Discussions: what one rule would you like to add/change to 40K?

So, I was thinking, there are many different game systems but a lot of my reader base are 40K fanatics. The 40K rules are great in my opinion but I have seen some really nice ideas from other game systems.

My question to you is, what one rule would you like to add or change to 40K. I would like to see squad coherency changed to radio coherency. What I mean is that instead of models having to stay within 2" of each other everybody has to stay within say 8" of the sergeant and if he dies you just nominate another model to become sergeant. This encourages the idea of all the men piling in and not spreading out along the entire board.

So, what would you change. Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: how you transport your army,

I was looking at my armies the other day and thought about the way I transport my minis. Here are the different ways.

This is how I transport my most delicate minis. I wrap them up in tissue and then put them in a box.

The next way is for MARINES ONLY as they are so, so, so sturdy I just shove them in a box then layer the tanks on top.

This is a similar way but in a tool kit allowing me to put more delicate things on the top piece (not shown) and the rest in the bottom.

The final way is in a case. now with most of the guys I just fit them in as there isn't enough holes otherwise. More important and metal models get put in proper places.

So, how do you transport your models?

Discussions: Crazy dice stories and post 300

ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! My Internet at the caravan is really playing up so I am struggling to get posts out but anyway. Here 1is. This weeks discussion is about any really weird dice stories you have. From rolling six after six after six then losing the game to losing a dice then finding it a different colour. I have one story:

An adult Nurgle player had bright blue dice for his army and said he wanted some more Nurgle esque ones. He always coughed on his dice (Nurgle) for good luck and when he had to make one more FNP to win the game, he coughed on the dice then rolled it and it ended up under a piece of terrain it came out as a murky green and yellow and also a six. We asked around and no body else had that colour of dice.
No joke, that really happened. So, what's your stories. Please tell us.
Oh yea, this is also my 300th post. Thanks to everybody who has helped me through all of them especially the FTW blogger group. Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

discussions: the perfect points level (40K)

So, I was wondering, what do you think the best points level is. Is it the basic 1500 or the choice filled 2000.

I personally like 1850, you get lots of choice without too many ultra killer lists.

Anyway, it's open to you. Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: What would you call 'a good game'

So, I was thinking, what is a good game. Is it when you win, is it when you have a hard fought close battle, is it when you have lots of big exiting moments or is it when you sit with a group of mates having a laugh and pushing models around.

For me it's a mix of being with mates and a close battle, I hate rolling over people without a fight and I hate not playing and just being rolled over. When it's close it's just more fun for me. the thing with playing at the local GW is that age doesn't matter (which is a big deal as I'm only in lower high school) I can play an adult or a 15 yr old and still have just as much fun.

So, that's my view, what's yours. Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Painting: commisioning, do you lose out on the hobby.

So, I have been looking around at all of these different mini painting companies and James has just set a really cheap one up to. I don't want to use them but for all the people that do. Do you think it detracts from the hobby when perople go, nice paint job mate and you have to go 'yea, it was done by... not me' I thik that definatlely young and new gamers should give painting it theselves a try first. then maybe if you don't want to paint 72 termagaunts then you can send them away.

So, what do you think, discuss, thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: What marine chapter would you be in?

So, just thought I'd put up this discussion as well as tomorrows.

What marine chapter would you be in. Would you be a ferocious space wolf or a vamparic Blood Angel.

I would like to be: A Death Watch kill team member or a Grey Knight.

I would be: A resourceful Relictor.

So, what would be your chapter. Tomorows discussion will be along the same lines as this. I won't spoil it.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob

Discussions: #15, The Good Guys of 40k

So, I was thinking, who are the good guys of 40k, is it the imperium fighting aliens and chaos, but also destroying plaents with pollution and ignoring any way other than their own, is is the advancing Tau, only fighting when they are provoked or people disagree with them and even after fighting offer their enemies a place in their own ranks, is it the illustrious Eldar, preserving rarther than advancing or is it chaos, trying to destroy everything and let the galaxy become completely natural (well, that's one view another is cold hearted, greedy killers). Which do you think, tell us people, if I get some results then this may become a poll.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: #13 Gaming group habits, cock dice and measuring.

