forgoing too many interconnecting platforms, instead opting for integrated Webway Gates for travel between buildings. A MUCH better idea. This isn't to say there won't be a bridge or two, however this direction works very well and allows for a more dynamic table game play wise.
Interchange Spires, Landing platforms etc are on the agenda, of course with the much larger Webway Portals (both medium and almost Titan sized in nature).
For now, I will leave you with the concept sketch that is going to manifest in the coming month. There are a few surprises i've not mentioned in this post, i'll leave those for later ;)
Yes, that is a Jetbike flying into an Interchange Spire...
More of the project can be followed here.
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
From Forge World with Love...
Normally there is a lot of discontent out there with Games Workshop and Forge World by proxy. This post is to highlight just how bloody amazing Forge World's customer support is.
Yesterday, I was in the process of preparing an Eldar Vampire Hunter and Raider for shipping to the US (Steve has been waiting patiently to give these bad boys a coat or two). Upon opening up the Vampire Raider, after it sat in its box for almost a year, I found that bits had been broken (and missing) from the kit. So I sent off an email to Forge World to see about replacement parts - I was not disappointed.
Within a couple of hours, I had an email reply, stating the parts would be cast up and shipped out to a location of my choice (Steve of course being the obvious recipient). This act alone took a huge amount of angst out of my system. A couple of hours later I had another email reply, stating the molds are being retooled, so the parts could not be cast up - instead, they would send out a completely new kit - I almost peed myself.
THAT is customer service :)
Why am I so excited? Well, a little back history perhaps. In the first quarter of last year, Forge World underwent some management changes - whether this extended to the operations and logistics dept's i'm not sure (although it would certainly seem they're much better now). I had eight items over multiple purchases miscast, missing pieces or just broken prior to this internal change. Since then, I have had a call from the Sales Manager and every issue resolved in a manner exceeding my expectations. Don't get me wrong, i've always had the issues resolved, however the quality control now seems to be a lot better (from multiple sources).
Why do I now love Forge World long time? Let me count the ways;
1. Excellent Customer Service - I'm looking at you Simon.
2. Since Andy came on board as Games Development Manager, the rules are getting better - ACTIVELY reviewed for balance (just take the Tau XV107 and Irillyth's new rules).
3. Quality of miniatures - I mean seriously, they beat the parent company hands down.
4. Quality of product - This used to be an issue... not so any more from what I hear.
In short - Faith restored. To the staff of Forge World, thank you.
One request though... if/when IA:11 is revised... please have that snotty Imperial Guard commander smeared from here to Jupiter by the Corsairs in the fluff, no body likes an upstart Mon'Keigh ;)
Yesterday, I was in the process of preparing an Eldar Vampire Hunter and Raider for shipping to the US (Steve has been waiting patiently to give these bad boys a coat or two). Upon opening up the Vampire Raider, after it sat in its box for almost a year, I found that bits had been broken (and missing) from the kit. So I sent off an email to Forge World to see about replacement parts - I was not disappointed.
Within a couple of hours, I had an email reply, stating the parts would be cast up and shipped out to a location of my choice (Steve of course being the obvious recipient). This act alone took a huge amount of angst out of my system. A couple of hours later I had another email reply, stating the molds are being retooled, so the parts could not be cast up - instead, they would send out a completely new kit - I almost peed myself.
THAT is customer service :)
Why am I so excited? Well, a little back history perhaps. In the first quarter of last year, Forge World underwent some management changes - whether this extended to the operations and logistics dept's i'm not sure (although it would certainly seem they're much better now). I had eight items over multiple purchases miscast, missing pieces or just broken prior to this internal change. Since then, I have had a call from the Sales Manager and every issue resolved in a manner exceeding my expectations. Don't get me wrong, i've always had the issues resolved, however the quality control now seems to be a lot better (from multiple sources).
Why do I now love Forge World long time? Let me count the ways;
1. Excellent Customer Service - I'm looking at you Simon.
2. Since Andy came on board as Games Development Manager, the rules are getting better - ACTIVELY reviewed for balance (just take the Tau XV107 and Irillyth's new rules).
3. Quality of miniatures - I mean seriously, they beat the parent company hands down.
4. Quality of product - This used to be an issue... not so any more from what I hear.
In short - Faith restored. To the staff of Forge World, thank you.
One request though... if/when IA:11 is revised... please have that snotty Imperial Guard commander smeared from here to Jupiter by the Corsairs in the fluff, no body likes an upstart Mon'Keigh ;)
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Eldar Corsair Update Confirmed
Roughly a month ago, I had a chat with one of the managers at Forgeworld about the Imperial Armour 11 Corsair list - and whether they would be seeing an update to bring them in line with 6th Edition 40k. The answer was, "I've actually been hounding them to get started on it, and they did say it would begin next week!".
Fast forward a month and I decided to follow up, this time on their Facebook page. The response, as of early this morning, was as follows;
"Hi Dave, the last update I had was at the middle of last week. It was mentioned that the update was about half completed. Part of the reason it is taking a while is that it is a fairly significant update that the writers have to try and fit around their current writing schedule.
