Real Name: Nick Smith
Date of birth: 21 July
Location: Essex, UK
Game Systems played:
40k, and soon branching to WHFB
Armies played: Eldar (Iyanden), Space Marines (Howling Griffons Insurgency Force, Space Wolves), Chaos Space Marines (Word Bearers, Iron Warriors, Death Guard) and Tyranids. Tomb Kings and Dwarves
Hobby Ambitions:
To run a successful GCN Club. To win some more minor painting competitions. To keep the SWC Community growing as best possible
Hobby Achievements:
Conflict Best Painted Vehicle 2007, 2 local GW Store painting competitions. Starting the SWC Forum in 2002. Offered the job of Moderator on the old Games Workshop Forums – but had to decline in the end. Being elected to the Tempus Fugitives GCN Club Chairman position. Participating in Conflict South 3 times. Participating in multiple GCN/Darkstars/Tempus Fugitive Warhammer Wold Campaigns. Leading the “Sons of Russ” SWC Task Force to Age of Apostasy and winning. Being part of the Badab Darkstars Campaign winning Imperial Task Force. Winning “Winter War” about 3 years back to back at my local GW, with a different army each year.
About Krakgrenade:
Music: Most decent modern bands such as Razorlight, Killers, Kooks, Stereophonics etc. Some alternative stuff such as KT Tunstall, Lilly Allen and Kate Nash. Lots of older stuff such as Pink Floyd, Clash, The Who, Rolling Stones, Stone Roses and the like.
Films: Nearly all war related stuff. Plenty of Sci fi from Starwars, LotR, Stargate and BladeRunner and the Aliens films. The occasional Chick Flick such as Shakespeare in Love, Moulin Rouge
Movies like The Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption always rate highly in my favorites list.
Cheredanine asks
Q1. When did you start playing 40k?
A: Officially I would say quite relatively late on, maybe when I was 25. I was moving out of my parents house into my first bought place and was asked to clear the house out. I discovered lots of old badly painted SW and some dried up flip top paints. Decided to get back into the painting side as a form of relaxation before venturing down for my first game.
Q2. How many armies have you got? Of those how many do you play with (i.e. how many are squirreled away?)
A: All my armies are listed above and most get a run out from time to time. My current SW and Eldar are used the most right now and maybe the Death Guard as my main Chaos force. I do have part painted/part bought Necrons, Speed Freaks, and Daemonhunters. I also had a large Guard army, but it was stolen.
Q3. Is there any chance of seeing some of your earlier paint jobs?
A: Yeah I don’t see why not! I shall try and dig some old models out and do a photo session when time permits! It isn’t pretty hehe.
CplHicks asks
Q4. Do you have any tips for painting eyes and black flesh??
A: I rarely paint eyes myself. Quite often the models eyes are very small and you can get away with leaving them as a dark shaded area. Unless people pick them up and look real close, no one really notices a lack of eyeball paint. I have recently done a few eyes on my Dwarves, but real basic. Paint the area white and a spot of blue for the iris colour. Black flesh I have done on ,my old Guard and a few Howling Griffons. Starting from scorched brown base, I just area highlighted up with vomit brown and cobra leather till they looked ok. A Glaze of the mid highlight colour mix over the top hides any steep colour jumps.
Gareth asks
Q5. What made you team up with Harkon Greywolf and create SWC back then on the msn communites?
A: I was on the old GW forums and was clearly one of the “older posters” on there. I was at the time just getting back into the hobby and had the old 2nd Ed SW Codex and was asking some silly questions. I then posted a couple of links to pics about and started talking to HG as we were always on the same threads. I suggested we started a gallery site as at the time photobucket and other similar mediums were not common. I registered the SWC group community and asked Bob to post his pictures of his SW to get a feel of what others were doing with this great chapter. We then started getting people wanting to join and post their pictures too as they had limited PC experience to post their own galleries. It grew from there to over 3000 members in 5 years and was #1 in the msn forums for Games Workshop unofficial sites in relation to hits, activity and members.
Q6. What drives you to compete in tournaments/campaigns/painting competitions?
A: Comradeship, completing projects to a strict timescale and participation events with lots of like minded gamers. I rarely compete in Tournaments bar the odd local store ones and have yet to attend a GT. Campaigns really excite me as its not about the power gamers (although more and more are attending it seems!) but as individual results do not matter, and missions are so varied, your traditional 9 assault cannons speeder/9 Obliterators/9 Killer kans lists don’t always work as they would have done in a GT.
Painting competitions have always been secondary for me. I considered myself a fair painter before, neat and clean (ish) but nothing special. Since I met more and more players and better painters (such as yourself!) I have raised my game considerably over the last 24 months.
