This morning, with two little ones sick, and wife just completely burned out, I stayed home all day. Tamie slept in until around noon.
At first I thought I would take the two older kids with me to church, but then I realized that my poor wife would not get a moment's rest with the little ones.
I went home teaching in the afternoon, two families. Our message based on an article Hold on a Little Longer which I think was better for me to hear than anyone. It was a moment of peace.
My wife made nachos for dinner (she makes deluxe mega-nachos) and we watched a few episodes of Arrested Development.
As I am playing Tyranids in the studio campaign, I've been reading over the Tyranids codex. It's a wonderland of interesting stuff. I almost think you can't go wrong.
Snorlax
Golden Opportunity
Economics are not hard to understand.
Men who wish to keep the populace uninformed and confused try to make them hard to understand. A mind-slave must be kept illiterate.
Here is the rotting foundation:
Banks
Take
More than
They give
A lot more. Even giving out ten and taking back eleven will (on the net) ruin every eleventh man. Or set back every man one eleventh.
Fractional reserve banking (which I have previously explained) allows for an extraction of resources from the local population of about a third, perhaps as much as two-thirds.
The Federal Reserve is like the One Ring of the banks. They all get their power from it.
At least this matter is being more openly discussed. In the State of the Union address our elected president said that "we all" hated the bailouts. Yet they were done.
The will
of the people
was not done
The elections of 2010 give the American people one shining opportunity to change this dismal state of affairs.
You (yes you, person reading this blog) must awake and do research on candidates
in the Primaries.
This is the key. This is when each party selects someone to run. We must get in men and women with just one single quality:
Obey the constitutional limits on government. Reign in the size of government.
The federal government is like an idiot ditch digger who has plowed through the barn, undermined fences, created pools and canals where none were needed, and now all the townsfolk have gathered around shouting at him "Please stop! For the love of all that's good please stop! You're headed towards the house!" And he scratches his head and wonders where he should dig next.
So, you've got to pay attention to the primaries. Otherwise you'll end up with two completely rotten choices come the main election.
Check here for a schedule of the Primaries!
If it's too much effort, then stay tuned to this blog. I'll tell you where to go and who to vote for. I don't mean any insult by it. I've done it before. It looks like this:
"Honey, it's election night you better get down there before the polls close."
"Huh?"
"Shawn, you've got to get down to the polls!"
"Oh, well I really didn't pay attention, but I trust your judgement, who are you voting for?"
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be condescending. How much better to voice your will.
And maybe with a massive effort we can overcome the inertial voters.
Here's how you can tell if you're an inertial voter:
1) Your primary source of information about politics is radio or TV.
2) You've read less than two books on politics in the last year.
3) You vote for the same party over and over without reading up on what they're doing because they must be doing the right thing.
Rusted
So here's Josephus's campaign army: Space Marines. We've named them jokingly the "Sons of Oxidation" And the chapter master is called "Tetanus".
Willow and G. went to the hospital this morning to get checked out. They both have ear infections and are now on a prescribed regimen. We are on it! And she is feeling much better.
Over the weekend I have the following to paint up:
1x Trygon (98% done)
3x Hive Guard
6x Raveners
1x Harpy
Downsize DC
I'm quick becoming a fan of www.downsizedc.org
It gives you the contact info for all your representatives and lets you get a hold of them easily, including one-step form letters about various issues related to the site.
Here is one of my faves.
https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/85
Ice Pick
I have a stress headache. My wife is burned out. Willow is up three times a night. Our four-year-old is sick. I think we were up like six times last night. And a full plate of other obligations over the next few days. I've had it.
Tonight she projectile vomited about a pint of cottage-cheese-like-partially-digested-matter all over a pizza I just ordered. The poor dear seemed ever so relieved.
I'm taking both younger kids to the hospital tomorrow morning.
If you're thinking to hold back on communication please don't. I am eager to set up new projects. I'll be at the studio tomorrow afternoon for a half-day and I'll have peace of mind at least if there is a solid booking for my ace artists!
The first session of the new 40K campaign will be next Tuesday. That event will be televised.
1) Planetary Empires set arrived today, should be painted by then.
2) Placards for the planets in the system are being created by James.
3) Each person is supposed to bring 400 pts painted. At least seven people are on track for this.
4) The trenchworks set is taking shape. Might be done in time, probably more like next Thursday.
Random Thoughts
Saying "no" to new legislation is just what I'd like to see happening in congress. I'd like to see about nine-tenths of laws repealed. They've been heaping it on for a hundred years. I read one article that said it's 17 pages of new laws every day. For all I know it's illegal to wear a blue shirt in public now. Do you know all 10,000+ pages of Federal law? For all you know you're a felon.
Unless Americans vote Independent en masse in 2010 there's not going to be any substantial improvement in the common man's situation. There's a common thread; people don't want to be meddled with. I'm tired of seeing 20% of my studio's effort sucked away to a distant central government who seems to be completely out of touch. I am not a free man. I only have 80% of my life self-determined. The rest is decided by others thousands of miles away.
Can the average American be trusted to run his or her own life? Seriously. The great American experiment of self-governance relies on an informed electorate. Are you capable of self-governance? Are you willing to sacrifice the time needed to become informed?
