The following is the list which I am planning to run. It makes good use of the models which I have painted (or almost completely painted). It will allow for some fun game play while I get up to speed. Please let me know what you think.
In my current attempt to get my Angels Sanguine army inside regs with the current Blood Angels Codex, I have the beginnings of an Honor Guard. Here you will see one Sanguinary Novitiate and two Honor Guard Marines. The Marines are awaiting their meltaguns. The Novitiate awaits a left arm with chainsword. I fully expect these to come in this week from a GW internet order.
I have a decision to make about the Honor Guard: I will either run 4
meltaguns or 3 meltaguns and 1 flamer. Let me know what you think. I
will run the Honor Guard with Dante in Reserve. They will drop in blast
mech with the meltaguns and infernus pistol via Tactical Precision. The
purpose behind the flamer would obviously be to soften up infantry for
the assault. I have yet to make a final decision on this one. Let me
know what you think. Is the flamer worth putting in this unit for versatility, or is the greater benefit having 5 Melta shots instead of 4? A little note about the modeling: this Honor Guard was modeled and wargear chosen under the previous codex. As a result, I had to pop off some arms and weapons, etc. to make room for the meltaguns.
As these models never made it beyond priming in my first Blood Angels / Angels Sanguine army, I was able to easily put on the CD plastic for the Urban Bases. This makes me laugh a little, because Dante has the original sand bases which I made. Dante will be the 'odd man out' when I finish the Honor Guard with urban bases.
On another note, I rode around looking for 3 separate GW Independent Retailers that are located within a 20 minute drive from home. I did this in an attempt to find a place to play some 40k. My trip had the following results: One store is a toy store which has a small selection of GW models and starter paint sets. Another had the GPS leading me to an overgrown field under an Autostrade overpass. I couldn't find the store anywhere. However, I had the address in the GPS correctly. The third has a bit of promise. They were not open when I arrived, and there were no hours posted. However, the sign and exterior looks like a place which is still in business and a place where games are actually played. I will attempt to make contact with place again. Mean while, I am still searching for anyone who plays 40k.
The next installment in the Vanguard Veteran Squad WIP. I have completed the painting. The only thing left to do is put on the clear coat.
As these are the first models I have painted since an 18 month break from the hobby, I have lost a bit of dexterity. Some of my brush strokes, highlighting, etc. was not at the same standard as before. However, with a bit more practice, things will come back together.
I have the Honor Guard lined up next. However, I need to outfit them a bit differently considering that the codex has changed since the last time I put all the war gear on the models. My intention is to play a Descent of Angels list. So, I will put Meltaguns on the Honor Guard.
A jump pack list will get me up and running quickly. I can play this
list and enjoy it greatly, while I slowly replace the Mech which was
stolen from me. Hope you enjoy the pics.
I placed an order with GW today. Assault Marines, Meltaguns, Jump Packs, Priests, and Chaplains!
I promised some photos of the Vanguard Veteran Squad, and I have delivered. I have a few details to finish on the bases. Also, I have not begun to paint the Jump Packs yet.
As you can see, they have urban bases. Just before my break from the hobby, I had begun switching the Angels Sanguine army over to the urban bases made from CD case plastic. Parts of the army still require re-basing.
An interesting note: concerning the urban base. I could not remember
exactly how I had painted them. You should be able to sympathize. After
all, it has been at least a year and a half since I painted the 'test
case' bases. Fortunately, I had blogged about the bases. So, I looked
here on the "Pitched Battle" under the label WIP and found instructions
for how to paint my bases.
I picked up where I left off about 18 months back: painting a squad of Vanguard Veterans. When I started painting them, they were Veteran Assault Squads under the previous codex. Now they are Vanguard Veterans under the current codex.
I realize that the 'new' Blood Angels Codex is probably not 'new' to anyone else. As I just purchased it last week, it is new to me. My mind is filled with all sorts of ideas about new builds for my Angels Sanguine army.
