Gravediggin'

Now it might come as a shock, but I love Trenchers. Far too much if I'm honest. Now the release of the Avenger kit (something I have been very excited about) has given me a reason to invest in the Master Gunner solo (the Avenger's RAT being ridiculiously low and requiring a direct hit to do it's delightful KD).

Now I have Trenchers out the wazoo, I still don't own any commandos but they are next on the list of things to buy, even if that might be a long time because of the impromptu Stormwall. Anyway to prevent from rambling I am very, very close to having enough Trencher stuff to run a 50pts 'Trencher' list. Looking over the theme forces I saw the one that appealed to me...namely Haley2. I mean, you can't get more 'Trencher' than 'jacks with guns, 'jacks with magic hats (this is how one describes an arc node to a 6yr old by the way), Trencher units and Trencher solos...all the Trenchers all the time.

So, a quick look at the list.

Major Haley +5pts
-Thorn -8pts
-Avenger -9pts
-Defender -9pts

Trencher Infantry (leader and 9 grunts) -10pts
-Officer and Sharpshooter -3pts
-Grenadier -5pts
Trencher Commandos (leader and 5 grunts) -6pts

Trencher Master Gunner -2pts
Captian Maxwell Finn -3pts

This comes out at 50pts, quite a nice looking list (if like me you get a bit too excited about digging in the mud) but I can hear you crying out...why? What do you gain from this madness? Well imaginary voice I'll tell you. I gain several benifits to help offset the incrediably limited selection of models.

-First off I can redeploy one Trencher Model or unit. Not a really massive benifit but means I gain a bit of tactical leeway. Nice, not amazing.
-Secondly I gain +1 to the Starting Roll. This to me is where it gets good. First turn can be a huge boon to a control caster like Haley. Get up there are stall the arse off the other guy and you start scoring first. Totally worth it.
-Thirdly I gain a trench template for each unit of Trencher Infantry/Trencher Commandos once I have 2 units of the aformentioned units. Basically I get two trench templates. Now this was at first a real 'why?' moment for me. they only get to be placed at 20" and alongside the +2" deploy bonus the Trencher Infantry are stood at the other side of it and usually dug in anyway due to cautious advance. So why the blue hell would I want trench templates...let me tell you with an anecdote. Haley got shot in the face. (great anecdote right?) But if she stands herself in...hmmm say a trench template for cover and say...hmmm has a spell that increases defence against shooting. Yes Def22 against shooting is nice in a list that has a unit that usually doesn't block LOS and another that has Stealth naturally. My trench templates have affectionatly been named 'Haleys Grave' and I usually place them around where she is going to be wanting to stand during the game.
-Forthly is the +2" of deployment. With a list that naturally has a lot of Advanced Deployment and has +1 to start with the 'Caster at the helm being very much into control. it makes for another nice bonus.

Ah but I can hear you again imaginary voice. Yes I do have to give up a few Haley staples. Namely the Squire, Stormclad and Gun Mages.
-The Squire hurts, I won't deny it at all. That thing is golden for increasing the control area on such a powerful feat. The extra point of focus and spell re-roll were gravy on some already deliciously chunky chips. It's been painful not having this in the lists. But I have made more friends without it. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.
-The Gun Mages I'm not feeling quite as badly as I thought I might. They provided a lot of anti-stealth and pushback/KD. The sheer amount of AOE fire a grenadier and Avenger (temporally accelerated too if I'm feeling cheeky) that is more accurate or more indiscriminate depending on the mood of the Master Gunner, can deal with most of the Stealth units out there. The KD effects on the Avenger have helped with the stall game too. All round I'm not really missing them too much.
-The Stormclad, loosing this hurt. The 'jack bullet is a tried and tested method of killing casters. I am curently using the Avenger (notice a theme here...) as the bonded warjack to offset his usually slow speed. He does work alright as a 'jack bullet too if I'm honest. Though seeing as so far people have been surprised when the 'jack that has been thumping out 2 KD AOE's a turn suddenly packs that in as a bad job and comes screaming in swinging what is a surprisingly powerful sword. The killer is actually the lack of Squire...Temporal Acceleration and Telekenisis come out at 5/8 focus. leaving only 3 to allocate to the 'jack going in. Because yes it is usually the bonded 'jack going for it. As a side note I am aware that the Stormclad is available through the theme force as shooting lightning is legitimate 'ranged attack' and so he counts. But without making use of that accumulator and the list leaning more on the ranged attacks he is very much a goose amoung the swans (be dum tish!).

Anyway, those of you who have braved the wall of text shall be rewardeth!

'

Great reward eh? Bet you're loving it.

'Thumper' here is the Trencher Infantrys trusted grenadier warjack. Having been running about the battlefield as bare metal for as long as I can remember he finally got himself a lick of paint so he can look stylish as he drops explosion after explosion down into the enemy ranks. Being the quintessential Trencher warjack he got first spot on my get the 'jacks done agenda. Next up (should be, I mean seriously has anyone out there ever seen me stick to something?) the Avenger.

I can recommend...

This weeks gaming threw up a strange situatuion and I ended up playing a 3 way game of warmachine, figuring why the hell not? I can seriously recommend never, ever doing it. It's just painful. From now on I'll just be sticking to the regular games. Waiting for the turns to come around was quite dull. nevermind, I tried it. It might have been quite entertaining.

