Star Wars Legion: Clone Wars Starter Set

Besides X-Wing, this is my second most favorite Star Wars game.  I did like and play Imperial Assault, I just think that this is a more enjoyable game and the possibilities of play are more expansive.

Wanting to expand my collection, I decided to order the Clone Wars starter set.  I already have the original starter set and a few of the expansion sets (AT-ST and others).

This set brings into the game the Separatist droid forces against the Republic’s armies of clone troopers and Jedi Knights.  Another great thing I like about this set is that you get Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Grievous.  Both of these sculpts are really cool.  What I like about General Grievous, is you can assemble him multiple ways and can pose him in a variety of different ways as well.

Here is the description of the set from the Fantasy Flight website:

This Core Set invites you to enter a completely new era of infantry battles in the Star Wars galaxy, pitting the overwhelming Separatist droid forces against the Republic’s crack armies of clone troopers and Jedi Knights. As you do, you’ll assemble a force of the Clone Wars' most iconic heroes, villains, troopers, and vehicles, including Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Grievous. In addition to introducing the Galactic Republic and Separatist Alliance to the game, this Core Set contains all the cards, tools and tokens you need to begin staging your own Star Wars battles right away, making this the perfect starting point to begin building your Star Wars: Legion collection!

Set Contents:

• 39 unpainted and highly detailed miniatures give you the building blocks you need to begin assembling your Galactic Republic or Separatist Alliance armies.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Grievous each pose with lightsabers at the ready, prepared to lead their troops into battle and show off their skills in combat. Both these miniatures are exclusive to the Clone Wars Core Set.
• Two sqauds of Phase I Clone Troops enter the fight to preserve the Republic. Five carry the DC-15A blaster rifle while two heavy weapons specialists add extra firepower with a Z-6 rotary blaster cannon and a DC-15 blaster rifle modified to fire from long range.
• A BARC Speeder miniature gives your Clone Troopers some much-needed speed as they look to outmaneuver the Separatist's battle droids and can be assembled with or without its sidecar. Those who include the sidecar can further customize their speeder with a twin laser gunner, an RPS-6 gunner, or an ion gunner.
• Two squads of B1 Battle Droids are ready to crush any resistance with sheer weight of numbers. Seven are armed with E-5 blaster rifles, while two heavy weapons specialists bring either an E-5C blaster rifle or an E-60R missile launcher.
• One unit of two Droidekas is ready to speed into battle in wheel mode. Once there, the wheel mode miniatures can be replaced by two Droideka miniatures ready to lay down heavy fire on targets the B1 Battle Droids cannot take care of.

I look forward to getting stuck into this box set and getting everything assembled and painted.

Until next time, stay safe, and try to have some fun, I know it's hard with the COVID-19 epidemic thing still going on, but lets just all be here for one another and try to get through this together.

DIY Paint Rack - Updating my paint rack to a larger size

With my hobby growing and growing, it was inevitable that I would eventually outgrow my paint rack and need a larger one.  I think a lot of you out there have run into the same situation I am in now, and this is just an alternative to buying a ready-made product.  I'm a big fan of DIY stuff.

Last year I have made the one I currently have by scratch after watching a YouTube video from someone that created one.  Here is the link to that video where I got the idea from: "How to make Cheap and Easy Miniature Paint Racks!".  That rack was nice, but it could only hold so many paint pots.


Below are the steps I did to create this paint rack if you are a minor please get adult supervision before attempting one of your own (please be safe).

Items needed:

• Cardboard - I find that shipping boxes are about the right thickness.
• Toilet Paper Rolls - 6 or more
• Hot Glue Gun (and Glue sticks)
• Tape measure and ruler
• Pencil/Pen to marking lines, etc.
• Box cutter or other appropriate cutting instruments.

Step 1

Cut 5 strips of cardboard - 1.5" x 18"
Cut 5 strips of cardboard - 2" x 18"
Cut 1 strip 1" x 18"

The length of the strips does not really matter, but for my purposes, I created then 18 inches long.

Step 2

Cut the toilet paper rolls down to the correct sizes. My rolls were 4" long.

2 rolls leave full length, cut 2 rolls down to 3" long, cut 1 roll in half, making 2 - 2" lengths, cut 1 roll into quarters, make 4 - 1" lengths.

Step 3

I forgot to take a picture of step 3

Glue the smaller 1-1/2" strip to the base of the 2" strip as shown in the image to the left.

Do this 5 times to make the 5 shelves.

Step 4

Take one of the glued shelves, and glue 3 of the 1" cut rolls to the bottom of the self as shown.

The position does not have to be exact, as they are just used for support.

