A Prison for Gods: Evolution of the Conflict.

Despite Christmas taking its toll on the games per week, we've been endevoring to continue.  I've announced that Phase 2's first Turn will extend until the end of January.  I did this as I can see all the players involved eagerly expanding their collections:

Rottimus has nearly finished his entire collection of Black Scorpions, a feat worthy of a whole host of Blog posts, with a little help from William (Wimero).  William recently got hold of some more Dire Avengers as well as 3 Falcon Grav Tanks.  A game changer, potentially.  Meanwhile the Imperial Guard Players, Kaia, Thomas and Magnus have had their sides boosted by the addition of the Mont'Ka extras: The Cadian Detatchment etc.

Also, because of this, the following extras and rules addendums have been added.  Mostly to add more character and story to the campaign, but also (see the boring bit at the end), to clarify some of the older rules regarding the setting up of challenges and games. Hopefully, at the end of this campaign, we will have a tried and tested, AND updated rules set I can hand out and make readily available. 

Crisis Events.  

The following is a list of events of interest within the Faustian conflict.  Any battles commited within these areas may include these "Crisis Missions" however these are special events which contain small or large amounts of house rules.  Fun before Fair etc.  Rewards are available for at least taking part, with the lion share going to the victor.  

"The signal decoded on Warrens End wasn't just coordinates to the planets within the Faustian Sector of relevance to the campaign, but also more. Specific areas, decoded, revealed incidents of special value. Finally revealing more and more, to the reason for the Necrons interest in the system. And relics of glory, amidst the death."- Demitrius Nicodemonus (Executed Traitoris), the folly of Faust.

WA1 - Wake. "A Silent Screamer"
On the ghostly plains of obsidian dirt, a strange signal is being broadcast through the warp. A nothingness that indicates something. A negative presence that belies an intent. Stow the warp energies. All of Wake is silent. But this place, the valley of fears, something is calling out, in a silent scream.

NE12 - Nest. "The Ruins We Build On."
On Nest, Hive Threadweave has broadcast a distress call. The defence auxilia is reporting heavy loses from an unknown enemy emerging from the underhive. Something old stirs in the deep dark places long since forgotten about. People are dying.

T7 - Tresium. "A Poor Place to Run."
As Tresium descends into further disarray as pirates and criminals expand the cold zones, the Adeptus Arbiters have retreated to their stronghold upon the lake. The only water source on Tresium. Despite this predetermined position of power, they have issued an SOS. They are under attack. And not just from the population's worst. The lake is bleeding.

SH1 - Space Hulk "The last ship in."
The Woe, an amalgamation of hulks brought together by their very realness while within the warp, now glides through real space like a man made planet. Within this metal crush of bulk heads and a variety of races space vessels, the coordinates supplied point to a source of great energy. But time is running out, the space hulk is heading towards the Final Yawn, the Faustian Sectors very own Black hole!

A5 - Acre "In the Mists."
Sprouting from the river, a great mist has begun coating the nearby lands in white. Within, the screams of the local Warden guard can be heard. The coordinates lead into it. The mist.

S4 - Sordid. "A Sordid Heart."
Sordid. Abandoned by the civil and condemned by the Imperium, is heading further and further into the warp storm nearby. But with the coordinates supplies on Warrens End, we have learned that something is stirring on Sordid. Power, corrupt, deadly and possibly helpful.

W24 - Warrens End. "Without a Paddle."
An agent of the Inquisition, working for Dormenghast, has been injured and has fallen into the giant river Whistle on Warrens End. He must be recovered, dead or alive, and the information in his memory stacks secured. He has seen things. Important things.

Ongoing calamities.

This is merely to spice things up. During Phase 2. All games affect certain narrative elements. These have nothing to do with Factions. smile emoticon Just remember, your actions may bring the eternal enmity of your enemies and allies alike.

Warrens End. Evacuation! 
Anyone playing a game on Warrens End, and is victorious can declare if they are killing/kidnapping or otherwise harming the population or preventing their evac, or aiding in their evacuation.

Nolan. Falling into hands unworthy!
Anyone playing on Nolan, and being victorious in any game, may dedicate that victory to either stealing technology, or aiding the native Mechanicum to secure or destroy it.

Acre. Death by Consumption!
Anyone playing on Acre and being victorious in any game, may dedicate that victory to either aiding or allowing the native Tyranid creatures eradicate the Wardens or by aiding the wardens to contain the native Tyranid threat. (note, doesn't affect Eivind)

These will be tallied up at the end of the phase. The side with the highest score determines their fate.

Updated and clarified: Effective immediately.

Basically, this clears up the whole "where is the game taking place??" But is largely rules we are already using. Note the complete removal of that city-fight and planetary assault bullshit?

Fighting Battles

As mentioned, the campaign is split into 3 phases, each of which contains two halves or Turns. During a Turn, a player can play as many or as few games as they like.

If Players lack an opponent they can also choose to attempt one of the Special Mission locations scattered across the maps by attempting to take that territory or by already owning it. Special Missions, marked with a Gold Flag, such as these are purely narrative games with unique rules and are largely GM controlled affairs.

