Just Completed: A Few Daemons

Hey there everybody! Old Man Chaos is back in action. Well, not that I have been "out of action" per se, but I have been very busy with home and work stuff. However, I have been doing some painting and such. I was in the midst of working on my Khorne Bezerker army when the Daemon Codex was released. I have played 2 games with that book now, and I am dying to try out more options and ally combinations. I really love the book, as a matter of fact, even if Warp Storm is a bit messy.

At any rate, as a result of the Daemon book, I got the itch to work on some Daemons again. Now, I had some in various stages of completion, so I was now energized to go back and work on them. So, without further ado, let's take a look then...

First up, my Daemon Prince of Khorne. I put this guy together quite some time ago, but I never painted him. He kinda just got lost in the shuffle. Originally, I wasn't sure what I was going to make him. Then, when I began work on the Khorne Bezerkers, it was a no brainer that I would do him in the colors of the Blood God.I didn't give him wings, as I really wanted him to look like a Chaos Space Marine gone terribly, terribly wrong. I even gave him the spikes on his upper back to make him look like a Terminator perhaps. I put some of those old resin rubble pieces on as well, just to give him a bit more action on his base.

In painting him, I had to "re-create" my Bloodletter scheme on him, using the new paints. I put Khorne Red all over everything (body and armor plates), then washed with Nuln Oil. The armor I then proceeded to paint a la my current Bezerker scheme. As for his flesh, I built up very carefully from the darkened base coat, using Wazdakka Red and then Evil Sun Scarlet. Now he was quite bright, and I then used the Bloodletter Glaze to finish. He looks strikingly close to my Bloodletters (and they were painted a few years ago). At least now I know that I could do more Bloodletters and have them look close enough to be a coherent army.

Next up, I have a set of Nurglings. My friends got me these when I was sick last summer, but I hadn't gotten to them. The Nurglings are really cool with lots of personality- some are fearsome, others are mischievous. The box gets you 3 bases, but I decided to "Save Money The Chaos Way" (trademark pending- kidding kidding) by stretching them to be 6 bases. See, although they don't look AS numerous, I felt that piling them all together loses a ton of detail anyways. So, I spread them out, making 6.

I made the Nurglings different shades, all of them tie into my Plaguebearers and my Death Guard. I found that the Nurgling Green and Sepia wash make a very effective combination (more on that in a bit). Overall, they were simple to paint and, en masse, they look just fine. I don't use Nuglings that often, though now I might use them a bit more.

I had bought a box of the new Plaguebearers last summer, before I hit the hospital. I had put them together, but did little else with them. I really like the models. They go together well, and they fit in with the aesthetic of the metal Plaguebearers, so you can mix and match just fine (you really CAN'T do that with any of the other Daemons- they look way to different). Keeping the look the same was a big win in my book, but the plastic are just great with their greater posing action.

I painted these guys in the various hues of Nurgle. Nurgling Green and a Nuln Oil wash (with a successive highlight of Nurgling Green) really make them look like my metal Plaguebearers. However, I discovered that Nurgling Green and Sepia also go together great, giving them a dirty, dingy look. I didn't even need to do any successive highlights- it look perfect that way. I also liked doing Zandri Dust and Sepia- those guys look quite different, but again, they are the colors of Nurgle's Rot, so that's fine with me. I am pleased with how they turned out.

Last, but not least- I realized I needed heralds (Locus for FNP? Sign me up!). I bought the new plastic herald. I love this model- it is so big and well detailed. The only thing I didn't like was the tongue, so I placed it in his guts instead, making it look like a tentacle or something. I painted it in the same way that I did some of the others- Nurgling Green with Sepia wash. He looks so rotten- I used further washes on his diseased leg, giving it a cancerous look. This model is great- I just wish it had a bit more posing ability.

I needed another herald (already have Epidemus), so I tried the old (and very simple) conversion
route. I picked up the fantasy Nurgle Champion. I then put on a Plaguebearer head and some Nurglings on the base. Done and done. He's a champion, so I did it as if he is going to become a Greater Daemon one day- he's larger than other Plaguebearers, looking more like a Great Unclean One. I painted him in my more "traditional" Nurgle way. The result is pretty cool, in my opinion. IF I do another herald, I'm not quite sure how I'll do it. What other model could I use and still have it look like a Plaguebearer? Hmmm...

Well, that's all for today, folks. I am almost done reading Angel Exterminatus. I intend to do a mini review for both this and Ahriman:Exile in the coming days.


Until next time.

Brief Battle Report: Daemons versus Grey Knights

Hey there everybody! Apparently, Spring has sprung, but the weather is still too darn cold and nasty. I would love to be able to open my window to the spring air and get some painting done. Well, I have been painting, but I'd like it to be nicer out.

Ahem. Anyway, I had a battle last week with the new Chaos Daemons. As nature intended, my Daemons went up against the Grey Knights. Now, my Daemon force is missing many things, as it was never my primary focus (no Steeds of Slaanesh, no Flesh hounds, etc). I also haven't picked up anything from the new release except for 3 Plague Drones (I prefer the term Rot Flies) and the Nurgle Herald (wicked model, by the way). Thus, my choices are more limited than what I'm used to.

I took a Great Unclean One (We call him "Jimmy"), and 1 Nurgle Herald, 1 Khorne Herald, Skulltaker, and Epidemus. I took 2 squads of 10 Plaguebearers, 2 squads of 10 Bloodletters, a squad of 5 Bloodcrushers (the metal ones), a squad of 10 Blue Horrors, and a squad of 5 Screamers. I gave all the troops banners and instruments. The GUO had 2 Nurgle powers (one was the Primaris). I took the various Loci (FNP is a MUST for a Nurgle Herald). I had some good greater gift rolls, too.

