Brother Captain Terik

This is my second HQ, Brother Captain Terik. He is Tycho for game point and stats.

He has taken to wearing the torn flesh of his enemies. This is a trait occurrence throughout the army. He has also taken several trophies through the years. He wears the symbol of the Black Templars, which was removed from the corpse of one of their champions. He has several skulls that he has kept from Astartes rivals he has laid low. 

Battle Company of Brother Terik: the recorded actions

Some more exposition for my Night Lords, since I am approaching, albeit slower than intended, their finish.

843M34- Culling of Grendel’s World   Battle Company of Brother Captain Terik founded.

850M34- Idumea Forge World raid that sees several techpriests and melta weapons captured.

M36- Fifth Black Crusade Perform several lightning raids on Imperial supply depots. This helps Addadon’s forces during the opening attacks on Cadia.

M37– Recruitment Discover three planets to begin recruitment and implantation of new battle brothers.

220M38- Arios Point A rouge trader vessel baring Nigh Lord iconography is seen leaving system as the Howling Griffons are ambushed at Arios Point.

694M39- Jericho III Dark Eldar pirates attack as Night Lords are performing a raid for menials and slaves. Deal is made between the two forces. More slaves are given to the Dark Eldar in exchange for combat enhancement drugs form their twisted Haemonculus. The Night Lords begin new chemical regimen.

705M39- The Green Chemical enhancement has begun to alter the DNA of new Night Lord recruits. After gene implantation their eyes begin to glow with a bright green. They also retain their skin color. They do not take on the Primarch’s black eyes and pallid skin.  They do retain all the other abilities and traits of their brothers.

710M39- Rage Addiction to the Dark Eldar combat drugs is noted in all levels of the Battle Company. Stopping the drugs causes serve weakness and crippling pain, even to the enhanced constitution of an Astartes. Several events of uncontrolled battle lust and rage begin to surface.

712M39- The Hunt Brother CaptainTerik begins a galaxy wide search for the Dark Eldar responsible for the chemical tainting of their gene seed.

675M40- Vidium Terik finds Dark Eldar forces assaulting the Hive World of Vidium, the same forces he was hunting. “The Green” has begun affecting almost all of Night Lords under Terik’s command. Terik finds the Haemonculus responsible, but is pulled into their warp portal while fighting him. Brother Sergeant Hargrev assumes command of the company.

978M40- Forge World of Baji IV Assist Abbadon in overthrowing this Forge World. Payment is the return of Captain Terik from the warp.  Several Black Legion pyskers, after determining his location, open a stable warp portal. Hargrev and two squads enter the portal and return with Terik. Only three other battle brothers return.  Hargrev relinquishes command to Terik. Many brothers think he has been tainted by his time within the warp.

156M41-158M41- Gothic War Once again Terik’s Night Lords answer Abbadon’s call to arms. They perform several raids on several communication and supply installations.

231M41- Capture several Astartes bikes and attack bikes after ambushing a White Scar scout force. The Night Lords begin to put these bikes to use.

505M41- Infestation Genestealer infestation on Night Lord recruitment world. During the cleansing Terik flies into an uncontrollable rage. He kills dozens of Genestealers and their Patriarch with his bare hands. He then turns on his battle brothers and kills eight before he is subdued.  “The Green” has even taken hold this mighty warrior. Brother Hargrev once again takes command of the Battle Company.

506M41- Hargrev begins a search for a cure to the “Green.”

926M41- Vaxhallian Genocide Blurry vid-cap of Night Lords, bearing the Terik’s heraldry, is found after the Purge has killed 14 million on the planet Vaxhallia. 1^st documented action in 400 years.

980999M41- Sessec  Under the command of Lugft Huron, assist in raids on the planet Sessec.

9959999M41- 13^th Black Crusade Perform several ship to ship assaults against the Imperial Navy and even capture two frigates and a destroyer.

Black Templar list with Grimaldus and friends



After reading Helsreach I have had an itching to make a Black Templar army, lead by Grimaldus. It is based on him and the other Astartes characters in the Helsreach novel. The problem is the points. I have had a problem finding useful stuff with the few points left over. Now this is the typical list for fun.  It is also loosely based on the Helsreach force, it isn’t exact.  It is mostly a small unit of fast responders.

