Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Well, it's been a while since I have posted anything. Work/life balance is for gymnasts, which I am definitely not one, so I'll post a few things to show what I have been working on.

Mainly I have rebuilt my life with some old friends to the point of gathering at least once a week for some ASOIAF, Battletech or a Boardgame. It has reinvigorated a long-lost sense of fitting in and purpose for buying and painting these toys of mine. Over the last month I have given Contrast paints another try with using the Slap Chop 2.0 method (see Youtube, it's all the rage ).

Painted up my Bolton Cuttthroats, didn't have any contrast paints for the skin though.


Also the Bolton Bastard Girls and the Archers that follow them.


Also the Bolton Blackguard

With a Flayer

The Bolton Family and some Neutral heroes.



I still need to pick up some Flayed Men to finish off the Bolton Faction, but in the mean time I picked up some Guilleman Flesh Contrast and started on some Cleganne Brigands



Also been quit busy on the Battletech front.

regular paints, no contrasts.

Played a few boardgames as of late: Brass Birmingham, Ark Nova, Ankh, Cthulu Death May Die (playing again next sunday) and a couple others whose name eludes me. Cthulu was great fun, can't wait to try out another mission, very tense game. Not a huge fan of Ark Nova, but I went into it pretty sour as I just could not wrap my head around it even watching multiple videos. By the end of it, I think I had figured it out, but not really in a hurry to play it again.

It is good to hear from you again.

The photos you have heard are top notch painting- I'm going to look into this slap chop 2.0 method!

 Meer_Cat wrote:
It is good to hear from you again.

The photos you have heard are top notch painting- I'm going to look into this slap chop 2.0 method!

Thanks,

It’s really nothing new, just a cool catch phrase on YouTube. Prime black, Heavy zenithal (downward drybrush of grey over 50%, another downward drybrush of White for extreme highlights. Then paint with contrast/speedpaints. You can do further edge highlight later. For the metal color I use Basilicum Grey.

Not a Game of Thrones fan, but your models turned out nice. Among the board games you mentioned was Ankh; how did you like it? I have the full kickstarter edition but I haven't played it or painted any of the models yet.

 ZergSmasher wrote:
Not a Game of Thrones fan, but your models turned out nice. Among the board games you mentioned was Ankh; how did you like it? I have the full kickstarter edition but I haven't played it or painted any of the models yet.

Played it once with the guys. Enjoyed it greatly. I was winning until the end of the first phase where the lowest 2 gods get merged together, then they came back and won. It was close, one more round and I would have won. Models are great too. It’s one that I wanted to kickstart, but the funds were elsewhere at the time, luckily My friend kickstarts everything, his collection is wild.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Theophony wrote:

 Meer_Cat wrote:
It is good to hear from you again.

The photos you have heard are top notch painting- I'm going to look into this slap chop 2.0 method!

Thanks,

It’s really nothing new, just a cool catch phrase on YouTube. Prime black, Heavy zenithal (downward drybrush of grey over 50%, another downward drybrush of White for extreme highlights. Then paint with contrast/speedpaints. You can do further edge highlight later. For the metal color I use Basilicum Grey.

Yes I am quoting myself . Since I was painting before work this morning, I decided to take a picture of the models with the Slap Chop 2.0 before color was added.

I kind of like how they look just with the priming. I think I saw someone do Zombicide in this style (Black and White) a few years ago.

Also, the other Cleganne Brigands are mostly done. I left one of the horses with the slapchop prime job, I'll see what others say about it on Sunday.



Why yes, one of them did loose his weapon. I bought 3 sets of these guys and all started with their flail, but all have lost them. Might have more to do with the fact that the Lannisters were all dumped into one box for storage instead of put in nice cases, but they are suppossed to be tough

Spent an hour last night doing the prep work (Black,grey and white) on models for a game on Sunday. Characters and a unit of Lannister Guardsmen. Spent an hour this morning actually putting color on.

