Video Battle Report: 1500 Points of Dark Elves vs Orcs & Goblins

I am trying out a new format for batreps and this is currently undergoing quite a lot of testing. Mainly it is due to time constraints as video batreps take more time.

I will be changing a few things here and there in the next video batrep like trying to cut out the "ermm and ahhh". A script is also handy but that will add considerable time to the creation of the batrep. I'll keep working on it and as always, please leave me your comments and Follow us.

Ikusa and Frostheart Phoenix

Some of our group members gathered over the long weekend to play a new board game that Tet Hong bought called Ikusa. I was pretty sure I was toast when You Cai rolled like a BOSS and pwned every one of my attacks. 

At the end of the game, I was pleasantly surprised when I managed to hold off Tet Hong's attempt at assassinating my General. I managed to weaken his attacks and when it came to my turn, I assassinated his Generals. Woot! 

Opening scene - I had lost two armies to You Cai

Tet Hong and Ai takes Japan

Tet Hong's assassination attempt fail and he then gets assassinated

It was a 5 hour game. LOL! Maybe even more but we all had fun with unbelievable results. We have to do this again. We still have yet to play my new card game called Samurai Sword. Of course there is Zombiecide.

Unfortunately my wife fell sick yesterday evening so when she crashed early, I had some time to myself. I just got my Phoenix which I bought for the High Elf army that my wife is playing so I thought I would put it together for her.

This mold must have been quite thick to have that wing tip rise that high

After 2 hours of cutting, filing and gluing, the Phoenix rises, albeit the cold version

Winter is coming and you're gonna strike last at -1 strength.

It was a brilliant kit to put together. GW still know how to put together a good kit. This Phoenix will be hitting a field near you soon

Golden Keris, Malaysia Painting Competition

We at ABO would like to congratulate our very own painter extradonaire, Joash Tan for his wins at a recent Malaysian painting competition. Called the Golden Keris, it was a painting competition. He had won three gold awards, People's Choice Award and the Overall Champion. These were for his Hordes models.

"I entered into my first painting competition ever. Its a local event called the Golden Keris - its kinda like a local version of the Golden Daemon, right down to the demonic statues, and a sword-like object for the ultimate winner (a keris instead of a sword, with the keris being a local traditional bladed weapon). As far as I know its the biggest miniature painting competition down here, but at the very least, its the one thats most applicable to us gamers.

Won triple Gold with my Kromac, Megalith and Bloodtrackers, voted People's Choice and won the Slayer Sw....I mean, Golden Keris :P"

Congratulations again and well done! All the hard work is certainly worth it! 

I will let you guys enjoy the pictures!

Joash is the chap in the orange tee in the centre

Golden (Silver) Keris, People Choice and 3 Gold Awards

Sam's Corner: Six Shot

I wanted to do a test model today for a Tau color scheme. I was looking through the new Tau Codex and there's this green colored Broadside battlesuit on page 89 that looks a lot like an old transformer called Sixshot I used to own.

I really like the colors but how its painted still eludes me. But he did really remind me of Sixshot. Not sure why though. Maybe its the green.

Anyways I tried to paint up a test model on a whim, but discovered I never really built or primed any of the Tau Firewarriors.

I used an Eldar Dire Avenger I had lying around as the test subject hehehe!

I used the new Citadel paint called Sybarite Green on a base of Regal Blue. I painted him in about 10 minutes. He looks to be the only one of his kind. Not sure I'll do a whole army in that color scheme.
I definitely had some giggles when I finished painting him though.

Cheers!

WIP: Savage Orc Warboss at Level 4

Took some time last night to put the final touches on my Savage Orc Warboss. I had already got him to Level 3 for the game on the weekend. Applied the final highlights to each an every one of his elements. Started with the skin and I used Necrotic Flesh from Army Painter to highlight all the bits of taught skin. Finished the bone with Bleached Bone. Highlighted the leather parts with Snakebite Leather. Even put on some blood specks on his stone weapon. I hope you guys like it! 

Full frontal please Mr Orc. I haven't done the tattoos yet. I am not sure I want to tattoo all my Savages like GW

I think he looks kinda nice don't you?

Waaaaaghh! 

Weapon looks like dinner from the Ogre Kingdoms

Trophy rack and the head of the latest Dark Elf warhost hehehe

As promised, I began work on the unit that really was my star in the previous game with Tet Hong. I used the plastic Warhammer movement tray from the 90's as a base.

I had a ton of these from the 90's and am no longer using them as I found my own method works better both in game and on the pocket. Handy step by step tutorial right here.

Using the smaller movement tray from above, I inserted backing board (simple cardboard will do but you have to premeasure the thickness to ensure that the model will sit flush to the top of the movement tray). I stacked two layers of backing board and then glued my Doom Diver on with a bit of Zap-A-Gap. I then based it with sand before basecoating the entire model with Chaos Black.

Drybrush the entire base first as it is the most messy process.-Snakebite Leather followed by Bleached Bone. I then hit the wooden parts with Scorched Brown. The leather parts I hit with Snakebite Leather followed by a heavy wash of Devland Mud. 

All Goblin skin was hit with a basecoat of Knarloc Green followed by a liberally thin wash of Devlan Mud

Let the washed model sit dry. I will come back to it soon. 

There you have it guys, focus on small chunks of your army. I have a huge huge huge collection which I am afraid I will never finish. In fact, last weekend I got myself a huge bunch of Orcs and Goblins as there was a sale at my LGS. However, by using this slow burn games that we are doing, it helps me focus on the models which I have to get ready. In my 1500 list, these few models will continually make an appearance hence I want to make sure I get them ready. 

