I was introduced to 40k during third edition and my first army was Eldar. Their HQ choices were of course Farseers and the Avatar. You know what Space Marines get? They get Chaplains. They get Librarians. Third ed Chaplains terrorized the Eldar. Wearing a jump pack they could sweeping advance 3d6" for an average of over 10". Wraithlords notwithstanding, if you had two in the same combat there was a good chance at least one would sweeping advance over 12". With a 2+ save, 100 attacks on the charge and a base movement of 12" (flying over terrain) they would rampage across the entire battlefield raping and pillaging as they went. Oh yeah, and don't forget there's the rest of the army behind them cheering them on maybe taking a pot shot with a lascannon and seizing objectives.
Facing such insurmountable odds, Eldar Generals were faced with three options
1) "What is this shit?"
2) "Who wants to buy my models?"
3) "Why don't I get anything like that?"
With the release of Epic in I-dunno-who-cares maybe 2003 the Eldar army got a new HQ option, the 'Autarch'. With a new Codex release rumoured for 'sometime soon' we now we had a new option
4) "Fuck that Space Marine cheese shi-ite wait till you see what the Autarch will do, with Swooping Hawk wings and a Mandiblaster and a Jet Bike and S4/T4/2+/4++ and a Web of Skulls and a Fire Pike and Defend and War Shout and and and ...."
So 2005/2006 comes around and the codices get released. Space Marine Chaplains (which weren't powerful enough already) now got their attacks boosted up to 200 on the charge (with re-rolls) and they make the whole army Ld10 and the opponent's army runs away within 24" (when they're not being pinned). Or something. Oh, they cancel all psychic powers too.
So what does the Autarch get? From the new Eldar Codex
"Autarchs are the supreme commanders of the Eldar warhost, and have a consummate understanding of the art of war."
"All right! Love that Sun Tzu shit! Fucking Chaplains! Die! Die! DIE!!!!"
"Held in high esteem by seer and soldier alike, each Autarch has mastered many paths over the centuries, including one or more of the facets of the Warrior path. At some point in their lives all Autarchs start developing a passion for command and strategy."
"Sure sure fluff is law etc etc."
"Autarchs believe that the true path to martial excellence lies not so much in the heat of melee, but rather in gaining a wider vision of the battle and directing the Eldar warhost on the most lethal and efficient way to victory."
"Melee! Fuck yeah! Let's do this thing! Wait a minute ..."
"This is the Path of Command, a burning obsession with truly understanding how each mission can be made part of a complex battle plan, and in turn each battle can be made part of a grand war plan. To guide them along this path, Autarchs draw their inspiration from the mythical leaders of the great Houses of old, such as Eldanesh Ulthanash and Bierellian."
"Bierellian? WTF!?!"
XD
-------
Everybody who's involved in the hobby knows Autarchs are S3 T3 and three attacks (they couldn't give them 4 attacks base, come on?), relegating them to the ranks of the "close combat support" HQ rather than the "close combat ass-munching" coveted by SM HQ's and 200+ point jump-pack-less Pheonix Lords.
As my brother likes to say, "they're just a big banshee". I haven't actually used them, but were I to do so I would give them a power weapon and a shuriken catapult and put them in with the Dire Avengers.
Points Breakdown
- Dire Avenger Shuriken Catapult: I'd say worth 5 points when combined with Blade Storm. Space Marines get Storm Bolters for 5 points, and they lose an attack for the privledge. Autarchs keep their Shuriken Pistol.
- +1 Reserve Roll: I'd say worth 15 points (with Hawks). Personally I think Escalation is just a hack to fix shitty rules altho I'm not a tournament player.
- ld 10: Say 10 points.
- Plasma and Haywire Grenades: Say < 5 points
- 4++: A Rosarius is 25 points. With T3 we're getting a steal here. Call it 15 points, since it's mandatory.
- Fleet of Foot: ???. Call it 0 points since it's in with the Avengers.
So that gets us down to 30/40 points. For 32 points we could have a couple banshees. All things considered the Autarch isn't a bad deal if you want a REALLY expensive Dire Avenger Squad, which is essentially what you're doing. Even if your opponent decides to shoot down Dire Avengers he's not effecting the Autarch much. The addition of the 4++ (and not making it optional grr) boosts their points by a little bit, making them a real jack-of-all-trades 'what do I do with this thing' character. You want to keep it away from power firsts, period and it won't win a duel with an HQ. It will however help the squad win combat over the HQ and its squad.
