Kroot Trail Shaper, Carnivore Long Quill & a Grunt

 o/

The Kroot have landed in the Low Country.

Following the most recent balance update that was released the other day, I thought I'd give my Tau a look and see how far my army's point total dropped down to this time. Once again the Strike Teams have dropped 5 points apiece, as has my still unbuilt Broadside. 

These changes, along with Commander Firestorm being retired to the display case after she both went to a 'Legends' model (not normally an issue, but...) and more importantly, had her weapons fit nerfed into oblivion, my army now clocks in at a mere 750 points. I might be able to stretch it to 1K if I build the Broadside, add back in the Ja'loo Muppet auxiliaries and the also nerfed all to hell Remora stealth drones. 

The Kroot 'Trail Shaper' Which is basically the standard issue Shaper that the Kroot have always had.

Not that his/her/it's stats reflect this, but this model actually wears some vague modicum or armor.

Note the Ork hide cloak. Given it's size, he must've a big one!

That said, at 750points, my army still clocks in at 60+ models (depending on how many support drones I decide to tack on for free). All are painted except the Pathfinders which have been at least been primed and started. The other unpainted unit is my Kroot Shaper & Carnivore pack. As such, I have decided to remedy that (if not in its entirety, then at least partially).

To differentiate the Long Quill (Sgt.) model, I put him/her/it on a 32mm base.

Always be sure to pack a lunch!

While about half of my Kroot Carnivores (and the Shaper) have pistols. The Long Quill is the only one authorized to actually use one because...reasons. 

I've always liked the Kroot models and backstory. That said, they've rarely seen paint as over the various editions, since the Kroot's rules and stats have gone thru varying levels of suck.  I've yet to use the Kroot in 10th, and in all honesty I'm not expecting much out them. They are however the only Tau unit with the 'sticky objectives' ability, making them essential. 

Just another grunt.

Sing it: I want my baby back, baby back, baby back ribs...

Curiously, the Kroot now have CCWs, rather than give the Kroot Rifle a melee stat as in past editions. 

The plan is to finish painting my Kroot Carnivore squad, and once I do then buy some new Kroot models to bring my army back up to 1K. Maybe the new Long Spear, and a Krootox or two. That'll take awhile but let's face it, with today's projected high temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit (and its not even August), there's little reason to not stay inside and paint whenever I have some spare time.  

All of my painted Kroot as of this point.

My first finished models since the move!

 o/

Huzzah!

I can't say that they're the first minis to be totally painted here in South Carolina, because I started them (and another half dozen of their Coftyran counterparts) while packing up in Tennessee. That said I did take some time off from unpacking (my new game room is a shambles currently) to finish these little guys up. 

All of the newly finished Crusaders from the front...

...and advancing to the rear. 

These are Quar Crusaders, and while I didn't like their old metal minis, I do like the new plastic sculpts quite a bit more than the Coftyrans, whom I preferred when buying the older metal minis. I think the new plastic Coftyran rhyfles are too spindly and likely to break. 

Another view of the squad's Yawdryl (Sergeant). As the Quar age, they get age spots on their snouts.

I have 2 days off coming up and while a good bit of that will be spent unpacking, I'm hoping to visit some of the local game shops in person to see who & what is out there around here. Also, this coming weekend we're going to a little get together at my wife's boss' house with several of her coworkers and their spouses/significant others. 

This little dude tossing the soup can grenade is the squad's only conversion.

I spliced two rhyfles (sans arms) together to stick on his pack. Its become a bit of a joke amongst the Quar's little community that any Quar tossing a grenade has lost his rhyfle.

One of her coworkers also recently moved here, and her spouse like me is also remote working. Also like me he plays mini games, and Warhammer primarily! I'm assuming that's of the 40K variety, but regardless I looking forward to this engagement more than I originally thought I would be! 

My Crusaders thus far, there are just three left to go.

That said, we went to another new friend's birthday party the other night and while no other gamers were present, the party was a hoot!

We survived the move...

Huzzah!

Now that the colossal task of boxing everything up, driving it from Tennessee to South Carolina, closing on our new house, and unloading the U-haul trucks has all passed. We have arrived at the equally long and tedious task of unboxing everything and trying to find a place to put it all. 

Honestly, the whole experience is exhausting as you all well know. 

But we're getting there. Today I set up my home office with both this, my personal computer and my work laptop (with an extra monitor) set up side by side. Also, I've managed to uncover a handful of minis from the endless morass of boxes. However, as you can see by the cheering Quar above, no painting has yet occurred (that said my paints and brushes have been unboxed as well). 

All in all, its been a fairly easy move, with the only exception being that within 24 hours of moving into our new house, the hot water heater expired. Ugh. We knew that it was nearing the end of its life span, just didn't think it was that close to the end! As such, today was a very expensive day (most days here of late have been, though this one was exceptional). 

Still, we're moving forward and with some luck maybe I'll manage some actual hobby time outside of this rambling post. Also hoping to start exploring the Charleston area beyond what we know of it from previous visits. Unfortunately, with the heat index clocking in at around 100 degrees Fahrenheit most every day, there's little incentive to leave the air conditioning right now. 

That's what we get for moving south in the summer time I guess.