Galber Salvage and Exploration Co. Log

[Dr. Clock]

Well, the time has come to initiate WIPLOG protocols for my Kin.

 

I finally got the 10 Hearthkyn from Combat Patrol painted up, meaning I can run 30 Hearthkyn, 6 Beserks, a Brokhyr and proxy/converted Sagitaur and Land Fortress:

 

 

Yes - I built 20 Squats out of Kharadron over the last few years.

 

Detail on Brokhyr and Co., including army mascot 'Auld Yellur':

 

 

Current status of Beserks (still 3+1 left from the actual left to paint) and Einhyr.

 

 

Aaaand close-up on new domehead lads (stunty one up front got an ion so the missile boi could join one of the other units):

 

 

Thanks for looking! I'll start playing games with them once the Pioneers are painted. Enough other projects on the go that it'ls be 6 weeks or so, I'd wager, depending on how complex they are (probably build them one at a time with other projects in between each one).

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

 

[Dr. Clock]

Wow... Pioneers are so much fun! A bit fiddly, certainly, but pretty darn quick, and hence more fun for me than, say, Outriders or Shroudrunners. They're quick enough that I'll probably add a Serk or two as an extra piece in the next tranche...

 

Basing to come; may do some detail work like rivets and polish up yellow at some point, but this week I'm moving over to Eightbound. ; )

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

We're getting gradually closer!

 

After a quick dip over to paint some 8bound, the last couple weeks got me here:

 

 

 

Even though the rear mounted Kin was kind of fiddly, these are still a joy of a kit. Second unit is near top of list for next steps. Might be worth assembly lining them.

 

In other news, seeing as the backlog was getting down to about 10 figures, I've decided to blitz the last few bits and bobs I need to reach 2000 points:

 

 

The Kahl has been dubbed 'Orson Colorado' for the lulz - he's still a Galber of course... just a Red Bear 'battle leader' version. In headcanon a Galber Kahl is denoted by their red hair. Orson here is obviously a full body cyborg tho... so the hair is more symbolic now, just like the beards on the converted Kharadron.

 

 

Just 5 more Kin to paint before I'm done: 4 Ironhead 'Beserks' and the last Pioneer.

 

Then I'll base these so I'll finally have an army that is properly based BEFORE it ever sees the table - a first in my 20+ years of hobby lol. So thinking about 3 weeks before they'll see the table.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[phandaal]

Looks great! That yellow is really solid.

[Dr. Clock]

7 hours ago, phandaal said:

yellow

Thanks! My other army is Ulthwé ; )

 

Literally just Iyanden contrast and Yriel edging over obligatory 2 coats of grey seer.

 

SO refreshing to be able to paint a decent yellow in a reasonable number of steps... Ironically I now spend more time on the leather / blacks lol.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

 

 

[Dr. Clock]

Time for an actual mission!

 

Assembled for first game 'as Votann' (original 2 squads were used as a mercenary Vanguard unit in AdMech for a couple years before we got an actual book).

 

 

Pioneers: probably the best bike kit ever.

 

 

Kahl Orson just chillin:

 

 

The Crushin' Squad:

 

 

The CyBeserks:

 

 

Will report back on first game today.

 

At 1959 pts (Ymyr Conglomerate):

 

High Kahl: Hearthfist, Teleport Crest

Einhyr Champion: Grudge's End (Darkstar Axe), teleport crest

Brokhyr Forge-Master

 

2x10 bolter squads (HyLas each, one rail, one missile, axe/sword, medics and scanners

1x10 Ion squad (HyLas, Plasma, fist, medic, scanner)

 

1x5 Cthonian Beserks (hammers + mortar + fist)

1x9 Cthonian Beserks (axes and mortar + fist)

 

1x3 Pioneers - comms/scanner/HyLas

Sagitaur - L7/missiles

 

Hekaton (sky)fortress: rail cannon, bolt cannons, Kin's wrath)

 

It feels a bit thin tbh, but I think it's supposed to.

 

Beserks in the Hekaton, or Ion squad? Thinking I may reserve the axe squad so that they can come on flank and use the Hekaton just to get ions in reach earlier.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

I flippin love this army! Chalk a dub for the Galberkin!

 

I ended up proxying in a Goliath Rockgrinder as a second Sagitaur to get to our usual ahem 2100 points, the final 100 points of which is always a character that cannot be a mandatory selection worth no more than 100 points and who may not have Relics or Warlord traits other than those they gain using some Crusade-lite rules. In this case the Forge-Master was knocked back to Iron-master to fill that role.

