2024 Hobby Recap

 Most of 2024 was very slow from a hobby perspective, but it ended with a flurry of activity in Nov and Dec as we got excited about a big Warhammer Weekend. 

Score: (infantry) + (vehicles/artillery * 5) + (terrain * 5) + (games * 5) + (battle reports * 5) + posts

(Blog posts from Pete or Bill also count toward the blog score as it is just total posts for the calendar year.)

2020 output:

• 54 infantry
• 3 vehicles/artillery
• 2 terrain pieces
• 6 games played
• 7 battle reports
• 18 total blog posts
• Score: 162

2021 output:

• 81 infantry
• 1 vehicle
• 3 terrain pieces
• 7 games played
• 6 battle reports
• 52 total blog posts
• Score: 218

2022 output:

• 27 infantry
• 4 vehicles
• 1 terrain piece
• 4 games
• 3 battle reports
• 22 total blog posts
• Score: 109

2023 output:

• 72 infantry
• 3 vehicles
• 0 terrain pieces
• 4 games
• 4 battle reports
• 20 total blog posts
• Score: 147

2024 output:

• Built and painted the canyon gaming table (calling this three terrain pieces)
• 10 mech drop suits (counts as Ogryns) for the drop troopers
• Blood Angels vs Death Guard game and battle report
• 2 White Scars Sicaran Arcus tanks
• 3-way battle Militia vs Militia vs Death Guard and battle report
• Climax battle for the bridge: Blood Angels & White Scars vs Sons of Horus & World Eaters (no report yet)
• Zone Mortalis battle Death Guard vs White Scars (no report yet)
• Militia Cargo-8 Hauler
• 30 Termagants
• 10 Hormagaunts
• 1 Ripper Swarm
• 5 Drop Trooper infantry
• 21 Ork boys and nob, mostly finished (going to call this a 2024 achievement)
• Got a new battle mat and snowy trees for terrain (not counting this for points until I at least finish the bases for the area terrain)
• 6 games played in the last weekend (no reports yet)

Totals:

• 77 infantry
• 2 vehicles/artillery
• 3 terrain pieces (the octagon table)
• 10 games played
• 2 battle reports
• 32 blog posts
• Score: 194

We achieved a lot in the end, with the majority of the output coming in the last two months (112 points in Nov and Dec).

Looking back at my goals for 2024, I accomplished a few and missed on a few. But the idea to do a 4th edition campaign was not on the radar at the beginning of the year and that really energized me late. After a few years playing almost exclusively Horus Heresy, it really got the creative juices flowing to mix in Orks and Tyranids. And a personal highlight for me was to use the D-99 drop trooper list from Anphelion Project for the FIRST TIME ever, and in a game vs the Tyranids. That is one "life time" hobby goal checked off. 

Looking ahead to 2025, I have a ton of battle reports I should work on. It can be hard to find the time and energy to sit down at the computer in the evening after being on a computer most of the day at work. I will probably do a few as just quick recaps to speed things up. 

I want to expand the Deathskulls with a warboss and a few units. I want to add to the drop troopers since they are actually fun to play in 40k 4th edition. I actually painted five with Contrast as a test, but wanted to finish the squad before posting to the blog. For Heresy, I have a jump pack squad for my White Scars that I built but just couldn't get excited to paint in 2024 so hopefully I will finish them. I should do something for the neglected Sons of Horus, but my current recipe for them is quite painstaking with lots of sharp edge highlighting so I just haven't had the will to tackle them. 

On the gaming front, I would like to get in a proper pitched battle between Space Marines and Orks for our 4th edition campaign. I need to try out my new White Scars Arcus tanks. But then we need to think about where our Horus Heresy campaign is going and spark some new narrative there. Perhaps the big bridge battle gives new life to the loyalists and makes things more interesting? We need some ideas for what is next. 

Finally, I will say it again. Contrast paints have been a game changer for me now that I feel comfortable using them. It makes painting fun again because I can see the progress from even a short 30-minute painting session after the kids go to bed. The downside is that my armies were started without Contrast so the look does not match, and that Contrast does not work nearly as well on some models, such as space marines, as it does on others, such as Tyranids or Orks. So that will impact which armies I work on going forward as well. 

