The (Diverted) Path to Call to Arms: Elf Space Pirates

Progress on the Autumn Elves was non existent this weekend as all my time and effort was diverted to completing my Warhammer 40k Army, Eldar Corsairs. This sudden change was due to me being asked to get the army ready for a show game, and since its mostly done i thought i may as well post the pictures of it for all to see.

The Corsair Prince

Short Story: Heroes

She gazed out from the bridge of the starship into the darkness of space, and the pulsing red wound of the Eye of Terror that dominated most of her view.  As she gazed upon it she felt despair growing within her, how could a galaxy divided by war and hate hope to stop the relentless advance of Chaos, a power that feed on conflict and division. So focused was she on her thoughts that she failed to hear the foot steps of her master coming up behind her and she started slightly as he spoke:

"Tell me Allira, what is on your mind?"

"I was considering how hard the task before us is. Chaos feeds on war, conflict and division but those are the things most common in our galaxy"

She turned to him as she finished, tearing her gaze away from the Eye and looking instead upon her master. The old Farseer had his helmet off which allowed her to see him simile at her response.

"It is such a shame to see the young turn to despair and hopelessness. Things are not so bleak as they appear"

"Aren't they? While the races of the galaxy fight each other the Dark Gods grow strong. Each mortal life lost only weakens those who would stand against Chaos while their own numbers grow each day"

The Farseer was silent for a moment before taking out the pouch that contained his runes.

"Tell me who wins wars"

"Armies"

"Yes armies do win wars, but what are armies made up of ?"

"Soliders"

"Yes, soldiers. Individuals who, for whatever reason, joined an army and played a part in winning a war"

As he finished his sentence he sat down on the bridge's floor and cast his runes.

"Come Allira and see what things soldiers can do"

She sat opposite him and saw.

Let Xenos Kill Xenos

+++++ Message Incoming +++++
+++++ Gamma Level Encryption. Password Required +++++
+++++ *********** +++++
+++++ Password Accepted. Welcome Inquisitor +++++
+++++ Message Begins +++++
+++++  Greetings Inquisitor

We followed the Orks  undetected as per your orders. Their progress was easy to track and we gained valuable insight into the hierarchy of this warband, i have attached all  relevant intelligence to this report for you to review at your leisure. The main point of this message relates to what happened when the warband stopped at a disused Imperial Outpost. The Orks had stopped in order to loot the place of any usable scrap they could find when they found themselves under attack.

The Outpost prior to the arrival of the Orks. Due to their predictable travel path we were able to take picts of it before they arrived.

The Outpost itself

There is Only 40k

Despite WHFB still being a reasonably popular game with viable sale figures GW seems to have forgotten about it. With Imperial Knights this week and Adeptus Mechanicus next week, and the months of 40k releases before this, it would be easy for new comers into the hobby to assume that GW only has one game. This is annoying for me and other fans/players of WHFB because there are still 3 armies yet to get 8th ed books, and i am pretty sure this drought isn’t because GW is about to drop WHFB or because its unpopular, my concerns about WHFB’s popularity and sales figures have been put to rest, but that doesn’t help to answer the question of why haven’t we seen anything for WHFB in the past few months?

A Step In The Right Direction: Codex Craftworld

If you follow the rumour mill as closely as i do the you would have heard of Codex Craftworld. When it first surfaced this rumour was confusing as it appeared to be the new Eldar Codex, which was confusing because Eldar already have a 7rh Ed Codex and its still pretty good. However recent fresh rumours seem to indicate that its a sort of supplement codex that will allow Eldar players to play a army from one of the main Eldar Craftwolrds. This had already been tried once before in 3rd Edition 40k with the "Mini Codex" Craftwolrd Eldar.

The 3rd Edition Craftworld Eldar Codex

Whats Going On????

Today the pre-orders for the Skitarii Codex went up. Being somewhat interested in this army i went and took a look and was surprised by one very key detail

A Sign of the Apocalypse? You Decide

This is a big surprise as to date all Wh40k codexs are 98 NZD by they supplement codexes, the Harlequin Codex or the Scion Codex. Unfortunately the new units boxes are still 92 NZD for 5 but still, 57 NZD for a codex is definitely progress. Will we see more of it? I dont know but for now this is good enough. Until next time.
Rex

Demons and Cyborgs

What with all the current  WH40k armies having up to date Codexs the natural question is: What Next for 40k? There have been rumours of Adeptus Mechanicus, Death Watch, Gene Stealer Cults and even a Sister of Battle rumour. Today we got solid confirmation of the whats next for 40k and its....well a codex called Khorne Demonkin which appears to be a codex for all things, well, Khorne in 41st millennium.

