Sin City Dispatch #10: Bring on the Sneaky Gitz!

Hey everyone, and welcome to issue #10 of the Dispatch!

In this issue, we are coming to check out the new releases that will be hitting the shelves for 40k in Incoming!!! Next, we will again go to the Workbench to take a look at my brand new Brood Lord. He might look like C'thulu to you, but it works for me! Then we will head out to BattleZone Comics for another Battle Report as I square off against Matt again, but this time I have a trick up my sleeve... Last but not least, we will wrap things up with a new segment called Feedback (creative, ain't it?). This is where we will take a look at comments from readers just like you! So without further ado, sit down and strap in because we are about to hit the ground running!

Incoming!!!
Upcoming releases for Warhammer 40,000

This will be a big month for the Ork as we hit Janu-Waaagh-ry moving flat out in a Go Fasta Red Trukk! First up is the long awaited Battlewagon.

Weighing in at a whooping 113 pieces, this kit lets you customize your battlewagon in almost any way imaginable. 'ard top, open top, big shootas, kannon, the list goes on and on. There have been some complaints that this model is not big enough but when you consider all of the bitz that come in the kit, it would be hard to pass up on this model. Even if you just use parts of it for conversions, this model is well worth the money.

Next up is the new Ork Nob plastic kit.

With almost as many pieces in it as the Battlewagon, this new Nob kit gives you a massive range of options so that you can kit these brutes out virtually any way that you want. Combine a ton of options with great looking minis and this one is another must buy for an Ork player.

Up next is another new and improved kit, the Ork Stormboyz.

It used to be that you had to buy seperate metal jet packs to mount on your plastic boyz to make a unit of Stormboyz, but not anymore! With their own boxed set hitting the shelves, these are another great set of minis. With lots of options and even more character, this is another set that I can see Ork players picking up because it is another really nice set. Tons of options, tons of bitz, and some nice looking minis to boot.

Isn't it fitting that one of the last releases in Janu-Waaagh-ry is the new Gretchin mob?

Packed with a runtherd and ten gretchin, this is a great value and means that people will finally be able to field massive units of gretchin bullet shields without spending a ton of cash. When you add in the modeling possibilities (riggers, ammo runts, and orderlies...), this is another must buy for any serious Ork player. After all, even if you don't field them as a unit, just think how much better your Warboss will feel knowing that his grot is there for good swift kick when things aren't going his way.

From the Workbench
Build Your Own Brood Lord

As I mentioned in the last issue of the Dispatch, I decided to make my own Brood Lord instead of buying the one that is currently in production. Why would I do this? No real reason to be honest. The model that is in production is not a bad looking mini but since I had some Warriors on hand I figured I might as well try my hand at converting one of them into my Brood Lord. After all, practice makes perfect, right?

As I mentioned before, I decided to use one of the old metal Tyranid warrior heads for my Brood Lord but I still needed to add some tentacles since he has feeder tendrils. To make this stronger, I actually drilled a hole in the jaw of the head so that the putty could go straight through and wrap around the front to give it a stronger hold. Once this was done, it was easy enough to roll out some tentacles and add them to the front to complete the look. With this done, it was just a case of adding some rending claws and scything talons to the mini and voila! Instant Brood Lord!

As I said, it does look a little C'thulhu-esque and it is definitely not the same as the stock Brood Lord but I like it and that is what really matters, right? Well, that and the fact that it was basically free. What's not to like about that, right?

In the next Workbench, I'll be working on something. Haven't decided exactly what but I am thinking that it will be more for the Cult as I would like to finish that before I get off onto to much of a tangent. Either way, we'll find out soon!

Feedback...
It's Only Bad When You Don't Want It

In the past, I have just responded to comments on the blog right on the blog. This is all well and good, but I want to try something new to for a change so I am going to start responding to any comments right in the Dispatch. I always love to get any kind of Feedback and maybe this will encourage more people to leave it.

To get this rolling, I have this comment from Teneb.

"Just wanted to drop a quick comment - I'm a new AT-43 gamer and stumbled upon your blog. It's entertaining to read, and I find myself checking back often. Thanks for contributing to the community!

-Teneb"

Thank you very much for your kind words, Teneb. I have fun typing it up and it's great to know that there are people out there who are enjoying it too.

As for AT-43, I hope that you are also enjoying the game as much as I did. It is a very fast paced game compared to some of the others out there and I really like how it incorporates the command aspect into the game as well. Wanna cripple your opponent? Have those snipers start pegging his officers and heros, then we'll see just how effective his army really is!

That wraps up the Feedback for this issue, but if you have something you want to say feel free to drop me a line. Good, bad, or even just random comments are always welcome, so go ahead and start typing!

The Parting Shot...

Well, that about wraps it up for this issue of the Dispatch. What's that? The Battle Report? No, I didn't forget, I just decided to save that for the next issue. I did tell you that I had a trick up my sleeve, remember? : ) Be sure to come back to here about the game as it was a cliff hanger but until then, may all of your dice come up Dragons!

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 #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!