Space Hulk

Space Hulk,  3rd Edition (2009)

What!?

9+ years ago??  I got this for my birthday as a present from the Lady...and I let it sit unplayed for almost a decade.  Despite constant urging from club members I refused to play it until it was fully painted...which never happened.  Shameful display.

Ok...well I guess nine years happened.  Anyway, in true fashion I am finally ready to begin this project since 4th Edition was published in 2014.  There were a few rule tweaks and extra missions in that version, but I'm quite fine with the box I have.  It's almost pristine, with only some of the card punched.  I am really looking forward to finally puttin this on the table.

I do remember Space Hulk in the 90's.  The two middle-aged guys who were the only other Warhammer players in town were all about it, and I got to dive into Deathwing quite properly.  I had Vengeance of the Blood Angels on Playstation (1).  That was my jam.  It was creepy and scary in a way I really had never encountered before.  Warhammer 40k today doesn't have that weird background music, it's all orchestral fanfare and Gregorian-style chanting.

***[DID YOU HEAR THAT?]***

I don't know why I never got around to finishing it, as I had started once or twice.  With the breakneck pace of the old club, I just never found time to do this one justice like I wanted to and kept putting the project off.

Painting back on schedule, even though it's all different and it's going to be like 3 distinct tones / colors.  As I said, I started once or twice and you can really tell with the set.  I'm just going to have to eat it in the upcoming galleries.  I'll have genestealers with slightly different colors, and that's just how it is.

Campaigns!  Yes!  We're going to be doing the main campaign as soon as the set is finished, which shouldn't take that long.  After that, we're going to start exploring what we can do with Space Hulk, and what's out there we can obtain and adapt.  This is going to be cool.

Adventuring Party: Storm King's Thunder

"Nary a human in sight.  We get discounts for diversity?" - Berry Blessedhammer

So, I've been running Storm King's Thunder for a little over a year.  It's been weekly / bi-weekly to even monthly sessions over that time, as adults our free time waxes and wanes.  In that time I've really gotten into the D&D 5e system and I'm not unhappy with it as a storytelling game.  The game has been fun and light (most of the time) and I decided that since I have three cases of models labeled "Adventurers I-III" I should probably paint some of them.

Some of those cases have painted miniatures already in there, but we'll get to them - eventually.  Since this was an actual adventure party I got to paint, of course it will go in with the Adventurers as a set.  So this will be the first adventure party of what I'm sure will be many - even though historically most player characters don't live very long.  I'll probably take to doing this toward the middle / end of campaigns rather than at the outset!

We'll eventually gallery all the adventurers I've painted, as I'm sure I'll paint a few here and there just to paint them.  Sometimes it will be bands representing actual parties we've got in game and on the table, but sometimes they'll just be a collection of random miniatures that somehow got painted.  They may not all be Player Characters at first, but certainly someday they may be!

For now, check out Storm King's Thunder: Prepare to Die Edition on RAW RPG to find out more about the journeys of the ragtag group of adventurers we are about to meet!

"Don't worry about all that fire." - Ikki Popp, to his compatriots.

The Investigator Ikki Popp, Chaotic Good Air Genasi Stone Sorcerer

Hailing from the isles of far Maztica, this intrepid explorer joined the group after seeking out his cousin,  Starman, shortly after arriving in Faerun.  Ikki can control the flow of his spells with incredible magical dexterity, affecting friend and foe only as he desires.  The genasi is also a shapechanger, his form fleeting like the wind.

• I'm always polite and respectful.
• Live and Let Live. Ideals aren't worth killing or going to war for.
• I would still lay down my life for the people I serve with.
• I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior.

A lot of you will recognize this legendary sculpt.  I wound up with several Heroquest miniatures over the years, even though I don't currently own a copy of the actual game.  This Wizard is literally the first one I've ever painted, and tried to get the feel of the player's character with a grey skin and blue hair...even though the hair isn't quite right...

"ARE YOU MY DAD?!" - Nivesil, to random silver dragons.

The Sage Nivesil, Lawful Good Lightfoot Halfling Dragon-blood Sorcerer

A strange looking halfing, not much is known about Niv other than his name.  A powerful sorcerer with an affinity for cold, he has helped the party out of several bad spots.  Nivesil is currently concerned with finding his father, and his quest takes him in and out of the party's travels.  He's not always around and comes and goes as he is wont, but he is a trusted party member whose raw spellpower is always a welcome asset.

