Imperatus

In preparation for LVO this year I needed to paint up some more Retribution models. Last time I had added to this army was back in 2013 and they have got some amazing new models/releases added to the faction.

The first model I knew I wanted to add to my Retribution was Imperatus. The model plays like a mini colossal. A solid beater with staying power is a rare option for Retribution and it being a character means it can only be in one list. I can see him very commonly making it into one of my two list pairings.

While I maintained the paint scheme of my old Retribution I did a couple color swaps on locations and spots to hopefully make him stand out differently. Instead of glossy black gems, the pink of the faction are his gems. I did a darker grey though I did highlight it a few times to hopefully make it pop. I also green stuffed a rock on his base that came out really well. Overall I am happy with him. I might in at some future date go back and do a few more extreme details, but I have lots of stuff to get ready for LVO.

Kaelyssa Experiments

This article is going to be a series of lists, why they were built and how they did. Then each list will be modified based off the first one in the hopes of tuning my Kaelyssa list into a tournament caliber one.

First list:

Points: 50/50
Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper (*7pts)
* Hydra (9pts)
* Phoenix (10pts)
* Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2pts)
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters (Cylena and 9 Grunts) (10pts)
Dawnguard Sentinels (Leader and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
* Dawnguard Sentinel Officer & Standard (2pts)
* Soulless Escort (1pts)
House Shyeel Battle Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt (4pts)
Arcanist (1pts)
Mage Hunter Assassin (2pts)
Mage Hunter Assassin (2pts)

Prediction: Lots of weapon masters + Aiyanna and Holt to hit hard move fast. Hydra with phantom hunter to snipe out key pieces then threaten caster late game. Assassins for threat, and battle mages to force my opponent to avoid getting plucked out easily.

Results: Hydra did exactly what he was bought for. Did amazingly well at threatening the caster and when necessary Aiyanna damage buff + Hydra did get some work done. Nyss Hunters failed miserably for the most part. Don't like Mat 6 weapon masters, I missed a lot.

Second List:

Points: 50/50
Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper (*7pts)
* Aspis (4pts)
* Banshee (10pts)
* Daemon (9pts)
* Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2pts)
Dawnguard Sentinels (Leader and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
* Dawnguard Sentinel Officer & Standard (2pts)
* Soulless Escort (1pts)
House Shyeel Battle Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt (4pts)
Arcanist (1pts)
Dawnguard Destor Thane (4pts)
Dawnguard Destor Thane (4pts)
Mage Hunter Assassin (2pts)

Prediction: Daemon is going to get the phantom hunter this time. See if he plays better then the Hydra, though I enjoyed the Hydra. Banshee instead of Phoenix might be a mistake, but I enjoy the idea of denying orders and spells. Sentinels are staying in for the power since they work so well with the feat. Thanes are to replace Nyss hunters and gave room for Aspis to help with Kaelyssa dying from ranged.

Results: Daemon was very effective though Phantom hunter on him wasn't necessary. This is much more dependent on the match up. The banshee is a nice beat stick, but with the way the jack is played in this list (a giant gun) might be better to run Hydra + Daemon instead? Though this doesn't give me a reliable beater incase I hit big stuff leaving all the heavy lifting to Sentinels. With out a arc node no need for Sylys.

Third List:

Points: 50/50
Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper (*7pts)
* Aspis (4pts)
* Daemon (9pts)
* Hydra (9pts)
Dawnguard Sentinels (Leader and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
* Dawnguard Sentinel Officer & Standard (2pts)
* Soulless Escort (1pts)
House Shyeel Battle Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt (4pts)
Arcanist (1pts)
Arcanist (1pts)
Dawnguard Destor Thane (4pts)
Dawnguard Destor Thane (4pts)
House Shyeel Magister (2pts)
Mage Hunter Assassin (2pts)

Prediction: The prediction this game is I'm going to miss having a solid melee reach jack. But I want to give it a shot with a very powerful pair of shooting jacks. My guess is Hydra will be replaced back too a Banshee or Phoenix after a few tests.

Results: I played against a heavy jam list and my army reacted very well. The sentinels, thanes counter punched hard, with daemon creating a large whole in the middle of his army. The reach beater wasn't needed vs. the list so I'm still unsure of Hydra + Arcanist vs. Phoenix or Banshee yet. But this will have to wait until I can get some more games in. 

After a long hiatus...

Though I haven't posted in quite some time I have been busy hobbying. My trolls haven't been very satisfying as of late and I hadn't had much luck with them either. I had painted quite a few of them but decided to shelve them for awhile and give another faction a fair shake.

So... I decided on Retribution. Since this is the year of play it painted I decided to only play this faction with painted models in 2013. I first tried them out in 2012 at Dual Con and promptly got stomped all weekend with them. Lately though I've been much more successful with them.

