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Is it wrong to ask that the Dr. robot have a groin mounted thermometer? Doesn't even have to be rectal, just in general.

It bugs me that when I try and make models from twigs, berries and tree bark, they only attract raccoons. Yours seem to transform directly to gold, perhaps by some use of a philosopher's stone?

Sure thing!

With graduation looming and having shown the models as one of six projects in my final exam, I am soon back on the project and quite excited to finally work on the ideas that have been cooking in my head for quite some time.

Watch this space - July will belong to the TWAR Systems a playable army just in time for fifth!

I know the feeling of hobby being completly overun by life mate I will be watching for the updates.

It's been so hectic and stressful that I completely forgot the feeling of doing this project - and why it got to such a speedy and promising start. I'm really glad though that it was quick to rediscover and at that state positive comments are very very welcome. It is good to know the interest is still out there.

Now I am looking at the stuff I had planned, 6 legged Mecha Titans with floating mind fields around them, and droptroop AI (gargoyles), and morphing robot, and super heavy drop attack arsenal system and... and am thinking how did I ever stop... fething school...

Even my tutors were really excited about the notion of self-controlled machine evolution as a project.

So here's where we are and what is planned next.

The plan is to get a 1500pts legal force ASAP, then go crazy for Apocalype things, before returning to expand the first force. I'm going to concentrate on the warriors, and drop the doctor/artist nonsense for now, so this actually means I have two more "Zoanthropes" (used to be medical AIs) ready for painting. Coupled with the two carnis, it really is about finishing the troops ASAP to get gaming.

Stuff painted or very close to getting painted:
Tyrant
Lictor
Dakkafex
Gunfex
Gunfex
3 Zoanthropes

so that's 1000ish pts.
first squad of 10 Ai infantry is also half way assembled.


The AI infantry type one being so bloody difficult to make, I might do a squad of genestealers as the second choice instead? They could also be built on Necron Warriors, but uparmoring and CCW weaponizing them instead of the time consuming stripping and resculpting. They are aso more expensive pts wise, and additional bonus.

Originall I intended to do a morpher thing to rep the genestealer squad, but the introduction of mansized swarm AI really seems to work and tie the army to 40k, so I am tempted to have atleast two squads. Originally I had two squads plus the morpher guy, but now reconsidering to have two different squads for the initial army. Hopefully I will be working on the project for years to come - and then the new Necron Plastics will bring a lot of options for more and new AI types.

I am now MA RCA and there will be some hobby time and balance in my life again!

A Decision is reached - after finally getting the parallel routes of 5th ed excitment in check, I'm settled and equally excited about concentrating just on the TWAR. I do need a proper target - so 6th of August when I am back from holidays in the sun, I shall have a gaming legal TWAR army ready to kick butt!!!

Plan of action:

Wednesday 9th: prime two new Zoanthropes, one of them needs an attachment to the base too.
Thursday 10th: Start painting the two and finish + varnish by monday! Post pics at dakka
.
Monday 14th: continue assembling the 9 Ai infantry, finish by Friday
Friday 18th: start assembling Morpher, try and push him to 8 or even 10 parts) Post pics at dakka.
Sunday 20th: prime and then pack the infantry, morpher and the primed "dakkafex" who still needs a name.

Two weeks of relaxed painting in the evenings at portugal, just all the base colors, and washes and markings. Weathering and finetuning can be done in finland.

6th of August, finish what little detail is left and start gaming!!! Post plenty of quality pics at dakka

I will have TWAR systems equivalent of:

Uber flying Tyrant 227pts
Lictor 80pts
Dakkafex 113pts
10 Termagaunts 70pts?
10 Genestealers with e.c. 200pts
3 Zoanthropes circa 130pts
Uber Shootyfex 218pts

I will then have a game legal force of 1038 pts!!! Who fancies a game on 9th of August??

Yessssssssssssssssssssss! Overjoyed to have you back on your TWAR at long last.

That's a nice solid schedule, good luck with it. Look forward to pics Aug 6

- Salvage

Hooray! I'm stoked that you're back onto this project Migsula. It's been nothing but exceptional so far, and we all want to see more!

OOooh me! Me! We can play at my house!

I really look forward to the pics too. As I previously stated, I really wasn't feeling the TWAR when you started, not being a mecha fan per se, but the project has really sucked me in, and I really look forward to seeing where it goes!

Personally, I am hoping it goes in the "gargantuan creature with metal tentacle limbs", but in general it is cool.

I saw these today on tgn and thought of this project.

http://www.rackham.fr/newsletter/cry_online/img97/COG2.jpg

I have to say I've lurked the hell outta thread since it's inception, and have never ONCE been disappointed when you've updated it. Keep up the good work.

Here it starts again.