Hi, today I want to talk about something that is very specific at tourneys but can be more vague at gaming groups, I'm talking about cock dice and over measuring, anyway, on with my explanation.

First up, measuring. At touneys your opponents will be very strict on this but maybe not at gaming groups, first off I don't mean when people do this maliciouly because that is down right wrong, let me give an example. You are having a friendly game with a decent beginner who is 16, when measuring the movement for his assault marines he is moving them between 12-13'' rarther than max 12, he is constantly doing this but he doesn't look like it is on purpose, he is just moving his hand slightly as he moves the unit. What do you do?

Number 2 is when you get a cock die, this is when a dice lands on a crooked pice of terrain or falls of the table or is leaning at an angle on another dice. Some plan it as if it is only on the slightest angle it is cocked others are more leanient. What I want to talk about is what you do when a die is cocked, in our group we just re-roll it whatever the result but I have heard others just saying that is is a fail, the worst possible result, a 4 (on a d6 as it is in the middle) or just disregarding the dice completely (exept in some circumstances like a LD check where it is a different number). So, what's your group like and do you like it. Does it depend on the player or not. Tell us. Thanks for reading,

Jacob

Discussions:#12 quality speed painting tips (some of mine included).

Hi, this week I wanted to touch on a topic close to my gaming groups heart. Painting quality and speed painting. Not all of us care but the older guys do, we all like a clean job (that doen's mean not dirty).

Lots of us don't like drybrushing, or should I say over drybrushing. We will drybrush metals and stuff because that gives a good effect but ork skin shouldn't be drybrushed, it makes it look wrong in opinion even just line highlighting or 3 layers are much better! What I'm trying to get across is that by speed mpainting I do not mean losing to much quality, so here are m y top tips:

1. 
   
   washes, GW washes are a godsend, Devlan can work on most models for darkening, dirt and a multitude of other things. Badab black is great on metals and darkening. Sepia is great for yellows, weird effects and much more, That's only 3 paints and look how many uses I've just named.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Mixing pots, I need to get some of these. If you have some favorite mixes then mix a load in a pot so it is just ready to use.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Foundation paints, whenever I start an army I buy the appropriate one of these for it. I find that one layer of this then 2 layers of the standard colour makes a really nice smooth finish.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Battle dammage, if you make a mistake, what better way to cover it up!
   
   
   
5. 
   
   Reward system, to keep your interest and hence speed of painting give yourself a target and whan you complete each little goal paint something nice that you really want to paint, this is often characters for me!
   
   
   So, there's my tips, tell us yours. I f you've learned soething tell us that too. Thanks for reading,
   
   

Jacob.

Discussion: #11 what you want from 40K at the moment.

I know that lots of discussions like this are floating around but i mean something different. I mean if a 5.2ed came out for 40k what changes would you want or what would you want from newer codexs. I mean I would like to see Dark Eldar be able to dash everywhere and destroy things but be very fragile.

So, what do you think. What do you want to see.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: #10, Is stuff translated from fluff to gameplay correctly.

When ever I read a black library novel I find that the space marines are amazing fighters but in game they are mediocre. Now I know that this has been said before and that lots of movie marines rules have been written but i found some good ones:

Here

Have a look and tell us what you think. The same happens with other armies as well. Eldar should be able to just turn up anywhere without scatter and orks should be unstopable once enraged.

So, what do you think. Is the game a little to diluted but then again if everything got better then it would turn out similar because everything would be tougher and stronger. Marines are just a little too diluted though, maybe make like 25 marines makes up an army or something.

Don't get me wrong I love the game I just think that it doesn't always fit the fluff.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: #9 Aesthetic, do you like dirty or clean.

