Assassins, You're Doing it Wrong

So, GW, I know you want to sell models.  But don't you think that assassins deserve a little bit of special treatment?

I have three weird little rules that might bring assassins back in to fluff alignment:

FOC: 1 unit with the Infiltrate USR may be taken for every 500 points in an adversary's army.

Victory condition:  If all HQ choices are eliminated from opponent's army, you immediately win.

Special Rules:  5th Column - Every unit has the Scouts USR.

Simple.  Fluffy.  Effective.

Codex breakdown of what would be playable:

Units are:
Grey Knights: Vindicaire, Eversor, Callidus, Culuxus; Death Cult
Orks: Commandos, Gretchin
Eldar: Rangers/Pathfinders
Tau:  Kroot, Stealth Squads
Chaos:  Chosen
Necrons:  Wraith
Dark Eldar: Mandrakes
Tyrannids: Yrmmgarl, Lictor
Moar?

Oh yes, moar!

Space Marines:  Shrike, Scouts
Blood Angels: Scouts
Space Wolves: Wolf Scouts, Wolf Guard Battle Leader (Wow!)

Even moar?




So the idea here is to change the victory condition and change the FoC to match.  Balanced?  Not likely.  Suggestions welcome.

Love Can Bloom

Project Ghazghkull Thraka

Pedro here...working on a special project, well not that special but thought I would just document the progress of my painting of the Citadel Finecast Model Ghazghkull Thraka. I dont claim to be the most talented painter in the world so this is as good as it gets for me.

Step 1: Priming the model

Primed in Chaos Black

Step 2: Base layer

All metal: Tin Bitz
Pistons: Mechrite Red and Boltgun Metal
Arms and Face: Knarloc Green
Teeth: Bestial Brown

Step 3: TBD (Stay tuned as I work through this model with more updates!)

Tau, eh? Brave!

So, I feel the need to commend my brave companion, Pedro, for his choice in army for the NoVA Open.

He brought Tau.  Brave.

We knew it was a 4th Edition Codex army.  But, in fact, neither Pedro nor I had any concept of why the Greater Good was such a brave choice to bring to a tournament.  Brave, brave, brave.  That's what random people kept on coming up to tell him.

And then one kind soul actually took the time to instruct Pedro in how exactly he could increase his battlefield efficiency.  Markerlights, my friends.  Pedro got a crash course in how to use the Tau Markerlights.  And then for three straight games, the Blood Angels under my command had no chance.

The other phrase that sagacious NoVA participants kept throwing at us was "Target Priority."  At first we thought that they might be making fun of us.  You know, dragging up some obsolete 4th Edition rule and holding it over us noobs.  That actually wasn't the case, and the commenting wargamers were not actually condescending to us neophytes.  "It's all about target priority" actually means, "Actively pursue the part of your adversary's army that will have the most significant game effect for the least expenditure of your own resources."

The analysis of target priority is a complex interaction of specific army rules, 40k general rules, winning conditions, strategy, and player ability. For me in the NoVA games that meant going after Pedro's Pathfinders with my Jump Infantry.

So, based on his player base, it appears that Tau was a perfectly reasonable choice for Pedro, and by the end of six games, both Pedro and I realized that it really might actually be about prioritizing your targets after all.

We both learned a lot from the NovA.  Thanks again, Mike Brandt and the NoVA Staff!



"Look, there's a brave Blood Angels player that doesn't understand target priority!"

Custom Models from Shapeways.com

A quick perusal of Shapeways.com has yielded all sorts of custom possibilities for our hobby.  I cannot think that GW is too happy about this development.  How long will it be before someone models and uploads a whole sprue to this kind of site?  I am sure that Mark Wells is trying to find an attack lawyer as we speak.  Hint: Search "28mm" in the shapeways search.  Unique results until approximately page 30.

Hey GW, good luck stopping the march of progress!

Intredasting links:


Why, yes, I do believe that there should be a better way to find Cyclone Missile Launchers!



