And we're back

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Well, it's been awhile. I owe the handful of you who actually come to my blog an apology and an explanation. The past month or so has been nonsensically nasty (and my camera died) between the end-of-semester crunch Virginia Defense Force activities (I commanded a composite company out at the Apple Blossom Festival this year; 2 days of command, 2 months of lead-up work, strangely some of the most fun I've had as in the VDF yet), and completing my Basic MEMS (Military Emergency Management Specialist) training. Thanks for sticking around.
Okay, so I've got about a month of updates to go over . . .

Warhammer Fantasy
I've been playing Fantasy as my primary game for the past month or so. I consider it the better game (compared to 40k), being more complicated, more thought-provoking, and far more challenging. My Empire army has grown tremendously, and I've been focusing what little painting I've done on them. You can see the numbers at the top (which I have been updating, despite the lack of actual posts); the Army of Brewheim now has a 1,000 points legal army fully painted (it would likely get trashed, due to a noticeable lack of detachments for the Core choice done so far, but hey, it's a fully-painted army).

What everyone knows about by now is the upcoming release of Warhammer 8th edition. I haven't been a hobbyist for long (about a year now I'd say) and have only just gotten used to 7th ed. As a result I don't have much to say on it, though if you poke around the internet and/or your local GW store I'm sure you'll find/hear/see plenty of information on what people think is coming in 8th. I'll keep my peace until I have something confirmed by GW.

I have considered what I want to do for my inaugural 8th ed. army. As there are very few people in my local community who do Beastmen (that I've met at least), I had considered them and even bought the army book and wrote a list. That said, both thematically and how the army seems to play isn't really that appealing. The look of the army doesn't really strike me as that interesting (half-naked things with back-jointed legs, hooves, and cow-faces? no thanks).

I do have my old Warriors of Chaos army that has been begging for an update. The army, as it stands, is totally Tzeentch-themed, which, after careful thought, isn't really a good way to run an army. I picked Tzeentch because Tzeentch struck me as the most Chaos-y of the Chaos gods. In terms of gameplay, however, a 6+ Ward save only goes so far. I'm looking at adding some Khorne and Nurgle to round it out and strengthen the army into something more playable.

Warhammer 40,000
I haven't been neglecting my Space Wolves too much. I've almost finished the first pack of Grey Hunters, and I've been adding on to the Blood Claws to make a full pack (I have a vision of a full pack with a Wolf Guard Battle Leader charging out of a Land Raider Crusader). The Blood Claws have served as one of my Kill Teams, though due to a lack of 40k playing they haven't had a chance to do anything but die to Bill's Eldar team (I have an axe to grind with that Relentless Ranger).

My second Kill Team is not a team in the strictest sense. I have been using a Blood Angels Furioso Librarian (converted from an Ironclad Dreadnought), which I have found is something that works if played very conservatively. The Furioso's back armor is still only 10, so, as I've discovered, enough Ork Shoota shots into the back will bring it down. As will a meltagun to the face. Still, it's fun, and there's something delightful about seeing a Fleet (special rule specifically for Kill Teams, it's not a Furioso thing) with the Wings of Sanguinius power (allowing it to move as Jump Infantry) dreadnought run around and smash things to pieces with terrifying ease.

I haven't done much else with the Blood Angels, however. Nor have I done much about rebuilding my Imperial Guard, and part of that was a realization that making my list my theme was a bad idea (not to mention expensive). I sat on that for awhile, then came up with a grand idea. You see, Empire Militia and Archers fit really well with Cadian bits. The result is a unique look (and now I really wish I had a functional camera to show you my test model). With some modification to the test model's look, and at the suggestion of several fellows at the local GW store, I'm now leaning towards making a mechanised Guard list depicting the Fenrisian PDF (having been somewhat motivated by the new IG tank kits coming out). Below is a theoretical list.

