A Tale of Duelling Gamers My Final Efforts

 

Well I have come to the end of my $700 Games Workshop spend equivalent and have added the final painted miniatures to the Vampire Count Force I have always wanted to build. This has been really enjoyable, to see the others involved put their units and characters together has been inspirational and the motivation I needed to carry on. Though I will never claim great painting skills, on mass the theme I wanted occurred and I am happy with the look of them all. So what did it all cost me? Have a look at the end.

First the last of the miniatures and interestingly the characters. I have one more item to do but as I am about to take my son on a road trip to Lake Mungo, Adelaide and into Melbourne I may not get time to finish it. (Tis a small terrain piece in keeping with the theme)

The small force arrayed, it was not quite finished but who cares.

Black Knight BSB

The new foot characters, Wight King BSB if I don't use the Black Knight, my Foot Vampire Lord and the Vampire I will use as a hero

BSB from above, the mounted version of the foot miniature from above and a mounted Wight King

Vampire Lords should always look elegant.

Close up a bit more detail but still a bit of a quick paint job.

Oldie but a goody.

 

So the costs....hmm love workshop minis but using Mantic, second hand and leftover bits and bobs means that my wife will be much much happier. Points cost, oh can't be bothered tonight maybe next blog entry.

Month	Spend Allowance	GW Cost	Actual Cost	Miniatures
April	200	69 69 22 (160)	12.5 12.5 3	20 mantic rev = 20 graveguard,  1 necromancer
May	100	79   55 (134)	25   25	3 m werewolves = 3 crypt horrors 20 m zombies
June	100	90	free	blackcoach
July	100	50	30	5 Black knights bret
August	100	83	10	Carrion = Fell bats
September	100	41   26   10   41 23   44	10   5   6   5 2   9	1 Mtd vampire lord and foot mini 1 Foot Vampire lord Mtd Battle Standard Bearer Mtd Wight King Foot Wight King BSB 3 spirit hosts
	$700	$702	$155.00

A tale of Duelling Gamers, the race for the finish line.

Well I am down to the wire and trying to get the last of the miniatures painted. The units and bigger items are done and the character models are getting there. Hopefully I will have time to put a little more effort into the characters, at least that is the idea.

The last unit, Spirit Hosts ($44.00 GW value but I only spent around $9.00 for the fireforge 28mm man at arms)

 

 

Characters a WIP sorry about the overexposure, when complete I'll take better images hopefully. Hard to work out the cost at GW vs Actual on these as some of the minis do not have an equivalent and needless to say I did not pay full price for any of them.

spring has sprung and the club numbers start to grow again

Well it would seem that the quietness of August was due to the cold as our first monthly meeting on the Friday just gone showed that the numbers were back up. Great to see some of the younger lads return with their boxes of minis. Just to show that games happen in Moruya on with the show.

Wings of Glory WWI four players tonight

 

Finishing off my bloodbowl game Wicked Elves won woot.

Battletech, I feel so dumb giving away my old mechs.

4 kids on the 40 K table, one big free for all.

Roleplayers using Pathfinder. Notice how the caffeine keeps us all going into the later hours of a Friday night.

Quite in the depths of winter at the club

Well August is over and it has been very quite indeed. Many of the lads have had parties and what not to go to and their minis sit forlornly in their boxes but not us brave older souls no. We headed off to the club for 2 games of 40K and a game of Blood Bowl.

Necrons vs S. Wolves (Wolves won)

Orks vs Sisters (orks won)

Hordes and hordes of Orks

My Wicked Elf team vs the Evil Dwarf Team so far I am 2 up but my ladies are ending up in the reserves section or worse injured ouch.

Duelling Gamers August entry for real this time

Now that August is almost over I can now show off my Fell Bats, well that is what I am using them as. I have had these sitting around for a long time and as the Vampires can't use bows or missiles of any sort I thought a unit of flyers was in order. Out came the bitz box and behold 3 very old carrion? that I will use as the big bats. Got no idea if fell bats are any good in the army lists but big flying things always seems to upset the opposition. I think if my maths is correct I should have around $150 up my sleave for the month of September and the paint will flow on a couple of Character models.

 

Fell Bats......yes they are really.....

 

 

I have noticed that Nagash has returned with a nice new addition that allows Vampire Counts to ally with Tomb Kings and thus Bow armed skellies are now a possibility but as luck would have it a couple of years ago I gave away all my lovingly painted tomb kings as I had never used them. So will I lash out on the new Nagash Book, not likely. Pity as I still have the old metal Nagash.

