Showcase: Adeptus Titanicus Warlord Sinister Psi-Titan

Finished up my Psi-titan the other night and wanted to share it with you all. I still have some alternate weapons to paint for it, but I need Forgewolrd to open back up to get a few more, so in the mean time, since I have no immediate need of the model or specific load outs for games, I decided to call this one done.

I give you my Warlord Sinister Psi-Titan Occedentalis-Khronos.

This really is a great kit. The basic warlord is awesome and the forgeworld upgrades for this really have a lot of character and are nice and crisp in their cast quality.

Before anyone asks, the hazy black was just done by blending black and eshin grey.

Below is a collage of all the different runes/hexagrammatic wards I painted on, free hand. Mixed in Eldar and Necron to go with the lord of the Emperor. He made the Ordo Sinister titans, so I figuered he'd infuse their tech and witchery seeing as he has used/relied on it for numerous projects in the past (Imperial Webway, Void Dragon, Primarchs, etc.).

Oh yes... and Sieg Zeon!

And finally a close up of the Ordo Sinister logo I free handed, the banner I made, and the wrecked Legio Magna Warhound I put on the base. I'd been attracted to Magna as a possible traitor opposite of my Legio Pelagos loyalists, so I figured this was a good place to test. If I did them, I'd need to do something other than Mars basing, because they'd blend in too much (good from a real world perspective. Bad for making tabletop models pop). HOWEVER, using it as basing the close color is nice because it doesn't steal from the main attraction, the Warlord.

If you aren't playing Titanicus you should be. It is an amazing game, and they are amazing models. I hope you liked this one!

GW and the Summer of Oversaturation

Games Workshop has oversaturated us. Their stocks are skyrocketing. Their business is on the up and up. The product release train just won't stop. But if they are not careful, they will become Icarus, and fly too close to the sun, and I think a few games will suffer for it.

"What are you talking about Gothmog? This is a great time. So much cool stuff!"

Yes. But can you afford it? Most of us probably can't. And that's fine for a lot of people. But not for GW. And not for the business model they are pushing.

Lets break it down. This "Summer" we have seen

• Idoneth Deepkin (really back in spring, but it was a rather large release I feel)
• Age of Sigmar 2.0 and a new General's Handbook
• Malign Sorcery
• New Storm Cast Subfaction
• Essentially a new Nighthaunt faction
• Imperial Knights codex
• Dominus Knights
• Armiger Knights
• Rerealease of Renegade
• Kill team and all its releases
• New Terrain for 40k
• Chaos BB team,  a new SPIKE supplement, and more accessories
• Dark Elf BB team, a new SPIKE supplement, and more accessories
• Cawdor Gang, a new Gang War supplement, upgrade kits and more accessories

ANNOUNCED AND YET TO BE RELEASE

• Titanicus (a whole new game)
• LotR Relaunch w/ the Pellenor Feilds box set (might as well be a new game)
• Space Wolves Codex
• Orks Codex
• Genestealer Cults Codex
• Kill Team Rogue Trader

That's a lot. And I'm not convinced I didn't miss anything. I am sure I did and someone will say something in the comments.

That's 4 or 5 "new games" (I'll explain), an expansion, 3 supplements, 9 new factions/subfactions and a several box sets costing over $100 USD (and a few near or over $200!)

Can your wallet handle it?

So while some of these are small, they sell to usually fanatics of their chosen game, and sell well. Necro and BB have tight but hardcore followings, and a lot of those players collect numerous teams/gangs. There are people that actually try (and accomplish!) to do all 24 teams in 24 tournaments for BB. Crazy right?!