• There's nothing I like more than a good mystery.
• Emotions must not cloud our logical thinking.
• I've been searching my whole life to find the answer to who my father is.
• I am easily distracted by the promise of information about my father.

Even though I'm the DM, I was under the impression that this character was a gnome for a long time.  I don't know why.  The miniature is a Reaper Bones Balto Burrowell, Gnome Wizard.  Pro-Tip - You can tell gnomes and halfling sculpts apart pretty much only by looking at their feet.

"Yo.  I need some ale.  You got some ale?" - Berry Blessedhammer, at every tavern and pub on the road.

The Noble Berry Blessedhammer, Neutral Good Shield Dwarf Paladin of the Ancients

Berry was an esteemed warrior paladin of the Peacekeepers of Icewind Dale. After the deaths of his 2 sons and wife by a sect of demon cultists, he set off south to find the path laid before him by his god Gorm, which apparently includes being heroically drunk almost all the time.  Berry is known through out the Trade Way for his unique brew of ale and a mean left hook.  If you listen, he will tell you that the true power of the Blessedhammers is the unbreakable faith they use to heal and protect the innocent.

• This world is dark.  Have a pint and pray to the light.
• I must prove that I can handle myself without the coddling of a temple.
• I will face any challenge for the greater good of my people.
• Drunk AF

I enjoyed painting this model.  It's the first Chainmail model I've painted, this one being the Dwarf Legionnaire from Set 1.  Even though it's old it was easy and fun to paint.  The face is probably my favorite, and as I don't really do faces (I usually cheat) it might be the best I've managed to paint of all time...so far.

"I'm going to sing a song about a dear departed friend of mine..." - Starman

The Entertainer Starman, Neutral Air Genasi Cleric of Life

A strange native of Maztica, perhaps it is better to let this servant of the wind goddess Eha speak for himself.

"My tribe of white skinned natives resides on a small island far away. I was born a Genasi, as every three generations of my families House of Eha is to be born. 

My birth was in itself magical. 

I flowed out of my mother like a breeze, an easy and painless birth, I floated out of her womb the size of a teenager with the mentality of an adult. I grew quickly upon the white shores, playing in the ocean using my natural ability to hold my breath indefinitely to search the depths and using my gift of levitation to return easily to the waters surface." 

- Starman on Starman

• I’ll settle for nothing less than perfection.
• People. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I perform. That’s all that matters. 
• I will do anything to prove myself superior to my hated rival.
• I’ll do anything to win fame and renown.

This model is a Reaper Warlord Crusader Hospitalier.  I got a three pack of these, all different sculpts, and they've all migrated to different projects.  I didn't notice the imperfection in the sculpt of the face until I took pictures of the WIP to show the D&D group, and you can't really see it on the table.  Thumbs up if you see what I'm talking about.

"Are we going to do this the hard way, then?" - Softhands

The Bounty Hunter Softhands, Chaotic Good Tiefling Barbarian Berserker

Originally from the unkind north, by way of Luskan, the tiefling known as Softhands became known as the guy to go to when you need to get things done.  His nickname came about because he let his reputation and subtle intimidation do a lot of the work, once it became known what the alternatives were.  It wasn't long after he met the elf Briar Silverleaf that they left Luskan for the southern Sword Coast, where he continues to ply his trade.

• Pain is an old friend of mine; I am not afraid of a little suffering.
• Mind your own affairs and don't boss other people around.
• The poor and downtrodden are my people. They deserve respect.
• I find it hard to let someone throw their weight around unchallenged

This is the second model I painted to represent Softhands, the first one being in armor and having a shield.  Like the mix-up with gnomes and halflings earlier, I don't know WHY I thought Softhands must have armor...probably because no monsters could hit him.  The model is a Goldar, Male Barbarian from Reaper Bones with a little green stuff on his head.

"We're rich." - Briar Silverleaf, when asked how much hard
currency the party has available at any given time.

