Ninjabread - Wargaming Scribbles, by Curis, every Space-Friday

Ork Objective Markers

Objective markers are one of those things that often get forgotten about modelling-wise. They're deathly important in game terms, but as they neither very shooty or killy, people neglect them. They're just extra things you can't be bothered painting and so are proxied with coins or unusual dice.

Lego objective markers methinks

But for my Epic Bad Moonz, I thought I'd model a complete set. Left to right: Orks command bunker (the "Blitz"), exploderised Stompa head, cliched crashed Fighta-Bomba, and the 40K-scale Warlord (used to remember the Supreme Commander re-roll and also to give the Gargant an extra Macro-weapon attack).

Oh so pretty. And painting the classic Warboss figure was a joy. But honestly, these are rubbish counters. Why? Because they're painted and based exactly like the army. So many times my Warbands have found themselves halfway across the board lugging with them the crashed plane or their own command bunker. See if you can spot the objective below.

Lego objective markers methinks

So, for my Dark Angels I went for the far simpler objective markers from the 40K transulcent green range. They stand out lovely and never get mistaken for a stand of Marines.

Lego objective markers methinks

What have I learnt? Erm, form follows function I suppose.

Labels: Bad Moonz, Dark Angels, Epic, orks

Posted by Curis at 11:20 PM

Big Yellow Gargant

I've blogged previously about how my Bad Moon Ork army would be finished by Christmas 2008. Well, it almost was. And it was very much finished and tweaked for the WPS Club Challenge 2009 - its inaugural event.

The Yellow Peril

This is my Gargant. It's based on the classic 80s Slasha Gargant. Only I refitted all the weapons. The Cluster Buster and Death Cannon were puny in size, and the Belly Cannon had no detail. In came a load of 40K Ork Dreadnought Rokkit Launchas (justifying the 6 Barrage Points it churns out) and the Epic 40K era Great Gargant arm weapons. Then, to make it far more imposing it went on a big bit of bark and had a big (detachable) banner stuck on the back.

Yes, the paint scheme is garish, but I love stupid bright primary colours on my models. It screams 80s Epic.

Labels: Bad Moonz, Epic

Posted by Curis at 3:49 PM

Wagonz

Left to right: An unmolested Bone Cruncha (Gunwagon), a Flakwagon with a Doomdiver Magna Cannon (Flakwagon), an unmolested Epic 40K Wagon (Gunwagon), an unmolested Giblet Grinda suffering slightly from lead rot (Gunfort), a Space Marine Battlwagon with a Weirdboy Tower (Gunwagon with Oddboy upgrade), a Bone Cruncha with an Epic 40K turret (Gunwagon), and a Brain Crusha with a Space Marine Battlewagon Turret (Gunwagon). A veritable smorgasbord of cross-generation conversions.

One criticism levelled at Epic: Armageddon by the previous generation of gamers is that all the old variants of vehicles have been abstracted out. Lung Bursta/Bone Cruncha/Gobsmasha/Brain Crusha/Gut Rippa/Bowel Burna/Spleen Rippa/Gobsmasha/Battlewagon - they're all gone and replaced by either a Gunwagon or a Battlewagon. They say it's a blandening of the game. I disagree. I am paralysed by inconsequential choices. Should I field a squadron of Bone Crunchas or Gut Rippas? The difference between an Ork vehicle with a big spiky steamroller on the front and an Ork vehicle with a big pair of klawz on the front is quite minor when you zoom out to Epic scale. They can be represented with the same profile, leaving people like me to freely mix and match the models that take their fancy.

And, secondly, my objective markers. A crashed plane (a staple of Epic conversions), an exploded Stompa, and my command bunker which will be my Blitzkrieg.

Objectives markers!

I'm rather chuffed with my command bunker. It's simply the top panel from a Battlefort with all the guns cut off. I've got several more of these knocking about I could do a settlement out of. Much better than the mud huts of old.

Labels: Bad Moonz

Posted by Curis at 6:09 PM

First Warband

Almost a complete Warband done. I think mixing the older SM-era boyz with some of the obselete troop types (Madboyz, Stormboyz on foot, Lootas) really breaks up the stands and makes them look a lot more interesting.

What's that coming over the hill? Is it a stompa?

Just needs a few more Dreddz, and their Flakwagon.

Labels: Bad Moonz

Posted by Curis at 4:17 PM

Sharks in custard

My Fighta Bomba Swadron has swelled to six strong.

Now four times more deadly.

Originally my list featured two 3-strong swadronz, until it was suggested I merged them. Both swadronz went after the tended to pick on the same unit anyway, so I'm losing little in the way of flexibility. They take only half as much flak now.

