Here is another recently finished model -- an Eldar Wraithlord.
I've been working on the 40K Space Hulk event for Origins and a question occurred to me that I want to pose to everyone to hear your ideas.
I want the event to be impressive. Accordingly, the game won't just be a map drawn out on the table, but complete models of rooms, hallways, and so forth. However, I am undecided as to what form the terrain should be. Basically, there are two options:
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A limited amount of large sections of terrain that must be placed together in just a certain way to form one huge space hulk, or...
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A bunch of much smaller sections that represent particular rooms that can be mixed and matched to create different floorplans for each game
The main advantage of the first option is that the result will be impressive -- 24 square feet of space hulk. Given enough time the model can be refined to a high degree since every piece will always be in just one particular place -- I won't have to worry about making the individual bits interchangeable. The downside is that such a huge model will be hard to move and store. It'll also remain the same over time (once I finish I'm not going to do the whole thing over again just for the sake of variety!). It'll also require more time as either the whole thing is finished or it's not.
The second option wouldn't be as impressive, but it would be far more convenient. I'd only have to do one room at a time. That would allow me to add to the selection of rooms over time. It would also mean that I wouldn't face having to get a (large) fixed amount done in order to be ready for Origins. If my time becomes limited I could just go with a minimum amount of rooms and just add more for later conventions. It would also be easier to move and store.
I am personally leaning toward the second option as my storage room is limited. Adding rooms over time also feeds my personal need for variety in my modeling. However, I do want to do a good job and end up with a game that will not only be fun to play, but visually impressive.
So, what do you think?
I showed you the finished mount a few weeks ago, but here is the complete model. It's basically the Chaos fantasy herald with head and arm swaps.
I finally have a worthy commander figure for my Deathwing army. I stole the idea for the back cape from Astronomican, but otherwise it's just a Captain Lysander model with the Imperial Fists iconography replaced. Only thing I am lacking is a suitably impressive name. Any ideas (and, no, "Bob" is already taken).
Games Workshop sent out their latest email newsletter (you should really sign up for it if you aren't already) and it includes some great promo pictures for the upcoming Imperial Guard redo. I thought I'd post them for anyone who hasn't seen them yet.
It all makes me excited about the new codex. I have a half-painted Cadian army that I should sit down and finish one of these days. Maybe I'll get to it after this years Origins.
DoW2 has been out for a few weeks now and I’ve played when I’ve found the time. Here are my thoughts on the game.
The Good
The game looks great and does a fine job mimicking the feel of 40K in a real-time format. This isn’t just your usual RTS game. If you are expecting just to build, charge, and repeat think again. It’s not about recruiting a horde – these are Space Marines, the elites. You get at most four (by 40K standards under strength) squads to command at one time, each fundamentally different. One is your commander, but after that you have many potential options including tactical marines and dreadnoughts. Each unit can also bring a wide range of weaponry and wargear. That gives you a lot of possible ways for mixing and matching.
In battle you need to control the squads individually, although they will of course fight any enemy that comes into range. To get the best results, however, you can’t just rush your troops forward. You can take position behind cover, pull out a grenade to disrupt the enemy’s formation, or concentrate fire on a particular target -- among other things. Whatever combination you decide upon it’ll need to be clever more often than you may think. The AI of the game is usually smart enough to give you a real challenge, at least most of the time.
As for what you’ll face your possibilities include two old favorites – the Eldar and the Orks – and one new DoW race, namely the Tyranids. This last group is especially nasty, but they are all what you would expect. The Eldar are varied, the Orks brutal, and the Tyranids in great abundance (The bugs were the biggest shock for me, at least at first. I learned the hard way that you can’t get impatient when dealing with them. Be methodical or be swamped.). The typical mission includes fighting your way through various bastions of the enemy before you take on the boss for that level. No matter how well you do against the peons the boss is almost always difficult. More than once I’ve come close to blowing the whole thing thanks to this final obstacle.
The campaign game is easily the best thing about DoW2. It’s huge, with plenty of scenarios. Even better it’s not just a linear march toward victory. You can jump around between different planets with each planet having a range of missions. As you complete one set more arise. Which ones depend on the order you finished the earlier missions. You only have a limited amount of time (days within the game) to get things done. Victory means beating back the alien invaders.
The Bad
As great as the campaign game may be the vanilla skirmishes are disappointing. The number of available maps can be counted on your fingers while their designs are ho-hum. The game’s very structure makes skirmish games less enjoyable than those of its predecessor, at least given the way I prefer to play. The old RTS standby of build and rush works better when you just want to kill things.
I haven’t tried the multiplayer options, but they are certainly extensive. It is clear that DoW2 was designed with Internet play in mind so if that is your thing I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be pleased.
The Ugly
But, it’s the multiplayer that brings about the one thing I hate about the new Dawn of War. It’s supported through the use of a program called Steam and I’m learning to hate it. It’s a resource hog and you can’t run DoW without it. That means that you can’t even start the game unless you have an active Internet connection. Most aggravating of all, however, is that Steam will pop up on a regular basis with advertisements – I mean, “notifications” – for other games. I didn’t pay $50 for the privilege of having spam thrown in my face!
Still, the price is worth it – Dawn of War 2 is a great game. It’s a must-buy for anyone interested in a great Real-Time Strategy challenge and/or Warhammer 40K on your computer.
I have been working hard on my painting projects, but my latest is not actually 40K. Still, I think it turned out well, so here it is for your perusal -- Roland Martel, a Paladin in the latest incarnation of our local Saturday night D+D game.
The model is a combination of a bunch of fantasy minis I had lying around. Waste not, spend not.