To initiate a battle, a player may challenge another player by declaring on any chosen social media, via email or by shouting their intentions from any selected building roof. Challenges can be made to anyone in the campaign not on the players own Faction. Battles can be fought using any agreed points level and expansion.

The Challenger declares whom they wish to attack and upon what planet the battle will occur. If the Challenger has a sector already on that planet, or possesses a spaceport on another planet, they may select the exact sector they are aiming to take over.

The resulting game is played for that sector using any special planet based rules for that particular world. For any special scenarios that demand an attacker/defender dynamic, the Challenger is presumed to be the attacker.

• NB! Only the Strategic Objectives on that world count for that battle, except for the Space Port used when attacking from off world. Be aware that invading another planet is no small task!
• NB!! A Challenged player must attempt to play against the Challenger before engaging in any other games, within reason. Allied players within the Faction may be called upon to represent the original Challenger or Defender, though the results still affect the original players!

After a Battle

The result of the battle should simply be determined as a Win for one side, or a Draw.

If the Challenger wins, they may take the territory previously determined if they had either a sector on world, or a spaceport on another. If the Challenger won but has not a sector on the attacked planet, or a spaceport, the defender must choose one of his sectors. The Challenger takes that sector.

If the Defender wins, they may choose to take one of the Challengers sectors if it is on the same planet, or if they have a Space Port, may select and take one owned by the Challenger from another planet.

• NB! If a player had lost a sector in their last game, they may not immediately choose to take it back in their next game. They must first play another game, which may be against another opponent before trying to select it again. However, if the Defending player wishes and it is appropriate (No Spaceport or on world attack), they may choose to relinquish this sector to the Challenger even if they had just taken this sector from them.

A Prison for Gods: Phase 2 Worlds

The planets of Phase 2.

As we come closer to the end game of Phase 1 (1/3rd of the way!!), we take a look at the new territories about to be opened up.  Maybe, predicting where the plot will suddenly take us...

The Hulk, Gospel of Fear – Zone Mortalis rules. 

The Gospel, slow and certain, has been moving through the Subsector like some sign of the end times.  Her path thankfully doesn’t bring her into dangerous proximity to any of the Imperial territories no serious attempt has been made to board.  Though word on Tresium’s seedier bars tell of a great hoard of archeotech there, aboard an old xenos vessel found deep in her mashed up innerds.  Though those same rumours also tell of its spectoral guardians…

·         Planet 5 – Tresium

Official Designation: Tresium Primus Population: c.5.1 Billion >> Settlement Stamp: C.M35 Tithe: Penitentus Sanguine
Corruption Decline: Mutations 1/5000 Military Presence: Arbitus Maximal

Tresium sits before two ice worlds before a hot yellow sun, ringed by two layers of asteroids and ruined void craft. 

Outworld, Borderworld, Scummerland.  Tresium, despite its noble origins as an Ecclesiastical Mission of some lesser known saint, has become a haven for all of the Imperiums Scummers and Villains.  The precints of the Adeptus Arbites have long since lost their battle to retain order.  Cold Zones and Crime Lords run the surviving population centres, while bribed officials allow ruthless Pirates and dodgy Rogue Traders to go about their business, whatever it may be.  Some aren’t even human.

·         Planet 6 – Nest

Official Designation: PX-R55Kappa Nest Population: c. 12.9 Billion >> Settlement Stamp: C.M35 Tithe: Vermillion Corruption Decline: Mutations 1/9000 Military Presence: Substantial

Colonised prior to the Horus Heresy, the planet has a long legacy that through constant civil conflict has been lost.  Tall hive spires dot her surface as the planets previously stable atmosphere chokes on the Imperial production machine.  Beneath these gigantic metal towers lie the ruins of old.  Pre Imperial and some, even older.

The Imperium however only cares about its recruitment rates, as the constant fighting and brutal gang warfare breeds excellent soldiers.  From its many lofty Hives come Nest’s greatest export: People. Violent people.

Recently reports have come in of non-licensed cults of the Emperor becoming more restless and the Adeptus Arbites have deputised the Imperial Guard regiments garrisoned there.  Civil conflict has erupted anew, even as something older stirs beneath the earth and the cities.    

·         Planet 7 – Sordid

Official Designation: Sordid Prime Population: c. 4.3 Billion << Settlement Stamp: C.M37 Tithe: Punitary Corruption Decline: Mutations 1/500 Military Presence: Purgation

A world close to the edge but circling the drain.  Sordid’s long rotation brings it closer and closer to a raging Warp Storm called the Depths of Gorath.  Strange effects have begun occurring, psychic registration is through the roof and the Black Ships leave full each time they pass.  A plague has begun on the planet, causing many quarantines to occur, and cities to be left empty.

Sordid is alone in its system, the star ironically a white sun that does little against the coming dark.  The doomed world is a grim reminder of the effects of the warps corruption, and emigration, largely unchecked threatens to spill that corruption to other worlds in the sector, in the form of cults.-- Warp - Winds: For the duration of the game, Psychic powers require a 3+ to cast instead of the normal 4+, however miscasts occur on any double.

