The Road to Templecon: Snakes on a plain

As I’m sure many of you are aware, Clayton (of Iron Kingdoms Aventures) and I lined up a 35 pt test game on Vassal. I was originally going to run a list pretty much along the lines of the one I ran last Monday night (see the last Road To Templecon update), but at the last minute I felt whimsical and thought to myself, self, I thought, why don’t you goof around with some new stuff? Well, I was so darn persuasive with that argument, that I put together a list with a bunch of models I’d been considering but never played before:

Rahn
- Phoenix
Arcanist
Magisters (2)
Snipers (2)
Eiryss
Narn
Dahlia/Skarath
Stormfall
Nayl

The Road To Templecon: Stabby Meatshields

Testing (slowly) continues for Rahn as I try to nut out a list for Templecon. Monday night, I had the pleasure of squaring off against Tom Kusch (TK421 on PP’s forums, Snake Eyes on HK’s forums) and his Skorne. For once I played against an army that can’t completley negate Stealth…

I’ve been struggling to finalise an escalating list, from 25 to 75 points (with two warcasters in the 75 list) so that I can focus my painting efforts in order to get to fully painted status for the lists I intend to field. This means that stuff’s getting thrown in and out of lists with wanton abandon, and I’m trying to find my balance between melee, range and magic stuff, between infantry and jacks.

My list du jour:

Adeptis “Bigjobs” Rahn
Phoenix
Hydra
Narn
Arcanist
Mage Hunter Assassin
House Shyeel Magister
House Shyeel Battle Mages (6)
Dawnguard Sentinels
+ Officer & Standard
+ Soulless

My worthy opponent fielded (assuming I haven’t forgotten anything):

Lord Tyrant Hexeris
Titan Cannoneer
Cylcops Brute
Rhinodon
Praetorian Swordsmen
+ Officer & Standard
Paingiver Beast Handlers
Ancestral Guardian
Bloodrunner Master Tormentor
Tyrant Commander & Standard

HK’s Secret Santa Paint Exchange ‘09

One of the joys of playing at one of the awesomest FLGS’ this side of the Pecos, and being part of a playgroup full of players that are more awesome than some things that are quite awesome, is that when I yell “Hey! Who wants to do a Secret Santa painting exchange?”, I get results like this: 

 

So here’s the drill: Everyone gave me something they wanted painted. I then randomly distributed models among the participants. Everyone had three weeks to paint the models, and return them to the store, under threat of losing the model painted for them, and a subtle combination of derision and leg-breaking from the other participants.* 

Behold, the end results! 

Privateer are big fat teases

For 'lo, they've given us a big fat tease

Teasy McTeaserpants segment of cover art from the Protectorate of Menoth army book located at Bell Of Lost Souls.

The Road To Templecon: Tiny Dances

As loyal blogaholics will have read over at Iron Kingdoms Adventures, Clayton and I had a 15 pt skirmish via Vassal. You can read an overview of the battle over there, but the experience warrants mentioning in my ongoing attempts to come to grips with Adeptis Rahn and his pointy-eared pals.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t go in expecting to win. Rahn seems to have so much potential at higher point levels, but at 15pts he seems to be missing that certain oomph. Of course, that could be entirely due to my insisting on including some of his bemittened pals rather than a second warjack…

So here’s what I ran:

Adeptis Rahn
- Phoenix
House Shyeel Battle Mages
House Shyeel Magister
Narn

15pts on the nose.

MkII Field Test Skorne: Units and Solos

Tom returns to grace us with one last article on Field Test Skorne. I can’t deny him. He’s dreamy.

Hello all and welcome to the final installment of my first impressions-review of the Mkii Skorne Field Test. Today I’ll be looking at how our Units and Solo’s faired.

Cataphract Arcuarii (no experience)

Cost: 7/10pts for 4/6 models.

Stats: Kept the Stats of the regular Cataphract with everyone having Command 9 and 8 Damage boxes each.

