Land Raider #2 WIP: In the Beginning

I have started on Land Raider number 2. This one is the standard configuration: Twin-Linked Lascannon Sponsons and the Twin-Linked Heavy Bolters.

The end goal is that my Angels Sanguine force will have 4 Land Raiders at its disposal. I have actually worked up a list at 1850 points which uses all 4 Land Raiders, Mephiston, and some Termies. It should be a lot of fun. Of course that list has 3 bare-bones 5 man assault squads in Land Raiders for objective grabs.

I have a question for you all:
What is the name for this pattern of Land Raider? I have often heard it referred to as 'godhammer.' However, I think that this is actually the name of the twin-linked lascannon style attached to this Land Raider. Someone once told me that he thought it was called 'Phobos.' If you know about such things, please share your knowledge.

-Ciao

WIP Complete: Sanguinary Priest in Terminator Armor and Land Raider Crusader

I have been slacking on the photographs of some finished projects. So, here they are. I couldn't get the lighting quite right on some of the photos.

Thanks for viewing, and your comments are welcome.

Monday's Game at the Club

I just returned home from gaming at the club. This week, I dusted off my old Imperial Guard models. One of the young gentlemen at the club who plays IG asked me to bring my old guardsmen. He wanted to look at all my aging models (circa 1997).

Naturally, he wasn't there this week. As all my tanks were stolen a couple years back, I ran a foot guard list. I had prepared a 1500 point list. As I squared off against orks, we decided to cut the lists back to 1000 points in order to make the 2 hour time limit a bit easier. This was a very friendly game.

I ran a Company Command Squad, 2 Infantry Platoons, and 5 Ogryn. I blobbed up the infantry: 40 man blob with Commissar and a 30 man blob with Commissar. I had one heavy weapon squad with 2 Heavy Bolters and an Autocannon. In my blob squads, I had a total of 3 Heavy Bolters, 2 Autocannons, and 1 Missile Launcher.

My opponent was foot slogging Orks.

The mission was Annihilation in a Dawn of War deployment.

The deployment type favored the guard list. I was able to stand at the table edge and shoot. I utilized 'First Rank, Fire! Second Rank, Fire!" All the Sgt's and Commanders and Commissars had Power Weapons. So, I was able to dish out enough shooting and close combat wounds to carry the day.

It should be noted that by the end of the game, my 40 man blob squad consisted of 1 Commissar and 4 Sgt models. The matching Platoon Command Squad consisted of the Platoon Commander and the Platoon Standard Bearer.

I won the game 4 (give or take) kps to 0 kps. We had a lot of fun rolling a bunch of dice.

It is unfortunate that the young man who wanted to see my Old IG wasn't there, because I do not want to play with that many models ever again!!! Yeah, I remembered one of the reasons why I prefer elite forces to hordish types. I had something like 98 models at 1000 points. There ought to be a law against such!

Sanguinary Priest in Terminator Armor WIP: All but the Base

 I am nearing completion of these two Terminators. The Sanguinary Priest in Terminator Armor is finished with the exception of painting his base.

I have a few details left before I can say the same about his Thunder Hammer buddy.

Here are the pictures, and your comments are welcomed. I like these mini's, and I have enjoyed putting them together and painting them. However, I will be glad to move on to the next project.

Monday's Game at the Club

 I played in a 1500 point game against a combined force. My opponents: 750 Vanilla Space Marines and 750 Imperial Guard.

I ran the following list for fun:
-Reclusiarch in Terminator Armor
-Honor Guard with 4 Meltaguns
-Terminator Assault Squad with 4 Lightening Claws and 1 Thunder Hammer in a Land Raider Crusader (joined by the Reclusiarch).
-2x Assault Squad (5 man bare-bones)
-3x Baal Predator with Heavy Bolter Sponsons and Pintle Storm Bolter.


Mission: Capture and Control
Deployment: Dawn of War

I really had a blast playing this week against to really great sports. They are still learning the game, and I spent some time teaching throughout the game about basic game mechanics, good 40k/table top etiquette, and having a plan for the battle. All this teaching meant that we had to call the game after turn 4, as the 2 hours for the after-school club had expired.

The game ended in a draw, but I know the exact reason for this end. I was tempted into putting my Assault Marines into the assault instead of putting one unit on my objective.

The after game analysis teaches a lesson. Don't give up on your plan for any reason. I planned on fighting the battle with everything except for my Assault Marines. I reserved those Marines in order to protect them from fire and bring on later for objective grabs. However, I was having so much success in killing in the early game. When I made my reserve rolls, I dropped my Assault Marines in on the opponents side of the table to join the battle. The result: when the game was called, I controlled no objective. My opponents controlled none as a result of the killing.

Nevertheless, it was a light and fun game. As usual, I was not pressing hard because this was the teaching environment. Yet, I thought we could all learn (or be reinforced in our good practices) by a little post game analysis.

Do not give up on your plan for any reason. We would each do well to start with a plan and stick to that plan. Pay attention to the mission objectives, and work early enough to put yourself in a position to win the game.

Sanguinary Priest in Terminator Armor WIP

 I promised you pictures of my current project. So, here is my Sanguinary Priest in Terminator armor. I also have another Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield Terminator. The addition of these two will make 8 Terminators to roll out in my new Crusader.

