TGG2 Kickstarter Finally ships: The plastic mountain to grow significantly

Raging Heroes' Toughest Girls of the Galaxy 2 kickstarter ships: My pledge choices

Aah, decisions, decisions. Having just taken possession of a Panzergranadier Bolt Action Army, Raging heroes inform me that TGG2 is ready to ship. A hill, nay, a mountain, an avalanche, of plastic heading my way! Luvvit!

So heeere we have it, time to choose those models that you backed on the kickstarted 14 months ago:

Not bad, just 2 months off ETA. Kudos to RH. They kept us informed all of the way!
Great blog, and regular email updates. They shared the whole process with us, step by step.

Just got confirmation that my order in now " awaiting fulfillment" 

So am I too. Indeed, awaiting Fulfillment... 

 More than 3 years in coming, from when I first saw the Dark Elf concept art.

Well done, Raging Heroes!

So first off the stretch goal freebies:

16 stretch goal hero minis. Nice. 

Personally I could do without the 3 "familiars" but what the heck. 

The rest look great.

My motivation for backing this kickstarter was initially to supplement my Warhammer Dark Elf, Slaanesh Daemon and Empire forces. That was before the Warhammer world went up in a puff of smoke to be replaced by you-know what, and Slaanesh was deemed un-PC for soccer moms. 

Well, these girls will have every soccer mom choking on her Earl grey! Well, maybe not completely, but some of the models could come close to being R18 rated. 

My initial idea was to look to filling some of what I deemed lacking/boring/weaknesses in my armies at the time. Well, 9th Ed (Sorry 9th AGE) has nerfed my DE's somewhat, and I had to have a quick rethink of what I intended to order:

I was planning on building a Cult of Ulrich/Hammer-themed Empire army, with Great Hammers, rather than Greatswords. (The post on this, in fact is still sitting, awaiting completion)

So I thought I'd run with the Sisters. I already have a unit that I built for Mordheim, so this is what I went for in my choices:

Erzatz Empire/Empire of Sonstahl: 

 Daughters of the Orphanage, with command

Love this quirky standard bearer

And the musician(s)

Regular Sisters, with command

(Nothing regular about these girls, I'd say)

Sol-Sarya, Priestess of the Sun of Thorns:

Dark Elves. Could really use these nasty girls for anything. Executioners, Witches... many possibilities

Flesh Eaters, with command

Shiveriah, Sorceress

Varaseesh, the venomous:

Alternate medusa ? Again many possibilities

Yscarloth, the harvester of flesh:

Xehzirhya on demon steed

Worm riders and command

Ones I may still spend some money on:

Only didn't get these as there is no option for cross-bows on these alternative dark riders. (and had reached the limit of my pre-paid pledge of a year ago) 

I suppose adding cross-bows would not be not insurmountable. Lovely dynamic sculpts.

Nice sculpts, but no clear use for me (yet)

The ones that didn't quite crack it for me (though I liked the art concepts, but the final renditions of the models don't do it for me):

Copyright of pictures Raging Heroes. Can't wait for my models tpo arrive.

Adieu Games Workshop

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye...

In a blur of motion Valten signals his departure from GW gaming

So I have come out of my period of mourning for the game that has been the focus of most of my hobby endevours for the last decade or three. Like many a relationship it has come to a natural end. Though I have to say, that end was none of my doing or intent.

I loved the Warhammer World. I immersed myself in a world steeped in lore and history, once written and produced by gamers for gamers. It appealed to me for many reasons, the quality of the figures, the depth and width of the fluff, the sense of community...
The excitement of new releases that fit with my existing plethora of armies.

Yup, many of them have never seen the gaming table, and I spent many a dollar just on the joy of building and painting many a model, often to find that it was worthless as a game piece, or to see its worth destroyed by a change in the rules.

I played Warhammer Age of Reckoning online, adding another level of enjoyment to my experience of the Warhammer World. I bought novels that brought the fluff to life. I got my young son into the game.

Then all of it was sacrificed on the altar of profit.

To me, my experience of my relationship with GW had become more and more abusive over the decades. Like anybody trapped in a relationship with someone they loved; and believed that the other party loved them back, I stayed. I loved GW, but they did not love me back.