Abilities: Unlike a lot of units in Mkii, the Cataphract’s kept their Fearlessness in addition to still being Weapon Masters.

Attacks: The Arcus is the same, providing a solid POW with Reach and can cause plenty of damage with the extra Weapon Master dice. The ranged attack of the Harpoon has changed quite a bit however. No more Hog Tying large targets anymore but the drag has gotten much better. Now after a Cataphract damages an equal or smaller sized target with the Harpoon, the target is pushed directly towards the Cataphract any distance you choose AND the Cataphract can make a melee attack against them. They’re also able to make additional melee attacks if you have a way of getting them to do so..

Overall: A huge improvement in the ranged attack should make these guys far more useful and I can definitely see myself picking them up for a spin. Should be worth that high cost with the right support.

The Road To Templecon: Finding Rahn

Some of you may have read my thread at PP’s forums, but for those who have not, I have a goal.

Templecon has a string of tournaments that I’d like to participate in. I’m no spring chicken, so there’s no way I’m even going to attempt to play in all five back-to-back tournaments while still dabbling in Eternal War and trying to get some time in on the scenario tables. It’s just not conceivable.

That said, I want to be *able* to participate in them all, so when I get there, I have the option to pick and choose.

Saturday’s State Of The Art event requires 50pts of fully painted models. To date, I have a grand total of two models completed – the Scyir I painted as a test model, and the Phoenix I completed Monday night. Getting to 50pts, at the rate I paint, is going to be a bloody miracle, but I’m going to give it my best shot.

To that end, I’ve been trying to plan a 50pt list. If I can finalise the list, I can line up my painting schedule, and not waste time painting models I’m not going to use.

MKII Field Test Skorne: Beasts

Tom (TK421) continues his look at the Mk II Field Test Skorne.

Continuing the review of how Skorne aired in the Mkii field test, today I’ll be looking at some One-eyed monsters and their Pachydermal Pals. That’s right kids, it’s Skorne Warbeast day!

(again, there are a couple Beasties I’ve never used so take their entries with a grain of salt)

Basilisk Drake (no experience)

Cost: 4. Nice and cheap.

Stats: Same across the board except for 1 lower Threshold.

Animus: Impact is gone and is replaced by Lurker at the same cost which give Bushwhack to a model. Very neat, especially as it isn’t limited to Range attacks as I first thought. You can do all your melee attacks then move away to safety!

Abilities: Stud bonus is gone and there’s nothing left to lose.

Attacks: The Toothy Maw is now a Bite but is otherwise the same and while the Withering Gaze no longer forces the target to turn around it is a magical attack.

Overall: Not too shabby for 4pts and there’s some definite combo possibilities with Bushwhack.

Privateer Cares: The Vassal Mechanik

Prayer alone does not maintain the warjacks of the Protectorate. The mechaniks who learn their trade from the Vassals of Menoth view their duties as a holy necessity. They follow the Protectorate’s warjacks into the thick of battle, using the ’jacks themselves as moving fortresses. Armed only with his tools, the mechanik’s greatest weapon is his expertise to keep the warjacks running no matter how severe their damage.

Vassal Mechanik comes in a blister (PIP 32064). A player may field three Vassal Mechaniks for each warcaster in a Protectorate army.

After weeks of moaning about the lack of love, Protectorate fans finally get a preview of one of their new toys… and it’s a dude who turned his wrench into a Menofix. I totally dig it… though why does it look like he has dremel bits in his backpack?? Hee… Roll on March 2010!

New & Improved Ta-Ta’s: Units & Solos

Time for the third instalment, this time we’re looking at the changes brought to us by the Hordes MkII Field Test as they apply to the units and solos of the Ta-Ta Kriel. This means we won’t be looking at things like the newly awesome Kriel Warriors or the much-easier-to-use Stone Scribe Chronicler, but considering I’ve never used ‘em, it doesn’t make much sense for me to be trying to provide in depth analysis . First up, let’s take a look at the revised Champions.

The Tubthumpers
Trollblood Champions in MII