1/9 Fenrisian PDF: Imperial Guard 2,000 points

HQ
Company Command Squad with a power fist, medi-pack, a meltagun, carapace armour, 2 bodyguards, and an Officer of the Fleet: 185

Troops
Veteran Squad with a power fist, and 3 meltaguns, with a Chimera with a heavy bolter and a heavy stubber: 180
Veteran Squad with a power fist, and 3 meltaguns, with a Chimera with a heavy bolter and a heavy stubber: 180
Veteran Squad with a power fist, and 3 meltaguns, with a Chimera with a heavy bolter and a heavy stubber: 180

Fast Attack
Valkyrie Assault Carrier with a lascannon and multiple rocket pods: 145
Scout Sentinel Squadron with 2 autocannon-armed Scout Sentinels and 1 lascannon-armed Scout Sentinel: 130
Scout Sentinel Squadron with 2 autocannon-armed Scout Sentinels and 1 lascannon-armed Scout Sentinel: 130

Heavy Support
Leman Russ Squadron with a Leman Russ Battle Tank with a hull-mounted lascannon and a Leman Russ Exterminator with multi-melta sponsons: 345
Leman Russ Squadron with a Leman Russ Battle Tank with a hull-mounted lascannon and a Leman Russ Punisher with heavy bolter sponsons: 365
Manticore Rocket Launcher: 160
Total: 2,000 points

This list is likely to go through a few iterations before seeing the tabletop, but as it stands it strikes me as being crazily hard-hitting and surprisingly durable (mostly thanks to the sheer amount of stuff an opponent would have to cut through).

Well, it's been a long block-o'-text (that's what happens when you don't post for a month), thanks for sticking around, and I'll have pictures of my stuff for you once I get the camera up and running again.

New Title

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I'm sure it's going to confound someone, but I got tired of the old "Booj's Hobby" title. Far too bland, and no amount of clever subtitles I could think of were going to spice it up. Better to change it now with a minor readership than later on, I say. I spent awhile coming to this decision; luckily I wasn't particularly keen on maintaining the old title, so no big hurdle there. I spent more time figuring out what I was going to change it to.
Other titles I toyed with (some humorous, others like this new one):
"Legend"
"Time of Ending"
"Saga of War"
"Special Rule: Epic Fail"
"Plastic, Paint, and Bad Dice"

Death Company Guinea Pig

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One of these days I'm going to follow my own damn advice to myself and paint to an actual "table" standard by minimizing things like highlighting and extreme details. That way, a model like the one here will only take an hour or two instead of the 7-hour mess it ended up taking.

To be fair, part of the reason this guy took so long was because of the experimentation with the colour (blast it, it's "color" in American English, not "colour") scheme for the Death Company. And experiments with things like the black armor, the loincloth, the red areas, etc. Despite the length of time, it was time well spent as the next four Death Company models going into the GW Sugarland 5-model painting competition (I think I can do another 4 in two weeks) won't take nearly as long, even with little detail I normally skip like eyes and teeth.
Not a bad bit of work, methinks.

Wolves, Angels, and Marines

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Hope everyone remembered yesterday, being the 16th of April. Especially my fellow Hokies.
Right, moving on to the stuff you came to see. I have a few random pictures for you, to show I have not been idle with the hobby and haven't just been sitting around making lists.
The first is a Grey Hunter armed with a plasma gun.

The effect on the coils is achieved by making the coils white, then washing it with severely watered down Ice Blue. Having successfully done it with just the coils, now I've got to figure out how to do some directional lighting (time to visit HuronBH's tutorials, mayhap). This brings the total number of Grey Hunters done to 6; another 14 to go, plus 9 Blood Claws, 5 Wolf Guard, Logan, and a Rhino. (Argh . . .)
Next up is a Risen Angels Assault Terminator.

