EBay Listings - Lots for sale and a link!

Hey all,

I've listed the majority of the stuff I am going to be selling on eBay with the exception of my Dark Angels army thus far (would still like to sell it to a mate essentially!) but if you follow the link and fancy anything feel free to send me a message about it and I can take it down and give you a better deal :)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/tom-lied-to-me

Peace out,

Rob

Showing Off - Raging Heroes Delivery

Just a note to say this arrived today!

Hand is for scale!

Peace out,

Rob

30k Solar Auxilia Malcador Infernus - Complete

Hi Gang,

Well not totally complete, as I still have to paint the trailer and touch up a few bits as I've seen them in the pictures. I had a pretty productive weekend, as I nearly completed my Leviathan Dreadnought and then I painted this monster from nearly just undercoat to complete. A pain in the arse though as it requires so many different drying stages for either glaze or wash that are frustratingly slow!

Still, enjoy the pics and let me know what you think :)

The word that kept coming up over and over in my head whilst wanting to paint the solar Auxilia was Baroque. I wanted some kind of ancient looking machine with a certain grandness to it that conveyed a real sense of age and finery. Did I succeed?

Peace out,

Rob

30k Alpha Legion Leviathan Dreadnought - 90% Complete

Hey amigos,

Not a great deal of update recently on my actual hobby progress because, well, I haven't done much! A combination of the heat and being busy at work has kicked any proper progress to the wayside a lot. So all I've done since I last updated was work in my Leviathan as well as my Malcador Infernus. Unfortunately the scheme and colours I've gone for with the Malcador suck up a lot of time due to the many plates it has that I want to be level when applying a wash, so lots of balancing, washing and leaving to dry before flipping and repeating.

Anyway enough jabber, you've seen progress on the big guy above, more of him below :)

Peace out,

Rob

Arbitrary Milestone - 2000 comments!

Hey everyone,

2000+ Comments!

Of all the arbitrary milestones I have put up, this is by far the most important. Granted about 45% of them are my replies, but I am still chuffed to bits with how many people take the time to advise me and encourage me as I go along. So thank to you and to the future!

Peace out,

Rob

Leviathan Dreadnought - Early WIP shots

Hi Folks,

Just a quick update today with some early WIP shots of my Leviathan Dreadnought pre-nuln oil wash. Enjoy!

Peace out,

Rob

Horus Heresy Review: Legion Stormblade Super-Heavy Tank

Greetings to all,

As you can see taken from San's Workshop

Today I'm going to go through one of the Lord of War choices for the Legiones Astartes that HAS NOT been changed in the recent rules update in the Crusade red book. So all the info is up to date and applicable. The Stormblade is obviously a variant of the Baneblade chassis that can be taken by the Legiones proper. Lets have a look see.

Unit Stats

The Stormblade has the durability of a super heavy crossed with the following profile

BS  Front   Side   Rear   HP

 3      14        13      12     9

A monstrous 9 hull points for 455 points base is certainly nothing to be sniffed at. The standard BS3 with non-astartes crew is sub-par but doesn't actually matter too much if you go light on the upgrades I feel.

Overview - Great armour, lots of hull points but BS3. Lets see more.

Special Rules

NADA! Beyond Super-heavy anyway.

Equipment

The Stormblades offering to the crucible of war is the Plasma Blast Gun

Plasma Blast Gun (Rapid) - 72", S8, AP2, Primary Weapon 2, Massive (7") Blast

Plasma Blast Gun (Overload) - 96", S10, AP2, Primary Weapon 1, Apocalyptic (10") Blast

First of all, having the option of two firing modes is always a tactical boon that allows you to double down on a more relevant firing mode if need be. The range is ridiculously good, so only cover is going to be a saving grace for most models. S10 is perfect for doubling out those 2 wound T5 terminators you might encounter and the extra shot with the rapid format will do well against T4 and lower.

Primary weapon will be granting you 2D6 on damage rolls as well remember. This is one of the best Sub-D weapons you can get on a large chassis for my money.

You also have searchlights, smoke launchers, and a heavy bolter mounted on the hull for a little extra firepower.

Overall the Plasma Blast Gun is devilish both in the size of its blast but also the ability to increase the blast size at the expense of firing rate. The good thing about blast weapons as well is that you have a fair chance to hit directly regardless of BS as well.