The mission was The Relic (which was placed at the center, right near the "Tower of Nurgle", which was built and painted by my friend Pete). The deployment called for us to go on opposite short edges. I decided to keep my GUO in reserve, and have him deep strike later. My plan was simple. Everyone knows that PB hold objectives and Bloodletters get into close combat. I decided to reverse that- I advanced both up at the same time, planning on the PBs to be the tar pit from hell, while the BL grabbed the relic and ran. Thus, my brother worried that the Bloodletters would get into his men, and, seeing them as the true threat, focused more on their movements.

I won't get into this move for move, as I have in the past. This game was a bit of a "trial run" for me, in terms of the new Daemon Codex and new rules. So, for now, I just want to give you the highlights of the battle in terms of how the new rules impacted me. As an aside, I found it very useful to have the Codex on iPad- if you have a question about a rule, just hit it and it appears. This really saved a lot of time flipping through the book, so again I was pleased with the purchase.

As for the new rules, I really dig the new Codex. It has just the right amount of strength and weakness, and the randomness is just enough- you are playing the army, it is clearly not playing you, which was a concern. For example, I thought the I would hate the Warpstorm Chart- but I didn't. I mostly rolled 7 (nothing happens), and the few times I rolled something else, I used the instrument re-roll to avoid it (except once, when Rot killed 2 Blue Horrors). The Grey Knights didn't lose anybody to it (this time). The only thing is you have to remember to do it in your shooting phase (its an odd addition and I forgot it for one turn).

The troops each have their roles, and I learned a bit about the utility of each unit. Let's look:

Khorne- Bloodletters are good in close combat, no doubt. But, they have their limits. First, never have them charge Terminators. Their Hellbalde is only AP 3- thus, Terminators get their 2+ save. I made that mistake when I sent 1 squad against Termies- he just kept rolling those 2+ saves. My Bloodletters would have been more effective against his Marines instead. The Bloodcrushers are a bit pricey, but they have speed, toughness, and a bunch of attacks (next time, I'll take a herald for them). They are great on the charge. Also, if they have a banner, you can use them to race in, and then drop Khorne daemons from their banner with no scatter. Ironically, Skulltaker never got into combat (he was in the unit sneakily going for the objective), so I can't attest to his utility. Yet.

Plaguebearers are really good. Yes, they are  T4 (they had been T5, but consider that the other Daemon troops are all T3), but their poisoned weapons are great (I didn't get to use Touch of Rust- but that will help at some point against vehicles). They will be fine at holding, but they are effective tar pits as well, tying up the Marines, a squad of Termies and, best of all the Dreadknight himself. My only recommendation is to take a Herald with FNP- it really makes them a total pain in the ass to get rid of. I wasn't thrilled with Epidemus- he was strong, but I didn't like his locus power- FNP would be better, I think. The GUO is a force to be reckoned with- his high T and wounds make him a powerhouse. My problem with him is that I rolled poorly with him in combat- some of my worst rolls to date- repeatedly, so next time I hope that the dice favor him a bit more.

Tzeentch is a mixed bag. The Screamers are not as strong as they were in that WD pamphlet (was GW trying to sell more of them, or were they testing rules that turned out to be too powerful? I'm not sure). However, they still managed to take out the Dreadnought, and then I moved them deep into the enemy deployment zone, thus ensuring that I would get Line breaker. The Horrors- I'm still trying to figure them out. Do they each get to roll for their psychic power? Do they each get 2D6 shots, or is it 2D6 for the entire unit? I was a bit confused by this- it is a bit unclear in the book, I hope to find the answer.

So, what happened in the course of battle? I followed my plan pretty closely, though I was perturbed when my Bloodletters couldn't cut through those damn Terminators (the Bloodcrushers had to do it). I scored first blood by destroying the Dreadnought (good rolls for the screamers). The Grey Knights moved in response to my Bloodletters w/ Skulltaker- they fell into the trap of getting hit by my Plaguebearers instead. By turn 5, Skulltaker had the Relic, and the Grey Knights were too bogged down in disease and monotone Plaguebearers to do anything about it. Thus, the game was mine. I got the Relic, plus Linebreaker, plus First Blood. Neither got Slay the Warlord (Neither Stern nor "Jimmy" would fall).

So, I really enjoyed the game, and I think that the new Codex is really good. I am looking forward to trying new units and combinations (I have 3 Rot Flies to work on. I also need to try out my Slaanesh daemons). I also want to give Daemon Princes a go. I'd like to try the chariots, but I want clarification on the Tzeentch one before I buy- can the big flamer fire while moving or not? I am also dying to try out a Plague Marine / Plague Daemon alliance- that will be killer. (Of course, so would a Bezerker / Bloodletter army).

Its a good time to be a Chaos player folks. I hope those of you who have Chaos armies are getting out there and raising some hell.  Until next time!!

Review of the Chaos Daemons Codex

Here there, my rabid horde of heretics. It is indeed like the old proverb: may you live in interesting times, as far as Warhammer 40K players go, especially Chaos players. We have gotten a ton these past few months- new Chaos Space Marine codex and new models, and now we have a new Daemon Codex and some new models (to be fair, we've had new Daemon models at several junctures these past few years). The Chaos Marine codex was interesting- I feel that it (overall) a well balanced book, with some nifty play mechanics and a good mix of old-school and current edition ideas. With the allies rule, separate detachments, and Chaos cultists/zombies- it seemed that the glory days of Chaos Marines was back.

However, not everyone viewed the Codex that way. Some believe that it still lacks the power and charm of the 3.5/4th edition. Perhaps, but it is vastly better than the crappy 5th. Yes, it lacks some of the imagination of the Eye of Terror list, but again, with cultists and allies, you can finagle something along those lines if you wish. Last, some say that the Codex is bad because some units are way over priced. Well, maybe Plague Marines are a bit too much- but still, not much above what has come before. Thus, Codex: Chaos Space Marines has faced a bit of controversy, as well as a bit of love from players of the game.

