Achievement Unlocked – 5000 views!!

This week saw the Triple Helix Project reach its first major milestone, with the site receiving over 5000 views.  This is amazing to me, because it means that people are taking time out of their very busy lives just to visit my site and see what I’m working on, which is very humbling indeed.  I thought I’d take a bit of time to highlight the articles that have done the most to contribute towards this lofty milestone.

1. How to Build a gaming table in 2.5 years... or three days
2. Salamander Update - Blood Claw Revisited
3. Terrain Update - Anti-Tank Warfare and Barricades!
4. It's not easy being Green...(pt 1)
5. Mordheim Update - Accessories are your friend!

Once again, thank you to everyone who has ever visited my humble blog and a bigger thank you to those of you who continue to return.  It is only through your efforts that this has been possible and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for my little chunk of the Internet.  On that topic, what would you like to see more on the Blog?

Catch you all later,

Trev

Mordheim Update – The Butchers of Bakers Quay

It’s been all hands on deck for the last couple of weeks as my hobby time has been divided amongst a plethora of projects spanning multiple game systems.  My interest in Fantasy has been revived after a couple of very entertaining games, encouraging me to focus more attention on getting my Warriors of Chaos army painted and based.  Additionally, I've been asked to participate in a Team Challenge that will pit six of our Kingaroy Players against the best and brightest of the Darling Downs Gaming Group (The Emperor alone knows why I was selected, perhaps they need a tea caddy?).  This has encouraged me to re-evaluate my Salamanders and reinvigorated my interest in getting my half-painted projects completed (Dreadnought anyone???).  

This has meant that my up and coming Possessed Warband hasn't been receiving the attention that is deserves.  Since my last article, I managed to finish painting the two Swordsmen I started for my Middenheimer / Norse Warband and also found some time to model a group of Darksouls I've recently brought into the fold – The Butchers of Bakers Quay (or just Butchers for Short).  These unfortunates were some of the hardest hit during the fall, finding themselves used as meat-puppets for the Daemonic forces that ran rife through the streets of the Mordheim.  This trio were a group of brothers who working as timber cutters near the district known as Bakers Quay.  As the comet struck, all three were possessed simultaneously, snatching up their two-handed axes and setting upon any an all unfortunates who crossed their path.  By the time they reached the Quay, they were coated in blood and gore; their axes slick with the blood of their friends and co-workers.  Then the slaughter really began.  In an orgy of daemonically fuelled violence, they cut their way into each building and dismembered everyone inside.  After the Daemons were forced to leave their hosts, the brothers continued their bloody work, lost in the dark and twisted maze of their insanity.

As can be seen above, the group of Henchmen have been modelled wearing soon-to-be Daemonic masks while wielding their signature two-handed axes.  In the case of one of them rolling ‘Lads’, I’ve given one of them a swanky Elven Axe head.  While not much use at the moment, once I give the would-be hero ‘Strongman’ and an Ithilmar weapon, he’ll be more than ready to terrorise the populace once more.  I’m hoping to run them in tandem with my ‘Crushers’ – Brethren armed with Hammer and Mace – Cutting down the big things (and any Str3 things with parry) with their Str 6 attacks while allowing the Heroes to follow through and mop up any survivors.  At a minimum cost of 50gc each though, it will be a couple of games until I can save enough coin up to field all the brothers at the same time.    That said, having to play several games of Mordheim so I can gain access to some awesome warriors is certainly no trial. 

Catch you all later

Trev 

Getting my Groove Back - A #brushtime Experiment

Recently, it has become apparent to me that I’m not painting as much as I was at the beginning of the year. Once again I find myself in a state of ‘Hobby Flux’ where I can’t seem to focus on any one project, for long enough to make any sort of significant progress.  For example, for the past month or so, I’ve been trying to paint a Dreadnought close combat arm that was tagged in my WIP pic in this article.  Try as I might though, I wasn't able to return to it and get it completed until this week. The end result of my efforts are shown below.

At this point I’m kind of desperate to come up with a system that helps me get paint onto models so in desperation, I’m taking the dangerous path of a designating a minimum 1.5 hours of #brushtime that must be completed each weekday (excluding weekends).  Mandatory painting is a dangerous thing because at the very worst, you are forcing yourself to paint something when you don’t really feel like it which can very easily lead to hobby burnout.  Having experienced it before, hobby burnout is not something I wish to revisit any time soon, so there are some precautions I’ll be taking. 

If I feel like painting something, I’ll paint it – Simple really.  If I want to paint a Space Marine, I’ll paint a Space Marine.  If I feel like doing terrain, then terrain is where it’s at.  If I want to do it, it won’t be a chore.

If I don’t feel like painting anything particular, then do something different each time – If I bounce from project to project, then there’s progress happening across the board.  Again, this is a means of staving off boredom with any one particular item while giving me the opportunity to get excited about something.

Break up the time block into smaller chunks – Forcing myself to sit down for 90 minutes to paint everyday is a good way to ensure my desire to paint and model will die a most spectacular death.  Instead I’ll try and break it up into smaller, more manageable pieces.  If I can sit myself in front of the TV and watch a show while painting a shield, I can smash 30-40 minutes off my allotted time.  Also, if paint for 30 minutes in the morning before I get ready for work, then I’ve only got to fit 60 minutes into my afternoon / evening. 

