2011 - Stepping away from 40k

After the rush of completing my Tyranids, I'm now polishing off the Chaos Space Marines with a well earned Defiler and final Obliterator... I know I did say they were finished, but this is what my wife would term 'tidying up the corners' ... and pickers have bigger knickers.

Anyhow, with the Tyranids completely done I was feeling a significant amount of basing/modelling/painting burnout - generally in the 40k field. My next options are:

a) Build and paint the Defiler, Obliterator (underway) and finish the paintjob on the last rhino.

b) Base 200+ Guardsmen

c) Base 100+ Tau

d) start a 100+ model Ork Army

All of which is filling me with a surfit of YAWN at the moment. 40k burnout happens to us all, and I'm keen to keep the fires burning with more games and more challenges.

That said ... on Tuesday I was led to the darkside.

A Spanish company have invented a game called Infinity. It's a skirmish game, and the models are comparable to Malifaux for impact and beauty. Anton (of THE ANARCHY) did an intro game, and I'm hooked!

With 40k you have to suspend your disbelief totally ... that's why it always makes me smile when players use 'reality' example to support their (mostly heinous) rules sculpting. The idea that soldiers have to wander around in clumps and can walk out in the open and shoot willy nilly at the enemy without fear of being shot at is silly. I know why its that way, after all 40k ISN'T a skirmish game, its a full on slug-fest.

With Infinity, I'm suddenly getting shot down when I emerge from cover. I can react to getting shot at (by ducking, diving or returning fire)... I'm wielding an Armour Piercing Explosive 2 shot Autocannon which is killing everything it hits ... what's right with this picture...

So I'm diving into Infinity ... and it's easy! I need 20 sided dice (hmm warm D&D feeling), but the rules are online here, there's a very well built army builder software here

I've pumped for the Haqqislam army ... in this future, the different cultures (highly reminiscent of the 'Clash of Civilisations' theory of the early 90's) have buggered off into space and then come back to earth with different experiences.

The armies vary from very low tech, but plentiful and surprising deadly (Dog warriors and Autocannons all round for the Russian derivatives) to Entire Alien races looking like Halo, Gundam and other influences.

I've plumped for Haqqislam (which is space Islamist who are all high tech, environmentalist and balanced) ... as Anton has the Russian angle covered and Spence has a boatload of Chino/Japanese tech.

I've pulled together a 300pt list ... which I'll post up tomorrow. Very Exciting!

Passing of a hero...

For those of you that didn't get the news flash, Dick Winters (92) of 101st Easy Company died on the 2nd January 2011. Like many normal men (and women) around the world, he was called up to fight in WW2. Unlike many, he was widely credited for being a brilliant leader, a superb officer and a good reason why so many men of Easy made it back.

Unlike so many heroes of the Second World War and other conflicts, Mr. Winters has had his story of bravery and heroism documented (with artistic licence) by both Stephen Ambrose and Tom Hanks/Stephen Spielburg in 'Band of Brothers'.

For those of you who own it, it's time to dust off 'The longest Day' and 'Crossroads' and give some time to think of those men who gave their lives to enable the world we have today. For those of you who don't own Band of Brothers, who (heavens above) have never seen it, it's worth it. They gave us a world where we can thankfully choose whether we want to be in the armed forces or not.

And those other men in their millions (on all sides), each unique and beloved people who cherished and sought and wondered, whose bravery is now sorely forgotten, whose actions are lost with their deaths or misplaced in the miasma of history.

My grandfather was lucky enough to survive the War, despite being shot down over Germany and spending half of the war in Stalag Luft, but he spent his remaining days a broken person in many ways.

How lucky we are.

Damian Lewis as "Lt. Winters" in Band of Brothers (HBO)

WIP Armoured Defiler

Happy New Year and all that jazz!

As those who have being paying attention will be aware ... my recent efforts to complete the Tyranids were inspired by a simple bribe a defiler. Now before I get into the nitty gritty of the Defiler conversion, a little background on the Swords of Alpharius is required! Bare with it, it's worth it - as it should feed into your feedback...

