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Strength_Hammer

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  1. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  Today I wanted to talk about that still, somewhat, controversial topic of rebasing your models to round and oval bases in Age of Sigmar. If you have been following my blog for the past year or so you would have seen me accepting the move to round bases, but refusing to rebase any old armies.  You would have also seen my reversal of opinion as I began my Aelf rebasing project that is still ongoing currently.  Today I wanted to dive into this topic about why I feel the community needs to begin working toward having round bases as a requirement for Age of Sigmar.



    Warhammer Age of Sigmar has been out for a few years now and the community has never been better for hobbyists and gamers alike.  The community is growing with new and returning players and we are seeing a wide variety of armies out on the scene from these groups.  While it is still not officially mandated that Age of Sigmar is a game played with round bases it has become the general standard as more and more kits are being repackaged with round bases.  It is also standard to see events at the Local, Regional, and National levels stating that players measure from base to base during the game.  These are pointing toward a move to fully round based armies in the near future.

    While newer players are coming into the game and putting their model son round bases a lot of the returning players still have old armies on squares.  I am not suggesting we turn players away at our local clubs because they wish to try out Age of Sigmar, but only have an old Army on Square bases.  I would encourage those players, as they find themselves enjoying the game, to look into rebasing their old army or begin a new army using the appropriate round bases.

    National level events are, or most likely will be, requiring the appropriate round bases at their events and it is likely that the Regional level events will be soon to follow.  This puts the burden on the Local level to help prepare players and their armies for the higher levels of play.  This isn't anything new for the Local level as it has always been a place to learn your army, improve your skills, and prepare for the larger events as far as gameplay and list building.  This level must now also help encourage players to base their armies on rounds.

    In my Local scene, I have been working to support the players in rebasing older armies to round bases.  It was not a quick process and it wasn't until I decided to rebase all of my old models that it truly became a priority to my hobby and allowed me to honestly help other players to join me in rebasing.  A lot of my local scene saw how much fun Adepticon was last year and are planning to go for the first time or return there after a gaming break and this has been a great final push to embolden everyone to go to round bases.

    As our community grows we are always looking to invite new players into our game systems and supporting the use of round bases as the standard will only help us grow even more.  Seeing a game played between two armies with one of Square bases and the other on rounds appears disjointed as opposed to two armies on the same type of base.  It also takes away the odd feeling of measuring between two different shapes of bases and allows a better uniformity to knowing how far you need to charge, shoot, pile in, etc...  While it is possible to play with the two shapes of bases it is much simpler if you know your opponents will be bringing the model footprints you are expecting based on what we see from the more prevalent Regional and National levels of play.


    To be fair there are a few hurdles and arguments about rebasing, but they are often not what you might be expecting, but they do have workarounds.  The first argument I hear is that it is a pain to rebase and it isn't as hard as one expects.  Rebasing goes quite quickly as models which were glued to bases with the use of plastic glue easily come off with a pair of snips and a bit of patience.  If someone used plastic glue then you just need to snip around the feet leaving a bit of the old base and gluing that directly onto the new round base.

    Another concern is the cost of buying new round bases.  If you are looking to buy resin bases or official Citadel Bases then I would agree with the high cost of buying new bases.  If you have a small elite army then it isn't much to swallow.  However, if you are like me and looking to rebase hundreds of models then you need the cheapest option possible.  If you look online at hobby supply sellers or on eBay you can find bases made very cheaply in either a thinner plastic or MDF that often come in very large quantities.  The downside is they often have a lengthy shipping time as they cross international lines and customs checks, but if you need to pinch pennies it is the best way to do it.

    The biggest hurdle that doesn't have an easy answer to point toward is what base sizes should be used?  While some of the older kits have been repackaged with round bases we still have kits on shelves that are supplied with square bases.  There is a great community tool over on TGA that lists out the old models and their appropriate base size, but it is far from complete.  What is the solution?  While it would be great to see an official document that lists the base sizes for models from Games Workshop it is unlikely we will see it, at least in the near future.  Perhaps we could see it in a future Generals Handbook, but for now, it falls to us as a community help the new and returning players find the appropriate base size.  Thankfully a lot of this can be done with common sense as a lot of square bases have associated round or oval bases close to their size.  You can also look at other units which are similar that may have an updated base.  For example, the repackaged Slaves to Darkness Start Collecting Box has a 120x92mm base for the chariot.  I would say it is safe to assume that all chariots would be based on the same size.

    There are tools out there to help with moving from square to round bases as well.  Very soon The U.S. AoS Community group will be releasing their Modular Pack and within it is items such as a base conversion guide to help as part of one of the many modules.  Keep an eye out here as we are nearly done with the final stages of the pack and more info will be coming shortly.  For now here is a preview of this specific part of the module.


    With positive support and encouragement, we can begin to see the use of round bases as the community standard at all levels of play int he near future.  While we do this we should also encourage Games Workshop to repackage as many of the old kits as they are able to help the newer players come in on the proper footing as well.  While I know not everyone will agree with a push such as this it is a big part of the health and growth of our game and community and it is already in process of happening, it just requires a bit more pushing from the community to make it a reality.  If you do disagree I hope that perhaps one day you will change your mind on rebasing as I have over this past year.  Let me know your thoughts in the comments and until next week.

    Happy Hobbying!

    ~Chuck Moore





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  2. Strength_Hammer
    Welcome to Part 5 of my "Building a Community" Series.  If you have not read Part 1, 2, 3 or 4 please check them out in the links below.  Today I will discuss the recent town meeting I held at my local club and the rather quick turnaround I have seen in members since. 

    At our last club day, I felt it was best to hold a town meeting to get everyone together to discuss the future of the club.  I felt a lot of what I was trying to do wasn't being received properly or was being misinterpreted.  I was told that a few people felt I was going to ruin the club!  I needed to get everyone on the same page as me, and I needed to alleviate any fears while finding out what they wanted as well.  We took an hour at the beginning of our Club day and I lead the discussion.


    I began by explaining what my views on where the club is at, what I feel we can be, and how I felt we could get there.  I think it shocked a few members when I told them where I felt the club was as a whole currently. Our poor tables and fractured philosophies made us unwelcoming and unattractive to gaining new members or having other clubs come visit.  After I a few minutes of explaining how our current environment was road blocking us it began to sink in and we started going around the room giving everyone a chance to voice their thoughts.  It became obvious that I wasn't the only person who felt our club was stagnant and needed to change as a whole to survive.

    I am thankful that we had a fairly diverse group at the meeting albeit a smaller turnout than I would have liked, but it was also Easter weekend and the opening day of trout, so it wasn't entirely unexpected.  Competitive members, Narrative members, and Hobbyist members all offered advice on how to improve the aspect of the club they found themselves within.  As the ideas on how we can and should improve were discussed I challenged each of them to implement these action items themselves in order to help the club as a whole become more of what they would like to see.  Ideas such as going out to other FLGS's and clubs to play with them and discuss our local scene and what we wish to do.  Setting up monthly hobby days on Skype with one of our best painters discussing tips and just to work on projects together.  We discussed ways to improve our current table situation and committed to 12 Tables total, with 4 tables having quality terrain within a few months.  Some members offered to us their 3D printer to make nice centerpieces for tables and others generously offered to cast terrain themselves, they even brought in a few painted pieces they had cast they would exactly what we are looking to add to our tables!  The club is also dedicating its next meeting day to repair and create new terrain for our tables.


    The biggest change we all agreed on was to remove the original change I had put in place when I began organizing the group.  Originally I felt that dedicating each day to one specific game would help each game grow, but over time it was obvious that people who played one game simply didn't show up if their game was not the focus.  After suggestions from a few of the members at the meeting, we will now be running all three of our main games, 40k, Age of Sigmar, and Flames of War at each club day.  We want to be more attractive to others coming in and what is better than a room full of gamers as opposed to the small groups we were getting with the focused days,

    Afterward, I described the meeting as a Minor Victory.  I felt a lot of the misconstrued ideas and plans were streamlined and everyone began to take ownership in that their actions will make our break this club.  It was a week or so later that I saw it was closer to a Major Win.  I saw members going to the other local FLGS's to play games and gain interest in new players to come join us and see what we are doing in Ligonier.  Suddenly the Facebook group began having daily posts and discussions from everyone, not just the same few who were always posting.  I feel energized to put forth whatever more effort I can to improve the club because for the first time I don't feel like the only horse pulling this cart.  The younger gamers, the older gamers, and even those who I felt were poisonous gamers are all going the same way and I could not be more proud.



    I will continue posting updates as the club continues to improve, but I feel this is a good place to wrap up this series, for now at least.  If you would like to check out what we are about please check out the clubs Facebook page here or follow me on Twitter.  Perhaps in the next year or two, you might see us at Adepticon or Nova wearing the club shirts we are creating or if you are within driving distance we would love for you to join us one day.  Until next week Happy Hobbying!

    Edited by Grudgegamer

    Building a Community: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4



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  3. Strength_Hammer
    Morathi, The Hag Sorceress of Ghrond, Mother of Malekith (Malerion), first of The Hag Queens, Second Wife of Aenarion The Defender and The First Pheonix King, and now The Shadow Queen.  In The World That Was she was a driving force in most events dealing connected to the Elf Races and believed to be second in power only to her Son Malekith (Malerion) within the Dark Elf Society, but this could be argued as she was more adept at manipulating behind the scenes, including manipulating her son.  Let's dive in and find out more about who Morathi was and hopefully get some insight about who Morathi is now in The Mortal Realms.  I aim to hit the highlights and offer my personal views on who she was as a character, but opinions vary and I am sure there will be some history for the character I miss or gloss over.  Morathi is an exciting character and I encourage everyone to look into her story for yourself and hopefully, this article can act as a primer to get you started.
     
        Morathi has always been an integral part of the Warhammer Fantasy universe from The World That Was and now she promises to remain a major player in The Mortal Realms.  Her origin remains a mystery as her first mention and appearance was her rescue by Aenarion after he defeated a roaming Slaaneshi Chaos Warband who had captured her and other elves.  Aenarion was captivated by her beauty and the rescue of Morathi can be viewed as accidental but is more likely fate, but was it the will of Slaanesh or something else creating this fate will remain unknown.   At this time Khaine already had a grip on Aenarion's heart as he had already drawn Widowmaker, The Sword of Khaine.  This made it all too easy for Morathi to push him further down a dark path.  For all her manipulation of Aenarion, I believe she truly loved him just as much as she loved power.  Perhaps if Khaine did not have a hold of Aenarion we would have seen a drastically different history.  Ultimately, the duo would not last as Caledor Dragontamer, an adamant opponent to Morathi, enacted his plan to save The World That Was during the Second Chaos Invasion despite Aenerions belief that nothing could be done to stop Chaos from winning the war.  Perhaps this belief was from the influence of Khaine, but could also have been under the influence of Morathi as well.  Either way, Aenarion left his second wife despite her pleas and seductions to defend his old friend as he created The Great Vortex.   Morathi felt spurned and betrayed.  She might have believed she could keep her and Aenarion safe by working with Slaanesh, but Aenarions righteous side won out in his moral dilemma between saving the world or to stay with Morathi.  Aenarion and Caledor would succeed and Aenarion would perish after returning Widowmaker to its hidden altar. Morathi's focused shifted to ensuring her and Aenarions son Malekith (Malerion) would succeed him as the next Pheonix King and secretly harbor hatred an even deeper hatred toward Caledor as she began her long plan tear apart his great work that took Aenarion from her.   Causing insult to injury Malektih (Malerion) was not selected as the next Pheonix King, but he did not protest as Morathi had done.  Bel Shannar who was chosen would also take Aenarion's Daughter from his first marriage as his wife causing Morathi to lose her title as Queen.  As her son ventured away from their homeland to the colonies she set to work corrupting Ulthuan with her hidden Cults of Pleasure.  It acted as her network and her power base as higher ranking elf nobles joined arguing that it gave her more power than The Pheonix King himself.     Morathi and her schemes would be found out either by luck or by her own design.  Malektih (Malerion) who had grown significantly as a person, diplomat, and leader while being away from her returned to bring her to justice.  She was captured by her son with the threat of death hanging over her head.  Morthai used her supernatural ability to appeal to her son that she was truly repentant and to be spared her inevitable death sentence.  Malektih (Malerion) pleaded on her behalf to The Pheonix Throne and was she was spared, but placed under permanent house arrest in Malekith's (Malerion) care due to his prestige and recognition earned while away.   This only allowed her to be closer to her son and allowed her to begin manipulating him as she had Aenarion.  She convinced him that he was destined to be the true Pheonix King and it was his by birthright.  She recreated her Cults of Pleasure to help her son rise to the throne all the while she would be the real power behind him.     One dreadful and bloody day they enacted their plan killing Bel Shannar and framing him as a member of the Pleasure Cults.  Malekith (Malerion) and he followers would kill off the remaining Nobles against his bid to become Pheonix King at the Shrine of Asuryan before he stepped into the Flame of Asuryan as his father did in order to follow his path.  Malekith (Malerion) despite being the chosen of Asuryan to replace his father would throw himself out of the fire a heartbeat too soon leaving him a charred husk.  Morathi rushed to his side and poured her Shadow Magic into him to keep him, and her last true connection to Aenarion, alive.  She had his Armour of Midnight created with The Anvil of Vaul by one of Vaul's priests she had turned to their cause to keep her son alive.       Morathi's plan to rule the elves was no longer secret and the Schism of the Elves began that ended with The Great Sundering causing Morathi and those faithful to her and her son to flee north taking with them large pieces of their province of Nagarythe with them using her dark magic to create the original Black Arks.  They would settle in the frozen land of Naggaroth and be known as The Dark Elves or Druchii in their own tongue.  It was from here she would continue her plots and manipulation to make her son The Phoenix King and destroy Caledors vortex.   For 5000 years she taught her son and subtly lea Druchii society, subtly, while continuing to affect the course of elven history through her schemes.  Her son's power only remained due to her continued support when he faltered.  It was Morathi who taught Ariel the Dark Arts, bringing it to the Wood Elves, in exchange for her life after her schemes killed Ariels Sister and once wife to Malekith.   Through this, she planted a small enchantment on Ariel's soul to be used when needed proving her superiority in the subtlest of ways.  It was Morathi who gave The Cult of Khaine the first Cauldron of Blood, gifted by Khaine himself supposedly, that she uses to bath in blood to remain eternally beautiful.  A spell she has only ever kept to herself.    
     
