Blood Angels 2010: My hopes, wants and fears.

Well Bell of Lost Souls put up in their rumours saying that Blood Angels are potentially up for a early to mid 2010 codex. So I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on that happening.

What I'd like to see
-New fluff. Ample amounts.
-New minis. I know years ago they put up a new Sanguinary High Priest model in the previews that they had on the old site.
-Corrections making me the same as current SM. I am talking about LR capacity and updated wargear (3+ Thunder Shields).
-Librarians able to buy Jump Packs and not have to waste a psychic power to move like one. Wings can stay for termie librarians, but power armour ones get screwed by it.
-Some way to make my army definatively CC again. Right now I'd say BT are more so then my guys. Maybe BA tactical marines would all have a Bolter, Pistol and CCW. Furious Charge maybe a little much, but giving it to Vet Assault Marines would be nice, especially since normal marine lists have 2 types of Vets with far more flexibility (AP 3 Bolters anyone). So putting the ability on them wouldn't be awfull and would make them worth taking over normal assault marines (who are scoring).
Maybe a cool RED THIRST rule. Roll a D6. That turn they have fleet on a roll of something. Kinda like the old 3rd ed. but is simpler and clearer in game sequence.

What I wouldn't mind seeing
-Tycho being cut/changed. He isn't very usefull and is one of the last characters of his type that is only beneficial against one army (Orcs in his case).
-Assault Squads as Troops or Fast Attack. Usually doesn't make a difference, but it can in certain cases. Doubt this one happens, and could care less if it did.

Things I don't want/shouldn't happen
-Death Company becoming a Force Org slot bought like a normal unit. Keep them how they are.
-Losing Vet Assault Squads for Vanguard/Sternguard. I am Blood Angels, not Ultrasmurfs.

So what do you all have to say about it?

More Conversions and Commissions: Soulgrinder and Marines

Blood Angels 2nd Co 3rd Squad Tactical Marine


My 2nd Company Captain. He uses the Emperor's Champion Model. Thunderhammer is a Terminator Thunderhammer cut off behing the gauntlet attached to a normal SM arm. I used a piece of guitar string for the power cable. TIP: If you use guitar string, make sure to have wire cutters. Scissors/Hobby Knives won't cut it easily. A pair of plyers (needle nose) is best to bend it to how you need it.

This is the Be'Lakor Model you can see painted here. Primed.

All these next ones are a Nugle Soulgrinder I was commissioned to do. I added the gut, and used the extra defiler claw to make the right arm. The little rider on the back is from the Epidemius model. I added some skulls. 3 on the chest for a Nurgle symbol. 2 on the front of the lower hull. I moved the Harvester gun to the bottom of the model since the claw couldn't really have it on it. I also green stuffed over the left eye so it would only have one eye. Snapped the right horn, and with green stuff, made the left horn curved and melded it into the green stuff covering its eye.

Where did my Inks go?

Okay, so I know everyone likes these new washes, and I'll admit they have their uses and are nice BUT that does not make them the greatest things.I for one miss Inks. While washes are somewhat easier to use, they don't perform all the rolls that inks did.

Washes
1- They don't run as well into the low spots (at least I find they don't).
2- They aren't as glossy as inks. When I ink washed a marine, it had a mild shine to it. Wash with wash and there is no shine, just shade.

Varnishing over the wash does not do the same job either. That is just too glossy.

So anyone know of any good inks like the old gw ones?

Nurgle Daemon Prince Commissions

Here is some recent commission work I did. I converted both, but only had to paint one.

The Painted one is based off Be'Lakor from the Fantasy range introduced back during the Storm of Chaos Campaign. I added the gut using green stuff and also added two skulls on the skirt as to form a nurlge symbol with them.

The Unpainted one is based off a Tyranid Brood Lord. The wings are Fantasy Dark Pegasus wings avaliable from GW in the Fantasy Bitz section. If the face looks weird to you, it is because he is looking up laughing as seen here. What you see is the neck. He is suppossed to look like a zombie, partially fleshed and partially skeletal.

