Citadel Rangefinder - A review of perfection...

  Guys, it isn't often that a product jumps off a store shelf and grabs you by the collar, screaming "BUY ME NOW".  So, when a product does something like that, you pay attention, follow your gut and do what it says.

  Now, to be fair, I have told you guys many times that I am a far better collector than player.  I'm more at home crafting things up, building and painting than leaning across a table staring down an opponent.  That will all change. NOW.

  No more will I ever have to look at a game table and wonder, "will my Stormcast Judicator be able to shoot, should I move, should I stay, I just DON'T KNOW!"  That's usually when I have my breakdown and quit the game, flipping the table in a fit of rage and confusion.  (Lucky for me I solo a lot, so nobody has beaten the shit out of me yet.)

  Well, never again guys.  You tournament players will start to KNOW MY FACE as I start owning your pansy asses.  I have a CITADEL RANGEFINDER.  I know how far things are now.  I know where that Land Raider goes.  I know how to deep strike.  I know when you're in range of my Whirlwind!  I own the landscape, BABY!

  I cannot begin to tell you how cool this thing is.  It is just a tape measure, sure.  But it's a $33(US) tape measure.  You know the minute you pick it up, it's made of pure sigmarite (might be pot metal, not sure...).  It's heavy and it's big.  Too big to game with, that's it's major secret.  It's really heavy, did I mention that?  and Round... yes, round, so if you drop it, it kind of rolls...  Brilliance.  Did I mention it was too big?  The thing is like a hunk of sigmarite-sausage and it weighs 10 freaking pounds.  I think half my opponents fear the idea of me throwing it more than simply losing to me.

  When someone see's you come to the table with your Citadel Rangefinder, they will RUN.  (Someone said they were laughing at me, not running, but I thought I smelled fear).

  And get this...

" the diecast case holds a metal tape measure with markings at the half-inch, three-inch, 12-inch and eighteen-inch points – all the important measurements for combat in games of Warhammer Age of Sigmar! "

  What other tape measure has markings so carefully placed there?   I mean who knew?  Marking a tape measure with... ummm... measurements.  It's a fucking brain exploding idea there.  You're not going to find a tape measure with markings like that at any local freaking hardware store for $2, I'll tell you that right now!   Oh sure, they may have one with inches, and one with CM, maybe even one with both.  But who in hell ever thought of this?  CITADEL DID!  (All you GW haters are pretty envious right now, I bet, cuz you can't buy one.)

  This tape measure has changed my gaming life, I am here to tell you.  Where before I wavered at the sight of opponents, now I stride confidently into the gaming room.  With my Citadel Combat Gauge around my neck and my Rangefinder in hand, I have my opponents quaking in fear.  Most of them cannot bear to look me in the eyes.  (I thought I heard snickering once, but I turned quickly and saw them still shaking...)

Yep, I own the Meta now...

  All these years I have told my wife what 8 inches is like...  Now I can prove it. (Note... I think my own Rangefinder may be a little undercalibrated...)

To anyone who thinks I am even a little serious... Please.  This is a $33 piece of crap tape measure.  Go to a store, spend $2 on a cheap one and the rest on beer.  This thing is a fucking joke.  The worst part?  I actually did buy one to look at and do this review, so who is laughing now?  You guys and GW :)

Citadel Brushes (cont) and Age of Sigmar WIP

 

  Well, it was a crazy weekend, but I did manage to get some work done on the AoS stuff.  While doing so, I got to check out the new Retributor Armour spray Paint from GW.

  Have to say, this is expensive, but it is VERY very gold colored.  With the exception of some non modeling paints, this is the best metallic spray paint I have seen.  In my time with the USAF, I have seen some very special purpose metallic sprays, but the cost of those was in the thousands of $$ per can.  Yes, this stuff is $28 bucks a can, but it is a HUGE time saver for the AoS Eternals and I like it.


  I also had the opportunity to play around more with the Citadel brushes and I am very displeased with the medium Layer brush in the range.  It could not keep a point and it splayed like nobody's business.  It was almost impossible to work with.  The other layer brushes were very good to use and held up rather well.  The glaze brush and wash brushes also did quite well.


