How I play my Russian Tank in Flames of War

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When you need to absolutely positively kill every last motherfucker in the foxhole, accept no substitute.

How the Russians play - quantity has its own quality.

Russian Infantry has a lot of advantages, and Russian infantry is very reminscent of the Guard blob in 40k.  They can take loads of damage, lose loads of guys and still stay in there thanks to the Commissar.  They are also able to attach heavy machine gun elements.  This gives them some of the best anti-infantry firepower in the game.  The downside is that they are general 'trained' at best making them weaker in combat and easier to shoot (remember to hit is dictated by the shootee's competence, not the shooters), they can't carry much in the way of anti-tank (flour bombs and close combat generally, never stopped them!)

So the basic infantry is good, but where's the real strengths?

Heavy Mortars: The russians have some of the best mortars in the game.  They combine the ability of accuracy (reroll to hit on the first roll), with the firepower (3+) that other mortars lack (normally 5+ or even 6).  This means that they are the 'go to' unit for clearing enemy infantry out of cover.

Infantry Antitank: It doesn't do the biggest amount of damage, but for a flexible infantry gun unit you cannot get much better than the 57mm antitank gun.  Its got enough penetration to put holes in a Tiger (maybe), but it'll certainly see off all standard tanks below that.  They are equally good at killing machine gun nests and the like.  The bullet shield automatically gives them bullet proof cover against anything in front, so walking up to less than 16" ain't no thing.  Thanks to 'roll up the guns and volley fire), they move up like a light guns team and then let rip with 3 shots each, with a reroll to hit at less than 16".  Good bye.

Assault Gun: The difference between an Assault gun, a tank killer and an vehicle artillery is no different to a russians, they all got SU on their name.  But the best value for money in my opinion is the SU-122.  It's got next to no armour and the gun doesn't penetrate armour, but if you want to massacre infantry, clear bunkers/buildings and dominate, then these slow vehicles are awesome.  The 122 offers a reroll to hit a less than 16", 2 shots with a breakthrough gun with 2+ to kill.  This means the weapon denies the enemy a saving throw of 3+ (breakthrough) and then give a 2+ to kill if they are in bulletproof cover.  Nice.  When you need to absolutely positively kill every last motherfucker in the foxhole, accept no substitute.

Tank Killer: The SU-100 or SU-85M are a toss up in value, price and effectiveness.  Both have the same frontal armour which is the same as a tiger tank.  From there its a question of adversary.  The SU-100 is a single shot high penetration weapon (anti-tank 16!), but suffers from a combination of hens and chicks and ROF 1 weapon meaning a +3 (+1 for H&C, +1 ROF1, +1 over 16" range) which means this tank is near useless on the move.  Stationary, and with a 40" range, this is a great tank killer.  The 2+ firepower help pop tanks nicely.  The SU-85M brings the strength of the T-34 85mm gun with a tiger armour.  This tank doesn't suffer as much on the move, but also can't handle the worst types of opponents.

"...sweeping advances and flanking maneuvers are an 'on the table' reality, instead of being a series of crow barred rules which result in unintended surprises or failure on the capricity of dice. "

Tanks: The best tank in my opinion is the humble T-34.  The T-35-85mm is a fantastic tank, but in return for much better penetration you lose both the wide tracks AND the 'fast tank' ability of this vehicle.  Wide tracks gives the tank the ability to re-roll bogging down tests for cover cross, and you will cross a lot of cover.  Fast tank gives this tank the ability to move 32" at the double.  They normally move and fire at 12" per turn.  This gives the tank the ability to swarm parts of the board and opponents that otherwise would easily pick off this underpowered tank at range.  Once they've surrounded the opponent, shots into the side and rear armour will quickly subdue them.  You sacrifice one point in armour (6 to 7) for immense speed and the assurance that you will probably get there.  Hands down a game changer.

Example Game

 In the following game I use all the elements above against a crack German tank unit comprising 4 panthers in two groups of two, 3 late Panzer 4's, a Jadg-panther and several infantry antitank option.

The two panthers on the right were charged by the SU-122's, they promptly get popped (but as they can't hurt anything this was my plan).  The SU-85M's then drop in behind their carcasses and start exchanging fire with the panthers.  Its attritional and not very effective, but they hold this unit in position.  The 57mm antitank rolls up the middle and massacres the Panzer 4's facing them.  The T-34's are my strike unit, as 11 tanks (2x5unit plus commander) rush 32" into the face of the two panther's on the left flank.  The panthers get double shots each, but can only target one tank each as they are securely boxed in.  The surviving T-34 fire into the rear and side (AV 5 instead of 10) easily massacring the outnumbered tanks.  It's then rinse and repeat against the jadgpanther.

Conclusion

The beauty with these tactics of sacrifice and rush with overpowering numbers, is that this is exactly how the Russians approached the problem of technically superior German armour in WWII.  The examples in Kursk of T-34s swarming and ramming Tiger tanks is testament enough.

Playing armour in this way just makes you realise how 'cramped' the 40k table is for armour.  In 40k you can hide one tank behind a hill, in flames you can hide 11!  This movement produced by the scale means that sweeping advances and flanking manuerves are an 'on the table' reality, instead of being a series of crow barred rules which result in unintended surprises or failure on the capricity of dice.

And I thinks that's the core of the difference, good tactics in Flames work.  They can be undone by bad luck or poor dice, but you are not dependent on that 'must have' reserves roll for flanking (there are nearly always reserves in Flames, but it's clever, intelligent and mission relevant - another post methinks), or the chance they your opponent will simply overturn your tactical superiority with a 'HEROBOMB' or even imported herobomb.

So if you thought WW2 was boring (how could you), and that the lack of space monkeys with pew pew lasers meant it would be simple - think again, Flames is where tactics beats gimmicks.

Three things in Flames of War that GW should learn from... but could never do.

 "...like watching Marneus Calgar dump a turd on the Codex Astartes."

 World War 2, that's not really interesting ... is it?  Well, yes it is.  Its a conflict where technology advanced of a level we only now see in silicon valley.  Put simply, the tactics, technologies and capabilities of war were refined, devised and created in this fulcrum of change.

So why the defence ... well compared to 15+ variant armies of space bugs, little blue men, alien elves, corrupted monstrosities and EPIC HEROES, world war two seems a little drab.

That is until you play a game like Flames of War.  The devil is always in the detail, but flames do some things very very very cleverly.

The One to Watch

Well yes it is, despite GW being inhabited by a soulless horde of nefarious profiteers, laughing manically while ensuring that we all switch from autowin unit A to autowin unit Z, there are a few gamers still in there.  GW had overwatch in second edition, during the hey day of Space Hulk and Advanced Space Crusade... but it took a little Kiwi firm to make them think how to use it properly.

The Snap Fire or Overwatch rules which now pepper the oncoming horde with 6's to hit is a core skill in Flames of War.  As is the ability (say Tau) to combine fire and fire on charging units that are attacking troops near you.  It makes charging Heavy Machine guns completely pointless.

Unlike 40k you fire your weapons at full rates of fire and normal to hit ratings ... which makes things very deadly.  Also you only need five hits to deter a charge and send them skulking back.

Close Combat is VERY effective in FoW, but getting into combat is really risky.  Solution - suppression.  Putting 5 hits on an enemy unit means their RoF drops to (normally) 1 shot.  This turns suicide into easy peasy, and forces you to play suppression and combined arms ... its like tactics stupid.

Option One: I hit you!

The first thing that Flames does better than 40k is that the 'to hit' roll is based on the shootee's competence, not the shooters.  This is based on the assumption that despite an individuals ability, it is the ability to use cover, situational awareness and competence that dictates whether you are shot.  In flames shooting recruits or conscripts is easy, shooting veterans is an almighty pain in the arse. 

Despite there only being three variants - crap, average and stellar (actually conscript, trained and veteran) the ability feeds across all sections.  This means that a veteran unit is as hard to shoot out of cover (and even impossible to hit, unlike 40k a 6 doesn't ALWAYS HIT) with a conscript unit as a veteran unit.  This enduring durability gives you confidence in the unit, but also means you need a different set of tactics than the 'stone, scissors, paper' of 40k unit statistics.

Elite units are expensive and cannot afford losses, this actually limits their tactical freedom while increasing their capabilities, oooo balance - who'd have thought.

Option Two: No heroes.

