Classic Warhammer Fantasy Miniatures: Grombrindal, Gotrek and Felix (and a Dark Elf Assassin)

I recently finished painting up some old classic Warhammer Fantasy Battle miniatures.

The original White Dwarf ("Grombrindal") miniature was sculpted by Colin Dixon and released back in 1996. It was the sole remaining miniature from my old WHFB Dwarf army that I played (unpainted) in the late 1990s and sold off in the early 2000s. For some reason I kept the old chap around on the off chance I had an urge to paint him up one day. It took almost 25 years, but finally got around to him....

Michael Perry sculpted the classic Gotrek and Felix miniatures, which were released way back in June 1993. I owned them back in the mid-1990s, sold them off (unpainted), then picked up another set a few years ago.

I tried to go for the old classic 1990s look. I didn't dip these models and didn't use my usual painting shortcuts this time, (no Sharpie pens). Felix's colors changed a few times during my painting endeavor, but his color scheme ended up fairly close to the pictures from the time of their release. For basing them I decided on going with a homage to the 1990s Goblin Green style....

In addition, I found an old Dark Elf Assassin in the same bits box with my other classic models. I forget why I bought him, but he was primed and partially painted (perhaps for use in a failed attempt at a Warhammer Quest redux during the mid-2000s). I decided to finish him up along with the other models, and I worked on him intermittently when I needed to wait for the other models to dry before proceeding.

These were fun to paint up and can join a few other classic models I had painted and kept around, (mostly from the late 1990s).  I prefer these older models to the newer plastic models that Games Workshop has released lately - they are easier to paint and I think they often have more charm and character.  However, next I may try to paint up the latest plastic Gotrek model as a comparison.

Blitz Bowl - Chaos Dwarfs

I recently started painting up small batches of three miniatures for use in a mini-Blitz Bowl variant I've been using to teach the Blitz Bowl mechanics to new players.  These three Chaos Dwarfs are actually the Black Rock Dwarves from Impact! Miniatures, sculpted by Ramsay McPherson. I painted them with a basic color scheme. Then I dipped them and used a metallic Sharpie to highlight the silver parts.

The Chaos Dwarfs faced the Dark Elves in a 3 on 3 match and were promptly defeated by their agile and cruel opponents.  For their draft rules, I gave the Chaos Dwarf linemen Move 4, Throw 5+, Armour 3+, along with a "Thick Skull" special rule, similar to the "Indomitable" revision in the Santa Cruz Blitz Bowl League (SCBBL) Official ​Unofficial​ Rules Document: "This player cannot be Knocked Down. If they would be, make an armor check for them.  If it is passed, they remain standing, but fumble the ball (if they are carrying it). If it fails, they are Injured as normal.".

Blitz Bowl: Game State Puzzle (Humans and Goblins)

"The Crush" podcast has a "game-state-puzzles" channel on their Discord channel.  I recently added a game state puzzle featuring Humans and Goblins:

All players on the board are shown. You are the Humans and it's the start of your turn, challenge cards are as shown. Maximize the expected value of points this turn. Let's go with regular 3 point touchdowns. 

Extra Credit #1: If you could replace one of the cards with "Break Some Bones!", 1) would you, and if yes, 2a) which one would you replace, and 2b) how does that impact your solution (expected value of points this turn)?

A number of great responses were provided, but the best and most comprehensive was given by LanguiDude (Dan), who took a very scholarly approach writing out a complete examination of the puzzle.  Here is his fun and well-thought-out analysis:

Game State Challenge #1: Extra Credit
Or: On Swapping In Break Some Bones, A Treatise

It is assumed that if you are reading this essay, you are familiar with Mezmaron's Game State Challenge #1, on the Discord channel for the Blitz Bowl podcast: The Crush! The question posed was "would you swap in Break Some Bones (BSB) for one of the cards given? If so, which card, and how does that impact your expected points?" For a definitive answer, I will first address the scenario without a swap, then I will assess each card, one after the other. I will make one dangerous assumption for this essay: everything goes according to plan. (Ignore that sound, it is merely Nuffle’s laughter…)

