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Forewarned is forearmed - the ETL is a coming.


SW1

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I don't know about you but my hobby output always spikes when the ETL comes around. I go from no output to actual output!

This year I'll be planting my flag with the Guard.

I thought I'd start this thread to get our collective fires burning. So if your starting to prep for the ETL or need some motivation to get working on ideas for the ETL post up your ideas here.

Remember you can't start painting your entries for the ETL but you can have them prepped. So there's no excuses not to have your first batch of models cleaned up, mould lines removed and undercoated ready to get some paint applied on the first day of the challenge.

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Just to clarify there has been no official word on the ETL as far as I am aware. Though it is expected and usually runs around mid-year the events of the past are no guarantees! So while it is a brilliant idea to have your models ready to be painted there is no need to panic just yet tongue.png Remember that it's a hard slog for Guard as we can spend a lot of time and effort painting up units that are cheap so if you want to make an impact on the ETL save your tanks msn-wink.gif

Last year we earned much glory and honour, shaming the attempts of our weak allies with our radiant faith and tireless devotion and I expect the same again. I will of course be rallying the troops and doing as much painting as I can (seem to be somewhat low on models these days...), so you better be prepared. If you thought the appearance of the peaked cap and swagger stick was bad enough now wait until ETL season laugh.pngmsn-wink.gif

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Just to reiterate... don't paint all your Baneblades just yet.

 

I am holding 1 in reserve for the ETL but even the Commissariat is not yet privy to when this renowned event will begin.

The normal form is that you will not be able to submit anything that is more than assembled and primed so don't get carried away with the preparations.

 

The best thing to do is to vow high points units which is something the guard does not have in large amounts and not to get bogged down painting 100s of low value troops. The size of some of the other forums and the determination of, to name but one, the Dark Angels will be hard to beat but the Guard has a history of being the underdog who punches above their weight.

 

Remember - with the support of you, the leadership of the Commissariat and the help of The God Emperor of Mankind it does not pay to underestimate the Imperial Guard!

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Here is a link to last years ETL rules.

 

To sum up, it is an inter-forum painting competition to help motivate people to paint.


 

 

E TENEBRAE LUX (ETL) is an open-for-all event that aims to motivate the frater to build up their armies in solid blocks while cultivating member interaction within individual forums as well as on a cross-forum level. ETL is designed to play down the inherent disadvantage of low traffic of some forums, levelling out as much as possible the chance of victory for all.

The challenge is to paint legal units for your preferred army over a three month period and to the best of your ability. The reward is twofold: a personal and a collective one. On a personal level everyone who completes his/her vows will receive the “Custos Fidei”, the ETL badge of honour – a glorious distinction as veterans of previous ETLs will testify. On a collective level, the faction that cumulatively has the most points painted (as per relevant Codices and Army lists) wins and becomes “Primus Inter Pares” i.e. ETL Champion! In the first ETL the Black Templars emerged victorious totalling 45k pts, while last year, in the second ETL, the Dark Angels took their revenge totalling 58k pts! So who will take title this year? Remember: even a last minute hero may tip the balance!!!
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It's an annual paint off between the different forums.

 

Details of the previous ones can be found here:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/28047

4-pca-official-events-archive/#entry3466403

 

I've messaged Captain Semper and he's not confirmed the start date for definite but said he's aiming for 1st of May.

 

Edit: Doh - beat me to it. ;)

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Oh. So the first year was won by the guys who are predominately the colour of undercoat and the year after it's won by a faction with a 3rd of their troops with undercoat? laugh.png

I hope it starts soon! Haven't got much guard left at this rate!

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Hah, yes well there are certain advantages for some factions but it's not a serious competition. Here in the Guard we do things properly and fairly, it's a great way to get some painting done and share in the hobby :) Our goal has always been to get a 100% vow completion rate, something we've yet to achieve.

 

That said, Blood and Glory is still running currently so that should be the focus of our attention for the moment - perhaps even that 100% we've been aiming for..?

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Knight might only count for Adeptus Mechanicus though (as they will be a much more developed faction this year). It depends on how Cap decides to do scoring.

 

I can't decide what I'll be painting for ETL, whether I'll stick with Codex Marines or do something for the Guard.

