Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Event report: Charity #warmongers #marathon for @MSUK6

Wow!


Ok, that was a crazy 26.2 hours and no mistake! Really rather tired now, but what a brilliant load of awesome fun where we raised over £200 towards our London Marathon sponsorship target for the marvellous MS-UK.

If you want to catch up on what exactly I was doing and why then refer back to my previous post on the matter, but for right now I want to do a few thank you shout-outs. 

Phil


To my partner in crime and fellow #warmongers #marathon completer I want to say a huge thank you. First for agreeing to do accompany me in this crazy enterprise and secondly for doing a bunch of the organising that helped make sure we were never sat around without a game to play.

Rob & Phil ready to go!

Beth


To my fantastic fiancée Beth, who is going to be running the marathon with me, I want to say thank you for the excellent cakes (that helped raise a big chunk of the money on the day) and support throughout the 26.2 hours. Coffee runs, doughnut deliveries, pizza pickup and energy drink injections helped keep me going throughout and without them I probably would've been asleep on the floor of 4Tk Gaming after about 15 hours! Thank you, I love you, you're wonderful!


Andy @4Tkgaming


For loaning the club space (and waiving club fees so that everyone could come along and watch and take part without having to pay) and giving us permission to advertise on 4Tk Gaming's Facebook all that was going on, thank you Andy! Without having had such a brilliant venue, perfectly set up with all of the table space and scenery we needed this event could never have gone ahead. 


The opponents!


For turning up at midnight to play a 6 thousand point Storm of Chaos game (Steve, Chris). For keeping us going with 40K from 04:00 to 06:00 (Andy, Ian) and then arriving at 06:00 to push us through with X-Wing and Relics (Dave, Paul) - the 'dead zone' people deserve special mentions. But to everyone else that Phil and I played over the marathon THANK YOU SO MUCH! I think Phil and I might've ended up fighting in the arena for real (ref: Spartacus) if we'd had to play each other too often ;-)


Spartacus the board game


Special mention to Mark, for possibly the most confusing 40K army to play against ever (Tzeentch Daemons). I haven't had such a long 'pre-game decide what your army can actually do' session since Rogue Trader days (blame the three Daemon Princes) and whilst it was in no small part due to my extreme tiredness at 10:00 on Monday, I have never felt less in touch with what an opponents army was up to lol! Still, it gave us the tag line of the event: IRON ARM!!!

The games


In total we played 8 different games and here's the running order:

  • Warhammer Fantasy Battle
  • Warhammer 40,000
  • Relics
  • X-Wing
  • Warmachine/ Hordes
  • Spartacus
  • Drop Zone Commander
  • Legend of Drizzt

Twitter-folk and #warmongers everywhere


I got so many RTs, re-blogs and messages of support over the marathon that I've lost track of who and when and my brain can't quite cope with the idea of going back over the tweets yet (at some point I abandoned tagging them all with #warmongersmarathon and moved to #warmongers #marathon, I have no idea why, great plan Rob!). Thank you all for helping me to get my message across and to generate lots of awareness for MS-UK and MS in general.

Everyone else!


To everyone who came down to 4Tk Gaming to show their support, throw some money in the donation pot and consume cake thank you! We never felt like we were struggling for people to talk to and to keep us going and each one of you helped push us through the 26.2 hours.


The photos


So here's a selection of pics from the marathon, enjoy and please share this as widely as you can, it's not too late to add a donation to the pot here: 


Thanks again everyone! I am already planning what I might do next time...


- rob

Ready for Storm of Magic

WHFB - this was game 1!


Part way through Storm of Magic

Empire holding off the hordes of chaos

Demigryphs and Inner Circle knights carving through the Skaven masses

First game of 40K

Heldrake being hunted by a Storm Eagle

Hello Mr Obliterator, so nice to meet you!

Relics: Orcnar vs Nuem

Legend of Drizzt D&D board game

40K vs the multi-coloured daemon princes
Last men standing!

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Charity #warmongers marathon gaming event for @MSUK6

Hello lovely #warmongers!


