Thursday, September 23, 2010

13th Company (or Pre-Heresy Wolves)

This was a fun army to put together because it allowed me to use a lot of my older, plastic CSM models. I had lots of CSMs configured with bolters or bolters & close combat weapons from my older, defunct CSM armies, and they basically turned into Grey Hunters; the CSMs with bolt pistols & close combat weapons turned into Blood Claws. It just seemed like a great fit for the older, CSM-themed Space Wolves from Codex: Eye of Terror.

I had some older Wulfen models that I was able to include in my Grey Hunter and Wolf Scout units so I included as many MotW upgrades as possible. The character models consist of a converted Wulfen as my Battle Leader, Njal as my Rune Priest, and a converted, scratch-built plastic Wolf Priest with lots of talismans. To make the list somewhat competitive I had to mount as many units as possible in Rhinos, each led by Wolf Guard and/or an HQ model.

13th Company - 2000 Points

Wolf Guard Battle Leader - 100
Mark of the Wulfen, Meltabombs, Mark of the Hunter

Rune Priest - 110
Jaws of the World Wolf, Murderous Hurricane, Saga of the Beastslayer

Wolf Priest - 135
Saga of the Warrior Born

Wolf Guard Pack (5) - 200
3x Wolf Guard w/Powerfist & Combi-melta
1x Wolf Guard w/Powerfist & Bolt Pistol
1x Wolf Guard w/Mark of the Wulfen

Wolf Scouts Pack (10) - 205
2x Power Weapon, Meltagun, Mark of the Wulfen

Blood Claw Pack (8) - 180
Powerfist, Rhino

Grey Hunter Pack #1 (8) - 200
Power Weapon, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Meltagun, Rhino

Grey Hunter Pack #2 (9) - 215
Power Weapon, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Meltagun, Rhino

Grey Hunter Pack #3 (9) - 215
Power Weapon, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Meltagun, Rhino

Grey Hunter Pack #4 (10) - 220
Power Weapon, Mark of the Wulfen, 2x Meltagun, Rhino

Grey Hunter Pack #5 (10) - 220
Power Weapon, Mark of the Wulfen, 2x Meltagun, Rhino


After I began building this force I saw a few postings on Bell of Lost Souls. Goatboy had used DoC Bloodcrushers for his Thunderwolf Cavalry unit, and I thought this was a perfect unit to incorporate into the 13th Company force I had begun building. I decided to use a unit of them, as well as a Wolf Lord to accompany them. I also wanted to take things one step further and incorporate a unit of Fenrisian Wolves to provide mobile cover saves for them. For these I used the newest versions of the DoC Fleshhounds.

Wolf Lord - 270
Thunderwolf Mount, Saga of the Warrior Born, Powerfist, Storm Shield, Wolf Tooth Necklace, Runic Armor, Wolf Tail Talisman

Thunderwolf Cavalry (5) - 275
Powerfist

Fenrisian Wolves (10) - 88
Cyberwolf

Incorporating these three units involves a bit of points juggling (wargear, a model here and there).

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

New League, New Lists

After moving cross country last winter I was forced to find some new stomping grounds; it wasn't difficult. This fall kicks off a new 40K league at my FLGS. Battle Missions are being used for the league, and it's always interesting to see what kind of wackiness will ensue when you play a game out of that book.

I've chosen to play with my standby, Codex: Space Marines, and see how well I can do with my rather mundane, yet themed army lists. They're not 'Ard Boyz quality, but anything with Rhinos and Meltaguns seems to do the trick these days.