And now for something completely different 15mm Wurtemberg Fusiliers straight off the paint table this week. Lovely AB 15mm from Nic at Eureka thanks Nic.

A Tale Of Duelling Gamers my belated July attempt

Well July was actually a pretty dismal month for me on a personal level and I lost the drive to do any painting of real note for the "ATODG" but nearing the end of August my July entry is ready and I am part way through the August entry as well (one should hope so).

Yes I know they are Bretonians, and old ones at that, yet I had this great desire years ago after reading some of the "fluff" about the Lamian Vampires and how the girls were able to sway others to their most vampiric of ways. So digging through some of my old unpainted Bretonians I came up with a nice unit of 5 from old knights and knight errant models. Fishing through the bits box gave me the undead shields I needed and a liberal splash of super dip wood stain and varnish and ta da. suitably grim looking knights that are meant to be ummmmm Black Knights, hmmm yellow, hmmm oh well.

 

I always admire the freehanded banners of the better painters, as I am not one a quick fish around the net and behold vampire banner for the Black Knights.

The Art Work is By Anna Stokes and is used without permission but I don't plan on selling it just playing with it.

 

 

I am hoping that the painting juice is back and flowing as I have some fell bats and character models to paint and potentially another unit of werewolves to take me to the September dead line. What I really need to do is make some suitably grim terrain to support the small army but I just don't see myself getting the time to do so.

August at the Club

Winter is biting pretty hard for August and the club numbers are really down which is a pity but I have had the chance to game some lads that I don't normally get to do so which is really nice.
Just a few pics this time. Just to keep the club informed that we are still happening.

My Pandora Crew that fell foul to a Ramos Crew using the new Malifaux 2.0 Rules

Do you think I could even eliminate a gunsmith? Nope.

Nomads for Infinity

Space Orks vs Imperial Fist Clones, at 1500 points you get a lot more Orks than Marines and well the Marines fell over this time. A rematch has been asked for.

WinterCon 2014 Canberra

WinterCon 2014

 

WinterCon is the Canberra Games Societies little brother miniature wargaming convention. There is only one hall in use not 2 and a half; there are only a few purveyors of fine wares for the miniature gamer or equivalent. Yet there is still plenty to offer the gamer, miniature painter, or even Cosplay participant. Two nice additions this year were a painting clinic by Meg Maples from the USA, what a great idea. Pity I did not have the two days might have taken up this opportunity. The other was some nice Cosplay people and a Steampunk stall selling or at least displaying some very nice clothing and accoutrements for those so inclined.

 

A quick stroll around on the Saturday left me wanting a game. There was a  Warmachine/Hordes event (what is it with these guys, 2-3 have the most beautifully painted minis and then it is hard to spot so much as a lick of paint on the rest of the 40 or so participants) they also had a learn how to play set up which was very clever.

Flames of War had their own mini campaign based on the invasion of Normandy, this looked really good and I love how they theme the campaign each year. 40K had the usual lot and possibly a kill team version too?

Impetus in 28mm what nice bases. Hmmm another project I want to start. Bolt action was there with some nice 28mm WWII. Is it just me but should there be artillery on the table in 28mm games?? Maybe they are objectives. X-Wing was being played as a competition; first I have seen that in Australia.

But the real eye opener for me was Dead Man’s Hand in 28mm on some very very nice tables. Cowboys just does not do it for me but after seeing the tables and minis……….oh no…….

 I spent a little at a couple of stalls and well ended up playing in the demo game of Infinity against my son who promptly whooped my proverbial. This game has fascinated me for a while and well I got home and on the Sunday gave both my lads a game. Yep gonna give this one a go at last. The other highlight was a brilliant Pegasus Bridge game using 28mm British Paras against a mixed bag of SS PZ Grenadier Veterans and some everyday Heer and lesser troops. The rules were Chain of Command, another rules set that has caught my eye.

Well enough of the chat on with the show.

Pegasus Bridge Chain of Command in 28mm

Infinity display board, this was used later in the day.

The 2X3 board my son and I fought over with a choice of teams in the back ground. The gentleman that ran it was Nim from Canberra and very good he was too.

 Thanks Nim.