Then we got to the point where GW killed the Warhammer World. It rolled out the Age of the Sigmarine.  The End Times, (or is it End Crimes?) to me, now relates as a cynical move to squeeze a few more dollars out of those who still believed the game as we knew it may survive. Thank goodness I did not swallow the bait. Only a single End Times model taints my workbench. Gutrot Spume.

Some gamers took it to the extreme.

I too am a business man. I get the business aspects of it all.

But I am also a consumer of miniatures, a gamer, and possibly one with more disposable income than many. Surely there must have been a way forward that did not destroy the Warhammer world.

I (too) have decided to vote with my feet. AoS is not for me. GW is no longer for me.

I suppose my dollar does not count to GW in the greater scheme of things.
So be it.
Hope you attract lots of 8-year olds !

I for one will now leave GW and their Sigmarines to their own destiny.
So long, fare well.
I notice others doing the same.

Interesting post from Pete at Fields of Blood  on the corporate analyst take on the situation, and today announcing NZTCs switch to KoW.

So, where to from here ?  I've looked at the options:

1. Flogging on with 8th Ed in one form or another, (Read "continue as is; pre or post End-Crimes", 8th Ed the new Old Hammer, or call it (Out-in-the-cold Hammer?) or some fan-based machination - we all know how that is going to end);
2. Using my existing figures for another ruleset. (Late medieval/early renaissance gaming sans magic ?)
3). Selling the lot, and sticking with FoW only and
4) Switching to a skirmish based gameset eg Warmahordes

The latter did not appeal, as every figure I have painted is an unique work of art to my eyes.
I have toiled over them for days, weeks and months (oft to my other half's dismay).
They are like family.

So, I weighed 'em up...Pike and Shot, Blackpowder, Deus Vult, Warmahordes, Saga...
Invest in X-Wing ? A nice game or diversion, lots of guys have gone that way...but not what I'm after; I have a love of the Fantasy genre, already have FoW as a diversion anyhow, and alack,  no spare space in the Man Cave...

(Ahem...Huge delivery of Dark Elves bought as kickstarter from Raging Heroes on the horizon; and SAGA still preys on my mind - I may still go that way for a skirmish based game)

Came to a conclusion: Kings of War. 

Had quite an enjoyable game with Matt at the club the other night. Tournament coming at the end of the year. AND NOW NZTC IS GOING KOW

Fluff not quite there, Magic a bit weak, but out of all that is our there, I think Mantic's KoW is going to come up trumps. See one of the big tourneys in the US have also swopped over. And yesterday P
D announced that the NZTC will also switch rulesets.

With many, many WHFB players flocking their way I can see Mantic carrying the massed block based Fantasy Game banner in future. GWs loss is Mantic's gain.

Mantic must be grinning ear to ear.
Cheekily calling their book: The Game of Fantasy Battles. The King is dead, fell on his own sword. Long live the King!

My GW Undead, Empire and Dwarfs are now in the process of rebasing. Enough of them for both Abyssal and regular dwarf armies; and Human and Basilean Armies, each 2000 plus. May need a couple of Eloi for the latter, and some chicks on panthers. Or do I just use those riduculous (sigh) chickens?

Rebased Graveguard..ahem, Revenants

Empire almost there (15 000+ GW points woth) Almost done with the Vampires. (Wow do they kick ass in KoW!) and same with my Greenskins. Suddenly I have both a Goblin and an Orc army, compared to a 8000+ pt well but neigh useless WHFB greenskin army.

...and keep a few of my armies multi-purpose, ...should I ever decide to play 8th ed or one of its Lazarus incarnations which may or may not happen. (Looking verrrry unlikely at this stage) other than ETC (?)

So Druchii and Daemons will remain on their magnetised bases. As for killing off Slaanesh to attract the soccer mums. Bleh on you GW. I am so over it all, and the way you treated us.

Yay! I can use my Confrontation Wolfen now! 

As for the young Prince? Sad to say that GW's move has killed gaming for him. The Lizards and Ogres have gathered dust since the End Times (Well, what would you expect if both your armies suddely get written out of the story fluff) and I have doubts that he will return to gaming for the immediate future. But who knows? The news of NZTC switching may have galvanised him too.

A week ago I set about the mammoth task of rebasing my 15 000 pt + Empire Armies:

White Wolf Greathammers and Knights of Ulrich being transformed. 

Yup, some collector's items in that line-up!