Now for the Factions. New factions means new armies. Full, big, expensive, time intensive armies. And gone are the days of plain SM or simple skeletons. These things are gorgeous and full of detail. Which means they typically take longer to paint IMO. But the effort is besides the point. A new army just costs a lot. Especially when one of those armies is IMPERIAL KNIGHTS. These things are sweeping the meta in 40k. And they are available to more than just dedicated knight players. And with that release came 2 MAJORLY EXPENSIVE kits- the Dominus and Renegade. Now while Renegade is quite a savings if you are going to buy 2 knights (plus an awesome piece of terrain), it is still $195 USD MSRP. That's a pretty penny, even if you get it 20% off someplace. These are all large and expensive models and are going to put a dent in anyone's wallet who wants one (or 5).

Lets discuss. In this I see a few "new games". So really they aren't all "new". What I mean by this is a core release for a system designed to essentially build a player base from the ground up, or at least massively expand it. AoS 2.0, Kill Team, Titanicus, Pellenor Feilds and possibly Rogue Trader are ALL designed and intended to do this.

Lets start with a GW flagship. AOS 2.0, especially when combined with Malign Sorcery, really has seemed to energize a lot of new players and was designed and timed to bring A LOT of new blood into the game, particularly hobbyists that just hadn't dipped their toe in yet (I know I have an army planned now and am just waiting for NOVA to browse the amazing Toledo game room for conversion fuel). So you have a lot of people starting new Armies, and along with that there are 3 new fresh factions that even veteran AoS players are grabbing. Even more so with Stormcast players who really just expand with a whole new chamber. And on top of that everyone was/is picking up an $80 kit of bad ass spells (those jaws are so sweet).

Kinda a new game, kinda just 40k lite, we have Kill Team. And while you can just use your 40k models, what always sells with kill team is TERRAIN. LOTS OF IT. Beautiful BUT EXPENSIVE. And a lot of people always seems to start a new hobby project of a cool converted kill team (as they should).

I am unsure as of yet what Rogue Trader really is. Is it part of kill team? Is it it's own thing? IDK (thus 4 or 5 games) Is it just a board game with models to port into other games, like Execution Force, Burning for Prospero, Battle of Calth, Gorechosen, Space Hulk etc. etc. If so not to concerning for long term support, but still thats probably going to be a $150 USD game with a new faction for some other game (be it Kill team or 40k or both)

Another new game that isn't new but might as well be: LotR/Pellenor feilds. It is a really cool looking relaunch of the game and really seems aimed at getting a lot of people back into it. That core set is bait to get us to get MORE NEW FACTION, and I have seen a lot of hype for it. What is most exciting is it consolidates the plethora of source material for the game out there and makes that weird distinction between LotR and Hobbit go away. Its all just "Middle Earth" now, and that is great.

Last but not least, Titanicus. At a whopping $290 for the Grandmaster Edition starter, this is a LARGE investment. A Titanic one if you mind the pun. And its a whole new game, at a whole new scale, so there will only be MORE releases to come AND it requires its own, uniquely scaled terrain.

So as you can see, that's a lot. And really, its a lot of $$$. A LOT.

The problem as I see it is 3 fold

• GW has crammed too many flashy new releases too close together, giving us little time to get past the hype of one and into the hype of the next. Ideally, you would wait for the hype of a new flashy release to start dying off and then BAM hit us with a new one. But if people are still playing and excited by the new Kill Team, why are they going to bother with Titanicus or Pelenor Feilds?

• Too many EXPENSIVE releases too close together. Some of these kits are MASSIVELY expensive. You may get great savings in them, but still, a new Start Collecting box, malign sorcery, Renegade and a Dominus knight, kill team and some new terrain and now you are a already over $500+ dollars. And that is BEFORE Titanicus and Pellenor fields even release, 2 new games intended to draw in ENTIRELY NEW PLAYER BASES.
• AND THEY DID IT ALL DURING THE SUMMER! Summer is already super expensive. I have to pay for increased electricity bills (AC ain't cheap), activities for the kids, vacation, buying back to school supplies for the kids. There is just a lot of REAL WORLD demands on people's finances this time of year. In the end, if people can't afford to dive into what GW's peddling while the hype is still there, people probably won't play it.