I admit I have been a slacker the last twenty years.
Shrink the Federal Government to half size. Eliminate the income tax and replace it with nothing. No more April 15th.
What I'd love to see would be: Pete Schiff (CT) and Rand Paul (KY) elected to the Senate. These two would respect the Constitutional limits on government and could be trusted with the purse strings. The key is for these two to win in the Republican primary. The primary is where good candidates get killed. That's how you end up with two complete douchebags on the ballot and you're sniffing and wondering "which one of these two is less of a sack?" Republicans of the last eight years are not trustworthy. They need to go. We need new people who can be trusted to keep spending in budget no matter their political bent.
I am a believer in the common man. I am an optimist. I think states rights is the best concept ever: fifty chances for people of disparate interests to build their own version of paradise on earth. One size does not fit all! I love Utah. I feel at home here. Mmmmmm.... homogeneous. At the same time I wouldn't blame another for hating it. But I do not begrudge any man the right to his own life, to determine and pursue his own happiness.
Seeing Rand Paul inaugurated as President and putting an end to all this nonsense would be awesome-tastic. Of course, it won't happen-- there are too many "inertial voters" voting by habit. No! I must hope against hope! I donated $630 to Ron Paul's 2008 bid even though he had a snowball's chance in hell. And that was money we didn't have. It hurt real bad. But I had to do something.
No more overspending (aka deficit spending). No more borrowing. No more printing money.
For the massive public debt I blame the public. We didn't watch our leaders closely. This has been going on for generations. It started in 1913. Almost 100 years. I asked my Grandma about this. She said, "at least we defeated the communists."
No person alive in the US has seen the Free Market. We have only see Corporatism masquerading as the free market.
I would die a happy man to see the Federal Reserve and fractional reserve banking abolished.
In a world with no banks, would it be possible to build a house and then sell it straight up for cash? What if a house cost $30,000? Could you save up for that?
If a robot were to come on the market, that sold for $500 and did all the work of a single human, 16 hours a day with very little maintenance, and further this robot took over 80% of all jobs, would we have 87% unemployment? Would that be a disaster? Is unemployment really bad in that circumstance?
PS- I am open to input. I hope that I do not seem too bombastic. I think this type of viewpoint is hardly ever heard, certainly not on mainstream type shows (which I watch a lot of, all over the spectrum). Not a peep about the rotten foundation. Not a word about sound money.
Here are some quotes sent in by a client:
The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be reduced; the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled. - Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)
A bureaucrat is the most despicable of men, though he is needed as vultures are needed, but one hardly admires vultures whom bureaucrats so strangely resemble. I have yet to meet a bureaucrat who was not petty, dull, almost witless, crafty or stupid, an oppressor or a thief, a holder of little authority in which he delights, as a boy delights in possessing a vicious dog. Who can trust such creatures? (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
Natural ability without education has more often raised a man to glory and virtue than education without natural ability. (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. (Sir Winston Churchill)
The inherent vice of capitalism is the uneven division of blessings, while the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal division of misery. (Sir Winston Churchill)
A fanatic is a person who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. (Sir Winston Churchill)
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. (Asop)
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
(Abraham Lincoln)
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg. (Abraham Lincoln)
You are young, my son, and as the years go by, time will change and even reverse many of your present opinions. Refrain therefore awhile from setting yourself up as a judge of the highest matters. - Plato (427 B.C - 347 B.C.)
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting, but never hit soft! - Theodore Roosevelt (1858 1919)
Today's scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality. - Nikola Tesla (1857 - 1943)
Never bear more than one trouble at a time. Some people bear three kinds - all they have had, all they have now and all they expect to have. - Edward Everett Hale (1822 - 1909)
There are two kinds of men who never amount to much: those who cannot do what they are told and those who can do nothing else. - Cyrus H. Curtis (1850 - 1933)
The man who views the world at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life. -(Mohammed Ali)
There are only two ways of telling the complete truth - anonymously and posthumously. - Thomas Sowelln
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. - Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. - Thomas Edison (1848 - 1931)
Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you're a consultant. - Scott Adams
If you believe everything you read, better not read. - Japanese proverb
"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." - George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
Go'Fer Needed
A rare and coveted position (albeit part time) has opened up at the studio.
Looking for a local to fill it.
Go Fer it
Nids part 07
The last 12 hours I've been in "Tyranid color scheme Hell". This morning I must have tried six different things, each more hideous than the last. Then I hit paydirt. I think I got it. Or at least something I like.
Note this is a rough mockup, a practice sample, done at L3.
Don't have a name for them yet. Might keep Deepwater Nids as the nickname. I am quite relieved. Now I can get busy on the other models. Plus I'm glad the teal didn't work out since that would have followed the trend of other armies.
Like a Firefly through the Cold Night of the Soul
Some days back I pulled a muscle in my lower back. I can barely stand up. I've been limping through but finally went to see the doctor yesterday. I'm on orders not to life anything over ten pounds for the next five days. I will be back in the saddle tomorrow.
Anyway, I was on bed rest today. I think I slept like six hours. My body is just soaking up the relaxation. I've been on high alert for so long that my brain and body just needed to completely recharge for a day. My home teachers came over and administered a Blessing of Health.
