Open War 18

With quite short notice myself, Luke, Dave and Andy from the Hull area decided to buy tickets for Open War 18, due to take place this Saturday at Maelstrom Games, Mansfield.  The tournament is locked-in now and there are only 8 players, it appears that the team element has been cancelled so there is a very real prospect that the four of us will end up playing one another.  Since the field is so small I’m hoping that the event will be really good fun and perhaps more light hearted than a standard event.  It would be very cool if the four of us could face the four of them in a kind of challenge, but I'm not sure that would suit the organisers or all players.  Details of the event including rules pack can be found here.

List building

I decided to go with Kreoss1 and Feora2 for my two 35 point lists and try out Severius1 at 50 points.  As character restrictions are enforce across all three lists building a good balance is tricky.  Having finished the battle engine recently I felt that it should go in the Sevvy list; as per the last entry I’m undecided on its worth at 9 points (taking the place of a unit or ‘jack), but the thing is such a beautiful model I felt it deserved to take pride of place when the armies are placed for painting judging, additionally it fits better at 50+ points.  Feora2 also will get her first tournament debut: though I am hesitant on the list change.  Basically I dropped the bonded Templar in favour of a bonded Redeemer and Gorman Di Wulfe and switched the Vanquisher to a Reckoner – from previous play testing at 35 points.  The Kreoss list is a slimmed down version of the 50 point ETC list that I've been happy with of late.

The lists

List 1 (35 points)

Feora, Protector of the Flame
*Reckoner
*Redeemer (bonded)
Avatar of Menoth
(4) Choir of Menoth
(10) Holy Zealots
*Holy Zealots Monolith Bearer
Vassal Mechanic
Vassal Mechanic
Vassal of Menoth
Gorman Di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist
List 1 Reinforcements
(6) Exemplar Errants
*Exemplar Errants UA

List 2 (35 points)
High Exemplar Kreoss
*Reckoner
*Reckoner
(4) Choir of Menoth
(10) Exemplar Errants
*Exemplar Errants UA
Visgoth Rhoven & Honour Guard
Vassal of Menoth
Vassal of Menoth
Covenant of Menoth
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord
List 2 Reinforcements
(3) Exemplar Vengers

List 3 (50 points)

 Grand Scrutator Severius
*Blessing of Vengeance
*Reckoner
*Vanquisher
Vessel of Judgement
(4) Choir of Menoth
(6) Temple Flameguard
* Temple Flameguard UA
(10) Exemplar Errants
*Exemplar Errants UA
Vassal Mechanic
Vassal Mechanic
Vassal of Menoth
Vassal of Menoth

*As I write this article I'm really unsure about list 1, whether to have a bonded Redeemer & Gorman or the bonded Templar.... hmmm decisions decisions!

Sylys Wishbone

Also this month the Breast Cancer Brawl event will be taking place in Leeds, Travelling Man and I promised to paint up Sylas Wyshnalyrr for Luke, so below are the fruits of my labours for a couple of nights painting – hope he does you proud mate :-)

Sylys Wyshnalyrr front

Sylys Wyshnalyrr back

Sylys Wyshnalyrr close-up

Open War 17 prep

As mentioned in the last post I’d missed a trick with the Errants benefiting from tough, due to Rhupert Carvolo’s Heroic Call pipe tune coupled with Power of Faith *action (no knock-down or stationary) from the Covenant of Menoth; so I decided to get him painted up for use at Open War 17.  Below are a few snaps of the completed infamous Piper of Ord:

Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord - front

Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord - rear

Rhupert was relatively easy and quick to paint as he didn’t have too many details and I am quite happy with the result.

Open War 17 is a three list event, one 50 point list and two 35 point lists with character restrictions across all three lists, so potentially a bit restrictive on list building – but that’s what SR2012 aimed to do!  I decided to take the same lists as Grand Slam for the 35 point event with a slight change to the Kreoss list, the Redeemer was dropped for Rhupert and Rhoven & Co.  I’m not massively keen on Rhoven, but felt it added a bit more variety as well as motivating me to paint!  So below are some photos of Rhoven and his honour guard:

Visgoth Rhoven and Honour Guard

Rhoven & Co. got the same paint style as the other Exemplar models, however the trio each have a few unique aspects; Rhoven for example is a priest and has little ornate armour, but a lot more cloth and I took the opportunity to build up a good smooth transition on the back of his cloak and hat etc.  I also learnt how to paint fire by reading the guide in the Menoth faction book: interestingly you start light and work up to dark.  Gius and Cassian both have a lot of details and I took my time on the armour panels with some black lining to make them stand out.  Cassian also has a bear head allowing some nice flesh tones and I also added a scar to his face and matching crack on his helm to reflect the fluff.  They were tough and time consuming to paint, but I’m pleased with the result.  Below are some snaps of the trio as individuals:

Visgoth Rhoven - front

Visgoth Rhoven -rear

Gius - front

Gius - rear

Cassian - front

Cassian -rear

So fully painted for Open War 17, just got to pack and play some games ideally without too many daft mistakes, as per Grand Slam I!!!

Dirty Mercs

It’s been a week or so since my last entry, I’ve not been terribly productive since then as I’m currently recovering from yet more surgery, though I have managed to paint up a few models during my recuperation time.

I mentioned a few entries back that I was planning on expanding my Severius lists to the 50 point mark so I had something ready for tournaments of this size.  Of note Vapnartak in York, early 2012, will have 50 point lists on day two.  Though my lists aren’t finalised I set myself the task of completing the following to help bolster the painted force so far:

·        Exemplar Errants min unit

·        Temple Flame Guard unit attachment

·        X2 Choir of Menoth acolytes

·        Vassal of Menoth

·        eEiryss Angel of Retribution

·        Lady Aiyanna and Master Holt

I have already uploaded photos of the extended Choir and Vassal; however below are photos of epic Eiryss and Lady Aiyanna + Master Holt.

eEiryss front

eEiryss rear

eEiryss side

These mercenary allies were painted as close to the ‘official’ colours seen in the Merc faction book.  I used a very earthy pallet for eEiryss given that she has a background in stealth, camouflage and tree huggin', like those hippy Circle folk.  The cloak was the main feature and was painted using Camo Green as a base.  I paid particular attention to the epic base she stands upon, trying to make it look like and aged stone relic of some kind. 

Lady Aiyanna & Master Holt

Lady Aiyanna  front

Lady Aiyanna  side

Lady Aiyanna  rear

Lady Aiyanna  side

Master Holt  front

Master Holt  side

Master Holt  rear

Master Holt  side

 I used a mixture of P3 and Citadel paints.  Of note Lady Aiyanna's cloak was a reddish brown created by mixing Scorched Brown and Blood Red; I’ve found these two colours mix really well and create a very smooth transition.  Holt’s blue jacket was painted using the P3 Cygnar blues and washed with GW’s Asumen Blue.

So what about gaming?

Gaming wise these mercs are very useful, eEiryss is great for anti-buffing enemy units as her very high RAT and long range crossbow can remove enemy upkeep spells and animi; it also disrupts warjacks.  These abilities are very powerful in ensuring the enemy is weakened.  Eiryss can also be used in a last ditch ‘bomb’, she can run very quickly and possibly be placed within 5” of multiple enemy warjacks preventing them from receiving focus the following turn.  She has numerous other uses of course, but the afore mentioned ones are why she is popular amongst many gamers.

Aiyanna and Holt are a unit, though they are essentially two solos.  Lady Aiyanna has three main in-game effects, whilst not being offensive she can give herself and Holt stealth, commonly used as the pair advance up field.  She can ‘Kiss of Lyliss’ a model/unit which then suffers +2 to all incoming damage rolls for a turn.  When you start combining that with Choir buffs and Eye of Menoth etc suddenly attacking models can cause far more damage than anticipated.  Her final ability is to grant a friendly unit ‘magical weapons’.  This is of course situational, however when facing incorporeal models, or something which can only be damaged by magical attacks this ability is invaluable.  Holt is a gunfighter with the virtuoso skill, so very handy up close as well as from afar.  He has a very high RAT and two pistols, thus adding a bit more ranged threat to my Menite force.  His special ability comes into effect when either he or Lady Aiyanna are shot at; he can immediately fire at the attacking model and if a hit is scored the attacking model automatically misses, useful to burn out unwary enemies attempting to gun this pair down.

Regarding more ranged support; man I wish I could have a unit of Gun Mages... ah well!!  ;-)