However, a whole new level of controversy is coming, thanks to the Chaos Daemons Codex. This book, in many ways, is indeed a compliment to the Chaos Marines. Combine the two books together and you have an insane Chaos force (insane is not good or bad- just chaotic). The book has already generated a fair share of controversy, and is likely to get nastier as time goes on and people have games under their belts. Random charts, nerfs, overpowerings, points changes, strange rule mechanics... the interweb is already on fire with some swearing that this is the best codex ev-ah, while others are reporting that the army is now useless and they are melting their deamons down to slag. Ah. Such hyperbole.

I have been a daemon player since the first book came out, and I had daemons before that with the older Chaos codex. In those days, Daemons were meant to support Chaos Marines- summoned by the traitorous legions astartes. Then, natch, GW came up with the idea of doing Chaos Daemon armies (in both fantasy and 40K systems)- full on daemonic incursions, baby! My friends scoffed at the idea of an all-daemon army. I of course, being a full on Chaos fanatic, embraced this and began to build a not insubstantial daemon army. Though it never got to be as big as my Death Guard, I did put a lot of time into it- I am particularly proud of my Bloodletters (I already had a ton of Plague Bearers), and my Greater Daemon of Slaanesh is only slightly perverse. The Chaos Daemons was an odd force, with a strange (but fun) method of deployment, and lots of quirky rules.

Well, here we are with a new Codex. To make this review even more interesting, this was the first Codex I got for my iPad. So, let me start with that. I hestitated- should I buy the hardback or should I go digital? My friend Pete said that there is something to be said for holding open your tome and using it in the course of the game, which I agree with 100%. I also wanted it to go along with my Chaos Space Marine book, on the same shelf, as it were. However, having looked at the sample Dark Angels book, I saw that there were certain advantages to the iPad version (which I'll discuss in a moment). Thus, I decided to go with the new: I decided to download it. And yes, the Codex is amazing on the iPad. It has all the fluff, rules, and pictures from the book. What makes this so damn nifty (and efficient) though is the fact that you can tap a rule and bam! it appears right there. You no longer have to flip back and forth, trying to find out the AP of the weapon. It just pops up on your screen, right next to the army entry. You can also save key book marks, so you can go right to a chart without flipping and wasting time. With Chaos Daemons in particular, with it's many quirky rules and randomness, these features are absolutely essential. I am really glad that this iPad version is so good. The ONLY thing I object to is the price. Why oh why is it the same price as the hardcover? I'm not saying that I want it half off- just give me a $5 break or something.

So- what about the book? There are others on the internet who will give you a much more comprehensive view of the book, including stats for dice outcomes, which units will be abused by WAAC players, which units have been nerfed, and the like. Rather, I'd like to just go over a few points that stood out to me as I read the book:

1- Warpstorm Chart- now, the thing that is certainly starting the most controversy is the Warpstorm Chart. In every shooting phase of the Daemons, the Daemon player rolls on this chart. The effects vary widely. Yes, this is supposed to make up for the daemons almost utter lack of shooting, but it has problems. It could, with a bad roll, kill a Psyker (a Daemon one or an enemy one, depending on how you roll). On other rolls, Daemons of certain gods can be hurt (as well as non-engaged enemies, on a roll of a 6 for each unit). If you roll badly, you might even have to do Daemonic Instability for the entire army! What the...? I have no problem with random events and charts, but this is too much! Every shooting phase? Holy cow! That is a lot to do each shooting phase- and if you roll poorly, both players might suffer serious injury. Now, I get fluff wise what this means, but as a game mechanic it is way too much. If I were doing it, I'd suggest that it only be done at the very beginning (like orbital bombardment). I just can't fathom it every turn. As far as odds go, I'm not sure that it will really impact each and every game, but if you're having some bad rolls, this chart could ruin your day. It is a good concept, but I would have limited it.

2- Allies Potential- as I said above, this book looks to work well in conjunction with Chaos Space Marines. In fact, I think the two are really one larger work. Now, I know- not all Daemon players play Chaos Marines (or vice versa). However, many (like myself) have at least dabbled in both. I am a Chaos man, through and through. I have Plague Marines, Khorne Bezerkers, the use of my brother's Black Legion, Traitor Guardsmen (some from Forgeworld, some of my own making), Plague Zombies out the ying yang, and of course, Daemons. In the current 6th edition environment, the ally mechanic is a nifty way to combine armies (yes, GW wants your money, but that is besides the point). These two books, combined via the allies rule, allows you to create all kinds of characterful, fluff inspired lists. I cannot wait to create a Death Guard force supported by Daemons. I want my Bloodletters to charge in alongside my Khorne Bezerkers, damn it! Now they can, and it is very cool indeed. I have already thought of a few possibilities:

 a) If you have Chaos Marines as your primary, and with allied Daemons, you get the daemons but you DON't roll on the Warpstorm chart (Daemons must be primary). Problem solved.

b) The Daemons are cheaper but still strong. Plague Bearers make great take and hold units, but now they are cheap enough that, if you aren't using Typhus (for the zombies), these Daemons are better than the cultists, in terms of bang for the buck. They cost a bit more, but have more- but they're still cheap.

c) I can see using Bloodletters to go in first, with their AP3 Helblades wrecking most of an opponents lines. Then send in the Bezerkers to mop up, or to take the objectives.

d) New options: if you think Daemons could use more firepower, take Chaos Marines as allies to bolster. If you play Death Guard and would like some characterful fast attack, go for the Drones (and a Soulgrinder for more anti-air).

The point is these two books go together so well- that is the highlight of the book for me.

