Hobby: Eldar Support Platform

Happy to say that I've managed to finish my support platform and that means I've completed my first Troop choice!

I'll probably go on go paint up the next troops choice which is none other than the Dire Avengers, aspect warriors clad in blue.

Now, blue is a colour that I rarely paint as fantasy armies tend not to have that much blue. So it will be fun to paint a different colour. Unfortunately this means I'll need two pots of new paint.

Now this brings me to the hobby article. Games workshop paints have recently shifted to a more layered paint style. That means they now have more shades of colours for you, pretty much like the Vallejo paint systems where you have trillions of colours like the new retina screen displays. So you could find premixed tones of colour.

Kelvin, once pointed out that he will still stick to the old school way of mixing white to the original colour to create the highlight colour. I've recently enjoyed painting with the layered paints because its faster and more consistent to just plop paint from the paint pot, rather than mix them.

Having said that, it is expensive to own all the tones of colour (but I'm sure GW would like to differ on that thought), so my suggestion is to own two tones of colour and perhaps a shade or wash. You can create the final highlight from a drop of white to the lighter colour. This is good as you can also add more white to create a sharper highlight if the model has crisp sharp lines.

Anyhow, I post pics of my new paint job. The lighting is something I would like to work on as it's too harsh... But oh well...

Vox Caster Is Back!

It's been a long while since The Vox Caster has broadcast any signals. So what better way to just restart the blog by posting again! The Emperor protects as he has blessed us with new technology as I post with my Auspexophonocomputer (iPhone). So I invite my fellows to post their thoughts on this with their smartphones (android friendly too!).

I have plans to upload modelling articles (not just the final results) and also put up battle reports, and also game reviews. It's like a diary of a gamer. So hope it will be a fun read as much fun as it was writing.

Just to keep it going I'm going to post up a shot of my squad of guardians. Led by Warlock Shie-arht... The warriors from Biel Tan are here to right the wrongs of the foolish mon keigh...

Striding across the Imperial Eagle...

Dramatis Personae - Junx

'Ware Thee All

Hark thee All,
The Clarion's Call,
Ye Gods do bid,
Their Will should you heed,
'Ware His Rage,
Chance not his Page,
For his Champion is on a Rampage,
Tremble ye All, Near and Far,
Thy Lord Kharnagar !!!

Host of Kharnagar

Kharnagar Big Red - Bloodthirster Champion of Khorne
Son Zi , the Reaper of Blood - Herald of Khorne
Arkheelis, the Scourge of Ulthuan - Herald of Khorne
Mengzy, Archbroker of Peace - Herald of Tzeentch
Con-Fuz-Uz, Titillator of Skavenblight - Herald of Slaanesh


Khaine's Holy Host

Darlaith, High Sorceress
Lord Ryanus, Dark Lord of Trickery

Dramatis Personae

No longer will our heroes go to war without a name.
How can the historians commemorate a nameless person.
How can we let their mighty deeds be lost in the fragile memories of Man...
So i beseech you to add your roll of heroes to mine. (you can edit directly to this post)
Lest we forget, thus i shall begin...

The Childtakers
A beastherd of growing renown; haunting the dreams of men and ravaging the countryside...
Gorthmaw Childtaker- Beastlord.
A beastlord of great cunning and the chosen of the Chaos Gods. Slew the Chaos Lord, Kafziel the Warmaster in single combat.
Mourngall- Battle standard bearer Wargor.
Survived a vicious attack by a Hellcannon in combat, tying it up long enough for his attendant Bestigor, The Pilgrims, to destroy it.
Biletooth- Great Bray Shaman.
The other dark figure behind the power of the Childtakers. It was his spells that allowed Gorthmaw to slay the great Warmaster, Kafziel.
Pusbag (dead)- Bray Shaman.
Managed to channel thrice in a battle. Slain by a javelin attack by Marauder Horsemen.
The Pilgrims- Regiment of Renown.
A bestigor unit touched by the powers of Nurgle. Smashed asunder two regiments of Chaos Warriors and a Hellcannon in one battle. Thus have collected 2 Chaos Warrior standards as their trophies. More standards to come...
Bulltars- Regiment of Renown.
A minotaur unit adding their bestial might to the Herd. Together with the Pilgrims, slaughtered 2 Chaos Warrior units, and slew the mighty Chaos Battle Standard Bearer, Antonius.

Clan Ratt
A small Skaven clan, trying to claw its way up to renown, in the Underempire...
Rattus Ratt- Skaven Warlord.
Twittertail- Battle Standard Bearer Chieftain.
Warpgnaw- Clan Skryre Warlock Engineer.
Furrsboo- Clan Pestilens Plague Priest.