Sam's Corner: WIP: Patlabor Tau

Reposting for Sam our resident Modeller Extravanganza! 

I've went on to paint a test model for my Tau counts as Pathfinders. I tried to follow as closely as I could to the original uniform colors in the Patlabor cartoon.

Above is the pic of the original crew.

My rendition using em4 Miniatures soliders from their plastic range :)

It was a quick paint job this morning. I largely used Regal Blue and Blazing Orange colors from Citadel range. And Dark Angels Green with Scorpion Green highlights for the helmet visor.

The Real Deal
I managed to get my hands of the real Patlabor models thanks to Comet Miniatures from the UK. This means I no longer have to cut up the original Tau Riptides.

I bought 2 Alphonse Specials as they can make 3 different patterns and the Type X-0 for another variety. Its just nice to proxy as 3 Riptides.

The original Labor is just slightly taller, but with its articulation, it is easily modeled to be the same height as the Riptide. This Alphonse is a really nice model but the arms and legs are a bit of a challenge to assemble.

I wish everyone a great weekend and a super fruitful week ahead!

Batrep: Dark Elves vs Orcs & Goblins

After finishing our 500 point Border Patrol, Tet Hong and myself redeployed for a 1500 point game. I had brought a list and the minis. Most of them are at various stages of repainting/rebasing so you will see a few units with strange bases. Simple scenario, we went for Pitched Battle to keep it simple. 6x4 table and we ended up playing only 4 feet wide. LOL! 

Here is my 1500 point list:

Savage Orc Warboss 

-Sword of Anti Heroes

-Potion of Strength

-Obsidian Trinket

Savage Orc Shaman

-Lucky Shrunken Head

Savage Orc Big Uns x28

-Second Choppa

-Standard

-Musician

Goblin Wolf Riders x5

-Musician

Goblin Wolf Riders x5

-Musician

Orc Boyz x30

-Standard

-Musician

-Second Choppa

Mangler Squiq x2

Doom Diver

Night Goblins x20

-Spear

-Musician

-Fanatics x2

Night Goblins x20

-Spear

-Musician

-Fanatics x2

This is Tet Hong's Dark Elf list:

Sorceress lvl 4, Pendant of Khaleth and Sacrificial Dagger.
Master, Armour of Darkness, Crimson Death
Master, BSB, Banner of Hag Graef (ASF), Heavy Armour, Shield, Sea Dragon Cloak

22 SpearElves (I think I made a mistake here. I don't have Full Command I think, only Musician).
23 Corsairs, FC, Sea Serpent Standard (Frenzy)
10 Repeater Crossbows, Musician
Hydra
Chariot
RBT

Deployment: I vanguard 2 of my Wolfriders up the left flank to threaten his missile units while the rest of the army gears up to beat face. Savage Orc Big Un's take the centre field with both the characters. 

Vanguard move brings them really close to the DE lines. I was betting that one unit would make it through the fusilade of fire

Deployed one unit of Night Goblins into the forest on my left

First round of shooting and both my Vanguard unit of Wolves are gone. In my Turn 1 I moved the rest of my units up. Night Goblins in the middle rolled a squabble for Animosity

Love the Hydra that Sam painted for Tet Hong. Doom Diver picked off 4 wounds from the Cold One Chariot

Crest the hill and let's get into combat! Gotta keep working on those Savages. That's the awesome thing about smaller battles, it allows you to focus your painting effort and actually see it all come together. 

I send my Savages as far as possible. The Night Goblins on the left panicked from shooting from the RBT and Repeater Crossbows. My Doom Diver managed to pick off 4 wounds from the Hydra. That Doom Diver is on FIRE this game! I have to reward the crew by painting them! 

Dark Elves send the Hydra up and charges my Savages on the left. He then used massive magics to kill off 15 of my Orc Boyz. Thankfully they held due to the Warboss. 

As the Hydra charged in, I was forced to release the Fanatic. I chose to let it go through my unit and then contact the Hydra. The Fanatic then proceeded to remove the last wound from the Hydra. Nice

In Turn 3 DE turn, he sent in his Corsairs who had the Frenzy banner into my Savages. Casting his Mindrazor on IF (this was the 2nd IF roll and due to the Pendant of Kaleth, his Sorceress escaped unscatched. I wonder if you can take the Pendant Save from miscasts).  I lost 12 and he lost only a few. My Savages broke combat and fled only to be outrun and destroyed. There goes my General

The Dark Elves had to pursue as they were frenzied

Missed another couple of pictures here. Basically the Orc Boyz got hit by another round of magic and shooting reducing them to less than 2 ranks. The Dark Elves then charged into my thinned unit and they fled, leaving me with a unit of Night Goblins and Fanatics.

Launched the Fanatics through this unit of Corsairs only removing 4 Elves

It was Turn 6 and I had only the Doom Diver remaining. Looks like a solid victory for the Dark Elves.

Lessons:

1. Vanguard works best for largish units and even then, you need to stay as much as possible out of LOS from heavy missile units. For the Wolves, I am inclined to include a Goblin Hero in a unit of 10 for 1500 points. This would be ideal for war machine hunting
2. I need a BSB. Orcs depend on it more than any other army out there
3. 20 Night Goblins are throw away units - I need to learn to throw them away and delay the main force a little. More artillery will force the opponent to play on my terms. 
4. Killing off their missile units early game may help me control the shooting game

I hope you enjoyed the report. 

Also, can someone tell me if the Pendant of Kaleth can be used to save against Magic Miscasts (IF).