Lead and Taxes - Year in Review

Kraken here, with my end of the year's Tally!

The Tally of 2019

Nearly closing time - let's have a quick count-up!

For those who don't know, this is the idea behind "Project: Micawber"...

"Annual leadpile twenty Intercessors, annual painting nineteen Intercessors nineteen marines and a scout, result: stagnation.

Annual leadpile twenty Intercessors, annual painting twenty Intercessors nought and a teleport homer, result: progress."

Godsworn Us, Every One

These were painted up to be Christmas presents, so hopefully I can post them here without spoiling the surprise!

(the average age of the recipients is 6, so they're not among our regular readership!)

Bloody, Bloody Contrast

Before things get too rotting and slimy... here are the Khorne Daemons!

You've got red on you... 

Come, Ye Skitarii

Now the bionic cat is out of the bag: here's the Adeptus Mechanicus!

0010101100 Come All Ye Faithful: Thousand Sons vs Adeptus Mechanicus

The narrative campaign continues: The Hunt for Ahriman, Part III

Plasma streaked towards him over the dusty ground. There was nowhere to hide from it, no time to protect himself. Ahriman extended his will and with a terrible effort, tore apart the fabric of reality around him. 

The warp opened, and he fell in. 

Silent Night of the Living Dead

When there's no more room in Hell, your Leadpile will walk the earth.

Filthy, Filthy Contrast

So what's all this Contrast Paint I've been hearing about?

He's holding a snowball.
This makes the hundreds of snow bases all worthwhile.

Their Scourge and Minister: Space Wolves vs The Scourged

The Scourged are out on their first solo mission - taking on the heroes of Fenris!

"He's over there! Between the Jenga and the Guess Who!"

Good thing Space Wolves don't have much experience in fighting Tzeentch-aligned heretics, eh?

Don't Shoot Until You See The Reds of their Noses: Alpha Legion vs Harlequins

Always time for one more scrap before Christmas! Hotspur was almost off on his holiday travels, but dropped in for a quick thousand point battle against my Alpha Legion.

He brought the clowns. Why did it have to be Clowns?

Alpha Strike: Alpha Legion vs Mantis Warriors

Unexpectedly, I seem to have completed two small armies this year! The obvious thing to do with them is therefore to hold one in each hand and smash them against each other to establish dominance.

However, I, Kraken, cannot trust my own hands to give these armies a fair showing. Therefore playing my Left Hand in tonight's Skype Match is none other than...

Pootle, leading a different brand of chaos marines this time: the Alpha Legion.

An Epistle About An Apostle

An Apostle and two Disciples - have I got the wrong holiday?

Best Served Cold: Thousand Sons vs Space Wolves

Another battle on home soil! Wales hasn't seen this much bloodshed since the Great Chip Shortage of Caroline Street.

Old scores are to be settled tonight - Space Wolves vs Thousand Sons.

T'au be or not T'au be? Death Guard & Purge vs T'au

"Commander? The Death Guard force we've been tracking have returned. I'm afraid it looks like they do know about the data cache: they're moving right towards it."

"Prepare to embark. We will destroy the chaos filth and remove the substrates. They must not find out what we've discovered about their former prisoner."

It's a grudge match as Kasfunatu's T'au venture out onto the road for an actual face-to-face rematch against Pootle's Second Law.

Death From Above - Black Legion vs Blood Angels

The Black Legion are back in action - against a brand new opponent, leading the Angels of Baal!

Blood Angels vs Khorne Berserkers? ... let the claret flow

Some Guys Have Or the Lock

The Gangs are all here!

More Caw

Another quickie, as I continue to rumble through Zombicide.

In the Black Midwinters: The Cabal vs The Thirteenth

I'm behind the paywall again!

I don't know whether this is a mark or quality, or being caged up like Quasimodo...

Black Magic

With all these Malignant Plaguecasters on the scene, how about a humble Nurgle Sorcerer?

Bibbidi bobbidi buboe!

