KANTOR BASE

A Couple of Updates

2012-01-21T17:10:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, but I have recently fallen victim to a sneaky patch of ice which caused me to fall and rupture the tendons above my kneecap that will require surgery to repair. Thank you very much Old Man Winter. So while I lay here at home waiting for the surgery, I thought I'd post an update.

First, I completed a test model for my Astral Claws army. One of which I'm satisfied with, so I've given myself the green light to proceed. I'll have an image or two posted soon for that. My limite mobility prevents me from searching for the camera.

My other update is my review of the new Pathfinder Battles miniatures from Paizo/Wizkids. The first set, Heroes & Monsters was just released and while I don't have any retailer nearby that carres them, I opted to order a few of the single online. I received my first order the other day and I am quite pleased with them so far. The painting is a standard a bit higher than WotC's Dungeons and Dragons minis in terms of the details. Wizkids also went with the flat finishes as opposed to the glossy look, which I like. The other thing that I enjoy about this set is that there is a healthy mix of characters as well as your basic dungeon crawl denizens. There are forty in the first set, with the next set due out in June or July. Plenty of time for me to complete this one. I would say the only down side for this product is the packaging. The boosters are sold in two types: one containing a single large monster and another containing one medium or two small miniatures. I would imagine it would get a bit pricey trying to collect them all going that route. I'm guessing it would be cheaper in the long run, to buy singles on line. All in all, this set will go great with the Pathfinder Campaign that I have in the works.

Wights and Ghouls and Bats, Oh My!

2012-01-15T10:39:00.005-06:00

I picked up the new Vampire Counts Army Book yesterday with what remained of my Christmas gift cards. Aside from the $41.00 price tag, it's a cool book. Considering the hardcover and full-color layout, I can live with the price increase. I'm not looking to start a Vampire Counts army, but I usually make it a point to collect all of the army books and codices.

That said, there are some pretty cool new character models that I may collect, just to paint up and place in my cabinet. The new Krell model and along with the new Wight King would make great Death Knights for a Pathfinder RPG campaign I have in the works.

Am I Really That Old????

2012-01-14T08:41:00.005-06:00

I was slapped by a healthy dose of real life this morning, that I want to share. I got out of bed at 6:00am on this beautiful winter morning to wake up my oldest daughter. You see, today she is taking her high school entrance exam. Yes, she is in 8th grade and beginning to prepare herself for high school. Those exciting but scary first steps into adulthood. I can't believe how fast the time is flying. It's seems like yesterday I was lounging on the sofa with my newborn baby girl sleeping on my chest.

Anyway, we stopped at a Starbuck's so she can get one of those fancy, schmancy caffeinated drinks (they like to call it coffee, but it's not). We went in and she ordered her mocha, latte, whateveryoucallit and then we moved to the next station where we waited for her order. Then I hear the barista ('cause now they have to have a special tile), yell out "Grande Soy Chai"!! I looked at my teenager and said "What the hell is a Soy Chai". She shrugged her shoulders and I launched into a grumpy-old-man style tirade about kids today. I pointed out that her 'coffee' cost $6 bucks and there wasn't even a newspaper or coffee pot in the whole place. I couldn't help but notice that I was the oldest person in there and everyone had their heads buried in a their laptops or their iPhones. Thoroughly embarrased, my daughter pulled her hood over her head, grabbed her drink and headed for the door.

I just got back from dropping her off and realized that I am the father of a modern teenager and a girl, no less. How's that for a double whammy? I guess my point here is, that I really feel old. I always thought that I was the cool dad and in the loop. I guess not. But finally, I just want my daughter to know that I'm so very proud of her and all that she's achieved and I believe that she will, without a doubt take the world by storm.

Fastest FW Order...EVER!!!

2012-01-13T18:18:00.003-06:00

My Astral Claws, shoulder guards and decal sheet arrived today! Holy Crap! That was the fastest order from Forgeworld...EVER!!! I ordered them over the weekend.

I also started working on some test models last night, but I wasn't completely happy with the result. I tried using Chainmail with a Badab Black wash. I got the color right, but the wash flattened the finish. Anybody know away around that? I'm trying to get a shade somewhere in between Chainmail and Boltgun Metal.

Uh....Yeah....A New Army

2012-01-12T17:40:00.006-06:00

It's a new year and it's time for a new army. I've become very interested in the Astral Claws Chapter while reading through my Badab War books from Forgeworld. Collecting Space Marines isn't anything new to me, but collecting renegade Space Marines...now THAT'S new. The thought of collecting this army feels like the breath of fresh air that I've been looking for. Plus it will give me the option of running that army in a variety of different ways. My initial steps, I think, will be to build a 1,000 point list from the Space Marine codex, then gradually build up and expand to transform it into a Tyrant's Legion army.

I ordered a sheet of transfers and a set of shoulder guards from Forgeworld (because that was all my gaming budget would allow for this month) and sat down to start gluing some plastic. I should have a test model or two painted by the end of the weekend and posted. In the meantime, I'm going to delve more into the background of the chapter and actually start reading the IA books.

Merry Christmas from Kantor Base

2011-12-25T11:26:00.002-06:00

On behalf of myself and my family, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. May your holidays be filled with love, laughter, family and friends. Oh, and a lot of gaming stuff!

First Warmachine Model Painted

2011-12-20T17:33:00.005-06:00

Commander Coleman Stryker was the first Warmachine model to fall victim to my mediocre painting skills. I had a difficult time with this piece. I think more because of the fact that I haven't painted anything in a while. I missed a couple of mold lines during the cleaning, but it can't be helped now. Unless I want to re-paint it - which I don't. But all in all, I gave it a decent effort and I'm on to the plastic Ironclad. The lighting sucks, but photographing models will be something I learn later. Nearly every color on the model was from GW paints because that's what I had on hand. But I want to check out some of the P3 paints in the future. I'd like to finish the Cygnar battlegroup before Christmas, but we'll see. I got this model done in one evening, while watching TV, so...who knows. Stranger things have happened.

I've spent the last couple of days reading the background and history of the Warmachine setting and I like it a lot. That mix of fantasy and military is really hitting the spot. So far, my two favorite factions are Cygnar and Khador with the Mercenary faction following a close, close third. Anyway, comments are always welcome.

Crawling Out...

2011-12-18T10:44:00.006-06:00

On the advice of some of the followers of Kantor Base (thanks guys!), I'm making the attempt at getting out of my funk. On a very recent visit to a local Half Price Books, I came across a mint-condition copy of Warmachine: Wrath, the most recent release from Privateer Press. Taking advantage of the silence (due to the fact that my wife was home with the kids), I grabbed a large coffee from Dunkin' Donuts, found a hiding spot in the parking lot and thumbed through each page my new prize.

One thing I think Privateer Press does well is how they present their material. The art is absolutely amazing and their studio painters are every bit as skilled as GW's legendary 'Eavy Metal team (in my opinion). There are also dozens and dozens of full-color photos of their models. The material in the book motivated me to give this game a shot. This past spring, I made my first appearance at Adepticon and I picked up two Battle Group Starter Kits (plastic) at a 20% discount. As history dictated, I put the kits aside and never really touched them.

Well now I'm in a funk and I need to get out. But every time I look at Warhammer project, I am completely overwhelmed by the number of models one would have to paint to get an army on the table. I don't mind playing against anyone that uses a WIP, unpainted army, but I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to my own. I detest putting unpainted models on the table. Along comes Warmachine - you can get started with half a dozen miniatures. So I dug into reading the MkII rules that came with the kits (yep - didn't have to buy a giant rulebook to get going). I assembled the models: Khador and Cygnar and I'm getting started.

Oh, and I actually found a place across from my favorite Irish Pub to play. A new hobby store opened up and has a steady presence in the PP Forums. Maybe it's a sign.

Lost!

2011-12-11T15:35:00.003-06:00

I'm currently in a serious gaming/hobby funk. I've been drifting back and forth between reading WFB rules/expansions, to Warmachine, to Pathfinder RPG and their new upcoming Heroes and Monsters miniature combat game, to board games like The Adventurers and Heroscape. Then bouncing back to 40k. I even glance at the Dreadfleet boxed set which I have not finished reading. I've seen some great material on the web or in magazines, but I can't seem to get myself motivated enough to jump into anything.

I just don't know what to do anymore. Maybe it's because I'm too busy with work and family, but I can't seem to engage any project or game with any kind of zeal. Has anyone out there been faced with a similar dilemma?

It's Christmas Time Alright!

2011-11-27T16:59:00.006-06:00

The holidays are definitely here. It took me an hour and a half to get the Christmas stuff down from the garage and another thirty minutest to get stuff into the house. That's because my darling bride of 15 years decided to go grocery shopping first and then to her mother's house. So by the time she got home, it was after three o'clock. After 45 minutes of sifting through boxes and testing lights and whatnot, we got one lighted lawn ornament done. Now that my hands are numb and my nose is running...AND it is now dark outside, I shoved everything back into the garage and called it a day.

Moral of the story: Don't start your Christmas decorations after half the day is gone on a Sunday.

A Little RPG Anyone?

2011-11-08T19:29:00.004-06:00

I got a little nostalgic recently and started thinking about my old D&D days when I was in junior high. Now for you youngsters, that was circa 1978/1979 - ish, when Advanced D&D was taking the free world by storm. I spent many a long evenings gathered around my buddy Mike's kitchen table with the other guys on the block running through the Keep on the Borderlands scenarios (Caves of Chaos) or solving the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Hell, we even delved into the dungeons of Castle Greyhawk. Those were the days when Roleplaying Games were great. As time went on, we found more time for girls and beer than we did for gaming. But I always kept up with the rules. I also picked up my copy of Dragon Magazine and also kept a watch out for any new miniatures (they were made of lead back then and I didn't have to pin them or super glue them).

Well TSR sold off D&D to these Wizards of the Coast guys and for a time, I liked what they were doing with the game. But then, 4th Edition has come along and I have to say that it is a far, far cry from what I grew up on. It's just not the same. Plastic, pre-painted minis, none of which look like the characters I'd create. Heroes and villains wielding misshapen swords. Ooh, I hated that. And seriously? Flat tokens to represent monsters and adventurers. What a complete lack of commitment on the part of WOTC. Sure the artwork got better, but the gaming aspect? It's taken a total dump.

As WOTC left the old editions of D&D behind and the OGL came onto the scene, other companies were able to publish fantasy RPGs that were basically picking up where the 3rd edition of D&D left off. Pathfinder RPG has probably been the biggest one to date and has been very successful. I love the setting and the artwork is every bit as good as the D&D stuff.

So what am I getting at? Well, through all this, I've been feeling the urge to get back into RPGs, but I was looking for a simpler way to do it...and as luck would have it, Paizo Publishing answered my prayers and released the Pathfinder RPG Beginner Box. At $34.00, it is well worth it. The quality of this product far surpasses WOTC feeble attempt to come up with a Basic version of D&D through their retro Red Box set. The Pathfinder product, like the D&D set, includes a solo adventure, a Player's Handbook and GM Guide, some dice and a map. But that's where the similarities end. Pathfinder's Beginner Box takes the players up through 5th level, not 2nd or 3rd. Paizo also includes stand up pawns that represent heroes and monsters that are included in the game. Complete with plastic bases. Pathfinder RPG introduces 3 primary races: Elf, Dwarf, Human and 4 primary classes: Fighter, Cleric, Wizard and Rogue. A big plus for me is that they also included pawns for every class and race combination as well as gender. Ingenious!!! So far, it's a great, great product. I can't wait to play.