Here's to another fun year in the hobby. Cheers. 

M32 Campaign: Phase 1 Summary

We just finished the most packed weekend of Warhammer we have ever played. We managed to fit in three full scale pitched battles of 1500 points per side and three special scenarios. These games represented the first phase of the Third Xhorik War. Hopefully, I will get around to battle reports eventually, but I will start with a quick recap while it is still fresh. 

Battle 1: Cleanse

Hive Fleet Tarasque vs Planetary Defense Forces

After furious initial fighting with the ork invaders, the battered Planetary Defense Forces (PDF) were then set upon by a new threat: a novel type of Xenos. As the orks swept down into Chirosov Valley, the humans still held the mines and hills east of Vayya while the city itself was under siege. In the snowy hills, there were erratic and unreliable reports coming in about monsters appearing out of the snow and attacking. Then the garrison at Outpost Zeta-47 went silent. An expeditionary force was sent out to clear the threat and recover the outpost. The Tyranids were looking to sweep all resistance from the area so it could be harvested by ripper swarms. The PDF soldiers peered into the billowing snow, wondering what they would face at Outpost Zeta-47...

A mass of Tyranids streams through Outpost Zeta-47 toward the PDF line.

Result: Tyranid Major Victory

The PDF's first encounter with the Tyranids resulted in defeat and the loss of the expeditionary force. The few survivors brought back clear intelligence on the nature of the new threat. 

Battle 2: Secure and Control

Hive Fleet Tarasque vs Dagzag's Speed Freaks 

As the Ork forces of General Woundwart and his two Warbosses, Dagzag and Ugwurr Grimzod, pushed south out of the frozen north, they were attacked in the rear by the awakening Tyranids. Although initially limited to ambushes of small Ork patrols and isolated bands, the Tyranid numbers were growing quickly. As the fighting intensified with both the humans and the Xenos, Woundwart ordered Dagzag to take his mobile forces to secure needed supplies. However, swarms of Tyranids were also patrolling the same areas. When the two sides clashed in a sector with particularly good pickings, the Orks saw it as a chance to have a good scrap and collect some loot. 

The Ork and Tyranid lines clash. To the victor go the spoils.

Result: Ork Major Victory

Dagzag and his boyz smashed the Tyranids and secured significant amounts of loot for the Ork forces, including weapons and forcefield technology.

Battle 3: Seek and Destroy

Hive Fleet Tarasque vs Blood Angels 2nd Co.

Jumping ahead, the Third Xhorik War has been raging for nearly a year. The Planetary Governor has been frantically calling for aid , ever since the loss of the major cities of Vayya and Ironton and most of Bhroivor north of Chiros Nova. The continued delays and excuses from Unimund have raised his suspicions, but he has no proof of disloyalty yet. With Imperial forces engaged on a thousand warzones across the galaxy during the dark time of the War of the Beast, there were no armies to spare. Finally, the Blood Angels strike force Belarius arrived: a single Vanguard-class Light Cruiser transporting the 2nd battle company plus reserves elements from the 7th, 8th and 9th companies.

The Space Marines quickly discovered that the novel species of Xenos was using the subterranean tunnels beneath Ironton to grow their strength out of the frigid winter weather and safe from the Ork and human armies. A small strike team was assembled to enter the tunnels and eliminate the aliens. Yet swarms of scuttling, clawed shapes soon started tracking the Blood Angels intruders and it quickly became unclear who was hunting whom. There would be no prisoners and no mercy in the darkness of the tunnels.

Marines of the Blood Angels 2nd Company clear the catacombs of Xenos threats.

Result: Space Marine Major Victory

Chaplain __ purged the tunnels of genestealers and his men were able to flame the brood nests, reducing the numbers of Tyranids emerging from under the city. The Space Marines also realized how dangerous this new foe was and that clearing every city block by block would be too costly for their small force.

