Obviously Nice!!!!

So Santa was very good to me.... No doubt in response to my high level of niceness through 2012.

I received a set of the soon-to-be-released Deathshroud for my Heresy era Death Guard army from Tom and Jack.

From my lovely wife I received a Battlefoam 432

This case has a standard load out which will work for either my 30k Death Guard or one of the lesser (non-Skaven) races in Fantasy.

My cats - Nurgle, Spikey, Sputnik and Ripley - were on the ball this year and bought me the new Forgeworld Death Guard Contemptor Dreadnaught with Power Fist and Multi-Melta. Good choice Furry Faces!


And finally, Santa got in the act. He found a friendly US supplier to send me the GW Citadel Ultimate Paint Set at $540 delivered rather than GW's NZ price of $1000 $860 (Sorry Nathan).

Games Workshop Product Review 2012 - The Worst of Warhammer Fantasy

Okay, the final part and we're back to where we started - warhammer fantasy. However this time it's the misses. I'm sure not everyone will agree but that's the beauty of an opinion. I'm going to go with four sets.

The Worst of Warhammer Fantasy

4. Empire Demigryph Knights

The best thing that can be said about these models is that they have generated more funny monikers than any other set. From "Angry Birds" to "KFC Quarterpacks", they were the "surprise" unit of the year - no one knew where they came from and why the Empire hadn't thought about them previously in its 2500 year existence.

That aside, they are pretty ugly models. For the same reason Space Marines shouldn't ride huskies, Inner Circle Knights shouldn't ride chickens. Not only ugly but also wrong-sized. They pioneered the 50mm x75mm base and these models didn't fill it up.

Apart from that I hated the propensity of Demigryph units to roll "Insane Courage" at inappropriate times.

3. Plaguebearers

This may not be a popular choice but I hate these models with a passion. They are cartoony and have goofy/comical demeanour. I am a big Nurgle fan but these models are just abject.

And to make them even worse is the inclusion of the Nurglings on the bases and shoulders. I am extremely happy that I've been able to buy up the older metals as I couldn't countenance ever using this dross.

2. Crypt Horrors

These are included as they represent an opportunity lost. I don't mind the Varghiest models but these so lack any imagination or creative thought. In essence they are just 3-ups of the Crypt Ghouls but what works for the Ghouls is bland for the Horrors.

I have 8 of these in my VC army but I couldn't bring myself to paint them. Instead I contracted out the "task". Sorry Sam!

1. Chaos Warshrine

Games Workshop released the Warriors of Chaos book in 2008. They have therefore had 4 years to come up with a Warshrine, with the benefit of seeing what other people have done. And it's not like examples are few and far between with most WoC armies having at least one (ans some unimaginative types, two).

And we get this. Really, GW? Really? I honestly don't think I've seen any conversions quite as bad as this and some have been dire.

Parts of it are good, but as a model it doesn't work. If you are looking for a Warshrine buy bits from one of the online bits retailers and make your own.

 

Games Workshop Product Review 2012 - The Best of Warhammer 40k

Okay onto the best releases of 40k in 2012. Obviously we had the release of the rules - as yet I have not been motivated to have a game but that is largely because I'm enjoying Fantasy so much. At my age you only have so many functioning brain cells.

The Best of Warhammer 40k

3. Tervigon

I love the Tyranids and have a army I built back in 3rd Ed in 2002. In 2005 I hovered up Rippers and painted them up. Ultimately it was hijacked by Jack and turned into a Nidzilla. There was a period around the end of 2007 when he and Charlie terrorised people with their Nids.

When the new book came out it had a lot of new models in it and this year GW filled in some of the gaps. One of them was this kit.

There's not too many games where you use models depicting the birthing process, so it deserves inclusion for that alone. That notwithstanding the model stands up very well against the multiple conversions people have done in the period before its release.

2. Ork Bomma/Dakkajet

I am not fussed with the concept of the inclusion of flyers in the game. To me it is an unnecessary distraction. Side by side with this GW has had more misses than hits with the Flyers so far released. The Dark Eldar flyer is great, the Imperials are all awful. Rest I can take or leave.....until this one.

