This is just a reminder that we have a painting competition taking place where the winner gets their choice of a Start Collecting or Combat Patrol box. We wouldn’t be able to give away this fantastic prize without the support of our good friends at SCN Hobby World. Why not join their emailing list and receive 25% off Games Workshop products whenever you place an order with them?
To enter you’ll need to paint a miniature with a base size no larger than 50mm and send it’s picture to thewoehammer@gmail.com. you’ll also need to send a small fee of £1 to the same address via PayPal. Your miniature doesn’t even have to be a Games Workshop model, it can be from any range you like.
One of your pictures must include a picture of your email address on a handwritten note. This should prevent people using internet photos for their submissions.
The closing date of the competition is 30th November where submissions will be placed into groupings of four and placed on the Woehammer Twitter account for a poll. The winner of these polls continue into the next round and so on until only one submission remains.
There you have it, get painting! If you want to find out more then either please leave a comment below, on my twitter profile or as an email to thewoehammer@gmail.com.
Solo Wargaming for your Favourite Games
I’m in the process of creating a series of Wargaming Aids which allow players to play their favourite games in a single player format against an AI controlled enemy army. To find out more on this click here.
For as little as £1 a month (the price of a chocolate bar) you can help support me in this endeavour and receive cool perks as a thank you, such as access to our Discord Server as well as downloadable copies of the gaming aids which you can print out and use at home.
Why not pop over to Patreon and sign up and help me in this project? Money raised will go towards making these as physical products.
After writing about the History of Games Workshop and doing research into A Life in Wargames, I’ve been able to get my grubby little hands on to electronic copies of the first White Dwarf.
Therefore I thought it would be interesting to have a read and to review the first ever issue.
The Cover of Issue #1
The first thing that is noticeable (and to be expected, considering the age) is the whole magazine including the cover is in black and white. There are no photographs and nothing in the way of graphics to make elements stand out. There are a number of drawings that are used throughout the magazine.
Out of the nine articles inside the magazine, four are about Dungeons and Dragons. In the editorial, Ian Livingstone mentions that he hopes White Dwarf will be a vehicle to bring the readers news of all the best science fiction and fantasy games on the market.
The magazine is targeted to the older generation with a comic strip included about Dungeons and Dragons that is distinctly adult in its theme.
Ian starts the issue by reviewing Metamorphosis Alpha a game by TSR that is a science fiction setting for a roleplay game. Metamorphosis Alpha takes place on a gigantic generational space ship whose inhabitants have undergone a series of mutations and every day turns into a challenge to survive as the survivors explore the ship to find supplies.
You can still buy Metamorphosis Alpha today on PDF via Drivethrurpg.com. The game costs just $5.99.
There are also segments about the inaugural UK D&D society and how to become a member.
There is a very long article (which includes algebra) on how to calculate the effectiveness of monsters in D&D. I actually enjoyed this, but I would assume for many that it would be a bit dry.
Open Box gives ratings out of ten to games currently on the market. Their markings so far are;
Diplomacy 10/10
Dungeons and Dragons 10/10
Sorcerer 7/10
Starship Troopers 9/10
There’s a further review of another game called ‘The Warlord’ which is comparable in style to Diplomacy.
This is a very different White Dwarf to the one you know and love, but as a piece of wargaming history it’s fascinating.
The Woeful Brush Painting Competition Sponsored by SCN Hobby World
Closing date for entries 30th November. £1 entry, win your choice of a Start Collecting or Combat Patrol box set!
John Blanche is the person I need to thank for two things. Firstly getting me into 40k with the amazing box art from the 2nd edition of Warhammer 40k, and secondly for giving me the inspiration to collect Blood Angels.
2nd Edition Boxed Set
I spent hours pouring over the box art and taking in every minute detail in all its glory.
John Blanche became associated with Games Workshop in 1977 producing the cover art for the 4th issue of White Dwarf and the box art for the British edition of Dungeons & Dragons which the company had the license for. In 1978 he produced the first full colour art cover for the 7th issue of White Dwarf.
Dungeons and Dragons artwork by John Blanche
After 1978 he continued working with the company producing many illustrations for White Dwarf and the cover art for the first edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles in 1983.
Warhammer Fantasy 1st Edition
In 1986 Blanche was made in-house art director of Games Workshop, a position he has held ever since. As well as producing his own work and commissioning others, Blanche also produces designs for Citadel Miniatures.
John Blanche’s minotaur with miniature Mona Lisa.
Blanche’s style is unique and has been termed by many as “Blanchitsu”, a term which is also used by hobbyists who try and emulate his images using miniatures.
A “Blanchitsu” style miniature
John Blanche’s work has brought many into the hobby including myself and will continue to do so for many years to come. John Blanche can be credited with making Warhammer 40,000 grim dark and for that as a fan, I thank him.
