Hobby: Minuteman Axebearer

 
This is another miniature for Sophie and my Renaissance of Flesh setting in my game 'With Strength Enough'. This is the first model I made with the idea of a baseline human player character in mind; I went in thinking of a standard martial class for Dungeons and Dragons, something like a fighter or a Barbarian. The model itself is a kitbash from old Imperial Guard legs, Frostgrave and Stargrave pieces, with my own sorry attempt at a greenstuff eye on the axe. I'm trying to integrate more of the biotic technologies into the miniatures. I think that ideas in TTRPG's about enchanted weapons or other item enhancements would carry through in Renaissance of Flesh as strange organs or seemingly living membranes.  In this case, I imagine the character's axe can see flaws in enemies' armor or shields to slightly guide the wielder to better hack at their opponents' weak spots.

For the characters' paint scheme, I wanted something that felt suitably worn down by travel and consistent use, while also highlighting aspects of the setting's sci-fi nature.  I went for neutrals for the model to hopefully give the character a more rugged/traveller feeling, but with a red helmet, which, in my head, was stolen or looted from a corporate soldier of one type or another. 

Thanks for Reading!

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: 30k Ultramarines Rhino

 

Photos from when I finished up my first 30k Rhino. My Horus Heresy Ultras are mostly composed of Marine kits left over from the olden days of 4th and 5th edition that I've scrapped together into something I find compelling for a list. It's actually been an age since I've worked on a Rhino, and I've been pretty pleased with how well it and the rest of the Ultramarines have turned out so far.  I broke the typical codex standard here by using a white accent on the doors and front of the chassis. Hopefully Guilliman can find it in his hearts to forgive me not following his book, I've never really enjoyed having marine vehicles all in one color, I think even after highlighting it can come off a little flat. 

But overall, I'm quite pleased with the final outcome on this one here. I'll show off some more of the Ultramarines for 30k and maybe include some of the lore for them in a little while. 

Thank you for reading! 

-Your Favorite Madman- 

Hobby: Bretheren of the Praeses Vahlandia

These two gentlemen are Space Marine's I kitbashed to playtest my game 'With Strength Enough', the final version of which will be set in my own setting, but the playtest environment is set in Warhammer 40,000.  Given that, I kit bashed a whole smattering of one of Astartes characters with different loadouts and aesthetics. Its always fun to sit down and bash out some random space marines and go through the bits boxes to make something interesting.  

The idea is that a player can come along and find something relatively close to an archtype they want to play as, and get into the play experience without much fuss. I don't have any real lore for these two, other than that they are a part of the Neuvo Praeses Vahlandia, the successor organization to the old Praeses Vahlandia that I detailed some time ago. Essentially a Deathwatch organization that allows for the justification of any given space marine chapter I might encounter to perform limited actions in Vahland while still making some degree of narrative sense. 

 Thanks for reading! 

-Your Favorite Madman-

1490 Doom: First Test Game

 

Myself and Sophie went over to see Chris 'The Fabricator' a few weeks ago to test out Beur Games' 1490 Doom Ruleset. It's been something of an indie darling since its release and is one of several resurgent games with a decisively grim dark atmosphere. Inspired by older titles like Mordhiem and more recent major successes like Mork Borg and Trench Crusade, 1490's atmosphere is indicative of the sludgey dark fantasy genre's oppressive atmosphere combined with slick production quality.  I find the combination of 80s punk zine aesthetic and modern professional design very appealing. 

As for the game itself, the primary narrative thrust is that in the year 1490, a deadly miasma called the 'creeping death' has settled across the world. The majority of the population dies from this mysterious, deadly fog, with the remainder developing rebreathers to stay alive in this apocalyptic time. Even with this some banks of the dog are so caustic that they will still cause death.  This essentially means a 'King of the Hill' style scenario with survivor bands attempting to climb to the highest point on the board to get above the fog. 

Each player controls 3 figures, with players assigning a class out of a generous dozen or so different options and selecting options like climbing gear, throwables, and other expendable items 

My warband, the 'Dread Harvest', from left to right, an Assassin, Executioner, and Reaver

Chris' warband the 'Hallowed Hand'

Sophies warband 'The Bread Line' 

1490 is played normally on a small round table with a lot of terrain, defined as about the size of a dinner plate. For our purposes, we went with a 2x2 board and a scattering of castle terrain to give us some interesting verticality.

The warbands set out into the labarythine ruins of the castle. working aggressively to get to good positions to gain height for later in the game.  VP is scored at the end, and is primarily centered around who has models the highest up on the board, and how much vitality (health) each player has remaining in active play. 

