40K - Building Drukhari

For years I've had these five frames of really, REALLY old Drukhari Kabalites... 

I thought they had been included in the Drukhari army I'd picked up several years ago... But looking back at the post... I don't see them included in that lot...!? So now I'm not sure WHERE they came from!?

The last week or so I've been COMPLETELY DISTRACTED/SIDE-TRACKED by Warhammer 40,000 again... and have been planning and assembling and painting. Part of that planning was trying to figure out an army Amanda could play and I remembered the Drukhari... but also... that Drukhari can be used in Ynnari forces (which are in the Aeldari codex - which I have - and thus would not require buying ANOTHER codex!?)... so I've been sorting out Drukhari stuff I could finish up for her army as well as my Emperor's Children. 

While I was at this I dug out and assembled a Drukhari Kabalite Kill Team that I've had kicking around but never got around to assembling and painting (I picked it up in one of the big Kill Team boxes that came with two teams and a bunch of terrain). There was PILES of left-over bits - heads and weapons... 

So I decided to assemble these really old kabalites... but am using some of the newer heads and weapons to jazz them up. 

I did build a few with the original heads and weapons... just because (still need to add spikey bits to shoulders!) 

However, I also have PILES Of bits left over from the Voidreaver Corsairs kill team... Like enough that I could have equipped all twenty of the old drukhari and had a full squad of ten with Shuriken Rifles and a full squad of ten with power swords and shuriken pistols (Because the box comes with enough options that they can be build as a Voidscarred Kill Team - where just about everyone is some kind of specialist... OR a regular Corsair Voidreaver Squad all armed with Shuriken Rifles... OR a regular Corsair Voidreaver Squad all armed with shuriken pistols and power swords...). They COULD be fielded in units of five so I could have five of each (and then ten that I build as Drukhari Kabalites)... but I can only have a Shuriken Cannon if I have a full squad of ten Voidreavers... and you can' mix and match the shuriken rifle armed and the pistol and sword armed... 

40K - Action on on Calispass IX

 It's been a while since I've played Warhammer 40,000. 

A new Space Wolves Codex is on the way and an Army Box with new models and special edition codex was released in the last week or so - which Orion picked up and has been itching to play with... So I suggested we play a game! 

I did pick up the new Codex: Aeldari back in February, but I haven't played them in... five or six years!? (I may have used some in a few Kill Team games, though...). 

THE SITUATION

Farseer Thymiltelyir of the Biel-Tymm Fleet foresaw the Mon-keigh building of a refinery on Calispass IX was a little too close to some ancient Aeldari ruins and should they find any of the artifacts lost within, it could be ruinous for the Aeldari. A force was dispatched to dissuade the Mon-Keigh from further encroaching on the site. 

Unfortunately, Farseer Thymiltelyir did not foresee the presence of the worst of the Mon-Keigh; the brutal and savage beasts that call themselves "Space Wolves"... 

THE SCENARIO

Just to keep things simple, we played the very basic Only War scenario from the Warhammer 40,000 (Tenth Edition) Core Rulebook. There are four Objective locations. A single point is awarded at the end of each players Command Phase (after the first tun) for each Objective held (to a maxim um of three points per turn). 

That's it. 

THE FORCES

Aeldari Force

Farseer Thymiltelyir  (with Psychic Destructor enhancement) 

Warlocks Adrellewi and Broelwyn of the Chorus of the Emerald Reaping Warlock Conclave

Shrine of the Fading Night Dire Avengers led by Exarch Bylizek

Shrine of the Dawning Confluence Dire Avengers led by Exarch Thodelwynn

Shrine of the Crawling Fury Warp Spiders led by Exarch Latrodectus

Maesenir's Rangers

Myardak's Rangers 

Kaedoreth's Rangers

Wraithguard

Space Wolves Force

Bjorn the Fell-Handed

Ragnar Blackmane leading ten Blood Claws 

Wolf Guard Battle Leader leading six Wolf Guard Headtakers and six Hunting Wolves

Wolf Guard Battle Leader (with Wolf Touched enhancement) leading Wulfen (with Thundershields!) 

A pack of six Fenrisian Wolves

THE GAME

The Mon-keigh's new a refinery on Calispass IX

The brutal savages of the Space Wolves are there waiting... 

Kaedoreth's Rangers infiltrated ahead of the main Aeldari force, signalled back the presence of the unexpected defenders. It was decided to go ahead with the raid. 

Farseer Thymiltelyir lead the Chorus of the Emerald Reaping Warlock Conclave and some Wraithguard forward, while Thodelwynn, Exarch of the Shrine of the Dawning Confluence Dire Avengers, held his troops back to defend one of the Ancient Aeldari ruin sites. 

