Another 40K Friday

It's the last day of the school break and my friend Aaron brought his boys around to play some 40K with the kids for the day. Inspired by the fast and furious games I played a few weeks ago at the Battleforce Recon Tournament I set up a day-o-gaming for the kids. The plan was to set up two tables  - on in the living room, one in the dining room and play three two hour games, more or less back-to-back, between 9am when the Boyz were dropped off and 4pm (SHARP!) when they were to be picked up!

Everyone prepared a force of 33 Power Level. Why 33 Power Level? Because that's all the Chaos player had painted!


FORCES

It was all Heretics and Xenos here today...

ORKS 
Warboss Blitzaag - HQ- Warlord - Might Is Right - PL 4
Weirdboy Werzap Rotmaw - HQ - Smite, Warpath - PL 4
Boyz (30) - Troops - PL 13
Wazzdigg's Warbuggy - Fast Attack - PL 4
Lootas (5) - Heavy Support - PL 8
Patrol Detachment - 3 Command Points

ELDAR
Jain Zar - HQ - Warlord - PL 7
Guardians (10) - Troops - PL 5
Howling Banshees (5) - Elites - PL 3
Swooping Hawks (5) - Fast Attack - PL 3
Harlequin Troupe Master - HQ - PL 4
Harlequin Troupe - Troops - PL 7
2 Patrol Detachments - 3 Command Points

NECRONS
Overlord Nulltron - HQ - Warlord - Legendary Fighter - PL 7
Warriors (10) - PL 6
Warriors (10) - PL 6
Lychguard (5) - PL 5
Deathmarks (5) - PL 8
Patrol Detachment - 3 Command Points

CHAOS
Sorcerer Alzod the Ripper (in Terminator Armour) -HQ- Warlord - Legendary Fighter - Smite, Infernal Gaze, Prescience - PL 8
Cultists (5) - Troops - PL 3
Hellbrute - - PL 8
Raptors - Fast Attack - PL 7
Chaos bikers (3) - Fast Attack - PL 7
Patrol Detachment - 3 Command Points


GAME ONE

(9AM - 11AM)

SCENARIO

The Scenario for the first game was the Eternal War/Retrieval Mission Scenario straight out of the 40K 8th Edition Core Rulebook. Basically there are four objective markers on the table. Players gained three victory points for each marker held at the end of the game (variable turns or at the end of two hours) plus bonus victory points for First Blood, Linebreaker, and Slay the Warlord

THE GAMES



In the first round Chaos faced off against the Eldar in the desert.



On their first turn the Chaos bikers zoomed forward toward one of the objective markers while the Sorcerer and the Cultists secured another.



When the Aeldari went, the Harlequins secured one Objective and the Guardians and the Warlock advanced to secure another.



Then Jain Zar and the Howling Banshees swept up and secured the objective the Chaos Bikers were heading towards and then assaulted the bikers. The Swooping Hawks dropped from the skies into the rear of the forces of Chaos' position.



Jain Zar was able to get into contact with the Hellbrute.



On the following turn, Jain War went toe-to-toe with the Hellbrute dealing it some hefty damage (I think the only damage Jain Zar took was from the Chaos Sorcerer's Infernal Gaze.



Chaos Sorcerer took cover in a ruined building with the Cultists - which still contesting the objective marker.



The following turn the Banshees Joined Jain War in combat with the Hallbrute, but they weren't able to do much to the hulking behemoth...



The Raptors dropped onto the field of battle to mix it up with the Swooping Hawks. They took a beating getting into combat with the Swooping Hawks - but then dealt them some heavy damage in melee. I think at the end of the game there was one or two Raptors left duking it out with one last Swooping Hawk - which was enough for a Linebreaker Victory Point!



We called it at the end of two hours. I had to help out with this game most of the time as both haven't played a lot. They only got through three rounds. In the end the Eldar held three of the objectives and had additional victory points for First Blood and Linebreaker for a total of NINE. Chaos held only one objective for a total of THREE. Victory went to the Eldar.



Meanwhile, the Necrons were fighting the Orks in the Jungle... Two of the Objective markers were in the Necron deployment zone and they were pretty quickly able to claim the third.



Wazdigg came roaring on in his Warbuggy in the Necron rear, however and gave them all something to cogitate!? Even took a few potshots at the Overlord!



Lootas taking up a firing position, while the Boyz secured the one objective marker in their deployment zone.



Finnegan pondering his options.

The trouble with having ONE BIG UNIT of Boyz... it's hard to claim multiple objective markers...

