Sin City Dispatch #9

Hey everyone, welcome to issue number 9 of the Dispatch!

In this issue we are going to continue our look at my growing 'stealer cult army list. First up, we will had back to the Workbench to take a look at how to make your own Broodlord. It's amazing what you can do with plastics nowadays... Then, we are going to stay at the Bench to take a look at our growing rustic outpost. After all, you can't have a cult without some place for them to plot their devious little plans, right? Of course not! So sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

From the Workbench
"Growing" Your Own Broodlord

In keeping with the 'stealer cult theme, I have decided to use a Broodlord for my HQ choice. Coming with his own retinue of 'stealers and looking like some kind of advanced evolution of the 'stealer, he is perfect for the role. As an added plus, there is already a model out there for him so I could just pick up the model, stick it together, and BAM! instant Broodlord. That's what I could do, but I decided to try to make my own instead.

For the most part, this is actually pretty easy to do. I am basing mine on a regular Warrior equipped with the rending claws and the smaller scything talons. While this makes most of the model a very simple build, it does leave him without a head. The regular warrior head just does not look right, so I had to start digging around for something a little different. I also want to give my Broodlord the feeder tendrils biomorph, so I had to make sure that it was something that I could add some tentacles to. I considered using one of the old Ravener heads, but it just didn't quite look right. In the end I decided to use a head from one of the old metal Warriors that I have lying around. This head was large enough so that it looked right on the body and adding tentacles should be an easy enough thing to do.

Unfortunately planning is as far as I managed to get with this model. Once I get past the holidays and the sixteen straight days that I am working, I plan to finish up this model so that I can get him on the table ASAP. That means that you can expect more on this critter soon, along with pictures of the WIP and the finished model as well.

From the Workbench
Home, Home on the Range...

One of the things that I am really excited about with this project is having the terrain follow the same theme as the army. Over the years I have found that a lot of my army concepts tend to be very story driven, which is kind of hard to do with the Tyranids. They come, overrun the planet, eat everything in sight, and then move on. How's that for a deep plot line? By doing a Genestealer cult, the whole story concept becomes much more accessible again as there is some kind of depth to the army. Instead of being about a massive feeding machine sweeping across the galaxy, this list can have some personalities in it. Sure they are all the same as far as stats, but at least now I can add a little somthing to their background.

This also figures into the terrain that I am building. Secrecy is vital for a new cult as it grows in strength. Their numbers start small, but gradually increase as they bring more people "into the fold". To really focus on this need for isolation, I am building something reminiscent of a small old Western town. Nothing more than a whistle stop for most travelers, this makes it the ideal location for the cult to "recruit" new members who then travel on and spread the "good word".

The first step was to decide what type of buildings I should concentrate on. To get some ideas, I took a look at the Whitewash City website. Creators of PDF Western scenery, they have several different sets available so that you can easily create a towns of various sizes. While I am not going to use any of their buildings (I have never been able to get those paper models to work for me...) it does give me a good idea what I should include in my town.

The first building was originally supposed to be part of my Ork settlement but it was easy enough to change gears halfway through.

This combination generator/mechanic shop is a vital part of any frontier community. While I imagine that most of the buildings would probably have their own power sources, a larger facility like this one is key to the long term survival of the town. As for the in game mechanics, it is considered impassable terrain since most of the building would be taken up by the generators.

The next piece of terrain just seems to fit in naturally with the concept of a Western town but then again I am from Nevada, the one state where prostitution is legal in most of the counties. Yes, that's right, this one is a brothel.

It only seems fitting to have this in a frontier town and it really fits in with the idea of the cult as well. What easier way to lure in travelers before introducing them to the darkest secrets of the cult and truly opening their eyes. Unlike the generator, I actually made this building so that it can be opened up as you can see here.

Though there are currently no interior features other than a staircase, I wanted to leave this piece so that I can add more details later. This also makes the piece much more versatile it can easily be used in a more detailed skirmish game such as Necromunda or Rezolution.

The next piece actually can have a few different uses in a game.

Affectionately known as "the water shed", this building represents the entrance to an underground water storage facility. We are talking dark corridors lined with pipes dripping condensation and large storage tanks, something which could add an interesting element to the game. As this is the most logical place for most of the 'stealers to be located most of the time, this opens up the possibility of a Space Hulk style game as the enemy goes through the underground maze hunting down the 'stealers and ultimately the patriarch (aka the Broodlord).

The last piece of terrain that I have in progress is actually from the latest version of Confrontation and is used as an objective in most of the scenarios from the new starter released earlier in the year.

I wanted to have someplace like this in the town to represent somewhere that small numbers of "converts" could be introduced into the cult during official ceremonies. No real effect on the game beyond blocking line of sight but still seems like a nice little addition to the scenery.

The Parting Shot...

That about wraps it up for this issue. As I mentioned earlier, I am currently working a lot of hours which is cutting into any time that I would normally have available. Still, I am going to try to squeeze in some hobby time when I can so hopefully I can get some more stuff done so that I will have something to talk about in the next Dispatch. With that, I am going to go pass out but until next time, may all of your dice come up Dragons!

Sin City Dispatch #8: the Birth of the 'Stealer Cult

Hey everyone, welcome to the eighth issue of the Dispatch!

For this issue we will be staying close to the Workbench as we look creating a themed army, from units all the way up to the scenery itself. In this case we will be taking a step away from Waaagh Dakagrub and instead focusing on an oldie but a goodie, the Genestealer cult army list. Since there is no official 'stealer cult list, this one took some creative thinking on my part but so far I am really liking how it is coming together, so sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

From the Workbench
The Birth of a Genestealer Cult

After playing a few games with the 'nids, I couldn't help but start thinking about Genestealer cults of old. First introduced back in White Dwarf #114, the 'stealer cult combined 'stealers, hybrids, and their human minions into one army. I used to have a copy of this magazine floating around but I have unfortunately long since gotten rid of it. Even so, I remember how cool the list looked with its blend of human cultists fighting alongside their 'stealer lords. The question is how to create this using the current 'nid list. The 'stealers and the patriach are easy enough but how could I field the cultists that the list would need?

I decided to start by comparing the Imperial Guard list to the Tyranid list to see if there were any similarities. As I wasn't really interested in fielding most of the units on the Guard list, I was actually kind of glad nothing on there came close to the stats of the 'stealers. The 'nid list proved to be another story. Gaunts and Guardsmen have an almost identical stat line but what about their lasguns?

