Count As...

... it is one of those words that can conjure up extreme emotions of Emo Nerd Rage in people. While in others it is the breeding grounds of extremely cool looking armies like this, this and this and even this. There are even those that have well written background blurbs to explain their count-as army.

However, the comments in Kirby's recent reach out has helped me realise my feelings. I have channelled these feelings into a simple message...

Pull Your Head Out and Grow Up.

State Election

Not everyone is fortunate enough to live in Ozlandus, let alone NSW, but I figured out how to make this post interesting for some of my imaginary friends who are less fortunate than myself and Kirby and Marshal Wilhelm...

You lucky self-edit Fuckers don't have to vote... you don't even have to register. You don't have to figure out where the most convenient pre-voting poll is because you work on a Saturday. You don't even have to keep up with politics so that your vote is informed. You can even rest assured that some people that probably shouldn't vote don't bother voting... lucky bastards. Unless your government also requires you to vote, because it is your democratic right and if you don't than they fine you.

Also, it was Earth Hour tonight. Not sure how it went since most people would have been on youtube or facebook... possibly keeping up with Labor losing a self-edit load of seats across the State. Turned out to be better than last year...

Weekly Finds #21

Been a quiet and lazy week for me. Did very little work on the Victorian Crusade. Instead watched Youtube videos of College Humor great way to waste hours. While I've been enjoying Jake and Amir, the rest of the interwebz has been talking about Grey Knights, Space Monkeys and even more Grey Knights. Fortunately, the interwebz has things other than Grey Knights to offer...

A quick look at wet blending by Ron from Black Dot Barrel Studios - At first, I was afraid that Ron would fall into obscurity following his move from FTW. However, a month later, he is still producing content that is not only amazing but also helpful. Something else that will help improve your painting is a wet palette such as this home made one by RealGenius.

Wave Serpent Turret Conversion by Master Manipulator from Every Store Needs One - When you compare the standard Games Workshop turret to the Forge World turret, can start to appreciate why the Master Manipulator decided to convert his own. And while we are talking about Eldar take a look at that... pretty.

Vehicle Squadrons by Kirby from Pinktastic Blog - With the new BT FAQ this article will be extremely useful in giving new and old players the necessary information when building their lists. Help explain why MM/HF goes solo while HB/CML goes in squadrons of two. Especially, since there are several members on the BnC who have no clue what they are saying...

Desert Eagles wip by Desert Eagle from The Bolter & Chainsword - It is kind of funny how cool it was when I came across the latest offerings by Desert Eagle. After readings Kirby's post about squadrons, I went looking for more pictures of the Rogue Trader Land Speeders with very little luck. They look awesome sauce. And then BAM! came across this conversion. True story. If you like looking at stunning count-as Deathwing/Loganwing than take a look through the thread... well worth it. It's full of great ideas.

Steve White's Chaos Theory by Mark from What's New Today - Some of my imaginary friends may recognise this army from the feature they had on the blog last year in August. But for those who missed out, now is your chance to witness the majesty that is Tortoise's Canticle of Pleasure and Pain. It is also cool that he works for Forge World.

40K: Winning the No-Win Scenario by Jwolf from Bell of Lost Souls - This is a brain exercise on possible ways to deploy a Dark Eldar force against Imperial Guard in Capture & Control a.k.a auto-draw. These sort of exercise are great not only for DE players, but for all players. It helps players get used to thinking what their opponent is capable of. This article by Ron opened my eyes to the bliss of certain players. Never realised some players were unaware of the design faults with the missions. 

The Basics - Interlude (Ramona A. Stone/Heart of Lothian/Troops at 1750) by TKE from Mind War, ftw! - There is a bit of rambling... but the article is still good. As he says it isn't a definitive guide but it does give players something to think about. Another two posts that are similar is this one by Mike, about army cores, and this one by Stelek, about the 4+2 concept. 

White Dwarf launch and Friday Hobby by Mark from What's New Today - Another one about What's New Today. However, this time it is about the way Gary Shaw achieved the weather on his Grey Knight Stormraven. Although Grey Knights are associated with a crisp clean coat of paint, the weathering on this looks stunning and wouldn't be out of place surrounding by pristine Grey Knights.

