Horus Heresy: Massacre (video) + Sons of Horus

Hey Horus Heresy fans, Slick here again with some exciting news that just dropped! Check out the Forgeworld teaser video for Book Two: Massacre! It will be available at GamesDay UK.




Pics of the upcoming Sons of Horus Contemptor Dreadnought and the Command are also available:

Eldar: Rangers and Banshees

Slick here with another update on my Eldar. Next up for assembly were a full unit of Rangers and a small squad of Banshees. While the Banshees might not see much play I think they're fantastic minis and will look great once painted up. Stay tuned for more as I get through the next few kits for the army.

What are your favorite units for Eldar?

Unboxing: Dindrenzi Retribution Dreadnought

Slick here again with another unboxing. Today we crack open the massive Retribution Class dreadnought for the Dindrenzi faction in Firestorm Armada. This is one of the coolest ships in the game imho and will simply devastate anything that gets in its way. If you're playing Dindrenzi, don't leave spacedock without one!




What are your experiences playing with and against this monster?

Unboxing: Syndicate Heavy Cruiser for Firestorm Armada

Slick here again with the next of our unboxing videos. Today we are featuring the Syndicate Spur Class Heavy Cruiser for Firestorm Armada by Spartan Games. Get all the details on this sleek new killer for your Firestorm fleets!




Have you played with or against Syndicate ships yet?

Eldar: Wraithknight and Crimson Hunter

Slick here again with a small update as I work through assembling my Eldar force. With most of the infantry out of the way it is time to turn to the big kits - a Wraithknight and a Crimson Hunter. Both kits have been a pleasure to build although the Wraithknight does take quite a bit of time - there are tons of parts and options. The Crimson Hunter in comparison goes assembles very quickly. Both kits are simply amazing and GW continues to up the ante with their plastics. I have a few more kits to get through and then I can finally move on to painting. These will be Alaitoc Eldar! What have your experiences been assembling the new Eldar kits? Comments welcome!

Tournaments: 2013 Indiana 40K Championship Update

Slick here again with a quick update to the 2013 Indiana State 40K Championship. We noticed a slight mixup in the tournament schedule so please check out the V1.1 update of the document.

http://custodesimperialis.blogspot.com/p/2013-indiana-40k-championship-documents.html

American Team Championship - Report from the frontline

Hi everyone!  Last weekend I attended the American Team Championship in Murfreesboro, TN.   I was part of "The Gypsy Curse".  I was impressed with our team considering that we came together three days prior to the list deadline! We finished sixth overall and we were within striking distance, however, we drew against "Tag Team Uranus" and that sealed any chance we had of playing on the top table against the eventual Tournament Champions "The Flurry Bunnies" from Toledo, Ohio.  Congratulations!  I want thank our team captain Tony Grippando for inviting me to join his team, as well as, my great teammates Brian Grippando, Tim Gorham, and Kareem.  I'm proud of our efforts!

Our strategy was simple, I would be the first list thrown out to the wolves and try to get as many points as I could, while the rest of the team attempted to play the best match-up possible.  It almost worked, however, I was outplayed in a couple of games by JWolf and Clark Welch.

This is the third year and I must say that this event has improved every year.  Shane and his crew have done a great job and continue show improvement.  The event was held at the Murfreesboro Agriculture Center which was well ventilated and conveniently located a few minutes from the highway.  There were a lot of restaurants in the area and most of the hotels were a few minutes away from the convention center.   I would like to see the event move to a hotel.





The missions included only two deployments, "Vanguard" and "Dawn of War".  The victory conditions were Crusade, Victory Points, and (5) Objectives, each worth eight (8) points, while the secondary objectives were worth two (2) points "First Blood", "Line Breaker" and "Slay the Warlord".  Heavy and Fast Attack choices scored on four out the six games and one troop choice could score two separate objectives, that was big!  The terrain was scarce. 

We played against great army list, we were out-classed against every team we played, however, I felt that our experience from playing in a tough 40K community back home in Chicago put us over the top in every round.  We didn't lose a round, we just didn't earn enough points to take us to the top!



"The Gypsy Curse vs. "The Prodigy"  in the first round.  Kareem is asking himself, "What I'm I doing here?" 

  

Overall I had a great experience, the competition was great, the environment was energetic and I met a few guys that I will be staying in touch.  Next year, if there are no schedule conflicts with the European Team Championships I will be heading down south with The Chicago Kamikazes.  Alan and Mitch were overseas representing Team USA in Serbia. 

Now I will go back to preparing for the Adepticon team tournament , Feast of Blades, Indiana State Championships and the Renegade armies.  So much work! 



News: Castellax Battle-automata for Horus Heresy

The latest Forgeworld newsletter brings more Mechanicus goodies n the form of Battle-automata! Take a look at the pic and description from Forgeworld below:

The powerful Castellax pattern is the most common of the widespread Castellan-type Battle-automata in service at the outbreak of the Horus Heresy. A general battle unit developed by the Legio Cybernetica during the Great Crusade from its ancient forebear, it is primarily intended for siege work and shock assaults, and is heavily armed and armoured, with a notoriously aggressive and responsive machine spirit, which has fashioned for it an enviable reputation on the battlefield.

