New Nid Codex

With the rumor of Synapse no longer giving models Eternal Warrior.... My Callidus + Weaken Resolve can now instant kill an entire Carnifex brood? Is this true?

I called it :)

It has been a while...

... since my last post... Oh well... I am not the kind of person who feels the need to update a blog every time I fart.

I am still very much alive, drawing, and getting things done.

In a few weeks I will open up my Miniature Gallery, and start offering my services to fellow miniature hobbyists.

Powdered... Toast... Maaaa- aaaaaaan!!!

Greased Up Deaf Guy - 40k Scenario

I, and a few other Wizards Wall (my local game store) patrons, are going to be creating a collection of Wizard Wall exclusive scenarios for Warhammer 40k.

Wizards Wall forum found here... Wizards Wall

These scenarios are tested by us, and once they are ready for release, I will post them up here...

Here is the first scenario.... Greased Up Deaf Guy! (more to come each month!)

The four players who tested this enjoyed it very much, as it is a furiously fast paced game even by 40k standards.

Have fun trying to catch those Deaf Guys!

'Ard Boyz Results...

Okay, Kabal of the Budding Lotus....

Mission 1 - Versus Space Marines. Tabled on turn 6. Massacred, 24 points.

Mission 2 - Versus Space Marines. Massacred, 23 points.

Mission 3 - Versus Double Lash Plague Marine list. Massacred, 22 points.

69 points total.

Top 3 in the Melbourne, Florida area....

1 - Dark Eldar
2 - Orks
3 - Orks

See ya in Orlando :)

2500 point 'Ard Boyz Dark Eldar army list

Archon + all the trimmings
2 Warriors w/ dark lances
2 Incubi
Drazhar master of blades
Raider w/ horror and trophy

10 Mandrakes

9 Wyches w/ all the trimmings
1 Succubus w/Goblet, Combat Drugs, Agoniser, Poison Blade, Crucible, HG
Raider /w Horror, Trophy

9 Wyches w/ all the trimmings
1 Succubus w/Combat Drugs, Agoniser, Poison Blade, HG, Trophy, Angel
Raider /w Horror, Trophy

5 Warriors w/ DL and Blaster
Raider /w Horror, Trophy

5 Warriors w/ DL and Blaster
Raider /w Horror, Trophy

20 Warriors w/ 2x DL and 2x Blasters
20 Warriors w/ 2x DL and 2x Blasters
20 Warriors w/ 2x DL and 2x Blasters
20 Warriors w/ 2x DL and 2x Blasters

3x Ravagers w/ 3x Dissies


------------------


Just an hour ago at my LGS I used the DE list I posted above against a Nurgle/Slaneesh Double Lash list.

I tabled my opponent turn 4. We played the first scenario for the 'Ard Boyz.

Drazhar, Master of Blades is just one giant bad ass. He was ripping through Plague Marines like candy, plus, his ability to switch spots with my Archon after he lost his Shadow Field kept him alive an extra turn.

I never used Drazhar once in 11 years, but now I am going to make room for him in all my Kabal lists. He is just too good.

Update....

I have been very busy as of late with some computer games I have been working on. plus, I have been playing 40k much more often recently in about a year of hiatus from gaming.

Been kicking ass with my Dark Eldar, which isn't anything new since I am the self titled 'best Dark Eldar' player on the face of this mud ball. I can't lose a game if I tried.

The game I am currently working on as both artist and co-designer is Leaiva Online. This is a 2D mmorpg which will have over 40 different 'classes' a player can choose from.

Come join up!

On a side note, I have been banned from another xenophobic 40k site, yet again. What else is new. Shame too because the knowledge of Dark Eldar on that site from the posters was piss poor at best.

Any-who, I am also still doing art for some magazines, and other various online things.

Dwarven Scribe

Finished a piece for a Skaven Webzine issue coming out later this year.