Oh and one more thing, Paizo has teamed with Wizkids, to release a set of plastic, pre-painted miniatures for the Pathfinder as well. I am cautiously optimistic about this product. But if the minis fail, Pathfinder still produces some kick-ass metal miniatures for the Pathfinder game through Reaper. I'll just have to paint some up.

Captain's Log - Unboxing Dreadfleet's Ships

2011-10-09T16:37:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to spending some time with my copy of Dreadfleet. Up until now, I've been stealing late night moments or lunch hours to read the novel or thumb through the rules (what can I say? I'm a busy man). Anyway, I decided to pull some of the models out and take a shot at assembling some of the models. I've been hearing reports that the models are a bit brittle so I was a bit nervous and decided to start with some of the easier ones.

My first observations were that these models were as big as I was expecting, but in terms of detail: they ROCK! Great looking models. Well done, GW! I have to give credit where credit is due. So I went ahead and got to work, carefully clipping the models from the sprues and cleaning them up. I decided to press them together with no glue, so I can go back and separate certain assemblies for painting.

I assembled Grimnir's Thunder, Curse of Zandri, and the Black Kraken, perhaps the easiest ones to assemble as neither of them come with sails or masts. Each of them pressed together nicely and fit fairly flush. Will need a minimum of liquid green stuff. So far, so good. With 7 ships to go and three hungry daughters screaming for their supper, I better get back and see what else is in the box, uh...I mean get dinner started.

By the way - I stole this post's pic off of the net, so thanks to whoever snapped it.

...I Am Weak...

2011-10-06T22:11:00.005-05:00

Okay, I admit it. I'm weak and I folded. After all that blustery bull crap I spouted a few posts back, I couldn't resist the call of the sea and I picked up a copy of Dreadfleet. BUT...I didn't lay out $115 for it. I gathered up some of my unused Warhammer model sets that I never got around to using traded them in for store credit. GW wouldn't give me cash back and I wouldn't break even on ebay and none of my friends were interested in taking them off my hands, so I figured what the hell. After all was said and done, I walked out with copy of a Dreadfleet and the novel and only shelled out $.081.

So at first glance, I'm happy with my new 'purchase'. The contents is first rate and I like what I've read so far. The back story is pretty cool - very spooky, ghosty. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the novel and I'm enjoying so far. I'll post back once I get the rules read.

Great New Sci-fi

2011-10-03T23:54:00.004-05:00

I checked out that new science fiction show on Fox, Terra Nova. I'm hooked. So far, it's the top of my list of this year's new shows. The show centers on the Shannons, an ordinary family from 2149 when the planet is dying who are transported back 85 million years to prehistoric Earth where they join Terra Nova, a colony of humans with a second chance to build a civilization.

I love the concept and it's actually keeping my interest. I sat down to watch and work on some models at the same time and I found myself putting my work aside to focus on the show. I guess you could say the 21st century's answer to the old Land of the Lost franchise, but a lot less cheesy. Great characters, decent special effects and with Spielberg behind the scenes and Brannon Braga, involved - how can you go wrong?!

Time of the Wolf

2011-09-27T23:20:00.003-05:00

It seems I accidentally deleted a recent post. Over the weekend, I had decided that it was time to take that 'new outlook' philosophy and apply it to a new 40k army. So I pulled out my Space Wolf codex yesterday and started reading. I've talked about doing this army in the past, but I never seemed to get it off the ground. Well, that all changes now. With Halloween coming and all, I figured why not start the wolves. So I'm starting with a Grey Hunters box and a SW Accessory sprue. I sat down tonight with my modeling tools and glue, popped in Underworld and got to work.

As of now, I've got 10 models half assembled. I'm waiting for the glue to dry before I begin attaching arms and such, but I'll get back at it tomorrow. I think I'm going to go squad by squad on this army. I'll start with Bran Redmaw's Great Company (which will be featured in the new Imperial Armour book and will also have a Bran Redmaw mini from FW - go figure). I may hunt down a Wulfen or two, but we'll see. They seem pretty expensive.

Should I or Shouldn't I??

2011-09-25T20:59:00.005-05:00

So Games Workshop has announced it's new board game, Dreadfleet. Ship combat in the World of Warhammer on the high seas. One thing GW does well (in my opinion) is generate hype. That is until they decided to start keeping a lid on things. But at first glance, this new game certainly does reel me in, and my first instinct is to buy the game. But once again, they take the wind out of my sails by A) Making it 'Whiles Supplies Last', so now I can't plan to get the scratch together over the course of a couple of paydays to buy it, and B) Set the retail price so high, that a working dad of three can't help but become overwhelmed with guilt for spending more than $100 on a board game.

Again, the game looks great and I am a huge fan of their revival of Space Hulk, but will they make the game worth the investment? By that I mean will we see expansions in the future, i.e. a reason to keep playing the game after the initial excitement has fizzled?? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess 'no'. That was the one big disappointment that I had with Space Hulk. No new scenario packs, no new model kits or expansions. I've played the game a bunch of times, but now it becomes the same thing over and over. Hardly worth the $100 price tag.

I'm not sure who's steering the ship over there, but they need to take a long, hard look at their business model, before they lose that loyal customer base.

40k Book Review - Chapter's Due

2011-09-21T20:47:00.005-05:00

So today's post will on the topic of books. Specifically, science fiction. I just got through reading The Chapter's Due by Graham McNeill.

I had trouble getting into the Uriel Ventris books, but I have to say that I really enjoyed the book. Without getting into some sophisticated ultra-analytical review, I thought it was a great, great read. It really delved into the chapter as a whole and featured a wide variety of the heroes of the chapter. The battles were great and I'm a big fan of the Iron Warriors, so that was a plus. Finally, just in general it was action all the way through. Oh and the fleet battles. There was some of that too!

Anyway, check the book out. If you're a space marine fan, you won't be disappointed.

A New Outlook...

2011-09-20T19:32:00.003-05:00

I have recently been faced with some very serious struggles and while they are ongoing, I have chosen for myself and for the sake of my family to not let them get the best of me. I have chosen to, as my dad says, to keep my chin up. I believe, now more than ever that I can handle whatever life can throw at me. I know this because the only other solution would to be to lie down and call it quits. I'm not going to do that. So now, I will view each day as a gift and a chance to get it right.

So that said, I'm going to put more of an effort into a great many things. My job, my home, my family and friends and of course my hobbies. I've let a lot of things drag over the last year or two. Call it depression over losing my job a year ago or whatever, but I'm past that now and it's time to battle back with a new, energetic outlook. Going forward, I pledge to post more material on Warhammer, 4ok, literature, movies, RPGs, life in general - whatever comes to mind, but gone are the days of ignoring life. So here's to the first day of the rest of my life.

We Will Never Forget

2011-09-11T14:24:00.002-05:00

To all of the victims, their families and heroes of 9/11, you are all still in my prayers. That day will forever stay etched in my memory. I remember it being a beautiful, sunny day and I was hearing the reports on the radio as I drove to work. I could feel my heart starting to race with fear. I got to work and sprinted across the parking lot to get upstairs and see what was happening. I got to the TV in the lounge just as the second plane hit the tower. I remember, I stopped breathing for several seconds. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I remember our Help Desk being uncharacteristically silent with no phones ringing.

My boss came around and told us all to go home and be with our families. I left immediately and I can't remember ever wanting to be beside my wife and children more than on that day. My wife was terrified. I was glued to the television all day.

My parents and grandparents tell me that they remember ever minute of the day that John Kennedy was assassinated. They could remember where they were, who they were with and what they were doing. Sadly, 9/11 has had the same impact on me.

God Bless America and all of those who have sacrificed so much in the name of freedom. We owe you more than we can ever hope to repay. We Will Never Forget.

40k Book Review - Imperial Glory

2011-08-21T14:41:00.004-05:00

Until a couple of weeks ago, I was between jobs and beginning to climb the walls. So to maintain my sanity, I got back into reading. I had a stack of books almost as tall I was, so I figured I'd work on that. About 4 days ago, I finished the newest IG book, Imperial Glory by Richard Williams and I enjoyed that one immensely. Some great firefights and running battles with a host of colorful characters. I kind of envisioned as Band of Brothers episodes as they fought their was through various battlefields...and the ending was great. Best I've read in a while. Well, now I'm nearly half way through The Chapter's Due by Graham McNeill. This one is the latest book in the Uriel Ventris series (Captain of the Ultramarines 4th Company). Up until now, I was not a huge fan of the series, having a difficult time getting into it, but this latest installment is nothing less than awesome!! I'm having a tough time putting it down and I even get cranky when someone (aka, wife and kids) forces me to put the book down.

The book needless to say has got me on an Ultramarine kick, so don't be surprised to see some Ultramarines minis pop up hear at Kantor Base. Oh, and I actually finished painting a 750 point Grey Knights army AND played my first game over the weekend. It did no go well, but I had fun playing with a painted army for a change, so I'm hoping there will be more of that.

Victory At Last!!!!

2011-07-21T22:47:00.004-05:00

I got together with my buddy Mike and played a 1500 point game of Warhammer with the new Storm of Magic expansion. Let me preface this with the fact that I do have the new book, but haven't read a word, but I was curious to give it a whirl and Mike was willing to accommodate. I brought my High Elves and he brought his Dwarfs. Keep in mind that I HAVE NOT won a single Warhammer Fantasy game in all the years I've been playing tabletop wargames. Well, my friends, that losing streak ended this evening. My only regret was that I didn't take notes, nor did I bring my camera.

The unit of the game had to be my Sword Masters. They cut down a Chimera, a giant Doombull that had once been a Dwarf Runesmith that fell victim to a miscast. They also defeated and ran down a rather large regiment of Dwarf Warriors. All in all, I enjoyed the Storm of Magic expansion. Now I just have to go and read the rules.

That's One Bad A** Frost Giant

2011-07-19T18:30:00.003-05:00

I just started reading The Plague of Shadows by Howard Andrew Jones. I'm about 50 pages into the book and I can't put it down. The story is set in the popular Pathfinder Campaign Setting by Paizo Publishing. That RPG system has stuck to the old D&D 3.5 rule set and honestly I can still see the appeal. It kind of takes me back to my old 1st and 2nd Dungeons & Dragons days. Those were some great times. Anyway, one thing led to another and I started looking at the Reaper metal miniatures...and check this out!

Now I don't like working with metal models from an army standpoint, BUT I do miss the old days when one miniature represented you on the gaming table. Hey, anyone up for Pathfinder??

BatRep - HE/Empire v. Skaven 1500pts

2011-07-11T18:35:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I got together with our gaming group and played a 2-on-2 game of WFB. Aaron and myself, playing Empire and High Elves respectively squared off against Mike and Paul, both fielding Skaven. From the get go, I could see this was going to be a tough game. Here are the highlights.

I neglected to get the army lists recorded, but keep in mind this was more or less a practice game for me as I learn my army and the game.

Skaven won roll off and opted to move first. This was a straight battle with no special rules.