Let’s begin by discussing the basic scenario, without swapping in Break Some Bones! As [@SC Matt] and I both agree, the best way this turn could play out is by Marking with the open Lineman to score Tie Them Up! (+2 points, and Inspiration.) Then Sidestep with the Catcher to gain Go Deep! (+2 points.) Finally, attempt a Throw with the Thrower to be received by the Catcher. Using a combination of luck and Raw Talent (and potentially Inspiration, if things go kind of wrong) this should result in scoring Show Us a Completion (+1 point and an additional +2 for a Clean Sweep), and a touchdown (+3 points.) Given this sequence of events, I will have scored a whopping 10 points! As long as my score was equal to or greater than my opponents, this will give me a Sudden Death victory. But even if I'm behind, I'll have closed the gap significantly...

Before discussing the cards I'd actually swap, let's discuss how I would score BSB. This doesn't change from one scenario to the next, so it will provide a convenient shorthand for when I say "score BSB." In every case, I will block with the Lineman Assisted by the Catcher. This will give me two blocking dice to roll, and as every roll results in a Knock Down (with the exception of the dreaded Double Skull!) I have a 35/36 chance of knocking down the Goblin. Finally, because Goblins have armor 6+, the odds of not scoring BSB is 1/216, or ~.4%. [Permit me, dear reader, to point out that I got a solid C in statistics.]

In addressing the cards individually I will discuss them in the order I would least like to swap them. First: Go Deep! Because Go Deep! has Raw Talent on the back (and I really like Raw Talent to increase my odds at a successful completion/touchdown combo), this is the card I'd be least likely to swap. Nevertheless, this is what the turn would look like given this swap. [Remember our assumption: everything goes according to plan.] First move, I'd mark with the open Lineman to score Tie Them Up (+2 points, and Inspiration). Then I'd score BSB (as outlined in the above paragraph) for +3 points. Finally, I'd attempt the pass/touchdown combo, scoring Show Us A Completion (+1 point, and +2 for Clean Sweep), and a touchdown using Catcher’s Instincts (+3 points) for a total of 11 points.

Next, Tie Them Up! Originally, I had thought I would least like to swap this card. Even if I didn't use the bonus play - Inspiration - this turn to score a touchdown, it would certainly come in handy in the future. After considering how important Go Deep! is to the round, however, it is clear that this card is not as important as Go Deep! in regards to the turn in discussion. With Tie Them Up gone, I no longer need to spend my first action marking with my lineman. So my first action will be to score BSB (+3 points). Then I would Run the Catcher next to the endzone, which would get me Go Deep! (+2 points and Raw Talent). Finally, I would attempt the pass, to score Show Us A Completion (+1 points, and Clean Sweep +2 points), then get the touchdown with Catcher's Instincts (+3 points). Total points scored: 11. This is a fine place to be in, and as I have a shot at Blocking Play, it's not the worst card to trade.

Finally, let's discuss Show Us A Completion! This would be my preferred card to Trade for BSB. Namely because it yields the greatest increase in points. (2 points net, to be precise.) While it’s a little tricky to pull off the Clean Sweep in this configuration, I will attempt to show that it’s no trickier than the basic scenario. The first move is still Tie Them Up. The two remaining cards are Go Deep, and BSB. If I Go Deep with my catcher right now, I'm left attempting BSB without assistance. This isn't the worst move ever, but it's definitely risky. So the second move is to score BSB. To wrap it up, I score the final card, Go Deep, and get the clean sweep. All that’s left is the touchdown. Given our initial assumption, “everything going to plan” in this case means I have Inspiration from Tie Them Up, and Raw Talent from Go Deep., and can still score a touchdown with my fourth action, passing the ball to the Catcher, and using Catcher's Instinct to finish the play. Whichever way I play it out, if all goes according to plan, I will have scored an admirable 12 points.

All of these swaps have potential for an increase in points. However, the first two, as I mentioned above, are significantly worse than Show Us A Completion. Tie Them Up and Go Deep both are "automatic" point-earners, in that they don't rely on you rolling anything. So I would not choose to swap either of those for BSB. Which leaves SUAC. As SUAC is arguably a more difficult card to guarantee than BSB, I would definitely trade this card, if I had to trade a card. That being said, the fact that I can only get a Clean Sweep and a touchdown by getting Inspiration (and it’s only a 50% chance, at that) I would much rather keep the initial scenario as presented.

