Adepticon 2011: Dark Age Campaign

June 6th, 2010 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, WAB, web sites Comments Off

The 2011 Adepticon online Warhammer Ancient Battles campaign began 6-1-2010. This year the period is Dark Ages and the theme is Kingdom building. Try and carve out your piece of Europe – take what you need and keep those thieves away from you.

With each victory, you score campaign points for your kingdom. At the same time, each victory includes a successful raid against an other kingdom – costing that kingdom campaign points.

Accumulate the most campaign points an be crowned king of the Dark Ages at Adepticon 2011.

For full rules or to register visit: http://wab.adepticon.org/index.html

For more information about Adepticon visit: http://www.adepticon.org/

The Adepticon WAB campaign is my annual attempt to build a web site.  Last year was a mostly white site with a rather odd CSS build to maintain columns.  For 2011 I wanted something completely different & went with a red background and used a basic CSS float system to manage layout.  I also played with a variety of new CSS3 tricks – rounded corners and a background color fade.  To view the site as designed – FireFox works best, Chrome will get you by, and IE is down right terrible.


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Etruscan Captain

April 22nd, 2010 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, Miniatures, WAB Comments Off

The 2010 Adepticon historical figure.  A fun model to paint – the quilted armor is rather fast and easy to take care of.  A rather odd side effect of the close up picture – looks like the captain is sporting a 5 o’clock shadow.

The Ancient Warfare  IV-1 magazine has more information about this solder and the Etruscan people.  Unfortunately, I have yet to get a hold of a copy.


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Adepticon 2010: After Action

March 30th, 2010 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, Hirst Arts, WAB Comments Off

I may be biased, but Adepticon 2010 was a surprising success. Adepticon has always been a tournament players convention. We’ve worked for years to introduce a more casual speed to the gaming frenzy, after all – not everyone wants to play 11 high stress tournament games in less then 72 hours. This year, Adepticon literally took over the hotel. Tables spilled out of the halls and into the walk ways. Many people took advantage of the additional tables for pick up games, or sit down games with their friends. I want to say I saw Infinity, Fire Storm Armada and the Rogue Traders RPG being played (if you’re out there – send me an email and we can get you on the schedule for 2011).

In the open gaming hall, the demo games were well attended. Photos below are from the WAB demos I ran, the Old West battle game and the Vox Populi demo game.

Adepticon marks the end of my “gaming year”. All of the big hobby projects are wrapped up and presented. My big effort this past year was the creation of a WAB demo army – 200 figures for Rome and Carthage. Next year’s schedule is already filling up.

  • Finish another 1000 points of Romans.  This will give me a full 2K WAB army.  I expect that most of the projects will be various Italian units used as allies.
  • Paint 100 (more or less) Hopilites for a WAB big game next year.
  • Build 1 Necromunda table.  I have an old Hirst Arts Skematic dungeon that I want to re-build and remake.  A Necro table would be a perfect project for the conversion.
  • Create a resin building kit.  Not sure what period yet – Rome, Old West and Pirate are all possibilities.

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Adepticon 2010: WAB team photos

March 29th, 2010 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, WAB Comments Off

Adepticon’s claim to fame has always been the team event. We were very pleased to have 12 teams of 2 players in this years Warhammer Ancient Battles doubles event.


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Adepticon 2010: Hobby Seminars

November 19th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, Miniatures, hobby, web sites Comments Off


Adepticon 2010 is rolling out a strong line up of hobby seminars.  Top of the line instructor are available to help take your hobby skills to the next level.  Be sure to register early, the most popular seminars sell out early.

The Hirst Arts terrain seminar will be returning.  I always have fun teaching this class – the seminar is all hands on and very approachable.  Rest asured, I am no Golden Demon winner – working with Hirst molds is a skill anyone can learn.

Adepticon Hobby Seminar flyer

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Ruined Castle - Complete

April 6th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, High Seas, Hirst Arts, Terrain Comments Off


Took about 10 weeks of hard work, but I’m rather satisfied with the result. In the end, the 8×4 table was consolidated into a tightly packed 4×4 table - perfect for a skirmish game like Legend of the High Seas. The event organizer was please with the terrain & apparently the castle was a hit with the players.

Looking at the finished project, I would to add a few taller pieces.  The jungle plants are nearly as tall as the castle structures - I’d like for the castle to break through the forest canopy.  Guess that’s a project for next year.

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Ruined Pirate Castle: paint list

March 29th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, High Seas, Hirst Arts, Painting, Terrain Comments Off


Adepticon is almost here & the castle is nearly finished. For this project, I’ve spent a lot of time painting with a sponge. Its a great little tool which completely eliminates any brush marks. With the highly textured surface of the Hirst blocks, the sponge quickly applies paint to the surface & leaves shading in the crevices unmarked. Wet blending is a snap - the sponge easily blends from color to color.

All that is left is a bit of static grass on the bases and creeper lines on the walls with flock.

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Paint List

Field Stone:

  • tan house paint base
  • Dark Brown with hints of Light Red Oxide & Hunter Green (Folk Art)
  • 80/20 brown/black wash with water, future wax and white glue mix
  • Desert Sand top coat (Americana)

Chipped Stone:

  • medium grey house paint base
  • Medium Gray (folk Art) & Dolphin Gray (Apple Barrel) undercoat
  • 80/20 black/brown wash with water, future wax and white glue mix
  • Medium Gray top coat

Soil:

  • medium brown house paint base
  • English Mustard (Folk Art) 1st dry brush
  • Desert Sand top brush
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Ruined Pirate Castle

March 17th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, High Seas, Hirst Arts, Terrain Comments Off


The pirate castle for Adepticon is finally coming together (and with 2.5 weeks to go - it better!).  25 pieces cover a 6 foot by 2.5 foot table space.  When combined with jungle plants, the whole set up should fill a 8×4 gaming table.  I have a lot of painting to do, but a big brush should cover a lot of ground in a hurry.

jungle-castle-table jungle-castle-table-2 The castle layout begins with the two large round towers with the gate house ruins in between.  Next is the open court, presently occupied by pirate booty in the form of wine barrels.  Past the loot is  the armory on the left and to the right, the chapel.  Next comes the remains of the grand hall, now little more than an entrance way & a few pillars.  Finally, the oldest part of the castle stands with a watch tower on the left and the corner keep on the right.  The broken remains of the walls surround the fort.

