Finished Tau Ghostkeel

Tau XV95 Ghostkeel "Midnight Blues"

*Warning - Lots of Pictures ahead!*

I finished this model today - at least to tabletop quality! It was a bit of an adventure as I made several bad judgement calls that required going back (more on that later).

Since my previous WIP post for this model I added:

• Washes (Nuln Oil)
• Highlights
• Weathering (one layer of Leadbelcher using the foam method, drybrushing feet to match soil)
• Basing details (tank traps and plants/ scrub)
• Reworked main lens (on head)
• Lenses on Electrowarfare suite (right arm)

Looking at the pictures, to take this to another level I would do the following:

• Add more weathering to the tank traps.
• Add more details to base (graffiti? discarded enemy weapons? Tau infantry?)
• Bore out the barrels of all the secondary weapons.
• Blacken nozzles on Flamers.
• Add more detail on Fusion Collider barrel (bright blue "Fusion" effects).

Front

Cockpit view

Side view: w/ Flamers and Cyclic Ion Raker

Rear

Top

W/ Fusion Collider + Twin Linked Burst Cannons

Head (Detail)

What mistakes did I make?

In my hurry to get on with the model so I could use it last weekend in battle, I didn't think hard enough about the base, so it looked very sparse. 

To deal with that today I located x3 pre-painted tank traps from my terrain box. As I couldn't glue them directly onto the current course surface (not enough contact, and they would have looked "floaty") I had to do some surgery! Holding the tank trap onto the base, I used a craft knife to cut around the edges of the tank trap, down to the base of the plastic. After doing this on all 4 sides of the trap, I then used the craft knife to lift off the "Soil" in a square. That gave me the perfect flat surface to superglue the trap down. To make it seamless I then filled the small gap between the trap edges and the cuts with wood glue, poured on my basing material and painted it up. It was unnecessary extra work (I should have thought of this when I did the base the first time), but I think it doesn't look too bad!

My other mistake was working at night under artificial lighting and layering up the barrel of the Cyclic Ion Blaster to a shade or Mordian Blue that was too bright. This meant it was mismatched with the rest of the model, so today I had to go over the barrel again.

What went well?

I think (you are welcome to disagree) that the overall colour scheme works, and the lenses and freehand insignia came out well (took lots of attempts to get the latter right though!). Also, the lighter weathering applied using a piece of foam was quite easy and I resisted the temptation to overdo it!

Thigh insignia detail.

With 6 Stealth suits already painted I can field this model as part of an Optimised Stealth Cadre. 

Next Project?

There are two options really.

Option 1: Tau XV9 Battlesuits (x2)

Getting back into Tau meant having a good rummage through my model box, where I was delighted to find two of these Forgeworld models. These were pretty much gifted to me by a Tau player getting out of the game some years ago (you know who you are...thank you!) and I never painted them as I moved into painting a Skaven army.

Option 2: A Frostgrave Warband.

Our gaming group discussed trying out this fantasy skirmish game at our last get together, so I downloaded the rules (12 GBP, a reasonable price!). It looks quite good, and with a unit max of 10 models per player (any 28mm models will do) and simple rules it will hopefully be quick to play. 

I thought I should be able to put together the requisite Wizard, apprentice and Men-at Arms/ mercenaries by rummaging through my bits box and Warhammer Fantasy models. Sure enough, I could do the following:

Wizard: x1 (High Elf Wizard or Skaven Plague Priest)

Apprentice: x1 (Old Citadel Witch Elf)

Mercenaries: x 8 (3-4 Empire swordsmen, x3-4 Black Orcs with bows/ choppers.)

Until next time!

:-)

Tau Ghostkeel WIP

I've been working on this Tau Ghostkeel that I got for Christmas - just an hour a night after work, but it is coming along.

I've managed to get the undercoats, base coats and some highlights done on the main model and the drones (the Fenris Grey lines you see here). I worked on the pilot before assembling the model, something I don't often do, but I wanted access to the cockpit as it is a nice feature of the model IMHO (and it would be impossible to do a decent job after assembly)

I'm happy with the Mordian Blue and Chaos Black combination. The blue fits in with my main Tau army and regular Stealth Suits, but the combination still "feels" stealthy. In my mind, I'm thinking of this as "Midnight Urban" Camo (which means I am going to have to add an urban feeling to the base later...)

