A Kragensburg update, just some stuff I've been working on

I said I needed some scatter terrain.  Well here is the set I ordered (I actually got two, the other is still in the box), they came in on Wednesday!  I think I said they were from Infinity.  I was wrong, or the seller on Ebay was wrong.  They are from Micro Mini.  A nice set, all resin, not a whole lot of flash on them.  After a quick wash, and some scraping I primed them black then gave them a coat of Brown Army Painter spray.  When I hit them with the brown, I didn't give it a very thick coat, as I wanted to leave some of the black showing as a sort of shading.  Worked out pretty well I think.
Next I'll put some details on them, a quick coat of wash on the bags, and done.

I have also been working on more miniatures to populate my town as NPCs

Above we have the Grave Digger from Reaper.  He is the metal version of this model.  One of my favorites from Reaper truth be told.  A simple paint job, but I think he painted up nicely.  I have his Ogre companion primed and ready for paint as well.

I also finally got around to opening up and taking a closer look at my figures from Lead Adventures.  Here you can see one of them mounted on his base.  I love this company, the models are clean with crisp details, the one pictures below has had no work done to it other than gluing it to its base.  Hardly any flash at all.

Above we have one that I painted up, nice detail.  I played around with this guy for about an hour, simply enjoying the model.  Kind of silly I guess on a simple Villager, but I have just been getting a little caught up with this project.  That's a sack he has slung over his shoulder, might be a bit hard to tell from this angle.

I also started some work on some pieces for objectives or key mission pieces, below you can see a baggage cart

I think the name of the company is Blue Moon miniatures, I'd have to double check if anyone wants to know specifically.  The cart itself isn't too bad, the horses are one piece metal, and had lots of flash to be removed, they are a little smaller that GW scale, but once I mounted them you can hardly tell.  I also think that a piece of the hitch was missing, but again not a big deal, I simply glued a piece of balsa wood in its place, problem solved.  The cart itself has been mounted on a piece of movement tray cut to fit as a base for the miniature.  I think it will paint up nicely.

I guess that's about it for now, I'm itching to get back to working on this stuff, but there is a Tournament at AetherStorm games tomorrow and I still don't have a list written up...

Practice, Practice, Practice...

Yesterday I got a few practice games of Mordheim in, as I am trying to re-familiarize myself to the rules.
I also wanted to check out my board layout at this point to see what still needs to be added.

Above we have Kragensburg as it stands now.  While I like the density, I really need more scatter terrain.  

So of course me, being me, I ordered some.  I found a nice kit by Infinity online, so got 2 sets of it.  They should be in by the end of the week.

Anyway, on the South side of the wall, you can see "Old Towne" most of which lies in ruin, as border skirmishes, and Chaos raids have happened over the centuries, the borders of the town itself have changed, new walls and buildings constructed over old ect... 

The Castle wall represents the border to "New Towne" right now I only have a Manor House on that side, but that will change as I am still waiting for my order from Armorcast which has 3 cottages, and a town well.

As I shift south and add a second board, there will be an ancient cemetery, a shrine to chaos, along with more ruins, hills and some forest as we head from the mountain area and towards the foothills of the Middle Mountains.

I managed to get 3 games in yesterday with my old Reiklanders Warband, they were led by Lt. Bombay under orders from Captain Kallilor to scout the area and set up a base of operations for their future ventures.

Lt. Bombay found an ideal spot, unfortunately a group of Dwarven Treasure Hunters were eye-balling the same territory out in the ruins of Old Towne. 

We played the 3 games in a sort of mini-campaign so I could play with the after action stuff as well as get the hang of the rules.

I didn't take many pictures though, as the Dwarves were unpainted, and I was more focused on game play than doing any real battle report.

Above you can see a quick picture of my Warband after 3 games.  I quickly hired a Wizard after the first game, and after the 2nd game added the Free Lancer.  This proved to be critical as after the second game Lt. Bombay suffered an injury and had to sit out game 3.

I wasn't sure how balanced things would be against the Dwarves, but I think things turned out well over-all.  I had a ton of shooting, but the hardiness of the Dwarf Treasure Hunters allowed him to take a lot of punishment.

I'm still getting the hang of this new PC, but I played with the map just a bit, and managed to pinpoint Kragensburg on the map

I know, not the best, but as I have more time and actually get a mouse rather than working with the stupid pad on the laptop, I will play with it more, and maybe even add more details.