I'll try to keep you all posted if we get any more news. It is something we do get asked about frequently, both here and via email."
So there you have it, expect a decent overhaul of the Corsair army list in the very near future folks. As to what this entails, fingers crossed the good folks at Forgeworld keep us in the loop!
Just for effect, here's a shot of a mates (Nigel B, who's Void Dragon Nightwing Interceptor featured on Forgeworld's Facebook page a week ago) Void Dragon and Sunblitz Brotherhood army, which is currently fighting at Birmingham tournament as I type this. Give 'em hell son ;)
*Wasps, Hornets, Corsairs, converted Jetbikes, Warp Hunter and a Nightwing Interceptor... Pure Forgeworld goodness!
Fast forward a month and I decided to follow up, this time on their Facebook page. The response, as of early this morning, was as follows;
"Hi Dave, the last update I had was at the middle of last week. It was mentioned that the update was about half completed. Part of the reason it is taking a while is that it is a fairly significant update that the writers have to try and fit around their current writing schedule.
I'll try to keep you all posted if we get any more news. It is something we do get asked about frequently, both here and via email."
So there you have it, expect a decent overhaul of the Corsair army list in the very near future folks. As to what this entails, fingers crossed the good folks at Forgeworld keep us in the loop!
Just for effect, here's a shot of a mates (Nigel B, who's Void Dragon Nightwing Interceptor featured on Forgeworld's Facebook page a week ago) Void Dragon and Sunblitz Brotherhood army, which is currently fighting at Birmingham tournament as I type this. Give 'em hell son ;)
*Wasps, Hornets, Corsairs, converted Jetbikes, Warp Hunter and a Nightwing Interceptor... Pure Forgeworld goodness!
Friday, 14 February 2014
Unreleased Spiritseer - Iyanna Arienal
Seriously being spoiled here. Vincent has just sent me photos of the latest work of art, my original copy of Juan Diaz' unreleased test sculpt Iyanna Arienal. He has done a water manupulator theme with her, complete with clear resin raging water effect for the base - certainly not something I was anticipating, what a surprise!
More about Iyanna can be read here - http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Iyanna_Arienal
And here are the pretty pictures;
More about Iyanna can be read here - http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Iyanna_Arienal
And here are the pretty pictures;
Thursday, 13 February 2014
Dave's Eldar Dataslates - Part 1
With all the crazy attention that the latest LVO lists have attracted lately, Eldar are most certainly not going to be flavor of the month. Despite this, i've been messing about with the idea of some unit specific (of not Craftworld themed) Dataslates. None of the below are intended to be over powered, merely to add some synergy, bringing the lesser considered units back into the "appealing" bracket. Ideally, i'd love it if these were used to overload choice to the point where the common Serpent spam lists are a tad less common.
Feel free to have a mess about with these in friendly games, play testing as you go along. With each, i've provided a little forethought into why I believe they could be a good thing. As with any experimental fan made rules, I fully expect good and bad comments - please do comment on how the rules have gone in a game. Naturally, i'd like to hear from those who have given them a go, rather than outright "that won't work" responses :)
Star Striders - An Alaitoc themed Dataslate
Forethought: Rangers really got attention back when the Craftworld Eldar supplement was released. The reason for this was their Ranger Disruption table, which was extremely nasty when you got one roll per unit on the field. Whilst it was open to abuse, the list did add flavor. As Rangers currently stand, they make excellent backfield objective holders, yet aren't used all that often in the midfield or for true fire lane control akin to their Anti-MEQ Dark Reapers comrades.
Rules: An Eldar or Corsair list may take the following formation, consisting of 2+ units of Eldar Rangers (or Pathfinders if Illic is present)
Upon rolling a successful assault by an enemy unit/model, yet before models are moved the Ranger (or Pathfinder) unit targeted may roll 1D6. On the successful roll of 5+ (4+ for Pathfinders), the Star Striders fade into the shadows. The enemy unit does not successfully assault this turn and models remain stationary. The Star Strider formation may make this save once per game, per formation (not per individual unit in the formation).
Cosmic Serpents - A Saim Hann themed Dataslate
Forethought: Vyper Jetbikes (although the Jetbike term has been dropped and appended though editions), seem to have lost their shine since 4th Edition. Warp Spiders, Shining Spears, Crimson Hunters and even weight of fire from Swooping Hawks. Forgeworld's Hornet overshadows the Vyper in almost every way and the Wasp can outlay sickening amounts of fire, whilst using Jump-Shoot-Jump capabilities. There are literally 10 different Fast Attack options and the poor iconic Vyper is right at the bottom.
Rules: An Eldar or Corsair list may take the following formation, consisting of 1+ Vyper Jetbike squadrons with the following conditions;
A Vyper Jetbike Squadron may "pair" with a single Windrider or Corsair Jetbike unit, if present as part of a normal Troops selection. For every three (3) Jetbikes in the unit, an additional Vyper Jetbike in the Squadron may benefit from the following "pairing", or none may benefit at all. E.g.: Two Windrider units nine (9, 18 total) models in number can be "paired" with two Vyper Jetbike Squadrons of three (3, 6 total) in number.
