Tau Magnatized

A short post today. It may not look like much progress, but it was actually quite tedious and time consuming.

Magnetized 16 weapons: 2 Seeker Missiles, a set of 3 weapons for a Crisis Suit Team, a Multi-Tracker and the remaining options for my Heavy Drone Team.

I figured out how to magnetize the weapon mounts for my Drone Sentry Turret Team. 

Tau Update: Assembly

Just a little construction and priming today...

1) Assembled a Stealth Suit team. To be honest, the Markerlights and 3 Suits were already assembled. As were the converted legs... But it still counts! I should have taken close ups here--Every pair of legs has had at least one leg, at the hip joint, repositioned... albeit a little crudely.

Stay tuned for a Stealthsuit Color Test!

2) Assembled 4 gun drones--Magnetized. A Gun Drone will also be part of the Color Test.

3) Converted 2 Marker drones. To start with I took a Markerlight from the Skyray, the top and bottom parts of a basic Drone, and a Target Lock.

All I did to the Target Lock was trim the back parallel to the front, removing the "swooping backwards" portion.

Next I drilled holes in the Markerlight and Target Lock to fit the posts on the bottom of the Drone, affixed the antennae, then magnetized to a flight stand.

4) Primed 10 Pathfinders and 2 Gun Drones.

5) Primed 12 Fire Warriors and 2 Gun Drones.

5) Assembled Cadre Fireblade.

6) Assembled Darkstrider.

Deathwatch Character WIP - Blood Angels Assault Marine

Here is the first post of our Deathwatch campaign Kill Team. This is my character--A Blood Angels Assault Marine. 

This figure is built with a mixture of bitz from different sources, but mostly from the Assault Marine set. I would list the sources if I knew, but unfortunately I do not.

My GM suggested that I magnetize the jet pack for those missions that it isn't used. So I ran with the idea, magnetizing the arms as well.

I decided that I wanted to equip my character WYSIWYG for each mission. Typically, after one of my characters advances a bit or changes his armor/weapons significantly, I make a new version--My figures "level up"! Because it is unlike that I will be making a another version of this character, I chose to make the model as versatile as possible.

Here is a different load out, with all the current options laid out. The chain sword and power sword aren't magnetized, but they slide onto the pin that is glued to the arm--So far that is working just fine. As I am able to requisition additional gear for the character, I will make versions of those bitz for the model.

TOEMP Challenge #7 - Complete

Finally they are finished!! This is my second unit of crisis suits, and Ive actually been using the team leader from the first squad as my army commander... so I guess that means painting up a proper commander is now in order.

[edit] Forgot to mention that I didnt like the look of the blue tipped Plasma cannon, and went with a black tip on all three.

Here's the points breakdown for this challenge:

STANDARD PAINTING POINTS = 6 pts
Bikes/Cavalry, Large (40/50mm bases): 2 painting points each

ADDITIONAL PAINTING POINTS = 6 pts
Icons/Symbols/Marks: +1 painting point per model
Eyes/Lenses/View Finders: +1 painting point per model

TARGET POINTS = -3 pts
Missing Deadline: -3 painting points

TOTAL = 9 pts, 2 tallies

Not sure if I can claim freehand on this unit or not... The squad markings are hand painted, but Im already getting 3 points for them as symbols/marks, and I don't think they are that complex to be worth 15 points... I'll have to wait and see what the TOEMP gang says!

Other Posts related to this article:

• TOEMP Challenge #7 - Update 2
• TOEMP Challenge #7 - Update
• TOEMP Challenge #7 - First Look

TOEMP Challenge #7 - Update 2

Well, I didn't quite finish the unit... but was very close. Here is the status as of midnight Friday. Some edge highlighting, the lenses, drybrush the boulders, and static grass and I can call this done. This may be technically "done" as far as the challenge is concerned, but they aren't done in my eyes, so I'll take the -3pts for missing the deadline.



I tried something new on this project, and I'm not sure I like it... the blue tip on the plasma cannon. I'll either paint the other 2 to match, or "undo" the experiment.

Overall I'm pleased with the turnout, and how quickly I got done what I did. Not the best quality nor at record breaking speed... but "good" quality none the less! Ill have these done by Sunday, and will look forward to Challenge #8. In the mean time, I will probably look to tackle the past challenges!

Other Posts related to this article:

• TOEMP Challenge #7 - Update
• TOEMP Challenge #7 - First Look

TOEMP Challenge #7 - Update

Well, I made a MAJOR gaff yesterday!! I glued all the magnets in the wrong way!!! I cant believe it!! A stupid mistake and it set me back quite a bit to fix it.

After resolving that issue, I primed and basecoated the unit. For the first time, I used Krylon® Fusion for Plastics® Satin Boot Brown as the primer, which is nearly identical to GW's Calthan Brown Foundation Paint (the color I happen use as base for may Tau).

Ill try to finish these tomorrow with the midtone and highlight... and hopefully the bases.

