A Prison for Gods: Finale.

So after 7 months of gaming the Prison for Gods campaign is finally over. Last saturday the players were invited to one last narrative driven game as the forces of the Faustian Schism attempted to reach the ultimate prize: The gateway to the Duat, resting place of the Necrons sealed away technologies, and the most dangerous of Ctan.

As is typical of such events, not everyone could make it, but we did have a nice complement:

• Rory "Rottimus" with his undefeated Black Scorpions Space Marines.
• William "Wimaro" with his new and beautifully painted Ibraesil Craftworld Eldar.
• Chris "Soundslave" with his perverted and insane Dark Eldar with their famous leader Ozzy.
• Thomas "Lucky" with his determined and plasma shy Krieg Imperial Guard.
• Magnus "Sneaky bastard" with his Black Watch Imperial Guard.
• And me.  With my Necrons.  You know, the freaking antagonists of this adventure.  

Remember that last bit.  Because it matters.  It really does.

The Finale. (Lotsa pics!)

Around the orbit of the rogue world of Solemnum fleets of all the forces engaged with each other and the heavy automated defences of that mysterious planet. Burning black on red as its very core reignited with the heat from the local star, Solemnum was awakening. Having since long been in the cold, it was said that the kiss of a red star would open the gates. There had been truth to this. Energised by the boiling core of the planet, the ancient technologies that lay under the surface like bones took in that hyper-geothermal energy and powered itself.  

The only point on the planet which was not simply deadly Pylon networks, was a simple ziggurat, located north of the equatorial belt.  

Only a few of the forces in orbit above managed to send down forces, and of them, little would ever make it.  Between the violent magma storms and the Necron defences, it had been clearly stated as a suicide mission.  But then, promises had been made and there had been truth to them.  Threats old and dark, power unimaginable.  Many would risk death.

The Objectives.

The strategic objectives for the game were simple enough, the Ziggurat would yield a massive 6pts at the end of the game, while the Pylon and the Power Conduit would give 3.  Each player, took a secret Agenda card, depicting their personal intent.  Though on two sides, each player would have their own objectives, which would affect the game, and their allies.  As we found out, to horrendous levels!

They could either choose:

• Duty - Selfless Glory
• Ascendancy - Selfish Glory
• Destruction - Wanton Anarchy

Each one gave bonuses to one of the tables, and hinted at things that could happen on the board.  

Turn One.

The game started with the Dark Eldar revealing their allegiance to the last force anyone could exp- nah, who am I kidding. Chaos had allied with ozzy it seemed, as a Hellbrute took up office at the Pylon structure, instantly giving the Dark Eldar the reserves bonuses. 

Meanwhile, Lucius the Eternal deployed on the Ziggurat itself, already prepared to breach the Prison proper.  With the Shard Keys in their possession, most of the Necron defences and security would open to them. 

The Necrons had deployed two squads of ten warriors around the ziggurat, poised to take the fight as soon as possible. 

Though the Necron side had won deployment, after a reminder from Wimaro, the Dark Eldar side attempted to Seize the Initiative, and won!  Which was bad for them. As reserves would be coming on in turn one on a 4+.

The following is sadly a brutally simple report of what happened...

Reserve rolls prove to be highly unreliable, the majority of Black Scorpions are delayed while the majority of Iybraesil Craftworld Eldar turn up with devastating effect,.

The Necron Warriors make a move to seize the Pylon from the Helbrute as their strongest allies are refused a landing space.

And promptly fail to do anything worthy of note.

A typical sight, especially in 7th Edition...

After failing to Breach the gate on turn one, Lucius charges into the arms of the waiting Lych Guard, whose 3++ saves prove to be a pain.  Locked in combat, the two groups would get to know each other quite well...

The skies fill with fliers as the Dark Eldar's only air support delivers its Necrotoxin payload on the Necron Immortals, with disapointing results.  Imperial gunships deliver punishing lascannon support.

