Review: White Dwarf 392

As everyone probably knows by now, there's Daemons in this issue. So let's dig in on the big stuff in this months magazine, the new releases for Daemons.


New Releases
Quite a lot of stuff for being a mini wave of new miniatures. So Daemons got a a small update with some new minis including Soul Grinders for Fantasy! Don't know what to think of this actually, I like the idea but I had hoped for some kind of conversion kit to make it look less 40k and more fantasy, unfortunate that's not the case. So what else do the Daemons get? New Plaguebearers which I like very much, lot of character this is also the case for the new Nurglings. There's also new kits for the Tzeentchian Daemons, so new Flamers and Screamers both which looks similar to the previous sculpts but really nice nonetheless. Tzeentch is also coming with a sculpt for the Blue Scribes who looks really cool in my opinion.

And all this is not all, there is one or actually two new big kits for the Slaanshi daemons as well. The Seeker Chariot/Hellflayer of Slaanesh and the Exalted Seeker chariot of Slaanesh. I'm not a huge fan for the Slaanesh Daemons at all actually, and particularly not the new Daemonettes. And these sculpts foolow in that direction, the Seekers look nice and all and the chariot it self looks quite menacing. But I really the dislike the Daemonettes themselves and especially the Exalted version which just looks like two Seeker Chariots combined into one and on a large base. So not overly impressed by these.

The last little model releases this month is the Great Bray-Shaman for Beastmen, this is a plastic kit, so not that pricey and it looks really nice as well. There's also some pricier stuff as more models is released in Finecast for Daemons, Beastmen, High Elves and some Goblins, Dwarfs and Cave Drake for Lotr (by the way, there's the first mention of The Hobbit from GW that I've seen. With a two page picture of the characters in the movie and some text explaining that we will see more Hobbit stuff in the future).






Painting and Modelling
Not much, some tips on which paints to use on all the lesser daemons skin (Daemonettes, Bloodletters etc.) There is also an modelling workshop showing how to 'Nurglify' a Soul Grinder which is quite cool and makes is look a little less 40k but not enough in my opinion. There's also a nice showcase for different takes on the plastic Nurgle Lord kit, with some really cool versions by John Blanche for example.

Rules and Fluff

Quite a lot of this, but not in the actual magazine as you get a little booklet with this months issue with all the new rules for both Fantasy and 40k incarnations of Daemons. So you get the rules for the new Chariots, which looks to quite good and new rules for Screamers and Flamers. And of course the Fantasy version of the Soul Grinder, which looks to be an upgraded version of the Hellcannon almost. It looks like a really good monster/cannon with M8 S6 T7 W6 A4, and different upgrades for the cannon and claw. There's also rules for the Blue Scribes, but for some reason these are in the WD instead of the little booklet.


Gaming
There's actually two Battle Reports in this issue, a WHFB one with Daemons against High Elves and one for 40k with Daemons vs. an allied force of Eldar and Dark Eldar :O. Haven't fully read these two yet but looks like normal WD Battle Reports. We also get a new Arena of Death which is quite fun to read actually, pitting an Empire Captain vs. an Saurus Oldblood, an Wight King vs. an Savage Orc Big Boss, and a Bray-Shaman vs. an Goblin Shaman.

Conclusion
The best thing with this issue is the extra booklet for the new Daemons rules, it makes it a lot easier to find than having to page through an whole White Dwarf to find them like with the Sisters of Battle updated WD codex. There's some nice photos and stuff as always quite a lot of new releases, but somehow I find that something is missing but I can't think of what. So a solid magazine and some really useful stuff in the new Daemons rules.

Rating: 3,5 out of 5

News: Video showing the new Daemons in WD + pics

Most of you have probably already seen it but here you have a video on Youtube showing the new White Dwarf and all the new releases in it for Deamons and a Great Bray-Shaman for Beastmen as well.