Swords of Alpharius Fact #1: Realspace Renegades not Warped Monsters

Alike to the Alpha Legion, this sub legion has never 'lived' in the Warp/Eye of Terror/Maelstrom or other Chaos affiliated space. They are not really 'true' chaos-marines, as they're affiliation to the gods of Chaos is weak. Visually this means that I've gone to lengths to remove all 'spiky bits' from models, making them less and less 'chaosy' in an attempt to keep them true to form.

Additionally they are a renegade Chapter, so their equipment comes from many eras, stolen 'modern' jumppacks and meltaguns against Rogue Trader Era beaky conversions.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

The Alpha Legion only attacked the Emperor and supported Horus because they had hidden knowledge of the destructive decay and monstrous disaster a "so-called" victory would result in, in effect the 20th Legion chose to put the Imperium out of its misery - something they continue to do. They do so as a means to defeat the Chaos gods - who are fed by the very humans they seek to corrupt. Collapsing the Imperium would irradicate all mankind and leave those civilisations immune to the Chaos powers (Tau and Orks) and those in control-ish of their relationship to Slannesh (Eldar and Delder) to face the great Devourer. Destroying mankind effectively destroys 90% of Chaos.

Swords of Alpharius Fact #2: Technosourcery, not sourcery

As previously explained and demonstrated through multiple models and conversions, the Swords of Alpharius do not use Deamons or Deamonic powers directly. In this aspect I was inspired by Graham McNeill's book "Mechanicum". In that, Mars isn't struck down by a human/Deamonic invasion - but rather by a Deamonic corruption of the code. A sort of Deamon-virus. One idea really inspired me ... but more on that LATER.

Therefore, the Sorceror is a Master of the Forge utilising his technosourcery to corrupt communication or commune direct with the powered armour of his opponents. I was drawn to Huron for the same reason - half robot. In addition, the 'Lesser Deamons' of my army are actually human opponents implanted with necronic crystals as useful test subjects and battlefield fodder.

The Obiliterators are drawn to the Omega, the technosorceror for this same reason.

Swords of Alpharius Fact #3: They are fluffy, not particularly good.

Reading through the '3++' breakdown of the CSM codex, its clear I've bought a few turkeys along the way. I don't have a Deamon Prince (although if I did have the model, I'd necrotise him and use him as either my Deamon Prince, or my Greater Deamon), Although I have Oblits, I've stuck to mainly standard CSM Marines and a few Plague Marines. I've taken Chosen, Raptors and I've taken bikes ... all overpriced - but that is the cost of fluff - sometimes it just has to be done.

I believe they are a suitable 'Alpha' build with lots of hard hitting MSU and delivery options via Icons. Tactically, you could probably take them apart with a small screwdriver and they lack anti-mech punch and anti-horde impact.

But they are my prettiest army and the fluff is great - so why change.

And finally the fecking WIP, honest...

So when chosing my 'present' for a job well done, I decided on a Defiler. Other people suggested a Vindicator for the aggression, but a bloody lump like that didn't fit the Alpha ethos... alternatively it was suggested that Land raider was a good choice, but I was always intending to Deepstrike my Terminators and the same anti-fluff rule applied.

If I was being 'nasty' about it then 3 more Obilts would have been perfect. Giving me 6 anti-tank options. I compromised, and got one more Obilt and a Defiler.

Clickify to Bigify

Conversion

I was looking to firstly 'de-Chaos' the model, so the clipper came out and took off all the spikes. Additionally the 'chaosface' battlecannon guard when into the bits box and I fashion a more 'armoured one out of other parts. Next up, I collected the plethora of Chimera/Leman Russ track guards and went to work armouring the fella up.

The conversion was very easy. I next looked at the head, I liked none of the existing heads and was busy rummaging in the bits box and asking my wifes opinion when the answer presented itself, the 'skull' of the model was actually more 'mechanicum' and more true than a head piece.

So I left it. It was at this stage that the 'Mechanicum' assassin-robot came back to me, and newly inspired I started scouring the bitsbox for other things to make him look better.

