Another bad day made better by beer and Ogres.

Today was going down the tubes fast (narrowly avoided getting laid off again, had to take a 10% pay decrease until Sept and then who knows what will happen) until I saw these:

Mongolian Ogre conversions from Jake Landis on his Master Splinter Pizza Kits modeling blog! Apparently Jake used to work for Games Workshop and is just getting this blog going. His first addition is these awesome Ogres and a few Gnoblars as well. Check it out!

Check this out too! It has been awhile since I did a beer review.

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Deschutes Brewery - Buzzsaw Brown Seasonal Ale

Beer Type: American Brown Ale

Appearance: 12 oz. brown bottle with the now welcomed Deschutes label (a sort of off-white with a central image of a buzzsaw in this case). Beer poured a dark amber with an off-white head which faded with little lacing.

Smell: Sweet roasted malt with a bit of caramel.

First Drink: Sweet with the malt at the front and another sweet honey like flavor.

Mouthfeel: Smooth but a little oily. Carbonation is just right.

Last Drink: Just a faint trace of bitterness but even that is masked by the dark sweet flavors or roasted malt and barley.

Drinkability: If you like Brown Ale you can't really go wrong with this one. Sweet like candy!

Notes: Picked this up in Fort Collins, CO on a road trip for the holidays. I haven't seen this around Austin yet which is a shame as I would certainly like to drink it again.

Verdict: 3.75 out of 5. A sweet and tasty beverage that left me feeling refreshed and happy.

Links: Beer Advocate and Deschutes Brewery.

WHFB News Update - Chaos Dwarfs and Lizardmen!

In the spirit of sharing more of the random WHFB related news and information I come across here are a couple of things I have been looking at this morning.

First up we have The Word of Hashut - the Chaos Dwarfs Online webzine.

Issue #5 is their 1 year anniversary and I have to say the production value of this ezine is damn fine. Lots of pictures, art, and a good layout that is tastefully done in the style of Chaos Dwarfs. I'm not sure I love the double page spreads but it does add a bit of "real" magazine feel to the project. If the intention is to keep WoH as an ezine it might be nice to see it adopt the more typical landscape orientation. All in all these are minor complaints and the quality of the content in this issue makes up for any of these perceived shortcomings (not a Dwarf pun I swear!).

One other thing I really like to see is the WoH staff's commitment to other WHFB communities around the net. Including them in their ezine helps create a sense of camaraderie that is often missing from WHFB related sites on the internet.

I really enjoyed reading this new issue and I am looking forward to the next! If I wasn't already working on so many unfinished army projects I might even start a Chaos Dwarf force of my own!

In other news, Games Workshop has released the long awaited Lizardmen FAQ from the new book released earlier this year. I don't have a lot to say about the FAQ at the moment as I haven't had a chance to really study it, but my initial reaction is simple:

GROW A PAIR GW! Just tell us what you wanted the rules to be damnit! Things such as "We handle it by discussing what we think should happen, and then rolling off if an immediate answer isn't forthcoming" DO NOT HELP.

No shit! That is what everyone does! That is what we always do when we encounter one of your ridiculous rules that conflicts with itself in the same damn sentence! These FAQs are your chance to fix your mistakes. Use them to do that not cloud the issue with a bunch of "we think it should be this" statements!

I'm sure there are more outrages to be had if I delve deeper into the FAQ but I think I will leave this topic alone for now as it is terribly frustrating for me. I can't be the only one who is driven nuts by this lack of attention to detail. Are there any particular GW rulings or FAQ/Errata comments that drive you nuts?

New Blogger URL - http://drinkinandmodelin.blogspot.com//

Just a quick update to let y'all know that I have updated my Blogspot URL to be something a bit more memorable. The new URL for the Drinkin' and Modelin' blog is - http://drinkinandmodelin.blogspot.com//

The old gnoblogok didn't seem to be memorable enough. Hopefully with the easier to remember URL traffic will increase and my plans to take over the world with Beer and Ogres can continue without issue!

