Taking Stock of the Astra Militarum

 So... I did a thing... AGAIN....

I picked up the new 9th Edition Astra Militarum Codex. 

Am I going to be playing 40K again soon? I don't know... but I do always like to be prepared! And the Astra Militarum are one of the largest collections of minis I own. 

I went a little overboard with 40K in 8th edition. I ended up with SEVEN Codexes!? (Astra Militarum, Grey Knights, Imperial Knights, Chaos Knights, Chaos Space Marines, Chaos Daemons, Drukhari - plus the T'au, Genestealer Cult, Ork, Eldar, and Harlequin ones the kids got!? ). So far I've only picked up Aeldari and Cadian codexes and NONE of the fluff books - The Arks of Omen books look interesting... but I bought SO MANY of the Psychic Awakening books and never made much use of them and they're pretty easy to find for, like, $5-10, now... so... I'll just wait. 

Maybe if there's an Emperor's Children book, but I have a feeling that won't be for another year (and, possibly, another edition!?). Haven't even picked up the Chaos Space Marine book - which is the only other force I kind of think about working on, from time to time... 

There have been some not insignificant changes to the Astra Militarum. Some are great. Some... less so... Some have made it a little more challenging to field certain forces of Astra Militarum that I have. 

Special Weapon Squads, Wyrdvane Psykers, Veterans, Platoon Commanders, Company Commanders, Lord Commissars, and Conscripts are all just gone... Well... there are still Platoon Commanders, but they've been included in the Platoon Command Squad - which is now a Headquarters option (Yay!). 

Other stuff that used to be Elite options are no longer so. Regimental Advisors - Master of Ordinance, Officer of the Fleet, Astropaths - are all options that can be added to Platoon Command Squads instead of being individual Elite options. There are SO MANY things that used to be Elites, but are no longer, that in some of my Guard forces I might actually have a hard time coming up with Elites to field to fill that slot in a Brigade Detachment!? 

Commissars are still Elites, but you CAN field one that doesn't fill an Elite slot for every Command Squad you have (I won't ever be using that option, as in many forces Commissars are the ONLY Elites I have now and they NEED to fill those Elite slots!). Commissars also issue their own orders (like officers), which makes them far more useful! 

The [Regiment] keyword is gone. You can include stuff from any regiment in a detachment and not lose whatever Regimental Doctrine you pick. 

In addition to Ursula Creed (daughter of Lord Castellan Urarkar Creed) there are a Cadian Castellan (which KIND OF replaces the old generic Company Commander) - a higher order of officer than the one in the Platoon Command squad... I just do not get WHY they called it a "Cadian" Castellan and not just a generic "Castellan" or "Commandant" or "Company Commander" or whatever... In game terms it would be a perfect thing to represent the old Captain Al'rahem (Legengary Tallarn Commander - which I have a few of!?)... but... it's called CADIAN Castellan!? 

There are a few weirdly named things like that: CADIAN Shock Troops (why not just call them "Shock Troops"?), ATTILAN Roughriders (why not just Roughriders!?), etc... I suppose it doesn't REALLY matter, because they can all be put in a unit together... but it kind of bothers me, because there are a few units I'll probably end up using that.. well... won't be "right"!? 

I have Tallarn Roughriders... Original Games Workshop models. I brought them out to a tournament as part of a force made up entirely of Tallarn models - just after 8th edition was released and Roughriders were in the brand new Index. Everyone kept calling them Attilan Roughriders and I had to correct them and point out, NO, they are actually TALLARN Roughriders - look at the freaking models!? Now if I were to show up at an even with them, people will still call them Attilan Roughriders... and they'll be right... because that's what they unit is called ATTILAN Roughriders!? 

I know, I know... it's a stupid hang-up... but there it is... 

The deal with Cadian Shock Troops is that they're just like your bog standard Infantry Squad except that they can't have a Heavy Weapons team, but instead can have two special weapons. Because Special Weapon Squads are no longer a thing, I'll probably fold a lot of the ones I previously had into "Cadian Shock Troops" units... except that they're Tallarn or Valhallan or Catachan miniatures... 

Oh, and there are actually "CATACHAN Jungle Fighter" squads!? They're a LITTLE like the Cadian Shock Troops, in that they don't have Heavy Weapons Teams and can have two Special Weapons... except that those special weapons can only be Flamers. But they do score extra hits on sixes when fighting Melee... Why not just call the "Assault Squads"!? 

