A fistful of Inquisitors.... checks

Following on from my purge of the Astra Militarum, my eyes fell upon the fine forces of the Inquisition.

A bunch of likely types - at the very left is the Ordo Xenos WIP

A couple of Rogue Trader classics... but personally I think the work Andy Hoare did here is awesome and I will copy it at some point...

Awaiting paint... probably another suitable candidate for Xenos or Hereticus

I have enough models for another 3 squads of 5... I think. Just need another Taurox so I can use the Formation

These guys go with Coteaz for that whole "I've been expecting you" shemozzle

My Ordo Xenos retinue

Some of the Ordo Hereticus retinue(s)

Some more of the Hereticus retinue

Ordo Malleus retinue

Lots of Eschers to be used as one sees fit (allied Astra Militarum veterans??)

Redemptionists... holding out for some new rules... and a new paintjob of course

More bits and bobs

Assassins and some Flagellants dressed up as Redeptionists (they probably need to go)

A scratchbuilt Arvus Lighter that still need to paint for some campaign gaming. It's only been 14+ years

That is a Valkyrie and box of more Flagellants and bitz

Moar bitz

Ah, my Grey Knights

Dreadnought I picked up cheap but needs a repaint

All my metal GK terminators in various stages of painting

All my GK in power armour that I need to make a decision on whether to keep them or sell and reinvest in the new plastics (same conundrum I have with the metal Terminators)

My vision of the future of my GK... I should finish painting them really

So I have another small pile of models to be rid of... and some more decisions to be made about what to keep. My goal was to be able to field one of each type of Inquisitor and 3 retinues so I've probably got more than needed to complete this...

The might of the Breslau Sturmjaegers

Possessed once again of a need to purge my existing collection of excess model baggage, amongst other things it gives a great view of what I've done, and what's still to do.

I am using this exercise to try and clarify the things I really care about 'finishing' (whatever that is/means), and letting go of the rest. This is the first of my armies to have the treatment...

IN ALL ITS GLORY

Command Squad (obviously with extra choices depending on what you take on the day), with attached Salamander/Chimera

Other options - the Techpriest has three really old skool servitors too.  I like the Priest and the Wizz... err... Primaris Psyker is also ace.

The Commissariat

Originally my Honorifica Imperialis Vet Squad sergeant, he is now my 'counts-as' Straken. Just need to paint his buddies...

Ogryn squad as seen in WD with their pimped ride (to be painted...)

PBS... or as they are now known as Wyrdvane Psykers. The guy in the front is now unemployed.

Militarum Tempestus Platoon Command Squad (and attached Commissar). Flamers are being converted to Hot-shot Volley Guns

Previously an Inquistion squad, now need their fatigues repainted

20-odd to assemble/paint

Alpha Platoon Command Squad with Chimera

Alpha Platoon Squads 1 and 2 with Chimera(s)

Alpha Platoon Squads 3 and 4

Alpha Platoon Heavy Weapons squads (need more 60mm bases...). Those Servitors at the back are guarding T-L Lascannon Tarantulas that I have had, in those bags, since they first were released from Forgeworld. Maybe I need to let them go...

Alpha Platoon Special Weapon Squad - currently under construction for many years, these guys have history but are needing some mates

Beta Platoon in all its glory (again, some new 60mm bases required...)

Veteran Squad 1 - masters of the alpha strike (in the good ol' days...)

Veteran Squad 2 - probably need to swap the meltas for plasma?

Veteran Squad 3 (Grenadiers) under painting construction

Ah... my old Penal Legion <sob>... they are probably going to be Veteran Squad 4 (designated sacrificial lamb squad 124857)

30 old metal Cadians that I had grand visions of turning into a Conscript Squad. Realistically though they are probably needing to find a home where they will be used.

Rough Riders... I have enough parts for another 5 to make a full squad of 10 but the tension between not really wanting to build/paint them and wanting to keep the spare bits because I will never get my hands on them again... grrr...

Flame tank of flaming flameness

If I have the points I take this. So... rarely. I think I have a multilaser somewhere

Currently configured as a Vendetta + Vendetta/Valkyrie. No plans for a 3rd

Commander Pask and his bodyguard 

Squadron A

The Big Boys... Demolisher needs his replacement multimelta sponsons!

Artillery Central

Probably going to use the Griffon as a Wyvern

The Pride of Breslau... and yes I can configure it as a Baneblade

Random models I have leftover (heavy flamer can be swapped into a Vet squad, the heavy bolter can be my counts-as Sergeant Harker)

So where to from here for the Astra Militarum?

