Weekender: Do The Age Of Sigmar Judicators Hit The Mark?
August 1, 2015 by lloyd
Welcome to The Weekender where we're back talking about Age of Sigmar and more as the tide of new releases continues to roll over us from Games Workshop. We also have a competition winner to announce for Journey: Wrath of Demons!
Age Of Sigmar
We kick things off with a discussion about the new Stormcast Eternal Judicators. There has been a lot of hate about these models and a lot of love too. Oh and BoW Ben really seems to like the Stormcast Eternals!
With that in mind we walk about their aesthetic and even delve into some chat about archery in general, here are the videos Lloyd was referencing in the show...
- Lars Andersen: A New Level of Archery
- A Response to Lars Andersen: A New Level of Archery
- Lars Andersen: Questions, Answers and New Archery
What side do you come down on with this?
Painting The Starter Set
We'll also be talking about the painting tutorials by Duncan Rhodes of Games Workshop where he showed off how to paint the whole Starter Set (see links below).
- Liberators & Prosecutors
- Retributors & Ionus Cryptborn
- Vandus Hammerhand
- Blood Reavers & Bloodstoker
- Blood Warriors & Blood Secrator
- Khorgorath
- Korghos Khul - Lord of Khorne
It's generally considered that these are some of the best pieces of content they've put out in recent years so we talk about what we think of them.
Warlord Tanks
Warlord Games also have a new Panzer III out in plastic so with that rumbling across the tabletop we wishlist what we'd love to see next in terms of World War II armour.
Naturally Lloyd thinks Weird World War...
4Ground Ruins
Last but not least we discuss some more of the new terrain from 4Ground. The Ruins Of Daldorr is a fascinating set of new terrain pieces worth using in the likes of the new Frostgrave for example.
Free Laser Cutter Plans - Watch XLBS To Find Out More!
This week we have some free plans and instructions you can use with a laser cutter to build an Infinity Style Objective Room. They have been created by our Infinity maestro Killian and he will be on the XLBS show for a chat all about laser cutting and 3D printing if you want to find out more...
You will find The Weekender XLBS on the website tomorrow morning and you can try out Backstage to watch by following the link below.
Competition Winner
Keep an eye out through the show to see if you won the copy of Journey: Wrath of Demons. If you did don't forget to contact us HERE.
Join Backstage For The Weekender XLBS Tomorrow
Have a great day!
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Quite some adds here 🙂
All this talk of which side the arrow is on, but not the two pound arrowhead on the end.
I was thinking the same. Those arrows are putting my spearmen to shame. 🙂
Roll on the weekend and smile 🙂
Happy Weekend!
Getting my hobby fix whilst in Australia, thank you so much
I think the arrows are on that side because the shoulder plates are in the way and won’t allow the arrows to be on the other side.
I haven’t watched the show yet (sorry guys!) but @redben might be able to clarify this … Historically were there not groups who shot arrows on this side of the bow?
If it doesn’t decrease accuracy it certainly increases speed (I would imagine!)
More importantly (again book is back in the studio!) what does the fluff say about these guys, are these even bows and arrows in the conventional sense?
While they are painted like real arrows the background suggests they are pure energy – which is why I will be painting them like blue crackling bolts of lightning and not arrows.
Same for the Crossbows.
BoW Ben
Now that’s useful information. From the Sigmarite background I already imagined these bows to be more magical than physical, working similarly to the bow the archer in the old Dungeons and Dragons cartoon uses.
I am by no means an expert on this, but I believe it largely depends on how the arrow is held in the release hand. Certain releases, like the western three-fingered release, would pull the arrow to the right if it were placed on this side of the bow, which is why we usually put it on the other side. Other releases don’t and the arrow can go on either side. I believe horse archers from the steppe were equally comfortable firing from the left side (like a western archer) or the right side using a thumb-ring to keep the… Read more »
“…happily BOW to anyone…”
Pun intended? 😀
No, I realised it as soon as I pressed Submit but by then it was too late lol
Taking a closer look at the Judicator, the arrow seems to have some kind of metal hoop that the forefinger is placed in to draw it back. If I’m seeing it right, then that would be a much bigger problem for firing the arrow accurately and at any distance than holding it on the right side of the bow. The thumb should probably be up holding the arrow against the bow too. That said, and whilst I’m not a fan of ‘it’s just a mini’ and ‘it’s fantasy and not meant to be realistic’, in this case I think it… Read more »
Many styles of bows over history with all kinds of factors. Mostly traditions! As for the ‘wobbly flight’ they speak of, the fletchings (feathery bits at the back)are usually arranged into three aligned with the arrow nock (the notch at the non-pointy end). If you present it to the string correctly the two of them go past the bow with minimum deflection. Rotate the arrow 180 degrees and one passes perpendicular to the bow usually giving it a late bump that then vibrates down the shaft in flight. The bow itself does sometimes have ‘nocks’, but these are where the… Read more »
Your right the method of release will dictate which side of the bow you place the arrow. Placing the arrow on this side of the bow would indicate a thumb release. If he were shooting off the fingers then you would need to put the arrow on the other side of the bow.
