Month 2 Gareth and the Blood Ravens 5th

The Games Day model that will probably not even find its way into the army but looks nice.

The Dreadnought. This is the Assault on Black Reach model so comes ready to go with a Multi Melta. I am going to swap this around at some point to an Assault Cannon and Missile Launcher.

The Assault on Black Reach Terminators. Again i am not sure if they will find a place in the army but it seemed rude not to paint them after doing their box mates. I am going to go back over these with more shading and highlighting but for now i am happy enough with them. I especially like the Sergeant and his base.

My Sternguard. My crappy photography really doesn't do these models justice as i think they are the best looking unit in the army so far.

My army in full so far. I knocked the Board up in about 5 minutes to give me something to pose them on. Its just a Javis Scenics mat cut and stuck to Polystyrene and some ready made/painted Javis Scenery.

Well its fair to say i have been busy this month with painting my models. I have added a Devastator Squad which is loaded out with 2 Lascannons and 2 Heavy Bolters. Its a strange mix i know but it gives me a couple of tank busting guns for the inevitable Wave Serpents full of Aspect Warriors Foxy will bring (not to mention that bloody Avatar!) and the Killa Kans that Vic fields but also gives me 2 Heavy Bolters that should do a fair bit of damage to any Aspect Warriors, Ork Nobz or failing that just make a mess of Guardians and Ork boys. I am half way though painting another 5 Devastators with the remaining weapons and a Combat Squad which will not be part of my total army list but gives me plenty of heavy options for the Devastator squad and my Tactical Squads. Which is something i advise any marine player to do. I also Painted the rest of the Assault on Black Reach models (minus the Captain) but i think i could do with going back over and adding a bit more detail to them. I also painted last years Games Day model just because he looks nice and a Sternguard Squad as it seemed fitting with Bob at the head of the army. The models themselves are amazing and on the table will again add a bit more specialized firepower. Seen as i am only allowed 800 points for the next game i will have to chose carefully.

You will notice i have not put up a picture of my Objective marker yet, it was finished but then i saw the poor Marine on the base of Vic's! So i am going back to add lots of dead orks to mine, childish, yes, but fun all the same, definatly!

It seems to me as i am writing this that my army is in danger of being 'too specialized' and too small which against Orks and Eldar is not really a great idea. So for month 3 i think i am going to have to add at least 1 more Tactical Squad and probably 2, but then i have a nice new Thunderfire Cannon just begging to be painted!

Month 2 - Ork 'Windmill' Objective

I had an absolute blast building this objective. At first I struggled to think of a cool objective aside from loot, booby trays, prisoners, and injured Orks. I just thought that it probably wasn't very Orky to fight to retrieve a buddy, less competition to compete for warboss status!

So I was rummaging around my bits box and found the Ork tent thing from the Warhammer battle for skulls pass set. And next to it a set of rotor blades from a plastic deffcopter. The lightbulb came on and quicker than you can say Big Mek's monkey wrench I had built a windmill effegy to Gork and Mork. Since this was made during the tale of three gamers I have added blood raven and eldar helmets to show off trophies.

So without further ado I present the Gork 'n' Mork Windmill. Locknut and his boyz believe the faster it spins the more Gork and Mork are favouring them. A full pelt spin means it's Waaaaaah time!

I think I will add a vid of it spinning so watch this space boyz and girlz.

Vic

Month 2 - Blu'er and Hord'ier

Here is my completed Orks quota for month 2.


As mentioned in the battle against the Avatar and Wraithlord, I struggled to wound these beasts. In fact I only had one rokkit launcha at strength 8, that was it! And to top the steep learning curve I charged the Wraithlord with a unit of ten boyz but only after finding out that strength 4 against toughness 10 Wraithlords meant that no wounds could even be made (the Nob also rolled a spectacular '2' and '1's to hit)

So with that in mind I painted up a unit of Lootas:
5 isin't a large number of boyz and neither is their BS2! but with 48" range and strength 7 at least I stood a chance at damaging the Wraithlord from afar.

Next, to add more shooty killyness I modelled up a unit of three killa kans with rokkit launchas. I'm really proud of the rokkit launchas conversion as they were simply snipped off of plastic deffkoptas and fitted into plasticard tubes. They just look the part.

And the last thing to do was to add another healthy dose of 20 boyz with shootas this time.

Taking my quota this month to 395 points (the spare 5 points I will use to upgrade one of the killakans with grot riggers or something) I also get 10 points for winning a battle last month too.

Month 1 Scores

Vic
Win against Gareth - 5pts
Draw against Foxy - 3pts
Models painted on time - 5pts
Month 1 total = 13pts

Gareth
Loss against Vic - 1pt
Draw against Foxy - 3 pts
Models painted on time - 5pts
Month 1 total = 9pts

Foxy
Draw against Vic - 3pts
Draw against Gareth - 3pts
Models painted on time - 0pts
Month 1 total = 6pts

Overall standings
1st = Vic - 13pts
2nd = Gareth - 9pts
3rd = Foxy - 6pts

Month 1 battle reports Vs Foxy

Both Vic and Gareth played their individual battles against Foxy's Eldar on a 2x2 ft board. Both the Orks and Blood ravens were wiped off the board by turn 4 which was all a bit embarrasing.

After the dust had settled closer inspection of the Foxy's list revealed that he had fielded 155 points over the 400 points per side limit for this months battles. Quite a sigificant advantage at this points level. Because of this both battles were declared a draw earning all generals 3 points each.

