Four Days to Go, Four Armies on the Line

We all share many of the same blogging circles. Chances are you've already seen the massive Heroes of Armageddon project that's been undertaken this year in the same vein as the Storm Wardens project last year.

Well if you don't know, it's four times the undertaking this time around and the armies are each and every one drop dead gorgeous, making anyone proud to own one of them. Well you can own one of them, and you can help a great cause while you're at it, Doctors Without Borders.

Each of the army pics below is a link to that army's specific page on the official Heroes of Armageddon blog. Click the photo to get individual shots and closeups of these great models completed by some of the more talented names floating around these parts.

Ghazgkhull Thraka's Goff Horde

Gutsmek's Speed Freaks

Lord Dante's Blood Angels

Commissar Yarrick's Steel Legion


This is the artwork y'all should be familiar with already, my treat for you is the rough draft at the top of the page. Monster Master artist Chris "Biscuit" Miller whipped this up as he did for the Storm Wardens project and multiple others. He's available for commissions, his prices are reasonable and I've never seen him turn something down.

He's not going anywhere anytime soon, however these armies are...and very soon. As the title says, you've got about four days, that's it. Get over to the main page and get in on all the action while you still can. This is one you do not want to miss.

Arloc Mechanica: Super40K Battle

The ruins of Arlos Mechanica

When was the last time you were playing 40k and your Orc Warboss was duking it out in a total slugfest with a Space Marine commander? Not too long ago? All right, but during the slugfest did your Orc pick up a piece of terrain, like a small car, and slam the commander with it, knocking him back half a foot on the tabletop crashing through debris on the way. Then the commander stands up, dusts himself off and plows back into the Orc, tackling him and crashing through a wrecked Rhino in the process.

This is what I've been wanting, highly cinematic, over-the-top action in the 40k setting. Is your Eldar Autarch about to launch into an important attack? Why not preface it with a long-winded soliloquy speaking of themselves in the third person first? This isn't the first time we sought alternate ways to play in what is a great universe, and fun minis. Well, we had the answer the whole time in the second edition rules of SuperSystem, the excellent superhero miniatures game.


Leading up to the battle I wrote the general setup here and came up with four separate groups to participate. These are basically superhero groups on paper, proxied with 40k models and forces. I gotta tell you, the port over from hero to sci-fi was incredibly easy. A Space Marine is basically a superhero anyway, so this was a no-brainer.

Each group consisted of three units; a character model (or two) and at least one 'henchmen' group. Henchmen groups are exactly as they sound. The one exception were the Dark Angels, which had two units (a character and a really powerful character), one of which couldn't come onto the table right away. The "good guy" forces are found here and the "bad guy" aliens are found here.

I setup the game with something similar to a con perspective. I wanted "allied" sides of two teams each, but I also wanted everyone to have their own, unique objectives that even their ally didn't know about. I slanted these mission briefs quite a bit so it might even come down to a four-way free-for-all battle. Obviously I borrowed heavily from our historic Vikings game last summer. On to the battle.


Orc boyz and a Deffkopta see a lone Dark Angel in the distance...

Tau Gun Drones surrounding an Imperial Guard team taking cover...


...and gun them all down to a man


A Vindicare Assassin waits to take the shot...

The Ethereal stalks the Imperial Priest while Tau Drones surround him


Orcs cautiously advance when a Dreadnought teleports in from orbit!


Carnage ensues!


Warboss Magstuf and the Deffkopta wade in on the massive Dreadnought


Magstuff and Tracto epically duke it out


Magstuff picks up an old escape pod and slams Tracto with it...


The Ethereal's blade skills are more than a match for the Imperial Priest


Parting shot; the Vindicare guns down the Ethereal in the distance

All in all we had a blast. The SuperSystem rules are now in third edition, and a lot of the hero building has been tweaked. The rules themselves are straight forward and easy to pick up on the fly, two of the guys (two of our Chris') playing in this battle had never used them before,and Andy and I were both rusty, our last super battle being three years ago.

This was the feel I had been shooting for too; a bold Imperial hero with a small band of soldiers and a sniper lurking somewhere on the battlefield. A single Dark Angel and a massive Dreadnought versus a dozen Orcs. The action was as over-the-top as we wanted, and gameplay went quickly. I need to slightly alter some of the mission briefings and better define individual objectives.

SuperSystem also allows for non-combat actions as well, so if you have someone who needs to crack the code on a security door, pull the hatch off of an escape pod, or make a science type roll on some new organism, it's all in there. This can lead to all sorts of cool scenarios. As far as this particular scenario went, we'll have to play it again now that we're more familiar with the rules and see how things pan out. Being comic book based, scenarios and back-story become more vital than ever and even a basic rooftop brawl can be entertaining.

