Dystopian wars first game post match analysis.

Okay, so after painting up my DW KoB fleet I had my first game at my local club yesterday. Unfortunately for my British fleet it was more of a Coronel than Trafalgar! 

Whilst it was somewhat disappointing to have my fleet annihilated by the EoBS (and annihilated is undoubtedly the right adjective) I am confident that it was the quickest way to learn some valuable lessons for future games.

Ork army painting tracker

As I may have mentioned (and may have been observed) I'm not the greatest at getting models finished and on the table.  

To try and spur me into finishing my long term 40k Ork army, I've scheduled a game early next year against my brothers Tyranids.  The rules are quite simple - 2000 points, but anything not painted can't be played.  If that means either of us can't field 2k, then tough - you go short and the opponent can field their full 2k (assuming it's all painted).

In order to spur me further (and try and keep me on track), I've come up with a little paint tracking poster.  Showing everything I have to get painted, the models start off grey, progress to coloured when started and gain a tick when completed.  

Consequently the un-started army looks like this...

And the finished army will look like this...

Currently my progress is somewhere around here... 39 minis started (I've not included primed minis - there's another fifty or so of those)

So you (and more importantly I) can see that there is quite a way to go yet....

DW fleet expands - Battleships, Destroyers and Frigates.

Really on a roll with the Dystopian wars stuff...

First up is the Majesty class Battleship Agincourt  - I plan for her to have two sisters Crecy and Cravant.

Next up we have three destroyers - not sure what these will sail under but as I've decided to go for the Indomitable, Indefatigable etc. for the cruisers this frees up some of the other names - Revenge, Renown and Repulse or Vengeance, Vanguard and Victorious.

Finally I have the nine Frigates - these will be Arun, Avon, Tamar, Taw, Exe, Parrett, Lea, Stour and Nene (with the possible additions of Wye, Dee, Ribble, Aire, Ure and Eden if I buy / build them)

None of these are quite finished yet - still need stuff like ensigns and general touch ups. I've also had to borrow two turrets from the Cruisers for the Battleship as I'm a couple short at the minute.

Once these are out the way I have six of the Orion escorts to paint and I've just ordered a submarine and my Flagship dreadnought.

Ork boyz under way

Another quick update tonight - a single image of the first of my Ork boyz coming along.  Primed, airbrushed undercoat for the skin then a couple of washes to build up the skin tone.  Whilst they won't be as "speed painted" as the 'Nids below, I won't be spending forever on each mini as I've 2000 points to paint for a game in January and what doesn't get painted isn't allowed to play!

Threatened DW Cruisers materialise!

Okay, so I finally finished my first Dystopian Wars Models.  In fact not only have I managed to complete one squadron - I've managed to complete two!

Not sure what names they are going to sail under - I have thought of giving all six names on the same basis - I was thinking Indomitable, Inflexible, Illustrious, Indefatigable,Invincible and Implacable or to split the names between the two squadrons - for example one squadron of Renown, Repulse and Revenge and the second of Vengeance, Victorious and Vanguard.  Answers on a post card....

I still have nine (or maybe ten) frigates to complete, along with a battleship and three destroyers.  I also have escorts on back order and then the fliers to complete...

More Dystopian WIP

Some more test stuff for Spartan Games Dystopian Wars (I have now actually finished painting one whole cruiser!).  This time it's some rough sketches of some concrete pens for my Brittanian fleet.  Largely along the lines of the huge German U-Boat pens of the second world war - the idea is to provide a home away from prying airborne eyes and air raids for some of the smaller vessels - I plan to go up to cruiser size.

Dystopian wars terrain test

Three quick shots of some terrain test pieces for Spartan Games excellent Dystopian Wars.  I'm Messing about with cork for cliff faces and rocks to be used on island terrain pieces.

Long time no post - Work in progress Orks.

Okay - forever since an update.  Quick change of direction and a couple of snaps of my (very) WIP looted Ork Rhino with Forgeworld Kil Kannon, for my WIP Ork army.  

The top deck (the piece that has the Kil Kannon on it) will be interchangeable with an orky hatch so that the rhino can be played without the Kannon.

I'm currently unsure of which clan to go for - I've got an Ultrasmurf marine army in the pipeline so deathskulls are out (too much blue on the table), I like Bad moonz but my boyz are all geared up for stompin' in close so I might have to plump for Goffs... up in the air at the minute.

I also have a Big Zappa armed looted rhino in the works too - you never know I might get some pictures up before Christmas...

Until next time (hopefully not six months...!)

Group hug!

As promised a quick photo of my Girlfriends 'Nid army.  

I'm afraid it's not the best of pictures being it was a struggle to get them all in. Not sure of the points value, but it's quite a few.

I still have to paint a Hive Tyrant (to go with the Tryrant guard already finished), 2x Biovores and 2x Hive guards all of which I've assembled.  Also in the pipe line are a box of Gaunts and a pair of 'fexs which she has yet to assemble.

Death from the deep!

One of the reinforcements for my other halves 'Nid invasion is this Trygon / Mawloc.  Don't ask me which one I built - I just used the coolest combination of parts in the box!  Not very "fluffy" I know but I like the final result.  As per my earlier post, I completed a few more of the details on this model by painting the eyes, mouth and teeth.  Still speed painted in the same general scheme.  

Speedy 'Nids

Here is a sample of the Tyranid army that a recently speed painted for my girlfriend.  Looking at them now I think I would have been better to spend a little more time on some of the details - picking out eyes, mouths, teeth etc. but at the time I was quite pleased to get a large number of minis (over 100 of various sizes) painted in a short period of time (less than two weeks).  

Overall as my first stab at speed painting I'm pretty happy with the result, and on the board they look an imposing sight.

Hopefully I can have a group photo up shortly!