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9th Age Painting Race


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Recently I've been trying to drum up some interest in 9th Age around my local store.  One of the bigger obstacles to this is that those most interested are also those returning after a long sojourn away.  Since spectacle is such a large part of these massive battle games few have armies in a state to show off in full pageantry.  I happen to have a few painted armies from my time as a WHFB player, but I decided to help build a bit more steam for 9th Age to paint another force.  However I also decided it might be fun to engage in a bit more foreplay and challenged one of the interested locals to a speed painting race.  The terms were as follows:

 

-Both players will submit 2500 pts lists that no model within is to change.

-No more than a few test models may already be completed from aforementioned list.

-Both players will keep the quality of their models to the same quality as the previously completed test models.

-Movement trays, army displays, and other accouterments are encouraged, but not required.

-Basing will be completed to the same quality as the test models.

 

The prize was decided by a neutral third party who came up with the lovely idea that the winner gets to paint the loser's general in whatever fashion they choose.  The loser must use this general model and cannot alter it in any way.

 

With the setup done, here are the two lists:

 

Me (the inevitable champion):

 

Undying Dynasties

 

+ Lords (420pts) +

Death Cult Hierarch (420pts) [book of Arcane Power (50pts), Hierophant]
····Ark of the Ages (170pts) [Ark of the Ages]
····Rules: Magical Attacks, Mount's Protection (6+), Poisoned Attacks, Sacred Ark, Undead Constructs, War Platform, Ward Save (5+)
····Level 4 Wizard Master (30pts) [Path of the Sands]

+ Heroes (324pts) +

Nomarch (209pts) [Aspen Bow (3pts), Divine Icon (15pts), Dragonscale Helm (10pts), Heavy Armour (12pts), Lance (mounted only) (6pts), Shield (3pts), Talisman of Greater Shielding (25pts)]
····Army General [General]
····Chariot (35pts) [Chariot]

Tomb Architect (115pts) [Master Mason (25pts), Skull Splitter (40pts)]

+ Core (715pts) +

Skeleton Archersx30 (200pts) [Champion (10pts), 30x Skeleton Archer (180pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

Skeleton Cavalryx5 (80pts) [Light Lance (5pts), 5x Skeleton Cavalry (55pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

Skeleton Cavalryx5 (75pts) [Exchange Shield and Vanguard for Aspen Bow, 5x Skeleton Cavalry (55pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

Skeleton Chariotsx5 (250pts) [Champion (10pts), Free Reform, Musician (10pts), 5x Skeleton Chariots (175pts)]
····Standard Bearer (25pts) [War Standard (15pts)]

Skeletonsx20 (110pts) [Champion (10pts), Musician (10pts), 20x Skeleton (100pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

+ Special (836pts) +

Battle Sphinx (270pts) [breath Weapon (25pts), Innate Defence (4+) (25pts)]

Great Vulturesx3 (80pts) [3x Great Vulture (60pts)]

Sand Stalkersx3 (150pts) [3x Sand Stalker (150pts)]

Shabtisx6 (336pts) [Champion (10pts), Musician (10pts)] [Halberds (0pts)]

+ Rare (205pts) +

Colossus (205pts) [Great Weapon (10pts)]

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The Challenger (boo hiss):
 

Daemonic Legions

 

+ Lords (455pts) +

 

Daemon Prince (455pts) [Heavy Armor (25pts), Hellish Crown (25pts), Aether Wand (40pts), Daemonic Mark (Change) (20pts), Iron Hide (35pts)]

····Daemonic General (Change)

····Level 2 Wizard Apprentice (65pts) [Path of the Change]

 

+ Heroes (405pts) +

 

Harbinger of Change (220pts) [Power Vortex (45pts), Sorcerer's Lodestone (30 pts), Portal Gem (20pts)]

····Level 2 Wizard Apprentice (25pts) [Path of the Change]

 

Harbinger of Pestilence (185pts) [Contamination (40pts), Nauseating Aura (50 pts)]

 

+ Core (862pts) + 

 

Horrorsx10 (180pts) [Champion (70pts), 10x Horrors (80pts), Firebolts (20pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

