Leviathan Tyranids!

Tyranid Leviathan Brood Lord Deathstorm





Hey folks! Merry Christmas.

I wanted to share a little WIP I have going on today. The Broodlord from Deathstorm!  I picked up the Deathstorm box set because I wanted the new rule book, the character termie and I have always wanted to paint some Nids. SO I figured I would try my hand at Leviathan seeing as how they are set to invade Baal Prime and all.

But that was before I knew what their color scheme was... White and Black/Purple... Hmmm...

Oh well. Off to work I went.  Knowing that I have a LOT of these to paint since I am going to do a full army, I wanted to keep the black simple. Rather than the many shades of grey I do for my usual black, I went with straight black with highlights. I did some Xereus Purple and Genesteal purple, then mixed in a bit of Ulthuan Grey to the genestealer for a final highlight.

For the skin though, in all of the artwork in the Terminatus book the nids are very much NOT white.  I wanted to avoid a chalky look that you see all too often.  (I still got a bit chaulky on the head and other parts but I will redo)  So I went with Ushabti bone as a base coat then washed with Baal red.  I then highlighted with Ushabti, then Screaming skull, then mixed in some white with the Screaming skull, then a few touches of pure white.

In the vents of the arms I used Nagaroth Night wash.

For the claws I used my standard red, Khorne highlighted with Mephiston, washed with Baal, then highlted with Mephiston and some of my very last bit of Blood Red... sniff... will miss that color.

So what do you guys think?  I gave him a layer of Matte Varnish before taking pics and am planning on a layer of Satin. I will probably redo the head as I am not happy with the horn or the back of the skull. I am also planning on pushing the edges of the red claws.

Wait til you see what I have planned for the display!  :)

After Christmas I am going to do a full review of the Sanguinary Guard codex, Leviathan and Terminatus book sets and the Deathstorm box set.

I am also working on a new line of resin bases done in the new base sizes.  They should be ready for purchase in a couple weeks or sooner!  I am doing the old favorite Broken Rock, and a Cron Tomb World to start.  Time to get our armies all based on the new sizes!

So with that I would like to wish all my old friends a Merry Christmas, Fritz, Bobby, James, Matt, Ed, and the same to my con friends, Simon, Ted, Bill, John and every one else. :)  Thinking about you all, and looking forward to a new year.

More to come.

Jawaballs

First Blood Angels list design fail!









 My favorite models to convert have always been Sanguinary Priests.  With them being a single model HQ now I decided to add a Command Squad to my army because that is the only way to get another one.  Looking at the command squad, I at first thought I could give any of them a Storm Shield, so I immediately started drooling about a priest with a 3+ invul.  Sadly as I was looking through the entry, I noticed that they make a distinction between the Priest, Champion and Veterans, and that only the Veterans may take Storm Shields.  :(  Boooo!

Above is the priest I made for the squad. I used the apothecary chest piece from a command squad set, the apothecary arm and shoulder pad from a Dark Angels Biker sprue, an older Dark Angels robed running legs, and a blood angels head with Sanguinary guard jump pack.  I cut the lights off the Apothecary backpack and glued them onto the jump pack.  He is holding a grail from Maximini.  They have an accessory sprue that has 2 or 3 grails, some candles and books and other cool things. I used the arm from the Sang Guard sprue that is holding a double bladed axe, and cut the top and bottom ends off. Then I cut the middle of the grail out and glued the top and bottom to the hand... it turned out nice! I was going to add the shield to the right arm, attached to the wrist.  Oh well! Oh the other bits on the jump pack are from the Dark Angels biker sprue as well.

I have not decided how to paint him yet. The rest of the squad is getting the NMM gold treatment along with Dante. They are all made using Sang Guard artificer armor and will match him nicely like an Honor Guard.  But the priests are different. I am thinking he is going to be more like the color scheme of the new priest in the codex, or maybe good ole red with white trim like Corbulo.  Perhaps bone colored armor with a white helm?  I see the priests as their own entity within the Blood Angels and they join command squads to lend their abilities, but don't quite mesh with the unit... probably because they consider themselves part of the HQ and this leads to leadership issues with the Company Champion!  Maybe I will give him some NMM trim to help him fit in with the squad, but keep his base Sanguinary colors...

