Well FAQ this!

Well, It’s been a few weeks since the new FAQ’s came out, so in my usual delayed fashion, let’s see what’s changed…what’s good…what sucks and what GW may or may not have been smoking.  We’re going to start with the ones that will affect me since I play these armies and this is my great domain, so deal with it.

Armies 101 part 3: Demons

The run-down continues, though slightly delayed.  After a weekend trip to war at Gettysburg and a new tactic to find a full-time job, the last 2 weeks just disappeared.  Still here we are and the army examinations continue.  We continue with the newest army to hit the shelves, the Demons of Chaos. 

Armies 101: Part 2, Dark Eldar

We continue our (well "my" since this isn't a discussion, but my own little virtual soap box) analysis of the armies of 40K.  Today we look at the twisted children of Commorogh, the Dark Eldar.

Armies 101: A Beginner's Guide Part 1

So here we are. You've been considering getting into this Warhammer 40,000 thing all the kids are talking about. What do you do first? Well, perhaps the most important decision a new player has to make is what army do I like? Some players come in either knowing the fluff or liking a certain army. Others have no idea and this is who I'm talking to. We're going to look at what you want to put into the hobby and what you want to get out of it to determine what army you may like to try first...yes I said first because if you are like many of us, one army will become two or three...or one of each. First I'll explain my ratings and then we'll breakdown the armies in terms of hobby, gaming and modeling values. With some luck, you'll have a decent idea of where to go from there.

In this modern time, lets be honest...this hobby is expensive. There are degrees to this and tricks to help make it cheaper, but it isn't like buying a 99 cent deck of playing cards and dealing a poker game. For that reason, I will be taking starting costs in. I am not including the codex since they are all around the same price, but will instead look at availability and affordability of the models needed to get you a good 1500 points.

ORKFEST!!

After a year of preparation and waiting for the fun it's once again time for Orkfest at the Gamer's Realm in beautiful West (or possibly East)Windsor NJ.  I went last year with my Chaos and this event was what gave me the desire to finally get my own Orks done.  A year and a lot of boys later I had done it.  A Grotsnik list (Yeah I discovered I love him...more later) and my Goff Klawstompa were joining the Green side right an' proppa.  The turnout was pretty small this year.  We had about 15 or just under half of last year's participants.  Still it was a day of gaming with some old friends and a few new ones (thanks Rich for helping me get the hang of my greenskins).  The "Imperial" side ended up getting the two Chaos players this year and we picked up Necron and Tyranid allies.  The Non-Ork leader ended up not coming so my buddy Alex (ironically a Chaos player) commanded the Imperial forces.  The stage was set for a day of WAAAGH!

How I scratch-built a Klawstompa in a week

The big addition to my Orkfest army is done, and it took me a week.  Is it the best scratch-built Stompa on the net?  No.  Is it the worst?  HELL no.  There's some serious crap outt here, but I'm pretty happy with him overall...espically since he was cheap.  Mind you, the picture here doesn't really do it justice, because I'm not really set up to take pictures of something that big.  That's an Ork boy next to it for scale.  I thought it might be too small until I put him next to this guy.  I think it's just right.  So how did I do it?  Well...




Warning: lots of pics ahead

The tactics of Tactical Marines or Scouts honor...

Round Two: Troops and Fast Attack.
Honestly this won't be as long as Spcae Marines don't have many choices in either squad...and even less good ones.  Still you need troops and there are some decent options so here we go.

Troops

Here we have Tactical Marines and Scouts.  These are both very symbolic units in 40k in general and there are few people in the hobby that don't have a Tactical Marine lying around somewhere in their collection.  Both of these recieved major changes for better and worse with the coming of the not-so-new codex, but since you need at least two from these guys, you have to know what to do with them.

Space Marines or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Astartes, Part 1: Start at the top

As requested by a fellow player in a tournament, I've decided to give my first army a good examination. Now it is true that I have something of a love-hate relationship with the boys in blue. My first and biggest army is my 2nd Company of Ultramarines and I will always keep them in a special place on the gaming shelf, but as more 5th edition books come out I've been more and more disapointed with their codex. It's not that theirs is particularly bad, more that those that have come after are just so much better. Space Wolves and Blood Angels can do almost everything the Space Marines do, only better and cheaper points-wise. Having said that, I do think Marines still have a few things going for them and I think they deserve a closer look. Besides, this is my soapbox and since you chose to come here, you might s well read what I have to say.  Fair warning...this will be long, but I think worth the read.