Friday I took my wife up to Salt Lake City for a "mega date", an all-day outing. We are like two starry-eyed lovers. I picked up a book on business for a change of pace (ie no politics or economics). I recommend a restaurant called "Thaiphoon" if you're ever in the area.
Saturday I made up for lost time at the office and also got in a game with sky-marshall Anonymo, Warriors of Chaos vs Lizardmen. I shot some footage of that but only as a deployment strategy how-to. Each army wins in a certain way. WoC are not an army where you can prance around and wait for just the right moment to strike. The proper strategy is to rush up with ultra-killy units and rip your opponents heart out and stick it on a barbed pike. All other units in the army are disposable lackeys to help the killy stuff get into place.
In the future, I'm going to take Saurus with spears.
Tyranid Specialized Organisms
The prototypes for Tervigon and Harpy are done. I just got to see them this morning. No pics yet.
I'm very, very pleased with the Harpy. It turned out better than I thought it would. And I thought it would turn out reeeally good.
The Tervigon looks great, just needs some tweaking. The "birth orifice" turned out just fabulously.
Just a little more patience. We'll have pics up early this coming week. Everything is proceeding apace.
Did you realize that the Trygon kit is only $4.50 more than a Carnifex kit? $45.00 and $49.50 respectively.
Some Fave Lines from Frasier
All those years of finishing school really paid off.
What do you say about me when I’m not around.
Even Hannibal Lector couldn’t keep that woman’s cooking down.
Get a coaster for your lower lip.
Isn’t it sad when bad things happen to good sentences?
40K Campaign: the Seed
Today we all sat down to plan the 40K campaign. For five weeks though February and early March we're going to have an iron man style army creation process, every Tuesday unveiling 20% of a completed army (400 points). Almost everyone has most or all models collected, but hardly any painted. We're all starting on an even footing. There are at least doubles of every type of army:
3x Imperial Guard (one of which is Renegades)
2x Tyranids
2x Tau
2x Space Marines (Emperor's Children is one, using the SM list)
2x Orks
If narrowed down it's four or five factions: Imperials, Tyranids, Tau, Chaos, and Orks.
I'm doing both Tyranids and Orks.
We're going to create five planets/moons in a single star system. I mean actual spheres which we will hang from the cieling in the main room. Each one will be a mini-planetary empires campaign with one overall winner for each section. Renn is running the first one. I don't plan on running any of them, we'll see. Campaign participants can change armies between planets.
Every week for ten weeks there's a different person assigned to produce an entire new set of terrain. That's on Thursdays.
Tuesday and Thursday mornings are campaign days. This will be televised starting Tuesday, February 2nd. You'll get to see what's in everyone's army, and some new figures every week. There's a lot of momentum behind this.
Spinal Tap
Last night I fell asleep on the couch. In the wee hours J (eight) came in saying he had a bad dream. He lay opposite me and kicked my spine all night long. I could barely stand up straight this morning. Thus was the agony of the day.
Before last night the fridge water hose started leaking. That was a many-hour adventure and on into this morning to get it fixed. That included two trips to Home Depot and at least two other places. My wife is the handyman of the family. She has such an uncanny sense for that sort of thing.
While there is silence on the matter of the Tyranids, rest assured that things are proceeding apace. I should have the studio army underway as of this coming Monday (ie being painted). Renn produced an alternate prototype color scheme, but I wasn't overly fond. It was a good color scheme, just not what I had in mind. I'm going to try out what I'm thinking on a few models and see if it works.
The 40K campaign is due to start sooner than anticipated. Here are the armies being planned (some are already assembled):
Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard Renegades
Tyranids (me)
Tyranids
Tau
Tau
Space Marines
Orks (?)
James finally got his oriental-themed Empire army on the table and it looks really good. More to come on that.
What it's all about
I got this letter from a client today. It represents what Blue Table is all about.
Hi Shawn,
Wanted to let you know that I received the Skaven display board today and I am more than happy with your work. In fact I am in awe to the amount of detail you put into this project. I barely gave you a theme to work with and you were able to surpass my expectations with amazing accuracy, it is exactly want I was hoping for and more so. I also wanted to thank you, Shawn, for the inclusion of the updated Doomflayers that you provided. It speaks to your professionalism and artistic integrity that even though I may have been satisfied with the previous work, you believed you could do better and then provided a spectacular replacement for my Doomflayers free of charge. I have to say you have secured me as a Blue table customer for some time to come.
I also wanted to see how things were going with the character Skaven Engineer model I sent (sorry for it getting danaged so) as well as the two warpfire teams to get painted. I look forward to seeing the level of painting your studio has become famous for.
AF
Green
My son G. decided that he wanted to look like the Hulk today. And a green marker was just the thing for the job. He made quite an inroad into covering his body with green ink.
The studio Tyranid army is gathered and should be all put together within seven days. This includes quite a few specialty conversions that are in the works. As for color scheme I just can't get away from the Oceanic Tyranids idea-- that they will be colorful like reef predators. I'm going to do a few test models and see if they look like what I'm envisioning.
Adepticon Impending
BTP is going to Adepticon again this year. The plane tickets are already purchased!
It's still not too late to have us create your army. We can still get it done on time. But you'll need to get it set up soon.
