Deep Thoughts: What makes a great game?

What makes a great game? It really is a simple question; however, the answers will be as diverse and complex as the individuals who play the game. Some people enjoy playing the game above all other considerations and whether or not a single mini is painted doesn’t bother them in the least. Other people want to have a detailed battlefield with a well painted army on both sides. Other people simply want to get away from their everyday life for a bit and share some stories with a friend while playing a game on the side. Whatever your idea of a great game is, odds are you have found at least a few people who share your views of what a fun Warhammer game entails and you naturally play more games with those people more often than not.

5 Minute History: Tyranids Part 2

Second Edition Warhammer 40,000, released in 1993, featured the Tyranids in the supplemental books Wargear and Codex Imperialis, and then later in their own devoted army Codex. An extensive model range was released, representing most of the units described in these publications. The army was, however, very different from the factions previously seen in the game.

House Esher: Hardened Veterans Part 4

Well the squad is finally done! 3 coats of matte finish and now the complete pictures. There are 16 total Hardened Veterans that I converted from an old House Escher Gang, and wouldn’t you now it, I just found 3 more laying in another box. Maybe ill get those done after the autocannon updates, the demolisher, the valkyrie and everything else in the que!

5 Minute History: Tyranids Part 1

Tyranids were first described in Rick Priestley's Rogue Trader, the first edition of the Warhammer 40,000. At that time they were not an emphasized race in the game, instead representing a limited number of occasionally-encountered alien antagonists. In later editions the Tyranids became a major race, popularized by a number of successful board games. Unlike most Warhammer 40,000 races, the Tyranids do not have a Warhammer Fantasy Battle counterpart.

Off Topic: What watching movies has taught me

If someone asks if you are a god, you say yes.

5 Minute History: Landspeeder Part Deux

Over the years, numerous Land Speeder versions have been released with a wide array of weapon combinations. To accommodate these various incarnations, the Land Speeder entry in the Space Marines' army list allows several upgrades to the common single-weapon-armed Land Speeder. In addition, there are a few Land Speeder variants that have gained rules of their own.

The Ravenwing Master-Crafted Landspeeder is a unique variant of the Land Speeder ridden only by the master of the Dark Angels chapter's 2nd company, known as the Ravenwing. The Master of the Ravenwing's speeder is heavily armed with twin-heavy bolters and twin-linked assault cannons. In addition, the specialized speeder is equipped with superior targeting equipment and a protective shield generator. The Master of the Ravenwing model kit was released in 1999 by Games Workshop to coincide with the release of the Dark Angels codex.

2010 Image from: awakeningynnead.blogspot.com

Painting: Guard Color Selection

Painting your guard: a topic of much potential disaster. Everyone will, no doubt, have their own opinion on the subject about what they think looks good, but simply looking great is not a realistic selection criteria for Imperial Guard camouflage, and here’s why. Criteria one: complexity. Look at the photo below, does the cammo look great, heck yeah it does. Does that cammo pattern take some time to create, again – heck yes it does. Now, do you want to paint that pattern on every trooper in your 60+ infantry model army? Probably not.

Image used without permission

5 Minute History: Landspeeder Part 1

Land Speeders were introduced along with the other first edition Warhammer 40,000 vehicles, the Rhino and the Land Raider. The first Land Speeder model was made entirely of metal. It looked more-or-less like two flying seats in front of two large turbines. The Space Marine crew were entirely exposed. This early version of the Land Speeder was armed with a meltagun and a turret-mounted multi-melta. During this edition of the game, Land Speeders were not entirely limited to the Space Marines; The Imperial Guard had their own Land Speeders. The Imperial Guard Land Speeder model was almost-identical to the Space Marine version, except for weaponry. The Imperial Guard Land Speeder was armed with a hull-mounted heavy bolter and a turret-mounted plasma cannon, then-called a "heavy plasma gun".

And you thought Big Red's Death Guard speeders were old!

Hardened Veterans: House Escher Part 3

The majority of the girls were finished this week, last thing will be to do a mass production of the canteen/knife belts as seen last week. That won’t take long. But right now I have been at it for too long, and I just found 3 more primered Escher Gangers in a box, so im making small mistakes and decided to let them sit. There is a Demolisher and a Valkyrie that need completing in time for the local gaming convention in August, and at the rate I get things done ill need all the time I can get.

Collection: Unreleased Tallarn Sniper

Games Workshop produces hundreds of new model each year, from entire new army lines to limited edition castings like the Sergeant Centurius they did for the 100th store opening, so its reasonable to think that some of them never see the light of day. Apparently this is one of those minis.

Front of the base reads "Guard"