On the left, Dark Eldar Haemonculus and his body guard deep strike with perfection and no scatter to bring 3 "poop" guns.  Necron endurance is the only thing which saves them from total annihilation.

The Black Scoprions finally arrive, at the foot of the Ziggurat with an impressive display.  And then Rottimus fails his charge roll (3"!), meaning assured pain in the next enemy shooting phase.  A key point in the battle.  Tears may or may not have been shed, cups of tea required.

The fight for the Ziggurat heats up as Ozzy gambles everything by teleporting in on the hotspot.  As the rules for the portal borrow from the rules for Embarkation, he would have to endure a whole turn before being able to try and enter!

The Dark Eldar Scourges would provide more than a little help in this game, sniping with Dark Lances from afar, they proved yet again to be more reliable then the Ravager.

"Spare me from the destructive stupidity of Mon Keigh 'bravery'"
- Heard from an Iybraesil Dire Avenger.

Taking aim on the Power Conduit, the Shadow Sword "Last Duty" fired its Volcano Cannon.  The Power Conduit, a control node keeping the planets geothermal discharge in balance shook from the hit that overloaded its many ancient defences.  The Shadow Sword would fire two more times during the game, every attempt to stop it defeated by luck or by the Super Heavies sheer raw toughness.

The 3rd shot, saw it kill its prey. The entire freaking planet.

Managing to roll on the Cataclysm table, Thomas gleefully revealed his Agenda was Duty, gaining him a +1 on the chart in his mission to destroy the gate by any means necessary.  He rolled a 6.  Meaning the planet would die, quickly and violently.  A clock had been started and each turn from now on, everything there would take a strength 10 ap 2 hit.  In hindsight, this was waaaay too much.  But damn did it feel like the world was ending.

Half the boards figures disappeared as the crust opened and poured lava death across the battlefield.  Grand Warlords and tanks were taken out scorched and blackened and entire unites were vaporised by sudden gusts of superheated air.

Despite the chaos, the fighting continued. More Necrons deployed, though what was a populated board quickly got reduced to desperate heroics by survivors and new reinforcements. 

The fighting between Lucius the Eternal and his opponents would come to an end as his "girlfriend" turned up to help.

Hey.  Can you hear something?

Another rules quandry.  There would be sadly... several.  Seriously, screw 7th.

Obligatory butt shot.

 In the end, Ozzy of the Dark Eldar was locked in combat, to be taken out by falling chunks of burning rock.  Even Lucious the Eternal, as he ran for the crystal at the top, was knocked away by the storm. The Daemonic entity of the Keeper of Secrets though, charged in, removed form sight by an incandescent snap of green lightning.

Within the Duat, the Deamon Queen tapped into the secrets there within, corrupting some of the ancient Prison for her master.  Filling herself with the secrets of Necrodermis and Ctan solar energies.
However, before she could re-emerge as an angel of death, another angel of death ran in behind her.

No-one knows what happened within the Prison, as Brother Cyrus took on the one way trip, closing the Portal behind him.  Trapped within with a dimension of danger and a raging Slanneshi daemon as his only partner, his fate would be another story...

Meanwhile, the planet breathed its last as entire continental tectonic plates split and ruptured.  The surviving forces fled, many having their promised treasure denied, some wondering if the losses were worth it...

In the end, the Ziggurat was held by the Necron side, as was the other two objectives, winning an otherwise losing battle.  Though the prison had been breached, the planet itself had been slain, and the Daemon which had managed to become something even worse, denied escape.  For now.

Of the Overlord of the Necrons, his delayed trip and late arrival would need review...


An over-larged skeletal hand wrapped around the Cryptek's extended skull, gripping tightly, drawing the servent high.  Overlord Hautsi regarded the squirming Cryptek as he forcibly scanned his  coding. Lines of Necrontyr, calculations and script screamed across his vision, stopping as he found what he had expected.  

