tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58003945447679262682024-03-13T20:56:40.105-07:00The Thelenic CurriculumThe assorted writings of Tim 'Majere613' Peers, and also a shameless promotional tool for the Thelenic Curriculum series. Background by Sean Harrington.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-16288654776092537572020-04-11T10:55:00.000-07:002020-04-11T10:55:38.164-07:00The high, high price of free<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EIiG4hIQovqCwTcScWkGGY6yX31kvkCrBnUzAZSaPSnYAB8WJ41SoC6DnVIh1vFI0v3DvJHqmoJpgvX4rUMrwf4arD037Yt-eaqHzHQ0pFk1WJC64NcImBHjJdnuadLpg68mPW6xIPU/s1600/61YtkXLPyaL._SY355_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="355" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EIiG4hIQovqCwTcScWkGGY6yX31kvkCrBnUzAZSaPSnYAB8WJ41SoC6DnVIh1vFI0v3DvJHqmoJpgvX4rUMrwf4arD037Yt-eaqHzHQ0pFk1WJC64NcImBHjJdnuadLpg68mPW6xIPU/s320/61YtkXLPyaL._SY355_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
With everything that's going on recently, I thought I'd take a moment to talk about one of the less obvious pressures that I'm seeing at the moment. Many public-spirited entities, be they broadcasters, famous authors, musicians or whatever, have taken it upon themselves to offer their work for free to entertain everyone in these trying times. Now of course, that's great, and I'm sure all of us have taken advantage of that largesse in one way or another.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/e0QbbnIYa0M/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e0QbbnIYa0M?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
But there's another side to this, and it's a side that I, as what is sometimes euphemistically referred to as an 'independent author' find myself banging up against. Whatever sort of field you create in, one of the simplest ways to get that much-needed initial attention is to give people a taste of it for free. Maybe its the new cafe giving away free samples of coffee or little bits of their very nice cake. Maybe its a band letting people download some of all of their first album for nothing, in the hope of attracting people to their tour. Maybe (and we're getting warmer) its an author making a book free, or offering short stories and other content for nothing in order to attract readers to their work.<br />
<br />
Now this boils down to simple competition and market forces, ultimately. A new author (band/ cafe/ etc) is an unknown quantity at first, and people only have so much time and money. Even if something looks interesting, you need to make it cheaper than the established stuff to have even a hope of getting anyone's attention, unless you can afford a massive advertising campaign starring Idris Elba or something. That's why the free giveaway is such a powerful tool- except when it isn't.<br />
<br />
Right now, for example, someone could buy the ebook version of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017UMIYOO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0">my first novel</a> for £1.99, or the equivalent amount in their local currency. That's not much for something that took two years to write. Alternatively, they can go to the BBC Sounds app and have David Attenborough read books to them for nothing. Recently the Internet Archive began 'lending' people <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/03/authors-fume-as-online-library-lends-unlimited-free-books/">free copies of books</a> they'd digitised<br />
and not limiting themselves by the number of copies of those books that they actually had. Leaving aside whether or not the authors of those books actually see any payment for this (and as I understand it, they don't), try to imagine how infuriating it is for a new author to see people choosing to read the market leader in their field for free from such a service, rather than giving their own work the time of day.<br />
<br />
I must admit, until I started (trying) to write books professionally, I didn't really understand why so many newspapers, radio stations and TV channels seemed to hate the BBC. But it must be incredibly frustrating to be trying to compete with a publicly-funded broadcaster that does literally what you do, but without adverts and for free. It puts my problems in perspective, for one thing.<br />
<br />
That said, I'm certainly not one of those angry free-marketeers (ironic term is ironic) who'd rather the BBC and similar organisations be shut down to allow the private sector to breathe. After all, I get more benefit out of it than annoyance, as do most people. But what I would ask is that maybe the next time an established artist gives away a freebie, you try and take the time to look a little deeper and see if there's a struggling up-and-comer desperately trying to attract attention in their shadow. There probably is, and they just might need your help.<br />
<br />
They might even be pretty good. Stranger things have happened!Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-65452947965083750752020-03-15T13:19:00.000-07:002020-03-15T15:04:39.268-07:00Blues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6q3DL-AyBFUxwA1snrq2ZKgPnjRxjcgw3f_fN6HURAvV58L5IBJ5NlhcWgN7AGGU_vLTPP9vH1O5562ZcBocssuFbZmzvLqyvo5l9YTelSzN9JojT5Y8_SWHr1kPzpKHUNQDU6wuNOvg/s1600/Lordvoldemort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="375" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6q3DL-AyBFUxwA1snrq2ZKgPnjRxjcgw3f_fN6HURAvV58L5IBJ5NlhcWgN7AGGU_vLTPP9vH1O5562ZcBocssuFbZmzvLqyvo5l9YTelSzN9JojT5Y8_SWHr1kPzpKHUNQDU6wuNOvg/s320/Lordvoldemort.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, it's a post about That Which Shall Not Be Named. I'm trying not to take chances here.<br />
<br />
Not to put too fine a point on this, but I am in the deep doo-doo. All my working life I've worked at the family business, which is a small holiday park. In recent years, following the death of my father, it's been tough to keep the place going but we were just about managing. Part of that involves keeping an eye on my mother, who is getting on a bit. She lives, with me, in the family home which is the main base of operations for the business.<br />
<br />
Now in the UK, within the next few weeks, people over 70 will be advised to isolate themselves. In our case, isolating my mother without also isolating me right in with her is going to be basically impossible. On top of that, our home office, including all the computers, files, accounts, the damn safe etc. is right in here with us. On top of <b>that</b>, my extended family who live next door have two members, my sister and her son, who are both very high risk for infections, and they'll probably be isolating too.<br />
<br />
We've got a plan to keep going, but it's going to be touch-and-go. Basically, it's not at all unlikely that by the time this whole thing is over, I'm not going to have a job, a business or any income to speak of. I'm not going to rant and rave here about the UK Government response or the level of support they're giving us, because it's still very much early days, I don't know how things will shake out and I do know that the people advising the Government know a hell of a lot more about these things than I do.<br />
<br />
However.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to sugar-coat this- I'm bloody<i> terrified</i>. I have literally no idea what my life is going to look like in a few months. I truly envy those of us in our community who can just view the lockdowns and quarantines as a chance to catch up on some painting or reading. For me, those things are going to be about all I have to try to keep me calm- and believe me, right now, I am most definitely not calm. Even when my father died, in an accident that played out right in front of me, we at least had some idea what we were doing next. This time, there's no map and only the loosest of plans.<br />
<br />
I'm truly hoping that I'll look back on this post in a few months time and laugh about how worried I was. But right now, for all of my vaunted imagination, I can't picture that scenario.<br />
<br />
Now there is one thing you, the reader, could do for me which would very slightly help. As you will probably be able to see from the side-bar, I'm an aspiring author. It's fair to say my books haven't exactly set the world on fire so far, and I've been trying to save for a proper publicity campaign. Obviously any thought of that has gone out of the window for the time being. Over on <a href="https://www.trpeers.com/">the main site for my books</a>, I've been building up some artwork ready to commission some pros, but other than that I can't see myself being able to afford, or mentally focus on, anything else of the sort right now.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aa_jzMyv1gf0zaSSLMLtHTr2l2VYQihnvZ3rkHbddv1uz6qvDwgaoWQWKspJuS8puKjE6YgOEA8LqqkyYuNzInizPm3nQ6ELyhxVw1al1XbOmc7RFJyeDWBLdt8a2I9LBZR7mtKXxbE/s1600/Magisters_Male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8aa_jzMyv1gf0zaSSLMLtHTr2l2VYQihnvZ3rkHbddv1uz6qvDwgaoWQWKspJuS8puKjE6YgOEA8LqqkyYuNzInizPm3nQ6ELyhxVw1al1XbOmc7RFJyeDWBLdt8a2I9LBZR7mtKXxbE/s320/Magisters_Male.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully more like this to come, if I can draw without having a mild panic attack!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So simply put, it'd help an enormous amount if a few people who've been kind enough to read this far would pick up a copy of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017UMIYOO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0">the first book</a>, read it, and review it, either on Amazon or on sites like Goodreads. All three books are free through Kindle Unlimited, if you're a member of that. I make basically nothing on book sales, but a few more reviews (especially of the third book, if anyone makes it that far) would mean a huge amount for me and would provide a real morale boost.<br />
<br />
Regardless, I greatly appreciate anyone who's read this, and know that if you have the misfortune to be caught up in the current crisis, my thoughts are with you. Let's hope that there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel we now find ourselves in.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-53294376643636613402020-03-01T05:04:00.001-08:002020-03-01T05:04:39.207-08:00Sister-Bashing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-w1Z8mm9R2YOvqeaYDbFlOtTD7sgcmCt0TcP2gyJ-PEGMsOQX1McrW6ZcWUWMEymVpQD8kbpEGTrvgfJp0sozB1WrCwBKFPOBvj0WeEGX1KiAdB6M30yhrxspi-1-nBGi47lZ9GtrCw/s1600/DSC00951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-w1Z8mm9R2YOvqeaYDbFlOtTD7sgcmCt0TcP2gyJ-PEGMsOQX1McrW6ZcWUWMEymVpQD8kbpEGTrvgfJp0sozB1WrCwBKFPOBvj0WeEGX1KiAdB6M30yhrxspi-1-nBGi47lZ9GtrCw/s320/DSC00951.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been beavering away on my Sisters of Battle for the last few weeks, and as a Valorous Heart player let me first say that the recent Marine <strike>nerfs</strike> tweaks have cheered me up considerably.*<br />
<br />
Since I've almost finished replacing all my old metal Sisters with plastic ones, I thought it was about time to talk about the options available for kit-bashing them. At first glance, the new kits seem a tricky prospect for conversions. Other than the angle of the heads, each Sister is largely mono-pose, and even with the heads you have to be a bit careful with some of those with longer hair, since that can make certain positions not fit correctly. On top of that, their robes and sleeves, which were long rumoured to have delayed the plastic Sisters in development, cause some issues with arm swaps.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, there are several very good reasons why you would want to convert them. Most notably, several of the models in the base kit are very distinctive, such as the Sister pulling a grenade with her teeth (an alt-build of the squad's Heavy Bolter), the sister pointing with a slung bolter (an alt of the Heavy Flamer) and my pet hate, the Simulacrum Sister's alt build. This model has her bolter slung at her back, so the alt build if you don't want the Simulacrum has her holding her helmet under one arm and levelling a bolt pistol. It looks cool, but I can't think of any situation where you'd want to be using a pistol rather than a bolter whilst the enemy was far enough away that you'd be happy tucking your helmet under your arm.<br />
<br />
The real issue, though, odd tactical choices aside, is that these very individual models can look deeply odd if repeated several times throughout the army. For example, let's take a look at this model from the Celestians that are pictured at the top there:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFkFQFiK74CqWhJBtjN-D5IPTJar5F8gVh0OBl0Ltgux68pVQ3mbDlB_YKQ3p1HuIdzKYHnf3Qguzf8Z67Vgi5isSBNzmMBstdgcQlYYIi7b95YQcFLqley384tlN656jfiqhYBYjrbQ/s1600/DSC00951+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="958" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFkFQFiK74CqWhJBtjN-D5IPTJar5F8gVh0OBl0Ltgux68pVQ3mbDlB_YKQ3p1HuIdzKYHnf3Qguzf8Z67Vgi5isSBNzmMBstdgcQlYYIi7b95YQcFLqley384tlN656jfiqhYBYjrbQ/s320/DSC00951+%25282%2529.JPG" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this is a crop from the other picture. Yes, I'm lazy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
She has a bionic right arm and also a partially bionic head, which I've chosen to paint to suggest her right eye is also artificial. The thing is that the bionic arm is the only way to build that particular Sister, and these are the only two bionic parts (other than a few eyes) in the kit, which starts to look more than a little bizarre if replicated across five or so squads. So let's look at a few of the other Celestians to see some of the tricks we can use to make the models a bit more diverse.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52bHyarzifaP5yyrlwF2IK9H3DG2x6FPx05ut6T7QguH5Yz3R1TQtvXruioq4okbEbvTwK53E1igbPR0C6IXjcjcMf5xivKOy33LwwhPm0FVdYXa6RohXYBlKK_ugMdfaxJuEfriRG8w/s1600/DSC00950+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1585" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52bHyarzifaP5yyrlwF2IK9H3DG2x6FPx05ut6T7QguH5Yz3R1TQtvXruioq4okbEbvTwK53E1igbPR0C6IXjcjcMf5xivKOy33LwwhPm0FVdYXa6RohXYBlKK_ugMdfaxJuEfriRG8w/s320/DSC00950+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Sister Superior is a particular problem because she's stuck in a very distinct pose. By default, all the Superiors are brandishing a melee weapon or Chaplet in the left hand, and holding a ranged weapon low in the right. To make the Celestian Superior stand out a bit, I added the backpack icon from the Retributor Superior and made a variant combi-weapon. By slightly cutting down the plasma part of the gun, and the bolter part of the Condemnor Bolter we can make this version with a drum magazine. I also used a different backpack from the squad- you can interchange all of the backpacks that have the same shape hole, with the ones that have a smaller square hole being designed for specific bodies where they have to fit slightly differently to accommodate the robes. <br />
<br />
<i>Silly pet-hate bit: You may notice the bolt pistol on her left hip is not the one designed for the Superior, which sets butt-backwards, but is instead the basic Sister one, which on this model sits butt-forwards. Since the pistol is meant to be used with her sword, so in her right hand, the stock build would be almost impossible to draw so I make this change on all my Superiors.</i><br />
<br />
As an aside, if you're planning a Sisters army and have any intention of using Retributors, I strongly suggest starting with two boxes of them. This gives you four of each weapon, allowing you to build two squads with a unified load-out or, possibly more usefully, to make one Retributor squad and then use the other Superior and heavy weapons in your Sisters squads, allowing for more variety and conversions. The Retributor Superior is especially helpful, as we'll see, because she holds her melee and ranged weapons in the opposite hands.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazDd06MPydMK3O_zCTw_Yg5Sy2moGh6Zfx1GgvvxTHbqtUSUo3J82WbWrbWDYJSZMwSbi7I-L2B1oOSb4oSXdmGn8hOv9LV3FE1L5jA7ooFnKO1ys0AZuZi6dK3zPT9ieSlQxO3I4LOE/s1600/DSC00951+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1045" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazDd06MPydMK3O_zCTw_Yg5Sy2moGh6Zfx1GgvvxTHbqtUSUo3J82WbWrbWDYJSZMwSbi7I-L2B1oOSb4oSXdmGn8hOv9LV3FE1L5jA7ooFnKO1ys0AZuZi6dK3zPT9ieSlQxO3I4LOE/s320/DSC00951+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This Celestian, who I've nicknamed Sister Harriet for reasons that will be clear to anyone who's recently watched Amazon's Nazi-hunting series 'Hunters', is a favourite of mine. She's using the Simulacrum Sister's bolt pistol in her left hand, and the Sister Superior's bolter in the right. The upper arms are taken from the arms which would usually hold heavy weapons, which is an extremely useful trick.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHbV1q_bUbsONDdz4FZJCjIQ9wq6YK08vyEgTcfTwKZq-nfCE5ERwr9uL0pQ9JSNOcrDeFE2K7izBIaGmllnOjtrrHuDoh29iGM5YzFwvDW2Fg7Rh16R4s-tOKYxi2SNsUPllvfKoBzQ/s1600/DSC00951+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="999" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHbV1q_bUbsONDdz4FZJCjIQ9wq6YK08vyEgTcfTwKZq-nfCE5ERwr9uL0pQ9JSNOcrDeFE2K7izBIaGmllnOjtrrHuDoh29iGM5YzFwvDW2Fg7Rh16R4s-tOKYxi2SNsUPllvfKoBzQ/s320/DSC00951+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the more surprising things about the kits is that the heavy weapon arms will fit on almost any body. You need to check that the backpack hole is compatible and you may need to slightly shave a few parts, but as we can see from this advancing Celestian it otherwise works pretty well. It's also worth pointing out that the gun here is from the Retributors and I actually used the Retributor body for the bionic Sister we looked at first. Let's look at one more Celestian before I move on to a few other models:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnl9kONprazV1iL4-Z9e3tNQMPqJvUbmeYaPG5Ku8n63weD07lC1waFxAF55XFN4SEK-rq00e2I_NGpgnLYrh3y3PJQRk_PW_iSYVoOHGOM5NXB5kXeHDxJNMhKM4rCKW3AJaLiNhVtIc/s1600/DSC00951+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="901" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnl9kONprazV1iL4-Z9e3tNQMPqJvUbmeYaPG5Ku8n63weD07lC1waFxAF55XFN4SEK-rq00e2I_NGpgnLYrh3y3PJQRk_PW_iSYVoOHGOM5NXB5kXeHDxJNMhKM4rCKW3AJaLiNhVtIc/s320/DSC00951+%25285%2529.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
This Sister is a nice example of a very simple conversion that uses a couple of odd parts. She has her Celestian helm tucked under her arm (taken from the Simulacrum Sister) but rather than shooting with the other arm she's using the slung bolter from the Heavy Flamer's alt build. This gives her a nice 'at rest' look, though it does also give her two Chaplets, so I painted the extra one differently to suggest it's a keepsake from another Order.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdWIiOfKTc7LQnZ9gUekMe87Tn-1xwdjAEKMiDLFjqa3dYtMJ1hKld6a9QLkXqJL09gkx0D8uxF7DuGjA1_bG68UckEKjNRL6KX9Ub9IocMp_Iu5fH1WPkm1Od3k1naThsT90NqpSJCE/s1600/DSC00953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdWIiOfKTc7LQnZ9gUekMe87Tn-1xwdjAEKMiDLFjqa3dYtMJ1hKld6a9QLkXqJL09gkx0D8uxF7DuGjA1_bG68UckEKjNRL6KX9Ub9IocMp_Iu5fH1WPkm1Od3k1naThsT90NqpSJCE/s320/DSC00953.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Moving on, here we have a bit of a 'greatest hits' from some of my other squads. To talk about a few of them quite quickly, up the top there we have a model with the scoped bolter which is a simple body-swap to get that distinctive gun on a different model**, and 'Sister Bond', replicating the famous pose but with a grenade in her off-hand because she's more badass than some Mi6 agent. These two were built at the same time, which is usually good practice with arm-swaps, and Sister Bond's bolter arm is once again using a heavy weapon arm as the base. At the bottom left the Sister Superior is using weapons from the Retributor Superior which makes her pose significantly different. The chainsword strapped to her hip is taken from one of the plastic Horus Heresy boxes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The model at the top-right, which now I look at it is in terrible focus, is the simplest possible 'fix' for the Simulacrum sister. Rather than the arm with the helmet, she's using the grenade-throwing arm, which is a far more sensible thing to be getting up to with the enemy in pistol range. At the top left, which I'll not show in close-up for the same reason, is a Superior made using the Heavy Flamer's alt-build. I kept the pointing finger since it made sense, but added the slung bolter from the Retributor Superior and the chainsword from the normal Sister Superior, once again attached to a spare heavy weapon arm.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaHVb4WWpfGC-eP9z3AUFEphmN0Rpt3UbRVEoPse2rhBpTDdCdFTstPygfTKT3HNaJADtqXtfqvWETD1g0bI4wOTDi4sm67kc5UYneqgSvWzSn2j5HnCOtKT9pxOvCvrx_54XN4jzU6g/s1600/DSC00953+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1590" data-original-width="1092" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaHVb4WWpfGC-eP9z3AUFEphmN0Rpt3UbRVEoPse2rhBpTDdCdFTstPygfTKT3HNaJADtqXtfqvWETD1g0bI4wOTDi4sm67kc5UYneqgSvWzSn2j5HnCOtKT9pxOvCvrx_54XN4jzU6g/s320/DSC00953+%25283%2529.JPG" width="219" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This model is again nothing more than an arm-swap, but I think it came out particularly well. She's using the other grenade arm which she's pulling with her teeth, which actually lines up fine with most bodies, though you have to remove the alignment peg from the head. Once again I used the slung bolter, but this time since the model's Chaplet is on her belt I was able to snip it off cleanly, which is why the one on her bolter is painted in the standard scheme.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-KohZybs_hYeEmeb7YZEYxQAp0TZkrVvaxEs4U9wkOqX11jTSMSLrzhlDwNJf6TLhIJfLY4htdlgGFPLkNHfE_p_3DvxrkZL8ZPFAf4oXy2oagFhBDCYrYrkA_qyRggEew1ReDEX__0/s1600/DSC00953+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1153" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-KohZybs_hYeEmeb7YZEYxQAp0TZkrVvaxEs4U9wkOqX11jTSMSLrzhlDwNJf6TLhIJfLY4htdlgGFPLkNHfE_p_3DvxrkZL8ZPFAf4oXy2oagFhBDCYrYrkA_qyRggEew1ReDEX__0/s320/DSC00953+%25284%2529.JPG" width="230" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Finally for this piece, my most extensive conversion for the Sisters so far is this Palatine. Old-school Sisters players will remember Palatines as a rank between Canonesses and Sisters Superior, which for some reason GW seem to have forgotten about. With my Sisters, I consider any Canoness who isn't the Warlord to be a Palatine instead. This model, built to be a Palatine with a Blessed Blade, is another conversion from the Simulacrum Sister, but with forearms taken from a Sister of Silence. To this I also added another backpack icon from the Retributor Superior, and a couple of spare purity seals which also come with the Retributor kit.*** To disguise the pet rock on her base, I added some statue rubble made by cruelly dismembering the cherub attached to the Simulacrum reliquary.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've really only scratched the surface here, and I plan on doing a follow-up about building my warlord Canoness for whom I have some interesting plans, but that's about all the time I have for now. Hopefully it'll be of some help to anyone just starting out on plastic Sisters.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