Options

Offensively the Stormblade can really go crazy if you are so inclined.

For +50 points you can equip the Stormblade with a PAIR of sponsons. Each single sponson has a twin-linked heavy bolter and a lascannon, that can target separately from other vehicle weapons remember, being a super heavy. You can take TWO pairs of sponsons, so 4 in total. Though that'll cost you 100 points. The heavy bolters can be swapped for heavy flamers - not recommended as you should be hanging relatively far back with this and be ready for close encounters with distraction units.

A pintle mounted twin-linked bolter, heavy flamer, combi-weapon, havoc launcher, heavy bolter, and multi-melta can also be taken though I wouldn't waste the points. Hunter killer missiles can also be taken but again save the points.

Armoured Ceramite. Yep for the price of 20 points you can melta-proof your big daddy tank to increase its survivability even more. Highly recommended as always!

Finally you have the option to upgrade your tank to a command tank for +25 points and also give it a Space Marine crew for +15 points. The space marine crew gives you a simple +1 BS. If you are going heavy on extra guns then I would take this to make the most of them, if however, you are leaving the Stormblade stock for cheapness then I would happily cut this cost if you needed the points elsewhere. On such large blast template where you only affect the scatter by 1" its not the end of the world.

The command tank will cast out a 24" bubble around the tank that lets you re-roll failed morale checks. This could be invaluable as you aren't ATSKNF in 30k, but if you don't want to sit back by the tank then maybe give it a miss. 

Utilisation

How much you upgrade the Stormblade will largely define how you play with. Upgrading the tank fully will make it such a heavy points investment that you then necessarily need to protect it as such. This means guarding against drop pod offensive armies and the like with careful deployment and the use of units as rear guard protection. The tank does well hanging back with its vast range so it would make sense to leave units around it that have equally competent range.

Heavy weapons like lascannons will do well here. Though remember that any force landing nearby will of course have to take the brunt of the retaliation from not only the defending squads but also the independently targeting sponsons as well. Another option, especially as they have dropped in cost, is to leave a 20 man tactical squad stood by the tank to offer both cover and the potential to fury of the legion any squads that get close enough.

I think I would go easy on the upgrades myself, with armoured ceramite being the only MUST take. If I was feeling fruity with spare points then the space marine crew would be next as a minimal points investment that gives a relatively big return. Then I would use the tank aggressively to make sure I have line of sight to the choicest targets each turn, and dissuade or inhibit the enemy from damaging the tanks by selectively engaging threats closest too OR the ones best at long range firepower.

Overall the Stormblade is an excellent points investment that marries large blasts with high strength, fire output AND primary weapon. Compare this to the Volcano cannons single shot S:D 5" blast and you are taking the stormblade to make sure you hit and you hit twice!

Peace out,

Rob

And Another Thing - Imperial Militia Army

Hey all,

Sooo as you are most likely aware I have started a Solar Auxilia army, but recently I have been reading through the Imperial Militia rules as I have bought the big red book for Solar Auxilia which has the Militia in too.

The rules for the Imperial Militia are absolutely fantastic and incredibly colourful. You can literally build yourself any army that you would like, even make squats out of it! So I was browsing the internet and I may have bought a fair amount of models to make a militia army as well....

So I have ordered the following:

This is my Force Commander

One of the Junior Officers

And the other one!

5 of these to make 15 Snipers in 3 units

And I got 8 of these to make two units of 20 with a sergeant and 2 special weapons.

This will be funded primarily by my selling off of a lot of my unused stuff. Really excited to get them!

Peace out,

Rob

New Horus Heresy Legiones Astartes Rules

Hey Gang,

I haven't actually got my copy of the book yet. But Steve Turner at Terminus Est has put together a really nice rundown of changes in price and rules. Please go and check out Steve's Blog as it is really bloody super (much better than mine!) and he deserves rewards for his efforts, but I will also stick it below as is from his site for you.

Age of Darkness rules changes
- The ‘imperial armour units in age of darkness games’ rule has been replaced. Instead of ‘any unit’ it is now a fixed list of units.
- Clarification of having multiple characters with the ‘must be warlord’ rule. Simply put, you can’t. Only primarchs override this.
- Tank squadrons have command tank upgrade which is +10pts over old price
tanks with pintile-mounted options have multi-meltas added for same price as havoc launcher.