 

Horrorsx10 (180pts) [Champion (70pts), 10x Horrors (80pts), Firebolts (20pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

 

Horrorsx10 (180pts) [Champion (70pts), 10x Horrors (80pts), Firebolts (20pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

 

Tallymenx24 (322pts) [Champion (10pts), 24x Tallymen (80pts), Firebolts (20pts), Musician (10pts), Standard Bearer (10pts), Trail of Mucus (24pts)]

 

+ Special (450pts) +

 

Pestilent Beastsx3 (180pts) 

 

Plaguelingsx4 (135pts)

 

Sky Serpentsx3 (135pts)

 

+ Rare (325pts) +

 

Blazing Chariot (135pts)

 

Blight Flies3 (190pts) [Champion (10pts), 3x Blight Fly (210pts), Firebolts (20pts), Standard Bearer (10pts)]

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The model counts are pretty similar with Dave (my opponent) having finished the Plaguelings, 5xTallymen, and his Daemon Prince before the race began and me having 10xSkellie Archers and half my Battle Sphinx completed.  As I've always found lighting a fire under yourself to be great motivation, I'm definitely looking forward to this race.  As of today I have completed all 30 archers and look to finish off the cat tomorrow, but I'm sure work and life have other plans.  Below is a quick pic taken at my painting station of the 30 archers (note the movement tray is just a stand in).  As I finish more models I hope to get some better pictures.  First blood me!

 

FJcPeqml.jpg

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Hmm this amuses me. While I may not be competing in your challenge directly I may compete alongside you for my own amusement.

LORDS

Dread Prince- Crimson Mail, Headsmans Axe, Divine Icon, Talisman of Lesser Shielding.253

HEROES

Captain - BSB, Ring of Shadows, Hardened Shield, Razor Blade. 155

Oracle - lvl 2, yema, Horse, Tome of Arcane Lore, Amulet of Spite. 180

Oracle - lvl 2, Dispell Scroll, Horse 145

 

Core

30x Corsairs - Full Command, Paired Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Banner of Courage. 375

5x Dark Riders - Musician, Repeater Crossbows, Shields 125

5x Dark Riders - Musician, Repeater Crossbows, Shields 125

 

SPECIAL

Divine Alter of Nabh - 200

28x Executioners - Full Command, Banner of the relentless company

(2×) 5x Harpies - 130

 

RARE

5x Dark Acolytes of Yema - 135

(3×) Reaper Bolt Thrower - repeater shots - 240

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Played my first game with the list yesterday and my fears about its competitiveness were met.  My opponent was originally going to bring his Infernal Dwarfs to play, but forgot his army at the last second so had to borrow one of mine.  I wrote him up a quick regular dwarf list and we were off.  His list was something like this (which sounds odd considering I wrote the list):

 

King:

-Shield Bearers

-Weapon w/ S10 VS T5 or higher, Lightning Reflexes, and D3 wounds

-5+ Ward

-Shield

 

Master Engineer:

-Great Weapon

-5+ Natural Armor

-MR (1)

-Wyrm-Slayer Rocket

 

Runic Smith:

-Great Weapon

-Rune of Resilience+Reckoning

-Shield

 

Runic Smith:

-Great Weapon

-Rune of Metal+Oaths

 

Thane:

-BSB

-Great Weapon

-5+ Natural Armor+reroll failed armor saves

 

20xClan Marksmen

-FC

-Guild-Crafted Handguns

-Shields

 

23xGreybeards

-FC

-Great Weapons

-War Standard

 

Catapult:

-+4 to Misfire Table

 

2xOrgan Guns

 

2xSteam Bombers

 

15xSeekers

-Skirmish

 

Anvil of Power

 

2xVengeance Seeker

 

Most of the list plays like the old dwarfs, but the addition of the Master Engineer and the Guild-Crafted Handguns (GHC) really helps the dwarven shooting game (the engineer may give a unit +1 to hit with ranged attacks, reroll 1's to wound with ranged attacks, or D6+1" extra range while the GCH give a +1 to hit).  This is a typical castle list with some counter charge and harassment elements mixed in for good fun.