Tau Empire Art : Wt'ail, the Diplomat

Another Battlefleet Gothic Tau. This time a Water Caste Diplomat Wt'ail.

Battlefleet Gothic Tau Coommander, Sheva's

Here is another Tau leader. This Tau has close ties to the Fire Caste.

Tau Commander Picture

As I am now helping with a WebMag with its imagery, I decided it was best to go back to an older style of mine, Fake-Vector. I forgot how fun it was to use this style, and I think I am going to stick with it for a while.

My latest piece, Tau Commander

Tactica : Psyker Battle Squads and Assassins

Charlie-Eagles recently posted in my blog about the usefulness of the PBS and Assassins, so here is my opinion on the subject...

charlie-eagles said...

I'm surprised you've only looked at combining the psyker squad with callidus or inquisitor, another crazy thing is using it with the culexus assassin: having a assault 2 +1 for every psyker within 12" animus speculum... say 18+ of your own psykers? =20+ AP 1 shots. Best thing about that is the psykers don't even have to do anything for it... you can use them for some other nasty combo at the same time (IE: divine pronouncement).
Anyone got any thoughts on the best ways to play against the psyker squad? ('hammer of witches' for example)

Well, it may seem like I have over looked the Culexus Assassin, but I didn't. Its just that everyone and their mother around the net is sucking on that teat a little to hard for my tastes.

Lets break down the difference between the Culexeus and the Callidus. We are going to assume you are using the weapon at it's maximum strength? Maximum strength means the Culexus is near 18 psykers for its maximum assault possbility, and the Callidus is wounding against Toughness 2 due to Weaken Resolve and the Neural Shredders LD to T switching ability.

Culexus Animus Speculum
12" S5 AP1 Assault 20

Callidus Neural Shredder
Template S8 AP1 Assault 1

Range - They are both roughly equal here.

Strength - The NS will be hitting against T2 targets (because of Weaken Resolve), so it will be causing Instant Death. Also, it will be wounding most everything in the game on a 2+. Instant Killing multiple wound models on a 2+? Yes please!

AP1 - Same here.

Firing Mode - Here the winner clearly goes to the Culexus for its 20 shots (because of 18 Psykers nearby). Even the NS cannot hope to hit half as many models on a good day.


So what we have here are two weapons roughly equal in killing power and utility. So where then does one outshine the other? In the Assassin itself.

The Culexus Assassin

Lets be honest here... The Culexus is so specialized in a game where Pyskers are not the norm, that you will not be using any, if all, its abilities during the game.

As a matter of fact, to be able to get those 20 shots off, you need two Pysker Battle Squads wholly within 12" for the gun to get its 20 shots. At best, you can have the two pysker squads inside Chimeras driving along side the Assassin within 12".

So for the Assassin to be effective, you need to drive your Psyker Squads up in the enemy's face. Once your opponent knows this trick, good luck getting both Chimeras into your enemy's line past the first turn without getting blown to bits by everything he has.

Should I even mention that your Psyker Squads will be LD 7 during this? Heaven forbid they get blown out of their Chimeras. They might get pinned easier than normal. Plus, trying to pass their Psyker Tests has just dropped from "just about always" to "Flip a coin".

The Callidus Assassin

The Callidus. first off, has 'A Word In Your Ear'. So awesome this power is. Really.

But the strength with this assassin the the safety of your Psykers AND the assassin due to Polymorhpine. With this ability, you can target ANY unit you want to kill on the board.

Weaken Resolve at 36" + The perfect landing from orbit the Assassin does means you WILL be able to kill a powerful unit without your opponent being able to do anything about it. Unless he has Mystics of course :)

This means you can hide and keep safe your Psykers, and only use them when you need them.

This is FAR better than driving two Chimeras next to a lone assassin the entire game.

Then the assassin has the C'tan Sword, a free shitty Poison attack, and Jump back. All very useful. Well, except the Poison attack lol.