Turn 1
The Skaven aggressively began moving their lines forward in order to close the distance. The Skaven magic phase dealt a crippling blow to my Archers, who I was depending on to whittle down the numbers. A Plague spell brought down 7 of my 10 Archers. Our magic phase, resulted in a successfull Flames of the Phoenix spell, killing 7 clanrats and wounding the Plague Priest. I began moving my Reavers around the Skaven left flank and was able to take out the Warpfire Thrower (one of two war machines).

Turn 2
The skaven continued to advance and I foolishly held my Spearmen and Sword Masters back, while the Empire contingent charged the Rat Ogres on our right and killed one in the ensuing combat. Magic was ineffective AND I forgot to move my Reavers around to the rear to intercept the last Skaven war machine. Bad move.

Turn 3
Another skaven Plague spell hits my forces and destroys half of my Sword Masters before they can get into combat. Not having any place to move without risking running off the table, clanrats charged my Reavers. Spearmen are charged, lose combat, flee but rally at the beginning of the next turn. Our magic phase goes well and Flames of the Phoenix accounts for 15 more dead rats. The last Rat Ogre falls and the skaven slaves are destroyed. Things appear to be looking up.

Turn 4
Skaven charge spearmen and send them running. Clanrats foolishly pursue...off the table with the Flames of Phoenix spell still in play, which ultimately finishes that unit. The Greatswords move forward and meet the clanrats charge and Empire Swordsmen along with their detachment of halberdiers also charge. Off to our right, my Reavers are finished off, doing only minimal damage to the enemy.

Turn 5
Remaining Archers are killed off as are the Empire Knights and Mortar crew. While the Greatswords cause substantial damage they and the Swordsmen are finally killed. With only the War Priest and the Mage left, we concede the battle to the Skaven.

Post Game
I think this loss was solely on the High Elves. Three major factors contributed to the result. First, losing my Archers so early in the game. That was from the result of a die roll, so I couldn't control that. Second, Forgetting to move my Reavers around to the rear in order to take out the second remaining ranged threat, and finally, I should have charged with my units when I had the chance, but did not. I allowed them to remain unengaged for an additional enemy magic phase, which decimated my forces. My partner Aaron a more cunning strategist, fared better and hung in the fight a bit longer. All in all, a fun game with a good group of people.

Sword Masters - Done!

2011-07-11T15:49:00.003-05:00

I did something today, that I haven't done in some time. I actually finished painting a unit of models. A regiment of 10 Sword Masters of Hoeth from the Island of Blood set. I still have to base them, but that's beside the point. I'm glad to have them done.

This unit is part of my 1,000 point introductory list, as I continue to learn the army and how it works. The plan is to eventually build this out to 25 models and to magnetize a movement tray. Next up will my High Elf Mage, which also comes from the Island of Blood set. I'm hoping to finish that one tonight and get started on the Spearmen tomorrow!

Painting High Elf Mage (Island of Blood) - Part 2

2011-07-10T21:54:00.000-05:00

My Island of Blood High Elf Mage is finished. I had decided to paint this model before assembling in order to make it easier on myself...and am I glad that I did. It took long enough to do it with easy access to every detail. I couldn't have imagined doing it after it was built. Anyway, here's a shot of the painted mini still on the sprue. Painting was nothing special. Once again, extensive use of washes rather than highlighting. I want the army to have a darker feel to it. After all, the Storm of Magic is nothing to dress up about!

The Storm Has Arrived!!

2011-07-09T14:40:00.002-05:00

I picked up my Storm of Magic book today as well as the new Magic Cards. At first glance, just thumbing through it, I think its a nice complement to the 8th Ed. rulebook and I'm psyched about being able to incorporate monsters from other armies into my High Elves. Unfortunately, they were already sold out of the terrain when I got there, so I'll have to wait. I won't choose any monsters until I read the book - I've spent to much cash on kits that never get used.

I was disappointed with the cards, due to the fact that the website led me to believe that there was room for the other magic cards, but what they don't tell you is that you have to actually remove the Storm of Magic cards first. Thanks, GW!

The plan for tonight is to kick back in the recliner and start reading the new book, but so far - I recommend it.

Painting High Elf Mage (Island of Blood) - Part 1

2011-07-08T13:07:00.001-05:00

I seem to be playing Fantasy more than anything else lately, so I'm going to dive into my Island of Blood set and get those models painted, starting with the Mage. This one looks like it's going to be a pain in the butt to paint (judging by the first one that I foolishly assembled without considering how difficult it might be), so I decided to paint this one BEFORE assembling it. This model comes in three easy snap-together components. What I did was leave them on the sprue to maximize the exposure to the details. I cleaned off all of the flash, only leaving each piece attached in the areas that would provide the most support, so I can handle the model.

NEXT STEP: Priming

WFB - Doubles Game Tonight

2011-07-07T15:59:00.002-05:00

I'm partnering up with another High Elf player tonight for a 1500 point game. Which is to say that I'm responsible for 750 points. Now, keep in mind, I haven't spoken to my partner, so I have no idea what he's bringing, but we are battling it out with the Skaven this evening. For my half, I'm fielding:

1 Mage (level 2)
15 Spearmen w/ cmd
10 Archers w/ cmd
10 Sword Masters of Hoeth w/ cmd
5 Ellyrian Reavers w/ Harbinger

On a side note, until yesterday, I only had a single model painted; the Mage. Well, I'm pleased to announce that 7 of my 10 Sword Masters are now painted. For me, that's a lot of painting in one day. Anyway, wish me luck. I hope to post pics tomorrow.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T09:48:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a safe and Happy 4th of July!!

Hmmm....Very Interesting.....

2011-06-25T14:45:00.003-05:00

This new Storm of Magic expansion has grabbing my interest. Finally, some ass-kickin' monster models - in plastic. The Chaos Lord on Manticore looks bad ass! So does the Dark Elf Lord on Dragon. Hmmmm. I'm feeling the tug of WFB getting stronger and stronger....

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T09:16:00.003-05:00

Just want to wish my dad a Happy Father's Day...you've always been my hero. Love you, Dad.

A happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there. It's a tough job, but it's the best job I've ever had. Enjoy the day and God Bless.

Stuff I'm Working On...

2011-06-15T14:48:00.003-05:00

Not too long ago, I tried organizing my work area and was shocked at how many projects I had started and never completed (or in some cases, never started). So I decided to try and put some of my free time to use and get some things assembled, painted and possibly sold.

The last few days have been split between the new Grey Knights and Imperial Fists. Pardon the crappy resolution. The batteries on the camera died and my wife's iPod was close at hand. Bad idea. Anyway, the Grey Knights are part of a 1250 list that I created when the new codex was released and the Imperial Fists were out of a desire to start a codex chapter that was vanilla, but not the goody, goody boy scouts that the Ultramarines are.

I'm also jumping on my High Elves and I have my eye on a Tomb Kings project as well. More to come.

40k Book Review - Horus Heresy

2011-06-13T14:37:00.004-05:00

In an effort to inspire my kids to read more, I spent considerable time over the last few weeks trying to catch up on the ridiculously tall stack of books that I have accumulated over the last year. I recently finished two of the Horus Heresy books: Legion by Dan Abnett and The Battle For The Abyss by Ben Counter. I was a bit disappointed in both stories, to be honest. I struggled to maintain my interest in Legion, finding the book to be somewhat dull and not nearly enough action. The story focuses on the Night Legion, one of the Traitor Legions. I was hoping for some epic battles, but it was more (to me, at least) of an uninteresting political novel.

Battle For The Abyss was a tad better, with a little more combat than the previous book, but I had some difficulty keeping some of the characters straight. I also expected to see a bit more of the Ultramarines featured in this book, but again, I was disappointed.

This series started off well, but it seems to have wavered somewhat. I will continue to read the series and finish it, because I don't like leaving books unfinished (weird, I know), but I've just picked up the new Space Marine Battles Novel, Battle of the Fang by Chris Wraight. I hear this one's pretty awesome.

High Elves - Back to Basics

2011-05-22T18:50:00.002-05:00

As I had mentioned in my post yesterday. I almost literally got ran off the table during my game of Warhammer Fantasy. Now, before I go any further, I am not one of those players who placing winning above the fun aspect of the game. But I would like to at least master the game and get more enjoyment out of a gaming session. Keep in mind, this has nothing to do with any opponent that I've ever played. Classy players one and all. So the work has to start with me.

After some considerable thought, I think my inability to play well as less to do with lousy dice rolling that it does with the fact that I don't know my army. I need to spend more time with my army and learn what it can and cannot do. So...I'm going back to basics. I cut it down to a 1,000 point list that is an 'ideal starting army' for a new player. Which is basically what I am. The term, 'ideal starting army' comes form the High Elf army book.

Basically, I've started with GW's recommendation for a starter army on page 73 of the book. I decided to go with Dragon Princes instead of Silver Helms, because let's face it, those are stupid looking models. The new plastic Dragon Princes are great looking kits. Here is the list that I'm going to begin with:

1 Prince on Elven steed w/ Ogre Blade
10 Archers w/ full command
15 Spearmen w/ full command
10 Sword Masters of Hoeth w/ full command
5 Dragon Princes w/ full command
1 Repeater Bolt Thrower

The list does not have any magic, but I figured one step at a time. Plus, both my mages were absolutely useless yesterday. So in future posts, I'll add updates to this project and hopefully include a little fictional background as well. In the meantime, I'm re-reading the army book and payings specific attention to the unit entries that are in this starting force.

1500 High Elves...Fail

2011-05-21T19:27:00.003-05:00

I got that game in with my buddy Jon today. He brought Chaos Warriors against my High Elves. The game started out will, I gunned down his Marauder Horseman in pretty short order, but that was the extent of my success. I won't get into the details, but by the end of the third turn, I was down to just my level 2 Mage. Nothing went right. So it's back to the drawing board, 'cause my list sucked.

I still haven't given up on the High Elves. I am convinced that there is a way to a winning army. I'm thinking of dropping my Ellyrian Reavers (2 units of 5) and going with a nice block of 10 Dragon Princes and maybe give up some finesse and sink some points into a Dragon Mage as well. Lothern Sea Guard totally crapped the bed for me, so I'm dropping those in favor of some cheaper Spearmen. Those are just some initial thoughts. My losing list today was:

Noble - no magic itmes
Level 2 Mage
Level 1 Mage
10 Archers w/ champion
20 Swordmasters w/ command and banner of sorcery
20 LSG w/ command
5 Ellyrian Reavers
5 Ellyrian Reavers
1 Bolt Thrower

40k Book Review - Victories of the Space Marines

2011-05-20T19:49:00.005-05:00

I just finished reading Victories of the Space Marines, the latest edition in the series of short story anthologies from Black Library. I really enjoyed this third volume. Some of the tales featured a great piece about the Grey Knights and sacrifices made to battle daemons. Excellent story. Loved it. It was also good to see the Blood Angels audio drama, Heart of Rage in print. That one's my favorite Blood Angels story. Some of the chapters features were the Crimson Consuls, Warbringers, Imperial Fists and a Deathwatch Kill Team. I finished this book just in time to pick up the latest Space Marines Battle novel, Battle of the Fang. Of course, this will probably launch me back into Space Wolves (yes, I've prepared a 750-point list). With the rumors about the next Imperial Armour volume featuring the sons of Russ, I couldn't resist.