I like most of the new stuff, really like the new Plaguebearers and the Nurglings just looks totally awesome. I also like the Blue Scibes and Screamers. Not totally sure about the new Flamers or the new Slaanesh chariots, somehow I find that the chariots have to much stuff going on. I like the normal Seeker Chariot the most then Hellflayer which probably looks a bit odd because the flipped chariot base. But the exalted version just doesn't do it for me, to much stuff looking the same on that model.

The rest of the stuff is new Finecast stuff and a Great Bray-Shaman which I really like the look of. I'm disappointed that it seems like there is no more stuff for the Soulgrinder than the big base to convert it into Fantasy, it looks like they just have painted them differently to make the machine stuff less eye catching. It still looks like a Wh40k model in my eyes though and I hoped the at least could put a couple of new things in the kit to make it look more like a 'fantasy' model.

What do you think? Excited for the next WD and the new stuff for Daemons?

EDIT: Also found these taken by Brother Muninn on Warseer from the Youtube clip .

Plaugebearers

Nurglings

Screamers

Flamers

The Blue Scribes

Exalted Seeker Chariot

Exalted Seeker Chariot back

Exalted Seeker Chariot side

News: Daemons of Chaos Rumours

Rumours are now floating around with stuff they have seen in the next WD coming out in a week or so. Anyway as we don't get much rumours nowadays, these are the times we get any solid info. So the latest rumours are saying there is new stuff coming for Daemons (both fantasy and wh40k).

This info is from the Warseer forum and the summary thread of Chaos Daemons rumors by Harry:

This just in from Rixitotal who has read next months White Dwarf:

"So in next months white dwarf there is going to be a leaflet with updates for Codex daemons and daemons in fantasy.
Some changes to old units, flamers are now only S4 in fantasy and some units have had point changes. ect.
Also new units slannesh massive chariot (2D6 +1 impact hits) and other weird chariot thing in 1 kit. the other thing looks and acts kind of like a mobile meat lawnmower. This is in both games and acts like a chariot in 40K.
Soul grinders are coming to fantasy! has T7 6 wounds and a load of upgrades for its shooting. looks pretty mental.
The model (40K kit) in the white dwarf and leaflet was on the same base as the giant goblin spider.
New models for plague bearers (really really nice, some have fly heads)
Screamers (look similar but with lots of eyes),
Flamers (similar)
Nurgalings (looks like a pile of funny little germ monsters you might get in a dish washer advert).

More confirmation of this and some more details from my inbox:

Chariot kit has two builds. One has four daemonettes and a herald called an exalted with a big whip. The other build has the exalted on her own but the chariot is dragging spiked / bladed rollers behind it.

Soul grinders comes on the same base as the Arachnarok spider. Shooting attacks. One attack works like grape shot but can be upgraded. Another works like a stone thrower.

Blue Scribes gets a mini. More Dais than disc.

More confirmation posted by thebitzbarn:

Well it looks Like August new releases are all Daemons.

AUGUST 4th
Plaguebearers (Plastic) 29.00 USD (10 Man box)
Screamers (Plastic) 29.75 USD (3 figures)
Flamers (Plastic) 20.00 USD (3 Figures)
Seekers Chariot of Slaanesh (Plastic) 29.75 USD (1 Model)
Nurglings (Plastic) 25.00 USD (3 figures)
The Blue Scribes (resin) 40.00 USD

Also a relaunch of Old Metal Deamons into Finecast and then on 18th of August a relaunch of Fantasy Beastmen in Finecast

Further Down The road:

All 4 greater Deamons will get plastic kits (with head/weapon options plus wfb/40k specific bits on sprues) and that there will be "resin conversion packs" to make "named greater Deamons". (Hastings) No idea of timescales on this. I am not expecting them to arrive together Or with this wave. (Harry)
Jes Goodwin is rumoured to be doing the Bloodthirster. (BRING IT ON! ) No timescale for this. (NatTreehouse)