      Her constant struggles seemed to make her an evil witch with nothing but a lust for power and revenge.  However, her pursuit was always toward Aenarion and his namesake.  In a battle where the legendary Tyrion battled her forces, she saw him as Aenarion reborn.  To her credit, Tyrion is described as looking almost entirely like Aenarion and even wears his armor and enchanted blade Sunfury.  In the battle, she was defeated, but not after appearing before Tyrion and surprising him with a kiss to her lover reborn.  Perhaps this was a ploy to escape, but I feel it is her defining character.  She still loved and sacrificed all for Aenarion at this time.   The End Times or Rhana Dandra saw lines between the three separate races of elves begin to blur.  The cycle repeated and the elf heroes each became avatars reliving the great drama that played out before with their gods.  Tyrion was revealed as Khaines Avatar and Morathi was revealed to be the living avatar of Hekarti, elven goddess of conjuration and Dark Magic.  Households would split and it was revealed her son was indeed the True Pheonix King.  However, over the course of The End Times, she would see Tyrion draw Widowmaker and she would become his lover and fall back into her manipulative ways dragging him further down the path of darkness all the while feeling Aenarion had returned to her.  Her son was Pheonix King, but that wasn't what she had wanted all along.  She wanted Aenarion back and revenge on Caledor who she felt caused his death and spurning.  In a final climactic battle on The Isle of the Dead, location of The Great Vortex that would end The Final elven civil war.     Caledor was still alive, in a fashion, within The Great Vortex casting his spell for eternity to keep Chaos at bay.  Aenarion had returned to her so all that was left was for her to take her vengeance and destroy the great work.  Fatefully, Caledor was working with Teclis, Tyrion's Twin Brother, to pull out the winds of Magic from the vortex to place them within elven heroes and create the Incarnates in hopes to defeat Archaon and his plans.  Nagash had already done this upon his rebirth with the Wind of Death cementing it within the land where he began to absorb its power.   As the two mages worked to complete their task as the epic battle between Tyrion and Malektih's (Malerion) and their forces raged Morathi appeared to take her vengeance.  Teclis and Caledor strived to complete their work, but some of the Winds of Magic escaped as they broke apart the spell as she attacked Teclis.  They were was able to maintain a grasp on a few and direct The Wind of Life into Alarielle, the Wind of Shadow into Malekith (Malerion), and Teclis held The Wind of Light within his staff.  The vortex crumbles and Slaanesh sensing a banquet of elven souls appeared overhead to feast.  Caledor clung to Morathi has she clawed at his face to escape while Slaanesh consumed them both before vanishing.  Ulthuan would sink, Tyrion would die, for a time, and Morathi would vanish.  Later, the Slaaneshi Daemon Dechala The Denied One appears in front of Malektih (Malerion) throwing Morathi's staff, Heartrender, at his feet claiming she was Slaanesh's now.  She was then immediately slain by Tyrion reborn as The Avatar of Light.     Morathi was gone and The World That Was was destroyed, save its core.  We enter into The Mortal Realms where our first mention oh Morathi is in the very first book released where she is surrounded by Shadow Daemons in a glade located within The Realm of Shadow.  She was flesh and blood but changed and it was her who helped Malerion find physical form once more.  They joined Sigmars Pantheon and established order within the realms.     We now know, due to the recent teaser videos that she helped set up civilization in The Mortal Realms after "slithering" her way out of Slannesh's belly and before the god of pleasure and excess was captured by the aelves.  She leads The Daughters of Khaine despite her knowing Khaine is dead, but is the religion a front or hopes to rebirth the god?  Time will tell.  Morathi stated that she has taken on the form of her tormentor and if we look toward Dechala we know this to be a half snake, half aelf woman.  It is also possible that if he was the avatar of Hekarti she might have multiple arms in this true form, much like the god she represented in The End Times.  She will remain a major player in The Age of Sigmar and as a character with such a rich and deep history, it is a great joy to see them giving her character credit and the care it deserves.     There is a lot about Morathi's past not in this article, but I tried to hit the major points I felt important to her character.  I scoured all the resource material I had available be it Battletome, novel, White Dwarf, or short stories, but if elves are involved then Morathi will have a tie or mention in the story.  She was a defining character for all of Aelven history and will prove to be one going forward.  I hope this article has given you more insight into who she was and what she might be currently.  If there was a favorite part of her history I missed or glossed over please let us know in the comments.   "For too long have I been shunned.  No longer will I be denied!" ~Morathi The Shadow Queen   Until next time, Happy Hobbying.   Chuck Moore  
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  4. Strength_Hammer
    Hey everyone!  Today I wanted to talk about the upcoming Warhammer Age of Sigmar events at this year's NOVA Open Tabletop Wargaming Convention.  I have the honor of being selected as the T.O.  Lead for the Age of Sigmar Grand Tournament and Team Doubles Event, but there is a variety of Age of Sigmar events for all players and age groups and the Age of Sigmar Lead Team are working together to make it a great year.  I have invited the Kidshammer and Narrative Leads of these events to come on and talk a bit about their events as well.  Registration opened yesterday so be sure to get your tickets and join us later this year!




    Kidshammer: Event Organizer Stephen Duall
    The NOVA team is excited to have our youth gaming event – “Kidshammer” - return to the NOVA Open for the second year.  It’s a two-day Warhammer camp for kids aged 10-15.  Last year’s event was a blast. Kids played Age of Sigmar all weekend, with open gaming and hobby tutorials on the Saturday, and a friendly three-round tournament on Sunday. For 2018, Kidshammer will have the same general format, but will offer the option to play Warhammer 40,000 too!

    The organizers of Kidshammer are excited to see the next generation of Generals and Warlords develop, and the event fits in well with the family atmosphere of the NOVA Open. More than one parent said they attended the NOVA Open last year just because Kidshammer made it more attractive to attend the convention with their whole family. We love that, and want more family gaming!

    Participants can bring their own models to play or can borrow a “loaner” army provided by the organizers if they don’t have their own army or want to try something new.  

    Saturday morning will feature pairing off participants and playing matched play missions to get a feel for the game. Adult leads will be close by to provide tips and tricks and answer any rule questions.  Saturday afternoon will start off with a painting seminar lead by Sean McAfee (BrushforHire), an extremely talented and approachable artist and teacher.  The rest of the afternoon will give an opportunity for the kids to experience multiplayer and narrative gaming. The Age of Sigmar narrative team has cooked up some exciting ideas that will really emerge the kids into story-based gaming (if they want to if that’s not their thing kids can do other things).

    Sunday is the “Youngblood” friendly tournament day, designed to be a competitive event without being a cutthroat event.  The tournament will use the matched play missions from the General’s Handbook or the Eternal War missions from the 40k 8th edition rulebook. Two separate tournaments will be run simultaneously: an AoS tournament and a 40k tournament.  Kids will sign up at the event on Saturday for the tournament in which they wish to compete. The Age of Sigmar tournament will be played at the 1500 point level with a custom Pitched Battle army composition chart. The 40k tournament will be at the 75 power level using the army construction rules contained in the Matched Play section of the 8th edition rulebook.  Kidshammer encourages models to be painted, but it’s not required (although we will offer the opportunity for painting to be judged during lunch during the tournament on Sunday, and painting will be used as a tie-breaker for determining a tournament winner).  There are more details, of course, in the Kidshammer Primer for the event.


    We look forward to making Kidshammer a success again this year, and hopefully for years to come. There are only 16 spaces available, so act fast if you or someone you know is interested!



    Grand Narrative: The NOVA Open Age of Sigmar Team

    The Age of Sigmar Grand Narrative at the NOVA Open is going to run continuously from Thursday, August 30th until Sunday, September 2nd, and our event team is excited about delivering a world-class narrative event. Our event has grown out of the work that Aaron Bostian has done to run the Narrative at NOVA since 2016, and this year is set to transcend everything we’ve offered in the past. We are hobbyists and storytellers that are hosting a game for like-minded individuals: we’re looking for players that will combine excellence in painting and modeling with storytelling and wargaming in the world of the Mortal Realms. We invite players to join us as equal partners in bringing our story to life, and we’ve designed a weekend of activities that will bring the Realms to life on the NOVA tables!
    As a player in the Grand Narrative, you have the opportunity to craft unique warscrolls for your faction, along with one-of-a-kind models to play this on the tabletop. First and foremost, every player will create a unique Airship model, in the general style of the Kharadron Overlords. This model will fly, transport models, and have some kind of offensive capability dependent on the choices you make before the games and the upgrades you choose throughout the weekend. The modeling choices are up to you because every faction is going to implement a flying transport in a different way. Would the Stormcast Eternals build some crackling dynamo out of sigmarite, or enlist the aid of some celestial beast? Would the forces of Chaos take to the skies through Skaven engineering, a daemon-infused ship hull, or a howdah on a giant monster? We’re giving every player a chance to answer these questions and build a model that’s unique to their forces while opening up modes of play that wouldn’t be available on any other AoS table.
    This year’s narrative continues the Ships of Renown theme we started in 2016 but expands this game element in exciting ways! We’ve always set games around moving the concept of battling with foot-long sailing ships, but in 2018 we are creating new epic ships that take the scale of naval warfare to a new degree, and most excitingly are drawn from the lore of Warhammer! Our first ship to be unveiled is the Heldenhammer, seen in GW’s 2011 board game Dreadfleet. This ship, originally a dreadnought for the Empire in the Warhammer Old World, is re-cast as an Order Grand Alliance sailing vessel in our story. Other ships will follow, each drawn from the lore of Dreadfleet, Man’o’War, and the Mortal Realms. The ships will all interact together to allow players to create naval battles, garrison their structures for new and interesting powers, and launch their airships and other pieces for unique gameplay on the high seas!
    We’re also trying to formalize the space that narratives need to develop with our Planning and Team Meeting sessions. This is time scheduled in the NOVA GT calendar in which we won’t be doing structured gameplay. Instead, the organizers will be facilitating sessions with the teams of players, organized around the alliances of our story. In these sessions, teams will talk with each other about what they’ve experienced in the preceding games, what theories they have about the world that’s being unveiled around them, and what strategies they can use to block the progress of other alliances. This is the time when alliances come together to plan against foes or when new motivations can be formed beyond the somewhat mundane “rule all the lands.” If players want to accomplish some side objective, they can work with the organizers to quickly define a skirmish-level game. A wager or challenge can bring in another alliance as an opponent, or the organizers can run a quick Renown or Ruin game as a test of skill. These sessions will be the space that lets our stories breathe and percolate, but more intense players can find themselves embroiled in AoS Summer Camp with gaming around the clock!
    Finally, we are using this year’s Grand Narrative to establish a covenant with our current and future players. We are committed to making this event the equal of any Age of Sigmar narrative event running around the world. We display that commitment in the tables and terrain we build, the medium we use to tell our story, and the planning we put into quality game design. We know that the NOVA GT has been blessed with an amazing Age of Sigmar community that is going to respond to our work with a compensating effort and that our tables are going to be graced with beautifully painted armies featuring fascinating and distinctive creations.  We invite both committed and prospective players to connect with us on the NOVA NEON Facebook group to see our progress and start building their armies, in both plastic and prose, as we march towards Labor Day. The AoS Grand Narrative for 2018 is going to be something really special, and we invite every player within striking distance of Washington D.C. to be a part of it!



    Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire Grand Clash T.O. Garrett Mulroney
    The NOVA Open Warhammer Underworlds Grand Clash is a 7 round Warhammer Underworlds tournament spread over the whole weekend. The first 4 rounds are in the evenings of Thursday-Saturday so you can enjoy the rest of the convention, either by competing in other events, attending hobby seminars, or exploring the vendor hall. On Sunday, players will be broken up into 8 player brackets, by current standings, where they will compete to be the top of their brackets.
    This is the first Grand Clash at NOVA Open and we hope to see you join us to battle it out in this competitive fast-paced game!


    Grand Tournament and Team Doubles Event: T.O. Chuck Moore
    It wouldn't be a convention without a Grand Tournament or a Team Doubles Event and NOVA Open will be bringing back both of these events for this year's convention.  The goal is to provide two distinct and different competitive events for its participants who will compete for glory while enjoying the social aspect that Warhammer provides.
    The Team Doubles is being built to focus more on the social aspect of the game with balanced and fun scenarios in a one day, three-game event.  One of the great joys of conventions such as NOVA Open is getting to play different people and make new friends.  It is made even easier by the fact we all share a common hobby and can easily talk for hours about it.  The Team Doubles is a great time to play Age of Sigmar while playing with a friend against other players and growing your social circle.
    While the focus is on the social aspect you can be sure that each of the three scenarios and twists will still allow for balanced gaming whether you are building a team with a friend or looking to fight it out with a random team member assigned on the day if you arrive solo.  Tickets will sell fast and only one ticket is needed per team.
    The Grand Tournament this year will be a two day, six game event with the focus on finding the best general at the event.  The scenarios will seem familiar and are being built with a competitive mindset in order to allow players wanting to battle it out to their fullest with the finely honed armies.  Gaming is only one part of being the best general in Age of Sigmar however so you can expect to see scoring on painting and sportsmanship being in play as well victory points earned during your games.  We want players to bring their best on the table, in their hobby, and with their interaction with one another at the event.
    The scenarios are still being finalized for both events, but will be posted ahead of time to allow everyone to practice until they feel ready to storm the fields for glory!  Unlike last year we will be using the latest General's Handbook as well as having a cut-off date for useable released much closer to the event date to ensure we are playing with the most current releases.   I hope to see you all at the event and if you haven't yet, be sure to pick up your ticket's now.

    As you can see there is a way to play Age of Sigmar at NOVA Open this year no matter your age or preferred play style.  It is worth noting as well that the Age of Sigmar Leads decided to implement changes to last year's hobby standards.  Primarily, with exception to the Kidshammer event, we will be requiring round/oval bases as well as full tabletop standard painting.  These will be detailed in the Primers soon if they are not already.  NOVA Open is one of the three Major National Events in the U.S.A. and we wanted to ensure the standards for what you see on the tabletop will match those of other similar events at the National level.  Feel free to check out my impressions of NOVA Open from last year (Part 1 and Part 2).  All info will be posted on the primers for each event online, but if you have any questions about the event be sure to reach out to customerservice@novaopen.com.  NOVA Open is a very unique event as it centralized around raising money for various charities and enjoying the social aspect as much as the gaming.  We look forward to seeing you later in the year!

    Happy Hobbying!

    Chuck Moore
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  5. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  This week I wanted to continue my new segment where I talk to a club mate about their journey in Age of Sigmar and this Hobby.  Today I will be talking with Aleks who is part of my local club Ligonier Legions.  He hangs around twitter so follow him here (or on Instagram here)!

    Aleks being carried by me (just like our games)
    Hey Aleks,  Thanks for being letting me chat with you for a bit.
    "I am happy to be with you"

    So Aleks how did you begin your journey in this hobby?
    "It started when I was about 12 or 13 back in my homeland Russia.  There was a little hobby store near my school that I always visited.  One day I bought the cheapest models I could and the cheapest paint and began painting.  The owner of the shop was a commission painter who helped me quite a bit.  I remember painting a small goblin with about 3 colors total on it."

    What made you decide to make Age of Sigmar your main tabletop game?
    "I was introduced to Warhammer through Dawn of War on PC.  I asked my dad to send me a kit Moscow where he was working.  He sent me some Orks.  I soon found Fantasy and got an Orc Battallion I messed around with, but when 8th dropped I picked up The Island of Blood and fell in love with the High Elves.  Soon after I moved to the US and I brought my High Elves with me and found the local hobby store where I bought more Elves.  I choose to paint all my models before I played.  Actually, you were my first game of Fantasy when we played High Elves on High Elves.  I remember using my Russian Rulebook it was a mess.  I kept with Fantasy through Age of Sigmar and haven't let go.  We knew each other, but really became friends when Age of Sigmar dropped.  You were the only one in the area who pushed to play Age of Sigmar from the beginning and I don't want to go anywhere."

