=] Call to Arms 2026 - XENOS STRONGHOLD [=

[Dr_Ruminahui]

40 minutes ago, kabaakaba said:

So technically we are all failed already?

 

Actually, it means you were all unwittingly time travelers.  You have all now been safely returned to the present.  You're welcome.  

[AvePicante]

1 hour ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

 

Actually, it means you were all unwittingly time travelers.  You have all now been safely returned to the present.  You're welcome.  

 

The Ordo Chronos is coming to stop your sinful hand, @Dr_Ruminahui. Present yourself for questioning.

[Halandaar]

I, HALANDAAR, heed the Call to Arms and pledge to paint the following models for a total of 23.5 POINTS for the glory of the AELDARI* subfaction of the Xenos Stronghold on or before 15th September 2026, or bear the badge of failure until years end. 

• Warboss (5pts)
• Bigboss (5pts)
• Bannernob (5pts)
• Painboy & Grot Orderly (5.5pts)
• Big Mek Dakkarig (3pts) (I think this is correct, please amend if not!)

*Yes I know it's weird, but I have much more Aeldari to paint later on, assuming I get to them.

 

[Khulu]

I, Khulu, heed the Call to Arms and pledge to paint 

1 Hive Tyrant

1 Prime with Lash Whip

1 Neurotyrant (with 2 neuroloids)

6 Zoanthropes

for 34 (edit: 33) for the Glory of the Tyranids and the Xenos Stronghold on or before 15th September 2026, or bear the badge of failure until year's end.

Edited July 20 by Khulu

[Dr_Ruminahui]

@Halandaar - I'm operating under the understanding that the dakkarig is a character, so its 5 points, making your vow 25.5.  Those are also some of the strangest Aeldari I've ever seen, but Xenos don't judge (except on the deficiencies of humans) so power to you. 

 

@Khulu - My understanding is the neuroloids aren't models in the game, but act as tokens, making them .5 pnts each, so I have you down for 33.  I noticed I didn't get my reply to your biovore points query up before you made your vow, so if you want to add or swap in one of those into your vow, feel free to do so.

 

* PARTICIPANT ENTRIES UPDATED AS OF THIS POST *

 

Please double check the Participants post to ensure that your vow is recorded correctly, for the correct number of points, for the right subfaction, correctly marked as completed (if completed) and is linked to the right post(s).

 

[Spazmolytic]

I, Spazzmolytic, heed the Call to Arms and pledge to paint Skorpekh Destroyers for {7 points I think} for the Glory of the Necrons and the Xenos Stronghold on or before 15th September 2025, or bear the badge of failure until year's end.

 

Guessing the little guy in this box is worth 1 point. 

 

[_Saracen]

I, _saracen, heed the Call to Arms and pledge to paint:

3 x Sunforge Crisis battlesuits (6 pts)

2 x Broadside battlesuits (6 pts)

2 x Ghostkeel battlesuits (8 pts)

1 x Iridium Enforcer Commander (5 pts)

for 25 points for the Glory of the T'au Empire and the Xenos Stronghold on or before 15th September 2025, or bear the badge of failure until year's end.

 

 

[andes]

Painboy is done. I'm painting way too slowly.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

@Spazmolytic - Welcome, and the little guy (plasmacyte) is a token, so is 1/2 point -so I've got you for 6.5.

 

@_Saracen - nice collection of suits there.

 

@andes - Love your painboy, particularly the different skin tone for his left forearm.  He looks great.

 

* PARTICIPANT ENTRIES UPDATED AS OF THIS POST *

 

Please double check the Participants post to ensure that your vow is recorded correctly, for the correct number of points, for the right subfaction, correctly marked as completed (if completed) and is linked to the right post(s).

Edited July 27 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Spazmolytic]

 

Vow complete

[sitnam]

@andes That Painboy is fantastic. The dirty apron and irritated pink skin around the stitches really works.

 

@Spazmolytic Love the effects on the blades. 80's vibing Skorpekhs

[Khulu]

First vow finished. Gotta decide what comes next, but I do want to do a second vow for my Tyranids. 

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

@Spazmolytic & @Khulu - nice completions, both are fantastic.

 

* PARTICIPANT ENTRIES UPDATED AS OF THIS POST *

 

Please double check the Participants post to ensure that your vow is recorded correctly, for the correct number of points, for the right subfaction, correctly marked as completed (if completed) and is linked to the right post(s).

[Dr_Ruminahui]

-  STATE OF THE EVENT -

WE ARE NOW 1/2 WAY INTO/DONE THE EVENT (as of August 1)

 

As a reminder, all vows must be completed on or before September 15, 2026.

 

Half way into the event we have 50 participants (up 9 from the last report) with 85 vows (up 26), for a total of 2726 (up 749).  We are still lagging somewhat from last year's totals, when at this point of the event there were 69 participants with 96 vows for 3,752 points.  This makes the average vow size 32 points, with an average of 54 points vowed per participant (from 33 and 48 at the 2-week mark).  We have 6 entries (4 in Chaos, 2 in Astartes) into the Master of the Forge category, and 1 for Young Bloods.  If anyone else has a Master of the Forge entry, or wants to participate as a Young Blood, please let me know.  Or, if you told me and I missed recording it, please let me know again. 

