Monday, July 30, 2012

Look up in the sky(claw)!

    Well, I've finished building my skyclaws.  It was my goal to get them assembled before I move this weekend.  As of yet, I will have no hobby desk my next week.  Luckily, I've got a corner that I can set my stuff up....once I get a desk.  In all their glory, my pimped out skyclaws...


    Ten skyclaws with a power axe and mark of the wulfen upgrade.  There are still some bitz and bobs that I plan to add to give them more Space Wolf pizzaz.  The majority of the models are still vanilla assault marines, but a few details and a good coat of paint and it won't matter.  The mark of the wulfen skyclaw is still pretty bare.  I really need to set him apart.

    The Wolfpriest will also be equiped with runic armor for a 2+ save, plasma pistol, and probably a wolftail talisman.  His purpose is to protect the unit and help them come to grips with the enemy.  An excellent save combined with a 2+ "lookout sir" means about 35 regular wounds should be turned aside.  6+ deny the witch AND a 5+ talisman save gives them a descent ammount of anti-psycher protection.  The only way they could be better is if I added a runepriest and battle leader/wolflord.  But the cost would make them too inefficient.


   
Coming in at about 430 points total, they will be used as another hammer unit.  My hope it that the drop pod terminators will take some heat off of them for the first turn.  With the new transport rules, I think these guys will get an assault much faster than any other unit in my army.  The plasma pistols on the characters should really help eliminate those pesky power weapons with precise shots.  And two marks of the wulfen can put a huge hurt on any unit.  Prefered enemy infantry and fearless will go a long way in helping the 3 WS and BS of the claws.  I am looking forward to running these guys.  As of yet I have never seen skyclaws on the table.  People say they use them, but not in tournaments it seems.

    6th edition is already looking pretty exciting.  My next Space Wolf project?....objective markers.  Now with hidden values, a little work has to be put in to create six unique markers with hidden point costs.  Here's a hint...there will be magnets used.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Gunslinger Werewolf?!

    So yesterday(or the day before?) I came up with the super expensive wolfguard to add some spice to the skyclaws I'm building.  I thought it was a pretty unique idea and contemplated how a wolfguard would come to be equiped in such a way.  Because, let's face it, he's literally a gunslinging werewolf.  The idea is pretty comical and almost laughable.  But the more I think about it, it gets more badass.  I haven't come up with a name for him yet, but I think he'll create some memorable moments in the games to come.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Fackin' busy

    I have been working a shitload of overtime and generaly being lazy when I'm not.  I had finished my aegis defence line for the tourney on the 21st....
    I did much better than anticipated.  I got 5th out of 20, even after I realized I understood the rules much less than I had previously thought.  Here is the list I ended up going with...

I learned a lot, and have been driven to try and take advantage of a few of the changes.  Wound alocation for one.  I bore witness to some terrible things...  I will have to put all other hobby projects on hold though, as I am moving in a few weeks time.  So all I am working in will be my new unit for 6th edition.  I am going with skyclaws with a wolfguard and wolfpriest attached.  The wolfpriest will have runic armor and a plasma pistol.  The wolfguard will have TWO plasma pistols and mark of the wulfen.  Yeah, that guy's going to cost 78 points.  Lemme explain my thought process on this one...

-Precise shot will make the plasma have a chance of sniping imprtant models in units.
-Preferred enemy infantry will allow me to re-roll those pesky 1's for plasma.
-The skyclaws will also have mark of the wulfen, for maximum rending fun.
-I will put the wolf priest up front to use his 2+ armor save.  And when I fail one?  "Lookout sir" on a 2+.  It is cheesy as shit, but will help them live longer.
-Hammer of wrath is a bump for assault troops.
-I don't have to worry about how/when I can assault with the new transport rules.  It seems that no matter what, you have to wait a turn and take your lumps before assault.  Which makes the units that should be used for that now better.

I've also came up with an idea how to pop off heads from plastic models.  I had a grey knight head that I wanted to change.  Rather than using a pin vice and pliers to pull if out bit by bit, I came up with this...

I simply drilled a hole through the head, threaded wire into it, and pulled it right off.  The whole thing came right out.  It was so damned easy.  Well, I have to get back to building skyclaws.  I want them assembled before I have to begin packing.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Just about done

    Almost finished with my tournament prep for the 21st.  I've just finished my wolfpriest and assault cannon terminator.  It shouldn't take me no more than a few nights to finish the aegis line and quad autocannon.




    As mentioned before I have also picked up some grey knights.  I've begun to prep one of the units to sharpen up the detail and re-base them.  The initial colors and value scale of the non-metalic paint look pretty good.  I think I'll use this project to try some new techniques.  Hopefully with a little work I will have another fully painted army that's got my own mark. 

Saturday, July 7, 2012

I've seen some stuff, and done some things.

    Holy crap, I've been busy.  A lot of work and a lot of hobby time, plus a little left over for sleep and family.  The tourney I was preparing for went from 2000pt 5th ed. to 1500pt 6th edition.  Oh yeah, 6th edition came out.  It's not as close as 4th and 5th were.  In fact, there are many elements that remind me of old 2nd edition.  I haven't played a game yet, but I've read through the rules once and have begun to pick up on the subtle nuances of them.  FAQ's are out for the codexes and much of my hobby time has been spent studying rather than painting.  I'm not going to review the new edition because...I'm lazy and I don't want to.  I'm just going to go over what I now plan to bring to my first 6th edition tournament.

    My 2000pt list had everything but the kitchen sink, so I am very glad to be playing smaller games.  With the new flyer and fortification rules, I've had to plan for the worse.

HQ-a simple wolfpriest to attach to my bloodclaws.

Elites-Terminators with an assault cannon and a little bit of everything else...in a drop pod...duh.
-Wolf scouts with a meltagun to keep people on their toes.

Troops-My usual two units of 8 grey hunters.  The bloodclaws are going without Lukas this time.  the wolfpriest is a cheaper replacement.  But now with the character challenge rules...he has gotten pretty cool.  I will probably be playing him again in 1850 lists.

Heavy-Standard two units of missile longfangs.  One will be riding in a las/plas razorback.

Fortification-Aegis defense line with a quad autocannon.  I believe this will help me with flyers and give me a place to camp my longfangs.

Now, I've taken out my wolfguard with frostblades for the troop units.  I had made the list and forgotten to put the termies in a drop pod.  So rather than worry if the frostblade is an axe or sword, I got the pod and the razorback.  I think the added firepower and the aegis line with give my longfangs a little more punch. 

    I'm almost done with the wolfpriest and assault cannon terminator.  And I had the aegis line for months.  I'm glad I picked it up in hopes of making terrain out of it.  Oh yeah, and I've got a grey knight paladin army to personalise.  But thatis a tale for another day...