Better Know a Blogger: Part 27- Dragons Eye Miniatures

This week's Better Know a Blogger features Jonathan Lyness from Dragons Eye Miniatures. 

I first become aware of Jonathan's blog when the Faeit 212 blogroll returned (so glad that is back!). His post was titled "Tournament Prep, Dave Weston's Birthday Bash 40k tournament". As regular readers will know, I am currently preparing my Deathwatch army for the tournament, so was interested to see what other bloggers would be attending the exclusive soiree. 

It was not long after I first spotted his blog and added it to my blogroll, that I received an email from Jonathan offering to contribute to the Better Know a Blogger series. I was more than happy for him to join the swelling ranks. 

Dragons Eye Miniatures has just recently celebrated its first birthday. Things have really stepped up for him in January as Jonathan has been posting about his efforts to update the Imperial Armour Maynarkh Dynasty to fit in with the current Necron Codex. He plans to bring this army to the Birthday Bash, so it is great to read up a bit about the background of this army and how it differs from the Codex version. Jonathan has certainly taken the spirit of the Birthday Bash to heart, frequently choosing to ignore or tone down certain powerful special rules in the list in order to generate a tough, but fair army to play against. I look forward to seeing how it performs at the tournament. Who know, maybe I'll even get to face them!

Here are Jonathan's answers to my questions:

1. What age did you get into gaming and what started it off?

Well this is a bit of a long winded answer, so you'll have to bear with me and my reminiscing... My first experience of wargaming was when I was 7 years old and I didn't even realise it at the time! I was in the local department store, back in my home town of Ballymena, in Northern Ireland, being carted around by my granny, while she was shopping. Being a kid, I walked around the toy section not knowing what I wanted until I wandered into the music section of all places (specifically the heavy metal section) and on one of the shelves was a model I would never forget. It was Inquisitor Karamazov on the Throne of Judgement, and I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't know what it was, or if it was a toy, all I knew was that I wanted it! In a fit of excitement I dragged my granny over to get me it, only to be told no! I was despondent, as could be expected, and after much pining it slipped my mind for 10 years. 

I need one.....At some stage!!!

It wouldn't be till I was 17 did I rediscover again by accident the grimdark of the 41st Millennium, when my mother bought me the Index Astartes. I was hooked on the background story of the fate of the raven guard, and was awed by the audacity of Abaddon and the Black Legion, I was hooked. But I still didn't know there was a game involved, I thought it was only a story universe and would be another 2 years to I claimed my first real model! 

Hobby Sunday 29/01/17- Deathwatch Drop Pod

This week on Hobby Sunday, I have pictured of my second completed Drop Pod for the Deathwatch army. 

For the first Drop Pod, I painted this when it was assembled. This time round, I decided to paint the model partially assembled first, and then complete assembly when it was painted. This made things much easier this time around, particularly with the edge highlights. 

Better Know A Blogger: Part 26- Recalcitrant Daze

This week's Better Know a Blogger features Rictus from Recalcitrant Daze. 

I think I first came across Rictus' blog on Twitter. I was drawn in by pictures of his amazing Ork looted vehicles.

When you check out the blog, you can see his great tutorial guides on how to generate your own great looking Ork vehicles. In addition, you will find some great conversion and painting articles, and a really nice series looking at old issues of White Dwarf and their contents. Those of you with some nostalgia for the "good old days" of White Dwarf should check it out. 

You can also find him on Twitter (@Rictus40k), posting some great scratch-build and terrain pictures.

Here are Rictus' answers to my questions. 

1. What age did you get into gaming and what started it off?

I was 12, I think. It really began with the Fighting Fantasy books by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson and the Heroquest board game (I loved those books!- Mike). It wasn’t long after I started playing Heroquest that a friend introduced me to White Dwarf. I admit I didn’t know the connection between all three for a while. Space Hulk then arrived in my life and the die was truly cast. It was White Dwarf that really got me hooked. Something I have discussed on the blog more than once as I looked back at the early White Dwarfs I read, including the first one I ever bought – Issue 124 back in March 1990.

https://recalcitrantdaze.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/into-archives-my-early-white-dwarf.html

Battle Report 94- 1850 pts Deathwatch vs Adeptus Mechanicus/Skitarii

This week's battle report sees my Deathwatch army take on Harry (AKA the Dark Artisan) and his Adeptus Mechanicus and Skitarii force.

