I didn't get much done this weekend. I was out of town for family stuff. I did manage to get a few hours of hobby each night of the week though. And I found some cork for my Grey Knight bases too! But I think that I am going to shift gears and focus 100% on my friend's Deathwing army. I'd like to get them done quick and play a few games before giving them back. Memorial Day weekend is my next free hobby weekend, so I am rushing to get them done. Sadly, it seems impossible.
As for my GK, I have decided on my list and how I am going to use most of the units. I'm keeping the daemon blade inquisitor and just giving him some servo skulls to help with deep strike pressure. I plan to combat squad one unit of terminators to have 2 incinerators deep strike in tandem with the dreadknight with heavy incinerator. Psychic communion and the servo skulls on the inquisitor should add a little stability to pull it off. I have also replaced the dakka stormraven for a landraider crusader. In it I will put the other half of the combat squaded termies with justicar attached to the inquisitor. They can also be switched out for the strike squad if I think I'll be facing a helldrake. The basic strategy is to present a tough core with some incoming reserves to hit my opponent where it will hurt the most. The melta/lascannon stormraven will hunt fliers, and the incinerators will torch units hiding.
Now, the daemon blade... It doesn't look too good on paper, but I did a few practice rolls and was very surprised at how nasty it can get. I think I'll surprise opponents with the brutality the inquisitor could potentially dish out. Now I know I should drop the daemon blade and use an ordo xenos and psykotroke. But I guarantee I'll get enough shit for playing GK as it is. I want a unique army that I can call mine. So that means I will choose some of the fun wargear over the competitive.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Terminators built
I've had some good progress on my Grey knights and a project for a friend. I'm touching up and re-basing a counts-as Deathwing army and squeezing in some work on my own. The entire Grey Knight force I'm putting together is composed of repurposed models from armies I've purchased from people. So far 20 terminators are ready for paint. Next is 10 strike marines, an inquisitor, and a dreadknight. As it turns out, the bits I got for the inquisitor was one of the last orders from Spikey Bits before they had to stop with the bits trade. The dreadknight is going to be the most work out of all the units. I am completely re-posing the model to lunge forward and for it's heavy incinerator. Every joint is getting cut and moved. The pilot will be the biggest challenge. I won't be able to mount his legs to the legs of the dreadknight in the same way. I think this is why the model is notorious for it's single pose. The legs just don't work with how it's designed.
The problem I'm having with my inquisitor is the wargear load out. My hope was that the daemon blade, combined with warlord traits, and psychic powers would lend versatility between games. Sadly, any mastery levels added by the daemon blade won't lend any more powers. So potentially an inquisitor with two blades can become a level 3 psycher....who only has one power... Not that useful. I still plan to go with power armor, daemon blade, and mastery level 1. Only one power, but the versatility is still there to some extent. Probably the most enticing is the model only costs 78 points. Once I get more models ready for paint, I'll finalize my list and how I'm going to use it.
The problem I'm having with my inquisitor is the wargear load out. My hope was that the daemon blade, combined with warlord traits, and psychic powers would lend versatility between games. Sadly, any mastery levels added by the daemon blade won't lend any more powers. So potentially an inquisitor with two blades can become a level 3 psycher....who only has one power... Not that useful. I still plan to go with power armor, daemon blade, and mastery level 1. Only one power, but the versatility is still there to some extent. Probably the most enticing is the model only costs 78 points. Once I get more models ready for paint, I'll finalize my list and how I'm going to use it.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
GK progress
While working on some stuff for friends, I have squeezed in some work on my Grey Knights. I came up with a list that I want to build with a core that won't change too much as I playtest it. So far I am just about done stripping and fixing up 20 terminators. I still have 10 strike squad marines to go and my troops will be ready to hit the table for some games. I have the bitz for my inquisitor ordered from Spikey Bitz. As it turns out, I actually met Spikey Bits Rob at adepticon and didn't know it. Anyway, my storm ravens will need a little work before I can begin to paint them. And lastly I have the dreadknight stripped, cut apart, and ready for a good cleaning before I even begin to pose it. People have said the model is very static and unable to change it's pose. I take that as a challenge and will make it a centerpiece in my army.
Here's my 1850 list so far.
HQ
-Malleus Inq. With power armor, daemon blade, brain mines, and psycher lvl1
Troops
-10 termies with 2 psycannons, psybolt ammo, and a mix of swords/halberd/hammers(2)
-10 termies with 2 incinerators, psybolt ammo, and a mix of sword/halberds/hammers(2)
-10 strike squad with 2 psycannons and psybolt ammo
Fast
-storm raven with multi melta and lascannon
-storm raven with heavy bolter, assault cannon, hurricane sponsons, and psybolt ammo
Heavy
-Dreadknight with heavy incinerator
I may switch the inquisitor to xenos to get psykotroke grenades. As the daemon blade will add to the mastery level, but I don't think it will give him a second power from the brb. I need to get playing though. My goal for 6th is to kick up my competitive gaming and play an army uniquely mine.