Black Library TV - Andy Hoare Talks About White Scars

Found the beginning of this interview interesting. Andy Hoare talks about the totality of the hobby... narrative, gaming, the whole thing together.

The talk of background information also interested me when he mentions that no one element is taken in it's puriest form but rather given a 40K spin. My mind zones out slightly when he starts talking specifically about the Savage Scars... not a Chapter I'm interested in.

Tin Soldier Penrith - Penrith Grand Relocation Sale !!!‏

Got this email today and thought I'd pass it on...

Greetings All.

It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce the Penrith Tin Soldier, Deluxe Grand Relocation, Mega Power, Release the God or Goddess in you, sale.

Quite a mouthful you say? Sounds a little bit silly?

Well….it is…silly prices anyway, but really mature, well-balanced staff trained to the point of near death in the most inhospitable environments in the world (High Street, Penrith) in order to give you the service that you deserve.

…Well, all that aside it is going to be a very large sale in which Tin Soldier is proud to offer its valiant, noble and loyal customers very large discounts in order to help you ease your wallet or purse out of your back pocket knowing that you are supporting your local gaming store and your community.

ADDRESS: SUITE C (UPSTAIRS ON LEFT), 513-519 High Street Penrith (ABOVE SUBWAY). The place is bigger, well air conditioned and there is even fragrances added to help combat the smell of overweight gamers. Entry Area between Cash Converters and Subway, stairs ascending.

DATE:  Friday 25th till Thursday 31st of March 2011
                    
DEALS:

GAMES WORKSHOP – 20% OF R.R.P. Not as cheap as Wayland Games. However, there isn't a 5 week wait for your miniatures to arrive in the post.
BOARDGAMES – 25%
BATTLEFRONT – 20%
REAPER MINIATURES - 25 %
GENERIC ROLEPLAYING BOOKS – 30%  (SHADOWRUN. MUTANTS AND MASTERMINDS, WHITE WOLF ETC, ETC, ETC)
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS 4TH ED – 20%
PATHFINDER – 25%
HISTORICAL MINIATURES – 20%        (PERRY, VITRIX, OLD GLORY)
MAGIC THE GATHERING – 25%
CARD SUPPORT MATERIAL – 20%
GENERIC TERRAIN PIECES – 20% (JR, MINIATURE WORLD MAKER, PEGASUS ETC).
OSPREY BOOKS: 15%
OLD GENERIC NOVELS – DRAGONLANCE, FORGOTTEN REALMS, AD200 ETC UP TO %50 (DEPENDING ON AGE)
VALLEJO PAINTS – 15%
MILITARY DVD’S – 15%

NOTE: IMPORTANT BIT

We are happy to offer the above awesome deals.
However all of the deals apply to stock physically at Penrith store during the time in question.
We are NOT taking orders based on the above prices.
All goods are fully paid for on the day in order to secure your discount.
No goods will be put aside unless fully paid for.
Stock may be mailed to your location providing you are happy to pay the postage cost.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS:
Call Rowan at the Penrith store on (02) 4731 4623 for further information…

The Stupidz

Do you hear that? It is the sound of someone with Emo Rage Syndrome. The best cure is locking them in a room with a neo-feminist or an interwebz troll.

Weekly Finds #20

Seems to have been a slow week when it comes to hobby content... I suspect it is because everybody is excited about the upcoming Grey Knights. Regardless of this, here are the articles, posts and whatevers from the past week...

Who Really Benefits From Fell No Pain? By Sandwyrm from the back 40k - This is a post dedicated to mathhammer or law of averages as the guys and gals at GW call it. As the title suggest it is about Fell No Pain, and attempts to show that it isn't that big of an advantage for Grey Knight Terminators. Which is true when compared to Dark Eldar. However, with that said, the comment by Chaosheade illustrates that it is still a good thing even if only a small one.

Secret Weapon Washes For Sale by LBursley from Awesome Paint Job - I'm not sure how many are aware of this, but some time ago Les Bursley provided a range of washes. However, due to some reasons or other he had to stop producing them and instead wrote up a tutorial on how to be a mad scientist. Can find it here. And now it appears that they have returned with an even wider range of washes. These will be a great supplement, or even replacement, to Games Workshops range.

