A.D. The Raven Time

So now the "sexy" element of our team.

A.D.'s half of our list runs as follows

LIbrarian + Jumppack

Assault Squad (10 man) + Power Fist + 2 x Meltagun

Assault Squad (10 man) + Power Fist + 2 x Meltagun

Sanguniary Priest + Jumppack + Lightning Claw

Sanguinary Priest (lives with the guard)

2 x Land Speeder + Multimelta

So A.D.'s section is the hard hitting combat element of the army, charging and counter charging the enemy as they advance on the guard or deep striking down on a bunkered oponent.

In tests so far the Ravens have been a little sacrificial and haven't really shown their mettle (this may also be becuase we were playing GMort.)

Not too much more to say hopefully get some pics of the force up when I'm back.

Next time - Objective Objects

Drunk, Sexy and Full of Points.

Sexy and gets you drunk, this is our team personified.

 Doubles is set at 1750 this year, this has been an interesting issue combined with the doubles format as far as list writing is concerned, balancing your own list with a different one and making it all gel and be within the limits has been much more challenging and more fun than a standard list write.

So lets begin the "Team Drunk and Sexy" list posts. First up my own section.

HQ - Command Squad + Regimental Standard + Vox

Troops - Platoon Command + Vox + Autocannon

Infantry Squad + Vox + Lascannon

Infantry Squad + Vox + Lascannon + Commissar


Heavy Weapon Squad + 3 x Autocannon

Troops - Platoon Command + Vox + Autocannon

Infantry Squad + Vox + Lascannon

Infantry Squad + Vox + Lascannon + Commissar

Heavy Weapon Squad + 3 x Autocannon

Heavy Support - Medusa

Now after a hard days testing with Gmort, A.D. and I fine tweaked this list and the addition of more points for this years doubles meant a few more heavy weapons. The basic idea of my "force" in the army is a bunker that sits in a corner and pounds anything within 48" and levels anything within 12".
I have all the models required now except for one commissar, though I think I'll have two if this model...

 He's always been a favourite of mine.

So the colour scheme I'm going with was formally this...

The GW standard Cadian scheme but once we decided to use my Raven Guard I thought I'd try to tie them in more with my force, so they became the Kiavahr PDF....

Yeah he's not done but you get the idea.

So now I have 60 odd guard models to paint :S

Next time - A.D. The Raven Time.
Addendum - A.D. and I are away for the next two weeks so I'm writing the rest of the initial doubles articles today and scheduled posting them, if they fail to appear blame blogger for failing me and look forward to a barrage of posts on my return.

Also there other blog and links round here if you are bored or looking for more to read take a look and leave a comment I know the guys would appreciate it.

 

This just made me laugh

Deliverace Lost - A Book Review

Before I begin proper let me just tell you a little story of my own. Saturday 5th March 2011 I attend Black Library live and see the above piece of artwork for the first time. I wanted the book then and no one could tell me when the book was due out other than late 2011 at the earliest. So patiently I waited and enjoyed Gav Thorpe's audio books and George Mann's waiting for more "raveny" goodness.

Then I get a text telling me that the book was available at the second October ToS so a few tats later its mine.

So to the book itself, the 18th book in the Horus Heresy series, we begin after the Istvaan V massacre, tying in with the "Raven's Flight" audio novel and unexpectedly the short story "The Face of Treachery" from "Age of Darkness". Now anyone that knows me in real life will know I haven't always been the biggest fan of Gav's writing but recently anything i viewed as an issue has gone, his writing seems more eloquent and has detail his earlier novels lack.