I could see myself going heavy on Troops and taking 2/3 Guardian squads and 2 Dire Avenger Squads in a refused flank formation (like a spear head). In that case the Autarch would be more useful, since if one squad got shot to pieces he could switch over to the other squad. The other thing the Autarch has going for it is at ~70 points cheaper than an Avatar maybe the HQ you want really IS just a big banshee.
The Avatar's fearless ability makes the Ld10 pretty irrevelent. But in a non-mech/purely infantry list the Autarch could be preferred especially while taking both Hawks and deep-striking Warp Spiders. Or (gods above) TWO squads of Hawks *drools*.
As far as other Wargear is concerned, I don't really see the point. Wings could be nice just for some lategame re-positioning. He's a support character not an ass-muncher. I do like the 'Shining Spears Autarch' joining a squad of 3/4 Spears including Exarch. That squad is how we finally get our hands on an ass-munching HQ. 3d6" fall back w/ Hit&Run and we can finally dance across the table Chaplain-style.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
40k: Life is a Game of Inches -- A salute to the game we love (with or without the beer and pretzels)
"Because in either game, life or (40k), the margin for error is so small. I mean... one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow too fast, you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that's gonna make the fucking difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I'll tell you this - in any fight, its the guy whose willing to die who's gonna win that inch. And I know if I'm going to have any life anymore, it's because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch. Because that's what living is! The 6 inches in front of your face..."
- Tony D'Amato (played by Al Pacino), Any Given Sunday (edit mine)
Al Pacino, is there anything you can't do? 40k, like life (and football) -- is a game of inches. Six inches, in fact. Other games -- for example Warhammer Fantasy, Epic, Hordes or any number of other games -- use a system where different units have varying movement rates. Second Ed did it. Guard had a "speed" (WTF!?!) value of I believe 4 inches, Space Marines were 5, Eldar were 6 (cause we get everything) etc etc. I know, who cares.
The point is 40k has decided not to do that. I have a lot of love for 40k. 40k is the only game I've ever heard of where when something doesn't make sense the word from on high is 'So what? Shut up and eat some pretzels. Have you seen our new plastic something-or-other?'
I'm developing a hypotheses: tactical games are defined by their limitations. As posited by the lead designer, Privateer Press' Warmachine is a game of "resource management" and Hordes is a game of "risk management". Whatever that means. Besides the sheer manual dexterity required, Starcraft and other RTS are games of resources and time pressure. Sim City and Civilization are games of exponential growth; and Chess -- refined over the course of centuries -- is a game of infinite possibility confined to a very small space.
40k, on the other hand -- now on its fourth iteration, not including its roots as a past-time amongst bored twenty-something treadheads rolling dice along with their model kits -- is a game of six inch intervals. Ignoring flamer templates and with the single exceptions of fleet and difficult terrain rolls (which I will get to) every single measurement in the game is a multiple of six inches. I know, 'duh'.
Two other important limitations that add tactical depth are that the game is only six turns long, as well as the fact that space is limited on the board giving an even higher priority to concentration of firepower. This latter is a consequence of the fact that 40k comes somewhere between a skirmishing game between infantry units and a full scale battle with armoured support. I wouldn't say this really comes up in say Hordes. In Hordes you tend to have enough room to manouver freely; facing and back strikes are very important. 40k tends to be a game of in your face fire-fight.
40k uses a telescopic scale. Close assault and fire fight is 12". A large melee between say 20 combatants (including close combat weapons and small arms fire) is say six inches in diameter. A tank can drive 12" in the time it takes an infantry man to trot 6". A large caliber machine gun fires 24 or 36". Artillery and armour piercing personnel weapons fire 48". After that, electromagnetic rail guns and large caliber, armour piercing ordnance and artillery rule the table-top with extraordinarily long ranges.
A typical deployment is 24". In 4th edition, it is defined such that deployment is greater than 24". This seperates the two armies by 4 6" blocks (on the inside). In order for the two armies to come in contact they have to reach across 4+1 blocks. This is different from other games, where various movement rates and weapons ranges are completely analog and typically divided up in one inch intervals. This commonly seperates armies by 5 blocks at the beginning of the game. Infiltrate of >18" (or any other 18" deployment) separates armies by 4 blocks.
Space Marines
Space Marines are the consummate masters of close quarter fighting. Of course they have to get big guns to go with it, right? I'm using the "combat squads" equipment where Space Marines are armed with both a Bolter and a Bolt Pistol (letting them get a shot off when they charge).
