Blog Archives

White Dwarf #53 Review - Harlequins and Rogue Trader...?

31/1/2015

The Harlequins have had a chequered past (Oh - boom boom - unintentional pun!) as off-shoots from the Eldar to bad guys to mercenaries to potential allies to Space Marines and Imperial Guard. They haverun the gamut of the 40K universe. In fact I think pretty much all of us thought they were a thing of the past - until the rumours started about a month ago.
Well the time is upon us and the fancy-pants Eldar are here to cause chaos... I mean not literally because that would be the polar opposite of what Harlequins are all about!
Anyway, in this week's White Dwarf we get a solid look at the Harlequins, including a tribute to their Rogue Trader past, there's a lengthy Paint Splatter to help you get those colours right, the winner of Golden Demon 2014 gets a run, there's also some rules, some new books and a whole lot of Eldar fluff. Tempted? Come have a look inside...
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Ex-Manus Chevaliere Templar New Release Review

30/1/2015

Definitely one of the miniatures that caught my eye before CanCon was the preview of the Chevaliere Templar (right) which had appeared on the Ex-Manus Facebook some time ago.
Happily it is now in production - so what's it like?
Does it match up to the Green sculpt?
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Last weekend was CanCon, Australia's largest table-top gaming convention where I picked up a few new minis, plus a couple of older ones.
One of the brand new miniatures is from Ex-Manus Studios, who we looked at a little while ago, so I was eager to see some of the miniatures previewed at SMASH! in the flesh... white metal if you prefer!

Skaven Grey Seer 2015 Unboxing & Review

28/1/2015

I'm going to be honest here and tell you why I bought this model - frankly it looks enough like Thanquol to suit me. I really like the Thanquol model, and the look of this Grey Seer seems to fit so well with the current incarnation of Skaven. What a pity the infantry models now look so dated!
Like other releases this is a truly multi-part but not multi-pose kit. Happily, the Grey Seer has an alternate hand - but that's it - which is a bit of a shame really.

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Forge World Announce Horus Heresy Weekender Miniatures

27/1/2015

With the Horus Heresy Weekender on it's way, Forge World have shown a preview of the exclusive miniatures on offer at the event - and they look amazing!
One is a brilliantly posed Alpha Legion marine and the other is a dynamic looking Iron Warriors officer.
Good news if you're going, but bad news if you can't. Here's hoping Forge World offer them for sale afterwards, but this is pretty unlikely!
Unfortunately with such great miniatures on offer to only attendees, the recast market is the only avenue.
If Forge World want to stamp this kind of market out, making these available to a wider audience would be wise.

Alpha Legion Space Marine

Iron Warriors Space Marine

How do you feel about exclusive miniatures? Is it fair in a global market that only a few can get these?
And are Forge World shooting themselves in the foot by making a market for recasters?

CanCon 2015 Done and Dusted!

26/1/2015

CanCon is Australia's largest table-top gaming event, which compared to some overseas may be considered small, but if you're into table-top gaming then this is the place to be!
Games from Flames of War to WH40k, Warhammer to Dust, Magic, historical gaming of all shapes and sizes - and even die hard Epic tables with some amazing armies!
As well as the gaming there is also the hobby side with small manufacturers like Sword & Board Games, Ex-Manus, terrain makers and big gaming retailers like Combat Company and Good Games (who had a massive stand!)

Pic courtesy of Ex-Manus Twitter

I was happy to be able to grab some Coat'd Arms paints, a bitz bag from my favourite bitz supplier Bitz Galaxy, a new release from Ex-Manus, and some great minis from Sword & Board Games system Twelve Elements of War. Also grabbed some MaxMini and Kromlech bitz.
Reviews for that will all be incoming over the next few weeks.
And of course the cosplayers who always make these events fun... especially the uber-cute Harley Quinn!

Skaven Warlord 2015 Review

24/1/2015

The release of the Skaven Warlord is a pretty major step up from the older model that has been around for some years.
Games Workshop continue with their run of clam shell-packaged multi-part plastic miniatures.
Like other releases these are truly multi-part but not multi-pose. In fact the Skaven Warlord has no alternate weapons or heads. What you see is what you get - which is a bit of a shame really.

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White Dwarf #52 Review - So Necrons Aren't ALL Silver?!

