Brotherhood of the Brush: A Tale of Four Warlords

AT4L January Update

People are social creatures, and us painters are no exception. While I generally prefer to paint in the comfort of my own home, I have to admit that having a group to encourage each other always helps with the painting. About a month or so, I got together with some of the cool guys in Gamersaurus Rex and proposed A Tale of Four Warlords (AT4L) Brotherhood of the Brush. Roughly modelled after GW’s very own ‘A Tale of Four Warlords’, you will (hopefully) see us slowly grow and paint 100 points worth of models in our respective armies over the course of the year. And with any luck, some of us might end up using the models for AOP 2018 too!

On my end, I’m taking A Tale of Four Warlords as an opportunity to clear all my Brotherhood of Steal models that I’ve always wanted to paint but never got around to. So long forgotten kits, half-built kitbashes and backburner conversion ideas… they’ll finally be finished and ready for display!

First up: The meganobs that I never got around to finishing.

I think the grey highlights could’ve definitely been pushed a bit more, but I’m happy enough to be able to call them done. They’ve been sitting around assembled and unpainted for years I think! Ever since the new plastic meganob kits came out. And I still have five more to finish. Gawsh.

Also, I probably spent too much time custom building bases for them, but that’s always a fun thing to do.

Soon, Orks will clash with Xenos and Imperium alike!

If you’re interested in trying out A Tale of Four Warlords, I’ve included my write up below. Hope you guys enjoy using it! #brotherhoodofthebrush #AT4L

Introduction:

This is a set of guidelines for people who want to try pledge for the A Tale of Four Warlords variant of Brotherhood of the Brush.

AT4L is for 4 participants.

The start date of AT4L is 10 Dec 2017. The end date of AT4L is 31 Dec 2018. However, as AOP is in October, we recommend that participants try to complete their pledges before then.

Each warlord commits to complete 100 power worth of models by the deadline. These models are from the 40k range. FW models can be included. Try to select models that can conceivably be used together in matched play.

Due to codices being released regularly, warlords do not need to state what models are they will be painting, just keep a running total of how much power worth of models will be painted.

From 1 Dec 2017 to 31 Dec 2018, there will be four checks for progression. 25 power in Jan-Mar, 25 power in Apr-Jun, 75 power in Jul-Sep, and the final 100 power in Oct-Dec.

In order to ‘check’ paint progress, select one warlord to play a 25, 50, or 75 point match with, in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters of the year respectively. This warlord must be one you have not played against. Both warlords mutually agree on a date and a place to play the game. We recommend matched play, but the game may be open, narrative play, as long as mutually agreed upon.

The AT4L games can only be played with fully painted minis that were completed as part of the AT4L pledge.

In the 4th quarter, all four warlords get together to play one 4-player game. The group may decide if this is free-for-all, or a 2v2 game. This is your exhibition match. Take lots of photos, and remember to have fun!

FAQ:

Why does everything seem so vague?

Because it isn’t meant to be rules. This is meant to serve as a generic way to organize groups together and encourage each other to paint. Feel free to tweak any of the guidelines based on the preferences of your group. This could work for AOS for example. Or maybe you want to use points instead of power levels. Or you want to change the dates.

That’s the exact reason why we are keeping the groups small to make it easier for everyone in the group to agree. We also recommend that the participants are relatively friendly to each other, so you will be able to work out any issues with a minimum of friction. You’re adults. Work out any issues within your group like adults.

Do I win anything if I complete AT4L? What is the punishment if I fail to complete?

AL4L is not a competition. It is a means in which you can get like-minded painters and gamers together and encourage each other to paint. Your prize is the fact that you can join tourneys with more fully painted models.

If you paint less than the allotted power worth of models, then you show up to the respective games with that fewer models. We think that is ‘punishment’ enough, although if you feel bad and want to do something, feel free.

 Why 4 people only?

We wanted to follow the A Tale of Four Warlords pattern set up by GW. Also, convenience and practicality. That being said, feel free to increase or decrease the number as you see fit, and tweak the number of games accordingly.

What do you mean by ‘fully-painted’?

The baseline is painted, with shading and highlighting, with basing material on the bases. Your group may modify your definition depending on the experience and comfort level of the group. As such, we recommend that members in each group have a roughly similar in experience when painting, is so that it is easier for agree on what is ‘fully-painted’.

However, in groups where the experience in painting is very different (because you want to play with said people), take it as an opportunity! An opportunity to learn some new skills, or a way to share your love of painting with someone new!

Why power levels?

Do you want to count points so you can start painting? Or change points every time you change a weapon loadout? I don’t.

But power levels are so vague! For example, 4-6 kataphron destroyers are all 20 points! Doesn’t that mean my fellow warlords can game the system?

We assume that you trust your fellow warlords enough that if they paint fewer models within a bracket, you don’t immediately assume they are trying to ‘game the system’. Maybe they used up the model for something else? Maybe they have other reasons? Besides, if they bring 4 kataphrons to a game when they could’ve brought 6, they’re giving themselves a disadvantage. And it’s not like ‘gaming the system’ helps them win anything.

I painted 25 power levels worth of models by 31 March but we can only meet up in April!

It’s cool. We all have our lives outside of Warhammer. What’s a few days? (I assume your group is cool too.)

Can I paint out-of-faction models?

You can, but as we recommend to play matched games (because CPs are cool), it would be better to concentrate on in-faction models, or models that work together. That being said, paint whatever you want. If your fellow warlords are cool with narrative play or some house rules maybe you’ll even get to play with it in a game. (But be cool if they don’t feel like letting you play with your out-of-faction models).

Can I paint something and proxy it as something else during games?

Within reason. Since power levels are quite open, you could conceivably paint a dreadnought with any weapon loadout and use it as something else in game. It is even plausible that you could paint a redemptor dreadnaught as a basic dreadnaught if your opponent is cool with it.

That being said, for the sake of record keeping purposes, you pledge the power-level of what the model actually is, or what the model actually looks like. IE, if you paint a basic dreadnaught, you record the point cost of the basic dreadnaught for AT4L, even if your group is cool with it being a redemptor dreadnaught in games.

This also means you can make your own models and vehicles. Just give it the closest matching rules, either from chapter approved or something else.