Techmarine - 75 points of ........

Ever been in a situation where you had some points left over from list building? Last week I played an Eldar army at 2000 points (couldn't find the camera, hence no battle report sadly!). I wanted to experiment with some of the tanks I am working on and took some Speeders and Dreads too. I wanted to try and build a line breaking, highly mobile list using Ravenwing as outriders and my scoring units.

All in all I was happy with the list and will run it again after a few small refinements. I had 75 points left over at the end. I (being a mainly Deathwing player) had never even considered a Techmarine, and considering I had 3 Tanks, 3 Speeders, 3 Dreadnoughts figured he could at least make a few "machine spirits" repair.

What I got from him was a real surprise! He survived solo all game weaving out of LOS and keeping up with the battle line, he eventually joined a combat Vs 3 Harlequins and promptly killed them all and heroically defended my home objective (His 2+ armour is great!)

I decided he had to have a paint job worthy of his deeds so here he is!   

Reflection - What I said........

Back in 2011 I played the UK 40k Open tournament scene, mainly around the North West. The people were nice (if a little clic-quey!) I used pure Deathwing and broke the top 100 uk players as per RankingsHQ, which was my goal. This year (2012!) I have withdrawn from the tourney scene due to personal circumstances (change of job, family commitments etc) but I intend to return to competative gaming soon!

During this phase of my life I wrote an artice for UK rankings on the viability of "Deathwing" under 5th Ed rules. I have added the article below for you to comment on and I will post a response from my viewpont under 6th Ed very soon!

Enjoy!

Well thats a fair question, I love the Gothic background, our fluff is one of Games Workshops oldest creations, and we have a special uniqueness that appeals to me personally, The Deathwing.

Given all the new Codex updates Grey Knights, Blood Angels, Necrons, Etc I wanted to discuss my thoughts on our current standing.

I have competed in 2011 in 4 tournaments, I didnt win any (/shrug) but I won a fair few games and learnt a lot about my army which has been "Pure Deathwing" for all 4. I have been smashed cleanly off the table by certain builds and I have repaid that favor on many an occasion.

Ok so I run maxium Terminator squads with Belial at all points levels. I add a "Godhammer" if the points allow to add some anti tank to the list. This gives me a very low model count, highly elite, slow moving, mid range force. Doesn't sound to great huh? Well we have some advantages! Firstly and most importantly is the psychology.

Most opponents I have encountered have very rarely faced the all Terminator threat and become easily flustered at all that invunerable saving throw sat on the table, in a word some panic! This is where you really get you opportunity to win a game because trust me, you will have to earn some wins! 

Secondly I blanket fit all my squads wih cyclone launchers. This makes me be able to really sit deep in my half and "reach out" and "touch" armour and light infantry. I have 1 exception to this rule. I run 1 mixed squad, I call them the tacticals. They have an assault cannon and are usually the unit that gets removed first, but thats ok if you planned it that way! Remember the enemy have to shoot at something, better it be your choice than thiers!

Deep Strike? Sure why not? Ok it can be risky but it has won me more games than lost me. I lost my "command squad", Belial and a Terminator Librarian all on a mishap at a recent tournament, guess what? 3 remaining Terminators in turn 6 still claimed 2 objectives and I won! They can be very, very resillient if the dice allow! This is a choice you must make at each table you come to. If it is not a tactical advantage to Deep Strike, don't do it! If the table has little scenery to trouble you, sensible placement shoulld practically guarantee they land safely.

I often choose the Librarian over the Interrogator as a second HQ. Mainly due to the fact he has the most powerful "hood" in 40k and its rangeless! I stick him in obscure places just to shut down the pesky meddlings of the warp! He can seriously ruin an Eldar turn with a few good rolls, Chaos too if the "Lash"list is out!

The list could be tuned to run total TH/SS! This list does not collapse easilly but I find it is very sterile and although hard to kill off, it isnt the most fun to play in certain mission types. I opt for a TH/SS unit I call my "Command Squad" this includes the Standard and the Apothecary. who has lightning claws. These again are a great bullet magnet with 3+ inv, feel no pain, usually 5 IC wounds to mitigate over as well!

Let the record show that you will more than likely get mauled against the Chaos "Lash Whip / Obliterator" Combo due to plasma templates on bunched squads, same also for any plasma based marine build! But ya cant win 'em all eh?

So can they still cut it? I have beaten most of the newer codex builds over the last 12 months and when played well, the Deathwing build of the Dark Angels is still tough to beat, but I would say that to get wins prepare to use tactica and hold on! You may only have a handful of Terminators left at the end of a game
but its where they are stood that counts! 