The veterans in Platoon Command Squads no longer have a Ballistic Skill of 3+. But the medi-pack in the Command Squad is AMAZING, though (every time a model in the squad would lost a wound a roll of 5+ means it doesn't!?)!! So way more incentive to put in a medic and leave the Heavy Weapons teams in the Heavy Weapons Squads. Regimental Standards now have an aura ability that every Astra Militarum Core unit within 6" re-rolls 1s when making any attacks (instead of the +1 Leadership they use to confer)! Guess I'll be painting some of those up now! 

Vanquisher cannons on Leman Russ tanks now have a 14 strength and deal d3+6 damage!? Which now makes them worth taking! Previously they had been the same strength as a regular Battle Cannon... they dealt more damage, but made only one attack. As the Astra Militarum isn't known for it's amazing Ballistic Skill I feel like it's always better to have MORE ATTACKS as at least you'll hit with SOME of them and do SOME damage! That extra strength and damage is suddenly worth the risk (of missing) to deal some serious damage to heavily armoured opponents! Though Turret Weapons in Leman Russ tanks now get a +1 to hit, so... even more worth it! 

Kasrkin are back... which is weird to me... because the Tempestus Scions that kind of replaced them a couple editions ago are still in the book... and they're pretty much THE SAME!? I honestly thought the Scions were a generic form of Kasrkins and they'd disappeared from the previous codexes as part of a move towards more generic troops - no need to rules for Specialist Cadian troopers since Cadia has been... y'know...  DESTROYED and everything...? 

I know... I know... CADIA STANDS!!! 

Sentinels now have a 12" move! It was SO IRRITATING that the Reconnaissance unit of armoured detachments moves SLOWER than the actual tanks they were supposed to be probing ahead of!?  

I'm sure there are more things, but these are a few of the key things affecting the forces that I have! 

These are not particularly useful any more... Wyrdvane Psykers. This is the only deletion that affected me in any way - not that I ever got around to painting these. I picked them up because they looked fun, but I don't think they were particularly effective units and these never really went with either the Tallarn or Guaiacan (Catachan) models of the main forces I was working on at the time. Not sure what I'll do with them now...? Maybe pass them off as Primaris Psykers for some of the forces that done HAVE dedicated Primaris Psykers (Valhallans and Tallarn?) 

So... of course I dragged out ALL THE ASTRA MILITARUM and took stock of what I had and how it could potentially be organized and what needed to be done to complete forces. 

Here's what I've got...

CADIAN

I did a bit of a stock taking of these before (when I first heard the new Codex was coming - and heard a few of the rumours about the coming changes):

40K - CADIA STANDS!!!

I had been regretting the decision to rebase the Officers on 32mm bases when I heard they are no longer separate characters and are part of a Command Squad... But upon reading the actual rules, they ARE still considered "Character" models, so...not so regretful. 

Regimental Standards are so WORTH IT now - previously they only gave +1 leadership to any units within 6"... Now they give every unit within 6" the ability to re-roll any 1s rolled in any attack!? There is no longer stats for Colour Sergeant Kell - but I might just paint him up to include as a regimental Standard for one of the Command Squads! I have two other standard bearers I can paint up to include in the other two Command Squads (not that I'll likely ever use ALL THREE command squads)

(oh, and my Cadian medics can now have a Laspistol AND a Chainsword - as many of those old models are armed with! Previously, you could only have one of Lasgun or Laspistol or Chainsword) 

There are not stats for Lord Castellan Creed anymore... but there are stats for Castellans and I could paint up Creed to use as one of those (or just use him as a stand in for his daughter, Ursula Creed, who IS a character in the new book!?) 

So the force could be fielded as a Battalion Detachment and look like:

Headquarters (2-3)

• CREED! (using old model in place of new one) - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• (+ Astropath added to Command Squad +2PR)
• Primaris Psyker - 3 PR

Troops (3-6) 

• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (0-6)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Kasrkin - 5PR

Fast Attack (0-3)

Heavy Support (0-3)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total: 43 Power Rating

I have other Regimental Attachés... but they're not particularly useful. Master of Ordinance buffs artillery and Officer of the Fleet buffs anything flying, and this force has none of either... The Astropath is now just a Psyker (with less wounds and attacks than the Primaris Psyker, but has a special Psyker Ability that can potentially generate a command point)

The only things I need to paint to complete this are the Kasrkin, Creed, the Standard Bearers and the Primaris Psyker - 15 models. So I imagine I will be working on those in the next week or so, just to have a COMPLETE FORCE!!!