Both towers below have full floors at the 4 inch level, making them fully 3D gaming pieces.  The ground cover is Hirst Arts Cavern Accessory Mold #85, wooden craft barrels and resin cannon balls.

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Corner Keep

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Corner Keep

castle-armory

Armory

Watch Tower

Watch Tower

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Its a Jungle out there

March 11th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, High Seas, Terrain Comments Off


It is an old concept, but damn if plastic plants don’t make for super easy terrain.   Take a trip out to Michael’s or Hobby Lobby stock up on:

  • a few types of plastic plants
  • a bag of 40mm round wooden disks
  • hot glue gun

After a few nights work, you’ll have a jungle worth of terrain to cover the gaming table.  I’ve never been a fan of hot glue, but the product does a fine job of holding everything in place.  25 stands/150 glue points and I’ve had to re-glue one plant frond.

Look for this jungle to be part of the ruined pirate castle playing at Adepticon 09.

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Infestation Area Terrain

February 19th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in 40K, Adepticon, Sculpting, Terrain Comments Off


The alien has arrived & its hungry.  Prepare to be infested!

5th edition 40K brings strict line of sight to the terrain rules.  The solution is area terrain with defined places for all objects.  A 1/4 MDF board is drilled with sockets for 60mm and 40mm wooden disks.  Look for this terrain system at the upcoming Adepticon convention.

For these two terrain sets, each disk holds a mini-diorama built from Hirst Arts blocks, PVC pipe, a plastic Easter egg and lots of Terrain Putty (light tan) & Apoxie Sculpt (light gray) epoxy putty.  In addition to standard sand flocking, the MDF board is also coated with a mix of play sand applied wet & saturated with white glue.  The ridges represent underground tentacle growth from the infestation, hopefully the effect will be more noticeable once painted.

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Ruined Pirate Tower

February 12th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, High Seas, Hirst Arts, Terrain Comments Off


First installment in a rather large project for Adepticon:  a ruined pirate castle. The table will be used for the group Legend of the High Seas game on Friday and Saturday night.  Plans for the rest of the castle include a second round tower, one or more square towers, a fallen main  hall, a few grand facade and lots of jungle foliage.

The ruined tower is built from Hirst blocks with a floor tile carve as the second floor and wall paper texturing the base.  The open side and missing upper floors represent the damage done to the fort when sacked by the British navy - but in reality are a nod to playability, giving easy access to the structure.

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Hirst Pipe Mold Terrain

January 15th, 2009 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in 40K, Adepticon, Hirst Arts, Pipe, Terrain, casting Comments Off


The 5th ed 40K rules put a new spin on terrain building.  LOS now strictly governs what a model can see.  Area terrain, the abstract fuzzy space of trees or ruins on a platter, is gone.  The solution adopted by Adepticon is to place all terrain objects on 3 inch disks with matching sockets in a MDF base.  The Hirst Arts Pipe molds, along with the Sci Fi molds, provide an excellent resource to build all the required objects.

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Pumping station made from 5/8 Pipe mold, 3/8 Pipe Mold, Station Builder, Star Ship Wall mold and the Star Ship Deck mold.

      
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Quick Links: Marcin

December 30th, 2008 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, Terrain, web sites Comments Off


A wonderful new batch of terrain created by Marcin for Adepticon 09.  He has a great eye for detail - perfectly straight plastic card, more rivets than I care to count and no fear of departing from a box design.   The fantasy pieces pleasantly incorporate GW plastic kits and show off some putty work.  Check out the thread on Cool Mini forums for even more pics.  While there, be sure to review Marcin’s collected works.

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First Rule of Resin Casting …

December 17th, 2008 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, Bubbles, Hirst Arts, Resin Casting, Terrain, casting Comments Off


The first rule of resin casting is to keep moisture away from the resin.  Any contamination & the resin will bubble and will create a flawed casting.  But what happens if water is deliberately introduced to the resin?  Will resin form huge bubbles?  Will the resin geyser like Coke with Mentos?

chem-plant-009The experiment mixed 1 part water with 2 parts resin.  The heavier resin floated to the bottom of the container & resisted mixing with the water.  Only after the excess water was drained from the container did the resin begin to set up.  I was disappointed that the resin/water mix only created a substance some thing like oatmeal.   No 10x expansion in volume.  No flowing river of bubbly resin.  Looks like I need a Plan B to make my toxic chemical soup.

The rest of the project is part of a terrain building surge for Adepticon.  The project will mix the Hirst Arts Pipe molds with Imex plastic kits and a bit of kitchen garbage including water bottles & soup cans.  The resin does serve one purpose - the fragile plastic bottle is now supported by the internal coat of resin.

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Adepticon Web cart open!

November 24th, 2008 chicagoterrainfactory Posted in Adepticon, web sites Comments Off


Adepticon 2009 is open for registration.  I will be returning once more to teach my Hirst Arts seminar on Saturday.  My big project for this year will be a pirate castle for the High Seas games on Friday and Saturday night.  I’m sure I’ll have plenty of other projects going onto too - 40K terrain, mission objectives and maybe even time to finish my WAB Arab force.

      
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