Dark Angels Interrogator Chaplain Seraphicus

Ok so his rules ain't great (Unless you play Chaos alot!) - But he is a new Dark Angel so I aquired one and have started painting him! I envisage he will lead my "Gunslinging" Veterans. I like the detail on this minature and he has been fun to paint so far!

Predators - WIP

A few snaps of some old Predators I rescued from Ebay! I dunked them in Brake Fluid and re painted them to the above standard. Sadly they were glued together badly and have glue steaks and smears on the body work. I "roughed" them up a bit and I think they look ok! They will join a new "Line-breaker" unit I am assembling for when I can be brave enough to leave the Terminators at home!

I need to apply some further weathering/grime and the weapons need finishing but they are WIP so it's ok!

Battle Update: Necrons Vs Deathwing 2000pts

I was scheduled to play my regular gaming pal, Steel. Mr Steel has a range of armies including Necron, Tau, Eldar, Blood Angels/ Vanilla Marines, so he is often difficult to plan ahead for! We had agreed standard 6th Ed rules and allowed for 2000 points each.

I selected my list to be flexible and able to cope in most situations :

Belial                    -130 pts
Thunder Hammer / Storm Shield

Librarian                -145 pts
Terminator
                             
Deathwing Terminator Squad ALPHA      -235 pts
3 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist
1 x Sgt Storm Bolter / Power Sword   
1 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist / Cyclone   

Deathwing Terminator Squad BRAVO      -235 pts
3 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist
1 x Sgt Storm Bolter / Power Sword
1 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist / Cyclone   

Deathwing Terminator Squad CHARLIE   -235 pts
3 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist
1 x Sgt Storm Bolter / Power Sword
1 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist / Cyclone   

Deathwing Terminator Squad DELTA        -245 pts
2 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist
1 x Lightning Claw
1 x Sgt Storm Bolter / Power Sword
1 x Assault Cannon           

Deathwing Terminator Squad ECHO         -290 pts
2 x Thunder Hammer / SS
1 x Thunder Hammer / SS / Standard   
1 x Lightning Claw/Apothecary       
1 x Thunder Hammer / SS / Cyclone       

Deathwing Terminator Squad FOXTROT       -235 pts
3 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist
1 x Sgt Storm Bolter / Power Sword   
1 x Storm Bolter / Power Fist / Cyclone    

1 x Landraider                 -250 pts

TOTAL     - 2000 Pts

Game Type: Emperors Will  Deployment Type: Dawn of War. Enemy: Tau /Necron
Result: Deathwing Win 8-1 (Both Objectives (6), First Blood(1), Line Breaker(1) - Warlord (1)

The Battlefield was arranged as above:

Necron/Tau would deploy on the North edge, Deathwing on the Southern Edge. The Necron player placed his objective in the ruins on the North West Ridge, Deathwing objective was placed in the South East, but in open terrain between a blasted out bunker and a ruined building.

Necrons/Tau deployed first, Deathwing second.

The Deathwing decide to deploy 4 terminator squads, Squad Delta was embarked upon the Landraider, Belial and the command team were in reserve for the "Deathwing Assault". The Necrons begin first tun under the cover of Night fighting, cutting down the shooting options, then they pop a solar pulse and things light up just a little. A terminator unit takes a hit direct from the Doomsday Ark, its an AP large blast catching 5 men! 2 Terminators make saves and live to fight on! All in all relatively unscathed though!

Belial Lands his unit directly within 7 inches of the enemy objective, looking down the guns of 6 fire warriors, 20 Necrons and a Doomsday Ark! The unit Cylcone kills 3 Fire Warriors, and prepares to get shot at! At the home objective the Landraider trundled forward popping of a few Necrons, a Terminator Squad noticed fast moving Wraiths in some distant rubble and positioned ready to fire.

Necron Turn 2: No enemy flyer arrives buying the Deathwing a little more time! The Command Squad get shot with everything that the Necron Tau back line have, this game could be decided quickly! Amazingly the Command Squad fails only 2 wounds and the Apothecary saves one! The Wraiths move to within 12 inches and could charge with a lucky dice roll, they get 10 an narrowly miss out, the snap firing Terminators kill 2 Wraiths for trying it!

Deathwing Turn 2: Belial splits off and squares up 2 inches from the remaining Fire Warriors, his command squad move to within 2 inches of both the remaining Necron Squad of 17 and the Doomsday Ark. The Landraider nips off a Tau battle suit as does a terminator squad led by the Librarian. The overwatching Terminators fail to kill a single Wraith and brace for a charge, Belial murders the Fire Warriors, the Doomsday Ark is mangled with a Thunder Hammer and explodes! The combat leaves 6 Necrons dead to one Terminator. The Necrons failed the morale check and fled a whole 12 inches, completely off the table. Leaving the Enemy objective in Deathwing hands!

