Why we don't change the rules

My first comment is that every TO so far I've seen advocating a ban on the re rollable 2++ invulnerable save play Taudar. They have no problem joining a Farseer or Buff Commander to a Riptide. Sure ScreamerStar and Jetseer Council are no fun to play against but there will always be such armies. People were up in arms in regards to Necron Scythe Spam at the beginning of sixth edition. The thing is changing the rules is kind of like playing God... You have no idea what will be the long term consequences. This also sets a bad precedent - a TO can change any rule and justify by large attendance. What will be the next change?

Here is a list of the remaining armies that will receive a new sixth edition codex:

•Tyranids
•Imperial Guard
•Orks
•Space Wolves
•Dark Eldar
•Blood Angels

It's quite possible any of these armies could have some game mechanic that nerfs the 2++ re rollable save. If you stop to think about it Tyranids can already do it via Shadows in the Warp and Space Wolves have the Rune Priest that's available as an ally for many armies. In the past when there was some hated army such as Leaf Blower IG or Draigowing we sucked it up and learned how to deal with it via superior tactics. Changing the rules makes us weaker. I have posted an anti ScreamerStar tactica article. There has also recently been some work to develop better missions for tournaments... These are the right answer.

Short Story • Retributius Dominatius

Here is a 40k short story I've been working on for the past year...

Retributius Domnatius

It is a tale of revenge and is in the final phase. Enjoy !

Editorial • Stronghold Assault

Stronghold Assault is here to stay, but how will the community wrap their arms around our latest rulebook?

Minotaurs

I'll be building a small chapter for a local campaign...

By LutherMax.

Iron Hands • 1st Sternguard Veteran Sergeant Wyrrmakur

Here is the first of my Sternguard... Veteran Sergeant Wyrrmakur. Dual graviton pistols.

Fallyn and the Red Angel

2nd Veteran Sergeant Minos & Chief Librarian Scipio

I was able to assemble two models for my Iron Hands today... The second tactical sergeant Minos and Chief Librarian Scipio.

Minos

Minos was a simple conversion using an OOP Marine and several bits from an assortment of various sprues. He's a tad bit shorter than the other tactical sergeant so I think I'll dub him Big Minos.

Scipio

Scipio was made using a resin piece well known from the Forge World Red Scorpion Chapter... Severin Loth. I made a simple conversion use a force staff from a Grey Knight plastic sprue. Obviously he's suited in a different Msrk of armor which helps to make him stand out a bit and denote his rank... Simple !

Next up I will finish the Medusan Immortals. Keep an eye out if you're interested.

Merry Xmas and an early gift (Cypher)

I am thinking about going with the Clan Ungavarr for my Iron Hands... thoughts ?

Veteran Sergeant Klaatu, Medusan Immortal #3 and OOP Space Marine

Just finished assembling the first veteran sergeant this evening...

Here is a better photo of the third Medusan Immortal...

And finally an old OOP Space Marine figure I found—I'll be using him to build the next sergeant (Utep)...

Red Butchers

Kharybdis Assault Claw

Here are the five new codices scheduled for next year

From BoLS:

• Tyranids
• Imperial Guard
• Orks
• Space Wolves
• Dark Eldar

3rd Medusan Immortal... Koltan

I wanted a brutal pose than the last one...

2nd Medusan Immortal

Deus Ex Machina • Pariah

Much more machine than human in both mind and body now... Aktumet the Pariah was once the most favored champion of his clan. Finally found lacking in service due to the unavoidable decrepitude from vast eons of war dating as far back as the Heresy, the Pariah was eventually restored by dark biotechnology and cybernetics on Deimos to continue the fight as a lone Medusan. A solitary engine of war often sent out as a lone vanguard to repel the enemy's never ending advance...

First Medusan Immortal...

First of Iron Father's Honor Guard.

World Eaters incoming !!

Just in time for the holidays !

The Beginning of Clan... Gorgon

So I'm finally starting to build my counts as Iron Hands Clan Gorgon. These are the Iron Father and Chief Tech Marine.

