My Magic is Better then Yours

                From the first time I gazed into the Chaos Space Marine book, I fell in love with the Sorcerers.  They first break in a 100 point Space Marine Psyker and the shear amount of options they were open to them.  The 25 point cost for Mastery Level, and up to three of them no less.  Being able to actually switch a shooting weapon for another close combat weapon was so amazing to me, a Sorc with a force sword and a powerfist.

                I like the return to 4^th editions Armoury selection as a hybrid with the 5^th edition selection.  It reminds me of the days where I could field a Librarian with a Iron Halo and Artificer Armour and making him a close combat smiting monster.  It makes the selections you have access to so much more, and opens up so many different combinations that people can spice units up to fit their own fighting style.

                The following is just a small example of what can be done with some of these combo’s.

                Option 1: Alpha Legion - 63 Points: Combi-Bolter.  This guy can be fielded using Telekinesis, as well can be easily hidden in a troop of regular space marines, as in the nature of the Alpha Legion, and surprise your opponent with a sudden flash of instant death, or a blast of psychic energy ripping apart a group of troops.  This is a basic build for lower point battles or in games fielded a couple ‘tac’ squads and a ton of cultists.  Believe me when I say this, the less flashy the model the more chance someone will forget you HQ is even in the squad, it is like well positioned snipers, even you forget they are there.

                Option 2: Lord of Tzeentch - 220 Points: Power Weapon, Mark of Tzeentch, Disc of Tzeentch, Sigil of Corruption, two additional spell Masteries, Gift of Mutation, and a spell familiar.  Rolling two spells on the Tzeentch table and another on Biomancy gives you a healthy hard hitting selection.  This guy is tough, 1+ attack and Toughness 5 because of the disc being a Jetbike, a 3++ Invulnerable save and having both his Force Axe, and a Power Sword, the gift of Mutation doesn’t have to be taken, but since the first one you re-roll the bad stuff, it helps buff you, and the spell familiar gives you peace of mind when casting your spells.  He can move about the field, blast things apart and hit into combat and do decently well.  He costs an Arm and a Leg but he is damn fun to play in the end it things go your way, might just get luck and roll feel no pain of another 1+ to toughness.

                Option 3: Foul Punch - 200 Points: Power Fist, one additional mastery level, Sigil of Corruption, Blight Grenade, Ichor Blood, Mark of Nurgle, and Palanquin of Nurgle.  This guy is also expensive, and could get more expensive if you felt like it.  His Toughness 5 and 4 wounds will keep this guy alive, stick him with plague marine marines and just watch him ooze forward spreading Nurgle’s Gift.  The Power fist helps him with Instant deathing Space Marine hero’s as they try to hurt him in assault.  The 4+ Invulnerable save helps keep him alive against most heavy hitting attacks but he is also able to dish it out back with his psychic .  Taking a Nurgle power and a Biomancy Power might actually make this guy super strong and tough to beat.

                Option 4: Undivided Power - 125 Points: Terminator Armour, An additional power level, and a Spell Familiar.  This Option is very cheap for what you have access to, you have a simple 2+ armour save, and a 5+ invulnerable save.  So far you are better off than a regular space marine Librarian and then to make it better for half the cost you have access to an addition mastery level, and re-roll your failed attempts.  At this point level this guy is tough not to consider, he isn’t flashy he doesn’t have a mark, he is just a Renegade Librarian who is really good at summoning powers.

                I could list more and more of these combo’s, they are all personally favorite choices stuff I’ve fiddled around with.  Chaos nowadays with the new codex just seem more lively and the amount of choices you can make with the various units bring all kinds of options to the table.  Some people don’t like the new codex, I personally think it was well written and now for us fluff bunnies we can make such a variety of armies and actually make all nine traitor legions from the codex.  I like the thought of making unchaos renegade army that has no daemon influence but uses the traitor codex to get access to mighty HQ’s, good chosen units, and auto cannon dev’s.  If you haven’t given the codex a chance, look again, feel the potential.  Its not the DA Codex, but it doesn’t mean it’s a bad codex.  No other codex has poisoned 4+ close combat weapon, T5, 3+ FnP elite/troop choice that can take double special weapon.

