Something Awesome is Moving in the Warp...

One of the (many) reasons I have not been blogging recently is that I have been helping MVB with something that I think has the opportunity to be truly groundbreaking in the gaming community: the newly improved NOVA Narrative!

http://whiskey40k.blogspot.com/2013/10/dc-narrative-2014-teaser-full-weekend.html

As someone who attended NOVA the last two years only to participate in the Narrative, I can only say that you do not want to miss this!

Going to BFS!!

I just signed up for the Battle for Salvation GT over Columbus Day Weekend!  This will be my first time actually playing in a GT, and I am pretty stoked.  The hard part will be settling on a list.  I have my Narrative list which was not terrible, but I have a month to try to put together a Space Marine list.  Hopefully I can find someone local who can loan me 20+ bikes....

BFS Info after the break:

Space Marines: Good, Bad, Ugly... and Meh

As I mentioned in an earlier SM post, I think the codex has a lot going for it.  However, I am not sold that the changes were enough to bring it in line with the most recent Xenos books.  MEQs still have a hard time surviving in the current environment and the price reductions only help so much.  I do not claim to be an expert, but here is how I think some of the units stack up:

First thoughts on Tau/SM

One of my new Tau Overlords....

After looking over the new SM codex, I have a few ideas for list builds incorporating my recent Tau acquisitions.  Everyone is well aware that Tau is very strong right now, and there are very few lists that cannot benefit from some Kroot, a Skyray, and a Riptide.  So I am still working on how I want to build a SM primary.  In the meantime, I am working on how Marines can benefit Tau.  Tau have overwhelming firepower, AA, and cheap troops, but lack somewhat in mobility, durability, and melee (duh).  So those are the areas I think I will focus on with SM allies.

My current Tau primary looks something like this:

Commander in Iridium Armor with PEN, CnC, MSS, RVT, Flamer x2, and PR (expensive, but reduces the need for marker lights)
Kroot x 40
2 Riptides with EWO, VT, IA, and TL Fusion
2 Skyrays with BSF

NOVA and Smurfs

So the past couple of weeks have been insane with the lead up to NOVA... not to mention the actual convention itself.  This was my second NOVA and first as a staffer, and it was even more fun than last year.  I played in the Narrative again, and I was really stoked to see that it had almost doubled in size!  I had a good run, winning my first three games before losing a very winnable last game.  I was a walking zombie at that point and my opponent played a solid game while I made a ton of mistakes.  I guess I can't handle late nights as well as I used to.  I was actually going for the "Fame" track where your warlord has to achieve specific goals such as killing a unit or holding the relic. Had an unkillable super soldier not popped up on T5 and ran down my leadership 10 stubborn Iridium Commander, I would have been able to add Fame to last year's Infamy.  I am really looking forward to next year and plan on actually helping run the Narrative and/or finally playing in the GT.

In addition to NOVA, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of the new Space Marine codex.  The old one was really feeling its age with all the new Tau and Eldar running around, and I was holding out hope that a refresh would make the Smurfs more viable.  Having downloaded the ebook version (yay to no more Apple monopoly), I am feeling a little underwhelmed.  Tacticals got slightly cheaper (flamer/ML and Vet Sarge is same price though), but not enough to offset how fast they die in this edition.  Some units like TFCs got some nice buffs and/or got cheaper, but I personally do not see any killer units on par with Riptides, Broadsides, and Wave Serpents.  I think the closest is Tiggy (who is now amazing), but nothing else really just jumps out at me.  Maybe (probably) I am wrong though.  At the very least, the Chapter Tactics should make for fun, fluffy army builds.  Personally, I am excited about the Ultramarine characters (and Honor Guard).  It will be nice to take the Smurfs for a spin and have some solid, tactical turn-by-turn options.  I just hope they don't get relegated to always being allies (Tiggy may become the most popular ally EVER)... I really hope they get a chance to be the Imperium's heroes once again.

FINALLY!

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/wnt/blog.jsp?pid=9700004

Games Workshop is FINALLY releasing digital codexes on non-Apple phones/tablets!  This is huge as I can only afford one extremely overpriced company at one time.  Buying GW products on an Apple platform is just more than my wallet or my wife can stand.