Action Heroes are great, Action movies are awesome.  Action movies are also the biggest pile of shite going.  Rewatch 'Commando', 'Predator' or Rambo movies with a tactical head on and realise that the 'hero' is actually going to die within half a minute in the real world.  The sort of monsters and heroes available in 40k is like watching Marneus Calgar dump a turd on the Codex Astartes.  Super units, super tanks, super monsters, spaceships and wound sinks.  How often do real dependable tactics get bent over and rogered by the 'half painted Mephiston in a  hat' card.  Nob biker hordes, Eldar Deathstar units etc etc.  They all gather tricks and gizmo's into a single Avengers unit and then stomp all over the enemy.

Tactically its a bit shit.  It's a one trick pony of autowin.  It doesn't require any sopisticated tactics, it dictates the battlefield and the response of your opponent.  It automatically puts them on the back foot.  It's a really cruddy way to win and a shitty way to lose.  I have exploited it tenaciously in the past.  Most WAAC players would, and even those would admit its cheese.  But when the whole gaming world doesn't take 2/3 of all codex entries - lay on the gorgonzola!

Flames snuffs that out.  The closest thing to a super unit is the Tiger tank - and that's because it really really was.  Suddenly, real tactics play a much bigger part and they are far more sophisticated.  Try taking two GW matching armies - without OP units and then see the 40k tactics blossom.

If you are looking for a heroes game, get good at infinity or Warmachine/Hordes/Malifaux.  These games better reflect to 'individual skirmish' aspect of the original Rogue Trader (infinity), or pumped up superpowers on a WAAC clash of micromanagement (t'others). 

Option Three: Army lists with purpose.

Put simply, the codex is a broken format.  There will always be good and bad units in any codex.  WW2 has plenty of examples of broken units, and often you are looking at an outdated piece of technology.  However, what they do is force particular 'formats' of army list on you.  This means you can choose an armoured company, or a recon unit, or a infantry company, etc etc.  Choosing one sacrifices another option.  Some are over powered is some fashions (the russians can field a penal legion full of flamethrowers, it actually existed...), but the more specialised, the more vulnerable you are.

You rarely get first choice in any structure.  And importantly, you sometimes are forced to field sub-par units as the 'best' option isn't available.  You have to make sacrifices.

This means that unit spam, cloning and redundancy are all nice to haves but actually you have to make 'real' sacrifices (not just leave behind some commander toy that may have been useful, maybe).

The other advantage is that an infantry company automatically defends against a tank company (because the opposite is absurd)... which brings me to some final few thoughts.

Conclusion

There are some other incidental problems with 40k.  For example:

1. Why are dug in troops so easy to kill?  In Flames, dug in troops are harder to kill than tanks - which is kinda the point?  You can charge them, or flamethrower them, use antitank weapons or assault them with tanks - but regardless of the infantry type - rifles and machineguns should be of marginal effectiveness (dirt equally fucks up laser, bolts, pulses or spines, its amazing, direct fire weaponry is completely shit at going around corners).
2. Why are tanks often slower than troops?  This makes no sense at all.  Even the best vehicles are a 'little bit' faster than running troops, unless they are driving at 30mph (turbo boost) and then they can't do anything else ... hang on a minute?
3. Why is there no downside to running?  Moving at the double has a serious downside in Flames.  If you are running about enemy units can roll DOUBLE their dice at you.  This neatly demonstrates how FUCKING STUPID it is to run into the line of sight of the enemy.  Moving at the double is something you only do in Flames if you REALLY need to be there, or can end the move behind something really solid.  Genestealers running at me with abandon, really hard to shoot - not.

So that's my round up, to each their own and there are lots of positives in 40k.  But some of the issues above continue to irritate me and positively disbalance the game, to the advantage of the share price and the WAAC player with deep pockets.

When are GW gonna get a grip? More thoughts on Tau.

Great comment on the last post pointed out that GW had dropped the ball again.  Only Broadsides can take Missile Drones.  Which means a highly versatile mobile firing platform is tied into a unit that doesn't really want to move.  Way to go GW, lets turn a win into a fail ... again!


This changes the dynamic quite a lot and balances the book better, as it quickly reduces the overpowering effectiveness of the "Commander+Drone Controller+Missile Drones" Blitzkrieg.  No one in 40k should have that kind of spammed firepower at their fingertips, unless they are Space Marines, or Space Wolves, or Imperial Guard.  Anyone non-human anyhow...

(Anyone from Nottingham may wanna skip the next paragraph, it's meant in jest, kinda.)

So is GW racist?  Well, dah?  Course they are, they're based in Nottinghamshire, (originally mistyped Nottinghamshite, oooo freudian) what do you expect?  I grew up not 30 miles from HQ and I can categorically state that while the 'gamers' were the most thought provoking of all my classmates, I also lived in a region that won 'whitest' in the UK.  Let's just say that if Morgan Freeman really had accompanied Kevin Costner to Nottingham Forest - he'd have been 'fuck this racist shit' in about four days.  That's not to say that Nottingham does not have a black and asian culture, it certainly does.  It also has one of the highest gun crimes rates in the UK, a big problem with gangs and drugs.

Anyhooo, my own childhood trauma aside... how does this effect the Tau list.  What would work?

Crisis Suits, ok they can't take Missile Drones, but marker drones are only 1 pt more expensive than pathfinders.  For one point they are toughness 4, gain a 4+ save over 5+ and most important are jetpack troops - allowing them to move-fire-move thanks to their relentless jetpacks.  They are BS2, but the addition of a drone controller makes them BS3, a commander with said controller makes them BS5.

So the real question is how many markerlights are effective.  This is a balancing act between several factors:

• Enough Markerlight hits to refuse cover save and give BS5 to an engaging unit (4)
• Having enough units to spread enough hits to 'spread the pain' around if needed.
• Making the unit big enough to impact severely (remember that each unit that shoots at the target will require 3-4 markerlights to maximise impact)
• Making the unit small enough that it can use cover effectively and minimise retaliation.

So lets see, the strongest contenders (ignoring Forgeworld loveliness) for 'markerlight' has to be the SkyRay, followed closely by the markerdrone (especially with a drone commander).  The last contender has to be pathfinders. 

4 drones at BS5 will score 3-4 hits, 8 drones score 6-7 hits.  This thrashes pathfinders raw, as two to three hits of each 55 point team is dire, PS: Using markerlights to 'breed' markerlights also seems shortsighted.  Yes, handing your team a 2+ to hit is nice, but it cost 2 markerlights.

There is another way...

Commander Shadowsun + Pathfinders

Commander Shadowsun and 10 pathfinders, including a command-link drone and an MV-52 drone costs 285pts.  Here's the advantages.   The MV52 'confers' a 3++ invulnerable save.  It doesn't have this, it confers it.  Let's share it around.  Shadowsun also just made her unit Stealth and Shrouded, oh AND night vision.  Your pathfinders now have a 2+ cover save and 3++ invulnerable save.  Hmmm, you still need a couple of markerlight bonuses to get 2+ to hit for your targets, but your command link drone also give you a reroll on 1's. 

Upside: That's pretty damn hardcore.  That's like Thunder termie saving throws on a markerlight until almost guaranteed to score 9-10 markerlight hits a turn.

Downside: Static and very squishy on the charge.  As upgrades go, she's pretty expensive and it ties her down to a low toughness unit.  Shadowsun will keep vehicles at bay though.  Although charging hordes aren't worried.  It's also expensive, just like the Stealth team below, it offers marginal advantage over just spamming pathfinder teams (285 buys nearly 26 pathfinders) and its not like there's loads of competition in the fast attack slot.

Stealth Team Rethinking...

Ok, here's my thinking.  A Group of Crisis Suits are hard to hide.  A Group of Stealth dudes, less so.  Combine the following:

Commander, 2 x Plasma Rifles, drone controller, ATS, 2 marker drones: 156pts
Stealth Team x 3, Shas'Vre with Markerlight and Target Lock, 3xATS, fusion blaster, 2 Marker Drones: 143pts

Total: 299pts

Now hear me out.  The advantage of this is as follows.  The unit is majority T4, it has 7 'disposable wounds'.  It makes 4 BS5 Markerlight shots a turn.  It's small, easily concealed and gets a 2+ cover save easily.  It has enough antipersonnel firepower, anti MEQ and anti tank firepower to make any unit wary of approaching it, and it can still be tactically useful while 'holding' an area.  Add in to this that the whole unit has ATS, and that means that the Shas'Vre can drop a markerlight precision shot on a specific model on a 5+.  Follow that with a Seeker Missile (no cover save, S8 and AP3) That's something worth talking about.  The rest of the team have enough firepower and precision shot ability (6's on 8 S5, AP5 shots, 5+ on the commanders 4 shots) to make terminators blush.

