Eldar Magnificent Seven

Chunkier than their newer Games Workshop cousins, nevertheless the original Eldar Expansion Pack provides a nice fourth player for Space Crusade Game. Decked out in their Eldar Blue/Yellow colour scheme the seven surviving figures form a protective perimeter (see below):

I have to say I am enjoying this somewhat unplanned foray into a bit of Science Fiction with its rather retro feel to it!

New "Team Four" for Space Crusade: The Eldar

As well as a universe full of 'good guy' Space Marines, the fourth player option in Space Crusade introduces The Eldar race, an exotic class of "Space Elf" (or should that be 'Gelf' see below, WIP on my first one):

These come from the Space Crusade expansion pack. More nimble than their heavy footed Space Marine counterparts and their leaders have 'psychic spell like powers' to complement their "advanced tech". I have chosen the classic vintage Blue/Yellow paint scheme (see below):

Like all the "good guys" they hate Chaos but can be quite cold and ruthless to Space Marines as well if/when their spheres of interest cross.

Retro late 1980's Era Gaming Session: Space Crusade

Three small tactical squads of Space Marines from the Ultra Marines, Blood Angels and Imperial Fists Chapters take on a Chaos Renegade (me) sitting in a Space Hulk recently emerged from the "warp" and brimming with deviant chaos creatures! Classic stuff, there is beer and pretzels too, what more could a man want for on a Friday night?

The "Good Guys" deploy into the Space Hulk and are immediately surrounded by a disconcerting sea of blips on their movement scanners. An early 'Random Alien' event turns out to be very useful to The Blood Angels player, revealing all my blips for miniatures on his game board. My cunning Chaos Space Marine "trap in waiting" was blown open so I decided in the best fashion of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to "rush 'em"! [Note: Space Crusade has no concept of an 'over-watch' so you can rush in and hopefully fire off a devastating volley] (see below):

Note: Tau substitute in for Chaos Space Marines, Tyranids for Orcs (who would never survive in space IMHO) and scavenger Necron robots for Getchins.

The Blood Angel's perimeter defense (see above) is smothered in a hail of (what I hoped to be devastating) fire, but in true billboard Space Marine recruitment-poster fashion I scored "no" telling hits. Damn those dice! The inevitable returning fire from The Blood Angels (tooled up with three heavy weapons against my advice) was devastating (no more Chaos Space Marines). I gained a new found sense of respect for Space Marines "heavy weaponry". I was also now without my centerpiece defensive asset. Not a good start, luckily the "rookie" Space Marines didn't realize how compromised (and how totally out of ideas) I was. The Imperial Fists and Ultra Marines meanwhile cleaned up in their respective sectors. I had put a screen of dummies, Gretchins and Orcs out trying to wear the Space Marines down as they cautiously advanced. My sniping screen managed to pick off one 'unlucky' Ultra Marine taken out by a Gretchin, or rather armed 'cleaning droid' (see below):

As the Imperial Fists and Ultra Marines were dragging their heels I saw another fleeting opportunity to isolate and take out some Blood Angels head-to-head, so I unleashed my Android and Dreadnought [aka a Tyranid Warrior figure] in a "kitchen sink" attack with some soak off Orcs and Gretchin tagging along for the ride (see below):

I had quality and numbers. "May he who rolls the better dice win" and I just rolled plain bad. Everything bar the Dreadnought is lost to those accursed Blood Angels (to whom I was deepening my healthy respect of, have I mentioned the "heavy weapons" yet . As in, "Do you know where can I get some?"). 

Time to run away and stage an Alamo and go down fighting. The Blood Angels take chunks out of the Dreadnought but it's the Imperial Fists (in Yellow) who wade in to steal the show and take out the "primary objective" (claiming 30 points). It is not going the way of Chaos (see below):

Strange things can happen in a game of Space Crusade as a random Alien Event (I was hoping for a Genestealer attack but one never materialized) caused the Ultra Marines to inadvertently trigger a Booby-trap (resulting in the most deadly Chaos attack of the game) taking out two Space Marine troopers and wounding their Space Marine Commander (see below, the indignity of it all, tee-hee, never give in is the Chaos motto):

