Scrum's Painting Challenge II - Week 6

Man it's been a crazy Christmas week.  I managed to get an attempt at Borka on the last week just before the submission was due.

And to add to the listing a group photo of all 6 week submissions:

Here is hoping I place, it's pretty stiff competition with some really well painted theme sets in the running.

A Troll in the Woods

If a Troll knocks over a tree in the woods, does anyone hear it?

Just having fun with my forest terrain I just finished painting up.

Scrum's Painting Challenge II - Week 5

Week 5 Submission.  One more submission to go.

Five weeks ago I was chomping at the bit.  I had my six models in line on my table with theme and paint palette in mind.  I was excited to participate in a painting competition with "so few models".  An then I saw the Week 1 submissions, and i knew I had to put my A game pants on to keep up.  Now I am rolling on the 6th and final week of the challenge and all I can say is "Man I can't wait till it's over".  Not so much a case of I hate painting these models, just a case of I can't wait till I can just paint simple stuff and not agonize over every little detail.

Six models over six weeks, one model a week,  This should be easy....Yeah right!

Scrum's Painting Challenge II - Week 4

Week 4 submission: A Champion's Toast

Conversion was relatively simple.  Took a stein from a dwarf model from the Warhammer Fantasy range.  Chopped off the top (sadly snapping the handle in half in the process) and stick the top of the stein on his hand after chopping off an axe.  The bottom of the stein gets glued to the under half.  Leaving the old shaft of the axe to be the body of the stein.  The trickiest part was reattaching the broken handle from when I was chopping the bits up.  Little fiddly pieces of plastic never go where you want them to the first 30 times you try.

Though I can't help but keep looking at his stein he is toasting with and think of those people who go to my work with a Thermos full coffee.  Gotta have that wake up juice.

Scrum's Painting Challenge II - Week 3

Week three painting submission is in.  This one was a bit rushed as I ran out of time during the week.

This is also my first real attempt at using green stuff for more then just filling in gaps.  Definitely going to need to learn how to use that stuff properly.  I see finger prints and the shape is all wonky, but it is what is.

Malifaux Tales - The Arcanist Rasputina

I don't even play Malifaux and I found this video inspirational.  I can't imagine what people who place the game think of it.

Scrum's Painting Challenge II - Week 2

All of Week 1 submissions were posted on the Blog hosting this challenge

http://www.trollbloodscrum.com/2012...eek-1.html

Week 2 submission:

Keggy is a caster attachement that allows the caster the "Top off" ability giving him free fury and the "Stumbling Drunk" ability allowing him to be immune to knock down and gains a free D3 movement in a random direction whenever someone hits him.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Eat your fill of turkey/ham and all the various sides of stuffing you to the size of a Skorne Titan. Then back to the tables of war with you.

Hordes Trollbloods Starter box

So after taking my photo of Skaldi for the Scrum Painting Challenge I figured might as well take photos of more Trollbloods I have painted up.  My first ever purchase of Hordes was the stereotypical Battlebox.

Giving me my first caster Madrak who's base I built up so that his head was at the proper size volume for a medium base.  I did this to the Troll warbeasts as well but after doing it was rather "meh" about the whole making them the size of their volume as the game seems simple in it's design of large base blocks smaller base, and not the need for true line of sight like I need in 40K.

 

Also came the twin Impalers, which is really my only beef with this battle box as unlike Warmachine where you can have redundancy in warjacks of the same type.  In hordes you need variety of warbeasts to give your caster variety of spells.  2 Impalers is a bit WTF as I have never used more then one in a game, nor do I see any Trollblood Community lists on the PP site having more then one impaler.  Since I have two though I felt the need to separate them visually.   So we have one with his "last spear shot" no caddy on the back with more.  An the other with his "I already threw it, and now I am getting another" look to him through some shaving of joints and reposing.  The later is the one seeing the table more then the former (he only has one spear shot after all).  Most of the time I find I take an Impaler for Far Strike and also to function as my transfer target for my warcaster.

 

Next up is my first and probably favorite beat stick.  Thresher is so nice and I decided since he has probably applied the axe to many an armored Banethrall or Skorne Cyclope that it needed to be dinged up and missing some pieces.  Even in it's ruined form you can see he loves to swing it, as can be witnessed on that twisted grin on his face.

Workbench
10 Fennblades
Storm Troll
5 Champions
Janessia
Runebearer
Grim Angus
Borka & Keggy

Scrum's Painting Challenge II - Week 1

Here is my week one submission for the Troll Scrum Painting Competition II:

Celebration Gone Wrong
One night after a long fought battle in the defense of the Kriel's from the flea ridden Skorne. Borka gathered his kin to celebrate their victory in true Trollkin fashion. The fire was stoked up to the height of a Dire Troll Mauler, as pygmies and whelps scuttled about rolling together some logs for drums and jugs for tunes. As the makeshift music began to play the trolls became delighted with festivities as stories of the battle took place and laughter at the expense of their defeated enemies, but something was missing. Clearly there was no drink. Several trollkins called out "Drink! Drink! Drink" as they slammed their fists on any object that would make noise without breaking under the weight of their fists. Skaldi smirked and went to his supplies, moments later stepping back into the celebration with a rather large keg on his shoulders. "If it be drinks ye be wanting, then it be drinks ye be having!" as he set the keg down and the tap began to flow.