Space Marine Assault Squad
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 4 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 18" (3 intervals): 4 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 24" (4 intervals) 1 attack + special
outside 24" (5+ intervals): flying someplace
Space Marine Combat (Tactical) Squad
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 3 attacks (1 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 18" (3 intervals): 2 attacks + special or stand and shoot 1 attack + plasma? + heavy?
within 24" (4 intervals) 1 attack + plasma? + heavy?
outside 24" (5+ intervals): heavy?
Chaos Marine Squad w/ Bolt Pistols/Space Marine Assault Squad no Jump Packs/etc
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 4 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 18" (3 intervals): 1 attack + special or stand and shoot plasma? + heavy?
within 24" (4 intervals) plasma? + heavy?
outside 24" (5+ intervals): heavy?
Firefight 4TW. Assault squads look great until you realize that you're paying 1.5 times the points for each model. They're a support unit to tie up units and deliver characters. I once had a "True Grit" Space Marine army that I may as well have just played as Space Wolves. 18" away, rape face (I preferred melta weapons over plasma) and then counterattack. *wipes tear* My brother plays it now (with less lascannons and more power fists), yay for me.
There is some small resolution within the 6 inch intervals. If your enemy is charging across the battle-field at you, then deploying 4 or 5 inches back from the line can give you an extra turn as they are slowed down by difficult terrain or lousy fleet rolls (which give a movement of > 6" placing the unit in the next six inch block).
I know this sounds obvious, but what I'm trying to say is that -- despite the fact 40k is very much a skirmishing game -- there is a certain discrete granularity that is introduced. Moving and shooting within the limitation of these 6 inch intervals adds a layer of tactical depth and complexity that would otherwise be missing.
Why not .... (don't forget the Bolters are twin linked)
I use/used Space Marine Bikes as a reserve unit for an assaulting army.
Space Marine Bikes w/ Heavy Bolter
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 4 attacks (1 + 1 + Bolters) + assault special + Heavy Bolter
within 18" (3 intervals): 4 attacks (1 + 1 + Bolters) + assault special + Heavy Bolter
within 24" (4 intervals) 2 attacks + special + Heavy Bolter
within 36" (5/6 intervals): 1 attack + Heavy Bolter
within 48" (7/8 intervals): Heavy Bolter
Chaos Marine Bikes
Plasma guns are bike mounted but I wouldn't bother with them anyway, they would just blow up. Course I would only use plasma in a stand and shoot las/plas squad. Meltaguns belong in assault squads.
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 5 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolters) + special
within 18" (3 intervals): 5 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolters) + special
within 24" (4 intervals) 2 attacks + special
within 36" (5/6 intervals): 1 attack + plasma?
outside 36" (7+ intervals): no heavy
- Tony D'Amato (played by Al Pacino), Any Given Sunday (edit mine)
Al Pacino, is there anything you can't do? 40k, like life (and football) -- is a game of inches. Six inches, in fact. Other games -- for example Warhammer Fantasy, Epic, Hordes or any number of other games -- use a system where different units have varying movement rates. Second Ed did it. Guard had a "speed" (WTF!?!) value of I believe 4 inches, Space Marines were 5, Eldar were 6 (cause we get everything) etc etc. I know, who cares.
The point is 40k has decided not to do that. I have a lot of love for 40k. 40k is the only game I've ever heard of where when something doesn't make sense the word from on high is 'So what? Shut up and eat some pretzels. Have you seen our new plastic something-or-other?'
I'm developing a hypotheses: tactical games are defined by their limitations. As posited by the lead designer, Privateer Press' Warmachine is a game of "resource management" and Hordes is a game of "risk management". Whatever that means. Besides the sheer manual dexterity required, Starcraft and other RTS are games of resources and time pressure. Sim City and Civilization are games of exponential growth; and Chess -- refined over the course of centuries -- is a game of infinite possibility confined to a very small space.
40k, on the other hand -- now on its fourth iteration, not including its roots as a past-time amongst bored twenty-something treadheads rolling dice along with their model kits -- is a game of six inch intervals. Ignoring flamer templates and with the single exceptions of fleet and difficult terrain rolls (which I will get to) every single measurement in the game is a multiple of six inches. I know, 'duh'.
