Back to the game!

Wow! Life gets in the way. So, none of the aforementioned projects have seen much light in the last month or so. I am however excited to get back to playing...even if I do not have much time to build or paint new armies. Dusting of the Black Widows... possibly with the addition of Marneus Calgar and a speeder or so...

1500 point Black Widows

Bob (Marneus' cousin) Calgar

Tac Squad w/flamer, missile, PW (sgt)
Rhino

Tac Squad w/flamer, missile, PW (sgt)
Rhino

Tac Squad w/flamer, missile, PFist & MB (sgt)

Land Speeder w/multi-melta

Land Raider Redeemer w/multi-melta

Devastator Squad w/4 heavy bolters

Devastator Squad w/4 missile launchers

Simple, maybe mildly repetitive, but I like it. Tac squad 3 in the Land Raider Redeemer with Bob Calgar. Outflank with the speeder and use the rhinos for whatever seems most prudent.

Comments? Questions? Criticisms?

Delta (greek symbol delta intented) IG

Big changes with my IG army. After putting together just a few of the Forge World renegade militia, I have no interest in building the large army of them that I hope to own where IG is concerned. My IG army will just be Cadians as they are 1/2 the work to assemble. In addition, I have decided to just put together a 1500 point force so that I can get a few games in before April.

Most of these changes come on the wings of GW's official announcement about the Grey Knight's release. I have dabbled in owning a Demonhunters force for 12 years or so, and I think the release of plastic troop models that is forthcoming is the perfect opportunity to go ahead and invest more heavily in them. In fact, I believe that if the models are half as excellent as the kits GW put out for Dark Eldar and Blood Angels, this will turn out to be the only project on my table for the rest of 2011.

All of that being said, I will continue to post progress on my IG here. The list I will be building initially will be:

Lord Commissar w/power sword

5 x Vet Squad w/demolitions, 3 meltagun

5 x Vendetta w/heavy bolter sponsons

Ratling Snipers (7)

It is a simple and repetitive list, but is the Air Cav army that I intended when I bought 9 Valkyrie models. Photos of progress to come

Chaos Renegades All Comers?

Ok so as I discuss the Air Cav list with other players, the most common opinion is that it is lacking in the things that make IG a good army. I agree, in general, but still need to have something to work toward in order to sustain my motivation...so here is what I think makes for a good "all comers" IG list:

Company Command Squad w/4 meltas
Company Commander w/PW

Infantry Platoon
Platoon Command w/4 meltas
5 x Infantry Squad w/sniper rifle
3 x Heavy Weapons Squad w/3 autocannons
2 x Special Weapons Squad w/3 meltas

Veteran Squad w/demolitions, 3 meltas

Vendetta w/heavy bolters (vets)

Vendetta w/heavy bolters (special weapons)

Vendetta w/heavy bolters (special weapons)

Hydra

Hydra

Total: 1500 points

No vehicle squadrons, plenty of AT and plenty of anti-personnel. Most likely combine a couple of the infantry squads in objective based games and combine them all in kill point games.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of a sniper rifle in standard infantry squads. The second greatest thing that could happen to 10 guardsmen would be to put a unit "to ground" during the shooting phase...first being to wipe that unit out with no need to put them to ground. I know...w/a single BS3 shot...the likelihood is not there...but within the Imperial Guard, one must rely on the will of the Emperor to guide when it is necessary...besides, if one reads the IG Uplifting Primer...even our most feared enemies are not that tough...and none are likely to present much opposition. :)

As always, input is requested, comment is welcome and criticism will be taken under advisement.

Renegades mod 2!!

A second round of very minor tweaks. Thank you sonsoftaurus for your recommendations. I appreciate the help. I will have to pick up a few more models, but the list will look more like:

Company Command Squad w/meltagun
Company Commander w/power weapon, plasma pistol

Infantry platoon
Platoon Command w/meltagun
2 x Infantry Squad w/meltagun

Infantry platoon
Platoon Command w/meltagun
2 x Infantry Squad w/meltagun

Infantry platoon
Platoon Command
2 x Infantry Squad

Vendetta

3 x Vendetta w/heavy bolter door gunners

3 x Vendetta w/heavy bolter door gunners

Only need to close the doors on one Vendetta to fit a 3rd platoon of infantry in place of the conscripts. Should be a very positive change to the list. Agree or disagree...input is always welcome.

BTW, got a couple of squads built and the first Vendetta hull constructed. Pictures soon.

First modification of Chaos Renegades?!

Ok. I am thinking that the all Vendetta list is very single minded. So I am going to work on getting to 1500 points first and go from there.

Company Command Squad w/meltagun
Company Commander w/power weapon, plasma pistol
Infantry platoon
Platoon Command w/meltagun

2 x Infantry Squad w/meltagun

30 Conscripts

Infantry platoon
Platoon Command w/meltagun

2 x Infantry Squad w/meltagun

Vendetta w/heavy bolter door gunners

3 x Vendetta w/heavy bolter door gunners

3 x Vendetta w/heavy bolter door gunners

From here, I would like to add a heavy choices..,perhaps a Hydra, a Manticore and some Russ variant?

Chaos Renegade Air Cav!!!

This is my next project. I do not like my current Imperial Guard army. I have been sitting on these guys for a year or so. I think during my winter break from Kent State U. I will get to work on this army. I would like to get the troops built and perhaps get the hulls built for the Vendettas (I have conversion kits for all 9 Valkyries) so that I can get the interiors painted. If I build it just as is, it is definitely just a veteran air cav list. I would like to make it more rounded in the long run.

In any case, the current list is ~2500 pts

Company Command Squad w/plasmagun (chaos renegade militia command)

2 X 5 man Stormtrooper Squad w/2 meltaguns each (chaos militia enforcers)

6 X Veteran Squad w/demolitions and 3 meltaguns each (renegade militia)

9 Vendettas w/various upgrades

It can also be played with Valkyries (magnetized)

I am very aware that this is not the most varied or imaginative list...I plan to add a variety of options for regular play. I am torn on whether to give heavy bolter door gunners to all of them.

The baneblade kit on top is going to get painted to match this army and makes my 8th Baneblade/Shadowsword kit. I also own a vulcan megabolter Macharius (the Streetsweeper), which I like to pair with my Stormlord, and a Valdor (the Yamato).

Suggestions for additions to the army are more than welcome as well as commentary/criticism both of the list and the modeling/painting as I work on it.

Weapons of Ultramarines the Movie!

In the Ultramarines movie, the squad, and even the captain, are equipped with basic and iconic weaponry from the space marine armory: bolters, a flamer, a heavy bolter...a bolter and chainsword even for the captain. I love these weapon choices for the Ultramarine movie for several reasons.


1. The bulk of the squad is recently promoted from scouts. Scouts are generally experienced with bolters and bolt pistols as well as either a missile launcher or heavy bolter. The heavy bolter is an obvious choice for this new squad.

2. The mission is to investigate an ancient and holy shrine. Expecting that something may be wrong within the shrine, there is no reason to take the biggest and most "explody" weapons in the arsenal. After all, the desired outcome of the mission at first glance would be to clear any problems and leave the shrine intact.

3. Fluff about the space marines is very clear about standard issue equipment. The flamer and the heavy bolter (or missile launcher) are the standards. Just because the game mechanics of the current edition cause players to spam rarer and more revered weapons in order to get an upper hand on the tabletop does not mean that these weapons (meltagun/plasmagun) are not the rare and holy relics that the fluff states them to be. The thunder hammer in the film is treated with the honor and respect I would hope that the rarer firearms might be.

I would love to see more films about the 40k universe by Relic. Their attention to the details and near flawless development of the background for this film make them the obvious choice for any future feature film endeavors. If you have not done so yet, go out and get yourself a copy of Ultramarines.