The Wraithguard brought fire upon an anceint dreadnaught within the refinery, damaging it slightly... 

Shrine of the Crawling Fury Warp Spiders surged past Myardak's Rangers to seize one of the locations the Farseer determined would be ideal to set demolition charges. the were followed by Shrine of the Fading Night Dire Avengers led by Exarch Bylizek. 

Before they could even start setting the charges, they were assaulted by the brutal and savage Wulfen, led by a Wolf Guard Battle Leader. The Warp Spiders let loose with their Death Spinners and shredded three of the Wulfen, before they were upon them. 

The Wulfen crashed into the Warp Spiders with a terrifying fury, smashing and shattering flesh and bone and equipment. With so many injured and/or rendered ineffective with shattered equipment, Exarch Latrodectus called for the Shrine of the Crawling Fury Warp Spiders to retire to the rendezvous point in preparation to return to the fleet via a webway portal 

So shocked by the violence of the Wulfen's assault, the Shrine of the Fading Night Dire Avengers did not even have a chance to react to a second Wolf Guard Battle Leader leading a troop of Headhunters assaulted from their flank, through the Shardwrack Spines. 

A few of the Dire Avengers were immediately cut down by the murderous Headtakers. Exarch Bylizek ordered the remains of the squad to lay down suppressing fire to give the injured a chance to escape, then all fell back to the rendezvous point. They may have beaten them, but they would not be taking any heads today!

Elsewhere, Ragnar Blackmane and his Blood Claws, along with a pack of Fenrisian Wolves savaged Maesenir's Rangers then attempted to storm the position held by Exarch Thodelwynn and the Shrine of the Dawning Confluence Dire Avengers. Thodelwynn and the Shrine of the Dawning Confluence Dire Avengers were a bit more prepared than their compatriots. Thodelwynn directed a the Dire Avengers to unload vicious volley of monofilament shurikens at the stampeding brutes, slaughtering all but Blackmane... 

The Dire Avengers then charged in and, with the aid of the Farseer and warlocks...  

...brought down the famed leader of the Space Wolves. 

meanwhile the Wraithguard finished off the pack of wolves and siezed one of the objectives. 

The Wraithguard exchanged fire with the ancient dreadnaught in the refinery... 

Meanwhile, the headtakers quickly redeployed to the opposite flank of the battle!?

All but Maesenir (leader of one of the Ranger groups that had been savaged by Ragnar Blackmane and his barbaric Blood Claws) moved forward to try and hold one of the objectives long enough to start planting demolition charges.  

More fire was exchanged with the Headtakers and the Dreadnaught, chipping away at the forces on both sides. 

Eventually the Headtakers and their Wolf Guard Battle Leader charged in. 

Maesenir continued taking pot shots with his long rifle and planting demolition charges to destroy evidence of the Anceint Aeldari ruins. 

He hoped the rest of his rangers made it back to the rendezvous point. Two had been seriously injured... 

The sounds of escalating violence drew the Wulfen away from the position their commander had told them to hold... 

More of the Wraithguard were smashed and Dire Avengers injured. Farseer Thymiltelyir decided the situation was untenable and had the remaining forces exact an ordered retreat to the rendezvous point. The Farseer and Warlocks gathered the spririt stones of the Wraithguard and escorted the injured Dire Avengers off the battlefield. 

Exarch Thodelwynn stayed to hold back the beasts of the Mon-Keigh... 

Maesenir, distracted by the violence in the distance was unable to concentrate on setting up demolition charges... (failed a battleshock test and no longer counted as holding the objective). 

The Beastly Wolfen rounded the corner and it was time for the Exarch to give up the position. He'd held it long enough for the others to get away. There was no glory in dying this day.. 

The Wolf Guard Battle Leader and last surviving Headtaker had finally spotted the hidden Ranger and decided they should chase him off. Maesenir faded into the forest and made his way back to the Rendezvous point just in time to travel with the rest of the force. 

Despite slaying many of the absurd genetically-enhanced mon-keigh, what was gained strategically was too little compared to the Aeldari losses. Despite access to the best flesh and bone weavers, two were killed in action (Daelwynneth of the Shrine of the Fading Night Dire Avengers and Aurelys of Maesenir's Rangers) and others were so grievously injured, they had to leave the Path of the Warrior (or Outcast) and find new paths to walk in life. Klofaryl's head injury meant the could not focus to be an effective ranger. Holemenes and Bothrenon of Shrine of the Fading Night Dire Avengers lost and arm and a leg, respectively, and neither of the replacements grown for them were strong enough to continue their path. Farseer Thymiltelyir  took a bolter round to the spine and was crippled for some cycles. Many others spent many cycles in painful and difficult recovery and it would be a long time before they rejoined the path. 

What actually happened in the game...?