Two other important limitations that add tactical depth are that the game is only six turns long, as well as the fact that space is limited on the board giving an even higher priority to concentration of firepower. This latter is a consequence of the fact that 40k comes somewhere between a skirmishing game between infantry units and a full scale battle with armoured support. I wouldn't say this really comes up in say Hordes. In Hordes you tend to have enough room to manouver freely; facing and back strikes are very important. 40k tends to be a game of in your face fire-fight.
40k uses a telescopic scale. Close assault and fire fight is 12". A large melee between say 20 combatants (including close combat weapons and small arms fire) is say six inches in diameter. A tank can drive 12" in the time it takes an infantry man to trot 6". A large caliber machine gun fires 24 or 36". Artillery and armour piercing personnel weapons fire 48". After that, electromagnetic rail guns and large caliber, armour piercing ordnance and artillery rule the table-top with extraordinarily long ranges.
A typical deployment is 24". In 4th edition, it is defined such that deployment is greater than 24". This seperates the two armies by 4 6" blocks (on the inside). In order for the two armies to come in contact they have to reach across 4+1 blocks. This is different from other games, where various movement rates and weapons ranges are completely analog and typically divided up in one inch intervals. This commonly seperates armies by 5 blocks at the beginning of the game. Infiltrate of >18" (or any other 18" deployment) separates armies by 4 blocks.
Space Marines
Space Marines are the consummate masters of close quarter fighting. Of course they have to get big guns to go with it, right? I'm using the "combat squads" equipment where Space Marines are armed with both a Bolter and a Bolt Pistol (letting them get a shot off when they charge).
Space Marine Assault Squad
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 4 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 18" (3 intervals): 4 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 24" (4 intervals) 1 attack + special
outside 24" (5+ intervals): flying someplace
Space Marine Combat (Tactical) Squad
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 3 attacks (1 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 18" (3 intervals): 2 attacks + special or stand and shoot 1 attack + plasma? + heavy?
within 24" (4 intervals) 1 attack + plasma? + heavy?
outside 24" (5+ intervals): heavy?
Chaos Marine Squad w/ Bolt Pistols/Space Marine Assault Squad no Jump Packs/etc
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 4 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolt Pistol) + assault special
within 18" (3 intervals): 1 attack + special or stand and shoot plasma? + heavy?
within 24" (4 intervals) plasma? + heavy?
outside 24" (5+ intervals): heavy?
Firefight 4TW. Assault squads look great until you realize that you're paying 1.5 times the points for each model. They're a support unit to tie up units and deliver characters. I once had a "True Grit" Space Marine army that I may as well have just played as Space Wolves. 18" away, rape face (I preferred melta weapons over plasma) and then counterattack. *wipes tear* My brother plays it now (with less lascannons and more power fists), yay for me.
There is some small resolution within the 6 inch intervals. If your enemy is charging across the battle-field at you, then deploying 4 or 5 inches back from the line can give you an extra turn as they are slowed down by difficult terrain or lousy fleet rolls (which give a movement of > 6" placing the unit in the next six inch block).
I know this sounds obvious, but what I'm trying to say is that -- despite the fact 40k is very much a skirmishing game -- there is a certain discrete granularity that is introduced. Moving and shooting within the limitation of these 6 inch intervals adds a layer of tactical depth and complexity that would otherwise be missing.
Why not .... (don't forget the Bolters are twin linked)
I use/used Space Marine Bikes as a reserve unit for an assaulting army.
Space Marine Bikes w/ Heavy Bolter
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 4 attacks (1 + 1 + Bolters) + assault special + Heavy Bolter
within 18" (3 intervals): 4 attacks (1 + 1 + Bolters) + assault special + Heavy Bolter
within 24" (4 intervals) 2 attacks + special + Heavy Bolter
within 36" (5/6 intervals): 1 attack + Heavy Bolter
within 48" (7/8 intervals): Heavy Bolter
Chaos Marine Bikes
Plasma guns are bike mounted but I wouldn't bother with them anyway, they would just blow up. Course I would only use plasma in a stand and shoot las/plas squad. Meltaguns belong in assault squads.
within 12" (1/2 intervals): 5 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolters) + special
within 18" (3 intervals): 5 attacks (2 + 1 + Bolters) + special
within 24" (4 intervals) 2 attacks + special
within 36" (5/6 intervals): 1 attack + plasma?
outside 36" (7+ intervals): no heavy
Hordes Everblight List: Rise of the Prophet
I love Hordes and I love Thagrosh.
