BroCon 2014

Magos Kurgan (me), Captain Jameson (Just John), Inquisitor Verhoeven (Cheetor) and Zardork (theottovonbismark) for the traditional group shot.

Last weekend myself, Cheetor, theottovonbismark and Just John converged on BroCon. This follows on from our game at KnaveCon. We played two games, the first using the Pulp Alley rules, and the second using 2nd edition 40k rules. Both were highly entertaining, but the Pulp Alley game, set in the madness of Rogue Trader 40k, Get to the Chopper, was genuinely hilarious. Usually a good game was one or two memorable events, but there were several times during this game that tears were welling I was laughing that hard.

For the first game we all picked a small team to investigate the rapidly irradiating jungle for the key that opened the door of the ship waiting in the compound. With Inquisitors, Ratli - I mean Leprechans, moustachioed orks and genestealer hybrids, there was plenty of Rogue Trader variety going on.

Smell the Oldhammer

 Uncanny radiation from perilium deposits exposed by recent seismic activity (see “Inquisitor – The Ragna Rock” for details) has caused the dead of the Northern Polar continent of Krellborn IX to rise and attack the living. Being suddenly surrounded by homicidal cadavers has brought the individual agendas of the various factions currently in the area to an abrupt end. Escape is the only thing on our heroes minds and the only reliable route out is by air.
 

The local wildlife is also aware that death is creeping up. Driven as before an eruption or forest fire, the colourful and hostile local predators are also panicked and aggressive. Therefore the likes of enraged Death-Ferrets, Bouncers, Face-Eaters and more will have to be factored into any plan.

The single available shuttlecraft in the area appears undamaged, but access to the vehicle is restricted. Remains of the prior owners of “The Chopper” surround the local Leprechan agri-science outpost. Hopefully those remains will also be the location of the key cards that allow access to and control of the vehicle. There is only one way to find out…

The Magos and his retinue creep forward.

Zardork spies the compound in the distance while taking fire from crack-shot Leprechans.

The Helga prepares for lift-off.

The finest moustache in 40k makes it's way through the jungle.

Bedlam on the landing pad as the scuffle for keys gets nasty.

Inquisitor Verhoeven finds that getting over a chain link fence appears to be the greatest challenge of his career.

For a more detailed report on the desperate dash for the shuttle, you can read it here on Sho3box, Cheetor's blog.

In our second game, the sensei and their followers face off against each other, highlander style, and, of course, there can be only one. With some jaw-dropping ruthlessness, the sensei butcher each other while making half-hearted noises about making common cause until the end. After several turns of such carnage, sensei Ramirez emerges to claim the prize. Cheetor has a more detailed report coming for this game also.

Both games went very well indeed, and already the O'Hammerers move to plan their next outing. Several ideas are fermenting, but there may be an electronux involved...

The sensei move through the jungle to claim the holy ground.

Otto twirls his moustache while considering his next dastardly move.

Ramirez battles his final opponent.

Genestealer Cult - Magos Kurgan

The magos is finished, and just in time too. He takes to the table this weekend at BroCon, for a spot of Oldhammer shenanigans. He was a very satisfying miniature to rescue from the brink of destruction and return to the cabinet converted up and with a shiny new paint job. He takes to the part of magos very well I think, especially with the addition of some cables and his floating pal. He really needs a couple of servitors though, I am thinking...

Here he is with his minions ready for 'The Quickening' scenario.

There can be only one.

Genestealer Cult - Rogue Trader Hybrid

Another hybrid finished. This time we're going old school. This is one of my favourite models from the Rogue Trader era. I didn't get this guy in a fortuitous ebay bid, no. He's been in my possession since he was first released. He's had to wait some decades, but here he is at last. Quite a fiddly model to paint, with a lot of recesses and awkward little details, but for all that a real joy to have finished.

I did agonise over what colour to paint his armour. Black, purple, red, all were considered. In the end, with the scheme I chose, a simple metallic seemed to work best. It also has the advantage of highlighting all the wonderful detail in the armour ribbing and various joints. I did paint the little backpack/powerpack on his back green, which I'm using on guns, satchels and so on as well.