I have not been excited about 40k since painting Lamenters over the summer. So this makes me happy! Now to replan the rest of the models in the squad. I assembled them mostly, but now have to rip arms off the Champion because I gave him a SS as well. Back to his combat shield... weird that he can't upgrade..

In talking with my friend and 40k great Alex Fennel I think I have decided to add a few Space Wolves to my army list. The list has plenty of units to be tactically viable but with the lack of ICs in this edition is lacking a little punch.  But with the Fenris supplement I can actually add a detachment that has up to 4 HQ models!  This will give me a nice Wolf Lord to add to this Honor Guard to run amok with Dante, and one or two more models in the Land Raider with my termies, captain and priest.  Oh I am taking a captain with artificer armor and that AP2 sword.  Since I cant take him, a priest and Meph, I have to add the space wolves to replace that Meph punch. So I am thinking a wolf lord with a Thunder Hammer or something.

Oh and by the way any Space Wolves who have the honor of joining a Blood Angels army under my command will be forced to wear their helmets and rid themselves of those ridiculous pelts.  I wont have them stinking up my Land Raiders.  :)


So painting starts soon and I will document that for you.  I ordered the Sanguinary Guard limited edition codex and I am hoping there is a new NMM gold tutorial in the painting guide. Otherwise I will use one of the many I found online.

More to come!
Jawaballs



New Blood Angels!

I am still trying to wrap my head around 7th edition but I have some first thoughts on the new codex!

I think it is a great improvement. I pointed out my Lamenters list from BFS and saved about enough to buy another whole unit.  Some stuff is much cheaper and unfortunately some stuff is more expensive.

The winners:

Dante!  He is usable again. They made his ax go at normal initiative allowing him to take advantage of his high I score and swing away, and it is still STR +2 and AP2.  With his six attacks on the charge going at initiative 7 things are gona die.

He is now a must have for any assaulty BA army.

Oh and he is a Lord of War, which means you can take him in addition to 2 HQ choices.

Death Company.

The biggest issue with them was points. Without Jump Packs it was difficult to get them into combat. But Jump Packs used to cost 15 points for them which made it stupid.  Now JP cost 3 points a piece. This instantly turns JP equipped DC into a viable unit and a must have. A squad of 10 of them equipped with a few Power Swords and a fist will be among the top assault units in the game if they get the charge off.

Command Squad:
Maybe not so great a choice, but for 200 points you can get them on the table with jump packs, upgraded weapons and Storm Shields. A great unit for Dante to join.

Captain:
The BA had undeniably the worst SM captain in 40k. He was a joke. Now he is sick. Why? Well for 130 points you can get a 2+/4+ marine with 5 attacks on the charge at I6 and an AP2 power sword by taking the BA relic.  It is only 5 points more than a regular power sword!  What a steal!

+1 elite choice:
Fantastic seeing as how all of the good units are now elites...

Detachment:
+1 Initiative on charge! Welcome back to pre 6th ed assault glory!

And here is some of the bad...

Elite and HQ choices.  All of the wonderful killy stuff is wrapped up in Elite and HQ.  The priest got promoted and reduced to a single model per selection. No more flooding the table with FNP.  The Chaplain got promoted as well.  They are now competing with Librarians, Mephiston and the upgraded captain.  And it seems that every thing got slid into the Elite slot. DC, DC Dreads, Furiosos, Sang Guard, Van and Stern Vets, Termies. Holy Cluster of competition for available slots. Lucky we have four!

Dreadnoughts:
Not only are they more expensive, but a lot less killy with the removal of the meat grinder blood talons.  This is sad because BA still lack the torrent of fire that many armies had and the old talons helped balance that.  I simply can't see myself taking a dread any more with a BA force.

Troop Assault Marines:
Gone. Moved to Fast Attack.  Not a huge deal with the way the new game works cause you can still flood the table with assault marines, but JP troops were always a trademark of the BA and will be missed.

Troops:
Only 2 choices... Tacs and Scouts.  Scouts are crazy cheap though, 65 points for 5 snipers with cloaks.  Five tacs in a rhino are about 100.  But why bother. 240 points buys you 4 scout squads that your opponent will simply get bored of shooting at as they go to ground for 2+ saves and the ability to do some real, and annoying damage by picking out models and wounding big stuff.

