Dominus Armored Siege Bombard

April 10, 2013, 5:22 pm

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A guest blog by SoCal's greatest converter of 40K models.

From Greg Teeuwen:

In several IA books, this particular tank is mentioned, but there are no images of it.
I'm a big arty/template player, and I love blowing stuff up, so this particular tank appealed to me.  Without pictures, it enticed me further, since much of my hobby happiness comes from scratchbuilding or kitbashing the vehicles I need/want.  I've been doing a lot of Orky stuff the last couple years, so I decided to make one of these for my Imperial Guard army.
The basis of my model was a WWI "Female" tank in 1/35 scale.  I only had the body, so the rest (tracks, crew cabin, and the triple bombard itself) was all scratchbuilt.
I went one step further and made this tank modular- not just the main weapon, but also the sponson mounts.  I not only like the Dominus, but I also like the Infernus and the Macharius Omega.  Oddly enough, the Omega does not have any imagery either, so that's an extra boon for me.  At this particular time, I am gearing up for a big fight, so I got as far as the Dominus and Infernus mods, but have yet to start the Omega.
Oh, the last couple pics of the arty pieces are just "extra goodies".  As I prepare for the big fight on June 1 in Rancho Cucomunga, I decided I needed some supporting arty.  I have shelves of extra bits, and i had two Basilisk barrels (just the barrels and shields, but nothing else), so I scratchbuilt some Earthshaker platforms.

DaBigBomma

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Knight Titan by Blight Wheel Miniatures

April 11, 2013, 8:13 am

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Blight Wheel Miniatures has released "Prometheus" which is a Knight Titan sized mech.  

Blight Wheel's website is here and  blog is here.

You can order Prometheus here.

A really beautiful model that fills a need in Apocalypse armies.  I'll take 3!

Loken

Spikey Bits Closing Down Bitz Sales!

April 11, 2013, 4:28 pm

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Rob Baer, the founder and owner of Spikey Bits, has announced he is closing down the bits sales after Games Workshop ridiculously bullshit policy was announced that retailers would not be allowed to sell their product off the sprue.   You can read all about it on his blog here.

Rob basically started the bits business a number of years ago with Battlewagon Bits, sold that business to The War Store, went to work there and then headed off to start his own game store in Virginia.

I am a huge fan of Rob.  He is a great person, a fun gamer to hang with, and a great entrepreneur.  And if you know anything about me (I started 5 companies and speak on entrepreneurship at local colleges and universities) I love supporting other entrepreneurs, and Rob knows his stuff.  he is a real innovator in gaming retail and I support him whenever I can.

So go buy some bits from Rob and say hi to him at Adepticon!

Loken

US Games Day Tickets on sale April 20th

April 12, 2013, 5:22 am

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Games Day has moved to Memphis, TN, home of Games Workshop's US HQ.  And GW has released the tickets for the event.
There have been so many changes and cuts at Games Workshop, this does not surprise me.  Moving Games Day to Memphis means lower costs.  Good bye to the days of multiple Games Days.
From Games Workshop:

Saturday, July 27th, 2013
Cook Convention Center, Memphis, TN

Games Day is a worldwide celebration of collecting Citadel Miniatures where you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in all aspects of the Games Workshop hobby.

You will get to:
   • Be inspired by "the Best" with Golden Demon, Armies on Parade and
     other exclusive competitions.
   • Step into the worlds of Games Workshop and gain glory and honour as
     you conquer uncharted realms of battle in several gaming areas.
   • Challenge your hobby knowledge and take it to the next level with
     interactive experiences led by studio guests and hobby experts.
Whatever your inspirations, challenges, or callings within the Games Workshop hobby, you will be able to find what you need for your collection at the Games Day store. It will be full of miniatures, hobby supplies, limited Games Day items, Forge World, Black Library, and the exclusive 2013 Games Day Miniature (to be revealed at the show).
Games Day 2013 will be hosted in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, July 27th, 2013 at the Cook Convention Center. This venue is just miles away from our North American Headquarters and landmark store and gaming facility, the Games Workshop World of Battle!

Tickets for this exclusive event go on sale April 20th for $50 and are extremely limited. We only have 1,000 available. So, if you plan on joining us at Games Day this year, don't wait to purchase your tickets! Tickets will be available online only or by calling Customer Service at 1-800-394-GAME.


I won't be there being that I just drove from LA to Memphis, but I hope the event turns out well.  If you are going, we need a correspondent!

Loken

Forge World New Releases - Destroyers, Rapier & More.

April 12, 2013, 9:12 am

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New releases are up on the Forge World site.  Basically the items we saw for sale last weekend at the Forge World Open Day.  More juicy Horus Heresy Goodness.

Legion Mk IV Destroyer Squad

Considered dishonourable by some Legions, who eschew them altogether or make little use of them, the arsenal of a Destroyer squad includes rad-weapons, bio-alchem munitions and the crawling horror of phosphex. These hellish devices, which irrevocably taint the ground upon which they are used, have been forbidden by the Emperor’s own edict, and with good reason. For during the long nightmare of the Age of Strife, many life-sustaining colony worlds were rendered barren by their use, becoming uninhabitable charnel houses where once these verdant planets held thriving civilisations.