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You should do something for the Guard, Toxichobbit. You know, honour and all that jazz-fusion smile.png.

I couldn't see how it would only count for the AdMech. An Imperial Knight Household has an obligation to either the Imperium or the Mechanicus. Each Knight has an obligation to his Household or, barring that, becoming a Freeblade. The argument is there that a Knight can go three ways, really.

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Knights were allowed last time, but it could change as you say. The AdMech is still part of the overall Forces of the Imperium section with us, and had a pretty good showing last time (unlike the GK and SoB...). That said I don't think people will be painting loads of Knights up so I'm not sure how viable it is as an option? So it probably comes down to the "one faction" rule in the end!

The Guard is the place to be for the ETL, we have a good standing and get stuck in. Everyone has a good time contributing and sharing their hobby, enjoying that feeling of being watched and seeing peak capped shadows in the corner of your eye when at home... Got to make sure everyone is hard at work painting for the cause right? msn-wink.gif

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I might do. It depends upon how I feel closer to the time and what I want to paint. I was very disappointed last year with the commitment of the sub-forum I was part of, with only two people completing their first vow (myself and one other) never mind follow on vows. I think this year I'd like to be part of a forum that's a bit more active and encouraging, rather than it being me trying to push people. I'd like to sit back and paint, leaving the morale work to someone else.

The trouble with Guard is the infantry is almost as much work as Marines, but a third of the price (generalising of course). I know the way to play ETL is to go for stuff that is more expensive with minimal amounts of extra work, which in the case of Guard is the vehicles (particularly the Russ chassis), but I've been suffering from a vehicle painting allergy for a few years now. I have an airbrush, I have a Chimera to use to practice my technique, I just haven't decided exactly how I want to apply said technique. Placement of highlights and shading is something I can't decide on. I'm not sure whether I want to go with the traditional shading at the bottom, highlights at the top as seen in the top image, or go with shading at the top and highlighting at the bottom, as seen in the lower image, which seems a bit more realistic, at least for sloped armour.

Neither of these images are mine, unfortunately msn-wink.gif.

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2010/12/14/163531_md-Airbrush,%20Crimson%20Fists,%20Rhino,%20Space%20Marines,%20Warhammer%2040,000.JPG

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s5/tommiesoule/1604801_1531053820475876_6052099082334627375_n.jpg

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~shrug~  I paint year-round, and the impact of ETL is only that I focus on the faction for which I've declared for the duration of the event.  This year, I'm not really sure what faction that'll be...Off the top of my head, I have a partial valk and a partial russ on the table, as well as a primed russ ready to go, but no firm decision on what variant to build (exterminator?)...and I want to expand my air farce to include some thunderbolts and a marauder destroyer...maybe a knight-lancer?

 

I also have 6 sisters rhinos that are substantially complete, but need bling (the difference between "playable" with five colors and "finished" is jarring!), as well as ~15 repentia, 10 battle sisters and one seraph that need painting...and if the sisters get the rumored reboot, who knows?  

 

Or I could buckle down and complete the fifth company of the Dark Angels (need 10 assault marines, 10 tactical marines, and 4 devastators...plus maybe and expansion of my vanishingly small fleet of DA vehicles...

 

Then again, I did pick up a riptide on clearance, my first model out of the current tau codex...and I have about 30 fire warriors still on the sprue and room for tons more in the crisis suit and devilfish departments...

 

Ah, the tyranny of choice!  Actually, if not for ETL, I would probably spend the summer working on my Warriors of Tzeentch...

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First year I did the ETL I was forum champ for the wolves and the following year I did a good chunk for the HH forum but no where near the output of the previous year.

 

I'd cast up several hundred custom bases for doing the rest of the wolves this year. But the change in base size for marines scuppered this plan.

 

So it's guard that will be getting the funky bases and the ETL is how I plan to get the bulk of them painted up.

 

Main issue is getting the current 7 or 8 layers of paint off them. Knowing I had a need to prep got me to post this early as I guess there may be many others in the same boat who may give it a miss if they don't start early. ;)

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My building skills are slow so thank you for the reminder, SW1 happy.png!

