100/100 - Painting Objectives Completed by Painting Objectives

Last week I did not think that I was going to be able to hit my 100 model goal for this year.  I wanted to get some more of my owls done, but they are not really fast to paint and it is a crazy busy time of year.

So I started to look through my "shelf of unpainted shame" for something that I could work on in short bursts (between wrapping presents, baking and seeing friends/relatives).  I found in the very back a few objective for Batman Miniature game that I converted up when the new addition came out but never painted.

What a better way to hit my painting objectives by painting objectives.  I had an ace chemical container, titan container and an ammo crate ready to go.  I was still missing two objectives, so I made a Wayne Tech objectives by taking the brief case off a Infinity civilian model.  I then picked up some of the pre-primed DnD crates and made a medical supply objective. 

These painted up fairly well and fast.  Since I was using some converted objectives instead of the ones released by Knight Models, I decided to paint the name and Victory Points on each of the bases to avoid confusion while playing.  I then went back and did the same thing to all my old objectives that have bases. 

When I play games I also tend to use the same objectives (Ammo, Titan, Riddles and Batsignal), mainly because I can never quite remember how the other ones work.  To help me with this I made some objective cards that I can place to the side of the game table as a quick reference for the objectives that I am using in that game.  For the most part I just cut and pasted the info from the BMG rulebook (I had to remake a few of the tables). 

Cant wait to try out the medical supplies and Wayne Tech in my next game!

Kevin

A Holiday Heist: The Scenario

Scenario:  The Holiday Heist

Overview:  With Gotham’s rampant crime and murder rate, instead of visiting everyone individually, Santa has decided to place all of the children’s gifts at convenient well-lit Christmas trees throughout the city.  However, Gotham’s criminal underworld see this as an easy score.  It is up to the cities vigilantes to ensure that the gifts get to where they are most deserving! 

Game Length: 6 rounds or when we run out of time

Objectives:  3 Present laden Christmas Trees.  No other Objectives will be used during this scenario.

Victory Conditions:  The team that controls the most presents (see below) during the recount phase of the last turn will be the victors! 

Special Rules:

-          Christmas Trees – In the center of the board there are three Christmas trees with 5 presents underneath each.  To retrieve a present from under the tree a model must be in base to base contact with the tree and manipulate it (1MC).  Remove of the presents from the tree and place with beside that model.  Christmas Trees cannot be harmed or destroyed.  They provide Ping! Roles like other terrain.  Any model may do this, even if they are not normally able to manipulate stuff. 

-          So Many Pretty Lights – Christmas Trees function as Lampposts that illuminate a 1inch area around the trees base.

-          What Thoughtful Gifts! -   A model carrying a present marker is considered to be controlling it.  EVERY model may control a present in this game.  If a model wishes to move while carrying a present, they must spend 1 additional MC before the move. A model can only carry one present marker at a time. Models may drop the present marker any time, and present markers may be stolen like weapons with the appropriate special rules.

If a model carrying a present marker drop it or becomes KO or a Casualty, place the present marker in base contact with the model where they became KO or in base contact with the model prior to removing it as a Casualty.

-          I saw it first! – If a model without a present is in base to base contact with an enemy model holding a present, they may attempt to wrestle it out of their grasp.  The model may make an unarmed melee attack action.  They may spend as many Attack Counts as they would like, PLUS one Special Counter.  Your opponent may then spend Defence Counters to Block the attack.  If any of the attacks hit, then both the attacker and the defender immediately roll a D6 and add their STR bonus to their roll (See table below).  Whoever rolled higher gets the present.   After who gets the present is resolved complete the attack as normal (roll for Damage, armour etc).

Models STR	Roll Bonus
2+	5
3+	4
4+	3
5+	2
6+	1

-          Urban Terrain:  The Game Coordinator will set up Lampposts and Sewers.

-          Strategies:  Strategies will not be used during this game.

-          Crew Composition:  Up to any three models from a single Crew (including available Free Agents) with a total Reputation cost of 150 and $1000 Funding.  You do not need a Leader or Sidekick.

