Cocoon of Bliss
Church is bright and early. I woke up this morning and first looked around for any natural light. Is it 3am? 10am? I found it was 7am and just a little peace and quiet before the family needed to get up and start getting ready for church. I remember when my wife and I were at our wits end just trying to get Kay (nine years ago just a baby) and ourselves ready. Now wrangling all four kids into Sunday dress seems like a cakewalk. Just got to get used to it I suppose. I know a family, just round the corner, with nine kids.
After church I snuggled on to the couch under an extra thick blanket, with three pillows around me, my computer on a table pulled up close, my headphones in, the mouse in my hand, and an episode of Red Dwarf on youtube. It was a moment of bliss. Just perfect. The kids were quietly playing round about.
I just love my family. My wife is so warm and inviting and forgiving and accepting and nice-smelling. My kids are a delight at every turn. Kay is a responsible and helpful young lady. She’s a whiz with the baby, really lightening the load.
Add in some good food, and you’ve got a recipe for contentment!
Gah! The Ogres are Coming!
As many may already know, I have recorded about 100 minutes of footage for a Battle Report (Lizardmen vs Ogre Kingdoms). The Ogres book is outdated to be sure and certainly is not toe-to-toe competent with the current army books, or the “Power Dexes”. It is possibly the weakest army book of the lot.
The book suffers from fluff-itis, where the writer of the codex narrowed build options in order to fit the background of the army. Almost every power in the book has a drawback. It’s not a fun list to play, or at least it could be a lot more fun.
We have a few studio (house) rules for Ogres designed to make them more competitive:
1) Following Ogre units are Stubborn (Bulls, Ironguts, Maneaters, Leadbelchers). Ogre heroes are not stubborn (they are less hungry and less thick-headed).
2) Bull Charge gets d3 Impact Hits on a 6″+ charge, and a single Impact Hit at any distance.
Just those two items make Ogres a tough challenge, even for the razor-sharp spiky likes of the Lizardmen, instead of a pathetic pushover.
Additionally, in our game this last Saturday we gave a 20% bonus of points to the Ogre player (ie 2500 pts vs 3000 pts). I think that’s a good stop-gap, but doesn’t replace an actual “leveling up” of the army book. To me, this seemed about right. The Ogres gave a rock-solid Lizardmen army a run for its money.
However, after this last game I’ve decided to really get in there and fool around. Basically, there are two objectives: get rid of the downsides of the Ogres’ good stuff and to loosen the army build restrictions. I don’t want to change points or stat lines. Feel free to email me with ideas.
3) If a Tyrant is present, a Slaughtermaster can be taken as a Hero choice.
4) A unit of 5+ Bulls can be led by a Bruiser (this does not take a Hero choice).
5) A Butcher or Slaughtermaster regains a Wound at the beginning of each friendly Magic Phase. This cannot take him above starting wounds.
6) Bulls are not 1+. There is no minimum requirement of Bulls.
7) Gnoblar Fighter units are not limited by the number of units of Bulls units in the army. However, they do not count towards the number of Core units required for an army.
8) Ogre clubs do not lose their bonus (of -1 to armor save) when used with an Ironfist.
9) Leadbelchers can move and reload. A Misfire only causes d3 S4 hits (not d6).
10) Yhetee Aura of Frost affects the entirety of any enemy unit they are in contact with (not just models base to base).
11) Yhetees have Regeneration on 5+ and Magic Resistance (2).
12) Scraplauncher: the stone thrower template affects anything touched (no partials). Remove Bad Tempered. Add Immune to Psychology. Add Stubborn.
13) If a Butcher or Slaughtermaster is present, Gorgers may be taken as Special choices.
14) Harpoon Launcher: every wound caused on a Large Target is multiplied into d6 wounds (ignore current rules with respect to Large Targets). This is not cumulative with the Beastkiller Big Name ability (ie the Hunter will only have Beast Killer in close combat).
15) Sabretusks have the Killing Blow ability. A single Hunter can take up to six Sabretusks.
16) Hunter: the following models can re-roll failed Psychology and Break tests while within 12″ of the Hunter– Slave Giant, Sabretusks, Dire Cave Bear.
17) Slave Giant, Sabretusks, and Dire Cave Bear cannot use the BSB re-roll.
