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Just so it's at the top of a page:

 Gitsplitta wrote:
Public Service Announcement
Hello friends!

This missive is to let you know that for the time being, my 5 P&M blogs (Mantis Warriors, Bad Moon Orks, AdMech, Halloween themed Chaos and 30k EC) will have all their updates appearing on a single blog (my “Rebuilding the Mantis Warriors” blog… which will get a new name). Why? With my interests so scattered across multiple armies and terrain & the fact that I’m just not painting at the hundreds of figures a year rate that I used to… I’m not making enough quality posts to keep 5 different blogs going. I’ve got a few die-hard friends and supporters that still post… but not enough to build or maintain the community that has always been the strongpoint of my threads in the past.

If my circumstances change and I start painting enough to warrant re-opening one of the specialist threads, I’ll do so... they aren’t closed, just inactive. In the meantime, as of today (Feb 11th, 2017) I’ll be making all of my P&M posts (for all armies) on what has always been my “home” on DakkaDakka, right here on my Mantis Warrior thread. I hope you’ll stay tuned for the latest updates for all of my projects!
The new name of this blog is: Gitsplitta's Unified Painting Theory... kind of a vague "unified string theory"reference. So stay tuned... it's all happening right here from now on!

Thanks!
Gits

Makes sense.
Still following along.

But how will you keep all you armies from fighting? Wait, never mind. Just let them and post the batreps!

 Nevelon wrote:
But how will you keep all you armies from fighting? Wait, never mind. Just let them and post the batreps!

529 pages. I've got some catching up to do

I see what you're doing here Gits... this is all just a ploy to make the biggest and best blog on Dakka bigger and betterer!

In all seriousness, though, looking forward to more good stuff from any of these armies!

Thanks everyone. I didn't come to this decision easily or alone. Got some great advice from RiTides which helped a lot. I view this as 100% a good thing. I just spread myself too thin. Besides, this way my "hobby family' is all together in one place! (Where I can keep an eye on you)

New miniature and battle report coming very soon. Hopefully tonight!

I'm still following along! plenty of good content being posted by you, having it under one thread just means its easier to consume

Hey man, this makes catching up on your projects sooo much easier! Less than half the blogs, all the Gits!

I am definitely up for this. Hype incoming!

Sounds great to me, looking forward to tracking all your escapades much easier here

Seems fitting then to begin the new uniblog with a battle report featuring elements of more than one of my armies.


Got together last week for a game with my friend Kyle whose practicing for the 40k Friendly at Adepticon... so 1500 points. Kyle's running Ultras with a bodyguard, couple of command tanks, TFC & Calgar. I've got a mixed bag of Cult Mech & Skitarii with some MW (including a TFC) and a couple of astropaths for psychic support.

I can't remember the name of the book mission, but we have 5 objectives, pretty evenly spread out across the table. In the photo below, that's one in the big brown rocks at center table, one in each of the big brown ruins in the corners and one at the corner of the near grey wall by the trees. The last is on the far side of the table towards the middle. We're playing end-to-end obviously. Ultras go first.




Kyle's very pretty command tanks. I need to build a set of these.


My dune crawlers with a screen of vanguard deploy cautiously behind cover but very near one of the objectives.


A small group of Ultras hold the one objective that you couldn't see in the first pic... the one on his side center near this small group of rocks.


In looking at the pictures I have... I don't think it would make for a good turn-based report... so instead I'm going to present each portion of the table as a separate sub-battle... I think it'll make more sense that way.



Battle for the Center:
The Ultramarines have two drop pods at their disposal, one with a grav-loaded tac squad and the other with Mr. Calgar and some random Tac's. Pod #1 lands right next to the ruin containing my Kataphron Breachers with their heavy arc weaponry (haywire) who are in easy reach of his land raider. They shoot the crap out of my breachers and my infiltrators. This pic is after I retaliated... killing off the combat squad with most of the grav.


Unfortunately a second round of shooting from a variety of sources, including the TFC & a subsequent assault took out my breachers, leaving the surviving combat squad in charge of the ruin. My infiltrators are pinned at this point so other than plinking away with their uzzis... there isn't much they can do.


Luckily, as the TFC's attention is directed elsewhere... they become unpinned and plan on shooting/charging the marines. Unfortunately, their shooting is a little too good and cut down two of the marines, putting themselves out of LOS & unable to charge.


I don't have a photo of this, but the two infiltrators are eventually gunned down, leaving the marines as kings of the ruin. Center table goes to the Ultras.



Ultramarine's Ruin, (their) Right Flank: (far left if you look at the first photo)
At the beginning of the game the Ultras had moved their command vehicles forward, disgorging a rather large unit of bodyguard as they went. The Mantis Warriors countered by podding in just behind the vehicles. Their fist target was the command rhino which was just about to unleash an orbital bombardment on the relatively defenseless AdMech. Mission accomplished.


