Cenette

I am glad this is finished at last. It has been stuck in the queue with no motivation from me to finish it for what has seemed a long time. As soon as it arrived (some time before early May) I prepared it for painting, and started some base colours - then just lost all motivation to finish it. It has only been in the last week that the motivation resurfaced, so bit by bit this week I have been working away on it and now it is done.

This is my first attempt at a 'sheer nylon' type effect, and I am quietly pleased about it (even if the images don't show it off that well), while other parts less so - but they are unlikely to be changed now. There are some really fine parts on the mini as the images no doubt show, which I struggled with, but this is as good as I could probably manage without losing patience. And to top it off, the mini has been dropped or knocked over at least twice, requiring repairs and touch ups, so to be honest, I will be glad it is the cabinet!

Cenette is one half of Team The Condemned Lovers along with Drake (who was finished back in March), and finishing her represents completion of my first Team proper (since Bella and Aqua are a special case anyway). Cenette's history describes that she chose to leave Rose Island to its fate and pursue the man she loves. And blessed with angelic blood and incredible martial skill, she and Drake make a deadly combination.

In game terms, Cenette looks a little light in the Attack/Damage department, at 5/3; however her actions change that perception dramatically. Her 3 AP Attack is at basic 10 Attack, meaning most models are auto-hit unless they Dodge or have a buff in place. Her special Charge is yet more devastating; it adds +3/+2 and gains +2 from being a Charge, for 10/5, meaning she is very likely to hit due to rolling 2 dice, even if targets elect to Dodge, especially if she can get a buff from another Party member (not to self: I really must paint up Sophia Ilmora), and her Charges can have a single direction change, meaning she can if used right avoid intercepts and tank-like characters acting as speed-bumps.

If using her alone, the usual thoughts come to mind with regard to choice of Advantage Card: Primal or Elemental Weapon are obvious options. However, maybe Clock of Cronos to ensure she can use her special Charge just when needed.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 142 (added: nothing since the last painted mini!)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 30
Painted Minis Percentage: 21.1% (percentage of minis owned and painted)

Damaris

I am glad this one is finally done; it has been 'hanging around' the painting queue part-done for quite some time, and so needed completing (even if there are some bits I think could be better, it will do). I have quite a few others in the 'mostly done' phase (which is all too common for me!), so I need to finish some more sooner than later.

Damaris is (yet another!) Church Mystic, but to add variety a male - yep it is a dude! He is also a Summoner (Light and Dark, but not Void), so immediately I am thinking the only unit he is competing with in a Church Party is Sarah Reindhold. Damaris is 5 levels more, but can take Dark Summons which Sarah cannot; he is also *slightly* more durable (12 LP vs. 10 LP); he can also buff and respond to the destruction of Friendly units with a few differing options. Basically he looks to be a more aggressive option than Sarah, and could be the means I have been looking for to get the most out of Lostaroth Marchosias who always seems to die pretty swiftly.

In terms of Advantage Cards, the Container card he comes with buffs his Summoner Level, but I may be more tempted to use Familiar to keep his Summon around longer - I guess it depends on the Summons I would want to use; if say a Hellhound, then Damaris with Container and 2 Hellhounds only costs 65 Levels which sounds okay since they are intentionally pretty disposable. If something like Hamadria, Wrath of Nature or Elhaym, Maiden of Light, then Familiar is the choice I would make.

The pack comes with the spirit 'thing' included. There is no obvious use for it from the Damaris character card or the Advantage Card he comes with, so I have wondered if there may be some new Team coming up in the future, but who knows. I painted the spirit thing ages ago, and I am not counting it against my painting totals.

Anyway, it is another mini done, and I am closing in on my third 'Next 10' post, so that is positive, even if the rate of Anima Tactics painting has dropped over the last couple of months.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 142 (added: Raziel Nk-X)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 29
Painted Minis Percentage: 20.3% (percentage of AT minis owned that are painted)

Thanks For Visiting & Signing Up

I just wanted to say that even though things have quietened around here (only one mini in August; only one so far for this month), I still aim to keep painting Anima Tactics minis, so thank you to everyone who has taken time to take a look or to sign up as a Follower; thanks guys, it is greatly appreciated, as are any and all comments and feedback.