                Give Chaos a chance, they have cookies.

Libarians, Do you trust them?

                Librarians, Can you really put your faith in them, they can turn on you in a heartbeat, blow up when you need them the most.  Well Psykers in general are fickle beings.  Most of a nice LD of 10, but if you roll a double 6, or a double 1, you get hurt, and with most psykers, you have no save what so ever to protect you. 

                The standard state line for a Librarian is WS5 BS4 S4 T4 W2 I4 A2 Ld10 Sv3+ which is pretty so-so as Space Marines go, one point 1 extra of weapon skill, wound and Leadership than your Joe Sergeant.  Not someone I really want leading the force at the front, more of a back field character, which is good expect the fact in most armies you pay a pretty penny for maybe a couple re-rolls and maybe a nice blast.

                Don’t get me wrong, I like the using them, especially the Sorcerers from the Chaos Space Marine Codex, and the Librarians from the new Dark Angels Codex being able to grant a 4+ invulnerable save to them and having them starting at a low point cost with decently priced mastery level increases.  They will in the end still cost you a lot, but you will get more use out of them and have more fun.

                Having to roll though to get powers and to use them, and having the risk of blasting your prized Psyker into little glowing pieces is not something I look forward too.  You run great risks when playing with Psychic Fire and if you build your army around it then you can run even greater risks of your army folding under itself because of the random dice rolls.  Use them or not, you run the risks of them blowing up in your face.  Then again if your playing Orks, then your guy is as likely to blow up as the guy standing beside him.  Head explosions gotta love them.

Trouble Aboard

                    The ship shuttered in explosion, rousing a mighty figure clad in highly ornate artificer armour.  The bronze laurels glinted in the red emergency lighting, his red eye visors of his Mark V deep blue helmet blazed in psychic energy, his anger flaring at the non-stop attacks his crew had suffered and the resentment he still felt from being forced to abandon his fortress monastery and from his chapter.  He was always dressed for battle, war was in his nature, and he fought an unrelenting battle of the mind and arm.  This long trip had tested his mental fortitude and was a constant fight against the voices laying in the warp.

                Chapter Master Icarus of the Angels of Silence hefted up his power spear, the Redeemer, and checking the power sword Judgment was secure on his hip, never a battle too large, never an enemy too far.   Rising slowly from his kneeling position, he stood for a moment to gather his thoughts before rushing through his quarters massive doors, designed specifically for the large bronze wings on his back, which adorned the greatest hero’s of the chapter.  He was one of the last, but he would not die now.  Glaring down the corridor, highly ornate walls surrounded him, most days it gave him comfort in the beauty of it.

                It was dark, so dark, there was a massive power loss in the ship, and this would make fighting tough for the imperial crew on this ship, which Icarus needed to keep this ship in one piece.  Sudden blasts of bolt gunfire and horrendously familiar roars, and screams, grabbed his attention, and he knew one thing; Daemons had come aboard his ship again, and they weren’t small in number.

                “Throne, these hell beast of Khorne will not leave us be,” grumbled to himself as he began his way through the dark hallways.  Scanning the corridors and hallways with his helmets built in Auspex.  It picked up no trace of life signs nor was it able to track the noises, it seemed like they were coming from every direction.

                Reaching an intersection, a burst of loud roars and screams, whipping his head around seeing he had been caught off guard by large red humanoid beasts, with several large horns protruding from their elongated skulls, swinging around disgusting large Hellblades, which looked to be posed to tear apart his armour in seconds if he did not act fast.  His hand whipped out in front of him sending a large blast of psychic energy in front of them, staggering their charge just enough for him to launch a bolt of lightning from his spear and engage a short burst from his jump pack.