Is it better than a crisis team, or three large 9 man Pathfinder teams?  Sadly no.  But it's the most use I can make out of what GW have done to the Stealth team.  They would be a pain in the arse, they would be a super mobile toolkit of doom, they would be arguably less effective than a huge hulking elite robot.

Fecking GW.

Kroot Sniper Horde.

7pt each 24" range sniper rifles.  What's not to love.  They have some stealth ability, are slightly less accurate than ratlings, but 2 x 20 infiltrating snipers for 280 is awfully tempting.  Yes, they are prone to dying, but they will also throw a lot of firepower out before they do.  As an ambush unit, this is their best use, lulling the enemy into thinking they are 'just a deployment screen' and then unloading 40 sniper shots at point blank.  Add in enough markerlights against aggressive opponents (and try to save 4 for their charge and boost your snapshots to BS5) and watch the enemy drop.  40 shots should produce 5.55 rending hits with just 2 markerlights.  Remember to deny them cover with an extra two.  That's potent stuff.  That's a whole unit of space marines dead, or nearly 4 terminators.  Hmmmm.

Just watch out for Landraiders...

Tanks and Heavy weaponry

Speaking of which ... I can't see anything in the codex that beats the good'ole Hammerhead in tank destruction.  When you really positively have to kill a landraider, that's your only option (beyond suicide suits with fusion missing risk).  Even Broadsides with the Puretide engram commander only gets a reroll to penetrate, and that's expensive and also pretty shit.  If you want a killer, choose Longstrike - the combination of BS5, tank hunter, black sun filter and defensive fire automatically means he actually only costs 34pts for BS5, reroll 1's against Imperial Guard and reroll failed and non-penetrating hits on tanks - that's like a no brainer.  The downside is that Sensor Spines, Disruption Pod etc are essential - as this guy will attract Loads of heat.

Blocking with two sets of SkyRay's could do the job though.  4 markerlights, 12 seeker missile (for those precise Stealth team shots) Plus 2 Skyrays can block a charge, give cover to the real target and give you the option of 12 twin-linked Smart Missiles flying out every turn, as you retreat in the face of the charging enemy. 

New Thoughts, New List - 1502 pts

• Commander, 2 x Plasma Rifles, drone controller, ATS, 2 marker drones: 156pts
• Commander, 2 Missile Pod's, drone controller, ATS, 2 marker Drones: 156pts
• Stealth Team x 3, Shas'Vre with Markerlight and Target Lock, 3xATS, fusion blaster, 2 Marker Drones: 143pts
• Crisis Suit Team x 3, 6 Missile Pods, ATS, 6 marker Drones: 237pts
• Riptide - 180pts
• Fire Warriors x 9, Shas'Ui: 91 pts
• Devilfish, disruption pod, drones and sensor spines: 100pts
• Fire Warriors x 9, Shas'Ui: 91pts
• Kroot Sniper Unit, Shaper and 20 kroot, sniper bolts: 155pts
• Hammerhead, Longstrike, Disruption Pod, Sensor Spines, TL Smart Missile System - 190pts
• SkyRay, Sensor Spines, TL Smart Missile System - 120pts
• SkyRay, Sensor Spines, TL Smart Missile System - 120pts

Tactics:  consider this an army made of mobile sniper units.

The Kroot hold a flank, preferably in a bit of woodland for some extra cover.  The Shaper hopefully keeps them together long enough to launch a sniper ambush on them.  The on-foot firewarriors come on late for home defence, or take up a strong position.  The Sky-Ray's escort the Hammerhead to LoS on targets of opportunity and run interference.  Marker drones in both units attack targets of opportunity, with the riptide and kroot focusing fire.

Once vehicles are downed, it's on to the troops, which I believe this list will thrive at killing.

The danger is that the enemy get the drop on Longstrike... but then it's just a game of relocate for the win.  The inclusion of Shadowsun or the Stealth team really hold the same impact.  One has the ability to splatter a unit with so many markerlight it'll be taking every shot at its vulnerable bits.  The other has the ability to be a swiss army knife of killing at medium range, complement the markerlight tally and get away from the bad guys.

First rule of shooting is target priority.  If you have to drop a target you want the markerlight hits to make it hurt with everything you've got.  10 markerlight hits on a charging unit can give 2+ to hit for 3 units and still save 4 lights to give them a 2+ on the unit when it charges.

On that analogy, the static, high stealth unit is stronger - offering a big juicy, hard to kill unit which will kill a lot of the enemy.

The mobile list above offers 14 markerlights, the static version offers 22 per turn. 

It's gunline versus mobile again.  Does the static variant sacrifice too much firepower to enable markerlights?

World of Tanks Tactica

Just a short World of Tanks Tactica on playing the Pershing.  This tank is very much an experienced players tank, tactical awareness, reactions and planning are key.  It's a great tank for exploiting opportunities, but requires careful play style.

Hope you enjoy!

Infantry Guard Army: Snipers and Mortars and Allies, oh my!

I was inspired by an excellent tactical review at "From the Fang" to dust off the codeci yesterday and have a new look at my Imperial Guard Army.  I have to say, I haven't written an army list in over a year now (for 40k anyway) and thanks to 6th Edition, all my standard references are up the swanny!  But that's the same for everyone.


Reading online, there seems a lot of heat about several key meta areas in 40k now!

• Flyers as vehicles
• Flying Monstrous Creatures
• Infantry over tanks
• Value of Snipers and Blasts
• Characters are awesomesauce
• The value of glancing

I'm very largely in favour of most of the changes in 6th Edition, lets face the facts, I'd stopped playing as 40k had become very stale compared to other games systems, and it wasn't just me.  The majority of games at the local club were made up of Hordes, Warmachine, Flames of War and even Infinity!

Foot Guard - are they better?

So what are my thoughts, well this list is based around what I've already got, a a few 'wishlister' based on the meta.  Overall I think my foot-centric guard force has really won out in 6th.  Let's look at my 'staples' and chew the fat!

Ratling Snipers - These little guys are now awesome, they are still super squishy, but a BS4 camo'd sniper - wicked.  Sniper doesn't just grant 'rending' on a 6 to wound, but on a 6 to hit you get to choose which model in the enemy unit you're shooting.  Not so good against Characters (including powerfist Sergeants) thanks to the 'look out sir' generic rule, but awesome against those pesky models holding flamers, plasma, missile launchers and the like.  I've got twelve, so 2x6 ratlings?

Vehicles - On the face of it, hull points have made vehicles more durable, but in reality they pop easier.  Every glancing AND penetrating hit will take a hull point, which means that 4 autocannons with bring it down can guarantee a rhino stops dead (completely ignoring the penetration rolls).  This is GREAT news for Guard!  While the +1 for AP2 Lascannons and Plasma on the penetration chart is welcome, rate of fire seems the best guarantee of glancing a vehicle to death ... And between the Chimeras, the Hydra's and the Autocannons ... we got it!

Mortars - I've always been a huge fan of mortars in guard forces, I think they are a key force multiplier, hitting and hurting a little bit every turn.  I have 15 mortar bases in total and love to field them.  The new rules are really kind to mortars.  Since pre-measuring is now in, there no more worries about being 'just' out of range.  The key to this is that the wound allocation is now directional, with the direction dictated from the centre of the blast.  Indirect fire and 48" range means that I only need to 'hit' with 6 hits to guarantee the death of that meltagunner, or 2 hits to start mincing those Ork dakkaguns (sounds a lot, I've got 15 shots!) ... I'm used to whittling down units to the powerfist and the special weapons expert ... looks like it'll be a boltgunner from now on!

Challenges - Now, this is less of a bonus, but still a very effective stalling tactic.  You can (I think ) call a challenge in the charge, this means that the Rough Riders sergeant (With I5) can 'call out' the Space Marine hero at I6, thus guaranteeing that more of his disposable brethren get their pointy stick into the enemies pointy beaks!  It also works well for the Imperial Guard blob, inhibiting the super ninja character from dishing the death mongering from YOUR player turn and allowing you to apply those power weapons (or sheer weight of numbers) onto his bodyguard.  It'll probably do nothing more than slow them down ... but that's the point isn't it?

Flying Vehicles - I like the Vendetta, it's awesome.  I just don't own one, 6th edition AND the snap fire rule makes Vendettas the 'must have' vehicle for delivering death to the enemy.  4 meltas in a vendetta is an evil combo and will attract a lot of heat, luckily that heat will need a 6 to hit and blast weapons can't snap fire.  So their problems are largely over.  Nice.

