Painting Again and update...

Hey everybody! Boy it's been awhile. I've gotten back into painting and should hopefully upload more photos too. I got some Tau stuff I've been cooking up too. I've used lots of washes, and highlights on my Kroot and need to paint another Kroot squad.
On the other hand I need 6 heavy bolster attack bikes too so that will be a little while till I can get more built. I'm in the process of scrounging through my bits to see what kind of funky contraptions can my "master of the forge" unleash into the enemy. They will most likely be different from
My floating attack bikes though. Most won't look much alike either but it doesn't matter because I need to save $$$. $25 a pop is too much for what I need each biker to do,which isn't very much since its all bout the fluff for me. Besides I gotta gear up for 6th Ed. Since there's gonna be less power armpit on the table I may as well (new tau, eldar, necrons, dark eldar, nids, etc) get me some more long range anti infantry power. I mean Predators do enough with that but I need more than just that...those bikes will do that job. On the other hand I can't always rely on armour to do everything right? Besides they blow up a lot and it's nice to have a little change in play style along with some interesting flavors to add to my space marine collection. Sure the bikes will get wiped most of the time. But that's what happened when I play multimelta bikers. This time they will go in reserve and move out backfield and shoot. Everything else will be supporting them and there are nastier targets besides the attack bikes. Well that is that. I will build 6 more attack bikers and that will set me up for a little while till I actually get a job perhaps and score a couple of bucks while I'm in college which isn't too faraway. More to come...BTW thanks Ivan for the painting pep talk. I'll keep trying;)

Painting Funk?

Hey guys I got quite the problem. I have been trying to paint my Ultramarines but theres so much to paint and only so much time. Im on a two week break thankfully but what the main struggle is is just making painting fun again. Ive already accepted the fact that I may never win a Golden Demon in my lifetime. I like the idea of actually having a nicely painted army to play with on the table, complete with nice terrain provided by our hardworking GW manager Yvonne. But I just want a painted army that I accept and although it may never be perfect like how the marines on the box look like, I still have come up with something relatively nice. I do not have any pictures up but I do have the color scheme in my head.

The basecoat is Regal Blue

The wash over the armor is Badab Black

The shoulder pads are Shining gold ( the trim )

The highlight on the armor is Ultramarines Blue

The eyes are Red Gore with Blazing Orange and Blood Red for highlights

The trim on the base is Space Wolves Grey, the top part has a Chaos Black basecoat, Adeptus Grey dry brush, Fortress Grey dry brush, and a Skull White dry brush.

The boltgun is Chaos Black and Boltgun Metal

Purity Seals have Scab Red on the dot and Bleached Bone for the parchment.

As you can see my paint pallette seems overworked but hey I like the way the color scheme is going and Im going for consistency with my army. No more funky colored Predators, Rhinos, and what not. I have finally found something that works for my taste. But what I do do for school days is paint at LEAST ten minutes a day on one particular unit. However I do want to paint them faster. I have basecoated much of my army already but Im still working on the more minor details. I don't know if I can finish after my two week break is over but I'll do what I can. Then I got my Tau army to paint and that will be a challenge. I also got one box of Fire Warriors too so the more Troops choices the better. Although I could use some more anti tank in for my Tau collection. Maybe I'll get some of those Hammerhead Cannons on my two Devilfish. But I'll have to proxy that and playtest before I spend.
But anyways my question to you guys is how exactly do you finish painting your armies?
Do you do a specific schedule? Thoughts?

New Mix and Matched Space Marine List @ 2000p points

Hey guys I'm back with a new list in the making. This one is very different from all the other lists and it is more of a fun list made by Stelek. So here goes...

HQ

Captain- Relic Blade; Bike

Elites

Dreadnought- Twin linked autocannons

Dreadnought- Twin linked autocannons

Sternguard- 10x man squad; 8x Combi Meltas; Rhino

Troops

Tactical Squad- Mulimelta; Meltagun; Rhino

Tactical Squad- Multimelta; Meltagun; Rhino

Bike Squad- 2x flamers; Attack Bike Multimelta

Bike Squad- 2x flamers; Attack Bike Multimelta

Fast Attack

Attack Bikes; 2x man; Heavy Bolters

Attack Bikes; 2x man; Heavy Bolters

Attack Bikes; 2x man, Heavy Bolters

Heavy Support

Devastator Squad- 4x Missile Launchers; Rhino

Devastator Squad; 4x Missile Launchers; Rhino

Devastator Squad; 4x Missile Launchers; Rhino


So Sternguard take a Dev Rhino

Tac Squads combat squad and multimelta half goes in rhino

attack bikes stay in reserve, unless im going first.

