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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Is GW doing the right thing?


Well, you may have heard a few things that GW has been up to that makes me stop and wonder what the hell they are thinking.

First, they are dropping the Specialist lines, several items are showing as "no longer available" on their site and the indicator is that they are all going away. So, what happens when they pull the pdfs? How will Blood Bowl continue without the living rules published? The IP Nazis would make them take it down it would seem. The same for the other games? Bad idea getting rid of the line? Well, I know it isn't a huge money maker but keeping the historical records of the PDFs and having the minis to purchase isn't a bad thing. Money is money and nothing up front has to be done plus does it really take up that much space? Not really IMO. They could do steps to reduce yet still support. Sad to see an era of good gaming going to hell.

Second, Blogs are getting hit now that are posting up stuff GW has not released yet...yea, they are protecting their IP and want to sell their White Dwarf mags, but let me say this nobody in the gaming industry has such a martial method of holding lordship over their IP and information. Plus, they pulled their Facebook, wow, don't like bad publicity GW? Other companies have embraced it and are using it as a positive tool to promote their stuff. I think GW is adding more holes to their ship and taking on more water. How long until the company sinks? 10 years? 15 years? Maybe less?

I love the game but with all the price hikes and dickish attitudes to their fans it makes me wonder if this is a company I want to continue to support with my hobby money. What do you think?

Invasion in 2 days!



T-Minus 2 days…just in a mere two days the crew is launching from Florida to invade Alabama’s Kalm Before the Waaaggghh 2013!

Everyone I can tell is pumped about going. Something about like minded guys going out on a no-holds trip to go play 40k, Blood bowl, watch Iron Man 3 and visit the Space Center in Huntsville. It is that rare moment where we can let the inner geek out and run free in the fields of miniature tables! *laugh*

Still, tonight will be most of my packing as my wife’s father’s birthday is Wednesday and I can get all my models organized and all my gaming supplies together. I want to just do a few things on the last night and be ready to get the van on Thursday and hit the road. Plus it will be nice to see my parents for a night, being that out of the last 3 times I saw my mother twice was in the hospital with critical issues.

I am pumped to get 3 great games of Blood Bowl in, last year I got Best Offense with my Orks, I hope to get a trophy again! As for 40k, I don’t aim to win a trophy but I hope to have 3 great games and I am curious how my army concept will work. It is balanced, strong but not over the top or full of cheese. I hope with some good dice luck and a strong game on my part could wrangle me towards the top this year.

Friday, April 26, 2013

The frantic before the Kalm!


Sorry for the lack of posts of late. I have been rather busy with a variety of things and I still don’t feel like I have recovered totally from all the medical ordeals that my mom went through. I think the mental part of healing over a major series of traumatic events can take its toll and can eat at you. So, it takes time to regenerate those lost parts of your mind and soul.

What is going on? Well lots, I have about a week left for my preparation rituals for the Kalm in Huntsville Alabama on the weekend of May 4th! I still have to reserve the van and confirm our hotel reservations I made to ensure everything is in order. Plus to my tradition I adjusted my list again early this week and working on a few final items to my army including a Land Raider Crusader, a Ravenwing biker and a Darkshroud Speeder.

Last night I spent most of the night putting the speeder together and tossing some green Army Painter spray on the Land Raider to speed up the painting for that monster. I feel pretty good about the painting goals of having all three done by next week. Sure, no transfers may be done but at least it will be painted and ready for the table.

I have also been teaching one of my friend’s Blood Bowl. Chris ordered a croc team but it has yet to show up after 6 weeks and the company has yet to return an email to him. It was lucky he had a Chaos team in a box he bought long ago and just painted them up quickly to have something to play. After two test games I helped him come up with what I feel is a good team mix that he should enjoy. Simple and brutal was my goal, but well that is my concept also.

Our itinerary is really stacking up and it looks like we will have a busy time out:

Thursday: pick up rental van, assemble the crew and hit the road! Stop after about a 7-8 hour drive to my parents to spend the night and visit them. This will be the first time I have seen my mother in about 5 months as the last time I left her she was in the hospital still after I sat vigil for her from the tumor removal from her brain until she was stable and recovering for well over a week.

Friday: Load up early and make the Huntsville in about 2 or so hours, making the Huntsville Space Center when it opens. Then off to the hotel to check in and play Blood Bowl that night with beer and pizza.

Saturday: The big event! Head off to Knuckleheads (a bar that hosts the tournament) and start playing and drinking beer. I had a blast last year, this year should be even better! After we finish and awards are done we are going to watch Iron Man 3 that night!