On the hobby front, I got three of my Grey Knight Strike Squad painted today. I mean completely painted. That includes basing and a couple of coats of sealer. I can't remember the last time I painted three models in a single day.

Tomorrow, I'm playing a game of Warhammer Fantasy against my buddy Jon. 1500 points of High Elves against Warriors of Chaos. I'm guessing I'll get stomped, but it'll be a fun time in any case.

GW switches to 'Resin-ish'

2011-05-16T13:35:00.008-05:00

Looks like GW has confirmed the move to Resin-ish models. Amen. Personally, I hate metals. Below is a list of the initial product list, couresy of BOLS. I can't wait to get my hands on some of these items. The new stuff is reportedly hitting the shelves at the end of the month. But instead of a price decrease as rumored by one of the GW staffers, there seems to be a price hike, but I expected nothing less. The items in red are definitely going to be my first choices. I wonder if the sculpts will be new?

41-60 COMMANDER DANTE £10.50 53-60 LOGAN GRIMNAR £14.50
55-61 THE EMPERORS CHAMPION £9.50
48-63 SPACE MARINE CHAPLAIN WITH JUMP PACK £10.50
44-60 DARK ANGELS COMPANY MASTER £10.50
48-61 SM LIBRARIAN IN TERMINATOR ARMOUR £14.50 53-61 NJAL STORMCALLER £14.50 41-61 ASTORATH THE GRIM £12.50
43-60 ABADDON THE DESPOILER £14.50
43-61 HURON BLACKHEART £10.50
50-61 ORK WARBOSS WITH ATTACK SQUIG £14.50
50-63 ORK BIG MEK £14.50
50-65 ORK PAINBOY WITH GROT ORDERLY £10.50
46-61 ELDAR AUTARCH WITH POWER WEAPON £10.50
46-62 THE AVATAR OF KHAINE £22.50
46-63 HARLEQUIN DEATH JESTER £10.50
46-64 HARLEQUIN SHADOWSEER £10.50
47-61 COMMISSAR YARRICK £10.50
47-63 IMPERIAL GUARD LORD COMMISSAR £9.50
51-61 TYRANID ZOANTHROPE £15.50
51-63 TYRANID TYRANT GUARD £15.50
51-64 TYRANID HIVE GUARD £15.50
51-65 TYRANID BROODLORD £15.50
57-61 BROTHER CAPTAIN STERN £14.50
57-60 LORD KALDOR DRAIGO £14.50 57-62 CASTELLAN CROWE £10.50 57-63 INQUISITOR COTEAZ £10.50
45-60 DARK ELDAR ARCHON £9.50
45-64 LELITH HESPERAX £10.50
45-63 URIEN RAKARTH £10.50
45-61 DARK ELDAR SUCCUBUS £9.50
56-60 TAU ETHEREAL WITH HONOUR BLADE £9.50
83-62 CHAOS EXALTED HERO £9.50
83-63 CHAOS KHORNE EXALTED HERO £10.50
86-60 EMPIRE CAPTAIN WITH HAMMER & PISTOL £9.50
92-60 WOOD ELF HIGHBORN WITH GREAT WEAPON £9.50
84-60 DWARF LORD WITH HAMMER & SHIELD £9.50
84-61 DWARF RUNELORD WITH GREAT WEAPON £9.50
90-60 SKAVEN WARLORD £9.50
90-61 QUEEK HEADTAKER £10.50
90-62 DEATHMASTER SNIKCH £10.50
91-61 VAMPIRE LORD £9.50
89-60 GRIMGOR IRONHIDE £10.50
89-62 BLACK ORC BIG BOSS £10.50
87-60 CARADRYAN £10.50
85-61 DARK ELF ASSASSIN WITH TWO HAND WEAPONS £9.50
81-60 MALAGOR THE DARK OMEN £12.50
10-61 URUK-HAI WITH CROSSBOWS £14.00
10-62 URUK-HAI BERSERKERS £14.00
08-61 GOTHMOG (PELENNOR) £20.50
05-60 ELROND AND GIL-GALAD £15.00
10-60 SARUMAN AND GRIMA £15.00
02-60 GANDALF THE WHITE £20.50
04-60 ARAGORN (THE BLACK GATE) £20.50
04-62 THEODEN (HELM’S DEEP) £20.50
04-61 BOROMIR (ITHILIEN) £20.50
09-60 SULADAN THE SERPENT LORD £20.50
08-62 THE DARK MARSHAL (RINGWRAITH) £20.50
05-61 DAIN AND BALIN £15.00
97-60 SKULLTAKER £14.50
48-40 MARNEUS CALGAR AND HONOUR GUARD £36.00
48-41 SPACE MARINE TECHMARINE WITH SERVITORS £25.50 55-40 BLACK TEMPLARS SWORD BRETHREN SQUAD £25.50 48-42 SPACE MARINE STERNGUARD VETERAN SQUAD £25.50 48-43 SPACE MARINE VANGUARD VETERAN SQUAD £25.50 53-40 CANIS WOLFBORN £30.00
43-40 NURGLE DAEMON PRINCE £21.50
43-41 CHAOS SPACE MARINE RAPTORS £25.50
43-42 DEATH GUARD PLAGUE MARINES £25.50
50-43 BOSS ZAGSTRUK £14.50
50-40 GHAZGHKULL THRAKA £22.50
50-41 ORK TANKBUSTAS £25.50
50-42 ORK BIG MEK WITH SHOKK ATTACK GUN £23.00
46-41 ELDAR RANGERS £20.50
46-42 ELDAR DARK REAPERS £23.00
46-44 ELDAR STRIKING SCORPIONS £23.00
46-40 ELDAR FARSEER AND WARLOCKS £20.50
51-42 TYRANID LICTOR £15.50
51-40 TYRANID HIVE TYRANT £36.00
51-41 TYRANID PYROVORE £21.50
45-40 DARK ELDAR INCUBI £23.00
45-41 DARK ELDAR MANDRAKES £20.50
56-40 TAU SNIPER DRONE TEAM £23.00
83-42 ARCHAON THE EVERCHOSEN £30.00
83-43 CHAOS LORD ON DAEMONIC MOUNT £22.50
83-41 CHAOS DRAGON OGRE SHAGGOTH £36.00
86-41 LUDWIG SCHWARZHELM £22.50
86-40 KURT HELBORG £22.50
82-41 THE GREEN KNIGHT £22.50
82-40 KING LOUEN LEONCOEUR £30.00
92-42 WOOD ELVES TREE KIN £30.00
92-40 ORION KING IN THE WOODS £22.50
92-41 WOOD ELVES TREEMAN £36.00
84-40 THOREK IRONBROW £36.00
84-41 DWARF GYROCOPTER £23.00
84-42 DWARF BOLT THROWER £23.00
90-40 SKAVEN WARPLOCK JEZZAILS £30.00
91-40 VAMPIRE COUNTS VARGHULF £21.50
91-42 COUNT MANNFRED £22.50
91-41 VAMPIRE COUNTS BLOOD KNIGHTS £61.50
88-41 KROQ GAR £40.00
89-44 GOBLIN SPEAR CHUKKA £18.50
89-43 SAVAGE ORC GREAT SHAMAN ON WAR BOAR £15.50
89-41 ORC WARBOSS ON WYVERN £40.00
89-42 GOBLIN ROCK LOBBER £23.00
89-45 GORBAD IRONCLAW £30.00
89-40 AZHAG THE SLAUGHTERER £55.00
85-41 DARK ELVES REAPER BOLT THROWER £18.50
08-40 THE DARK LORD SAURON £25.50
08-42 GULAHVAR THE TERROR OF ARNOR £30.00
08-43 MORDOR TROLL CHIEFTAIN £25.50
02-40 THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING £37.00
97-42 FLAMERS OF TZEENTCH £15.50

Captain My Captain...first GK finished!

2011-05-14T18:03:00.006-05:00

Brother-Captain Omarus Halcyon, commander of the 7th Brotherhood, is one of the chapter's finest warriors. He is far older than most of his comrades realize and he often eludes to past experiences that none of his men can remember. He is an accomplished warrior and brilliant tactician and he is held in high regard by the Chapter Council. It is said that Halcyon was a once a battle brother of the Red Hunters chapter of Space Marines and commanded one of that mysterious chapter's veteran squads before joining the ranks of the Grey Hunters.

I finished painting my Brother-Captain and had a pretty hard time with the sword, which I'm still not happy with, but after spending pretty much the whole afternoon on this one, I'm ready to call it a day. I just can't seem to get that wet blending technique down.

I'm only including the tabard on squad leaders and such, to help differentiate them from the rank and file. Believe it or not, there are only so many different poses that you can build. The red tabards, for purposes of my collection will signify command (Brother-Captains, Brotherhood Champions, Justicars). The white tabards will signify senior officers (Grand Masters). On the bright side, I've completed the first model for my army. Only 26 more to go.

Grey Knights - Army Update

2011-05-10T13:38:00.003-05:00

I finished assembling, basing AND basecoating my 1250 point Grey Knights list. My next step is to, one model at a time, complete the detail painting. The goal here is to try and make each model as unique as possible. I'm also working on some background work for the collection as well.

Sorry for the crappy pictures, but it in the interest of getting an update out, I just threw them on the table and took a quick shot. I'm also pretty anxious to start playing with the force and getting comfortable with the army before I expand it. I do have a ton of stuff waiting in the wings, but I don't want to get overwhelmed and bored.

High Elf Noble - Completed

2011-05-09T18:16:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I made my foray back into Warhammer Fantasy. I made a kick around list, just to get my feet wet. That list included a High Elf Noble. Well, I have finished painting that model and gave him a name.

Galdiril of Nagarythe was once numbered among the deadliest warriors in the ranks of the Shadow Warriors. He recently saved the life of a High Elf Prince against an Orc warband and was granted a title and given command of a small detachment.

I used standard GW paints for this model. I couldn't really decide on the colors of the base until I saw the Island of Blood demo models painted up at one of the Games Workshops nearby and decided to go with that. I want to keep this army a bit darker than the traditional 'shining silver' of the High Elves.

1,250 pt Grey Knights List

2011-04-30T15:17:00.003-05:00

This is my first time playing Grey Knights and from what I hear, it's not your average starter army and while I've been playing 40k for some time, I don't play with any great frequency, so I still consider myself a beginner. In fact, I've lost way more games that I've won. So with that in mind, I came up with a 1,250 point list to get myself comfortable with the codex.

Keep in mind that I tend to build forces more out of a desire to fit into the 40k universe and its fiction and not to win games. This probably explains why I lose so often, but I enjoy playing, so I don't really mind.

GK Brother-Captain (1)

Nemesis force sword, m/c

stormbolter

psybolt ammunition

GK Strike Squad (10)

psycannon (x2)

Nemesis force halberd (x2)

Nemesis force sword (Justicar)

Rhino w/ psybolt ammo

GK Terminator Squad (5)

psycannon (x1)

Nemesis force halberd (x3)

Daemon hammer (Justicar)

psybolt ammunition

GK Terminator Squad (5)

Nemesis force halberd (Justicar)

Incinerator

Nemesis force swords x4

psybolt ammunition

Interceptor Squad (5)

Nemesis force swords x3

Incinerator

Daemon Hammer

psybolt ammo

Dreadnought

twin-linked lascannon

psybolt ammuntion

Boarding Action!