As you would expect the book contains the usual amount of tantalising information about the Heresy period we’ve previously not known (as much as I want to share I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum) about the Primarchs, the Raven Guard and the Alpha Legion. The sections dealing with the Alpha legion seem a little at odds with some of the  information n “Legion” but due to the nature of the Heresy writing team I assume any slight changes (and they are minor) have been approved by Dan Abnett. The book also contains more interaction with the Emperor than we’ve really seen before but like any other glimpses we’ve seen Gav keeps it vague, well most of it (won’t tell you about what Corax is sent to find, but its good).
One of the most stand out sections for me as a Ravens fan (besides the things I really want to tell you.) is the description of Delieverance as Corax comes into land, stating that he’s kept the moon the same since his slave revolt. It’s nice to see one of the more over looked Primarch’s given a little more personality; it gives me hope for those I’ve always viewed as dull such as the Khan and Guilliman. We also get an insight into the uprising on Deliverance and Corax's past (including his first name, think Latin for Raven if your stuck) but the interaction between the Primarch and his legion is a really interesting dynamic especially the before and after of the Astartes becoming legionaries.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book,  (though I am a little biased due to my love of all things Raven) though surprisingly it was the Alpha Legion I really enjoyed especially Alpharius (no not that one) and Omegron's (yes that one) slow subversion of a world is amazing. I am now looking forward to Gav's next Heresy book and George Mann's Raven novel.
I'm giving the book 4 Raven's out of 5, whilst good it still lacks a little something that Heresy novels like "Legion", "First Heretic" and "Fulgrim" have.

I hope you enjoyed AMOR's first book review I had some good feedback from the Kill team review so I may do a few more.

The book is available here

ToS Game 5 Retrospective

 

Mission - Seize Ground, 5 objectives.
Depolyment - Dawn of War

List: (list he had on paper)

Dante 225
Sanguinor 275
5 Saguniary Guard + Banner + Powerfist +  Infernus Pistol + Death Masks 275
5 Saguniary Guard + 4 x Infernus Pistol + Powerfist 265
5 Saguniary Guard + Powerfist + Infernus Pistol 220
5 Saguniary Guard + Powerfist + Infernus Pistol 220
3 Sanguinary Priests + Jumppack + Power Weapon 270
1750

List (as he used it)
Dante    225
Sanguinor    275
5 Saguniary Guard + Banner + Powerfist+  Infernus Pistol + Death Masks    275
5 Saguniary Guard + 4 x Infernus Pistol + Powerfist + Death Masks    290
5 Saguniary Guard + Powerfist +  Infernus Pistol + Death Masks    245
5 Saguniary Guard + Powerfist +  Infernus Pistol + Death Masks    245
3 Sanguinary Priests + Jumppack + Power Weapon + 3 x Infernus Pistol 315
  1870

So I approached the table and saw elite Bloog Angels and my heart leapt, I'd trained for this! So we exchange lists and all I have in my head is if i deploy and go first  I can win. Then it comes to passm so I deployn  my units in the terrain near the objectives as my opponent deep strikes his squads as I knew he would. You join the action my turn 3 as I go on the hunt. My command squad target the sanquinor and for every 10 men he deep strikes I counter charge with 20 with furious charge.

The Banner did not last long, Though these two squads with something like 8 melta shots did vaguely worry me, until I remembered this is why i was in cover.

Dante's squad die to mass initative 5 attacks as my command squad dude to their melta guns and extra attacks from the banner drag the sanguinor down kicking and screaming.

As we inter my turn 4 (turn one being nothing as my opponent couldn't drop) I move to take out the last squad.. While my remaining squad including a fresh 10 man unit start to move to the objectives.

The final sang priests put up a valiant effort to contest objectives.

The last blood angel in engaged.

Turn 5 - at the start I hold 5 objectives and there isn't an enemy model left on the board. I felt bad for the guy but did tell him where he went wrong over a victory beer.

So rounding up enjoyable weekend (except one game) and fun was had by all. the more I think on it I should only really have lost game one and the other two losses were more my mental state and playing poorly. Though besides the Eldar player everyone was lovely and had some good hobby chats.

No one in the group placed though we had a few people do well. GMort has full coverage for the group so please pop over and see him if you didn't find your way here from him.

Oh and one last thing, while none of us placed one of the group did leave with a certificate...

So thats all folks. Coming up will be a book review, deathwatch GMing, and why my doubles partners drives me mad. See you soon.

ToS Game Four Retrospective.

 

Game 4- Orks.

*A brief interlude* - Wasn't sure where else to put this so I'll put it here. Warhammer world's evening entertainment between the bar (my favourite bar in the world) and the quiz (and for the new doubles films) is really good and great for a chilled out night. Right interlude over.