My Predictions for the Future

The last few weeks have seen some interesting new stuff from GW. They released a long-overdue FAQ for the older Marine books and announced that the Grey Knights will indeed be the next Codex to come out, on the way for an April release. Between this, a few rumors and what's been going on at GW for the last year, I have an interesting picture of 2011/2012.

Let's start with the FAQ's. I think it's great that these armies finally get the new wargear rules and with them a shot at being competative again. This is good. Yes, this should have happened 2 years ago, but better late then never, so I won't complain about that. When I saw this, I did read something else into it though and that is don't expect a DA or BT codex anytime soon.

Next we have the Grey Marines book, following the Power armor/non-power armor pattern again. This I have mixed feelings about for the sole reason that I liked running a squad with my Ultramarines and I won't be able to anymore. Of course I may end up with a GK army some day so I can field my models but that's way down the road.

The other thing I've considered is last years lack of Fantasy releases. They did one army book and the 8th ed rulebook. Now when 40k got its 5th ed book in 2008, GW supported that with 3 Codex releases that year. I can't help but think Fantasy got the shaft, and I hope to see them make it up this year.

So having said all that, here's my predictions....April 2011 will be Grey Knights...yeah we know that. Rumors say this will be followed by Orcs & Goblins. I think we'll see Necrons in the fall...probably around October and likely have another fantasy book (hopefully Tomb Kings, Bretoninas or Ogres) around the same time. There's rumors of some flyer expansion and I don't know if this will be the epuc fail Planetstrike was or the moderate fail Spearhead was but we'll see. I think that's all we see this year. This will be a bit slower release year for financial reasons as we've all seen GW numbers falling and they'll probably pull back production to compensate but also to gear up for 2010 and...

Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition! Yes, I'm calling it now that we will see a new rulebook in 2012. I will also say that I am 100% against it. I think 5th has lots of life left and could easily go another 4-5 years but the evidence is piling. Yes, we were told a while back that there were plans to update every codex before 6th, but that was Alessio Cavatore's plan and he's long gone. Rumor also had it Jervis was against this plan and with Alessio out of GW, Jervis will likely get his way. The semi-update FAQ's support this theory...why give them this equipment so far after the Space Marine codex unless you aren't giving them a book for a while? This is espically true if until more recently you were functioning under the idea that their book is 18 months off or so. Also a 2012 release gives 5th ed a 4 year lifespan. 4th edition had a 4 year lifespan so that's consistant. I see another 40K release next winter followed by another fantasy army in the spring and 6th edition next summer, then of course Codex Space Marines in fall 2012 and GW will coast through to the end of the world.

2010 has Rhino Tracks on it...*

Well here we are. It's 2011 and a new year of gaming and hobby goodness. But how can we know where we're going if we don't look at where we've been. 2010 was a good one hobby-wise...well mostly. Sure, I'm a little late in the "year in review" department, but hey...deal with it. So here we go...2010. Which started with...

January: This was a big one. Tyranid players have been eager for a new book ever since 5th came out and this one was nice. Sure it wasn't the powerhouse that Wolves and IG were but it's a potent book with lots of great new stuff, some redesigned old stuff and the obligitory useless unit (pyrovores I'd say. Here's something that has to get very close to be effective, but it sucks in CC so if you don't kill what you flamed you're boned) It was balanced and it came with some gorgeous new models. The Trygon is an epic plastic beastie, Gargoyles are finally priced so that players without a healthy trust fund can field them. Sure GW continued their new tradition of leaving gaping holes in their new lines with no models or pictures of several popular new units, but overall it was a good month. We also saw the release of the Legion of the Damned models...great figures from a unit that no one uses.

February: We saw what was to be the only Army Book released in 2010 with the Beastmen. More great model kits came with this one bit somehow the rules were a bit lacking. It's not that it's a bad army, it's just a bit bland and not very Beastman-ly. They were an army that didn't see much use in my neck of the woods and it looks like they'll remain that way.