I had to go first and moved up, taking an objective with the Warp Spiders... because that's what we have to do... right? Then the space wolves went and the Warp Spiders, a unit of Dire Avengers and a unit of Rangers were charged and wiped out... Three of my seven units of troops gone in the first round. 

The next round the other two units of Rangers were destroyed. 

I did take out ONE unit of Space Wolves... chipped away at another... but didn't really 

I think I ended with 4-5 victory points and Orion would have scored... 10?  or so...?

40K - Aeldari Faction Update... sort of...

Ages ago, in January, I took a bunch of new pictures of ALL THE AELDARI - right before the new codex came out, I think...? I was planning to do a Taking Stock/Faction Update post... and I'd started organizing them into a new gallery page. 

I never did the Taking Stock/Faction Update post... and it seems like a pain in the ass to basically copy and past ALL of those pictures from the Gallery into a post just to post the same stuff in a post... when the Gallery is right there... So I finished up what I could for the Gallery and published it. It still needs some new pics of the Epic stuff and the Drukhari/Ynnead stuff... but all the Assuryani and Harlequins have been catalogued! 

You can find all the pictures of the CURRENT Aeldari force (along with some commentary and point values) on the new Gallery Page:

40K - Aeldari Gallery

It has all the current (as of March) point values. 

Spoiler: If I put ALL my painted Assuruyani (Craft World Aeldari) and Harlequins together in a force, I'd have 1995 points!

(I have NO IDEA if it would even be a USEFUL, PLAYABLE force... but I have a 2000 point force ready for action and don't NEED to paint a thing! Yay!) 

A Little Visit to the Den

 It's been mighty cold in Saskatoon the last few weeks. Before that I had a cold and hadn't been going out as much... so when the temperature plummeted, I was already in the habbit of not-going-out-so-much and just continued with that for the next two weeks!? I've barely left the house unless absolutely necessary!  I used to think nothing at all about bundling up and going for a bike ride in -40 weather... but now... 

It's been daytime HIGH temperatures in the mid to low -20s°C - but with windchill making it feel like the -30s (or lower)... The last -40 day was Tuesday... 

It seems bonkers that we had weeks of -30/-40 weather... and then a couple of days later it is melting!? The forecast was not wrong... It was very nice on Friday and I finally got around to heading over to Dragon's Den games to pick up the copy of the new Codex:Aeldari that they'd been holding for me almost two weeks since it's release! 

Of course, while I was there... I picked up some other things... 

They had FINALLY gotten in the Warbands of Embergard set of cards for Warhammer Underworlds!! Now I have access to ALL the cards for warbands that I have! Yay!

Also, they happened to have a copy of Five Parsecs from Home: Tactics! which I ended up picking up because... I do like Five Parsecs from Home and I really, REALLY WOULD like to get back to that little campaign I started... um... well over a year ago now!? 

I also picked up some paint I was desperately needing to get painting some ARMOUR!!! (I'll be posting some of those a bit later!?) 

I've finished the Autoblinda AB41 and made some serious headway with the rest of the Italian armour! I'll post some better pictures later today... 

40K - Aeldari - Faction Update

Since the announcement late last year (at the World Championships in November?) that the Aeldari Codex would be one of the first ones released this year, I've been thinking about doing a bit of a stock-taking of my Aeldari forces... 

Then with the announcement yesterday that the Codex will be going up for pre-order this coming Saturday, and released on 8 February 202, I thought it was about time I got to it!  

There really isn't much ORGANIZING to do for this, as 40K has abandoned force construction rules - other than everything is now set unit sizes and you can't have more than three of any thing (or six, if it's core troops). The point values might change with the release of the new codex... I just hope they don't fuck around with the unit sizes!

This is what I have for Aeldari and what I still need to do as of the beginning of January 2025... 

Painted

These are all the Aeldari I currently have done. 

Assuryani

• Farseer (1) 80 pts
• Warlock Conclave(2)  60 pts
• Dire Avengers (10).140 pts
• Dire Avengers (10).140 pts
• Warp Spiders (10) 230 pts
• Rangers (5) 55 pts
• Rangers (5) 55 pts
• Rangers (5) 55 pts
• Wraithguard (5) 170 pts
• Wraithlord (1) 160 pts
• Wraithlord (1) 160 pts
• Wraithlord (1) 160 pts

Assuryani Total: 1465

Harlequins

• Troupe Master (1)  55 pts
• Shadowseer (1) 60 pts
• Solitaire (1) 115 pts
• Death Jester (1)  90 pts
• Death Jester (1)  90 pts
• Death Jester (1)  90 pts
• Troupe (6)  90 pts 

Harlequin Total: 590

TOTAL: 2055

Wow... that's already a 2000+ point force! All the other stuff to paint is just OPTIONS, I guess!? 