·         Planet 8 - Wake

Official Designation: Wake Quintus
Population: c. 1500 << Settlement Stamp: C.M35 Tithe: Nil Corruption Decline: Nil Military Presence: Auxilia Observa (Ref: Increased self murder)

Wake is a barren airless moon, dotted with ancient cites of Xenos origin.  Though many Rogue Traders and Mechanicum Explorators have dared to go there, those that return speak of sleepless visits, haunted by ghostly whispers and hallucinations of a world long since lost.  Psyker analysis of the surrounding area proves that no warp influence exists.  Which makes the whole matter even more terrifying.

Wake sits as the fifth body in its own diminished system of barren planets.  Most showing sings of former life but at some time or another some great ancient tragedy has seen their atmospheres blasted from them.

Rumours still insist however that amid those blackened dead pyramids and shattered cities lies a prize worth all the risk.

- Psychic Dead Zone: For the duration of the game, Psychic powers require a 6+ to cast instead of the normal 4+.

A Prison for Gods - Ending Phase 1 (Turns 1 and 2)

One of the things I've noted as a GM for this great undertaking, being the campaign, is that nothing goes smoothly and you have to roll with it.  Well, after finding the time for a large game one evening, I found myself with the whole campaign cast being able to come over.  I could have simply had a simple set of games.

..

NAH

Crisis Mission - Mothballed.

Instead, what followed was an attempt at something called a Crisis game.  Ergo, abnormal fun before fair shenanigans with special rewards.  I basically reacted to the opportunity.

The game would represent a huge battle on Nolan, where the two factions were attempting to secure the weapon responsible for the total destruction of Rust, reducing the former maiden world to a radioactive waste.

After a roll off, I found that the Bringers of Silence had reached there first, securing the sites overlooking artillery and dug in while their sponsor sent in Necrons to support.  The attacking Sentinels of Fire wouldn't be completely alone however, as the Tyranids conspired to attack even as they did, in an act of unfathomable intelligence.

There would be two boards.  The bigger main board (8 by 4') would represent the esplanade before the Forge warehouse, the other on the coffee table would be used to represent the overlooking bunker and would consist of tiles taken from GW's recent re-release of Space Hulk.  Using the majority of the Zone Mortalis rules, this would epitomise the Crisis' missions step from the norm.

The attackers were given a brief, allowing for some planning.  As the defenders gained the guns, the attackers were given 300pts extra.  Though the defenders had to deploy first, the first turn would be decided by dice roll.

Defenders

• Rottimus (Rory) - Black Scorpion Space Marines
• Chris' - Dark Eldar
• Magnus - Imperial Guard
• Me!! - Decurian Necrons

Attackers

• William - Craftworld Eldar
• Kaia - Imperial Guard
• Thomas - Imperial Guard
• Eivind - Tyranids

The Defenders chose me, with my Necrons to guard the bunker, meaning I would be using only 1000pts of infantry.  Hoping to take advantage of the Decurions endurance, I went with the Cryptek formation with reanimating swarms and Wraiths alongside warriors.  My direct opponent?  A scary list of Tyranid Carnafex's, Swarmlords and Genestealers!?

The Defending Bringers of Silence won the roll and began deploying.  Highly suited to gunline tactics, Chris' Dark Eldar lined up alongside Rory's infamous artillary and Ack Ack train and Magnus' tanks.  The anvil from which deep striking drop pods and teleporting web way attacks would flow.

NO FLY ZONE MUTHA FOOKERS!

In an act of complete aggression, the attackers, the Sentinels of Fire placed everything they could, hoping they could weather the storm.

Kaia deployed her newest prize, a Forge World flamer Malcador with its Ignore Cover Ap3 Torrent weapon.  On the right flank Thomas' Bane Blade sat while in the centre Kaia's Knight walked ahead of William's Wraith Knight.  It was a Lord of War fest, but could they last?

The first turn was devastating.  In a combination of good shooting choices, good dice rolls and downright disgustingly competitive formations, the defending side took out the Malcador, and most of the attacking army.

Despite this, the attackers pushed on, weathering the hail to take the first set of objectives.

Over at the bunker, the Tyranids began knocking down bulkhead doors and clashed with the Necrons.  It was irresistable force vs immovable object.

One thing to note was the turn discrepancies, as we had less to do, both me and Eivind would be finished with our turn quicker.  Something I hadn't considered.  But then thats the kind of experience which makes games like this work better in future!

Turn two saw the turning point as the shooting took out the Knight, wounding the Wraith.  Objectives across the board changed hands and the attackers were quickly running out of units.  Despite this, moral was high, especially on Thomas's Death Korps side, where dying for the Emperor was actually listed as one of his life goals.

On the last turn before capitualation, the fliers came on.  Rory's no fly zone as created by his Hunter/Stalker formation allowed for his Fire Raptor count as here to dominate the air.  Ultimately too many casualties had been taken.  Which would end in a victory for the defenders.

The victory streak of the renegade Bringers of Silence continued.  At least for today.

The twist?

But WAIT!  As the Tyranid Swarm Lord entered the room with the objective in the bunker, Eivind was given a choice!

