The Greathead Tribe

Friday 6th January 2006

It finally came time for me too to start an army diary (practically, I am making one, in the butcher's couldron, for brets/centaurs army... so there's no need not to make one for my beloved ogres).
For now, since I am lacking in time, I'll just post my army pics, afar (some have been posted already, in the previous forum). enjoy:
tyrant: Ikimik Greathead himself:

bruiser (brutally copied the idea by Mike the Ogre... cheers Mike):


Butcher: Tsuaf Peedrinker:

Butcher: Dualc Pukeater:

Empire Crushers (IGs):



The Pitbulls (Bulls):


The Meatbulls (Bulls):

LBs:

Gnoblars (Gnobbo Wannabies):

gnoblars (Mean Gnobbos):

Empire infiltrates (trappers):

Scrapluncher (home made) (now is primed):

Scrapluncher (the chop shop)


Da Heavy Weights (Rhinox Riders) (Half painted):




Tomorrow I'll post fluff and other stuff (hopefully).
cheers

wow, excellent conversion work, i especially like the gnobbo wannabies conversions and the slingshot style scraplauncher.

what did you use for the rhinox's on the scraplaunchers?

the army looks great, keep us posted and keep up the good work.

Excellent stuff ikim, I especially love the Gnoblars and the Bruiser with the guns

Do you have a pic/link to a pic of Mike the Ogre's similar conversion? I don't recall ever seeing it...

AT LAST, i've been waiting for this for months!
Exelent, cool, fantastic work, especially the rhinox riders!!!

And i almost forgot: Cheers

Cheers ikim! Your stuff is ace!

Mind if I copy that bruiser idea too? Smashing...

You inclusion of empire soldiers in great too. In fact I'm having a couple of empire boxes lying in the depth, that I'm trying to get rid of. Mayhap I should just use them with my ogres...

Cheers, Meatfist

That Bruiser is pretty "gangsta" Great work.

Saturday January 7th

this
http://users.boardnation.com/~ogre_stronghold/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=2268;start=0
is the link to the post in the old forum, where miketheogre posted his characters.
He is the one who made that awsome bretonian man eater, with the fairy gnoblar (hilarious).

To get on with my tribe, I'll breifly explain the fluff:
The Greathead tribe is led by Ikimik, son of Mikimi, who was killed by an empire crossbowman.
This empire guy was wondering in the mountains, looking for something to hunt, when he stumbled on a rock, and made the crossbow shoot. The dart hit Mikimi in the throat, killing him.
Ikimik now wants revenge, but not because his father was murderd, but because he wanted to do it himself.
Therefore, now, he hates all that has anything to do with empire.
He even hired some gnoblars, and kitted them with empire helmets, to infiltrate in Midenheim, to diescover the enemy's plans.

My ogre minis are shaped and modified as if they had just finished fighting against an empire army, winning, of course.
The meangnoblars have surrounded some empire men, how think they can still fight... the chop shop is supposed to pick up dead empire men bodies, chop them up, stuff them into barrels, throw them to the enemy;
The empire crushers (IGs), have a standard bearer who is holding an empire standard bearer; while the bellower is yelling to an empire man's face.
Ikimik himslef is stepping on the empire man, who he thinks is the one who killed his "beloved" father... REVENGE!!!!!!!  

tomorrow, army lists.
cheers

Sunday January 8th

And now, my armylists.
I managed to win quite a lot with these lists, but, mostly the 1.5K list needs some more touchups (especially on the gorger, since I have the philosophy of taking 2 or none at all).
Here they go:

2000 pts:
Ikimik Greathead Tyrant (Tyrant)
     General; Luck Gnoblar; Great Weapon; Heavy Armour
     Kineater
     Wyrdstone Necklace

Tsuaf Peedrinker (Butcher)
     Fistful of Laurels
     Bangstick

Dualc pukeater (Butcher)
     Skull Mantle
     Siege Breaker

5 Pit Bulls (w/ Dualc pukeater)
     Standard

4 Crushers (Ironguts) (W/ Ikimik and Tsuaf)
      Standard

8 Empire Infiltrates (Trappers)

20 wannabees (Gnoblars)

Scraplauncher

Scraplauncher

Da Heavy weights (3 Bull Rhinox Riders)
     2ndWeapon; Heavy Armour; Standard-War Banner; Thunderlord

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 4
Models in Army: 44

Total Army Cost: 2005

1500 pts: This list was intended for a tournament at my local GW store, where I knew I would have faced a lot of chaos deamon armies, with quite some cheesy magehammer lists...

Lucius Greatneck(Bruiser)
     General; Brace of Handguns; Heavy Armour
     2 Gnoblar Thiefstones
     Fistful of Laurels

Tsuaf peedrinker (Butcher)
     Jade Lion
     Sword of Might

4 Ogre Bulls (w/ Bruiser and Butcher)
     2ndWeapon; Standard

6 Ironguts
     Standard-War Banner

20 Gnoblars

9 Gnoblar Trappers

Scraplauncher

Scraplauncher

2 Leadbelchers
     Musician

1 Gorger

Casting Pool: 4
Dispel Pool: 3
Models in Army: 46


Total Army Cost: 1501

1000 pts: : I tried this only twice, against skaven and brets, and it worked out good... it is not lacking downpoints, and I'll work on it more:  

Lucius Greatneck (Bruiser)
     General; Luck gnoblar; Brace of Handguns; Heavy Armour
     Fistful of Laurels
     1 Thiefstone

20 Gnoblars
     
5 Pit Bulls
     Standard

6 Ironguts
     Standard

Scraplauncher

2 Leadbelchers

Models in Army: 35
Total Army Cost: 1001.

Tomorrow: general tactics.
cheers

cool minis. a great army. i like the scrap launchers use of a brontops model. good alternative for a rhinox, very cool. cheers

Monday January 9th

As promised, I'll talk about my general tactics, using ogres, today.
I have played 3 armies (brets, skaven, ogres), am I can quite master all of them (with this I don't mean that I am a master with them... I just know how to use them... LOL), and I usually prefer having a simmetrical tactic, that either:
1-a strong unit in the center, while the other, support units are on the sindes of the field;
or
2-an even number of strong units, equally divided upon the right and left side of the field.

I usually use symmetrical tactics, since I tend to forget a lot of my general tactic, and what I have on the field, so, when I have a lot of units, and a lot of things to think about, I can only think once per twice...

I, though, have encountered a big dissapointment, at the beginning of my "ogre career", when I figured such tactic wasn't going to work (I litterally fell into sherds, and got a lot defeats).

So, the only tactic that works for me, using the armies I have posted, is the deny flank.
Such tactic does wonders, for me, since I can deploy the whole army on a side of the filed, leaving the other side totally free.
Denying one flank is great against:
1-armies that hit only/mostly in h2h (VC, Khorne, brets), since half the enemy army will have to run through the whole field, before being in close combat with your units, and, by the time they arrive, you have destroyed all the other flank;
2-armies with fire power (empire, high/dark elves): since, ranged weapons, with medium/short range, won't shoot, 'cause your units will be out of range, so they'll have to move (and most warmachines, if not all, are move or fire). Against guessing weapons (cannons, mortars etc.), the guesser will have to guess a long way, increasing the error, in the guess.

A deny flank tactic, needs to be very well planned, though, in all it's details: you need to have in mind exactly what units you have, and what they are there for.
This brings the point of the 3 focal points: the hard hitting focal point; the center/blocking focal point; the support focal point.

The hitting focal point is composed of hard hitting units (in my case, IGs, kitted bulls, Rhinox riders) and the characters. This will face the part of the enemy army that is right in front of them, moving fast and straight forward, through the field.

The blocking focal point should be usually composed of stubborn/unbreakable units (swarms work wonders, for this job, but Ogres have none), so I use 2 scraplunchers. People are very scared of these machines, and don't really want to get into their charge range, 'cause they know it will hurt- a lot; meanwhile, the scrappies can mange to kill something, with their catapults.
This part of the army has the double aim of: 1.stopping the hard hitting units from being flanked; 2.cover the hard hitting units, from being hit by ranged attacks.

The third focal point are the one that should go wondering alone, in the field, attracting the enemy attention out of the other two focal points, or, simply, attracting frenzied enemy charges, so to break the enemy lines. These are cheap units, that can shoot or hit in h2h, and can be very versatile (LBs do wonders, for this job... even they are not really that cheap; trappers and gnoblars are a great buy).

Ok, I think this is it.
tomorrow: single unit tactics.
cheers

tuesday January 10

As anticipated, today I'll talk about my single unit choices: why I have them; why I kitted as they are; why... whatever.
(disclaimer: I'll only talk about the 2000 pts army, since the other armies have, on a smaller scale, the same principals, but with fewer units).

Characters:
Tyrant: Luck Gnoblar; Great Weapon; Heavy Armour
Kineater; Wyrdstone Necklace.
In my gaming experiance I have learned that the best magical items are the ones that: 1.affect the whole unit; 2.affect Ld (in all ways).
Too many times my best fighting unit had to flee, for a failed panic test at Ld9... now, with kineater this is a distant memory, and my units are more sturdy and will remain in battle a tad longer (I usually don't have tp take many Ld tests, with my Ogres, so if the few ones I take are rerollable, it is quite an advantage).
The rest of the tyant equipment is there to keep him strong but cheap, and also protected in challenges (especilly with the neckl, the HA, the luck gnobbo).


Butcher: Fistful of Laurels; Bangstick
This guy goes in the same unit as the tyrant.
Combine the Laurels with the kineater (or jade lion) and you have the sturdiest unit there can be: repeatable psy and break tests are a killer.
The bangstick is much better, in my opinion than a dispell scroll (ok, ok... I know what you might be thinking: bangstick is offensive; dispells are difensive), but a bangstick can drain 2 dispell dice from the enemy, leaving more chances for your butcher to cast more spells (even defensive ones).


Butcher Skull Mantle; Siege Breaker
I know what some of you might say, at this point: a butcher with siegebreaker... I know, I know... I was the one who spent half a thread saying how stupid it was to have a butcher fighting in h2h, and that he was not ment to be, that he was just a magician... but I was wrong!!!!
Butchers have to stay in the front rows of units; butchers have to be able to crack up some skulls... a siegebreaker just seems the ticket.
This guy goes in the Bulls unit, who need some help on their side, to kill some enemies.
What's the perfect magical item to go with a war-butcher? Skullmantle just runs through my mind, as I read such phrase. the Skullmantle will provide that -1Ld after magic and after h2h combat... a real must have.

As you have seen, there are no dispell scrolls. I figured that, since a dispell scroll can dispell only 1 spell, I'd still have no chance against magehammer armies. Against my skaven army, i.e., in which I have 12 dice in the casting pool + 7 warpstones, what do you think 2 dispell scrolls will do, when the skavens cast a ratio of 6 spells per turn (for a total of aprox. 30 during all the game).
So I prefered going on a more realiable basis, and starting from there.