 Nevertheless, fun was had. I have to say, I am totally impressed with these two guys - they have really learned the rules. While I was helping the other two through their game, these two played through five rounds in two hours pretty much all on their own!



Postitions at the end of the game. Necrons held three Objectives for NINE Victory Points, and the Orks held one and scored First Blood for FOUR. Victory went to the NECRONS!


GAME TWO

(11:30-1:30)

After quickly scarfing back a quick lunch it was on to the next game!!!

SCENARIO

For the next game we just played the next scenario in the book: No Mercy. For this one players receive victory points for each enemy unit destroyed as well as bonus victory points for First Blood, Linebreaker, and Slay the Warlord.

THE GAMES



This time the Orks faced the Forces of Chaos in the Desert!



This one was slightly more to the Orks advantage!



To start the Chaos forces aggressively advanced forwards shooting at the Orks.



The Hellbrute blasted a few Orks apart with it's autocannon and frag missiles.



Then Crazy Wazzdigg roared onto the table with his Warbuggy - distracting the Chaos forces and diverting the Chaos Bikers.



The Chaos Raptors dropped to the Orks rear and started shooting at the Lootas.



And then the Raptors charged the Lootas.



They probably should have stuck to shooting at the Lootas, because once they charged in, things started going badly for them...



Then the Boyz charged in against the Hellbrute and the Cultists and the Sorcerer... and things started rapidly going downhill for the Forces of Chaos...

 

The Power Klawson the Boss and Warboss were making a mess of the Hellbrute  (think: "giant can openers"!) and the Sorcerer - despite the terminator armour - was feeling a little worried about the overwhelming numbers he was facing and so they both fell back from the melee...

 

Of course, the Orks just charged right in again...



They finished off the Hellbrute causing it to EXPLODE which killed a few Orks and very nearly  took out the Warboss, the Weirdly, and the Sorcerer!? I think The Orks then finished of the sorcerer and that was pretty much it... The Orks took out four units, killed the warlord and had a unit in the enemy deployment zone for 7 Victory Points... Forces of Chaos... zip... Orks Won this one!



At the other table the Eldar we taking on the Necrons.



Eldar are not really suited to the wholesale slaughter this scenario requires, but they gave it a go.



Clinkity-Clank - Necrons moving through the jungle.



Eldar moving up to meet them for no really good reason... I need to come up with some better, more tailored scenarios...



The Howling Banshees and the Harlequin Troupe Master charged the Lychgard and hammered on them pretty hard while the Guardians exchanged fire with... well.. everyone else. They were completely out-gunned and didn't last long.



After the Guardians were all killed, the Warlock that had been accompanying them charged the Deathmarks. It was charge and maybe take out a few in melee or just stand there and get shot by them next turn as there was nowhere she could really get to that would be completely out of line of sight... Took out a Necron or two... died... they came back.... Ugh.... Necrons are the WORST!

Jain Zar and the Rest of the Harlequins joined in the melee, as did the Necron Overlord. I swear, the Aeldari killed the Lychgard unit three times over, but they just kept coming back. Jain Zar killed the Overlord in ONE TURN but the Lychgard soaked up all the wounds... and then came back the next turn. So frustrating...



Then the Necron Warriors finally made it over there and it all came to a quick end... The Necrons scored First Blood and took out four units for FIVE Victory Points. The Aeldari scored no Victory Points.


GAME THREE

(1:45-3:45)

SCENARIO

I based this scenario on one of the objectives from one of the Open War cards. Six Objective markers were set up at the beginning of the game. At the beginning of each turn the players would roll for each marker they controlled. If they rolled a SIX all other markers would be removed and whoever controlled the marker at the end of the game wins the game. Game ends at the end of Round Five through Seven depending on dice rolls or at 3:45...

THE GAME

My kids decided as they didn't need to leave at 4pm, they'd rather sit and watch the others play and could play their game later (in the end, they decided they'd had enough and didn't play their final game after all...).



And so... The Forces of Chaos faced the Necrons in the Jungle for the final battle of the afternoon!



The way it ended up being set up, three of the objective markers were in the Chaos deployment zone and a fourth was just outside it. Only two were in the Necron deployment zone.



So right off the hop, the Necrons aggressively advanced towards the Chaos forces!



The Chaos minions were intent to just sit on their objective markers and just shoot at the advancing Necrons - they didn't even advance to take the fourth marker just outside their deployment zone.



The game changed rapidly when, on the second (or maybe third?) round when the main prize was located deep within the NECRON deployment zone! The Necrons Quickly doubled back with the Deathmarks while the others set up blocking positions.

