Power from Paint: Cronos Parasite Engine

 Welcome back to the Web Way! I've had another productive painting session this weekend and bar basing, completed the Cronos Parasite Engine; a fittingly creepy unit for Halloween!

The Hero Forge: A Haemonculus Awakens

 Welcome back to the Webway! With Octoberfest now behind me it's time to work on some new projects. I've been building some Necron models from the Indomitus box and the various kits arriving with the Imperium magazine, but really decided I needed to knuckle down and begin on The Hero Forge challenge.

As I've mentioned previously this is build/paint challenge that a number of the First Founding members are participating in; it involves creating a new Warlord model, complete with fluff, chosen relic/warlord trait, etc. and then a 1000 point supporting force.

I'm using this as an opportunity to work on a back log of Dark Eldar Coven models. First up is the erstwhile leader: a Haeomonculus.

The Hero Forge: A 40K Hobby Challenge

 Welcome back to the Vault! It's time for the next hobby challenge! It was about this time last year that I participated in the Tale of Four Santas project, and we thought it would be fun to get another project going over the autumn and winter months.

This 40K challenge is entitled "The Hero Forge" and comes in two parts.

Power from Paint: Mayhem 19 Raid Report

Welcome back to the Vault once more! The Kabal of the Sand Viper have raided Real Space once more and returned to Commorragh with a bittersweet mix of Glory and Woe to in equal measure!

Last weekend I attended First Founding's Mayhem 2019 40K tournament (playing my Dark Eldar army) and I thought I'd share a few pictures and thoughts of the event. The day was to be the first table top outing for my newly completed Succubus and I was keen to let her loose on the battle field.

Power from Paint: Trouble and Strife

It's time for another visit to the fabled City of Commorragh, sinister heart of the Web Way, and home to the Kabal of the Sand Viper.  Next week my Dark Eldar will raid Real Space once more to seek glory and take slaves at First Founding's Mayhem Tournament.

Mayhem has a somewhat unusual format; 4 games played over a day with 1250 point single Codex lists.  Having spent a couple of weeks painting a unit of Incubi (Ming's Mercs), I've had a change of heart and decided to take a small Wych Cult detachment instead. Which means more painting as I have had to add a HQ choice! Doh!

So head down, brushes out, and here's the fruits of my labour:

Power from Paint: Wych way to go?

Time to burst forth from the Web Way once more my fellow Archons!  The Incubi are now done bar the bases, and I've played a Mayhem practice game against a new Chaos list. After a shaky start the Dizzy and Splinter Cannons of the Kabal of the Sand Viper emerged victorious over the Black Legion!  

My Incubi ultimately weren't needed for combat, but I really appreciated having the option of a dedicated assault unit in the list. In fact I'm considering Wyches (and more on that later in the post).

Power from Paint: On a Mission

Mid April is now upon us. And for the local 40K community that means a frenzy of list writing, painting and practice games in advance of Mayhem our club tournament.

I have a few list ideas in mind and whilst I procrastinate through making a final decision, I have started painting a few models which might make it through to the final cut.

I've primed a pimped-up Raider which has been languishing on the pile of Unpainted Stuff for far too long:

Power from Paint: First Founding Doubles Report

Welcome back to my dark corner of Commoragh, my fellow Archons! The Kabal of the Sand Viper went to war allied with the mysterious Ynari at the First Founding Doubles Tournament.  Whilst the dice of fate were somewhat cruel and fickle to us, my team mate and I both had a fun day at a well run event.

Power from Paint: Team Fluffy Space Pixies are Go!

Welcome back to my little corner of Commoragh my fellow Archons! If you've been following my posts in recent weeks you will know I've been painting some new models and getting some practice games in for a 40K Doubles Tournament next weekend. It's been something of a Vault tradition for me to write a show and tell army post before the event takes place, and if I can sneak a look at some of the submitted army data (not the lists themselves before you ask!) to indulge in some Chart Hammer.

So here's the Kabal of the Sand Viper ready to raid Real Space once more!

Power from Paint: Screaming Jets

Welcome back to my dark corner of Comorragh my fellow Archons. I've been busy applying paint to my latest Dark Eldar unit in advance of next month's First Founding Doubles Tournament and I've finished the model today. 

I'm pretty pleased with the results:

Power from Paint: Dizzy with Joy

Welcome back to the Vault my fellow Archons! I hope you've been enjoying the festive season, and had the opportunity to indulge in some hobby and gaming.  I've been spoilt rotten by family and friends for gaming loot (more on this later in the post), and I've enjoyed the opportunity to build and paint some 40K models.

I am taking part in First Founding's 40K doubles tournament in February and I'm teamed with the club's resident Eldar player. Of course this means I shall be taking the Kabal of the Sand Viper out for another raid!