3- Lesser and Greater Gifts- this is causing some consternation, but it really shouldn't. Yes, it is a random chart that you spend points on to get bonuses (like the Gift of Mutation in the Chaos Marines book). True, some of the bonuses are great while others aren't so much. However, you don't HAVE to do it, you don't need to spend the points, if you are that opposed to random rolls. The saving grace here is that you only roll at the start of the game- minimum of fuss (unlike the Warpstorm chart). Yes, it requires a bit of record keeping and such, but I think it fits into the Chaos theme- and none of the Gifts are overwhelming or overpowered. You would just buy them from the wargear options in a regular list- so its pretty much the same, only a bit more uncertain.

4- Fear, Fearless, and Daemonic Instability- the Daemons have changed a bit in this regard. They do cause Fear, which might help against some armies, but several armies have Fearless, so it may be a wash. The real issue is that Daemons no longer have fearless, they have Daemonic Instability. In truth, DI is what fearless was in the 4th edition. In the Daemons case, if you lose combat, take a ld test, and subtract modifiers (lost combat by...). That difference is the number of wounds the unit gets, no saves allowed. Now, depending on your roll, you might lose a few. It sucks as a Daemon player, but, that's what it was in the old days... my only gripe is that most Daemons seem to be leadership 7- if you lose combat by even 1, that means you need a 6 or less... not the best odds.

However, it gets confusing in shooting- Daemons auto-pass such morale tests. Thus, the question is- can they go to ground? It doesn't say they are fearless, but they ignore pin/morale due to shooting. I'm guessing they CAN go to ground, but I hope that GW clarifies it right away. I'd like my Plague Bearers to take cover on an objective...

5- Tweaking Units- The book is a real shake up from the old book. Many of the units have been reduced points wise. Now, I wouldn't call this book a "horde army", but if you didn't go overboard on Gifts and HQs (more on that below), you could have a fairly large army. Certainly, these Daemons are cheaper than in the past. However, are they useful? The Bloodletters and Plague Bearers are still pretty much the same- however, the PBs have lost FNP- but they are cheaper and have Shrouded. Tzeentch stuff in general has been nerfed to a degree- their Warpflame hurts, but could grant the attacked unit FNP (6) if they roll poorly... However, I don't know how much of a difference it would make (plus, some unit synergy between Horrors and Bloodletters would take care of it- shoot em' with Horrors, charge in Bloodletters

6- New(Old) Deployment- This may be one of the biggest changes. Daemon players from the last edition know all about this one- In the old rules, you divided your force in half. On a good roll, you got the side you wanted- and all those units would materialize turn 1 via deep strike. Then, each unit would have to roll to see if they could be brought in. Sometimes this lent excitement to the game, other times you totally wasted units and had a frustrating time. They have changed this a lot. Daemons can now absolutely start on the battlefield at turn 1. They can deploy just like any army. However, all Daemons CAN deep strike, so you can hold the ones you want in reserve. Aiding you in this is the Icons, which prevent such wide scatter, and Daemonic instruments, which allow you to bring in another deep strike unit without rolling for it. Pretty helpful I'd say. Thus, you can kinda play it old school if you want (deeps striking a ton of units), or you can deploy everything, or you can mix and match.Again, this book gives you a lot of choices, but you run risks with those choices- that's what makes this book (and Chaos) fun.

7- Heralds and HQs- This area has gotten a bit of a shake up as well. Lets start with Greater Daemons- I love these guys, but I still think they are a bit too expensive. They are quite costly points wise, and they are real fire magnets. Yes, the Greater Daemon of Nurgle is tough and all, but it takes him time to trudge up the field. The Slaanesh is faster with fleet and he is fast in combat, no doubt. Tzeentch has lost of magic and all, but again, he's got a target on him. Khorne's has like a bajillion attacks, and he can fly, which is helpful. Again, love GDs, but I always fear that they are point sinks, and will get shot before long. Plus, they really need some "Gifts" to be more effective, which costs more points. The named Greater Daemons are REALLY good, but again, they are big costly targets...

The other HQ option is the Heralds. If Daemon is your primary, you can have 4 Heralds as 1 HQ choice. This is even better than it was in the last Dex. Most Heralds are regular Daemons, but they can have more upgrades, including gifts and Loci. Loci powers are additional bonuses that are conferred on the whole unit that the Herald joins. A Herald of Nurgle with a Loci power can make the unit FNP (for little points cost, BTW). Thye can take psychic powers too (sorry Khorne, not you). Again, these Heralds may require more record keeping, but they are much more useful now, and fairly cheap. Naturally, the named Heralds (like Epidemus- whose powers only apply to units within 6" of him now... so sad) are included as possible Herald choices. Strangely, the Masque and the Blue Scribes don't seem to count here, which is weird (FAQ perhaps?). Overall, the Herald choices are nice, but one could get carried away buying gifts, Loci, and psychic powers, and steeds. I think they'll best be used without giving them too many of these.

Since only 1 HQ can be heralds, that means that you can either take a single regular or named Herald to be the 2nd HQ, or you HAVE to go with a GD or Deamon Prince. Ah, the Daemon Prince. He is a bit better here than in the Chaos Marine Codex, with the gift options. One could use him as an HQ, IF you don't take any GDs. If you do, then a DP with the same mark as the GD can be taken as a Heavy Support instead. However, you could take a GUO and then a DP of Khorne, but then both would be HQs. All slightly confusing, but I'll get the hang of it. I suppose you could take a DP as a cheaper "big" HQ, but again he's more effective with some gifts- I'm not sure what GW was thinking here, in this respect.

At any rate, it is far too soon to rate this book in terms of effectiveness, as I will need to play several games with them first. As of this moment, I think it is a strong book, and a nice sequel to the Chaos Marine book. If you are a Chaos fan, give the book a shot. Yes, I think the Warpstorm chart is a nice idea but poorly handled. There's a lot of randomness in the area of gifts and the like, but still not overwhelming, as you only do it at the start of the game. There are even more units and choices than before, and a lower points cost means you get to include more. True, some units were nerfed, but I think the real issue is that Grey Knights and Necrons need to be brought in line with these newer books- yes, Codex creep is inevitable, but both forces of Chaos don't hold a candle to the out and out abilities of these two armies. The overall book is nicely balanced and fair, with nothing jumping out at me as overpowered or unfairly in favor of the Daemons (the Warpstorm chart can hurt either player at random).