It is little wonder therefore that those who wield these potent weapons of destruction are heavily protected from their effects – the fire-blackened and chem-scalded Destroyers being clad in modified and reinforced suits of power armour, essential to withstand the pernicious rad-taint of their own weaponry. Often shunned and distrusted by their Legion brothers, the Destroyers are deemed a necessary evil at best during these violent times, yet none can deny the potency of their relic-weapons.

Models designed by Will Hayes, the Legion MKIV Destroyer Squad contains a set of five multi-part resin models with five pairs of Tigrus pattern bolt pistols, as well as three phosphex bombs and an optional rad-missile launcher.. Available to pre-order now for despatch from the 3rd of May.

 

Legion Rapier Graviton Cannon

The Rapier armoured carrier is a semi-automated weapons carriage, equipped with on-board targeting systems and powerful generators. It is designed to mount support weaponry too large and cumbersome for even the superhuman strength of a Space Marine to carry, and the Rapier’s relatively small size makes it an ideal support weapon both in attack and defence. 

The Graviton Cannon is one of a group of gravity projection devices. The Power of the Graviton Cannon is sufficiant to rupture organs and crack bones even inside armour, but it's primary use is to impede the enemy and damage machinery without the risk of seconday explosions.

Model designed by Mark Bedford and Stuart Williamson, this multi-part resin kit is supplied with two Space Marine crew in MkIII ‘Iron’ Armour.

 Legion Rapier Quad Heavy Bolter

The Rapier Armoured Carrier is an ancient device, one of many such technological relics of the dawning days of Mankind’s stellar empire. A bulky, armoured track unit, which mounts a powerful antomantic reactor. One of the carriages common armaments is the Quad Heavy Bolter, able to lay down a withering hail of fire. 

Realm of Battle Board - Crashed Thunderhawk 

 

The Realm of Battle Crashed Thunderhawk makes for a particularly impressive centrepiece; the mightiest of Space Marine flyers brought low, shattered and hurling into the ground. Blake Spence has painstakingly designed the internal mechanics of this mighty gunship after inflicting terrible impact damage upon its hull; revealing the intricate airframe that underpins the Thunderhawk's imposing structure.

This detailed new scenery tile measures 2’ x 2’ (609mm x 609mm) and is available to pre-order now for despatch from Friday 3rd May.

I hope Forge World releases more Realm of Battle boards.  I can see some interesting ones coming.  Destroyer Land Raiders, Bunkers, etc.  

Loken 

Secret Weapon Launches Tablescapes Kickstarter

April 13, 2013, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Puppetswar Releases Heavy Bikers

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Justin McCoy, the founder of Secret Weapon Miniatures, has launched a Kickstarter for "Tablescapes".  These are 12" x12" tiles that are similar to Games Workshop "Realm of Battle" boards, but half the cost and way more versatile.  I am a huge fan of Justin's work and I hope you will all support Justin in his efforts.  Here is the video:


   

Its pretty clear that Justin will blow through his goals, having already raised $ 68,000 of his $ 80,000 goal after only a few days.  

Go check the Kickstarter out here. 

Loken


 

Puppetswar Releases Heavy Bikers

April 14, 2013, 5:15 pm

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Puppets War has released a new resin bike model that can stand in for a Space Marine biker.

At $ 11.80, it costs about $ 3.20 less than a Games Workshop model.  The real deal is when you buy 5 and then you can get the cost down around $ 9.

From Puppets War:

Heavy Biker

Set contains one Heavy biker. Body and arms have 3x1mm magnet type holes, as it is shown on picture. Glue is not needed to assemble front shield which is optional. Model is designed to fit 28mm "heroic" tabletop wargames scale, supplied unassembled and unpainted. Designed by AR. Sculpted by Maciej Powarunas and AR.

There is also a set of 5 for 36 Euro or $ 47, which is about $ 9.40.

I am all for alternate (and cheaper) models!

Loken

Starting an Apocalypse Army

April 17, 2013, 8:33 am

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The question often comes up, "What is a good model or formation to add to my army for Apocalypse."  

So you want to start an Apocalypse army and a Reaver Titan is out of the question.  What can you do for under $ 200?  Well, Andrew Lotz, an Apocalypse40K contributor and I took some time to map out different ideas for different armies.  

Blood Angels 

Linebreaker Squadron composed of three Vindicators (approx $150). Gives good destructive power versus either infantry or vehicles.  Plus they are fast!  This makes this formation more valuable to a Blood Angels player than any other army.  Stormravens remain a great flyer and you should have at least three of those.  Razor spam is popular with Blood Angels, and while many have talked about why vehicles got tweaked in 40K, in Apocalypse they are a necessity.

Chaos Daemons

Forge World Keeper of Secrets Greater Daemon of Slaanesh (approx $150). Can be played as the named special character from Imperial Armor, which comes in at a whopping 666 points and has some nifty special abilities. Plus, makes a great Apoc-sized centerpiece to the army.

Chaos Space Marines 

Always a little tricky, given the variety of Chaos. I'm going to suggest that the move to Apocalypse for Chaos is the moment to go beyond the core theme. Apocalypse is the time when the various Chaos warbands group together for destruction. So adding a contingent of another type of models is the way to go. Suggestion: Kharn the Betrayer, Squad of Khorne Berzerkers, and a Chaos Landraider to cart them about (approx $130). Nice, destructive power in a small package. There won't be a foe that doesn't fear this unit, and the Land Raider will make them work to get at them. If you're already playing Khorne, then I suggest a different faction with their named leader of choice.  Abbadon is a must at high point levels, and for formations, check out the Chaos Conclave.