So, I had a discussion with my buddy Les last eve, and he said he reviewed my rules.  They all got his approval with one notable exception.  He raised concerns about the Hochland Bandits Warband.  This Warband comes from the Nemesis Crown Expansion, and while it has a lot of character many of the rules seem a bit, well off or unbalanced.

After our discussion I have to say that I agree, and my knee-jerk reaction was to just pull the Warband from the list.  Les has a lot more experience with Mordheim than most in my area, and also comes from a Magic background, so certainly knows how to crunch a rules set and find the combos.

One player however has already expressed a desire to play the Hochland Bandits already, and seems pretty pumped about it.

I think what I'm going to do, is play test them myself in the next week or so.  I think in the end I may allow them, but with a tweaking of the rules.

Right now I'm thinking of dropping the Foraging rule, the Huckster and the Poachers.  The area is just too dangerous for the Huckster to want to hang out in, and the town is considered cursed by the Hunters of Hochland, who refuse to go into the region so close to the Brass Keep for fear of becoming cursed by Chaos themselves.  So with no Poachers, there is no one in the warband to forage.  

I think that will solve the problem, while still allowing for a characterful Warband that can represent a group of Bandits in the area.

Populating a City

I recently got my Lead Adventures order all the way from Germany

In an age where plastic and resin is all the rage, I'm really excited about this line of miniatures, as they are all metal.  They are very characterful, very detailed, and very suited to Mordheim game play.  I cant recommend them enough. http://www.lead-adventure.com/  check out their online store if you are looking for some ideas on a Warband.

Myself I am going to place another order with them, but that is for another post.

So, what have I been up to, preparing for the campaign?

Come right in and let me show you around. (sorry about photo quality, I've been using my cell phone)

I have been playing around with the new Bones miniatures line by Reaper.  While not the best miniatures I have ever painted, they are extremely cheap and paint up quickly.  I did some research prior to painting the Bones Minis, and in the end decided to break the rules.  

They all get a prime coat of a black spray.  This does leave the model a little tacky as the spray paint doesn't completely cure on the model.  But I found that once I paint the model with a good base coat, then wash and apply highlights, the model finishes decently enough.  Then of course I break another Bones mini rule and apply a clear coat. 

 Above you can see one of my "Ladies of the evening"  she is standing out in front of my freshly painted Manor House.

Next up we have a shot of the Manor House with a woman out front sweeping, the Black Smith, and of course a few Guards out front.  

Here is a Money Changer, Lender, Tax Collector, Pay Master, whatever.  I am sure he has a role to play in the upcoming campaign especially with such a large chest of coin!  He is a long out of print Pay Master for the Dogs of War from WHFB.

A close up of some village folk hard at work.

And finally above we have a The Hermit.  He was a promotional Scibor Miniature from the WarStore Weekend in 2012 that I figured I would press into service.  A bit of an odd sculpt, but he was free, so what the hell...

I'm looking to get a couple of practice games in here shortly, just so I can get back into the swing of the rules set, and to test out some of my house rules.  I'm particularly interested to see how the strength table shift for armor modifiers works out.

I'll be sure to snap a few photos you can all see how my table is coming along.

Welcome to Kragensburg, a WHFB skirmish campaign using the Mordheim Rules set

Welcome to Kragensburg a walled city located in the Southeastern most part of the Middle Mountains of the Empire.  Shown below is a map of Middenland, Kragensburg itself is not shown on the map, but is about 35 miles Southeast of the Brass Keep.  The city itself sits in an area bordered by Nordland, Hochland, Middenland, and Ostland and has been the subject of many border skirmishes.

Kragensburg with its location sitting on so many borders has been fought over for many centuries, destroyed and rebuilt many times.  The city is a favorite place for Mercenaries, Adventurers, and other less savory sorts to seek their fortune, or hide from the authorities.

The estimated start date for the campaign is February, but I may shoot for an earlier start as I am ahead of schedule with my terrain building.

I am limiting this campaign to 10 players, most games will be played on a 4x12 with each player having their own objectives and coexisting in our little section of the Empire, fighting and assisting each other as suits their individual goals and objectives.

