Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Epic 30k - Reinforcements for Horus

XVI Legion reinforcements for Epic 30k

More 30k painting, but switching back to Epic.  Here are some more reinforcements the XVI Legion, the Sons of Horus. These fellows have been under the brush here and there for a couple of weeks but were largely finished up last week while I visited the cabin in beautiful Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.

Tactical marines and Dreadnoughts

This bundle of reinforcements for the Sons of Horus includes three Land Raiders, two Rhinos, a twenty-man detachment of tactical marines, a pair of very shooty Dreadnoughts, and two of larger Land Raider variants - a Cerberus for zapping stubborn things at longer distances, and a Typhon for those nasty things in the universe best dealt with via 300mm, depleted-unobtanium-coated rounds fired at point blank range.  I expect the XVI Legion would use this in more urban situations, from busting into fortifications to dealing with pro-democracy protests...

Typhon - for short range attention that only a Space Marine Legion can provide

Cerberus tank destroyer - useful for longer range abuse

There was no particular rhyme or reason to these painting selections.  I will often start out thinking that I am going to "round out" a given force (more tactical marines, more Rhinos) and then while I am at it I'll also "add this small element to it" (Cerberus and Typhon), which will then need "rounding out" later...it's either a vicious circle, or a beautiful cycle of hobby life, depending on your perspective.

The infantry bases are the same size as the small bases from "Flames of War"


These fellows will be making the trip to Brandon, Manitoba this weekend for Prairiecon 2016.  Once again this year several Conscripts will be making the trip down the highway to Brandon to host games and participate.  I look forward to it every year.  This year we will be running several games, including a game of Epic 30k pitting the enlightened and devoted followers of Horus' bold agenda for hope and change against the sad dupes of the so-called Emperor, who will appear in the form of the VII Legion, the "Imperial Fists".

Horus Heresy classics - the Space Marine Land Raider!
I think I put the wrong roman numeral on that Rhino, now that I look at it...Horus would not be pleased (although Mortarian would probably chuckle - I mean, if a guy like that ever chuckled...)

As always, I leave some painting to the last minute in a rush to try and get more stuff ready for the table, so I'm hoping to have at least one more post with further reinforcements for both sides before the weekend...if you are in the area, come on down to Prairiecon!

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Necromunda League - Game 2, and catching up

Over the last few weeks the Necromunda campaign has proceeded apace. Levon had not been able to attend the first session, so I arranged a couple of game nights with him to catch him up.


Scenario 1: Levon (Orlocks, the "Oldboys") vs. Dave (Spyrers, the "Knights of Genetic Purity"):

Draw (Levon +1 bonus: Game Hunter: One of your model's made one successful shooting attack at long range this scenario.)

The Spyrers were randomly set up fairly spread out. All the Spyrers happened to be placed before all of Levon's models, so I was able to place a couple of his models in far corners where it would take awhile for them to get into contact.

Camera Roll-1055

Foolishly, I sent my Yeld swooping down into close combat with an Oerlock Juve, who put the noble Out of Action.

Camera Roll-1056

A Malcadon nailed an Orlock ganger, but was in turn put Out of Action by the same Juve as before!

Camera Roll-1058

My Orrus on the roof finally shot down the pesky Juve.

Meanwhile, the "monster" had appeared near my Jakara, who led her on a merry chase until falling into the sights of some Orlocks, whereupon the Jakara turned around and charged the monster!

Camera Roll-1059

Camera Roll-1060

She successfully stayed alive for a couple of turns, using her shield to soak up hits. However, losing two gang members so early forced the Spyrers into making continual bottle checks, which they eventually failed.

Camera Roll-1061

The Orlocks, also reduced in number, then failed THEIR bottle test the very next phase, so the monster remained holding the field in triumph.

Camera Roll-1062

***

SCENARIO 2

This scenario was more like a traditional Necromunda fight. To win, you had to force the other player's forces to bottle out, Each side got an extra model, a Lamplighter, to try and turn back on the lights after the monster wandered away from the district. You got extra points for the following:

  • Watch It!: At least one of your models used a Blast or Template weapon to target an area or model within 6” of the Mine Office or Lamplighter model.
  • Razorhawk-Eyed: At least one of your models hit an enemy model from Overwatch.
  • Prometheus: Your Lamplighter “lit” at least 3 structures or Lampposts this scenario.

The gang with the lowest gang rating chooses one table edge and deploys his models within 12” of that table edge. This gang is the defender and must nominate one building within 12” of their table edge as the Mine Office. The Mine Office needs to be defended at all costs and may be destroyed (it has a Toughness of 7).

