Dalyth Apocalypse Planning

I've asked Kirk if we can have the game room at the Lair for Sunday 12/16/07. We'll get a yea or nay on Saturday when we see him for the CP Tourney.

combat patrol tourney this Saturday!

The Lair will be hosting a 500 point Combat Patrol tourney this Saturday, December 1st. We're planning on going to do a little playification, and hope to see folks there!

Sunday, we can hammer down the last of the planning for the Dalyth Prime Apocalypse battle, set for the 16th of December. We'll check with Kirk to see if the Lair is available as a venue the very next time we see him-- Saturday at the latest, but likely sooner, if the moonlighting checks arrive today. If y'all see him before then, would you ask as well?

Apocalypse Extinction... and CXI is there!

Kirk at Dragon's Lair put on an Apocalypse Event today, and we had some old and some new faces, and a lot of fun. Mike, Poney, and Gordon brought 3,000 points each, Ray (of double blind Space Hulk fame) brought three ForgeWorld/Armorcast Titans, and Cameron and Kevin brought Eldar and DA Successors, respectively.

So, it lined up as Imperium vs. Commie-Mutant-Traitors, and was off to a good start. The Commie-Mutant-Traitors won the Deploy bid at 3 minutes, and did our best to box the Imperials in a bit. The Imperials did their best to teach us the joys of Destroyer Weapon goodness. Since I wanted to field painted troops only (although I was too much of a weedy wet to get all 3000 points fully painted, based, and sealed), I decided to field Chaos rather than Tau, and so got to play with the new Codex a bit. It's certainly powerful, no argument there, but I'm still not sure how I feel about it-- I went for oldstyle hardcore forces, with my only deliberate cheesiness being two pairs of Obliterators.

We got through three turns before the timer went off, and left it there. A fun game, all in all, and a variation on "normal" 40K that I would definitely play again with good friends.

Kudos to Kirk for building a nice table with good terrain, and to opening up the event to an alternate prize scheme: either a smaller prize for every participant, or winning side takes all. As we chose it, everyone walked away with something nice-- thanks again, Kirk, for arranging a fun event!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of CXI

...and to all both you guests and lurkers out there! We're still waiting for moonlighting checks to arrive (they'll come today, they'll come today, they'll come today... ) and otherwise enjoying the time off-- and the best martial arts movie Bruce Lee didn't get to make, "Circle of Iron." Okay, maybe "best" is a bit of a misnomer...

...anyway, look forward to seeing some of you folks at the Apocalypse Extinction Tourney tomorrow. I'll be bringing Chaos (less painting needed to reach 3,000 painted points!). Have a happy!

A Good Campaign!

This last campaign went really well, Thank you Gordon! They were fun scenarios, fairly balanced and the bonuses from the small games were not game-winners, but added to the play.

Here’s what I’ve learned or not learned from playing my Sisters:

What I’ve learned:

1) Take as many Celestines and Seraphim as possible.
2) Tanks are fun, but become immobile/die quickly.
3) A Canoness or Palatine is good people to have.
4) I hate priests.
5) I can paint my troops in less than a day and that I am a good painter!
6) The “Rapid Fire” rules.
7) How to allocate wounds better.
8) Giving everyone who can have a power weapon, a power weapon, no matter the cost.
9) How to move my flamer and “special weapons” into range.
10) Patience. Don’t try to do everything on turn one.
11) Always remember the objective.

What I haven’t learned:

1) How to use the Inquisitor Lord and retinue effectively.
2) How to get the Sisters into “Kick-ass” shooting range without getting charged next turn.
3) Combining the firepower of my troops.
4) Not to whine so much when my favorite squad gets killed off/runs away.
5) How to use my “Acts of Faith”.
6) Every little single detail that every little person on the list can do. (Give me ‘Nids, one size fits all!)
7) Being pro-active instead of being reactive.


So there are things to be learned, but I know that I am improving.