Northern Virginia Independent Retailers

A listing of shops in my area that I posted on our forums but figured others in the blogsphere might use the information too so...here you go.

Game Parlor
13936 Metrotech Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151
Phone: (703) 803-3114
http://www.gameparlor.com/http://ww...arlor.com/

Game Systems Supported:Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Warmachine/Hordes, Maulifux (limited), Flames of War (limited), Dystopian Wars (limited)

Eagle and Empire
1520 Belle View Blvd
Alexandria, VA 22307
(703) 550-6124
http://eagleandempire.net/http://ea...mpire.net/
Game Systems Supported:
Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Warmachine/Hordes (limited), Maulifux (limited), Flames of War (limited)

Comics and Gaming
7556 Gardmer Park Drive                         10385 Main Street
Gainesville, VA 20155                 &          Fairfax, VA 22030
571-248-6722                                            703-865-8110
http://www.comics-gaming.com/http:/...aming.com/

Game Systems Supported:Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Warmachine/Hordes, X-Wing

Victory Comics
Victory Comics Group, Inc
586 S. Washington St.
Falls Church, VA 22046
(703) 241-9393
http://www.victorycomics.com/http:/...omics.com/

Game Systems Supported:
Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Warmachine/Hordes (limited), Maulifux, Flames of War (limited), BattleFoam bags

Huzzah Gaming
Huzzah Hobbies
44927 George Washington Blvd, Suite 165
Ashburn, VA 20147
(703) 466-0460
http://www.huzzahhobbies.com/

Game Systems Supported:
Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Warmachine/Hordes, Maulifux, Flames of War, X-Wing, BattleFoam bags, Some hobby supplies

Game Vault-
6328 Five Mile Centre Park, Suite 414
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
540-785-GAME (4263)
http://www.thegamevault.net/http://...vault.net/

Game Systems Supported:
Warhammer 40k, Warhammer Fantasy Battles, Warmachine/Hordes, Maulifux, Dystopian Wars, Resin Bases, BattleFoam bags, X-Wing, Hobby supplies


Leesburg Hobbies & Collectibles -  
9 West Market Street
Leesburg, VA 20176
703-779-8600
http://www.leesburghobbies.com/index.html/

Game Systems Supported:
Flames of War, Warmachine/Hordes, Army Transport bags, Paint & Hobby supplies

How is that a bad thing?

Lately I have stepped into the realm of other wargaming games. I started looking around and reading up on other rule sets and giving other games a chance. Maulifux, Infinity, Warpath to name a few, and though some of them have nice models and rule sets.  After some demos either their play style or new rules design didn't sit well with me resulting in none of them called to me.  Then I tried a game that I had won a battle box a while ago and never did anything with, Warmachine. I had a demo game done at a local hobby store (by local I mean an hour and a half away) and I had fun. This games rule set wasn't that much of a stretch from what I knew. The models have a movement value (WHFB-esk), a shooting skill RAT (BS), a melee skill MAT (WS) and the dmg mechanic was a strength of an attack versus the defense of the model. Things were diced out on 6's and all was well, however with other games there are charts and graphs, this is pure math. # - # = score needed. Even more so it has its mechanic driven around 2d6 as the main not 1d6. For anyone who know statistics this makes dice roll probability that much more controlled, aka there are less chances to be completely blown and fall on your face with more averages to roll mid grade.

Then the game takes a turn for the interesting. You have a limited resource (focus/fury) that allows you to augment your statistical averages by rolling an additional d6. My mind was blown, no longer does this game enter the realm of "bad dice". Yes it still can happen, but the player now has a resource to control said rolls better than in other games. No longer will a player be forced to accept a lose because the dice failed him, if you absolutely need it you can augment it. On the flip side it is a limited resource and you can't augment it willy nilly, you have to choose the right time to do it. To add to this the company that makes the game takes the time to balance it out so no faction is "the lame duck", their release schedule is yearly and each faction is guaranteed to see something new every year and the release of new models does not out date older ones. Price per package is on pare with GW, but since the game needs fewer models to play your points to dollars ratio is much easier on the wallet.

So I take this game and i show it to one of my friends and he buys in. We both agree to pick up a starter army or two so we others in the league can give it a try no money down. An we play some games at the shop so people can see. An we hit a brick wall for acceptance. The game has a tight rules set, is one of if not the second runner up to Games Workshop in organized play and we get no bites. Statements such as "models are to expensive", to "there are to many special rules to remember" are made (all of which is extremely ironic to hear as they are in the process of playing 40k when they are made.) An then I heard one comment that i could not deny. "It's like playing Magic the Gathering", to which you know what...that one is dead on. It is like MTG. There are cards with preset abilities, defenses and special rules per model. The game is very synergy based were you can't have one model just punching an armies face in (even the biggest model can be taken down), you need 5 models who all do something to each other to make the killing blow. And there is a finite win goal of killing the warcaster (aka the 20hp of the MTG player) to win. I can't argue that point. However I will provide the counterpoint. Magic the gathering has been running near flawless game system going on 20 years, it is played the world over in competitive markets and venues and no matter what color you play, or play style you play, everyone has a far shake. Yes Warmachine "is" like Magic the Gathering...and how is that a bad thing?