    Aleks has a large custom Free People's Halfing Army
    What armies are you currently working on or playing?
    "I am playing High Aelfs, about 2000pts.  I still have Skaven around 2000pts.  I am currently working on a Free Peoples Halfling themed army.  I also have an extensive Moon Clan army.  My biggest focus currently is building Disciples of Tzeentch."

    In regards to Open, Matched, and Narrative play where do you fall?
    "Absolutely Matched Play!  I feel I am still hung up in the illusion of balance points bring.  I am happy doing custom games or events, but I always like to have points."

    Are there any aspects of this Hobby that you really enjoy?
    "I enjoy competitive army building.  As a college student, I like to squeeze out the best army possible with least amount of money spent.  I also enjoy converting models to make them unique and my own."

    These High Aelves have seen battle against my forces plenty of times
    On the other end, what parts do you perhaps not enjoy?
    "I do not enjoy painting when I have to paint.  Working to deadlines isn't fun.  I prefer to paint for myself as I take a lot of joy in putting a lot of effort into each model."

    What is your Dream Goal for yourself in this Hobby?
    "My ultimate fantasy about this hobby is to go to a major GT and win either overall, best of, or best painted."

    Can you share with us a memorable experience within Age of Sigmar?
    "It is not so much a memory, but a realization.  My favorite part about Age of Sigmar is how Gamesworkshop is handling this game.  The community team, videos, and articles are what is making this game as good as it has become!"

    His Abomination is always a must kill for me...
    Where do you see the U.S. Age of Sigmar Community regards to Locally, Regionally and Nationally?
    "Right now it seems very dispersed.  It is like everyone is in their own bubble in the mortal realms.  Not enough people get together to really solidify the US community due to the size of the country."

    What would you like to see in the U.S. National Age of Sigmar Community?
    "It would be cool if there was a U.S. ranking system that was accepted by everyone and there was a US Grand Tournament or Masters event."

    Thanks again Aleks!
    "It's over already?  Thanks for having me."

    As always feel free to follow me on Twitter and let me know if there is any aspect of the hobby you would like me to discuss!  Until Next week, Happy Hobbying!
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  6. Strength_Hammer
    Happy Wednesday everyone!  Over the past week, I have finished all my terrain in preparation for my Coalescence event.  I have also been working up fun teasers for my event to hint at what my places could expect during as the narrative unfolds.  My Club also held a terrain build/repair day that I will dive into more detail during my Friday post.  I also received a nice surprise from a local commission painter and club member!


    Teasers for my Coalescence Story!
    A Club mate who goes by BrushForHire painted this up for me.
    Finished all my personal terrain in preparation for Coalescence.
    My Local club showed up and put in work!

    Let me know what you have been working on and follow me on Twitter.  I have some travel coming up for work so the Travel Hobby will be in full force along with pictures from my travels.  See you with Fridays Post and Happy Hobbying!
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  7. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  Today I wanted to start a new article series about lessons in life but applying them to our hobby of Miniature Wargaming.  As we mature in our lives we discover little bits of knowledge that we carry with us through our time here on earth.  Some simple while others grander in nature.  Often times we are taught these lessons by a Parent, Close friend, and sometimes through hindsight.  What I find interesting about these lessons is how they can help someone improve their quality of life if the lesson is applied correctly and how they can be applied to every part of one's life.  This includes Miniature Wargaming.


    What can The Terminator tell us about success in Miniature Wargaming? Turns out quite a bit.
    Today I wish to discuss the lesson on having a goal to give you purpose and having the vision to see the goal to end will make you successful in this hobby.  While I feel everyone knows the benefits of having a goal to a lesser extent I find that they still continue their hobby journey with no substantial goals.  If they do have a goal it is often very short term.  Above you might be confused by the image of Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Vision, Goals, and Success methods he utilizes in his Career from Bodybuilding, Acting, and now Governing are universal and I hope to relate them to you here through the language of Miniature Wargaming. 

    A goal is simply defined as "The result or achievement toward which effort is directed".  I would ask you, my reader, to take a moment and write down your Hobby and/or Wargaming Goal.  You may have a few goals or more goals than you find capable of being accomplished.  Now that you have your goals written down separate them into long-term and short-term and ask yourself some of the following questions.  Does your short-term hobby goal help me achieve my long-term hobby goal?  Do you have one key long-term goal for the hobby or many? Which hobby goals give you a sense of purpose for what you are doing and which do not (if any)?  Based on your hobby goals, what is your purpose?

    I have done this exercise myself and wish to share it as an example to help with the understanding of what I feel is a necessary part of Wargaming, Hobby, as well as life, having goals.

    Long-Term Goal(s):
    Unify the U.S. Age of Sigmar Community without Homogenizing
    Put out content beneficial for the Age of Sigmar Community
    Create lasting friendships with hobbyists within the community around the world

    Short-Term Goal(s):
    Paint to a higher standard on my next army project
    Complete Final Version of U.S. AoS Modular T.O/Player Pack with U.S. AoS Community Group
    Add Models to Khorne Army
    Add Models to Stormcast Army
    Add Models to Sylvaneth Army
    Play Aelves as primary army (return to my first love in Warhammer)

    The difference between long-term and short-term goals are down to the individual creating the goals, but often times spending a bit of time critically thinking into each goal will sometimes cause a shift of a goal from one camp to another.  For example Completing the U.S. AoS Modular Pack was a long-term goal for me months ago, but as I thought about it more and more I saw it move to a short-term goal this is in part due to the nature of my long-term goals and some comparison between the two categories.  A long-term goal for a new hobbyist might be "Have a fully painted 2000pt army".  There is nothing wrong with this at all as it is a great goal, but over time it is good to know that having another painted army might shift to short-term or even off your goal list entirely.

    Over time you might see goals disappear or change as you mature within the hobby and become more confident and begin taking deeper and deeper steps in Wargaming.  If you look above at my list I have noted about adding models to my forces and improving my painting skills, but I don't list anything about painting an army to completion.  A few years ago it would have been top of my list, but where I am at within my hobby journey I have painted numerous armies.  The concept of painting the army I am working on is so natural now that it is not a goal anymore.  It is just part of my hobby, if I begin a new army I will paint it so I have no need to list it as a goal.  The point is to not be afraid to reexamine and readjust your goals as you journey through the hobby.

     You might look at my long-term goals and say "Can you ever complete those?  Why set a goal that might be unreachable?"  My response is "Are you ever done with an army?  Do you feel that competition model is ever good enough?" I feel setting easily obtainable goals is missing the point, at least for the long-term goals.  Now I feel they need to be reasonable and obtainable, but they need to push you outside of that comfort zone so you are always reaching for more.  In every aspect of my life, I utilize goals like this, whether it is in my professional life, home life, lifting at the gym, or in my hobby journey as they give me purpose in what I am doing.

    All goals give purpose no matter long-term or short-term or if they are easily attainable or not easily attainable which is the underlying point that can be missed by those who not regularly set or examine their goals.  Without purpose, you will be aimless and it will be near impossible to get very far in your hobby journey without a purpose.  That desire to achieve your goals is what will drive you forward and continually push you to do better than the last time and continually set higher and higher goals for yourself which will, in turn, push you even more.  It is a self-serving circle if you treat it as such and it is entirely for your own benefit to do so.  If you are a regular reader and thank you if you are, I believe you get a sense of my purpose in putting out posts regularly and to the schedule, I put forth.  Imagine if I had no real goal and therefore no purpose or drive to writing my blog, I doubt you would read regularly or at all as I wouldn't have the drive to give you something worth reading.  Early on I will admit I didn't know my purpose, but over time I set a goal for my blog and it has helped me ever since and I hope it comes across to you, the reader, as well.

    So at this point, you have set goals and found your purpose with those goals.  So how do you begin achieving those goals?  The easy answer is to just do it and don't waste a minute in achieving the goals you have set for yourself, but even this will set you up to fail.  You need to visualize your goals, ingrain them into you by imagining them to keep focused on working toward them.  If your goal is to have a fully painted army (we will use this goal for the remainder of the article) then imagine that army painted whether you are working on it or out at the movie.  See yourself playing with it on the table and displaying it on a shelf in your room or house.  Perhaps put a few of the finished pieces as a phone or computer wallpaper so you keep seeing it in your mind.  This visualization will continue to inspire you after that first spark of inspiration fades and will help you continue on when you hit some of the low points working toward your goal.  In our example you might not be achieving the exact result you are after or find your color choices are off, but having that inspiration through visualization will help you push on and work through any issue.

    Be sure to always give yourself a deadline that gives you a sense of urgency.  Be it an upcoming event, game, or a date of your choosing.  Without this sword above your head you can lose sight and despite you visualization of your goal you may become aimless and lose interest and fail at your goal.  Not that failure is a bad thing, but failure without giving it your all should make you mad.  Mad that you didn't put everything you had to succeed at your goal.  If you are going to fail, fail giving it all you have so you can still hold your head high.

    The key, especially through the low times while working toward your goal is to keep doing.  To continue with our example don't ever quit painting your army if you set time aside to paint.  It is so easy to blow it off because you are tired or just don't feel like it at the moment, but the slope gets steep fast and each session is easier and easier to brush off.  The goal is gone and you visualize it less and less and the inspiration is gone.  If you set a goal keep up with working toward it.  Attack the goal and eventually, you will fall in love with the process of achieving that goal.  There are two good sources of external inspiration to help keep you motivated as well.  The first is those who support your visualized goal and offer encouragement.  The second and what I find to be a very good source are those who might feel you cannot accomplish your goal because it is too lofty or unreachable.  Proving this group wrong is great motivation, it lights your fire to not only achieve your goal but surpass it.  While I admit we have a good community with supportive folks you will still find those who might not be convinced that you can achieve your goal as you see it and while they are still supportive overall you can take the bit of doubt to fuel your hobby drive.

    The goal of having a painted army requires different tasks that hobbyists can find mundane or tedious.  Sometimes they outrightly hate part of the process.  In our example goal let's look at the painting as this is typically the part people dislike the most or do not enjoy, but through your goal and visualization of the goal, you will begin to enjoy painting.  I am not saying there won't be boring or tedious times during the process, but they won't be an issue because you will find happiness in moving toward completion of your goal the more you do and as such falling love with the process, even if that includes painting.  This is important as by developing a love for the process of completing your goal you remove another barrier to actually working on your goal and remove excuses that keep you from the goal you are visualizing.  While visualizing your goal is tremendously important you must also keep in mind how to track your smaller wins, or goals within the goal if you will.  With our example completing a unit or hero can be considered a small win and they reinforce that you are on your way to achieving your goal of a painted army.  If you can, look for these small victories often to keep the inspiration going strong.

    As we explored above goals will change as we move toward them from time to time.  You might find that as you are just about finished painting your army that your goal is now expanding the army or perhaps learning to play it to a high level.  They key here is that your hobby journey may start with a simple goal of painting an army, but it will evolve and the vision of that army will change.  Simply put, the journey does not end.  You have accomplished your original goal, but what has really happened is that you have gone that much deeper on your hobby journey and your goal has grown, your vision changed to be outside easy reach once again and hopefully, you still have the inspiration to chase it and grow alongside the journey.  There is always another step, there is always a way to do something better, there is always more to accomplish if you want it bad enough and can visualize yourself achieving your goals.

    As you begin to see the next step as your goals change and grow to keep in mind that simply visualizing your goal is part of achieving the goal, but is not the actual action in achieving your goal.  Seeing that painted army in your head is key, but to achieve it you actually need to paint.  There can be a very uplifting feeling when you visualize your achieved goal, but do not let that feeling reward you, in the same way, that actually finishing the army will have on you.  Look at New Years Resolutions as a source for this false reward.  Each year millions of people resolve to finally get in shape and hit the gyms.  They do for a while, but they did not vision the result properly or they might have let the satisfaction they received by visualizing their ideal body alongside the encouragement from friends and family to work toward this goal be all they needed.  They stop going to the gym every day and eventually stop entirely and the cycle repeats the following year.  The reward should come from the actual accomplishment of your goal which should then inspire you to go after that next step.  You painted your army to completion, be satisfied with the completion, but look to go podium at a local tournament before you ever finish the last brush stroke.

    Continue to set your bar higher, move that goal farther as you progress.  You are capable of more than you realize and one day you will realize that you have become the hobbyist you are visualizing yourself as right now.  Even then there will be more work ahead, more goals to reach, but you can do it if you set the goal, visualize the goal, fall in love with the process of achieving your goal, and never be satisfied after you accomplish your goal, stay hungry.

    Until next week, Happy Hobbying.


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  8. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  I hope you all have been on a roll with your hobby.  There is plenty to prepare for such the upcoming Nashcon, Coalescence, Socal Open, Cross Roads GT, Nova and the new Midwest Meltdown (Ask Domus for more info)!  I am still trying to prepare the terrain for my local Coalescence event as well as prepare a Display board for my Warhammer Stores Inner Circle event.



    2 day Display Board!
    I was able to work up this fairly generic display board in a few days for the local Inner Circle Event as well as having it on hand for anyone to borrow at future events due to their travel arrangements or limited time.  It turned out well enough, but the best part was finding precut 2x2 foam boards at my local hardware store.  It made things much quicker!


    Perhaps I will try to get more Sisters.  Really fun Model
    I did manage to finish painting my Sister I had on hand, but I might take my Eldar to the Inner circle instead as it is a much larger and more impressive force to display.  The other option is to bring a mixed Imperium list which could be just as fun.  It will most likely be a snap decision.


    Blood for the Blood God
    I also built some Khorne kits I ha.d on my desk  I am very happy how the War Shrine turned out with the Blood Reavers carrying it.  Now to go buy some Daemons to grow the force and begin painting within the next month or so.

    Much to PJSchard's Displeasure
    I also decided to redo one of my Stormcast Conversions.  I am already much happier with my new Venator.  I just cannot put the StormBros down it seems.

    Let me know what you are working on and as always follow me on Twitter for "up to the minute" hobby.  Until Friday, Happy Hobbying!
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  9. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone! Last week at this time Adepticon was in full swing and what a great adventure it was this year!  I got to hang out and catch up with friends from last year and meet plenty of new folks as well.  All I can say is four days is just not enough and I am planning on hitting up more events so I can see all these great people more than once a year.  The biggest challenge will be getting myself across the water to visit that fantastic gentleman who invaded from the U.K. this year.  This post will be a lot of pictures and a lot of names of great people in a general overview of my time this year.  If you are looking for in-depth coverage of how my games went you will have to wait until next week.  If I missed mentioning anyone I apologize as it is the people and this community that really make these events so great.
     
      My Adepticon 2018 started off with a nine-hour drive with my good friend Sean with other members of my local club, Cole, and Jacob, driving a bit behind us.  We had left early in the morning and made it to our hotel a bit after midday.  After a quick refresh, we got out badges, visited the dealer's room before I headed over to help Paul run his Age of Sigmar Narrative event, The Gibbering Dome.  As we waited for the players to show up I started seeing some of the great people I befriended last year Alex, David G., and Austin who introduced me to the talented Em.  It was a fantastic event that Paul ran well and I even got to see some friends I made at NOVA Open this past year as well!  The event ran all four hours and the players looked eager to do more so I am hoping Paul will continue the event next year!
     
