Junkyard Kroot
[Pics from http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/ These weren’t painted by us.]
I’ve been percolating a new army.
I’m thinking of doing Kroot. The problem is the Kroot Mercenaries list is really sad.
But then I noticed that Kroot are a Troops choice in the Tau list. The concept is to make a Kroot force that has put together a ramshackle force with Tau leftovers. Instead of battlesuits I’ll have Knarloc Riders. The hammerheads will be these ramshackle things with kroot gunners in the hatches (for smart missile systems). The whole thing really looking like it’s tied together.
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Anyway, back to the Knarloc Rider “battlesuits”. If I can, I’m going to get two riders on there and they will not necessarily have tau versions of their weapons. For example, they might have an imperial flamer, or a space marine meltagun. These guys are scavengers.
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This will also account for the multi-tracker upgrade. Hmmmm… or maybe a guy on foot nearby.
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Three units of Kroot: ten kroot and ten hounds form the core.
Six Knarloc Rider “battlesuits”
One Knarloc Rider leader (or two)
Three Knarloc Rider “broadsides”
Two Hammerheads
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That would be a start.
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The tactics here present something unusual. For a shooty army, like Tau, the enemy keeps advancing until they are broken or they clean up on the weak-in-combat Tau. But what if there are giant units of close combat troops coming in from random board edges?
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Since this poste I have got a lot of input. Here’s one:
BTP,
your blog comments are limited to team members only, or so it seems.
I wanted to comment on this post – http://bluetablepainting.blogspot.com/2009/07/junkyard-kroot.html as follows:-
If you want some good inspiration along these lines, take a look at Marco Chulze’s Kroot Renegade army, who have captured a Tau Ethereal and forced the Tau to do their bidding – http://www.hivefleetmoloch.de/kroot_renegades.php
Remember that for a codex-legal Tau army you need 1+ battlesuit commander and 1+ unit of Fire Warriors. You can proxy these, of course.
It might be worthwhile taking a look at the Kompletely Kroot 5th ed Kroot Kodex as well. It is unofficial, but very impressive nonetheless. Perhaps you could make an army that works with the Tau and Kroot codexes.
Lastly, on the subject of Kroot units in Tau armies themselves, I use two units of Kroot all the time. I prefer large units (10 Kroot & 12 Hounds). They are good for so many things, they are practically indispensible. 2+ cover saves in woods/ jungles, deploy to push back deep strikers, droppods and daemon armies, infiltrate to deny enemy scout movement (esp Valkyries and Vendettas) and outflank to attack backfield armour or to threaten objectives. Oh, yes, they are fairly handy in close combat as well if you pick your fights 😉
I have lots of Kroot, inc FW Kroot, so I am looking forward to seeing what you do with this one.
DM
Pure Genius
This just in from the geniuses at MSNBC.
Since Obama signed the stimulus into law, the economy has lost more than 2 million jobs and the unemployment rate has climbed higher than the White House predicted it would have ever reached without the stimulus.
Some companies say stimulus money helped avoid layoffs. Independent government auditors found that stimulus aid to states helped keep teachers off unemployment lines. But overall job numbers continue to suffer.
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Well, duh! If you have a magic printing press to make money, a magic international credit card to borrow money, or can take money from the working masses by force, you can do all sorts of things for teachers (and other government workers).*
I offer this humble insight. Whenever government acts, it must proportionately suppress in another area. This is a very real phenomenon for Blue Table Painting. Every month I get a little slip from my accountants. It has a dollar amount on it. The dollar amount is equal to about 15-20% of the total payroll. Half of it represents “with-holding”, the tax levied on the labor of the worker. This effectively means that for every ten working years, they must spend one of those laboring for the Federal Government. The other half represents the “employer contribution” which is the matching portion that the company pays.
The “employer contribution” is a business expense that indirectly holds down wages, in my estimation. If that money were freed up, I believe that the free market would see most if not all of that money into the pockets of the workers. If you do not believe this, then you need to explain why every job in existence doesn’t pay minimum wage (the free market is what lets you earn $15.00 an hour when the law says only $7.25).