Knee Jerk reactions to the Chaos Codex

So the Chaos codex is soon to be out (aka tomorrow) and I have had a chance to get my hands on the leaked codex itself a couple days before release date (as most of us have).  After a good read through I can honestly say the one thing I like the most out of the book is that it doesn't feel over the top.. It's definitely not a GK'd up Chaos book. As I was telling my friends in a codex breakdown discussing, this feels like the next evolution of chaos post 3.5.  If you pretend real hard that we went from 3.5 to 6 its almost possible to forget that debauchery we called 4th edition Chaos. The fluff was pushed alittle further with the introduction of more renegade chapter descriptions, and though we did not get our "Legion specific" rules we still have some org chart swapping.

I do like the buffing normal Chaos Space Marines got. Between the gentle nerfing the cult troops got and the buffing marines got, it's no longer a skipped over option and go straight to the cult troops. As for the cultist, Yay I can pull out all those shirts vs. skins cultists from the days of old (pic).

The one thing I noticed that struck me odd however was that the new model items are not super over the top to drive sales. Yeh the dragon will be taken cause everyone is on a flyer binge, but the other units like the Mauler/forge fiend, Warp Talons, Mutilators seem sort of...meh? I mean GW used to put these new models in the dex and they were the new shiny's and everything was amazing and go go go buy new models. This dex to me favors the models we already have for codex potential.  Lets face it, there are alot of already purchased Chaos armies sitting in closets just waiting for some joy joy table time, so no huge jump in sales.
 

As for disappointments I was REALLY hoping my Thousand Sons would have gotten a it more love in the usefulness department. My brother (the SW player) was just giggling the whole time we reviewed the dex, muttering under his breath "they still suck" over and over again.  As an avid Chaos player since early 3rd ed I think the only injustice I see in the codex is the Legion fluff. They are so small in their legion descriptions and details it's almost insulting.  It's even more so worsened by the fact that some of the other renegade chapters desc. boxes are much larger..WTF!.........ohh sorry..my fluff bunny was showing.

All in all I am enjoying the book. The biggest thumbs up I can give it is that I read the whole thing front to back, as apposed to some of the other books were it was, Step 1. Open Book, Step 2. Skip to back and read army lists. As for my plans for the book, I am currently working out my first tournament list, with this book, in prep for 11th Company Tournament in Nov. Don't think I am going to be taking my Nurgle again (even though Epi just made a ton of new friends with this book) my current leanings is doing a Mark of Slannesh boots heavy list.

Battle for Salvation 2012

 

Alright you Northern Virginia players, or really anyone in the norther east coast area.  Time to pack up the cars, get your Battlefoam or KR multi-cases all nice and snug and head off to West Nyack, NY for the The Battle for Salvation Grand Tournament this is one of the better tournaments run out of the New York area and worth the gas and admission fee ten fold.  Sadly this year I won't be able to attend due to family constraints but I will be there in spirit that's for sure.

 

The Battle for Salvation is an independently run NOVA-style Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament taking place Columbus Day weekend in 2012.  The Grand Tournament will feature 6 games over 2 days. Players will be sorted into 8-man brackets at the end of Saturday based on performance. Players will then battle for supremacy in their respective brackets on Sunday, with all players guaranteed 3 games (no more single elimination). Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each bracket and the winner of the top bracket will be crowned Tournament Champion.  In order to register navigate to the Registration by clicking HERE.

 

Location:  Palisades Center, West Nyack, NY

Date:  October 5-7, 2012  (Columbus Day weekend)

• Friday: Skirmish Tournament (3-4 games)
• Saturday: Grand Tournament (3 games)
• Sunday: Grand Tournament (3 games)

Players: 64+

GT Basics:

• 1999+1 points
• 1 Force Organization Chart
• Allies allowed
• Fortifications: Bastion & Aegis
• Random game length (as rulebook)

Here is a video put up by Fritz 40K explaining the venue and the events going on during The Battle for Salvation.
 

 

An if the venue and 6 games was not enough to get you out of your chair and going.  If your a huge fan of NOVA Open, the winners will also earn a spot in the 2013 NOVA Open Invitational.  So seriously, If you don't have plans for the weekend of October 5th-7th I would highly recommend you book up now and get out there.  You won't regret it, I know I already do for missing it. 

NoVA Open 2012 - List in Review

So with NOVA Open come and gone I want to post up lessons learned with the list I took.  My intent going into NOVA Open was to theory out the effectiveness of an Epidemius list.  I had seen, and play tested, many Tzeentch Daemon lists prior to going to the Open, but after review they seemed so heavily pinned on one model that you could not counter with weight of fire (aka Fateweaver).  That being said I could see some saying that Epidemius was also a list that could be countered by taking Epi out, which though true Epi can hide in a unit of 9 Eternal Warrior Swarms which makes his survivability much more potent.  This was only confirmed even more by the fact that in all 9 of my games (7 in the Open and 2 pickups) no one ever got a wound put on Epi.  The Nurglings were such a tar pit they couldn’t get past them.  But before I get to far in let’s see the list.