Sir Jamie the maimed hostage, ready to be put in my opponent's unit to mess with them. When he is in their unit the unit gets a +1 to their leadership saves, but if I destroy the unit I get an extra Victory point and they are at -1 to hit while he is in there, so I can put him in the best unit they have and keep them from performing at their best.


A pair of turncoats. two more guys to add to opponent units. The sabotage and subvert rule let's me deal the unit one wound (remove this model) and place any 1 condition token on the unit. Also for the rest of the turn they may not use orders or be the target of friendly tactics cards. So, if I am planning on attacking a unit or know that he is going to attack with a unit this turn I can pay off the turncoat and make it harder on them.


Lastly, two versions of Cersi Lannister. The one without the yellow trim was the first try with guilliman flesh, but then they both got a cadian flesh coat on top.

5 models in less than an hour this morning.

Still to do before Sunday for the list I want to run.
a unit of Lannister guardsmen (Primed)
Joffrey (Primed)
a unit of redcloaks (Complete repaint, though I can use them the way they are now)
Gregor Cleganne: The Mountain that Rides (Complete repaint, can still use him the way he is)

the Army:

Commander Roose Bolton in a unit of Red Cloaks
A Unit of Flayed Men (Using the Cleganne Brigands, since we cannot get Flayed men currently, opponent approved)
Gregor the mountain that rides
Lannister Guardsmen with a Bolton Flayer

Jamie The maimed hostage
2 turncoats

NCU's
Cersi
Joffrey
Petyr Baelish

Not the strongest army, but a first attempt at a mixed lannister and Bolton force.

I might ditch Jamie and the turncoats and Petyr and field a unit of Bolton Black Guard or Cuttthroats with Ramsey Snow and Reek

Fire and Ice has some really great characters models, they look worth picking up just to paint.

Very interested to hear how your game goes.

If it were me I would switch out Joffrey for Pycelle, drop the Flayer from the guards, drop Jaime and turncoats and get a unit of Bolton Cutthroats. Having another unit of Boltons on the table will also advantage you if you draw Fear Keeps A Man Alive.

Love to see your incredible painting pace! You've made me want to paint up my Brigands.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:Fire and Ice has some really great characters models, they look worth picking up just to paint.

Definitely good sculpts, Moreno on the newer sets, but CMON knows how to make models.

Gallahad wrote:Very interested to hear how your game goes.

If it were me I would switch out Joffrey for Pycelle, drop the Flayer from the guards, drop Jaime and turncoats and get a unit of Bolton Cutthroats. Having another unit of Boltons on the table will also advantage you if you draw Fear Keeps A Man Alive.

Love to see your incredible painting pace! You've made me want to paint up my Brigands.

I need to update some pictures. I am part way through 2 units of Greyjoy Reavers after an hour of painting.

I won the game . It was looking bad to start as the flayed me attracted arrows right and left, but that got everyone else up the board.

My army had changed slightly for the match.

Roose Bolton in Red Cloaks.
Ramsay and Reek in Lannister Guard unit
Flayed in a unit of cuttthroats
Flayed men

NCUs
Joffrey
Petyr
Cersi

I need Joffrey to make sure I have the crown for all the card tricks and to give the redcloaks the Lannister Justice ability. My opponent failed charges three straight times rolling a 1 each time. That’s what turned the game for me. He did make some 11 and 12 moral tests and panicked saves. I swapped my Lannister dice out after the first round and things got much better for me then. He had a unit of golden company swordsmen, then one unit of each stormcrow units (dervishes, mercenaries and archers) Bronn was in the archers and with his Petyr B, was shooting three times a round at me/flayed men. My guard took a successful charge to their side and only 1 wound, to turn around and Lannister supremacy them for 7 destroying that unit. In the end I won on turn 6 by killing his last unit which gave me 10 victory points with Roose and the redcloaks being the only thing left on the board.

Sounds like a tight game!