I can think of at least a Thousand uses under the Son for this headdress.



This store's name really speaks for itself: Dynath40k.  But there is also some fluff about Legions II and XI having female primarchs.  Above are female space marine legs, contra-posto-esque.  You'll have to go to the site to see the torsos; they give a whole new meaning to nipple-wing.



These gangers are apparently not for sale, but they deserve a mention for quality.



Wait a minunte, something about this seems familiar.



How about twenty of them?



So, I guess that this is a good example of a side-by-side of the model and the print.

Bloodnought List

I hear that you can fit 11 Dreadnaughts in to a BA list... Let's see what that looks like.



Selections total 4395 points:

HQ (525pts)

• Mephiston, Lord of Death (250pts)
• The Sanguinor, Exemplar of the Host (275pts)

Elites (630pts)

• Furioso Dreadnought (210pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Furioso Librarian (175pts)
    Shield of Sanguinius, Wings of Sanguinius
• Furioso Dreadnought (210pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Furioso Librarian (175pts)
    Shield of Sanguinius, Wings of Sanguinius
• Furioso Dreadnought (210pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Furioso Librarian (175pts)
    Shield of Sanguinius, Wings of Sanguinius

Troops (1954pts)

• Death Company (1025pts)
  25x Bolt Pistol, 25x Chainsword, Lemartes (150pts)
  • 25x Death Company Marine (875pts)
    25x Jump Pack (375pts)
• Death Company Dreadnought (185pts)
  Blood Fists, Magna Grapple (15pts), Replace Storm Bolter with Heavy Flamer (10pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
• Death Company Dreadnought (186pts)
  Blood Fists, Magna Grapple (15pts), Replace Storm Bolter with Heavy Flamer (10pts), Searchlight (1pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
• Death Company Dreadnought (186pts)
  Blood Fists, Magna Grapple (15pts), Replace Storm Bolter with Heavy Flamer (10pts), Searchlight (1pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
• Death Company Dreadnought (186pts)
  Blood Fists, Magna Grapple (15pts), Replace Storm Bolter with Heavy Flamer (10pts), Searchlight (1pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
• Death Company Dreadnought (186pts)
  Blood Fists, Magna Grapple (15pts), Replace Storm Bolter with Heavy Flamer (10pts), Searchlight (1pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter

Fast Attack (558pts)

• Baal Predator (186pts)
  Dozer Blade (5pts), Extra Armour (15pts), Flamestorm Cannon, Heavy Bolters (30pts), Hunter Killer Missile (10pts), Pintle Storm Bolter (10pts), Searchlight (1pts)
• Baal Predator (186pts)
  Dozer Blade (5pts), Extra Armour (15pts), Flamestorm Cannon, Heavy Bolters (30pts), Hunter Killer Missile (10pts), Pintle Storm Bolter (10pts), Searchlight (1pts)
• Baal Predator (186pts)
  Dozer Blade (5pts), Extra Armour (15pts), Flamestorm Cannon, Heavy Bolters (30pts), Hunter Killer Missile (10pts), Pintle Storm Bolter (10pts), Searchlight (1pts)

Heavy Support (498pts)

• Dreadnought (166pts)
  Assault Cannon (10pts), Extra Armour (15pts), Searchlight (1pts)
  • Blood Fist
    Built-in Storm Bolter
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
• Dreadnought (166pts)
  Assault Cannon (10pts), Extra Armour (15pts), Searchlight (1pts)
  • Blood Fist
    Built-in Storm Bolter
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
• Dreadnought (166pts)
  Assault Cannon (10pts), Extra Armour (15pts), Searchlight (1pts)
  • Blood Fist
    Built-in Storm Bolter
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter

(No Category) (230pts)

• Honour Guard (115pts)
  Sanguniary Novitiate
• Honour Guard (115pts)
  Sanguniary Novitiate

Created with BattleScribe

Wall of Dorn

This is what happens when I try to fill out all of the FoC in my spare time.  Too bad that Black Templars can't be placed in the same army.  I really think that the Sons of Dorn need their own codex (combining Imperial Fists, Crimson Fists, and Black Templars in to one codex.)

