It's Not Easy Being Fluffy!

Here at ML we pretty much focus on 40k tournament play and try to help promote local tournaments by trying to spread the word of such events. We look at rules questions and contradictions, combo's and tactics, this versus that.

Something we don't really talk about is the fluff of the game. It does come up on occasion but is not really a staple of our club. Same kind of thing applies to painting and modeling. While we have some great modelers and painters in the group and the occasional question does pop up, it's not really a staple of our talks.

Now if you see us at a tournament we will talk about anything, Black Library books, tactics, painting/modeling, army comp., unit versatility, the hot babe we saw on the way to the tournament! anything really. We like to talk 40k. Hell, some of us just like to talk.

So in our continuing effort to encourage and promote the local 40k tournament scene and with the emergence of 6th edition which seems to encourage more fluff, I've tried to step up my efforts on the blog to include more hobby related articles that I find on the inter-webs. Examples are the air brush tips and brush maintenance articles already posted. This time I found something on fluffy army lists and play. If you haven't seen this already enjoy!



Spend five minutes in discussing our treasured game with fellow players, and you’ll hear all the advantages some armies have over others, which units are overpowered, and at least three unit combinations that absolutely punish players on the other side of the board. You’ll also probably hear the words “competitive” and “tourney worthy”.


Funny, those words never seem to appear in Black Library books and codex entries.

Somewhere along the way, the rich lore of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 gets shoved in the background to make room for players’ battle plans and their constant pursuit of tabletop superiority. Where one may have been drawn to buy their first box of Eldar Guardians because of their slick armor and saddening fall from grace, now they only pick up kits that counter another player’s flyer.

It’s kind of sad to see a game steeped in well-written narratives become little more than a self-painted first-person shooter. After all, the stories of the northern tribes vying for the favor of their dark gods have probably inspired more players to collect a Warriors of Chaos army than a hot shot bragging about how many wins he’s garnered with his models. So why take the story out of the game?

Playing a themed list, or “fluffy list”, is a great way to live the same kind of stories hobbyists devour in paperback form. Instead of looking at which units are strong and weak, fluffy lists follow what the player actually likes, and just as importantly, what their general would take to the field of battle. With just a small change of perspective, army building becomes a joy instead of a calculation, and all sorts of doors open for collecting, converting, painting, and playing.


Collecting

Look at all this great stuff! Where did you find it?!

Not too many Chaos Lords take Warp Talons in their games, or Mutilators, for that matter. Shame, since these models are probably some of the coolest of the range. So toss out competitive out the window. What does it matter if they’re less-than-game changers if your warlord is an Iron Warrior striving to meld man and machine? Now all of Games Workshop’s amazingly sculpted models are at your disposal, ready to make war to further their goals. And they’ll look awesome in the process.

Tip: It’s usually best to start theming your fluffy army by thinking about your general and his background. Maybe the Empire general is from a land renowned for its expertly-trained swordsman and a history of glorifying Sigmar in all things. Sounds like a great reason to pick up some Greatswords and Flagellants.


Painting 

While battling in the arenas, Maximus always carried a small bag with figurines of his slain family. A small thing became a huge part of his personal narrative
Nothing pulls an army together better than little details. Doing the basics is simple enough; pick a force and paint to match. But it’s the little things that turn a well-painted army into a force full of character, and can be anything the player can imagine. For example, maybe before joining the ranks of the Longbeards, dwarves must earn their place by slaying a goblin with his bare hands and take a piece of their cloak as proof. Paint a patch of their tunic that resemble a black piece of cloth sown in, and behold, the unit how has a story to inspire it to greater heights of ferocity. Or maybe Guardsmen who have served with distinction are awarded relic lasguns plated in gold (coincidentally, this is also great for starting conversations with opponents and other hobbyists). Be inventive!

Tip: There is no wrong way to infuse character into your force. The great thing about this hobby is you can make it your own, so if you can think it up, it’s valid.


Converting

The author’s Alpha Legion Chaos Lord is slowly making his way to Terra, causing him to have many a run in with the Grey Knights. The banner pulls this into the model’s narrative, telling a great story while adding new ways to convert and theme models.
Probably the single greatest thing about theming an army is how much freedom to convert it gives you. Choosing to make a new Dark Angels army into a Guardians of the Covenant force affords its captain the chance to add books and scrolls to models, to exchange backpack vents for flaming braziers, and carve the Imperial Eagle into marines’ foreheads. Creating a Vampire Counts army that feeds solely on werewolf blood opens up numerous sculpting opportunities, such as gifting counts with canine features and replacing ghouls with resurrected man-dogs. One can even go simple and have their Ork army have a particular vendetta with Dark Eldar by piling them atop looted raiders and heaps of agile bodies. All of the sudden, bits boxes become treasure troves of opportunity, and a particular idea is only one Green Stuff sculpt away.