Cocoon of Bliss
Church is bright and early. I woke up this morning and first looked around for any natural light. Is it 3am? 10am? I found it was 7am and just a little peace and quiet before the family needed to get up and start getting ready for church. I remember when my wife and I were at our wits end just trying to get Kay (nine years ago just a baby) and ourselves ready. Now wrangling all four kids into Sunday dress seems like a cakewalk. Just got to get used to it I suppose. I know a family, just round the corner, with nine kids.
After church I snuggled on to the couch under an extra thick blanket, with three pillows around me, my computer on a table pulled up close, my headphones in, the mouse in my hand, and an episode of Red Dwarf on youtube. It was a moment of bliss. Just perfect. The kids were quietly playing round about.
I just love my family. My wife is so warm and inviting and forgiving and accepting and nice-smelling. My kids are a delight at every turn. Kay is a responsible and helpful young lady. She's a whiz with the baby, really lightening the load.
Add in some good food, and you've got a recipe for contentment!
Gah! The Ogres are Coming!
As many may already know, I have recorded about 100 minutes of footage for a Battle Report (Lizardmen vs Ogre Kingdoms). The Ogres book is outdated to be sure and certainly is not toe-to-toe competent with the current army books, or the "Power Dexes". It is possibly the weakest army book of the lot.
The book suffers from fluff-itis, where the writer of the codex narrowed build options in order to fit the background of the army. Almost every power in the book has a drawback. It's not a fun list to play, or at least it could be a lot more fun.
We have a few studio (house) rules for Ogres designed to make them more competitive:
1) Following Ogre units are Stubborn (Bulls, Ironguts, Maneaters, Leadbelchers). Ogre heroes are not stubborn (they are less hungry and less thick-headed).
2) Bull Charge gets d3 Impact Hits on a 6"+ charge, and a single Impact Hit at any distance.
Just those two items make Ogres a tough challenge, even for the razor-sharp spiky likes of the Lizardmen, instead of a pathetic pushover.
Additionally, in our game this last Saturday we gave a 20% bonus of points to the Ogre player (ie 2500 pts vs 3000 pts). I think that's a good stop-gap, but doesn't replace an actual "leveling up" of the army book. To me, this seemed about right. The Ogres gave a rock-solid Lizardmen army a run for its money.
However, after this last game I've decided to really get in there and fool around. Basically, there are two objectives: get rid of the downsides of the Ogres' good stuff and to loosen the army build restrictions. I don't want to change points or stat lines. Feel free to email me with ideas.
3) If a Tyrant is present, a Slaughtermaster can be taken as a Hero choice.
4) A unit of 5+ Bulls can be led by a Bruiser (this does not take a Hero choice).
5) A Butcher or Slaughtermaster regains a Wound at the beginning of each friendly Magic Phase. This cannot take him above starting wounds.
6) Bulls are not 1+. There is no minimum requirement of Bulls.
7) Gnoblar Fighter units are not limited by the number of units of Bulls units in the army. However, they do not count towards the number of Core units required for an army.
8) Ogre clubs do not lose their bonus (of -1 to armor save) when used with an Ironfist.
9) Leadbelchers can move and reload. A Misfire only causes d3 S4 hits (not d6).
10) Yhetee Aura of Frost affects the entirety of any enemy unit they are in contact with (not just models base to base).
11) Yhetees have Regeneration on 5+ and Magic Resistance (2).
12) Scraplauncher: the stone thrower template affects anything touched (no partials). Remove Bad Tempered. Add Immune to Psychology. Add Stubborn.
13) If a Butcher or Slaughtermaster is present, Gorgers may be taken as Special choices.
14) Harpoon Launcher: every wound caused on a Large Target is multiplied into d6 wounds (ignore current rules with respect to Large Targets). This is not cumulative with the Beastkiller Big Name ability (ie the Hunter will only have Beast Killer in close combat).
15) Sabretusks have the Killing Blow ability. A single Hunter can take up to six Sabretusks.
16) Hunter: the following models can re-roll failed Psychology and Break tests while within 12" of the Hunter-- Slave Giant, Sabretusks, Dire Cave Bear.
17) Slave Giant, Sabretusks, and Dire Cave Bear cannot use the BSB re-roll.
18) Rhinoxen Cavalry are Rare choices (they do not take up a Hero slot).
19) Giantbreaker Big Name does not need to include a Slavegiant.
A Butcher or Slaughtermaster may be given the following upgrade for +110 pts:
Cauldron of the Great Maw
Model is now on a chariot-sized base.
Model causes Terror.
Model re-rolls all power dice results of a "2".
Cauldron confers a 3+ armor save.
Model may not join units.
Model and Cauldron are Unit Strength 6.
Cauldron produces an extra dice every Magic Phase (dispel or power as appropriate).
New Units
Dire Cave Bear (285 pts)
This model is modeled on a a 50mm base.
It has the exact stats and cost of a Dragon Ogre Shaggoth from the Beasts of Chaos book (no upgrades). The Dire Cave Bear is a Rare choice. A single Dire Cave Bear can be taken as a Special choice if a Hunter is present in the army.
War Mammoth (350 pts)
The War Mammoth and riders/goads are modeled on a single base and follow one solid profile.