All told, I am digging the book. It is hard to give a numerical rating, as I haven't gamed with them yet. I hope that this review has given you just a little insight into the codex.

Until next time...

(When will the new Greater Daemon models hit stores? I KNOW they're coming. August perhaps?)

Battle Report: Black Legion vs. Khorne Bezerkers

Hey there Chaos lunatics. It is indeed exciting times for us Chaos players in 40K. We had the release of the Chaos Space Marine Codex a few months back, along with some great models (now that they are painted, I love the Maulerfiend and the Heldrake. The Obliterator ripoffs- not so much). In a few days, Chaos Daemons will also be getting a new Codex and some new models (Love the Plague Drones and the Heralds. I have to get a better look at the chariots before I pass judgement). Rumor has it that there will be a second Daemon wave in the summer- complete with new Greater Daemons to boot! Oh yeah, color me excited!

At any rate, I have been painting a ton- I just finished a Khorne Land Raider and a squad of 10 Warp Talons. I am now working on a squad of possessed, and I have some Havocs in the pipeline. Whew! However, I have had a problem lately. I recognize that I haven't played all that much recently. As a matter of fact, I have only a handful of games under my belt with the 6th edition rules. I know that I must rectify this, but it is tough. I have a lot going on at work, and I am still recovering from my surgery (yes, it will take me a year to be 100%, if all goes well). I feel almost embarrassed about going into a local store looking for a battle if I still don't know all the intricacies of 6th edition, let alone the Chaos Marines and Chaos Daemons books! I don't want to be "that guy" who doesn't know all the rules. Not that I want to win, I just don't want to look like a complete fool (Not a complete fool? Which part of me is missing? Nyuk Nyuk).

Luckily, my brother obliged me by playing a game with me last week. Not only that, but he decided to use his Black Legion army! Holy Cow! I haven't seen them in years (as he has played Guard and Grey Knights). We decided to go really crazy with this scenario:

"On the planet, Chaos reigned, literally. Abaddon The Despoiler had rallied many traitors to his cause, including warbands of Khorne Bezerkers. Thus, with such overwhelming strength, the forces of Chaos had laid waste to the planet, killing all in their path. The fires of battle turned the once peaceful world into a desert wasteland, foul shrines to the Dark Gods were built on the ashes of Imperial cities, and blasphemies were carried out on the last remaining innocents. At the moment of triumph, the unexpected happened. The Khornate warband called The Scions of Gorechild had just finished their slaughter of the last remaining vestiges of the planet's defenders at the behest of Abaddon. Out of the smoke, a warrior appeared- it was Kharn. The Betrayer was worshiped by the Scions of Gorechild and his appearance here was a sign from Khorne himself. Kharn looked at these warriors (many he had known since the Great Crusade) and shouted "Khorne demands blood"!! With that he pointed his axe down the hillside, and the "Scions of Gorechild" followed the sweep- they could see plainly that Kharn was pointing at Abaddon himself, who was advancing toward their position. The Scions of Gorechild knew just what Kharn wanted and what Khorne demanded- blood!  With howls of approval, the Scions of Gorechild raced down the hill- the blood of the Black Legion would spill this day, or perhaps the blood of the Scions of Gorechild would fill the valley. They ran after Kharn, not caring from whence the blood flowed. So long as it flowed".

Pretty good introduction, huh? I expanded it a bit for the blog here, but this was basically the scenario, or hook, that we used to set up the battle between 2 forces of Chaos. Just the idea of this was both a bit amusing and totally in keeping with the character of both armies. A 2100 point battle pitting Kharn against Abaddon. This would be an epic battle, that is for sure.

We put some final Imperial defenses on the table, as well as the big Chaos Shrine and a huge skull (bought during Halloween on the cheap). We didn't want too much terrain, as this was a wasteland after a much bigger conflict. With the terrain set, we rolled for mission and got The Scouring, and Hammer and Anvil for deployment. That meant my Bezerkers would have to run a huge up-field distance, while being hit with Havoc and Obliterator fire.

 We placed the objectives before rolling for deployment, thus we didn't know who would get which side- as a result, the objectives were placed quite fairly. We rolled, and I got the pick. Now, I could have had the Bastion (it was put on as terrain, my bro didn't "buy it"). I could have taken it (and the Quad Gun on the roof) but I decided against it. The Scions of Gorechild were going to take the fight to their enemies- not sit on that Bastion (especially since no objective was placed there). Thus, I picked the other side. My brother did put his Black Legion squad on the roof though- I liked this, as it meant that the unit would be of little threat to most of my troops (though they would be able to get my Heldrake if I wasn't careful). After deployment, we determined the point values for each objective. I was sitting on 4 and 2 already. The Black Legion had a 1 and a 3. The other 3 was in a bunker on the side, and the 2 dab in the middle (one on the Shrine itself).

The game began, and in the first turn, I raced most of my units straight up the table. I kept my Cultists to babysit the one objective, and one unit of Khorne Bezerkers to safeguard the other and back up the Cultists if need be. I also kept my Warp Talons back. I did not deepstrike them, as I feel that is too unpredictable. I originally intended to throw them right into the thick of it- but since the mission was Scouring, this meant that they were a scoring unit. I did not want them to be shot or wasted in close combat now- their speed made them a crucial factor- I could swoop in and kill quickly to claim an objective at the last minute if need be. Thus, I kept them close to cover.

