Chaos Lord

For Fluff purposes I have always liked rolling with Huron but he is a wee expensive. He comes in at 170 but he can be a beast.

I can get a Chaos Lord with a Bloodfeeder for 155. The Chaos Lord doesn't have Warptime but the Bloodfeeder is pretty gnarly and could do a lot of damage. I can also throw a Combi-Melta with him so that he could possibly pop some armor as well.

I know Chaos Lords are not too popular for the more serious lists but he does seem pretty nasty too me.

Not reading Black Library right now

Sorta have ventured off the Black Library books since I got sorta stagnated in Ravenor. I have decided to take a break from them until the new McNeil and Abnett: Horus Heresy books come out.

But I haven't stopped reading. Just finished the Forever War by Joe Haldeman which was a really fun read and also just re-read Pattermaster by Octavia Butler which is still one of my favorite books of all time. Both books couldnt be more different than each other but that's how I love reading Sci-fi.

Forever War is a very pulpy book and a great quick read. What I thought was pretty interesting was that Haldeman is a Vietnam vet with true combat experience but his actual combat writing wasnt as engaging as the stuff in McNeil's or Abnet's stories. I know that McNeil and Abnett aren't vets and this has given me something to think about. I suspect that those with no combat experience inherently romanticize combat and it shows in the writing/movies or whatever while those that have been through it know that it's a hellish experience that can't really be described and completely sucks at every level. Over all the Forever War is a good read and holds up pretty well to the tests of time considering it is over 30 years old. I liked the book and thought it was perfect for travel reading. I wouldnt go as far as saying it's the best Military Sci-fi ever like some but is is worth checking out.

Patternmaster by Octavia Butler is one of my favorite books of all time. I stumbled apon Octavia Butler's books when my wife was taking a Sci-fi reading class at UCSC and she had to read a couple of her novels. She is the type of author I wouldnt typically read but once I read that first book she became one of my top 5 authors. Her books really take any typical Sci-fi/fantasy reader out of their comfort zone and she handles some pretty heavy topics. The way she confronts issues of race and gender are really amazing and gets you thinking about issues and views that are insanely complex. I get annoyed that she is consistently defined as just an African American or Woman's issues writer when I find her topics to be very board, complex and should be interesting to everyone,

The reason why I re-read Patternmaster this time (this is my 3rd reading)was Ravenor. Both books deal with psykers in completely different ways. Octavia Butler really thought through combat between psykers and it is very cool. She also completely dives into a host of issues that Psy powers would generate on a social level and its really interesting. I thought Ravenor (the part I read) just didn't really dive into the whole consequences of Psy powers and ow complex This book is the 3rd in a series of books that are independent but in the same Universe. The other novels are Mind of My Mind, and Wild Seed, there are 2 others: Clay Ark, and Survivorist(which is out of print and impossible to find) but those aren't connected as much. Overall its a great book and she is a great author. Might be a little strange to the typical military sci-fi reader but I can highly recommend her books.

2000 points

Trying something new tonight with 2000 point lists. First time for this and I think it will make for some interesting games.

I need to make the decision to either go with

HQ: Flying Nun Canoness

3 Immolators Dominions, 1 TL Mmelta, 2 TL Hvy Flamers

4 Rhinos with Girls

3 Exorcists

10 tanks with 3 Immolators leading the charge could be pretty effective.

Or

HQ: Canoness in Immolator and Inquistor Lord with Hood in Landraider

4 Rhinos with Girls

3 Exorcists

Callidus Assassin

So that one has the big Landraider running around and the Immolator/rhinos for mid range attacks. The long range firepower and Callidus could make a deadly first turn attack if I go first. Also the Callidus could provide some fun midgame action but I always sorta get underwhelmed by that. I wonder if a Culexus would be worthwhile with the Inquistor Psy Abilities but its hard to depend on Psykers being there to be effective. I have always been tempted to take a Culexus in a tournament to really mess with Psykers but am not sure if its valid or not.

Sisters

Finally got a game in with my Sisters and felt a little underwhelmed.

Granted I had to play Tau which is pretty tough for me since they are one of the few armies that can match my range firepower and shrug off Exorcists missiles.