Sunday: Up early and hit the road stopping in Dothan Alabama at a BBQ spot I found that has been in the family for a 100+ years (not the building, just the business!). Chris and I spotted it on the way home last time (sadly we ate at Wendy’s an hour before) and when I did stop on my way up for my mom’s surgery I treated myself to a good BBQ meal. Very tasty stuff!

Monday: Recovery day! Return the van early.

So far my 1.1 million Blood Bowl Orc team is like this:
4 Black Orcs - 2 with Block, 2 with Wrestle
4 Blitzers – 2 with Dodge, 1 with kick, 1 with sure hands
3 Linemen
2 Rerolls
1 Fan Factor

It is tough, skilled and decent all around. I look forward to some Blood Bowl on Friday!

My pending 40k list is something like this:

Sammuel (in speeder)
Land Raider Crusader
Command Squad (with the Salvo 2/4 banner)
6 Full bikes with 2 plasma guns and an attack bike with a multi melta.
3 units of 3 bikes with 2 plasma guns and an attack bike as above.
1 Darkshroud Speeder
1 Blood Angel Librarian (with spear and sword powers) with jump pack.
2 Squads of Blood Angels with jump packs, 2 melta guns each.

3 vehicles and 45 marines loaded with plenty of plasma, melta and bolter hell with cover saves, scout and deep strike options to help keep me alive to achieve goals. It may work well, maybe it will die a screaming death.

I will post some teaser shots of the WIP stuff...wish me luck next week!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Doubles GT Crucible (Narrative)

Here is a rough run down of the event, the lists and the games....check my other posts for images of the games!

Chris and I brought the theme of “The Lion and the Wolf” (Space Wolves and Dark Angels)

The Wolf:
Rune Priest: Runic Armor, Living Lighting, Murderous Hurricane, Choose of the Slain
Grey Hunters x10 with 2 Plasma Guns
Grey Hunters x10 with 2 Plasma Guns
Grey Hunters x10 with 2 Plasma Guns
Long Fangs x6 with 5 Missile Launchers

The Lion:
Librarian (Divination), Melta Bombs
Command Squad: Standard of Devastation
Tactical Squad x5: all bolters
Tactical Squad x10 Missile Launcher (Flakk), Plasma Gun
Tactical Squad x10, Missile Launcher (Flakk), Plasma Gun
Aegis Defense Line


First round was against Reggie and Daniel from Miami.

Tau:
Commander R’myr (Forge World Character)
2 Crisis Suits (Missile/Plasma and Multi Trackers)
Remote Sensor Tower Team (Troop choice, weird!, Forge World)
Hammerhead Gunships x2 with burst cannons.

Chaos:
Sorcerer: Lv2, Mark of Tzeench
Helldrake
Hell Blade
Helbrute
Chaos Marines x10 with Heavy Bolter, Mark of Tzeench, Vets of Long War
Large block of cultists x15 (I think)

Deployment: Dawn of War. One of the two players had to flank and gained outflank ability for the entire army. We opted for the Space wolves, their side went with the Chaos Marines.

Overall we had a great game; we played this father and son at a prior LGS and had a good time playing against them. The father is slowly getting his son not only into 40k but also to start going to some GT style events.

We won with a solid 15 to 8 going on to the second round.

Second round was against Chris C and Zach from Kissimmee. They had a massive tank list of IG and Blood Angels. Including a rhino with a librarian, a pair of speeders with multi-meltas and flamers, a squad of marines with a Storm Raven and IG was a Medusa, a pair of Manticores, some infantry (I think veterans, one squad), Chimera with Primus psyker and psyker battle squad and a Vendetta.

Deployment: Hammer and Anvil

Again this was a surprising game as we expected to loose our ass to all the firepower but staying bunkered down and stuck to the mission plan (avoid dying!) They earned only 2 points while Chris and I earned 9.

Last Round was against Eric and John from Miami with IG and Demons. They had, Masque, large unit of Flamers, one or two small unit of scoring Nurglings (there was more) and IG side had a Leman Russ, Command squad with a master of ordnance, some various weapons, a Veteran unit with heavy weapons and such.

Again, this was a hard fought game earning us 9 them for 9 points for a steady draw. We ended the tournament with 33 points total taking third place. Second was 35 and first place went to the team we played last round with a total of 49 points.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Pictures of Crucible Singles Tournament

Here are some shots I took during my games...

Round 1: Grey Knights and Space Wolves a great guy!

The Wolves and Word Bearers face off.

Careful advance of the Wod Bearers.

Round 2 Slaanesh Chaos Army (very nice paint job)

The commander of pleasure!

The battle for the defense line.

SHIT! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM! GRENADES!

THROW THE DAMM GRENADES!

A struggle to capture the objectives.

Yea, he looks like a hive mind kinda guy!

Bugs Deployment

My deployment.

Battle rages on!

I think he ate too much cheese! Kraftworld!