M 7
WS 3
BS 0
S 6
T 6
W 8
I 2
A 8
Ld 7
Stubborn, Terror, Immune to Psychology, Armored Behemoth (3+ save), Impact Hits (d6), Large Target, Unit Strength 15.
The War Mammoth is a Hero choice (it is tamed and crewed by a beastmaster-type Bruiser, though he can have no magic items and his ability is sub-sumed into the profile). A War Mammoth is usually crewed by two additional Ogres with long-reach weapons (their attacks and so forth are also included in the profile). A War Mammoth can take a banner for +20 pts.
Ogre Pit Fighters
Up to one unit of Bulls per army can be upgraded to Pit Fighters for free.
Pit Fighters have Heavy Armor and two Ironfists (+1 Attack, +1 Armor as if hand weapon and shield combination, and +1 armor as if a shield = 3+ armor in close combat, 4+ otherwise). Their attacks are Armor Piercing. They lose the Bull Charge ability.
New Banners
Banner of Blood (25 pts)
Unit charges an extra 1" (add 1" to the charge distance, even a failed charge).
Mammoth Standard (25 pts)
Unit counts a rank of three wide as a full rank.
Totem of the Ice Elk (50 pts)
Unit pursues and flees an additional d6"
Totem of the Cave Bear (25 pts)
One use only.
Use when the unit is required to take its first Break Test. The unit is considered to have rolled an insane courage result.
Standard of the High Mountain (50 pts)
One use only
Use at the end of any Ogre turn, all friendly units within 12" of the standard may make a full reform.
Hive Medusa: Studio Tyranids
Here's what we've got in the studio Tyranid army. These models are already in and are due to be assembled in the coming week. We should have Harpy, Swarmlord, and Tervigon conversions done.
Our Tervigon is going to look something like this.
We're going to likely do it in the Hive Medusa color scheme, one of my faves.
1x Swarmlord (magnetized arms: 4x bonesword, 1x scything talons, 1x quad devourer) This model will double as a Hive Tyrant
1x Tervigon (Adrenal Glands, Toxin sacs, Implant Attack, Crushing Claws)
3x Hive Guard
3x Zoanthropes
1x Doom of Malan’tai conversion
40x Termagants
3x Mycetic Spores
6x Raveners (thorax devourers and rending claws)
10x Gargoyles
1x Harpy (conversion)
1x Trygon Prime
1x Mawloc (crab-claw-shaped tail)
Though I'm not really sure on color scheme. Might go with fleshy flesh and more of an organic green carapace. Kind of like that idea actually.
Or maybe Oceanic Nids! Teal Carapace and yellowish fleshy skin (hint of yellow only). Or white-ish skin. Pale.
Ooooh! Or maybe Salsa Nids! I loved that color scheme.
What do you think?
Bio-diversity
I just got my Tyranids codex today and I've had my nose buried in it almost constantly.
There is nearly double the mass. The scope of weaponry and army entries has nearly doubled. It's quite amazing. It's so much that I sense that players are reeling with it, a desperate scramble to figure out how to deal with the number of Tyranid lists that are coming.
What I'd rather do is talk about how the kits are going to work together.
Carnifex-- this kit comes with four different heads (or is it five) and three different carapaces. The heads are now meaningless. This is good news because those parts can be used in different conversions.
Stranglethorn cannon-- this is a heavy Barbed Strangler. I've seen a conversion using a venom cannon with the barbed strangler on the end. This is a bit doofy looking. I'm thinking of using the tusks from the now not-useful carnifex tusker head to create a double or quad tip and make that barbed strangle more beefy looking.
JW
Ready to book new projects. I'm just sitting here waiting for your call or email.
And now for your inspiration of the day.
Various Good Stuff
Three of nine Slaanesh tanks in process for early February completion.
L3 Stormvermin
Rusty marine by Josephus.
Ultraforge War Demon
Forge World Greater Daemon of Nurgle.
Greater Daemon of Tzeentch.
I took camera in hand and snapped a few shots of various things cooking around the studio. Enjoy.
Lizards Sally Forth
I'm playing a quick game of WHF against Dwarfs this morning. The strategy is simple: rush forward with solid blocks of Saurus while keeping pressure on the ranged elements.
No magic. A L2 skink shaman has no chance against four dispel dice. Waste of points. Instead I'll be peppering stuff with spikes from an extra Razordon.
