Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A very unexpected journey: the first 'true' edit!!



Hey!  What a day it was!  We have been anxiously awaiting this day since last week, as it was designated the day to create the test video with all the implements in place.  Those have been collected through blood sweat and tears over the last 6-9 weeks, and now we would find out if it would all work!

First, I did a 1+ hour film session of a Rivet Wars figure, since their Kickstarter is entering its final days.


Learning from past tests, I filmed in short 5-15 minute "bursts", rather than shooting very long "straight through" shots that lasted 40 minutes or longer.  This would prove to be even more helpful than I thought. At first, it was done to save on upload time.  It would create, in the end, some great opportunities for editing!


Here you see the video with one of the sound tracks.  Getting comfortable with the interface would be important, as I was very used to things like Photoshop.  This was more like working with one of my old 3D design programs.  It was bewildering at first, and it does not come with a printed manual!


In the end, we did do some tests in the other bands, such as the effects bar, etc.  Not as much this time around, as we didn't want to overwhelm ourselves!

I was fortunate that we didn't have to do any voice overs.  That really kept things more basic.


The shadowy figure there is Rich, who came over to lend his knowledge, and more of his original music!  Thanks Rich!!!!


Here we are viewing the edited video, to see what it looks like all together...


We shot this in HD, so the first render is taking about 6 hours!  I think we are a few hours into it now.  I will be making some more web friendly versions to put on the Rivet Wars kickstarter.  However, this is something that could be burned to a DVD, so if you Beta Testers might want a copy of this, just shoot me an  e-mail!  This has many of the principles I will be doing for the Shaded Basecoat DVD.  Obviously the video is not as long, and not one of the Raging herores figures, but it was pretty fascinating to watch!

It really did re-create the feel of one of our hobby seminars, which was the point!!!!  Yea!

Here's the kickstarter page:


Here is our crack editing staff...



Gamezone Demonettes



Here's a few Demonettes from Gamezone Miniatures.  They are available on CoolMiniorNot.  It was a fun exercise in variations of purples.


It was very fun to have warmer and cooler purples and pinks, using saturation levels and so on to get variations in the flesh tones.



Balancing that with the golds and brassy colors was pretty natural.



The champion figure was a favorite of mine...


I will be doing a video of a demonette with this flesh tone for my "Non-human flesh tone" for my Painting DVD kickstarter:




The rules for the Warpgate campaign


OK, I finally have the text and rules that I had typed up for the three part campaign which we did years ago centered around the warp gate!!  It was written for 4th edition rules, so keep that in mind!

And those without sight shall See…


An opening in the fabric of space. A psyker of unimaginable power.
Hidden weapons lay dormant for centuries, waiting to be discovered.
From this gash in the immaterium, the most blasphemous horrors of the universe shall spew forth their madness on countless worlds. For centuries, many have died to keep the location of this rift secret. The dark forces of chaos have now uncovered the knowledge of this portal, and thousands more must now sacrifice themselves to destroy it!


This is a three part scenario, with each part being a 2000 point game. Each army is attempting to capture Ilya Kuriakin, a very powerful psyker who can either open the warp gate for the Chaos army, or destroy it for the Daemonhunters. Along the way, each army attempts to discover hidden weapons caches, secret combat drugs, or even reinforcements that alter the composition of the armies for future battles.


Part One
The first scenario is a Looting style mission with eight counters on the board. Normal rules apply for the placement of these counters prior to the game. One of these counters contains a map to a secret location on Part Two. Control of this map will allow the owning player to know exactly where to look for Kuriakin in Part Two. Other items that can be revealed are Reinforcements, which give an extra unit type than normally allowed in the force list, such as 3 HQ choices, or 4 Heavy Support choices, etc. You can also find Weapons Caches to increase the amount of points you have to spend for Part Two. Combat drugs can be used to enhance a unit of your choice, according to the results rolled on the Combat Drugs Table. If both Combat Drugs objectives are in one army’s possession, they may enhance 2 units. Units altered in this way are still available for Part Three as long as at least one member of the unit survives Part Two.