With a potential range of 24" the 'nids don't really have anything that compares to the lasgun. Most of the longer ranged 'nid weapons have a higher strength and blast templates which just would not work in this case. In the end, I decided to go with the spinefists to simulate the lasguns. Both of these weapons have the same strength while the reduced range of the spinefists will represent the lack of training the cultists have, and the twin-linked will represent them firing wildly as they close with their targets.

This gave me a good solid core of troops that I could use between the 'stealers and the cultists, but the list was still sorely lacking in the synapse department. At least I was until I took a look at the sanctioned psyker miniatures for the Guard. I decided that these would take the place of the Zoanthropes in my list, giving me access to more synapse creatures and really giving me some fitting leaders for the cultists. The stats notably different between these two units but I decided that the increases were the result of the psykers being direct conduits to the massive power of the hive mind. 'Thropes also have toxic miasma and greatly increased armor save which I decided would represent the intense psychic field that was surrounding them.

With the basic list picked out, it's time to start building my army from the ground up.

Just Who is What Exactly?

Some of the miniatures in the list could be very straight-forward. The Broodlord is a Broodlord while the 'stealers are just that as well. Using the Guard santioned psykers for my cult leaders meant that this portion of my list is also easy to complete, just leaving me with the cultists themselves.

There are several different options out there from other companies that would look pretty good to represent cultists (Pig Iron Productions Kolony range of minis comes to mind) but I really want to keep the minis plastic so that I can maybe do some conversions. In the end, I decided that my best bet is to get a set of Cadian Shock Troopers and a set of Catachan Jungle Fighters, mix them together, and see what I can come up with. This combination will help convey the impression that they have raided the local PDF armories and grabbed anything they could get their hands on, not to mention they will be a lot of fun to put together. There are still more minis that I will add to the army in the future as it grows from a 1000 point list to a full 1750 list, but for now this will be enough to keep me busy.

Their Own Private Idaho

In addition to the army, I am also building a new board and terrain themed to go with it. The board is not going to be anything too fancy for now, though the dimensions are slightly different than might be expected as it comes in at 3'x4'. I have a lot of experience playing on a board of this size thanks to AT-43 and I really like how it puts you right there in the action. It is also something that I can easily expand up to 6'x4' once the army has grown to its full size.

As for the terrain itself, I am going for a small rustic settlement, almost like something out of a sci-fi western. In my mind this fits with the cult theme perfectly; a small, backwater settlement that the cult has taken over and is using to slowly spread to the neighboring towns before rising up to take over the world.

The Parting Shot...

And so there you have it, at least for now anyway. In the next Dispatch, I will have pictures of the terrain that I have built along with some of the models that I will be fielding in the cult, including my scratch built Broodlord! So until next time, may all of your dice come up Dragons!

Welcome from Snowy Las Vegas!

Hey everyone

Something wacky is happening around here. In the past three days, it has snowed twice and I am not just talking about a couple of snowflakes falling to their doom on the scorching hot asphalt. Nope, this has been honest to goodness snow covering the ground. Now if people could just learn to drive in the stuff...

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that a new Dispatch should be going up this weekend. I have been shifting gears a little bit lately, focusing a little more on actually doing some painting and terrain building. Plus, Waaagh Dakagrub is going to be taking a short break while I focus on my new spin on the Tyranid army list. What do I mean? Well, you'll just have to come back to find out more!

Until then, may all of your dice come up Dragons!

Sin City Dispatch #7

Hey everyone, welcome to the seventh issue of the Dispatch!

In this issue, we will be start out by looking over the fence as we continue with our Meet the Neighbors segment for the Cogs. This time we will be taking a look at the game mechanics side as we check out the stats for three of their officers. Then we head to the Battlezone for another Battle Report, this one again featuring Ork vs. Tyranids as the hivemind seeks revenge! Will the Orks remain victorious or will they just become more food for the brood? You'll have to read on to find out, so sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

Meet the Neighbors
Continuing Our Closer Look at the Cogs

In the last issue, we looked at some of the fluff that had come out for the Cogs. Conveniently enough, Rackham has released more information about one of their factions, the A-Volution. This gives some interesting information but right now I want to take a look at the stats of the officers that A-Volution use to get an idea just what these bad boys will be like in game.

The three officers listed in the A-Volution preview are equipped with a mix of what look like the four most common weapons for the Cogs; quantum blades, quantum rifles, quantum machine guns, and the rocket launcher. The first thing that you can't help but notice about all of the ranged weapons is they all have extremely long range. The quantum rifle has a 50% chance of hitting out to a range of 90cm while the more powerful rocket launcher can reach out to 70cm and still has the same odds. As if this wasn't nasty enough, all of these ranged weapons roll a minimum of two dice to hit and have a re-roll making them that much more effective. Combine this with a penetration comparable to the better UNA weapons in the game and you are looking some serious firepower.

What will make this firepower even deadlier is the Cog movement rate of 18cm, putting them on par with both the Therians and the Karmans as far as the mobility of their troops. This will let the Cogs quickly take up strong fire positions early in the game and could make them very difficult to counter.

As far as armor, the three officers are all equipped as type III units and have an armor value of 11. This makes them better protected than any of the other type IIIs except for the Kolossus, but with much better ranges and movement these overall look to be a much better unit.

Even with these bits of information, there are still a lot of unknowns. How many troops compose a basic unit and how many points do they cost? How strong are the basic units compared to these officers? Even without all of this information, I think we can definitely say that the Cogs will a force to be reckoned with in the AT-43 universe.

Battle Report: Orks vs. Tyranids

This past weekend, Matt and I got together again for a re-match but this time we increased the point value from 500 up to 750 points. Still not a massive battle but 750 points just seemed that much more flexible while not being too massive for a couple of noobs to manage. Even with the change in points, I think that the biggest difference between the two games was the fact that the battlefield actually had terrain on it this time! This is what the battlefield looked like.

As can be seen, the set up for the game was a little different as far as table dimensions. We decided to just use one table at the store and set up short edge to short edge to make life a little easier. Most of the terrain just blocked line of sight though the shanty buildings on the right and left sides of the board counted as area terrain (blocked LoS and counted as difficult terrain). As far as the mission, it was a variation on Capture and Control using three objectives; one in each deployment zone and one in the center of the table (these are shown with the red circles).