Battle 4: Orbital Strike Alpha (Rain of Blood)

Blood Angels 2nd Co. vs Orks

While Chaplain _ was leading the attacks on the Tyranid nests, Captain _ of the 2nd Company was seeking an opportunity to slow down the marauding Orks using his limited resources. With part of his strike force occupied with the Tyranids, he did not feel the time was yet right for a pitched battle; the Orks were too numerous. So he decided to strike where a small action could have an outsized impact. The Orks had captured a fuel refining plant and were making use of it to keep their Speed Freaks raiding parties active across a wide expanse. Cut off the fuel and it would limit the Orks' mobility, making it easier for the Space Marines to choose an engagement on their terms, without endless Ork reserves arriving. They would launch a Planetfall assault directly from their cruiser, using drop pods for the tactical squads and dreadnought, teleportation for the terminators, and finally the assault marines making direct orbital entry using jump packs. The attack would occur under the cover of darkness, hopefully catching the Orks completely off guard. The objective was to destroy as much of the stored fuel as possible. 

A Blood Angels raid is driven off by a fierce Ork counterattack before they can complete their mission.

Result: Ork Major Victory

Due to limited intelligence and bad luck, there were more Orks present at the refinery than anticipated. One silo was quickly destroyed, but the raid soon became bogged down into close quarters fighting, with most of the marines failing to reach the fuel silos. Captain __ had no choice but to pull his remaining men out before they were completely overwhelmed. The Orks would continue to have access to ample fuel stocks for the time being. 

Battle 5: Take and Hold

Xhorik D-87th Drop Troops Veteran 3rd co. vs Hive Fleet Tarasque

After a year of nearly continuous combat with the Tyranids and Orks along their northern and eastern borders, several regiments of drop troopers had become quite adept at dealing with their new foes. Additionally, with losses of manpower running at an unsustainable rate (it takes much longer to train the elite drop trooper regiments than standard rifle companies), the Imperial High Command sanctioned a program of development and administration of experimental combat drugs. The goal was to keep the veteran units in the field longer, fighting at higher efficiency with less rest. It also had the added benefit of making them more aggressive, improving reaction speed, and dulling fear. These new regiments were identified by the inclusion of a D in their regimental number, as in the D-87.

These specialist forces were often used to strike specific strategic targets rapidly and then hold them until the armored regiments could arrive. One such target were the ridgeline outposts in the Uhtar Mountains that would prevent the aliens from invading the Kozar district. The 3rd Company of the D-87 regiment was ordered to take and hold one of these outposts against an advancing Tyranid force. 

Despite reaching the bunker, the D-87 veterans are forced to cede the field to the more numerous Tyranids as darkness falls.

Result: Tyranid Narrow Victory

The fighting around the outpost was particularly fierce, with both sides suffering heavy losses. As the fighting extended into the evening, the fall of darkness thwarted the X-87th's aim and they had to pull back, yielding most of the strategic ridgelines to the Tyranids. 

Battle 6: Fuel Tank Raid

Xhorik D-87th Drop Troops Veteran 4th co. vs Hive Fleet Tarasque

Drop troop scouts and sniper teams had observed something unexpected: the Tyranids were seeking out and consuming vehicle fuel. As a hydrocarbon, the fuel consisted of the same elements as all life (only extremely energy-dense) and could thus be used to grow the hive fleet. Raids were undertaken by veteran D-companies of drop troopers to destroy any fuel supplies that had fallen into Xenos control before it could be utilized by the hive. 

D-87 veterans attach a melta bomb to a fuel silo as another burns in the background after being struck by a Hellstrike missile from the Valkyrie. Tyranid defenders race toward the attackers.

Result: Imperium Major Victory

The drop troopers were able to launch a series of rapid grav-chute insertions to destroy the fuel stores. They were dangerous missions and losses were significant, but the Tyranids would be denied this important resource.

Sniksnazz Explains Beakies

Ol' Sniksnazz, by virtue of being the oldest living ork, acted as the tribe's historian. He was the keeper of the ancestorial memories and what counted as ork 'kulture': stories of the biggest and most important wars and warriors. He passed these memories along as stories told around the fires at night. It had been some time since he regaled the 'yoofs' of the camp with his recollections of the Ol' Den Days when the ork rok had been destroyed in orbit during the Third Xhorik War, causing catastrophic climate change to the planet of Xhorik Prime. This was the seminal event in their history, even giving them their name: The World Wrecka Tribe. But it was hardly the only story Ol' Sniksnazz knew.

