Lilian Virgil

Woo-hoo, another one done! I am not thinking my slump is completely broken, but getting a few minis painted in the past few weeks (across a couple of game lines) is a step in the right direction. In around a week's time I should be able to crack into painting a couple more I hope.

Lilian Virgil adds to my Empire ranks which is good, pulling me towards having a third Organization with more than 300 Levels of units available (with Church not too far off either - one more model would do the trick there). She is also one-half of Team Weapons of Azrael, with the other being Macbeth (who is in the painting queue). Although not the most powerful of Warriors, also being a Mystic allows Lilian Virgil to take the Control Bound Advantage Card which increases the Effect value of her primary Attack (a bad thing for enemies, as they roll against Effect using their Resistance). In essence Lilian is a kind of utility fighter, with a State-inflicting Attack called Sacred Seal; this inflicts Seal naturally), a Healing ability and an Action that reduces the cost of Charges for Party members within her Control Zone. She is not the most powerful of units, but certainly offers a few options, and she gets a lot better if working as part of her Team.

She is described as a talented fighter talent who combines sacred powers with martial skill to serve the Empress.

I hope to get Macbeth finished soon (which will likely mean that I actually paint something completely different instead!), and if I can get one or two Church units painted soon too, that would be ideal. I still have a number of units in advanced stages of painting that I just cannot seem to get myself to finish. I also hope to get some more games in later this month.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Units: 158 (added: nothing, but I still have 4 minis on back order....)
Anima Tactics Units Painted: 54 (52 different models)
Painted Units Percentage: 34.2% (percentage of AT minis owned and painted)
Anima Tactics Range: 151 units (including 2 LE minis; added September as he is due for imminent release)
Percentage of Whole Range Painted: 34.4%
Year to Date Target: 13 of 18 units (3 per month target; 72%)

Tiamat

Tiamat is described as the youngest of the four 7th Heaven Knights that serve the Empress, and as a lazy womanizer, but with a peerless talent for fighting.

He is also my fifty-first completed mini for Anima Tactics as my painting rolls on. Tiamat utilises the same basic Empire colour scheme that I have used elsewhere (although there will come a variation when I eventually come to the likes of Samiel and Iosara), with the addition of red as a flourish which should help him stand out a little against the rank and file. I may repeat that red flourish on other Empire Leaders as it should help keep them looking a little distinct.

Tiamat offers me a bit of flexibility for building up my Empire towards a reasonable size Party (i.e. 300 Levels), since he is an Optional Leader, meaning I could still add a unit like Griever if I wanted. With Tiamat I now have around 275 Levels of Empire, so a couple more units are probably needed to make viable Party configurations. It could still be a while before I play a game with Empire, except maybe at a lower Level game such as 200 Levels (usually around 4-5 units).

In game terms, Tiamat looks like a decent fighter, although not in the class of some more combat-focused units; balancing that he has some support capability, with Actions that can disrupt enemies (World of Wires and Starlight Romance - and the latter is an area effect which is very potent) and has an Action that offers exceptional Haste for a paltry cost of 1 AP (basically better than most if not all Neokinesis). He has a fairly low Armor compared to some Empire units, but is very mobile so covers some of their perceived weaknesses.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Units: 156 (added: nothing, but currently several mins are on order...)
Anima Tactics Units Painted: 51 (49 different models)
Painted Units Percentage: 32.7% (percentage of AT minis owned and painted)
Anima Tactics Range: 151 units (including 2 LE minis; added September as he is due for imminent release)
Percentage of Whole Range Painted: 32.4%

Sho

Another Anima Tactics unit finished, and my 36th mini from the range in 2013.

This was yet another mini I loved from first seeing it, so much so that Sho sneaked up the painting queue from when I acquired him! I have been struggling with two other Empire models for quite some time, one of which may go into the stripping bath, and so it is a good feeling to get at least one more done.

I had thought that my Empire Party would be larger than it is by now, but as I say, a couple of models I have struggled with.

