Blog Archives

"I'm Solar Auxilia And I'm Okay, I Chop Up Xenos By Night & Day"

29/9/2015

With that fairly poor slant on the "I'm A Lumberjack" song by Monty Python, I bring you this rather awesome addition to the expanding ranks of the Solar Auxilia from the latest Forge World Bulletin. It's Solar Auxilia, but instead of the massed ranks of lasguns, these guys have close combat weapons. = AND I WANT THEM!
These two are obviously adaptions of the current Veletaris Storm Section, probably some of the best infantry models Forge World have released in some time, but with different arms. Arms that go 'chop chop'!!
How hardcore do they look??! "Dear Santa, I have been quite good this year..."

White Dwarf #87 Review - Big Red... And I Don't Mean The Gum!

26/9/2015

Age of Sigmar has the ignominious honour of taking huge fan reaction and excitement and wringing the life out of it to the point where there was no more love for the game.
Forums seem to full of haters (but aren't they always) for the way the game and miniatures have been released, but this week I think they (and I) have to eat our words a bit, because the Skarbrand miniature previewed in this issue of White Dwarf is probably the best release for AoS so far!!
Although the only miniature release this week, it thankfully doesn't take up the whole issue (unlike some Stormcast Eternals) leaving room for a wide variety of content.
From Armies on Parade to Parade Ground, Paint Splatter is back, some Forge World Mechanicus goodness (and haven't they done an awesome job with the Mechanicus BTW?) plus rules for Skarbrand to be fielded in both Warhammer and WH40k - neat gimmick there. So is this issue with a buy?
+ + More after the jump + +

Amazing G1 Transformers Game On Its Way!

25/9/2015

You may have seen this, but Transformers (the real ones, not the Michael Bay ones) fans rejoice because your cartoon goodness has been made manifest with Transformers: Devastation, the new combat game. Released on October 6th by Platinum Games, the game brings to life the favourites from the 1980s cartoon, and I'll be honest - there's not much I can say (apart from "squeel") so check out these awesome videos to show you how true to the cartoon it looks!

The game is the cartoon brought to interactive life - only problem is, you have to play as those weak soft Autobots. Aaaah for the glory of the Decepticons. Maybe one day...

Ladies & Gentlemen: Skarbrand!!

22/9/2015

Thanks to Mr Freeman, an avid contributor to our Facebook, here is your first good look at possibly the best Khorne realese so far for Age of Sigmar...

Army Painter Anti-Shine Matt Varnish - A WARNING!

20/9/2015

Army Painter Anti-Shine Varnish

How annoying is it to have that sheen on your miniatures after you've spent all that time blending your colours and delicately highlighting them? The obvious solution would be to use a matte spray, but as Games Workshop's Purity Seal spray is not available in Australia, finding an alternate can be trial and error. From Testors Dullcote to the Tamiya range and beyond I think I've tried them all over the years.
The Army Painter's Anti-Shine Matt Varnish was one easy to find, if a little expensive, alternative so I grabbed a can - and it's crap!
The Army Painter have been on the scene now for quite some time so you would think it would be okay, but having read around the net I'm not the only one who has had the Anti-Shine Matt Varnish leave a powdery white residue on the model! Now I'm not in a cold climate and being experienced I applied two thin coats - but this Tau model looks like it's been running through a Colombian blow factory. Not only is it powdery, there is now a surface added to the panels!

You can see in the pictures above that the residue is quite obvious and very powdery - turning the once stark black on the gun and shoulder pauldron into a charcoal colour and thus negating the highlights. The brown has lost almost all it's shading and really only retains the highlights on parts of the model.
It's not just on the paint either - look at the plastic base!
-
Now I will wear the fact that I tried this product not on a test model and on one I like - that's my problem - but seriously to have this kind of effect having followed the instructions to a tee is not good at all.
It's not hot, it's not cold and it's not windy here - what it seems to be is a poor product. I know there are people who rap it, but one bad can and you too will fall into line behind others with this result.
So be warned, this is obviously not a good or consistent product, so if you have an alternative - take it!
Shiny models are better than your models looking like Santa's little helper...