How To Fight Psyker Battle Squads

This really isn't all that difficult, and how you do it will vary on the mission, objectives and individual game situations, but, just shoot them up or assault the crap out of them.

If your opponent is using the PBS + Callidus, well, kill that Chimera fast, otherwise kiss your 10 Biker Nobs, Seer Council, Plague Marines, etc good bye.

If your opponent is running a PBS+ Callidus and/or Divine Pronouncement combo(s) you need to kill those Psykers ASAP before anything else! Otherwise you are not going to enjoy your game at all.



So there you have my opinions on both Assassins and their uses with the Psyker Battle Squad. Even against Psykers, I would rather just drop in the Callidus and auto kill the unit in one fell swoop, instead of trying to use the Culexus and dodging fire, all the while trying to get your three units within 12" of a Seer Council :)

Ossein Phantom Fleet Platoon Commander

Just finished an image of one of my Imperial Guard models.

Khorne Berserker Art Finished

Finished my first 'real' 40k piece, a Khorne Berserker. I have doodled and dabbled with 40k art before, but this is my first finished piece.

Website Update #2

I have finished the Character section of the Assfolio. I will be working on the Game and Miniature section in the next few days.

Bear with me as I get the website finished. Ignore broken links :)

AwesomeSauceStudio

Imperial Guard Psyker Power Rocks!

After testing my various army builds over the past few weeks against some friends, I have come to the conclusion that the Imperial Psyker Battle Squad is the single, most powerful unit in the IG army by far.

Here are some things I have done with the Psyker Squad so far, in no particular order;

1) WR + DP = Turn 1, 15 strong Necron Warrior unit with Lord forced off the board.
2) WR + NS = Turn 4, Callidus kills 8 Plague Marines, and finishes off the rest in close combat, taking a super tough unit off an objective
3) WR + NS = Necron Lord and Immortals Deep Strike near my lines. Next turn, Callidus shows up, and all but 1 Immortal and Lord killed. Perma-fall back.
4) WR + NS = Callidus kills 7 Nob Bikers, forces fall back off table.
5) WR + Shooting = Forcing a Morale Check from shooting usually means death to a unit
6) WR + Pur = Guaranteed way of dropping an IC's LD to 3 for entire game. Worked great on Marine Commander after Callidus killed entire retinue with Neural Shredder.
7) WR + DP = Got a 20 something strong Kroot unit out of a forest and off object, securing the win for me.

WR = Weaken Resolve
DP = Divine Pronouncement
NS = Neural Shredder
Pur = Purgatus

When I use these combinations the games are pretty much not fun for me, and especially my opponent. But I can imagine the Tournament fun you can run with these guys.

So far, the most potent base for a Psyker Army I have come across consists of;

1 Inquisitor Lord w/ DP and random Retinue
1 Callidus Assassin
10 Psyker Battle Squad (with or without Chimera. I use a Chimera for protection)
10 Psyker Battle Squad (with or without Chimera. I use a Chimera for protection)

What else can you come up with?

Website coming along...

Listen up skraggers,

Work on my website is nearly done. It will be bare bones at first, but will eventually, over time, evolve into my full fledged studio location.

1500 Imperial Guard Psyker Army

Sup Skrags,

My first post is going to be a work in progress list fer my Imperial Guard army.

This army uses Ally Rules from the Witch Hunter's Codex, and uses some potent Psykers from both books for a themed army based around powerful Psykers.

Head Quarters

Primaris Psyker - Join him to one of the Psyker Battle Squads or the Inquisitor in Land Raider for added Nightshroud protection!

Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor Lord
Psychic Hood, Psyocculum, Auspex, Psi-Tracker
Familiar x 2
Devine Pronouncement - After a Psyker Squad drops a units leadership, hit the unit with this to make them essentially auto fall back.
Purgatus - Want to insta kill an independant character? Drop it's leadership to 3, and hit him with the Neural Shredder.
Word of the Emperor - Always good to defend yourself against enemy units.