Below are some pictures of my current painting progress and I hope to finish up at least 1 of every model by Lock and Load where I plan on playing the faction and hopefully do well. I'll start updating more regularly on  lists I've been trying and tournaments I go to in preparation for Lock and Load.

Entire Painted Group

Battle Mages, 2 Magisters, Ravyn

Garryth, Halberdiers, Riflemen, and some more solos

Kaelyssa, some more solos and Sentinels

Discordia, Hydra, Phoenix, Thane, Arcanist, and Chimera

Hyperion

House Vyre Jacks

My complete collection of WARMACHINE/HORDES

I'm moving soon to a new place still in Orange County and decided to spend a day reorganizing all of my models. Thought it would be fun to get it all together and take a picture.

Close up of minions

Close up of Circle

Close up of Skorne and Retribution - Nicole's forces

Close up of Mercs

Close up of Cygnar - cut off some Rangers and Kraye

Close up of Trolbloods

This showed me two things.

1. I'm crazy.
2. I have lots of painting to do.

Wrath/Domination Event!

Going to do this post a little differently then my past one's. I'm going to mainly leave the space for pictures and leave writing to a minimum. Though I'll help the story arc with captions. Though overall I played 6 games in 6 hours and had a blast. Found both the scenarios really should've been tested further and were very open to exploitation. Since it is a one off event that isn't competitive it didn't ruin my fun at all. The players were a real joy and no weird rules disputes or unclean play to be seen from my opponents. Overall I had a blast! Now to the pictures.

Khador and Cryx set up for battle in there first game!

Two entertaining lists battle out in the Domination scenario.

Trollbloods go up against one of our 3 Legion players, the most played faction that day.

pStryker vs. Kaleyssa - wow Jay had spent some serious time on figuring out how to 2 turn win this one. :P

Barnabus charges across the no mans land into incoming Legion forces!

This is me pondering if I could kill Mortenebra with only electro leaps. Go double strider lists!

Rhyas is moments from decapitating poor Sorscha with a 26 damage after armor roll!

Mike's awesome painted Legion.

Constance slams into the Trollbloods!

Look at the Thunder pig on the left and ignore Stryker being eaten on the right!

This is me finally being fed up with losing with pStryker and cheesing the scenario for a win on turn 3.

Merc's being lead by our Press Ganger Doug.

Few dice down games at the end of the day.

Awesome paint job by Steve. Such an amazing tongue! Keep staring until you get it.

Day of the Pig!

With the new Journeyman League rules I have decided to start a new faction, Minions.  Even more specifically I will be targeting the Farrow pigs.  Truth be told my wife already owns a nice collection of gators I can use if I find necessary.

I picked up a nice assortment of piggies to try out.  I even took a list to a local steam roller rocking Dr. Arkadius and Barnabas (much simpler caster).  I did fairly well considering I had only played one of the lists once before the event and placed second over all.  Here is a quick write up of the event.  Normally battle reports will have pictures and more details.  Though this will be covering 4 games and is a few weeks old in my memory.

The lists were...

Dr. Arkadius
  -Gun Boar
  -War Hog
  -War Hog
  -War Hog
  -Targ
4 Farrow Bone Grinders
6 Farrow Brigands
6 Farrow Slaughterhousers

Bloody Barnabas
  -Blackhide Wrastler
  -Bull Snapper
  -Ironback Spitter
  -Ironback Spitter
Feralgeist
5 Gatorman Posse
Thrullg

First Game
Arkadius vs. an eIrusk and claimed the game with a tiebreaker when dice down was called.

Second Game
Bloody Barnabas vs. Vyros.  This game I won through scenario claiming 3 control points.  Barnabas's feat really helped this game letting me destroy 9 Invictors, a Phoenix, Hydra and 3 Sentinels in one turn.

Third Game
Bloody Barnabas vs. Siege.  This game was almost decided by the fact he had two shooty lists and no experience vs swamp pit.  This match up would be a game for me to lose, and I almost did!  I misread swamp pit and on the second turn misused it.  Allowing him a solid siege feat turn into my army.  Luckily for me I had sat on 2 transfers and had already killed the black thirteenth + some trenchers.  I was able to weather through that turn of shooting and assassinate Siege.

Fourth Game
Bloody Barnabas vs. Rhyas.  This game was really odd from the get go.  We fought for position a bit then the gatormen posse charged into warmongers.  Surprisingly only killing one warmonger.  The battle ebbed back and forth trading models.  It came down to the Ironback Spitter trying to two handed throw the Carnivean out of the circle to claim the last control point and win.  I rolled two 2's, and Legion player rolled a 4.  As a last desperate act Barnabas charged Rhyas needing 9's to hit and rolled 3 sets of 8's.  At this point I knew the game was lost and said I was done.  Legion player aptly removed the final models from the control point and ended the game 2 control points to 1.

Was a very fun event to be apart of and had some great games.