Obviously there's a fair few models that still need to be painted. 

• Enginseer + 3 Servitors (I may have another one or two Enginseers lurking somewhere too)
• 25-27 Militarum Tempestus
• 3 Tarantulas
• 6 Special Weapons troops (snipers)
• 9 Grenadiers 
• 6 Leman Russes of various configurations in various stages
• Griffon a la Wyvern just because
• Baneblade/Hellhammer for those big fun games
• .. + 5 Rough Riders (maybe)
• ...  + 30 Conscripts (maybe)
• ..... + lots of rebasing

There wouldn't be much left to buy if money was no hindrance... all I'd want is a squad of 6 Bullgryns... but I'd prefer some enthusiasm to get this lot done to be honest!

Anyone have a pile of 60mm bases they don't need?? :)

40k at ValleyCon - Errata #1

Gosh, only a few days and there is a question that needs clarifying.

The following section should now read:

Armies may only be constructed utilising any of the following options:

• 0-1 Combined Arms Detachment
• 0-1 Allied Detachment
• Any number of unique Codex Detachments*
• Any number of unique Formations presented in a Dataslate*
• 0-1 Fortification (total, not per detachment (including optional upgrades) which are listed in the GW publication Stronghold Assault, using the rules for Buildings in the main Rulebook pg 110 - 113 (including your opponent being able to take control of them...) Please note that, as per the Rules, the Fortification must be able to be deployed wholly in your deployment zone AND, as the terrain is fixed, there's no moving terrain to accommodate your building.)
• 0-1 Lord of War or Gargantuan Creature (and only if listed in the army’s parent Codex, e.g. Logan Grimnar, Ork Stompa, Stormsurge etc.).**

* Each specific Codex Detachment and Dataslate Formation is considered unique (0-1) and may not be duplicated.

** The exception to the Lords of War restriction is Codex: Imperial Knights, using the above restrictions regarding Detachments/Formations. Any army (other than an Imperial Knights force) may take an Oathsworn Imperial Knight detachment made up of a single Imperial Knight (for clarity: you can only take 1 Knight in your Oathsworn detachment, not 2 or 3. If you want to take 2 or 3 then perhaps you should take Imperial Knights as your Primary Detachment... and then some Formations). 

Yes this means you could potentially take two Lords of War equivalents e.g. a Wraithknight and an Imperial Knight and that's probably ok (I assume there will be some fluffy justification for it or alternatively 'it's really effective'). 

Just be thoughtful if you are taking either Allies of Convenience, Desperate Allies, or Come the Apocalypse Allies that you need to be pretty good at remembering the restrictions that are applicable, particularly the One Eye Open rules (see main Rulebook pg 127). You have been warned advised :-)

40k at ValleyCon 2016

I have been asked and subsequently volunteered to umpire 40k at the Hutt Club's annual tournament, ValleyCon 2016.

Registration details are here.

40k Players pack can be found here.

The important bits:

Army Restrictions

Only codices or supplements that are released prior to December 24, 2015 will be allowed in this event.

Armies must:

• Consist of 1750 points or less
• Be Battle-forged (no Unbound armies)

Armies may only be constructed utilising any of the following options:

• 0-1 Combined Arms Detachment
• 0-1 Allied Detachment
• Any number of unique Codex Detachments*
• Any number of unique Formations presented in a Dataslate*
• 0-1 Fortification (total, not per detachment (including optional upgrades) which are listed in the GW publication Stronghold Assault, using the rules for Buildings in the main Rulebook pg 110 - 113 (including your opponent being able to take control of them...) Please note that, as per the Rules, the Fortification must be able to be deployed wholly in your deployment zone AND, as the terrain is fixed, there's no moving terrain to accommodate your building.)
• 0-1 Lord of War (and only if listed in the army’s parent Codex, e.g. Logan Grimnar, Ork Stompas, etc.).

* Each specific Codex Detachment and Dataslate Formation is considered unique (0-1) and may not be duplicated.