I hope to propose additional game-state puzzles soon.  I believe they really demonstrate that Blitz Bowl, although simple to learn, offers much more strategy, analysis, and complexity than first meets the eye. This "easy to learn and difficult to master" aspect is one thing I love about the game of Blitz Bowl.

Blitz Bowl - Challenge Card (and Endgame Challenge Card) Cheat Sheet Updates

In Episode 8 of the "The Crush", Matt and Jody examined the Endgame Challenge Deck and their associated Bonus Plays.  I have now updated the Challenge Card cheat sheet to include Endgame Challenges and their classifications.  In addition, the cheat sheet now lists the points associated with scoring each card.

The image is optimized for 5x7 printouts and can easily and cheaply be printed out on photo paper (from Costco Photos, etc.) for a simple hardcopy reference.

Blood Bowl: Repainted and Re-based 3rd Edition Dwarf Grudgebearers from Ebay (with Zara the Slayer Added)

I recently touched-up and re-based some 3rd edition Blood Bowl Dwarfs that I bought off of Ebay.  I also re-painted the Troll Slayer's beard (to the traditional orange color), and gave him some blue tattoos.

I supplemented the team with a Zara the Slayer model.  The Zara the Slayer is a "Fantasy Football Female" sculpted by Pierre Francois Jacquet, from Impact! Miniatures Middle Kingdoms team range.  For just $2.80, the price was right - especially compared with other available Zara miniatures.  I painted her up simply and quickly in blue and white.

The entire Dwarf Grudgebearers team were then dipped, re-based, and flocked.  It was an easy way of getting a painted team on the table for a pretty low cost.  The original painter did a great job on these and I think they really shine for the limited additional time and effort I spent on them to add some finishing touches.

These models have a recent, storied Ebay history.  I bought them from a buyer in Terre Haute, Indiana for $40 (plus $5 shipping) on March 30th.  You can see the original color of the Dwarf Slayer's beard (green) - a bold and creative choice!  They also were painted up to have Minnesota Viking color scheme, (complete with some with horns painted on their helmets).  I repainted the helmets white for a more traditional Blood Bowl look.

While browsing the completed Ebay auctions, I noticed that the very same team that I had bought was previously sold on Ebay a few weeks prior to my purchase.  The original seller was from Selden, New York (in Long Island).  The auction winner paid just $20 (plus $9.60 for shipping), which was an amazing steal for these models and also included an unpainted Deathroller.  He obviously took the Deathroller from the lot and flipped the remaining models.  Not only did he get a free Deathroller, but also made a slight profit on the remaining team!  Well played, Ebay master!

One negative from the experience is that I've now been obsessively searching Ebay for similar steals on well-painted Blood Bowl miniatures.  So far, I've come across nothing close.  Although I will likely use the models mostly for playing games of Blitz Bowl, I'd like to have a complete Blood Bowl team that includes a Deathroller.  They are expensive on Ebay and so I'm totally jealous that the original buyer got such a great deal on one!

Blitz Bowl - Challenge Card and Bonus Play Cheat Sheets

One part of Blitz Bowl that I love is the dynamic and strategic nature of the Challenge Cards and the Bonus Play that each one provides.  These two cheat sheets (the same, but each with a different color scheme) are based on the classifications from the excellent "The Crush" podcast, hosted by Matt and Jody from the Santa Cruz Blitz Bowl League.

In Episode 5 of The Crush, Matt and Jody examine the Challenge Deck.  They review each Challenge Card and talk about strategies and tactics.  Then, in Episode 6, they examine and review the the Bonus Plays.

These images are optimized for 5x7 printouts and they can easily and cheaply be printed out on photo paper (from Costco Photos, etc.) for a simple hardcopy reference.

"Painting" More 40K Chaos Space Marines (Black Legion) with Sharpie Pens

I recently "painted" additional models to add to my small contingent of Black Legion models that were speed painted using Sharpie pens and a limited number of acrylic paints.  This time I added a few Chaos Cultists and two Possessed models.

