AVENGERS (DIRE)

The last entry (at least for now) in my “Avengers” line is for my Eldar Dire Avengers.  Eldar were my first love, my first 40k army way back in the day when the aspect warriors first came out in White Dwarf # 127 (which I still have right here on my shelf!), circa 1990.  (Damn, that’s over 20 years ago!  That really makes me feel old...)  As an Eldar player I tend toward a force heavy in aspects.  I prefer infantry over vehicles and the colors and unique qualities of the aspect warriors really appeals to me – much like a team of multi-colored superheroes, each with their own set of powers and skill, a dazzling team that together out-matches the enemy.  This is contrary to most Eldar armies I’ve seen—it seems almost everyone else prefers guardians and tanks and wraithguard/lords, or bikers and psykers.  I like all these things too, as long as the bulk of my force is made up of aspect warriors.  In fact, I recently came up with a 2000pt list that includes every aspect (including the johnny-come-lately Warp Spiders, who were not in the White Dwarf and therefore are not purist aspects, but not including the Shining Spears, though I do like both) and still has room for a lancer autarch on a bike leading guardian bikers and the Avatar!  Someday soon I’ll use that list...

The Dire Avengers are one of my favorite aspects, even though, really, they’re one of the weakest in terms of specified punching power.  But they make great troops for Eldar.  I especially like the “noble warrior” feel of them, the crested helmets and the sleek shuriken catapults.  I just really like them.  For my boys, I wanted a Darth Vader, a look that said how elite and dangerous they are.  So I went with black armor and used the aspect-specific blue in the details, and really like how that scheme worked.  I actually painted these models a while ago and just added drybrushed highlights a few days ago (now that I know how).  The black armor has grey highlights and though it’s hard to tell in these pics, the crests have light blue highlights brushed over darker blue plumage.  The catapult color is a mix of mithril silver and shadow grey with a lighter silver and fenris grey drybrushing on the edges.  (My highlights tend to be more subtle than is probably best for them – just can’t bring myself to go wild on the contrast.)  

As much as I like them, in action my Avengers tend to let me down.  Though they are supposed to be the “most flexible” of the aspects, really they’re primarily a shooty unit.  Most times that I’ve tried to make them a combat team they’ve gotten their butts kicked.  I’ve come to realize that exarchs have Defend and Shimmer Shields not to make them super combat units but to help make up for the fact that they are NOT.  I suppose against impies and tau they’d kick butt, but short of that...  Try to stay out of close combat.  I always give my aspect units an exarch and the DAs get the max: both warrior powers (Bladestorm adds +1 shot each model in the squad for that phase, Defend takes away one attack from the enemy in melee) and usually the power weapon and shimmer shield combo (5+ invuln to whole unit in close combat).  I had hoped to have some exarchs painted up for this entry but again, real life is leaving little time for hobby right now.  Someday.  

My final planned entry for my Avengers run was going to be a super squad of Marines, all colorful and badass, but no way I’m going to get all that painting done any time soon.  My plan was/is to run an Honor Guard squad along side Pedro Kantor, each member being from a different chapter, all honorable liaisons from brother chapters, all of a different color scheme to give the unit that superhero feel.  My Crimson Fist chapter master would be accompanied by a Black Templar (probably an Emperor’s Champion, using the chapter champ rules, wielding a big axe relic weapon), Space Wolf, White Scar, Dark Angel...  who knows what else.  Maybe a Blood Angel just for the color (though I do generally hate them—cheat’n’est damn codex in the game...), maybe a Salamander or an Imperial Fist... something else colorful at least.  Actually I would be unlikely run such a squad very often, as it’s expensive: each honor guard model is 35 pts, but they’re vets with 2+ saves and power weapons, so pretty cool.  (I generally stick Pedro with my sternguard squad, which he makes a scoring unit just for being on the list.)

(stolen from Marvel)

So that’s it for the Avengers series for now.  I hope anyone reading it enjoyed it as much as I did!  Maybe I’ll get my warp spiders painted in time for the Spider-Man movie?  Or do something Dark Knight related...? 

A word on NOT selling out...

Screw it.  I didn't start this blog to make money, and I certainly wouldn't be making any money off a couple of crappy internet ads for online degrees and porn anyway!  No one would benefit from that.  If Google's going to run word-linked ads on my stuff I can't stop them but at least you don't have to see those.  Just don't highlight them and they won't pop up.  These other ones are just eyesores.  No more big ugly ads on my blog!  Down with Madison Avenue!!