If you have links please update them now! Thanks and sorry for any confusion this may cause!

Ogre Kingdoms - Basics for Beginners: Characters

In today's update I am going to take a look at the basic Character choices for the Ogre Kingdoms. The Ogre Kingdom army really depends heavily on it's character selections to win. Much like Vampire Counts, Warriors of Chaos, and Tomb Kings don't be surprised if you spend 1/4 to a 1/3 of your total points on them.

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Ogre Kingdoms - Basics for Beginners: Characters

LORDS

Tyrant: One of the nastiest close combat models in the game, most people don't want to tangle with this guy and will try their best to take him out from a far, or by throwing bigger/scarier/killier things at him.
Strengths - 5 5 5 is the number of the Tyrant. Keep him alive and plowing through the enemy and you will do just fine. His Leadership of 9 helps with any nearby leadership tests that need to be made so be careful if you run him solo.
Weaknesses - Like all Ogres you have to watch out for missile fire (both shooting and magic). While the Tyrant is a damn fine Close Combat machine don't get too crazy with the charge or challenge. There are plenty of things out there that can do him harm (especially magic weapons that do multiple wounds)!
Upgrades - Heavy Armour is a must, and don't be afraid to max out his magic item allotment - I will go over the magic items in my next update. If you stick with the mundane selections go with the Cathayan Longsword or Great Weapon and Brace of Handguns. A Luck Gnoblar is good if you have a Wyrdstone as well, but don't bother with the Sword Gnoblars unless you have extra points to spend; they rarely cut it.

Slaughtermaster: It is pretty rare to see this guy in play as he is a Lord choice and can only be fielded in armies with a Tyrant. That makes him a good choice for 3000+ point games and that is about it. He is a Butcher in all other regards (except for being lvl 4 instead of lvl 2) and I will cover that below.

HEROES

Bruiser: Your "mini-tyrant" and default general up to 2000 points.
Strengths - Good in close combat, can be your BSB.
Weaknesses - Low leadership for a general but still one of the highest in the OK book.
Upgrades - Same as the Tyrant for the most part. Heavy Armour is a must, and don't be afraid to max out his magic item allotment. If you stick with the mundane selections go with the Cathayan Longsword or Great Weapon and Brace of Handguns.

Hunter: You won't find many OK generals using the Hunter as he is fairly expensive, takes up a Character slot (that could be a Butcher or BSB), and has a lot of quirks.
Strengths - Can be a really good flanker, with the threat of a lot of damage from his harpoon crossbow. Allows you to take an additional unit of Gnoblar Trappers!
Weaknesses - Cats are pricey and can only charge out from the Hunter in pursuit. The Hunter cannot be the army general, and he is vulnerable to missile fire (gee, who isn't in this army!?).
Upgrades - Longstrider can be useful if you want quick flankers, Greyback Pelt is nice if you expect to get into close combat, Beastkiller is nice if you are going Monster hunting. The sabertusks are good for adding unit strength and chasing things down, but don't send them off on their own or they will most likely be shot to pieces.

Butcher: Think of him as a high point cost buff to all of your other Ogre units in addition to some magic defense. In lists under 1500 many people shy away from the Butcher but if you run into a lot of magic you will probably want to take at least 1, if not 2. Sadly he can't be the army general which can make his cost prohibitive in some instances.
Strengths - Gut Magic is great for buffing your units and played right it can really give your opponent a headache if they don't have a lot of magic of their own.
Weaknesses - Very little defense and he will hurt himself a lot. If he dies all of his spells in play go away so try to keep him safe! Gut Magic is just as likely to hurt the Butcher as help your other units so be aware of the risks before you cast!
Upgrades - Bangstick, Skullmantle, and Siegebreaker are the standard magic items for the Butcher (along with Dispel Scrolls of course). Don't take Luck Gnoblars and be sure you understand how Tooth Gnoblars work before you spend the points on them. The +1 is added before the spell is attempted so it can still be dispelled, or even miscast!