On my side of the board, I was fielding a Hive Tyrant and Carnifex which were both equipped with barbed stranglers and twin-linked devoureres, two broods of nine genestealers each, and a brood of fifteen gaunts with fleshborers. On Matt's side, he had a Warboss attached to a Boyz mob (seventeen slugga boyz, two big shootas, and a Nob), another boyz mob kitted out the same(seventeen slugga boyz, two big shootas, and a Nob), an eight ork Nob mob, a six ork mob of Kommandoz, and three Dethkoptas with twin-linked big shootas.

With the battlefield set, we deployed our forces, followed by the Dethkoptas taking their turboboosted scout move and the Kommandoz infiltrating right onto the objective in the center of the board!

With all that done, it was time to get the game underway!

Taking the first turn, Matt moved up both of his mobz of Boyz while the Nobz, koptas, and Kommandos held their ground.

Moving into the shooting phase, the Kommandoz opened fire on the Carnifex with a skorcha, a big shoota, and a bunch of sluggas. Between the crappy Ork ballistic skill, and the high toughness and armor on the Carnifex (everything in my army had the extended carapace option to improve their armor saves...) I really wasn't that worried. At least I wasn't until I rolled snake eyes for my armor save on the two slugga shots that actually managed to hurt him. He hadn't even moved yet and he had already lost half his wounds and that was to a couple of slugga!

The Dethkoptas opened fire next and inflicted another wound, leaving him in very rough shape. On the other side of the table, one of the boyz mobz fired their big shootas at one of the broods of 'stealers but luckily they only managed to score one kill. With nothing in range of a charge, Matt's turn ended and it was time for some payback!

Moving forward everything except for the gaunts, I was able to get everything into a good position to be able to crush those Kommandos by the end of the turn!

As both of the 'stealer brood ran forward, the Carnifex opened fire on the koptas, lobbing a strangler shot long while the devourers only managed to inflict one point of damage.

The Tyrant fired next, again completely missing with his strangler while the devourers splattered harmlessly against cover. Well, so much for payback! This brought my shooting to an end and led right into the assault phase.

Charging forward, both my Carnifex and 'stealer brood smashed into the Kommandos. After a violent flurry of claws, the entire Kommando unit was decimated.

With their enemies completely crushed, I consolidated both the 'fex and the 'stealers, moving the 'fex toward the koptas while the 'stealers moved themselves into cover.

Heading into Turn 2, Matt moved remaining three mobz forward as the koptas continued their usual tactic of advancing to the rear.

Letting lose a torrent of fire in his shooting phase, this the Carnifex managed to hold its own against the massed fire of the slugga mob. The 'stealers didn't fair as well though as three of their number were gunned down.

Moving into the assault phase, the two boyz mobz charged forward, one engaging the 'fex while the other engaged the 'stealers. With their higher initiatire, the 'stealers were able to inflict some early loses, pulling down two boyz before having five of their own chopped down. The carnifex did not fair quite as well.

After dealing this massive blow to my army, the Orks used their consolidation to move closer to the objective in the middle of the board.

Bloodied but not beaten, it was now my turn. On the right side of the board, the 'stealers moved up through the shanty to get into position to assault the boyz, while the Tyrant moved up against the ruins in the center.

I also moved the Gaunts forward slightly so that I could try to get a few shots off against the mob with the Warboss though I really didn't expect too much from them.

Next, the 'stealers ran forward some more to get along side the boyz while the Tyrant fired at the other mob. The devourers managed to take down three of the boyz while the strangler... Well, let's just say that the blast template found new purpose in life right about now.

To wrap up my shooting, the only Gaunt that actually had range on the boyz mob fired and actually managed to inflict a wound on the Warboss!

Now it was time to kick some Ork butt! My 'stealers and Tyrant slammed into the mob on the right, ripping apart eight of the boyz in the process! Shocked at the ferocity of the 'stealers attack, the remaining boyz failed to do anything and decided that the it was time to call it a day.

The 'stealers didn't want to stop playing though and ran after the Orks while the Tryant moved over into the cover of the shanty.

Heading into turn three, Matt tried to rally the mob that was on the run but they really weren't interested and continued their sprint for the edge of the board. The Warboss turned his mob away from the objective and headed toward the 'stealers while the Nobz and the Koptas stayed where they were and enjoy the show. See what happens when your objective marker is a couple of barrels of fungus beer?

Da Boss, da Boyz, and da Nobz opened fire on the 'stealers, blasting apart five of them in a rain of slugga shells before da boss led da boyz forward into close combat.

Eagerly meeting the charge, the 'stealers surged into the green tide but only managed to pull down two of the Orks before being mercilessly hacked to pieces by the Orks while the Boss once again sat back and watched the mayhem unfold.

With my 'stealers dead, my only hope was to kill as many Orks as possible so my Tyrant turned his menacing gaze on the boyz and opened fire. The devourers let loose their streams of maggots while the strangler fell short, catching the Tyrant under the template! Amazingly enough (especially considering my luck so far this game) the Tyrant escaped unscathed while both the Boss and the Nob were wounded and eight of the boyz were wiped off the board, making the large template the deadliest coaster I have ever seen.

Trying to capitalize on this momentum the Tyrant charged forward into the mob, pulling down three more of the boyz before the Warboss lunged forward and inflicted three wounds with his power klaw.

This shifted the balance of the game back in my favor but with the Tyrant so badly wounded the future was still looking bleak.

Moving in turn four, running boyz didn't even break stride while the Nobz surged forward to join the melee against the Tyrant. It lashed out and killed a Nob and a boy but in the end the Nobz were able to pull it down and strike the ending blow.

With only a small brood of Gaunts left on the board, the hivemind turned its attention elsewhere. The greenskins would have this day but in the end the hivemind would return to consume all...

Overall this was a really good game and we both agreed that it was a lot of fun. Matt and I are really getting the hang of the rules so things went a lot smoother and the addition of terrain made the whole game a lot better experience.

As for the gameplay, I realize that I need to pay more attention to what my plan is. The carnifex is the prime example of this. Even though it was only equipped with ranged weapons I charged him forward into close combat, banking on his monstrous creature status carrying him through to a victory. If I had kept him back and used him as a fire support unit like he was equipped things might have gone differently. Then again, considering how bad my template shots were it might not have mattered.

