Eden - Horde models painted...

Well sort of, at least I have tried to base coat and ink something....

I need to get these up to standard so I can finish my Resistance crew.

Assembled resistance crew plus 2 Brood plights.

DA - new robot?

Its been a while since I have seen any DA stuff that interests me but the new "Skarrd Abomination" model fits the bill. It looks very nice and its BIG.

Dark Age - new Outcast models

Well , I have not been doing any painting recently but managed to mount three new DA models. The Fixer , Brute pusher and a Brute. Very nice models and I think they will paint up well and complete my 750 point outcast crew.

Dark Age - The core

Check out the new "Core" faction at DA web site. Interesting idea, I wonder if it the concept can be made into good looking models. Art work looks very nice.

DA - PUDs

I had another game of DA today. Rules flowed ok but still little things coming up that slowed down game. It was regarding the targeting priority rule and using a spray weapon. Also some of the mission are very, very hard to complete and then it come down to who kills the most. I'm not a big fan of this but I suppose you need some way to stop game from being a draw. I would prefer some type of secondary mission like Malifaux.

Here are some shots of game. Keys parts of game were a PUD holding up St Mary and she missed 3 times and then the PUD made its armor save, Luck ability saved Judah from being killed and PUDs getting thrown all over the place. I might drop the Grists (100 points) and take another saw blade (85) next time for some more close assault goodness.

I'm not counting ;-) but Game tally; Brood 2  vs St Mary 0

and a posed photo ;-)

Dark Age Apocalypse - Bio Gen

Murtros has a RE(4) weapon. The RE(4) ability on the Kitache Staff provides the ability to CA even though not in BTB or reach past a BTB model to attack something else. Also if correctly judged means opposition has to move twice (if MV = 3) to reach BTB against Murtros and in the process wasting an AP. Finally it means that Murtros can move 12inches and reach 4inches for a total or 16inches which would make him one of the "quickest" models in the game to engage an enemy in CA.

REACH (RE)                   (from Errata)

Reach weapons represent large axes, long poles, whips or any weapon capable of a limited reach. This allows a Reach (RE) weapon to make Close Assault (CA) from a set distance as indicated by the Weapon Range, RE(x), where x = the number in inches you may attack from. Attacks with Reach (RE) follow the guidelines below:

- RE is a special CA attack that does not require the models being in base-to-base contact. As long as the RE(x) is in range, they can make such an attack. They do not get any charge bonus or benefit from or add to Gang Up bonuses. Units being attacked are not considered in CA with the attacking unit with reach, There is no need to Break Away from a Unit with RE if the enemy Unit chooses to move away.

- Certain Weapon Abilities (WA) do not work with RE(x) attacks, WA’s such as Knock Back, Knock Prone, and Pin only work if the attacking Unit is in base-to-base with an enemy Unit.

- RE Attacks, other than Brutal attacks, may be Parried.
- A RE attack may be used as a regular CA attack if the attacker is in base-to-base with an enemy Unit. 

Murtros has Bio-Gen(1) which means he can take a bio gen with slots(1). This ability adds tactical flexibility that allow Murtros to adapt to the current situation

Some of the possible options are , Acid Attack(1), Adrenaline(1), Goo(1), Improved regeneration(2), Leech(2), Phosphorus Gig(2), Symbiotic Implantation(1), Toxic Vapor(1) and Venom spray(1). 

Toxic vapor gives any unit in BTB +2DF and -2AS. Does not affect Environ Filters or  Does not affect any non living units. I think this is very good defensive option but means no room for Murtros to take another attacking option.

Venom Spray is a PW 3x3 Spray with a RF of 1 and a MAL of 19. Also has paralyzing Poison . Does not affect any non living unit. The other spray attack is an Acid Attack PW 2x3, RF of 1 and MAL of 19. Its obviously acid (Unit with an Acid counter resolves a PW 4 attack) with no restrictions.

Murtros needs depend on the mission objectives and according to the rules on page 17 you 1: Determine the size of the game, 2: determine the scenario and then 3: Select the units for play. So Murtros can select his Bio-Gen knowing what his objective is. 

Murtros had Toxic Vapor and it gave Murtros an advantage in the close assault . 

Dark Age Apocalypse - Brood vs Forsaken

I had a 750 point game today. I think 750 may be too much until we learn rules but only had one game so hard to tell. The brood had to "converge" on the objective , I needed three units to get into btw contact. If I didn't have the infiltrating hounds it would have been impossible. Forsaken had to get 10 food markers from different objectives, the trick being if you died you lost the food already gathered.

