WHFB: 1999 point Orc 2008 GT army

Finally after much headache in computing and recomputing my army list I have come up with the final version (or so I hope) of the army list that I would be using for the 2008 Fantasy GT to be done in April.

The thing about this kind of army is the relative cheapness of the units as compared to say High Elves. I can take out an option here and an option there and I can save enough points to get another unit of boyz or several more support units which made the choices so hard to finalize.

Bruzza's Horde (1999 points)

Characters - 578 points ( 29% of armylist )

• Bruzza da Big - Orc WarBoss - Light Armour, Boar, Ulag's Akrit Axe, Enchanted Shield, Warboss um's Best Boss At - 217 points
• UrkFang Dwarfeater - Black Orc Bigboss - Heavy Armour, Boar, Battle Standard Bearer, Mork's Spirit Totem - 180 points
• RotGit - Goblin Bigboss - Light Armour, Shield, Wolf, Wollopa's One Hit Wonder, Guzzla's Battle Brew - 81 points
• Shimwit - Level 1 Night Goblin Shaman - Dispel Scrolls (x2) - 100 points

Core: - 996 points ( 50% of armylist )

• 25 Orc Boyz - Full Command, choppa, shield - 180 points
• 25 Orc Boyz - Full Command, choppa, shield - 180 points
• 25 Orc Boyz - Full Command, extra choppa - 205 points
• 20 Night Goblins - Musician, bows, Fanatic (x1) - 89 points
• 20 Night Goblins - Musician, bows, Fanatic (x1) - 89 points
• 5 Wolf Riders - Musician, spears - 71 points
• 5 Wolf Riders - Musician, spears - 71 points
• 5 Spider Riders - Musician, spears, shields - 71 points
• 2 Snotlings - 40 points

Special: 220 points ( 11% of armylist )

• Wolf Chariot - 60 points
• Wolf Chariot - 60 points
• Spear Chukka - 35 points
• Spear Chukka - 35 points
• Night Goblin Squig Herd - 30 points

Rare: 205 points

• Magog - Giant - 205 points (10% of armylist)

This list is shy of 2000 points total. Ive got some tried and tested units as well as a few new ones that I wanted to try out. Normally having to use new units can be tricky, specially if its a tournament setting. However I just want to give them a go this year and with me not expecting anything I just plan to have a great time.

Most of these models are already done but definitely need some retouching and varnishing while others are still on their sprues. This is fine by me since the new units that I had selected only have a few models in them so that it wouldnt give me a headeache in just finishing them. All of the characters need to be assembled and created. The Orc Boyz regiments need some retouching and painting of a few extra models. The Night goblins have bows simply because I have painted them that way and I loathe to have to modify them to have hand weapons and shields. Still if I have the time ...

I plan to do the assembly of any new models first then go ahead and do retouches and then actual painting. After everything has been painted will i apply matt varnish on all of the models.

GENERAL: Where's the beef? - State of the Spawning Ground address

I have always been plagued with going one way and then going another path depending on my whims. Moreso with the models that I collect, assemble, paint and game. Well this shall serve as a way to set in writing what I plan to do for the year 2008 in terms of my modelling. This of course may change over time so I plan to do another address to be able to track my progress in terms of what I had accomplished by June.

What this blog serves.

Like it says on top this blog shall serve as my way of monitoring my painting progress as well as my forays into the miniature world. This would include my game time as well as some fluff writing for the armies and campaigns that I did. And hey maybe people will get a kick at what I'm going to do.

Organizing the blog.

Aside from Kenton Kilgore's site and a few others that I regularly visit, I am also a fan of the lone pilgrim's blog. I plan on using that same format for this year to tidy things up on this blog and keep em as organized. I was intending to put on a separate battle reports page but since I'm not doing any reviews or plan on any large number of posts this will be on the backburner.

Frequency of posts.

Time issues will prevent me from posting on a daily basis so I will make posts on my progress weekly - I target it being done on a Monday - that way I can review what I have done so far and plan for the next week. If ever I get to post more than a week then that shall be considered a bonus.

What to focus on (painting wise):

The meeting that was held last December in RHGC headquarters highlights the planned activities for the year. Too bad I had just left before they started the meeting since everyone that was there was given a Cities of Death building terrain (!!!)

The schedule as posted is:

• January 2008 - Terrain-making session and Lito's birthday
• February 2008 - Warhammer 40,000 Megabattle (Apocalypse rules)
• April 2008 - Warhammer Fantasy Grand Tournament (Kim Navarro)
• August 2008 - Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament (Arvin Tan)WARMACHINE/HORDES tournaments and leagues will still be regularly held, organized by Press Ganger Raymund, Mang, Arvin, and Kim (all of which will be announced on later dates)

Because I am more of a gamer than a painter (in fact getting into games is one of the best motivators for me to finish painting my models) I need to take the schedule into consideration on what models to paint. Nothing like a coming tournament to get me motivated and start painting again.I shall also follow Kenton's credo in painting which is to make it "good enough" and that suits me just fine.

