Call to Arms 2017 40k list

Don't fear the Reaper...  well maybe you should.

This coming weekend has Call to Arms in Wellington.  It is the first local 8th ed 40k tournament and I am very much looking forward to it.

I have played four games of 8th edition and really like how it flows.  Trialling a few of the Eldar units in the new system and trying to predict what might be played has resulted in the following list.

Aeldari - Craftworld Spearhead Detachment

Maugan Ra
Farseer, Singing Spear

5 Wraithguard with cannons
5 Wraithguard with D-Scythes

3x3 Dark Reapers inc Exarch with Tempest Launcher

2x Wave Serpents, triple cannon, spirit stones
Wave Serpent, triple cannon

That is it.  The nice thing with transports being able to multiple units now is that all the Reapers and characters can share the same ride!

The list also gets me painting some Dark Reapers after years of owning them, I will share some photos of them once they are finished.

Back in Your Pine Box

Yesterday in Wellington we held a Malifaux tournament, 3 rounds and 14 players. Results are below.

Congratulations to all that attended!

Player	TP	Difference	Position	Faction
Robert Curry	9	9	1	Gremlins
Hayden	7	8	2	Ten Thunders
Greg	7	8	3	Ten Thunders
Matthew	6	5	4	Arcanists
Valery	6	5	5	Outcast
Liam	6	-1	6	Guild
Wil	6	-2	7	Gremlins
Stephen	3	-2	8	Arcanists
Ryan	3	-3	9	Guild
Leon	3	-4	10	Ressers
Jordan	3	-4	11	Neverborn
Rob Higgins	3	-6	12	Neverborn
Phill	0	-6	13	Gremlins
James	0	-7	14	Guild

For myself, I had three excellent games. First up versus Val with his gun-slinging/bandit Outcasts, secondly versus Greg with magic/trickster Ten Thunders, and finally James with reporter based Guild.

Malifaux Beauty Pageant

Earlier in the year our group decided to set a painting target of at least 50 ss Malifaux to be completed by the end of April. We each brought our armies together last night and had a mini photoshoot - enjoy some photos below.

This weekend we will all be playing in our first Malifaux tournament here in Wellington with 14 players total - exciting times :)

Greg's Ten Thunders:

Robb's Neverborn:

Ryan's Guild:

Wil's Gremlins:

Magnetic Basing

When I moved into WHFB several years ago, something I ventured into was magnetic basing.

Tired of knocking over 40 skeletons and having to re rank them, packing up 200+ models before and after a game, and trying to transport them, I knew I had to change something.

I went through a few iterations of different methods before I settled on the current process. Thankfully playing Infinity and Malifaux means fewer models to complete but is still working well.

First I grab a model, like this nice shiny new bashi bazouks

Tip it over



Grab out some super glue and spak filler, along with your magnet of choice. I find 5mm x 1mm a good size for 25mm based metal models, or 30mm based plastics.

Fill the base with some spak filler.

 

Place a magnet on whatever board you are working on, then add a drop of super glue

Press the model onto the magnet.

Check the base is flush afterwards and leave for a good 12 hours to set. Then you can transport your models on any metal surface (like an oven tray) inside any suitable container (sistema is awesome)

The Fate of Decks and Another Battle

Many members of our group have been buying the various official fate decks made by wyrd recently. The results have mostly been disappointing. The "Classic Fate Deck" has different shades of colour on the back of the cards, which is a really bad thing when your cards in hand could potentially be inferred without seeing the front. The "Arcane Fate Deck" is really hard to figure out which suit the card you are holding is, which only slows things down.

I think I got lucky when I picked the "Seriously Twisted Fate Deck" - the number and suit is clear, and the backs are consistent, and the well made box with magnetic lid leaves room to bring cards for schemes/strategies/stat cards as you wish.

In other news, got another match in yesterday. This was my Guild versus Wil's Gremlins using GG 2017. Strategy was same as last time, secure the stash. We both took claim jump and I took inspection while Wil took leave your mark. Of course I didn't know this yet...

Deployment was spread out for the Guild, concentrated for the Gremlins

Guild were spread out, to aim at centre/flanks as necessary. 

Gremlins mostly bunched on my right

The Guild moved up the middle and right, the Gremlins re positioned to my right, but both pretty cautiously.