Also, this is perhaps my favorite Primarch Rogal Dorn picture.  It screams HUGE!

Selections total 4680 points:

HQ (375pts)

• Captain Darnath Lysander (200pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Bolster Defenses, Bolter Drill, Chapter Tactics, Combat Tactics, Eternal Warrior, Independent Character
• Chapter Master Pedro Kantor (175pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Tactics, Independent Character, Inspiring Presence, Orbital Bombardment

Elites (825pts)

• Sternguard Veteran Squad (275pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  • Space Marine Sergeant (50pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
• Sternguard Veteran Squad (275pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  • Space Marine Sergeant (50pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
• Sternguard Veteran Squad (275pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  • Space Marine Sergeant (50pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun
  • Veteran (25pts)
    Boltgun

Troops (1380pts)

• Tactical Squad (230pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  Heavy Bolter, 9x Space Marine (144pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Space Marine Sergeant (51pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
• Tactical Squad (230pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  Heavy Bolter, 9x Space Marine (144pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Space Marine Sergeant (51pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
• Tactical Squad (230pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  Heavy Bolter, 9x Space Marine (144pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Space Marine Sergeant (51pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
• Tactical Squad (230pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  Heavy Bolter, 9x Space Marine (144pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Space Marine Sergeant (51pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
• Tactical Squad (230pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  Heavy Bolter, 9x Space Marine (144pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Space Marine Sergeant (51pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)
• Tactical Squad (230pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  Heavy Bolter, 9x Space Marine (144pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Space Marine Sergeant (51pts)
    Boltgun, Power Fist (25pts)

Fast Attack (900pts)

• Scout Bike Squad (300pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics, Infiltrate, Scouts
  3x Astartes Grenade Launcher (30pts), Cluster Mines (10pts), 9x Scout Biker (180pts)
  • Scout Biker Sergeant (80pts)
    Locator Beacon (25pts), Power Fist (25pts)
• Scout Bike Squad (300pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics, Infiltrate, Scouts
  3x Astartes Grenade Launcher (30pts), Cluster Mines (10pts), 9x Scout Biker (180pts)
  • Scout Biker Sergeant (80pts)
    Locator Beacon (25pts), Power Fist (25pts)
• Scout Bike Squad (300pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics, Infiltrate, Scouts
  3x Astartes Grenade Launcher (30pts), Cluster Mines (10pts), 9x Scout Biker (180pts)
  • Scout Biker Sergeant (80pts)
    Locator Beacon (25pts), Power Fist (25pts)

Heavy Support (595pts)

• Devastator Squad (275pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Squads, Combat Tactics
  4x Heavy Bolter (60pts), 9x Space Marine (144pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Space Marine Sergeant (36pts)
    Chainsword, Storm Bolter (10pts)
• Ironclad Dreadnought (Heavy) (185pts)
  Hurricane Bolter, Ironclad Assault Launchers (15pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Seismic Hammer
    Meltagun
• Thunderfire Cannon (135pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter

(No Category) (605pts)

• Command Squad (210pts)
  And They Shall Know no Fear, Combat Tactics
  Apothecary (23pts)
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter
  • Veteran (38pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Plasma Gun (15pts)
  • Veteran (38pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Plasma Gun (15pts)
  • Veteran (38pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Plasma Gun (15pts)
  • Veteran (38pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Plasma Gun (15pts)
• Honour Guard Squad (395pts)
  Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts), Honour Guard (35pts)
  • Chapter Champion (45pts)
    Boltgun, Power Sword
  • Drop Pod (35pts)
    Storm Bolter

Created with BattleScribe

Dark Solitaire

	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
Solitaire	9	5	3	3	2	8	4	-	3++

Unit Composition:	1 (A Solitaire is a non-unique HQ choice in a Dark Eldar Army.)
Unit Type:	Infantry
War Gear:	Holo-suit; Clone-field; Harlequin's Kiss; Shuriken pistol; The Rive Blade; Plasma grenades; Flip-belt; Webway Portal (+35 points)

Special Rules:	May take Harlequins as Troops choices; Fleet of Foot; Dance of Death; Spiritless; Supernatural Dodge (3+ invul.); Infiltrate

The Rive Blade	is a Husk Blade that allows re-rolls on failed to-hit and to-wound rolls.

