Battle Report – WAAAAGH Gitsmasha vs. Space Wolves 2000 pts!

Recently I’ve been concentrating on Painting, and to a lesser effect Modeling.  I put out Home Fires as part of Storytelling, but the fourth strand of the hobby, Gaming, has been completely set by the wayside.

Until now.

Or, rather, last Monday.  I’ve been unable to post due to internet connectivity issues.  But longtime friend of the blog Misha brought their Space Wolves to let me cut my teeth on my Orks!

Deployment: Tipping Point

Mission: Scorched Earth

Mission Rule: Stalwarts

Setup:

Space Wolves charged forward, occupying the center.  The WAAAAAGH! followed, allowing most Ork units to push forward.  Beast Snagga boys threatened the Repulsor, while Meganobs and Squighog Boys took out the Land Raider Redeemer.

The Judiciar with the Bladeguard wiped the Bikes, but were then cut down by Nobs.  In a display of indignity, the Judiciar with one wound was disaptched in the following shooting phase with Nob Sluggas in close combat!

Murderfang dispatched the Beast Snaggas while Ragnar Blackmane moved up and slaughtered the Boys.  Flash Git fire killed his Intercessor escort, and reduced Ragnar to one wound!  In a wave of desperation, Grots charged!  The Runterherd did one unsaved wound which was undone with a re-roll, but one lucky Grot got another wound through!  Ragnar went down with a Grot Stabba in his eye!

After this, Murderfang and Bjorn the Fell-Handed took out most Orks.  At the end of the game, only one squad of Grots remained.  However, the Space Wolves had made a tactical error!  Due to the mission rules, Misha burned a mid-field objective on turn 2, confident he could take more later.  In truth, the Space Wolves lost more than 15 points on Primary because this objective was not kept.  In the end, the Orks won 72-62!

Next: more battle reports and LI Fast Attack!

Legions Imperialis Training Mission – Lexington’s Debut!

I’ve been sparse in posting recently because I’ve been preparing to get married.  However, I was working hard on previous projects for Legions Imperialis in order to set up a Training mission for my Best Man and longtime friend of Fourstrands, Lexington.

We played a 1500 point mission, Sons of Horus (Lexington) vs. Manachean Bulls (me).  I was busy setting things up so I wasn’t the most prolific photographer, but here’s the board at the top of turn three:

By the end of the game, the traitors were triumphant!  Let The Galaxy Burn!

As a Best Man’s gift, Lexington for TWO full starter boxes for the Legiones Astartes, more than enough to have a tactically viable force!

Next: my triumphant return to 40K painting with the continuation of the Primaris Captain project.

Legion Imperialis 2000 Sons of Horus vs. White Scars

Had a blast at AFK with it’s owner, Dan, playing me in a brutal 2000 point game!  Here are some highlights:

A Warlord Titan of the Legio Crucius stomps some traitor Dreadnoughts flat!  He later one-shotted a Warhound!

A Large Formation of White Scars dropped into the traitor backfield!  Sadly the Leviathan Dreadnoughts were reduced to one and the remaining walker fled the rest of the game!  Infantry was blasted from all sides after they charged the Sicarans protecting the board from aircraft.

The White Scars airforce removes the Sons of Horus who captured their home objective.

In the end, the traitors were victorious!

Next: more LI Solar Auxillia!

Four Strands Re-Launch! Updates, New Novel, and Surprise Announcement!

Welcome back!  Fourstrandshobby has returned, with a new scheme same as the old scheme!

A while ago, WordPress updates made the old scheme for this site unworkable.  This was after years of hackers breaking into the site again and again.  It turns out that scheme was vulnerable.  I chose another one that was very… blue.  And ugly.  And as such I wasn’t incentivized to post.

But, thanks to Lexington, I have a new scheme that looks like the old scheme, but works with modern WordPress and is secure!

In the intervening years, I’ve been up and down, but I’ve always made time for Modeling, Painting, Gaming, and Storytelling.  I played a lot of 9th edition 40K and then 10th when it came out.

I also got into Legion Imperialis!  I have a huge Sons of Horus force that grows all the time and will soon be joined (opposed?) by a Solar Auxillia force!  Click the link below to see the brand new Image Gallery!