Nice looking Eldar beating my ass.

More nice looking Elda beating my ass.

Even more...

Sleeping beauty....

The battle for the ridge.

Necron flyers swoop in, annoying as hell.

Another hive mind!

My deployment.

Bugs down the middle!

The objective

Singles GT: Crucibile (The Narrrative)



Well, here is a general overview of the games, the lists and such at the event! Check my other post for pictures of the event!

My list:

Sorcerer: Mark of Tzeench, Level 2, aura of Dark Glory

10 Chaos Marines: 2 plasma guns, extra ccw

10 Chaos Marines: 2 plasma guns, extra ccw

10 Chaos Marines: 2 plasma guns, extra ccw

10 Chaos Marines: 2 plasma guns, extra ccw

Cultists x10 with pistols/ccw

Cultists x20 with 14 rifles, 2 heavy stubbers, pistols/ccw x4

Heldrake

Lord of Change

Flamers of Tzeench x3

Plaguebearers x6

Plaguebearers x6

Screamers of Tzeench x6


Game 1 vs. Rich with Space Wolves and Grey Knights


Deployment: Hammer and Anvil


Primary: capture objectives scattered about the table.

Secondary: Destroy Heavy and Troop choices, worth one VP each.

Tertiary: Table Quarters, each quarter earns you 1 VP.

Bonuses: Slay Warlord, First blood and Linebreaker


His list was Wolf Priest with saga of the Hunter, 3 squads with meltas/plasmas, Wolf Lord with Wolf Mount with Runic Armor, 3+ storm shield and power fist. 2 Long Fangs with mixed weapons of Missiles and heavy bolters, unit of Grey Knights (troop choice), Dreadknight, Techmarine, Cotaez with retinue with the psykers to throw the large blast and crusaders and jokeroo to add defense and shooting.


Amusing points:


  • First turn my Helldrake entered he burned down 8 out of 10 Space Wolves with a baleflamer shot.
  • First Turn the screamers arrived the turbo boosted over one of the Long Fangs killing 4 out of 6 the first turn. They also tied up the Wolf Lord that assaulted them for a few rounds keeping him out of the game.

I won Primary, Secondary and Slay the Warlord and First Blood. Rich got the Tertiary


Game 2 vs. Charles with Chaos Marines (Slaanesh)


Deployment: Dawn of War


Primary: 6 objectives scattered about 12 inches apart.

Secondary: Each fast and troop choice was worth 1 VP.

Tertiary: Destroy the most expensive unit.


He had 3 Rhinos, 2 Demolishers, 3 squads of 5 Noise Marines with the leader with the sonic flamer upgrade with a Lord with the Mark of Slaanesh, had a lighting claw and power fist I think, Aegis line with Quad gun, 10 men with two Sonic Blasters, 2 Hellbrutes, 1 with plasma and 1 with multi-melta, 1 Mauler and Helldrake (painted an amazing color of pink).


I took all 20 this game as the clock was ticking down and we was on turn 5 I had Screamers about to munch his last Vindicator, two Noise Marines was fighting 4 Plague Bearers, one Dread was in action too far away to do much. He gave the game to me as I had the objectives, the most expensive unit and more fast and troops than he had.


Great moments in the game:



  • Mauler runs through a building towards my unit and charges. Krak grenades fly from my squad and I get 3 or 4 6’s on Krak Grenades to Pen, sure all glances, he rolls his saves….*THUMP* something like from Starship Troopers when they tossed the grenades into the big bugs mouth!

Game 3 vs. Michael’s Tyranids


He had the heavy monster bug list with a flying Tyrant, two big bugs that spit out more gaunts, some token gaunts for troop choices also, the Doom in a Pod with the psychic power that mimics the Doom power (so thus double Dooming!), a Tyrant with guard, some Venomthorpes (for shield coverage) and some other odd and end shooters.


Deployment was: Vanguard on a nice city fight table. I took cover in a building and he spread out on his side.


Primary: Supply drop, deep strike objective tokens for a total of 6 starting on turn 2.


Secondary: Destroy the enemy. 1 VP per unit dead.


Tertiary: Control the Field of Battle (most terrain objectives)


This was again a brutal game, despite the heavy handed aspect of the list the worst part was the Doom that always seemed to have 10 wounds with the ability to double doom  units. I really think this should be FAQ’ed as while it is legal is really just bending the rules in a way that just makes this unit very broken for the points cost. This was a minor loss for me with a 9 to 11 score against Michael. He is a great guy to play against despite the heavy handed army build.