In my 1500 pt army, I have given my bruiser 2 thiefstones, and got a butcher.
While this might seem a bit too much, with this army, I was able to stop the magic phase of a mage hammer skaven army... plus, such 1500 pts army, was supposed to be used in a tourmanent at my local GW club, where I know there would have been a lot of pyrodeamons and other magehammer armies... I knew that 1 butcher was not enough, and 2 would have been too much points on characters...
Too bad, I cannot attend such tournament...  

For now, this is it...
Tomorrow: more unit description.
cheers

January 11th 2006

Today I'll talk about my R&F units.
IGs and bulls, as said in a previous post, are my hard hitting focal point. Their role, supported by the 3 characters, is to run through the field, and hit what ever comes under their weapons.
As easy as it is.
Kineater and laurels are a great combo, and this will make the IGs unit stay quite a long time.
As you can decieve, in my 1500 army, I have a unit of 6 IGs, and a unit of 4 Bulls. This is because IGs have Ld8, just like the bruiser, so, I figured, it would be a waist to put my bruiser in such unit. I therefor preferred having 2 units with Ld8 on the field, considered that the IGs will manage to crush what ever they encounter, with or without the Bruiser.
Rhinox Riders are a real killer machine.
I tried once, dividing the unit in two rhinox riders and one rhinox rider, hoping to spread terror a bit faster, through out the field. It didn't go too well, and the lone rhinox rider fled after charging 25 skaven  clanrats (it was really bad dice rolling though)...
I also found out there is no need to keep these guys cheap: they are expencive in the first place: therefor I always give them a war banner, for a +2 static CR, plus 18 US. Champs are 99% of the time a waist of points, IMO, but an extra attack on such unit is always a good buy. Heavy armor and 2nd HW are a must.
When these three units reach the enemy, they won't be outnumbered that easily, being a deny flank tactic, and, trust me, such units usually kill anything on a 1on1 basis... anyhow, supporting one another, when possible is plan B (if you have no plan B, you have no plan at all... the old wise man said).
When this slaughter has been accomplished, the three units turn 90° and start going through the enemy line(s), or what is left of them (after panic tests, terror tests, etc etc).

To protect these units from being flanked, I got scrappies. These are chariots and therefor cannot march, but, even if they stay behind the hard hitting focal point is no big deal.
Scrappies can move and fire, and the fact that they can stay a tad behind the other units means that they can charge on the flank anything that tries to charge the IGs...

Gnoblars will be right in the middle of the blocking focal point and the distracting focal point so I can use them, according to what is actually needed. If the LBs need support (numbers and 3 ranks are a good support, always), they move toward the LBs, if such support is needed by the scraplunchers, the gnobbo will stay near these.

LBs are versatile, and can do all sorts of things. I don't expect them to kill a whole unit of chosen chaos knights, but even if these knights (i.e.) are attracted away from the other units, away from the main battles, away from the enemy line is always an advantage.

In my 1500 pts army, I have also got a gorger, that really adds nothing to the main tactic... but, since I had the points, I wanted to add a bit of spice to the game.    

For now, this is it.

Tomorrow: why I didn't choose other OK units: hunter, maneaters, giant and yetees[/b]

Surely a weapon would be more use on the bruiser, in which case you could take a great weapon or a longsword (these are the two I would consider) and a few extra gnoblars. A Cathayan longsword and six gnoblars costs the same as a sword of might, and I would rather take a weapon on my fighting character. Unless you face a lot of spirit hosts I suppose...

Friday January 13th 2006

@ burningnun: I modeled my bruiser to have BoH, and, even though I am not a wysiwyg addict, I like him to have BoH, plus BoH grants and extra attack in h2h (see the pistol rules, in BRB), which is really not that bad.
The sword of might on the buthcer is selfexplainatory: the butcher has no ogre club, but a normal hand weapon, and since I need him to stay in the front rows, he might as well be a mean lean fightin' machine.
6 more gnoblar fighter won't add much to the army (I think a unit of 20, being a support unit, from which I don't expect much, is enough), and cath long sword is just not on my strings...  


Yesterday I was too buisy to post on my diary (study, meetings, etc made my day), but today I'll talk about the units I didn't take in my armies, and why.
Hunter: in the forum, we have talked about a whole lot about this guy: take it, don't take it. In my really first army, I put one in, fully kitted with a greyback pelt, and som' else I cannot remember, and abviously with 2 cats, but, later on, I figured it wasn't worth it.
I am not a "loner-lover"... I prefer having my characters in units, where they are protected and safe(-er) then being all by themselves.
For this same reason,  I have chose not to take a lone tyrant, with bullgut, bigname, and tenderiser (or whatever)... I figure that such type of characters (which cost over 250 pts), will be shot at by any unit, and, eventually, will be killed before regaining points back.
Sabretusks would be the only reason I'd take a hunter: they are a really cool unit, that has a lot of potential... but spending over 170 pts for 2 cats, that can do just as much a unit of trappers (IMO), that cost 1/3, is a bit too much.

Giant: I have posted in various times my "hate" (strategy wise and tactic wise) about this fella. I never used it... I have to admit (even though I will most likely buy the new plastic one, just for the modeling fun of him... plus all those bits, that are awsomly juicy) and never even considered taking one in any of my armies.
Giant have the same problems I have described about the hunter: a lone dude, no matter how big it is, will get shot at, in no time. Plus the giant is a big target, and even bret bowmen (BS3) will hit him on 3s... wanna talk about surviving probabilities, for this big guy, when 10-15 arrows (minimum) are shot at him, per turn? He will be dead before you know it.
I have seen friend's giants fall under crappy bowmen, too many times... don't even want to consider against woodies, or any kind of elf.
If you want a terror causer (which, IMO, is the only good thing about a giant) get scars for your tyrant, or a bullrhinox rider.

Maneater: these guys are some serious fightin' machines: they are bruisers, but cost a tad less, and are stubborn... so why don't I take them?
They are a perfect tar pit unit, they can block even the hardest unit for some turns, leaving time for the other units to reach the enemy line.
Though, to work a tar pit unit, there cannot be only one (if I tool only one, I'd end up having a loner, that, as explained before, I don't like). In units of 3, they give their best potential: 12 wound unit, with stubborn... awsome! but the outcome is that a 3 maneater unit will cost 240 pts NAKED!!!! 240 pts... oh man!!! just like 5 IGs, almost like 2 bullrhinox riders, 40 pts less that 6 bulls... In my army (with my tactic) there just is no room for such unit, especially since I would use it as a tarpit unit.

yetees: never used them! I have to admit, and never even considered taking them. A lot of non-ogre players really fear these guys, but if 195 pts for 3 yetees (that are nothing more than faster bulls), when, with 210 pts, I can directly get 6 bulls, I just don't see their advantages.
Magical attacks are a blast, I have to admit, but unless you are facing a lot of spirit hosts and ghosts, even their uses are limited.

For today I'm done.
tomorrow: more painted pics (of my scraplunchers), or a battle report (reposted)... I'll see what I can do.
cheers

Sunday January 15th 2006

I would have preferred posting painted pics of my scraplunchers, but these few days I was overwhelmed by my study and by a lot of other things to do around the house...  
So, instead of posting som' new, I'll repost a battle report, some of you might have missed, in the old forum.
here it goes; enjoy:

I played today a try out game, against skaven, using the rules of an upcoming tournament, held by a GW store that limits to 2 the number of heroes, and to 4 the number of warmachines, and a total of 1500 pts.
I had
1st unit: Bruiser (2 thiefstones and Laurels, HA, GW and BoH); Butcher (sword of might, jade lion), 4 bulls w/ 2nd HW, standard;
2nd unit: 6 IG with standard and war banner;
20 gnoblars;
9 trappers;
2 scraplunchers;
1 gorger;

Skaven were
2 warlock eng (1 with 2 dispell scrolls and 1 with stormdeamon and warpstone charm) 4 ratswarms;
4 units of 20 clanrats, with 4 ratlings);
10 jezzails;
2 units of 2 packs of giant rats (12 rats plus 2 handlers);
2 units of 20 slaves.
                                   
_______Ogre deployment zone___________
I .....................................................................I
I .....................................................................I
I .....................................................................I
I ...........................................boulder...............I
I .................................................................... I
I ..hill.............................................................. I
I ...................... woods.................................... I
I......................................................................I
I......................................................................I
I......................................................................I
I......................................................................I
I..................................woods...........................I
I......................................................................I
_______skaven deplyment zone__________


From left to right
Skaven:
Giant Rats 1; Slaves 1; Clarats 1, ratling 1; Clanrats2, ratling 2;  Jezzails and, in front of them the ratswarms; Clanrats 3 ratlings3; Clanrats4 ratling 4; Slave2; Giant Rats 2, and, somewhere in between, Walock Eng. 1 and 2.
Ogres:
Gnoblars; LBs; 2 scrappies; bulls (w/ heroes); IGs. The trappers went in the small wood.


TURN 1:
Skaven:
Giant Rats 1 and Slave 1 move up the hill, Clanrats 1,2,3,4 with their weapon teams move forward; Ratswarms move in the middle of the field; Warlock Eng. 1 and 2 move to a better position;
The magic phase sees only one wound at 1 Scrapluncher, the rest is either dispelled causes no more damage;
In the shooting phase, the Jezzails shoot at the Scrapplauncher, destroying it.

Ogres:
They all move forward, apart the IGs, that move behind the boulder, wanting to go around it. The trappers come out from the woods, in front of  Clanrats 2, shoot the swarms (of which I was afraid of… and I was right to be), dealing 1 wound…
In the magic phase, the butcher casts toothcracker on its unit, and that’s it;
The shooting phase sees the trappers dealing 1 wound on the swarms, and the only scrapluncher remaining hitting the Jezzails right on the spot, killing 6 (lucky dice throw). Jezzails don’t panic and remain put… darn;

TURN 2
Skaven:
Clanrat2 charge the trappers, who flee, but are not fast enough (they run only 3”), and are caught and killed… anyway, the skaven line broke…
The Ratswarms charged the Bull unit from a flank… too bad the bulls were in 4-2 formation, so only the butcher could hit them.
Nobody moves, except Giantrats 2 and Slaves 2 who move by the boulder, waiting for the IGs.
The magic phase is very well stopped, but Wwrlock Eng. 2 deals 1 wound on an IGs, and the storm deamon deals 2 wounds on the Scrappy.
The skaven player was too greedy, and misfired with 2 ratlings, while the other 2 managed to shoot at my bull unit, killing 1 bull, and dealing 3 wounds to the ratswarms.
The Jezzails shoot, dealing 2 wounds on the scrapluncher.
The only combat was the bulls attacked from a flank by the Ratswarms, who lost by 1, and stayed (being unbreakable, it was easy…).

Ogres:
No sign of the gorger.
The gnoblars charge Giant Rats 1, LBs move a bit forward, IGs turn around the boulder, the scrapluncher misses the Ld test and charges the Clanrats 2, dealing a huge amount of damage, making it flee, and running it over, but leaving the scrappy in an open position.
The Butcher only casts toothcracker again on his unit.
The bruiser BoH (I forgot I had it.. oops) shoots, but misses ratling3, left all alone… darn.
The gnoblars loose by one (because Giant rats1 was on an elevated position), and flee, and get caught… shubbers.
The Butcher deals another 2 wounds on the swarms, who do nothing, and they stay (tar pit, anyone?).

