Epic Stryker 50 point Dojo Session

I have been playing a lot of SR2013 lately.  So far I like 2013 a lot better than 2012.  I like the dominate mechanic that awards bonus points for warcasters scoring in zones, I also like that Warcasters can not contest anymore.  For the tournament on January 6th I am running a Siege / eStryker pair of lists.  The Siege list is the one I wrote about here.  I have made two tweaks to that list. Arlan Strangeways now marshals the Defender, and the Ragman has replaced Jonas Murdoch.

I have never put eStryker on the table so this is all theory hammer.  The reason I choose him was because I think that I am going to see a lot of casters camping a lot of focus this year, and eStryker has an excellent way of getting around that.  Deflection and Positive charge are the main spells I like off of him.  My goal was to build a list for synergy with lots of melee.

I really like the idea of the two martially powerful melee units.  I gave the Sword Knights the Centurion so they could use their flank bonus pretty easily, and the Pronto Drive will give the Centurion the movement to keep up with the unit (nearly).  I also like the Centurion / Sword Knight combo because it is a lot to have to remove from a zone or objective.  For a second unit I fell the Stormblades really compliment the list.  They have the elite cadre movement bonus with Stryker, and I like the extra focus for the bonded Stormclad.  When I first got back into Cygnar I had a lot of success running them with the tough buff from the Piper so I will probably keep that going.  I like how hard the Stormblades hit, even if they get stuck in it is still (usually) POW 15  swings.

I can see you all through your computer screens rolling your eyes at me.  Yes I know there are no Forge Guard, Nyss, or Steelheads in this list.  They do not lend any synergy to the list, and not having to take Jonas Murdoch saved me two points.

I am taking the battle engine for my ranged compliment in the list.  Two pow 14s with Electro-leap will help on the charge across the board.  I choose the battle engine over the Nyss Hunters because I wanted something that was more time efficient than a third unit of infantry.  And Stryker has a large bunker to hang out behind if he needs it.

I have a small cast of support pieces.  Rhupert, Alan Runewood, and the Journeyman.  I really like these three pieces.  Pathfinder, tough, defense, terror, stand up, armor, none of these things are bad.

Thanks to the holidays this list is entirely speculation until the day of the tournament.  So I'll be sure to post pics and battle reports of my successes and failures.  I do like to play my armies all painted but I am not too sure that the eStryker list will be painted in time, because...

Sunday January 6th SR2013

The Steam Roller tournament is Sunday January 6th not the 8th.  There is no Sunday January the 8th.

SR2013 Tournament, January 6th, Lafayette, LA

Next event my my Calendar!  

My photos from Winter Rampage 2012

This game was a lot of fun it was pNeemo's tier 4 theme force (Eye of the Storm)  It made me want to expand, and build a full tier 4 pNeemo list.  I just need a unit of Stormblades (grey ones are borrowed), a Sentinel, three Stormsmiths, and the Thunderhead (also borrowed).  So maybe by June 2013 I'll have that put together.

I was really happy with the way the game went against Menoth.  I played really well and had to claw back a lot after a really lack-luster feat turn.  Siege's first rocket missed the Templar, and the second shot did a whopping eight damage.  The Defender followed form and put ten damage on the Reckoner.  Not the ideal feat turn but I did not let it tilt me, I had to back off a little bit and re-engage.  I used the wall to my advantage to stop the Menoth jacks from charging.  At one point Gorman black oiled the Crusader and the Reckoner with one grenade.  The game ended with two exploding dice rolls from the Reckoner and Redeemer into Siege.

Achievements!  I earned so many!

Winter Rampage 2012

Winter Rampage was one of the most enjoyable events I have ever attended.  The event took place at And Books Too, it was 35 points with the Summer Rampage Rules Set.  I took the casual nature of this event very seriously and played four games over the course of six hours.  

(None of these photos were taken by me.)

 This Mercenaries army took the Artisan award.

LOOK!  Its my crotch, a tape measurer and three heavy warjacks!

 Dream: Deliver two heavy warjacks on a colossal.

 Cryx and Mercenaries match up that took FOREVER to finish!

Haley hiding behind a hill still managed to get shot by a non-aiming Behemoth.

I really like the shot of the minuteman jumping over the wall.

Dream: Use pNeemo to supercharge a Stormclad with five focus.  Have said Stormclad standing next to Stormblades for a total of six focus.  Use locomotion to move the Stormclad forward, then have it charge Mulg, and a Mauler, killing Mulg and nearly killing the Mauler.

Despite loosing all but one of my games I managed to win the Rampager Badge.  The badge was awarded to me for completing the most achievements because nobody did all five of the required rampages.  After the event there was an end of year celebration at the local Buffalo Wild Wings, and much Newcastle was consumed.

Overall went to Menoth
Best Hordes was Trolls
Best Warmachine Was Cryx
Best painted was Mercenaries
The Golden Zerkova went to Khador
And the achievements went to Cygnar... ME!!

Cranked out the Boomhowler Squad!

The paint job was very simple.  Two coats of GW Seraphim Sephia wash on all the Armor and cloak bits.  The metal is PP Quick Silver, with GW Nuln Oil wash.  The flesh is PP Trollblood Base followed by PP Trollblood Highlight dry brushed.  

 Some of the guns have PP Solid Gold applied to the bottom of the Blunderbusses.  I tried to make the blunderbusses look varied because I figured being Mercenaries some would kit out their guns.

 I made the lenses on the goggles darker by leaving a pool of ink in the lens recesses.  Greygore's Teeth are just light application of PP Morrow White.  The "hair" on the models is PP Umbral Umberon the bottom half with two coats of PP Skorne Red applied to the top of the "hair" strands.  The red is watered down so it smoothes the transition from brown to red.  