PS: Paint that bloody reliquary on the Simulcarum Sister in the first picture before you assemble it. Trust me on this.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* If you don't know why, consider this exchange: "So these Sisters ignore AP -2 or lower." "Oh that's OK, my entire army is AP -3."<br />
<br />
** Because of the short red hair, she's nicknamed 'Sister Bees' after an old friend of mine, <a href="https://twitter.com/VoiceOfKosh">@VoiceOfKosh</a><br />
<br />
***I'm beginning to think I should try to get some sort of affiliate link for that kit, but seriously, it's really useful!Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-91121864347884347302020-02-23T13:15:00.001-08:002020-02-23T13:15:28.377-08:00The Abstraction Distraction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjStIbOKvY5DeiE3c0s-sF5ooz0wdbPLEJ0bbpTwfuznTxNSHRMMWtLld23IxXduhw-8YNIzjMF3xfBK21wtOnRqKT9n_w6vqup-GZbYWP0kZ8KBZ0YDGohIGO7200olUKoj4PYjhZGc/s1600/Jackson-Pollock-detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjStIbOKvY5DeiE3c0s-sF5ooz0wdbPLEJ0bbpTwfuznTxNSHRMMWtLld23IxXduhw-8YNIzjMF3xfBK21wtOnRqKT9n_w6vqup-GZbYWP0kZ8KBZ0YDGohIGO7200olUKoj4PYjhZGc/s320/Jackson-Pollock-detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Wow, first post of 2020! It's not so much that there's been nothing to talk about, more that I've felt others were more qualified to do so. Today, though, I thought I'd ramble a bit about the concept of Abstraction, and how I feel it's being applied in 40k at the moment.<br />
<br />
Firstly, let's define what we mean by 'Abstraction'. Put simply, this is the fact that what we see going on on the gaming table is at best a very rough approximation of what would actually be happening. For example, the Flyer rules rely very heavily on abstracts- the Flyer isn't really staying still in the spot where the model is, it's actually flying rather higher than the flying base suggests (except when it isn't, for LOS purposes..) and it's apparently manoeuvring more than it seems to be given that it ignores any concerns of arc of fire, so a Dakkajet can shoot something behind it with its wing-mounted guns, for example.<br />
<br />
In more general terms, we're also using a turn-based system to reflect something that certainly isn't turn-based in real-time, which is another layer of abstraction. Now obviously, this leads to a lot of odd situations, like the fact that two opposing models separated by a piece of LOS-blocking terrain who want to move to shoot each other will have who shoots first determined by who's turn it is, so your hyper-swift Eversor Assassin will still stand there slack-jawed whilst a platoon of Guardsmen amble around a corner, form a firing line.. wait for it, second section.. and First Rank Fire him back to Pluto.* Here, the designer is banking on that abstraction evening out over the course of a game. Even the alternating-activations system many people would dearly love 40k to adopt still falls prey to this problem, though the alternation tries to compensate for it faster.<br />
<br />
What this boils down to, though, is another reason why the current Character rules don't make a lot of sense.** The reasoning behind the Character rules comes in two parts- the actual reason for them, and the in-universe explanation for them. The actual reason for the Character rules is so that we can use our Warboss/ Captain/ Daemon Prince in a game of 40k without the enemy army taking the sensible measure of levelling four Lascannons at the big angry guy from the other side of the table and blowing him all the way back to.. Pluto.*** To achieve this, we have the rule that Characters must be the closest target to the shooting model, which is explained as the fog-of-war preventing them from picking out the enemy commander specifically. The issue, however, is that this abstraction breaks down completely as soon as you play the game.<br />
<br />
We'll leave aside for the moment the fact that it seems very odd that only the most dedicated Sniper models can tell the difference between a Chaos Cultist and a Daemon Prince of Khorne at a distance of ten meters, and instead look at what players do about the Character rule. Of course the simplest approach is simply to shoot the beejeezus out of anything closer to you than the Character you want to get rid of, and in this case the rules work fairly well, with the notable exception of enemy units out of LOS or locked in melee who are closer than the Character. But there's another option, especially in more competitive games, which is to use movement tricks to get the would-be assassin**** into a position where the Character they wish to kill is the closest target. A classic example is to use a Flyer to buzz the Character and 'stop' right next to them before unloading into them. Advanced players will of course try to counter this by 'bubble-wrapping' the Character, either making it so they're surrounded by friendly models or preventing the Flyer from fitting its base in a suitable position. (Of course, the latter measure is once again relying on an abstract rule- you can't place your Flyer on the table in a given position so it can't 'fly' there, even though that makes no sense in 'reality'.)<br />
<br />
Here's the problem, or at least one of the problems, with that scenario. We've established that the Flyboy in my Dakkajet can't tell Roboute Guilliman from a Tactical Marine at anything beyond point-blank range, which is why I, as Supreme Warlord, can't tell him to shoot the Blue Meanie. And yet I <i>can </i>order him to fly on a precise course straight up to the Pimp-Handed Primarch and then give him the benefit of Maximum Dakka.***** How? What's the explanation for my units knowing exactly where to stand, sometimes to an accuracy of a fraction of an inch, in order to shoot a target which the rules preventing me shooting said target assume they don't know is important? (I re-read that about four times and I think it makes.. about as much sense as any of this does.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFhb8Xqte6GG3oRnJYlNTvzjSs816tAmQdUEym-GaYcVevvJGEGOOmrZZpm1MRjeSsD2-4LygOvJ9PVyaWCyv2L3pNihA0Q2fKBt83PPVVvCR61Qp0swBFdiqM3cvDHZMBt6hWz_n0no/s1600/Bobby_Unfair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFhb8Xqte6GG3oRnJYlNTvzjSs816tAmQdUEym-GaYcVevvJGEGOOmrZZpm1MRjeSsD2-4LygOvJ9PVyaWCyv2L3pNihA0Q2fKBt83PPVVvCR61Qp0swBFdiqM3cvDHZMBt6hWz_n0no/s320/Bobby_Unfair.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean to be fair, they're both blue.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once you step back from thinking of the game as simply an interaction of rules, and start thinking about it as an attempt to depict something happening, more of this sort of thing rapidly piles up. Artillery currently doesn't need spotters, so we can fire indirectly at units out of LOS with it without penalty, but we can't fire Overwatch at a unit that starts its Charge move out of LOS. But the unit being charged clearly knows the enemy is there, so why can't it wait until they show themselves? For that matter, how is it possible to Charge a unit armed with Flamers from outside the range of the Flamers to avoid their Overwatch fire, when the charging unit is clearly going to have to get closer to them? Does the charging unit teleport? On the flip-side, how does one unit manage to fire Overwatch multiple times in one turn? (Due to failed charges or the Overwatch wiping a charging unit out) Does the rate of fire of their weapons suddenly increase, or do we assume they usually spend the enemy Assault phase firing at nothing?******<br />
<br />
Now you could say, with a certain level of justification, that since we're playing a game rather than attempting to accurately simulate the Battle of Waterloo none of this stuff matters very much. After all, I'm pretty sure that medieval queens weren't known for rampaging around killing the subjects of rival kings before finally pinning them in a corner and shouting 'Checkmate' at them*******, and yet Chess is a game still played and enjoyed by millions. The difference, though, is that most games aren't tied so closely to a narrative. After all, one of the types of 40k is literally called 'Narrative Play' and we have a wealth of fiction that tries, with varying degrees of success, to reflect what happens on the tabletop. For me, at least, the fact that we can control our troops' actions so precisely, right down to deciding exactly how many swings of Gorechild Kharn is going to favour each of the three separate squads he's enthusiastically butchering with, and yet are prevented from doing other things because of the 'fog-of-war', is bizarre.********<br />
<br />
What I find particularly strange is that many of the odder abstractions have been added to the game comparatively recently. I still consider the older Character rules, where Characters were attached to squads and could also benefit from Look Out Sir rolls, to work a lot better than the current mess. We used to have arcs of fire on vehicle weapons and Flyers that didn't somehow cease to exist if they flew off the board and I find it hard to believe that either rule was that hard to fathom. For that matter, Overwatch was once per turn, originally. It seems the rationale for a lot of these changes is 'simplicity', and indeed attached Characters with different profiles to their unit threw up more than a few issues, but I think the repeated tweaks and tinkerings with the 8th Edition version illustrate that the newer version is no better, and makes less sense.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA361I9AQ6OWL-0GtTeHBhz6qc9duwBWtOrEFrEuLpKET8z8r3Sdf2jMV6R-BZDToowx8R6d9PqDbWbpqyVjd60k5MOdb3CAlsFE0OalIem_AYN9k-NM_84Z8grULEPf-rROIQqTMdVU/s1600/Bobby.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA361I9AQ6OWL-0GtTeHBhz6qc9duwBWtOrEFrEuLpKET8z8r3Sdf2jMV6R-BZDToowx8R6d9PqDbWbpqyVjd60k5MOdb3CAlsFE0OalIem_AYN9k-NM_84Z8grULEPf-rROIQqTMdVU/s320/Bobby.JPG" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What? No, this time you can't shoot me because the tactical guy is standing behind you. Honest!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Inevitably at this point the question arises as to what I would do to 'fix' things, assuming it's agreed that fixes even need to be made. It's a non-trivial question, certainly. For Characters, I'd allow them to be attached to squads, with shooting wounds never allocated to them until all the models in the unit other than the Character were slain, until the squad was destroyed at which point the wound pool empties and the Character becomes a valid target. (This method avoids worries about mixed Toughness values which used to plague prior editions.) I'd also allow Characters to palm off shooting hits onto squads within 6" on a 2+, making them hard to take out but always in at least some danger. In melee, I'd just make them fair game as they are now. Whilst I'm at it I'd limit Overwatch to once per turn, per unit, and have a unit that Overwatched miss its following Shooting phase, but remove the LOS and range restrictions because the enemy is running towards you, duh. (And into that bargain I'd have units that failed a charge still move the rolled distance towards the enemy, rather than the odd situation now where they.... I can't even explain exactly what a unit that fails a charge is supposed to be doing.)<br />
<br />
Then again, if I had my way I'd bring back armour facings, weapon arcs, and templates, and I can hear the tournament players throwing tape measures at me from here.<br />
<br />
So there we are- not that I expect a mass of comments but I'll ask the question- do these abstractions bother you, or do you not care? Would you tweak the Character rule still further, and if so, how?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Or wherever they're based. Pluto sounds about right.<br />
<br />
**Yes, this again.<br />
<br />
***Apparently Pluto is popular this time of year.<br />
<br />
****Not an actual Assassin, since most of those don't care about the Character rule for one reason or another<br />
<br />
*****Which will probably do him about two wounds, but it's the principle of the thing.<br />
<br />
******If they're Orks, this is entirely feasible.<br />
<br />
*******This would make history lessons far more interesting, though.<br />
<br />
********I don't use Grammarly, but I think the installation of it that I don't use on a server somewhere in the far corners of the internet just had a seizure and died anyway.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-81526110709205628592019-12-24T15:08:00.000-08:002019-12-24T15:08:27.843-08:00Xmas 2019, the revenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6neDIjhWaq24LLkQOuYezOYlEbMOnwD7moxzDn5j036lZJY1UdLwSdfx9n8esNr8AYRg_k_C_CmIqHtNX0PVZWkjcOvq8Ct-5DxIUHdxGjLSwPKWd6z1hDZ2jGgN-5mhfIWTT01rpLE/s1600/502d71e69221108544176901126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="878" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6neDIjhWaq24LLkQOuYezOYlEbMOnwD7moxzDn5j036lZJY1UdLwSdfx9n8esNr8AYRg_k_C_CmIqHtNX0PVZWkjcOvq8Ct-5DxIUHdxGjLSwPKWd6z1hDZ2jGgN-5mhfIWTT01rpLE/s320/502d71e69221108544176901126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So another year draws to a close, its end hurtling towards us with the inevitability of Tactical Marines going mail-order only. It's certainly been an.. interesting one, with 40k flip-flopping around from being at times quite awesome (such as the long-awaited and <a href="https://thetheleniccurriculum.blogspot.com/2019/12/sisters-of-battle-canoness-cock-up.html">mostly</a> excellent Sisters of Battle release) and at others being thunderously wrong headed. (Certain supplements. You know which.)<br />
<br />
For me personally it's been a year of slowly grinding forwards, with my writing career still not so much sitting on the tarmac as being carefully reassembled from bits somewhere near Kitty Hawk. On the gaming side I've been gradually learning how to play Age of Sigmar, mostly due to having a lot of Daemons lying around, though the resurrection of my ancient WFB Chaos army as Slaves To Darkness might just happen at some point. Frankly I still find the game a bit weird and seem to keep winning as Hedonites mostly by just shoving pink things in people's faces until they don't like it.*<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBKOXA_zAzlanZ9QrGQStojkxCPHFgFF11ZkvTQhbqMHG-ZQFktvmB3tMSl9UG_-6-JMR9EpiJeiCjIskD03KNlBw4JkUjKuGvL0JBfn-RGcwYPj5Vnn-BBo_LAW82W5t-h5FLiyoNgQ/s1600/warshrine_of_slaanesh_by_majere613_d2zl9tg-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBKOXA_zAzlanZ9QrGQStojkxCPHFgFF11ZkvTQhbqMHG-ZQFktvmB3tMSl9UG_-6-JMR9EpiJeiCjIskD03KNlBw4JkUjKuGvL0JBfn-RGcwYPj5Vnn-BBo_LAW82W5t-h5FLiyoNgQ/s320/warshrine_of_slaanesh_by_majere613_d2zl9tg-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ain't no party like a WFB Slaanesh party..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anyway, I've written a new short story to celebrate the festive season. It's called <a href="https://thetheleniccurriculum.blogspot.com/p/foundation-day-1925-imperial-24-white.html">Foundation Day</a>, and ties into the overall story of the Thelenic Curriculum without providing any spoilers for the books, mostly because it's set some twenty years before them. If you read it and like it, please consider checking out the other shorts either on this page or on the new site at <a href="http://thetcbooks.co.uk/">thetcbooks.co.uk</a>, or even buying the books on Kindle. We're talking a 400+ page novel for less than the price of a Starbucks latte here, people!<br />
<br />
If that's not for you and you'd rather stay within the comfortable realm of 40k** then may I direct you to my 40k short, <a href="https://thetheleniccurriculum.blogspot.com/p/the-ork-mass-miracle.html">The Ork-Mass Miracle</a>. It's a cheerful tale of Orks trying to find their way through a foggy warzone and one plucky Grot who... well, you'll see. This one was written for last Christmas but if you've not read it and find yourself with a spare half hour over the festive period, in my humble opinion you could do worse.***<br />
<br />
Anyway, shameless self-promotion aside it just remains to wish all my readers and anyone else who's blundered in here a very Merry Christmas! See you on the other side....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*And then doing it even more, of course.<br />
<br />
**I'd suggest that's an.. innovative use of the word 'comfortable' but hey, you do you.<br />
<br />
***After all, some channel's going to be showing The Sound of Music again.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-91873179281237260932019-12-03T08:56:00.002-08:002019-12-03T08:56:46.879-08:00Sisters of Battle- the Canoness Cock-up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv0rbYCfKlBgkL5pbUJGclQIDmbvztg-32IaL0XFudAfijdCrjlZuPZYFxDlp1baw_gHBYCohZbLqdCLJLNMDRsWfdDwEaUorcC-8EZyUU92-ddoWHSrBmzgnjAf7TAOPMQfhMTtCPBA/s1600/s-l640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="640" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv0rbYCfKlBgkL5pbUJGclQIDmbvztg-32IaL0XFudAfijdCrjlZuPZYFxDlp1baw_gHBYCohZbLqdCLJLNMDRsWfdDwEaUorcC-8EZyUU92-ddoWHSrBmzgnjAf7TAOPMQfhMTtCPBA/s320/s-l640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I've had a chance to try out the new Sisters of Battle rules now (the new models are still on my painting table) and for the most part I love them. However, there's a glaring issue in the army set that really needs to be talked about a bit more because I think it shines a light on one of the recent GW trends that is distinctly negative.<br />
<br />
The picture above is the mono-build Canoness model included in the army box. Now the first, and relatively minor, issue here is that she's not the Canoness shown on the back of the box- that model has an icon of the Ecclesiarchy and a Condemnor Boltgun and is, as I understand it, the as yet unreleased multi-option kit. The good old 'box contents may vary from those shown' disclaimer is doing some heavy lifting here, but that's about it. As an aside, I'd be interested to hear in the comments if anyone actually got the other Canoness. Given that the instructions in the box specifically refer to the model pictured above, I think that's a little unlikely.<br />
<br />
However, that's only a side-show to the real, and more serious, issue with the model. You see, gentle reader, that Canoness is illegally equipped. She has a Power Sword (or possibly a Blessed Blade), a Rod of Office, and a Plasma Pistol which you could be forgiven for not seeing because it's tucked in behind her right leg (on the left as we look at the picture). All of those weapons are valid options for the model- <i>but not in that combination.</i> I couldn't find a picture of the Canoness' rules and I'd rather not risk the wrath of GW's lawyers by taking one myself, but the default equipment for the Canoness is a bolt pistol and chainsword as well as the inevitable frag and krak grenades. Her options, which I'll reproduce <i>verbatim </i>here, are as follows:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>This model can be equipped with 1 boltgun and 1 power sword instead of 1 bolt pistol and 1 chainsword. If this model is equipped with 1 boltgun and 1 power sword it additionally has a rod of office.</li>
<li>This model can be equipped with one of the following instead of 1 bolt pistol: 1 condemnor boltgun; 1 weapon from the <i>Pistols</i> list.</li>
<li>This model can be equipped with one of the following instead of 1 chainsword: 1 power sword, 1 blessed blade.</li>
<li>If this model is equipped with 1 chainsword, it can have a brazier of holy fire or a null rod.</li>
</ul>
<div>
The Plasma Pistol is available from the <i>Pistols</i> list along with the Inferno Pistol and Hand Flamer.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So as we can see, in order to get the Rod of Office (a very useful little item that boosts the Canoness' re-roll to a 9" radius) we need to take the first option of a boltgun and power sword. Unfortunately, so doing locks us out of any of the other options and there's absolutely no wriggle room. Therefore, although we can easily work out the points value of the Canoness as equipped in the box, there is no currently legal way to field her. It's doubly baffling given that it seems it would have been much simpler and more flexible to just allow the bolt pistol and chainsword to be replaced with one weapon option each, then add the choice of the null rod, rod of office, or brazier as the 'special' option.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Firstly, this lead in to an odd issue in the new Sororitas Codex in general, which is a lack of previously available options for no discernible reason. The Eviscerator, for example, is completely gone outside of the Repentia version. Missionaries have barely any options at all outside of replacing their autogun and laspistol with a shotgun and bolt pistol. Sisters Superior can no longer get Storm Bolters and the Canoness, as we've seen, loses access to any sort of longarm other than a bolter or Condemnor Bolter. Several of these changes actively invalidate existing models, including the legendary Plasma Preacher and Redemptor Kyrinov who was re-released as Made To Order to coincide with the set coming out!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu21JOPHDGcE0GvNejpVPJrycru7SXaVJ9oEaOJULFoI3iHdOSR5vdiBhz9cdH1Tewoh3b-RzsMuQXNYASYcBQmC5o1SGtE5HU1rydXxBpZsc0v_wcqCJZBRAWougXdvBevnjOUXPoZgY/s1600/m1250044_99060108011_confesskyrinovmain_873x627_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="500" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu21JOPHDGcE0GvNejpVPJrycru7SXaVJ9oEaOJULFoI3iHdOSR5vdiBhz9cdH1Tewoh3b-RzsMuQXNYASYcBQmC5o1SGtE5HU1rydXxBpZsc0v_wcqCJZBRAWougXdvBevnjOUXPoZgY/s320/m1250044_99060108011_confesskyrinovmain_873x627_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Now I get that the idea here is to sell the wonderful new Sororitas models, but here's the thing- it's entirely unnecessary. Existing Sisters of Battle players have been clamouring for plastic models for years, not because they needed loads of new options but because the old solid metal models were heavy, chipped all over the place as soon as you touched them, and were extremely expensive. We were already going to buy the new stuff like it was limited-edition oxygen, we didn't need our existing models made unplayable.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Unfortunately this seems to be part of a wider trend at GW of limiting and reducing the options for character models and squad Champions, from stripping Marine (and particularly Chaos Marine) characters of mobility options like bikes and Jump Packs to restricting almost all newly-released characters to a very limited suite of equipment indeed. I consider this to be an extremely retrograde step for GW to take- ask almost any veteran 40k modeller what their first conversion or kitbash was and it's very likely that it was to add a desired weapon option to a model for which an official kit wasn't available. Removing the incentive for such simple, entry-level conversions weakens the hobby as a whole.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Still, the worst thing about all this from my point of view is that once again, it shows that GW have released a high-profile product that contradicts itself within its own contents- and in this case, in a particularly obvious and egregious way. Given the great strides they've made in recent years, it's unfortunate to see.</div>
Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-44954700764037484732019-11-24T11:36:00.002-08:002019-11-24T11:36:50.439-08:00New Sisters- the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (initial thoughts)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFfCxObWdCw8JvFXuwXwyz7aauGKt7Nso9No1FWX2WAo7yY0ioT_kUHo3Qnm6YJacprzqa9OgP8fa5_8Fv0bHm2RV_h2vw9qupcVRuaaxgEKHHuox7HOSO85fU2DhwZFxQwA2vI0q0W8/s1600/4k_hits__2k_points__sisters_of_battle_by_majere613_d4ur8l4-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1280" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFfCxObWdCw8JvFXuwXwyz7aauGKt7Nso9No1FWX2WAo7yY0ioT_kUHo3Qnm6YJacprzqa9OgP8fa5_8Fv0bHm2RV_h2vw9qupcVRuaaxgEKHHuox7HOSO85fU2DhwZFxQwA2vI0q0W8/s320/4k_hits__2k_points__sisters_of_battle_by_majere613_d4ur8l4-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As I write this it's a little under a week before The Great Unwashed (that's me, and probably the majority of you lot) get their grubby little mitts on the new Sisters of Battle set- and more importantly for the purposes of this piece, the Codex that comes with it. I'm not going to go into detail about all the various cool stuff in there since I don't have the book yet and will almost certainly get things wrong. If you really want to know all there is to know right now, or more accurately in about an hour's time, Guerrilla Miniature Games did a very detailed breakdown video that I'll link here:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l5HYiOh2550/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l5HYiOh2550?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
...and welcome back. With all that out of the way, I'd like to talk about the good stuff, the bad stuff and the plain ugly stuff that's in the new book as I see it so far. Fortunately, I think the first bit will be the biggest.<br />
<br />
<b>The Good (now with extra mild rules-lawyering in italics)</b><br />
Firstly, I think the way that GW have changed the core mechanics of the book is absolutely great. I mean really, really great. To paraphrase if you've not learned how the new Sisters work yet and didn't make it through that GMG video, which I appreciate is long, the new Act of Faith system revolves around Miracle Dice. You gain at least one per Battle Round (and usually more than one), roll it when you get it, and then keep it. The dice can then be used for most of the more common rolls in the game instead of (and, importantly, <b>before</b>) rolling the dice for it. So for example, to take one of my favourites right now, say a Knight Valiant takes violent offence at your Exorcist (as well it should, and we'll get to that) and blats it with its 10+d3 damage kebab-skewer of doom. All that stands between your organ (stop that sniggering at the back, Wilson) and annihilation is its 6++ save. However, if you have a 6 in your Miracle dice pool, you can spend it on the save to survive.<br />
<br />
There are multiple reasons why this mechanic is really cool. It allows Sisters to do things that should be staggeringly unlikely with complete confidence- exactly what warriors motivated by absolute faith should be doing. Other examples might include landing a hit with a vehicle that is so damaged or affected by other modifiers that it needs a 6, auto-passing a critical Morale check with a 1, nailing a critical Advance to grab an objective, and more besides. What's possibly even more interesting, though, is the <i>threat </i>of a Miracle. For example, players will often throw lone Characters or transports into combat with a shooting unit to stop it firing next turn and/or murder it utterly. However, if that unit is packing a meltagun or multi-melta and there's a 6 sitting in the Sisters' Miracle pool, such an assault suddenly looks a hell of a lot more dangerous to attempt. I'd expect Sisters players to comment at appropriate times about all the things they could possibly do with an Act of Faith for the sheer deterrent value of it. Knowing that a D6 damage roll might get spiked to a 6 is very intimidating.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEbEn_92sOLEcNeBruRGtA2qm8JSegV4XCISibX_rXxTrDVE7GOx5Uy1OYZOlALeuQEL-0BNm8yLLaJaUtKJNo9IG5NuXMm1RT9igEvp_uh6WLWoVOI6nFxyl17hsUedjQUm0RzQIs50/s1600/exorcists_close_up_by_majere613_d4ur9mr-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1280" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEbEn_92sOLEcNeBruRGtA2qm8JSegV4XCISibX_rXxTrDVE7GOx5Uy1OYZOlALeuQEL-0BNm8yLLaJaUtKJNo9IG5NuXMm1RT9igEvp_uh6WLWoVOI6nFxyl17hsUedjQUm0RzQIs50/s320/exorcists_close_up_by_majere613_d4ur9mr-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Things get even meaner when we look at the new, improved Exorcist, which is one of the most improved units in the book and a great showcase for advanced Miracle Dice use. The main change for the Exorcist is that its missiles are now Heavy 3d3 rather than Heavy D6, so the old average of 3 is now the minimum, the old maximum is the new average, and the new maximum is a terrifying 9. Each of these S8, Ap-3 missiles does D6 damage into the bargain. Now, as well as being very scary, this throws up an interesting situation and a possible head-scratcher of a rules question. Let's say I have several Miracle dice in my pool, and for the sake of argument that I have all the numbers 1-6 available. I get several wounding hits on a multi-wound model and it fails some saves- for the sake of this illustration lets say I get three wounding hits through and the target model has 8 wounds left.<br />
<br />
Here's the interesting bit- the Damage rolls, which most players would usually roll together, actually take place one at a time. So I can roll the first 2D6 and see how much damage I inflict, then use whatever value is necessary from my Miracle dice pool on the last D6 roll to ensure that the target dies. In our example, if I utterly flub my first two rolls and score 2 damage, I can still get the kill by making the last roll a 6, whereas if I roll an average 7 I get to keep my dice since even a 1 on the last roll will secure the kill.<br />
<br />
<i>Now, the reason why I say there's a potential rules issue here is that strictly speaking, each attack should be resolved separately from start to finish, so each should roll to hit, then to wound, then to save, and then for damage before the next is resolved. If we're doing things this way, then I can't be sure which hit is the last one to score damage so I'm more likely to 'waste' a high number by using it as soon as it'll secure the kill. This is a very fringe rules question but I fully expect it to come up in the tournament scene. </i><br />
<br />
There's still a lot more good stuff in the book even after Acts of Faith. The Sacred Rites, of which you can pick one or roll two (unless you roll a double) are very versatile, and of particular note is the one that adds 3 to the Sister's 1d6 Deny The Witch roll, making it suddenly far more capable of defending them. Whatever your army is trying to do, there's a Rite that will help at least a bit. There are also a ton of very useful and versatile Stratagems in there, including several that work with Miracle dice- a couple of standouts being Moment of Grace, which lets you burn Miracle dice to gain +1 per dice to a roll you've failed, and Miraculous Intervention which resurrects a Character at the end of the phase with wounds equal to the number of Miracle dice burned. These both build into the feel of the book, which is that an opponent can never be truly certain what's going to happen- even the most heavily outmatched Character might survive, the most incredibly improbable charge ever might be made, etc etc- and whether or not these things happen is under the control of the Sisters player.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmHEEYcrD8mRCQI0kybuDi6i79jZEhojVGDFiR7I579YR1j9x9agvlp5u58YmoWwVE5a5lKhTLojJonRZ7XwVb_-HLvIsWnQtQf6z6QeIiwldNFtx46G6UJ7S2SBDCSOntiszLBNb4DE/s1600/sob__simulacrums_and_superior_by_majere613_d4upokt-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1280" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmHEEYcrD8mRCQI0kybuDi6i79jZEhojVGDFiR7I579YR1j9x9agvlp5u58YmoWwVE5a5lKhTLojJonRZ7XwVb_-HLvIsWnQtQf6z6QeIiwldNFtx46G6UJ7S2SBDCSOntiszLBNb4DE/s320/sob__simulacrums_and_superior_by_majere613_d4upokt-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flags of our Sisters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Finally, for reasons of brevity rather than because I've run out of stuff to talk about, there are the Order Traits. All of them are useful to varying degrees, but I'm personally particularly pleased that the Order of the Valorous Heart, who previously got merely a miserly 6+ wound-ignore save, now ignore AP -1 on shooting attacks, or AP -2 when under the effects of an Imagifier's 6" bubble. Anyone who's recently put infantry on a table against Marines knows why this is extremely welcome!<br />
<br />
<b>The Bad</b><br />
So of course it's not all good news. The most glaring issue I have with the book is the fact that Dominions no longer confer their Vanguard pre-battle move to a transport they're embarked in. One one level this is understandable since it could be abused (eg by loading a Rhino with five Dominions and five Retributors with Heavy Flamers) but on the other it makes the ability far less likely to get used. There's also a very significant nerf to Shield of Faith in that the various auras that boost it now cannot affect vehicles, meaning the days of the 4++ Exorcist are over. Being able to do this was very, very powerful so whilst the loss is saddening, I think its understandable- and there are still ways to use Acts of Faith to mitigate at least some of the incoming damage.<br />
<br />
There's also the fact that the <ORDER> keyword, which is neeeded to make a lot of abilities work, isn't universal through the Codex. Most importantly, the Hospitalier and Dialogus don't get it, meaning that Celestians (who need the <ORDER> keyword for their Bodyguard ability) can't protect them effectively from snipers. Given that both models are quite squishy and have some really useful abilities, they're going to spend a lot of time trying to hide behind things to at least force Eliminators to fire the less powerful version of their murder-bullets.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tgFxKs2lYm22vIs_N0gy6hSpmnrvKyKu0hZEU7rgBjQ1NidLhI7y_iAnLNyvkVZ07BSnoUMKq32a1SO9Jvm4g8pylbTo9pOjnTk7YfqlG4OhxRo98Hv9NPEEBax11ntsECniCY279tU/s1600/ophelia_pattern_repressor_by_majere613_d4upni5-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="1280" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tgFxKs2lYm22vIs_N0gy6hSpmnrvKyKu0hZEU7rgBjQ1NidLhI7y_iAnLNyvkVZ07BSnoUMKq32a1SO9Jvm4g8pylbTo9pOjnTk7YfqlG4OhxRo98Hv9NPEEBax11ntsECniCY279tU/s320/ophelia_pattern_repressor_by_majere613_d4upni5-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Help! Help! I'm being repressed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>The Ugly</b><br />
Ok, tin hats on, because here comes the proper grousing. The most notable and infuriating omission from the new book is once again the bloody Repressor. With its extra durability and ability to have passengers fire out of it*, the Repressor is/was a really useful tool in the Sisters armoury but has only ever been a Forge World model. The Exorcist started out the same way (though with a tube-shaped twin launcher rather than a massive organ**) but eventually made it to the mainstream, but the Repressor seems to have failed to do the same. It's always possible Forge World will update its rules- and as it stands, I think the model is still playable- but with Legends on the horizon its days seem distinctly numbered.<br />
<br />
But that's not the most gear-grinding thing about the new Sisters range for me. Oh, not at all. No, that's reserved for this damn thing:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_5ncmJYMWGCtVmHR83XdZt3DzutPtVMKcNC1umrb0cpl6LW0Gl9E9D1tLuC6lobjajYLRf0GLaRGbvQmHDdyW3b8dWxBOXy2Znlv16yI6Gs39Og3jcWnu6xTpYsC1qvaBUplqpdz1to/s1600/wd7zp0fegcw31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_5ncmJYMWGCtVmHR83XdZt3DzutPtVMKcNC1umrb0cpl6LW0Gl9E9D1tLuC6lobjajYLRf0GLaRGbvQmHDdyW3b8dWxBOXy2Znlv16yI6Gs39Og3jcWnu6xTpYsC1qvaBUplqpdz1to/s320/wd7zp0fegcw31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That, kids, is a Heavy Bolter. It's stuck to the hull of the new Immolator model (and the new Exorcist) like some sort of nasty little pimple. Let's not beat about the bush here***- this gun is on the model for the express and sole reason of making people's existing models obsolete. No, GW apologist at the back, it's not a massive buff to the tank to add a mediocre compulsory gun to it. I hate that this thing is there, and I hate that my much-loved older models are now going to have to have janky pintle-mounts or sponsons added to them to make them Codex-compliant.<br />
<br />
There are a couple of other annoyances in this category, like the fact that any HQ sister other than a Canoness is still MIA (they're called Palatines, GW, they used to be in there!) and that the Canoness herself has lost a lot of options and still can't take a damn jump pack- I guess the Geminae were the only two Canonesses in the galaxy to have one****<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMVgyDUpmZn2A7QsShrBP98G5kOwrq4PncGGUdkDW9p8uDyPXkekuBtAd7yhWB0wNXR2iESrlnTCHfIsprpXOMD7ZWcK82brEHTuCu1blWILv6Ol0fPpkjkPRluWldZ2UNcbVCs-_ykQ/s1600/Fo4_Nerd_Rage%252521.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMVgyDUpmZn2A7QsShrBP98G5kOwrq4PncGGUdkDW9p8uDyPXkekuBtAd7yhWB0wNXR2iESrlnTCHfIsprpXOMD7ZWcK82brEHTuCu1blWILv6Ol0fPpkjkPRluWldZ2UNcbVCs-_ykQ/s1600/Fo4_Nerd_Rage%252521.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damn you, Cruddace!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>The Other Bit</b><br />
Yeah, so sorry for the minor bout of Nerd Rage there. I'd just like to end on a positive note, because believe me I am <i>incredibly </i>excited to try out the new Codex. I'd also like to extend my thanks to the good folks at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wyldstormgamingcentre/?eid=ARCKXaIfMlls46fD3ktH30P2hkyZCuStx32_4qLfO0C3kdakFo3Smzu3H1NpXZc3_nkoF43E0-Xz4SvY">Wyldstorm Games</a> for securing me my copy of the new set. Hopefully my poor ravaged body will survive carrying all those old metal Sisters around until the rest of the new plastics hit..<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*not to mention hilarious and occasionally-effective dozer-blade assaults.<br />
<br />
**I warned you once, Wilson.<br />
<br />
***Though said bush is almost certainly on fire, so maybe we should.<br />
<br />
****Saying that, given their profiles maybe having one also makes you incompetent. That, or being repeatedly resurrected.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-45204610963904475362019-10-27T12:39:00.000-07:002019-10-27T12:39:19.698-07:00The White Queen Walks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoocc_EQm6xCTBcnlAAcF1e50AbcFOe7Q3PQlTQHs1QTvGo7lvIh0BvQww1kZui83_xOITEHYc18E-253VMZPW5n5SVWHGLWrtcIRuM4Gc0Ah8jzUwWZf6XX1kXzyq0mcvTqWhlWzhYI/s1600/DSC00875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoocc_EQm6xCTBcnlAAcF1e50AbcFOe7Q3PQlTQHs1QTvGo7lvIh0BvQww1kZui83_xOITEHYc18E-253VMZPW5n5SVWHGLWrtcIRuM4Gc0Ah8jzUwWZf6XX1kXzyq0mcvTqWhlWzhYI/s320/DSC00875.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I've finally finished my Knight Tyrant, the <i>White Queen</i>! In this post I'll show off a few pictures and talk about some of the conversion and painting ideas I used. Alternatively (or additionally, if you so desire) I have a background piece which can be found either in the side bar or <a href="https://thetheleniccurriculum.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_27.html">right here</a>. It's a bit horror-tinged, appropriately for the season.<br />
<br />
In short though, if you're too busy (or jaded, you sour old veteran you) to read that, the idea is that the <i>White Queen</i> is an initially noble Knight which has fallen to the sin of Pride*. Accordingly, it looks beautiful and pure with only a few subtle hints that All Is Not Well**.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharpnDv4SdiYiGzefpYxpGhst7dk2Z4Mx5uyKk8rXUFqaRIwgmwh03bERLYPCsUsc4ZwKvVqEvUk08dZqzz7xYpNIrgk931WUX17Uzvx0MDF7Y7CvhfFV5wQdkf9hwvxEVPFXMolpLr_U/s1600/DSC00880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharpnDv4SdiYiGzefpYxpGhst7dk2Z4Mx5uyKk8rXUFqaRIwgmwh03bERLYPCsUsc4ZwKvVqEvUk08dZqzz7xYpNIrgk931WUX17Uzvx0MDF7Y7CvhfFV5wQdkf9hwvxEVPFXMolpLr_U/s320/DSC00880.JPG" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since the White Queen has no House, its chest-scroll proclaims 'Salvation'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, on to the modelling stuff. Having decided that I was going for 'pretty' as opposed to 'soul-shreddingly horrifying' for the Tyrant, I hit upon the idea of making it look almost like a fairy-tale castle, with lots of flags, bunting and pennants. To this end, I first drilled holes in the tops of the turrets for the Siegebreaker cannons and inserted a couple of flags from the Drukhari Raider kit. Initially I was going to use the robe parts from Shalaxi Helbane as weapon banners, but it became apparent that they were so long that they'd make transporting the Knight extremely hard and would also fall in an odd way. Instead, I used a couple of pennants from the Witch Elf kit on the arms and attached the Helbane robes to the legs of the Knight at the hips.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIHfTr7pSgXAd9oP3j_mIxjC2e4SmbE7xN9lBVj2W1F7UXiFAhmiPg48I8_JoJi8rJii_hSNLObynfNIU2k8LE8X82S92FmAW5uupjtmwC_oTWcWiKx_jBaIAIh5zysFFc5QVFmi1_gE/s1600/DSC00881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1083" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIHfTr7pSgXAd9oP3j_mIxjC2e4SmbE7xN9lBVj2W1F7UXiFAhmiPg48I8_JoJi8rJii_hSNLObynfNIU2k8LE8X82S92FmAW5uupjtmwC_oTWcWiKx_jBaIAIh5zysFFc5QVFmi1_gE/s320/DSC00881.JPG" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This side's banners read 'Honour' and 'Defender of the Weak'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I also added some of Helbane's jewellery on the carapace, the chest-plate and the loincloth, using Green Stuff here and there to add extra little balls to the beaded ropes where they didn't quite fit. In addition to these details, I also decided to add lots of sculpted armour plates to make the hull of the Knight prettier.*** In order to do this, I used some moulding material and took casts of the back of the mirror from a Cauldron of Blood and the floor of a Seeker Chariot, which I then pressed into wet Green Stuff on the pauldrons, carapace front, and armoured hood. To these I added a couple of Doom Sirens I'd taken a cast of some time ago, and a cast of the Slaanesh Icon from the legacy CSM command sprue, which was added to the right leg and left shoulder. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1N2hOOxaWrBVU4rURePEFBDd5teJb4pw3a31G23lbiu4-ITmLvzC2wX_lw5do7cq3WLz91XmTfvmXH4JV-XCmgBq3ngzSVZGfxaQtyKtAp0JdnUIbU5hYf4wxFXS8t8rZkiKaW50Hsg/s1600/DSC00887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1015" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1N2hOOxaWrBVU4rURePEFBDd5teJb4pw3a31G23lbiu4-ITmLvzC2wX_lw5do7cq3WLz91XmTfvmXH4JV-XCmgBq3ngzSVZGfxaQtyKtAp0JdnUIbU5hYf4wxFXS8t8rZkiKaW50Hsg/s320/DSC00887.JPG" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On this side, the banners read 'Virtue' and 'Praise and Worship'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To cap things off, and make the thing look just that little bit weirder, I took a cast of Helbane's face and pressed it onto the Knight's head without the mask on it. After a couple of tries, this came out cleanly enough that I was able to fit the head jewellery from the kit into the slot in the face before gluing the beaded ropes from it to the inside of the hood. I also took a cast of a Daemonette's face and pressed it into the Mechanicus symbols on the twin reactors and the back ends of the weapons. The hull was further accessorised by replacing the railing with spikes and trophies from a Raider.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4t4fo2qFltt9hRkUOytxrFzEDhXIy5cdfk2IaWvvttuEAJ52U20AtRB9D8-wBYW-bw98k_N2aKfI3BddQFGj1aDuQHArxTLVlj-0DVw8E5HD0h2iJqTDs2dn7Tl1aph5k-VgFnIZXLNg/s1600/DSC00883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1150" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4t4fo2qFltt9hRkUOytxrFzEDhXIy5cdfk2IaWvvttuEAJ52U20AtRB9D8-wBYW-bw98k_N2aKfI3BddQFGj1aDuQHArxTLVlj-0DVw8E5HD0h2iJqTDs2dn7Tl1aph5k-VgFnIZXLNg/s320/DSC00883.JPG" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Daemonette faces are a bit twisted and distorted, but this seems completely appropriate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To paint the thing, I left the fully-assembled carapace off, allowing me to remove the arms and work on them separately. I also put a couple of magnets inside the dome of the leg fitting, and two more inside the body so that the Knight could break into two at the waist for transport. A small Green Stuff socket prevents the model from sagging forwards at the waist, which it otherwise liked to do. I sprayed everything apart from the top of the carapace with good old Chaos Black, doing the carapace itself in Wraithbone, before painting the armour panels and banners with more Wraithbone. From there it was a case of laying in the metalwork, using drybrushing on the gold to bring out as much of the moulded detail as possible. The white was based with Apothecary White Contrast paint and the pink with Volupus Pink before conventional paints were used to highlight the pink and smooth out the white. As always the white could be smoother, but that sort of thing is why you're reading this here and not in White Dwarf.<br />
<br />
I'm well aware that the pink-tipped Shieldbreaker missiles look like lipstick, but that amuses me so I'm keeping them that way.<br />
<br />
For a few special effects, I painted the inside of the sculpted Slaanesh runes pink, then filled the hollow with water-effect gel. Though it's very hard to see in the pictures, I painted a bloody hand-print on the cockpit glass and covered it with a couple of thin layers of Water Effect before adding a final highlight and lowlight to the glass, which was then varnished with 'Ardcoat to give the impression that the print is on the inside. It sort-of-works when you can see it past the shine. 'Ardcoat was also used on the various lights and gems, as well as on the eyes and lips to add some life to them.<br />
<br />
I added a couple of small transfers to the banners, but other than a few slogans I didn't add any extra details to the armour panels. I prefer the pure, clean look and my freehand skills largely suck.**** The metal was finished with Grey Knight Steel, both because the blueish metal fits in well and because it probably annoys them a bit.<br />
<br />
Overall I'm very happy with how she came out. Stay tuned for some War Dogs some time this week, and don't forget the <a href="https://thetheleniccurriculum.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_27.html">background piece</a> if you're thirsty for more right now...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Yes, Pride. You thought all my Slaanesh stuff was only about the Lust, didn't you? Admit it!<br />
<br />