 

Report vs Sisters: playing Tempest. Spearhead Assault deployment, Vital Ground Primary and +1 Objective point for secondary (6 Objectives total).

 

I rolled first turn, and Alpha strike rail cannons lifted enemy Exorcist. The fortress cannons also murdered 5 Multi-melta Retributors while the centre bolter squad killed 5 repentia. 2 Sagitaurs leapt on a right objective and Einhyr just edged on to one of left. In other news some Initiates died on left flank, as I just kinda strolled toward objectives.

 

Turn 1 enemy grabs the left-of-centre objective that I can't see, but doesn't challenge on the centre objective. They do some chip damage and kill a sagitaur on right, but have basically nothing the threaten the fortress.

 

Turn 2 I jump Beserks out of fortress to try and charge a Rhino across the centre objective. I go aggro with Einhyr on left to move block the impending immolator there. Both charges fail.

 

Ion squad in Sagitaur on left jump out to support 3 survivors from destroyed one, and Pioneers come in to assist against Immolator and heavy bolter Retributors. Immolator is destroyed, 3 Retributors die and one runs away. 3 Hearthkyn charge sisters dismounting from wrecked Immolator and kill all but one (2 died in explosion).

 

Middle of Sisters Movement, Turn 2: Left flank

 

 

Middle of Sisters Movement, Turn 2: Right flank

 

 

Bottom Turn 2 I get charged by 3 Warsuits while 10 sisters mob centre objective. 2x5 Seraphim drop in back line and toast half hearthkyn on left flank and a few on centre objective. Otherwise, I lose 2 Beserks to the sum total of enemy shooting and assault, and the multi-meltas do nothing to the (sky)fortress. Beserks kill 2 of the Warsuits.

 

Turn 3 the 3 Hearthkyn who lost their ride earlier move up with the last Sagitaur and gun down 6 sisters on enemy home objective. Seraphim rear centre die to Skyfortress. Seraphim rear left die to Hearthykn and charging Einhyr Champ. Middle combat grinds on as I shift Beserks to try and deal with Battle Sister squad but only kill most of them lol... Paragon rolls clutch and barely survives.

 

Opponent concedes bottom turn 3 with a 30 point deficit and some characters alive, but only a single unit of Initiates, 3 battle sisters and a Paragon suit left, whereas I... literally have lost only the one Sagitaur?

 

I was honestly concerned that this list was going to struggle with 'only' 30 regular infantry and 15 Beserks, but it feels chonky as heck tbh. 4+ Void armour feels like power armour, and 5+/5++ Beserks are just... so choice. A couple of times a single bloke soaked 3 2Dmg Paragon sword wounds, and one of those times they straight murdered the Paragon who done it right back!

 

Ymyr 5++ is probably a crutch tbh - it really spoiled my enemy's shooting a couple times even though he tried to be cute and wait for the Faith Dice on damage rolls instead of reliably wounding against the T8.

 

Anyway - interested to see what going second is like lol.

 

I'm not buying any more of these until I polish off some other projects (2 Leman Russes, 10 Eldar Corsairs, 5 Ad Mech Infiltrator conversions from Delaque weirdos, and... 10th Edition marines half?), although if Hearthguard come back in stock I'll probably buy them as the final piece and pick up a Sagitaur next year or some such. This army definitely feels like a 'one of everything' collection for me rather than going spam on anything. If I didn't already have ~18 Ulthwé/Corsair bikes and a Storm Lords list with 6 Fast Attack then I might be into more Pioneers on pure efficiency, but I kinda like them more as a light/fringe outflanker than a weird fast shooting hammer. Some day I probably will buy and actual Hekaton, but the Frigate isn't going to get any use otherwise, and I'd probably get a Landraider for my World Eaters or Salamanders first... To be a bit more WYSIWYG it probably needs a pair of bolt cannons on the rails/prow. For the 'rail cannon' in my headcanon the missiles in the front buoy assembly are vortex missiles ; ) The gunhauler also needs a bit of an up-gun, but otherwise feels great as a Sagitaur.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[MithrilForge]

Nice to see you finished the army !! They do look great , 

gee you really plastered those poor sisters, perhaps going second may have had a different outcome .

 

I like your red and yellow combo , it goes well with these guys/girls ?!.. 

thanks for the Batrep . 

cheers ,M. 