As you can tell, the campaign lost momentum when a couple of people moved and has been discontinued.  In the meantime I have been hard at work prepping for NOVA and working on my SM/Tau Army and display board.  I am very excited about the progress and will try to find time to post updates about them soon.

Feeling No Pain...

For Sanguinius!

After a string of harrowing defeats, the Blood Angels had finally managed to reestablish a secure base of operations on Angamar.  Mephiston had retired to the orbiting Battle Barge to better coordinate the campaign against the Xenos, leaving Brother Decartes as the tactical commander of the Blood Angels' forces.  During the previous battles, Brother Corbulo had managed to identify a signature emitted by the relic fragments that could be tracked from orbit.  Descartes's first mission would be to secure one fragment located deep within territory under Dark Angel control.  Based on their experience with the Brothers Penitent, Mephiston knew this would not be an easy fight...

 

Sammael and the Ravenwing had received word that the corrupted Blood Angels were advancing into territory already secured by the Dark Angels.  With so many threats on the planet, the Blood Angels had no legitimate reason to be intruding into already pacified areas.  Obviously, the Fallen were still working deep within the chapter and needed to be cleansed.  The Ravenwing would run them down where they stood...

 

Blood Angels vs Dark Angels (Summary and Pics by Jeff)

Jeff vs Noah

An Aegis Line too Far...

After suffering a close defeat by the Ultrmarines, Duke Sliscus had merciously tortured Haud Dico for his failure.  The Archon now not only wanted revenge on the Ultramarines, but also sought a way to acquire additional strength to strike back at his master.  One of his most loyal spies had managed to find a lead to a fragment of the lost relic that had once served as a weapon of unimaginable power.  As far as the Duke was concerned, Haud Dico would simply be going on a raiding mission to take out his frustrations on the planet's populace.  In actuality, Haud Dico had much bigger plans in mind...

 

The battle for Angamar had spread the Ultramarine forces across the surface of the planet in search and destroy missions against the xenos.  Calgar had withdrawn to the Battle Barge Octavious in order to direct the full campaign.  Captain Tragan had been given elements of the Second Company along with a contingent of Calgar's personal Honor Guard to pursue the Dark Eldar.  Reports indicated that the normally mobile Dark Eldar had momentarily paused near the site of one of the many ruins that dotted the planet's landscape.  For the Dark Eldar to remain in one place too long meant they were searching for somthing either very valuable or very, very dangerous...

 

2000 Grey Knights/SM vs 2150 Dark Eldar

Bob vs Ned (Written by Ned)

 

Angamar Campaign One Month Update

Angamar after the first month

The first week of the Angamar campaign had been extremely bloody for all the forces on the planet.  Each faction had relentlessly pursued their agendas, even to the point of betraying their own comrades.  After the initial planetfalls, the fluid battle lines had hardened into static meat-grinders.  The fight for Angamar was only beginning...

Ravenwing to the Rescue

 

The rumors of Fallen seeking ancient weapons on Angamar had been enough to cause the Dark Angels to deploy in force.  As soon as word had reached Grand Master Azrael that fallen marines had infiltrated the planet, he immediately dispatched his champions, Belial and Sammael, to track down the relics and capture their quarry.

However, by the time the Dark Angels arrived, the xenos invaders had already entrenched themselves across the planet.  The world-wide battles provided the perfect cover for the Fallen to pursue their nefarious plans.  Belial and Sammael knew that the xenos had to be driven from the planet in order to flush the traitors from hiding.  They split their forces, with Belial and the Deathwing pursuing a report of Fallen in one of Angamar's desert wastelands.  While the Deathwing hunted the traitors, Sammael and the Ravenwing would hunt down and destroy a band of strange, feral Necrons near Command Bastion A15.

1500 Dark Angels vs. Necron (Written by Noah)
Noah Vs Forest

Deploy: Dawn of War (Old Pitched battle)
Battle: Big Guns Never Tire

Noah could not remember all the details of the army lists/assets, but he was kind enough to write a pretty cool narrative report!  Enjoy!

Everyone hates the Blood Angels...

Never forget, Never forgive!

