Friday 30 November 2012

The Doom of Galt

When the bioships of Hive Fleet Leviathan reached the Galt system, they swept aside the Imperial defenders with ease and proceeded to devour the ice rich outer worlds. The delay was enough to allow a great many to evacuate the hive cities of Galt V but not everyone was able to escape. As the Tyranid bio organisms burst onto the doomed world, the Planetary Defence Forces put up a brave but futile fight. Only when help arrived from the Sons of Tantalus fourth company did things change. Captain Democritus choose the tight confines at the edge of Hive Tempest to engage the horde. They only had to slow the advance long enough for more evacuation transports to get away.

A couple nights ago my mate Joel came over for a game. he had asked me for a 3,000 point game and for some crazy reason I said yes. I hate large scale games with a passion. They are generally far too twinky and take an age to complete. But I had said yes. I decided to play a lot more infantry than usual, taking an third tactical squad, a 9-man squad of terminators, 9 man squad of assault termines split between lightning claws and thunder hammers, and upping my scout squad to ten men. Dropped the predator for a vidicator, and added in a dreadnought.

Then I found out that he had brought his Tyranids.

Joy.

We rolled the kill point style mission and that gods awful table quarter one! Why GW? WHY? We both had barely enough room to place everything. I also suggested that we roll for a battlefield trait since they will be used in the upcoming league, and we got a toxic miasma which meant all close combat attacks were poisoned (4+). This hurt his MC's a lot.

Once the game got underway it wasn't so bad and my marines did an awful lot better than I expected though Joel had his usual twinky luck. He got first turn and I lost the vidicator to tyrant guard, and a load of marines and termies to spore mines. Couldn't have put the termies in reserve because there just wasn't the room on the table to risk it.

Game went to turn five after about three hours of play. All I had left was the scout squad who hadn't been touched and quite frankly were my unit of the day. They did awesome. The sheer number of monstrous creatrues hurt me badly but the poisoned wounds did make any combats easier for me.

I called it after turn 5 due to there being no point in continuing.

Good game and actually reasonably fun, but never again at that point value.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Wish me luck!

I have Joel coming over later and he has challenged me to a 3000pt 40K game. I don't know what he is playing (Eldar, Eldar Corsairs or Tyranids) but it is going to be a slog. I'm not a huge fan of big point games but once in a while they can be fun.

But it is Joel. Mr Twinky himself.

Wish me luck!

Monday 26 November 2012

League 2013

After some recent discussion about the nature of the next league and it's Forge World allowance, I've decided that FW can be allowed but only with the agreement of an opponent before the start of the league. Seems a fair compromise for this though after talking to the other club members after this, leagues will be strictly codex only (plus White Dwarf updates).

The final league will be as follows:

  • 1750pt games.
  • Single codex though list may be changed between round knowing opponent, their codex and the mission.
  • Allies are acceptable, as are fortifications with the exception of the Fortress of Redemption (due to size and terrain issues).
  • Missions will be generated before the league starts using the system in Battle Mission (chance of rulebook missions, Battle Mission missions and Death World missions).
  • Each table will have a mysterious forest and one other random special terrain.
  • Each game will also have a random war zone trait rolled at the start of the game (rulebook page 368).

Friday 23 November 2012

WD codexes?

Lately I've been reading rumours that the 6th edition Black Templars and Chaos Daemons codexes are going to be White Dwarf codexes rather than physical books. I certainly hope that this isn't going to be the case.

It has the problem that once the issue has gone out of circulation then new players can't get a hold of the codex, and potentially be stuck with an out of date codex since GW don't seem interested in putting the WD codexes up online as PDF's like they used to.

I'm going to keep an ear out on this and hope that it isn't true.

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Grey Knight codex review


Crusade of Fire




Yesturday I learnt of a new release for 40K called Crusade of Fire. This is a £25 limited edition pre-order.

Crusade of Fire is a campaign system for Warhammer 40,000 that enables you to join the campaign to control the Corvus Sub-sector. Whether you choose to join the Crusade of Fire itself, the foul Servants of Ruin or the bloodthirsty Prophets of War, the fate of the sub-sector lies in your hands.