The nature of the games setup lends itself to some cool tight aesthetics of adventurers exploring toppled ruins and castles. Which is a big win in my book

Chris' warband scrabbles around courtyards of the eastern castle looking for a way up to the top of the center tower

My assassin, whom started on the opposite side of the board from the rest of the Dread Harvest makes his way up to the southern battlements and begins heading to meet up with the Reaver to ascend to the top of the complex.

Sophie's warband works its way forward at ground level, and begins attempting to use ladders and grappling hooks to ascend at different points of the structure. 

The warbands begin meeting and violence ensues as the Dread Harvest's assassin pushes Sophies' scout off her ladder, and confrontation is had at the centre tower and north western gate between the Dread Harvest and the Hallowed Hand.

The clash of steel between my executioner and Chris' bulwark goes against me, and the executioner finds himself reduced to a gory pile in the face of his foes attacks. 

Things start getting tense at cloud level as members of each warband begin a showdown at the towers atrium, with throwables and the crash of blades signalling the beginning of the end game. 

In the final turn, everyone had made their way to the top of the tower and a frantic rush to push each other off the highest tower began. 

Chris ended up carrying the day by only a small VP margin over Sophie and myself. 

Overall it was a really enjoyable experience, that reminded me in some ways of Mordhiem, which is of course no bad thing.  It does make me consider how much versatility the ruleset has to it, so many of its abilities and mechanics focus on climbing and the ascent to higher levels for positional advantage, that it may be limited in regards to some of the more specific narratives that we tend to craft. That being said, its a great 'beer and pretzels' game, that can be played very quickly. Making it a perfect option for midweek gaming. That plus the small model count and limited space needed for the table means that I can heartily recommend the title for anyone interested. 

I think, if you are transitioning into the world of tabletop wargames from more traditional TTRPG's you may find this a particularly fun one for its limited model count and slick app support. Its certainly more approachable that larger battles games like Warhammer, or Dragons Rampant. With a tight focus that means more game, with more people. 

  Thanks for Reading! 

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: The Mystical Stag of Arborioch

This is a model that I've wanted to make for a long time, particularly since watching Princess Mononoke. I really enjoy the idea of pulling an otherwise benign model of a deer into something mystical or incredibly powerful.  I think in an era of the hobby where miniatures companies are making some truly impressive and titanic miniatures, its nice to have something that can represent great power in an otherwise subtle package.  

This is a Stag model from the Dungeons and Dragons line of 'pre-primed' miniatures, and was picked up at one of the local LGS for a few dollars. I think of it as either a potent boss/npc for TTRPG's or as a hero for Dragons Rampant. 

Thanks for reading! 

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: Hermetic Wizard

This strange little mini is from the excellent Beastarium Games, it was printed by Chris 'The Fabricator' for me, as Im a sucker for strange Blanchian/Dark Souls style things. This was part of a purposed mini exchange for the holidays in the club. I chose to make him a little brighter, color pallet wise, as I think of him like a Radaghast the Brown style eccentric. I have a whole little adventuring set from this company, and they support their monthly releases with 5th edition DnD stat blocks and an adventure path which I think is really interesting. A link to Beastarium's website is below!

Beastarium Games

Thank you for reading!

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: Ork Boomwagon

Well I've managed to get my hands on a 3D printer, a particularly dangerous prospect for someone who loves Guard and Orks as much as I do. One of the first projects of note to come out of it is this Ork Boomwagon, modelled after retro Ork designs. It will be a welcome addition to my Evil Sunz Warband which has plauged Jornath and the Vahland sector for nearly a decade now.  I think the final result is a little plain over all, I think I may add a few Grot hangers-on in different spots, but from print to painted was only a few days so as far as it goes I think thats a pretty solid turn around time (for me at least!) 

Thanks for reading!

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: Dwarven Hero

While myself and Sophie were down visitng Sippin' on Paint Water's author Chris, we stopped into one of the local gaming stores and I found this lovely little dwarf figure for about $5, which was a steal. The figure was resin printed by the shop with a commercial license and packed in a blister. Which is a model i'd love to see more LGS start, it's a great way to get more of the burdgeoning 3D designers out and visible to the world, and with the materials and production cost being so low, allows for a deeply diminished price point on the figure itself.  

Sadly, the original designer of this character was not listed on the blister. But in doing some research I found that this is 'Luther the King' from Miniatures of Madness (LINK)

He was a lot of fun to work on.  Maybe i'll get a few other beardy fellows as well to help him on his no doubt mighty deeds. 

Thanks for reading!

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: Cerberus Mercenary #1

I've been working on my own game 'With Strength Enough' which has been going very well, and a test copy is also available. Inquire in the comments below if youre interested in helping out!  The Beta version of the game is set in Warhammer 40,000. But the final version will be set in the Rennaissance of Flesh. A Biopunk setting of my and Sophie's design that we have been brainstorming for several months.  