"You discover an operational Catharsis class Bio weapon ready for deployment.  You may choose one planet, killing one sector of your choice and reducing it to a nuclear waste.  This has no effect on other sectors bar the impact site, but does change the rules for games played there to include Rusts.  Oh and civilian life as you know it ends within days as the atmosphere is poisoned."

Eivind, being on his own faction, took exactly 1.3 seconds to pick Warrens End.  The capital world of the sector.  Population circa 27 Billion.  The rest of the room was silent as I explained the fluff or background of what had just happened.  Rory was the first to insist on an evac mission. More on that later. :D

The rewards were a free unclaimed territory for the winning team.  Every participant could choose their armies Grand Warlord's "fixed" Warlord Trait.  Something I had been looking forward to throwing in to allow for some character building and less random play.  We will see how that pans out.  A lot of people have gone for "fluffy" choices which I love.

Game analysis

So what the hell happened?  The defending party slaughtered the attackers convincingly.  While effective units, first turn advantage and OP codexs were mentioned.  One telling factor was the scenery.  I have a LOT of cover save giving scenery, but little line of sight blockers.  Something I will be changing.  Currently the terrain suits a gun line list, but it shouldn't exclusively empower it.  So that is one thing I will be doing.  The rest is classified.

Remember:  "Fun before Fair."  

Thankfully, the mood was the best its been in a while and really reminded me why I go through all of this to run the campaigns.  Best gaming group, ever.

Next?  

Well as we move closer to xmas gaming will be harder.  We have an end of Phase big game soon.  Which will use some of the lessons learned here.  And have some plot twists.  And have some new units.  And will see the introduction of some new planets!

• Nest - The reaches
• Tresium - The outlands
• Quietus - The warpless
• Sordid - The doomed
• Space Hulk!

Phase 2.  Under construction!

The Craftworld Eldar of Imbraesil have discovered that the destruction of their Maiden World of Agetha (known to Imperials as Rust) was due to Imperial involvement.  Not of their darker kin. Their investigation continues.
As Warrens End's atmosphere turns toxic, panic amongst its population is rampant.  Anyone influential enough is leaving and the Black Scorpions work to rescue as many as they can before it is too late.
While the report lays blame on the Tyranids, not many can believe the beast capable of such an act.  Many blame the Necrons, seeing it as some part of their yet unseen agenda.

Cracks are showing in many places in the Factions alliances, tenuous as they are.  Will the next big game see something shatter?

The Faustus sector at the end of Phase 1?

Currently, after the climactic events of the Mothballed mission, the map looks like this.  Warren's End is in her last days, Rust is firmly controlled by the Dark Eldar Archon Ozzy. Acre is being infested by Tyranids and Nolan is in total chaos.

Due to the way these things work, the big game this weekend will see not only the last game of Phase 1, but also the introduction of the planets above, instantly expanding the frontiers of the conflict and plot.

Stay tuned for more news from the Faustian Front!

Thanks for reading

- R

A Prison for Gods: Basic Mechanics

So.  Lets get the "boring" bit out of the way.

How will this campaign work?

As with Crusade of Fire, the campaign rules borrow much from Planetary Empires.  Eight smaller world maps (and 1 Hulk!), each representing the main planets in the sector of conflict are represented by Planetary Empire tiles digitised for your convenience.  Players fight to seize territory and tally up points which can further the goals of their faction, or for themselves.

Simply put, it uses those wonderful hex tiles from either Planetary Empires or Mighty Empires that Games Workshop, for the moment, sell.  With changes in Warhammer Fantasy Battle, I expect at least Might Empires will be on its way out.  Regardless, a similar campaign map can be made with spare bases and industrious hands to create representations of land sectors on each planet.

Each player in the campaign would start with 5 flags or markers or blue tack and their initials written on a piece of paper before a very kind person digitised it.  ANYWAY!  thanks Chris...

From these marked territories, players can expand their hold two ways.  Each turn they can seize unclaimed territory, expanding without conflict (exceptions of awesome narrative apply), or they can win them after winning a battle.

Now the campaign is designed to be as simple to be involved in as possible.  No extra rules were thrown in and very few of these are "Must Use."  Essentially, one plays a game as usual.  Any size, type or format.  Though players are encouraged to think about where they are on the map when setting up terrain, and to think about their narrative relationship with the enemy.  Anything from Kill Team to Apoc is allowed.

One semi-exception to this is Space Ports and attacking from one planet to another.  To make a hostile attack from one planet you are required to own (or are adjacent to a Faction ally who owns-) a Spaceport.  To take a Spaceport or Hivecity tile from an attack originating on the same planet, one needs to have played in a City Fight game.  Unless!  Both sides agree that they cannot be bothered learning new rules let alone acquiring them.  Again, emphasis on ease of play.  I'm reducing the reasons for burn out. Likewise, usually attacks from off world require Planet Strike, but if both players agree to forgo that, its all good.  Game on!

What about those Phases?

Now the game as in Crusade of Fire is split into 3 Phases, each Phase revealing more of the planets involved in the campaign.  While in CoF this was explained by a Warp Storm that was receding, in PfG it represents the conflict expanding into the Sub Sector while the forces do their little treasure hunt for whatever it is that the Necron patron is after.