Justice in murder mode while death marshal jumping around

Justice went on a murder rampage against the smaller Gremlins, hoping to reduce the numbers disparity. I stayed away from Mancha as he has the magic armour thingy. Ironically I later found out Mancha was worried I had taken a quick murder scheme so was playing cautiously also.

Holding the left flank

 The Judge and a marshall held the left flank, not really bothering to push up to get rid of the lone Gremlin left. Just sat there dropping schemes and getting inspection points.

I should learn to hold my hands steady...

I put points on the board early for claim jump and the strategy, but maxed out the former and my numbers began to tell at the end for the latter. Mancha smashed me out of the centre, though I continued to hold the flanks for inspection, it meant the Judge and Lady Justice couldn't come out and kill more without losing those points.

The Gremlins used late game advantages in numbers to be more aggressive and get points for strategy and the master Wong nipped across the board to pick up further points for leave your mark.

Overall very tight game which ended in a 7-7 draw.

Token Post

Malifaux and Infinity require a lot of tokens, and I wanted to do this relatively cheaply, so I recently picked up a laminator (NZD40) and got to work.

Corvus Belli (Infinity) provide some fantastic official tokens on their website, I printed off the first few pages from the main rulebook and the silhouette markers. Using some scissors for the latter and a 25mm round hole punch (NZD 5) for the former and I now have an extensive set.

Wyrd (Malifaux) unfortunately doesn't have free official ones and decided to be 30mm based instead. So googling some images, resizing to 3cm by 3cm in word, then printing was the ticket here. I then used scissors and a spare 30mm base (well not spare, had to pop a Death Marshall off temporarily) to cut out a decent circle for each.

I made some faction based scheme counters, shield counters, some positive/negative flip counters and a void counter.

Now I have plenty of counters ready for battle.

What else can I laminate....?

Malifaux rising

Had my fourth game of Malifaux last night. I used Lady Justice based crew versus Greg with Misaki. 45ss as I am still waiting on some new models. We played five turns across about 2 hours using Gaining Grounds 2017 schemes and strategies. The strategy was protect the loot, so getting non-peons to the centre near 2 50mm markers.

It started with the Guild pushing up both flanks and the Ten Thunders moving up the middle.

Crews move up the middle

Justice moving up the flank while Misaki takes the centre right

Judge and Marshall face off against Torakage

The Judge moved out and took all the Torakage firepower with barely a scratch. Which was a shame, as I was hoping he would get me some points for framed for murder scheme.

Misaki controls one objective

Misaki was sitting in the middle early but then ran straight at Lady Justice. Feeling like this was a frame for murder, but thinking it would be good to get rid of Misaki early, Justice ripped her to pieces. Unfortunately my hunch was correct and I went down 3 points..

Archer support

Shots were exchanged in the middle...

Fight over the left flank

The Judge continued to not die, but then the Marshall I need alive for inspection scheme got hit with red joker on the damage flip and died.

Hannah takes command

Hannah moved up the middle with Misaki gone to be a bully.

Justice and Marshall

Justice and Marshall had this flank well covered, but lots of points just sitting around...

More shooting

I lost track of taking photos at this point. IIRC the end of the game played out as so...

• Me picking up 1 point each for inspection & strategy 
• Greg picked up 2 points for strategy 
• The Judge refusing to die, or take hardly any damage.
• Hannah and Justice murdering almost the entire Ten Thunders crew between them. She was finally taken down by Ten Thunder archer flurry and then swiftly avenged by Justice.

Failing to pick up framed for murder while Greg picking up max points for this scheme sealed the game. I did manage to table him but only by turn 5 - which the game ended. I could have picked up a few more points for strategy and inspection with better play - but also framed for murder was the wrong scheme for me to pick.

Getting familiar with the system now, fun times!

2v2 KoW Game

Last night Greg, Rob, Wil and myself had an impromptu 2v2 game of KoW.