This was mostly trial-and-error on the color scheme applied to a Terminator. You may notice the helmet, however, uses the technique I mentioned before: Mithril Silver with 3 Gryphone Sepia washes to get a fine highlighted gold effect. You can see a hint of the chapter emblem there (went back to the single-winged sword), that's free-handed rather than using the old method of cutting off a wing from a Dark Angels transfer. Best part is he didn't take too long, either.
Lastly, I admit to having caved: I started building up my Blood Angels' "Descent of Angels" list. I started with 5 of my 10 Death Company Marines.

Note the fellow in the middle, in the process of leaving the ground. So much for not doing Blood Angels . . . well, let's face it, they're awesome.

BA list revised

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Clearly I need to take a math course again. I horrifyingly miscalculated the cost of 10 Death Company, which meant I actually was quite a few points short of 1,500.
Anyway, with the numbers fixed I went back and added some much needed wargear to the squads (it seemed more useful than adding, say, a Sanguinary Priest). So here it is, hopefully fixed.

The Descent of Angels
HQ: The Sanguinor, Examplar of the Host: 275
Elites: Sanguinary Guard with death masks, the chapter banner, and one infernus pistol: 265
Elites: Chaplain with melta bombs and a jump pack: 130
Troops: Assault Squad (10) with two meltaguns and a power fist: 135
Troops: Assault Squad (10) with two flamers and a power fist: 125
Troops: Death Company (10) with jump packs and two hand flamers: 370
Total point cost: 1,500

No change in strategy, except now one Assault Squad is essentially a dedicated tank buster unit while the other is an infantry hunter. The Sanguinary Guard is now capable of taking on enemy armor to clear the way to the enemy HQ.

Second thoughts and a BA list

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Sadness. After painting a Tactical Marine and a Terminator for the Keepers, I find that this new theme just doesn't speak to me in the same way as my original one did. Simply put, I don't like it.
So now I find myself torn on how to rectify the situation. I don't want to just keep trucking along on a theme I don't feel anything for, and I find it somewhat difficult to think of a another brand new one. Inevitably, I think I'm going to be returning to my original theme and design.
I'm undecided right now, but I'm thinking the Keepers are going right back to being the Risen Angels. I don't know if I'll use the old Risen Angels chapter symbol (single-winged sword) as it was far too often mistaken for Dark Angels (the color scheme didn't help, either). Maybe a one-winged angel? (I've watched Advent Children too many times it seems.)
Speaking of angels, Scribd has a copy of the Blood Angels codex on it now, which meant I was able to write up a theoretical list. For what I wanted to do I found that 1,000 points was too small, necessitating a jump to 1,500. Thus, I give you the first incarnation of a theoretical Blood Angels list that is becoming more and more likely to be made:

The Descent of Angels
HQ: The Sanguinor, Examplar of the Host: 275
Elites: Sanguinary Guard with Death Masks and the Chapter Banner: 255
Elites: Chaplain with jump pack: 125
Troops: Assault Squad (10) with power fist: 215
Troops: Assault Squad (10) with a flamer and power fist: 220
Troops: Death Company (10) with jump packs: 410

This list plays to a theme based on the Descent of Angels special rule. Everyone has jump packs and are made for getting in close combat. There is no long-range support in this list, so I had to make up for that with the power fists in the Assault Squads. It's also very small with all of 37 models, all jump infantry, so there's no time to dally; get close and get punching.
The Sanguinor can't join units if I'm not mistaken, so his job is to go find the enemy's HQ and tear them to pieces. The Sanguinary Guard would move with him and make sure he gets there, taking out any units around the enemy HQ and clearing a path. The Chaplain moves with the Death Company as the main effort, there to destroy as much as possible. The Assault Squads will support the Death Company and capture objectives as needed.
Hmm . . . so much to do, and so much more I want to do . . . no wonder nothing gets done.