"Paired" Vyper Jetbike Squadrons within 6" of a Windrider or Corsair Jetbike unit may use the movement rules for Eldar Jetbikes as listed on page 45 of the Core 6th Edition Rulebook. The Armoured Steed clause does not apply as Vyper Jetbikes have no toughness characteristic. Vyper Jetbikes Squadrons are treated as an individual unit, not as part of the Windrider or Corsair Jetbike unit it has "paired" with.
Khaine's Brides - A Biel Tan themed Dataslate
Forethought: Quite a few cries were heard when the Howling Banshees were left practically untouched this edition. Adding insult to injury, they've lost their ability to take down Terminators with their new found AP3 Power Swords. They are still a wonderful unit for Counter Attacks, however. As synergy is key with each unit of an Eldar army list, I felt a little flavor was needed to make them appealing in a Counter Attack sense.
Rules: An Eldar or Corsair list may take the following formation, consisting of 1+ Howling Banshee units. The unit must number ten (10) and include an Exarch with the Fear Exarch power.
When charging an enemy currently in assault with another friendly unit, a single squad in addition to the Howling Banshee unit may also treat the enemy as being under the effects of the Banshee mask, for that charge turn only.
Well, that is the first installment in a series I plan on doing. Stay tuned for the next batch, as I will be working on more than just the five major Craftworlds as this progresses :)
Most importantly, remember to have fun!
Feel free to have a mess about with these in friendly games, play testing as you go along. With each, i've provided a little forethought into why I believe they could be a good thing. As with any experimental fan made rules, I fully expect good and bad comments - please do comment on how the rules have gone in a game. Naturally, i'd like to hear from those who have given them a go, rather than outright "that won't work" responses :)
Star Striders - An Alaitoc themed Dataslate
Forethought: Rangers really got attention back when the Craftworld Eldar supplement was released. The reason for this was their Ranger Disruption table, which was extremely nasty when you got one roll per unit on the field. Whilst it was open to abuse, the list did add flavor. As Rangers currently stand, they make excellent backfield objective holders, yet aren't used all that often in the midfield or for true fire lane control akin to their Anti-MEQ Dark Reapers comrades.
Rules: An Eldar or Corsair list may take the following formation, consisting of 2+ units of Eldar Rangers (or Pathfinders if Illic is present)
Upon rolling a successful assault by an enemy unit/model, yet before models are moved the Ranger (or Pathfinder) unit targeted may roll 1D6. On the successful roll of 5+ (4+ for Pathfinders), the Star Striders fade into the shadows. The enemy unit does not successfully assault this turn and models remain stationary. The Star Strider formation may make this save once per game, per formation (not per individual unit in the formation).
Cosmic Serpents - A Saim Hann themed Dataslate
Forethought: Vyper Jetbikes (although the Jetbike term has been dropped and appended though editions), seem to have lost their shine since 4th Edition. Warp Spiders, Shining Spears, Crimson Hunters and even weight of fire from Swooping Hawks. Forgeworld's Hornet overshadows the Vyper in almost every way and the Wasp can outlay sickening amounts of fire, whilst using Jump-Shoot-Jump capabilities. There are literally 10 different Fast Attack options and the poor iconic Vyper is right at the bottom.
Rules: An Eldar or Corsair list may take the following formation, consisting of 1+ Vyper Jetbike squadrons with the following conditions;
A Vyper Jetbike Squadron may "pair" with a single Windrider or Corsair Jetbike unit, if present as part of a normal Troops selection. For every three (3) Jetbikes in the unit, an additional Vyper Jetbike in the Squadron may benefit from the following "pairing", or none may benefit at all. E.g.: Two Windrider units nine (9, 18 total) models in number can be "paired" with two Vyper Jetbike Squadrons of three (3, 6 total) in number.
"Paired" Vyper Jetbike Squadrons within 6" of a Windrider or Corsair Jetbike unit may use the movement rules for Eldar Jetbikes as listed on page 45 of the Core 6th Edition Rulebook. The Armoured Steed clause does not apply as Vyper Jetbikes have no toughness characteristic. Vyper Jetbikes Squadrons are treated as an individual unit, not as part of the Windrider or Corsair Jetbike unit it has "paired" with.
Khaine's Brides - A Biel Tan themed Dataslate
Forethought: Quite a few cries were heard when the Howling Banshees were left practically untouched this edition. Adding insult to injury, they've lost their ability to take down Terminators with their new found AP3 Power Swords. They are still a wonderful unit for Counter Attacks, however. As synergy is key with each unit of an Eldar army list, I felt a little flavor was needed to make them appealing in a Counter Attack sense.
Rules: An Eldar or Corsair list may take the following formation, consisting of 1+ Howling Banshee units. The unit must number ten (10) and include an Exarch with the Fear Exarch power.
When charging an enemy currently in assault with another friendly unit, a single squad in addition to the Howling Banshee unit may also treat the enemy as being under the effects of the Banshee mask, for that charge turn only.
Well, that is the first installment in a series I plan on doing. Stay tuned for the next batch, as I will be working on more than just the five major Craftworlds as this progresses :)
Most importantly, remember to have fun!