Captain goes to a bike squad

bikers zoom behind rhinos  but can zoom around more. Anything av 12 and below gets a melta shot at 24 inches. AV 13 and 14 are not shot at with the melta. The bikers can attack isolated squads, or mop up a weak squad.

Dreads shoot at infantry and silence Razorbacks and the like.

Let me know your thoughts, but remember this is more of a fun list not a competitive one.

Ultramarines vs. Eldar Rematch 2000 points

Alright guys so here it is...my rematch with my friend Nigel. Again I lose but hey! I pulled off some new tricks and managed to kill a lot more stuff then last time. Overall I think I did learn from last time. The problem for me I'd say is squeezing all my units on the table edge. I think the table may have been a little too cluttered but hey thats just me. I wanted to go for a balanced table for us to use but I'll let y'all be the judge of that. I think deployment could've been a little better. Predators should've been somewhere around the middle. Rhinos on both sides. Speeders get cover behind buildings as usual. But what about the Dreads? Well they obviously aren't very threatening at range but hey they do help when the Wave Serpents get closer so I can open those transports up with the Predators. I wasn't able to unleash their firepower because Nigel attempted to roll up my flank again but it wasn't the same as last time. I think if I deployed the Speeders better I would've been able to pop those transports at range. What do you guys think?

Space Marine Predator Tactica!

Hey guys! I'm back again with more space marine tactics! Alright now after a couple of games playing Predators I have learned several valuable tips or ideas I should say and should be considered if you want to field them, or are playing them on the battlefield.

Upgrades:

Okay so you have four different combinations when it comes to fielding Predators.

You have what I call the Dakka Predator with an Autocannon, and Heavy Bolter Side Sponsons at 85 points. Great for anti infantry duty and dirt cheap too.

You have the triple Lascannon Predator (annihilator or destructor?) which is very pricey for 165 points. It is three powerful S9 hits on AV 10-13 though, but it doesn't fit my playstyle (I have 14 Multimeltas). But hey if you like Lascannons why not?

You have the AutoLas Predator (Autocannon turret and 2 Lascannon Sponsons). This one is cheaper at 120 points so it is the secondhand Predator. But hey it can take out your monstrous creatures and tanks though.

Then there is the Vanilla Predator where you get the best of both worlds. It's got a Twin Linked Lascannon and Heavy Bolter Sponsons. You can take out tanks but its limited to one shot that is guaranteed to hit. Then you have the infantry slaying capability. It doesn't have a dedication to anti infantry or anti tank. It clocks out at 130 points so it's not too bad but it is unusual and you probably won't see it on the gaming tables. Unless Predators get machine spirit (probably not) and shoot a lascannon at say a Rhino and the Heavy Bolters on a Tactical Squad. Otherwise you probably won't see it at all.

Then you can get a Storm Bolter and an HK Missile too since they are 10 points each. Just adding on those extra shots can be nice since the Predator is a static tank and you want it shooting as many shots as it can. But hey you don't have to but most people may just stick with the HK Missile on Predators. Although, they never hit for me and when they do, they fail but I think that's just me.

And this is the most important rule too. Field AV 13 tanks in triplets. Whatever variant you play, spam it. That's why I have 3 Dakka Predators. So if one gets shaken or destroyed, I still have two more that can pump out a lot of shots and that's what counts. No crazy mediocre stunts and take 1 Vindicator, 1 Whirlwind, and 1 Predator for Heavy Support. If you want Predators, take 3. It just doesn't make much since to just take one, unless it's just a small point game and you wanna play one just to see how you like it.

Tactics: Okay so now we get to the complicated stuff. Pay close attention to what I'm about to tell you. No matter the mission, and no matter the deployment, deploy your Predators where the opponent will MOST LIKELY be during the game. That means that you will probably just want one turn of moving 6 inches or 12 inches to get a good firing position on the enemy. You can use objectives to your advantage hare and place them out in the open, where your opponent will likely be so you can shoot at them. But again it really depends on each game since you have to estimate where the opponent's movements will be. You want to be able to pivot and get good LOS on enemy units. Having cover would be nice too, but it may not have to be a main priority since you can create terrain with some of your other models (Rhinos, Razorbacks, Dreadnoughts). But then here's the problem, what are you gonna do against deep strikers, suicide melta units, and assault units that just hit you and shake you so you can't use your guns. Well that's where bubblewrap units, and LOS blocking terrain comes in....