Daemon = 1127 pts
HQ = 385
Epidemius (110)
Bloodthirster w/ Blessing of the Blood God, Unholy Might, Instrument of Chaos (280)

Troops = 267
Plaguebearers of Nurgle  x 5 = 75
Plaguebearers of Nurgle x 5 = 75
Nurglings x 9 = 117

Heavy Support = 470
Daemon Prince w/ Flight, Hide, MoN, Breath, Cloud = 235
Daemon Prince w/ Flight, Hide, MoN, Breath, Cloud = 235

Fortification = 100
Aegis Line w/ Quad Gun (100)

Chaos Space Marines Allies = 772 pts
HQ = 225
Typhus (225)

Troops = 570
Plague Marines x 10 w/ 2 Melta, w/ Champ, P-Axe = 280
Plague Marines x 9 w/ 2 Plasma, w/ Champ, P-Axe = 267

Total Points = 1999  

Back from NOVA Open 2012

Back from NOVA Open 2012 and getting ready for getting back into the work grind of day to day life.  Man what an event, an I can honestly say if you didn't go this year, you seriously missed out!  Everything was great.  Great setup, Great deals and support to the players, Amazing staff.  It was an experience to behold indeed.  If i was to list all of the good things from this event I would have to create a new blog page to hold them all.  Here are however some of the major highlights of the event to me.

• Even with a short amount of staff the NOVA Open team were always there.  I had judges constantly moving around.  Always there to answer for judge calls.  I think over the entire weekend I only heard 1 person to have to call for a judge twice before the judge was there (though there were about 5 other people adding in extra judge calls to carry on a gag).  The packets were laid out well, the FAQs were there and easy to read and tables were all laid out as the packet said they were each game (as if judges were going around the tables between heats making sure everything was in place where it was suppose to be)
• Projector of brackets in last name alphabetical order.  I can not tell you how great this was.  Every time brackets were up it was as easy as passing a wall looking up and seeing my name in the same column and space every time and going to my table.  If there was anything about the event that I liked the most this was it.  No cramming around 30 people near a column trying find my name on a sheet so I can go to my table.  I literally had to walk past a projector and two seconds later head to my table.
• Space.  There was a ton of space.  Not just between the different types of games but also plenty of butt room (didn't bum joust anyone all weekend long) and also between the table.  Each table had a nice 6" column of space for reserves and dead piles.
• Prize support was great.  Attendees were great.  Everything was just a great experience.

To the staff of NOVA Open and those supported them you put on a great show and I cannot thank you and the team for all the work you put into a great event.

Up next most likely will be Mechanicon at the end of October.  That and biting at the bit for a Chaos Space Marines codex.

Starter Set Leaked Images

Found these Leaked photo's of Chaos Space Marine models on The Emperor's Codex website.  For the better part of four months now there have been teases and rumor mill on the Chaos Codex and new models and the Starter set.

All of which was, at least for me, a roller coaster of excitement and disappointment four months long. Now finally we have solid pics from what looks like the up coming codex of new Chaos models..

 ..and Dark Angels models. 

An though I have a soft spot for Dark Angels (always a sucker for a tortured soul character) my true love has always been Chaos.  An to finally see actual evidence not rumors, not speculation, true to form evidence of new Chaos models has my heart pumping and that feeling you get on a roller coaster as you hear CLACK, CLACK, CLACK as you go up another hill ready for an amazing ride. Must resist urge to get my hopes up...... 

Flame on!

Sorry for the post delay, real world took a hold and started choking me.  So as many know there was an update to Chaos Daemons in this months White Dwarf, and like a good Chaos Cultist I picked it up day one and drooled over the new shiny.  The new Slannesh chariots are beautiful models that provide evocative reactions one would expect from a god of sensations, but what really drew me in was the new Tzeentch models.  I love Tzeentch, he is by far the most interesting and complex of the Chaos Gods to me and is only compounded by my draw towards the Thousand Sons plight (which is even more compounded by my real life brothers love for Space Wolves).  As such I was really drawn in by the new Flamers and Screamers models, picking up a box of Flamers cause I could (Ramble: and can I say well played GW, not only did you give us plastic but you made them a box set of 3 for only $20, I actually felt like it was a price worth it's value till I sat down and realized a full unit is still $60....Hhhhheyyy!  I see what you did there.  Well played good sirs...well played).  Anyways, I have already put the models together and hope to get some paint on them shortly.

Currently on the Desk:
- Finishing my Turquoise Necron force - Prep for NOVA Open 2012
- Commission: Blood Angels 3 Storm Ravens and 2 Razorbacks
- Commission: 1K in Loganwing
- and now 3 Flamers

Tournaments on the Horizon
- Sadly I missed the Feast of Blades Qualifier at Game Vault last weekend (damn you real life)
- Nova Open 2012 (August, 2012)
- Mechanicon 2012 (October 2012)
- 11th Company 2012 (November 2012)

Project: Ork-rons

Mek Cronk wondered the halls of the ancient tomb, unaware of where he really was. It was dark, horribly so, but where the other boyz back at the entrance were to scared, Cronk could smell opportunity. There was metal here..lots and lots of metal in the air. The projeks he could complete once he got a hold of the metal raced through his simple mind. He came to a large chamber and walked in, stepping on something that shifted under his weight and the whole room buzzed to life as things began to illuminate in a soft green glow. The need to flee almost took hold but his eyes beheld something beautiful.