Polar Ingress: Ultramarines vs Tyranids

General Hotspur returns - time for a Historical Battle!

Shut That Dor

Completionist Frenzy!

Bats All Folks

I don't care if they're in-game effective... they're bat-marines with wolverine-claws!

Let's take to the skies!

Morbid Obesity

Just a quickie - more Z:BP updates.

Scourging Havoc!

The Purge got a new heavy option, so of course The Scourge wanted one too...

"It's okay sarge, the safety's on Old Betsy..."

Purge and Shoot

Obliterators with marks of Nurgle? I'm such an iconoclast.

"What is this 'Endless Cacophony' anyway? It sounds dumb."

I see no Ships

Ladies, gentlemen and assembled Servojurors, I refer you to the first piece of evidence, this blog article. Some way down the page, note where the accused describes himself as a 'man with no bikes'. I put it to you, here and now, that this is clear evidence of lies and, ipso facto, Heresy! Burn him at once!

Ring-a-ring-a-Roses

Into the dead zone!

Make Some Noise

Turn that speaker up to 11, it's time to RAAWWWWWK

I Spyrer, With My Little Eyrer

One last nugget from Weekend at Burnie's 2...

Check out these pewter pretties!

Caballistic Skill: The Cabal vs Scions and Marines

Fortune favours the bold! 

Hoping that battle fatigue would bring the Cabal (plus their evil overlord, Stylus) to their knees, I rounded on them firmly before they could recover from Weekend at Bernies. I, Kraken, brought the good old Tempestus Scions under Badger, along with a few Mantis Warriors. 

Like an ageing crook in a heist movie, I, Stylus, will find out if The Cabal have one more job left in them...

Curbstomp: Alpha Legion vs Imperial Knights

Enough of the tales of Stylus's Victories! I, Kraken, now return with more familiar fare. 

Having got enough of the Alpha Legion painted up that could put a trial force together, I reckoned the best thing to do would be punish them relentlessly for their very existence. So I challenged Kas's Imperial Knights to a scrap, for I am a glutton for punishment.

Feels like an age since picked up some 40k dice and was eager to get back in. I had not tried either mini, or daddy knights, and so was good with the suggestion.

WARNING - THE FOLLOWING BATTLE REPORT CONTAINS 

SCENES OF GRAPHIC TRAMPLING

Weekend at Burnie's 2 - Final Thoughts

I've far exceeded the 10,000 word count covering this tournament, so just a quick summary and some final narrative.

Collecting the Hair Club For Men Award

Let's wrap this up!

Weekend at Burnie's 2 - Round 5 - Chaos Space Marines vs Adeptus Mechanicus

Final battle of the weekend, and this time, I'm not facing space marines.

Bring on the Adeptus Mechanicus!

Weekend at Burnie's 2 - Round 4 - Chaos Space Marines vs Iron Hands

It’s the second day of the event, and I have activated my secret weapon of not-getting-drunk-the-night before, which should put me ahead of the competition.

Perhaps it's in poor taste to mention getting ahead. My next fight is with Iron Hands.

Weekend at Burnie's 2 - Round 3 - Chaos Space Marines vs Ultramarines

Round 3 of the Battle for Nayala, and its time to go to blue alert!

I’m thrown into the deep end for this mission. Not only will I be facing Macragge’s finest, but my opponent will be the face (as opposed to the beard) of Moarhammer – none other than Brom!

Weekend at Burnie's 2 - Round 2 - Chaos Space Marines vs Raven Guard

Round 2 of the Battle for Nayala, and they've already sent the hit squad after me.

He got a real pretty mouth ain't he?

Something ominous from Deliverance is coming after me. I hope those aren't banjos I hear.

Weekend at Burnie's 2 - Round 1 - Chaos Space Marines vs Salamanders

The battle for Nayala starts here!

Come get some.

All back from my Weekend at Burnie's, I'll do my best to recount the tales. There were five battles in total, so hopefully my camera's memory and human memory will hold up.