Behold! Evidence!

Their Number is Legion, Their Name is Death

A while back i started my latest, and at this stage most successful, 40k army. I have always loved the Necrons, the old 3rd edition Necron codex is hands down my favourite codex from a lore perspective as it added a of depth to the 40k universe, it told the story of the first great war of the 40k universe, told us abut the old ones and the Ctan, hinted at the origins of some 40k races and gave the Necrons a faceless, nameless dread kind of feel that painted them as relentless and remorseless killers who couldn't be stopped or talked to. They were 40k's faceless killers, their White Walkers and they were perfect. Of course that's all gone now after Matt Ward rewrote the lore but the old codex still exists and if you didn't read it and you do like the Necron lore then read it, you wont be disappointed.

My Necron army is very much in the old style, they are relentless killers who canted be reasoned with. Below are a come pictures of some of the completed units.

The Necron warriors, i have 30 total (2 squads of 15) with plans to add more

The Hunt Begins

+++++ Data Transmission Incoming +++++
+++++ Contents Magenta Level Secured +++++
+++++ Password Required +++++
+++++ Password ******* +++++
+++++ Access Granted, Welcome Inquisitor Malenciha +++++
+++++ Report on Parxis Engagement from Librarian Erstin +++++
+++++ Report Begins: Greetings Inquisitor. As you are aware Strike Force Epsilon has already encounter traitors in the Quarlous Sector (see my previous report on the
engagement with the heretical Pretorian 3^rd Fusiliers). After our first battle with these forces myself and my men were eager to hunt down those who had escaped the Emperor's Justice last time and destroy them. Our hunt lead us to the battle scared world of Parxis where we believed we may find information about our quarry, what we found  was far worse.

The Battlefield

The area where the engagement took place was also the location of a downed Aquila whose cogitators had vital information as to the where abouts of the  Pretorian 3^rd . As we approached the Battlefield our ships sensors detected the presence of others. As the reports from my squads came the first of our opponents were revealed: Blood Angels.

Where is The Koronus Expanse? And a Shoutout

Yesterday we had the first session of a Rouge Trader Role Play that i am running for a group of friends and having deiced to publish these sessions in a report style of post i did just that and wrote up the session and posted it. This morning i was reminded providing basic setting information would be a good idea, where were the session taking place, what was Port Wander? Where was the Kronus Exspane? Well thankfully the Rouge Trader Core Rule book has all those answers, and so i present to you the background setting that the Role Play is set in, enjoy.

The Koronus Expanse is the name given by Imperial authorities to a dangerous unexplored region of the Halo Stars beyond the Calixis Sector. The Expanse is accessed through the Koronus Passage, a treacherous but navigable route through the great warp storms that bar passage to the Halo Stars beyond the way station of Port Wander. As is true of the Calixis Sector itself, the Expanse was untouched by the God-Emperor’s Crusade many millennia ago—and so it is a realm of fearsome xenos, treasures beyond imagining, heathen worlds of men, and the echoes of ancient doom.

The Koronus Expanse in the the 41st Millennium is a scattered, partly explored region containing a few young colonies and vast natural wealth still barely exploited. Rogue Traders vie with one another for known resources, heedless of lives lost in the pursuit of riches, while a tentative attempt at Imperial colonisation follows in their wake. Drawn by the flow of wealth, pirates and servants of the Dark Gods have also slipped into the Expanse, eager to cast destruction upon the works of the God-Emperor’s faithful, living by what they wrest from dead hands, while the Expanse itself holds many secrets and native inhabitants no less dangerous.

Through the Maw: Rouge Trader Session 1

+++++ Incoming Data Transmission +++++
+++++ Password: ******** +++++
+++++ Welcome Admiral Gillam +++++
+++++ Loading report from Ensign Holt +++++
+++++ Report Begins +++++

Greetings Admiral from UCS 020, here follows my report on the actions of the Rouge Trader Pank and his crew during the first phase of their mission.
 
