I have been in the hobby of miniatures tabletop wargaming and painting/modeling.  It may be a bit difficult painting in such small scale but I have always been more at ease with it so long as I have the proper tools.  A lot of this stuff I read about from various sources on the Internet, White Dwarf and No Quarter magazines, words of wisdom from other veteran players (you all know who you are), and from many explorations (by myself or with the Boyz) in the depths of Cubao and Quiapo.

I now NEED to have my own work shed, as all of this junk is now squatting in the living room LOL

It's a rarity that Chicco Cuema breaks out his Khador to play a game against us whenever we play at Hobby Haven. But there was one day that he honored me a game to go up against his 4-model Karchev list.

I've never seen that wargroup in action. It's either I wasn't present when he did play, or I was already playing a game at the same time. Basically, all that I knew of Karchev is from what I've read and from the bits I picked up when he was being discussed. And basically, as I still do not own a Karchev model at current time, I don't get to read him as I do the other warcasters.

At first blush, you'd see three warjacks on a list as godawfully slow. With my usual play, it's Vlad's Forced March or Irusk's Superiority that breaks the usual Khadoran-warjacks-are-slower-than-molasses mold. My God, Karchev warjacks are bloody maneuverable and gets in your face insanely fast.

I was using Butcher that time we gamed. Giving me first turn, I rushed up my whole force, throwing all caution to the wind and hoping I could weather the Behemoth's bombards. I got served straight up with a classic Turbine Tow powerslide. I can't recall specifically but I remember that between those three warjacks, a big chunk of my force was obliterated on just that powerslide turn.

I did win that game, I think by some funky Greylord move and finishing up with a massive Butcher charge on Karchev's rear arc with full FOC. But it made me want to own a Karchev, too.

As I'm still saving for some more Khadoran stuff, I took a try at using Karchev on a separate occasion. I faced off against Jake that time, and he used Darius. Naturally, I made many mistakes on that game. But I was enlightened with the use of headlocks and armlocks ^_^

Chicco's approach, as he was spectator to the game, was different from mine. He likes to use Karchev's spells for the finishing moves. I, on the other hand, preferred a more direct approach, using FOC for boosts or extra attacks (in Karchev's case, extra attacks). Knocking down a target via Iron Curtain and Karchev auto-hitting with his high-damage axe was my ideal game play. I did win that game, but can't remember much details, too (this one was unrecorded since there was only that game played that day).

If I were to get Karchev, I'd have to get another Kodiak as well. Fast-moving all-terrain Iron Curtain Kodiaks. But I guess that can wait.

+++

Reassembled my broken MOW Kovnik and put some more paint on one MOWDC Demolisher. Had to juryrig a paperclip for the Kovnik's flag pole. Gotta love Greco adhesive ^_^

After a year of walkthrough-assisted playing, I managed my first KoL "ascension" this morning. As a Seal Clubber, I defeated the Naughty Sorceress with Star Garb, Wand of Nagamar, plus two Wolf Claws; and a Barrrnacle familiar. Now I'm a Pastamancer. I'm already Level 2 when last I left. Hopefully, I can manage putting together my own Hell Ramen after several ascensions. I think this second ascension shouldn't take me a year LOL!

My two Meralco bills were due today, so I tried my best to wake up early so I could get to pay them, pay the Maynilad, get the WD photocopied, have lunch and get to work relatively early.

For some strange reason, my first target was Maynilad. It is a Tuesday so I was hoping that I'd get there, get in line and get out. I got off a jeep at Sto. Domingo chruch and walked towards the big Maynilad branch there. Lo and behold the throng of people inside! The guard gave me my number. 331. I glanced at the one who was already in line. 304. That's not too bad. But then I noticed there was only ONE person at the counter. ONE FUCKIN' PERSON! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?!? How can they expect to serve all these people with just one person at the counter?!? I did my part by keeping my mouth shut and waited as patient as I could.