Machinations of the Emperor: Or, what I've been working on...

I haven't been doing much playing or painting lately because instead I've been trying to get some writing off the ground.  Most relevant to most of this blog and community, I've been trying to get a Black Library novel proposal together.  As a struggling would-be author trying to break into the biz, I figure that's my best chance right now.  Plus, who wouldn't want to take part in creating a tiny corner of this exciting 40K universe we enjoy?

My novel would be the first of many potential adventures for Revis "Handsome" Kynes, a scar-faced sharker from a backwater world forced to join the ranks of the Imperial Guard when his planet (and sector) is raided by Dark Eldar.  I already have the second book basically figured out (story-wise, at least) and endless possibilities in mind for his reluctant journey through the 41st millennium.  What makes him different is that Handsome isn't a believer, he isn't all gung-ho.  He wants only to go home and go about his business.  That just isn't an option he's given.  (What makes the book different, too, is that my writing style tends to be a bit darker and more adult--I'm not talking porn, just tone and maturity--which I'm not sure Black Library will go for.)

The opener goes something like this:

     "Before I was the henchman of an Inquisitor, or mysteriously rescued by an Eldar farseer, or marked for life by a warp-spawned daemon, before I was even an Imperial Guardsman or a deserter sent to the penal legions, I was a sailor and a sharker. 

     "That’s right.  What, did you think I got this tattoo in the Guard?"

Okay, it ain't poety or nuthin, but at least it's different.  (I just hope different is good.) 

I also sent them a sample from a Space Wolf short story I've written.  If that doesn't fly then one day I can post it here on the blog in parts. 

But I also have some pics of my models saved up and ready for postings that should last me a little while, mostly for my "Heavy Handed" series.  Stay tuned...

(Images, by the way, taken from the appropriate codexes.)

A word on selling out...

I shouldn't say it that way, but I do feel slightly guilty for inviting advertising on my blog.  What really spurned it on was the little single word ad-links that are scattered here and there on my blog that Google has added without requiring my permission.  Which kinda irked me.  So i figured if they're going to be making money off my blog by advertising, I might as well too.  So please don't think me petty, it's just, when in Rome...  

AVENGERS (40K): part 3

AVENGERS III

My third and final run of superhero heroclix gone 40K.

7.  Thor 

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
7	5	7(10)	5	3	5	3	10	4+/5+

Flight:  Moves as Jump Infantry and may Deep Strike, for which he only deviates 1D6.

Asgardian:  As a demigod, Thor has a 4+ armor save and 5+ invuln save.  He is also an Eternal Warrior and Fearless.

Mjolnir:  In close combat Thor’s weapon acts as a ThunderHammer that strikes at his normal initiative.  He may also throw the hammer as a shooting attack using his own Strength.  This is a special attack that hits all enemies in a straight line; he rolls to hit each unit a number of times equal to the number of models that lie along the hammer’s path.  At the end of its course Mjolnir comes back to Thor’s hand ready for an assault.

*  Range 12”    S7    AP-    Assault 1*

God of Thunder: Once per game Thor can execute this special combat maneuver, which has 3 steps in this turn:

*  Move:  If arriving from reserve via Deep Strike he can do it then.  If already on the board he can leap into the sky as his Move and immediately Deep Strike back down anywhere on the board, rolling a scatter and 1D6 for possible deviation.

*  Shooting:  Upon impact, his landing causes a shockwave.  After resolving his deep strike landing, place a Large Blast marker with Thor at the center.  All units hit (friend or foe) make a Leadership test, failure reducing their both WS and I to 1 for the coming assault phase.

*  Assault: Thor may then assault as normal, taking advantage of his stunned enemies (or non-stunned ones, if he prefers).

Call Lightning:  Once per game Thor may call down a lightning strike as a shooting attack:

*  Range: unlimited    S10    AP1    Ordinance, Large Blast, One-Shot

*  Thor may not have moved and must have LOS.  Apply his BS5 to the scatter result.

40K Flavor:  Okay, the Space Wolves already have Arjac, but we’ll go beyond that.  Thor would be a rune priest-lone wolf who’s a bit touched by the Emperor, so to speak.  He’s on a solo quest given to him by Russ and the All-Father, though he’s unsure of exactly what his quest is.  He just wanders the galaxy fighting for the Emperor and in this case has joined an IG force.  I suppose being a SW he’d wear powered armor, all wolf-decked out, and maybe even made with some fantasy parts.  He could have a couple Fenrisian wolf companions too.  He’d have a thunder hammer, of course, and some call lightning and other rune priest powers and generally just be cool as hell.