HQ – Grimaldus and his servitors - Duh he has to be here.

Command Squad- 5 guys, Apothecary, Rhino-  These are to be modeled after the command squad in the novel.

Elite- Techmarine  & servo-harness-  Yup he was here as well

The troops were there, but their number and deployment was varied.  I went with a fast reaction and small unit force. It is very mobile, but also very small in number.

Troop- 6 marines pistol/weapon, melta gun, power weapon, Razorback heavy bolter

Troop- 6 marines pistol/weapon, melta gun, power weapon, Razorback heavy bolter

Troop- 6 marines pistol/weapon, flamer, power weapon, Razorback heavy bolter

Troop- 5 marines pistol/weapon, flamer, power weapon, Razorback heavy bolter

Fast- 2 Multi-Melta bikes

Fast- 2 Multi-Melta bikes- These squads are here for anti-tank or the “heavy” slot in the force.

Now I have near 60 points left and not sure where to dump them. I could just throw storm bolters on everything, add a heavy bolter attack bike in a squad with the melt bikes, add a coulpe power fists (but with only 1 base attack for all Black Templars their powerfists kind of suck), add furious charge to the command squad, a power weapon in there maybe or throw in points worth of extra silliness.

Is this army true to the Helsreach force? Maybe. They fought for a long time and they did have the Templars fight on foot, on bike and with jump packs. They also fought in combat squads or in pairs along with the Imperial Guard. So, a mobile Templar force running through the city, or up the Hels Highway is possible.

Grimaldus and his Command squad are there for the close combat duties and such. His Holy Relic can be a nice once per game assault boost.  The squads all being close combat focused can benefit from that little attack bonus, if they need it.

The Techmarine rides with the 5 man squad to add some punch to that squad. They get; 2 power fists a flamer, a twin plasma pistol and an extra wound to soak all from the Techmarine.

With no heavy support the melta bikes are the heavy lifters for ranged armor penetration. This force also will need to pick it’s fights wisely due to the low number of models. At least this is how I see it being used. Now to add this to the Book of Impossible Dreams, a coffee table book that details all the 40K stuff I’d do. That is if I had infinite time and money.

Have you seen this unit? Part 5

The popularity of mechanized armies has me wondering why this unit is not included more often, the marine attack bike.

It has all the bonuses of a marine bike, +1 toughness (except vs. insta death), fast, turbo boost, relentless, two wounds and even two attacks. I can easily move behind and with mechanized forces. It is not a huge point investment and has some versatility.

It is armed with the standard bike twin-linked bolter. It also has a side car with a heavy bolter. Now this can be swapped for a multi-melta at a tiny price. This is where the versatility comes in; it can be an anti-troop or anti-armor unit.

Being a bike it can move up to 12” and fire both guns, one per rider. Just two of these as a squad with multi-meltas can make a rough time for a vehicle you really want destroyed. The 24” multi-melta range is effectively increased to 36” when you figure in the 12” move the bike has. It also makes that juicy 12” melta range easier to attain.

Now the heavy bolter load out is not bad either. I know many do not like the heavy bolter, but it can add a nice weight of fire and wounds. The twin-linked bolters and heavy bolters at a squad of anything, on foot, have damage potential.  The heavy bolters can even suppress or wreck some light armor. Sure it might not destroy that rhino; but if it stops it, even for a round, then it has done something useful. It has changed or hindered your opponents plan (even if only for a turn).

The two attacks are a boon, albeit a small one, as well. It gives the bike another use, an assault unit. Sure it is not a huge threat with just two attacks, but they can be helpful. Slag a transport run the attack bikes at the survivors. Now if you take these attacks into close combat monsters, double strength vs. toughness or the like, then the bikes fail. They are attacks best used to hold up a unit for a counter or at something that has a rough time hurting toughness 5 (4).

Well it would seem these would have more tabletop use. They do appear in bike heavy armies, but in regular armies they are absent. I have very few reasons why they are sitting on the shelves. They do compete with Land Speeders, which seem to see more use than the attack bike. Now they cost the same to start and can move just as far and fast. They can be bought in units of 1-3 However; the Land Speeder can take a secondary weapon system and become even more deadly.  Being a skimmer has its advantages as well; they can get shots that clear cover, and negate those troublesome saves.

