Space Wolf: 13th Co. HQ Proposals

As I promised I'll start with my proposals for the HQ section of an updated 13th Company.  For starters I think keeping the Leader of the Pack rule will be essential to staying with the theme of hero individualism.  With that said lets dive in.

Wolf Lord: I think that the restriction on these guys should be 0-1 and not a mandatory 1.  The reason behind this is that another HQ may have to take over leadership of a warband due to the death of a Wolf Lord.  Forcing each warband to have a Wolf Lord is just unrealistic.

Wolf Priest: No Restriction.  I believe that each warband will need multiple Wolf Priests to help with the manifestation of the Wulfen curse.  It seems sensible to me that there would be the need for a couple of Wolf Priests in training.

Rune Priest: No Restriction.  Being in the Eye of Terror I think those with the gift would be more the norm than the exception.  With Rune Priests being the main mode for transport the warband would want as many Rune Priests as possible.

My next post I'll go over the special rules I'll propose for each HQ!

Space Wolf: 13th Company Re-do

So I've been absent from the 40k scene for a bit due to the changing of my profession.  I went from installing fire suppression systems to building the slats for the Boeing 777.  Now that I feel everything is in order I can resume where I had left off.

My new project, as I've jumped from trying to make the 13th Company from the Space Wolf Codex, is to take the 13th Company entry from the old Eye of Terror campaign book and update it.  My goal is to change as little as possible and just update it to the current rules and current Space Wolf Codex.  So my plan is to post proposed changes and get input from any and all of you as to the fairness of suggested changes and updates.  I'll start with HQ's tomorrow and see how it goes.  Anyhow I'm glad to be back and hope to hear from you all!

1850 Eldar vs. Space Wolves(Logan Wing)

Space Wolf Roster:
Logan Grimnar
[2] - 5 man scout packs with a meltagun and meltabombs w/attached Wolfguard with combi-melta, wolfclaw, and meltabombs
[3] - 6 man Wolfguard packs with 4 terminators (Cyclone Rocket launcher, chainfist, and 2 with power weapon stormbolter), and 2 power armored wound catchers
[1] - 10 man Wolfguard pack with 5 terminators(2 with Cyclone Rocket launchers, chainfist, and 2 with power weapons) and 3 power armored wound catchers.(Logan attached to this squad) and 2 Wolfguard equipped as stated above for the scout packs
[1] - 10 man Wolfguard pack with 2 terminators(Cyclone Rocket launchers) and 8 power armored with StormBolters

Eldar Roster:(Best to my recollection)
[1] - Seer Council with 1 farseer and 5 warlocks
[1] - Autuarch with banshee mask and power weapon
[1] - 9 man Fire Dragon squad with Exarch mounted in a wave serpent
[1] - 10 man Dire Avenger squad with Exarch
[2] - 10 man Guardian squads with a bright lance support weapon
[1] - 9 woman Banshee squad with Exarch and attached Autuarch
[1] - Falcon Grav tank (seer council inside)
[1] - 5 man swooping hawk with Exarch

Mission: Seize Ground  *5 objectives were rolled
Deployment: Dawn of War *The Wolves win the roll off and decide to defer to the Eldar for first turn

At deployment the Eldar reserve everything.  The Wolves place down Logan Grimnar and 2 packs of Wolfguard at the center right half of the table to claim two objectives.

First turn sees the Eldar zoom towards the opposite side of Logan and the Wolfguard towards an objective in a forest.  The two wave serpents and Falcon set up a defensive position.  The Guardians, and Dire Avengers set up a fire support role in the backfield. None of the Eldar are able to spot the lurking Wolves.