The Charlatan Briar Silverleaf, Chaotic Good Wood Elf Arcane Trickster

Originally, this cunning elf-maiden was from the High Forest.  Briar was a successful con-artist in a city of con-artists (Luskan) when she met the bounty hunter Softhands.  They decided to abandon Luskan, which was probably getting a little hot anyway, and as they went south Briar and Softhands met others, and the group formed as they fell into the adventure that is the tale of the Storm King's Thunder.

• I'm a born gambler and can't resist taking a risk for a potential pay-off.
• I'm a free spirit - no one tells me what to do.
• I owe everything to my mentor, who is a horrible person.
• I'm convinced no one could fool me the way I fool them.

This model, painted by my Lady (the player herself) is Callie, Female Rogue from the Reaper Bones line.  The muted tones look good, and this is one of her first models.  She's painted only a few up until now, and is a lot better than I was when I had a handful of finished models to my name.

Check out the Storm King's Thunder Adventure Log here!

Narrative Combats & the Buckets o' Blood Syndrome

It's going to be very messy.  Very, very messy.

Combat.  It's what's for dinner. 

It's what you're going to get where we are going, in one shape or another.

Today's beef stew has to do with narrative description in combat...namely, the practice of giving every loss of hit points a bleeding wound.  A nick, gouge, slash here...characters really come out of the fracas feeling it, if only for a moment before the healer makes it all better and you don't have to worry about it anymore.  Every time you roll a hit, there seems to be blood.

That works for some games, yeah, fine.  D&D you'll be changing the HP register so many times you'll erase through your paper before your 5e character finally dies.  You don't really have to worry about your ACTUAL wounds as the system of damage is abstracted.  You don't track how many fingers a character has, or if they can even use their gimped up, arrow-transfixed hand again.

Inspirobot will get your training underway.

Gallons of blood are fine, you know...for that kind of thing.

However, in some scenarios you WILL have to worry about things like losing fingers and eyes.  Toes and hands.  You'll be wearing peg-legs and waving hook hands about in no time, and most likely there won't be any socialized medicine to help you.  In those games, sometimes the give and take of "hit points" or "health nuggets" or what-have-you tends to be a lot slower, especially on the mending side of that.

Losing your footing in combat can lead to all sorts of permanent consequences.  This is how it is in real-life, in my experience.  Little nicks and gouges that hardly bring the blood are going to be rare, especially between two experienced warriors.  Rather, it will go back and forth until someone gets knocked off their game or misses an attack or defense leaving them vulnerable.

So I lean more toward an "action movie" style narrative description of combat.  The only time you'll see me describe a hit that brings the blood will be critical hits and death strokes.  Maybe a significant flesh wound by half-hit points, but unless the health track is specific (like World of Darkness or Shadowrun) hit points don't represent your actual blood.

To me, they represent the general footing and combat demeanor of the warrior in question.  He dodges, he blocks, he parries, he ripostes.  He gets knocked around though...even if he himself is doing the moving, eventually the combat will catch up to him if his defenses don't hold up and he takes damage.

As he is hit, his ability to defend himself wanes.  A slight bit of damage from a laser pistol hits the cover you're hiding behind, but makes you shrink back and sizzles your face a little.  A lot of damage from a laser cannon takes out the block of cover you were hiding behind, knocking you back and causing a mad scrabble to regain footing.

Our target's physical body hasn't actually been hurt, so he can retain agency in the scenario.  However, he has less hit points...in descriptive terms he can't block as easily, or dive for cover as fast, he gets dazed or loses his footing.  Eventually, all those HP are gone and he gets clocked proper...however that goes down, it usually ends with death.

And let's not forget how gruesome death by hand weapon is, folks.  You gotta be close, and it's pretty violent.  Once an combatant's defenses (HP) are down, striking a death blow doesn't take much...but it will almost always get blood on the victor.  On the battlefield, you can end up with a lot of blood on the ground...in some cases so much it doesn't even make sense. 

Remember what kinds of weapons are causing the death around you, especially if those weapons are sword and sorcery.  You're kinda walking around covered in gore if you've killed a lot of ...creatures.  Especially if any of those creatures were big and you killed it with a melee weapon.  You're gonna have to hire camp followers who carry washing water if you want to stay presentable...or something.

That's just not socially acceptable in most scenarios.