WIP Magnus the Traitor

Thanks to MKII Magnus is now pretty sweet so I felt inclined to paint the model I've had sitting around for years. I'm really happy with how the bronze came out.

Pirates

Bart and the Bucunneer

The now 95% complete Vindicator

Here is my Vindicator minus the tracks.

A Tale of 5 Gamers - 40K

My WIP Vindicator.

A Tale of 5 Gamers - 40K

Reinforcements have arrived! My order from Maelstrom has turned up.

http://5gamers.blogspot.com/

A Tale of 5 Gamers - 40K

This was my final test model, and the colour scheme I've settled on. I'll be using the Blood Angels Codex. In the end Bryn made my decision for me buy choosing to build a Space Wolves army. I still haven't settled on a name at this stage.

Warmachine NZ Nationals 2010

So shots of the action from the Warmachine tournament at the NZ Nationals.

WIP Stormraven

After looking at a few Stormraven conversions online I went to Toy World to see if I could find anything that would suit. I picked up two of these G I Joe toys on special, $70 each down to $20! It's safe to say they're probably going to be the cheapest Stormravens on the planet.

A Tale of 5 Gamers - 40K

While having a chat to a friend (Jason H) about me taking part we discussed if it was really worth me building a new army for an army I already effectively. I have built my current Space Marine army so I can use it with any of the current Space Marine codices. It already has models for Death Company and models for Wolf Guard etc.

I began thinking about other armies I would be interested in building. Orks are an option as they're one of the few 40K armies I've never owned but the time and money required to get them up to 1750 points would be a pretty big investment. Eldar are a distant possibility but one of the others in the group is building an Eldar army and they don't really appeal to me. Chaos Space Marines are good option, and with that in mind I painted up this test model.

Chaos Marine Test model

Group shot

What do you guys think?

A Tale of 5 Gamers - 40K

I'm taking part in a 'A Tale of 5 Gamers' for 40K. The idea is we all build a 1750 point army over 6 months starting with 500 points and adding 250 point blocks each month. At the end it we all take our new armies along to Fields of Blood, New Zealand's largest 40K tournament. I'm keen on doing a close combat orientated Space Marine army but haven't been able to decide what chapter (or codex) I want to use. I've narrowed it down to 2 choices:

1 - Flesh Tearers (Blood Angels Codex)

Pros

• The basic colour scheme is fairly simple, allowing me to concentrate on highlighting
• I like my idea of a skull painted on to the black helmet
• They look sinister even though they're supposed to be the good guys
• The new codex has some good stuff - Fast vehicles, Red Thirst, Death Company
• I like the idea of buffing units to have Feel no Pain and Furios Charge
• There is a readily available metal shoulder pad from GW

Cons

• I don't have the actual codex so haven't been able to play test lists before I make my decision, so i don't even know if I like the codex for sure yet
• They don't have the extra attack for Bolt Pistol+Bolter+CCW (which I really like)
• The colour scheme is fairly dark and doesn't really stand out

2 - Sons of Medusa (Space Wolves Codex

Pros

• I've played a number of test games with the codex and have a solid list that I really like
• Grey Hunters have 2 attacks standing still from Bolt Pistol+Bolter+CCW
• I feel the individual units of Grey Hunters are very strong in CC due to being able to take the Wolf Standard and Mark of the Wulfen
• They have Counter Attack
• Wolf Guard can be added to units, giving them considerable punch
• The Sons of Medusa paint scheme really stands out on the table

Cons

• The Sons of Medusa paint scheme is time consuming, requiring quite a few layers just to get the basic green smooth meaning vehicles are going to be a nightmare to paint
• Space Wolves lack some flexibility in that they don't have the Combat Squads rule
• Space Wolves can't take heavy weapons in their Grey Hunter squads meaning I will probably have to take a long Fangs unit for anit-tank and they're not scoring

Here are 2 test models I've done with the Sons of Medusa marine on the left. Let me know what you think.

Warpstorm Army Showcase

Unfortunately I only had the chance to snap a couple of photos while all the armies were set out before my battery died.

The Bad Moons I played against

The Eldar Army which won Players Choice

Warpstorm 40K Tournament Day 2

So after day 1 I was sitting on 2 wins and a loss with 2 games remaining.

Round 4 vs Will with Tyranids - Pitched Battle, Thunderhawk Down

In Thunderhawk Down a Thunderhawk enters play by reserve and moves 12D6" along the center line of the table before crashing and leaving a wreck the size of a large blast. Any infantry units it passes over take hits from debris and anything it ends up on takes a Str 10 AP2 hit. The wreckage then becomes the ojective.