Still, the game was a lot of fun and I can't wait to get down there again for another re-match. Vengence will be mine! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

The Parting Shot...

Well, that brings another Dispatch to a close but there is more on the way, including a look at the latest LGS here in Las Vegas, Battlezone Comics. So until next time, may all of you dice come up Dragons!

Sin City Dispatch #6

Hey everybody, welcome to the sixth issue of the Dispatch!

In this issue, we will start out with Incoming!!! as we take a look at some of the new 40k Ork miniatures that will be coming out in January, plus we will take a look at the new annoucement released by Rackham Entertainment. Then we will head on over to the Workbench as we look at creating custom objective markers for 40k. So sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

Incoming!!!
Upcoming Releases for AT-43 and Warhammer 40,000

New on the preorders section for 40k are the latest and greatest for the Orks! Due out in Janu-Waaagh-ry (their joke; I only stole it, I didn't write it...) all of these are really nice looking plastic sets with lots of modeling possibilities.

First up among the new releases is the often "official" model for the most scratch built piece in the game, plastic Battlewagon.

Unfortunately this one is kind of a disappointment in my opinion. It looks more like a heavily armored trukk than anything else but then again I am only going by the few pictures of it that I have seen. Even so, there are tons of bits for it so this set will be worth getting even if it is just to cannibalize for parts.

Next up are the biggest, baddest, and greenest of the Orks! That's right, we are talking about the new plastic Ork Nobz.

Packed with options (including kombi-shootas, power klaws, and big choppas just to name a few...), this set will have enough bits to let you customize all of your Nobz. This will be a great addition to range as it will let you add those personal touches that will really set your Nobz apart.

Right now the only way to field the Stormboyz is by using the regular plastic boyz and adding on the Stormboyz conversion pack, but that will all change once the new plastic Stormboyz hit the shelves.

As with all of the other sets there are bits galore so that you can create some truly unique looking models. I hadn't really been looking at adding Stormboyz to my Waaagh, but after looking at these things I am really tempted to give them a try just to give me an excuse to get these minis!

Last but not least (though most Orks would probably disagree...) is the new plastic Gretchin boxed set.

Packed with ten grots and a runtherd, this finally gives people a cheap way to field a giant grot shield, not to mention all of the conversion possibilities that these plastic models should have. Getting all the grot minions that you can shake a bosspole at just got that much easier.

On the AT-43 front, things are actually just as interesting. In a news release from the newly formed Rackham Entertainment, the makers of AT-43 laid out their plans to match up release dates around the world over the next couple months. As of Wave 9 they are expecting to have the release dates in Europe and North America matched up which is definitely good news for the folks on the other side of the pond.

Next year will also see the release of the next two races in the AT-43 universe, the Cogs first then the Oni later in the year. And if that is not enough AT-43 goodness for you, Code White, the first of a trilogy set in the AT-43 universe should be out in the first quarter as well.

There are two other items among the other things mentioned that really stood out for me. First is a teaser for Rush N' Crush, a new game that sounds like a Car Wars style racing game set on Ava. Not much information on this one yet but the concept pictures have definitely piqued my interest. The second item is the new Rackham Model Kits. Set for release in March, this line is supposed to include kits based on the models in the AT-43 universe Ever want to really customize a Nakovalny? Sounds like this might be your chance!

Overall, the announcement sounds like a very ambitious goal that Rackham Entertainment is aiming for. Only time will tell just how well they are able to do what they say but so far things are sounding pretty promising.

From the Workbench
Creating Custom Objective Markers

With 5th Edition 40k, objectives really seem to have come into their own as two of the three scenarios are focused on controling them. I really like this in a game as it seems somewhat more realistic. If you think about it, most modern warfare is focused more on taking and holding different objectives rather then simply trying to kill everything in sight. But how do you mark these objectives in the game?

Among the possible solutions are using counters or those glass beads that almost every gamer has in their collection. GW even has their own solution in the 40k counter set by providing half a dozen neon green flags that you can set on the board. All of these are fine but I really like the idea of making something with a little more character just to keep things interesting.

The first marker that I made was "The Dead Genestealer".

Mounted on a large cirular base, it features a partially chopped up genestealer with a choppa through on of its arms. I made this by cutting up an extra genestealaer that I had laying about and then cutting a choppa from the Ork Boyz sprue.

My next one is "Alas Poor Yur-Ork".

I had to dig a little deeper in the bits box for this one but I really like how it turned out. Using some metal barrels from a scenery sprue, some boxes from some old Rhinos, and one of the plastic Ork boyz, this piece has the Ork chatting with an Ork skull. See what happens when you get into the fungus beer too early in the day?

In addition to these two, I am also going to make a marker using one of the spare Devilfish engines and some of the Hive Nodes from the Genestealer boxed set. All very simple ideas that really work to visually spice up the game. As an added plus, they are also a lot of fun to make so if you don't have any of these I definitely recommend taking some time to throw a few together.

The Parting Shot...

And that does it for this issue! A short one this time but the next issue will be longer since it will be featuring the return of the battle report! Yay!!! My Tyranids take on Matt's Orks in a bitter rematch. Last time the Orks were able to gun down the 'Nids before they could even engage. Will the green menace be triumphant again or will they just become more biomass for the Hivefleet? Check back soon to find out but until then, may all of your dice come up Dragons!

Sin City Dispatch #5

Hey everyone and welcome to issue #5 of the Dispatch!

In this issue, we have a new segment called Meet the Neighbors where I will be taking a closer look at the background for the Cogs, (aka send in the clones). Then we sill be going back to the Workbench for another look at how Waaagh Dakagrub is shaping up with their new "Tau-rrific" custom trukk. No Incoming!!! this issue since GW is currently pushing their Warhammer Fantasy releases and we are still waiting on Rackham to finish getting their ducks in a row but I do have a brief (make that very brief...) Battle Report instead! So sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

Meet The Neighbors
Taking a Closer Look at the Background for the Cogs

The latest issue of Cry Havoc Online contained excerpts from the upcoming Cog Army Book, giving us the first glimpse at who these critters really are.

From what little fluff there is, it appears that the Cogs are a race of genetically engineered warriors who are further enhanced by various cybernetic devices. Commanded by earlier generations of clones, the rank and file troops blindly follow the orders of their leaders which sounds like they might be immune to the morale rules.