What are my plans?  I am making a new army, going back to my roots.  Land raider of death with assault termies and a bunch of ICs.  The only problem is that it is much more difficult to do it.  I want that new Captain in there, and doing so means I only get one more HQ... so I get to choose between Priest, Meph who is now an IC and a Chap.  Priest lost the FNP bubble so he must be in the unit so he is needed which means I cant get my chap and meph.

How do I solve this?  Allies? Can I take a second BA detachment?  Or do I have to go with SM or SW allied force?  Rules guys help me out here!

jawaballs

New Blood Angels Incoming!

So from what I just saw the new BA codex is set to drop next week, along with a new BA centered tactical squad.  The rumors have been back and forth on this, but from what it appears on the cover of the new White Dwarf, it looks like a new BA tac squad kit!  Finally...  :)

Now to figure out how to fund a new army with my new financial situation... I am sure a lot of us have the same problem, especially with the holidays around. What happens if Santa doesn't stop at our house and we want the new Blood Angels?

Maybe this new program at The Battle Standard will do the trick!  (If you live close enough to take advantage of it that is.) Visit the site HERE. Sounds like a winner to me! More gaming stores should run programs like this. Jawaballs

Re-Rolled Miniatures Program

At The Battle Standard we are on a never-ending quest to accommodate all tabletop gamers.  From those that appreciate the modeling side of miniature gaming to those that just want every army at their disposal regardless of how it looks on the tabletop.  This is why we created the Re-Rolled Miniatures Program.
What is the Re-Rolled Miniatures Program?
Have you purchased an army with the intent to use it and just never seemed to get around to using it?  Have you received a miniature as a gift that after using it for a while, just doesn’t suit your play style?  Are you simply uninterested in the building and painting aspect of the hobby?  If any of these examples sound familiar, the Re-Rolled Miniatures Program might be right for you.
  • Sellers: The Battle Standard does the work for you.  We take in any number of your used miniatures whether they are assembled, painted or otherwise and display them for sale for you.  You name the price and we do the work.  Our trained staff works around miniatures daily and they will sell your miniatures with the same knowledge and enthusiasm that we sell our new, in-box products.  A brightly lit, glass display case will showcase your items in a location where people are looking to find them.  Say goodbye to ebay sales where shipping is always an issue and in the end you lose money to ebay charges.  Gone are the days of posting on countless forums and through social media hoping for a response from someone reputable.  Simply bring in what you’re selling, we sell it, and you receive the exact same amount of store credit it sold for on a reusable gift card good for any product in the store or available via special order.  It really is that easy.
  • Buyers:  For those customers looking to get into the excitement of Tabletop Miniature Gaming for the first time, a used army is an appealing solution.  Perhaps you have an army already but you’d like to expand?  Taking on a gently used regiment or squad can be a quick way to enhance your game.  Buy used and buy for less.  Receive more for your gaming dollar.  No need to buy online.  No need to wait for shipping.  No need to worry about broken miniatures arriving at your door.  See what you want on display and take it home that day.  We are constantly rotating used product so come visit us and see what’s on display today!
Whether you’re looking for that inexpensive gateway into Tabletop Miniature Gaming or you want to sell off that army that’s been battling nothing but dust bunnies in your closet all year, The experts agree that The Battle Standard’s Re-Rolled Miniatures Program is the solution for you!

It's been quiet

Hi Folks,

So I have been extremely quiet of late. I have not been posting to Youtube, doing my live show, or blogging. I just have not been doing any painting or gaming at all. I am not gone, just taking a hobby hiatus while I am working out family stuff. Without getting too into it, I am separating from the wife and dealing with all of the emotional and financial fun that goes with it.  On top of that is graduate school, a thesis research project and blah blah.

 Pretty much the worst environment known to man  in terms of blogging and hobby.

Things will start to normalize in a couple of months and I will get back to regular posting.

In the meantime I will be working on my Robotech Tactics army when I find time, and patiently waiting for the new Blood Angels codex. When the book drops, I will be painting a new army.

Until then I am trying to raise funds! I need to pay off debt and work towards getting my own place.

I am selling all three of my current armies.

My Red Blood Angels assault army. This is my fairly famous army from Nova a few years ago which was a finalist for best army. It won 5 other GT best painted, a handful of players choice, and over a dozen small tournament best painted awards.  The army comes complete with a custom fit Battle Foam Pack Go.

My Tau army. I painted this army with love but only played it a few times. It actually won a tournament best painted when it wasn't even finished!  The army comes with a transport case, hard cover Tau codex, and 5 or 6 tanks that have been assembled and base painted including devilfish and a skyray. There are also new in box vespid, fire warriors and some more kroot.