Legion Imperialis Image Gallery

More importantly, I’ve been writing!  Big Game V: The Battle of Iperin was a novella made of vignettes contributed by multiple people on the old BGV forums and was chiefly written by myself, Lexington, and Joe.  Big Game VI: The Omega War was a more focused narrative written by Lexington and myself.

However, the newest novella to be featured on Fourstrands is Home Fires: An Azure Flames Novel.  This finishes what I’ll refer to as the Azure Flames Omnibus at least in terms of main stories.  I also have a short story between BGV and BGVI, and I am considering another between BGVI and Home Fires to make a complete Black Library style omnibus.  Click the link below, or the one in the Features bar.

Home Fires: An Azure Flames Novel

I’ve also done several projects for the Azure Flames!  I’ll post a few pics below, but most will have their own posts soon.

But finally, and most importantly for my life, I’m getting married!  Me and my Fiancée bonded over the classic Adult Swim show: The Venture Brothers.  As such, I commissioned an expert to 3D print the Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch from their wedding.  I then painted the duo myself.

Coming up next: Legion Imperialis Thunderhawk Gunship, some Solar Auxillia, and hopefully a battle report against loyalist scum, the White Scars at AFK!

Blood Bowl Exhibition

Blood bowl league is starting up! I went to an Exhibition event to meet everyone involved.

Exhibition game was Konquata Monitors against the Thunder Dead! Sadly TWO Saurus went down for the count, and Thunder Dead won 2-1.

League starts in the new year!

Necromunda Campaign Finale – The Crucible

In the finale of our narrative campaign, the gangs are keyed into a bounty against invading Orks! Smelling a fortune to be made for whoever kills the Warboss, the gangs ambush the Orks as they try to establish a camp!

Gangs got victory points for slaying Orks. The Fighting was rough until Petra’s Ash Waste gangers shot the Warboss in the back with a missile!

Suddenly, the Gang Leaders were swallowed with white light! They were teleported to an arena!

Last one standing wins!

The fighting was fast and fierce, and the last two opponents were both limping around with flesh wounds!

Finally, Syn Decote, leader of the Field Testers, was triumphant!

***

Syn Decote wrapped his cloak around his wounds. Only his armoured undersuit had saved him from being blown apart by the Palanite Captain’s lucky bolt rounds. He slammed a painkiller and took a deep breath.

A white column of light appeared in the center of the arena. With no other options, Syn readied his plasma pistol and stepped into the light.

He appeared before the Eldar Farseer that had helped the gangers before, when they had been ambushed by the Imperial Fists. Beside him were the other two Eldar with the slim meltaguns and the fire motif on their armour. Syn narrowed his eyes, but didn’t flinch.

“Greetings, champion of Man.” the Farseer said. “I am Yrthrian Mardawn, Farseer of the Aeldari. Long have I searched for one as you. I beg you, before you leave, hear my plea. I offer a lifetime of glory, luxury, and freedom.”

Syn figured that this alien could have slagged him at any time. He could have also set him rot in that sealed off room. Despite the drills from childhood about how aliens were scum, Syn decided to give the weirdo in the tall hat a chance.

“I’ll listen.” he spat.

The Farseer motioned to the Fire Dragons: “Leave us.” Even behind their tall helmets, Syn could sense thet were confused. They left after a moment, with Syn face to face with the Farseer. He removed his tall helmet, revealing pale skin, delicate features, and pointed ears. He spoke.

“Before I ask of your skills in combat, I must explain why I have searched for you so long. The Aeldari live on ships known as Craftworlds. My Craftworld, Saim-Hann, is ruled by the most dominant family. Many years ago, I received a vision of the future. In this vision, the galaxy was rent in two and the Great Enemy you know as Chaos tore the Human Imperium apart. The Craftworlds of the Aeldari were not spared this wrath. However, under the leadership of my family, Craftworld Saim-Hann survived, and aided the humans to hold back the night.

“My family was not in a position of leadership. Therefore, I challenged the ruling family. It was decided that in ten years’ time, we would choose a champion, and these champions would duel. The winner would bring glory to the family that chose them, and that family would rule.