The only reason I want the Knights to be allowed for everyone again is because there is a desert in the armour department over here. The Ostheim 93rd is an Infantry Regiment so, barring some Sentinels and a few Chimeras, we have no armour. That wouldn't stop me from making up new Armoured and Artillery Regiments for the cause, no sir, but I'm really hinging on the Knights. All those points and two in-box walkers... what were we talking about laugh.png?

It's not like I'm going to argue the point to Cap Semper- we as Guardsmen obey and do our job; we don't cause a ruckus.

Here's to hoping msn-wink.gif!

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Great to see interest in the ETL here!

 

My intnetion at this point  is to go ahead with it and in the usual time frame. Obviously things may change depending on my real life situation so it's not a hard promise.

 

Keep in mind that the ETL is designed to promotre presonal achievemnt as well as collective. If anything, it's about providing the individual frater with motivation to build their own minis first and foremost! So don't get too disheartened about your faction's collective effort (Toxic ;) ). if you walk away with the Custos Fidei, it's something you should rightly feel proud of! :)

 

And, as WarriorFish said, the Astra Militarum has a proud ETL tradition few other forums could match.

 

Now let's send those Traitors back to the Eye whence they came!

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Sounds like you need the Guard for ETL Toxic ;) Yes troopers are worth little for the work involved but as the Captain said it's all about getting models done. If you look to last year you'll find a lot of trooper vows and even some whole Platoons (and more importantly - completed!). What matters is you take part, not so much how much you do :) It's all about that legendary 100% completion if anything :P

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Great to see interest in the ETL here!

My intnetion at this point is to go ahead with it and in the usual time frame. Obviously things may change depending on my real life situation so it's not a hard promise.

Keep in mind that the ETL is designed to promotre presonal achievemnt as well as collective. If anything, it's about providing the individual frater with motivation to build their own minis first and foremost! So don't get too disheartened about your faction's collective effort (Toxic msn-wink.gif ). if you walk away with the Custos Fidei, it's something you should rightly feel proud of! smile.png

And, as WarriorFish said, the Astra Militarum has a proud ETL tradition few other forums could match.

Now let's send those Traitors back to the Eye whence they came!

What?

tongue.png

Don't worry, first and foremost is completing 5 vows. The most I've ever done is 2 .. or 3, can't remember. This year, no matter which faction I paint for my aim is to paint 5 vows. Faction consideration is secondary to my personal goal.

Last year the problem wasn't the faction's collective effort, the Codex Astartes as a whole did a great job. However, the Ultramarines sub faction didn't, there was very little interest after the initial peak and it made the event a lot less fun. I know that strictly speaking the other Codex Astartes forums were part of the same faction, but it's not as much fun going into their forums to get inspiration as it is getting hyped up with people who are collecting the same Chapter as you are.

So maybe this year I'll switch to a new faction. I'm pretty bored of painting blue anyway. Plus I have an undercoated Baneblade sitting on a shelf here. I just hope something happens with mega-vows. Last year felt like a battle between 'Jirt and one or two of the Chaos guys, rather than a battle between the various factions. It felt like the results were set in stone from the start and only the failure of a mega-vow could change things, with the smaller factions who had no mega-vows not having any chance to seriously compete. While I don't like the idea of limiting someone's potential, if that potential is interfering with the competition for other people (or indeed entire factions) then perhaps some kind of limit is in order. Although I'm sure you've already considered this.

Are you planning on contacting the "faction reps" again this year pre-event to give them some time to get organised?

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Yes, it really sounds like you need to rally to our banner this ETL Toxic tongue.png Nobody needs to worry about rallying the troops either as the commissariat does that msn-wink.gif

I know, but I just can't help myself...

Not saying I'll don a peaked cap, but I might well start shouting like a drill sergeant.

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The 4th Tarosian has grown this year, and I've held back on painting until the time was right. With a Macharius Vanquisher, Destroyer Tank Hunter, an Eradicator, Chimera, 2 Wyverns, a Baneblade, two Manticores, a few Hellhounds and lots and lots of Infantry, I'm aiming to do my part!

 

I'm planning on toning down my rate of playing games to really get my force painted up this summer, so the ETL will be a great motivator!

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