The Ends Justify the Means

Long time, no type!

2012-02-05T08:36:00.005-05:00

Okay, so wow...I thought I was busy before, but I haven't had a moment to sit down and type...until I looked at my blog(wasteland) and saw, NOTHING for January.
I had a desire to get in something every week or two, and instead I missed a whole bloody month.
The Baby rocks, but wow does time fly now.

So, frustration abounds.
I don't have time for pick-up/friendly games it seems, so I've been attending only tournaments (and not many at that, won't even be making one in Feb at all probably).
I grew frustrated with the GK incarnation I had settled on sometime in Nov/Dec, after a tournament in Cincy...way too point-and-click, no thought.

I went to another one in Jan, and brought a fun/competitive list (mixed Razor-BA). I had a blast, but realized I had missed the mark (too much of a blind-spot) and got rick-rolled by an Ork list. That frustrated me further. Not so much the loss, but the fact that it wasn't even close. I don't lose that egregiously, not very often if at all.

So back to the drawing board, and back to my GK.

I have these wonderful units/models, but eschewed their use in favor of more efficient units.
I want to go back to these great models, but still field something with potency...
enter;
Mordrak and his Ghost Knights!

(yeah, I shouldn't have used the flash on this next one...but baby-meltdown has me using what I managed to take)

The list is shaping up in this direction, with play in the points to go in different directions...and a likelihood of replacing some/all of the Henchmen units with GKSS for testing further down the pipe.

-Mordrak
5x Ghost Knights (3x NFH, 1x NDH, 1x NFW)
-Coteaz
-Venerable Psifleman
-Vindicare
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Nemesis Dreadknight
(PT,Hvy Incinerator)
-Nemesis Dreadknight
(PT,Hvy Incinerator)
-Psifleman
(1850pts)

The Vindicare is a filler, for now, as the tweaks I have put me precisely 145pts shy of 1850pts (he has been a hit-or-miss for me, but on games he hits...he HITS).

Right now, it's a list to deliver my fun units and still (hopefully) put out a beat-down...but at the same time, not be so overwhelming (in the firepower department) that it seems less like a game and more like a desperate race to see how many dice I can throw down in one turn.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T08:45:00.000-05:00

To everyone,
and to reflect on the sense of the season.

I have been busy, and unproductive, of late...for various reasons, some of which are very good.

Here's hoping 2012 gives us all the good fortune and peace we could hope for. (excepting on the tabletop, where we hope for a brief respite before returning to an eternity of war in the 41st millennium!)

KrystalKeep Combat Patrol, and a fond farewell....

2011-12-18T08:38:00.008-05:00

So,
this weekend marked the final yearly 'Combat Patrol' tournament at the KrystalKeep.
As usual, Jim Williams ran a fast, furious and funtastic event full of much cursing, screaming and gnashing of tzeentch (and, of course, smiles).
Many a brave soldier(xenos, infidel, traitor)died yesterday, only to rise again shortly thereafter to wage the war eternal in the 40k 'oonivers'.
Final standings showed how strong, balanced and fair players and scenarios were, with a 4 way split for 1st!
Edge T (TAU)
John W (Orks)
Stephen (?) (Orks)
Nick S (Orks)

I had a blast, as is usual for Jim's events (and events that have been run for years up at the Keep).
But alas, this marks an end.

December 30th, the store will be closing for the last time.

Rick, Raj and the others who have contributed to the store, with their heart and souls, have finally had enough.
The economy, coupled with other major, and minor, factors beyond their control have taken their toll.
KrystalKeep has kept its doors open throughout the most trying of economic times, worse than any I have seen personally.

Those times began, for me, over 3 years ago in Fla. With the collapsing economy there, I found myself laid off (twice in two years), along with my wife. I moved to Ohio 3 years ago, fearing the loss of my hobby and friends due to a new environment.
I should never have feared.
I discovered the Keep quickly, and moved in...realizing that I had found a new 'home' in more ways than one.
The staff became friends, the players became friends, and within 6 months I felt as though I had regained my old community, with all new faces and ideas! I could never replace the 'old' guard, but I could sure start with the 'new'...and it was a grand beginning.
I fell in love with the community all over again.
I wanted to share that particular anecdote, not to make the changes coming about me...but to emphasize the impact the Keep has had on a great deal of people.

A club, a forum, an arena AND a place where 'everybody knows your name'.
EVERYONE I know, who frequented the place (and there were many in my 3 years of attendance) saw KrystalKeep as a 'home away from home'. A place to leave behind the trials and tribulations of life, sit down with a mental 'pint', and just be.
I have known few places with this sense of family attached to such a business, and doubt I will know many more.

I know I'm going to miss all the weekends, all the events and all the 'BS' sessions over our little 'toy soldiers'.
All these things that were made so much more satisfying due to the environment within which they were set.

I want to wish the guys who ran our little home all the best luck in their future endeavors, thank them from the bottom of my heart for providing all the joy they did.
I wish to thank all the players who accepted me from the git-go, and all the heart they put into their play, and their friendships.
And I wish to thank all those who sacrificed their personal time, effort and heart to run the events that kept us all in the loop!

a hearty salute to the end of an era, and now....

"Dice Down, gentlemen...Dice Down"

Wraiths Wraiths everywhere, and not a model to build!

2011-12-12T21:56:00.000-05:00

Okay, so whadda ya do?
No, really...what do you do, when GW supplies you with a grand unit that you really can't get models for AND they tease you with artwork that appears to be model representative, and looks great?

Well, I started hacking...
it isn't a grand conversion, more a desperate kit-bash, to produce a Wraith for play...but,

Taking parts from the seat assembly of an Annihilation Barge (don't like the pilots on the vehicle), sprinkle in Triarch Praetorian bits for a Torso, arms from the warriors that come with the Ark kits and add the repair feeder to same and voila, something VAGUELY passable...and 100% GW bitz boyz and gels!

I started with a triarch, as it has all the 'techy' elements that would make them jump infantry. Just seemed to fit, somehow.

This is a WIP, the first model in a unit of 4.
I will obviously be cleaning up joints, getting rid of a few things that seemed a good idea at the time, as I progress through the unit.

Any thoughts on improvement are always welcome!

Sabotage of the 40k gamer...marketing rant

2011-11-27T12:30:00.000-05:00

(originally written for http://emperorscodex.blogspot.com/ )

Okay, so I have this shiny new codex...one I've awaited for quite a while.
It is a simple little book, with undead robots, flying saucers and such.

It is a book that has been introduced during the reign of the 1+1 paradigm (unit+transport), the year of the (pseudo)flyer and the edition-of-mech...
and something is distinctly lacking...

something I consider QUITE frustrating (and with the lack of Thunderwolves, Tervigons etc, possibly frightening).

New models that SHOULD be here now, vs waiting for an ephemeral '2nd wave'.
I speak of the 'scythes'.

The biggest issues (with regards to transport availability in the range);

-1 unit transport is available (not the Barge, that's really a chariot, though a GREAT tool).
-A transport that can ONLY tote the basic troop(and attendant character joins) that falls short compared to the new and wonderful plastic Immortals.
-A transport that has questionable current-ed value to army synergy.

-in an environment where securing territory with mobility (while at the same time protecting the elements seizing that territory) is paramount to play, providing a new army with only one true method of achieving that aim is not a way to encourage a dedicated player base to maintain the loyalty they have.

This isn't just from a tournament perspective, but also a new player/fluff player perspective.

You cannot maintain enthusiasm for an army that will find itself constantly fighting the steep learning curve of short-legged unit availability long enough to capitalize on a 2nd (or 3rd) wave, if the players begin to see little way out of a marketing induced oubliette.

-with nearly all other armies fully capable of playing the transport-shuffle, you have to wonder how new player will react when he/she is told they cannot play the same game? Kids like neat new models, like the 'Terminator' feel of some of the models...and they are going to be told they can't do what you can, over and over again, as you paste them with your chimera mounted Purifier squads? (or other can-shuffled uber-units).

Kids are the future of our hobby, and have a distinct sense of 'fair-play' in them...and though the veteran might recognize this, and tailor his/her play accordingly...that other new kid playing his GK or SW won't always know this, and will play what makes sense, or was learned on the interwebbernetz.

-without 6e rules in hand, I can't tell you whether or not the GhostArk will/won't be DOOM on the field. What I can tell you is, though there may be ways to make it work in the hands of good(or great) players, they are QUITE over-costed as a basic transport. Slow (relative to other open-topped skimmers), with no inherent weapon flex (I'm looking at you, Razorbacks) and vulnerable in a melta-heavy environment (shared with other OT vehicles, as I said in my previous article). I'm using them because I like the concept and model, but I know that I'm going to be relying on excessive army synergy to compensate for a lack of protection for said army...protection provided, in spades, to all our Imperial enemies.

What I do see lacking, though, is a synergy with the rest of the vehicles in the 'dex. They slow down your barges, they slow down your scythes, they slow down armies designed around teleportation elements and they go faster than the Monolith. WTF?

They do compliment an AV-13 oriented army, but that's about it...and at 50$ a pop, requiring 4-6 of them (coupled with the 4+ 33$ barges) gets VERY prohibitive to be shoehorned into singular play styles.

Now I cannot argue that GW does try to maximize its income with controlled waves, to avoid overwhelming a saturated market, control mold/sculptor resources and generate peaks of hype. I can't complain about these things, as they keep the hobby I love afloat...

BUT,

they have also capitulated (as is evidenced by their most recent design trends, 'dex writers, and 'hands-off' approach on the GT circuit...not to mention 'Ard Boyz) to a more competitive player base. With a new edition 6months out, I cannot speculate how potent the units we have had given to us already shall be, but writing 'forward' could very well leave the Necrons flapping in the wind with regards to dedicated players when that finally comes about, and net fewer wave releases ('Nidz anyone?).

A slight tweak to the rules, making the Ghost Ark/Doomsday Ark more effective (points efficient?), and making them a 2nd wave release (eg; Dark Eldar Razorwing) while placing the 'Scythe' kits into the first wave, would have (IMHO) been a far better application of resources/release schedule than we saw.

Though I do NOT have a fear that we will truly see a 'scythe' kit fiasco like that of Thunderwolves/Tervigons/etc etc, the trend of marketing blunders leads me to fear some of the simple decisions GW makes, and question how truly interested I am in grabbing the next 'Big Thing' when it comes down the pipe...until such a time as at least the 2nd wave hits/is a few weeks out.

I, Necron...

2011-11-08T09:17:00.001-05:00

This is my first guest writing for 'The Emperor's Codex' (http://emperorscodex.blogspot.com/)
As my spawn has consumed my brain, and time, I find myself with little consciousness to write. What I want to write, I keep fiddling with and cannot commit to this blog with consistency...sooo, a friend has a blog, I like his blog, and with a psuedo-deadline/commitment to someone else's endeavor, I might actually write the 40k stuff I like more often! (though as per the norm, I mirror anything I write elsewhere here).

A wee bit ago (as in 6 weeks) I was accosted by a new addition to my household.
She (the squirming ball of stink that is my daughter) has infringed on all things 'hobby' and 'sleep', putting me off my feed...thus delaying this, my first writing for Darkmorals. So introductions;
Hi, my name's Mike and I have a problem, plastic-crack(or resin, or metal, but mostly plastic).
For as long as he'll tolerate my inane ramblings and self aggrandizing rants about the hobby we love, I will write guest abominati...articles for the Emperor's Codex!

So, now that the unnecessary is finished, to the meat! (note that this meat is for the masses who have the codex. as I don't have the inclination to write a unit by unit/rule by rule review...it'll be done to death elsewhere...I'm writing this from a sense of changes in the wind for the Necrons, and hopefully the overall environment. it's a review of direction and expectations, not rules/mechanics.)

NECRONS
The codex started as a little White Dwarf raider list (back when WD produced interesting stuff, and didn't cost you a car-payment to keep up with), grew into a list that truly frightened people for a bit and finally slid into ignominy as Imperial after Imperial Codex drove them under, with the help of 5th edition.
Enter the now.

The new 'dex has given us a few things, amongst them a new 'paradigm' of play.
-a base statline that is unique in the current 40k environ (some orkish stats, some marine stats, and the ability to resurrect regardless of the punishment meted out), AV 13 transport spam, and environmental manipulations out the Wazoo.
-the slow and steady advance of an implacable foe, under the umbrella of almost 'mystical' technologies that defy logic (in a fluff sense) and sidestep many simple/reflexive countermeasures.
-an entirely new 'universe' of ideas to work into the ever(if slow) changing 40k universe.

I shall elucidate.

-Paradigm shift.
The basic Necron statline (troops, and other related units) have changed from a MEQ line with low init, to it's own unique pattern. Variation between units, both troops and other categories, play hob with the normal 'cut and paste' mentality many modern 'dexes have. Beyond Ldr, abilities and Attacks, most armies revolve around a very clear performance pattern.
On the surface, Necrons seem to as well. But an inconsistent Save characteristic coupled with 'Reanimation Protocols'(WBB's new clothes), unit regenerating transports and Res orbs (that are expensive to spam, but can be if you really wish to), your opponent(s) will be making shooting/assaulting decisions based on a wider than normal spectrum of hurdles. Conversely, it will require greater acumen/thought on your part, as a Necron player, to fully capitalize on a synergistic mix of these unit patterns.
This adds elements of choice and commitment to your opponent's play and projections, and any time you can increase uncertainty or commitment decisions you also increase the chances for error.

Armour 13 is the new 'norm' for these guys. Their primary vehicles are slow, relative to other open topped skimmers etc, but tough.
Quantum shielding adds the +2 to AV 11 skimmer's front and side facings, but is lost with any penetrating hit. But wait, how often does an open-topped skimmer survive a penetrating hit in our melta/AP-1 happy environment of today? Yeah, it happens...but not enough for that 'downside' to matter. I'll take the fading AV-13 at least equal to a consistent AV-12.
AV-13 is quite tough, coupled with the devastating weaponry and open topped fusillades that can be delivered from the core vehicles in the list. Steady advance with punishing fire and resilience? Oh yeah!

Armour Degradation adds to the shift in mechanics. With Entropic Strike, multiple options exist in the codex to actually REDUCE an enemy vehicle's armour values or even negate armour saves on models. Though the latter is of negligible value against most opponents, the former can be devastating. Scarabs have this, finally elevating them back to not only viable but actually important in the greater scheme of the Necron strategy. Enemies projecting their tin-cans into midfield, counting on them to 'park' on the center, may well watch their vehicles truly become 'paper-tigers'.

-Tortoise and Hare.
Slow and steady wins the race.
This Codex has the potential to be an abject lesson in superior technology and attrition.

The Necrons have characters and wargear that produce night-fight conditions on a whim, nullify said conditions for their turn, other abilities to interfere with deep striking units (albeit not grand, can punish close in strikes) and finally slow down incoming assaults.

Working with Reanimation Protocols and AV-13, these manipulations make for a steady grinding advance that dictates enemy engagement through control, NOT maneuver/speed. Unlike IG and Tau, though, the army steadily advances instead of just(generally speaking) parking and blasting. That is partially a function of ranges, which overlap effectively in the 12-36" bracket, but focus at the 24" break for consistent punishment. Some units do reach out and touch extremely well, but they either have to get very close to do it, are exposed small units of Jump Infantry or are limited in effectiveness on the move (Doom Scythe, Destroyers and Doomsday Ark respectively...the 3 D's?).

-new Universe.
Fluff, now we have it!
Necrons really never had a developed fluff. The WD list from way back when was anemic, pretty much just an excuse to add models to the line in a growing game. It was interesting, and hinted at things, but never developed a real picture of these 'robots'.
The first true Codex made a race that didn't quite fit. The fact such a numerically small race, that was NOT devastatingly powerful on a model-by model basis, could have been instrumental in the downfall of the 'Old Ones'...and a major threat to the galaxy in 'modern times'...made so little sense. The characterization of near drone like slaves also lent little to the mindset of 'role-playing' your generals, something that keeps the hobbyist interested in developing characterful models, and kids introduced to the game intrigued.
This Codex changes all of that, adding a depth that frankly I didn't expect. Now, amongst other things, there really are legitimate reasons for civil-wars. There's a greater understanding of the 'War in Heaven'. There is a deeper delving into the 40k history and universe. And with little or no fluff to 'violate' in the past, even Matt W can't be vilified (this time) for ret-conning the 'history' we have grown to love! (so to shore up DrkM's last 'rant', shut up with yer whining...I've loved Necrons since 2nd Ed, I AM a Matt Ward basher/hater, and I LOVE this change).

This Codex review was brought to you by the letter 'F', as in Fan-Boy!
I don't normally laud GW, and have grown to become one of those bitter addicts who can't put down the plastic-pipe he keeps puffing on.
I have had Necrons in my army rotation since near the end of 2nd Edition, and after what Matt W did to my beloved BA and GK, I FEARED what was coming. Dreaded it, in fact...BUT, I was pleasantly surprised.
With good choices available in every Force Org slot, mixtures of firepower ranges, types, and a dearth of Melta I believe the Codex to be balanced and strong.
I DO believe that in the current 5e environment, they will be a middle-ground competitive (mid-tier competitive for those that believe in tiers) list after the dust settles and people begin to adapt (lascannon additions replacing some missile spam to nerf Quantum Shielding, more aggressive forward projection play etc etc), but I see some more subtle hints under the wrapper of 6e to come...and if they don't do what they did to Daemons and other edition-transitional codices, 6e may truly become the 'Edition of Xenos' (or at least baddies).

Thanks for listening to my rant, and if any commentors want to ask me to go into detail on my 'sense of things' in the 'dex, I will answer....but it's not my blog, and I've already expounded too much to actually do a rule-by-rule/unit-by-unit assessment in the main body!

the Three Laws...

2011-10-02T10:44:00.002-04:00

1st law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not enable rest, nor through inaction, allow a parent sleep.

2nd law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not understand adult commands, excepting where this would conflict with the first law (thus allowing blessed sleep).

3rd law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not allow its diaper to be changed, excepting times when this will impinge upon parental down-time, thus avoiding conflict with the first and second laws (lest she enable blessed blessed sleep).

Incoming...

2011-09-26T09:30:00.000-04:00

It's baby-time! If all goes well, daughter by evening? :-)

Ard Boyz-the Games (or 'how I stopped worrying, and learned to love the dice')

2011-09-21T20:11:00.006-04:00

Okay, so the Venue was good...now we'll look at the games.

I brought my DE, final incarnation looking something akin to this;

Azdrubael Vect
Haemonc (venom blade/crucible of mal/liquifier)
3 Trueborn (2x Dark Lance)
Venom (kitted)
3 Trueborn (2x Dark Lance)
Venom (kitted)
3 Trueborn (3x Blaster)
Venom (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wyches (Agonizer/Haywire Grenades/Snet+Imp)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wyches (Agonizer/Haywire Grenades/Snet+Imp)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wracks (liquifier)
Raider (kitted)
Razorwing (kitted/SCannon)
Razorwing (kitted/Scannon)
Ravager (kitted)
(kitted=Shock Prow/Flickerfield/Nightshield on vehicles that could take them)

I was supplied with copies of the lists from my last two opponents, my first having a printer malf and writing his list down upon arrival(having only one copy on hand). I appear to have lost them, so they are ALL being pulled from memory.
________________________________________________________
Round 1;
Scenario; Messenger (you know the drill, VPs with bonuses for the Messenger.)
Deployment; Pitched Battle

Opponent 1; swiss army knife Mahreenz! ('nilla marines)
Captain on bike with Relic Blade
Libby with Gate and Null Zone
8(?)x THSS terminators
3 Units of 10 tacticals (rhino)
2 Units of Bikes (full kit, with MM/Melta)
3 Units of 10 devs w/4x lascannon (razorbacks)
Thunderfire cannon

Okay, dispersed...but the thunderfire could actually give me guff. CSquadded Devs in his ruins (with bolster) were a significant threat as well, considering there was only ONE good piece of terrain on the board (right of center, middle deep).

He won the roll, and chose to go first...between this and his deployment, the game was over barring bad dice. It wasn't so much a true error, as a lack of understanding DE (I think). He spread out with his bikes, but cornered himself around his Rhino mounted messenger squad (which was his big Dep mistake, that and not making a biker troop the messenger).
I refused flank, opposite the one blocking piece on the board, and began to whittle him away.

It went as I expected, but not as I hoped. I killed what I needed, delivered my Messenger (while killing his prior to delivery), and kept it alive for the game. Where it came apart was turns 4/5. I just stopped killing things. Dice that loved me turns 2/3 suddenly decided they were 'used up'. I kept the win, solidly, but just die-stymied myself out of a Massacre.
My opponent, on the other hand, was there till the end and VERY fun to play. Other than his initial goofs, that he recognized on his own later in the game, he made few (if any) mistakes.
Results;
Major Victory/+2 Bonus pts.
________________________________________________________
Round 2;
Scenario; King of the hill (1 objective center, pitched battle with most scoring units within 3" controlling)
Deployment; Pitched Battle

Opponent 2; Fatecrusher Variant (daemons)
Fateweaver
Bloodthirster
4 Bloodcrushers (kitted)
4 Bloodcrushers (kitted)
6(?) Fiends (kitted)
3x 5 Plaguebearers
2x 5 Horrors (one with Changeling)
BIG unit of Seekers
BIG unit of Screamers
3x Tzeentch DPs full shooting and Ironhide

Okay, Fatecrusher variants...I don't fear these, but haven't actually played against one with my DE. Ah well, it's all about target priority. :-)

He wins the roll to go first, and...chooses 2nd. Well, he's about to have a VERY teachable(and painful) moment.

I deploy on my line with maximum dispersion...I give him one last chance, and ask him if he wishes to roll to seize. He laughs, and says 'why would I want to?'
I proceed to 'illuminate' him.
Full movement, with 36" flat outs on my 'Wings, and my movement is finished. I gave him three safe 'pockets' to deploy in. One in his left corner, one in my right and one in my left.
He kinda looks at the table with understanding dawning.
He spends the rest of the game picking up models at a rate of two or more units a turn.
Turn 3 he loses Fateweaver, and appears very irritated I didn't shoot at him until then.
The game ends (due to roll) turn 5. Unfortunately, due to his lack of understanding as to how Tank shock works (and a bad call from the TO, the only one I was aware of the whole day) I lose the massacre. He simply refused to accept how it 'should' work, and only wanted to shift units he perceived as being affected. Ah well, I'll take the major.
(note, if this seems like a less gracious writing than my prior round report, it is...this 'gentleman' argued with me a great deal after his turn 2, around when he realized he was losing. Up til then, he had questioned two of my moves and 2 ranges for shooting...both of which I was correct on...starting with turn 3 he questioned nearly every range and movement, slowing me down GREATLY. He actually FOUGHT me on the tank shock, and managed to flummox the TO. I don't like being slow-played, and merely sped up as much as I could. I think he was actually irritated the game ended 15min prior to dice-down).

Results;
Major Victory/+3 Bonus Points
_____________________________________________________
Round 3;
Scenario; Variable (random victory? the fu##???...If you aren't in the know, look it up...it was irritating. It's the scenario I did NOT want to play)
Deployment; Spearhead

Opponent 2; Dante-wing variant(blood angels)
Dante
Sang Priest
Sang Priest (jumper)
6x Terminators (LClaws)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Tacticals (razor/twin Asscannon)
Tacticals (razor/twin Asscannon)
3x MM Attk Bikes
3x MM Attk Bikes
3x MM Attk Bikes
Storm Raven (MM/Asscannon)
Dreadnought (Talons)

He won the roll, I failed to seize.
We were both tired, and at this point (with the AC out, and unseasonably warm weather, sweating our arses off) we just played.
Nothing stood out, it was sniping vs positioning. He reserved His jumpers and loaded Stormraven (Termies and Dread).

I positioned and played the game banking on two things, NOT getting the 'terrain' Victory Condition, and getting 6+ turns. (we promptly rolled 'Terrain Features' top of turn 3).
That, coupled with a ruling that Terrain pieces could not be contested on turn 4, I played 'out of position' for a turn and only managed a Minor Victory when it ended bottom of turn 5 (damn you dice).
I would LOVE to blame the ruling for throwing off my plans, but frankly...I should have spent turn 3 being a bit more aggressive. I let my inability to kill the SR until bottom of 4 influence me just a wee bit too much (counting on a turn 6) and lost the Major due to it. Sometimes, even when playing 'conservative' DE, you have to drop your balls on the table.

Results;
Minor Victory/+2 Bonus Points
________________________________________________

I wound up in 4th place (out of +40 players), much to my surprise. Had I realized I was doing as well as I was (hindsight, and all that crap) I might have been a little more pushy in Game-2...but assumed nothing but massacres would get me into top 3. The fact that this gamer pool had little in the way of 'gimme' players, and some unpredictable variables with scenarios, I shouldn't have been as surprised (not at my placing, but that few were going to just 'massacre' their way into finals).

Overall, a great string of games.
I really didn't get THAT irritated with my second opponent. My good mood game from turn 1 (my opponent and I had a load of fun) just carried me through. Probably why I didn't really push the issue on the Tank Shock...or accuse slow-play...just rolled with it. It may just be that's the way his group plays, and he didn't really see anything 'different' about it.

I will DEFINITELY return to the 'arena' next year. Until then, I plot!

The Good, the bad...and amazingly NO ugly! Ard Boyz Semis 2011

2011-09-21T19:17:00.002-04:00

Okay, so last year I had a...well let's just say 'bad'...Ard Boyz experience.
I had fun with my opponents, but the Venue not so much. I'm not going to re-hash it here, just reference it;
http://exitusactaprobat1.blogspot.com/2010/06/ard-boyz-semi-finals-resultsreport.html
(if you're interested in the 'review' of the venue, scroll past the bat-reps and read...it ain't pretty).

So, after last year I was leery to return to Indianapolis for Semis.
In no way was the player base onerous, in fact I genuinely had fun with my fellow players last year...but the venue REALLY left a bad taste in my mouth.
Honestly, with gas and tight finances shaving a half hour off the drive (coupled with the player base being solid players, well versed in the rules and genuinely pleasant) Indy was the only truly logical choice.

Like last year, I was up at the butt-crack of dawn waiting for friends to carpool with. Also, like last year, my spouse drug her sleep-loving (and now very pregnant) self out of bed to cook us all breakfast. Soon we were on the road, chatting about the game and life (but honestly, it was a bunch of guys going to play with plastic crack...we talked mostly about the game).

2+ hours later we arrived.
We walked in, and after initial shock(the store was small for upwards of 50+ possible players) we were directed to an empty shopfront next-door...and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Before dice down, nearly ALL my fears from last year were alleviated. Though terrain was light (for my tastes) on some of the tables, a genuine effort had been made to make certain things were good...and they were. So, without further ado, I will review the effort that Games2D4For (http://www.games2d4.com/) put forth for this years 'Ard Boyz semis in Indianapolis!

-Venue location-Good; not too far off the beaten track. All told, maybe 15 minutes off of I-70, and pretty straightforward to get to. Aside from minor glitches (My GPS AND Google Maps both led us slightly astray) we found it with very little difficulty. Located at a major intersection, with easily accessed food and necessities, it was a very amenable destination to drive to.

-Venue Layout-Good; Just as a store, it is good. Definitely a labor of love that has its heart in all the right places. For 'Ard Boyz semis, it was a bit small...but the ownership rented an entire storefront next door to accommodate the geekery that was descending upon it. That setup was well laid out, with minimal constraints to movement, and (space allowing) as much concession to comfort as could be delivered. Elbow room was tight, but not excessively so. Chairs were supplied for all players. Walking aisles were clear enough for any needed travel between games/for Judge travel. The only complaint would have been potential for excessive butt-rubbing, but it was less than I expected.

-Terrain Layout-Average; A genuine effort was put forward to populate the tables with playable, competitive terrain...and it showed. Unfortunately, consistency was not great. Some tables had very large blocking pieces, others had few or none. For the most part, terrain averaged just over 20% (between extremes). Low, but not crippling...and far better than last year. Consistency was my ONLY issue, as variation between tables was a bit extreme.

-TO involvement-Excellent; What can I say? He gave a damn. He walked the tables, responded to requests for input immediately and was quick to explain rulings with no rancor (in fact, ALMOST apologetically when ruling against someone...not in a wishy washy fashion, but in an empathetic way). Funny thing, he wasn't even supposed to be the primary (who was in a car accident on the way to the event...fortunately just fine) and had his girlfriend from out of town hanging out for the weekend. He sacrificed a great deal to make sure we were all covered.

-Ownership involvement-Excellent; Again, he(they?) gave a damn. Walking the floor and talking with the TO constantly, to insure happiness (or at least sportsmanship) abounded. It's an investment in time/money/energy for something like this to go off with little in the way of issues, and they did it.

-Transparency-Excellent; Spreadsheets, constant updating, posted listings/tables and even off-handed knowledge of pairings (etc) bore all the earmarks of genuine and unbiased involvement in all aspects of pairing.

-Timeliness-Good; A might late on a few little things, but frankly that ball started rolling with the accident, so no issues.

My only gripes for the whole thing (Venue/TO related) were really terrain based.

I think more varied terrain on individual tables, while maintaining a greater level of consistency between tables, would have been even greater improvement than an increase in percentages.
BUT, I also am of the firm opinion that 5th ed functions best at the 30% terrain mark (noting that the 25% mark really is a minimum, not a cap).

I will CERTAINLY return here if they ever do host 'Ard Boyz semis again, and may make it a point to drive out there just for one of their RTT's.

Thank you Games2Die4, for restoring my faith in the system!

Tales of a 4th place nothing!

2011-09-18T10:23:00.001-04:00

So, finally got excited about 'Ard Boyz...2 day before semis! :-O

Went to Indianapolis, my closest semi's location being Games2die for.
They did a very good job, with only a few minor gripes and a great deal of Kudos.
(I will write a full review sometime this week, but have a great deal to do today)

I took 4th, and unlike last year had NO lopsided games.
Each of my opponents were solid, with lists they tuned in and played very well.
I was also fortunate to play no repeat armies, or civil wars.
I brought my Dark Eldar.

My results were;
Rd 1- Major Victory (2 bonus)
Rd 2- Major Victory (3 bonus)
Rd 3- Minor Victory (2 bonus)

I thank all three of my opponents for well fought, well executed and challenging contests.
Mini-Batreps, scenario evals and Venue comments to follow this week.

Thanks for listening to my inconsistent ramblings, but with a baby 3-6 days out, the last month+ has kept me...well, 'distracted' :-D

Good Luck...

2011-08-13T07:34:00.001-04:00

...to all those playing in 'Ard Boyz this day.

I found myself strangely un-motivated, until the past week. Then I stepped back and decided to just have fun.
After a furor of list building and angst driven culling of silt in lists, I have gotten righteously 'pumped'; and am looking forward to throwing many dice (mostly on the table, but perhaps occasionally at opponents).

Have fun all!

'Ard Boyz...or 'Ard Meh...?

2011-08-07T16:05:00.002-04:00

So, is it just me...
or is the excitment for 'Ard Boyz kinda...meh...this year?

I'm having trouble getting all 'hot and bothered'.
I've already decided to drop out of the 'YTTH' challenge, and just run what I want...
I've already decided (assuming I actually place this time) that I probably won't do the semis (due date for incoming 'screaming ball of stinkitude' notwithstanding) unless there's a location really close by doing them...and even then, only a MAYBE.
I'm buying pretty much zilch for army tweaking (unlike last year, where I dumped an extra 120$ into my 'nids 3 wks out), just grabbed a few extra used terminators to flesh out my DW...stuff that I already wanted anyway.

Then I looked about and saw the similar sentiments being voiced here and there (and by same, I mean even down to the 'reduced spending' et al)...

It's just not...well, just 'not'...this time 'round.

so, is it just me?

Sister's of Battle (thoughts...and other such)

2011-07-26T19:03:00.001-04:00

Coming soon to a corner near you...need to digest...and stop raging...

The Good, the bad...and the Ugly (Krystal Keep RTT 07/23)

2011-07-26T19:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, this one's not going to be QUITE as in depth as Buckey Battle's event...but that's because I'm tired, overheated and babysitting a crappy dog.

This last Saturday, I went to an event at my local FLGS...the Krystal Keep.
I have to thank them for both hosting an event, and finding a TO to cover for...well me, most often. I got to play, and I didn't have to stress setting up/running an event in this miserable work-summer I've been having...yay! :)
That being said, the 'bad' & 'ugly' have ZERO reflection on the store, as they merely allowed a player to run one...one he asked about running, was not asked to.

The good;
well...it was a tournament?
honestly, he ran an event...stepped up to swing the bat...and I was able to step out of reality for a few hours and horse around with some friends. 'nuff said?
-price; 10$ entry fee. This seems to be on the low end for many events, and I was happy. It's a price-point I try to maintain for my events, to make it cheaper for traveling players (with gas prices) and younger players (less hard to get the 'rents to pay up).
-prize support; excellent for the entry. I don't know the totals off the top of my head, but with only 14 players on a $10 entry, I THINK it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $250-300(ish). With GW support kickback, that still equates into full money=prizes. :)
-terrain; adequate. Though that word does not imply perfection, I have grown (over the years) to be HAPPY AS HELL with 'adequate'! It could have been a little more consistent, and maybe a bit denser, but I only saw a VERY few of the tables we used that were truly sparse (ie;20% or less). That happened to punish my last opponent, as we got one of them, but overall did NOT seem to dominate the play.