The list I rolled with had 2 immolators, 4 rhinos with girls and 3 exorcists. One of the Immolators with Dominions and the other was a Canoness with her retinue. Pretty standard list with heavy melta and flamer combos. The big problems that I had with the list were: 1: Inability to spend Faith points. With everyone in the tanks and depending on Exorcists I had no real way to spend faith points. There was one point in the battle that I could of spent some but I was sorta spacing out. I notice with Faith Points that if I dont get into the habit of spending them early I have a tendency to forget about em. 2: Inablity to cross over to the Tau gunline. This really hurt me and might of been cause I was too cautious. Maybe I should of pushed harder or maybe I should of kept flamers on my immolators instead of MMeltas and had a flying nun HQ just to advance quickily to their backfield. 3: Chundering Exorcists. This was probably one of the worst outings for my favorite heavy tank. I couldnt roll to hit and had some epic fails. My main problem with the Exorcists is getting consistant high rolls and my average dice luck blows. I know good generals make their own luck but man I can sure run cold on the rolls.

Next game I am hoping to move to a little different list. I am going to try and sneak in the Flying Nun HQ and run her behind 2 Immolators with Hvy Flamers. Hopefully that will give me a nice push and allow me to get into enemy lines.

The item of debate is whether or not it would be better to have one Retributor squad(2 HB, 2 MM) in with the exorcists or not. Also I am curious how run just a solo Flying Nun would do and if she would just get decimated out in the field or get in to do some damage.

Why I am an idiot and choose white

Once again I decided to use white. The logic is that the white Immolator will hold my Canoness and her retinue but man its a pain in the can. Hopefully today I can get some time in to really layer the white paint on the model. Once I get this one done I will be able to get moving on the clean up project for all my Sisters tanks. I have some work to do there since they have taken some beatings and I have learned tons since I painted them.

If all goes well I should be able to field my 9 tank sister army for 1850.

4 Rhinos with Girls 1 melta/1hvy Flamer/vet sup with book

1 Immolator with Canoness +Retinue 1 melta/1hvy flamer/sup with Evis/Canoness with B.weapon

1 Immolator with Dominions 2 melta/2 flamer/Vet Superior

3 Exorcists

Bogged down in Ravenor

Dont know if I am experiencing a little bit of Black Library burnout but I am having a hard time getting into the Ravenor Omni. I think there are a couple factors but the main reason seems to be is that I am not really digging Ravenor as a character. Comparing him to Eisenhorn, Gaunt, and the characters in the Horus Heresy books he seems sorta weak.

I might just take a break for a bit on the book and go grab Margaret Atwood's new book today. I liked Onyx and Crake even tho a lot of people didn't and could go for something different.

Finally got a battle in: CSM vs BTs 1850

After all the family, new baby and job hunting craziness going on I finally got a chance to get a game in. Arrived a little late but was able to do rapid fire bedtime for my 2 eldest and even weathered some serious snarkness from my little girl. Then after a speedy drive to the wilds of Livermore I was able to throw down for a quick game.

I wanted to try out a new semi-competitive list based around Huron so I fielded:

HQ

Huron

CSM Sorcerer -MoS-Lash

2/ 7 man Plague Marine Squads with PFist, 2 meltas in Rhinos with a CombiMelta

1/8 man Zerker squad with a AC with a Pweapon in Rhino.

1/10 man CSM squad 2 Plasma Rifles and 1 PFist on foot with CG banner

2/3 Oblit Squads

1 Pred with AC and 2 Hvy Bolters.

1850

I don't remember exactly with the BTs were but it was something like

HQ

Marshal dude

Grey Knight Grandmaster

Emperor's Champion

5 man termie squad with Lightning claws and THs, in LandRaider

2 9 man BTs mixed neophytes and reg marines in Rhinos

2 5man BT squads with LasCannons and MMeltas

1 Tri Las Pred

2 Land Speeders with Mmeltas

I was happy to not see a vinde since they are the bane of my existence but the list was pretty intimidating. For some reason I always feel really confident against BTs but they are a really powerful army and not to be underestimated.

Mission/Setup: Multi-objective and regular table edge

Deployment : BTs set up pretty standard with the LR in the middle leading the charge and the 2 rhinos on its flanks. The two 5 man squads were on the objectives and the TriLas Pred with lurking on my far left. The 2 speeders zipped around one in front of a rhino and the other tried to get on my flank.

