Deathwing Storm Eagle Kit-bash/Conversion for 6th Edition Dark Angels

My storm eagle project has been on hold for a couple of months. I think at that time, I wanted my conversion to be all encompassing filling the roles of both storm raven and storm eagle. After studying the design of the thunder hawk, I wanted my storm eagle to derive of the same design as much as possible. Obviously the hull has been extended to match the forgeworld version. Since the air intake has been moved towards the rear, I used the forgeworld Damocles pattern rhino’s top hatch/sensors to bridge in the gap. I’ve always thought the servitor mounted turret from the storm raven made the flyer appear a bit bulbous for my liking. The boom of the aircraft has been placed on top of the rear hull to connect the profile lines of the vengeance missile launcher. The main wings have also been reversed to give it a sleeker feel. The lascannons from my storm talons have been modified to fit into the missile housings from the original storm raven kit. Also, the front wings under the cockpit have been added to mimic those found on the thunder hawk predecessor. The front light housings have been left unassembled as those will be embedded with LED’s. All major structural mods have been done. I will continue to add dark angels details and bling as I paint. The storm eagle was base coated black followed by an airbrushed layer of hull red as a foundation tone. Bleached bone was then airbrushed on top as the mid-tone. Panel lines were than picked out with devlan mud wash. I will proceed with highlights, other primary colors and battle damage soon. Thanks for viewing guys!

Batrep Dust 250AP with Shum at PIMP

First game at 250AP. Was planning to pick up my extra box of Snipers and Battle Grenadiers for this game but PI ran out of Battle Grenadiers. Probably have something to do with the discounts going on at the store. 

To help with list building I use a fantastic web-based army builder created by one of the players. Can be found here: http://dust.mainecoon.net/

This is the list I created for my first 250. It's all about balanced and tactical flexibility. 

Dust Warfare - Force Builder
Faction: Axis ( 250 / 250 )
--- Sturmgrenadiere Platoon (189)
Upgrade: Improved Command (5)
Command Section: Kommandotrupp (25)
1st Section: Heavy Flak Grenadiers (26)
2nd Section: Battle Grenadiers [Upgrade] (20)
3rd Section: Battle Grenadiers [Upgrade] (20)
4th Section: Laser Grenadiers (21)
Support: MPW II-B "Ludwig" (40)
Support: LPW I-A "Heinrich" (20)
Support: Sniper Grenadier Team (12)
--- Blutkreuz Platoon (61)
Upgrade: Improved Command (5)
Command Section: Sturmpioniere (25)
1st Section: Axis Zombies (19)
Support: Sniper Grenadier

From a model standpoint it allowed me to use my existing collection of minis without breaking the bank. The trick is learning how to use my assault platoon now in the form of the zombies. 

Here we go! 

Objectives: Key Position

Deployment: Advancing Lines

Conditions: Off Target Shelling

Deployment from my side. Most of the terrain was Heavy Cover so I hugged it best I could. I selected 2 objectives in secret: ruined tower on the top of the picture and the ruined wall in the middle of the picture parallel and behind the containers. 

Shum brought a Heavy Walker. While I could not take this walker down, at 250AP, it really limited his choices allowing me to move about and dictate the game. Keep reading!

I did toy with the idea of bringing a Heavy Walker myself. I love the model but I felt at 250 I would be limiting myself tremendously in tactics. Also, I painted my nice Ludwig!

Hugged this piece tight. The Kommandotrupp just above (unbased and unpainted) are actually proxying  for Battle Grenadiers. PI : WHY YOU NO STOCK!

On my right flank I put the Sniper in his roost. This flank would be my assault front with the Sturmpioniere and Zombies

Did a short dance with my Heinrich in my Command phase. Was opting to go into the middle or flank but ultimately decided that middle was a killzone for my walkers so switched back to the flank to support my assault units.

Shum moved up his walkers. Apparently walkers can rest on a wall like that. Always thought they could not finish a move on a surface like that.

Moved the rest of my army during my Unit Phase. My sniper on the far left managed to take one Heavy3 infantry out. I think it was one of his Grim Reapers

More movement and hugging of terrain

Sent my Laser and Battle Grenadiers up the field as quickly as possible hoping to put more pressure on Shum to split his force so to allow my zombies to swamp in from the flank. 

My Ludwig unfortunately missed most of his shots turn after turn.  Planted my 2nd unit of Battle Grenadiers behind the containters to pounce on his Heavy Walker when it moves up. 2 Panzershreks and 2 Panzerfaust should do some damage.

Fast is really good! Shielded my Sturmpioniere squad with the zombies.

Laser Grenadiers broke cover to take a pot shot at the Pounder but to no avail. I was attempting to wrest control of his objective. I guessed it would be the two walls in his deployment zone. 

My Kommandotrupp hugged hard cover and claimed the objective. Shum guessed my objectives were the two towers at the opposite ends of the table where my snipers were roosted in. Broke cover to snipe at his Pounder. 

I risked my Heinrich here to allow my Snipers to move into position. Shum cleverly shot it's turret MG's on the snipers and suppressed them while he ripped my Heinrich a new one. 6 shots cleared and my Heinrich was vamoose!

Regrouped my Sturmpioniere and moved my Zombies into the hills

While the 3 man Battle Grenadiers brave the open ground to snipe the Pounder. Destroyed it!  My Heavy Flak Grenadiers failed. 9 shots into his Command unit and only one died. -.-

Snipers were caught in the open since they had a Suppression token on it! 

Sturmpioneire moved up into the hills waiting for the command to rush the objective. 

Regrouped my sniper unit and sent the sniper back into the roost. 

Assault squad waiting command

HALT!  DU SOLLST NICHT PASSIEREN!

BOOM!