**Or less subtle, if you're not an innocent Imperial citizen who doesn't know what the Rune of Slaanesh looks like.<br />
<br />
***And also to avoid having to paint too much insignia. Yes, we've got some Sloth going on here too.<br />
<br />
****Also, Sloth again.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-29834342600929478942019-10-20T11:33:00.000-07:002019-10-20T11:33:16.227-07:00Phoenix Rising- Interesting bits and drunk GW..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQL8LzZOh_TkAsV0Rdgi13ohE3LiZKoHMYweUtDjJyTgF15CIrfXhZRc0bsN1pgWgraJYGFjV3Cw_aokuzcWhpn3tyXwrIWs4XmNov1VgtSsuBRitNQFRQCyqaR2EqZke_HwXcLjW7JZo/s1600/BOTPUnbox-Sep07-Cover-j1lfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="1600" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQL8LzZOh_TkAsV0Rdgi13ohE3LiZKoHMYweUtDjJyTgF15CIrfXhZRc0bsN1pgWgraJYGFjV3Cw_aokuzcWhpn3tyXwrIWs4XmNov1VgtSsuBRitNQFRQCyqaR2EqZke_HwXcLjW7JZo/s320/BOTPUnbox-Sep07-Cover-j1lfb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
With the release of the new Phoenix Rising book I spotted a couple of things that don't seem to be getting a lot of discussion. One is an intriguing bit of lore, one is a classic 'drunk GW' moment, and one is either a screw-up or a hint of things to come. Oh, and there's another probable Fulgrim sighting but of course there is. (We'll say no more of him other than to mention that it's in the sidebar of page 14.)<br />
<br />
I'll do my best to avoid spoilers but the first one is a bit tricky, so skip the next bit if you've not read the book yet and want to go in clean.<br />
<br />
<b>SPOILER: Yvraine's Guests</b><br />
At one point near the end of the story, Yvraine receives a visit from two people, one an Aeldari carrying two slim swords and the other a human woman described as wearing black power armour and having white hair. Obviously this sounds like a Sister of Battle, but the woman is also described as having a powerful psychic presence. Given that Yvraine has already met Inquisitor Greyfax, who could just about fit that description otherwise, it seems to me that there's only one person this character could be (assuming they aren't new.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ephrael_Stern">Ephrael Stern</a>. She was last seen, at the climax of the Daemonifuge strip, opening her own personal webway portal in the company of an Eldar (as they were then) called the Pariah, on her way to the Black Library. This is technically unconfirmed but if it's anyone else I'll eat my socks. This would be a pretty big development given how long ago Daemonifuge was, and points to interesting times to come if it's not a one-and-done- and of course, the Sisters of Battle are coming soon and are involved in Psychic Awakening.<br />
<b>END SPOILER.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Drunk GW #1: Ynnari characters</b><br />
This one is a pretty classic example of one hand not seeming to know what the other is doing. In the interests of spoiler avoidance I'll keep my terms of reference vague, but during the Phoenix Rising story Yvraine is joined by several other named 40k Aeldari heroes who fight alongside her against a powerful enemy. At least one of those is portrayed as drawing Strength From Death in the way Yvraine has taught them (in fact, they do it during an earlier incident in the book too.)<br />
<br />
Then we come to the Ynnari rules, which once more require a Ynnari detachment to have one of the three Ynnari special characters in it in order to gain the YNNARI keyword. They also specifically prohibit any other named character being in the detachment. And yes, the character in question has rules in the book and no, they don't have an exception in there.<br />
<br />
This seems to me like an obvious screw-up, though I have no idea if they'll bother to fix it. Personally, I also think it's a bit sad that we still have to use the Triumvirate members to field Ynnari detachments, since it limits options in a way that I don't think is needed and makes the faction feel very small.<br />
<br />
<b>Drunk GW #2.. or is it? Focus Will</b><br />
This last one seemed at first to be an obvious mistake, an example of sloppy rule-writing and poor proof-reading at its most egregious, and put your hand up if that would surprise you. No? Well, there may be another explanation.<br />
<br />
We're looking here at the Focus Will power from the new Runes of Fortune, which are 'minor' powers that a Craftworlds PSYKER can use to replace Smite. Focus Will is worded as follows:<br />
<br />
<i>"If manifested, select one friendly <CRAFTWORLD> PSYKER within 6" of this psyker. <b>Until the end of this phase,</b> when a Deny The Witch test is taken for that model add 2 to the total."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The emphasis here is mine. Obviously, as written here the power does nothing- you don't Deny The Witch in your own Psychic Phase, and the effect ends as soon as the phase does. I thought initially that the power was meant to last until the start of your next Psychic Phase (making it a handy boost for a Farseer) or, more tenuously, was meant to raise the difficulty of Deny The Witch against a power cast by the target Psyker by 2 (in which case it's terribly written.)<br />
<br />
However, Age of Sigmar players and other smart people will probably have already spotted one other possible explanation- Endless Spells. Now of course, these don't yet exist in 40k, but if they're going to put in an appearance an event called the Psychic Awakening would seem to be the time to do it. So here we may have the first evidence that Psychic Manifestations or whatever they end up calling them are coming to a 40k table near you soon.<br />
<br />
Either that, or GW messed up again. It could be either, if we're honest.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-69623774441311358992019-10-11T09:03:00.002-07:002019-10-11T09:11:06.968-07:00Supplemental<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JzVb1KkoiyN28BYoOO3VRHMixqWllnX-MAXkB2bJ2MDPIUbIDCkS9VIut7WSJDbynyt0HK58DWzcqiuRU215oFNYtE96i3nPbA3lX4FZraucQJKhWnc7scFNS5EbykYmCvpAsRN5Ufw/s1600/285201835739-02+modified+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1576" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JzVb1KkoiyN28BYoOO3VRHMixqWllnX-MAXkB2bJ2MDPIUbIDCkS9VIut7WSJDbynyt0HK58DWzcqiuRU215oFNYtE96i3nPbA3lX4FZraucQJKhWnc7scFNS5EbykYmCvpAsRN5Ufw/s320/285201835739-02+modified+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The nights are drawing in and I find myself with hobby time again! One of the more recent things I did with it was play some 40k, most recently against the new Iron Hands.<br />
<br />
Yeah.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm sure that those who think of themselves as wise old heads will be telling anyone who'll listen that it's too soon to declare the Iron Hands as the new top of the pile, but one can only truly judge these things by personal experience. The guy I played was a friend of mine whose Iron Hands I've played against several times before- to be clear, we're not talking about some kind of scene-kid or bandwagon-jumper here. He was also running models he'd had for some time and had used before, with the notable exception of the new Iron Father.* Unfortunately (for me) that includes two Stormtalons and a Stormhawk, as well as three Castellax Battle-Automata who were being Venerable Dreadnoughts because there's not much of a Heresy scene around these parts and he wanted to use his nice models.<br />
<br />
For my part, I brought an Emperor's Children army with a small smattering of Daemons, deliberately taking some Noise Marines because hey, you're playing against Iron Hands so it's rude not to. You might now expect me to describe how the game went, and I would if we'd actually had one. But after a first turn in which any foot infantry model in my force that could shoot got deleted by the Stormtalons (whilst in cover) before my winged Daemon Prince got killed on Overwatch by a Stormhawk having previously lost only a single wound, it was pretty much over.** (Not only do Iron Hands Overwatch on 5+, they can improve this to 4+ with a Stratagem)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvNoriqLZDYTk8traF8KVSgrz1_qJ9lfvdmcQlWM48fNjQq-0yUjwq8gXcoLX6lF1mTNoVt1AYVtWGi5e9sY8KqVKxW9XGf9f_jaEBx6wbyazPPwDid4H_jsk5Jm_2dS9wapLQiJYEoI/s1600/GIMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1600" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvNoriqLZDYTk8traF8KVSgrz1_qJ9lfvdmcQlWM48fNjQq-0yUjwq8gXcoLX6lF1mTNoVt1AYVtWGi5e9sY8KqVKxW9XGf9f_jaEBx6wbyazPPwDid4H_jsk5Jm_2dS9wapLQiJYEoI/s320/GIMP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also picked a bad day to try out my new Mutilators</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To bring up the first point I'd like to address today, the Iron Hands supplement is utterly bonkers. Even ignoring the new stuff (like Repulsor Executioners) older models like the Stormtalons are amped up to extreme levels without the controlling player needing to do anything more than put them in the list and stay in Devastator Doctrine. (If you're not aware of why this is, in Devastator Iron Hands reroll 1s to hit with Heavy Weapons, ignore the penalty for moving and firing them, and still gain the additional -1 AP, so ignoring outside factors the Stormtalons hit on 2+, re-rolling 1s, with all their weapons at all times.) I've seen it said that the Iron Father doesn't do a great deal besides his 5++ save aura and repair ability, but he also packs a Heavy Bolter with an additional point of Damage, allowing him to sit there giving out his buff whilst still killing enemy infantry- and a 3-shot, S5 gun with -2 AP, hitting on 2s and re-rolling 1s and inflicting 2 damage per hit would be a useful model if that was all it did.<br />
<br />
I've also seen the oft-repeated mantra used that one should 'play the mission' and avoid LOS to counter the Iron Hands. Unfortunately avoiding the fire of Flyers is extremely difficult even if the table is terrain rich, (not to mention Whirlwinds and Eliminators, who don't care about LOS anyway) I think, though, that this ignores the most important point- we don't play 40k to put our models on the table and then do nothing but hide from the enemy for five turns. Sure, if an army has a nigh-on unkillable castle blob that destroys anything it lays its gunsights on with contemptuous ease you might be able to outmanoeuvre it and 'win' that way, but outside of a heavily prize-supported tournament who really wants to waste two hours on that game?***<br />
<br />
I've seen quite a few video BatReps featuring the Iron Hands already, and what strikes me isn't just that the poor sod playing against them is having to work extremely hard to put a brave face on the game (even often whilst technically ahead on VP). No, what strikes me is that the guy playing them is often either not enjoying himself, or is actually embarrassed by how little he's having to think.****<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/omDDd-q9M1g/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/omDDd-q9M1g?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">In this batrep, we see an Iron Hands player gradually realise what he has become.</span></div>
<br />
Now, some people will tell you that this isn't a problem outside of tournaments, but I'm inclined to disagree. The problem is, as has been said by many other commentators, that in order to even begin to get a game out of facing the Iron Hands opponents have to bring nothing but the very strongest lists their Codex is capable of, even if their opponent is playing fairly casually. That has a toxic effect on a local scene, because players turning up at their FLGS in search of a casual game end up facing nothing but WAAC lists that were built on the off-chance that the local Iron Hands player might be looking for a game. That even sucks for the Iron Hands players themselves, who find themselves inadvertently transformed into That Guy even if they've been playing the army for a decade and spent most of that time putting up with a limited 6+ FNP and nothing else.<br />
<br />
To come to the meat of the problem though, I fear GW have backed themselves into an extremely dangerous corner here. We're approaching Chapter Approved time, and traditionally the response to an army being obviously overpowered is to increase their points values. Unfortunately, however, since the Iron Hands rules were added in a Supplement, there's no simple way to do this without punishing people playing other Chapters.***** Should they go the other way, making everything else cheaper (I'd like my 12 point CSM and 180 point Chaos Land Raiders, Chapter Approved Santa), the effect is still the same. On the other hand, simply removing some of the extra rules the Chapter gets is going to greatly annoy people who bought the book. One possible solution might be to add, say, a 10% point 'tax' on Iron Hands, but this sets another dangerous precedent- that of actively saying than one Chapter is 'better' than another.******<br />
<br />
Of course, it looks like the 40k rules and background are heading for another big shake-up with Psychic Awakening and this is a game constantly in a state of flux, so it may be that all these concerns will look quaint in the space of a few months. But I can't help thinking that the new Supplements are going to prove hard to swallow for those who aren't lucky enough to get a good one.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*I've nicknamed him Ferrero Rocher, and I'm determined it's going to stick.<br />
**There was more to the game than that- I killed a squad of Tacticals with Possessed!- but it was mostly a sideshow.<br />
***On the other hand I managed to spell 'outmanoeuvre' right first time, so now I feel like an Ultimate Spelling Wizard.<br />
****The gender choices here are accurate based on the videos I've seen. We really need more ladies doing BatReps!<br />
*****Admittedly, unless the local scene is very strict about paint schemes or they really, really like another Chapter, that'll be about one person.<br />
******Of course this is basically true at the moment, but it'd be a big thing for GW to actually come out and say it.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-84479129021171351232019-07-12T03:50:00.000-07:002019-07-12T03:50:19.511-07:00The Hellforged Leviathan Walks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoU1Qh5Rx49QJPBD77aDUqKlupJjbEQcxwS7UP8kvRnqAgif8kDXh41fHN6i6ibmiV2vAyU6nmMqH0igMUPC-CvZy3e8BXPBJxdEQQQpRxNI50dzWOOvaecd36_Tl17Vhtp-4jbP_kJy8/s1600/DSC00832+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1009" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoU1Qh5Rx49QJPBD77aDUqKlupJjbEQcxwS7UP8kvRnqAgif8kDXh41fHN6i6ibmiV2vAyU6nmMqH0igMUPC-CvZy3e8BXPBJxdEQQQpRxNI50dzWOOvaecd36_Tl17Vhtp-4jbP_kJy8/s320/DSC00832+%25282%2529.JPG" width="201" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been working on this scary fellow on and off for the past week or so, and I think I'm finally ready to call him done!<br />
<br />
Lord Ghôrax Skullborn here is a Hellforged Leviathan built mostly from the Redemptor Dreadnought kit. I think he's possibly a little bigger than a proper Leviathan but when you're calling something a 'Leviathan' being too big shouldn't be a major issue.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M44Y5BQZNRJlYfZ9gWLbx-74x_yFAs6WunDKCOS3SO6oy6Yo2dBUEOeTn6Refr7Iuf2I4YhNLl-2Kg77Cw2BWDOPHV_fKHOqLPvAXiUUUWn7MTGPDf-Jq7ewjIUrsz3GRK1l7dDVas0/s1600/DSC00825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M44Y5BQZNRJlYfZ9gWLbx-74x_yFAs6WunDKCOS3SO6oy6Yo2dBUEOeTn6Refr7Iuf2I4YhNLl-2Kg77Cw2BWDOPHV_fKHOqLPvAXiUUUWn7MTGPDf-Jq7ewjIUrsz3GRK1l7dDVas0/s320/DSC00825.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Here he is without the Green Stuff and a few of the last few parts. The most significant areas of conversion were the body and the Grav-Bombard. The body is basically made from cut-up parts of the Redemptor's own sarcophagus- the sawn-off cap of an old permanent marker makes the barrel that the head (from the Skulls box) sits in. The Leviathan's larger shoulder blocks were made using the carapace plates from a Warlord (I had these spare since I built mine Loyalist)<br />
<br />
The Grav-Bombard was made by removing the barrel from the Redemptor's plasma cannon and adding basically all the wheels from the Cauldron of Blood (I've now bought two of that kit just for bits). After this shot was taken I trialled several possible centre-pieces including the emitter from a Tellyporta Blasta and the end of a Dark Talon's Rift Cannon, but settled on the end of a Leman Russ searchlight. The gribbly teeth were horns cut from Chaos Marine helms.<br />
<br />
Over on the other arm, I simply used an assortment of Ork Kan Klaws, as well as the later addition of a Meganobz chainclaw, to make a suitably evil-looking weapon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYDbpaTcNVwIMWBqKlrcvv5gR8KqACqnRNF34PK-MurFRtB8BaP19VEDyHt8ACmD9ztKGGPWSgGFG_z2Ra7dCKsEmMwKZSdGfvkJ-7NDXLJGyNzWVAMWasxKYSNUWSvzXDzDMzWarkBI/s1600/FmyQRAuI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYDbpaTcNVwIMWBqKlrcvv5gR8KqACqnRNF34PK-MurFRtB8BaP19VEDyHt8ACmD9ztKGGPWSgGFG_z2Ra7dCKsEmMwKZSdGfvkJ-7NDXLJGyNzWVAMWasxKYSNUWSvzXDzDMzWarkBI/s320/FmyQRAuI.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Here he is with most of the Green Stuff on. A lot of extra details were added too, including chains mostly taken from the old Marauder Horsemen kit, a couple of Chaos Knight shields, the ends of two Immolator flamers and an icon pole made with a combination of a Bloodletter banner and the old Khorne CSM icon. This slots into a hole in the top of the hull for transport. On the subject, the Redemptor kit has an odd overlarge slot in the bottom of the torso to meet the peg on the legs, which is presumably for posing but means it won't hold together unglued. I filled the slot with Green Stuff, wet the surfaces, and shoved the peg into place in the right pose before removing it, making a much more snug socket so he can come apart for storage.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykIDm8LhjeOXrss3J3Objvz1xACGNuB10l6aI7lis4QjUFoMidAlDLc_BpKM0BnLAWQJl7kRBh4CI53XBvp_IC72yX2zApih813niJXBxNYdUHeH_UikcMFY0DRM4pfAckG5yhwGZTnY/s1600/DSC00840+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="857" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykIDm8LhjeOXrss3J3Objvz1xACGNuB10l6aI7lis4QjUFoMidAlDLc_BpKM0BnLAWQJl7kRBh4CI53XBvp_IC72yX2zApih813niJXBxNYdUHeH_UikcMFY0DRM4pfAckG5yhwGZTnY/s320/DSC00840+%25282%2529.JPG" width="171" /></a></div>
<br />
Probably the most interesting aspect of the Green Stuff work is the various skulls, icons of Khorne, and twisted face-things, including the rather fun Daemon face representing the Hellfire Reactor. These were made by blatant cheating. I have some moulds made up, taken from the AoS Chaos Bastion floor, which allow me to press masses of twisted skulls into Green Stuff. Since the mould is bendy I can do this around curves, but not all the skulls will come out clean, making it ideal for a Chaotic look. (I used waste Green Stuff to add more skulls to the base with the same cast) The little runes of Khorne are similarly made by 'branding' the model with a small icon cut from the CSM Khorne command helm, and the reactor Daemon is cast from the backpack on the same sprue.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bdKrROzUwJLegY7Rg2BBVFurmbeKrk1MvDiNMFnPXBpJQEp2HXe4P-fOwgYX__eXqneMj17ljEOfbAs6Tzcy7lO4pChF-J42vjCZkNgjfWKtEfq8_beBEBa3id3vtviO1xNBuaBgbXE/s1600/DSC00844+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="735" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bdKrROzUwJLegY7Rg2BBVFurmbeKrk1MvDiNMFnPXBpJQEp2HXe4P-fOwgYX__eXqneMj17ljEOfbAs6Tzcy7lO4pChF-J42vjCZkNgjfWKtEfq8_beBEBa3id3vtviO1xNBuaBgbXE/s320/DSC00844+%25282%2529.JPG" width="147" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's another fun little cheat. The World Eaters icon here is just an Ogre belly-plate with a little Earth sculpted into the middle of it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsigIy1iwec9OL844LeGYPWrClf-iJ_QwqpjDLvauJQPnxfmGRTCS1H6nWA4soEjusOTTOo-73DrEXcUgPAiFX34hh7kr_BKiZFqAFL7q7nxymbRD4_0m7cXzTXQIUTZ3QVbKDGs5BTsg/s1600/DSC00838+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="781" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsigIy1iwec9OL844LeGYPWrClf-iJ_QwqpjDLvauJQPnxfmGRTCS1H6nWA4soEjusOTTOo-73DrEXcUgPAiFX34hh7kr_BKiZFqAFL7q7nxymbRD4_0m7cXzTXQIUTZ3QVbKDGs5BTsg/s320/DSC00838+%25282%2529.JPG" width="156" /></a></div>
<br />
Meanwhile a look on the other side shows the true ludicrousity of the Grav-Bombard, as well as the little hanging Khorne icons pinched from a Khorgorath after I converted five of them to make them all unique some time ago.<br />
<br />
I did a fairly standard paint job after all that. After a black spray undercoat, dry-brushed up with Leadbelcher and Administratum Grey, I had to immediately splodge loads of Blood For The Blood God into the depths of the bombard to coat all the little spoke-things of the six wheels that make up the barrel. I also added some water-effect acrylic gel for bulk. Once that horrible mess had dried, the rest of the process was quite simple. Towards the end, I noted that the eye-sockets were too deep to paint a glow effect in, so after basing them with blue I filled them and the power-plant chimneys with more water effect before painting over the top with thinned-down paints. It doesn't really add any special effect, but does get the colour where it needs to be.<br />
<br />
Anyway, think that might be my most detailed WIP post in a long time! Now let's hope he can actually make some 4++ saves and live for more than one turn...Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-24381784978051552182019-07-10T12:46:00.000-07:002019-07-10T12:46:03.143-07:00New beginnings..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwlUdsoh0zxfbBvgbJiQ7VkFnCmlu5XhkzWvjCCgsFUZnKgTHzYau4SkLPSpogg_no_wcmY5fuqOM8fS-PgCuN7eHHBdEPRZ3mpEp8g1FYmFIAQesdR4M7hyphenhyphen5d5JStjnD7yVc4OrMdzs/s1600/dawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwlUdsoh0zxfbBvgbJiQ7VkFnCmlu5XhkzWvjCCgsFUZnKgTHzYau4SkLPSpogg_no_wcmY5fuqOM8fS-PgCuN7eHHBdEPRZ3mpEp8g1FYmFIAQesdR4M7hyphenhyphen5d5JStjnD7yVc4OrMdzs/s320/dawn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So, today is an exciting day for me! Not so much for you. Unless of course your day has been very exciting, in which case great!*<br />
<br />
Anyway, the point is that I've launched <a href="http://www.trpeers.com/">a new website</a>, which will be specifically for the books of the Thelenic Curriculum and my writing in general. I'll add a link to there on the Landing Page, which will gradually become redundant.<br />
<br />
What does that mean for this site? Almost nothing! I'll still do my usual hobby-based posts on here (look out for a tasty new Khornate Leviathan this weekend) but I'll also still do writing-related stuff on here. Mostly, it just means people going to the <a href="http://www.thetcbooks.co.uk/">www.thetcbooks.co.uk</a> link will now be redirected to the new site rather than here, so won't have to put up with me ranting about the Assault Phase when they're looking for my books. The new site is also much more mobile-friendly, so if you've been meaning to read the short stories but couldn't find them on your phone due to Google Blogs being a bit janky, head on over to the new site.<br />
<br />