I am back home! And just primed the two new Zoeys. Priming these is such a joy, as I am using so much different coloured crap to build these that after prime the whole design comes together and I start seeing how I will enhance it with paint. Now, I would have enough parts to make the design of the 3 much more uniform...as these are Ai's it might even be fitting, but so much of this project and it's fun is the building individual designs part. It's almost like an ork army, only much more suitable for my scandinavian core I threw in the AI trooper for scale.

Here's the TWAR group shot. Missing is a Heavy Arsenal system 2, a Deep Strike model that is about 85% assembled.

Progress - a weird thing to put into context - I've spent hours and hours on end on a uit of AI infantry, that is all of 60pts worth in pts Yet so important to get that gaming legal force. I am also very pleased of the overall concept for these guys, the distancing from the Necron warrior and the new poses I've managed to pull out.

What makes them so laborious is the careful carving off and cleaning. So much so that it is simple not viable for an army project. The next squad will have to be about up armoring the necron warrior kit, ie. genestealers, or finding a totally new torso to use. I'm ending up spending more time on 10 of these than 20 biggerised Space Marines

Anyway - Here's where I am at today. You can see the assembled heads waiting at the front together with the clips for the guns. The AIs are sculpted and finished ready to receive the heads. Arms still need cleaning, cutting and joint riveting. Tomorrow I should have a proper hobby day, which I'll spend mostly painting. The Ai squad is nicely ahead of schedule though.

All comments most welcome!

Just finished painting the new Psychological Warfare AIs. I still need to do some chalk weathering on the bases and then varnish the new duo.

Here be pics:







I'm so excited to feel the army growing again.

I specifically checked this forum hoping for a TWAR update, and I got one! Monday is looking up...

I really dig how the "Zoes" are all different but have primary distinguishing characteristics so that they can't be confused for anything else. Great job.

As always, the painting and weathering are top notch and really put the illusion of reality and scale on your pieces.

Outstanding. As GrimTeef notes, they really do look like "Zoenthropes" -- in a very distinctive T.W.A.R.ish sense.
And the combination of mech-clean-slick with the realistic weathering really works nicely.

They look like they want to suck my brains....

Was NOT expecting that when I opened the thread!

They look great! You have some of the most realistic weathering I've seen out there. Something I'm definitely going to mimic as I move forward with my new army projects ^_-.

I really don't have much in the way of crit for these guys. I dig em completely.

Fav details: Weathering Smudges.

^Agreed.

Best weathering I've seen out

Nice, realistic, stylish conversions as well.

~sA

Thanks guys!

I've drawn quite a bit of inspiration from so called "realistic modeling" circles and a finnish modeler Miika Bergdahl, whose won quite a few vehicle demons, but he mainly does jawdropping starwars and submarine models. He never uses metal for scratching for example - a single great tip to nice weathering.

However my "secret" to weathering is my own mixes of wash though. I use paint and ink (both together!), future and water and use different washes to deepen the recesses and a different one to float on flat surfaces to smudge and deepen the base color. I use these smudges partly as guide to then apply the scratching. I also look a lot into real reference where ever I go, but artistic license is always required to make it tick in this scale. I just got the new GW washes and tried them out, but immediately went back to my own. I can see the GW washes as great, fast way of shading cloth and skin though.

I also use a little TAMYA weathering tools for soot and rust, and also pure diluted paint to build rust.

Anyone got any Warwalker feet?

I had a monster hobby day yesterday - not only finishing the Zoeyes, but also finishing the second Arsenal System - the head (ie. warwalker feet part missing). I was very optimistic that I'd have no trouble getting that part as three comes for every warwalker and a few people even promised me theirs, yet I've received none and the part has proved very elusive. I would REALLY appreciate any and all warwalker feet you have extra, and I'll pay for them and the postage.

Next Up, warwalker feet permitting, I'll varnish the big beast, then finish the AI infantry and go about sorting out the "genestealer" system. If I get the Arsenal system done too, I am ahead of schedule, which is a great thing, since I am thinking of taking part in a tournament to be held at Ropecon (huge RPG convention annually in Helsinki). I won't have 1500pts done, but who says you can't go with a 1000 or 1250 as it might be

There was an interesting discussion about TWAR relationship to AIs and fith ed at Warseer, so I thought I post my comment here too. It adds to the definition of TWAR as a concept.

The way I see it, there are two reasons for the existence of the AI troops:
1. to give numbers as you say
2. to enable TWAR fight in the confines of human cities and habitation, where smaller creatures are used to "tunnel rat" enemy out of hiding and to keep ground.

With different war fronts, different AIs will be created too - just like different TWAR designs will emerge.

5th ed will be slightly problematic, but you still win if you kill everything + TWAR forces like this are never meant for holding ground.

I see the TWAR host form as a machine too, just a living, morphing "core" that stores it's sentient ability (intelligence far superseding humans) and requires the designed battleform around it (for life support, energy, mobility..). Without access to materials: metals and ceramics etc. the Race cannot live, and despite their hugely advanced tech, they've lost the ability to reproduce new "cores", ie. new Archtroni/TWAR...the hunt for this knowledge ultimately drives the entire species.

