Chaos Space Marines @ 1850

I'm helping my friend Alex work up a list for Chaos Space Marines so he can learn the game and get some solid tactics under his belt. He's already got a decent CSM collection, so the following list uses some of the stuff he likes and gets enough shots and bodies on the field to deal with the major problems he might face.

Updating Grey Knights + IG @1850

I've been doing a good bit of playtesting with the Grey Knight + IG list recently posted, and I've been trying out various combinations. The following is the current incarnation, and is pretty well set to be what I am using for the 2013 Alabama CAGE Match provided Dark Angels doesn't give me something more awesome to work with.

You can see the list and my thoughts on it after the break.

Major News! First post for 6th Edition

I know it's been a while since I've posted up anything, but with all the changes going on in the world of 40k, I really didn't have much to add that others weren't already saying. I've also been analyzing the meta with various lists I've seen people discussing. I ran a successful GT last month which utilized double FOC available. I feel I have a solid enough grasp on the game right now to make some statements and lists.

I'm also starting up commission work, and I will soon be putting up lots of pictures of stuff that's in progress or completed. Right now I'm sticking to local work, so if you're anywhere near Rocket City, USA, check out The Foundry and ask about having RayJ do your commission!

With that in mind, here is my first truly competitive army list for 6th Edition. It has a major weakness in the fragility of its troops, but it puts out shots like nothing else. This list is built at 1850 using Grey Knights as the primary army, and Imperial Guard as an allied detachment.

painted by Lukas-the-Trickster

Primary Detachment

• 100 Inquisitor Coteaz
• 63 Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband
  • 3 Warrior Acolytes
  • Razorback
    • Psybolt Ammunition
    • Searchlight
• 63 Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband
  • 3 Warrior Acolytes
  • Razorback
    • Psybolt Ammunition
    • Searchlight
• 63 Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband
  • 3 Warrior Acolytes
  • Razorback
    • Psybolt Ammunition
    • Searchlight
• 63 Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband
  • 3 Warrior Acolytes
  • Razorback
    • Psybolt Ammunition
    • Searchlight
• 63 Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband
  • 3 Warrior Acolytes
  • Razorback
    • Psybolt Ammunition
    • Searchlight
• 136 Dreadnoguht
  • 2 TL Autocannons
  • Psybolt Ammo
  • Searchlight
• 136 Dreadnoguht
  • 2 TL Autocannons
  • Psybolt Ammo
  • Searchlight
• 136 Dreadnoguht
  • 2 TL Autocannons
  • Psybolt Ammo
  • Searchlight

Fortification

• 100 Aegis Defense Line
  • Quad Gun

Allied Detachment

• 70 Primaris Psyker
• 165 Psyker Battle Squad
  • 5 Sanction Psykers
  • Chimera
• 390 Infantry Platoon
  • [115] Platoon Command Squad
    • 4 Flamers
    • Krak Grenades
    • Meltabombs
    • Chimera
  • [125] Infantry Squad
    • Flamer
    • Autocannon
    • Power Axe
    • Meltabombs
    • Commissar
      • Power Axe
  • [80] Infantry Squad
    • Flamer
    • Autocannon
    • Power Axe
    • Meltabombs
  • [80] Infantry Squad
    • Flamer
    • Autocannon
    • Power Axe
    • Meltabombs
• 140 Vendetta
  • Heavy Bolter Sponsons
• 150 Ordinance Battery
  • 2 Griffons

Total: 1848/1850

The list should be pretty straight forward. Use the Platoon Command Squad as a sort of spearhead, usually riding along in the Vendetta. Their Chimera is great for blocking razorbacks and providing a backup transport for the Psykers.

Use Coteaz to man the Quad Gun, and pump S7 shots at anything that enters the table within 12 inches of him, on top of the 1 use of Skyfire/Interceptor each turn.

