Modelling: Witch Hunter's Hats

The hat you ask? You want to know about the hat of mine? Well i suppose i can tell you. I was about your age, kept close to a Witch Hunters warband. I was a youngster back then yet seen my share of deaths already. The men i fallowed were made of tough stuff. A band of hardened killers who didn't spare me bitting and the most harsh of words imaginable. You may consider yourself lucky you little bastard, that i'm the one you cling to and not these men of ruthless art. The vastness of my golden heart is overwhelmed only by enormity of experience and the tongue of pure silver with which i wage war. Not to mention my burning faith. But what was i saying? Aah... the hat! My good old hat. I always wanted one you know? Fallowing these men, fighting side to side. In my eyes the only difference between us was the hat. For me it was a mark of status. I craved it with all my being. I was a glory seeker. Young and foolish. I was so blinded by the need of earning one that i didn't understood the meaning behind the hat untill it was too late. When i finally got one it was a parting gift from my dying comrade and mentor, Astellan Kroml. A man i've failed on the battlefield for the last and final time. "The hat is a simbol of a higher purpose. A mark of status as much as of devotion. It gives hope to our subjects and brings fear to the rotten hearts of spell crafters. Once you put on the hat, it cannot be undone." The last words left him with less than a whisper. And he was gone. His blank eyes stare at me up to this day. I sometimes wander if he considered me worthy or didn't want the hat to be left to rot on some forsaken field of battle. Will never know the answer tho...

Hell yeah - and that's what i call an introduction to an article! Today i would like to tell you about the hat! Fear not tho! It will not have much in common with what you've just read. This is a Modelling article and i'd like to show you a quick and rewarding way to make you're own Witch Hunter's Hat.

Witch Hunters miniatures are very rare and to lay hands on one of these is a miracle to behold. So why not make one yourself? There's plenty of Imperial miniatures that fits to become a Witch Hunter. Just pick your favorite badass, armoured and coated, arm him with torch, or a pistol... Congratulations my lord - you've got a Witch Hunter. Well almost... cause he still don't have a proper hat! Fortunately this won't be a problem any more when you're done with this article.

Let us begin!

MODELLING WITCH HUNTER'S HAT

First of all you've got to arm yourself with these:
* Modelling Knife,
* Sculpting Tools,
* Modellin File,
* Green Stuff, 
* Super Glue, 
* Some round and flat plastic bitz (heads in helmets will do too),
* Some tubular sprue plastic bitz (easy to get as they're in almost every sprue),

1) Prepare the Brim of the hat made of round shaped plastic bitz. Start by first cutting off the excess of plastic with Cutting Knife and then flattening the surface area with a Modelling File. 
Next use the Knife to cut tubular sprue bitz into nice hat top pieces. Here's the picture of how it should look like in the end:

2) Now prepare some Green Stuff and roll it a bit so that u have a long piece. Cut couple pieces off and make them into little balls. Remember to glue hat top onto the brim before you proceed to another step.

3) Using a Sculpting Tool or a picker apply some glue onto the brim, arount the top. It will help you further apply a Green Stuff roll to the hat so that it won't fall off. Personally i find this method far less frustrating than counting for Green Stuff to hold on it's own.

4) Lead the Green Stuff roll around the top of the hat with gentle touches of the Sculpting Tool. The key is to avoid damaging it's basic 'roll' shape. When the process is over cut off the rest of the roll and shape Green Stuff into a strap with back of the Sculpting Tool.

5) You can further correct and smooth the strap using Sculpting Tool dipped in water. 
TIP: Water will prevent the Scultping Tool to stick into Green Stuff.

6) Now apply some glue onto a piece of paper or plastic. Stick the tip of the Sculpting Tool into one of the Green Stuff balls you've prepared. Gently dip the ball into the glue so that it takes a small amount with it and put it onto the hat strap. You can flatten the ball using the rount side of the tool thus creating a buckle. 

7) You can add a final touch to the Hat by further sculpting a pattern onto the buckle or adding cuts and grazes on the hat's brim.

The final effect may not be outstanding but it will do the job of transforming your Imperial Mercenary into a badass Witch Hunter. See for yourself in the  Warband: 'Scourge of the Witches' the Witch Hunters  article. Here's a preview pic:

This little tutorial was inspired by a member of  Mordheim Facebook group  which asked me if i had any Witch Hunters miniatures for sale. The idea to share my 'Witch Hunter Hat' method came in an instant. Hope you like the tutorial. Will try to make some more in the future.


Nazroth.

Matter of Survival: Skills Part two

Now shut that mouth of yours and listen: You want to live through this boy? You want to feel the stench of moist, rotten wood and decomposed flesh on your stupid prinkled face once again? You think you've got IT in you? That which really matters boy? Do you have the skill that will keep you alive in the hellish sreets of Mordheim?!






This is a second part of a Matters of Survival: Skills article. You can check out all the Combat, Shooting and Strength skills in the first part link> here <link. So now i will focus on Academic and Speed skills but first i will remind the rules.

In this article i would like to share some of my wisdom regarding choice of  Skills. To make things simple i grouped the skills into ffour categories.

* Must-have skill is a skill that is good in almost every build regardless of most circumstances.
* Good skill is useful and, probably, will benefit the game but you should always regard it as inferior to the Must-haves.
* Mediocre skill may come in handy but will be useful only occasionally and i wouldn't recommend to take it above Good and Must-haves.
* And there's a Bad skill which is just really bad and most of the time you wouldn't want to pick it.
Some of the skills are also marked as Special.
* Special skill is useful in some situations which depends on the warband, model, scenario or even a strategy you choose to play. A Special skill tag overrides even Must-haves so keep it in mind to check if you are able to benefit from it. If i find a particular skill useful i will mark and explain why and when to take it. 

'Academic Skills'

Battle Tongue: Bad (special)
Not many Warbands will benefit from this skill if there's Hunch, Tacticianor a Combat/Shooting skill to be taken by the Leader.
special: Except for Skaven where against all the expectations for the Assassin Adept to be a Death Incarnate his LD is needed all around the warband. 

Sorcery: Mediocre
+1 to Cast is a nice buff but it looses to Scribe skill. Still you should consider this skill Good if your caster is not a born fighter or a Bow master.

Streetwise: Bad
Please do not ask why... You really had to ask?
In Mordheim street wise means that a Hero is capable of immense feats of strength or marksmanship. If it won't help you kill enemy models or take objectives then it's probably useless and Streetwise skill will stop working after couple of battles when there will be no new items to seek out for.

Haggle: Bad
Why would you favor this one above a Combat/Shooting skill?

Arcane Lore: Bad
Most of us think 'my Leader is a badass and now he will also cast lightning from the tips of his fingers or the middle of his ars! Tremble mortals - Doom has come to this world!' but this skill is such a waste! The Leader is either hand to hand brawler or a marksman  and it means that he already has some tricks up his sleeves. To forfite the rest of his skills so that he can use some fancy spells instead of firing a Crossbow/Pistol or using Magic he already knows is wrong!

Wyrdstone Hunter: Bad
Rabbit Foot is better and won't use up the Advance.

Warrior Wizard: Bad
Armour sucks most of the time and even as i find it useful to protect the Possessed Magister with Heavy Armour i'd rather take more game changing skill.

Scribe: Good
If the Hero is a Caster then this is the right skill. All the magic comes to this single, important moment where you either show some powerfull trick, defeat Voldemort and win the day - or you will become a heap of cold, dead meat...

Mind Focus: Must-have

Must-have for all the Casters who have the right spells to cast.

Tactician: Must-Have
Ability to win the game before it starts is a good one. Hide and do not be shoot at or reposition your own shooters. Get closer to the objectives and the enemy with your fighters. This is a priority regardless of a warband type.