Wolves first turn sees everything but the scout packs enter play and advance forward.  One brave Wolfguard unit acts as bait for the Eldar, while the remaining Wolfguard packs enter and advance in support of Logan.  The bait unit release a couple of Krak Rockets which wreck the closest Wave Serpent and the Fire Dragons come tumbling out in disbelief.  The two Wolf guard squads that entered the table edge in support of Logan are unable to see through the darkness of dawn and advance cautiously.  Logan's squad manages to get a bead on the Falcon however.  Due to the squad being in the rear arch but only being able to see the side of the falcon had to try and penetrate the higher armor value(page 62 last paragraph) and granting the Falcon a 3+ cover! Russ and the Allfather held true to the Wolves and even with the 3+ cover the Krak Rockets manage to penetrate the Falcon and wreck it!  The Farseer and Warlocks come spilling out, wondering what just happened.

Eldar second turn sees the Swooping Hawks come in and drop bombs on my bait unit.  The terminator armor holds though and the Wolves don't even flinch.  However the Swooping Hawks almost land off the table and only by witchcraft kept from being lost!  The Fire Dragons also take aim at the bait squad and down a terminator and the two powered armored Wolf guard.  The Farseer dooms the bait squad and fortunes the Farseer squad, while the warlocks take a few pistol shots to no effect.  The remaining wave serpent moves to the opposite side of the forest and takes a catapult shot at the bait squad.  The Banshees and attached Autarch jump out and prepare for assault!

Wolves second turn has the two Scout Packs enter the play in the Eldar backfield.  The bait squad advance towards the Fire Dragons. The two packs entering on first turn split ways and the pack containing all the stormbolter power armored Wolfguard advance in support of the bait pack  The other Wolfguard squad advances towards an objective being held by one of the deployment Wolfguard packs so that they can advance towards another objective in the Eldar backfield. This results in the Wolves having claimed three objectives by turn three!  The bait squad pours fire into the fire dragons downing 3.  The supporting Wolfguard pack fire into the Seer Council dropping 3 of their number.  Logan's pack shoots at the last wave serpent and stuns it.  The pack that deployed with Logan tries to shoot down the remaining Wave Serpent but fails to penetrate.  The bait pack charges the fire dragons and sends them running.  The bait pack is unable to run them down due to their terminator armor not being able to sweeping advance.  The bait pack decides to remain bait and consolidate back and try annoy some more!  One scout pack takes some shots at the Dire Avengers squad and drops 3 and charges in causing four more wounds and the squad runs off the table.  The second pack of scouts forgoes shooting and charges the Guardian squad killing five of their number and seeing them run off the table as well!  The two scout packs advance forward.

Eldar turn three has the Swooping Hawks advance and drop a terminator from the bait pack.  The Farseer dooms Logan's pack and Fortune's themselves.  They shoot into the bait pack with no success and charge on in.  The Farseer manages to drop a terminator before he could swing back.  The last remaining terminator manages to put two wounds on the farseer and kill the Warlock as he's cut down at the same time.  The remaining Guardian squad advances towards the forest objective.  The Banshees advance towards Logan's pack and charges in.  The girls manage to down 5 of the pack with ease.  The Autarch didn't make it in so it was up to the Exarch to down Logan.  She manages to put a wound on him.  Logan swings with the last remaining Wolfguard, killing all but the Autarch, Exarch, and one remaining banshee.  The bashees win combat but Logan's stubborn nature, granted to him by Russ, has him hold!  The Swooping Hawks skyleap off the field.

Wolves turn three has the pack with power armored stormbolters advance in support of Logan. They let lose a rain of shots at the Farseer killing him in a display known as the Swiss Cheese method.  Logan dies to the sheer number of high initiative attacks, but doesn't go without landing a wound on the Autarch and killing the last banshee.  The Autarch and Exarch rush back towards their remaining objective as the two scout packs are closing in.  The two Wolfguard packs that are holding objectives let lose with some frag missiles at the remaining Guardian squad and kill half their number but they hold!

Turn four was short and sweet.  The Banshee Exarch and Autarch advance into one of the scout packs which get wiped out but not before the Wolfguard pack leader manages to kill the Exarch.  The second scout pack manages to shoot a combi-melta in the Autarch's face and melts him in a pile of melted flesh and armor.  The support stormbolter power armored squad manages to reclaim Logan's lost objective.  The Swooping Hawks drop more bombs, killing a terminator on one of the Eldar backfield objectives.  The Hawks land and let lose with their rifles.  They kill one more power armored Wolfguard.  The Wolf guard pack answers them with a death sentence of Krak Rockets and bolter rounds.  At that the game ends with the Wolves victorious!