18) Rhinoxen Cavalry are Rare choices (they do not take up a Hero slot).
19) Giantbreaker Big Name does not need to include a Slavegiant.
A Butcher or Slaughtermaster may be given the following upgrade for +110 pts:
Cauldron of the Great Maw
Model is now on a chariot-sized base.
Model causes Terror.
Model re-rolls all power dice results of a “2”.
Cauldron confers a 3+ armor save.
Model may not join units.
Model and Cauldron are Unit Strength 6.
Cauldron produces an extra dice every Magic Phase (dispel or power as appropriate).
New Units
Dire Cave Bear (285 pts)
This model is modeled on a a 50mm base.
It has the exact stats and cost of a Dragon Ogre Shaggoth from the Beasts of Chaos book (no upgrades). The Dire Cave Bear is a Rare choice. A single Dire Cave Bear can be taken as a Special choice if a Hunter is present in the army.
War Mammoth (350 pts)
The War Mammoth and riders/goads are modeled on a single base and follow one solid profile.
M 7
WS 3
BS 0
S 6
T 6
W 8
I 2
A 8
Ld 7
Stubborn, Terror, Immune to Psychology, Armored Behemoth (3+ save), Impact Hits (d6), Large Target, Unit Strength 15.
The War Mammoth is a Hero choice (it is tamed and crewed by a beastmaster-type Bruiser, though he can have no magic items and his ability is sub-sumed into the profile). A War Mammoth is usually crewed by two additional Ogres with long-reach weapons (their attacks and so forth are also included in the profile). A War Mammoth can take a banner for +20 pts.
Ogre Pit Fighters
Up to one unit of Bulls per army can be upgraded to Pit Fighters for free.
Pit Fighters have Heavy Armor and two Ironfists (+1 Attack, +1 Armor as if hand weapon and shield combination, and +1 armor as if a shield = 3+ armor in close combat, 4+ otherwise). Their attacks are Armor Piercing. They lose the Bull Charge ability.
New Banners
Banner of Blood (25 pts)
Unit charges an extra 1″ (add 1″ to the charge distance, even a failed charge).
Mammoth Standard (25 pts)
Unit counts a rank of three wide as a full rank.
Totem of the Ice Elk (50 pts)
Unit pursues and flees an additional d6″
Totem of the Cave Bear (25 pts)
One use only.
Use when the unit is required to take its first Break Test. The unit is considered to have rolled an insane courage result.
Standard of the High Mountain (50 pts)
One use only
Use at the end of any Ogre turn, all friendly units within 12″ of the standard may make a full reform.
Hive Medusa: Studio Tyranids
Here’s what we’ve got in the studio Tyranid army. These models are already in and are due to be assembled in the coming week. We should have Harpy, Swarmlord, and Tervigon conversions done.
Our Tervigon is going to look something like this.
We’re going to likely do it in the Hive Medusa color scheme, one of my faves.
1x Swarmlord (magnetized arms: 4x bonesword, 1x scything talons, 1x quad devourer) This model will double as a Hive Tyrant
1x Tervigon (Adrenal Glands, Toxin sacs, Implant Attack, Crushing Claws)
3x Hive Guard
3x Zoanthropes
1x Doom of Malan’tai conversion
40x Termagants
3x Mycetic Spores
6x Raveners (thorax devourers and rending claws)
10x Gargoyles
1x Harpy (conversion)
1x Trygon Prime
1x Mawloc (crab-claw-shaped tail)
Though I’m not really sure on color scheme. Might go with fleshy flesh and more of an organic green carapace. Kind of like that idea actually.
Or maybe Oceanic Nids! Teal Carapace and yellowish fleshy skin (hint of yellow only). Or white-ish skin. Pale.
Ooooh! Or maybe Salsa Nids! I loved that color scheme.
What do you think?
Bio-diversity
I just got my Tyranids codex today and I’ve had my nose buried in it almost constantly.
There is nearly double the mass. The scope of weaponry and army entries has nearly doubled. It’s quite amazing. It’s so much that I sense that players are reeling with it, a desperate scramble to figure out how to deal with the number of Tyranid lists that are coming.
What I’d rather do is talk about how the kits are going to work together.
Carnifex– this kit comes with four different heads (or is it five) and three different carapaces. The heads are now meaningless. This is good news because those parts can be used in different conversions.
