Hyli ⭐ Rising

{Opening Secure Line} Hyli-Star Rising will bring honour and wealth to House Van Saar.
The Archaeotech will be ours. {End of Transmission} 

....Triangulating Co-Ordinates on Radiation Signal Beta-Gama 9. 

...Cross Referencing Archived Maps

...The Archaeotech Device has been located in an abandoned Township. Noted reason for abandonment is Warp Resonance and Ghast growth. Proceed with Caution...



{Opening Secure Line} Hyli-Star Rising has failed to secure the Archaeotech Device. Escaped Ogryn had ventured into area to huff Ghast. They have retrieved the device before we could but are unaware of its importance. We will find another way to secure it. For House Van Saar! {End of Transmission}



...More Resources are required for a longer operation. An abandoned Promethium Cache has been located.

 ...Local mercenaries have been hired as guides...

....Hyli-Star Rising have suffered Major Casualties at the hands of the Brutal Goliath K.B.U. patrolling the area

....Our remaining forces were able to mislead the foolish Goliaths and lead them away from the Cache.

 

...Promethium Pipeline Secured....

...Scanning Local Hive Sector for Anomalies. Large Power Spike Detected...

{Opening Secure Line} A large energy source has been detected. Viridian will investigate for House Van Saar! {End of Transmission}

Only Photo of this game was of the gang cards so I could remember the results.

...Contact made with Local Delaque Representatives. 

Classic Munda Sculpts Arrived as Reinforcements!

... Local Delaque Representatives known as the Collective have forcefully been informed that the Generator belongs to House Van Saar.

Classic!

{Opening Secure Line} A loose alliance with the Collective has been formed. In exchange for a non-lethal warning regarding Van Saar occupation they will arrange a deal with Ogryn on our behalf. Awaiting confirmation of Negotiations.{End of Transmission}

Mmm Metal

{Opening Secure Line} A fee of 130 credits has been agreed upon. The Collective have set up a meeting at the local bar known as the Black Rabbit. The Generator has been triggered to disable all power to the area 30 minutes after the agreed meeting time enabling our discreet exit. {End of Transmission}

1 photo mid turn 1.

...We were ambushed leaving the Black Rabbit by heretical nuns. They have pronounced their fervour for the Emperor (Blessed be the God Emperor) and have shut down the bar claiming consumption of such beverages an affront to the emperor yet they consort with Demons. Their Blasphemy shall be their undoing. Thankfully the exchange went smoothly and our escape from the Ambush was mostly successful.

The Game didn't even last 3 turns...

{Opening Secure Line} The Archaeotech Device has been secured. Defensive measures enacted until further protocol provided. Glory and Honour for House Van Saar! {End of Transmission} 

--------------------

With the short stories aka game reports out of the way we are now up to date with where we are in the campaign. 4 weeks in I managed to lose 2 and win 2 games but have 3 territories as I was able to buy one off Al who's Ogryns didn't have any ranged weapons to make use of the Device. I also finished painting my first Van Saar model. Current Leader of the Gang  "Glasear" equipped with his helpful Plasma Cannon and 'handy' Servo Claw.

Moving onto phase 2 I now have to contest other players territories while defending my own. Most important for me to defend fluff wise is the Device but I am going to do my best to control it all. 

Hopefully I will have time to finish painting some more and maybe even get a gang photo done before the end of the campaign. 

Don Quixote-esk

The Earliest Stages

 

Well I got my first ever commission job.

Not that head

It was to get a suitable model for a mates DND character who was going to be based on Don Quixote. 

Close but wrong pose.

Don Quixote was the main protagonist from what is arguably the first modern novel ever written, from what I understand hes trying to prove that chivalry is not dead in a action filled romcom. Honestly it might make for a good read if I ever stopped looking at screens long enough to read a book again.

Sword was to thick

There was alot of back and forth around posing and weapons and what head to use but eventually settled on this. Quixote D'Dartagnan was born.

Helping Stablize the "blade" while it dries

Then I kept snapping his arm off while trying to sculpt in all the missing details for the cape and arms etc.

Charming Lad

After several sessions of Greenstuff he was finally ready to go.

Too Many Layers

From Loin Cloth to Cape

On Guard!

But if he was going to be a DND model he would need a carry case and who doesn't want to display their DND mini. So I went to DAISO and came up with this:

So Clean

Aside from me having putty on my fingers as I held and sculpted the display inside it and leaving fingerprints that were almost impossible to scrub off I believe it turned out great. 