Before him was a room of alcoves full of tall metal men. Lifelessly hanging there, they looked like the hummies did when their meat was chewed from the bones, but instead of weak bone their limbs were pure metal. He drew close and marveled at the construction. The potentials raced through his head.  Some E'avy Armor here, some wires there, definitely some Kustom jobs done to the gun it carried. It would be a machine to rival all the other Mek's maybe even get the attention of the Warboss...maybe..even rival the Warboss.

He grinned and rubbed his meaty green hands together. "Yesss.." he hissed "I be making ya right and propa." His eyes then looked at the hummie skull like head, that would definitely have to go.

Immorkal

IFL Road to NOVA Invitational this weekend

Heading out on Saturday to the Iron Fist League (IFL) Road to NOVA Invitational being hosted at the Game Vault down in Fredricksburg.

When: Sat, June 16, 10:30am – 8:00pm

Where: Fredericksburg, VA

Tournament Type: $10 40K Warhammer - 16 man invitational

 

Winner of the tournament will get to go on to participate in the IFL Invitational Finals gathered from the various RTTs we are running for a last man standing match.  Winner from the Finals will be getting a invite to the NOVA Invitational.  

 

All that being said I am going to have fun as I have ZERO intentions of participating in the Invitational even if I some how win it.  With the coming of 6th ed and the news that NOVA will be 6th but the Invitational will be 5th I have concluded that I don't need that mental confusion in an already high competition tournament.  By not going to the Invitational I am guaranteeing that when I go to NOVA I can do so with just 6th in mind.

 

As for this weekends little match up I am actually thinking of dragging out the Chaos Space Marines.  Go back to my grass roots for one last throw down before 6th rolls out and everything is swept away in Tides of Madness (ehhh..see what I did there).

Are you a product of your environment?

So there are lot of posts going up all around the blogsphere about the trolling and hateorade of Games Workshop (GW) and how the negativity people are expressing is ruining the hobby.  An to some extent I completely agree with this camp.  Expressing your opinion about being "done wrong" is everyone right (Freedom of Speech and all that).  Expressing your opinion over and over and over in a public forum such as the Internet with no real recount to why or defense when your opinion is addressed as invalid however is just flat out trolling.  Don't be disillusioned, trolling can be done to a company or an object just as much as it can be done to the person or group of people.  This past weekend however I was posed with an interesting view point as I talked to some fellow Iron Fist Leaguers.

Is the negativity the gamers are providing Games Workshop warranted?  Are the gamers being Internet trolls to get attention, or is this the result of GWs business practice and people expressing in an overly opinionated environment that "enough is enough"? 

NOVA Open Painting Competition Log

So I have been told I am a "good" painter. I have always thought of myself as an average painter who puts in just that couple more minutes on a model to make it a hair above table top standard.

That being said I have always believed you can't get better unless you try for something unattainable. To which leads me to my choice of entering a model in the up and coming NOVA Open Painting competition. They have 2 Archtypes (Sci-Fi & Fantasy/Alternate world) and 3 model types (Single model, Large Model, and Diorama). With so many choices though, I am not sure which one to enter. Part of me is thinking the Diorama would be a nice test of skill but what to do a Diorama of. 40K? Fantasy? Other gaming systems?

With only 2.5 months before the competition it's gonna be tight (considering I have an army to paint for the actual NOVA Open as well as it's display board, mix in still playing to refine the list, random RTT tournaments in between and oh yeah...that family & work thing) It's gonna be a tight run.

I made it

So the IFL Quarterly tournament is over and I must say I was surprised to make it in.  At first I was told by a friend my name disappeared from the waiting list.  Then I was told only a couple dropped.  But to as I said I was going to go and support and help out, and I am glad I did.  I got there and they had enough drops that I made it into the tournament. 

It was only a 3 round tournament using rolled for out of the book scenarios so no oddball missions.

Game 1
Game 1 was a Spearhead/Capture & Control Mirror match.  Where my Necron list was about fast redeployment his was about choking the field with warriors and immortals.  Which for Capture control was a bit of a issue.  So many bodies to choke his control point.  Felt like this game as going to be a true to form Capture the tie.  However through some Necron Shenanigans I pulled his units off through multi charges  He over devoted to the assaults and forgot the mission and in the bottom of turn 5 I veiled to his objective and held mine after clearing off his contesting unit.  Game 1 - Win

Game 2
This game was a Standard 12 deploy/KP match against....Draigowing.....ugggh.  I should have played for the tie and just used my speed and redeployment to stay away.  KP games against Draigo are just an uphill battle with his list only giving out 7 KPs and mine holding 12, it was a no win situation unless he over extended and I could capitalize.  In the end I did a stupid move and I over extend, devoting a unit trying to take out a Rhino for a KP and the Veil scatter put them within Draigo's charge range getting him the needed KP for the win. 