Nearly there! (priming that is, as painting these is a joy) Only barrels and arm joint rivets to add.

I urgently need you extra warwalker feet! (each kit comes with three and you need two)

I pay 5 usd per feet + postage! (paypal)

I'll try to see if I can get at my unbuilt War Walkers tonight when I get home. I have three of them, I think. I have no idea how I'm going to assemble them yet... Does the actual foot type from the kit matter? I thought there were ones that kind of had 'relaxed' or slack toes that were to be used for raised feet...

Anyhow, I'll get them out tonight. I bet I can spare the three, and I will ask a couple other eldar playing friends if they have any spares.

There are two "standing" legs and one "pointing" per sprue. For me it doesn't matter, for a unit of 3 I myself used one of the pointing ones to really differentiate between poses and to get variation.

LMK and thanks in advance!!

PM sent, get back to me when you can.

The squad of AI infantry is in basic colors and the assault system (dakka fex) too. Grim Teef saved my ass with enough WW feet for the whole army, including APOC things, so things are moving along nicely - WOOHOOO!

It's still a stretch to get the army gaming legal for the 3 game tournament 8th of August, but I am sure I will think of something. In anycase I will go with a 1200 or so pts army to a tournament of 1500pts, which should be an experience I should maybe take the Crescent Guard, but I soooo want to start playing with TWAR.

AI infantry squad fully finished! pics from Finland. Tomorrow's the last day of the holiday, so the assault system wasn't finished, but 10 ai + 3 more Jade Vessel minis were and I am quite happy as it has been a fairly relaxing time, lots of good food and sun and swimming.

I'll see if there's an opportunity for a miracle model+paint session to get gaming legal for Ropecon, or plan B, in which case I think I'll paint some Marines.

But TWAR is getting close to gaming! Two Carnies in painting stage/readiness + a clear idea for the Stealers, a morphing tentacle assault system dedicated to Wehr and Boss S And now WW feet to move forward.

So after a 3 12+hours days of painting, the TWAR went to war for the first time Ropecon, which is the biggest gaming con in Nothern Europe had a 3 game 40k tournament yesterday.

It was quite something! and totally worth it. I had 3 very exciting games, two absolutely great and one totally decent opponent, finished with 2 ties and a narrow win, with only 1400pts (so a dakkafex short) and two major rookie mistakes. Now I am super excited of the potential and the changes. Without Number really rocks for two of the three new missions!

5th is fluid! A really really improved edition! and People loved TWAR and were introducing them to their friends like some mysterious folklore they are party to from dakka etc. The robots are huge, but when you think how much damage a T7 W5 and Sv2 Arsenal System can soak, it should be the biggest thing out there

Game one v. Chaos
Made a HUUUGE rookie mistake in placing my target almost to the opposite corner of the opponents - it seem tyranids fight united or die spread out. Managed to tie as objectives were one to one, but really I "lost" it before the game even started with placing the objetive. I also had real trouble with stopping his rhinos.

Game Two v Tyranids.
4 markers, and I had only two scoring troop units...so it was gooing to be an uphill struggle. But now TWAR adapted, having analysed the first mission and fighting an enemy they know, they formed into a "headgehog pattern system" and fought valiantly - but alas I could only get two objectives, so also a tie. It actually ended 1-1 as I missed the win by 1" too short run on the last turn.

Game Three v. Chaos Demons
Kill points. Goddam, the nasty ass things dropped down and smoked my walking tyrant before I could say fire, having "missed" my first turn. Really really interestng army the demons are! Lots is dependant on the availability rolls of course, but they do have potential!! And look fun to play. In the end TWAR fought resolutely, the system adapting to enemy patterns and managed a narrow win with 8-7 kill points. Eternal Warriors totally took me off guard. A Dakkafex looked to swat some Nurgling, but spent the whole gaming hacking them apart.



My list is so far from optimised, but has tons of potential there with minimum additions and tweaks. Now I build the missing Fex, which might even be a cheapo attack fex, even if the dakka fex really is golden concept, I see ways of making my army my army. I also had two Zoeys with scream and scream on the second tyrant! And two fearless opponents!!, so that will change...better to just blast them to bitz and have more synapse.

I think 4 troop choises with just 8 gaunts and without number might be my final choise! All I want of them is to take objectives and be easy to conceal and cost as little as possible.

Lictor and General Splinter were a deadly duo, wrecking apart Demon Princes, Carnifexes etc. I made a plan for Splinters assaults and then when the lictor came available bounced and used the feeder tendrils to max.

I absolutely loved how the army plays, and even though the robots really are huge compared to much of GW stuff, they somehow really fit in and the stats are pretty massive anyway. The little guys tie them in well.

PICTURES when I've recharged.