      Friday rolled around and I met up with Mike, who I knew through Twitter as we teamed up with my Khorne and his beautifully painted Skaven army in the Team Doubles event.  This is really where the fun began to ramp up.  I was able to catch up a bit with Brad, Andrea, David W., Domus, Tom, Vince, Neil, Garrett, Mike B., Miles, Joe K., Dan B., Kelly, Martin O., and Tyler while also getting to meet great people such as Adam T., Mitzy, Jimbo, Russ, Eric, James, Scott R., Ministomp, Scott F., Andrew, Elric, Martin M., and the great Kari Ann.  As I said this post is a lot of pictures and a list of all the great people who made my event so great so hang on!   After three amazing games in the team event, the day wrapped up with a throwdown between Mitzy and Eric in a 2000pt matched play game.  It sounds odd to think about, but watching a game of Age of Sigmar was one of the best ways to relax after playing Age of Sigmar all day.  It was indeed a long day as the team even lasted thirteen hours, while it is a grind quite a few teams needed the longer rounds to coordinate their battle plans.   After Friday wrapped up it was on to the GT Saturday morning.  I was lucky enough to meet a few more great people in Steve, Byron, as well as others.  I had three great games with day and even managed to make my way on to Table 1 for round 2 and meet Cody and his family while having a great game with him!  I had my Daughters of Khaine out in force and I was very happy with how they played.  My wins were swift and my losses always down to the last round or two as they made my opponents fight tooth and nail to claim a victory over Morathi and my Witch Aelves.   Saturday night I was invited by Pete F. to attend the second meeting between Games Workshop and some of the U.S. AoS Community leaders.  The meeting was very constructive and I was very happy to be included.  It is so great to have Games Workshop reaching out through continued efforts to the community so we can grow this great game together.  Post meeting a large group of us ended up in the lounge as we chatted and shared a few drinks well into the night with everyone having high hopes for the next day's games.   Sunday began as any other day expect a lot of people were a bit more sleep deprived due to the previous night's fun.  Two more great games were played and I was able to say hello to Les, Terry, Wayne, and Dan H. during breaks between games.  After the awards were given to the winners and a round of applause were given to Alex, Kari Ann, and their team for running yet another great event everyone ventured out for dinner.  A large group of us made it to a great Burger Joint called Kuma's Corner and after rounds of drink and meeting a few more people like Paul M., we ate our food and headed back to the hotel's lounge for some more fun.  After a few more hours of hanging out, and making fun of the fact that ESPN was treating Corn Hole as a professional sport, I said my goodbyes and headed to bed as I had another nine-hour drive the following day.   With my second Adepticon wrapped up, I can safely say that I am happy I have made this a must-attend event for myself each year.  The games are great, the atmosphere is second to none, and best of all are the people.  As mentioned above I met so many wonderful people and was able to see some good friends I met last year.  Only seeing these folks once or twice a year isn't enough and while I got to hang out with a lot of them a few I only saw briefly so I am working to attend even more events next year as well as travel over to the U.K. to play in an event and visit Warhammer World.  I am happy to say my wife has agreed to an adventure to the U.K. in 2019 for some Warhammer and catching up with friends.   I cannot say enough that if you play Warhammer Age of Sigmar you need to attend this event.  It is one of the best events in the U.S. and if you join the Twitter community you are going to feel like everyone you meet is family long before you even meet face to face.  There was so much Age of Sigmar, incredible Hobby, delicious food, and exceptional people that it is hard to come back to reality.  While this post was more about all the fun and great people from the event next week you can expect detailed coverage of all the events I played in and how my Witch Aelf horde performed.  Until next week, Happy Hobbying!   Chuck M.      
    Visit my Blogs main Page!
     
  10. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  There is quite a lot of Warhammer Events coming up such as Midwest Meltdown in July, Slobberknocker GT in July, as well as Heat 3 at Warhammer World this weekend!  However, my focus is on Nova Open as it will be my second Grand Tournament and I could not be more excited.



    This time around I will be participating in the Age of Sigmar Team Event on Friday as well as the Championship on Saturday and Sunday.  I also plan to catch up with the friends I have made in this hobby and enjoy the atmosphere of another major event so if you see me around come over and say Hi and talk some Hobby with me.  I really enjoyed connecting with others at  Adepticon this past year and joining in on the sense of community that we are all a part of in this Hobby.

    I feel these larger events are the best time to really grasp the idea of the National and Global Community for Age of Sigmar.  We all share the same interest in this game and hobby and being able to share that passion as well as our ideas and projects regarding our local communities.  In doing this we will see all the smaller pockets of groups begin to connect and blend a bit more to really solidify what the U.S. Age of Sigmar players are as a whole, and create a collective feeling of Community.  I encourage everyone to talk, interact, and share your social media groups with each other as well and look at how we can all help each other grow into the following year.  Also, The Warhammer Community Team will be attending in force and they are a great group who I enjoyed meeting and discussing the U.S. Community with at Adepticon and they will be hosting a number of seminars once again.

    One that I will be sad to miss will be on Wednesday night about Building a Community and if you can attend this seminar I couldn't encourage you more.  I am sure it will be full of great information and tips to help grow your local scene which in turn will work to improve our National Scene.


    I have decided on my Stormcast Eternals again for Nova Open.  I feel very comfortable with the army and always have fun playing them winning or losing and the best part is I have a fully painted army so I do not need to rush to paint the army for the event which allows me to work on my current Blades of Khorne army.  However, I wouldn't put it past me to add a random unit to the army within the next month because I just can't stop painting Stormcasts it seems.

    The Reiksguard Eternals return!
    My goal for Nova Open is to place top half in the Team event with my good friend Matt who is bringing is Duardin Force and going for the top 25% in the Championship.  My list will be similar to my Adepticon list with minor changes and as of Sunday, I will be going into full Age of Sigmar practice mode.  I plan to play as many games with the army as possible and examining ways to adjust my list to bring the most competitive list I can for the Championship.  The Team event I plan to go a bit more relaxed as the event to me seems to be more about having fun with your partner and engaging in a fun game.  While the Championship will have the same feeling of fun and engagement I don't feel any pressure to win in the Team event.

    I also have a little wager with Miles Hamrick.  We are seeing who can paint more models to completion between now and the event either Age of Sigmar or 40k.  Loser buys the other a round of drinks.  I will track this progress in the series as well to see if I can keep up with him and his Hobby!  Follow both of us on Twitter to see use duel it out.

    Hopefully, I can knock out enough of these to pull out a win on our little wager
    I look forward to bringing you more on my Road to Nova article series as well as coverage of my time there once it is all in the books.  If you are going to Nova please let me know and perhaps we can meet up.  I plan to be there Friday through Saturday and hitting me up on Twitter is the best way to grab my attention most of the time.  See you all there and until next week, Happy Hobbying!
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  11. Strength_Hammer

    Hobby Tunes

    By Strength_Hammer,

    Hey Everyone!  Nova Open is in full swing right now with live coverage from Warhammer TV as well as pictures all across Twitter so be sure to check out what is going on.  Today I wanted to discuss what I listen to while I am building or painting in at my Hobby Desk and what I have heard others do as well be it for background noise, a distraction, or a form of motivation while they are deep into the Hobby.  At the end, I added some playlists on some of my Hobby Music Playlists for you to judge and enjoy while you Hobby.

    I also want to note that this post is partially inspired by Chris T. over at The Black Sun Weekly.  His love of music is very apparent and I often find new music and bands through his intro and outro music selections.
          Podcasts: One of the best parts about our hobby is all the great contributors who put out great podcasts on a regular basis.  They can range in focus from Narrative, Competitive, to Hobby related shows.  I find podcasts an enjoyable way to pass the time Hobbying and it allows my mind to wander about the hobby without being too distracted from what I might be building or painting.  There is also a plethora of other podcasts outside the hobby as well worth checking out as well.

    Audio Books:
    Audio Books are another great option, but with a bit of a warning.  I have found that from time to time I am unable to concentrate on both and may find I missed a spot of detail on a model due to listening to an exciting part of an Audio Book or that I have no ideas what the last few minutes of the Audio Book were about due to concentrating on painting those eyes just right.  I tend to limit my Audio Book listening to when I am priming or color blocking models as it requires less of my concentration and is easily corrected if a mistake happens.
     
    Television/Movies/Youtube:
    I have heard of hobbyist putting on a movie or favorite television show while Hobbying.  Sadly, this is one that doesn't work well for me outside of the odd sporting event, and even then I usually prefer the radio.  The visual addition of the media is far too distracting for me to concentrate on just the noise, but I can see the appeal in how it allows you to spend time with your family even when you Hobby.  Often times significant others enjoy watching some of the new Dramas on TV or watching something a bit more family friendly with the kids or even a Lets Play video on Youtube and with Time being limited this might be a good way to mix family and Hobby time.

    The one caveat I have with this is Hobby Related Youtube Videos and Warhammer TV.  Often times the Youtube and Twitch channels related to our Hobby are themed to be more audible and as such I often Hobby while putting them on from time to time.

    Internet Chat/ LiveGroup Hobby:
    Either via Skype, Discord, Google Hangouts, or meeting up in person this is a very fun way to pass the time Hobbying, but it suffers from the same pitfalls that Audio Books do in my mind with wanting to concentrate on who is talking and your model at the same time can be a challenge.  However, the added benefit of talking with someone with similar interests and who can provide instant feedback to your work is invaluable and needed from time to time to prevent us from becoming shut ins.  I really enjoy doing simple bits of Hobby while doing this or working on a group project together.  If you ever see someone online wanting to Skype while Hobbying I suggest you jump in and enjoy the comradery.
     
    Music:
    Music is my personal favorite way to Hobby as it allows me really get lost in whatever songs are on while I put my full focus on my models.  Pandora is often a helpful tool in this as well as I can choose a genre and let it do the rest.  I will range from Classical to Trance, to Pop, to Rock, to really anything.  I hold a special place in my heart for Spanish Guitar for an unknown reason.  Music really helps me forget about everything but what I am working on at that moment and keeps me distract from how long I might be sitting in one spot.  If you haven't really put on some sweet Tunes and let the music flow I highly suggest you do and soon!

    Silence:
    The last way I can think of to Hobby is in Silence.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with Silence and while it can be used for an entire Hobby session I prefer to let it dabble in any of the other listening options.  Chatting with a group is great, but sometimes a comfortable silence among friends all working on Hobby can be pleasant.  Even the greatest tunes can really get us going and a few minutes of silence is a nice way to recenter on what you are working on and maybe switch genres of music with a less jarring effect.  All in all, I don't enjoy long periods of Silence when Hobbying, but it is not something to avoid either.
     
    Whatever media you pair your hobby with I hope you branch out and give something else a try.  If I missed anything, and I am sure I have, please let me know so I can try them out myself as well as anyone else looking to mix up their Hobby.  As promised you can see a few examples (but certainly not everything as it would be an entire post in itself) of what I listen to while hobbying.  Feel free to judge my tastes and until next week, Happy Hobbying!

    Podcasts/Youtube/Twitch Channels:
    Scruby & Wells
    Garagehammer
    Mortal Realms
    Warhammer Weekly
    Tabletop Minions
    The Black Sun
    Bad Dice
    Rolling Bad
    Age of Sigbrah
    Bravery One
    Facehammer
    Fjordhammer
    HeelanHammer
    The Independent Characters
    Life After The Cover Save
    Forge the Narrative
    Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
    Warhammer TV
    AoS Shorts 

    Music Playlist for my Hobby:
    Sadly I was unable to share my Pandora stations so here is a general run down of what I listen to while hobbying.
    Modern Pop Music
    Classical Music
    Dance Music
    "Irish Pub" Music
    Heavy Metal
    Classic Country
    90's Music
     
    View the full article
     
  12. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  Today I will wrap up my personal Adepticon coverage as I take you through my games from the Age of Sigmar Team Doubles and the Grand Tournament.  I say my personal coverage because next week I am having Paul return to talk about the Narrative event he ran now that The Gibbering Dome's halls have quieted down.  All in all, I had eight great games with wonderful opponents and while days of gaming can become draining near the end I came out of it all energized for me.  The body might of wanted rest, but my mind wanted more Warhammer.



    Team Doubles
    Originally when tickets went on sale for Adepticon I was going to skip out on the Team event and look at taking a few hobby seminars.  However, Mike who I knew through Twitter reached out and asked if I would like to be his partner for some fun in the event.  He wasn't looking for someone to smash opponents off the board with, but someone to enjoy a day of gaming with and I couldn't pass up the offer.  I am glad he reached out to me as the event, while long, was a lot of fun.  My Khrone teamed up with his Skaven mastermind and we set off for some fun and chaotic games.


    The first game saw Mike and myself facing Adam G., who runs Imperium Games, and his friend Tony C..  They gifted us with some really nice custom Combat Gauges from Adam's store which is always a nice surprise.  Mike and I were given the first turn and while we reached as far as we could Adam and Tony deployed far enough back to prevent any of my units getting stuck in immediately.  While I feel proud that Mike's Skaven and my Khorne did well to keep the spells from the Lord of Change at bay Adam and Tony did not need to rely on magic to win the battle.  Some great movement plays from Tony's Sylvaneth kept my Bloodletters out of the battle for too long.  At the end of Turn, four Mike and I knew the battle was lost.  Adam and Tony gave a great game and were very fun to play and chat with during our time at the table.  Mike and I took away a few lessons for our next opponents as well.


    Game two put us on some lower tables were we met some players who, much like Mike and myself, were there for fun and rolling dice above all else.  Those players were Cody B. and Travis L. with their Kharadon Overlord and Fyreslayer army.  This scenario had each team bid a number of minutes in which to deploy to determine who would go first.  Mike and I practiced between rounds and we bid one minute to our opponents five.  They were wide-eyed as they saw our very low bid, but with the timer going Mike and I managed to deploy with two seconds and patted ourselves on the back.  Sadly this was the only victory we can claim from the game itself.  While it only took four three and a half turns for Mike and I to admit defeat, with almost no models left on the field, we got to hang out with these cool guys as they offered beer and friendship.  One thing I will remember from our game with Cody and Travis is their dice with mugs of ale on the six's.  When a six was rolled we all took a drink and I was never happier to see an opponent roll so many six's!  Gentlemen, DRINK!


    The final game of the day allowed Mike and I one final attempt at redemption. We were lucky enough to play some great fellas who traveled from the UK to play.  Al M.(a fellow Moore!) and Darren J..  They had brought a wonderfully painted Stormcast army and much like our other opponents were ready to have a fun game.  The scenario had a bit of randomness to it as the objective would move around each turn so it was anyone's game.  Early on Mike and I put ourselves into a nice advantage, but Al and Darren would not be denied and they fought to the bitter end to bring our game to a draw.  It was bloody, exciting, and a lot of fun.  We were all very excited to see that in case of a draw each team received a minor win so all of us walked away with one "win" under our belt to boot!


    I had a great time playing with Mike and am happy to say he offered me the "right of first refusal" to be his partner next year as well.  It was a long and fun filled day and I was happy to have a partner such as Mike to hang out with as we battled our way through it all.  Be sure to find mike on Twitter at @exorre to check out his wonderfully painted Skaven as well!