The Bad
scoring records; poor at best. Having ONLY a sheet the PLAYER keeps in hand all day, then turned in at the end, is not a very good...or transparent...method of tracking. It can work, but only in a smaller event where everyone truly knows one another.

that's about all I would call 'bad'...

The Ugly (and it was very...)
-random pairings; see my rant, and ALL that entails, in my 'Buckeye Battles' entry...then subtract the mood of happy from all the good they implemented. That about says it all. Please, people, Swiss does NOT = 'random pairings'...just STOP!
-random scenarois; WTF? okay, this was VERY bad. On TWO fronts!
a) the potential for playing the same scenario each round (happened to me and one other)
b) the fact that each TABLE each ROUND rolled randomly, allowing for NO consistency between played rounds/victory conditions.
This is just bad, guys, and smacks of no small amount of laziness (or inexperience). At a 'tournament', some semblance of regularity and competitiveness should be expected. Not necessarily pure competition uber alles, but a modicum of uniformity needs to be maintained.
If, as a TO, you MUST randomize your scenarios out of the book...at least randomize per round for everybody across the board, not each game being potentially different. Much gnashing of teeth was heard.
-engagement; walk it(or talk it). There was little (or no) walking about the tables by the TO. In fact, for the most part, I saw him playing his own games (once as a ringer, as someone dropped out...but otherwise they just seemed to be pick-ups). This is also BAD...as in 'cross the streams' level bad.
You need to establish your face, develop a rapport and be aware of potentially developing issues (with scoring, scenarios, rules OR personalities) at every stage of an event you run. It establishes authority without assiness, involvement without intrusiveness and confidence in the event (or future ones).

Overall, without changes, I would NOT attend an event like this one again...
BUT;
the TO was totally new. This was his first event, and at the end he took a great deal of feedback from myself and others. If he implements a majority of it (from whichever sources, or all of them) his reputation AND events should quickly grow.

I'm giving him another shot, if he steps up to swing the bat again, and hope that he has learned.
I'm too tired and old to do it all the time anymore :D

How I've spent the last four months (and change)

2011-07-18T13:47:00.012-04:00

Howdy, Helpless Will back in the author's chair. Why? I blame EAP's rapidly accelerating senility, but hey, it's what happens when one achieves such advanced age. So, what I've been up to lately, and by "lately" I mean since the third week of February until a couple of days ago;

Yup, the oft mentioned Warhound is complete. My mother, decided that her perpetually adolescent eldest child needed a tremendously cool gift this past Christmas. I've said it before about a number of things, and I'm sure I'll say it again, "Thanks Mom!"

They say a picture's worth a thousand words. To me, these speak a few more than that. Sure, they speak to how a large chunk of my time has disappeared since late February, but there's a lot more associated with them, when I look them over.

Naturally, over the course of a project of this length, a lot went on outside of it. Without going into too much detail, the standouts on this one were, in no particular order, the death of a friend, my mother's second go round with cancer, my sister's first go round with it, my room mate's emergency appendectomy, and many lesser examples of ill fortune. The first half of this year has been expensive, stressful, and possessed of an overarching stupid and / or tragic sort of theme. In my direct experience, I was far from alone in this. Good friends have had their own share of misfortune, some much more severe than my own. It's not like it was my appendix that blew up after all.

Some pretty cool things have happened also. Two pregnancies within my circle of friends. A couple of friends are employed again after entirely too much time out of work. Every health emergency listed above has turned out about as well as could be hoped for, though my kid sister still has some lingering issues, they're not life threatening.

So, anyway, I got a Chaos Warhound for Christmas. I started putting it together in late February. It took until mid-July to finish it. It would have been done sooner but for all the distractions real life can throw at you. Now that it's finished, I can't look at it without a lot of pride, satisfaction, and contemplation of all that occurred during its construction.

Glad that's done with. Here's hoping I won't repeat any of it anytime soon. Here's some more pics. Enjoy these fine examples of my thoroughly mediocre painting skills, and apologies for the quality of the pics. Replacing my cell phone with a real camera is on the list of things to do.

Next up? A hint;

Stay tuned.

The good, the bad...and the Ugly (Buckeye Battles 40k GT)

2011-07-17T09:16:00.002-04:00

Ok,
so I'm a little over a week late with this, but I have been...well, busy is a word.

I went to the Buckeye Battles 40k GT a little over a week ago. (July 8th). I haven't attended a GT in a while, but a Friday event allowed me to attend without having to get a schedule change approved...allowing me to go to more than one Tourney in the same month.
I had some concerns about format, but Friday tourney uber-alles and I went.

We'll start with the GOOD;
-Terrain: Very good. Each table achieved a solid 23-28%. Most of the tables were thematic and aesthetically appealing, with a great deal of unique and carefully crafted pieces. Those that were populated with 'stock' terrain (abundantly available pieces from either GW, or a local guy who produces bits) were still laid out well, and cohesive. There were very few tables that did not make the grade, and for the most part they went unused (as there were just around 30 players, and spare tables if they went over).
-Judge: (same as TO, but how he handled himself as a judge here). He was a walker...my personally preferred method. He walked about, observed the games and armies. He talked to people when appropriate, merely observed when things were 'on the line', and was amiable. He ruled when he knew, referenced the books when he wasn't 100% and asked experienced players for input when available (a good trait). Excellent all the way 'round.
-Venue: barely tight. I 'rubbed butts' in only one round, but the space was maximized well with VERY little cramping. On a large stage at a universtity, set up for both the Fantasy event (Sat/Sun) and 40k (Fri) they utilized the space VERY well...and theatre seats provided GREAT between round resting. The only negative here was on-site food services...they were quite lacking (but compensated for by foresight on the TO's part, and delivered pizza).
-Organization: hiccups resulted (as far as I could tell) solely from late arrivals pushing us back by 30min. This was slightly made up by shortening a break when all players were finished on a round, and properly rested.
-Entry; 15$ for a GT (without much else for monetary considerations, and lunch included)? Okay, I'm loving it! (especially with the level of prize support...this was awesomesauce, even though I didn't really win anything...winning!)

The BAD;
-Parking: was a bit confusing, some signs discouraging parking in a restricted lot would have prevented me from having to move the car...but that was minor.
-Food Services: with a GT, it's usually a good idea to have a venue that has in-house food services. Less coordination on a TO's part is always good for a smoother event, lower stress levels to TO/players...and making certain it is 100% clear to all players (in advance) is important. GT's are grinding, on occasion, and having amenities for all reduces that stressor.
-Scenarios: when utilizing non-standard scenarios, you need to go to GREAT lengths to insure clarity. Two of the scenarios we played (6 were posted on the website, 4 were used for the 4 rounds) were unclear as to how they were scored. Only ONE was egregious though (stating annihilation, while actually utilizing only VPs), but knowing in advance that VPs were pretty much the ONLY kill-score method may have altered my list choices...but only MAY have. Again, these are minor gripes, as overall this only created a small amount of confusion (that was clarified right before round-start for the most part).
-Time; Four 2+ hour rounds in one day...after a long drive there, followed by a long drive back...'nuff said...it was a grind, and I have grown OLD! :D

The UGLY:
-Forgeworld; this MAY be the last FW event I ever play in. I accepted that I may be 'forge-worlded' out...but I had no real idea (not owning all the books) how FOUL some of the newer forgeworld material can be. Land Raider Achilles? Holy-Grud! I had NO answer, other than close assault, to these. And with a POTMS Vindicator using them as cover, my DW wasn't getting close...I felt like a 9 year old dropped into a polar-bear paddock.
If you are going to allow FW (no super-heavies/gargantuan/flyers), you have to make allowances for certain factors. My personal collection involves flyers, as I like them from an Apoc standpoint...and do not have the money to dig in deep for these things. Allowing flyers would have balanced some of the more OP ground forces, and not broken the system. (I think a Thunderbolt would have had the same overall impact in the event, as an Achilles...but that's me).
For a competitive event, with a great deal of prize support (from a per-player to $value ratio), FW should go. There is NO balancing factor, little method of coming up with a true metric for assessing your competitiveness (as there are few FW events, there are fewer opportunities to assess certain synergies) and no real method of assessing pairing factors beyond pure scores (as this event seemed to have done in some fashion)...it really throws Strength of Schedule out the window (see next).
-Pairings; Pairings for events like this, are normally swiss system...or some other method that involves 1st round random, and following round vs like ranked opponents.
Yet we received the packets, which stated pairings would be random...and scoring would involve bonuses based on opponent SoS.
WTF??? I had not seen this on the website, which may be a failing of mine for research...but I looked again and still didn't find this info.
I can honestly say, excepting for my round 1 opponent, I should not have faced (under normal pairing systems) ANY of my following opponents. Not even close.
Also, my 2nd round game appeared to have been a win for me (I assume from some SoS adjustment) vs the close loss my opponent and I thought I had suffered. That confusion led me to play differently in my 3rd and 4th rounds (more relaxed and uncaring) vs with clarity and sense of purpose.
This was TERRIBLE...utterly. Random pairings have no place in a competitive event. I get the intent, and none of it was done with intent to be obtuse or bollox people up...it was done (likely) to assist the TO in scoring and pairing times (as he was using, I think, the same system for both events...and had a much larger group playing for the rest of the GT over the weekend...AND seemed to be flying solo). That is not to intimate laziness, it is simple efficiency..I get it, and understand it...but wholly DON'T espouse it.
I DON'T like flying through an event with NO idea how the spread is playing, who is where on the tables...and I REALLY didn't like the randomness pulling me a PERFECT opponent in the last round (for me). I tabled him. I DON'T like tabling people, and I don't like TOTALLY one-sided games...he was crushed, but fortunately smiling the whole way (crushed in a game sense, not spirit sense).
-Sporstmanship; I waffled on this one, as it can be a taste issue more than anything...and waffled on where to place this (bad, or ugly).
But my 3rd round opponent clinched it for me. I have seen this guy in action, and he CAN be a little...pushy/arsey. I ran an event with him, and he was NOT easygoing in any game I observed (two of the three)...and nearly caused a real altercation one round. Yet the entire game (with me) he was insidiously fawning and complimentary. My army is painted well, from a TABLETOP perspective. Yet listening to him, I had a golden-daemon level army...with shading far above and beyond any skill level he'd seen. My land raider was shaded and highlighted beyond pro-quality...etc etc etc (you get the point). The thing wasn't even finished, just 'mostly' there. I cheated with washes, and hadn't even blacklined.
He was fishing for 'favorite opponent' votes with everyone, as far as I could tell...and if he faced any of the 'kids', that would have worked. I just smiled, swallowed my pride, and played on.
It's not that he was 'bad'. He was just fishing. If you're on the table at an event, you should play as you normally play in a tourney...not go in with a false smile. I am not espousing 'assy' play, but be honest with yourself and your opponent. Platitudes and alligator tears are insulting to a savvy/empathic opponent.
If you are going to 'include' sportsmanship, as part of a 'Best Overall' scoring, you should also make a clear 'checklist'. The scoring for this was a 'Judge' call, with adjustments based on observed attitudes/altercations/table tense-ness. I don't care HOW engaged you are, this will not reflect a totally objective view. My 3rd opponent 'ramped up' his 'compliments' on my painting whenever the TO hove into view...this was fairly obvious to me, yet would not have been if the TO was on the move elsewhere (and my opponent seemed to be watching). I also can say, that unless loud and heated, the TO could very well have missed some minor altercations.
If it scores into overall, frankly, it should be in the hands of the players...not an ephemeral and un-quantifiable fashion.

Overall, I DID enjoy myself greatly.
I played 4 people I had never played before (yayyy travelling), and did not repeat a single army type for opponent.
I will reconsider returning next year, but will probably not if the scoring AND FW restrictions/allowances stay totally the same.

Tired....

2011-07-17T07:55:00.001-04:00

ground under is more like it,
sorry for no posts of late...

Working on it now :)

Battle Points...and other discourse...

2011-06-19T09:51:00.005-04:00

So,
I played in an RTT yesterday.

I won't go into pairings, or scenarios...these were separate to the issue I had with BP scoring.

I don't like BPs...at all. :)

I took third place, in this RTT, and I LOST my first game.
The scoring was the all.

I lost game 1, with scoring that netted my opponent full BPs after my concession.
Those totalled 8.
I netted 2 points.
My second game, I pulled 8 points, my opponent 2.
My third game, apparently, allowed for the possibility of somewhere in the neighborhood of 16(?) pts max. And I tabled my foe, honestly without intent...it just happened (and the first time I have ever tabled someone in tourney).

So,
problem the 1st...consistency.

When developing an event around BPs, EVERY round should score precisely the same.
If there isn't a scoring method that is consistent between rounds, a single favorable pairing (be it RPS matchup, or skill level, or simply scenario favor) towards the end can significantly skew results.

problem the 2nd...transparency.

When putting scenarios to paper, ALL scoring must be 100% clear and concise.
In the first two scenarios, it appeared as though you could acquire bonus points beyond the 8 for a win, 2 for a loss (etc etc).
Yet after round 2 was over, we discovered that the 'bonus points' were actually a sliding scale of score based on various factors. Thus, all rounds were adjusted to scores of 2, 4(?) or 8.
After round three, we were informed THAT round's points were cumulative. If memory serves, that round could net you somewhere around 16 pts by that scoring method.
This meant we ALL played round 3 with 8 points in mind. Few players played for other victory conditions, just shooting for the primary (KP advantage).
I don't think anyone else tabled an opponent in round three but myself, and in doing so I MORE than doubled my total score...in ONE round??? That sounds like a comment to 'problem the first', but it's more a problem of transparency. If other (better placed players) had played 'balls to the walls' to table, they would likely have scored enough to put me out of top 3.

Problem the 3rd...nerfing round 1

I did this...wholly unintentionally, but I did. NOT the way I would have set it up (had it been intent), but I did.
This is the concept of taking a minor win/minor loss round 1 in order to insure favorable pairings throughout the rest of an event. Afterward, if running a hyper-effecient list or simply being a high-speed player, you should find yourself seeding against opponents with slightly weaker lists/skill.
It relies on pulling a more manageable opponent round 1, but it happens often.

This sort of shenanigans was the main motivating factor behind me expanding points spreads/going to win loss with seeding bonus points.

Problem the 4th...points spread.

It's simple, and does not need much expounding.
The greater the points potential/spread between win/loss and bonus points OPENS UP THE FIELD.
When running BPs, you need at least a 10 pt gap between a massacre and being massacred.
That, (combined with bonus points for various advantage, superior play or secondary objectives) 'nerfs' the advantage for first round nerfing AND creates a more accurate seeding for round 2.

I don't feel totally 'clean' with my results from yesterday, and credit the 3rd round scoring directly for that placement...

But I did take the product, in this crazy economy we have!!! :)

YTTH Ard Boyz challenge...

2011-06-19T09:20:00.001-04:00

So,
it isn't what I would have built for myself, but I've chosen to follow the 'Ard Boyz challenge from YTTH.

I've been enamored of Dark Angels (shifting to Deathwing/Doublewing as those armies developed) since Rogue Trader.
Though the list doesn't capitalize as much on mixed firepower/THSS units, it does compensate for the weaknesses I normally accept as a given in the DW based builds I run.
(his Ard Boyz list; http://yesthetruthhurts.com/2011/06/ard-boyz-challenge-the-dark-angels/ )

As I like playing outside my normal spread for some events, I'm picking up and running with Stelek's take on 2500pts of DA doom!

Looking at it, the list has it's own issues...as all older, short-legged codexes do...but he's filled in the gaps nicely.
My love for THSS models regularly dinks my ability to deal with volume/hordes/exposed infantry.
With only 5 man squads, the THSS assault does NOT compensate often enough (as was re-emphasized with yesterday's RTT). ESPECIALLY when that assault is against dedicated horde/volume assault elements. Hell, it even fell down against 5-6 man grey hunters (without power weapons) a few times.

As it still revolves around terminators, specifically SCORING terminators, I think I will still have a great deal of fun running it...
and who knows, maybe I will actually get to PRACTICE with it, before the event, this year! :)

GK FAQ FTW!

2011-06-13T17:55:00.002-04:00

Ok,
so finally with the GK love...or at least repair. :)

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1830601a_Grey_Knights_v1_0.pdf

No real surprises from my end, I was certain of all the 'major' clarifications but for one. My thoughts on the biggies (ie;not blatant)were as follows;

What counts as daemons? Well, obviously...Daemons! The inclusion of Oblits (etc) may be a surprise to some, but I was expecting that list. Mandrakes, on the other hand, actually lends a depth to their fluff that I was NOT expecting (though again, by fluff, it makes sense...as a confirmation of DE depravity if nothing else).

'dex uber BRB, dreads can score...simple.

A dink on the scout v shunt, as in you cannot do it...balance issue only, as far as I can see. If you can turbo-boost, you should be able to shunt...but again, I expected it from a balance perspective. Doesn't make 1st turn assaults impossible, just more difficult to employ/easier to stymie.

The BIGGEST one (IMHO), NO...taking Coteaz does NOT give you unlimited henchmen units. Common sense, if you ask me, but I'm not a GW employee so you never know! :)

Str 6 dreadknights without a Daemon Hammer. I was not sure how this one was going to land, to be honest. It makes sense, or the Hammer seems useless. I just don't get the need to add the 'doomfist' as wargear...beyond making it a Force Weapon wielder.

Falchions. Seriously guys, did you SERIOUSLY think they were going to give you +2 attacks? The wargear entry was clear, a pair = +1 attack. GAH! Read words, don't read INTO them! :)

And totally out of left field, nearly all the Tau weaponry count as plasma? Fluff memory fails me, but I didn't think they were? Oh well, at least you won't see syphons often.

I did miss an addressing of 'Crucible of Malediction' vs 'Psychic Pilot', and was surprised that no query came up of 'Psychic Communion' being used off table...but meh.

Overall, I was VERY pleased with this FAQ. It was not a nerf, it was not a rewrite, it was a redress. Coupled with clarifications in the new BRB FAQ (the big one there being, no casting of the same p-power by the same psyker in the same turn), the new Grey Knights did not get a bump over the top, nor did they take a hit I did not foresee...bravo GW!

Product Review Forgeworld Preheresy Assault Marines

2011-06-09T11:55:00.010-04:00

Greetings all. I don't know about you, but my resin addiction is climbing to whole new levels with the preheresy kits Forgeworld's been churning out lately. So, naturally when they sent out the newsletter with the assault marines, I nearly warped time in my haste to hit the "buy now" button.

Monday, last week, the first set showed up, and yesterday I finally had time to take them out and look at what I'd spent my hard earned wages upon. Pictures below, but first, commentary.

Overall quality is about what I'd expect from Forgeworld at this point, the casts, with one notable exception, are clear, crisp, and have lovely amounts of detail to lengthen the prepping and painting process. This batch lacks the mold residue that's been common lately. They weren't in the least bit shiny, or slick to the touch. The photos will reflect this, as they were take directly out of the packaging, no washing or assembly has taken place so far.

Overall, I'm incredibly pleased with the figs.

Down checks are the normal amount of mold flash, and the hands, arms, and weapons for the figs. I appreciate the versatility provided by the hands being separate from the arms. It's going to allow for a great deal of customization. The potential for dynamic poses is great. I am, however, not enamored of the pinning process that may be necessary. Glue, and cheaters pins might be sufficient though.

For reference what I mean by, "cheaters pins, " is drilling a small hole in either side of a join, just like you normally would for pinning, but then, instead of placing a pin, just use a bit more glue than normal to fill the holes. It's really just a way of giving the glue a bit more surface area to bond with. With parts this small, a couple of indentations is probably good enough.

The only serious complaint I have is one of the MkII Jump packs has a huge amount of mold flash. Definitely a leaky mold there. The picture below really doesn't do the thing justice. Thankfully, I only need 16 of the 20 marines for their intended project. The remaining four are going to be configured as lords or champions, eventually. I've got plenty of time to see if it's at all salvageable. You'll get a look at that project in some of my upcoming posts.

Only other comment worth making is that the MkV molds seem to be a little tighter than those they use for the MkII's. Less mold flash over all, and certainly nothing as egregious as the one jump pack.

On to the pics;

MKII Jump Packs

MKII Legs

MKII Torsos

MKII Heads

MKII Bits

MKII Arms (Note hands and weapons are each separate pieces)

MKII Weapons and Hands

MKV Legs

MKV Jump Packs

MKII Jump Pack Flash

More pics at;

https://picasaweb.google.com/helplesswill/HelplessWillS40kStuff?feat=directlink

Riflemen dreads are popular. Who'da thunk it?

2011-06-09T11:32:00.005-04:00

Received an interesting e-mail from Forgeworld this morning, in response to a couple of inquiries. I'll just quote the relevant bit;

The Mortis Autocannon is currently the most popular kit we make and we just cannot make them fast enough to keep up with demand. So they have been removed from sale to allow the casting department to catch up with back order and to create some more for stock. What this means is that it is likely to be 1-2 months before it is available to order once more.

For reference, this was the left arm autocannon I had been asking about. So, heads up if you're in desperate need for a rifleman dread, you're going to have to convert something up.

And so it ends...

2011-06-06T20:12:00.002-04:00

maybe.

So,
while I don't generally focus on rumors with my blog (as many people do so with greater acumen than I), this is one I feel a need to vent a bit about.

Previews/Rumors/Black Boxes.

They've seemed like a staple for years, and they have.
I (ages past, in the dark and dusty 90's) remember just getting the occasional package from my GW rep with little nuggets of fun in them. Pre release models to help build the hype.
Inconsistent, some stores got some things...others got, well others...and some received none. Even in those dark and early days it generated a 'fun' factor.
Early release codexes came later, and again it was inconsistent...but still a great deal of fun.

Tools.
Good FLGS's used them as tools to generate hype and sales. Interest in flagging armies, or revamps of new ones.
I even used them occasionally as prizes.
I took the first of the wholly-new Space Marine Battleforces and made it the goal of a 2 week long buy/build/convert/paint event that ended in a battleforce tourney. The winner played me, against the SM Battleforce, to try to take it from me...and they did. One week prior to that release, one of my players had it already half painted...and I sold 13 battleforces for the event.

Then they formalized things. Partnership stores had (as one of the benefits for the extra work to be one) guaranteed Black Boxes and preview 'dexes/army books.
I threw them at regulars to build and put in the display case (they got to keep them after release). I built some myself (and even built/painted a Stompa in 2 days...without instructions) for the case.
Some people would gripe about how the new models 'could have been better', others just drooled over the new stuff, but everyone talked about them.

Now?

GW appears to have nixed the preview material.
Now everyone will get their first glimpse at the end of the latest white dwarf (probably?).

Ostensibly, I see this as a reaction to 'complaints' from the retail side. That seems to be where a great deal of the murmuring on the 'webbernetz' hints point. Short sighted retailers complaining that the rumors are poaching current sales.
If this is true, then this is the hallmark of laziness.

I could NEVER point at a rumor(s)/preview(s) hurting my current sales to a degree that even came close to the revenue generated by proper preparation (and use of the tools being provided) on the other end of the preview.
Hell, if it was new models vs old ones on the shelf, I would preemptively 'clearance-sale' (with hype) the old blisters...someone will always want them...creating an event day based on that.

These are tools, people.
GW has taken steps to ignore the grumbling of the baser retail masses in the past, in favor of the long-view stores who will support the entire hobby (not just GW, but gaming hobby/industry).
Why now? Why cave over this?

If it isn't that, then what could it be?
I know GW can behave like utter imbeciles at times, but without the grumbling of the masses, what could have driven them to do this?

I think we've lost something, if these rumors pan out to be totally true...lost something quite key.

And if some retailers were truly short-sighted enough to have caused this glitch, I hope they crash and burn....

Ground down a bit....

2011-06-04T23:31:00.002-04:00

Many thoughts, a few games...and some dwelling.

But life has been in a great deal of flux for the last two weeks, and I have been a bit of 'ground under'.

So, I apologize to any who actually peruse my madness looking for the entertainment...it hasn't been with me lately. :(

I'll pick up the ball shortly! :)

Mortality

2011-05-28T23:33:00.002-04:00

A friend has gone in for a triple-bypass...

I haven't heard from his wife, to let me know what's transpired.

I have hope, and even a bit of 'faith'...

But it reminds me, that in the long run we are all a little ephemeral beyond how we influence those we interact with.

Why...

2011-05-28T23:32:00.000-04:00

So,
I had two games today.
Two fights, dueling about the battlefield with new toys...and new ideas...

I was going to write a bat-rep for them, but I decided to not sully it.

today was a reminder.
a reminder of why

I played Rob (some of you may know him, some not)
I played Edge (some of you may regret knowing him, some not) :)

I've been under a lot of stress lately, sometimes aware...sometimes not...and it expressed itself in some of my games.

but today I was reminded of WHY we do these things.

Friendship.

Gaming is just another social medium for us to be with those we like, meet some that we didn't know, and bullshit like there's no tomorrow.
It gives us a certain 'arena', and a set of 'rules', to interact with...but ultimately it's just another way to be brother's (or sisters).

Win/lose/draw didn't matter to me today.
Being WITH mattered.

and I want to thank everyone (whether played with, talked to, on this forum or not, or briefly engaged) for being WITH...
because time is precious to all people, and when it is shared in good spirits it is all that much more!

(sappy off, I've been in my cups) :D

Test

2011-05-15T18:34:00.002-04:00

This is a test of the emergency-broadcast system...this is only a test...
if this were a real emergency,
this post would be an off topic rant about politics or social agendas from Exitus...
this is only a test.

Batrep:DW vs IG

2011-05-15T08:46:00.009-04:00

1850 test run for a buddy, preparing for CAG.

My list;
I went with a paradigm shift for the Deathwing.
Up 'til now, my focus had been to stay away from mech. No real philosophical issue (though I think over-meching in 40k is getting a little stale), as much as a desire to introduce new elements into my play strategy...and compensate for a lack of >str-8 anti-vehicle fire.
At 1850 I ran
Belial
Terminator squad (5x THSS/Apothecary/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (5x THSS/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (4x THSS/1x CF-Sb/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (4x THSS/1x CF-Sb/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (4x THSS/1x CF-Sb/Cyclone)
Land Raider
Land Raider Crusader

My opponent's list (roughly, from memory...correct me if you see this and I'm off somewhere);
CCS (4x melta/master of the fleet)
Chimera (HF/ML)
Vets (melta, 2x flamer)
Vendetta(w/hvy bltrs)
Vets (melta, 2x flamer)
Vendetta(w/hvy bltrs)
Vets (3x plasma?/Plp)
Chimera (HF/ML)
Vets (3x plasma?/Plp)
Chimera (HF/ML)
Vets (3x melta?)
Chimera (HF/ML)
Hellhound (MM)
Leman Russ Demolisher (plasma/HF)
Leman Russ Demolisher (plasma/HF)
Leman Russ Eradicator (HB/HF)

Mission (from memory)
Spearhead,
d3+2 objectives (ended up in a diagonal across the table;corner dep zone, center, corner dep zone).
Terrain was a central large-ish 3 story building, clusters of hills in each quarter and a large hill in one quarter. A few rock 'clusters' simulating two 'woods' in non-depzone quarters.(the mission had a rule about burning/crumbling terrain...but it had little effect, and we forgot the first half the game anyway).

He won the roll to deploy objectives, then to choose dep-zones and go first. I also would fail to seize.

We ended up going to turn 6.

He deployed in the quarter with the large hill (this quarter will now be NorthWest quarter, relative to my table-side).
Demolisher and Vet/Chimera squad atop the hill (which had a single obj on it).
The LR Eradicator to his right, centered on the SW quarter's boundary line.
His 2nd demolisher just 4(ish)" behind the 'no man's zone' flanked by chimeras (CCS and other 2 vet squads). Just shy of the NE quarter was his Hellhound, and flanking the entire formation (to either flank) were his Vendettas.
I deployed the standard Land Raider (with termies) 1" behind the objective in my DZ, with the LRC (Belial+Command aboard) offset slightly ahead, and to the NE. Spread to provide supporting cover, the 2 dismounted terminators weaved around them. The goal for this was a)cover(not that it's huge, but it provides a bump-save for the chainfists) and b)embarkation-bubble. That last was to compensate for a potentially vicious 1st turn shooting by my opponent, tag teaming transports to protect crippled units...which seems to invariably happen vs him :)

1st turn;
Prior to rolling for seizing init, he scouted his Vendettas forward. I failed to seize, and the game began.
He advanced a steady line, bringing the eradicator into the SW quarter, and the Hellhound forward NE. The vendettas moved 6" further forward, and the Demo and Chimmy on his back hill stayed put. The CCS and 1 Chimera squad advanced toward the NE/Center and another Chimera squad advanced SW/center. He fired. Scatter laser fire killed 3 Terminators, a vendetta immobilized the standard LRaider, and further fire killed two more termies (leaving me with a terminator squad down to 2, and one down to 3).

I disembarked Belial and his unit from the LRC (advancing them toward the building), mounted the crippled 3 man termie on board it...which then barreled forward 12" (just into the central building). The 2 man squad swapped with the unit aboard the LR...who advanced into the shadow of the LRC. DW assault placed my last terminator assault squad just to the left of the central building (after trying to drop into it, on the central objective). I then fired. Full fire effect brought me both vendettas down(pinning the disembarked unit in the SW corner), a stunned chimmy (central building, just to my left).

2nd turn;
He spread out, to bring weight of fire to my DW assaulting unit and the LRC in the building. He left the Demo/Chimmy on the hill, brought the Hellhound around to my right flank (and into the NE quarter) and the CCS unit up into 4x melta range to the LRC. Fire was less effective for him this turn, and he netted just 2 of the DS'd squad, a command termie and an immobilized LRC(the LRC ate 5x Melta, and 2x MM that turn...for a whopping immobilized).

I advanced the Command squad into the building, the left(3 man) squad up to the stunned chimmy from last turn and the right squad toward the left side of the hellhound/potential assault range to the disembarked Vet squad to my right. The 3 man squad in the LRC jumped out (and into the building, to engage further vehicles from the side). My fire was...lackluster. I shook a chimera (the central/SW one I stunned last turn) and blew off its MultiL. I did kill the PlasVets in the NW chimera, who then fled due to casualties. As my fire was directed at vehicles, the only assault I managed was against the central/SW chimmy...which was chainfisted to death...flaming, explody, shrapnel laden death that exterminated the Chainfist Termy.

3rd turn;

He shuffled and pivoted, to generate maximum fire. The fleeing Vets(w/2 remaining plasma) were in double-tap range of the building/damaged terminators. This is where he made (what I consider his only real mistake, as he did not advance the Demolisher off the hill(not until turn 5). He brought the previously-pinned Vendi-Vets toward the building. His fire, as in the last turn, was mitigated...wiping out the SW terminator squad and dropping the short squad in the building to 1 cyclone/THSS. He DID wreck the LRC, but at that point it remained as a big blocking element, and was empty.

I advanced the command terminators into the building, but separated Belial off to join the lone cyclone in the other side of the ruins. My NE terminators (still undamaged) came into his left flank. My backfield terminators jumped out of their LandRaider to contribute more shooting. Fire killed the Hellhound, and a few guardsmen. Assault, on the other hand, wiped the Vendi-vets (who had been camped blocking assault to the Hellhound/CCS chimera...all the while pouring Melta-fire into the LRC). I multi-assaulted them with Belial/cyclone and the Full squad(to draw the full squad further forward). 1" consolidation with both units did little to further my maneuver-cause.

4th turn;

More shuffling, and shooting, on both sides resulted in me down to; a short-legged command terminator squad, a 4man squad (in the building now) and the backfield little squad in immobilized LandRaider... and he with the CCS/Chimera unit, all hvy tanks, the Chimera squad on the hill and the 3man vets(w/ 2 remaining plas, who were ordered to 'get back into the fight'). He lost the SW Vendi-Vets to command termy assault this turn.

5th turn;

Again, truncated, as this turn is more of me trying desperately to preserve Terminators, and he trying to wipe them out...and get on the central objective (that I now own). We shuffled for position, his more for shooting advantages. I lost the remaining terminators in the command squad (shall they stand resolute at the right hand of 'the Lion'). He DID move the Demolisher down from the hill, netting greater weight of fire to the torrent and assisting in the demise of the command terminators.

6th turn;

And finally, he brought the last bit of fire down on the terminators in the central building...and an assault/backpedal consolidate killed his remaining contesting-options. The game ended; I had my backfield objective and center, he had his backfield objective.
He had a greater portion of the scenario bonus points, so his BPs would have shown the game to resemble a near tie vs a clean win.

He felt NOT reserving his Vendi-vets was an error. I disagree, as the rush forward and sniping managed to cripple my first turn mobility (immobilized LR with his first triad of lascannon, plus two dead termies for the other one).
I think his only mistake was leaving the Demolisher on his backfield hill after my DW assault showed him where all my assets were...it lost him the flexibility of plasma-sponsons/range.