Like all Dark Angel's successor chapters, the shame of the First Legion's failure during the Heresy has weighed heavily on the Brothers Penitent.  Since its founding, the entire chapter has waged a penitent crusade for reasons only the Inner Circle fully understands.  While the chapter at large seeks to regain their honor through the crusade against the Imperium's enemies, the Inner Circle has conducted the covert campaign against the Fallen.  The chapter's visible crusade has been joined over the centuries by units of Imperial Guard or even Space Marines from other chapters seeking to earn redemption for their sins.  The Inner Circle jealously guards the knowledge of their real campaign and does whatever it takes to make sure their unknowing allies remain oblivious.

The rumors of a powerful artifact hiding on Angamar had lured multiple Fallen to the planet in search of a weapon to use against the Imperium.  Elements of the Brothers Penitent had tracked them to the planet, but the fighting on the surface provided a perfect camouflage to hide the traitors.  Their location was completely unknown, and the Brothers could not rule out the possibility that the Fallen had even managed to infilitrate loyal units fighting to save the planet. 

Mephiston and the Blood Angels were falling back under the cover of darkness to regroup after their recent losses.  Brother Corbulo had been correct about the existance of an artifact residing on the planet that was capable of controlling the Blood Angel's rage.  However, he had severly underestimated the potency of the relic.  Its influence had driven the Blood Angels into such a frenzy where they had attacked their own allies, and had almost led to the destruction of Mephiston's entire force.  As they retreated through the night, the horizon lit up with the unmistakable flashes of missile fire.  Even before the screaming missiles slammed home, the Blood Angels were already manuevering to enage and eliminate this new threat...

1500 Point Brothers Penitent (Dark Angels) v. Blood Angels (Written by London)

London vs Jeff

Darkness Falls...

Don't mess with the boys in blue...

Calgar strode across the lava field, the massive Armor of Antilochus allowing him to easily step over the veins of lava that criss-crossed the blackened landscape.  His thundering steps slowed to a stop, and he lifted his gaze towards the skies.  Volcanic ash formed low-hanging clouds that partially obscured the jagged outcroppings of rock that jutted from the earth.  It was no wonder that the Dark Eldar were utilizing this area as a base of operations for conducting their raids across the planet.  The lightning raids were almost always over before the defenders could react in force, and at best the Ultramarines were only able to destroy the stragglers who lingered too long in the search of extra plunder.  Calgar hoped that by striking at the heart of the Dark Eldar force, he could engage them on his own terms and finally deliver a crushing blow...

Duke Sliscus observed the Ultramarine advance from his Venom high in the ash clouds and laughed at their hubris.  For such a slow, ponderous adversary to think themselves capable of "ambushing" the Dark Eldar was the height of folly.  With a contemptous wave of his hand, he motioned for the real ambush to begin...

The sky darkened and turned black as if the very sun had been blotted out.  The unmistakable scream of Dark Eldar engines roaring to life pierced the darkness.  Calgar bellowed across the din, "Defense Pattern Delta!  Engage searchlights and prepare for contact!" With the composure developed from a thousand battles, he calmly toggled his comm-link, to call forth the two dreadnoughts who had been armed for this exact contingency.  "Brother Agnathio, Brother Ultracius it is time." 

GK/SM vs Dark Eldar(Written by Bob-from the best of his memory)

Bob vs Ned

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD... Angels?



While initial reports had indicated that Mephiston's force of Blood Angels had been utterly destroyed, remnants of the battered and broken half-company had been able to fight their way free of the ambush.  Even, Mephiston, who had been laid low by dark lances, had managed to survive the battle with timely ministrations from the Sanguinary Priests.  He awoke from his recovery to a waiting transmission from the Chapter Master of the Ultramarines who desired to meet and formulate a combined battle strategy to liberate the planet...