Some of you already know that myself and my other half, Beth, are running the Virgin London Marathon for the fantastic Multiple Sclerosis UK. The training is going really well (even if my legs are screaming at me right now after our third 20 miler last night!) and we're raring to go on April 21st.

MS-UK are a brilliant charity, very local to us and the work they do by giving support to those with MS is a brilliant example of the impact that well-organised, dedicated and bloody hard-working charitable organisations can have.

What am I doing?


Well, this is a question I often ask myself in a different context, but right here, right now I'm raising money for MS-UK, in support of my sponsorship for the London marathon, by having a charity wargaming marathon. That means 26.2 hours of non-stop gaming (!) starting at 12:30 on Sunday the 30th of March through to 2:20pm on Monday the 31st March.

Myself and the wonderful Phil @4Tkgaming will be taking on all-comers in a variety of gaming formats including:

  • Warhammer 40,000 (come and challenge Phil, current Ultimate Commander champion!)
  • Warhammer Fantasy Battles
  • Warmachine
  • Relics
  • Hordes
  • Infinity
  • Drop Zone Commander
  • Dreadball
  • Bloodbowl
  • Sedition wars
  • Munchkin
and many more!

We already have a good stock of opponents lined up, but we'll endeavour to take on anyone that comes through the door - so long as we're still conscious, of course. All you have to do is make a suitable donation to the MS-UK cause and the dice-rolling can begin!

I'll be live-tweeting the event (@peppermint_cat) with the hashtag #warmongersmarathon, so you can follow the goings on even if you can't come down in person.

Cake!!!


Beth will be baking up a storm and accepting monetary donations in exchange for cakey goodness. 

Where?


Next important question, where will we be doing this? Andy, the owner of 4Tk Gaming (@4tkgaming on twitter, https://www.facebook.com/4tkgaming on Facebook, map here: http://goo.gl/maps/9ope1) has very kindly agreed to support the event and provide us with all the gaming facilities we need over our marathon effort.

How can you help?


Firstly, if you can, get down to 4Tk Gaming over the Sunday/Monday of this weekend and show us some support by keeping Phil and I awake and entertained.

Secondly, please share this as widely as you can, retweets, reblogs, facebook shares will all help to spread the word and bring the support from far and wide!

Most importantly (and you knew this was going to come down to money, didn't you?) we need your cash! Even if you can't get down to donate in person (in exchange for cake or a game), please, please, please support Phil and I as we raise money for MS-UK. Anything you can give will spur us on on the day and fuel Beth and I through the somewhat daunting prospect of completing 26.2 miles along the river bank in London.

You can sponsor us on the day, or here online:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/mossings

Thank you!


So thank you for reading this, thank you for retweeting and reblogging and sharing it far and wide and thank you for your support!

- rob

Monday, 4 March 2013

Catching up to move forwards: @jamiemscott, @sallycat_33 and @Orions_Fury

Around this time last year (!) I ran a mini-project on twitter called the #warmongers #miniswap. It was a small project but close to my heart, however I performed abysmally, getting paint on, but not completing, two different miniatures, one for @jamiemscott and the other for @sallycat_33. It is somewhat remiss, to say the least, that others have long since completed their tasks whilst mine have languished on the painting desk (and in a case, a box, etc.) Alongside this I have also been working for far too long on an Orion for @Orions_Fury - I finally picked up my paintbrush for this yesterday and made some decent progress! This reminded me about the other owed miniatures and pricked my conscience!

Time to sort this sh*t out!

My goal


Simple, before salute, I will finish all of these minis and get them delivered to their intended recipients. Jamie, yours will be at Salute or the Tor Gaming Expo at TTN in May, whichever is sooner! Dan, yours will be hand delivered. Sally Ann, I will be passing Wisconsin way at the end of May so can drop it by then wherever works, if it fits in with you - I would like the opportunity to check out a USA LGS... :)

There, that was painless wasn't it? Oh, I actually have to paint stuff now, err...