As feral orks, they could never truly threaten the major mining and refining centers of the planet. They had been limited to raiding isolated outposts and caravans. They had never posed enough of a threat to warrant notice from the Red Brotherhood space marines stationed on the planet to protect its output of the critical Kleinhaurker ore. The marines were preoccupied with bigger threats. So it had been left to the PDF garrisons to deal with the nuisance of the primitive orks. 

After the World Wreckas had been subjugated under the newly-arrived Blitzdreg Boyz, they were equipped with upgraded technology: guns, vehicles, and artillery. Their ork instincts had kicked in and they had taken to the new weapons with glee and aptitude. With the two tribes united under Warboss Filgakk Skullsplitta, they now waged a true war across the planet, attacking cities, military installations, and mining centers. The PDF was overwhelmed and defeated in multiple pitched battles. The orks rejoiced at finally being able to smash their long-time foes and oppressors. However, their attacks now started to interrupt the flow of Kleinhaurker and finally brought down the attention of the space marine garrison at Thorrosin.  

After a few clashes with the Red Brotherhood, the orks of The World Wreckas came away suitably impressed with the fighting prowess of these new foes: superhumans who could best an ork in hand-to-hand combat, something most of them had never seen. Orks appreciated martial prowess when they saw it; the stronger the foe, the better the fight, the more glory to the victor, after all. At night, around the fire (the acquisition of technology did nothing to change this custom of the formerly feral orks), the 'yoofs' asked Ol' Sniksnazz to tell them more about these admirable warriors. 

Sniksnazz grumbled. He wanted to be fighting, not talking. But he instinctively knew his role in the orky 'kulture'. He knew the younger orks needed to be inspired to emulate the great warriors of the past and fight harder against the klan's enemies. After enough badgering by the gathering audience, he acquiesced with a grunt and a nod. He gazed around the fire, fixing each ork in turn with his one-eyed stare. Once the audience was silent, he began.

"So, ya wanna know 'bout da beakies, huh? I know da story. Da tribe caught a 'umie once, years ago. Da 'umie told one uv da ol' orks, and dat ol' ork told Ol' Grodnog, and Ol' Grodnog told me, and now I'm tellin' you lot. Beakies been around fer a long, long time. Not as long as da Boyz, but fer a long time.

It’s like dis... 

We all know how da 'umies is all soft and pink. So fer years and years and years da Boyz wuz beatin’ em up all over da galaxy. Da only good fights da boyz could find wuz wit uvver boyz. 

Den a real big boss of da 'umies comes along. Dey call him da Emp-Roar cuz he could yell so loud all da 'umies ‘ad ta listen to ‘im.  Da Emp-Roar figgers out how ta make 'umies tough like da Boyz. He makes 'em bigger and puts 'em in supa’ 'eavy armor and gives 'em proppa' shootas instead of dose weenie zap guns most 'umies use. Dese were da beakies. 

Wit 'is beakies, da Emp-Roar launched da Great Krooz-ade. Dis wuz da biggest Waaagh! da 'umies ever dun. Dere wuz loads uv beakies split into lots of klanz, each wiv a big Warboss called a Prime-Ork cuz dey wuz da biggest and baddest fightas, just like da orks. Da Prime-Orks and da beakies kroozed 'cross da stars and krumped ever-body in da galaxy. 

Finally, da only ones left fer dem ta fight was da biggest ork boss and 'is boyz: Urlakk Urg, da biggest ork dat eva' lived. Urlakk wuz Overlord of Ullanor, da biggest tribe, spread ova' twelve worlds. Sinz bosses get bigga' wiv da more boyz dey lead, Urlakk wuz da size of a deff dread!"

The listening orks looked at each other in awe, clearly interested in this part of the story. 

