Terminator Ain't No Hollaback Girl!

Hello gentle readers, today I want to talk about something that really gets my goat.  A topic that really grinds my gears.  An issue that violently slaps my nuts (like that's a bad thing...).  The idea that all units should be able to eliminate terminators with ease.  For those uninitiated few reading this post who have no idea what a 'terminator' is and are wondering why their google search for Gwen Stefani's iconic Holler Back Girl sent them here, let me take a moment to explain.

 A terminator is a 7 foot tall human turned biological weapon called a Space Marine in an incredibly ancient suit of neigh impenetrable armor.  These warriors are the finest members of an already elite chapter of 1000 warriors.  They carry devastating weapons that are used to fully eradicate whatever is unfortunate enough to be in front of them.  In the actual game of 40k they come in at a hefty 40-45 points and you are required to take a unit of 5 (usually).  These 5, with a decent weapon load-out will most likely cost you between 225-260 points.  Not an insignificant allocation of points.  In short, they came to chew bubble gum and kick ass.  Just your luck, they're out of bubble gum.

Unfortunately, for some time now any discussion regarding the merits of a unit will inevitably cause someone to compare said unit with terminators.  Usually, it will go something like this,

Newb: Hey guys, what do you think about (x)??
Dork: They're ok, but they can't kill terminators.

WHAT.  Of course they can't kill terminators.  Do you know why? BECAUSE THEY'RE FLIPPING TERMINATORS, CUNT!  BITCH!  They cost 40 points per model.  Oh, I'm sorry you feel your 15 point model sucks because it cant easily eliminate my terminator models.  I just don't get why people feel that they're unit of (x) should for some reason cost half the points of other models and be able to go toe to toe with them.  When a Banshee costs 40 points (or more with weapons) give me a call.

I would like to go further and claim that terminators are now TOO easy to kill.  Yes, they have a 2+ save, but at toughness 4 they are fairly easy to wound and with the prevalence of plasma weaponry (another article) their 5+ invulnerable save will get you dead more than 50% of the time.  At toughness 4, you are taking a lot of armor saves.  How many 1's will you roll on 10 dice?  2 most likely (or 5 in my case).  Even the ubiquitous storm shield/thunder hammer terminators are toughness 4.  In order to have them survive past the 3rd turn you are forced to take them in large numbers, which will eat up your points right quick.  I would propose making terminators HARDER to kill.  Fuck, at 40 points, they better be!  How about toughness 5? Why are they the same toughness as marines in regular power armor?  Maybe making them come with 2 wounds standard?  Lower point cost?  I would like to see them move to a 2+/5+ Feel no Pain that can be taken no matter what type of weapon causes the wound.  Something.  ANYTHING that will make them better reflect the fluff that is written about them. Also, why is Dante not eternal warrior and why is he initiative 7 but the FAQ gave him a power axe? Why women be shopping! TELL ME ASSHOLES!  Ok, I'm sweating now.

Next up!  Kublacon 1500 point tournament with Azrael and Friends!

A turd by any other name....

....... is my Grey Knight's list that I took to a local 1750 point tournament this past weekend.  I don't want to go through the entire list again, and one needs to look no further than my last post (over a week ago) to see the list in detail.  Let's just say that with only 17 models in the entire list (not counting the Bastion) I did manage to go 2-1, though lady luck has more to do with that than any discernible skill on my part.

I had a whole plan for this post, but seeing as how I attribute most of the positives from the list to luck I'm just going to go over some of the pros and cons of the list that I think might interest people.

 *I'm not taking the time to go over my list again. Please go back and read the last post to get the details...Don't be an asshole...*

PROS

• Low model count.  This made taking the time to set up properly not so much of a hassle.  A lot of games are lost due to poor deployment, and having a large army can lead to this at times.  If you only have a few units, they more than likely each have a specific job and you can spend a good amount of time making sure they are set up to do their job properly.
• Powerful units. Lord Kaldor 'd'Brikashaw Ferguson' Draigo and Paladin friends make for an intimidating unit, and there wasn't much on the table that could handle them.  I believe in my last game against Necrons, d'Brikashaw aka Draigo took every wound from two Annihilation Barges....TWICE.  Yes, friends, placement is everything.  
• Coteaz is the Grey Knight tax, and putting him in the unit of Paladins/Draigo is just mean.  I've Been Expecting You with two Psycannons and strength 5 Storm Bolters will make most players rage quit 100% of the time.  PRO TIP: Don't tell your opponent about I've Been Expecting You. 
• A Vindicare in a Bastion firing from fire points can make sure your opponent is going to have a bad day.  In the same game that Draigo was taking wounds from Annihilation Barges, the Vindicare exploded both of the same Barges.  Now, to be honest, he did make about 400 4+ Invulnerable saves and about 10 6+ Feel No Pain saves from being glanced by 60 rapid firing Warriors....
• A Dreadnight with a heavy incinerator deep striking will ruin a LOT of people's days.  Especially Necrons.
• A Storm Raven's mindstrike missles make Paladins die (and shit their pants).

CONS

• Low model count.  With two troop choices and the majority of book missions being objective based, you are going to have a really steep hill to climb.  Throw in the fact that we use the BAO (Bay Area Open) format in most west coast tournaments now, which mix in objectives in EACH mission, and 17 models starts looking REALLY unattractive.
• No real anti-horde.  I was fortunate to not have faced any horde armies or else I would have been in big trouble.  Yes, I had a Storm Raven, but it was kitted out to take out enemy fliers.
• Draigo AKA d'Brikashaw Ferguson ain't what he used to be.  Yes, he can still destroy most enemies, but with his sword now being AP3 and unless he is fighting a demon or psycher, he has a hard time taking out anyone with a decent armor/invulnerable save.  I actually forgot his sword was AP3 and challenged Belial in my first game.  I almost lost Draigo to that pigeon toed fucker (He was making his 2 ups and I was failing my 3 ups...).
• A Vindicare assassin might look cool, but he dies to mass bolter fire just the same.  With just a 4+ invulnerable save, and even with a 3+ cover save most of the time, he only has two wounds and you are GOING to roll 2 twos when rolling for 12-15 saves.
• Low model count.  I'm going to say this again.  With that low model count, when you lose a unit it REALLY HURTS.  

