Wednesday, 31 March 2010

Commander Dante's Retirement

Every year, the Sad Muppet Society (my home gaming club) run a tournament called A Small Matter of Honour. This event is the highlight of my gaming calendar. Partly because I started the tournament, but mostly because the event always has an excellent atmosphere, and it is a chance to catch up with some friends I do not see on a regular basis. Like last year, I'm taking my Blood Angels successor chapter, the Order of Sanguinius. Unlike last year, they have a shiny new codex. Last night I played my first game with this codex and it has changed them radically.

First, the Death Company had to go. I tend to play quite tactically (if I'm awake) so I dislike elements I can not control. Before, the Death Company were kept in check by a Chaplain, but now nothing can stop their Black Rage so they are out (for not being team players). Second, all my tanks (Baal Predators, Rhinos etc) are now fast and two of them can outflank; this makes my entire army far more dynamic.

My first plan was to use Commander Dante and Honour Guard as shock troopers and build my army around that. To this end, I finished my Commander Date really quick and finished the rest of a tactical squad that I had been painting for (at least) nine months.

So, how did the game go? Well, I was fighting a small entire 'tech guard' Imperial Guard army with more plasma than... pretty much an thing else I've ever played. We played a Capture and Control mission and despite going first, I opted to keep my entire army in reserve.

The outflanking Baal Predators worked well. The fast Vindicator was appropriately scary and acted as a bullet magnet. Of course, it didn't kill any thing. The fast razorback was great, almost getting one tactical unit onto an objective. And in the end a single scout won the game by not dying, despite the number of plasma templates landing on him.

And what of Commander Dante? Well, he arrived, stunned a vehicle, watched as his honour guard were slaughtered, ate a unit in close combat, and then died to lasguns. While he certainly helped win the game, he was not decisive.

As the honour guard is more of an anti-infantry unit, I've decided to replace Dante with a Reclusiarch (a three wound chaplain). This gets me re-rolls to hit on the change (Dante missed with most of his close combat attacks) and more importantly, saves 70 points. In my 1250 point army these will go towards a dreadnought with lots of autocannons. Unfortunately that means I have more stuff to build and paint before the end of the month...

Monday, 29 March 2010

Back to Civilisation

Well, I'm back from holiday, and did I get lots painted, err no. However last night (after spending most of the day building a raised herb garden for my better half), I had a monster hobby evening and almost finished my new Chapter Master for the Order of Sanguinius.

The objective is to complete him and four tactical marines for tomorrow night, when I will be testing my ASMOH army using the new Blood Angel's Codex at club. Of course, I also have to work and watch Black Hawk Down. 

After that, back to the pixies...

Wednesday, 17 March 2010

Test Figure (version 2)


Here's the second test Dire Avenger. I'm much happier with this colour scheme. Although is does not look like it in this photo, the bodysuit is much lighter (I'm now using Tau Ochre) and fits better with the desert background for these guys.
One of the things I do when painting a new army is put together a test card with all the colours I'm using and any mixes used. This way I can recreate the style and scheme even after a break from painting. So this is one of my next jobs.
However before I get too enthralled painting pixies, I've got to paint Commander Dante for my Blood Angels (successor chapter) in time for A Small Matter of Honour in May. Having seen the Blood Angels codex recently, these guys may be quite rude...

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Colours of Rath-Torhan

I've decided to tweak the colour scheme to make the body suit colour an ochre colour (the darker brown stood out too much for my liking). The plan is to paint up a second test Dire Avenger next week when I'm back home; in between assembling jetbikes.

For those interested, Games Workshop have started to published some new missions to accompany the new Battle Missions book. The first of these are available here. I'm also really looking forward to the new Blood Angels out next month, just in time for me to take mine to my next tournament, A Small Matter of Honour, in May.

Right blog update done, back to Father Ted...

Tuesday, 2 March 2010

Jetbike

Here's the first of my new eldar jetbikes. I wasn't happy with the 'Harley' look of the normal model and wanted something slightly more sporty.

The handlebars and pedals have been moved and the rider adapted by bending the legs and replaced the head. The fuselage is modified with a starcannon and either end of a scatter laser. Had fun using the Demel which made cutting the pieces much easier.

I'm happy with the result, although the next bike will have the rider's feet (and pedals) closer to the fuselage.