In each Phase, there is two Turns or as I prefer to think of them: Halfs.  At the end of Each turn territory is counted and Conquest Points tallied up.  I'll get to that in a bit.

So basically, 3 Phases, with 2 Turns in each.

Phase 1: Opening Moves

• Turn 1
• Turn 2

Phase 2: Escalation

• Turn 1
• Turn 2

Phase 3: End Game

• Turn 1
• Turn 2

Still with me?  Good.  Now in the last Bloggpost I revealed my need to make this slow burn.  So, I decided to run this campaign over 6 months.  Which makes Each Phase every 2 months while Turns are a month long.  This not only ensures minimal demand on my hard pressed players it allows me to throw in new gimmicks and special scenarios, Phase ending Apoc games and allows them to paint up more stuff to win with.

As a side note, each Phase brings not only more worlds and side missions and narrative, but will also allow each Player to place another 5 flags on the new worlds just like the first phase.  Phase 3 however, well that's the end isn't it.  Something special there...

Now, back to Conquest Points!

At the end of each Turn or Phase (every month), territories are added up and each player receives this as Conquest Points.  This can be applied to Faction or Personal Points.  The Faction with the most Faction Conquest Points at the end of the campaign win.  Though Personal Conquest Points mean that not only will the player win within their Faction, they will accomplish their personal agenda.  Think running away last minute with all the Archeotech, leaving allies to die.

This will really play into a betrayal and inner conflict mechanic that I am hoping to throw in later on.

Personal Points are easier to get as a consequence and will be usable to spend to gain certain things later in the campaign as well as allow for more special crisis missions based around that forces' personal mission.

Remember, the aim is to give a new background story to each Player's force.  Personally I don't care who wins.  It's who comes away with an awesome story that matters.

Extra Trimmings!

Now without going into too many details for now you also have the following:

• Grand Warlord Traits
• Strategic Objectives
• Crisis Missions
• Dramatis Persona
• Open Narrative Play
• Apoc Phase Games
• Pre-generated background with Nemesiseses!!

So first, we have Grand Warlord Traits.  These do NOT replace normal traits, but add character to the way the army functions on the map itself.  If the Player achieves the Trait's conditions be it slaughtering over half the enemy army, killing its biggest gribbly in a challenge or engaging with a Sworn Enemy, they gain extra Personal Conquest Points.  Its a nice dynamic and we did ensure players with a background or personality that demanded one of the usually random results would get it.  I mean, Khorne Daemonkin with Selfless Sacrifice?  Errrrrrrno.

As per Crusade of Fire, PfG uses Strategic Objectives: Space Ports, Power Generators, Shield Generators etc.  Though the rules have been updated to reflect the new edition and generally to offset the campaign as a whole.  Shield Generators for example no longer protect against any Dooms Day Weapon, but rather protect the adjacent area from attacks made by Space Ports across the system.  Much like in the books!!

Crisis Missions are the "gold" flag missions from CoF.  However I wanted them to appear at particular points and be relevant to what was going on in an area, as only those adjacent could join in (or via spaceport).  Originally they would be solely about the Necron Narrative, but seeing as the players have largely wholly embraced the narrative element, its gotta be about them.  One example, is the Dark Eldar and Craftworld Eldar that started on the ex-maiden world of Rust, and they are not there to share poetry!  Crisis Missions don't just offer unusual and unique games, but also rewards if done right.

Dramatis Persona.  These represent relevant characters in the campaigns background, such as the radical Inquisitor Yvassilli Craven or the Monodominant Inquisitor Dormenghast, opposed and dying to kill the other.  Likewise it can represent "unlocked" squads of local miners or Adeptus Arbites.  These are available to those able to represent them in the game (or bribe the owner of said figures).  They need to be paid for but allow for some unusual combinations.

Open narrative play is something that came in recently.  More than a pair of the players came to me as GM/SM whatever, and asked to do something unusual for their next game.  Awesome I say, it goes for the campaigns first tennant:  Fun before Fair.  As long as both parties agree, play how you wanna play.  More on that in the coming weeks.

Apoc Phase Games.  Well... at the end of each Phase, 2 months.  We gotta do something big.  Right?   Regardless of where one is on the map, all can join in this big ass game, representing a development in the main plot of the game.  Unbalanced, hilarious fun which can give rewards for doing more than just winning.  Developing the narrative and changing the game.  Can't say too much on that just yet though...

Now the pre-generated background stuff was a simple request for a paragraph or two detailing the following:

• Who are they and what are they good at? Who is in charge? Who is his/her right hand?
• What is there current goal? Why are they even here? (You can be vague if you like)
• Were they approached by the Bringers of Silence? How did that play out?
• Do they have any grudges, old unfinished business with other forces?

It is worth noting that nothing is "true" in these fictional asides, and my gods some of the beautiful propaganda I got between Imperial players: "YOU'RE THE HERETIC!"  "NUH UH!! YOU ARE!"  -Was amazing.

Next?

Well next, as promised, is more about the Forces in the campaign, I'm not going to give too much away just yet as not all Background pieces are in.

