#81: A Week in the News...

Wow.

What a week it has been in Wargamingland; news coming out of Adepticon about what to expect from 8th Edition 40K, our first look at Shadowspire, and of course, the sneaky little image of a certain Blades of Khorne Battletome. This whole week has been a bit of a glance into the near future, so let's break this bad boy down!

Firstly, we have the release of what to expect from 40k moving forward into a new edition. From what I've gathered so far from sources ranging from sketchy to GW themselves, Battleshock (as seen in AoS) will replace leadership as a mechanic, the game will follow the Three-Ways-To-Play trend, and each unit will gain its own movement value rather than having a set movement depending on unit type. I think this is great. I love that it will have multiple forms of gameplay, though I suspect that Matched Play will naturally become the most popular amongst 40k gamers. I love that they are willing to shake up core mechanics like movement and leadership. This, to me, shows a willingness to be creative and adventurous moving forward. They seem to be utilising lessons learned from Age of Sigmar, and gleaning guidance from it as to what was successful about that overhaul as well as what was not. We will not experience a 9-month wait for points as we did with AoS. I believe that while the structure of the game seems to be shifting, that it will be completely supported right from the start.

The 40k Generals Handbook (for lack of an actual name) will be a game changer (literally... Eh? EH?), and I think it will be for the best. As it stands, the game suffers from expanding upward in scope for several editions now, while remaining based on the same ruleset from years gone past; each edition has added significantly more mechanics and rules that make 40k an in depth and immersive game, but occasionally struggles to walk under its own weight. Codexes, supplements and expansions have made the barrier of entry surprisingly high, especially in comparison to AoS (where the core rules for the game and each army are essentially free). And I think that this is where we will see significant change! with movement and leadership being restructured, I think we will see publication (most likely GHB40K) that will address this change for every unit, or at least blanket changes for particular armies, so this will be an interesting opportunity to adjust whatever it is that GW choose to. I don't think they will do away with codexes for the reason that they have poured a significant amount of resources into books. It would seem crazy to just make them redundant in favour of a new game...

But perhaps that's exactly what the game needs. A ground-up overhaul.

And reading back over that, I'm reminded that they have done exactly that before. Hands up who remembers the End Times of Fantasy? There's a series of very large books that were essentially made redundant overnight. Don't get me wrong, they are some of the best lore books Games Workshop has ever written for fantasy, but their effect on the game was very, very short-lived. So, who knows. We could be looking at some changes far larger than people expect.

Now, before I begin to sound too much like a Negative Nancy, I want to say I would actually be so pleased if they did do away with codexes and move onto a digital format like the AOS app. It would reduce the cost of the game significantly, and we all know how incredibly popular the decision was to move to an App. I think that the book-keeping is a large part of what is wrong with the game at the moment. If I wanted to play Raven Guard, I would need the rule book, Space Marine codex, and Angels of Death, not to mention another book on top if I want to use the new SM flier. That's before I buy a single model.

By moving to digital, that barrier would dissolve instantly.

I am in a positive mindset about 40k. I'm excited for where the game will go. And despite all the anxiety and fear that we hold around change, I find comfort in the knowledge that despite it not being a perfect transition, they turned Warhammer Fantasy into one of the best games I have ever played,
despite it being totally different to what I originally bought into.

That's all I'm really gonna say on that. Change is needed. Change is coming. I trust GW.

Could have saved myself a couple of hundred words by opening with that...

Next comes Shadowspire, what looks like an arena death match game, and can I say I am KEEN! My hope is that it supports all current post-AoS armies on a scale of a handful of warriors, and continues to be supported with each release. I think this will be great, and while there was some disappointment from those expecting Mordheim 2.0, I can get behind a small-scale tactical game like this! If not, it's not really a loss. Those new sculpts are amazing!!

And lastly, but certainly not least, I want to address Blades of Khorne. As a Khorne player myself, I am overjoyed! I really, truly am. But there was signifcant unrest in some parts of the online community that Khorne (along with Stormcast) were getting undue love from GW while other factions were being neglected. To this, I say that is simply not the case. Stormcast and Khorne are by far the largest ranges in AoS (not counting ranges from years gone by), and it makes business sense to support your poster boys. Just look at Space Marines. These two armies are in the starter box. GW will not allow the two most accessible armies to become obsolete or outdated; they're smarter than that. Not to mention, the existing Bloodbound book is missing half the characters in the range due to its early release.

