Of Asymmetric Chaos Icons in Allied Lists

Let's say I've got two detachments: one chaos space marine and one chaos daemons (one is the ally / batttle brother of the other). Check my logic subsequent here:

Chaos Space Marines are able to use Chaos Daemons' icons.

But:

Chaos Daemons can not use Chaos Space Marine icons.

Is that right!??  Because that is what the "rules as written" seem to imply unless I've missed something?

Example of Chaos Aegis Defence Line

After a rummage around the bits box, I thought that I might opt for a simple conversion strategy for an Aegis defence line.  The line features simple additions (dozer blade; horus eye, a pair of chaos plate either side) for this one.  I might do something a little bit more Nurglesque for part of the line -- embed some heads and tentacles and generally deface and make the line more decrepit!

The image is just a mock up.  Nothing has been glued in place yet, so if anyone's got some ideas or think the looks needs something else to make it "pop", let me know!  Perhaps its just too Iron Warriors?  Or not?

Plastic Plaguebearers

Did I read the release schedule and the prices right?  Did they truly include plastic plaguebearers and a whole slew of other plastic daemons like chariots, flamers, screamers and a resin blue scribes?  I feeling a little overcome!  After all these years we're finally getting plastic plaguebearers! 

If it were possible, I think my old Realms of Chaos: Lost and the Damned book would weep with joy! 

(normal service will resume shortly...)

Bits Box Raid for Chaotification

Is "Chaotification" a word? Probably not!

Does Chaos care?  Doubt it!

In order to deploy my earlier idea of how to use an Aegis defence line, I decided that the ordinary Imperial defence line just wouldn't be enough.  So, I decided to rummage through the old bits box to see what I could turn up to inspire me.  Below is an image of the assortment of items that I managed to find.  Most of them are from the chaos vehicle accessories sprue -- plenty of spare bits from that source as can be seen. 

Other bits are from more dubious sources, including but not limited to: chaos spawn (what could be more chaotic than random faces and arms growing out of a wall?), ancient warhammer shields, old beige plastic skeleton bits, bastion upgrades, bloodcrusher oddities, and some skulls here and there.  Now to have a cogitate about how to put them all together...



Fortifications: Thinking about Aegis Defence Lines

I've been giving some serious thought to whether I want to include any fortifications in to army lists.  For the price of a rhino with havoc launcher, I could get an Aegis Defence Line for my armies.  That seems reasonable -- but what are the advantages?  Beyond getting a 4+ save exactly where we want it during deployment, I noticed a unique bit of wording with the Aegis Defence Line in the 6th ed rule book:

"each section [...] must be placed in contact with at least one other section"

So, we could certainly create a big circular defence line to place an important long range shooting unit behind ... or perhaps two smaller circular / rectangular sections.  But since we get 8 sections, we could create four walls for our units to hide behind (see image).  Each section is adjacent to one other and therefore fulfils the rules requirements.  

Why is this any good?  Well, the number of times I feel I've deployed on boards without sufficient cover saves in my deployment zone is large.  With this strategy, I can have 4 "buildings" with a 4+ cover save (i.e. the same as ruins!) that I can shoot behind of in safety and go to ground on an objective behind all game long (i.e. 2+ cover save).  The only negative is that I don't get the elevation that I would ordinarily get with multi-level ruins.  This may or may not be an issue depending on the rest of the scenery across the board.  I'm thinking that purchasing an aegis defence line in an army list could well be worth-while.

The other thing I've been thinking tactically about is also illustrated in the image: two sections with one in front of the other.  Here's the thought: have a tarpit unit behind the first wall to engage and charging units (presumably because they're on top of an objective?) and have an all-round unit behind the second (i.e. one that does both shooting and melee).  Any charging opponent will get shot at (maybe twice if they get out of a tarpit), risk a counter assault, and potentially have to assault the second unit next turn.  Well ... it'd have to be set up in a "funnel" manner, but the idea is entertaining.  Aerial strikes and outflanking units clearly nullify this idea pretty quickly, but against a ground assault, it'd work very well. 

Dappling Technique

I had a couple of questions about the technique I used to paint my recent red cratered gaming board.  Namely, how to get a half decent dappling effect going.  For the uninitiated, dappling is simply making jabbing motions with the paint brush to create circular blotches of paint in random patches.  Combine this with several colours, and the effect for the game board starts to look quite convincing.  

But, it can be a bit of an arm ache.  And that results in the dappling not looking very random.  The solution I found is easy: enlist your children, nieces/nephews, friend's children to help out.  Not only do the kids have great fun, but the dappling certainly results in a random distribution that is not heavily affected by arm ache as you cover the full 6 x 4 foot board!

In the image, you can also see my finished craters -- just a slightly darker tone than the surrounding red dust of the planet.  I think its looking good now -- ripe for gaming on!

Cult Chaos Terminators: a Forlorn Hope?

With recent rumours of chaos approaching, many of us ummm more chaotic players are getting angst about whether there will be any cult terminators in the new codex.  For the uninitiated, cult terminators are models such as plague marines and berzerkers in terminator armour.  In the current chaos codex, the only way to get such models is to give them a mark.  But this does not give them the special rules associated with their so-called cults: feeling no pain for plague terminators; furious charge for berzerkers and so forth.  The rumours suggest that the new codex will lack these features as well.  