This 96-page, full-colour hardcover book features exclusive artwork and a host of dynamic new rules. As well as the campaign system itself, the book contains rules that can be used in any Warhammer 40,000 game, from massive multi-player scenarios fought in low-gravity environments or in bunkers deep below the ground, to expanded rules for Flyers. It also features rules for playing games in the gladiatorial arenas of Commorragh as well as for fighting battles on the surface of a Daemon World.

Crusade of Fire also features the story of nine hobbyists as they play through the campaign, including detailed battle reports, fantastic army showcases and turn-by-turn accounts of their conquests.


As someone who loves proper campaigns, I have laid down by cash for this even though I don't know what the release date is (couldn't see it on the GW site).

My only grumble is did this really need to be a limited edition release? I don't recall the Fantasy one that came out earlier this year being such a release, so why this one. Either way I am looking forward to it and hoping that it will be useful to the campaign ideas that I keep having. Details as I get them.

Saturday 10 November 2012

Extinction Angels

Now that I have the chaos side of things from the Dark Vengeance box set I am setting down to work out a 1000pts list (to start with). I had thought of going with the Word Bearers legion but that has slipped away and I've decided to go with the warband that I found last year and contemplated expanding upon, the Extinction Angels.

You can read what little there is about them here.

The Extinction Angels had been fighting on Deimos Primary under the banner of Abaddon the Despoiler during the early days of the 13th Black Crusade. Their task was to disable the various Mechanicus facilities there. Unfortunately despite many successes the planet was liberated by the Black Templars chapter and the warband was forced into the lower levels of the main facility. The Black Templars enacted a sweep and clear, slowly eradicating the survivours.

Not all were slain however. Champion Magnus Creel had long suspected that the Despoiler was just using warbands like the Extinction Angels as expendable cannon fodder. Unhappy with this situation, Creel puts escape plans in motion long before the warband reached Deimos Primary, to enable his escape along with those loyal to him. Utilising an ancient relic recovered on some distant world, he was able to open a warp corridor to a waiting ship on the edge of the system. Leaving the rest to die, Creel and his followers departed for Imperial space. Since that time, the warband has raided Imperial backwater worlds for supplies and wargear.

The Extinction Angels are primarily servants of Slaanesh but in order to grow the warband in strength, Magnus Creel has accepted a handful of others into their number, including a number of Death Guard. Creel has also made an alliance with the Tzeentchian sorcerer Tallos. In return for the use of his sorcery and the thousand sons he commands, Creel has agreed to aid him in recovering certain relics and secrets scattered across the Tyken Sector.

The Extinction Angels as were are no more, but under Magnus Creel's leadership they may well go far and bring much destruction to the worlds of the false Emperor!


Not my painting, just a representation of what they look like.

Friday 9 November 2012

Codex comparrisons - part 3

Sisters of Battle.
All I can say about this army list is that it desperately needs a proper codex and not a white dwarf article. At the moment it is woefully lacking in everything. They don't have enough options for vehicles, no flyers and not enough options for their infantry choices. Under 6th they should probably be put away until GW give them a proper book.

Space Marines.
The Space Marines have gained something this time around! Yay! Moving and firing a heavy weapon, being able to overwatch and the host of new psychic disciples have bumped up their playability now. Their tanks are more survivable under the hull point system though you do have to adapt your thoughts to rhinos and realise that they are there to get you half way up the table now. If they survive then yay. Obviously this applies to the other space marine codex as well but I included it here because it is a boost for this codex. Since 6th I have had much more luck and won more games than I ever did under 5th. The changes have been good for them. Tactical squads still need close combat weapons or the option to take them though.

Space Wolves.
This army was a nightmare under 5th and have got worse under 6th. Although the new edition has made the right move and favours shooting over combat, Space Wolves are still IMO the best close combat army in the game. It's for this reason that they are the commonest ally I see taken by other players.
They get so many options for weapon load outs that they can almost cherry pick like Eldar do. Their rune priests can deny the witch in an area on a 4+ which is just crazy. Long Fangs can split fire with heavy weapons which is a huge bonus.
I think 6th edition has done this codex very well.