Forces (from memory – there was drinking)

Varangur (myself)

Horde bloodsworn, horde trolls, 2 hordes direfang riders, direfang champ, 2 magus conclaves, magus (inspiring), 2 troops horse raiders, cavern dweller

& Ogres (Greg)

Giant, horde ogres, ogre warlord, ogre legion, 2 hordes ogre shooters, mammoth, 2 ogre standards, biggit on fleabag

vs 

Orcs (Robb)

Skulks, horde axe, 2 hordes trolls, 2 giants, horde orklings, horde fight wagons, 2 regiment axe, gakamak, war drum

& Herd (Wil)

3 lycan hordes, troop beast pack, 2 regiment beast pack, stampede, shaman, totem, avatar of the father, brutox.

2000pt per army. Not using new CoK rules update.

Mission: Kill each other

All flank descriptions from my point of view. All game memory subject to alcohol and bias.

Deployment: As the Herd/Orcs had far more drops, they refused our left flank leaving it looking rather empty. We managed to win first turn roll off.

Turn 1 Var/Ogre:

Centre advances slowly, mammoth on right flank engages skulks (who vanguarded), left flank pushes up. Ogre shooters start to chip away at green giant, Varangur mage shooters fail to do anything to support against same target. Mammoth does little to skulks – wavered I think?

Turn 1 Orc/Herd:

Counter push in the middle & right, setting up the layers and blockers. Left flank sits around.

Turn 2 Var/Ogre:

Left still advancing, horse raiders moving up to block lycans allowing legion & others to advance. Centre bloodsworn engage axe horde, other stuff meanders around delaying not wanting to open up second layer. Shooting against giant Varangur provide 1 wound while ogres shooters do the actual work but manage to roll a waver – blocking up the orclings and trolls. Bloodsworn do ~5 wounds to orks. Mammoth failed again to kill the skulks?

Turn 2 Orc/Herd:

Didn’t take any photos here for a bit. Giant and orc axe one shot the bloodsworn (def 5 no help when giant rolls 12 attacks!). Lycans on right flank engage direfangs and waver them. Beasts fight direfang champ and do ~6 wounds.  Lycans on left flank destroy horse raiders and move back.

Turn 3 Var/Ogre:

Biggit on fleabag moved to block giant and Gakamak. The horse raiders finished the green giant off with throwing axes, lycans on left flank were killed by direfangs and cavern dweller, Ogre legion smashes orclings, varangur shooting does nothing, ogres shooters started on other giant and I believe wavered it? Direfang champ killed some beast pack.

Turn 3 Orc/Herd:

Fight wagons engage ogre legion and beast pack hit the side, axe engage ogre regiment, gakamak engages biggit but only wavers it, lycans and brutox finish direfangs on right. Mammoth gets surrounded and dies also.

Turn 4 Var/Ogre:

Trolls and direfang champ take out lycans then turn to face pain from 2 herd monsters and other lycans. Legion did same damage to fight wagons. Ogres shot the axe regiment that was in front and advancing. Horse raiders do some wounds to beast pack. Drinking intensified.

Turn 4 Orc/Herd:

Legion is removed (the fight wagons?), direfangs on left are blocked by totem, 2 herd monsters engage trolls (held) and lycans engage direfang champ (held). Axe horde removes ogre regiment in centre.

Turn 5 Var/Ogre:

Axe regiment removed by shooting, shaman killed by direfang riders and beast pack removed by cavern dweller. Direfang champ hits lycans and trolls counter charge avater of the father – both hold.

Turn 5 Orc/Herd:

Varangur trolls killed, orks and herd break through and rush for ogre gunline. Gakamak engages an ogre regiment on left, bypassing Varangur there.

Turn 6 Var/Ogre:

Ogre shooters turn and walk away, favouring distance of shooting and hoping turn 7 isn’t rolled. Direfang champ finishes lycans off. Varangur shooting continues to unimpress. Varangur all turn to surround Gakamak.

Turn 6 Orc/Herd:

Stampede finally engages Direfang champ, but cannot break him. Gakamak finished off Ogre regiment. Ork centre and herd monsters continue to move against Ogre gunline.

Turn 7 is attempted by Robb but he rolls the dreaded hedgehog (1) and game ends.

After points are tallied the Varangur & Ogres lead by 185pt, which makes it a draw. Various turn 7 shenanigans are discussed – Gakamak and Direfang champ are both looking dead, and one ogre shooter unit would likely die. However ever if this all plays out it is likely to have remained a draw.

Good team game for a last minute Friday night session.