Sunday Round-up

It's been a difficult few weeks and making time to do anything productive has been tricky...however I managed to get myself motivated...somehow...

...and cultivated some new contacts and allies through the breach in Malifaux. Amongst those were Carlos Vasquez, Rougarou, Swine-Cursed and Yasunori...

...hopefully next week I'll be able to arrange a meeting with this elusive lady and her followers in the depths of the Quarantine Zone...

...though I've also had to supervise my Night Reapers Chapters gradual release from their stasis pods in order form them to corrupt indoctrinate introduce their newly arrived Primaris reinforcements to their interesting way of doing things...

...in fact many of them are now fitting in remarkably well...

...in fact in light of my chapters re-awakening I may need to recruit a new ambassador...

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

Sunday Round-Up

Having left the realms of the samurai behind and as we were moving into the far less welcoming sounding 'Cannibal Sector' I decided some guards with heavier weaponry might be handy...

...so we moved on into SLA Industries 'Cannibal Sector' where we met up with the Shivers and the slightly less hospitable Carrien...

...the Shivers seemed a little too keen on self preservation to be particularly useful to me...though the Carrien definitely had promise...

...leaving hopeful of a future alliance I moved on to the world of Broken Contract but the Breakers were far too busy trying to win their freedom and the Black Squadron Security equally busy trying to stop them that recruitment seemed unlikely...maybe later...

...so with a less than successful week of recruitment behind me it was time to deal with another urgent problem...it seems that my Night Reaper Space Marine Chapter has just received a load of new recruits and they keep banging their heads on the doorways and the beds are all now too short...

...plus their armour is currently completely the wrong shade of blue...and their decoration needs altering to suit the styling of their surprisingly spiky battle brothers... 

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

Damocles Gulf Campaign at Titan Games.

My FLGS (Titan Games) is running a narrative 40K campaign set in the Damocles Gulf...

We'll be fighting over a number of planets in the system. There's also a partially revised allies chart, which makes sense as the rulebook one is frankly preposterous. It's going to be starting at 1000 points games and then moving onto higher points values over the coming weeks. Though my interest in 40K has waned considerably I think I can probably deal with it at the lower points values. The lists require back stories and certain of the 'cheesier' lists have been vetoed which should make the games as fair as possible. I pointed out at the beginning that it was possible to create 'Broken' armies that were technically still 'Fluffy' using certain armies (Necrons, Grey Knights, etc.) but I'm assured that a giant hammer of banning exists in order to prevent this from happening...

"Where's that Necron player then???"

I know I have always spoken out against 'comp' in 40K but this is effectively a story played out over a period of months and is to all intents and purposes a GM'd RPG using 40K armies, lol. Which is (unfortunately) the only way you can actually play 6th Edition 40K currently (imo at least) so Games Workshop can call that a victory as I now play for 'fun'...of course I don't buy new stuff for 'fun' games so maybe that's not a victory after all ;-)

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The Dauntless Class Light Cruiser 'Darkspear' and it's pair of Escorts entered the system via an almost unknown route far from the most highly populated and patrolled areas of the Damocles Gulf. Heavily modified to suit the needs of the Night Reapers Chapter after their 'acquisition' in previous campaigns it bared little resemblance internally to the vessel it once was. Launch bays for the strike forces Thunderhawks had been added as well as several drop pod bays together with the training rooms and armouries required by a Space Marine force to maintain it's fighting edge.

The Night Reapers Chapter had received word through their network of spies and agents that a surprising number of different forces were already either in the system or were on route. Several other Marine Chapters and Imperial Guard units were defending the interests of the Imperium, while Chaos forces had also been detected, the Tau were obviously there and hive ships of one of the larger hive fleets were already seeding the outer worlds...with such a variety of interested parties in system it would be a prime opportunity for the acquiring of tactical information and resources. Their mission, though unusual for most Chapters was standard operating procedure for the Night Reapers. Namely, see if there's any benefit to us in getting involved, take anything of use and then get out before any-one can retaliate...they'd been operating in such a manner since their creation at the 2nd Founding and they'd become very proficient at it....

The Librarian in command viewed the initial landing force for their initial recon of the landing site. Three Combat Squads led by more experienced Marines mounted in Transport vehicles would scout the area while a pair of units armed with heavy weaponry would secure the landing site. These heavier units had transports of their own should they need to rapidly withdraw for any reason. The rest of the force would be held in reserve should there be anything substantial worth acquiring in the system...

The chief tactical officer from the bridge entered the loading bay at a run.

"Sorry to interrupt your preparations sir...but there's a problem with the landing site you selected..."

"What, exactly is the problem?" stated the Librarian "The ground is ideal for a temporary base of operation, is within range of several viable targets and is tactically sound..."

"Yes, I know..." interrupted the tactical officer "The Tau seem to have had the same idea...there's already a small force setting up camp there..."