This unit does not have a real problem with other competitors in the fast attack slot. So I am still wondering why attack bikes are not utilized more. Is the model unappealing? Do players want those points elsewhere? Are heavy bolters the pariah weapon of the Space Marines? This is all I can really see as to why attacks bike squad is passed on by the masses.

This is the first unit I have reviewed (granted I’ve only done four so far) that I have trouble wondering why it does not get more use.

A break from blue..enter the pig gun!

My first Hordes model is complete. The Farrow Gun Boar is a model I've had for some time. Not sure if I'll ever play Hordes, but a pig with a back mounted cannon really speaks to me.

The skin color was the hardest part. I decided on dwarf flesh, a wash of ogryn flesh and some pallid flesh dabbed on for flavor/ highlights. I think it works for a dirty but not filthy pig color.

The gun mount was a bit off center, might be the giant chunk of metal on the base I had to saw and file down. I eventually got it to where I could mount it on his back, and it was still a bit askew. I don't hate the finished look of it, well they are pig monsters they aren't concerned with aesthetics.

 

 more pics below

The Dr. Evil of the Dark Eldar, well sort of.

Once he was just low class citizen of the dark city of Commorragh with delusions of grandeur.  However, let it be known that following your dreams can pay off. It did for one Asdrubel Vect.



"The details of my life are quite inconsequential."



Once Vect started his rise to power he never looked back. He united the ruling Kabals, noble families, cults coven and others in the hierarchal structure of the dark city. He did not do this through diplomacy; he used brutal and excessive force.  He is highly intelligent and has a remarkable acumen for shrewd military tactics. Just ask the Dark Eldar opposing him that had an Astartes strike cruiser dropped on them. Oh wait you can’t. They are all dead.

He has ruled Commorragh for over 6,000 years, and that is no easy task in a world of backstabbers, liars and the power hungry. However, being the Overlord of Commorragh and the leader of the Kabal of the Black Heart is not as exciting as it once was.  Vect has lead more real space raids as of late. Is it boredom or some other reason that he leaves the dark city for glory and plunder?

1st Grey Knight game

Well we ran a 40K game this weekend with a combined 2000 points of Grey Knights/ Inquisition vs. 2000 points of Chaos marines.  Mike was running a typical Chaos force: prince (wings warptime, nurgle), greater demon, 8 plague marines X2 in rhinos and meltas and plasma, defiler X2, obliterators X2, 10 marines in rhinos X2 chaos icons auto cannons champion fist, terminators wit h3 combi-melta and heavy flamer, and dreadnoughts X2 double close combat weapons.

Lew ran a Malleus Inquisitor, Strormraven (twin-link  lascannon and multi melta), 5 man strike squad in rhino, 5 man terminator squad  with demon hammer, 5 man purge squad X4 psycannon, deathcult x10, and a banisher.

I ran: Coteaz, dreadnaughts twin auto cannon and psybolt X2, 4 jokearo and 2 heavy bolter servitors, 9 warriors with storm bolters and jokearo in rhino X2, and vindicare assassin.



Mike you ready to play some 40K now?

We rolled capture the flag (seriously this is the mission I get most of the time) and dawn of war. I’ll spare you the report. It was a very spirited game, but we had concerns. Mostly for Mike, since he either had a mild stroke pre-game or had spent the previous night huffing silver spray paint through a sock. He thought you only scatter a D6 if you don’t move and fire ordnance, was trying to move marines 12”, rolling dice wrong, and  a slew of other silliness. He has been playing 40K for a number of years now. We were not sure why (and neither was Mike) why he was forgetting rules. It did make for some great moments though.

Anyway, thanks to the Lew’s terminator assault on Mike’s flag we did manage a win. It also helped that our flag was protected by a mass of gridlocked rhinos. Thus making it very hard time walking to get near the building it was located in.  The Chaos forces were being peppered but psycannons and strombolters as they disembarked and approached.

We did learn some great stuff from this game.