The Mantis Warriors then proceed a long... slooooow... slog up the ruin to try to take out the TFC which is just slaughtering the AdMech forces due to its S6 rounds. It's also sitting on an objective.


Finally the tech marine and one tac marine make it into combat. You'd think this would be a mutual wipe-out right? Each tech marine hit is an auto-kill (from both directions). MW have the advantage of an extra attack for charging.


...aaaaand no. Mantis Warriors wiped out. Ultras win this area of the battlefield.




AdMech Left Flank (near left as you look at the first pic):
The AdMech had done a really good job thinning out Calgar's bodyguard, killing all but three by the time they finally assaulted the Dune Crawlers. Unfortunately since this was the el-cheapo version of the skitarii, the Dune Crawlers had no upgrades... so 1 attack, S6, no AP.


Apparently, three bodyguard is all you need to get the job done.


At the time of the game's end... the objective here (you can just see it in the back left) is unowned as the battle is still raging. So... this part of the table is a draw.



AdMech Right Flank (lower right as you look at the first pic):
A pod arrives bearing Calgar and a combat squad of marines with a multi-melta. Before he can act, the Ultra's chapter master is welcomed with grav cannon fire from the Kataphron Destroyers... leaving him (unfortunately) on one wound.


Combined TFC and MM fire from the tac squad immobilizes one dragoon and stuns the other, rendering them both useless.


I include this shot because it shows the difference between the astropath that I re-did and the one I haven't... big difference. It also shows the size difference between they and the combat units, which I really like.


At this point the Dominus gets off his butt (literally... I had to lie him down to fit him in the ruin) and with a couple of happy gun shots wipes the tac squad. Why isn't he challenging Calgar? Because Calgar has multiple S10 AP2 attacks in assault at initiative 4... meaning he would kill the Dominus without a thought.


Calgar charges the grav destroyers and survives overwatch. The astropath bravely accepts Calgar's challenge... but then again the astropath is blind... so he had no idea what was coming. The squad gets wiped of course.


"Futility" seemed to rule the Admech's last turn or so. The dominus tried to repair the immobilized dragoon on a 2+ and failed... this dragoon charged the pod, autohitting with a total of around 7x S8, AP- hits... and only did 1 HP.


However... I manage to maintain control of the objective here... so victory in this part of the table goes to the AdMech.



Results:
When it was all said and done, I had one objective, linebreaker and first blood. My opponent had 2 objectives and linebreaker. I'm guessing the objectives had to be 2 or 3 points apiece... meaning the Ultras won... either 5-4 or 7-5. Fun game though.

Take home lesson... if you want to kill admech... just bring TFC's and Calgar... you'll slaughter them.




I'm trying to set up a game for tonight. I've taken what I've learned from all these experimental games and tried to re-vamp my basic AdMech list to make it better. Unfortunately there are so many mandatory units in the war convo that finding room to add things to it is pretty tough. I'm convinced that both the marine pod and the astropaths are viable adds... more than viable.. really good adds because they bring things to the AdMech that they're completely missing otherwise... but I have to give up pretty important units to get them, even at higher point levels. I'll keep fiddling... perhaps a solution will present itself.

Hope you enjoyed the report and welcome to the uniblog!

That is a lovely looking battle, and well written! But the main thing I took away is that your Dune Crawlers are not attached to the bases and can be removed as wrecks, that is really cool!

Thanks RiTides. Actually I watch a lot of AdMech battle reports on YouTube and it's amazing how many people don't use the bases at all, which makes the Dune Crawlers far more powerful and useful. I made them separate so I could place the models in terrain (like buildings and such)... but am always very clear about the fact that the bases are still in-play when it comes to charges, unit coherency, measuring range, etc.

Are the base sizes ridiculous? Sure. But that's what they come with so by the rules, you have to use them (or account for them at least).

I didn't even think of that, but you're right, keeping them removable lets you actually put them in terrain without moving everything around. I like it... best of both worlds.

Great batrep again, in the end it looks beautiful, and fun. Don't care about points etc, you both had a good time and learned lessons.

Spent last night trying to figure out if I can turn my EC ZM force into the beginning of an actual 30k force. I'm trying to get it up 2k or so with a minimum of painting... just so I can play with da boyz at Adepticon in a month. So... priorities are high point value models for minimal effort. Note this will probably be a bad, not very EC looking army (except for paint).... but it'll at least get me on the table. Note I have all these models... no time to order anything.