Weekend At Burnie's 2 - This Time It's War

I'm off to another tournament, grizzled veteran that I am, this will be my second.

This is a follow-on from the very successful Weekend at Burnie's earlier this year. And, like any sequel, the body count is always bigger.

And Now ... Alpha Legion!

Sorry, Stylus, you can't have all the Traitor Legions to yourself.

And Now ... The Cabal!

There is a reason why I'm popping out different-coloured space marines like a heretical Pez dispenser...

... Stylus is going to a tournament!

And Now ... The Scourged!

The Purge, you say? No, I'm not doing The Purge. This is The Scourged.

Try to keep up...

And Now ... The Purge!

It's not what you think!

Unless you think I've started another heretic astartes army, in which case, it's exactly what you think.

The Mantishurian Candidate: Death Guard vs Mantis Warriors

To kick off the next 1,000 posts, here's a Maelstrom of War battle between Pootle's Death Guard warband, The Second Law, and...

Kraken's new army of Mantis Warriors! Yes, an army I have no experience of using against the unbeaten Second Law. A New Challenger Approaches!

Their Scars aren't quite White,

But it's All-Skype Fight Night!

Competition Winner!

I got my priority orders!

1000 Posts Not Out!

Milestone unlocked!

Don't worry - in the midst of the naval-gazing, we also have a competition winner.

Old Scores: Space Wolves vs Thousand Sons

This is the big one! The Hunt for Ahriman Part II just kicked up a notch!

Were you #TeamKraken or #TeamStylus?

I was #TeamKraken until I saw Bjorn's stats. Is it too late to change?

Bjorn To Be Wild

One day before the big battle? Nothing like a bit of brinkmanship to lend wings to your paintbrush.

Let's poke the bear!

Bug Bomb

Getting into Autumn already, here in Sweden. It's freezing! All the better to stay at home and paint models, although bluntly, that's true of almost any weather you care to name imho.

Competition time!

Buckle up for a big milestone - this blog is soon to reach 1000 posts!

And so we're giving away this big fella!

(Note: the battle is over, so the competition is now closed. Stay tuned for the winner!)

Shuffle The Pack

I've finally relented. My Space Wolves army is not going to be all Primaris.

Now, who let the dogs out?

EXT: Plasma Meter Station

A terrain commission! I'll give you three guesses whether it's for General Stylus or not.

Nothing But Blue Skies: Ultramarines vs Tyranids

The new Space Marine Codex - anyone curious to see how it handles? No? How about the new Ultramarines, then?

Still no? Damn you all. Luckily, I was, and so was General Hotspur, whose first name quite possibly is Ultramarines. To battle!

The Gallowsmen Cometh

All-new Necromunda? What's all this then?

Knife Guys Finish Last: Space Wolves vs Thousand Sons

"Where is Ahriman?" 

The voice of the Demon Prince echoed through the Warden's room. The trio of sorcerers knelt around him, each at the cardinal point of a septagraphic diagram, etched into the floor with consecrated acids. It was a courtesy more than anything, a ward that bent reality but a little, allowing the tides of the warp to flow more easily in the room and making it more comfortable for their visitor. Not that the creature seemed to have noticed, nor returned the courtesy. The atmosphere in the echoing chamber was distinctly strained.

"We do not know, Prince Fravash," the first sorcerer said. "He left us here weeks ago."

"And you call yourself bodyguards, Traducio?" the Demon sneered. "I came here to speak with your master. I am disappointed he thinks he can elude me. It is rude. He is rude. I am offended. Would that I could take issue with him in person. As it is, you three will have to do."

Fravash was a champion of the Changer of Ways. His turquoise armour was nearly transparent, an shimmering opal shell behind which you could just see shifting organs, mouths opening in silent screams and the flitting eyes of warp predators. He looked strong enough to rip open a tank, to speak nothing of the coruscating aura of arcane power billowing around him. The three sorcerers carefully avoided meeting his unblinking, red-rimmed gaze. 

The Demon Prince was clearly angry. One wrong word now could easily spell their doom.