My only mistake was one of attitude. This was a test game for tourney (for him), and his initial fire seemed to set a tone that I THOUGHT would make it a less-than-challenging experiment. Coupled with my (sometimes) pessimistic view of game-trends/tone from first/second turn exceptional opposing shooting, I offered a 'reset' after his initial fire. This was MOSTLY from a desire to get in a 'good' game in the limited time I had, but also from 'worstcasescenario-itis' I suffer...something I only express in friendly games with people I am comfortable with, but still an attitude I have to make a conscious effort to avoid.
When I suggested starting over, my opponent was willing...but hesitant. I decided that MY need to see if I could recover from that hammer, AND whether he could press home the advantage thoroughly, was paramount...and I am glad I did.
Pushing through pointed out his demolisher error, and gave me renewed faith in the viability of the LandRaiders and the resilience of my DeathWing.

Thank you, to my opponent; for an excellent, challenging and wholly entertaining game.

Classic Rock, and the 'Hair Bands' of 40k

2011-05-08T09:36:00.002-04:00

Okay, so this is less observation and more personal editorial.

Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, the Doors, the Beatles (don't take missing your faves/styles, just pulling outta my arse early on a Sungday)...etc etc etc.
60's and 70's and even early 80's.
These bands, and styles, and many others, are classics...whether you love em or hate em, they're classics.
People know their names, have heard their music...and they pop up on Radio (or even have entire stations dedicated to the themes of their genres).

Yet delve into the 90's, or the (what, ought's? 00's? wtf?) and you encounter schizophrenia, and a lack of defining groups (or styles) that feel 'classic'(okay, the 2000's may be too close for that, but the 90's are not...and the 00's feel the same to me). Or worse, a string of American Idol spam...or Beiber's.

The 'instant gratification' intrawebz/reality TV generation has stamped its own earmarks all over our entertainment industry...
and even our gaming.

Look at 40k...look carefully at the last few years.
Matt 'fluff-killer' Ward...'nuff said?
His stamp is starting to creep up in it all.

Going, and going fast, are the solid and defining 'fluff-mines' of the 40k universe. The codices people WANT to keep, regardless of how out of date they are, as resources and entertainment. As muses to their hobby, inspirations for their armies.

Codex creep is always a 'concern' of the player base...whether you believe in it or not...but what about codex-retcon?
The trends of throwing the depth of the 'universe' we play in out the window, to satisfy an ever growing and HUNGRY net-scape of douchebuggery (not competitive players, but the ever distracted...gotta have the next new and UNIQUE...power/netlisters AND real WAAC players).
Seriously, Grey Knights mass sacrifice of a Sisters of Battle force who nobly resisted a daemonic incursion...just to douse their weapons in the blood of innocents? That was a Ward-ism...just an egregious example, but one...(or allying Necrons/BA...).
And these fluff rewrites are being utilized to excuse over-the-top power amps...the MTGing of our universe. I mean, I am all for the shifting of meta...the pushing of envelopes, and the occasional sacred-cow smashing...but in the last 4 codices, I think we've lost more golden-calves than Moses could think of smashing...and we've lost some important ones...all to the altar of 'MOAR POWAH'.
Ward may be a symptom (and he is NOT alone is his mutilation of the hobby for sales, just the most egregious offender)...and I understand a sales technique when I see one...BUT it can go just a bit too far, and in typical GW fashion it has with a vengeance.

After looking over the changes I have seen, I wonder if the 40k universe is going to survive this level of casual ret-con.
Will the core, the essence...the 'fluff'...of this universe survive 'Matt-Wardification'...and the ever spastic, infinitesimal, attention span of the digital age.

Kokomo/Gamer's DMZ final thoughts

2011-04-25T09:29:00.004-04:00

Well,
a 3 hour drive up (at 645am) and back (getting me home at 1030ish pm).
Was all that worth it, considering I didn't come back with a category win?

In a nutshell, yes.

Highlights;
John (uberdark from back40k). He stated this was his first event.
I have to be honest, if those words had not been spoken I wouldn't have known. He did his research. John was organized (as one could be doing things on paper, and not computer...actually moreso than some who use computers). He was transparent, explaining things as cleanly as possible, and going the extra mile to insure play 'groups' didn't have to play in their own 'pool' the first round.
He was engaged, enthused and gregarious. He never set himself above the player base to establish 'seniority' as a TO. He portrayed himself solely as an 'organizer', with the sole purpose of letting people have fun AND compete...in that order.
Once things got rolling, he was on-time, on-target.
It seemed that his entire focus was on making certain fun, joviality and honest play were the watchwords.
He cared. This was VERY different from my only other 'traveling' experience (since moving back to Ohio)...Ard Boyz semifinals 2010. If I would have to characterize a comparison, he was totally opposite.

TO impression, GREAT...he was excellent.

Event and Organization was clean. Scenarios were posted in advance, which is a 50/50 for me, as I like not building to scenarios...but in retrospect, with NOVA scenarios, you are pretty much forced to take well rounded/take all comers lists, bypassing my innate distrust of pre-posted scenarios.
I could see a little self-inflicted extra work, but that will go under what little 'critique' I have.
I was happy with the terrain, but not ecstatic. Again, in comparison to my last 'traveling' game, it was above sufficient.
Though the smaller amount was a little disappointing (only a little), GREAT effort was made for consistency between tables...something many don't understand the need for. Very well done.

Event impression, GREAT...it was quite well done.

Venue was a bit smallish for the size of the tourney. BUT, they managed to supply tables AND elbow room...no mean feat for a small store. They had a fully stocked fridge, with all sorts of drink accommodations (some stores don't bother with water/diet, a must for some, due to gamer proclivities toward mt dew etc). The ownership was friendly and helpful, and though the location was initially hard to find...parking was better than expected for a smaller store with a large event turnout.

Venue impression, I shall return!

Player eval...well, as it applies to me...but with a sampling from my friend who I went with.
I had NO issues. Every one of my opponents were fun, pleasant, and smooth. I don't think I checked the rulebook once. Scott and I had a question, but we just rolled a die that would have made it moot (difficult terrain test)...and the roll did. So no rules digging at all. (though we forget to check after the game to see for future ref). The games were fast, due to no arguments OR backchecking. We knew each others' codices(codici, codii, whatever) and adapted to each others' proclivities almost immediately. Professional and pleasant would be how I typified the whole bunch.

Player impression, wish I was closer to Indianapolis!

Critique is little;
Terrain.
I would have liked to have seen more/more diversity. A paucity of trees (I don't think any of my tables had woods) made it difficult for some people to generate cover. This benefited my army to the extreme (regardless of my seeming inability to capitalize on it). A little more wood, and a little more density, would have been nice. Though some tables closed in on/hit 25%, a few were closer to the 20% mark. In defense of the venue, it was smaller and was acquiring additional terrain from players bringing it, so populating the tables was going to be difficult. What terrain was there, though, was good...and good looking.

Organization.
Starting late always bugs me a 'little' bit. Not tremendously, but a little. I thought the blog-posts had said something about 11-1130ish, and we ended up starting a little after 12. This was, in part, due to some small confusion by the players...but mostly due to some LATE players. Not as big a deal if I'm not driving 3hrs to get there, but my frustrations were low...and directed at people who were not from Dayton, and still didn't make it on time.
Spreadsheet/Computer. This is more of a 'prevent the TO from having an aneurism' kinda thing. You CAN do it on paper. Being a teacher (which I believe John said he is) helped with the mental-meltdown threshold...but a last round re-pairing of first round opponents (happened only once, though, and involved me)emphasizes the usefulness of a spreadsheet. The honesty and openness of the TO helped dispel and thoughts of shennanigans, but spreadsheets allow players to feel they can easily ask to see things...thus increasing the sense of transparency. This was a HUGE gig at my Ard Boyz experience last year. But again, John was going out of his way to avoid any sense of that...so no real issues.

Venue.
Lighting...that's it. Honestly. A few tables (centered) had lighting issues, which could have been helped with clip-task lights...but who knows where the cords could easily go etc.
The store was small(ish) for an event of that size, but they went all-out to make damn sure they could handle the crowd. I never felt crowded, cramped or uncomfortable. Even 'gamer-funk' was at an absolute minimum (at worst). So, though size is technically a 'critique', I couldn't imagine another location of that size making things feel that 'roomy'...so critique to kudos (flogging a dead Ard Boyz horse, they beat out that venue in spades...with less than half the square footage).

I couldn't have had more fun this last Saturday unless I had been healthy!!!

Thanks DMZ, thanks Indiana players, and most importantly thanks Uberdark!

Kokomo/Gamer's DMZ tournament BatRep rd 3

2011-04-24T15:26:00.002-04:00

Rd 3 was going to be a fun round.
As this was a W/L tourney, and I had lost rd 2, I was just in it to have fun.
I started kind of off as my head cold was starting to move into my chest, and my early start was wearing. Once the dice started falling though, I was right back into the game!

Table Quarters/Spearhead

Opponent,
Joel Williams (from memory, as I can't find the darned list he gave me).
Prime (bonesword/whip and d-spitter?)

2x zoanthropes (in pod)
2x Hive Guard
2x Hive Guard

5x Warriors (deathspitters, can't remember CC build)
20 Hormogaunts
18 Termagants
Tervigon (catalyst)
10x Genestealers

Trygon
Biovore
Biovore

I won the roll for choice, and chose to go first.
The table was less terrain dense than the other two I'd played on, and I took the most open corner. It was populated with alot of craters, but little actual terrain. This gave him a small building just on his side of the center objective marker. I put Belial in the center of my dep quarter, with command. Two squads to his right and two to his left. I kept the bikes off table (normal reserves, not outflanking).

He deployed across his corner, threatening both far quarters. His tervigon was to my right (set to spawn into that corner, to feed VPs into it) backed by a pair of HiveGuard and the big brood of 'gants.
He deployed the Warriors to my left, threatening that neutral corner, backed by the CC elements of 'stealers and Hormies (the warriors were joined by the prime). The other HG unit was toward his center, but weighted to go toward the warriors...and the Biovores were behind these lines.
He left the podded Zoies and Trygon in DS reserve.

Turn 1;
I looked at the field, and made my choices.
I moved both left Termie units into my upper neutral quarter, toward some craters.
I moved the right two squads into firing positions that would deny cover to his Tervigon (and place them into/almost into my right neutral corner). I shuffled the command termies to draw LOS to the Tervigon (but through cover).
I fired.
I put 4 wounds on the Tervi and Killed a warrior.
He went, spawning 8 'gants first (no doubles). He brought his HG in front of the Tervi to provide cover, and shuffled that backfield. Everything he had to my left boiled into that neutral quarter, but did not run effectively. Biovore and HG fire netted two dead termies, but not in the same squad.

Turn 2;
I capitalized on him not burying the Tervigon behind the one blocking piece of terrain, and popped it. That shut down his spawning, and cut his whole flank out of synapse. I also popped another warrior and put a wound on the prime. This was all after I shuffled further into neutral corners and put units that might be in assault range into craters.
He failed to get the reserves.
He advanced further into my left neutral quarter, and lurked with everything to his right. HG fire netted another termie, while biovores hit but failed to kill. No assault range.

Turn 3;
I got everybody to my left into craters, as they would likely be assaulted this turn. Bikes came on, and I just brought them into the center. I shot, and killed another warrior and put another wound on the prime...and braced for impact.
He got the charge off on my central/left termies. A full squad of Hormagaunts hit them. Fortunately, due to the 'Nid dex getting the 'grenade' nerf, I got all my TH attacks. I lost 4 termies, he lost a great deal of Hormies.

Turn 4;
With the assault from the Hormogaunts, his Warriors had a gap in their cover. I ran the bikes up, and with Cyclone+Melta fire, I popped them AND his Prime...and there went his synapse (on table at this stage). I also had positioned the bikes such that they were closest to his Hormogaunts, so when they killed the lone termie I could pull them out of the crater and into the center (with 'feed' as their inst behavior, and the loss of synapse).
His reserve Zoies came in, and he podded them into the backfield block (two units of 'gants, biovores and HG). Synapse returns!
He advances the 'stealers toward my furthest left-quarter squad (in the crater) and fleeted them. The hormogaunts came out after the bikes. Fire netted him no kills. He wiped the bikes. The 'stealers assaulted the THSS guys in the crater, lost by four, and fled. They were 'escorted' off table the next turn.

Turn 5;
I knew he had the Trygon coming out this turn, but knew he couldn't 'break' the table quarters with it, only tie them (my right quarter) and hope for the best. If it ended with quarters tied I would win by 2nd tiebreaker (KP's). I pounced the center Hormogaunts with termies (wiping them) after shooting the zoies to no effect.
His Trygon came in, and did what I expected...contesting my right-neutral quarter.
He then shot, and killed a terminator.

Turn 6;
I put 3 wounds on the Trygon, and settled in for the results. If he charged with the trygon, it would die.
He shuffled to contest quarters...and the game ended.

We tied on quarters,
We tied on objectives,
I won by KPs...alot of them. (he'd only killed two units, I had killed something like 6?)

It was a fun game, but a little static.
Unfortunately, for Joel, I've been playing 'Nids since 2nd ed...I know them, and my army was advantaged from the start vs them.
Missile launchers hurt bugs, and mobile missile launchers on THSS platforms just SCARE them.
The table did not help him either, as there was little cover that didn't also negate his assault advantages (initiative etc).

Still, it was fun, and he was pleasant right till the end...regardless of the uphill struggle. :)

Kokomo/Gamer's DMZ tournament BatRep rd 2

2011-04-24T14:35:00.002-04:00

Okay, rd two pairings are announced...
and who do I get?
Scott Kennedy...my opponent rd 6 from last years Ard Boyz. And he beat me soundly then.

His list;
Vulkan He'stan
Librarian (null zone/GOI)

9x THSS termies (surprise face!) ;)

10x Tac squad (MM/Melta/CombiMelta/Pfist)
Drop Pod
10x Tac squad (MM/Melta/CombiMelta)
Drop Pod
10x Tac squad (MM/Melta/CombiFlamer/Pwpn)
Drop Pod
5x Scouts (CombiMelta/Shotguns/MeltaBombs)

Land Speeder Storm (multi melta)

Mission is Pitched Battle/Objectives
I win the roll to choose first, and defer (again). I wish to see what he deploys, and he has not the long range/AP fire to punish me for deferring.
He deploys the Termies with Libby in his center (on the 12" mark). He then deploys one of the Tacs on his right (my far left) objective, and all else stays in reserve.
I deploy across the center with Belial and his command termies in the center, two termie squads left of center, and one right of center (effectively corner-opposite his Vulkan/Tac deployment). I reserve (for DS) two termie squads, and place my bikes across-opposite his deployed tacs.
I then scout the bikes forward.

Turn 1;
He drops the two full tacs into the front of my left flank, disembarking one 10 man in front of Belial's squad and CS's the other 10 man to threaten both of my other left flank squads. He moves out the assault termies, runs them 6" and then kicks off Null Zone. he shuffles the tacs to my left to try for melta/double tap range on the bikes and then starts shooting. His fire nets the CFist, a THSS in the command termie squad (damned NZ) and a THSS in the left squad. I also lose a single bike to the fire from the obj camping backfield squad.
I go, moving 3 termie squads to close in on the tacs. I DW assault one (out of assault range, barely) off the bike teleport homers to threaten his obj parkers and I move the right termies onto my right objective and well out of range of his assault termies. I also bring the bikes back to threaten one of the CS'd squads (w/out power weapon) with fire and assault.
I look at the field, look at what he has (and needs to do turn two)...and I realize I may have won. With the three ass termie squads in position to wipe out most of his scorers in one or two cc phases, and a termie squad threatening his backfield, I am confident.
I shoot, and charge (around the two Drop Pods, ignoring them in favor of trying to wipe his scoring units).
I wipe ONE Combat squad...that's it. I nearly lost assault with Belial's squad. Belial killed a whopping ONE marine in the 10 man tac squad. His attendant THSS terminators (with 12 THSS attacks) netted TWO. He killed one in return. I moved on to the bike assault, and drew that one. I kill the left CS BARELY. I look at the board, think, and realize that (barring a repeat of my terribad rolls) I still have this one solid, as his assault termies cannot make it on his turn. I'm still confident (if a little distressed) after my bad rolling phase.

Turn 2;
He moves up the Assault termies further, fails to get his reserve scouts on speeder, and doesn't get the empty pod. Runs termies, and kicks off NullZone
He shuffles his backfield Tacs with Vulkan, for double-tap range (and hopefully melta range). He fails to get melta in range, but does get a pistol and bolter in range. He shoots. Hits once to no effect. We got to assault. Bikers first, and they die (killing one). 4 basic marines, two dead bikers. :(
We go to Belial vs 7 marines. Belial kills ONE. Tacs kill nothing. THSSs hit thrice, and kill ONE. He falls back. If I consolidate forward, I should kill the tacs, but die to his AssTermies. It's worth it, as he loses a scoring unit (as the other 5man CS will die to my other 4man THSS coming round a pod). I do so, and position well.
I get no reserves either (lone DW squad waiting in the wings). I pounce. My outriders termies make assault with his backfield tacs. Belial+bozos assaults the wounded CS Tacs while the 4 man assault termies hit his (now devastated) Tac squad.
I devote all my attacks into the bacfield squad (after Vulkan kills a single CFist).
This turn should break his back, and make the game a mop up for me...
I start rolling in binary.
1's everywhere. I killed a total of 2 tacticals in the Command squad assault. They fall back toward the central objective, and I'm ass-out in front of 9x assault MasterCrafted THSS termies.
The 4 man CS manages to have the Sgt survive after 12 Thunder Hammer attacks, and they actually killed a termie.
The backfield squad lost half their number, but stuck due to Vukan. This bodes ill...at the top of the turn, my opponent had a fearful/concerned look on his face.
his assessment seemed to be the same as mine.
At the bottom of turn 2, he had a flabbergasted look...as ones and twos flew out of my hand. He just couldn't believe it. I switched dice after the close of the turn.

Turns 3-5
I'm not going to do this one blow by blow, as it went VERY fast and VERY poorly. My rolls continued, as I lost unit after unit to silliness, and failed to kill nearly anything.

Highlights,
8 crack missile HITS to bring down a landspeeder storm.
a full shooting phase to kill a LONE and out in the open Tactical Sgt.
4 crack missile shots failing to kill the other lone Space Marine.
etc...etc.

I conceded at the bottom of 5, as his untouched Assault terminators gated within range of my reserve unit (which had dropped atop the furthest objective turn 4) and ran 6" (oh, every time they ran, it was a 5 or a 6...I think his dice were just sucking the high numbers out of mine) :o

It was a very good game, and really showed that you don't give up early from a single mistake...you just hope something goes wrong for your opponent!

Scott felt that the initial drop on his Tacs were a mistake.
I felt it was more like a gamble, in the hopes that his opponent would make a mistake in response (or have bad dice). If I had rolled average, the game would have been mine at the end of turn 3/top of turn 4.
Instead, my dice punished my early optimism by proving the fates hate us all!!! :)

Scott was great, and after the game was over we went outside, smoked and laughed our asses off about dice-hate and toy soldiers. He was wholly with me, in the assessment that the game was lost...until the dice turned on me.
He was just as gracious this game as he was at Ard Boyz.

I have a hatred for Vulkan, though, one that he is perpetuating!
Next Time...oh yeah, Scott...NEXT TIME! :)

Kokomo/Gamer's DMZ tournament BatRep-age rd 1.

2011-04-24T13:28:00.003-04:00

Okay, I'm going to TRY to do this today...as my head-cold is getting worse, and moving down into my chest. Last time this happened, it turned into 2 weeks of borderline bronchitis...and I won't have the energy to pursue this. Bear with me, as I am tirrred...yesterday was long!

Edge and I got on the road around 6:45 in the am...after my wife was kind enough to cook us a nice, big breakfast. The ride up did take 3 hours (yay GPS, boo Google who lied to me by 30 min).
The last time I drove like that for an event was Ard Boyz 2010 semi-finals.
We almost got lost, at the very end...but managed to settle in just before 10. Found out the first round wasn't going to get started until noon-ish...so sat back to bullshit with new and familiar faces (a few people we'd met and/or faced at last years Ard Boyz no less...though at a new venue). I ran into my nemesis from last year (Scott-the-Vulkan) who toppled my run in round 6. The BS-ing increased!

I had seen the NOVA format pack (a year ago), but didn't examine it wholly in depth until I got to the event. I picked up the pack, and saw the order of the scenarios.
I'm not going to iterate them in their entirety here, but provide url(http://novaopen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Primer-2011-GT-Missions-v3.pdf).

My list consisted of (Dark Angels sorta doublewing);
Belial
Terminator Squad (4x THSS/Chainfist SB/Apothecary/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (4x THSS/CF+SB/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (5x THSS/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (5x THSS/Cyclone)
Terminator Squad (5x THSS/Cyclone)
Ravenwing Biker Squad (3 man w/2x Meltagun/Sgt+Meltabombs)

Round 1 was, indeed, scenario 1 from the pack; DOW/KP with tiebreakers.

I pulled an IG opponent who was playing (from memory, as I didn't manage to keep a copy of his list).
Luke Alexander
CCS melta squad
Chimera
Primaris Psyker

PCS melta squad
Chimera
Platoon w/3x squads (melta/AC)
each squad with Chimera
Banewolf (hull MM)
Banewolf (hull MM)
Vendetta

LR Executioner (hull HF)
LR (hull HF)

I won the roll to choose first, and deferred to 2nd (as it was Dawn of War the 1st turn night fight was going to gimp our first shooting phases, and I wanted to go last in case I couldn't get the 3kp spread and needed to contest last objectives etc etc).

He deployed his one Troop, blobbing his IG platoon with joined primaris (he blobbed for KP mitigation) nearly on top the center objective, and their Chimera behind the central terrain block. He reserved nothing, choosing to bring everything on his board edge turn 1.
Wanting to see where he went, I reserved my Ravenwing(to protect a soft KP) and chose to put nothing on table until I walked on bottom of turn 1.

Turn 1;
He brought the Leman Russes in behind a chimera wall center, with slight weighting toward my right flank. He moved his IG blob onto the center. Vendetta came in to my left. He ran the blob, to secure their shooting avenues and possession of the center.
I brought everything on behind/into the building in the right of my deployment. Running everything forward or into the ruins. I was setting up for transport sniping/easy KPs on turn two, but trying to manipulate his fire with LOS blocking and perceived cover.
KPs 0-0

Turn 2;
He shifted toward my right, and began to shoot. The Vendetta, and Executioner opened up on Belial and the Command Terminators (executioner was out of range). I lost a single termie. The chimeras opened up. I lost nothing. The Leman Russ fired...hit a single terminator...and I rolled a 1. (this would repeat EVERY time the battlecannon fired. Every single terminator hit with a Battlecannon round rolled a 1 on its save) :-o
I shifted up the right flank, and right board edge. I fired. I fired 10 crack missiles, at the banewolves. I shook/stunned the SNOT out of them...and did nothing else. This does not bode well.
KPs 0-0

Turn 3;
He moved the Leman Russes 6" toward my right (along his backfield). Shuffled a bit with the Chimeras and Banewolves to provide maximum cover to Chimera, and began shooting. I lost a Command Terminator to the Executioner, a standard Termie to the Leman Russ Battlecannon, and made the rest of my saves vs Lascannon etc. Okay, a little whittling but nothing egregious.
My reserve bikes came in, from my left side. I chose to threaten his furthest left chimera. My hope was a kill on the transport, and to draw fire off my terminators (as his best shooting bets there was a chimera, the blob, and the vendetta). I managed to kill his far Chimera. I knew the likelihood was it would be a 1 for 1 exchange...I just had to hope for the split fire to mitigate what he did on his turn.
My fire managed to kill a banewolf (finally) and strip the guns off the other one. I also killed a Chimera.
KP's now 3-0

Turn 4;
My bike gambit paid off. He brought a pair of Chimera AND the Vendetta around to deal with the bikes. They went poof, but it took all three units to do so. His Leman Russ/Executioner fire went wide and only forced a save vs one plasma shot...that I made. Chimera fire yielded 1 dead termie from my far right squad (which was now down to 3 termies). The weight of fire lost to dealing with bikes saved that squad.
I detached Belial from the command squad, and had him join the building squad (to prevent a concentrated fire round from possibly netting 2kp). I shuffled, and moved the furthest right squad into the far right table quarter. I fired. 10 crack missiles yielded...2 shaken chimeras, a shaken vendetta, and a shaken banewolf. This is getting tedious, as without a KP this round I'm suddenly out of the KP win window, and not holding enough objectives if things crash quickly.
KPs 3-1

Turn5;
He shuffles, and fires. I lose another terminator in the furthest squad (now down to 2, from that damned battlecannon again) and two terminators from an unwounded squad in my backfield.
I fire. I kill a chimera. I stun the banewolf (argh). I shake the vendetta. I shake my head. I only have another turn to create the buffer to win by KP, and he shoots next.
KPs 3-1

Turn 6;
He shuffles and fires...again. He does deploy (and then run) the squad in the vendetta (ccs? can't remember for sure). onto the far left objective. He sees what I see, that I may not be able to stop him from keeping the KP gap too close, and objectives is the 1st tiebreaker. I've been playing too conservatively, and not compensating for my lack of kills quickly enough. I may be in trouble. He now has 2 objectives to my 1, I can't shift his blob with an assault in time to break the center (with only 1 Termie squad that can reach at this point). Fortunately, his fire only takes out another termie from the far right squad (lone cyclone/THSS is now closing in on that obj, but is in range of EVERYTHING).
I push a 4 man termie into the far right quarter, backing loner boy. I shift my left/backfield squad forward to at least threaten the center (too little to late there, but I can hope it prompts a fire response) and shoot...and pray. I kill the vendetta and stun the banewolf. Thank Gawd, now I just need the game to end...and it doesn't, on to turn 7.
KPs 4-1

Turn 7;
I have the spread, and he knows it. Unfortunately, right now, he has BOTH tiebreakers...and just needs to close the KP spread. He fires...alot. I lose loner boy in the far right. Gap closed. I lose no other units (1 termie from backfield squad is all). It ends after my turn, but if I can't make a kill (which has been my game the whole way) I lose.
I've lost a cyclone, my fire is reduced...I move forward with the remaining right squad, closing in on the banewolf and an objective. I fire. I kill NOTHING. I stunned nearly every chimera left on the field, and the banewolf again...and kill nothing. I pray I'm close enough...I call a charge on the banewolf with the far squad...and make it with a 1/4" to spare. I pray again, and roll penetrations...the chainfist pays off...and I win.
WHEW!
Close one.
Luke was grand, and we smiled the whole way down the pipe.
On to round two.

(which will be it's own entry as well)

NOVA format ruminations

2011-04-24T10:14:00.003-04:00

So,
I traveled out of state for a tourney yesterday (with my friend Edge).
I had a blast.
I didn't win, but I had an absolute blast.
Met some new people, was exposed to a new meta and saw some interesting models.

But I would NOT have had fun were it not for 3 things, in order...

A TO who was genuinely excited and engaged,
my opponents and their attitudes,
and the NOVA format/missions.

The TO (uberdark from http://theback40k.blogspot.com/) will get his own nod when I do my BatReps...but after my experiences in last years 'Ard Boyz semi-finals, I was going in with a bias/pre-disposition to be unforgiving. He dispelled my prejudice in spades.
My opponents, the same treatment. I was able to walk away from an event with no complaints and fun games.

The NOVA format, on the other hand, was a pleasant and welcome surprise.

I've been developing missions, running events and trying to make tournaments competitive (without a bunch of TFG play/attitude) for upwards of 15+ years.
I've tweaked scenarios and scoring methods towards that end from the beginnings of the old RTT scoring/scenario methods to the newest GT interpretations of the same.
I adapted to 5e (over the first two years) by trying to create scenarios that mitigated the point and shoot/charge play encouraged by basic scenarios with a single goal, since my second tourney after 5e came out.

I missed the mark.
Humbling that, as I know I'm good...very good. That is not hubris (well, a little, but meh). It is feedback, direct and circumspect...both comments directly to me, from blogs, and the evidence of return players consistently popping up at my events (here and in Fla). The return of players that may not even like me on a personal level, or agree with some of my rules interpretations.

MVBrandt did it. With a simple, and subtle, set of rules...that captures the essence of ALL the basic rulebook missions in one go, in each mission.

I won't re-iterate them here, but just link it;

When I first read the missions (a while ago) they seemed overly simple. As I looked at them more, I saw the appeal. I incorporated some of the core concepts into a few missions/events I ran since last year's NOVA. I didn't run them straight, as I thought they really needed a pure W/L event (which requires more than just a 3rd RTT format to work properly). But I was lucky enough to finally PLAY in an event that utilized the format and scenarios. They were awesome.

Subtly applying the concepts of victory for all the core styles of play in 40k, and FORCING you to think on multiple levels of objective, the scenarios punish single-minded point&click armies/players and reward take-all-comers lists and well thought out play.
Creating multiple avenues of victory allows a good general to play to his strengths/opponents' weaknesses on multiple fronts...and MORE importantly, compensate for particularly bad RPS match-ups (with regards to both army bias AND scenario weakness).
Have MSU in a kill-point scenario? go for the tie and grab objectives...your opponent (if he's good) will see that coming and go for the next tie breaker...and you both might end up playing to the final tiebreaker as mayhem ensues. (same for low KP armies facing fast MSU in an objective mission...etc etc).
These missions represented TRUE balance,
and I shall wholly embrace them in any event I travel to that espouses their use as well.

For my own events, while I think the MISSIONS are grand...I don't want to use them to exclusion.
But I will use them for my next RTT (modified scoring for a 3rd RTT, but missions will be paramount).

I also, now, wish to run a GT to utilize the full NOVA experience.

I was quite QUITE pleased. Brandt has unearthed a gem!

Hash Browns, and other wild accusations...

2011-04-17T08:48:00.005-04:00

So, McDonald's has decided to sabotage my marriage.
I was tasked with producing a 'Big Breakfast, w/Hotcakes' [no sausage].
I drove, to satisfy the estrogenical cravings...one does NOT challenge the cravings of a mad woman (pregnancy qualifies, I promise).
I purchased the contraband.
I looked in said bag, confirming (through the now convenient 'see through lid') that indeed, there was no vile sausage (on, near OR even within the same bag, would pollute the fluffy goodness of pre-steamed fake-cakes).
I even saw the butt end of a Hash-Brown pocket, and evidence of my sausage McMuffin's existence (yes, the irony of prior admonishments followed by my own pork-laden perfidy, did not escape me).
I returned home...gleeful that I could chalk up a 'mission-accomplished' for husbandly-nicities (this being necessary, as a man must bank as much equity as possible to bring up during labor...or he shan't survive the experience).
Wife unpacks bag, begins grumbling, and then turns...shaking an utterly empty Hash-Brown packet at me...accusations abound.
Even with the evidence of NO grease inside the pocket, I am incapable of proving innocence.
There is no smell of hash-brown in the bag, in the car or on my breath.
It doesn't matter, as the empty package is laid in front of my place-mat...accusingly...maddeningly.

I can hear it's rustle, the crinkle of waxed paper...
I buried it, you see, beneath a napkin...
yet I hear it's tell-tale crinkling
Louder, Louder, LOUDER...

Yet truly, I AM innocent...but she doesn't believe.

Deathwing vs Daemons Batrep

2011-04-16T14:29:00.031-04:00

Okay,
so a friend was wanting to borrow Daemons for an RTT (change of pace for him with this group) and I wished to see how my Deathwing might hold up vs an all power weapon army...seeing the rising quantities of Grey Knights and all.
Thus, a mutual test was born!

His list (from memory)[italicized unit his preferred first half drop];
Skarbrand
Skulltaker (on 'crusher)
Herald (on 'crusher w/might and all that jazz)
Bloodcrushers (x5, fully kitted)
Bloodletters (x10, kitted)
Bloodletters (x10, kitted)
Bloodletters (x5)
Daemon Prince (doomy Khornate type with all that jazz)
Daemon Prince (doomy Khornate type with all that jazz)
Soulgrinder (shooty mc-shoot pants)

Mine;
Belial
Int Chaplain Termie
5x DW Termies (full upgrade squad, 5x THSS/Cyclone)
5x DW Termies (5x THSS/Cyclone) [5 of these squads]
Ravenwing Squad (sgt w/meltabomb, 2x melta, 1x MM Attk Bike)

Deployment; Spearhead
Mission;
1 objective, center of table.
Primary Victory, center objective
Secondary Victory, Table Quarters (any unit scoring this)
Tertiary Victory, KPs

I won the roll to determine 1st turn/Dep zones. Normally, against daemons, I go second...in order to not lose 1st turn shooting...but I wanted to try an-anti daemon tactic with this list, so chose to go first.

I deployed with two DW units central right and central left of my DZ. I also reserved (Deathwing assault for 1) 3 units of Deathwing.
I then deployed across all fronts of my DZ boundary, and scouted bikes outward 12"...the attack bike into the center of the table, one squad to the leftmost quarter and one toward the right.