1200 Pts - Lizardmen Roster
Saurus Scar-Veteran (1#, 103 pts)
1 Saurus Scar-Veteran @ 103 pts (General; Hand Weapon; Light Armour; Shield; Scaly Skin)
1 Biting Blade
Saurus Scar-Veteran (1#, 158 pts)
1 Saurus Scar-Veteran (Battle Standard Bearer) @ 158 pts (Hand Weapon; Light Armour; Shield; Battle Standard Bearer; Scaly Skin)
1 Sun Standard of Chotec
Saurus Warriors (24#, 294 pts)
23 Saurus Warriors @ 294 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std; Hand Weapon; Shield; Scaly Skin)
1 Saurus Champion (Hand Weapon; Shield)
Saurus Warriors (24#, 294 pts)
23 Saurus Warriors @ 294 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std; Hand Weapon; Shield; Scaly Skin)
1 Saurus Champion (Hand Weapon; Shield)
Skink Skirmishers (10#, 70 pts)
10 Skink Skirmishers @ 70 pts (Hand Weapon; Blowpipe; Aquatic; Skirmishers)
Terradon Riders (4#, 120 pts)
4 Terradon Rider @ 120 pts (Hand Weapon; Javelin; Flyer)
4 Terradon (Flyer)
Razordon (10#, 160 pts)
2 Razordon Hunting Pack @ 160 pts (Aquatic; Causes Fear; Scaly Skin; Skirmishers)
8 Skink Handlers (Hand Weapon; Aquatic; Skirmishers)
Validation Report:
Edition: 7th Edition; Game Type: Normal Game; Army Subtype: Lizardmen Army; Special Rules: Forbid Storm of Chaos, Forbid Albion, Forbid Lustria
Roster satisfies all enforced validation rules
Total Roster Cost: 1199
Created with Army Builder - Try it for free at http://www.wolflair.com
Tyranid New Creatures
The new Tyranid codex has a lot of creatures for which there are no published models. I have updated the spreadsheets to include conversions for those. Prototypes should be done in about ten days. You can expect something substantive.
Also, the Hive Mind spreadsheet was no properly applying the discount. That is now fixed. So, you should ditch old sheets and use the updated ones instead.
Death Korps- Fresh Recruits
Got in the base of a Death Korps army today. It's ready to be commissioned as a project. I've got a spreadsheet for them here.
Still some stuff to be ordered, notably the units of regular infantry.
DEATH KORP OF KRIEG TANK COMMANDER x3 £4.90x3 = £14.70
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG COMMISSAR TANK COMMANDER x1 = £4.90
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG TRANSFER SHEET x1 = £7.85
HEAVY ARTILLERY CARRIAGE WITH EARTHSHAKER CANNON x1 = £60.70
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG ARTILLERY CREW x1 = £10.75
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG SQUAD AT EASE x1 = £34.25
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG GRENADIER HEAVY STUBBER AND MELTAGUN x1 = £9.80
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG GRENADIER SQUAD x1 = £34.25
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG COMMAND SQUAD x1 = £21.55
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG HEAVY BOLTER SQUAD x1 = £41.10
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG COMMAND HQ SQUAD x1 = £25.45
Better Than Voting
I just made a donation to Ron Paul's campaign for 2010. Over 90% of Ron Paul's contributions are from common folk who donate less than $50. You can donate as little as $10 or $50.
I encourage all readers of this blog to do so.
The site accepts Paypal as well which is super-convenient.
Ron Paul is the Obi-Wan of congressman. He has been the sole "Nay" vote many times against government expansion. He is a man of principle.
Also keep your eye on Rand Paul (Kentucky) and Pete Schiff (Connecticut).
Other people are not going to step up and make the sacrifice. YOU, yes YOU must make it happen.
Privacy
I came across this pathetic article in a local paper.
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_7244c6fd-9bcf-55eb-841f-6c6776cbee55.html
Congressman Chaffetz is doing the right thing by curbing the expansion of government. That requires a lot of NO votes. This is exactly what I want him to do. As for the author of this article, I wonder where he would draw the line. Where would you, o reader, say "enough is enough"? If you were stopped at a random checkpoint on the highway and asked to pass through a full-body scanner, would you do it?
The Constitution (and I say God Himself) gives you certain rights that can't be taken away by government. They are inalienable. One of those is to be secure in your person, possessions and papers. A government agent cannot search you except on a warrant issued on probable cause. I resent airport searches. It is a misallocation of resources. There is no reason to search me. If the Feds wanted to keep us safe they should "declare war" on drunk drivers or cancer, real threats. There are no TSA agents outside of bars with breathalyzers. How is that? I would feel differently if it were the airlines themselves conducting the searches. There are good reasons to limit the power of a central government As for Jason Chaffetz, he can count on my vote and my donations come election time. He is a Champion of Liberty, humble and unpolished though he may be.
PS- this is an undeveloped train of thought, I realize.
Xanadu
[I can't believe my good fortune to stumble across this picture. It's a double-set of waterfalls in Lithia Park in Ashland Oregon that was destroyed in a flood about fifteen years ago. This was a favorite watering hole when I was growing up. There were nooks with deep water behind each of these falls.]
.
From grades 6-11 I lived in Ashland in a two-bedroom home, about 800 square feet. My father and his friend built it. They welded together a wood stove that sat in the living room on a bed of bricks. That place will live forever in my memory as a blessed home.
The house was cream-colored with brown trim. In the front yard was an enormous black walnut tree. I put in a few boards and spent many a summer afternoon reading books up there. In the back yard were three cherry trees of varying sorts.
We had a cat named Paul. An old lazy patriarch with soft black fur and white patches.
There was no air conditioning and only the stove for heat. In the winter I would get up at 4am, build a fire and fall back asleep on the living room floor to the huffing of the air intake and the patter of rain on the windows. One by one the cats would come in and fall asleep near me.
In the summer I would put up the tent in the back yard and sleep on a military cot out there. Since there were four of us (and sometimes strays) in just two bedrooms it was a great way to get my own space. For a while there I had to sleep in the living room on the couch, converting it back every morning. When it was particularly hot we'd have a kiddie pool in the living room and we'd all strip down to our skivvs and soak our feet in water run in with the garden hose.