Oh, and that doesn't even include all those big tanks in the background!  

Titanic Tanks

• Scorpion (1)  410 pts
• Scorpion (1)  410 pts
• Scorpion (1)  410 pts

Titanic Total: 1230

The models are old Armoucast Tempest Heavy Tanks... but they're very similar to the current Scorpion Heavy Tanks, so... that's what I'd use them as! 

Still to DO!

This is all the Aeldari things I still have to do... well... most of them... 

• Autarch (1) 75 pts
• Autarch Wayleaper (1) 115 pts
• Farseer (1) 80 pts
• Warlock (1)  45 pts
• Warlock Conclave (2)  60 pts 
• Warlock Conclave (4)  120 pts
• Fuegan (1)  115 pts
• Jain Zar (1) 105 pts
• Karandras (1) 100 pts
• Baharroth (1) 125 pts
• Fire Dragons (5)  85 pts
• Howling Banshees (5)  85 pts
• Howling Banshees (5)  85 pts
• Dark Reapers (5) 80 pts 
• Striking Scorpions (5)  75 pts 
• Striking Scorpions (5)  75 pts 
• Swooping Hawks (10) 150 pts
• Warp Spiders (10) 230 pts
• Guardian Defenders (11) 110 pts
• Guardian Defenders (11) 110 pts
• Guardian Defenders (11) 110 pts
• Rangers (5) 55 pts
• Rangers (5) 55 pts
• Rangers (5) 55 pts
• Falcon (1) 140 pts
• War Walker (1) 110 pts
• Wraithknight (1) 510 pts
• Wraithknight (1) 510 pts

Total: 3570

Another 3570!? That's a LOT of options to play around with (or a full second force!?) 

One of the Wraithknights there is fully painted. It was Keiran's and they said they don't want it anymore, so I've taken it. I may or may not repaint it. Maybe... if I ever get the one I own done... and I want them to match...? I'll probably keep it as is... 

TITANIC

I also have a few other Titanic forces which didn't fit into the pictures... 

Phantom Titan - the old Armourcast version - partly painted/partly assembled - I didn't feel like getting it out of the cabinet - it is SO TALL it wouldn't have fit nicely into any of the above pictures anyway!?

I also have two of the old Armourcast Revenant Titans. I also did not feel like assembling them to try and stick them into the picture... One I thought I might paint in wild patterns - like my Harlequins (if/when I ever get to them!)!?

Titanic Forces

• Phantom Titan (1) 2100 pts
• Revenant Titan (1) 1100 pts
• Revenant Titan (1) 1100 pts

Total: 3300 pts

It would be fun to get them together and play some Apocalypse games with them at some point... 

When it's ALL DONE

All the stuff together. 

All of that stuff, together, including the Heavy Tanks, adds up to about 6855 points... If I add in the Titans, that would be 10155 points!? Yikes!? 

Now I need to update the Aeldari Gallery... Or maybe just make a completely new one!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!?

Somewhere along the line I acquired an finecast Eldrad Ulthran miniature... likely in a lot with other miniatures. Then acquired an assortment of newer (and not-so-newer) plastic aeldari... and then there was the Voidscarred I picked up for Kill Team... and how Keiran has gifted me all their ole Aeldari (which are all plastic or Finecast) and I got it in my head to put together a small contingent of plastic/finecast miniatures from Ulthwe (the craftworld where Eldrad Ulthran comes from...)

I don't know... I have a LOT of the main force (which are all METAL)... when am I ever going to get to THESE!? I should probably just trade/sell them off...  

Also there is a Aeldari aircraft in this box that could be built as either Hemlock Wraithfighter or a Crimson Hunter. it was originally Keiran's as well... I could assemble it an use it with the main force... or use it with the plastic force... or sell/trade it off with the plastic force

I also have the Ynnead (again, was Keiran's) as with the above... But also, could be used with the Drukhari force...? Which is alos all plastic...?

And there are boxes/drawers FULL of Keiran's stuff that they don't want anymore... easily another 1500 points or more... 

Still to GET!?

I need ONE metal Swooping Hawk to have a complete unit of ten. 

I also need TWO (or up to five) metal Harlequins. Two will bring the three troupes to eleven (as they are fielded as 5, 6, 11, or 12..?). Five would bring all three to 12. I guess I could, currently, field them as two units of twelve and one unit of six...? (with one spare left over... but then I'd have to re-repaint the bases on some of them!?) 

Other than that...? Not really anything I can think of!? 

I mean, if I could find some old Armourcast Falcons and Wave Serpants...? But I am definitely not actively looking for those right now... 

