Adepticon Display Board WIP

So I haven't been posting very much this month because I am in FULL PANIC MODE finishing things up for Adepticon!!!

What I have left
1- FINISH THIS DISPLAY BOARD. Which I am actually close on. Ideally this weekend.
2- Base 2 Necromunda guys and submit my list
3- Paint 5 tactical marines arms and back packs
4- Paint a Rhino
5- Try an paint Kato Kiyomasa (nice to have, but not required) for crystal brush.
6- Download all the rules I need to a tablet (and reread them all!)

But I thought I would take a moment to share the progress I have made thus far on my team's display board. Remember these are just WIP. As well I am pretty much doing this between 9pm and 12am everyday right now. So apologies for some of the poor pictures.

Basic Layout

How do you quickly texture terrain? Grout!

Both building have had slight modifications since these pictures, but these are close enough. No airbrush, all done with drybrushing, washes and weathering powders. Tried my hand at OSL as well.

My phone was dead for the process, but I used a razor like this to dig out the foam to the level I needed. In the future I would likely just cut it out entirely and then just put some other filler, like cheap linoleum tiles, down to raise the courtyard stone (seen below)

Cheap slate tile found in the bathroom/tile section of a hardware store. I late filled the crevices with grout just as if it was on the bathroom floor.

Well there you have it. Expect to see the completed version by Monday! feel free to ask any questions in the comments!

Viable Dreadnought Strategy? (and 2k list)

Dreadnoughts. We all love them. They are ICONIC 40k. But we all can also agree on one thing

They aren't good.

For their point cost, they underperform and are too easily destroyed.

However, there may be a way to make them "work"

First of all, this is for Iron Clad Dreadnoughts. Sorry if you had your heart set on another type of dread, but that is what this strategy calls for. Well that OR a Relic Leviathan Dreadnought from FW. (rules here from FW) Works with that too.

Note, the "Relic of Darkness" rule states: " A model with this special rule may not benefit from any rules or bonuses usually conferred by being part of a particular Chapter, detachment or formation."
BUT Kantor's rule and the Honour Guard are not conveying their bonuses in such a manner (chapter tactics, detachment or fomation bonus) and as such he can still benefit from them.

So first of all you have to take Pedro Kantor. So if you DON'T want Imp Fists Chapter Tactics, once more, sorry. I know this keeps getting more and more restrictive, but this is for people who want DREADS above all.

What Pedro does is gives you +1 A for all units within 12" of Kantor (for models from his detachment). Next you take an Honour Guard with the Standard of the Emperor Ascendant which also gives +1 A to all friendly models within 12".

Now go back and look at your Iron Clads. With 4 A base and 2 x CCW, they get 6 Attacks on the charge, now 8 so long as they are withing 12" of Kantor and his Honour Guard. If you want to use your specialist weapon rules, you still get 7 Attacks! Leviathans are much the same way! Alternatively you could use some contemptors, though you are sacrificing some attacks and armour for shooting, though they do have their shield.

But what about delivery you ask? Why yes, delivery. Well first of all Ironclads are 13 Front 13 Side Armour. Leviathans are 13/13/12! AND HAS A SHIELD! So that can really help. BUT the answer is Lucius Drop Pods, which give the dreads Shrouded the turn they arrive.

How can you make that work even better?
1- Locator Beacons- Available on Storm Ravens and Scout Bikers
2- Inquisitor Servo Skulls
3- Drop Pod Assault - make sure all your dreads come in TOGETHER, set them up back to back, or back to back to back, to prevent shots on rear armour.

So here is a quick 2k list I put together to demonstrate the concept.

HQ- Pedro Kantor
Elites- Honour Guard(5): Co Champ, 3 x HG w/ Power Sword, 1 x HG w/ Power Axe, Standard of the Emperor Ascendant
Elites- Ironclad Dreadnought: Lucius Drop Pod, Seismic Hammer, Storm Bolter, Meltagun
Elites- Ironclad Dreadnought: Lucius Drop Pod, Chainfist. Meltagun, Storm Bolter
Troops- Tactical Squad (5)- Grav-gun, Sarge w/ Combi-grav, Drop Pod
Troops- Tactical Squad (5)- Grav-gun, Sarge w/ Combi-grav, Drop Pod
Troops- Scout Squad (6)- 5 x Sniper Rifles, Heavy Bolter, Camo Cloaks
Fast Attack- Drop Pod
Fast Attack- Scout Bikes (3)- Locator Beacon, 1 x Astartes Grenade Launcher
Heavy Support- Relic Leviathan Dreadnought: 2 x Siege Claw w/ Melta-gun, Lucius Drop Pod
Heavy Support- Centurion Devastator Squad: Omni-scope, 2 x Grav Cannon w/ Grav Amp & Hurricane Bolters, 1 x TL Lascannon & Missile Launcher
Heavy Support- Storm Raven Gunship: TL Assault Cannons, TL Multi-Meltas, Locator Beacon