40k Batrep: Sons of Horus (30k) vs. White Scars (40k)

So I finally had a game with Horus and his children versus the new White Scars. Interestly enough my opponent suggested we use the Ambush mission from the Forge World book Horus Heresy Betrayal. One army is the attacker (White Scars) and the other is the defender (Sons of Horus), which is quite appropriate for the Betrayal.

Mission Rules

Deployment Map

Note that the game length is fixed at six turns and there's no Night Fight in the beginning.


Here is my army list:

Sons of Horus
Horus Warlord (Master Tactician—Redeploy one unit after both sides have deployed, just prior to the first turn)
Serpent's Scales (2+/3++ Sv)—World Breaker—Warmaster's Talon

Primus Medicae
Cataphractii terminator armor—Narthecium—Needle Pistol—Thunder Hammer

4x Justerarin
Pair of Lightning Claws—Power Fist—2x Power Axe—Combi-meltagun

Spartan Assault Tank
Armored Ceramite—Auxiliary Drive—Flare Shield—Dozer Blade

5x Terminator
Cataphractii terminator armor—Pair of Lightning Claws—Power Fist—3x Power Axe—Heavy Flamer—Combi-meltagun
•Land Raider Phobos
Armored Ceramite—Dozer Blade

5x Terminator
Cataphractii terminator armor—Thunder Hammer—4x Power Axe—Heavy Flamer—Combi-meltagun
•Land Raider Phobos
Armored Ceramite—Dozer Blade


Here is my opponent's army list:

White Scars
Khan—MoonDrakken Warlord (Warlord Trait - useless)

Chapter Master
Artificer Armor—Shield Eternal—Thunder Hammer—Bike

Chapter Master
Artificer Armor—Storm Shield—Primarch's Wrath—Bike

5x Bike
2x Grav Gun—Combi-grav gun—Meltabombs

5x Bike + Attack Bike (Multi-melta)
2x Grav Gun—Combi-grav gun—Meltabombs

5x Bike + Attack Bike (Multi-melta)
2x Grav Gun—Combi-grav gun—Meltabombs

5x Bike + Attack Bike (Multi-melta)
2x Grav Gun—Combi-grav gun—Meltabombs

5x Tactical Marine
Missile Launcher (Flakk Missiles)

5x Tactical Marine
Missile Launcher (Flakk Missiles)

5x Tactical Marine
Missile Launcher (Flakk Missiles)

5x Tactical Marine
Lascannon

Thunderfire Cannon

Stormraven
Twin-linked Assault Cannon—Twin-linked Multi-Melta

Stormraven
Twin-linked Assault Cannon—Twin-linked Multi-Melta

2250 point mono Nurgle army

Chaos Space Marines
Chaos Lord (Warlord)
Mark of Nurgle—Blight Grenades—Bike—Burning Brand—Power Axe—Gift of Mutation

3x Chaos Biker + Champion
Mark of Nurgle—Plasmagun x2—Power Fist

Daemon Prince
Daemon of Nurgle—Wings—Hell Forged Armor—The Black Mace–Spell Familiar—Gift of Mutation—Level 3 Psyker

6x Plague Marine + Champion
2x Meltagun
Rhino - Dozer Blade

6x Plague Marine + Champion
2x Meltagun
Rhino - Dozer Blade

Heldrake - Bale Flamer

Heldrake - Bale Flamer

Chaos Daemons
Great Unclean One
Level 3 Psyker—Greater Reward x2

Daemon Prince
Daemon of Nurgle—Wings—Hell Forged Armor—Level 3 Psyker—Greater Reward x2

14x Plaguebearer


Very fast army. Great Unclean One, Plaguebearers and Plague Marines hold down objectives in your deployment zone while the rest of the army wrecks face !!!

Horus and crew

I'm working on the batrep... Should be up in the next couple of days.

Justrearin Terminator

I have a batrep versus White Scars scheduled for this week... Very bloody match featuring the Warmaster. Here is a little teaser...