I have been wondering this week. Do you like your minis looking pristine or like they are in the fight 24/7. I mean Smurfs might like looking clean but you may want them a sort of 'minimal grubby but still dirty because I've been in a fight!' type thing.

Two ends of the spectrum are Ron's Deathwing (very dirty) and my models before I add battle damage. With my painting style most of my models are painted cleanly then dirtied us with dirt and battle damage.

So, so you preffer the look of dirty guys or clean guys or do you have a bit of a formula for choosing!

Thanks for reading,

Jacob!

Discussions: #8 Painting, fast or slow, neat or wild. How do you do it!

Hi, Jacob here, this weeks post is about whether you paint different things fast or slow and whether you do lots of neat paintwork or a wild method that might be considered quick and dirty! 1 person I know has quite a bit of patience but not much skill, so he paints his armies slow but in a wild way. This is Stu who has been interviewed before.

With his ogres he spends time on all of this but it is a simple metod. The skin is just tallarn flesh washed heavily with devlan mud. This is very simple but when time is taken over it looks decent.

Some peoples character models are 20-40 hour masterpieces but others are jsut a complicated soldier model.

Another example is me and faces. I've never had much practice at this but now I just use tallarn flesh, highlight dwarf/elf flesh, paint teeth etc and done. Eyes are a tough point for me but I'm learning!

So, how do you paint. Are you top class with a quick and neat job or are you different with a slow and dirty job. Both work, one just takes more practice. White undercoats require a neater method weher as black allows for a dark gritty but wild painted look.

Please tell us where you sit and how you are. Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: No.7 How do you make good quality, interesting posts!

Hi, this weeks discussion is about how to make good quality, interesting posts. It's been a bit of a dilemma for me lately because I have been producing some posts that then get a good few comments but I don't generally get comments on my models and I don't get any entries to my competitions. I must have left a link to the naming of my salamander rhinos for a couple of moths and I didn't get 1 proper entry. My latest competition has no entries yet either. I have 30 odd followers but that number is not growing. I try to comment on other peoples blogs (generally not BoLS because my comment would get lost in the 60 others). So, my question o you is. What are your top tips to making good quality, interesting posts.

This is not just for my sake but for newer bloggers as well. Ron, if you don't mind I will publish the tips you gave me when I was starting. Please tell me whether that's OK with you!

EDIT: Here are the tips Ron gave me when I was just starting out. remember these were aimed specifically at me so they may not apply to you:

1. It will come together over time and you'll develop your own style and look.

2. Make sure to proofread everything you write. Sometimes mistakes will get through but you should minimize this as much as possible.

3. If you get something from someone else then make sure to say that. Don't ever take something and just post it on your site without giving credit to the original author or where you found it.

4. You will have a ton of work ahead of you. Your readers come to your site looking to see what you do, not see things like questions where you ask them what you should do. Polls are ok, but your readers wnat to hear about your projects, not your questions.

5.Watch your headlines, they should let the reader know what the article is about, things like, "THIS IS SO COOL!" doesn't tell your reader anything about what you're writing about and they probably won't keep reading. Try and sum up your post in one sentence and use that as a guide.

6. Pictures will almost always help. Make sure they are well lit and in focus. Fuzzy pictures are no good, leave those out.
Same thing with images, if you get them somewhere else, make sure to give the original person credit.

7. Pick a theme for your blog and stick with it. You will develop a bigger and more loyal reader base if you cover one thing well instead of 5 or 6 things part way. People want to know what to expect when they come to your blog. Are you about 40k or video games or board games?

8. Watch your Labels, like your headlines, they should describe what is in that group of articles. Things like COOL STUFF doesn't tell your reader anything and they have no reason to click on it then.

Anyway, the floor is yours. DISCUSS!!!
Thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: #6, Painting dilemmas.