Here he is with his new school brother. Now to give them someone to boss them around.

"Back in my day, lad, a hybrid could wear a wristwatch and not be called on WYSIWYG."

Magos Kurgan - Update 1

Work on the genemechanicus continues, this time focusing on one of the characters, magos Kurgan. Kurgan is based on an old Jes Goodwin model that I acquired in a trade. He'd seen better days, missing his horns and the end of his scythe, but he reminded me of some of the old adeptus mechanicus art I'd seen by John Blanche and Jes Goodwin, so he was put aside for later consideration.

I rummaged around for some bits to 40k up this fellow. His plasma staff is made from bits from the ever useful talos kit. I'll paint the ribbed section of the staff like the fuel cells on a plasma gun. I've seen some people attach servo skulls directly to thier models, and this seemed like a great idea to give him a more mechanicus feel and mark him out as a character. The poseable cabling from Dragon Forge is a magical addition to any bits box, instantly adding sci-fi cred to any model. Some green stuff, and he was ready for priming. Here he stands now, awaiting some paint.

I'm trying to get the first half a dozen members of the cult ready for an upcoming demo game at BroCon. Here are two more fellows awaiting some attention. Nothing like a deadline to keep you going.

Genestealer Cult - Aberrant Hybrids

I've not had a ton of hobby time lately, so I've been just going nuts with the blu-tack in the little time I do have. I threw together this guy, an aberrant hybrid. I'm guessing not every genestealer hybrid turns out super cool, and some are a little more deformed than others. These are then taken by their brethren and augmented to carry heavy weapons or combat attachments. In game these will work as weapons teams, ogryns, and whatever else. I'd be super intrigued to get some feedback on ugly here. Bear in mind he still needs cables and other do-dahs.

Genestealer Cult - Test Model Finished

After some considerable tooing and frooing, the test model for the cult is done. Trying to marry the aesthetics of the Adeptus Mechanicus and a genestealer cult took some mulling, but I think I have a reasonable handle on it. Essentially whenever I come across a stumbling block I'll just refer to one of my Giger art books. Job done.

The paint scheme came together once I lightened the skin, going much paler than originally anticipated. I did consider making it a much cooler tone, shading with blues and purples, but the fleshier shading sits better I think. The base is pretty neutral, which is as well considering the amount of colours in the scheme.

Here's some more views of our neophyte and his late grandad.

Next up will be some of his squad, including a particularly hulking 2nd gen special weapon carrier.

Genestealer Cult - Urban Bases

With the first hybrid finished, it's time to look at the basing scheme for the cult. I wanted something very different from the swamp bases I've used for my last project, the fimir, so I went for ruined urban. After a search in the old internet, I found a nice set of resin bases from Dragon Forge, you can see them here. Mostly concrete with grates, manholes and so on.

As the scheme for my cult has quite a few colours I want the basing to be pretty neutral, and you want get much more neutral than grey. Having said that, I didn't want the bases to be just mid-grey with a white drybrush, there has to be some points of interest, so once again I turned to the mighty interwebs to instruct me. I found a nice tutorial from Third Eye Nuke on urban basing which had a couple of choice tips. You can see it here. Craziest of all was a highlight of silver as the top highlight on the concrete. 'What in the hell?', I said. 'Holy monkeys, it really works!', I said a second or two later. Here's the scheme I went with.

Base coat of light grey, I used the old Fortress Grey from Citadel. I based the grate with a 1:1 mix of Mechrite Red and Boltgun Metal. Wash all with Reikland Fleshshade. Wash the grate and recesses and such with Nuln Oil. Drybrush with Fortress Grey. Stipple flat areas a touch. Same again with Skull White. Drybrush with Necron Compound. Finally, work Typhus Corrosion into recesses and points of interest. You can use pigment here too, but I just goddam love Typhus Corrosion for the grainy texture. It's a weathering/dirtifying magic liquid, so it is.

I'm pretty happy with the result, and it takes no time at all.