Several sleepy minutes later, another lady sat behind the counter. Hurrah! There is hope for this miserable place! But then, she didn't remove the "Next Counter" sign in front of her. She sat there, fiddling at whatever's there, as if to spite everyone who was already grumbling in impatience. I think I stayed a whole hour there. And when I was already in line, only then did she remove that "Next Counter" sign.

An ill omen of things to come?

I left the Maynilad office and remembered I passed by a copy center on my way there. I stopped in front of Copycenter and looked if they had colored copies. They didn't. Ah well, maybe the "special copy" will suffice.

Me: Paseroks po. Pwede po yung special?
Copycenter lady: Sige po. Looks at their "special photocopy machine" and saw it churning out copy after copy of some ad that you see on street posts, about a car for sale. She asks the other Copycenter lady there (who was pregnant, isn't that bad for her kid? Working all day in an enclosed photocopy center?!?). They exchanged something which I couldn't hear.
Me: Gaano po ba katagal? Pwede ko na lang po ba hintayin?
Copycenter lady, to the pregnant Copycenter lady:Matagal pa raw ba?
Pregnant Copycenter lady (impatient tone):Matagal pa iyan. I think she rolled her eyes somewhere in that sentence.
Copycenter lady: Matagal pa raw po.
Me (determined not to get frustrated, since I didn't want to waste my time there): Sige, yung powder na lang.

The way I saw her manhandle the mag was intolerable. I could have confronted them about it, but decided against the idea. I will never come back here again. I have seen smaller establishments handle my stuff with better care. When she was done with it, I held out my hand, so as to inspect the pages. She ignored it, and started counting the pages in front of me, and here I am with my hand held out! What the fuck?!? I didn't do that to shake anyone's hand! And when I did get to see the pages, some were warped on the right side! Common sense really, or lack thereof. I had it copied so I could READ it! Argh! But it doesn't end there!

Copycenter lady: Six-fifty po.
I handed her a twenty peso bill.
Copycenter lady: Wala po kayong barya?
Me: Wala eh.

Then she gave me this look, as if waiting for me to miraculously produce the coinage she needed. It was only obvious that she's too lazy to get change. It turns out she did have coins for change. Albeit lacking 50 centavos for MY change!

Such shitty service. It made me wonder if all Copycenter establishments had those kinds of personnel. It was relatively early, so I couldn't say they were tired and wanted to go home already.

But it did turn out I had a purse full of coins. I could have courteously done so if they had been courteous to me in the first place. Do unto others...

Meralco was way better. The lines were short. The personnel worked fast. They offered courtesy. Even the KFC where I had eaten lunch had great service. And the cab I rode on took the best lanes to get me here quick.

So all in all, it's not so bad. Next time I get my Maynilad bill, I'm paying at the Equitable PCI bank near here. And I'll never ever go to any Copycenter place at all!

Tears of the Lady

Opponent: Ryan Tamayo's Bretonnians (2000 points)
Scenario: Capture
Result: Massacre Victory (Bretonnians concede) for KDL

Fear Me!
Ryan was maneuvering his Lances in for precision charges. After baiting in the Bloodthirster with a Men-at-arms block, the big Knights of the Realm unit (led by the General no less) was primed for a righteous charge on the big daemon's blind side. It was basically a doomed scenario for me. Until Ryan rolled for Terror.

+++

Opponent: Ryan Tamayo's Bretonnians (2000 points)
Scenario: Meeting Engagement
Result: Massacre Victory (Bretonnians concede) for KDL

The Fury of the Wicked

In the distance, the beat of flapping leathery wings were heard. The Furies circled once more and saw their victims. Peasantry armed and armored were fleeing the battlefield. With ear-splitting shrieks, the Furies began their descent.

Against Bretonnians, these will do little in close combat. They just don't have enough to punch through the knights' strong armor and strong will. Taking the right flank, Ryan ignored the distraction; but in doing so, he allowed me free charge to a big block of fleeing Men-at-arms. Not too shabby if I may say so myself.