Thagrosh
Carnivean
Teraph
Seraph
Nephilim Soldier
Harrier
2x Shredder
Every Warbeast save the Angelus and a pair of Shredders: 500 points even. I just thought that was fun. Thagrosh only has 7 fury; what you want to do is have one turn where the Carnivean, Teraph, Nephilim and Shredders attack and burn all their fury all at once. Thagrosh has a defensive feat so after they're stuck in it's a question of seizing opportunity and having Thagrosh laying down the beat-stick.
I'd say this is going to be my core army for my next few games
Thagrosh
Carnivean
Teraph
Nephilim Soldier
2x Shredders //389
I'm not real big on the Seraph just because I think it's cheap and I prefer melee when I play Hordes. Harriers are great for wacking high def targets but taking a 31 point model just for one job seems lame to me. meh.
I love Swordsmen. I like to stagger them and use them as a flank/reserve. The idea being the first few are in base-to-base, get killed, and then the subsequent turn another two or three get a charge w/ 4d6 on the damage roll. Sweet unit. You don't run away from Swordsmen. MAT 7/8 + 2 and 4d6 on the free strike. *wipes tear*. They took out a Cannoneer almost single handedly for me the other day. Someday I'm going to have to suck it up and charge Pretorians with them but I'm justifiably worried about the counter-attack. Did I mention they're Fearless? XD
I like this one, this will probably be my next list
Thagrosh
Carnivean
Teraph
Nephilim Soldier
3x Shredder
6x Swordsmen
Forsaken // 496
Probabably a bit more practical, Fury-wise. And I want to see what the Forsaken can do against my dreaded foes the Pretorians.
Thagrosh
Carnivean
Teraph
Seraph
Nephilim Soldier
Harrier
2x Shredder
Every Warbeast save the Angelus and a pair of Shredders: 500 points even. I just thought that was fun. Thagrosh only has 7 fury; what you want to do is have one turn where the Carnivean, Teraph, Nephilim and Shredders attack and burn all their fury all at once. Thagrosh has a defensive feat so after they're stuck in it's a question of seizing opportunity and having Thagrosh laying down the beat-stick.
I'd say this is going to be my core army for my next few games
Thagrosh
Carnivean
Teraph
Nephilim Soldier
2x Shredders //389
I'm not real big on the Seraph just because I think it's cheap and I prefer melee when I play Hordes. Harriers are great for wacking high def targets but taking a 31 point model just for one job seems lame to me. meh.
I love Swordsmen. I like to stagger them and use them as a flank/reserve. The idea being the first few are in base-to-base, get killed, and then the subsequent turn another two or three get a charge w/ 4d6 on the damage roll. Sweet unit. You don't run away from Swordsmen. MAT 7/8 + 2 and 4d6 on the free strike. *wipes tear*. They took out a Cannoneer almost single handedly for me the other day. Someday I'm going to have to suck it up and charge Pretorians with them but I'm justifiably worried about the counter-attack. Did I mention they're Fearless? XD
I like this one, this will probably be my next list
Thagrosh
Carnivean
Teraph
Nephilim Soldier
3x Shredder
6x Swordsmen
Forsaken // 496
Probabably a bit more practical, Fury-wise. And I want to see what the Forsaken can do against my dreaded foes the Pretorians.
40k Army List Design: The Imperial Guard
I have a tendency to get bored with things, and while I love my Eldar army sometimes I wish I had something different. This concept of 'design' -- be it wargaming army lists, RPG parties or other -- is something that I consider to have a certain aesthetic beauty.
I have an interest in a new army. These are the design priorities.
1) Cost.
2) Variability.
3) Emphasis on shooting over close combat.
What I've decided is that while I'm painting my Eldar and Everblight I'm going to have a long term plan of converting and painting an Imperial Guard force that can represent either a semi-radical Inquisition force or a recently converted Chaos force. I can intermix a number of "extra chaosy" guard troops to add enough flavour.
This is the core, around 1000 points. The doctrines are Jungle Fighters, Sanctioned Psykers, Special Weapon Squads, Close Order Drill and probably Iron Discipline. Light Infantry is a possibility over Jungle Fighters but we tend to play with forests. I could replace the Mortars with Heavy Bolters (I think the Mortars are fun, and any serious infantry regiment needs artillery) and medics, storm bolters etc are optional in Command Squads.