Because of the poor lighting, vision range is reduced to 36”, models may run and hide in the same turn, and models may not use the Marksmen or Fast Shot abilities. The above rule does NOT apply within 6” of the Mine Office or any other structure/terrain that has been “lit” (see below).

Each gang receives one Lamplighter model. This model is considered a friendly model and may benefit from the Gang Leader’s special rule. He has the following profile:

M 4, WS 4, BS 3, S 3,T 3, W 2, I 4, A 1, Ld 7

Weapons: Lamplighters carry a Laspistol, Club, and Krak Grenades. He is so well-equipped that he does not have to take Ammo Rolls. He may be given no other weapons or equipment..

Armor: Lamplighters have a 5+ armor save.

Special: Lamplighters will only shoot as targets within 12”, defend itself in HtH combat, and may only charge an enemy if there is a friendly model within 6”.

Lamp lighting: When any Lamplighter ends its movement in base-to-base contact with a Lamppost or structure (NOT scatter terrain), the Lamplighter may use its remaining turn to “light” that Lamppost or structure. To do so, the lamplighter rolls an Initiative test. If successful, the structure is “lit” (see Special Condition above). We places a lit (battery-operated) tea light within or next to the structure to indicate the Lamplighter succeeded.

***

Scenario 2: Dallas (Delaques, the "Slicks") vs. Mike (Spyrers): 

Winner=Dallas (plus 1 bonus, for Watch It)


The Slicks set up by the Quonset huts, and the Spyrers set up deep near the train.

Camera Roll-1049

Dallas` Lamplighter lit some buildings.

Camera Roll-1050

Camera Roll-1051

Camera Roll-1052

The Spyrers moved forward and set up near the centre of the table. on Overwatch.

Camera Roll-1053

The Spyrers couldn`t hit the side of a barn, and a couple were soon gunned down by the Slicks, including a hapless Malcadon toasted by a flamethrower! Mike`s dice failed him, as his forces bottled off the table.

Camera Roll-1054

Scenario 2: Barry (Cawdor) vs. Dave (The Knights of Genetic Purity): 

The "winner" were my Spyrers, who also managed to light 3 lamps.

The Spyrers set up in and around the sushi restaurant and some containers. The Cawdor forces set up neat the garage and behind Taco Bell.

Camera Roll-1065

Camera Roll-1066

Camera Roll-1067

The faster moving Spyrers moved across to support the Orrus and Jakara moving down the street, while the Spyrer`s Lamplighter (the Friar-looking fellow below) started lighting buildings.

Camera Roll-1068

Camera Roll-1069

Camera Roll-1069

Some Cawdors were in the wine store, but the Yeld moved out from behind cover to get a bead on a Cawdor ganger beside a cold drink machine. A lucky laser shot took the Cawdor Out of Action.

Camera Roll-1070

The Jakara and a Malcadon then close assaulted the Juves in the wine store, putting them both Out of Action.

Camera Roll-1071

Barry`s Cawdors eventually failed their Bottle Test, granting the win to the Noblist hunting party.

Camera Roll-1072


Scenario 2: Levon (Orlocks)  vs. Dave (duffer Spyrers, "The Ranks of the Fit"):

"Winner"=Dave; both sides lit three lamps, and Levon gained plus 1 bonus for Prometheus.

Playing a few games, my Knights of Genetic Purity gained some cool skills and power ups. I didn`t want them to get too far ahead, so instead of taking my usual gang, I rolled up a beginning group of Sypre Hunters, named "The Ranks of the Fit." Older gamers will recognize these as mutant group names from the hilarious RPG, Paranoia.

The Spyrers set up on top of the Versace store and to either side; the Lamplighter was set up at the Quonset huts.

Camera Roll-1142

The Orlocks were set up in a skirmish to the east of them.

Camera Roll-1143

Buildings were lit as both sides advanced. First blood went to the Spyrers, whose Orrus shot down an Orlock in the middle of the street.

Camera Roll-1144

Camera Roll-1145

Orlocks move into the sushi bar.

Camera Roll-1146

A Malcadon with WS5(!) managed to corner a couple of Orlocks by the garage, putting both Out of Action! He was subsequently shot down by a rival ganger.

Camera Roll-1147

The Orlock leader set up a strong point in the sushi bar, with several gangers on Overwatch with all around fields of fire. The Spyrers were reluctant to charge them.

Camera Roll-1148

With three men Down early, the Orlocks were forced to take Bottle Test after Bottle Test,..