At first examination Sho does not look too hard hitting; his 3 AP Bushu Special Attack is at a basic Attack 5 Damage 5, although it does give him Healing if it hits. Compare that to Celia's Tear of Illusions which is 10/3, or Drake's Dragon Overdrive at 8/8 and it looks lacking, except that Sho adds Damage (and Attack with Bushu) the lower his Life Points total is thanks to his Kurokami rule). That sets up a situation where he benefits from being Damaged, but with Defense 9, Armor 2 and 13 LP, Sho is not particularly durable. Which in turn makes me think he will take a bit of working out and getting used to, if I am to use him effectively.

The mini comes packed with an Advantage Card that buffs his LP (Heart of Gold; adding to the utility of Kurokami). Another synergistic option would be Last Stand, adding to his Attack and Damage at below half LP - functionally that means at 6 LP for example he would add +3/+3. Something else for me to ponder.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 147 (added: nothing, but still awaiting that recent order)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 41 (40 different models)
Painted Minis Percentage: 27.9% (percentage of AT minis owned and painted)
Anima Tactics Range: 148 (including 2 LE minis)
Percentage of Whole Range Painted: 27.0%

Empire Agent (female)

Okay, okay; I did paint more minis for Anima Tactics than I hinted at near the beginning of June.

It has been a productive month for me, with 4 Anima Tactics minis, and 4 Freebooter's Fate minis painted (see here for my Freebooter's stuff), taking me to 34 minis for the year so far - I only painted 24 in the 12 months of 2012, so far so good then in terms of my productivity.

This is my second Agent, and means I am up to 155-175 Levels of Empire depending on how the Agent is configured. It looks to me that the Empire Agent can be made a very solid unit, with Armor 5 a very attractive option (I think my go to set-up will be to recover 3 Actions per Turn; +1 Attack and Damage; +3 armor for Armor 5).

With this mini I am up to 4 Empire units so far, and I am hoping to add Lilith as a Leader model making a potential 250 Levels, which in turn will be fairly easy to round out to 300 Levels with a Wanderer or an appropriate 50 Level Empire unit added.

For Advantage Cards, while it might me tempting to add Supernatural Armor, I think that is too costly to justify, so probably a simple Elemental Weapon to make an okay close combat unit. If taking a risk that I am fighting someone without decent anti-Armor, maybe Raphael's Gift to 'tank' the Empire Agent up a little.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 135 (added: nothing new arrived yet, but one or two on order)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 26 (a few more are in the dreaded queue)
Painted Minis Percentage: 19.3% (percentage of AT minis owned that are painted)

Erika

Click embiggen this image

Considering I thought I would not get many Anima Tactics minis finished this month (even having finished Hamadria when I posted that though), this is my second for July, and I have a third 95% done. So more than I initially thought then!

Erika is a teenager who wields incredible destructive power through her hammer, Mjolnir, and is the youngest member of the Empress' Hand.

I love this mini; it is such a fun pose that I think it is one of the best in the range, and since I rate the bulk of the Anima Tactics range very highly, in turn that makes this one of my favourite mini concepts ever.

I really do love this sculpt.

That said, I wish they had either opted to cast in resin, or had chosen to sculpt a grip onto the hammer so the haft could have been easily replaced with brass rod - as it is I do not think that will stand up to too much handling, and so it may only be used sparingly as a gaming piece. I am not even sure it will keep the mini in position even without handling as the metal is pretty soft. That said, it is a brilliant model in my opinion.

Game-wise Erika has some of the usual traits of Empire units including Armor; high-ish Damage value. These are complemented by a fairly decent Speed value and some pretty unusual Actions, including Action Point removal; small radius area of effect; one-shot Taunt which induces Berserk - useful for disrupting units that work outside of base to base or use non-damaging Actions.

Did I mention that I love this mini by the way?

Erika has the colour scheme seen on my other Empire units (Janus Faith; Odin Goldsmith), and I think it should look effective in contrast to Wissenschaft and Church Parties. There will be a second Empire scheme for the likes of Samiel, Iosara etc., but I am still trying to work that out since I have a few Organizations with predominant use of black.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 135 (added: Bridget Setsuna; Kujaku Hime; Raziel Archetypum; Type 009 Deathhead; another Al-Djinn; and another Shinobi)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 24 (with another almost done)
Painted Minis Percentage: 17.77% (percentage of AT minis owned that are painted)

Odin Goldsmith

My second Empire unit, and this is a big one.