I think the most important thing to remember is that this is a page 8 release. There are no new models (oh, for plastic Flesh Hounds), and this book is not interfering with any other release schedules; no more than some race-specific dice or a game aid would. This is a repackaging and revamping of Bloodbound and Daemons of Khorne. We may see some points adjustments, but aside from the artefacts and command traits, I'm not expecting anything too crazy.

I acknowledge that I'm very fortunate to be getting an update, and I'm not taking that for granted.

For players of armies yet to get a Battletome, your time will come. It might not be soon, and it might not look how you thought it would. But it will come. I don't think many dwarf players were expecting  Sky Pirates, yet here we are, weeks away, and for the most part, Dwarf Players are over the moon.

And recruiting plenty more into the ranks of the Duardin...

I think Sigmar players have a lot to look forward to.

Well, there's my two cents. I hope my opinion hasn't been too polarising. I think there's lots to be positive about Wargaming, regardless of whether you play Sigmar or 40k.

Thanks for reading,
Gabe

#80: Yo ho, yo ho, a Pirate's Life for me...

Ok, so this was not the post I originally had scheduled for this fine Sunday evening. But considering the recent photo-drop by the team at Warhammer Community, I couldn't bring myself to publish any of my other articles! 

Because DWARF STEAMPUNK REALMFARING PIRATE FLEETS!!!

I'm gonna open this by saying that I have not been this excited about a release since the Age of Sigmar Starter Box was dropped on us! Here we all were, minding our own business, when BAM! An album of photos appeared on the interwebs, and the online Sigmar community lost their minds!

Now, I'm going to touch on the community reaction a little before I talk about the actual release, because it surprised me. Typically, there were two very different responses.

#1: Complete, unmitigated joy accompanied by excessive drooling, maybe a few happy tears, and applying for pre-approved personal loans and selling of kidneys in anticipation of what will inevitably be an incredible release. 

#2: Contempt and disgust that Age of Sigmar would pollute itself with 40k-style artwork, weaponry and design. 

I was actually very surprised with the second reaction. People who had been crying out for Duardin to get some love, support for the rumoured "Steamheads", and general thirst for new models, seemed overnight to change their whole perspective to one of negativity and disappointment. 

While I understand that this is not an army that I am emotionally invested in (as Dwarf players love nothing more than Dwarf stuff!), I see this as an incredible release. This isn't the Old World anymore; it's not a Tolkien-like medieval fantasy setting with castles and sieges and crossbows. 

This is a high-fantasy setting that spans celestial planes and includes some of the more extreme fantasy elements such as realmgates and teleporting lightning warriors (to name a few). 

Not only that, but the elements introduced, while extreme in some cases, are not new. Black-powder, steam-powered war machines, telescopes, airships and rockets have been around in the lore for quite some time, be it Dwarfs, Empire, etc. Gyrobombers and Gyrocopters got a new model in very much the same style, and they are beloved models by the Dwarf community. Grimm Burlokkson has a robotic arm and a pump-action shotgun, as well as a range finder built into his helmet. 

I know some Duardin players don't like the new range, and that's ok. Not every release will appeal to everyone. If this is you, however, I would beseech you to be patient, read the Battletome, and keep your mind open to it. Who knows, it could change your mind and inspire you to dive in and start your own fleet to pillage and plunder across the realms! I get that Kharadon Overlords may not have been what you wanted, but that doesn't mean it's not something you can enjoy! 

But I digress.

I think this release looks amazing! From what we have seen so far, there are plenty of characters, each with their own unique look, wargear, and (I assume) battlefield role. There are several units being released, ranging from pirate foot soldiers to heavy weapons experts and paratroopers drifting above the battlefield from great balloons. And then, the highlight models for me; the range of airships!!

On the table, I'm hoping that they are a relatively elite army, with their strength lying in durability and short-range firepower. I don't think this army will facilitate the "gun line" style of play. While Freeguild and Dispossessed have that playstyle down to a science, I think that the Overlords will actually have a lot of moving parts. Hopefully the learning curve is not too steep, and that they will be forgiving to new players, as this release has actually caught the attention of a lot of 40k players in my local area. 

I'm interested to see what role the airships play in the army. Obviously, there are variants of the airship that will be dedicated to blowing stuff up with their batteries of cannons, but I would love to see airships with buffing and auras as their main focus, as well as a transport capacity or mechanic. I think this is something we have not seen yet, but with summoning, tunnelling, teleporting and all manner of other movement tricks available to other forces, it seems only fair to give Overlords some way to traverse to table with a shred of haste and in relative safety... 