The Warbands

• Reikland
• Middenheim
• Marienburg
• Witch Hunters
• Sisters of Sigmar
• Undead
• Skaven
• Cult of the Possessed
• Carnival of Chaos
• Beastman Raiders
• Dwarf Treasure Hunters
• Marauders of Chaos (Follow the Darkest Tribes rules are not in use)

The House Rules

• All intact buildings are impassable terrain, all doors have been magically locked by local wizards protecting the citizens of Kragensburg, NPC characters can of course enter buildings at the Game Masters discretion (exceptions to this rule will be clearly stated)
• All other Empire in Flames terrain rules are in effect.  Note that all hills are considered difficult ground when changing levels.
• The Critical Wound charts at the back of the Mordheim rule book are in effect
• Escape from Combat rules in effect
• Rewards of the Shadowlord in effect
• Black powder weapon misfire chart in effect
• Mounted warriors rules as per the Mordheim rule book.
• The Sling provides a +1 to a warriors armor save when saving against a wound from this weapon
• Armor and Injuries: If a Hero rolls a death result on the injury chart there is a chance his armor will save him.  The Hero is allowed an armor save in this case and if the save is made death has been avoided!  For Henchmen, if they die after a game, they too are allowed an armor save.  If the save is passed, they are allowed a 2nd chance to live and a re-roll is made.
•  The Armor Save Modifier Chart is being shifted by one, so penalties do not begin until S5.
• WYSIWYG is going to be enforced within reason, if you are not sure if something is appropriately represented check with me.
• ALL MODELS WILL BE PAINTED!  I have been spending an incredible amount of time working on terrain, and models to populate the city I expect everyone playing in this campaign to have their Warband fully painted.  This includes later additions and the hiring of sell swords, so plan accordingly.
• I will be using the Blood Pact rules, however not all Hired Swords will form such a bond with all Warbands, so check with me before making any rolls.

The Hired Swords 

• Pit Fighter
• Ogre Bodyguard
• Halfling Scout
• Warlock
• Freelancer
• Elf Ranger
• Dwarf Troll Slayer
• Grave Robber
• Bard
• Beast Hunter
• Road Warden
• Highwayman
• Old Prospector
• Human Scout
• Runesmith Journeyman

I think that's it for now, I will post more as I think of it.  Please any questions don't hesitate to ask.  Next I'll post some pictures of what I've been up to!

A New Start...

Well it has been awhile since my last post, but PC issues have kept me from blogging proper.  That however, does not mean I haven't been busy on the hobby front.  I have been quite busy, playing 40k, attending the Mechanicon GT and generally causing all sorts of mayhem with my Iron Warriors Chaos army.

It is now that time a year, when a specialist game takes up the vast majority of my hobby time.  Some of you may remember my Necromunda campaign from last year, well this year it's Mordheim.

No, I'm not giving up on Necromunda, I have lots planned for a future campaign, it's just time for something fresh, and I have a Fantasy itch to scratch and a good Mordheim Campaign always does the trick.

I have been hard at work on building a table, and will be running the campaign out of my local game shop, Aetherstorm Games.  Excitement is already being generated even though I don't plan on actually starting the campaign until after the holidays.

I will post some campaign details this evening, and will get some WIP pictures of my city, and its populace as well, so stay tuned, there is lots more to come.

Meet the Sludge Sifters, a Necromunda Gang Profile

The last couple of weeks I have been giving Mordoc and his Mad Marauders a break, and started playing my new gang, "The Sludge Sifters".
The Sludge Sifters belong to the Prophets of War faction, and believe they are on their own against the forces of Chaos, stuck in the warp storm for all eternity, they feel the Emperor (if there even is such a thing) has abandoned them and that the Imperium of man will never send assistance to this small system they call home.
The Sludge Sifters have been very successful in their ventures, living down by the Sludge River, harvesting sludge from the river, filtering it and using it as a source of nourishment.  Deep in the ruins of the under-hive not only have they survived, but they have thrived.  Successfully establishing settlements, and setting up trade networks, and even a small defense force.