Ashdown's Black Templars by Ashdown from The Bolter & Chainsword - The vehicles in this thread are a great source of inspiration. The weathering that Ashdown has achieved on his Venerable Dreadnought is stunning. I'm looking forward to seeing further progress on these miniatures.

How To: Painting Dark Eldar Mandrakes by RealGenius from The Painting Corps - A follow on from last weeks post on preparing Mandrakes. These guys look completely and utterly different to the 'Eavy Metal version. The orange, purple and green work well in creating a unique negative Dark Eldar.

Hobby: Strictly Average Top Tips, Too! by Brent from Bell of Lost Souls - We love you Brent! 'Nuff said. I've got to get myself a wet palette. Find out tomorrow if Eckersley stocks them.

Brent is my online super hero... he hasn't fallen into the trap of categorising other interwebz users. Rather he does something that I can't figure out how to describe since it is mid-night and I've gotta get up in 6 hours for a long, boring day at University. Regardless, we love you Brent!

Casey Heynes...

... is a great example of how Australians have evolved to survive everything from red belly black snakes to heat seeking sting rays to even the under developed bully.

Note: this is completely off topic from the gaming side of the hobby... but I'm sure there are hundreds of gamers who have been victims of bullying.

Fat Sack O' Bits

Normally I don't do posts like this... but I love me some good bitz.

New from MBG industries (the mad genius who brought you Battlewagon Bits and Spikey Bits) comes the Fat Sak o' Bits.

Whittled away for years in the dark closet of power was a collection of bits so vast, so powerful that they had to be hidden from the world- less they devour it with their mind numbing awesome saying awesomeness.

Now in the wee months of 2011 with the re-emergence of a new bits service they have awoken, and are hungry. Plucked at the peak of bits perfection over many years at Battlewagon Bits and accumulated through many more projects over the years, these are the best bits I have to offer (packaged in a convenient sack form).

They have been mixed to ensure (mostly) a great batch of kick ass bits in each bag. Included are bits from Orks to Guard to Marinez with everything in between- even some Fantasy treats. We worked super hard putting these together, and many Bothans died to produce a bits bag this powerful.

Each sack is a 5x7 inch 4mil plastic bag filled to the brim with bits sifted and sorted from the closet of power (just don't tell the Bits Cat I took them).

Don't wait these bags are Limited Edition- I can only build up a collection of bits this awesome every few years so you don't want to miss out on these Bits bags. You can even save $10 by purchasing two at a time, while supplies last muahahahahahaa! Costs 29.99 for one bag or 49.99 for 2 bags. If they are still in stock by end of week I may pick up two bags of bitz.

Fat Sack of Bits

By Mad Boy Genius in Store Newz

Weekly Finds #19

Without even realising another week has come and gone. Feels like I spend most of my week on buses and trains travelling to and from work or uni summarising my looney week...

Sculpting scroll work and other elements by Ron from Black Dot Barrel Studios - This is without a doubt one of the best tutorials put up by Ron... it takes the words on dozens of websites and shows how to implement it.  Makes the whole concept less challenging. Even with the table top standards it will help add character to models and units.

Mastering the assault: Part 1 - Multiple Assaults by Wildeyedjester from The Hogs of War - This post looks at the importance of multiple assaults as well as certain things to consider. Such as who to assault and, possibly even more importantly, who to attack. If you want to know how to pull off a multiple assault then look below at Kirby's Back to Basic post...

Back to Basics: Multiple Assaults... by Kirby from The Pinktastic Blog - Following on from the article above which illustrates the benefits of multi-assaults, this article goes into some depth on how to pull off a multiple assault. And at the same time illustrates how to prevent them. An A++ tutorial by Kirby that includes pictures to illustrate this confusing process.

Tutorial - How to build a flag by Roman from Massive Voodoo - The use of baking paper is brilliant. Could use this tutorial for other things like long purity seals or even with Black Templar tabards.

