Finished my stuff today.... now I can finally play the darned game!

Impressive! I like the idea of painting the bases either gray or red, to reflect their Regular or Elite status.

I'd like to paint my minis, but right now I simply don't have the time. I'd need to develop the skill first (probably using my Descent minis as guinea pigs), and then I'd also need to find a way to safely and efficiently transport/store the minis in such a way that the paint doesn't chip off. So it may be a while before I get there.

But yes, every time I see painted IA minis, I always say to myself, "Man, I've GOTTA do that!" Some day.

Vader and Nexis very close to done. Guards have been shaded/washed, 1 have been glazed and the remaing three needs highlighting and glaze. Oh, and then needs to do the Stormtroopers and all the rest

upload images

Been busy painting my figures. Here is what I've finished painting

All Stormtroopers

All Royal Guards

Wookie Hero

The hero that has quick draw ability

1 Nexu

I also paint bases red to show which ones are elite versions

Here's what I've got so far...

Here's what I've got so far...

My guards are done and Vader approves;

Epic, **** thats not simple to paint either, now maybe the titans and the super heavies but the infantry squads?

One store would'nt let you play? Pfff bad store! While i think people should try to get their minis painted, i don't think thats a reason for banning people from playing.

Epic first few versions of the rules: Is that when it was still called Space Marine? with the square infantry bases?

There were two games, Space Marines and Adeptus Titanicus

I have hordes and hordes of Epic 40K, mostly painted. The Space Marine ruleset evolved into Tian Legions, which was a pretty good set of rules, but the last set of rules, Epic Armageddon, isn't too bad either. The set in between was a dismal failure in my opinion (the notorious Epic 40,000 ).

I honestly found painting the epic Space Marines to be one of the easiest things to do. I painted them on the sprues before mounting them on the base. One undercoat in the base colour, quick drybrush over the top with a highlight shade, then a quick flick over the bolt guns. Dead easy. I've done significantly more work with the Titans (21 at last count with two Gargants yet to be assembled).

Most gaming conventions I've seen here in New Zealand have had a general requirement that the armies be painted, but there's some loose definitions there sometimes. Some have just an undercoat and look like crap, some are fully finished and look amazing. I'm in the camp of: if I haven't painted it yet, it's not going on the table . But I'm not about to enforce my standard on an opponent.

That being said, we've got a local store here that seems to allow unpainted armies without any dramas. But they also allow the players to proxy models too. This led to a tournament being organised where proxies were allowed, and you were even allowed to proxy a model with just a base. So one player goes through the effort to paint his army, and when he gets to the tournament, the opposing army is nothing but model bases. I personally thought that was just being ridiculous. You're no longer wargaming, you're just playing checkers.

As for IA, the figures don't need to be painted, but it does enhance the look of the game. A friend of mine got Descent and a couple of the add-ons and painted all the figures, and the game looks great. If you've got the time and the inclination, and the skill, then why not?

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That being said, we've got a local store here that seems to allow unpainted armies without any dramas. But they also allow the players to proxy models too. This led to a tournament being organised where proxies were allowed, and you were even allowed to proxy a model with just a base. So one player goes through the effort to paint his army, and when he gets to the tournament, the opposing army is nothing but model bases. I personally thought that was just being ridiculous. You're no longer wargaming, you're just playing checkers.

No he just payed the extra points to make his army invisble.

But yeah, thats going a step to far.

I might give my figures a try. I haven't really painted minis before. But...luckily most figures have 1 main color (stormtroopers, darth vader, royal guard) so it might be something I might consider doing.

That being said, we've got a local store here that seems to allow unpainted armies without any dramas. But they also allow the players to proxy models too. This led to a tournament being organised where proxies were allowed, and you were even allowed to proxy a model with just a base. So one player goes through the effort to paint his army, and when he gets to the tournament, the opposing army is nothing but model bases. I personally thought that was just being ridiculous. You're no longer wargaming, you're just playing checkers.

I get that and agree to a point. However I think there is a gulf between playing checkers and fully painted miniatures.

I've heard something similar where people compare not painting to playing checkers and using counters to not playing at all. There's cards board counters, 3D card board counters, unpainted, painted and well painted mini's. But fielding bases? That should truly be the exception, I would think.