 

The game went pretty much how I expected it to with my opponent never playing the army before.  Like most new players he placed the dwarfs in a central battleline and didn't use his faster/smaller units to redirect effectively.  This lead me to getting a turn two double charge off with my sphinx and chariot unit hitting his handgunners while the shabti hit his main combat block. I will admit that I had some pretty nice magic phases right when I needed them as, when I initially charged, I was down to two chariots and the prince for his unit which likely would not have been enough to take the handgunners out.  His seeker unit mostly just caught arrows the whole game although they did a decent job of stopping my scouting cav from getting into his back war machines.  

 

The surprises of the game were how amazing the spell Ancient Glory is and how well it combos with shabti units.  Thankfully the shabti are only T4 so his lord couldn't lay waste to them very easily (I'll also thank his poor luck with the king on the whole), but the weakness of the UD shined through even in a crushing route of their enemy. The list currently lacks focus which, while fine for a painting project, simply won't do in the long run.  Currently I plan to change things around a little although, in keeping with my initial pledge, I will only remove units that are already painted and plan to end with more models than I started.  Currently, the list plan is:

 

Death Cult Hierarch:

-Lvl 4 Path of Sands

-Hierophant

-Book of Arcane Power

-Dragonfire Gem

 

Death Cult Acolyte:

-Lvl 2 Path of Sands

-Dispel Scrol

 

Nomarch:

-General

-Aspen Bow, Heavy Armor, and Shield

-Crown of the Pharaohs

 

Tomb Architect

 

30xSkeleton Archers

-FC

 

5xSkeleton Cavalry

-Bows

5xSkeleton Cavalry

-Bows

5xSkeleton Cavalry

-Bows

5xSkeleton Cavalry

-Bows

 

3xSkeleton Chariots

-Standard

3xSkeleton Chariots

-Standard

 

20xSkeletons

-FC

 

Battle Sphinx

-Breath Weapon

 

3xGreat Vultures

 

6xShabti

-FC

-Halberds

 

2xCatapults

 

Colossus

-Great Weapon

 

The major changes to the list are the removal of the snakes and the Ark of Ages to make room for some more chaff alongside some more ranged in the way of catapults.  The nomarch also came down off his chariot as I think the chariots themselves will be far more effective split into two units of three (the nomarch's chariot will of course join the new unit to keep the model in the army).  This shifts the army to far more of a chaff-war sort of build and I think it'll play similarly to HE/DE only without the ridiculousness of fast cav running circles around the enemy as the dead are not great at marching.  The last "large" change was to get a second wizard in there.  My hierophant on his AoA was hit by two different rocks in my game and it just isn't feasible to be running such low magic undead.  Dynasty armies simply don't have the staying power to run at medium magic.

 

As for paint work, I started slapping my scheme onto the architect which I will likely be able to show off soon.  Unfortunately my hobby time is limited given regular work and commission work getting in the way, but I'm still going to make a concentrated effort to get these done on a regular schedule.

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So I managed to get both the colossus and the architect done inbetween commissions which was nice.  Sorry for the scale, but the Imgur beta is having issues with image editing so this will have to do for now:

 

qRR3qxa.jpg

 

SefgSkn.jpg

 

5Sof763.jpg

 

It's definitely been interesting painting these guys up as the models are old and, frankly, not great along with being previously painted to a pretty low standard.  Before I get to them they're heavily drybrushed and washed and very few mold lines or even flash has been removed.  It makes for an interesting experience building over what somebody else has already done and, while that's definitely not as good as starting from scratch, it is a fresh experience.  

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Got some updates to share....I have been lax:

 

Yema Warlocks and Yema Sorc:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIEBzOxAi1G/

 

30 corsair:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIPDrhCAYU9/

 

2nd Dark Rider unit

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIEDjLygUxq/

 

Bolt Throwers:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIEC89kAEAU/

 

1st Harpie Unit:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIECq-PAUuG/

 

2Nd Harpie Unit:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIECQ5DAN7F/

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