Quick Notes

So my housemate and I split a Dark Vengeance box with the limited chaplain, and the models are pretty amazing, especially for snap-together pieces.  My favorite so far is that chaplain - I'll have pictures to post soon hopefully.  It's probably obvious that I got the Dark Angels half of the box, but I was also lacking a blast template, so I snagged the templates too.

Also, the rumors/leaked photos about the new Dark Angels models are pretty incredible.  I know a lot of people on the 'net don't like them, but even the kind of odd looking land speeder looks very cool to me.  Of course I like the GW Exorcist SoB tank that looks like a mobile pipe organ, so that might be somewhat predictable.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the Dark Knights models, as well as the rules for the crazy plasma guns they have on the front of the bikes rather than the usual bolters.

In other news, I may also start a small detachment of IG for use as Allies and to give me an excuse to eventually buy a Shadowsword kit.

Enough babbling for now - I'll try to get some pictures put up after the holiday.

Move and new models

So, I haven't played at all or painted much if at all since February.  A good part of my army hasn't come out of its various cases for that matter.  I moved back to Pennsylvania in March, and the room we're going to use for gaming is still being painted, so its staying put away for the moment.

However...

I received two models as presents, the WD Crimson Fists model, and a Storm Talon flyer.  I have to say that I LOVE both models and just finished the basics of putting them together yesterday.  The Storm Talon I plan on magnetizing so that the weapon pods can carry either of the missile options or the heavy bolters.  With the Allies rules of 6th edition, I'm going to build a small Crimson Fists contingent, probably re-purposing some of the retarded amount of tactical marines I have in my Chorus Lucia colors.  I'll also be painting the Vanguard Veterans I picked up at Warhammer World in CF colors.

Maybe I'm just lucky with Finecast so far, but the only thing wrong with my Vanguard Vets was bent swords (fixed after a couple tries with nearly boiling water from a tea kettle), and the Crimson Fists model is perfect as far as I can tell.  No bubbles, the banner shaft is straight and solid, and only minimal flash.  The model is beautifully detailed, and I honestly can't wait to get it primed.

The flyer looks better in person than it did when I first saw the pictures online.  The weapon pods are a lot smaller than the pictures give the impression of, and they seem much more like a part of the machine.  The main engines built near the rear of the model are connected and pivot together, and the twin-linked assault cannons move smoothly.  The tech marine pilot is essentially the same as the one included in the Ravenwing upgrade pack, and seems to suit the model well.

I've read through my housemates copy of the new rules as well.  I like what I've seen thus far, though having only played a few games of 5th ed, I'm a little worried that I'll NEVER learn all the rules as well as I'd like.

Noobhammer Tournament at Cabin Fever

Played in my first tournament today, one specifically for new players, which was 3 games, 2 hours each, in one day.  I did alright... first game was a disaster - got table-wiped by greenskins.  The other two games I won, by narrow margins.  2nd game was against vanilla space marines, but my opponent a 15 year old) didn't realize the primary goal was objectives and not kill or victory points - he had me easily on those, but he also thought his Vindicator was going to be a scoring unit, so my 4 remaining troops were the only ones near an objective.  The 3rd game was actually the best, most fun game I've had so far.  This was another kid, but he knew the rules way better than I did, was helpful and holy crap was it close.  In order of importance for the game, as written:  We tied on kill points (4 each).  Then we tied on objectives (2 each).  Then we tied on quarter control (again 2 each) and finally on victory points, I won by 4.5 - that's right FOUR POINT FIVE points!  It was something like 392.5 to 397... it was a really well fought, fun game - and it's easily the best I've felt about PLAYING the game so far.

My list was (and yes, I'm an Army Builder addict):



1500 Pts - Dark Angels Roster

Total Roster Cost: 1500

HQ: Sammael, Master of the Ravenwing (1#, 205 pts)
   1 Sammael, Master of the Ravenwing, 0 pts
      1 ...on Jetbike, 205 pts

Troops: Upgraded Ravenwing Attack Squadron (4#, 210 pts)
   1 Upgraded Ravenwing Attack Squadron, 0 pts
      2 Bike Squad, 105 pts = 2 * 40 (base cost 40) + Meltagun x1 10 + Apothecary 15
         1 Sergeant, 55 pts = (base cost 40 + Power Weapon 15)
      1 Attack Bike, 50 pts