HQ Choices
- Moritat chain fire rules updated to include the overheat rules from the jan 2016 FAQ.
legion command squad base cost is -25 pts
- Additional LCS members are -5 pts

Elites Choices
- Veteran tactical squads -25 pts to base cost
- Veteran Marines are -3 pts each
- VTS has additional weapons from FAQ added
- Techmarines are -10 pts each base
- Servo-automata has heavy bolter, multi-melta, and missile launcher added to their wargear options
apothecarion detachment has list of units removed, may join any unit will ‘legiones astartes’ rule that isn’t in terminator armour or have the daemon rule
- Apothecarion detachment can purhcase jump packs and SM bikes, allowing them to join like equipped units.
- Dreadnoughts all have +1 attack (to base 3) as per FAQ
- Volkite culverins in contemtpor dreads replaced with the twin-linked version
- Legion rapier squads thudd guns only have frag rounds to start with. May purchase additional rounds as in Book 6, including phosphex

Troops Choices
- Legion tacticals squads are -25 pts base
- Legion assault squads are -75 pts base
- Additional assault Marines are -2 pts each
- Breacher squad -25 pts base
- Additional Breacher marines are +5 pts each
- Tactical support squad can take additonal close combat weapon for 2 pts; rotor cannon and volkite charger upgrades are now free upgrades
- Reconnaissance squad is -25 pts base

Dedicated Transports
- Legion dreadnought drop pods are +35 pts

Fast Attack
- Legion Seekers are -20 pts base
_ A dditional marines are +5 pts
- Sunfury missiles on Lightning is +10 pts
- Kraken missiles are +10 pts
- Phosphex bomb cluster -10 pts
- Electromagnetic bomb charges are -10 pts
- Tarantulas are +5 pts each
- Tarantula squads lose forward deployment
- Dreadclaw drop pods +15 pts
- Dreadclaw listed as only carrying regular and contemptor dreads, not Leviathan or Dreadeo types
- Landspeeders are -10 pts each
- Hunter killer missiles are -5 pts each now
- Javelins are -20 pts each
- Javelins gain strafing run USR
- Units attacking a Javelin in close combat suffer a -2 to hit while it isn’t immobilsed

Heavy Support
- New jetbike unit
- Just regular jetbikers with multi-melta as basic, base squad is +30 pts over normal jetbike squad
- May only go to 5 men in total, additional jetbikes are +15 pts over normal jetbikes
- May upgrade to volkite or plasma for cost, all of the squad must be the same
- May take sergeant upgrade
- Deathstorm drop pod has automated weapons rule, basically old rule of automatically shooting all units within range (enemy or friend) when it arrives
- LR Phobos is -25 pts
- LR Proteus is -20 pts
- Land Raider Achilles can take thudd gun ammos same as rapiers, at same price
- Achilles-Alpha can take additonal ammo types
- Vindicators are now squadrons as in Book 6 with additional rules from FAQ
- Spartan is +10 pts
- Laser destroyers are free upgrades on Spartan
- Flare shield is +20 pts
- Sicaran Venator may take second pintle-mounted weapon
- Sicaran is +30 pts and can take a pintle mounted weapon
- Kharybdis is -25 pts
- Deredeo dreadnought has third arm option, heavy lascannon option S10, AP2 heavy 2, Exoshock
- Exoshock - if a hit scores a penetrating hit, then on a 4+ a second automatic pen is caused ignoring cover
- Whirlwind Scorpius can take pintle-mounted weapons
- Malcador is now heavy support with -25 pts base cost
- Battlespeed now allows it to fire its main weapon (top turret) at full BS skill before or after moving flat out
- Malcador is 1-3 in squadrons
- Malcador receives wider range of wargear selection covering basic stuff like pintle-mounted weapons

Lords of War
- Typhon is +45 pts base
- Falchion is +25 pts
- Falchion can take a neutron wave capacitor which adds the ‘feedback’ and ‘shock pulse’ special rules to its Volcano Cannon

Rites of War
- Orbital Assault - dreadnought and contemptor talons can take dreadclaws or dreadnought drop pods even in talons of 2 or 3
- Rapier batteries can take drop pods

Remember to go visit Terminus Est!

Peace out,

Rob

Horus Heresy Review: Tarantula Sentry Gun Battery

Hi Gang,

Today I'm going to go through the Tarantula Sentry Battery, and interesting option for the Legions that could cathc your opponent of guard if utilised well I feel.