Turn1;
With my first turn movement, and DW drops, I had created 2 'safe' zones for him to drop. One in the back corner of his deployment zone, one in a 'pocket' inside mine. All other points on the field were now close to table edges.
The far corner would put his walking daemons in the pickle of multiple shooting turns to approach the central objective. Taking the 'pocket' should garner me at least one, if not more, Deep Strike Mishaps...and hopefully a dead unit with little effort.
Deathwing assault placed the command unit (w/characters) surrounding the central objective, turbo boosting bikers and squad movement (+running) set up my defensive strategy.
Woe is the person who counts on scatter. Four units dropped (his preferred half), 3 units hit...and the Bloodcrusher-star (with attached Skulltaker/Herald) scattered precisely 3 inches...two more, and he would have mishapped on terrain. :(
(oh well, best laid plans..blah blah).

Turn 2;
With the drops to my upper right, and center, I folded back into Dep zone. I brought a Deathwing squad into the upper right quarter to engage the winged Daemon Prince there, folded two toward the 'Crusher-star, and brought the DW squad on to the building (BARELY) the the ground floor to engage the bloodletters. Crack missiles put two wounds on the Daemon Prince, and killed a 'crusher. My assault led to another dead crusher (champ I believe) and wounds for everyone but Skulltaker. I saw to the end of the winged Daemon Prince, and reduced the Bloodletter squad in the building to 3. The bloodletters managed to reduce their foes to 2 models, though. (During movement, I had also cordoned off Skarbrand with a sacrificial bike squadron...to prevent him from engaging the combat involving 'crushers on his turn).

His reserves brought in the Soulgrinder (just in my DZ) and the 2nd full squad of 'letters right in the 'pocket' behind the 'crusher/terminator furball. Soulgrinder fire netted no kills. The new Bloodletter unit closes on the objective with a run.
During his assault phase, he baked the bike squadron with Skarbrand, and finished off the Terminators engaged with the 'crushers. At this point, he had lost another 'crusher.

Turn 3;
My turn, and no reserves...lonely DW squad waits in the wings!
Belial and the Chappy disengage from the Command Squad, who charge off to deal with the crippled crushers (the Characters then join a squad coming up from the left-flank). The terminators that had smashed the DP, close on Skarbrand (who's busy licking biker-blood off an axe)...while bikes boost 'round to get a melta shot(next turn) on the 'grinder.
Shooting puts down another crusher, and a wound on skulltaker, and what will be the ONLY wound delivered to Skarbrand...while crack missiles bounce harmlessly off the soulgrinder.
My assault finishes the small Bloodletter unit in the building, and puts down two more 'crushers for no lost termies. Unfortunately, the assault into Skarbrand nets me NO wounds on SB for 4 lost termies. At least he's stalled for next combat phase.

NO RESERVES FOR YOU! Okay, so he's not waiting for MUCH...but what he did have in the wings doesn't come in!

Turn 4;
NO RESERVES FOR ME! Well, we both sucked the reserve pipe...but no big. Not a lot of movement this turn, we're solidly tied up. I bring the left termies (with characters) into the middle, to challenge the 'letters...while we kind of mutually annihilate on the center (crushers/Skulltaker go poof to command terminators, then Skarbrand bathes in the offal of same squad moments later)...rolling into:

Turn 4/5 is where we stall...furballs everywhere...blood everywhere. Reserves for both come in (final DP, small 'letters and a DW squad for me) no really new assaults. Blood flies, dice fail me HORRIFICALLY...dice ROCK for him awesomely (not just exaggeration here, he hits and wounds with EVERY attack on a 9 'letter charge vs a terminator squad...it was bad...there were tears, and gnashing of teetth).
I finally kill the 'grinder. One golden moment for me, though...the new DP that came was down to 1 wound to 4 crack missiles and a melta gun! :)

Turn 5&6;
Okay, so the DP went down. The two remaining Terminators that STARTED in the building came down to get him, and were promptly slaughtered. He then died to final fire from the remaining squad across the table. They were, in turn, pounced by 5 lousy Bloodletters near the center...and wiped out...by FIVE LOUSY Bloodletters...dammit!!! :)

The Chaplain, who was the only remaining terminator on the table, finally succumbed to Skarbrand (after surviving Belial and a Terminator squad's demise around him through 3 CC phases) and the game ended turn 6.

it ended as the pictures show below...

Excellent and fun game! I was doubly happy to see my Daemons on the table, it's been too long since they were dusted off!

I don't think I made any errors, and neither did Edge.
It became a 'weight of dice' issue, and in CC the 'edge' went to the Khornate Daemons.

I did find a few things, amongst them;
-My initial movement/deployment tactic could have worked...but all plans can run amock in a dice-managed environment. As it is, it still shoe-horned him into a less-than-optimal deployment spread...I just failed to capitalize on it completely.

-I really should have started with a 4th unit on the table, tightening the 'pocket' to my upper right. Other than cramping the zone, it would have made little difference to my initial spread...but may have made it more difficult to dispose of the first DP.

-DW CAN manage a Power Weapon exclusive environment. It ain't fun, but I was there all the way to the final act (and considering bronzing that Chaplain model...he just wouldn't go down til the bitter end...appropriate for a Chappy!)

-The Bloodcrushers would probably have been better applied as 2 units of 3, with Skulltaker in one.

-My only 'error' was just a choice, and that was where my last DW squad deepstruck in. I should have brought them in opposite the Bloodletters, and another turn out of assault range of them, but still within run-contestation of center on turn 6.

Grey Knights reserve manipulation (thoughts and queries)

2011-03-27T09:32:00.005-04:00

Conundrum:

BRB FAQ:(units in reserves vs abilities)
Q: If a unit is in reserve, and it has an ability that occurs at
the start of a turn can they use that ability on the turn they
arrive? (p94)
A: No. Unless specifically stated otherwise.

GK Psychic Communion(reserve manipulation)
...This power is used at the beginning of the Grey Knights Movement Phase. If the psychic test is successful, you can modify any reserve rolls made this phase by by +1 or -1...

Okay, now this (kind of) smacks of lawyering, and may be answered somewhere I am not seeing, BUT...I am finding nothing in the rules that would prevent a GK IC with this power from manipulating his(or other units) reserve rolls while he is in reserve.

Beat me up if I am missing something obvious, or has already been discussed to death, but am I wrong?

Bone Blending on the Possessed

2011-03-18T15:08:00.005-04:00

Just a little more progress.
I'm going to wash the boltgun, then set them aside for more troop unit building.
This project is very fun for me, and gives me a brief break from the DeathWing/Grey Knights I've been working on.

Still haven't decided what color to make the flames coming from the claw-backpack guy's arm, but probably going to go green.

Gal Vorbak

2011-03-18T09:12:00.002-04:00

The Gal Vorbak...

They begin. A few mistakes with base colour, otherwise the progress is definitely in the direction I want.

As this is a heresy-era army, the rest of the Word Bearers will be done in grey...so variation within the theme is acceptable.

Cats and Baby Training...

2011-03-18T08:27:00.003-04:00

So, I think the 'delightful' feline has decided to give me her version of training-for-baby. She doesn't think in terms of my already rampant insomnia, she's just trying to do her part.

11pm, I slide off into slumber. Not fitfully, but a little tossing and turning. My norm for sleep. The wife, bless her pregnant little soul, twitches into sleep...further arresting my normal nocturnal rhythm.

1:30am; the cat decides she wishes to aid the east in its time of crisis. How, may you ask? Well she doesn't know either, though she does know she wants to get there...by digging her way through her litter box. Little comprehension of distance, she just 'knows' Japan is on the other side of the world, and that the world is under her litter box. She digs...and digs...and digs...sounding all the world like an earth mover breaking up concrete. Survival instinct kicks in (something I usually think she lacks), and she stops right around the time I achieve full consciousness and begin to contemplate her demise.

2:30am; Crinkle Balls (scientific name, I'm sure). Those foil balls that make noises a cat finds irresistible. Those toys that she loses, with great regularity, beneath the stove. Those toys she has lost all of in the last few days, and whined at us to find for her. We've learned to NOT find any for her near bed time. Apparently she has decided the entertainment of my crackling joints (and grunts of ire) were worth missing out on (sounds she enjoys thoroughly as I root around under said stove for her every morn) in the interest of my training. She has performed a feat worthy of great spite, and acquired one from the dusty depths of our kitchen cave, on her own. She seemed to have quietly, and with great malice-aforethought, carried it gently up the stairs...quietly deposited it upon the door jam and POUNCED...and POUNCED...and POUNCED. A sound, not unlike the crashing of glass to a sleep addled mind, exploded from the doorway. Adrenaline rush had me out of bed before I knew what'd hit me. She rocketed down the stairs and I, well I stumbled to the offending toy and hid it...hopefully I never remember where.

3(ish)am; Galloping. I don't know where this animal has acquired her desire to evince a sudden lack of lazy, but she HAS learned how to gallop. The downstairs sound like a Lipizzaner show.

4(ish)am; Suddenly feeling guilt at the slow growth of her waistline (winter weight you know), the cat decides to implement her excercise program. It's a stair routine. To my muddled mind, it sounds as though the Lipizzaners have moved to the stairwell... and as we all know, a cardio workout needs at LEAST 15 minutes to have an impact.

5(ish)am; My bladder summons me (though why now, and not at any of the myriad previous interruptions I don't know) and I answer its call. At the foot of the bed, the cat decides it is 'daddy play-time', and sets up in ambush. Great feet stride around the corner of the bed, as the cat's Goliath trudges near. I can envision, under the bed (now that I am up) the tail-twitch, the anticipation, the patience of the great hunter as her prey approaches...yet at 5am, all my mind is saying is 'bed...must get back to bed...sleep...must regain sleep'. I round the bottom of the bed, make my turn in preparation to crash back into a blissfull null-state, when sudden SHARPS penetrate the top of my foot...my calf...and my adrenal glands pump a quart of 'WAKE UP' into my bloodstream.
Again, the survival instinct (that I never knew existed) kicked in on the filthy feline, and she took off at Mach-5 for the downstairs. I am neither amused, nor awake enough to pursue.

6:30(ish)am; It is my day off. I have not set a single alarm. In an optimistic mindset (something that has been disabused at this juncture) the night prior, I looked forward to sleeping in until 7-8ish. I reveled in the thought.
CRASH...THUMP...CLAW...'mrowp'...the cat has leaped to the top of the dresser at the foot of MY side of the bed, and decided to claw her way through curtain, and glass, to get at the birds on the other side of the bedroom window. At this point, my body decides to override my mind's attempt to stay asleep. Adrenaline flows, once again, and I am up...hissing...and chasing feline before my brain can tell the rest of me to just 'shut up and go back to sleep'. The cat has managed, before my feet even touch the floor, to cover the length of the bedroom (without touching the floor) in the time it takes me to blink. I fall back into the tortuous teasing device called 'bed'.

6:35am; Dammit...I'm awake.

I stumble downstairs to make coffee in a desperate attempt to compensate for lack of sleep.
The cat follows me down the stairs (where the hell WAS she?). She looks up at me with desire, and follows me all the way...to the drawer...that contains her toys.

I consider killing her...

I begin to reach for her...

and then I see an empty food dish. Utterly empty. Not even dust.

I let her live.

You see, I gave her too much credit. I thought SHE was trying to train me for incoming infant insomnia...
but no,

It was her Mother, my Wife.

I stood there, contemplating going upstairs and smothering her with a pillow (as she never ONCE awoke last night, as I battled cats, rampaging Huns and horse shows)...

Sometime, in the next 18years, my wife needs to take our child out and buy it whatever it wants...to thank it for saving her life.

Grey Knights beginnings, with cheeze...and little GK

2011-03-16T16:54:00.004-04:00

Okay, bear with me...as I am doing this from memory..but I think it serves closely enough for points.

Coteaz

2x Techamrines (orbital strike relay/2x servo skulls)

6x Inq Ret Sqads;
5x Psykers
2x Jakaero
Chimera

2x Rifleman Dreads (psybolts)

Should come out to JUST under 1750 (again correct me if I'm wrong) Leaving 100pts (to get to 1850-ish) and netting;
8 twin linked str 8 range 48 shots
6 S-7 Ap-2 large blasts range 36
12 S-9 Ap-2 range 48 shots (or MM, or Hvy Flm)
plus chimera fire
and 2x Orbital Bombardments...DS defense from the squad Coteaz is attached to, scout blocking, mobility and so on.

Extra 100pts can go into warriors with flamers or plasma (if you equip chimera with hvy flamers, reducing your midfield fire, you do help out the anti horde fun)

Now this is an exercise in extremis...seeing if the Codex can be abused significantly.
I would never play this in friendly games, but am thinking variations on this theme may/will be seen in tourney.

I know I'm going to try it out that way, but not sure I'm going to stick with it unless people figure out ways to manage it and make it fun to play.

Word Bearers...a start, and something more

2011-03-15T08:41:00.005-04:00

So, after reading 'First Heretic' I have been motivated...
I haven't created an army just because I 'wanted to' in a very long time.
In fact, the last one was my pre-Heresy Istvaan III loyalists.
Everything I've done since has made concessions to competitiveness.

Three things pushed me into this, in reverse order;
The novel...it brought me back into the Horus Heresy universe, as the last two I read disappointed.
Tim Wright...watching him play, enjoy, and do well with a 'toolbox' Chaos Space Marine army at my last RTT (which will shortly have its own blog entry). He just ENJOYED himself too much for me to not re-evaluate excessive competitive builds to the exclusion of the original fun.
Ian V... 'nuff said.

So,
Argel Tal (and soon, the Gal Vorbak)

So he begins, with his 'mini-me'...

Slow progress...

Getting there...

Passing

2011-03-13T11:12:00.005-04:00

A friend passed Friday night.

A young friend.

Is it hypocritical to feel greater grief for youth? Isn't all life sacred?
I find myself lamenting his 'goodness' most. He was just nice...not enough of those people around...yet I keep coming back to his youth. Early 20's? That's too damned young.

Smiles, even in his frustration, I come back to the smiles. It seemed like he nearly always had a smile. Job stress...School stress...other stresses...and yet I always saw the smile. Quippy posts, esoteric or anachronistic, but always there bringing ME a smile...or a retrospective thought.

The pain in his closest friends' faces, when they shared the 'news' (so vile to say it that way, like it's a story on the local stations...but it was 'news' to us in the tragic way). That killed me a little inside. Wanting to be closer to them, to be able to offer more in the way of support...and knowing I couldn't...and shame at those feelings, because it felt as though I was making it about me inside.

Helplessness...that's where it all crashes in. Can't DO anything. Just feel.
Knowing that, no matter what, I cannot even imagine the level of helplessness felt by those that were actually present when it happened.
Knowing that, no matter what, the void for his closest friends and family cannot be filled.
Knowing that nothing can be said that can wash away the pain and loss...or come out, in some fashion, a bit trite.

A youth died this weekend.
A friend passed this weekend.

A genuinely GOOD human being has left us...and we are all just a little smaller for it.

Ian,
I wish I'd been a better friend, and I hope I can be a better friend to those you were closest to.
You are missed.

Grey Knights intial reactions...brief impressions

2011-03-10T22:17:00.002-05:00

So, a brief exposure and some perusal...and I am, disappointed?

Two things jump out at me. First, and dearest to my heart, my beloved 'Nids have received the final kick to the groin...and they don't even have nads.
This is not an 'oh noes, my army is the suxor' reaction (or 'or GK are sooo OP'). It's simply reality. Entire units wherein EVERY weapon has the FW ability combined with gear that can make the Instant Death effect go off automatically...combined with bonus attacks from the same gear. Yeah, it's bad.
Second, and more significant overall, an easily broken and spammed unit. The Inquisitorial Retinue.
For the meagre cost of a 100pt Special Character (Coteaz, who in and of himself is a good buy regardless) they become troops.
With 5 psykers, two Jakaero weaponsmiths and a Chimera, you produce obscene amounts of mid-range (or longer) strength 7/9 AP 2 fire...coupled with the fire off the Chimera itself. fewer than 200pts per unit of that build type, combined with other build types (storm bolter/storm shield toting dudes and melta/plas spam) and we're starting to see one of the strengths of the IG 'dex bleeding through.
With changes, yes, but still there in even more variable form. Transportable CC units, melta throwaway, and assigned FNP wound soaks.
The potential for abuse OUTSIDE the Grey Knights kind of disappoints me. The fact that competitive lists that are going to come out of this (for the near future, I think) may very well have FEW grey knights...well...is that really Codex Grey Knights?

Now, the pix look awesome. The GK units combine to produce fluffy, boosted, nasty elements that are going to have issues where they should and be strong where they should.
Overall I think that if you play GK you will have fun, fluffy, hardcore play.
If you go to tourney and see your opponent pull out a GK codex, you may just expect to see a great deal of chimera, stormraven and Techmarine spam.

My INITIAL impressions...

De-Meching of 40k

2011-02-27T09:36:00.007-05:00

So, a trend...one that I have embraced strongly...the DE-meching of 5th edition.

I think it's been subtle, Tyranids notwithstanding (as they've never had true vehicles, and won't, they really didn't lend weight..and they're codex failed to 'balance' a mech-heavy environ), but an omnipresent shift in the FAQ's and Codexes.

Space Wolves led the charge, with the advent of the Thunderwolf Cav and Logan-wing. An army that could compete with fewer and fewer (and even no) vehicles on the board.
Blood Angels, with their DOA and Flying Dreadnoughts.
Dark Eldar, with Beast-packs, webway and Foot-warrior/Wych spam(sometimes relying on disposable vehicles, sometimes not).
Then the FAQ for Dark Angels (making Deathwing and Doublewing very viable, if not top tier).

That last seemed (to me) at first merely a re-dress of a wrongfooted Marine 'dex (the GW gawds couldn't let MARINES languish in ignominy, seriously??)
But the more I think about it, the less I think that the recent FAQ shift (less the Templars, mostly the DA) for our lost Battle Brothers may have been a continuing attempt to re-balance a system that truly lost its footing with the advent of 5th Edition Imperial Guard.

Not for lack of wanting to sell vehicles, but a recognition that single play-style can hurt a system...significantly.

We saw that with 3rd ed...when assault became nearly all, and vehicles (when 3.5 killed assault out of vehicles) fell out of favor. 4th ed put the kibosh on vehicles, and GW compensated later with 5th. 5e SAVED the vehicle...and then IG killed nearly everything else.
Duality units, with cheap and aggressive vehicles toting either cheap, or very effective (sometimes both) units, began to dominate...not merely become potent, but utterly dominate. And melta weapons (and their safe/surprise delivery) became the penultimate weapons.

Now??? well, Melta is important...but I think, becoming a means and less an ends.

I enjoy my Mech, and was pleasantly rewarded with 5e when my Chimera and Rhino (and drop pod) spam suddenly became more vicious, but they then became less fun. I always enjoyed varied methods of play, and the constant 'tin-box' styles began to grate. With SW I began to field no-vehicle lists, and really enjoyed my bugs(hamstrung they may be) when that 'dex came out. BA really ran me up a pole with heavy mech again, but I loved the Baal Predator, and hybridized as well.

Then Deathwing...my poor, poor Deathwing... were dusted off, and brought me full-circle back to min-model count/no-mech FUN.

Grey Knights bring even more possibilities to powerhouse hybridization, if the rumours hold out....

The one thing coming out of this, more and more, is VARIATION. Variation in tourney, in casual play and in combinations that have no unique 'key' to unlock; forcing the need to field take-all-comers lists utilizating variation and mental acuity.
More, now than ever, I think 40k is becoming a thinking game...and less a point and click game.
It'll never be chess, but it is certainly looking less like checkers!

Neglect

2011-02-25T09:43:00.002-05:00

Well,
I can see how professional writers find themselves in binds...blog writers too.
I've let this thing languish far too long, and when I do, I don't even want to confront it...soooo.

I'm going to force myself to contribute TO myself (so to speak) at least once a week.
I'm also going to force myself to contribute something NOT game related, as well as something hobby-esque.
Hopefully it will be the same week, but at least every other week for each subject.
(it's been difficult to find humour about the house, the cat's been her normal crappy self...nothing new, just stoopeed!) :)

First contribution to the non-game side....SINUS INFECTION FOR THE LOSS!!!
there! :D

Deathwing Pseudo-BatReps

2011-01-30T10:36:00.004-05:00

Okay, sorta batreps..more like result-reps. I'm collating (from memory) 3 games over the last 2 weeks.
Due to trying to reconstruct from memory, I cannot guarantee my opposite number's lists are represented with greater than 80% accuracy.

Game 1 vs 'Nilla Marines (1850)
2x rhinos
1x HB razor
2x Devs (4x HB/4x Lascannon)
4x Tacs (melta/?)
Vanguard Vets
Chappy

1850 pure DW (6 squads with Belial and Command termies)

Battle Missions (the Daemon mission that continues until all are dead)
My DW played the Daemon role, which was appropriate for the Deployment option.

It wound up going until turn 6, with the DW wiping him out.
His army was a diverse one, but not tournament optimized (was never built for that, so not a dink...just a fact). Was a fun matchup, with me losing an entire DW squad on my first half drop due to mishap. Scary moment, but was compensated for when my one non-standard squad (all p-fists and c-fists, no storm shields) made 6x crux saves in one shooting phase the next turn.
Average rolls for both players throughout the game showed the strength of the DW vs a non-optimized list. His V-Vets definitely put a LOT of pain into the termie command squad when they hit it, but not getting of the DS charge when they first came in let me position for last two turns without interference.

DW Win

2nd game v pseudo Logan-Wing (2000)
Logan
2x tooled PA runepriests
1x tooled PA wolfpriest
10x WG (2x Cyclone termies, 8x PA)
(3) 5x WG (1x Cyclone termie, 4x PA)
(2) 6x LF (2x Lascannon, 3x ML)
(1) 6x LF (3x MM, 2x HB)

My DW had been fixed since last game, with all squads (but command) std config (see DW list here: ( http://exitusactaprobat1.blogspot.com/2011/01/deathwing.html ) With the addition of a RW attack squadron (7 models, 2x melta, 1x MM Attk Bike, 1x Pfist).

Mission Capture/Control, Pitched Battle.

I just couldn't manage the central/mobile LoganFang squad + the 4x super characters. It went to t-6, and not until t-4 was it conclusively a loss, but it emphasizes the OP of Space Wolves. DW may have answers for IG, but I don't think we'll see an answer to SW until another codex or two. (my die rolling did not help, I spent a Saturday with dice hate...they REALLY hated me. failing to wound with 5 TH hits on t-4 was just barely worse than the norm for this or the next game. against Loganwing, that is NOT an option.)
No mistakes on either side. The bikes did precisely what I wanted them to, delivering DW assault where I wanted it right off. Was actually a good game, regardless of my frustration (which expressed itself in me getting pissy...I hate games like that, but when I'm playing with a friend I have a tendency to let my barriers down).

Loganwing Win

Game 3 v Witch hunters (1500)
Inq Lord (scourging, gear, 3x plas 1x mystic retinue,Chimera [SL/HF])
Inq (scourging + some gear)
Inq (scourging + some gear)
Callidus Assassin
(4) IST (2;2x plas/2;2x melta) each w/Chimera (SL/HF)
3x Excorcist

My list (roughly) 5x aforementioned DW units+Grey Knight GM(w/TeleH and SS).

Mission Seize Ground/Spearhead (5 obj)

Dice hate abounds, but still managed a draw. had it ended turn 5 he would have won by 1 obj. I managed to steal the initiative, and with my 1st turn of shooting I neutered virtually all his non-excorcist shooting, and lost only 2 terminators.
I advanced, sniping Chimeras and generally trying to create mayhem.
Then the dice hate began, and I started losing terminators to stupid shite...like assaulting ISTs etc.
I managed to hold two objectives with my single remaining 4 man DW squad, while he held 2 with a 3 man squad that refused to break (or be successfully assaulted) and a single backfield unit that never was shot at.
In the end he had 2 IST units(one down to 3 men), 2x excorcists, a free roaming INQ lord and an immobilized chimera.
I had the 4 man termies.

I made some (intentional) errors in the beginning, specifically to see if I could walk into the Excorcists across the board. Had my rolling been average late-midgame, I could have. Run and DT rolls were poor, as were FNP and std saves. Unlike the very first game, also my standard crux saves failed me. Was a good see-saw game with a lot of tension midfield/late game. Would love to do that one all over again with more aggressive drops.
I think more aggressive drops could have cracked this one much faster, will go at it again. I DID miss the drops off the Ravenwing though.

DRAW

Upon reflection,
JEEBUS I'm happy!
I haven't been satisfied with a Deathwing(or DoubleWing) game since 5e and the advent of the 5e Space Marine codex.
I am happy that Dark Angels have become somewhat viable again. I am also VERY happy to see that they are not a point-click win (not that I really believe in those per-se) army, but require real focus and application while still being somewhat competitive.
I see, other than the obvious low model-count issues, their biggest weakness will be piss-poor psyker defense. When the new Grey Knights 'dex comes out, the loss of a GK hero for Ldr-10 p-hood is going to be a kick. Having used a std DA libby-terminator in the 2nd game, I know that ldr-9 sucks for p-hoods. I think I stopped ONE Runepriest power in 6 game turns.
Their 2nd biggest weakness is also one of their greatest strengths. Fearless. Though this may not have a HUGE impact on the Terminators, if using a DoubleWing config, it can finish off a Bike squadron in CC lickity split (and an additional wound from resolution, though unlikely, into a small terminator squad can really put you in a bind). Just give me stubborn ldr-10 instead of fearless, I'll be happy then! ;)

Overally, I approve of this FAQ!!! :)

Deathwing Sabotaged!!!

2011-01-29T09:01:00.003-05:00

When one declares an army finished,
one should NOT leave them accessible to a jealous animal...
(I was painting instead of giving her a warm lap she kept demanding the last few days. She gets ornery when cold. LOVING and ornery, but her lap must be supplied.)

The cat has absconded with one of my THSS terminators...I think I shall have to prime and paint her as a stand in until found.

Deathwing

2011-01-26T07:45:00.005-05:00

annnnndd...finsished.

Kinda easy, considering I had them before and just had to tweak a bit of painting, but my painting time is limited.
approx;
Belial
Terminator Libby
1ea; Terminator squad(3x THSS/1xApothecary/1x Chainfist/1x banner/1x Cyclone)
5ea; Terminator squad(3x THSS/1x LC/1x Chainfist/1x Cyclone)

the Libby is for P-Defense, as the GK equivalent is going to be right-out soon.

aiming for 1850(points here are actually, 1780)

I have the Ravenwing to bring it up (and dbl-wing it) just need to play a bit more to figure out configurations.

Gatecrashers FTW.

DE 2k after the Orks...

2011-01-05T21:52:00.000-05:00

2000pts

-Haemonculus w/Webway Portal.
-Haemonculus w/Webway Portal.

-Trueborn (x3) w/Blaster x3
Venom w/xtra Splinter Cannon
-Trueborn (x3) w/Blaster x3
Venom w/xtra Splinter Cannon

-Warriors (x6)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Shock Prow
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Shock Prow
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance
-Wyches (x10) w/Hekatrix(agonizer);S-net&Impaler; Hydra G
-Wyches (x10) w/Hekatrix(agonizer);S-net&Impaler; Hydra G

-Beastmasters w/5x BM; 6x Khymera; 6x Razorwing
-Beastmasters w/5x BM; 6x Khymera; 6x Razorwing

-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield

Addresses some issues AND ups the anti-troop a bit.
has the added advantage of being precisely 2k, so no wasted points (so to speak).

Beginning to toy with the idea of re-incorporating Reavers.

DE vs Orks 2k

2011-01-02T08:44:00.003-05:00

2000pt Dark Eldar vs Orks
My list:
-Haemonculus w/Liquifier Gun; Venom Blade; Webway Portal.
-Haemonculus w/Liquifier Gun; Venom Blade; Webway Portal. (HQ= 200pts)
-Trueborn (x3) w/Blaster x3
Venom w/xtra Splinter Cannon
-Trueborn (x3) w/Blaster x3
Venom w/xtra Splinter Cannon (elites=292pts)
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Wyches (x9) w/Hekatrix(agonizer/PGL);Shardnet&Impaler
-Wyches (x9) w/Hekatrix(agonizer/PGL);Shardnet&Impaler (troops=740pts)
-Beastmasters w/4x BM; 5x Khymera; 4x Razorwing; 1x Clawed Fiend
-Beastmasters w/4x BM; 5x Khymera; 4x Razorwing; 1x Clawed Fiend (FA=416pts)
-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield (HS=345pts)

His list: (from memory, roughly)
Warboss (loaded with Klaw and eavy armour plus all the upgrades he could get)
Warphead
Nobz x10 (painboss, multiple Klaws and Uge choppas/painboy/max allocation)
Shootasx30 (Nob/Klaw/Pole/3x big shoota)
Sluggasx30 (Nob/Klaw/Pole/3x hvy weapons)
Sluggasx30 (Nob/Klaw/Pole/3x hvy weapons)
Ard Boyzx20 (Nob/Klaw/Pole)
3x Trakks (twin rokkits)
3x Killa Kans (twin rokkits/armour plates)
3x Killa Kans (Grotzookas/Armour plates)
Deff Dread (3x CCW/Skorcha)

Mission DOW/5 objectives.
Terrain: 3 story building off-center in one half of table(completely in one table half, but on the line), two ruins starting approx 8” from opposite table edge and about 1.5’ from each table side. Small woods scattered about, a few hills. About 25%(ish), but lighter than I like on taller/blocking etc.
Objectives placed centrally and approximately one central in each quarter (big X).
I win roll to deploy/go first, and defer.
He deploys Shoota mob in central building (just in scoring position off center objective) and a Slugga mob(w/Warphead) to my right on another objective in a large wood.
I deploy nothing.
I do NOT seize the initiative.

Turn 1:
-Top; the tide moves on. He brings a unit of Kans on in the centerline of each quarter. On my left he supports Kans with the Ard Boyz, Deff Dread and a unit of Sluggas (the sluggas are stretched to approach the rear of the building in his center as well, behind the Ard boyz who make it to a woods). On my right he supports Kans with the Trakks and the Boss/Nobz (behind the Slugga/Warphead mob in the woods).
No targets to shoot, so he runs. All 4s and 5s pretty much puts him on every objective in his half, and in cover.
-Bottom; I bring on everything but the Wyches and Beasts. One Venom dives into a building on my left/center (survives) and Haemonc jumps out to drop webway threatening the central objective. One Raider pushes 12” into a building on my right (surivives) and Haemonc jumps out to drop webway. The rest of my vehicles push forward up the left board-edge at maximum shooting speed. Venoms fire and kill 5 orks from the slugga mob on my left. Lances fire and kill….nothing. I think I blew a rokkit off the Trakks and a rokkit off a Kan (though I shook the other two kans in that unit, hurting his shooting at my left flank).

Turn 2:
-Top; the tide flows into solid positions, supporting squads and consolidating positions. He brings his damaged slugga mob closer to the back of the 3 story building to support the shootas. He brings the Kans forward to threaten with shooting and draw fire. The Dread moves up the center. His shooting phase nets him….a dead splinter cannon on a Venom. (at this point, we both decided shooting sucks).
-Bottom; Reserves net me 1 Wych Squad and 1 Beast Squad. Hoping to pull him into committing off center, I bring them both in from my right side Webway. With fleet rolls, BOTH units get into charge range of his slugga/warphead mob. I managed to immobilize my right side raider trying to fly out of the building, so the unit just stays put to contribute to the central fire lanes. I move a blaster bomb squad (trueborn) with venom up to the central objective (they jump out to add weight of fire). The left flank moves up toward the kan mob, and the Ravagers take sniping positions to left of center. I fire, killing the left Kans, Deff Dread and Trakks (as well as 5 more orks from the left side Sluggas). Assault Phase puts my Wyches and beasts into the Warphead’s Sluggas. Much gnashing of teeth later (my rolling bites) and he loses a whopping 15 orks…AFTER resolution. I lost a 3rd of my Wyches, a Khymera and a Beastmaster.

Turn 3:
-Top; He brings the wounded unengaged sluggas fully into the building backing the shootas. He pushes the Ard Boyz forward (while they still claim their objective, they now have threat range to center as well) and brings Kans/Boss/Nobz into charge range of the furball to my right. His shooting kills the Blaster squad and attendant Venom in the center and blows a Splinter Cannon off the other venom. He charges and wipes the Beasts out (everything made it), drops the Wyches down to half (they break and get away)while he loses the remainder of the Slugga mob (the warphead lives). His consolidations nets him 1”, 1” and 2”. He curses.
-Bottom; Both remaining reserves come in, and the beasts followed their counterparts out of my right portal. Wyches popped out of my left portal and parked on an objective (in cover). Movement is just repositioning for cover/positioning for turn 5. Every lance and splinter weapon in my army fires at Nobz/Boss (who are in cover). I got what I was hoping for when he went to ground. I then charged the Kans. Killed a Klaw, blew a Kan and shook a Kan.