Armies may not include:

• Apocalypse/Planetstrike/CityFight/Escalation/Spearhead/Stronghold Assault/etc War Zone supplements (exception see above re Stronghold Assault). Note that unsurprisingly you cannot use the Lords of War Warlord traits from Warhammer 40,000: Escalation
• Apocalypse Formations
• Forge World army lists/formations/detachments
• Forge World units (it is completely appropriate to use FW models as proxies for core rules models, as long as they are not too divergent)
• Material or army lists from the Horus Heresy books (using HH models in your 40k army is acceptable, as long as they are not used as proxies for something else)
• No Rules or Army Lists marked as ‘Trial’ or ‘Optional’

I believe there is space for about 20 players so if you are interested in playing, get in and register early!

Damocles campaign weekend

Over the long weekend I had the good fortune and time (due to a supportive sister-in-law) to participate in a Damocles campaign.

It was three a side, Space Marines (Iron Hands, Blood Angels, and Imperial Fists) vs the Tau and their enlightened ex-Astra Militarum allies.

I assumed the role of the human military Governor, with his allied Tau commander and some Kroot auxiliaries.

Before I arrived there was a BFG game that allowed bonuses to be gained for the actual 40k games. It appeared that the Tau got the best of the exchange, stopping the Imperial bulk troop carriers from making it planetside.

Game 1 was Planetstrike at 1750pts, vs Chris with his Blood Angels

Lots of space for things to drop into the open

Ready and waiting

SURPRISE!

Lucky for me the Blood Angels turned up a bit erratically and I managed to KEEP THEM THE HELL AWAY FROM MY LINES. Dante was a bit of a boss, I took a couple of wounds off him shooting but then he got stuck into the unfortunate Tau Crisis suit commander... 'nuff said.

The next day we had a couple of Kill Team games (no photos sorry) to try and get more bonuses for the large multiplayer game. My first game I was the attacker and managed to beat Leon's Iron Hands, then got smashed in 2 turns by Glen's Imperial Fists. Stupid failed bottle tests :)

Finally we settled down for the 6000pt a side game...

The final battlefield

Glen says "we've got this"

The famed Tau tactic "omggetawayfromthatflank-yon"

Marines and Sternguard... just before the basilisk shell hit

Twin-linked doom (oh and some terminators)

With nowhere to go the Vendetta has to fly into the teeth of the Space Marine guns

Sacrificial Grenadier squad

Vendetta failing EVERY SINGLE JINK roll

Brave Veteran squad holding up a squad of marines for 5 close combat phases until luck ran the hell out

Governor K'err screaming "Imperialis Eunt Domus!"

Failing all his jink rolls

Tau desperately trying to secure his body

The end of the game... phew

Thoroughly enjoyable weekend all round - and a well ground out draw (a bit like Damocles itself). 

Thanks to Wil for hosting and all my erstwhile allies and opponents!

Being a bit 'quietly'

It has been a bit 'quietly' lately, no painting as such but I have had a couple of games (of which I took <2 photos total... fail). 

First up was a game of Age of Sigmar against Seb. We kept it simple as we were playing on a 2'x2'. He took 28 wounds worth of Sigmar's finest. Against him I took Gen's (High) Aelfs.

The field of Order and glory

This was actually my first game of AoS... and I really enjoyed it (and not just because I was having a game with my son... although that was pretty awesome). My initial impressions was that the mechanism was easy to follow, but there certainly were hints of tactics/combos that could be utilised in a normal-sized-game-whatever-that-is. Obviously need to play a lot more but it didn't seem as 'dumb' as some have raged.

My only comment at this stage is that there does need to be some mechanism for pickup games that is easy to follow. I have had a look at a couple of the fan created systems - maybe I am missing something that more playing will illuminate - but they appear to be... complicated. 

I also really don't like the bonuses for winning previous games... that's great for a campaign but... yeah. Anyway.

Certainly Swordmasters were pretty scary - 2 attacks each hitting on 3+ wounding on 3+ Rending 1 makes them pretty hard hitting! Upping that unit to 20+...

Note: Seb won (that guy on the Dracothingamy mount smashes things good)

Imperialis Eunt Domus

This weekend I was invited to and am playing in a Damocles campaign with 5 other (relatively) local players. I will be assuming the role of the Independent People's Front joining the glorious Tau for the Greater Good.

Our aim is to throw off the yoke of the oppressive Ministorum - because apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, protection from Eldar, Chaos and Tyranids, the fresh water system and public health, what has the Imperium ever done for us?

I hear the Blood Angel commander is called Naughtius Maximus.

The plan is 1750pts Planetstrike tonight, with Kill Team tomorrow morning and then a 6000pts a side multiplayer tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I will actually remember how my camera works.