"SO. YOU ARE ALLIED TO ANOTHER." He stated.  Slamming the Cryptek against the sheer black wall.  The wall cracked, but not as much as the Cryptek's skull.  The mewling static informed him that he had broken his vocal emitter. 
"ThE OtHErs, We, wE feaRed YouR IntEnTions."

The Overlord dropped the Cryptek, who clumped up like a toy mannequin. 

"THE TRAZIAN DYNASTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN SLAVES TO GODS. GODS OF OLD LEAD US TO BETRAYAL.  THE FAKE GODS LED US TO DAMNATION.  THE NEW GODS I WILL FORGE WILL NOT.  WE WILL WORSHIP THEM, AND THEY WILL DO OUR BIDDING."

The Overlord was pacing fists clenching, he was panting, more as an ancient habit then born of any need.  The repair protocols on his face plate were malfunctioning, his death mask shifting from a skull to something more organic but at the same time infernal: Snarling and bestial.

"BuT WHy?  Said the Cryptek, the blood red Anhk of the Dynasty now changed to that of his true allegiance, that of Sautek.  "wE Don'T NeEd TheM!"

Hautsi crooned over the Cryptek, face inches away. 
"BECAUSE THE NEW GODS WILL HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO UNDO.  THE POWER TO BRING BACK WHAT WE LOST. WHAT WE TRULY SACRIFICED FOR THIS."

"OuR SOuls?" The Cryptek chuckled, green discharge like liquid lightning erupting from the cracks on his skull.

The Overlord came closer, eyes of balefire burning, the Cryptek, despite all of his immense knowledge of the technoarcana, could feel the rage, the insanity.

"NO. OUR CHILDREN."

And that was that.  Next up, the boring bit, the results.

A Prison for Gods: Phase 1 Resolution

For the end of Phase 1 we ran a huge game of 4 vs 4.  Or so THEY THOUGHT!!!!

Just as the forces of the Faustian conflict were losing sight, beginning to question the wisdom of the war, commands came down the line.  Intellegence, which told of a long a abandoned Holopict station on Warrens End was picking up a signal.  A signal, which was crucial the aims of the Necron Overlord and thus essential to his enemies.  Though, thanks to the Cathartic Denier, Warrens End was dying.  Her atmosphere was becoming irradiated, inhospitable thanks to the mysterious planet killing weapon fired by the Tyranids on Nolan.
Once again, the Bringers of Silence and the Sentinels of Fire raced to the crisis point, the latter aided it seemed once again by the Tyranid Hive Mind.  But many were blind to the shatter points in the fragile alliance.  Something had to give.
And give, it would.  

The game would centre on the seize and control of 4 points on a 8' by 4' board.  Each point would represent a tall augur array sprouting from the ground like giant spear tips.  Using Space Hulk room and corridor cards, they would be shown on the board as small Zone Mortalis sections, blocking Line of Sight and the contents being untouchable bar from direct fire through the door or inside. Teleportation or burrowing deep strike was possible, but risky.

Each turn, each objective would give the holding side 1 point.  Though First Blood and Linebreaker would be ignored, the plethora of Warlords on the field would make Slay the Warlord a tie breaker.

The Defenders, this time the Sentinels of Fire, would hold the centre against two pronged attack by the Bringers of Silence.  Lords of War were unrestricted for this game and wrecks would be removed instantly.  Space was a premium and any excuse to throw points into the big un's was a bonus.

The game was simple and set.  But there would be a surprise in store.  A betrayal.