Hellhound/Type-004: Hellhound

To to engrow

This unit is an unusual one in game terms, but I will get to that later. First up, the painting side of things.

This has been a 'quick and done' paint job (albeit one I am happy with, even if it is not spectacular), simply because I could feel a sense of painting inertia coming on. In the past few years I have undergone a few painting slumps, lasting weeks or even months, and I could feel another one on its way.

What I have learned in that time, is that just getting 'something done', finished and complete even if it is not my best work, can be useful to snap me out of doing nothing at all on the painting front. And given this year I am determined to paint as many minis as possible to make up for the relative inactivity of last year, well I needed to address that as soon as I could, and this was the perfect model for me at the required time. Something that could be done quick and simply, for what is hopefully an effective looking gaming piece.

The Hellhound is my 28th Anima Tactics mini, and the 41st mini I have painted this year so far (versus the paltry 24 I painted in 2012; 6 of those were in one month alone). So progress continues!

This mini is unique (so far) in Anima Tactics, as it can be fielded in either of two ways. One option is to use the model as a Type-004: Hellhound, a 25 Level Neutral Black Sun Undead unit; basically a pretty simple fire and forget type of nuisance, particularly due to its Charge and its Dark Hunter ability, with the added benefit of Stealth.

The other option, and right now the one that intrigues me more, is to use the Hellhound as a Level 15 Dark Summon. Again, it is kind of fire and forget, but with the advantage of a free de-buff Action against nearby enemies if the Hellhound kills its target. As a unit it is very cheap, and adds a simple to use extra unit for a Dark Summoner.

In fact I am so intrigued by the possibilities with the Summoned Hellhound, I plan to add at least one more to my collection, probably to be painted with a colour scheme more in line with my Black Sun units. It also makes nice counterpoint to the cheap Light Summon (Hamadria).

As a Summon or Undead unit, the Hellhound/Type-004: Hellhound cannot have Advantage Cards attached, meaning more Levels elsewhere.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 142 (added: Hellhound; Goethia; Frey; Freya; and female Wissenschaft Agent)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 28
Painted Minis Percentage: 19.7% (percentage of AT minis owned that are painted; percentage pretty much unchanged due to those pesky acquistions!)

Saint Astraega

Click to enlarge-icate

It seems like ages since I finished an Anima Tactics mini so I am glad to rectify that right now. This month has not felt too productive, although I have now painted in just two months (13 models) what I painted in each of three months (January to March; April to June) across all ranges I am working on, so not too bad I guess!

I have turned out 4 Pulp City minis this month so far, which has impacted on my productivity with Anima Tactics. So as I stated up front, I am pleased to have finished another.

Saint Astraega is one half of Team Saint Council with Saint Evangeline, and very much a support unit. As the number of Church units I have completed grows, so to do my options. I am now at a stage where 3 models (Grey; Luzbell; and Saint Astraega) would likely be vying for 2 'slots' in a level 300 Party, and looking at Astraega's capabilities, I think she is edging out Grey, since she may be the model to keep Lostaroth Marchosias in play since I have struggled to keep him alive against Rob in the games we have played; he has definitely been a high priority target!

Since the two key Actions I imagine using require 4 Action Points apiece (Astraega's limit), I think a likely Advantage Card will be Clock of Chronos, although once I can field the Team Saint Council, more options will become viable, since Astraega will be able to replenish Action Points through that card.

This one was started a while back painting wise, but kind of got left behind as I was inspired to finish sundry others. I even made a mistake by starting to paint the stems of her flowers magenta before I actually realised they were not flames!

I have started work on a couple of other Church models (Damaris and Saint Evangeline), so as soon as the next one is done, I will do an updated Church Party picture. In the mean-time I hope I can sustain some momentum as I do love this range of minis.

Running Totals
Anima Tactics Minis: 137 (added: Medeus; and Alis Testarossa; more on order)
Anima Tactics Minis Painted: 27
Painted Minis Percentage: 19.7% (percentage of AT minis owned that are painted)