Going forward I'm even going to be buying some ads! Anyway, if you're curious, head on over and take a look and maybe buy a book or two. Or even review one you've read, if you're a true superhero to authors everywhere.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Unless it's 'being shot at' or 'being chased by a lunatic with an axe' exciting, in which case I hope you survived.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-64122969462019758162019-07-07T03:23:00.001-07:002019-07-07T03:23:26.470-07:00New Keeper, new paints, and some thoughts.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFGAV5dTiGwk06fWjVDLwamVznpxNmKsIL8rf9GjqJwsw5YU6GRqDq6-LO6pWfBdkCqwioNi1EtKIVUXVR5tMOdjIG7OcDOPBK_OvgAQlrXba7_tqgr40imwnvaP0xI3RbX1aCeg7HbY/s1600/blogkeeper1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1354" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFGAV5dTiGwk06fWjVDLwamVznpxNmKsIL8rf9GjqJwsw5YU6GRqDq6-LO6pWfBdkCqwioNi1EtKIVUXVR5tMOdjIG7OcDOPBK_OvgAQlrXba7_tqgr40imwnvaP0xI3RbX1aCeg7HbY/s320/blogkeeper1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I finally got my new Keeper of Secrets finished! There are so many gems on this thing that looking on the box you can see where GW's official painter lost the will to live and just did some as metal bumps. I did more than they did, but on the other hand my gems suck.<br />
<br />
When the new Keeper came out I was presented with a bit of a problem. Since I already have not <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/majere613/art/As-ylla-Greater-Daemon-of-Slaanesh-373917929">one</a>, but <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/majere613/art/Creature-Caster-Spider-Daemon-655164771">two</a> models that I use as Keepers (and which are finally about the right size!) there didn't seem a lot of point making another stock one. On the other hand the variant Keeper, Shalaxi Hellbane, didn't appeal to me visually (though 'it' has nice rules. More on 'it' in a moment.)<br />
<br />
The solution, I decided, was to go full-on with magnets, allowing the regular Keeper to have Shalaxi's weapon options. This also allows me to field a Keeper with options like the Ritual Knife and Shimmering Aegis which I don't have on the older models.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTP70dqWGc3ep51JsOcGcwSRa4EV-AX0HsvMcN1FAS6G-9M0YU0NqyUZ0VfkqV0tF5TOa6bGwmbnLDomya5uUzuvzpukrsQ1NpfcfS0E1_FHoFXGP66ilP87B1YmK86FpHVdH7J1d9N0/s1600/Blogkeeper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTP70dqWGc3ep51JsOcGcwSRa4EV-AX0HsvMcN1FAS6G-9M0YU0NqyUZ0VfkqV0tF5TOa6bGwmbnLDomya5uUzuvzpukrsQ1NpfcfS0E1_FHoFXGP66ilP87B1YmK86FpHVdH7J1d9N0/s320/Blogkeeper2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More gems than an animated pop-group with an inexplicable movie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>The Mammarian Heresy</b><br />
Now, there was one area in which the new Keeper was, to my eyes, a bit deficient. For reasons known only to them, GW persist in making Slaanesh models with only one breast. Not only that, they've doubled down recently by referring to Keepers and Heralds as 'it', rather than 'she'. I find this a bit irritating, since the other Greater Daemons are all still unambiguously male. Not only that, but only Arnold J. Rimmer is ever going to be pleased with having just one of the things and that's not an example I want my legions of excess following.<br />
<br />
As an aside, I entirely take the point that as physical manifestations of warp entities Daemons don't really have a gender at all, but again, all the 'male' daemons apparently do. I personally think that Slaanesh daemons manifest as whatever those watching find most alluring- basically a glamour- so for me that means two dumplings on the plate. I do plan to make some oiled-up Chippendale-style Noise Marines in future, but I'm hoping we'll see a new Emperor's Children book and Noise Marine models soon.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the upshot of all this is that I ended up sculpting in her left (as she would view it) breast, as well as the corset-thing that goes over it. I made it with Green Stuff, and as usual with this sort of project I did it in two stages, the first being the 'structural' stage where I got the basic shape about right, and then, once this had set, the 'detail' stage where I smoothed it out and added the clothing. Trying to do the whole thing in one go tends to lead to pushing the thing out of shape whilst trying to detail it.<br />
<br />
Other than that, the only real modelling work that needed doing was adding magnets to the wrists and hands for swapping the weapons, which I did by drilling out a small recess for the magnets and then filling the gaps. As always, there's a thin layer of Green Stuff preventing the magnets making direct contact, which makes the options much easier to remove and lessens the chance of the magnets ripping free. In the end, I left the head and cloak off for painting as well as leaving the Shining Aegis in two parts (hand/ shield) for ease of access.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UnMcKppDbTtZv0YeQKxnfmIdF34hI6gSKZLZvUaCexoML255fAn2PIHoaa-sW3JkLeXniv2n75fCX8p-Qte6RO4QFvQZ6D2D0WI0duTFxdOUYJ4vGC29EUyVpfu3SgDLGg8udaO08v0/s1600/DSC00828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1267" data-original-width="1600" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UnMcKppDbTtZv0YeQKxnfmIdF34hI6gSKZLZvUaCexoML255fAn2PIHoaa-sW3JkLeXniv2n75fCX8p-Qte6RO4QFvQZ6D2D0WI0duTFxdOUYJ4vGC29EUyVpfu3SgDLGg8udaO08v0/s320/DSC00828.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone needs to do one with Daemonette train-bearers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Which cloak to use was a matter of some debate. The cloak for Shalaxi represents 'its' (named character so I've got to) Cloak of Constriction, but I preferred the way the other cloak looked and hung off the wrists. Those hands which are meant to be used with it have a little hole for the cloak but test-fitting showed it didn't cause any serious issues. Likewise the arms are different for Shalaxi but I found the default Keeper arms worked fine and didn't cause a problem with the spear- in fact I prefer it levelled at it is here, rather than point-up as it is on Shalaxi.<br />
<br />
<b>Adventures in Contrast</b><br />
Painting was a bit of an adventure since I waited until the release of the new Contrast paints to do it. The model was undercoated with Wraithbone (the brighter Contrast undercoat) and then painted with Apothecary white for the flesh, Skeleton Horde for the horns, and Volupus Pink, Magos Purple and Shyish Purple for the claws and robes/ clothes. I forgot to get a Black Templar for the black, but a couple of coats of Vallejo Air black did the deed. The metals were painted with conventional metals, over the air black on the claws and weapons, since painting them over Wraithbone really doesn't look good.<br />
<br />
It's fair to say I had the odd.. issue with the Contrasts. On the flesh, the Apothecary white was great, giving a bluish-grey tint just as I like for my Slaanesh Daemons. On the larger, sweeping areas like the cloaks, though, I ran in to a lot of pooling issues and had some bother finding the right highlights. Nevertheless, the model responded well to my usual Nuln Oil Gloss wash and we got there in the end!<br />
<br />
The other worry with Contrast is durability. I think Wraithbone is designed to allow the paints to 'slide off' a bit, to give the effect of making raised areas lighter in colour. However, it seems that makes the paint itself more vulnerable to chipping. I've transported this model once so far and whilst the model itself was chip-free, the Caliban Green around the base came off in a couple of places. I think the oil wash and the highlights have made the paint on the model resilient enough to cope with handling, but since the base edge got neither of those it might need a coat of Stormshield or similar.<br />
<br />
<br />Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-88128173008269991082019-06-23T08:37:00.000-07:002019-06-23T08:37:32.379-07:00New crossover short that absolutely nobody asked for.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lkKUSjWsRTfT8xLzArNG7HXBBnD7mTP0ynCHoJGAIQXbXrFktfz9QUdLti-SqCWG8K6kGEYUkLYQFNoDH9yMSXwD1vL2ddBhIj3ubHA87mdyphzUNZqdXL1XiqqoYKd6lPRWCA4_Pa0/s1600/FOG_WHO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="394" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lkKUSjWsRTfT8xLzArNG7HXBBnD7mTP0ynCHoJGAIQXbXrFktfz9QUdLti-SqCWG8K6kGEYUkLYQFNoDH9yMSXwD1vL2ddBhIj3ubHA87mdyphzUNZqdXL1XiqqoYKd6lPRWCA4_Pa0/s320/FOG_WHO.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Every now and again you have one of those ideas that gets stuck in your brain and won't go away until you do it. This phenomenon is probably responsible for the deep-fried Mars Bar, the Bognor Regis Birdman competition, and many other things that probably shouldn't exist but do.<br />
<br />
Into this crowded field of lunatic endeavours comes my latest crossover short story, <a href="https://thetheleniccurriculum.blogspot.com/p/the-not-quite-kidnap-ofbetty-hardin.html">"The Not-Quite Kidnap of Betty Hardin</a>", which can be found either at that link or in the Crossover Shorts side-panel. In the story, the 13th Doctor meets the legendary Floating Outfit of 1960's Western author <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._T._Edson">J.T. Edson.</a> It's an everyday tale of mistaken identity, bandit kidnappers, and cybernetic killing machines from the far future.<br />
<br />
Given that some people (often many of the sort of people who still read J.T.) decry the recent Dr Who canon as overly politically-correct and J.T. himself was as politically-correct as something that most definitely, certainly isn't, this wasn't exactly a match made in heaven but I consider everyone involved to be basically good at heart so I did it anyway. To allay any fears, this is <b>not</b> one of those really annoying revenge-fiction pieces where a writer takes a character they have it in for and does horrible things to them.<br />
<br />
To finish with a little warning- while I've done my best to stay as close to J.T's style as possible, not especially hard since he's been an influence on my own to some extent, I should point out to anyone interested in his books that he was very much a man of his time regarding sexual preferences, gender politics and race (though all three topics could be the subject of some interesting discussion in this context.) If you do decide to check them out, You Have Been Warned.<br />
<br />
At the very least have a look at that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._T._Edson">Wikipedia</a> page if you're at all concerned!Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-33721942475120140522019-05-22T04:04:00.000-07:002019-05-22T04:04:13.582-07:00Lies, damned lies, and statistics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cTlQsaTqVqGKxIN5b7ChXFxIjngZeHWmieErAc2dqYPOkLHb0e_6bSlEdM5TiHYAdUwmjmyTVw0f84Bps8Fg1GYomAsURKm97lt5-mTSIWB9szBpXu5G-K60LQZqOfoyoFcwfzRdQ7c/s1600/_107059158_2newnew-nc.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="640" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cTlQsaTqVqGKxIN5b7ChXFxIjngZeHWmieErAc2dqYPOkLHb0e_6bSlEdM5TiHYAdUwmjmyTVw0f84Bps8Fg1GYomAsURKm97lt5-mTSIWB9szBpXu5G-K60LQZqOfoyoFcwfzRdQ7c/s320/_107059158_2newnew-nc.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't often do refutations. Most of the time, they're a waste of effort and rapidly devolve into people throwing rocks at each other. But this recent <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48335099" target="_blank">BBC piece on speaking roles in Game of Thrones..</a> well, you might want to read it for yourself before continuing. One thing you can say for it is that since the BBC isn't ad-supported, it's not click-bait.<br />
<br />
Anyway, here's the gist- the piece suggests that there's something wrong (I won't use the 'P-word' because they don't) with the fact that roughly 2/3 of the dialogue in the series is spoken by men. Here's one of the quotes:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Overall, the actions and words women are participating in are still very attached to gender-related stereotypes".</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Now this is a repetition of something I've mentioned before and call Raven's Cry Syndrome. If you're not familiar with what I'm referring to, Raven's Cry was a game that came out a few years ago set in the 17th century that was mostly about pirates. It wasn't very good, but simply pointing this out wasn't enough for certain critics, who instead devoted large chunks of their reviews to complaining that the characters were racist, sexist, and swore a lot. Well guess what kids, pirates were Not Very Nice People, and there's a reason no-one holds up Blackbeard as a paragon of virtue. In effect, Raven's Cry Syndrome is when a period-set piece of fiction or art is criticised simply for accurately reflecting its setting.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>MINOR TO MAJOR GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW</b><br />
Coming back to Game of Thrones, we're looking at a low(ish) fantasy story set in a basically medieval world. Whilst there are plenty of noblewomen, queens and other women in positions of power, as a world where military tactics still revolve mostly around using muscle power to hit people with sharp bits of metal in various shapes, the majority of the military are male. To define our terms here a little, I say low fantasy because whilst GoT has plenty of magic in it, it's usually of the ritual or mystical variety. Even the most powerful magic-users, like Melisandre, can't cast <i>Fireball</i> and obliterate an entire regiment. By contrast, in a high fantasy setting, magical abilities make female military commanders or warriors far more feasible, as seen in <a href="http://thetcbooks.co.uk/" target="_blank">my own books</a>, for example. (Come on, had to get that in there). It's hard to tell Magister Thalia Daran to sit quietly on the sidelines when her personal offensive firepower is up there with the average battle tank.<br />
<br />
This means that when you get a big battle scene, like the Battle of the Bastards, the defence of Winterfell, etc, you're going to have a lot of blokes in beards standing about discussing tactics. It's just inevitable in such a setting. GoT, of course, makes a point of having characters like Arya and Brienne who break the mould, but they do it in a setting-appropriate way- Arya by gaining mystical powers and utilising stealth and deception, and Brienne by being simply an unusually tall and strong woman. Even so, both run up against patriarchal attitudes, as you'd expect, but they overcome them.<br />
<br />
Even allowing for the setting, though, the analysis in the BBC piece is blisteringly unfair. The quote I use as my title has been variously appropriated to Mark Twain, Benjamin Disraeli and others:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"There are lies, there are damned lies, and then there are statistics."</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcf_ZkSfv04ol2aW25n_t5LtjeAG-Gfk14I-IPFhaXxK0uVicUpt9geG3AzljXJkIZ94fxXjRNeFUtxDZvjloHQbPe2I1WIP0lt1txy8tAGAfa3kex1QLR2nNG89ub2pTOCTMC10DGf8/s1600/_107059159_lines_spoken-nc.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="641" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcf_ZkSfv04ol2aW25n_t5LtjeAG-Gfk14I-IPFhaXxK0uVicUpt9geG3AzljXJkIZ94fxXjRNeFUtxDZvjloHQbPe2I1WIP0lt1txy8tAGAfa3kex1QLR2nNG89ub2pTOCTMC10DGf8/s320/_107059159_lines_spoken-nc.png" width="220" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The point of this isn't to suggest that all statistics are worthless, but to remind us that you can massage them all sorts of ways to make a point if you'd like. To use the language of Sherlock Holmes, statistics aren't facts, they're data. A fact is data with the context to interpret it. For example, the statistics tell us that the character who has the most lines in GoT is Tyrion. This should hardly be a surprise, given that talking is Tyrion's primary talent (especially TV Tyrion) and he's in more episodes than anyone else. If we look at the chart, we see that in the top four speaking characters we have two men, and two women (and second place looks to be a male-female tie).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here's where trying to use statistics to analyse fiction falls to bits completely. The two top-scoring women are both, for most of their time in the show, queens or rulers. The thing with being in charge is that often you do more listening than talking. Consider the example of a board meeting- the Chairman is the most important person, but spends most of their time asking their subordinates for reports and getting comments on them. As the saying goes, there's no point having a dog and barking yourself. Possibly the best example of this, though, comes from the very last episode, where the remaining lords of Westeros are appointing a new King. Tyrion does a lot of talking, but it's abundantly clear that as far as those listening are concerned it's Sansa wearing the proverbial trousers. "Shut up, Uncle." may be one of the simplest and most effective burns in GoT to not be delivered by an actual Dragon.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ultimately, trying to determine who has the most impact or agency in a story based on how much time they spend 'on camera' or how many words they speak is pointless. It's like trying to analyse cooking with economics- cold, hard numbers have nothing to do with the feel of a story. If everyone watching thinks a story has strong, powerful women who take control of their own destiny in it, <i>they are by definition correct.</i> Using statistics to try to argue against that is like watching an unconscious boxer being carried out of the ring on a stretcher and saying that because he landed 100 punches and his opponent only landed three, he actually won. It's not quantity that counts in communication, but quality. To go back to the chart, we see Lord Varys sitting very near the bottom. I defy anyone to claim his was a weak or ineffectual character, he just doesn't make a big noise about his influence. He's called 'Master of Whispers' for a reason.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not sure what the motive of the BBC piece or the research behind it was. I'm all for strong female characters in fiction (I hope my own writing reflects that) but Game of Thrones is completely the wrong target for this sort of piece and nothing hurts a good cause worse than a terribly flawed argument.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-4495230188649632082019-04-30T09:12:00.000-07:002019-04-30T09:12:12.547-07:00The importance of getting it right<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMuN_HTftA6PlFgMHlCZDX6gLv4ZZSog7U1lhMJ8JFDJ9e3VttEph-mAIK9QXvhPmVEkyjG6M_Omc6aGYqgyG7dVKjrUGe_yMZe5P-FZ1P4YGyzQ07qIXsIXdLOVe3oyFLXFMcJ_4LZ8/s1600/tictac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMuN_HTftA6PlFgMHlCZDX6gLv4ZZSog7U1lhMJ8JFDJ9e3VttEph-mAIK9QXvhPmVEkyjG6M_Omc6aGYqgyG7dVKjrUGe_yMZe5P-FZ1P4YGyzQ07qIXsIXdLOVe3oyFLXFMcJ_4LZ8/s1600/tictac.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not pictured: Tactics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
By now most people who care have probably seen the most recent episode of Game of Thrones (Episode 3 of the final series, for any internet archaeologists out there). Those who have not might want to avoid this little rant for now since there may be the odd minor spoiler in here, though I'll resist any blow-by-blows or casualty lists.<br />
<br />
Anyway, those of us who have basically any understanding of tactics were probably more than a little perplexed by the way the big battle in this episode played out from a strategic point of view. There have been quite a few very detailed breakdowns elsewhere by people better qualified than I, but it doesn't take Sun Tzu to spot that the cavalry and artillery in particular were spectacularly mishandled. I've seen a few comments expressed to the effect of this not mattering, or things like 'I must have missed the bit in The Art of War about fighting zombies with dragons', as one particular God of Snark put it. As you might expect, I disagree pretty strongly.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing- if your heroes are meant to be everyday men in the street, there's no problem with them doing dumb things on occasion. It always annoys me when critics whine about dialogue in movies or books where people respond to stressful situations by shouting 'F*@k you!' because they say it's 'cliched' or uninspired when the reality is that real people don't always come up with the best and most poetic lines on the spot. But if your heroes are meant to be experienced military commanders (and in the case of GoT, they had enough veteran warriors and strategists to run three campaigns at once) it's important that they at least give some impression of being just that.<br />
<br />
In part this is that old classic 'show, don't tell'. You can tell us Sir Hack of Slash is a military genius, or you can show him pulling off a brilliant tactic against impossible odds and make us believe it. Better yet, do both. In the specific case of GoT, it's entirely fair to say that given that their enemy had effectively unlimited numbers and could raise the dead to fight again, no strategy the defenders might have employed would have made much difference, but that isn't really the point. Had we seen the defence well-planned, with a properly obstructed killing-zone, the artillery pounding a hampered advance, archers killing hundreds of the enemy whilst they were held up in the field, etc, it makes the true scale of the threat that much more impressive when they take all of that and<i> just keep coming</i>. As it was, we're left with the impression, false though it may be, that the various heroic sacrifices might have been completely unnecessary.<br />
<br />
We see this in a lot of games and movies. One of the Dragon Age expansions, for example, tasks you with defending a castle against Darkspawn, and at one point presents you with the 'choice' of sending troops out to defend farmers in their fields (weakening the castle's defences), or leaving them to die. Of course, anyone who knows the first thing about castles and the feudal system knows that the whole point of the damn things is to bring the food and the peasantry inside at the first sign of trouble, which makes the whole 'choice' feel cheap and the inevitable NPC harangue you have to endure whatever decision you make feel undeserved.<br />
<br />