The Cryptek noted the array of Bone coloured warrior constructs as they shambled towards the defenders lines.  It had calculated the reduction of incoming fire perfectly. Though the gigantic narcissistic warmachine of the humans was irritating.  How he longed for a phalanx of Heavy Destroyers...  Still.  What was most troubling was the Druchii.  Sensors from microscopic scarabs detected a change in their scent.  Focusing in on the lithe and serrated figures to his right, he leaned forward redundantly as something shining caught his attention.  They seemed to be smearing themselves and spraying themselves.  Combat drugs were administered via ocular nerves or via artificial organs.  This was, crude, especially for their standards.
Readings filtered into his mind like music and a conclusion echoed like a timpani.
No!
His gaze snapped across to the defending lines.  The bizarre behaviour of the Tyranids, which recently had caused major distress to their tender alliance with the Post Human Black Scorpions, took a shift.  They, ignored the Druchii.  He could not believe his sensor augers and watched in complete awe as a pair of Dark Eldar combatants danced around a Tyranid fighter organism like baby herbivores around a disinterested apex predator.  The Cryptek ran calculations, and turned to give the order to shift fronts.
"Hi!!" came a voice.  Turning slowly, he became keenly aware of his vulnerability, alone and lacking his LychGuard.  A serrated shadow stood before him, the silhouette flickering with a void flame.  Some sort of dark matter shield?
"Bitchsezwhat?"
"WHAT?"  The cryptek replied.
"Exxxactly!"  Said the figure, firing a purple tinted line of dark-light into his face.
Lucky for the Cryptek he returned to the Tomb Resurrection halls, and didnt see what came next.  The Dark Eldar turning on their allies with abandon and the Tyranids doing the same.
The war had took a great turn...

The Great Turn...

So at the end of the deployment.  I explained to the teams that the Tyranid and Dark Eldar players, Eivind and Chris, had teamed up.  They got to redeploy with arguably harsh restrictions, and would get the edges of the no-mans land as reinforce points.

Ahh, I can still here the curses and promises of retribution!!

So there we have it.  The game turned into a 3 side fustercluck of a game, with 3 sides taking their turns.  The rules were modified simply to take it into account.  Any rules problems being decided by rote, vote or the riktocracy! (Me!).

Despite the sudden change in the game, the Defenders used their full weight of fire power, taking chunks out of Rottimus's Black Scorpions.  The man's reputation ensured he would be targeted with respectfully overkill levels of fire.  Meanwhile, Thomas's Shadow Sword duelled with Magnus' Bane Blade.

It was clear that the heavily Imperialised Defenders of the Sentinels of Fire had not made plans with Eivind, their deployment went largely unchanged.  But on the other side, the Bringers of Silence suddenly felt the full betrayal of one of their number.

"Damn your inevitable and sudden betrayal!" - Anon

During the game, the turns went swifter than expected, though reserve restrictions needed to be loosened to keep the campaigns principles.  Fun first, fair second.  At first, it seemed the points would remain level, despite biased and fearful fire obliterating Rottimus' artillery.  That said, I've seen that boom train in motion.  KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

An interesting and undisclosed point, was the sudden addition of some Slaaneshi Chaos in Chris' Dark Eldar.  Not though of as usual bed fellows, and though this is probably to do with Chris beginning a new army later this year...

I wonder if Archon Ozzy has fallen foul of the great enemy?

At the end of the game, a spectacularly desperate attack from the Warhounds anti everything weapon (Turbo Lasers?) firing INTO one of the objective spire control rooms saw the GM, me, make an executive decision.  If Kaia rolled a 6, the whole thing would come crashing down ala Battlefield 3.

She rolled a 4.  Then, noticing the grumbles.  I asked for a democratic veto.  The decision was virtually unanimous.  And hey presto, the gigantic spine collapsed, crushing two transports, several guardsmen and a Dark Eldar air craft whose last words were "JINKING IS FOR PU#####!"

After the game, the teams in order of victory were:

1. Bringers of Silence
2. Sentinels of Fire
3. Bearers of Change.

In this order, the teams were then invited to place new flags in the new worlds:  The hive world of Nest, the borderland of Tresium, the mysterious Wake, the lost Sordid and the extra space hulk.

The points were then tallied up, from before this expansion, taking note of things like Manufactorums held and Grand Warlord Traits et al.

The final score for Phase 1?