For those not familiar with the mini, Odin Goldsmith is mounted on a 40 mm base. He is a big beast of a model, even if he does not look it at first sight. Nowhere near Wrath of Nature size, but still 45 mm tall, and his weapon? That is approximately 2 3/4 inches long!

Like I said - he is big!

Odin Goldsmith is the warrior incarnate; his background describes that for over thirty years he has been present in every documented conflict and involved in hundreds of secret special operations, that he is an unstoppable fighting machine.

Colour-scheme wise I wanted to stick with what I laid down with Janus Faith, but having no tunic I substituted the blue onto his cloak. Even though there is an established official colour scheme for Empire which I *think* varies by rank, I want a more uniform look for my Empire so I will be sticking with the combination with some exceptions like Samiel.

I am looking forwards to unleashing Odin Goldsmith in some games as he has a couple of cool Action, but a really cool special ability (Chain of Blows), which can keep going with the right amount of stupendous luck. It could be interesting to see that ability explode as it were.

Stats wise, he has very high armour, a lot of Life points and attack 5/Damage 6, so pretty hard-hitting. Definitely one to sue Gnosis on to maximize the chances of Chain of Blows.

His main drawback is that he has a relatively very low AP regeneration, but this improves as he takes more damage, although for the best 4/4 he will be close to being taken out, so it maybe worth considering Advantage cards that offer synergy with how he is set-up such as Last Stand (+1 Attack and +1 Damage at below half LP); Talisman of Eriol (re-roll one die); Primal (since you are likely to be using Gnosis etc anyway, he should hopefully hit, and Primal stacks that up); and any of the usual suspects like Supernatural Weapon, Elemental Weapon or Supernatural Armor.

Ultimately he looks like he can be a heavy hitter, but one that is fallible. Definitely want to get some games in with him as soon as possible.

Getting this finished was a little surprising as I had started work on Luzbell at the time, then thought I would do 'a bit' on Odin while she was drying at some points, Then I carried on, and on, and eventually finished him. I really have little control over what I finish and when sometimes! Luzbell is nearly done and I have a few more Empire (Vayl; Veronica; Erika; and Female Empire Agent) in the possibly infamous 'queue', so I hope more will be done soon. That said, I have a painting challenge for another game next month, so that may slow things down a little on the Anima Tactics front, same for August, but rest assured I will keep plugging away.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 127 (added: nothing!)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 21
Painted Minis Percentage: 16.5% (percentage of AT minis owned that are painted)

Janus Faith

Click to enlarge-ify

Been a while hasn't it? At least it feels that way to me. I hit a brief painting slump (back pain limits my motivation and capability to paint from time to time which is what happened over the past week or so), so this took longer to finish off than I hoped. I say 'finish', as I have just realized there is a little more to do on the sword pommel (10 minutes wok tops).

Janus Faith is a master of numerous fighting styles, who has been granted lost loggia technology in the form of his sword and armour, and who know serves at the behest of the new Empress, albeit with some reservations about the Empire itself.

His abilities make him more of a 'tank' than anything, designed to receive an Attack and then hit with with his Special Attack. Keeping his Action points topped up while maintaining his defensive Upkeep ability (Absolute Defense) will take some consideration I imagine.

Janus Faith is painted as the blue-print for my Empire colour-scheme: blue tunic; white trousers; gold armour and trim. The fluff cites the highest ranking Empire as wearing white, but I am going to keep the blue/white/gold on all as far as possible (with some exceptions like Samiel) simply as I like the combo.

Getting him finished makes me enthusiastic to get some more done soon and hopefully get some games in before too long. I have a load more figures in the pipeline for Anima Tactics, including a lot of Empire. I hope to finish basic Empire and Black Sun Parties within the next few months, while adding to other stuff I have also.

In terms of Advantage Cards I am thinking of things like Supernatural Armor; Primal; Clock of Chronos.

Janus Faith is a member of Team Cerberus Division with Vayl and Daniella Meris, so I guess it would be a good idea to get cracking with them sooner than later. However, being a painter of whim rather than determination, 'sooner' could well turn out to be 'later'...

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 119 (added: another Type 005 (blister); High Arbiter Arkeid; Claude Valmore; and Luzbel)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 18
Painted Minis Percentage: 15.1% (percentage of AT minis owned that are painted)