"It was da biggest scrap of da whole Krooz-ade. Da Emp-Roar brought da best beakie klanz and da best Prime-Orks. Dere was fightin' across the whole system at the same time - and da' boyz wuz winning! So da biggest and best Prime-Ork made a kunnin' plan. Dey called 'im Orrus and he had black armor and his nobz 'ad red and black mega armor. 'E wuz da best 'umie fighta dat eva lived. Dey zoomed past all da fightin' and went straight to Urlakk's fortress. Most uv da beakies wuz smashed up good and proppa' by da boyz, but Orrus and ten of da mega beakies made it to da top of Urlakk's fortress to face da Overlord 'imself and 'is best nobz. Orrus and Urlakk smashed each uvva wiv dere klaws and da whole fortress shook! Dey kept smashin' each uvva but dey wuz both too 'ard ta die."

The orks crowded around the fire were growing visibly excited, some clenching their fists, others stomping the dirt, still others growling and clenching their massive jaws. Ol' Snikksnazz couldn't help but grin as he felt the Waaagh! energy building up around him. Too crippled to fight, telling these stories was the only way he could experience the communal excitement and sense of unity that came from the psychic bond of the Waaagh!, something all orks needed. 

"Finally, after fightin' for hours when all da uvva beakies and boyz wuz ded, Orrus knocked down Urlakk Urg... and den picked 'im up and frew him off da top o' da fortress! Urlakk Urg went splat! And dat was da end uv da war, cuz wivvout ba big boss, all da boyz wuz fightin' each uvva as much as da 'umies."

The audience was shocked. A few even stood and shouted out. One boy punched his neighbor and set off a short scuffle. Sniksnazz felt the peak of Waaagh! energy diminish slightly, but the underlying intensity continued to grow, with an unmet need to fight and smash. 

"Oi! I told ya dat Orrus was called a Prime-Ork, didn't I? But dat's not da end...  

Da boyz gave da beakies such a good fight dat da biggest and best Prime-Ork, Orrus, had all his boyz paint dere armor green like da Orks! And all da 'umies knowed dat da green beakies wuz da best, even da Emp-Roar knowed it. 'E made Orrus da biggest boss, called da Waaagh!-Masta of all 'umies.

After dat, sinz dere wuz no one else good left ta fight, da Prime-Orks decided to fight each uvver. Orrus sed he was da best and wanted ta lord it ova da Emp-Roar. So da 'umies fought da biggest war eva'. Dey called it Da Orrus ‘Urty cuz Orrus smashed up da whole galaxy and wuz ‘urtin’ all da uvver 'umies fer years and years.

Finally, 'is green boyz get all da way to da Emp-Roar’s planet. Loads uv beakies and millions of squishy 'umies wuz fightin’ ova da planet wiv tanks and 'umie gargants and wot not. Den Orrus fought wiv da Emp-Roar’s best Prime-Ork: da red one.  'Is boyz was da red klan and his name in 'umie wuz “Bloody” cuz he killed so many dat he wuz always covered in blood. It was da Red boss vs da Green boss, a supa good fight. Da red boss was fasta cuz his armor was red but da green boss was ‘arder and he had a big klaw. So Orrus krumped Bloody and made him all bloody. Hur hur hur." 

This had the desired effect and the gathered listeners roared their laughter, cheering for Horus. As the one who defeated the orks of Ullanor, he had their respect and awe. 

"So da Emp-Roar got mad dat 'is best boss was ded and he tellyported onto da ship to fight Orrus hisself. Dis wuz an even bigga fight cuz da Emp-Roar was a weird-boss and had brain powaz. He only beat Orrus cuz he used his weird boy powas on him. But Orrus krumped him in da proppa' way and da Emp-Roar was so smashed up dat 'e went into his Golden Frone and eez  neva come out since. Orrus died and iz boyz went into da warp. Dey painted der armor black to be ’arder like Goffs and dey been raiding da 'umies ever since. 

Now da 'umies fink da Emp-Roar is like Gørk and Mørk and da beakies try to impress him wit dere fightin'. Dey are tryin' to be as 'ard as Orrus. And dat's why da beakies fight so good. 

