Magnetizing a Carnifex

I decided to take a break of painting gaunts and revisit one of my Carnifex models which I never use as intended for and usually serve as proxies for a Tervigon. Both are modeled with a Venom Cannon and Strnglethorn Cannon which are of the template variety and are usually seldom spot on or dependable. Now there is an actual Tervigon model available and the release of 6th edition I can model the Carnifex to hopefully suit a better role. There is rumor the Carnifex could be useful, but I have not been able to determine this yet.

The red is where I placed the magnets which were a ton of work as I had to remove the previous cannon weapon arm sets. I only uncured one set of arms successfully causing a lot of drilling to remove all of the excess plastic in order to create a socket for additional arms. This feat is much easier to accomplish prior to assembling the upper torso. 

For the meantime I magnetized this Carnifex model to accomadate dual devourers and retain the ability to swap everything for Scything Talons or even some type of cannon. I pinned the head to make painting it easier or maybe even swap it, but I like the multiple eyed head with antenna a lot better.

I am still not sold on my work. I like things even such as both front devourers pointing in the same direction and both being perpendicular to the ground at eye level. I know some variation will come from the arms are bent differently.

Still my ultimate idea is to sell my ugly smiley faced third edition Carnifex and depending upon usefulness, keep or sell my other Carnifex. Hopefully this Carnifex you see in this post will get to see some action soon.

Till next time.

August Challenge Update

At the beginning of August I started a challenge with a goal of eight troops per week. I was not able to make my quota so i lowered to quota to something more manageable. With this being said I have painted four troops except the bases, which should be finished as soon as I can get some new static grass and flocking material. I only have boring old green flock and to say the least it is boring to use again.

I am pleased to say I am painting about four troops per two weeks while working on other projects. My other projects are assembling Battletech mechs which take a lot of filing and pinning work. Some things I have changed with this batch.

Lower claws and hooves are now light grey instead of bone. I am not good at bone right now so it helps move me along, plus it doesn't cause attention to those areas at all. I want to go with a swampy, low lying wooded areas base theme so I changed the base color to a green. I also added Citadel texture paint to one gaunt base, but I decided to paint the green first then apply the texture after along with a secondary dry brush for color variation. I thought about changing the teeth color to a paler white, but I am afraid it would stall progress.

Here is one gaunt.

Here is another gaunt with a bit of the basing experimentation. The white are rocks molded on the miniature which have not been painted. I think I will  paint them brown or a dark mossy green such as a rock covered in lichen.

I should only need to finish the bases, apply a coat of sepia to the yellow armor, and perform minor cleanup details where paint has come off. I have been disciplining myself to hold the miniature by the base as much as possible now. I actually paint the tail last now so I can hold that area for a bit longer. It seems to have helped with this batch of gaunts.

Here is my next batch I have started.

I will follow the painting process I started with the first batch in hopes to develop an effective method for painting troops or all Tyranids essentially.

So my overall goal will be eight troops done by the end of August which is a standard brood size and fine with me.

On a side note I have been trying to remove the arms from a bunch of assembled spine guants. The process despite using uncuring solution is becoming fruitless. I have managed to remove one arm completely and break two arms leaving the shoulder joint. I am wondering if removing the arms by cutting out the shoulder joint is worth it. If I don't make a clean cut and smooth surface for the new arm it won't look right at all.

Till next time.

Battletech Battle Report!

Here I present my latest Battletech battle report for a game I played with Dah Masta Cheef about two weeks back. I hope anyone who reads it likes it and feel free to comment and follow for more.


Scenario Selection

Scenario - Meeting Engagement

Objective - Kill them all!

Mapsheet Selection

Mpsheets - 4

Mapset 6

Northeast Mapsheet - Desert Sinkhole #2
Northwest Mapsheet - Desert Mountain #1

Map Set 6

Southeast Mapsheet - Desert Mountain #2
Southwest Mapsheet - Desert Sinkhole #1


Mapsheet layout

North mapsheet touch short length to short length
North and South mapsheets touch long length to long length
South Mapsheets touch short length to short length

NE | NW
SE  | SW

Force Selection

Mercenary Force

Medium Lance

Cicada CDA-3G
Hunchback HBK-4J
Hoplite HOP-4D
Dragon DRG-? (Gauss Rifle Variant)

Support Units

Maxim (Fire Support Variant) (No Infantry)


Draconis Combine Force

Close Assault Lance

The idea for this lance was a fast unit which can close the distance either by speed or jump jets and then swarm enemy units with close range firepower. The major drawback was the lance had no long range weapons except two LPLs (Max range 10) and three ER MLs (Max range 12),  all other weapons had a maximum range of 6 to 9 hexes. To help I brought along a support Saladin with a class 20 autocannon to be either a fire magnet or place a lot of damage in a battlemech where needed.