Arloc Mechanica Mission Briefing: Imperial Forces

Dark Angels Space Marines:

**Begin Transmission**
Praise the Emperor.
Brother-Captain Othniel, our travels have been successful. Brother Jakoubek and I were ready to leave this system when our ally, Inquisitor Artiger, contacted me in secret. A dire artifact, the unholy Victory Machine, has been unearthed on a nearby moon and should it fall into the wrong hands, any hands, it would be heresy. There are those in the Imperium who would see the artifact acquired, Artiger and I agree that this cannot be allowed to happen under any circumstances. He is using what resources he has available to teleport us to the surface of the moon. A precise strike from his cruiser in orbit should render the artifact a non-issue. Brother James and myself only need to find its location. Alien heretics are noted to be in the area as well, presumably looking for the same device. They will suffer.
Praise the Emperor.
Chapter Master Tristan Tracto
**End Transmission**

Primary Objective: Destroy the device known as the Victory Machine.
Secondary Objective: Destroy any alien presence.
Tertiary Objective: Destroy any opposing presence.

Chapter Master Tracto has served with honor and distinction in the Dark Angels space marine chapter for centuries. He wields the Sword of Durendal, a chapter artifact said to have been wielded by El‘Jonson himself. In addition he wears an ancient suit of Articifer Power Armor and a custom bolt pistol sidearm rests on his hip. The latter is rarely used; Tracto prefers to dispatch his foes in melee combat.

Venerable Battle-Brother Jakoubek fell in battle hundreds of years ago. Mortally wounded and crippled beyond repair he was placed within the tomb-sarcophagus of a Dreadnought. Since then he has become the living embodiment of a war machine, utilizing his vast array of weaponry to its fullest effect. Trusted advisor and friend to Tracto, Venerable Battle-Brother Jakoubek will often accompany the chapter master on many off-mission endeavors as well as investigations and protocol matters.

Name:	Dreadnought Brother James
BP / AP:	170 / 8 [18]
Attributes:	Strength: 7 [2], Agility: 5 Mind: 3, Resolve: 6
Powers:	Armor x4 Combat Sense x4 Extra Attacks (+1AP) Extra Move x10 Knockback Resistance x3 Melee Attacks x3 Ranged Attack (9D, 30”) -AoE (Blast) -Chain Attack -Rapid Fire -Super Damage x1 Super Strength x2 Vehicle -Level 3 -Giant Robot -Independent -No Carrier (-8) -Turret
Vitality:	13

Name:	Chapter Master Tracto
BP / AP:	85 / 7
Attributes:	Strength: 4 [1], Agility: 4 Mind: 3, Resolve: 5
Powers:	Armor x3 Combat Sense x3 Density Increase -Immovable Iron Will x2 Knockback Resistance x2 Melee Attacks x2 Super-Strength x1 -Super Knockback
Vitality:	9

Imperial Guard:

Dear “Reverend” Soble,

You may have fooled the others of the council but I know what you are, you are a soldier of the Imperium and you cannot turn your back on that responsibility. You have far too much experience in battle, and far too many grafts and bionics frankly, for you to turn to faith and wander aimlessly as a vagabond preacher. You owe the Imperium of Man.

On paper you are still under orders, and therefore under my command, for another two months. That is just enough time to send you to the edge of the system and investigate rumors of Quandan’s fleet returning as nothing but wreckage. You can pick your own team, but I want you away from system central for a good while. Perhaps when you return you will know your place.

Planetary Governor Sulpheus Mape

Primary Objective: Obtain and protect the Victory Machine.

Secondary Objective: Destroy all intact scanning stations.

Tertiary Objective: Find alternative transport from the planet.

Reverend Shamus Soble is well on his way to retirement in the private sector. A massively built man, he has adopted an unassuming guise in that of a street preacher. A far cry from the decorated veteran he once was. Though his zeal for the Emperor of Mankind is honest he detests what his corrupted government in his sector has become and longs to strike out on his own. His contacts have heard rumors that a device from long ago, dating back to before even Mars was terra-formed, has been marooned on the very moon he has been sent to. If he can retrieve this item it can be his key to writing his own destiny.

Vindicare Assassin Mendel is one of the few remaining soldiers who have served alongside Soble in battle decades past. He is a deadly shot with his Archangel sniper rifle and manages close assault roles just as easily, dispatching foes with vibro-blade and Gyrojet pistol alike. He wears an advanced armored bodysuit and multi-suite mask.

Imperial Guardsmen are countless among the galaxy. These particular troopers, hand picked by Soble, are veterans of his last company. They have served Soble in many roles and will follow him to hell and back if only asked. They are equipped with standard issue flak armor and use special issue lasguns which fire an enhanced beam that shifts between dimensional layers in a manner very similar to the psy-bolts used by the Grey Knights.