Really 4 or 5  distinct armies sporting the livery of Talabheim, Talabecland, Nordland (Incorporating Kislev) and The Knights of Morr, and a small contingent of Knights of the White Wolf. Not that it matters any more, as in GW's own words "such things are obtuse"

I could actually not have anticipated the feeling of liberation that I got when I started gluing bases to movement trays! "Yes, yes! Never have to remove and restack you, you little bastard !"

Handgunners, Arquebussiers, 10 to a stand. Sooo easy.

Same with the XBows. 10 to a base. Simple. 

Sorry Chaos Army. 

You will have to wait for the rules to catch up with you. No doubt in the pipe-line.

Anyone with a horde army will appreciate what I am saying...
Couldn't wait to glue down those skeletons and zombies. Never will you fly all over the place again!
Not even speaking about night goblins!

Still have to think about the Vargulfs, but everything else seems transferable

 

Night of the Walking Dead

Skeletons, Zombies and ghouls surge forth. No longer shuffle or shamble. Undead are not slow in KoW. Change of Mindset. Oh yes, and then there is SURGE.

Still a huge amount of work to do on the aesthetics, but getting there slowly...

 

NZTC 2014 - My Dark Elf Experience (or lack of)

NZTC 2014 - My experience this year

Playing in my second to last game of the tournament: 

This photo nicely  summarises my experience in NZTC 2014. 

Up against the strong beasties, hard players, part of a team that valiantly fought, but lacked the overall punch ito list strength when taking on the big boys with tournament honed lists. 

All of us lacking tournament experience.

I ran my Dark Witch Elf B*tch bus, (much against my better judgement, but encouraged by Nick (no-one wants to face the witches) Jebson. Took 'em for fun anyway, but probably should have gone w the more competitive Cold One Bus. 

So I arrived with Morathi and a Death Hag on the Cauldron, 2 Hydras, 4 Repeater Bolt Throwers, a Lvl 2 on a cold one, 2 units of 11 Xbowmen (Darkshards, as they are now known), 2x 5 shades and Doodfire Warlocks x5. Dark Magic on Lvl 2, and Morthi choosing from the three lores as she is want to do. I retrospect I should have taken breath weapons on the Hydras, but Luc and I  had huge pressure on us to get our lists out, as we only returned from overseas a week or 2 out from the tournament. Also didn't have much time to play test the list either.

So lessons learned:

1. Take a tough, survivable list, grind it out rather than rely on magic and shooting.

2. Don't take a glass cannon (Morathi)

3. Draw your list up in time, play test it, play test it, play test it.

4. Don't listen to Nick.

5. If you take Hydras, take breath weapons on them.

6. The cauldron does not have leadership without the hag, without her it auto fails any leadership tests.

Game 1

Legion of Doom vs Team HAM

Druchii Civil War: Lachie Mulcahy

Almost didn't make it to this one, raced in from Kapiti to find opponent allocated, at table ready to roll.

Took some time to settle down, first game nerves, being late, no photos taken :(

Great game, friendly opponent that clearly knew all the strengths and weaknesses of the Druchii. His cold-ones outclassed my witches, which were expertly diverted. Both Morathis taken out, magic pretty even, poor rolls on winds of magic throughout game for both sides, no spectacular spells got off. Lachie's cold one knights eventually got the upper hand. Looked like it may be a close loss for a while, but then got caught by his master taking out the hag on the cauldron, with a auto leadership fail after that. (Sux, methinks, that statline! ) 

Witches and cauldron caught and destroyed My Druchii crumbles White-washed 20-0.

Game 2: Team Krak

Neil Williamson's Dwarfs.

One of the most fun games I have ever had against a Dwarf Army with a DE Army. Instead of a gunline with hammers Neil fielded Miners, Longbeards and Warriors, only 4 pieces of artillery, buffed up with the Anvil. Helga came as hero with one unit of Miners, arriving on turn 3. Shooting phases did not go well for him, other than taking out one Hydra. Warlocks and Morathi doing some damage, getting Okrams off twice on his unit of miners, whittling them down until only Helga remained. Valiant Bolt-thrower crews becomg an unlikely tarpit ! The witches charged through into the soft underbelly, and were surprised to see a cannon being dragged into their path as a diversion ! Thinks that's one for the books!