It is also mentioned several times that their ranged and melee weapons are among the best in the galaxy and I can see how this might not be too far off. It was the Cogs, not the Avans, who first held back the Therians. It would only make sense that they would be quite a tough opponent in the game.

Another interesting part of the excerpt was the description of the Cog vehicles. There is mention of four light walkers that are more specialized (all of which appear to be type I striders) and one support walker (aka the type III). This would make the Cogs the first race to not have any combat walkers at all. These beasties are also described as being unpiloted but then again the only time that the pilots have really come into play has been when heroes are mounted in them. Still an interesting bit of fluff in my opinion though.

All and all, the Cogs sound like they will be an interesting addition to the AT-43 world and the miniatures are looking pretty cool too now that they changed the paint scheme. Only time will tell how good they actually are in the game but regardless of that these are some pretty unique looking miniatures that could make a nice addition to any collection.

From the Workbench
And the WAAAGH!!! rolls on...

Since the last Dispatch, I have been focusing on one miniature in the Waaagh to the exclusion of everything else. What could possibly be the object of since intense scrutiny? Why my "Tau"-rrific Ork Trukk of course! In the previous issue, I had shown you this picture of my trukk, still in it's early stages of conversion from a streamlined Tau APC into a ramshackle bit of Orky know-wots.

After getting my hands on some styrene sheets of various thicknesses and a couple of empty medicine bottles (see what happens when you go off your meds?), it is now looking like this.

It is still not finished but so far I really like how it is turning out! As an added plus, I am having a great time working on it as well. Being able add my own touches is a lot of fun and being an Ork vehicle makes it very forgiving as well. No exact measurements are needed for something like this as the cobbled together appearance only helps make it more look even more "Orky". Don't get me wrong; working on something that requires more precision has many of its own rewards but something like this is great for a first project as it really lets you explore your modeling options.

On the next Workbench, there will definitely be more on the Waaagh but I have also been looking over my Tyranids to see just what I have and what I would like to be able field. Here is a look at what most of the swarm looks like right now.

Besides all of this there are still at least another couple dozen warriors, genestealers, gargoyles and gaunts floating around, giving me a very solid core to any army list I might want to try. Even so, I really want to get some more of the "specialized" 'nids that are out there, namely a few of the plastic Carnifexes. Awesome looking model and they can eat a tank for breakfast. What more could you ask for?

Battle Report: Orks vs. Tyranids
Well, kind of anyway

This past weekend I was finally able to play a small game of 40k against Matt. Huzzah!!! Since we were both really sinking our "teef" into 5th Ed. for the first time, we decided to keep things simple and only field 500 points each. As Waaagh Dakagrub is still a work in progress (and since Matt was already fielding his Orks), I decided to dust off my old Tyranid collection. With minis ranging back to their first incarnation since Rouge Trader, it was nice to be able to get them onto the table for the first time ever (Having the minis and actually using them are two totally different things in my dictionary).

With our meager armies selected, we put the "terrain" on the table. I would have taken a picture but no. I think that we have all seen enough cardboard boxes to know what they look like. Yes, that's right. We were gaming old school with random bits of cardboard on a wide open table. This ultimately worked against me in the worst possible way (aka I was slaughtered).

As for the action itself, there is not much too say really but it was a good way to get used to the rules. Hopefully we can get in another game and I will be taking pictures this time; I am going to make some terrain to stick out there and break up those wide open fire lanes. After all, what exactly is the point of having a cover save when there isn't any cover?

The Parting Shot...

Well, before I go I have a confession to make; I thought I had already posted this issue which is why it has taken me so long to get it out. I had worked on it the weekend that I went gaming and completely forgot that I didn't get it finished and posted. In the immortal words of Homer, "D'oh!"

As for the next issue, it should be interesting as we will be taking another look at the Cogs. The difference is that this time we will be looking at some stats so we can start to see just how nasty these bad boys will be. As for the rest of the it... Well, you'll just have to come back and see what I manage to dig up. Until next time, may all of your dice come up Dragons!

The Sin City Dispatch #4

Hey everyone and welcome to Issue #4 of the Dispatch!

In this issue, we will start out taking a closer look at the upcoming releases for AT-43 and Warhammer 40,000 including a little bit of information about the "big announcement" that Rackham had for us. Next we will continue our look into the squiggly bits of the gamer mind as we kick it back up a notch. Last but definitely not least we will head to the Workbench again to see how the green glory of Waaagh Dakagrub shaping up. So sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

Incoming!!!
Upcoming Releases for AT-43 and Warhammer 40,000

Rackham finally had what I am assuming is their "Big Announcement" this week as they have become Rackham Entertainment. While this is a new company, they say that they will "continue to count on the unique expertise of the RACKHAM SA Design Studio". The announcement goes on to say that the Design Studio has already "conceived the products" for the next twelve months and that Rackham Entertainment will be able to "market these new products within a very short period of time". Part of this plan involves new releases coming out at the same time worldwide and on a monthly basis, starting with Wave 8 at the end of November and Wave 9 at the end of December.

They go on to say that they will be work to "ensure the North American stores will receive on a regular basis these new releases as well as marketing and promotion tools...including the establishment of organized play" and that "Very soon we will be able to tell you more about...all the surprises we have ready for you."

So what does it all mean? From the sound of things, Rackham has been purchased lock, stock, and barrel by a new company that will be picking up where Rackham had left off. This is good news for veteran players since it sounds like they will not be doing anything too radical to the game system other than making sure that releases actually come out on a regular basis. What other "surprises" they have in store we will have to wait and see but for now the future is looking better for AT-43.

Speaking of AT-43, there were more pictures of the Cogs released and it looks like someone in charge agreed that the whole orange thing was totally ridiculous. This is what the new Cogs look like.

This is a definite improvement over the old paint scheme. After all, who doesn't like red body armor? No news at to a release date for the Cogs yet but from the announcement also said that a new release plan should be coming soon.

Another thing of note is the new format for the attachment boxes that will be coming out in Wave 9 but more on that in the next issue. (Don't you just love teasers?)

On the 40k side of things, there are only two major releases coming out at the end of the month; the Realm of Battle Game Board (which you can see pictured below) and the Scenery Painting Pack.

