When I started this blog I intended to paint first and game second. I got a bunch of Khador minis from EV, more than I wanted to start out with, but I couldn't argue with the deal and I figured it wouldn't hurt to be able to play some games while I got to painting. Fastforward to all these months later and I've painted exactly two (2) Khadoran minis and added many, many more. This qualifies as a big fail since I was trying to avoid exactly what happened. To bring this back around to business, I named the blog like I did because I was going to do Warmachine and didn't really plan on expanding beyond it, at least not until I had everything painted (and painted well).
Over my protestations that I didn't like naval games and didn't want to start in on another system, EV got me to try Uncharted Seas and it really took for me. I decided to take this fresh start as a chance to do things the way I had intended with WM, meaning I'd have all my stuff painted and wouldn't end up sitting on a pile of unpainted minis. Fastforward again and I'm not so far off the mark. My Iron Dwarves are (mostly) painted, and painted to a better standard than what I produced in my first gaming iteration. Then I over-reached and now I'm sitting on a starter box of Humans that are partially assembled, partially based, partially painted, partially everything. Not ideal.
Much to my own surprise, and a fair amount of dismay, I've been falling back in to 40k. This was the game that started it all for me, so this is a homecoming of sorts. The first minis I ever bought were an ancient box of Terminators from the Rogue Trader days. The first time I saw a White Dwarf, and particularly the big battle shot on the back cover, I was hooked. I had always loved the dioramas at museums as a kid, and here was a whole magazine of them, not to mention all the minis that went into them. That started 10+ years of GW thralldom that ended with a massive pile of unopened boxes of minis that I'm still trying to crawl out from under. Despite this history, 40k resonates with me in a way that few other things do. Pricing gripes aside, I've always loved GWs minis and fluff. All this said, it's unsurprising that I get the itch every now and again, an itch which reached a tipping point a few weeks ago when I got out my Blood Angels.
You may be wondering where the business is in all this, and I'll get there eventually, but first some pictures. I have a lot of Blood Angels. A whole lot. Nearly a full company. While I know this in the academic sense, it's something else entirely to pull them all out and have them assembled together. I did just that, and the results astounded me.
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| Ye gods that's a lot. |
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| Left flank |
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| Center |
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| Right flank |
I've also been rambling on for too long now and need to wrap this up. I finally made a Warstore order, which hopefully will arrive in the next hour or three. I've been somewhat disappointed with the coverage and durability of the Vallejo Model Colors, so I got a set of Vallejo Game Colors, which I hear are improvements in both those areas. They're also based on the GW line so I'll finally be familiar with my paints again and will have a decent idea of what colors I'll be using instead of trying to eyeball them at the store and ending up with multiple bottles of the same color. I also got one of the new plastic Death Company boxes because they're just so damn sexy.
So it looks like I'm sliding back into 40k, which brings me back around to business. When I started this blog I was going to do Warmachine exclusively, but things have obviously changed. I've branched out into other systems and the name of the blog, which I love, is increasingly inaccurate. As such I'm considering renaming the blog to something more generic that will fit the multiple avenues I find myself pursuing. I've been batting around "Paint It Red," since that's generally what I do to minis, but I'm far from decided on anything. I don't know if Blogger lets you rename things in this way, or even if I'll rename the blog at all, but it's under consideration. Things may be changing around here eventually, so consider this forewarning.
Well, I'm down for Warmachine again. Just let me know when, and I'll have a table ready.
ReplyDeleteHow are you finding the new 40k rulebook? True Line of Sight and static terrain (a tree is where it is, and models are only hidden by a forest if the model is actually hidden)have drastically altered the game, but it plays a LOT smoother than 4th edition
I'll have to build two more 2'x 2' tiles if you want to get a game (my tiny apartment being so tiny, all I can break down and store are two footers). My Plague Marines are ready for a scrap whenever (despite the crappy Codex). I will teach you to fear my substantially sub-standard army!
Oh, well- they're Forge World, so at least they look stunning while they loose. And heck, I can even make my army all fluffy and nice for you! Daemons, Dreadnoughts, and Chaos Spawn, all hailed as some of the worst models (gameplay-wise) in the game abound, so no douchebaggery (unless requested) here! Hell, my Great Unclean One is so pimp, I look for any excuse to drag him out (*breaks arm patting himself on the back*).
I do despise Death Company with a PASSION, so be ready for them to catch a case of Vindicator-Administered-Demolisher-Cannon-Death as soon as they wander into sight!
Of course, all that having been said, I consider 40k to mainly be an exercise in list building rather than tactics (maybe that because of all the min-maxers in the stores). The game really only has two scenarios (kill the other guy and capture the flag)and there are only three deployments. There are two flavors of capture the flag, but they're essentially the same game. This sort-of works out to nine game types, but most people agree there are really only two in the basic rulebook. I find that the game isn't even as deep as LotR (which, yes, I know you do not like), and for sure it ain't no Warhammer Fantasy.
At least LotR is entirely scenario driven (you can slaughter your opponent and loose!), and Warhammer is so restricted in how units move and fight (though that has become MUCH more fluid, even with the same movement types and arcs of sight).
Now, I'm not trying to club 40k to death, it's still the game I bought my first two miniatures for (a couple of Space Marines I lost...), and a fun game to goof around with (I may have to buy the "Battle Scenarios" book) but you may find the game lacks certain nuances other games have...
Like tactics...
Any way, I'm going to post a longer article than you at this rate, (and wear out my parenthesis keys). I'll be more than happy to get back into 40k with you. I won't buy too much, but I'll play.
I'm not looking at 40k from a gaming perspective as much as a hobby one. As a game 40k still drives me nuts in places, mostly the squad rules that force every member to do the same thing. Why highly trained and adaptable soldiers can't manage to fire at different targets I'll never understand. Mostly I just can't kick the fluff and aesthetic of the game. When painting a Winter Guard or a Iron Dwarf ship I'm really just guessing at what's appropriate. If I had a big flat surface calling for some sort of decoration, I'd have no idea what to put there. In 40k though I'd have 12 different ideas. Plus I have a ton of the stuff that I should do something with. I borrowed the book from you because I was unfamiliar with some of the special rules and wanted to make an informed decision when building models/squads so that in case I played a game I'd have a ready army, but my focus is on hobby first and gaming second. I like Warmachine as a system, and Uncharted Seas as well, so when the itch for dice rolling gets unbearable I'll likely reach for those first. I've told myself this many times, but this is going to be a creative endeavor first. I wouldn't mind getting a game in some time, but that'll be after I have stuff painted. For reals this time, no rushing things to get them table ready.
ReplyDeleteOf course any gaming is on a school-permitting basis, and that could be a a bit down the road. This week things are ramping up in terms of assignments due, which I should be working on right now. I haven't looked ahead much, but I doubt things will get easier as the semester goes. I'll get some chance somewhere though.