TURN 3
Skaven:
Clarats 3 charge the bulls; Giant Rats1 turns around to face the LBs’ butt; the rest stay put.
The Worlock Eng. 2 casts (with irresistible force) and deals 2 wounds to the bull unit, but also deals 3 damage to the swarms and another 3 wounds to Clanrats3. the other warlock eng. deals no damage.
In the shooting phase the scrapluncher is shot to pieces by the Jezzails, and the ratlings deal more damage to themselves, than to the Ogres, in terms that missfire… (luckily for me).
The combat in the middle of the field goes on, and the charged Bulls win the battle, breaking Clanrat3, but not being able to run it down, because of the swarms (damn you, swarms).

Ogres:
The gorger shows up (I place him near the Giant rats1, since anywhere in sight of the Jezzails or the ratlings would have been a massacre for the poor fella, since these are skirmishers).
LBs charge Clanrats1, who stay receiving the charge; IGs charge Giant Rats2, who flee, scared by the big guys, making warlock Eng.2 and Slaves2 and clanrats4, before them… unlucky throws for skaven.
The magic phase is now shut down, having one warlock eng, 2 on the run…
The shooting phase has more damage dealt by the ratlings, who kill an IG, kill a Bull, and deal 2 wounds to a LB… but also hit their skaven fellas, but all remains put.
Magic phase is very unlucky, and I can only cast bullgorger on the butcher’s unit…
The combat goes on with the butcher, killing some more rats (leaving, now 8 wounds to the swarms), but he receives another 2 wounds, from the little suckers… only one wound left… darn.
The LBs manage to win the combat against Clanrats1 (5 wounds out of 6 hits… great throws), and Clanrats1 flees in pain, but is not reached by the LBs, who stop right in front  the Jezzails and ratling 1. Nearby, though, there is the warlock eng. 1, who sees his friends, and flees also (bad positioning from the skaven player).

TURN 4:
Skaven:
From the right side, nobody rallies, apart Slaves 2, and the rest just keeps on running for their lives, but still not out of the table. Warlock eng.1 doesn’t rally either, and he keeps on running too.
Clanrats1 keeps on fleeing too; Clanrats3, instead, rallies (these must be the bravest skaven ever to see daylight).
Jezzails move forward, to see all the ogre units: scary sight… for the ogres that is.
No mages to cast spells, so nothing happens in the magic phase (and nothing will ever happen again).
The shooting phase is a disaster for the ogres: the IGs, now there’s 5 of them, are shot down to 3, from ratling3 and 4; ratling1 shoots against the LBs, but is too greedy, and, after rolling 1 and 6, throws again, scoring another 1… lucky me.
The combat in the middle is the usual tar pit, and the Butcher lives his last moments, dealing, though, 2 wounds before dieing.

Ogres:
The gorger charges the Giant rats1, and breaks them, runs them down, killing them.
The IGs move forward, preparing to charge one of the clanrats unit.
The LBs shoot at Clanrats3, but both shots miss.
The Bruiser deals more wounds to the swarms, but not enough to kill it, and receives nothing in return.

TURN 5:
Skaven:
Giant rars2, Warlock Eng.2 and Clanrat4 keep on fleeing, going outside of the table.
Rratling1 shoots the LBs down (dealing 13 hit, wounding 9… ouch… poor fellas).
The other ratling shoots against the IGs, so do the 4 Jezzails, leaving 2 (one of which with only 1 wound left).
clanrats3 prepare to receive a charge, by the remaining bulls or IGs…
Finally, the tar pit is destroyed, and the Bruiser and the bulls are free… it only took 5 turns...

Ogres:
Finally the Bruiser can do som’, apart shooting at the birds (missing them!!!).
The bulls charge Clanrats3, which stay. The h2h combat ends with a solid defeat for the skaven, who flee, and are caught by the 2bulls+Bruiser.
The IGs charge clanrats1, and win the battle (thanx to the warbanner), running the rats down to pieces..
The gorger moves closer to ratling1, but not close enough...

TURN 6:
Skaven:
All that’s left is 3 ratlings, have nothing that can be hit, so they move out of charge range…
The 4 remaining Jezzails shoot at the IGs, but nothing hits (lucky IGs).

Ogres:
It’s time to get table quarters, the Bruiser, with the 2 remaining bulls, the gorger and the 2 IGs cannot charge anything.
The game ends with a very close tie:
Ogres score: 1420 pts;
Skaven score: 1398 pts.

I was right to fear ratswarms, and they proved to be the most efficient unit for skaven.
The gorger wasn’t so bad, but since Jezzails and ratlings are skirmishers, I had to place him away from them, or else, he would have been shredded.
From the magic point of view, it went great: no spell was cast on the bulls unit (with magic res.2), and pretty much everything was dispelled (apart one spell cast with irresistible force, which, for skaven is 13)…
Ogres proved strong enough, and the fact that the bulls had rerollable psy and break tests I was pretty confident… too bad it got stuck for a hell of 5 turns.
Scraplinchers are my favorite unit in for ogres, too bad they couldn’t do much (1 was shot down in turn 1… the second killed 6 Jezzails and crushed a clanrat unit, before being shot to pieces).
LBs were quite good, but mostly because of the greediness of the skaven player, who misfired, even though the ratling already had a quite enough hits to kill them.
Trappers did what they had to: nothing, apart being a bait for the enemy units.
I hoped the gnobbo fighters would have done a bit more (too bad they were fighting in a lower position from the giant rats), but they are gnoblars, after all.
IGs and Bulls managed to win battles even with only 2 ogres in the unit (well, they were skaven after all, not chaos knights…).
Well, I hope you enjoyed this long read.
cheers

AT last very cool scrappie, I'm doing one like that too, just with a toy baby rhinox and an old HE bolt thrower

AT last very cool scrappie, I'm doing one like that too, just with a toy baby rhinox and an old HE bolt thrower

Cool, can't wait to see it... but... there's something I'm missing: how can it be similar if you're using a toy baby rhinox, and an old HE bolthrower?? LOL  :wink:
You must post pics when done.
cheers

Wow, cool scraplauncher man!

Thursday Feb 16th 2006

Some of you might have seen them in the butcher's couldron, but I prefer also posting them here: my new 3 maneaters.

Fluffwise, they are the "Long lost cousins", cousins of Ikimik, who, as him, have a problem with the empire. They hate firepower (they are samurai, afterall), and have a hatred for Empire since they went in the Samurai region invading and killing with deadly cannons and other guns.
Knowing what happened to their uncle (Ikimik's father) they decided to join the tyrant in his battle against thos pesty empiremen.

Gamewise: they will be equipped with only HA, since I want to keep them cheap, having only a supporting role, and I know that 80% of the time they will perish.
I know that almost 200 pts for a support unit that might even die before the end is a lot of points, but if they do as they are supposed to, they will regain all their points back,

Modelingwise: the pics are the same as the ones shown in the other section, but the models have been updated. I filled some gaps (huge gaps, if I have to say), with some greenstuff, and added some minor details, and, of course, carved off all those mould lines...

Enough braggiing. Here are the Long lost cousins.
Enjoy:

Monday Febr 20th 2006

After coming back from a weekend snowboarding, with my best friend, I came back to city life...  
To keep me buisy (as if I didn't have enough stuff to do), I modified the unpainted butcher, so to put a bangstick in his hand and a fistfull of laurels...
After a lot of thinking, about what my bangstick should look like, I did som' a bit strange: the conversion is a sort of leadbelcher (but with the cannon chained on his left hand), and, to make him stand out from the normal LBs, I gave him an ork-shaman-on-boar head (the one with the wooden mask and the feathers).
In his right hand the butcher is holding some leaves (the ones that are provided with the wood elves glade guard/riders sprue), to resemble the fact that he has a fistfull of laurels.
Tomorrow I'll post pics of the guy.
cheers

Tuesday Febr.  21st 2006

As promised yesterday, today I managed to take pics of my buthcer (or, as I call him, my LeadButhcer - get it? lead-Butcher, instead of lead-Belcher... I'm hilarious...)    .
Well, he is Dualc Pukeater, and followed Ikimik Greathead in many battles. Now that the Greathead tribe has become richer and wealthier, Ikimik could afford a real bangstick (and what a bangstick   ), some laurels, and a real voodoo mask.
Too bad, Ikimik had the bangstick chained to poor guy's body, so he'll have to sleep with the darn thing... but I don't think he doesn't mind, after all...  
Ok, meet the new Dualc.
Enjoy:




Tomorrow: finished pics of the three painted samurai: the long lost cousins.
Cheers

*edit* changed the Butcher's name... I got confused... thanx Kyte for bringing this to my attention..  

well he's cool, but I liked the old tusaf peedrinker (The braugh-slavelord-thing) about a milion times better! not that this is bad! It's really great, but why change the exelent Braugh with this???

OH! another thing! did your rhinox riders also get sticky and soft arfter painting? my champion's did! if not, I'll use the same as your standard for my sec... Oh, that's a secret

The braugh-butcher remained, of course, I ment Dualc Pukeater (not Tsuaf.. oops   ), and he used to be the other butcher; this guy:


To answer your second question: no, everything is still stiff and solid, and no sticky-ness.
cheers

thanks for the answers! it might have something to do with your transperant undercoat, since we used the same rhinoxen and only mine got sticky! or maby it's because I use gloss-varnish. nontheless I'll buy a one like your standard bearrer

Wed. Febr 22nd 2006

I managed to finish the three maneaters: all I've done is finish the banners and the bases, and fix some flaws here and there.
Here are the pics:





I have also made a quick standard bearer, for my Pit Bull unit (the one with the two IFs).
I thought that it would be wierd to have pit bulls bringing a standard bearer (they have IFs, so no hands free). Than I made a gnoblar standard bearer.
He is magnetized, since I not always take a standard bearer in such unit.
here it is:




cheers

- The maneaters are great

a quick standard bearer

 - that must have been really quick! I used to love everything in your army, but this standard is awfully painted (NO offence)
 

that must have been really quick! I used to love everything in your army, but this standard is awfully painted (NO offence)
 

No offense what so ever...  :wink:  You are absolutly right: it was a quick job, and it is pretty awful... I thought some "red blood" splattered on it would have made it better, but I was wrong.
I'll see to make it to a better standard tomorrow.
Cheers

No offense what so ever...  :wink:  You are absolutly right: it was a quick job, and it is pretty awful... I thought some "red blood" splattered on it would have made it better, but I was wrong.
I'll see to make it to a better standard tomorrow.
Cheers

 - Thank god! that thing was beginnign to scare me!!!