2011-04-29T07:45:00.004-05:00

The MkIII Boarding Marine from Forge World arrived this week! Really nice model. Can't wait to add this one to my collection! This was the event model featured at Adepticon this year, but the line was too freakin' long, so I ordered it.

Happy Easter from Kantor Base

2011-04-24T09:07:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to wish everyone out there a Happy Easter! I know it's a religious holiday and it may not apply to everyone, but there's the commercial aspect too. So with that in mind, May your day be filled with Marshallow Peeps and Chocolate Bunnies. Oh and Gaming. Lots and lots of gaming.

First Game....

2011-04-21T13:03:00.000-05:00

...in three years. And it was fun. So I finally got my first game of Fantasy in over three years. We were unable to complete the game to time constraints. By that I mean GW has some real sissy hours of operation and kicked us out at 9pm. Which is BS, because many of us work for a living and can't get there until 7pm anyway. But I digress.

Anyway, I played a 1500 pt game against a new friend of mine. He ran an Orcs &Goblins list and I went with my High Elves. We were both pretty much newbies and so we didn't have much painted and we muddled our way through the rules, so there were no photos. This time.

My army consisted of a Noble, 2 Mages, 2 units of LSG, 2 units of Reavers, 5 Shadow Warriors, a Bolt Thrower and 15 Swordmasters. If memory serves, he brought along 4 characters, 10 Spider Riders, a Giant, a ton of Goblin Archers and Goblin Spearmen, a Doom Diver and block of Boyz. The game was pretty even of the two and a half turns until right before we got tossed out. My friend got ahead of me when I charged his Boyz with my Swordmasters and forgot that I get to re-roll misses because of my high initiative AND Speed of Asuryan. But that's what happens when you don't know how to play your army. Although, I did take out the Doom Diver and I shot up his Spider Riders pretty bad before losing my Shadow Warriors.

Anyway, it was fun getting out and playing and I look forward to the next battle. Nick was a great opponent.

Finally....Time for Gaming!!!

2011-04-17T14:05:00.003-05:00

This Wednesday I will at long last have the time to pull up a stool, sit down and play some Warhammer. It's Warhammer Fantasy, but hey, I'm not complaining. It's been a long time since I've been able to play a game, but at long last the planets are aligned and the moon will be full (I think). By that I mean that the kids don't have any activity and my wife is off.

So...I'm playing a 1500 pt game of Fantasy; my High Elves against Orcs & Goblins. I never played against that army before, so it should be fun. If anyone has any tips - let me know. Anyway, I have a ton of stuff to do. I've got a 1000 point list that I need to upgrade, which will in ally likelihood involve, at the very least, building some more models.

I've got two days to get a ton of stuff done: Brush up on rules, update my list, assemble a couple of custom bases, build a unit or two, and if there's time - paint some stuff.

Grey Knight Librarian Conversion

2011-04-15T14:03:00.004-05:00

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I'm not thrilled with the fact that the new Grey Knight codex has limited options for Librarians. By that, I mean Librarians must be in Terminator armor with no options for power armor. To me, it's a complete waste of Space Marine Librarians. With so many Grey Knight HQ choices, they should have produced a GK Commander Kit (just like the Space Marines). While I like the metal Terminator Librarian model, there aren't enough options for the rank and file Librarians. With that in mind, I sat down last night and tried coming up with my own conversion. I deliberately tried to avoid anything elaborate (that's what the metal one is for). Let me know what you think. Sorry about the bad lighting.

Now That's A Monster!

2011-04-14T23:23:00.003-05:00

I got a heads up from my old gaming buddies and I just saw the newest kit from Warhammer Forge. Tamurkhan on Toad Dragon. Man, this kit is bad ass! Part of the Chaos army, this is by far one of the cool Fantasy models to come from Forge World yet. Maybe it's because I'm in Daemon slaying mode or something, but wouldn't it be cool to put this piece on a round base and have the Grey Knights beat the crap out of it?!

New Arrival

2011-04-14T15:24:00.003-05:00

My Castellan Crowe arrived today in the mail. Pretty cool mini. Time to start the Purifiers!! I'm working on a list of pure Grey Knights (for now, at least). Currently, I'm debating whether or not I should go with a Grand Master or Brother-Captain. I'm trying to build the army, one Brotherhood at a time. That means (according to the Codex), eight captains, eight brotherhoods, plus one brotherhood each of Purifiers (approximately 40 models), and Paladins.

Most of the lists I see out there are including a Grand Master over a Brother-Captain, but I'm more of a fluff/background lover and enjoy building the collection around how the chapter is described in the published material.

Grey Knights Update

2011-04-06T21:56:00.002-05:00

I've been spending the last few days working on my Grey Knights and I have been able to really go through sprues and get stuff built. Despite a few challenges while assembling the power armoured Grey Knights, the models are awesome. So far, I've compiled a short list of likes and dislikes that I'd like to share:

Likes

Great detail on each piece
Extensive pose capability
Great to use with other SM kits and vice versa
Lots of different heads
Seems easy to create plastic Librarians with the Terminator bits

Dislikes

Some unnecessary components, just to make me miserable - magazines for storm bolters, Could they just mold them onto the stormbolter.
Having to attach the storm bolters to the arms seperately (termies too)
Lack of bits to use on vehicles (in my opinion)
Psycannon on GKs, don't seem to line up right.
New plastic Terminators seem a bit broader than the old metal ones.

I think I may have found a secret to avoid army burn out. In past projects, I would assemble and paint multiple squads of the same time. For example, I would assemble and paint two or three squads of tactical marines before I would start a dread or tank or something else. Well, I'd finally get bored and then shift my attention to something else. This time I'm approaching the Grey Knights a little differently. I'm working different unit types each time. My first unit is a Strike Squad, then I'll work a unit of Terminators, then a Venerable Dread or Dreadknight before going back to making a Purgation Squad.

Anyway, currently I have my first Strike Squad assembled, based, primed and basecoated (10-man squad). I have a Rhino primed and ready for painting and I've been building a Terminator Squad. So the work continues.

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I ran into some old friends who are now into Fantasy and I'm looking forward to getting a game in soon, so I'll have paint work to do on the High Elves as well, so I may be alternating so I don't get bored with one project.

Grey Knights Have Landed!

2011-04-01T12:16:00.004-05:00

Yeessssss!!!! The rest of my Grey Knights stuff has arrived today. Now I can get crackin' on my army! There's nothing more uplifting than a box on your doorstep filled with Grey Knights goodness. All I can say is thank God for Tax Refunds!

Time to get to work.

Mail Call!

2011-03-31T15:52:00.003-05:00

Got home from errands today and from performing various tasks of good will for family and friends to find a package from none other than Games Workshop! Now I can get a list built before I go spend my cut of our Tax Refund! Woohoo!

Project: Grey Knights - Prep

2011-03-28T13:04:00.004-05:00

As I anxiously await the arrival of my copy of the Grey Knights Codex, I decided to start prepping for my new army. While I haven't created a list yet, I have decided to include a Brother-Captain as one of my HQ choices right off the bat. I ordered one of the metal models from the website last week. I've got it assembled, based and primed and ready for painting.

I also found a Terminator Librarian in my boxes of unopened models. While I have assembled that one as well, I'm not completely sold on the towering iconography that I attached to the top of the model. Personally, I think the model is suitable as a Chief Librarian, but not as a rank and file battle-brother. So until I can come up with a more stripped down version of a Terminator Librarian, I'm going to set him aside for now. I have a Venerable Dreadnought and a Stormraven on hand as well, but I want to wait until I get the Codex (hopefully by Friday), to decide on how to kit out those models.

Other preparations include getting fresh paint, some of my older pots are drying out or I've used some of the more common colors up, so I'll have to grab a few more pots.

That's it for now, if anyone has any cool recipes for Terminator Librarians, I'd appreciate the suggestions.

Grey Knights....Yeah, I'm gonna do it.

2011-03-26T02:17:00.004-05:00

Yep. I'm going to do it. I'm going to start a Grey Knights army. This time, I really mean it. I mean these models are too cool to pass up. To say nothing of the chapter's background. I think it's frikkin' awesome! But for this project, I want to do it up right. Get a new carrying case, new dice, some Forge World stuff to really dress it up. I even plan to go ahead and move forward with a Red Hunters Space Marine force. This army will give me a chance to use many of the kits that I have packed away and never got around to using such as the Venerable Dreadnought and a Land Raider. Oh and I forgot about Inquisitor Lord Hector Rex. I've got one of those too.

I went ahead and ordered the Codex and some of the models, but what do I do in the mean time? Well, I will be reading the new White Dwarf from cover to cover. Tons of Grey Knights stuff. I also got my hands on a couple of HQ models that I can use right now to get started. Tomorrow, I'll head into the local GW store and try making a list.

Warhammer Fantasy - 8th Edition

2011-03-25T14:04:00.003-05:00

I recently got back in touch with my old gaming group, who at the time was heavy into 40k and Blood Bowl. Well now it seems that they have made their foray into Warhammer Fantasy. They've invited me to get in a few games, which I'm excited about. I haven't played in a couple of years. My plan was to jump back in with my High Elves. But the group is small and they already have a high elf player. Damn.

I've got a bunch of Lizardmen that I have not built, so I will probably start working on that project in order to get back into fantasy. I guess it won't hurt to have two Fantasy armies anyway. Better pull out the Lizardman book.

Grey Knights in WD 375

2011-03-23T13:47:00.003-05:00

Just got back from the local GW store and I renewed my subscription, so I can get the latest copy of White Dwarf. I was going to renew in a couple of weeks anyway, so it wasn't like they roped me into it. I'm looking forward to building a squad or two of these awesome looking models. It looks like the new Tomb Kings stuff is coming out in May. Can't wait to see that. I've always been a fan of Egyptian mythology (mummies, anubis, pyramids, etc.).

I finished reading Volume I of the Siege of Vraks and started Volume II. I actually found it a pretty good read. It was like reading one long WWI trench war story. If the Death Korps weren't so damn expensive (and I had a job), I'd probably start one of those armies.

Next topic: What's been going on at Kantor Base? Well, I've been catching up on my Blood Angels and Crimson Fists, but I have yet to play a game with them. It seems being a volleyball and softball coach takes up a great deal of my free time. But...that's starting to wind down and my plan is to get a game in - that is one of my resolutions. The other plan is to break into Warhammer Fantasy, but probably won't tackle that until summer.

What a Movie...

2011-03-13T13:06:00.000-05:00

I got a chance to see Battle: Los Angeles and I have to say that this is THE best alien invasion movie of all time. It wasn't too 'Hollywood' (as in Independence Day), but more like Blackhawk Down, but against space aliens. The movie was a dark, grim look into war against an unknown enemy.

The characters and heroes of this movie were just your basic G.I.s, fighting for their homes and doing their duty for their country. Great film, with good special effects and kept you in the dark, just enough to make it enjoyable. I highly recommend it.

40k for the First Time...Again

2011-02-03T18:11:00.003-06:00

It's embarrassing to say, but it's been more than a year since I last played a game of 40k and as with many things, if you don't use it, you lose it. So I've set myself to the task of getting back into the game and not just building models and watching the paint projects back up. I need to learn the rules again. How will I manage to pull this off? Simple. I've got a copy of AoBR laying around that I never got around to using, so I'm going to quickly assemble the models and sit down with my 13 year old daughter and get back into the swing of things. I really need to inject new life into my gaming and this seems the best way to do it.