• 1st - Bearers of Silence with 44 Faction Points
• 2nd - Sentinels of Fire with 22 Faction Points
• 3rd - The Bearers of Change with 12 Faction Points

An interesting development was the shift of Points at the last minute from Chris and Ozzy's Dark Eldar.  Rottiums and Magnus have vowed revenge!  However when asked if players would have their points as Faction of Personal, both Eivind and Chris said Personal?!!

Highest on Personal Points so far?

• 1st - Chris (Bearers of Change) with 21 Personal Conquest Points
• 2nd - Eivind (Bearers of Change) with 19 Personal Conquest Points
• 3rd - William and Thomas (Both Sentinels of Fire) with 4 Conquest Points each

Meanwhile, though the remaining Bringers of Silence pushed for Faction points, the larger surviving team of the Sentinels William began asking for Personal Points!  Has the betrayal opened up old wounds?  Are the players now looking to split off on their own agenda?

As the GM, this opens up two horrible possibilities which are both awesome and terrifying:

1. I'm really going to have to come up with something for using those Personal Points.  Making it more interesting.
2. The original factions may need to be either enforced (IE no more betrayals!!) or, more tempting, allowing for more freedom to back stab, reducing the evolving game into a game of negotiation and traitors! (You should have heard Thomas grumble about xenos!)

Either way, this was but the first Phase.  1/3rd of the way.  As players pound out new and more deadly figures and combinations we may yet see a vicious change in fortunes.  

Next?

On Warrens End, the Black Scorpions are working every element to rescue who they can before the planet goes radioactive.  The Tyranids meanwhile, see the grouping of biomass as an opportunity. 

The Craftworld Eldar of Imbraesil continue their investigation into the truth about Agatha, now Rust, though their Nemesis the Dark Eldar of Archon Ozzy still rule there.  A reckoning is destined.  

Thanks for reading, more soon!
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)

The Road to Apocalypse - The Transcendent C'tan.

So, while I've been busy moving into our new home, I have been neglecting my Bloggy duties.  Forgive me fellow 'Cronsters, I have been weak.  In way of apology, please accept the following set of pics from the rush built Transcendent C'tan for an Apocolypse game about a month ago now.

I say rush build, not in a bad way, but in a decisive, ultra efficient way, that started out so simple and somehow just got drunk and added green stuff...  No-one said this was an exact science!

Now, back prior to the recent Codex Necrons 2015, the Transcendent C'tan was an upmodded variant on the C'tan, insanely powerful and easily argued as being OP (Overpowered).  Unfortunately, the release of the new 'Dex was on the day of the Apoc game, and as GW quite rightly noticed that they were undercutting their Tesseract Vault with this unit, they swapped things around.

Now the T-C'tan (some insist on calling it a Tranny C'tan?  Come now gentleman, have some decorum for 'Crons' sake.) is a kind of unnamed C'tan that ain't the Deceiver or the other Reapery one everyone goes for.  Incidentally they work damn well together.  Deceiver giving a debuff of -2 to enemy Ld in 12" which the Nightbringer (That's the one!) can use in his ranged attack to ruin enemy heavy armoured units.

But I digress.  I was inventing a C'tan.

Now I've been in love with the idea of using and abusing the Tomb Squinx kit from GW's Tomb Kings range for some time.  I got motivated to complete it for this Apoc game, but really got driven after discovering the lower torso from a sculpter called Rothand Studios (Click for link).

Designed more for making a Tomb Kings Heirophant for Warhammer Fantasy, it was still moulded perfectly to fit the upper torso of the plastic kit and gave me a base to work from.

As I kit bashed the thing together, I began imagining a back ground for it.  In the cannon, C'tan were bound first into being using Necrodermis to give the energy based entities a body to communicate with.  These were, at least in the earlier cannon, said to represent the Necrontyr's own gods (yet they look somewhat human facially, but I'm not judging!).  The C'tan, in the recent canon (Or fluff if you prefer!), were then defeated and rebound into weaker shards.