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Well that is all for the basics for each Character option in the OK book. Like most characters in WHFB the magic items are what really matter and those will be covered in my next update! As always if you have any comment or thoughts of your own regarding the OK Characters I would love to hear them!

Ogre Kingdoms - Basics for Beginners: Rare

The Rare choices for the Ogre Kingdoms are a tricky lot. Similar to the Special units, many OK generals have a love/hate relationship with the Rare choices. Don't be afraid to give them all a shot before you decide which one works best for you!

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Ogre Kingdoms - Basics for Beginners: Rare

Maneaters: While pricey, Maneaters are the elite troop for the OK. Think of them as slightly cheaper Bruisers that don't take up your Character slots. Heavy Armor is a must, but the other upgrades can be more situational. Typical unit size is 2-3.
Strengths - Stubborn and Immune to Psych make these guys great Character bunkers. Higher WS and BS make these guys better at killing other elite enemy units.
Weaknesses - Costly, making choosing your targets much more important if you want to get the most "bang for your buck". Weak against shooting and magic like all OK units, but tends to attract more of it from smart players. With minimal unit size and a few characters you can usually distribute the wounds enough to keep your Maneaters on the table.
Upgrades - Maneater upgrades are a point of contention among most Ogre generals. It mostly comes down to playstyle and which opponent you are facing (and what they are playing). Try out the different loadouts and go with one that works for you, and remember it is possible to have a mix of weapon loadouts among the unit (although this tends to lower their effectiveness).
- With BoH you can pick off lone enemy models or decimate most fast cav, plus have five S5 attacks in close combat! 24" + D6 inches means you can usually move 6" and shoot something on the first turn. The downside is you can't march and make use of your shooting so this had a tendency to slow down your approach and keep you out of CC longer.
- Great Weapon is a fine choice for Chariot smashing as it get the Maneaters to that dreaded S7 territory. S7 is nice against heavily armored troops as well but Maneaters can suffer in later rounds of comabt due to the GW always hitting last.
- Cathayan Longsowrd is good for taking on high WS and Initiative troops but I prefer the smashing power of the GW or shooting flexibility of the BoH over this option.


Slavegiant: While not as good as the typical Warhammer Giant, the Slavegiant still has its uses in an OK army list. They are wildly unpredictable and great fun in combat, and will often attract and absorb a lot of shooting (leaving your other Ogre units mostly unharmed).
Strengths - High leadership, can kill a lot of stuff if it gets into combat. Good at flank negation and great as an enemy flanker. Terror can be a huge asset against some armies but with the amount of Immune to Pysch or Fear causing enemeis out there it can also be a waste. I like to use my Slavegiant as a "set it and forget it" choice for a flank to either deal with Fast Cav or soak up shooting while my Ogres get into combat.
Weaknesses - Will get shot. A LOT. While decent in close combat it can still break due to combat resolution so be careful running him in alone! Wildly unpredictable with his attacks and the random chart for large targets is pretty bad.
Upgrades - N/A


Gorger: The answer to enemy war machines and gunlines. Many OK generals take 2 Gorgers if they are going to take any. 1 Gorger can sometimes be unreliable as they do come into play on a random turn.
Strengths - Unbreakable and Killing Blow. Add in their high S5 and T5 and you have a combat monster designed for wreaking havoc in the back lines or flanks of your enemy. Great in a Skrag list where you can take multiples in upwards of 10 Gorgers!
Weaknesses - Random, very susceptible to shooting. Be careful to minimize the number of possible shooting attacks that can target your Gorger on the turn he comes into play or you will have a dead pincushion instead of a hungry killing machine.
Upgrades - N/A.

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And that covers it for the Rare choices! I have used all of these choices to some degree of success but like most Rare choices I find it is often more effective to "double up" at 2,000+ point games. Two Gorgers, two Slavegiants, or two units of Maneaters can often be more effective than a mix of the different types. Again, this mostly comes down to individual playstyle and tactics for each list. I prefer to run the Slavegiant and Maneaters over the Gorgers but in a Skrag list the Gorger can truly shine. Try out a few lists and let me know what works for you! Next time around I will cover the Character options for the Ogre Kingdoms, both the good and the bad.