So, I go in every month to the bank (shudder) to turn over the fruits of our labors. One army in every six we paint goes to the government. And not the government that provides police, roads, firemen (that’s local government, or paid by gas taxes). If I did not pay that money I could hire one or more new workers. But those sweet BTP jobs in the private sector never materialize because the money is funneled elsewhere. We have to make do with a smaller studio, buy less materials, and spend less on advertising. Less jobs for all the people that provide those things.
The tax accountants (who are in the floor above us, and now next to us) took over two-thirds of our studio space even though they produce no good nor service that anyone would want were the sixteenth amendment (income tax) to be repealed. They grew and I shrunk. How can that be? Plus I have to pay them for the privilege. I pay for my own tax collector’s wage.
The Federal Government has told my workers that the with-holding money is safely put in a trust for them in the case of disability or old age. Do you believe it? Take a look at your last Social Security statement. It says, effectively, the program is going to be broke before they get benefit from it.
The generation before me stood idly by while the Social Security program (remember that little slip that I take to the bank with a bag of money every month?) was added to the general fund. The Feds then blew the money on other things.
What can you do about it? Use your power of communication to spread sound principles to other humans. And vote independent. And vote for candidates that will shift power of any kind to a more local level. The real problem in my estimation is a lack of education on the part of the common man. I count myself guilty here. For twenty years I waved my little flag and exulted in a feeling of “patriotism” instead of asking questions.
So, there you have it. Everytime you see a bridge built by the government, there is another project (which may have actually been demanded and needed by private citizens) that was destroyed/aborted/obliviated by taxation.
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PS- This is only one side of an argument. I welcome differing views. Look here for more comments.
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*I also might point out that teacher’s wages are funneled into unions (by force, again) that in turn are generally supportive of Democrat party candidates.
Pandora’s Army Special: Tau
All right folks, the first Pandora’s army is out of Assembly. We are doing two Tau armies (there are seven armies being done currently for this special). Each one has a Forge World battlesuit for the commander.
One client sent some Forge World battlesuits as extras for us to work with, so you’ll see those in one of the two, but that’s not part of the normal 2000 point spread.
We did some magnetization on the battlesuits, giving options for weaponry. Battlesuits also have extra systems modeled to give some option there.
We also made one of the Hammerheads so that it could double as a Skyray.
The color scheme we plan on doing it red armor with grey, white, and black as accent colors. It’s going to look hot.
They should both be completed within 10 days.
Here is the base army list.
HQ: Commander Shas’o (1#, 112 Pts)
1 Commander Shas’o @ 112 Pts
Missile Pod; Plasma Rifle; Multi-Tracker
HQ: Commander Shas’o (1#, 112 Pts)
1 Commander Shas’o @ 112 Pts
Missile Pod; Plasma Rifle; Multi-Tracker
Elite: Crisis Battlesuit (3#, 231 Pts)
3 Crisis Battlesuit @ 231 Pts
Missile Pod; Plasma Rifle; Shield Generator
Elite: Crisis Battlesuit (3#, 231 Pts)
3 Crisis Battlesuit @ 231 Pts
Missile Pod; Plasma Rifle; Shield Generator
Elite: Stealthsuits (6#, 184 Pts)
6 Stealthsuits @ 184 Pts
Burst Cannon (x4); Fusion Blaster (x2)
Troops: Fire Warrior (13#, 220 Pts)
12 Fire Warrior @ 220 Pts
Pulse Rifle (x12)
1 Devilfish @ [100] Pts
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System; Landing Gear
Troops: Fire Warrior (15#, 200 Pts)
12 Fire Warrior @ 200 Pts
Pulse Rifle (x12)
1 Devilfish @ [80] Pts
Burst Cannon; Gun Drones; Landing Gear
2 Gun Drones @ [0] Pts
Twin Linked Pulse Carbines
Fast Attack: Pathfinder (11#, 215 Pts)
7 Pathfinder @ 215 Pts