March: March started off with an expansion to 40k with the Battle Missions book...and to it I say meh. Sure it has some fun stuff to play around with, but it was not worth the price tag and anyone with access to Google can find fan-made scenarios similar to those for free. What was nice was the accompanying models. We got a more user-friendly Chimer chassis which also found its way into the Basilisk box, and some plastic walkers. The Ven dread has lots of bits for customization and was a vast improvement over the metal one. The Kans and Deff Dread models are just fantastic in plastic and honestly the only critique I have is the typical GW policy of shorting on weapons for people like me that want 3 Kans with the same weapon but still it was another good job by the GW sculptors.

April: Finally the Blood Angels got their own book...and not a PDF but a real book with pages and paper and everything. The army plays well compared to the fluff and has some character. And the models...just some amazing additions to the line-up. The unfortunate thing is that the Death Company is gorgeous, but the rules that accompany them are somewhat less desirable. Once again, there are missing models with no pictures, but if the flying fry basket is an indicator, they may not have much longer to wait.

May: May was a big LOTR month...so no one cared. When will the contract expire so GW can focus on their real games? We did see some Orc and Goblin models that were good. The Boar Boys had a very dynamic pose and the vomiting River Troll is just perfect.

June: June saw Spearhead...meh again, but at least it was free. It's kind of Apocalypse light, but if I'm running that much armor, why not play Apoc anyway? At the very least it was an excuse to put out a bunch of tank models. IG players got a bunch of new toys and Eldar even got in on the new goodness with an all-plastic Fire Prism (because metal-plastic hybrid models blow) that doubles as their all-new and aparently codex-legal Night Spinner. Not the best unit, since I think Eldar have better uses for their Heavy slots, but still it's nice to see GW remembers back when White dwarf was more then a catalog and Chapter Approved meant something.

July: Here it is...the long-awaited 8th Edition Fantasy ruleset. It's a polarizing book, with quite a few people critizing it. I think it's pretty good myself and honestly I'm more interested in playing 8th then 7th. My Vampires got a huge kick in the crotch, but honestly they needed it. I think maybe they were taken down a bit too far since an army canm't rely on Magic anymore but still I like what's come from 8th. The release was accompanied by...well nothing really. There was a new template set that was meh and a few other play-aid bits and pieces but overall, nothing special came from the book except the massive price tag. This book is my answer to critics saying GW should make full color codexes..."Yeah if you want a $60 codex". They did come out with the magic cards which are pretty handy.

August: Finally Demons get some new models. The Bloodcrushers are great and the Demon Prince is epic...though I can't see how to make it Nurgle-y and besides I like my metal one. Demons now only have one troop left that's metal only. GW's plastic keeps getting better and these kits are great. If I have one complaint it's that I'm not fond of the current Demonettes and the Seekers are just those on lizard-things.

September: Another light month, but we have Island of Blood, the 8th ed starter kit. Like Black Reach before it, we're given 2 decent-sized forces with quality models for the simplified construction they use. Sure, the High Elf army as given isn't legal since you can't fit a Griffin-mounted prince in the points provided, but it's still nice.

October: We had a few more fantasy releases with High Elves getting plastic Special kits. again some nice sculpts, but it looks like GW is going for a new $40+ price point for a mere 10 plastic Special models. The Greatswords started it and the White Lions and Phoenix Guard continued it.

November: Hell froze over. After 12 years the Dark Eldar return. Seems like it was worth the wait as they got some cool new toys. Again it's a mostly balanced book. There are some over-the-top goodies but largely it fits the fluff. DE are fast and hit like a freight train, but their armor is all but non-exsistant and their vehicles have as much armor as your average snowblower. The "glass cannon" is very DE so I was glad to see it come back.

December: GW typically doesn't do much in December and again they've kept to this. The Empire got an upgrade kit and there was some new terrain, but otherwise they ended the year with nothing.