Deployment: Okay so here's some ideas that I have when it comes to deploying your Preds in Dawn of War but this isn't all there is but it is a deployment that can be tricky to use just because most of your army is in reserve and come from the table edge.

This is deployment model A. Here I have the Predators line up as if they came from the table edge during Dawn of War. They line up as close as they can to each other.

Now the Predator on the left pivots to the direction of the enemy. While the other Predators move 6 inches up and to the side to help give cover to each other.














Now here's what these tanks can see....

This is the corner of the left side of the table and weapons can draw LOS to this flank.

If they move to the middle ot the table, the Preds can pivot and get shots at the enemy. See? After a turn of just moving, I'm already in a good position to start shooting.

Here's an aerial shot so you can see how I pivot them. All the weapons can shoot.

Enemies on the right side? Okay cool I can pivot there too. But this is not considering how much terrain there would be. As you can see, a plain midfield equals a blood bath with shots. Now yes you have to take in consideration which weapon sponson can see what, but this deployment can help level the playing field with what can see and shoot at what. I deployed on the far right of my kitchen table but you can also do this on the right  side of the table too. But then the Predator that lines up on the far right will pivot instead so the other Predators can proceed to move right instead of left. Argh! I hope that doesn't sound too confusing! The weaknesses I see with this is if the opponent outflanks, that's a problem for the rear ends of those tanks. Then there's the problem with incoming units coming towards the Predators but we will go over that. And lastly, a pie plate can hit two tanks at the same time so beware because if they can get two tanks on the side, that probably means both tanks can't shoot next turn! And they are also in danger of a multi assault and that means that they will also get auto hits, then boom goes the tanks.

Now for Deployment B using the same mission Dawn of War.

Now here's where the Predators will start. They are both 5 inches away from each other. So pie plates do not get to take two Preds with one shot. They also may not get multi assaulted but some squads are huge (Ork Mob). Again you can deploy on either side of the table except the middle like Deployment A.

Now it's the same concept as the first one except a pie plate will not be able to get two tanks as easily. This tempate can nick the weapon on the side sponson, but I don't think that counts for two tanks. Or would it? If so you can spread out 6 inches then if you can but still if you get the template like this, it still is a long shot when your spread out with 5 inches.

See the difference from Deployment A and B?

Now to address the problem with assaulters, suicide melta units, outflankers, and deep strikers. Use 3 Tactical Squads and combat squad. Then use that 5 inch or 6 inch space depending on your preference, to place those marines first turn like so.

You move out normally, moving up and giving that full 2 inch unit coherency to spread the bubblewrap. Then in the shooting phase roll a D6 and run to give that extra movment like the picture above.

Here's an aerial view of it all.

The bubblewrap is easily targeted, but hey look on the brightside! They aren't shooting at the Preds eh?

See how the Dreadnought tries to get the 12 inch Melta range? Now it's only 1 roll for penetrating but it can assault, yet the marines block it's way.

Then there is a Landspeeder here getting that 12 inches there so something has to happen...

So be sure to have a 12 inch distance with then Predators and the marines.

Now the Speeder can't get to me!

 Here's how the marines may look like when they are farther away but feel free to spread the squads out.

But then there is the Drop Pod threat with this deployment right? Well keep a good 6 inch distance if there is one. See the Dreadnought there? He can barely squeeze through here if he's coming out of a pod. And the Pod can barely fit there too even if I don't have one there to plainly see.

Now for Deployment C, which is very different from the previous ones. Just because it relies on my own army synergy and utilizing it in a nice defensive deployment.

Here's how everything else sets up first turn I've got Rhinos and Dreadnoughts for support.

Here's how everything moves out. I've got my firepower spread out with the Predators and I have my Tactical Rhinos to help block of side shots off my AV11 Predators, utilizing that AV13 as much as possible.