[Dr. Clock]

7 hours ago, Mumeishi said:

really plastered those poor sisters, perhaps going second may have had a different outcome

Definitely, although at present being able to completely outrange Sisters and having such high AP and rate of fire everywhere, it doesn't feel like a super balanced match-up unless Sisters player tunes up that list a bit more. The few times he got close to being effective I was just able to medic units back up to keep pushing. He didn't take Morvenn Vahl after she steamrolled my World Eaters a couple weeks ago (his choice, I did encourage her to return!), but think he definitely will next time!

 

That said we're in the deepest shadow of 10th at this point so it's possible that was our last game of 9th lol. I think the Sisters/Votann matchup is gonna be more interesting in the new rules tbh - I don't mind that they'll be generally better at hitting me since we'll be tough enough to shrug alot more small arms and will be double tapping them right back, from further away. It seems like the 'number of minis' between the two armies is going to be pretty similar indeed though, with Sisters possibly edging ahead given their lack of true chonk or armory flex.

 

Going down to 4+ to hit naturally is an interesting choice but I think we could pick up as many as 3 or 400 points in that trade, and still be hitting on 3s at least half the time, or with most important units. Looks like 1x Thunderers, Hearthguard and Sagitaur (or two) are much higher on my list this year, once I'm over the Leviathan hump... 

 

Also looks like the change to allow jumping out of transports after movement will be heartily welcomed. Definitely feels like beamer-bois should be rocking that strong armoured assault vibe, and it'll match the way Kharadron work now in AoS more or less too.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

We back. Working on Ancients box now, but finally got these all based:

 

 

And because I frippin love the idea of intellect chips making Ogryns ideal mercenaries for Kin bands:

 

 

 

Not sure what I'll do for the 6th Thunderkin... probably just use the Endrinrigger guy up above as I don't need hi as E-Champ any longer.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

Well - straight off the basing of those last lot I've got Grymncrow Galber here mostly sorted. The black on yellow here is a bit tough, so correspondingly a bit rough... but it'll serve. Basing will come when I have at least 10 more minis ready for it (tend to base 10-20 at a time and just spent a week on last tranche).

 

I may do another pass or 2 on the trim at some point, but I'm on to first unit of Hearthguard now.

 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

Finally got some washes and highlights on first unit of Galber Guard: "The Steel Horse Riders" lol. Basing later. Moving on to a 'Command Sentinel' Lord Solar conversion from an arachna-rig, but Sagitaur soon hopefully.

 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[phandaal]

These look awesome! That yellow is great.

[Dr. Clock]

On 1/11/2024 at 5:49 PM, phandaal said:

That yellow is great

It's still the same as it's ever been - just a single Yriel yellow edge highlight up from the Contrast : )

 

I painted yellow over black long enough that I feel like I've earned the magic of contrast paints I guess lol

 

Honestly I think the main trick is really to get strong darks alongside the peak yellow so that the panels pop forward without the whole mini being over-bright. I find the metal rivets also help punctuate the yellow - without the black/metal, things can get really washed out with so much flat yellow. I'd like the yellow to be a bit more shaded in some areas, but I haven't found quite the right glaze (likely) for that and by the time I reach this point generally I'm tired of painting something. EDIT: WIP from immediately after contrast yellow applied to demonstrate:

 

 

Favourite detail on these was the rigging of the pauldrons to the rear spine/engine so that their shoulder mobility makes at least a little sense. Also with marines you always have to scrape the shoulders before putting on pads to get a good bond, but with these I get to keep so much more invisible metal finish on the shoulders underneath the pads ; )

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited January 14 by Dr. Clock

[Dr. Clock]

The Skazungor (Cave Thief):

 

 

Overall a very satisfying build.

 

Gave sub-assemblies to a buddy w/ airbrush for priming - unfortunately there were some patchy bits after that which didn't quite come out through painting, like the left gun plate up top there.

 

 

This thing's pretty fierce. Used Weldbond white glue on the canopies instead of superglue and pretty chuffed with my first ever painted crew visible through canopies.

 

 

Second major deficiency - front right panel undercoat too thin. May consider stippling more Yriel in there before the yellow wash comes out. This is still just Iyanden with a single quick highlight of Yriel.

 

Calling it tabletop ready now though and trying to blitz next 5 Hearthguard to reach 1900 points for a game in a week.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[phandaal]

This looks great! This all probably looks very cool on the tabletop (or shelf)!