White Dwarf #86 Review - Is Age of Sigmar "Khorne-y"? HaHa

19/9/2015

... well the pun had to be made, especially after what seems like 12 months of Age of Sigmar releases that alternate between the Stormcast and Khorne - gold and red are getting a massive run at the moment!
This week's White Dwarf has not only two new Khorne miniatures, but also a 'codex' of sorts centering on the human followers of Khorne, "Khorne Bloodbound".
With rumours surrounding the upcoming October release of new Tau miniatures, there is also the first official look at the absolutely enormous Forge World KX139 Ta'unar Supremacy Armour, it's scale more like a titan than an Imperial Knight and probably in line with other massive Tau releases from Forge World like the Manta, Tiger Shark and Barracuda. It's not like the Tau are afraid to go big, we just don't see it as much.
Also this week are a few books, one of which takes a really interesting spin on the Word Bearers as they hunt down the perennially boring Ultramarines!
So is this week's issue any good?
+ + More After The Jump + +

Bolt Thrower Drummer Dies - RIP Martin Kearns

18/9/2015

For the real beardys out there, Bolt Thrower were a massive part of the Games Workshop universe in the late 80s and early 90s. They provided the soundtrack for much of the universe with their albums "Realm of Chaos", which used the 40K rule book cover art, and "Warmaster" being the most obvious links.
Well sad news today as Bolt Thrower announce the death of their drummer Martin Kearns.
Martin became the later sound of Bolt Thrower, equal to if not exceeding the work of earlier drummer Andy Whale who had pioneered the unrelenting beat that Bolt Thrower were, and are, so famous for.

"With the heaviest of hearts, and still numb from shock, we have to share the very sad news that on Monday 14th September Bolt Thrower lost our powerhouse drummer, Martin ‘Kiddie’ Kearns.

After the first rehearsal for our upcoming tour of Australia, Kiddie suddenly felt unwell which continued throughout the night, and the next day he passed away peacefully in his sleep.

He was a fantastic Dad, husband, son, friend, but to us he was always ‘Kiddie’, the same 17 year old Coventry kid whose drumming style and personality blew us away when he first walked into our rehearsal room 20+ years ago.

Kiddie enriched our lives, and the Bolt Thrower sound. He leaves a massive hole in the lives of everyone who knew him and will be very sorely missed by many.

Karl, Jo, Baz, Gav & the loyal BT crew"

Personally I consider myself one of Bolt Thrower's biggest fans, having first come across their IVth Crusade album in the early 90s and then unfortunately missing their only other Australian tour in 1993 due to illness - this was going to be their triumphant return - but with this tragedy the Australian tour has been cancelled.

As a way to give back, many Australian fans are trying to donate their ticket money to his family. In a Tweet from Karl Willets (above right), it seems that may very well be an option.

All that pales into insignificance next to the tragedy for his family, friends and the Bolt Thrower family

RIP Martin 'Kiddie' Kearns
07.03.77 – 14.09.15

War Hounds Legion Scimitar Pattern Jet Bike W.I.P.

17/9/2015

Time for a much-delayed War Hounds Legion update - this time away from infantry to a vehicle.
I really like the look of the Forge World Scimitar Pattern Jet Bike - it's chunky and mass produced-looking, like a flying version of Judge Dredd's bike.
Although quite small, it's beasty next to Eldar jet bikes and even the Dark Eldar Raider!
The only change I made was reversing the little wings on the front to make them look more blade-like, appropriate for the War Hounds I think, and converting the rider to have a version of MKIII armour (that's still happening). I still have extra weapons and decoration to add to the bike - but it's a start!

BREAKING NEWS - New Tau Miniatures!!

16/9/2015

The interwebs (don't you love that term) have been running hot with sneak peaks at the new Tau miniatures expected fairly soon. The pictures come from Craig A. on Twitter and originate from the November edition of Warhammer Visions (oh well lit has to be good for something...)

First and foremost are the changes to the Fire Warriors - if you look at the picture on the left you will notice new helmets, new guns and a new backpack. People are pointing to this being the new overall design, but if you combine the picture on the right (have a look at the two groups of Tau - on the left are the new ones and on the right are the more familiar design) and the rumour that the new Fire Warrior kit will be a combi-kit, this new look could just be a new Tau specialist unit option from that box.

The other big deal are these new Battle Suits. The first one (left) looks very Forge World and the second shot (right) shows a more bulked up Crisis suit - notice the ball and socket arm/ shoulder.
You'll also see the new drones above the Tau infantry's heads.

SIDE NOTE: Isn't it nice to see these guys in a new colour scheme? That mustard one was getting a tad old!

White Dwarf #85 Review - Are Even GW Sick of The StormCast?