With these resolutions fixed firmly in my mind, I can proudly say that I’ve managed to amass a decent chunk of hours over the last couple of weeks, which is very encouraging, despite a terrain project commandeering a good deal of designated brushtime.  Thus far I’ve got a number of projects on the go, including the Dreadnought chassis and the Mordheim Norse Swordsmen that are shown above.  I’ve also started building a house/ mansion for my Warhammer table.  The progress I’ve made thus far is shown in the pic below. 

Catch you all later

Trev

Mordheim Update – Accessories are your friend!

 As my collection of Mordheim warbands grows, I’m finding myself looking for more and more ways to make each miniature different.  In the beginning, it was enough to change the angle of an arm, or to tweak a weapon so it looks just that little bit different.  After a while though, these tweaks aren't enough and more changes are needed to truly individualise the model.  Unfortunately for me, the Chaos Marauder box doesn't include anything in the way of accessories.  Thankfully though, there are countless bitz companies out there that are more than happy to provide you with access to the accessories from a multitude of other boxes and this is an opportunity I'm not willing to pass up.

Of the multitude of boxed sets released by Games Workshop, there are some that I find provide some extra, really useful parts for blinging up your warband.  A big thanks go out to Red Griffon Games on Ebay and Hoard O' Bits as well.  Both have been very helpful in fuelling my Mordheim addiction.  

Brettonian Men-at-Arms – For a bunch of peasants, they have some of the coolest accessories available to them, including pouches, bottles, even captured wildlife!  My personal favourite however is the tiny snail they include on the sprue which I’m just itching to use. 

 Empire Pistoleers / Outriders – For Human Mercenary players, this box has a fine collection of holstered pistols that scream ‘duelling pistol’.  With their extended barrel and ornate design, I’d find it hard going to persuade anyone otherwise.  They also have a great set of ‘swags’ / bedrolls that are normally meant to sit behind their saddles but can quickly be re-purposed for infantry. 

Empire Archers – Another fun box that provides multiple pouches and a fun curio or two.  Best thing is that is has several pouches with stiletto dagger included so that you can include the all-important dagger as part of your model.  While I can’t use it with my Marauders, they also include a recently killed bird being held aloft as a trophy which can add a great deal of character to your marksman.

Space Marine Scouts – A strange entry to be sure, but contained within are several coils of rope that can easily be used to represent the ‘rope and hook’ item for your heroes.  I know it’s one of the first items I buy when I get the chance (right after lucky charms and rabbit’s feet that is).  Additionally, there are a couple of pouches and a machete / sword that fits in well enough.  That said I’m still struggling to find the right model on which to use the sword...

 But what’s an explanation without details?  Below are pics of various models that have accessories incorporated into their design.  I feel that the details should be spread across Hero and Henchmen alike to drive home the individualistic nature of the game.  In some areas, I've added extra details to miniatures that have already been painted, meaning additional time will need to be spent making sure those areas fit in with the rest of the model.  Overall I've really enjoyed adding this extra level of detail to these models and I'm looking forward to adding more miniatures to the collection.  As it is, I still have another couple of Darksouls to do yet, not to mention a Beastman or two.

Catch you all later

Trev

Mordheim Update – Swordsman and the Possessed!

With the unfortunate disbanding of my valiant Middenheimers, I decided it was time to move onto another Coreheim warband that would allow me to have fun modelling, while allowing me to keep using my large collection of Marauders.  Possessed, it seems, was a natural choice then to make.  In previous years, I started creating a Possessed warband, replete with mutants sporting Scorpion Tails for extra-killy goodness.  All I needed to do was add a group of henchmen to the mix and the warband was ready to hit the table!

The boys all ready for action!

Nobody really wants to know what he carries in that bag of his...

By talking only a single possessed and minimal mutations on my heroes, I was able to spread the wealth out far enough so that I could afford four heroes and a group of four brethren armed with Maces and Hammers.  Considering their potential for blunt-force brutality, they pretty much named themselves; the Crushers were born!  These fellows would act as a screen for my heroes, protecting them from life-threatening shooting while also assisting the heroes in making kills with their weapons ‘concussion’ ability; stunning the enemy so that my heroes can make the killing strike.  This has been a strategy that was worked quite well in their first two games, allowing me to garner a decent amount of kills against living foes.  When faced with the undead, the considerable flaw in my previously-indomitable plan became readily apparent.  Being that undead cannot be ‘stunned’, bashing them in the head with a hammer only serves to slow them down slightly (and possibly aggravate them immensely).  However, I managed to target enough living members of the Undead warband to encourage my opponent to rout (which was just as well, I wasn’t sure if my Possessed could take much more of a beating) and get me the win.

Mask... Check! Axe... Check! Severed Head...Check!