How the list works:
You use your scout bikers infiltrate ability to position well for a Locator Beacon first turn deployment of your 3 dreadnoughts. You can easily block LoS for your Scout Bikers with these BIG drop pods and big dreads. Then keep those bikers alive at least until you bring your Storm Raven in loaded with Kantor and the Honour Guard. What is really nice is that it is an assault vehicle for your power weapon wielding, fearless, preferred enemy (ork) +2A, 6 Attacks on the charge Honour Guard PLUS Kantor and a Company Champion!
Then you have 2 locator beacons on the table for the rest of your drop pods. Hopefully, you can get your tac squads last for some late game objective grabs.
Sniper Scouts are for objective camping. Heavy Bolter is to make best use of the Imp Fists doctrine (and I had exactly 8 points left).
Cent Devs are really good for Imperial Fists. With tank hunters, they can do some damage, and the omni-scope allows you to split fire and have the Lascannon/Missile Launcher guy blow up vehicles while the other two use their Grav-Cannons and Hurricane bolters (which ALSO benefit from Imp Fist doctrine) kill off infantry.
And since you are Imp Fists, NEVER FORGET ALL YOUR DROP PODS HAVE STORM BOLTERS. 12 additional shots rerolling 1s each turn can add up (Sorry, forgot the pods don't have Chapter Tactics).

What Codex Deathwatch should look like

So the new overkill board game and all the Death Watch and Genestealer Cult Minis has a lot of people talking about possible 40k rules and releases. There is some debate over what a Death Watch army should be, or even if they need a codex.

I wrote a while back HOW you can actually play DW right now using Codex SM (CHECK IT OUT! Seriously a great way to do it), but still, it isn't an exact fit. Do they need a full codex? Tough. Before I sat down to write this I would have said "A supplement is fine" but then I really did fill out a Force Org. Maybe a smaller codex, like Imperial Knights...

SO lets do a break down (all links are to Lexicanum)

HQ-

Epistolary- The must have choice. The fluffiest of all the HQ Choices for the Army. Give access to some pretty wicked psychic relics and he will feel like he is a super Librarian, as it should be.

Watch Captain- Should have the Stat-line of a Chapter Master and any relics not specifically for buffing a psyker should make him a Monstrous Creature killing BEAST.

Chaplain- Standard Fair to round out the HQ choice. Maybe he gives "Preferred Enemy" versus all Xenos races?

Elites-

Keeper Squad- These guys are your Veterans amongst Veterans. They have all taken the Oath of the Long Vigil and will be with the Deathwatch until DEATH. These guys should be a CC oriented squad in the army, pretty much working like and feeling like a Vanguard Veteran Squad. Maybe they come with Preferred Enemy: Xenos without having to include a chaplain or warlord trait. Maybe the true grit type rule below.

1st Company Veterans- These are the Terminators. They should work more akin to Wolf Guard or Death Wing terminators, allowing you to mix and match Shooty and Assault. Possibly give them special ammo like Sternguard/Kill Teams. Maybe Tartaros Armour?

Tech Marine- Upgradable to a Forgemaster perhaps, for a boosted stat-line. Accees to some crazy weapons, like a conversion beamer. No Servitors though.

Champion- Like the 30k champions or Space Wolves Lone Wolves, except give this guy Ind Character so he can also join squads. Maybe better to think of him as a mix of a Lone Wolf and an Emperor's Champion. Just a CC beast, who can go on his own or in a squad (eternal warrior mayhaps?) with some sort of spiffy strike at I AP2 sword. Fearless for sure.

Troops-

Kill Teams- Essentially Sternguard Veterans. Special Issue ammo. Access to some pretty spiffy special weapon upgrades. Sergeant Upgradable to a ML 1 Librarian. Apothecary optional for squad as well, to get some FNP goodness.