On Wolves and Vampires

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No, I'm not talking about yet another incredibly bad vampire movie.
For anyone concerned that I may have been neglecting my Space Wolves in favor of everything else, including my still list-less Imperial Guard army, fear not. The Space Puppies too well fit my play style and too well appease my love of the 40k lore to be ignored and are still my primary army. They've now gone through a much-needed expansion that now allows me to start mixing up my lists somewhat.
Anyone who has played against me or has at least seen my lists knows I'm not a big fan of named characters. Not because I don't like their rules or their stats or their model (generally), but rather because I vastly prefer to create my own characters with their own backgrounds, then make their own histories and legends on the "battlefield." Unfortunately, that deprives me of some of the edge of any army I play. With my Wolves I have finally decided to change that outlook, and so I picked up Logan Grimnar and a box of Terminators. Logan will be my next masterclass, so don't expect him to be painted anytime soon (I have to practice painting Terminators in general, then Space Wolves Terminators in particular, before I even consider that).

The fellow next to him is my take on Arjac Rockfist, the upgrade character for the Wolf Guard. There's not much different from a straight-up Wolf Guard Terminator, other than his base. The head is different; I wanted to get it as close to the picture of him in the codex as I could without spending hours with green stuff and a hobby knife, so I took the closest looking head I could find and removed the hair (he's bald with a beard in the codex). The hammer on his back comes from a Space Marines Assault Terminator sergeant's thunder hammer with the skulls removed (vaguely resembling the anvil on his back). I also removed the cabling connecting his hammer to his arm, as it would be awfully difficult to throw it at anything if it's attached to his armor with a short cable.
In terms of Logan's usefulness, it's more for his personal power and some of his special rules rather than some desire to make a "Loganwing" army. First of all, that would supplant my desires to make a Deathwing army at some point in the future. Second, I don't have a huge desire to see that man Wolf Guard Terminators on the field at once. What I do see myself doing is using Logan and his Wolf Guard Terminators in conjunction with Morkai and his jump pack-equipped Wolf Guard. In fact, to my mind having access to Wolf Guard as Troops doesn't scream "make lots of Terminators!" Wolf Guard are by far the most flexible units in the Space Wolves codex; why would I sacrifice that just so I can have that many Terminators? They're also expensive in points, which tells me that they're a supplement to the primary Troops of the Wolves, Grey Hunters and Blood Claws.
That's just my opinion, of course, feel free to agree or disagree as you see fit.
In the painting department, I've (finally) finished a Grey Hunters Pack. It's not the whole pack--I normally run 10 Grey Hunters rather than 5--but it is now codex-legal. They're shown here coming out of my second Drop Pod (which, typically, they do).

The fellow with the power fist was something of an experiment in alternative paint schemes. The nozzles on his backpack are actually Boltgun Metal rather than the gold that everyone else has (a surprisingly great look, very complementary to the Space Wolves color palette), and there are a few gold areas on his armor I used a different technique to achieve. Normally I basecoat with Khemri Brown, then put Shining Gold on top of them. This time I used a method described on GW's site last week I believe: Mithril Silver base with 3 Gryphone Sepia washes. The result was spectacular (belatedly I realize the picture above doesn't show the results, as I only did that to the gold on his power fist), and will likely see that becoming a more common method of painting large areas of gold for me.
Changing tracks here, it is becoming increasingly tempting to at least pick up some Blood Angels models and paint them up. I'm particularly in love with the Sanguinor and the Sanguinary Guard. I see that was a slippery slope, though; if I pick those up I'm going to have to make a Blood Angels army. If I do it will likely be another 1,000 point "experimental" list, and I believe it would feature lots of jump packs. To me that's one of the key parts of the Blood Angels' imagery, Angels of Death descending from the heavens on wings of fire, destroying the enemies of the Imperium in the fury of hand-to-hand combat (too florid, you think?).
If I get a hold of a Blood Angels codex (which is increasingly likely), I'll write up a list and post to show you what I mean and what I see as a "proper" Blood Angels list. Don't worry, I don't see them ever supplanting the Space Wolves as my favored army (giving their codex a read-through the other day didn't inspire that "I have to make this army!" feeling I got from reading Codex: Space Wolves the first time).