Febr. 24th 2006

Some of you might have seen this guy in a wip thread in the butcher's couldron. Now he is finished and ready to be painted and brought to battle (even though I don't think I'll ever use him in games below 2500 pts... unless I make him the Standard bearer of a R&F unit.....).
Well, his name is Brutus the handsome (brutus, for those of you who don't know, means ugly... get it: ugly the handsome...   )...
I don't think I'll be able to paint him by the weekend, but I'll see what I can do next week.
Enjoy:





I'll play another game at 2000 pts against VC, tomorrow evening... I'll post a brief summery of the event when finished...
cheers

Ferb. 25th 2006

Very little time, so I'll be breif: I played against my friends VC.
The game was at 2000 pts... by turn 5 he gave up.
I won 2532 vs his 322 points... MASSACRE.
I'll post pics tomorrow, and I'll write the usual brief batt.rep. (if I can find the time to).

On the painting side, I almost finished Brutus the Handsome... all I have to do is base him and finish the details on the banner pole.
Tomorrow, pics of him too.

cheers

Febr. monday 26th 2006

First off: as I posted yesterday, on saturday I played a 2000 pts game, vs a dear friend of mine, who playes Vampire counts.
He had:
7 black knights, full command, with vampire (Von Carstein, 2nd lvl mage) in it;
2x20 skellies
2x20 zombies
5 wolves
20 grave guards
2 2nd lvl mages.
2 bases of sprit hosts

I had the usual 2000 list, the one with the 3 maneaters inside.



I am not going to describe, turn by turn, what happened (even because I don't remember). Though, I'll describe some highlights.
Since he deployed according to my deployment (deny flank), I could easily outsmart him... plus the big boulder in the middle of the field was, for him, a pain in the butt... but for me it was very advantagious (sp!).


turn 1
I shot the scrapluncher against his heavy cav, but the shot was deviated 10"... right in the middle of his grave guards, killing a bunch... he was sooooo pissed....
I move forward. I didn't know where he would have ordered the black nights to go (right or left of the boulder) so I kept my MEs a bit behind, on the wait.

The black knights went on his right of the boulder, crossing with the skellies... the spritihosts charge (thanx to his spells) the scraplucnher, which flees in howling pain...

Turn 2
The scrapluncher flees off the table... no prob...
I charge, and hit hard, killing what I have under my hands (bones and rotten flesh fly all over). The rhinox riders charge and kill all the zombies, and continue their charge against the wolves.
The maneaters, covered by the boulder on their right, turn to face the upcoming...

He moves his black knights in charge range of the maneaters (right into my trap...)... Then he creates some more skeelies and zombies here and there....
I win all the battles, defeating 1 of his skelly units, and crushing the wolf unit, continuing the charge off the table...

Turn 3
I charge the black knights with the ME, and do only 1 damage... bummer, he, on the other hand, inflicts 2 wounds to 1 of them... Well, the ME are there to persh while hilding up the strongest enemy units, so they are doing there job.
On the other side of the boulder bones keep on flying....

The zombie unit charges the 3 maneaters on a flank, the MEs loose the battle but stay put (now the ME are only 2).
He keeps me buisy with more skellies, but nothing relevant happens.

Turn 4
The Rhinox riders enter the field.
The IG unit turns to face 1 upcoming skelly unit that just popped out of the ground...
The last ME finally perished (they held for 3 whole turns 8 black knights, and a unit of 20 zombies... amazing).

He can't do much (all he's left now is a unit of 16 zombies that a unit of less than 10 skellies, 2 spirit hosts, 2 mages and a unit of 5 black knights + general, that are soon going to be charged by the Rhinox riders).
So he reforms the heavy cav, ready to recive the charge by the rhinox riders.

Turn 5
I charge the rhinox riders... I win the battle, I kill all his cavalry... he concedes, I win the game


Second off:pics of my (almost) finished BSB (that I use as normal standard bearer, now and then).
He is holding a Dragin hide banner, that is attached only with yellow tac... I'm not too keen about it... I'll probably change it.
Enjoy:





Cheers

Thursday March 2nd

It is hard to keep up with two armies... (actually I have 4: two bret armies - 1 classic and 1 of centaurs - skaven and ogre, of course).
I primed the LBs so they will be painted not later than saturday, since on sunday I'll play against my fellow friend, who uses VCs (he was som bummed out he lost twice in a row, he wants another rematch...).
We'll be playing 1999 pts (exact... 1999) so no lord, 3 special 1 rare... I'll post the army list tomorrow.
cheers

Friday March 3rd

I started working on my LBs... pics coming up tomorrow; then I'll work on my trappers (aka empire infitrates).. just need to courage to start...  

On sunday I'll be playing against VC, at 1999 pts... this is the list:
Da  Greathead Tribe 1999 Pts

Lucius Greatneck (Bruiser) @ 193 Pts
     General; Luck Gnoblar; Great Weapon; Light Armour
     Jade Lion
     Wyrdstone Necklace

Tsuaf Peedrinker (Butcher) @ 175 Pts
     Bangstick
     Sword of Might

Dualc pukeater (Butcher) @ 175 Pts
     Siege Breaker
     Fistful of Laurels

3 Da heavy Weights (Rhinox Riders) @ 526 Pts
     Heavy Armour; Standard
     War Banner
     Thunderlord
     3 Bull Rhinoxes

4 Pit Bulls - w/ Lucius e Dualc (Ogre Bulls) @ 176 Pts
     2ndWeapon; Standard

3 Empire Crushers - w/ Tsuaf (Ironguts) @ 164 Pts
     Standard

4 Empire Crushers (Ironguts) @ 212 Pts
     Standard

1 Scraplauncha @ 165 Pts

3 Leadbelchers @ 165 Pts

8 Gnoblar Trappers @ 48 Pts

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 4
Models in Army: 28
Total Army Cost: 1999

The tactic will remain the same: dany flank.
The main focal points will be:
1.hard hitting focal point: rhinox riders, bulls and IG unit;
2.block focal point: scraplouncher and 2nd IG unit;
3.redirect/disturbance focal point: trappers and LBs.

The LBs don't need a musician, since there will be no need for the bait tactic against VC: those skellies are slow in the first place... I'll just let the go through the open field.
cheers[/b]

Monday March 6th 2006

I played the game against my friend's VCs.
As already mentioned we played 1999 pts. The games was pretty much dull, at least from my part (I was a bit tired, in the first place), but the game ened with a mjor victory for me.

He had, if I remember correctly:
2 necromancers
1 Wraith (in the grave guard unit)
19 grave guards, in ranks of 4;
2 units of 20 skellies;
1 unit of 20 zombies;
8 black knights;
3 units of 5 wolves;
1 unit of 17 ghouls;
2 bases of spirit hosts;
1 banshee.

What did some major damage was his darn banshee, who screamed twice, and, even though screaming against the bull unit (with the genral in it), against the rhinox riders, and the trappers, he managed to score a 10... twice, dealing 4 wounds on each unit...
This part of the table was totally on my favour, since the rhinox riders charged his 8 black knights, with heavy armour, killing them in the firts round of combat.
In the center of the table, my 2 IG units had to deal with several units of zombies and skellies. As I killed the undead, he managed to recreate them, and the battles kept on being tie through out all the game.
My LBs didn't do much... well, they did nothing at all, actually, since they killed 3 ghouls that were charging... after the battle, the LBs lost, fled and got caught... I didn't have many expectations from them anyway.

In the end, on my part remained the whole rhinox riders unit, the general, the 2 butchers, 1 bull, the two IG units and the scrapluncher.

He had the ghouls, the 2 necromancers, 1 unit of skellies, 1 of zombies (plus another 1 he managed to create from scratch), the grave guard unit with the wraith in it, 1 wolf, and a whole unit of wolves.

What I did wrong was:
I opened too wide through the field... I had a big wood in the middle of my deplyment zone, that cut out a bit my deny flank tactic, so I had to put the rhinox riders and bulls (with general and butcher) on one side, and both the IG units in the other side.
I exposed too much the LBs, on the weak side... they were charged by 17 ghouls and 5 wolves... they were crushed, but at least they redirected the charges on themselves, saving the IG units... not a real waist of points.
The trappers were destroyed by the 2 screames by the banshee, so didn't do much, apart chargind on a flank the skelly unit, that was already  fighting the Bulls... I should have made them hunt the general, that was all by himself... A bad on my part, consequence of not using trappers that much.

On a side note: dice throwing was very unlucky for my friend, in the first half of the game: in his first turn, he rolled a miscast, rolling 10 on the miscast table (the wizard couldn't cast any spells, until he rolled a 6 at the beginning of his magic phase).... then, I became unlucky, killing very few minis, might them be skellies, zombies, or wolves, even with a fistfull of dice.

Final score was 1005 for me, 624 for him... that means a solid victory for 1999 pts, a minor vistory for 2000 pts...

Tomorrow: pics of my finished LBs (if I finish them).
Cheers

March 8th 2006

I already posted this army in the "armies of the kingdome", but got no replies, so I might as well deleted there, and paste it here, where it belongs.

I have to admit, I got a bit bored of playing with my Rhinox riders: they are good... too good, and none of my friends can counter them, at least not without risking of loosing against the other of my units, so I keep getting massacres or solid vistories, and it is no fun.  

So, I thought of trying a whole new approach to my army: Skrag in the army, with a whole bunch of gorgers to accompany him.
Here is the list (tactic will follow):

The greathead tribe led by Skrag

Skrag The Slaughterer @ 400 Pts

Brutus the handsome (BSB) @ 200 Pts
Luck Gnoblar (x1); Light Armour; Battle Standard
Wyrdstone Necklace
Sword of Might

6 Pit bulls (Ogre Bulls) @ 254 Pts
2ndWeapon; Standard

4 Empire Crushers (Ironguts) - w/ Skrag @ 237 Pts
Standard
War Banner

6 Gorgers @ 450 Pts

3 Long lost cousins (Maneaters) - with Brutus the Handsome @ 252 Pts
Heavy Armour

1 Scraplauncha @ 165 Pts

20 wannabies (Gnoblars) @ 42 Pts
Groinbiter

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 4
Models in Army: 39
Total Army Cost: 2000

Tactic wise, there are no real changes, to my usual tactic: deny flank.
The big focal point will be Skrag in the IG unit, and the 6 bulls;
the blocking focal point will be the maneaters led by the BSB;
the redirecting focal point will be the gnoblars and the scrapluncher.
As a garnish, the 6 gorgers.
I can't wait to see my friends' face, when the 6 gorgers will show up from behind their enemy lines... priceless.

I'll try it against my own brets, in the next days, so I know what I'll be doing.