Necron Turn 3: Necron Immortals, who had been holding the Enemy centre diverted toward the home objective gunning down a Terminator from the Command Squad, The Night Scythe zipped on and zapped Belial dead giving the Enemy "Kill the Warlord VP". But it was a mere consolation as the Wraiths charged the Terminators on the Deathwing objective and failed to inflict a single wound and then lost 2 Wraiths to powerfists!

Deathwing Turn 3: The Landraider spots the Night Scythe and rolls 3 sixes to take it down in spectacular fashion! The 3 remaining Command Squad charge the Immortals near the Necron Objective utterly destroying them, the remaining Terminators chip out 2 more Tau Battlesuits.

At this poin the Game was called as my opponent had 2 Tau Battlesuits and 4 Crypteks left! I had both Objectives and 17 Terminators left from 5 Squads, I had achieved "Line Breaker / First Blood" Making it a decisive victory! On reflection my opponent was badly hurt by the dice in a number of critical situations, whilst I made some incredible saves at critical times! That's why I love Deathwing, a Terminator ALWAYS has a chance!   

WIP - Veteran Squad

This guy is a test mini/WIP for a Veteran squad that I am building, I scratch built the base and kit bashed the miniature with twin pistols, my theme for this unit being gunslingers.

I am keeping a worn and weathered look to the Armour to suggest a realistic effect.

Hope you like!

Deathwing Terminator Squad

The Deathwing Terminator Squad is one of the main reasons I love Dark Angels! Since the release of 6th Edition they have become very serious units to tangle with. I play a 2000 point list with 32 Terminator suits with only 2 of the miniatures classed as not scoring. They have a 2+/5+ Save, Relentless, Fearless, Deep Strike and a collection of uber powerful close combat options.

The unit above is a standard squad with Cyclone Launcher, a great flexible squad with the ability to play all combat roles adequately enough to best standard troops units and more than hold there own against specialists.

I painted these mini's again over 12 months ago and they were the first squad I completed, on reflection I still have work to on these.......

Landraider

The "God Hammer" pattern Landraider. A nice Heavy Support / Dedicated Transport choice to provide some accurate Lascannon fire to priority targets. Not the greatest choice to use as a transporter with this pattern, better to sit off hopefully in large cover pieces getting the benefit of AV 14 all round with cover saves. Big investment in sub 1500 pt games and there are plenty of weapons which can one shot it, sounds like a gamble? Well it can be but I find it survives most games I use it in! I understand why this is and will discuss it further in army list threads later.

This model is again an older piece I completed over a year ago, it has come to my attention that I could spend a little more time on its paintwork and improve it further.

* A small Edit by request for Dan!

Hi Dan!

Glad you like it, it took me a looong time lol!

I will gather my notes on this one and maybe do my other one, its been sat long enough. I will post photos with the colours and schemes as I go.

This starts out Black, goes Bestial Brown layer, Desert Yellow layer, Bleached Bone Layer, various applications of Devlan Mud mainly into grooves, highlight Bleached Bone, then apply a few coats of Humbrol  Cappuchino Gloss via dry brush - Radier painted!  Green is Black, Dark Angel Green, Yellow Ink Highlight, thin glaze of Badab Black.

Then I scuffed the tank with a sponge and a scrape of Citadel Tin Bitz, over that Bestial Brown followed by Bolt Gun Metal giving the Damage effects/ Weathering

I blasted the tank with 4 progressively darker weathering powders to add depth and without brushing too much off sealed the powder into the tracks with a thick brush and Army Painter Quickshade Dark (Which I also used to add oil trickles and other subtle bits!) These areas when dry received a quick final dark weathering powder coat.

Thats the bulk of it!

cheers again!

Paul

The Interrogator

This is my Interrogator Chaplain, he is loving known amongst my gamer friends as "Terry" and is a regular HQ option for my Deathwing games over 1500 pts. I feel that the points cost for him, and his abilities make him a great 2nd HQ choice. When I look a little closer at some of my lists and tactics I will explain the often pivotal role he can fill.

I painted him quite early on in my Dark Angel army building process have gotten a little better at that aspect of the hobby since, I will post something I have painted recently in the near future......... 

A Welcome to the Rock.......

"Stand fast traveler! What brings you to the Rock? Oh! You wish to learn the ways of the Lion? Do you have an invitation? A Writ or sponsor? More importantly do you have the courage of a Lion? Or a Knights honor? What's that? You should have said said earlier! Step forward and begin on your path, The Inner Circle awaits..."

Welcome to my Blog centered around all things Dark Angel!

Over the next few weeks I will introduce myself a little more, share photos, battle reports, learned tactica and many other things! 

I hope you enjoy you time here!