Anything you would change with your list? Who did he run as commander? Daario? Stormcrow archers are great, but no fun to face with Bronn in them.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sounds like a tight game!

Anything you would change with your list? Who did he run as commander? Daario? Stormcrow archers are great, but no fun to face with Bronn in them.

 Gallahad wrote:
Sounds like a tight game!

Anything you would change with your list? Who did he run as commander? Daario? Stormcrow archers are great, but no fun to face with Bronn in them.

Yeah, He ran Dario in the Stormcrow Mercenaries I believe. Bronn in the stormcrow archers. Someone in the Stormcrow dervishes and then a Lt. in the Golden Company Swordsmen. I could have gone for the Victory point win easier, but decided (as usual for me) to charge in and do as much damage as possible and pray. Almost went south for me, but I held a couple cards longer than I thought I should, but it turned out for the best. I used both counterplot cards and was successful with them, also the Roose cards where you sacrifice a token off of their units to cancel a card effect or ability came in handy at the right time. We both went for the objective that allowed whoever controlled it to draw one extra card a turn and hold one extra at the end of the round. I got to it and held it with Roose and the Redcloaks with Ramsay, Meek and Guardsmen closeby for back up. Pretty daunting for him as I was standing on a corpse pile (Lose charge bonus, extra -1 moral and facing Boltons).

I'll need to try the list against another opponent or two before thinking of changing it. Right now, I might swap the units the Boltons are in around, but other than that I don't think so.

Painting almost done on the Greyjoy Reaver Units (Didn't Do the banners, not a huge fan of banners period.). I need to get another brown contrast paint for the weapon handles to finish the paint. Then on to basing once the army is more complete.





started the priming of the next unit, Harlaw Reapers.


And one of the older men from church had posted this image from a blog, it just fits the Greyjoy, so I had to save it.

Nice dingy looking Greyjoys! I hear you on the banners. I don't like them for raider type units either. Only professional and well trained soldiers.

Dude, how much do you paint daily? You are tearing through these units.

I really love the sculpts for the Harlaw Reapers.

 Gallahad wrote:
Nice dingy looking Greyjoys! I hear you on the banners. I don't like them for raider type units either. Only professional and well trained soldiers.

Dude, how much do you paint daily? You are tearing through these units.

I really love the sculpts for the Harlaw Reapers.

I'm lucky to get an hour in of painting a day. The slap chop 2.0 method works out great for me. I can pretty much knock out a unit in 1-1.5 hours if they are primed with the 3 tones (Prime black, heavy downbrush of a grey and then a drybrush of white or lighter grey). start with one color and go through all 12, come back with the next color and so on. Assembly line at its best. I had 40 minutes this morning and the reapers are about half done. One of my kittens kept interrupting though.

The reapers are a really nice sculpt. I definitely want to get a second unit of them sometime, I'm tempted to actually buy a second starter to have the second unit, a third unit of bowmen and more reaver units. It's cheaper to do that plus you get another Victarion and more themed dice . Technically I have done that with my other armies as well. I purchased the stark vs. lannister box plus each starter army for them and 2 starters of Free Folk, so it just makes sense.

Edit: so I got another hour in this afternoon. Reapers unit complete.

I think I overdid the white a bit, made the cloaks lighter, but I am okay with some variations between units.

These guys tan like my daughter. She has been mistaken for a light skinned African woman more than once during the summer.

The blades turned out really well in my opinion for just using basillicum grey over the priming.

Not sure which unit to go with next. I may also start Victorian and Nute at the same time, possibly wendamyr and Roderick as well since those are my typical NCUs

Just finished up two units of ironborn bowmen

Not as happy with them as the other units. I didn’t brighten them up enough, so all the faces are dark and the light colors are too muted.

Still tabletop quality.

Was hoping to get so much more done this weekend.....Life, but the alternative sucks worse.

Anyway, this morning I started priming the last unit that I need for my usual Greyjoy army and the NCUs/characters.