On a modelling point of view, I have no money to spare, so I cannot get a "real" Skrag, and converting him from a normal bull would be a lot of work, and I don't have the time... so I made a chariot base, with a slot where to place Tsuaf's miniature. Behind him, I'll place a cauldron (even though I have to figure out how to make it)... Even though, my desire would be to convert a butcher or a normal bull, beef it up, and make him hold a cauldron over his head (just like I read in a post, in the butcher's cauldron)... time is an issue, though.
For what concerns the gorgers, I don't want to spend 15€ apiece (15x6 means 90€, and I don't have that ammount of money to spare)... so I was thinking that, unless I really like this army, and plan to play it regularly, I would use the genestealers minis, from the Tyranids miniature range (I have sooo many of those from the old Spece Hulk game box), maybe a bit converted... still have to figure out how, though.

cheers

March 13th 2006

I have been studying a lot, lately, since I have the oral lawyers exam on  March 30th, and the few hours I have to spare, after spending some time with my wife, I use them to finish the other army I am working on: the Aslan's army of Narnia.
Though, being cought on the Skrag army, I posted recently, I droped the idea I was working on: the big chariot base, with a slot for Tsuaf's base... and I looked on ebay, for a Skrag model (that I really like, BTW: the only "original" butcher that I like), and found one from the UK, for only 23 euros (in stores, Skrag costs 35 euros, here). if postage costs less than 6 euros, the thing will be mine.
I still have to figure out what minis to use as gorgers... any ideas?
cheers

Tuesday March 14th 2006

Just a quick update: I won the e-bay auction for Skrag the slaughterer (new, in the sealed box).
I bought it for circa 18,00 euros, plus shipment: total cost 26,00 euros: a total 8 euro less than in stores (almost 25% from the retail price).
I still have to decide whether I'll ise him as a normal buthcer or as Skrag himself.
I can't really say I am happy about the way Dualc pukeater looks like (did I mention I changed him again: he doesn't have the empire cannon chained to his body, anymore, but an empire militia shotgun...) so I might be using the Skrag model, putting him in a 40mm base. When I'll have to use him as Skrag (BTW, I still have to see how the army I made around him works... I can't wait to find the time to do so) I'll place him in the chariot base, with a slot for him, just like I was doing with Tsuaf peedrinker.

Hope to have the model shipped from the US, asap.
cheers

Friday March 17th

Friday 17th is a very unlucky day, in italy, just like Friday 13th in the US: at work, we never, ever, put the date friday 17th on any of our papers, documents, letters... I have a very supersticious boss...

But, getting on with my ogres, which is the reason I am having this journal, I have to admit: I can't wait for my Skrag miniature to get here.
It was sent 2 days ago, and got it for 27 euros, incloudig shipping from California... 8 euros less then the stores, pretty cool, he!?!? E-BAy, baby!!!

Well, I have put my interests on some gorgers from e-bay, too. There are a couple that come very cheap (because half painted... assembled but not painted at all... ), so I am looking for these too.
As a valid alternative, I was thinking of getting Old ratogres (well, not really old, just the previous pewter ones), and de-assemble them, scrap the paint off of them, put an ogre head on them, add hair, and... Tadaaaa!!! Cheap, yet good looking gorgers. I found these ratogres for not more than 3 euros each... 6, plus shipment will cost not more than 30 euros... E-Bay, baby!!!

Ok, ok... enough about buying stuff... I am stuck with Skrag fluff... what's his role in Ikimik Greathead's tribe? I mean... Ikimik is the greatest head of all... and he is a Tyrant, for crying out loud... so, again, how does Skrag fit in?
I have two options:
1.he is Ikimik's Uncle (Picaboo greathead... or som'.. I still have to come up with a name    ), who was sentenced to death, since he tried to kill Ikimik's father, but the executor got cought up with pitty, and didn't kill him, so banned him from the tribe, making him promise he'll never return... SUCKER!!!!
Now he is back, and wants to show everybody he deserves to be the cheif of the Greathead tribe... and he has brought along his friends, he met, while banished: the friendly gorgers...


2.Option n.1 is not that original.. plus it looks too much like the one in the army book, so, ditch it...
Option n.2 is still to be worked out... any ideas?

cheers

Tuesday March 21st 2006

Army case time!!!!

Today I took pics of my army cases (not all of them, though, since there is still the skaven army case and the "regular" bret army case, but these are of no particular interest).

Here is the army case for my great head tribe:

There are two boxes, attached one to another with a... what ever that thing is called: the big one contains the army itself, the small brown one contains the Bull Rhinox Riders and will soon contain Scraag:


Open:


Closeup of the main box:

the lower part contains:
6 IGs (painted)
3 bulls w/ xHW
3 MEs (pained)
2 scrappas (1 painted)
box with spell counters and wound counters
Tyrant (painted)
Bruiser
BSB (pained)
1Butcher

the upper shelf contains:
3 LBs (half painted)
5 bulls with 2 IFs (painted)
1 butcher (painted)
2 units of 20 gnbolars
1 unit of 8 trappers

All the minis are magnetized to metal regimental bases, and these are attached to the box with yellow tac.
Nothing moves unless I say so  
cheers

April 5th 2006

Finally the scrag model arrived... I was almost worried... but everything arrived perfectly.
The model is really good: nice details and great base.
I don't like the head though: he looks like affected by the Down syndrome... I'll see if a bellower's head fits on him.

I was thinking of cutting the base pewter base in 2: on part, the one on which Scrag is, will be placed on a 40x40 base; the second will be on a chariot base, with a slot for the 40x40 base to fit it.
What I want to achieve is use the Skrag model as normal butcher... I have to check if the base fits on a 40x40 base. My concern are the chains... maybe with some magnets....

BTW, my wife, who works for a company that makes phones, gave some great magnets: very very small (as big as a pin head), yet very very strong... I'll see what I can make of them.

pics to come.
cheers


*edit: thanx Kyte for the heads up. I corrected the date*

March 5th 2006
cheers

Dont you mean april 5th 2006?

ikim,
i just discovered this diary, and your work never ceses to amaze me. that tyrant looks amazing.

the skrag idea is not to unoriginal, its perfect. id love to see some pics of the rhinox rides after painting, but i can only speculate as to what they may look like.

cheers

Ghorok

KEEP IT UP!

April 8th 2006

I built the Scrag model today.
Not that this was hard to do (apart those darn chains that seemed a tad too short), but I made what I wanted: the interchangeable Scrag.
As already stated on another post, I wanted the Scrag model to work as a normal butcher too, so I cut the pewter base in 2 (and that was quite a long work), put the part of the base, where the couldron is, on a chariot base, and the other part, where Scrag is, on a 40x40 base.
I then put magnets under the 40x40 base, and also on the chains and the couldron...
This way he will work as I want him to:

as Scrag,


Or
as Dualc Peedrinker:


There is still a lot of Greenstuff work to do: filling gaps (not as many as I tought, though, since the mould is better than I expected), and to make a bellower's head fit. I dispise the normal Scrag head: he looks like a retart... so I'll see if another will fit him...

I'll post pics when done.
cheers

i've been trying to decide whether to build a butcher from my next unit of bulls or get skrag and model him up crazy.

his pose is really nice, the big lean against the cauldron.

i agree on the head, im planning to use the misshapen pig's head from the butchers box (the sucky face guy)

yeah. the leaning against the cauldron's wiehgt is a great model pose, and the modellers fro skrag have done a great job. personally, i would buy the scrag model and "pimp my skrag" so they say ...

April 10th 2006

I have done some thinking, and since I'll be using Skrag to be Dualc, who is the butcher who carries the bangstick all the time, I thought: why don't I attach a gnoblar to the chains, and give that gnoblar a rifle from the empire milita sprue...
All I have to do is some minor conversion work (just exchange the arms of the little gnoblar dude) and place a magnet under his neck, so the butcher can carry him around like a pet-shooting-gnoblar...
I'll see if I can make it in the upcoming evenings...
cheers

I've posted a link to your army diary on the dark forest. A guy called McFuzzle is very interested in our rhinox riders and i wanted to show him. I hope it's ok.

Hi!

First of all I'd like to say,your army looks AMAZING.

Most of all I like your ninja maneaters,and I'd like to steal the idea if you don't mind.

Could you please tell me how you built them and what kind of bits you used for them?


greets

May 2nd 2006

@Kyte: sure, no problem... the idea is not originally mine, but Avian's...


Long time no posting.
I spent the last few weeks workin' my ass off, at work, and, with some spare time, making conversion projects on my upcoming NidZilla army... it's coming out sooo good....
But, to stay on topic, I played, on saturday, against a very close friend of mine (who probably will read this post), who plays... guess what: Vampire Counts (yes, I know: we have been playn' a lot against eachother, lately).

I was using my skrag army:
Skrag, in a unit of 4 IGs, with war banner
6 bulls, with XHW
20 gnoblar fighters, with groinbiter
1 scrapluncher
3 MEs with BSB wielding sword of might and wyrde.neckl.
6 gorgers.

He had:
3 units of 5 wolves each
14 (or 15) ghouls
3 units of 20 skellies
1 unit of 20 grave guards
2 bases of spirit hosts
2 Lvl 1 necromancers
1 Vampire on winged nightmare (general)

We fielded as shown (In bold, there are scenic elements)


..ghouls....skellies..skellies..general..graveguards..necromancer..skellies
...............wolves....wolves................WOODS..spirithosts..wolves
.....................................................................................................
........................................................................................................
...HILL...................................................HEDGES............
.....................................HEDGES....................................HILL
.........................................................................................HILL
.........................................................................................................
.Bulls..WOODS.IGs+Skrag..ME+BSB.....Gnoblars....Scrappy.........


I win the dice roll and I begin.
1st TURN
OGRES I move forward... pretty simple. I cast some trollguts on my units, that go off with no problem. I missfire my scrapluncher (1st time ever), and my opponent can control the shot... he misses me, so everything is fine.

VC He moves forward, but keeps is general near his units (even though I told him not to, and place him behind mine... he didn't listen). He creates some skellies in front of my bulls, and consumes the power of the book of Arkhan.

2nd TURN
OGRES 3 (out of 6) gorgers come along. I charge a unit of wolves that in the flank of the bull unit, with my IG+Skrag unit, and crush them (Skrag deals 4 wounds). This way, though, I expose the unit's flank to the upcoming skellies (even though I figure they are about 10" away), so I am pretty confident. the scrappy charges and crushes one of his wolf units, and proceeds with the charge, out of the spirithosts' LOS.
I cast some more gut spells, and they go through...

VC his Graveguards charge my ME+BSB, and so do some wolves, and so does the General on whinged nightmare... BIG MISTAKE on his part
The ghouls fail their charge, against my bulls; his newly created skellies charge my bulls... his spirit hosts charge my gnoblars (that roll a 3 on their Ld test... how brave  :wink:  ). The skellies fail their charge against my IG+skrag unit...
The fights go on... In the middle, the big fight (ME+BSB vs Vampire general+wolves+graveguards) goes on, and there are losses on both part... my unit looses the battle, but being stubborn, with a reroll, I am sure for them to stay put, and they do... thanx for the trollguts  ).
The gnoblars stay put against the spirithosts (thanx for their number and ranks). the bulls win the battle against the skellies, and they stay put.

3rd TURN
OGRES the other 3 gorgers come along... the previous 3 charge: 2 charge the unit of skellies, that was menacing the IG+Skrag unit, and deal 6 wounds; the 3rd charges, and kills one necromancer.
The middle fight continues, and I lose a maneater, loose the battle. I roll an 11 on the Ld test...   , but I can re-roll it, and roll a 6... they stay where they are.
The IG+Skrag unit charges the skellies, that were blocked by my gorgers, and Skrag deals another 4 wounds.
The gnoblars don't get to fight back, but their ranks and numbers keep them fighting.
The bulls finish off the skellies.