Dark Angels 

Spoiled for new choices, being the new kid on the block. Here I've got to go very vanilla. You cannot beat three boxes of the new Deathwing terminators (approx $180). Whether you vary them out to be a command squad and knights, or keep them all as straight-up models, they'll be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Terminators with Stormshields are a huge asset in Apocalypse because of so many "D" weapons and low AP tank busting death.  Always take chain fists and assault cannons.   I highly recommend you take as many Knights as you can.  The added points are not a factor in Apoc.  The basic concept of a balanced force, with Ravenwing as well still goes.

Dark Eldar 

For the Dark Eldar player making the move to Apocalypse, my suggestion is that it is time to consider the Tantaulus from Forge World (approx $150). Finally gives the army something that won't blow over in a stiff breeze, and gives opponents something to focus upon. As a great centerpiece to the force, it's also super-effective with the scythevane weaponry at staying mobile but wreaking havoc.


Eldar 

Given that regular Eldar armies are over-loaded with Heavies and Elites competing for attention, I'm going to suggest that the new Apocalypse Eldar player consider a Wind Rider Host--adding troops and fast attack to the force. 4 Eldar Jetbikes, some bitz from aspect warriors kits to make one into an Autarch, and 3 Vypers (approx $150). Kitted out with vehicle destroying weaponry, the Flank March benefit given to the Wind Rider Host models gives you a great way to get up into good firing lines to take out enemy armor while keeping the relatively fragile Vypers safe until then. Revenant and Phantom Titans are very popular and though a little easier to die under the new rules, will still strike fear in your opponent.

Grey Knights 

So the great thing about Apocalypse is that force organization goes out the window. So for the Grey Knights player looking to move up, it's the perfect time to acquire the full gang of assassins. Vindicare, Eversor, Callidus, and Culexus (approx $60). They're solid in the game, usable in smaller games, and just fun to have the full complement of if you don't already. That's what Apocalypse is great for: adding in all the cool pieces that you don't often run at smaller points.  Make sure you take some IG allies as well.

Imperial Guard 

Shadowsword or Baneblade (approx $120). That is the first thing a guard player should add to their list. The Shadowsword gives you the Volcano Cannon, which is your first Destroyer weapon. Given that foes on the Apocalypse battlefield are often going to have models with structure points, it's time to level the playing field with this D-struction workhorse of your own. Baneblades got ridiculously powerful with the elimination of the hole in the template.  The pie plate now is S9 ALL OVER and being ordnance you roll 2D6 and take the highest.  That is an awesome piece of devastation against large groups of vehicles.

Also, artillery is king!  Take lots of Manticores.  The most important weapon on an Apocalypse battlefield.  Why?  Because it is S10 and D3 shots!  That is the best way to take down a Titan, especially stripping its shields.
 

Necrons 

Consider adding in a wave of Canoptek Spiders. Again, going with the "add things that give you more options in smaller games" logic, a mass of Canoptek Spiders can let Necron armies engage in some fun monstrous creature spam. Six spiders (approx $180) make for a nasty force, between recycling all your scarab swarms that perish and simply getting into melee and using Smash special attacks to pose serious threat to even the heaviest of vehicles. Make sure you take lots of named characters.  It is a big game, get all their benefits!

Orks 

Another army spoiled by choices on the Apocalypse battlefield. Go for a big centerpiece when making the move to Apocalypse. Get yourself a Baneblade kit (approx $120) and Orkify it. It can either be a Skullhamma Battle Fortress from the main Apocalypse rulebook, or use the Kustom Battle Fortress rules from Imperial Armor 8 to make the thing whatever you wish. No matter what you do with it, it makes a good start. While others might suggest a Stompa kit as the first stop for the Ork player, I'm sticking with this choice as it gives a lot of flexibility--and can always be an over-sized battlewagon in a normal game.  THEN get a Stompa!  Or two.....

Sisters of Battle 

For the Sisters player who has a 2,000 point force, the move to Apocalypse is time to build up an allied Imperial force. Nab an HQ and two troops of whatever other Imperial force you want to paint (approx $90). Until Sisters get better, stand-alone support for their line, they need allies.  I always play my Ssters as an allied army to my Marine force.  If that's not your thing and you're a die-hard Sisters only person, then I'd say add more troops squads of Sisters in Rhino transports--troops are troops.


Space Marines 

What do you add to the army that has everything? There is so much variation in what Space Marines can field that no one choice is "best" when adding to get up to Apocalypse. Thus, my suggestion is probably going to be a squad of 5 assault terminators with thunderhammers and Storm Shields in a Land Raider (approx $125). Good smashing power, solid durability, and a couple of twin-linked lascannons for anti-vehicle duty or even sniping flyers in a pinch. It's not a sexy choice, but for brutal bang-for-your-buck effect on the Apocalypse battlefield, I think this combo cannot be beat. 
 

Now, I ONLY take Land Raider Crusaders for transports, so I give up the two twin linked lascannons and get the ability to put 8 Terminators on a Land Raider.  This is key, because my 5 man squads can now be 8 man.  I generally run a Chaplain and Librarian with each squad.