List #1

Pre-Heresy World Eaters - 1998 Points

Chapter Master - 200
Relic Blade, Storm Shield, Meltabombs, Digital Weapons, Artificer Armor

Chaplain - 115
Meltabombs, Digital Weapons

Venerable Dreadnought - 180
Multi-melta, Extra Armor

Terminator Assault Squad (5) - 200
4x Lightning Claws, 1x Thunderhammer

Tactical Squad #1 (10) - 220
Lascannon, Meltagun, Rhino

Tactical Squad #2 (10) - 220
Lascannon, Meltagun, Rhino

Assault Squad #1 (9) - 197
Powerfist, Rhino

Assault Squad #2 (9) - 197
Powerfist, Rhino

Assault Squad #3 (8) - 179
2x Lightning Claws, Rhino

Devastator Squad (10) - 290
4x Multi-melta, Powerfist, Rhino

This World Eaters list just runs heavy on the assault element, but it really doesn't push the issue. I just wanted something to look cool when I threw a bunch of Berserker bits on regular assault marines, backing them up with tactical squad beakies that have studded pads. They look cool, but they're not going to win anything competetive.


List #2

Pre-Heresy Death Guard - 1850 Points

Chapter Master - 175
Powerfist, Combi-plasma, Artificer Armor

Terminator Squad (5) - 210
3x Powerfist, 1x Chainfist, 1x Power Weapon, 4x Storm Bolter, 1x Heavy Flamer

Sternguard Veterans (9) - 285
Powerfist, Rhino

Tactical Squad #1 (10) - 240
Powerfist, Plasma Gun, Missile Launcher, Rhino

Tactical Squad #2 (10) - 200
Plasma Pistol, Meltabombs, Flamer, Lascannon

Tactical Squad #3 (10) - 220
Combi-melta, Meltagun, Missile Launcher, Rhino

Predator Destructor #1 - 85
Autocannon, 2x Heavy Bolter

Predator Destructor #2 - 85
Autocannon, 2x Heavy Bolter

Predator Destructor #3 - 85
Autocannon, 2x Heavy Bolter

Land Raider (Terminator Squad Dedicated Transport) - 265
Extra Armor


This was my first pre-heresy list and it shows. It's all from 2005 when 4th Edition was just getting going and C:SM had access to units with the True Grit rule. I stuck mainly to Heresy-only weapons and a really simple 'heavy' theme. I just wish that I'd had access to all the cool pre-heresy bits back then; the army would look much, much better.


List #3

Pre-Heresy Emperor's Children - 2500 Points

Chapter Master - 195
Thunderhammer, Storm Shield, Artificer Armor, Digital Weapons

Captain - 165
Relic Blade, Combi-melta, Artificer Armor, Digital Weapons

Command Squad (5) - 225
2x Meltagun, Powerfist, Company Champion, Company Standard, Rhino

Sternguard Veterans (10) - 310
Powerfist, Rhino

Terminator Squad (5) - 230
Cyclone Missile Launcher

Venerable Dreadnought - 210
Twin-linked Lascannon, Extra Armor

Tactical Squad #1 (10) - 220
Power Weapon, Flamer, Missile Launcher, Rhino

Tactical Squad #2 (10) - 220
Power Weapon, Flamer, Missile Launcher, Rhino

Tactical Squad #3 (10) - 245
Powerfist, Combi-melta, Meltagun, Missile Launcher, Rhino

Assault Squad (10) - 245
2x Lightning Claws, Meltabombs, 2x Flamer

Land Speeder - 60
Multi-melta

Devastator Squad (5) - 175
2x Plasma Cannon, Rhino


This list is semi-competitive, but only when it's heavily stripped down. I drop it to 2000 points by removing one of the characters, the assault squad, and toying around with some wargear. It performs surprisingly well for being a borderline 'elite' force... but then again, it is mechanized after all! The last time I played it was in a 2000 point event this past spring, going undefeated against other SM and CSM armies. This is another bits-intensive force that took a lot of money to put together. I actually spent some time on these terminators, as well as the Dreadnought and Speeder (they're all heavily converted).

Back in the Swing

Well, so much for writing a Warhammer 40,000 novel by the end of summer! It's still in the planning stages and I haven't yet given up hope. School has yet again swallowed all of my time.