Howl Out Your Anger

When the dust cleared, the knights were unnerved to see the blood-soaked daemons still standing in front of them, their faces twisted in what seemed to be sabre-toothed grins.

I've always wondered how my Bloodletter unit will stand up against a Lance charge. And this one is no pushover! Led by the Lord and supported by the Standard Bearer, this Lance spelled doom for the `Letter unit on one-on-one. The models were moved in base contact, challenges issued and accepted and dice rolls made. When the dust settled, only three `Letters vanished. 4+ Ward save from the Unholy Icon, oh yeahhh..!

Crush Them!

Swords and lances splintered on the brass hides of the hideous Juggernauts. The glorious feathered wings of the Pegasi torn asunder by the vicious Bloodletter riders, and the bodies of valiant knights lay strewn bloodied and broken on the ground.

Surprisingly, the Bloodcrushers held against a charge from the Grail Knight unit, the charge from a Pegasus unit on the flank (already being stuck in close combat with the Grail Knights), plus being lapped around and outnumbered with no standard. Tremendously lucky dice rolls for that one!

Red Sky

When the Bloodletters quicksanded the big KOTR lance, a countercharge was declared - flank open to a rumbling Khorne Chariot; the rear open to a snarling Bloodthirster. Discouraged at the luck I had on keeping my Bloodcrushers alive, and seeing that the Bloodthirster and Chariot was still alive, Ryan took the courteous retreat.

I am now a certified insomniac. I'm still awake~! I can't believe one can of coffee kept me up! And a handby bottle of Coke Light! And a large cup of Jollibee dispenser Coke! Need sleep ... zzzzzz*

Bretonnian Crusade

Opponent: Ryan Tamayo's Bretonnians (2000 points)
Scenario: Pitched Battle
Result: Massacre Victory (Bretonnians Concede) for my Khorne Daemonic Legion

First game all over again
This was my first game of WFB for quite some time. I've been playing a lot of 40K (Necrons) and Mordheim (Undead warband) for the past few months, and though I haven't stopped reading up on WFB, it's still different once you're on the opposite end of a table with a live opponent on the other side. And facing off against Ryan's Bretonnians who I've heard took some serious asskicking to Romy's Dark Elves, I expected some tough outmaneuvering and a lotta dice praying. Time to shake off the rust LOL!

Fear me!
The Fear that my units cause was a great help, botching up Ryan's charges during some crucial points. My Furies enjoyed scaring off a potential charge from some Pegasus Knights and a Knight of the Realm unit led by some bashy Paladin or Lord. The Bloodthirster's Terror didn't do much though, same with his Fear, since he was Overrunning most of the time during that game.

Peasantry
Opposed to the usual pure Knight Lance builds of Bretonnian players, Ryan had a different mix. He used a big mob of skirmishing Archers and two blocks of Men-at-arms. I couldn't figure out what he planned with those units as I'm used to fighting just a shitload of Knights when fighting Bretonnians. They posed a threat, as they had high numbers, which meant a serious issue of ranks and outnumbering against my small units.

Victory!
In the last legs of the game, I managed to reduce Ryan's fighting units down to an unmanageable number. He threw in the towel during a point on his turn, but I couldn't recall when exactly. It was well-played nonetheless, and I rested knowing that at least I could still perform optimally, and at best with lesser rust.

+++

For the Emperor!

Opponent: Joel Tiongson's Space Marines (2000 points)
Mission: Secure And Control - Alpha
Result: Draw

Lucky 6's
Joel might have gotten first turn, but my first turn of shooting ended with him having two less Rhinos, one destroyed Vindicator and a Whirlwind that can't move or shoot on the next turn. 6 to glance and 6 to destroy on the glance effect; yeah I was nothing BUT lucky with shooting like that.

The Emperor's Finest
His Terminators messed my game plan big time. I had hoped to assault his firebase Lascannon Tacsquad with my Turboboosted Disruption Scarabs, only to see his Terminators march down and pound the poor bugs to the ground with their Powerfists! Joel moved them about a lot, making it hard for me to pin down their objective during the game - they assaulted the Scarabs, then assaulted the Monolith, then headed off to provide some Cyclone suppression fire. It took a combined spray of Gauss to put them out!

