Forge World Newsletter #310

At the risk of sounding negative...again...I don't like this very much...

...can't put my finger quite on why...I just don't...
 
Forge World Newsletter #310

Hi there,
            We’ve got a little something from the Imperial Navy for you in this week’s newsletter, in the form of the fantastic new Avenger Strike Fighter, and we’ve also got a reminder about the events that we’ll be attending over the summer.

Imperial Avenger Strike Fighter
The Avenger is a dedicated strike fighter, intended to conduct high-speed, low-level attacks on ground targets, with armoured vehicle formations and high-value strategic assets such as munitions dumps forming its principal prey. TheAvenger Strike Fighter boasts firepower that exceeds most other Imperial aircraft of its size, and in particular its reputation as a tank-killer is due to the Avenger bolt cannon it carries.

The Avenger is an ancient design, believed to originate on Ancient Terra sometime during the Age of Strife. It was adopted by forces loyal to the Divine Saint Sebastian Thor during the bloody wars of faith now called the Age of Apostasy. Its effectiveness is such that it is now a staple of any Imperial Navy air support mission, holding a glamour of holy import in the wider Imperium. The Avenger is often specifically requested by the Adeptus Sororitas should they require close support in their purgations, whatever the truth of its providence.

The Avenger Strike Fighter is a finely-detailed multi-part resin kit designed by Daren Parrwood. The kit contains two crew figures and a fully detailed cockpit interior, and the two lascannons supplied with this kit can both be supplemented and replaced with other Forge World Imperial Navy weapons.
Full rules for the Avenger can be found in Imperial Armour Aeronautica, and the kit is available to pre-order now for despatch from Friday 27th July.

Forge World 6th Edition Rules Updates
The Imperial Armour team have been hard at work compiling a set of PDF updates that allow our full range of models to be used in games of 6th edition Warhammer 40,000 alongside the relevant Imperial Armour book. We are amending and adding to these updates regularly, and they can be found on our Downloads page.

If you have any queries about Imperial Armour rules, army lists or units, please send an e-mail entitled 'Imperial Armour rules query' to forgeworld@gwplc.com, including examples of how the situation has arisen in play. You can also call 0115 900 4995 within the UK, 011 44 115 900 4995 from the US and Canada or 00 44 115 900 4995 from much of Europe

Forge World Events News
On Saturday 28th July, we’ll be making our way to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, IL for Games Day North America. For this event our intrepid team will be joined by writer Alan Bligh and miniatures designer Phil Stutcinskas. 

Sunday 12th August is the date for Games Day Germany, held at the Gürzenich Köln. Forge World designers Will Hayes and Edgar Skomorowski will be in attendance, alongside our heroic team. 

August 16th to 19th will see us travelling to Indianapolis, IA, for GenCon 2012 where we’ll be joining the guys from Games Workshop and the Black Library. Alongside a wide selection of our range, attendees will also be able to buy our 2012 Event Only models: the Skin Wolf and Imperial Enforcer.

We’re not tired of America yet – August 31st to September 2nd is PAX Prime, and again ourselves, Black Library and Games Workshop will be attending. We look forward to seeing you there!

Games Day Germany Reservation Orders now being taken
As always we will be bringing a wide selection of our range of resin kits, modelling supplies and books to Germany, and we’re now accepting reservation orders for this event. Remember, a reservation order is the best way to ensure that we will have the exact products that you want, packed and waiting for you to collect.To place a reservation order, please send an e-mail to forgeworld@gwplc.com titled ‘Games Day Germany Reservation’. We will require your full name, a contact telephone number and the list of kits you’d like to order.

Alternatively you can telephone the Forge World customer service team on 00 44 115 900 4995, and you can also place your reservation order with GW Germany Customer Service directly, by telephoning 049 211 540 2222 or e-mailing mailorder@gwplc.com. We must receive your reservation orders byFriday July 27th for Games Day Germany. In the week before the event we will send you a confirmation e-mail that will contain your order number, details of any items that we will be unable to supply and a total price in Euros that will be payable on the day.

