The summer WHFB webzine roundup!

Hey! A post!?!

So as of late I have been really bad about posting when a new WHFB webzine has been released and what I think of it. I figured now would be a good time for a quick "roundup" post with a few details on what has come out recently! Here we go... (in no particular order)

The Doom Seeker #5

While this webzine originally started as a Slayer-centric publication it has morphed over time into something a bit more general that is mostly focused on the hobby aspects of Warhammer. The layout is looking much better with every issue (aside from a few personal pet peeves) and this issue starts out strong with an article/interview about Garagehammer - a WHFB podcast. You'll also find some info on the Araby fan-made army book, info on 8th edition, fiction, terrain creation, and more. 

Overall: Three out of five naked Slayer butts.

Skavenblight Gazette #9

Ahhh rat-things!! The mad rats over at Skavenblight Gazette have the best ad featured in the Bellower and they put out a pretty good webzine too. This latest issue isn't quite as lengthy (or flashy) as some of their past efforts but the overall layout and content is still top-notch. With articles on Fantasy Roleplay, painting tips, and Rat Ogres how can you go wrong! Check it out.

Overall: Four out of five screeching giant rats in your pants. 

The Word of Hashut #9

If I had to pick one WHFB webzine I most look up to when it comes to creating my own it would have to be the Word of Hashut. Really great layout and design and the content is usually very focused, interesting, and well put together. This issue is lacking in a few areas (as Willmark had some challenges in his life - best of luck buddy!) but for a second year anniversary issue you could do far worse. Features here include a brief time line of CDO, tons of great model pics, regular staples like excellent Shadow and Flame comic, new units, fiction, scenarios, blood bowl, battle reports... the list goes on and on. Even though the Bellower ad featured in the issue is an old one (I kid Willmark, I kid!) this zine is still worth your time and attention.

Overall: Four and a half stunty slaves out of five.

The Invocation #5

Last but not least we have a bit of undead goodness from the folks over at the Carpe Noctem forums. This fifth and latest issue is everything you may have come to expect of The Invocation starting with a quick overview of changes to the Vampire Counts army in 8th edition, how-to guides, background, a really long piece of fiction, tournament/battle report, and more. Kudos to the Disciple of Nagash for stepping up the overall visual quality and layouts of this webzine, it has really come a long way in the past few issues. Hop out of your graves and see for yourself!

Overall: Four out of five moldering zombie heads.

Well I think that about covers it for the "usual suspects". I'd love to hear what you think about any or all of these WHFB publications and YES the new issue of the Bellower should be out "soon". Getting things together for issue #3 has been quite a chore but we're getting a little closer each day. Honest!

Word of Hashut - Issue #8 out before the Bellower issue #2.

Arrgh! Curse you Willmark! You and your legion of malicious dark dwarves have beat the second issue of the Bellower out with the latest release from Chaos-Dwarfs online - Word of Hashut issue #8!

You can view or download this vile atrocity here.

Ahh, it's okay. I can't stay mad at you when your webzine looks this good! Great model picks, solid articles, interesting layout, special rules and units, Mordheim and Bloodbowl support, and not one but two ads for the Bellower! It just doesn't get much better than that...

Check it out and get your evil stunty fix for the week!

Word of Hashut - Issue #7 sneaks out in time for the new year.

The twisted stunties over at Chaos-Dwarfs online have released their latest vile creation on the unsuspecting populace of 2010.

Future and former slave masters can find it here!

Overall this is a continuation of the last issue in terms of layout, with some really solid content throughout. The issue kicks off with an interview featuring two of the creative minds behind the recently released Dwarfs of Chaos IGT list, followed by two really interesting how-to articles, good looking minis, a grudgey battle report, rules development, and yet more awesome models. A good issue that doesn't drag on, leaving the reader wanting more. Kudos to the WoH team and I can only hope the Bellower looks this good after 7 issues!

A journey to the Maw - the making of Mawster Blaster.