Both of these are...interesting products. The board looks cool and the Scenery Pack seems to have a lot of useful items in it for terrain building but the price...youch! The Game Board comes in a $200 while the scenery pack is another $40. Sure this is not a bad idea but I mean really, why would anyone spend that kind of money on this stuff when you can get it elsewhere for much, much less? Great concept guys, but I just can't see this as being worth it. I'd much rather buy a ton of miniatures instead.

What A Tangled Web We Weave...
A Look Inside the Gamer Mind

Bringing Your Game Up A Notch

In the last Dispatch I talked about bringing your game down a notch for friendly games. This time we are going to take it back up again for the serious stuff.

Leagues and tournaments are great ways to get in some more competitive games. What you are playing for varies (anything from pure fame and glory all the way up to cold hard cash) but the idea remains the same; you are there to win. Period. Well, almost anyway but more on that later.

When you are preparing for a tournament, it is important to remember that you need to have an army list that is flexible and can handle a variety of situations. It is all well and good to have a rock hard force to crush your enemies but if you can't take control of objectives then you might be heading straight for disaster. Controlling objectives in the game is a key aspect in both AT-43 and 40k, but in both cases this can only be done by certain units. You need to make sure that you include enough of these unit to be able to take the objectives and also weather the storm of enemy fire as they try to take those objectives away from you. Skimp on these core units and you will wind up with an army that can't do the basic things you need to win.

Once you get to actually playing the game, it is vital to remember just what your objective is. While it can be a ton of fun to just blast your enemies apart, it may be all for naught if you ignore your victory conditions and lose the game. Staying focused should be simple enough to do but getting distracted during the game can be even easier. I know that I can think of a few times that I became so focused on destroying a unit that before I knew it the game was over and getting sidetracked by my bloodthirsty little rampage had cost me the game. Stay focused, secure your objectives, then kick butt in the time you have left.

The final and most important thing is make sure that both you and your opponent are having fun. When the game start to go your way it is easy to get carried away and before you know it you start saying things that could rub your opponent the wrong way. Nobody likes a sore winner so try to keep this in mind before the trash talk really starts to fly.

The opposite of this can happen as well. You can get angry and frustrated by how poorly your army is preforming and all of a sudden the whole gaming experience has gone to hell in a hand basket. I have been on the receiving end of this frustration before and let me tell you it is no fun! I actually had such a bad experience that after winning that particular game I was literally ready to pack up and put the lot on Ebay as soon as I got home. My opponent told me later that he was just frustrated how poorly his army kept performing but even so the incident left a bitter taste in my mouth that has kept me from playing the game again. Sore winners can be bad but a sore loser can be a thousand times worse.

This wraps up our dive into the gamers mind on bringing your "A" game but remember that the most important thing is to always make sure that everybody has a good time. After all, it is just a game.

From The Workbench
the Next Big WAAAGH!!!

Since the last Dispatch, I have managed to add some more details to my Kommandos to really make them stand out from the rest of the Boyz. The first of these modifications were face masks quickly followed by some backpacks.

The metal Kommando minis made by GW are wearing a cloth over their faces so by using a little bit of ProCreate epoxy I was able to make the same thing on mine. The backpacks are made by Pig Iron Productions and come on a metal sprue with seven backpacks and twelve pouches. The main downside to these is that they are a little small of Orks (gettin' inna doz pouches wud be fiddly) but I still like the effect that they add to the miniatures. I have also been able to get ahold of some burna bits for my Kommando heavy weapon troops along with more Boyz so I will be able to field the full mob of fifteen Kommandos if I want to. Bigger is always better with the Orks so it is good to have that option.

I also made some changes my Kommando Nob Skumgrot Nazshak to give him that extra "punch" in close combat.

First I cut off his big choppa just above the wrist. This is a breeze to do because the plastics are soft enough that I could actually do it with just an x-acto knife. Next, I took an old Space Marine power fist that I had lying around and I cut it off at the wrist as well. Then I pinned the fist onto his arm and used some more ProCreate to sculpt a bandage around the join. Voila! Instant Nob with power klaw. I also like the position of the power fist because it looks like he is waving his troops forward as they sneak up on their enemy.

Some changes were also made to Mad Doc Gutsnaga. In addition to a surgical mask and apron, he finally has the needle on his syringe! Yay!

I actually did this after I accidentally broke off the old syringe but I really like how the new one turned out so it was all for the best. The only downside right now is that I still have to get my hands on some Grots for the Mad Doc and my Nobz. I had wanted to wait until the new plastics were released but I think that I might be better off getting the Warhammer Fantasy Goblins and converting them just so that I can get them onto the table.

For the core of my horde of Orky goodness, I have been able to pick up a bunch of Ork Boyz minis putting me well on the way to having a pretty good sized army. My primary focus for my troops is going to be boyz with sluggas and choppas but I want to field a unit or two of shoota boyz as well to give my horde a little bit of range. To give them a little bit of maneuverability on the battlefield I am going to mount them in a trukk but there is a twist. Instead of using a regular Ork trukk I am converting a Tau Devilfish.

As you can tell this is still a work in progress but so far I am pretty happy with how it is turning out. I especially like what I have been able to do for the new engines on this thing but more on that in a future Dispatch...

And The Parting Shot

Well, that just about wraps it up for this issue of the Dispatch but before I go there is some good news; more battle reports will be coming soon! A new LGS just opened up much closer to my house and the owner is really interested in getting some in store 40k happening so once I get a little more work done on my Orks the battle reports will be back!

Well, that's all for now but until next time, may all of your dice come up Dragons!

The Sin City Dispatch #3

Hey everyone, welcome to the new home of the Sin City Dispatch!!!

In this episode of the Dispatch, we will be looking at the latest releases for both AT-43 and Warhammer 40,000. Next I have a new segment where we delve deep into the mind of the gamer... and try not to touch all those bizarre squishy bits. You never no where they have been. Last but not least we will be taking another look at the Workbench to see how my Waaagh!!! is coming along in all of its green glory. So sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

Incoming!!!
Upcoming Releases for AT-43 and Warhammer 40,000

The big news for AT-43 right now is that Fantasy Flight Games will no longer be distributing either this game or Confrontation. There seems to be no official word from Rackham about what is going on except some remarks about a big announcement later this month. After my time with Mongoose Publishing and all of their wonderful "big announcements", this really doesn't seem to boad well for the game but only time will tell exactly what will happen.

In sharp contrast, the Games Workshop front has a number of new releases for the Space Marines that have already hit the shelves. I am not going to touch on all of them but there are a few that really piqued my interest.