Another point that I'm happy with is the freehand Tau text on the right thigh. Although not authentic Tau text I think it has the right flavour, and I HATE freehand so it felt like a small victory.

In all of these images you won't see any weapons, as I'm working on those separately.

Left

Right rear

Next step will be to figure out what to do with the black. I've highlighted the edges of the Mordian Blue with Fenris Grey, so what am I going to do with the edges of the black armour? 
More Fenris, or straight to chipping/ weathering with metallics? (Shout out to those on G.Plus for the weathering advice by the way).

Stealth Drones (top)

The suit is always accompanied by x2 Stealth Drones, which you can see here. Not weathered or finished yet, but I got a good start on the lenses.

More updates to come later this weekend! (I hope I'll make more progress). Fantasies of adding some tank traps to the base, and painting the suit parts close to the traps in the same grey to indicate stealth capability...

Stealth Drones (front)

Tau Cadre Fireblade - Finished

After picking up the new Tau books for Christmas and with a game planned in the first week of January, I thought I should dust off my Tau army and see what models I have. What formations from the new books would I be able to field with what I already have?

A nice surprise was finding an unpainted Cadre Fireblade - an HQ unit for the core of the Hunter contingent. Thinking that it would only take a couple of hours to do, I got to work, only to finish 2 days later! I guess it is the case that taking a break from painting for months affects your speed...

This was the first time I revisited the army following the experience I gained painting my Skaven. That meant this model got some touches that I didn't really consider when I started painting Tau all those years ago (including simple techniques like washes). I think it looks better for them! The base comes pre-moulded, and it looks nice even with a simple paint job like this. It might look better with some vegetation but I was in a hurry!

I had a go at some freehand on the back of the cloak just to break up the white. I failed miserably about 10 times before getting something I was (almost) happy with. It isn't complicated, but it still required me to try and stop my hands shaking...

Fireblade cloak with freehand hem.

Before washes...

...and after:

with highlights:

So how did he perform on the battlefield?

Not bad! 

There is a lot to be said to having x1 extra shot for every pulse weapon in your unit. That is a very significant increase in firepower from a cheap unit (as described in better detail than I could ever achieve over at the ever-excellent 3plusplus.net). Not only that, but he has his own markerlight and split fire rules (something I completely forgot - doh!)

Fireblade (at right) co-ordinates a desperate stand against a Tyranid
monstrous creature.

Having him attached to a single squad of 12 gives x24 Str5 AP5 shots out to 30 inches, letting you slather on the pain from a reasonable distance. More please!

How many can I take?

:-)

Tau Kauyon Formations: Questions!

I enjoyed taking a flick through the The Damocles Crusade: Kauyon book yesterday and a read online about the various formations being introduced.

The ones that immediately look useful are the Optimized Stealth Cadre (I'm going to have to pick up a Ghostkeel to make that work with my stealth suits (pictured above) and the Firebase Support Cadre (fortunately I have the models for that one!)

In the meantime, because I rarely play the game, I'm struggling a bit to wrap my head around the rules for Contingents, Detachments and Auxiliary choices, and how they all fit together. 

Here is a question:
Can formations in the Montka book (which I don't have) be used with the Hunter contingent in the Kauyon book? 

For example, like most Tau players, I have quite a few Drones available. Although it isn't in the Kauyon book, can I use the "Tau Drone Net VX" auxiliary choice with the Hunter Cadre contained in the Kauyon book?
I'm not interested (for fluff reasons) in running a Farsight Enclaves army!

Yes, I'd like to get the most out of these guys using the Drone Net!

Regardless, I think it is time to do an inventory of my Tau...

A Warhammer 40K Winter.

Original copyright holder unknown.
Please contact me so I can update or to request removal

Blimey, this festive season really is a dream come true for Tau fans. In this post I’ll take a quick look at the gaming goodies that Shas’o Nic’laus, The Red-hooded Victor of Yule Prime, managed to fit down my life support hab’s exhaust system.

What I got 1: New storage. Citadel Crusade Figure Case

Over the years I have used both professional options (Battle Foam, GW cases) and home-brew (lots of plastic boxes in a cheap suitcase). Both approaches have their ups and downs, so on a recent trip to my local GW I thought I would take a look at the Citadel Figure case range. Specifically the Crusade case (the largest one).

Up close, my first impression of the Crusade case was that it was much smaller than I had anticipated! How much could I get in there? If my goal was my Black Templars that was a concern (multiple predators, Rhinos, Land Raiders, Speeders, Stormtalon gunship, bikes etc.)