If I were to start a Crusade Campaign with these (as there are SO MANY Crusade options in the book) I might begin with a Patrol Detachment that looks like:

Headquarters (1-2)

• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• (+ Astropath added to Command Squad +2PR)

Troops (1-3) 

• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (0-2)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Kasrkin - 5PR

Fast Attack (0-2)

Heavy Support (0-2)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total: 25 Power Rating

Regimental Preachers are still a thing, and I have a few of those that could be added in... along with some Inquisition troops which (I think) can be added to any Imperial detachment without losing a Regimental ability... or maybe its just an Inquiditor that can do that...? anyway, a few more things I could add in to bring it up to 50... 

VALHALLAN 

Next to none of this is done, but it's also a relatively small force (if just considering the infantry) so, could be knocked off before taking on some of the larger ones... 

I have:

• 3x Platoon Command 
• 1x Commandant ("Cadian" Commandant... but not Cadian... uggggh...) 
• 6x Infantry Squad
• 4x Heavy Weapon Squad
• 2x Commissars 
• assorted extras

With these, I should be able to put together a battalion detachment:

Headquarters (2-3)

• Castellan - 3 PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR

Troops (3-6) 

• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (0-6)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR

Fast Attack (0-3)

Heavy Support (0-3)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total Power Rating: 53

I have a few other things - from an assortment of other manufacturers - that I thought I might use with the Valhallans. The AA-tank could be a stand-in for a Hydra, the other...? Maybe an Armageddon Pattern Medusa - self-propelled mortar/bombard. 

The Aerosan - vehicles on skis, propelled by giant propellers - one (the transport version) I thought might be a stand-in for a Taurox, the other two (reconnaissance) could be stand-ins for Sentinels.

The KV-2s would be stand-ins for Leman Russ tanks (I have extra barrels to replace the ones that came with the tanks). In Epic there was an Imperial Guard tank that looks a lot like a KV-2 called the Ragnarok - which is what I was going to call these... but I'll just use the Leman Russ stats. 

The BA-64s I thought could also be used as stand-ins for Sentinels.. 

If (when?) I ever got these all assembled and converted and painted, I'd be able to field a Brigade Detachment... 

Valhallan Brigade Detachment

Headquarters (3-5)

• Castellan - 3 PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Tank Commander (KV-2)- 10PR

Troops (6-12) 

• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR

Elites (3-8)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Regimental Enginseer - 2PR

Fast Attack (3-5)

• Sentinel (BA-64 - 2) - 6PR
• Sentinel (Aerosan - 3) - 9PR

Heavy Support (3-5)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Leman Russ Tank Troop (KV-2 - 2) - 18PR
• Wyvern or Hydra (1) - 6PR

Total Power Rating: 105 

THIS version of the force seems like it's a long way off, though (with all the assembling, converting, and painting of all the vehicles)... Maybe a retirement army...? 

  

GUAIACAN COMMANDOES 

Another Force that is almost entirely painted... but needing to be rebased. This will probably be the second priority after the Cadians... unless I get fixated on the Valhallan Infantry...? Once I finish up a few more minis to fill out a few infantry squads (absorbing Special Weapons troopers that haven't been moved into Platoon Command Squads) 

Here's what I should be able to field:

Guaiacan Brigade Detachment

Headquarters (3-5)

• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Primaris Psyker - 3PR

Troops (6-12) 

• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• ("Cadian") Shock Troops - 4PR
• ("Cadian") Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (3-8)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Sly Marbo - 3PR
• Ratlings - 2PR
• Ratlings - 2PR
• Ogryn - 4PR

Fast Attack (3-5)

• Sentinel (1) - 3PR
• Sentinel (1) - 3PR
• Sentinel (1) - 3PR

Heavy Support (3-5)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total Power Rating: 97

Tallarn Infantry

(and finished armour - basically whatever I could field NOW!) 

The Tallarn are the LARGEST force I have, by far. I could potentially field multiple detachments of Infantry and Armour (once they're all done)

Most of this needs rebasing... but what I have could ALMOST be fielded as a Brigade... I'd need one more elite - Another Commissar? Maybe a Ministorum Preacher or a Mechanicus Enginseer (I used to have the problem of TOO MANY ELITES and not enough slots!?) 

This is what I can field RIGHT NOW, fully painted (with an Enginseer or Preacher slipped in to fill an Elite slot!):

Tallarn Brigade Detachment

Headquarters (3-5)

• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Tank Commander - 10PR

Troops (6-12) 

• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR

Elites (3-8)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Enginseer? Preacher? - 2PR

Fast Attack (3-5)

• Roughriders (5)
• Roughriders (5)
• Sentinel (1)

Heavy Support (3-5)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Leman Russ Tank Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Tank (1) - 9PR

Total Power Rating: 117

(the Shadowsword would have to be in a separate Auxiliary Super-Heavy Detachment - and would add another 26 Power Rating - for a total of 141!?)