“I scryed the future once again, and saw this place, this Hive. Within it, I knew I would find a champion capable of the victory I needed. I searched for years, ultimately deciding on the Human known as Bull Gorg. I spirited him away from the Human authorities that hunted him, and they presumed him dead. He accompanied me to Saim-Hann. However, something happened that no one foresaw:

“Bull Gorg and the champion of the opposing family slew each other at the exact same moment. No victor could be decided. So, both families agreed to another competition in ten more years.

“This time, however, I did not search at random. I contacted Rangers who ply the webways to manipulate events. I gave aid to House Ty and fueled their ambitions for dominance. I worked with the Human Inquisitor Von Styr, pitting him against his enemies. I gave false leads to the Astartes, who came in search of their fallen brethren, only to find you. Finally, I used all the resources at my disposal to re-direct an Ork WAAAAGH, but to weaken it so that it could not destroy this place.

“All this, I have done, to turn this Hive into a crucible. To burn away the impurities and find perfection. I believe you are the champion I need to save my world.

“For your services, I will extricate you from this hellish place. I will shower you with riches, and allow you to live on my Craftworld, or on any other planet in the galaxy, barring those belonging to the Exodites. I will even pledge my Craftworld to defend your Imperium from the coming darkness.

“For this, I require you fight for me. It will not be easy. But I believe you are destined to prevail.

“What say you, Champion of man?”

Syn was in awe. This guy had so much power, and all he wanted was a fight?

Syn could fight a guy. He did it all the time.

“You got a deal.” he said, holstering his pistol and extending his hand. The Eldar looked at the hand as if it were a rat three days dead, but then seemed to steel himself and shook Syn’s hand.

“Then, you shall come with us. It is a weeklong trek in the Ash Wastes to the Webway Portal.”

“Whatever.” Syn said.

It was the last word he would speak aloud on Necromunda. He was alright with that.

Big Necromunda Update

It’s been a while since I’ve updated due to the hectic life of a Necromunda Arbitrator. Here’s a huge dump of awesome stuff!

First, I finished Wendy and Sandy, my Champion and Specialist, with Needle Rifles.

Wendy and Sandy are, as previous characters, based on characters from Maniac Mansion:

Next, the second of the major narrative events happened for my Necromunda Campaign: Diamonds in the Sump! The leaders of the player gangs and their trusted seconds were ambushed by an Inquisitor who was an enemy of the Inquisitor that hired them for the first event! Luckily, Kal Jerico himself was there to provide an opening. The leader of the Field Testers, Syn Ducote (Van Saar) fragged the Inquisitor and made his escape! The rest of the gangs ran down a huge hallway from the Inquisitor’s private Enforcer Squad!

Finally, a shipment came in from Forge World, and I have a pair of brand new Phyrr Cats to add to battles for Razor and the Scumettes!

Next: more Necromunda including the next narrative event which will prove to be a shocker!

Tanksgiving 2021 at AFK!

Tis the season to donate to local charities, and owner Dan of AFK has a heart bigger than his newly resized store!  A yearly event, Tanksgiving is a 40K game where only tanks and monsters are allowed (with exceptions).  Players can place any vehicles for one item of canned food or $1 per 10 power level.

Additionally, any model removed as a casualty can be set up as an oncoming reserve for one item of canned food or $1 per 10 power level.

Each player started with 3 CP (even if Unbound) and received 1 CP each command phase.  At any time, 1 CP could be purchased for one canned good or $1.

All food and money would be donated to the local food bank for Thanksgiving.

It’s a big fight!  With TITANS! THAT SUCK KIND OF!

Turns were taken as follows: One side got their Command and Movement Phases, then the other.  One side took a shooting phase, and damage was recorded but not applied.  The other side took a shooting phase, and then all damage was applied.  Finally, one side charged and fought but damage was not applied, then the other side charged and fought and all damage was applied.  If applicable, all sides took morale simultaneously.  This gets rid of the problem that Apocalypse games always have: whoever goes first blows the other side off the table.

The entire complement of vehicles of the Azure Flames, raring to go!

Other Forces were ready to fight as well!

The Azure Flames set up supporting the Reaver and Warhound against the Warlord.