My second impression was cost...14,500 Yen (or just over 80 GBP).

Worth it?

In the end I decided yes. I wanted a new case, haven’t supported GW in a while, and I would like to upgrade from my 100 Yen shop boxes! The GW staff gave me a tour of the inside, taking it apart and showing me the funky foam arrangements and possibilities.

So here it is, with a Space Marine to show scale.

Citadel Crusade Figure Case

FYI, while looking at what was available online, I came across the "Munitorum Battlepack Case Harness" option. After seeing it in person I immediately put it out of my mind. I like the idea of a rucksack solution for the Crusade case that also offers additional storage for books, but at 12,500 Japanese Yen (70 GBP) it is simply too much money for what it does (for me). The case does come with a shoulder strap after all. 

I haven't had time to try and actually fit stuff in and write a review yet (even though today is "Boxing Day") but watch this space!

What I got 2: Warzone Damocles: Kauyon

NOT buying the harness meant I could invest in something else, so I went for the War Zone Damocles: Kauyon rules. At 10,500 Yen (58 GBP) this also wasn’t cheap, but it gives me the rules that I need to supplement my Tau Codex, including some of the newer units should I get some new models (Ghostkeel, you shall be mine…)

Image credit: Games Workshop website

Frankly speaking, I love the hardback Codex books. Quality feels great, nice pictures and plenty of fluff. I haven’t started reading this yet, but I’m looking forward to the rules and the story.

What I got 3: Dice.

Yes, dice.

There is a story here that I won’t go into in depth, but it involves giving a workshop in a foreign land, 200+ attendees, and my dice. Or to be specific, NOT GETTING THEM BACK! (My fault, I should have told everyone the dice weren’t a freebie!

What I got 4: Darth Vader Grissini Breadsticks (Plain)

Breadsticks - crunchy mini lightsabers in a box.

Not WH 40K, but the marketing is strong with this one...

...”Merry Sithmas”!

More Tau Madness...

...at least in terms of releases.

As regular as clockwork, a GW promo email popped into my inbox the other day with lots of new info on even more new releases (see here for previous), this time in the form of Commander models, Codex Tau Empire Ghostkeel Edition info and more.

Some first impressions below.

Tau Empire Commander

Love the look of this model. It feels very dynamic and the pose actually makes you feel as though he is getting into the thick of things. This is particularly true if (like me) your current Crisis suits are the "original" models, which were really, really static. It is just a small point, but the hands also look much better than they used to in the old models too.

For comparison, here is my "Old" commander. Dredging up this photo really reminds me of how I should go back and revisit my entire Tau army and put what I learned painting my Skaven to good use (washes, weathering etc.)

My "old" Commander

Codex Tau Empire Ghostkeel Edition

I'll be honest and say that initially I was a bit confused by the number of options GW now provides to get hold of the rules for different and new models. I have the "latest" Codex (it has the Riptide in it) so what do I get now? 
Actually, GW has tried to make things clear (if you read the entries on the website). If I understand correctly for me the "Ghostkeel" edition ISN'T the place to start.
However, it actually looks like a nice set, with a variety of objective markers (x6) and objective cards (x36). Unfortunately (or fortunately for my wallet), by the time I clicked on the email, this was already listed as sold out anyway.

Instead I'm supposed to go with..

War Zone Damocles: Kauyon

...as this contains "an 88 page hardback rule book containing all the new rules" and I would already be "...a hardened Tau Empire Collector". 
I'm glad that this option exists! 

Although I'd like to get all the bits and pieces that come in the special edition I don't need another copy of the rule book. Also, I also get the White Dwarf Games Workshop digital edition on my tablet, but if you are going to play I feel like you really need one printed source that pulls things together (until of course GW decides to grace those of us with Android devices with an ebook that is actually usable in game terms - the ibooks version is great, the epub versions however can at best be called "useless" for using at a game.)

XV8 Crisis Battlesuit Team

3 lovely suits! 
I think these are new poses? They certainly look more dynamic than the original suits I started with a few years ago. You can get a sense of the dynamism from the pose shown above, and more if you visit the GW website.
Again for comparison, a couple of shots of my "old" suits. I went to considerable trouble to try to pose these, but you can see they still look very static.