Land Raider - After a Psyker Squad drops a units leadership, Tank Shock all game long!
Smoke Launcher

Elites

Psyker Battle Squad (10) - Drop either pie plates of death or leaderships down to nothing.

Psyker Battle Squad (10) - Drop either pie plates of death or leaderships down to nothing.

Callidus Temple Assassin - Neural Shredder is great for insta-killing leadership dropped multi-wound units and ICs. Great for Ork Biker Nobs!

Troops

Platoon Command Squad
Sniper Rifles x 3 - Pin those LD 2 units!

Commissar
Infantry Squad
Infantry Squad
Infantry Squad
Lascannon

Platoon Command Squad
Sniper Rifles x 3 - Pin those LD 2 units!

Commissar
Infantry Squad
Infantry Squad
Infantry Squad
Lascannon

Fast Attack

Sentinel w/ Lascannon
Sentinel w/ Lascannon
Sentinel w/ Lascannon



With the ability to take Allies from both Demonhunters and Witch Hunters, making this list was very fun, and the possibilities are endless!!! I made, like, five lists, but decided to mess with this one at my local gaming store.

The Army is a gimmick army, and its for a fun time, but, it can be pretty deadly given the right situation.

The idea of the army is to use the Psyker Battle Squads to their full potential. Keeping them screened behind my Commissar-stubborn Infantry Blocks will give them increased survivability. Or march them behind the Land Raider.

The Primaris Psyker can join whatever unit he wishes, usually one of the Psyker Squads, and give them some Nightshroud lovin'. Or join him up with the Inquisitor to give the Land Raider Nightshroud.

Here is where the idea of the army comes into play....

By dropping the leader ship of enemy units down to a pile of crap each turn from the two Psyker Battle Squads, you are given a plethora of choices to mess with your opponent.

1) You can use your Inquisitor Lord's abilities to either make units fall back or drop an enemy Independent Character's leadership down to 3 for the whole game.

2) You can use your sniper rifles to stop enemy units from doing anything each turn if you can manage to get a wound in. Remember that each sniper shot makes the unit take a test, so multiple wounds from sniper rifles will incur multiple tests.

3) When your Callidus Assassin becomes available, using your Neural Shredder will insta-kill any unit with a dropped leadership. So if you are able to, drop that Ork Biker Nob's Leadership to 2 (or 4), hit them with the Neural Shredder, and watch the entire mob disappear in a poof! Of course this only works when the Callidus becomes available, but when she does, bye bye unit!

4) A Word In Your Ear is always a wonderful tool, and can set up an enemy tank to be blown up at the start of the game by your bevvy of Lascannons. If you can manage it, you can position an enemy unit to be first turned 'leadership-mushed + pinned'.

5) Drop a unit's Leadership then Tank Shock it all game long!

6) Heck, dropping a unit's leadership and hitting that unit with mass Lasgun fire will ensure the unit is running away in a hurry!

7) Many great ways to rape your opponent's leadership to get his units off the objectives!

So between your Psyker Battle Squad and your Inquisitor's ability to dork-down unit and independent character's leadership down to nothing, you should have no problem abusing your opponent's Leadership for fun!

I gave the Inquisitor some anti-Psyker stuff to make sure armies like Eldar will have a tough time keeping their vehicles invincible the entire game.

Remember, you can also use a Culexus Assassin instead of a Callidus. This is a bit tricky to do since he will drop your units down to leadership 7, but, if you can pull of the awesome power of 10 - 20 shots with it's Animus Speculum, you will kill almost any non-heavy vehicle unit in the game.

Just imagine... A 10 man strong Psyker Battle Squad in a Chimera, with a Culexus Assassin hiding behind the Chimera. And then BAM! Assassin jumps out and lays 10+ shots into some poor, dead unit.


Later Skrags.