Hi, this time i wanted to talk a little on painting dilemmas, or, more importantly, how much detail and time to put on a model. the above model is a prime example, do you do writing on the scroll or do you leave it blank. will you give the scroll bland or give it depth. Black armor is a big one as well as it is so tempting jsut to leave it solid black. on top of this there are a hundred other details on the chaplin that can be ignores, done dodgily or take up lots of time.
The thing you have to decide is whether or not you are going to spend a lot of time on the model. say it takes me 4 hours to paint 10 tac marines to my (in my opinion relatively high) standards. i can do a good boss in 2-4 hours as well. But, if I was painting marneus calgar or ragnar blackmane (hint hint) then I would spend far more time. That is my way though. i don't have deadlines other than providing material for my blog. So I spend lots of time on my minis. I f you are a commissioner then you may have to rush that characters details and do 2 stges on the cloak rarther than 4.
So, next time you are painting a mini. Just think, 'am I getting the best looking mini for my time and money'.
Discuss away guys. thanksfor reading,

Jacob.

Discussions: #5, the troubles of blogging.

Hi, this week I decided to start a discussion on the troubles of blogging. I personally love blogging and do it for the community, but and this is a big but. It is a very big commitment.

I don't know about you but I spend a lot of time searching for different blogs. the amount of blogs that only have 1 post on them from 2 yrs ago is amazing. So now we know that it's a big commitment lets look at the sort of things that make it such a big commitment:

1) if you want to post regularly you have to plan (and sometimes) pre- write your posts. I personally try to write a few posts at the week-end so i am not struggling in the week.

2) if you are popular replying to comments can be hard.

3) You need to make your blog interesting without being complicated.

4) Actually doing stuff to post about can be hard.

So, know that i have set the scene for the discussion then comment away. Discuss. if you think I have missed anything then please tell me. thanks for reading,

Jacob.

Discussons: 4 Themed blogging weeks.

Sorry this is a day late and please view the post below as that is new to,

Hi, todays discussion is about something I may do in the future. recently I have been theming my weeks a bit. this week has been about space wolves and last week was about my games day (ok addmitedly we space wolf sprues last week and a video this week). Now my question is, would you like this to continue. I will put up a poll in the side bar.

Please either comment or vote, or both.

Discussions: 3, Always replie or only sometimes.

Ok, so this weeks discussion will be on whether to always replie to every comment or just to reply to the interesting ones. I personally get few enough (though it is increasing (thanks everyone (have another bracket))) comments to reply to them all and I do. I appreciate every single comment and try to give it a good reply. Not everyone is so fortunate though and some people don't have the time or get too many comments.

So where do you stand and what do you do. are you a comment fantic or do you let the comment system run it's self.



Sorry it's only a short one peeps but i hope this generates some good discussion.



Thanks for reading,



Jacob.

Discussions: 2, let them do it or just say no?

Hi, today's discussion will be about letting people do things they forgot about or telling them life is tough.

I mean if somebody moves his entire army apart from one little unit right at the back then goes onto the shooting phase and fires with two units then would you let him move the ineffective little unit he forgot about. Probably yes, but what if that was his main shooting unit and it made the difference between them being in range or not. Or what if it was the JAWS OF THE WOLF LORD idiot psychic power dude (sorry that is another rant) that made the line reach your commander if he moves him. Now I know that you would probably let someone do it if they remembered it in like the next phase but I also know that I would not let someone change anything if it was two turns on.

This also depends on whether you are playing competitively or not, here is what I do for each level o competitiveness.

basement game: let them do what they like as long as they have that attitude.
store game: let them take most things back unless a) they are playing competitively or b) they are being stupid.
tourney lower level: kind of goes back to store game but sometimes a bit more relaxed.
tourney middle: very competitive because you all playing for the high spots.
tourney top: I have never been here but from info that I have gathered sometimes you can be a bit more relaxed if you know the bloke, I mean if your both this good then you both will probably know that he was going to charge with that unit so you can let him off quite a bit.

But hey, thats my view, please leve a comment and tell us what you think.

Thanks for reading,

Jacob.