Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Company Champion

I decided to set aside my terminator librarian for a bit and as a little "pick me up" I thought I'd work on my company champion. I was able to fit him in by dropping terminator honors from my chaplain and the chainfist from my terminator squad. I figure my termies shouldn't ever be close enough to a tank to assault it (I've only used it once in any game I've played with my termies).

That means I'm losing one attack from the chaplain, but gaining 2 with the champ (3 on the charge) and the icing on the Twinkie is they're power weapon attacks, too.

I'll test him out tomorrow night and see if he makes any real difference. My main reason for taking him is he seems fluff-tastic and I can't say I've seen one on the battlefield before...which may mean he's not worth it, points-wise, but that's OK.

There's nothing wrong with a little experimentation, right?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Terminator librarian models and failure

So recently I picked up the terminator librarian model. You know, the awesome one that someone described as "dripping with sweet, sweet detail".

I've been working on it.

So far...

...Fail.

I only thought I was up to the challenge of this model because my last two IC models turned out -- by my standards -- really well.

And it's not that what I'm doing with it is turning out horribly, but that I just can't seem to make it look as good as I want. Part of the problem is all those "sweet, sweet details" it's "dripping" with make actually painting the main parts of the model -- the armor and the toga-thingy -- difficult and tedious (at best).

I was talking with my girlfriend about it and she said, "Just put it aside and work on something else. When you feel up to it again, pick it back up."

I'm thinking that's pretty sound advice, until I can build up my paint-fu more to a place where I can tackle this model with the skill it deserves.

What do y'all think?

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

New List, Designed with 5E in Mind

So I've come up with a new list, designed to make the transition to 5E.

HQ: Master, Librarian & 7 Man Command Squad (9#, 403 Pts):
  • Master with Frag Grenades; Bolt Pistol (x1); Power Weapon (x1); Iron Halo Terminator Honors
  • Epistolary with Bolt Pistol (x1); Force Weapon; Fury of the Ancients; Psychic Hood; Storm of the Emperor's Wrath; Psychic Hood
  • 6 Command Squad with Bolt Pistol & CCW (x6)
  • Sergeant with Frag Grenades; Plasma Pistol (x1); Power Fist (x1); Terminator Honors


Heavy Support: Land Raider Crusader (1#, 265 Pts):
  • Land Raider Crusader - Multi-Melta; Twin Linked Assault Cannon; Hurricane Bolters (x2); Extra Armor; Power of the Machine Spirit


Troops: 5 Man LC Tac Squad (5#, 90 Pts):
  • 4 Tactical Squad with Bolter (x3); Lascannon (x1)
  • Sergeant with Bolter


Troops: 5 Man LC Tac Squad (5#, 90 Pts):
  • 4 Tactical Squad with Bolter (x3); Lascannon (x1)
  • Sergeant with Bolter


Troops: 10 Man Melta Tac Squad (11#, 213 Pts)
:
  • 9 Tactical Squad with Bolter (x8); Meltagun (x1)
  • Sergeant with Bolt Pistol & CCW
  • Rhino - Storm Bolter; Smoke Launchers

HQ: Jump Chaplain Reclusiarch (1#, 126 Pts):
  • Reclusiarch with Melta Bombs; Bolt Pistol (x1); Crozius Arcanum; Rosarius; Jump Pack; Terminator Honors

Fast Attack: Assault Squad (10#, 275 Pts):
  • 9 Assault Squad with Jump Packs; Frag Grenades; Bolt Pistol (x7); Close Combat Weapon (x9); Plasma Pistol (x2)
  • Sergeant with Jump Packs; Melta Bombs; Frag Grenades (squad); Plasma Pistol (x1); Power Fist (x1); Terminator Honors


Elite: 5 Man 2AC Terminator Squad (5#, 245 Pts):

  • 4 Terminator Squad with Power Fist (x3); Storm Bolter (x2); Chain Fist (x1); Assault Cannon (x2)
  • Sergeant with Power Weapon (x1); Storm Bolter


Heavy Support: 6 Man 4 ML Devastator Squad (6#, 170 Pts):

  • 5 Devastator Squad with Bolter (x1); Missile Launcher (x4)
  • Sergeant with Bolter


Heavy Support: 6 Man 2 HB Devastator Squad (6#, 120 Pts):

  • 5 Devastator Squad with Bolter (x3); Heavy Bolter (x2)
  • 1 Sergeant with Bolter

Total Roster Cost: 1997

I've reduced the static elements (the heavy weapons teams and dev squads) down to a minimal size since their job will be to hang back, sit still and shoot. The master, libby and command squad will take point in the LRC, followed by the rhino and melta squad, followed by the termies. This should provide enough mobile firepower to play seek & destroy with. The assault squad and chappy will stay back with the dev squads and heavy weapon teams to provide counter-charge and/or take on objective-takers from the other side.

When the new SM codex drops -- and provided SMs get combat squads -- the melta squad will be rolled into the two LC-equipped tac squads to make a pair of 10-man tac squads (with either PG, MG or flamer as the special weapon) which will then split up into 4 combat squads.

The master and his attached squad haven't been performing for me, and the main reason is while I have them tooled up for CC, they never seem to get there, of if they do, the don't arrive full-strength due to attrition along the way -- or worse, I let them get charged. Giving them the LRC should provide them with a safe ride to charge out of. If I can't make that work, or if it doesn't perform well, I'll be changing that squad up a bit, possibly even dropping the squad altogether and replacing it with a tac or veteran squad. Their future depends heavily on what changes the new SM codex brings. If veterans become worthwhile, the command squad might find new life there.

As always, I'd like to know what you think!