My Lamenters.  Hand painted checks and all.

You know the quality of my armies and have followed them here for years and all three of these will win best painted at just about any tournament you go to.  I am entertaining reasonable interest. Contact me and we can talk.

I also am still selling my painting tutorial DVDs.  Find them HERE.

And finally I am still accepting orders for full sized banners.  :)

Thanks for all the support over the years!

Jawaballs

Lamenters WIP for Battle for Salvation!

Battle for Salvation is next weekend!  If you have not already signed up, now is your chance. There is less than ten spots left!  Don't be left out of one of the best GTs on the East Coast.

BFS is not just about 40k though, there are tournaments for Malifaux, X-Wing, and Youngbloods! (14 and under).  It has been a couple of years since I went. It seemed that the last couple years things kept popping up that would keep me away from the con.  Not this time!

I am taking my poor cursed Lamenters for their second major round of action. Last time I brought them out was at Templecon and while I got crushed on the tables, they did win Players Choice and Best Painted (though I had to choose one to actually receive.)  I hope to perform well at BFS too, though I am up against some stiff competition with John Steining showing up, as well as my old friend Joe Johnson if he comes and many other great painters.  This should be a stiff field!

Here is a LINK for BFS.

Here are some WIP shots of the unluckiest squad in the unluckiest chapter:





The melta gunner has not actually befallen any bad luck yet... but that can change!

Hope to see you all at BFS!

Jawaballs

Tournament Report!

WOO I managed to squeeze in a tournament! This was my first action since Templecon in February. Needless to say I was a tad rusty. That, and this was my first 40k action in 7th edition... and I was playing my Lamenters.  I had very low expectations for the day!

Sorry no footage, when I pulled out my camera after leaving it plugged in all night, it was out of charge.. not sure what the dilly is.

It did not take long to get bad news. The Lamenter Curse was strong.  My first draw was my friend Alex Fennel.  Take one of the best 40k players in the world, give him a fairly good White Scars bike army whith a knight and thunderfire, pretty much designed to slaughter mech space marines, and this would spell doom for my poor boys in yellow. Aside from my Vanguard Vets heroic assaulting his Thunderfire and killing the techmarine... the only wounds I inflicted upon him were from the explosions of my vehicles.  In fact it got to a point that I was ramming my tanks into his ranks just so they would explode and cause wounds!  Not much to say about the game. Alex tabled me in 3 turns after shooting down my Storm Raven and killing all inside.

Game two found me up against a nasty Ork list.  My opponent wasted no time boxing me into a corner and tightening the noose. But one valiant sergeant with a power fist charged his large squad of bikes that was about to run down my back ranks, and challenged his warboss. The warboss failed to kill the Sgt though. He had some weapon that was rending or something, not a klaw.  He failed to rend and I got saves... made them all, then punched him in the face... killing him and winning combat, thus chasing off the rest of the squad!  (I shot them up with the storm raven.)  This turned the tide. The storm raven was in play and he had little he could do about it and my termies and dread were running amok in his ranks. His most dangerous squad to them, mega nobs with klaws, was committed in the corner of the table, which I vacated with fast vehicles.  They were much out of reach.  So my heavy hitters proceeded to slaughter two full squads of orks and two battle wagons. Meanwhile my fast rhino was zooming off to take an objective while my vets heroic assaulted his sole remaining troops squad, some grots, and wiped them out. Next thing you know the game was over and I was the victor!  Steve was a fun opponent and the game was a pleasure. This time the dice favored me and I escaped with a win!

My last game was against a nasty flying demon army. He had 5 or so, plus a walker thing and a summoning portal which he threw into the middle of the table on an objective that was worth 5 points. This was where the action would take place.  He had a lot of nasty tricks including invisibility which pretty much rendered a squad of dog things unkillable. He also had abilities that gave some of his flying demons a 2+ jink, and lots of bonuses to his invuls.  I reserved every thing, and then it all came on at once except for the vets.  The scouts committed by charging his back ranks. He had some 4 wound per base nurgle things, and a squad of cultists. The scouts ran up and popped their pistol shots then waited for oblivion since they cannot charge. Thankfully my opponent left them pretty much unmolested since he did not see them as a threat. Boy was he wrong!