People and stores have their standards and want to encourage purchases. Painted figures do accomplish that. I do have games with card board counters. Wait! Won't Imperial Assault be one of them too?

I started painting in the mid 80's. I've always enjoyed it, it is a very relaxing excercise for me. It is something that I can always pick up and get back into even if I haven't done it for a month or two. Right now all I have left to paint for IA are the 4 trandoshans, which are half done, and the six rebel characters. That being said I can completely understand that it is not for everyone. Some people aren't good painters, some people simply don't enjoy it. I like it and feel that it enriches the game, but I'm certainly not going to harsh someone else for not having their stormtroopers painted. It's a fairly large investment to get all the paints, brushes, tools and time to paint to a degree that you will find acceptable. For the small amount of minis necessary for this game, if it bothers you to not have painted stuff, you can always find someone that will throw some paint on them for you at a reasonable price, but I wouldn't be upset at all if I played with an unpainted set.

I will say this though; I think this game is one of the most fun, well put together, well designed games that I have ever played. It is almost like a much cleaner and more intense version of warhammer quest. I see it having great potential and that is very exciting.

That being said, we've got a local store here that seems to allow unpainted armies without any dramas. But they also allow the players to proxy models too. This led to a tournament being organised where proxies were allowed, and you were even allowed to proxy a model with just a base. So one player goes through the effort to paint his army, and when he gets to the tournament, the opposing army is nothing but model bases. I personally thought that was just being ridiculous. You're no longer wargaming, you're just playing checkers.

I get that and agree to a point. However I think there is a gulf between playing checkers and fully painted miniatures.

I've heard something similar where people compare not painting to playing checkers and using counters to not playing at all. There's cards board counters, 3D card board counters, unpainted, painted and well painted mini's. But fielding bases? That should truly be the exception, I would think.

People and stores have their standards and want to encourage purchases. Painted figures do accomplish that. I do have games with card board counters. Wait! Won't Imperial Assault be one of them too?

The tournament in question was for Warmachine, not a cardboard counter-type board game, and it was the tournament organiser that made a specific ruling about figure bases only being able to be used. Strangely enough, he was the one that had just bases for the majority of his "army".

When I brought this up, and suggested the bare minimum should be at least a figure on the base, he went right off at me. He started spouting all sorts of rubbish about the economy and the price of models and not everyone could find time to paint. Most of the other potential tournament goers got in on the argument and said if they could find the money and time for their hobby, then why couldn't he? He backed down due to the overwhelming pressure of more logical gamers, and then retracted the "base only" proxy rule. He still had more than a quarter of the players pull out over the whole affair. It turned into quite a farce, and all because he was too lazy to assemble his models and too cheap to purchase the ones he wanted for his army.

I was a little surprised the the shop owner let it go so far, as they were trying to promote the game in order to generate sales, as it was fairly new to the area at the time. What do you tell members of the public that come into the store and ask what's going on, when they're looking at a scenery covered table and there's no figures, just bases? And how is an opponent supposed to remember what each base is supposed to represent? It's like showing up at an X-wing event with some cardboard bases with just a firing arc on them, and nothing else, and because " I'm the TO, it's fine ".

Don't think so.

The tournament in question was for Warmachine, not a cardboard counter-type board game, and it was the tournament organiser that made a specific ruling about figure bases only being able to be used. Strangely enough, he was the one that had just bases for the majority of his "army".

When I brought this up, and suggested the bare minimum should be at least a figure on the base, he went right off at me. He started spouting all sorts of rubbish about the economy and the price of models and not everyone could find time to paint.

Huh?

Basically the TO ruled that you don't need to own, borrow or use another's actual pieces of the game to fully complete.

Geez from one extreme to another. A tournament and to only field bases, I'd have to agree with you on that one.

To bad, not a good ruling but it may have been biased as you eluded to.

In all my comments about painting I never meant to say that tournaments shouldn't have and stick to their rulings. If they want two colour painted pieces that so be it. And you know what, good for them, the tournaments are show cases and some companies give prizes as does FFG. I was only talking about casual games in an LGS. But not to even field the unit itself, really.

I will always be in awe at the audacity of some people. But that is me.

I told you it was ridiculous.