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.

Its a Scouts Life

The Assault Angel was not a large ship by imperial standards, by it still was big enough to house a comfortable crew complement of forty thousand, not including passengers.  Even larger yet when trying to reach a destination on the opposite side of the ship with an untold amount of hostiles blocking your path and no known reinforcements to back you up.  Scout Squad Archanus, was trapped in the loading dock area of the ship when the daemon incursion began.

Archanus, a veteran of the Angels of Silence tenth company, had been on patrol of the docking area, constantly training and teaching his scouts the ways of the Angels, perfection in every action.  Now they crouched hunkered down in their grey camouflage cloaks, planning their next move, hiding amongst the debris of old damaged that never got repaired fully.

“Scouts, listen,” Archanus voice was hushed, “We need to regroup with our brothers, we are in a very isolated area, and I doubt, even with our skills, we will survive long.”

The determination in the scouts was strong, and it ran across their faces, they knew no fear, and they will die for the glories light of the Emperor.  “We are with you Sergeant, we will find the others, we will not let chaos win,” Marnem spoke with fervor.  He would become a great Space Marine one day if he makes it out of this thought Archanus.

“Good I’d expect no less from my scouts, now let’s show this worthless daemons who they are messing with one last time.” Archanus pulled the dagger from his belt, and flipped the switch on the hilt to test it; this blade was barely longer than a foot and a half but was deadly in his hands.  Preferring it to clumsier longer blades, he needed every little bit of speed he could get, especially with his lack of power armour.

Staying crouch the group moved forward, down a disused corridor, hopefully circumventing most of the larger forces aboard the ship, and enabling the ability to perform mass stealth attacks on the enemy.

“Sir, my Auspex is reading Astrates over this way,” Zethar spoke, holding a odd machine in his hand, as he rested his shotgun upon his lap.

“How many? Are they friendly?”

“It’s not clear too much interference coming in, but the power armour is easy enough to read,”

“Zethar, you and Kinias take point, keep your shot guns level, keep your wits, Marnem, Ashor, take the rear, and keep your blades handy, pistols out.  Let’s not get caught with your pants down now,” He gestured his hand forward, moving the group onwards to check out the signal.  Finding anyone from the First Company would increase their odds of survival by tenfold, and he dared to hope that’s what he would find.

The corridor began to smell, the air smelling like blood, lots of blood, and the soar smell of daemon entrails.  Taking their time and utter most caution they sneak forward until they reached the point where the Auspex signaled they found the power armoured individual s and the smell was the worst.

Archanus glanced around the corner just ever so quickly to take a count of all who was there, capturing the image with his augmented eye.  He swore silently to himself after noticing that those power armoured Astrates, were in fact dead, and being munched on by Khorne Flesh Hounds; A group of five from his count, and luckily enough they were distracted.

“We take them by surprise, Zethar, Kinias, give them hell, show them what your worth, Marnem, Ashor your with me and we are going hit them hard, blades out, empty your clips and pray to the Emperors glory there isn’t more around that corner.” Archanus spoke softly, he then lifted up his fingers to represent on, three.

Three, Two, One.  They group bursts from cover, the shotgun wielding scouts blast out their shots in rapid succession, Zethar catching one off guard and punching a hole through its unholy aura, and blasting a crater into his chest smashing it into the wall.  Archanus and his three run headlong forward, the Flesh Hounds barking in anger, blast up without a moment’s thought,  not even phased at the sudden attack of these Space Marines.

The hounds hit them hard, knocking all three down to a knee in force, they were barely able to push them off, each as strong as themselves, the shotgunners, dash forward, Zethar and Kinias, blasting away.  A found losses itself from the three already engages and tackles down Zethar hard, its teeth biting deep into his chest, Kinias took the opening and sent a shell into the creatures side blasting it apart in a red mess.

Quickly checking on Zethar, alive but out, he trained his shotgun up, aiming about, watching for any other enemy that might attempt to sneak up.  Leaving the three outfitted for combat to their duties. 

Archanus and his two other attack scouts had the hounds right on them, teeth snapping at their faces, claws trying to dig into their braces, giving no quarter.  Archanus quickly activated his daggers power, it blazed in electrical might as he quickly jabbed it deep under the jaw of the beasts head, breaking through the horrendously thick skull.

Archanus kicked the body off his blade, with only enough time to dodge another hound which had disengaged Ashor, attempting to strike the leader of the scouts.  It growled at him, Archanus noticed that it had clipped his arm, and red fluid rolled down his dark skin.  That had been a close one, and he would not let it happen again.

As the creature lunged again, he ducked down and stabbed his dagger into the chest of the and rolled with it.  Slicing through the inner’s of the flesh hound and spilling its guts all over the metal corridors floor.  With another quick flick of the wrist, he tossed that same dagger deep into the head of the remaining hound as its teeth had found purchase on the scouts shoulder plate.

Marnem quickly stabbed with his own blade, chopping at it, as its jaw would not let go, even dead.  Ashor rushed over chopping the head off the creature, and pried its head off with his hands, leaving deep groves in his shoulder pad, and blood running down his arm.  A mix of Marnem’s own blood and that off the daemon’s.

“Scouts status?” Archanus asked as he pulled his dagger from the creatures head.

“Zethar is alive, but he needs to heal, the creature cut deep but looks to have missed vital implants.” Reported Kinias.

“Minor wounds, will heal in a short period of time,” Reported Marnem

                “Superficial damage, not injured,” Ashor reported last.

                “No Casualties,” Archanus moved over to a nearby hatch, and opened it, scanning it quickly. “In here, we will reload, bandage our wounded, and prepare to head out again. Move”

                On command, they grabbed Zethar, and rushed into the room, Archanus sealing it behind himself.  It looked like a servitor storage room, though no servitors remained, most were damaged or on duty at the time, and unlikely many would remain.  “Kinias, keep watch of the door, Ashor, tend to Zethar, Marnem check this room for any supplies we can use.  We need everything we can get.”

                It wouldn’t be long before they had to head out again, with or without Zethar, and far more deadlier creature roam this ship….

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…