See but here's the catch here. Enemy units can come in a variety of directions. See that Landspeeder? I have to ask myself how many weapons from my Preds can get to it? I know at least one Predator can fire all of it's shots but the other two may only get a Heavy Bolter and an Autocannon on it. So the tanks stay where they are but pivoting is vital here.

Then there is deep strike defense you have to worry about right? Well, combat squad down and place some marines in the middle like this so a Pod can't just drop down in the middle.

Some opponents may get extreme side shots on your tanks so why not use the combat squad to give a cover save?

Now for outflank defense. This is a good position to be right here. I use a Dreadnought, a Rhino, and a combat squad.

Well, guys that's what I have for now in terms of deployment options with your Predator tanks. I hope you guys find this tactica very informative and helpful. Hopefully you can look at your army list, find what type of Predator suits you, and can adapt these tactics to your playstyle as well. More to come...

Ultramarines vs. Eldar 2000 points

Hey guys I'm back again with another battle report. Here I challenge Nigel, an avid veteran player of the Eldar. He's easily my top rival, (beating Ivan the Terrible at the top). He's beaten many times, 3 in fact. 2 with Dark Eldar and 1 with Eldar. Yeah, I might as well break it to y'all, I lost this one. We played Dawn of War (doh) and Capture and Control.

Army lists:

I will try to show how much Nigel had but point costs won't be shown because obviously I don't play Eldar, well at least for now.

HQ

Eldrad w/ Fortune, Doom, Mind War and a squad of 10 Warlocks.

-Wave Serpent w/ Twin Linked Scatter Lasers, and Shuriken Catapult

Elites

Fire Dragons w/ Wave Serpent w/ Twin Linked Bright Lance

Troops

Dire Avengers w/ Wave Serpent w/ Twin Linked Scatter Lasers

Dire Avengers w/ Wave Serpent w/ Twin Linked Scatter Lasers

Dire Avengers w/ Wave Serpent w/ Twin Linked Bright Lance

Dire Avengers w. Wave Serpent w/ Twin Linked Bright Lance

3x Jetbikes

3x Jetbikes

Heavy Support

Night Spinner

Again my list is the same as last time with Craig.

Deployment:

Here we go guys. Here's what we got.

Here my opponent has his retinue of warlocks and Eldrad with the Wave Serpent.
The black jet bikes are there as a troop choice too. I don't know why the other Serpent is there too. I think it was there at the beginning of the game but oh well. If it was it wasn't supposed to be there.

Here's my deployment

Here's a combat squaded Scout Squad. They had no where else to go. The table had a little bit of terrain so on my side, this was the only set of ruins. My objective was deployed next to it too. There was a hill on the other side of my deployment. I couldve deployed there since my MOF would get clear shots on the other objective. I went second by the way so I deployed second. I shouldn't have deployed the Scouts here, but I never knew how much Warlocks can do in terms of shooting and assaulting...

Here's where the Snipers should've been....

I could've infiltrated into cover right into the hill, but I second guessed my self...(doh!)

Turn 1 and we see this...

Warlocks zoom out, disembark, and shoot with Destructor, an Eldar psyker attack that is pretty much a heavy flamer but you can assault afterwards. Both Squads took the heat literally, as their cover saves are stripped. I shouldn't have used the MOF's Bolster Defences...and took the hill for cover instead. Oh well :(

The other squad of bikes, is at the tree objective. The Wave Serpent is hanging back for now as everything comes in and my opponent gets into position...

Here are the other Wave Serpents...see all the Dire Avengers? Yeah, bladestorm goodness alright...

Here come the other Serpents as they get into firing position into all my stuff. Man Eldar are fast.

Here comes my stuff...man I'm lookin to get my ass kicked! I thought my Dreads could handle the Warlocks, unknowing about their superiority over vehicles...escpecially walkers...I set up with my Tac Rhinos ready to move up and overwhelm the objective. I wanted to open up with Multimelta shots...My Predators are supposed to be lined up so I can get into position for firing. I should've just moved that extra 6 inches and popped smoke instead of trying to use searchlights...

I thought my Speeders could Heavy Flame these guys and kill them outright but I was wrong. See Mr.Dread #1, ready to assault and die. But of course, I never knew that would happen...Fennias tries to shoot but fails with night fighting.

Here's another view of my deployment..It sucks doesn't it? First turn I should've disembarked all my Tac Squads, and rapid fire, storm bolter, and flame that squad of Warlocks, but apparently, I never knew how evil those little green bastards would be! Argh! All my fire power should've been at that squad! Night fighting would't have saved those bastards!