*

8. Quicksilver:

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	4	3	3	2	10	2	8	--/*

Superspeed:  Quicksilver doubles all movement, so moves 12” in the Movement phase, may Run D6x2, and assaults up to 12”.  He also has Hit & Run, Fleet, Furious Charge (momentum based), and Preferred Enemy (because he can carefully place blows with time to spare).  He may also reroll failed ability checks, given he can try twice in the time it takes most to do it once.

Blur:  He moves so fast it’s nearly impossible to hit him.  Quicksilver has a 3+ Invuln save against ranged attacks and 4+ Invuln against melee attacks.

Dash and Grab:  He specializes in last minute grabs for objectives and counts as a Scoring Unit.

40K Flavor:  Like Hawkeye, Quicksilver is a bit of a wiener, superheroically speaking.  Not sure how to make him cool for the 41^st millennium.  Maybe a similar story/suit as my 40K Spiderman, sleek and black and in a running pose, bladed hands for melee use (rending), maybe a burn-out rule as well, where he rolls a D6 at the end of each of his turns and on a 1 his heart finally gives out and he keels over?  So what’s the trade-off for that?  Hmmm...

*

7.  Scarlet Witch

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv	Pts
3	3	3	3	2	4	2	9	--/4+

Probability Control:  Twisting luck, she has a 4+ Invuln save.

Hex Power:  Her strange power is to manipulate reality.  As such, at the beginning of her turn the Scarlet Witch selects a target unit (friend or foe) within LOS and 36” and makes a Psyke test.  If she passes, all rolls the unit makes have their probability flipped until the beginning of the Witch’s next turn.  An armor save of 3+ fails on a 3+, passes on 1-2.  If the unit hits on a 5+, they now hit on 1-4.  If they need a 2+ to wound, they now wound only on a 1.  She may want to alter a friendly unit for certain advantages, just hope the disadvantages don’t come into play too.

Jinx:  As a shooting attack she may jinx a vehicle.  Make a Psyke test.  If the target is within 24” roll a d6: 1-2 no effect, 3-4 Glancing hit, 5-6 Penetrating hit.     

Eldritch Bolts:  Her shooting attack: Range 18”    S4    AP4    Assault 2

40K Flavor:  The Scarlet Witch I’d make into the strange priestess of a Sisters of Battle cult.  She would be dressed similar to them with flowing cloaks and a head dress and would come with a retinue of Sisters body guards (all in powered armor and bolters): her Coven.  So here’s this scarlet red figure in the middle, a powerful psyker with abilities similar to those above.  I think she’d be kinda cool. 

*

That concludes my Avengers superhero remake, but hopefully not my run of Avengers-themed blog entries...

AVENGERS (40K): part 2

AVENGERS II

Continuing my superhero line-up, geared for 40K...

4.  Iron Man: 

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	6	6	3(4)	2	4	2	8	2+/3+

I am Iron Man:  His advanced armor provides a 2+ armor save, reinforced by a force field providing a 3+ invuln save (hey, he’s the Invincible Ironman), as well as S6, T+1, and targeting gear that gives him a BS6.  (I debated on how many wounds to give him: on one hand, he’s the Invincible Ironman, on the other, it’s just some smartass billionaire playboy inside that suit.  Tony gets two wounds.)

Flight:  For all intents and purposes Iron Man acts like an Eldar Jetbike: moves 12” and an extra 6” in the assault phase if he doesn’t attack, can Turbo-Boost, and is Relentless.

Weapon Systems:  He picks one weapon system to fire per Shooting phase on his turn:

*  Repulsor Blasts:  Range 18”    S4    AP4    Assault 4

*  Pulse Bolts:  Range 24”    S6    AP2    RapidFire, Melta 

*  Missile Burst:  Range 36”    S5    AP6    Blast

40K Flavor:  When I bought these models I chose the War Machine model because he looked cooler.  I’d still want something similar, thin and sleek, not bulky like a terminator or assault marine jump pack.  Really not sure how to accomplish that with 40K stuff.  Maybe use an Eldar model as a base?  Or you could go the other way and make this huge bulky battle suit, like maybe use a grey knights dread knight as the base and paint it red and gold.