We waited until Chapter Approved 2018 to be released before (so as to be sure of points changes) before drafting our army lists (1000 points, single detachment, rule of 2, per player). We've got decent lists with a good theme, and I've come away with some hobby homework (i.e. new units to build and paint).

First up is a new Ravager armed with triple Dizzy Cannons (painted following the guide here). Santa Claus was very kind to Space Marine players with the new Primaris Marine formation and rules in the Vigilus Campaign Book, and so I've responded as any proper Archon should; I've put more ways to kill Primaris into my force! 

Power from Paint: Octoberfest 18 Raid Report

The Kabal of the Sand Viper have returned from another Real Space Raid; this time to First Founding's Octoberfest 18 tournament. The Dark Eldar experienced a mix set of results, as we shall see!

Power from Paint: Ready to Raid at Octoberfest

With less than a week to go to Octoberfest (First Founding's autumn 40K tournament) it's time for my traditional army list reveal and pre-competition punditry post! Regular readers will know I've procrastinated for a while over which faction to take, and in the end I've gone with a variation of my Dark Eldar force.

Target Prioritisation: What are the benefits of war gaming and model making?

Welcome back to the Vault once again faithful Venturers! This week's hobby time has been spent finalising my list for Octoberfest, and slapping paint on some 40K models. One of my other hobbies is Tai Chi and I've also spent time this weekend preparing for some introductory Tai Chi sessions I will leading as part of an event for World Mental Health Day on Wednesday 10th October.

I've been very indecisive about what army to take to Octoberfest; agonising over what will do well in the various missions, and give me the best shot at winning my games.  But whilst having choices is fun, not making a decision has been bugging me. So I've decided to go with what I feel will be the most entertaining to play (a variation on my Dark Eldar), and making that decision has been liberating; I've been able to crack on with the final bits of painting required for the models.

Combining these two separate threads got me thinking; my gaming time is meant to be fun and I lost that focus for a little while. Let's think on the positives of the hobby and why it's good for us!

I've magnetised and painted Blasters for the Reavers! Pew! Pew!

Power from Paint: Raider 'Rithmetic Revisited

Hello once again! It's time for another post, and whilst I have a lot of potential topics to blog about at the moment (so plenty of content to look forward to, yay!), I've decided to write a follow up to the Maths Hammer post about shooting Land Raiders.

Shoddy WIP Land Raider. This really needs starting again.

Power from Paint: Raider 'Rithmetic

Another weekend of gaming goodness is over and that means it's time for another post!  I've had a lot of fun playing 40K, various board games and also indulged an hour or two working on some terrain; this means there are plenty of topics to choose to blog about! However, this post will be a little bit different to my normal topics (warning: word heavy, picture light, includes maths).

My Dark Eldar took to the battlefield against the Dark Angels. The First Legion deployed an elite force and unfortunately suffered a defeat against the Kabal of the Sand Viper! The Dark Angels army included a Land Raider which died early in the game under sustained Dark Lance fire, and this event got me thinking; Land Raiders have a pretty poor reputation game-performance wise and are perceived as very expensive points wise, but is this really the case?

WIP Land Raider Crusader

Power from Paint: Raiding with Mercenaries

The Kabal of the Sand Viper have ventured back into Real Space once more, seeking glory and slaves. I recently attended First Founding having arranged an impromptu game with Greg and his Dark Angels.  We decided points levels just prior to the game and so I had to go digging into my figure case to find some more models to add to my normal force; this allowed me to add a squad of mercenaries, a HQ and a raider to my list!

So here's the Gun Boat, but who did I recruit to ride in it?

Power from Paint: The Spirit Prophet

Welcome back to the Vault my fellow Archons; today we visit the darkest halls of Commorragh's Covens.

It is well known among the Dark Kin that the Haemonculi of the Prophets of Flesh foretell the future from the suffering of others; reading the runes revealed in Dark Eldar raids and battles, as well as other more esoteric and exotic forms of flesh crafting. One of the rarer forms of soothsaying is that of Spirimancy, and it's adherents are named the Spirit Prophets.

Power from Paint: The Sand Viper Coven

Deep in the darkened places of Comorragh lie the crafting halls of the Haemonculi Covens. They do not work in metal or stone, neither wood nor jewel; their material of their artifice is flesh!

My Dark Eldar collection is predominately based around Kabal forces (as seen in the recent Mayhem post.), backed up by some Wych Cult units. The third part of the Dark Eldar triad are the Coven which are noticeably absent in my collection, save for a few Wracks and a Haemonculus.

Power From Paint: Mischief and Mayhem

Another Realspace raid has been completed by the Kabal of the Sand Viper and what a difference to our previous outing! Yesterday I attended the First Founding Mayhem 2018 tournament, so here is a brief report. As per usual I won't be writing a blow by blow Bat Rep (as my memory is terrible), but I took some pretty pictures and will add a few words around them.

The Kabal of the Sand Viper