Will had something like:
Alpha Warrior with Lash whip and boneswords
2 x 2 Hive Guard
3 Zoanthropes
4 Shooty Warriors
4 Close Combat Warriors (joined by Alpha)
2 x 30 Hormagaunts
22 Gargoyles
2 x 10 Genestealers with Broodlord

I won the roll off and opted to take first turn, selecting the table edge with some large freighter type containers which would provide my boats with some decent cover.

From Warpstorm 2010

Will Deployed his army stretching across the length of the table, using his Gargoyles as a shield.

From Warpstorm 2010

Will decided to try and seize the initiative...and succeeded! While I was all smiles on the outside and saying things like "wow, that's awesome" I was actually a sobbing wreck on the inside because I really wanted that turn of shooting before he started moving.

During Will's first turn he rushes his army forward with some good rolls for difficult terrain and running. Because of his short range he has little shooting. I manoeuvre to get some good firing lanes and unload on his Gargoyle screen, killing around half of them.

From Warpstorm 2010

Again Will rushes his army forward but is still too far away to assault. His shooting is still hindered by a combination of his short range and my Ravager's Nightshields. He does manage to stun a Raider though. During my turn I move around a little more to get some good firing lanes and jump the Warriors out of the stunned Raider so they can shoot the Hormagaunts breathing down their necks.

From Warpstorm 2010

Unfortunately due to us running out of time I didn't get any more photos of this game. Turn 3 and the Thunderhawk had still not shown up. Will managed to make combat on his 3rd turn with the Warrior unit on foot on my left and the Warriors who had jumped out of the Raider. He also took down the Raider containing my Archite and one of the Wych units with shooting. Unsurprisingly he made short work of the Warrior units in combat. After decimating the Gargoyles and collecting a bunch of Hormagaunts with my Ravagers in the previous turns I shifted their focus to the Alpha Warrior and the brood he was with. I did a crazy amount of damage leaving the Alpha with 1 wound and 2 warriors with 4 wounds between them.

Turn 4 and the Thunderhawk comes down on my right in a fairly good position for me but also certainly within his reach. He gets the remainder of his Alpha's unit in combat with my Warrior unit on foot in the center, and charges some of my Raiders and Ravagers. He takes down a Ravager in combat and wipes the Warriors out. I decide the time is right to release the Wyches, so assault a large unit of Hormagants with my Drachon's unit and the Alpha with my Archites unit. I win both combats but fearless keeps him around.

Turn 5 and the last turn since we've run out of time. It's obvious neither of us are going to make the objective and he is either stuck in combat or too far away to do anything. During my turn I switch in to clean-up mode and work to kill off the remainders of the Gargoyles and both Hormagaunt units to ensure I win on VPs (if it's a draw it goes to VPs). I easily have more than 500 required so take the game.

Win - 13 points

Round 5 vs Aaron with Space Marines - Spearhead, 5 objectives and 5 selected KPs.

Each objective is worth 1 plus you select 5 units from your opponents list to be 5 KPs. Aaron selects all my Raiders (as you do) and I select his 3 Tactical units and the 2 Rhinos.

Aaron had:

Commander - not sure what he had because he hid all game

5 shooty Terminators

5 close combat Terminators inside a Landraider

3 x Tactical Squads, 2 in Rhinos

Devastator Squad

It wasn't a tough list for the Dark Eldar and I was fairly confident I could pull out the win to give me 4-1 for the tournament.

I was back on the table I had just played on but it was Spearhead deployment so it would make things different at least. I won the roll and opted to go first (after having to use my Nightmare doll and taking wound on the Drachon!).

From Warpstorm 2010

After seeing his deployment and him failing to seize the initiative I felt even more confident. The Devastators would be my first priority since they posed the most threat to my boats, followed by the landraider.

From Warpstorm 2010

The turns leading up to turn 5 went very quick as I systematically worked my way through the threats as I had prioritised them in my head and he couldn't manage to kill anything due to lack of range and his Landraider being constantly shaken or stunned. Come turn 5 he had the remnants of one tactical squad in the centre (3 models) and the others hiding in cover, including his commander who never showed his face from behind some ruins.

From Warpstorm 2010

The game ends turn 5 with me only having lost a Raider and half a foot squad of Warriors. We shake hands and he's all smiles despite taking such a hammering as we look over what's left on the table. But BACK UP THE RHINO! Some thing is not quite right as we're looking at the table and we both realise this at the same time. We start adding up points. I sit on 2 objectives and actually only killed one of my KP, a Rhino. However everything that he has left is sitting on an objective plus he killed the one Raider. Unbelievably he has 4 points and I only have 3! We're both pretty stunned, he has won the game despite only killing a Raider and 5 Warriors.