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
TSoM: Feng Shui your Coffee Table
Luke & Adam from The Sound of Machines have just released a fancy pants Coffee table book (or PDF/ePub if your Coffee table has its own iPad/tablet), chocked full of their larger projects over the last few years.
As they've done a good chunk of my Eldar (with still a good chunk to go), I thought it only right to plug them into the blog for a bit of exposure ;) - See what I did there... pretty picture Coffee table book... exposure...? No?... well I tried.
What I can tell you is it makes the new White Dwarf: Visions look pretty tame.
The book is 226 pages of full colour crazy - Whilst the Eldar make a solid appearance, they aren't the only pretties in this compendium of colourful commissions. What does the book contain you ask? Well let's see...
Eldar
Cang Dragon
Ogres
Zombies
Death Guard
Nurgle Daemons
Orks
Iron Man (Yep, f*&k you, he's Iron Man)
The Lost & The Damned
Below are a few samples from their new portfolio release (borrowed with permission!);
As they've done a good chunk of my Eldar (with still a good chunk to go), I thought it only right to plug them into the blog for a bit of exposure ;) - See what I did there... pretty picture Coffee table book... exposure...? No?... well I tried.
What I can tell you is it makes the new White Dwarf: Visions look pretty tame.
The book is 226 pages of full colour crazy - Whilst the Eldar make a solid appearance, they aren't the only pretties in this compendium of colourful commissions. What does the book contain you ask? Well let's see...
Eldar
Cang Dragon
Ogres
Zombies
Death Guard
Nurgle Daemons
Orks
Iron Man (Yep, f*&k you, he's Iron Man)
The Lost & The Damned
Below are a few samples from their new portfolio release (borrowed with permission!);
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
Themed Eldar Table - Ruins & Ridges
Elliot from CustomTerrain.net has flicked me a couple of updates over the weekend, both quite tasty. The first being the completion of the mountain range and the second being worn ruins.
First up, the range;
And the ruins;
The full project log can be found here.
First up, the range;
And the ruins;
The full project log can be found here.
Friday, 7 February 2014
A New Artist Emerges - The Titan Host & Thundering Skies
After 12 hours worth of discussion, idea pitching and general all round craziness, a new artist joins the fold - This time to tackle the big boys of the battlefield.
Steve, from Third Fate Creations, has been locked in and taken up the torch in a bid to bring some insane airbrushing techniques to the Warhost. So what's the list you ask? See below;
1x Armorcast Phantom Titan - To be built as a Warlock Class Battle Titan
2x Forgeworld Phantom Titans - The twin bodyguards of the ancient and revered Warlock
4x Forgeworld Revenant Titans - Two of each type, in paired formations
1x Armorcast Revenant Titan - Stumpy needs some love too (he was my first titan!)
2x Towering Destroyer Knights - To compliment the Rogue Trader Eldar (stay tuned...)
1x Vampire Hunter Super Heavy Flyer - An escort for...
2x Vampire Raider Super Heavy Flyers - The kind that make Magpies look insignificant
All up, eight titans, two knights and three super heavy flyers. No small task, sure, but one hell of a detachment when completed.
To give you an idea of the level of awesome Steve brings to the table, here are some of his amazing works of art;
* Fingers crossed Steve is ok with me posting these here! :)
Stay tuned, there's bound to be some pretty awesome WIP shots as this project gains momentum in the coming months.
Steve, from Third Fate Creations, has been locked in and taken up the torch in a bid to bring some insane airbrushing techniques to the Warhost. So what's the list you ask? See below;
1x Armorcast Phantom Titan - To be built as a Warlock Class Battle Titan
2x Forgeworld Phantom Titans - The twin bodyguards of the ancient and revered Warlock
4x Forgeworld Revenant Titans - Two of each type, in paired formations
1x Armorcast Revenant Titan - Stumpy needs some love too (he was my first titan!)
2x Towering Destroyer Knights - To compliment the Rogue Trader Eldar (stay tuned...)
1x Vampire Hunter Super Heavy Flyer - An escort for...
2x Vampire Raider Super Heavy Flyers - The kind that make Magpies look insignificant
All up, eight titans, two knights and three super heavy flyers. No small task, sure, but one hell of a detachment when completed.
To give you an idea of the level of awesome Steve brings to the table, here are some of his amazing works of art;
* Fingers crossed Steve is ok with me posting these here! :)
Stay tuned, there's bound to be some pretty awesome WIP shots as this project gains momentum in the coming months.
Saturday, 1 February 2014
Juan Diaz Prototype Farseer - Coloured in!
Good ole Vinny has just sent me an update of two WIP Farseers he has been sorting out in the last two weeks. One of which is Juan Diaz' prototype Farseer, originally pegged for the 2006 release (although never made it). Only 12 of these puppies were cast up, so I count myself very lucky to include it in the Warhost - only made better by Vincent's handiwork!
Vincent has applied an Autumn/Maple theme to this Farseer, and done a sensational job doing so;
And the second Farseer - Or Earthseer, complete with summoned rock shards and cracked motif on the cape (really different and inspiring!);
And a close up of the cracked cape...