The latest issue of The Word of Hashut was released last month and if you haven't taken a look at it yet I encourage you to do so now. It features a ton of great Chaos Dwarf material and this time around the mad Dawi from Chaos-Dwarfs Online have included a good deal of Ogre Kingdom related articles as well. One of the articles featured (on pages 76 and 77 for those keen to read it now) in the latest issue is a set of rules for a character known as "Mawster Blaster" which were developed by me.

If I am honest, this article did not turn out as I was expecting it to. I consider the content used as a "rough draft" for what I had hoped the final piece would be. As an example...

• The piece of art shown for the rules is amazing but it wasn't quite what I had in mind for the character (more on that below).
• The rules were written and revised several times but I did not have a chance to play test them.
• The name for the character was a placeholder to be changed once a proper back story had been written.
• I was not able to sculpt or paint an actual model for the character.

Although it doesn't meet my own standards I am pleased with the overall presentation of the rules and the great piece of art used in conjunction with my "rough draft". It was a good exercise in game design and I learned a bit about balance (at least on paper) in the process.

I started the creation of "Mawster Blaster" with an idea - I wanted to see a model which featured a Dwarf riding on the back of an Ogre (similar to Master Blaster from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome). Pretty basic but the idea really makes me happy.

My original concept for a character was a Dwarf Slayer who had lost the use of his legs in his search for a worthy doom. Disabled but not dead the Slayer hired an Ogre mercenary to carry him to his glorious death (the Ogre didn't mind as he got lots of ale, food, fights, and a share of the gold).

About a year later Willmark approached the Ogre Stronghold looking for ideas for an Ogre Kingdom tie-in for the upcoming issue of The Word of Hashut. I immediately returned to the Ogre carrying a Dwarf and thus "Mawster Blaster" was born.

While the basic idea remained the same (a Dwarf which did not have the use of his legs to get him around) the character changed in several major ways. The simple merc was replaced by a twisted Ogre monster from deep within the Chaos Wastes. The boisterous Slayer became a Tyrannical Chaos Dwarf Sorcerer Lord with a calcified lower torso lost to his devotion of dark magic. As the ideas began to take shape I wrote the first draft of the rules with a few things in mind:

• Cost - I looked to monstrous mount options which already exist in WHFB to find a relevant example before settling on a Chaos Lord on Chaos Dragon as my basis.
  
• Power - as both a Close Combat and Magic threat I had to keep balance in mind while adding just the right amount of overall capability for the point cost.
• Unpredictability - I love flawed characters and I think they add a lot of fun and random chance to what can often be a very straight forward and boring game.
  

The first set of rules were far more complex and featured several "what if" type tables detailing the results of the Mutant Ogre's loss of sanity after visiting the Great Maw and what would happen should the Chaos Dwarf be knocked from his mount. While fun (and full of crazy Ogre flavor) these rules were too complex for the tabletop - although looking at the new Skaven book and some of the tables it features I have to wonder if I made the right choice.

I am currently working on some other "new" characters for inclusion in a TOP SECRET project already in the works but I hope to get back around to this character at some point in the future. I don't consider the rule included in The Word of Hashut to be final and I would love to hear some input from other players - especially if you have played with the published rules.

While you were out.

After a few weeks away from my drinkin' and modelin' I have returned. I feel like I have aged three-hundred years in three weeks. Still playing WHFB catch up so here is a quick post with re-caps of what I missed while I was out!

• The new issue of Word of Hashut is out now. This latest issue (number 6) looks amazing, features a lot of Ogre related content, and has the rules for a character I created called Mawster Blaster. I'll post a more in-depth analysis on this at a later date (detailing the creation and throught process behind the character).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• GW added the Screaming Bell/Plague Furnace kit to their site. You can see pics of the kit, box, and sprues here. It looks like one hell of an impressive kit and I am glad to see GW actually putting pictures of the sprues up on the site. I'll add them to this blog's collection later this week.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bell of Lost Souls added pictures of the Doom Wheel after assembly. I wonder if the person who took the pictures happened to write a step-by-step instruction book for the model as well. I was scratching my head after seeing it on the sprue for the first time.
  

More posts to come this week as I get re-situated (assuming I don't spend my extra time working on my TOP SECRET project or playing Borderlands). If you know of something else I might have missed in the past two weeks please leave a comment and let me know about it!