The Castellax, deployed in units of one to five by the Legio Cybernetica, has a standard configuration of bolter and bolt cannon armament, and is able to maintain a punishing barrage of firepower as it advances.

There is also the Magos Dominus with a Rad-Clenser to add to your Horus Heresy army:

The Magos of the Priesthood of Mars are the masters of much of what remains of the vast and potent secrets of the Dark Age of Technology. The Magos Dominus in particular are entrusted with the dread lore of the Legio Cybernetica, including the mastery of Battle-automata for which the Legio is justly feared. Fusions of flesh and machine themselves, the Magos Dominus further armour and arm themselves for the battlefield by integrating their bodies into hovering abeyant platforms, studded with weapons, defensive systems and the means to control and augment their inhuman servants in battle.

News: Codex: Black Legion Incoming

With the tidal wave of Codex: Space Marines rumors and pics floating around, GW is also pushing out their third supplement codex with the Black Legion codex.

"The Black Legion are among the most hated foes of the Imperium, vile traitors and fearsome warriors responsible for ten thousand years of terror and murder.

This Codex: Chaos Space Marines Supplement charts the history of the Legion, along with their Warmaster Abaddon, who stands poised to lead them to victory over the Imperium. Also inside you will find a showcase of Chaos Space Marine Citadel miniatures, presenting the warband colours and icons of those sworn to serve the Black Legion, supplemental rules that, in conjunction with Codex: Chaos Space Marines, allows you created a Black Legion force and a series of narrative missions that enable you to play through the Black Legion’s bloody history."

The iTunes version will be available first before the print copy. You can take a look here:

Black Legion on iTunes

The expected release date is August 17 with a price of $39.99 for a 157 page codex. Now, as with the previous supplement books it is important to note you're getting just a few pages of rules and the rest is fluff. The Black Legion (based on the preview pics) doesn't really seem different enough form what you can field out of the main Chaos Marine codex to justify a separate book. This definitely isn't a 'must buy', but if you're a Black Legion fan it might be for you.

What do you guys think so far? Is this a worthwhile supplement?

Necrons: C'tan finished

Slick here with a painting update. I'm working on a huge Necron commission at the moment and thought I'd share one of the recent pieces I finished for it - the mighty C'tan! Comments welcome!

News: September Firestorm Armada releases

Zenian League players rejoice as the Kedorian Coalition will make its Firestorm Armada debut this September! This faction takes a radical departure from conventional ship design with a each of their vessels being akin to a floating citadel.

From Spartan Games:

The Kedorian Coalition is an ancient race gifted with intelligence and devious political cunning. A valued member of the Zenian League, the Kedorians entered the war in the Storm Zone relishing the chance to stretch their fingers into the sector, seizing territory from the Kurak Alliance and bringing its worlds under their dominance.

Warships of the Kedorian fleet take the form of enormous floating citadels, the likes of which have never been seen in the Storm Zone. With banks of pulse-lasers encircling their grand spires, Kedorian ships are able to move and fire in any direction with equal lethality, giving them a major advantage in battle. See for yourself as you now have two new and exciting Kedorian boxed sets to add to your growing Zenian League force. 

News: September Dystopian Legions releases

Spartan Games is adding a couple of new releases for FSA and Blazing Suns in their September releases for Dystopian Legions.

The Federated States of America Armoured Infantry and Empire of the Blazing Sun Imperial Rifles are now joined by their own imposing Sergeants. Armed to lead from the front, these commanding figures will inspire their troops to new heights of valour.

Leadership is one thing in battle, but there are times when you just need to go into combat with plenty of firepower. The Armoured Infantry Specialist is outfitted with a powerful 'M3' Rocket Launcher, projecting 2-pdr explosive rockets that can split ironclads wide open in a blaze of flame. In contrast the Empire of the Blazing Sun Marksman is armed with a customised 'Long Teppo' rifle, these supremely skilled sharpshooters will pick off enemy infantry from unbelievable ranges - thinning out the opposition and seeding panic through their ranks. These soldiers are armed with two very different types of weapon, but each equally dangerous in the right hands.

Will you be adding these deadly new units to your forces?

News: September Dystopian Wars releases

Spartan Games continues its steady release schedule with a whole host of new ships and units for its various games. Check out the upcoming September releases below:

After releasing upgrade boxes for the first four core nations, our attention turns to releasing new models for the Covenant of Antarctica, Republique of France and Russian Coalition. The goal was to give each a unique feel, with models that work in concert to lend each of the boxes a different gaming style. For example, the CoA box centres on the incredible Euclid Class Dreadnought which can devastate vast areas of the battlefield with its colossal particle accelerator, rocket batteries and energy cannons. The Russian Coalition box, on the other hand, combines advanced generators and powerful mortars for battlefield control with the sheer brute that is the White Navy's staple. Look out for the Khatanga Class Ice Breaker, its mechanical ram is as effective as demolishing ships as it is shattering the thick ice sheets of the White Sea. Finally, the Attack Flotilla enhances the close-range might of the Republique of France with a plethora of Heat Lances. Then, once the enemy's hulls have been vaporised, Assault Corvettes close in to finish them off with elite boarding marines.