This was a huge lesson for me as I essentially had thrown the game away. All I needed to do was rush 2 Raiders up to the centre and I would have won (on VPs at least) but I felt like I was hammering him so much I was completely blind to the mission criteria by that point in the game.

From Warpstorm 2010

So with all the games over and done with it was time to find out the the standings. I come in 15th after only managing to 3-2 for the weekend. Charlie, who I lost to in the second round, comes in first place. 2nd place goes to...Aaron, who i had just given the final game to on a silver platter, as if I wasn't gutted enough already!

All in all a really fun tournament and I feel like I've hit my stride with the Dark Eldar.

More Blood Angels

So I've seen the BA codex in person today down at my local store. Some of the interesting things I noticed:

Landraiders are a dedicated transport and can deep strike (a confirmed rumour)
Mephiston and Sanguinor are not Independent Characters
Chaplains are an Elite choice
The Death Company have lost Rending and have Rage with no way of getting rid of it - adding a Chaplain doesn't help.

Seth - Flesh Tearers Chapter Master

Care of Jimmy, from somewhere. I'm not really a huge fan, I don't think it's as cool as the other models they're releasing.

For Jason H

Latest Blood Angels

From Bell of Lost Souls:

1. The leaked .pdf is not the codex

2. No new figs for Dante, Mephiston, Corbulo, and Tycho...

3. New Special figs for Astorath, Sanguinior, Seth, Lemartes

4. Astorath is a crazy fiend if you want your army to go ape and suffer red thirst on a 3+... he looks like a dark evil angel. with long black hair, black wings, red armor like the Dracula guy from the movie... and a large Axe held overhead 2-handed

5. Sanguinior is a ***pt beast.... WS8 ST5 T4 Atk5 2+save, 3+ invul... 2-handed master crafted power sword of something encarmine, nominate an enemy HQ then you get rerolls with all Sanguinior's Hit and wound rolls towards that guy... he grants powers to one SGT. in the game ie., +1 attack etc., and units within 6' get +1 attack except for him... the BEST NEW MODEL in the range... looks like the living saint on steroids... think Michaelangelo angel with wings out-stretched and soaring to the heavens... and he's held aloft thru parchment... he's got a nice sword in one hand and a grail in the other... he led a 12 man squad to assault a CSM battle barge and fought their way to the bridge and killed the Chaos Lord dude there... was pure nasty...

6. The codex is written by Matthew Ward, same guy who did the Space Marine Dex...

7. Stormraven... ok it's got ar 12 12 10, is a skimmer, twin-assault, twin-Hvy bolter, 4 blood strike missiles... Range 72' Str 8, Ap1, forgot if it was blast, probably was... here's the PAIN.... carries 12 marines... Assault Vehicle... and it CAN carry 1 Dreadnought as well... it can deploy models even if it goes flat out however they suffer dangerous terrain stuff... BAD NEWS... there's no pic of it anywhere in the dex... might be a second wave... but hey it CARRIES A DREAD & 12 Marines!!!! how big will this thing be....

8. The models are gorgeous... omg they had the Sanguinary Guard, pretty much Angel wings assault marines, but the detail is pure OMFG!!! there's tear-drops under the soles of the feet, think the dude Maximus fought in Gladiator with the metal mask and you're not too far off... just pure awesome!!! it's a huge leap from the marines and more even from the space wolves... BLING BLING!!! Also the Death Company can have super weapons, ie. thunderhammers, power weapons, melta pistols... pure awesome kit... all the red X bands are modeled on the figs... even on the handguards... and the Banner that comes with the sanquinary guard is sooooooooooooooo nice! it's the old pic of Sanguinius holding the grail in one hand and sword in the other but in relief...

9. For every 5 Deathcompany you can take 1 furious Dread as a TROOP!!! we counted it up so max 11 dreads... 3 elite librarian ones, 3 Hvy support ones, 5 Troop ones so OMFG... you won't have much else...

10. Hmm, the Baal has the option for a Flamestorm cannon on the turret... ugh...

New Blood Angels Sprue

Warpstorm 40K Tournament - Day 1

Sorry about the photo quality. These were taken using my handycam but I should have another camera in a week or so.

After a quick brief the first round gets underway at 9.

How the scoring works:

Win - 10

Draw - 5

Loss - 0

On top of this each player can score a maximum of 5 bonus points per round by killing the enemy general, having a scoring unit alive at the end of the game etc.

If the game ends in a draw players add up VPs. If one player has scored at least 500 more VPs they're the winner.