Comment: Nice to see some new stuff for the  Daemons and I really like these mini updates to an army similar to the one last year for VC (with wraiths,  banshees and Terrorgheists). Plastic Plaguebearers at last, really like the old metal ones though and hopefully these will look cool as well. Also nice to see new and plastic versions of screamers and flamers, both of which may find a way into my WoC army as unitfillers/mounts etc. The biggest things though is the new Slaneesh Chariot which sounds really cool actually, also Soulgrinders in Wh fantasy?! From the text I don't know if it is going to be a new kit or not, but hopefully it will as I don't really see the current Soulgrinder fit into a fantasy setting, it's a little bit to much machinery and high tech. But anyhow, cool idea and hopefully it will look nice in a Daemons army.

And here's a list of all the new releases next month which I also found at Warseer:

Minotaurs: Planning the new army

As I've mentioned earlier I want to start up a new Space Marine army, and I have made a test model so far, which can be found here. I felt I needed some new stuff for them though to do them justice and so I made an order from Forgeworld and one from Wayland games.

I will continue painting my GotC as well or another Unforgiven chapter, quite bored at the GotC colour scheme. But really excited to start the Minotaurs chapter and can't wait until I get my new stuff.

I ordered this from Forgeworld: (will also get some (big) stuff for Whfb which I will show you when it arrives)

MINOTAURS TRANSFER SHEET (apparently over a thousand transfers on this)

SPACE MARINE MkIV COMMAND SET (really liked these models and will use them for a Captain and Standard Bearer in a Command squad)

2 MINOTAURS MARINE SHOULDER PADS (So I get twenty all in all of these)

ASTERION MOLOC AND IVANUS ENKOMI (the awesome looking Chapter Master and the Voice of the Chapter, Chaplain Ivanus which also looks really good)

2 MINOTAURS TERMINATOR SHOULDER PADS (total of ten of these)
 
ETCHED BRASS MINOTAURS SYMBOLS

2 MINOTAURS RHINO DOORS

I already have some unpainted 40k stuff that I want to paint as Minotaurs, including some stuff from Assault on black reach. But I also felt I needed some more stuff apart from the stuff from Forgeworld. Like for example the Wh40k rulebook which I haven't read yet. So I made an order from Wayland games as well and ordered these things.

Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook - 6th Edition : English (yeah I need it and it looks like a nice book)
 
Space Marine Razorback (two pounds more than a Rhino to buy, better to get this and have the option for both vehicles in my opinion)
 
Space Marine Tactical Squad (will focus on ordinary marines in this army)
 
2 x 3 Big Spartans Shields (really nice looking shields from Scibor Miniatures, total of six shields that I will use as stormshields for my Terminators)

1 x 6 Spartan Shields (same as the big but smaller, in other means perfect for stormshields or maybe combat shields for Power Armour guys)
 
1 Blood Angels Sanguinary Guard (will try to convert these into something, any suggestions? Honour Guard? Command Squad? Vanguard?)


So quite a lot of stuff and I think I will be ready to start this army up, I have already started to paint some ordinary marines and I'm happy with how the bronze on their armour looks. But one thing I don't really know though is what kind of I army I want, and it's so much easier to put together your troops if you know what to field with weapons etc.

I have some ideas on what I want to focus on and what I want in the army. A couple of Tac troops, some Scout Snipers, Command squad or Honour guard, Assault Terminators with a lot of storm shields, some vehicles, Dreadnoughts and maybe one or two Stormtalons. What do you think? Anyone with 40k experience who want to help me put a list together that will work with some of these ingredients? Which codex should I use? I'm mostly thinking about the ordinary SM codex but I'm open for any ideas. 

I will show you all the new stuff when it arrives, hopefully this week :) So until next time.

WoC Update: More Tzeentch Warriors finished

I'm painting a lot of different stuff right now and really need to finish some stuff as well. So the almost ready Warriors of Tzeentch got some more paint and snow on their bases so are now done, and I just need five more to complete this unit. Favourite thing on them are the free hand motifs on their shields, really fun to paint and in my opinion really makes the unit pop.