Nevertheless, I fully expect to have this squad of veterans completed in another couple of days. I have posted a picture here of the test model I painted before my break from the hobby. I will post pictures of the completed squad as I finish.
Galaxy in Flames was a great read. But more importantly, this read had the important side effect for which I had hoped. It has brought me out of the shell of disgust back to our beloved hobby.
I am in the market for a new table/desk to set up my 40k work/paint station. On a side note, my old table now hosts an herb garden on the larger of our two balconies. I will buy a table tomorrow and get all my paints set up.
Also, I ordered a copy of the Blood Angels Codex. I am going to finish painting some of the Marines I have while I wait for the Codex to arrive. I have to spend some time figuring out the changes from the last time I played before I start spending any money on models.
I looked on the internet and found some independent retailers here just North of Bella Napoli. Hopefully, I will be able to scare up a game before too much time passes.
It has been a while, roughly 18 months (I think?). Let me explain what happened:
We moved to Italy, and I was awaiting the arrival of all our stuff in a giant shipment. When it arrived, I was looking for all my models and hobby stuff. Everything arrived except for my tanks. I was blown away. Every single tank that I own Space Marine and Imperial Guard was not in the shipment. I had some folks back home check into whether they could have been left behind. I searched to through everything here. We had put nothing in long term storage.
No, someone who works for the moving company decided they wanted my tanks. My rhinos, landraider, leman russes, devastators, baneblade, basilisk, griffon. Every single tank.
As a result, I was devastated. I did not want to see my armies. They have been sitting in their travel boxes. I haven't modeled anything. I haven't painted, and I haven't played since this tragic loss.
In an attempt to raise my 40k spirits, I bought Galaxy in Flames from Black Library. We shall see if helps me come back to the game.
I apologize to anyone and everyone who reads or follows my blog for the silence over the last several months. Please allow me to explain:
I have been commissioned an officer in the United States Navy, a Chaplain to be more specific. I spent the majority of 2009 working and applying to receive this commission. I was commissioned on 14 DEC 09. As a result, I have been in the training pipeline since 02 JAN 10. Most of that time, I was restricted from internet access. Furthermore, anytime that I did have access to the internet, I had no time for our beloved hobby.
Nevertheless, I deeply apologize for not making an announcement before the long period of silence.
On that note, does anyone know any good places to play 40k in Italy? I will be here for the next 3 years . . .
I received a notification from GW in the email inbox today. It proclaimed the pre-order availability of Tyranid models and codex.
I must say, that I have always liked the Tyranids. Obviously, I haven't liked them enough to play. What I mean is I like their place in the 40k game and fluff. I really think we need the Tyranids. They are a great enemy for the Empire of Man (and the other Xenos for that matter).
I have tried on several occasions to talk my wife into collecting and playing Tyranids. She assures me that if and when she collects a 40k army, it will be Eldar.
I am glad to see the Tyranids getting a new Codex, and what appears to be some really great models and new additions to the force. Maybe I will start collecting some 'bugs' one day. . . .
This is the Battle Company Build, or Mass of Marines, list I was referring to in a previous post.
This battle report is for the Aftermath Campaign. This battle takes place on the surface of the planet Prox. Lord Sentikan, sensing that his marines have turned the tide of the Ork Waaagh, presses the attack to drive from the planet surface.
Marshall Malgrim and I had an opportunity to play a second game this weekend, as he had Monday off from work. Following our last game, he adjusted his list slightly. He wanted to try out Razorbacks instead of the Rhinos. As my memory serves, the list was as follows:
-Marshall and 7 Terminators, 4 Lightning Claws and 4 Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield in a Land Raider Crusader
-9 Assault Marines
-5 Tactical Marines with Missile Launcher and Plasma Gun in a Lascannon Razorback
-5 Tactical Marines with Lascannon and Meltagun in a Heavy Bolter Razorback
-Emperor’s Champion and 4 or 5 Crusaders in a Lascannon Razorback.