Fun game, but it dragged on a bit. Rule queries seemed to happen every few activations and it really slowed game down.

Weird things that happened.

St Mary's nail gun MALed and shot the war wind! Who's side is she on?
I didn't take Toxic fumes or Venom spray but took Adrenaline instead! How could that happen?
St Mary knocked the Howler prone! How could that happen?
Brood hounds are hard to kill!
Prone models doing a side step! How could that happen? See DA forum for response
Medic panicking and running towards friendly models but not enough to get hit and then healing them?

Oh well, the Brood achieved the objective and stopped the Forsaken getting 10 food counters.

Dark Age - Toxic Cult

I got some additions to my Toxic Cult to get it unto 750 points which appears to be what we are using for out games. I needed a Kaustic to lead my Buzzblades and provide some support. I got a Hoodoo to create fear and provide some more Psychogenic abilities. I especially like "the unclean's stigma" which gives a unit "lack of support" or -2TN. Finally I got two Toxic Mistresses but I think they are just too small. Oh well I can still use them and I'm sure the toxic sprayer will come in handy.

It goes from left to right , Hoodoo, Kaustic the toxic Mistress * 2.

The Hoodoo is an interesting model. Here is his stat card with very good defense and the very handy "Elusive" ability (its doubles all range mods so a -2 for 8" becomes -4). The invoker ability means he can cast one Psychogenic per turn.

Dark Age Apocalypse - Club day

I popped up to the local gaming club (OMTS) for a game of DAA. I used my Brood (Hybrid) and played Forsaken St Luke  and the other game was Forsaken St Mary vs Dragyri Air Caste.

Here are some shots, I think the Brood and Air Caste won. Its good to see DAA being played and hopefully it might interest a few more locals to have a go. Everybody was smiling and finding the rules easy to manage and making sense. Have a read of this bat report from the St Mary game.

Dark Age Apocalypse - Brood

I initially didn't like the Brood models but I must admit that I have changed my mind. They are very nice, quite different to other "alien" type models and have a certain flavor to them that it , hard to put into words.

I went for a grey undercoat , inked purple to get the skin tone and then used natural tones  to finish. ( I have just noticed a brush hair, from my new brush. I need to change brush brands but I think it may just a be a bad one!)

Murtros, at 110 points with 4 HP he has to be one mean MF on the battlefield. He also causes fear and has 1 bio gen slot which I am thinking of filling it with "toxic vapor" ( See DA for stats, rules and downloads) .

A new special ability for the Brood is Regeneration, Murtros has regeneration(1). ..

REGENERATION
The Regeneration ability allows Units to rapidly heal fatal wounds. During every Lingering Effect phase, a Unit with Regeneration will automatically attempt to heal if it has a Wound counter(s). The numbers in parentheses after Regeneration indicates how many D20 are used for the test. Each roll equal to or less than 10 recovers 1 HP. Units with this ability are not Removed from Play immediately upon Dying. Instead, Dying Units with Regenerate receive a Dying counter and remain on the Battlefield until: they next activate, take twice their original HP in Damage, or if the Unit is unable to Regenerate to at least 1 HP during the Lingering Effects. If that is not possible (i.e., the Unit has Regeneration (1), and is at -2 HP), the Unit is immediately removed as a casualty during Lingering Effects.
NOTE: Cauterized wounds cannot be regenerated. A Dying Unit that successfully Regenerates is still considered Prone. A Unit may not regenerate above its starting HP.
Example: Helexa has Regeneration (2). During Lingering Effects, if she has two Wound counters. She rolls two D20’s for her Regeneration roll and gets a 3 and a 12. She removes 1 Wound counter. If Helexa had not removed 1 Wound counter, she would be immediately removed as a casualty. 

The Grists are like a body guard for Murtros. They are similar in size and carry a range weapon called a Bio-Repulsor. Its has stats AS 6 RF 1 PW 3*3 RN 12 with a BL(1) , indirect and KP(12).

I didn't know what a KP even was when I brought the models so ...

KNOCK PRONE
A Knock Prone (KP) weapon is capable of knocking the opponent to the ground. The Ability is followed by a number in parentheses. This number is the TN needed to successfully KP the target. A KP roll is made for every successful hit regardless of damage (If an opponent has any Abilities that may reverse the successful hit they may make that attempt before the KP roll). If the attacking player rolls equal to or under the TN, the target Unit has been Knocked Prone, and the Unit is marked as Prone. For every size larger the attacking Unit is than the target Unit add 2 to the KP target number. For every size smaller the attacking Unit is than the target Unit subtract 2 from the KP target number. NOTE: A 20 always fails and a 1 always succeeds, no matter what size the Units are. RA Weapons with KP work exactly like CA weapons with KP


 Brood hounds can infiltrate,vault and latch on plus more. I don't think the models are the greatest and it would be good if you could get some other variations. I might have to get the Dremmel out and do some conversion so I can have 4 with different poses. Here they are next to the Howler.