Finally broke cover to attempt to capture the objectives from Shum. I had the last turn so I knew he could not do anything to me. 

While I held on to my objectives

Shum strangely moved up his Heavy Walker into the trees and coniferous wood in front of his zone before my turn. I was puzzled. He then revealed that he actually selected the two forests (the green impassable aquarium plants to our right and the cones on the left).  

Jyue was there so checked the rulebook to clarify if his tank counted as capturing both objectives. This I quote:

Interesting rules question turned up in the Raymond vs. Shum game today. Essentially, because Shum's Heavy Walker is so big, it straddled the 4" gap between two terrain objectives, and the question was whether both are taken by Shum.

With regards to Key Position taking, no; rules very clear that it has to be a _Soldier_ unit taking the key position.
The second question is whether a unit transported within the Heavy Walker can take the Key Position. From what I can read, Carried Units are removed from table, so at the current moment I think the answer is no, cannot take Key Position.

So it looked like I won the game 2-0. 3-0 if you counted my Battle Grenadiers being in contact with the impassable aquarium forest. 

A great game nonetheless and this just went on to pique my suspicions that at 250AP you will struggle to execute plans with a Heavy Walker soaking nearly 1/3 of your point allocation.

Need to get in more games with the rest of the boys to confirm this. Keep checking back! 

Soviet Spetsnaz Platoon. More painted FOW units.

I'm in a FOW painting Mood recently so I spent some more time painting up more soviet infantry.

This time I focused on the soviet Spetsnaz platoon. They are the most elite warriors within the Red army. Think of it as the SAS special squad of Russia. Only with even more tenacity!

And more importantly they are a recon unit, and in my tank army they will be able to make a free 16" move as well as pull along another tank unit with them. This effectively gives that one extra tank unit an additional 16" deployment. Very vital especially in Version 3 Flames of War where the soviet tanks are seriously nerfed with the new "Hens & Chicks" rule.

And yes, the platoon moves around in captured German Halftracks. Making them move around undetected. Sneaky bastards indeed!

Painted up more SMG Russians for flames of war.

Been using unpainted infantry stands in the past few months of gaming and it certainly did not feel proper!

Finally got time to finish up the important SMG infantry to use as my Tank Rider Company.

Battle Report: Dust Warfare 200AP with Abdullah at PIMP

I love my life. Had a 200AP game with Abdullah on Monday at PI Midpoint for our regular Dust Warfare night. Did not change my list so kept to the original 200AP. 

Mission: Eliminate the Enemy

Deployment: Close Engagement

Hugged the ruined building on my right flank. Hid my Sniper here as well. Heinrich supporting the unit while I placed the Command behind to provide heals. Laser Grenadiers for defence

Took the forest on my left flank while I deployed my Ludwig in the open to attempt to take out his light walker.

First shot of the game and one kill. Love snipers

Shuffled my unit forward but no luck with the range.

Heinrich took some shots and removed one from the unit across

I forgot to target his walker in the open in Turn 1 so Abdullah took one wound off . In return I blew his walker apart.

By Turn 2 I had managed to destroy most of his army. He dropped his British Paratroopers behind my lines but I took them out in one turn of shooting. By turn 3 Abdullah had little in his army that could damage me and I was advancing on his lines pretty quickly. He called the game. 

Caveat: The following battle took place with too little terrain. The 25% that FFG suggested is a requirement as Axis excels at killing from range without cover. We played with about 15% of the table.

I am getting quite a strong hand on this game. Germans have strong command over the range game and whittling Allies out early is the right strategy. However once they close in, you will need to have something to counterpunch. I have another list in mind with some Zombies. Will give it a try next week. 

Warhammer 40k - Test Drive

This is not the usual batrep that I usually do. I was itching to play the new 40k with my Tyranids and Abdullah was keen too so we took 1750 each and put together our armies. We spent quite a lot of time looking at the rulebook to check on the rule changes. I used my SporeCon2011 list to keep it simple while Abdullah used his usual list. 

So without knowing what to expect, here is the report. 

Rolled on missions and we got 5 Objectives and side ways deployment. 

Sideway deployment. I pushed forward as far as I could to get to Abdullah

Omm nomm nomm

Abdullah's deployment

First Turn I pushed forward into cover. 

Both Tervigons spewed a few Gants and then got jammed! On the first turn. Booo

So I threw this unit forward to hold off my left flank. 

In return Abdullah moved up my right flank and proceeded to take out my small unit of Gants. He earns First Blood (i.e. 1VP)

While I keep using the Hive Guard to remove more of his bikes. 

I do love the new vehicle rule which gives me a strong chance to remove vehicles much easier now. Each vehicle has 3 Hull Point and each Glancing Hit removes a Hull Point. So now I could just glance glance glance and BOOM! I took out his Rhino and left a crater. In my Turn 2 I took out his Landspeeder leaving another crater.

Turn 2 and my Genestealers arrive on the left flank. New Reserves rules does not allow them to assault on the turn they arrive. So I had to hang around while Abdullah moves up to kill them. Wow...Genestealers are now very weak.

My right flank being weaker I start channeling them to the right. 

In Assault Abdullah took out the Genestealers. He even declined my challenge! 

Abdullah destroys both Gant units but opened up the path for my Tyrant to charge.

Assault rules has changed a lot but I still managed to roll high enough to engage his unit. 

Took out majority of his unit and in return Abdullah managed to take out my Tyrant Guard. Good combat for me

End of Turn 3 and this was what was left. I held 3 Objectives while Abdullah held onto one.

We had to call the game here because Abdullah had to go for a movie and I had to pack for dinner. Still was a good intro for me to get back into the game. I need to read up on the new rules to also help make games quicker. Look for more to come!