With my winnings I decided to hire my first Darksoul, a crazed individual whose mind has been shattered beyond repair as a result of Daemonic possession.  Being Str 4, I gave him a Double handed axe and will send him on his merry way, hoping that he’ll manage to roll a ‘Lads got Talent’ and become a hero after the next game or so.  Being only WS2, he’ll be paired up with one of the Crushers, relying on their ability to stun enemies so he can claim the kill. I’m hoping I can amass a group of these fellows together to create a mini-unit that will be truly feared as their Str6 will punch through most people’s ability to parry.   

With all the conversions that have been going on, thankfully I’ve still managed to get a spot of painting in.  As can be seen above, I've been working on two swordsmen for my Middenheim warband while they are on hiatus and I'm happy to report that they are coming together wonderfully and should be completed by the end of the week!  

Catch you all later

Trev

Farming in Mordheim makes you a douche

 I’ve been playing Mordheim regularly now for the last coupleof months and I feel like I’ve learned a couple of things from the game.

1) It has a good balance of simple and complex systems tomake it easy to learn and fun to master. 

2) With the experience mechanic, the game is constantlydeveloping as new challenges and goals are generated and achieved. 

3) The best games are those that are played in the rightspirit.

It’s this third point that I’d like to focus on.  As my local opponents will know, I’ve beenusing my Middenheimers regularly for the last three weeks, playing as manygames as I can and as a result growing in strength and prestige.  In the last two games however, the luck formy warband has gone sour, losing no less than 3 high level heroes across bothgames (tow of them being my Mercenary Captain and his subsequent replacement).   Looking over the most recent games I’venoticed that some have not been as fun as they could have been.  Puzzled, I decided wanted to know why.  I mean, it’s Mordheim.  It should be fun right?  The conclusion was pretty clear.  In some of our games, the fun aspect wasdiminished because player’s warbands were getting farmed by a singleplayer. 

Of all the things I expected to find in Mordheim, farmingwasn’t one of them.  Unlike in MMO’sfarming in Mordheim isn’t about hoarding coin for real-world sale, in Mordheim,farming is all about min-maxing your Warband with the most powerful unitsbefore setting out to destroy the weaker player’s warbands with extremeprejudice.  Now before I get started,let’s be clear – This is not a whine about how broken some units are in Mordheim.  The city of the Damned called such for areason and rightfully, there should be some really scary mutherfuckers outthere that go bang in the night.  Theyare the combat monsters that kick ass and take names and there’s nothing wrongwith that.  I’m here today to rant aboutWAAC opponents who play the game purely so that they can repeatedly kill eachand every member of your warband while you’re forced to sit there andwatch.  In our club, we’ve instated ahouse rule where we can only voluntarily rout if we reach 50% starting strengthas opposed to the standard 25%.  Which isfair enough, I understand how a voluntary rout at 25% could be exploited.  But I shouldn’t have to watch some piss-ant’s4-man over-powered (and nigh un-killable) warband romp across the table, ignorethe objectives complete and single-handedly destroy every hero in my warbandand STILL get the underdogbonus because they fucking refuse to buy more models and boost their warbandrating.  I’m not a 4^th EditionNecron army and as such I don’t expect my opponent to ignore everything elseand play for phase-out.  NO PLAYER SHOULD BE FORCED TO PLAY AGAME WHERE THEY’RE ONLY REAL HOPE IS TO REACH THE POINT WHERE THEY CANVOLUNTARILY ROUT. That’s not a game, that’s just watching your opponentroll dice while you get the ‘opportunity’ to take your models off thetable.  For the player using themin-maxed warband, it might be seen as fun to watch your four or so men go up2, maybe three levels a game, every game; but if that means your game plan isrevolving entirely around finding the weakest opponent and utterly destroyingthem before they get the chance to play - you’re farming.  And farming in Mordheim makes you a douche. 

 ‘Now wait’, I hearsome of you exclaim ‘If I want to takeonly a warband made entirely of heroes, then I should be allowed to right?  I mean, compared to your 12 or 15 guys, I’moutnumbered at least 3 to 1.  Besides, nothingin the rules says I can’t do it, nor does it say that I have to play to themission.’  This is entirelytrue.  The rules don’t state that youshould have a balanced warband.  Itdoesn’t even state that you should go for the objectives in any givengame.  But you know what?  The rules also don’t state that you don’t up-endthe gaming table or throw your opponents models across the room either but Idon’t see you doing that.  Interestinglyenough, the rules also do not state that I shouldn’t punch you in the face forconstantly adopting a smarmy-assed attitude while telling your opponent ‘Don’tget cocky’ when they’re forcedto send no less than 6 guys in to fight 1 of your heroes because they’vewatched a trio of heroes from another warband try to take him on two turns backand get slaughtered for their troubles (It’s now a house rule though – Ireserve the right to punch in the face any smug son-of-a-bitch who plays like adick on my gaming table).  So no, therules don’t state that you can’t act like a total ass-hat and be a gamey c**t,but it also doesn’t say I have to play you either.  The one thing the rules DO state though, is that all models should be WYSIWYG.  So you can take your proxy models (yes,proxying in a 4-man warband) and jam them. Now if you’ll all excuse me, I have a Middenheimer warband to rebuild.  

Rant over

Trev