I met the Rouge Trader Pank and his crew at 13:00 PWST (Port Wander Standard Time). By this point they had already designed and named their ship and had gone throughout the Port acquiring gear that they believed they would need on their journey, Pank (The Rouge Trader) acquired a Jump Pack,  Jaydenicus (The ships medic and slightly unhinged missionary) tried to convince others to join the crew but failed, the Psyker Valerius (the ships Astropath) acquired a Melta gun that would be shipped to Evera  (our base of operations in Un Charted Sector 020). Finally Jaydenicus acquired a illegal Squig for the Kroot member of the crew, why he did so remains a mystery and perhaps the reason would only make sense to one such as he.

Upon their arrival back at office we had set aside for them i introduced myself and the role i would play on board the ship (your eyes and ears) and i informed them of the mission that you gave them (to recon UCS 020 and send back any and all information on the planets that lay within). Pank seemed to resent my assignment and place aboard his ship and tried to talk me down, he did not succeed.

The Exspanse Beckons: Rouge Trader Prologue

Welcome one and all to the Prologue of my Rouge Trader Campaign, allow me to explain this post and the ones that will follow it. I have been interested in Role Plays for some time and have even GMed a few. Last year I started watching a D and D series on Youtube by someone who goes by the name of Itmejp. JP does several Roleplay shows, with the first (and in my Opinion best) being called Role Plays original, now Roleplay Solum. He also does a show called Sawn song (a sci-fi show), R and D (where different Role Play systems mare tried out) and Vigil (an dungeon World Fantasy Role Play).

It is my opinion that these series are hands down the best entertainment ever published to Youtube and perhaps some of the best entertainment across all mediums. The players are all excellent at the characters they play and the interactions in the groups across all the shows are real and are thrill to watch. In addition the GMs/DMs are top rate, mentally flexible enough to keep up with what their players are doing whilst not being hide bound by the rules, the rules are there to give the players a fun time and can be bent and broken to achieve that goal. On top of that the things that happen on that show are simply amazing and simply don’t happen on TV shows, I would say that the series put out by JP and his group are better than Game of Thrones. If anyone is interested in checking out the series the link is here. I have found that listening to episodes while paint has been very relaxing and helps me to paint. If you like Role Plays then I highly recommend checking out the link, it will be worth your time.

Those Who Consort With Demons

+++++ Incoming Transmission +++++

+++++ Transmission Encrypted: Magenta Level Clearance required to access this message +++++

+++++ Password: ******** +++++

+++++ Access Granted +++++

+++++ Text Based Message from Inquisitor Malenciha to Librarian Erstin ++++++

+++++ Subject:  Heresy within the Pretorian 3^rd Fusiliers +++++

++++ Message Begins: Greetings Librarian.  After receiving your last message about rumours regarding Guard regiments summoning Demons to aid them in battle I was, at first, sceptical. In fact if it were anyone other than yourself (or any other member of your chapter) making these allegations then I would have them under investigation for fear they had gone insane, or worse, become tainted themselves. However I pursued these rumours and found, to my shock, that there is some truth to them. I have attached Pict Images of a battle between the insidious Eldar and the Pretorian 3^rd Fusiliers, where it appears the Fusiliers’s Psykers summon Demons to aid them in battle (These images are strictly for your eyes and your chapters eyes only, no one outside our organizations may know of their existence).

I advise you make haste to Pretorian 3^rd Fusiliers last known position and purge them.

The Emperor Protects

Inquisitor Malenciha of the Ordo Hereticus

+++++ Message Ends +++++

Pict Image from the 3rd's Engagement against the Eldar, note demons in the foreground appear to be working alongside the Troops of the 3rd, image quality attributed to Warp Energy

+++++ Report Loading +++++
+++++ Report Begins +++++
+++++ Here begins the report of Librarian Erstin of the Grey Knights and his Strike Force, and their engagement of the heretical Pretorian 3^rd Fusiliers, account begins:

After conversing with Inquisitor Malenciha on the subject of the heretical Pretorian 3^rd Fusiliers it was decided that the best course of action was for me to take my Strike Forces and engage the Demon Worshipers.

