April Update and Army List for Saturday

Both work and inertia have conspired against me to make the April Challenge goal truly a challenge! With only 7 full days and a single (packed) weekend left, it's going to be tough to get it all done! Last night, I flocked and primed my Command squad, Sternguard and Pedro Kantor. One amazing thing about using gesso is the speed with which I can prime my models. Before, when I used to spray-prime, I'd force myself to wait until I had 30+models or lots of vehicles to spray…it made crawling out onto the (apartment) fire escape and angering the wife worth it. Now I can prime as soon as the flock is dry! If only it were this easy to get the painting done.

I have a game coming up this Saturday against Falgrim's DIY marines, "The Sigmar's Pride." They are modeled after the Space Wolves (instead using lions) but are using the SM:Codex at the moment. So it'll be a straight SM v SM codex fight @ 1750 points.

Here's the list I'm planning (and it makes me so happy they are all painted…if not quite WYSIWYG!) @ exactly 1750 points:
HQ: Captain in Termie Armor
Elites: 5 Tactical Terminators w/ Assault Cannon
Elites: 1 Dreadnaught w/ Drop Pod, Locator Beacon
Elites: 1 Dreadnaught w/ Drop Pod, Locator Beacon
Troops: 10 Tacticals, Melta, LasCan, Power Fist, Rhino
Troops: 10 Tacticals, Melta, LasCan, Power Fist, Rhino
Fst Att: 5 Vanguard Marines w/ Jump Packs, 2 Power Wpns, 2 Plas Pistols, Relic Blade
Hvy Sup: Land Raider Crusader
Hvy Sup: 5 Devastators w/ 2 PlasCan

The dreadnaughts, LRC and Rhinos w/ Tacticals make up the fast moving bulk of my attack force. Since 1 dread can deep strike in the first turn, the hope is that I can land, pop something large in the rear armor (like a vindicator or land raider with the MM) and then divert some marines to deal with him (though dreads do pop easy!). My LRC w/ termies will advance on any objective/easy kp supported by the tacticals in rhinos…in case any speeders or bikes with meltas show up. The Devs are there to (hopefully) pop rhinos or break up marine formations (plasma is nasty!). Finally the Vanguard can work as either an anti-assault force or a final objective contester. With the 2 locator beacons, I'm hoping that a Heroic Intervention isn't impossible. Being able to deep strike and then charge would be awesome (though I haven't had much luck with the Vanguard so far…costs as much as termies…die much faster! Nifty models though!).

Any thoughts? I don't have much time to build any new models, but I have a vindicator, razorback, command squad and the SG/Kantor models primed. Also a lot of Dark Angels…since I don't mind fielding a mixed list as long as they are all marines. Any suggestions?

Depending on how I do, this is probably my last game with the Crimson Fists for a little while. I've been meaning to get back into my Tau and with an apocalypse game planned for July, I think now is the best time! Expect more posts on the Apocalypse planning in May once the April Challenge is up. I also plan on starting up a May Challenge as well!

Setting up the Battlefield

Imperial Guard Stormtroopers push forward under cover of rubble.

One thing that frustrates me about Warhammer 40k is how little terrain creation and lay out seems to play in the rulebook. The rules are pretty simple for setting up terrain and there are really no "rules" on what makes a fair table. Yet, terrain is such a vital element in any game! There are rules for movement through terrain, rules for interacting with terrain, rules for cover saves, line of sight is impacted by terrain, etc. The 5th edition RB has nearly as many pages on Ruins and Buildings as it does on Close Combat! Battles are fought over and inside pieces of terrain. But there is barely any advice on exactly what pieces should go on the table and in what proportions!

On one hand, the rules are purposely vague because GW cannot dictate or possibly know what kinds of terrain players will feel inspired to construct (though they probably would prefer if we all used the CoD, Craters and Trees kits they offer). Do a search for Warhammer 40k terrain images and you'll be stunned at the variety of types, intentions and playability of pieces! Every battlefield will, by necessity, be very different from any other battlefield…so rules on what types and where would be an exercise in exceptions. GW could never hope to publish rules governing it all!

Crimson Fist scout prepare to give their lives defending an Imperial Shrine.

And yet, I still wish there were some sort of definitive ruleset on how best to ensure that there are the right amounts of LOS-blocking terrain, difficult, area and cover terrain types on a board. I know, as a personal preference, I prefer a terrain heavy board, one covered in as much terrain as I can fit. I just like the idea of combat being close and deadly (even when I played my Tau…but in that case, I liked all the cover the terrain provided back in 4th edition.).

Skull Basher Marines hold the line against a Crimson Fist assault.

Surprisingly, I found it difficult to find articles on terrain set up in 5th edition! On the Dakka forums I did find a neat proposal:

• Divide the board into 6 2'x2' squares and assign a number for each of them.
• Divide the terrain in 6 roughly equal groups.
• Roll a D6 for each group. That terrain group then goes into that square. If you roll a number with terrain already in it, move the pieces into an adjacent square.
• Each player then alternates placing all the terrain in each group making sure not to initially position a piece of terrain within 12" of another
• Roll a scatter die and 2D6 and move each placed piece that many inches in that direction.
• Once everything is placed, a scatter die is rolled and any building on the board are turned to face the direction of the arrow.