The Chaos Cultists were primed using a Desert Yellow Army Painter spray primer.  I then used a variety of Sharpie pens to add different earth shades to each model.  Metallic Sharpies were used to highlight the metal areas.

For the Possessed, I used metallic Sharpies to highlight many of the areas on each model after first priming them black, (with a zenithal overprime of dark grey).  The purple areas were then Sharpied over using a reddish pink pen.

I dipped all the models using Tudor Mixwax Polyshade.  I used regular acrylics to paint the bases and added some flocked foliage to complete the models.

I think the models turned out fine for the time spent, and they complement the Black Legion Space Marines well.  However, these models also showed me the limits of the Sharpie painting approach as I found the paint job to just barely achieve what I consider tabletop quality.  Still, sometimes getting painted models to the table is more important than a quality paint job.  I plan to use all the model for a One Page Rules Kill Team, and for that purpose, I believe they will serve me well on the battlefield!

Emerald City Comic Con Postponed to Summer 2020

Not surprisingly, Emerald City Comic Con has just announced that they will postpone ECCC 2020 and are looking at new dates during summer.  Below is the email that was just sent out:

Hey ECCC fans,

Each year the Emerald City Comic Con team works their hardest to do right by the thousands of fans that come together in Seattle. We want to create a space for you to gather, be yourselves and make memories with those who matter to you most. We have been closely monitoring the situation around the COVID-19 virus in Seattle, and, after many hours of conversation internally and consultation with local government officials and the tourism bureau, we have decided to move next week's Emerald City Comic Con to Summer 2020 with date and detail announcement forthcoming. We did everything that we could to run the event as planned, but ultimately, we are following the guidance of the local public health officials indicating that conventions should now be postponed.

>> To all of our fans who purchased tickets, you will receive a refund on your tickets, no further action is needed on your part. Due to the volume, we expect you will receive your refund in 30 days. We appreciate your patience and understanding. <<

Our hearts go out to the entire Seattle community, everyone impacted by the COVID-19 virus, and all of you, the nearly 100,000 amazing human beings who look forward to this event each year. Our team was incredibly excited to see you at Emerald City Comic Con next week, however, fans, artists, exhibitors and the rest of the community are what make Reedpop events so special and it is our duty to make sure that your safety comes first.

We know that this decision is going to greatly impact many of our individual creators, small businesses and service workers. To those whose careers depend on ECCC - we will do everything that we can over the coming days and weeks to highlight your work and we ask that our entire community support you as we realize your personal livelihoods may be impacted.

Reedpop remains determined and committed to running Emerald City Comic Con in 2020 and we are working closely with Visit Seattle and the Washington State Convention Center to secure alternate dates this summer. As we explore options for new dates, please know that our priority is to bring you an equally amazing event.

We appreciate all the messages that we have received over the course of the past week. The feedback was invaluable in helping us determine next steps.
Stay tuned to our website and social channels for additional information about when we will next see you in Seattle.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Gaming Community Impacts

The impacts of the COVID-19 Coronavirus are many, and the gaming community is not immune from its effects.  A number of boardgame manufacturers have cited potential supply chain impacts based on  manufacturing disruptions due to the virus.  The best example is in Seattle, where the Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) is still scheduled to start on March 12th, despite significant concerns in King County over the local spread of the virus. 

Although ECCC is now offering refunds to all attendees, many wonder whether ReedPOP could be opening themselves up to legal action by not taking reasonable health precautions by cancelling the event.  This is especially true based on today's announcement from King County that local businesses "avoid bringing large groups of people together" and "consider postponing events and gatherings." Many are saying that ReedPOP would be better off to cancel the convention right now in order to give attendees time to cancel their travel plans.  With all the vendors that have dropped out (and more likely to cancel within the next few days), it could be a near worthless event to attend anyway.

Games Workshop Announces "Blitz Bowl Season 2"

At the New York Toy Fair today, Games Workshop announced Blitz Bowl Season 2, (along with a number of other games).