When I started this Sanguinary Priest, I wanted him to look special amongst the rest of the Terminators. Furthermore, there was some minor converting involved as no model currently exists for this style of Sanguinary Priest.

I used a blood talon, part of a metal scroll, and the butt-end of a skeletal warrior's spear to make the Narthecium. I attached a power armor fist which was originally holding a plasma pistol. In this hand I placed a Blood Chalice made from a Melta Bomb which was cut down to the appropriate size. For his power weapon, I decided to attach a power sword to the handle, and arm, of a thunder hammer. All in all, I am pleased with how the model turned out.

When came to painting, I still wanted to make him stand out. So, I decided to add a bit more white than I did with my power armor priests. Also, I put some free hand on. Nevertheless, I decided to do one more thing to make his stand out. I added a back banner.

"What's so special about a back banner?" you might ask. Well, no other model or unit in this entire army has a banner. I made the "no banners" decision when I started this army, and I have stuck it out.

So when I was trying to determine how to make a Sanguinary Priest who had attained Terminator Honors, etc., stand out, he must carry a banner. The banner will help demonstrate how honored and respected is his position inside the chapter.

Thanks for reading, and your comments are welcome.

Monday's Game at the Club: Terminator Tactics

 I volunteer with an after-school program over at the High School called the Sci-Fi Club. All gaming and Sci-Fi related stuff is welcome. There are around a dozen up-and-coming 40k gamers who attend. They are at various stages of collecting armies. Any given week, they are scattered between modeling, painting, or playing at the club.

I have been playing each week in various capacities (either solo games or partnering with students). My goal is to teach them the basic rules, help them with codex specific rules, increase tactical and strategic thinking in game, and encourage sportsmanship. On top of that, I get to have fun.

This past week, I joined forces with a Black Templar player in a game against an Imperial Guard player. The young man playing the Imperial Guard is the oldest playing and a bit more advanced in most aspects of the game.


 BT and I split the Force Organization Chart. I threw Assault Termies (1 Thunder Hammer and 4 Lightning Claws), 1 Reclusiarch in Terminator Armor, and a basic Sanguinary Priest in my new Land Raider Crusader. BT brought everything else in the army.

My goal was to demonstrate the value of Mechanized Transport on the table-top. I believe that it worked.

In a Dawn of War situation, I was able to roll on the table at cruising speed, using Power of the Machine Spirit to fire the Multi-Melta on a Leman Russ, and deposit my Terminators into a platoon on Turn 3. This was despite attracting Battle Cannon and Manticore fire while in transit.

Near the end of the game, the following was said (and I quote), "I am beginning to see the value of using Transports."

I would like to add a bit of general Blood Angel terminator tactics. I understand the temptation to run a lot of TH/SS like all the other marines do.

I submit that our codex makes Lightning Claws the stronger option. I would like to qualify that statement by saying that you should sprinkle in some Hammertime to increase survivability. I will let you decide the perfect ratio of LCs to TH/SSs in your unit. I like 4 LCs with 1 TH/SS.

Ok, back to the Lightning Claws: Lightning Claws Terminators used in conjunction with a Sanguinary Priest make an outstanding combination. Furious Charge grants that the LCs are going off on Initiative 5 and Strength 5. We already have a veteran statline. Throw in the Chaplain, and I get the following from my 4 LC termies: 16 attacks at Initiative 5 which re-roll to hit and re-roll to wound (Strength 5) while ignoring armor saves.  It is pretty devastating.

In yesterdays game, they inflicted 15 wounds off their 16 attacks on a 25 man blob squad. Throw in the Reclusiarch's attacks, and Sgt Hammertime was lucky that anything was left to hit.

In a previous game a couple of weeks back, I went head to head with an opponents Terminators. 5 on 5. His 5 Hammers versus my configuration of 4 LC and 1 TH. Bear in mind that this was without a Sanguinary Priest or Chaplain. My LC termies killed 4 of his TH termies at initiative 4 prior to the hammers ever attempting to strike a blow.

So, put a Sanguinary Priest and Chaplain in a unit with Lightning Claw Terminators, and you will not be disappointed. Remember to sprinkle in the appropriate amount of Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield Terminators to increase survivability. Try it, you'll like it!

As a matter of fact, I have been putting together a Sanguinary Priest in Terminator Armor and another TH/SS Termie in order to fill up my Crusader.

I owe you some finished photos of the Crusader. Also, I will post photos of the Sanguinary Priest in Terminator Armor in the future.

Thanks for viewing and reading, your comments are always welcome.

Land Raider Crusader WIP: Nearing Completion

 Here are some progress photos. I am nearing the point where you add the battle damage. I paint the entire tank to the 'finished' stage, or 'showroom floor' stage, before adding the battle damage. For the best effect, a model should be painted exactly as it would look finished and was not going to have battle damage. If you try to cut corners by skipping stages of painting to get the battle damage in quicker, then the effect will not be nearly as convincing to the viewer's eye.

Hey, I took several more pictures, but they all came out blurry. So, I deleted them, and you will have to wait to see those angles.

Thanks for viewing. As always, your comments are welcome.