Thursday, July 31, 2014

End of Month Musings


Well. July was a busy month. Let's start with GW's Sanctus Reach Campaign. I really like it! This is the kind of thing they need to do more often, a solid campaign supported by novels, some new figures, and new Codexes. The main book, The Red Waaagh! is a very well done supplement. Great new artwork, a good narrative of the battles and characters, and 11 missions. Plus a few formations and new rules for Planetstrike for good measure. 

I will be putting up mini-reviews of the novel and five short stories soon. Having so much source material adds a lot to the immersion of the campaign. We have decided to play though the entire thing, so I have to get going painting some Knights. 

The only strange miss-step of this whole event was the Stormclaw box set. It was a great value for the money, but what was it supposed to be? A starter set or a campaign expansion? It came with a full color mini-rulebook which is great, but no templates or dice, so not quite a starter set. The 32 background and mission book has three missions that only use the forces in the box, kinda like a starter set. The point is ultimately moot, because they badly underestimated demand and it sold out in 36 hours.  
The Space Wolves Sanctus Reach intervention will be covered in much greater detail with the next hardcover supplement, Hour of the Wolf.   

And now for something completely different:
I saw this in my inbox and had to share. Yes, the 1983 not-quite-classic is coming soon to Blu ray! I was in Junior High School and still in my AD&D phase, but branching out to Traveller and Gamma World, so this movie seemed like a perfect must see. And it mostly was. Very ambitious story, fantastic production values, just a bit heavy on the cheese. I can't wait to see what extras are on the blu ray.

Relive the days of feathered hair heroes versus evil space aliens. (Shameless plug goes here) Get Krull  here for a mere $9.98!

Next up: A huge Star Trek Attack Wing bash.

Go Roll Some Dice
And watch "Classic" Sci-Fi


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Mean Green Kumpin' Machines


Dread Mob. Such a fun army to use, and truly overwhelms your opponents. In this new, wide open world of 7th edition, this has (so far) been my favorite Unbound list to use: 

Cog Gutz's Dread Mob 
1999 points, Unbound
Big Mek                 
5x Burna Boyz                       
12x Tankbustas                      
Boyz x30                                 
Boyz x25                                 
Boyz x25                                 
Deff Dread “Tuska”                                                          
  2x Rokkits
Deff Dread “Hugga”                                                        
  +2 Power Klaws                      
Deff Dread “Klanger”                                                       
  1 Big shoota
  1 Rokkit,                                                         
Deff Dread ‘Klampa”                                                        
  1 Big Shoota
  1 Skorcher    
3x Killa Kans                         
  2x Big Shoota
  1x Rokkit
Mega Dread “Buzz Gunz”    
  Grot Riggas                 
Gorkanaut “Da Krushinator”           
  Grot Riggas                                         

Matt made sure I kept up the fine tradition of having my newly painted model (The Gorkanaut in this case) blown off the table as soon as it arrives. Stupid Dreadnought with stupid Lascannons. The rest of the battle was all kumpin' all the time and ended in a Ork win.  
One of the great things about the Orks is that the older models fit right in alongside the new stuff. 
If I only still had this guy:

Next I will take this list against Mrs. Blackheart's Eldar. That will be interesting.
                                                           
Krush 'em for Gork!
                 Mork is good too, if that is your thing.                                     

Thursday, July 10, 2014

The Ladz are back

The Ork Codex has been set loose into the wild. It is up to the current standard of 40K codices, hardcover, glossy, full color. However, the format inside has changed. The unit descriptions are now with the point costs in the back half of the book. With the wargear & weapons section is after it. All the gaming info in the same section, I do like it. There is a lot more photos of models and less artwork, which is a minor gripe.

Lots of changes in the rules, as could be expected. One trend I don't like is the simplifying of unit choices. The Ork Boys lost their burnas last codex and they didn't get them back this time either. Why not? It's not like they have a strict tactical doctrine. The orks need more choices in options for their staple unit, not less.

The same goes for the Big Mek, and the welcome addition,  Mekboy. They have fewer weapon and gear choices than last codex. I have a kustomized big Mek with a burna I built years back. Which is now not an option in the new book. Good thing Orks don't give a toss about the Man's rules.

On the plus side, Tankbustas, Burnaboys, Lootas, and Flash Gitz can all now take a Trukk as a transport. Bikerz, Killa Kans, and  Warbuggies all got their squad sized increased. The killsaw is a great weapon for Mega-Nobs and Big-Meks for chopping up tanks.

The new Ork Horde FOC is kinda cool. They have one more HQ slot and three more troop slots, and a chance to get Hammer of Wrath. The Warlord traits are mostly good and you can re-roll for them if you are using a Ork Horde detachment FOC.

The Mob Rule has been changed to a table which has some nice Orkiness to it, Most Orks get 'Ere We Go which allows you to re-roll one die when charging. The Warboss still can call the Waaagh once a game, allowing the Orks to run and charge.

Orks are one of those armies the Unbound army list was made for. It was very hard or impossible to fully field a true Kult of Speed or Dread Mob before. No longer.  We have only had one game with the new book so far, I took a Kult of Speed that had 1 HQ, 1 Elite, 4 troop, 3 heavy, and 5 fast attack choices. Nothing totally cheesy or out of character but a lot of fun. I'm putting the finishing touches on a Gorkanaut and then it is Dread Mob time!

 Stomp some 'ummies!
And 'ery one else