The forces of Chaos then started trying to punch their way through!



Conveniently the Raptors had been left in reserve and were able to deep strike behind enemy lines and charged the Deathmarks!



...and wiped them out seizing control of the objective!



The Chaos bikers came screaming all the way around the edge of the table to help hold on to the objective.



The whole game was a real nail-biter right to the bitter end. From the start I though Chaos might have a chance at winning a game with four of the potential objectives so close to their start location, but when the final objective was located so far from them, I thought there was no way they could win. Then the Raptors wiped out the Deathmarks and the Bikers came screaming around the the Hellbrute punched past the Necron Warriors....



the Sorcerer sure kept some of the other beckons busy!



The bikes successfully blocked the Overlord and Lychguard from getting at the Raptors... but then one unit of Warriors slipped through between the bikers and the Hellbrute and annihilated the raptors once again seizing control of the objective for the Necrons!!!



On the very last turn the Hellbrute lumbered up to the ruins, blew away half of the Necron Warriors...



... then he charged in and killed most of the rest....



When the dust settled and the game ended there was ONE Necron Warrior and the Hellbrute both contesting the Objective Marker... A DRAW!!!



It was generally agreed it was a pretty rad ended to an awesome day of gaming and it was high fives all around.

Next time: Power Level 40...


Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Well I didn't get to play on Friday, so I'm hoping I might get in a game or two with the kids over the weekend with the kids... perhaps I'll post a report of that...

There are a lot of things on the workbench right now. Too many really, and none of it is getting much work done on it. I'm having hard time focusing on things - like there are too many things I want to do, but also I'm on some new medication and that is literally making it hard to focus on things... Ugh...

Adepta Sororitas Canoness

My partner does play miniature games with us. She even likes having her own force. She can't be bothered to paint anything and very rarely buys anything - usually only when I say "well, if you want your own, I'll paint if for you, if you buy it..." I painted up some Tau for her to use in our Shadow War Armageddon Campaign, but their performance was underwhelming. Someone had left a comment somewhere (I think it was Stu Rat...?) suggesting I get her and army that more reflects her true nature like Bloodletters of Khorne or Blood Angels Death Company... Which made her laugh... and laugh... and laugh...

It was a little disturbing, really...

When she was done with all the diabolical laughter she did mention maybe it might be fun if she had her own 40K force since it seemed like we were all playing that a lot - or at least PLANNING to play it a lot (and buying and painting stuff for it!). So I went over some of the options; Khorne and Blood Angels as had been suggested, as well as Space Wolves (which she had previously shown an interest in), and then I showed her the Adeptus Sororitas... 

She said she wasn't interested in getting any right now - she is still paying off a kitchen (and is probably waiting to see if the kids and I actually DO end up playing with all the toys we've been buying and painting lately) - but MAYBE sometime, she might be interested in picking up a few of those Battle Sisters... 

Well, her birthday is coming up later this month, so I convinced the kids to split on a Adeptus Sororitas Canoness and a Battle Sisters Squad with me and I am planning to paint up for her for her birthday present from all of us. 

Adeptus Sororitas Canoness from Games Workshop. 

Now you might be wondering; "But Tim, if this is a birthday present, isn't it supposed to be a SECRET!?" It is supposed to be a secret. But Amanda never, ever reads this blog, so I'm pretty sure the secret is safe posting pictures of this here... In fact, I'm pretty sure no one who knows Amanda or that I know personally or game with locally even reads this blog anymore, so... 

Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Should have the Sisters Squad in a week or so. Other things on the workbench include an Arvus Lighter, Some Seven Years War British, some Adeptus Arbites stand-ins and some more Shadespire miniature for my friend John. 

Over the weekend I'll probably be posting a report of the weeks gaming - as we've had a pretty full week of board gaming, and there might even be a 40K battle report...  

March Gaming Round Up

When I started this year I thought I'd do weekly round-ups, since we were going to be playing so many games. but some weeks we just don't play that many. Seems silly to write up something about just one... (Well unless it's a blow-by-blow miniature game after action report!). We didn't play so many games in March - at least not for the first three weeks.

I think I mentioned that we played Viticulture on the 2nd in the February-Plus-a-Bit-of-March Round-Up.