 

*

5. Hawkeye:

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	7	3	3	2	4	2	8	6+/--

Archery Expert:  Hawkeye shows his value in the Shooting Phase.  His high BS gives him reroll potential and using his bow he has the following profile:  

            *  Range: 36”    S*    AP6    Assault 3, Rending, Sniper (poison 4+, pinning), Ignores Cover (including cover saves for turbo-boosting)   

Superhero Costume:  Armor 6+

40K Flavor:  Okay, Hawkeye’s kind of a wiener.  At least on a super-hero level.  Remaking him for 40K, I’d prob give him a DE wych look (which I think they have in the modern comics), black leathers or better (5+ armor save) with an arm guard on his shooting arm, a slick bow and quiver taken from fantasy models, pouches and packs on his person, and abilities like Stealth, Infiltrate, Scout, and Move Thru Cover.  He’d be an assassin-type solo model, probably with reroll to wound against Independent Characters and Monstrous Creatures.   

*

6. Spiderman

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	6	6	4	3	8	3	8	--/ *

Spider Sense:  His tingly danger-sense gives him his high Initiative and makes it nearly impossible to hit him: he has a dodgy Invuln Save of 3+ against ranged attacks and 4+ in melee combat.  This also gives him Counter-Attack and Preferred Enemy.

A Spider on the Wall:  Spidey has the Scout and Infiltrator special rules.

Web-Swinging:  Moves as Jump Infantry but doesn’t take dangerous terrain tests in difficult terrain (see Agility below).

Agility:  Spidey ignores difficult terrain and assaults through cover as if with grenades.

Web-Slinger:  Spidey’s web-shooters provide a unique ranged attack:

*  Range 12”    Blast. 

*  Non-vehicles hit make a Strength test.  If failed, they are “webbed-up” and count as Pinned for their next turn.  If partial units are effected the whole unit counts as Pinned.  As the webbing does not inflict a wound, no armor or invuln saves are made, but targets may take Cover saves.  After spending one turn Pinned they may retake their Strength test on their next turn.  If passed they count as moving through Difficult Terrain that turn but may then proceed as normal.  If assaulted while Pinned this way they all count as having Initiative 1 and one less Attack (minimum of 1).

*  Vehicles (including Walkers) hit are Immobilized on a 4+ and if not immobilized make a Dangerous Terrain test next time they move (even skimmers, which are webbed to terrain). 

40K Flavor:  I’d love to remake Spidey as a badass Dark Eldar-like figure.  The DE Warrior armor combined with Wych parts and the Wych smooth mirrored helmet/face mask, plus a few curving blades sprouting from his back and have him pouncing forward with small blades popping from the back of his hands (or maybe the hydra gauntlets minus a few blades, rending weapons).  Painted black with red highlights on the edges....  Cool.  He’d follow the old Black Spiderman story as an Imperial guy who found and got trapped in a strange xeno-biotech suit (and so opening the potential for a Venom character too).  He’d have stealth, scout, ignore terrain, and probably be able to deepstrike like Guardsman Marbo or a lictor—he just appears on scenery without scattering (turns out he was there the whole time, you just didn’t see him).  His stats would come down though—less superheroic, at least S down to a 4.

   

AVENGERS (40K): part 1

AVENGERS I

I know I can’t be the only big geek planning on seeing the new Avengers movie.  I wasn’t really expecting it to be that good (story- or character-wise at least, I’m sure the visuals will be awesome), but then I saw that Joss Wehdon was involved, so that’s given me hope that it might end up pretty good.

Anyway, a while back I made up 40k stats and rules for quite a handful of them (and X-men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, too—went through a stage where I wanted a bunch of Heroclix, not necessarily to play, just to collect).  So I thought that it would play well with the movie hype to share some of my 40K Avengers over the next few weeks.  These stats are just for fun but are written befitting their superness as if they were joining an Imperial Guard force, mostly as Independent Characters.  (Hey, the Guard need all the help they can get—even their tough guys are sissies!) 

So here’s the first three:

1. Trooper Banner a.k.a. The Hulk:

Trooper Banner is not quite your average rank and file guardsmen, though he starts out looking that way.  He is bought with a Troop choice guardsmen unit and secretly embedded much like an assassin.  Mark down which unit he is with but don’t tell your opponent.  (He’ll find out soon enough.)

“Don’t make me angry...” 

Treat the unit as normal until Banner Hulks-Out.  This happens in two ways: 

*  The first time the unit takes casualties.  At the end of the phase, if any models remain, replace one trooper with the Hulk, placing it 2” away from the unit.  He acts alone from here out.  But if the whole unit is wiped out—either in shooting or sweeping advance or whatever—Banner may die before he can become the Hulk.  Roll a die.  On a 1 Banner is killed and never Hulks-Out. On 2-6 place Hulk at least 1” from enemies.  