All in all it was a busy year. Fantasy players should feel shafted by only getting one army book and GW can't use the edition as an excuse because 2008 saw 3 codex's and 40k 5th edition. We also have a few dex's this year that showed that GW does indeed remember how to write a book that's balanced. Guess the Wolves and IG will be sitting pretty up there for a while longer. Not to say that Angels and DE aren't up there, but those two are still jacked-up. 2011 is already starting with some new Skaven and the announcement of the Grey Knights. I have a few predictions...

I think we'll see GW all but neglected Fantasy last year aside from the new rulebook and I think they'll make up for it this year. I think we'll have 3 Army Books this year, but only 2 codex's. We know Grey Knights are coming and rumors suggest they will be followed by Orcs & Goblins. I think we'll see another fantasy release in fall and a Codex close to it. Possibly a Tomb Kings and Necron release in September/October and a third army book (Ogres? Bretonians?) late in November or possibly very early in 2012. We ahve still heard of some flyer-based 40K expansion in the summer. Only time will tell, but the next 12 months could be interesting.

*Get it...it's behind us...hence the tracks....Well fine, you come up with something better then "2010 year in review" or some such crap.

Webcast rundown

Right on the heels of the Dice Like Thunder 100th show milestone, I decided the best way to add to the celebration is to do a rundown of the shows I listen to. Hobby webcasts are a great way to expose yourself to new opinions outside your circle of gamers. They also are great for people that don't get to game often as a way to stay in touch with the gaming community.



Dice Like Thunder- Well, there is a reason they've made 100 episodes. They're a fantastic show. They cover 40k mostly, but have been known to mention other games. The show has evolved through the years since "Miggidy" (yes, he's that geeky) Mack Martin, now of Fantasy Flight Games, started the show up in Chicago. Since then his co-host, "Tricky Dick" has taken over the day-to-day run of the show and with C-swizzy, Dan and the rest of their regulars have become the go-to show for "all things awesome"



Imperial Vox Cast- I actually discovered this show by accident and am glad I did. The California-based group does a live broadcast every other Monday, that is later posted for download. Listening to their archive is well worth it as they've run through every army to give you some idea what you may face or maybe inspire you to start a new army. The real fun though is for the "First Company" or the ones that join in on the chat for the live show. They will engage the chat during the show in a discussion and debate some hot gaming topics, including army composition and strategy. It's a great show for beginners and veterans and should not be missed.



The Imperial Truth- Well, I put this in because I think it's got potential. To date there has been one show so it is very new, but it's off to a good start and has an interesting premise. Bestia assembled a panel of personalities from around the online community to discuss some issues in the hobby. I'm looking forward to seeing what he comes up with for the next episode.

World's End Radio- These guys are a bit more generic, covering other games from GW and a few others. There's lots of Specialist Games discussions, mostly regarding their Blood Bowl league. Honestly I do pick and choose with these guys, but it's because I listen to shows where they cover topics I'm interested in. When I do listen, I enjoy them. They know what they're talking about and are entertaining. Add to it the fact that an Australian accent is somewhat mesmerizing and you have a good show.

40K Radio- Well this is an interesting one. This show was once good. Very good. Aside from not having a free forum, they had a good thing going. People had to pay to become a "freeboota" so i was out. Nothing that everyone else gives away for free should be paid for, but the show itself was what was important...let the paybootas buy their way into the forums. (I am not opposed to supporting a show but with the price they charged, 5 paybootas would likely have covered their expenses so where did all the rest of the money go? Who knows?) That is until last summer when things started changing. The show began to evolve into a shadow of what it once was. They stopped posting shows regularly and started having major gaps where they didn't post anything. Then the hosts started having personal issues that led to the best show they'd done in a year, because the lead host, Spencer wasn't on it (though it was for a tragic and legitimate reason). The next week, he returned and announced that the other hosts would not be returning. That was the last show for a while and when it would return, it brought new hosts and a corporate sponsor (but the paybootas were still there...is it obvious yet I'm against this practice? I gave them a try and just don't like the new guard. There were some really good shows once upon a time, but they are no longer available. We miss you, Scott and Chipley.


So there we have it. That's what I use my Zune (yes, Zune. Deal with it Apple fanboys) for mostly. They make a commute easier to deal with, give you something to do on your lunch break and provide a soundtrack to painting and gaming sessions and add some depth to our hobby.