The fellow below is a Cerberus, a transhuman species created early in the setting's history, during a time known as 'Lucy's War'. In the modern setting the Cerberi live their lives like anyone else, but due to their unique enhanced physiology are adept at combat roles and so many find work as guns for hire. 

We based the cultural morae's of the Cerberi on modern Mongolia, and obviously incorporated aspects of cyberpunk into the mix as well. I wanted to make something that felt like a mix of mis-matched practicality and efficency. 

The model is primarily a Mantic Games Enforcer, with Anvil Industries Cape and head added.  

Thanks for reading!

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: 1490 Doom Crew

 

We've recently been trying out the very interesting 1490 Doom ruleset, by Buer Games (LINK) which has been a lot of fun to try out, and with a low model count, its an approachable project. You can see my wayward band of fogwalkers here, made from a combination of Frostgrave pieces, and Wargames Atlantic Villagers and Guards kits.  

I think overall an appealing little project, I'll try to put up the actual images of the playtest we did soon.  I suspect we will be getting some more games in of it in the future as well. 

One thing we found while working on our warbands was that the villagers and guards kits don't quite scale together, the Guards are slightly (and in some cases much) larger than the villagers, just as an aside if youre thinking of making your own.   That being said, both the North Star plastics and the Wargames Atlantic kits are excellent, and well worth the price point being asked for them. 

We found that the 1490 Doom companion app was hugely helpful in playing the game and made it a breeze. If your reading this, then I'm imaginging youve probably played a tabletop game or two, so many of the conventions should feel very familiar to anyone who's played Dungeons and Dragons, or a flavor of Warhammer. 

Thanks for reading! 

-Your Favorite Madman-

Jornath [Woodcutters Due 4]: A Pecheur Morning

    Previous Part. "Marauders Crossroads" Here

The men of 2 Platoon, 56th Lumberman's Guildmuster are fighting a desperate holding action against a large scale counter attack by Ork Warbands on the extreme right of the Imperial's offensive operation into the Usamiljen mountains. This offensive coordinated with the Mechanicus' own push out of Prima Jama in the western portion of the continent is seeking to split Ork armies in the mountainous region in half, making them easier for Astartes and the Imperial Guard to bring to battle and destroy. However, fighting at the cities of Usamilplatz and Saltzkhost have ground to a standstill and efforts by the Guard and other formations to join the two axis of attack through the Hamlis Valley have also been rebuffed by massed Ork firepower. Now a combined Ork attack, swinging wide to the east of Saltzkhost has hit a soft point in the Imperial rear, pushing a green regiment of Jornathii men to their absolute limit, they are working hard to coordinate with their scattered platoons and join with any reinforcements to hand as they attempt to prevent the Imperial's southern axis of attack from being surrounded. Now we will see The Woodcutter's Due... 

It is now late morning, and the growing forces around Lt. Hoffens and Brother Klethos are responding to the call for aid from a unit of Precpian 

Air Cavalry, the paratroopers were dropped in the evening to assist in styming the Ork attack but, as with the 56th's own communications, they have become scattered and are struggling to coordinate their movements amid a dynamic battlefield and signifigant comms failures.

 Precpia, is a wealthy island off Manfredi-At-Prima's south eastern coast, and supplies elite regiments of drop troopers to the planet's tithe. There is a term for recruits in the airborne who miss their mark on training drops and either find themselves in the ocean or clinging to the islands cliffs 'Pecheur' or "fisherman".  To Sgt. Pinochet, this was certainly a 'Pecheur' sort of morning, he and his squad had been engaged in exchanges of fire for several hours throughout the night and early morning, the PDF they had rallied with had all been killed around 2am in a particularly nasty Ork attack on the now reduced farmhouse they had been sheltering within. The heavy bolter with the PDF had likewise been rendered useless during this attack, with the barrel's all melted through with overuse. Now, the Orks were coming through the barley fields again, and he wasn't sure how well they could keep the greenskins at bay...

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This game was originally played 6 years ago in June of 2020, and was done in coordination with a live chat where participants would vote on the actions of the Imperial characters.  I am using a modified version of Mordhiem as the basis for these pseudo-solo games. The chat log has now since been lost, but I will do my best here to endeavour to recount the action as I remember it. 

From one of the ruined farm buildings, the Precpians open fire on the approaching Ork Boyz

The greenskins duck to avoid the hellgun fire and slowly traverse the other farm building

Some of the advancing greenskins are laid low by the practiced aim of the Precpians, returning loose shots with Slugga's at the other building. 

A particularly ambitious Ork boy, hurls a stikkbomb into the farmhouse ruin, which detonates between two of the Precpians, but resulting in no injuries. 

The first of the Ork warrior's makes it to within charge distance, and the Precpian fire and withdrawal through the collapsed rubble of the house, buying distance from the encroaching barbarians.

