Swinging the Lead: Year in Review

Blimey, that was a quick year. Yet so much happened! Was this really the same year that the Age of Sigmar Snakewomen released? And Adeptus Titanicus? And Kill Team? And... and... and... Too much!

But how did I fare?

The Tally of 2018

And we're finally done with 2018. An experience not dissimilar to riding on that bus at the end of The Italian Job.

"We're going to need a bigger pen."

And this is the update to "Project: Micawber", let's all say it together...

"Annual leadpile twenty terminators, annual painting nineteen terminators nineteen marines and a cultist, result: stagnation.
Annual leadpile twenty terminators, annual painting twenty terminators nought and a cultist, result: progress."

Review: Blackstone Fortress

Now it's the holidays, I've had time to actually play this bugger as well as paint it! Invoking, therefore, the awesome responsibility of the Blogger, I shall chant out my opinion as though it weighs something.

From Behind The Paywall It Rises: Thousand Sons vs Death Guard

Merry Christmas! Here's something to help you sleep off the turkey.

The Thousand Sons return to Swindon!

Diorama: I Am Norman

It's a familiar tale: a confrontation in the midst of a great battle, an end-level evil boss, a plucky protagonist.

How will it all end?

Does Anyone Have a Hanky?

Just a few last updates before the year ends. S'not much.

Magnus the Red? My 'Gaunts Sneer: Tyranids vs Thousand Sons

It's late in the year. But what better stocking filler than one last chance to try and beat a Daemon Primarch? 

Yes, it's time for a final Skype rumble with Kraken (bold), 

and I, Stylus, as plain as can be

as we pitch our respective forces against each other, freshly armed with the new rules update from Chapter Approved 2018!

Magnus with your Mega-Smite
Won't you pull my sleigh tonight?

The WoffBoot Needs YOU! (to vote for me)

Dear reader, I crave a boon.

(if you want to save yourself the reading bother - just go here and vote for 'Fools Rush In' - otherwise, stick with me)

Blackstone Shortlist

Finished! ...he shouts, like a toddler on a potty.

Fade to Blackstone

Not done yet, so I'd better keep painting.

I Painted Some Terrain (And I Liked It!)

Don't get too excited now. But I did actually manage to build and paint several pieces of scenery.

I'm off to have a little lie down...

The Path To Enlightenment

More Tzaangors? Don't worry, these are the last of them. For now.

Pew pew! ... caw caw!

In the Blue Corner: Ultramarines vs Tyranids

What? An actual interloper within the physical surrounds of Kraken Towers? Summon the Hive Guard! Let none live!

Skype's taken a hike!
It's... It's... I don't know what this is!

Mildly Mutated In Every Way

Lots more lovely Tzaangor!

Quickly becoming the backbone of my Thousand Sons army. They do love jumping out of the Webway - but they don't last long, so I need more of them!

Christmas Shopping List

More eBay advertising here - my copy of Dungeon Saga is also going under the hammer. You'd be getting a more than full copy of the base game and the first two major expansions, all painted to my exacting standards!

It might not be the Rolls Royce of gaming, but it's an easy and fun game (especially forgiving for first time heroes), and you're getting a large amount of minis and floor plans. Plus doors, and who doesn't need lots of painted dungeon doors?

Here's a link to the listing. Feel free to peruse!

Into the Black

Advent! And therefore, a challenge!

The Jolly Red Fellow

It was always going to happen. When I built my cabinet last year, I made sure there was enough clearance on the shelves to fit in this big fella.

So here's Magnus!

Hello, Birdie

There's a lot to be said for Tzaangor Shamans in a Thousand Sons list: cheap Elite slot, cheap psychic power, buffs two different units, mobile, able to dish out a punch.

I didn't mean to imply the Tzaangor Shaman is cheap.
She is, of course, a lady.

The only downside is the model is monopose. A lovely monopose, but to have a second one in the same style is unacceptable in any army of mine, not least a Tzeentch one.

So it's a-converting we shall go...

EXT: Rainforest (Harvest Season)

This is what happens when you brag about finishing something.

Mr Tumnus Will See You Now

"I'm crying because I'm such a bad Faun."

"It's no good now, you know," said the Faun,
shaking its head at her very sorrowfully.

"I don't think you're a bad Faun at all," said Lucy. "I think you are a very good Faun. You are the nicest Faun I've ever met."

Reaped

It's been a good year for project completion!

We Are Returned: Black Legion vs Death Guard & Black Legion vs T'au

A double-header battle report - I took the Black Legion over to Kasfunatu Towers to fight all-comers!

I, Stylus, will be providing a brief summary for each game. No images, I fear. We were playing two games of 2000pts, and getting to grips with some relatively new armies, so there was no brain power left for the historical record.

My opponent, and host, was Kasfunatu.

Go Fish: Black Legion vs T'au

The Greater Good meets the Big Bad - T'au versus Black Legion!

Get the Fish To Bite!
It's All-Skype Fight Night!

I, Stylus, will be taking on the T'au for the first time in 8th Edition. I'll also be eschewing the Thousand Sons for a more conventional form of heresy - the Black Legion will take to the field!

After a recent casual-tournament I had the basis of a T'au army ready to go, but welcomed the extra points to knock it up to 1500pts. I'll warn now, my rebuttals/comments may be a little sketchy as the fight was a couple of weeks ago. 

Dungeon Starter Pack

Reaper! The Curse of Completion is hard upon me!