Or if ever I stumbled across some old metal jet bikes... or the harlequin metal jet bikes (I had one waaaaaaaay back) that weren't insanely expensive... I would totally pick those up too... 

Part of me just wants to abandon the Ulthwe force of plastic miniatures... sell or trade them all away with most of Keiran's stuff... There's a small part of me that wants to hold onto Keiran's stuff for them, though. When I was their age, I ditched a lot of things that I thought I'd never want again - including SO MANY warhammer miniatures (both fantasy and 40K)... and very much regret having done so now!! I have a feeling that they are actually DONE with 40k for good... or even gaming all together (at least miniature gaming and role-playing... they seem to want to hold on to a few of the boardgames that are theirs...) 

Warhammer 40,000 - 10th Edition

 There is a new edition of Warhammer 40K in the pipe. The start box is currently in preorder, sort of... it sold out within minutes of it going up for pre-order!? If I really wanted a copy, I'm sure I could get one from my FLGS... but I don't. I may not even buy the main book - at least not straight away. 

GW has released the core rules as a free PDF along with ALL the new datasheets and point costs. Which is nice. Now that the points are out, as of today, I've been looking over my forces and seeing what I can put together. 

WHY!? Am I actually going to PLAY the damned game...? Maybe! There is a tournament coming up in July that I'm seriously considering going to. 

The tournament is Battleforce Recon. It's a smaller event with smaller forces (1000 points!). I attended in 2018 and in 2019 - and it was good fun! I signed up for it in 2020... but.. COVID happened... They ran it last year (2022), but I just wasn't ready for hanging out in crowds at that point. I'm not sure I'm all that exited about it still... but... 

This year, like in 2018, everyone will be playing with brand new forces for a brand new edition. In 2018, Warhammer 40000 - 8th Edition had just come out and none of the new codexes has been released and everyone was playing with Index armies. The armies will change as new codexes get released... but for now everyone has armies with limited abilities and special rules to keep track of. 

So I have been looking at my various forces and pondering how they are to be organized under the new rules. One thing that has really changed with 10th edition is, as far as I can tell, they have completely ditched detachments. The only requirement is that you have at least ONE Character model - to lead your force... and... that's pretty much it...? Beyond that you can take up to three of anything else that isn't a Unique unit or character, and up to six of anything that is labelled "Battleline" - those are generally your bog standard infantry soldiers... 

THIS caused be SOME anxiety as I have Many, MANY Imperial Guard Infantry Squads!? But yesterday they released the new data cards for the Astra Militarum and I'm still, theoretically, going to be able to field up to 12 squads... sort of... Astra Militarum "squads" can now be fielded in 10 or 20 model units... (yikes!).

Also, I have enough tanks to, theoretically, (once they are all painted) field and entire tank squadron! The new construction rules have kind of wrecked that plan as none of those tanks are "Battleline"!? Not even the standard Leman Russ Battle Tank... All of the variants have their own Data Card, so I can take up to three of each - three standard Battletanks, three Vanquishers (bigger gun, better at taking out vehicles), three Executioners (giant plasma cannon), three Punishers (giant gattling cannon), three... you get the idea. It will kind of force me to field way more of the special variants - I'd originally intended to have three platoons of three - each platoon having two Battle Tanks and one of the special variants... Ah well... How many times and I actually going to roll out with that full Tank Squadron. Honestly the time I finish it, there will be at least one new edition out - and it may have entirely changed by then!? 

This will make things a little EASIER for my Aeldari force, however. If you recall with the previous (9th edition) Codex - Dire Avengers, which had been "Troops" in previous editions and formed the core of my Aeldari fighting force, has become Elites and only Rangers and Guardians were allowed as Troops... which meant the corps of my figthing forces would be Rangers (who, technically, aren't even part of any particular Craftworld, they just show up to fight alongside, from time to time) and/or Guardians (who are just ordinary citizens that are pressed into service in dire circumstances)!? 

Now I no longer HAVE to include Rangers OR Guardians - I can have a force made up of entirely Aspect Warriors - the real warfighters of the Aeldari Craft worlds... 

So below is what some of the forces I have might look like - what I can field now... in some cases what I could potentially field if I got all the stuff I have painted... and what I might take to Battleforce Recon. 

Did I mention they got rid of power ratings...? Oh, they got rid of Power Ratings alright... But points have been super streamlined. Units are just; a unit of X include y troops for Z points... not points per model and points per weapon and every different option... which is kind of what they tried to do with Power Rating... but now they're doing it with points (basically the Power Rating x20 = points...) People like the bigger numbers I guess...? 2000 points sounds like a more supstatian force that one that's got a power rating of 100...?

