NOVA Open -- The games / Results

So a bit about the Games -- not so much bat reps as the highlights... But first here's my list:


HQ:
Co. Cmd Squad, 4x Grenade Launchers, Astropath, Chimera
Inq. Lord, Hood, Tarot, BP, CCW, 2x Mystics, Acolyte
Elite
Psyker Battle Squad, 8x Psykers, Overseer, Chimera
Fast
Vendetta
Vendetta
Hellhound, Hull Multimelta
Troops
Vets, 3x Melta, BP on Sarge, Chimera
Vets, 3x Melta, BP on Sarge, Chimera
Vets, 2x Plasma, Autocannon, Chimera
Vets, 2x Plasma, Autocannon, Chimera
Heavy Spt
Manticore
Medusa, Enc Crew
Medusa, Enc Crew

Game 1 was against Chumby of  Blackjack and Hookers fame and his Wolves.  Man, he gave me a right drubbing.  Highlight:  Killing all 3 of his Thunderwolf Cav.  Fine opponent and a gracious victor. May have to give that list a try with my own wolves...

Game 2 was against an Eldar guy who claimed to have only been playing 40K for a few weeks... OK, sure, whatever -- not something I'd say to someone until after the game -- otherwise it seems like you're trying to feign inexperience.  Game went to 3rd tie-breaker. I lost.  Highlight:  decimating my own Psyker Battlesquad due to Runes of Warding.  Just had to laugh about that.

Game 3 was against Nids (BTW a very nice looking Nid army).  I love the smell of promethium in the morning... it's the smell of victory.   Hellhound was the MVP of the game roasting gaunts like it was cool.  Highlight:  My opponents good humor.  A decisive win for me.

Game 4 was against a very nice young man with a very nicely painted CSM army -- I'm surprised it only finished slightly ahead of me on painting actually.  A win for me.  The labor-intensive Manticore finally pulled its weight by busting some rhinos. Actually, I think my opponent made a huge mistake by out-flanking his Chosen on the opposite side from the Manticore,  Highlight/Hilarity:  Medusa shot drifted onto one of my own chimeras -- rolling high IS NOT always better. Won anyway.


In terms of pure competetive score, I finished 49th out of 88.  In terms of combined score (compet + paint + sportsmanship) I finished 15th.  Not bad.

NOVA Open

Yesterday, I competed in the NOVA Open, ended up going 2-2 -- I must say that I enjoyed all 4 games -- even the ones that I lost.  I'm not too unhappy with that result given that yesterday was the first time I'd actually played the army -- I'd been too busy trying to get painted to actually play any games with it. I'd love to show you pictures of the army BUT SOME SOB AT THE EVENT DECIDED TO STEAL MY CAMERA.  OK, vent-mode off.  I'll talk more about my games in a subsequent post.

On a brighter note, my Manticore conversion was selected as one of the top 5 conversions -- it was a bit tricky though -- the paint judge asked which was my entry for best conversion and I ended choosing the Manticore over the Medusa just because the Manticore was more work (a lot more).  I'd be interested in knowing which you all would choose:  

This

Or this

Ultimately, I didn't win the competition, but to be selected as one of the top 5 was pretty cool.

Vostroyan Transfers

Currently, the only way to get the Vostroyan markings is to either buy the transfer sheet from the Baneblade/Shadowsword or to free-hand it.  I will not claim to be able to free-hand it so I'm limited to using transfers.  Unfortunately, the Transfers on the Baneblade sheet are not necessarily a good size for use on something like a Chimera hull, also the numbers only go up to 3.  The "v" to the left can be scaled up/down to suit and printed out on  ink-jet water-slide paper.  The numbers are even easier -- they match a font in called 'Agent-FB" in  MS Power-Point (and probably other software as well).  Here are some samples of the numbers I developed  to use  on my Vostroyan tanks:

The downside is that white ink is not an option unless you have a now extinct Alps printer available to you (if anybody knows an option for white, please let me know)  Using white background paper is an option, albeit a tricky proposition to blend in.