24/1/2015

Good morning, Saturday! It's White Dwarf day and it breaks with tidings of evil and foreboding in the shape of Terminator... I MEAN NECRONS!!
I like the Necrons (as I've said before) and their story of pure unapologetic evil. I mean the humans are evil but in the name of righteousness, the Orks are evil in the name of just being dumb, the Tyranids are evil because they are hunting for gene seed (there's a bit of super-old canon), and the rest are evil in their various ways - but the Necrons are a special kind of evil and giving them a bit of a pump seems fair.
This week sees Necrons dominate White Dwarf, but not in a totally selfish way. They have a soft spot for the Hobbit, so let them share the issue with some new releases and other bits and peices.
The Necron release is pretty small really, but for them there is a whole new force organisation structure.
Whispers are this will permeate other forces too - who knows!
So - is this White Dwarf worth a look?
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A Kickstarter To Keep Your Eye On!

23/1/2015

Kickstarter has been an absolute boon for miniature hobbyists with a huge amount of projects being rolled out over the past few years - Wrath of Kings is but one example.
I was trawling the web today and saw this, a new miniature line and games system called The Edge.
The Kickstarter is launched in March and these 28mm miniatures look absolutely amazing.
They expect a 6 month turn-around from launch to production, which is certainly a fair amount of time!
There is a website with nothing on it, so the Facebook is the best bet for more info.

This looks really cool to me - what do you think?

Major Dream Forge News - Pre-orders, New Kits & The Enemy!

22/1/2015

For some months we've been teasing you with information on some of the amazing looking new kits from Dream Forge. well today they have announced the release date for these awesome new 28mm kits, the Keilerkopf APC, Valkir Heavy Troopers, Valkir Assault Troopers and the Valkir Support Troopers.

But that wasn't the only announcement today, Dream Forge have also completed the roll out of accessories for the 15mm version of their 28mm mechs plus the 15mm Scale Leviathan Mortis.

BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE!
New vehicles and the enemy faction have also been fore-shadowed!

War Hounds Legion Sicaran Battle tank teaser

20/1/2015

When my review of the Sicaran Battle tank from Forge World (and the questions raised about Forge World as a whole) hit Bell of Lost Souls in November it caused an absolute storm! Some people were unable to think that Forge World could possibly produce substandard product AND charge a premium for them.
That being said, my progression with that very Sicaran Battle tank kit has progressed somewhat and is nearly done. Considering I teased it earlier on the Project: War Hounds page, I thought I'd show you this almost completed turret to my first War Hounds legion vehicle!

What do you think? Look like it's heading in the right direction?

War Hounds Contemptor Completed!

18/1/2015

In late 2013 I bought myself a Contemptor Dreadnought with the lofty ideals are having it done pretty quickly and adding some firepower to what was then just a few War Hounds Space Marines.
Over time the information on War Hounds markings started to defeat me and put a halt on that "quick build" - but today I have finished it finally!
(Of course now I've taken the pics I've discovered a few things to touch up but isn't that always the way!)
There don't seem to be many people doing War Hounds armies which has meant momentum has been halted a number of times during this force's life, but now I seem to have found a look I like for them so that's the way they will be!

For more on this and the other War Hounds, head over to Project: War Hounds

White Dwarf # 51 Review - Skaven-Rats, Hoooo!!

17/1/2015

Do you like your rats big and brutish? Well this week's White Dwarf gives you not one, but three big bruising rats that might sway more than one Imperial player over to the Skaven-side of The Force.
The Stormfiends are upon us (and BTW isn't that a great name for a Chaos Space Marine force?) and they bring with them some heavy hitting [power to the newly up-armoured and up-gunned Skaven.
So what else is in this issue of White Dwarf? Well think rats and then you have a pretty good idea. That being said, the new Grey Seer and Warlord are both great looking models!
But apart from Skaven, we get a look at the new Horus Heresy novel by Graham McNeill, some more on Thanquol's Uprising, and who can beat the Tyranid Swarmlord?
Oh, and BTW, have a look back at the End Times issues of White Dwarf and count the amount of Lizardmen scenes... more than you will have seen for years!

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Malifaux Announce New Multi-Part Kits

16/1/2015

Malifaux is a cracking games system from Wyrd that's set in a steampunk-style world. well today wyrd have announced two new multi-part kits (one female, one male) to build up your forces for their Malifaux - Through The Breach game.

Painting Skaven In Batches - By a Novice Batch Painter!