Tell me what you think, will try to get better at the updating now and some of my bigger painting projects is starting to getting finished like the War Altar and Chaos Hellcannon so hopefully I make some updates with the finished results soon.

Empire Update: War Altar WIP:s and more

A while ago since I updated and still no finished models. Well all I have for my defence is little time and large projects. I have decided though to focus on my Empire army and to try to finish as much as possible before any new releases for the other armies I own, like the rumoured Dark Angels starter box for 40k and maybe Warriors of  Chaos later this year. I will also work a little on my WoC army and try to finish the units I've already started. Also my new mini project is to start up a Minotaurs Space Marine force, building it up squad by squad. Still undecided what to have in it yet and any suggestions is welcome, mostly leaning on focus on TAC squads, some termies, assault marines and Stormtalons and other vehicles.

Anyhow, on to the Empire stuff. Have been working on my War Altar of Morr again and it's starts to look like something. The Morr cult flaggelants is almost done and took much more time than anticipated with the chains and stuff. Just needs some more colour and some more skull bits. The War altar itself needs some more colour and some more converting before it's finished but the interior is pretty much finished, just needs some more highlights here and there. Also started to paint upthe statue today and I'm pleased with the Bronze colour I went with, will make it look more aged though and paint some verdigris on it. The Morr highpriest still needs some green stuff for a hood, necklace and some other stuff then I can start to paint him up as well.

The altar is priority nr. 1 right now but I have some more models in the Empire army Iv'e started to think about painting and converting up soon.

First up is a really easy headswap. Body from the Hurricanum/Luminark kit and head from Wizard kit, easy and of course I will make him into a wizard of the light order. 

Easier even than the Light wizard is this Engineer from the new Plastic Engineer kit. I didn't want to do anything converting with this one.

And for last, I had a couple of ideas what to do with the spare horses from the War Altar kit. First I thought to use them in my Order of the Black Rose knights unit but they are a lot smaller than the Chaos Knights I use in that unit so I had to think of something else. Then I thought about some models I had where the rider needed smaller horses, like this Valten model. I didn't want to use the old horse models for this one and he have been collecting dust for quite some time. So maybe I now can make him into something useful, even if there's isn't any rules for Valten anymore. What do you think? A General? Warriors Priest? Arch Lector?

Wh40k: Minotaurs Test Model

A long time since I last posted a Wh40k model, but with 6th edition here and all I just couldn't withstand to paint at least a little of 40k. And this time it isn't Guardinans of the Covenant, not Dark Angels or any of the unforgiven chapters. I decided to go with the Minotaurs chapter. A chapter that has lately been promoted by Forgeworld, and I just love the colourscheme, the chapter symbol and the ancient greek feel to them. So I made a test model which where easy enough to paint (accept the chapter symbol which I failed with).

I started with a Assoult on the Black Reach model which where primed with the Metal Primer from Army Painter. I then basecoated the whole model with AP:s Weapon Bronze and a heavy dry brusch with GW:s new colour Sycorax Bronze. This I then shaded with Agrax Earthshade and later made a new dry brush with Sycorax but not as heavy this time. And then the armour is done, simple enough and I'm quite satisfied with the result. The model is pretty much done, just need a better base but I don't know what to do with just yet.

I'm really in the mood to do a Minotaur army of this and if I do, I will go and buy some Forgeworld stuff so I don't need to freehand the chapter symbol, because that was a lot harder than I thought and to duplicate them to the other marines, well I won't go that far when there is transfers and Resin shoulder pads for them. Also leaning on buying the Chapter Master, Asterion Moloc and the Chaplain Ivanus Enkomi which are pretty good looking miniatures.

So what do you think? Shall I continue and paint up a whole army of Minotaurs, and if, what shall I have in that army? Also all tips and comments on the painting and stuff is always welcome.