- rob

Thursday, 21 February 2013

Relics: Nuem - painting progress

Quick update on the progress I'm making with my Nuem. You can see some previous progress (Specialis Pueri and my first Paenitentiam) here.

Really enjoying painting these models, it's great to have the variety of models with lots of flesh and heavily armoured suits all in one faction :)

Anyway, here are the pictures, they were taken in a rather rushed fashion this morning, so they aren't great!
Paenitentiam 2
Paenitentiam 3
Nuem Dedicatus
Nuem Dedicatus (rear)
Nuem Dedicatus (alt shot)

Next up will be some more Nuem - probably a couple of Tormenta, another Dedicatus, another Specialis Pueri and a bunch of  Auxilium Sagittarius. I'm also hoping to get some Warriors of Chaos onto my painting table and to finish off my Empire 2400pt list (need to paint three more Demigryphs and another Helblaster Volley Gun, plus a couple of standard knights).

- rob


Friday, 8 February 2013

Relics Reinforcements Kickstarter

Right #warmongers, pay attention!


I shall say this only once, or maybe more than once, or perhaps some other number of times that wouldn't mean it was only once that I had said what I am about to say.

Now that I've got your attention with a snappy intro...


Ms Pueri of the Nuem would like to have a word in your soul...

Tor Gaming have a Kickstarter running at the moment and it's a brilliant chance to expand your current forces or, get into the game for the first time.
Way back in June 2011 I blogged about demo-ing Relics (lots of nice pics at the bottom of the article) to our members at 4Tk Gaming and said then what a fantastic system it is. More than that though are the amazing models and this Kickstarter is aiming to push on with filling out the range of options available in the Relics Rule Book (yes, that is a free PDF download of the full colour rule book).

One of the work in progress sculpts from the Kickstarter, the Orcnar Nappa.
Ferocious little buggers!

The kickstarter works by giving you a nice fat discount on the entire Relics range (printed rules included if the PDF ain't good enough for you) including any new models released as part of initial and stretch goals being met. Personally I've gone in at the £75 or more 'MARKSMAN' level, which will grab me 20% extra spending power on the big shopping list :-D Not only that but the KS has already added a stretch goal in the form of some beautiful new art cards. I got some of these in the last Relics Indiegogo project and they are beautiful. Also recently added as a bonus stretch goal are some very cool damage/casualty markers, my reward level will be giving me two of these beauties for free!


Nuem damage marker
Britannan damage marker
Vaettir damage marker
 
There are a good range of discount options for all budgets and you even go completely crazy, throw £700 in and get a model for the Relics range sculpted with your likeness (face AND body!) You'll all no doubt be highly relieved that I haven't got the cash for this option, it might just be a herald for the end of days...

Some of the art work being developed through the Kickstarter,
Britannan troopers blasting some Orcnar!

I'm not going to pretend that I have anything but love for this game, it's fluff and especially its models. There's a great community around the Relics system, including a very active set of forums, which are a mine of useful info and support. The player galleries are especially good with some lovely brush-work adorning the Relics range (not trying to push you in any particular direction, but *cough* here's my player gallery *cough*).


A 'randomly' selected paint-job from the Relics forums:
Vaettir Vstonin
 
I'm also not going to pretend that I'm posting this for anything but purely mercenary reasons, the Kickstarter needs to hit at least £6250 before I get an Ealdmolder for my Orcnar and I want that ugly mother!

I want this bad mutha!

Get to it!

So, go hit the link below, fall in love with the models and get backing! Ah go on, you know you want to! Go on! Go on! Go on!

Britannan Company Sergeant Major

The link

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/torgaming/relics-reinforcements/



- rob

Monday, 3 December 2012

A wonderland weekend of winter wargaming

I had a seriously good weekend of #warmongers related activities this weekend! I managed to:
  1. Complete 2000 points of Empire, fully painted and based
  2. Attend and play a demonstration game of Warhammer Fantasy Battle at the 4Tk Gaming Winter Open Day
  3. Assemble and undercoat my Nuem for the 'paint a long' challenge
  4. Have fun!

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

The Myriad

Never let it be said that I'm anything but contradictory by nature, I have a kind of internal devil's advocate that encourages me to switch back and forth for no particular reason, other than because I can. You lucky people get to benefit from that :-P

So, you know that post I wrote about not being bothered by writing fluff for my armies... Weeeeeell I was musing over my current Nurgle army, wondering how I might modify it with the new codex now out and I had a bit of an idea and because it's an idea that doesn't sit neatly within the 'standard' Nurgle approach it requires some justification, aka some flippin' fluff! I blame @TheShellCase; anyway, I wrote this:

The Myriad

+++ begin transmission +++
++ excerpt report by observer: Theseus ++
+ Inquisitorial warning: conjecture, heresy, borderline sympathiser +
+ Recommend interview. +

Their swarm blights the sky and pollutes the earth. The incessant buzzing of their wing membranes herald their pestilential pathway to delirium and disease. They are the multitude, the host, the cloud: The Myriad.

The history of the Raven Guard is marked by the failure [Inquisitorial note: heresy] of Corax to protect the gene tech from pollution and poison by Omegon. The tainted gene seed produced many abominations [Inquisitorial note: conjecture], none were more extreme than those that captured the attention of Nurgle, those known to be borne of the 'filth-seed'.

A perverted admixture of Raven Guard agility and Nurglesque pestilence, they swarm across the battle-field driven on by pox-ridden wings, raking their enemies with filth-encrusted talons that mock the gleaming lightning claws of their heritage [Inquisitorial note: heresy, conjecture]. To accommodate those of the filth-seed who were not lucky [Inquisitorial note: approval] enough to be gifted with their own means of joining in with the parody of Raven Guard 'lightning strike' tactics, The Myriad has co-opted a small number of bikes, whose exhaust fumes spew forth clouds of poisoned vapours, and teams these with any number of other vehicles that allow the dedicated to join this peculiar cavalcade.

Other demon-engines are amused [Inquisitorial note: heresy] enough by this motley crew to join their ranks and so plague-ridden Heldrakes and Maulerfiends can occasionally be seen capering alongside the main host.

They are lead by a self-appointed contagion who prides himself on emphasising his host's connection to the Raven Guard to the point where he has actively sought out the proud Captains of the remaining companies, favouring Shrike of the 2nd in particular [Inquisitorial note: conjecture - evidence required, interview Shrike]. He appears on the battlefield wearing pox-ridden power armour, a jump pack that befouls the atmosphere and armed with a pair of seemingly spotless lightning claws. Only on approach can observers see the boiling pus contained within them, dug into the bodies of his victims with every noxious swipe.

As previously indicated, The Myriad's battle tactics echo and mock those of the Raven Guard [Inquisitorial note: heresy]. Their arrival is often sudden and without warning, but they do not rapidly retreat, their dedication to Nurgle allowing them outlast nearly all other troops fielded against them [Inquisitorial note: sympathiser]. Their assault troops sport the corrupt weaponry one would expect from a heretical chapter, augmented with the power of chaos but they wield it without much subtlety.

Whilst The Myriad are rather off-track in their use of "hit-and-stick" tactics, it suits their daemonic patronage. They underpin their novel [Inquisitorial note: approval] approach with the use of slower, but still mobile, support, such as Helbrutes, who are able to progress their advance whilst laying down a withering pattern of fire-power designed to disrupt enemy lines and diminish the effectiveness of enemy armour.



+ Inquisitorial warning: conjecture, heresy, borderline sympathiser +
+ Recommend interview. +

+++ end transmission +++

So, in essence then, I really like the new warp talon models and the Heldrake and have been wanting an excuse to field T6 bikers for ages and now the new codex makes it pretty feasible. Plus Helbrutes seem like fun now as well, considering they no longer lay waste to your army 1/6 of the time!

I will rough out a 'chapter' load-out list at some point to form the framework of the army and see how fiendishly expensive it's going to be to build!

- rob

p.s. damn you Phil! ;-)