Command Squad, 'Field Marshal': Heroic Senior Officer, Mortar, Standard
2x Heavy Weapons, 'Anti-armour': 3x Lascannons
2x Special Weapons, 'Auxillary': 1x Demo Charge + 2x Sniper Rifles w/ Jungle Fighters
Optional 1x Heavy, 'Covering Fire': 3x Heavy Bolters w/ Jungle Fighters
5x Sanctioned Psykers
Infantry Platoon Command Squad, 'First Lieutenant': Junior Officer, Mortar
3x Infantry Squad, 'Line Troops': Autocannon, Grenade Launcher
Infantry Platoon Command Squad, 'The Dude aka Charlie Sheen aka John Rambo': Honorifica Imperialis, Heavy Flamer, Flamer, Medic w/ Jungle Fighters, CCW and Frag Grenades
2x Infantry Squad, 'Commandos': Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun w/ Jungle Fighters
1 or 2x Sentinel: Multi Laser or Heavy Flamer w/ Smoke Launchers
Russ: Heavy Bolters (why not?) and defensive upgrades
It comes to about 1000 points. If I buy Cadian and Catachan Battle Forces w/ a box or two of Cadians and maybe a box of Catachans I have more than enough heavy weapons and infantry. After that I have a squad of Grey Knights and I could add whatever Inquistion Troops I wanted. After having collected enough Inquisition I could field a largely Witchhunters force (the Penitent Engines are sweet models). The Chaos Megaforce is a sweet deal money-wise and gives enough models to easily field a sizeable chaos force. I have some random Space Marines to mix and match including bikes and lascannons. I was thinking of buying 1 and only 1 sprue of a variety of Warhammer Fantasy plastic kits to make mutants (Beastmen, Mauraders, Orcs, Skaven etc). I love conversions so it should be fun.
As far as the Guard army is concerned, leadership is an issue. I think the 'Commando' squads will get Vets and the other three will have to make do. It's thematic but it may end that all five infantry squads will get Vets in the end. Vox Casters are a rip altho the Master-Vox could be worth it in a l-a-r-g-e guard army. Which this isn't. I love Iron Discipline. Only reason to ditch the Rambo squad would be to get better use of the ld9 and Iron Discipline. It can always hang back a bit for a turn regardless. Being able to bring a squad back (with both its Heavy and Special weapon) is a god-send. Mortars in the Command Squads make them a low level threat while still giving them something fun to do.
I have an interest in a new army. These are the design priorities.
1) Cost.
2) Variability.
3) Emphasis on shooting over close combat.
What I've decided is that while I'm painting my Eldar and Everblight I'm going to have a long term plan of converting and painting an Imperial Guard force that can represent either a semi-radical Inquisition force or a recently converted Chaos force. I can intermix a number of "extra chaosy" guard troops to add enough flavour.
This is the core, around 1000 points. The doctrines are Jungle Fighters, Sanctioned Psykers, Special Weapon Squads, Close Order Drill and probably Iron Discipline. Light Infantry is a possibility over Jungle Fighters but we tend to play with forests. I could replace the Mortars with Heavy Bolters (I think the Mortars are fun, and any serious infantry regiment needs artillery) and medics, storm bolters etc are optional in Command Squads.
Command Squad, 'Field Marshal': Heroic Senior Officer, Mortar, Standard
2x Heavy Weapons, 'Anti-armour': 3x Lascannons
2x Special Weapons, 'Auxillary': 1x Demo Charge + 2x Sniper Rifles w/ Jungle Fighters
Optional 1x Heavy, 'Covering Fire': 3x Heavy Bolters w/ Jungle Fighters
5x Sanctioned Psykers
Infantry Platoon Command Squad, 'First Lieutenant': Junior Officer, Mortar
3x Infantry Squad, 'Line Troops': Autocannon, Grenade Launcher
Infantry Platoon Command Squad, 'The Dude aka Charlie Sheen aka John Rambo': Honorifica Imperialis, Heavy Flamer, Flamer, Medic w/ Jungle Fighters, CCW and Frag Grenades
2x Infantry Squad, 'Commandos': Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun w/ Jungle Fighters
1 or 2x Sentinel: Multi Laser or Heavy Flamer w/ Smoke Launchers
Russ: Heavy Bolters (why not?) and defensive upgrades
It comes to about 1000 points. If I buy Cadian and Catachan Battle Forces w/ a box or two of Cadians and maybe a box of Catachans I have more than enough heavy weapons and infantry. After that I have a squad of Grey Knights and I could add whatever Inquistion Troops I wanted. After having collected enough Inquisition I could field a largely Witchhunters force (the Penitent Engines are sweet models). The Chaos Megaforce is a sweet deal money-wise and gives enough models to easily field a sizeable chaos force. I have some random Space Marines to mix and match including bikes and lascannons. I was thinking of buying 1 and only 1 sprue of a variety of Warhammer Fantasy plastic kits to make mutants (Beastmen, Mauraders, Orcs, Skaven etc). I love conversions so it should be fun.