The scouts would go on to wipe out the nurglings, then the cultists, as they were left unaided because the vets were again held up in deepstrike.  They would not come on until the 4th round, when they heroic assaulted a squad of demonetes, wiping them out. They would later go on to claim an objective.  So after my initial charge was mostly wiped out, my Raven dropped off the termies and dread who went to work doing their thing. The Termies tarpitted the walker and dogs, while the captain split off to assault some plague bearers with the dread. I wiped them almost all out, but by some chaos trickery, he rolled double 1s on his test and managed to get them all back on the table.  But after another round or so I finished them off.  The dread would remain to wipe out the portal that was summoning demons and the captain moved on to take out more nurglings and claim an objective. The scouts would remain the rest of the game with their cloaks giving them a 2+ cover save.  The raven would start dealing heavy damage once I figured out which demons to shoot with it... I threw what was left of my assault marines at his demons to slow them down, then moved to take the objectives. In the end, I was sitting on most of them and won the game!

Yet another great game. Ray was a polite and professional player and he taught me a lot about the new psychic game, patiently answering all of my questions and humoring my naivety. You cannot ask for a better opponent!

In all I had a good day, taking 4th or 5th and scoring 2 wins for Sanguinius. It proved that with smart tactics, the right opponents and a lot of luck, I can win some games.

 Could this mean possible glory at Battle for Salvation?

More to come!

Dawn of War?

Hey would any one happen to have MP3s of the Dreadnought and Land Raider quotes from the Dawn of War games? Or be able to rip them for me?  I would reimburse you for your time!

Jawaballs

Need a Skyshield!

Hey guys I need a Skyshield Landing Pad ASAP.  On sprue, or assembled and painted. So long as the barriers move. Any one have one for sale/trade?

Jawa

Gaming fun in CT! and new Lamenters list.

News Flash!  There is an 1850 point tournament coming up on Sunday September 28 at The Battlestandard in Manchester, CT!

This ties in with yesterday's post announcing my signing up for Battle for Salvation.  I have had zero playing time this year, literally so I can use the practice!  More on that in a bit.

If you look at the link I posted, that will bring you to their events page. Notice how it is packed!  They literally have something going on every day! From Historical Gaming to  Fantasy and 40k.  If it is not tabletop gaming, it is Magic or another cardgame.

Another monthly event they run is the Paula Netto booster draft, sponsored by her son Michael in her name.  It is set up with kids in mind to reflect her passion for making kids smile. It is completely free and open to only kids 15 and younger.  A great chance to break your own kids into a fun hobby!  What a fantastic event. You want to bet when my own son is old enough I will be bringing him to events like this.

The Paula Netto Boster Draft is October 1.  Check the events page for more details!  CLICKHERE.

So I came up with my list for Battle for Salvation.  Blood Angels of course. I will be playing my Lamenters, mostly the same list from Templecon with a few changes.

Terminator Captain
JP Librarian withSword

5 combat scouts with cloaks
5 man RAZ with heavy flamer turret
5 mas RAS with Land Raider Crusader!  (New addition)
5 man Tactical with Rhino
Furioso with HF and Blades
Storm Raven extra armor, multi, ass can, sponsons
5 man shooty termies with flamer
5 man Vanguard Vets
Priest on bike with fist

I dropped the stupid costly Death company. I will simply use my DCmodels as one of my assault squads. I am still considering how I want to paint the Land Raider.  I want to make it the DCs ride, but am not sure that I want to paint it white(my DC are white) or yellow. I kindof want to go yellow and push the boundries with weathering and such...  I suspect I will simply go yellow and let the white DC ride in side.

I really need a new codex!  My prices are whack. But I really have no true hope of winning any way. :)  I registered for the regular BFS GT. I know some time ago I was planning on a Masters Invitational, however I don't know if that is happening as we are now a month away and I have yet to get info on it.  At this point "the masters" will have needed more notice to be able to compete at such a high level!  Besides, I kinda want to take a shot at Ren Man again.  There are six games, and I think with a close to max painting and sportsman score, and 3 out of 6 wins, I can have a shot.  That just means I have to win three games, be a nice guy, and put a beautiful army on the table!



I have my work cut out for me in the next month! So look for me at The Battle Standard September 28 as I play three practice games with what I consider a mid range competitive list.  The only way I am going to learn 7th edition is to get out of my basement and get into the game!  That is what The Battle Standard is all about.