Turn 4:
-Both sides of the turn were rife with bad rolls. After positioning and gunning on both sides he netted a dead Venom, dead blaster squad and some dead beasts. I killed the final Kan, put two wounds on Nobz and killed some Ard Boyz. I darted forward to contest an objective and try to put off the Ard Boyz…who made EVERY SINGLE COVER SAVE.

Turn 5:
-It really ceased to be a dance and became a slugfest. The Nobz+Boss came in and wiped Beasts(ending on the objective), his shooting did virtually nothing. My shooting finally put pain into the Nobz (cutting them in half). At this point, end of turn, it would have been a draw (as splinter fire had utterly failed to shift the Ard Boyz now down to 9). I rolled, game continues.

Turn 6:
-it’s turn 5 all over again, but while his fire was ineffective, mine wiped his Boss+Nobz. I again failed to shift the Ard Boyz, but he could not reach my two home objectives (controlled) or shift my Flat Out grabbing skimmers.
Game end…DE win 2 objectives to 1.

Had there been a 7th turn, the game would have again become a draw, or even possibly a win for the Orks. Sign of a good game is DEFINITELY a see-saw of dominance.

He didn’t have enough shooting, which allowed me a bit of leeway for my bad dice turns (which I had…in abundance).

The game did let me test my anti-infantry weaknesses, and let me see how the army performed with sub-par rolls.
There were few good targets for my Lances, reducing the investment efficiency there.
My CC rolls were below average at best…atrocious for a turn.
My shooting was average, but only over the game…turns went up and down.
His cover saves were tremendous. The amount of fire I put down should have had as many dead orks by end of 3 as there was end of 5.

Though he was not playing a serious tourney list, he still made me play out of the box and work outside of a comfort zone.

Lessons:
-If I can’t rely on games averaging out, I have to compensate. I need more beasts.
-Flickerfields do NOT need to be on all my vehicles. Dropping them from Raiders will net me 40pts for beasts.
-Blaster bomb squads are iffy when faced with little armour/MC. I will have to face a few LRaider/more IG Mech before I decide to keep these guys in their current incarnation.
-I may want another venom.
-I am not worried about PfP in this list.
-I missed a beatstick, but at the same time I didn’t. sometimes they’re good to draw fire, and that’s where I missed an ‘obvious target’ unit moreso even than its use.
-I need more Wyches in the squads (and I think I may dump PGL in favor of Haywire/nothing).
-I may need Shock Prows. My inability to shift the ‘Ard Boyz unit off of its objective could have cost me the game. Tank Shock availability would have given me greater opportunities to do this.

DE Beastmasters/PfP interaction

2010-12-27T17:08:00.003-05:00

Okay, branching off on a tangent from another forum....

I am seeing (here and elsewhere in person) a few different views regarding Power from Pain interactions.
I think everyone agrees that by RAW Pain tokens affect any unit they are applied to, and if not...well, we are just going to assume you do for this thread.

With beastmaster units, we have a core model (beastmasters) that have the PfP rule.
Each beastmaster may be attended by various beasties in various numbers..doesn't matter, except none of said beasts have PfP.

As discussed in other places, and encountered directly elsewhere, I have heard 4 different takes on the unit and rule interaction. (for this discussion, we are assuming the beastmasters ARE bringing their friends to the party, and not flying solo..as it would be silly not to).

the arguments follow these 4 posits;
a) the unit is a group of beastmasters that have beasts in the vein of Fen Wolves attached to SW characters as wargear.

b) the unit is a group of beastmasters that have beasts in the vein of Drones attached to crisis suits (subtle, but significant rules difference between the two)

c) the unit is solely a whole, and can in NO WAY be segregated in any phase, hence cannot garner tokens (by their own actions) due to the rule lacking on the whole unit.

d) the unit is solely a whole, but can be differentiated if it can be proven the beastmasters themselves are responsible for final kills as they have the rule the unit generates a token.

I am in camp C by RAW. I will defend that premise here when challenged, but want to hear where other people fall AND WHY (or if there are other positions I've missed that fall outside these 4 base arguments).

the base rule for PfP states that a 'unit' with this rule, when successful at wiping out a non-vehicle unit, gains a Pain Token.

DE getting closer....

2010-12-19T11:11:00.005-05:00

Okay, so after further thought (unfortunately, not further games) this is where I am settling with my DE. The list is being guided by a number of factors, including models that I like (and models that I now have vs further expenditure).

2000pts (actually, 1993)

-Haemonculus w/Liquifier Gun; Venom Blade; Webway Portal.
-Haemonculus w/Liquifier Gun; Venom Blade; Webway Portal. (HQ= 200pts)

-Trueborn (x3) w/Blaster x3
Venom w/xtra Splinter Cannon
-Trueborn (x3) w/Blaster x3
Venom w/xtra Splinter Cannon (elites=292pts)

-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Warriors (x5)
Raider w/Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Wyches (x9) w/Hekatrix(agonizer/PGL);Shardnet&Impaler
-Wyches (x9) w/Hekatrix(agonizer/PGL);Shardnet&Impaler (troops=740pts)

-Beastmasters w/4x BM; 5x Khymera; 4x Razorwing; 1x Clawed Fiend
-Beastmasters w/4x BM; 5x Khymera; 4x Razorwing; 1x Clawed Fiend (FA=416pts)

-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield
-Ravager w/3x Dark Lance; Flickerfield (HS=345pts)

As with the prior list, the Haemonculai get on board with the Trueborn and dart forward for a WW drop.

The Wych squads are 140pts each, which carries the same cost as a 10 man(?) Wrack squad with 2x Liquifier guns and an Acothyst (w/venom blade and stinger pistol) allowing for both units to be swapped out for the other to play different styles in testing. I think the Wracks may serve the army better, but I like the Wych models a great deal.

The Wyches OR Beastmaster units (or all) can begin the game in reserve, utilizing Webway portals to push enemies back/manipulate their deployment. Alternately, they can begin the game in play to manipulate 1st turn enemy shooting...or mix and match.

Webway reserved, the Wyches give you a scoring unit that can appear mid-field, or tarpit something mid-weight for oncoming beasts.

I like the warrior models, so I am not running min-sized Wrack units as my Raider-bait.
guided by unit/model fondness, I think I have hit a solid efficiency/vs/personal preference balance.

Dark Eldar at 2k

2010-11-28T09:42:00.002-05:00

Okay, now that I've had some time to fiddle, and (admittedly only 4 games, but real time with the 'dex) thinking under my belt.

-Archon
Ghostplate Armour, Comb Drugs, Blast Pistol, Agonizer, Clone Field

-Haemonculai (x2)
Webway portal(x2), Liquifier Gun(x2), Venom Blade(x2)

-Trueborn (x3)
Blaster (x3)
Venom
Splinter Cannon(x2), Flickerfield, Nightshield
-Trueborn (x3)
Blaster (x3)
Venom
Splinter Cannon(x2), Flickerfield, Nightshield

-Wyches (x8)
Hekatrix/Blast Pistol, Agonizer and Shardnet Impaler
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS
-Wyches (x8)
Hekatrix/Blast Pistol, Agonizer and Shardnet Impaler
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS

Kabalite Warriors (x5)
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS
Kabalite Warriors (x5)
Raider
Flickerfield, Nightshield, DarkLance, EAS

Wracks (x5)

Beastmasters
4x Beastmaster, 4x Razorwings, 1x Clawed Fiend, 3x Khymera
Beastmasters
4x Beastmaster, 4x Razorwings, 1x Clawed Fiend, 3x Khymera

Ravager
3x DarkLance, Flickerfield, Nightshield
Ravager
3x DarkLance, Flickerfield, Nightshield

The Haemonculai normally deploy with the Venom trueborn. The goal is to pop them forward, deploy the Haemonculai and drop WWPs at the first opportunity (usually center offset a little away from the flank you are planning on running your fast moving raiders/ravagers) leaving the Pain Token with the Trueborn.
Everything else involves blowing forward and blasting cans, in anticipation for the beast-flow to come.
The wracks are sort of an afterthought unit, leftovers from a prior list process...and with them coming out of a webway near an objective as a 5th troop w/FNP...they are not horrible per-se...still in a thought process for their points, probably beefing warrior or beast squads.
Still wish to play a bit to see my gaps before committing their 50pts.

Unfortunately, after rebuilding this list, I realize I cheated my buddy Edge by about 50pts in a game yesterday. I DON'T think it mattered much (2 extra wracks and 2 extra khymera...it's what I get for shifting a list in my head between games) but the flow was right, and it functioned how I expected.

DE: Heat Lance vs Blaster (on Reaver Jetbikes)

2010-11-07T11:19:00.006-05:00

So, the debate. Little blurb (more thinking out loud than anything else, but if anyone has an opine to share, please do).

Heat Lance;
Str6, AP-1 (range 18).
Melta/Lance
Blaster;
Str-8, AP-2 (range 18).
Lance

Both have their uses, and with the speed of Reavers armour facing is only a small issue.

The lance has a distinct edge vs AV-12 and below (with a 2d6 curve result of 7, a 13 is statistically probable) and a slight edge vs AV-13 (due to the AP-1 granting a +1 on the damage chart).
With a base strength of 6, though, it begins to lose out (due to the same curve result of 7 imposing a statistical consistency of 13, resulting in a no-pen result).

The blaster has a true range advantage of 9" (no need for half-range maximum efficiency) and a Str edge of +2.
This has the advantage of;
Instant Death vs multi wound T-4 (Nob Bikerz come to mind), greater wound consistency vs T-5+ units, and fewer opportunities for opposing bubble-wrap protection.

The problem is multi-faceted.
Quantity; every additional weapon beyond the first is a minimal unit increase of 75-77pts, and a maximum of 3 weapons..coupled with a unit that can be broken with little firepower commitment. With that in mind, I see a maximum yield (for points efficiency) of 2 weapons.
Investment; these units will die after performing their duty. With frailty of T and Sv, and a max leadership of 9, you can kill/break them fairly easily prior to a pain token being acquired. As the loadout I have is for vehicle popping, odds are you will have to set up a character start or retain the vulnerabilities.
Duality; in a Vehicle killing role, or with a lack of expensive upgrades, a single splinter-rifle on non-lance/blaster equipped bike does not encourage a dual-purpose role for these bikers.

Dark Eldar mental adjustments and thoughts...

2010-10-18T18:45:00.002-04:00

So,
I made my first leap with them (blaster bombs as Aaron has now coined the term for me) and my first mental gaffe.
I missed something key, when sifting through the 'dex.
Haemonculi...
How the hell did I miss the 1-3 per HQ? I think excitement over so many other things, and a dislike for the old models, made me pass over the entry with little real attention paid.
Their gear is grand, and give me access to Crucibles, but ultimately they serve a similar role to my Sanguinary Priests in the BA dex...mobile FNP.
In addition, synergy with other elements (wrack troops, etc).

So, humble pie prepared for self...will eat when dinner settles. If nothing else from this, I learned how much I am still affected by prejudgement even after flushing a decade of dogmatic thought processes since I was let go from CoC.

Adjustments to my prior lists may flow like this...
Drop Archon.
Plug in 2x Haemonculi w/liquifiers and at least one crucible.
With my prior point shortage (11 pts) combined with the points from the Archon I should be able to do this with no pain.
I am considering replacing a warrior squad with a 9x Wych squad for one Haemonculi to join, and the other joining the first Wych squad.
I need to look further into the gear available to them, but sure that I can find synergies aplenty.

DE no frills list

2010-10-14T16:33:00.000-04:00

Okay,
starting with my DE list experimentation, I wanted something pure DE with little or no 'up the sleeve' tricks, just in your face bad choices.
Utilize units that cannot be ignored to jam up movement/sight lines or produce 'must deal' situations, while positioning units that are more important to your own battle-plan where you need them next.
Above all, hit fast and hit hard...for like all DE armies coming, they will fold if you stumble.

Archon (Agonizer/Blaster)

3 trueborn (3x blaster)
Venom (dual shuriken cannon)
3 trueborn (3x blaster)
Venom (dual shuriken cannon)
3 trueborn (3x blaster)
Venom (dual shuriken cannon)

10 Warriors (Shur Cannon/Shredder/Sybarite w-agonizer)
Raider (Lance/Aether Sails/Flickerfield)
10 Warriors (Shur Cannon/Shredder/Sybarite w-agonizer)
Raider (Lance/Aether Sails/Flickerfield)
10 Warriors (Shur Cannon/Shredder/Sybarite w-agonizer)
Raider (Lance/Aether Sails/Flickerfield)
10 Wyches (2x shardnet-impaler/Hekatrix w-agonizer)
Raider (Lance/Aether Sails/Flickerfield)

10 Hellions (Helliarch w-stunclaw)

3 Reaver jetbikes (heat lance/caltrops)
3 Reaver jetbikes (heat lance/caltrops)

Ravager (nightfield/flickerfield/3x lance)
Ravager (nightfield/flickerfield/3x lance)

(approx 2000pts...doing from pseudo-memory, as I do not have 'dex on hand)

Experiments in Duality for BA

2010-08-22T10:39:00.002-04:00

So I took the basis of what I have been playing (most often) with my BA lately, and ran it out this last weekend.

I only managed to face Chaos (undivided) twice in two different scenarios, one KP and one Capture and control. Pitched battle followed by DOW.
It was a list based loosely on his SW long fang/rhino list, with oblits and Khornate Raptors led by a Slaanesh JP lord (dbl claw).

Libby (shield/lance)
Libby Furioso (wings/lance)
Libby Furioso (wings/lance)
DC x5 (2x PW/PFist)
AssSquad x5 (melta/pfist/lasplas razor w/hk)
AssSquad x5 (melta/pfist/lasplas razor w/hk)
AssSquad x5 (melta/pfist/rhino w/hk)
AssSquad x5 (melta/pfist/rhino w/hk)
Baal Pred (hb/asscannon)
Baal Pred (hb/asscannon)
Rifleman Dread
Rifleman Dread
Stormraven (lascannon upgrade)
(where points allowed, I gave vehicles xtra arm/dozer blades...I don't have full list in front, but I know I didn't regret a single Dozer Blade as I set up terrain and made certain it did NOT lend advantage to easy movement for my vehicle spam...I re-rolled a LOT of 1's)

One libby furioso and DC in the stormraven.

I don't generally like fragile MSU armies, but this one played very....eldaresque. It was interesting to say the least, and alot of fun.
With doubles of almost everything, the 'hammer' was really more or less a red-herring that couldn't be ignored (pseudo death-star in the stormraven). Combined with the additional mobility of fast transports/scouting baals, my opponents found it difficult to sort out what REALLY needed to die first.
Though it is by no means a true take-all-comers tourney list, it did reinforce the advantage of having no clear choices.

My thoughts, among other things, was that the DC/Raven red-herring may not do a whole lot for the list. Flipping points into Mephi to get on-board the 'raven would dig a bit too much into other units (he would cost me a bit under 100 pts more than the DC) yet provide a true hammer as opposed to a paper tiger.

I can say that I KNOW I would have missed template weapons (flamers or hand flamers) against horde 'nids/orks.

Thoughts?

Simple White...(yeah, took me a bit)

2010-07-30T22:02:00.014-04:00

Okay, so white...
This was for my 'simple/speedy-mode' of painting. I don't have much left to me, my eyes have been going for a couple of years.

It's quick, it's dirty and SIMPLE...

First, prime the Mini. With white, I use GW white primer. It's just a consistency issue. With the newest formula, it is less prone to suffering humidity variance AND doesn't chalk up on its own (well, I haven't had that issue in 4 cans now, so I have to assume it isn't just luck).
If I am painting a small(ish) unit, like Death Company, in order to be certain of complete coverage I utilize a set of forceps. It forces a model by model priming, but leaves me with fewer recoats.

Once I'm primed, I double check the model inside (with even lighting) to find out if I missed ANYTHING, as with all white based models you don't have the luxury of counting on your base color covering up any missed spots.

I then use a 002 micron pen to blackline specific areas on the model that I need emphasis on the shading. This is entirely up to you as to what you consider important to shade, but try to maintain consistent light sourcing for the unit.

I then choose my wash. In the case of the DC, I used Badab Black wash (though the Vallejo wash is exceptional for this as well).
First, I run wash into all the crevices/nooks/plates that I blacklined. This step is pure wash on a brush, drawn in thickly. Partially to dull the shine that you get from the micron pen, and partially to blend that darker region outward into the larger surfaces.
I wash nearly all the remaining cracks/joints etc. Do this with a watered down (heavy wet brush will do, or a 1:3 ratio of water to wash) mix. This will create an effect that is cohesive to the model's overall shading, but less strong than the areas that were first blacklined.

THEN, paint all the metal areas black. Black is going to be your biggest bane, as it will require care to not OVERLY destroy your white surfaces. It will happen, you will do it...but this is why we go to this stage BEFORE blending out the wash from areas that are supposed to be clean white....you will be cleaning up any mistakes when you are blending/covering wash. You will also wash your metallic areas at this stage, as it will emphasize delineation between armour and weapons (etc) with ease, and may correct a few spots of black overbrush by expanding (slightly) your shading there.

NOW you will start painting white on all the surfaces that you do not wish to show the wash. How far back into areas of shade you wish to go is how dirty/shaded you wish a model to look. Try a little deep, closer to the crevices, but with a slightly wetter brush. The white will go on thin, and allow a bit of the shade to show through. Back off a bit from the shaded area and repeat, with a brush that is only wet with paint. One final coat, just a bit further back from the crevice, with a brush only wet with paint should do the trick. For this, I use Vallejo white. It is the easiest, and least inherently glaze-like, that I have worked with. GW Skull White is fine, but begins to change consistency the longer you have the bottle.

After all this, you will begin to finalize details, refine shading and add other colours (such as purity seals, red marks for DC etc etc)...but WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE BASED THE MODEL.
Shaded white does not look like other models, and if you start your color additions before you have finished your basing, it may come out looking a little weird ( I have redone my purity seals thrice now, and still am unsure).

This is NOT golden-daemon quality, but is an interesting and quick method for applying white to power armour(ish) units with speed and not-too-shabby tabletop quality.

Hope it might help a bit, if not then bugger off 'cause yer a better painter than I am!

Vine

2010-07-18T08:47:00.002-04:00

From the sea of green
A burst of orange springs forth
Life for those on wing

Paranoid?

2010-07-11T20:35:00.003-04:00

So, the paranoia has settled back in...after having been unemployed for a year+ (let go from a place I called home) I cannot shake the constant fear of being fired from my new job.
Am I about to crash the plane, or am I on the right bus?

It becomes constant, feeds into my insomnia. Pervasive is the word...when does it shake? Is it akin to grief? Or sign of an underlying personal issue? Or maybe just a sense of 'wrong' is always a part of me when things start seeming right.

I seem paranoid about these things, but then...like clockwork...when I do, something goes wrong to reinforce that sense.
Last time it was job related, I DID get laid off. It was almost self-fulfilling that time. I felt hemmed in and under siege, and shortly thereafter was handed my papers (so to speak) by a friend. It was pain, that time...real pain. That was grief.

Recently, it was a sense of foreboding that preceded my bank account being seized. I was rescued, but it's still being sorted out and has interfered with my spouse's birthday (when will that be unmolested again?) and plans to see my son before he starts college.

And it's back...and my mind has convinced me it's a sense of job...

Is it real? (no, dammit, I don't believe is psychic phenomena, but I do believe in the sub-conscious extrapolating off little clues we don't perceive). Or is it just a sense of memory when I am right, and no real memory of a paranoia when NOT confirmed by life experience? Selective memory so to speak.

I don't know when I'm supposed to let go, when loss of job is a past occurrence with no bearing on the now AND not a loss of identity/worth.
Where do we evaluate the now without the past?
When do I see one set of circumstances as distinctly its' own?
When do I think doing enough isn't, or when do I see too little when it's too much (or just right) and not try to accept responsibility for EVERYTHING?

Or maybe that's it? Maybe I need to let go a little?
Yet when I do that, I feel guilt.
I took a day off last week, a day off for the holiday and promptly felt discomfited and guilty...all day. ??? WTF ??? Even felt as though, while I was gone, something would go wrong that I would have been able to prevent had I been working.
Hurg?
Shades of my old job? I HATED taking days off then. HATED IT!

I don't get this...I just don't.
Am I broken? Or am I reading things on a subliminal level and extrapolating?

It's been a year....

2010-07-06T05:37:00.004-04:00

A year.
I moved back 'home' a year ago (well, a year and 2 weeks ago).
I had been in sticky, muggy, hot, miserable Florida for about 13.

What did I expect? To really come home? No, not really.
I didn't expect much, honestly.
The recession was in full swing (is it much different now? not sure).
I had been unemployed going on 8ish months, my (relatively new) wife had been laid off 3 months as well.
We were getting desperate. The wolves were at the door, and I didn't even own the wall our back's were up against.

My Mamaw had just died (a week or so prior to the wife being laid off), and the family house across from the parents' was empty.

An offer was made, and accepted with mercenary glee.

A month of prep, and fear of the unknown (wife had never left Fla) combined itself with a growing realization that we may not have to move into a 'trailer down by the river' to raise our parasite (the cat)and keep the elements out of our morning gruel (or possibly, morning cat, thus relieving two burdens at once).

The selling began. I cast about amongst friends (and local jewelry shops) to find anyone who wanted to acquire my collected junk (I'm a pack-rat/collector) while my wife half.com/craigslist/ebayed anything she could. We shed STUFF like a couple of panicked fashion models try to shed inches, they can ill afford to, right before the fashionista season.

We priced out trailers, after installing a trailer hitch on a CRV that (so help me God) whimpered when it realized what the 'upgrade' was for. (note to self, if UHaul rents it, you CANNOT find it cheaper to buy ANYWHERE, no matter how much you've convinced yourself prices 'should be close to what you remembered in High School').

A couple weeks of furious 'bye everybody' gatherings, with friends and family, that grew harder for her every day. (I kind of disconnected. I do that. I don't like it but I do).

Then that Saturday, the last one in June, rolled around. A few friends showed up during the day to say final goodbyes, and help pack the vehicles. One was there ALL day (thank you again, Josh). From nearly the moment I started, to the moment I was kicking out bodies to get some vague semblance of sleep. It was hard, watching years of built up life condensed into a CRV (hooked to the largest trailer it could pull) and a Kia Spectra.
We laid down on an inflatable mattress and tried to sleep. I took an Ambien (I am an insomniac extraordinaire) and settled in...and settled, and shifted, and settled. I failed to sleep. Paranoia (did I mention I'm a little twitchy) about the trailer being broken into, combined with excitement about the drive (I love driving) and my wife's well being (not only had she never left her home state, but she doesn't like driving and had NEVER driven like this before) burned me clean through the sleeping pills. At 5am I gave up, woke the spouse (who has NO such sleeping issues, and had hit REM almost as fast as her head hit the pillow) to begin our sojourn an hour early.
We drugged the cat. It was our only recourse. The vile beast HATED cars...detested them (why couldn't we have just gotten a dog...just because it purrs in your hands at the adoption center does NOT mean a cat actually loves you, it just sees an easy mark).

And we drove.

We drove north.
1019 miles from driveway to driveway.
With the trailer, a trip that would normally take me 14 hours (except on the Wed before Thanksgiving...that took me 20) consumed 24 plus. The CRV (bless it's little engine-that-could) was taxed. The trailer was so overloaded that every time I hit a bump the hitch risked scraping. The tires looked almost flat (at our first stop, but I was willing to just 'ignore it' in the interest of forging ahead).
The wife would call me every so often to prove that the drugs we had forced upon the beas..I mean cat..were not as strong as we had hoped, as was evidenced by the angry, yet somehow slurred, mewing.
The hotel bed consumed me after the first 12 hours, and I slept..hard.

Oh, did I mention the A/C in my car was out? Had been for a couple months. A friend donated a little fan for the drive. It stirred the soup, that was my cockpit, sluggishly. I think it helped, but in that hottest of southern weeks (it was record-breaking level hot in GA) I may not have noticed if the A/C had suddenly started working.
Day 2 of the drive was just as hot, but we both had slept well in the hotel. I was refreshed, and we were past the halfway point (of both the trip, and that muggy pit that is GA). We drove.
Other than feline griping (both with sharps against any offending digit that would get near her cage door, and loud yet still slurred mewing) we were in good spirits. My wife had gotten a day of that driving under her belt, and felt more comfortable. She was lane blocking for me with gusto (when I needed to change lanes, a rarity when topping out at 60mph...my norm for the trip being 80), listening to the 'Hitchiker's guide' on a CD, and generally in a fine fettle.

12 more hours later, 12 uphill-hours (oh Gawds the poor CRV was whining by then) and we hit the stretch of I-75 from Cincinnati to Dayton. Everything started looking familiar. I began to actually wake up, not the fugue-state consciousness that hat pervaded the last 3 days of my life, but really awaken.
Around Hamilton I was violated by Big Butter Jesus (that was new, and omigawd vile).

Then we pulled into the driveway. No joke, that's what my mind tells me. Everything after BBJ was a blur. Familiarity seemed to take over, and I remember the driveway. The old Grandparent's house, the parent's house, Salem Avenue leading up to Meadow..it was all kind of a blur. A happy, familiar and comforting blur.

The parental reunion (where we remembered it was my Mother's birthday...amazing what gets pushed out of your cabeza when you're driving 2 days with your entire existence on your proverbial back), the entry into the new abode, meals, showers (egads, the hot water heater was down...ack) etc.
The flurry to unpack the trailer (had to be returned the next day).
The loss of the cat (unfortunately for me it was IN the house and was rediscovered later).
The organization (the wife goes all OCD under stress, and hadn't been able to express her stress for 3 days).

And it was happy for me. It became happy for her.
But it was not home.

It was new, it was different.
We re-discovered my old friends (over the next year, thank you F-Book..oh, and thanks ALOT Deb, for getting me smoking again...grrr) ;)
Wife discovered new ones, good ones and great ones (SQUIRREL!).
We organized, cleaned and 'moved into' a house that was at once very familiar to me, and utterly new to her.

We settled in, gaining direction and sense of being.
We 'discovered' my Parents. I, after years of seeing them once every other year or so, she for the first time (really...they didn't get to 'know' each other after meeting maybe 3 times in 3 years).
I re-discovered a hobby group, and like friends.
I got a job (woot, thanks John)!
She went back to school, and found school friends.
She discovered Autumn, and I reveled in it.
She discovered snow.
I re-discovered snow.
We both reveled in it!

And somewhere, somewhen, somehow...it became...

Home.

Death Company (or why painting white's a pain!)

2010-07-04T12:10:00.006-04:00

So, I'd decided (quite a while ago) to do my BA Death Company in white...inspired by a few sources, and referencing the Japanese as the colour of mourning/death.

Then someone I knew locally (Matt/Valhallan, when in Fla) did it, so I stopped entertaining the notion (I don't like doing something someone in my group does colour wise, as it detracts from their efforts...even when/if done better than my own).

I forgot about this desire, until I started bangin my head against the wall for my new DC additions up here in Ohi...and thus, it begins.

The results are not (yet) disappointing...but white's a BEETCH! ;)

Where the HELL is my DAMNED 'Nid FAQ!!!

2010-06-24T22:34:00.001-04:00

Okay, this is really starting to piss me off...
I love the Nid dex, I really do...and I think common sense pretty much handles a great deal of the 'messes' that people claim are there, BUT...enough people see ambiguity, which means my common sense doesn't necessarily jive with others'.

They could take the time to edit a 'dex to it's early grave (even adding art to cover relevant rules sections) taking the heart away from it...and couldn't take the effort and time, that they have had much of, to FAQ the damn NIDS.
(and before you say 'but Mike, they didn't want to do it before the Ard Boyz finals played out and everyone had seen what needed fixing'...remember, they just murdered a 'dex and a half mid run)
***rant off***
been 'bugging' me for a while, can you tell?

WAAC play

2010-06-20T11:04:00.000-04:00

WAAC

“Kirk: I reprogrammed the simulation so it was possible to rescue the ship.
Saavik: What?
David Marcus: He cheated.
Kirk: I changed the conditions of the test…….. I don't like to lose.”

WAAC…(Win At All Costs)…it used to be politically correct.
It was the ‘evolution’ of words such as cheezy, beardy etc. Those words were ephemeral, undefined and without weight. This new word lent weight and authority to accusations of being ‘rooked’. A ‘scientific’ word, an acronym. It was validation to see for those that didn’t understand.
It, like the poorer words before it, is used without understanding… It was a way for some to assuage their wounded pride, and a tool to belittle those that just flat out beat us.
But it does have application, regardless of its common misuse.
If we apply these feelings to an opponent’s list, we are wrong. An army list, no matter what is legally in it, is a proper application of the tools given to us by the designers. We cannot cheat the spirit of the game if we don’t cheat the (codex/book etc) rules. The spirit of the game, old new or in the middle, is defined by the people who supply us these tools. We can whine about what the old days were like, what the designers intended, or what our personal take on the universe is but in the long run it is just that…whining. If we have an understanding with a(some) regular opponent(s) and that is violated, we can gribble a little bit TO THEM DIRECTLY for said perceive slight in order to discover where we(either player, ourselves included) did not meet preconceived notions…but truly bitching afterward is our issue, not theirs.
If we apply WAAC to rules interpretations we misunderstood, didn’t bother to run out to their logical conclusion or don’t think fit ‘our’ universe, then we failed ourselves for missing something in the overall tool-kit that was given to us. Rules are a tool to define the conventions that we play under. Failing to understand them is a failure on our part to uphold those conventions, not a failure on our opponent’s part to play in our sandbox in a fair manner. This is often not our intent, but claiming someone is WAAC because they found (on their own, or the webbernetz) a rule interaction we failed to, should be a moment of revelation for us not an excuse to bitch about or belittle our partner in this dance of death. I’ve thanked a few people for pointing out things I simply missed (or confused with 4 previous editions stored in my cabeza) because it makes me a BETTER PLAYER. I won’t be caught out by these errors again (I’ll find new ones, don’t worry). I didn’t consider it WAAC that they saw an interaction I didn’t, I just stored it for further use.
When we go to the table to play a game, we all go with preconceived notions, conventions if you will, of what to expect. With these conventions, we define an upcoming relationship with guidelines that are supposed to insure a fair and level playing field. These sometimes don’t jive with our opponent’s perceptions. When and where they conflict is often where we find ourselves feeling taken advantage of (incorrectly for the most part) and a sense of WAAC play can grow out of this. What we, as players, need to do is understand that whenever we feel slighted by these situations it is our responsibility to discover the discrepancy and fix it. Evaluate where the resentment (because that’s what it is) comes from. If we’re honest, we’ll often discover it is growing from an error of perception on our side of the table. If it’s in a regular group or with a friend, discuss the issue, open your mouth, yeah that means talk about it. Don’t accuse, don’t present why you’re feeling downtrodden, just try to fix it so that later on you can play without misunderstandings.
WAAC is real though. It is the Kobyashi Maru scenario. It is where opponent’s really do not care about fair, and attempt to ‘alter the conditions of the test’ and have no shame about it. No concern about the bitter taste it leaves in the wake of their opponent’s wreckage, or the chain of events that led them to a victory in an arena of perceived superiority. Their lists may be power, their rules knowledge may be concrete and their tactical acumen may be unlike most you’ve seen…but these all pale in comparison to their desire to WIN, and they do not rely solely on these tools. In fact, these tools are merely a less valued part of their arsenal. They revel in the manipulation of the conditions that surround what should be a contest of skill and steel, calm and carnage. A WAAC player is not content to win with their skills as the sole determining factor of victory, he/she wants to stack the deck first.
We won’t go into cheating in depth, as that is flat out violation of convention. It is the most blatant (yet only the subtle cheat gets away with it consistently) type of WAAC play. It is simply defined. Cheating is ignoring or altering the rules when your opponent does not have the acumen to catch it. Adding models, weighted dice, omission or addition. It’s all the same. It blurs with the following, but is more a blatant violation than a subtle manipulation. Cheating can be both the worst violation, yet easiest to catch with awareness (and easiest to call a TO in to correct).
WAAC players that don’t really cheat look for the most subtle loopholes in the test itself to manipulate to their advantage. Often, the implications of these violations are not realized until after the contest is complete. These players try to note whenever something appears so obvious to everyone that no actual written word confirms the understood (or book/dex interactions define). Examples include the ‘Daemon Clause’ in the recent few Ard Boyz rounds; altering the order of scenarios in Ard Boyz semi-finals in order to sidestep a perceived weakness in a particular round/scenario matchup; convincing opponents that terrain should be ‘placed’ when it actually is pre-set; browbeating players into accepting that additional ‘reserve edges’ include DOW 1st turn arrivals…etc etc. Little things on the surface that at that particular moment, either from a TO’s /Judge’s perspective or an opponent’s across the table seem almost sensible. The WAAC player knows damn right well what he’s done/doing, but is like a used car salesman in delivery and a BP CEO’s in denial of culpability.
Another WAAC symptom is the ‘sleight of hand’. It’s not always cheating per-se, but involves fast moving; slow playing; moving/removing units; quick scooping dice; adding anything that will allow for more and more errors on the part of their opponent. Frustration from being slow played is easy. Take as much time as possible for the first 2/3 of a round, getting your opponent eager to wrap things up. Get their rhythm off and then change pace utterly for a ‘rush’ at the end. Hell, if you’re not obvious about it you can even start implying slow play on their part toward the end to rush them further. Move and re-move models…every possible 1/8 of an inch can get you that much closer to a charge. Fast count your dice and scoop, hoping to add a ‘hit’, or better yet scoop the hits first. Then change how you pick up dice when the actual hits are in your favor. My person douchey fave to see, use a tape measure to draw LOS all over the table…it’s amazing how few failed charges/out of range shooting moments will occur when your opponent lets you do this!
WAAC players have little actual conscience when it comes to the ‘win’. They will attempt to cover the infraction (when discovered) in a veneer of legitimacy. Utilize the Judge’s ruling or TO’s lack of understanding as a first line of defense (the Judge said yes, so it wasn’t cheating…etc). They will lump their actions into a group mentality when they can (other’s agreed). Finally, they will simply blame their opponent(s) lack of knowledge for allowing it to happen (not my fault he didn’t know the Tervigon couldn’t move before spawning, I just forgot at the moment). These players really do give a bad name to the hobby as a whole, and the competitive environment in particular. A side effect many people don’t consider is that the great players and the WAAC players often come to events with similar lists and rules knowledge. They ‘appear’ similar on the surface. Many good WAAC players will put you at ease, and lull you into a false sense of comraderie. Just remember, it really is our responsibility as a player to calmly and politely refuse the little manipulations they employ, in our own defense, and simply deny them opponents on their off-tourney time when we are out to have fun.