Add Shas’ui; Markerlight (x7); Pulse Carbine (x7); EMP Grenade
1 Shas’ui @ [30] Pts
Bonding Knife; Markerlight; Pulse Carbine; EMP Grenade
1 Devilfish @ [80] Pts
Burst Cannon; Gun Drones; Marker Beacon; Landing Gear
2 Gun Drones @ [0] Pts
Twin Linked Pulse Carbines
Fast Attack: Gun Drone Squadron (8#, 96 Pts)
8 Gun Drone Squadron @ 96 Pts
Twin Linked Pulse Carbines (x8)
Heavy Support: Hammerhead Gunship (1#, 160 Pts)
1 Hammerhead Gunship @ 160 Pts
Railgun; Smart Missile System; Targeting Array; Landing Gear
Heavy Support: Hammerhead Gunship (1#, 160 Pts)
1 Hammerhead Gunship @ 160 Pts
Railgun; Smart Missile System; Targeting Array; Landing Gear
Total Roster Cost: 1921
This is the list without any optional upgrades or equipment. With a reasonable amount of that included, it will easily clear 2000 pts.
We are working on Deathguard, Wood Elves and Imperial Guard.
Mantis Legion
Sometimes referred to as the Mantis Warriors[1]. The chapter was birthed from the Mordriana System, near the Eye of Terror[2], though they have had their right to a homeworld revoked and so currently reside in their space fleet.
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Though a successor chapter, Mantis Warrior gene-seed is unusual and is rumored to allow the Mantis Warriors to enter a haze-like state in which the warrior’s perception of space and time are slowed down, allowing him to react and fight at an accelerated speed. This battle haze is a permanent state and the marine is caught in it until he dies. Their melee combat is also helped by the notched adamantine blades attached to the lower arm armor.
Though a successor chapter, Mantis Warrior gene-seed is unusual and is rumored to allow the Mantis Warriors to enter a haze-like state in which the warrior’s perception of space and time are slowed down, allowing him to react and fight at an accelerated speed. This battle haze is a permanent state and the marine is caught in it until he dies. Their melee combat is also helped by the notched adamantine blades attached to the lower arm armor.
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Mantis Warriors who are veterans of the Tranquility Campaign are formed into Sniper Squads known as ‘Tranquility Sniper Squads’. These marines are known widely for their use of the Sniper Rifle and their yellow and black tiger-stripe armour.
Mantis Warriors who are veterans of the Tranquility Campaign are formed into Sniper Squads known as ‘Tranquility Sniper Squads’. These marines are known widely for their use of the Sniper Rifle and their yellow and black tiger-stripe armour.
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The only other non-Codex troops mentioned are the elite ‘praying mantidae’. This elite cadre are selected from the most driven and pious members of the chapter and live for the sole purpose of hunting the Red Corsairs in order to bring honor back to the chapter. They are recognisable by snake-like tattoos covering their body, extending high up their necks.
The only other non-Codex troops mentioned are the elite ‘praying mantidae’. This elite cadre are selected from the most driven and pious members of the chapter and live for the sole purpose of hunting the Red Corsairs in order to bring honor back to the chapter. They are recognisable by snake-like tattoos covering their body, extending high up their necks.
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The Badab War
Mantis Legion was one of the three chapters that joined the Astral Claws in rebelling during the Badab Uprising. However they later rejoined the Imperial forces and joined the attack on Huron Blackheart and the Astral Claws.[3] At the end of the rebellion, they were granted the Emperor’s forgiveness, subject to undertaking a hundred year crusade. The Mantis Legion’s homeworld was forfeited to the loyalist Space Sharks.
The Badab War
Mantis Legion was one of the three chapters that joined the Astral Claws in rebelling during the Badab Uprising. However they later rejoined the Imperial forces and joined the attack on Huron Blackheart and the Astral Claws.[3] At the end of the rebellion, they were granted the Emperor’s forgiveness, subject to undertaking a hundred year crusade. The Mantis Legion’s homeworld was forfeited to the loyalist Space Sharks.