Step 5

Take one shelf, and placing it with the small side down on the table.

Put a bead of hot glue onto the front surface of the shelf you just glued the 1" rings on, then glue it to the back of the lower shelf.

Step 6

With each of the next shelves, repeat the earlier steps,  gluing the next size larger tubes to the bottom of the smaller side of each of the remaining shelves, and then gluing to the back of lower shelves.

Stagger the rolls for he supports.

Step 7

When they are all glued together, it will look similar to the image on the left.

You will then want to cut out sides for the shelves.  I just place the shelves on their side and cut out a section large enough to glue to each side.

Step 8

When you glue the sides of the shelves, you can use a bowl, or something else round to cut the corners to make them look a little better.

Glue the 1" x 18" strip for the front lip to the bottom shelf and the sides.

When it's complete, it will look similar to the image on the left.

I included the original one I built on the left to compare the two.

With this version, I added another row and made it a lot wider.

Last step

Use a cheap craft or spray paint to paint the cardboard whatever color you like.  I choose a light grey, using cheap Wal-Mart spray paint.

Here is the finished rack with my paints and a few models thrown in for the heck of it.




This project took me about an hour or so to complete, and as you can see does not look that bad.  It is pretty sturdy and holds a good number of paint pots.  You can change the size/width of the bottom pieces of the shelves to fit bigger paint pots if needed, and the width of the shelves can be any length you want to make them, as long as they are all the same length.  As far as the height/number of shelves, that is also up to you, you can continue to add shelves in the same manner, you just may need to use another material to use as supports under the 6th or higher shelves.

I hope you like my little DIY project, and let me know in the comments below if you end up making one for yourself.

Until next time, stay safe, and always try to have fun.

Warhammer 40K: Death Guard - Myphitic Blight-Hauler

Myphitic Blight-Hauler

Currently, I am still waiting for some of my models to be delivered, including another Myphitic Blight-Hauler.  But I wanted to get one of these guys painted up for I could test out the paint scheme I will be using for the entire army.

The model itself is pretty easy to put together, it is one of the "Easy to Build" models that Games Workshop has released for Death Guard.  Its currently not available to purchase any other way, as this is the only kit available for the Myphitic Blight-Haulers.

I will be running 3 of these guys in most of my lists, as I feel that they are a good utility choice.  They are fast at 1-" Move, and because they are tracked (3 tracks), they do not suffer the penalty for shooting heavy weapons when moving.

Here is the description for them from the Games Workshop website:

Powering into battle on a trio of articulated track units, the Myphitic Blight-hauler is a light Daemon Engine that provides the Death Guard with heavy firepower wherever it is needed. Resembling a Bloat-drone that has been stripped of its turbines, this strange machine has heavy weapons mounted on its carapace, and its rusting armoured plates can absorb impressive punishment – as can its blubbery exposed flesh-parts, which soak up appalling trauma. 

The Myphitic Blight-hauler is an unpleasant combination of machine and putrid rotting meat. From the front, it resembles some grotesque armoured vehicle, with a curved carapace featuring the symbol of Nurgle and 2 large, covered tracks. Where this differs from an ordinary attack vehicle, however, is the toothed maw at the bottom. From the rear, the horror continues – a third track is visible, along with a mass of flabby flesh, bound into the machine with straps and metal. The Myphitic Blight-hauler is armed with a multi-melta and missile launcher, which are mounted either side of the carapace.

Below is the Myphitic Blight-hauler Datasheet:

I really enjoyed painting up the first one, and I am currently starting the second.  Below are some pictures of the finished model.  Let me know what you think, I know he is darker than most people's tastes, but this is the scheme I am going for.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.  Looking forward to getting the rest of the army painted, and yes I know, I am slower then heck when it comes to getting my stuff done, but I will get there.  The ultimate goal with this army is to play with them at Nova this year (2020) as long as it is not canceled.

Until next time, stay safe.

Warhammer 40K: Starting a new Death Guard army - Staying safe at home during the COVID-19 crisis

Since I am at home for a while with this COVID-19 Crisis going on, I have been trying to get caught up on some of my hobby painting.  I have also decided to start a new 40K army, and as you can tell from the logo above, that army will be Death Guard.  Since I already have a good start on the army, from buying the Dark Imperium starter, I got a good start on it.  If you remember from an earlier post, I purchased that starter box to get my Raven Guard updated for 8th Edition by getting in some Primaris added into the army.