Marneus Calgar and a small contingent of Honor Guard supported by elements of the Second Company had taken up positions in the ruins surrounding the Droman manufactorum.  The Ultramarines had initially moved to shore up the manufactorum's defenses while the Blood Angels had been fighting in the western desert, and Calgar anxiously awaited the return of Mephiston and the Blood Angels to coordinate the counter-offensive against the xenos forces.  With the a thundering roar of its enginges, the Blood Angels Thunderhawk 'Sanguine Fury' swung low over the landscape and disgorged Mephiston and his strike force across the small valley from the Ultramarines.  As Calgar and his retinue of Honor Guard began marching across the valley to meet his allies, Librarian Muran continued his investigation of the shards recovered from the Eldar.  The pieces appeared to be the shattered remnants of a very large crystal.  It was obvious that while many fit together, an even larger number were still missing.  Muran picked up two pieces that appeared like they should fit and lifted them towards the light to examine their edges.  As he brought them close together, the pieces suddenly leapt from his hands and snapped together, releasing a shockwave across the valley...

Calgar watched as the shockwave raced across the valley and through the ranks of the approaching Blood Angels.  It was not strong enough to unsteady the footing of him or his retinue, but the Blood Angels were visibly shaken by it.  The slow, measured steps of the Assault Marines picked up speed and the orderly march quickly accelerated.  Had they been an adversary, Calgar would have sworn that approaching Marines were beginning to charge.  Before he could dismiss the thought, the unmistakable cries of "For Sanguinius! For the Emperor!", rolled across the valley.  His mind racing, Calgar bellowed, "Ultramarines!  Defend yourselves!" and stepped forward to meet the incoming threat...

Opponents: Bob (GK/SM) versus Jeff (Blood Angels) - Written by Bob

Pain and Profit

Life as a PDF Guardsman is never fun...

The rumors of large caches of ancient weapons and armor in Angamar's western desert had been enough to draw a large Dark Eldar raiding force to the system.  Instead of finding an unsuspecting planet ripe for the taking, the Kabal of the Bloody Claw had arrived to find the world fully engulfed in a raging battle between the mon keigh, Necrons, and Craftworld Eldar.  Taking advantage of the confusion and chaos, the Kabal had raided and pillaged countless cities with scant opposition as the bulk of the defenders had been marshalled against the Necron threat.  Duke Sliscus had been ready to leave with his considerable spoils when the sudden appearance of Space Marines forces from not one, but three chapters had made reconsider.  For the Imperium to respond with such a large force obviously meant that something extremely valuable rested on the planet...

The Blood Angels, lead by the indomitable Mephiston bounded across the desert with their jump packs, responding to reports of a Dark Eldar raiding party streaking across the sands.  Destroying the xenos force would bring the Blood Angels one step closer to securing the planet and starting their search for the fabled artifact--a relic that might hold the key to saving their entire chapter.  The Dark Eldar had no such noble goal, but saw only the profit to be had in the coffers of the ancient race who once had inhabitated the planet.  While Duke Sliscus and the rest of the Kabal of the Bloody Claw were engaged elsewhere, one of his partners, the archon Haud Dico raced northeast with his fast moving transports full of warriors and wyches looking to capture slaves for the arena--and find out just what treasures the Blood Angels were seeking to protect...

1500 Blood Angels vs. DE  (Written by Ned)
Jeff vs Ned

Allies No Longer

This is what happens when you don't provide real pics...

Even before the distress signal arrived, the Blood Angels had already departed at full speed towards the Angamar system.  Brother Corbulo's research into the Blood Angels' gene seed flaw had discovered rumors of an ancient artifact capable of dampening psychic influences or even manipulate emotions.  Such a device might might hold insights into how to mitigate the bloodlust of the Red Thirst and Black Rage, and buy the chapter time to cure the affliction of their geneseed.  Mephiston and a contingent of Blood Angels had been immediately dispatched with the orders to secure the artifact at ANY cost... 

 

Within minutes of arriving in the system, Blood Angel Drop Pods and Thunderhawk Transports had delivered squads of Tactical Marines, Devastators, and Assault Marines into the heart of three of Angamar's manfactorums and mining structures.  Not only were the facilities vital to defending the planet from the marauding Xenos, the planetary surveys they contained might offer a clue to the location of the relic. 