I'm looking to extend the blades on the autocannons and with the addition of a 'sheaf' for the autocannon have a simple swap out of autocannon/Dreadnought CCW. After all additional weapons on this robot are pointless as you can only ever fire the Battlecannon alone as it is Ordnance.

So what do you think, does he fit the repaired/Damaged/Armoured up/De-Chaos'd/Renegade look, and what else do you think I should add to him? Fuel tanks/more armour?

I look forward to hearing...

Army Showcase: Tyranid Splinter Orobus

Background

Hive Splinter Orobus first entered the Kochi sector 83 years before, while tendrils were repulsed, a select number of Ore refinery asteroids were decimated during this preliminary stage. While the quashing of this infestation was a priority, it was nearly an impossible task. The splinter is believed to have launched multiple spore clusters, nestled within asteroid and hulks throughout the intercine warzone.

As has previously been noted, the machinations of a subset of the Alpha Legion, believed to be the Swords of Alpharius, have only recently been discovered. Their nestine actions may explain the fighting on all sides, from Tau Cadre J'Etsu and rumours of an Ork Hulk entering the region ... nothing bodes well. Now the Swords of Alpharius have converted Kochi Vrai to their cause... and the corruption sets in. Beset between the Tau and the traitors is a hard place.

Even with the might of the Kochi VIII at his command, overall commander Munk struggled to bring his forces to bear and large number of genestealers and other bioforms nested throughout Kochi and the surrounding sectors. With a warzone to move within and such disruption to exploit, refugees pour from sector to sector and stealer cults thrive.

Such is the aspect of Splinter Orobus. The worm of the underworld.

Troops


Termagaunts are plentiful (30) in hive fleet Orobus ... I've always preferred the vanilla kind as the Fleshborer (although nerfed under the new rules) has a particularly nasty bite.



24 Hormagaunts bring me cheap and fast close combat options. Against marines, those attacks can really mount up ... I've seen 12 Hormagaunts slaughter 5 terminators. With the upgrades, they become seriously tasty.


I love stealers. The GW model, complete with fluff, is just so much more nefarious than their inspiration - Ridley Scotts Alien. The Broodlord rarely gets to come as he's more baggage than benefit - and I miss his inhuman strength.


The Tyranid Warriors ... 4 with Deathspitters and rending, and 5 with Devourers, lash whips and boneswords. Three cheers for the turkey heads...


The Rippers... and spore mines? I've produced 15 ripper bases purely for the pleasure of growing my own army ... go parasite!

Elites


OOP, but close to our hearts - its a Zoat! I generally play him as a proxied HiveGuard in friendlies. The Hiveguards a lovely model - but bloody heavy! The Zoanthropes are far too top heavy and the lictor?? Generally stays at home, unless I feel like proxying the Deathleaper.

Fast Attack


I love Gargoyles. Tactically and strategically they are great value ... but they are a pain to cart about and constantly breaking! Between the Gargoyles and the Hormagaunts I'm fully stocked for 'pointyness' and am NOT interested in Dark Eldar!

HQ


The two conversions above are for the Prime and the Parasite. The Parasite is too much fun (especially against Eldar, Tau and Guard) where spawning Rippers is the goal. The Prime's lost a lot of his lustre since the FAQ banned him from a warrior spore. He could roll with the Hiveguard but it seems a little pointless.


This magnetised Carnifex has been playing Tervigon so long I've slotted him into the HQ section. Who wouldn't want a T6 6W troop choice?

Heavy Support


A Trygon and a Trygon Prime. I'm not a fan of the Mawloc - great model, but the lack of attacks and rerolls make him a bit hit and miss. I'd rather be, well, eating stuff!


And finally the Mycetic Spores. I have a leftover (homeless) Tyranid Warrior, who is going to be subsumed into another Spore. I prefer the larger bases as I think this looks the best.

Conclusion

Challenge Suneokun is completed ... with over 2500pts of Tyranids based, painted and built in one month. The defiler is standing by ... and my thoughts on that to follow!