Harlequins

Now, Harlequins have been lumped back in with the craftworlders and can be included as part of any Aeldari force... but I was looking at things and realized I could almost put together a 1000 point force of JUST HARLEQUINS... It might be tough to get them all painted in time for Battleforce Recon... but sometimes a DEADLINE is just what I NEED to do such a thing. 

The Current Troupe - Troupe of the Eternal Lament

What I have done:

• Troupe Master - 55 points
• Shadowseer - 60 points
• Solitaire - 115 Points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Troupe (6) - 75 points 

Total: 515 points

BUT I do also have another 26 Troupe players if various states of paintedness. Originally I was going to organize them into four more units of 6 (with two spares left over) ... but that would be five Troupes... and TROUPES are NOT Battleline... No matter I can just reorganize them into THREE TROUPES. Troupes can be fielded in groups of five, six, eleven, or twelve...? (I THINK this is because the current Harlequin box comes with six miniatures... but one of those miniatures can be used to make your Troupe Master - which would leave you only five for a unit).

So I am ONE miniature shy of being able to field three Troupes of eleven. 

OR four miniatures shy of being able to field three troupes of TWELVE!? 

(I think Keiran had some spare metal Harlequins that they had picked up insome used lot... I may be able to steal/buy those from them!)

If so, I would be able to field the force as: 

• Troupe Master - 55 points
• Shadowseer - 60 points
• Solitaire - 115 Points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Troupe (11) - 165 points 
• Troupe (11) - 165 points 
• Troupe (11) - 165 points 

Total: 935

Which would leave me 65 points... Perhaps they could be joined by a unit of rangers (55 points)

OR (If I did manage to scrounge up four more Harlequin players... 

• Troupe Master - 55 points
• Shadowseer - 60 points
• Solitaire - 115 Points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Troupe (12) - 180 points 
• Troupe (12) - 180 points 
• Troupe (12) - 180 points 

Total: 980 points - I could make the Shadowseer a Reader of Runes for +20 points and that would be 1000 points even... 

OR maybe I could field two Troupes of 12 and one Troupe of six and add in an Aeldari War Walker - that I could paint up in all sorts of fun Harlequinesque colours!?  

Aeldari

This is the rest of the Aeldari that I have currently painted. I have loads more in various states of completion - including a few units that are VERY CLOSE to being complete... but this is what is DONE and ready to play right now! 

• Farseer Thymiltelyir (1) - 65 points
• Warlock Conclave (2 -Adryllewi and Broelwyn) - 60 points
• Rangers (5) - 55 points
• Rangers (5) - 55 points
• Rangers (5) - 55 points
• Shrine of the Fading Night Dire Avengers (10) - 140 points
• Shrine of the to-be-named-shrine Dire Avengers (10) - 140 points
• Warp Spiders of the Shrine of the Mean Red Spiders (10) - 200 points
• Wraithlord Kloethades (1) - 160 points
• Wraithlord Phinyndros (1) - 160 points
• Wraithlord Melynaearian (1) - 160 points

Total: 1150 points

Boom! That right there is a force big enough for Battleforce Recon, right there! I just have to drop one of the Wraithlords and I've got 990 points! 

The Stuff that is closest to being finished include

• Dark Reapers (5) - 75 points
• Howling Banshees (10) - 170 points
• Autarch (1) - 65 points
• Warlocks (4) - 120 points
• Farseer (1) - 65 points
• Guardians (11) - 110

That would be another 605 points, for a total of 1755. Just need another 245 points for a 2000point force.

Of course, I could mix in the Craftworlders and Harlequins... and that would be 1665 points without having to paint a single thing... 

I have SO MANY other things I could paint up to add to the force... Like thousands of points more... But there is little point even considering those at the moment. 

Cadia

I have LOADS of Astra Militarum, but I thought I've had a quick look at what the small force of Cadians might add up to for a smaller tournament. (I'm not SUPER excited about bringing Imperial forces to a tournament, as there are SO MANY other Imperial forces... and it's always a bit lame fighting other Imperial forces... but anyway) 

• Platoon Command Squad - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad - 60 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Regimental Preacher - 35 points
• Regimental Preacher - 35 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points

Total: 580 points...

Not much, it seems. I'd need a lot more to bring that up to 1000!? The few things I have that I could finish up and add to the force amounts to: 

Platoon Command Squad - 60 points

CREED! (using old model in place of new one) - 55 points

Kasrkin - 120 points

Primaris Psyker - 60 points

Total: +295 points  = 875 points

A Leman Russ Battle Tank is 195 points. I could add that and remove a few of the others to make 1000 points. 