Fluff question: Why don't Tau have Titans/Super Heavies?

POLL RELATED POST


Okay, I know what everyone is going to say "They have Manta's, why would they need Titans?"

Well let me frame it like this. Has Air support ever held ground. Has it ever pinned a battle line together. Has it ever taken up a defensible posistion and fought to the last.
No.
The annoying thing about something that is flying is it inevitably has to move on, and if it can hover, well it inevitably gets shot down unless it moves on.

So with that in mind, while Manta's can fight Titans, they don't fill the role of titans. And are not as accessable to the game as the other races titans.

Humans (Imp and Chaos): Titans
Eldar (and I am sure DE have some, revenants are FAST): Titans
Orks: Stompas and Gargants
Necrons: Well, pylons and monoliths are fluff wise suppossed to be super huge. You all saw the Dark Crusade intro vid. And I wouldn't categorize them as one of the Battle Races as the others are.
Tau: Nuts

So, why don't they have a large battlesuit. With all their glorified technology, wouldn't they make one.

I think they would. Sure they make Tiger Sharks and Mantas to deal with Titans, but a Thunderbolt squadron can easily deal with them. On the otherhand, a Baracuda squadron can't easily deal with a Imperial Titan.

Tau could easily make big Battlesuit. Mount those cannons that are on a Manta on it and such.

Okay, now for Super Heavies. This is a bigger problem than the lack of a titan class. They have nothing to equivalate to the Baneblades and the like.

While fluff wise this kinda makes sense, games wise it is unfair I believe. They need some sort of big tank. Yeah, once again people can site mantas and tiger sharks, but once again $$$ is an issue in gaming aspects. And many of the same arguments that I applied to a titan apply hear in terms of holding ground and such.


Okay, while I wouldn't advocate Star Wars Tanks as super heavies, lets head in this direction at least.

I guess you could use IG super heavies as Gue'vesa tanks, but that is a little cheap to force a Tau player to do that.

So I may be alone on this, but I think they should have these things, almost for game purposes rather than fluff purposes.

POLL RESULTS
Should Tau have Superheavies/Titans?
Yes, they need both. Its fluffy to me. 7 (36%)
Yes, they should have both for game purposes 4 (21%)
Yes, they should have superheavies. 7 (36%)
Yes, they should have titans 1 (5%)
No, they should not have titans. 4 (21%)
No, they should not have super heavies. 1 (5%)
No, they should have niether. Ruins game balance. 0 (0%)
No, they should have niether. Not fluffy in the least. 2 (10%)

Champions of the Game: Eldar

POLL RELATED POST

Sorry I haven't posted in nearly 3 weeks. Been busy. I have alot of great hobby work to show you, but don't have the pictures yet.

ANYWHO Champions of the Game is series to find the best character in the game. This week is Eldar. Have at it. Poll over there -->.

Eldrad Ulthuan- Farseer of Ulthwe: Okay, this guy is the bamf psyker of the Eldar and one of the best in the game. Plus, he costs less than comparable farseer builds. First off, he has all the Farseer Powers (Doom, Mind War, Eldritch Storm, Fortune and Guide). Some of these don't require LOS so he can perform them from inside a transport. He also has a special power used at the start of the game: Divination. Divination lets you move D3+1 units in his army before turn one. His wargear is nice, a witchblade and the Staff of Ulthwe. The Staff lets you use 3 powers a turn if you are not in combat (if you are he still gets two) and is a power weapon that wounds on a 2+ in combat, which with WS 5 I 5 isn’t too bad. One attack base sucks though, although he has a shiruken pistol, so he at least fights with 2 attacks. T4 3+ inv saves is nice. Ghost Helm, Spirit Stones, and Runes of Witnessing and Warding to top it all off. 210 points and a must have for any Eldar Army IMOHO.