My ultimate point here- If there is too much to buy, something won't be bought. And that means a release will FAIL. And you do not want new GAMES to fail. Their business model is centered around games being SUSTAINABLE

To me, this hurts Titanicus the most, and to a lesser extent LotR. The advantage LotR has is 90% of the catalog of models for the game ALREADY EXISTS. There is already a playerbase (small yes, but enthusiastic for sure). And it has a hook for people NOT already in the Hobby, and can share terrain with other games (AoS, historicals, other fantasy games, and even sci-fi games like 40k). However, it is following EVERYTHING and people are going to be stretched thin and may just not have the money to buy it. And if it has a poor launch, that ultimately hurts longevity.

Titanicus DOES NOT have ANY of those advantages that LotR has though. It is 100% new. New scale. New terrain. New models. New playerbase. On top of that, its kinda ticked off some hardcore vets by being a  new scale, set solely in Horus Heresy (so no Xenos in the foreseeable future) and thereby incompatible with old Epic players or people not interested in Imperial Pattern God Machines. As a 40k/30k port, it really doesn't hold the attraction to people outside the hobby that Lord of the Rings has. So it is banking off and existing base of enthusiastic hobbyists diving in...

At a $290 price point.

GW... as I pointed out people have already spent over $500 this summer on your stuff. Where do you think $300 FOR A STARTER is coming from. Its an instant turn off for A LOT OF PEOPLE. Especially when they know they will need MORE UPGRADES (as there is only 1 weapons loadout) and MORE TITANS (Warhounds haven't even been previewed). And this means even FEWER players. Oh, and there is the fact I need MORE TERRAIN and can't cross it with anything else really (maybe some obscure games like polyversal. Maybe dropzone. But overall, nothing really. Not nearly the utility of all the other games).

Lastly, people are just DYING for the last of the 40k codicies at this point. There are indicators that we will see the first of them (Orks? Fingers crossed) by the end of the month. There are people that are just going to hold off COMPLETELY on current purchases hoping that their faction will release soon.

What, in my own humble opinion, should have been done differently OVERALL

• The AoS 2.0 release is fine. Started the summer with a bang. Good Deal.
• Imperial Knights should have been followed up with CODEX ORKS and GSC. Give the XENOS players something to celebrate too. Invigorate the whole 40k community/meta. Plus give us 2 more codicies closer to completion
• There are a lot of rumours involving Leman Russ returning surrounding the release of the SW codex. If that's true, that should have been lined up to be the end of summer release.

• Release Kill teams in the wake of ALL the 40k codicies. All the factions (SoB excepting, but we know to be patient for them not) would be out, people would be interested in doing one for their faction, and be looking for terrain for their now COMPLETE EDITION OF THE GAME (minus sisters, yes, but as I said, we get it).
• Chaos BB was fine. I would have waited a little longer for Dark Elves myself.
• Why was Cawdor and Gand WarIV released RIGHT ON THE BACK OF KILL TEAM? Doesn't make a lick of sense. They are competing skirmish games. If GW was hoping to snag more necromunda players with a new Gang, they were all distracted by Kill Team and adding onto factions they already own. The two should have been distanced by at least a month IMO. Probably more. And I would have done Cawdor and Gang War first personally. Snag more necro players. Get them pumped about Skirmish. Then hit them with Kill team.
• As much as its been hyped, TITANICUS and LotR should have been saved for the Fall. I would have done LotR first, sometime Mid-fall (early Oct-ish) after everyone has recouped from the summer and all the hype of all that new stuff from AoS and 40k has trailed off.