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Post Badab War
Since the Badab War the chapter has been treated with suspicion and are under constant scrutiny. Before the rebellion they had an above average induction rate for the Deathwatch, but since rebelling only a handful have been accepted. They are no longer banned from recruiting by the Inquisition, although the chapter size is still dangerously low.
Post Badab War
Since the Badab War the chapter has been treated with suspicion and are under constant scrutiny. Before the rebellion they had an above average induction rate for the Deathwatch, but since rebelling only a handful have been accepted. They are no longer banned from recruiting by the Inquisition, although the chapter size is still dangerously low.
Sinkhole
I thought this would be the year. The year I didn’t get supremely irritated during family pictures. What’s better than family pictures? Family pictures outdoors in 99 degree weather after driving an hour in rush-hour traffic. Well, better luck next time.
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The day started well enough. It was Paint Fest, and in spite of a dismal turnout a good time was had by all. I managed to finish a Scorpion Grav Tank, you can see the video for that below. That brings the Oceanic Eldar up to an un-sell-able 3000 pts ($1750 if you want to buy the army now, limited time).
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I am having a periodic “bad day”. I’m glum also because sales are down. Nothing spectacular, just the regular dip. But I don’t have to like it. Speaking of which, we are wide open for August. I am caught up on my Inbox (well, like three emails left), so I am just standing here waiting for a call or email.
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Yawn.
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Maybe it would be best to retire to the couch and watch some Star Trek.
H2O
My wife reminded me yesterday that we had a family outing today. And by “reminded” I mean told me for the first time, but then insisted that she told me already. “Well, you must have just forgot.” she says. So, how can I tell the difference? Does anyone else have this problem?
I’ve started requiring that she email me everything and get confirmation.
But it is all right. I left laptop, books and everything behind and headed out with my darling family to the water park. Floating slowly along in an innertube, little baby girl nestled on my lap, was a bit of paradise. She was wearing a little yellow outfit with a floppy yellow hat. She is the mildest, most darling baby; so tender and happy. I just love being around her.
I did manage to squeak in a few hours down at the studio, just getting everything sorted. I am wringing my hands a bit– I need to get projects set up for August.
I plan on re-launching the Pandora’s army special again. It got a lot of support. We are currently working on seven armies for it (four different types), each one quite exciting. About half of them feature something from Forge World.
The Pandora’s Army special is probably going to reincarnate as this: $850 for a 1500 point army ($450 deposit pulls the trigger). Three nixes (specify three armies that it can’t be). Options as follows: plus $250 brings it up to 2000 pts, plus $100 reverses the nixes (you specify three armies, we pick which one it gets to be). I wanted to present some armies first, but if anyone is ready to go, then by all means let’s proceed. This adventure has been received very well by artists all around. There is a special excitement on account of the broad license to do as we please. I think it makes for a much better result.
To strike a balance between private interests of banks and the centralized responsibility of government
[Here is an article for your consideration. I am extremely interested to hear/publish a counter-argument. Does anyone have one? Sometimes I imagine a picture-perfect universe if only X would happen, but maybe that universe is not so rosy.]
July 9, 2009
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The Fed Must Be Stopped
Written by: Ron Paul
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Our country currently finds itself in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s and, as during all economic crises, people search for the answer as to why this has happened. Not only have large financial firms been affected, but also mainstays of American industry such as GM and Chrysler, all the way down to the Mom & Pop stores on Main Street. The easy way out is to blame the traditional scapegoats: foreign governments, fraudulent businessmen, and greedy speculators. But the real villain is far more sinister; the organization entrusted with maintaining a stable dollar and touted as the guarantor of economic stability – the Federal Reserve.