The stock of the guns is two layers of watered down PP Bloodtracker Brown.
I will post a final pic after everything has been based and sealed.  Have a great weekend!

New Space Hulk Game

It is supposed to be a turn based video game version of the board game.  Hopefully I'll be better at it than I was a Blood Bowl for the PC.  I am reading Fallen Angels by Mike Lee right now.  Fallen Angels is part of the Horus Heresy Series, and so far I am really enjoying it.  I especially enjoyed the Battle Fleet Gothic action that takes place about 80 pages into the read.

Click here to see the official GW announcement.

New Grim Angus!

Strait from Matt Wilson's photo gallery.
http://pics.lockerz.com/s/266941875
New Grim Angus!

I love the Grim Angus: Lawman look that he has going on.  I wonder if those are Iron Kingdom handcuffs.  Everything about this model is spectacular.  I can't wait to field him next year.

Starting on the wrong foot.

When a conversation starts with "The PP forums said", things are going to go south from there.

Siege Brisbane at 50 points

I've been working on a Steamroller list using Siege Brisbane.

  

Warjacks 18 Points

Gun Mages 12 Points

Four Up Tough 11 Points

Support 10 Points

Aiyana & Holt 4 Points

I wanted to make a list that is difficult to remove.   Siege and two heavy warjacks is a lot of armor to get through.  I really like Siege with a Defender.    Phat Asian of Muse on Minis fame once spoke about what a force multiplier it is to have two Defender cannon shots instead of one.  It makes a lot of sense to me because multiple high POW boosted shots should take down systems.  Rowdy is in the list to provide the counter charge, and to be accurate.  Mat 8 with a boost is much more comforting than Mat 6 with a boost.  Rowdy is handy to contest or hold objectives, plus the focus efficiency that aggressive provides allows Siege to camp more.  And remember kids; a camping Siege is a happy Siege.

Boomhowler with Jonas Murdoch it is a beautiful thing.  This is a large piece of hard to remove.  Murdoch does three big things for the Boomhowler squad.

1.             The assault order for an extra attack when charging into close combat.

2.             Go to Ground gives the unit cover for a turn, and clears up all the shot angles for everyone else.

3.             Keeps Boomhowler alive for longer.  I can put Boomhowler in safer places every turn because Murdoch takes over coherency duty.

Boomhowlers and Siege with two heavies is a lot to have to remove from a zone or objective.

In a multiple objective game the force usually splits into two flanks.  The Gun Mages and Aiyana & Holt remove models at 12 - 14 inches.  The other reason I choose all the gun mages is that I needed accurate shooting.  Siege is a six when it comes to shooting so I wanted loads of accurate shooting to remove the high defense stuff.  As much as I want to I can’t kill everything on the board with Siege’s Rocket Launcher so having access to so many long-range shots that are hard to shoot back really works out.  Also POW ten pistols become deadly to almost anything when breach is active.

The last piece of the puzzle is the supporting cast.  I use Gorman to increase my defense early game, and decrease my opponent’s defense or armor late game.  The Journey(wo)man is there to provide arcane armor, and the last ditch effort hand cannon shot.  Aiyana and Holt are useful piled on top of excellence.  Model removal, armor swings, and magic weapons.  This list really does not need the magic weapon buff that she provides but it is good to have incase Siege does not have the focus to cast Explosivo on the Defender.  Reinholdt is a given with Siege, and the Squire is the same way.  The last supporting member is Captain Arlan Strangeways.  I like everything about this guy except that he is a character model.

So in closing the list can deal with heavy armor because that is what Siege does, it can take and hold objectives, and it can remove troop spam of any sort.  So far it is just good, I really like the way the list has come together.  I do plan on using this list in an upcoming Steamroller tournament on January 6th.  Now I just need a second list.

What do you guys think?  Am I off my rocker?  Let me know in the comments section below.

The army list was built using The War Room.  Visit privateerpress.com for more information on The War Room App.

I've been working hard on some Cygnar.

I have the Winter Rampage coming up in six days now, and I have been cranking out some models to get ready.  In the last two weeks I have painted Seige, the Squire, the Journeyman, Arlan Strangeways, and Ol'Rowdy.


My Primary event list is:
Seige Brisbane                        +5
Squire                                        2
Ironclad                                     7
Ol' Rowdy                                 9
Defender                                   9
Minuteman                                5
Gorman Di'Wolfe                     2
Journeyman Warcaster              3
Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator   1
Arlan Strangeways                    2

The theory behind this list is to pepper the enemy with rockets and defender cannon shots until the Warjacks can engage and trigger the rampages.  I included Gorman in the list to help swing armor or deploy annoying smoke clouds.  The Journeyman is not there to power anything I just want to be able to put Arcane Shield on the things I don't want beaten up to badly.  Arlan is there to be the Swiss army knife that he is, and Reinholdt really should be subtracted from Seige's warjack points.  I would love to see an Epic Seige with +4 Warjack points that includes Warcaster attachment Good Guy Reinholdt.

I have everything painted in the list except for the Minuteman.  I wanted something really cool for the Minuteman so he is mid-flight!  I just need to find a dowel for him.  The booster effects are from armorcast.com and they are HUGE!

I also want to use at least all of my painted warcasters so PStryker, and both Haleys should be making an appearance as well.

Leave comments below!  Have a cool Summer rampage story to tell?  Post it in the comments section below.

SUM(cough)WINTER RAMPAGE DECEMBER 9th!

I hope we have a large turn out for this event.  I would love to be able to hold Death Clock tournaments at our store.  Currently And Books Too has four chess clocks, I am hoping to increase that number to ten with the tournament proceeds.  We do also have a Farewell to SR2012 Steamroller tournament on January 6th at And Books Too.