Friday, 9 March 2018



A week later on the 9th I played a game of The Pikeman's Lament with my friend John. There's a full report of that game here:

Somewhere Else to Be


Sunday, 11 March 2018



On Sunday Amanda and I travelled over to Chez Genest to play in Bob's Numenera Campaign - Escape from the Jade Colossus. I'm playing "Rocking Rick" a Craven Jack who is Getting the Band Back Together... He's a washed-up, has been (or... never really was!) rocker that is always talking about getting the band back together and reliving the glory days of his youth (or at least the glory days as he remembers them), which he will tell anyone all about if they are interested to listen - or unable to get away...

I think we kind of ruined Bob's plan for a sneaky-beaky in-and-out recovery scenario, when I ended up performing and impromptu rock concert on my electric sitar at the Jade Colossus. It created pandemonium.


Friday, 16 March 2018



It wasn't until Friday that we got in another game. My Rogue Trader game was cancelled again so the family sat down to play a quick game of Splendor before watching a movie (I think it was the Royal Tenebaums...? Which I'd never seen before!)



The last game I pointed out why I was always winning... Amanda adopted my strategy and now I will never win the game again. At the end of the game she had 15, Finnegan had 11, I had 8 and The Girl had 5...



Well... we've played our five games of this, so we don't really need to play it anymore this year, right?


Friday, 23 March 2018

The following Friday my friend Aaron's kids had the day off school so they came over to hang out for the day and we played a few games.



First we played some 40K - there is a report of this game here:

40K Friday



Later the kids play a game of Sentinels of the Multiverse amongst themselves.


Saturday, 24 March 2018



On Saturday I was out all day playing in my first 40K tournament ever: The Battleforce Recon Tournament at the Mana Bar in Saskatoon. Full report on that here:

Battleforce Recon Tournament 


Sunday, 25 March 2018



Rounding out the weekend Amanda and I were off to play Numenera again. The Rock concert at the Jade Colossus continued...  I actually have a jacket and tie like I was trying to draw (the tie is purple and sparkly!). I'd meant to bring them, but forgot... next time...


Monday, 26 March 2018

This last week of march we decided "Enough with this not-playing-games nonsense!" and made a plan to play a few games and more or less stuck to it.



Monday we ended up playing Five Tribes.



This game went a bit longer, everyone was paying close attention to the paths where they were dropping off stuff. setting things up for potential future use.



In the end The Girl crushed us by collecting up PILES of market items...

Tuesday, 27 March 2018



On Tuesday, The Girl set up a game of Super dungeon Explore for us.



I played my Wandering Minstrel and though I collected a cool Elvish Bracelet early on, I was knocked out on, like, the second turn...



Eventually they got me back into the game... but it didn't last long. I was knocked out again. I don't recall the game being THIS HARD when we played before. Maybe I need to read the rules... I think The Girl might be missing something. Or maybe we didn't play it right previously!? Or maybe she just picked really tough opponents...!? I don't know. we got our butts kicked and never even made it off the first board!

We need to paint some of those baddies!


Friday, 30 March 2018

I'd hoped to play another game on Thursday, but I ended up running around doing errands all day as I wouldn't be able to get to doing any over the long weekend. While out and about I picked up Game of Thrones Season Seven at the library and we ended up binge-watching the ENTIRE SEASON Thursday night (and, well, Friday morning...). We didn't get up on Friday until after noon...

Amanda had Friday off so we mostly hung around the house and played games all day.



To start things off we continued our Harry Potter: Hogwart's Battle campaign, taking another crack at Game Six. Our three starting villains were Dementors, Professor Quirell, and Death Eaters - so between Quirrell and the Dementors the active player was losing 3 health every turn... but if we went after them first, the Death Eaters would cause more pain for each new hero brought out. Things looked pretty grim from the get-go...



But we managed to take out the Dementors and the Death Eater and a few other nasty ones that came after.. and then Ron started laying the smack down!



And again! BAM! I think I did TEN damage this round take took out the second Death Eaters card and Crab and Goyle...



...and we actually managed to beat Game Six! Huzzah!

It was a REALLY LONG GAME. Each game just adds more cards and more (and HARDER) villains. I'm kind of not looking forward to Game Seven - it adds a whole new element - Horcruxes! We'll probably need a full day for that one... Hopefully we get lucky and beat it the first go!



Later we played another game of Splendor while waiting for pizza to cook. Amanda crushed it.