Here's my Broadside (as a bonus) :

Tau Empire Drones

Because, really, as a Tau player you don't have drones?
Seriously, I have to say that I love drones (especially in a group of eight, dropped behind enemy lines and harassing light armour!) but just TWO in a box? Not going to cut it!

With all these new models, there really is just too much to buy. What the hell am I going to do?

Greater Goods for the Greater Good

Wow, it has been a long time since I updated the blog (because ya know, LIFE 2.0)...

...but as a Tau player all this recent news can't be ignored. There have been a load of new releases for the Tau that are managing to not only add some great capabilities to their armies, but also start a new chapter for GW as well. The images below are the models that I find most interesting, but don't represent an exhaustive list of all the new units.

The Eye of the Storm

Take a look at the "Stormsurge" below. 

Quite a beast! This is a variant of the now infamous Riptide, designed by the looks of things for support. It mounts a really REALLY big gun, and also has a shed-load of missile launchers. It reminds me a lot of the Mecha units from old series like Robotech Monster or Phalanx (or a cross between the two). 

KV128 Stormsurge Battlesuit www.games-workshop.com

I'm not exactly sure that is a good thing though. The Stormsurge looks a little bit "off". Not sure why? Could be a combination of the stabilizers and the position of the pose above. Also, the shorter ranged weapons tacked on under the missile pods seem like an afterthought. 

Do I like the idea? Hell yes! 
Aesthetically though it doesn't do it for me (or that is what I'll tell myself as long as I don't have the money to get one haha!)

Love:
+ "MOAR MISSILES"
+ Big gun!

Hate:
- Lack of arms
- Extra gubbins
- Rinkydink stabilizers

Ghost in the Shell

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit www.games-workshop.com

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

If you take a look at my Tau page you can see that I like Stealth suits. They always made the Tau army interesting and added a bit of spice to the battlefield. This unit looks to do that in spades. 

Love:
+ The name
+ Weapons (Cyclic Ion Raker and Fusion Collider)
+ Model comes with a choice of male/ female pilots and a cockpit option

Hate:
- The design of the head 

I'm not sold on the logic (a giant battlesuit is stealthy?) but hey, logic only goes so far in Warhammer 40K. I like the idea of this unit being an electronic warfare platform though, and I can see it leading other stealth units into battle (oh, there's a profitable idea!), all at the low, low price* of just 45 of your Pounds Sterling.
(*Sarcasm)

Castle in the Sky

Tau Tidewall Rampart www.games-workshop.com

Er, its a wall...

...but not just any wall! 

It floats, it shoots (check out the twin-linked Rail Cannon "Tidewall Gunrig"), AND it protects your squishy units. Just what any Tau commander needs. Especially if you need to replace all the home-brew Tau scenery you probably have as a Tau commander...

Love:

+ the overall design

+ the gunrig

+ the blue energy wall

+ the integrated drone emplacements

Hate:

- the price (21,000 Yen, or 113 pounds)

Lambs to the Slaughter

Fire Warrior Breacher Team www.games-workshop.com

"The Fire Warriors Breacher Team specialises in brutally effective close-range assaults..."

Wait, what...?

Wow, talk about a change in approach. Tau closing for close combat?

Well, at least at first glance!

Take a closer look at some of the rules out there and it seems as though "assault" in this case doesn't mean "hand-to-hand", but more like "I'm going to stick my pulse blaster right up in your ugly face and let loose" (and if I don't wipe you out, you will then bring me the pain).

The Pulse Blaster seems to be the key here. Get it within 5 inch range of the enemy and it is going to hurt them some with Strength 6 AP 3 Assault 2...

...looks like the "Fish of Fury" could make a comeback to help with that (not to mention to help sell more Devilfish). Drive up, hop out, shoot, shoot, shoot!

Love:

+ Tau, up close and personal.

+ Pulse Blasters

+ Tactical Support Turret that you build anywhere you stay put (Missile Pod or SMS options)

+ Guardian drone with 6+ invul for the unit

Hate:

- With my dice rolls, these guys will whiff everything, and then get slaughtered! ;-)

Overall, I'm quite excited by the quality of these models, the look and feel, and the new challenges these units will bring to the enemies of the greater good. If I had the money, I would probably try to get all of these models, but there is no way I can do that! I will get the new Codex first of all, and then take it from there...