After that, get some IG allies and take lots of Manticores. 

Space Wolves 

The poor Space Wolves suffered from timing problems. A codex that came just before the push toward all the flyers, leaves them drooling in envy at a lot of the other Space Marine flyers. Especially when we're seeing faction-specific flyers for the Dark Angels, Space Wolves players may shy away from adding in the other generic Space Marine flyers to their own force. Thus, my suggestion for the Space Wolves player moving to Apocalypse is to pick up an Imperial Thunderbolt heavy fighter (approx $140). With solid anti-air capability as well as bomb payloads, this nifty little plane can pick up the slack in the force, representing the air cover than the Imperial Navy brings to any engagement in support of the Russ' chosen Astartes.

Tau 

Even if you're battlesuit heavy already, Tau can benefit from more battlesuits. My recommendation is a Rapid Insertion Force from the main Apocalypse rulebook. Led by a stealth suit team, it lets the other suits teleport to the battlefield without error--and their arrival causes such surprise that all their shots are pinning. One stealth team and four XV8 battlesuits should be a good start (approx $130). Split into two Monat (solo) suits and a paired suit team, you can configure the squads to varied tasks and bring a lot of utility to the battlefield. 

Plus, get LOTS of Broadsides!  While GW nerfed the Rail Gun, with Markerlights, these are now MUST HAVE Anti-Air.  

Tyranids 

Pretty clear choice here. The Barbed Hierodule from Forge World is a clear winner for something to add when heading to Apocalypse level play (approx $150). Until synapse gives Eternal Warrior again, the Apocalypse battlefield is just too dangerous a place to recommend more monstrous creatures to start with. Getting the first Gargantuan Creature gives you something that will draw fire and take hits. The strength 10 bio-cannons help, but the real goal of this guy is to get him in cover and make him a fire magnet for enemy firepower--giving your fragile on the Apocalypse table Monstrous Creatures time to get close to the enemy.

And for more information, join the Apocalypse 40K forums!

Loken
So there you go.  A good start at beefing up your force to get ready for Apocalypse!  If you want more in depth suggestions, join the Apocalypse40K forums and make sure you check out all the Apocalypse and 40K news at the Apocalypse40K blog.

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Forge World Releases Necron Tesseract Ark, Sentry Pylon

April 19, 2013, 8:36 am

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Forge World has just released two new Necron models as part of Imperial Armour 12.  Both are spectacular models as we have come to expect from Forge World.  

TESSERACT ARK

The Tesseract Ark is one of the most powerful Necron war machines encountered on the battlefields of the 41st Millennium, and so sophisticated is its design, it can be manufactured only by the most adept of Crypteks. Built around a contained singularity torn from the heart of a dying star, in battle the Tesseract Ark can siphon the destructive energies of this captured star-fragment and unleash them in a variety of terrible ways. Most notably, the armoured bulk of the Tesseract Ark is surrounded by a gravitic distortion effect, a potent defensive mechanism.

The Tesseract Ark, designed by Daren Parrwood, is a complete multi-part resin and plastic kit, packed with detail. The forward armour and arcane projector array of its singularity chamber give it a unique profile, making a fantastic and menacing centrepiece for a Necron army. 

 The Tesseract Ark costs 55GBP, about $ 84.

SENTRY PYLON WITH GAUSS EXTERMINATOR

The stasis-tombs of the Necrons are vast and shadowy edifices, and many an Imperial Explorator expedition has made planetfall on a dead world only to vanish without trace; slain at the hands of the unliving guardian-constructs that watch over their slumbering masters.

Among these defences are automated weapons platforms of strange design known as Pylons. Some of these are huge, cyclopean constructs, but Imperial tactical logisticians have codified smaller, tactical variants as Sentry Pylons. These powerful devices are arcs of glittering metal equipped with a weapons array that can strike down enemy aircraft at ranges so great as to be almost beyond comprehension. Some are outfitted with a gauss exterminator array, a larger and more potent example of the hellish energy weapons carried by the Necron soldiery, which can also be employed against ground targets with no loss of effectiveness, scouring vast areas clear of life and cutting buildings down to little more than smoking rubble.

The Necron Sentry Pylon with Gauss Exterminator, designed by Stuart Williamson, is a multi-part resin kit that stands almost 6" (150mm) tall. The Sentry Pylon’s cruciform arc profile is packed with detail, making each a fantastic painting project as well as a potent battlefield unit. 

 The Sentry Pylon costs 46GBP, about $ 70.


Full rules and background for these two war machines can be found in Imperial Armour Volume Twelve: The Fall of Orpheus, and both the Sentry Pylon and the Tesseract Ark are available to pre-order now for despatch from Friday 3rd May.

Adepticon Saturday Photos

April 21, 2013, 8:58 am

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Been here at Adepticon since Friday night.  As always, it is the best gaming event of the year.  Here are the first batch of photos. 
Note I am focused entirely on the 40K Team Tournament, which is a two day event this year.  I have a bunch of photos on the 10 Showcase finalists I will post later.

The nightly flea market

 Custom Nurgle Valkyries

AA was in abundance

A fantastic terrain display base

Goatboy doing his art on someone's Battlefoam bag

Freehand on a Grey Knight Rhino

Very cool!