Despite this small victory there is nothing to stop the last brave Chaos Orc being hunted down like the dog it is, falling in the end to an Imperial Fist heavy weapon despite the Ultra Marines playing "catch the pigeon" (see below, we nick named the last Orc/lizard as "Charlie" with respect to the infamous pigeon song):

With that there was the undignified scramble back to the respective docking ports as the victorious Space Marines "bugged out". A damn fine game, despite the kicking "Chaos" received. A good use of miniatures I had been eclectically hoarding for the past ten years or so and time spent in very pleasant company to boot. The relative final score rakings were :

• The Blood Angels [taking no casualties], promoted one rank and two honour badges
• The Imperial Fists [taking no casualties], two honour badges
• The Chaos Renegade (me) missing out by the difference of just one more Space Marine from an acceptable performance, I am turned into Chaos Spawn as punishment [new Chaos Renegade Character required]
• The Ultra Marines, disgraced for taking too many casulties [three marines lost] and not killing enough baddies [new Sargent Character required]

Another game at some point in the future is definitely on the cards :)

Ultra Marines for Space Crusade

Unlike "The Imperial Fists" and "The Blood Angels" which were fresh paints, I already possessed some albeit ancient Ultra Marines from a long since dried up starter paint pack from Games Workshop (dating back to the late 1980's methinks). However for 'smooth play' I needed three marines (including one commander figure) that could have interchangeable parts (as in weapons). Hence the small but necessary addition to my collection (see below):

The three bluer figures seen above being the newbies! This little painting task done and I have reached the minimum threshold of figures needed for "game play"! I wonder which one is called "Spot the Space Marine" ;)

Next: Space Marines "Go To It!"

Space Marines: Imperial Fists

Second batch of Space Marines are finished: The Imperial Fists.

Bodyguards to the Emperor so they must be tough hombres. The dude in White is obviously in his best dress uniform (see below):

Cool, but will they survive the first scenario of Space Crusade?

Space Crusade: Blood Angels Painting Frenzy

Space Crusade was a late 1980's, early 1990's Party Game from Games Workshop filled with a variety of Warhammer 40K goodies (Space Marines) and baddies (a little bit of everything but Alien [Genestealers] and RoboCop [Dreadnought] influences can be clearly seen). It also gives me the excuse to justify my ad-hoc smattering of GW and non-GW Sci-Fi figures. Whereas if you "play the 40K game proper" you need shed loads of kit. Space Crusade and it's cousin Space Hulk lets you play a beer and pretzel game with friends in an evening. Perfect for "my time of life" and a planned March get together with some old buddies.

I need to paint two batches of five Space Marines in Blood Angels (Red) and Imperial Fists (Yellow) for the game (to take it to that extra level, rather than playing with bare plastic). As luck would have it I am already covered with a small gang of Ultra Marines (Blue). The baddies are covered by "subbing in from other sources" (for example instead of Chaos Space Marines I will use Tau, instead of Space Orks [creatures IMHO are unbelievable in Sci-Fi setting, as I could not believe they could make it into space and stay alive] I will use Tyranids). As long as they are painted suitably Sci-Fi I am happy.

Task 1: My Five Blood Angels: (See below)

Rough Painting Summary: 

• Airfix Grey Primer (01)
• Vallejo Dark Red (Shade) Gory Red  72011 (Game Color)
• Vallejo Red and Brown Wash (Recess Shadow) Red Shade 73206 + Umber Shade 73203 
• Vallejo Dark Red (Shade II ) Gory Red 72011 (Game Color]
• Vallejo Black on Metallic Areas. Eyes and Under-suit Joints (block out detail areas for later) 72051 (Game Color)
• Vallejo Medium Red (Base) Bloody Red 72010 (Game Color)
• Vallejo Orange (Highlight) Hot Orange 72009 (Game Color)
• Vallejo Gun Metal (Metallic areas and base for "Gold" markings) 70863 (Model Color)
• Vallejo Grey (Highlight under-suit) Stonewall Grey 72049 (Game Color)
• Anita Acrylics (11208) Bronze  for Markings and Trimmings
• Anita Acrylics Highlight Gold Markings
• Eyes Green (Shade) Cayman Green 72067 (Game Color)
• Eyes Green (Base) Sick Green 72029 (Game Color)
• Eyes Green (Highlight) Escorpena Green 72032 (Game Color)
• Eyes Reflection (White dot) Dead White 72001 (Game Color)
• Non-Metallic part of Weapons Highlight (Grey) Stonewall Grey 72049 (Game Color)
• Black Wash Weapons
• Metallic Part of Weapons Highlight (Silver)