Likewise, in some 40k novels and shorts we see troops fighting using tactics that make no sense whatsoever. Quite some time ago I <a href="https://thetheleniccurriculum.blogspot.com/2018/03/sisters-of-battle-some-whispers-and.html" target="_blank">reviewed</a> the short story 'Mercy' by Danie Ware and whilst I actually quite like that author from what I've seen I stand by my main criticism of it, which is that the tactics employed (and their result) don't make sense. If you write a story where a Guard commander has been reading too much Regimental Standard and orders his men to engage Orks or Genestealers in melee with bayonets rather than 'waste' ammunition on them, that had better not work or all you've done is make the enemy look like a joke. Even if it fails, you've opened the door to the idea that defeat would have been avoided with a competent commander, which is fine if that's what you're going for, but a big problem if he was supposed to be highly-skilled. Losing against impossible odds is fine and can be heroic, but it doesn't look that way if you make the enemy's job easier for them. <i>Death is acceptable, failure is not</i>, to use the old Imperial adage.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtOsE5NMLh3fSaxfh3Y6w10GaDcBQaLfmQg4c68ljPqBQCXGS5gSwHoYRCFxaWQ_xj1-rXpI4qedTalwy3Ld2AUugkvfJbPiuvDWyyFtYBoPKy3X7EsEGWHl6kptTL2UddIsYE-71nZ8/s1600/zulu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1018" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtOsE5NMLh3fSaxfh3Y6w10GaDcBQaLfmQg4c68ljPqBQCXGS5gSwHoYRCFxaWQ_xj1-rXpI4qedTalwy3Ld2AUugkvfJbPiuvDWyyFtYBoPKy3X7EsEGWHl6kptTL2UddIsYE-71nZ8/s320/zulu.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orks! Thousands of 'em!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As a counterpoint, we could think about some of the great desperate defences of history, like Rourke's Drift, The Alamo, the Knights of St John in Malta or Stalingrad in WWII. Whilst adaptations of most of those exist, to varying degrees of success (both on the part of the adaptation, and of the defence) one thing they have in common is that most of the best at least pay lip-service to getting the facts straight where possible. At some, like Stalingrad, both sides made horrendous mistakes at various times and trying to gloss over that seriously distorts the narrative. (As an aside, the directors of GoT could have done a lot worse than watching <i>Zulu</i> for some ideas!) In fantasy, we could look at the defences of Minas Tirith and Helms Deep in LoTR, which to my mind did a far better job of showing a defence that failed (or could have) not because of incompetence or cowardice, but due to the sheer numerical advantage of the enemy.*<br />
<br />
So anyway, that's my hot take. Consistency and accuracy matter, not because of the need to ablate torrents of potential nerd-rage** but because if you don't have them, it begins to cheapen your story and weaken any sense of peril or threat, a trap more than one otherwise good author has fallen into.*** Of course, we should be careful not to lay too much of this on the shoulders of GRRM, since his story will presumably work out a little differently.****<br />
<br />
Oh, and 'they' were still bad-ass. You know who I mean.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*And in at least one incident, their flat refusal to die when pin-cushioned with arrows. Torch Ork can serve in my Waaagh any time.<br />
<br />
**Because as I've said before, once a certain crowd decides they don't like you there's literally nothing you can do to change that...<br />
<br />
*** Cough-<i>The Belgariad</i>-Cough. I'm not kidding, I do have a cough.<br />
<br />
****If the stubborn bugger survives long enough to finish it.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-22605196512183633602019-03-29T04:04:00.003-07:002019-03-29T04:09:34.856-07:00The Decaying Doctrine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl8q6CSOGMxNbqQebEZFSru3U_N3Fe9LQWTGoXPzQ18JbxI4BUtZHsa8-ogi1Y3n-ONuy5RfbPecxfg_U-QT7BF-dF6Oi8JLDUnkSHidn6y3eymUKc6Zgzw60zzUTimWOy8xvLBDCjfU/s1600/kjeldor_thricecurse__warpsmith_of_nurgle_by_majere613_db3ku1i-fullview+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1280" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQl8q6CSOGMxNbqQebEZFSru3U_N3Fe9LQWTGoXPzQ18JbxI4BUtZHsa8-ogi1Y3n-ONuy5RfbPecxfg_U-QT7BF-dF6Oi8JLDUnkSHidn6y3eymUKc6Zgzw60zzUTimWOy8xvLBDCjfU/s320/kjeldor_thricecurse__warpsmith_of_nurgle_by_majere613_db3ku1i-fullview+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'll admit that was a sneaky effort to lever the title of a particularly solid <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNmXrlNFIdk" target="_blank">Kiuas track</a> in, but it's sort of relevant, as is Kjeldor Thricecurse up there, and not just because he's all Nurgley. The recent reveal of the new Havocs for Chaos and the <a href="https://www.warhammer-community.com/2019/03/28/heretic-astartes-tactica-havocs/" target="_blank">Warhammer Community tactica</a> piece has got me thinking about something in 40k that gets less discussion than it possibly should- the subject of Decay.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhDkVeLs-ueEafZIx8Oqhwquf_zXZCH_0bj8oyBaVZebM4CqymAhrJLXc4atAVJ9zVlQacReYh-6Pv6nZaBSud994XI71nLjV8OiYaxYND3Yx_gdfaW778i_yLoOVdwWhtE-iuaOO4fk/s1600/Nurglings6th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhDkVeLs-ueEafZIx8Oqhwquf_zXZCH_0bj8oyBaVZebM4CqymAhrJLXc4atAVJ9zVlQacReYh-6Pv6nZaBSud994XI71nLjV8OiYaxYND3Yx_gdfaW778i_yLoOVdwWhtE-iuaOO4fk/s1600/Nurglings6th.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not these guys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Havocs are a particularly interesting example of this mechanic, which boils down to models and units getting weaker as they take damage. In the game, it happens to basically any unit with more than one model in it, or which is a single model with 10 or more Wounds, but it's quite a bit more complicated than that. The new Havocs, with their Toughness of 5 and ability to fire on the move, have got quite a few people excited about power-creep and auto-take units. Whilst I don't really see why the Havocs are T5 (unless they're supposed to be wearing a Chaos Armour version of Gravis Armour*) I think people are missing a more important change in the grand scheme of things.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE8k5wgZaN9eiQG97PdQVCpMlljEjS0eVFLPav0hXKSUz87YbCFH_30SB9RFcSQS-9_w38-RRG-BvwIhV1FjNr86Y80zQCs1LrLUfmlhpj0r-2bR-tg8m7pCxztVwkuky1g-AfBWqc_8/s1600/CSMHavocTactica-Mar28-HavocOpener3uvjegas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1000" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE8k5wgZaN9eiQG97PdQVCpMlljEjS0eVFLPav0hXKSUz87YbCFH_30SB9RFcSQS-9_w38-RRG-BvwIhV1FjNr86Y80zQCs1LrLUfmlhpj0r-2bR-tg8m7pCxztVwkuky1g-AfBWqc_8/s320/CSMHavocTactica-Mar28-HavocOpener3uvjegas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Havocs, as modelled in that image from the Community article, are capped at five models strong. On top of that, their default equipment is either a Heavy Bolter or Lascannon. Taken together, this means that the very most Wounds a unit of Havocs can take before its firepower begins to be reduced is one, and that assumes you're prepared to remove the Champion first. As an aside, being the Champion of a Havoc squad seems to be one of the worst jobs in a CSM army now. You don't add anything to the squad unless it gets very close (unlike, say, a Devastator Sergeant with his Signum) and you're almost certain to either spend the game doing nothing, or get killed. Compared to the old version of Havocs, who could have up to five bolter-armed chaff models added to the squad, the firepower of the new ones is very fragile.<br />
<br />
Now of course, adding those bolter marines costs points, points which you could now spend on something else, like, say, more Havocs. But those guys don't simply add survivability to the unit, they can actively discourage an enemy from shooting at it at all. I recently saw a game in which an Iron Warriors force with two units of ten Havocs (Slaanesh of course) sat them in ruins blazing away at an oncoming Khorne force, and lost barely any of them for the entire game. The reason was that the Khorne army's firepower was limited, and whilst it could have killed a few Havocs each turn it couldn't remove enough in one round of shooting to reach the big guns, which were the only things doing anything. You will often see this in other units, too- players will ask how close a model is to the next stage of its decaying profile, and then try to damage it enough to reduce its effectiveness.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kotptvjNzQv1Ci4gifAQpkLB7GV6A3Xg-95uGyTTBEjhvLW7qCsO4dLgJ64xHPqjGRHm5wNqLX3TtUK2dAf9fdXlDQBA0sdOHSKGPdoeXvcVZKceVtakyRMB2K7UtqppDs6IresDQ1c/s1600/titanicus__house_raven_knight_banner_by_majere613_dclt4v1-pre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kotptvjNzQv1Ci4gifAQpkLB7GV6A3Xg-95uGyTTBEjhvLW7qCsO4dLgJ64xHPqjGRHm5wNqLX3TtUK2dAf9fdXlDQBA0sdOHSKGPdoeXvcVZKceVtakyRMB2K7UtqppDs6IresDQ1c/s320/titanicus__house_raven_knight_banner_by_majere613_dclt4v1-pre.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know they're the wrong scale, but hey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Decay is even more complicated than that, though, because different models decay in different ways. The general rule-of-thumb is that a model starts to lose some level of effectiveness once it's lost half of its Wounds, but this only holds true up to a point. A Stompa, for example, starts to decay having lost only 10 Wounds of its 40 (25%) whereas a Warlord Titan similarly takes 10 Wounds to reach its first break-point but has 70 of them (~14%). An Imperial Knight, on the other hand, has the more common three levels to its profile, meaning that in the case of a Castellan it has to take 14 Wounds before it begins to suffer. Just as 8 Wounds is the 'sweet spot' for a Character where they can't be targeted but are reasonably tough (9 would be even better but is rare), for Vehicles it seems to fall somewhere near 30, meaning the Castellan is in a good place and the Stompa takes it in the shorts.** This also leads to the odd situation with light vehicles where a Dreadnought or Buggy with 8 Wounds 'feels' more durable than one with 10, since the 10-wound versions start to decay very fast- 5 Wounds will weaken a Contemptor but have no effect on a basic Dread.<br />
<br />
But wait, there's more! Even when a model or unit does decay, the significance of that decay varies massively. A Morkanaut, for example, loses Movement, WS and Attacks as it's damaged, but if it's being used as an anchor for a Freeboota gun-line doesn't much care, since its (bad) BS remains unchanged. The same effects are far more pronounced on the more assault-minded Gorkanaut. Infantry squads of course lose models to Wounds, which reduces their overall effectiveness, but a Combat Squad camping an objective with a Lascannon marine can be reduced to a single model and still play a significant part in the proceedings.<br />
<br />
Overall then, decay is something every player needs to be thinking about, both from the point of view of their own forces and that of the enemy. It makes certain abilities and Stratagems that inflict or repair relatively small amounts of damage potential game-winners when used to cross a break-point in one direction or the other, and can make some units less of a bargain or game-breaker than they might appear. It's also a mechanic, like much else in 40k, with some serious oddities that could possibly use a tweak.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* Or to SELL MOAR MODELS!!1<br />
<br />
**No change there, thenMajere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-74968163826564898582019-02-22T04:14:00.000-08:002019-02-22T04:14:00.834-08:00The Baby and the Bath-Water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0Dc9Ib5Rl5QlivKtlPkOUyxEJrN1SLhkG8y4CaNmJlF_7DldBckwlIH9sF2UlXBtEy0Ment-9L_tyMYduaTURLZIV_QCZuSPX5gYZY1bfT8RdC-VNQ65JwLawomWQvpljKHkbrJ6NHU/s1600/Cherub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0Dc9Ib5Rl5QlivKtlPkOUyxEJrN1SLhkG8y4CaNmJlF_7DldBckwlIH9sF2UlXBtEy0Ment-9L_tyMYduaTURLZIV_QCZuSPX5gYZY1bfT8RdC-VNQ65JwLawomWQvpljKHkbrJ6NHU/s320/Cherub.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There's an old saying which I'm 90% sure other people use, which is "throwing out the baby with the bath-water". In other words, when getting rid of extraneous rubbish there's always a danger that you'll get rid of something you intended to keep- or even <i>in extremis</i>, the whole of the thing.<br />
<br />
I've been getting that kind of feeling with 40k recently. For example, how many of us old grognards have played the 'armour marks' game when looking at a miniature, especially a conversion or a Chaos model?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOawnL64ZA_l0RxE_-FX1fnGk6aI_ObVHkVFh3rFbipFe8IaI-Yhd6Z0TSVPWtbtGp07nMv5JXaVdKZOPCNL_b9_Lwoe5NlmkhY_VqZ0v2h1ku1iSSRigd6mHryiVkjrChzvdhtOg3Zg/s1600/400px-Power_Armor.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="400" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOawnL64ZA_l0RxE_-FX1fnGk6aI_ObVHkVFh3rFbipFe8IaI-Yhd6Z0TSVPWtbtGp07nMv5JXaVdKZOPCNL_b9_Lwoe5NlmkhY_VqZ0v2h1ku1iSSRigd6mHryiVkjrChzvdhtOg3Zg/s320/400px-Power_Armor.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Basically, you look at a model and in your best train-spotter/ tank geek/ aero enthusiast voice say "Ah yes, mostly Mk III but the helm looks to be MK V and I reckon those are MKIV shoulder pads. Probably a Chapter heirloom."<br />
<br />
Well here's the thing- you may well not be doing that much longer. With the advent of Primaris, the older armour Marks are going to lose a lot of relevance since they're too small for the big new kids on the block. The various types of Mark X armour don't have any of the same history and aren't all that interchangeable, which is odd. Considering the Imperium is meant to be under serious pressure, the idea that MKX is so easily available when MKIV fell out of use almost as soon as the Heresy started feels weird.<br />
<br />
It's not just in the Primaris range, though, where it seems to me like 40k's inherent flavour is in danger. With the advent of mono-pose kits, making your own custom characters is harder than it used to be (though still not as hard as when everything was metal) but more importantly, the tightening of the rules has led to a lot less options. The Ork range, most notably, is seeing a massive contraction of what you can do with your models, with many options being relegated to index-only. Outside of Open Play, the ability to take a random vehicle, festoon it with gunz, and run it as part of your army is now very limited. Were the Indexes to be abolished, as some are advocating for, you wouldn't even be able to put Rokkits on a Battlewagon.<br />
<br />
There are several things which certain elements of the community have been advocating for for some time- better communication with the playerbase, tighter and more balanced rules, and advancement of the story. GW have tried pretty hard to deliver all three, and I think they've succeeded for the most part. And yet with that have come some very negative effects, for example the reduction of the effects of terrain to the extent that I've even seen some players argue for the removal of the LOS rules and the loss of blast templates (and the utterly predictable rise in tightly-packed horde armies that followed it). Then we have rules changes that seem to make little to no logical sense, such as the way Characters work and the fact that assault moves can't use the Fly rule, which had to be made because of exploits creeping in.<br />
<br />
As for the advancing story, for every player excited for the return of the Primarchs and the Imperium Nihilus, there's another who thinks the whole thing is very badly written and poorly thought-out. For my part, I worry that GW are actively pushing for a 40k End Times which would see our existing armies retired or changed out of all recognition. It would almost certainly lead to an uptick in sales, but I fear it might drive older players, like myself, out of the hobby altogether.<br />
<br />
<br />Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-90642803102403182942019-01-29T02:50:00.000-08:002019-01-29T02:50:27.388-08:00The Genestealer/ Chaos Cult Collision Conundrum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTh4Yu5RnG8krufCddhbG8MdZkT26_gCaoDbGrJhi8SFj2_uVC4_8xspSEHsTmqXD2P-DgVV6zPKWqOcAqqHY4omU9XoNbN_XvSZEcGvDfY85yc3wTErUaRW_iBigYDVY9EmPfR5JGrcY/s1600/CultCnS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTh4Yu5RnG8krufCddhbG8MdZkT26_gCaoDbGrJhi8SFj2_uVC4_8xspSEHsTmqXD2P-DgVV6zPKWqOcAqqHY4omU9XoNbN_XvSZEcGvDfY85yc3wTErUaRW_iBigYDVY9EmPfR5JGrcY/s1600/CultCnS.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
With Genestealer Cults about to get their <a href="https://www.warhammer-community.com/2019/01/27/pre-order-preview-genestealer-cults/" target="_blank">epic new update</a>, I thought it was about time to address the elephant in the room* with them as far as I'm concerned. For the uninitiated (and why are you still uninitiated when the link is right there?) the Cults have all sorts of re-purposed civilian and mining gear and use guerrilla** tactics like ambushes and attacking from underground tunnels. Among the more notable recent examples are snipers dragooned on bikes:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaweDhXPBQ5Nv6Kptg4DzPCA4CEBDcL2vBcDtv3QXZLnKluYYAsaBDKBysoyQSmydNFYH4oRcz6vp2iYchxCNG2TFfMvv-05-kBM7QnEHCcaKictfVna7Rd07ctCCDMEhrq6cr45g4160/s1600/GSCPreview-Jan27-GSCJackalAlpha15mh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1000" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaweDhXPBQ5Nv6Kptg4DzPCA4CEBDcL2vBcDtv3QXZLnKluYYAsaBDKBysoyQSmydNFYH4oRcz6vp2iYchxCNG2TFfMvv-05-kBM7QnEHCcaKictfVna7Rd07ctCCDMEhrq6cr45g4160/s320/GSCPreview-Jan27-GSCJackalAlpha15mh.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do we deliver? Yes we do!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not to mention the Achilles Ridgerunner, a lightly-armed and armoured scout vehicle that somehow got named after a nigh-invulnerable Greek warrior hero:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggY71XymLrKTpmwv0513v21FiqKyETDek_9axUdecpUolKpysO5q1Nb4qAm32Zah5pVO7HLGjmgV1aiq7ADKh089ALaJQc3g19N2A2aNGK-OJM36eaU3vdJMinSKD3B2LfG9IKbpQENz8/s1600/40kGSCRidgerunner-Jan24-Ridgerunner2ivr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1000" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggY71XymLrKTpmwv0513v21FiqKyETDek_9axUdecpUolKpysO5q1Nb4qAm32Zah5pVO7HLGjmgV1aiq7ADKh089ALaJQc3g19N2A2aNGK-OJM36eaU3vdJMinSKD3B2LfG9IKbpQENz8/s320/40kGSCRidgerunner-Jan24-Ridgerunner2ivr.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actually, looking at the preview, not all <b>that </b>lightly-armed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think we can all agree that this is pretty damn cool. If your spider-sense is tingling at this point it means two things:<br />
1: You'd be handy to have around during a Cult Uprising.<br />
2: You should possibly turn yourself in for mandatory purging on the grounds of irredeemable mutation.<br />
3: You can sense a 'but' coming.<br />
4: I really can't count.<br />
<br />
<b>The 'but'.</b><br />
Ah, there it is! The 'but' is that all this sounds very familiar. There's another faction that lurks beneath the surface of Imperial society, biding its time, before rising up to overthrow the oppressor and herald in a new golden age.*** They're called Chaos Cults, and somehow, with Chaos gnawing at the very roots of the Imperium and trying to break down the doors to Terra via Vigilus, they're not a thing as far as 40k is concerned at the moment. Right now, the only Chaos Cultists playable in 40k outside of a terrible Forge World list that I'm not going to complain about again**** are those in the Chaos Marine Codex, who are just terribly equipped Guardsmen who recently got more expensive, thank you very much tournament meta.<br />
<br />
<b>The label on the toybox</b><br />
Chaos has always felt like a bit of a poor relation when it comes to available models and rules. Whilst most Marine Chapters get access to the full range of equipment, be it Primaris or previously Chapter-exclusive things like the Stormraven or Land Raider Crusader, Chaos Marines start with a very limited pool of kit and lose access to even more if they happen to belong to one of the Legions that has benefited from a specific Codex. When the Crimson Slaughter fell to Chaos, to give a notorious example, apparently every one of their Land Speeders, Stormravens, Land Raiders that weren't Godhammer-pattern, Thunderfire Cannons etc etc immediately fell to bits or got impounded. Likewise, if a planet's PDF rebels, they immediately forget all their training, kill all their Officers, and get led by some dimwit who doesn't even know how to shout 'Move move move!'. Alternatively, they just all start running about with Autoguns and let the Chaos Marines do everything complicated.<br />
<br />
What I'm saying here is that GW seems to have a big problem with Chaos Rebellions actually having rebellious Imperial elements in them. You'd expect that what would actually happen when a Chaos Cult rose up would be much like what happens when a Genestealer Cult does- key personnel would be revealed to be Traitors, PDF regiments would switch sides, and civilian Cultists would grab whatever equipment they could before trying to sow enough, well, chaos to keep the defenders off-balance until the Black Crusade turns up. But for some reason, rather than going with the rebels that are key to the whole Imperial storyline, they've gone with the ones that are key to an entirely different doomsday clock. Whether an actual Hive Fleet is going to turn up and eat Vigilus is anyone's guess, but we know damned well that Abaddon is.<br />
<br />
<b>Gear Envy</b><br />
Now I'm not saying that Chaos players can't get inventive and use good-old 'counts-as' to sidestep some of these problems. My own Third Trojan Regiment have been using Imperial rules since 8th dropped, and here's my Taurox:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.deviantart.com/majere613/art/3rd-Trojan-Escher-on-Goliath-action-720496853" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1280" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPF2XcLZO25nLEy6y69oL3WC42ZW6EYetuOa1gXK7KlQq0ayDanbOUbaU651pzppphZe7YNeaaSSU0W_AkGQaZcgoPInwduG7o139zm-3SAD1mlylYZMmj_0hZd2eO6Wd99qJ5obP0kxs/s320/3rd_trojan__escher_on_goliath_action__by_majere613_dbwyqxh-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.deviantart.com/majere613/art/3rd-Trojan-Escher-on-Goliath-action-720496853" target="_blank">Hot Escher-on-Goliath action!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But that only goes so far. If I want my Emperor's Children to respond to my renegades' call for aid, either we need to do some keyword shenanigans or they have to pretend to be Sisters of Battle with odd dress-sense. Maybe the Achilles could use the rules for a Tauros Venator? Maybe the bikes could possibly be Rough Riders? It all just seems very odd that Renegades are getting so little love at a time when they should be so important.<br />
<br />
So every time I see a new Genestealer Cults release at the moment, I get this odd little twinge of knowing that this is stuff my Renegades could have got, but didn't. Some people think that they'll have their time in the sun and a bunch of conversion kits or reworked models, but at the moment I'm not optimistic. At least it gives my wallet a breather!<br />
<br />
<br />
*Or 'purestrain in the creche', if you prefer.<br />