-Shooty Dreadnought, Lascannon and Missile Launcher
I changed my list. I had been playing with the same list, practicing for tournaments and the like. So, I decided that I would change it up. Run something for fun. I wanted to run Jump Packs. I knew I would need some firepower, and every Marine list needs some Tactical Marines. So, I ran the following
HQ
-Dante
-Lemartes
Elites
-Death Company with Jump Packs
-Furioso Dreadnought, Death Company, Heavy Flamer, Extra Armor
-Veteran Assault Squad, 3 Power Weapons, 2 Meltabombs
-Veteran Assault Squad, Powerfist and Storm Shield, 2 Powerweapons, 1 Meltabomb
Troops
-Assault Squad, Powerfist
-Assault Squad, Powersword
-Assault Squad, Poweraxe
-Tactical Squad, 10 men, Meltagun and Missile Launcher
Heavy Support
-Devastator Squad, 2 Lascannons, 2 Plasma Cannons
1850 points
Capture and Control
Spearhead
Malgrim won the roll-off and gave me 1st turn. I chose my deployment quadrant. Then it hit me. I had never run a list like this one. I had not done any research. I had no idea what to do tactically. I came up with a plan. I put everything with a jump pack, and Furioso, as close to the enemy as possible. Behind them, I placed a combat squad of Tactical Marines: Vet Sgt., 3 Marines, and Meltagun. I placed to other combat squad on my objective in the ruined building: Missile Launcher and 4 Marines. Also, I placed the Devastator Squad in the ruined building.
Malgrim deployed his Heavy Bolter Razorback on his objective. He placed his Land Raider in a position to launch a first turn assault on my jump packers as I came across the table. He bracketed the rear of the Land Raider with Lascannon Razorback.
Top of 1: I had no plan except to Jump and run until I could get everything close enough to assault. So, I jumped forward. I anticipated Malgrim driving around the wooded hill and trying to assault as many units as possible with his Terminators. I expected him to do this, because he has bad luck rolling difficult terrain tests for his tanks. Since he generally immobilizes the tank, he drives around if possible. Knowing this, I lined my left flank with Veteran Assault Squaders. I figured they had the best opportunity survive and perhaps deal some wounds as they died.I fired the Missile Launcher and Devastators at the Emperor’s Champion razorback. They destroyed the Razorback with a Vehicle Explosion which killed two crusaders.
Bottom of 1: Malgrim did the unthinkable, the unpredictable. He decided to drive through wooded hill in order to assault multiple units with his Terminators. He picked up the die and rolled it for difficult terrain. We both watched with anticipation as the die rolled around. The result: 1. The Land Raider immobilized while trying to enter the woods. We both laughed out loud. Then I apologized for laughing at his misfortune. He said, “No, don’t apologize. Watch this. I am pretending to roll for vehicle difficult terrain test.” He picked up another die, rolled it resulting in a 1. He unloaded the Terminators and declared his Assault. He was in range of one Veteran Assault Squad, but was unable to engage multiple squads. He destroyed the five Veterans, but my veterans took one Terminator with them. Heavy Bolter Razorback fired on the Death Company, power armor saved them. The Lascannon Razorback fired on the Devastators. Cover saved them. Land Raider fired on the Assault Squad which Dante had joined. It killed one marine.
Top of 2: I surrounded the Terminators and assaulted them with everything except the Meltagun combat squad: Lemartes and DC, Furioso, Dante and 3 Assault Squads, and a Veteran Assault Squad. It was an assault of epic proportions. Two terminators lasted through the Assault. Missile Launcher fired on the Lascannon Razorback, crew shaken was the result. Devastors destroyed the shooty Dreadnought.
Bottom of 2: The Emperor’s Champion squad did not join the assault. The assault raged on in the middle of the table. I managed to wipe out the remaining terminators, and consolidated forward.