Using this, I loved the idea of that rib cage being like the rib cage of a typical Necron Warrior, the inside creature being made of stabilized raw energy.  In an odd after thought, I slapped a faceless plate on the C'tans face, arguably a mistake I'm not sure I like that addition, though I will probably come back to that and either extend it or remove the head and replace it entirely.

The C'tan itself is gigantic.  Well, it is double the size of the Night Bringer, but remember I was trying to do justice to the nastiest unit point for punishment in the Apoc expansion.  Still, a nice center piece, and using the Mephrit Dynasties' Artefact (God Collar?), I can really explain this size with enhanced statistics.

But then, this all ties into the emerging background of the Trazian dynasty.  They are collecting C'tan for some purpose, some ill intent that unnerves the other Dynasties.

But more on that later!  Muhahahhaa.

As usual, thanks for reading, and always feel free to comment below.
It makes my life interesting. :D

Constructing critic welcome.
Nonconstructive critic will be responded to by shunning.  shuuuuun...

Scarab Swarms! - The road to Apoc 2015

AHAAAAA!!!  Hobby progression!  The inexorable wheels of burden brought on by disposabal funds and the depressive death stare of a thousand plastic robots held back by hope.

Thats right!  I painted some more. :)

Specifically, after breaking off trying to paint a whole force of them in layers, I focused on the first 10 to completion.  Sadly without one of the old ones for reference, the new 20 seem too "clean" though their colours are still aligned with the rest of the army.  Thankfully the change in style doesnt jar.  Though the red jaw bones worried me until the end. 

All but the final coat of bone... keep thinking of Shia Lebouf.

1000pts line up.  Later killed.  More soon.

In a recent game day, which I will be posting about soon, the Mephrit Dynasty FOC proved to be too specialized in troops to win a small 1000pt game.  After being liberally coated in Dark Eldar Neurotoxin missiles (Thanks Obama), they were cut apart by selective and focused attacks.
Bluntly put, they simply don't have the tools to deal with so many different forms of attack.  This army may have well done me justice in 5th edition, but the fantastic re-rolling of 1's in reanimation just doesn't justify the loss of variety and the loss of objective taking super troops in the normal Combined Operations FOC (Edit: Combined Forces?).   Nor can one really take advantage of the Solar Thermowhatsit.  Which is surely broken.  Surely...  We will see!

Last night, I was burning the midnight oil to quick finish the Scarab Bases.  Lacking in certain colours like the greys for weapons or even a dark red spot colour, I figured I could have them done quickly.  Unfortunately, some of the more characterful bases demanded that extra special touch. 
Let it be said, I paint to finish, not to win awards!!

Hope you like the blood!  :D Anyway, thats 11 Scarab bases added to the Dynasty.

After a little count up, I worked out that by the Apoc game in 2 weeks, I should have enough painted (in theory) to field just under 6000pts work of Necrons, including some Lords of War...

Ironically after this the raising continues, as there are many figures yet to finish in my mound of plastic hell!!  Plus, this is being released the same weekend as the Apoc game...




 
!!!

Regardless, to be ready for the Apoc game, I have yet to finish 10 primed Necron Warriors and something... else. See below.

In other news, my centre piece to the Army, which was orignally the lazer cut Pylon by lazercutcard.com, is going to be something special...  Here is a hint, bought as parts by Rothand Studios.  Combine this with a certain Tomb Kings kit and... well you will see, hopefully soon!

Come the Apocalypse, Come the Man. (Or Necron).

January has quickly become a series of deadlines for me Wargaming wise.  Between a game this Sunday designed to reinvigorate the hobby love and an Apoc game at the end of the month, deadline therapy is IN!

With so much currently there to finish, I decided since getting my hands on that beautiful tomb Exeterminatus (Read: Mephritt Dynasty ROCKS!), that Troop choices are also firmly IN!