There's maybe a tad too much red on some of these. I use the red to cover the areas I've messed up the yellow on. Sometimes it just starts over-powering the model. But rather than obsess over repainting bits, I'll just call them finished and aim to not repeat the mistake on the next batch of models.

Labels: Bad Moonz

Posted by Curis at 10:41 PM

2p or not 2p

Since the basing restrictions in Epic are so loose, I've opted for basing infantry on 2 pence pieces rather than the standard 40x10mm bases, or the less common 20mmx20mm Space Marine era bases. The game mechanics don't hinge around base size or shape (like they do with, say, Warmaster), so as long as you're not being a nobber you can do what you like.

Not mince pies.

The regimented 5-in-a-row look of the standard Epic bases doesn't work for Orks visually. Marines and Guard suit it, where they look like they're advancing in awe-inspiring formation, in their neatly-arranged squads. Orks just swarm, with very little in the way of force organisation. Clumps of infantry just look right, not lines.

On top of that, my vehicles are all on round bases, and so it keeps the army looking consistent. I can't stand mixing round and square bases.

Hey look, if you squint that picture looks like a plate of pies.

Labels: Bad Moonz

Posted by Curis at 10:39 AM

Q. What's yellow and dangerous?

Look at that. Led by a vintage Mekboy Speedsta with Bubbla Chukka, and accompanied by a converted Flakwagon. Looking good.

Of course, red's the traditional colour for Kults, as they're typically Evil Sunz. But Bad Moonz would have a lot of teef to spend on flash vehicles, so I feel I'm still adhering to the background.

These guys took to the field again last night against Si's Shadow Scorpions - and won 3-0. Si made the mistake of tackling my Gargant head-on, where its awesome firepower and big stompy boots made short work of the beakies. With my first win under my belt I feel justified modelling on some trophies using all the spare Marines I've got knocking about.

I've chosen to base every model in the army, mostly 2 pence pieces. It makes them look a lot more imposing on the table, and so much easier to handle. Tiny metal models just roll around and get their bottoms scratched chipped and generally mangled by gaming. And, I hate it when some models in an army are on bases, and others aren't. I can overlook it in 40K where basing large vehcile models is impractical. But in Epic, the baseless vehicle models can be based, and what's more, the bigger models (titans, gargants...) are based anyway. It brings out my OCD side.

Labels: Bad Moonz

Posted by Curis at 9:33 AM

Feel the air under our wings

Two late-night Epic games at Rob's - Bad Moon Orks vee Nevi'im Eldar. Have the close-up shot of the only painted models against the board, and let me mislead you into thinking everything in the game was fully-painted...

Upon wishes or demands, it's time to fly.

Upon wishes or demands, it's time to fly.

Rob took his brand new Epic Eldar. They müllered me, twice. All those dratted pulse weapons chewed through my lovely big Stompa Mob with sustained fire. Ouch. Luckily, he's not quite got the hang of the Eldar's unique move-shot-move tactic. I fear that day.

Here's what he has to say about them:

I have even named the craftworld now (Nevi'im: Hebrew for Prophets). They were one of the first of the craftworlds to leave Eldar society and isolated themselves even after the Fall from other Eldar believing them to be totally corrupted.

Eventually the Nevi'im decided that the Craftworld society was slowing them down and left them vulnerable. This feeling was only compounded when they heard of the attack on the Iyanden craftworld. The Nevi'im used the most powerful Bonesingers to create an armada of ships out of the original Craftworld and they split themselves into Marauder fleets.

The Nevi'im society became one of nomadic sensibility, much like those of the Saim Hann Craftworld.

And as if yo rub salt into the wounds of my twin defeats, he did it whilst showing off his new Bret McKenzie jumper.

I think I need a 1983 Casio DG20 electric guitar set to electric mandolin, and drums.

I think I need a 1983 Casio DG20 electric guitar set to electric mandolin, and drums.

Labels: Bad Moonz

Posted by Curis at 11:30 AM

I see a Bad Moon rising

Cute Bad Moon Fighta Bombas. Wooo, they're the tiny Epic 40K era ones, not Forge World's ginormous Aeronautca Imperialis ones. I love them.

Let's all sing Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Let's all sing Creedence Clearwater Revival.

They might get some snow on their bases to match my other Epic army, and (as-yet-unmade) personal gaming board. And they're not varnished yet. I'll give them nice matt finishes, and then high-gloss cockpits.

I've always favoured brash, bright schemes for miniatures. They should be colourful and vibrant, not drab. If you carefully paint a miniature in a subtle came scheme and place it on the table, then it disappears. No-one can see them, and the visual spectacle of the army is gone. Doubly so with 6mm scale - the infantry models are the size of clumps of basing material, and get lost.

This Bad Moon army will stand out a mile.

Labels: Bad Moonz, Epic

Posted by Curis at 6:32 AM