Cheers

Tau v. Black Templars, 1,500 pt Battle Highlights

The very same afternoon my Skaven got beaten up, I played a 1,500 point game of 40K using my Space Marine Black Templars against Tau. For the sake of time, this used exactly the same list I had some success with against a Tyranid force in a previous game. 

Basically:

- a layer or two of cover-ignoring template death from afar (Whirlwind Missile Launchers)
- a dash of tracked, high-powered pew-pew (Lascannons on x2 Razorbacks)
- a pinch of backfield harassment (Sternguard in drop pod)
- a slathering of airborne support (Stormtalon)...
...all of this wrapped around a sweet core of Xenos-squashing, chainsword-wielding fanatics (blob squad in a Land Raider crusader).

My opponent brought a shooty, Tau foot-slogging list (is there any Tau list that isn't shooty?). 

- A couple of Broadsides with rail weapons and plasma.
- Crisis suit unit.
-Commander with bodyguards.
-Kroot unit with sniper rifles.
-Two units of Firewarriors.
-Two units of Pathfinders.
- A unit of Stealth suits with drone markerlight support.

At this point, you might be thinking...

"...wot no tanks?"

Yes, as a former Tau player, I was initially surprised to see a complete lack of heavy armour or flying transports, but as it turned out, my opponent had no option but to bring a foot list, as he hadn't been able to find his tanks before coming over...

Even so, I was looking forward to my first game against Tau in this edition. Also, my first 40K army was Tau and I still have a soft place in my heart for the minions of the Space Pope. 
AND, it is always great to see Kroot on the table!

The game:

Game type: Keeping it simple, we went for a VPs game.

Tau Deployment:
Pathfinders went on either flank (assuring nice interlocking fields of Markerlight fire!). 
One broadside took up position in a bunker, anchoring his two units of Firewarriors on either side. One was in the open, the other clustered around an old bunker.
On the far hill, another Broadside was supported by a second unit of Pathfinders.
All the crisis suits, Kroot and Stealth suits stayed in reserve.

Black Templars deployment:
A line of black, tracked boxes...
Subtle eh?

Razorbacks stacked opposite the Broadside on the hill, with Whirlwind Missile launchers in the centre, and Landraider on the opposite flank. I hoped to take a chunk out of his Firewarriors with my missile launchers, while rushing my LR down a flank.

Game Highlights.

Early on in the game, the Landraider faces a unit of Pathfinders. A round or two of cannon fire would take them down to 1 man, but not destroy them entirely.

Tau Stealthsuits come in, accompanied by Markerlight drones. 

It isn't long before the Razorbacks go down. Hmmm, massed Firewarrior Pulse Rifle fire sure does glance those hull points down pretty quickly! The Crusader squad makes it out alive, but is now staring down a whole load of Tau firepower...

After a couple of turns, the BT left flank is now a mass of destroyed hulls! (See image below) One Razorback and a Whirlwind has been destroyed. To make matters worse, a unit of Crisis suits manages to deepstrike in the back field, right behind another Razorback.

Fortunately for me though, my Stormtalon has come on. Although it isn't equipped properly for this fight (no enemy flyers upon which to unleash my Skyhammer missiles) the pilot still makes use of his cannon on the Tau infantry around the table.

Now this next image is what we (Black Templars) like to see! 
Noting that the Landraider won't be able to make it around the side of the table in time, the Black Templar blob squad disembarks, hoping to foot slog to glory (and the juicy Tau Firewarriors in the centre field...)
...meanwhile the Landraider continues to whittle down the Kroot with cannon and bolter fire.

The Tau have done a jolly good job of taking out the Whirlwinds and Razorbacks , but the Stormtalon looks like it may dominate this side of the field, as evidenced by its ability to take a few wounds at a time from the Firewarriors.

The Stormtalon zooms towards one of the Firewarrior units.

...and although I don't have an image of this, that same Tau Firewarrior squad manages to defeat a small Crusader squad in close combat!


Unfortunately we didn't have time to finish the game, but at this point, the game was even (in terms of points won by either side). It would have been an interesting second half though:
-The big BT squad with Captain heading towards the Tau (will the unit of sniper-round Kroot nearby take them out?)...
-The Sternguard and Drop pod still to come in (can I take out his Warlord?)...
-The Landraider Crusader barreling down the flank...
-The Tau commander and his bodyguards still to come in from reserve.

Thanks to my opponent for a fun game - really great to see Tau on the table - makes me want to fight for the Greater Good again!
:-)