 His Serpents redeploy so they can move into a pincer movement with their mobility, successfully countering my attempt to sweep his objective.

 My Predators are deployed so I can get side shots on him, but I should've moved them 6 inches up and popped smoke instead. That way I can get clear shots on a lot of his troops.

 See how these Warlocks tore up my Scout squads? I decide to counter the threat with only a fraction of my force.

 I use my Dreadnought to assault the jetbikes, but those guys are the least of my problems. I think I should've shot at the Wave Serpent right in front of the it. If I shot at the Warlocks, they get their cover, or invuln. save with Fortune from Eldrad. I just couldn't torrent them.

 I don't have the turret for the Predator above. It was being stripped at the time. Again, they should've moved up. I didn't plan for Dawn of War and now I learn once again.

 Eldrad detaches from his retinue and the Warlocks move to the right and proceed to roll up my flank...

Now it's turn two, and night fight is gone.

 Eldrad attempts to cast Mind War on my Fennias, the MOF and proceeds to assault and kill the squad. The Warlocks will multi assault my speeders, Dreadnought, and Rhino.

 The Speeders that tried to kill the Warlocks and failed. Now they get shot up by the Wave Serpent that held the Warlock squad and Eldrad. One Speeder dies, and the other loses a weapon.

 His Serpents roll up to get in position to disembark Dire Avengers and bladestorm but that isn't done this turn.

 Here my forces struggle to reliably counter attack because those Warlocks are causing mischieve.

 The Dread in combat with the jetbikes, kills one after missing previously, and Eldrad wipes out the MOF and the lone sniper. The multi assault proceeds, immobilizing one Rhino, destroying a Dread, and nothing happens to the other speeder squad since they turboboosted. So far the Warlocks killed two Dreadnoughts.

 One Rhino was exploded, killing 3 marines. I think the Warlocks did it and consolidated towards the immobilized Rhino, (the one with the die on it), or a Eldrad destroyed it with some psychic power.

 Here, I attempt to kill the Warlocks and Eldrad, and I did.

 My Dread attempts to destroy the Wave Serpent and assaults, but does nothing. The jetbikes that were assaulted, failed an LD test and ran back.

Turn 3 rolls up and things look nasty...my firepower is  crippled,my Rhinos do nothing, my Dreads fail, and the speeders fail too.

 Here those blasted Warlocks are still alive. Eldrad is down to one wound.

 I moved a Rhino up front and had to disembark a Tactical Squad to target
Warlocks.

 But my opponent is ready to destroy the said Tactical Squad.

See my Preds? Yeah bad deployment on my part. Now since the Warlocks and Eldrad failed to die, another tactical squad will die.

 Now everything disembarks and gets ready to light up marines...the Deathspinner shoots and makes sure my Rhinos and Speeders count as moving through difficult and dangerous terrain. It ain't killy, but it sure is annoying. But it's the least of my problems.

These are the armour saves I have to take on a tactical squad in the middle of the field. Let's see how many marines live to tell the tale.

 Yep. 1 lone sergeant. The Rhino died from Fire Dragons, the other marines died from bladestorms.

 Now another squad shoots at the sarge. Let's see if he can make a last man stand and live to tell about it.

 The shoot and he fails the first save. Oh well. If he survived 13 shots I would've made him a captain.

 The jetbikes and blocks the rhino from disembarking and rapid firing. The rhino on the side was blown away by the Nightspinner.

This Pred is wrecked while the other Preds fail to do anything.

 It's turn 4 and I got wiped. Preds are useless. Multimeltas eliminated. Speeders are also wiped too near the end of the fourth turn.

 See the Predator to the left?

 Now it's gone! And it was finally in position to shoot stuff!

 I blame it on the Wave Serpents...

 I attempt to contest. But it dies.

 Here a Dread is armless and I have 2 speeders left.

 My Pred tries to shoot but fails.

My Speeders shoot at the Nightspinner with Multimelta goodness and it dies.

We already know whats gonna happen. I lose. But eh, it's okay I learned quite a bit from this battle. And it was my first battle at Pegasus Hobbies. Nigel was a great sport. If you ever play a battle with him at Pegasus he'll probably be a very memorable player. Well, I hope you all enjoyed reading about my mistakes and learn from them.