*  The squad sergeant or commissar is privy to Banner’s secret and decides not to take any chances.  He maims Banner himself with a las-pistol in order to provoke the Hulk.  You may choose to activate him this way at the beginning of your turn.  Remove one trooper and place Hulk 2” away.  Then roll a D6: on a 1-3 Hulk kills the sergeant or commissar that shot him, remove that model.  Hulk begins play from here out starting with the Move phase.  (Note that if no sergeant/commissar is present, this isn’t possible.)

“...You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” 

The more you hurt Hulk the more pissed he gets and the stronger and more dangerous he becomes.  For every Wound Hulk takes add S+1 and A+1, max S10, A6.

Universal Rules:  Eternal Warrior, Furious Charge, Counter-Attack, Fearless, Rage

Monster:  Once he becomes the Hulk he is a Monstrous Creature in all respects.  In addition, due to his sheer invulnerability and rapid healing, he has a 4+ invuln save.

HULK:

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
4	0	7	6	4	3	3	7	-/4+

40K Flavor:  If I were going to remake him for 40K, I’d need a much bigger model than the Heroclix version.  An ogryn could work but they’re too dumb and fat looking.  Maybe modify an old minotaur mini or something.  A big muscular model with torn clothing, obviously painted green.  Trooper Banner should be dorky with glasses, maybe with a vox caster to show his scientific aptitude. 

*

2.  Captain America: 

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
6	5	5	4	3	5	3	10	5+/4+

Super-Soldier:  Cap has Eternal Warrior, Preferred Enemy, and Feel No Pain, as well as being Stubborn.

Inspiring Presence:  All units within 12” may use Cap’s Leadership score.  In addition, any unit he joins gains Stubborn and Preferred Enemy.

Tactician:  Your army may reroll to determine who gets the first turn.

Scalemail Costume:  Armor 5+

Vibranium Alloy Shield:  Cap’s shield gives him a 4+ Invuln save.  He may also throw it as a ranged weapon with the following profile:

            Range 12”        S4        AP--    Assault 3*, Stun*

* As the shield ricochets around before returning to his hand, he may split the 3 hits among up to 3 different target units in range.  If he makes a successful To Wound roll against with his throw, whether they make their Armor Save or not, the affected model has their Initiative reduced to 1 in the immediate Assault Phase. 

40K Flavor:  I’d have fun remaking Cap as an Imperial Super Soldier.  Rather than the American motif he could have an Aquila on his chest, probably like the carapace breastplates some Impie officer models have, plus lots of belt pouches and straps and holsters and such.  Obviously he’d have a big round storm shield with an Imperial symbol on it and probably a bolt pistol.  He’d be best joined to storm trooper or vet squads. 

*

3.  Wolverine

WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
7	4	4	4(5)	3	6	D6	9	6+

Claws:  His claws count as 2 CCW (A+1) that Rend on a 5 or 6.  When Rending roll an extra D6 for armor penetration rather than a D3.

Healing Factor: Wolverine heals at such an incredible rate that he makes Feel No Pain rolls and can do so for any wound he receives—the normal restrictions do not apply (such as against power weapons, AP 1 or 2, etc.).  If he recovers from an Instant Death he comes back with 1 Wound left.  

Adamantium Skeleton:  His unbreakable bones give him Toughness +1 (shown above).  This does not count when making T-tests or determining Instant Death.

Berserker Rage:  When in close combat, Wolverine rolls d6 for his number of attacks.  You then add in his extra hand weapon (+1) and any charging or special bonuses.  He is also Stubborn and has Fleet.  

Superhero Costume:  Armor of 6+

40K Flavor:  To make him more 40K, and to reflect his background as a spec ops soldier, I might augment a storm trooper model and give him that armor (so change Save to 4+), and of course give him the claws and an appropriate Space Wolf head, maybe with sniper goggles on his forehead.  He could be an upgrade to a storm trooper squad.  I’d probably make him a little less powerful too (this is the superhero version, after all).  As a storm trooper upgrade and spec ops specialist, maybe he’d give the unit Infiltrate and Stealth too.

**And I just thought of something else I hadn’t before: while I’m remaking Marvel heroes for IG use, what if Ghost Rider was a rough rider upgrade...?