-          Tis the Season of Forgiveness: You may ignore the Aversion rule when making your crew

The Holiday Heist: A BMG Megabattle

This past weekend we played a holiday themed Batman Miniatures game megabattle at Lords of War Games and Hobbies.  The scenario was that Santa had left all of Gothams presents by 3 brightly lit Christmas trees (it is simply too dangerous to go home by home in Gotham).  The players had to rush and hold onto the presents till the end of the game.

We had eight people attend the event, and each brought with them a crew of up to 3 models and 150 reputation cost.  Since it was also the holiday season players had $1000 funding.  They could bring any three models from a crew and did not need a leader or sidekick (so they could bring only henchmen or free agents etc).

The teams were roughly as follows:

Good guys:

Arkham Knight Batman from the Batfamily geared up

CW Flash with Harrison Wells

Gordon with 2 SWAT guys

DKR Bane with two Arkham inmates out on a work release program

Bad Guys:

Clayface with 2 Arkham Prisoners

King Shark and Reverse Flash

two court of owl talons with the Butcher

Deathstroke

Both side focused early on grabbing as many presents as possible.  Both Flashes kept running up grabbing a present then running back and dropping it off with a slower model.  Clayface kept grabbing presents and absorbing them into himself.

The game went back and forth a few times (I love seeing that in a megabattle).  The bad guys grabbed an early lead (mainly from Clayface and Reverse Flash) but the good guys where able to claw back a 4-3 victory at the end of the game.

One of the issues that we had with this custom scenario was that there was too many presents.  I was thinking more people would bring full 3 person crew or maybe more players would come out.  Each tree had 5 presents (15 in total). There was so many presents that people where not really stealing them from each other. In retrospect it was probably better to have 9-10.

One of the players, Ben, gave a good suggestion  that we implemented at the end of turn 2.  At the end of every recovery phase 2 random present exploded, dealing 1 automatic hit to whoever was holding it, dealing 1 stun and 1 blood with CRT: Casualty.  If no one was holding it, the present was just removed from the game.

It was fun and random.  Dealing some damage but not crippling anyone (except king shark maybe, but Batman already softened him up). It  also lowered the amount of available presents as the game moved forward.

Everyone seemed to have a great time,  the game moved well with not a lot of down time.  The store was also nice enough to donate some awesome prizes too.  If you held a present at the end of the game you actually received a present from the store. 

A big thank you to everyone who made it out, I had a blast running another one of our megabattles.  And thank you to Chris and Jay from Lords or War for the gaming space and wonderful prizes.

We will be starting a new challange league in the new year.  I hope to see many of you out for it! 

Kevin

95/100 - The Night Before Hogswatch...take 2

3 years ago I made a little Hogswatch display box.  I was not  happy with the printed background that I had put in the box back then.  So I decided that I would update it a little by making a three-dimensional fireplace this year. 

I built the fireplace by gluing individual bricks to a plastic card backing.  The bricks were made out of strips of foamboard with the paper peeled off.  I added a thin layer of plaster over the foam to give the appearance of mortar (and some extra texture for the foam).  The plaster was a little to think after it dried (I will thin in out more for the next project).  As I started to paint it, the plaster started to flake off though.  I added a layer of Mod Podge to protect it.

While I was going for the 3D effect, I did not have a lot of space to give the fireplace much depth.  I decided that I would disguise the fireplace opening with a decorative grate.  I took 3 old Warhammer Bretonnian Men-at-Arms shields (also the name of one of my favorite Discworld books) and glued them together.

I did some rearranging of the scenic pieces and removed the bases for Albert and the Hogfather for better atmosphere.

The piece has a much more finished feel to it now.  It also was great practice for my next display box that is in the works, the Canting Crew Caroling.

Kevin 

94/100 - "Beware The Court of Owls"

It has been a while since I have updated this blog.  That sadly means that I have also not been doing much hobbying.  However over the last week, between being sick...twice, I was able to finish a new model finally. 

I have started another crew for the Batman Miniatures game, the Court of Owls.  They have been one of my favorite villains for a while and I always wanted to paint up a crew.  Then Knight Models releases 2 amazing looking box set for the court (I cant wait to put Damian Wayne into the crew).  The Court of Owls will be an interesting crew.  They are an elite elite crew.  You don't get many models in your team, but most of them have mid-range Free Agent stats (Willpower 6, Attack, 4, Defense 4).