I've spent far too much time running around for others and damn it, it's time to do something for myself. Ha! So I'm sitting down to get the models built tonight and the plan is to get a game in with the quick start rules tomorrow afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes.

White Dwarf 373

2011-01-29T16:38:00.004-06:00

Finally....some 40k content!! Don't know about everyone else, but I've about had enough of Skaven. It seems like it's been non-stop Warhammer Fantasy and Skaven for the last few months and I for one am jonesin' some 40k goodness. Well thanks GW for February's White Dwarf. I just picked mine up and it's chock full with Blood Angels and 40k treats, including a Battle Report, Apocalypse Datasheets and what looks to be a great article on the Armageddon war. Check it out!!

Blood Angels - Progress

2011-01-27T15:17:00.004-06:00

Here's an update on my Blood Angels projec that I started last summer. I've put it off for a while, but with the new stuff coming out, I thought that I'd put a little time in on it.

Mephiston

Sanguinary Priest

Tactical Squad w/ multi-melta, flamer

Tactical Squad w/ missile launcher, melta gun

Assault Squad w/ melta x2, pw & plasma pistol for sgt

Baal Predator

Dreadnought w/ assault cannon, heavy flamer

The goal here is to hurry up, get caught up and complete my other projects.

Season of the Witch

2011-01-24T18:49:00.004-06:00

I got a couple of hours to myself last week, so I thought that I'd take in an early matinee while the wife was having lunch with her lady friends and the kids were in school. Nicholas Cage's new flick, Season of the Witch. It was much better than I thought it would be.

It's the story of two Templars who become disillusioned with the devastation that the crusades are causing and become deserters. They are caught and imprisoned while making their way back home. Their only chance for freedom comes from a plague-ridden cardinal who needs an alleged witch transported to a distant abbey where a ritual can be conducted to help end the curse of the plague. As a fan of Templar history (fictious or otherwise), I loved the story and the eerie demonic/witchy elements were very cool as well. Good special effects that were not overdone just added to a well written adventure. I thought it was a good, balanced mix of action and story. I recommend it.

Got a New Game Today...

2011-01-14T18:19:00.003-06:00

So I ordered a copy of FFG's Dust Tactics and it came today. I've been checking this game out for a few weeks now. Doing internet research, reading testimonials and game reviews and most of importantly, looking at the figures that come with the game. I was able to download the rules and read through them, finding easy and straight forward. Nothing complex at all.

Just at first glance, there's a few things that really reach out and pull me in. First, the back story is just awesome. It's set in the 1940's, during WWII and the Nazis and their Axis allies have discovered a crashed alien ship and used the technology to develop superior weapons. The allies have done the same, but not to the same level as the Axis. The second thing that I love about this are the figures. The robot tanks and soldiers are just amazing. They come pre-primed and in two colors: green for the allies and gray for the axis units. They can be painted and their was a limited number of deluxe versions of this game produced with painted figures, but at $300 or so a pop, I'm not too worried about getting one. Most of the sources out there are stating that it a knock off of AT-43 (which I own, but have never played). The story and the figures that come with the game took me back to my childhood and I found myself fondly remembering playing with my plastic army men on the kitchen floor. Yeah, you old timers know which army men I'm talking about. Well, this soldiers are way way freakin' cooler than those.

The rulebook is a short 24 pages and it comes with a quick start rule card, some plastic terrain pieces, a campaign book and 9 of those heavy stock game tiles that are used as a game board. I'm still going through the contents, but I'll be playing a couple of games. Over the weekend I'll be setting it up on the dining room table and testing playability for myself. I'll post images then.

Back in the Saddle....er, I mean Rhino

2011-01-07T16:06:00.004-06:00

I assembled my Crimson Fist Tactical Squad and after adding a few bits here and there, and a little more filing, these guys are ready for primer. I'm looking forward to getting started on painting this squad with the new colors. I went with the metal shoulder pads because the decals don't settle too well on the plastic shoulder pads even using microsol.

For the basing, I used a mix of GW Sand and a Coarse Brown Ballast made by Woodland Scenics that I bought at my local hobby shop. I think the GW stuff is too fine to be used by itself, but that's just my two cents. At least now it looks more like what I would imagine as the rocky surface of another world.

Off Topic....Comics

2011-01-06T15:07:00.004-06:00

In an effort to inject a little more variety into Kantor Base, I wanted to share another childhood passion of mine: comic books. As kids, I spent countless summer hours on the porch reading the latest adventures of Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and dozens of other heroes in both DC and Marvel universes. It's a past time that I have honored and enjoyed even to this day. But recently, with the upcoming Green Lantern film looming on the horizon, my love for comics has increased exponentially. After a brief and intermittent break from regular trips to the comic store to pursue other hobbies, I returned to the world of super heroes and sank my teeth into the Blackest Night series of graphic novels.

Blackest Night was a story arc that started a couple of years ago in the Green Lantern comic book. It tells the story of the walking dead in true DC Super Hero fashion. A dead DC character by the name of Black Hand is resurrected and is using the power of an artifact called the Black Lantern to raise dead heroes and villains from the dead. And as tradition demands all of Earth's heroes rush into action to save humanity.

This honestly has to be one of the best stories that has emerged in the comic book industry in some time. The story is awesome and the art simply kicks ass. I'm about two thirds of the way through and I can barely put it down. I'd check it out. It's awesome.

Getting Started on Resolution #3

2011-01-03T14:21:00.004-06:00

I got a chance to stop in at the local Games Workshop to spend one of my gift cards and I noticed a Crimson Fist army on display. It, quite honestly, blew me away. I forgot how cool a fully painted Crimson First collection looks on display. The hobbyist (whoever he/she was) had a nice mix of plastic marines, metal veterans and some of the newer Forgeworld stuff throughout the force along with some cool conversions. I also really liked the shade of blue on the armor. I inquired and as luck would have it, the staff there had the color combinations used.

I ran home a painted up a test model. I was much happier with the way the test model looked as opposed to previous attempts at painting the army. So, I decided to begin keeping my resolution and got to work on my first unit of Tactical Marines. So stay tuned for more Crimson Fists stuff.

Best Wishes in the New Year...and Resolutions

2010-12-31T18:36:00.004-06:00

I'd like to wish everyone out there a Happy New Year and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2011. May this new year, be better than the last, but not as good as the next.

With that said, I've compiled a list of resolutions for 2011. Scattered amongst the personal resolutions that I make every year and usually manage to break within the first week, I've included a few hobby-related promises:

1 - Game More

2 - Paint More

3 - Finish a Project (Crimson Fists)

4 - Catch Up on Horus Heresy Series

5 - Give Privateer Press Games a Shot

6 - Try 4th Edition D&D

7 - Post More Frequently

Merry Christmas from Kantor Base

2010-12-25T10:47:00.002-06:00

From my family to all of you, we'd like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! May all of your dreams come true and all of your prayers be answered.

Happy Holidays to all...

Love that GW Art...

2010-12-22T12:36:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite things about GW and the 40k Universe is the artwork. As you know, I am a big Space Marines fan and as a result, a big fan of the Space Marines Battles novels series. Well, GW's daily post has announced another addition to this great series from Black Library. The Purging of Kadilus, by Gav Thorpe featuring the Dark Angels. Check out this cover!

It's fantastic art like this that makes a guy want to start a whole new project!

Ultramarines Movie Review

2010-12-11T11:01:00.005-06:00

My Ultramarines DVD set arrived yesterday and needless to say, I couldn't get the kids to bed fast enough. My only obstacle was that my wife was home and she'd want to watch some non-violent and unmanly movie. Thankfully that didn't happen. As luck would have it, mMy bride fell asleep with the kids. But I digress.

As I post this, there are countless detailed reviews out there on the internet, I'll keep mine short and simple. I'm not one for mincing about small deviations from the 40k mythos. All I want to see is a decent story, ass-kicking effects and senseless violence. Well, I wasn't disappointed. While I don't believe that Ultramarines will be receiving any nominations from the Academy, I thought it was a great movie. To see one of my favorite games brought to film was like a dream come true. I found it contained a good mix of story and action. I recommend it for all of those fans out there that aren't too hung up on details.

Blood Angels - Revised List

2010-11-22T15:55:00.002-06:00

I sat down and took a look at my current list and on the advice of one of our fellow gamers, I decided to tinker with the list a bit. After a few modifications and a quick look at my inventory of current models, I was able to expand to 1,000 points and beef up the Assault Squad. So, let me know what you think:

Captain w/ storm shield, power weapon, bolt pistol (Master of the Watch) - 130

Tac Squad (10) w/ multi-melta, flamer - 170

Tac Squad (10) w/ missile launcher, melta gun - 175

Assault Squad (10) w/ plasma pistol, power weapon, melta gun x2 in Rhino - 205

Sanguinary Priest - 50

Baal Predator w/ twin-linked assault cannon, heavy bolter sponsons - 145

Dreadnought w/ multi-melta, close combat arm, stormbolter - 105

Total - 980 points

I'll pack the Assault Squad in the Rhino as it is 'Fast' and can still get me into assault range fairly quickly with some protection and I'll attach the captain and sanguinary priest to each of the tactical squads. Future plans would include an Honour Guard, Mephiston, an LR, Death Company and some Terminators (Assault), and Rhinos for the tactical squads. The goal is to collect the 2nd Company with supporting units like scouts and termies.

Blood Angels - Second Wave?!

2010-11-21T09:41:00.008-06:00

Just received the latest email newsletter from Games Workshop and it looks like February will see more new 'never-before-seen' models for the Sons of Sanguinius. Not sure what they could be, after reviewing the codex, but can anyone say "Stormraven"? I don't know what the rumor mill is reporting, but I'm personally hoping for maybe plastic Honour Guard, Sanguinary Priests and maybe a new Blood Angel specific dreadnought kit.

The image above has been floating around on the internet and it's sure to be one of the new kits. I, for one can't wait for Februrary! I better kick it in to high gear and get my force completed!

Blood Angels Starter List - 950 pts.

2010-11-19T13:29:00.003-06:00

Here's a stab at a Blood Angels list, based on what I have on hand at the moment:

Captain w/ storm shield, power weapon (Master of the Watch) - 130

Tac Squad (10) w/ flamer, multi-melta - 170

Tac Squad (10) w/ missile launcher, melta gun - 175

Assault Squad (5) w/ power weapon, plasma gun (sgt) - 130

Sanguinary Priest w/ jump pack - 75

Baal Predator w/ twin-linked assault cannon, heavy bolters - 145

Dreadnought w/ multi-melta, stormbolter - 105

Total: 930 pts

I have no transports at this time, so the plan is to attach the captain to one of the tactical squads and the sanguinary priest to the assault squad, so as not to be able to be targeted.

It's been some time since I've played, so this list, as I said is based solely on what I have lying around the house (due to budget constraints), and also, it's designed to help refamiliarize myself with the rules. Man, I miss playing.

FW Blood Angels Decals

2010-11-12T15:02:00.003-06:00

If you're like me and suck at freehand painting and heavily rely on decals, you're always looking out for a way to make that happen. So when Forge World produced a Blood Angels decal sheet, I was absolutely ecstatic. After all of these years, GW was finally expanding on the very, very, very limited Space Marine decal sheet that they've always included in their kits (I've got about 150 sheets by the way). So I ordered a sheet immediately.