Vincent has applied an Autumn/Maple theme to this Farseer, and done a sensational job doing so;
And the second Farseer - Or Earthseer, complete with summoned rock shards and cracked motif on the cape (really different and inspiring!);
And a close up of the cracked cape...
Thursday, 30 January 2014
Jes Goodwin Prototype Jetbikes
Time for an update!
With a stint of bad health lately, I just had these images turn up in my inbox to brighten my evening, from Navin over at Paintedfigs.com.
I picked up a bunch of these a few months ago and sent them off to Navin's bunch for colouring in :) and I have to say I like the way they came up. Only the gems on the canopy to go (blue/green), and the little suckers will be stamped out en mass. On to the pretty pictures!
Looking forward to seeing these as a group in the near future :)
With a stint of bad health lately, I just had these images turn up in my inbox to brighten my evening, from Navin over at Paintedfigs.com.
I picked up a bunch of these a few months ago and sent them off to Navin's bunch for colouring in :) and I have to say I like the way they came up. Only the gems on the canopy to go (blue/green), and the little suckers will be stamped out en mass. On to the pretty pictures!
Looking forward to seeing these as a group in the near future :)
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
Terraforming, Eldar style... And an appearance from Vincent!
Well it has been a few days (or perhaps a couple of weeks...) since I last updated this blog and figured whilst rebuilding my work laptop, now would be a great time to do so.
So what has been happening? Well a few things in the background, actually.
First up, Elliot from CustomTerrain.net has been going nutters getting the mountains and dry riverbed polished off for the Eldar Planetscape. Elliot's now up to the stage of working out how to do the Eldar runic tiling for the Webway Gate mosaic placements. Here is a sneak peak of how things are progressing so far;
For more details (and buckets of images!) you can find the full project log here.
And as for Vincent, well this gem appeared in my inbox a week or so ago, at first I completely missed it (stupid Android not showing attachments *grrrr*), however, without further ado... the twin OOP Rogue Trader Farseers. You make me a happy man good sir;
Stay tuned, word on the street is sample images of the Jes Goodwin Jetbikes will be in shortly from Navin's entourage at PaintedFigs.com (hot on the tails of the Shining Spears!).
So what has been happening? Well a few things in the background, actually.
First up, Elliot from CustomTerrain.net has been going nutters getting the mountains and dry riverbed polished off for the Eldar Planetscape. Elliot's now up to the stage of working out how to do the Eldar runic tiling for the Webway Gate mosaic placements. Here is a sneak peak of how things are progressing so far;
For more details (and buckets of images!) you can find the full project log here.
And as for Vincent, well this gem appeared in my inbox a week or so ago, at first I completely missed it (stupid Android not showing attachments *grrrr*), however, without further ado... the twin OOP Rogue Trader Farseers. You make me a happy man good sir;
Stay tuned, word on the street is sample images of the Jes Goodwin Jetbikes will be in shortly from Navin's entourage at PaintedFigs.com (hot on the tails of the Shining Spears!).
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Gaming on a budget (Now for something completely different...)
Today I figured that I'd write something a bit different from the normal Eldar related postings.
With the new Nids being released and other costly goodies (Black Library, i'm looking at you with your $175 comic book), a LOT of people have been upset by the ever rapidly increasing costs Games Workshop advertise as their recommended retail price (RRP... perhaps RIP one day).
Given over the last 17 years i've amassed close to 120k of Games Workshop miniatures, I thought i'd weigh in and publish some pointers on how I did it with very little cash and living in Australia (those who want to use the minimum wage argument, need a wake up call).
*Disclaimer - This is not a rant. Whilst I love the creative teams at Games Workshop, I do not support the general business strategy at all (which is why i'll buy their product... my way). I know there are a lot of very unhappy employees at Games Workshop that do not agree with the business practice, however continue to strive on because they love the hobby as much as we do. That, in a nutshell, is why I continue to support them, and them alone.
......
In the last decade, there has been a massive shift at Games Workshop to claw at every penny they can (and rightfully so, being a business). What has a lot of people up in arms is how this has been achieved. Starting with price increases well above what we term CPI, the trade embargo and introduction of Finecast (a cheaper medium, with a far lower consistency of quality level than metal) which jacked up cost, you can understand why folks are a little upset.
HOWEVER... this article is for those who wish to keep playing the game, pick up their odds and sods etc whilst not invalidating their investment by giving up (due to prices/geoblocking/etc). When the cost of items got too much for me, I was not one of the people screaming "stuff it, i'm out" - adaption and sourcing cheaper offers for the same products became my priority.
So where did I get my "plastic crack" fix? Well see below...