Tau Empire.
Under 5th the Tau army has always been a one trick pony - they sit back and shoot with scary accuracy. Close combat screwed them severly and that was an opponents saving grace. 6th edition has changed that. The codex still desperately needs an update but can now hold it's own a lot more. Overwatch has helped stem the assault problems and they can pick vehicles apart a lot better. Much like with Space Wolves, I fully expect the Tau to end up relegated to the ally detachment until they get a new book.

Tyranids.
Under 5th the Tyranids were yet another nightmare to deal with. They don't have good shooting so they became crazy good at close combat, as you would expect. However I feel that they were made too good. The current codex did a nice job of toning them down and bringing them to an equal level with everyone else. The problem, once again, is that some units have become obsolete. Genestealers won't see use under 6th and why take carnifexes when trygons are a better option?
Overwatch has been a balancing factor for other armies but if you get into close combat with tyranids you can just count your unit as a speed bump.
Tyranids are still a really tough army to play against and have come through 6th edition in  a good way. As with many codexes, it will just take players time to work out what does and doesn't work any more. Like the hive, they'll have to adapt.

Codex comparrisons - part 2

Eldar.
The Eldar codex has always been a tough one to beat. Excellent shooty and some good assault based units. However, it has been impression (and that of many locally at the club) that if the Eldar player knows which codex he is up against next he should never lose because the Eldar codex is perfect for cherry picking exactly what you need. There are some units that are pointless, guardians and swooping hawks - I'm looking at you. Dire avengers are far far better option that guardians and warp spiders are a better choice than the hawks.
Under 6th I think that they are still very good but Eldar players are grumbling that they now have no anti-terminator weapons anymore and that banshees are now pointless. I disagree. Unless you are facing Dark Angels or Space Wolves you won't see that many terminators. Scorpions and banshees can still tear through regular troops with power armour or worse.

Grey Knights.
When this codex came out all you could hear about was how overpowered and cheesy they were. What people weren't realising was that this is very much an elite army meaning that they are expensive and you can't take everything. This is their balance. Anyone playing against them just needs to do their best to avoid close combat with them and gun them down with massed firepower, same as you would any power armour type opponent.
6th edition has made them better in close combat and given them some more useful options. For instance, until 6th I never saw anyone take the GK Librarian. Now they get a lot more play. The new edition has forced GK players to adapt a lot more than any other army has needed to I think.

Imperial Guard.
Under 5th this army was massed firepower and tanks. Under 6th it has become more mass firepower, less tanks and a lot more heavy weapons. The IG codex irks me at times because of the sheer number of shots that it can put out which can whittle down even a full power armoured army. It feels overbalanced and that seems to have been made worse by 6th somehow.
The biggest shift has definately been that vehicle heavy lists have been pushed to the back as they'll take so many shots that they'll fall apart under the hull point rules. The army is very much now a footslogging or stand and shoot infantry army with some limited heavy tank support. Overall the codex got worse in some areas, better in others and so basically stayed the same.

Necrons.
My thoughts on the Necron codex has been that it is a nice codex but isn't anywhere near as powerful as people want to make out. It does now have some good options but really it felt fair compared to everyone else. The only truely stupid additions was entropic strike, an ability that should have been rethought into a different mechanic.
Under 6th edition Necrons remaind balanced and are quite easy to defeat. This only changes when they take allies to cover their shortfalls. Much like dark eldar, this is what they need to do to remain competative IMO.

Orks.
I'm honestly not sure what to say about the Ork codex as I rarely played against it under 5th and I have had no chance to do so under 6th. The only thing that really comes to mind about the army under 6th is overwatch. When overwatching their ballistic skill doesn't change all that much so it's just like any shooting. Plus, burnaboyz when using their weapons as heavy flamers auto hit d3 hits per weapon. I can fully see certain weapon options and bikers being made more use of under 6th edition.