Ard Boyz Semi Finals Results/Report

2010-06-13T20:51:00.008-04:00

Ard Boyz SemiFinals (note I did not explain Deployment/Missions here, if you want to read them in order I played link here- LINKY)

Okay, so I won the prelims and had the un-enviable choice of a 3 hour, 3.5 hour or 4.5 hour drive for the Semis. FUGH. I didn’t have the money to go up Friday and get a room, so I just resigned myself to a 5 am wakeup. Little did I know, my insomnia cycle was going to kick in end of week, netting me 4 hours of sleep Thursday night, followed by a sleepless night Friday. Two days with 4 hours of sleep equals the suck.
Still, I got on the road with three of my buddies at 630, and was in good spirits.
(I will bitch at the end of the BATREP, everything else will be nicey-nice)
Scenario 1; Fog
The only game I really got ANY pictures, and they were where my phone camera started to tank. Of all the pics I took, maybe 5 actually were recoverable from my now dead data card (and my phone now no longer accepts my data card, or saves pics at all…time for a trip to Best Buy). Opposing army lists are from memory, can’t find them right now…may have left them with my ‘Nid dex at the venue. Fortunately, I have a decent memory.
Deployment (picture 1)
His list
Ghaz
KFF Mek
18(ish)x Nobz with variations on Klaws/Uge Choppas/armour and a Painboy.
(BW w/b-shoota and deffrolla)
12 burnas
(BW w/b-shoota and deffrolla)
19 slugga-boyz w/klaw Nob
(BW w/b-shoota and deffrolla)
20 slugga-boyz w/klaw Nob
(BW w/b-shoota and deffrolla)
12 slugga-boyz w/klaw Nob
(Trukk)
3-2x DeffKoptas (twin rokkit+some saws)
2-5x loota mob
Grot Mob
I won the roll, and chose to go first. Central wall of Fexes, flanked by T-Fexes backed by Tervigons with Hive-Guard outriders and interspersed ‘gants. He deployed opposite the central building with the KFF joined to the 19 boyz mob in a BW, Ghaz w/the 12 Burnas in BW. With those units in the center, He had his NobWagon on his right side of the BW wall, and the 20 Boy mob on his left. Behind the Nobwagon, He hid the Trukk Mob. 1 Deffkopta unit on his right, 2(I don’t know why he didn’t reserve the DeffKoptas, forgot to ask when it was all over) on his left and he left the Grots in reserve.
My Turn 1: I ‘BURST’ forward toward the center with my entire line, and ran as far as I could. As the central building was about the size of the 12” ‘no dep zone’ in the center, I was rolling Difficult Terrain with almost my entire center. Combined with my run rolls, my center moved and average of…..7”…that’s AFTER run rolls (thus the emphasis on ‘burst’). MC 3d6 doesn’t work if your dice hate you, lemme tell ya. No big, I still had some gants threatening the central objective with backup. I spawned with all my Tervigons and put out somewhere around 80 gants, but 3 of my Tervis pooped out. Ugh. Three Tervis spread out from the center, backing the line. The two HQ Tervis followed flanking units of Hive Guard and gants into the Fog. After movement and running in the fog, I had 2 objectives. Then I shot. Pop goes the KFF BWagon. Hive Guard poofed a squadron of Deffkoptas.
His Turn 1: He 6” moved the BWagons up. I don’t think he wanted to give my ‘Fexes charge range ( I would have punched it personally). He pushed the remaining DeffKoptas into shooting positions on Hive Guard. He also brought the Trukk into the fog on his right. He shot, and netted about 10 dead gants across the entire board.
Turn 2 was very similar to Turn 1, except that I did not spawn from the remaining functional Tervigons in case I needed emergency gants later and crapped out. My movement secured all 3 objectives solidly, and put my ‘Fexes into real charge threat for the Wagons. Then I shot at them…and missed with 75% of my shooting. BUT, every shot that hit managed to penetrate (some hive guard shots and 2 Rupture cannon hits) and he couldn’t make more than half his KFF saves. Combined with a pinned unit (one of the BW Boy units lost enough to explodiness that they actually had to take a pinning check, and failed) he suddenly had more than half his army decanted, and half of it out of support. I didn’t have charge range on anything due to where his units ended up, so my turn ended.
He was just too cautious…he tried to shoot up the world, and only managed 2 assaults (his right side had a bait pair of gant units close to a boyz unit and deffkoptas, and his center got off a boy assault against a big brood of ‘gants. I think he forgot the Multi-Charge option there, but it wouldn’t have benefitted him as it would have just sucked more ‘gants in with counter-attack.
The rest of the game was really, pile on objectives…kill what little he had that was un-engaged with Thorax Swarms and Hive Guard, and wear down Ghaz. (note, he used Ghaz’s Waagh in one of my shooting phases to prevent two units that were shot up from running off).
End of game, he conceded with about 400 points worth of units left, while claiming about 1000 points from me (including the points from spawned ‘gants).
Full Points Massacre for me.
(after the game we went outside and I gave him advice on how to improve his list. He told me he based it ‘on some guy’s list from dakka.. sumpin sumpin ‘pepper’ I believe?… ;) . I tried the soft approach, and didn’t tell him it sucked, but how to improve synergy and what units didn’t support him properly. I also asked why he didn’t just shove his BW’s down my gullet before I was able to put more gants down and secure my position. He was just scared of the Carnifexes, had no Idea how to handle them, which I helped with as well)

Scenario 2; ‘Shineys’
His list was Fatecrusher.
Fateweaver
Bloodthirster
3 4x Bloodcrushers (loaded)
4 8x Bloodletters
2(?) 8x Plaguebearers
3 Tzeentch DPs fully loaded for shooting and flying.

I have my deployment pic for this one, but that’s it.
I won the roll to go and chose second.
I deployed as sparsely as possible, with a similar spread to my last scenario. I wanted as much potential footprint to reduce his ‘safe’ zone.

He rolled for army half and got the wrong half.
His turn 1 drop; 2x Bloodcrusher units, a Dp, 3x Bloodletter units, a plaguebearer unit. They scattered with decent support, but not grand.

This one really doesn’t need a blow by, as his wrong-half start hurt AND his turn 2 reserves only got him fateweaver and a DP. It went downhill from there. He didn’t really make mistakes, but neither did I. With spawning and spreading, I hemmed him completely into his half the table. I wiped one unit of crushers out with shooting, and dropped the other down to a basic crusher and the Icon(darn it).
Big moments; HiveGuard nuking bloodcrusher units. The Carnifexes holding 2 different DPs in CC for 4 combat phases, a steady feed of ‘gants holding the Bloodthirster at arm’s length, and Fateweaver poofing to HiveGuard fire as soon as he hit the table (took all three units, but a 9 ldrship sucks). Ultimately, my inability to kill Daemon Princes cost me a massacre. I could bloody well hold em down, but it took till turn 6 to finish the one on one of my objectives, and consumed too many resources to be able to secure both of his.
I was a little grumpy for this round. I was so bloody tired, and made the mistake of having beer with the lunch break(that wore off), but he was gracious and fought to the last.

Major Victory-20pts

Scenario 3: We’re sorry mech, here’s your cake…

His List
Vulkan
5x THSS squad [LRR]
Tac squad (flamer/MM/PW) [LR]
Tac Squad (M/MM/PF) [LRC]
Tac Squad (M/MM/PW) [LR]
Tac Squad (flamer/MM)
Rhino
2 1x units of MM/Typhoon Speeders
1 2x Unit of MM Atk Bikes
1x LR Redeemer w/MM
1x LR Crusader w/MM
1x LR w/MM
1x LR w/MM

He won the roll to go first, started with nothing on the table and nothing in reserves. And this is where I screwed up.
I was tired, and I had been dwelling on this scenario since it came up. I had not fought 4x LR lists with these bugs, and instead of simply calming down and going with ‘the plan’, I let the scenario/terrain dictate MY deployment.
I deployed 1xHQ and 2xTrp Tervigons…in my left corner behind the one piece of terrain that could give them cover. What was I thinking? “Spawn first turn, I have to spawn as much as I can”… WTF? Just plain SHIT. Brain shut down, reflex picked up and punched me in the nads.
Corner??? ARRRGGHHH!
This was me failing to heed EVERY FUGGING PIECE OF ADVICE I deliver and believe in, to never let the situation make you react, make THE ENEMY react to you…and I reacted to the enemy AND the environment. I should have realized my error before turn 1, but I was just tired enough not to really see it till he came on table, and dropped one of my Tervis to half wounds despite cover. And then the final nail in my coffin, I brought in everything in that corner. I just couldn’t let go of “must have cover, MUST”…dammit, I KNEW I could sacrifice ‘fexes for two turns to rush the middle and force him into a corner, but I let reactive nerves dictate my deployment and first turn. I lost the game here, period.

Again, this is a game that doesn’t need to be spelled out on a turn by turn, but I never gave up. I pushed out of my corner and shot like a madman. I baited out Vulkan and his Termies with Carnifexes, I shot the rhino and tried to get every cheap KP I could.
It didn’t help that 4 consecutive turns of fire with Hive Guard and and T-Fexes only immobilized the rhino, killed AN attack bike and dropped A speeder (apparently I borrowed Stelek Broadside dice). I got happy when I ‘blew up’ his Redeemer with a T-Fex, until we realized LOS was blocked just enough (by a carni and building corner) that he should get a save, which he made (ah well, it still felt good to get the rolls). I did kill Vulkan and the Terminators with mass fire/’gant assault. It did run to turn 6, and I did manage to avoid the Massacre against me. Last turn also saw the death of his last speeder and attk bike (finally, little fast bastards!  ). But two Tervigon’s popped turn 3 and I rolled more on the feedback than the total termagant’s that were in range, that was 6 KPs right there. It was messy, it was bloody and it was fraught with stupidity…on my part.
Major Victory w/3 bonus to him.

All of my opponents were actually fun to play, pleasant and accommodating. I’m almost glad the event was so far away, with 36 players and only 2 of my compatriots accompanying me, the odds were that I would play 3 new people that day…and I wasn’t disappointed. That is one of the best things about GTs/Ard Boyz etc…new faces, ideas, armies and games.

I managed, even through the mess of game three, to pull 5th place. I THINK if I had deployed intelligently that game I MAY have made top 3, but with other issues who knows. One of my friends that I rode up with DID take 3rd, and my other friend (I don’t remember exact rank) came in the top 50%.

Okay,
Now that I’ve accepted a portion of the responsibility for Scenario 3, time to bitch.

This is NOT an attack per-se, and I do understand it can be difficult to run these…
I’m not saying that as an observer. I ran the Ard Boyz events at my old store 2 years running, including the year 1 Semis.
We had 30+ for Prelims yr 1, and 56 people signed up for Semis that year. FIFTY TWO showed up.
I set it up the night before(with help from friends). I had a few regulars that didn’t qualify hanging out, getting me food/water/stuff or sitting at my station if I had to run to the restroom/smoke but handled pretty much all the grit myself.
I begged, bought, borrowed and stole every piece of terrain I could lay my hands on (thanks Rep who shall remain un-named, if you ever read this, for all the ‘extras’ you could swing. And thanks Neptune John for all the loaned stuffage!)
I walked the floor constantly, I engaged every player directly at least once directly, and every table at least 3 times per round.
I was aware immediately if there were any ‘issues’ between players.
I was enthusiastic, involved and paid more attention to those that were new to my store than people I saw from my region.

I have pics attached, hope you can add them here, but…the terrain was shit. Worst case scenario, in my mind/army, was to play scenario 3 with low terrain/lots of trees or sparse area terrain. I called the venue and asked the week prior if they were terrain sufficient, and offered to bring two tables worth if it was needed. I was pleasantly told that they ‘had plenty to be sure to hit 25%’ per table for up to 36 players. I asked if they were sure, they said yes. I can honestly say at least one of my tables didn’t have enough terrain for Warhammer Fantasy…seriously. My final table, I had ONE piece of terrain in the CORNER of my half that could provide cover to my MCs, and maybe one in the opposite corner of my half.

Records: why would you write things down on paper and pair up that way? In an event with this level of competitiveness? On a small legal pad? WITHOUT SCORE SHEETS HANDED OUT(WTF???), but reported verbally to the guy scribbling it down? With things crossed out, referenced between sheets and trying to keep it under wraps for the purposes of ‘suspense’? I truly don’t THINK there was cronyism going on there, but dayum…could you have created a greater potential for suspicion?

Vp pairing: apparently, as we were reporting VPs, they paired second round by VPs. What??? Not BPs with a tie-breaker, but actual VPs? Why? Was it just silliness, or to someone’s benefit?

Walking the floor: I saw the TO come from behind the counter maybe Once per round. He made quiet announcements, and only let us know time once per round. Involvement. It’s important. You cannot get a feel for your players/mood/behavior/potential issues by sitting on one of the VERY FEW stools you have behind the counter jawing with regulars. If the excuse of having the FAQ open on your laptop is the reason you’re doing it, you don’t know the rules well enough.

Cheating: goes with the previous point. If you see a rulebook or ‘dex open for too long you should ask what’s up. You would KNOW this if you were engaging your players instead of jib-jabbing. If it’s going on for too long, someone’s involved in shenanigans. Because it was too difficult to maneuver around a table, someone playing there was willing to take the word of a ‘nid player reading from his dex across the table that he could spawn after moving tervigons, that raveners and warriors were t-5, Raveners apparently move 12 in addition to assaulting 12(he caught that though) and some other outright cheats. I didn’t hear it at the time, so I couldn’t interject (and not being TO, it might not have been my place but I would have). The other player didn’t have the ‘nid dex, and hadn’t come up against warrior/ravener spam or Tervies yet so he accepted the info and it cost him a win. If the TO (or assistant judges) had been regularly patrolling the floor, someone would have caught on to this as it apparently was a constant rules argument instead of a game.

Venue info: be honest, even if that means honest to yourself. If you can’t handle more than 20, cap it there. If you don’t have the terrain for it, borrow, create or even accept offers for more from unsolicited sources. If you are asked if there is army storage, don’t say there’s shelving under all the tables when all that was is the floor (excepting the back 6 tables).

Seating: can’t truly gripe about that overly much, because I do know stools are expensive, but I was only capable of sitting down my first game…and without a way to put things anywhere, I ended up using that for my case as casualty removal.

Enthusiasm: get involved. Walk the floor, engage the players, discuss the event and the game. Don’t interrupt games of course, but walking the floor at least 50% of the time keeps you aware of things, moods and potential conflicts. It also encourages a sense of authority to be able to discuss things, speed up games with discrepancies and solve rules issues.

Rules judging: frankly too tired then to remember it, but at least one discussion after round 1 involved a BASIC bad rules call. Not an esoteric issue, not a changed FAQ, but a blatant core rule bad call.

Table Balance: if you are going to ‘number’ tables, you should also create groups of tables that have varying degrees/types of terrain (3 groupings for 3 rounds ideally) and make certain every player plays once in each grouping. I played ONE table that could be considered to have had 20% terrain, otherwise I was playing Fantasy or worse. That 20% table was identically laid out to my final game, just used a larger central piece. If you like a pure Imperial Mech environment, that’s fine, but don’t cater to it to the detriment of every other army out there…at least when you are hosting an event that should only have involved 3 of your regulars.

Winners: Nothing is more anti-climactic than to just tell the top 3 players quietly, as they pass the counter, where they placed…while the bottom tables are still wrapping up games…other players are out smoking and with no one to witness/congratulate. And then to say ‘I know it’s anti-climactic, but you’ll get prizes from GW’. Who gives a shit if it’s not about your store, your prizes or your glory, it’s about the players and the FUCKING HOBBY…jeebus guys, way to make us want to come back again if you host it.

You guys were pleasant, don't get me wrong, but it almost seemed as though you DIDN'T want to do this, or realized you had bitten off more than you can chew. You do know your GW rep can help if you are having issues right?

Hammer and Thumb

2010-06-11T14:18:00.000-04:00

Hammer and Thumb

So, I was an artilleryman. It was our job to apply saturating fire from long range when called to do so. Sometimes this was going to be called on a target that was unaware and static, but as often as not it was going to be called on a target that was in motion. In order to pin that enemy down, friendly PBIs had to engage the enemy to keep them in place. We were the hammer, they were the thumb. Sometimes, the thumb got bloodied. It is a decision that has been made in warfare since the dawn of indirect artillery/aircraft bombing. It’s a decision not made lightly, but made of necessity. (note; though I was active duty during at least 2 military actions and 1 war, I was fortunate enough to never have to lay a quadrant/deflection or pull a lanyard on a live enemy, but we were trained to operate with these expectations).

In 40k, we have the viewpoint of gods. We see every aspect of the field, and the enemy, from on high…with little in the way of ‘fog’ (aside from dice uncertainties/human unpredictability) to disrupt our decisions. We DON’T have (even with vaunted IG arty) the ability to engage the enemy with no chance of reprisal. Our ranges are intentionally shortened to prevent this stand-off kind of engagement from being the totality of our gaming experience. Yet the concept of ‘Hammer and Thumb’ still applies.
In this case, it is the act of holding, baiting or manipulating an enemy into position in order to deliver a devastating strike.

As weird as it sounds, in our gaming example, the Thumb is as (or more) important than the hammer. In 40k, the thumb is often not expected to live but instead provide opportunities to apply the Hammer such that the sacrifice will further our cause far more than the loss of the unit costs us.
(I’m not listing Hammers and Thumbs, but application. Units such as THSS termies/Rampaging Carnifex Broods/IG Arty squadrons speak for themselves, as do all other ‘dexes heavy hitters).

Thumbs:
Units that cannot be ignored, cannot be simply swept off the table at a whim and can threaten on their own. Look at resilient scoring units, fast threatening units or outflanking/infiltrating units. Squad(ron)s of this nature can be used to influence disposition, deployment and movement of the enemy. Though not an exhaustive or restrictive list, I usually find these to be my best Thumbs.

-Resilient Scoring Units (ignore us at your peril). Mounted squads with large numbers/high toughness/solid saving throws. You cannot ignore them, they might grab an objective late game. You cannot just paste them, they have speed AND innate survivability. They will often survive your initial assault long enough to hold you down for the cavalry, or at least fall back/die in such a way as to leave you over-extended. If you have them, use them. IG have them, it’s called a platoon in chimeras. What they lack in T/Saves they make up for in spam. Marines have them, it’s called the Tactical Squad and rhino. Obviously there are others, but these are just indicative examples…find your parallels. These units can be held back and thrown out for late game grabbing, but applying a squad or two early creates a ‘must deal’ situation.
Threaten objectives or clog movement lanes. Block LOS with their cans. Pull assault elements forward with them as bait. Make a wall that cannot be side-stepped or ignored.

-Fast Threatening Units (you can’t guess where we’ll be). Tank killers, movement blockers and vehicles of all sorts. They may not be able to score, but they can contest. They don’t always have ‘major doom’ written all over them, but they will interfere with your opponent’s plans. Generally we’re looking for interference units here. Look for things that can threaten nearly all transports. Crack a can, and you slow your opposite number’s ability to respond, and keep his units at arm’s length for longer firepower attention. This is generally the true throw-away thumb. It does its job and you don’t care anymore. Great if it lives, but a valk dropped melta-vet squad cracking a Land Raider isn’t expected to last longer than it takes to expose the termies. It’s job is done. It has held the enemy baddy at bay and slowed it. Speeders, Piranha and such all perform the quick immobilize/expose/block role. TWC are generally considered hammers, and rightfully so. But they are GREAT thumbs! They usually survive their ‘sacrifice’, can threaten a greater portion of the battlefield, and serve a dual role.
Remember though, your Thumb (in this role) is quite literally a tool. Do not grow attached. Weigh interference vs your personal attachment to the unit. Use these units with a focus on blocking or holding units in place with little concern for their long term survival.

-Outflanking/Infiltrating units (you can’t guess where we’ll come from). These are Thumbs of a different sort. Units that serve this role are there to influence your opponent’s deployment/early moves. Drop Podded units, Mawlocs/Stealers and scouting elements are your friend. No matter how much your opponent may seem un-flustered by their appearance in your list, he WILL be considering where they will be when he deploys or takes his first moves. Anything that influences this gives you greater understanding of where he will be in the developing turns of the game. These units will give you greater control over what you do in your own development. These units serve their purpose early game, and what occurs after that is up to you and how you capitalize on their influence.
All of them have potential to shoehorn the enemy into less favorable deployment and less than optimal early movement. Of the Thumbs, these also have the potential for greater survival into the mid-game.
Use these units for early game manipulation, placing your opponent in the un-enviable position of deploying without regard for where they may pop, or let you have an easier time predicting where they will end up early.

Nearly all of these units require ‘spamming’ to be effective. A singleton of a unit will only make your opponent tweak a little. Doubling or tripling (or more in the case of scoring units) is necessary to influence your opponent’s deployment/responses. A single squad in a chimera does not a wall make. A single Land Speeder does not a true block make (etc, ad nauseum). You can’t ‘throw away’ something you cannot replace (either with a repeat unit, or a unit with similar functionality).
Always look toward manipulating your counterpart’s early game actions and you will have your first step toward victory.

Ard Boyz Prelims Results/Report

2010-05-15T23:52:00.005-04:00

Ard Boyz 2010 Prelims

As I said previously, I decided to participate in the YTTH challenge for Ard Boyz when he posted a 'Nid list very similar to the one I had been considering for myself.
With a few tweaks to make it fit his challenge list (replacing a tyrant with another Tervigon, and using a 3rd unit of Hive Guard vs Deathleaper, I had this)

The list I took;
2x Tervigons (HQ)
3x3 Hive Guard
3x Tervigons (troop)
3x10 Termagants
3xScreamer Killer Carnifexes
2xTyrannofexes
(all with the option had Cluster Spines)

Scenarios on the GW site, so I’m not going over that dreck in excessive detail, just a quick rundown.
Scen 1 diagonal deployment; 5 objectives
Scen 2 Sprearhead; Victory Points
Scen 3 Pitched Battle; Kill Points (modified. 3KPs for any unit that can move more than 6” in a single phase. Broken scenario)

Opponent 1; Brian/Orks
Warboss Mega Armour
9 Mega-Nobz (battlewagon/deffrolla)
Warboss
11 slugga boyz(battlewagon/deffrolla)
12 slugga boyz(truk)
12 slugga boyz(truk)
11 slugga boyz(truk)
10 Burna Boyz(looted wagon/skorcha)
5 Rokkit Deffkoptas
20(ish) stormboyz
Objectives pretty much an X through the table.
He went first, little effective shooting.
I spawned (up to 108 gaunts in turn 1) and began to pile on objectives. Shooting from Hive Guard and T-Fexes chewed up 2 truks.
It pretty much repeats for two turns, massive spawning…little shooting (though most of his transports are dead by scrum time). Turn 3 we piled on the central objectives and consolidated on our own. Game ended due to time. We each made early game errors that were reparable, and proceeded to munch a lot of the enemy. I won, barely (minor victory). Brian is always fun, too bad he's in Cincinnati.

Opponent 2; Ian Necrons
2x Orb Lords
3x 15(ish) man warrior squads
10 man Immortal Squad
6(ish) base scarab swarms
2x 5 destroyers
2x Monoliths
I won the roll for first, he seized the initiative.
He shoots, I shoot. We danced like this for about 3 turns with few actual casualties. He got just a bit too close turn 3(ish) and I was able to assault. With some good rolling on my part, and some bad on his, the game ended with a Necron phase-out. It was just a SLIGHT mis-judgement on distance from his side that let me get an early assault, or it would have been a much closer game. My saves and toughness, plus a lack of easy target priority, made it hard for him. Not having an opportunity to teleport out of important combats (the units died before he could pull out) hurt his core tactic. I also did not allow myself to get sucked into trying to kill the ‘liths (except when there were no other viable targets for the Tyrannofexes).

Opponent; 3 Brice IG
Company Command Squad; melta/flamer/Hvy Flm (chimera)
Inq Lord; Mystics/P-Hood
6(?) vet squads; tri melta(2ish w/flamers) (chimera)
2 PBS squads; (chimera)
3x Vendettas; hvy bolters/lascannon
2x Colossi (battery)
2x Medusa (battery)
2x Hydras (battery)

(note: I did not reserve vs IG for a reason, not noob-itude. I was counting on so many similar threatening targets preventing me from losing any single key element)
He went first. Fire put a wound on a t-fex, killed a hive guard and some gaunts. I ran forward, shot down a Vendi and killed a chimera. He returned fire, nearly killed a t-fex and got another hive guard. I spawned some gaunts for padding, and killed another vendetta, a chimera and both medusa. Turn three, he killed a t-fex, put some wounds on a few Tervigons and killed off a squad of Hive guard. He got just a BIT too close in the center, and the Carnifexes got off the charge. We traded vehicles and beasts for two more turns, and nearly everything I had was then in his lines. CC and close shooting ensued for turn 5 and 6, but then ended. I finish with 4 Tervigons left, 1 Tyrannofex left and most of my gaunts left. He lost all his artillery batteries, half his chimeras and 2 of his vendettas (and 4 or 5 attendant IG squads). Massacre in my favor.
Afterward, I figured out the unmoded scoring. If it had been standard KPs I would have won by 2 or 3, but with the modified rules in the final scenario I beat him with 28(ish) kill-points to 12.

All my opponents were great fun, generous and pleasant. I was finally able to play Brice and Ian (hadn’t managed to arrange that yet) though poor Brian gets stuck with me EVERY tourney we play in together in the first round!
I can thank a whole lotta luck, gracious opponents, and a strongly favorable final scenario, for this win.

Hunting the wild Goose….

2010-05-01T09:54:00.003-04:00

(for those that understand me, this will be funny…if you’re PETA happy, well…I don’t shoot geese)

So, I wake up this morning…in my normal fugue state…and stumble downstairs to start the coffee for the spouse (yeah, she actually had to get moving before me this morn, what is the world coming to). In my rush to create the nectar-of-the-caffeine-gawds, I left my glasses upstairs. The results of this (normally) is simply squinting at the computer screen like a little old man trying to glean information from a technical manual on a particle-accelerator…that he has confused with the latest issue of (insert your favorite girly magazine here).

Today, the results were a little different. After starting the machine of black nirvana, I stepped out onto the porch to investigate the results of the 5am lightning strike (that sent the wife, the mentally-challenged cat, and the aforementioned wanna-be little old man, into a fit of apoplectic thrashing and sheet tangling) in the back yard. I stepped out barefoot, breathed deeply of the warm moist air, and began to squint…and squint…and squint.

The blur that had become my world snapped grungily into a vague semblance of focus (or swam lazily into a blur of green/gray confusion..whichever). As yet another sign of my decrepitude (failing vision…I think it’s a plot to make me feel old) stamped itself deeper into my conscious mind, I saw something large and gray(ish) in the ‘weed’ garden in front of my tool-shed. IT was back…the raccoon.

This raccoon has tasked me (since early winter) with its mangy fur, stubby tail, and audacious attitude. First seen waddling out from under the carport by my wife one dark and cold eve (making her squeal ‘it’s so cute, can I keep it') to leaving paw prints on the furniture my friend graciously ‘donated’ to my back porch (to make room for his new furniture…’but Mike, it’s NICE stuff’…that same 'nice' furniture a local charity later deemed too abused to pick up and take to the needy poor) to taunting us by climbing up the window of the shed from the inside while we sit at breakfast. This beast has left ‘sign’ on the hood of my car, and shared my disdain for yard work by leaving a ‘present’ on my lawn-mower.

The final indignity heaped upon me was this last Tuesday morning, as it sauntered up to the front door of the shed in the early morning light as I drank my coffee. I saw him, he did not see me (and proceeded to try to tear his way under the door to get in the old building). I grabbed my bb-gun and crept out the door. He saw me as I closed it. He stared at me as I pumped the weapon up and drew a bead. He looked singularly unimpressed, as though sensing a certain impotence on my part. I shot, he sauntered to the right of the building (twitching his stumpy tail in disdain). I crept after him, wondering how I could miss a simple shot of only 30ish yards. My wife, hearing the noise, looked out the upstairs window to see me creeping around the left side of the shed. She watched me take a second shot as I rounded the corner…he reversed direction. 5 minutes of this ‘tango’, back and forth around the shed, before he dove up a tree in the neighbor’s yard (flicking that damnable tail) and thus ended the hunt.
I couldn’t believe it…I’ve always been a good shot, how? How could I have failed to fell the vermin? Then I looked down at my ‘weapon’…and saw the empty reservoir. NO BBs…not a one. I had been blasting AIR at the bloody animal. I stared up into the sky, empty weapon at my side, shaking a fist at the uncaring heavens and roared “Coooooooooonnn”! (trek fans, you’d better get it)

So anywho, back to this morn. In the weeds before the shed, is the humped vision of blurry gray that I have grown to know and detest. It simply sits there, as before, and I creep backwards through the door and begin to paw blindly for the weapon of mass embarrassment that is the air-gun. I pull it up, out the door (closing it behind me to prevent the idiot feline I share a domicile with from bolting outside) all the while not once losing sight of my prey. I glance quickly down at the chamber, and reassure myself that there are projectiles to be had and look back up. ‘Good, good …he tasks me, he tasks me…I’ll chase him round the weeds of my she’…well, you get the point.

I creep to the bottom of the stairs (quietly pumping the weapon up to maximum lethality), bare feet treading the damp concrete…and he does not flee. To assure best accuracy, I begin to creep out from under the porch roof and onto the wet sidewalk…closer and closer…yet still he does not flee. He is absorbed, in what I do not know, to such a degree that he does not even look up.

As I get to a range where I begin to worry as to whether or not I could escape an angered Raccoon bent on revenge for being shot at…I begin to question data that has been accumulating. Why has this animal not raised an arrogant eye at my bumbling attempts to visit my wrath upon him? Why has his tail not popped up to taunt me? Why has he not begun the dance about the shed that brought him such joy, and me such frustration…why does his coloration now resemble that of a Canada Goose?????
(To make a shaggy dog story longer, a brief interlude…my grandfather always loved collecting/making duck and goose decoys. A hunter he was. He thought of them as utilitarian art, and was not wholly wrong. Some of these decoys are quite lovely, accurate, and very very realistic)

I stand, squint a bit harder (remember that the fearless hunter of this story has forgotten the glasses that have been forced upon him by a cabal of 20/20 vision personages, such a small and insignificant group bent on making themselves feel superior to the remainder of the peoples of this earth…the oh so smart and handsome visually challenged ) and the oh so long neck of the Goose decoy becomes visible….
I turn, I walk slowly back into the house. I set down my weapon, the emblem of my fast fading virility and youth, tromp up the stairs and collect my glasses. As I put them on my face, I feel the weight of age settle upon my head…and I raise my fist at an uncaring ceiling and shake it at the crushing sense of my own failure.

I have been outsmarted by a devious raccoon, and a plastic goose…oh the humanity.

RTT Fun

2010-04-28T08:05:00.003-04:00

Went to a Rogue Trader Tourney for fun last weekend. Here is the bare bones of the results. Forgot got my camera and slept poorly Friday night, so details are not what I would have wanted them to be.