Game 4 was against Devin with his Dark Eldar/Eldar Mix


The list he had: Eldrad, Baron Sathonyx, Fire Dragons x6 with Crack shot and Tank Hunters with Exharch, Wraithguard x10 with Warlock (Conceal, Spirit Seer), Guardian Bike x3 (shuriken Cannon), Kalabite Warriors x5 (blaster), Venom with Night Shields and Splinter Cannon, Kalabite Warriors x10 with Blaster, Splinter Cannon, Raider with Night Shields and Disintegrator Cannon, Drive Avengers x5, Warp  Hunter with Shuriken Cannon (Forge World), Heavy Falcon with scatter laser and shuriken cannon, 3 heavy walkers with scatter lasers and shuriken cannon and Aegis line with Quad gun.


Deployment: Hammer and Anvil (bad for me)


Primary: Each unit worth 1 VP


Secondary: 2 Objectives, one in each deployment zone.


Tertiary: 1 Objective in center of table, each turn in control gives you 1 VP


This was just an ugly game and a very hyper-competitive army list. Devin was a great guy to play but this game was zero fun to watch him roll hordes of dice, rerolls and other tricks just smoking my army bit by bit as I can’t do a damm thing but sip a beer and take a beating. Oh well, by the end of the game I was all but tabled army wise and he had a clean sweep of 20 points and leaving me a big 0. Ironic he would take overall with this list, well you can see why.


Game 5 vs. Remey’s Necrons


Deployment: Vanguard


Primary: Objective in center, you can move it 6” max only…


Secondary: Table Quarters


Tertiary: Destroy units 1 VP each


He had:

4 Troop Transport flyers with min squads inside.

2 Large Wraith Units with 2 Lords with destroyer bodies with mind shackle scarabs and two Canoptek Tomb Stalkers.

This game started on a bad foot with my opponent being about 45 minutes late to the table due to oversleeping due to the daylight savings time change. In an attempt to not be a dick and tell him that the game was forfeit for being late we played. My mistake, I should have took the auto-win instead as the army was pure hyper-competitive, in my eyes if you are this competitive you can be on time. He was all nice about being late and wanted to buy me lunch which I didn’t want him to have that obligation for feeling like he was beating my ass and being late. I just hate the feeling someone feels obligated to do something.


This was a pure cluster fuck list as his troops are never at risk, you have to kill two monstrous creatures that are modeled the size of a ratling sniper (hrm, what part of monstrous did you miss?) and terrain ignoring wraiths and mind shackle crap to annoy you further. I was able to hold my own until the end, which by the time I killed the two big things the warriors are gabbing table quarters, the flyers are shooting the hell out of me and the wraiths are just hanging out in hand to hand killing things every turn.  Exciting game, yea…..I would put this down as the worst game of 5 and perhaps in the top 5 of my gaming lifetime.


 Again I lost 0 to 20 and in a twist of irony ended up facing the Eldar list from last turn and his list was shredded by the Eldar list (yea, I was shocked by this one, hehehhe). So, I was doing well until that point with what I consider a fairly solid list.


 Game 5 vs.  Reinaldo’s Tyranids


 Deployment: Dawn of War


 Primary: 3  objectives down the center of the table.


 Secondary: 1 VP per psyker


 Tertiary: objective in each deployment zone.


 He had a decent list, again the Doom was there and flying Tyrant with the bio-shotguns that lets him rolls a crapload of dice! There were two large bugs making more and a large swarm of Gargoyles as well as some other random things.


 This was just a fun game in general as neither of us was up for any of the big awards except maybe faction which even then both of us was in the hole slightly. We had a good game overall with some small rules issues. I managed to buckle down and shake the last game to take in 7 points and he got 2 in the end despite the pounding I took. The first Blood helped in early scoring while he had Linebreaker and neither of us could take the Primary or Tertiary, I did manage to down my psyker Nids that sealed the win.


 No major awards of any type were won by Chris or I but I did manage to score a bag of 20 Cadians (box was damaged and sponsor/vendor bagged the set and gave it away)! All in all, it was a decent weekend with only two bad games (even then the players was not bad just the type of armies they had). I think I would go back again next year, I will have to work on a solid list for next year to avoid the hyper-competitive lists from pounding me to muck. 

*Note Not sure what happened to the code here and where this white box came from but oh well, I spent some time trying to remove it and I don't care to retype it at this time.*

Crucibile Team Tournament Pictures

I have been lax in posting the reports and pictures I took at the event....at long last here they are! More to come later!

Chris talking with the Father and Son team from the first round.

Our Army

Early in the game. Dark Angels hold the line.

Chaos flanks the flanking Long Fangs in the building.

Double Trouble

Dual in the skies.

Chaos everywhere! FIRE!

Later that same game.

IG and Blood Angel generals!

the table

IG and Blood Angels advance.

IG and Demons!

Early in the game.

Dark Angels chase the horrors!

The aftermath!