From that box, I have the following for the Death Guard Army:

• 1 Lord of Contagion
• 1 Noxious Blightbringer
• 1 Malignant Plaguecaster
• 7 Plague Marines - Including a Plague Champion
• 1 Foetid Bloat-Drone
• 20 Poxwalkers

That's not a bad start.

Since that purchase, I have also purchased the following:

• Death Guard Codex
• Plagueburst Crawler
• x2 Myphitic Blight-Hauler (3rd on order but delayed)

I'll be adding a 2nd Plagueburst Crawler soon, but beyond that, I have not made and specific choices as to what to add to the army.

I currently have everything built and now primed with Death Guard Green, and I already started painting the Myphitic Blight-Haulers.

Here is an image of everything together and primed, and as you can see one of the Myphitic Blight-Haulers is about 1/3rd of the way done.

Some of the models I left in a few pieces, as it will be easier for me to paint with them separate like that.

Over the next several weeks we will see how far I get on these.

#shelterinhobby

AdeptiCon 2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 virus scare

A little bummed that AdeptiCon 2020 has been canceled, but I can see it from their side.  Better to be safe than sorry, I guess.  The state of Illinois shut all big events with large groups of people because of the virus.  And over the past several days there was a long list of events and places that started closing.

I am planning on going next year, not sure it will be the same events but we will see.  If it is possible I will just ask for credit for next year's events.

I was really looking forward to this year, I was not able to go last year, and this would have been officially the first time at this event for me.  I would have been playing in two team tournament events, Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game Team Tourney and the 4-Player 40K Team Tournament.  My son was also going to be joining me and playing in his first-ever major event as well.

Here is the message from the AdeptiCon Staff:

Since the very first AdeptiCon, held eighteen years ago, we’ve made it clear that the highest priority, in any consideration, would always be the attendees. Over the years, we have done our best to be loyal to this principle. With our incredible staff, volunteers, organizers, and instructors, AdeptiCon has been proud to host our annual hobby celebration with a continued emphasis on creating an amazing experience for our attendees. It is with that priority in mind that we have decided, after many hours of internal conversation and consultation with the venue, hotels, and various local authorities, that the health and well-being of our attendees and the public must come first. While we continued planning and did everything in our power to see AdeptiCon run as normal, we are now following both government guidance and our own judgement concerning the COVID-19 virus in cancelling the 2020 convention scheduled for March 25th-29th.
We understand that this will impact all of you. It also impacts our exhibitors, staff, the venue, and the local community. It is not a decision we have made lightly; it is a decision based entirely on keeping people safe and healthy. It goes without saying that no one is more heartbroken about this situation than the AdeptiCon team. We look forward to seeing all of you every year, sharing our love of the hobby and revisiting friendships cultivated over years of the convention.
The AdeptiCon staff is already vigorously working on details around issuing requests for credits/refunds, the handling of prepaid merchandise, badge upgrades and other related items. We will provide to our attendees and exhibitors final plans to address the unprecedented circumstances that the COVID-19 virus has thrust upon us by April 15th or sooner. Your patience is appreciated during this time as we finalize the necessary details and logistics.
It is important to understand that the AdeptiCon team remains committed to this event. With your help, we will be able to return to providing you with the greatest tabletop gaming event experience around. We are very determined to see AdeptiCon return, thrive, and run long into the future. And we will remain focused, as always, on our most important priority, the attendees.
Sincerely,
AdeptiCon Staff
“For Gamers, By Gamers”
Addendum: There is no need to contact us requesting a refund or credit. We will contact all attendees with several options once we work out the details.

All and all, I agree with the reason why they canceled the event, but to be honest I'm still a little bummed.  I do look forward to next year, and hopefully, Nova will not be canceled that is later on in this year.

Until next time, be safe, I wish you good health in this dire time, and may your dice always be blessed (unless you are playing me, lol ).

Warhammer 40K: Ragnar Blackmane & Ghazghkull Thraka (Saga of the Beast)

The news dropped today about the next Psychic Awakening: Saga Of The Beast, and the two new anticipated models from that set, Ragnar Blackmane & Ghazghkull Thraka.

First up, and my absolute favorite, is Ghazghkull Thraka.  I have his original model, and I liked that one, but this one is perfect.  I can not wait until I can get ahold of this model and get it painted up.  I think with this release, I have officially announced that my Orks will come out of retirement.

Here is the image of the model release from the Warhammer Community website:

The next model that was also shown on the page was that of Ragnar Blackmane, this model is also impressive, but I am not sure I was to collect this army, so I will either trade/sell or convert these guys to something else.

Here is the image released for Ragnar:

I will do a post when they officially announce what will be included in the box set, but so far, its an auto-buy for me.

Until next time, may your dice roll great.