Tip: If you’re not that great working with modeling putty, consider asking friends and fellow gamers about bits that might serve your plans. If your dragon-hunting Tau need lizard cloaks to represent their kill, a Dark Elf corsair cape could be easier than creating one from scratch.


Playing

Like a game of chess, playing a fluffy army isn’t a simple matter. It takes careful thought and a cool head
This is a double-edged sword, and arguably the hardest part of running a fluffy list. On the one hand, the army is full of character and a lot of fun to play, as the story is more important than a win. Unfortunately, it’s also probably lacking a few of the tourney combinations that ensure success. The trick to running a fluffy list is simple; go to have fun. A loss isn’t the worst thing as long as you have fun in the process. Now that isn’t to say that fluffy lists will always lose, but they definitely will need clever tactics to win. Instead of relying on a killer combination, look at your opponent’s side of the board; see what he/she is bringing, and look at the terrain. Most importantly, stick to a game plan. If your army is all about objectives, make sure you don’t get sidetracked by bait targets. If your heart craves slaughter, press the attack while your opponent works to keep objectives from your grasp.

Tip: Deciding which course of action your general would take is a good way to structure your battle plan. A general that loves close assaults can ensure no opposing forces takes a board objective by timing an overwhelming charge. Don’t let your opponent’s army distract you from what your guys do best.


Conclusion

Audiences rarely go to movies to brag about seeing it before their friends, and people rarely read books to boast about how many books they’ve read. Refocusing your hobby endeavors on the story behind the models can infuse the game with newfound life, bringing back all those feeling of excitement that drew you to the game to begin with. Now go forth and write your own story.


original post:

Clinton Brad McKay has been rolling dice since first opening up HeroQuest as a boy. He started Warhammer 40,000 in 1998, collecting numerous armies and reading dozens of books. Currently he plays/collects Black Templars and Alpha Legion Chaos Marines, with a Disciples of Caliban ally force waiting in the wings. You can read about his projects and other incoherent rants at his hobby blog, www.nerdstodolist.wordpress.com.

And Then Jervis Said

I don't know how many of you still have a White Dwarf subscription or buy it from your local hobby shop? I had a subscription for around 20 years but finally just could not justify the increases in the subscription price any longer and had to cancel mine a few years ago. Anyways Jervis' ramblings always amused me so when I saw this article posted I figured I would share. Something I've never figured out to this day is if Jervis really believes everything he writes about or if it's just promoting the business?


by Tastytaste


Jervis Johnson the loyal corgi for Games Workshop corporate. Every month in White Dwarf Jervis writes his latest thinly veiled PR banter where he answers the important questions that only he seems to obsess about.
In the February issue of White Dwarf Jervis Johnson answers the question that I can only imagine every 12-year-old with peer pressure issues asks, "What miniatures is it OK to collect"?
He answers the question of course with a resounding duh, "buy whatever you want just give GW your money"!

It isn't the answer that is important, but what he actually is saying about our hobby that is. Oddly, making it seem like it isn't really what anyone would consider is the hobby...
So what does Jervis Johnson exactly say about the hobby?
According to Jervis it is this,
First of all it's important to underline that WE consider the hobby first and foremost a collecting hobby, and specifically a collecting Citadel miniatures.
To anyone what has followed GW, this shouldn't come really as a surprise. Games Workshop isn't really a game company, but a miniatures company. This overarching focus has provided cover and explanation much to the consternation of many hobbyists in regards to GW behavior
Words are important.