My unit of Ironmakers along with Victarion, Nute the Barber, Rodrikk Harlaw and Wendamyr and Erk Ironmaker. Not sure that I will use 3 NCUs, but I can drop the trapper unit as it did not do well in the last game and take a third NCU If I want to. Petyr Baelish could also show up, I like his ability in any army.

Also restocked my paints as I am quickly using up the Skeleton Horde and Basillicum grey. $50 later I realized just how bad all the pricing on GW really has gotten, and that was with 15% off My next not ASOIAF project will probably be the start of me using another line's contrast paint. Army painter reviews are mixed, Vallejo is still a while out, so I may have to see if I can source some Duncan Rhodes paints. Or suck it up on the GW paints still.

Also played another game of Cthullu Death may die . Went really easy this time, game lasted less than 2 hours including set up, and we blew through with only one person dying on the last round. That could have been avoided, but his character almost killed the enemy on his turn which would have won the game. We were really lucky with the card draws and very few enemies spawned the entire game and the under minion never moved. I would totally buy the game myself if Jaime didn't have everything already including all the kickstarter exclusives.

Saturday is the monthly ASOIAF meet up. I will have my army fully painted, probably will not have it based, But afterwards I need to start packing everything up again as the mother in law is moving back in after new years post ankle surgery. My gaming space will become her room again . Once she goes home again I will be completely redoing the space to make it more accessible.

Theo, you might consider Greenstuff world dipping inks as a Contrast replacement. They get really good reviews and are very affordable.

I love Death May Die! One of my all time favorite games.

The bowmen might benefit from a really light sand color on the base to contrast with how dark their overall look is.

 Gallahad wrote:
Theo, you might consider Greenstuff world dipping inks as a Contrast replacement. They get really good reviews and are very affordable.

I love Death May Die! One of my all time favorite games.

The bowmen might benefit from a really light sand color on the base to contrast with how dark their overall look is.

Basing will be a seashore theme with lighter sand for sure. I had originally painted a unit of the Silenced men with my old painting style and done water bases for them, but it was too much. I will add some water to the bases, but it will be more of a wet shoreline than anything else.

Former example, which has since been reprimed black.

I can see how that would be a ton of work to do on every model for sure.

Playing original Battletech or this new fangled nonsense?

The_Real_Chris wrote:
Playing original Battletech or this new fangled nonsense?

We are playing Alpha Strike. Original Battletech is far too much paper pushing for us, or at least for me. 30 Years+ of rulebooks and depending on who you play, some use some rules others use all. I just want my beer and pretzel game with miniature giant stompy robots. Plays quick and the new models are sooooooooo much better than the old ones no matter how much nostalgia one might have for them.

Well, I have been remise in keeping up to date here. I have finished the Ironmakers, which I realize I didn't take final photos of , like the rest they need basing, but otherwise done.

This morning I knocked out 4 characters.

Rodrik the reader

Wendamyr and his raven

Nute the Barber in a fresh smock before doing some barbering. The blown up picture makes me realize I need to paint the buttons on the tunic.

Victarion, being the better Great Jon than any the Starks could find.

I need to do Erik Ironmaker, but not necessary for this weekend, just as a possible swap out for next time. I'll be going with both archer units this weekend instead of one archer and one trapper. We will see how that works out.

ASOIAF monthly meet up today. Good turn out, 11 or 12 people. Wanted to get 2 games in but the first person was an hour late, so I played someone else and was worn out by the time the first game was done. It was good seeing new faces today.

6 units for my army

Victarion in reapers
Nute in ironmakers

Two units of longbowmen with NCUs Rodrick Harlaw and Wendamyr

Two units of reavers

Realized I need to still paint the reavers axe handles , I forgot I didn’t have a brown I wanted.

Victarion hitting the flank of the night watch rangers?(Cavalry). They did 11 hits and 10 wounds, but they survived. Rear Flanked by Ghost, who then got Barbered by Nute.