The Woeful Brush Painting Competition Sponsored by SCN Hobby World
Closing date for entries 30th November. £1 entry, win your choice of a Start Collecting or Combat Patrol box set!
Woehammer has been affiliated with SCN Hobby World for some time now and all the members of the team purchase their plastic crack supplies through SCN rather than others such as Element Games, Goblin Gaming or Wayland Games.
Why?
Because if you sign up to the mailing list of SCN Hobby World you can benefit up to 25% off the recommended retail price of Games Workshop products. What’s more is that you’ll also benefit from 10% off on web only products.
SCN Hobby World also stock a variety of other manufacturers and game systems as well. From Warlord Games to Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering.
Why don’t you check out there website today SCN Hobby World.
To join the mailing list email scnhobbyworld@outlook.com.
The Woeful Brush Painting Competition Sponsored by SCN Hobby World
Closing date for entries 30th November. £1 entry, win your choice of a Start Collecting or Combat Patrol box set!
Ben is one of the founding members of the Woehammer crew and also plays the character Grymar on the Curse of Strahd D&D playthrough.
I talked to him about how he got into the hobby and why he loves the Raptors so much.
Ben, top right as Grymar in Dunces & Dragons
Ok first question, when did you first get into wargaming?
I first got into wargaming when I was 12/13, so around 1998. It was after visiting the GW store on Oxford Street (London) for a friends birthday.
Did you get your parents to buy your first army while you were there then?
No, my first model was a Leman Russ tank for my birthday that year. After that it was Imperial Guard all the way.
Leman Russ tank! That’s an awesome first model! Do you still have the Guard army?
Unfortunately my older brother like Abaddon decided that Cadia must fall. He burnt all my minis and gaming board.
Wow! You never went back to them after that. Is that when you moved on to Marines? Also I hope your brother made up for that!
I had started to move away from warhammer at that point and wouldn’t return until 2019. He has since made up for destroying my minis by buying me copious amounts of paint so I’d call it even.
Good man! We all have that gap away from the hobby at some point. What brought you back?
My wife started to sell GW products in her shop around 2018. I was helping her with learning about the 40K side of things. After really getting into all the new lore I had missed I decided to start painting up a Deathwatch army so I could play again.
Ben’s Beautiful Bel’akor
And what made you interested in the raptors?
My Deathwatch army was made entirely of non primaris units. I wanted to keep the feel of the Deathwatch being an elite veteran chapter. While I was building and painting my Deathwatch army I would watch lore videos. That’s where I came across the Raptors, or as they’re also known, the Reasonable Marines.
I began to read more into the Raptors. They’re a successor chapter of the Raven Guard. The Raptors are know for being stealthy, using geurilla warfare and hit and run tactics. They are also prized marksmen. I felt this fit well into Phobos primaris units like infiltrators and Eliminators.
Some of Ben’s Raptors
What was the last game you played and against who?
The last game I played was a path to glory game of AoS against fellow Woehammerer Declan Waters. You can read his excellent write up on here.
Declan the baby faced assassin
What’s your most memorable gaming moment?
Haha, that has to be when my Chaos Lord on Karkadrak was down to his last wound and ended up killing my opponents Lord Kroak in one turn.
Was this against Orange Ben?
Yes it was. I should probably stop bringing it up…
No! You need to make the most of these memories.
Makes up for the battering I took from Declan.
The baby faced assassin!
Will be interesting to see what happens if him and orange Ben have a game.
What do you find the hobby gives you?
It’s surprised me how much I get out of the hobby. I really enjoy building and kit bashing models. I’ve found the painting to be massively therapeutic and has kept me reasonably sane through long stints of lockdown. It’s also an amazingly social hobby too. Not just the gaming element, but also chats over zoom while hobbying and meeting up for days out.
So apart from 40k what other games do you play?
During the first lockdown I started to build and paint a Slaves to Darkness army for AoS. Coming out of lockdown AoS has been the predominant game I’ve been playing. Ive also got into playing Dungeons and Dragons recently.
Ben’s Slaves to Darkness army
And hopefully we’ll be adventuring together again in the future! Ok time for a bit of a quiz. Name five GW games that aren’t AoS or 40k.
Necromunda, killteam, warcry, blood bowl, and trolling customers.
Magnus did nothing wrong. Yes or no?
It’s all his fault…
If you were to fall to chaos which power would you devote yourself to?
Blood for the blood god!!! Khorne all the way.
And the last one…. Ultramarines are…..?
Blue
Thanks to Ben for agreeing to be my first ‘subject’ in this series.
You can find Ben on Instagram here. Next week I’ll be talking to our very own Chaos Dave…