1. Overseas Discounters - Being an Aussie, I looked to the UK and USA for products - which came in at about 60% cheaper than the local pricing (yep, that's shipping inclusive) - such as;
2. Trade Sites - First up, I have to give props to both the Americans and Canadians of Bartertown.com. A nicer more generous bunch of folks I could not find, and if it wasn't for the good people i've dealt with over there, I certainly would not have the miniature joy I have today. Trade sites are the best place to get a decent bargain and also very RARE items that simply can't be bought in stores. So here's the list;
4. Third Party - Well now that the Chapter House case has pretty much defined what can/can't be done in terms of creating new models or add-on kits, a lot of smaller companies are filling in the gaps. For example, the Russian Jetbikes in my Eldar Warhost. I won't go listing a bunch of names here, just a few to give an idea;
5. The Unmentionable - Yep, since March 2011 when Games Workshop unleashed a trifecta of doo doo at their customers (a price increase, geoblocking and Finecast.. with its own price increase), a new force entered the market. Recasters... and lots of them. While it is of ethical debate as "to purchase, or not to purchase", they still exist and simply due to the fact they prove Games Workshop has priced a lot of its customers out of reach.
With the new Nids being released and other costly goodies (Black Library, i'm looking at you with your $175 comic book), a LOT of people have been upset by the ever rapidly increasing costs Games Workshop advertise as their recommended retail price (RRP... perhaps RIP one day).
Given over the last 17 years i've amassed close to 120k of Games Workshop miniatures, I thought i'd weigh in and publish some pointers on how I did it with very little cash and living in Australia (those who want to use the minimum wage argument, need a wake up call).
*Disclaimer - This is not a rant. Whilst I love the creative teams at Games Workshop, I do not support the general business strategy at all (which is why i'll buy their product... my way). I know there are a lot of very unhappy employees at Games Workshop that do not agree with the business practice, however continue to strive on because they love the hobby as much as we do. That, in a nutshell, is why I continue to support them, and them alone.
......
In the last decade, there has been a massive shift at Games Workshop to claw at every penny they can (and rightfully so, being a business). What has a lot of people up in arms is how this has been achieved. Starting with price increases well above what we term CPI, the trade embargo and introduction of Finecast (a cheaper medium, with a far lower consistency of quality level than metal) which jacked up cost, you can understand why folks are a little upset.
HOWEVER... this article is for those who wish to keep playing the game, pick up their odds and sods etc whilst not invalidating their investment by giving up (due to prices/geoblocking/etc). When the cost of items got too much for me, I was not one of the people screaming "stuff it, i'm out" - adaption and sourcing cheaper offers for the same products became my priority.
So where did I get my "plastic crack" fix? Well see below...
1. Overseas Discounters - Being an Aussie, I looked to the UK and USA for products - which came in at about 60% cheaper than the local pricing (yep, that's shipping inclusive) - such as;
- From the UK these stores were Maelstrom Games, Wayland Games and other smaller shops.
- In the US it was Mega Comics and Games (they no longer stock GW by the way), The War Store, various eBay suppliers etc.
2. Trade Sites - First up, I have to give props to both the Americans and Canadians of Bartertown.com. A nicer more generous bunch of folks I could not find, and if it wasn't for the good people i've dealt with over there, I certainly would not have the miniature joy I have today. Trade sites are the best place to get a decent bargain and also very RARE items that simply can't be bought in stores. So here's the list;
- Bartertown.com - US focused trade site
- WargamerAU.com - Australian based Forum with a Buy/Swap/Sell function
- Dakkadakka.com - US based forum equivalent of WAU
- Warseer.com - Another US based forum
- eBay.com - I put this one last, because prices are generally inflated - Note: Discount Games Store sells US product to Aussies at about 20-25% off the US RRP
- PaintedFigs.com - If you're looking to get your miniatures painted commission style, then you can buy the GW kits from them for 35% off the US RRP quite easily. The only catch is you should do the right thing and have it painted by them in the process.
4. Third Party - Well now that the Chapter House case has pretty much defined what can/can't be done in terms of creating new models or add-on kits, a lot of smaller companies are filling in the gaps. For example, the Russian Jetbikes in my Eldar Warhost. I won't go listing a bunch of names here, just a few to give an idea;
- Chapterhousestudios.com - We're all pretty familiar with this company due to the press it has received
- Sciborminiatures.com - These folks mostly make add on kits, i'm particularly impressed with their range of model bases
- miniaturescenery.com - These folks picked up the slack and made terrain affordable (well at least in Australia) by producing MDF kits etc
- Etc...
5. The Unmentionable - Yep, since March 2011 when Games Workshop unleashed a trifecta of doo doo at their customers (a price increase, geoblocking and Finecast.. with its own price increase), a new force entered the market. Recasters... and lots of them. While it is of ethical debate as "to purchase, or not to purchase", they still exist and simply due to the fact they prove Games Workshop has priced a lot of its customers out of reach.
Monday, 6 January 2014
The Vincent Returns... Starseer WIP
Given i've been on my back the last two weeks with a stuffed knee (it involved Gardening... don't ask), having this WIP image of my old OOP Rogue Trader Farseer turn up in the Inbox today certainly lifted my spirits.
The theme on this one is a star/galaxy setting (for the cape), which I reckon Vincent has pulled off very nicely. Seems I spoke too soon when I thought it may be closer to the end of the month that i'd hear from the lad! :D
Without further ado;
Navin from over at PaintedFigs.com also got back to me, with the news that sample images of the Jes Goodwin Prototype Jetbikes will be on their way close to the end of this week. So very much looking forward to those. Oh and the Swooping Hawks now have a theme set, so they may be very hot on the tail. Shining Spears, Jetbikes and Swooping Hawks all coming in soon - I best get the next batch off soon it seems.