OH OK.  Here, check out these guys, who have begun generating some stuff for the game.  See if you can guess which faction they belong to!

• Rory - Rottimus' Blogg (Black Scorpions)
• William - Wimaro's Blog (Ibraesil Craftworld Eldar)

This is the army my friends built.

This post has been a long time coming.

The mighty Dynasty army, virtually fully painted (75%?), reaching a respectable 7500pts now.  It all started gifts from friends.  Then as my life took a rather nasty turn, survived on that same generosity. One could say this is the Dynasty my friends built.

A few years ago, after many gaming nights with me complaining of a hopelessly uncompetitive Imperial Guard army (you know the one, hobby burn out syndrome), I received the beginnings of a Necron army.  They had recently received their 5th edition codex revamp.  I got the codex, warriors, immortals and pariah.  Later I got a Monolith! Luvely boxy Monolith.

My monolith.  MY PRECIOUSSSSS

I've always had the burning need to do something Stargate-ish and after reading a rant online from someone obviously opposed to the idea I was inspired by something he wrote which has stuck with me to this very day:
"They are just tomb kings in space!"

Well... THAT'S AN AMAZING IDEA!!!

So began the bone.  So began the encroaching death that was the mysterious and dreaded Trazian (alt Trazeen, Trazio, Trazalian) Dynasty of the thrice betrayed. Once the priests of one thousand deaths of Necrontyr of old, of the time of the flesh.  They had been first forced to consort with the Ctan and then as the first to convert, alongside the criminals of the age.  Remembered amongst their own as a half forgotten misdeed, their emergence into the new age of the Imperium can only be bad for them and the galaxy at large.

As you can see, generating fluff has never been an issue with me.  Even borrowing from Basque worked a treat.  Thus Overlord Hautsi'du, Soldat Armak and the rest were born.

This trend however, of receiving Necrons continued with every celebration.  Any gift vouchers given were spent on more battle forces, more 3rd part mail orders for those Egyptian heads from various sellers. A pair of friends sold me their second hand Necrons for almost insultingly cheap prices
(What do you mean he doesn't know how to 'aggle!?)

Then, last year, right after finding out I would be being made redundant at work and dead on my fricking birthday, we had a fire at our apartment. My wife and I had just come back glowing from our recent wedding and as you might expect a bit broke spare the money given kindly to get us on our way to our honeymoon.

Thanks to the fire however, we were left living without a home of our own.  Nearly all the clothes we owned and over half of our belongings were destroyed.  So much had to be started from scratch. Amongst the tiny miracles that happened (not the PC, that melted), our wedding clothes survived mostly, but nothing went untouched.  Smoke damage is deceitfully effective.

Spare the Necrons.

I kid you not, the fire swept up and over my wargaming collection.  Obviously they rolled all the resurrection saves.  Though all card elements needed to be thrown and cloth washed.  A lot.  In Isopropynol.

Insurance came in, and with that, and the money for the honeymoon we decided to use the opportunity to dive in and buy our own apartment (STRESS!).  So we took the plunge and decided that stuff would be replaced as we went along.  Hel i uhel as they say in Norway, or Silverlinings.  We are still looking for things that simply aren't there any more. The outcry from our friends and family was instant as it was amazing.  Despite this, with the money situation I began to consider selling a lot to help pay for essentials.  Not something I wanted to do, but did consider heavily at the time...

Then came a party for those who hadn't been able to or just plan couldnt come over to England for our wedding.  Now I know a looot of gamers, nerds and collectively beautifully unique people.  Which is amazing.  There was for example one chap who started a fund on Facebook using one of those Fund me things to raise support for us!

Anyway, at this party, amongst all of the surprises we got, one related to this post is the collaborative gift given by the boys from the GRIM club here in Oslo.  They had come together to give me an inordinate amount of GW gift vouchers.  They knew I couldn't continue paying for the club membership.  They knew I was unable to really continue with my Necrons, and they didn't accept it.

I also received this.  A data slate memo detailing in true GRIM style, the reasons for receiving the Throne Gelt and giving me the task of hunting down the heretics in the group once "rested and recuperated."

Now this is all great.  And thanks were given long ago.  So, over a year on... what is the point of this post?

#Forgethecommunity

Its a simple act: anything from giving something from your bits box, to helping someone with that horde army get it painted up.  Working with someone to get that board finished.  Its the act that puts your effort somewhere other then on your own stuff.  Not just on to a friends army but therefore also into your community of friends, people you play with.  Yes money and gifts are extreme examples of this, but the thought truly is what matters.

Remember that board you helped make scenery for?  It's now your play ground, the army you helped paint? You get to play against it.  That bit you gave away enabled your mate to create that work of art or get inspired enough to keep at it. That dataslate with those collected gift vouchers may well have saved your friend's happy killy-figure time.

One example of this in practice in a huge way is the Facebook Group dedicated to Poppy, the daughter of a wargaming paragon Paul Bullock, who is currently fighting cancer.  Nigh over 100 fellow gamers and dads came together to raise money to support the father, Paul Bullock which he and his wife go through this indescribably tough time.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/poppysangels/
Take a look and see what a common interest between good people can do.