Thanks to all my opponents for their support!

Dalyth Prime Final Rankings!

Today, the last battles were fought for the Dalyth Prime campaign, our second campaign so far and the first custom-written one. Thanks to the players for getting through all five rounds with no forfeits (hey, not even the BoLS PreHeresy campaign can make that claim)!

Here are the standings:
1. Daniel (74)
2. Mike (60 VP)
3. Aaron (59 VP)
4. Marcellus (43 VP)
5. Gordon (38 VP)
6. Poney (26)

Reminder for the Apocalypse Battle coming up in December, Daniel, Aaron, and Gordon get a free Battle Honor for a single surviving unit! My Broadsides rolled a... 6! Rapid Deployment! The only one that does absolutely nothing for an Apocalypse game!

Also, the field now opens for the next campaign. Who's interested in putting one together? Who's playing? What's the story? And stuff!

Playing Russell's Blood Angels!

I got to play an enjoyable game last night with my old friend Russell, whom Marcellus also knows, and whom Daniel has played before too. Take and Hold, 2K points. Lots of Assaulty Marines backed up by a pair of Baal Predators and a Vindicator; Death Company with Chaplain and Flying Librarian accompanying some of the Assaulters.

I hope we'll see more of Russell and his Storm Troopers playing with CXI, and I'll be interested to see how his army develops!

Round Five Battle Links

For round five, Aaron and Marcellus battle it out.

Poney's Sisters attack the Tau.

Chaos attacks the Orks.

Round Five Summaries coming!

I'm going to be cooped up for the BP study tomorrow, and not getting out till Wednesday afternoon. I should probably have summaries up for late Wednesday evening.

I'll bring copies Sunday as usual, for the beginning of round 5!

Reminder about Round 4 small games: Marcellus has a KT-assassination mission attacking vs Aaron, Mike has a 500 pt Recon mission (BGB, 83) attacking Daniel, and Gordon has a KT-sabotage attacking Poney's Sisters to complete by Saturday.

Work In Progress

Foamcore sheet: $2.75
Glue: $1.00
Generic slimfast cans: $4.50 for half dozen
Scratchbuilding your own Thunderhawk Gunship?

Priceless.

Dragon's Lair 40K Escalation League begins!

The Hive Queen and I went down to the Lair for this, with 500 points of Combat Patrolliness that included one mandatory HQ and one mandatory Troop, no ordnance, no 2+ saves, no more than 2 wounds in a model. And yes, my models all had colors, in fact, I made sure all my Shas'la and Shas'ui were in full Scorpion Green armor. Poney likewise did a bang-up job of having her Immolator ready and her sisters in nice basic paints!

Poney ran a variation on the sisters force she tried out at the Forge last week; I ran a variation on the Tau force that had opposed it.

I got to play the event organizer for a nice, solid win-- he ran DA successors, a chaplain with command squad of bolter jockeys, two 5 man tacs in two HB razorbacks. Extra Armor on one razorback was the sole upgrade. He had a good army, with good tactics, and his dice hated his guts today. I lost my Stealth Suits to the greater good; my MVPs were a sextet of Fire Caste Warriors in the rocks who were charged by five, then four, tac marines, and over two close combat phases killed them all with no losses. Let me say that again: killed them all with no losses. Sweet Leaping Jeebus.

Poney had to team up with a BA player versus footy Eldar and Larry Prinzivalle's marines (props to Larry here-- he was subbing in for a guy who was turned away because he hadn't bothered to put two colors on his models. Speaking of which, props to Mr. Dragonforce the organizer for turning the fellow away. Not easy or fun to do, but he made his league rules stick). I think she would have preferred to win or lose her own fight, especially since her partner had some odd ideas about what he could or couldn't do (read, he never fired a pistol shot, because he was fielding a chaplain with death company and assault marines with pistols, and thought he couldn't fight or assault if he fired). The table, bar Poney, also was exceedingly off on ICs fighting in Close Combat, too. How hard is it to read the rules, and then understand that an IC counts as though it were a separate unit? Apparently, VERY. Oh well.