Stop, Collaborate and Listen: Modelling Snow and Ice

A Song of Mice and Mire

Having made a reasonable amount of snowy terrain over the last four years, it's time to share what I've learned!

A Clash Of Heroes: Thousand Sons vs Dark Angels

The gauntlet is thrown down between the mightiest heroes of the legion: nine Thousand Sons characters take on nine Dark Angels - it's X-Treme Killteam!

Once again, I was battling Mr AP Burn, who brought a full compliment of Dark Angels command structure!

You Got Chocolate on my Peanut Butter: Slaves to Darkness vs Space Marines

Which of GW's game systems is the mightiest? 

We've all thought it, right? Time to find out, as I, Kraken, 

and I, Stylus,

power up our super world collider and pit Age of Sigmar against 40K! After all - there can only be one!*

Bring an Axe to this Gunfight!
It's All-Skype Fight Night!

Gather the Party

A questing we shall go.

Shameless Mercantile Behaviour

So, it comes to this. My cupboard is too small, my wallet too puny and my ambitions too great. Something had to give!

Fools Rush In: Dark Angels vs Thousand Sons

It's a clash of the fallen as Dark Angels face Thousand Sons once again!

I returned to Bristol to face Mr AP Burn's grim astartes - but did I bring scissors or paper?

EXT: Rainforest (Plantation Stage)

Well, I haven't really finished anything new here. But I am a year older, and got some new kit for my birthday that I want to show off!

All Creatures Small and Smaller

I looked at my scenery projects for at least five minutes before deciding that Reaper Bones models aren't that tedious to paint after all.

Smash That Captain: Space Marines vs Militarum Tempestus

A long-awaited moment for me, Kraken - my Tempestus Scions, the Hagan Lampreys, return to the field! And to double the glory, they find their long-absent nemesis opposing them. 

Yes, it's General Kasfunatu and the Crypt Angels!

After a recent thrust back into 40k (5 games in 36hours) I was hankering for another fight. Kraken had my Primaris falling off the painting line, and so it was time to try them out.

Let Old Foes Reunite!
It's All-Skype Fight Night!

Wobbly Bits

Time for a new project!

Blind The Psiclopes - Black Legion vs Thousand Sons

The Legion Wars continue as Magnus the Red leads his Thousand Sons against the Black Legion.

I, Stylus, will be taking the Daemon Primarch into battle - it had to happen eventually. My Thousand Sons collection was getting sufficiently large that I couldn't not get the Big Red One at some point. Fate is inexorable.

Our usual battle scale of 1500pts is a bit on the low side for a Lord of War, but Kraken has very sportingly agreed to take on the challenge (as well as my limited Black Legion).

Kraken is a glutton for punishment, is what Kraken is. But I need no Lord of War! The Black Legion are the galaxy's finest traitor legion, and we brook no taunts from a collection of gift-wrapped mummy dust! 

We'll be playing a random Maelstrom match, to be determined right before we set up. Game On!

Magnus Did Nothing Right!
It's All-Skype Fight Night!

Final One and Done!

What better to celebrate the wrap party with than a hideous conglomeration of mutated flesh?

Final Two: Lord Tusk

Smile for the Camera.

Final Three: Cockatrice

It's the Death Chicken!

Final Four: Hellsbane

I'm so close to wrapping this project, I can't find time to think of a pun.

Brawny Brawny Banks

Time for a song.

Brush (Not) For Hire

The following models were painted by me for someone else. That said, there are three very good reasons why I'm no commission painter:

1. My painting standard, honed over the decades, is what I would call Tabletop Passable™
2. I am hopeless at estimating exactly how much time is required for a project (this one ran about double-length)
3. ... and the third one is the most important, but you'll have to read to the end to find out.

SOUNDS LIKE CLICKBAIT!

Biclops

End of the see-son sale! Eye one, get one free!

Every Dog Has Its Day

After a mere decade, Mrs Stylus took an interest in painting a Space Marine.

I showed her a catalogue of chapters for inspiration.

Me: "You can paint them any colour you like."

"What are these grey ones with the red and yellow shoulders? They look nice."

Me: "Any colour. You don't have to choose now. Any colour you like."

"I like those grey ones with the wolf icons. I'll paint them."

Me (throwing my pot of The Fang out of the window): "I'm not sure I've got any grey paint. Oh, look at this lovely yellow!"

From The Depths It Rises...

Another Mutalith Vortex Beast? You betcha. I got the first one to divide between Age of Sigmar and 40k, but this one is definitely for the Thousand Sons.

... which is ironic, because I used an Age of Sigmar model for the conversion.

57 Varieties of Sorcery

It's been a year since I bought my trio of Exalted Sorcerers, so it's about time I finished off the third one...

... but not before I paint a couple of other ones first!

Don't jump the queue, sonny.

Caught Some Weres in Time

Massive Darkness descends once more!

Banner Headline

Time the Hagan Lampreys had something to muster under.

Hark! The Angels' Ravenwing: Thousand Sons vs Dark Angels

Hunt the Fallen! The Sons of Prospero take on the First Legion as my Thousand Sons thrallband resist interrogation from the Dark Angels!

And in a rare change of pace, I'll be playing in person! Like Owain Glyndŵr before me, I crossed over into England with my Daemon Engines and Tzaangor (I'm pretty sure that's what Owain was packing) and fought Mr AP Burn's Dark Angels!