                The roar of the angel, the flames of hate blasting out from the short-range burst of power, smashing right into the group knocking them back and staggering them back into the walls to regain their footing.  Icarus’s spear swiftly pierced one bloodletters through his red chest dissolving the beast into nothingness in the brutality of his spear.  Swinging around fluently jabbing the spear straight into another’s wickedly horned head cleaving it in two sending the beast crumpling onto the floor.

                 Daemons were not afraid of such a man, two of their number may be down, but three still stood, more blood for the rest of them, one skull for the skull throne.  They bashed at Icarus with their evil swords, each one either meeting his spear in a mighty block, and others glancing off his armour causing no real damage, his armour was too well made for such simple blades to pierce through.

                Icarus would take advantage of their boldness, and deftly unsheathe Judgment from its housing, slashing quickly cutting another bloodletter in half, spilling its daemon-tainted blood across the walls and its brethren.  They howled in rage and fury of only servants of the blood god could, redoubling their efforts to bring this Angel of Silence down.

                The speed of Icarus attacks never failed, using his spear to block their strikes, and his sword slashing at the daemons, granting no quarter and giving no rest.  Stims flooded his system keeping his muscles from cramping and his vision clear.  He quickly gave a solid chop at the bloodletter to his left removing an arm, and with the follow through he stabbed Redeemer into its chest unleashing a torrent of psychic energy blasting it apart.  The remaining daemon glanced his blade off his angel winged pauldron on his right sending a shot of pain through his arm, he could tell however it had failed to break through.

 “Begone off my ship you daemon filth and pray you never see me again!”

With that, he brought both weapons back and stabbed hard into the bloodletters guts and unleashed his own brand of rage upon the soon to be dead bloodletter.  Blue flames burst from the lenses of his helmet and rolled down his arms, coiling like a snake, and leaped from his power armoured gauntlets and smashed into the bloodletter with the power of an thunderhammer, disintegrating into absolute nothingness.

“I have to find my honour guard, we need to regroup,” He touched the Vox bead on his helmet, “Bridge status report, and how big is this incursion? What is the state of the Gellar Field? Are we out of the warp finally?”

There was no rely but static, he would have to figure this out the hard way, by finding out for himself.  He gathered his wits about him and set off towards the command center, hoping to find alive troops to help reclaim this ship in the name of the Emperor…

Flame Hammers

Hey Guys,
   I was doing some thoughts over making a unique salamander like unit.  I thought having a Command Squad, equipped with both Thunder Hammers, and Flamers, coming down in a drop pod.

Team Setup:
  This is an expensive choice, however it works in most games against hordes and none hordes.  You attached Vulcan to this squad and your laughing.  (Expect the part where you have to buy a extra Captain to access it) You can equip Storm Shields to this group to raise the price and protect against the rise of the plasma gun.  The FNP granted by the Apothecary can come in handy most time, and help grant this 5 man squad some survivability.

  If you use a model like Shirke with this combo, your more guaranteed to get into combat and literally bring the hammer down.

  Beautiful part of this combo, your not going to kill an entire unit in one assault phase, it'll take two usually unless the hits are very in your favor.

  If you add Khan to this combo, you get strength 10 thunder hammers on the charge, and a IC to challange enemy HQ's with an instant death sword which wounds on 3+ on the charge to ME.  Also Hit & Run will keep your models from being bogged down in tarpits and keep them in the offensive instead of stuck in the middle of the field.

  Now adding Lyander will really suit your cause, having a 2+ save and a 3+ Invul, save definitely will keep the squad alive, and the stubborn trait will keep them strong at Leadership 10

  That's the choices for the vanilla codex, you could do the same with the blood angel codex as well, even adding jump packs and sticking a Reclusiarch in the front and enjoy the flame induced show.

Modeling:
  On the modeling side of this, I was thinking of using green stuff on some various thunder hammers you have access to through space wolves, vanilla, and blood angels kits,(All available through Spikey Bits) to give the effect that the flamer is the tip of the hammer and giving a much more visually enjoyable model frame.  I may make these models because they don't seem hard to put together and matching to the Angels of Silence army list is fairly easy since its whatever I decide it too be.

Playing on the Field:
Dropping them in a drop pod is a very effect way to get them in the center of the enemies deployment turn 1, handing out flamer templates like there was no tomorrow,(Take that Tzeentch Flamers!) Orks and Guard would have no chance against a hit that big, though they are easily bogged down in attacks, unless you have Khan.

Using Jump Pack's or Bikes can improve distance and effectiveness of this troop, but on the negative side the price goes up 90 points which as we all know could be another tactical combat squad.  Though having T5,S10 3++ save, with hit & run, might not be the worst thing in the world to have.

Whats your guys thoughts an opinions on this? Was it clear, would it work, would to flop? Deathstar much or waste of much needed points?

Unit Builds - Wolf Guard Battle Leader

Not a mighty Wolf Lord, doesn’t have any special abilities that give preferred enemy, or grant psychic defense.  He is the underdog of the Space Wolf HQ section (No pun intended).  However, they hold special place in my heart because of their access to Saga of the Hunter.

Different load outs can change the personality of this unit in a various ways, from stealthy shooter to outright a close combat monster.  I have designed a few potential uses for them, some more exciting than others have, some more tactical then others.

Option 1: Silent Prowler-160 Points: Thunderwolf Mount, Saga of the Hunter, two Fenrisian Wolves, and a Power Weapon.  For only decent amount of points, you get a unit, which can get you into combat quickly, but also absorb many of those nasty plasma weapons that hang around now a day.  The Thunderwolf grants that extra little toughness to take less wounds, but also gives you Rending to deal with those 2+ armour saves when a situation arrives for the need.  This one is all about cover and speed, not much else.

Option 2: Plasma Jet-135 Points: Jump Pack, Two Plasma Pistols, and Saga of the Beastslayer.  This one is more of a fun unit, jumping around with Plasma Pistols, taking on the biggest and toughest things on the field.  Yeah he might blow himself up.  Yeah he might get shot up before getting a shot off.  That is not the point, it is the fact you could deep strike this guy wherever you felt like it and get two BS5 S7 AP2 Shots off that on a roll of 6 get to choose who he hits, and rerolls to hit against Walkers, Monstrous Creatures, and the like.  He if fun, that is what I really care about.

Option 3: The Watcher-83 Points: Storm Bolter, Saga of the Hunter.  This is the setup I personally am going to use when I start my space wolf ally.  He is nothing special on his own, but with his ability to grant stealth to the unit, he makes a perfect candidate for Sternguard Vets and other shooty units.  He is the leader of a squad; he keeps units in the game when the shot should have killed him instantly.  He can move to nearly any rear squad can grant them so much.  Attach him to sniper scouts who already have camo cloaks and give them a 5+ cover in the open!  Stick him with your long fangs and devastator squad and watch them survive that extra turn.  He is cheap, simple, and brings so much too any unit he is added too.

Option 4: Fanged Wall-145 Points: Terminator Armour, Storm Shield, Frost Axe.  This guy is built to take the hits, and dish them back.  He usually always gets 4 attacks charging or not, thanks to Counter-attack.  He is cheap for what he brings, and can be easily backed up by a group of three wolf guards.  They can be dropped in a pod, or driven up in a raider, or just foot slog it over to the enemies end to claim a victory point.  He is not to be messed with, and he would easily make a mess of anyone who tried.

I like the wolf guard battle leader, mostly because you don’t have to put much points in him to enjoy him.  In the age of challenges and plasma, deposable HQ’s can be nice.  I say make units to be fun, especially if it’s a space wolf, they have such unique personalities to the army you can pull off nearly any unit combo and it fits the theme.

I challenge anyone who reads this, to make a unit that sounds fun, and can be a one off’er.  It does not have to be a space wolf, does not have to make sense, it just has to be FUN! It is like your guard ten man squad, assaulting a deathwing knight squad, you do not do it because it makes sense, you do it because it would be cool to see if they could actually do something!