Name:	Vindicare Assassin Mendel
BP / AP:	85 / 8
Attributes:	Strength: 3, Agility: 6 Mind: 2, Resolve: 5
Powers:	Armor x2 Combat Sense x3 Extra Attacks (+1AP) Force Field x1 Fortune x2 Ranged Attack (9D, 32”) -Extended Range x1 -Rapid Fire
Vitality:	8

Name:	Reverend Shamus Soble
BP / AP:	85 / 7
Attributes:	Strength: 6 [2], Agility: 3 Mind: 4, Resolve: 4
Powers:	Armor x3 Combat Sense x5 Knockback Resistance x3 Melee Attacks x3 Super-Strength x2 -Super-Knockback x2
Vitality:	10

Name:	Imperial Guardsmen
BP:	85
AP:	6 [8]
Attributes:	Strength: 4 Agility: 4 [1] Mind: 2 Resolve: 4
Powers:	Armor x3 Combat Sense x3 Enhanced Senses Extra Movement x2 Knockback Resistance x1 Ranged Attack (8D, 30”) -Affects Ethereal -Rapid Fire Super-Agility x1
Vitality:	Henchmen Group x5

Renegade Guardsmen

Two years ago I had an idea to do a 'traitor' Guard project, I even ran a poll. Last summer I posted a "where are they now?" missive, yet the non-Imperial sanctioned troopers continue to languish. I'm a bit offline right now, so this may be more of an eye-candy post. Anyway, here are the Discilian Apostates and the Sentrek Freemen.


The Apostates are pretty standard plastic Cadians, with the headswap exception. When I think "apostate", I think "hoods". The hooded heads are part of Westwind's Arthurian range and I think they fit pretty well. Above is a selection of the different heads.


Next up are the Sentrek Freemen, and when I think "freemen" I think beards and Hollywood Viking-horned helmets. 'Rag-tag' comes to mind as well. I went with Catachans for these guys, but instead of simple headswaps I went even further with conversions and parts/bits swapping. I really like the look I ended up with here.

Lots of WHFB bits are in this mix...




I didn't show off a lot of the Apostates because frankly if you've seen one hooded headswap Cadian, you've pretty much seen them all. With the Freemen however it came out where each figure is pretty much an individual.


There you go, a bunch of renegades taking up space in the "complete models" bits box.

Omega Level City Fight

40k City Fight Battle
Mission: Annihilation
Deployment: Opposite Quarters
Size: 2,000 points per side
Stratagems: Ammo Dump, and a bunch of others
Forces: Fallen Dark Angels/Orks vs. Ultramarines/Cadian Guard

City Fight, Cities of Death, I don't even know what we were playing. I do know that the vaunted 'gamer sweetspot' is not where we are at with 40k. We simply just don't play it enough to make it enjoyable when we actually do play. I'm saying "we" a whole lot, but I can speak just for myself too, I just don't know the rules, I don't know my army, I don't know anything about the mechanics of 5th edition 40k apparently. This last week made that all too clear. There's no excuse to have to look up the rules on how to cast a psychic power during a game. If you don't know, don't take a librarian. If you don't know how hits against an armored vehicle work, don't take a dreadnought, the list goes on and on.

What do I like? I love the models in 40k, any faction, any type just about, the models are just cool, plain and simple. I love a battle-strewn table full of buildings and bunkers and rubble. I love the fluff, the grit and the struggle. I love the narrative created during or after the game. I love hanging out with my friends, rolling dice, and pushing around little toy soldiers going "pew pew". What I don't love are, you guessed it, the rules. Be that as it may, I need to learn the rules properly and make the best of them, there's no excuse otherwise.


We played an omega level city fight game, but honestly, the "city fight" influence fled my mind before turn one. The cool thing was the table; we filled a 4x6 portion of the game table with all manner of urban terrain. It made for some very tight quarters and looked pretty neat, especially from a mode's eye view of the action.

Great blogs run on great pics I've always said, and although I am not claiming my blog to be great, it's something I strive for nonetheless. To that end, I now give you mucho eye candy from the battle itself. We started kind of late, and had to quit halfway through, so there wasn't a clear winner. Also, Flounder left his new Tyranid codex (and army list) at home, so we had to call an audbile at the last minute and let him use my Dark Angels. Since he allied with Biscuit's space Orks, we decided to make the Dark Angels part of the Fallen. On the other side of the table, Andy and I jointly led a combined army of Cadians and Ultramarines. I gotta give Andy credit, for being a pretty anti-GW rules guy, he was pretty enthusiastic.


lots of building, big and small...


the industrial crane by a battery of generators


more terrain pics, it really was a neat environment


my Ultramarines made a showing this time out


Biscuit's Ork horde is shaping up to be pretty darn impressive


Initial deployment of Ultramarines and their Cadian allies


the Cadians utilized the 'ammo dump' stratagem...


...as did the Valkyrie!


Originally I deployed my old-school scouts on the crane, because it looked cool. After measuring it though, they were so high up in the air, their bolt pistols were out of range of any targets! You can see tiny Ork images far below them on the ground.


I eventually opted for a barricade for the scouts instead


Narrow alleyways for the Orks


SPANG! Immobilized Dreadnought on turn one, arrrgh!


Ork truk "negotiating" the tight turns


Flame on! Marine heavy and regular Cadian flamers couldn't stop the truk


Ork Boyz disembark and charge into melee under the crane


Fallen Dark Angel snipers lend cover fire to the advancing Ork mob


The squad that moved around a lot, but never found the fight


Yes, you're seeing it right, a proxy Chimera dozer blade courtesy of Lego!