Awesome mobile army transport/tray holder

There were a bunch of great banners on display:

More to come later today!

Loken

New 40K FAQs Released!

April 23, 2013, 8:26 am

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New 40K FAQs are up.  13 our of 18 armies got FAQ updates.

Here they are:

40K RULEBOOK v1.4_APRIL13.pdf(0.47 MB)Black Templars v1.2_JANUARY13.pdf(0.22 MB)Blood Angels v1.3_FEBRUARY13.pdf(0.24 MB)Chaos Daemons 2013 v1.0_APRIL13.pdf(0.04 MB)Chaos Space Marines v1.2_APRIL13.pdf(0.05 MB)Dark Angels v1.1A_APRIL13.pdf(0.11 MB)Dark Eldar v1.4_APRIL13.pdf(0.24 MB)Death From the Skies 2013 v1.1_APRIL13.pdf(0.05 MB)Eldar v1.3_APRIL13.pdf(0.21 MB)Grey Knights v1.4_APRIL13.pdf(0.31 MB)Imperial Guard v1.3_APRIL13.pdf(0.21 MB)Necrons v1.4_APRIL13.pdf(0.27 MB)Orks v1.4_APRIL13.pdf(0.27 MB)Sisters of Battle v1.1.pdf(0.09 MB)Space Marines v1.3_APRIL13.pdf(0.22 MB)Space Wolves v1.2_JANUARY13.pdf(0.35 MB)Tau Empire v1.0_APRIL13.pdf(0.03 MB)Tyranids v1.2_JANUARY13.pdf(0.2 MB)


Dig in people!

Loken 

Adepticon 40K Team Tournament Army Showcase

April 23, 2013, 12:00 pm

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Eleven armies made the 40K Team Tournament Army Showcase on Saturday evening.  Here they are! (in three parts)

Chosen by the judges as the best army presentation, there were some spectacular examples of well painted armies with very cool themes.  

Mechanicum

This table was really amazing, and the army had many customizations including Puppets War flyers modified with Valkyrie parts and some AMAZING Helldrake conversions.

Steampunk Squats

 

My favorite.  The Steampunk squats had airships and dirigibles as their Valkyries/Vendettas.  All the models were squats.  Their Chimeras even had Tesla-looking weapons!

More coming later today.

Loken

Resin Addict Releases 28mm "Fiddler"

April 23, 2013, 6:09 pm

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The Fiddler is a new 28mm resin mech from the guys at ResinAddict.com.  I interviewed Magnozac on this great new piece.

1)  How did you get into gaming?

As a child and into my late teens I was a massive Lego fan - I loved building ambitious, elaborate, highly detailed models but always felt limited with the "courseness" that even the wide array of Lego brick shapes facilitated. I'd always been aware of the various Games Workshop games and mythology but I guess it felt like the entry into them was quite high in terms of skill and money (not that Lego is a cheap hobby to collect!). Eventually a friend of a friend talked me into it so I picked up some secondhand Space Marines and some paints and got started. The rest is history!

2)  What is your favorite game?

My primary interest has always been 40k but I'm also a big Battlefleet Gothic fan. However for the past few years I've found myself far more interested in the hobby aspect so the only gaming I get in is the very infrequent bit of BFG.

3)  How did you get into resin casting?

This is a long story, the beginnings of which I'm sure will be something you Apocalypse guys can relate to. During my very first game of Apocalypse back in 2008 I realised just how much fun the carnage of big non-competitive games were. But alas my relatively small 1800pt Tau army was severely lacking. I love the Tau because I'm a massive fan of mecha, so the idea of just picking up Tigersharks from Forge World to "Apocalypse-ise" my army didn't really appeal to me. I decided that I wanted a big mechanised walker.

So I embarked on a stupidly ambitious project: the Superheavy Assault Walker (build log: http://www.advancedtautactica.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=8367). This was my first scratchbuild and man was it a crazy project to cut my teeth on! I have a habit of jumping into the deep end with things - I'm a sink or swim kind of guy ;)

Initially the SAW was just a personal project. I had decided that I would scratchbuild just the one leg and then cast copies for the other three. Then somewhere along the line I got talked into casting all of the parts so that a few other online friends could have one too. This leads us into the next question:

4)  Why did you start Resin Addict and what is it all about?

Learning to produce quality, bubble-free casts is a VERY steep learning curve. Just a few years back the concept of resin casting was still very taboo in the wargaming community (I think mainly fuelled by fictitious pseudo-legal nonsense by GW) and there wasn't a lot of information around about casting specifically the types of parts that we use in wargaming models. I started out with a tub of silicone and some resin and was soon tumbling down the rabbit hole of figuring out how to prevent those incessant bubbles from forming in the casts. A lot of trial and error led to me perfecting a really good technique that was working well for me.

Resin Addict was created for the primary reason that we wanted somewhere to discuss and share casting techniques for wargaming related subjects. Back then just mentioning that you had cast something in resin would cause a huge furore on most wargaming hobby forums (again I attribute it to naivety and fear of legal bullying from GW). But I honestly feel that casting is a necessary tool for high quality hobby and modelling work, something which I'm all about.

5)  What are your goals with Resin Addict?