VC The ghouls charge the bulls, and 7 get to fight. The h2h combats keep rolling, and nothing happens in the middle (I still loose the combat, but stay with my stubborn and regeneration).
The 2 gorgers and the Ig+skrag unit make pieces of the skelly unit.
gnoblars and ghosts stay where they are...

4th TURN
2 gorgers charge the Graveguards from behind, and one from the flank, dealing 5 wounds. This fight ends with a tie... YEEEE!!!!   and all remains the same.
The bulls kill a lot of ghouls, and win the combat, but the ghouls stay where they are.
The scrapluncher could have charged the (my) right most skelly unit, but shoots instead... I guess right, but I roll an 8" scatter, making the template end right over the gnoblars... killing 9... they roll a 3 on their panic test... brave gnobbies   .
The IG+skrag unit and 1 gorger charge the skelly unit, dealing a lot of wounds... Skrag reaches the 12 wounds total...

VC He want to concede, but I refuse, since he still has a lot of minis in the battle in the middle...
The bulls keep on fighting against the ghouls... nothing happens here.
My last ME and BSB deal 3 wounds on the winged nightmare and 2 on his general... the gorgers kill some more graveguards... I win combat.
The IG+Skrag unit and the gorger kill off all of the skellies...
The gnoblars tie with the ghosts... good gnoblars.

5th TURN
OGRES 1 gorger charges the right most skelly unit...
My BSB and last ME deal morewunds to winged nightmare, first, and the General, then... The gorgers take care of 4 graveguards... I win combat...
The IG+skrag unit turn to face the winged nightmare's flank...
The gorgers deal more harrass from the rear...
The bulls kill all the ghouls.
The 6 remaining gnoblars run... poor fellas...

VC I kill off his general and nightmare... the graveguards are crushed by the gorgers' weight...
At this point, I accept my opponent's conceeding...

I end up havin lost half unit of ME (175 points total) and 42 pts of gnoblars....
He only has 1 skelly unit, 2 spirit host bases, and half skelly unit... IIRC...
We don't even count points, nor table quaters, nor anything...
My friends is a very good looser, and says: "I played awfully"... very good sportmaship on his part. He said that Skrag is underpriced, and that he is too powerfull, as any special character is... Next time he'll use Manfred Von Carstein... "Oki Doki"... I said
I admited he should have played magic a lot better: with 7 castin dice, he should have created a horde behind my lines... instead he wanted to move his units forward.... bad spell choice. In his magic phase he should have also dispelled my trollguts... which litterally saved the ME's life...

After battle thoughts:
6 gorgers are awsome, but a tad too many... 4-5 are just enough, since 2 of my 6 did nothing special.
Skrag and his abilites are magnificent... Alone, he is worth like 2 butchers... the BSB and the ME are the best unit EVER: they kept still, for 4 whole turns, 5 wolves, 20 graveguards, 1 vampire on wingednightamre.... about 600 pts worth of VCs...
I said it, and repeated: denyflank is the best tactic to be used with ogres...
cheers

May 4th 2006

I posted this on the armies of the kingdom section of the forum, but, to be more precise, I might as well post it here, also.


My friend, with whome I play a lot lately, asked me to play one more time.
I played a lot against him, in the past months, and the best he did was to make me win with a solid victory (I usually win with a massacre).
I played against him with two armies: one with bull rhinox riders (and he couldn't do anything against them), and, most recently, I used Skrag, and 6 gorgers, and kicked his butt also with this.
I found that 4 gorgers are more then enough, but I wanted to try a mix of both lists.
So, here is goes:

Skrag The Slaughterer @ 400 Pts

Brutus the Handsome - BSB @ 164 Pts
Luck Gnoblar; Heavy Armour

3 Long lost Cousins (Maneaters) @ 252 Pts
Heavy Armour

3 Bull Rhinox Riders @ 477 Pts
Heavy Armour; Standard

4 Pitbulls (Ogre Bulls) @ 156 Pts
2ndWeapon

4 Crushers (Ironguts) @ 212 Pts
Standard

20 wannabes (Gnoblars) @ 40 Pts

4 Gorgers @ 300 Pts

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 4
Models in Army: 36
Total Army Cost: 2001

The tactic will be: guess what.... deny flank. I'll use the IG+Skrag and the BRR as my strong focal point; the ME+BSB as my central blocking focal point; and the bulls, along with the gnoblars, as my redirecting focal point.
I think I have quite some strong units... the only problem is that this army has too few units... I found that 4 gorgers can really give some problems to any army, especially coming from the rear.
I might be relying too much on these guys, but the gorgers can tie up big blocks, while the strong units from the front deal some damage.
The ME+BSB will tie up any strong unit (like they did in the last game, that held still 20 grave guards and a winged nightmare for 4 whole turns).

I find it insane, but kind of amusing...  
cheers

May 9th 2006

I should have posted this yesterday, but I had no time to.
Just a quick update: I finished building Skrag (last time I played with him, he was glued to his base, but he was missing the head, since I still had to decide if using his original head, or a bellower's head.
I finallly decided to use his original head. I am not very fond of it, in the first place, but it looks more appropriate than a bellower's head.
I also put the grave on the base(s), and primed the fella.
I'm looking forward to painting him, since the tyranid army project has been delayed, since the carnifex I was waiting for got lost in the mail, as soon as I get the air brush I was waiting for, to arrive at my hobby store.
I'll keep you posted.

On the gaming side, I asked my friend to play, tonight, but he said no, since we have to work, tomorrow. He actually takes ages to make a single move, and usually, against him, a 2000 pts game lasts about 3 1/2 hours... and we hardly never reach round 6: both because I massacre him, by turn 4, and because he is so long to play against.
We won't have any games done this week end neither, since I have to go to Modena, where my nephew will recieve the Sacrament of the Communion (don't really know the actual name in english). All the games are postponed to next week.
I think I'll be using the "insane list", as I call it, I posted lastly.

cheers

sacrament of the communion is pretty much what we call it too!

or First Holy Communion

good luck with that - I'm sure you'll be playing again soon.

May 12th 2006

Thanx Wildcard for the insight.


Ok, Time to round up the sums, and see ho my army painting is doing, and understand what I need to do, yet.
I bolded the ones I need to do, in order to see, at a first glance, how much has been done:

Heroes:
Ikimk Tyrant is painted (1st mini done of the army)
Tsuaf (butcher) is painted;
Dualc/Skrag is based, undercoated but not painted yet... he will be the next on my to-do list;
Brutus the Handsome (BSB) is painted, but still needs a couple of touchup;
Lucius (Bruiser) is based, undercoated (done this like 2 months ago), but not painted;

Core:
6 bulls are done with magnet tray
6 IGs are done with magnet tray
8 trappers are based and undercoated but not yet painted
2x20 gnoblars are not based nor undercoated... these will be a real pain in the butt to paint... I think I'm going to dip them;

Special:
3 LBs: half painted;
Scraplunchers: 1 is panted, only needs gnoblars to be painted and put on; the other one is only undercoated. Though, lately, I only use one...
yetees: I have none...  :wink:

Rare:
3 MEs are done with magnet tray;
3 rhinox riders are a little over half painted...
I have no giant and no gorgers.

I still have 4 bulls, 3 of which were part of a 6 bull unit w/ Xhw, and the old Dualc model, which, as it is right now, is of no need.

So, mainly, I need to get some gnoblars done... I hope the paintbrush I am going to get today will help speed up things...

Anyway, this is the most I have done, for any of my armies.
Skaven: I painted like 40%...
5th ed. Bret: I painted like 20%
Bret (Aslan's army of Narnia): is on it's way to be done.

cheers

May 15th 2006


Just a quick update...
Yesterday my nephew's first Holy Communion went great (for those who care... and no, this has nothing to do with Ogres, but we were all proud of her).
Though, during the 2 hour trip back to Milan (from Modena), I was thinking about the ogre army I am planning to use agaisnt VC, in my next battle, and I am not quite convinced.
It turns out to have 1 unit of RRs to hit hard and another hard hitting unit that are the IGs+Skrag. The ME+BSB are there to tarpit any big menacing enemy unit, so it's not there to be a hammer unit, and then there is the Bull unit, that has the aim to outmanouver the enemy, in the third block, so, I don't really count on it.
So, I end up with 2 hammer unit (both cause terror, for what ever that means against VC), one of which is very very very hard to manouver.
IME, and not only MY experiance, RR are very hard, and this is a fact; but when I used them they hit very hard anything they encountered, killing in the first round (no matter what they encounter). Their problem is that by overcharging, turning and re-charging, it takes them 2 turns to get back in action... fine, when they do, that means the end of what ever they charge, but 2 turns are a lot, especially when I only have 1 unit that has to goal to be a hard hitter. Will this unit (that, BTW, is worth 600 pts and more) be able to deal alone for 2 turns? While I DO think so, I don't want to risk it...
In the hard hitting focal point I need 2 big units that protect eachother, or 2 smaller units, plus the RRs...
I would not be too confident with the IG+Skrag and RR combo. Maybe, putting the bulls in the hard hitting focal point, supporting the IGs, while the RR go wandering around the field.. this might work, but what happens to the redirecting focal point? gnoblars alone wont' be such a redirecting unit... not in the eyes of my opponent, at least.
I'll rework the list and post it tomorrow.
cheers

awesome conversion job... i love the ironguts unit

May 16th 2006


I have thought it through: the list with skrag+gorgers+RRs would not work... but not because units are not good, but because the tactic behind such army.
So, after a lot of mods and try_outs, I made some slight changes:

Skrag The Slaughterer @ 400 Pts
with
4 Pitbulls (Ogre Bulls) @ 160 Pts
   Standard

Brutus the Handsome (Bruiser) @ 155 Pts
   Light Armour; Battle Standard
with
3 Long Lost Cousins (Maneater) @ 252 Pts
     Heavy Armour

4 Crushers (Ironguts) @ 212 Pts
     Standard

20 Wannabees (Gnoblars) @ 40 Pts

3 Terror Hitters (Bull Rhinox Riders) @ 477 Pts
     Heavy Armour; Standard

4 Gorger @ 300 Pts

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 4
Models in Army: 36
Total Army Cost: 1996


The changes are not many (infact, the type and number of the units is practicly the same) but I have changed the whole plan behind such army:
1.the hard hitting focal point is: skrag+bulls (here is the real change) and the 4 IGs;
2.the BSB+MEs will be non-other than the blocking focal point;
3.the redirecting focal point will be the gnoblars. By themselves won't make much of a difference, but here comes the real new point and the real news to my army:
4.hard hitting focal point BIS: the Bull Rhinox Riders. They will deploy on a far side, in regards to the hard hitting focal point.

The Tactic is a slight change to the usual deny flank, with the BRR on the opposite side of Skrag, making it more like a "jaw" tactic (with the strongest units on the sides).
This change was made since my opponent (my friend who plays VC) knows my denyflank tactic very well, and each time he makes an army to counter this tactic. Though he doesn't succeed, since I keep on changing the army.