Why does GW always refer to us as Hobbyists? We only get the word "player" in relationship to games as played and even painter is hardly used unless in a strict context.
The word hobby sounds and feels more personal and can grab a wider range of consumer. Strictly speaking, collecting (anything) is a hobby in of itself, but if GW marketed itself as it truly is (only interested in us as collectors) it wouldn't garner the same kind or amount of fanaticism we see today. In other words, Jervis makes it sound like GW is nothing more than highfalutin Beanie Babies peddler.
The article goes on to illustrate this point...
Our primary focus is first on making great Citadel miniatures to collect, and secondly providing help and guidance that allow people to do things with the models in their collection... the collecting part of the hobby can survive on its own, while the painting and gaming side cannot.
The focus will always be on the miniature and benignly Jervis is making the point that models should sell themselves. What is Jervis also saying? Is he telling me that I should just buy the model, let sit on shelf unopened in the hopes the value will go up? Is Jervis speaking about some vast group of "collectors" we are unaware that keep this hobby going?

What if the better question is, does Jervis not realize that those "secondary" things are what really drives the hobbyist to buy the model in the first place. Without the guidance, history, the rules, and community how does he believe that those secondary things aren't the primary hobby within the hobby?
For instance, how many times have you heard someone complain about how a model looks, but buys three of them because they key part of an army list? That wasn't for the joy of collecting.
How many GW enthusiasts have you met that just collect for collecting?
Of course, we all have the impulse to buy a model that later ends up being traded or never used, but the motivation wasn't to collect it.
The motivation was because I found something interesting unrelated to "got to collect them all".
Serious Beanie Babies collectors could care less about what the Beanie Baby looks like, instead they are concerned what value it will have later.

It is all those "secondary" things that create the value not the other way around. It is the same reason we see Magic the Gathering still very popular; the game itself provides the value for the collecting.
It is the painting, the gaming, and background that we are really collecting and for someone like Jervis that has been with the company so long to simply tell me, "I could care less what you do with the model just buy it" is down right insulting.
Jervis then goes on to praise the tournament player and painter for expanding the hobby, but it is only a secondary part of the hobby with the core going to collecting. Finally, Jervis speaks about the free nature in which this hobby has become, telling anyone to basically do whatever they want, which I find funny considering, just how relentless GW goes to protecting its IP.
In essence, GW isn't in sync with hobbyists it has created where we see story, broken rules, green stuff they only see miniature in cardboard box.

Brushes and Their Maintenance

by Hobby Sensei:

Here’s a simple article on a subject that I often get asked about. What makes a good brush?  And how do I take care of it?  The Hobby Sensei has the answers!


Lets start off by addressing the first question, what does a good brush look like?

Well for starters, when choosing a good brush the first thing to look for is a natural hair brush. Natural hair has scales, which gives you better control of how you deposit your paint whereas synthetic brushes are smooth plastic, and lack the same level of control.

I always use the fountain pen analogy: a natural hair brush is like a working fountain pen. When you apply pressure it lets out its ink (paint).  Synthetic brushes are like a broken fountain pen, as soon as you place the tip on a surface it releases its entire load, and you are forced to push around a puddle of paint.

Not all natural hair brushes are equal though.

The best brushes are:

1) red sable hair

2) not cut to a point.

Kosinski red sable brushes are my personal favorite. Longevity and elasticity is achieved by only using the male, tail hair of the Kolinsky red sable (Mustela Sibirica), grown in the extreme cold of Siberian and Manchurian winters. Their fur is very fine and soft, yet very durable, all of which are desirable qualities in a brush. Even the largest brushes come to the finest points.

The best of these brushes are assembled in a way that utilizes the natural curvature of the hair to make a point, and are never cut to a point. The difference is the hair has a “memory” to it. Cut bushes tend to “split” after usage, as the hair reverts to its natural shape.  Another misnomer is that smaller brushes make finer points. This is not true, large KRS brushes make just as fine a point as any small brush, but are superior in the fact that they have larger reservoirs and hold much more paint. This means that you can work for longer periods without the paint drying out in your brush.

The amount of pressure you use when painting is what dictates how fine the line you paint is. A light touch, and you achieve the finest detail. Press harder and you can base coat large areas. Another benefit of a good KRS brush is that it “tells” you when it’s properly loaded to paint. After loading you brush, blot slightly on some tissue, and you know you have just the right amount of paint when the brush has returned to its fine tip.


My hair makes great brushes!
Some of the best KSR brushes on the market are Winsor & Newton, Raphaël, and DaVinici (which we sell here at Frontline! -ed). All of these factors result in a brush that tends to be much more expensive, but if properly maintained a $25 brush will last easily as long as 7, $5 brushes would. This brings us to the second point of this article: Brush  Maintenance.