11/1/2015

I freely admit I am a slow painter. For me each model is a character and therefore needs attention. This is one of the reasons my War Hounds Space Marines take so long - each on is painstakingly individually painted and detailed. I have toyed with batch painting them before, but just can't quite bring myself to do it.
So when the opportunity to paint some Skaven came up I thought it was a pretty good chance to give batch painting a go.
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Warhammer: Visions #12 Review

10/1/2015

Warhammer: Visions, as mentioned last week, is a week late. I've had varying reasons as to why - from a printing delay in the UK due to holidays to Australia Post being late. No one seems to know, but there was a delay... until today.
Warhammer: Visions has good issues and some very poor issues you will just never look at. This issue is more of the former with some really great images.
Unfortunately they haven't done any extra painting articles or modelling workshops, it's a showcase issue - more the pity because they have much more scope than White Dwarf do to explore these topics. Not only in terms of sheer page volume, but also time. They have a month to do it. To think of it, but alas. But I digress...
In this month's issue we have the Blood Angels new releases, Imperial Knights, Mechanicum from Forge World, some amazing readers models and again some horribly washed out pictures from some GW event or another.
More after the jump

White Dwarf #50 Review + A BIG Clue To How The World Ends

10/1/2015

The End is Nigh - and to be fair it's been "nigh" for some time now, at least in the world of Warhammer!
This week we get the beginning of the end as the Skaven heavy-hitters enter the fray. Last week we had the Vermin Lord (which was sold out at my GW this morning) and now we get to Thanquol - a guy who was obviosuly pickedc on at school and needs a much MUCH bigger dude to do his dirty work for him. That big guy is in the form of Boneripper, a technically augmented giant rat who would have real problems when it came to toilet time due to his lack of hands. Lots of boomy and slicy, not much appasable thumb work!.
But that's not all in this issue - yes there are Skaven a go-go, but there is also a really great timeline giving you the whole story of The End Times. It really does who you how the rumours of a relaunch of Warhammer could be possible after all the changes to the universe.
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More after the jump

The Deredeo Dreadnought & Its Anime Roots

10/1/2015

Image courtesy of BoLS

There's been teasers for some weeks now, but today much larger images of the Forge World Deredeo dreadnought have emerged and not only is it a departure form the normal design philosophy of Forge World and the 40K universe, it also harks back to the halcyon days of the Japanese anime Macross, later turned into Robotech in the west.
Some of the mechas from that series were later used by the Battletech game, causing years of legal wrangling.
The non-character related mecha were called Destroids and there were a few types, but the ones I see influencing the design of the Deredeo are the Defender (left) and the Tomahawk (right).
It will be interesting to see the next one to see other influences.

Image Courtesy of GunJap.net

Image Courtesy of GunJap.net

So what do you think? Could this be the influence for this dramatic change of style?
If this is the Deredeo, why not just use the design of the original from the Rogue Trader era rather than reinventing the wheel... or using someone else's wheel??
GW and Forge World do a lot of complaining about IP stealing - have they been caught out?

Meanwhile, enjoy the Intro to one of the greatest anime series of all time...

White Dwarf # 49 Review - Skaven but no WarHammer Visions

3/1/2015

This week brought two surprises when I got to my Games Workshop store: there are 5 variants of the new Verminlord kit and that Warhammer: Visions was not out today!
It's the first Saturday of the month, dudes! WHERE'S MY LOOT?
But leaving that behind us, it's onto White Dwarf...
This week is Skaven Central with the pre-orders up for the Verminlord kit which GW have taken a slightly different spin on selling.
You would have seen recently that when the combi-kits hit the website they list each variant as a different kit - but not so for the Verminlord. All variants are listed under the one listing - apart from the Verminking. I wonder if this will extend to the rest of the range?
So what else is in this issue? Konrad Curze, some new books, a Paint Splatter that might be worth your while and a partridge in a pear tree. Maybe not!
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Building A Better Necron - For Free!!

1/1/2015

The Necron are an ancient warrior race. Millions of years before man they fought each other, then The Old Ones to gain supremacy over the universe.
Realizing they could not beat the power of The Old Ones and The Warp, the Necrons allied with the C'tan and encased their spirits in bodies of living metal.
In the process the Necrons lost their souls, but they are now a near immortal race of mechanoids hell bent on ruling the galaxy again.
It's a great back story which in my mind is let down a little by the miniatures we have for them.
Yes they look a bit like the Terminator, but it's more their pose - they are bent over and subservient - far from the proud ancient race who have no other objective than domination.
So while I was making my first Necron, I decided to fiddle around a bit and see if I could fix them...

~ WARNING -
I am not a photographer and despite using a tripod, there are some dodgy pictures below.

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In a time before 40k, there was a band of men and women who took part in gaming without the corporate sensibilities of today. Take a step back with us and also look upon the future through wizened eyes and curious ponderings of The Beardy Hammer!

From Commercial Radio salary slave, to gamer and toy collector (no MIB for this little black duck, thank you), find here my meanderings!

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