Initially we just wanted to discuss advanced hobby and primarily casting techniques. We wanted to help lessen that steep learning curve for those interested in trying out resin casting for themselves. But in the past year this has expanded into a secondary direction: facilitating boutique, quality miniatures and models by connecting talented artists and people who can help bring their designs to production.

6)  What is next for Resin Addict?

We have just launched the Resin Addict "Co-Labs" concept. Co-Labs is a word play on collaboration, something that has become a big part of my hobby. You see the one thing that I am most proud of about Resin Addict is the network of people I have met through it. We only have a small group of core members but I'm in regular personal contact with many of them and I consider many to be good friends, despite being entire continents away! When you have a community like that collaboration is inevitable, even if it's not formally recognised. I know of several projects that have had invaluable input (relating to both design and physical creation) from others, without any money changing hands. Not that I'm saying people shouldn't be paid for their talent (quite the opposite) but I think it says a lot when such people are willing to do things for others purely for their love of the hobby.

So in many ways the Co-Labs branding helps to promote those collaborations (whether the work was recompensed or not) and thus help strengthen these relationships. But more importantly I'm hoping that it will allow us to create more fantastic wargaming related models for the discerning hobbyist by connecting talented designers with casting services who are involved with the wargaming hobby.

7)  How does 3D modelling affect the future of resin casting?

In the past few years this has been the biggest shake up in the model industry. One of our Co-Labs members even has himself a high resolution 3D printer that creates absolutely stunning prints. To answer your question though, 3D printing will only make the resin (and metal) casting industries bigger. Although metal is generally more economical for larger volumes, as a modeller I still prefer resin for its far superior finish and reproduction of detail.

The best 3D prints are in a wax material so need to be carefully moulded and recast in resin to be used for anything. Either way, the availability of economical, quality 3D prints is enabling the realisation of many great boutique designs and for the most part reproducing them in resin is the best way to go. And there are some talented 3D modellers out there!

8) The Fiddler is the first Co-Labs kit. How did it come about?

I've been a fan of Alex Iglesias' work for several years now. Back in 2010 he posted a very cool, original concept piece titled "The Fiddler" and instantly I fell in love with it. Alex is extremely talented when it comes to creating modern, realistic looking mech designs so it's no wonder he got snapped up as a concept artist to help modernise the Mechwarrior designs for Mechwarrior Online!

In late 2011 an equally talented 3D art student named Don Bradford got permission from Alex to render the Fiddler in 3D. He created an insanely detailed 3D model (so detailed in fact that we had to remove some of it for printing!). At that stage 3D printing was becoming a very popular topic on Resin Addict so I immediately knew this was what we had to do. I contacted Alex and Don and negotiated a license agreement. Don then scored a job with Weta Workshop and was unable to complete the task of prepping the 3D model for printing. I was introduced to Chris Wallace and his familiarity with modelling for print was invaluable in finalising the Fiddler model.

It has taken us some time but we've finally entered production and are launching the Fiddler at the White Dragon Miniatures stand at Salute 2013 in the UK. I've just finished assembling my pre-production kit and I must say it's a fantastic model (yes, I know I'm biased). We decided to use brass rod for the main weapon barrels and I'm very pleased with that decision: the result is perfectly straight barrels with no unsightly mould lines.

9) Give us the Fiddler plug
 
The Fiddler is a high quality, boutique resin model kit consisting of 91 parts (84 resin parts and 7 brass barrels). It stands an impressive 150mm tall and while its scale is specifically 1:35, it will work quite well with 28mm and 54mm wargaming models. The cost is £110.00 including delivery anywhere in the world (discounts apply for orders of two or more). As I said above it's being launched at Salute and is available for purchase online at www.whitedragonminiatures.co.uk.

10) What's next for Co-Labs
 
Well the Fiddler is a big experiment and if it sells the way we hope then the plan is to bring more of Alex's amazing original/personal mech designs to the physical medium. We may look at producing for other scales like 10mm/15mm too, as there seems to be a growing demand there. Keep an eye on www.resinaddict.com/shop/ for any future products!

Painted buy John Harrison of The Weekend Workshop

 

Horus Heresy Weekender - Here I Come!

April 24, 2013, 9:47 am

≫ Next: The Spikey Bits Trade-In Program!

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I just booked my airfare to The Horus Heresy Weekender.  If you are an Apocalypse40K reader, let me know and we will raise a pint in Bugman's!
Being that I am opening a store the weekend of June 1/2 I almost didn't go.  But I have great people working with me and as Kyle Kinghorn from Battlefoam said this past weekend, "Horus Heresy Weeknder is like being with a beautiful woman for a weekend and never leaving your hotel room.  And then she invites up her friend!"  God, we are such nerds.

And what happens

You can still buy a ticket here.

Nottingham, here I come!

Loken

The Spikey Bits Trade-In Program!

April 25, 2013, 8:46 am

≫ Next: Adepticon 40K Team Tournament Army Showcase - Part II

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I am a big fan of Rob Baer and his company Spikey Bits and his store FTW Games.  Well now Rob has a new idea and asked me to post it. 

From Rob Baer:

Right on the heals of our bi-monthly "Miniature Market" videos that are a great way to pick-up some great deals on used miniatures, we have come up with yet another way for you to save even more on the hobbies you love' The Spikey Bits Trade-In Program!