Game 3
Last game of the match playing Dawn of War/3 objectives.  My opponent had an eclectic Eldar list with alot of footar with 1 Prism, Wave & Falcon.  One objective was dead center another was place on my left close to me and was matched by my opponent placing his near his deployment zone on my right.  I deployed Zahndrekh behind a building completely out of LoS and he deployed his HQ and two troops  He came on the board and reinforced the center of his deployment zone with Guardians, Avatar Eldrad and Seer council.  2 Dire Avengers on my left and Dark Reapers and Ranged on my right.  Due to Zahndrekh's Phased Deployment rule I got to piggy back on him coming on the board edge from reserves for Dawn of War Turn 1 and deepstruck my army in response to his Wraiths near center Immortals to respond to Dire's and Reapers.  In the end my opponent had never experienced that style of Necron deployment and it put him on his back heels the whole game.  By the end of Turn 5 he was almost Tabled with just an Avatar and Eldrad on the board.  Game 3 - Win.

In the end there were three trophies to be had.

Most VPs
Most VPs Retained
Most VP and Most VP retained totaled together

With my 3 Veil AV 13 list I played very defense and walked the title of Most VPs Retained.  My brother got Most VP and Retained totaled together, and one of my friends Jeff Payne walked away with Most VPs.

2000pt Local 40K Tournament at Game Vault

So the Iron Fist League (IFL) is running a local 40K tournament down at Game Vault (can't say enough good things about this place, and no they are not paying me to say this), in Fredrickburg, VA this weekend (April 7th, 2012).

Length: 3 Rounds
Size: 2000 Points
Painting: Not Required
Missions: Randomly determined standard rule book missions (I would roll one die for deployment, and objective each round, ignoring duplicate results)
Cost: $25 (100% of entry fees going to you with prizes doled out as store credit)
Format: Of every $25 entry fee, 10 goes into a prize pool split between: Most Victory Points Taken, Least Victory Points Lost, Combined Total. The remaining $15 is separated into 3 $5 "bets" on the outcome of each match. You get $10 for a win, $5 for a draw, and $0 for a loss. This encourages everyone to stick around through the last round as they have a chance at earning some of their money back.

TempleCon - Hoooooooooo!

So it's official.  Or at least as official as you can get after already paying for your ticket.  I got my Templecon pass in the mail last weekend (praying I don't loss it before I get there) and I submitted my 2K Necron list for the Onslaught tournament to the organizer.  Now I just need to finish painting up all these Crons in time to get into the IFL Bus heading north on Friday morning at 8am.  List is below:

Nemesor Zahndrekh and Finecast Experience

So I decided I was going to give Nemesor Zahndrekh a go.  His ability grants push good shooting into great shooting.  And various abuses of Hit and Run and Furious Charge can make some of the more aggressive units in my lists much more potent.  Issue though, there is no model for him.

So I look at rumor mills for the supposed Feb 2012 Second wave and I don't see him in it.  Not even hinted at it.  So taking the next step I looked at various models on line and decided I would take the Stormlord as my conversion body.

I taste Landraider

Getting to work on finish painting my Necron force in time for TempleCon.  Was going to originally take my Nurgle force but with some of the recent FAQs (Nerf on Warptime and Nerf on Abbadon) just no really compelled too.  So after talking with some of my IFL members at Brittany's last Tuesday I was inspired to take the Necrons for their first Tournament engagement.  Not looking to take top table seeing as well A. I'm not that good, and B. I am still ironing out the "quirks" of Necrons. 

Thanks to the recent FAQ release it at least clears up alot of the concerns I had over how things worked in the army dex:

• Double courts being in the same squad
• How scarabs are spawned, ie. I knew I couldn't congo line but I can add scarabs to the front of my swarm far away from my spyders to extend their charge range by 3+" (2" Coherency + 1.5" base)
• How sweeps on barges are done and cover doesn't protect from them.
• etc...

There are still some FAQ questions hanging out there but I will just address them with the TO at or before the tournament.  Biggest one comes to mind is "Can I Protocol from Jaws of the World wolf?"  My brother adamantly says "Hell no.  Taken from play...get off my board".  I argue the point.

None the less TempleCon...or as I have deemed it Temple-Crons, is around the corner and I have 2+ weeks to get 2K paint.  Uhhhhhh...No problem

Protect your internet. Vote "NO" on SOPA and PIPA

Do you enjoy Blogging? Facebook? Youtube? Google? anything on the Internet?  On Jan 24th our government is going to attempt to pass the SOPA and PIPA Bill unless we act now.  If passed these sites could be taken down with no legislation to appeal.  Neither SOPA nor PIPA bare any burden of proof for violations of IP infringement, which means anyone anywhere can write the Attorney General making a claim of IP infringement and that site will be blocked on US ISP, with little to no hope of ever returning.  The government already tries to control our lives as it is.  Don't let them take control of our Internet as well.  Please I beg you write your Sen and House Reps and tell them to vote "no" on both SOPA (H.R.3261) and PIPA (S. 968) today. 