The Kingdom of Um
A backwater kingdom in the shifting sands of Khemri that became a satrapy of Lord Settra the Imperishable. It became so rather quickly after being told the terms...
Lord Sappuliuliuma, the Not-So-Imperishable Tomb King. (Slain)
First King of Um, Seated-at-the-Left-Hand-of-the-Sun, appointed in the Hour of Dung.
Slain in short order by Gorthmaw Childtaker, Beastlord of the Childtakers
Lord Iwazzarman, Commander of the Armies That Got Left Behind Tomb King. (Slain)
Usurped King of Um, Seated-facing-the-Sun, appointed in the Hour of the Fruitbat.
Crumbled to dust, courtesy of a pack of ogres and a Regiment of Renown that is yet to be named.
Hikmid, High Priest of Um Liche Priest. (Slain)
Grand Hierophant to Lord Sappuliuliuma, Keeper of the Humps of Multar.
Slain in short order by Regiment of Renown, the Bulltars.
Likmid the Backstabber, Low Priest of Um Liche Priest. (Slain)
Assistant to Hikmid, Likmid fled the battle in which Hikmid was slain, and conveniently took the position of Heirophant.
Slain in short order by Skaven Gutter Runners.
Eeriktahil Dis Phunkton, High Priest of Um Liche Priest.
Grand Hierophant to Lord Iwazzarman
Kunkip Eedup, Low Priest of Um Liche Priest.
Assistant to Eeriktahil Dis Phunkton.

The Kinslayers of the Dark Woods
The Asrai of the Dark Woods are living in self-imposed exile. In the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, a Lord of Change cast a web of deceit over their eyes. They saw their own kin as their foe and strove against them with such fury that the battle seemed lost. At last, the strength of the elves prevailed and day was bitterly won. The veil of blindness was finally lifted from their eyes and the Kinslayers were struck with horror and shame. Despite the pardon granted them, they left the green woods of Athel Loren and crossed over into the Dark Woods. There, they swore an oath to check the threat of Chaos that chose to come over those dread lands. Over the years that passed, many who have wronged their own enter the Dark Woods and join these desperate Asrai, daubing their entire bodies with purple dye as a mark of their shame...
Aidril Hardwood and Imiklav Highborn on Dragon. (Slain)
Slain in short order by ???.
Eiged Hardwood Battle Standard Bearer.
Greenbard Branchwraith Wizard. (Slain)
Slain in short order by a giant and a unit of Dark Elf spearmen.
Roor Yal Rum Bal Treeman. (Slain)
Slain in short order by ???. (Regiment of Renown)
Roor Yal Tum Bal Treeman.
Greenbard Branchwraith Wizard. (Slain)
Slain in short order by a giant and a unit of Dark Elf spearmen.
Skullbard Branchwraith Wizard.
Blubard Branchwraith Wizard

Strategy Points System for Fantasy

Hi Guys,

I was discussing a campaign system with Jason, and the more I think about it, the more I felt that most systems either reward people who play a lot (difficult for some of us) or they are character-centric and therefore makes you want to Herohammer (i.e. concentrate on Characters).

I had some ideas and presented below is my idea based on the Strategems System from Cityfight and Planetstrike in 40k.

Feel Free to Comment

The Aim of the system is to reward good tactics and valour of troops in combat.

Earning Strategy points:

Strategy points are earned during the game for the following events (Rationale in Parenthesis):

1. For Each banner Captured. - 1 pt
   
2. For Each General killed. ( We don't experience the effects of these at all in consecutive games). - 2 pts
   
3. If a unit is flanked/rear-charged and wins combat. ( If you get flanked and still survive, you should be rewarded for your valour! ) -1 pt
   
4. If a unit is involved in 2 combats in the same turn ( basically if you actually manage to do this, you deserve a clap on the back). -1 pt
   
5. Rolling a natural Insane Courage. (Nuff Said) -2 pts
   
6. Winning Combat by 5 or more ( The chances of doing this is either brilliant rolling, or you rear/flanked your opponent, which means it's a tactically good move either way, should be rewarded). -1 pt
   
7. A unit that had more than 10 models at the start of battle and survives with 25% or less at the end of the game. (Somehow, through sheer luck u survived to teach the younglings the dangers of war). - 1pt
8. If you did not play/come on the day of combat ( to make things even for those who didn't come) - 2 pts
9. You Won! - 2 pts
10. You lost! - 1pt
    

Using Strategy Points:

Strategy points may be used with the following rules:

1. Strategy points may only be used on each unit ONCE a battle.
2. A maximum of 5 Strategy points may be used per battle.
   
3. Strategy Points may either be used Pre-game ( before DEPLOYMENT, ROLLING FOR SPELLS etc), or during the game.

Pre Game

1. Get First Turn - 2 pts
2. Reroll a wizard's spells - 1 pt
   
3. Give an archery unit +1 to hit at long Range (effectively nullifying the long range penalty). - 2 pts
   
4. Give a Psychology Reroll to a unit once in the battle. - 1 pt.
5. Give general re-roll to a unit (Reroll 1 type of roll) - 2pts.
6. Give Hatred on a single enemy unit to a unit - 2 pts.
7. Allow the leadership of a Hero level character to be used within 6 inches - 3 pts.
   

During the Game

1. Reroll up to 5 to hit OR to wound dice - 2 pts ( No more rubber lances!)
2. Reroll a Psychology Test - 2 pts
3. Insane Courage for a unit - 3 pts
4. Reroll up to 5 armour saves - 2 pts
5. Revive a mage who just died to within 12 inches of point of dying - 2 pts (Mages just die too easily to be viable. Hopefully this allows them to be more useful?)
   

Let me know what you think.