Best of all is it's less work than selling on e-Bay and it pays just the same, if not more!

This sweet system lets you trade in any used items you have just lying around collecting the proverbial dust, for either new in box items OR other used items we feature from time to time on here. 

How does it work? Checkout all the details below.  

The Basics:

 

1.Email a correctly formatted list of the bits and/or kits you want to sell to buyer@spikeybits.com

2.We will reply within one to two business days providing you with an offer for your items and a confirmation code. You will have 24 hours to approve or decline our offer. If you approve the offer all you have to do is reply to the offer e-mail stating you approve.

3.After we receive the e-mail reply from you stating you accepted our offer, all you need to do is ship your models or kits and a print out of the email confirmation to the store address.

 

 

Buylist (What we give you for your items):

Below is a very basic list of what we’re looking for and what we, on average, offer for items. With the varying condition in which used toy soldiers can be, these prices are a generalization for the best condition indicated.

We reserve the right to offer less based on larger collections and or collections containing a large percentage of slower-selling items.

If you feel that your items do not match this condition please let us know when you email us, and if possible provide pictures of your items to help us get you an accurate quote!  Following these instructions allows us to process your sell order as quickly and efficiently as possible.

New in Box Items- We only accept the most current version on the market! To make sure you have to most update version of said item, be sure to check the manufacturer’s website!

We offer 40% of the current MSRP for most mainstream games with an additional 12.5% (for a total of about 50%) bonus for store credit trade in.

Assembled /used items- For used items we accept any version of items on the market. 

Primed and assembled in good condition (models will not need to be stripped or re-assembled)

We offer 20% of the current MSRP for most mainstream games, with an additional 6% (for a total of about 25%) bonus for store credit trade in.

Primed and assembled in poor condition (models will need to have their paint stripped, pieces glued back in place, or have missing parts all together. This applies to worn books, custom licensed templates, etc as well.

We offer 15% of the current MSRP for most mainstream games, as this condition is pretty undesirable for most players, besides the “do it yourselfers”.  Items in this condition have a tendency to sit unsold for quite sometime, so we try to not deal in items of this nature as much as possible.

So that’s pretty much it, if you would like to make a dealEmail a correctly formatted list of the bits and/or kits you want to sell to buyer@spikeybits.com.  We will respond back to you writing 24-48 hours of receipt of your trade in list!

Get started now! Download our easy to use Trade In Sheet, and get moving!

 

 

 

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Adepticon 40K Team Tournament Army Showcase - Part II

April 26, 2013, 7:24 am

≫ Next: Helbrecht Pattern Land Raider

≪ Previous: The Spikey Bits Trade-In Program!

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Teleport Mishap!

Here are the rest of the armies in the Adepticon Team Tournament Showcase, the best armies from the 40K Team Tournament.
 
Orks

The Ork Mega Gargant was a fan favorite and dominated its table. 

Tau

The Tau table was brilliant and accompanied by its own comic which told the story of the Tau/Necron team.

Dark Angels

My buddies from Atlanta, Curtis Callaway, John Ross, Joe Underwood and Thomas Byrd had an amazing table of Dark Angels (one of the few DA armies there).  I guess they learned a lot from gaming buddy Matt Sabol, the king of 40K terrain.  Joe did the above Teleport mishap objective!

Space Wolves

 

Other Entrants

Helbrecht Pattern Land Raider

April 27, 2013, 10:07 am

≫ Next: Dice of War - SoCal's Newest Game Store

≪ Previous: Adepticon 40K Team Tournament Army Showcase - Part II

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This 3D model has been a round for a bit but it is so deserving more publicity!
A brilliant 3D modeler names Andrea (Andrea1969 on CMON) did these images a couple years ago and they remain the best 40K stuff I have seen.  So, time to share...

Mauvia on Cool Mini then went out and built one!  Here is the photo posted on Cool Mini.

And more of Andreas' great 3D work:

You can see all his 3D work, and more on the Helbrecht, on his blog here.  And read the thread on Bolter and Chainsword here.

Now to get one of these for myself!

Loken

Dice of War - SoCal's Newest Game Store

April 28, 2013, 10:23 am

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Dice of War Games is a new game store I am starting with some friends and former Games Workshop employees.  Located in Southern California's Inland Empire (45 minutes east of Los Angeles) in the town of Rancho Cucamonga, Dice of War Games will carry all the usual suspects in miniature, tabletop and card games.  

Please go like the Dice of War Facebook Page and like it! 

MINIATURES GAMING

On the miniatures front, we will focus on Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy, Warmachine/Hordes, Malifaux and Flames of War.  We will hope to add Infinity and Dystopian Wars real soon as well.  I would expect July/August launches for those two lines.

APOCALYPSE GAMING

Dice of War will of course be the home of SoCal Apocalypse, Southern California's biggest Apocalypse gaming group.  And being that we are now 10 minutes from my good friends Wayne Clark and Bill Moran, who run their own Apocalypse games out of Wayne's garage, that group will be joining us for our games (especially in the brutal Inland Empire summer's!).  I have been playing with Wayne and Bill for 3 years and they are great guys.

GAME TABLES

Dice of War Games has 2,200 square feet of space, with another 800 sf of warehouse space that will be converted to store space next year.  Expect 6-8 tables to start with the ability to put up another 6 tables for big events, and still have room for Magic and other gaming.