Jawaballs

Battle for Salvation

Just bought my ticket for Battle for Salvation!  BFS is one of the biggest and best GTs in the North East!  It is conveniently located about an hour north of New York City, just off interstate 287.  This means it is easily accessible to many many people without having to cross through New Jersey!  :) (One of the biggest deterrents for me when I want to go to a GT)

It has been a few years since I went. Things keep popping up for me that weekend like weddings and such. But this year I am finally getting back in action. Last time I won Best Painted with my Blood Angels army.

What am I playing? Army wise it doesn't matter. I have not played a game since Templecon which means I am looking at going 0-6.  So I am playing my Lamenters. Plus they need some more love.  And, I cannot play my Tau army again and not have a bad taste in my mouth. It's for sale by the way! :)

So between now and then I am going to rework my display board since I was not really happy with the one I made for Templecon, and maybe paint another addition.  Mostly I am just looking to get back to basics and hang out with some friends I have not seen in a very long time!



Jawaballs

Shaking off the cobb webs


So painting that Robotech model got my juices flowing and I finally got the gumption to start this!

I have had it sitting around for quite some time and finally want to paint it.  I am going Lamenters with this bad boy.  First I had to get it ship shape though. It was a gift from a friend and was not in the best of shape when I got it. It had no guns and needed some love.  I had to order some parts, and have on the way the cannon from a Shadowsword, and some heavy bolter turret parts.  I am still looking for missiles...  any suggestions?

Check back for more updates!

Jawaballs

Max Sterling Gencon exclusive

Here is a step by step of what I did to paint my Gencon Max Sterling for Robotech Tactics.  First I assembled using Loctite Ultra Control Gel.  I did not pin him because I could not find my pinning bits, but if an arm falls off, I will pin it then.  Using my airbrush, I primed him with Grey Primer from Valejo Model Air.


Then I went to work on the blue.  I base painted all of the blue parts with Kantor Blue. Then I started working the edges with Maccrage Blue. These veritechs are pretty nice in that they have lots of hard edges that catch the paint while their flat surfaces are small.  Look at his upper arm and the upper parts of his chest you can see where I got some nice edging.


Then I started with Calgar blue to push the edging even further.



For the white I did the same thing only with Codex Grey.


Then I did a second layer, with Fortress grey. The new GW equivalents work just as well.

 I went back and forth with Codex and Fortress several times. I played with the look on his shoulders for example to create a well worn, dirty look. At this point I also gave the blue a dose of Guilliman Blue glaze then reapplied the Calgar blue highlight in some spots.


Then I used Ulthuan Grey to make the white edges edges pop, followed by White Scar.


For the base I used some Secret Weapon basing bits and your standard flock. I have a mixed aggrate with heavy and fine particles which are grey and tan. I painted the column parts Rhinox Hide first, then a couple lighter shades of brown and alternating with washes of Seraphim Sepia, then I gave it a final drybrush of Ushabti bone.  

Did the gun in my standard colors, I started with a wash of Asurmen blue, then layered codex and fortress grey, alternating with more washes of blue. Then I layered Ulthuan, with more blue, then back and forth depending on where it needed more.




And the finished result!  I can't wait for the rest of my models to come from the Palladium Kickstarter!  Thanks to Jason Turner for picking this up for me at Gencon and sending it out.  I also have one coming from another friend which I am going to repose and paint as Miria. (red)  

More to come!  Jawaballs

Back on the horse!

I has been a long time since I have had motivation to really do something creative for the sake of doing.  Well I have some motivation now!  I received a Max Sterling model from Gencon in the mail thanks to a generous attendee and now I am going to rock it!  Max is a limited edition Gencon model created by Palladium for the Robotech Tactics game. I have a massive amount of models coming from the Kickstarter but thought I would practice painting them with Max here.




First I am not all that thrilled about working with metal.  I never did much like it..  Also, I am not crazy about the uncustomizable sculpt. However, this pose is very dynamic so it will do.  He came in several small pieces and included a flight stand.

I was pleasantly surprised that the pre cut join holes fit, for the most part. I have had some very bad experience with metal models not fitting together. With minimal prep work I had this model assembled and ready.  I have some video coming soon.

Until then... Here is a picture of how Max should look...


I was at first going to attempt to airbrush him, but since he is pretty evenly blue and white, and the two intermix every where... I decided just to hand paint the whole thing.