The last hydra gets through to the Anvil, but fails to take out the runelord, resulting in a stalemate

A most entertaining game, which eventually goes to Neil by 13-7 if I recall correctly

Thanks for a fun game, Neil!

Game 3: Team HAM

Thrown to Nick's Daemons!

Drew Nick's Daemons. 2 Skull cannons, bus of Beasts of Nurgle, 2 Units of Horrors and Lvl 4 Tzeench Wizard. This was always going to be painful for me.

Nick deploying his Daemons

The Eye opens, Daemons pouring forth

Bolt Throwers just out of charging distance of those Fiends, got a few shots in before they were annihilated

Thanks to good Ld they did not flee

Managed to kill the unit of Beasts with the Witches, but little else. Took 3 wounds of the Lvl  4 Tzeench /Keeper of Secrets w Xbowmen.  He then chose to go and hide on the furthest corner away. Skull-cannons took out Morathi and the Hydras on turn 2 and 3, and after that it really was game over for the Dark Elves. Can't even remember if I got any points out of this one. Great opponent and a fun game. How I hate those skull cannons. 

Good thing Pete's now nerfed them down to 1 per army in FOB-Lite;  if you ask me.

So endeth the First Day. 1/250th the Legion of Doom not doing too well, but enjoying the tournament.

Day 2

Game 1

First up Team Buckethead: Drew Reagan Ridge's Empire.

What a great game and opponent. Had a well-matched battle with the Druchii coming out on top in the end. 

 

Pensive looks as the Witch Elves carve their way through the Empire Knights

Before the massacre

Bolt-throwers picking off the Monstrous Cavalry, as did Doombolt, 

a very useful spell from the Warlocks, before they hit the flank of the W.E's

(Here seen doing the Conga on their way to smacking the oversized Chickens. 

Are those knights I see showing their heels? 

Shrunken Empire heads for Khaine...

A small but sweet victory, one of the most enjoyable games of the tournament: 

 game, opponent and enjoyment wise.

Day 2 Game 2

James Millington: WoC

Another hammering coming up for the DE's? 

Throgg bus, with serious Lvl 4 Demon prince, Khornish nasties, Hero on Daemonic Mount and dog units, Warshrine to buff up and 3 Skullcrushers to enforce WoC rule

Shooting and magic went well, James avoided the B*tchbus for most. Killed my Hydras early in the piece. WE got into Throgg and Trollbus, nerfed them with burning banner and Morathi added Melkoths, BT poured bolts into them before they got into battle, and then fed them to the witches.

 Nasty. I like. Think its the first time I've killed a Trollbus with Throgg driving.

Got into the spirit of the fight when I shouldn't have, and charged the Daemon Prince with Morathi. 

Well, that's always me- taking the fight to the enemy. Should have hidden her away, and it may have been a draw. Landed a few blows, but not enough to take him out. Exit Morathi...

A possible draw went to a loss.

A great and most enjoyable game against a humorous and skilled opponent. A really fun game, 

and in the end actually quite balanced, thanks to good magic rounds.

Day 3 Game 3

Wolfpack

Jeff Kent's Empire

Up against the team tipped by Pete to finish in the top 5. Can see why, some big guns from the tournament scene here. Professional outfit, friendly but focused and efficient in their gaming. 

No quarter given or taken. In my game anyhow. (The way I approach surgery.) 

Think the experience was the same for all our team members.

Morathi leading the conga with Lvl 2 in tow.

Mostly to try and stay out of reach of the Hellblaster cannon end Empire Great cannons.

This unfortunately also kept her out of range of the majority of her spells. Hydras negated by murderous cannon fire. Only good moment was my skewering of a rank of Monstrous chickens with my BTs, one of which seemed to have a charmed life. Clever use of terrain, bad luck w fleeing Shades obstructing my WE's movement  and a counter-charge by a very small detachment unit of Xbowmen prevented my WEs and couldron from getting into the action. Out-maneuvred and out-shot.  the game went to Jeff. A lesson in technical playing and knowledge of the rules, delivered with surgical precision.

A good game, but DE's were no match for consistently accurate cannon fire and honed rule skills. Well played game, Jeff. 

 Some great looking armies from the tournament:

Not sure who this belonged to, but some great lizardmen

Phil Wu's HEs

My (faceless) son modeling the team T-shirt

LoD taking of the Bucketheads

All 1/250th of the Legion of Doom.