Tallarn Desert Raiders

Stuff that I currently have painted )I'd have to drop ONE of the Platoon Command Squads, above, as I can only have THREE!?): 

• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Infantry Squad (9) - 65 points
• Infantry Squad (9) - 65 points
• Infantry Squad (9) - 65 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Primaris Psyker - 60 points
• Regimental Preacher - 35 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Rough Riders (5) - 80 points
• Rough Riders (5) - 80 points
• Rough Riders (5) - 80 points
• Leman Russ Battle Tank - 195 points
• Leman Russ Battle Tank - 195 points
• Leman Russ Vanquisher - 190 points
• Leman Russ Punisher - 180 points
• Leman Russ Demolisher - 220 points
• Scout Sentinel - 50 points
• Taurox - 65 points
• Shadowsword - 440 points

Total: 2885

So... lots already done... 

What would 1000 points look like? Looking at what I took to the 2018 Battleforce Recon... 

• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Scout Sentinel (1) - 50 points
• Roughriders (10) - 160
• Leman Russ Punisher - 180 points

Total: 1080

Close, I'd have to shave off 80 points. I guess I could just take five Rough Riders...? That would make 1000 points, even... 

Chaos Space Marines

This was the force I've been thinking of building up to take to any tournaments... because Chaos Space Marines will fight ANYONE - including EACH OTHER!? 

I don't really have a recent picture of the entire force... this is most of them... 

But there have also been more Noise Marines added since the above picture was taken... 

Currently the full force looks like:

Heratic Astartes Daemon Prince (1) - 180 points

Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour (1) - 100 points

Sorcerer (1) - 60 points

Master of Possession (1) - 70 points

Legionaires (5) - 100 points

Noise Marines (5) - 85 points

Noise Marines (5) - 85 points

Noise Marines (5) - 85 points

Obliterators (2) - 160 points  

Traitor Guardsmen (10) - 70 points 

Traitor Guardsmen (10) - 70 points 

Cultist Mob (10) - 55 points

Venomcrawler (1) - 140 points 

Total: 1160

Again - could go with these and not have to paint a thing! I'd just need to lose 160 points from these...? Maybe lose the Master of Possession and a unit of Traitor Guard and the Cultists...? Add in some Intoxicating Elixers?

I have no end of minis I could paint up to add to this force as well... another 15 Noise Marines, 20 Chaos Space marine Legionnaires, 10 Terminators, 5 Raptors,  and so many cultists and accursed cultists and mutants and Dark Commune... 

Well... I have some options for Battleforce Recon (if I end up going)... and I have lots I could just get playing with, if the mood struck (though I'd have to get creative about where I'd play, as the game room is still out of commission!). Maybe I should stick to Kill Team and Warcry as planned... 

Xenos Rampant - Daemons of Sidon IX

 Other Tim popped around Tuesday evening to have a go at Xenos Rampant. 

Initially I thought he was bringing his Emperor's Brethern Space Marines, and I had initially thought I'd roll out the Chaos Space Marines... but that seemed boring. I figured an asymetical battle might be more interesting - xenomorphs vs heavily armoured marines... I didn't have enough tyrnids/Genestealers/Generic Bug Aliens, but I DID have a bunch of Daemons! So, I cooked up a bit of background fluff and a scenario that seemed like it might be fun.

Then he brought Eldar...

SITUATION

There has been a great disturbance in the warp. 

Astropaths working for Inquisitor Marnie McGuffin of the Ordo Malleus, have detected a warp anomaly on Sidon IX. It is entirely likely that local heretics, performing dark rituals, have opened a gate in the fabric of reality and daemons of the warp may very well be pouring into realspace and corrupting the planet rich with valuable resources. 

A Strike Cruiser of Emperor's Brethern Space Marines are in the vicinity - just a short warp jump away. Less ideal than the Grey Knights for investigating such a disturbance, they are the closest Marine detachment, by far and time is of the essence. The Inquisitor has despatched them to investigate the anomaly.  

Farseers of the Unixos Craftworld have detected a warp anomaly on Sidon IX. It is  likely that local Mon-kee, performing dark rituals, have opened a gate in the fabric of reality and daemons of the warp may very well be pouring into realspace and corrupting the planet rich with valuable resources. 

A Strike Craft with a Host of Aspect Warriors was despatched to Sidon IX to investigate and, ideally, deal with whatever they found. 

SCENARIO

We played Scenerio Echo: Orbital Drop - straight out of the Xenos Rampant book.   

There was a target locale at the center of the table that the Attacking Marines Eldar need to solely control at the end of the game. Deployment for the attackers was determined randomly at six landing zones spread out across the table. 