The February schedule is a bit to near for me though. I may just happen to bring as much models as I can for that event and just play with what I have there. That means that I need to focus on the first major event on April which is the Fantasy GT and then the 40k GT for August.

I also want to put some character in my armies so I need to work hard and start adding in some unit names and fluff for them.

Warhammer 40k

My Lost and the Damned army is no more (well until there would be a third chaos codex after Daemonica) unless I plan to use them as conscripts or in Apocalypse only gaming. However I still have not got around to finish varnishing the models for me to display them. I plan on retouching the models and varnishing the models this February before I shelf them in my newly modified display case. If I still have some extra models left that I haven't touched then that is what I would be painting.

This means that for the Mega Battle that would be done this February I plan on using my Chaos models. This depends of course if the event pushes through but I am concerned if I can meet the deadline.

With the Orks getting a new codex (finally!) it looks like that its time for me to retouch the old boss's figs, and add some more models to it and get it on the gaming table. I had acquired quite a few fantasy orc models which I plan to use for shoota boyz in the codex. However I just dont know where to start again on what to paint.

For February I plan to inventory (or look for) the orks and then come up with an army list that would suite my tastes. I plan to create a list for a blood axe infantry army and a speed freak list (with the number of trukks I should be able to pull this off easily). I shall consolidate and create a 1000 point and a 1,500 point list for both types of armies.

There where two reasons why I went LATD before. One was because no one played such an army (it was unique) and the other was because then I could use different kinds of models. With that army's demise it appears that my army of choice for now would be a Radical Inquisitor army using WitchHunter and Daemon Hunter units. This would actually let me field my Space Marines or my units from my old LATD and that suits me just fine.

That is until I get my Orks up and running again. Im still undecided on wether to use the Inquisition or Orks for the GT in August. Well lets see what happens.. Again it all depends on the army list that I can manage to use and what would suit me.

Speaking of Space Marines, I do plan to retouch and then varnish whatever models are already done so that I can put em on the display case. My using Inquisition troops would allow me to field them as well anyway.

This appears to hold true for the Imperial Guard. I shall relegate them to Inducted units in the Inquisition and that would give me the chance to paint the units that I would actually need.

Additionally I want to incorporate the old Hobby Cafe website games that we had with the Corriba Sector (another home brewed sector whose original site has sadly become lost in the warp) and the campaigns that I had done in recent years (Battle for Oakwood and the Eldar Storm games.) I want to tie them all in and post the stuff here and then create a new campaign by June.

Warhammer Fantasy

My Orc and Goblin Army has remained as is with no retouches (but more damaged due to transporting the miniatures) since 6th edition (meaning half painted and assemblred models) with my painting focusing on 40k this may be once again heading for the backburner.. However it looks like the schedule for Fantasy would be earlier than 40k so if I want to compete in this one I better fix and retouch everything.

I need to make a final list of what I will bring for the Fantasy GT and then from there I can focus on what do I need to fix/retouch on. My emphasis here is to use what models I have, no scratch building or converting or buying new stuff, just fix and paint.

I have always fancied on doing a second army for Fantasy. After my deal with EJ I have enough models to finally make me a decent Dwarf Army. I plan to make an army list based on the existing models that I have and then slowly work on them AFTER the Fantasy GT.

BFG

I want to get some gaming time with my Chaos and Ork fleets from time to time. I at least have one dedicated opponent I should easily get some game time for them this year.


HORDES

I still have the Everblight starter all assembled and just waiting to be painted. With the local gaming scene more interested in playing Privateer games I may have to actually start painting these. Being a mass horde army type player I admit it is refreshing to see that I can fit the entire force in just one small tool box.

Will start painting the Shredders by March in between me fixing my Fantasy Army.



To Recap:

• Painting to focus on what games and events will be done. Critical to have the Army lists made up first before I begin painting any of the units.
• Armies that will be used for the tournaments would be the first priority. Anything else would be a way to take a break from such painting
• Feb - retouch LaTD mutants then varnish and stow for now.
• Feb - create viable army lists for Orks with the units that I have.
• March - Orcs and Goblins for the GT army this April.
• March - Paint Shredders
• April - Do a Dwarf army after the GT.
• June - army to be focused for 40k would be Inquisition with allied Space Marines. List for the GT to be created and focused on by June.
• June - Do a 40k campaign.

Thats all that I can think of for the first half of the year. Lets see what happens :)

GENERAL: Some shelving...

The cabinet I had used to put my figures in (well some of em anyway) was a bookcase that I had added some extra shelves before.. in the form of some illustration board and boxes of old mechwarrior booster packs for support.

I decided that I actually needed to put something more permanent in my shelving (and at the same time the models needed cleaning anyway). So I brought me some L rungs and screws and started fixing the cabinet


I first removed all the models that where stored in the shelves and laid them out in the balcony, being able to get to view models that I haven't seen in a while. I just realized only now how many more stuff I hadnt finished painting.



I then went to the cabinet and started measuring me the positions to put the L rungs , first a ruler and then with the same boxes that held the original shelves together. I then started to screw them on. With the glass panels in the way my hand and wrists had to work at odd angles but I managed to screw them in after some laborious work.

Finally I had rungs for three shelves... but I hadn't thought of what actual shelfing material to use for the cabinet...


Fortunately my aunt runs a furniture company so I went there and started scrounging up some excess wood that I would use for the actual shelves.. My carpentry and measuring skills need work with me not being able to cut a straight line but regardless I was able to cut the size that I needed then filed/sand papered the rough cuts that I did. They looked a little "raw" so I blasted them with black spray.

I then did a bit of jiggling to get the shelves in place. I then cleaned the models I took out from the cabinet before I placed them back. This took me all afternoon, a bit of a slow production but at least thats all done.. So now when do I actually get to start painting? :P

PAINTING: Stripping paint - High elves

I checked and I have the following high elf models:

• old bowmen (5th ed models) - 9
• multi-part bowmen - 36
• spearmen (high elf bodies with bretonnian heads (!!!) ) - 29
• Mage on foot - 1
• Mage mounted - 1
• Phoenix Guard - 3
• bolt thrower ( 6th ed metal ) - 1
• Silver Helms - 3

Man do these models paint jobs suck hard. I had begun the process of stripping paint of the high elves.. and have managed to remove the paint from all of the new plastic bowmen.


Was astonished though that the price of my handy dandy brake fluid just shot up. It used to be like 44 bucks for a 400 ml can now its 59 for a 150 ml one.. sheesh smaller and more expensive..
Hmmm maybe its time for me to try out that Simple Green in True Value.

However Im losing momentum in wanting to strip all the models since Jeff just told me that he will give me some plastic IG cadian models that he also got from EJ (too bad this deal came in after I got the fantasy stuff, I would have gladly paid for this instead)... ah well no more choice but to see if I can unload the models aside from the orcs and dwarves.I am still trying to convince Ricky to buy the lot from me so that I can get some cash back.

Heres to that.

GENERAL: The return of the old workbench..

Well back in July of 2007 I had changed my table for something that would aid in painting... Sadly that was not the case.. with my models, paint and tools all over my room (since I had no central place to put anything) it would take me 30 minutes just to look for the stuff that I needed and by that time Id lose interest.. and as a result I never painted another model... then the last quarter of the year happened and I got married and well... still no painting.

Well before the new year started it was time to shake things up a bit at home. I replaced the computer table downstairs with the one that my sister had bought but never used... and had that table moved back upstairs in its old place.. I was also able to finally unstuck the window behind it and now it shall be permanently closed to prevent more dust from getting in the room.

Lets see what happens this time :)

GENERAL: Bad painting = where is the love?

My instinct to look for a bargain has once again caused me to purchase stuff that I might not actually ever use (another bought of buyers remorse) I had just purchased several plastic bags of models and after rifling through them have realized that I have the following.

- a lot of empire
- many high elf
- many dwarves
- many orcs
- a few marines
- some odds and ends

It was sold by a friend of mine at greenhills and he never bothered to look what was in it. It was all in bags and I was thinking of getting a bargain so I grabbed them as well without looking.

Now dont get me wrong, the models that I got ARE a bargain. Its just the condition of the models that I got (to be more specific the paint job) that has me rubbed the wrong way. I would have rather had the models without paint than seen their condition... (if anyone has seen 6 years old paint you will know what I mean)

Sorting through all of the so called painted stuff was actually tiring and debilitating... the kind that feels that your strenght is being sapped away. Damn you can feel there was no love for how the models were painted (you'll get what I mean when you hear me say it :P )

I'm going to start throwing the models in VATS of brake fluid as soon as I can.

Still there are some good stuff in there... I plan to keep the dwarves (though this may change) and the orcs will make a fine addition to my current army project of expanding the 40k Orks that I have. As for the high elves I got ricky interested about it already... if I can manage to sell that and get back a third of the cost that I spent for the lot that would be all good..

That leaves the empire figs.. hmm.. I guess im going to need to do inventory of all of these figs eventually.. Im just going to need a lot of fresh air and water to keep from getting nauseous...