Inspired by everything from the start to the amazing responses of next year, I kept on painting bone.  This November will see the whole Dynasty going to war for the first time, against those same boys from GRIM.

Huge thanks to Soundslave for the army shot!

To those guys at GRIM and to everyone else who saved my favourite hobby I've been at since I was 12 years old: a thousand thanks.  You know who you are.

Rick

#Forgethecommunity
#Bonecronsftw
#TrazianDynastySmash

Moar Scenery!!

I forgot to blog about this, but a while back now (2 weeks?), my friend William and I went crazy on making cheap ass terrain.

After collecting all the washed tin cans, card, wood rod, more card, pollyfiller (Sparkle på norsk), even going so far as to butcher 1 of my Necron standing stones, we were ready.

This was really in a rush and on a budget!  We had 2 evenings for assembly and painting.  And by all that ain't holy, it was fun.

Highly recommended antics.

In the end we managed to assemble:

• Maximum "Barricades" lengths as dictated from the Stronghold Assault expansion.
• Maximum "Barbed Wire" lengths as dictated from the Stronghold Assault expansion.
• A beautified crashed Aquila.
• x3 Refinery pieces using the tin cans.
• Extra ruin piece.
• Some weird and exotic distillery that William felt like making (I love him but he is a bit mad...).
• Fallen Necron stone piece.

The stuff was sprayed with any Primer we could lay our hands on and then lathered over with cheap acrylic paint from the local cheap shop.  Instead of buying inordinate amounts of GW or Army Painter pots, we mixed from these big packs to replicate the way I do my bases.  Dark brown, grey and finishing with a creamy light brown.  Washing and dry brushing on weathering tones really brought it together and Williams freehand of the aquila on one of the pieces was awesome.

Big note!  Seal in any polystyrene with paint and pva prior to priming with spray.  Or it melts.  No kidding.  Also, regarding sealing, seal in all Pollyfiller with watered PVA.  The filler can be very absorbing and it pays to coat it prior to painting.  It also prevents chipping from wear and tear later!

Sadly as we were on a tight schedule, there are no showy pics of the finished product.  Only of them in ACTION!!

Considering the price for these, I'm freaking happy with the results.  With 40k 7th edition being more about LOS than "Area Terrain" these really break up the shooty dominating effect of this edition.  In practice, I'm gonna need some "ignore cover" stuff.  Real soon.

Pic dump, Hobby Progression!

First off, big thanks to Kurt Metz for my new blogg banner, depicting the on going fued between Overlord Hautsi and some punk from Rottimus's Black Scorpions who doesnt deserve mention.  Rest assured his recent victory will be returned in kind.  With murder!!!
/dramatic_rant.

First up, I decided to focus on the "easy kills" namely the Deathmarks and Warriors I had started on.

After so much bone I needed a break, something I found after noticing so many barrels and ammo boxes in my bits box, I needed to do this.  In the current rules, these can give nearby units rerolls on 1s to shoot.  Plus making awesome scatter terrain in both 40k and Necromunda...

Which!  After sourcing the most updated rules from Yaktribe's community edition, I will be partaking on the side.

While I wait for the Necro scenery to bolster my quite ample scenery collection, I think I'll get back stuck in with some Bone...

Another 20 Warriors are staring at me from the hobby desk.  Jerks.  I'll show them!

Gaming board - simple and cheap!

Ok, so finally I managed to get space in our new appartment to feasibly have a gaming table.
APPLAUSE

Ok.  So I have the essential component, an understanding wife.  No, I mean the other component, a table!  The biggest limit in making a gaming table is the legs.  The support to the flat surface you work on.  Some get by this by attaching the legs directly to the table but this presents other issues.  For me, it was all about how big the dining table was gonna get.

I needn't have worried.

Table expands enough to keep overhang to a minimum.

The wood, was 4mm MDF from the local wood and hardware specialists.  Here in Norway its Maxbo, in the UK it was DIY, not sure who it is now.  Somewhere where you by a plate of wood and get them to cut it to size for a modest sum.

Lucky for me, the whoe section I bought divided neatly into Imperial measurement.  Perfectly.
Twas as God intended. O_O #makemeabeliever

So I took the bus over and called a cab back.  Simple! Next?

Well next was texture.  Traditionally this was made to be a shit ton of PVA glue and a deserts worth of sand.  Downside?

• Increased chance of the wood bowing.

•  Sand is easily knocked off. 

•  PVA comes off over time.

So... not that then.  Unfortunately the best solution was spray texture, which as far as I could tell was like blue food colouring, decent tea and someone who understand the law of the sacred queue.  NOT TO BE FOUND IN NORWAY!

The answer came from my wife, who remarked that "effect" sprays existed.  Genius.  Transferable results.  Plodding over to our local home improvement store, Jernia, I had a long chat explaining my intentions with the staff members. After several blank looks one finally flicked his fingers.  By jove I thought, I think he's got it!

Stone effect.  Paint that is water based and designed to turn whatever you want into appearing like granite stone.  Statues etc.  I had to order it in from another store, which took a couple of days.  Though in hindsite I should have asked them to try and mix it to another colour.  The answer probably would have been no, but could have asked!