I reckon that they have sold more of these kits than they have sold Ork armies in 5ed. It is a beautiful kit and comes in multiple variants. But who builds it out of the box.  Check out recent White Dwarf for some great ideas on kitbashing!

1. Forgeworld Horus Heresy "Betrayal"

This was GW's "hit outta the park" moment. It should be no surprise to anyone that this is my choice for best Warhammer 40k release. "But it's 30k Pete, you cheater", I hear the whines already. However in a great piece of forethought the rules in the book are totally compatible with 6 ed 40k. So it gets in.

Beautiful production values, packed with great information - this book was the highpoint of my hobby acquisitions. Based on this, the "tale of X Gamers - The Heresy Edition" has been spawned on this site which will culminate in a campaign weekend towards the end of 2013.

As a direct result of this book, I will build a new army and play Warhammer 40k again. The people will rejoice.

Games Workshop Product Review 2012 - The Best of Hobby Products

As far as hobby products went, I don't think GW missed with anything this year (with one caveat to be explained later).

Rather than order the winners I'm going to just mark them all as "Success".

The Best of GW Hobby Products

Re-Launched White Dwarf

Starting with the October issue, Games Workshop re-launched White Dwarf magazine. They brought in a professional magazine editor and radically improved the design, layout and content of the offering. It was printed on better quality paper, had a more squat format and was considerably thicker (or so it seemed).

The October issue covered the release of Chaos Space Marines, November Dark Vengence and in December we had The Hobbit. The general consensus was that the first two issues were much better, however some of the accolades slipped with the December edition. now some of this would be a general lack of interest in The Hobbit as a game system. I'm willing to see how we go in  2013 but at the moment I see this as a success.

At the time of the re-launch, White Dwarf was also presented in an electronic form which brings me to my second success.....

Games Workshop/iBooks

This year saw GW finally embrace the internet age and deliver products in electronic format. There was one caveat to this - you couldn't get the products if your iTunes account resided in New Zealand or Finland (copyright laws in those countries intravened).

Luckily I have a UK account and so I was able to enjoy the Codex:CSM and Empire Army Book in electronic format on my iPad. I also downloaded a painting guide for Daemons and have the opportunity to get my White Dwarf delivered via cyberspace rather than Postman Pat (my postman isn't really called Pat, his name is Hristo).

One of the great things about the electronic Codex and Army Book format is that all special rules etc are cross-referenced so at a click of a button, glossary and rulebook definitions pop-up. On top of this all FAQs are automatically updated to the respective books, advising an updated (free) version of the book is now available for download.

Black Library Audiobooks

Following on the electronic theme, during 2012 Black Library started releasing their Horus Heresy books in an unabridged audio format. Previously I would buya physical copy but not I can download a MP3 file on the day of release.

And these are not amateur productions. The typical HH novel is 17 hours of high quality audio presentation.

I love these offerings. Great for commuting, painting etc .

New Citadel Paints

And a review of the hobby year wouldn't be complete without the overhaul of the Citadel Paint range. Not only is the colour range expanded but also a system put in place whereby you have Base, Layer, Wash, Drybrush, Edge, Glaze and Textured Paints.

I have slowly started to replace my existing GW paints and Vallejo Game Colour with the new range. The system makes it easy to paint something and I used the linear progression to paint the red on 60 metal Bloodletters. It was straightforward, fast and I was happy with the result.

I'd love to have the boxed Mega Set (pictured above) but it is just a bit expensive at $1000 locally.

So GW have done a great job in the hobby this year. if 2013 is half as good I'll be happy. 



Games Workshop Product Review 2012 - The Worst of Warhammer 40k

Okay, time to mix it up. Warhammer 40k and rather than Top 3, I'll give you my Bottom 3.

THE WORST 40K MODELS

3. Heldrake

In another year this would be competing for the worst spot but in 2012 it does have stiff competition. For Fantasy, I said that sometimes thinking outside the square works, well here's proof that sometimes it doesn't.

I mean GW, really? Where did this come from? Well we know don't we? Somebody had a birthday and got an Action Toy.

2. Stormtalon

I thought that this model had one redeeming feature - it wasn't quite as bad as the Storm Raven........but looking again, it's far worst.