Last but not least, Elliot from CustomTerrain.net also contacted me to say more pretty pictures of the Eldar Planetscape are due end of this week or early next :) perhaps a few concept sketches of Eldar terrain (the kind GW toyed with, yet never bothered to produce) may have got the ideas flowing ;)
The theme on this one is a star/galaxy setting (for the cape), which I reckon Vincent has pulled off very nicely. Seems I spoke too soon when I thought it may be closer to the end of the month that i'd hear from the lad! :D
Without further ado;
Navin from over at PaintedFigs.com also got back to me, with the news that sample images of the Jes Goodwin Prototype Jetbikes will be on their way close to the end of this week. So very much looking forward to those. Oh and the Swooping Hawks now have a theme set, so they may be very hot on the tail. Shining Spears, Jetbikes and Swooping Hawks all coming in soon - I best get the next batch off soon it seems.
Last but not least, Elliot from CustomTerrain.net also contacted me to say more pretty pictures of the Eldar Planetscape are due end of this week or early next :) perhaps a few concept sketches of Eldar terrain (the kind GW toyed with, yet never bothered to produce) may have got the ideas flowing ;)
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Current Schedule and WIP Sneak Peak
Well I thought a bit of a status update on where everything is at wouldn't go astray. Plus a few teasers here and there.
1. Eldar Planetscape - Elliot from CustomTerrain.net has put up some new photos of the six panel modular table. I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that not only are the boards modular, but the terrain on them is as well - for a very large combination of landscape possibilities. Keep in mind that there are some very very funky structures coming as well. All inspired by the Dawn of War II computer game. I've also happened to get my hands on some GW examples that were intended for release, yet simply remained as sketches - they look amazing - so stay tuned as I fully intend on having these realised as well.
Inset below - Blue areas denote where Eldar buildings can be placed, brown denotes the tiled dust covered rune work;
All project progress can be viewed here.
2. Eldar Shining Spears - Navin over at PaintedFigs.com is currently stamping out 20 of the 27 Games Workshop Shining Spears, as shown in the sample pictures previously. The colour scheme was kept the same as the Russian made Shining Spears for uniformity sake, and they've worked out pretty good considering the dated model. Next up are either the Swooping Hawks or resculpted Jes Goodwin Jetbikes (sixty of them). So stay tuned!
3. Eldar Phoenix Bomber - Luke from The Sound of Machines is going to get his hands dirty in the New Year working on this bad boy as an example piece. The reason I say example is because the same theme (if successful) will be applied to all Warmachines over the next 2-3 years. Yep, all 20+ big bessies will be getting their love in the same place. Ive nicked a previous concept for a Nightwing Interceptor found on the Internet as inspiration regarding how this will look - essentially the orange graduated flow and semi gloss black will be key. Pictured below;
4. Tanks, so many Tanks - Clinton back up North has been busy building and painting up Wave Serpents recently (10 of 16, with 31 Serpents in total). I had this image txt'ed to me a couple of days ago as to the progress of how they're coming along. The blue on the underside is to give the impression of power generation for the skimmer function of the craft. It will be getting a similar appearance to the (also nicked concept) image below Clinton's, minus the Beil Tann vines.
5. Eldar HQ Models - Vincent, we can't forget Vincent! The lad has gone and got himself hitched (congratulations mate if you're reading this!). I've no doubt we will see more magic from Vincent later in January, however the poor bugger is on a very well deserved break right now :)
1. Eldar Planetscape - Elliot from CustomTerrain.net has put up some new photos of the six panel modular table. I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that not only are the boards modular, but the terrain on them is as well - for a very large combination of landscape possibilities. Keep in mind that there are some very very funky structures coming as well. All inspired by the Dawn of War II computer game. I've also happened to get my hands on some GW examples that were intended for release, yet simply remained as sketches - they look amazing - so stay tuned as I fully intend on having these realised as well.
Inset below - Blue areas denote where Eldar buildings can be placed, brown denotes the tiled dust covered rune work;
All project progress can be viewed here.
2. Eldar Shining Spears - Navin over at PaintedFigs.com is currently stamping out 20 of the 27 Games Workshop Shining Spears, as shown in the sample pictures previously. The colour scheme was kept the same as the Russian made Shining Spears for uniformity sake, and they've worked out pretty good considering the dated model. Next up are either the Swooping Hawks or resculpted Jes Goodwin Jetbikes (sixty of them). So stay tuned!
3. Eldar Phoenix Bomber - Luke from The Sound of Machines is going to get his hands dirty in the New Year working on this bad boy as an example piece. The reason I say example is because the same theme (if successful) will be applied to all Warmachines over the next 2-3 years. Yep, all 20+ big bessies will be getting their love in the same place. Ive nicked a previous concept for a Nightwing Interceptor found on the Internet as inspiration regarding how this will look - essentially the orange graduated flow and semi gloss black will be key. Pictured below;
4. Tanks, so many Tanks - Clinton back up North has been busy building and painting up Wave Serpents recently (10 of 16, with 31 Serpents in total). I had this image txt'ed to me a couple of days ago as to the progress of how they're coming along. The blue on the underside is to give the impression of power generation for the skimmer function of the craft. It will be getting a similar appearance to the (also nicked concept) image below Clinton's, minus the Beil Tann vines.