Old Timer Heath showed up (he's been away helping his wife open a vet clinic, and the like, but was Jonesing to play), and would have done a little better (read: his Stealers would have gotten into assault) had he rechecked the stats (bolters are AP5, not AP4, Scuttlers/Scouts can always use their ability independent of scenario, etc). A few other old faces were there, even another Tau force (with KROOT!) in Sacea urban armor.

Next event is in two weeks, and forces are bumped up by 250 points, still holding to the same Combat Patrolly structure (we shift to the normal force org chart at 1000).

Good times, yo.

Requesting feedback

I have written some basic ground rules for tournaments they are posted here. Please let me know what you think.

When is GW going to realease new FAQs?

So I posed a request to the High Lords of GW about a few weeks back on the Kommando board. I requested that us mild mannered gammers in Austin want GW to produce all new FAQ's. This is the response that was received today from Chris Gohlinghorst, the GW guy in charge of the Kommando Program:

I posed this question to Jeremy Vetock this weekend at the BaltimoreGT (he's the head of the games dev team at the Global Studios). Allesio is in charge of the FAQ process and, as we speak, is now beginning the whole FAQ project (he just wrapped up work on a rather huge project, so I'm told he can now focus on the FAQs).

I'd be surprised if we see anything before summer given the scope of the task at hand, but it's nice to hear first hand that they know theFAQs needs updating and, in fact, have a hard-core rules heads now taking care of it.

Well there it is. At least we have a possible projected time frame. I'm now curious what that "rather huge project" is all about?

Pictures from Kill Team action last Thursday

Transmission: Astramalleus Command

From: Norran Victos, Commander 4th Company Occupation Detachment
To: Leviah Milham, Commander Dalyth Expeditionary Force

The Forces of Chaos are aggressive, but not strong enough to stand up to the Sons of Guilleman, we bearers of the Emperor's Wrath.

We received your transmission on the equipment left for us at grid 7-gamma-53. I prepared a party to retrieve it and found a Chaos force approaching the same position. Perhaps one of their foul Sorcerers divined our presence or the materiel. I prepared our forces to face them.

Not having demonstrable superiority in forces, I chose to use a weakness against them: their pride. I believed that their fixation on fighting and combat would buy us the time to retrieve the equipment and I was correct. 6th Tactical rushed into the center to engage the enemy's heavy weapons troops in a center rock formation and held 2 squads at bay while 8th Devastator provided support fire. Chaos Terminators and more heavy weapons appeared but were dispatched by Devastator fire and the arrival of our own Terminators. Their leader was formidable, downing both 4th Tactical and Dreadnought Brother Onfidik but as he/it reveled in the battle, 2nd Tactical gathered the materiel and when it had been collected, we broke off the engagement and left them empty handed.

Once again, I must offer 6th Tactical up for honor. Their holding of the center managed to both weaken the Chaos force severely and bring my strategy to fruition.

We stopped them here, but this demonstrates to me that they have a strong enough presence to patrol in force and mount sorties from their main position. And if they can send such a Champion that can fell a squad and a Dreadnought single-handedly on a mission of this nature, they must either have significant force or be incredibly desperate and while the latter is preferred, neither is a good prospect.

Once again, I request reinforcements, but if you have been able to only offer these weapons and equipment to aid us, there must be greater things afoot. I hope that when I see you again, my old friend, you will be well.

Sir, we have been at this for weeks. There is barely a man who has not been wounded. Apothecary Talban is working at a feverish rate. Indeed, he has proved the most valuable man in this campaign. My own wounds are grievous, but nothing compared to some that our men have faced. And yet we would do it again for as long as is required to fulfill our duties to the Chapter and to the Emperor.