Ogre Kingdoms - Basics for Beginners: Special

A continuation of my Basics for Beginners articles which were written back in December of last year - this one dealing with the Special choices for the Ogre Kingdoms. I would be interested to hear other opinions about these choices but I have to say I am pretty set in my ways when it comes to the OK Special selections.

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Ogre Kingdoms - Basics for Beginners: Special

Leadbelchers: Bulls with cannons. Typical unit size is the minimum of 2.
Strengths - These guys have the potential to kill a lot of stuff. They tend to scare off fast movers and are good at protecting/negating flank options. Depending on where/who you play with you may be able to scare less savvy players with the potential high damage but most veteran players will see through that. With their smaller unit size of 2 they are some of the best flankers available in the OK army.
Weaknesses - They are 20 points more then Bulls, can only fire every other turn (at best), have to roll for number of shots (risking a misfire), roll to actually hit (at a crappy range with a mediocre BS), and then actually wound something (at only AP -2). Plenty of chances for something to go wrong (and it often does).
Upgrades - If you want to spend more on your Leadbelcher units get a Bellower. If you flee (after shooting) a charge you get the +1 to your rally and the turn you stand there doing nothing after your rally allows you to reload. Yay? Some will advice taking Champions in these units as they cost less but I have not seen the value of this yet.

Yhetees: Similar to Bulls in their stats, these guys are your surprise attackers. Typical unit size is the minimum of 3.
Strengths - They have a lot of movement, can run through the woods, have magic attacks, higher strength, and are slightly harder to hit in close combat.
Weaknesses - Very expensive with fairly average combat stats. Be careful what you throw these at as they tend to be a "glass cannon".
Upgrades - Don't bother with the Champion, the extra attack is not worth it.

Gnoblar Scraplauncher: A strange Gnoblar contraption that has the threat of a lot of damage, but is fairly unpredictable.
Strengths - Large blast template with Killing Blow is nothing to sneeze at assuming you are good at range guesses and lucky with artillery die. Most people don't expect the killing power of the angry rhinox pulling the thing when it charges into their flanks. Has a decent amount of CC ability for a warmachine crewed by Gnoblars.
Weaknesses - Random chance ahoy! Even the misfire chart has the possibility of letting your opponent target your units and blast away. It is a chariot as well so keep it out of S7 hit-land unless you want to see it explode! Taking multiple Scraplaunchers can also be a weakness as it requires additional units of Gnoblars and Bulls to make it legal.

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And that covers it for the Special choices! Lately I have been using the Scraplauncher to great success but I find when it comes to the Special choice it is really a love/hate relationship with these units for most OK generals. Pick one or two units you like and stick with them! In the next update I will go over the Rare choices available to OK players.

Bell of Lost Souls Blog Alliance!

Drinkin' and Modelin' is now a proud member of the Bell of Lost Souls Blog Alliance! If you don't know what Bell of Lost Souls is I suggest you click on the image above or in my side bar to access the site.

Bell of Lost Souls has some of the most up to date information regarding Warhammer Fantasy and 40K anywhere on the web and I am excited to be a part of their excellent blog community.

As one of the only Warhammer Fantasy Battles and Ogre Kingdoms blogs in the alliance (or in existence to my knowledge) I will strive to bring a unique outlook to the hobby and hopefully lure some of the round-basers to the world of WHFB.

If you are just seeing this blog for the first time - welcome! I cover all the basic things here - army lists, reviews, some news, painting, modeling, and most importantly BEER. I am currently working on finishing my first WHFB army from the Ogre Kingdoms - the Beer Gut Tribe. I am also just starting my Vampire Counts army and I have plans for a couple of Warriors of Chaos lists - mostly built around the Chaos God Malal and his followers (plus some Trolls for good measure). I hope you will enjoy my (meager) content and please feel free to post any comments you may have - I am always open to new ideas and ways of playing the game.