Spiritless	A Solitaire has no leadership value, and therefore never has to take related tests.  Attacks that rely upon the Solitaire's leadership value automatically fail.

Basically, I have been searching for a fluffy way to make a Dark Eldar themed all Harlies list. This is the best that I can come up with that keeps it simple, and yet covers all the aspects of Solitaire fluff.

(most of this was inspired by the Tempus Fugitives CODEX: Harlequins .PDF: link here)


***EDIT: Apparently, some folks like to use Lady Malys as a counts-as Solitaire, and just allow Harlies as troops.  There are rules, and then there are rules.

Primarch Sanguinius: Rules in Theory

Sanguinius, PRIMARCH OF THE BLOOD ANGELS

POINTS: 500 + points for HQ models

FORMATION: Sanguinius and an bodyguard of between 2 and 12 BA HQ choices chosen from Codex: Blood Angels.

SANGUINIUS: Sanguinius is treated as a Monstrous Creature with the following profile and special rules.

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
10	6	7	6	5	6	6	10	2+/4++

UNIT TYPE: Monstrous Creature

SPECIAL RULES

Eternal Warrior, Furious Charge, Feel No Pain, ATSKNF

Angelic Gifts: Foresight, Wings of the Angel, Psyker

Psychic Powers: All from C:BA.

Wargear: Infernus pistol, Spear of Telesto OR Sanguine Sword, Artificer Armor

The Spear of Telesto: Spear of Telesto counts as a master-crafted power weapon that causes Instant Death and grants +2 I.  The Spear also has a shooting attack with the following profile:

Range: Template, S: 7,  AP: 2, Assault 2, Rending (this attack will not affect BA models)

The Sanguine Sword: Sanguine Sword counts as a master-crafted force sword that grants +2 S.  The Sword improves Sanguinius' invul save by 1 in close combat.  If equipped with the SS, Sanguinius may re-roll failed psychic power rolls.

Foresight: May lose 1 wound point to force a re-roll on any roll from any player.

Wings of the Angel: Acts in the movement phase as if equipped with a jump pack.

(This version of Sanguinius is based loosely on the Apocalypse Rules for the Demon Primarch Angron... Reason being that Angron and Sanguinius are two sides of the same coin.  These rules are, to the best of my knowledge the only published rules for a primarch of any kind.  I tried to work interpolatively within C:BA.  This entry may warrant some revisiting based on more C:BA readings.)

Theoretical Dante Wing

So, the challenge here is to pare this baby down to 1500 points for a game with Pedro.

Selections total 4265 points.

HQ (370pts)

• Commander Dante (225pts)
• Librarian (145pts)
  Fear of the Darkness, Unleash Rage
  • Terminator Armour (45pts)
    Storm Shield (20pts)

Elites (1220pts)

• Sanguinary Priests (280pts)
  • Sanguinary Priest (90pts)
    • Power Armour (40pts)
      Bolt Pistol, Jump Pack (25pts), Power Weapon (15pts)
  • Sanguinary Priest (85pts)
    • Power Armour (35pts)
      Chainsword, Hand Flamer (10pts), Jump Pack (25pts)
  • Sanguinary Priest (105pts)
    Brother Corbulo (55pts)
• Terminator Squad (470pts)
  2x Chainfist (10pts), Cyclone Missile Launcher (30pts), Cyclone Missile Launcher (30pts), Sergeant (40pts), 9x Terminators (360pts)
• Terminator Squad (470pts)
  2x Chainfist (10pts), Cyclone Missile Launcher (30pts), Cyclone Missile Launcher (30pts), Sergeant (40pts), 9x Terminators (360pts)