I'll think over it a little bit more, and keep you posted.
cheers

May 18th 2006

This army is taking longer than I tought: 3 days to make an army are too many, considering I am going to play my friend's VC, that I massacred all the time, so, all this shaving and fixing won't make much of a difference.
But, the game is also this (and, BTW is the best part of the game), and I want to do it good.
So, here's the 3rd ed of the Skrag+BRR army:


hard hitting FP
Skrag The Slaughterer @ 400 Pts
     General; Ogre Club
with
4 Pitbulls (Ogre Bulls) @ 176 Pts
     2ndWeapon; Standard

4 Crushers (Ironguts) @ 212 Pts
     Standard

2 Terror Hitters (Bull Rhinox Riders) @ 305 Pts
     Thunderlord; Heavy Armour; Standard

central blocking FP
Brutus the Handsome (BSB) @ 180 Pts
     Luck Gnoblar (x1); Light Armour; Battle Standard
     Sword of Might
with
3 Long Lost Cousins (Maneater (heavy armour)) @ 270 Pts
     Cathayan longsword; Heavy Armour

Redirecting FP
3 Ogre Bulls @ 117 Pts
     2ndWeapon

20 Gnoblars @ 40 Pts

4 Gorgers @ 300 Pts

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 4
Models in Army: 40
Total Army Cost: 2000

I saved 145 pts by taking out the 3rd BRR, but I found points to gain an extra attack by getting the thunderlord.
bulls with xhw and gnoblar make excelent redirecting units, considering that together, they are very very strong, combining stegth and numbers...
Cath long sword is always a good addition for the purpose I have for the MEs, since that +1 I makes them attack first most of the time, with the consequence of them stayin' a bit longer.
Sword of Might is there to take care of any ethereal thing I might encounter (banshee, anyone...).
4 gorgers are more then enough, since 6 really are too many. 150 pts can be spent on bulls and gnoblars.. and that is what I did.
This is the definit list. I like it, and I hope you do too: it is not too extreme and keeps a certain flexibility.

cheers

May 22nd 2006


After seeing the new Ghark Ironskin conversion, posted by Kyte in the butcher's couldron, I decided I had to try out a Ghrak conversion myself.
The basic plan is to have a rhinox entirly self sculpted, since I cannot find the appropriate miniature for the job.
I looked a lot at Warmachine miniatures (for those who don't know this game, it is a miniature game that takes place in a future where all machines are moved by steam... so I looked there for inspiration...).

I also looked at some old Chaos Dwarf miniatures, but there is nothing there that could help.

After searching the web for inspirational pics, I started drawing out some rough sketches of what the rhinox might look like (Ghark will be pretty much straight forward, as he will be a converted bull, with a lot of armour on him, so, nothing difficult on his part).

I wanted something VERY different from the usual (if you can call "usual" the 3 gharks we have seen already), so I was thinking:
a wheeled rhinox
or
a totally meccahnized rhinox
or
rear traks, instead of paws
or
a sort of meccha-rhinox mixed with body part (kind of gross, though).

I have some sketches done... on, and more will be done today.
I'll post them a soon as I scan them.
cheers

good ideas, when building mine, I thought of using the legs from the 40k chaos walker (I cant remember the name, Demolisher or Destoryer, I Think. Something with a D). But them my friend's brother offered me a cheap juggernaught, as he'd switch from khorne to nurgle, so I bought that instead.

Dreadnaught?

Dreadnaught?

Defiler!

May 23rd 2006

I've done some more sketches of the steam-rhinox wannabe.
Here are just a few:




This is the one I like the most




this last design is none other than two boiler tanks (I have one very similar in my house, to heat the water), with a sort of turbine in the center, and it all moves the legs... adding some organic elements might make it more demonic and alive.

My prefered idea, though, is a gnoblar-moved rhinox, very similar to what rackham made
http://www.rackham-store.com/boutique/images_produits/GBLV01.jpg
You can see a sketch based on this on one of the previous pics.

This is a very ambitious project. I looked for the bitz around the internet, but there seems nothing that could work.

I'll work on it a bit more.

WOW IKIM! You are good at drawing!

May 24th 2006

Thanx Kyte for the kind words.

More ideas about the ghark rhinox wannabe (or will-be).
No drawings, yet, but I was thinking, that, IIRC, ghark's rhinox was killed when charged but a Grail Knight lance, and then ghark was given a metal rhinox by his friends the chaos dwarfs.
I thought: what if the chaos dwarfs actually took the rhinox's body, and implanted in him all the mechanics (or was it actually this, what happened??).
I was than thinking to take a Schliech rhino and cut him up, and add different metallic parts (like legs, head, parts of the body...).

I also remembered that at the University, the Vet department had a living cow with a hole on her ribs, that you could see through it, and look at the living animal's intestines (very gross    ).

So, I thought, why not cut the Schleich model's ribs, and carve a hole in the rhinox's main body, than, put a metal plaque, or a sort of grate, and some other metal parts and plaques all over the rhinos body. Some tubes and chimnies coming out of the rhinox, and, ta daaa.... a Frankenstein Monster Rhinox...

How's this for an idea...

I'll draw it up, and post pics...
cheers

Congratulations! The Greatheads definitely deserve to be published.

Now I really want to see your Maneaters painted!

Vincenti

august 9th 2007

I shipped the hunter to the casting guys: they should get through it by the end of august, so, from september, we should have a new hunter model to convert and paint.

As for what concerns the e-zine article I patined the maneaters. here are pics:
all 3 of them:






the greatsword:



the militian:



the warrior priest:




cheers

Sat. August 11th 2007

I prefer answering Kyte's question here, in my blog, since I don't want to bring the thread on the butcher's cauldron off topic.
here's Kyte question:
 


Let me answer by telling you I have been painting miniatures from when I was 13, than I stopped my college period for about 4-5 years, and then started again. Yet, I never actually painted good. I liked it a lot, but my skills were never too accurate and my media were always wrong (starting from brushes, going to paints).
Only recently I have begun actually learning how to paint, and how to paint well (even though I am not still always satisfied with my works) and getting to learn hot to paint, how to control the color, etc etc.
When I re-began WH (and entered the whole miniature world) I was more mature than I was before, plus internet access was much easier and I could have more feedback from more experianced painters.
My first army was 5th ed. bretonnia, and Gosh, I used to take hours and hours painting every single model (even days) and the product, as I see it now, sucked. I sold this army a couple of months ago.
Than I got a huge skaven army. On the modeling and painting side, this army has nothing in particular. I never even got to use greenstuff, and the only conversion done was a rat holding a pike as a lance... just cut the pike and replaced the other way around.
I started improving, and getting involved with modifications and good painting only when I began my ogre army.
My very first model done for such army was my Tyrant, which I did for a competition held in the GW store near my house, back in January 2005, when ogres came out.
It was the first heavily converted model I did, and the 2nd time I used greenstuff for not only filling gaps: and you can see this by looking at the mini.
Now I have got a lot of experiance. I have even self sculpted some minis and I am even making some good money out of my minis, so, what I can say is that in only 2 years time I have grown a lot and managed to make a business out of a hobby too.

So, now I can answer Kyte's question: the Tyrant was my first mini and I don't plan on a redo, because THAT mini reminds me where I was 2 years ago, and makes me think where I will be 2 years from now.

I am waiting for my selfsculpted Hunter to arrive from the casting guys, and, since I cut off the quiver, so it can be attached or not, to each person's liking, he will be my bruiser.

Cheers

That's a pretty good point, but Even though I had another skull pass thane (And if I didn't, I could probably have whatever 5th ed. dwarf from my father's collection), but I just couldn't take my old CD hero even after half a year. How can you take that your leader isn't the coolest and best painted model in the army?

Corai did the same thing. He built a great tyrant model, and even after 3 months, he redid it.

EDIT: I'm not saying that I can't stand your Ikimik model, even though it could sound like that. I think it's genious, especially in the improved avatar pic.

On a completely diffearnt note, your hunter is being casted? In metal or resin?

and thanks for reposting your empire captain model. Now I remember where I got my inner image of Horace Slughorn from... Lol... I didn't remember...

Thanks

 - Kyte

For those of us who are less inclined in the arts of applying paint to uh.... well for us who suck at painting, what is the sky-earth thing supposed to accomplish, on a normal model?

Sky earth non metallic metal is the techinique of non metallic metal that resembles the reflection of the space surrounding the metal object.
Therefore, since metallic reflects almost like a mirror, you will have your metal object that should reflect, in the bottom, the ground/earth, and in the upper part the sky; in the middle there is the horizon line.

Mh... a bit difficult to explain in words, so I'll use the aid of some photos:
this is Sky Earh NMM (the pic shows how to do it)


Kept in mind that the metal surface is kept perpendicular to the ground, as you can see, the bottom half of the metal object that reflects the earth, and the upper hald reflects the sky.

here are more exemples:
look at the horns


and this:


I hope I was clear enough

Now, this technique is fine if you're painting something that is, actually, on the ground... on something that flies, or that is in space is just plain stupid, since, obviously, there is no horizon line in space, is there?

if you want to learn more, read this:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/article/aid/191
and this:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/article/aid/164

cheers

Oohhhh, i get it.. but wouldn't it be able to reflect if it was say... orbiting a planet between the planet and the sun?

I agree it's a bit of a silly way to paint a spacecraft. Maybe they were more interested in simply rewarding skill of applying paint to plastic, and less for creativity and realism. Which would have had the side-effect of boning you too, as I can't see how your very fine hand sculpts would lose out to more stock models.

Oohhhh, i get it.. but wouldn't it be able to reflect if it was say... orbiting a planet between the planet and the sun?

I don't think SENMM would work that way: SENMM requires an horizon... the planet and the sun won't provide an horizon...

Anyway, bear in mind, I am not being grumpy because I think my models didn't win (there were better models than mine, even not counting the BFG space ship), but I am concerned about the judging method, according to which what was rewarded weren't the best three models of the competition.

A friend who didn't win in the pro cathegory (the river troll dude) had a far better model than the dark elf and the noob winner... how fair is that?

cheers

the judging certainly seems....odd.....I can see having different categories for youngbloods and adults, but thier scheme just seems poor.

A lot seems to have been made of the diorama/basing of the models, rather than the models themselves.

It really does seem like the more dramatic/terrain-full the diorama was the better they judged it, except for that Space-ship which appears to have been mounted on some glued-together plywood with plastic shiny bits and bendy straws

sept. 26th 2007

last night I was reading my mail, and I received 3 mails from 3 people I did some commission work for, who asked me if would be at the next Italian GT/GD.
Serena was near me, while I was reading those email, and she asked me "Miki, what is GT/GD?" (she asked me in Italian, of course )
"The GT is a tournament held in 2 days; and the GD is a painting competition. It is held in Modena"
"Wow... do you want to go?" (BTW, my sister in law and her family live in Modena, so it would be a chance to stay at their place).
"Hell, YES!" I said.