On to the gang members:

First up we have the Gang Leader, Sinclair "The Foreman"
M:4, WS:6, BS:5, S:3, T:3, W: 1, I:4, A:1, LD:9
Wargear: Chainsword, Plasma Pistol, Bolt Pistol, Knife, Respirator, Flak Armor
Skills: Escape Artist, Body Slam, Counter Attack
Cost 220
Xp: 217

The Leader of the Sludge Sifters, Sinclair leads by example, and is not afraid to lead the charge and get stuck in, showing the "Juvees" how it's done.

Ganger, "Face"
M:4, WS:3, BS:3, S:3, T:3, W:1, I:4, A:1, LD:7
Wargear: Shotgun, Auto-Pistol, Knife
XP: 36
Cost: 85

Face tends to bite off more than he can chew in an effort to impress the boss.  Quite often he finds himself out of the fight before he can truly be of help to anyone, but hey, he keeps trying.
(Poor Face, I've had to replace this ganger 3xs in this campaign!)

Fred and Charlie, along with Face these guys form the "Fire Support" element of my gang.  Fred typically works with Face, advancing as a pair (more often than not with Bucky the Ratskin Scout as a guide) while Charlie acts in support of Rufus the Heavy of the group.

Fred: M:4, WS:3, BS:5, S:3, T:4, W:1, I:3, A:1, LD:7
Wargear: Shotgun, Knife
Skills: Bitter Enemy (Sister Superior Christina's Sisters of Battle)
Killer Reputation
Cost: 125
Xp: 68
Charlie: M:4, WS:3, BS:3, T:3, W:1, I:4, A:1, LD:7
Wargear: Boltgun with Telescopic Sight, Knife and Auto-Pistol
Skills: Killer Reputation, Impetuous, Berserk Charge
Cost:148
Xp: 95

Shiv and Packrat, the assault troops of my Gang.  Shiv started as a Juve, and has been with Sinclair since a child.  He has grown to be one of the most powerful members of the gang and answers only to Packrat, and Sinclair himself.  These two don't hesitate to take the fight to the enemy, and frequently make use of vents to take up a position early on in battle to surprise their enemies.

Shiv: M:4, WS:5, BS:3, S:3, T:4, W:1, I:3, A:2, LD:6
Wargear: Laspistol, Chainsword (a gift from Sinclair), and a knife
Cost: 65
Xp: 51
Packrat: M:4, WS:4, BS:6, S:4, T:3, W:1, I:3, A:1, LD:7
Wargear: 2x Auto-Pistols, Massive Axe, Frag Grenades, Knife
Skills: Horrible Scars, Old Battle Wound
Cost: 125
Xp: 94

Junker and Scrapper, the two newbies in the gang.  Still trying to prove themselves, they are ill-equipped but very eager to make their names known.  With 3 settlements now under Sludge Sifter control, there is never a shortage of young men looking to join our ranks.
Scrapper: M:4, WS:2, BS:2, S:3, T:3, W:1, I:3, A:1, LD:6
Wargear: Stubber and Knife
Skills: Nerves of Steel
Cost: 35
Xp:6
Junker: M:4, WS:2, BS:2, S:3, T:3, W:1, I:3, A:1, LD:6
Wargear: Laspistol and Knife

Rufus is Sinclair's 2nd in command.  Rufus typically uses vents to set up an excellent lane of fire.  Then when opportunity presents itself has a habit of using all of his ammo in one volley.  That shortcoming aside Rufus is truly the backbone of the gang.
Rufus: M:4, WS:3, BS:3, S:4, T:4, W:1, I:3, A:1, LD:7
Wargear: Heavy Bolter, Auto-Pistol, Knife
Skills: Armorer, Medic
Cost: 255
Xp: 143

The Hired Guns: Pistol Pete, Boris, and Bucky

Pistol Pete: Underhive Scum
M:4, WS:3, BS:4, S:3, T:3, W:1, I:4, A:1, LD:8
Wargear: Pair of Bolt Pistols
Skills: Quickdraw, Gunfighter, Dodge
Boris: Underhive Scum
M:4, WS: 3, BS:4, S:3, T:3, W:1, I:5, A:1, LD:8
Wargear: Pair of Bolt Pistols
Bucky: Ratskin Scout
M:4, WS:4, BS:3, S:3, T:4, W:1, I:3, A:1, LD:8
Wargear: Knife, Axe, Autogun, Blind Snake Pouch

And last but not least we have Mutt.  Mutt has just recently joined the gang and is obviously still WIP, I will get some paint on him tonight though, so that he can fight tomorrow with the rest of the boys.