Let's put aside the fact that it is Imperial, how does the stupid thing fly. Is this really the progress made in aerodynamics in the next 38,000 years?

At least the FW Stormeagle is a nice kit.

1. Thunderwolf Cavalry

Right, not even on their worst day should anyone thing Hairy Gingers riding overgrown huskies was a good idea. But to compound it further they gave you one with Lightning Claws.

Again.....38,000 years guys....and you have jacked cybernetic ab-humans riding dogs.

Horrible concept, questionable execution.

Some new lows plumbed!

EDIT: I don't know how I missed them but as Al* pointed out in the Comments, the Mutilators have to be there. So I'm going to say I was wrong when I said the TWC were a new low. In terms of concept and execution you have to say that the low belongs to these:

I'm going to give myself an out in that I wasn't really looking at Finecast models, confining all my choices to plastics. But really these do deserve a special meant. Let's take the already questionable Obliterators and make them worse.

Games Workshop Product Review 2012 - The Best of Warhammer Fantasy

Time for my review of what was good and bad from Games Workshop product wise in 2012. I will pick my Top 3 and Bottom 3 in each.I've generally gone for kits rather than individual models so everything is plastic for Warhammer Fantasy. I'll be doing the same for 40k and Hobby.

THE BEST

1. Slaanesh Chariots

I'm betting I'm at odds with a lot of people but I loved theses kits. Why? Well let me say I am no fan of the plastic Daemonettes but the vehicle and the steeds are superb.

I love that these models gave a total new look to an old idea. And then when you look at the design it is oh so right. I like that rules wise it was new - giving the opportunity to mount sideways on the chariot base. And finally I love the concept of combining the two kits to make something entirely different again.

2. Black Knights

A well overdue update. Forget that it has spawned BK buses, the kit itself is great. The old BK models were awful but these take all the advantages of the new multi-part plastics with a sprue absolutely packed with options.

I was not so convinced by the sister kit, the Hexwraiths. Not sure why everything was flaming. Yes, balefire, but from a modelling point of view the inclusion is pretty awful.

3. Luminark/Huricanium

Again I suspect this might be an unexpected and controversial choice. I really like the models and think again GW has come up with something different. Sufficiently different anyway, for me to purchase two sets so I can make both up.

These really were unexpected releases in terms of the dynamics of the model and enhanced the scientific bent of the Empire within the Warhammer World.

Let's hope similar thought goes into some of the snore-bore books like Dwarfs and High Elves, rather than Stunties on Bears and an Elf Pegasus/Griffon unit.



My Biggest 2012 Warhammer Development

When it comes to the Best Warhammer development of 2012, this too is an easy one for me.

Ben Curry’s Bad Dice Daily Podcast started mid-year. It produces a 15 minute podcast episode that coincides with my commute home. The beauty of the podcast is that it is topical, covering an event or issue that has raised its head on the forums/Twitter.

It must take enormous commitment to create 15 minutes per day but it does score over other podcasts for its topicality and its concise nature.

I still enjoy some of the longer podcasts but while there are more out in cyberspace it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better. Ben’s flagship fortnightly Bad Dice Podcast has got better through the year as it has got tighter and more focused in its content. I like the Six Dice Monkeys podcast and for irreverence you can’t go past the Black Sun.

Andy Warhol once said that everyone has fifteen minutes of fame. You can’t help thinking that for some who get behind the mike, their watch is running fast!

Finally, 2012 saw the demise of Heelenhammer. The hosts said it was becoming a chore and when that happens then it is probably time to stop.

My Biggest 2012 Warhammer 40k Development

For me, the biggest development for my hobby in 2012 has been the introduction of Warhammer 30k by Forgeworld.

After years of skirting around the Heresy issue, Forgeworld’s two foot plunge into the Heresy has rekindled my interest in the 40k game [those of you living in the Peruvian jungle may not be aware that something in the hobby died for me the day Gav Thorpe released his bastard child on the world (Codex:CSM 4e)]. I have been reading/listening to the Horus Heresy books since inception in 2006 and the release of a gaming mechanism given GW have decided the Legions are too naughty for little Timmy, is a godsend.