Brush maintenance is extremely important if you want to consistently get good results. One does not simply treat their cars like crap and expect them to continue working like new, so why would you do the same for brushes?
Here are three simple steps to maintaining the life of your brush:
1) always clean your brush after every use.
2) never let your brush sit in water, and
3) monthly brush maintenance.
When you clean your brush after each use, you need to be careful that after you have rinsed it in water, when you drag it across the paper to dry it that there is no color coming off. If there is, repeat the process.  Soaking a brush in water for too long is bad for the hair. It will cause the hair to become overly dry and brittle, thus ruining your brush.
The last step is a “monthly” maintenance which consists of a rubbing alcohol or shampoo wash, and then a conditioning afterwards.  I use rubbing alcohol for the dirtier brushes because it eats the binders in most of the acrylic paint we use, but you have to be careful because it will dry out the hair as well.  I start by pouring a small amount of rubbing alcohol in to a shallow dish, I then put the brush into the dish at about a 45 degree angel, making sure that it is the ferrule (the metal band under the bristles) that contacts the dish. I will then begin to slowly spin the brush.  You know it’s working when you see color and chunks appear in the alcohol. If the alcohol gets too dirty, and the brush isn’t fully clean repeat the processes until no more color comes off your brush. Then rinse in warm water.
For brushes that are cleaner than that (you can’t actually see any paint) washing them with warm water and shampoo will suffice. Remember that this is real hair here, so treating it right will ensure that it lasts longer. After washing and drying your brushes  its important to condition the brush, using some sort of hair product. I personally like using axe pomade as its waxy consistency means that I can form the brush to a nice point and leave it that way (washing it out before using it next), but any type of conditioner/hair tonic works fine.
These products will help keep your brush elastic and supple, and prevent split ends and breakage, thus improving the life span of your brush. Remember, these brushes are natural hair, and should be treated them same. Would you go months without washing or conditioning your own? It is not uncommon for a good brush, with proper maintenance to last well over a year or longer.
I have a Sable brush I’ve had since high-school and with proper maintenance, it is still my most used brush! -Reece
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Posted on January 20, 2013 by Reecius in Modeling, Painting

CAG Bash is coming......

CAG Bash is coming up Friday March 1st thru Sunday March 3rd. This is probably the biggest 40k event in our local area. This year it's a 2 day event consisting of 5 games total. This year there is also a Banner making contest to support your store, gaming group, or just yourself. Go to http://cincycag.forumotion.com/t5069-store-and-personal-battle-standards#37082 for more details.

To register go to http://www.cincycon.org/.

For more info on particulars, go to our tourney section on the all access forum or go to 513CAG@gmail.com

Hope to see you there! I will be.... with gunz a blazin'!!!!!!

HoD out......

Airbrush tips 101

Dewen, one of ML crew had posted these tips in our club section and I thought it was worth passing on.


After seeing a nice start on painting my Flyrant, a gamer asked me the other day to give him some tips on airbrushing with regular paints. He has a gravity fed airbrush. I sent him this.

1. I know the pros use Vallejo, PPP, and GW paints. I do not recommend using metallic paints unless you purchase metallic paint for airbrushes. I highly recommend Vallejo Model Air for metallic paint. I have used them and they are fantastic.

2.I thin my paints and clean my airbrush with a mixture of 15% rubbing alcohol to 85% distilled water. Buy the most concentrated rubbing alcohol you can (90%+). Some of the stuff on the shelves is only 70%+. If you can only find the less concentrated, add less water in the mixture to get desired concentration.

3.Optional: You can also add drying retarder to help slow the drying process, which decreases the likelihood of some fast drying paints jamming your airbrush. I know a red that I use for my blood angels tends to dry faster than my other colors. With experience you get used to which paints need the drying retarder. I would not get to concerned with the drying retarder in the beginning. I mention it in case you notice. I use Slow-Dri by Liquitex. You can find it at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and art supply stores.

4.The rule of thumb is 5 part mixture to 1 part paint, but it depends on the paint you are using. Brands vary and the age of the paint can also effect the thickness. I mix mine in a plastic cup. Stir - do not shake the paint and mixture. Shaking adds creates air bubbles.

5.Keep cotton swabs (aka QTips) around your painting station. They are handy for cleaning deep in the paint well after rinsing and changing colors. Cotton swabs are also useful for wiping the nozzle.
Keep your needle clean. While painting, check the needle tip to see if dry paint is accumulating.

6.You can purchase cleaning kits that have tiny brushes for thorough cleanings.