Tourney Points: 1850pts

My list;
Logan Grimnar
Runepriest (Living Lightning/Tempests Wrath/Saga of the BeastSlayer)
Wolf Lord (T-Wuff/Thunder Hammer/WTT/Saga of Majesty/SS/2x Fen Wolves)
2 Lone Wolves (SS/ChainFist/2x Fen Wolves/Terminator Arm)
2 T-Wuffs x3 (TH-SSx1/SSx1/MeltBx2)
3 WG x5 (4x PA/1xTermie w-Cyclone/Pw)
Long Fangs x5 (2x Lascanno/2x HB)

Mission 1
Spearhead/d3+2 objectives(4)
(secondary objective;VP Points[750pt spread]/Tertiary Objective;Table quarters per old cleanse mission)
Lose roll for first, opponent chooses 1st. Deploys line abreast with
1x 8 bloodclaws (attached Lukas, no spcl wpns)
2x 8 Wolf Guard (1x pwr wpn)
1x 5 WG Termies (3x Wolf Claws/Ix THSS/Attached Arjac)
1x 3 Long Fangs (Leader/ML/LC)
Njal
Bjorn
Logan
Terrain is quite sparse. (this is the case for all the tables, 5 simple building or Woods bases on all the tables)
He has list experience issues, so I play a little bit to his game and run up the middle turn 1 after he advances. He has little shooting and running turn 1, no casualties on my part. My turn 1 I shoot up the Blood Claws(4 dead), and snip individual units that are unengaged for 2/3 dead p-armour wolf guard. We have a furball in the middle on turns 2 and 3, the game ended on turn 4(time?). I lost most of each unit of T-Wolves, and most of all 3 WG units. He has Njal left at the end. Because I charged early (not spending another turn of full saturation fire), I don’t win secondary objective, 690vp spread…this will cost me in the long run.

Scenario 2
Pitched Battle/Straight KP’s
(Secondary Obj;VP’s by 250pts/Tertiary Remaining troops?)
Win roll for first. I implement a dispersed central setup. Opponent lines up with 3e style deployment, Gargs to my left, Horms to my right. 1 Tervi behind a building on my right on the far edge. 1 Tervi and 2 Terms in the center. Parasite with Gargs, Doom and Zoans DS in pods. I get ready to start nuking, and he seizes the init…grrr.
1x Parasite of Mortrex
1x Doom of Malantai (pod)
2x Troop Tervigons
2x 10 Termagants(poison)
1x 15 Hormogaunts(poison)
1x 16 Gargoyles(poison)
1x 2 Zoans (pod)
1x Trygon Prime

He runs everything forward on turn 1 and does not spawn (KP mitigation). I advance, shoot central tervigon down to 1 wound and kill half a unit of Termagants. I fleet my T-Wolves and charge. Lone T-Wuff unit hits Gargs w/Parasite, T-Wuff lord and T-Wuffs hit right side far Hormogaunt squad. After combat, Horms down to 5 models for 1 wd on my Lord, Gargs down to 3 models and the Parasite for 1 wd on a T-Wuff. Turn 2 his Zoies drop to the left of my LFangs, Central Terv comes around and spawns behind the squad engaged with the Gargs. 2nd central Term squad positions around my Lord and his unit. Right side Tervi spawns and rolls doubles before coming around the building on my right. He then shoots the central tervigon at a static WG unit. Shoots again at Long Fangs with Zoies, and kills two. They flee right to the table edge. CC phase sees off the Gargoyles/Parasite and he charges a spawned and original unit of Termagants into the right flank T-Wuffs to no effect. My shooting pops the central Tervigon and takes 6 Terms with him. CC kills all the Gants on the right, brings my T-Wuffs into the remaining Gants on my left. Turn 3 His Trygon and Doom of M drops in my center. Pretty much devolves into a furball in the center at this point, Lone wolf and Logan kills the Trygon, Doom sucks the life out of 3 WG (nobody breaks) and free-roaming range T-Wuffs commit atrocities left and right(I start popping Spore Pods for KPs). Over the next two turns Doom of M sucks 2 more WG before dying and he’s down to the right-most Tervigon at the end. I win all three Objectives.

Mission 3
Some really jacked up shite…Diagonal deployment (I like), 1 central ‘Primary’ Objective(the only true win).
Primary; Centrally placed objective.
(Secondary; KPs/Tertiary; 3 DS objectives that scatter 4d6 off central and then boom a s-6 ap-2 blast when they land)
Opponent’s List
1x Flyrant
1x Deathleaper
2x 2 Zoans (pod)
3x Mawloc
3x 10 Genestealers
1x 16 Hormagaunts(poison)
GREAT opponent. FUN game. It was a dance. Drew Primary and Secondary, lost tertiary.

At this point I was tired, and not tracking. The flow of the game was a dance around the central (primary) objective. All 3 Mawlocs popped in the center of my formation on turn 2. My dispersed deployment reduced their casualty count to 3 models, and I gunned/hacked them down in the turn they appeared. 2 of the ‘stealer squads arrived this turn(outflank) as did a unit of Zoans (podded into a building 8 inches from the objective) and the Hive Tyrant (his own table edge, flying to join the Zoans). The stealers assaulted the Long Fang Squad (good fleet rolls) with Logan and the Runepriest. A flying mess of whiffs kept us locked in combat all the way till turn 4. After much shooting, hacking and general mayhem the game ended on turn 6.
We contested the Primary objective. He held the leftmost (horrible save rolling on my part with a T-Wuff unit against 5 remaining Hormogaunts) the rightmost 2ndry objectives (with the remnants of the 3 ‘stealer squads that finally ate Logan/RP/Long Fangs) and I held the central 2ndry obj. We tied on KP’s (thank you lone wolfs, for not generating KPs when you die!).
Final tally here, Primary=draw;Secondary=draw;Tertiary=Minor Loss. Scenario=Draw with points advantage to my opponent.
I wish I could really have remembered this game better, as it was just incredible to play. Neither one of us made mistakes, both of us had botch-roll rounds that balanced out (for the most part). His just came early (‘stealers) mine came late (T-Wuffs).
Had the game ended rd-5, I would have won. Turn 6 was the draw. If it had ended turn 7 it probably would have stayed the same, but could have gone either way dependent on rolls. Loved the balance.

I took 3rd, 1 total point behind 2nd and not many points (unsure total spread here, cannot remember what was quoted...need notes) behind 1st (my last opponent took 1st place).
Had I gone for the throat utterly with my first opponent, instead of dinking around and assaulting a turn early, I would have had 2nd OR played a different opponent rd 2 and then who knows.

Lessons;
The Lone Wolves were worthwhile, but I don’t know if they truly paid for themselves. More experimentation will tell that one.
Thunder-Wolves probably should have assaulted closer to one another on game 1 and game 3, though game three I had no choice.
Logan made the army viable, but still assessing his value.
Runepriest probably needed to be upgraded to utilize both powers a turn.
Don’t just eyeball table edge distance during deployment, measure it! (rd 3 I could have prevented the ‘stealer outflank assault had I been 2 inches further in…though this would have brought him 2+ inches further had they survived shooting (likely) to assault a turn later.
Finally, if you want to do a battle report…don’t rely on muddled memory, take PICS!

'Leafblower'??? ...WTF were you thinking Cpt Hubris!?!

2010-04-18T10:10:00.010-04:00

(click here for the inane)

ah the fugging hubris.
I know I'm late on this(like over a week late), but I have been thinking...and thinking...and thinking about it.
I don't like knee-jerk reactions anymore, was too prone to it.
But the FUGGING hubris.

I was playing variations of this list for quite a while.
I retired my 5e version of this list before his run at Ard Boyz.
And I REGULARLY stated it was not purely my own creation, but an amalgamation of ideas and development of numerous players, myself included, that I have been exposed to for a while.
And this jack-arse has the gall to claim he 'popularized' ONE of the obviously efficient build theories from one of the most efficient 'dexes in the current environment?

No, he took the same path I did...and then said "I'm sorry I introduced this fiasco to all you noobs who couldn't develop it on your own"....SHIT.

Now, this is a quick blurb, I intend to expound (in the comments) after a quick trip to Yellow Springs for wifely modeling gig...
(oh, and the spam of IG at Adepticon? Yeah, a chunk of that came from my own store...that had been developing their own 'leafblowers' before the last Ard Boyz run as well. Maybe Douche-wynn should have said 'I'm sorry I ran what everyone else ran, I'm so carbon copy' {that is NOT a slam on anyone from my, or any other, LGS..none of them were running around claiming they invented the wheel, they were just building a better engine and trying to drive it with more panache!})

Ard Boyz 2010

2010-04-16T23:25:00.004-04:00

Okay,
so I think I have decided to play in the Ard Boyz Competition this May.
I was building lists and tweaking play, and finally settled on my Tyranids as the most comfortable list I have (well, other than my IG...but I don't want to be 'just another' guard player. It would be easier, but frankly I think I'll have more fun the other way, and fewer chances of running into 'meta' counters).
We'll see.
Anywho, I had been developing my list around my converted Tyrannofexes and Tervigons, and stumbled on Stelek's (of YTTH fame) maximum MC wound list here

http://www.yesthetruthhurts.com/2010/02/ard-boyz-tyranids.html

It plays the way I have been playing, and plays to all the strengths I personally like to play which is; damn the environment, I'm doing what I'm going to do regardless of what you think you'll stop.
It's the way I competed in MTG, SFB and so forth. A kind of environmental control that involves ignoring the environment your opponent creates to such a degree that even initiative won't prevent him from having to react to you as the game develops. (barring flukes of course, which happen from time to time no matter how well you are prepared).
I don't know how I'll do, but as his list really fills all the roles I want, focuses on the models I am building/have built, and really flows like mine, I think I want to take his 'Ard Boyz Challenge' while still running something akin to mine. I would have used Deathleaper as psy-defense in place of the third unit of Hive Guard, and dropped one Tervi for a Tyrant with Hive Commander and Old Adversary, but meh...might as well make a challenge within a challenge, and see if it pans out to be the better list.
Kinda rambling now, as tired and the Ambien is starting to kick in...but I shall expound shortly.

Jeebus

2010-04-06T07:59:00.001-04:00

It has certainly been a while.
And this has no real meat to it, but INSOMNIA SUCKS!
Okay,
getting back on track over the next few days.
Have some feline entertainment, and a review.
:)

Tyranids, the other white meat...

2010-01-15T07:38:00.002-05:00

Okay, the preview ‘dex is in…and there have been myriad and sundry other people who have put in their two cents online about it, but I have a take too. Having been with bugs since 2nd ed, with those horrible old ant-warriors (whose boneswords I now miss greatly) and the original screamer-killers all the way up to, well now, I can say a few things right off the bat. OUCH, and WOOT!
We’ll see where the two words are most apropos.

First, this army is a gestalt/multiplier/de-buffer army. If you lose sight of this, you are going to only win with luck (in pairing, ill-prepared opponents, or dice). In this regard, they are more Eldar than Eldar, relying on complimentary units/force multipliers to really stay in the game. Fortunately, all those gestalt combinations are good.
There are so many ‘neat’ things in the ‘dex, that it is easy to want all of it, try to fit it in and falter. Like the Space Wolves, if you want to win, calmly walk through the book and find what units compliment one another.
If it’s just for fun, if you still build a solid core and THEN add oddball units you still have a decent game ahead of you.

This is NOT the answer to IG. A calmly played IG army will still have a better chance to put-paid to you than you to him (or her). This is NOT the answer to SW armies built with mobile fire-bases/thunderwolf cavalry. This army WILL die HORRIBLY to well played/built Dark Eldar. Tyranids WILL change all armies play styles, and WILL mech-up armies that are still trying to foot it out.

Army rules have changed significantly. Synapse is pretty much just ‘fearless’ within 12”. The loss of eternal warrior is painful, VERY.
Shadow in the Warp basically makes all psykers within 12” of a toting model roll 3d6 for their test, utilizing all three, and perils on ANY double 1/6.
Instinctive behavior became more manageable. Shooters (lurk) still get to shoot (freezing in place) and Choppers (feed) rage. It’s bad, but not as bad as being out of synapse used to be.
Living ammo, Str+ and Assault ‘X’ went out the window (barring ONE weapon with Ass X) which kind of disappointed me. I thought it was a defining flavor, but meh.

I will break this down per entry in the army list section, and then look at overall biomorph impact. I will not be pointing out list combos, or builds, as others with greater acumen have found most of the combos I did already (making a sad panda-face Mikey every time I thought I’d come up with something new).

So, on with the show….

HQ
Hive Tyrant:
This unit broke even. Stronger at the outset, with 2 Psychic powers PLUS Shadow in the Warp, he can fill debuffing roles AND aggressor roles. Solid CC monster, as he should be, his force-multipliers are very nice. With abilities such as Outflanking other units and +1 reserve rolls, to Preferred enemy lending, he can really boost your core…at a HIGH cost. Give him solid shooting, or unique CC capabilities, and he starts to rack the points even faster.
But, with regen and Guard, it’s a hard Death Star to crack.
No Invuln hurts, but if you want that AND CC hate, meet…..

The Swarmlord: (Woot)
A unique Tyrant? That PWNs THSS termies, Nob Bikers and…well…pretty much everything else? JEEBUS! Did I mention the ability to cause wounds and GAIN the ones caused with ‘Lifeleech’?
Re-roll all your successful Invulns? Yes Please. 4 psychic powers? Yes Please. 4+ invuln in CC? Yes please. Grants 1of3 different USR’s to any unit within 18”, and the optional Tyrant reserve/outflank bumps? SWEET!
Price tag=OUCH…more than a tooled land raider. But built around ability lending, and stomping other Death Stars? Yeah, he’s pain…a lot of it. Coupled with our next offender and things get wrong…

(note: Tyrant Guard serve the same role they did before, but can function independently and can have boneswords. They frenzy if joined by a Tyrant and it dies, though I don’t see that happening often).

Tervigon: (WOOT)
Okay, medium weight monstrous creature…but we now hit our first 6 wound MC…wait, SIX you say? Yup…and only the first.
This is NOT a unit for CC, this is NOT a unit for a shieldwall…this is a force multiplier.
Grant FNP to any unit within 6”? In an army that can pretty much guarantee cover saves for everybody?(not talking Venomthrope, the units themselves). Spit arseloads of free termagaunts? Oh, give all those ‘gaunts close by it’s own poison/fur charge upgrades? Yeah, gimme another one…(oh, did I mention they count as troops if you buy them paired with termagaunts? Did I? Well, NIIIIICE!). Oh, and Synapse???
Seriously, they’re damn near as good as my blathering intimates.
Weaknesses? MC without the real strength to back it up, few attacks and low init. Don’t be tempted to use them as battering rams or blocks, but protect them.
Use them to buff other bugs/units and lend FNP all over the place. It’s that and the free ‘gaunts…
These guys are worth their weight in GOLD (around 200-ish gold, if tooled up), but like other shineys they can be overdone. I’m using 1 or 2, depending on my army. No more, or it will cease to support itself. You have to have threat units to take advantage of the buffs.

Tyranid Prime:
Or Warrior Prime (as some rumours called it). It’s the HQ warrior.
I like them. If they were a unit upgrade, or could benefit from the symbiosis of Guant/Tervigon= troops, then I would be all over them.
What they do for you is lend a model that is immune to ID that can be allocated wounds in a unit of warriors. Yes it buffs them, and YES if you are building heavy warrior units/armies, they are beneficial.
They are independent characters, which helps them move about where needed, but their buffs are really only warrior buffs.
Shadow in the Warp(SITW) helps.
Weapon options are great with their stats, and will help out a CC warrior squad moreso than a shooty squad (IMHO).

Parasite of Mortrex:
An ‘on the fence’ unit for me. Wings combined with Synapse and SITW make him a psyker-threat/buff unit due to mobility.
It is a unit buff/producer for Ripper Swarms, which are not really a unit worth building around to support. In addition, producing the progeny of this model requires CC, thus putting it in danger…vs just die rolling for the Tervigon. Meh.
IC status lets him join Gargoyles and have ablative wounds. Messes with Outflankers, possibly replacing a model in a unit (as it outflanks) with d6 ripper swarms. Over 150 pts makes him a contender for a Tervigon’s points in the army, and I can’t bring myself to dump a Tervi’s points into him.

ELITES

Hive Guard:
A paper tiger. It looks great on the surface, ranged weapon with multiple shots AND ignores LOS (and cover under certain circumstances, that aren’t even 100% clear) on a T-6 multi-wound platform.
The math doesn’t work. Max 3 per unit, max 3 units competing with other (better) choices AND the lurk instinctive behavior? In order to make this work, you have to build specifically for their style of play, and I don't think they're a 'take all comers' unit for this reason and this reason alone.
Their weapon is beauty…midfield shooting that ignores LOS and cover the unit is not in (or touching) is wonderful. If it were on a more solid platform, or shared more in common with Tyrant Guard (viable close combat/protective rules) it would be an awesome unit.
I’m getting some because I don’t have them and I love bugs. I’ll use them for fun, but I’m not going to count on them. Competing slots are just much better.

Lictor Brood: OUCH……just OUCH.
WTF! Why does GW hate these guys? Last ed codex nerfed em, but gave them abilities that at least gave them some survivability and buffing. Going to only +1 to cover, NOT being able to assault after popping in AND losing feeder tendrils is not compensated for by giving them an extra wound.
Finally, losing reserve re-rolls (controlling whether or not something comes in EITHER direction) is a lateral shift off the +1 to reserves…excepting that now you have to be alive and on the table for this effect.
They do count as ‘teleport homers’ for deep striking bugs, but only if they started that turn already on the table.
They get to place anywhere they want when they become available from reserves, which is a sight better than deepstriking only in area terrain, so there’s a plus.
I really do think GW hates lictors…I don’t get it, I just don’t.

Deathleaper: WOOT…just WOOT
Okay, so he’s pricey…well over 100. But, what he brings to the table. It’s just frikkin necessary. Want to talk about psyker defense? I don’t need a p-hood, runic weapon or what have you…I’ve got Deathleaper. –d3 leadership to any single model in your opponent’s army? True, it’s only as long as Deathleaper’s still alive, but you can’t kill him. Night fight to shoot (oh, and halved after the roll), can go back into reserves if not engaged to pop up later, and all the other abilities of Lictors? Just keep bouncing him to keep him alive, and shut down Njal. Other abilities are icing on the cake, but shutting down psykers is what he does.
This really is a necessity defense/de-buffer unit.

Venomthrope: OUCH
Cheap, mobile permanent cover…only, you’ve got that. It’s called termagants. Carpets of them. All units in 6” get this, as well as when non-vehicles assault they do it as though into dangerous terrain (and units protected also get defensive grenades). In an aggressive army, they are too passive. They are also competing with too much goodness in the Elites category.
Poison, nasty poison. Lash whips, lots of them. But other than that, they just don’t cut it.

Zoanthropes: WOOT
Okay, they have a 3+ invulnerable save. They are synapse. They have SITW. But Warp lance is their deali-o. Str-10 lance. Vehicle doom.
Glass hammer though. 2 wounds, T-3=ID bait. Psycannon are going to play hob with them as well. So why are they WOOT? Mycetic Spore (ie:drop pod) into the face of your opponent’s Land Raider (or what have you) and watch it poof. With Deathleaper, your opposing psychic hoods will have difficulty dealing with them.
Throw em away in a pod and a quick strike, and gobble what got cracked out of the can.

Doom of Malan’tai:
4 wound Zoie, but no warp lance. Template shot up to strength 10 (= to his wounds, with an ability to suck wounds from units…and did I mention can get up to 10 wounds, huh?…NICE), massive carnage if he goes off. He’ll go off ONCE. T-4 makes him ID bait as well. I am going to fiddle with this one, to see if it will pan out. I think it’s a unit that will work well in some instances and fall flat on it’s face in others. We shall see!

Pyrovore: OUCH
WTF? Great model, and that’s about it. Flame template, that has to walk or pod. He’s really just not worth it unfortunately. I am not pleased. He might blow up, if he gets abused. Might be close when it happens, if he pods. If he does blow up (when killed) he gets a d6” range Str-3 explosion, on a 4+. That’s just about as good as he gets.
If it was plastic, I’d love it (for the model)…but I’m biased for converting plastics.

Ymgarl Genestealers:
Again, competing for better tools in the elites slots. At a cost of almost twice that of a regular genestealer without broodlord option, they just aren’t effecient choices.
Stat bumps of T, S, or A each turn is good.
Save of 4+ is good.
Stats of a genestealer is good.
The ability to be ‘dormant’ at the beginning of the game, pop up in a piece of predetermined terrain then move/fleet and assault is really nice. I’m going to play with them a bit, see if I can utilize them to good effect, but points hurt.

TROOPS

Warriors:
3 wounds, but reduction of unit flexibility. Shadow in the warp, but loss of Eternal Warrior. Points drop(with the default weaponry and improved save) but fewer options.
Looks like a lateral shif….wait, they’re TROOPS???
Sweeeeet!
If you’re running them in large numbers, Tyranid Primes become more viable and worthwhile. I see them as solid, if a little vulnerable, SITW/Synapse projectors that CAN mess people up in combat with the right combos. They’re solid, and I am fond of them. I don’t think they’re game dominant which means unless you are really tooling your army as a beat face warrior delivery system, they operate well as I said…cheap Synapse delivery that can embed in your army for cover. Use Tervigons to grant them FNP and they get annoying, but they WILL get swamped by small arms/medium gun fire.
Beat face units being delivered quickly and properly supported (with boneswords and such) will make them a threat.

Genestealers:
Um…I don’t know what to say. They dropped slightly in points, but are lackluster. Broodlords as unit upgrades, with interesting powers, are okay…but he’s expensive.
Nothing wows me about them. They will do what they did before, only without Feeder tendrils and the like they won’t do it as well. Medium unit with middle-ground performance. Again, I like em…I’ll play em…but I won’t look to them for serious rescue/threat value.

Mycetic Spore: WOOT
(under troops as that’s where the entry is, but can be taken by many units)
Points like a drop pod, LIKE a drop pod only alive and capable of taking weapons ranging all the way up to Venom Cannon (expense of shooting probably not worth it, but nice options).
Really operates like a drop pod, shorting if coming too close to enemies (etc). Can carry 20 troops or an MC.
Can we say podding Zoanthropes? I know I am. Buy them, use them (love them pet them and call them George). They’re your best friend! This WILL alter how YOU play, not just your opponent(s).

Termagants:
Solid. Cheap. Fleshborer functions the way it used to for the most part. You can spam these in abundance.
Can’t get without number anymore, but wait….
If you take a unit, you can then make a Tervigon a troop choice?
The Tervigon can lend them his poison/furious charge if within 6”, and spawn more buddies?
This is your big force multiplier, AND biggest potential trap. 1-3 of these pairings is good…anything more and you’re chasing good points after bad.
But ohhhhh…it’s tempting. Take them, pair them with the Tervi they make Troops…lather rinse repeat. You’ll love it!

Hormogaunts:
They dropped in points, and lost beasts.
They can go up to init 6 on the charge, with str 4 and re-roll of 1’s in CC (if you buy them Adrenal=furious charge)…but then you start investing into them enough to start buying them back into old point values.
Same with Poison (Toxin Sacs).
They get nasty, but don’t grant you the same thing Termies do, a troop MC.
I think they are complimentary to a CC army, but too fragile for overall reliance.

Rippers:
Well, what can I say…they’re rippers.
They are pretty much the same as before, little swarms of annoyance.
They lose wounds when out of synapse now, that hurts.
They compete with better choices…Termies and Tervies…thank goodness you get them for free (money wise).

FAST ATTACK

Tyranid Shrike Brood:
Flying Warriors. See my entry for warriors. Then take away a save for the ability to fly (jump infantry).
Now wait for it…..
Wait for it….
Riiiight, they can’t really stay embedded in units for cover and utilize flying…sooooo…move along, nothing to see here.
Seriously, flying warriors are neat. They have mobility value, and are threatening under the right circumstances, but honestly are even more vulnerable than their bretheren (5+ vs 4+ is only the beginning).

Ravener Brood:
Finally, plastic Raveners. Deep strike and Beasts (though if you DS, you probably won’t survive long enough to really take advantage of the speed).
Full weapon spread as before (Deathspitter, Devourer or Spinefist).
5+ save is painful, but you should (hopefully) only have to suffer 1 round of fire (with cover) if smart.
The fact you cannot mix Scything Pairs on some and Rending Claws on others kinda bites, but define your role and go for it. Vehicle killing is possible on any scale with their attack numbers+rending, and Troop annihilation is solid with double Scything.
Enjoy the plastic models, they’re awesome.

Sky-Slasher Swarm Brood:
See the entry for Rippers?
Now look at the comparison between flying and regular warriors.
Apply it to an inferior unit.
Make them cost you money (unlike regular rippers).
Move along.

Gargoyle Brood:
Okay, now THIS is a model that has needed to be plastic longer than I care to think.
They’re cheap, fast and upgradeable.
What’s not to like?
Oh, Fantasy Poison rules? (roll of 6 to hit wounds automatically)…too bad it’s not for their shooting. But still,
Yespleasethankyou.
I wish they really supported the army better. They are good interference/response units…for one use. They will die, and unlike Termagants they don’t have a recycle button(tervigon). Ah well, I still love them for the points and fluff/models.

Harpy: WOOT
Flying MC?
Flying Twin-linked Hvy Venom Cannon(or Stranglethorn)?
Bombing with Spore Mines?
Yessssss!?!
It’s MC stats are mediocre, str 5 and few attacks being the notable shortfall, but the ability to move and flank with tank busting weaponry and drop spore mines makes this a worthwhile proposition. In fact, I think it’s the best FA slot available. Convert, convert convert…this and the Tervigon are definitely high priorities for conversion.

Spore Mine Clusters:
They will disrupt your opponent’s deployment.
They are dropped as a unit deep striking AFTER deployment zones are chosen, but prior to deployment. They go boom. They go big bada-boom. They can be avoided, obviously, but will NEED to be avoided for the most part.
At 10 points a model, they’re a little pricey. Playing with them will determine for you if you want to sacrifice other FA choices/points for deployment niggling.
They can be worth it.

HEAVY SUPPORT

Carnifex Brood: OUCH
Pretty much double their old base cost, without the ability to bump their stats.
Sure, you can take broods up to 3, but with all being identical there’s no wound allocation going on.
Sure you can get Hvy Venom cannon (etc), but you can elsewhere too.
You can get close to their old weapon spreads, but it gets exhorbitant.
The model’s saving grace, it’s the core for a great number of the newer bug conversions (Tervigon/Tyrannofex)…but that’s it.
Such a beautiful kit, Such a pity.

Old One Eye:
Carnifex, but a boosted close combat monstrosity.
Sure he’s more survivable, but over the cost of a Land Raider.
He’ll eat a unit alive, then die to plasma fire. 4 wounds isn’t enough for Fexes anymore, and though his Regen is better (5 or a 6), it’s just not enough.

Biovore Brood:
Got a little better, but lost the specialty ammo.
Spit, boom, die.
Competing with too many better Hvy Support choices.
As before, a biovore brood can be up to 3. They launch spore mines (which no longer count as KPs, thank Gawd) long range at str-4, and they are barrage.
Again, a unit I like but not enough to push aside better Force Org choices.

Trygon(and Alpha): WOOT
Expensive, and worth every point. MC stats, real initiative and solid in CC. Deep striking with Drop Pod like safety, and with a Trygon Prime SITW and Synapse.
Creatures coming in from it’s burrow hole (yes, the Subterranean assault allows other DS’ing ‘Nids to come from the entry point) don’t get to do anything but run or shoot, so building around that tactic will require an army built around turn 2 pod/DS striking or don’t bother.
Give it regen (6 wounds+regen=pain) and toxin sacs, or go to town and load it up with Prime status and furious charge. It’ll cost you, but it’ll scare everyone else!
Use for disruption, and for a monster fire magnet. It will die, but it will usually die with you smiling!

Mawloc: WOOT
Ok, so not as CC nasty as the Trygon but talk about a REAL disruption unit.
When a Mawloc comes in, it explodes outward and hits everything under a large blast template with STR-6 AP-2 hits. Yes, with an AP it’s treated as shooting, so cover applies, but it’ll hit vehicles on the rear armour and paste exposed units.
Add in the ability to go back into reserve (burrow) and repeat (automatically) the Sub-Assault next turn? Yeah, that’s a model that your opponent HAS to kill…
Give it regen and piss him off (with 6 wounds it’s survivable if it can burrow).

Tyrannofex: WOOT
Okay…6 wounds, check.
Ability to buy Regen, check.
2+ save, check.
Ability to buy a str-10 48” across the table 2 shot assault weapon that doesn’t suffer Venom Cannon-itis? CHECK!
This is a walking gun battery. It can be a punisher cannon (20 shot anti-troop), it can be a railgun (aforementioned long range str-10) and it has a template weapon.
Load this puppy up. He may be around 300(+) after that, but it’s a threat unit that delivers and can be left in the rear.
When I first heard of this model, I thought it was over-pointed. I was wrong. Put it near a Tervigon, behind something big, and nuke things while keeping it bubble-wrapped (tervigon produced termagants) and FNP’d (tervigon catalyst). This is a F-U unit.

BIOMORPHS

I will focus on the general Bio-Morph entries, as the unique ones are mostly covered under the creature abilities/entries previously discussed

Acid Blood:
You wound me, I wound you with a failed initiative test. Great against necrons and orks, mediocre against most others.
Glancing all walkers on a 4+? Assuming you survive the combat with a dread that’s nice!
Adrenal Glands:
Furious Charge USR? Init-6 Hormagaunts?!? Yespleasethankyou!
Implant Attack:
Rending that produces Instant Death instead of wounds with no save. This is BAD for Nob Bikerz, Thunderwolves…well, a lot of things. Lots of eternal warrior units right now make it hit or miss, but it’s a good counter to annoying multi-wound squads.
Regeneration:
With 4 wound models, it’s not as great. With 6 wound models it’s big! Roll every turn for each wound currently on a living model, and gain a wound back for every 6. Nothing to really hate when you can combine it with FNP leant from a Tervi and cover.
Toxic Miasma:
Touching me at the end of each player turn and you take a toughness test. If you fail, you take a wound. Meh against T-4, but don’t let me lock you up if you’re eldar (or sisters, or guard)!
Toxin Sacs:
Poison USR. Don’t forget, if your Strength is high, you get to re-roll failed to wound rolls! Yespleasethankyou! (another good way to make Hormogaunts fun too.)
Wings:
Jump Infantry. Pretty simple. Weigh cost to benefit ratios heavily, sometimes that Flyrant really isn’t worth it, sorry. (I know, I bought a FW Flyrant too.)

CCWs

Bonesword:
Power Weapon. Oh wait, and if you wound someone with it, Leadership or ID. Oh wait, with a pair it’s Ldr on 3d6 or ID. JEEBUS! Hello Nobs, Hello T-wolves, hello my bonesword!
Crushing Claws:
Instead of ‘replace base attacks’ it’s now ‘add d3 attacks’. Unfortunately, it’s the only way for ‘Nids to get bonus attacks. They’re also expensive. Can be worth it. They definitely are improved over the last version though, and available for more than just ‘Fexes.
Lash Whip:
Not a CC per-se, but listed with the CC weapons because they are bought as weapon upgrades.
All models in contact with me are initiative 1. Yup, a good buy.
Rending Claws:
The-name-says-it-all USR.
Scything Talons:
Re-roll 1’s on the to hit rolls. Re-roll all misses if two pairs are bought. This can get nasty. A good, cheap buy for creatures with multiple attacks. Don’t waste your time with a creature you don’t WANT to get into CC.

ARMOUR
Just varying degrees of saving throws from 6+ to 2+.

WEAPONS
(most weapons have lost their ASS-x/Str as rules. I don’t know that I like it, as that seemed to be characterful, but it seems to help more weapons than it hurts)
Barbed Strangler:
Medium-Long range large blast with a frag missile stat line and pinning. Not bad.
Cluster Spines:
Short range large blast with above average str. If it’s a cheap upgrade for a creature, or free, think about it. Range 18’ isn’t TOO close for safe use.
Deathspitter:
Similar to the old, but assault 3 instead of small blast.
Devourer:
Loss of living ammo makes this Ass-3 short ranged weapon ok, but not stellar. Nothing wrong with it though. Not as nasty on Raveners anymore, pity.
Brainleech worms:
Devourer upgrade for a few big bugs. Higher Str and Ass-6 makes it scarier, but AP- hurts it.
Fleshborer:
12” bolter without rapid fire. Simple and easy.
Heavy Venom Cannon:
Str-9 long range with a small blast is grand. Losing the glance only to a –1 on the chart makes it iffy. It is NOT an AV-14 killer, only a suppressor. Lot of good that will do you against Land Raiders, but I still think it’s an improvement over its predecessor. Not tied into a shooter’s strength is an improvement for the Hive Tyrant.
Spinefists:
They count as twin-linked Ass-x, but low str. If it’s a choice, I prefer Fleshborers.
Stinger Salvo:
Goes with some big bugs. Ass-4 is nice. Don’t pay extra for it though.
Stranglethorn Cannon:
(or Heavy Barbed Strangler, really).
Str-6 Barbed Strangler. Nothing to write home about.
Thorax Swarm:
3 versions, all are template weapons.
Varying strengths, from 5, 1 or 3. Str-1 always wounds on a 2+, and str-3 has rending. A template option for an army that doesn’t have many. Too bad it’s only for big bugs.
Venom Cannon:
Same as Heavy, only str-6.