So after a chilled out night I was ready to go for two fun games having lost my first three. I disocvered I was playing Anthony, a fellow from our group who I don't know to well but I knew it would at least be relaxed. After deployment, the Bugmans man came round and I started Sunday as I ended Saturday drinking.

Mission - Annihilation, Deployment - Pitched Battle.
Result - Win.

I'll have to refer you to Gmorts write up of the list as I have no idea with Orks but I know I wrote it all down for him. (there was at least 50 boyz tho!)

Deployment, thats right my Ravens deployed!

I advance to 19" away from the Ork line, n the hope anthony take the bait.

Ok to explain. I sent 20 Ravens on the right flank and 20 down the center with the two suicide squads and the command squad deep striking.
He fell for the trap and the Ravens charge home after weathering the Ork fire, he was so unlucky with rolls to wound too.

My left flank, the Ravens do less well here but the suicide squads pop the battle wagon anf shut down the Deff Dred.

Point of note 1) center of the pic the lone raven is the only survivor of the command squad. He is EPIC!
Point of note 2) the Sgt of sucide squad 2 is the last member standing. He too is EPIC!

Command squad member flames 30 orks then charges killing 17 total before falling.

Right flank: the trukk dies, the deff coptas follow

The boyz av ad it!

Deff dread and 20ish boys... I do not come out of this well.

Da boyz charge da squad!

Da boyz kill free!

Uber Sgt hacks at the squad and survives 11 wounds and wins combat.

And again
all in all he survies 7 rounds of combt and slowly combat res's the squad to death then moves on to infernus pistol a deff dred.

The game pretty much finished with Anthony's tanks all as boxes and the Ravens trying to mop up KPs.

This was my most fun game bar game 3 and really taxing. I throughly enjoyed and intend to play him again.

ToS - Game Two Retrospective.

Army: Eldar

Player: Sam (still don't know his name)

Setup: Spearhead

Mission: Annihilation.

"So the guy seemed nice enough and the army looked good but a few turns of bumbling and 'forgetting' rules, then a game that went on for 8 and a half turns.

His squads and mine dealt blow for blow yet his wave serpents kept out of reach and any one I did hit seemed impervious to all pain. Overall it was an OK game nothing to bad, but not much fun which is the worst part. Beer made it all better though."

Right this is a much more condensed version of this rewrite than I was going to do. After a lot of discussion with friends who were there and those that know the rules, my opponent cheated A LOT and the large piece of terrain (you'll see in the pictures) being counted as impassable terrain (and killing 27 Ravens).

Being Spearhead my opponent deployed in what you see as top left corner, then moved out as I dropped turn two and proceeded to scratch one wave serpent(yes two turns gone already folks).

The verhicles thinned out i weather a few balde storms and we get stuck into combat.

After a guided doomed blade storm this squad is weak and preparing to recieve a charge.
They get through the combat with one man left who I really need to hold up the farseer.

Leadership at -6 on an 8... passed? Oh I think so.

The last Ravens arrive.

Farseer in combat free me up so much to manouver in turn four/

Fire dragons add their attacks to the combat.

And the Raven survives! (Turn 5)

We begin turn six after a little break (for me to drink as the time each turn was taking and all the rules checking) and no one rolled a dice...

Having hammered each tank with shots every turn they have yet to shoot, and scuttle away. My librarian decides he wants to stop tha from happening. The farseers runes decide they want him to die.

My Ravens then decide to kill the Farseer in revenge (to calrify GMort who took my pics wasn;t around all the time, between the last two pics is a whole turn)

At the start of Turn EIGHT (no joke) we roll a dice and I get more drunk and angry I start to lose Ravens left and right as my opponent mops up the last few Ravens giving him the kill points he was missing. I Go from a 6-4 lead (the terrain giving him 3) to  6-7 down.

In turn 9 (I know....) I try to kill point pinch but my fists and Meltas refuse to pop the tanks and he is out of infantry.

The remaining Ravens Bravely run from a Falcon.