13 Vehicles is still going to be hard to mess with for most armies, provided you use the IG blob to block assaults properly. Depending on the enemy army, you may want the Primaris Psyker to roll up Biomancy for a chance at Iron Arm or Telepathy for Psychic Shriek. Keeping him with codex powers is also useful for the Lightning Arc.

Combat effectiveness outside the blob is going to be next to nil, along with squad survivability. This list is really relying on ranged firepower to pull most of the weight. Here's a weapon breakdown:

• 1 S* APd6 Large Blast
• 3 S9 AP2
• 12 S8 AP4 Twin-Linked
• 4 S7 AP4 Twin-Linked
• 6 S7 AP4
• 2 S6 AP4 Ordinance Barrage
• 15 S6 AP4 Twin-Linked
• 6 S6 AP-
• 18 S5 AP4
• 7 S4 AP5 Template
• 21 S3 AP- Rapid Fire
• 15 S3 AP- Pistol
• 4 Meltabombs
• 4 Krak Grenades
• 4 Power Axes
• 1 Force Stave
• 1 Nemesis Daemonhammer

Comments, suggestions for improvement, and general critique are all welcome. This list is designed around dealing with mass fliers and large infantry squads, while having enough troops to hold objectives late game.

Playing Dark Eldar: The Ulthwé Rapid Response Fleet (Revised)

The basics behind the list haven't changed much in the past few months, but there are some substantial changes in the details that affect gameplay a good bit. I have a long way to go before I hit the ceiling with Dark Eldar, so I should see marked improvement each time out. Right now this is where the army sits at 2000 points based on playtesting and my current ability to utilize the army.

A new project for 2012: Playing Dark Eldar

Hey look, only 4 months between updates! I've been doing a lot behind the scenes, and the end of 2011 was super busy for me. Didn't do much in the way of gaming at all, though I did take 2nd place in a local RTT with my Death Hammer Dark Angels in early December.

Since then I have been painting up my Ulthwé themed Dark Eldar at a slow but steady pace, and I'm gonna be breaking out with it during the 2012 tournament season, beginning with the Battle for Stones River in Murphreesboro, TN.

I'm playing the Dark Eldar in our local escalation league that started last week, and using those experiences to hone my deployment and movement strategies. this is especially important at the lower point values where certain armies can destroy my vehicle fleet by just thinking about it. I earned 3 out of 5 possible points for this round of the league, and will be using them to expand my territory on our 3-planet campaign map (using planetary empires). I started off with a spaceport, and I'm 2 tiles from a hive city (the closest i could start to one), and am on schedule for claiming the hive city at the end of the 2nd round.

Here is the list of upcoming events where you will be able to see my Dark Eldar army in action. I'm sure I will be adding to this list, but these events have been scheduled and paid for already.

The Foundry escalation league - Currently ongoing
Battle for Stones River 2012 - February 25
CAGE Match Finals 2012 - March 24-25 (Representing the Foundry)
The Kalm Before the Waaagh! - May 4-5
Warhammer 40k American Team Championship - July 14-15 (Representing the Foundry)

I will be making another post today explaining my current list and thought processes behind it, but I have some stuff to take care of first.

Works in Progress: Ulthwé Skiff Fleet

I've updated the highlighting used in the paint scheme shown on the Razorwing, and have done a lot of work on several of the other vehicles in the fleet. Here is the fleet being used for my 1000 point list in the escalation league (minus the second venom that comes in this week). The Raiders and Ravagers aren't complete yet, but most of them are far enough along to show the overall look the army will have. Enjoy the pics.

As you can see, there is still a lot of work to do, including touch-ups, but I think it's off to a good start.

Ulthwé Razorwing

Here is the first completed vehicle for my new Dark Eldar army. This will be used at the 1000-1500 point level in our upcoming Escalation league. I have replaced the Splinter Cannon with a Shuriken Cannon and replaced the Dark Lances with Bright Lances. Still needs to be sealed and have the gems all glossed up, but otherwise is ready to go. The last step will come when it stops raining and dries up a bit outside.

Comments and critiques are appreciated!