Anyway, result.  One tub, 4 plates of 2 by 4 feet later and boom!

The next step was simple enough.  Having textured the boards I needed a colour.  Choosing something resembling Dryad Bark (GW), I acquired two tubs and went nuts.

NOTE!  Painting textured paint, even with water based acrylics, will take several coats and much correction.  The 3dness of the bumbs ensure that somewhere some freakin white will come through.  Persevier and be one with the OCD!

Black Forest C Base water based paint, with some basic bulk acrylic.

Sadly the end result over such a large surface area was rather streaky.  You can see where I have gone over in Grey, then a mix of White and Brown being a creamy highlight.  Where I buggered up, I tend to change the tone of that area, bashing out a full tone of grey or lighter brown before highlighting.

I did go back on the first two after I learned some tricks. (Like not screwing up!)

To finish, as its all water acrylic paint in the end, I doused it all in Army Painter No Shine Varnish.  I'm still concerned regarding rub-off, but I think I will steal Zuzzy Mat's idea and layer some packaging sheets in between when in storage.

Although I have no plans to do Flock (BECAUSE F&#K THAT NOISE!), or anything further, scatter terrain is the order of the day.  Rottimus linked me this gem too!


Thanks for reading!
R

Games, testing and more games. Road to Apoc 2015.

SO! As promised, here is more info on the gaming element of my road to the Apocalypse game at the end of the month.

Firstly, I decided to swap armies with my Dark Eldar friend Chris, who has kind of just started really.  Dark Eldar are glass cannons and can prove a hard place to start in 40k.  Luckily, Chris, despite always complaining, never stops trying.  But the army he would be using in the Apoc game would need to be tested regardless.

And I wanted to play Dark Eldar.  So there.

The game was done old school, played with whatever scenery we could scrounge, despite being done on one of those fantastic latex mats from Zuzzy in the states.

For deployment, I wanted to use his own "fun" army.  I was playing to test out things, be daring, try out tactics you would normally shirk from.

So for deployment I held as much in reserve as possible and hid!

So much wrong with this picture, I know.

 The early game was shadowed by a fantastic stroke of luck.  Gambling everything into one attack, I put 2 venoms with trueborn toting more splintercannons into danger, backed up by Scourges firing long and a deepstriking raider + the Archon using his portal for a no- scatter deepstrike!

Result?  Necron Warrior unit reduced to 0 warriors and one pissed off Necron Lord.
...
1 Necron Lord with an warscythe to gring.  He charged next turn. I learned then that my Archon had no Agoniser or other offensive option... thank Cthulu I had a shadow field!

Weird seeing this guy on the opposing side of the board...

The game went slow, lots of umming and ahhing on my side as if it was a chess game.  (Which incidentally has a clock to stop people like me driving the game into the late hours!!).  It was all in all a close match, as most Maelstrom games are, my earlier gamble folding under the weight of Necron troop spam.  Damn those 20 man squads are tough in 1500pts!

***

Later that same week saw me and Chris joining several other players for some light 1000pt quick matches.  The aim was simple: Have fun, learn something new!

Into the breach, inspired by a dawn of war map.

There were just 6 players active, these three boards above being used.  Highlights include seeing Dark Eldar finding themselves in the unenviable position of holding off a Tyranid horde.  Only the narrow terrain helped them, though the quick assault of flying xenos nearly won the day.  Poison weapons are for Tyranids what Bananas are for me.  Poison.  (Edit: Find better analogy).

City fight board, used by IG vs IG. 

Two Imperial Guard Armies battling across a ruined city. Ordnance Pie plates at dawn a amongst aegis lines and meat shields. :) Arguments ensued over who was more faithful to the emperor, and who was just trying that little too hard.  An Inquisitor was brought in.

Eldar were having a bad day as an Ultramarine drop pod assualt ranked up 11pts in just the first 2 turns of the game.  Devolving into a cat and mouse game, the Space Marines held on for 6 turns, avoiding a vengeful Iyanden host trying to table them as their only option.

Band of buggered...

While I only played 1 game (I was on rules duty for the first round) the game itself showed me a fault in using Meprhit in small games.  The compulsary demand for 3 Troop units it a big negative.  Necrons do better when fielded in larger units, as to take advantage of their reinimation protocols.  If they lose all their number in 1 phase, they cannot come back, as their Lord doesn't count.

FFFUUUUUUUU!!!!

In small games, this means you have very little room for special stuff like an Annihilation Barge or 3.  With the Mephrit Dynasty this problem is made worse yet.

This was demonstrated very clearly for me by good old nasty Chris and his Dark Eldar flier, essentially carpet bombing my main big unit down a street with Necrotoxin missiles.  Combined with a few other focused attacks and cheeky deep strikes later, it was clear I had lost. 

Dammit, the noob is learning. 

So for 1000pts I'd recommend using the standard FOC.  The variety is better and the ability to snab objectives with troops is always useful.  However, I have another 40 Warriors and 15 Immortals to paint.  So with regards to Mephrit, I'll be back! (See what I did there!??)

Thanks for reading.
R