Space Marine Sergeant (only): 

• Flesh and Hair (Shade) Dark Fleshtone 72044 (Game Color)
• Flesh (Base) Dwarf Skin 72041 (Game Color)
• Flesh (Highlight) Dwarf Skin 72041 + Dead White 72001 (Game Color)
• Hair (Base) Leather Brown 72040 (Game Color)
• Hair (Highlight) Leather Brown 72040 + Dead White 72001 (Game Color)

Note: Quite a lot of work in the end. Useful Painting Guide Video Links:

Apathetic Fish: Blood Angels
Official GW Site: Blood Angels Painting Video

Next: Some Imperial Fists

Hobby Review: State of Play (End of February)

New Year's Resolution#1: "To play 20 Games(*1) in 2015"

1.       Computer Game: Age of Empires Castle Siege (and enjoying it, Level 6)

2.       Candy Crush (Started since Xmas, Level 103)

3.       [Future] Planned Blood Bowl (Purchased online from HuddleBubble, but waiting for a new PC before I start playing)

4.       [Future] Planned Space Crusade Retro-Gaming Night (March)

Notes: These include: Tabletop Wargame (multi-player or solo), PBM or Computer Moderated, Multi-Player OnLine Game(s), Board Game (multi-player or solo). Difficulty [Predicted Hard but I think I am cracking it]

New Year's Resolution#2: "To finish 24 Modelling Projects  in 2015"

1.       Airfix Matilda II #7 (Project Type [a]) Complete

2.       Airfix Matilda II #8 (Project Type [a]) Complete

3.       AWI 28mm Painting Prototype Figure (Project Type [d]) Complete

4.       AWI 28mm Regular Infantry Unit (14 Figures) (Project Type [c]) WIP (1 of 14)

5.       Airfix Matilda II #9 (Project Type [a]) Complete

6.       StarGruntz GZG 15mm Infantry Platoon (10 Figures) (Project Type [c]) WIP (8 of 40)

7.       Airfix Fairey Battle (Project Type [a]/[b]) WIP

8.       Games Workshop Space Marines (Blood Angels) WIP

9.       Games Workshop Space Marines (Imperial Fists) WIP

Project Types: (a) making a larger scale model from kit in box to assembled [1/76+ vehicle or plane, 1/1200+ ship], (b) painting a larger scale an assembled model [see (a)], (c) painting a tactical squad of troops or small scale wargaming OoB element [1/200 or 1/300 micro-tanks or aircraft. 1/3000 scale ships], (d) Painting Prototype(s) for (c) if an in-depth mini project.

Notes: Difficulty [Medium, though it is looking easy given the unexpected backlog/supply of Airfix "tanks" I have recently found in the loft I would say more easy, so I upped the target tally to 24]

New Year's Resolution#3: "To read 5 Wargaming Related Book in 2015"

·         None! (As yet, though there is plenty of latent reading matter lying around the house, as my wife constantly reminds me)

Notes:  This includes, new Rule Books, Historical Reference Books, Historical Novels, Campaign Histories, Books on Modelling Techniques excludes magazines. Difficulty [Easy, er well I seem to have struck out in January/February, much to my surprise (again).

New Year's Resolution#4: "To experiment with Digital Resources for my Hobbies"

1. ·         Geordie’s Big Battles Blog
2. ·         Wargames Soldiers and Strategy Online YouTubePainting Tutorial Guide:  AWI British Infantryman
3. ·         YouTube Battleground Videos 
4. ·         Age of Empires Castle Siege
5. ·         Space Marines: Blood Angels Painting Guide(s)
6. ·         Space Marines: Imperial Fists Painting Guides(s)

Note: This includes "Getting a Kindle" (at some point), playing On-Line Games (which probably means getting a new computer) ... this could mean goodbye to some books, or at least not so many new ones! Difficulty [Medium, still medium]

Cor, this is quite a serious looking post (again), 2015 mapped out!