Game was basically over turn 4 with a win from me 11-8. He still had John Snow in a unit agains 3 units of mine with me holding 2 objectives.

Something different. I had picked up a game that our group will be trying in the new year, Core Space: First Born, seems Graven has it a so well.



Group shot


Cygnus crew


I need to get a better lighting set up.

So that ASOIAF is kind of a rank-and-flank game similar to old WHFB or Kings of War, eh? That's pretty cool. Sounds like a big part of it is having lots of named characters leading your units. As someone who is not at all familiar with Game of Thrones (by choice), that part leaves me entirely flat. As far as I'm concerned, that show is just a soap opera with dragons and incest added. All that aside, your models for the game look pretty cool, and I'm glad you're having fun with it.

On the subject of Core Space, I've never really looked into the game itself, but I do know that the Battle Systems card terrain goes with it and is quite good. I bought a set of that for Necromunda and I love it, although I have yet to actually play Necromunda.

 ZergSmasher wrote:
So that ASOIAF is kind of a rank-and-flank game similar to old WHFB or Kings of War, eh? That's pretty cool. Sounds like a big part of it is having lots of named characters leading your units. As someone who is not at all familiar with Game of Thrones (by choice), that part leaves me entirely flat. As far as I'm concerned, that show is just a soap opera with dragons and incest added. All that aside, your models for the game look pretty cool, and I'm glad you're having fun with it.

On the subject of Core Space, I've never really looked into the game itself, but I do know that the Battle Systems card terrain goes with it and is quite good. I bought a set of that for Necromunda and I love it, although I have yet to actually play Necromunda.

For what it is worth I don't watch the TV shows and haven't read more than the first or second book of ASOIAF years and years ago (I don't remember)... and I still love the game.

Easily the best game I've played since Warhammer Fantasy 6th edition. It has a wonderful combination of rank and flank tactics mixed with smart hand management (the tactics cards that reward you for setting up certain on board situations) with a super important worker placement side as well (political characters can claim zones on the Tactics Board that give you on battlefield bonuses).

I enjoy it immensely even though I'm not a super fan of the IP and don't know almost anything about the characters besides what I picked up playing.

It really rewards clever play, is satisfyingly balanced, and has a huge product line with tons of options for each army. It as also relatively affordable. I highly recommend it.

Nice looking army you got there! I liked your water effect on the base. Oh, and I just got introduced to Slap Chop. I need to buy some bigger dry brushes.

Gallahad wrote:

 ZergSmasher wrote:
So that ASOIAF is kind of a rank-and-flank game similar to old WHFB or Kings of War, eh? That's pretty cool. Sounds like a big part of it is having lots of named characters leading your units. As someone who is not at all familiar with Game of Thrones (by choice), that part leaves me entirely flat. As far as I'm concerned, that show is just a soap opera with dragons and incest added. All that aside, your models for the game look pretty cool, and I'm glad you're having fun with it.

On the subject of Core Space, I've never really looked into the game itself, but I do know that the Battle Systems card terrain goes with it and is quite good. I bought a set of that for Necromunda and I love it, although I have yet to actually play Necromunda.

For what it is worth I don't watch the TV shows and haven't read more than the first or second book of ASOIAF years and years ago (I don't remember)... and I still love the game.

Easily the best game I've played since Warhammer Fantasy 6th edition. It has a wonderful combination of rank and flank tactics mixed with smart hand management (the tactics cards that reward you for setting up certain on board situations) with a super important worker placement side as well (political characters can claim zones on the Tactics Board that give you on battlefield bonuses).

I enjoy it immensely even though I'm not a super fan of the IP and don't know almost anything about the characters besides what I picked up playing.

It really rewards clever play, is satisfyingly balanced, and has a huge product line with tons of options for each army. It as also relatively affordable. I highly recommend it.