Really, I could not ever paint another Tallarn and I'd be FINE! 

But, y'know... just in case I ever had the opportunity to play some APOCALYPSE level games again... 

Tallarn Infantry TO DO

Still lots TO DO!

• ("Cadian") Castellan (Captain Al'rahem) - 3PR
• +2 more Platoon Command Squads - @4PR=9PR
• +8x Infantry Squads - @3PR=24PR
• +4x ("Attilan") Roughriders (5) - @5PR=20PR
• +10x Heavy Weapon Squads  - @3PR =30PR
• +6x Sentinels @3PR=18PR

I could potentially add up to another 104 Power Rating to the Tallarn force!? 

There is zero chance I will ever need all of these Heavy Weapon Teams/Squads... There are 32 Heavy Weapon teams making up 10 Squads - with a few left over (7x Heavy Bolters, 3x Mortars, 10x Autocannons, 12x Lascannons!?) - in addition to the two squads of Mortars I already have painted!? 

Tallarn Armour TO DO

Well this is ALL of it, really - painted and still-to-do. Initially, I planned on only having a couple tanks to attach to the Tallarn infantry as heavy support... but as I started acquiring more - through used lots that local dudes were selling off (dirt cheap!). I kind of amassed enough to field it as a purely armoured/mechanized  force!? 

I thought I might steal some of the to-be-painted Tallarn Infantry away to make a fully-mechanized force of sorts. It could be fielded as a spearhead Detachement... or Maybe a Battalion Detachment...? 

Tallarn Spearhead Detachment

Headquarters (1-2)

• Tank Commander - 10PR
• Tank Commander - 10PR

Troops (0-3)

• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR

Elites (0-2)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR

Fast Attack (0-2)

• Sentinels (3) - 9PR
• Sentinels (3) - 9PR 

Heavy Support (3-6) 

• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR 
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR 
• Basilisk - 7PR
• Basilisk - 7PR
• Manticore - 7PR

Transport 

• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR

Total Power Rating: 170!? Sweet Jiminy!? 

OR

Tallarn Mechanized Battalion Detachment

Headquarters (2-3)

• Tank Commander - 10PR
• Tank Commander - 10PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR

Troops (3-6)

• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR

Elites (0-6)

• Commissar - 3PR

Fast Attack (0-3)

• Sentinels (3) - 9PR 
• Sentinels (3) - 9PR 

Heavy Support (0-3) 

• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR 

Transport (1 per Infantry)

• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR

Total Power Rating: 155

There are also "Tank Ace" skills I could potentially add up to 5 tanks at 2PR each...

These mechanized forces, like the Valhallans, are probably a LONG way off...  

I also have these two Valkyries. One I bought new, the other I got in a used lot. Not really meant to be part of any particular force. I had thought I'd do them in a generic Aeronautica Imperialis grey so they could be used with any force... But now I'm thinking I could do them in a green camo top and attach them to the Guaiacan Commandoes (I had previously thought I might use the original one in Kill Team as an objective - "Get-to-da-choppa!" extraction point, kind of thing!) 

Every so often, I get crazy, megalomaniac ideas of doing an entirely AIRMOBILE force - Infantry all mounted up in Valkyries and supported by other gunships and ground attack aircraft... but I don't think it can even be done in regular 40K anymore - as there are no Airwing Detachments and a max of 2 fliers in any other Detachments... (Also, it would be CrAzY expensive - Valkyries are now $100CAD, and the cheapest Forge World flyer is the Vulture gunship at  $150!?) 

Maybe I'll just have to get some Aeronautica Imperialis stuff painted and pick up a flight of Valkyries (and any enemy force I'd need) for that and have the air approach be "off-camera" and played out with Aeronautica Imperialis

And then there's the drawer FULL of assorted extra Astra Militarum stuff that aren't really part of any of the above forces. Most are earmarked for Kill Teams. I have Necromundan and Antari Rifles Kill teams that I'd started plus some Tempestus Scions that I got with the previous edition of Kill Team... then I got a MORE Scions and three or four more squads in a used lot I picked up... Almost enough scions to put together a patrol Detachment. 

I could probably convert the spares to other Kill Teams, and sell them off...? 

Or make a Mash-Up Regiment Detachment with squads from piles of different regiments that have all been 

WHEW!!! That was a LOT. 

Seems kind of daft, when I get it all out and take note of it all...