Combine Melee/Combined Ranged Attacks - a spreadsheet

Link to the Spreadsheet

When I started playing with units that had the combined melee/combine range attack ability, I was generally confused about how to configure my attacks to be the most effective.  If I want to take down a heavy, should I lump everyone into a single attack?  It turns out, no, not always.  It may even be different if you're benefiting from an extra dice for charging.  If I want to use my Long Gunners to kill as many Iron Fang Pikemen in a turn, how many should I group up?  What about against Fennblades?  Actually, the answer is different for each.

Against a single target, it's a little more straight-forward than against multiple targets.  We're just concerned about piling as much damage into one guy that typically has high armor.

For multiple targets, assuming your goal is take as many targets off of the table as you can, you also have to factor in the target's health.

The spreadsheet allows you to enter stats for the attacker and defender along with the configuration of the CRA/CMA.  I sometimes refer to that as CXA.  The results tell you how much damage to expect against a single target or how many models you're likely to kill in a single activation.  Any number of attackers can be represented, up to 10.  I'll probably need to increase that to allow for some of the unit attachments.  We also don't take into account the slightly better stats of some of the officer attachments.

To use the spreadsheet:

After clicking on the link, select 'File->Make a Copy' to copy the file to your own Google Drive.  Once there, you can make all the changes you like.

Link to the Spreadsheet

Bombshell Bombardier, Druid Gone Wilder - What's in the Box?

I saw someone asking about the contents of the two Gencon 2012 beer models from Privateer Press.  Mine arrived Thursday, and I took some pictures.

The Bombshell has quite a few parts.  Despite that, assembly seems pretty straightforward.

Bombardier Bombshell

 The Wilder just has a couple of pieces to assemble to the main body.

Druid Gone Wilder

These models are fantastic.  I can't wait to get them assembled and painted.

Judicator @ Gencon 2012

Matt DiPietro was painting a Judicator at the Privateer Press booth during Gencon.  In the few photos below Ron Kruzie has taken over the labors.

It's a beautiful model - one of the best looking Colossals.  But to be honest, they all look great.  Make sure you click on the photo and hit zoom.  They're pretty large.

Gencon 2012 - Privateer Press Models

 Just got back from Gencon 2012!  I wanted to make a quick post about some of the new models I saw there.  The photos I've seen to date weren't that great, so I'm posting these from the Privateer Press booth for folks to admire.

Druid Gone Wilder and Bombardier Bombshell are Gencon exclusives.  They were sold out by the time I got to the booth, but they were available in the PP store during the con.  I ended up ordering both.  Gorgeous models.  

Click the images for slightly larger photos.

Druid Gone Wilder

Bombardier Bombshell

Updated!  You can see the contents of the blisters here 

General Ossrum

Ashlynn D'Elyse resculpt

Ashlynn was actually an entry into the painting competition, but I'm afraid I don't know who painted it.  If you happen to know, please leave a note in the comments.

What I've Learned about Painting - Part 2

...continued from Part 1

As I mentioned in the first post, these are based on my own learnings and experience.  The list goes on...

People like bullet points.  Here they are:

• Matte medium is my friend - Adding matte medium allows you to maintain the same tone, but with increased transparency or less (but still smooth!) coverage.  Water will also make the paints more transparent, but the pigment becomes really splotchy.  I use it for washes to add transparency, but still encourage the paint to settle in the cracks. 

• Keep a damp brush handy for cleaning up mistakes when they happen.  A little more water in the paint may make the difference between having time to clean up and not.

• Planning makes a big difference in efficiency.  Figure out ahead of time what's getting dry-brushed and do that first.  Lately I'm putting down the first base coat on the whole model, then doing the areas that need dry-brushing.  

• Glazing is used when you want to put down a thin layer of paint, but in thinning it, you don't want it running all over the place and settling in the cracks.  Matte Medium can be used to make glazes, but I've also tried Glazing Medium.  I'm too newbish to tell the difference.

• I'm still trying to speed up my painting so I'm doing a lot of work in batches.  Build some models, prime some models, paint some models.  My speed with the brush isn't getting better, but the overall workflow is. The airbrush helps with that...

• Airbrushes are sweet!  I'm finding the biggest benefit is speed and consistency.  Currently, I use it mostly for undercoating and base-coating.  You can get much, much better coverage than a spray can of paint while never having to worry about applying too much paint and filling in detail.  The downside is that they require some setup and maintenance time and additional equipment.  I could probably write a whole post about things I learned about air-brushing.

• I'm still thinning my paints with a 20-1 water-flow enhancer mix.  I think my brushes are beginning to suffer for it.  The paint wicks up into the ferrule much easier when using the flow enhancer and it's getting harder to remove.  Still, I love the flow enhancer, especially when painting details.  I can use a really light touch and don't have to worry about surface tension sucking a glob of paint off of the brush. 

And because everyone likes pictures:

Rupert Carvolo - WIP

April Circle

I'm a bit late putting these up, but April was a slow painting month.  I'm making up for it in May.  I'm steadily painting models for a Baldur theme list.  To date, I only had two Circle casters painted and table-ready - Kaya and Grayle.  This month I added eKaya and Baldur.  I'm getting a lot of practice painting sticks and stones, which are commonly used in Circle to break them bones. 

Megalith

Otherwise known as  "Kaya the Moonblood" due to her red pants.  Thank my wife for that one.

Kaya, the Moonhunter

I really like painting solos.  Baldur's model is clean and well-defined.  That's something that makes painting easier for me.  I don't enjoy painting models when I can't tell what a thing is.  Is that part of the coat, or is it his undershirt?  Is that surface pants or boot?  I struggle.  Perhaps I should not worry about it and just do what looks sweet.  On second thought, I'm too OCD to go that route.

Baldur, the Stonecleaver

Spoiler:  In May I finish the rest of Baldur's theme force.

Big month of Circle Painting

As mentioned previously, I wanted to field a T4 eKaya list for the March Madness event.  Ultimately, I needed 35 pts painted plus the caster - in one month.  I came close, but ultimately just fell short.  eKaya and Laris didn't get painted in time, so I fell back on a Grayle list that used all but two of the models.  Here's what made it off the table in March.

Shifting Stones

Warpborn Skinwalkers

Pureblood Warpwolf

Gnarlhorn Satyr

Druid Wilder

Druids of Orboros Overseer

Druids of Orboros

Pyre Troll