Flying Monstrous Creatures - Urkk, Tyranids that fly just got a huge bonus.  Something tells me they want to sell stuff with wings?!?  For my money the best bonus for a guard army is to have some Chaos Space Marine allies.  A few deathguard are never a bad investment, and If I happen to bring along some nurgle bikers (true T6! and jink!), plus my Obliterators and a Deamon Prince with wings and a magic spell for 160pts - bargain!

Now, as you can see from above, none of this is actually that expensive.  The Allies total 660, which still leaves me plenty for the following:

• Company Command Sq: Autocannon, 3 sniper rifles  (75)
• 6 Ratlings (60)
• 6 Ratlings (60)
• Platoon Command Squad: 4 meltas (70)
• Squad 1: Autocannon (60)
• Squad 2: Autocannon (60)
• Squad 3: Autocannon plus Commissar (95)
• 5 Heavy Weapons Teams, Mortars (300)
• Veterans Squad, 3 melta (100)
• 2 x Vendetta (260)
• Deamon Prince, Wings, Magic, Nurgle (160)
• 5 Plague Marines, Powerfist and 2 Plasmaguns (185)
• 3 Bikers, 2 melta (119)
• 2 Obliterators (150)

Total: 1754 pts.

Maybe a Hydra would be better than the Obliterators, but with three flying things, I should be troublesome enough??  What's your thoughts?

Unit Synergy in Flames of War

It's another Flames Article, to draw you over to the dark side of 15mm combat.

All pictures belong to Flames of War, without permission, but friendly nontheless!

For a Flames player, you'll notice that quite a few of the 'innovations' leaked in the 6th Edition WIP 40k ruleset came directly from the world of flames.  Defensive fire and pinning are things that really work in flames, and can prove absolutely devastating.  In addition, they tend to encourage combined arms tactics, as frequently a good team is a mixed team, as all vehicles come with their own advantages and disadvantages...

So here follows a little article to get you interested in Flames of War, in particular, unit synergy.

syn·er·gy

 [sin-er-jee] Show IPA

noun, plural -gies.

1.  combined action or functioning; synergism.

2.  the cooperative action of two or more muscles, nerves, or the like.

3.  the cooperative action of two or more stimuli or drugs.

Synergy in 40k does work, because at core a synergy is a simple game of "Paper-scissors-Stone" that we all play in our heads.  The autocannons in one team may not fire on the Terminators next to them, but instead trust to the plasmaguns of the command team to whittle the superhumans down.  It works in 40k because the sliding scale of toughnesses and saving throws, throws up probabilities that we try to best exploit.  In a term, it's fire discipline.


Unit Synergy in Flames of War

In Flames, the synergy is made more complex.  Unlike 40k, not all weapons in Flames are effective against all units.  In some cases, you are better advised to deploy different weapons against the same unit under different circumstances.

Example One: Entrenched Veteran Troops.

In flames, infantry (unlike tanks) get a 3+ cover save whereever they are.  Even shooting at point blank range, troops get a 3+.  To make matters worse, the roll to hit is governed on their skill at using cover rather than YOUR skill at shooting.  You hit conscripts on a 2+, trained teams on a 3+, and veterans on a 4+.  To make it harder, it gets tougher at over 16" range, and you get yet more negative modifiers if they are in cover, and even more if they don't fire.


A veteran team (4+ to hit), in cover ("concealed", 5+ to hit), over 16" (6+) to hit, who hasn't moved or fired (gone to ground, 7+ to hit), just cannot be hit on a D6.

These rules reflect the reality of the situation (and the opposite to 40k), troops in cover who aren't shooting at you are nearly impossible to hit.

Bullet-proof Cover

To further compound this advantage, if you are in bullet proof cover (ie in or against a building, in foxholes (you dug yourself), in trenches etc, then your opponent doesn't just have to hit you, but they also have to pass a firepower test to penetrate your cover.

Rifles and Machineguns have a firepower of 6.  This means that after scoring a hit on a 6 to hit (within 16"), you then have to roll a further 6 to kill a unit.

Let's add another problem - a HMG nest

Of course, the obvious solution is to attack them, close combat gets you a lot of advantages - eliminating cover being one of them.  The problem is that all those advantages above dissapear as soon as you step out of your entrenched/foxhole position.  You still get a 3+ save, but that's it.  They can hit you easier, and your boys will go down.  Added to the problem are a couple of HMG nests.  These can pump out 6 shots each a turn, creating a kill zone for advancing infantry.

Maybe running will help, but maybe not - in Flames moving at the double means that you are moving without caution.  This gives the shooter "DOUBLE DICE" to shoot at you, representing the risk very effectively.  So simply running at the enemy (A 40k stalwart) won't work.  What's a girl to do?

Option 1: Heavy Mortars

Nestle in a mortar spotter with your dug in infantry and give 'em hell.  Heavy Mortars are very effective at pinning and killing your opponent.  They'll still get a 3+ save, but the scale of the template should give you 3-4 hits and any hit pins the whole unit (pinned units, if they don't shake it, are RoF 1 for the next turn).  Due to the parabolic, Heavy mortars are completely useless against machinegun nests.  The other advantage is that they are immune to retaliation.

Option 2: Light Mortars

Even worse than heavy mortars at killing dug in troops (firepower 6 compared to the HM 3+), some light mortars have a very useful trick.  They can fire direct!  With 24" range, 2 shots and firepower 3+, they can put the pain on your opponent and can cause casulaties.  Downside?  Gun teams have a saving throw of 5+ rather than the normal 3+, so make sure they are dug in!  Mortars can prove very useful against a machine gun nest.  You CAN destroy machine gun nests with simple machine gun and rifle fire, but it takes 72 shots to guarantee a kill. Since a platoon only offers 16 shots, this is a big ask.  6 mortar shots, costing half the price - should silence the HMG.  And it's all down to firepower.

Option 3: Light Antitank guns

At the same price as two HMG machineguns (pushing out 12 shots), two 45mm guns can offer little in the way of antitank (Light tanks and armoured transports only!).  They can however make very short work of a machinegun nest.  Only two guns (firing 6 shots), can put down a machinegun nest.  For the soviets they have several key advantages.  Firstly, they have a gun-shield.  This means that although they only have a 5+ save (as with all gun-teams), they are AUTOMATICALLY in bulletproof cover.  This means that they can move up and shoot at the MG nest at their leisure.  To add insult to injury, you can only hit a machinegun nest at less than 16".  At 16" or less, the artillery "volley fire" rule comes in.  This means that you get a reroll to hit.  Meaning that you only need commit 2 guns to kill a machinegun nest.

Option 4: Assault Guns

Assault guns like the SU122 or the STuH 42 (STuG variant) sacrifice their armour piercing gun for mounting a destructive howitser.  They are designed as infantry support tanks, and their main goal is the clear out infantry rather than kill tanks (which they are still moderately good at).  This means that these tank variants have hugely explosive firepower (2+), and are also what are termed 'breakthrough guns' , breakthrough guns or bunker busters automatically deny infantry a saving throw (they fire explosive rounds which are just too lethal to survive!  This means that if they hit, they invariably kill.

3 SU122's move on an assault gun, with armour 5 they are impervious to the machine gun fire.  They move up and fire 3 shots (moving reduces RoF to 1).  Thanks to a reroll (volley fire) at 16" they get 2 hits.  After rolling a 2+ four times,  they are almost guaranteed a kill.  They then turn their attention on the infantry with 6 shots scoring 2-3 hits next turn and guaranteed kills.

Ancilliaries - Scouts


Scouts play a crucial defensive and aggressive role in flames.  While their shooting potential is paltry, they can move cautiously (meaning they always count as gone to ground if they are concealed in cover and they didn't run or shoot).  As scouts are invariably veterans, that a 7+ to hit at over 16", in addition, they get a withdrawal attempt after the first shot, which allows them a free move if successful.  So they are hard to hit.  They also stop ambushers from 'appearing' within 8" of them, meaning that scouts in a key position can stifle an ambush.  Add to this their 'eyes and ears' rule and they can remove 'gone to ground' from any unit within 16".

So with just 240pts of Rifles and Machine guns, you would have 32 shots with a 44% chance of destroying a gun nest and a 10% chance of destroying entrenched veteran infantry stand at less than 16".  A combination of a scout team (100pts) removing their conceal, and a su122 assault gun team (130pts), would lead to you hitting on a 5+ with a reroll, and a 47% chance to kill per shot.  IE three dead teams.  Move up and kill the machine gun team, and then start blowing big chunks in the infantry next turn.

Conclusion - it's obviously not that easy...