Strider SR1- O F (Gun 3 / Pil 4)
Kintaro KTO-K (Gun 3 / Pil 4)
Wolverine WVR-7K (Gun 3 / Pil 4)
No-Dachi NDA-2K0 (Gun 4 / Pil 4)

Support Units

Saladin Assault Hover Tank Standard (Gun 4 / Pil 6)

Force Deployment

Mercenary Force

Deploy a single battlemech up to three hexes from the long deploy one of the four available corners of one long deployment edge. Deploy a single vehicle up to three hexes in one of the four available corners in which a battlemech has been deployed.

Mercenary

Northeast Mapsheet -  Desert Sinkhole #2

Northeast Corner - Hunchback and Maxim
Northwest Corner - Cicada

Northwest Mapsheet - Desert Mountain #1

Northeast Corner - Hoplite
Northwest Corner - Dragon


Draconis Combine Force

Deploy a single battlemech up to three hexes from the long deploy one of the four available corners of one long deployment edge. Deploy a single vehicle up to three hexes in one of the four available corners in which a battlemech has been deployed.

Draconis Combine

Southeast Mapsheet - Desert Mountain #2

Southeast Corner - No-Dachi
Southwest Corner - Kintaro and Saladin

Southwest Mapsheet - Desert Sinkhole #1

Southeast Corner - Wolverine
Southwest Corner - Strider

Battle Report

Less narrative this time. :( I found my notes were lacking, but I will improve and long as I can play Battletech.

Turn 1

The Mercenaries move forward traversing the terrain as best they could. The Maxim found a suitable location in the sinhole ridden terrain to have maximum coverage and range for its LRM launcher. The Draconis No-Dachi pilot heated up his battlemech to take advantage of its TSM. The Wolverine and Strider jumped down into the safety of the sinkhole sub levels.

Turn 2

The Maxim using its excellent fire position fired its LRM launcher at the No-Dachi scoring a head hit stripping all but the last outer armor. The pilot shrugged the damage off without a care.
The Kintaro jump jets allowed it just enough range to pour laser and missile fire at the Maxim jamming its turret in place. The Maxim's armor held the damage quite well, however the crew reported damage to the skirt and controls reducing its movement by more than a hlaf.

Turn 3

The No-Dachi's pilot had eyes on the Hunchback for destruction fully committing to chase it down. The Kintaro played cat and mouse with the Maxim while entertaining the Hoplite. The Saladin emerged from hiding and moved into position to engage the hunchback and missed with its AC/20 giving a giant sigh of relief from the Hunchback's pilot.

Turn 4

The Saladin went for the Maxim and despite a direct hit, the MAXIM's superior side armor absorbed all the damage. The Hoplite gave chase to the Saladin and damaged its skirt thereby cutting its movement speed by more than half.

Turn 5

The No-Dachi was now in perfect range and showered the Hunchback with PL fire. The Hunchback armor continued to absorb the damage and stay in the fight.
The Hoplite fired at the Saladin again causing more damage to the skirt and silencing the AC/20 for good. The Wolverine finally caught up with Hoplite and opened fire with a deadly mix of PL and SRM firepower. The Hoplite had the armor to shrug off the PL damage, but the shear luck of 11 SRMs from to the Wolverines dual SRM6 launchers overwhelmed the Hoplite's pilot causing the battlemech to fall.

Turn 6

The Hoplite stood up!
The Strider caught up with the Cicada in order to fire at its vulnerable rear armor. The Cicada showed no honor by keeping his battlemech's back to the Strider's pilot and flipped its arms in order to focus it main weapon elsewhere an direct its secondary weapons to the Strider. Both Pilots didn't manage to harm one another battlemechs.
The Kintaro jumped towards the Hunchback thereby sealing it in a death trap between it and the No-Dachi. The Hunchback took two full SSRM6 salvos resulting in a devastating gyro hit. Despite the gyro hit, the Hunchback kept upright
The Hunchback retruned fire to the Kintaro's face in hope the battlemech would back off with an additonal kick to the leg.The Kintaro stood fast in the short confusion of a had hit.
The No-Dachi closed in for the kill unleashing PL death causing the complete destruction of the left side of the mech following up with a hopeful to gut the Hunchback open from the rear armor with a quick and powerful sword slash to the rear armor, but only managed to slash the right arm. The Hunchback stood fast against the onslaught of the Kintaro, but could not hold upright against the No-Dachi and fell to the ground. The Hunchback's systems registered only scarce armor points protecting the mech's engine from complete destruction.
The Wolverine kept the Hoplite in check with more PL and SRM firepower. With the Hoplite witnessing the viscous attack against the Hunchback refused to fall a second time against the Wolverine's continuous onslaught.