We owned a red subaru. A stick. I learned to drive in that car in a nearby dirt lot. I used to back it down the driveway, then back in, over and over. Once I scraped the house. I jumped out of the car to find the scrape not so noticeable so I didn't say anything. A few days later mom noticed a red mark on the side of the house. The jig was up!
After school I'd come home and make myself two fried eggs on toast covered with maple syrup. Or cinnamon toast with extra extra butter. Swilled down with Tang.
I have a scar on the back of my left hand. My sister (?) locked me out of the house so I punched one of the windows to get in. Didn't think that through so well. Fist going in is not the problem, it's fist coming out.
And D&D. We played D&D all the time in the living room after school. Queen of the Demonweb Pits, Vault of the Drow, White Plume Mountain. My mom once came home to find me making annotations in a D&D module while my friends were busy doing my various chores.
"Why are they doing your chores?"
"I told them I would level up all their characters if they did my work."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Making the adventure harder."
Once I hooked a roll of quarters from mom's closet and spent them at the arcade. They were Susan B. Anthonys (dollar coins now out of production). She was fit to be tied. But as I recall she quickly forgave. My mom was very quick to overlook the foibles of youth. I had near unfettered freedom to come and go as I pleased. I knew every fence, trail, train-track, and ditch in town; from the farmland plains north to the towering mountains south.
There was a tribe of feral cats living in a giant pile of scrap wood next door. I decided that I was going to make one of them my pet. So, I rigged a rabbit cage and put in some meat as bait. That paid off in the form of a snarling orange creature, rippling with lean muscle. As I extracted it from the cage, his body stiffened and his whole torso thrummed with a menacing cat-moan. Surely a little love and tenderness would soothe this savage creature! As he gulped down the raw meat I brought him gently to my neck in a careful embrace. It was at this point that with cleat-like talons he crawled on to my back and dug in with all ten claws. I ran into the house howling, crying for help. My mom and sister beat the mini-bobcat off with a broom and it scattered out the back door. Lesson learned. Leave them wild cats alone to their wood pile!
In Mormon cosmology there is a spirit world, like a different dimension that co-exists with the mortal world. I believe there is a "spirit Ashland" created by those who lived there in the same epoch that I did. And that is where I will go to live for a while after I pass on. A Paradise, a Xanadu, to rest for a season. I will walk to it down Siskiyou boulevard in the shade of massive trees, and then a bend in the road and a gentle slope down to the Plaza.
Spikey Steel Boots
How do you like that Ork Nob? This is part of a set recently completed. I really like how it turned out. So much that I thought I would give the Ork Nob list a try. It goes something like this:
Step 1
Gather the following:
Three units of ten Nobz on foot.
Two Warbosses on foot (this makes two of the three Nobz units Troops).
Three Battlewagons.
(it has recently come to my attention that this is not a legal list due to max 1 Warboss per army; well even better, mix in one unit of grotz as a distraction, add a Mekboy with kustom force field, and the army is even better)
Just to let you know, two warbosses are legal. It was the previous codex where they were not.
Step 2
Take giant spiked boot and crush heads.
Three battle wagons is a tough nut to crack with AV13. Since they are open-topped the Nobz can jump out and charge on turn 2. They can take a hit and keep coming from A) wound allocation shenanigans, B) a Painboy that gives Feel No Pain.
As for hitting power, the Nobz have a tremendous amount of specialization with combi-weapons, flamers, power klaws and so forth.
All this stuff is on order and should be completely done and ready to roll in a few weeks.
Would you like a Nobz Army? I've got it on special for $850 (35 models listed that total over 2000 pts) everything included. This includes conversion work and some magnetization. Limited qty and time offer. If you put down the $425 deposit by this Friday I can guarantee completion by January 30 ($50 penalty if not).
Nurgle Army for 40K on the Block
Cost for Deathguard army: $1650 can be ready to ship (two-day delivery approx. in US, can ship overseas). Contact bluetablepainting@gmail.com with questions and/or to check availability. Limit: one.
Pics:
Gallery One
Gallery Two
Gallery Three
Here's what's included:
1x Custom fitted case
1x Winged Nurgle Daemon Prince
2x Defilers
1x Land Raider
1x Blight Drone (FW)
3x Nurgle Dreadnoughts (FW)
4x Rhinos
3x Obliterators
28x Plague Marines as follows—
16x regular weaponry
4x meltagun
4x flamer
4x power fist
You can also get 11x possessed (one of which could easily be a Chaos Lord) and/or a Chaos Space Marines army book at no extra charge on request. OR you can get a $100 credit towards an expansion on the army.
This is a solid competitive force with plenty of unique conversions. It will be thoroughly inspected, repaired and touched up before shipment.
I highly recommend this army. It's a good deal.
Pirate Cove
Yesterday morning (Saturday) I spent a lazy morning with the family. There was french toast left over from Paint Fest so we ate that. I cooked breakfast with K. The boys came up forthwith and we all ate together then played some Wii.
I headed to the studio with J. for a half-day of work. I got mostly caught up. That'll be nice for a more relaxed Monday. We're still underbooked for January. Ready to set up anything!
