Caliban's Twilight

After completing my Deathwing, I've realised that I want to paint something a bit different to infantry, and decided to get at least one vehicle done. Looking through my box of things to paint, I decided to paint up my Darkshroud, which I've named 'Caliban's Twilight'. I know the model got a lot of flak from the internet for looking clunky and asymmetrical, but I think that adds to the charm. It looks like a relic, something that shouldn't be possible and yet is, and isn't that part of what 40K is about? It's had a subtle highlight of Eshin Grey, and then been washed after with Nuln Oil to tie the highlight in. Shouldn't take long to do, and will fit in nicely I think. I've done the base already, using Astrogranite, and topped off with Scorched Grass and snow flock.

I played Gandy in the week in the Nerd League, and, to be blunt, got hammered. I had one Deathwing Terminator left by the end. Both myself and Gandy came to the conclusion that I hadn't really played badly, but for some reason it all just swung his way. I'm certain the list itself is sound, but I can't quite make it work for me at the moment. More practice needed! Danny and Pootank went head to head, and by turn 3 Pootank's Space Wolves were begging for mercy. Danny's Tau list is a hard one to beat, and Tau can just hurl out the firepower. I had a go at making a list, and came up with this.

1500 Pts - Tau Empire Roster

HQ: Ethereal (1#, 50 pts)

   1 Ethereal, 50 pts ((C:TE, pg. 35, iPad, pg. 58).; Infantry (Character); Failure is Not An Option; Independent Character; Invocation of the Elements; Stubborn)

HQ: Commander (2#, 167 pts)

   1 Commander, 167 pts ((C:TE, pg. 34, iPad, pg. 57).; Infantry (Jetpack, Character); Crisis Battlesuit; Missile Pod x2; Blacksun Filter; Multi-Tracker; Puretide Engram Neurochip; XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit; Independent Character; Night Vision; Supporting Fire; Very Bulky; Warlord)

      1 Shield Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Shield Generator; Supporting Fire)

Elite: XV8 Crisis Team (6#, 192 pts)

   1 XV8 Crisis Team, 192 pts ((C:TE, pg. 40-41, iPad, pg. 64-65).)

      1 Crisis Shas'ui ((C:TE, pg. 40-41, iPad, pg. 64-65).; Infantry (Jetpack); Crisis Battlesuit; Missile Pod x2; Blacksun Filter; Multi-Tracker; Night Vision; Supporting Fire; Very Bulky)

         1 Shield Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Shield Generator; Supporting Fire)

      1 Crisis Shas'ui ((C:TE, pg. 40-41, iPad, pg. 64-65).; Infantry (Jetpack); Crisis Battlesuit; Missile Pod x2; Blacksun Filter; Multi-Tracker; Night Vision; Supporting Fire; Very Bulky)

         1 Shield Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Shield Generator; Supporting Fire)

      1 Crisis Shas'ui ((C:TE, pg. 40-41, iPad, pg. 64-65).; Infantry (Jetpack); Crisis Battlesuit; Fusion Blaster x1; Missile Pod x1; Blacksun Filter; Multi-Tracker; Night Vision; Supporting Fire; Very Bulky)

         1 Shield Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Shield Generator; Supporting Fire)

Elite: XV104 Riptide (1#, 185 pts)

   1 XV104 Riptide, 185 pts ((C:TE, pg. 45 & 100); Nova Reactor; Jet Pack Monstrous Creature; XV104 Riptide Battlesuit; Twin Linked Smart Missile System; Ion Accelerator; Blacksun Filter; Multi-Tracker; Riptide Shield Generator; Night Vision; Supporting Fire)

Troops: Fire Warrior Team (12#, 108 pts)

   1 Fire Warrior Team, 108 pts ((C:TE, pg. 37, iPad, pg. 60).)

      12 Fire Warriors (Infantry; Combat Armour; Pulse Rifle x12; Photon Grenade; Supporting Fire)

Troops: Fire Warrior Team (12#, 108 pts)

   1 Fire Warrior Team, 108 pts ((C:TE, pg. 37, iPad, pg. 60).)

      12 Fire Warriors (Infantry; Combat Armour; Pulse Rifle x12; Photon Grenade; Supporting Fire)

Troops: Fire Warrior Team (12#, 108 pts)

   1 Fire Warrior Team, 108 pts ((C:TE, pg. 37, iPad, pg. 60).)

      12 Fire Warriors (Infantry; Combat Armour; Pulse Rifle x12; Photon Grenade; Supporting Fire)

Troops: Kroot Carnivore Squad (15#, 90 pts)

   1 Kroot Carnivore Squad, 90 pts ((C:TE, pg. 53 & 99))

      15 Kroot ((C:TE, pg. 37); Infantry; Kroot Armour; Kroot Rifle x15; Infiltrate; Move Through Cover; Stealth (Forests))

Fast Attack: Pathfinder Team (5#, 55 pts)

   1 Pathfinder Team, 55 pts ((C:TE, pg. 38, iPad, pg. 61-62))

      5 Pathfinders ((C:TE, pg. 38, iPad, pg. 61-62); Infantry; Photon Grenade; Recon Armour; Markerlight x5; Pulse Carbine x5; Scouts; Supporting Fire)

Fast Attack: Pathfinder Team (5#, 55 pts)

   1 Pathfinder Team, 55 pts ((C:TE, pg. 38, iPad, pg. 61-62))

      5 Pathfinders ((C:TE, pg. 38, iPad, pg. 61-62); Infantry; Photon Grenade; Recon Armour; Markerlight x5; Pulse Carbine x5; Scouts; Supporting Fire)

Fast Attack: Pathfinder Team (5#, 55 pts)

   1 Pathfinder Team, 55 pts ((C:TE, pg. 38, iPad, pg. 61-62))

      5 Pathfinders ((C:TE, pg. 38, iPad, pg. 61-62); Infantry; Photon Grenade; Recon Armour; Markerlight x5; Pulse Carbine x5; Scouts; Supporting Fire)

Heavy Support: Hammerhead Gunship (1#, 146 pts)

   1 Hammerhead Gunship, 146 pts ((C:TE, pg. 50, iPad, pg. 76); Vehicle (Skimmer, Tank); Twin Linked Smart Missile System; Railgun with solid shot; Submunition Rounds; Blacksun Filter; Disruption Pod; Jink; Night Vision)

Heavy Support: XV88 Broadside Team (6#, 178 pts)

   1 XV88 Broadside Team, 178 pts ((C:TE, pg. 42, iPad, pg. 66).)

      1 Broadside Shas'ui ((C:TE, pg. 42, iPad, pg. 66).; Infantry; Broadside Battlesuit; Twin Linked Heavy Rail Rifle; Twin Linked Smart Missile System; Blacksun Filter; Multi-Tracker; Extremely Bulky; Night Vision; Supporting Fire)

         1 Missile Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Missile Pod; Supporting Fire)

         1 Missile Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Missile Pod; Supporting Fire)

      1 Broadside Shas'ui ((C:TE, pg. 42, iPad, pg. 66).; Infantry; Broadside Battlesuit; Twin Linked Heavy Rail Rifle; Twin Linked Smart Missile System; Blacksun Filter; Multi-Tracker; Extremely Bulky; Night Vision; Supporting Fire)

         1 Missile Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Missile Pod; Supporting Fire)

         1 Missile Drone (Infantry (Jetpack); Missile Pod; Supporting Fire)

It's obviously not the most optimised list, but it's something I'd like to build and play with eventually. I really like how Tau look and play, but at the moment I really want to concentrate on the Dark Angels. Maybe next year?

Squad Sahrael complete. Nerd League results.

Well, this has taken about a month longer than I hoped or cared for, but finally, Squad Sahrael of the Sixth Company is finished after I tidy the bases!  Nothing else to add, except I won't be painting any Tactical marines for a while (I wish, I have at least two more squads I need to do), In the background you can see that my Deathwing squad have had their Seraphim Sepia wash and are just drying.

The Nerd League results for this week were...interesting. I played Danny's Tau/Space Wolves list, and let's just say it didn't go to plan. I was very conservative with my deployment, and suffered at the hands of Danny's Crisis Suits. Having two separate missile pods each is hideous to fight against, and he was hammering my army from turn one. By turn four I had very little left, and as such conceded. I don't think I could have done too much to change the game, maybe going second instead and being more aggressive with my Deathwing and Drop Pod deployment. But it was a fun game, and that's all that matters.

In Gandy and Pootank's game, there was a shocking win for the forces of Chaos! Gandy played much better than recently, and I think some of our advice is starting to sink in. It also probably helped that one of his champions managed to roll up Dark Apotheosis and turned into a Daemon Prince! Gandy's was obviously delighted with this game, and as I'm facing him next week it should be a good game all round.

Squad Sahrael WIP (again), Squad Irael, and Nerd League round three

Well, in a shocking state of affairs, I still (!) haven't finished Squad Sahrael. I'm really not very far off though, and in the background is the Rhino these guys will be using. I sprayed it using Army Painter Angel Green spray, so I was a bit concerned with how well the colour would match Caliban Green. Fortunately, it's spot on perfect, meaning my vehicles will be quick and easy to knock out.

However, this squad has made me realise that painting ten guys at a time is just a chore. Sure, it's nice to get them all done at once, but sometimes it's a bit too much, and can leave you demoralised. So in future I'll be tackling any squads over five models in batches. Hopefully this means I won't get too bored with painting the same thing over and over again.

Speaking of which, below is the next thing to be painted, Squad Irael of the Deathwing. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into these as this will mean I'll have a painted unit from each Wing done and dusted. Having split with the girlfriend recently, I've been getting more time to paint, and although it's not really a good thing, at least I can use painting to distract myself. 

Also, I've never painted a full Deathwing Squad, and I know these guys are going to stand out on the board.

Lastly, the Nerd League is starting again this week. We're using the same armies as before, but with new lists. I'm expecting three very different, very hard games, and can't wait to report back with how they all go.

Nerd League final results and a Necron army list (!)

The final games of the Nerd League were played this week. I took on Pootank's Space Wolves in what can only be described as one of the oddest games I've ever played. It consisted of me walking towards two units of Long Fangs while they poured fire onto my units. My poor rolls to hit and wound, and Pootank's ability to roll all his saves were a nightmare for me until I started (on turn 3 of 5) to actually kill some of his Marines. At this point the rest of his army came out to play. The highlight for me was when my Deathwing Knights absolutely battered his unit of 5 Thunderwolves in one round of combat. I really adore Smite mode! However, we tallied it up and at the end of my turn 5 there was no way I could stop his units taking the objectives, leading to my first loss in the league. I'm not sure there was much I could have done different, and as I guessed it turned out to be tough.

In Danny and Gandy's game, the Tau cut their way through Gandy's CSM army. Gandy realised that his list was sub par at the start of the League, and tried to compensate by playing aggressively. However, he just wasn't able to compete. 

So, at the end, both myself, Danny and Pootank had two wins each, meaning it was a three way tie! It just goes to show that we are all starting to create lists that can take everything on, and Gandy, after some help, is starting to pick up what makes a list decent. The next round promises to be brutal, and I'll be rolling out my new mixed wing list. I'm looking forward to seeing what lists the guys come up with as well...

Finally, I've been messing around with lists for my Necrons. I wanted an incentive to get them rebuilt and ready to go, and was struggling to come up with a list I found fun. I think Necrons are a bit of a funny army to list build with, and if you aren't using Scythes as your transports then they aren't quite the threat people make them out to be. In my group we've not really started with using flyers yet, so taking an air force isn't an option for me if I want to keep playing games. So, with this in mind, I created this list. It's very AV13 heavy, and with 36 Necrons being supported by both Rez Orbs and Ghost Arks should be a tough cookie to crack. I also threw in Zahndrekh as he can buff my units, debuff enemy units and also is quite cheap for his wargear loadout. He's a bit of a bargain imo!

1500 Pts - Necrons Roster

HQ: Nemesor Zahndrekh (1#, 185 pts)

   1 Nemesor Zahndrekh, 185 pts ((C:NE, pg. 60); Infantry; Staff of Light; Phase Shifter; Resurrection Orb; Sempiternal Weave; Adaptive Tactics; Counter Tactics; Ever-Living; Independent Character; Phased Reinforcements; Reanimation Protocols; Warlord)

: Royal Court (4#, 180 pts)

   1 Royal Court, 180 pts

      1 Harbinger of Destruction ((C:NE, pg. 32); Infantry; Harbinger of Destruction; Eldritch Lance; Ever-Living; Reanimation Protocols)

      1 Harbinger of Destruction ((C:NE, pg. 32); Infantry; Harbinger of Destruction; Eldritch Lance; Ever-Living; Reanimation Protocols)

      1 Harbinger of Destruction ((C:NE, pg. 32); Infantry; Harbinger of Destruction; Eldritch Lance; Ever-Living; Reanimation Protocols)

      1 Lord ((C:NE, pg. 30); Infantry; Warscythe; Resurrection Orb; Ever-Living; Reanimation Protocols)

Elite: Triarch Stalker (1#, 165 pts)

   1 Triarch Stalker, 165 pts ((C:NE, pg. 39); TL Heavy Gauss Cannon; Quantum Shielding; Living Metal; Move Through Cover; Targeting Relay; Vehicle (Open-topped, Walker))

Troops: Warriors (20#, 260 pts)

   20 Warriors, 260 pts ((C:NE, pg. 33); Infantry; Gauss Flayer; Reanimation Protocols)

Troops: Warriors (9#, 219 pts)

   8 Warriors, 219 pts ((C:NE, pg. 33); Infantry; Gauss Flayer; Reanimation Protocols)

      1 Ghost Ark ((C:NE, pg. 53); Gauss Flayer Array (each side); Quantum Shielding; Living Metal; Repair Barge; Jink; Vehicle (Open-topped, Skimmer))

Troops: Warriors (9#, 219 pts)

   8 Warriors, 219 pts ((C:NE, pg. 33); Infantry; Gauss Flayer; Reanimation Protocols)

      1 Ghost Ark ((C:NE, pg. 53); Gauss Flayer Array (each side); Quantum Shielding; Living Metal; Repair Barge; Jink; Vehicle (Open-topped, Skimmer))

Heavy Support: Annihilation Barge (1#, 90 pts)

   1 Annihilation Barge, 90 pts ((C:NE, pg. 49); TL Tesla Destructor; Gauss Cannon; Quantum Shielding; Living Metal; Jink; Vehicle (Open-topped, Skimmer))

Heavy Support: Annihilation Barge (1#, 90 pts)

   1 Annihilation Barge, 90 pts ((C:NE, pg. 49); TL Tesla Destructor; Gauss Cannon; Quantum Shielding; Living Metal; Jink; Vehicle (Open-topped, Skimmer))

Heavy Support: Annihilation Barge (1#, 90 pts)

   1 Annihilation Barge, 90 pts ((C:NE, pg. 49); TL Tesla Destructor; Gauss Cannon; Quantum Shielding; Living Metal; Jink; Vehicle (Open-topped, Skimmer))

Nerd League Round 2 results, and more WIP pics

We played round two of the Nerd League this week, and I was up against Gandy and his Chaos Marine list. He was roundly tabled in his first game against Pootank, and was looking to get back into the running. He set up first, and then, for the second game in a row, I promptly stole the initiative. This set the tone for the game, where my luck was beyond belief. I blew up a Maulerfiend in close combat with a Tactical Squad using kraks before it even swung! The game was a complete murderfest, and by the end of my turn 4 Gandy had 6 marines and a Rhino on the table, at which point he conceded. So I've now gone two for two! Pretty hapy with that, especially as I've taken a list I wouldn't begin to call optimised. I think my success has come from two factors, the cautious deep strikes of my Deathwing, which I've been using to make sure I get my twin linking and ensure optimal Standard of Devastation deployment, and the aforementioned banner. It's been an absolute beast, and the amount of bolter shots you can throw out are obscene. Couple that with a Librarian using the Divination table and you have a solid base to an army that can take out most threats.

In the other game, Danny and Pootank went toe to toe. The game was back and forth, and both sides could have won at any point. In the end, Pootank had about 8 Space Wolves left on the table, meaning Danny took the game. However when we totaled the scores, there was two points in it, which is due to Pootank sticking to taking objectives, which when you're playing can sometimes be easily forgotten in the rush of playing.

So next week is the deciding week. I have a strong advantage having not lost a game yet, but there's all to play for, and I'll be having a very tough game against Pootank. 

And finally, I did some more work on Sahrael. I really need to get my act together and get these finished. I only need to do the Warpstone Glow highlight on the armour and then it'll be time for the details. Really gonna pull my finger out and see if next week can see these marines done and dusted!

Librarian Conversions, a new list and Nerd League game one results

I've been building a variety of Librarians recently. I had to build one for my Nerd League list as I don't like the standard Terminator Libby, and wanted to give him a Deathwing twist. With a bit of converting, and the use of a Nemesis Force Staff, I ended up with the below...

I've got lucky with the pose, as I feel it makes him look like a guardian of secrets. Which is kind of convenient really! 

I also decided it was high time to build a Libby on a bike, as I have a few ideas for Ravenwing based lists, and a biker Librarian is always useful. He also allows access to Ravenwing Command Squads, and that in turn leads to the Standard of Devastation...

You see where this is going right?

We played the first round of the new Nerd League this week, and with the roll offs, I ended up facing Danny's Tau/Space Wolf list. I took a shoeing last week with my Grey Knight list, and with Danny taking the same list, I was concerned that I would struggle. The game was fast and furious, with high volumes of fire coming from both sides. My Deathwing Standard Bearer alone took over 40 shots in turn two on his own! However, in the end the combined might of the 1st, 2nd and 6th companies were too much for the Tau, leaving me with a 12-7 win! It was nice to take vengeance against the blue skinned xeno, and both myself and Danny agreed it had been a cracking game. In Pootank and Gandy's game, the Space Wolves of Pootank* were too ferocious for Gandy's Chaos to overcome, and Gandy suffered a 11-3 loss. It was a rough game for Gandy, and his luck just wasn't there. For the next game Danny will be taking on Pootank whilst I'll be playing Gandy. I'm sure that I will have a hard challenge ahead!

And finally...I've been making lists with Ravenwing Command Squads to take advantage of both the new FAQ ruling, and the usefulness of the Standard of Devastation. With a quiet day at work, and a lot of hard decisions, I've come up with the below. Thoughts and comments are always welcome!

1500 Pts - Dark Angels Roster

HQ: Librarian (1#, 120 pts)

Auspex, Power Field Generator, Bike

Ravenwing Command Squad (5# 245 pts)

Standard of Devastation, Ravenwing Grenade Launcher

Elite: Deathwing Terminator Squad (5#, 250 pts)

Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield x1, Cyclone Missile Launcher

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)

Plasma gun, Plasma Cannon, Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (10#, 170 pts)

Plasma gun, Plasma Cannon

Troops: Tactical Squad (10#, 170 pts)

Plasma gun, Plasma Cannon

Fast Attack: Ravenwing Attack Squadron (6#, 181 pts)

Meltagun x2

Heavy Support: Devastator Squad (5#, 135 pts)

Missile Launcher x3,Lascannon x1 

Total - 1496

*I may have said before that Pootank would be taking a Tyranid list. However, he felt that it was time his fledgling Space Wolf army got an outing. An outing with five Thunderwolves (!). Pretty sure this is gonna be the winning list, but hopefully I can ride my luck...

Defending my Crown

The Nerd Garage has begun to once again shake with the sounds of warfare. In the wake of the last campaign, it became clear that the First, the Sons of the Lion, were victorious in conflict, bringing honour and redemption onto their very souls. However, new and dire threats have emerged in the Coventrius sector. Reports of unidentified, bestial Space Marines in allegiance with the xeno Tau. The broken Alpha Legion renewing themselves for battle, their command structure allowing them to evolve and infiltrate planet after planet. A splinter of Hive Fleet Behemoth, having not fed for two hundred years, awakening and beginning to consume...and in the midst of this carnage and mayhem, the Dark Angels resolutely and staunchly protecting the Imperium, following their own, mysterious objectives.

So, in real terms, after setting the scene, the Nerd League Round Two is beginning! There's been new lists written, and a burning need to wipe out some debts. We're following the same format as last time, whereby we all play each other once, keeping it nice and simple and meaning we don't overplay our armies. 