More to come!

Jawaballs

Of mice and men

Of men...

The men and women with Doctors Without Borders. These people selflessly are on the front lines. War torn areas, natural disasters and Ebola.  Medicines Sans Frontiers is there. Making a difference.

It is a source of pride to say that DWB is yet again the recipient of our charity efforts.

With that, The Nova Open Charitable Foundation is bringing you Blood and Honor: The Defense of Maccrage.  VISIT HERE for the page. This is your chance to win one of FOUR armies by contributing to something bigger than yourself. For the last few years I have been part of a charity army build along with some of the best painters in the world.  I take great pride in being part of this because it is my chance to be part of the greater good by doing something that I love.

of mice...

Some minuscule dirtbag stole a small box off Dave Taylor's porch containing the models I painted for the project.  Lacking the proper safety equipment to apply the crushed glass to my bases for snow effect, I mailed them without doing so, and they were sent off Dave's house to be finished.  Sadly he had left for vacation and the box was left on his porch, and some mouse stole it.

With no time left for me to get and paint new models, it would seem that this would be the first time in years that this charity project would be without a Jawaballs contribution. :(

But wait! This is an Ultramarines army after all!



So I dug into my reserves and pulled out one of my prized banners. I painted this banner for the banner competition at Gamesday 2012. I have a lot of time and love invested in this thing and it was the toughest Best Banner win yet. It took several rounds of cheers to get the winner!

 Is there a greater time or reason to part with it?  Nope. I have decided to donate this banner to the cause to replace my stolen models.  So this banner is now part of the ULTRAMARINE ARMY GRAND PRIZE! That is right, you, especially if you are an Ultramarine fan, are in for a treat of a beautiful army and a sweet banner for your man cave, or to display proudly whenever you play the army.

So lets forget the mice, and focus on the men. Lets dig deep, and donate as much as you can to make this year a huge payout for Doctors Without Borders.  For every dollar you donate, your name will be entered once into the drawing. Donate 100 dollars, and your name goes in 100 times.  The winner will be drawn at random during this year's Nova Open.  You need not be present to win, and they will ship the army WORLD WIDE.  This is truly a global effort!  Don't forget there are three other armies as well.  There is a Deathwatch army, a Man Eaters army, and of course, the Tyranids!  You can find links to all the armies HERE.

What else is going on in Jawaland?

Not much sadly.  I will not actually be at Nova this year. Labor Day Weekend is just not a great time for me as I simply cannot take that Friday off from work, and the weekend is family time. I am sure you all will have a great time without me though. ;)

The continued disappointment that is the wait for the new Blood Angels codex has me floating in the wind as far as 40k is concerned.  I will be playing my Lamenters at Battle For Salvation and again at The Mechanicon in October.  Gona be a busy month!  I am thinking of doing a Lamenters Land Raider...

But I do have a new banner to show you!

The Dark Angels!





Since I hand paint these, every one is a bit different.  You can also see my improvement. Compare this one to the ones on the right of my blog and you will hopefully see an improved level of depth that I have developed.  If you want one for yourself, you know what to do!

More to come and buy those tickets, you have to be IN IT TO WIN IT!

Jawaballs

Defiance Games Fraud?

Just thought I would share. Last fall I backed a Kickstarter for a company called Defiance Games. The KS was for some fishbowl helmet shaped hard suit armor models that I could proxy as marines or whatever. I invested 80 bucks, then quickly forgot about it.



They offered regular updates, which kept the KS in the back of my mind but I admit I didn't read most of them.  Well the due date for the KS came and went. I had forgotten. The last update was the second week of Feb.

Any way, with a spark of remembrance as I was looking for info on the Robotech Tactics KS, I looked up Defiance come to find no one has heard from these guys at all. So I started investigating.  Apparently the primary name attached to the LLC is Tony Reidy. (Anthony M. Reidy)

Some of you will recognize the name as it is apparently attached to some flap regarding Wargames Factory and Fraud.


Sigh.

If any one knows the goods on this guy, feel free to share in the comments.  I don't feel like investigating much further.  I found some Dakka threads and reading those is like nailing my plastic cutter into my eyes.

Lesson learned!  I suppose I could have googled Defiance LLC and found the name, (the name meant nothing to me as I didn't know any thing about his dealings) then googled the name and found the fraud complaints, and given the KS a pass... I recommend this process highly in the future for any one who backs a Kickstarter! Not that you will actually find much info if there is nothing to find, but at least you will maybe find something bad if it exists...