Stranglethorn cannon– this is a heavy Barbed Strangler. I’ve seen a conversion using a venom cannon with the barbed strangler on the end. This is a bit doofy looking. I’m thinking of using the tusks from the now not-useful carnifex tusker head to create a double or quad tip and make that barbed strangle more beefy looking.
JW
Ready to book new projects. I’m just sitting here waiting for your call or email.
And now for your inspiration of the day.
Various Good Stuff
Three of nine Slaanesh tanks in process for early February completion.
L3 Stormvermin
Rusty marine by Josephus.
Ultraforge War Demon
Forge World Greater Daemon of Nurgle.
Greater Daemon of Tzeentch.
I took camera in hand and snapped a few shots of various things cooking around the studio. Enjoy.
Lizards Sally Forth
I’m playing a quick game of WHF against Dwarfs this morning. The strategy is simple: rush forward with solid blocks of Saurus while keeping pressure on the ranged elements.
No magic. A L2 skink shaman has no chance against four dispel dice. Waste of points. Instead I’ll be peppering stuff with spikes from an extra Razordon.
1200 Pts – Lizardmen Roster
Saurus Scar-Veteran (1#, 103 pts)
1 Saurus Scar-Veteran @ 103 pts (General; Hand Weapon; Light Armour; Shield; Scaly Skin)
1 Biting Blade
Saurus Scar-Veteran (1#, 158 pts)
1 Saurus Scar-Veteran (Battle Standard Bearer) @ 158 pts (Hand Weapon; Light Armour; Shield; Battle Standard Bearer; Scaly Skin)
1 Sun Standard of Chotec
Saurus Warriors (24#, 294 pts)
23 Saurus Warriors @ 294 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std; Hand Weapon; Shield; Scaly Skin)
1 Saurus Champion (Hand Weapon; Shield)
Saurus Warriors (24#, 294 pts)
23 Saurus Warriors @ 294 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std; Hand Weapon; Shield; Scaly Skin)
1 Saurus Champion (Hand Weapon; Shield)
Skink Skirmishers (10#, 70 pts)
10 Skink Skirmishers @ 70 pts (Hand Weapon; Blowpipe; Aquatic; Skirmishers)
Terradon Riders (4#, 120 pts)
4 Terradon Rider @ 120 pts (Hand Weapon; Javelin; Flyer)
4 Terradon (Flyer)
Razordon (10#, 160 pts)
2 Razordon Hunting Pack @ 160 pts (Aquatic; Causes Fear; Scaly Skin; Skirmishers)
8 Skink Handlers (Hand Weapon; Aquatic; Skirmishers)
Validation Report:
Edition: 7th Edition; Game Type: Normal Game; Army Subtype: Lizardmen Army; Special Rules: Forbid Storm of Chaos, Forbid Albion, Forbid Lustria
Roster satisfies all enforced validation rules
Total Roster Cost: 1199
Created with Army Builder – Try it for free at http://www.wolflair.com
Tyranid New Creatures
The new Tyranid codex has a lot of creatures for which there are no published models. I have updated the spreadsheets to include conversions for those. Prototypes should be done in about ten days. You can expect something substantive.
Also, the Hive Mind spreadsheet was no properly applying the discount. That is now fixed. So, you should ditch old sheets and use the updated ones instead.
Death Korps- Fresh Recruits
Got in the base of a Death Korps army today. It’s ready to be commissioned as a project. I’ve got a spreadsheet for them here.
Still some stuff to be ordered, notably the units of regular infantry.
DEATH KORP OF KRIEG TANK COMMANDER x3 £4.90×3 = £14.70
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG COMMISSAR TANK COMMANDER x1 = £4.90
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG TRANSFER SHEET x1 = £7.85
HEAVY ARTILLERY CARRIAGE WITH EARTHSHAKER CANNON x1 = £60.70
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG ARTILLERY CREW x1 = £10.75
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG SQUAD AT EASE x1 = £34.25
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG GRENADIER HEAVY STUBBER AND MELTAGUN x1 = £9.80
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG GRENADIER SQUAD x1 = £34.25
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG COMMAND SQUAD x1 = £21.55
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG HEAVY BOLTER SQUAD x1 = £41.10
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG COMMAND HQ SQUAD x1 = £25.45