Wednesday 18 December 2013

'nids part 115 - Genestealer Cultists

www.games-workshop.com/gws/wnt/blog.jsp?pid=9400024-gws
While I was painting my Dark Vengeance cultists I came across Nick's [from the Warhammer World Events Team] kit-bashing of them for the Praedis Zeta weekend event. He converted them up for use as a 10 man Genestealer cult . According to the rules if you were the Xenos you got 10 free Stealer Cultists and if you were non Xenos you got 5 free Xenos hunting Marines. I loved this idea so much I decided to kit bash the remaining 10 Cultists of my own to further expand the fluff of the Free Radical Collective but also connect them that little bit more with the Tyranids. Even though I'd already primed them I thought what the hell [and this had nothing to do with my assumption that maybe, just maybe, these guys might have the wherewithall to fire a Quad Gun! Hmm?!], I really do like kit-bashing/modelling so here we go...

This was the first up, swapped out his auto-gun and replaced with a redundant Fleshborer. Also got a spare Hormagaunt Scything Talon for extra mutation and a toxin sac.


Flushed with success I carried on with a spare Spinefist, actually, aren't they all spare?! Removed the other arm and got a Stealer arm in there. These Cultists do have rending attacks afterall!


Yet more Spinefists and a Sytal. I used a Toxin Sac to hide the join, it's so easy. Kit-bashing this model made me realised his twin had gone AWOL, which luckily resulted in me finding him in the bin, incomplete but intact.


However because he's ended up in the Stealer Cult group [because the Chaos Cult group has the be-robed maniac who leads the assault Cultists] I needed to add some form of Stealer hybridisation. I decided to just go simple as I already liked his iron bar and I'd done a fair bit of painting. I removed his stub gun, attaching it to his belt so he still had a ranged weapon and replaced his hand with a Stealer claw. So simple and understated. BIG HANDS!


Working with these models you can tell how the 3D design of these allowed them to flip a model left to right. This is the mirror version of the first one I converted but given my parts I was able to make him right handed with the Fleshborer and added 2 Scytals so he's a proper 4 armed Hybrid.


I didn't know how to approach this guy, he's covered in robes so made it difficult to add extra limbs. However the sleeves were copious so I just slipped a couple of Stealer claws coming out too. It just about works, thanks to some plastic shavings that were glued over the top of the join to look like more wrappings/bandages.


Another simple conversion, swapping out the arms for a Fleshborer and Spinefist with Toxin Sacs to hide the join. It's going to be quite a task to get all these meshing colourwise. They will need the Hive Fleet Colour scheme in place on the Tyranid bits but still need to work as extra members of the existing Free Radical Collective. It'll be greta to mix all 20 together for that truly mixed mob of heretics.


Spinefists,, an extra Scytal arm with a Toxin Sac to cap it off. Now I did want an Adrenal Gland on hi sback but typically I lost the piece. I swear I spend more time on my hands and knees looking for bits that have fallen than actually modelling! I've since found the piece and added it on, I've also got some more Termagant extra Chitin plates so may add a few here and there on the rest of the models too.


I loved Nick's take on this guy, just adding a couple of huge Genestealer arms really fits his bulky stature and they just be plonke don and they somehow look like theyre part of him without the supporting musculature that should be there. Anyway, if it ain't broke don't fix it so I did pretty much the same thing just used some of the different Stealer arms. I even had a spare Termagant Chitin piece to add to his arm for added hybridisation.


And here's where my luck ran out. I went a bit OTT here. I really didn't want another gas mask so took the front of a spare Tyranid Warrior face and shaved it down. He's ended up looking a bit like a mutant rat, still nevermind, he can go at the back ;)


Another two Spinefists and Fleshborer with Toxin Sacs to finish and my 10 'men' are done.


I really love kitbashing this was a solid sitting of cutting and glueing. Total improvisation, I hardly planned anything which is why the last one went a bit awry but 9 out of 10 isn't bad. Having a nice supply of bits, some already broken or deemed surplus helped to make 'something from nothing' and I love that these unloved parts have got a second life. Now I don't know when I'll get to paint these. They're still time intensive and they're not going to fit in my schedule for the foreseeable future but we'll see and I've had tonnes of fun making them which is the most important thing.