    Grand Tournament


    Saturday rolled around and it was time for the big show.  The Age of Sigmar Gran Tournament.  Before I dive into my games I want to give a big thanks to Alex, his Wife Kari Ann, and all those who supported running and preparing for the event.  It was an amazing turnout and one of the best run events I have ever been to and the team that did deserve high praise for all their work so we can play some great games together.

    The day started off on a high note as I arrived early and was randomly placed on Table two!  I joked that it is the highest table I will be at for the entire event and went to prepare myself for my first opponent.  I was running my Daughters of Khaine list and while it is not the exact list I wrote for my Warhammer Community Tactica articles it was very close, but due to time constraints I wasn't able to finish my Khinerai in time so had to shuffle things around a bit.  The core of ninety Witch Aelves remained as did Morathi as my General.




    My first opponent was a very polite and friendly gentleman by the name of Josh A..  Josh had brought a Stormcast force which included a Prime!  I was excited, and a bit scared, to see a great and underused model on the table.  Josh Null deployed his force giving me not much to do at the top of my turn as the objectives hadn't dropped yet so I simply moved up a bit to get closer to the middle of the table and hoped to survive his alpha strike.  Josh brought the hammer and while he killed off a fair amount of my Witch Aelves as well as removing Morathi at the top of Turn two it simply wasn't enough and being able to roll handfuls of dice was too much to bear.  My Kraith ability triggered a fair number of times this game as well and by the top of turn four I had secured all the objectives and removed his last Liberator giving me a Major Win.  Josh and I chatted through the first break and drank some coffee and I was glad to have so much time to chat with him.  He is a solid person that I hope to play again one day.


    After a nice break, the pairings were posted and I jumped for joy as I saw I was headed for the great Table one!  It has always been on my Hobby Bucket list to grace the top table for a single round and due to my previous victory, I managed to do just that!  My Opponent was Cody B. who was there with his lovely wife and their child.  He had brought a Sylvaneth army and he was as excited as I was to be playing on the top table.  As I deployed I felt confident in Morathi's ability to hold down an objective and I turned her into her Snake form right away, but it was really Cody's scenario to lose and while I pushed him to make mistakes he played it perfectly and was able to take the victory.  While I did very well keeping him from summoning more Woods the one mistake I made was attacking his unit of Dryads with Mystic Shield and Throne of Vines on it.  I managed a large number of saves which he promptly made in order to have me nearly kill off an entire unit of Witches.  We had a good laugh at the sight of it all and despite the early set back the game remained close until turn four when he was able to kill off my remaining Heros and leave me with nothing left that could hope to take down his Treelord, but we both carried on and claimed some Secondary and Tertiary objectives with what we had left.  I suffered a Major loss but it was thrilling to play such a great person on the top table and make a new friend such as Cody.


    While I expected to be knocked down in tables after my Major loss my third game saw me kicked very far down and with a long road ahead of me to fight back up I encountered Kyle K. and his Undead force lead by nonother than Nagash himself.  Morathi was Scared and I was Scared for her in the coming battle.  I was given the first turn and once again I turned Morathi immediately and threw her at forward and as many Witches as I could in hopes to remove Nagash as quickly as possible.  While I gave it everything I had it simply wasn't enough and while I wreaked havoc on his Gravegaurd Nagash surviving kept Kyle going strong.  The magic phase was a tense, but thrilling time for both of us as we waited to see if he would successfully cast Hand of Dust on Morathi or not.  Do to some bad dice rolls and some great dispell dice from me I staved off the inevitable until turn four.  Neither one of us had enough left to claim a Major Victory and with him winning the roll for turn four it came down to his he could remove Morathi or if she would kill him in combat to decide who would take a Minor Victory as we would draw on the objective and look at total killed.  Nagash did it with style and Morathi was removed giving me a Minor Loss.  It was a tense and fun game and the story told on the table was one I will remember, but next time Morathi will not be denied!


    Sunday arrived and we all shuffled into the hall for our last two games after a night of rabble-rousing.  After the usual few minutes extra wait for those who might have had too much fun the night before the drops sorted our pairings posted.  I looked for my place and was very excited to play a very good friend Neil L. who you might know from my blog as he runs the Rend 4 club in Ohio.  This was a great way to begin the day and I hoped to exact revenge against his Khorne from the stomping they gave my Morathi and my army in a practice game a few weeks prior.  However, he had Skarrbrand and while I feared I might lose Morathi quickly I was determined to put her to good use.  I had the first turn and Morathi transformed, Mindrazored herself, and took off toward his Wrath of Khorne Bloodthirster.  Mortahi got to work and while I took his General down to almost nothing she failed to kill it.  Neil ran his General away, a fact that I will never let him live down, and quickly brought in Skarrbrand to do the dirty business of killing Morathi.  Morathi was removed, but the battle was far from over.  Neil made one error and moved off his objective in the first round and after realizing he wouldn't score pulled a few back in hopes to kill me off and claim some of my objectives to make up for his deficit. Unfortunately for Neil, my Witch Aelves were inspired by Mroathi's sacrifice to Khaine and proved that they can outfight Khorne any day and I began deleting his units over the next few rounds giving me a Major Win.  Playing Neil was great fun as he has become a very close friend since I met him last year at Adepticon and neither one of us pulled any punches in our brawl.  Next time we meet we have a rubber match to see whose army reigns supreme!


    The final game of the event paired me against Jake L. and his Kharadon Overlords.  I had come to fear this matchup as it could quickly end a game with a few good rounds of shooting.  While Jake position, deployed and had fantastic target priority his dice let him down and while he killed a few key pieces he didn't do enough to blunt my army and the battle got Bloody and quick.  It was back and forth with great saves and tight play from both of our armies, but the game ultimately came down to turn five priority roll.  If I won I would have claimed a Major Victory by capturing all four objectives, but if he won he would be able to draw on the objective and since he had killed more of my force by this time he would claim a Minor Win.  We rolled and Jake won the roll.  It was a Minor loss for me, but it capped off the event with a final and exceptional game with a truly great player and person.

    At the end of it all I placed 67th of out 164 (total players after drops) and while it keeps me at the mid-table hero level I am happy to say I placed higher percentage-wise this year than last year.  I am also very happy with how my army performed.  The Witch Aelves are brutal in combat and Kraith really worked well for them and caused a good bit of fear for my opponents.  I plan to continue running a Witch Aelf Horde for quite some time with the only change is give command of my army to a Slaughter Queen as opposed to Morathi.  She is targeted to quickly and while I wanted her command ability to be a great force multiplier she was either dead or transformed before it became effective in combat.  The army is an absolute blast to play and I was happy to see other Daughters of Khaine out in force at the event.  I can imagine everyone will be seeing much more of them in the coming months!


    Top Painted Armies


    I wanted to leave you all today with pictures of the top painted armies from the event.  The hobby was high for the majority of the armies, but these were the cream of the crop and truly inspiring to continue to improve my own hobby in the future.  I am looking at you Idoneth Deepkin!

    Another great Adepticon full of gaming, friends, and fantastic opponents is wrapped up and I cannot wait until next year for even more fun.  I hope you enjoyed my coverage and be sure to check back next week as Paul recaps his Age of Sigmar Narrative event, The Gibbering Dome.  Until next week, Happy Hobbying!
    Chuck Moore


    Visit my Blogs main Page!
  13. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  The Warhammer Community team released an article earlier this week on generating a random Free City (Check out the original article here).  The concept really captured my imagination so I wanted to dive into creating a randomly built Free City within Age of Sigmar using the Charts from the Article as well as various other tools online.  I might even paint up a hero or unit to represent a city in the future, but my current project is taking up all my time so a side project like that will have to wait for a bit.

    I have always enjoyed tools such as this as it leaves it up to Luck, Fate, or whatever you wish to call it.  The fun of finding out what you might get is a thrill in and of itself, much like opening a random pack of Magic The Gathering Cards I feel.  I don't play Magic The Gathering anymore, but I still buy a blind pack from time to time for the fun of what I might get (hopefully Elves).  After you have the basics from your randomly generated city you can them craft its story in as much detail as you wish.  With the Cities being set within The Mortal Realms almost anything is possible.

    To begin building the city we can use the charts from The Warhammer Community Page's Article.  We will also need a few D6 as well to use the charts.  You can roll physical dice, but if you are wanting to build a Free City along with me you can use this Random Dice Generator here.

    To Begin we need to generate our Free City Name.  First, we Roll D66 (using 2d6).  My dice came up 52 so I will begin with "Bale".  Secondly, we roll D66 again and my result is 25 so my Free City is named "Bale Port"!
     

    Next, we need to generate a bit more detail about our new City "Bale Port".  First, we will see what Realm or Realms we will be settled by rolling D33 (roll 2d3).  My Result came up as 5 and 6 so it looks like "Bale Port" will be a Twin City.  After 2 more rolls on the chart, Bale Port is a Twin City between the realms of Chamon and Ghur.  Second, we need to see how large our new city will be so we roll a single D6.  I toss the die and get a 5.  It seems "Bale Port" is a decently sized City.  Last we should find out who lives in Bale Port so we go to a single D6 once again and roll it D3 times.  I rolled a 4 so there will be three races making up the sum of the city's populace as I get a bonus roll due to the size of my city.  I roll a 2, 1, and 3 which gives me Aelves, Humans, and Duardin which seems a pretty typical cast of characters.
     
     

    After we have the basic Census of "Bale Port" generated it is time to add the exciting and strange details about our city that we can use to expand upon within our Narrative.  Since I am City Sized I will add 1 to my D6 roll to a maximum of 6 for the Number of Distinguishing Features my City contains.  I roll a 2 and add 1 to give "Bale Port" D3+1 Distinguishing Feature of General Novelty which gives me D3+ 1 Features.  I roll a 4 on the die and then add one for a total of 3 Distinguishing Features

    To find out my features I go back to D66.  I roll 25, 52, 46.  "Bale Port" will have a Kharadron Overlords Trading Port, a Notable Freeguild, and a Relic from The World That Was.  Not a bad selection at all.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Next, we need to find out what our city looks like on paper.  We could draw out a map or simply let your imagination dictate how everything is laid out.  However, for our purposes, we will use a City Map Generator that was shared by Runebrush over on The Grand Alliance Thread about the article.
    The City Map Generator is located here and after we adjust a few settings we can randomly generate out the city.  Since I have rolled a Twin City I will be making 2 maps to fuse together.
     
     
     
       
     
      Now that I have a layout for my city I can begin to see where my Landmarks might be at and begin crafting my story, but before I dive into Bale Ports Narrative I must first find some colors for Bale Ports Flags!  Once again I decided to go to a Random Generator for Colors to see what fate has in store for me.
    The Color Scheme Generator I used can be found here.  I let the colors generate a few times and eventually locked on one I liked and proceeded to generate a few more times to find something suitable for my needs.  The colors are a bit dark, but I can work them into my narrative quite well.
     
     
     
     
      So we now have everything our city might need except its story.  Why is it here and why is it still here?  Who are the major players and their motives?  How does this Twin City rely on each other for survival?  Now is the time to answer all these questions and the real crafting can begin.  Time to put on my NEO hat and get to work.   "Split between the Realms of Ghur and Chamon is the City of Bale Port.  Each Sector was it's own Hamlet without a connection until the Relamgate was discovered and they merged into a single thriving City after the Realm Gate Wars in what was known as The Seeds of Hope. 

    The Chamon Sector was founded by the Dispossessed Clan Guinnieson who lost their Mountain Hold during an assault by Tzeentch Daemons.  Despite their defenses, the Daemons found their way into the hold where they began melting into Molten Lead, filling the entire hold and eventually solidifying.  Clan Guinnieson has held a Grudge against Tzeentch ever since and developed a grim nature even for Duardin.  This sector is also home to a Kharadron Overlords Trading Post which offers support in defense as well as trade.  The Trading post is maintained by Clan Guinnieson and sees various Skyports coming and going.  Its reinforced structure offers a safe harbor from the Copper Storms prevalent in the area for their vessels.

    The Ghur Sector was is home to Aelves from many walks of life.  Aelves known as Wanderers Keep the sector safe from the outside preferring to stick to the wild over a walled city.  Inside the walls, the core sect of Aelves identifies as part of the Darkling Covens know as The Duskhearts.  They rule with a hard, but fair hand.  They work closely with a group of Scourage Privateers who are given free reign of the docks in exchange for their food, clothing, and if the rumors are true slaves for the unseen, but the still known Daughters of Khaine presence.  The Daughters of Khaine are more than simply tolerated however, they are the keepers of a great artifact.  This artifact is also why Wanderers have kept so close the area and offered their service.  They hold the remnants of  "The Reaper" which to the Wanderers is a legend beyond legend as it was believed to be the greatest of work by a great weaponsmith from the World that Was and during the time long lost was wielded by their ancestors.  The Daughters of Khaine and Darkling Covens also know the legend, but know that the weapon is but a shard of the great blade originally wielded by Khaine himself.

    Normally these two different races would be hard pressed to live in peace, but a Freeguild of Notability occupies both halves of the city and while they don't involve themselves in the public affairs of each sector they do garrison and patrol the city as a whole and are the core defenses within the city.  The Freeguild is known as "Amala's Adamant" are veterans who held secure Greywater Fastness during The Seeds of Hope and after boredom set in shortly after setting off for more adventure.  They are who found the Realmgate connecting the cities and have been the guardians of it ever since, which helps to keep the separate sectors working in cooperation.
      Despite the differences amongst the races within Bale Port, they have found a working relationship that has allowed the city to grow and thrive.  Both sectors rely on the other for support and while tensions run higher than other Twin Cities both sides offer full aid when the other comes under attack.  Both sectors also maintain a small garrison of Honor guard who resides in the opposing sector as a sign of their willingness to work together and to keep an eye on each other as well if they are being truthful.  Together they survive and together they thrive as they all shout "No City for us beyond Bale Port!"
            The Banner of Bale Port
      There you have it, a narrative for my generated city that is even now making me want to create a small army to portray them on the battlefield.  I really encourage everyone to try this exercise for themselves and create your own part in The Mortal Realms and perhaps inspire yourself on your next army!  If you do run through this exercise please let me know as I really enjoy seeing what everyone created or feel free to head over to The Grand Alliance Thread created about others Free Cities.  I truly hope Gamesworkshop continue to give us these tools in the future as they are fun to use and help spur our hobby forward.  Until next week, may your Free City's banner always fly and Happy Hobbying!
       
    View the full article
     
  14. Strength_Hammer
    Hello everyone!  I wanted to start a sub-series focused on building a community around Miniature War Gaming (particularly Age of Sigmar) by sharing my experiences.  My hope is to speak with other community members during this series, and share ideas to use with local gaming groups.  Part one of this series will focus on developing your local scene.  I will explore connecting a personal gaming group to a larger scene in future articles.



    Before I dive in I want to preface the article a bit.  I had written an article about building the community, but after some friendly and honest critique, I saw how generic and boring the article was to read.  Instead, I am bringing you a fresher and much more personal experience, my experience to be exact, of the challenges in developing a local scene.  Please enjoy.