 

The Stronghold leading in vowed points is still last year's winner, the Xenos stronghold, with 830 points.   The ranking after that is Astartes close behind at 721.5, Chaos having risen from the bottom to 3rd with 415.5, Imperium with only 7 new vowed points at 407 and last year's winner Heresy now trailing the rest at 352.  In terms of participants, they roughly follow vow totals, with Xenos with 19, Astartes 18, Chaos 13 and Imperium & Heresy with 11.

 

All strongholds are now "on the board" in terms of completions, with Astartes with the most completed points at 186.5, Imperium at 122, Xenos with 83.5, Chaos with 56 and Heresy with 28.  In terms of completed versus vowed points, Imperium is in the lead with 30%, followed by Astartes with 26%, then Chaos with a (thematic) 13%, Xenos with 10% and Heresy with 8%. 

 

The most points vowed for a subfaction is the Astartes "Astartes" faction, which has pulled into the lead with 389 vowed points, with their Heresy "for the Emperor" cousins now in second with 318 vowed points and now neck-and-neck with Orks at 316.5.  Highest vowed subfactions for Imperium are Astra Millitarum at 204 and for Chaos Death Guard with (thematic) 177.5.

 

The largest single vow is still the 167 point vow by @lokkorex in the Heresy Stronghold, while @SgtSharp still has the most at 256.5, split between 3 Strongholds.  Vow splitting remains popular, with @Lord_Ikka leading the way with 88 points vowed across all 5 Strongholds in 7 vows, all of which one worth 39 points have been completed.  Otherwise, @Brother Argent has vows in 4 Strongholds, 2 frater have vows in 3 Strongholds, and 9 in 2 Strongholds (in other words, 26% of frater are vowing in more than 1 stronghold, up from 24% at the end of June).   @Halandaar has the most points in completed vows, with 51 for his first completed vow.

 

Highest individually pointed model vowed is worth 20 points, in the form of a Tau Tigershark flier - our only full sized titan equivalent so far.  It doesn't look like the aforementioned Space Marine Thunderhawk will be vowed this year, so it looks like Tau will have the biggest dog in this year's fight.

 

Both Astartes and Orks appear to be getting a real tailwind from the release of the 11th edition box, with the box contents being the most commonly vowed models this year.

 

Anyway, great to see all the participants and their enthusiasm.  Happy painting and I look forward to many more completed vows and beautiful models.  We are in the bottom half now, so keep at it and keep those completions coming in.

Edited August 5 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Lautrec the Embraced]

I decided to take a short break from my heresy vow, and work instead on the grey-ish pile of my old tyranids:

 

I, Lautrec the Embraced, heed the Call to Arms and pledge to paint 

- 20 Hormagaunts

- 10 Genestealers

for 30 pts for the Glory of the Tyranids and the Xenos Stronghold on or before 15th September 2026, or bear the badge of failure until year's end.

[Khulu]

Time for vow number two.

 

I, Khulu, heed the Call to Arms and vow to paint the following for the Xenos Faction, Tyranids subfaction, for a total of 45pts:

 

5 Hyperadapted Raveners (10)

5 Raveners (10)

10 Genestealers (10)

1 Broodlord (5)

1 Swarmlord (10)

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

* PARTICIPANT ENTRIES UPDATED AS OF THIS POST *

 

Please double check the Participants post to ensure that your vow is recorded correctly, for the correct number of points, for the right subfaction, correctly marked as completed (if completed) and is linked to the right post(s).

[TPS]

Vow complete! 

 

 

Dwarven Space Explorers for fun and profit! 

 

 

Mechs ahoy, with some modifications. I re-posed the Twin Lance for more symmetry and gave the Crisis a bit more Zaku flavor. 

 

 

It's HUGE! (yes that's a kitchen cutting board I'm using as a base) 

[andes]

Another one down:

 

[TPS]

I think I can do another vow, since there's still about a month left. Let's see what disparate band of mercenaries I can recruit for the cause. 

 

 

I, TPS, heed the Call to Arms (again!) and vow to paint the following: 

- 5 Stealthsuits and their assorted drones and markers (6,5p)

- 10 Hernkin Yaegirs (10p)

- 1 Kahl (5p)

- 1 Grimnir and his 2 little drone friends (6p?) 

- 1 Razorwing Jetfighter (6p)

 

for a total of 33,5 points by the 15. of September, for the glory of the Tau'va. 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

WE ARE NOW 2 MONTHS (and 2/3 of the way) INTO THE EVENT

THERE IS NOW 1 MONTH REMAINING

As a reminder, all vows must be completed on or before September 15, 2026.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

@TPS - your points look right.  Love your flying wing and the rest of your completed vow.

 

* PARTICIPANT ENTRIES UPDATED AS OF THIS POST *

 

Please double check the Participants post to ensure that your vow is recorded correctly, for the correct number of points, for the right subfaction, correctly marked as completed (if completed) and is linked to the right post(s).

[Lautrec the Embraced]

Vow complete! I think I'll try to make the carapaces a bit darker later but I am out of that paint, so that's it for now. 

 

Hormagaunts with Toxin Sacs:

 

Genestealers with Extended Carapace

[Grotsmasha]

Time for me to jump in, but not with an Ork, but an old Drazhar,

 

"I, Grotsmasha, heed the Call to Arms and pledge to paint Drazhar for 5 pts for the Glory of the Drukhari and the Xenos Stronghold on or before 15th September 2026, or bear the badge of failure until year's end."

 

 

[AvePicante]

Where's the time gone?? I still have 24 more Cthonian Berserk models and two Pioneers to paint and we're, what, 3 weeks away? Yikes, this is going to be a busy few weeks.