Maybe. I can't imagine being on board an airship as it plummets to earth is going to be the most comfortable way to get from point A to point B. 

All in all, I consider this to be a very, very solid release. The sheer variety in units and kits is exceptional, and they are so incredibly detailed! There are plenty of characters to choose from! The physical size of the models varies from foot soldiers all the way up to soaring centre piece models. It gives Order another presumably amazing faction to draw strength from. 

It's also a significantly more comprehensive release than Fyreslayers. Duardin, rejoice! 

So, the real question is "can I resist starting a new army of Duardin Pirates?".

The answer: Why would I want to resist!?

I'll be honest, I'm loving these guys, and I will be collecting a small army. These guys are enough to draw me to Order (no easy feat), but I'll probably start out with purchasing the Battletome and doing some research before I get too carried away. I planned out Pestilens in this way, and it gives me so much more direction painting up a specific list rather than buying and painting anything from the collection and cobbling together a list afterward. 

Speaking of Pestilens, before I do get too carried away with Duardin, I have about 90 monks to paint before Overlords...

Are you jumping on board the hype-airship?

Thanks for reading, 

Gabe  

#79: The Crimson Crusaders are complete!!

It's not often that I finish an army (and let's be honest, no army is ever complete, is it...), but I think I've closed the door on the army building aspect of my Khorne Bloodbound! That door isn't locked by any means, but I'm satisfied with where the army is! 

And here it is... With multiples of most units, all but one character sculpt (not counting named ones like Valkia, Skyla and so on), and at least one of every Bloodbound unit available in painted form, I'm comfortable fielding these red-clad rage monsters in any event that comes my way. I'm not saying I'll do well, but... At least I can put down a table-top ready army!

Characters are the lifeblood of an army for me. They will be the deciding factor in what I collect and how big an army will go. The Mighty Lord of Khorne is the current high commander of my army, with eight (suitable number, yes?) of his greatest champions at his side! While I have doubles of the Bloodsecrator, as any self respecting Khorne player should, the only model I am missing from the character range is the Deathbringer with Spear; one of the coolest Chaos models ever put to plastic! I will also eventually add a Khorne Lord on Juggernaut when time allows!

Two of my favourite units in the army would be Skullreapers and the Warshrine! Both are fantastic models and very imposing on the table. Both also fit the theme of the army incredibly well! I imagine Skullreapers acting as the absolute elite bodyguard of their Lord, forming the spearhead of any assault; because after all, the Lord and his retinue don't become the favoured of Khorne by letting others harvest skulls and spill blood for them. They get their hands dirty!

I'm extremely happy with how this force has turned out in finished form. It's by no means going to win Best Painted, as I've used quite basic techniques, but it's uniform and looks like a cohesive force. The simple basing, the red armour and the flashes of bleach-white bone informs at a glance that the army is a single entity!

So, now that I'm "finished" (despite having five Khorgoraths and about sixty Reavers in a box somewhere), what's next? Well, Pestilens will be my next Sigmar army, but I've only just started on the first twenty monks and I'm already prepared to slam my head in a door. I've set the bar extraordinarily high for myself. 

Do a test model, I said. Use plenty of advanced techniques and colour schemes, I said. 

BIG mistake. In my 1000 point entry level list, I have 60 monks... In the lowest points bracket...

What have I done. 

The other project I'm going to be working on is my Grey Knights! I'm painfully aware of my own lack of attention given to 40k, and with the release of Gathering Storm Pt. 3, including a brand spanking new GL character and perhaps some juicy rules in the book, I think it's time to dive back in. 

I'll be pretty transparent with you; this will be primarily a painting project and perhaps a few casual games until 8th Edition 40k (or the equivalent) arrives on the scene. While I've only been out of 40k for a very short time (Age of Sigmar got me in its grip pretty convincingly!), so much has happened and so many books and units have arrived, that it's a little daunting diving back in. 

But I love my Grey Knights, and I do love 40k! So, I'll absolutely be jumping back in. For those of you craving some 40k content, it is well and truly incoming! 

In the meantime, Bloodbound will be attending a few tournaments, the first of which is a 1250 point tournament at Games Workshop Chermside. It's a bit of a left-field tournament, as the main prize is Players Choice. As game results aren't the primary goal, and the event itself is not ranked, I decided away from some janky sorcerous combos (very un-Khorne-like), and stuck to straight Khorne. I'm treating this event as an opportunity to try out some new units and practice with my army. So, without further ado, let's take a look at what I'm taking! 