Want to know more?  There is a great site on it here.  http://americancensorship.org/
Which by the way if SOPA and PIPA are passed won't be able to be accessed cause the government would have blocked it.  If you think SOPA and PIPA are going to stay within the confines of only protecting it's intended design (Entertainment IP) you will be sadly mistaken.  The government "will" abuse this ruling to their own gain, the less we are informed the more power they have.

Necron FAQs are in

Loaded last night the Necron FAQs (and several other codexs) are now out.  Here is the link to all the FAQs (http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?categoryId=1000018&pIndex=1&aId=3400019&multiPageMode=true&start=2) but allow me to highlight some of the Necron changes that I found worth mentioning (FYI - this is not a total list just the ones I know have come into question alot)

• Trazyn gets Reanimation Protocol "then" Surrogate Host
• Everliving is like Protocol and all things that benefit Protocol benefit Ress orb
• Royal Court members do get everliving if an entire squad is wiped out but the squad cannot protcol just cause a Court member everlivinged back.
• Sweep attacks do not get Furious Charge nor are they considered close combat attacks. (For better lack of naming convention they are just a special kind of attack outside of shooting and or combat). To this end no cover saves to Command Barge sweep attacks
• If a single model fails his LD to Mindshackle can he attack himself. Yes - WIN!
• Orikan and Tremor stave effects do stack with Writhing Worldscape.
• Models with ress orb still get it's benefit even if they are removed from play.
• You can Veil of Darkness from Reserves
• Chronometron does allow Imotekh to reroll his Night Fight special rule - Wow..I honestly thought they were going to rule this one as a no.
• If you have 2 Courts you "CAN" attach one member of each court to the same unit.
• Members of Royal Courts do benefit from Hunters from Hyperspace. Aka a Abyss-Tek gets to hit with his AP 1 flamer on a 2+....O.o Really? Wow. BUT to counter this, the deathmarks can't DS cause the whole unit doesn't have the deepstrike ability. So if you want to pop and Fry on 2+ you need to be a Veil-Tek
• Time's Arrow doesn't work on vehicles
• Yes Lance does reduce Quantum Shielding to 12. And any Pen that is cover saved off does not reduce the AV 13. Only pen's that stick
• Whipcoil reduction goes into effect before Inn boosting abilities. Aka Furious charge go at Inn 2. GK Halberds go at Inn 3....OUCH
• Spyders can add scarabs to a unit that is already locked in combat. Tar pit Unit much?
• Spawned Scarabs have to be placed in coherency with a non-spawned scarab from this turn - Good bye Congo line.
• Yes you roll for Entropic Strike before you do your Armor Pen roll. And yes anyone else trying to hit a vehicle that scarabs are attacking get to Armor Pen at the reduced armor due to scarabs entropic strike rolls.
• Deathray only effects models on the line it creates, not the number of models in a unit

2K list in use & 1500 Necrons at Friendly Tourney

Took the 2K list to Iron Fist League (IFL) game night at Brittany's in Woodbridge, VA (Yes, you can game and eat and drink bear, how cool is that) and got a match up with a good friend Steve and his Inquisition style Grey Knights List.
His list:

• Karamazov w/ a pack of Psykers
• Deathcult Assasian (DCA)/Crusaders with a Techmarine w/ Staff and the Grenade Happy Meal package in a Storm Raven
• Deathcult Assasian (DCA)/Crusaders with a Techmarine w/ Staff and the Grenade Happy Meal package in a Storm Raven
• Psybacks with Hot Las guns squad with a melta
• Psybacks with Hot Las guns squad with a melta
• Chimeras with Hot Las guns squad with a melta
• Chimeras with monkeys and Multi - meltas and Coteaz

He may not be a tournament player but I can tell you he has used this list many a times to put a monkey stomp on people.  Things I used from my list to great effect  The game was Spearhead with 4 Objective counters.  We placed 3 in a line across the middle of the table

• Mindscarab a DCA, after he cast Hammerhand, that stood next to the techmarine (did this through good Necron Lord defender reaction placement) and used his DCA to kill the Techmarine.  Was very bitter sweet cause I lost the unit of Immortals from that charge but knew that the DCAs were not as potent without thier grendades.
• Scarabs claimed 2 Psybacks and 2 Chimeras and a squad of Hot shots before they died, mostly due to cover abuse and spyder birthing.
• Spyders are good against armor as well taking a Stormraven out of the sky after a Immobile from Ann Barge shooting.
• And Wraiths live up to their potential and purpose ignoring terrain completely and zipping across the board to lock up Karamazov and his Psykers till my Overlord could catch up and help kill Karamazov.

In the end it was a well fought match but the Imperium lost their grip on that world to the roaming machinations of the C'tan.

Rules Questions that came up: 

1. If a Rokkit tech and his pack of Warriors die to the man from DCAs.  Then due to Everliving pops back up by himself.  Does the Rokkit-tech still count as a troop scoring unit, or does he revert back to HQ without a troop unit to be part of? 
2. Also tek is assigned to a warriors squad that dies to the man.  Is the dead warriors a KP or does the standing Tek still hold troop title and thus there is still a man left and no KP?

Up next is a local friendly tournament down at the very awesome "The Game Vault" store.