Clearly a 'real' tank, some simple anti-tank guns or panzerfaust will make short work of an assault gun - but that leads into a whole other plethora of options and complexities.  I hope this helps you understand that picking a Flames list is less "best option in codex * spam" and more about understanding the adversary, synergy and combined arms tactics.

And also why a game set in WW2 with realistic adversaries is actually far more challenging and varied than fighting aliens one minute and space marines the next (and the next, and the next, and the next.... lol).  Suneokun out.

The Flames Tardis: Armies in both time AND space

The Tardis for your fish tank ... gotta love google images.

In THIS article I had a bit of a rant about all the things I think are broken in 40k.  One of the thigs that 'makes me sad' about 40k is that despite all the fluff and stuff, most players ditch their 'fluffy' armylist as soon as they start hitting the gaming table in earnest.  The lovingly painted squads of "sub-par unit of choice" gets left on the shelf as the players is forced to "not waste points" on throwaway units and buy HiveGuard/Trygons/Manticores/Hydras/Paladins.

Fact is, half those "great" units in the fluff are actually overpriced and pointless in the tournaments and even in your 'friendly neighbourhood club'.  Let's reflect on that for a moment...

Flames of War approach

Rather than using a formula army list approach like other games, Flames of War forces the user to choose a 'type' of army and then select company options that are available to that force.  Many individual units appear in many different army structures, but the structures are built to be reflective of historical unit AND balanced. 

Example: A tank battalion forces you to take a command unit (in a tank, obviously) and then a minumum of 2 tank companies (5-10 tanks).  In fact, you can 'optimise' up to 31 'standard' tanks within the structure, plus Heavy tanks (IS-2s or ISU122/152s) plus tank killer companys, assault guns etc etc.  What you'll sacrifice is access to masses of infantry, heavy machine guns, recon vehicles etc etc.  A Reconnaissance Company in comparison can field 0-25 tanks (still perfectly healthy), sacrifices all 'heavy' options, but gets better and more recon units, better infantry units (with flamethrowers!) and other options unavailable to the prior.  The 'motor rifle company' comes with the most 'vanilla' force, allowing you access to all areas, but limiting the numbers of each particular type - ie, you can take 1-2 of everything.

Using this approach forces the player to consider their army carefully, and consider their preferred tactical approach with caution.  Do you want to swarm the enemy with T-34s, then a tank company is yours (46 tanks), do you want to blow them apart from range, Motorised will give you the most 'arty', allowing you 46 artillery (including mortars) and anti-tank guns. But you'll be limited in what else you can bring.

The advantage is two-fold, structure AND time.

The strength of this approach is that in a similar fashion to 40k, you can 'try out' and test bed your units and easily switch from one structure to another.  To make this even easier, many of the lists come with two price structures, one for better trained or motivated, one for less so.  One is cheaper.  This adds another careful layer of control though, as 'Guards' are better than Red Army troops, but you couldn't have Guards and Red army in the same battalion.

Exceptions do apply though and many units come with either both options, or are 'add on' reserves units, that equally apply to both.  User beware though, as switching price brackets may exclude your 'must have' units!

So you can field wildly different forces while settling into the game (infantry are fairly transferable), trying out different approaches.  To make this more fun, you can also field army list from different time periods, giving you strikingly different forces, which will fight different opponents.  Here's an example:

1500pt Soviet Army Tank Battalion (Mid War)

This is before and during Stalingrad and way before Kursk, the Russians are on the defensive and throwing everything they have out of the factory and into the way of the Germans.  As such, the majority of the troops are cheap, and are classed as 'Fearless Conscripts', they are highly motivated to save the motherland, but largely untrained and inept.

This means that the tanks and troops are hit more often as they are comparatively incompetent, but will rarely rout or desert their vehicle when hit. (Commissars are SOOOO motivating)

• T34/76 - Company Commander (Fearless Trained)
• 6 x T34/76 - Fearless Conscripts
• 6 x T34/76 - Fearless Conscripts
• Tank Rider Platoon, including 1 Maksim HMG and a commissar (reroll motivational checks but remove a stand of infantry as traitors, sound familiar?) - Fearless Conscripts
• 5 x Katyushas with extra crew (double Rate of Fire) and spotter team - Fearless Trained (these guys are reserves from base and less disposible than their brethren).

1510pt Soviet Army Tank Battalion (Late War)

This is during the 'Bagration' counter attack for Minsk, after Stalingrad and racing towards Kursk.  All Russian troops are now trained, although their 'fearless' drops to 'confident' if their just Red Army and not Guards forces. The Russians are now facing man-power shortages after the desparate sacrifice of Moscow and Stalingrad ... but their training and confidence is better.

• T-34/85 - Company Commander (Fearless Trained)
• 6 x T-34/85 - Fearless Trained
• 6 x T-34/85 - Fearless Trained
• Tank Rider Platoon, including 1 Maksim HMG and a commissar (reroll motivational checks but remove a stand of infantry as traitors, sound familiar?) - Fearless Trained
• 6 x Katyushas with extra crew (double Rate of Fire) and spotter team - Fearless Trained (these guys are reserves from base and less disposible than their brethren).

So what's the difference?

The prior force will be facing mostly Stug and Panzer 4 medium tanks, lots of German infantry and   the occassional Tiger (which they'll struggle with, as the Russians did).  They are easier to hit, but highly motivated and will be facing less dangerous anti-tank weapons.  The tanks are all faster and are capable of blistering speed.

The latter force will face german (and other) armies where both vehicle, fixed gun and infantry weapons can cause havok with the T-34's armour.  It's slightly better, and thanks to training the T-34's are also harder to hit (you hit on your TARGETS skill level, rather than your own).  The Rider Platoon will be a more serious challenge in close combat - as will the 85's, but their guns are vastly better, capable of damaging all the troops.

Summary

Both armies represent the same (ish) number of models, but will face vastly different opponents and have vastly different capabilities.  The two armies will work in a similar fashion, using speed and armour to exploit a weak point in the line and then push through hard into the enemy defensive line, flanking the enemy.  This bring me to my final discussion point of the day...

Scale and tactics

Something that has occured to me since starting in flames of war is that flanking doesn't really work in 40k.  This has something to do with scale, but also something to do with tanks.

Unlike 40k, an infantry man is about a centimetre high.  The best infantry weapons are effective at 24" and guns get ranges up to 32", artillery is longer still, but lacks the accuracy (as you'd expect). This is roughly equivilent to 40k, but there's actually a huge difference in scale. 

Smaller: Flames Tanks are generally smaller than a matchbox, allowing them to 'hide' behind hills and other terrain easier than 40k infantry.  This means that terrain has a greater impact in denying firing altogether.  Obviously the terrain is much smaller, but this doesn't lead to huge terrain pieces absorbing large chunks of the board in order to 'make' the game competitive.

Faster: A standard tank can 'double time' at 24" in a turn.  A tank can move 12" and fire (although at a reduced Rate of Fire), a 'fast tank' can move up to 32" in a turn!  This makes breakthroughs a real threat.  Additionally, the scale of the models means that an dug in infantry line is a line an 1" wide.  Meaning that 'artillery' can be a long way (comparatively) behind the front line, and open to assault by the breakthrough!

Scaled: Blocking tactics (like with rhinos) are near impossible at this scale.  Defences are 'deeper', as scale means that if you punch through my front line, my 57mm zis-2 are going to punch straight through your side armour! Attack, penetration and counter attack are more tactically dynamic as there is more 'room' to maneuver on the same board.

Example:  I set up a defensive line on troops.  They carry SMG's and HMG's, so the Germans won't want to assault with infantry or half tracks.  They punch through the 'weak' part of my line with a panther tank group in assault, and push through with several units of crack panzergrenadier units.  The panzers are their front armour left to face the T-34's they are going to flank next turn.  I then reveal my 4 zis-2 guns hidden in a wood on a hill.  They open up on the exposed Panthers and score 6 hits from my 12 shots.  The panthers cannot pass the side armour hits (armour 5, antitank 11, requiring 6's to avoid penetration!) and 5 penetrating shots later (one bail-out test) you have 3 destroyed tanks and 2 bailouts, crippling the German breakthrough.

40k tanks are a bit of a joke.  Normal tanks are barely faster than troops, and can only escape 'fleet' troops due to a bad dice roll for the chaser.  In Flames, the relationship is reversed, with tanks providing the maneurvability, whilst the infantry provide the fixed durability.

But 40k Infantry aren't durable and treat foxholes and cover as 'optional' ... hence the weird reversal of reality.  40k tanks as mobile pillboxes.