12/9/2015

Now I know that question in the title seems a bit odd, but this is the first real Stormcast release that hasn't occupied the whole issue. With the standard bearer and musician being (supposedly) the final part of the Stormcast force, you would think a lengthy article on how a retinue works, the personalities in play, a Paint Splatter repeating everything we have seen in that last month or so would all be in there - nope! Maybe GW has seen that people are getting a little bored with this single vision - that and the inclusion in this week's issue of an awesome Aelven/ Undead army. The ability to mix armies and change the traditional Race/ Faction structure was what I heard most people being excited about when Age of Sigmar was launched - not weeks and weeks of buff C-3POs!
Now as far as the issue goes - this is one of the best balances issues in quite some time. I'll hand it to White Dwarf, they stepped up to the plate on this one.
+ + More After The Jump + +

Warhammer Visions #20 - Just Pretty Pictures, Frankly...

5/9/2015

I had an epiphany today!
After 20 months of wanted Warhammer Visions to be the hobbyists magazine, the one that doesn't have rules but has special modelling articles, alternate colour schemes to current releases, Works In Progresss and conversion workshops - I realized it will never be that, it really is just a magazine of pretty pictures - most of which we have already seen in White Dwarf, online or in a Codex.
As such there's going to be a change to these reviews.
They won't be as thorough as the White Dwarf reviews we do each week, because frankly there isn't as much to show - at least there isn't in it's present incarnation - but if that changes then we'll be more exhaustive and show you everything there is to see. So... this month Warhammer Visions centres a lot on the Warhammer Age of Sigmar releases, and there were a few, plus page after page of Golden Demon entrants and a very cool Army of the Month
+ + More After The Jump + +

White Dwarf #84 review - In The Arms Of An Angel, Fly Away...

5/9/2015

... never did I think I would use lines from a Sarah McLachlan song in a review of a White Dwarf issue - but the line is actually quite prophetic:
"In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here..."
Why is this prophetic I hear you ask? Firstly because this week sees the release of the Stormcast Eternal Prosecutors - easily my favourite Age of Sigmar miniatures so far - but it also is the week I officially abandon Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
Over the past few week I have been monitoring the price of the AoS product go up and up and I think when they are $30 per miniature - it's time to go!
But I digress, apart from the high prices, this is actually a very good issue of White Dwarf! New models including the Stormcast Eternal Knights, Upgrade kits, 'Batteltome', an exclusive Battleplan and lots more...
+ + More After The Jump + +

Revisiting The Righteous Harbingers Space Marine Chapter

1/9/2015

The Righteous Harbingers were a Space Marine Chapter I came up with maybe about 10 years ago.
I had this idea of urban combat specialists with their gear all over them, hunkered down in broken buildings, laying traps and holding back hordes of invaders while brick dust showered them.
Pretty simple idea, so I chose two suitably urban colours, with orange as the contrast. This model doesn't have the orange rank insignia as I'm not sure where he fits into my force.
I went back to the Righteous Harbingers to update the look. The original style of painting had very muted highlighting which left them looking a bit flat. Look at the 1st RH I did (Power Fist Sergeant) compared to the later Assault and Scout Sergeant.

+ + More After The Jump + +

ABOUT

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!

Categories

All Games Workshop miniatures © Games Workshop 2003. All rights reserved. Used without permission

This web site is completely unofficial and in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limited.
Adeptus Astartes, Blood Angels, Bloodquest, Cadian, Catachan, the Chaos devices, Cityfight, the Chaos logo, Citadel, Citadel Device, Codex, Daemonhunters, Dark Angels, Dark Eldar, 'Eavy Metal, Eldar, Eldar symbol devices, Eye of Terror, Fire Warrior, Forge World, Games Workshop, Games Workshop logo, Genestealer, Golden Demon, Gorkamorka, Great Unclean One, Inquisitor, the Inquisitor logo, the Inquisitor device, Inquisitor:Conspiracies, Keeper of Secrets, Khorne, Kroot, Lord of Change, Necron, Nurgle, Ork, Ork skull devices, Sisters of Battle, Slaanesh, Space Hulk, Space Marine, Space Marine chapters, Space Marine chapter logos, Tau, the Tau caste designations, Tyranid, Tyrannid, Tzeentch, Ultramarines, Warhammer, Warhammer 40k Device, White Dwarf, the White Dwarf logo, and all associated marks, names, races, race insignia, characters, vehicles, locations, units, illustrations and images from the Warhammer 40,000 universe are either ®, TM and/or © Copyright Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2013, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. Used without permission. No challenge to their status intended. All Rights Reserved to their respective owners.

UA-73669824-1