Game is great. You do not need to have a bunch of attachments in your army. Most battles I've seen played are 4-5 units per side. Most people will use a generic character in the units, but my go to army recently has the general, and a named character who counts as the general as well and then no one else. No captains or anything. I have watched the show, but I have not read the books. From my understanding there is a big difference between the two.

Even though they are boardgame plastic, painting the models is very easy and 12 models to a base is great to give rank and file feel without the hordes. I magnetize the bases and trays for ease of movement. Pricing is also so much better than 40K/AOS. For everything with Greyjoy it cost me around $300, but a starter army is $120 and can give you enough variation. All the cards are available in the War Council app as well as all the rules and army builder.

wyomingfox wrote:Nice looking army you got there! I liked your water effect on the base. Oh, and I just got introduced to Slap Chop. I need to buy some bigger dry brushes.

Buy cheap make up brushes. I got a set of 3 for $8 or so from Wal-mart.For the slap chop, I used basic brushes that I bought a pack of 16-20 of from Walmart for like $6.99, nothing special. I do not buy expensive brushes.

Sorry for the long silence again. Wife and I got the FLU, Her Grandmother passed away after beating Covid for the 4th time. Too much stuff going on at both jobs.

I have gotten painting done, but not enough to show. Now I have to finish taking apart my painting area again to make room for Mother-in-law who will be moving shortly post-surgery again. I have decided that after she moves out again that I am doing my painting room up in style. I need quick access to the things that I am using more often, like the ASOIAF models, Alpha Strike Battletech, Core Space (Once we get to play it) and I have just ordered some Arena Rex models. Jaime has the playmobile arena and a couple cohorts of gladiators and we have played it a few times, so I ordered 6 of the models, dice and stuff. It has not shipped yet, but I'm too tied up with things right now to actually worry about it.

Oh sorry to hear Theo, losing grandparents is hard so my thought go out to your wife's family. Pretty great of you to open up your house to your in-laws. And thanks for the pointers on the dry brushes!! I'm going to try the technique on a dragon once I grab the brushes.

Thanks for sharing all the photos and information about your slap-chop adventures. I have been thinking about giving it a try, not for me but for my son, who has a moderately-sized collection of unpainted models just sitting around gathering dust. I'm not sure I want to pick up a whole collection of new paints that I probably won't use, but it would be better than just leaving them bare plastic as they are now.

 JoshInJapan wrote:
Thanks for sharing all the photos and information about your slap-chop adventures. I have been thinking about giving it a try, not for me but for my son, who has a moderately-sized collection of unpainted models just sitting around gathering dust. I'm not sure I want to pick up a whole collection of new paints that I probably won't use, but it would be better than just leaving them bare plastic as they are now.

Perfect audience for this skill. He could try the army painter speed paints (cheaper), but similar effects, not sure if the reactivating issue is resolved yet. Just think of it as an investment into hmgetting an army started.

Well, I figured out a small portable painting setup as my spot is taken over for a while.

Of course, I didn't set it up to finish painting my: new Core Space models, Greyjoy army or other projects that are coming up for the group. Instead, I decided Blood for the Blood God seemed appropriate for my mood.



just socks, shoes, belts and balls (Footballs ) left to do. All done with the slapchop method and contrast paints. No metallics.

Also of note, I have an order of Arena Rex models coming in which is due on Friday. I've been wanting to get some for years, at least since Gomez here on Dakkadakka was painting them up. They had a Christmas 25% off sale, so I ordered: The Zephyri starter set (3 models), Leika, Hroka and Hagal along with the Zephyri dice and a set of favor dice. The Zephyri are a group of gladiators which is a combination of viking and north eastern native American cultures. Jamie has I think 2 of the other cohorts and one of the other guys is going to pick up the Egyptian cohort. It is a very fun, fast and furious game. New rules are available on the website Arenarex.com for download. I've played it a few times and had a blast, Jamie has the playschool arena which is perfect, it's actually what the game designers use, and when it is all set up it really lets you soak into the feel of the game.