My erstwhile opponent moved forwards also, and opened fire with his Oblits and Havocs. The Havocs got a glance on the Maulerfiend, draining 1 HP. The Oblits did likewise with the Land Raider. His Raptors and 3rd Legion squad moved toward the bunker objective. His 1st squad claimed the 1 objective in the ruin.

 In the second turn, I immediately got the Terminators and Kharn out of the Land Raider and marched them toward the ruins. As the LR has the assault vehicle rule, that meant that the squad could charge. Further, my Maulerfiend was in range to charge a 5 man Raptor squad. Lastly, my Heldrake arrived that turn (thankfully). My Vindicator shot at the third 10 man squad, but it drifted wide. In assault, Kharn needed to roll a 7 charge, and he rolled a 10! The Maulerfiend did likewise. Kharn and the Termies cleaved through the Black Legion marines, killing 7. They had the Icon of Vengeance, so they stuck (but would not live for long). The Maulerfiend killed 3 Raptors (am I using this guy right or what?).

In his turn, my brother advanced his Land Raider and fired at mine, causing me to lose yet another HP. His sorcerer moved forward on his disc, and tried to use a spell on my Daemon Prince. He failed his Ld test amazingly! His Oblits also fired at it, to no avail (armor saves worked this time). In combat, his Raptors got killed, and Kharn and the terminators finished off the remaining Black Legionaries (though 2 of my termies died in the process). Thus, I scored First Blood.

In turn 3, Kharn moved toward the enemy Land Raider, as did the Daemon Prince. The Maulerfiend moved toward Abaddon, with Bezerkers right behind him. Further, I moved the Warp Talons closer to the Shrine to seize the 2 points (I kept them behind it, as I knew that if I put them on top of it they would be shot from all sides. So they waited, ready to move at a moments notice. My Heldreake flew in and used its Baleflamer, killing half of the the third squad.

In his turn, his Heldrake arrived (too late perhaps?). Further, my opponent focused all fire at Kharn. The Quad Gun, the Oblits, the Land Raider, and his 4 Terminators who got out- thus both of my Terminators got killed, and Kharn lost a wound. His sorcerer used his powers on Kharn, but his 2+ Deny The Witch roll saved him (and pissed off my brother to no end). He then charged with the Terminators- and Kharn killed them all! My brother failed all invulnerable saves. Yikes!

In Turn 4, Khran was a sitting duck, but what else could I do- my brother had wisely kept everything else at arms length. Believing that this was the moment (and maybe take some heat off Kharn, I moved the Talons to the 3 point objective on the Shrine. My Land Raider shot at the Oblits, but only caused 1 wound. My Maulerfiend charged Abaddon, and my Heldrake tried to burn out the guys on the Bastion, killing 2 (due to their cover save). My Vindicator fired at the 3rd squad, killing the rest in a dead on hit. My Daemon Prince charged the Sorcerer. Sadly, Abaddon destroyed the Maulerfiend with a 6 (ugh), and my Daemon Prince took a wound from the sorcerer. In his half of turn 4, my brother again focused all fire on Kharn. It was too much, and the Obliterators killed him. Score a point for Killing the Warlord. He fired the Quad Gun at the Heldrake, but to no avail. My Daemon Prince killed his Sorcerer, and was now ready to put the hurt on the Oblits in turn 5. Abaddon was now menacing my Bezerker squad, though he refused to actually commit him to combat. His Heldrake attacked mine via the Meteoric Descent, and cost me a HP.

At this point, my brother looked and said there was no way that he could win. His two troops were vanquished, and his last unit in the Bastion would not last long against the Heldrake. Thus, adding it up, he had 1 for Slay the Warlord. I had 4 plus 2 plus 2, as well as 1 for First Blood and 1 for Linebreaker (my Heldrake was IN his deployment zone). Thus, it was 1 to 10

In Khornate tradition, this match was a slaughter. The blood indeed flowed. My brother had some truly awful rolls, while it seemed that Kharn couldn't miss. Now, my brother can be a tough, tenacious, and oft lucky opponent (most of the time, he can roll 6s just when he needs to, miraculously at times). This day was just not his day. Next time, he'll put me down in 2 turns. That's the way it goes sometimes.

"The Scions of Gorechild witnessed their hero shot down into the dust, and thus fought all the harder to avenge their fallen comrade. Abaddon realized it was over, and retreated from the field.After all, he had ruined this Imperial world, this fight was only an annoyance and unnecessary. He would never bring the Scions of Gorechild into his service again  (unless he really needed them; they would ally with him again IF he promised them blood, naturally). The Scions of Gorechild got the blood that they wanted this day. When the battle was over, the blood stained the ground and the dust settled, the Scions went to recover the body of Kharn. However, when they arrived, his body was gone. Once again, Khorne had shown why Kharn was so favored. The Scions of Gorechild bellowed in rage and  joy, and thus set off for more bloody adventure..."

Hope you liked this one. Until next time...

Brief Movie Review: A Good Day to Die Hard

Hey there Chaos nuts! Winter's chill has certainly been around lately, what with frigid temps, blizzards, and all that jazz. I usually get tired of winter at the start of February, and I'm sitting here hoping that spring is just around the corner. Anyways, I just went to the movie theater to check out the latest Die Hard. So, is it a continuation of the legacy of the Die Hard series? Or is it a disappointment that will end the franchise? And why am I asking you?

A Good Day to Die Hard

I first got into Die Hard in the mid 1990s. I wasn't even 10 years old one the first one came out in theaters. Obviously, there was little chance my parents would allow a precocious 9 year old to see a rated R actioner (of course, if it was Sci-Fi, Horror, or The Godfather, my parents had no objections, apparently). Eventually, in high school, I caught Die Hard: With a Vengeance on tape (1995 or 1996). I absolutely loved it- even if I didn't know the events of the 1st Die Hard, the movie did a great job of explaining all that you needed to know. DH3 was action packed, humorous, with a great chemistry between Willis and Jackson. This movie had it all- a run down cop fighting for all of NYC, with nothing but his wits and a semi-racist electrician named Zues to help him fight Jeremy Irons' terrorists. The car chases, suspense, and bloody shootouts just blew me away, and the character beats made me invested in these 2 guys.