Tournament is at the store on Jan 21,2012 from 10:30am - 6:00pm in Fredericksburg, VA.  It's a friendly tournament because there has been a recent flux of 40K beginners in the area.  I don't think their will be any prize support but as a standing Iron Fist League member I am going to head down there to help out.  Get a couple games in, but play from a friendly/teaching stand point, not a I am going to the top like you might expect at other tournaments.  Not sure what I am going to take.  1500 is a completely different game then 2K with different threats and less points to cover the known issues of this dex.  Will post what I come up with as soon as I have figured it out, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

2K Necrons List

So I play my armies a bit aggressive.  Not so much aggressive in the sense of spending two rounds to get in CC and trying to stay there all game like some assault armies, but more aggressive in the sense of not sitting back and shooting till you are forced to assault.  I never like games where my opponent is dictating the battle to me.  I am a firm believer that once you are reacting to your opponent you have lost.  Yes there is a level of reaction where an opponent has taken our a unit you wanted or is in your deployment zone but as a rule you should have a plan to win when you come to the table and commit to that plan.  If you start back peddling you will never catch back up to said plan and your sunk.

That being said I wanted to run my necrons with a bit more of a list that allows me to start dictating moves.  I'm not a huge fan of some of these "Gauss-n-pray" lists out there.  So after some play testing my 2K list is currently sitting as follows:

HQ

Anrakyr the Traveler = 165

• Command Barge w/ Gauss Cannon = 80

Overlord w/ Warscythe, Mind shackle Scarabs, Phase Shifter, Sempiternal Weave = 175

• Command Barge w/ Gauss Cannon = 80

Troops

Immortals w/ Pyrrhian Eternals & Tesla Carbines x 10 = 170

• Necron Lord w/ Warscythe, Mind shackle Scarabs, Ress Orb = 90

Warrior (13) x 10 = 130

• Cryptek w/ E-Lance & Solar Pulse = 55

Warrior (13) x 5 = 65

• Cryptek w/ E-Lance & Solar Pulse = 55

Warrior (13) x 5 = 65

Fast AttacksScarab x 10 = 150
Wraith x 5 (3 Whipcoil, 1 Particle Caster, 1 Naked) = 210
Wraith x 5 (3 Whipcoil, 1 Particle Caster, 1 Naked) = 210

Heavy Support
Annihilation Barge w/ Gauss Cannon (90)
Annihilation Barge w/ Gauss Cannon (90)
Canoptek Spyder x 2 (Gloom Prism x 1)= 115

Total: 1995

Necron Synergy Combos

So everyone is saying that Necrons are about unit synergy, and from my play testing experience I can confirm this is absolutely 100% true. Below are several combos I have used and/or heard of, if they help even one Necron Player out there then this post has been a success.

Wraith Wall: Have 5-6 Wraiths and on deployment you can give cover to your more fragile units, protecting you some from Alpha striking. Put them in front of your scarabs and you give them a 3+ cover save. Since the models are so tall, put them in front of your Command barges to give them the 4+ cover (Command barges are most vulnerable in the first turn without this as shots hitting them before they move cannot be cover saved off, wraith wall counters this weakness). Similar vein of thought put spider's behind since yes they are Monstrous but they have a low profile so Wraith give them a 4+ cover since they have no invul.

So what units aid the Wraiths? Lance-Tek's w/ Warriors (or Gauss Immortals). Rokkit or Glance-spam a vehicle so that the wraiths get more Str 6 Rending attacks on rear armor in CC. All you need is a Immobile to make a Wraith's day.

I return from the dead

Wow.  It's amazing how time flies while you are trying keep things going during the holidays.  None the less sorry for the lack of posting.  I have been working to finish out the 2K Blood Angels commission.  Nearing the last 10 figures, and then...no more red for a very long time.

On a personal painting thread I have finally settled on my Necrons color scheme (non-red).  I was tempted to go with a metallic look but felt it was a bit to..."normal", so I went with a ceramic (aka color toned) robot.  First up we have one of my Pyrrhian Eternals, the upgraded versions of Immortals when you take Anrakyr the Traveller.  I struggled with how to distinguish normal Immortals from Pyrrhian Eternals, so I decided on some good old kit-bash mix and match.

Basic Immortal body and weapon with a head swap from the Triarch Praetorian and the added elements of the "lion cloth" and tail from the Lychguard.  This gave me a bit more sense that these Immortals were a step up from the norm.  When they were going through their biotransference process Anrakyr had them selected to have "the better model".

Next up is my scratch built Cryptek.  What can I say.  I really don't like the Cryptek model GW created.  Even more so that it's a mono pose and limited gear display (which sucks for any form of WYSIWYG).  This is going to be my Harbinger of Destruction with Lance and Solar Pulse (the little orb on top of it's spine-back).

Body and legs are part of the free Overlord bits from the Barge.  Hand and staff is from the Praetorian set and head is from Deathmarks (I really really like this head).  And last but not least the ball for the Solar Pulse is one of the orbs of a Deathmark back snipped and glued on top.

My list has about 20+ play tests to it and I can shed this one little light.  These are not Space Marines.  If you ever think to play them like Space Marines you will be sorely disappointed.