Weird.

When 40k plays like a "Doh", or how I might retire my Tyranids.

3 weeks of expectation built into a frustrating game last night for me. Which is a shame as the guys in Narborough are top and the hospitality was second to none. It was Nids and Necrons versus Orks and WorldEaters in a slugfest.

Prime with Lash Whip and Bone Sword (95)
Trvigon, Adrenally Tox'd with Catalyst (195)
Hive Guard x 2 (100)
Ymgarls x 7 (161)
Zoanthrope x 2 in pod (160)
Hormagaunts tox'd x 12 (96)
Hormagaunts tox'd x 11 (88)
Genestealers tox'd x 6 (102)
Genestealers tox'd x 6 (102)
Trygons x 2 (400)

The tactic for us Nids, get in there and eat something - it didn't go well!?!

My tox'd hormagaunts bounced off everything, killing the odd model - but nothing stuck. All three genestealer units (2xtox'd and 1 Ymgarl) all got into combat and killed next to nothing. The Ymgarls did the best, winning two rounds of combat against generic Deamons before getting punk'd after turning up turn 4.

My Tervigon managed to 'poop out' on a double on the first turn and then got mullered by a lone Ork biker Nob (I thought I might actually win that combat!), my Trygon got 'fearless' punk'd with 9 Fearless wounds when multicharged with hormagaunts... my other Trygon got wooped by two ram hungry deathroller orks and still struggled on until last turn.

My Prime escorted the Hive Guard on the board and then got jumped by a warboss. He killed 4 Bikers before getting punk'd by the Claw.

Only Hutch's Necrons played well - winning combats against Orks, performing funky moves and making the day tricky. Looking at my current list, there's little synergy. While the loss of the Parasite and the Hormagaunts is little to no loss ... I lack supporting models.

So what could I take that would have made the difference. Well from inside my collection, there are two units that could have helped:

• Parasite: nope, spend so much time avoiding powerclaws/fists he wouldn't have come to visit.
• Gargoyles: ditto, Termagaunts without a cover save.
• Broodlord: I decided against, but he may well have swung it with his 'hypnotic gaze'.
• Spore Mines: tactically tricky, but I'm not sure.
• Lictor: Powerclaw chump.
• RipperSwarms: Meat on the way in really, but lots and lots of attacks.

So what would have worked better, and what haven't I got?

• I have to work better in synergy, I'm sending in too many 'units' into close combat alone. I need to be dominating the close combat and overwelming the opponent - as I'm far too vulnerable to getting killed once my initiative is done.
• Venomthropes ... I don't love them and I don't own any, but I can see their utility ... a small 2 man (?) venom unit gives a lot of anti-charge and anti-close combat options for just 110pts.
• Termagaunt 'dakka' unit. A huge unit of Devilgaunts would have brought some significant pain to those orks. 60 s4 shots ... worth considering.
• Tervigon 2: Yes, Venomthropes, 2 Tervigons and 2 Trygons - sounds like a Fritz List! But it's a proven approach and the combination of FNP, 5+ cover save and anti-charge options are tasty.
• Tyrant: Although for durability he should have 2 guards and be the swarmlord ... he tactically brings me the best options.
  

So what do I do with my drunken Tyranids. Although the game wasn't fun, it clearly demonstrates what I've known for a while. Guard, Tau and Chaos Marines can take a 'fun', unWAAC list and still perform well - thanks to their natural 'synergy' of units (and my greater experience with them).

I am still yet to win a game with Nids ... which has got to be more about my lack of XP combined with a lack of practice in running a list that rocks. So my thoughts are as follows:

• Prime, Lash Whip and Bonesword 95
• Tervigon (HQ), Adrenal tox'd, Catalyst 195
• Venomthropes x2 110
• Hive Guard x2 100
• Tervigon (troops), Adrenal tox'd, Catalyst 195
• Termagaunts (10) 50
• Genestealers (9 tox'd) 170
• Genestealers (9 tox'd) 170
• Trygon with Regen (225)
• Trygon with Regen (225)

Total 1501. The Venoms are key and 'hide' behind something big. The Tervigons advance - pooping Gaunts as the Trygons get FNP and everybody gets a 5+ cover save. I'm gonna give them one more go with this list. Proxing the Zoanthropes for Venoms and borrowing a Greater Deamon as a spare Tervigon. We'll see if we can't make this army work (eventually...)

Thoughts on the new Tau FAQ

Come see it here, interesting clarifications...

1. Piranha's can no longer "Buy one disruption pod, get one free." NERF.
2. Target priority ... well thank goodness for that, target lock Sergeant shoots who he wants.
3. Markerdrones can't move and fire. Last time I checked, drones have jetpacks, jetpacks allow relentless ... so this seems counterintuitive?
4. Seeker Missiles are getting better and better. They are now confirmed to ignore all cover except area terrain (for units) and 'special items' for vehicles. So a vehicle can only ever gain a 4+ cover save if you bought the upgrade ... that's nice! SkyRay's FTW!
5. Markerlights can totally negate pinning leadership OR saving throws ... how can you argue otherwise?
6. Gundrones don't benefit from markerlights on their vehicle - well no, doh, course not!
7. Detached gundrones are units and can contest and give away killpoints.
8. Undetached gundrones (say that three times with a mouthful of mouthwash!) DO NOT, but are destroyed with the vehicle.
   
9. Gundrones have leadership 7 and can disembark as if on an open top vehicle (ie anywhere within 2")
10. Bodyguards/Honour guards are retinue as specified in the 40k rulebook.
11. Some Ethereal and Sniper Drone clarifications ... but who takes them?

Overall this is GOOD news for the Tau. Seeker Missiles (alongside missile launchers in general) are seeing a resurgence and from XP, they rock. That whole move 12" and shoot everything is very very nice! The rise of light mech (Rhino, Chugs, Orks, DEldar and Razorbacks, Valks/Vends and Hellhounds) over AV14 monsters make seekers a positive choice, especially when they automatically ignore all cover for vehicles. Don't forget that SMOKE, disruption pods or DEldar cheating WILL still apply. But ... awesome!

The main win is obviously on gundrones. The clarification puts the choice in the Tau players hand, I can 'keep' the drones on board to consolidate killpoints, or I can drop a Drone Horde from Piranha's to contest. Very nice.

ARMYLIST: Sheer MORTAR MADNESS

Imperial Guard Mortar Platoons were used to stealing any bit of transport they could...

Ok, so you may have got the message that I'm a bit keen on using mortars in 40k. They are the single most effective weapon in the game for the points (IMHO). Let's break it down and then unleash a different kind of beast!

20pts each, 2 wounds T3, Ld7, troops. Ok, so the leadership ain't nothing to write home about, but in essense you have in front of you a model that can fire from a secluded location with no direct line of sight. It can fire from turn one, and dice allowing will continue to fire unless someone goes over there and stops them firing. This is an evil, evil 20pt unit, and the evil just got better.

It's shots work in barrage. Let me break this down for you. Your average 'spread' unit (in expectation of an indirect shot) will cover approximately a large blast template. You are then dropping a small blast template onto that large blast template. The template may scatter, but with an average scatter of 7" (minus 1.5" for the small template, you have an approximately 50/50 to hit rate WITH THE FIRST SHOT. I'm guard, I'll take those odds.

Second shot is scatter only and you have a 1/3 chance of scoring a hit. At this point you can place the template in any position as long as it touches the original template, this includes a position which OVERLAPS the original template (I'd opt for the one touching the most models). So even with a 'miss', you have a 50% chance of scoring 7 or so hits. With a hit on the first roll that could rise as high as 15.

On bunched up mini's say leaving a vehicle or deepstriking, this can rise to levels of 20+ hits with just one barrage. 3 hits will happen, and there goes 24 kroot!

Added to this, you are dropping ordinance into the enemy's back yard. You can hit 'hidden' crisis suits and even attempt to 'scatter' on to Harlequins, Stealth teams and other hindrance's. And the scatter you do raise the chance of hitting other units, scoring other single wounds and exponentially increasing the chance of pinning multiple units.

It is indirect, so cover saves are irrelevant unless you are in area cover or in base to base with a piece of terrain. Screening (tyranids and Orks listen up) is irrelevant as I don't care what's in between, hiding behind a tank is irrelevant as I'll blow up your multimelta combat bike anyway.

HAVE I NOT WORDED THIS STRONGLY ENOUGH.

Everything outside of a tank will take devastating casualities form this weapon. Any tank with an AV10 on the side will take a glancing hit 25% of the time from each 3 mortar team. 50% to hit, plus 3*1/6 chance of glancing.