(above) Three killkans struggling to inflict any damage at all on the Wraithlord and Avatar (despite both being armless!)

However this did not cover up the fact that the two units responsible for the Ork and Blood Raven's defeat were the Eldar Wraithlord and Avatar, which could have been fielded legitimately. These high strength high toughness monsters proved very difficult to destroy! (In fact we didn't managed to kill them in either game)

Foxy month 1 painting quota

Well i started this month with the best intentions and got right on with painting up a Guardian Squad, a Wraithlord and an Avatar! Slightly abitious i know. As it stands, its all started but none finished! In my defence i have 2 young kids so painting time is at a premium. That said, I and my Eldar will come back stronger than ever (and painted) for month 2. Now i just have to decide which Aspect to go for next.............

Month 1 battle reports Vic vs Gareth

This was a capture the objective battle.

(above) This was the set up on a 2x4 ft board the amazing firebase as the centre piece with the Blood ravens deployed on the left and Orks on the right. The base objectives were the green crystals.

(above) Turns 1 and 2 saw the Blood ravens advance as the Orks held within cover.

(above) As Pedro Kantor counts as model (Gareth hasn't named him yet) surged forwards the Orks broke from cover. Successful shooting by the killa kans took a wound of Kantor.

(above) Mig Mek Lock nut urged his boyz to mob the wounded space marine hero who falls under repeated hammerings from the back of an axe handle. Meanwhile in the North of the battlefield the other two killa kans add suppressive fire to allow the second Ork boys to advance round to the objective.

(above) Now was the time for a new hero to be born, the blood ravens sergeant stood firm as the consolidating Orks (after slaughtering Kantor) crashed into his combat squad. All the marines fell, but he hit back over-running eight ork boyz single handedly. Locknut managed to away (a tactic employed to ensure he could fight again of course!). The Ork momentum carried on the Northside as the second objective was wiped clear of marines.

Battle conclusion:
Gareth's flag - captured
Vic's flag - uncontested
= Win to Vic

Vic's thoughts:
It was my very first outing with the Orks and boy was I surprised at seeing how outnumbered the marines were. Fielding the three killa kans seperately allowed for them to switch around the firebase to provide covering fire.
I thought the battle was actually quite close if it had been a standard combat mission because of the late slaughter at the end by the Blood Raven's sergeant. This showed how vulnerable the Orks were in a prolonged battle against marines withouth their furious charge.
Overall a thoroughly enjoyable battle and refreshing to play at such a low points level. (Our regular gaming group has been playing 2000pts+ per player appocalypse for the last five games so this was quite a downscale!)

Gareth's thoughts:

What can i say? I once again fell into the trap of painting up models that look pretty but make no sense on the field of battle. In hindsight i could of fielded a standard Force Commander the 2 Combat squads and a Dreadnought or a couple of Land Speeders for my points. But what do i do? Spend all my time painting a 170 point Pedro Kantor (or bob as he will be known as until i can figure a better sounding name). Lets face it i was up against it. However thats not to take anything away from Vic and his green horde as they fight as good as they look. I don't think i could of done anything different given the troops (or lack of) under my command. Simply, Vic did what Vic does best and played to his armies strengths (in this case numbers) which is something i am trying to learn but then lovely new models come into stock and tactics go out of the window! Anyway, i have a few more things in the pipeline for month 2 so watch this space! Their will be xenos blood spilt!

Gareth month 1 painting quota

This month i painted up (above) Bob (Pedro Kantor) and my Tactical squad. The picture isn't amazing quality but you get the idea. It's basically Pedro Kantor with the Crimson Fists iconography filed off and on his shoulder pad where is is a round jewel in the centre of the wings i have green stuffed a blood drop. I know thats more Blood Angels than Blood Ravens but it seemed to fit. I also replaced the banner that came with the model for the standard banner off an Assault on Black Reach Captain. I'll paint his name on it when i have a better name than Bob!

I seem to have lost the Picture i took of the Tactical Squad but it is basically a standard Tactical squad from the Black Reach box set which in my opinion is the best way to start amy Marine army and the Sergeant is rock hard! Seeing off all those orks on his own!

Anyway, for month 2 i have quite a few more models planned, but you know what they say about the best laid plans..................

Month 1 - The green and blue horde begins!

Here is Big Mek Locknut and his mini mob. The 400 points give:
1 x Big Mek with Kustom forcefield and burna
1 x Unit of Ork boyz with Rokkit launcha and Nob and powerklaw. (split into two units of ten boyz for the 400 point games to fulfill the 2 troop quota on the force organisation chart.)
3 x Unit of killa kanz and big shootas (fielded as three seperate Heavy units at 400 points)

Here are close ups of the Ork Boyz

And the scratchbuilt killa kanz. Although not specifically painted as deathskulls at the moment, the blue was added after painting the browns as suggested in my last post as I had plenty of Ultramarines Blue lying around so in Orky fashion I'll do. (more on the way next month and a scratchbuilt deffdread coming too)

Month 1 Ork WIP's

I must admit that these WIP's were from about a week ago as I realised the rapidly approaching Arpil 5th deadline, so without further ado. Here is Mr Big Mek Locknut, the HQ choice for my green warband. Initial greens, browns and washes have been put down. I felt that the colour scheme was too dark so would brighten up armour areas with a bold colour although not decided which.I love the citadel washes, had only tried the leviathan purple wash previously which prompted me to buy the whole box set to try out. This is my scratch built killa kanz freshly doused in devlan brown wash to give it a fantastic oily rusty effect, I was really tempted to leave the all like that.