(now, if any of this seems vague, I am trying not to get the store in trouble for posting too much info. Also, this was written from a perspective of knowing {or mostly knowing} how ‘Nids worked in the most recent codex and not giving away so much that you don’t want to come down to the store and look at the preview copy)

Overally, I don’t think the ‘OMFGtheworld’scomingtoanend’NidsareOT’ reactions are any more valid than the ‘theynerfedmywholearmy’ reactions that have been out there. What I think we have here is a true 5e-ing up of an out of date ‘dex.
As I said at the beginning Tyranids are a synergy army, and require a lot of focus to do what they need to, but they have finally been given the tools to do it.
Overall, I am quite pleased.
My Hive-Mind overfloweth, and my swarm has been dusted off…
The ‘Nids are dead, Long live the Tyranids!

Three D's of 40k

2010-01-03T10:15:00.001-05:00

( I wrote this a primer for my old store when 5th ed was early in it's release, and I think it has merit elsewhere. I find myself having to remember key elements on occasion, and when I forget them...I usually lose, or at least struggle) Smile

The three D’s, a 40k 5e primer….
Or where we go wrong and how to fix it?

Okay, we’ve got this whole 5th ed thing…and we find ourselves wondering, "selves…why is this becoming almost as much of an issue as 2nd to 3rd edition?"

The why is simple, because 3.5 and 4th edition were dumbed down versions of prior systems, whereas 5th edition appears to be similar and in fact is far from it.
TLOS, Scoring Units and fundamental but subtle rules changes (multiple assaults, leadership mods going away in shooting, no sweeping advances and MOST importantly IMHO the increase in reserves and the ability to manipulate them…the list goes on) has altered 5th ed almost as dramatically as the old 2nd to 3rd shift.
What has become MOST important was lost in the prior editions, and that is duality of function. I am not speaking of redundancy, nor for that matter multi-role functions, but application on the battlefield. It’s not whether a unit INATELY performs two or more functions, but where we apply its actions in multiple avenues.
3rd through 4th focused units into specific roles, and ‘trained’ us to think in these terms. We saw our transport as a single use item with less value after delivery, saw dedicated single function units as primo (devastators come to mind) and saw sub-par units that bolstered a SINGLE aspect of an army as acceptable because that role was needed.
5th edition has changed this so fundamentally, and has yet to be totally realized by a great portion of the player base. I am not of the opine that there is one way to play 40k, like some out there espousing only certain styles of play, or certain build types. I am of the camp that says HOW we play is (or nearly so) as important as what we build. The result of play will, in the long run, guide players to more efficient builds by default and on their own resulting in a more pure (but original) competitive environment.

Thus, the 3 D’s; Disbursement, Destruction and Denial. Each is bolstered by the other, but in order to be efficient we have to follow ONE simple rule, and if you do this where your opponent does not you WILL win…. NEVER PERFORM AN ACTION THAT DOES NOT FURTHER TWO OF THE FOLLOWING CATAGORIES AT THE SAME TIME. Period, ever. If you are doing one of these things with a unit you can do another. Trying to do all three can gum you up, it’s usually a two-fer (excepting fun coinkidinks). Let’s explore the definitions first.

Disbursement: I will define this as placing/replacing your forces where they will do your opponent the least good.
On the surface it’s simple, movement. So let’s look at that. Get there quickly and in one piece. I am iterating the obvious only as a part of the greater whole.
-Best way, in a transport. It’s fast, it’s easy and it gives you protection from more than just weapons. It isolates you from effects such as psychic powers and area effects. Transport’s extend your range by movement as well as creating a larger footprint to measure radial effects from (sanctuary anyone?).
-Second, deployment. You have to support your battle-plan with thoughts to your first 3 moves (projection beyond that is possible, but cannot take into account vagaries of luck like a range 24” melta shot that kills your Land Raider on turn 2). Deploy to support and protect that intended path and protect the units key to that path.
-Third, reserves. Utilize reserves in such a way that choices made early in the game will receive reinforcement OR hopefully become obvious to the enemy only when they come into play.
-Fourth, RUN. Not under movement, as it occurs in the shooting phase and can be used to correct for bad difficult terrain rolls. If you are NOT shooting, and you are not parked on an objective with no LOS or in a ‘port that moved 12”+ RUN. Fergawdssake if you couldn’t shoot, and you didn’t move toward the enemy, then you need to be further away…(obviously the table edge is a mitigating factor here).
-Fifth, toys. If you have ANYTHING that bounces or does weird shite (GOI) do it now. Make certain your opponent cannot simply track you in a linear fashion, make him lead a fast moving target and lose ground if he’s closing (or bounce his LOS around by shifting your own base of ops around as much as possible).
Whatever you do, distribute your threat constantly. Make certain that through your maneuver that a greater portion of your army threatens a smaller portion of his frequently and with support from your other elements. Screen with hardy forces, flank with faster forces and keep everything within a single turn threat if you can.
If he is faster, make certain that every element in your army can bring weight of fire/assault on your next turn if he comes in and tries to snipe a portion of your force/key element. Punish him for getting close.
Maneuver is key in all wargames, and it has become more important in 5e. To quote one of my favorite games, ‘Speed is Life’. In 40k it’s maneuver, but the same concept applies. Though you cannot apply deployment after the game starts, the rest applies to the whole game and ties distinctly into the next category,

Denial: controlled isolation, includes movement block, contestation or lethal zone threat.
-First, deny an enemy an area of the battlefield that is key. This can be occupying an objective, terrain that an opponent cannot present a flank to or something that may be otherwise important before him. You can do this with killy units to hang on for dear life until reserves get there, or a soft unit that may bait them into early commitment you can capitalize on. Either way, create a circumstance they cannot ignore, but cannot just sweep aside.
-Second, utilize vehicles as movement blocks. Don’t hesitate to put a Land Raider in the middle of a movement channel if it might be killed. Stick it in your opponents face. He has a 1 in 6 chance of blowing it up, and if he doesn’t it’s a big frikkin brick making his maneuver day ‘epic fail’.
Drop pods should always drop in such a way as to block his straight line movement. I would go almost so far as to say favor that over optimal unit drop, but it’s iffy. ALWAYS look to the movement block first though.
Speed bumps from fantasy became more important in 40k, use em. Throw what you can to corner/restrict.
Denial is for zone control. If you control territory or movement, you can control the tempo of the game from the word go. Denial will win you games. Denial will frustrate a player, hopefully prompting more errors. Ultimately, denial will give you greater control of where you know your opponent will be in future turns. THAT control will produce a cascade effect that can make each subsequent turn easier than the last. You don’t have to kill to win, though you do have to kill to deny…thus

Destruction: reduction of your opponents fighting ability by the expedient of removing his forces or isolating them beyond recovery.
-First, simple killy. If you can kill it, do so. Really quite simple and the bare essence of any wargame. You must use disbursement to do this and not get punished. First blood is NOT the end all be all. If I lose Vindicator to pop a 5 man Assault squad, I lose. Always evaluate by immediate threat (2 turns out). If a unit will produce more than its value in VP’s in the next 2 turns, it must die. If not, relegate it to the next shooting phase.
If you shoot at it, KILL IT. Keep shooting it, until it’s DEAD (or worthless as a fighting unit early in a non-KP mission). Do NOT get distracted. Do NOT lose sight of your goal, and if you shelve a non-threatening unit early, KILL IT LATER. Pour ungawdly, sick and unmitigated levels of fire into any unit you have prioritized, and REPEAT. J
There is NO SUCH THING as overkill in a wargame.
-Second, isolation. With denial, you can isolate units by the simple rhino block, by disbursement you can redeploy your own base of ops and reduce a slower moving enemy to floundering and by deployment itself (refused flank etc) you can cut by half an early deploying players threat zone thus extending/enhancing your own. Any action that prevents him from engaging you allows you to single out and destroy isolated elements.
-Third, immobilize. From the simple immobilization of a transport/blocked tank, to tying up a key unit with a nigh-unkillable one (tarpits) you can lock down part of an opponents army while piece-mealing the rest. Regardless of how or what, stopping a unit’s ability to maneuver at all can be as good as a kill on occasion, and allow you to shelve a unit for later attention.
As I said, Destruction really does represent the ultimate goal of a wargame, but destroying your opponent’s ability to wage war does not always mean pyrrhic victories of death and mayhem. It can simply be bogging down and isolating units until you are no longer threatened.
You must use Disbursement (maneuver) to apply your gentle ministrations to the enemy, and you must Deny them battlefield position to return the favor.

Ultimately, in order to perform optimally and win consistently, these things must be done in concert. Each action you perform must be weighed in such a way that it will perform more than one of these tasks while minimizing your opponent’s ability to do the same. Thinking each step through is key, and weighing the advantages of which you are going to do at the detriment of another is a must.

Unit purchases need to fit into these categories. When we look at units being effective, and when we purchase them, they need to be able to perform at MINIMUM two of these tasks. At MINIMUM. When you find yourself looking at a choice, and you have to reach to apply it to multiple roles, then you should probably discard it. Space marines are strong because of this, most of their units can (by dint of their nature) produce multiple tasks.
When we make purchases that limit these options, we are making a conscious effort to apply a personal like over an efficient choice. If we do this, just like if during a game we go after a personal goal instead of satisfying the above, we choose to reduce our competitiveness for agenda.
This may have come off as pedantic, and is not intended to be so (or condescending)…it is just thoughts that come to mind after playing so long, and seeing what has developed out of edition changes and 5th ed play. Right now, the environment is very Mechanized, and I don’t see that changing dramatically over the next 6 months. I have hope that Space Wolves and Tyranids will have some impact on that, as Daemons did before and other’s will after…but right now, I love tanks…and they are the most effective method of applying the 3 D’s.

Merry Pasta-mas!

2009-12-25T12:26:00.001-05:00

By His noodly appendage,
Merry Pasta-Mas, and happy Pastanukkah!

Interesting....

2009-12-09T00:12:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time.
I keep reaching for my computer, and find no real need.

Not a lack of get up and go, but a lack of need.
Catharsis is my home, my life.
Employment is my purpose, and where I am now,
and the cat is NOT prompting me to toss her out the back door at the first heavy snowfall.

Hmmmmm........Am I happy again?
I mean REALLY happy?

I'm going to have to start writing without a spastic cat, and with joy.
Gads, I'm doomed! ;)

Survival Instinct

2009-11-03T19:08:00.003-05:00

So,
it's been a little while...cat has been behaving.
At least this time I knew right from the start what it was; cold weather+cat=cuddle.
This, unfortunately, resembles the 'Daily Show' with a good president (or no election year). In other words, nothing much to write about.

Enter our Anniversary...or should I say Anniversary Weekend.
We decided, as we did not have a cake, that for our first anniversary we should revisit the pineapple drinks from our reception (made by Ohana's, a Disney resort).

The drinks rocked at our wedding, and had it not been for a late Maid of Honor we would have had many more...probably to our regret. They were liquid mana, nectar of the gawds, with rum... a whole pineapple, hollowed out, filled with fruit juice and alcohol...mostly alcohol. (did I mention the rum, there was a lot of it...I didn't think a pineapple could hold a fifth of rum by itself...I was wrong).

So anyway, we tried to reproduce these drinks.
We bought a bottle of rum, a small bottle of coconut rum, and two fresh pineapples (on Friday).
We went to a Halloween party on Saturday.
I was hungover Sunday...and Monday...and a little bit of today.
Needless to say, we didn't get to drinking them until today...I was HUNG OVER! The big one...high school level hung over. I wasn't touching SQUAT on Sunday (our actual anniversary)...and was still feeling it Monday.
So tonight...

The bottle(s) come out...
My Fileting knife comes out...
My wife goes to work...

and the kitchen gets coated.

From one end to the other, everything is sticky.
EVERYTHING.
Enter, the Cat.

She has never smelled pineapple.
She parks behind my wife (on a chair) and stares...and stares...almost demandingly.
I have a picture, of her looking over the back of the chair.
It looks expectant.
It looks petulant,
and it looks predatory...all wrapped up into one pint sized little glare.

We mix the rums,
with the cored mush,
and pour them in the pineapples...

We drink.
We think.
We spit...grimace...and whine.
they tasted like kerosene...

We discover why we are NOT bartenders.

At least we giggle.

When Roxz moves to throw away her drink, she fails to do so.
Not fails to throw it away,
but fails to move.
She is cemented.
She is stuck.

With much 'squelch'-ing, she pulls loose and frees herself.

We dispose of the evidence of our failure (unlike the marriage, with much sticky kissing and giggling we plot next year and how to make the drinks palatable, or at least consumable).
She cleans the floor,
with bleach.

As we kiss, saying how much we love each other, I catch movement from my eye.
It's the cat.

She is rolling on the clean floor. Opening her mouth over the tile, breathing deeply.
Eyes half lidded, she rolls again. At first we think 'pineapple', then realize the whole room reeks of bleach,
and it's concentrated where she's breathing.
She's huffing,
bleach.

We have a teenager,

and she's high...

This is my cat,
This is my cat on drugs....

my cat, like a teenager, has no survival instinct.

Employment....

2009-10-21T19:53:00.005-04:00

So,
it's been a year...almost to the date it's been a year.
I haven't worked.

I haven't been unemployed longer than a week since I was 16.
Do I remember how to work? (lol)

I've been offered a job.
Lower pay than I'd like, and not 100% fulltime yet...but foot in the door and personal schedule management.
Only really lacking medical at this stage...and that will happen.

Have a drug test tomorrow. I know I'll pass that, I'm too paranoid for my own entertainment. (lmao)
Step 1) Pee in a cup
Step 2)...........
Step 3) Profit

Recommended by someone I think is a friend, but definitely strikes me as honorable.
I know part of it is to save his bacon, he's running ragged, but with everyone else out there looking for jobs he didn't have to point at me.

Am I not ambitious enough? I'm taking a fairly basic job, but damnit I like to work. I like being responsible, making money for myself and others, and WORKING.
I don't really care what I'm doing at this stage, but I wonder if I ever really did.
Did it matter before?
Did anything but paying the bills, having my dignity and supporting my family matter?

Am I settling, that I am this happy with just labor?
Or do I simply crave good old fashioned work...

I'm not as excited as I thought I'd be,
but after getting close (seriously close) two other times, I think I'm not going to get all happy until I actually get my first check.
But damn, I'm as close as I've been (but once) in a year.

I want to work,
and it looks like I just might be getting to do so soon!

Now,to make it an even better day,
who wants to take my cat!?

Why women outlast their men....

2009-10-18T12:23:00.006-04:00

It's been a while...
I took a break, sue me! ;)

So,
My wife Roxz and I took a drive Friday.
She was in 'contrary mode', so the drive (to get lunch/take pictures of fall leaves at the dam) took 4x as long as it should have...
We passed the dam, twice, from three different directions (don't ask) before settling down to eat...grumpily.
Pizza...after all that running, she wanted pizza.
grrrrrr
We eat, her mood improves....mine just goes from starving to 'not ready to eat your face'.
She decides we still need to go picture taking.

We go to the reserve (damned dam had another dead skunk on the top...you know you can't get that taste out of the back of your throat for at least 5 miles)...
We drive down in, same leaves as last time...same pictures as last time...same flinging of leaves as the last time.
(actually, it's quite lovely this time of year. I wanted to go, but the food pursuits had put me in grumptacular mode...so it took some funsy pictures and giggling to get me outta my 'grrrrr' face).

I cheer up, we drive around a bit more and explore some alternate routes home.
Thank goodness we have a digital camera, we couldn't have carried as much film as she burned! :)

We unload the stuff we picked up at the grocery store (on a Saturday afternoon...the beginning of Mikey 'grumpface' McGee's appearance)...and she swings her purse about bouncing out of my car.

Fast forward 4 hours, darkness has settled.
I go to the Fridge, I want a Coke and Bourbon...I open the door...

I bellow across the house "So, did we forget something at the grocery, Dear?"
"Aw NUTS!" comes the reply from she who must be obeyed...(she thought the empty box in the kitchen wasn't for the recycling, was actually full)

I call my parents, painting a picture of desperate thirst and need...and brave the darkness and cold to walk across the street and claim a few cans of their soda.

I walk out the door, and as I pass my car...in the dark...I see a firefly in my front garden.
In October.
In 30+ degree weather.
A firefly.
It blinks...
I search...
it blinks again,
and I find....a pink Blackberry.

My wife's phone...has been in our wet garden for 4 hours. And she has not noticed it missing once.
In 4 hours. She didn't even notice.

Why was I surprised?
This is the woman who left her purse, with everything important in her life, at a McDonalds in Tallahassee Fla, and didn't notice for over an hour.
This is the woman that has now been told she MUST inform anyone she is with if she is hanging her purse on the back of her chair in a restaurant,
is not allowed possession of the checkbook,
and I SWEAR has managed to misplace her cat.

I, on the other hand, pat my hip to check for my phone...pat my pocket to check for my keys...and pat my butt for my wallet...when I'm leaving my own house, leaving my car or what have you. I have the Checkbook in a hanging bill holder where I can see it every morning and evening.
If I go 30 minutes without checking one (or all) of these things I start to feel lost...as though I have been dropped off in a foreign country and cannot read the road-signs, or am revisiting a bad experiment in high school.

So, I sojourn over to my parents with the phone now safely ensconced in my pocket. I return with beverage and I wait.
An hour passes, dinner is eaten...she doesn't notice her purse is devoid of phone.
Another hour passes, and I wonder at her casual knitting...enjoyment of the TV/cat uninterrupted by the void that would have been clawing at my subconscious after the 1st hour, much less 6.

Another hour, and I casually ask if she got any messages from a friend of ours visiting Disney. She doesn't even look up from her knitting...she just says 'Nope, haven't heard a 'bong' yet tonight!'
and continues to knit.
and knit.

My brain is screaming "all is NOT right with the world woman, your phone is in my pocket...but for all you know it could be in some Columbian drug lord's possession this very moment, found on the trails of the local park and immediately put to use pushing illegal substances...passed up the chain with a speed rivaling new music being violated by Napster...our bill could be 8,000.00 by the end of the month...I may have to start working for these dealers in order to pay the bill, AFTER they use the data to find me and blackmail me so you don't get blamed for the seedy deals they have set in motion. I may have to go out in a blaze of glory, like some moment out of "Matrix"....okay, more like "Pineapple Express", but meh. And you are just sitting there with a grin on your face, Zen-like peace with the click-click of your needles...I could have been headed down a path of DESTRUCTION because of your neglect....grrrrrr"

and all I say is 'Yes dear'.

An hour later, I hand over her phone...with a lecture about cost, about replacement, about other things...
and she smiles up at me,
and says "sorry honey"....
with a smile....
that smile that says 'you worry too much, you're going to have a coronary'...
I smile back and say 'okay'...with a look that says 'I HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH, I can't survive being a drug dealer!'

I am,
I'm going to have a coronary...
I just hope I can have a daughter first, so I can do this to some other guy!

Apocalypse Butt...

2009-10-05T08:09:00.004-04:00

When they pick the Four Horsemen, my cat will be tapped for Pestilence.
They (it's always the ubiquitous 'THEY', but who really would be hiring?)will be hopeful, thinking this Apocalypse will finally work...the perfect team!

She will decline, citing that the job will not be challenging enough.

I may have hinted before, but I will re-iterate now, the ritual that is my cat's violation of all things natural and good.

Daylight Hours Preamble:
She suddenly gets cute and cuddly. As there are sooo many reasons she may be kissing up (food, fear of retribution, the temperature dropped below 70) we are never prepared for the inevitable attack.
She'll be next to myself or the Wife, on the couch usually, when suddenly her head will pop up like she's heard something. Still, no real warning as this is also normal behavior. It's like she sees a spirit.
(Now I know why Medieval societies thought they could look between the ears of a cat to see the dead walking the earth...well, that and Middle Ages peasants weren't known for their brights.)

Then she's off the couch, with a slight bottle-brush action going on, like something's startled her. Some portent of things to come, though she doesn't quite know it yet. We do now.
We didn't. First couple of times this happened we thought she really was a watch kitty...or retarded. Well, we weren't wrong on one count...but this wasn't the symptom.
She starts to pace, investigating, moving about the living room.

(When we were in Florida, where we finally came to understand the signs of the Apocalypse, it was a small apartment where we could witness this unfold before us in its entirety.)
She then starts to run.
Run likes she's fleeing something...
Run AWAY! (we know now, she was fleeing her butt)

She would get a few laps down around the small living room, thundering back and forth, gaining momentum.
She would go round, up onto the back of the couch, ricochet off the head of the recliner, and barrel under the work table. Lather, Rinse, Repeat...about 4 times.
Then she'd pull a 'Matrix' kitty move, go up a wall, pull a U-Turn in the air, and bolt into the bathroom (wherein was contained the litter box) without touching the ground.

There was fear in her eyes that whole time. Abject terror at first. (After her first six months it became a sense of fearful resignation, of inescapable pain that may, with any one of these 'episodes', end in her demise.)

The first time it happened, we thought it was hilarious...
Then she was gone...
for 5 whole minutes.

I know what the speed of Light means, abstractly and quantitatively.
I know what the speed of Sound means, literally.
I never really grasped what the speed of 'stink' was until I saw it first hand.

The cat moved at something akin to the speed of light, after rebounding off the last wall and heading for the bathroom doing her best 'Neo' impression.

I heard the digging, scraping, desperate attempt at burial...a process the feline attempted for 5 straight minutes, I think to a small degree out of shame but certainly out of self preservation.

Then I saw her slink out of the Bathroom.
This slink was not one of fear,
it was not one of pain nor of violation...
it was one of weight
she was weighted down...

Remember Predator, when the alien moved through the woods and caused a ripple effect...or the mirage on hot pavement in the summer?
I swear, before the smell hit me, that I saw a shimmer/ripple in the air rolling over and past the feline pressing her down...(I have now found the speed of smell is in direct proportion to the comedic effect it will produce)
This, the very first time our cat did this to us, the last (printable/intelligible) words out of my wife's mouth for the next 15 minutes were, "Aw, the poor little thing looks like she's sick...is there something wrong with....What...the...F##....ACK...KAFF...HURK".

That's when the wall of STENCH hit us. When I say wall, I mean wall. It was palpable, it would have been as easy to cut as the tension of a Republican Convention Michael Moore showed up to for the buffet.
It hurt.
My eyes watered.
My brain, desperate to preserve itself, attempted to exit my left ear..and my wife fell over the coffee table trying to get to the spray air freshener.

She sprayed, I opened windows, and we fought our way on to the front porch. (there was a brief traffic jam at the door to get out, she won by elbowing me in the groin...to this day I still don't blame her)

We heard mewling...and we didn't care.
We spent somewhere on the order of 15 minutes cursing, through the gagging.

We went back inside, the cat lay on the floor panting as though she'd given birth.
The stench had begun to subside enough to not prompt nausea...much.
My wife looked at me with a pleading expression, after walking into the kitchen to gather the tools of scoopage...and I merely shook my head.

She walked into that bathroom like a condemned criminal headed to the gallows. I saluted. The cat mewled.

I kicked the cat.....

The speed of Stink is a formula involving the level of noxiousness, athleticism of the victims, degree of surprise and direct value of the comedy...and will always, ALWAYS catch the unaware or observed....
ALWAYS.....

Pedestrian writing

2009-10-02T22:48:00.004-04:00

I think I have grown a bit....meh?
in the last few days/weeks on Facebook.
I am divorcing myself from it for 2 days.

Sounds minor, but I find myself reflexively going there every opportunity I get.
Not an addiction, so much, as a filler.
This blog is limited venue, and more for me to put things into print I'm thinking of.
I won't draw attention to it on the 'book' for those days either, and may only occasionally from now on (haven't decided yet).

I think part of it is due to not having my 'home' and time to myself.
I love my Mother in Law, but I am a social creature.
Roxz and I made a new friend,
I reconnected with a number of old ones,
and I have now been without real contact with them for almost 2 weeks.

I am gregarious,
I am social
and I am stifled when this happens.

I have my games, my gaming buddies...but that's on a specific schedule and not really socializing. It's fun, a hobby and an outlet.

If I had a job, it would be one thing...
If we had money, and could afford to go do things every day...
or she really wanted to socialize, but she's the antithesis of me...introverted, shy, quiet and unassuming.

So my outward reaching nature has not been fed, for damn near two weeks.
I am getting crabby, needy and absorbed.
I can handle weather based cabin fever, but this is killing me!

If this seems to be unrelated to Facebook, it's because I have been using FB as an escape when I'm home right now...and a surrogate for human interaction.
I also seem to be commenting on the stupidest things, most innocuous, and losing sight of my writing to just 'fill'.

I don't know that it really matters, but it helps me put it into print...sort out how I feel.

I may have a job, talked to someone today about it.
Mom and Dad bought me a GPS to help with the work, lotta driving...
and I can't shout it from the rooftops, because it is a 'meh' job, and I can't go out and celebrate...how much does that suck?

Griping without humour, I am trying to avoid.
Lackluster I am starting to feel.
Pissy, bitchy or plain unappreciative I am NOT trying to be.
But I am feeling tedium, and tedious...

Muse

2009-10-02T18:16:00.004-04:00

My muse has left me...
I just have no 'umph' in my typing.

The cat, damned beast that she is, has abandoned her normal vile behavior and actually been cute and tolerable.
She hasn't bitten my MIL in 2 days,
she hasn't broken anything,
and she hasn't woken me up.

My car is running,
the sun came back out today,
and Roxz and I are just kinda snuggly.

I don't have enough to complain about without delving into politics, and I'd actually become disgusted then!

Hrm...
well,
I'm bored...mostly...but not enough to bitch.

ugh...
I'm.... , perky?

What the hell's wrong with me!

;)

Taste of a Woman

2009-10-01T22:43:00.003-04:00

Is a subtle thing.
A flavor oft missed,
misunderstood or unappreciated.

it is her scent
her voice
her very being

is what she does
how she is
and what she softly cries

it is ambrosia
honey and sunlight
all rolled into one

it reaches beyond the now
and grabs you
before and after

is what brings you back
to the font
and flavors of youth

the taste of a woman is
love
life
breath
lust
fire
hope

the taste of a woman
is what makes
all of us
alive forever

No, she's not like....

2009-09-30T12:19:00.003-04:00

...her momma!

Some people think that the longer an owner has a pet, the more it will become like them.
My wife is sweet, slightly shy but constantly smiling.
She's warm, intelligent and affectionate to all people she lets into her house.
She loves her own mother.

My Mother in Law has been here for a week + now, visiting northern climes from sunny Flori-duh...(yeah, she's batty like me...she likes it cold).
I think this may have been the collective families way to check the layout, make sure I'm treating their 'baby' right...it's what I'd do if my daughter poofed 1000miles away suddenly. (I'd have been driving with a shotgun, but her Mom's nicer than me)

This woman loves animals, in all their forms. She loves em even more than my wife (who once held a job shoveling pooh at a kennel just to have more exposure to dogs).
She made a pet out of a scorpion she found in her bedroom once (much to the chagrin of her husband).
She has a dog, that she loves, that is a bit psychotic. When I say a bit, I mean insanely so.
I am, as far as I know, the only person that has spent any real time in their house and not been bitten by it.
It bit someone trying to rescue it from Hurricane Charley. It bit Kim (my wife's mum) on the face. It regularly sidles up to people for attention and petting WHILE growling...and then looks at you like you're an idiot after he bites you.
His name's Gizmo.
They fed him after midnight.

So far, my cat has scratched and bitten Kim at least 5 times this trip.
The ONLY time I have seen her bite someone was when my wife or I were bathing her/the first time we collared her.
She normally only scratches when playing rough, and usually bolts once she realizes her mistake. (this may be because if it's me...I'll chase the little git all over the house, but meh).
Kim is sweet, like her daughter.
Loves animals like her daughter.
Moves softly and quietly, like her daughter.

This cat doesn't even leave the room when Kim's around (like she does EVERY OTHER HUMAN she doesn't like)...she actually gets cuter.
Like she's baiting someone.
And like all humans with cute animals, we are still suckers...
pet, stroke...NOM! (bleed bleed...'no it's okay, I just spooked her')...

My cat is possessed, so I thought.
Hell, I even started to think Gizmo's sick with something, and Kim just brought it up with her.

No,
I figured it out.

Roxz's cat is getting to be more like her owner....and apparently that's not Roxz...

She's become a curmudgeon....
Should I be proud,
worried
or insulted?

2009-09-29T22:14:00.005-04:00

there are times you should just write...
it's an imperative.

I went to Yellow Springs today, immersed in retro culture...hiked in the woods.
Spent time with the wife, and the Mother in Law.

Saw autumn in nature.
missed new friends, new traditions...
the Pub, possible movie.
missed cruel Tuesday,
new comics.

Got snubbed by old friends and distance, again.

Did I mention hiked, a lot, outdoors...
drank from a natural spring..tasted iron without getting punched in the mouth..haven't had a clean fight in a year...good outright venting of testosterone. Is it a good thing? that we don't feel these things out anymore? just haul off and punch someone...and then share a drink a little later and hash it all out?

Streams...water...leaves...leaf mold. Smelled it all. Thought of beauty, saw it. Saw a waterfall, without another photog focusing on my wife but my attention on it and her/them. really saw it this time.
walking, holding a grandparents walking stick in hand...feeling right.
Why did I leave?
Because I don't like one place for too long? I like travel with an anchor.
My anchor is people.
Don't lose me...I won't like it.
I lose myself easily enough.

Cat, how did I end up with a cat? that made no sense...they annoy me. Yet here she is, nosing for my lap. grrrr ;)

movie, what was it tonight?
Gaming...am I too old? is it an unhealthy escape or 'normal' hobby to keep me grounded?
did I assume too much of old friends? can they help me get a job?
is it really the economy, or did I outlive my usefulness 20 years too early?

Is it too late for us to have a kid?

My sons' going to college next year...full ride for something, either football or academic. Damn his mom done good! the boy's awesome. he's a bundle of smart and athletic. proud. of her too.
(sorry about punctuation, just typing out things right now).

Need to go back to school, or find a teaching venue of some sort. I feel alive when sharing knowledge.
I can, and I want to teach...we who CAN teach..not can't.

I like people, but hate humans...I am a conundrum without a clue...a rebel without a cause...a para without a duck...and an anachronism.
I flew too close to the sun...but my wings didn't work to begin with.

nonsense, but the words sounded good.

Did I screw up the first marriage? Or was it just that first mistake, the one we all seem to make, and I was too stubborn to see it for 11 years.
Seems like everyone else did before me? couldn't warn me, wouldn't have seemed the right place.
Does that make me an asshole for telling other people when it isn't mine?
I got lucky this time...did she?
Maybe I am playing with a bit of fire...burnt offerings?
Golden Apples of the Sun...
are my fingers going to be those offerings?

I didn't make it home in time...she died before I got here.

I loved her. Thank gawd for the pic in the kitchen.

Wanna come over for Tequila and Rock Band? you are always invited...

Jess, sorry I screwed it up...so glad you found the right guy at the right time...

This is me, I like to write...maybe for too long. But it's going to be me for a long time.
Is it already 40 going on 41?
Why do I feel like late 20's going on forever?
I like my quotes, I like my discordia, but do I define myself with them, or did they just contribute to my definition?

Life, I have too much of it to be depressed.
My MIL's sig O thought I was early 30's...
is that a compliment of vitality, or is it a comment on lack of maturity?
Have I been a child too long?

I want my son to be happy...thank gawd I think he is.
Is it wrong that I type gawd like that, and not God...that I don't want to offend...
and sometimes don't know that it really matters, that I think I'm wormfood at the end anyway, and that goodness is defined by what we should want to do, not what some ephemeral entity says we should?
I don't believe, but I do...I see the hand, but I think it's divorced.
Not cynically, or spitefully...not goth or like a revolutionary..or abandoned.
I think he/she/it/they created to further, and we are part of a greater whole...a cog..and that we are in a hands off state after creation, to follow our own path..and die. be done. contributors but not contiguous.
Does it really matter what I think?
I think not... :)
I think what matters is what you think!

But do I think that matters too much to me?
did I let go of the need, finally, to be loved by more than me?
did I recognize that I am not responsible for any single person other than myself, and by only knowing that responsibility and acting on it can I help the others?

I am sorry parents, for not living up to expectations.
I am sorry ex-wife, for the same.
I am sorry son, for not being there when I should have been...thank you for letting me back in.

I am sorry old friends, for leaving...

I can only do so much...and what I do may be flawed.
but I love(d) you all.

Words are tools...
do I use them correctly.
Do I wield them as weapons,
utilize them like scalpels,
or flail them about me randomly and without meaning or impact.

have I failed to learn their importance, while creating the impression of import?

do I know them, or just fake them...
do I know you?
do I fake it? would you know if I did? would you care?

I am 41 this year, and I don't necessarily know if I count,
and I don't necessarily know if I care?
I just want to know if those that I touched were better for it?
If I didn't help, in some small way, I need to figure out why not...so that I may help others later.
I love people,
I hate humanity...
this is NOT contradictory,
it simply is.

Love ya all...remember that!
:)

AAAAARGGGHHHH

2009-09-28T16:24:00.002-04:00

Mother in Law now here for a week....
will be for another...
no inappropriate cuddling....for two whole weeks...

spleen rupturing...

arrrrgggggghhhh....(whimper)

(and now back to your regularly scheduled ranting)