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In the United States, monetary policy has been the domain of the Federal Reserve since its inception in 1913. Since that time we have had a number of cyclical recessions, each one following a boom caused by the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy. The problem with the Federal Reserve is that it interferes with market pricing functions. Interest rates are a price just like any other and arise because of the fact that people prefer to consume in the present rather than in the future. The extent to which people defer present consumption is reflected in interest rates, which in a free market are determined by the spontaneous interactions and decisions of millions of people.
In the United States, monetary policy has been the domain of the Federal Reserve since its inception in 1913. Since that time we have had a number of cyclical recessions, each one following a boom caused by the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy. The problem with the Federal Reserve is that it interferes with market pricing functions. Interest rates are a price just like any other and arise because of the fact that people prefer to consume in the present rather than in the future. The extent to which people defer present consumption is reflected in interest rates, which in a free market are determined by the spontaneous interactions and decisions of millions of people.
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Fed intervention to set prices throws markets and interest rates out of equilibrium. When the Federal Reserve pushes interest rates below what the market rate would be, everyone wants to borrow money for long-term projects. Shortages of loanable funds would occur, except that the Federal Reserve has the ability to create bank balances out of thin air. The Fed can create a bank ledger on paper, or on a computer, establish a balance of millions or billions of dollars, and then spend these dollars out into the economy.
Fed intervention to set prices throws markets and interest rates out of equilibrium. When the Federal Reserve pushes interest rates below what the market rate would be, everyone wants to borrow money for long-term projects. Shortages of loanable funds would occur, except that the Federal Reserve has the ability to create bank balances out of thin air. The Fed can create a bank ledger on paper, or on a computer, establish a balance of millions or billions of dollars, and then spend these dollars out into the economy.
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Loans become cheap, and the result of these lower interest rates is an economic boom which eventually manifests itself as a bubble. Beginning in 2001, the Federal Reserve pushed interest rates to as low as one percent, which after adjusting for inflation meant that the real interest rate was negative, so businesses were actually making money by taking out loans. This was the fuel for the housing bubble and the reason there are 19 million empty houses today.
Loans become cheap, and the result of these lower interest rates is an economic boom which eventually manifests itself as a bubble. Beginning in 2001, the Federal Reserve pushed interest rates to as low as one percent, which after adjusting for inflation meant that the real interest rate was negative, so businesses were actually making money by taking out loans. This was the fuel for the housing bubble and the reason there are 19 million empty houses today.
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Because of this awesome power to create money out of thin air, the Fed has jumped in to stabilize ailing financial firms by pledging over $7 trillion through various guarantee programs and credit facilities. This is equivalent to over half of the entire nation’s GDP. Over $1 trillion of this is already in play, propping up banks and other institutions that should be allowed to fail. All of this has taken place with no oversight by Congress. The Fed was created by Congress, and it is unconscionable that we have allowed it to act in such a way without our oversight.
Because of this awesome power to create money out of thin air, the Fed has jumped in to stabilize ailing financial firms by pledging over $7 trillion through various guarantee programs and credit facilities. This is equivalent to over half of the entire nation’s GDP. Over $1 trillion of this is already in play, propping up banks and other institutions that should be allowed to fail. All of this has taken place with no oversight by Congress. The Fed was created by Congress, and it is unconscionable that we have allowed it to act in such a way without our oversight.
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Currently the Federal Reserve’s credit facilities, open market operations, and agreements with foreign governments and central banks are all exempt from any sort of audit or oversight. Earlier this year I introduced the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, HR 1207, that would remove all restrictions on Federal Reserve audits and call for a f ull audit of the Federal Reserve System to be completed by the end of 2010. At this writing, 245 of my fellow Congressmen have cosponsored this bill and we hope to have hearings in the near future. In the Senate, Republicans Jim DeMint, Mike Crapo and David Vitter have cosponsored S. 604, companion legislation introduced by Bernie Sanders. I am very encouraged by the tremendous growing momentum on Capitol Hill.