    At the end of Warhammer Fantasy 8th edition, my local scene was falling apart.  My friend that was leading it all at the time was out of steam.  The dropping of Age of Sigmar took what little wind he had in his sails away.  I can't blame him either, as he had been playing for over 20 years in the Old World.  Within a few years, the scene went from tournaments of 24 attendants and up to just him and myself showing up.  Thankfully he has returned to the scene and is playing games somewhat more regularly, but he is no longer leading the group.


    I decided to take up the reins and try to regrow the scene shortly after.  I debated with myself “why I had chosen to lead the local scene?”  I found my answer after a bit of thinking.  I truly love this hobby and this game, and I didn't want to see it die in my local area.  So I began taking steps to rebuild.  I began showing up to play and teach Age of Sigmar to anyone who would try, but it was weeks until I managed to get anyone to throw dice with me in a game of Age of Sigmar.  I won't lie in the fact that it was very rough and heartbreaking at times.  My best advice is to never give up and keep showing up to play.  You may not get a game in every night, but eventually, you will be playing consistently with a small group.

    Over time I had a few small groups of people playing regular games and it felt rewarding, but I faced a new challenge.  These small groups played only 15 minutes apart from one another, but no matter what I did they simply would not communicate and to this day they still are separate entities with the only connecting being myself as the consistent Age of Sigmar player who leads the scenes.  This has been immensely frustrating, to be honest.  I have tried to set one-day tournaments with prize support, narrative events, and even simple open games days to get everyone together.  Nothing so far has worked, but I have not given up on it happening yet.  I hope to ultimately bring these groups together and get them playing with my consistent group (a scene I happily play with but have no part in leading) of game buddies that are a bit farther away.  I do not know if this will ever happen, but I continue trying.


    There have been very exciting times within the groups that made then take leaps and bounds in a positive direction.  The first was the release of the Generals Handbook.  Many players who were on the fence were finally convinced, as they now had an easier way to set up a game with other players.  Those players who held off for so long found themselves with points and small local groups within reach to begin playing with and we welcomed them with open arms.  Shortly afterward, we had The Season of War, which we all had something to play for in capturing our perspective cities in order to change the future of the narrative.  It was a fun and exciting time.  As scenes grow, more and more types of players will join in.   Occasionally, however, you will attract people who can be harmful to a local scene.  This is a topic I am going to save that for the next installment of my "Building a Community" series.

    I hope my honesty won't keep anyone from stepping up to lead their local scene.  It is a very tough and can be thankless work, but if you are doing it for the right reasons (love of the game and hobby), then the happiness you will experience as positive growth happens will outweigh any of the drawbacks.


    Feel free to follow me on Twitter and until Next Time Happy Hobbying!

    Edited by @Grudgegamer on Twitter


    View the full article
  15. Strength_Hammer

    Why Do We Hobby?

    By Strength_Hammer,

    Hey Everyone.  To wrap up The Realm Gate's birthday week I wanted to propose a question to all of you as well as offer my answer to this simple question.  Before I do, however, I want to give a shout out to Vince over at Warhammer Weekly who proposed a similar question in his Topic of The Week series recently, albeit a bit more focused.  Go check out his channel if you haven't already as it is my favorite Youtube channel around this Hobby and well worth your time.  The question I wish to put forth is "Why do we Hobby?" or "Why do you Hobby?".  It is a strange thing we all do and for a community to form around, but yet we all hold a very close attachment to it all and cannot imagine our lives without it.



    Before I begin to answer the question myself I want to define what I mean by Hobby.  My definition of Hobby is "Anything you do in relation or because of Wargaming".  This can be games, painting, list building, Blogging, YouTube videos, Podcasts, large community projects, or anything else that fits the definition.  For some people, the Hobby defines us, while with others we define out Hobby and it is fascinating how we can be so vastly different regarding why we Hobby, but be more unified as a community because of it.

    There are many reasons why someone would choose to Hobby.  Some want to compete at the top tables at large events, some wish to paint thematic armies and tell stories.  There are those who are about winning trophies whether it is through games or painting.  I imagine there are some who are just trying to be well-known in the community, although I believe this as a driving goal is a poor reason.  Those who are well-known painters or competitors on the table are well-known because their goal was to be the best painter or become the best player they could.  If you are unsure of what your goal is I suggest checking out my old article series "Life Lessons and Wargaming".

    It may also be good to touch on the concept that motivation does not mean amount of time put into the Hobby.  While those who are highly motivated might indeed take on multiple projects at once, but that doesn't mean the person painting a single model for a painting competition is any less motivated.  Humans are very different creatures and while there are those like myself who enjoy multitasking and feel highly motivated to work on multiple projects.  There are those who are just as motivated, if not more so that focus on a single task or project.  It is a grey area, but when you can see how motivated someone is through their passion in this Hobby.

    So why do I Hobby?  When I proposed the idea to myself it initially felt intangible and to broad and open to properly put into words, but the more I thought about it the more I was able to cement the idea and bring it to the ground.  The answer for me is that I hobby for myself and my wellbeing.  It is the same reason I lift weights and go to the gym daily.  It sounds a bit odd comparing two vastly different hobbies and cultures, but the comparison works for me.

    Talking in the various chats I am a part of as well as Twitter interaction brings me great joy throughout my day and a welcome distraction to the stresses or work and life.  When I build lists and theory craft with others really fulfills my need to problem solve and the enjoyment that process brings.  Painting is a therapeutic escape where the world disappears as I move paint around a model.  The various community projects energize me as I work with fantastic people and great friends knowing we are looking to offer positive impact to the community as a whole and help Age of Sigmar grow.  I cannot forget gaming in all of this as it is the culmination of our efforts where we get to enjoy meeting and playing people.  Doing this Hobby for myself and my wellbeing has really allowed me to identify with the game and the positive impact it can have.

    While the improvement of my wellbeing is what I feel the major part of why I do this Hobby I know there are other reasons as well mixed in such as wanting to help the community grow, make new friends, etc...  That is okay as I know over time my reason may adapt and change as is natural.  So why do you Hobby?  I would be excited to hear in the comments below and see what discussions form from the question.  Perhaps, by doing that you will help others discover why they hobby.

    Until Next Week, Happy Hobbying.

    Chuck Moore
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  16. Strength_Hammer
    Hey everyone!  Today I want to show you my completed Blades of Khorne army.  I managed to finally wrap up the painting last week and the basing over the weekend.  It is always exciting to complete an army and really give you a lot of satisfaction on seeing the army laid out as a whole.  I have seen some hobbyists who take a well-deserved break after completing an army to prevent burnout, but for me, the opposite effect happens and I get really excited to jump into my next project.  Thankfully I was able to jump right into my display board for Armies on Parade 2017 and keep the hobby flowing.



    One of the best parts of completing a new army is getting it on the table.  Thankfully this Saturday I will be running Age of Sigmar at my local club and will be able to blood this army properly!  I really need to sit down and figure out how each unit will synergize with the army.  I built and painted this army on what I felt looks cool so I really not sure how to use the army to its fullest effect, but that will be part of the fun!  Although finding a place to display the army will prove to be a challenge.

    Once I do find that space I will have plenty of working space on my current project for Armies on Parade 2017.  I only have three kits to build and the force is currently just shy of 1000pts (in matched play), but I also have three wood's to paint alongside the army as well as a display board.  It is about to get frantic in my hobby space with less than thirty days to do everything.

    I really need to buckle down and keep grinding away at my Armie on Parade project.  With such a small window to complete it a missed day or two could keep me from completing the project to the level that I am aiming to achieve.  Working through a project in such a short space of time might be a future article, so let me know if it sounds interesting as a topic. Also, let me know what you have on your hobby table and until Friday's post.  Happy Hobbying!

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  17. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone!  Today I have a very special guest interview for you all.  Dan from the new AoS Shorts Podcast took some time to talk about Hobby, Age of Sigmar, and his new Podcast.  Dan is a great guy with a love for Age of Sigmar and if haven't yet, be sure to reach out to him.  You will find his contact information below.



    AoS Shorts is a great tool to help tighten up your rules knowledge to improve your game whether you are a beginner or a budding top table player.  I find myself listening to the short episodes multiple times to help smooth out my gameplay for myself and my opponents.  Also, his companion blog for each episode is a great way to get the most out of his discussion topics.  I hope you enjoy the interview.


    -----------------------------------------------------------
    Dan, can you tell me about who you are and how you began in this Hobby?

    Hey, I'm a (predominantly) matched play gamer living in Auckland, New Zealand.  I was born and raised in the U.K. and was aware of Warhammer while I was there but only really dove in with 5th edition after I’d moved to NZ.  I took the Brets and played some 40k with Imperial Guard.

    Everything kinda then went on hold, until I rejoined the hobby when I was working in London in 2012-2014. I came back in by listening to podcasts from Bad Dice, Heelanhammer, Black Sun, Garagehammer and the Dwellers before picking up a dwarf army when the 8th Ed Dwarf book dropped.  Really had to make the use of UK pricing and the VAT refund before coming back to NZ.


    Dan (pictured left) handing out some prizes

    What armies are you playing currently and what’s next on your Hobby Table?

    I’ve been playing Sylvaneth since the Battletome came out and absolutely love them.  The sheer movement flexibility is amazing.  I suspect that Death will be my next AoS army but I'll be holding fire until after GHB2017 and any signs of a new Death Battletome. There is something right about Death following Life.

    Dan's growing Sylvaneth Army
     Do you have a local Club or group you play with and how often do you get to play games and work on Hobby?

    Unfortunately, I don't get as much time to play as I would like due to my work and a young family at home.  So I haven't ever really been able to commit to a club. I play casual games in mates’ garages, with the Auckland Model Citizens, and host tournaments with the Auckland City Guard.  On the hobby front, I try to get a few hours in each week - usually 30 mins or so early in the morning and perhaps a night a week.

    Can you share with us your favorite Hobby movement?

    “Hobby movement” - what a great phrase.  There are so many things that could be captured by this - the move to scenic bases, the #roadtoscgt crew, the NEOs, Games Workshop’s re-engagement with the community, the explosion of hobby podcasts, Warhammer TV.  I can't just pick one.


    Dan's Hobby Area
    What about your least favorite time in the Hobby?

    The destruction of the old world was an unsettling shock, I played one game of AoS when it was first released and then decided to just let the dust settle and see where things went.  Me and my mates played a Necromunda campaign, we dabbled with KoW and I picked up Guild Ball. In the end, I threw myself into AoS as the game grew and found new gaming groups (my 8th ed. mates are now all playing T9A or 40k).

    If Money and Time were not an issue what would be the one dream Hobby project you would want to tackle.

    I have about 3,000 points of Dogs of War (almost every unit from the 5th edition book) still sitting mint in box.  With the death of 8th, I was going to use them in 9th Age or KoW but never got round to them.  I’d love to get them finished as a painting project on large diorama bases.  Other options would be a Luthor Harkon Undead Pirate army, a marauder Chaos force themed around a local raven god (which is actually a manifestation of Tzeentch), and a Harlequins force for 40k


    The dream army in the wings
    I often hear about challenges that our Wargaming Brothers and Sisters face being in this Hobby in your part of the world (New Zealand, and Australia), is there any insight you can share on this subject?

    The obvious issue is the pricing differential (significantly higher than the exchange rate plus shipping) however that is old news.  Unfortunately, it really does limit new blood into the hobby and make it hard for local gaming stores to make sales because everyone just buys offshore.

    The more complex issue is that we are a country of just over 4 million people in a long country that stretches from Lake Erie down into Florida or from Scotland into Spain. Our gaming scene also split hard three ways with the death of 8th. So achieving a critical mass for gaming clubs and tournaments can be hard. We are only now starting to get 40 player tournaments and that usually requires about half the field to be flying (or catching a 10-hour bus ride) to get there.

    Durthu has great basing that Dan is using across the entire force
    You recently started a new Podcast called AoS Shorts.  What can you tell me about it?

    AoS Shorts is a series of podcasts, videos and blog posts on strategy for Warhammer: Age of Sigmar.  This series will help you get better fast.
    Think of it as a Cliff Notes version of Facehammer etc.

    There is so much great information out there in the AoS community on strategy and tactics, but it is largely buried in 100-page forum threads, 3-hour podcasts or hundreds of hours of video.  The aim with AoS Shorts is to distill this information for the time-poor gamer. Basically, I’ve started the podcast I wanted.

    Each show focuses on a key AoS topic, such as list design, deployment, and scenarios,  and is accompanied by diagrams, tip sheets and a blog post for you to digest or refer to later.

    Who is your target audience for the podcast and what is your goal with the show?

    The show is aimed at people who want to improve their performances at tournaments or other competitive games. The show really isn't going to have anything new for top-end tournament gamers who usually podium. However, for players in the mid- or lower tables who want to start winning more games, or feel like they are in those games for longer, I hope my show helps.


    So far you have List Writing, Tournament Play Tips, Scenery in The Age of Sigmar, Deployment, and the Priority Roll what is next for the show?

    At the moment I'm trying to stick to the core mechanics of AoS until GHB2017 comes out.  Once that drops, I'll have episodes on each of the scenarios, summoning, piling in and combat, certain list builds, scouting reports on particular factions etc.

    I also want to grow the show into videos because it is so much easier to explain strategy and tactics by showing rather than telling.  I want to illustrate the key concepts of the game with great painted armies on good tables.


    What is the best way for someone to reach you and where can they download your latest shows?

    You can find me on Twitter at @antipodean7 or AoS Shorts on Facebook.
    All the articles and resources can be found at aosshorts.com.
    The show is on iTunes, Podbean, and RSS.

    -----------------------------------------------------------
    I love what Dan is doing and I hope you take the time to check out his podcast and Blog.  I plan to use them as some last minute tournament preparation to Nova Open as I listen to his previous episodes on my drive down to the venue.  As always feel free to follow me on Twitter and until next week, Happy Hobbying!
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  18. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone.  I recently got to sit down and chat with a local Community builder Mike from one of the local clubs I belong to called Steel City Sigmar to talk about his experiences building the Age of Sigmar Community in the Pittsburgh Area.  The club is one of the bigger groups in the area and if you have seen me around Adepticon or Nova Open you can often find wearing the clubs shirt on one of the days.  Mike is a man after my own heart as he has really involved himself in building the community for Age of Sigmar to connect the separate groups in the area and it was a pleasure to sit down and chat with him about his experience creating the club.


    Mike with a club shirt he made for Dan of AoS Shorts


    --------------------------------------------
    Mike, Can you tell me a bit about yourself and how you found yourself in this hobby? "I got into the hobby at the age of thirteen when I was playing a lot of Magic: The Gathering.  I went into a local hobby store to buy more cards and saw an army of High Elves being played at one of the tables.  I left that day with Dwarfs instead of the Magic cards I went in to buy originally.  Ever since then I played garage Warhammer up until the release of Age of Sigmar and having an official Warhammer Shop opening in our area around the same time.

    What Armies do you play or plan to play in the future? "Since the release of Age of Sigmar, I was grabbed by the Stormcast Eternals.  I enjoy their narrative and the look of the army.  They also have a great deal of diversity to how they can be played which really keeps me coming back to them again and again.  I have had some interest in starting a Kharadon Overlords, but their one-dimensional play style has held me back from buying an army."
    What is your favorite part of this hobby? "I really love the Age of Sigmar models.  They have all been fantastic and keep getting better and better.  They are packed with so much detail and I find assembling models really scratches my hobby itch."