Top of 3: Following the Assault with the Terminators, I had the following remaining: Lemartes and 5 DC, Furioso, Vet Sgt and 1 Assault Marine, 1 Assault Marine Vet Sgt, Dante and 1 Assault Marine Vet Sgt, and 1 five man Veteran Assualt Squad. Lemartes and DC fire on and Assault the Emperor’s Champion and Crusaders. Lemartes and the Emperor’s Champion kill each other in single combat. The DC wiped out the Crusaders. Furioso fires on and Assaults the Land Raider destroying the Assault Cannon. Dante jumps forward fires on and assaults the Heavy Bolter Razorback. I missed shooting the perdition pistol, and I chose to use a Krak grenade failing to penetrate. Veteran Assault Squad assaulted the LascannonRazorback, wrecking the vehicle. Since Lemartes was now dead, I had no one to direct the DC and DC Dreadnought. So, I knew that I needed to finish off that Land Raider. It was the closest enemy unit to them. So, Missile Launcher and Devastators fired into the Land Raider.
Bottom of 3: Reserve rolls turned up Malgrim’s Assault Squad. They used deep strike to make an attempt at contesting my objective. They landed close to the ruins and fired on the Devastator squad. Power armor and cover saves were successful. A Hurricane Bolter from the Land Raider and the Heavy Bolter from the Razorback had a devastating effect on the Veteran Assault Marines wiping out the squad. The Tacticals from inside the most recently destroyed Lascannon Razorback assaulted my Powerfist Sgt who was trying to help finish off the Land Raider. Power fist Sgt killed two Templars and made his saves. He won the assault by two. The tactical failed their leadership test and took two more wounds, failing the save on one of them. So Powerfist Sgt effectively killed 3 Templar Tacticals in one round of combat with 2 attacks. I was impressed. Tacticals unloaded from the Heavy Bolter Razorback. They fired on and assaulted Dante.When the dust settled, Dante was locked in combat with two Templar Tacticals.
Top of 4: Malgrims plasma pistol had been in range of the Devastators. So, I moved my Tacticals from the objective over to the edge of the ruin in order to take advantage of Rapid Fire Boltguns. The true damage was done by the Devastators. They lived up to their names when the Plasma Cannons were leveled on those tightly packed Assault Marines. 9 wounds from the Plasma Cannons which denied armor saved. The Assault Marines were no more. Powerfist Sgt and the two remaining Templar Tacticals continued their assault. When the dust settled, all were dead. The Templar Tactical Marine with a Powerfist and my Powerfist Sgt and destroyed each other (and the other Templar Tactical). Dante killed the two Tacticals he was locked in assault with. I jumped two Assault Marines over who assaulted and wrecked the Heavy Bolter Razorback. Furioso and the DC continued to bash away at the Land Raider (DC was not strong enough to accomplish anything, even with rending). Also, the Tactical Combat Squad Meltagun fired on the Land Raider. All of this managed to destroy the last remaining Hurricane Bolter.
We looked at the table and realized that there was nothing Malgrim could do. All he had left was an Immobilized Land Raider without any weapons. Game over after the top of turn 4.
My analysis: We must be fair and honest about the whole ordeal. I did not draw this list up in order to table my opponent. I just wanted to play a mass of jump packers for fun. I had no idea that the game would turn out like this until I had destroyed the Terminators in turn 2.
I attribute the success of the list to the following: Our local group has been following the Mechanized trend. With each army getting more and more mechanized, we have been taking more and more anti-mech heavy and special weaponry. When I throw down an army with no vehicles, then all that anti-mech weaponry becomes a big waste of points. Furthermore, Malgrim is still learning his army and broadening his tactics. He had never faced a Mass of Marines or Battle Company Build before. Next time, I will warn him ahead of time. I feel like it was a dirty trick to play. However, I did not know that it was a dirty trick until I had already played it.
Marshal Malgrim is a fine sport, and he chalked it up as a learning experience. So, in the interest of learning I would like to pose a question. Is this type of list an answer to the current metagame? Is this how we respond to IG’s Chimelta and the increasing amounts of Mech and Melta? Your comments are always appreciated.
The following is the list which I am planning to run. It makes good use of the models which I have painted (or almost completely painted). It will allow for some fun game play while I get up to speed. Please let me know what you think.