EVENTS

Expect monthly tournaments for every game system we carry.  Team tournaments are a favorite of ours and we are planning on having innovative and fun events.


GAME CHAMPIONS

Have a favorite game?  Want to help promote that game, run tournaments and be a notable citizen of the realm?  Well, we are looking for Game Champions for each game system we carry.  If you like sharing your game and want to earn store discounts and hang out with the coolest game store staff in the known universe, then contact me about being one of our Game Champions.


SODA & SNACKS

We have a big fridge that will be stocked with all your favorite soda and drinks, as well as snacks so you will never get thirsty or hungry at Dice of War!

TCGs AND TABLETOP GAMES

We have Magic!  And will be hosting everything from Friday night Magic to bigger events.  Other card games like Yu-Gi Oh! And Pokemon and a wide selection of Tabletop games as well!

Please go like the Dice of War Facebook Page and like it!  

Loken

Blood Angel Space Marine Cosplay

April 29, 2013, 8:47 am

≫ Next: BoLS and Faeit212 down - Faeit212 out!

≪ Previous: Dice of War - SoCal's Newest Game Store

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A spectacular Blood Angels cosplay by Henrik Pilerud.

I love any of these Marine cosplays you see.  The amount of work is amazing.  

Tomorrow, more on the Imperial Fist Terminator! 

Loken

BoLS and Faeit212 down - Faeit212 out!

April 29, 2013, 5:20 pm

≫ Next: Larry eMail re: Bell of Lost Souls Site Shutdown

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Bell of Lost Souls and Faet212 have both gone down.  The question is why.  

First, this blog, as well as Faeit212, both got Digital Millennium Copyright (DMCA) Act notices served to Google, the host of Blogger, the blogging software we both use.  You can see Faet212's DMCA notice here and the Apocalypse40K one, which was filed last week, here.  

Now that was the second such notice I know of.  Interestingly, when I went to the offending URL the article was not up, but all that happened was the offending article was reverted to draft in my control panel.  I then deleted it because, though I find Games Workshop legal overbearing and meglomaniacal, if I step over the IP line, I am happy to comply.  And of course, the fact is I am an attorney by training (I don't practice) so I know when they have a case (here) and don't (Chapterhouse mostly).

Faeit212's site has been removed

However, Faeit212 has gotten numerous DMCA notices and according to one source, got a "long form" notice where Games Workshop basically said he was a serial offender and his site needed to be taken down.  That is why Google did exactly that.  I have no confirmation of this, but I am checking.  But that is also why Faeit212 is listed as "Removed" whereas BoLS is simply "Not Available".

BoLS is simply not available

 

I spoke to Larry Vela, the owner of Bell of Lost Souls and he said that he doesn't have a DMCA notice and Google hasn't told him why his site is down.  He is working the problem, and needless to say, not happy.  And considering how good BoLS is for Games Workshop, you would think they would be nice to him.

You can still sign in to the BoLS Lounge where the discussion is on here.

Larry posted this on his forum:

Hi guys,
A formal heads up.
We are working with Blogger to figure out what's up with the frontpage.
The domain is fine, and the Lounge is (obviously) in fine shape.
We are still proceeding under the impresison that we are dealing with an internal Google IT issue.
We have received no takedown requests, or any emails from any parties regarding any IP related issues.
We are treating this outage as out top priority and working on it round the clock.
I can not speak to the outages of any 3rd party sites, or the timing involved with them.
Thanks and feel free to visit the Lounge even more in the hours ahead.

-Larry  




My notice from Google:

support@blogger.com	Apr 23 (6 days ago)
Blogger has been notified, according to the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), that certain content in your blog is alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others. As a result, we have reset the post(s) to \"draft\" status. (If we did not do so, we would be subject to a claim of copyright infringement, regardless of its merits. The URL(s) of the allegedly infringing post(s) may be found at the end of this message.) This means your post - and any images, links or other content - is not gone. You may edit the post to remove the offending content and republish, at which point the post in question will be visible to your readers again. A bit of background: the DMCA is a United States copyright law that provides guidelines for online service provider liability in case of copyright infringement. If you believe you have the rights to post the content at issue here, you can file a counter-claim. In order to file a counter-claim, please see http://www.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=lr_counternotice&product=blogger. The notice that we received, with any personally identifying information removed, will be posted online by a service called Chilling Effects at http://www.chillingeffects.org . We do this in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). You can search for the DMCA notice associated with the removal of your content by going to the Chilling Effects search page at http://www.chillingeffects.org/search.cgi, and entering in the URL of the blog post that was removed. If it is brought to our attention that you have republished the post without removing the content/link in question, then we will delete your post and count it as a violation on your account. Repeated violations to our Terms of Service may result in further remedial action taken against your Blogger account including deleting your blog and/or terminating your account. DMCA notices concerning content on your blog may also result in action taken against any associated AdSense accounts. If you have legal questions about this notification, you should retain your own legal counsel. Sincerely, The Blogger Team Affected URLs: http://apocalypse40k.blogspot.com/2013/04/imperial-armour-12-rules-pictures.html More info to follow as I try and get more info.  I am in phone contact with Larry and will add anything I can.  Thanks to my right hand Sam (Son of Dorn) for the heads-up. Loken (Alec)