As far as the Guard army is concerned, leadership is an issue. I think the 'Commando' squads will get Vets and the other three will have to make do. It's thematic but it may end that all five infantry squads will get Vets in the end. Vox Casters are a rip altho the Master-Vox could be worth it in a l-a-r-g-e guard army. Which this isn't. I love Iron Discipline. Only reason to ditch the Rambo squad would be to get better use of the ld9 and Iron Discipline. It can always hang back a bit for a turn regardless. Being able to bring a squad back (with both its Heavy and Special weapon) is a god-send. Mortars in the Command Squads make them a low level threat while still giving them something fun to do.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
40k Eldar Strategy: No Battle Plan Survives First Contact With the Enemy
"No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy."
"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved."
- Sun Tzu
I've been playing Warhammer 40,000 for a number of years now. I know, I'm too old for pleasant diversions that keep my mind sharp. Somewhere along the line I went from 'what's an organizational chart again' to 'beardy veteran of death and glory'. I have a number of tactical, statistical and design concepts I want to discuss: first I will discuss my own method for winning Eldar army list design, as well as how and why it works. Presumably this is written for people who are involved in the hobby.
Fluff-wise -- and in theory -- the Eldar list is supposed to be the most tactical list, behind the Tau. They certainly have the most specialized units (not to mention imo varied and fun) of any other army. Another Sun Tzu maxim, their biggest strength is their ability to concentrate firepower and hit hard where it is needed. According to the fluff, their strength is their ability to conduct hit and run raids and overcome their opponent with their advanced technology and fearless arrogance.
In practice their concentration of firepower comes in four forms: mobile heavy weapons and fast vehicles; devastating assault squads, Eldar Farseers and the not-so-humble shuriken catapult. The idea is that if you're playing a 2000 points game you want to set it up so say 650 of your own points (say guardians or a tricked out Falcon) are in his face taking hits while the rest of your army is positioned to completely take out 500 of his points. After the smoke settles he should be down say 800 points and you're down maybe 350 points. After that you should hopefully pull off a victory. Note that because Eldar are designed to be _good_ at this, they have other weaknesses and victory is by no means certain.
The problem is of course -- your opponent gets to shoot back. Space Marine HQ are 150 to 200 points of single base concentrated firepower goodness. Any experienced Eldar (or Tau) player has a 'what is this shit' story as one jump-pack-wearing, master-crafted-weapon-wielding 25 mm base blew a massive gaping hole in their battle line. We don't get that. It might sound obvious, but a winning Eldar general (Autarch?) has to avoid turning his army into an 'upside down pyramid' relying on one favorite unit.
Here's a list I used against an opponent for a pair of games last time he was in town.
Avatar 155
Scorpions 212
Wraithguard 140
Harlequins + Falcon 335
2x Guardians 159 and 165
Dire Avengers 177
Pathfinders 120
2x Vyper (EML) 65 each
Swooping Hawks 173
2x Fire Prism 115 each
I included the point costs, because with the exception of the Harlequins and the Falcon everything is ~150 to 200 points. Your opponent can only shoot so much in one turn and if one squad is removed from play the rest of the army is positioned. The only expensive unit is the most resilient tank in the game. And every shot at a Falcon is one less shot at the Avatar making the army fearless or those beautiful 2006 Codex Fire Prisms with their AP3 pie plate. Or even the Wraithguard, which always have their uses in a balanced list even if they rarely get their points back.
According to the fluff, Eldar units are specialized, and they are an aggressive race. This is true at least. Each unit has a purpose and it needs to live up to it. Guardians have an assault weapon for a reason. Get them stuck in. They might get wiped out 2 turns later but the opposing squad was denied the charge. They were going to attack anyway.
----
The important thing to notice here is that every unit has its job and your enemy gets to attack too. 40k isn't chess. It's a skirmishing game where movement is very free flowing and there are lots of long range weapons that can take your squads out from a distance. 'Guardians suck!'? They're not the greatest. Lacking ATSKNF they have a tendency to get cut down in close combat for one. Embolden or an Avatar can mitigate this. But their job is to get stuck in combat and shoot something with shuriken catapults. It's not a question of whether a unit 'gets its points back' -- altho that's a good measuring stick -- victory goes to the player who positions and plays his units such that the army as a whole is guaranteed victory.