Unit Stats

The Tarantula is essentially an artillery piece that doesn't have a crew accompanying it, with the following profile.

Rapier: WS  BS  S  T  W  I   A  LD  Sv

              -       3    -   6   2   -    -    -    3+

Overview: The Tarantula is designed to be deployed independent of the legionaries and therefore act as a remote sentry, as it names suggest. You lose a pip in toughness compared to more standard artillery pieces but its still decently tough.

Special Rules

There are a couple of special rules that are crucial to understand so that you can get the best out of these buggers.

Firing Mode: You have to select the firing  mode of the sentry turrets at the start of the game, this cannot be changed during the game. Your two options are:

              Point Defence Mode: Fires in a fixed 90 degree arc with a range of 36"

              Sentry Mode: Fires in a 360 degree arc but only 18"

Automated Artillery: This rules relates to the targeted enemy units by the sentry. The weapon load out of the tarantula turrets will define what their preferred targets are. This is summarised below:

              Flamers/Heavy Bolters/Rotor Cannon: Will target the nearest non-vehicle unit

              Lascannon/Multi-melta: Will target the nearest vehicle or monstrous creature

Two things that are explicitly stated are that in the case of the lascannon and multi-melta, it will still target an immobilised vehicle if it is the closest to the turret in its arc of fire. It also states that if you have mixed turret load outs; e.g. heavy bolter and lascannon, then they will target their respective preferred targets. Effectively granting split fire.

If preferred targets are not in range then you will just shoot the closest  enemy unit.

Equipment

The standard load out of the tarantula:

Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter - 36" S5, AP4, Heavy 3, Twin-linked

As you might already have guessed, you get quite the choice of options for the Tarantula...

Options

The Tarantula comes with several possible options for the weapons system and all have their place:

Twin-linked Heavy Flamer - Template, S5, AP4, Heavy 1, Twin-linked

Two Twin-linked Rotor Cannons - 30" S3, AP6, Salvo 3/4, Twin-linked

Multi-melta and search light - 36" S8, AP1, Heavy 1, Melta

Twin-linked Lascannon - 48" S9, AP2, Heavy 1, Twin-linked

The above options you can mix and match in the unit. But you also have the option to switch out the entire units armaments for Hyperios Air Defence Missile Launchers:

Hyperios Air Defence Missile Launchers - 48", S8, AP3, Heavy 1, Skyfire, Interceptor, Heat Seeker

Heat Seeker: Allows re-roll to hit and to pen

Additionally you can switch one of the Missile Launchers for a Hyperios Command Platform that grants the unit Split-fire. This is automatically engaged with no need for a Ld test.

Finally you also have the option of giving each unit of guns a single upgrade:

Forward Deployment: The unit has the scout special rule.

Concealment: The unit has the shrouded special rule until it first fires, then it loses it.

Utilisation

How you equip the tarantula will depend very much on what you are lacking in your army and also what your local meta is like. If you are lacking ranged anti-tank and face lots of vehicles then obviously lascannons are a good way to go.

The important thing to employ here is the firing mode mechanism and where you deploy your turrets. I think granting them scout is an excellent investment as it forces your opponent to second guess where the eventual position of the turrets will be.

Used correctly in conjunction with the available table terrain, you can use the turrets to funnel your opponents forces away from these lines of fire and this should condense the army into smaller firing lanes, or it will allow you to engage them in close combat with you getting the charge off as you have dictated the area of engagement.

Obviously you cannot rely on your opponent following this rationale so always have a back up plans should they either take your turrets out or just choose to weather the firing line.

Peace out,

Rob

No man is an Island - Except Dave Weston...

Peace out,

Rob

Selling Dark Angels - A Heads Up

Hi Gang,

Recently I have played nothing but 30k, and I've just come to decide that 40k doesn't hold my love anymore as a game in its current state. The world and the fluff still transfix me and fill me with great amounts of enjoyment, but I just don't have the desire to invest in it as a system right now. 

30k both as a local meta and within the rules themselves is just more fun for me. With that in mind I am going to be selling off my Dark Angels miniatures. I will put up a thorough post of what I am selling next weekend. 

If you are interested in purchasing any of my stuff please email me, I'd much rather sell to a reader at a lower cost than a randomer.

Peace Out

Rob