Here's my 1850 list so far.
HQ
-Malleus Inq. With power armor, daemon blade, brain mines, and psycher lvl1
Troops
-10 termies with 2 psycannons, psybolt ammo, and a mix of swords/halberd/hammers(2)
-10 termies with 2 incinerators, psybolt ammo, and a mix of sword/halberds/hammers(2)
-10 strike squad with 2 psycannons and psybolt ammo
Fast
-storm raven with multi melta and lascannon
-storm raven with heavy bolter, assault cannon, hurricane sponsons, and psybolt ammo
Heavy
-Dreadknight with heavy incinerator
I may switch the inquisitor to xenos to get psykotroke grenades. As the daemon blade will add to the mastery level, but I don't think it will give him a second power from the brb. I need to get playing though. My goal for 6th is to kick up my competitive gaming and play an army uniquely mine.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Lazy
Well, I've been lazy on the hobby front. Adepticon has come and gone, and I've gotten some great progress with my roleplaying groups.
Roleplaying-wise....Dead Reign was a total bust. Only a few friends could make it. And all but one of them had to cancel or got other plans at the last minute. No big deal, I ended up playing video games and drinking beer with a good friend.
Rifts is going great now. The last game session was a lot of fun. I feel like I'm almost back to my old form. The game is fun and relaxing. Storyline has begun to pick up and I think it's engaging the players.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay has been fantastic whenever the group has been able to meet. We've lost a player, and adepticon has gotten in the way recently. But there's a good chance 2 new players may begin to show up.
Wargaming-wise...I have a half painted SAGA warband. And I picked up about $600 of grey knights for $300. While assembled and painted a little, I don't mind. I also picked up two boxes of grey knight termies on spruce for $50. One is missing the daemon hammers, but it was still a steal. The next step is to strip and model an 1850 list.
Roleplaying-wise....Dead Reign was a total bust. Only a few friends could make it. And all but one of them had to cancel or got other plans at the last minute. No big deal, I ended up playing video games and drinking beer with a good friend.
Rifts is going great now. The last game session was a lot of fun. I feel like I'm almost back to my old form. The game is fun and relaxing. Storyline has begun to pick up and I think it's engaging the players.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay has been fantastic whenever the group has been able to meet. We've lost a player, and adepticon has gotten in the way recently. But there's a good chance 2 new players may begin to show up.
Wargaming-wise...I have a half painted SAGA warband. And I picked up about $600 of grey knights for $300. While assembled and painted a little, I don't mind. I also picked up two boxes of grey knight termies on spruce for $50. One is missing the daemon hammers, but it was still a steal. The next step is to strip and model an 1850 list.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
WFRP, Rifts, and Dead Reign.
I think roleplaying has begun to pick up. I've got three games I'm preparing for.
Rifts: The first session has gone according to plan. I have set up the beginning of the campaign and introduced one of the influential NPCs. Hopefully personal character contacts can be established. There's a ton of work to be done yet in the planning department. I have yet to get two book I will need, the black market sourcebook and the Arzno sourcebook. According to the route I believe the players will plot through the post-apocalypse west, they will pass through Arzno. A city that had been besieged by vampires in recent game history. So it may be good to at least flip through the book.
Dead Reign: I've got all the books in the mail and have almost finished with the core book. The game is much more frightening and brutal than I had expected. I will not be playing it as is. Changes will be made to make it a more generic zombie survival horror. There are some zombie types and other elements that I believe detract from shorter games. It'll only be a two night affair, so I'm probably going to go with a sort of scripted series of events. I'm thinking about using "boss zombies" at the end of each day. Like how the Resident Evil games do the climax.
WFRP: I've been reading the core book and finding all the things That made me like this game so much. The game system is just well put together. And the theme is uniquely ingrained in the game world and how the mechanics work. I'll be playing with new players and I'm not sure just how much they know or expect from a roleplaying game. It should be easy to adapt WFRP to an easy-going playstyle or for greater depth.
Anyway...I'm done writing.
Rifts: The first session has gone according to plan. I have set up the beginning of the campaign and introduced one of the influential NPCs. Hopefully personal character contacts can be established. There's a ton of work to be done yet in the planning department. I have yet to get two book I will need, the black market sourcebook and the Arzno sourcebook. According to the route I believe the players will plot through the post-apocalypse west, they will pass through Arzno. A city that had been besieged by vampires in recent game history. So it may be good to at least flip through the book.
Dead Reign: I've got all the books in the mail and have almost finished with the core book. The game is much more frightening and brutal than I had expected. I will not be playing it as is. Changes will be made to make it a more generic zombie survival horror. There are some zombie types and other elements that I believe detract from shorter games. It'll only be a two night affair, so I'm probably going to go with a sort of scripted series of events. I'm thinking about using "boss zombies" at the end of each day. Like how the Resident Evil games do the climax.