Monday 16 December 2013

1500pt battle report - nids vs Necrons

It's been a good while since Ben and I threw down and even longer since I faced the might of his Necrons. What followed was a truly Epic battle. I've learned a lot since the last time and forgotten a lot too. It was a finely balanced game, that teetered backwards and forwards never quite tipping against me as in the past, but lets get down to it.
Psychic Powers
Winged Tyrant HQWinged TyrantTervigon CC TRTervigon Plain Tr
SmiteEnfeebleEnfeebleEndurance
Iron ArmLife LeechLife LeechSmite
Doom of Malan'tai
 Psychic Shriek


The low down:
  • The Relic
  • vanguard Strike
  • Ben won deployment, but elected for me to go first and then went on to win the Initiative on a 6 even though Imotekh wins it on 4+ [which I forgot]
  • Warlord Trait - Night Attacker, so if I elect not to use night fighting it does say 'for the game' so it shouldn't come in on turn 5 right? Equally how does that fit with Imotekh and his rule that Night Fighting is in play turn 1? Should we roll off to see who gets the drop on the night?
I set up completely oblivious to Imotekh's steal the initiative on a 4 rule, my bad really. I should have used the Bastion for it's intended purpose - LoS blocking, but no I wanted to capture the Relic first turn with a spawning Gaunt rush.


So both Tervigon's were out in the open...


and they faced a wall of living metal


Even with the 4+ steal Ben gets a 6 and seizes the initiative from me.


Lightning strikes - Hive Guard take a wound and my Plain Tervigon, the one with Endurance but no chance to use it manages to suck lightning and Tesla fire by the bucketload, passing save after save. The Triarch Stalker does manage to put two wounds on her though.


And then another round of Tesla [I think the last of Ben's shooting] manages to put 5 wounds on her and this is my saving throw!


She implodes in acrid spark of electricity and ozone. First Blood to Ben and the second time in two games I've lost a Tervigon in turn 1! But I know I can still perform with only one, even if the odds are already stacked against me. I am at this point thinking the 3 Hive Guard, single Hive Tyrant and Mawloc list may have had a better chance though...


My Tervigon spawns 13 which head for the Relic to stall the cron advance and scuttles off to secure the Comms Relay. Something has to be in base contact with it and with my other Tervigon dead, the Hive Guard in the building to get in range and only one set of gaunts the CC Tervigon is my only option to ensure the success of my reserve rolls.


The Hive Guard manage one penetrating hit on the Stalker. At least it's shields are down and thanks to open topped I destroy it's main gun! Suddenly my Bastion is looking untouchable with very little weaponry able to harm it. Still, I think 3 Hive Guard would have helped my odds here.


Lightning strikes the Gaunts and 4 die. More Scarabs are spawned.


The remaining gaunts are wiped out.


Once again the Swiss Army Knife of the 40k universe shows its mettle/metal [pun intended]. The Scarabs swarm the Bastion chewing it to pieces. Luckily the Hive Guard escape with only 1 wound. Things look bleak.


Here comes the cavalry. Drop pods land and I can secure the Relic, the Doom only manages 1 extra wound thanks to cover saves!


Flyrants also Swoop in, although I should have put them both in the woods.


Shooting was good, wounding was less so. Combined fire can only put down the 9 remaining Immortals, but at least they won't get back up again. Imotekh stands untouched, but not unbowed because, what's this? Oh yeah in his bag of tricks there's a St4 Ap5 template weapon that roasts the Devgaunts off the Relic and even wounds  the Doom!


The Tervigon and Scarabs come to blows. Not sure who instigated this but being tarpitted by them doesn't sound like something I'd do. Eventually I take 2 wounds and that means I no longer have a saving throw! My only hope is to Enfeeble the Scarabs next turn so they cannot damage me.


Tactical decision time. An Annihilation barge was where the Flyrant is at the bottome of the picture. The choice was whether to leave it and hold the centre or end it, prevent Line Breaker and get my Flyrant out of range. Ideally the other Flyrant would have been better. My Warlord has +2 Iron Arm and would be more durable but the other Tyrant was too far away to make the Vector Strike. So I go with the Warlord and it completely destroys the Barge, blowing it up 5 ways of Sunday - all 5s and 6s on the pen chart for open topped!


