Storage Wars...Miniatures Edition.

Public_Storage_Doors by Ed Chambliss
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ 

OK, I don't need that much storage...

...but I feel like I'm getting there!

• Skaven (2,500-3,000 painted, 1,000 unpainted)
• Black Templars (1500-2000 painted, 300 unpainted)
• High Elves (1500 painted, 1000 unpainted)
• Tau (3,000 points - roughly?)
• Chaos Space Marines (750 points)

So I think it is time to consider some additional storage options. What storage options would you recommend? There are some popular options around, but should I choose one of these or continue with a homebrew option?

Here are some of the options I am familiar with (I know there are a lot more, so this is not an exhaustive list):

Battlefoam

Years ago I bought a Battlefoam Pack 1520 for my Tau and that has proved to be a great option. Lots of room and great foam, but not very easy to carry (the design has now changed).

Pros:

+ Great quality foam.

+ Some cases have hard sides for extra protection.

+ Customized foam for almost any armies.
+ Attractive, clear website.

Cons:

- Expensive/ premium prices (although a new low-cost range is now available.)

- Not a local supplier (I live in Japan)

KR Multicase

Image from:
http://www.somethingswrong.sg/2012/09/kr-multicase-kaiser-3.html 

I haven't used or bought them, but I have heard good things.

Pros:

+ I like the cardboard case + outer case approach.

+ Prices seem reasonable.

+ Customized foam options.

Cons:

- Could be just me, but I'm finding their variety of foam options bewildering...

- ...not to mention the website, which I find confusing!

Games Workshop

GW have recently changed their case designs, including an innovative kind of foam design and a wider variety of size options (Crusade, Battle and Skirmish).

Pros:
+ Foam design looks like it would be very adaptable to fit different sizes of models.
+ Reasonable cost: 75 GBP for the large size including foam seems reasonable (not that 75GBP is a small amount of money though?)
+ Quality appears reasonable.

Cons: - Does it hold enough models?
- Doesn't look like it would work for Warhammer Fantasy, where you are looking at ranked units of 50 Skaven...putting them individually could be a huge hassle!

Homebrew (DIY)

This is what I do now with all my Skaven and High Elf armies. Each box costs 100 Yen from (about 57p or 85 cents at today's exchange rates). I will stack 4-6 of these in a medium-sized suitcase to take to game days. I have about 8 of these boxes in total.

Pros:
+ Super, super cheap! Yeah, less than a pound per box is pretty good.
+ Durable. Hard, thick plastic with a durable, hard plastic lid. Doesn't flex much. 
+ Flexible. Often stack-able.
+ Widely available. (Hardware stores, 100 Yen shops etc.)
+ Good for units in movement trays. You can fit x1 -x2 movement trays inside, making game setup really easy (but consider magnetizing them before transportation!)

Cons:
- No straps. Needs to be carried in something else (holdall or suitcase).
- Difficult to secure models and stop them rattling around. No foam padding. If you are worried about your models stuff needs to be wrapped.
- Doesn't look great...

Any recommendations?
(Edit: I setup a poll on Google+ for some of the most popular options:
https://plus.google.com/+OliverBayley/posts/AcfNzK1vwJL )

+Cheers+

Black Templars v. Tyranids Battle Presentation

Black Day at Bad Rock

This was a 1,500 point battle against Tyranids, with a few "firsts" for me:

1. My first game in the new edition of 40K.

-Psychic shenanigans (at least if you are a Tyranid!)

2. First time using these units:

-Whirlwind missile launcher(s)

-Stormtalon Gunship

-Razorback(s)

-Sternguard with Grav Guns

-Drop Pod

3. First time for me to write up the battle report in Google Slides. 

Frankly speaking, it took AGES because I decided to not just include photos, but also try to show movement and shooting via animating the slides (a little...it isn't going to win any awards!). 
I haven't done a voice over, so it is just the slides (but you can click on a link in the presentation to open some background music if you want in a new window - there will be an ad and you might have to then switch back to the presentation.)

So, here you go. The presentation below should give you a sense of how things went (note that this was a friendly game, so I was using a fair number of "counts as" models.)

It was a close battle, but I came out on top. Things might have been different if my opponent had made a few different choices (there were a few abilities that he forgot to use for example, as he is as new as I am to this edition.) Also, a shout out to the guys over at the Bolter and Chainsword for helping me to get up and running with a list that made good use of the models that I have.

I must say, it felt great to use my Black Templars in anger - and a big change to be able to rush into assault (not really an option with my Tau).

All constructive criticism welcome!

Cheers,

Templars Ascendant!

I had the pleasure of a 1,500 point game of Warhammer 40K this weekend using 7th edition rules against my old enemy, the Tyranids. 