This game was being filmed for his awesome Youtube channel, so was played on a fantastic board full of terrain against a great looking army. I think this is pretty neat, as you will get both the video battle report and written battle report to check out, as well as the perspective of both players on how the game went. 

My army consisted of:

Combined Arms Detachment

Watch Captain Artemis (with V5)

Librarian- Mastery Level 2, Meltabombs (with V5)

10 Veterans- 4 Frag Cannons, Storm Shield, Auspex (V1 and V2)

Drop Pod (DP1)

10 Veterans- 2 Infernus Heavy Bolters (V3 and V4)

Rhino (R)

8 Veterans- 3 Deathwatch Shotguns, 2 Heavy Thunder Hammers, 2 Storm Shields (V5)

Drop Pod (DP2)

5 Veterans- 5 Stalker Pattern Boltguns (V6)

4 Bikers- 3 Power Swords, Power Axe, Meltabombs (B1)

4 Bikers- 3 Power Swords, Power Maul, Meltabombs (B2)

5 Vanguard Veterans- 3 pairs of Lightning Claws, 2 Heavy Thunder Hammers (VV)

My warlord was Artemis, his Warlord Trait allowing me to change Mission Tactics an additional time. My Librarian rolled on Biomancy and got Smite, Enfeeble and Warp Speed. 

For my army, I stuck with a CAD. I was hoping to use the Blackspear Strike Force, but didn't have time to get my Corvus Blackstar painted to use it. Anyway, in most missions, a CAD is a solid choice thanks to Objective Secured. 

I took Artemis to lead the force once again, hoping to use his Stasis Bomb to good effect. I backed him up with a Librarian using Biomancy. I was hoping to get Endurance to boost my durability, but ended up with Enfeeble and Warp Speed instead. Smite is a pretty good Primaris for me, as my army lacks a lot of AP2 shooting. 

Both characters would join a unit of combat Veterans in a Drop Pod. I took three shotguns, two Heavy Thunder Hammers and a couple of Storm Shields for some added protection. I didn't really rate the Deathwatch Shotguns when I first reviewed the codex, but after using them for a few games, I have turned around on them. Even though the template mode is only S3, the number of hits you can normally get more than makes up for this in most games. 

I took a unit of Veterans with 4 Frag Cannons in a Drop Pod. I decided to combat squad these and put two cannons in each unit, allowing me to go after 2 different targets. One squad would take the Storm Shield and Auspex (I would normally put them both on the squad Sergeant, but the recent FAQ put an end to that). 

I then took a unit of Veteran with Stalker Boltguns and a unit with Infernus Heavy Bolters in a Rhino. The Stalker unit could hold a backfield objective, while the Rhino would give me more mobility to go after objectives. 

To round off the list, I took my standard two units of 4 Bikers (power weapons and Meltabombs) and a unit of Vanguard Veterans armed for combat. 

Battle Report 93- 1500 pts Deathwatch vs Emperor's Children

This week's battle report sees my Deathwatch army take on some 30k Emperor's Children, commanded by Ed at the EDGE gaming club. We were playing the Crusade Eternal War mission with 5 objectives. 