Republique of France Attack Flotilla

Russian Coalition Strike Flotilla

Covenant of Antarctica Aerial Support Group

The following Dystopian Wars boxed sets are now available to pre-order from the Spartan Games Online Store. Click the links to learn more:

Covenant of Antarctica Aerial Support Group

Republique of France Attack Flotilla

Russian Coalition Strike Flotilla

Forgeworld: Imperial Armour Apocalypse

The latest Forgeworld newsletter brings us an updated Imperial Armour Apocalypse hot on the heels of the new Apocalypse rules! All of the usual suspects from Forgeworld are contained within:

"Contained within this tome are over 75 updated unit profiles, ready to be added to armies for both Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse, as well as 16 Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse Formations, and additional rules and options for the immense Tyranid Hierophant Bio-Titan. From the hideously warped Chaos Reaver and Warhound Titans and the sprawling precincts of the Necron City of the Dead, to the lightning-fast Eldar Hornet, this book contains vital additions to the arsenal of every major faction embroiled in the eternal war for control of the galaxy."

2013 Indiana 40K State Championship is coming!

Slick here again with some information about an exciting tournament coming up in the fall to close out this year's 40K action! In conjunction with the IndyOpen we are developing a GT circuit for Indiana which will culminate in a yearly 40K State Championship. This year will be the inaugural Indiana championship! There will be three GTs throughout the year which lead up to the state championship. Doing well in these GTs can not only earn you a reduced fee for the State Championship, it could earn you a free entry if you place in the top 2 spots at any of them.

The Indiana GTs will be as follows:

FrostyCon (Jan-Feb)
Indy Open (March-April)
TippCon (June)

The Top 2 players from this year's Indy Open and TippCon have a free entry into the Championship. The remaining Top 8 players from each event receive an automatic invite to the championships and a reduced entry fee ($25).

In addition, there are 32 open spots available for players who did not Top 8 the Indy Open or TippCon. These tickets are going for $35 until September 30. After that the price increases to $40 until the day before the tournament. Tickets are $45 at the door for those who do not pre-register.

To make this event truly special and to start building a tradition, players will be playing for the Indiana 40K cup, a massive trophy with plenty of space to have their names engraved each year. Who wants to have their name be the first to grace the trophy?! In addition there will be several major prizes awarded!

2013 Indiana 40K State Champion  

Second in Command  

Third Place  

Best Imperial Showing 

Best Heretical Showing  

Best Xenos Showing  

Master Tactician  

The Headhunter  

The Opportunist  

The Aggressor  

The 40K Championship will be held in Lafayette, Indiana on November 2-3, 2013. We will post the venue later this week.

Detailed tournament information can be found in the tournament packet linked below:

2013 Indiana 40K State Championship

We look forward to seeing you there! Stay tuned as there will be many more updates coming over the next days and weeks!

Rumors: Latest Codex: Space Marines info

Codex: Space Marines



We have some more Space Marine Rumors!  I'm excited this Codex will be received with open arms.  I haven't heard anything new on a flyer kit, or new developments on the Rhino assault ramp rumors.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.

From Best_Pone on Warseer

Up for release in September is the new Codex: Space Marines. 

(If I were a betting man I would assume it drops either on the 14th or 28th of September).

- There will be 7 Ltd Ed varients. 6 of these will be covers for First Founding chapters, whilst the 7th will have Black Templars on the cover.
This is interesting because all along we have been reading that the new Space Marine Codex would not include Black Templars.

- New weapon family: Grav weapons. I believe these wound against the armour save (so terminators would be wounded as if they had a toughness of 2).


- First Founding chapters will be getting a substantial section each to themselves, so hopefully this can be looked as as Codex: Space Marines instead of Codex: Ultramarines. This will also show in a rule called Chapter Tactics, for which the effects depend on the chapter being played.

- There is a new armour type that at first glance looks to be somewhere between a terminator and a dreadnought - looking more closely, it appears to go over the marine's power armour however.

- This new armour can be armed in 2 ways, depending on the user. The devastator version has either a bolter array or missile launchers mounted on the chest armour, whilst the gauntlets can be armed with heavy bolters, lascannons or grav cannons. The assault version has a bolter array or frag launchers mounted on the chest armour, with assault drills mounted on the gauntlets.

- There are 2 new AA tanks. One tank veterans will already be familiar with as the Hunter, armed an AA missile launcher. The other tank mounts 2 tri-barreled turrets instead.



- There is a new tactical squad. Lots of options as you'd expect, but of particular interest will probably be the grav pistol and grav rifle.

- A new plastic Sternguard veteran squad.

- A new plastic Vanguard veteran squad.

- New plastic characters: a captain, a librarian and a chaplain.

Well, we won't have to wait to long!

 Thanks to Best_Pone, for the update!