Apple of a Mother's Eye goes Silver!

When I first released this adventure on the DM's Guild, I hoped it would sell a few copies and pleased people, as well as allow me to expand my craft as a writer/designer. It was the first tie-in product I wrote for Curse of Strahd.

As of today, "Apple," a reimagining of the bland Berez chapter for Curse of Strahd, reached Silver Best-Seller status on the DM's Guild. I dropped this on my players as they headed to this destroyed town... After this, they had to re-evaluate their position on Strahd...

As a big thank you, I created a special discounted price for the tie-in of 40% off on the DM's Guild. This special deal is available until the end of February!

[Kill Team] The ActionMen, ActionMan's Astra Militarum

A few years back, when I opted to return to playing some GW after checking out Kill Team and realizing I had a lot of models leftover to create a multitude of smaller teams. I found a starter box on Ebay that had the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Genestealer Cult.

What sealed the deal for me was that there were a set of additional models with the box, including two crates and a number of Tempestus Scions aka stromtroopers. From my FLGS, I added a Commissar - I mean what good Imperial Guard/Astra Militarum is not led by a commissar?

I painted up the squad as a Christmas gift for him, and the Adeptus Mechanicus for me (we never used those).

To build 100 points, I lent him my Necromunda Cawdor.

The canon represents a plasmagun and is a piece I did out of sprues way back in the 90s while I was still in college andhad plan to field an Imperial army, complete with Imperial troops, Space Marines, squats (yes, I had squats!), etc. He really enjoys the look of the piece and has been deploying it every game since. It is pretty cool to see old models like that take the table.

The team is composed of:
- Commissar with plasma pistol and power sword.
- Tempestus Sergeant with bolt pistol and power fist
- Tempestus Scion with meltagun
- Tempestus Sergeant with plasmagun
- Tempestus Sergeant with hotshot laser
- Tempestus Sergeant with hotshot laser
- Tempestus Sergeant with hotshot laser
- Guardman with plasmagun
- Guardman with lasgun
- Guardman with lasgun
- Guardman with lasgun

Necromunda: Escher Gang

These are the Escher gang that came with the Necromunda box I got for Christmas. I was not sure what color scheme I wanted for them. I decided on something basic, so I went with a base of dull green with contrasting purple. That was fine, but I needed something else. So I added plaid to their half-skirts, this red/white splash brought a nice splash of colors.

Their hair, I did in frosted-green (green with near-white highlights). The hair, more than the half-skirts or base uniform, brings them together.

One more special thing I did: I gave them very pale face with make-up. Because you know that no girl in the Underhive would go gang-bashing without her face on.

I really like the sculpts, finding them dynamic and active but one of my favorite element is the sludge on the bases. Its color is very similar to the team color, serving as sort of camo.

Necromunda: Goliath Gang

These are the Goliath from the 2017 Necromunda box. They are dull red with gold and off-white highlights.

I originally planned on using a different color scheme for them but none of the tests I did looked right. So I came back to the "basic" red. In the end, I was really satisfied with them.

One element I am really proud of are the bases and the effect of the glowing green slime in the recesses of the base. They make the characters pop and draw the eye.

Chaos Force: Alpha Legion Force

The full gang.

Chaos Sorcerer. (all metal)

Five heavily-converted Raptors. These guys had their jetpack broken and one was an arm-less original obliterator. They all got homemade packs and a variety of weapon conversions. (all metal)

Chaos Terminator led by a classic Chaos Lord - but used here as a champion. (all metal)

This dreadnaught was created from a Warmachine model. It fits in well with the rest of the game.

[Kill Team] Adeptus Astartes: Tearbringers

The Tearbringers are a Blood Angel-descendant chapter. These guys were created as a "lighter" team and features many scouts. They are pretty adaptable.

They include:
Tactical Marine Sergeant with Plasma pistol and chainsword
Tactical Marine Gunner with missile launcher
Scout Sergeant with bolt pistol and chainsword
Scout Gunner with bolt pistol and chainsword
Scout with astartes shotgun
Scout with bolt pistol and combat knife
Scout with bolt pistol and combat knife
Scout with bolt pistol and combat knife

In larger games, we add two terminators with power fist and storm bolter.

Tearbringer Adeptus Astartes Army

An army project I painted a year or two ago. Now they take up space and I am thinking of selling (if you are interested, let me know). These are all long-OOP models table-ready for action. My idea was to field them as a Blood Angel Successor chapter, the Tearbringers. However, by using my own chapter, I can field them as whoever I want... There are quite a few conversions in the army.