Historically, yes lots of cultures did this, and speed was a significant part of it since it significantly reduces the number of actions you need to take to knock,draw and release an arrow.
Lars Andersen has become quite famous in archery circles for his speed and accuracy with the technique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk
Famous or ‘infamous’?… Anna Maltese has pwned him (whatever that means)
https://youtu.be/rDbqz_07dW4
I shot bow for a lot of years, and don’t know how you could sight down the shaft with the arrow resting on the other (right) side… but I guess it’s what you’re used to. Longbows, as far as I know, have always been placed on the same side as the hand holding the bow (generally the left). But the mounted warrior presents a different problem. With the bow in the left hand, the mounted archer would need to draw an arrow with his right, and the most efficient way to load one quickly would be to nock it on… Read more »
Historical archers would rarely have the arrow on the inside, it was simply too slow. Modern competitive archers do so because they have an infinite amount of time to make a shot and the extra time afforded to them is useful. Here’s a video that explains it all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk
It’s the WEEKEND!
Sigmarines are definitely flesh and blood. In the novel some of them get wounded and even killed and there is lots of bleeding. My take on them is they are sort of reincarnated heroes from the previous age given new bodies. Sort of like the warriors of Valhalla in Norse myth, the ones taken by the Valkyrie when they die to live in Odin’s hall and fight at Ragnarok. I don’t recall specifically but I think when they die their souls go back to Sigmar’s realm to be reborn.
You are right – they are the souls of heroes about to die drawn to Azyrheim by Sigmar and then encased in their armour by the smiths, taught to do so by Grungni the Dwarfen God.
When they die their souls are sent back to be reforged into armour again. It would be interesting to see some of them without their masks on – do they mention what they look like underneath in the book @koraski?
Also I think Ionus Cryptborn might have been someone VERY important in the old world from what his fluff suggests.
Who is Ionus Cryptborn?
The Chaplain. Sigmarine with the skull mask and the coffin standard.
I have only read the novel so far, not the big hard cover book yet. I won’t spoil any story elements but I can say that the Sigmarites have memories of their previous lives and they have physical bodies. I don’t recall any indications or hints of what they look like under the armor. I get the impression the transformation they undergo is like a magical version of the Space Marine creation process. The new being is based on the original human but isn’t quite the same person anymore.
Chaos remembers too, and they’ve been sitting around bored for thousands of years waiting for a few good skulls to smash 😉
Link to the plans is broken they’re here: http://www.beastsofwar.com/downloads/plans/Free-Infinity-Style-Objective-Room.zip
Good spot, links fixed 🙂
FYI Hover Stug…
http://www.beastsofwar.com/dreamforge-games/dreamforge-show-heavy-troopers-space-stugs/
I have to say I love Duncan and GW’s videos for painting. Been watching them for a long time and taken on board a lot of good techniques. The biggest thing I like is that he shows you how to do a bit and then moves on, meaning I pause the video and then let it roll again. On the flip side I can’t stand Romain’s videos (sorry), mainly for the fact that it’s so in depth it’s not needed. Watching him shake a paint pot for 5 minutes is not needed or exciting. Then the added fact that one… Read more »
I have to agree with the painting videos. Duncan does a marvelous job. Easy to follow, very easy to understand and delivers a good result.
For more advanced painting i prefer Painting Buddha or Jen Hayleys videos.
Good morning y’all. What a day, sun is shining, off to music festival, great days start with a great breakfast. So I gigantic bowl of The Weekender is just what I need.
Regardless of the side the arrow’s on, they’re bloody ridiculous! Holding up those massive shoulder pads, their arms would be too knackered to fire more than three times.