• TITANICUS should have been the BIG Christmas Item. It is EXPENSIVE. Ride that excessive materialism time of year. People would be WILLING to spend $290 on it for a Christmas gift. You would get players who wouldn't buy it themselves, but WOULD ask for it.  FUTHERMORE the Horus Heresy novel that is tied in with it "Titandeath" releases in December! And the game has apparently had some production issues which is why there is no Warhound yet. Would have been nice to see that and more weapons options at release, which delaying could have allowed for.
• There should be 2 Editions of the Game. The Grandmaster with 2 warlords. BUT there SHOULD have been a second set, with ALL THE SAME STUFF, except instead of 2 warlords, 2 REAVERS! What this would have done is set a lower price point for game entry. $290 is tough, no matter how good of a deal the box is over buying it individually. It is just A LOT OF MONEY. A $180-$210 starter with Reavers would have just been EASIER for people to manage, even if it is technically a lesser amount. FURTHERMORE people that want to go FULL ON into the game would have bought BOTH EDITIONS and have a full maniple RIGHT OFF THE BAT with enough terrain for a full game. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
• GW should have made it MUCH CLEARER that the average game is only 3-4 titans (as Ive read in WD). I really don't see Titanicus being that big of an investment overall. You don't need alot to play. Just a really high start up cost. And a lot of people seemed to have missed that.

I really hope Titanicus and LotR do well in the long run. I would like to do both (but Forge World Dwarves are expensive too!) I can see Titanicus being a great game for Cons, and if you are worried about new players, get enough for you to always provide for 2 players (about 10 titans overall from what I've read) and just go to cons and play there. It will all be okay. BUT I think it is not as great as it COULD have been and it is all due to just too much too close together at too high of a cost.

Allies of Inconvenience: Episode 10- Deathwatch, Drukhari, Harlequins and Titanicus

This month we cover our hobby progress as Chris and Evan build up for NOVA (with a slight detour into AoS factions). Ian then discusses the Deathwatch codex with us, followed by Chris covering Drukhari and Harlequins. We close the episode by discussing the previews of Adeptus Titanicus coming this summer.

Listen/Subscribe with iTunes 

00:00 Intro
03:00 Hobby Progress
27:03 Codex Deathwatch Discussion
44:28 Drukhari and Harlequins Discussion
1:08:22 Adeptus Titanicus Discussion

Songs and Soundclips
Blue Mark- Atlan Urtag
Kaap mere- Bugotak
Clip 1 - Brawndo
Clip 2 - Clerks
Clip 3 - George Lucas
Clip 4 - The Princess Bride

Discordian's Model Spotlight: Ta'Unar

Rules, new rules, bad rules, rules guesses, and rules wants. Are the words in the air right now, but we're only getting a tid-bits, and half-truth wish lists being reported as all truths....., so for now lets talk about something else. Models.

Cool Models.

I like building things, usually not to correct specifications. But every once and awhile I find a model I can't do much to, because they are just really well made. Ta'Unar is one of those models. Outside making him safer and easier to move around I had no intention changing him.

Love him or hate him, this model is fantastic. While I had preferred FW had made a Tau version of a Baneblade, this guy was a great kit. FW definitely wanted create a premium version of a Storm-surge (without a silly driver skylight). It was one of the first FW kits I bought that came with actually useful instructions.

Each part of him had a full instructional booklet using the CAD design files 

The arms had holes designed in for magnetizing.

There were only three things I did which were off script. I put a rod in to connect the chest and the legs so that the model would be easier to pack up, reinforced the base because this sucker was warping the base, and magnetized the back weapon because they hinted at other options.

Simple metal dowel pin and hole

Grinding wheel I picked up at home depot

Magnets mostly just secure it, the friction in the assembly holds it there

Haven't gotten around to purchasing its Heavy Rail cannon, but it will happen sooner or later. 

Why the Thunderhawk isn't Plastic... and what should be!

Recently Forgeworld re-released the Thunderhawk Gunship and despite what the rumour engine said (or rather "wished for"), it was not in the form of a new GW plastic kit, but rather a resculpted refashioned FW resin kit.

TBH I thought all along it was going to be this. It was wishful thinking that we were going to see plastic. Really REALLY wishful thinking. Granted I would've welcome it and been super happy if it was, and likely preordered mine, but it wasn't going to be. Here is why

1- Plastic Injection Molding is expensive. Like REALLY REALLY expensive. The master mold designs for the sprues are tens of thousands of dollars. The baneblade is already 7 sprues. A thunderhawk would likely have to be AT LEAST double that. If not more. So design would be costly and as such...
2- It would be too expensive of a Plastic Kit. Lets go back to the Baneblade, $140 for the combined kit, $100 or $110 when it first came out (not-combined) IIRC. So if we go with double the sprues, lets imagine double the cost- $280. But as I said, it would likely be MORE. So lets look at the second number. Once more, IIRC that $110 price tag was around 65 to 70% of the original FW baneblade cost (and the current Stormblade, the only current Baneblade variant made by FW). Now the last version of the Thunderhawk was 435 GBP, which TODAY is $545. Keep in mine that right now the pound is down significantly, and that doesn't account for any taxes, but we will leave those out for now. If we go with our 65 to 70% mark, that would make a Plastic T-hawk between $354 to $381. So really, we are looking at some price in there likely- pretax and at a low conversion rate.
3- The T-hawk has too small a market of their already niche market. Sure, there are more Space Marine players than ANYTHING else, but even then you are targeting a small subset of the playerbase with a very factional model.
4- Customer willingness. Let us start with the fact that the model is nigh on unusable due to size and points. Most people would only break it out for a game a few times a year. Now you may say to yourself "but I would display it" and while this is true, it is still a factor in your model buying decision making for sure. If there are models you want that you will USE OFTEN they are likely to take purchasing priority over models you won't use often. Common sense really. Also, it is a flyer. Plain and simple, some people just avoid that part of the game still to this day. Add to it is is virtually impossible to store or transport easily. Like not at all. Stay is one gigantic piece and is huge. LET ALONE WHAT EVER BASE YOU NEED TO SUPPORT IT!!! Now on top of ALL OF THAT you are looking at spending a conservative $350. On something you barely use? That is enough to start some armies. A lot of people won't be willing to bite that bullet but...
5- Customer willingness. Again. Marketing probably figures making the leap from a max $140 plastic kit to a max $350 kit is too big a leap for most. But for some it isn't. For some, the model is worth that price. In reality, it is worth any price. So if you are willing to buy it for $350, you are likely willing to buy it resin for $545. So why not sell it for that much especially when...
6- It is cheaper to make resin and you can manage smaller production runs and handle more "just-in-time" production and warehousing techniques. This reduces costs. BY A LOT. It is no where near as expensive to make as plastic injection molding. At least not on the production scale it is at. This is where Plastic really comes into its own. WHEN YOU ARE MAKING TONS AND TONS. But points two through five really really eat into that demand. As a result, you won't be selling tons and tons. Therefor making tons doesn't make sense and plastic become a poor choice.


But that doesn't mean there isn't something that I feel GW should move from the MASSIVE Resin category to plastic.

I think a Warhound Titan is a much MUCH better candidate. "But didn't you just like totally argue that it would be economical to do that?" Well sorta. Here is why I think IT MAY BE feasible

1- Marketable to more factions. Instead of just SM, all armies of the Imperium AND Chaos can take it (and the most dedicated of Ork players too). Instantly expands the market.
2- The reason it costs so much from FW (A body and 2 arms is 362 GBP or $450ish USD) is not so much due to its size, but rather its technical design and status in and out of game. This is where we should start comparing it to a Knight, where as the Thunderhawk was best compared to a baneblade.
3- So if we start with that same 65% to 70%, we are already talking between $295 to $320, so less than the T-Hawk, and potential to really not cross that $300 threshold. But now we look at the 3 and 4 sprue knights (the 4th sprue being an upgrade sprue) . They are $140 and $150 each. Now if we DOUBLED the sprues we are at the price range I am already predicting, BUT I think actually it won't take 8 sprues to do (just opinion really) because once more, this is a TECHNICAL build more so than a bulk one. My guess, 6 sprues, maybe 7. So still upwards around $280, but I really think that could be driven down to about $250.
4- Customer Willingness. Yet again. So at a $250 to $300 range, we aren't looking at as large of a leap in price from the current max to the "new" max. And if GW could keep it under that $300 threshold, they would likely capture more people and not have to rely on that customer base jump to the FW price between the $300 and $450.
5- It is a walker. These are much easier to use in game and much preferred for a lot of people. Furthermore, it is a logical progression of the Imperial Knight. And it can take D weapons, which is a big rules attraction.
6- It is FAR EASIER TO STORE. For one you can separate its torso, guns and legs. Magnets are king here. And it needs far less support, so smaller bases, if any (maybe 1 per foot? IDK. Either way NOT THAWK SIZE). Since it is easier to store, it is also easier to transport. Really making it a practical gaming piece I will be willing to use more often than a Thunderhawk.

Now, this is all just based on my limited knowledge of the industry and a lot of opinion, but is makes SENSE to me at least. What are your thoughts?

God Machine Delay/Adeptus Titanicus

Hey. I was swamped with school work last week so have been delayed. I am working on typing it up, so it will be coming to you soon.

I did get a play test in and I will say that the Space Hulk tiles are the perfect size for terrain. I am modifying the game slightly off that play test.

So to satisfy my readers I did find this: Adeptus Titanicus Rules

Those are the original rules from GW. Check them out.

Necromunda Campaign and Titan Game News

So I should have V 1.0 of the titan game up here this month, probably around the 15th.

WORKING TITLE: GOD MACHINE

Planned Updating Schedule for the Game.
V 1.0 - Basic System Rules, Human Titans only
V 2.0 - Eldar and Orks introduced, differentiate Chaos
V 3.0 - Campaign Mechanics / Historical Missions / Titan Personalities
V 4.0 ~ Not sure yet, Nids most likely, more Missions

Updates will be released to each version as I get feed back.
Note, points costs will not be in 1.0. I need some feedback on that before I can decide.
V 1.0 will have alot of designers notes on it, as well as a page with questions I would like answered so I can work out any kinks.

Some things you will need:
25, 40, and 60 mm bases
3, 5, 10 inch templates
Hellstorm Template
Measuring tape
Some Paper and Scissors to make appropriate sized area terrain
d6 will be the only dice in the game


NECROMUNDA
So my gang got here yesterday. Built them. Wanted to Prime today but it rained. :(
Anyway, we are introducing an interesting mechanic to the campaign. As the Police, everyone will report to me what their guys do in terms of violence each game. I will building up files and putting out a most wanted list each week.
Other gangs then can attempt to gain the rewards by capturing these wanted men. But I won't offer the best deals, so they have to make the choice to trade with the Enforcers or with Gangs.
We may have rescues on the Enforcers be like a prison raid, not sure yet.

Anyone want a Titan Game?

First off sorry for the absence once more. Starting school back up plus a little vacation in there really caused havoc. And not having a functional camera. I have some sweet things to show you guys (A custom converted Spyrer gang for Necromunda and a scratch built Great Unclean One)

So I was sitting around today in class and got bored so I started formulating rules for a game of Titan combat.


As of now I am still working on it, but I will need beta testers soon enough.

I am going to try and keep it somewhat simple. A middle ground between Aeronautica Imperialis and 40k.

It is a d6 system utilising hex bases (but not a grid).

What I have so far are the movement and manueverability rules. These are based on a "Manueverability Score" generated each turn by your actions that turn. If your score gets too high, your titan can become off balanced and suffer for it (even fall if you take too many risks).
The Score is a composite of a d6 roll plus modifiers for size, speed, and terrain features. Damage will be incorporated as well once I develop the combat in greater depth.

So keep a look out for V1.0 of the game.

Poll Results
Do you want to play a Titan Game?
Absolutely 9 (69%)
Yes 3 (23%)
No 0 (0%)
I'd rather die 1 (7%)