Counter Table for Part one.
Roll a D8. The objective may be captured by any unit, and may be carried back to deployment zone. Contested objectives are won by the highest amount of points within six inches of the objective on turn 6, regardless of whether or not the unit is considered “scoring.” If no unit is within 6 inches, the objective is lost. Should this be the map objective, the army with the most objectives wins, and neither side will know in which area to look for Kuriakin, in Part Two. The location of the psyker will be determined by the roll of a d8.

1- Reinforcements: Add one additional H.Q. choice for rest of campaign.
2- Combat Drugs (roll on Results Table)
3- Reinforcements: Add one additional ELITES choice for rest of campaign
4- Weapons Cache (250 extra points for Part Two)
5- Reinforcements: Add one additional HEAVY SUPPORT choice for rest of campaign.
6- Weapons Cache (250 extra points for Part Two)
7- Combat drugs (roll on Results Table)
8- Victory counter in Part One, map of location of Kuriakin in Part Two.
Combat drugs results table.
Note: only one effect is rolled per unit. If a unit with these abilities survives Part Two, that same unit will be available again for Part Three, with losses replaced (paying appropriate points cost).

1. +1 Initiative
2. + 1 Strength
3. +1 Attack
4. +1Toughness
5- +1 Weapon Skill
6- +1 Ballistic Skill


Part Two
The second scenario is a Table Quarters style mission. Each neutral deployment zone contains one building. One of these structures hides a psyker named Ilya Kuriakin. If possible, he must be escorted safely to your own deployment zone by turn 6. If he is not in either player’s deployment zone by turn 6, the force that has the most points within 6 inches of the psyker has possession of him, and is declared the winner. The winner of this scenario discovers a map to the site of the warp gate, and will arrive there first. The force escorting Kuriakin maintains possession of him for the next scenario. The other building contains a 250 point weapons cache that is available for Part Three. That marker may also be moved (by infantry squads only) to the player’s deployment zone. Note that all infiltrators must start the game at least 12 inches away from the buildings.
Kuriakin will join any squad that attempts to escort him, but he will not “fight” as a part of that unit. Rather, he will take any measures to preserve himself (see psychic powers below). Kuriakin will only take actions against units that fire upon or assault the unit in which he is being escorted.



Kuriakin uses this profile:
WS BS S T W I A LD SV
0 0 3 4 4 5 0 11 3+

All models within 12 inches of Kuriakin, friend or foe, suffer a –2 to their leadership. His saving throw of 3+ is considered to be an Invulnerable save.
Kuriakin uses the following psychic powers:

Illusion: (shooting phase)
In the shooting phase, the squad that is escorting Kuriakin gains Concealment against any ranged weapons. The opposing player must roll 2D6 and multiply the result by two. This is the range at which the squad can be targeted. Note that any squad that has a member within 2” coherency of Kuriakin gains this benefit, so it is possible for multiple squads to be concealed.
Mindflayer: (assault phase) D6 result 1-2
Kuriakin will use this power if the escorting squad(s) comes under assault. Place the large blast template centered directly over Kuriakin. All models (fully or partially) under the template must each make a morale test (no skills can be used to prevent this, due to his enormous power). Any models that fail this test are driven mad and will run away. They are considered to be casualties and are removed from the game. Note that this is not done as a whole squad… each model must do his own morale test.
Witchfyre: (assault phase) d6 result 3-4
Kuriakin will use this power if the escorting squad(s) comes under assault. Place the large blast template directly over Kuriakin. All models (fully or partially) under the template are hit by an automatic strength 6 AP4 hit (armor saves allowed as normal). No skills can be used to counter this, due to his enormous power. Both squads must take morale checks after this attack. If a unit fails the test (at –2 to their LD), they will fall back 1D6 in a random direction decided by the scatter dice. Note that this is done as a whole squad. Also, Kuriakin will remain in his original position.
Confusion: (assault phase) D6 result 5-6
Kuriakin will use this power if the escorting squad(s) comes under assault. Place the large blast template centered directly over Kuriakin. All models (fully or partially) under the template must each make a morale test (no skills can be used to prevent this, due to his enormous power). Any models that fail this test may not make any attacks that turn. Note that this is not done as a whole squad… each model must do his own morale test.
After the completion of an assault phase that involves Kuriakin, the losing squad(s) must make a morale test to remain in close combat as normal (including normal modifiers for outnumbering, etc.), but at an additional –2 LD.
Walkers engaged in close combat with the psyker escort suffer a –1 to LD, due to greater protection of the armored sarcophagus.
Any model assaulting Kuriakin in base to base contact must make a Leadership test to attack him at –3 to LD. If he fails, he will fall back 2 D6 in a random direction decided by the scatter dice.