Hail to the Emperor and the Grand Satrap,

Norran Victos
In Command
4th Company Occupation Detachment

We are the mailed fist of the Emperor.

Tyranids Monsterous Creatures

Many of us were talking about the stats for my resin Nid creatures that I have but have never used.

We started talking about getting the stats and remembered that "White Dwarf" once did a Chapters Approve article about them.

Well, this morning I found that article, WD #254 March.

I'll be looking at that article for use for Apoc! Then we can post those stats here once done!

Just keeping everybody up to date!

Aun'el Dalyth Rakithia, to the loyal Shas of Gel'bryn Fourth Security Cadre:

Courage!

Your Shas'O is recovering from wounds taken in service to Dalyth Prime, and will be returning to you, as you will be inspired to hear. I was most heartened by your performance in the recent engagement with the Orkoid visitors who mistakenly landed near Gel'bryn. Thanks to our vision, the policy of reduction in Orkoid numbers is proving successful, and will soon result in the departure of survivors for other worlds, more suited to our Greater Good.

In continuation of this policy, you will be preserving the security of the Aun Hall of Wise Concord on the outskirts of Gel'Bryn itself, in preparation for a parley with the Gue'la known as the Scarlet Crania. I know that you will rise above even your normal efficiency and prowess in such proximity to our example.

Remember, your sacrifices make this world safer, every day. Every duty you perform benefits millions whom you will never meet, but whose destinies we are blessed to cherish. We give you our thanks.

Memorials for those who have served us to the utmost will be held at rotaa 12, dec 3.

Courage!

Aun'el Dalyth Rakithia

Personal IM from the Lady Jeremina

...imagine our surprise when we found out who we were fighting! Were we embarrassed! Here we were thinking that we finally caught up to that Chaos squad only to find some old Space Marines taking a stroll through the city!

Well of course when we found them getting ready to attack us, we attacked them. It's only natural! It wasn't any one's fault really! It just happened! If it wasn't for those few stormtroopers fighting their way into the Marines HQ, we might not have been able to stop the Marines from rampaging everywhere!

Well, we're going to continue to search for those heretics in that city. We're sure to catch up to them soon!

and yes, post pix of your wedding! Say "hi" to the Emperor's Children! HA!HA!(Just kidding! Your kids aren't that bad...) :-)

Love, LJ.

**********

For the Battle Honors that my Stormtroopers won, is called "Natural Survivors". Fits them well, don't you think? The Council witnessed my roll.

Round Four, Battle Three

Here is Poney and Aaron's battle for Round Four. Poney, be sure you've chosen your Battle Honor for the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers!

Round Four, Battle Two

Here is the mission for Mike and Gordon for Round Four.
RESULTS (11 PM Saturday 11/3/07): Victory for the Orks, after an all-important Leadership test on the pivotal Nob unit right at board edge, to either fall back toward board center due to shooting casualties (failing to get off the board and win) or press forward off the board (and win). Good game, well played.

Round Four, Battle One

This is the mission for Marcellus and Daniel in Round Four of the Dalyth Prime campaign. Marcellus, be sure you've chosen your battle honor from the last big game, and please announce it to us!

Shas'ui Kethran, special combined reconnaissance force, to Aun'el Dalyth Rakithia

Excellence,

We have completed our tour of the area you identified for us, and have indeed found signs of Orkoid infestation. Attached, please find our scans of terrain and distribution of Orkoid life-signs, along with thermal and ore scans of the primitive machines these latest invaders are operating.

With rapid response, there seems a chance of Containment of their violence, and perhaps a redirection of their energies towards those who are already providing such disharmony. Our Kroot associates are eager for "another go" and several kinbands began impromptu celebrations upon our report back to base.

We await further orders, and look forward to serving our new Shas'O, whoever that might be.



Living to serve your vision,

Kethran Dalyth,
Shas'ui, Special Combined Reconnaissance Force.