Thanks,
Ead Brown
Customer Service Manager
Forge World

Night Reapers 2nd Company Assault Marines

The Imperial Guard Captain stood outside his command tent and awaited the arrival of the Astartes. He'd never heard of the Night Reapers Chapter and if he was honest had been hoping for one of the chapters of legend such as the Ultramarines or Dark Angels...of course any Astartes support was to be gratefully received as he couldn't afford to lose any more men in yet another futile assault on the bunkers guarding the pass. He had no armour to speak of and no air support at all so his options for the assault had been limited to massed infantry assault which (as he had attempted to inform high command in as tactfully a way as possible) was doomed to failure.

He had unfortunately been correct in his assessment....anti-infantry fire from the armoured positions had cut his men down long before they reached a position from which they could do any damage and despite his (subtly worded) protestations a second assault had been ordered. The transmission from the Astartes offering their assistance was unexpected but extremely well timed...

Four Razorback transports with dual Assault Cannons mounted on their backs idled their engines while the four squads of Assault Marines stood around them readying their weapons and the distinctive sound of Chainswords being activated drifted towards the Guard Captain and his Command Squad. The commander of the Marines was an imposing figure in metallic blue armour shrouded in a cloak of dark grey material with a strange helm with spiral marked horns completing his rather unorthodox appearance. An unwieldy looking axe that occasionally glowed with a cold blue/green light was connected into his armour by a thick length of power cable and a arcane looking combi-weapon was held casually in his other hand.

"We will assault immediately after our basic preparations are complete" "we'll vox you when the path is clear"

With that brief situational assessment complete the Librarian turned and walked over to his men and their transports.

The guard commander stood in the middle of his enemies command centre and surveyed the scene of devastation. Body parts littered the floor and smears of blood coated the walls of what had once evidently been the enemy commanders office from the look of the papers, maps and other miscellaneous items that had survived the Astartes purging of the area...

The defenders had been unprepared for the speed at which the transports had navigated the pass and the weight of fire from the Razorbacks Assault Cannons had forced them back into their bunkers and had reduced their suppressing fire to next to nothing. The disembarking Marines quickly breached the armoured doors with Melta weaponry, before entering the facility and butchering those inside who had stupidly attempted to resist their entry.

...one of the Marine unit leaders entered the office. He was cloaked like his superior but lacked the ornate headgear and weaponry that he possessed...

"The area is secure..." he stated somewhat obviously "you may proceed with your mission" and as quickly as they arrived they were gone...

Camera Issues....

My camera is fucked and my shitty old phone will not take pictures that are anywhere near good enough to put on the blog...you will therefore have to take my word for the fact that the twenty Assault Marines are done and based, lol.

This weeks project is some Ironclad Dreadnoughts that I've had at the 'Basecoat' stage for about two bloody years....

When last you saw them they looked like this,

when next you see them they'll look better...not much better...just better, lol.

Forge World Newsletter #309

Flyers appear to be the flavour of the month...