Naturally, I tracked down the other two movies. Watching the first Die Hard for the first time was nothing short of amazing. Bruce Willis' John McClane was an absolutely terrific invention- an everyman who is stuck in the most terrible situation imaginable, fighting to save himself, his wife, and a hundred other innocent people from a group of German terrorists with a secret agenda. Holy Cow! And I thought DH3 was great... this was even better. Then I watched Die Hard: Die Harder. Meh. It was OK, with some decent action, but frankly was pretty weak compared to the other two. The main villain was quite lackluster, and it just felt really contrived. John's wife is trapped- again. There's a pain in the ass reporter- again. I appreecaited DH3 all the more, as it expanded upon the themes of DH while upping the stakes.

But DH3 was in 1995. In the past two years, we have seen the franchise return (that's a long running action series, then). Live Free or Die Hard was an odd animal. It was trying to bring Die Hard into the 21st century, with a high tech plot and state of the art CGI special effects.  Yes, this movie has its problems- too much of the movie is McClane driving around all over the place, and there are some convenient plot coincidences, and that scene with the fighter jet is way too over the top. Lots of fans hated the movie for those reasons. However, it is still a fun movie, in my opinion. Though it never reached the heights of DH or DH3, it was a decent action movie with a sense of humor. The bad guy was interesting (unlike DH2), as he pursues a plan which is, in reality, a bit too realistic (what if all of our tech went down?).  I like how the movie raised the stakes from DH3 (the whole country is in danger in this one). Further, Willis has continued making John a character to root for, even as he gets older and a bit more grizzled. His explanation of why he does heroic things is pretty damn compelling, and ties in nicely with the previous entries. I enjoyed it, even if it isn't in the same league as DH1 and 3.

So, that brings us to A Good Day to Die Hard. I must confess that I like the title, again an action series with a bit of humor. This one sees John McClane in a bad spot- his son has been arrested in Russia for murder. Naturally, John has a poor relationship with junior, but he decides to fly to Moscow to be there for his son. John unknowingly enters a huge conspiracy, replete with CIA operatives, Russian mercanaries, the neo-dictatorship politics and corruption of Vladimir Putin, and a cache of weapons grade uranium. Oh yes, John has put his foot in it this time.

The movie is, like LFDH, not in the same league as the classics, but still enjoyable. It has the same propensity for over the top action and slick CGI effects. Yes, John is virtually a superhero here- however, even the originals had that element (it just wasn't so CGI heavy). What? Heresy, you say? Hear me out. John escaping a huge explosion and firey helicopter crash by rappelling down a skyscraper -- with a fire hose? That isn't slightly unrealistic? Dropping a huge amount of C4 down an elevator shaft, and conveniently getting out of the way of the blast- AND the building is still standing? Hmmm. Using an emergency ejector seat to escape a firey air plane... Jumping off a large suspension bridge to land on a boat a hundred feet below? Surely you see my point- John has always been a bit of a superhero- this is fiction after all. What happens here is pushes it a bit further into that realm, but if you look at the DH series objectively, you'll see that it has been there all along. What really matters to DH is the plot, action, and Willis' performance.

Again, like the previous entry, it has pluses and minuses. On the plus side, the action scenes are pretty darn cool (if over the top). The car chase in Moscow is quite visceral, and the shootouts are action packed (though lacking the blood of DH1 and 3). There's a bit of suspense, and there is a pretty interesting double cross (or even a triple cross), as well as "euro trash " bud guys, all in the DH tradition. Willis again does a great job with the character- he is older and even more grizzled, and he must deal with how he has influenced his son throughout the years. It isn't easy being the son of a cop, let alone a hero- a lot to live up to. Also, Willis isn't afraid to show that he will never win father of the year in how he treats his son. I could understand the temptation of good man/rebellious kid, but the movie wisely shies away from that, and John is actually not a great parent, equating working hard for being a good father, which isn't the case (a lesson he learns by the end).  Finally, the movie is very, very lean. LFDH seemed to have large bits were nothing was really happening, with John driving around or talking to the computer nerd. A Good Day wastes almost no time, moving from action sequence to even more action, with just enough time to take a breath in between. The movie moves fast, I'll give it that.

There are considerable negatives, most notably the actor who plays John Junior. Jai Courtney is rather bland and uncharismatic. Now, DH3 had the ultimate side-kick, while LFDH had John paired with a nerdy weakling, making for some comedic moments. Here, John is working with someone who is stronger and possibly even better-trained than him, and it is his estranged son to boot. However, the "kid" is never that interesting, and even unlikeable at times. It became tough to be invested in the father/son dynamic when half of that pair is so tough to feel connected to. Another weakness is the feeling of missed opportunities. With John in Moscow, this could have been a real fish out of water story. Imagine John growing frustrated with the language barrier, the cultural differences. There could have been some real humor, as well as suspense in having John trying to blend into Russia, and the movie basically ignores that. It would have been interesting to have John in the role of the Germans in DH1 and 3- like when they were trying to hide in America (the cigarettes, the "raining dogs and cats"), but the movie misses the chance. Finally, despite the interesting double cross, the plot just isn't as compelling. Yes, there is a lot at stake, but it happens so quickly that there is little time to appreciate the implications of the bad guys winning. In LFDH at least, the consequences of Gabriel's scheme are front and center (let alone DH1 and 3). Again, a bit of a missed opportunity.