I am using the Cawdor rules for this gang, mainly because that was the only gang that could start with a bolter, and thats what Charlie was armed with.  My gang has an odd assortment of advances and skills that don't always match their gear, but that is part of their charm.

Gang Rating currently stands at: 2016 (with the Hired Guns)
with 33 Credits in the stash.

Hope you all enjoyed this overview of my current gang.
Till next time, thanks for reading!

The Colonial, Cold Wars, Necromunda, sooo much to talk about...

Well, it has been a couple of weeks since my last post.  Not because I haven't wanted to blog, but because I have been very busy.  No, not at work but on the hobby front for once.

Two weeks ago I attended the Colonial GT.  This is the 3rd year that Chris Nanry has owned this event, purchasing it from Matt York.  For many years this was a must attend event for WHFB players all over.  Chris however has done a wonderful job expanding the event.  This year breaking it up into two separate events.  Two weeks ago was the Warmachine and WH40k event.  (the WHFB event will take place during the Warstore Weekend the first weekend of November).
I took my Space Wolves and threw together a quick list as I haven't been playing much 40k lately being fully involved with Necromunda.

I took a soft list, with 3 Pods a couple of Razorbacks, some Scouts and LongFangs, with a mix of GreyHunters and Wolfguard leading the way.  All led by the Old Wolf himself.
Yes, I got my ass kicked.  Alllll weekend long.
Not that I really care mind ya, I specifically went with the purpose of hanging out with some old friends this weekend.  The gaming was really secondary to seeing those folks that I only get to see 2-3 times a year.

Gaming-wise the highlight of the weekend was Logan Grimnar defeating this Daemon Prince in Close Combat.
Was a great time, and I came away with 3rd best paint, and an idea for a new army that will remain top secret for now...

Last weekend, my buddy Matt and I took a day trip to Lancaster Pa. to attend Cold Wars.  What a great time.  I have said before that one day is not enough for an event like that and I am considering taking 2 or 3 days to go to Historicon this summer.

Check out the size of the dealers area!  You could spend a whole day just looking through all the gems tucked away here.

Ah, the Necromunda update.  We have had two gaming sessions since I last posted, the current campaign standings are:
Crusade of Fire: 5
Prophets of War: 6
Servants of Ruin: 7
Chaos is ahead, Plague Zombies are running amuck, and things are getting crazy!
Yesterday we played a 4 player game.  Zombies were found to be lurking around the Sludge River, and pushed the Sludge Sifters (my new gang) out of their territory, with the Cawdor hot on the heels of the Zombies, hunting them down in a Crusade of Fire, this pushed the Sludge Sifters into Sister Superior Christine's territory where her Sisters were in battle with the Brides of Chucky, a renegade group formerly of Christines band, and now worshiping Khrone.  Whew, our Multi-player games are great.

One of Sister Superiors Battle Sisters taking the high ground

The Cawdor, acting in support of their Under-Hive Scum guide, hunting Zombies!

Seems even the Sisters are not above employing some Under-Hive Scum.

Zombies seemed to be everywhere!

My new gang came out swinging, errrr, I mean shooting.
The battle was hard fought, but at the end of the day the I the Brides of Chucky were chased off by Sister Superior Christine's Battle Sisters, The Cawdor evacuated the area as well to regroup, and my Sludge Sifters managed to hold their ground, sending the Battle Sisters packing.  A victory to the Sludge Sifters and a campaign point to the Prophets of War!

Next week I hope to have my Chaos gang back up and running, but I have a thing about playing with unpainted models, so gave them the week off while I finish up 2 new models for the gang.

I have however gotten some new terrain up on the board

Above you can see my new Apartment complex, and some of the new scatter terrain I did for the board.  Still lots to do, but we are getting there.
Above you can also see the platform (landing pad) with the ruined building on top.  Playing and moving underneath it has been a pain in the ass, game play-wise.

So, I am fixing it.  I think closing off the bottom will make game play much better on our board.
Oh, one last tidbit. 

I got these babies from a company called "Litko" you can custom make game markers.  They took about 4 weeks to get, but we used them last week and found them to be much better than trying to use dice or chits, little gems ect.

Well that's it for today, (isn't that enough?)
Thanks for reading!!!