Saturday, September 28, 2013

Malifaux: Finally time to go through the breach?

Bad things happen.
In the recent years, the game Malifaux has been growing in popularity. And while the backdrop of the game was intriguing (a weird mix of Victorian horror and wild-west gunplay), I could not get too excited about their range of miniatures. Wyrd Miniature’s initial selection of models for Malifaux were very hit or miss, tending towards the latter end of the spectrum.  But with their transition to plastic, there has been a dramatic increase in the quality of their sculpts, greatly benefited by the advance in computer generated figures and 3d printing.  And while I do not necessarily like the design of all the new models, it is hard to argue with the actual implementation.  They use a 32mm heroic scale system, similar to GW’s 28mm heroic scale, although these numbers are more of a rough guideline.  The main difference between the two companies is the artistic style they use, with Malifaux favoring long limbs and small hands and feet, while GW’s models are a little stockier.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Ferrus Manus: The Gorgon Primarch of the Iron Hands

Glory to the Tenth Legion!
Perhaps I should stop being surprised by it,  but every time Simon Egan releases a new Primarch model (or any model for that matter!) I am stunned.  The level of seamless detail he is able to achieve, without weighing his figures down, is astounding.  This is only magnified in an age where so many miniature companies are transitioning into designing their models completely via computers and 3D printing the results.  His newest model is no exception to his excellence, and could quite possibly his best Primarch to date, which is quite a statement considering how magnificent Angron and Fulgrim are.  Now the Gorgon Primarch of the Iron Hands, Ferrus Manus has a model!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Digital Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook Review

Finally, a digital version of the core rules!
As much as I like Games Workshop’s printed books, my shelves are filling up with them.  But with the constant stream of FAQs, I am now less likely to rush out and buy a new release.  One such release, now a few weeks old, was the mini hardcover Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.  At first one might question its purpose, in that you can get a mini rulebook in the Dark Vengeance box, but the significance of the release is not in it being hardcover, but that it is actually updated to reflect the current FAQ status of the rules.  As far as I know, this is a first for GW.  And although the little tome is likely very nice, I see little reason to get it.  What necessitated printing it in the first place is the very reason it is hard to justify purchasing it; the next FAQ is likely just around the corner.  But I am not writing this to complain about GW’s inability to get their rules right the first time; I wanted to say a few words about the little talked about sister release of the revised rulebook:  The Digital Edition of the Warhammer 40,000 Rules.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

INQ28 - Inquisitor WIP

He who allows the alien to live shares in the crime of its existence.
With Guardsman Vell complete, I have now set my sights on converting an Imperial Inquisitor of the Ordos Xenos. Fond memories of Dan Abnett’s Eisenhorn trilogy convinced me that I should convert an Inquisitor with a subtle undercover look, rather than an Inquisitor lord marching into full-fledged war against against Chaos, donning brazen power armour littered with litany papers and circled by servo skulls and mechanical cherubs. And while there is nothing really wrong with that, it portrays a different scale, one more inline with Warhammer 40,000, where you command huge armies and the individual gets lost amidst a sea of bodies. I want something more personal and individual. More espionage and intrigue than plasma guns and chimeras.