Eldar: 1 objective
Space Wolves: 3 objectives

The Long Drought

My local shop has two boxes of Seraphim and an Inquisitor Lord and retinue after more than a year of not carrying anything. NIB Exorcists and Immolators are being sold in large quantities on eBay, more than I've seen in a year. Games Workshop is no longer selling Sister blisters. I watched as a box of 10 Sisters of Battle sold for $90 on eBay.

I sense a terrible time ahead for us Sisters of Battle players. (Inquisition models: I don't care - you can buy that stuff by the bucket used.)

Yes my friends, I believe the purge is upon us. And while there may be hope of a better, more plastic day, for the near future we must suffer. The well is drying up and prices are going bonkers. No longer are the freespirited days when 10 Sisters didn't come directly out of our children's college funds, our 401ks, or the Y2K money we keep hidden in a sock in the third drawer. But the panic only makes it worse.

Damn economists for ever inventing supply-demand. But mostly damn GW for taking away our happiness. Daddy needs his fix!

I won't be taking part in the madness, although I did just buy a non-converted Exorcist... just to be safe. But until sanity returns to the market (may plastic Sisters drop the price), I'm out.

I could always just carve some boobs onto Imperial Guard. That might tie me over.

Space Wolf : Wolf Guard WIP

I have to start off by giving credit where credit is due.  This idea I modified from a guy off of the Space Wolf Blog located here: http://space-wolves-grey.blogspot.com/2011/01/from-work-bench-1.html 

As you can see I cut on mine a bit differently from him.  I'm retaining the chaos warrior torso and cloak but making sure I have enough space marine bits, both chaos and loyal, for people to not get confused on where the model is suppose to be.  Where is that you say?  The 13th Co. of course!

Campaign for Thraxium IV a 40K Skirmish

I will post rules for the campaign soon. The rules have a lot of updating and discussion after yesterday’s trial games. This is what I remember since sleeping last night.

Major Discussion Points:
1. Dave playing his Dire Avengers pointed out fleet need addressing. The question is how does fleet fit into the current Turn Phase approach?

2. When to resolve close combats? Keep in mind model are considered in close combat when they move within 1” of an enemy model.

3. Pinning – Should this be an area pinning. Suggestion use small blast template on target. Sniper riffle is good example.

4. Unit cohesion. Units are not longer bound by 2” cohesion. Should the rules require fire teams or let the player decide troop arrangement?

5. Run during phase 2 was brought up during the 3rd game. I think this should stay at a full 6” move. Move of the table is difficult terrain and require a difficult terrain roll anyway. Those with move through cover keep their benefit. The advantage to moving in the open most likely a street is being able to move the full 6”.

Some of the updates: I say some because my feeble mind was wasted in my youth on beer.

1. Leadership radius is number of inches of leadership value. For some this might be a short range. Such as Orks and Gaunts. Perhaps this could be 6” plus leadership value.

2. Shooting is now +1% for every inch under weapon range and -2% for every inch over weapon range.

3. Debris in the streets are 5+ including bombing hole.

4. Indirect fire requires forward observer with vox.

5. IG booby traps limited to 6” range and use the large blast which scatters.

6. Thrown weapons limited to specified range and do not get to throw beyond that range as shooting weapons do.

Storm Raven...will the other Astartes Chapters get one?

I've been perusing the other blogs today and came across several comments under the newly released Storm Raven.  It currently is a BA only vehicle.  The rumor mill dictates that the April release of Grey Knights will see one added to their armory.  This and a few slips from GW staffers have led many to believe that, like the Land Raider Crusader, the Storm Raven may be issued to other Chapters via White Dwarf and/or FAQ.  What are your ideas on this issue?