    What is your least favorite part of this hobby? "It is painting without a doubt.  I really enjoy playing with painted armies, but I am very obsessive in perfecting my painting on each model to the point of making a chore out of it.  It isn't stopping me from painting mind you, but it is my least favorite part."
    What is one of your favorite memories of this hobby? "It was the first Age of Sigmar tournament held at the newly opened Warhammer Store.  It was the first time I really played with strangers and outside of friend's basements or garages.  Everyone was having fun playing and meeting each other and I felt I had finally become part of the Warhammer Community I had only read about as a garage gamer."

    Can you share your dream hobby goal? "That is easy.  I dream to head to Warhammer World to meet the people who make the models and the game and play some games there while having a beer from Bugmans."
    You created and also lead the Steel City Sigmar Club.  Can you tell me a bit about the club? "I actually Co-lead it with a great gentleman Jose Cosme and it was created as a club for Age of Sigmar gaming.  The club is built to get players together within the Pittsburgh Region while trying to connect the various smaller communities in the surrounding area.  The idea was really inspired by a podcast by Ben Curry about "Building your Community"."
    How has the Age of Sigmar Scene been going in Pittsburgh? "We have been hosting one event a month at one of the larger stores in the area with an average of twelve people at each event.  There has been a bit of plateau in attendance and we haven't been able to really attract much new blood, but the regular attendees are very committed to the game and the club."


    What Challenges have you encountered as well as any victories in setting up the scene? "The biggest challenge besides attracting new players to the group is trying to consolidate the separate groups together.  Despite trying a wide array of events it is a struggle to get the groups playing together.  My biggest victory was the first event as seeing the turnout and the fun everyone had really validated all the effort I put into getting it together.  I want to give big thanks to my friend Bill for helping push the event as hard as he did to really get the word out."
    What are the plans you see for the future of the club? "We have had a successful first year of consistent meetups, but my future plan is to connect the different and separate Age of Sigmar groups in the community.  I also hope to really engage the wider community with Social Media as we only have a small Facebook Page at the moment."

    Mike's Stormcast Eternals Army
    How can someone reach out to you or Steel City Sigmar? "We currently have our own dedicated Facebook Page called Steel City Sigmar, but we also post out events to the Pittsburgh Warhammer Fantasy and Age of Sigmar group as well.  You can also email SteelCitySigmar@gmail.com"

    --------------------------------------------
    If you are close to the Pittsburgh area be sure to check out the Facebook page for events or even pickup games.  The club usually meets at the end of each month on Sunday for friendly tournaments as well as relaxing hobby days at one of the local shops.  I have been lacking in attendance myself, but hope to remedy that in the coming year.  Until next week, Happy Hobbying!


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  19. Strength_Hammer
    Hello, everyone!  I have recently returned from my first Adepticon and I wanted to share an overview of my time at the convention and run through my experience.  Spoilers...it was great!

    I traveled out with my buddy Matt and from Pittsburgh, PA.  We took a predawn drive Thursday morning through a few states; Indiana being the worst due to construction, and seven hours later we arrived at our hotel.  After a bit of unwinding, I headed over to the Convention Hall to Register and explore.


    My Arrival at my First Adepticon
    First off I was blown away by the amount of Swag I received just for registering.  An entire copy of Runewars, the new Hordes Book, tons of models, bases, and a bunch of other little things.  It was so much I immediately took it back to the car so I could be free of any burden as I walked around.  My first stop was the AoS game hall!

    The AoS Vanguard and Warhost events were in full swing and I got to check out all the great armies on the table.  One thing that was palpable on entering the area was the positive energy in the room.  Everyone was having fun playing this game.  No one seemed stressed from the bottom tables to the top.  It was a great thing to see and made me instantly glad I finally came to Adepticon.  As I walked the room I began to recognize people I knew from Twitter and I began introducing myself and being introduced to others as well.  One of the strengths of this community is how welcoming it has been and this was no exception.  One of the highlights was getting to play a fun 2000pt game with Tyler Emerson from The Scruby & Wells Podcast.  His Sylvaneth were a beautiful army and my Stormcast were put to the task in 5 great turns of AoS.  Tyler pulled out the win and his Durthu was the star of the match for him making three consecutive 9" Charges!


    Tyler's Durthu had his running shoes on this day
    Day 2 began early as my excitement kept me from sleeping all that much.  I didn't have much planned for the day until evening so I really got to explore the convention in earnest.  The vendor hall was fantastic and I was lucky enough to meet some 40k podcasters while spending a fair portion of my funds on all the great miniatures in the hall.  I spent the rest of the day meeting folks  I know from Twitter until my evening when I was lucky enough to attend one of Duncans Painting classes.  This experience was eye opening.  Roger (the man behind the camera) and Duncan were very open and clearly enjoy what they do.  I took away a lot of army painting knowledge from this event as well as insight into how the community creates and posts their videos.  I have learned that in order to get to the next step of my painting skill I have a lot to do.


    Roger, Myself, and Duncan
    Saturday arrived and so did the AoS Championships, which I will go into detail in a future post, I had three fantastic games of AoS.  I gave out Combat gauges made by 6 Squared Studios to all my opponents who all immediately used it in the games played!  Honestly, they were some of the best games I have ever had, despite a few small critiques.  The time flew by and I pulled our a 2-3 record for day one and felt happy in where I sat.  Later that night I was humbled to be part of the US AoS Community Meeting.  This whole concept began as an idea I sent Tyler Emerson months ago to get us all together to work with Games Workshop in order to take AoS to the next level.  Games Workshop was welcoming and very open and the community leaders really rallied and will continue to help push this game to bigger and better things it the future you can be sure of that!  After the excitement, I managed to get a bit of sleep and head to the next day.


    My and Duncans model (He gave me his! On the left)
    While most people were tired from the previous night I had another two games of the AoS Championship.  While my first game suffered due to a lack of engagement from my opponent, but he played well and without issue. My final game was easily one of the best games I have ever played in and enjoyed every last moment.  I ended with two losses but ended up 44/104 in the event and for my first event I feel proud and look forward to improving year after year.


    The AoS US Community Group meet up (missing a few folks)
    After the awards ceremony, I said my goodbyes and was once again humbled by acceptance of the community ad hated to leave, but did so knowing I made a fair number of new friends who continued contact with me via twitter with nothing but excitement for our shared hobby.   I drove home that night with my buddy Matt and arrived home at 4:40 am.  After a night fo sleep and a day of relaxing and recalling stories to my wife, I found a new legitimacy and motivation for this hobby that has yet to die off.  Adepticon is now a must-attend event for me and I am looking at other events such as Nova, LVO, and Nashcon to a possibly attend in the future.


    Until next year...
    If you have ever thought to attend Adepticon I can whole heartily say do it.  Jump in and join us in this fantastic event.  I meet so many great people and cannot wait to see what the following year will bring to this great game.  I hope to see even more of you next year at Adepticon 2018!  Feel free to follow me on Twitter as I prepare for next year!

    Until next time Happy Hobbying!



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  20. Strength_Hammer
    Happy Holidays everyone!  Today I wanted to take some time to discuss your Hobby Space and give you some insight to future content I will be putting out (with help) to the community in the coming year.



    Where the hobby happens...
    Above you will see my new dedicated hobby area (Video Tour here).  There is still more lighting to add as well as general improvements due to it being my basement, but that will come with time.  While it will always be in constant development I could not be happier to have my entire hobby (except models I am displaying) consolidated into one space.
    My hobby space, like most, started out as some newspaper on my kitchen table.  Sometimes I miss that simplicity of those times.  Just sitting down with a model, some paint, and a worn out brush and taking a few hours to myself to create what I felt was top quality work.  While I enjoyed this time of my hobby career there was a lack of commitment on my part.
    As I grew within my abilities and commitment to the hobby I eventually put in a permanent table opposite my computer desk.  I felt this finally legitimized what I was doing with my hobby.  I was able to make a mess without care and leave projects on my desk until I finally completed the project.  This space gave me a constant reminder to build and paint while giving me a comfortable area with which to work.
    The one unexpected benefit of a dedicated hobby space was the bubble of hobby it created around me in that dedicated space.  Times when I didn't feel like hobbying were easier to overcome when I sat down at my table.  I knew the space was for building and painting miniatures and just by being in that space got my hobby juices flowing immediately.

    A while ago I took up Airbrushing and that meant I needed to set space in my basement strictly for airbrushing.  This worked splendidly, but I only did the minimum with my airbrush due to it being so far away from my main hobby space.  I can tell you lugging models from my basement to my second floor and back again began to get old quick. So I made the decision to move everything to the basement and I have not been more energized to paint in a long time.

    Thankfully part of the set up is an old workbench that was in the house when I moved in.  After moving my upstairs hobby table to the basement I opted to build a third table for a bit of extra space.  I have only had this space set up for a few weeks, but I have already begun painting and building and I am happy as can be.


    Having a dedicated hobby space  really allows you to grow and offers you a constant reminder to keep the paint and glue flowing.  If you do not have the space to set up a full table for your hobby I would recommend purchasing The Citadel Hobby Box (or other MDF/Plastic options that you can buy around the internet)to give yourself a small space that is easily stored to allow you to get up and hobbying quickly.  Sometimes the setup can be the biggest hindrance to wanting to hobby.  Get creative and you could build your own setup to suit your needs!  If you do I would love to see pictures in the comments below!
    Until Then Happy Holidays and Happy Hobbying!


    Future Content Update:
    Hey again everyone.  I wanted to take a moment to fill you in on some of my plans for 2017.
    My initial goal is to move this blog from monthly to weekly.  I tend to keep my posts short and instead of a longer monthly post I would rather offer the shorter length more often.  Please expect this to take place in January 2017.

    My other goal is to begin putting out content via Youtube in the form of Tactical Battle Reports, Breakdowns, What if scenarios, etc...  While this blog leans toward a hobby focus I cannot lie that I am a competitive gamer at heart.  I will be working with a very good friend to get this going sometime within quarter one of 2017.

    I have also tossed around the idea of doing a monthly podcast with my local group in a open talk format to discuss our games and hobby, but at this point it is only an idea as I do not want to over reach my time constraints, but who knows what could happen.
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  21. Strength_Hammer
    Hey everyone!  Happy Autumn Equinox!  Today I wanted to begin talking about my project and army plans for Armies on Parade 2017.  The date is already fast approaching, but I wanted to ensure I wrapped up my current Khorne army before diving into this one.  As of this post, there are Thirty-Two days before our parade week beings for Age of Sigmar.  On October 23rd Warhammer and Games Workshop stores across the globe will be full of amazing themed and painted Age of Sigmar Armies and I intend to be one of them while looking to earn a Gold place once again.  With the changes to Armies on Parade this year there are different paths for me to accomplish this as well.

    Teaser Poster for my Project
    Quite a long time ago, before the ending of The World that Was.  I had hoped to one day create an Autumn themed Wood Elf army.  Autumn is easily my favorite season due to all the festivals, and pumpkin flavored everything.  When I finally got to painting my Wood Elves I went a different route in order to allow mixing of the Elven races due to the End Times lists that could be created, but I put my Trees on hold as they were now Sylvaneth and for the past few years they have sat in my hobby room waiting to be painted, but other projects kept popping up I felt the need to do more.  Stormcast Eternals, Blades of Khorne, and finishing my newly named Aelven models.
    I have wrapped up my Khorne and was looking for a new project.  I decided to rebase my old Alef models on to rounds, but that is a very simple project despite the time it will take.  Then I saw Armies on Parade announced for 2017 on the Warhammer Community Website.  I immediately looked to my Khorne as it is freshly painted and painted to a higher level than other armies I own due to my improving skill.  However, I couldn't come up with a unique theme to a board for the army.  The color scheme is unique but beyond that, I haven't put created a narrative for the army.  Then I looked at my unpainted Sylvaneth, resigned to their fate of always being on the back burner and I decided I would paint them and find a fun and unique twist on the olf Autumn theme I wanted to do for so long.
    A glimpse into my Hobby Journal
    It was over coffee (Pumpkin Spice Latte if you were wondering) with my wife that the theme struck me and stuck.  We were talking about how much we enjoyed the Fall Harvest Festivals in our area as well as reminiscing about our early days on World of Warcraft and the fun Autumn Holiday events that went on within the game that we spent many hours enjoying over the years.  I thought why not theme my Sylvaneth around this?  So I set to task and drew up a plan and wrote out a list of what I would need.  I don't plan on any extreme or silly conversions on the models themselves, but I plan for tilled fields and Autumn Harvest for basing.
    Some Inspirational Art to help me plan
    I wanted to theme the board as a farm in the process of harvesting its crops in preparation for the upcoming festivals I have imagined within my own little slice of the Realm of Life.  I will incorporate my current model's int he army as well as three Citadel Woods as well.  With my plan laid out, I headed off to a local hardware store to pick up some great precut 2'x2' Foam boards as well as some miniature rustic farm tools and equipment from a local craft store.  I am sure there will be more added as the weeks go on, but I had enough to get started with my concept.

    Perhaps an Allarielle is needed to complete this project
    I plan to build and prime my models this weekend which shouldn't be much of a challenge as it is only around 1000pts in matched play.  I will prime with a darker brown and go over it with a reddish and lighter brown to help blend the Autumn Foilage that will be prevalent in the force as well.  It will still take quite a bit of effort, but I am up for the challenge.
    As I said earlier there have been some changes in Armies of Parade this year that add more award categories to the event.  The first large change is the separation between Age of Sigmar and 40k by having parade weeks separated by games.  My area is very 40k heavy and most of the armies last year were from that system.  That might have helped me stand out and achieve Gold last year, but I like that I will now be competing against other Age of Sigmar armies specifically this year.  They have also offered different categories to win.  Young Bloods, First Army, Monsters and Machines, Best Theme, Best Scenic Board, Best Painted are now all up for grabs and I believe it will add more diversity and participation.  I plan to contend for Best Theme and Best Scenic Board with my project this year and I am excited to really get stuck in with this project.

    Fun Fact:  I carve these same two pumpkin designs every year

    I will be posting continues progress here as well as on Twitter and plan to do a full post as the project comes to completion.  If you have a Games Workshop or Warhammer store nearby I highly suggest you participate this year.  Time is running short, but there is nothing like a deadline to complete a project.  If you are working on a display for Armies on Parade let me know as I would love to see what you are planning.  Until next week, Happy Hobbying!

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  22. Strength_Hammer
    Hello Everyone!  I wanted to talk this week about my local club, and the exciting things that are happening.



    The club is located in and around Pittsburgh, PA, and several small Age of Sigmar groups have popped up all over the place.  Clubs from Latrobe, Ligonier, Pittsburgh, Bridgeville, Monroeville, and I am sure others I have missed, are off playing Age of Sigmar together at their friendly local gaming store (FLGS).  Occasionally people from these gaming groups pop into our new Games Workshop Warhammer Store, but there is very little cohesion.  A few of us who frequent the Warhammer Store have begun playing competitively on a regular basis, and have decided to work on a way to bring these clubs together under one roof.  This will hopefully branch out to others even further away.