Next time I will work out how to do the putty away from the clear plastic

Of Course Magnets for Traveling

Its owner is very happy with it and to quote them: "Thank you very much for bringing this character to life. The extravagance of the character will only ever be able to be matched the figure that represents him and the home for it."

No longer clean

He also said his friends were surprised I don't do this professionally (I wish).

Was happy with the flock till I see the photos

Some time in the sun

Can't beat Wellington on a good day

Now that that is out of the way I can finally add some paint to the Van Saar. I am 4 weeks into the campaign so will do a catch up post with the short stories once I have some images to go with my walls of text. In the meantime here is the end game boss. It will take me 3 Campaigns to realise. Idea is for a full Grav Board gang but you can only get Grav boards on Juves. Juves can be promoted to Champions if you carry the gang into the next campaign and the same applies to Champions becoming leaders. Will probably end up with a gang of juve stat lines though...

Grav-Board Melta Cannon 😈 Spank me.

The Final Hunt

 

Numeriel heard word that there were stashes of supplies, resources and information on the beast hidden at a Delaque storage site. 

Imagine meeting him on a dark street

Well that hadn't gone as planned but still the Outcasts could be followed and they may just lead her to the beast, she sent most of the crew back to the base, they would be no match for the beast. It was however finally time to send for Perseus.

And well that was that, the Hunt was over. Numeriels wet noodle turned out to be a gun when it was aimed at the final boss but remained a wet noodle for anything else. I never once got exp from Headshot.

Numeriel posing with her prey after the hunt. The Sickly Sea Unicorn of Death

Well after playing Venators for a campaign I felt like they were really strong yet failed to deliver on the Elite band of Bounty Hunters feel. In a few games my opponents got actual bounty hunter due to inducements and the real hunters look so much better on paper. I know they are meant to be that way as they are only hired for a game or 2 in the standard rules but having to keep hiring gangers to get my champs who were close to being bounty hunters. The massive band of old fogeys isn't really the elite tight knit bounty hunters vibe.

I still like the old fogeys but they played alot like old fogeys

I would rewrite the Venators entirely to be honest. they should function as a very unique type of gang. I reckon their "gangers" should be treated like champions and start with a skill and 2 wounds and whats generally considered the champ profile. The leader should go one step further and start with 2 skill (like a bounty hunter you hire). This does mean the leader is the only one who can group activate.

I'm happy with the pose

The cost of a background should automatically be included and you should be able to pick between a house background or xenos or ex military. Doing so gives you the house skill (or palanite drill) as a primary and you pick one other primary as well as access to the house list for weapons and wargear. For xenos its pick 2 Primary, and access to xenos weapons.

Put some paint on my other MDF kit

To cap this all off we don't want a large gang for a tightly knit unit of bounty hunters so we would introduce a rule "Only so many slices of pie" which would impose a limit of 5 Ganger types maximum in the gang. (This makes a maximum gang size of 6). And a rule where they use a D3 when bottling not a D6 as their starting gang size will always be low. 

Good Enough

Enough about my rules monologues. Onto the next campaign. I have tried roping in a friend with a lovely demo game. I tried my new gang which is Van Saar. 

 

These hi-tech Van Saar took on the forces of chaos undivided.

And well it was a draw. Most importantly my mate enjoyed the game and it was a close game. He played really well considering. 

3 Interconnected Floors, giant chasms and lots of cover

And once again have you ever seen a board game with a better board. That map was great fun.

Amazing boards of every sort

Melta Cannon to annihilate the infidels.

Grinding on Some Blue Meat

 

I finally finished building and got some paint on my MDF Terrain

Kais woke suddenly. He felt nauseas and the world was spinning. Someone had drugged him! As he went to support himself to get up he realised he was outside and exposed in the underhive. As the fog in his brain cleared he realised just how exposed. He was stark naked, his cold blue abs (and much more) were glistening in the damp air.

"Where the fuck am I" cried out Dave. "Fuck me what the hell is going on" Chimed in Skag.

Stepping round the corner Kais saw he wasn't alone. Not only were his fellow crew members here equally as naked but so were more gangs. The pale cheeks of Delaque just visible in the distance. "Quick we need supplies and to get out of here" called out Kais. Both Dave and Skag cried in unison as the turned to face him "Ohh for the love of the Emperor my eyes!"

Sometimes you got to stop when its useable and come back to it later when the inspiration hits.

----

My lowest 3 have changed as it wasn't lowest rating but lowest rating when naked aka without weapons, gear or armour. Now that we have the set up you watch how it all unfolded below, you can even see me making good use out of my lookout: