Being absent in body not mind...

Which is exactly what I have been. I have been unable to find the time to throw up another post in quite some time and have now run across a bit of some spare time!

In the past 3-4 weeks that have passed since my last post, I have been hard at work... Literally hard at work, no fun and games like I want to be doing, but actually working.

But in that time, I have found some chances to work on a few things here and there, and to be able to play a game or two as well!

First off, I have actually assembled 30xSword gobbos! I have also thrown some paint on 20 x Great Gobbos and 10 x Gobbo Quarrellers. They are only in their first stages, but they are on bases and can be fielded as needed. The Sword Gobbos are missing their shields(I want to paint them separately then assemble them) but are based and primed.

Second, I have worked on another artillery piece for my army, a Squig Cannon! Nothing special, it acts as a Great Cannon, but is modelled so that it looks to be firing Squigs. Story is, when the Squig Spotters(huntsmen) go hunting and find runt squigs, they snatch them up as ammo for the cannon! Very fun for me! I have also modelled up an alchemist which plays as a wizard of either the fire or the metal lore. His name is Arum da Alch'y! By day he is an everyday alchemist/wizard of the gobbo variety and at night he is a bar hopping fiend! On the battlefield he is a little bit of both, and is known to take sips of some type of 'magical potion' while flinging spells at the foes of the Order!

Third, games and games. I was able to get together with 3 other fellows for a nice 2 vs 2 using the new alliance rules. My partner was a Lizardmen player and had a very nice and friendly 1000 points! Here is my list as I recall:

Squigmar, Grand Masta of the Order of the Arctic Squig(Warrior Priest)
-mounted/barding
-Biting Blade
-Armor of Meteoric Armor

Arum da Alch'y(Wizard)
-lvl 2
-Lore of Fire

5 x Squig Knights of da Order of da Arctic Squig(Knightly Order)
-Full Command

6 x Gobbo Powda Mastas(Outriders)
-musician

30 x Armor of da Arctic Squig(swordsmen)
-Full Command
-detachment of 10xGobbo Quarrellers(crossbows)

1 x Gobbo Mortar(Mortar)

1 x Squig Cannon(Cannon)
---------------

My partner had something like the following:

1 Saurus Scar vet
20 Saurus Warriors(hand weapon and shield)
2 units of 1 Salamanders
2 units of 10 skinks with blowpipes
3 Kroxigors
5 Chameleon Skinks
5 Cold Ones

We were playing against Ogres and Dark Elves! Here is what I remember:

Dark Elves:
1 Dark Elf Lord
2 units of 10 Repeater Xbows
15 Blackguard w/full command
Hydra

Ogres:
Bruiser
Scrap Launcher
2 units of 5 Bulls w/Ogre Clubs and Full Command?
40 x Gnoblars


The battle itself took several hours, and when I say several I mean close to 6. I think it had to do with not being totally familiar with 8th edition and we were BBQing at the same time!

Highlights of the battle/notes:
Hydras are nasty! I shot as much as I could into it, and it just wouldn't die!
Mortars are nice against T3! Die Dark Elves!
Cannons are fun, they scare the bejeezus out of people hahaha!
Deploying first sucks(our scenario required my teams entire army be deployed first, so I lost usefulness of half my army for the first half of the game)
Going first if you have nice artillery and shooting is awesome!
Black Guard when accompanied by the DE Lord is a nasty unit(especially with -1 AS banner!)
Aquatics were nice, especially in dealing with the rivers, go Lizardmen!
Outriders are just plain worth it for me... With Vanguard, first turn shooting is possible!

Overall, the game was fun and it was a very good time had by all! The opposite team won, but it was a game which had the battle swaying from side to side at all times! So a loss, but a good loss!

Myself and the Lizard player had a 1500 point game a bit later, which dragged until about midnight(although it went relatively fast, we started around 930 pm or so! But we were both tired and our brains were semi-fried, so it could have probably gone faster if we wanted it to! But it was also fun, and I had fun proving that a balanced force can win the battle in 8th edition!

Anyway, that is all for now, and I will get some pictures up once I get the time to upload them!