    The Steel City Sigmar Tournament Series hopes to bring a friendly, competitive Age of Sigmar gaming environment to the region.  The club have been working with Frontline Gaming to be added to their ITC ranking system.  As you have seen on some recent blog posts, we are consistently running smaller tournaments monthly, but the hope is to grow large enough to qualify for Grand Tournament status.   

    In conjunction with the ITC ranking system, it will also be using a local ranking system for the Steel City Tournament Series that you will gain throughout the season to count toward prizes and bragging rights.  Not only will you be able see where you place nationally, but also be able to see where you stand in a regional sense.  As the series moves through this process, they are looking for any critiques or advice, so that they can make positive changes. 


    The first event will be held on March 12th at Legions Games, one of our local FLGS near Pittsburgh, PA.  The event will consist of three games with random round one pairings.  The entry fee will be put to prize support in the form of Store Credit for the FLGS (the event is not run by the FLGS, but we want to "Pay where we play"). I look forward to writing a full and detailed report about the event, as well as a brief overview of the games I will play in a future post.

    If you are thinking about joining us feel free to check out the event pack here and if you have any questions on attending these events or helping out please feel free to reach out to the contact below.

    Mike - mikosan18o2@gmail.com


    As always feel free to follow me on Twitter (@odiamh) Until next week, Happy Hobbying!


    Edited by @Grudgegamer (twitter)
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  23. Strength_Hammer
    Hey Everyone! Today I have a very special guest post for everyone to enjoy.  I invited Paul (@Pjschard) from The Mortal Realms Podcast and Youtube Channel to discuss his upcoming Narrative Age of Sigmar Event at this year's Adepticon.  Paul is a passionate Narrative Event Organizer (NEO) with a love of spiders, goblins, and all things Warhammer.  It has been a treat to assist him with some of the preparations for the event titled "The Gibbering Dome" and I look forward to seeing the idea come to life on the tabletop in less than a month's time.



    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I’ve always been a bit obsessed with the idea of playing Warhammer games set in an indoor setting, I generally tend to blame that on playing Dungeons & Dragons endlessly from age 9 to 12. Until Age of Sigmar, playing a full battle of Warhammer within the confines of a twisting hallway, immense cavern, or massive landmark was simply impossible.  Ranks and flanks movement forced a large broad empty area in the center of every battlefield and did not allow for small chokepoints where only a single figure can pass through.   This was a bit of a frustration for me as I had bought well over a thousand dollars of Dwarven Forge dungeon tiles to play Warhammer with and they had been relegated to a pretty background for pictures.  




    When Age of Sigmar dropped, one of my first thoughts was elation that I could finally play a full game of Warhammer within this setting.  It is easily my favorite way to play AoS.  Following ACON last year I was motivated to extend that experience to other players and Coalescence provided the perfect backdrop.  I definitely doubted my ability to complete the project within the time frame required, so I broke the project into landmarks.  @bishmeister on Twitter was an incredible resource for material use and inspiration.  Originally I was hoping to make all the terrain flat pack but had to concede on that point due to construction issues.  I had to make concessions to my original vision but was ultimately incredibly excited about the product I was able to produce in such a short time.


    Mike Butcher contemplating the final Coalescence Scenario.

    I based the construction loosely on the interior of the Wisconsin State Capitol and decided to name its AoS counterpart the Gibbering Dome with help from the Mortal Realms Crew.  Because I have limited storage space all my tables are modular, allowing for each game to be a unique board including elevation changes.  The height variance has actually provided an interesting side benefit, allowing players to see the battle at eye level from a chair, but also to see the other players as well.  The games played on these tables have been some of the most enjoyable games I have watched and really inspired me to hold more events.  One of my goals going forward is to establish The Gibbering Dome as a setting that anyone will be able to pick and play using a few custom rules and their own terrain.  One of the ways I have started to establish that setting is through writing my own background, but the most important tool is by running more events using the terrain itself.
    I’ll not forget to say thanks to Chuck not only for offering me the post today, but also the immense help he has been with planning the Gibbering Dome Event. I’ll finish the post with a teaser piece of fiction sent out to all the players of the Gibbering Dome Event at Adepticon that encapsulates the journey a hero such as theirs may tell following the event.

    Petral the Thornborn, first son of the first son, a prince who will never be crowned, forester of the Nevergreen Mountains, and freeman of Ghyran stalked silently across the slopes.  Every footstep was a determined thing, intentional and planned.  He was careful if for no other reason than the respect of his prey.  Golden eyes ranged the mountainside, seeking a sign, and as he knelt to inspect another glimmering azure pool his long auburn braids rippled in the wind. The blossom-jaguar must be near for its blood was still shining.  Sinew bow carefully trained on the path marked by blue twinkles amid shifted talus, he rounded yet another ridge.   
     Petral recognized the location and braced himself: it was an impassable gorge which drove back into the mountainside.  He knew his prey was now trapped.  The defile was deep in shadow despite the full noon sun blazing in the green sky above.  He could see the jewels of light dotting the darkness before him, but it was fading.  The blossom-jaguar must be close to death.  
    Warily pacing back and forth, he stepped into the darkness only when his eyes could pierce it.   After a few minutes of tracking, the path receded into the cliff wall, but the blossom-jaguar was nowhere in sight.  Ahead, waterfalls tumbled down sheer cliffs and coated the rocks in a fine mist.  Luminescent moss carpets floated level with the path, slowly rising and falling in the buffeting wind.  Scanning beyond the path, he could see no trace of his prey.  The blossom-jaguar must have fallen.  Petral made to leave, foot twisting upon the talus, but he stopped and peered once more into the depths.  Upon the closest carpet was a spill of twinkling liquid within the vegetation.  It looked like blood.
     If the giant cat could walk across the floating carpets, then so must he. A tentative foot stepped forward, and the moss did not give.  Step by step, he walked deeper into the gorge.  In these untouched depths, Ghyran found a way to grow and thrive.  Arches of plate-like fungus soon showed upon the falls and softly glowing toadstools dotted the air, roots glistening with moisture.  Ultraviolet rainbows shimmered within the mists, dazzling his eyes.  Still, he followed the fading drops of light until their light had gone and the spots of blood stood out as wounds of death in the thriving, pearlescent landscape.  
    The waterfalls grew more numerous until they filled the cliffs before him, yet the blood led ever forward.  Shivering despite himself, Petral shouldered his way through the largest one, stepping through into a vaulted grotto behind the falls.   A still life lay on the floor to the right, soaked, tired and strained.  Dark glistening blood told the tracker that the blossom-jaguar was near death.  He cautiously moved closer, then carefully removed his axe from its side.  The hunted quivered one last time, and liquid emptiness pooled across the shimmering life of the grotto as motes of purest light ascended into the air from the lifeless mass.  Mouthing an ancient blessing, Petral stroked its ears, the texture of the lily petals smooth against his hand. He traced the spots of orchids upon its flank before moving down to the tough sinewy fiber of its tail.  His fingers reached to the legs and removed the needle-sharp thorns from its paws before rolling the thorns back and forth in his palm.  These would be a nice addition to the thorn-claw necklace about his throat. The prince stood a moment, reflecting that this was the second sacred life he had needed to kill.  
    Scrabbling harvester beetles erupted from the rock, intent upon the dead mass.  Petral took a step back and watched the cycle of Ghyran come to completion.  Soon the glowing moss beneath his feet began to undulate with verdant sapphire ripples, drawing him deeper into the mountain.  He had heard tales of such signs and knew better than to ignore them.  Grasping his fur tightly, he moved deeper within the mountain.  The damp air became warm as the walls of the grotto drew closer.  Eyes closed, he squeezed through a narrow opening thick with floating toadstools.  
    When he finally burst through the last of the fungi, he was stunned.  Elm trees of ancient age had been woven into a living archway, roofed with summer leaves and broad enough for five men abreast.  The ground itself was rich with loam and smooth stone, intricately carved into what looked to be whorl leaf shapes, similar to those which decorated his face. Bow slung across his back and axe hanging from his belt, he ran his fingers along the ancient trees.  Alarielle’s song echoed in his ears as he stepped out from under the last sheltering bough.  
    Before him lay a vale far too large to have been contained within the mountain itself.  Clear Ghyran sunlight shone upon immense cataracts cascading from a height unseen around an oasis of ancient oaks encompassing colossal sky islands.   More thundering waterfalls sprayed out buffeting clouds of vapor, which nurtured floating carpets of innumerable flowers, bell blossoms chiming in delicate tones.  A rainbow of birds flew above like brilliant jewels, as sedge-deer and other life approached him, unused to the presence of any man.  Every surface was covered with pure water and abundant life. Every surface that is, but one.  
    The patterns continued down the path and ended at a courtyard; Petral felt compelled to follow. Stepping onto the polished stone space, he felt a jolt as the presence of Ghyran left him.  Colossal stone steps the color of aged bone stretched upwards before him, flanked by massive, banded walls.  Scrambling from ledge to ledge he finally came upon a wedge-shaped landing, outlined by carved pillars and shaded by an immense cupola.  Where two angled walls met, there was a solitary entrance.  The prince could hear the sounds of the vale, but he could no longer feel the song of Alarielle.  He strung his bow, then gripped his axe tightly and walked forward into the doorway.  The sound ceased abruptly, and Petral’s eyes swept left and right.  The entrance appeared to be connected to somewhere -- in fact, to many somewheres.  Silhouettes framed by uniquely colored light stood outlined in each other entrance ringing the space.  A susurrus of movement rose to fill the air, and the door behind him slammed shut.  All was darkness.    
    A sibilant voice whispered in his ear.  “Welcome.”  Petral’s axe whipped through the air but found no target.
    A raspy feminine voice boomed from in front of him  “Welcome to the Gibbering Dome.”
     The sun, set and rose, set and rose once more before Petral stumbled forth from the entrance.  Bleeding and holding his thigh for support he stopped to peer at the vale.  From the landing, his view of what he had climbed had changed.  The stones of the courtyard were now obviously stretching into the vale, and where the two made contact, there was a line of fine grey ash.  The path he had followed was not carved of leaves but of rib bones, and the ground was weeping emerald blood were they were half buried.  Scrambling down the steps, he sprinted over the courtyard back to the embrace of Ghyran.
    Collapsing upon the loam, he rested for a time before he rose and inspected himself.  First, he removed his fur from his back, the verdant amethyst color had left, replaced by a lifeless brown, and the prince discarded it in the courtyard.  Checking his axe and bow, he was satisfied they had not been tainted.  Hands traced his throat, but the thorn-claw necklace was gone.  Foot twisting upon the loam, he turned to stare at that place.  As he watched, the building faded out of sight to be replaced by lifeless dried dirt and bare rock.  The path on which he stood buckled and cast the rib bones from itself as harvester beetles burst from the vale and set to work repairing the scars.  

    Crushing a rib with his foot Petral started the long limp home.  He must return to the Gibbering Dome he knew, but this time with an army at his back.  

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Thank you, Paul, for taking the time to share some lore and details about The Gibbering Dome!  While the event is currently full you can always jump on the waitlist or swing by Thursday to see some great Narrative gaming in action.  I plan to invite Paul back after Adepticon to do a follow-up post about the event so look forward to that in the future.

    Until next week, Happy Hobbying!

    Chuck Moore



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  24. Strength_Hammer
    It is that time of year for us to muster our forces and display them proper in Armies on Parade!

    Every year I watched as hobbyists across the globe created armies and display boards for their local Armies on Parade.  Seeing the projects was always a great way to get my hobby mojo going either through the White Dwarf or Online posts by the community.  This year I finally have a Games Workshop location within driving distance and I am finally able to participate.
    I decided to use my Stormcast Chamber (The Reik Eternals) as they are one of my newest armies and only had minimal work to finish the army from a painting stand point.  Then came to the decision of designing my display board.  Such began the process...

      The outline of my board
    Thankfully I work in the building industry so foam insulation board is easy to come across.  I gathered a few pieces and after some wire and glue I had a base.  I decided to go with a raging river on my display board to represent a variation of the River Reik.  The foam was a new medium for me and after some guess work it began to come together.  I cut the River into shape and used a candle to create the wavy pattern for the river you see above.  After adding some foam rocks created from the scrap it was time to paint!
      The color blocked out

    The river comes alive!
    I have to admit painting the river was an exciting challenge.  I know there is plenty of room to improve, but I am proud of what I was able to accomplish.  After some quick drying with a hair dryer I was able to flock and trim the board which admittedly was my least favorite part.
    With added scenary
    I even added a sign complete with sloppy hand writing!
    The whole process took me 3 days from start to finish and while there is much I would like to redo I am very happy with the finish product and will take my knowledge with me to next years display board to make it bigger and better!
    Good luck to everyone participating this year and I look forward to seeing your work online (I hear rumors GW is putting up all pictures from the stores on one website)!  I will leave you know with a few shots of my Army on Parade and I will report back if I manage to pull out a podium!



    #OnlyTheFaithful
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  25. Strength_Hammer
    Weeks ago I decided to finally begin Airbrushing in earnest.  Until that moment I was honing my skills with a brush (and even did a lot of priming with a brush) with  a plethora of techniques to still learn.


    Here is my weapon of choice.  Found a great deal online.
    I managed to find a great deal on the brush above and purchased it without a second thought (over one year ago).  Then I let it sit in the box unopened for about eight months.  To be honest I was intimidated by the thought of starting down the path of learning this new tool.  After my eight months of fear I decided to open and examine the device and shortly realized I needed an air compressor (which allowed me to delay a few more months as I searched for the right compressor).  Shortly after Christmas and Birthdays rolled around and my friends and family bought me everything I could need to begin airbrushing!  I had no more excuses so I delayed a few more months anyway and finally began.


    I decided to go right into it by priming models from minute one and after some trepidation I began to get a feel for the flow and flew threw my Army to what you see above.

    After the initial night of airbrushing I was fully invested and I spent the entire next day creating the concept Aelf Army (Dubbed "The Survivors of Rhana Dandra") you see above.  I created a black to white gradient in about 5 different layers using all the techniques I have heard about over the years.  To top it off I did a spot color of Electric Blue with a small highlight of blue mixed with a bit of white.  I don't feel this army is done, by any means, but I plan to go back to it soon with some subtle washes to add the illusion of color to a few more pieces of each model.


    With my motivation high I tackled a few more small projects with some Dark Angel Terminators, an old White Dwarf model and some converted models below.

    I had a few Witch Aelves left over from my Dark Elf army and converted them up to be a Mistweaver Saih and a Tenebrael Shard to lead my Concept Army.

    Currently I have moved sprayed a sea of Green as I have begun my Orc force for Age of Sigmar.  Let the WAAAAGH Commence.

    Looking at it all now I can say the thought of airbrushing is much more frightening than actually airbrushing and I encourage everyone (if able) to look to add this tool to your painting tool belt even if its just blocking colors as you see me here.  Listen to podcasts and pick up insight they may offer and I can highly recommend checking out Kenny Boucher and his weekly Twitch stream(Here is a link to his YouTube Channel).  His stream is was great encouragement to finally begin airbrushing.  Kenny and the podcast he is on The Long War is a great source for Warhammer 40,000 tactics and they are committed to "Bringing Hobby Back".

    Until next time. #OnlyTheFaithful

    Also I promised big news in the last Post.  I am planning on starting a YouTube channel the beginning of next year.  Keep and eye out for updates!


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