The Tervigon Enfeebles the Scarabs, so he's safe but can only manage to kill one base! Meanwhile the Triarch Stalker smashed it's way through the Dooms pod. The pod actually got a couple of hits on it before it was smooshed but failed to penetrate, yes even St8 Smash attacks! It may have taken a glancing hit though.


Spyders assault the Devgaunts, I fail to make enough wounds on them in overwatch. The Spyders only have a couple of wounds left, it's getting frustrating at this stage. The Flyrant manages to kill a couple of Immortals I say a couple, he probably killed about 4 or 5 it's just the buggers keep getting back up!


The Spyders continue to maul on the gaunts, they just keep making their saves even when I do damage them, and they're Enfeebled too [not that it makes any difference with my damage rolls].


The Stalker goes for seconds of Mycetic Spore Pod but I manage to get a single overwatch hit!


And glance the metal walker to death! Sweet, if meagre, revenge!


AND my luck runs out, I roll my Iron Arm and Perils with 3 wounds on the clock! With the Flyrant on the board I had a chance but with this darned luck I think I'm out of the running.


The Doom and Imotekh have been battling on and off. With the Doom down to 2 wounds and the Overlord on 1. Without the Strength to damage him and his 2+ save it meant I needed reinforcements.


Bottom of turn 5 and the Flyrant jumps in, to help.


Meanwhile my Tervigon had killed the remaining Scarabs, he's literally 6" away from the Relic. I can capture it and win the game [barring it continuing on to turn 6] if I can get a 6 clambering across the wrecked Triarch Stalker...


...fiddlesticks!


On the plus side Imotekh was smooshed when my Tyrant Gloriously Intervened in the Challenge that had been raging. Yes I recently found out the Doom is indeed a Character so this melee had been a Challenge all along.


However, Imotekh gets back up again! And we roll for turn 6.


Imotekh appears back in the ruins while his Spyders finally munch the last of the Devgaunts and head for the killing field. The Ghost Ark moves behind the Tyrant


and disgorges a bunch of Warriors right on top of the Relic.


I literally have no idea what this roll is, perhaps it's the first time Ben rolled the dice without getting a 6 for Tesla or overwatch ;)


But immediately after I'm getting roasted by Imotekh's gauntlet of fire again and the Doom is down to only 1 wound!


Oh yeah, there's a Night Scythe too! Any other extras you want to bring to the table? I think it kills the Tervigon


The Flyrant assaults the Warriors.


they lose, flee and their Cryptek reanimates to find himself on his own next to a big monster, "Hey you guys?!" But what's this? Imotekh down on his a$$ again? Having come out of cover he pays the price and the Doom sucks him off, erm... moving on.


aaannnd he's back up again! Seriously, you're saying the Doom is CHEESE? We roll for turn 7 and it goes on.


There's a couple of options here. There is an Annihilation Barge in my Deployment Zone, Ben has First Blood, Slay the Warlord and Line Breaker, so it's 3:0 I can definitely get Line Breaker for 3:1, hope the Doom takes out Imotekh, I mean he's done it twice already, what's a third time right? That'll make 3:2. I can get the flyrant to attack the Annihilation barge, maybe killing it for 2:0 with the Doom/Imotekh saga rounding out 2:1. Regardless I can't win and I opt for the first choice. Vector Strike/Shoot the Warriors in the wood but they probably got back up. I'm not sure what happened to Imotekh but at 1:30am the game was over, bitter defeat yet again.


This was such an awesome game. Perhaps if I'd remembered all my past defeats to Ben it would have had a different outcome. That sounds like sour grapes but it's my own fault. The fact is in the past I hardly ever got to see reanimation protocols in effect, I was spending all my time dealing with barges and fearing Mind-shackle Scarabs! But I think Necrons really are one of the best armies, I'm amazed they seem to have dropped off the radar competitively. Imotekh is an absolute beast, d6 St8 Ap5 hits on EVERY unit EVERY turn on a 6! Honestly the Doom pails in comparison and was completely nullified by him too. Every unit seems to have extra levels of tricks up it's sleeve, even if it's just they stand up after being killed on a 5+

I had some poor rolls later in the game but early on I was doing my usual 5s and 6s like a fiend, I don't know if the alternative list or a different mission would have garnered different result. I was happy to play on so late given how close it was but here's a thing do I get 2 Slay the Warlord points for killing Imotekh twice? If so, does that mean we drew 3:3 ;)