Some of the boyz, regain their composure for the fight in the opposite farm building, recovering from being knocked down on approach and sending a hail of (inaccurate) slugga fire down range to support their more ambitious fellows. 

Sgt Pinochet and his men continue their slow withdrawal through the building as the orks clamour inside, eager to sink Choppa's into 'umie flesh. 

Sgt Pinochet fires his laspistol from amoungst the fallen ceiling beams of the house, revving his chain bayonet for the incoming close combat.

Finally getting their dander up, the remaining Ork boyz break cover and charge the opposite house, eager to get stuck in

Battle is finally joined, as the first Ork boy batters past the ceiling beams to hack at Sgt. Pinochet, while to his right, the other Ork boy inside the house is knocked down by a snap shot from one of the Precpians. 

Yet more Orks arrive from the fields, drawn from the din of battle. But they are not alone, Lt. Hoffens, Brother Klethos, and their survivors from 2 Platoon enter the fray, eager to intervene in the Imperiums' favor. 

The zip-crack of las fire arcs across the farm ruins as the battle enters a new creshendo of violence. The bellowing hoots and snarls of the Ork's cuts through the disciplined volley's of las fire, supporting their piggish utterances with stuccato bursts of slugga and shoota fire. 

Brother Klethos leads the relief force, fat ork rounds pinging off his ceramite plate as his bolter answers in holy retribution. 

Seeing the arriving relief, Sgt Pinochet orders his men to regain their positions at the house's wall, knocking aside his opponent, only to be struck by an errant slugga round and knocked prone amid the rubble. 

Guardsmen are knocked down, but the advance does not falter as 2 Platoon closes with the Precpians. 

The orks' who had been crossing, now find themselves caught between the Precpians and 2 Platoon, spending precious seconds to decide where to charge.

The orks attain the other structure once more and continue pouring fire into anything that moves, as their choppa armed comrades look for a way to approach that isn't filled with las and bolter fire. 

The Precpians continue to move to regain their positions, dispatching the two Orks within the house. Picking himself up, Sgt. Pinochet is again smashed to the ground by another Ork Boy who climbed over the wall of the building's exterior. The foul beast giving him a toothy grin as he raises his choppa....

2 Platoon is bogged down on their advance, several knocked down results and a constant rush of Boyz has made getting to the Precpian's somewhat difficult. 

Eager for a scrap, the Orks charge as one, hoping to take advantage of the disorganized Imperials.  The Precpians start to withdrawal to the north of the house, and are knocked down from Ork shoota fire, pinned in place as the horde closes in for the kill. 

Pinochet is taken out of action by the Orks, but as he is a hero rolls on the permanent injuries chart getting a 63, meaning he is now 'hardened' and ignores fear in the future. The Precpian meltagunner see's off the Ork boy who wounded him and carries the Sgt slowly north, as more and more Orks enter the farmhouse. 

The Precpian Specialist holds his ground as the other paratrooper is hacked to pieces by the Orks, and Sgt. Pinochet lays bloody and unconcious behind him. Precpia shall not be found wanting today, and he levels his weapon at the Orks' ready for the end. 

The Ork charge slams home into 2 Platoon, holding back their advance towards the Precpian postions

Two Guildsmen break off and get angles into the farmhouse as Brother Klethos grapples with the Ork Boys with the rest of 2 Platoon. The lone Precpian, dragging Sgt Pinochet, blasts the nearest ork with his melta and continues to withdraw back to friendly lines.

Las shots cut into the Orks, as the battlefield starts to clear. 

Brother Klethos, losing is knocked down by the weight of the Ork attacks after slaying one of the two boyz. The remaining Imperial's dog pile on the Ork boy, spearing it with bayonet from all sides. It howls and snarls as it is brought down with a flurry of frantic stabs. 

The Precpian's have been saved (at least some of them), All across the area the sounds of battle resonate, but for the Men of 2 Platoon, and their now Precpian allies, there is a stillness. 

The Precpian specialists inform Lt. Hoffens and Brother Klethos of the strategic position as he understood it on deployment last night. A force of several thousand Orks from Klurgz Krumpin' Korp, Bazhammaz Speed Freakz and Da Furst Wagon Korp has rolled around the eastern portion of Saltzkhost, skipping the men of the 1st Usamiljen Fusiliers and looking to roll up into the 56th Guildmuster and the more open land to the east of the city. 2 Platoon, at the vanguard of the push towards Breznasobor has taken a beating. But the effort to take the village is still a priority, pushing into the Orks, and rallying the rest of the Guildmuster will be pivotal to halting the ork advance and breaking their cohesion. 

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A decision to have the men of 2 Platoon split up and look for equipment and better positions is made by the live chat. Breaking off a fire team under Brother Klethos to raid a nearby Ork camp for anything of use.

Thank you for reading! 

-Your Favorite Madman-