Gendarmes for a late Medieval/Early Renaissance Impetus Competition, mind you I could have sworn I saw Carthaginians on a table too.

40K Imperial knights, I still play 40K and WFB and love looking over the fantastic painting done by participants.

Dead Man's Hand only one of may fine tables. Tempted........

A burning PZIV after being hit by a PIAT from a window the night before, in the game. The poor chap with the PIAT was in the middle floor looking through the middle window and shortly after I arrived just about every thing German that could shoot at him did so. Note the smoke and fire marker, with glowing LED inside....coooool.

 

Sad loss, a great friend and Club member.

Sadly around a week ago our club lost one of our great members. Intriguingly if this is read by others outside of Australia the name may be recognised due to his premier painting skills and ability to knock out entire armies at a very high standard in excellent time.

Colin Jones, Col for short, passed away after a long battle with cancer and other issues and is dearly missed by his wife and family. He will be sorely missed by all at our club too. Col had not been attending for around 2 years due to ill health but had still helped out with painting advice and the odd game at his house. Though not much of a naval gamer I had the chance to sink his Bismarck in a War at Sea game around 3 months ago. In actual fact his sunk most of my ships but hey it sounds better this way.

Col was ex Royal Navy serving on HMS Eagle I believe and then he joined the RAN. After serving as a naval police officer he joined the department of foreign affairs and worked in Thailand, Russia and China all the while indulging his passion for miniature wargaming and painting. He is remembered in Australia for turning up to a model painting competition in Perth Western Australia and winning 11 out of 12 of the events! Warhammer Fantasy as played in Australia has been privileged to see his work appear in 30 armies out of 120 at a competition held in Canberra only 5 or so years ago and his worked appeared in White Dwarf on occasion as well. He helped hundreds of kids (young and old) indulge their passion for miniatures and was a true gentleman and inspiration to all. Judging painting competitions instead of entering them just so he would give us all a chance.


You will be missed Col, thanks mate.

Col on the left of the pic.

Next time a little comment about WinterCon at Canberra. Or how to shake the cobwebs from the brain.

I know it is July but this is from June.

A couple of images of commission work first up and then some club night games from June. Not much to say really as it has been a pretty ordinary month. Lets hope July is better. At least there is WinterCon to look forward to.

I was happy with the Verdi Gris effect

Different Angle

Nice Model but needs to be in the air I feel.

I think this is called an Executioner, Malifaux mins are rather nice to paint.

White Irish vs the Brettons In Saga

I tried the Normans vs the Anglo Danes and well gosh you get some Fatigue racked up against you.

Final Result guess who's Normans failed?

A return of a long lost member with his Space Marines only to be whooped by the Nids of Doom

Late in the Month we had another meet but I forgot to take photos worthy of display. Blood Bowl was fought along with this nice game of Scots Vs Vikings with a very close victory to the Vikings. The Scots were purchased less than a month ago and the 4 points are on the table with a solid paint job. Now that is quick in my books.

 

As noted above WinterCon in Canberra is almost upon us and I am really looking forward to a couple of participation games. If you are not sure of Where it is held just Google Wintercon 2014 Canberra and all the details will be forthcoming.

 

A tale of Duelling Gamers The Black Coach

Well June is well underway and I have completed my Vampire Counts addition to A Tale of Duelling Gamers for the month. I did sort of cheat in the sense that the miniature was a decidedly damaged and unused freebie I was given along with some skeletons I bought too long ago. The Black Coach sat around and collected dust and even the glue holding bits together fell apart but I needed a larger centre piece for the army and without funds for a Terror Geist or Zombie Dragon it will now hold centre stage in the growing force. Reading the stuff on the web about them it seems they are not much chop anymore but then I really could care less as it is now complete and my lads like the look of it.
Without further ado The Black Coach

The Damaged Coach, one too many fights with the Bretonnians

Glued and some new paint as highlights new wheel colour and the driver gets a second life, keeping the old scheme was important as it was pretty neat and tidy.

In all its finery, The Black Coach lives again! Pun intended.

 

 

Other Work complete.

28mm Brit HMG, Bolt Action Commando minis with normal British heads, sadly the shop I picked it up from at cancon only had the commando version and I couldn't wait, can anyone?

Norman Knights for Saga

Norman Spear for Saga

Teddy for Malifaux.

This is the first actual Malifaux miniature I have painted for myself and with 3 more different minis for others on the desk this sort of tells you why.