Friday 27 February 2015

KotN first 2000pts list

Right, this is my first draft list for the Kings of the North. I've been pondering this since Christmas, and thinking over the list for the last week or so.

So the list:

Fortification - 100
Aegis w/Quad gun

CAD

HQ - 305
Command Squad
Boltgun, MoO w/laspistol, OotF w/laspistol, Standard, Carapace

Non FoC HQ
Preist w/autogun
Primaris Psyker
Primaris Psyker
Commissar

Troops - 330
Platoon 1
PCS w/4 flamers
Squad 1 w/flamer
Squad 2 w/flamer

Platoon 2
PCS w/4 Grenade launchers
Squad 1 w/Autocannon
Squad 2 w/Autocannon

Fast - 170
Vendetta

Elite - 270
Scion Platoon
Scion Command, Vox, 3x HS Volley Guns
Squad 1 w/Vox
Squad 2 w/Vox

Heavy - 130
2x Wyvern

Allies - 305

HQ
Librarian

Troop
Tactical Squad

Elite
Sternguard w/Combi-plasma

Vanguard Veterans Formation - 415

Vanguard Veterans, Jump packs, 3x Power Weapons, 2x2 Lighting Claws

Assault Marine, 3x Flame Pistols

Assault Marines

Well, that's the list. I like it but I think there is a lack of anti armour. If I turn up against an armour heavy list, I will be a little stuffed, same as if I face a Knight. So I should probably get some melta weapons in. I'd like to give one of the Scions squads 2 meltas and also a PCS some meltas, but that going to cost a few points and I'm not sure where there going to come from, dropping one set of lighting claws would help, but I want them for my assault force. So where do I look to for the points??

Friday 20 February 2015

Taking the plunge

Right, I've decided to go a head and get all the bits for my Eagle Knights force. It took a bit of pondering but I've decided to get on with it and buy stuff. Now, this wasn't quite the process I thought it would be, as I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted when I started out. This was detailed in an earlier post (here) but things went in a slightly different direction in the end!

My initial plan was to buy the jump packs from Maxmini, Silver wing designs and the Iron pattern jump packs. I also considered adding some Matter Displacement Pistols to the order, which, with a little conversion, could have been converted to hand flamers. I was going to purchase a pack of 10 the fusion pistols. More than I actually needed but for what I was going to spend, it would have worked out a lot more economical. From GW I was going to order a  Dark Angles Chapter Upgrade Frame, and an additional 15 jump packs. I had. Adios reasons for choosing the DA frame over the Iron Hands and Black Templars ones,  but it came down to more usable parts for less money.

However, this isn't how it all worked out, and thanks mostly due to ebay the plan went a little haywire.so, what do I actually have? Well, I have a part complete DA upgrade frame from a friend for free, it was only missing the vets bodies and a few shoulder pads plus minor things, most of the weapons and accessories are still there, and ebay has so far provided; 5 death company jump packs, 5 vanguards vet jump packs, 5 normal packs and 2 complete death company sprues both from Deathstorm. The DC sprues contain 2 infurnus pistols and 2 hand flamers each, plus 5 jump packs on each, meaning I have a total of 25 packs. This is a little short of the ultimate goal of 40 for a complete squad of vanguard vets and 3 complete assault squads, but it is more than what I need to field the Vanguards strike formation, with extras.

So, all in all, reality is nothing like the plan, but that's ok, as I saved money. The two DC sprues cost a little over half of buying them new from GW, and I saved a few quid on the original plan. This little lot wasn't cheap, even with the money saved but hopefully this will be all I will need to complete both sets of SM Chapters, although I many need a few bits for the Disciples, mostly more bolters, but I can get them from the local GW 2nd store, the great and wonderful Grahams Wuerkshoppe. If your ever in the North East of England and are in to 40K or WHFB they shop is well worth a visit!

I'll try and get some pictures up here of the conversions if I can, they won't be painted as I haven't got to the paint table yet this year and I don't know how long it will be till I do, but I shall post them anyway!

Tuesday 17 February 2015

Harlequins

Well, harlequins are out, more or less, and we've a good idea of their abilitys and powers.

So far I'm not overly impressed. Granted, I don't fancy meeting these guys and girls in combat any time soon, but they are a glass hammer. T3 models are easy to remove, being a guard player I know this from experience, and their vehicles are not as good as some of the other Eldar ones. There are also a number of nerfs, the skimmer holo-field shield thingy has been nerfed to 5++ from the CWE version, a possible look ahead to what Eldar players are facings? I think that a lot of Quins will be riding in hired rides from DE, namely Raiders.

The psykic powers are good, but not overly powerful and with the 7th ed changes to the way of casting, their no more or less likely to work than anyone else. I've had games where I got ever power I wanted and some where I couldn't cast a single useful one! I think that they could be excellent in the right conditions and if the right powers come off, at the right time then shooty armies like guard and Tau are screwed.

I can see a few players down my club picking up a number of these guys, and that wont be fun as they already have pretty well sorted if slightly WAAC armies already (although not necessarily the WAAC attitude). But that's the nature of the game and I'm happy with that.

As with the Necron codex, I've not really got a lot to say about things, not from lack of interest this time, but because I don't think that they will being anything special to the game that isn't already available to CWE and DE players already. Both have good CC units and transports and both are battle brothers, so no issues with mix and matching units.

One things that has peaked my interest though is the new sisters rumours. New plastic sisters are very exciting! I've no sisters right now but I could defiantly find space for a small unit in with my guard units.

Friday 13 February 2015

KotN post 2

I've been thinking about the list the last few days after putting my thoughts down on here. I think I've overlooked a few things, mostly war gear and the roles of the various units.