Camera Roll-1149

...which they eventually lost, and so fled the field.

Camera Roll-1150


***

Current  League Standings:
Dallas (Delaques): (2 games) 17 pts.
Levon (Orlocks): (2 games) 7 pts.
Mike (Spyre Hunters): (2 games) 6 pts.
Barry (Cawdor): (2 games) 6 pts.

***

GANG SHOWCASE:

Dallas' Delaques, "The Slicks"; these are all conversions of figs from east Riding Miniatures, with the flamer guy getting most surgery.: 

Camera Roll-1047


Mike's Spyre Hunters; Mike went with the same hunting rig types as I did:

Camera Roll-1048


Barry's Cawdors; Looks like Barry has converted some other ganger types, such as Goliaths for his Heavy:

Camera Roll-1063


Levon's Orlocks; Another gang put together from parts from various figures:

Camera Roll-1064


My Spyrers, "The Knights of Genetic Purity":

Camera Roll-991

***

Byron has an Escher gang on the go, and Mike has started a Scavvy gang. The modelling portion of the campaign is a success so far. I am glad to see such varied units, and I look forward to seeing Byron's and Mike's finished gangs.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

GW's 30th Anniversary Space Marine

30th Anniversary Space Marine Figure from GW

So, we'll kick this off with the disclaimers. Yes, it was a rip-off.  Yes, GW still managed to make it a partially bungled experience.  Yes, it was a plastic figure.  Yes, the plastic figure was oriented in such a way as to make any conversion you might want to attempt much harder than necessary. Yes, GW is generally run by a pack of rectally-oriented clowns who give both the hobby and capitalism bad reputations...

This was not encouraging when I first tried to order online...but it all worked out in the end

So with all that fan-boy bile out of the way, I just have to say I still absolutely love the GW 30th Anniversary Space Marine figure. A testament to my enjoyment of the setting. And my stubborn idiocy, perhaps, but I'll focus more on the first part.

Odd arrangements on the sprue...
...but it comes together nicely!

GW never likes to make it easy to like or support them - this exercise was a good example of this tendency.We had been told the figures would be available in-store only.  I dreaded a fanboy mob, but hey, I was keyed up, so a group of us deployed to the local GW retail location, only to find that five minutes late might as well have been hours late. All of the figures in the store were spoken for not even minutes after opening!

But fortunately GW had apparently misled its own staff, and the figure would, in fact, be available online as well (which makes sense because it's a plastic figure, and the idea that you couldn't run enough of them to sell to every fanboy willing to pay $35 for one over a weekend is hilarious, but I digress once again).  So I set my clock to order at the appointed time.  The initial screens were not encouraging (see above), but it all worked out eventually.

Trudging to battle with a funkified combi-weapon of some kind

The sculptors killed it with this figure - great job, I love it
Bottom line is that I was able to order one online, it arrived in due course, and I finally found a break from a recent period of intense time at work to put it together and paint it. And it's a fun little model.  I generally find GW to have an, at best, tepid regard for it's own history, so I was stunned to see GW even bother to acknowledge this anniversary, much less do so with such a nice figure, with a figure that would have all of us (or maybe just a dork like me) running to our copies of Rogue Trader to find these old castings in the photos.  That was a genuine surprise.

Remember these guys from Rogue Trader??? Awesome!!
The plastic is very well done.  The model is a beauty.  I painted him up as a Crimson Fist because it just didn't seem right to paint him any other way (although I do want to do one of these for the Sons of Horus some day).  The only downside? I used the stupid oversize 32mm base (the new standard size for Space Marines).  Looking back, he would have been better on a classic base, to fit in with the rest of the lads I have painted for this Chapter.

But at the same time, this really is not a gaming figure - more of a collector's item for the shelf.  Maybe he'll join a 40k game some day, but really he's just around to guard the gaming shelf and for fun.

Crimson Fist decal sitting awkwardly on the shoulder plate

Nice details on the backpack/power unit, and I love the handy extra-dangerous-looking "utility blade"

Was a lot of fun to paint this fellow up
I know a couple of the other guys scored their own anniversary models, so I look forward to seeing them painted up too.  And who knows? Maybe we'll figure out a way to get this guy involved in game.

I hope everyone else out there has as much fun working on this figure as I did - despite GW's best efforts, you will really enjoy it, and whatever I think of their rollout, here's hoping they continue to explore their own history for other cool figures.

And I hope someone out there mocks up the gun this guy is carrying, because a squad of guys carrying them would be just awesome...