But as soon as it came, I found myself feeling a little disappointed. Thanks, Forge World/GW. There were a couple of specific things that I expected to find, mainly squad markings. After all, the Codex clearly identifies each squad's marking. However, they only included squad markings for first and second squads, and also the ninth squad. WTF?? Why not produce the rest? If space was the issue, there was no need for yellow skulls or tactical arrows. Not to mention that they completely disregarded the fourth, eighth and tenth company in terms of company badges. So there's my rant on the negative.

Now for what I do like: I like the extra large chapter badges (for the tops of rhinos), I like that they finally made chapter badges small enough for scout armour, I like that they provided white chapter badges for Sanguinary Priests, and the names are pretty cool for using on vehicles. I'll even go as far to say, they provided some badges for have of the Successor Chapters, but while I am glad that I can produce some of the results that I've been wanting to, I think for $16 a sheet, they could have done a better job.

Dark Eldar...WOW!!!

2010-11-11T18:10:00.004-06:00

I sat down last night, while watching 'My Wife and Kids' re-runs and got around to opening the box of Dark Eldar Kabalite Warriors that I bought over the weekend. For the record, I also grabbed the Codex and a box of Reavers. The kit came with two sprues, which are nearly identical, but the second has the Sybarite special weapon options.

The models were nicely sculpted and I was fortunate to have a box that had very little in the way of mold lines. As far as assembly goes, it's been some time since I've built anything other than marines, so I had to actually look at the directions. But...it was pretty simple and parts fit together nicely.

Here's a pic of my first Dark Eldar model. I'm going to work through a 1k list tonight and get that posted for comments/suggestions. So yeah, these models are pretty awesome and I'm looking forward to getting the army going.

Late Off The Mark

2010-11-05T10:35:00.003-05:00

I know, I know - I shoulda jumped on this as soon as it came up for pre-order, but I didn't. I'm one of the guys who detests ordering things online. I prefer the 'old school' method of shopping like dear old dad. Go to the store, find what you want, give the clerk your hard earned money, and walk out with a tangible item that you can put to immediate use. The online way is a bit different: find what you're looking for, give them your hard earned money and wait patiently until they are good and ready to send you a tangible item. Meanwhile, they have you're money and have probably spent it, before you even get you're stuff. Is that narrow minded? Probably. But hey, that's me. Don't get me wrong, sometimes you have no choice, but I don't have to like it.

Anyway, I really want one of these nifty Webway Portals, but of course, GW sold out quickly. I'm not a skilled enough craftsman to make one, nor do I have the time to hunt down the items to make one (although kudos to the creative folks who had the creativity to make these. They look aweseome!), but if anyone knows where I can obtain one of these, I'd appreciate it.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T14:55:00.005-05:00

We're just about to set out with our three little goblins for some Trick-or-Treating, but before we ventured out, I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Halloween, may the Emperor's Light protect you from herectic, the mutant, the daemon, and the undead!

Dark Eldar - Initial Thoughts

2010-10-29T11:07:00.003-05:00

I've been checking out the round tables discussions on the GW site regarding the new Dark Eldar. If you remember, a while back I mentioned that I was considering making this new line my first bad guy army. I had based that claim solely on the cool looking new miniatures, but as I listened to the round tables, I grew more interested in their background. Much like GW, I never really gave much attention to the Dark Eldar, so I don't know how much of the background discussion are new and how much is old stuff but this race sounds a lot like a cross between Stargate Atlantis' Wraith combined with the Borg from Star Trek. Two of my favorite villains. So is this original stuff? Doesn't sound like it, but I must admit, I am intrigued by the background and I'll be picking up the codex next week.

Pre-Painted Plastic Miniatures

2010-10-27T20:24:00.003-05:00

I haven't been much of a fan of this new era of Dungeons and Dragons miniatures. I'm from the old school lead miniatures from Grenadier that never looked anything like the character you created, but you were able to paint them up yourself and many of them had backpacks as true adventurers should. But because I am quickly becoming a fan of the new Dungeons & Dragons game, I decided to pick up a box of the latest set of minis (Lords of Madness). I have to say that today, I am glad that I did, because I pulled an Elder Blue Dragon (very rare) and it is easily one of the finest looking figures that Wizards has produced so far. And just to make things a little more satisfying - eBay and many of the online retailers are pricing this one out anywhere from $45 to $60! Ya gotta love that.

Good Times...

2010-10-27T19:11:00.004-05:00

Recently, I was in my local Borders (big surprise) and I found a copy of the new DnD 4th Edition 'Starter Set', the first product in the new Dungeons & Dragons Essentials line. The new line is a combination of updated info to the fourth edition and also a new way to introduce new players into the game. Feeling nostalgic, I grabbed a copy. The first thing that I love about the set is the packaging. WotC reproduced the original 'Red Box' this time around. It immediately took me back to the old days of sitting around a table with my old gaming group until sunrise, scarfing down a hot pizza from Danny's Pizzeria, potato chips and grape soda (what can I say, we were 15).

Not thrilled with trying to learn a whole new game system, I was hesitant to begin reading the material. But then something odd and wonderful happened. My twelve year old daughter (about as anti-geek as you can be), wanted to know more about the game and what's more, she wanted to learn to play. Not knowing what to say, I agreed to dive into the new set with her.

The first book is a great, easy to read introductory solo scenario (ala Choose Your Own Adventure), that takes you through the steps of character creation while working your way through a battle with goblin brigands. Before I knew it, I had created my very own character. So here I go, leaping back into an old game that had brought me hours and hours and hours of fun. Returning to D&D is liking reuniting with an old friend. Looking forward to more good times.

Shh! Don't tell my daughter's friends.

F%#$&ing Scouts!!!!

2010-10-19T19:55:00.004-05:00

I ran into (at least in my mind), one of the most difficult plastic models to assemble. It looks easy, but noooooo, it's not. I speak of the heavy bolter scout. I could NOT for the life of me get the damn weapon and arm to match up at all. Finally, after about a half out of working with gooey plastic and strings of glue, I tossed it aside, went down to find a plastic scout from an older Raptors collection and just painted over the damn body armour. Done.

So, as you may have guessed from the rant above, that I have begun working on my Ultramarines project. I decided to step up the project because I heard from some old gaming buddies that are getting back into 40k and have even started playing already, so I need to get something together to game with. Right now, I've got:

Chaplain

Sternguard Veteran Squad (5)

Razorback

Dreadnought

Tactical Squad (10) w/ missile launcher, plasma gun

Rhino

Tactical Squad (10) w/ heavy bolter, flamer

Rhino

Scout Squad (6) w/bolters, heavy bolter, Sgt. Telion

Assault Squad (5) sgt w/ plasma pistol, power fist

Predator w/ lascannons

Haven't tallied the points yet, but I would guess right around the 1500 point range. I'm simutaneously painting and building as fast as I can.

Ultramarines - Time To Give It A Go

2010-10-16T10:45:00.006-05:00

As promised, payday has come and gone and I ordered my copy of the Ultramarines movie. So as I anxiously await the release of the first EVER Warhammer 40k film, I find myself delving deeper into the Ultramarines Chapter. The further I research the chapter, the more fascinated I am with the volume of detail that has come into existence over the years. One of the many things motivating me to start an Ultramarines project is that it's a Codex Chapter - that basic, cookie cutter version of what a Space Marine Chapter should look like. I've collected various chapters over the years (Blood Angels, Space Wolves and Black Templars), but with the exception of the Crimson Fists (for which this blog was originally named), none of them were strict adherents to the Codex Astartes. Those non-codex chapters are great fun in their own rights and I will treasure them as part of the rich fabric that is 40k, but I find myself wanting to include such models as Legion of the Damned and even an Ironclad Dreadnought or three and unfortunately, none of the other armies offer those options. So, I'll be working on Ultramarines in the near future. True, my beloved Crimson Fists are a Codex Chapter, however, they are a chapter that is severely under strength.

I've been inspired by the recent surge of Ultramarine activity on the GW site and have jumped on the bandwagon like a monkey takes to a shiny new trinket. These next couple of weeks, I'll continue to research the chapter and test a color combinations. I may even choose to approach this project as a true collector, searching out various models vintage models to add to the army. Forge World has also added some new resin marines to their line, decked out in pre-heresy army. The possibilities are well on their way to becoming endless. Who knows, maybe I'll even stick to one 40k project for the long term just like Werner Munch in Germany. Stranger things have happened.

Ultramarines Trailer

2010-10-13T17:03:00.003-05:00

So yeah, like most of you, I saw the trailer for the upcoming Space Marine movie and needless to say, I'm chompin' at the bit. Tomorrow's payday and I'm ordering my copy first thing in the morning. I also have an idea of which chapter I'll work on next. Sorry, I've been slow with the posting, but I've been a little busy job hunting and all. That, combined with this 'anti-gaming' funk I've been in, has kept me away from my painting and modelling. I've decided to read Legion by Dan Abnett for my next dose of 40k fiction.

I also painted a test model in Ultramarine colors, just to see if it motivates me in any way. The armour is a bit darker than the traditional 'smurfy' Ultramarine Blue (I always hated the Smurfs). I do consider myself a bit of a traditionalist, but I am glad the test model is darker after reading GW's article on the new film. Apparently, they were going for the same look. Anyway, can't wait to see and I suggest checking the trailer out. I truly rocks.

Movie Trailer

Deathwatch (Part 1)

2010-10-03T00:10:00.004-05:00

With 33% off coupon in hand, I walked into my local Borders Bookstore, hoping to find some new and exciting novel or gaming treat to buy. You see, I like to read. A lot. I like science fiction, fantasy, history, mysteries - the usual 'geek' stuff. I recently finished the new Dungeons & Dragons novel, 'The Mark of Nerath' by Bill Slavicsek and was now in the mood for some sci fi, but first I decided to browse through the gaming section (which is way too small for a two-story bookstore), and I found the Deathwatch RPG book. I couldn't help myself. It was space marine material and I had to have it.

I have to say that this is a must for any 40k player. The art alone is among some of the best space marine art that I have ever seen. Not ever having experienced any of the 40k roleplaying products, I'm going to give this one a read. I don't know if I'll ever get around to finding a group to actually play as there doesn't seem to be much interest locally, but it is a great reference book and provides near limitless inspiration for modelling space marines, particularly the battle brothers of the Deathwatch.

My First 'Bad Guy' Army?

2010-09-28T18:23:00.003-05:00

I've always played the good guy growing up. I never wanted to be the evil villian or vile horde. My kids might disagree, but I don't have an evil bone in my body. Really. I always cheer for the forces of good.

But maybe the time is coming that I exercise a walk on the dark side and dabble with the idea of having an evil army. Well, if I do...it's going to be the new Dark Eldar. I was never much of a fan of the Dark Eldar (book or models) and considering how long it's been since this particular faction has seen any kind of love, I'm guessing GW isn't much of a fan either. But the new models are looking very cool. So who knows, when the time comes I may start a small strike force. But we'll see. I hate seeing the bad guys win.

Portable Space Hulk??