Troops (1250pts)

• Assault Squad (250pts)
  9x Assault Marines (162pts), Infernus Pistol (15pts), Infernus Pistol (15pts), Retain Jump Packs
  • Veteran Sergeant (58pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Thunder Hammer (30pts)
• Sanguinary Guard (Troops) (200pts)
  5x Angelus Boltgun, 5x Glaive Encarmine
• Sanguinary Guard (Troops) (200pts)
  5x Angelus Boltgun, 5x Glaive Encarmine
• Sanguinary Guard (Troops) (200pts)
  5x Angelus Boltgun, 5x Glaive Encarmine
• Sanguinary Guard (Troops) (200pts)
  5x Angelus Boltgun, 5x Glaive Encarmine
• Sanguinary Guard (Troops) (200pts)
  5x Angelus Boltgun, 5x Glaive Encarmine

Fast Attack (645pts)

• Vanguard Veteran Squad (215pts)
  9x Bolt Pistol, 9x Chainsword, 9x Vanguard Veterans (180pts)
  • Veteran Sergeant (35pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Power Sword
• Vanguard Veteran Squad (215pts)
  9x Bolt Pistol, 9x Chainsword, 9x Vanguard Veterans (180pts)
  • Veteran Sergeant (35pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Power Sword
• Vanguard Veteran Squad (215pts)
  9x Bolt Pistol, 9x Chainsword, 9x Vanguard Veterans (180pts)
  • Veteran Sergeant (35pts)
    Bolt Pistol, Power Sword

Heavy Support (780pts)

• Stormraven Gunship (260pts)
  Extra Armour (15pts), Hurricane Bolter Sponsons (30pts), Locator Beacon (15pts), Twin Linked Lascannon, Twin Linked Multi Melta
• Stormraven Gunship (260pts)
  Extra Armour (15pts), Hurricane Bolter Sponsons (30pts), Locator Beacon (15pts), Twin Linked Lascannon, Twin Linked Multi Melta
• Stormraven Gunship (260pts)
  Extra Armour (15pts), Hurricane Bolter Sponsons (30pts), Locator Beacon (15pts), Twin Linked Lascannon, Twin Linked Multi Melta

Created with BattleScribe

1500 - 2000 NoVA Open Blood Angels List!

My scalable BA list from NoVA Open!  


(Subtract Astorath and the Death Company to reach 1500 points.)


I call it multi-layer deep striking!

2000pt Blood Angels 5th Edition Roster (Standard)

Selections:

HQ

• Astorath the Grim
• Librarian
  Fear of the Darkness, Terminator Armour, Unleash Rage

Elites

• Sanguinary Priests
  • Sanguinary Priest
    • Power Armour
      Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
  • Sanguinary Priest
    Terminator Armour
  • Sanguinary Priest
    • Power Armour
      Bolt Pistol, Chainsword, Jump Pack, Melta Bombs
• Terminator Squad
  2x Chainfist, Cyclone Missile Launcher, Cyclone Missile Launcher, Sergeant, 9x Terminators

Troops

• Assault Squad
  9x Assault Marines, Infernus Pistol, Infernus Pistol, Retain Jump Packs
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Power Fist
• Death Company
  5x Bolt Pistol, 4x Chainsword, Infernus Pistol, Power Fist, Thunder Hammer
  • 6x Death Company Marine
    6x Jump Pack
• Scout Squad
  4x Combat Blade, 4x Scouts
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Locator Beacon, Power Fist
• Scout Squad
  Missile Launcher, 3x Sniper Rifle
  • 4x Scouts
    4x Camo Cloaks
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Camo Cloak, Sniper Rifle

Heavy Support

• Devestator Squad
  4x Devestator Marine, 4x Plasma Cannon
  • Drop Pod
    Locator Beacon, Storm Bolter
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Power Fist