The leftmost boards were saturated with Tyranids.  Despite being Tanksgiving, the ‘Nids brought infantry.  They were literally pushed around in piles.

One of the crowning moments of the game; a Drop Pod fell to block a charge lane.  An enemy Knight charged it… and WHIFFED!  This delayed the charge another turn.

After it was unceremoniously blown off the table, I dropped $15 and resurrected the Reaver.

Long time contributor to Fourstrands, Rob, brought his Ultramarines on turn 2, complete with the Lord of the Imperium himself: Roboute Gulliman!  He turned the Azure Flames tank column and the Reaver from a threat to a powerhouse!

Opposite the Tyranids was another Reaver, an Imperial Guard 7th Edition Air Wing, and some Tau.  The Nids chewed them all up.

Sadly, I had to leave before the end, but the REAL winner was the local food bank!  People were spending money like crazy!  It was extremely fun!

Industrial Terrain 2000 Points with Terminators

When Zach and I arrived at AFK Games, someone had set up some very industrial terrain for a demo of a new MDF terrain system.

We couldn’t resist and decided to play a game on it.

So, naturally, I took a list with 42 models in Terminator Armor.

In the end, we tied 67 to 67!  It was an amazing game!

50 Power Casual Team Tournament

This weekend past, I participated in a Team Tournament at AFK games.  Each player got a 50 power list, and was paired with a random player versus two other players.  Secondaries could only be chosen from the Grand Tournament book, and could not be chosen from codexes.

Here’s my list:

• Patrol
  • Librarian, Force Sword, Plasma Pistol, The Tome of Vel’cona, Flaming Blast, Fire Shield, Drakeskin, Warlord, Lord of Fire
  • Tactical Squad x5, Chainsword, Combi-Plasma, Multi-melta
  • Aggressors x3, Flamestorm Gauntlets
  • Ironclad Dreadnought, Chainfist, Meltagun, Hurricane Bolter, Ironclad Launchers, 2x Hunter Killer Missile
  • Bike Squad x3, Power Fist, 2x Meltagun, Attack Bike, Multi-melta
  • Eradicator Squad x3, Melta Rifles

Winning earned you an additional ticket, but just playing and showing up on time earned so many more that most people were on equal footing.  Tickets could be spent on raffles for door prizes.

Game 1 – The Scouring

Bozeman (Salamanders) and David (Dark Angels) vs. Andrew S. (Sons of Bile) and Chris (Nihilakh Necrons)

Chris and I had one of the worst first turns I’ve ever had.  Rolls were terrible.  After that we did not really recover, but the battle was extremely bloody.  Due to time limits, we only made it to turn 3.  Had the game gone on longer we may have had a chance due to extreme losses on the other side.  The stars were the Nihilakh Necrons, who scored LOADS of points because all of their units have Objective Secured!

Game 2 – Scorched Earth

Bozeman (Salamanders) and Andrew M. (Sororitas – Sacred Rose) vs. Andrew (Space Wolves) and David (Dark Angels)

Aggressive first turn moves allowed me and Andrew to set the pace of the battle.  Deep Strike attacks from Saint Celestine and Ephrael Stern take vital objectives and cause chaos.  Except for a near invincible Space Wolves Dreadnought, most enemies go down for a win.

Game 3 – Sweep and Clear

Bozeman (Salamanders) and Andrew S. (Sons of Bile) vs. Jesse (Legio Metallica Mechanicus AND Thousand Sons)

Jesse was the Ringer for this tournament, and brought SIX different lists and rolled randomly each time.  Due to an imbalance of players, Jesse took TWO of his lists against us!

Andrew’s teleporting Terminators brought some needed pressure, cutting off Ahriman’s push to the right side of the board.  We took a lot of extremely mobile fire from Mechanicus walkers that can advance and shoot.  However, by the end, we managed to wear down Jesse’s armies and score a great deal of points.

Results:

I won 5 tickets for showing up on time, with printed lists, and not needing anything from an AFK employee.  Two wins one loss gave me 5 more.  I used these to win a really nice paintbrush and a pot of Black Templar contrast paint.

It was a really great time!  I bought everyone drinks and my feet were in incredible pain!

Next: some updates for Assault Marines and more Primaris units, plus hopefully Orks?