2010-09-25T22:11:00.005-05:00

So Space Hulk is one of the greatest board games ever. But I can't take it with everywhere I go, right? So I'm hoping that this is the next best thing. I have been known to try other board games from time to time. But I am also told that there are some pretty fun card games out there as well. Well, I saw this in the latest White Dwarf and I'm hoping for a little 'Best of Both Worlds. - Space Hulk and Card Games.

Fantasy Flight Games got the licensing and I'v had nothing but positive experiences with that company, so I'm looking forward to trying this one. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ya Gotta Love eBay

2010-09-23T19:08:00.005-05:00

I was trying to figure out ways to bolster my Swordmasters and Lothern Sea Guard and it never even occured to me to check eBay. Well, to make a long story short, I found a unit on ebay for a very reasonable price. While this saves me about $90, by not having to purchase another Island of Blood box, I am a teeny, tiny regretful that I didn't get a set of skaven for myself.

Anyway, they came today, so now I can boost that unit. Enemies of Ulthuan beware. I just need another set of LSG.

Sword Master Champion - Finished!

2010-09-11T22:02:00.007-05:00

I finished painting my Sword Master Champion from the Island of Blood set. As everyone knows I'm not a big fan of bright colors, so I went with a darker tone. Especially after reading the Island of Blood mini novel. That place is pretty grim, so I figured let the characters reflect the tone, right?

This model marks the first time that I even bothered to paint the eyes. I'm really, really, really bad at them, so you won't see too much of that in the army.

I also returned or rather exchanged some kits on dead projects that I had lying around and picked up a Battalion box to prep for a legal 2,000 point list. Oh and I grabbed another unit of Sword Masters off eBay for a very reasonable price.

Plastic High Elves...Incoming!

2010-09-07T15:25:00.004-05:00

YEAHA BABY!!!!! High Elves are going completely plastic. GW release in October to include plastic Dragon Princes, White Lions, and Phoenix Guard. Damn, I've got to get painting.

This is great news. My bits box will runeth over. The possibilities for conversions will be endless. Amen!

Island of Blood High Elves - Assembled

2010-09-06T21:21:00.003-05:00

I finished my initial set of High Elves from the Island of Blood starter set. Once again, I have to comment how cool these models are. There were very few mold lines and everything fit together well. The only downsides that I'll make mention of are the fact that many of the spear components were fragile and some of the side 'tines' on the spears snapped off during removal. So me being the annal hobbyist, I had to cut those tines off to keep the model uniform. I also had a couple of issues with the helmet flaps on the Ellyrian Reavers. But otherwise, everything was designed well and easy to assemble. GW put a lot of thought into how the Prince and Mage were designed in terms of how the hobbyist would have to assemble it. They were remarkable easy to assemble.

But anyway, the initial force is assembled. As I had mentioned in a previous post, I swapped the Skaven for some extra elves, so I've got more Sea Guard and Sword Masters to add to the force. From here, I've got my eye on a Battalion box that will add some Spearmen, Archers, a Chariot and Bolt Thrower. But I think I've got plenty to get me going. I'll start priming and painting over the next couple of days.

..Of Elves and Paint Pots

2010-09-04T13:15:00.004-05:00

I walked into the local GW store this morning at 10:01 and purchased my Island of Blood starter set. I won't post any of the obligatory unboxing pics, because Lord knows that's been done to death. But I will say the models are AWESOME!!!! So I'm home and the wife and kids headed off to the mall, so I get some time to myself (yay, no 'girl' drama), to thumb through the contents.

I also managed to double my High Elves in the same trip. One of the staffers was looking for Skaven, so I swapped out some models and was on my wayI'll have a nice start with 20 LSG and 20 Sword Masters and 10 Reavers. Needless to say that I have a spare High Elf Prince and High Elf Mage that I am considering divesting myself of.

I also saw the new paint pot design that GW produced. Now I don't have to rifle through my bin trying to find a color. They finally color coded the tops. That only took about ten years to come with. But then again, I wasn't bright enough to paint the top of my existing pots on my own, duh...

Oh, and I also picked up a copy of the Island of Blood mini novel. So far, it's been a good day.

Castle Ravenloft - First Glance

2010-09-01T17:14:00.004-05:00

Despite my wallet's better judgement, I picked up the new D&D Boardgame, Castle Ravenloft. Yes, I was once a D&D fanatic. Back in the days when there was such a thing as "THACO". I haven't played in many years, but I have followed the game periodically and even collected some of the minis. What can I say, it brings back some great memories with Owlbears and whatnot. So, imagine my excitement when one of my favorite games of old, was getting a stripped down version. I just had to have it. So I dropped the coin and unboxed it in the wee hours when the wife and kids were asleep. At first glance, I have to admit that I really liked what I saw. Here are my first observations:

1. A bit of a hefty price tag - $65 (but worth it, so far)
2. Big-ass box (not the flimsy, crushable kind)
3. Heavy card stock tiles and character cards (ala Descent)
4. Awesome, well organized storage tray that holds tiles, minis, dice, cards, etc.
5. Minis seem to be made of a sterner plastic than the collectible figs, although there is some reproduction of some of the collectible figs. (unpainted, but no big deal)
6. New board game due out this fall that can be used with Castle Ravenloft
7. Rulebook is less than 15 pages
8. Well illustrated rulebook, (but that's one of the best parts of 4th Edition - the art)
9. 1 - 5 players, which means you can actually play the game solo

I'll post pics of the stuff as soon as I can, I'm going to try and work through the rules and a solo game tonight, but it looks pretty easy.

Sci Fi Couch Potato

2010-08-30T23:17:00.002-05:00

I've noticed that there has been a lack of quality science fiction on television (or in the movies) of late. I think the last sci fi film that I saw was the most recent Predators. I'm a true sci fi fan in the sense, that I like almost everything that is sci fi related. So anyway, I've been jones-in' for some good sci fi, so I decided to start re-watching the Stargate Atlantis series. Now there was entertainment. I'm just sorry it only lasted five seasons. But I need to get my fix somehow, so I think I'll pull a late-nighter and watch a few episodes.

White Dwarf 368

2010-08-28T03:14:00.003-05:00

I stopped by my local GW store today to pick up my subscription of White Dwarf. As suspected, it's all about the Island of Blood. This month's battle report also features the new boxed set, so I can't wait to read that one. I was talking to the store manager today, discussing my plans for Warhammer Fantasy and I learned that October will see a new wave of High Elf miniatures, so be on the look out. While he wouldn't confirm, he mentioned to be on the look out for new Phoenix Guard and White Lions.

The work on my own High Elves continues with the painting of my HE Archers.

BA Bonus Post

2010-08-24T11:50:00.004-05:00

I got a request to bring on more of my Blood Angels, so I'll do my best to accomodate any followers visiting my blog, so here's Brother-Sgt Sorin, commander of the 5th Tactical Squad, 2nd Battle Company.

I also got around to getting my Blood Angels Terminators assembled. Man, after the Space Hulk Terminators came out, even these cool standard models kind of lose their luster, but I tried adding a couple of BA bits to them as you can see with the Terminator Sergeant. If anyone out there has any other suggestions on how to dress these guys up a bit more, let me know.

High Elf Archer

2010-08-24T11:38:00.005-05:00

One down and nine to go. I started painting my High Elf Archers and again, I'm not a big fan of the white "fru fru" colors, so I'm trying to go a little darker. Maybe stay within in that shadowy warriors of Nagarythe theme. These archers represent some of the rank and file troops of Nagarythe.

I was going to move to the spearmen next, but I ended up finding a regiment of archers that were already primed, so I figured that I might as well start there instead. I may still start on the Spearmen at the same time to break up the monotiny of painting virtually the same model over and over again, so you may see a spearman soon.

Hey, only a couple more weeks until Island of Blood releases, which I'll be pre-ordering this weekend. I've been checking GW's site regularly and I'm really starting to dig the Skaven on the Tale of Two Bloggers series.

It's Time...

2010-08-21T18:12:00.004-05:00

...to go back to school. Those of you who are parents out there, know what I'm talking about. You've just about squeezed about as much fun out of the summer as you're going to and now the kids are bored, they're fighting about everything and just all around punchy. Our patience is wearing thin and now it's time to head back to school. Anyway, the kids were out of control yesterday and kept begging me to play some kind of board game with them. Well, I was not in the mood for my oldest daughter's 'Mall Madness' game, so I was able to talk her into a game of Space Hulk. So I broke out the game and she was hooked. She picked up the rules super fast so the second game went pretty quick, despite the fact that we didn't use the time for the space marines (I broke the damn thing the last time I played). Does anyone know what the actual time limit is for the Space Marines? I've got to get a replacement hourglass. I'm usually prett anal about my stuff, so I'm pissed that the timer's broke.

Ok, back on topic. My daughter ended up winning the game (Mission I). That's because I gave her a huge break (as seen in the picture). She held off the genestealers pretty well throughout, but she left her Heavy Flamer wide open to attack which would have cost her the game. But I figured that I'd be 'cool dad' and let that one go. We had a good time despite the outcome.

Oh well, only four more days until school. WHOOHOOO!!

Okay, Just One More Blood Angel...

2010-08-20T16:44:00.003-05:00

I couldn't help myself. I wanted to paint one more. I actually enjoyed painting them, now that I got the colors right (well, at least the way that I wanted them). This is another Tactical Marine from the same squad as the previous model.

Let's Do Some Blood Angels

2010-08-19T16:58:00.005-05:00

I decided to take a break from the High Elves for a day and paint a space marine or two. So, I chose my Blood Angels. I wanted to give them a gritty, battleworn appearance. This particular model represents a battle brother of the 2nd Company (right shoulder), 5th Tactical Squad (right knee). The decals didn't go on perfectly like I was hoping, but from a distance on the gaming table, I suspect it will look okay. I still may go back with some orange and try some light highlighting later. Anyway, back to the High Elves.

Oh and Yay!! I now have 100 followers. Thanks to everyone for visiting Kantor Base. I will do my best to update regularly.

It's All About the Elves - Warmachine Edition

2010-08-17T22:49:00.004-05:00

Just a little side project. I'm hearing great stuff about Warmachine, so I thought I'd dabble in that a bit. It will be an intermittent side project, but I bought a couple of models, more specifically, the Retribution of Scyrah faction. I'm diggin' this faction, because, well they're elves. But anyway, here's the first model that I painted up...Adeptis Rahn Shyeel, warcaster. I used all GW colors, mostly because I don't own any of privateer press paints. But let me know what you think.

It's All About the Elves

2010-08-16T21:52:00.005-05:00

I finished my High Elf Mage. This is a simple conversion that I made out of HE Archers, White Lion Chariot and plastic High Elf Mage kits. Super easy to make...and it's all plastic. This mage is schooled in the Lore of Fire, as represented by the orange sash.

So my characters for my 500 point army are done, so next up are my spearmen, I've got 10 of those bad boys.

My Motivation

2010-08-09T21:03:00.003-05:00

I am so stoked about the new starter set. Probably for the first time with Warhammer Fantasy. The new models are (even if they are 'newbie' models) are awesome. My only question is, will GW be producing plastic Swordmasters, Reavers, and LSG in the future or will this be the only way to get these? I mean 10 Swordmasters and 10 LSG are not enough, especially with the new horde rules.

But in any case, I'm using this set as a motivation for getting my first 500 points painted. I've got the Shadow Warriors and Archers primed and I'm almost done painting the mage, so progress is being made.