Strange Aeons: Dave Graffam Print n Fold Cardstock Buildings

I wanted to share these PDF print-on-cardstock buildings I picked up from Dave Graffam Models. Look, seeing and playing is believing. I didn't think I would get such a great match for the other Strange Aeons terrain I have been building, much less in card stock terrain, both in terms of value and appearance. But I did! Check it out...

I have been wanting to do something like an Innsmouth board for Strange Aeons. I didn't want to put out hundreds of dollars for resin or plastic kits. I saw Dave Graffam's PDF kits and DL'd the free Coach House, the aesthetic of which seemed to match the tone of my Strange Aeons stuff really well (Gothic horror, 1920's New England.)

My main concern was how resilient the card stock would be, not the build itself. So I made the coach house according to directions using matte Mod Podge and based it on MDF, finishing it with texture paint, some balsa flagstone and the usual flock treatment. This would let me see how sturdy it was with no modification.

Frankly, it looks so damn great you can forget it's card stock and also, free. The only thing I did to the building itself was darken where any white paper shows through in the corners. I used Army Painter Strong Tone, which the paper drinks up without wrinkling. Once based, it is strong enough to hold up to most gaming. Yes, it is card stock and yes, you can demolish it. But it came out really strong when based. I would not put an old GW metal dred on it but you probably could. The PDF plans also average 3 or 4 bucks US for as many models (with variations) as you want to print and build, so you can't argue with that, really. Every so often the 2D sorta jumps out at you from strange angles or the roofs catch sheen under the right angle of light. But that is so infrequent so as to matter much.

Did I mention the buildings look great?

Build time averages about 40 minutes to an hour for most kits. After a few, I managed assembly of a few buildings in a sitting. And it was fun!

Even without any ink on the folds on these two other buildings, they look pretty damn fine. Some finishing and basing will take them over the top and fill up a table fast and beautifully.

Calling the Coach House a success, I bought about US$20.00 of plans and that got me an Inn, a Church, ruined Church, Maritime buildings pack, some warehouses, outhouses, cobblestone roads, sheds and such. I have been really impressed with the ability to change graphic layers before printing, to add different features like windows, doors, weathering, stucco or wood features and other details. With that editing and some creative cutting, you can easily vary these buildings and make a village with just a handful of plans, in less time and less money than plastic or resin kits.

I can see using these for Strange Aeons, Warmahordes and Bolt Action, to name a few. Note too that all plans come with a print scaler, so you can easily make these bigger or smaller for different scales.

Grab a metal ruler, some cardstock and Mod Podge and the free PDF's yourself, using the link above.

Warmachine: Practice Games

Got in a pre-campaign practice game with my Khador today. I hosted, playing Trish's Menoth while Pete had Cryx, who played Finnegan's Skorne. All games were 35 points. I think we're all committed to our present forces except for Finnegan, who said he'd bring Retribution to the campaign but may now be considering Skorne. It might be useful to be the only Hordes army in the campaign.

The Jugger on my left flank takes a drubbing by the Menoth 'jacks and Bastions. A turn later, Butcher feats and everything here dies to the almost-wrecked Khador 'jack. Jugger eventually goes down. Butcher comes in to free up some engaged Widowmakers, gets over extended and is caught and killed by Amon Ad-raza's forces.

Pete's Denegrah list hits Jon's Skorne list. If I heard right, Cryx caught Skorne with a feint and sealed the deal.

Warmachine: Khador Underway

I knew it was bound to happen. I graduate college, start in on a huge backlog of projects both game-related and no, start a rhythm of painting, prioritizing and sorting what the hell needs to be built. I kept wondering if I would let myself be drawn into some painting and playing that had nothing to do with the work I most lamented not doing because of life (eg. Strange Aeons).

So now I’m in a Warmachine campaign. I already planned a Fall of Strange Aeons but instead I’m dragging out all the Khador I neglected to paint in Mk i.

Campaign starts in October, and we have a meeting tomorrow night to run out our charter, ways and means, that sort of thing. Between us we have a ton of terrain so the pics on Sarcophagi should look pretty good around Halloween.

So, stay tuned as I dust off my old red paint mix batches… which are all dried out. And GW changed their color formulas… great.

The Wall of Shame or What I Could Paint for the Campaign Since I own it Unpainted:

Warcasters:

1. eSorcha
2. Vlad
3. eVlad
4. eButcher
5. Strakhov
6. Old Witch

Jacks:

1. Destroyer
2. Devastator
3. Spriggen
4. Kodiak X2
5. Drago (definitely painting him)
6. Marauder (already converted it)

Units:

1. IFP
2. Doomreavers
3. Greylords
4. Man O War Shocktroopers
5. Man O War Demolition Crew
6. Widowmakers
7. Great Bears
8. Uhlans

Solo:

1. Koldun
2. Kovnik
3. Fenris

Where the frig to begin... more as I decide and progress.

In the meantime, pics of what I already have painted, Not much!

Legion of Everblight: Finished War pack

 Here is the completed Hordes war pack (plus 2) I did for my buddy Jon. I am pretty sure that the Shredders and maybe other models don't need an arc to speak of but I don't have a book or cards to be sure. Anyway, I marked all models with an arc, easy enough to paint over.

I also added adhesive-backed felt into the Privateer Press Legion dice tin. I've done this with the other original dice sets I own... the felt deadens some of the noise of rolling into the trays.

Hordes WIP: Lylyth

Here's Lylyth from Legion of Everblight. I didn't mention this before but the guideline that I am following with this Legion set is what I put out in a sitting is what the finished product is. Gotta keep to schedule.  Touch ups, corrections and details are allowed later but to get everything to a level of "done" you have to push. That constraint forces you to make choices between what is ambitious vs what is needed and achievable. So the result is tabletop standard and not bad at that. Left to correct: Shade on the inside of her cloak and some weapon clean up. Warpack left to paint: Carnivean and a pile of Shredders.

Hordes WIP: Foresaken

Here is a WIP of the Foresaken I am doing for Scott...

Hordes WIP: Legion of EverScott

One of my best friends has a son named Scott, who apparently is getting into Everblight, so I offered to paint up some of his stuff, to get the young master to a painted standard. If he is interested, he can use this WIP series as a painting guide when he decides to try his hand. I'm looking to knock this group out in about 2 weeks of PT painting. I am using my paint and water-based stain method for these. All models are pinned and puttied where it matters. I haven't painted much of anything in months so this will be a nice way to get warmed up for the backlog in worthwhile fashion.

All told, this is on the bench:

1. Lylyth
2. Carnivian
3. Shredders x4
4. Nephilim

I added a Foresaken to the group for Scott, since that seems to be a must-have or probably-should-have, according to the kids at the pool hall.

Stay tuned for more as things progress.