5. Eldar HQ Models - Vincent, we can't forget Vincent! The lad has gone and got himself hitched (congratulations mate if you're reading this!). I've no doubt we will see more magic from Vincent later in January, however the poor bugger is on a very well deserved break right now :)
Saturday, 21 December 2013
New Harlequin Jetbike Pieces
So a little Xmas surprise from my good mate over in Russia (You may remember his crazy Jetbike Farseers/Warlocks/Autarch/Shining Spears etc - all sculpted solo). With the replacement missing Jetbike canopy (presuming good ole Customs lost that one), Sergey has put a huge smile on my face in the form of some free sample work pieces - Harlequin Jetbike heads. What a champion! :D
So far the heads and canopies have been created - presumably with the bodies to come! Hmmm, the talent out there seems to keep growing ;)
So far the heads and canopies have been created - presumably with the bodies to come! Hmmm, the talent out there seems to keep growing ;)
Eldar Display Table: Updated (With Video)
Good ole Elliot from CustomTerrain.net has been busy putting together the sand drifts on this very crazy commission... thought i'd share his latest update with you all :D
(He was even kind enough to do a short dramatic video!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPM86n9ND-M
For more, and updates, Elliot has a project page set up here - http://www.customterrain.net/6x8-eldar-planetscape.html
(He was even kind enough to do a short dramatic video!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPM86n9ND-M
For more, and updates, Elliot has a project page set up here - http://www.customterrain.net/6x8-eldar-planetscape.html
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
GW Shining Spears: Sample mock up...
Good ole Navin over at PaintedFigs.com just got back to me with the revision sample for some Shining Spears of the Games Workshop kind. Previously, I had the Non-GW Shining Spears done up which set out the theme for how future Spears were to be painted. Don't pay much attention to the linework at present, keeping in mind this was a mock up model that has had a few layers of paint to make sure the colours were right before being stamped out en mass :)
When these are sorted out (and the stragglers are sent over), there will be 54 (six full squads of nine) Shining Spears, each with its own Jetbike Autarch to lead the spearhead.
When these are sorted out (and the stragglers are sent over), there will be 54 (six full squads of nine) Shining Spears, each with its own Jetbike Autarch to lead the spearhead.
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Eldar Planetscape 8x6 Wargaming Table...
Two nights ago, I had an email from Elliot over at CustomTerrain.net who has been busy kicking off the 8x6 foot Eldar Planetscape commission. Naturally, having heard he began work, i've been mashing the F5 button tracking updates in excited anticipation :)
Last month, the foam (which probably took up half of Elliot's studio) arrived, and yesterday the cutting began... it has begun indeed. An exciting Xmas period this will be indeed, watching as things come together!
The progress of which can be viewed here... http://www.customterrain.net/6x8-eldar-planetscape.html
Note: Each of the six boards is 2x4 foot in dimension for modularity.
UPDATE: The abandoned Star port ruins of a scorched maiden world begin to take shape...
Last month, the foam (which probably took up half of Elliot's studio) arrived, and yesterday the cutting began... it has begun indeed. An exciting Xmas period this will be indeed, watching as things come together!
The progress of which can be viewed here... http://www.customterrain.net/6x8-eldar-planetscape.html
Note: Each of the six boards is 2x4 foot in dimension for modularity.
UPDATE: The abandoned Star port ruins of a scorched maiden world begin to take shape...
Friday, 6 December 2013
Old School Harlequins Everywhere!
Today has already been a very very good day. Why? My co-workers wondered the same thing when they heard lots of colourful language coming from my corner of the building. As one does when 99 original Harlequins turn up at your office, accompanied by a few other extras that just make it so much sweeter!
So what turned up?
74 Harlequins, covering every model produced
25 Harlequin Jetbikes (evil smile canopies galore)
2 Epicast Wave Serpents (Armorcast also made them)
1 Gyrinx (just because the other one was lonely)
BONUS... The lad also threw in some extra Rogue Trader Era Guardians, specifically the sonic amplifier one and a few other Eldar Musicians... Now you know what gets Dave in a gooey state.
As i'm at work and don't really have lots of time to go fooling about, I whipped them out for display on the desk, with just a few pulled out of their bubble wrap for a picture moment.
Sha zam!
So what turned up?
74 Harlequins, covering every model produced
25 Harlequin Jetbikes (evil smile canopies galore)
2 Epicast Wave Serpents (Armorcast also made them)
1 Gyrinx (just because the other one was lonely)
BONUS... The lad also threw in some extra Rogue Trader Era Guardians, specifically the sonic amplifier one and a few other Eldar Musicians... Now you know what gets Dave in a gooey state.
As i'm at work and don't really have lots of time to go fooling about, I whipped them out for display on the desk, with just a few pulled out of their bubble wrap for a picture moment.
Sha zam!
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