I was thinking of arming up some of the Vanguard formation with plasma pistols and also give combi-plasma on my Sternguard. This means that they would both be going after ap2 targets, a possible clash, as in my view assault troops shouldn't really be assaulting 2+save units, unless you can out numbers your opponent by quite a few hits. The only issue comes with the fact that the pistols will be able to fire every turn where as the combi's are a one shot weapon and if I don't manage to eliminate the target, then I could suffer. I have generally found that most armies only contain one 2+ save unit and that a unit of Sternguard plus some other units, namely the Vendetta, can usually deal with them along side massed fire from my guard. This means that the assault marines I planned on arming with plasma pistols maybe unnecessary, or I can drop the combi-plasma's. Alternatively, I was planning on arming up the other assault squad with infernus pistols, but I might be better arming the Sternguard with combi-meltas instead. This means that I can leave the plasma pistol assault squad and drop the infernus pistols, with their short range. But then this means that my Sternguard become a bit of a jack of all trades unit, rather than the dedicated hunters that they should be.

Another clash could well be between the MT's and the Sternguard, as there both ap3 hunters, the MT with HS lasguns and Sternguard with their special issue ammunition, although the Sternguard have more flexability, the MT's do have more numbers though. Personally I like the Sternguard due to their flexibility on the battle field but the deep strike ability of the MT's has proved useful in the past, even if its not that reliable at times.

It's not easy to decide what would be best, hopefully I'll be able to get a few games in to test out my options. One option is just to drop one of the units, and that will free up lots of points for lots of options. However, I just don't feel like doing that and much prefer to shoehorn in as much as I can. Silly, more then likely; competitive, no probably not in the slightest, but hey, i think it will be fun.

Friday 6 February 2015

kotN post

Right, I've had a quick look at the points costs, I think I'll have to reconsider my plans.

The MT unit would be about 350 points in current form, with command squad and two troops,

The Stormlord would be between 480 and 585 points depending upon load out,

The vanguard assault formation, which I need to find my WD and check the rules, but potential could be up to about 800 points, but will prob be between 280 and 680 points, depending upon numbers and war gear,

The disciples allies with stenguard, Tac and Libby will run from 255 to 457 points,

All told, the points could range from 1365 to 2072 points, but would more likely come in at 1512 points with the options I would want. This makes quite a dent in my avaliable points for the main IG force! So, some stuff is going to be dropped, most likely starting with the Stormlord as its the one thing I dont have a model for, which would drop the points to about 1050. Still quite a few points, but still gives a lot for the IG.

Having the strenguard and the vanguard formation means that I can drop some of the units from my IG list without loosing anything offensive. The MT's unit I feel is important as it means I can challenge some units in the oppositions back field or force then to reconsider all out attacks by placing units behind and in front. I also plan on using the vendetta as sternguard transport, which means I can get them to pretty much any point on the board that I need them from turn two. With a ML2 Libby plus two ML2 primaris psykers gives me a few psykic dice to use, to try and buff my IG units mostly.

I do really want to run a different list, not just from usual but just different and fun, mostly just cos I feel like having some fun and using units I haven't used before.

Tuesday 3 February 2015

'Crons and 'Quins

Well, the Necron codex is out and I really don't have a lot to say about it. This is mostly for 3 reasons, foremost of these reasons is that I don't really care. I say that in a nice way, as no one I know plays necrons, there use to be a player but he's dissappeared from the club. I've also not run in to them in the few tournaments I have attended and so they have little affect on my game, something I feel is likely not to change with the new codex. The other reasons are that there were no real new models, yes, there was a new Lord but little else that I know of, so little to get excited about there and finally, there were Harlequins.

I'll come back to the harlequins in a second, I'll just wrap up the Necrons first. The codex is pretty much as expected by the sounds of it, nerfs where they were expected, snap shooting tesla and flyer points adjustments come to mind, and there were buffs where they were needed to, mostly to points costs and reanimation (or what ever its called) I believe. Again I've not really looked in to it too much as it doesn't really affect me but there seems little out cry from the meta and I haven't see ebay chocked full of Necron armies, so all in all I guess it's nothing ground breaking.

Harlequins on the other hand look very interesting. Now I plan on buying nothing, I'm not an Eldar player, dark or craftworld, but they are an iconic unit in the game. I love the fluff around Death Jesters and Solitaires, almost as  much as the imperial assassins, namely the Vindicars. I am looking forward to seeing next weeks releases, which look to include the Death Jesters, and another troupe, of an unknown type, possibly more shooty, and the Starweaver transport/jet bike.

My hunch for the Starweaver is a duel kit, like the DE transport/gun boat, I'll have to look up the name ( Raider and Ravenger) but more like the venom, with a small fast transport ( 5/6 capacity ) and a support unit with AT weaponry. As the rules so far, they defiantly point to glass hammer units. I would not like to get in to CC with them at all, the only advantage I would get would be shear weight of numbers from a blob squad of guard, as marines and small squads will end up like mince meat flairly quickly. Thats provided they get in to assault, and at T3 that's not so easy when your foot slogging across the board, trust me I've tried a few times! Being able to blast across the field in a transport and assault out will make them a lot more dangerous, even from the bottom of Turn 1 with a max range of 24" ( 6" vehicle, 6" disembark, 12" charge, with fleet I blieve??). So any units that moved forward turn one or even scouted/infiltrated will be in range of early CC and CC is where 'Quins like to be.

So when they do hit the table it will be bolters and lasguns at the ready and try and get the right psykic powers, namely Forewarning (4++), Foreboding (overwatch at full BS) and Misfortune (rending), and use a priest in a 30 man blob squad to bury them in dice! Well, that would be the plan anyway.