So- what's the verdict? The movie never hits the highs of earlier entries, that is for sure. It is about on par with LFDH- it is a fun action movie with a likable lead, an everyman who we all could identify with. If you go in with lower expectations, you will find this to be an enjoyable action movie- just don't go in wanting it to be a classic, because it just isn't. I give it 2 1/2 out of 4 Marks of Chaos.

I think they should do one more Die Hard. The title could be something like say "Die Hardest" or something. You need to have Cristolph Waltz be the main villain (cerebral, but more smarmy than either Rickman or Irons), with McClane going against German terrorists one last time. Somebody like The Rock should be McClane's side-kick; somebody tough but also someone who could give Willis a run for his money in the charm department. There's still life in this franchise, and I think that if they do it right, it could be a worthy conclusion. Just my fanboy musing.

Review In Brief: Betrayer

Hey there Chaos fanatics! I'm sorry I've been away for quite so long- it has been very busy here at the Chaos estates, no doubt. However, I have been working on my Khorne Bezerker army- I'll have pics when I feel that I have more special models to show- my World Eaters are doing very well, and I am looking forward to taking to the field with them again soon.

Speaking of World Eaters, I finished Betrayer by Aaron Dembski Bowden a few weeks ago. I read it on my shiny new iPad- it really is an amazing device (see my review of Digital White Dwarf here ). At any rate, how was Betrayer, you may ask? Well, let's find out, shall we?

"Aye. Piss on Angron's grave when he finally lies dead" - Gharte of the World Eaters

I have said it before, and I will say it again right now- ADB may well be the best writer at Black Library right now. It always seems to be a toss up between him and Abnett, and this book has only added to that- especially since this book is, in so many ways, a continuation of Abnett's fantastic Know No Fear. Indeed, it as a worthy follow-up to that story, as well as a story that expands on the entire Horus Heresy line in so many ways (though I'm contemplating calling it Lorgar's Heresy, considering the events of these books).

Basically, Betrayer continues the story of Know No Fear: a secondary group of Word Bearers has teamed up with the World Eaters to continue the assault on the Ultramar region, engaging in Lorgar's "Shadow Crusade" to plunge the region into anarchy, thus cutting off Guilliman from the rest of the Imperium. However, as always with Lorgar, he has something else up his sleeve. He is planning to sacrifice all in order to... save Angron's life?! What the...?

Exactly. It's surprising twists and turns like this that make the book so damn exciting. It is a great conciet to put the Word Bearers with the World Eaters- seeing Angron and Lorgar together (with amazing character beats for each), at first I kept hearing the Odd Couple theme. However, while their interactions were often amusing, they quickly became full of portent (knowing how the Heresy ends up). Further, the two legions are not, how shall I say... well coordinated. They despise each other, with the exception of Kharn (surprisingly level-headed) and Argel Tal (great to see him again), who both can see that things aren't so good with the rebellion and their respective Primarchs, no matter how things may seem.

So- the real star of the book is Angron, and what a character he is. ADB does the incredible- again- he takes what was always a rather 2 dimensional Primarch and makes him a full person- a WOUNDED full person at that. More than any other Primarch's portrayal, this one felt raw, emotional, realistic (if that is possible in 40K). Without filling in all the blanks, ADB shows that Angron is the "broken Primarch", ruined by the world he landed on as an infant (which we now learn is called Nuceria, in the Ultima Segmentum of all places!). All he ever knew was violence, bloodshed, tragedy, and loss. He never had a chance to develop normally- literally, thanks to the Butcher's Nails surgically implanted in his head, a device that makes him crave violence. This has made him angry, twisted, and bitter. Even his own legion is frustrated by his unpredictability and the fact that he is "damaged goods". It has also given Angron a rather unique view- he feels that the Emperor is a sham, a con artist just like any other would-be tyrant. In the words of Angron during a flashback:

"We fight because the Emperor wants every world in his hands. All he knows is slavery, painted in the inoffensive cloak of compliance. The very notion of freedom is a horror to him... We offer them compliance, or we offer them death".

That is powerful stuff- Angron has put his finger on the very contradiction that brings down the Imperium of 30K. This is what causes Chaos to engulf half the legions and the Imperium. And Angron calls it before just about anybody. Simply amazing. Angron is very sympathetic throughout, and you can't help but root for him, even if you know how this will turn out. Quite a literary feat indeed.

I really, really don't want to spoil the details of the story, as if you are a HH fan, this book has it all. I really like how ADB is tying his story to so many others in the HH series- (and even from other things like The Emperor's Gift and Ravenor, believe it or not) it really is exciting to feel this momentum and how the HH is so very complex. ADB is a juggler in this story- he has so many balls in the air at once and you fear that he may just drop them- but he doesn't, with a climax that is exciting, while tying up some threads while creating whole new ones. Everyone gets their moments: Lorgar, Kharn, Argel Tal, Guilliman, Erebus. The action is frantic at points, always exciting but clear to follow. Plots are furthered: what's the deal between Erebus and Lorgar- just who is playing whom exactly? Who is John Grammaticus and his guys, exactly- the biological children of the Emperor, perhaps? And Kharn? And... well, there's so much more, but again, I don't want to spoil.

The ending is just fantastic- incredibly fitting and fulfilling. Indeed, there is a great symmetry about where things start and where they end up, with a degree of irony for Lorgar and Angron alike. I loved it, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. Just a note of caution- you need to read several HH stories to get this one fully, including: Legion, The First Heretic, After D'eshea, Butcher's Nails, and of course Know No Fear (D'eshea in particular- a short story). I mean, you can follow it if you haven't, BUT you'll get more out of it if you have, that's all I'm saying.

So, I give this 4 out of 4 Marks of Chaos. I cannot recommend this one enough. If you are a 40K fan at all, this book is just essential reading. I know you will enjoy it immensely.

I'm currently in the middle of Ahriman: Exile, and its quite good, I must say. I'll let you know when I'm done with it. Until next time...