New Toy

Well, took my list of piggies to the club Monday, it went as well as I'd expected. A loss, but a laugh. With my very limited Battlegroups all my points were put into infantry and ended up against the Old Witch with a pair of Destroyers, Behemoth and some Mechaniks. Add into this that 2 rounds of shooting neither my Gun Boar (boosting) and Razorback Crew (hoping) couldn't nail a round into Scrapjack and stop his rampage in my lines. Rorch managed to catch Old Witch in a blast of his dynomite and do a few points of damage.

In other news a friend of mine sells a few bits and peices on the side and had a Stormwall. Letting me have it discounted and paying for it over a couple of months led me to have a new project...damn it I was supposed to be getting my Farrow up and running. Anyway, just getting the colours right on the big boy. A quick snap seeing as he is right next to me drying.

On a side note, the wreck marker that come with the Colossal is awesome, it'd be good if they put them out for light and heavies too. God knows I'd pick up a set.

Minion Madness

Well, I told you all I was going to be a busy bunny and I damn well aim to please (mostly myself...whoooo!).

I managed to get two heavies painted for the Thornfall Alliance. Enough gassing, more pictures.

An early WIP of Brine, which has been entitled Bling Pig. I thought him to be a little bit garish so this got toned down...a lot.

Rorch and Brine, ready for the tabletop. As you can see Bling Pig didn't last too long.

The Warhog, I was having a lot of trouble with his wounds and got a bit over excited when they worked out...totally not claiming credit for this one though.

Lord Carvers battlegroup. Yes I know it's small, I know I'm missing out on those amazing battlegroup wide spells. But I'm poor, it is a sad fact I have to live with.

The reason I aint claiming credit for the sores on the Warhog. My girlfriend got involved and put them on for me, she is a gem.

Who apparently likes using her hand as a pallet...bloody artists.


Whoop, last night was a sit down and get things done night. We had a few beers (yes this is not just viral advertising for red stripe...the delicious refreshing jamaican beer) and got some beasts painted.

Today saw Carvers first table game (vassal doesn't count) and it was 15pts against legion, Absylonia, a Scythean and a Carnevian. I took Lord Carver, a Gun Boar, a Warhog and a full unit of Brigands. I basically drip fed his 'beasts quagmired Brigands and then charged Absylonia with Lord Carver. A quick application of the Hand of God along with Carver feating and Brigands giving her the -2def hug. It was lights out.

Admittedly I was a bit disappointed. I have 35pts of Farrow together now but that was all the other guy had and I was pressed for time.

Well, that was a bit hectic.

Hoping to get back to posting now, having just recently moved house I've been a bit lax (don't look at me like that...ok MORE lax) in my posting. But honestly nothing much has been happening, sort of switched over to my Cygnar for a bit to indulge my random love of all things Trencher.

A WIP of the toughest bastard alive, who as it turns out is the toughest bastard alive to get done. My usual methods of throw some colours on and let it all sort itself out are not going too well. I have, as it were, hit the wall. Probably because I've been out of it for a few months and came back straight into one of my favorite characters in this game. Aye well, I shall keep at it. bits here and there. I also managed to get a War Hog for half price from a clear out at the LGS. Which was blooming nice and is providing a good counterpoint to Finn, seeing as I know exactly what is going where on that beastie.



Anyway, I'm back. Hopefully I wont be months between posts and might even have a finished Finn for showing off at some point. Maybe I might actually start my Trencher unit? Maybe I might make it to a decent hobby store and pick up the bits I need for my tier list trench templates.

Celestial Fulcrum, Blog...erm, 6?

So in the 76 years I have been working upon my Celestial Fulcrum I have made very little progress. Call it my easily distracted nature or...well I am just plain lazy. Anyway, I decided to actually sit down and do something about that.

Ta Da! Yeah it a terrible photograph, all the colours are sort of washed together in it. But hey, I actually got this far! Baby steps people, baby steps.

The point of Kaya...not getting in the way?

So I've stayed strong with Kaya the Wildborne. Yes I know it's been hard but I'm finally getting there. The theme force for her has highlighted a few things about her that I had not really thought about before. Namely Kaya doesn't need a massive battlegroup, soothing song is a bit of a trap there because you start thinking...'ooo, I can get rid of more if I have more beasts!' but really her other spells don't much lend themselves to actually running beasts more efficiently or effectivly. They do allow you to use her beasts as a scalpel mind you, removing things that the rest of the force is having trouble with.

So, how have I found she's doing this? Simple. Pack hunters. This is the best thing she brings and it's passive, it's why even when Kaya is waiting to activate this turn she is contributing to the accuracy of her battlegroup. This can be massive as it lets you not need to worry about boosting hits as often (a MAT8 berzerking Stalker is a thing of beauty BTW) then using Spirit Door and Sprint to get the commited beasts out of the way of the rest of the force. This is why it needs to be a small(ish) battlegroup, maybe two combat heavies and a support beast or two.

The rest of the force is doing most of the work, it needs to be able to get in and hit and hold the ground. Which is the main reason I'm considering breaking theme with her. I kinda want some Skinwalkers for holding/contesting/not dying. For now though I want a few more games with her and the wolves. They seem to be doing alright.

The Second Warlock, Cassius is a bit of a failure but not for the reasons you might think. Basically I'm finding Legion to be a tough matchup for ol'Kaya. They run far more 'beasts than Kaya's 'spot removal' method can deal with and my poor troops get run over. Cassius suffers even more because of his tree. Basically they can and will get at it and then it's lights out for him. Shall see anyway.