From the sourcebook, Betrayal, through to the models released in support, everything has been first class – in fact it has exceeded my expectations. And with no potential for Gav Thorpe to come and crap all over it, this is where my Future Millennium Skirmish Space Action Game activity will be focused for the foreseeable future.

What is even better has been the response from local gamers to participate in a “Tale of X Gamers” army building project based around the Heresy. A dozen and a half have signed up and I am hoping most will see it through to a Campaign Weekend late in 2013.

I’m surprised it took Forgeworld so long to take the step. As far as I can see it was almost the most surefire success that a company could plan for. With a loyal base of fiction readers, the dis-affected anti-Thorpes like myself and those who appreciate the higher quality FW castings, it really is a license to print money.

Masters 2012 Report Pt 4 (the finale!)

Right, better get on into it then!

In the build up to the final round, Daniel Hayden looked to be pulling a big upset and was in the process of destroying Pascal in Kill points. This was setting things up nicely for an epic finale, as this would have put me 16-17 points ahead of him, meaning if he could produce a big win against me he would slap me down and walk away with the whole thing. 

Clearly Dan's Flyrants were about to gift him the tournament...

Alas Daniel did what Daniel does best, and threw it all away at the most crucial moment, drawing to Pascal 6-7. This meant that mathematically, I could have spent the next 2 hours punching Daniel in the balls for a max sports hit, then gotten tabled, and would still be winning the event. However, that did not make the event a dead rubber, and we both went into the round hungry for a win; Daniel aiming to secure second place and prove a point, while I'm a colossal jerk and wasn't going to let anyone get a win against me if I could help it.

Onto round 7 then... Battle of the pregnant flying dinosaurs in space!

Any caption at this point would be redundant really.

 Round 7: Daniel Hayden
Mission: Purge The Alien
Deployment: Dawn of War

This was set up to be the round of the event. Dan had what I felt was
the most competitive list, and the best chance of winning going into
the tournament. Right up until the final dice roll of his round 6
game, it looked like this round would decide the event. Unfortunately
for Dave, an earlier draw against Haydn and now a draw against Pascal
meant he would be scrapping it out for 2nd.

Dan had 2 flyrants with 2 powers, 3 tervigons with 3 powers and all
the usual upgrades, 3 squads of gaunts to make them scoring and 4 hive
guard.

It's a dance party with psychic powers for music!

Dan won the roll for first turn, and gave it to me. Having looked at
how his army worked, it seemed like he would be hinging his gameplan
on enfeebling wraiths, and shooting them with the flyrants. Giving me
first turn was an effort to bring me inside enfeebles 24inch range at
the start of the game. Especially as every single MC in his army
rolled enfeeble, and 2 of them rolled Iron Arm as well!

I deployed as if I intended to push everything right down his throat,
and Dan deployed to match it, with gaunts and tervigons up front to
punish any t3 wraiths foolish enough to assault them. His flyrants
deployed at the rear to be outside of any t1 nastyness.


Turn 1 - me: I immediately moved my wraiths backwards and to one side,
turning my central deployment into a refused flank, and forcing him to
now come to me wading through 4+ turns of shooting before he would
reach me in piecemeal. My annihilation barges moved into range of the
iron arm tervigon, and once the whole army had shot, it was dead.

Turn 1 – Dan: Dan was now forced to come in, or risk continuously
bleeding killpoints. 2 tervigons spawned, with one having a wee
accident and clamming up. One flyrant iron-armed to t9, but did not
fully commit in pushing forward. The other had endurance cast on it
and pushed centrally.

Hive guard pen’d an annihilation barge, so the flyrant then blew up
its now AV11.

That jerk Flyrant did this to my poor vehicle.

Turn 2 – Me: Both flyers came in. Meanwhile the wraiths continued to
move backwards and sideways to be out of range of any enfeebling
rather than the 1 flyrant who was now target alpha. The first flyer
shot at him, doing 2 wounds, and grounding him, which did a 3rd wound.
Everything else then shot him, and did nothing, until the cheeky gun
on the bottom of the command barge took his final wound.

The warrior squads from reserve shot up a depleted termagant squad
that had suffered from the first ones death, and wiped it out.