Hard Fought Draw
It was tremendously fun playing against someone like Joel. He is technical with the rules but nor irritatingly so like other players. And seeing that Victory Points had no bearing in the game, it was an all-out rush towards the objective markers on the final turns! His remaining Land Speeder took one of the objectives, I had a squad of Necron Warriors take another one. It was on the last objective that was very, very crucial - he had two squads of Marines (Veterans or the Command Squad perhaps?) near the last objective; I had my Immortals and Destroyers come in, supported by a Staff of Light-weilding Necron Lord and the Nightbringer with his porta-lascannon. I managed to destroy on of Joel squads near that last objective, but he still managed to contest it with the remaining squad that I didn't even singe. Hard fought and fun til the last minute!

+++

For Khaine! For Khorne!

Opponent: Romy Estrella's Dark Elves (2000 points)
Scenario: Flank Attack
Result: Solid Victory for my Khorne Daemonic Legion, 647 VP difference (my favor)

Massive Bloodletting
My big unit of Bloodletters got into a big mess, a big unit of DE Spearelves on their left flank. Losing my a mere 1 point of combat resolution, I rolled for Instability (it was relatively easy, as the Bloodthirster was there with his hefty Leadership 10. Anything but vanishing back to the warp! I got an 11. Fuck! Good thing there my Army Standard Herald was, within BSB range. I picked up the dice and rerolled the Instability check. I got another 11. Khaine was strong then.

File for Harassment
I've always hated DE Dark Riders even before when Ronald used them. Looking at the start of this game now, I couldn't remember exactly why. Then when he started fleeing from my frenzied charges and me ending up with more failed charges than I can care for, I remembered. And I dislike them even more now LOL!


Attrition
The game was bloody, as I'd expect nothing less from Romy. Either I wipe him out or vice versa. In the end, he was left with his big block of Executioners led by the Lord. I got 2 Furies, my Bloodthirster and Herald. Yes, it was a good day for Khorne!

I have a lot of unfinished stuff to do at home. I want to rugby up the paneling in the CR. I want to pile up the old stuff at home so I can donate them to the charity here at work. I want to finish masterclassing my Daemonic Legion (and maybe get to work on Be'lakor already), and my Undead, and the Necrons, and Lito's Ogre Kingdoms. I want to reorganize my backup CDs. I want to rewatch the CSI series. I want to keep my house clean.

Maybe I should go home more often? It'll be a drag going to and from work, with the fare hike and all. I should reclock my system - get more exercise in as well.

Ahh... twenty nine years are starting to hit me. I'm overweight and have a lot of unfinished business with my Warhammer. I'm hoping to use this blog as a way to benchmark myself and become a better person.

It's been almost a week since I recovered from a severe case of trankaso (I think the Pinoy term better describes it than just plain old fever and/or flu). Yeah, being downed to uselessness is a thrill. I got to watch a lot of Jack TV though.

One thing though, if you plan on getting sick, or foreseeing you'll be getting sick, make goddamn sure that there's someone there to take care of you! I had to ration a bottle of mineral water and a small canister of Sour Cream & Onion Pringles for two days since I know I wasn't capable of getting up and buying stuff. I think I had only my irritation of being sick that drove me to want to be better. But in all honesty, I'm a bit pissed that Barby wasn't there to take care of me during the time I really needed her to take care of me. It's one thing to say stuff, to want to be there. But to actually be there is another thing. Keeping my poor brain preoccupied so as not to think about being sick, I played around with Mordheim warband lists, WFB army lists, and 40K army lists; mixing them up and forming grand schemes. Looking back now, it all bordered on the delusional, but then again, it's better than wallowing in self-pity. In what seemed to be the darkest days of being sick, I had nothing but the TV and Warhammer. A view of things to come? Perhaps.