Prince Yriel- Autarch of Iyaden: Master strategist means you add +1 to all reserves rolls, so this can cancel out the Guard’s new Fleet Officer. He has a 4+ inv. save and plasma grenades, and Fleet of Foot. The spear of twilight is a power weapon singing spear. His eye of wrath can be used instead of his normal attacks once per game. Place a large blast over him and does S6 AP3 hits to all models (other than yriel). 4 WS6 I7 Singing Spear attacks. 3+/4+ saves. T3 though, but with 3 wounds. Have to test last turn to see if he loses a wound, but is rather low risk, and to lose the KP he needs to be down to one wound already. 155 pts.

Pheonix Lords
All have Eternal Warrior, Fleet, Fearless, and makes their aspect Fearless (Disciples). Each can only join aspect warriors if they are in the same aspect.

Asurmen, Hand of Asuryan (Dire Avengers): He has a counts as assault 4 avenger shuriken catapult (18”). He has a master crafted diresword. He has Defend and Bladestorm Exarch power. 4 base attacks at WS7 S4 I7. 2+/4+ save with 3 wounds at T4. 230 pts.

Jain Zar, the Storm of Silence (Howling Banshees): Banshee Mask, Executioner Sword, and a Triskele with S5, which makes it one of the best assault weapons in the game at 3 shots with AP2 12”. Bring on the Terminators. Acrobatic and War Shout Exarch Powers. Furious Charge. 4 base attacks at WS7 S4(6) I7. 2+ save with 3 wounds at T4. 190 pts makes her the cheapest Pheonix Lord.

Baharroth, the Cry of the Wind (Swooping Hawks): The only Jump Infantry Pheonix Lord (Swooping Hawk Wings). Swooping Hawk grenade pack, plasma and haywire grenades. Power weapon and Hawk’s Talon. Both the Intercept and Skyleap Exarch Powers. He has Hit and Run and gives it to his hawks. So you can disengage at the end of your opponents Assualt Phase if you want and then Skyleap . This can be a brutal combination, especially in Planetstrike. 4 base attacks at WS7 S4 I7. 2+ saves with 3 wounds at T4. 200 points.

Karandras, the Shadow Hunter (Striking Scorpions): Personally, the worst looking Pheonis Lord model wise. Has a Scorpion’s Bite, Scorpion Chainsword, Scorpion Claw, and plasma grenades. His Scorpion’s Bite is a mandiblaster that gives +2 A instead of +1. The claw makes him the strongest phoenix lord. He has Shadowstrike and Stalker Exarch powers. He and the scorpions he joins get the Stealth USR. 6 Base attacks at WS7 S8 I1 or S5 I7. 2+ save with 3 wounds at T4. 215 points.

Fuegan, the Burning Lance (Fire Dragons): Firepike, Fireaxe, and melta bombs. Fire axe is +1S and makes Fuegan attack as a Monstrous Creature, making him a power weapon and 2d6+5(6) armour pen against vehicles. He has the Tank Hunter (where the (6) came from) and Crack Shot (ignore cover) Exarch Powers. He is the only lord with feel no pain. Basically, this guy is made to take on tanks. If playing IG who takes tons of Russ, I’d take him. 4 base attacks at WS7 S5 I7. 2+ saves with 3 wounds at T4. 205 points.

Maugan Ra, the Harvester of Souls (Dark Reapers): THE MAUGETAR. Come on, with a weapon named that, who wouldn’t like him. This gives him +2S and is a S6 AP5 Pinning Rending Gun with Assault 4. He then can use Crack Shot and Fast Shot Exarch powers in the same turn (unlike Dark Reaper exarchs). This makes his Weapon Assault 5. Then Crack Shot makes him able to reroll wounds and hits when shooting, and ignores cover. So his shooting is monstrous. Finally he has acute senses USR. 195 points.

Poll Results
Which Eldar Character do you think is best?
Eldrad Ulthuan 11 (50%)
Prince Yriel 5 (22%)
Asurmen 0 (0%)
Jain Zar 1 (4%)
Baharroth 0 (0%)
Karandras 0 (0%)
Fuegan 1 (4%)
Maugan Ra 4 (18%)