** No matter how many times I spell it like that, I still imagine them using heavily-armed great apes in battle.<br />
*** For two weeks before they all get murdered/ otherwise horribly abused by Daemons. Or Astartes, if they're lucky.<br />
**** Except just then.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-78812343937216047952019-01-18T12:30:00.000-08:002019-01-18T12:30:05.055-08:00Con Job<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2-hmPT1Oo2_e-wCpvXjsxWffrxv4FK_zWA_n0qd4f2l5jAuikUOTH6NUj6uYD0Y9Bo7MVN137uaRNdB9DnC4AXCni4dSa9s70-8DhFNq55-7CaNi4bbd_9u3bmhnLixysCA4GVHo3R8/s1600/46511200_571918356593955_1876953420485623808_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2-hmPT1Oo2_e-wCpvXjsxWffrxv4FK_zWA_n0qd4f2l5jAuikUOTH6NUj6uYD0Y9Bo7MVN137uaRNdB9DnC4AXCni4dSa9s70-8DhFNq55-7CaNi4bbd_9u3bmhnLixysCA4GVHo3R8/s1600/46511200_571918356593955_1876953420485623808_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
We interrupt the usual output of this blog to bring you this important announcement. On the 1st and 2nd of June, I'm going to be a guest at Great Yarmouth Comic Con 2019!<br />
<br />
I should point out straight away that this is largely because I'll be helping out the good folks at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wyldstormgames/?__xts__[0]=68.ARCEdVpMp4ZeoQFJ7ntXQJzMeTnHtP6FKZlWUBfQ58EZFRQm6z_vS1DRSb3EQsoLIgHuQkVESTfMxn6QTMTuUc3kaBG8AuvMixQnlk1kPgSk0HqfhmW_xMkn2xf6MCzvkCRoAMgVZS1_mprrjDOzrIVBZ1h7N9F2TWuf4phVxKF_XSn5-1_s43ikILSGCkiyFg4UVLdPKlHmT40KUyMgXE_4W4G6m368W7svZyrRRJczTzEGxhqShyqu2h09vKc1IUTe-uQS4MGf5PMLuEEMQHCALk8O5iqEBBYN5uSKlQcdI8mI8wJSfuMBwcYznls-X8jv-hguQtr0Lj5xn1Yb0WE&__tn__=-UK-R" target="_blank">Wyldstorm Games</a>, who'll have stalls and demo games at the event, but everyone involved have graciously allowed me to also attend in my capacity as an author, so I'll have books for sale (which I will, of course, be signing). I'm also hoping to premiere the third book in the Curriculum, The Flyblown Crusade, at the event.<br />
<br />
Obviously it goes without saying that I'm incredibly excited to be a part of something like this, and I'll be sure to bring you a convention report once the dust settles. Maybe I'll even see you there!<br />
<br />
Of course, if you absolutely can't wait to see what all the fuss is about*, you can always check out the links to the right and pick up either Kindle or Paperback versions of the first two books right now!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Statistically there must be some somewhere.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-50363209637074611022019-01-15T07:40:00.000-08:002019-01-15T07:40:58.913-08:00The Argumentative Truth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC45ZTc6XWTZmzvzF-be0w-NztHkKpCW5tmgeQPO-5lwUpPbblNPUJektUHkAhseLPskW2uPvNs78KqMOeLelPl0uGl9jpRICIZUgqIy1E6ZzbXm-IVeDxObM6CbgeaxkrB7a-Rl3SqBI/s1600/internet-argument-28539166.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="500" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC45ZTc6XWTZmzvzF-be0w-NztHkKpCW5tmgeQPO-5lwUpPbblNPUJektUHkAhseLPskW2uPvNs78KqMOeLelPl0uGl9jpRICIZUgqIy1E6ZzbXm-IVeDxObM6CbgeaxkrB7a-Rl3SqBI/s320/internet-argument-28539166.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Games are well-known for their ability to inspire perfectly rational people to have long, daft arguments, and 40k is no exception. I'm sure I'm not alone in having looked at a forum post posing what seemed like a perfectly simple rules question and come away fifty pages later willing to believe that there might be an 18th planet in the Solar System composed entirely of blancmange. The rules of sane, logical discourse go out the window fast, is what I'm saying here. Also that we should prepare for the invasion of the Custard Corps.<br />
<br />
Now, it's commonly suggested, when rules issues come up, that it's the fault of Games Workshop (or whatever other developer is involved) for not writing the rules unambiguously in the first place. Sometimes, of course, this is <i>absolutely true</i>. The original designer of Magic: The Gathering used to tell a story of when they were testing the game, and one of the players told him that his deck had a card in it that meant he always won as soon as he cast it. The spell in question was Time Twister, which at the time was worded "Opponent loses next turn." It was supposed to mean that the opponent's next turn didn't happen, allowing the caster to take two turns in a row, but it's easy with hindsight to see where the confusion arose.<br />
<br />
Much of the time, however, it's not so much the writing of the rules themselves as it is the mentality of the players reading them. If a player turns up in a mood where they're looking for a fight, they'll find one no matter how tight the rules are. We could look at the infamous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_1978" target="_blank">1978 World Chess Championship </a> in which according to some reports a board had to be installed to stop the players kicking each other. Just the other day, there was a story of a bridge champion who went ballistic on being told a piece of paperwork he'd filled in was on the wrong sort of form. (This is an incredibly dull story and involves the guy being autistic and maybe, or maybe not, having his disability misinterpreted etc.)<br />
<br />
I remember vividly many years ago (probably around 3rd-4th Ed. 40k) that the UK's Channel 4 ran a series on gaming called <i>Movers and Shakers</i>, which followed players of various high-profile games. One episode looked at two kids who regularly played Monopoly, and a group who played 40k. Now the rules of Monopoly are pretty clear-cut, not to mention that the entire thing was being filmed, whereas 40k's rules were if anything even looser back then than they are now, and the group was playing a custom multiplayer scenario into the bargain. Much to the evident surprise of the documentary makers and most TV pundits at the time, the kids playing 40k ("a violent fantasy war-game about armies of grotesque monsters") had a whale of a time and resolved their rules problems by talking them out and coming to a conclusion, whereas the Monopoly kids had a tearful falling-out over cheating allegations, even though video evidence of exactly what had happened was readily available. Ultimately, it wasn't the rules, but the personalities and mind-sets of the players, that determined whether the game went off harmoniously.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3k2UTQmV4ySQfNpvsdZO0ZtNpsWgGUWfGGx9FWqWsGQahBG2vuBz2cLwie1f0SX7D5JieAkCb7r6fTpHEdlZo_xqH_NEBcp0NkWN2YMkZqySs089HnQYo196O7TR0JGq74DaaNz4212k/s1600/AX4wrTVffFLWJSPUZFZZBd-1200-80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3k2UTQmV4ySQfNpvsdZO0ZtNpsWgGUWfGGx9FWqWsGQahBG2vuBz2cLwie1f0SX7D5JieAkCb7r6fTpHEdlZo_xqH_NEBcp0NkWN2YMkZqySs089HnQYo196O7TR0JGq74DaaNz4212k/s320/AX4wrTVffFLWJSPUZFZZBd-1200-80.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uh-oh,</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was reminded of all this by a couple of examples this week. A recent BoLS piece, which I'm not going to link because like a large chunk of BoLS stuff it was blatant click-bait, suggested removing LOS rules from 40k altogether. The reason? Because it would 'reduce the number of arguments'. Spoiler:<i> Nope.</i> The exact same claim was made for the removal of templates and I can count the number of times those caused an argument longer than "what do you think, five or six?" in my experience on the fingers of one hand. Throwing templates out was already a case of losing the baby with the bathwater- ditch LOS as well and you're dropping the bath on the poor little guy's head.<br />
<br />
The other- and this is an absolute lulu- is the recent Chapter Approved FAQ which felt the need to clarify that if you're playing with the Acceptable Casualties rule (i.e. you can still win on Victory Points even if tabled) and you concede, you lose. Let that sink in for a moment. Savour the taste of it. What manner of person- no, of semi-sentient life-form- could conceivably think that they could say to their opponent 'OK, I give up, you win' and then claim 'however, because of this rule that means I win.'? Even Orks would struggle to rationalise that one, though doubtless the Regimental Standard could pull it off.<br />
<br />
Now, when poked with the Stick of Mockery, some characters popped up to inform us that this 'clarification' (Emperor help us all) was needed for events with a 'margin of victory' system- i.e., if player A is winning by 5 points to 3 but concedes, on paper that means player B's margin of victory is -2, which mathematically looks like a loss. We poor simpletons who move in less rarefied circles might simply say 'oh, but you conceded, which means the other guy wins by maximum points and you get the Golden Salt Cellar' but you do then run into the problem of someone 'tactically quitting' to artificially inflate their opponent's score, which they might possibly do for complicated reasons. It's certainly something a TO needs to consider, but it's not a question of who won, its a question of how hard they won. (And the truly committed could simply 'play to lose' if they were that determined to inflate a score.)<br />
<br />
This nicely illustrates the point, though- that no matter how tight your rules, how detailed your code of conduct and how diligent your referees, someone is going to find a way to take the piss. Maybe its that old classic, the 'you moved a deep-striker so now your Movement phase is over'* gambit. Maybe its the infamous 'this guy told me he plans to add a decal to his Knight later, so it's not fully painted and is therefore an illegal model' strategy**. Or entering pro-painted models in the 'best painted army' category and pretending its your own work. Or meeting a '3-colour minimum' painting standard by abusing undercoated models with blue spray from the front and red spray from the back***.<br />
<br />
And that's the final point, really. No type of entertainment, no pursuit that involves two or more people coming together to have 'fun', is immune to being ruined by That Guy if That Guy decides to ruin it. You can look at international-level sport- cricketers with sandpaper in their pockets to rough up the ball, rugby players faking 'blood' injuries, boxing trainers sabotaging the stitching in their man's gloves to buy more corner-time, footballers 'diving'.<br />
<br />
Oh, footballers.<br />
<br />
But that's nowhere near an exhaustive list. I've always maintained that no type of gaming or sport- none whatsoever- is improved for the players by going 'professional'****. Sure, e-sports champions and international footballers live enviable lives in many respects, but are they enjoying their 'games'? Look at their faces, and you can see the answer. As soon as a million-pound prize hinges on the result, rolling a 3 when you needed a 4 stops being a fun game mechanic, and starts being something that needs to be avoided at all costs.<br />
<br />
To prevent arguments, of course.<br />
<br />
<br />
*This happened, apparently.<br />
<br />
**So did this.<br />
<br />
***I'm almost too depressed to admit I've seen multiple examples of this one.<br />
<br />
**** I did think of an exception, which is motor racing. Largely because 'amateur motor racing' is usually also described as 'driving without due care and attention' or more simply 'speeding'.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-5194635444472751922019-01-06T04:26:00.000-08:002019-01-06T04:51:04.183-08:00(Not quite so) early Sororitas impressions, Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpy3lQYXftlh4gco0pVq0MWaPc4gfSCfLGAU9dmdVpMrOuoXad_QnW4FX4nct9rVmvTgGtZcYRyIpG6ilHGVSgTUPFRW42cAx9lrsXxbSqXl_6zdaDhEO1lLs43onGs2rkaGuVbmAD-c/s1600/SisterofBattle2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpy3lQYXftlh4gco0pVq0MWaPc4gfSCfLGAU9dmdVpMrOuoXad_QnW4FX4nct9rVmvTgGtZcYRyIpG6ilHGVSgTUPFRW42cAx9lrsXxbSqXl_6zdaDhEO1lLs43onGs2rkaGuVbmAD-c/s320/SisterofBattle2.png" width="261" /></a></div>
<br />
For my third look at the new Sororitas rules, I'm going to take a quick look at the Stratagems and go through how the Codex is feeling to me so far. Certainly to me, at least, the current selection seems quite solid. I'm not going to bother with simple ones like Open the Reliquaries since everyone has that in some form, and there's still a fair few I've not had any experience with.<br />
<br />
<b>Burning Descent</b><br />
We're starting with a good one! Burning Descent allows a Seraphim unit that's just arrived from Reserve via Sky Strike to shoot at the end of the Movement Phase. On top of that, it increases the range of any Hand Flamers in the unit to 12" for that attack. Bonus shooting attacks are always good to have, and if your Seraphim are looking to clear out enemy infantry quickly this is a real bargain for 1CP. There are a couple of downsides- since you're not actually in the Shooting Phase you can't improve the attack with Stratagems or Acts that are restricted to that phase, and the most powerful gun Seraphim can get, the Inferno Pistol, only has a 6" range and isn't improved by this Stratagem. Still, very good indeed.<br />
<br />
<b>Vessel of the Emperor's Will</b><br />
Probably the most potentially impressive Stratagem in the Codex, if you can make it work, well worth 3CP. It takes an Act of Faith that a Character has just successfully performed and turns it into a 6" radius bubble. I've talked about this quite a bit before, the short version being that it's very versatile and quite risky, since you're relying heavily on a Character to get an Act off (on which more below). There are also a few odd rules issues- apart from the silly one (which is that it seems to affect Vehicles) there's also the question of whether the Book of Lucius makes the effect extend to 9" and what happens if the Character dies before all the units affected have used the Act. (Eg, to a Counter Assault or a plasma overheat)<br />
<br />
<b>Suffer not the Witch</b><br />
A wound re-roll for a unit vs a Psyker in either the Fight or Shooting phase. It actually causes the target to re-roll wound rolls against all Psykers for the phase, so it might be useful against multiple targets at once. Quite a few big scary things like Tyranids or Daemons are also Psykers, so for one CP this is a very handy Stratagem, particularly in combat where that Strength 3 can be an issue.<br />
<br />
<b>Extremis Trigger Word, Final Redemption</b><br />
I've not tried either of these yet, having not used the relevant units. Both rely on getting some quite fragile models into Assault, which I'm not sure is all that viable. The Trigger Word gives you effectively six Attacks per Flagellant, which makes them quite choppy, and Final Redemption gives a 4+ chance for Repentia to put a Mortal Wound on something that kills them in combat, which is certainly worth it if any number of them get into contact. Certainly using it and then following up with Spirit of the Martyr and a Hospitaller to bring some of the casualties back is amusingly cheeky.<br />
<br />
<b>Blessed Bolts</b><br />
Turns a unit's Storm Bolters into Damage 2, AP -2 weapons. On Dominions who can take five of the things, potentially very nasty indeed for 1 CP. Few players (not me, for one) have enough of the relevant models to use it right now, though.<br />
<br />
<b>Faith and Fury</b><br />
Re-roll 1s to wound for a unit that's passed an Act of Faith that phase. Useful for Dominions trying to melt tanks and handy if you manage to get The Passion off. For 1CP, it's a tough call whether its worth it for other attacks.<br />
<br />
<b>Sacred Banner of the Order Militant</b><br />
Gives a Simulacrum the additional ability to improve Shield of Faith by +1 for the unit, an ability that lasts for an entire Battle Round. You have to do this pre-battle, but if you're planning on having a dismounted unit camping an objective it can be very handy.<br />
<br />
<b>Rally The Faithful</b><br />
Halve the number of models that flee (rounding down) after a failed Morale test. I've not used this yet, but since it's activated once the test is already failed it's a very handy safety net.<br />
<br />
<b>Purity of Faith</b><br />
A 4+ Deny The Witch for 1CP. It's always a tough call to use a Stratagem that might then do nothing, but there are several powers it's well worth trying to stop. Certainly no-one is going to be entirely confident of any plan that relies on a particular power knowing you have this sitting in your hand.<br />
<br />
<b>Martyrdom</b><br />
Gain D3 Faith if one of your Characters dies, or 3 if the Warlord does. Very situational, but good to be aware of.<br />
<br />
<b>Holy Trinity</b><br />
This is, in many ways, a defining stratagem. Gain +1 To Wound if shooting a bolt, flame and melta weapon from a unit at the same target. All my units tend to take at least one of each for this reason- Dominions in particular are much better at tank hunting if their meltas are wounding on 3+. It's worth noting that all weapons in the unit gain the bonus, including grenades and plasma weapons, so for example a Seraphim Superior now has more reason to take a plasma pistol. A powerful stratagem on its own, which becomes all the more deadly if combo'd with Divine Guidance. On top of that, of course, if you get Guidance off you can also add Faith and Fury to the mix.<br />
<br />
<b>Sacred Rites</b><br />
Swap a CP for a Faith Point at the start of the Movement Phase. It's a thing.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Updated Impressions</b><br />
I've now got three games in with my Sisters and so far to me they feel pretty solid and importantly, like Sisters. I've seem some criticism of the Faith Point system being too similar to Command Points, which is true to some extent, but I don't feel it makes them any less fun to use- Acts are generally cheaper than Stratagems, but less reliable. I've managed to pull off the Passion/ Beacon of Faith 'Hail Mary' play once and it allowed Celestine and a beat-stick Canoness to destroy a Shadowsword* which was pretty impressive.<br />
<br />
One issue that has been raised that I do agree with is that it's odd that Characters find Acts harder than squads do, since they can't benefit from a Simulacrum. Celestine in particular is badly affected by this since she can't have an Order and so can't even get the +1 from Ebon Chalice. This in particular makes Vessel of the Emperor's Will harder to use than it could be. Even if this is intentional (Vessel is very powerful, after all) it feels wrong. The obvious dirty fix is to give Characters +1 to Faith Tests and to be honest I'd give Celestine a flat +2 because come on. Alternatively, Celestine could get a Warlord Trait that's a +1 bonus to Acts in a bubble around her to go with the +1 for Characters- this could even replace the current version of Beacon of Faith and would be more like her prior incarnation (literally).<br />
<br />
<b>The Angel of Fail</b><br />
I think Celestine warrants a bit more attention. As well as the Act of Faith issue, I don't think the current approach to the Geminae really works well. Splitting the Geminae into a separate unit means that if an area effect goes off (such as an exploding vehicle or an orbital bombardment) both Celestine and the Geminae get hit separately. With the Geminae having so few Wounds, that usually wipes them out since the wounds Celestine takes get passed on to them too, and once the unit is gone Celestine can't bring them back. In three games, I've not used Healing Tears once- the Geminae have never survived damage. On top of that, with the Geminae needing to stay within 3" of Celestine to do their job, both Advancing and Assaulting are a total lottery with them.<br />
<br />
I'd suggest Celestine and the Geminae go back to being a Character Unit like they were in the Index, but keeping a version of the Geminae's new Lifewards rule so that they soak wounds for Celestine on a 2+. As a unit, you could of course assign wounds to the Geminae first anyway, but Lifewards allows them to keep doing their job even once Celestine is wounded. Healing Tears would then work like it did in the Index and bring one back per turn, even if they're both dead.<br />
<br />
<b>Valorous Heart</b><br />
I've played all my games as the Order of the Valorous Heart since that's how my girls are painted, and I stand by my original impression- i.e. their Order Trait sucks. A 6+ wound ignore save so rarely does anything of note that on some occasions, such as taking hits from Damage 3 or higher weapons, it's just not worth the time to roll it. I really think the Order needs an additional bonus, such as Simulacrums conferring a chance for a retaliation attack like Marine Ancients, or Vehicles using higher damage tracks like Valhallans. Of course, any Order-specific Relics or Stratagems might change things, too.<br />
<br />
<b>Playstyle</b><br />
The Sisters, primarily, are a short-range firefight army but I've found it's important not to discount Assault. Whilst they're not all that good in combat, with Power Armour they can survive there against other non-specialists, and so it's often well worth assaulting the remains of a target unit to prevent retaliatory fire and maybe finish them off. If bunkered up in transports and supported by Celestine and a Warlord with Indomitable Belief they can shrug off a lot of first-turn shooting before closing for the attack. Many players (quite rightly!) worry when Exorcists open up on them and will tend to target them first, allowing the rest of your force some time to close in. I'll finish this up with a brief summary of my current test list, and how it tends to play.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Battalion</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>HQ</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Canoness (Power Sword, replaced with Blade of Admonition)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Celestine</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>ELITES</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
8 Celestians, Power Sword, Flamer (Dedicated Transport: Rhino)</div>
<b>TROOPS</b><br />
10 Sisters, Flamer, Melta, Superior with Combi-Melta and Power Maul (Dedicated Transport: Repressor)<br />
10 Sisters, 2 Meltas, Superior with Combi-Flamer and Power Sword (Dedicated Transport: Repressor)<br />
5 Sisters, 2 Flamers, Superior with Combi-Melta. (Dedicated Transport: Immolator with Immolation Flamers)<br />
<b>FAST ATTACK</b><br />
10 Seraphim, 2 Inferno Pistols, 2 Hand Flamers, Superior with Plasma Pistol and Power Sword.<br />
6 Dominions, 4 Meltas, Superior with Combi-Flamer, Simulacrum. (Dedicated Transport: Immolator with Immolation Flamers)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Spearhead</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>HQ</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Canoness, Warlord (Indomitable Will), Storm Bolter, Book of St. Lucius</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>HEAVY SUPPORT</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 Exorcists</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