Heroes were first on the menu, and while I have always leant heavily upon the Mighty Lord, I was taking some heavy cues from a gaming role model of mine, Russ from the FaceHammer Podcast (current #1 player in the U.K. and a supremely skilled Bloodbound warlord). You'll notice that my list uses one of his very efficient lists as its framework, and while I like coming up with my own combos, I think that this event is the perfect place to field a list that has combos and synergies that I can try out with no ramifications if I make mistakes or miss certain things. 

I'm not going into this event to win it. I'm going in for experience and the opportunity to crush out four games in a day. 

The mantle of General was taken up by an Aspiring Deathbringer, for his great command ability and his price tag (only 80 points!). He was supported by two Bloodsecrators (because Khorne!) and a Skullgrinder! The Skullgrinder and Deathbringer are both new to my collection, and I'm very interested to see how they fair! The Skullgrinder (with a Chaos Runeblade and just a ton of extra attacks from buffs and auras) will hopefully be able to mash everything he touches to a bloody pulp with his flaming anvil, and will (with some luck and Favour of Khorne) empower those around him to new feats of slaughter! 

Battleline was next. My go to these days are ten-man units of Blood Warriors! These maniacs are off the chain, and so difficult to deal with in combat thanks to their No Respite pile in! It gives me a ton of wounds with great armour and several mechanics that make them a nightmare to kill. I also included twenty Bloodreavers for screening, objective camping or clogging up choke points with bodies!

This left me with only a couple of hundred points to play with, but it was the perfect amount to slot in five Wrathmongers (a must have in every Bloodbound list), and five Skullreapers, giving me some lethal threats!

Now, as you can probably already guess, this army does one thing and it does it bloody well (no pun intended).

Let's break it down! I've spread out the units in the photo below to help differentiate all the armoured red guys, but in game, this formation will be much more compact!

This will be my standard deployment. Obviously against certain opponents, this will change but I'll touch on that in a moment. 

The centre of my frontline is a spearhead of Skullreapers, flanked on either side by Blood Warriors. Casualties on the blood warriors will typically be taken from the middle, opening a lane for the Reapers to pile in! In the V of Reapers, stands my Deathbringer with his 6" +1 Attack command ability aura, tagging all units in the formation. Inside one of the Blood Warrior units, the Skullgrinder will lurk in the second rank. With his large reach on the anvil, he can easily splat an unsuspecting hero over the heads of his comrades. The Wrathmongers act as a gap-stop, counter-charging any units that look poised to break through my lines, as well as handing out their own +1 attack aura, sitting back far enough so as not to buff enemy models on my front line. Lastly, the two Bloodsecrators sit back, adding another two +1 attack auras and making my whole force immune to Battleshock. This frees up my general's command ability, and means none of my troops are going down without a fight. 

This formation is horrifically powerful if it reaches combat (crucial word being "if"), as Wrathmongers, Blood Warriors and Skullreapers all have terrifying mechanics triggered if they are killed in close combat. There's no easy way to bring them down face to face. And if I get all my combos and auras off, then my rank and file Blood Warriors will be up to six attacks each!!  

The Bloodreavers will either be screens for my front line, to avoid any nasty charges on my important units, or they will bubble wrap my Bloodsecrators, acting as a shield against flankers. 

Now, I know for a fact that Skarbrand and Archaon will be in this tournament, in which case, the Wrathmongers will play a much more significant role in leading the offensive. 

My perfect match up would be another combat army, because there are few that can out-perform Bloodbound when it comes to slaughtering wholesale. I think that the worst match ups for me are armies wth a serious shooting phase. Stormcast with their new snipers, Freeguild gun lines, Wanderers with their Arcane Bodkins; all will pose a serious challenge, as I will have to either race across the board as quickly as possible to put an axe into them, or play the scenario with complete and utter dedication and hope I survive long enough to secure victory! In those matchups, I think it is Compulsary for me to take Cunning Deceiver as my Command Trait to try and mitigate damage on turn one, allowing me to close the gap at pace and without suffering crippling casualties. 

Either way, I can't wait to roll dice and reap skulls! What do you think of the list? This will be my first tournament in a while, and I'm chomping at the bit to get some games in! 

Thanks for reading!

Gabe