Jumper/ BA DoA Deployment 101 by Kirby from The Pinktastic Blog - The emphasis I'm getting from the blog-o-sphere when it comes to DoA armies is the need for missile launchers, Vanguard Veterans remember the importance of multiple assaults and that deployment will make or break the army... sometimes it is best to deploy everything on the board, while other times reserving some or all of the army is better.

4th Edition Codices and Bottleneck Builds by Nikephoros from Bringer of Victory - Although this post isn't a tutorial or about tactics it explores a topic that is relevant not only to Black Templars, but every codex...  Opportunity Costs and the implications it has on list building. In the 4th Edition Codices the issue is more apparent as there is no way to play around with FOC. However, in 5th Edition there is more flexibility.

Cleaning Your Files by Dave G from N++ - It is posts like this that hurt my bank balance. They make me realize I am missing something. For example, back when Massive Voodoo did the competition on paint station set ups, I realised just how badly I needed new lamps. And then the post by Grey Death on bulbs really reinforced the need for natural white bulbs. This post by Dave will have the same effect. I will now end up looking for rust erasers and a metal brush ... tooth brush isn't that good at cleaning files.

Life and other stuff

Internet was down for past few days which meant that the weekly finds and Blogdex post that I had written up but not scheduled didn't go up until today. For those who haven't heard about BlogDex, then I highly recommend you find out what its about. And this was a pleasant surprise when finding out what I had missed out on without the interwebz...

MoD was probably the most important person in getting me to where I am now. He introduced me to YTTH.

- Brother Loring in this rant

Also, I'll be changing the blog name to Imaginary Life soon. And when I've got some free time I'll be finishing off the article on validity I promised Kirby last year.

... and finally Happy Birthday to me.

Weekly Finds #18

First week of University has come and gone. I've found out my clinical placement schedule so far it looks good and once again there is a bunch of retards running the show we have to do a poster as an assessment. Ducking idiots. This week covers a range of topics...

Black Templar Information by Marshal2 Crusader from The Bolter and Chainsword - M2C is always throwing up useful posts for Black Templars when it comes to background details. Sadly of course the sub-forum has fallen in terms of quality of posters... alot of idiots are letting their thoughts known on topics like Black Horde and Assault Marines.

Tutorial: Re-Posing a Terminator by The LeadHead from The LeadHead - Came across this tutorial thanks to Ron and his new blog Black Dot Barrel Studios. Although I'm quite happy with the poses that can be produced using the existing miniatures, this post may be helpful for others.

Top Tip: All you're Bases are belong... by b.smoove from A Gentleman's One - There are some great bits of information all over A Gentleman's One. One example is his tip on scoring your bases to increase surface area. It is also yet another post that helps reinforce the importance of pinning your miniatures. Another post on the topic of pinning can be found on Ron's new blog.

Spacecurves' Tactics Class: Flame Deflection by Spacecurves from Bell of Lost Souls - Another great post by Spacecurves. I even learnt something from the comments in regards to positioning flamer marine into second rank to achieve the same results.

Showcase: Darkwynn's Kabal of the Orange Blossom by Bigred from Bell of Lost Souls - Added this here so that it is easy to find pictures of Darkwynn's Venoms. They look great except for the spikes which are facing the wrong direction. I also like the imagery of flowers on the hull... reminds me of Brandon Palmer's stunning Eldar with anime imagery. Also, on the topic of venoms, here is Stelek's Venomspam list...

Tutorial: Working with Crackle Medium by Roman from Massive Voodoo - I've never heard of crackle medium. So when this post popped up I had to find out what it is about. Turns out there is stuff that actually produces a cracked effect as it dries. So the pictures it looks like a great tool to have handy. Especially, when it comes to creating unique bases or weathering. Dried mud comes to mind...

Multi-assault question. The rules say what? by TheGraveMind from the back 40k - A rule post that looks at the workings of multi-charging. The discussions throw light onto how there is alot of misinterpretation of how this works resulting from the misunderstanding of beginning of combat and beginning of the assault phase...