The Sternguard are one of the new elite choices that are available for the Marines.

Proving some serious ranged support, the Sternguard have a number of ammo options that they can choose from which really gives them the ability to handle almost any situation on the battlefield. I have even heard that they can all be equipped with their own combi weapons which is a nasty little trick. Kit a bunch of them out with combi flamers and then say goodbye to those cover saves! As for the models themselves, they are certainly not bad but they are kind of pricey especially if you are going to be fielding a full unit of ten. Personally I think that I am going to use the regular Tactical Marines with various bits to make my own Sternguard.

The Vanguard squad is another one of the new elite choices that the Marines can field.

Equipped with power weapons, these guys pack a nasties punch than the regular Assault Marines and they are able to Deep Strike in using their jump packs. The downside is again the miniatures. They look cool and all but with true line of sight would you really want a bunch of guys that are that high off of their bases? Then there is the cost which is pretty high for these ones as well, making this another unit that I would rather just convert some of the plastic Marines so that I could field them.

On the vehicle front there is the new Land Raider Redeemer

Equipped with a twin-linked assault cannon and two massive flamers, this beast will let you charge right through your enemies lines before openning up to unleash its payload of Marines. The kit can also be used to make the Crusader variant but personally I don't know how you could pass up on those flamers.

The last one that I am going to cover is the one that I have loved the concept of ever since I first saw them in the old Rogue Trader. The Space Marine drop pod.

While drop pods have been made by Forge World before, this is the first time that they have been available for a reasonable price. Now you can finally field the Marines the way that they were intended, as the Angels of Death falling from the sky to smite the heretic! Yep, I love these things. And as an added plus you can equip them with a Deathwind launcher so that you can start dropping templates on you enemies while your Marines charge into combat. What's there not to love about this?

One other thing which is not out just yet but should be coming soon (at least that's what I'm hoping anyway...) is plastic Grots. Yes, that's right. Soon it will be possible to field a reasonably priced Grot shield for your Ork horde. What is there not to love about that? Appearing to be almost the same as the current metal minis, the new plastic Grots are supposed to be a one piece figure. And the great part is that now I don't have to convert a bunch of Warhammer Fantasy Goblins to make my Grots. The Orks just keep getting better and better.

What A Tangled Web We Weave...
A Look Inside the Gamer Mind

Bringing the Your Game Down A Notch

Your first thought might be "What a minute. Doesn't he mean up? Why would I possibly want to take it down a notch?" Normally I would agree but read on and you will see what I am talking about.

As gamers we get together with others to have a good time pushing around some miniatures and maybe win a couple of games. In some cases you want to bring your A game; tournaments, leagues, when you are playing that really annoying guy that no one can beat. In these cases, there is nothing wrong with making you list a hard one and bringing the hammer down on your opponent. Friendly games are a beast of another color though as these are usually just played to have a good time. This can make them the perfect opportunity to just go a little crazy and try some things that you normally wouldn't.

A good example of this would be try an very vehicle heavy list in AT-43. Since most vehicles can't control objectives you are really putting yourself at a disadvantage but visually it would look pretty cool to just see a ton of walkers out on the board.

Conversely, you could try the opposite end of the spectrum and go infantry heavy. This option would be especially hard against an opponent that can throw out a lot of indirect fire templates but it would be one heck of a challenge. Heck, you might even stumble on a new tactic to try out in the next "serious" game that you play. The great thing about doing this kind of thing is these games are just you and your friends having a good time and maybe a laugh or two as well, even if it is just because of how crazy that list was.

So remember; bring your "A" game to the tourneys but if you are just playing with friends then don't sweat it. Just get out there and have some fun!

From The Workbench
the Next Big WAAAGH!!!

As I mentioned before, I have had family in town so unfortunately I have not had as much time to work on my army as I would like. Even so, there has been some progress made so let's take a look, shall we?

First up is my Warboss, Wazgul Dakagrub.

Nothing special here really, I just like the miniature so I wanted to put up his picture. I might add a little something to it to personalize it but on the whole I think that GW did a great job with it.

Next up is the leader of my Nobz unit, Mornob Ursog.

Mornob is a really basic conversion as all I did was build my own Waaagh pole for him. The pole itself and the cross piece are just a piece of sprue cut to size while I cut the glyph out of some spare styrene sheet that I had lying around. As a finishing touch, I added a skull with a top knot that I had chopped off one of the other Nob minis.

Next up is Mad Doc Gutsnaga, the painboy for my Nobz.

Instead of using a Nob mini for him, I decided to just convert a regular Ork boy. His back pole and glyph were made out of more of the spare styrene though the pole itself it actually a small I girder. To make his bone saw, I just cut off the end of his choppa and carved some saw teeth into it.

The 'urty syringe was a little more involved though I am having a heck of a time finishing it. I cut off the barrel of his slugga and then attached the clip to the top of this piece to make the back half of the syringe. The tube that forms the main body of the syringe is actually just part of a stirring straw that I cut down. I added a few bits of styrene to this just to add some detail but the real problem is the needle. I had cut a piece of styrene and glued it on but it broke off pretty easily so I am not quite sure what I am going to do to fix it. Maybe some brass rod or part of a paper clip so that it is stronger. I also still need to do some putty work on the Doc so that I can add a surgical mask and an apron. More pics of that once it is finished.

Rounding out my HQ choices (at least for now) is my Warphead Gorbog.

I have heard that weird boyz aren't very useful in the game but I really liked the idea of making my own just for the fun of it. Just like the Gutsnaga mini, I went with the regular boy for his figure. It seemed really fitting in this case since I see the weird boyz as some kind of runt compared to the rest of the Orks. For his staff I just cut the head off of his choppa and then added a top knot to the bottom of the handle. To top it all off, I drilled out a spare Marine head that I had lying around and stuck it on the top.

Just like Gutsnaga, Gorbog is not done either. I want to try to make some Waaagh lightning out off some thin wire and the have it shooting out of his eyes, hand, and the Marine helmet. I have never tried anything like this before (painting lightning yes, making lightning no) so I am not sure how it will work out but I am excited to see what I can come up with.

Last of my conversions from the Black Reach set is Wortslag Gorgut, the Nob leading the Boyz.

This one is another pretty easy conversion as I just added a back pole with a glyph but this time I also added a Marine shoulder pad for a bit of flavor.