Turn 7

The Hunchback stood up!
The Strider jumped towards the Dragon's right side and out of the firing arc of its GR to attack it. The Strider's weapon fire missed entirely.
The Hoplite still being punished by the Wolverin fired at the Kintaro finally strippping away enough armor to damage internal compnents in the left arm. The Kintaro's systems did not register any damage components or silencing any weapons.
The Wolverine continued to pummel the Hoplite with PL and SRM firepower, but the Hoptlite would not fall.
The No-Dachi fired another round of PLs at the Hunchback's exposed center torso and destroyed its engine completely.

Turn 8

Game ended due to time restraints.

Carnage Report

Mercenary


Cicada
Minor or no damage
Hunchback
The Hunchback was doing good damage with its twin LRM10s, but after the No-Dachi and eventually the Kintaro close ranks, the Hunchback was out gunned.
Major torso damage
Critical torso damage
Engine destroyed
Hoplite 
When the Maxim was forced back the Hoplite had to fend off both the Kintaro and the Saladin as they along witht he No-Dachi where all going after the Hunchback. The Hoplite would have been swarmed next, however the Dragon would have been in range at that point as well.
Major torso damage
Dragon
If the Dragon had gotten some of the GR hits in, the Kintaro most likely would have had to back off.
Minor or no damage



Strider
Minor or no damage
Kintaro
The Kintaro was a superb variant. The 5/8/5 movement, dual SSRM6s, 3 ERMLs to stay out of normal SR weapon ranges plus superior armor for its class made a touch opponent. The armor proved most useful from all the hellish LRM/AC10 fire coming from the combined efforts of the Hunchback, Maxim, and Hoplite. The Kintaro's ammo bins would have been exposed soon.
Major torso damage
Critical LA damage
Wolverine
The Wolverine variant was the opposite of the No-Dachi packing lots of PL and dual SRM6s. The JJ helped it stay out of sight from the Dragon and sneak up to the Hoplite.
Medium torso damage
No-Dachi
I tend to forget when the TSMs are engaged the pilot id subject to a +1 to gunnery. I found this worse with the 1K variant with the MRMs. Still the MPL array is just nasty up close.
Medium torso damage
Saladin
A/C 20 damaged
Movement severely reduced

Here is a small breakdown of the firefight in the NW Map's NW corner.
I - IV is the Hunback's movement till destruction.
I Start, II Movement to firing position, III Firing position close to the Maxim's firing postition, IV Chased by No-Dachi, V Trapped, IV Destruction.
SI Saladin's failed AC/20 attack on the Huncback and S2 is the Hoplite's Silencing of the AC/20.
The Kintaro really had good control of the middle of the map.

Thoughts

• We got started late so I think we lost the ability to get to round 10 which is half way of about 20 rounds.

• The desert maps where a lot of fun and I think we will have to use them again.

• I noticed a ran my units with the intention of swarming the enemy units with PL and SRM fire. I am not sure if it was pack mentality, but there is a Draconis Combine unit which resembles these tactics called the Amphigean Light Assault Group which I might use for painting purposes.

• I always making mechwarriors Gun 3/ Pil 4 which comsumes a lot of points. I think I need to dare the Gun 3/ Pil 5 or Gun 4/ Pil 5 areas for a change.

• Humorously, after the Strider failed to damage the Dragon it jumped into a nearby sinkhole for safety. I took the chance of losing the initiative next turn and would watch the dragon fire a GR round down into the sinkhole and out would come a bunch of dust, smoke, and Strider parts. 

• In this scenario I used 2 mechs with dual SSRM6s and one mech with dual SRMs and I find a mech with twin SRM6s or SSRM6s is dangerous for the following reasons.

• Dual SRMs

1. ~12 SRM hits ( ~12 x 2 = ~ 24 damage)
2. Potential HHs
3. Potential cricitical hits
4. Potential piloting skill roll (20 damage)

• Dual SSRM6s

1. 12 SSRM hitss (12 x 2 = 24 damage)
2. Potential HHs
3. Potential cricitical hits
4. Piloting skill roll (20 damage)