TOEMP Challenge #7 - First Look

TOEMP CHALLENGE #7 - ENDS 11/06/09

• Option 1: Unit of Fast Attack/Special (60 pts)
• Option 2: An HQ/Lord (60 pts)
• Option 3: Unit of Elites/Special (55 pts)
• Bonus Challenge 1: Objective markers
• Bonus Challenge 2: Command Vehicle
• Bonus Challenge 3: Special Character w/ optional custom spec/datasheet
• Bonus Challenge 4: Scenery

I chose Challenge Option 3 - A unit of Elites. At this stage of the competition, with only 2 days left, the only Bonus Challenge I would even consider is a small piece of scenery.

Today, I got the unit for my first TOEMP Challenge cleaned, assembled and magnetized. I will primer these before I crash, so they will be ready to base coat and highlight tomorrow. Then I will add details and finish the base the day after that.

The wargear and weapons make this is a 196 point unit... It will be a fireknife unit (missle pods, plasma rifles, and multi trackers) with a shas'vre team leader.

I've gone pretty gung-ho on my Tau with magnetizing all the battlesuits and tanks. Each Crisis battlesuit get 4x 1/8" dia. x 1/16" thick, Grade N42, Nickel Plated magnets, and all wargear and weapons get the same. But if they are too small, I use a 1/16" dia. x 1/32" thick, Grade N50, Nickel Plated magnet instead.

Units in Crisis

Ron over at From the Warp asked some of us Bloggers to talk about our "Must Have Unit". I am currently playing Tau, so will answer the question from that perspective.

I have always been first and foremost a Space Marine player, all the way back to 1st edition. However, about 3 years ago, when Laertes and I started talking about playing 40k again, I decided I wanted to try something new - the Tau caught my eye. I really liked the anime style to this army, but what really got me hooked was the battle suits. At the time, I didn't know anything about the Tau. It had been years since I played 40k, and I had never seen a 3rd edition Tau Codex. But I could tell from the images I saw on the web that these battle suits were a very versatile weapons platform!

Once I picked up the 4th edition codex, and started reading the army list, I was excited to field as many battle suits as I could! Unfortunately, after having 5 games under my belt with Tau (between 4th and 5th edition), I still have not successfully utilized them. My beloved suits have been the first to fall in every game!

The problem is, I apparently don't know how to use these guys on the battlefield... I think it is because of how I categorize the units in my head. In Space Marine terms, they look like a dreadnought and are fielded like terminators - but they are a far cry from either! I also suspect that the versatility of their loadout is making it difficult for me to focus on what their role should be in a particular battle.

So, maybe I should try to conquer my failing by fielding an all-suit force. Laertes and I are planning on one more 750 point battle before we up the points limit of our games. Here is a first try at a 1000 point battle suit themed force.

HQ (104 pts)
1 Commander Shas'el; Fusion Blaster; Missile Pod; Plasma Rifle; Hard-wired Multi-tracker; Hard-wired Target Lock)

Troops (140 pts)
6 Fire Warrior; Pulse Rifle
1 Devilfish; Burst Cannon; 2 Gun Drones

Troops (140 pts)
6 Fire Warrior; Pulse Rifle
1 Devilfish; Burst Cannon; 2 Gun Drones

Elite (150 pts)
3 Crisis Battlesuit; Burst Cannon; Missile Pod; Multi-Tracker

Elite (162 pts)
3 Crisis Battlesuit; Fusion Blaster; Missile Pod; Multi-Tracker

Heavy Support (300 pts)
3 Broadside Battlesuit; Twin linked Railgun; Smart Missile System; Drone Controller; Shield Drone x2

The list that I have fielded in my last to games is posted in their respective battle reports <here> and <here>.

My initial thoughts for this new list are that there wont be enough targets for the opposition, and the suits are still gonna fall fast.

Tau Vehicle Upgrades

Here are a few scratch-built Tau vehicle upgrades I made: A blacksun filter, a drone controller, and a disruption pod.

The blacksun filter is made from a pulse rifle and photon grenades. I admit this looks a little funny on a tank, but I think it is clear what the item is weather on a battle suit or a tank.

The drone controller is made from a pulse rifle and a wooden cap. In retrospect, it may be a little too big, but the one that comes with the stealth suits is way too delicate for a battle suit.

The disruption pod is a bauble from a craft store. Yeh, its not really a conversion. I was going for an effect like something that would disrupt radar... this "add on" really doesn't effect the profile of the tank, but again, I was going for something that conveyed the purpose of the item.

Here are a couple of pics with the upgrades mounted on a battle suit and a devilfish.



All in all I am pleased with how these turned out. I have made magnetized hardpoints all over the tank, to accommodate a fully equipped devilfish. You can see the attachment points for my still in progress flechette dischargers just above the seeker missiles.

Tau Heavy Gun Drones WIP

Here are the basic bitz used: A 40mm base, 2x small flying bases, a battle suit head, a burst cannon, a fusion blaster, and a targeting array.


A converted markerlight using a fusion blaster and a tube from canned air. Also the bit that goes under the disk using a battle suit head, 1/8" tubing and a wooden "cap".


The assembled drone. I built a unit of 6, but have since cut off the burst canons and markerlights and re-attached them with magnets.


C&C welcome!! Thanks!