So with that said, here is how I would improve the list.

• Drop the Bastion and Vindicare and take two Psyflemen Dreadnoughts.  I know this has become cliche, but it's for a good reason.  They tear shit up and do it on the cheap.  Vindicare's are cool, and If I went up to 1850 I would most likely drop a Paladin and take him.  They can be made scoring with Draigo.
• Drop the lascannon on the Storm Raven and bring the assault cannon and find points for the hurricane bolters.  With Psybolt ammo it's just too good and I still think Storm Ravens are where it'st at (it's no Vendetta).

So that't it.  I hope you found this remotely useful.  Next blog post will be about Terminators and why you're an asshole for thinking every army should have a cheap counter for them.

Whither a Grey Knight? FUCK YEAH

This weekend a local FLGS, Game Kastle, is hosting a 1750 point tournament.  Seeing as how I am currently working on no less than 4 armies, choosing an army to build was unsurprisingly difficult.  At the 11^th hour I decided on Grey Knights because hey, why not?  I’m a list builder, as in I spend my free time watching television with numerous codices surrounding me furiously writing and re-writing lists.  One list that I created recently was a pure Grey Knight codex that I believe has the tools to take on the gamut of powerful builds that I am likely to see at a tournament.  It has all of the qualities I look for when writing a list, and much like my sex life, is hard hitting and in your face! *(Don’t tell that one to my girlfriend)*

Before going into detail, THE LIST

Lord Kaldor Draigo –Duke of Cheese, King of Pain

Lord Draigo do what he do.  Makes the Paladins troop choices, overall bad-ass, you know the drill.  I like to use the Grand Strategy making d3 units Scouts, moving him and the Paladins closer as well as the Dreadknight.

Inquisitor Coteaz – ‘Re-Roll that, Please’

Everyone's favorite auto-include.  Give you Divination spells and a fun I've Been Expecting You attack.  Also, his Psyber-Eagle rocks way too much ass.  He also basically guarantees you wont get seized on which makes deployment a lot less stressful.

Paladin Squad (6) 2x Psycannon, Apothecary, Brobanner, Psybolt Ammo – Draigo’s Extra Wound Squad

2 wound terminators with Feel No Pain, 3 Base Attacks (Bro Banner), Psychic Bad ASSES. 8 twin linked strength 7 rending shots (that should be re-rolled with Coteaz' Prescience. These guys go to 11 with Draigo and Coteaz. 

Paladin Squad (1) Incinerator/Twin Linked – ‘Did I just deep strike onto your table quarter? LOL’

Late game grabber of objectives that's also the bane of hiding troop squads on said objectives.

Strike Squad (5) 3x Halberd, Psycannon, Psybolt Ammo – Warp Quakers

I like these little squads.  They can hold their own if drawn into combat (6 Init 6 power weapons attacks on the charge) but really shouldn't be getting into combat.  Decent shooting when sitting still (8 Strength 5 AP 5 shots and 4 Rending Strength 7 AP 4 shots).  When I go to 1850 these guys go to 10.

Storm Raven with Multi-Melta and Twin-Linked Lascannons, Extra Armor – Boom goes to Croissant

I have the model, 'nuff said.  One of the best fliers in the game, if on the expensive side.  The twin linked Lascannon and Multi-Melta will make short work of enemy fliers and enemy armor.

Dread Knight with Heavy Incinerator, Great Sword – DIE GARGOYLES, DIIEEEE

If I had the points I would give this guy the personal teleporter, but with Draigo's Grand Strategy handing out Scout and the threat range of the Heavy Incinerator, I can live without it.  2+ armor save with a toughness of 6 makes the dude hard to take down.  I like the Great Sword, with the ability to re-roll hits and wounds.

Vindicare Assassin – *Head Shot*

A guy that can literally take down anything, and with the recent FAQs making his shots un-look out bro-able, the Vindicare assassin is looking really good.  I plan on putting him on the quad gun, which will benefit from his precision shot.  If he intercepts with the quad gun, he can shoot his rifle during his turn.

Bastion with Quad Gun

Armor 14 is nothing to sneeze at and makes for a terrific firing platform for the Vindicare Assassin.  Some people say the Bastion cannot be target by the enemy, as it is unoccupied so is not an enemy unit.  I would subscribe to this newsletter, but cooler heads say that it CAN be targeted.  I'm sure there will be arguments for and against at some point.

So there it is.  The Vindicare sits on top of the bastion manning the quad gun.  If he uses the quad gun to intercept, he shoots his rifle from his VERY generous vantage point from the top of the bastion, which BTW, cannot be targeted by enemy attack as it is technically unoccupied.  Draigo and Coteaz do what they do, Storm Raven poop on you, and Dread Knight (hopefully with Scout from Draigo) gets me first blood.  Lone Paladin hopefully drops in late game and flames someone for the lols.  Big Paladin Squad rolls with Draigo/Coteaz and Strike Squad sits on an objective and unleashes warp quake.  Small and fierce, just like your mom likes it. 

Let me know what you think.  I’ll post Saturday night or Sunday morning with the results.

Poor Black Templar Terminator.....

I really should have worked harder on my terminator costume..- Black Templar Guy

Caption Contest!  GO