• TACTICALLY - it is a weapon that can hit indirectly anywhere, every turn without comeback.
• STRATEGICALLY - it will disrupt your opponents charges, advances, 'hidden' troops, defenders every turn. We bang on about the value of 'shaking' a unit, but this weapon can do that to every non-fearless infantry unit in the game!
• PSYCHOLOGICALLY - every plan your opponent brought to the board will be sabotaged from turn one ... he will HATE these mortars.
• CONVERTEDLY - They are the easiest models to build out there.

Conclusion to the rant - my cunning plan.

So we've had Chimeltavet spam and Vendetta spam ... where's the mortar-board spam. Here's my list of Pure Indirect Delight at 1500pts

Command HQ with a powerfist, regimental standard and a mortar @ 85pts

Commissar Lord with powerfist @ 85pts

Infantry Platoon @ 500pts

HQ with 4 grenade launchers

2 Squads with lascannon and one commissar with power weapon

5 Mortar teams (15 mortars)

Infantry Platoon @ 500pts

HQ with 4 grenade launchers

2 Squads with lascannon and one commissar with power weapon

5 Mortar teams (15 mortars)

3 x 5 Roughriders with a meltabomb each @ 180pts

2 x Griffons @ 150pts

The Mathhammer

I calculate a single mortar has a 60% chance of hitting a unit. This is based on a 33% chance of rolling a hit, combined with a just less than 50% chance of scattering onto said target. On average that hit will score between 4-15 wounds per weapon team (3 mortars), so across 10 teams you are looking at 24-90 hits a turn.

• Against Marines: 4-15 dead marines a turn.
• Against Orks: 12-45 dead per turn*
• Against Guardsmen: 11-40 dead per turn*
• Against Gaunts: 16-60 dead per turn*

*Assuming no cover (remember only area terrain really counts here).

Against metal boxes, the lascannons and continual 'bring it down' orders should do the trick. The grenade launcher platoon commands are throw away units, bringing S6 firepower to bear. Finally the rough riders go in to 'finish off' anything that gets too close.

Ironically, the Griffon's add little in the way of difference to the mortars, they do however offer the option to drop very accurate S6 Ordinance against tank side armour - which could prove useful for dealing with Whirlwinds and other concerns.

One final thought

I've used mortars to 'clean' a group of assaulting terminators off the front of a DoomHammer tank ... it wasn't pretty, and no - they didn't get up. 15 mortars fired and scored something like 55 hits. Getting bunched up, ducking out of line of sight, assaulting vehicles, disembarking, moving 'around' terrain instead of through it...

Just try it!

Fielding the Unloved - Catachan Foot List

'Pacific' by HBO. No challenge to rights intended.

Now here's a thought?...

How about leaving the metal boxes at home for once ... back in the hinterland of 3rd (and even 4th) edition, Guardsmen could do very well without lots and lots of flying and driving metal boxes. Nowadays, reaching for the codex involved a natural twitch towards my favourite metal cans.

But how does this play for those Guard players who'd really rather play a foot list (like the admiral Admiral Drax), or have picked up the mantle of the Catachan jungle fighters (like my favourite new blogger - Ras @ thedeathworlders) ... so how would I build a 'foot only' 40k Imperial Guard Catachan list?

This list must bounce around two main characters from the Catachan planet, Harker and Straken... after that it's about bouncing in Marbo and a whole other list without boxes...

Catachan Light Intantry (1755pts)

• HQ: Company Command Squad: Straken with a band of 2 CCW'd heavies, a medic and a regimental standard, 2 bodyguards and an officer of the fleet, all painted in camo (what else?!?) @ 270pts
• HQ: Primaris Psyker: I call him my pocket battleship, and he can be placed tactically in any position that will shore up Ld (with his mighty Ld9), offer serious firepower and stab things with his power weapons. All for 70pts. Tactically a commissar lord would be more helpful, but have you read what the catachan's do to commissars?
• Elites: Marbo: KaBOOM, nuff said @65pts.
• Elites: Ratlings, 9 of the little buggers @ 90pts.
• Elites: Ratlings, 9 more of the little buggers @ 90pts.
• Troops: Infantry Platoon (get ready for the mortar spam) @685 pts. HQ CCW and laspistols and a powerfist. Squad 1-4 with a lascannon and a powerweapon. 5 Mortar teams fielding 15 mortars.
• Troops: 2 x Penal Legion Squads @ 160pts.
• Troops: Harker's vets squad with 3 sniper rifles and an Autocannon @ 180pts.
• Fast Attack: 3 units of five Rough Riders @ 165pts.

Tactics and Cunning Plans

I'm not manueuverable, but the use of mortars firing from hidden positions will force my opponent to come to me or suffer continual attrition (which I can whether better than him by going to ground). My 'blobs' aren't Commissar backed either - so blobbing or not blobbing is purely down to the adversary. The key to this army is kicking out a heck of a lot of firepower, followed up by some serious counter attack punch.

I would base the 18 ratlings and Harkers bunch together, probably out to the flank. Harker concentrates on the APC's while the lascannon's down anything really nasty. The ratlings will do average one rending wound a turn, but the Sniper rifles really fill the gap for killing any high toughness monsters out there.

2 two penal legion squads are the ablative wounds, with the roughriders punching in with a counter attack. With Straken within 12", these horse boys with get S6, I6 on the charge, which is a dirty amount of pain. Against the right opponent, they are awesome. A penal squad with the two close combat weapons and rending would get 31 S4, I4 rending attacks on the charge ... which is enough to make a space wolf blush.

The main HQ is the final close combat weapon. With Camo and without decent weaponry to tempt me into taking a pop at the enemy (backed my a medic), they should be left alone. The regimental standard should keep everyone on board, and Straken can even use the 'get back in the fight' if neccessary (it would sound good coming from him!) If push comes to shove, I have 7 FNP 5+ ablative wounds attached to Straken, with most swinging 3 S4 I4 attacks on the charge. Fingers crossed people.

Oh and there's Marbo innit.

Thoughts and Contemplations

Well they're unlikely to pose much threat to flanking, flaming Blood Angels tanks are they? That's why the master of the fleets essential. I want to both dominate the deployment through infiltration and then slow down the flankers to make my firepower stick.

That said, fighting an all infantry army is about going back to basics, placing your models in layers and optimising cover. Against an infantry only army 50% of your shots will hit cover. So already, you are missing a trick. Sacrifice and attrition is what it's all about, and hopefully - sometimes - winning!

Importantly, this is an army that can effectively hide out of LoS or go to ground and not lack for firepower from the mortars, when they are in a good position - heaven help you.

So what are your thoughts ... have at it!

Old stuff day - where was my memo??

Pah, a bit late but here's my contribution to 'old stuff day', a genius creation by W39999.

Resolutely on topic, here's the a post on the reason why every Guard player should be fielding Mortars from back in 2009 ... well at least I'm consistent!

http://pathfinder-devilin.blogspot.com/2009/09/guard-heavy-weapon-tactica.html

Imperial Guard - Keeping it cheap...

Cause Gaunt don't get no Vendetta spam!

Copyright acknowledged to GW and Black Library.

The Imperial Guard have some wonderful units which can play very specific roles... thanks to the new codex, many of the more 'standard' units have been eclipsed by the likes of the multi-talented (and multi-effective) Vendetta, Valkyrie, Veterans and Manticore (ok not really multi-talented but you get my drift)...

SO how do I bite back, I bring the firepower back to the plebs. When was the last time the Imperial Guard fielded nothing but Vendetta's and Valks in a Gaunt's Ghosts novel, eh?

NEVER!!

As such, here's my (fun) contribution to the sort of army I like to play, which is all about synergy, sacrifice and one-trick wonders, THE GUARD WAY!

Mobile Infantry list (1500)

• 2 x Primaris Psykers (140pts)
• 4 Ratlings (40pts)
• Platoon HQ with 4 Grenade Launchers and Heavy Stubber Chug (115pts)
• 4 Squads with Autocannon's and Heavy Stubber Chugs (500pts)
• 5 x mortar teams, 15 in total (300pts)
• Penal Legion Squad (80pts)
• 3 scout sentinels with Lascannon and Camo (180pts)
• 7 x Rough Riders (75pts)
• 7 x Rough Riders (75pts)

Tactics

This isn't the sort of army your opponent will be used to facing. The Chimera's are there to play pillbox and pump out 11 S4-7 shots a turn. Outside of AV14 these guys should be able to down light transports without breaking a sweat and suppress the s*** out of any foot troops. Imperial Guard are crap at 'challenging' for objectives, so it's best to shoot everything down and then grab the nearest.