Not a problem if you’re an immortal demigod. 🙂
Ah the immortal demigod excuse. Typical GW 😉
Deus ex machina. 😉
I have used humbrol gold spray paint before for my son’s sanquinary guard. The colour looks a bit flat straight out of the can but once you give it a brown wash (I used gryphone sepia) the colour comes alive. If I were to do the sigmarites then I would do the same again and maybe do a second darker wash in the areas where more shadow is needed and a quick edge style highlight on the more prominent pieces of armour, pectorals, shoulder and knee guards. It would get an army on the table quickly and it would look… Read more »
Massive apologies for the number of spelling errors in the building instructions, I ran these out quickly on Thursday and didn’t get time to proofread.
Watch the XLBS tomorrow to see what happens when you don’t check your stuff fully before you start cutting designs, its tragic.
Here’s a photo of Duncan dressed for a night out….
http://www.profightdb.com/img/wrestlers/thumbs-600/b574f0ad96goldust.jpg
That terrain is simply fantastic.
Agreed, with that style they are ‘timeless’ although I need to check the price!
Warlord Panzer III – makes J (late), L, M or N so these can be used for the period 1942 onwards – not all o them appeared at the same time and just to add to the confusion there were 2 versions of the J of which those with the L60 50mm gun were redesignated as L models. You can look all this up online.
Very nice wee kit.
Panzer II Ausf L “Luchs” – Late mid-war and late war only folks – they only started building these in September 1943.
So you can add the PzKpfw III E to the list of stuff that would be nice in plastic, as well as the early PzKpfw II C or even the PzKpfw I (now there is a little cute tank)
The PzKpfw II, alway remind me of Lt. Gruber in ‘allo ‘allo, and “his little tank”
PzKpfw III L is very nice. These “Mark III Specials” with the longer 60 caliber gun probably made their biggest impact in North Africa, where they had lots of fun at the expense of poor Crusaders IIs with the 2-pounder (40mm) gun.
Eh . . . except the “N” (before someone corrects me). 🙂 I think the N had the short-barreled L-24 75mm? (same as the early Mark IVs).
Yes @oriskany from what I’ve read the “N” had the short 75mm L24 gun.
Sorry John as has already been mentioned by @dorthonion the panzer II Luchs was mainly a late war recon tank as it only went into production in late 43.
I used to do archery with a traditional longbow. The only practical way to hold the arrow is on the left side of the bow (if you are holding the bow in the left hand). The reason being, the arrow rests in the angle between your knuckle and the bow. If the arrow was on the right side then you’d have to unnaturally twist your bow to the left to stop the arrow from simply dropping to the ground. Basically, it’s convenient. If you’ve got the arrow nock locked into the string and the arrow itself resting on the left… Read more »
For a traditional longbow then yes, left side is how you would fire it. There are other types of bows and other types of archery for which that doesn’t apply and these types are arguably more common than the method of firing and tactics which you describe. That said, the Judicators look a lot more like a western longbowman than a Mongolian horse archer or a samurai.
Clockwork Goblin Minis for Lloyd and his weird war, they are working with Warlord for a rules set that was mention at Saluate.
http://www.clockworkgoblinminis.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3568913-Soviet-Pulse-Turret-28mm.html
http://www.clockworkgoblinminis.co.uk/ourshop/prod_3705723-German-Spinne-Light-Mechpanzer28mm.html
and here are the rules
http://www.clockworkgoblinminis.co.uk/downloads.html
There are 4 marksmanship principles. 1: THE WEAPON MUST POINT NATURALLY AT THE TARGET. 2: THE POSITION AND HOLD MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE WEAPON. 3: SIGHT ALIGNMENT AND SIGHT PICTURE MUST BE CORRECT. 4: SHOT MUST BE RELEASED AND FOLLOWED THROUGH WITHOUT ANY UNDUE DISTURBANCE TO THE POSITION. The preparation of position is all about 1-3. And its a good base position that vets accuracy. Its clearly good accuracy that gets a higher chancing of hit and would. If the arrow was one the right then your accuracy would less. For Justin; it’s the reason why there… Read more »
Just because Justin love war lol
I don’t know where or why the rumour started, but word from GW is that the AoS terrain is not limited edition. It’s already been brought up here;
http://natfka.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/a-notice-about-realmgates-gw-responds.html
I share Lloyd’s thoughts about the sigmarites, I’ve said it on a couple of the news items about them. Too similar for me.
I did buy the boxed game (for painting fun, more than 40 minis for £55 or so is not to be missed), whilst I think they are well produced, the sigmar guys are not my cup of tea. The chaos ones though (the big thing aside) are very very good. Probably the best chaos minis GW have ever produced.
Yes, let’s see the chaos dudes get so love.