Q7. How have you managed to excel in so many different areas of the hobby?
A: I “work” from home 70% of the time and as such have more hours to spend in the hobby than most I would say. My activity does go in peaks and troughs though depending on work and social commitments. I have a lovely new girlfriend and as such my time recently has been lower than before. In 2006 and early 2007 I made 3 new armies (The SW, Guard and Eldar) each to 1900+ points and was painting and gaming like a madman to get things done to not let others down in the task forces for the campaigns.
Q8. What does the future hold for SWC?
A: More quality members, more competitions, more additions to the main site itself courtesy of the “Master of the Web” Gareth. The site seems to run itself now and self advertises by word of mouth which is fantastic. The likes of Molochs’ recent comments having only been here for 5 mins after the Second Tyrannic Event showed that. He said this really does have a proper community friendly feel unlike almost any other forum out there, and that’s exactly how it should stay.
I want to add a few more tweaks such as skins and the like so people can customise their browsing experience. I am just glad I managed to work out enough SQL to stop the dodgy spam registrations clogging the administrator email inboxes!
It will also remain totally independent. With the way the site was funded with a fantastic raffle when we kicked it off, it has basically paid for itself by member donations for a few years to come. When those funds run low, I am sure another raffle or alternative would be run again, and following the success of the previous one, the site will be paid up again for many more years.
Metaal asks
Q9. What are the people you are happy to have met in your years with SWC?
A: All of them! I have met a fair few people through here now and everyone offers a unique perspective on the hobby and community as a whole. No one person is the same and has a different take on a rule, a tournament, army lists and the likes. Some of the people here I consider really good friends outside the hobby too, which is a bonus.
Q10. What would YOU like to see changed on the site?
A: Rapouc’s post count restarted from zero?! And a dedicated forum just for his new army threads?! No seriously, at the moment the site has never been better, and with the content to the front site in full swing and updated regularly since we purchased the fancy site design software, we are taking full advantage of the host and domain. So right now, apart from maybe adding some skins, I see no need to change it, just keep it fresh and uptodate.
Komrad asks
Q11. What model are you most proud of??
A: My Eldar Wraithlord just for being in my bag for Conflict 2007 and sticking it on the judging table and winning and upsetting Gareth from the clean sweep of 40k awards lol. I also really like my SW Wolf Lord and Terminator Retinue
Q12. Any tips for painting large flat surfaces on vehicles?
A: Lots and lots of smooth thin coats – or an airbrush. Takes about 7 or 8 layers to get a good finish on a vehicle with normal brushes so you cannot see brush marks. Highlights on flat vehicles is tricky so I don’t bother. Black line the joins, subtle edge highlights at the tops only (not on every surface, but a common directional – say top and rear edges only) and then use battle damage to break up the areas. Either painted “chips” or full on hull damage from incoming shots. Rusty rivets is also handy to use.
Zog asks
Q13. Do you paint traditionally (paint n Brush) or do you use Air brushes etc?
A: I have an airbrush but still have yet to use it in anger! My Eldar Walkers were airbrushed by Gareth before I purchased my own. So all of my stuff I have done is painted traditionally except those 3 walkers.
Q14. Have you got any great gaming moments you'd like to share?
A: Winning the Age of Apostasy was a shocker with my army list. We based the entire team on a single Wolf Lord which I took as the commander and as such I thought my list would really suck as I made it fluffy – well fluffy bar the Vindicator admittedly but I had to try and have something with a bit of punch! But it did still fit in the mechanized theme just about as I keep kidding myself. Also The “Redeemer of Badab” was quite cool too as it was my first weekend campaign experience.
Any game that goes to the last throws of the dice are always good experiences. Games that go one way or the other after 2 turns are bad for both sides but do happen from time to time unfortunately.
Q15. What Model are you most waiting for to be released?
A: I was waiting on plastic Chaos Terminators, but look here they are!
Q16. What is your favourite music while you paint or do you paint in silence?
A: I usually listen to Radio 1 when I paint during the day. In the evenings when the it goes a bit rubbish and I want an evening painting I’ll put on a favorite film that I don’t actually need to “watch” to know what’s going on! I can just visualize it in my head from the dialogue and thus concentrate on the painting. I seem to recall watching Black Hawk Down twice back to back when painting 10 Kasrkin…
Woulfgar the Vengeful asks
Q17 What is your favourite food?
A: Pizza. Dominoes Pepperoni Passion. Or Crispy Duck and pancakes.
Q18. Why did you have an SUV for your avatar?