"All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved."
- Sun Tzu
I've been playing Warhammer 40,000 for a number of years now. I know, I'm too old for pleasant diversions that keep my mind sharp. Somewhere along the line I went from 'what's an organizational chart again' to 'beardy veteran of death and glory'. I have a number of tactical, statistical and design concepts I want to discuss: first I will discuss my own method for winning Eldar army list design, as well as how and why it works. Presumably this is written for people who are involved in the hobby.
Fluff-wise -- and in theory -- the Eldar list is supposed to be the most tactical list, behind the Tau. They certainly have the most specialized units (not to mention imo varied and fun) of any other army. Another Sun Tzu maxim, their biggest strength is their ability to concentrate firepower and hit hard where it is needed. According to the fluff, their strength is their ability to conduct hit and run raids and overcome their opponent with their advanced technology and fearless arrogance.
In practice their concentration of firepower comes in four forms: mobile heavy weapons and fast vehicles; devastating assault squads, Eldar Farseers and the not-so-humble shuriken catapult. The idea is that if you're playing a 2000 points game you want to set it up so say 650 of your own points (say guardians or a tricked out Falcon) are in his face taking hits while the rest of your army is positioned to completely take out 500 of his points. After the smoke settles he should be down say 800 points and you're down maybe 350 points. After that you should hopefully pull off a victory. Note that because Eldar are designed to be _good_ at this, they have other weaknesses and victory is by no means certain.
The problem is of course -- your opponent gets to shoot back. Space Marine HQ are 150 to 200 points of single base concentrated firepower goodness. Any experienced Eldar (or Tau) player has a 'what is this shit' story as one jump-pack-wearing, master-crafted-weapon-wielding 25 mm base blew a massive gaping hole in their battle line. We don't get that. It might sound obvious, but a winning Eldar general (Autarch?) has to avoid turning his army into an 'upside down pyramid' relying on one favorite unit.
Here's a list I used against an opponent for a pair of games last time he was in town.
Avatar 155
Scorpions 212
Wraithguard 140
Harlequins + Falcon 335
2x Guardians 159 and 165
Dire Avengers 177
Pathfinders 120
2x Vyper (EML) 65 each
Swooping Hawks 173
2x Fire Prism 115 each
I included the point costs, because with the exception of the Harlequins and the Falcon everything is ~150 to 200 points. Your opponent can only shoot so much in one turn and if one squad is removed from play the rest of the army is positioned. The only expensive unit is the most resilient tank in the game. And every shot at a Falcon is one less shot at the Avatar making the army fearless or those beautiful 2006 Codex Fire Prisms with their AP3 pie plate. Or even the Wraithguard, which always have their uses in a balanced list even if they rarely get their points back.
According to the fluff, Eldar units are specialized, and they are an aggressive race. This is true at least. Each unit has a purpose and it needs to live up to it. Guardians have an assault weapon for a reason. Get them stuck in. They might get wiped out 2 turns later but the opposing squad was denied the charge. They were going to attack anyway.
----
The important thing to notice here is that every unit has its job and your enemy gets to attack too. 40k isn't chess. It's a skirmishing game where movement is very free flowing and there are lots of long range weapons that can take your squads out from a distance. 'Guardians suck!'? They're not the greatest. Lacking ATSKNF they have a tendency to get cut down in close combat for one. Embolden or an Avatar can mitigate this. But their job is to get stuck in combat and shoot something with shuriken catapults. It's not a question of whether a unit 'gets its points back' -- altho that's a good measuring stick -- victory goes to the player who positions and plays his units such that the army as a whole is guaranteed victory.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Enter the Internet
I like to talk. And I like telling people my funny jokes. And I like discussing important topics like PC maintenance, advanced statistics, boobies, Shakespeare, mediterranean food, colour theory, The Crazy Years (TM) and the fundamental nature of reality with the demographic known as 'gamers of my generation' (I was born in '78 (juuuuuuust after Star Wars) and my first computer was a TRS-80 followed by an EGA/VGA 286 -- 'nuff said). And of course whoever else I might be fortunate enough to have cross my path.
Cheers and good tidings. May your path be ever paved with wonder.
Cheers and good tidings. May your path be ever paved with wonder.
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