Forge World Newsletter #309

06/07/12

	Hi there,             In this week’s newsletter we’re hot on the heels of the brand new Warhammer 40,000 rulebook with Imperial Armour Aeronautica, a book that covers our entire range of flyers and anti-aircraft units. We’ve also got a set of updates available to download that allow you to field all your Forge World models in the new edition – read on for more! Imperial Armour Aeronautica A brand new Forge World supplement book for Warhammer 40,000, Imperial Armour Aeronautica, written by Neil Wylie, contains fully updated 6th Edition rules for 34 flyers and 13 anti-aircraft units fielded by the Imperial Navy, Space Marines, Orks, Eldar, Tyranids, Tau Empire, Necrons, Dark Eldar and Chaos. These include complete rules for two brand new aircraft: the Space Marine Storm Eagle Assault Gunship and the Imperial Navy Avenger Strike Fighter. In addition to the vehicle data sheets this book also provides you with the wargear and special rules unique to the terrifying airborne war engines of the 41st Millennium. Alongside these is a new narrative campaign, the Scourging of Kerrack, which provides six new missions specifically designed to incorporate aerial combat into your games of Warhammer 40,000 and Apocalypse, including detailed rules for developing Ace pilots over the course of the campaign. Also included is an Apocalypse rules appendix, updated for the 6th edition of Warhammer 40,000. This 112-page, full colour, hardback book is lavishly illustrated with photographs and line drawings as well as campaign maps, and it is an indispensible reference for our full range of flyers and anti-aircraft units. Imperial Armour Aeronautica is available to pre-order now for despatch from 27th July. Forge World 6th Edition Rules Updates The Imperial Armour team have been hard at work over the past week, compiling a set of PDF updates that allow our full range of models to be used in games of 6th edition Warhammer 40,000. The first of these updates, which cover Warhammer 40,000 vehicles, and Apocalypse units are available to download now from our website. We are also excited to announce that experimental rules for the Spartan Assault Tank are now available to download as well. If you have any queries about Imperial Armour rules, army lists or units, please send an e-mail entitled 'Imperial Armour rules query' to forgeworld@gwplc.com, including examples of how the situation has arisen in play. You can also call 0115 900 4995 within the UK, 011 44 115 900 4995 from the US and Canada or 00 44 115 900 4995 from much of Europe Forge World Events News On Saturday 28th July, we’ll be making our way to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, IL for Games Day North America. For this event our intrepid team will be joined by writer Alan Bligh and miniatures designer Phil Stutcinskas. Alan will be holding some Q and A sessions on the day – spaces will be limited so be sure to get there early! We’ll be bringing you more details on these exclusive sessions in the coming weeks. Games Day Germany Reservation Orders now being taken Sunday 12th August is Games Day Germany, held at the Gürzenich Köln. Designers Will Hayes and Edgar Skomorowski will be in attendance, alongside our heroic team. As always we will be bringing a wide selection of our range of resin kits, modelling supplies and books, and we’re now accepting reservation orders for this event. A reservation order is the best way to ensure that we will have the exact products that you want, packed and waiting for you to collect. To place a reservation order, please send an e-mail to forgeworld@gwplc.com titled ‘Games Day Germany Reservation’. We will require your full name, a contact telephone number and the list of kits you’d like to order. Alternatively you can telephone the Forge World customer service team on 00 44 115 900 4995, and you can also place your reservation order with GW Germany Customer Service directly, by telephoning 049 211 540 2222.  We must receive your reservation orders by Friday July 27th for Games Day Germany. In the week before the event we will send you a confirmation e-mail that will contain your order number, details of any items that we will be unable to supply, and a total price in Euros that will be payable on the day. Games Day Spain Thanks to everyone who came to see us in Barcelona last weekend for Games Day Spain. We were especially appreciative of the British weather laid on to make us feel at home, and Mark Bedford had a fiendishly difficult time picking a winner for the Forge World Best in Show trophy. Eventually he chose Michel Adinarayanin's fantastic Contemptor vs Decimator diorama. Warhammer Forge were represented in the prestigious Slayer Sword winner as well - as you can see here, Pablo López's fantastic Marienburg Land Ship and Savage Orc Diorama was a worthy winner. Thanks, Ead Brown Customer Service Manager Forge World

Happy Independence Day.

So apparently today is a celebration of the day that the honourable, kind and generous people of Great Britain gave the American people a country all of their own out of the goodness of their hearts...The American people were that grateful that they and the British became the best of friends forever...

...that's what our history books say anyway ;-)

A typical group of Americans...apparently...

Night Reapers - Assault Marines Progress

I made a start on the four squads of Assault Marines from my Blood Angels list. They have a dry-brush of my metallic blue colour, most of the metal bits are now Boltgun Metal, those with cloaks have a base coat of Adeptus Battlegrey and the shoulder pad edges also have their foundation coat of Iyanden Darksun.