Hunch: Must-Have
Once again win the game before it starts. Imagine the face of your opponent when your warriors appear from a ruined building to 'Sprint' the closest Wyrdstone Shard out of the way. Sweet thing this skill. You may also position your Snipers in some cosy ruins.A lot of 'win the day' options indeed.

Magical Aptitude: Bad (special)
No caster will benefit from this skill before obtaining some new spells and the chance to get the right ones is low.
special: A very good skill if the Caster has some T and there's nothing good to choose from but Spells. After that you may be tempted to double-cast and it is very rewarding. Especially with Necromancer who happens to be close to useless most of the tame he does not cast.

'Speed Skills'

Leap: Must-have
Leap gives you so many options. You can jump with it, charge with it, leap than blast the enemy with a Blunderbuss or leap for objective. This skill is a Must-have.

Sprint: Must-have (special)
Must-have for all the models that you want to get into hand to hand combat or outmanoeuvre the enemy with. It will give the edge over your oponent to have a fast picker or a lightning-fast charger.
special: It is wise to pick speed skills for a Ghoul Hero via The lad's got talent and then choose this skill. A Vampire is a one man army but sometimes he needs backup and to catch up with him is close to impossible without the Sprint.

Acrobat: Bad
This skill is OK if used by a powerfull model that must get into the middle of the enemy warband fast. It just looses to all the Mediocre and better skills there are.

Lightning Reflexes: Good (special)
Good skill for all the human hand to hand fighters with advanced I. Treat the I advance as a signal that Lightning Reflexes should come next. 
special: Must-have for a Vampire, Skaven Assassin Adept or the Possessed. 'In your face' to all the charging Humans and Dwarves out there :) Otherwise it is still a Good skill.

Jump Up: Good
In the case of dense hand to hand combat this skill will probably save the life of your Hero.

Dodge: Good
Step Aside against Shooting. Good for both the hand to hand combat fighters and shooters.

Scale Sheer Surfaces: Bad (special)
Most of the time you won't have time and need to climb up or down and later in the Campaign there will be ropes and hooks to help. 
special: A Vampire, Skaven Assassin or a Black Skaven with this skill is a predator beast!

 'Warband Exclusive Skills'

I leave this one to other players. Each of us has some favorites. Where would be joy of picking a warband if not for the choice of equipment and skills available exclusively for this warband?! If you have any insight into the exclusive skills feel free to share in the Comments below.


Nazroth,

Matter of Survival: Skills Part one

Now shut that mouth of yours and listen: You want to live through this boy? You want to feel the stench of moist, rotten wood and decomposed flesh on your stupid prinkled face once again? You think you've got IT in you? That which really matters boy? Do you have the skill that will keep you alive in the hellish sreets of Mordheim?!






In this article i would like to share some of my wisdom regarding choice of Skills. I wrote 'wisdom' but let's face the facts: most experienced players already have their own opinion and here is my humble judgement of skills. Gamers new to Mordheim may find my thoughts useful and veterans may always try to persuade me wrong. If you are brave or stupid enough to try - that's what the comments section is for.

To make things simple i grouped the skills into ffour categories.

* Must-have skill is a skill that is good in almost every build regardless of most circumstances.
* Good skill is useful and, probably, will benefit the game but you should always regard it as inferior to the Must-haves.
* Mediocre skill may come in handy but will be useful only occasionally and i wouldn't recommend to take it above Good and Must-haves.
* And there's a Bad skill which is just really bad and most of the time you wouldn't want to pick it.
Some of the skills are also marked as Special.
* Special skill is useful in some situations which depends on the warband, model, scenario or even a strategy you choose to play. A Special skill tag overrides even Must-haves so keep it in mind to check if you are able to benefit from it. If i find a particular skill useful i will mark and explain why and when to take it. 

'Combat Skills'

Strike to Injury: Must-have
A very useful skill that gives edge to every capable hand to hand combat oriented Hero. The more A and S there is, the more the chance for Strike to Injury doing its job. In a case of a single succesful attack usually this skill takes the 33% chance to OOA up to 50%!

Combat Master: Bad
Just one additional A for a skill slot and that only if the Hero fights a hand to hand combat against more than one enemy. Even immunity to 'All Alone' tests won't make it worth taking. In the dire situation where you will find yourself with a Hero on total S value with all the advancements used up except one and you will really need this single A - pick the Pit Fighter skill instead.

Weapons Training: Bad (special)
This skill is rather bad. Not many interesting weapons and not many warriors who can benefit from using them.
special: Yet there are some for whom this skill is a big buff. Weapon Training skill especially useful to Henchmen who happens to become a Hero as usually they have limited weapon options.

Web of Steel: Mediocre
Higher Critical Hit effect means a bigger chance at taking the enemy Out of Action, usually in an explosion of blood and gore. However this skill depends on scoring a Critical Hit in the first plase so it should be taken only if a Hero has a lot of A and a good weapon to use.

Expert Swordsman: Mediocre (special)
Expert Swordsman works only for hand to hand combat specialized Heroes with more than 2 A in their profile.
special: The bonus provided by this skill is powerful but only if the Hero is the one to charge. Keep in mind to take this skill for a Hero with a lot of A whose M is 5 or higher in which case he will be the one to choose where and when the combat begins. 

Step Aside: Must-have
This skill is a Must-have for all the hand to hand fighters. 33% chance to cheat death is just worth it!

'Shooting Skills'

Quick Shot: Must-have
The effects of a Crossbow or a Bow are buffed by this skill to 200%. Damn it multiplies one shot into two - nothing to add to this statement.

Pistolier: Good
Most players think Pistols inferior to Crossbows if both of these are available. Remember that Mordheim is all about mobility and acquiring objectives. A Pistolier Hero with high BS will fallow the main body of the Warband and win the game in case of a choke point showdown. A Pistolier Leader will hit some scores in almost each game if you decide to keep him close to action which would be the obvious choice if Warband is to benefit from his Leader ability .

Eagle Eyes: Mediocre (special)
Most Missile weapons will benefit from this skill but not as much as from Quick Shot or Trick Shooter.
special: There's an exception to this rule and i recommend to chose Eagle Eyes if the Hero has a brace of Crossbow Pistols / Duelling Pistols / Pistols.

Weapons Expert: Bad (special)
This skill is close to useless in the early Campaign game.
special: Weapon Expert skill lets you take a Blunderbuss in a warband where there is none in the equipment list. A Witch Hunter or a Dwarf Thunderer Hero with a Blunderbuss... you know what i mean ;)

Nimble: Mediocre
Mobile Crossbow is ok but not as much as immobile one with two shots instead of one. Quick Shot will always be better than Nimble.

Trick Shooter: Bad
I highly preffer +1 BS than this.

Hunter: Bad
Handguns are expensive and do not reward you for using them. A lots of gold and a skill to use a tweaked Crossbow which never shoots twice per round. No thanks.

Knife-Fighter: Must-have
Not many Heroes can use Knives but those who can should and this skill is a Must-have! It gives a lot of edge at short distance enabling the Hero to eliminate up to three targets in one go.

'Strength Skills'

Mighty Blow: Bad (special)
This skill is inferior to +1 S in almost every every way.
special: Sometimes you will find yourself at the end of the road with a capable fighter who against the odds did not evolved his S value. A Double-handed weapond is not enough and he has all the skills you wanted him to have. This is the right moment to take Mighty Blow which otherwise sucks.

Pit Fighter: Mediocre
Most of the bloodiest combat happens to take place in the open :( It helps for the skill to agree with the players that wooden bridges are also 'inside buildings' areas.

Resilient: Good
Most models cannot evolve their T more than once. T is the most important for all the fighters in the game and can even keep them from receiving a Critical Hit! Resilient is a good choic and a Must-have choice for a Vampire or the Possessed as it Tanks them into monsters!

Fearsome: Bad
Wasted skill slot if you ask me.To much items and buffs that can help your Hero to charge against Fear, and Fear itself is powerful but more easy to counter as Campaign goes on.