My army consisted of:

Combined Arms Detachment

Watch Captain Artemis (with V1)

Librarian- Mastery Level 2, Force Sword, Meltabombs (with V1)

5 Veterans- Heavy Thunder Hammer, 2 Deathwatch Shotguns, 2 Storm Shields, Power Maul, Power Sword (V1)

Drop Pod (DP2)

5 Veterans- 4 Frag Cannons, Auspex, Storm Shield (V2)

Drop Pod (DP1)

10 Veterans- 2 Infernus Heavy Bolters (V3 and V4)

Rhino (R)

5 Veterans- Stalker Pattern Boltguns (V5)

4 Bikers- 3 Power Swords, 1 Power Axe (B1)

4 Biker- 3 Power Swords, 1 Power Maul (B2)

Garran Branatar- Terminator Armour, Heavy Flamer, Power Fist with Auxiliary Meltagun (T)

My warlord trait for Artemis was Vigilance Incarnate, allowing me to change the Mission Tactics one more time (so two times in total). My Librarian rolled on Biomancy, getting Warp Speed, Life Leech, Smite and Force.

Hobby Update 25/01/17- Kill Team Cassius

Today, I have pictures of my completed Kill Team from the Deathwatch Overkill box. Previously, I had completed the Terminator, Chaplain, Librarian, Frag Cannon and one of the Vanguard Veterans. I was able to complete the rest of the Deathwatch models from the box to get my full Kill Team completed.

Hobby Update 24/01/17- Deathwatch Librarian

Today I have pictures of my latest completed model for my Deathwatch army, the Deathwatch Librarian from the Deathwatch Overkill boxed set. 

I really like the look of this model, as he is striding forward ready to face the enemy. I am planning on using him in my tournament list for the upcoming Birthday Bash 2.0. Usually, a lone Librarian does not do much in a list, but with Biomancy he can be quite effective for boosting my fragile Marine units. 

Better Know A Blogger: Part 25- I'm Alone with a Dream

This week's Better Know a Blogger features D Power from "I'm Alone with a Dream". 

What to say about D Power's blog that would accurately describe it or do it justice?!?! I'm actually a bit behind the times with discovering "I'm Alone with a Dream". Marc (Old School Gaming) has mentioned him a few times in the past and Rob (30Kplus40K) recently highlighted some of his work on his own blog. 

The best way for me to describe his converting and painting style is a Blanchitsu-inspired, proper grimdark vision of the 40k universe. Take a look at some of the creations on his blog and marvel at the creativity and unique style that D Power brings to his work. His blog is not the place to go if you want tactica articles, codex reviews or rumours analysis, but if you want to spend a few hours marveling at some top notch creations and original painting style, it is definitely a blog that should be on your list. 

He recently took part in the Dreadtober event and produced a fantastic version of a scratchbuilt loyalist Space Marine Dreadnought. 

He also runs a painting commission service that is well worth a look. You are unlikely to get a model that will match your own army style, but as a fantastic display piece, you can't go wrong.

Anyway, enough of my vain attempts to describe it. Enjoy the pictures throughout the post, and here are D Power's answers to my questions:

1. What age did you get into gaming and what started it off? 

I was 16 when I bought my first batch of Space marines from a friend that had been running Tau from the crib and had no room for the Imperium anymore; although I had been drooling over the bible-sized catalogue at the old hobby shop since I was 10.

Hobby Sunday 22/01/17- Deathwatch Chaplain

As part of my continuing efforts to get my Deathwatch finished, I have now completed the Deathwatch Chaplain from the Overkill boxed set. 

I really like this model. He has a very angry facial expression, quite right for a Chaplain extolling the virtues of killing alien scum. Given the huge number of combat options available to the Deathwatch Veterans, he should come in very handy for giving me the Zealot re-rolls, as well as stopping the units from running. I still suck at painting faces, but other than that, I am pretty pleased with the result.

St Andrews Wargaming takes on The Dark Artisan

This weekend I have a game planned for Sunday against The Dark Artisan. 

For those of you that don't know, the Dark Artisan is a gamer in the Newcastle area that produces some fantastic video battle reports on Youtube. You can find links to his Youtube page and Facebook page by clicking on the highlighted words above. You can also find him on twitter @darkartisan40k 

My recently painted Deathwatch will be taking on one of his armies. I will be taking notes for what is sure to be a very nice looking battle report, as well as the video battle report also being produced. This way, you can enjoy both contents and see the battle from the perspective of both players. 

Be sure to check out and like his pages, I hope to be featuring in more of his battle reports over the coming year.