For what it's worth, I filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General and a fraud complaint for the transaction with my Credit Union. (I will get my 80 bucks back.)

I wish the rest of you good luck!  Here is some info to help you file a complaint of your own:

Anthony M Reidy
Defiance Games LLC.
112 High Street 
Charlestown, MA 02129

Attorney General of MA E complaint form:
https://www.eform.ago.state.ma.us/ago_eforms/forms/piac_ecomplaint.action

May this guy forever step in huge piles of dog poop. Feel free to share info on him!

Jawaballs

Going to Gencon?

I am looking for some one who is going to Gencon this year and wants to do me a favor!

Email me. Jawaballs hotmail.  :)


Local fun this month?

Looking for something fun and maybe a bit different to do?  The forever lack of a new Blood Angels codex got you down?  Try Shadow Era!  

My friend Jared, owner of The Battle Standard in Manchester, CT is hosting a FREE draft tournament for the card game Shadow Era. Essentially you arrive and receive packs of cards, consult their veterans to put together the best deck you can from the cards you receive, and play!  This sounds pretty damn cool and I think I may have to try it myself!  CHECK DETAILS HERE. There are prizes and fun for all. Definitely worth the trip, especially if you are looking for something fun to do with your kid!  The draft is August 17.

What else is going on this month? TBS runs daily gaming each week, separate days for Historical, 40k, Mercs etc.  On August 9 there is a Magic booster draft and on the 10th Warhammer Fantasy!  Now there is an underutilized game!

On August 17 there is also a Warmahordes Steamroller tournament!  I keep threatening to get into that game... 

The Battle Standard pretty much has daily events. If you live in CT or nearby and are looking for something local to do, check out their EVENTS PAGE.



It's been a slow summer for me.  Disappointed I was when the Blood Angel rumors turned out to be untrue. I just don't want to play another codex!  I have also been playing Paintball and doing more active things.  


I played in The Invasion of Normandy at Skirmish, PA a few weeks ago and it was just awesome! It is a yearly event where thousands of players get together to reenact The Normandy Invasion.  CHECK IT OUT. If you are interested in joining me next year let me know, it is definitely worth the trip. I will be organizing a team. My next 40k action will be in October at Battle for Salvation.  I will be playing my Lamenters. See you guys there!

Jawaballs

NOVA Charitable Army Build

You have to be IN IT TO WIN IT!

This year's Nova Open Charitable Foundation army build is turning out to be a scorcher!  I was just looking at some of the other models painted and I am blown away. Last time I showed you John Stiening's beautiful knight, well, go look now!  VISIT HERE. But here are some sneakies.

Calgar and Honor Guard

Beautiful Tactical Squad

Dave Taylor's Centurians

And if I get this right, John Stiening actually repainted a Dave Taylor Raider... It is gorgeous! He continues to blow me away. There is so much more to see at the Nova site. GO NOW.


Now for my humble additions. Here is my Tyranic War Vets almost complete. Forgive the terrible lighting and camera, it got run over by my car! But it keeps ticking so I keep using it. :)







And here are my Sternguard. 



For the Sternguard I need to give them all a final highlight on the armor then go over any other details, varnish, and add snow on the bases.  For the War Vets, much the same. My models are struggling to hold their own with some true masters of blue though!  I would dare say that this army project rivals the Battle for Armageddon a couple years ago!  I could spend the rest of summer adding touches here and there, but I will be sending these boys out tomorrow.  The Nova will get some proper pictures taken and posted for all to see.

In case you don't know what this project is, you can WIN THIS ARMY. That is right, you can win one of four armies by visiting the NOVA SITE and purchasing entries. For every dollar you donate, you name will be entered into the drawing once.  If you donate 100 dollars, you name goes in 100 times.  All proceeds raised by this army will go to Doctors Without Borders.  What a worthy cause! You get a chance to do some good in the world, AND win one of the most beautiful armies in the land. 

And don't wait, getting your name into the pool enters you to win additional prizes every week.  The Nova is giving away lots of loot to random people who have donated and it does NOT affect your chances of winning the grand prize.  It is bonus!  I am very proud of being part of this organization and I hope you all donate to the cause and win this army!

Jawaballs