WFRP: I've been reading the core book and finding all the things That made me like this game so much. The game system is just well put together. And the theme is uniquely ingrained in the game world and how the mechanics work. I'll be playing with new players and I'm not sure just how much they know or expect from a roleplaying game. It should be easy to adapt WFRP to an easy-going playstyle or for greater depth.
Anyway...I'm done writing.
Friday, February 1, 2013
And now I am a Rifts game master
My currently roleplaying group has been playing Rifts with a rotating GM for a little over a year now. I was due to take over next and have been creating a storyline while I waited. As it turns out, our current GM has been running a few other games and is developing a little writer's block. So now I am to take over with but a week before my first session. It took only hours after learning this before I came up with an adventure for my first session to introduce NPCs and make contacts for the players.
Now, none of the things I do will be a stand alone adventure. They will all introduce contacts and villains tied into the main plot and character subplots of the campaign developed. I believe there should be more going on in the game than just the core story. Each character has a story of their own. A personal saga of hopes, dreams, and goals unattainable. Exploring this and linking it to other characters and the main plot will only enrich the roleplaying experience of each player. Of course, care and caution must be taken when crafting a storyline for another player. It must be personalized and within the realm of possibility within the game.
I am not going to post specifics of the game here for the possibility of a player stumbling across the information. I have already stopped telling them which books I am reading or currently looking to buy. I like open conversation between players and game masters, but I have found players get the most enjoyment out of witnessing the story as it unfolds. What I will post is what techniques I use and any rules alterations the I find work well.
My first player related priority is a character who can walk through walls and take control of computers with his mind. Rather than limit the player, I need to understand exactly how the character works to best figure out how it will interact with the environment. I don't pick on players or try to limit their creativity. Everyone comes away with something different when roleplaying. It is my job to allow them to enjoy the character they like without turning it into something they don't want. The game of Rifts is built to allow maximum flexibility. And to limit any of that just seems like a shame.
The first gaming technique I think I will introduce is the use of the "secret note". Players can slip me a note when their character is doing something they don't want anyone to know about. Not only do the other characters not know about the actions, but the note makes sure other players don't know either. I believe it creates some sense of mystery and suspense without forcing players to try and play their character like they didn't know another character just stole from them. Let's face it, the only way not to use out of game knowledge is to not have it at all.
Now, none of the things I do will be a stand alone adventure. They will all introduce contacts and villains tied into the main plot and character subplots of the campaign developed. I believe there should be more going on in the game than just the core story. Each character has a story of their own. A personal saga of hopes, dreams, and goals unattainable. Exploring this and linking it to other characters and the main plot will only enrich the roleplaying experience of each player. Of course, care and caution must be taken when crafting a storyline for another player. It must be personalized and within the realm of possibility within the game.
I am not going to post specifics of the game here for the possibility of a player stumbling across the information. I have already stopped telling them which books I am reading or currently looking to buy. I like open conversation between players and game masters, but I have found players get the most enjoyment out of witnessing the story as it unfolds. What I will post is what techniques I use and any rules alterations the I find work well.
My first player related priority is a character who can walk through walls and take control of computers with his mind. Rather than limit the player, I need to understand exactly how the character works to best figure out how it will interact with the environment. I don't pick on players or try to limit their creativity. Everyone comes away with something different when roleplaying. It is my job to allow them to enjoy the character they like without turning it into something they don't want. The game of Rifts is built to allow maximum flexibility. And to limit any of that just seems like a shame.
The first gaming technique I think I will introduce is the use of the "secret note". Players can slip me a note when their character is doing something they don't want anyone to know about. Not only do the other characters not know about the actions, but the note makes sure other players don't know either. I believe it creates some sense of mystery and suspense without forcing players to try and play their character like they didn't know another character just stole from them. Let's face it, the only way not to use out of game knowledge is to not have it at all.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Ugh
Haven't had much significant hobby progress. Didn't play my last tournament because of the flu, and signed up for another that I don't plan to attend. I do have my to-do list for the Adepticon team tourney though. I have had only two non-tournament games of 6th edition. I have none of the confidence I had while playing 5th. And every tournament has pressure to get models painted in time. Basically, I haven't enjoyed playing or painting in quite a while. A hobby is supposed to be fun and relaxing. That probably explains why I've been spending much more time with tabletop roleplaying games and video games. And since this is pretty much my geeky hobby diary, I will post about that crap.
Roleplaying....I was doing this well before wargaming entered my life. I am usually the game master and have developed my style over the years. Just the act of presenting a story you have created to a group of players with unique characters is a challenge. It took me several years to learn how to do it well. I have read about the subject and borrow storytelling techniques from several games over the years. I can talk for hours on the subject, but much of that won't find a place here. This will simply be a place to post what I am currently doing and working on.
Roleplaying....I was doing this well before wargaming entered my life. I am usually the game master and have developed my style over the years. Just the act of presenting a story you have created to a group of players with unique characters is a challenge. It took me several years to learn how to do it well. I have read about the subject and borrow storytelling techniques from several games over the years. I can talk for hours on the subject, but much of that won't find a place here. This will simply be a place to post what I am currently doing and working on.
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