Turn 2 – Dan: Dan pushed the second flyrant up into the same spot, and
a tervigon assaulted the command barge. Gaunts advanced up my right
flank, which was totally empty now, so were making the hard hike over
to me. Hive guard managed to pen the command barge, so the flyrant
again blew it up with his devourers. The tervigon charged him, but
promptly failed his mindshackle scarab test and was reduced to 4
wounds. A horde of gaunts were also in this assault, but a challenge
was protecting the lord from their attacks.

Turn 3 – Me: I pushed a wraith squad into these gaunts, while
everything else shot the other flyrant to death. As this turn I would
now have too big a lead, I pushed both other wraith units forward to
keep pressure on, knowning I would lose 1 but mop up the rest of the
game in the process. In the combat, the wraiths wiped the gaunts out,
but after passing his mindshackle test the tervigon hulk-smashed my
lord to death for only 2 more wounds in return.

Lest we forget....

Turn 3 - Dan: The last free tervigon enfeebles the nearest wraith
squad, spits out its last unit of gaunts with the last getting trapped
until an emergency C-Section can be performed, shoots the wraiths with
2 units of gaunts helping, before 1 unit and the tervigon make it into
assault. A couple of gaunts are killed, and a wound is pulled off the
tervigon, but the wraiths are reduced to just 1 wound.
In the other combat, the wraiths finished the tervigon that had killed
the lord, who got a big consolidate.

Turn 4 - Me: One unit of hiveguard are shot to death, and 9/10 gaunts
are killed in another unit, while the wraith unit that had killed a
tervigon multi assault another gaunt unit's remnants and the last of
the hive guard, wiping both out.
The fresh wraith squad assaults the gaunts who are locked with a
single wounded wraith and tervigon, wiping out the gaunts while the
tervigon suffers another wound dropping to 4.

Turn 4 - Dan: Dan now has a wounded tervigon in combat, a single gaunt
who has gone to ground, and a 9 man unit of gaunts pushing for my
deployment zone for linebreaker, successfully passing their
instinctive behavior roll in the process, so the turn is fairly quick.
The wraiths strip another 2 wounds for no loss.

Turn 5 - Me: The wraiths who beat up the hive guard breakdance in Dans
deployment zone, the 2 flyers force a moral check on the gaunts
closing in on my deployment zone, causing them to run, and the
tervigon is finished off along with the solo gaunt.

Turn 5 - Dan: Dan passes the rally check and heads back into my
deployment zone for line breaker, and the game finishes at 12-4 kill
points.

Win - 15
First Blood - 1, Tervigon
Line Breaker - 1, A Wraith unit
Slay The Warlord - 1-1, Flyrant, Necron Overlord

Dan had played fantastically to get to this point, and had 2nd place
locked in very tightly. In another mission where pulling back like I
did would mean giving the entire board control over to him, the game I
felt would have been a lot closer. Unfortunately as it stood, the game
was able to play out extremely one sided due to my significantly
better mobility, range, and decision to not just shovel units into
hungry open tyranid mouths.

I must say it was fantastic to see his tyranid list do so well all
weekend long, both in terms of further game development and variety,
and in terms of Dans development as a player. Dan has always had a
wealth of potential, just lacking enough polish to pull through some
of the higher pressure situations. With every event he seems to get
better and better, and seems to have improved greatly since the ATC
experience, which was the main aim in bringing him in the first place.
I look forward to seeing him stomp sucka's over the next tournament
season.

So, that was it! The masters for another year. When the dust had settled, the 2 people I brought with me to the ATC rounded out 2nd and 3rd places - which felt vindicating, and after a year of being separated from my precious I was able to reclaim the trophy and take out first place.

Awww yeahh!

I must admit going into the game I had had basically zero time to prepare, so felt pretty down on my chances, hoping on a few theories and a basic understanding from reading the book a few times without getting to put any of it into practice. As such, I had already resigned myself to finishing a little lower in the pecking order; staying competitive throughout the weekend actually came as quite a surprise for me!

Over the weekend I'll see if I can get some pics of my army up, as it's changed a fair bit since the last time I posted.
Until then!