This time Danny K has gone for Tau with Space Wolf allies, Pootank has gone for Tyranids, Gandy is going with Chaos Marines and I have gone with Dark Angels. Three out of four of us are sticking with the same type of army, however these leagues are great for learning what ticks and what doesn't in our gaming group, and helps to get our armies lean and mean.

So, I've come up with what I think is a very different type of list for this round. I've gone Deathwing heavy, while having a solid amount of Greenwing Support. The Standard of Devastation is there to make my bolter units absolutely fearsome to face, while the small Ravenwing element is there to get the Deathwing down safe, and to hopefully melta a tank or two in the face. As for the Deathwing Knights, well, they're just cool and I really want to see what they can do. The only obvious weakness to me is a lack of transports for my scoring units, meaning they'll need to make sure they move towards objectives, losing some of that glorious Salvo 4. 

Anyways...the list!

1500 Pts - Dark Angels Roster

HQ: Librarian - 100 pts

Terminator Armour; Force Axe, Auspex

Deathwing Command Squad - 320 pts

4 Deathwing Command Squad - Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield x1, Cyclone Missile Launcher, Standard of Devastation

1 Deathwing Champion 

      

Elite: Deathwing Knights - 235 pts

4 Deathwing Knights

1 Knight Master

Elite: Deathwing Terminator Squad - 250 pts

4 Deathwing Terminator Squad - Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield x1, Cyclone Missile Launcher

1 Deathwing Terminator Sergeant

Troops: Tactical Squad -170 pts

9 Tactical Squad - Plasma gun, Plasma Cannon

1 Sergeant 

Troops: Tactical Squad -170 pts

9 Tactical Squad - Plasma gun, Plasma Cannon

1 Sergeant 

Troops: Tactical Squad - 90 pts

 4 Tactical Squad - Lascannon

1 Sergeant

Fast Attack: Ravenwing Attack Squadron - 164 pts

4 Ravenwing Bikers - Meltagun x2

1 Ravenwing Sergeant - Combi-Meltagun

I'd really like some C+C for this as although it feels fairly solid, more advice is always welcome!

Squad Sahrael of the Sixth. Brother Knight Aneases walks. Exitus Acta Probat. The Nerd League finishes.

So with the Black Knights finished, it's time to look at what will be next for the Dark Angels. And that, as seen below, is Tactical Squad Sahrael. This is a ten man squad with a Plasma Cannon and Plasma Gun, which I've been running with great results in my recent games. They will be a pleasant change from painting massive amounts of black, and will help get a large chunk of my army finished as well! They do have a Rhino as their transport, but I'll tackle that after I complete these guys. After these and their Rhino are doneI'll be cracking into my Darkshroud, The Lion's Shade.

The first of my two Grey Knight Dreadnoughts, Brother-Knight Aneases has been built. The Venerable Dreadnought is a great kit, and gives you lots of extra bits. However, I decided to Knight up my Dread by using bits from the Grey Knight, Grey Knight Terminator and Dreadknight kits. It's mostly purity seals and shields  but I also made sure he had an appropriate head from the Terminator kit to make him appear part of my strike force. Looking forward to getting some paint on him, and I'll be working on him at the same time as Squad Sahrael to make sure I don't get bored with either.

I remembered that I had an old, badly painted Vindicare Assassin in my bits box, and thought he could use some love. I dug him out and stripped his bad paint job using Fairy Power Spray (an absolute godsend. I use it to strip paint from any models including plastic). I'm not sure what colours to use, but am thinking that Charadon Granite would look especially good on him. He'll be useful in my Knight army to snipe out sargeants and special weapon guys from enemy squads.

As a side note I remember buying this model at Games Day...1997! It's been that long!

And finally, we played the final round of the Nerd League this week. A tough game for me against Poot's Tyranids. It was back and forth all game, and I had to actually think while playing (as anyone who knows me will know, I tend to move first, think later). However, my firepower started to take its toll, and Poot struggled to throw the numbers he needed at me. I focused on his Tervigons, killing two out of three, leading to hordes of Termigants being removed from the table in the process. After five hard fought, tense turns, the game ended with a convincing 19-12 win to me, meaning I won the league without a loss! This was a surprise to me as in the previous League I had come stone cold last, but it shows that by learning both your army, and creating an effective, balanced list, anyone can do much better in their gaming. 

This means that we're not going to be playing the Nerd League for a couple of weeks to give ourselves time to recoup, play some fun games and then start list building for the next League. However, I'll be trying my Standard of Devastation list and seeing how that copes. With any luck my Angels can defend their streak and bring honour to the Lion. Failing that, the Deathwing can catch some Fallen from Gandy. Hopefully Danny will have his new Tau ready by that time, throwing in a new and dangerous army as well.

The 4th Brotherhood. Nerd League Round Two.

Been a while! I didn't really get much chance to get any modelling/painting done over the last few weeks, due to staying at the GF's house for a week, and then having a stag do in Bristol over the Easter weekend. However, I did get more work done on the Black Knights. Pouches, weapons and bases to go, so not too much...

I have been looking at what I need to build/paint to get my Grey Knight Brotherhood up to scratch. I have been digging through my army case, and have pulled out the following.

Castellan Crowe. He's not a massive priority, seeing as he's only in my army to unlock Purifiers as troops (Crowe tax!). However, his sword was always slightly bent, due to the joys of Finecast, and eventually snapped. Which would have been fine if I hadn't painted him already...! So, new sword time. I'm going to cut off the remains of the sword and look to either use a standard Nemesis Force Sword, or try and look for a suitably Chaotic replacement.

Strike Squad Dumias. These guys used to be Interceptors, but I realised I had a lack of basic power armoured Knights in any army I ran. So off came the vanes. These guys are what I consider a standard loadout for GK's - a five man unit with a Daemon Hammer and Psycannon, mounted in a Psyback with Heavy Bolter. For under 170 pts you get a unit that can pump out shots and present a strong threat. I have ordered a box of Grey Knights and will mix them with the models from this squad to give me two of these units. I also have a Razorback on order.

Grand Master Larandis. Standard Kaldor Draigo conversion. He does need a Force Halberd though, as the sword is a throwback to 5th Edition when combat was a lot more dangerous, and a 3++ save was the bomb. Nowadays, especially with challenges, being able to kill your opponent before they strike is much more important, and I7 is going to give me that option.

Librarian Hyperion. The name is a reference to The Emperor's Gift by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, which I cannot recommend highly enough. It really shows what happens to the Imperium after a massive battle, and the results are not pretty. He needs a storm bolter strapped to his wrist, but I'm not sure what Nemesis weapon to give him in his right hand. I really want him to avoid combat, but need to keep him ticking if he gets there somehow. Ideas?

A Dreadknight to be built. This guy will have a Heavy Incinerator , as he will be able to flush out models behind cover using torrent and then beat them in the face. Plus, it's always been a cool model. Always.

     

And I think you can guess what these are for. They're ordered and waiting for their new arms :P

Round Two of the Nerd League was played last night. Gandy and myself went head to head in an extremely tight game. Poor rolling from myself lead to me having a 5-0 deficit by the end of turn two. However, Sammael did what he does best, absolutely turning the tide of battle. On his own he killed two units of Chaos Marines, a unit of Havocs and took out Gandy's Warlord in combat, scoring three points for this one act alone. In the end the Dark Angels were too much for the forces of the Alpha Legion, leaving me with a 12-7 victory. Two for two, which is about the best run I've ever had :P In Danny and Pootank' game the Tyranid hordes were voracious in exterminating Marines, setting the stage nicely for next week's game to be a decider between Pootank and me. It will be a hotly contested, exciting game, with all to play for!

Also, a promise. The next post will have my finished Black Knights, even if I have to press gang people into helping me finish them!

Standard of Devastation 1500 pt list

Something I just came up with...what are your thoughts on this list?

1500 Pts - Dark Angels Roster


HQ: Azrael (215 pts)

Command Squad (270 pts)
4 Command Squad, Plasma gun, Apothecary, Standard of Devastation, Razorback -  Lascannon and TL Plasma gun

Troops: Deathwing Terminator Squad (240 pts)
Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield, Plasma Cannon

Troops: Ravenwing Attack Squadron (100 pts)
Meltagun x2


Troops: Ravenwing Attack Squadron (100 pts)
Meltagun x2


Troops: Tactical Squad (215 pts)
Plasma gun, Plasma Cannon, Rhino


Troops: Tactical Squad (215 pts)
Plasma gun, Plasma Cannon, Rhino


Heavy Support: Devastator Squad (140 pts)
Missile Launcher x 2, Lascannon x2

Squad Numiah finished, Nerd League round one, and The Red Murder

Squad Numiah is now finished! I'm really happy with how they've come out, but I decided in the end to leave the wings as my freehand is not up to scratch. Little bit disappointed with that, but I think you have to know when it's time to stop painting a model and walk away...

Pics

Next up for the Dark Angels is completing the last three Black Knights, and then either my second Ravenwing Attack Squad or a complete tactical squad. Just have to see what I feel like!

We started our Nerd League this week, and I was drawn to play against Danny's Salamanders. His list consisted of 40 footslogging marines, two Preds, two Rifleman Dreads and five Hammernators. That's a lot of 3+ to put down! However, Danny went melta heavy without taking Vulkan, which could have made the army absolutely awful to deal with.  The game was close throughout, but really did come down to the last dice roll of the game...which left me with a 12 - 10 win! I was happy with my performance, but in hindsight I was very aggressive with my Ravenwing, and really should have let Danny come to me and reacted as I had the speed and maneuverability to attack weak points. But a win is a win! In the other game Pootank had much better luck this week against Gandy, and produced a wave of Termagants that Gandy just couldn't compete with. I know the general internet consensus is that Tyranids are underpowered, but in all the games I've seen with them they always do well...maybe the Internet underestimates a good Tyranid general? (I know, the Internet getting something wrong?!?!? :P) The next set of games in two weeks will be Danny vs Pootank, and myself vs Gandy, which I'm looking forward to to help Gandy with some of the tactics and complexities...I dislike winning just because someone hasn't played as much!

Finally, as I have felt the need to paint something for fun, I have felt the call of the Blood God! I have been reading Betrayer by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, which is a fantastic read, and have started to fall in love with the World Eaters. I feel that Khorne Berzerkers aren't just blood crazed, but save their notorious rage for when it is needed. More of a needle than a blunt hammer! So, I have decided to paint a test piece to see if I can be inspired to start an army of Angron's finest. I present to you Kalak Scraan, The Red Murder.

 This was the best model release of the recent Chaos Marine update in my opinion, and is just a beautiful model. I want to try my method of painting red that I have been using on my Dark Angels on a whole model, and hopefully can do this guy justice.

Squad Numiah WIP 2! Rumblings in the Nerd Garage!

These guys are at about 80% now. I need to finish the weapon casings,, complete the wings (ugh) and then base, so, time permitting, they should be done by Wednesday (he says)!

It's nice to get near to the end of my first Greenwing unit, although having looked closer, it appears they aren't quite the same shade of green. I have been looking at them under terrible light though, and to compensate I have given the darker Marines an extra layer of highlight, which has helped to tie them together. They look fine for tabletop though, and I doubt you'd notice if you're just having a quick nose!

The Nerd Garage is rumbling with the sounds of war. Mighty armies clash in the heat of conflict. Ancient scores will be settled, and new rivalries will emerge. But in the End Times of the 41st Millennium, there can only be one victor...

At which point you're bound to be asking what I'm waffling on about!? I'm pleased to announce that we will be running our 40k League once again in the Nerd Garage. Danny is using Salamanders, Gandy's using his Chaos Marines, I will obviously be rocking the Dark Angels and Pootank is going with Tyranids. This means there should be a challenge every round, and the lists we will be running will have to deal with a variety of foes. I'm sticking with my list, as I need to get a feel for it more, and I hope to get the rest of them up soon. Hopefully I will have a better showing then last year, where I struggled to win any games and had terrible luck. Time will tell, but I feel confident and have a much more flexible list than the Grey Knight list I used last year (no weapons over 24"! I know, what was I thinking?). I'm especially looking forward to my games with Gandy as not only will they be tough games, but I can redeem the honour of the First Legion by capturing the Fallen!