 

Mephiston had personally accompanied the Assault Marines sent to secure the manufactorum on the Cifius lava plains only to find Necron forces massing against it.  He gazed across the acrid  landscape to watch as the shambling, metallic horde took up firing positions.  However, the unruly mob before him was not the same adversary that the Blood Angels had faced in the Gehenna Campaign.  While the Silent King's forces had been unrelenting, soulless automatons, these Necrons instead resembled a pack of feral Orks.  Orange "warpaint" streaked their bodies,  and they milled about their positions with halting, jerking movements.  Even though the Lord of Death knew the Necrons were nothing more than metallic husks with no other thought than the destruction of all living things, it almost seemed that something was driving them mad.  Regardless of the strangeness of the Necron's actions, Mephiston and the Blood Angels would prove that they still "died" all the same...

 

Blood Angels vs Necrons (Written by Jeff)

Jeff vs Forest

Ultramarine First Contact

Ultramarine aircraft arrive to support the beleaguered defenders

The vanguard of Calgar's force made landfall on Angamar to find the Forge World fully engulfed in a raging battle.  While the Dark Angel and Blood Angels forces had focused on recapturing the vital Manufactorums, the Ultramarines turned their attention to securing the planet's defensive fortifications.  The xenos had shown remarkably little interest in actually controlling the planet or its facilities to this point--they only seemed to be searching for something... 

One sector showed a particularly high amount of Eldar activity.  After the Battle of Orr's Sepulchre, Calgar recognized the lengths the treacherous xenos would go to steal any artifact that they thought could give them power.  But like Orr's Sepulchre, Calgar wanted nothing more than to make sure that once again the Eldar left empty-handed...

Opponents: Bob (GK/SM) versus Noah (Eldar)

Angamar Campaign Kickoff!



The great battle of our time...
 

The planetary governor had broadcast the distress signal as soon as the forces of Necrons, Eldar, and Dark Eldar arrived in the system, but the xenos forces had quickly overrun the planetary defenses. Rather than acting as a coordinated alliance, the xenos forces had fought one another with almost as much ferocity as they had slaughtered scores of Imperium's citizens. As the planent's loss seemed imminent, the skies lit up with the contrails of drop pods raining down across the planent... the Space Marines had arrived!

We kicked off our six-month campaign at the Bowie Battle Bunker on Saturday by carving up the planet of "Angamar".  Six of us randomly generated the map, placed the assets, and then staked our claims.  Everyone got in a couple of games, and battle reports should start being posted soon!  Map and standings after the break:

Angamar Campaign (PE Tiles/Pieces Painted)

A few of the Planetary Empires I painted (terrible pic)

It took me a bit longer than expected, but I finally finished painting the Planetary Empire tiles for the upcoming campaign.  I decided to go with a pretty simple ash waste planet to match my own home table and model bases.  The point of this post is to identify the lay out some of the high-level rules for how the territory and assets affect the games and how we will be setting up the map. 

Territories:

The territories represent the ground being fought over by the combatants and are made up of four basic types: clear, space ports, defense lines/rivers, and hive cities.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to come up with any hive cities for this campaign, so we will not be using any.  Territories switch hands at the end of each month during the "end of turn" maintenance phase.  For every game a player won, he may select a territory of the losing player and attempt to capture it by rolling 2D6.  Territories adjacent to the winning player's territories are much easier to capture (4+) than non-adjacent (7+).  The type of the territory and other factors can modify the roll, and each additional territory a player attempts to take is harder than the first (-1 for each tile). 

DC/Arlington Campaign Introduction

My late Christmas present (mine still needs paint though...)

So after a long hiatus from the blog and even 40K in general (Been loving me some Guild Wars 2), I now have a reason to jump back into both!  On Feb 2, a small, but stalwart group of 40K players from the beltway will kick off a six month Planetary Empires campaign... and I will be logging the ongoing progress here!  Personally, I am hoping that it will spur my painting progress and provide plenty of writing fodder for the upcoming months.

BLUF (more details after the break)
WHAT: Planetary Empires Campaign
WHO: Six players using their favorite army (codex) then entire campaign
WHEN: 1:00PM Feb 2 until early August
WHERE: Kickoff at Bowie Battle Bunker (future locations TBD)
WHY: Bragging rights and glory!
HOW: Planetary Empire Rules