HQ: preator w/ pride of the legion ROW, phoenix spear, artificer armor, etc.
EL: Contemptor (MM & Kheres Assault Cannon)
EL: Legion Rapier Battery (3) - I can do las, heavy bolter or bombard
TP: Legion Veteran Tac squad (5) - vexilla, srg w/ phoenix spear, artificer armor, etc.
TP: Legion Veteran Tac squad (5) - vexilla, srg w/ phoenix spear, artificer armor, etc.
TP: Legion Tactical Support squad (5) - meltas, srg w/ aa
FA: Legion Outrider squad (3) - plasma pistol, srg w/ phoenix spear, aa, MB
HV: Deredeo Dreadnought (auto cannons, ML & dual flamers)
HV: Leviathan Siege Dread (grav-flux bombard, volkite caliver, phosphex discharger)
HV: Secaran Venator - I'd use my Mantis Warrior one as it does have a significant amount of purple in the paint job.

There are a few options. I think I can put the preator on a bike which would make him much more likely to survive to combat than foot-slogging it with a small infantry squad, in which case I'd beef up the outriders so they'd be a better escort. I do have a special character EC Contemptor and a regular Secaran... both of which could be added to the do pile as they should go together quickly. I do have both Fulgrim and Eidolon. I don't want to rush through Fulgrim though and without any transports or big, scary escort units, neither would be put to very good use.

So, expect 3-4 dreads of varying sizes, couple of rapiers and 3 bikes for sure... with the possibility of a tank thrown in just because I have the airbrush out. Expect this to happen soon.

I also have a painted up Fulgrim I can bring if you do want to use him without rushing the paint.

That would be awesome WM, thanks. So with Fulgrin I'm in the vicinity of 2500 points.

There isn't too many models there, so I think you should be fine being able to paint them all in a month. Got some gaming potential as well, due to a lot of tough targets to chew through. I think you'll be fine

Oh yeah... duh. Mixed blog now. Here's where I am with my EC...









The airbrushing on this guys is actually done, just don't have a picture of it.

Not to shabby for a hastily put together army.
Excellent start on the Dread.

Nice job on the Emperor's Children Gits, I always had a soft (hard? Giggedy...) spot for that Legion.

Looking good, and the games are interesting (and nice) to see.

I had a question though, related to this point:

 Gitsplitta wrote:
...At this point the Dominus gets off his butt (literally... I had to lie him down to fit him in the ruin) and with a couple of happy gun shots wipes the tac squad. ...

Is this how most people play large models and terrain; if it doesn't fit standing, lay it down?
I (without having played the game, and always with an eye on realism in my models) would have thought; if it can't fit, it can't go in.

I can understand it for "heroic" models with a raised sword, but larger models?
My memory goes back to Space Crusade and the dreadnought not being allowed to stop in doorways as it has to duck to go through and can't fire in that position.

I've just come to a similar question with a piece of terrain I'm building (over in my "money making" thread), and thought I'd ask here as well because you have a larger following than I do.

Fulgrim was one of my favorite models to paint for Whaley! enjoy him! :-)

Unless your on the other side..

amazing purples.. what's not to like!

Nice stuff Gits, I remember how well the purples came out last time... Looking forward to seeing more!

I have an extra Kheres assault cannon if you'd like the extra dakka Gits

Hey gang!

I've been delaying posting until I had something concrete to show you... like... a picture of a mini. Unfortunately the fates have conspired against me and even though I did finish the re-paint of my second astropath last night and took a photo of it with my phone this morning... the photo has disappeared and all I have to offer is text. My apologies.

@SL: You'll remember I painted all these last year for Adepticon. I'm just re-posting them for the benefit of those who might not have followed that thread. If you were referring to the army build.... well, I've been collecting 30k miniatures for a while now, just haven't gotten around to painting many of them.

@Elnibbus: *sigh*

@Dr H: I think it's more a matter of your local meta & customs than anything GW's written. Our local meta is "never let terrain interfere with what you'd like to do with your models... no matter how ridiculous that is." You'd have to build a wall 4' high across the table in order to have something considered "impassible", and even then I guarantee that at least 3 guys would stand on a chair and try to place their land raider on top of it. This was a much less severe accommodation though and one suggested by my opponent. Since there is no consistent official status for how high a level is, they tend to be kind of arbitrary by nature... and of course a living creature could do things like stoop or hunch down where a static model can not.

@nerdy: I shall!

@WarbossDakka: Thanks. Will have to pour through my old EC blog and see if I can rediscover how I did it. In theory I know.... just don't remember the exact formula for the base color.

@Master Azalle: Very kind of you sir. PM me please.

Yes .. referring to the army build. My hair is going not my memory.. no wait it's both....

Interesting, thanks. If I have a local meta, I've not met it yet.

How are people when the base size limits the space rather than the height of the model?
e.g. a large-based model wants to get into a ruin to gain cover, but due to furniture or another model it's base can't fit if it's placed flat, but you could overlap it's base with the obstacle to allow it to fit, even if in reality it shouldn't be able to.