According to Games Workshop, Blitz Bowl Season 2 "gives you even more content for the fast-paced game of fantasy football, compacting the thrills and spills of a game of Blood Bowl into a nifty little package."

On close examination of the picture, it is hard to make out the main changes to the game, other than the color of the plastic, a few new cards, and the fact that the Human Catcher now has Speed 7!  It appears that Humans and Dwarfs will be the two included teams in the box.

Based on prior releases that were first shown at the New York Toy Fair, we can expect Blitz Bowl Season 2 (and the other games previewed) to be released this fall.  The first Blitz Bowl was previewed at the New York Toy Fair on March 1, 2018.  It was first available for purchase at Gen Con 2018 (in August of that year).  It later was available for purchase (from Barnes and Noble stores) in early September 2018.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Blitz Bowl - Female Humans

Lastly, these are some female humans I use in Blitz Bowl games. They are actually the Valkyries from Impact! Miniatures, again sculpted by Phil Bowen. I painted them with my standard color scheme of blue and red, which tends to provide a good result.  Like the last two Blitz Bowl teams, they were also dipped.

One thing I've done for Blitz Bowl miniatures is paint a white line for any Linesman - this makes it easy to identify them apart from the other players, especially when using alternative miniatures such as these....

Blitz Bowl - Female Dark Elves

I painted up some female Dark Elves for use in Blitz Bowl games as well. They are the Black Widows from Impact! Miniatures, sculpted by Phil Bowen. I painted them up fairly simply, and enjoyed painting them in a color combination of green and pink. They were then dipped, giving them a grimy appearance.  I used a metallic Sharpie for the few pieces of metal.

Blitz Bowl - Female Dwarfs

About a year ago I painted up some female Dwarfs for use in Blitz Bowl games. They are from the Sister Sledgehammerers set from Warlord Games, sculpted by Wojtek.  I think they turned out well and were fun to paint up.

Blood Bowl Player - Warhammer Quest

Although we haven't played the new Warhammer Quest in a while, a few months ago I finished up an Ex-Blood Bowl Player for that game.  For the miniature, I used an old Blood Bowl human player (that I now use as a proxy for games of Blitz Bowl).

I based the rules mostly around the old Ex-Blood Bowl Player for the original Warhammer Quest, created by Jason Hill, whose rules were originally published in Citadel Journal #16 back in 1996.

Blitz Bowl - Another Four Player Crossroads Match

Over the holidays I was able to introduce Blitz Bowl to more members of my family - my daughters and my nephew.  We played another four player crossroads game, but as it was a learning game, we played a variant where each team only had three linesman.  It was the female Humans, the female Dark Elves, the Stitchpunks (using Halfing rules), and the Goblins.

In the end, it was a great way of teaching the rules of the game.  The Humans won with a breakaway play which scored a touchdown and ended the match....

Grimdark Future: Firefight - Ambush at the Farming Colony

We played another game of One Page Rules - Grimdark Future: Firefight over the holidays.  We are really enjoying these quick and cinematic games (that we place in the Warhammer 40K universe), and hope to play some more over the course of the year.

A small fire team of Ultramarines has been dispatched to investigate reported rebellious activity at a small colony on a remote farming world.  The colony's administrator has sent a contingent of snipers to ambush the team of Space Marines at the local landing port, foolishly thinking this may discourage future Imperial meddling.  The landing ship takes off, and soon after, the snipers open fire....

250 Points - Ultramarines (Battle Brothers):

• 5 x Battle Brothers: 3+ Quality, 2+ Defense, Assault Rifle (24”, A1), CCW (A1), Fearless.  One was upgraded with a Flamethrower (Flamer), and one with a Missle Launcher....

250 Points - Local Militia (Human Defense Force):

• 10 x Snipers: 6+ Quality, 6+ Defense, Sniper Rifle (36”, A1, AP(1), Sniper), CCW (A1), Scout, Stealth

It was quality vs. quantity, and quantity won this time.  Vastly outnumbered, the Space Marines intended to concentrate fire on the left flank, hopefully reducing the numbers of snipers in early rounds to even the odds before the other snipers could take part in the battle.