  Anyhow, some quick WIP shots.  I'm kind of following the Duncan Rhodes method on these, but I am not taking a ton of time on them.  These are 'just for fun' models :)  I'm going with the gold armour look, but with green theme instead of the blue like the 'book' models.  The base coat will be Incubi darkness followed by some green layers.  We shall see...

Primed with Stynlyryzzzzz black and sprayed with GW Retributor Armour.  it is VERY gold in person and quite durable.  No flecking or peeling.

Terrible angle, but the troops with their wash on...

Retributors with some of the base coats and some washes on.

  Have to mention, I picked up my Apple watch on Saturday.  Very odd it is, I'm not sure if I love it, or if I just wasted a ton of $$??  time will tell...  HAH, get it?  time will tell???  Apple watch???  (I kill me...)

Citadel Brushes - Reviewed

  I have done it again, I have sacrificed my wallet to test out the new Citadel Brush range.  Well, most of it anyhow.  I had no interest in the scenery brushes or the re-branded green stuff spreader.

 These are a different take from usual brush ranges in the past, and on the whole, I kinda like them.  They have the following 'ranges'; Base, Layer, Dry, Glaze and shade.  There are technical and scenery ranges too, but not for this kid.

  The base range seems to be synthetic, and the dry range are something else... camel hair maybe?  The rest are other natural sables, but I do not think they are kolinsky sables, with the exception of the Artificer Layer, which is their finest detail brush.  They seem to me to be reasonably priced, again, except for the artificer layer brush which comes in at a whopping $20, most of the range is in the $5-$10 range.

  Overall, I think they are good for someone just getting into this and looking to get a decent set of brushes.  I do not think they will replace the Winsor-Newton series 7 or Raphael's for the golden demon types, but for us mere mortals, they do seem to do the jobs.  Let me break them down for you now...

Citadel Crusader Case - Cool!

  Hey folks!  Just a quick review of the new Mini case from Citadel. 

  I asked the folks at my FLGS to get me one of the crusade cases, and it arrived yesterday (Friday).  I have to say, I am impressed.  When I first saw it, my reaction was, “wow, that’s smaller than I thought”  But just like the TARDIS, it’s smaller on the outside!!

  So, overall first impressions.  It’s a sturdy plastic that has a little ‘give’ to it, but it is not bendy.  It is nice and tough and has reinforcement where it really needs.  The D-Rings for the shoulder straps are molded in, not snap in, so that’s a plus.  The latches are also a lot nicer than the old ones.  Another nice feature, it only opens to a certain point then is stopped from going further.  Nice to know you wont have the lid let go and crush your (or a friends) minis after they are on the table.

  Now, what about this new, wavy, nested foamy thing inside?  Yes, I saw the video of how it works on the GW Youtube page, but seeing it in person has made a believer out of me.

  I am a long time user of KR Cases and foam.  I love their systems and the way they make things work.  I do not see that changing any time soon.  But I can say I will be adding this case to my game day carry.

  The wavy foam is very nice for holding minis and as a bonus, as you add more minis, it makes the foam ‘form’ around the minis even more for a nicer fit.  You can also lay minis down if they have long weapons/banners/poles etc.  Because the wavy foam is not glued to the bottom, you can stretch it to fit around anything from a snotling to a dreadnought.  Even vehicles can be wiggled into the foam and protected.

  In one of the pictures, you can see how I took my “high” models (Catacomb command barge and ghost ark) and put them in, then flipped the wavy foam over the fit over the protruding parts.  I’m not sure if they meant for that to work, but it does, and it’s an option.

  So, in summary, these are nice cases and they come in at a price point that is very competitive with other systems out there.  Highly cool, IMHO.

  I have not checked to see if they will fit in an airline overhead bin or under a seat, I don’t have spare airliners around :)

  So, check them out, they do not suck!  They are quite useful, I would think.


  Pictures and such after the break, click below :)