10 Retributors, 4 Heavy Bolters, Superior with Storm Bolter, Simulacrum.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Vanguard</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>HQ</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Uriah Jacobus</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>ELITES</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 Geminae Superia</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Sister Hospitaller</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Sister Dialogus</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This list gives a total of 9 Faith Points, and 10 Command Points, one of which is spent to get the extra Relic. I should point out straight away that the Geminae are in a different Detachment to Celestine so that they can fill an Elite slot- if Celestine were in the Vanguard the Geminae wouldn't fill a slot and the Detachment wouldn't be complete. Odd, but there you go. <i>(EDIT: The Celestians could fill that slot. I have no idea why this didn't occur to me at the time!)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Usually, the Warlord Canoness, Hospitaller, Dialogus and Retributors form a fire-base with the Exorcists, set up with Celestine within 6" to give all the units a 4++ on the first turn. Between the Hospitaller, Spirit of the Martyr (with the Simulacrum bonus and the Dialogus re-roll) and the Invulnerable save, the Retributors are hard to shift and can come back if they die. The Transports deploy taking advantage of the save bonuses as much as possible and move up to attack as fast as they can. The Seraphim drop in when needed, ideally taking advantage of one or both of the Save bonuses as well** and linking up with Celestine***. The sword-armed Canoness rides with the Celestians and Uriah in the Rhino, supporting the advance and looking to pile into combat when needed- the bonus Attack from Uriah's Banner of Sanctity gives the Celestians 3 Attacks each and helps make up for their low Strength to an extent.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So far, this list has been quite successful, and most importantly feels like a Sisters of Battle army to me. The Celestians have yet to really shine, mostly due to them not facing much enemy Infantry, but they do help keep the Canoness and Celestine alive. Their light equipment is due to the way I built the Raging Heroes models I use for them- they're first in line to be replaced with shiny new plastic Sisters...</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* To be fair, it already had a few big holes in it.<br />
** This almost never happens.<br />
*** This happens even less.Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-88594440806657835822018-12-28T03:42:00.003-08:002018-12-28T03:49:17.736-08:00Early Sororitas Impressions, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUAH6rPgZktZf3C4SScAAn1axJVnxylTrJhOsdlsyYWCxXGYAMpKDTTM32ApF990VEwyyYEO5Bg711CIvH0JrOxJlXs_fhpYcNWkiPz8nKRDfyeirAc6q3HRr6jIWvmFcE6mpEkEb-yg/s1600/penultimate_sanction__inquisitorial_land_raider_by_majere613_d6y0l9a-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1280" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUAH6rPgZktZf3C4SScAAn1axJVnxylTrJhOsdlsyYWCxXGYAMpKDTTM32ApF990VEwyyYEO5Bg711CIvH0JrOxJlXs_fhpYcNWkiPz8nKRDfyeirAc6q3HRr6jIWvmFcE6mpEkEb-yg/s320/penultimate_sanction__inquisitorial_land_raider_by_majere613_d6y0l9a-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm going to try and be a bit more structured with this second part of my look at the Adepta Sororitas beta Codex, and focus on the new Warlord Traits and Relics for the most part.<br />
<br />
<b>Leading By Example</b><br />
As is usually the case, the Warlord Traits run the gamut from 'almost completely useless' to 'practically an auto-include', though there are a couple of outliers.<br />
<br />
<b>1: INSPIRING ORATOR</b>: A 6" Morale re-roll bubble, combined with being able to use the Leadership of the Warlord within the same radius. Sororitas are pretty cheap and have very good Leadership anyway, so unless you're up against some serious morale manipulation this one doesn't seem very useful. Especially worthless if you're going with the Order of the Sacred Rose, since then you can only lose one model to Morale anyway. On top of that, the Light of the Emperor Act of Faith is a morale auto-pass.<br />
<br />
<b>2: RIGHTEOUS RAGE</b>: Re-roll charge distances, and re-roll to Wound for the first round of combat. For many Warlords this won't be all that appealing (and Celestine can't take it), but a Bloody Rose Canoness with the Blade of Admonition (see later) might well get some use out of it. Would be a decent choice for the jump-packing Canoness we don't get.<br />
<br />
<b>3: EXECUTIONER OF HERETICS</b>: A 6" -1 LD bubble for the enemy. Sororitas do like to get close, and if you're working on cutting down big mobs of Cultists this might possibly be useful. But let's face it, probably not. Falls victim to the usual problem with morale-manipulation that there're so many ways to shut it down.<br />
<br />
<b>4: BEACON OF FAITH</b>: Gain a Faith point on a 4+ at the start of your turn. Now this one is quite interesting. Celestine is saddled with it, which at first glance is disappointing since there are several that seem better for her. However, it's worth looking at how Faith works. You start with 3 points just for having any models in the army that can use it, and then gain a point for every 10 models. Whilst this means that mono-Sororitas armies tend to have quite a lot of Faith, a small allied detachment won't have very many. Since Celestine, in particular, hands out a save buff to Militarum and Ministorum models as well as Sororitas, she might well see some use in 'Soup' armies. In that situation, gaining some extra Faith to fuel Acts might well prove handy. Still, overall not one of the stronger Traits.<br />
<br />
<b>5: INDOMITABLE BELIEF</b>: This is the money-shot, at least most of the time. It improves the Shield of Faith save to 5++ within a 6" bubble around the Warlord. What's important to note is that since this increases the bonus to 5++, and then both the Seraphim's Angelic Visage and Celestine's Saintly Blessings are +1 modifiers, you can get an area of up to 3++ for some models. (Somewhat oddly, instead of getting the +1 like Seraphim, the Geminae get +2 from Celestine, for much the same result so long as they stay close, and they really should.)<br />
<br />
There might be some situations where this may not be an auto-take. Some army builds rely far more on volume of fire or Mortal Wounds than on AP, and especially if the board has a lot of cover you might find that Invulnerable seeing less use than you expected. Keeping the maximum bubble by overlapping Celestine and another Warlord can also be a bit limiting, given that Celestine works best aggressively, so if you're using this Trait to protect your Retributors and Exorcists she may end up twiddling her thumbs a bit. Still, overall a very strong Trait.<br />
<br />
<b>6: PURE OF WILL</b>: Gives the Warlord a second Deny the Witch and a 12" bubble of -1 to enemy psychic tests. This one is situational and basically requires a Relic to use effectively, but can be very handy in the right circumstances. Obviously it's little use against armies with few Psykers and the 1D6 Deny is still almost completely useless, but that's what the Brazier of Eternal Flame is for. (See later.) Might well be handy against armies like Eldar, Thousand Sons and Grey Knights.<br />
<br />
In summary, the best we can say about the Traits is that they're not much worse than those in many other Codexes. Hopefully in the full Codex we'll see one for each Order as well (for example an extra Wound and improved wound ignore save for the Valorous Heart) but for the moment there's at least Indomitable Belief if you're stuck.<br />
<br />
<b>(not) The Holy Hand Grenade</b><br />
On to the Relics, then, and these are a somewhat better bunch than the Traits, I think, though there's the odd duffer in there.<br />
<b>BLADE OF ADMONITION: </b>The obligatory beat-stick, in this case a +2 S, -3 AP, Damage 3 Power Sword replacement. As is usually the case with these sort of weapons in Codexes full of normal humans, the only problem with it is that the person wielding it isn't all that scary. Still, a Canoness brandishing this thing is up for most targets, though only getting up to S5 means you're not that likely to be cutting the legs off Knights. Obviously very nice for the Order of the Bloody Rose, since that additional +1S and +1A comes in very handy with it.<br />
<br />
<b>BOOK OF ST. LUCIUS: </b>Increase the range of the bearer's Aura abilities by 3". Quite nifty, increasing the distance a Canoness can dish out her re-rolls and working with several Warlord traits, including Indomitable Belief and Pure of Will. Also combos well with the...<br />
<br />
<b>BRAZIER OF ETERNAL FLAME: </b> A 6" bubble that makes the Deny The Witch roll from Shield of Faith into a proper 2D6 rather than that near-pointless 1D6. Obviously combos well with Pure of Will, in fact I'd say it's pretty much essential if taking that Trait. However, for maximum anti-psychic defence you could take the Book of Lucius with the Warlord, and keep another Character with the Brazier next to her, giving the Warlord her two 2D6 Denies and a 15" radius to the psychic penalty.<br />
<br />
<b>LITANIES OF FAITH: </b>A 5+ roll to regain a Faith point when an Act is passed within 6" of the bearer. Its usefulness will depend on how much Faith you find yourself needing, a topic on which my own personal jury is still very much out. Works regardless of Order, which mostly just means it also works for Celestine and the Geminae in practice.<br />
<br />
<b>MANTLE OF OPHELIA: </b>A cloak that's basically a Storm Shield, conferring a 3++. Not brilliant, given that all the HQ options have a 4++ anyway. Probably needs to do something else (e.g. halve wounds suffered or grant a wound ignore save) to be really worth it.<br />
<br />
<b>WRATH OF THE EMPEROR: </b>Last and probably least. An 18" range, 3-shot Pistol with S5, AP -1 and Damage 2 which might be worth bothering with if you could get it for a few points, but certainly not as a Relic. Might be worth it if it did Mortal Wounds to Psykers and/or could ignore targeting restrictions.<br />
<br />
Overall, despite finishing with a bit of a whimper (neither of those last two choices should make it to the full Codex unchanged, IMHO) a fairly decent list of toys. The Blade is fun if your Canoness wants to get stuck in (prepare for Ork players grumping about their lack of an Invulnerable save) and the utility items all have definite uses. It's nice to see Sisters back at the level of being one of the better anti-psychic armies, even if they have to resort to a Relic to do it.<br />
<br />
So, all that remains here is to wish my readers a happy New Year, assuming I don't make a post specifically to do so. I'll return to the beta Codex in 2019 to look at the Stratagems a bit. Finally, one last plug for my first novel, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017UMIYOO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">The Wake Of Manadar</a>, which is a free Kindle download until the end of the year. Motivate me to finish the third one, people!<br />
<br />Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-10387646126072378492018-12-25T09:01:00.000-08:002018-12-25T09:01:34.700-08:00Merry Christmas and a blatant plug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzC3fvpg0zKuwWQMcKM-sQe5KpyiI8n3wHhblXFJ4vAMG7tat7zIJ0_gWSxvsGe2V4OOcq0JPmjYoLG9OeAPKMRFlyZ8ciYL0UAJfdHBVSZYrVwpTCW6EmRX20zQlMOuCxyshe3hoCl4o/s1600/battleon_by_blunt_katana-da4027v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzC3fvpg0zKuwWQMcKM-sQe5KpyiI8n3wHhblXFJ4vAMG7tat7zIJ0_gWSxvsGe2V4OOcq0JPmjYoLG9OeAPKMRFlyZ8ciYL0UAJfdHBVSZYrVwpTCW6EmRX20zQlMOuCxyshe3hoCl4o/s320/battleon_by_blunt_katana-da4027v.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So, my turn rolls around to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! As for the somewhat incongruous image, I'm taking this opportunity to do a little festive giveaway of my own. From Boxing Day until the 30th of January, the first book in the Thelenic Curriculum, The Wake of Manadar, will be<b> free</b> to download on Kindle, so if you've got a shiny new device just waiting for books to be loaded onto it, fill your proverbial boots. Get it <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017UMIYOO?*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">HERE</a></b>, though unless you're feeling generous wait till Boxing Day :)<br />
<br />
Other than that I'll see you all in the New Year, unless I get a bit bored before them and do Part 2 of my Sororitas overview. There's a lot to talk about!Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800394544767926268.post-45622237996899844602018-12-23T02:59:00.001-08:002018-12-23T02:59:33.074-08:00Early Sororitas Impressions (Part 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ8sZPZetSLLNrek0RxISermp-Kx4RAznijEjB8F4T4IQ15ABaASeCifw8IhLZ-y-8XRZCbsVns0-251d57eeDbDooKza65S7c3W3AgZCWVG8yJAb5A7fk3ly6lqBNzAd7LjD_WBeILM/s1600/saint_celestine__and_friends__by_majere613_dazlorh-fullview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="1280" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ8sZPZetSLLNrek0RxISermp-Kx4RAznijEjB8F4T4IQ15ABaASeCifw8IhLZ-y-8XRZCbsVns0-251d57eeDbDooKza65S7c3W3AgZCWVG8yJAb5A7fk3ly6lqBNzAd7LjD_WBeILM/s320/saint_celestine__and_friends__by_majere613_dazlorh-fullview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I've had the chance to get a game in with my Sisters of Battle, so I thought I'd have a look at how the Chapter Approved beta-codex feels when compared to their Index incarnation, and previous versions of the army. Obviously there's stuff I haven't personally tried out yet, so this will be a mix of personal experience and theory.<br />
<br />
<b>Keep The Faith</b><br />
So, the obvious first topic is the new Faith system. To give a brief summary, you get a Faith point for every 10 models with the Acts of Faith rule (rounding down) plus 3 more. These points are then spent to attempt the various Acts by rolling over a target number, and each Act can only be attempted once per battle round. So firstly, this system does work quite well. By giving you points based on the number of Sisters you have, it rewards you for taking a mono army and comes with built-in scalability. In terms of raw power, it's debatable whether this system is actually more effective than the old one which gave bonus actions but it's certainly more colourful and closer to earlier editions of the Sisters.<br />
<br />
Appropriately enough, some Acts also feel like a bit of a Hail Mary. Most notably, The Passion, which lets a unit fight twice, has to be activated on a 5+ and is done at the start of your Fight phase, so it's tricky to know when to use it. What's interesting here is that you can get a +1 to the roll for having a Simulacrum in the unit, and a re-roll if a Dialogus is nearby, which could also be combined with another +1 from the Order of the Ebon Chalice's Trait. So that could be on 3+, re-rolling. However, you may well want to use it on a character (such as Celestine or a Canoness with the Blade of Admonition) in which case the best you can do is get it to 4+. For Celestine herself, ironically, you're stuck with 5+ because she has no Order.<br />
<br />
<b>Shiny Happy People</b><br />
So why would you want to use an Act on a Character, given that most of them are more effective when used on a unit? The answer is the Vessel of the Emperor's Will stratagem. What this does is extend the effects of the Act to all Sororitas within 6" of the Character, regardless of Order.<br />
<i>(Side note: The Stratagem simply says the Act 'effects all ADEPTA SORORITAS units within 6" of the CHARACTER' which seems by RAW to mean the Act would effect vehicles which can't usually do them. I assume this is not intended.)</i><br />
Obviously this has a lot of uses- whilst it's probably not all that likely you would want to give the whole bubble +3" movement, giving multiple units +1 to hit or making them all fight twice could be very powerful, depending on the units involved. There's also the deeply troll-tastic Spirit of The Martyr, which if popped on Celestine and then used in this way can heal her, bring back or heal one of the Geminae, and add a model to all the other effected units as well.<br />
<br />
<b>Order! Order!</b><br />
So lets look at the Order traits (aka Convictions). As an old-school Sororitas player I was a bit narked to find that my Order, the <b>Valorous Heart</b>, gets the groan-worthy 6+ wound ignore save. In action it's not utterly terrible, and it at least supports most army builds, but it's certainly not exciting. The <b>Order of Our Martyred Lady </b>possibly gets a worse deal, though, getting a Faith point whenever one of its own units is destroyed. In my game, I ended up with Faith left over, leading me to doubt how necessary gaining Faith is, though I could possibly have used more. <b>The Order of the Ebon Chalice</b> feels like an early stand-out, gaining +1 to Act of Faith rolls. That gets some Acts to 2+, but depending on which Acts you plan to use and how many Simulacrae and Dialogus you have may not be necessary. <b>The Order of the Argent Shroud </b>take a more practical approach to martyrdom in that they prefer to let their enemies do it, gaining Faith on a 4+ when an enemy unit is wiped out. The same qualifiers about gaining Faith apply there. <b>The Order of the Bloody Rose </b>gain +1 A and +1 S when charging, charged or Intervening, making them the Order with the most obvious key units- you're going to want Seraphim, Celestians or Repentia with them. The Sisters melee units tend to be competent but a bit pillow-fisted, so this Conviction could be handy. Finally, the <b>Order of The Sacred Rose </b>have the classic 'lose only one model to morale' rule, but back that up with Overwatching on a 5+, so it's pretty much Grim Resolve IIRC. With all those Flamers, Sororitas are already quite good at Overwatch so this is a solid Conviction. I think Ebon Chalice will probably be the go-to for a reliable army, though all of them can work.<br />
<br />
<b>All Stars</b><br />
The good old <b>Battle Sisters</b> squad remains the sole Troops choice for Sororitas, but they're not at all bad. There are plenty of options, and since even the basic 5-strong squad can take two Special Weapons and the Superior can have a Combi-Weapon they can function as small, highly-equipped kill teams in Immolators or go all the way up to 15-strong blobs. Wtih their Acts, they're every bit as good at shooting things with bolters as Marines are and for less points.<br />
<br />
<b>Celestians</b> are interesting. For a couple more points than Sisters they gain a lot- more Leadership, better WS, an additional Attack and a Bodyguard rule. The question is, though, if any of those things are actually needed. They seem to function well as a bodyguard for a beat-stick Canoness, helping keep her alive if her prey proves overly resilient or counter-attacks, and if backed up by a Priest of some sort for +1 A from War Hyms can put out a lot of hits. Obviously if you go with the Bloody Rose they become a lot more dangerous. Like Seraphim, they differ from most of the more specialised Assault units by still having Acts of Faith, putting The Passion on the table. I do think, though, that as an elite unit they should be more like Sternguard, with more Special Weapon or Combi-Weapon options, which are at the moment the same as those for the Sister Squad.<br />
<br />
<b>Seraphim </b>are that rarity in 40k- an unusual squad that seems to have a clue what it's trying to do. Seraphim want to shoot people with pistols, and they're pretty good at it. They can jump up to a unit, shoot it, assault it, tank return attacks with their armour and at worst a 5++ from their improved Shield of Faith before either falling back and using FLY to still shoot, or just staying in combat and shooting anyway. They cost the same as Celestians and most players will probably find them more useful. Seraphim are potentially very command-point hungry, with their own Stratagem, Burning Descent, allowing them to fire as they arrive, including boosting the range on their Hand Flamers. Since they effectively have four Special Weapons and already also bring Bolt weapons, they're a great target for Holy Trinity giving them +1 to wound too.<br />
<br />
<b>The Exorcist </b>has largely returned to the position of being a bit of a beast. With the Exorcist Launcher now doing D6 damage and remaining Heavy D6 with a -4 save mod, it's capable of putting out a lot of long-range anti-armour damage and remains about the only thing in the Codex that can.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGce8bfLL63Z_eFzMfR9CU8yeUcWarpeleCQiLTYp0B_LYYGUK0nrCj78gakFRwOTlI94MMLyZkywR57-m5Uv7yTIecHMkj4vOTzYNrWxyB5AqdFas0SSbELLTikAHyHb52TqMa4XjEL4/s1600/ophelia_pattern_repressor_by_majere613_d4upni5-pre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="958" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGce8bfLL63Z_eFzMfR9CU8yeUcWarpeleCQiLTYp0B_LYYGUK0nrCj78gakFRwOTlI94MMLyZkywR57-m5Uv7yTIecHMkj4vOTzYNrWxyB5AqdFas0SSbELLTikAHyHb52TqMa4XjEL4/s320/ophelia_pattern_repressor_by_majere613_d4upni5-pre.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Rhino-conversion Repressor I came up with. A tutorial can be found <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/majere613/art/Repressor-step-by-step-288417744" target="_blank">HERE</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>The Repressor </b>(Forge World)<b> </b>got more expensive for no obvious reason though the reduction in points for Heavy Flamers mitigates that a little. It's still a very nice transport for Sisters since six models can shoot out of it. As always, not being 'on the table' reduces the buffs and Stratagems that can be used by the passengers, but it's a great way to get about and still do something.<br />
<br />
<b>Dominions </b>are a little frustrating. They cost a point more than normal Sisters simply for the option to take four, rather than two, Special Weapons and can make a bonus move before the first turn, but that's it. I'd really have liked to see them regain their Outflank move, much like Deffkoptas' 'Scoutin Ahead'. I mean come on, if Orks can do it..<br />
<br />
<b>Retributors </b>are still a solid fire-support unit, though taking anything other than Heavy Bolters on them feels like a bit of a gamble due to the short range of the other options. Not being able to make a bonus move like they could in the Index makes getting Multi-Meltas and Heavy Flamers into range tricky, though Divine Guidance can be used to offset the Heavy penalty. They do feel the lack of a +1 to Wound Stratagem that's practical for them, limiting their ability to challenge armour. Still, if you need some Sisters to sit on an Objective, you can do a lot worse.<br />
<br />
<b>Celestine </b>and her <b>Geminae </b>have changed a bit, in a classic case of GW fixing one problem and creating a new one. To briefly recap, the old Celestine and her bodyguard formed one unit, and you could resurrect one of the Geminae per turn if one or both were dead. Since they were a unit, once a wound had been allocated to Celestine she had to keep taking them, making resurrected Geminae unable to protect her. Now, Celestine and the Geminae are two seperate units, and the Geminae can take wounds for her on a 2+ if they're 3" or less away. Unfortunately, this means that if both Geminae are killed, Celestine can't bring them back since Healing Tears adds a model to their unit. On top of that, Celestine lost a Wound and got a bit more expensive. (It's almost as if they're not trying to sell the model any-<b>[REDACTED ON GROUNDS OF HERETICAL CYNICISM]</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Still, overall the usual comments on Celestine still apply- she's quite potent, buffs Shield of Faith, and demands that you keep a Command Point back in case she fluffs Miraculous Intervention.<br />
<br />
This has got pretty long, so I think I'll come back to look at Warlord Traits and Relics later. Keep the faith!Majere613http://www.blogger.com/profile/00025404744995605133noreply@blogger.com4