[Dr. Clock]

2 hours ago, phandaal said:

tabletop

Looking forward to that immensely, indeed... Rest of army is just boxed up for now but I'll take some photos of their first outing in 10th for sure.

 

Finishing up the Sagitaur I also threw together the missile turret so that my gunhauler looks more acceptably armed as... another Sagitaur:

 

 

The difference in quality of yellow is pretty hilarious it's true, but I give my old self a break on account of contrast paints not existing back then lol. Maybe one day I'll go back and touch it up but today is not that day. Also yes, those guns are in fact mounted to the figurehead's beard.

 

As far as gaming goes, the footprint of the missile boat is almost identical to the real deal,  but obviously easily twice as tall. That may be an advantage on occasion, but it also means I can effectively never hide the boat.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

Game prep continued all week:

 

 

Meet the Galber Black Sheep Hearthguard (as they appeared 1 week after I decided to try and speed paint them Friday).

 

So I'll be running a possibly pretty awkward 2030 Herohammer (our narrative campaign has everyone usually take a consistent character of up to 100 pts value so I'm technically still a unit short of a regular list for us):

 

Brokhyr Ironmaster

E-Champ

E-Champ (Wayfarer)

Grimnyr

Kahl (Grim Demeanour)

3x10 Hearthguard

3x5 Beserks

2x Sagitaur

2x3 Thunderers

2x5 Hearthguard

Hekaton

Pioneers

 

Playing into vanguard Nids, so I'm gonna put 1x Beserks + Sagitaur moving on each flank, and Kahl + Kyn in Fortress to threaten center. I'll probably put Pioneers and 1x infantry Beserks on line in between those vehicles instead of Reserving too to make sure Infiltrators can't sneak through and hit either Grimnyr or Ironmaster blob squads too early as I know I need to slow roll and get more kills than points early game with such a slow but tough army.

 

Obviously looking forward to the real Fortress as the final thing to take me to a comfy 2100 and just wait on the next wave of releases : )

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

That's a win!

 

I liked the list more than I expected! It was pretty dicey in turns 1 and 2, but I did have it in hand by turn 4 just on primary.

 

Deployment:

 

 

Note: Thunderers not pictured behind line

 

Enemy after Turn 1 move:

 

 

So that's Old One Eye on the centre with 2 Carnifexes. Vanguard swarm; not pictured are 2x3 Leapers challenging flanks.

 

My turn 1:

 

 

Serks merk 5 genestealers that rushed left. Still Leapers lurking off to left there tho.

 

My fortress fires rail and ... enemy saves on a 6! I fail centre charge, but Serks run in on right as well, killing 3 leapers and staring down Neurolictor and...

 

 

Are immediately eaten by a screamer in turn 2.

 

Nids take Centre with genestealers and Broodlord + Old One eye. Turn 2 my opponent hard 6s my rail cannon a second time! In desperation I run the Kahl in there  after killing all but genestealer and Broodlord:

 

 

Kahl dies in enemy turn 3:

 

 

And I just pedal forward with both kyn units:

 

 

I lose a few kyn and the Ironmaster falls back after breaking, but I Orderly Retreat past old One Eye, finally kill second carnifex with random shooting, and then the rail cannon headshots old one eye for the win:

 

 

By this point I had hearthguard on enemy home and my left. Enemy had neurotyrant, Screamer and neurolictor on right flank and a couple barbgaunts and the biovore in th back but I was gonna walk of max primary with him getting just 10 more there so we called it.

 

All told, very good performance I thought. Definitely a slow roll army in some ways. Double hard 6s on my rail cannon was incredibly annoying, but fair play. Thunderers a bit lacklustre, but they feel like an indispensible screen, and if opponent had rushed anything other than old one eye they'd probably have done better. Bolters are pretty solid infantry killers, and in some match-ups I think the beams will come in clutch, so they'll stay in the list anyhow.

 

Critical Strategem identified: Ordered Retreat. I used it in turn 2 to kill Trygon with Einhyr on left, then turn 3 to pull back so that rail cannon could brain One Eye after retreating Grimnyr popped 4 wounds through with psychics : )

 

I'm gonna work on some other armies before charging into the proper fortress, but I'll post here again if I take this army out again before then...

 

Till then - final WiPs before game time on the Black Sheep and Einhyr Unit B4B3:

 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited February 20 by Dr. Clock

[phandaal]

Ancestors are watching! Well done!

[Karak Norn Clansman]

Glorious work! Lovely use of Kharadrons as well. Thanks for the battle report.