Strongman: Bad (special)
Most models will not benefit from Strongman at all as their I value is just sad.
special: Most useful for a Vampire with Double-handed weapon od a Tank Champion with I4 or higher. That i can tell you from my own experience ;)

Unstopable Charge: Bad
+1 WS does not always mean you will get +1 to Hit and this makes a skill that requires a charge to work a bad skill. +1 WS is just so much better and simpler to get.

Next time i will break down Academic and Speed skills so stay tuned!


Nazroth,

Warband: the Carnival of Chaos

Ever been to a circus lad? Don't go. It's a waste of your copper, waste of your time and sometimes a waste of your live...

  

All miniatures converted and painted by Marek 'Whisperdalator' Szymonowicz

This article is a form of salute and credit to a work of one painter from another.

Warband: Carnival of Chaos

Ladies and gentleman! Boys and girls! Today i will present to you something splendid! Something truly unbelievable! Gaze upon the unthinkable! Taste that which you have never, ever tasted before!  Sit down and let yourself be dazzled with the mesmerizing atmosphere of the Carnival! Enjoy the Carnival of Chaos!

Advantages:

- Bodybuilders and Cronies,

Brutes start the game with S4, T4 and Strongman Skill which gives them an edge against warriors armed with Two Handed Weapons. Add some Tainted Ones with Blessings of Nurgle and you have four Tanks capable to withstand a lot of damage and pummel almost any foe into Out of Action. But that is not all, you can field up to two Plague Bearers (S4, T4) and add some extra fatties to your roster. Have i already mentioned that Plague Bearers have a Save value of 5+? In the end you can fill the numbers with some cheap Nurglings to enjoy the 'long' game.

- Grandpa's tutelage,
Carnival of Chaos serves one of the Gods of Chaos. Must say that both Blessings of Nurgle and Nurgle Rituales are very, very powerful. When you take a look at the spells you quickly figure out that Carnival of chaos has it all: 
- Buff to armour, 
- Single target damage with 1/6 chance to kill regardless of target's T value, 
- Powerfull debuff spell which affects living targets in casters vicinity,
- 12" Nova damage spell!,
- Save 2+ for the caster,
- Overpowered and cruel base to base spell that no sane enemy player would like to taste with his models,

Weaknesses:

- Forever alone, 

With a lot of Nurgle's bling and a Cart to ride the hood Carnival of Chaos is not an easy warband to befriend with. Lack of possibility to hire a Hired Sword (any and all Hired Swords) is a big disadvantage in the terms of long game. 

- Close and personal,
Carnival of Chaos is rather close combat centered and as such it has close to none shooting. Bows won't do the trick and with no Hired Swords and no Shooting Skills except for a leader this warband stands wurnerable to arrow, bolt and missile opression. 

Curiosities:

- Icecream cart,
I find the Plague Cart a little bit odd. It is a powerfull buff to the no-shooting-warband but in the same time it may be it's undoing. Experienced players do not fear the Cart. Just shoot this huge target with all they've got in hope to slay the driver. When this is done, the Cart goes berserk and kills itself almost every time. Against warbands that lack shooting weapons the Cart is almost useless. So as you can see the means to close the distance between the Carnival and enemy shooters are also liable to shooting.
  

Carnival Master (And his bride)

Brutes

Tainted Ones

 Brethren

 Nurglings

 Plague Bearers

 Plague Cart

Warband: Carnival of Chaos
Cost: 500gc,
Rating: 101,

Carnival Master 78gc, 
Shield, Mace, Dagger, 

Brute 70gc,
Double-handed Weapon, Dagger,

Brute 70gc,
Double-handed Weapon, Dagger,

Tainted One 63gc,
Cloud of Flies, 
Sword, Mace, Dagger,  

Tainted One 53gc,
Cloud of Flies, 
Mace, Dagger, 

Brethren (2) 56gc,
Mace, Dagger,

Brethren (2) 50gc,
Dagger, 

Nurglings (4) 60gc,

Nazroth