Now, the only little problem, is that maybe, that same week-end we have to attend at a party at a Villa in Como Lake (where George Clooney has a couple of houses/mannors) so, I might not make it... I just hope the party is  another day...

Anyway, last night I thought it over, and I thought that: 1- I won't win any GD; 2- I won't do any good at the GT; 3-I have to aim at best painted army, so, I thought to bring my beloved ogres to battle: at least I have a chance at winning something.

here's the list:

Tyrant, mawseeker, jadelion, tenderizer, HA, luck gnobbo (just 'cause I had 5 pts to spare)
Butcher1, laurels, siegebreaker
Butcher2, wyrdestone necklace, bangstick
Butcher3, 2 scrolls

3 Maneaters, HA, CLS, BoH, GW (+ butcher 1)
3 IGs, standard (+ butcher 3)
3 IGs, standard (+ Tyrant)

3 IGs, musician
3 IGs, musician

3 bulls
3 bulls

8 trappers

total cost: 2000 pts
castin pool: 8
dispell pool: 5
models: 33


thoughts?

cheers

I've posted my thoughts on the list in the "armies" section fo the forum - but I wouldn't take yourself too lightly, I'm sure you could do well at a GT with ogres.

Are you basing your army composition on the units that you have painted to look the nicest?  If so, I think it's fine and flavorful.  Otherwise, I think you have a few units in there that are sucking up tons of points... but then again, I prefer the MSU type list.  Here is what I have been running at 2000pts (and have gone 14-0 with during the past campaign season here in Los Angeles).

Tyrant w/ HA, Tenderizer, Wyrdstone Necklace - 276pts
Butcher w/ Scroll, Bangstick - 180pts (either runs solo or joins a squad of ironguts)
Butcher w/ Siegebreaker, Skullmantle - 180pts

Bulls x3 - 105pts
Bulls x3 - 105pts
Bulls x3 - 105pts

Ironguts x3 w/ Standard Bearer, War Banner, Lookout Gnob - 194pts  (unit joined by Tyrant + HTH butcher)
Ironguts x3 - 144pts
Ironguts x3 - 144pts

Leadbelchers x2 w/ bellower - 120pts
Leadbelchers x2 w/ bellower - 120 pts
Leadbelchers x2 w/ bellower - 120pts

Gnoblar trappers x9 - 54pts

Gorger x1 - 75pts
Gorger x1 - 75pts

Total - 1997pts

I use the IGs as hammer units with the LB's used to knock out and or scare skirmishers/fast cav, protect my own flanks, and then add flank/rear charges.  The bulls act as screens, charge bait, and support units.  Trappers are awesome all around, as you know  The two Gorgers come in to take out artillery, dumb solo casters, or just give opponents distractions they have to deal with while my ogres move in to charge from the front.

Hope this is somewhat helpful!!! Wish you GREAT luck at GT/GD!  Enjoy and kick butt!  Those models I sent you should arrive some time this week.  Let me know if you're happy with the selection

another interesting list.  However, 1 scroll and 4 dispel dice is not going to be enough at a GT methinks. Also, you have more elements in your army that have to rely on dice to do well (gorgers need to depend on the dice to arrive, leadbelchers are really hit or miss on their shooting) - and units you can't rely on are a bigger problem at a GT (although that won't stop me using gorgers either ) Still, I can see it being an effective and fun force for less "WAAC-heavy" areas or events.

Can always dump a unit or two of leadbelchers to add a 3rd Scroll Caddy Butcher, banners, and look out gnobs for the naked IG units.

Yep...

Take away 2 units of belchers.

Add:

Butcher w/ 2 scrolls
Standard w/ lookout to each of the naked IG units.
+2 gnoblar trappers (to take the unit up to 11)

and you're at 1999pts.

October 28th 2007

Put aside the painting contest (BTW the maneaters are going really good on CMON: 8,7) and put aside the Italian GT list (I still have to figure out if I can attend to it or not, but, for now, thanx guys for the feedback so far), I have some news about the ogre hunter I have sculpted and am about to cast.

Since I have received lots of PMs from people asking me how the moulding-casting thing was doing here are the latest news:
I sent the master model to Ireland, so that the moulding company could see the model IRL, and work on it, to make the moulds. Afterwards, they told me that the price for 2 moulds and about 50 casts was around 900 euros (600 UKP; 1100 USD).
They were really nice, and really professionale (especially by helping me, having given me tips on how to make the model mouldable and all) but, really, I cannot afford to spend 900 euros on something like this, so I asked them to have the model back, and it should be back to Italy within next week.
In the mean time, I contacted a company here in Italy (Padova, to be precise), that does moulds for cakes. I know it sounds silly, but they make beautiful moulds and casts, in resin and they told me that 2 syilicon moulds and about 50 resin casts will cost me around 300 euros (more or less).

I cannot wait to ship the model to Padova, and have it moulded-casted.

The process should take 20-30 days, starting from the day this Italian company receives the model, so, guys, hang in there, 'cause the model is coming.

BTW, in case you didn't know already, I made these changes:
the quiver is detachable, so you can make the ogre a Tyrant (with hammer) without him looking like a hunter;
you'll receive the bolt thrower, the hammer, and the blunderbuss.

Since I had to cut the hands off, to avoid the undercut between them and the chest, I am planning a little conversion, to make 2 hands holding the blunderbuss, and pointing it to the side.

I'll keep you posted as I get more news.

Cheers

Sounds cool. 900 Euros is kind of ridiculous to make a mold for a model of that size.

October 28th 2007

I know there's a time zone difference between the States and Italy, but is it really that severe?

October 28th 2007

I know there's a time zone difference between the States and Italy, but is it really that severe?

LOL



oops...

cheers (and thanx fot the heads up,Reg).

Wait, so you're going to be selling these casts? Can I put a pre-order in?

B.O.C.B.I.L.O.T

4th of October 2007

At last... the hunter arrived back from Ireland.
I received the package from the mail today, and the casting company sent it in an awsome case, a lot better than the box I used to ship it to Ireland.
Even though things didn't work out with PrinceAugust Toy Factory, I have to say, these guys ROCK!! They were all kind and patient with me, thinking they were talking to a total noob on the matter, that was asking to send space ships on the moon... well, almost.

Ok, so I got the model back, and, GOSH!! I love it, especially now that I made the quiver detatchable, so it can be made into a Tyrant/Bruiser, without looking too hunter-ish.

Tomorrow I'll send it to Padova, and, more or less, by middle Novembre WE SHOULD HAVE RESIN CASTS OF THIS MODEL... YEY!!!! \o/

Stay tuned for more news...


cheers

Whooo! That's pretty awesome ikim. Now all you have to do is start making replacements for all of your models, and eventually eclipse every other miniature company, buy out GW and become the next juggernaut of wargaming. And sell your resin models for twice their real value.

October 10th 2007

I am counting the days...I have sent the money to the moulding company, and they will make 2 moulds of the model, and they will ship it to me. I have also bought 10 Kg of epoxy resin and I will cast the models myself... which is good, since I can use resin to make all I want without any extra cost.

I predict that in about 7-10 days we'll have the first Ogre Kingdoms original sculpt... indeed, 'cause this mini has been created with the support of all of you guys (especially Corai who has done the original concept of the hunter: you'll be the first to receive a free cast of the mini).

This whole project won't cost a little... the moulding guys asked me 250,00 euro for 2 moulds, plus I will have to buy 10Kg of resin, which will cost me another 130 euros... for a grand total of 380,00 euros... selling these minis at 18 euros apiece, I will have to sell at least 20 to go even.

I just hope I will sell that many.

Anyhow, I'll keep you posted, and stay tuned for the upcoming first ogre of the Ogre Kingdoms.

cheers

I just hope I will sell that many.

I'm sure that you will sell that many! If they're 18 euros, then that's £12.50 or $25.50, at the moment, according to the currency converter I used ( http://www.xe.com/ucc/ ) and then there'll be postage/packing cost. How do you want to be sent payment when the time comes to selling them? Do you have a Paypal account?

B.O.C.B.I.L.O.T

If you're selling them for 20, I'll pay 25!    definatly add me to any pre-order list you have Ikim.


now here's a good idea for a painting competition - we all buy and paint this hunter, and Ikim judges the winner!

Thanx for the support, guys.

@Wildcard: as for the competition, I would love it, but it would be odd: people to participate would have to buy the mini from me... dunno, it sounds like an interest conflict to me.. mh..... I'll have to think about it.

@B.O.C.B.I.L.O.T: I have paypal, and will receive payment from there.

I will make the first lot of casts and sell them here on the Stronghold, so, you guys will be the first ones to get one.
Than I'll make an ebay buy-it-now sale, so other people will be able to buy it too.

thanx again

cheers

October 18th 2007

Today I received the mould of the hunter... YEY!!!!

I still have to have a look at it, but tomorrow I'll post pics of it, and by this weekend I will have casted the first minis.

To reduce costs, I decided to cast minis myself... but, even after this, which saves a lot of money, I have spent a total of 500 euros, for a master mould, and 2 moulds.

Tomorrow I'll show pics of the mould, and hopefully, I'll also post a pic of the first resin cast.
I just hope it is as easy as the moulding/casting guys have told me.


keep posted.

cheers

22nd of October

MORE OGRE HUNTER CAST NEWS:

I made 2 casts already.
The moulds are very good: detailed and very precise; the resin is perfect: it picks up all the details perfectly and it is exactly like the ForgeWorld one.

My only concern, now, is how to avoid the formation of bubbles within the cast: I poured the resin in the mould, and I usually get just a couple of bubbles... I'll try to pour the resin more slowly and tab the mould a bit more.

Before starting selling the minis, I want to be able to reproduce perfect casts: I want people to be happy with what they buy.

I hope that in a week's time, I will be able to start selling them.

As I said: for the first 2 weeks, I will be selling the minis to the ogrekingdom's members first, than I'll create an Ebay "buy it now" sale (keep in mind, I will be casting them as I get orders since I have 10 Litres of resin, and each cast takes me 3 centilitres... this means I can make up to 333 casts... if I sell that many I'll be rich!!!)

My aim is to sell at least 50... just to be sure to go even with what I have spent.

cheers

does the mould have a seperate hole in it (not the one that you pour resin into) to allow air to escape? If it's done by profressional mould makers I'd assume it would but this is the only thingI could think of to help with the ai bubble problem, beyond slower pouring an tapping as you sugegsted

Thanks
Corai

good luck Ikim, I can't wait to be able to buy mine

HI Hrag.
I have been VERY buisy, as buisy as a man can be, with an 8 month baby girl (Lucy), a whole nee legal firm to run and manage, a wife, and a new house.

I haven't had a lot of time to dedicate to the hobby, but I still read some forums now and then.

I heard today about the new Ogre book, due in late 2010: I will wait until then, to continue with the romanogres, so don't hold your breath

cheers

Welcome back ikim - it's nice to see an old face to draw mine from temporary lurking status!

Congratulations on the young baby girl and the law firm, you definitely seem busy


Hope to hear more from you soon! Until then, Many happy returns!