Another neat trick is to try differ color combos digitally before committing to the model.  Heres my heavily converted Medusa with different color schemes for the numbers:

 

I'll probably go with the third option as it matches the Vostroyan 'V' the best. 

Interior Decorating in a Chimera

I've always been a sucker for painted interiors, so for the current batch of chimeras I'm building, I'm adding interior details.



So that the interior will be visible, I hinged the rear ramp.
I did this using a #66 drill bit to make a hole through the hinge and then add an axle using a staple.


The old chimera model doesn't have any flooring so I added some using some tread-plate I had purchased for building the Fortress of Arrogance.


I next added a bulkhead using plasticard to separate the forward crew compartment from the troop compartment. I added some details like a hatch from the Leman Russ sprue (I always take sponsons) , a fuel tank for the hull-mounted heavy flamer and a voxcaster.

Pathfinder Challenge

Bill of The Dead Tau Project and The Gamers Lounge fame, is sponsoring a painting contest for our local gaming group, Sugarland Gamers. Here's the deal; Starting today, we have until May 30 to complete painting a 1000pt legal FOC army for judging.

I'm using this contest as a jab in the backside to finally get my Vostroyans painted. So here's what I'm using:

Co. Command Squad
Vostroyan Senior Officer (the guy with the baton)
2x Grenade Launchers
1 HW Team with either Heavy Bolter or Autocannon
Carapace Armor
Chimera, with ML/HB

Psyker Battle Squad
8x Psykers converted from Empire Flagellants
1x Mentor converted from Baneblade officer
Chimera with ML/HB

Veteran Squad
9x Vets, Grenadiers 3x Plasma
1x Vet Sergeant Las-Pistol, CCW
Chimera with ML/HF

Veteran Squad
9x Vets, Grenadiers 3x Melta
1x Vet Sergeant Las-Pistol, CCW
Chimera with ML/HF



Medusa
Heavily converted to resemble an JSU-122/152




Manticore
Largely scratch-built, chassis will be a half-track based on Dave Taylors excellent templates
Missiles will be modeled as 4 tube-launchers ala "Stalin's Pipe Organ"

Ecclesiarch Super Heavy Exorcist -- The Rules

OK, if you follow FTW, you may have seen the Super-Heavy Exorcist(s) that I'm building for my wife. I'll do the second half of the construction post at FTW; what I wanted to pursue here is the data sheet for this monster. I'd like all of you Apocalyptically-inclined folks to help me out here with the data sheet if you could.

The hull is a Baneblade hull so it should follow those armor values. The other weapons; e.g. hull Demolisher cannon, sponson twin-linked Multi-meltas and turret mounted inferno (hellhound) cannons have well established rules; the missile launcher (aka the Pipe-Organ-o-doom) is another matter.

OK, I figure since this thing is larger, uses 2 loader servitors, and larger rockets, that the stats should be upgraded -- maybe 1+ D6 shots S9 AP1 Apocalyptic Barrage. My reasoning on 1+D6 is that with two servitors, it should always be able to get off 2 shots per turn. Thoughts? Overpowered, under powered or about right?

Also I'm looking for help on pointing this thing out -- a standard Baneblade runs 500 pts, should an Ecclesiarch run 600 pts?

I'm also looking at additional special rules like:

Holy Shrine: All Adeptus Sororitas units within 12" gain +1 A and Preferred Enemy as they fight to prevent defilement at the hands of the enemy.

Ok, so the floor is open, what are your thoughts on this beast?

PS, I promise that the rest of the construction article will go up next week.

UPDATE:  The datasheet I've written for the Ecclesiarch can be found here

Imperial Guard FAQ Released

GW has just released an FAQ for the current IG Codex. Most seems like common sense to me. It can be found here

Highlights:

DeathStrike hits all vehicles within radius at full strength (no center hole) (well duh).
No, you can't carry GK Termies in Valks
No, you can't use a mortar in your CCS to spot for the MoO
Yes, Platoon Commander SC's (Al'Rahem, Chenkov) can be inducted for WH, DH armies
No, Advisor (Fleet Off, Astropath) bonuses don't stack.