Fast Attack-

Assault Team- A kill team with CC weapons and Jump Packs. I would say jump packs are NOT removable in this case.

Bike Squad- A kill team on bikes. Until OVERWATCH dropped, I wouldn't have even included this, but apparently they use them still. Maybe make a homing beacon standard on them.

Kill Marine- A single marine with Infiltrate, Scout and Stealth or Shrouded, and ability to buy a Teleport Homer or Locator beacon. Not an Independent Character. Fearless and the "True Grit" rule I listed below.

Drop Pods, Rhinos, Razorbacks- Standard fare. Maybe be able to get overcharged engines?

Heavy Support

Dreadnoughts- Since the DW rely on quick strikes, this is one of the heaviest things in their arsenal, thus the spot of Heavy Support vice Elites. Give it the Venerable rule automatically, and maybe some cool wargear, such as the Blood Angels Frag Cannon and Conversion Beamers.

Centurions- Since this is something all Space Marines are trained in as part of their vehicle training, it makes sense that the Death Watch would know how to use it. And they could easily have need of it, employing the heavy armour in lieu of vehicles.Maybe allow them to mix assault and devastator cents. Give their hurricane bolters special issue ammo.

Land Raiders- One of the few vehicles they would use, for storming only the most fortified of Xenos strongholds or to match the power of bio-titans.

Storm Raven Gunships- The instertion methods of choice probably. Small, fast and heavily armed.  Perfect for a single kill team. Maybe make it available as a dedicated transport? The fact it can carry a dread too is a big boon in this case.

Some additional concepts that would fit...

LOW
Chapter Master Special Character- Something new. I think it would be a really cool opportunity to choose as offbeat Chapter, like Exorcists, Howling Griffons or Star Phantoms, or something as to yet undefined in the fluff that much.

Formations-
Other than the named Kill Teams from Overwatch...

DW Insertion Force- Storm Raven, Dread, Kill Team. Benefits: Turn 1 Arrival, can't be intercepted at a min.

DW Relic Guardians- Chaplain, Champion, Keeper Squads- Ob Sec like in the new Daemon Formation, where they can hold an objective even if them move off of it. Maybe some cool charge bonus when charging units on/holding objectives.

Some special upgrades
Black Shield- An option for a character. Gives them Crusader and Relentless maybe, as they have something to atone for?
Long Vigil- I am torn between saying this should just be like upgrading to a Vet Sarge and something more impressive. Maybe it is a table you roll on to see what skill they have acquired on their extended watch.
Suspensors- Makes a model with a Heavy Weapon Relentless.
Stummers- Grants a unit Stealth or Shrouded and Move Through Cover
True Grit- bring this back. Basically, allows them to assault after firing rapid fire.

As for a Detachment or Decurion style detachment, I am not. Best I can come up with is as I type this, so here we go

Death Watch Strike Force

Command- Captain, Librarian, Chaplain

Core- 3 x Kill teams

Auxilary- DW Armoured Det- Techmarine and 1-3 of LR, Dread
Auxilary- Boarding Force- 1-3 Terminators, 0-1 Centurions
Auxilary- Assault Force- 2 x Assault, 1 x Bike, 0-2 Storm Ravens

Can't think of more off the top of my head. Any ideas, post in the comments!

"WHY NO INQUISITORS?" You ask. Well simple. You don't need to include them in seventh. With multiple detachments making up a battleforged army, and codex inquisition having a SINGLE Inquisitor being its own detachment, you can just easily do that. There is no need to clutter DW with yet another set of Inquisitor rules.

Blood Angels Librarian Dreadnought

A completed Blood Angels Librarian Dreadnought. Nothing too special, though I did add the banner from an Ironclad Dreadnought kit. The iconography on it signifies the rank of Epistolary (as I assume only an Epistolary would warrant a dreadnought). I named him "Zoroaster". Stole the name from a TV show (comment if you know which one!). He will be going to Adepticon for use in a certain game. Not sure how much battle he will see outside of that. Let us hope dreads improve in the future.

Humour: 30k Presidential Campaign Posters Part 2

In light of Super Tuesday, I thought I'd make a few more and share them.

If you missed part 1, click here! (Incl the Emperor, Malcador, Horus, Angron, Russ and more)

Just made 4 more Presidential posters, so you can back the candidate that truly represents you this season