We made good speed to the unnamed planet where the heretics had gone to ground, we were alerted to this hideout by a member of the Officio Assassinorum who had been working with Inquisitor Malenciha.  After making planet fall we located their hideout with great ease for they gave no care to hiding themselves, believing themselves safe.

Recon pictures detailing the Heretics campsite and surroundings

A Weekend's Work

It started on Friday evening (technically the weekend). I took the sprues out of the box and began to clip the components off. In about half an hour i had begun assembling them.

So it Begins

The Commissar and the Cannon

Following on from last week's hobby labours i continued my work my 3 WIP armies, and managed to produced some finished products which i would like to share with you today. First up is the colonel Commissar himself, Ibram Gaunt (once again i apologise for the faint black bars in these images, i do have a proper camera now but it lacks a SD card):

                              

Hobby Rampage

My small painting desk has been frantic with activity of late (thats what happens when building 3 armies all at once). With work going ahead on an Ork army, Tanith First and Only Imperial Guard regiment and a WHFB Khorne Demon army my hobby time has been devoted to building and painting models from these 3 armies, thankfully the Wood Elves are about finished bar a few movement trays that need doing.

So first up i wanted to show the test model for my Khorne Demons colour scheme. Recently i had some family in America who were willing to pick up a few things for me, most of which was a brand new Khorne Demon army and here is the first finished model in that army.

A Flying Rectangle

Today GW has unveiled (officially, there were leaks prior to this) the new Space Wolf flyer! And here it is.......

Yes Rectangles can indeed fly!

The Ghosts and The Greenskins

Since i started back into Warhammer and Warhammer 40k (mid 2013) i have done 6 different 40k armies and have sold the first 4 of those. The reason for this is that i had issues with 6th ed and those 4 armies didn't click with me in the way that Wood Elves have clicked for me in WHFB, in fact i enjoy Wood Elves so much that they are the only fantasy army i will do (i have tried three times to do a second WHFB army and have sold each of those 3 armies after relieasing that they weren't Wood Elves). However the 2 40k armies i am working on now have clicked, and in turn i am actually looking forward to playing Wh40k again. The two armies that have my attention (and finances) are a Ork army and an army i have wanted to do since i first read one of the novels about them: The Tanith First and Only, or Gaunt's Ghosts.

The Best of the Imperial Guard

Transmission Incoming, Source Unknown

+++++ Incoming Transmission +++++
+++++ Source Unknown +++++
+++++ Transmission Begins +++++

All right hummies listen up good, iz be waiting, watching, obzersving youz and iz has come to a conculshun: Youz is weak. Youz have been ruling this sector and keeping da boyz down. Dat don’t sit right, da weak shouldn’t be beating da strong, it should be da other way round!

+++++ None verbal audio burst, likely firing of a weapon or the striking of a weapon against a hard surface +++++

My name is Warboss Blackjaw and iz has a message for youz. Da godz gave me a vision, day showed me dis sector in control of da Orks, day showed me youz in chainz at my feet, day showed me boyz beating you wif youz own weaponz and tacticz. So readyz yourselz hummies for iz is coming for ya, and when iz do there will be nowhere ta hide. The time of da Orks haz come and iz going to kick startz itz.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

+++++ None verbal audio burst, identified as the repeated firing of a weapon +++++
+++++ Transmission Ends +++++

Let's Talk About The Orks

Its been about a week since my last post and one of the reasons for that was i wanted talk about the Wh40k Ork release. Ever since GW deicede to "Change" how they do releases we have had 4 (not counting the Orks) GW armies all with very different releases. We had the Imperial Knights (who, perplexingly, got their Codex in week 2 of their release which is odd as the Imperial Knight release consisted of about 2 items total), the Dwarfs (who not only had a incorrectly spelt army name but also had to wait until week 3 for their Army Book), the IMPERAIL GUARD (who got a new, silly and copyrightable name as well as a week 4 Codex release) and the Wood Elves (easily the best release out of all 4 of the armies with a  2 week release and the Army Book in week 1). So we finally come to the Ork release which has been a snorefest. I decided to start a 40k Ork army when i knew the army would be redone and its been hard to keep my interest up, and i am not the only one. So what do i think is the cause of this lack of excitement? To help answer that question lets look at what was released when during this release.

It took 4 weeks to get this Codex, lets hope its worth it