Circles and Squares?

*Squeek*

Circles? Squares?
Let me explain further...

Circles in this case refers to circles in Google+, which this week has really helped my wargaming.

If you aren't familiar with Google+, then the easy way to describe it is as a social networking service (SNS) like Facebook. The different thing about it (and the best feature) is that it offers you much finer control of who you interact with and what you see. This is achieved through "Circles". A circle is a group of people you specify. When you post something in your "stream" you can choose who you share it with:

• The whole world ("Public")
• A specific circle of your own
• An individual
• Or all off the above!

You can also control what you see in your stream. It could be just content from people in your circles, or everything.
Let me give you an example.

• In Google+ I do a search for "Tabletop Wargaming". This pulls in all the posts related to this search and I can then look through them at my leisure. (I can also save this search so I can easily explore it later.)
• When looking through these posts, if I find content by a particular user that is really interesting, I could "add them to a circle" that I create to group people with the same interests together. E.g. I have a circle called "Wargamers". (They don't know the name of my circle)
• Now, if I post something I could post it only to the people in my "Wargamers" circle, because I know it is relevant only to them. This stops their stream being cluttered up with meaningless stuff.

Remember, you create circles so they can be about anything!
"Warhammer", "High Elves players", "Skaven", "Saturday Gaming Club Members"
Etc.

You can learn more here:
https://plus.google.com
or from this video:

Anyway, from G+ this week I got two great things...

Number 1. A great link to some very high quality FREE paper scenery that works for any fantasy setting. With my printer, some card and some glue I made my first ever paper scenery, a Tavern. Check it out! 

The printed parts, added to card and ready to assemble

The front of the tavern, with Spearmen for scale

The back of the Tavern, with Silver Helms

Now, I didn't do this very well, but I think it was fun to make and it will do the job! In total I would guess it took a couple of hours of printing, gluing to card, cutting, scoring and then gluing again.
This is a pretty big building by Warhammer standards, but I guess it has two stories and a damn big bar...
You can find the original (and very helpful) post on the excellent battlereporter blog.

Number 2.

Information on G+ about Dust Warfare, a miniatures system based on Dust Tactics, an alternative universe WWII combat game. I had never really heard too much about it, but from G+ I spent some time looking into it...

1. "Weird WW2"?
2. Allied and Axis mechs?
3. Miniatures that come already primed?
4. x2 small starter armies included in the box?

...and so my Dust Tactics core set arrived yesterday (which nets me two starter armies) and I downloaded the Dust Warfare rules. (An online purchase from Fantasy Flight games).

The box cost about 80 $US from Amazon Japan (currently around 6,500 Yen for 2 small starter armies infantry and a Mech each and the Dust Tactics rules. Details here.) I then paid 20 $US for the Dust Warfare manual (digital download, currently on a special deal (usually 39.95)

Now, don't think that for me 100$ is small change. It isn't! However for the sake of comparison you get x1 box of Clanrats and x1 Warpgrinder in Japan for the same price (6,500 Yen).

Looking forward to reading all this and cracking open the box tomorrow! (Father's Day in Japan!)

And the "Squares"? What about the squares?

Above I talked about a social network. The squares I was referring to are much more "analogue"...

Yes, I decided to get started on magnetizing all the High Elves completed to date so that I can transport them more easily, and that means lots and LOTS of 20x20mm magnetic squares! 

I'm using almost the same system as before, with the exception that I have learned my lesson and am now using flexible metal sheet in the movement tray, rather than another magnet sheet.

This makes it much easier to drop the model into the tray and line everything up (with a magnet sheet in the tray AND on the base of the model, the polarities make things shift around and hard to rank up properly - yeah, I know, basic science...)

Dead easy, dead cheap and seems to work fine!

Roll on Dust Warfare tomorrow!

:-)

*Squeek*

Painting Skaven Plague Monks - Step by step.

After finishing my first 30 Skaven Plague Monks I thought I would post a step-by-step guide to the colours I used. I'm no painting expert, but these steps ended up giving me a unit painted to "tabletop" quality.

EDIT: Following the launch of the latest Citadel Paint range in 2012, please note that the colours listed below are from the previous range. I hope to have time to rewrite in the future, but for the time being, you can use the conversion chart/ list I made here or use the official Citadel Conversion chart here.

First, here is how the unit ended looking up:

Colours used: (All Games Workshop)
Knarloc Green
Codex Grey
Tallarn Flesh
Dwarf Flesh
Dwarf Bronze
Gunmetal
Chainmail
Mithril Silver
Skull White
Chaos Black
Devlan Mud (Wash)

The  process followed was:

A.) Undercoat and Base texturing:

1. After assembly, liberally apply PVA glue to base and dip in modelling sand.
2. Wait until dry, then undercoat. (I use Chaos Black spraypaint.)

B.) Base colours:

1. Fur: Calthan Brown.
2. Skin/ Tail/ Feet: Tallarn Flesh.
3. Cloth: Knarloc Green/ Codex Grey 1:1 mix.  Follow this with a lighter Knarloc Green/ Codex Grey (1:2) on raised areas of cloth/ edges. (Robes)
4. Metal: Boltgun metal. (Weapons, belt buckles, staff tips, banner chains)
5. Leathers/ Belts: Snakebite leather. (rope belt, wristband, armour crosspiece on the back of the Clanrat.)
6. Banner: Knarloc Green.
7. Parchment: Snakebite leather. (Lighter shades will be applied later - see H. below)
8. Ornaments: Chaos White. (Skull pendants om troops, staves and banners etc.)

C.) Apply Washes: Liberally apply Devlan Mud Wash all over. (Parchment optional)

D.) Reapply base colours: Layered up lighter shades/ colours: 

1. Skin/ Tail/ Feet: Dwarf Flesh on raised areas of face.  NOTE: Unlike my Clan Rats, I didn't use Dwarf Flesh on the tails for these guys, preferring to leave them a darker, dirtier feel...
2. Metal: Chainmail or Mithril Silver applied to blade edges, nails etc.
3. Leather/ Belts: Snakebite leather/ Skull white (1:2 mix). 
4. Flag: Knarloc Green/ Skull White (1:1 mix) on raised areas and into the center of the flag.
5. Parchment: Several layers of increasingly lighter shades of Snakebite Leather/ Skull White.

E.) Final Drybrushing:

1. Base: Drybrush Calthan brown, then Tallarn Flesh.
2. Fur: (Optional): Drybrush Calthan Brown/ Skull White (50/50).
3. Metal: (Optional): Drybrush Mithril silver (Weapon edges) buttons etc. (e.g. Rivets if the model has a shield etc.) or just apply as an "Extreme Highlight" on the edge of the weapon.
4. Robes: (Optional) Lightly drybrush Calthan Brown around the base of the robes.

F.) Final Basing:

1. Apply dabs of PVA glue onto the base and dip into green flock.
2. Paint base sides Knarloc Green.

G.) Final Details: Banner

1. Outline the Horned Rat symbol on the Banner in Chaos Black. Once satisfied, fill in. HINT: Practice first on a piece of paper at the same size as you will actually paint onto the banner. This will give you an idea of how it will look and it is good practice...
2. Horned Rat eyes: Snot Green. When dry, lighten with a Snot Green/ Skull White mix (1:1)

H.) Final Details: Parchment

1. Gradually build up to a lighter shade, using a Snakebite Leather/ Skull White mix in lighter and lighter shades.
2. Carefully add symbols and script using a slightly watered down Chaos Black (and a fine detail brush.)

Now I have some Clan Pestilens troops in my army....excellent!

*Squeek*