HQ: Ezekiel, Grand Master of Librarians (1#, 170 pts)
   1 Ezekiel, Grand Master of Librarians, 170 pts

3rd Tactical Squad - The Blooded (11#, 265 pts)
   9 Tactical Squad, 159 pts = 9 * 16 (base cost 16) + Flamer 5 + Heavy Bolter 10
      1 Sergeant, 18 pts
      1 Razorback - Faith, 85 pts = (base cost 50 + Dozer Blade 5 + Twin-Linked Lascannon 30)

4th Tactical Squad - Corvus (5#, 90 pts)
   4 Tactical Squad, 72 pts = 4 * 18
      1 Sergeant, 18 pts

Elite: Company Veterans Squad (10#, 280 pts)
   9 Company Veterans Squad, 225 pts = 9 * 20 (base cost 20) + Combat Shield x1 5 + Power Weapon x2 30 + Missile Launcher 10
      1 Razorback, 55 pts = (base cost 50 + Dozer Blade 5)

Heavy Support: Predator (1#, 190 pts)
   1 Predator, 190 pts = (base cost 70 + Dozer Blade 5 + Hunter-killer Missile 15 + Pintle-mounted Storm Bolter 5 + Lascannon (each side) 60) + Twin-Linked Lascannon 35

Heavy Support: Whirlwind (1#, 90 pts)
   1 Whirlwind, 90 pts = (base cost 85 + Dozer Blade 5)

Krylon Primer

So, I've sprayed some veterans, some legion of the damned and some terrain with the new Krylon primer... and frankly I like it more than Citadel - by leaps and bounds.  It takes a little more spray to coat completely, but you lose no details I can notice, there's none of the DUST the two cans of Citadel I've used so far have left... and it has a better texture.  I know that sounds weird, but I'm an art nerd, live with it.

Coffee

One of these days I'll stop dipping my brush in my coffee.  That is all.

A tie, additions, and thoughts for future games

So, up until last week I had only played games against Eldar and gotten my butt kick, though sometimes the games were shortened, and I might have been able to do better given more rounds.  Last week I got to play against an IG army, Vostroyans, and one of the best painted armies I've ever seen.  It was Capture and Control, Pitched Battle fight.  I geared my army to go up against a mechanized list (two multi-meltas, 1 all lascannon Predator, several infantry lascannons, and at least 3 infantry melta-guns), but he brought almost all ground-pounders, with a rough rider's unit, a flier and a banewolf that came in off reserve near the end.  Sadly, the Vendetta, supported by a couple heavy weapons squads, came in and took out my entire tac squad on its side of the board before the multi-melta with them could even get a shot off, so I lost that objective.  My Whirlwind made a great first showing, beating the hell out of his command squad and the surrounding troopers - thank you Incendiary Castellan missiles, and my dev squad and Predator did more damage than they took, so I'm pleased all in all with my performance (a first).

My knowledge of the rules is still a little shakey, and I may have a tendency to start to give up too easily (I almost conceded when that tactical squad got wiped out), but I was able to make a tie.  If I'd understood the rules for occupying a objective and the terrain in use I may have been able to win.  It was a fun game, and a great learning experience.

I received several game related presents for the winter holidays.  Em got me an awesome Fortress of Redemption, my housemate got me a new Razorback, and I also got my hands on a new veteran's squad and an Imperial Bastion.  My total painted and playable is up to about 6500 points, though the biggest army I can field is about 4300.  I may put up full lists later in the week or next week when I'm home.  Hopefully next week I can get a game in against an old-school Chaos army... we'll see how I can do there.

So, I picked up some Krylon primer - half the price of the Citadel stuff, so hopefully that will do well.  I have a plastic terminator I may use a test model, though I also have some metal Ral Partha models in various states of disrepair that I may try instead, at least those can be stripped.  By tomorrow night I'll know if that works hopefully.  If it does, I'll probably be up near 6700 or so playable points, maybe up to 6800.

I've also been trying to figure out how to do better against Eldar - witch blade heavy Eldar.  I think I need more heavy bolters, more assault cannons, and probably some TH/SS Assault Terminators - the heavy, multi-firing weapons to keep the assault Eldar at-bay, and and the TH/SS to counter their witch blades when they finally do get up-close.