The Chugs are led by a Platoon HQ. Now I've found these guys to be a good stopper against whatever 'can make it through that hail of fire'. Dropping a Primaris Psyker on board (or two) can make this chug a serious 'silent killer' as it can pump out up to 11-31 S6 shots at 24". That's enough to give even Terminators the wobbles... think of this unit as your mopping up unit after the roughriders have gone in (and died heroically)...

Behind the Chugs come three camo'd and lascannon'd Sentinels. place correctly, they should be able to get a 3+ save while drawing a bead on whatever landraider/monolith/battlewagon approaches. Remember that they don't get a 3+ if they move, and keep them busy. The ability to move (from cover) and alphastrike a target is their strength.

Rough riders, spread them out behind the Chugs but around the mortars to ensure that you minimise deep strike danger. These guys can deliver an awesome counterpunch for both anti deep-strike and anti-terminator baddies. 7 Rough riders deliver 15 S5 power weapon hits at I5. That's some serious 'on-par' baddy killing there.

Behind the Rough Riders come the mortars. These guys should be out of line of sight and hidden behind (or in) cover. The more firepower these plebs attract the better, as they can go to ground and weather it easily. These are the 'motivator' for your opponent as they can hit any squad within 48" with horrific casualties every turn. Spamming mortars is devilishly effective. Thanks to indirect you can fire with impunity and with the barrage rules, when you hit a 1/3rd of the time it will really, really hurt. 15 mortars can and will completely dominate the game, your opponents objectives and his playing style. Oh, and you pin.

Penal Legions ... well they had to come didn't they? If they get the guns, stick them in the front lines, if not then consider flanking them into a close combat position or to challenge the opponents home plate. Even S3 is awesome with a rend and you only need a couple of lucky rolls for these guys to shine. Remember they are also 'stubborn', so as a 'hold them up' unit - you couldn't do better!

4 Ratlings are along for the ride. 3 out of 4 should hit and 1.5 wounds a turn is better than none. These guys are really there for playing position however and keeping genestealers or kommando's and other infiltrating nasties at a decent reach.

Strengths

The Mortars force your opponent to be aggressive, anything without AV14 is going to get a serious hammering, the rough riders cover the mortars and prepare for counter attack against whatever makes it through the torrent of fire. It's a bit of a one trick pony, but it's also a difficult nut to crack.

Remember that although this is a lot of firepower, it's not a lot of bodies (on the field that is, inside tanks is another matter), use this to your advantage.

The rate of fire is key here as you can shoot enough shots to make both high toughness monsters like Mephiston or the Tryant or highly armoured opponents like terminators shudder under the rate of fire.

Drawbacks

The Landraider: First up, you lack anything that can really challenge a landraider or similar AV14 all round 'cheat-machine'. That said, anything except a thunderhead unit will die to rough riders. My advice ... try to get lucky with your lascannons and concentrate on wiping out the rest of his army. When they hit, get a sacrifice unit in the way, and then hit them hard with everything backed up by the mortars. Mortars have no minimum range and can therefore be used to pile on the wounds. 3 'hits' will easily give you 15 hits on a disembarked squad, giving you up to 22 wounds from the 5 squads. Try not rolling any 1's.

Flankers: If your opponent has a bunch of genestealers, then castling up in the centre is a good idea. Remember that rotating your Chugs does not count as moving, but will expose flanks. Maybe its better to keep that AV12 forwards and just sacrifice the heavy bolter. Remember that mortars are pinning ... so every wound you cause may have a silver lining. And a pinned unit IS a dead unit against this kind of firepower.

The Versus Consideration

Against CSM/C:SM: Rate of fire and high strength will make rolling 1's and 2's a depressing proposition. Be aware of wolf scouts, deep strikers and other 'nasties' and plan accordingly. Also, watch out for those long fangs. Your lack of AP weaponry favours the habitual deathguard, but your rough riders will have a lot of fun!

Against Tyranids: Taking out the anti-tank threats and watching for flankers/pods will be key. Anything that arrives at point blank either needs a can opener or can face down a lot of serious firepower. Focus your lascannons/autocannons and multilasers on the nasties, while the mortars can happily chip away at the horde.

Against Orks: Beyond the PK and the Deathrolla, you have few concerns. You forgot the armour piercing ammo, and they forgot the armour. Give 'em hell! Don't forget to hit those pesky Deffgun wielding maniacs on turn one and mortar them back to the stone age. Also remember that the Primaris's other power Nightshroud is a wonderful thing to use on Orks...

Against Tau: Tau will struggle to win against mortars. Their fire warriors are easy pickings and the kroot just vanish. Use the lascannons on the suits (especially the broadsides) and you shouldn't have a problem. Your lack of a deathstar unit is a boon.

Against Eldar: An interesting problem. The key one is the Elder Seer Council on jetbike with fortune. Otherwise the rest of the army will die in short order. Keep the lascannons and Ratlings focused for wraithlords. Beware Harlequins.

Against Dark Eldar: AV10 - why thank you! The warp portal will give you more concern, but remember that you can nuke any unit one by one. Consider swapping out the 4 grenade launchers on the command squad for flamers ... should keep things interesting.

Against Chaos Deamons: These guys have a similar problem, focus on the fast stuff with your guns and leave the Deamon Princes and Plaguebearers to the Rough Riders.

Conclusion

Ok, so its a bit of a one trick army, but it brings an awesomely big gun to the proceedings and would give pause to most armies. Remember that half the army is ACTUALLY in transports, so they can drive off to challenge objectives leaving the home plate in the control of the mortars.

Tau Tactica - trying something different

I like running multiple armies, my burgeoning Guard army are now accompanied by Tau, Tyranids and the new Swords of Alpharius Chaos marines force... and I still have 114 Orks in a box to paint. The beauty of its is multiple. Firstly, painting one set of mini's can get dull after a while. The paint scheme or fur/chitin/power armour/cloth effects can get repetitive.

Mixing things up with another set of mini's is a perfect way of keeping things fresh and the 'painting doldrums' at bay. The second reason is that with different armies you have very different games. Name a man who's played Dawn of War and hasn't 'tried it out' with every faction, well playing different armies (and you don't get much more different than mine) means keeping it fresh and playing an army to your mood and temperament of the day...

It also means that you CAN have games against that great guy with the rock hard Blood Angels army, because you don't HAVE to take the Tau.

Or for tonight entertainment and in my case ... I do.

TAU CADRE LIGHTNING SHATTER SQUISH

I'm trying something different here (and as usual, potentially suicidal). Way back when I looked at deploying SkyRay missile boats and found it a remarkably unhappy experience ... so I've decided to do it again! The concept and tactics for this army are inspired by the excellent work of Sholto and Old Shatter Hands and hopefully should make for an entertaining fight against the Gue'la Emo Vampire Astartes.

• HQ: Shas'El, 2 Flamers, fusion blaster, 1 gundrone (78pts)
• Elite: 2 Crisis Suits, team leader with Plasma Rifle and Missile Pod, hard wired Multi-tracker and targeting array, 2 Gun Drones, Shas'Ui with Missile Pod, targeting array and Flamer. (148pts)
• Elite: 2 Crisis Suits, team leader with Plasma Rifle and Missile Pod, hard wired Multi-tracker and targeting array, 2 Gun Drones, Shas'Ui with Missile Pod, targeting array and Flamer. (148pts)
• Troops: 6 Fire Warriors in a Devilfish with Disruption Pod and 2 Seeker Missiles (165pts)
• Troops: 10 Kroot and 10 Kroot Hounds (130pts)
• Troops: 9 Kroot (63pts)
• Fast Attack: 6 Pathfinders with a Devilfish and Disruption Pod (157pts)
• Fast Attack: Fision Blaster Piranha with gundrones, targeting array, Disruption Pod and Fletchette Dischargers (85pts)
• Heavy Support: 2 Broadsides with targetting arrays, team leader with target lock and 2 shield drones (200)
• Heavy Support: SkyRay with Smart Missile System, Targeting Array, Multitracker and Disruption Pod (165pts)
• Heavy Support: SkyRay with Smart Missile System, Targeting Array, Multitracker and Disruption Pod (165pts)

Total: 1504 points

Sacrifices had to be made at this points level, and were made heavily. Another Broadside or a couple more gizmo's on the crisis suits would have been nice ... as would my stealthers - but I've got a cunning plan - well that's probably taking it too far.

I have a plan at least.

What are your thoughts fellow Tau'Va - suicide or inspired?