Journeyman League

So my FLGS is doing a journeyman league. I have only been two of the three weeks so far.  I missed the first week because it was the first day of school for my kids and I didn't want to miss out on our first day of school traditions.
I am playing Cygnar but I have some concerns about the battle box content.

Charger: I like the model a lot but it is so focus hungry. It can really do some damage when it is loaded up with 3 focus but it need 3 every time I am going to attack with it and when pStryker only has 6 to begin with it doesn't leave much to upkeep spells or boost other jacks.

Lancer: I am split on this one.  I like the arc node.  It has been nice for channeling some of pStrykers spells. But I haven't been able to really do anything with it offensively other than that.

Ironclad: Great jack. I upkeep arcane shield on this one all the time.  So it effectively has armor 21 in this league, armor 26 during pStryker's feat turn.  It's quake hammer has done quite a bit of damage to other heavies.  I always seem to forget about the critical knockdown effect though until I get home and review what I could have done better.

pStryker: At first I didn't really like the jack of all trades aspect of him.  But I have really started to like him and his bag of tricks against other warmachine armies.  At first I didn't really like his feat because it doesn't help me do more damage or set up an assassination run.  But now I am learning that with the proper timing it can help me set up the next round after the first big strike, and still have most of my army in tact.  So I am doing OK against warmachine, However hoards eat me for a light snack. pStryker's pow 10 pistol is great when it can disrupt something even if it doesn't do any damage.  But when you plink a warbeast and it does nothing it is frustrating. I probably would benefit from buying a copy of the hoards rules so that I can understand what my opponent is doing, maybe that would help me against them.

So after the battle box I added the Black 13th the week that we were at 15 points.  They were a lot of fun to play with and really helped me control the board to some degree.  Brutal damage is awesome. I was a bone head in the next round when we expanded to 25 points when I dropped the Black 13th in favor of  a full unit of Arcane Tempest Gun Mages with the unit attachment and Jack marshaling a Hunter to the attachment.  I like the hunter but the gun mages were less than stellar with so few squishy targets to shoot at.  I think that they could be good in larger armies that have a lot of infantry  but they do nothing against jacks and beasts.

So next week when we go to 35 points I don't exactly know what I am going to take.  I think that I will bring the Blck 13th again.  But beyond that I am not sure.  Suggestions are appreciated.

Painting Stormies

Well I have been able to paint a little bit lately and I have taken some horrible pictures of my storm army that I have begun painting.  So far it is just the stormsmith stormcallers and some base coating on the first unit of stormblades.  here are the pictures.  I will get better pictures up soon.

So that is what I have been up to.  Hopefully I will be done soon.