"How large a force?" asked the Librarian, while making a mental note to have the bridge officer executed at a convenient later date for interrupting him mid sentence "and be specif..."

"Some troops, a transport or two, some kind of flying scouting vessel..." The officers briefing was interrupted by a an explosion of flesh and brain matter as the bolt round that had just entered his brain via his forehead detonated messily inside...

"We'll just have to go and take it from them then, I suppose" said the Librarian with a sigh "and some-one tell the chief tactical officers second in command that he's just been promoted..."

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1000 Pts - Night Reapers 'Counts-As' Space Wolves - Take and Hold Configuration

HQ: Rune Priest in Power Armour (1#, 100 pts) (Warlord)
   1 Rune Priest in Power Armour @ 100 pts (Storm Caller; Tempest's Wrath or possibly Living Lightning)

Elite: Wolf Guard Pack (3#, 69 pts)
   1 Wolf Guard Pack @ 69 pts (Wolf Guard in Power Armour; Wolf Guard in Power Armour; Wolf Guard in Power Armour)
      1 Wolf Guard in Power Armour (Bolt Pistol; Combi-Meltagun x1)
      1 Wolf Guard in Power Armour (Bolt Pistol; Combi-Meltagun x1)
      1 Wolf Guard in Power Armour (Bolt Pistol; Combi-Meltagun x1)

Troops: Grey Hunters Pack (6#, 150 pts)
   5 Grey Hunters Pack @ 150 pts (Flamer; Razorback)
      1 Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasmagun)

Troops: Grey Hunters Pack (6#, 150 pts)
   5 Grey Hunters Pack @ 150 pts (Flamer; Razorback)
      1 Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasmagun)

Troops: Grey Hunters Pack (6#, 150 pts)
   5 Grey Hunters Pack @ 150 pts (Flamer; Razorback)
      1 Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasmagun)

Heavy Support: Long Fangs Pack (6#, 190 pts)
   4 Long Fangs Pack @ 190 pts (Missile Launcher x4; Razorback)
      1 Squad Leader (Bolt Pistol; Close Combat Weapon)
      1 Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasmagun)

Heavy Support: Long Fangs Pack (6#, 190 pts)
   4 Long Fangs Pack @ 190 pts (Missile Launcher x4; Razorback)
      1 Squad Leader (Bolt Pistol; Close Combat Weapon)
      1 Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasmagun)

Total Roster Cost: 999

This army gives me a mix of everything I need so I can stand a chance against most things. I have plenty of Plasma to deal with the inevitable Dark Angel and Grey Knight Terminators, Flamers and Bolters to deal with light infantry and a few (always useful) multi purpose Missile Launchers. I've included a few Melta weapons so I have a vague chance of killing a heavy vehicle if I absolutely have to.

Given the ease with which light vehicles can now be torrented to death I don't think the number of Razorbacks is a balance issue for any opponent I might have. A large horde or any army with more than a couple of heavily armoured vehicles will probably kick my ass but it's difficult to build a balanced force at 1750 or 2000 points let alone at 1000...

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

Updating Terminators

I have quite a few Terminators in various stages of painting or lack thereof and for the most part they're of the 'Chaos' variety...

Some time ago I converted several into Assault Terminators for a list I was using at the time. I (as anybody who knows me will not be surprised about) had decided on the list about a day before the tournament so they were a quick job though I was still reasonably happy with the result...

Of course they really need to be part of my 2nd Company so as not to create any (well not much anyway) confusion when I use allies. The pros and cons of the concept can be found here, where there are opinions for both sides of the debate, lol.

So they need updating, they need to fit the current army 'look' and they also need to tie in with the guy who'll be their commander whom can be found in this post if you wish a look.

Certain of the symbols are VERY chaosy and I'll need to remove some and...justify...some others. So I'm going to remove the eight pointed star from the shoulder pads that have them but (if it's possible) leave any skull bits on them, shoulder pads that basically are a skull will remain as is and I'm afraid any shoulder pads with giant Horusesque eyes on them will have to be stripped down completely. Any 'Eyes of Horus' that appear elsewhere I'm going to paint the eyeball part the same green as I use for the Night reapers eye lenses so they at least follow the armies theme and hopefully people will accept that ;-)

These are staying as they are.

I've kept the skull bits on these...the rest I've removed.

These were the aforementioned 'eyes' and had to go.

In order to make sure I liked the end result before painting fifteen of the fuckers I broke from my usual 'I'm sure it will all turn out fine' approach and made a test model...

...which I liked just fine ;-)

Also I'd like to thank those of you who answered my Facebook request about Combi-Plasmagun manufacture. I threw one together quickly as a 'prototype' and it looks okay...I'll take a bit more care with the next one now I know the concept works.

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

2nd Company Standard Bearer

I'm working on a Company Standard bearer for my Night Reapers 2nd Company. I've tried to keep the same overall look as my Veterans/Sergeants/Champions.

I'm doing the actual standard separate so it'll be easier to paint ;-)

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.

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...