FORCES

Emperor's Brethren Detachment 

Unixos Eldar Craft World War Host 

Autarch and Striking Scorpions - Heavy Infantry (@2), Incread Unit Size (+2), Assault Doctrine (+2), Close Quarters Doctrine (-1), Infiulltrators (+1) = 6AP

Dire Avengers - Light Infantry (@1), Armour-Piercing (+1) = 2AP

Falcon - Transport vehicle (@4), Skimmer (+1), Armour-Piercing (+1) = 6AP

Jet Bikes - Light Infantry (@1), Increased Unit Size (+2), Reduced Model Unit, Mobile (+1), Undisciplined (-1), Heavy Weapon (+2), Armour-Piercing (+1) = 6AP

RAngers - Recon Infantry (@2), Sniper Team (+2) = 4AP

Daemons of Khorne

Bloodmaster, Herald of Khorne - Leader (Aggressive) - Berserk Infantry (@2), Single Model Unit, Increased Squad Size (+1), Demonic (+0), Unarmed (-1), Heavy Armour (+2), High-Powered Blades (+1) = 5AP

Bloodletters - Berserk Infantry (@2), Increased Squad Size (+1), Demonic (+0), Unarmed (-1) = 2 AP 

Karanak, The Hound of Vengeance - Greater Xenomorph (@4), Single Model Unit, Demonic (+0), High-Powered Blades (+1) = 5AP 

Flesh Hounds - Lesser Xenomorph (@2), Reduced Model Unit, Swarm (+2), Demonic (+0) = 4AP

Flesh Hounds - Lesser Xenomorph (@2), Reduced Model Unit, Swarm (+2), Demonic (+0) = 4AP

Flesh Hounds - Lesser Xenomorph (@2), Reduced Model Unit, Swarm (+2), Demonic (+0) = 4AP

Because I was playing Khorne, I was sure to wear my MAGA Hat: Make Angron Great Again! 

THE GAME! 

Daemons of Khorne, running rampant in the ruins of this small industrial town. 

The Bloodmaster watches over the portal through which it expects more daemons to join them! 

The first to drop was the Falcon grav tank...

Games Workshop has gotten very clear on the differences of within or WHOLLY within. The scenario said the unit has to be set up WITHIN 6" of the marker (that little barrel with a Zombie coming out of it), Other Tim took this to mean "at least part of the unit must be within"... which is what GW defines as "Within" (if at least part of the unit is within). I feel like the meaning was what GW calls WHOLLY WHITHIN - i.e. all parts of the unit must be set up within... but whatevs... it came back to bite him in the ass the next turn. 

The reason for setting up here was to not be within Wild Charge range of those Bloodletters and getting a chance to shoot them at least once before they charged. with Armour of 5, I'm not sure he had that much to worry about... buuuut... 

The autarch and his host of Striking Scorpions landed in another corner of the table. 

The Rangers landed within charge range of the Flesh Hounds which did indeed charge, and utterly shredded the unit!? 

Bloodletters come out to play. I don't think he even got a shot off in the end, because he tried to activate the Jet Bikes and Failed... ending his turn. So I went again and these Bloodletters charged and dealt it enough hits to lose a Strength point... and they are FEARSOME, so the tank failed Courage and had to retreat... off the table... 

Flesh Hound poking its nose around the corner sniffing out it's prey. 

Karanak went after the Jet Bikes and leapt into the air swatting one down. It pounced on the rider and tore them to shreds! The bikes did get in some shots and injured the Beast of Vengeance... but the Beast slaughtered a few more the rest flew away (off the table). 

Flesh Hounds charged the Striking Scorpions and their Autarch. Every time, tearing limbs and slashing arteries. 

With the Tank out of the way, other Flesh Hounds Charged the Dire Avengers. Those not killed in the initial assault fled away off the table! 

There was a bit of back and forth between the Striking Scorpions and the Flesh Hounds. 

Things were starting to look bad for the initial pack of Flesh Hounds that had attacked the Striking Scorpions... 

But then the other pack arrived... (that had killed the Rangers) 

and then the OTHER other pack arrived.... (that had driven off the Dire Avengers) 

Soon it was just the Autarch, trying their best to hold back the tide and allow their wounded warriors the chance to slink away into the shadows - to hopefully regroup and plan a better method of attack! 

So that was Xeno Rampant. 

I like it. 

I like all of Dan Mersey's rules. I kind of wondered how this one might work with all it's little tweaks and changes, but this played out very fast. I was worried it might - with Heavy infantry fighting heavy infantry, it might get drawn out into a protracted shooting match where no one was able to take out any of the enemy... Part of the reason I went with Xenos and Berserk infantry - figuring an asymmetrical battle would go one way or the other quickly! I did NOT expect it to go SO poorly, SO quickly for Other Tim's troops! (he did have a few abysmal activation rolls...) 

I am keen to try it out again with other eras. Modern, Wierd Wars, post-apocalyptic or zombies (it's been a LONG time since I played a game with ZOMBIES!!).   

It's kind of also got me thinking about Other Dan Mersey games again - Dragon Rampant, especially...