Part Three

The third scenario is an 8 turn, 2000 point game, utilizing any modifiers to the force structure list gained from Part One. Also, any units that survived Part Two that are enhanced by combat drugs can be reconstituted, and will take part in the game.

The army that won Part two is already on the board with their entire force, accompanied by Kuriakin. Remember, the Chaos army wants to activate the gate, while the Daemonhunters want to shut it down or destroy it.

The army that won the second scenario will have all their forces deployed within a 30 inch radius of the warp gate as the game begins.

The mere presence of Kuriakin is enough to make the gate active by turn 3, if he is within 12 inches of the gate. The Chaos force MUST keep the gate open for the final turn of the game. The Daemonhunters must have the gate shut down or destroyed by turn 8! If Kuriakin is killed, only a minor victory can be achieved by either side.

Deployment zones:
This game will be played on the double table, which creates the square urban terrain board. The warp gate is directly in the center of this board.

The player that arrives first comes in with his entire force, and is considered to be the defender. The deployment zone is a 30 inch radius around the warp gate.

The attacker will arrive on two random table edges. His ‘original’ 2000 point force will arrive on one designated table edge determined by a roll of a D8 (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, etc.). The attacker also gets 500 additional points of TROOPS for this final battle (transports can be purchased for these troop units with the 500 points). This second force will deploy on a different randomly determined table edge, using a D6 (1-2,3-4, 5-6, etc). These are reinforcements, as the army that does not possess Kuriakin is showing their desperation to control the gate by any means. Both of these forces deploy along the entire length of a table edge, no more than 12 inches forward. If either side gained the 250 point weapons cache in Part Two, those forces are deployed along with the “starting force” in the main deployment zone. Infiltration and Deep strike abilities are allowed in Part Three. Deep strike begins on turn 3 with a roll of 5+ on a D6. Normal deep strike rolls begin on turn 4.

Victory Conditions
1: If the Chaos force has possession of the psyker, they may summon a group of 5 lesser demons each turn the gate stays open. These are in addition to any lesser demons purchased in their army list. Should there be no “normal” scoring units within 12 inches of the psyker while the gate is active, however, the gate will spiral out of control. On a roll of 4-6, it will implode, destroying everything within 36 inches of the gate.
2: If the Daemonhunter force has possession of the psyker, they can shut down the gate as long as Kuriakin is within 12 inches of the gate. They must maintain control over the gate area, and Kuriakin, until turn 8 to shut down the gate for a victory. Note that if there are not any “normal” scoring units within 12 inches of Kuriakin, the gate will implode on a D6 roll of 4-6. If the Daemonhunters maintain possession of Kuriakin until turn 8 and shut down the gate, they will win the game outright. Also, they may attempt to send any summoned lesser demons (which were included on the Chaos army list) back to the warp on a roll of 4-6.
3: If Chaos does not have the psyker to begin Part 3, they must try to gain possession of him before turn 8, to keep the gate open (or to keep it from imploding, if there are no scoring units from either side around Kuriakin). If the gate is not destroyed, but no one is in possession of the psyker, this counts as a minor victory for Chaos.
4: If the Daemonhunters do not have possession of Kuriakin to begin Part 3, they must either attempt to gain control of him or kill him to shut down or destroy the gate. Should the psyker be killed, and/or the gate is destroyed, they will achieve a minor victory.

Additional notes:
Kuriakin is not subject to Instant Death, and only loses wounds, even if hit by heavy weapons. This is to represent the protection his psychic powers confer upon him. He will not ride in vehicles or transports, and can only be escorted by troop choices or elite squads. A special character alone cannot escort him. For example, a lone Inquisitor or Demon Prince may not escort Kuriakin.

I hope that you can try out this campaign.  As I mentioned in previous posts, it was designed in 4th edition, so feel free to update it as you choose!!!