To help me get pumped and stay focused, I started a little BMG escalation league with a few good friends.  My hope is to finish 4 models (200rep) by the end of December.  The first member of my four was Ephraim Newhouse.  I used a brown colour palate with this model and lots of shading with watered down black.  I tended not to mix the paint much, and went more with multiple very thin layers to build  up the transitions.

Ephraim is a great model I think.  He has above average stats for a henchman.  His Scimitar deals 2 Blood Damage with the ability to deal an additional blood on a critical (instead of a stun damage).  Weapon Master gives him +1 to hit with his Scimitar as well.  He should be more then able to deal with most henchman in the game (and some leaders).

However I dont think that he is only a beater.  With Acrobat (+1 Movement and Dodge) he is fairly quick.  I was thinking of giving him the Camo Vest (stealth) and the Genetic Alteration (Fast) upgrades.  He would be harder to see from my opponents and a little faster, which would help him get to his Primary Target: Loot quicker. 

Whether I use him as a Loot Runner or a Beater (or more then likely a combination of both), I think Ephraim Newhouse will have a bright future in my Court crew.   

Kevin

93/100 - Crimes Worst Nightmare

This week I was able to finish painting Nightmare Batman from the Batman V Superman movie.  This is the Batman from the futuristic nightmare scene where Batman is fighting a whole bunch of armed goons wearing the Superman logo.  Eventually Superman shows up and you see a swarm of Paradeamons in the background.  

I had some difficulties painting this model.  I was trying out some more of the techniques that I learned at my painting class a few weeks ago.  I was not happy with some of the glazing that I did.  Most parts of this model ended up being repainted 2 or 3 times.  In the end I decided to try and blend my old style of painting with a little bit of the glazing to tie the highlights together.

I also decided to try and focus more on the lighting source for this model.  I still over highlighted in parts, but it is much more toned down then usual.  I was happy with the results and will just have to practice some more.

I am really looking forward to using this model in BMG.  He has the same stat-line as Bat-fleck but looses "Batcape" (Don't take fall damage and can drop down etc) and "Sustained Defense" (for every 2 defense dice spent to block an attack you roll 3 dice).  Nightmare Batman does gain "Mixed Combat Style" (Can shoot and punch in the same activation).  He also trades his Batlings for an Automatic Gun and a Custom MG.  The original Bat-fleck is more defensive and the Nightmare Bat-fleck is all offensive!  

If Nightmare Bat-fleck is already in combat, he can drop 5 of his 8 action counters in attack, and then put 2 into special.  He can then activate "Mixed Combat Style" and use his Automatic Gun to shoot (since it has "light") for 3 shots, then follow it up with 5 punching attacks.  His punching attacks also get to be rerolled if missed (due to Close Combat Master).  He can put a total of 13 Stun Damage and 3 Blood Damage on some unlucky thugs.

If he is not in combat yet, you can put one counter into movement, 4 into attack and 3 into special.  You could then shoot with his Custom MG, Batclaw and move 12 inches into contact with the same (or different) target and punch him 4 times.  Max damage total: 6 Blood and 8 Stun.

I don't think there will be much finesse with this Batman.  I really want to team him with Rick Flag or new Gordon for the GCPD gun-line!   

I also made a quick BMD/DCU Victory Point counter yesterday.  This was a bit of a rough mock up to see how well it works.  I just made a pie chart in word and resized it to fit on a larger GW round base.  I then wrote 1-24 around the outside of the base.  Since some games can go above 24 VP, I added a second circle of numbers 25-48 on the inside.  I then added a magnet to the bottom of the large base and another one to a medium base.  I found an old Hero Click model (I will eventually repaint it) and glued it and a metal washer to a small base.  Lastly I painted on a yellow indicator to both bases.  Once I score more then 24 VP, I pop off the medium base and go around again.  

I got a few models to build over the next few days before I get back to painting, Red Hood, SWAT conversion and King Shark I am looking at you.

Kevin

92/100 - Rebirth Batgirl

I have been trying to improve my painting skill over the last year.  I am happy with how I paint right now, but it has not evolved during the last decade (well, maybe it is a bit cleaner now).  So I have branched out and have started to try new techniques.  I finally picked up an airbrush earlier in the year and have began to dabble with that.  I experimented with some of Scale 75 Inktense paint and tried staining.  Now I am trying some glazing and paying attention to light sources.