The army includes:
Space Marine Captain (Dark Angel Master Azrael with Watcher-in-the-dark)
Veteran with Grand Banner
Librarian in Terminator Armor
10 Gold/Veteran Assault Marines
10 Black Assault Marines aka Death Company
5 Sergeants
10-man Veteran/Tactical squad with a flamer and missile launcher
6 Tactical Space Marines with heavy weapons (3x missile launchers, 2x heavy plasma, 1x heavy bolter)
4 Tactical Space Marines with special weapons (2x flamers, 1x meltagun, 1x plasmagun)
16 Tactical Space Marines with bolters

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[Kill Team] Grey Knights

This is the first of many posts that will showcase the many Kill Teams I painted and that both ActionMan and I use for our Kill Team games. I will start with the one we had the most difficulty using right the first time: The Grey Knights.

For the color scheme, I wanted something that would pop, so I went with bright red as highlight. They have iconography of the Fleur-de-Lys, which is my own Space Marine chapter, the Separatists, which use blue and white as their base scheme.

They are the only team we have that have psykers. Their small numbers makes them individually powerful but susceptible to a few losses. The psi-bolt power is really an equalizer by giving them an extra shot.

The team includes:
Justicar w/Storm Bolter and nemesis power sword
Grey Knight w/Storm Bolter and nemesis power halberd
Grey Knight w/Storm Bolter and nemesis power halberd
Grey Knight w/Storm Bolter and nemesis power halberd
Grey Knight w/Spsycannon (hooded one)

For bigger games, we add a grey knight terminator.

[Kinda Book Report] Le Troisieme Testament: Julius Book IV

After a third installment in the second cycle that was a slow point in the series, now we get to the action. The story starts with a battle, with the Romans getting whipped in a nice plot device. From there, the situation just gets bigger and bigger, with the situation going from good for the rebellious Jews to band. Betrayals, revelations, and victories.

I really like how Julius' own story ties into the Roman and Judean politics of day. When Julius returns to Judea, we are introduced to a mosaic of factions and characters. His personal transformation from an unbelieving Roman continues. Here we see a man who has been fundamentally transformed into a completely different person (on the inside).

The art is tip-top and the story advances towards what promises to be an explosive conclusion. There are so many elements in play already. The Sar ha sarim, Julius, Nero, the Third Testament, the Romans, the sicarians, the zealots, and the most traditional faction of Jews.

Through him, we again visit the Jewish communities of the East, seeing how their situation changed since we last saw them in the second album. Good bit of storytelling.

There are so many vignette scenes in there: from the battle of Cesarea, the meeting of the Sar Ha Sarim and Julius, assassination attempts. The dark cave where the raven-knights were summoned in book 2. The implications are terrifying and oh-so-exciting.

One of the things I had to do was to go back to the first cycle and read the parable of Julius of Samaria. See how things are remembered twelve centuries later. So far, It sets up the story for one absolutely crazy finale. I have that album over there, but I want to pace myself. The table is set. The cards are dealt. The world will catch on fire.

So the rating? On first reading, I would have settled on a strong 4/5. However, on a second read, I spent more attention to some of the details and boy does this book tie up so many things. I waffled between a strong 4/5 or a weak 5/5. The latter best represents this book. I am shaking from self-imposed chills from waiting for the series finale. A weak 5/5.

[Kinda Book Review] 52 - Vol. 2

Santa was kind enough to get me both volumes 1 and 2 of "52". I reviewed the first volume previously and on the heels of that book, I decided to read the second volume. I was quite curious to continue the story, see where it was going.

Part two continues the story, but frankly, the story is not as engaging, with each issue seeming more interested in presenting and using obscure and unique characters than tightening the plot. There are a few plot of interest and unlike in Vol 1, the stories are pretty different and for the most part do not mingle.

One of the best plots, the Black Adam story, turns into a rather bland villain-turned love-sick fool, it is very much like a . The two plots that makes me want to see more of are the Skeet-as-villain, and ElasticMan as Dr Fate.

The former was just a completely surprise to me. I love Booster Gold/Skeet as the money-grubbing time-traveling superhero. With skeet making an eel turn by sending Booster Gold's ancestor one million years into the past, it took the story from another bland plot to another level. Unfortunately, there is not enough development nor any form of resolution during this issue. Felt too much like a teaser...

The latter is one that prepares us for the return - or selection of a new - Doctor Fate. This is an interesting plot filled with introspective discussion. Again, I wanted more but the plot is just getting started and is gaining steam.

So as I get to the too-quick end of this part, I find myself wondering: was it good enough for me to buy the next part and see it to the end? I think yes, I think I want to read to the end. There are enough interesting threads I would like to see through. So I will be getting the rest of the story.

As for a rating... I think this is a "fine" product and will settle for an easy 3/5. Let's see where these plotlines go... I'm hooked.