Several other models have been bought up to the same stage as well,

I've also been reading the 6th Edition rulebook with what I'd like to consider an open mind...there's some good stuff in there but it's mixed in with some quite unforgivably poor rules interactions that I'm hoping get rulebook FAQ'd out of existence, lol.

6th Edition FAQ's...

...they can be found here,

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?categoryId=1000018&pIndex=1&aId=3400019&multiPageMode=true&start=2

Too tired to analyse them now...

Thirty More Marines...

So for the person who e-mailed me saying that the reason I didn't post pictures of the extra thirty Marines I said I was painting was because I hadn't actually done them...

There you go.

I also started on my 'Counts-As' Kharn. My idea was to make him look like he didn't really care for his armour...unfortunately it just looks like I've painted him badly...I'll have a look with fresh eyes tomorrow and see what I wish to do about it...

I finally got around to replacing the spear arm that fell off my 'Counts-As' Vulkan using Huron. I couldn't find where I put the first one I built so I made another one...the other issue with using the Huron model is that I lost that stupid little thumb bit that comes separately from the hand for some annoying reason and I was therefore forced to make him one out of Green Stuff...

Having made some progress with the 'commanders' I'll continue with some more Marines tomorrow...since most of these these have Bolt Pistols and Chainswords they'll at least be marginally different from the others I've done.

Progress report complete ;-)

From Power Gamer to Hobbyist...

I don't like 6th Edition....but I'm buying the Rulebook anyway...

Allow me to explain,

I don't think it's balanced at all for a start. The inclusion of allies makes balance almost impossible and there will inevitably be rule and army interactions that will create what the internet likes to call 'broken' combinations. This is inevitable as Games Workshop don't play test with any level of thoroughness and in many case their external testers are of the 'GW can do no wrong' variety or have particularly poor ideas about how the game should work and for some reason Games Workshop listen to them rather than just shooting them on the spot...

Let 'em have it...your probably the only girl they've met anyway...

The following may seem like a silly criticism in a game with dice but there are now to many 'random' elements. Game altering psychic powers that you may or may not end up with and there will be many potential situations where a random roll will result in you missing an important charge and therefore lose a combat due to an unlucky dice incident.

That's the last time you cause me to fail a charge... 

That said I'll probably still play games as that's sort of what I do, lol...however any kind of tournament event is now an unlikely proposition due to the inevitable bullshit that I'll have inflicted on me. Unfortunately given the way the rulebook is written certain armies are just going to be better than others and if your sick of mech in 5th your definately going to be sick of the same three army builds that all the power-gamers are going to end up using, lol.

However I've already invested a lot in this hobby in both time and money and I don't see why some bastard in the 6th edition development team should be responsible for fucking it all up for me. I am therefore going to register my protest in the lamest way possible by continuing with my hobby while simultaneously spending the absolute minimum of money on their products...

I have piles of stuff unassembled, plenty of undercoat and paints that will last a long time and to be honest there are a wide variety of other companies whose paints are equally as good as GW's and are in many cases actually better. Though I'm quite happy to use pdf's I do like to have the book 'in my hands' so to speak. Fortunately two of my friends have started an independent hobby shop and they are doing the rulebook a bit cheaper than GW so I'll buy it from them instead...not a big 'fuck you' to Games Workshop but every little helps, lol. 

So I'm now what you'd call a hobbyist rather than a gamer...I'll paint what I have and should the people at GW release something especially cool then I'll buy it from an independent store instead and I'll play games with people I know who are happy to go down the less competitive path when it comes to army design. If after the FAQ's have been released, updated and the whole issue has settled down I may re-enter the scene as 'that power gaming bastard' until then I'm a hobbyist...and that's not a bad thing now is it...for a while at least...

Progress...

I painted some Marines...

...since any-one who's followed my blog for any period of time already knows my Night Reapers colour scheme I didn't bother to take any pictures. They're basically the same as some of the ones in the picture bit down the side bar only with different numbers on them.

This week I'll treat my some-self to something a bit more interesting...

Next update will have pictures and stuff on it...honest...