The thing that has helped me when try something new is having a wealth of knowledge in my local hobby community.   We have so many great painters locally, each with their own distinctive style.  I like looking in the display cases at Lords of War and being able to tell who painted what based on techniques used.  If I want to know how a colour on a specific model was accomplished, all I have to do is ask, and the painter is more then happy to walk me through it.

This past week I was able to sit down with Dai Viet and he walked me through thinking about light sources and glazing.  Dai Viet worked together at GW a very long time ago.  If you are near Lords of War in Oakville drop in and check out a few of his armies, you will not be disappointed! We sat down for a few hours and finished painting most of Rebirth Batgirl.  The lesson started with the airbrush to apply a white zenithel highlight over the black basecoat.  We then went on to blocking out the colours.  We then applied some built up highlights with very watered down white, then started the glaze layers.  Finally we went back in with a dark colour to add some more shadows to the recesses and creases. 

The tip that Dai Viet gave that I had never considered before was the direction of the brushstroke.  When applying the layer you want to move the brush from the lighter to darker area.  Start out with small strokes and work your way back.  Just that one tip made a big difference for me.  The session was a great help, and I am very thankful for it. 

The final result was OK.  With any new technique there is bound to be some growing pains (I still hate painting yellow!).  I am looking forward to practicing this method and cleaning up my brush control on future projects. 

I finished painting my Rebirth Batgirl in the same week that my old Batgirl got a resin re-release and a rules bump.  Both versions of Batgirl have near identical stat lines, with the only exceptions being that the original Batgirl now has defense 5.  Their Batlings are the same (but the original Batgirl has an extra ammo).  They also both have the following skills; Batclaw, Batcape, Combo Unarmed, Informer, and Stealth. 

Their different skills are: Rebirth Batgirl has Reinforced Gloves (unarmed attacks deal 2 Stun) and Tracking (end of the turn move D6 inches).  While the original one has Martial Artist (Cant be outnumbered in combat) and Sneak Attack (attacks cant be blocked if Batgirl could not have been seen at the start of her activation). 

I like the combo with the reinforced gloves on Rebirth Batgirl, but I would really have to pick my battles.  Without Martial Artist and only Defense 4 she can go down really quick if she gets outnumbered.  I think that the original one will be a good objective grabber.  Not having her Defense drop when outnumbered due to Martial Artist and a Defense of 5 makes her very tough to drop.  She can get to an objective and just sit on it (maybe throw a Batling or two). 

Both would be great in the new Bat-family Team list.  With everyone having Teamwork 1 (All), Batgirl becomes a action counter battery for the heavy hitters in the crew!

I think I will have to use both a few times before I am sold on either one. 

Kevin

91/100 - Rick "The One-Man-Machine Gun Nest" Flag

The final member of my movie Suicide Squad is done, Col Rick Flag.  This model came together fairly quickly.  It helps that he is mostly black, grey and khaki.  I got him finished just in time for Knight Models re-release of him in resin with a rules bump. 

With the new card, his stats and traits stay the same.  He does loose his "Knife" close combat weapon.  However his "Automatic Gun" increased its rate of fire from 2 to 3 and gained the Light special rule (A model can fire this weapons even when it is in contact with an enemy model).  I love this change.  Now for 2 attack counters I take 3 shots, dealing a blood and a stun with each (much better then 2 attacks with the knife dealing one blood each).  This also can combine with his Multifire trait (+2 RoF for 2 special counters).  So while engaged in combat, for 2 Attack Counters and 2 Special Counters, he can take 5 shots dealing a total of 5 blood and 5 stun damage.

Rick Flag does have a high funding at $500, but he can put out a lot of damage.  I am thinking of a list with him and Nightmare Batman.  Just a bunch of machine guns and blood damage.

I did get a chance to use Rick Flag (and the other members of the Suicide Squad) in a game of DCU over the weekend.  We played 60 levels and my opponent played the Crime Syndicate.  The scenario was Rifts.  It was a great game and very close, the Crime Syndicate managed to pull off a win in the last round by Owlman closing a open rift and Powerman killing Katana.  The final score was 18-16.  Rick Flag was fairly good in the DCU.  He does not do a lot of damage but he has a solid stat line for his level cost.  Stamina 9 with Soldier was very useful in this scenario.  His Leadership skill is nice too (if I had remembered to use it!)