How to Guide: Ogryn Ripper Guns Tutorial by MWC from Miniature Wargame Conversion - As pointed out in the comments for the identical post on 3++ this may look like an easy conversion, but it isn't. Especially, since MWC is drilling out his own barrels instead of using plastic tubes

Back to Basics: Assembling and Basing Dark Eldar Mandrakes by RealGenius from The Painting Corps - A basic guide on preparing Dark Eldar Mandrakes with a focus on basing them. I like the suggestion to apply the basing material before glueing the mandrakes down. Avoid the sinking effect that sometimes happen. It isn't a hassle for Space Marines due to their armoured boots. But on miniatures like Dark Eldar, Imperial Guard and even Sisters of Battle, this is a great suggestion. And if you don't already use toothpicks I highly recommend them. They are great for apply glue, including super glues.

Also a shout out for Gareth's BlogDex. For those who haven't already found out about it, this is a great addition to the online community with loads of potential.

White Dwarf 375 March 2011 - Orcs & Goblins

Inside this month's issue:

Waaagh! Da Orcs: Adam Troke braves the encroaching Waaagh! and talks to Jeremy Vetock and Mark Harrison about the new Orcs & Goblins army book and miniatures.

Karak Eight Peaks: Not content with writing a whole new army book, Jeremy presents a three-player Warhammer campaign to capture the ruined Dwarfen halls of Karak Eight Peaks.

Wych Cults of the Dark Eldar: Phil Kelly takes an in-depth look at the Wych Cults of the Dark Eldar and how their savage arenas provide sustenance for their race.

Dol Guldur Awakens: In this War of the Ring mini-campaign, the forces of the Necromancer are unleashed upon the Elves of Mirkwood, resulting in a titanic clash of the two forces outside the very gates of Dol Guldur itself.

Blood Angels: Ancient Heroes: Mat Ward is roused from his ancient slumber to dispense wisdom on the Blood Angels' mightiest warriors - the Dreadnoughts.

The Forest of Spiders: Da Great Green Prophet leads a huge invasion of greenskins down from the Grey Mountains. Can the Dwarfs and Bretonnians stop them? 

Standard Bearer:  Jervis Waxes lyrical on the history of dice.

Return to Armageddon: Last month the White Dwarf team kicked off their new campaign to determine the fate of Armageddon. This month it reaches its climatic end with the Black Templars forming the front line of the Imperial Forces. The natural ferocity and never-say-die attitude of the Black Templars saw them cut down the Warlord of da Burning Death.

'Eavy Metal: We showcase the 'Eavy Metal team's Orcs & Goblins. 

Army Workshop: Orcs & Goblins: Duncan Rhodes takes up his paintbrush and shows us how to paint a distinctly savage Orc & Goblin army. 

You'll also find full details of all the latest releases and news, a directory featuring all of the hobby activities in your local area.

BlogDex...

I stumbled across this over on Yes The Truth Hurts. It is something similar, but completely different, to a blog roll. It is instead an index that gives bloggers and interwebz users the chance to browse a range of different blogs. .

With From the Warp blog roll no longer being updated, this will likely become it's replacement. It will help bring together the community by breaking alot of barriers. Enable bloggers to access sites they normally wouldn't come across. Painters can now find gaming resources, while Gamers can now find top quality painting resources. It may also come in handy for players who are entering a new system such as Warmachines or Fantasy.

There are some minor issues with it. The biggest issue is the way the blogs are organised. Have a look at the 40K Blog page. There are alot of different blogs in that list... and it will only get bigger as the index becomes more popular. Navigating is a hassle/messy. For example, to find Yes The Truth Hurts you will need to scroll down the page until you find the Y's.

The other issue that jumps out at me is the lack of information on each blog. Users have to click on the screen shot to find out what the blog is about, the quality of work and how often it gets updated. Gareth the creator of the BlogDex has acknowledge that something is being planned. And I can appreciate the hassle associated with managing 300+ blogs.

My only suggestion would be to enable users to rate/recommend/like the blogs they visit. For example, sites like YTTHs and 3++ will have a higher rating/recommendation/likes compared to sites like Imperial Life. This will help keep user informed on what is potentially the best sites under each category.

If you haven't already clicked on the link and thus ignoring my ramblings now is your chance to escape. Click the link and enjoy.