A: Its not an SUV! It’s a Ford Focus ST3 and is my pride and joy! Well that and my SV1000S bike…I have changed it to something more suitable this week lol.
Q19. When did you first think, "Wow I am getting really good at this painting stuff"?
A: I don’t think I ever have though that. I know that my standards have gone up and anyone can see when they look at a model from 6 months ago to one they do now, everyone gets better. So relatively to myself I know I have improved and use better techniques to get the result I am after. I am far from being “great”.
Otaktay asks
Q20. If you could have a dinner party and invite any six people who would they be (any six people not just gaming)?
A: Jeremy Clarkson, Keira Knightly, Michael Palin, Harrison Ford, Mike Myers, Angelina Jolie
Cars, chicks, adventurer/comdedy genius, Han Solo and funny voices. All in one evening!
Q21. Have you ever met and chatted to anybody famous?
A: I met Prince Philip when getting my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s award when I was 17.
Q22. How did you get interested in the GW gaming system/s?
A: Oooooh long time ago. I was about 14 I think and some kids in my road back then came back from London with the first Bloodbowl system from Orcs Nest, an independent retailer in Londons West End. We played a few games and then I bought Rogue Trader. We then “blinged up” some old 1st Ed Orc’s with whatever we could find to make the “hardest looking character” going. Yes crossbows and bolters and large axes… We did not really play so much as in follow the rules. It was all a bit complex. I just liked reading the background and trying my hand at painting. I then left the hobby at about 17 and returned to it when I moved out of home.
Q23. If you could do anything at all in the world with no consequences what would it be?
A: Rig the lottery ?!
Gamesbluetiger asks
Q24. How do you find the time for everything?
A: As mentioned above, I work from home a lot of the time. As such, it is easy to find more time for the hobby. No commuting, hobby room next to where I work…online all day helps too hehe.
Q25. What is the best way to improve your painting?
A: Practice. Paint bog standard models first before characters and vehicles. Learn from others and look at their models in the cold light of day where possible. Pictures are good, but looking at a 3D model in hand is better. Its what I did with my SW.
Q26. If I ever meet you will I be expected to bow?
A: Yes. And kiss my shoes. No don’t be stupid! A beer would be nice though
Farseer Yestare asks
Q27. Where, when and how did you meet Bob (Harkon GreyWolf)?
A: Going back to the previous question on starting up the SWC MSN community, I met him on the old GW forums as we lingered in the same threads often replying to each other. We were both fed up with the “flaming” and sillyness of it all, so started the MSN group. We have met up several times including a couple of games at his house and mine I believe, Watford Gaming Club, and we met up at Games Day too a few years ago. I am not sure he has beaten me yet?! Bwah haha!
Q28. What do you have in common with him? (Besides old age LOL)
A: I am a mere Blood Claw to his Long Fang status! In common? Fine wines, fine women, and lead/plastic dollies.
Q29. Name a Historical figure you admire and why?
A: Lord Wellington. Classy guy. And I liked “Sharpe” on TV…
Q30. What is your favourite music band?
A: Pink Floyd.
Q31. What is your favourite aspect of the hobby and why?
A: Collecting armies for campaigns. It is a great way to give a deadline to complete a project.
Q32. If you met the guy who stole your car, describe in excruciating detail what you'd do with him.
A: Pliers, Blow torch. And maybe some C4 for good measure.
Pilgrimsp asks
Q33. What do you look for when writing a competetive army list?
A: I don’t think I make “competitive” lists in a tournament kind of way. The nearest I did come to it was my Iron Warriors. Mostly though I tend to take units I like the look of, and not the effect of. Hence my Eldar do not have Harlies, Warpspiders or Yriel in them. Effective competitive units that usually always make their points back when used right. But I do have Scorpions and Shining Spears. They look cool.
The Iron Warriors were tried and tested. Handful of Obliterators, plenty of lascannons and a strong close combat unit. I have yet to re-do the list now the new codex is out though. But watch out for 3 Vindicators…
Brother Lysander asks
Q34. What is your favourite hobby related moment/incident?
A: See Q14
Q35. What is your worst hobby related moment/incident?
A: Listening to people say that “you shouldn’t take that model as its not going to win you a GT”. Recently a similar conversation was had with Gareth and our occasion store GT type player who commented on the use of a Winged Hive Tyrant. “Why do you use one of those, they are not as good as this combo (explains combo)”. Gareths answer “Cos it’s a nice model and looks good”. Other guy wanders away saying “These people really need to go to a GT to know what 40k is all about”
That kind of attitude really annoys me. It is a GAME. No one dies, no one gets hurt (physically – well not often) so what’s the big deal about getting snotty over it?