Round 1 Vs Jordan with Chaos Marines - Annihilation, Pitched Battle

Daemon prince - Tzeentch, Wings, Warp Time, Doom Bolt

3 x 10 Chaos Marines in Rhinos, each with two special weapons Power Fist and Icon

10 Lesser Daemons

3 Obliterators

1 Defiler with extra arms

1 Defiler with Lascannon

Modified Annihilation with Troops being worth 3 Kill Points; Fast Attack, Heavy Support and Elites worth 2. Everything else was worth 1 Kill Point.

I won the roll for tables and opted to go first. I set up my entire army around the center of the with a Ravager on each flank and one in the middle table. Jordan opted to only deploy the Rhino squads and keep every thing else in reserve with the Oblits Deep Striking.

I spent the first couple of turns sniping at his Rhinos, immobilising one and wrecking another. Turn 3 he had brought down the lesser daemons off one of his icons and all 3 units of Chaos Marines were out on foot. By this time both Defilers and the Daemon Prince had shown up and were slowly making their way down the table. On the left hand side I assaulted both Chaos Marine squads with both Wych units (each joined by one of the characters), creating one large combat.

The Wyches took a couple of combats to get through the Chaos Marines, eventually consolidating up the table towards his deployment zone. On the right the 2 remaining Ravagers, and Warriors shooting out of their Raiders, wiped out the Lesser Daemons and the 3rd Chaos Marine squad. During my turn I attempted to assault his Daemon Prince with both Wych units and their attached characters. I failed with the Drachon's unit meaning I only got the Dracite and 5 Wyches in combat with the Prince.

Luckily for me I rolled up horribly and cleaned out the Prince. For the rest of the game (until turn 7) I was sniping at his remaining Rhino and the lascannon Defiler while the close combat Defiler was locked in combat with my Shadowfielded Drachon.

Win - 15 points

Round 2 vs Charlie with Orks - Seize Ground, Dawn of War

Boss with 8(?) Mega Nobs and Big Mek in Battle Wagon

2 x 30 boyz with Nob

10 x trucker boyz with Nob

2 x 3 Killa Kanz

4 x Deffkoptas

A large unit Grots

Modified Seize Ground with 6 numbered counters on the table. We roll a D6 on turns 2, 4 and 5 to see which 3 we're playing for.

Charlie wins roll for deployment and opts to go first, setting the 2 boyz mobs along the center line to force me back and bring every thing on the first turn.

I only deploy my 2 Warrior units on foot and also choose to bring every thing on in the first turn.

I bring everything on the left flank, laying in to one of the large units of boyz with every thing I have. Not really doing too much since they're in cover. During Charlie's next turn he does a massed assault against my line of boats but unluckily does little damage other than wrecking one of the Raiders containing Warriors, who are forced to emergency disembark and become pinned.

I use both Wych units and characters to counter assault both boyz units, forming one large combat, winning pretty big and running both units down.

Charlie then counter assaults both Wych units with his Mega Nobs and Boss, and over a couple of turns wipe both wych units out. By this time I have lost a few Raiders, a Ravager and both Warrior squads on foot.

We run out of time and have to finish the game on turn 5. Charlie still has a lot left on the table and although I draw the game by contesting the 2 objectives Charlie controls he wins on VPs

Loss - 1 point

Although I only got 1 point out of the game I'm happy with how it went. Charlie is currently ranked the number 1 player in NZ.

Round 3 vs Craig with Ultramarines - Table Quarters, Spearhead

Modified table quarters with an objective in the middle worth 3 points, opponents quarter worth 2, neutral quarters worth 1 and your own worth 0.

Librarian

10 x Terminators with 2 Cyclones

4 x 10 Marines in Drop Pods with beacons

10 x Assault Marines

Craig wins the roll and gives me first turn. I set one Warrior unit up and opt to bring the rest in by reserve. Craig, unsurprisingly deploys nothing. Two Drop Pods come down in Craig's first turn, combat squading as they jump out, in my deployment zone and right next to my warriors. The marines take them down to one, who fails morale and runs.

In my turn 2 I get everything on bar one Raider Squad and a Ravager. I assault 2 of the combat squads from one Drop Pod and shoot/pin the other two combat squads with my Warriors in Raiders, Ravagers and the Raider's Horrorfexes.

Over a couple of turns I wipe the 4 combat squads through close combat and shooting. During turns 3 and 4 Craig gets down the rest of his army. The Assault marines and the 3rd Pod deep strike off the beacon one of one the Drop Pods in my deployment zone. The Assault marines get wiped out by Ravagers during my next turn.

He deep strikes both terminator units and his last pod in his own deployment zone, wary of the 2 points it could give me if he leaves it unprotected.

At the end of the game I capture the center for 3 points and one of the neutral quarters for 1 point to Craig's 1 point for capturing the neutral quarter.

Win - 12 points

I should have day 2 up over the next week or so.