As you can see, all of these are for the most part pretty minor changes and additions to the basic miniature but I really like the way that they have added to the whole flavor of the force. Now I just need to get them painted but more on that later.

And The Parting Shot...

Well that about wraps it up for this issue but I wanted to share this picture before I went.

This is a scratch built Chaos Warhound Titan. This is done in scale for 40k which means that it probably stands about 12 inches tall. The really sick thing is it is made out of paper. Isn't it amazing what you can do if you put your mind to it? Wonder how many paper cuts he got while he was making it...

Well, that is all for now but until next time may all of you dice come up paper Dragons. :)

Sin City Dispatch #2

Hey everyone and welcome to the second issue of the Sin City Dispatch

In this issue we will start by taking a quick look at the latest pictures Rackham has released of the Cogs. Most of it we have seen before but there is a little something extra as well. The rest of the issue will be all about the box of plastic goodness that is the Assault on Black Reach. So sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

Incoming!!!
Upcoming releases for AT-43 and Warhammer 40,000

Since the last issue of the Dispatch Rackham has actually released two issues of Cry Havoc Online, both of which have some pictures of the Cogs that we have never seen before. One of the most startling ones (for me at least) is the picture of what they look like without a helmet on.

I hate to say it but this is nothing like I expected them too look. From the concept pictures I think a lot of people were under the impression that the Cogs were somewhat Cthulhuian (does that word actually exist?) in appearance but this looks more like a typical Grey from Hollywood. I hate to say it again but this is another disappointment in my book. I am sure that just like the Karmans some people will like the look of these minis but I am really finding that I am falling into the camp of those who don't.

There is also another preview picture of the Cogs but this time it is what looks like their type III infantry.

The pros of these minis are the sculpts look kind of cool with an Anime flair to them. The problems is the paint job. Again with the orange! At first glance they look like some kind of an alien construction crew or chain gang instead of a powerful faction that was able to put the hurt on the Therians until the Karmans were thrown into the war. Something that looks worrying from a play point of view is the variety of weapons these guys have. It might be that these are from various type III units (such as the various types of the TacArms for example) but if they are just one unit then having that jumble of weapons could have an impact on how effective they are in combat. Of course only time will tell how good or bad any of the Cogs are but so far I am really not sure about the direction they are taking with them.

On the 40k front, this month is all about the Space Marines baby! Of all the releases, the new Codex is without a doubt the most important one.

Coming in at 144 pages, it will include all of the rules for fielding a Space Marine Chapter so if you are looking to build that Marine chapter that you have always dreamed of or you just want to see what new nasties they will be fielding, then this is a must buy. The bad news is that this is the first Codex that will fall under the new pricing, coming in a $30. On the plus side, this book is bigger than most of the current Codexes by at least 40 pages so it should have a bunch of new goodies and information in there.

A majority of the remaining releases are new minis for the Marines (including a plastic Drop Pod kit!) though there is one other product that really jumps to my attention and it is something that I will definitely be picking up; the Dice Cube.

For a mere $6 you get 27 20mm dice inside of a giant die. How could any gamer pass one that one? "I think I'll use the giant die for this roll." Plus the price actually isn't half bad so I would definitely recommend grabbing at least one of these right away.

To find out more about these items and the other new releases, head on over to their site and check out the Advanced Orders for 40k.

Taking a Closer Look at...
Assault on Black Reach

Cracking Open the Box

Everyone knows that there is nothing worse than opening a game only to realize that you just paid for a box full of air. The good news is that this is not something you need to worry about with Black Reach. From top to bottom, this box is packed full of stuff. In addition to the four sprues of minis, there is also a small version of the rulebook and a starter book. As far as I can tell the rulebook contains all of the information that the hardcover has (minus the fluff and color painting sections) while the starter book is more of a basic overview of how the game plays with a bunch of full color pictures thrown in as well. All of the templates that you need are also right in the box as well as some dice. Definitely not enough dice in the long run but it is a start in the right direction. A scatter die is also included so overall you are ready to go right out of the box once you have assembled the minis.

Taking a Closer Look

Looking at the miniatures, the first thing that struck me was the level of detail. From purity seals to scroll work, they managed to get it all in there. The symbol for the Tactical squad is even sculpted into the shoulder pads! And it is not just the Marines that received the love either as the Orks are very detailed miniatures as well. From my own experience, I think that this is great. While it might seem that having the extra detail just means that the figs would be harder to paint, I think that the opposite is true. With the higher level of detail, everything is so well defined it really seems to make the figure much easier to paint so I am really looking forward to getting to the painting. First I just need to cut them all off the sprue, assemble, and prime them. Definitely different than the AT-43 "open the box and go" feel but I am still really excited about these which really says something to me.

And The Verdict Is...

So is Assault on Black Reach worth the $60 price tag? In a word, definitely. The hardcover version of the rulebook alone costs $50, while you get all of the information that you need in a smaller size in Black Reach plus a ton of miniatures for an extra $10. In fact I have heard about a number of people getting two, three or even more sets of Black Reach just because of the value in the miniatures. Heck, I know that's what I am going to do.

From the Workbench
the Next Big WAAAAGH!!!

After some slow progress to start with, I have finally assembled most of my Orks from the Black Reach set though I am doing it slightly different from the what the box lists the contents as being. Rather than fielding a twenty strong Boyz mob I have decided to split the group and I have assembled them as a twelve strong Boyz mob and an eight strong Kommando mob, both of which are lead by a Nob. This is actually pretty easy to do and make them somewhat different as I simply used the helmeted Ork heads for my Kommandos while the rest of my Orks running around with a bare head. Here is a picture of the Kommandos...

And the regular Boyz...

To take it a step further, I am looking for some seperate backpacks that I can mount on the Kommandos to give them the appropriate "military-wannabe" look. This will really make them stand apart from the "regular" Orks (if there is such a thing...) by giving them a very unique look. Combined with just the other miniatures from Black Reach (the Deffkoptas, the small Nobz mob, the Warboss, and the other conversions that I will be doing with just this set) this should go together to make a pretty good starter force for my Ork horde. It is by no means finished of course but it is definitely a solid start to getting my Waaaaagh!!! underway.

And that is all for the issue of the Dispatch! Be sure to come back for soon for more Sin City goodness and until then, may all of your dice come up Dragons!