30k Tactical Review • Reaver Assault Squad (Sons of Horus)

Here is a review of a new unit for the evil Sons of Horus from the new Forge World Horus Heresy 30k book Massacre. There is also a surprise review at the end for a new HQ featured in Massacre. I am going to compare this unit (Reavers) in general to the new Space Marine codex to draw some interesting conclusions. Note that I don't personally advocate the use of 30k for standard games of 40k in tournaments. I have played in one campaign at WarGamesCon this year—the rest of my games with 30k have all been friendly pickup games.

30k is internally balanced—so in some ways it has certain advantages over 40k Space Marines and in other ways it has it's share of disadvantages. I think Alan Bligh, whom has written both of the 30k books, is the by far the best writer compared to anybody in the GW development team. His books have amazing depth and his units totally embody the spirit of the Horus Heresy. You can't go wrong with 30k if you love Space Marines. Both of the 30k books are far ahead of anything put out for 40k in regards to Space Marines.

NOTE—There is a lot of misconception that the traitor legions in the 30k books are Chaos Space Marines, which is untrue... They are still Imperial from a rules perspective and have no enhancements or gifts from the dark Gods, which makes them much more interesting to me.

So onto my review of the Reaver assault squad. I've put together a unit (along with the rules) I think is competitive and would be fun to play. I think the Reavers are definitely one of the better units from either book... They can be a work horse for your army and carry the load. I wouldn't be surprised if Reavers turn out to be one of the more popular units for Sons of Horus armies.

Reaver Assault Squad

9x Reaver
Reaver Chieftain

135 + 75

Options:
• 9x Bolter w. Banestrike rounds - 45
• Flamer - 10
• 2x Power Axe - 20
• Power Fist - 15 (Chieftain)
• Artificer Armor - 10 (Chieftain)

Rhino w. Extra Armor & Dozer Blade Or Jump Packs - 50

Total = 360

—Each Reaver has three base attacks since they are automatically equipped with a bolt pistol and chainsword (i.e., 2+1); the Chieftain has four base attacks... That's 41 attacks on the charge !

—Banestrike bolter rounds are S4 AP3 on a roll to wound of 6, otherwise AP5 and their range is 18".

—All models in the unit use Precision Shots and Precision Strikes (Assassin's Eye).

—The unit also has the Outflank special rule.

Reaver Attack Squads are normally Fast Attack but can be fielded as a Troop choice in either one of two ways:

• Field a special character (Maloghurst the Twisted)
• Rites of War (much more restrictive)

This unit built as such costs a good chunk of points and I think they're well worth it. Of course you'll have to take good care of this unit and play them carefully due to their high cost but I don't view that as a disadvantage. Reavers can excel in both shooting and melee built as such—their special rules take them to the next level and they can win games since they can score.

The combination of bolters plus jump packs places Reavers in a separate category unlike any other Space Marine unit, which I think is a sad state of affairs for 40k Space Marines in general... Like I said Alan Bligh is far ahead of the GW development team !

Generally speaking 40k Space Marine units (with the exception of Space Wolves) seem to have all become highly specialized just like the eldar—they are either intended for shooting or melee, but not both. Sure you can assault with a squad of tactical Marines but don't expect much versus a dedicated melee unit. This is just one of the many things that make Reavers so good.

So now my surprise review of the new rules for Kharn from Massacre.

WS7-BS5-S4-T4-3W-I5-4A-Ld9-Sv 2+/4++

Artificer Armor—Gorechild—Plasma Pistol—Frag & Krak Grenades—Iron Halo

Master of the Legion (he has own two special Warlord Traits)

Gorechild - S:+1 AP2 Armorbane, Murderous Strike

All this for 190 points, which is only 30 points more than his current entry in the new Chaos Space Marine codex. Not quite as many attacks and he hits on a 3+ versus most enemy units in melee versus a 2+... He is better in most other respects—especially considering Heresy Kharn is rocking the 2+ armor save and 4++ invulnerable save. I've got my fingers crossed that Forge World will eventually release a new miniature for Kharn !! If you had the choice which one would you rather field?