I deployed pretty much in parallel but decided to focus more of my FP on the side with the objectives. I put my 2 oblit squads on my right side so that they could pretty much get continuous shots on his troops, put my CSM foot squad in cover across from one of his objectives and put the rhinos in the middle with my pred on the left just to try and draw fire.

First Turn.

BTs went first and just generally moved forward. His Pred took some shots at Huron's Rhino but just stunned it, one of my PM rhinos also got Immobilized but I dont remember who did it. Landraider moved straight up into my face and popped smoke and the little speeders zipped around, one in front of one of his rhino and the other to flank my Pred (which made me happy cause I didnt want it to come after my CSM Sorcerer rhino).

(picture was taken here)

CSM turn one was pretty blah. Just moved my Oblits into better position and blew up a Land Speeder. Also took so random shots that just blew and did nothing.

Second Turn.

BTs: Land Raider moved forward more, killed 2 oblits that I left out :(, and now was threatening my objective. Remaining speeder blew off my pred turret, and one of my rhinos got stunned.

CSMs: PM squad who became one of the stars of the game popped outta the immo Rhino and popped the Landraider with Meltas. CSMs then lashed the termies+GK into a nice Plasma Cannon template for the Oblits. The Oblits then destroyed all the BT termies and left the GK to be charged by the Plague Marines. Huron just sorta hunkered down in his rhino, my foot CSM squad moved up to start to assault an objective and my Pred immobilized and blew the weapon off the Land Speeder that was threatening it.

Nice turn for me and the lash got to really do some damage here. I was happy I got a chance to hit those termies before he got them out since those are always a bitch for me to deal with.

Third Turn

BTs: His Marshal backed off and Emperor's Champ squad embarked to go deal with my CSM foot squad which he destroyed. The BT Pred shot up the solo oblit and his 5 man squads kept sniping my rhinos and started to hurt my PM squad that was now out in the open.

CSMs: Another good turn for me: Now that I had my Sorcerer in a great position with no hood to worry about it was pretty much open season for the lash. So I could Lash the Emperor's Champ squad into the open for my oblits to Plasm them and then charge the remain Champ to finish him off. Huron went and crashed into a crater to immobilize his rhino but he was in a pretty good spot so it was ok. Also, my Plague Marine squad that was out in the open now went and attacked the Emperor's Champs empty rhino and blew it up just to tidy up the field.

Fourth Turn:

BTs: Secured himself on the 2 objectives with his 5 man squads and they took potshots at my PMs in the open and rhinos. His Tri las shook my Sorcerers rhino and other Rhino with BTs in it moved back.

CSMs: Sorta in mop up mode and didnt want to make any dumb mistakes (which can be my M.O.). Disembarked my Sorcerer so that I could lash a BT squad off an objective and to be plasma'ed. Oblits plasma'ed them and now moved into a better position and the rest of my army just popped off random shots and did nothing.

Fifth turn:

BTs: Moved Marshal's Rhino with troops back to cover the objective I just cleared, and took some shots with his pred and other 5 man squad on Huron's rhino.

CSM: Cleared off the other objective with the lash/oblit combo and secured my objective with PMs. Also moved Huron up to contest and attack the other objective.

Sixth turn:

called the game here cause we were pretty sure I would of secured my one objective and contested or if lucky cleared the other.

From the list there were a couple of things I might have to change:

Huron: I love the model and character but its hard to justify the points. If I do keep him in I have to figure out more ways to get him into combat since 50% of the time he just stays bunkered or gets destroyed out right.

CSM foot troopers: Dont know if they were worth it. The Plasma for sure was sorta bogus since they didnt shot shit. It has potential but I dont know if it was worth it.

Khorne Zerkers: I love them but same as above.

Predator: Now this might have to get tossed. The AC and Hvy Bolters in theory seem cool but they just seem like I am throwing spitballs at Space Marines. But it is an awesome bullet magnet and whenever people see predators they throw everything it even though its nowhere the strength of an Obliterator.

Overall it was a fun game, I know my lash was a little frustrating and on an objective game the lash is very effective. I was very happy to get a game in. It has been a long time since I have got to play and I have really missed it. Hopefully we can start getting in regular games again especially as the kids start to settle into a schedule again.