Codex comparrisons - part 1.

So, KhorneGuy suggested that I put forward my thoughts on how each codex was under 5th and now 6th. Not a bad idea so here goes. Bear in mind as always that this is a casual players point of view not a competative one.

Black Templars.
I have only played against the black templars once under 5th and that was right near the beginning of that edition. Still learning the changes between 4th and 5th my vanilla marines were defeated (though to be fair, my opponent was and still is a lot better than me).
Under 5th Black Templars were not too bad but I think they suffered the same problems that the vanilla codex did and that was that compared to everyone else they were too expensive and fewer options. The only thing going for them was land raider crusaders as dedicated transports thus allowing them to hold objectives with a scoring unit inside. They could also have close combat weapons in troop options which was a step up from the vanilla codex.
Under 6th I think they are now underpowered as they don't really gain the benefits that the vanilla marines got from the new edition and they lost the ability to hide in their land raiders on top of objectives. This codex really needs an update, though to be fair I think they should be dropped and just brought into the vanilla dex. I don't see that they bring anything new to the table.

Blood Angels.
A horrible tough army to beat under 5th and even worse now under 6th. Depending on the player I really don't enjoy many games against this codex ( *cough* my nephew *cough* ). There are far too many twinky options that just make them far far too killy. Under 5th furisos dreadnoughts in drop pods or carried under a stormraven were the bane of my marines. At least under 6th if I can't hurt it I can at least run away and try to let something else have a go.
I think Blood Angels have done rather well out of the new edition. The combat rules favour them and as an army built for close combat they do well out of it. With power armout it is still tough to drop them with overwatch.

Chaos Daemons.
When this codex first came out it was horribly broken and twinky, and it remained that way throughout 5th edition. The only time Chaos Daemons seemed to lose a game was when the player wasn't focused or when he was up against a much more canny opponent. Khorne themed lists were a must for the most part because they had power weapons on their bloodletter troops (why? *shakes fist*). Now they have lost a lot of that focus under 6th as power weapons can't drop terminators and everyone is afraid of terminators. The codex does need an update but I feel GW will just make them stupidly powerful again when they do.

Chaos Marines.
Under 5th CSM players grumbled like all hell about how weak this codex was. I think they were smoking something because while not very fluffy, this army was extremely powerful. Ten to twenty man squads with the close combat weapon and pistol bonus attacks already overpowered the pathetic space marine tactical squads. Daemon princes were far too powerful and two was a common deployment. Obliterators too. But in balance they had units such as bikers, raptors and havocs that no one ever took.
As the first codex of 6th I think we have a good idea where GW are taking codexes for this edition, and this time we have a nice balanced codex. The cost of units seems fair and nothing stood out as being too good. This probably means that CSM players will still grumble. As the new codex has only been out for a few weeks at this point I think it will be a while before we get a real idea of how this army now plays.

Dark Angels.
There are really only two ways to play Dark Angels, either terminators as troops or bikes as troops. No one ever plays the bike list. With terminators being the run to list for the codex now what with changes to power weapons under 6th I think this is all we will see until they get a new codex. The army suffers in only one regard right now in my opinion and that is the lack of a flyer and rumours seem keen to say that they won't get one in the new book.
Despite the lack these days of something unique to call their own I think the Dark Angel codex is still very viable, tough and fun to play.

Dark Eldar.
Dark Eldar were pants until they got their 5th edition codex and then they became a nice balanced army. They had strong points; good in close combat, decent initiative and excellent long range heavy weapons. However I feel that 6th edition has screwed them royally. Their vehicles are more fragile than ever as small arms fire can just glance them to destruction and overwatch has blunted their close combat prowess. These days I feel that the only real way for Dark Eldar to win is if they take allies to shore up their weaknesses. Shame as the codex under 5th had a nice feel to it.

To be continued...

Wednesday 7 November 2012

?

My blog has been very quiet of late. I think i ran out of things to comment upon. So I am going throw out to you guys and girls, give me some topics to write about and I'll see what I can do.