I like this set up and will try and encourage my friends to try it out. Breaking up the table and randomly assigning terrain to each section appeals to the wargamer in me…now the set up isn't so much about grabbing pieces and trying to neutralize them…it's about creating the battlefield. The addition of 2 different scatter dice mimics bad intelligence reports on the direction of the terrain pieces and placement. My only change might be to ensure that the biggest piece of terrain available (in size or height!) be placed in the center first with appropriate scatter rolls. This creates a vital piece to fight over and prevents the railguns from firing across the table.

Tau Crisis Suit and Drones navigate an alley in front of Tyranid Gargoyles.

The last piece of terrain set up I'm still struggling with: Determining the terrain "Stats." Is it difficult? Is it Area? Does is block LOS? Since I have my table with DIY terrain, I prefer to try and assign the same pieces the same stats…so my rubble pieces are always 5+ cover, area, difficult terrain. My large buildings are 4+, WYSIWYG, only difficult to pass through the walls. And so forth. Occasionally, when playing someone, they'll want some impassable or dangerous terrain and I'll suggest pieces that look like they fit the bill. But again, I'm left feeling sometimes like "is there too much difficult? do we need 6+ cover terrain? Only my rubble pieces are area terrain…is that unbalanced?"

If I can get my friends to use the above set up, maybe I'll also declare that each player gets to decide what each terrain piece their Opponent set up does. And I have to flexible with each piece…maybe that building doesn't have to be difficult terrain...or the rubble could not be 5+ saves and instead only difficult. I just hope it doesn't add 40 minutes to set up! Maybe it needs to be timed as well. :)

How do you decide the terrain "disputes" at the start of your games? What method do you use to decide on how to set up the board?

Chess Lessons in 40K

Or how I'm trying not to be a douche while gaming.

Inspired by the BoLS post by goatboy in which he talks about having fun with the game, I started thinking about my own flaws when it comes to tabletop gaming. For the record, I really like goatboy's posts on BoLS and look forward to them. He's got some great things to say about the hobby and seems like he's found a way to balance competitive playing with having fun.

Huh. Seems like I forgot about that hilarious leaping ability.

In my own personal gaming style, I know I've got some ways to go before I'm that guy that people love to play against. I think I'm a good, fun player and a decent host, but I do have some faults and I'm really trying not to indulge in them! One of my faults is that I participate in the metagame-disruption tactics without even meaning to do it. For example, when an opponent makes a move that not only surprises me, but I think is less than optimal, I'll make a sound like "huh." It comes so naturally that until a friend called me on it, I didn't even notice I was doing it! Once he pointed it out, I could see how it was rather obnoxious and metagame-disruptive!

I think the habit comes from my youthful days of playing on the chess team. In competitive chess, you'd keep careful notations of a game with every opponent so that later you can go back and review what you did right and where it all went terribly wrong. In addition to the game tracking, you'd also apply short hand notes next to a move, like "?" or a "!". The "?" represents a move that really threw you off (though it can also mean bad move) and you can't see why your opponent would do it. The "!" was when your opponent pulled a brilliant move that you didn't see coming and ruined your day.

When playing chess with teammates/friends, I'd say "huh" and note the "?" in the tracker. Actually, more often than not, they'd do it to me as I was an average player that made lots of mistakes. It was just a verbal signal to the other player that I might ask about this later so try and remember the why. The critical step is that you didn't interrupt the game to ask why...you're supposed to be playing competively!


The practice was all about learning how to be a better player by learning from your opponent's thinking. I'm by no means the best 40k player ever, but I am competitive (some might say "really" competitive!), so I try to optimize my moves on the board to win the game. If the person across the table does something that throws me for a loop, I can't help wondering why and I have trouble suppressing the urge to be all like "What are you thinking here?". That's when the "huh" sound pops out and I participate in the metagame disruption! My friends understand that signal to mean "bad move, sucker," so they second guess their next move or they feel thrown off (or just write it off as Cawshis being a douche again!).


I just want to say that I don't mean "bad move, sucker!" It's more "what's the plan here? I figured you'd do something else!" Imagine a battlefield and the Space Marine captain is getting signals about enemy troop movements and he sees the latest report and he thinks "What is that damned Farseer up to? What did I miss?" I'm just trying to get into your head to determine your next step. And, also, to be honest, sometimes I'm also thinking "gosh. that's not what I would've done in your shoes…why'd you do it?"


I wonder what's the best way in a friendly game to make it so that you can exchange these "?" or "!" moments in play without sounding like you're being critical or mocking?

Charging these Tau was AWESOME!!! They barely Fight at all!

It's easy to remember the "!" moments. These "!" moments are when both sides of the table are all like "that was awesome!" and you celebrate them right away or talk about them while packing up. They're one of the reasons why we play 40k (along with the strategy and hobby fun!). I don't think any friendly game group has trouble talking about the cool stuff! Amazing rolling. Unlikely victories. Neat tactics. That's the next best part about a day hanging out playing 40K with friends!

What worked for the Tau doesn't work for the Orks.

But how do you bring up the"?" moments in play? Do you ask at the end? Do you ask while playing and give the player the opportunity to take it back? How competitive do you keep a friendly game (by not asking), but still allow for opportunities to learn how to play better (by asking)? Is every friendly game an "open game" where all moves are discussed? Do you set up "learning games" with friends to try out new army configs or units?

I don't have the answer, but I'm sure now that going "huh" in play isn't the way to do it! How do you talk tactics and strategy in a game without infringing on the fun of the competition? Do you separate the two types of game and make it clear? What personal flaws are you working on to ensure gaming with friends stays fun?