The Howler is a full resin model and I am thankful for that as it would be very heavy is it was metal. Its a bit hard to see if photo but I have tried to blend from light to dark on the top (lighting a bit bright) . A very nice model and stats wise its a beaut. 185 points for 5 HP with regeneration(2) and 3 different attack groups. I especially like the Tail sweep with PW 8*2 and its a Arc Attack.

My next purchase will be some Plights but the models are not available at the moment. 

Model Sizes

 Here is a shot of my models to try and get a reference for height. I will try and measure as well ASAP

Dark Age Apocalypse - Second game

Wow, DAA is a great game. You have got to enjoy rolling a critical hit and scything up your opponent in close assault.

I had my second game today of DAA. It was 500 odd points of Outcasts vs Skarrd. I used the Skarrd today and my objective was "Pilgrimage" and the Outcast had 'Pariah". We both deployed and placed the objectives and then got into it!

We didn't use the moral the first time we played and also had no casting. I was using a Toxic cult so I had a few psychogenics I could use. We also had a proper commander for eat side, I had Father Curwen and the Outcasts had Hoj.

Mistake number 1: I didn't take a Grafter to help with any  malfunctions via the 'Superior Maintenance" ability.

Turn one: I lost initiative and was forced to move the warhead first. The objective I was trying to reach was on the left hand side behind the ruined building, almost on the board edge. The Buzzblades went up the middle towards the Wasteland warriors. The outcast moved up to try and protect the objective.

Turn two: Another lost initiative roll and the Skarrd just moved forward towards the objective. The Harpies arrived and vaulted onto the Scuts who had infiltrated onto the objective to try and stop me from getting it. I had to be in BtB for 3 turns. It was 1 for 1 in the close assault between the harpies and the scuts with the scuts rolling well. Curwen move up and cast 'Poisons promise" on the harpies as they were going to die. This spell makes them go bang and splatter poison on models within 3 inches. The Buzzblades moved forward a little more. Some wayward shots from the Wasteland warriors showed the it was getting close. 

Turn 3: and the last Harpie was waiting to die. The Golab changes direction and darts around the right hand side of the building hiding behind an objective. The Golab is taken down by the Wasteland warriors in a brutal close assault, The critical hit didn't help! The buzz blades moved toward the objective and the warhead charged in trying to take out the bully with his reach weapon. He malfunctioned and wounded himself. Mongo charged in and took out the Warhead.Curwen charged into ward the objective as he was the highest AO model and made BtB

Turn 4:

The buzz blades charged Mongo after he had tried to take out the Father. Father Curwen made 4 armor saves (needing 12's I think) and his awesome defense of 2 really helped. Curwen attacked and caused three wounds, one from the toxic fumes. The buzz blades managed to get a wound on Mongo and take him out and it was looking tight for next turn. I really needed to win an initiative roll off.

Turn 5: Yeah I won initiative and Buzzblades were going to get  stuck into the bully but he failed a panic test and ran off and he  and Curwen stayed locked on the objective to get 3 turns in BTB.

We had to finish and it was a draw with both of us completing our objectives. The manhunter was still alive for the outcasts.

Heaps better with all rules being used. Overall its a great game and I am looking forward to having some more games. We have some local players getting the Forsaken * 2 (Luke and Mary) the Dragyri (Air caste) and the Brood (hybrids I think). Cool.  

Dark Age Apocalypse - Buzzblades

I'm trying to get some models 'painted' for a game this weekend. Here are some Buzzblades on MA bases. I tried to use a red skin tone and muted colors. One thing I have been struggling with is the different sizes of the DA models. The outcasts are a lot smaller than the Skarrd , I'm sure there is fluff to justify this but the model still look a tad big.

Stats are as shown. They have good defense for a 25 point model and combined with the  Cannibal special ability makes for a effective defense of 3.

CANNIBAL
This Unit is known not only for their ferocity, they are also known to bite and rend at their opponents during combat. To this effect any non- Skarrd unit suffers -1 TN to their AS when in CA with this Unit. Non-Living Units and Units with Never Fear are immune to this effect.