This was my second game using Black Templars (although I have been collecting them for a while) so it was fun to work through the new edition and use an army that plays so differently to my first army (Tau).
I found myself saying things for the very first time like:

(closely followed by "how do I do that?")
Info on the game, lists and some photos of key moments below!
Mission:
We played the "Crusade mission" with the game layed out in "Hammer and Anvil" setup.
The game was called after a certain point due to a combination of time and what looked to be a bleak outlook for the Tyranids, but at that point, I was ahead on Victory Points, so technically, a Black Templars victory (but a very narrow one - just one point!)
My list was based on gracious advice from the Bolter and Chainsword website. I rarely play, so any mistakes in the list below are mine...
Lists:

1,500 points Black Templars

HQ:
Space Marine Captain (Artificer armour, Shield Eternal, Relic Blade, Melta Bomb)

Troops:
+ Crusader Squad 1: x6 Neophytes (Space Marine Shotguns), x6 Initiates (CCW + Bolt Pistols), Sword Brother (CCW+BP) 
Land Raider Crusader (Multi Melta, cannon etc.)
+ Crusader Squad 2: x5 initiates, Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun, Sword Brother (Combi-Weapon)
Razorback (Twin linked Las cannons)

+ Crusader Squad 2: x5 initiates, Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun,
Sword Brother (Combi-Weapon)
Razorback (Twin linked Las cannons)

Elites:
x5 Veteran Sternguard, all with Combi-Grav weapons.
Drop Pod (Storm bolter)

Fast Attack:
Stormtalon gunship (Twin linked cannon, Skyhammer missiles)

Heavy Support:
x2 Land Raider Whirlwind (Storm Bolters)

Tyranids:

From looking at the image above, and my memories of the game, it was something along these lines:


1,500 points Tyranids

x1 Hive Tyrant (Warlord) - on foot.
x1 Flying Tyranid Monstrous Creature (another Tyrant?)
x3 Carnifexes (?)  (one with a cannon, one with claws, one with shooting weapons?)
x3 Zoanthropes (Psychers)

x17 Hormagaunts
x20 Termagants
x1 Brood Lord + x5 Genestealers.
x10 Genestealers.

Key moments:
Here are some images from the battle:

The Tyranid battle line. There are 3 objective markers on this side of the board.

The Sternguard drop pod arrives behind enemy lines - aiming to take out
their Warlord

A Broodlord and Genestealers wreak havoc in the Black Templar back lines

The Tyranids have their revenge on the Sternguard...

A Black Templars squad and captain charge in!

A desperate struggle for a Black Templars objective on the other flank
(MOAR Genestealers!)

Time permitting, I will write up a report, but in the meantime, some more shots of the Black Templar team:

A big thanks to my opponent for the very friendly game (a lot of my army is not "Wysiwyg"), his hospitality and good humour.

Cheers!

Finished High Elf Noble on Elven Steed

Finished off the base for this model today, so feel that this Elven Noble on steed is ready for the gaming table.

I'm quite pleased with the results. 
In these photos it isn't easy to see, but I put quite a bit of effort in that I think paid off:

• For the white robes, I layered up from gray, rather than using a wash.
• I picked out each scale on the scale-mail individually. After a base of Dwarf Bronze and then a wash, I added a small highlight of Auric Gold to the bottom of each scale. 
• For the base, I am pleased with how the flock looks around the broken statuary.
• After multiple failed attempts, I finally manage to get the eyes right on a model!
• To match some of my other models, I added a tuft of grass to the base.

Thanks for looking. Come the weekend and bit more time (and some better lighting) I will take some more photos and close ups.

As usual, feel free to share any feedback!

Thanks.

#tabletopwargaming #highelves #gamesworkshop #tabletopminiatures

Finished High Elf Ellyrian Reavers

High Elf Ellyrian Reavers

Keeping my painting focused on expanding my High Elves, I've been slowly continuing with models that add flexibility and power to the small core that I previously finished. This week I completed two units of x5 Ellyrian Reavers - fast cavalry that can be armed with spears and or bows.

Champion

Champion

Ellyrian Reavers won't add hitting power (that is why I am also painting a Noble on steed), but they should add some flexibility. Being fast cav, I can use them (combined with my Great Eagles) to hunt enemy warmachines and harrass other units, possibly also piling into the side of other combats too.

That's the plan anyway. 

In terms of painting, they were quite fiddly. Lots of small details (the alternating gems on the horse's armour), but I did enjoy adding some small touches. The single purple feather in the helmet plumes matches the colour of my High Elf army, the Purple Sons. Although these horsemen are from Ellyrian, I imagined that they might make this small concession to the force that they were joining for battle.

To be honest, I think the further you get away from my painting, the better it looks - just like on the tabletop - so I have included some pictures from a longer distance too...

All comment and criticism gratefully received. Thanks for looking.

Cheers!