Currently possessing a meager 20 Warriors and 10 Immortals, I figure I'd prioritise more.  Firstly an extra 10 Warriors for this weekend, followed by some nice and easy Scarab Swarm Bases (x11).
Its been a while since I laboured through that old painting plan, especially since the fire, a lot of paints turned out to have dried up or simply missing.  Regardless, I managed in quick time, to get the following up to that stage shown.

 There are also another 10 Warriors at a lesser phase of being painted. I seem to have accidentally gotten good at quick painting, being able to get through a lot to Wargame standard with a fixed palate and a lot of Netflix in the back ground.  Either way, I'm not the best expert on speed painting, but I do have some advice.

Rik's rules of speed painting!

1. When writing your painting plan, consider how much fine detail work you have to do.  Keep this as low as possible.
2. Dry or Wet brushing is your friend.  And Inking.  In fact, you want to have as much time doing this.  Detail work should be left for essential highlights and small stuffs.
3. Primer!  Working from a priming coat that IS your forces colour helps. A LOT.  For me this meant indulging in Army Painters Skeleton Bone (and matching paint).  This helped a lot.
4. Always have a painted example on hand.  This helps making sure that you don't suddenly finish off another unit only to realise they look significantly different to your army, be it a bad batch of paint, a missing layer or worse. Have your goal right there.
5. Paint the easy stuff on everything first, then finish off units at a time.  I began keeping a fine balance between putting the basic layers on all the things, like inks, before working on each unit at a time, bringing them to a finish.  This balances efficiency with psychological "pat pat" on the head.  Its easier to keep going when you can SEE the progress.
6. Out of sight, out of mind.  Units you aren't working on should be put away or on the other end of the table.  It is very easy to lose your mojo when all you can see if what needs working on.  Allow only those finished units to sit on your table. Again, you can see the progress, also see point 4.
7. Keep a tight palat. For my Necrons, I decided to keep a simple rule, paint wise.  Bone for armour, metal for the joints, grey for weapons and good old Necrony green for the power flow, eyes etc.  Indulging in too many paints on your basic troops can quickly become a nightmare, especially when wet blending or highlighting is required on everything.
8. Blog!  That's right!  Share your progress!  You would not believe how great a motivator it is to get feedback, comments and even better inspire others to get their crap done!
9. Bases are 1/3 of the figure.  Those bases which you often see left bare or single colour painted are a huge sin.  Sand, seal, paint with dry brushing.  Easy, quick, and gets over a third of the actual model done.  I do this phase half way through to get instant gratification on my need for progress!
10. Treat yourself with the big guys.  Characters, monstrous creatures etc, these guys should be a reward for doing the bulk.  All the above rules can be forgotten if you like.  Go nuts, take your time and change the rules.  This is where you make something special.
11. And finally, play games.  It quickly loses the point when you aren't remembering why you're working for weeks on that Infinite Phalanx.  This hobby should be mostly reward, not burden.

Easy kills are amazing moral boosters.  For me, these Scarab Swarms were a delight.  I dropped the flighty micro prong things that make them seem to fly in favour of them coming out the ground.  Not only does this make them more enduring, but easier to paint and frankly more fun to model.  Grab that bitz box and have fun. 
Painting them?  Remember what I said about bases and painting them?  Thats over half the figure here.  An absolute speed painting dream.  And scary as duck in game.

 Hopefully, the Warriors will be ready for the game this weekend, looking something like their predecessors underneath.  I'm really feeling the style of the Mephrit Dynasty, walls of nigh unstoppable machines bent on ruining your day.

"IS THIS YOUR BALL?"

A quick note on that day, since our social gaming group began flagging last year, this gaming day is more about practicing rules in a non-competitive environment, trying new things and new armies, meeting new gamers and basically having fun before fair games.

For many of us, its rediscovering why we love this hobby.  For me, it's a great opportunity to get a goal to get stuff done.  SCREW THE PLASTIC MOUNDS! 

It's time to rise! 

Thanks for reading,
R