Saturday evening we went to this pirate-themed restaurant called Pirate Island. It was amazing. The whole place was done up like a pirate cove complete with caves, a bayou (?), a pirate ship (huge), and a twelve foot tall stone skull with flames in the eyes. That kind of stuff. There was a moment where I was alone at the table eating with Willow in peace. That baby is so mild and happy. She just slouched way down in her stroller and chomped away happily on anything I gave her.
Our server looked just like Heath Ledger.
Fringe
I was watching the Rachel Maddow Show this morning* (yeah, you heard me) and she referred to the Tea Party as a "fringe group within the Republican Party". She cast them as ultra-ultra-conservatives way out in left field. I want to respond to that.
The Republicans in Congress for the last 8-10 years have strayed from conservative principles. Notably A) limited government, and B) fiscal responsibility (fiscal conservatism). What is called moderate now is actually on the fringe when held up to that test.
The Republican Party is being reborn from within. What is perceived by the lack-luster bone-head congressman who will soon be out of a job (or are already out of a job) as fringe elements are actually core elements. They betrayed their Republican principles and now it's time for them to be shed like a thick, gray cocoon. They are dead skin.
As they leave, they will take parting shots at what they consider to be traitors within the party. It is they who are the traitors. They're going to be ridden out of town on a rail. Just like the ex-chairman of the Florida GOP Jim Greer who termed the Tea Party movement "...shredding and tearing the fabric of the republican party."
This has already happened in Utah. My congressman, Jason Chaffetz, trounced the incumbent by a significant margin. That sorry excuse for a conservative voted for spending like you wouldn't believe. He was pathetic. I was glad to see him go. And that won't be the end.
* I am politically omnivorous. I watch all sorts of stuff to get different perspectives and ideas. It's uncomfortable but ultimately rewarding. I consider radio and TV to be the lowest and least nutritious of thought-food. Books are the highest in mind-nutrition.
Greatswords for Hire
Got these Greatswords on the block. Check here for more pics.
They have metal plates on the bottoms of the bases. We can provide a magnetized flush movement tray at no charge.
Elmore Babe
Some may remember the art of Larry Elmore from Dragon magazine in the 80s. Ah, good times.
Check out this diorama we made from miniatures from Dark Sword. They carry a lot of Elmore-type stuff.
Tyranid Options
PS- once we have some kits on hand we plan on making most if not all of the various unusual army entries as conversions. They will be included on the spreadsheet.
Hive Mind- reminder
Just a reminder that I'm still running the Hive Mind special.
This coming Monday is the first day that I can put the new models on order.
Danish Cars
I noticed on your blog, one of your friends commented on my email to you. I respect his opinion completely and I am in no way trying to turn your blog into a political discussion site - I just have to give you my two cents :-)
He is absolutely right, motorcycles and cars are ridiculously expensive in
Now you really got me thinking mentioning that our country was roughly the size of
Returning to the first issue, and why I am quite fond of our local system: Though some things may be overly expensive or hard to get, I still have the personal freedom (on top of the complete social security/safety). The most lousy job I can find in this country still earns me ~25$/ pr. hour without breaking a sweat. I am an uneducated inexperienced youth spending most of my time on my education - and I can still afford a beautiful army from BTP. I bet you in 4/5 years I could have that Danish custom motor cycle in my garrage :-)
/rambling off
Again, I am sorry if I am wasting your time. Thank you for reading, anyways :-)
Regards,
LC
Thunderwolf Battle Brothers
Here's the only answer we could come up with for Thunderwolf Cavalry.
Glad to make more.
Cards, Codes and Cash
Please use cash.
When you do, you take money out of the coffers of the banks and simultaneously strengthen the REAL economy.
I urge all my clients to pay me with check, money order, cash or direct transfer (more on this later). When you pay Blue Table Painting $100 with Paypal or Credit card I have to pay $3.25 to the banks. That comes straight out of our family's budget. Wouldn't you much rather see me and my workers get that money?
Don't get me wrong! I'm glad to process by Paypal and Credit Card. There is something to be said for the convenience. Above all, I want the client to be accomodated!
When sent in a hard envelope with Delivery Confirmation it's reliable. I've never once, not even once in six years, had a check go missing in the mail. The bank on the other hand has found ten ways to get their hands on the loot. Banks make your money NOT safe.
My concern here is not just money (ie that I make less if the Banks get their mitts on the money) but that I don't want to see my fellowman further indebted (bank profits create more debt ultimately).
Read more here.
I've started paying with cash. I carry it in my wallet. I don't use my debit card except when absolutely necessary. I'd rather the merchant get that money.
Campaign for Liberty Site
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/
"You cannot spend your way out of a recession.
You cannot regulate the economy into oblivion and expect it to function.
You cannot tax people and businesses to the point of near slavery and expect them to keep producing.
You cannot create an abundance of money out of thin air without making all that paper worthless.
The government cannot make up for rising unemployment by just hiring all the out of work people to be bureaucrats or send them unemployment checks forever.
You cannot live beyond your means indefinitely.
The economy must actually produce something others are willing to buy. Government growth is the opposite of all these things. "
-- Ron Paul