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Our Founding Fathers never intended for a single entity such as the Federal Reserve to have this much power. In fact, there is no authority in the Constitution for the federal government to create a central bank, to enact legal tender laws, or to print paper money. The Tenth Amendment is quite clear that “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” The states themselves are prohibited from emitting bills of credit, i.e. paper money, arising from the Founders’ negative experiences with paper money during the Revolutionary War. Cheap, un-backed, easily counterfeited paper money nearly lost the Revolution, until the government returned to minting gold and silver coins. Unfortunately, like too many other lessons learned by the Founders, the painful experiences of paper money have been forgotten by those living in the pres ent. We even ignore the experiences of Germans in the 1920s, Argentines in the 1980s, and Zimbabweans over the past decade. The Fed doubled the monetary base last fall in a matter of months, and God help us if any of this high-powered money begins to make its way through the economy.
Our Founding Fathers never intended for a single entity such as the Federal Reserve to have this much power. In fact, there is no authority in the Constitution for the federal government to create a central bank, to enact legal tender laws, or to print paper money. The Tenth Amendment is quite clear that “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” The states themselves are prohibited from emitting bills of credit, i.e. paper money, arising from the Founders’ negative experiences with paper money during the Revolutionary War. Cheap, un-backed, easily counterfeited paper money nearly lost the Revolution, until the government returned to minting gold and silver coins. Unfortunately, like too many other lessons learned by the Founders, the painful experiences of paper money have been forgotten by those living in the pres ent. We even ignore the experiences of Germans in the 1920s, Argentines in the 1980s, and Zimbabweans over the past decade. The Fed doubled the monetary base last fall in a matter of months, and God help us if any of this high-powered money begins to make its way through the economy.
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An audit of the Fed is only the first step towards returning to where our Founders intended this country to be. The Founders knew that paper money could ruin a country, and drafted the Constitution in such a way that they thought would ensure sound, commodity-backed currency. Unfortunately, the Constitution was dispensed with long ago, and we find ourselves now suffering under an unconstitutional regime of un-backed paper money.
An audit of the Fed is only the first step towards returning to where our Founders intended this country to be. The Founders knew that paper money could ruin a country, and drafted the Constitution in such a way that they thought would ensure sound, commodity-backed currency. Unfortunately, the Constitution was dispensed with long ago, and we find ourselves now suffering under an unconstitutional regime of un-backed paper money.
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Until we abolish the Federal Reserve and return to a stable currency that is not able to be manipulated to create boom and bust cycles, we will continue down the path of economic ruin.
Misfire
Well, the call of Tzeentch has been heard. The pic is of a figure by a company from Spain. The game’s name is Hell Dorado. The figures are pretty disturbing. They’re sort of hard to get. I happened across a few, so I have an unpainted version of this vulture creature thing. I’m going to use it as a Changeling.
I was up at 7am this morning, answering emails. I am standing by to set up projects. We’ve been clearing things out at record pace. I have in my heart that I want to keep BTP’s excellent crew busy. Will you do us the honor of putting us to work? It is a high compliment that someone would trade part of their life (time to produce something that is sold for money) for part of our life.
Once at the studio I realized I was pretty much caught up. So, when the good wife called and said she was going out to run some errands, I jumped on the bandwagon. All six of us in the van, then lunch at Sam’s Club (hot dogs, ice cream, pizza and soda). Then when we got home, Tamie had to run an errand (some school meeting) and asked if I could stay home with the kids. I find it nearly impossible to say no to her. I just love her so much and want to be useful for her.
But it didn’t stop there. I went to sleep on the couch to an episode of Star Trek (now in season five). So, I managed to get back to the studio around 4pm. I stayed late and wrapped up almost every loose end. There are still some projects waiting to have pics taken.
Bubble Machine
Got this little treat from an observant reader:
I could be wrong, but the issue of inflation seems like small potatoes compared to other questionable ways that banks make money. About a week ago, Matt Taibbi published a pretty amazing piece in Rolling Stone about Goldman Sachs that has drawn the ire of the company.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/28816321/the_great_american_bubble_machine
What do you think?