The real MVP for me though was Slipnot.  He closed somewhere around 5 rifts himself and kept passing his endurance checks once he was hurt. 

Every time I use the Suicide Squad in DCU I am impressed with how well they preform.  While it was true that the only member that was not removed as a causality in the game was Captain Boomerang, I did manage to get every member of the Crime Syndicate (except Powerman) into the Light Blue or the Dark Blue (plus I only lost by 2 points in the end!). 

I am going to be switching back to the Justice League for my next two projects, Rebirth Batgirl and Nightmare Batman).

Kevin

90/100 - I Put a Spell on You

I finally got back to painting some actual miniatures this week instead of terrain.  Since we are playing some DCU at Lords of War right now, I decided to work on Enchantress for my Suicide Squad team.  I also wanted to paint up a magic user for BMG to finally try out the magic rules.

Enchantress adds some magic and supernatural attacks for my DCU team.  With her resistance and ability to heal I am hoping she will also be able to take a hit (which most of the Suicide Squad cant do).

The model was odd for me to paint.  It is not busy but there is a lot of smaller details.  However she is mainly 3 colours (skin, hair, gold), which gives her a plain finish.  I added the tattoos and blood to the base to help give some more contrast, although I am not fully satisfied with either.

The gold  net sleeves on the arms were the trickiest to paint.  It look a lot of time and touch ups to finish them.  I over highlighted the hair with a light grey, so used some diluted black ink bring it back down, I think it ended up washing out the highlights.  I might go back and work the hair back up a bit.

I had also run out of the resin cobblestone bases that I used on my other Suicide Squad members, and my local store was also out.  So I made some using one of the rollers from Green Stuff World.  Jay at Lords of War gave me some tips on how to make the results cleaner.  It worked out well in the end.  The cobbles are not exactly the same size as the original ones but I think it works, you don't really notice it to much unless you are looking for it.

I am working on the last member of the Suicide Squad film cast members now, the one-man-machine gun nest Rick Flag.

Kevin

Sword and Brush in Review

The mad terrain-building frenzy is now over.  We had the Sword and Brush event this past weekend.  It was my first time attending the event, and I was very impressed.  I have not been to a convention or hobby show like this since the last Canadian Games Day (about a decade ago?).  There was a lot of people, great games, amazing prizes and incredible painters (I have now reached my adjective quota for the day). 

We had a lower turn out for the BMG tournament then I hoped.  However the players that did participate were great.  They brought fun competitive lists and beautifully painted crews.  In the past I have played everyone who attended, so I can say from experience that they are some of the best sportsmen. 

My favorite moment from the tournament was from a Riddler vs Militia game.  The two crews must have been from mirror universes.  They had different leaders but mostly the same henchmen and they both had Deathstoke.  On one corner of the table all of Riddlers henchmen ganged up on the Militias High Security Henchman, while in the exact opposite corner the Militia henchmen where giving a beating to Riddlers High Security Henchmen.  While all of this was going on, Militia Deathstoke (With helmet) fought Riddlers Deathstoke (no helmet) on top of the buildings in the center of the board.  The Militia Deathstoke prevailed in the end (although he did have some help from the Arkham Knight Sniper).

A big part of the Sword and Brush is the painting contest.  I had not originally considered entering anything.  I changed my mind the night before the event however.  I figured I was already going to be there, why not enter (nothing ventured, nothing gained).  The Suicide Squad Joker crew that I had recently finished is probably my best work.  So I quickly threw together a display board for them, going for an abandoned amusement park feel.   

I did not expect to win anything.  I have been trying to improve my painting over the last year and I figured this would be a great opportunity to see how I have done and learn about areas that I could improve.  I got some great advice from one of the judges and I am going to pick his brain again at a latter time.

In the end I walked away with a Silver metal in the Wargame Unit category.  I am now even more eager to continue to work and improve!  I have a paint lesson lined up with a fantastic (OK one more adjective) local painter in the next few weeks.

I now have a year to prepare for next years Sword and Brush.

Kevin