After supper we played a long game of Nations. I tried to play China again, Finnegan had Greece, Amanda played Egypt, and The Girl played Rome. Things were pretty rough for for me in the first two ages (ancient and medieval) I happened to be dead last every round - because I never had any military. All it seemed like every single time I MIGHT get ahead or something might work out for me, someone else would screw me over! And it's not like they were even playing mean and actually paying attention to what was going on with events or what I was trying to do and TRYING to screw me over... they just did. I'm not sure which is worse. I think it might have been easier to take if it were that they were paying really close attention and figured out what I was trying to do and cleverly came up with a devious plot to utterly ruin my plans... instead of just putting a guy on a building for no particular reason that just happens to give them one more stability than me and thus takes the 10 book bonus I'd been hoping to get from the events... Ugh...



In the renaissance I picked up the Rangers and started picking up battles and switched things up and started going first.



It wasn't enough to catch up to Amanda (who kept saying the whole second half of the game that this was her "WORST GAME EVER" and she was "TOTALLY GOING TO LOSE THIS ONE"....). Finnegan had a great pile of victory points accumulated and had been second for books throughout the whole games. I thought there might be a chance he might win it...



Despite all her protestations, it was Amanda in the end.


Saturday, 31 March 2018

If a day of gaming at home wasn't enough - we were invited over to Kurtis and Shannon's for a day of gaming over there on Saturday!  The kids and I arrived mid afternoon and they were just finishing up a game of Imperial Settlers.



The first game we played was Spoons. Basically you put a pile of spoons in the middle of the table (one less than the number of players). Then deal out for cards to each player. Then you pass a card to the player on the left and pick up one from the player on the right (the dealer draws from the deck of cards, the player at the end just drops cards into a discard pile). You continue doing this until someone gets four of a kind....



Then they grab for a spoon in the centre of the table - once you see someone going for a spoon you can grab one as well (you do not need to have four of a kind) the person left with out a spoon is out. Remove one spoon and continue.... I was the first out. I think Finnegan was one of the last three...? I don't remember who won.



After Spoons a bunch of us played 7 Wonders (with the Leaders expansion, and some extra wonder cards, and the bonus anniversary expansion pack for Leaders....).



I had the Great Wall of China and totally rocked the science!  I ended up winning with 66 points. Finnegan (I think he played Stonehenge...?) had 63, and Kurtis (I forget what he played) had 61. The rest were in the 40s and 50s.



A few of us played Century: Spice Road next. I really like this game. If I were to buy another game this year, it would probably be this (I feel like I'm pretty much done with buying games... I have so many that I already don't get to play enough - and no space left to store any new ones....).



I ended the game with 54 points, as did Brent. Eli edged us out with 55...



While we were playing Century: Spice Road, Kurtis taught Finnegan to play 7 Wonders: Duel.

After this we took a break to eat supper. Shannon had made a wonderful chilli for us all (and this time left the cilantro out - bless her heart!).



After supper Brent taught Shannon, Finnegan and The Girl how to play Pecunia Non Olet. It's a game about poo.



You are the owner or manager of a public toilet in Rome and charge people money to go poo in your toilet...? different people take longer to poo... I don't know.. It's about poo... The kids seemed to like it. I have no idea who won. There was a lot of laughing at their end of the table and poo-making sound effects...



Meanwhile, Kurtis, Amanda and myself played a couple more games of Century: Spice Road.



Kurtis won the first game with 77 points, Amanda had 65, and I have 51...



The second game I did a little better with 97 - strangely Amanda had exactly 65 again, and Kurtis had 51 - which is what I'd scored in the first game... weird?



Brent, Amanda, The Girl and I played a game of Castles of Mad King Ludwig afterwards. I LOVE this game... I could care less about winning, I just like making weird castles. The castles often end up looking not unlike the plans for castles I drew as a youngster.



I didn't love this castle I made as much as others I've made... I didn't do too bad in the game, though. I came in second with 92 points. Brent won with 97 (on the very last turn he finished a... workshop...? the one that gives you and extra goal card and got a goal that gave him 2 points per little square room - of which he had SIX!?), Amanda had 90 and The Girl had 84.



Finnegan had didn't end up playing any games after supper. He'd discovered Kurtis' Judge Dredd comics..



Finally we figured out Nations: The Dice Game. Kurtis had picked it up some time ago, but never got around to trying it out. I'm not a HUGE fan of dice games, but didn't mind it. It's similar to Nations, except that I takes a coulee hours less to play and there isn't as much awful stuff that just happens to you if you're not paying attention and not a lot of screwing the others players over...

WHEW!  What a day! We ended up playing almost as many games on Saturday as we had the rest of the month!?


Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog

I've got a lot of different stuff all over the painting desk... I have no idea what I'll finish up next. I think it's time I cleared it off and started over with just one thing...

This coming Friday the Boyz are coming over, so we'll probably get in another game or tow of 40K...