That would be disappointing.  But I suspect that might not be the entire story.  I'm hoping that the cult marines may have an option to upgrade to terminators.  Given that the "eye of god" is coming back, I hope that is true and not just a forlorn hope!

Perhaps less than two months left to find out :)

Tactica: Castling (and Epidemius)

With the addition of allies and the ability to purchase a fortification, certain tactical options now present themselves that weren't always available in 5th edition.  

For example, if you have an important unit in the game that you need to keep alive, "Castling" is now a viable option.  There are a number of units such as these: Eldar Farseer with runes of warding for psychic defence, and Epidemius for a buff to all Nurgle units.  These guys don't really want to see the front line of combat if they can help it -- particularly if they're simply an allies choice in a force composed of other primary elements who ARE there to get to the front lines.  

So, here's the idea.  As well as your valuable allies that provide you with nifty bonuses, you're going to need somewhere for them to skulk away and hide in.  What better than a bastion?  With AV=14 at a third of the cost of a land raider, why not?  The bastion will take a bit of pounding to get at, and it is probably not going to be target number one on your enemies' hit lists.  Or at least, that's the theory.

Let's have a look at Epidemius.  To Castle Epidemius is relatively simple. Because he is going to be deep-striking through daemonic assault on to the battlefield, all that we need to do is have an icon inside the bastion at set-up.  When Epidemius arrives (hopefully on turn 1!), he will deep-strike without scatter to the ground level of the bastion, and within 2 inches of the front door (for the rules for embarkation to work).  In the movement phase, disembark the marines (or whoever it was with the icon), or perhaps move them up to the battlements section, and then in the shooting phase, run Epidemius in to the building.  Castling move complete!  

You now have Epidemius and chums safely tucked away and are ready to take on the rest of the battlefield!

Fortifications in Army Lists

All of us have probably been thinking about how to interpret the new rules consistently, and we've also been tinkering with how to generate meta-breaking army lists to smash all comers with the new allies system in place and some psychic hijinks.  But one thing that I don't think I've been thinking about much until recently is the new option to add some fortifications to army lists.

On the surface, adding in a cheap fortification seems like a reasonable idea to me.  Hide a good shooty squad of marines behind it and blast away all game long (or as long as you can).  But what to invest in?  I think the Fortress of Redemption is a little beyond a regular game for most people ... but it could prove to be rather effective.  I'm giving some more realistic thought to both the Imperial Bastion and the Aegis Defence Line though.  Both being under 100 points means that we can get a good strong wall to protect a valued shooting squad.  The bastion in particular is appealing due to the height gain it can provide for troops stationed inside.

Add in the extra heavy bolters and potentially a few add-ons, and the bastion is looking like it'll be making some regular appearances on the battlefield from now on.  

That said, I am a little concerned that the rules in the 6th edition book don't specify the dimensions that the bastion can have.  Sure - there's a picture of a regular bastion (like my one that I've pictured along with this post), but I can imagine that folks might be taking converted beasties on to the battle field for advantage!  

Well, I better get my bastion painted up soon.  I'm thinking something in dark blue, not a completely chaotic bastion ... but rather one that has been recently abandoned and perhaps daubed with graffiti.  

I'm confused about "Look Out Sir!"

I have to admit, I am confused about "Look Out Sir!" rule in 6th edition.

When I first read the rules, I thought that the intended interpretation was that if your squad leader was about to die, then you can potentially (on a die roll that is) make a different member of the squad perish instead.

Now, I'm reading that this will only happen if the squad leader takes a hit from a blow that allows no save (e.g. lascannon shot to the head; powerfist to the big toe; and so forth).  i.e. this transferral is done before any saves are rolled ... rather than you try to save the squad leader, fail the saving throw, but someone else in the squad jumps in to take the death-scene instead.

It strikes me as a classic RAW (rules as written) versus RAI (rules as intended) conflict ... except I'm interpreting what was intended, rather than GW telling me what it is!

This rule may well need a quick FAQ ruling from Games Workshop to make it 100% clear.  Whilst I agree that the people interpreting it as saving the squad leader from that lascannon shot are correct (RAW), I just can't yet get past my own RAI interpretation (yet).  Of course, this might all go back to the first rule in the new rule book ....!

Psychic Powers Deck: Room for More!

Just a quick observation today: the psychic powers deck that is being sold alongside the main 6th edition rulebook has 35 large format cards contained within it.

However, it is readily clear from the retail image that the deck is only just over half full.  i.e. there's plenty of empty space in there for other cards to add to the deck over time...

Deny the Witch: a question

Question: The rules for deny the witch allow a model a save against a psychic power that targets them.

Does this apply for a shooting attack?  For instance, doombolt (a chaos space marine psychic shooting attack) allows a daemon prince (or other model) a specific ranged attack.  But the rules for Deny the Witch speak of the psychic power itself targeting the victim.  For Doombolt, does it target the psyker so that he is *able* to shoot in the first place?  i.e. there is no deny the witch roll applicable? (apologies if this has been resolved elsewhere already!).