Unfortunately, due to the range of the sniper rifles, a massive barrage of early sniper shots took out some Space Marines.  There wasn't much hope for the Space Marines at that point, even after one of them made it into close combat with a small grouping of snipers.  The large number of objectives meant it was impossible to keep the snipers from overwhelming and securing the small landing pad.

The colony's administrator smiled when informed of the devastating defeat inflicted upon the Ultramarines.  As he clutched his triple-circle medallion, under his breath he whispered "I shall help spread his virulent gifts across the false Imperium, and watch its final rotting...".

Blitz Bowl - Proxy Team (for Halfings)

I recently painted up a proxy team for Blitz Bowl and will use the Halfing Player Cards for the team's rules.  I wanted to create a team for Blitz Bowl that I could use with the miniatures from a few smaller teams I created for a 3-4 model variant of Blitz Bowl that I call Sudden Death.  It is still in development.

I figured the Halfing "Hefty" works well for a washed-up, Bloodbowl Veteran whose time on the field should have ended a decade ago, (but just wants one more shot at returning to the big league, post-retirement).

The Stitchpunk miniatures are from the Puppet All-Stars Team by Meiko Miniatures, and the Imps are from Impact Miniatures.  I felt that they were an adequate match for using with the Halfing rules.

15mm Polish Paratroopers

I recently painted up some 15mm Polish Paratroopers for a custom game we will be playing, (based on both the One Page Rules and NetEpic rulesets).

The 1st (Polish) Independent Parachute Brigade was a parachute infantry brigade formed in Britain to help liberate Poland.  The unit was sent into action in support of the British 1st Airborne Division at the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944, under the command of Major General Sosabowski, (played by Gene Hackman, in the exceptional 1977 war movie, A Bridge Too Far).

The miniatures are from Forged In Battle's excellent B-PARA-01 British Paratrooper Platoon pack.  I based the miniatures on pennies, and worked to paint them up relatively quickly, although the camouflage took more time then I liked.  I based them on the pennies, added sand, then primed them with Army Painter Desert Yellow, which was then left, as is, for the trousers.  I tried to follow the great guide from Crac des Chevaliers.  I cheated by using both a green and brown Sharpie to help with the camouflage, as well as a metallic Sharpie for the silver parts.  I dipped them using the reliable MinWax PolyShade: Royal Walnut Satin - my usual dipping media since 2008.

The Poles used the British battledress, but instead wore blue greyish berets (instead the striking scarlet red).  I originally used a bluish grey color, but went over it after dipping with a normal old grey, as the dip had darkened it too much.

I'm looking forward to painting up some 15mm Polish Armia Krajowa (Home Army) partisans, as well as some 15mm Croatians (Army of the Independent State of Croatia) in the near future....

"Happy Holidays from Wild Weasel, you Christmas turkeys!"

Best holiday wishes to you and yours....

https://youtu.be/I2wowb5B0gc?t=40

"Painting" 40K Eldar with Sharpie Pens

I tried to speed paint some Eldar Guardians a few months back, using just a quick purple wash and metallic Sharpie for the Shuriken Rifles. This was before the release of the new Contrast Paints, but I think they turned out well despite not spending much time painting them....

Halfing Player Cards from Blitz Bowl Halfing Expansion

In addition to the Undead team, Games Workshop has also released an expansion bringing the hungry and plucky Halfling team to the game to Blitz Bowl (now exclusively available at Barnes & Noble).

These two previously unreleased Blitz Bowl teams provide hope that Nurgle, Lizardmen, or other unreleased teams may show up within the next few years....

The Halfing team comes with six Halfing players: one Hefty, three Hopefuls, and two Runners:

 

 

Undead Player Cards from Blitz Bowl Undead Expansion

Just in time for Halloween, Games Workshop has officially released an expansion bringing in the slow but durable Undead team to Blitz Bowl (now exclusively available at Barnes & Noble).  Undead were the team I originally played in Blood Bowl back in the 1990s, but I never expected for there to be a Blitz Bowl expansion released for them; I'm excited to get them painted up and try them out....

The Undead team comes with seven Undead players: one Ghoul, one Mummy, two Skeletons, one Wight Blitzer, and two Zombies: