Monday, January 21, 2008

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 :)

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