 Now dat’s a good story! Ever-body got krumped! Da end."

The orks around the fire cheered, some firing their sluggas into the air, others howling into the night. Now they were truly inspired to get back into the fight with the space marines and re-live the glory of Urlakk Urg and the orks of the past against these worthy foes, the beakies that smashed the galaxy.

Urlakk Urg, Overlord of Ullanor

 

Fourth Edition Rules Refresh

 Just to remind you guys how Fourth Edition works, here are a summary of key rules and differences:

Movement:

• Everyone moves 6".
• Difficult terrain: roll 2d6 and pick the highest.
• You can only run if you have Fleet.
• Moving up and down is "free". You can move up or down the same distance you move along. So if you move 6" into a ruin, the model can be placed 6" above ground level. Difficult terrain applies. 

Shooting:

• Must pass a leadership check to shoot at any target except the closest. (Other than if the closest unit is falling back or cannot be fired upon or seen.)
• If you choose to fire at a Large target (vehicle, artillery or monstrous creature), you can ignore closer normal targets, but a leadership check is required to shoot anything other than the closest Large target. 
• You must choose your target before measuring for range. 
• Area Terrain: Models can only see in or out of area terrain up to 6". You cannot see through area terrain even if it is less than 6" thick. Models taller than the area terrain can see over it. (Terrain and models can be classes as Size 1, 2, or 3.)
• If any model moves, the entire unit counts as having moved for shooting purposes. 
• Cover saves are better: 
• Bushes, tall grass, fence: 6+
• Crates, barrels, logs, pipes, hill crests, woods: 5+
• Wrecks, vehicles, craters, rocks, rubble, ruins, walls, trenches: 4+
• Bunkers, fortified buildings: 3+
• Units partially in cover: if over half the unit is in cover, the entire unit makes cover saves. If not, none get cover saves.
• Owning player removes casualties of his choice, among those in line of sight and range. Must remove whole models with multiple wounds before applying wounds to new models. 
• Instant death when strength is double toughness.
• Rapid Fire: Two shots at 12" away. If stationary, it can choose to make one shot at 24" away. If they shoot, cannot assault. 
• Pistol: One shot up to 12" if the unit moved. Two shots at 12" if it remained stationary. Cannot charge if the unit remained stationary to shoot twice. 
• Assault: Same as always. 
• Heavy: Can only fire if stationary. If they shoot, cannot assault.
• Sniper: Hits on 2+, wounds on 4+. 2d6 for armor pen but don't add strength. 

Assault:

• Charge distance is 6".
• Can only charge the unit you shot.
• Assaulting in, out, or through difficult terrain is 2d6 and pick the highest. If you do not make it, you do not move at all.
• You can fight if within 2" of a friendly model in base-to-base contact. 
• Models being assaulted while behind/in cover strike at initiative 10.
• No challenges.
• Casualties only taken from Engaged models. Surplus wounds discarded.
• Loser checks morale. Modifiers are for being outnumbered, not by how much you won by.
• When the loser falls back, make Sweeping Advance check (d6+I).
• Consolidate move is 3". If you win by Massacre rather than a Sweep, then consolidate move is d6".
• If the falling back unit only goes 3" then the consolidating unit can re-engage them in melee, but do not count as charging next turn.
• Pile In move (6") is only at the end of the entire Assault phase (not at each initiative step). Current player moves first. 
• Weapons:
• Heavy: Max save is 4+
• Power: Ignore armor saves
• Lightning: Ignore saves and re-roll to wound
• Force: Counts as power plus instant death on Psychic check. 
• Power Fist: Double strength, initiative 1, ignore saves
• Thunder: Power Fist, any oponent wounded strikes at initiative 1 next Assault phase, vehicles get Crew Shaken plus whatever else is rolled.
• Rending: 6 to hit ignores armor and automatically wounds. Roll of 6 for armor pen adds further d6. 
• Poisoned: Wound on 4+

Morale:

• Make check at 25% shooting casualties, losing close combat, or tank shock.
• Modifiers: -1 to Ld if the unit is below half strength (for any check). 
• Assault modifiers: -1 if outnumbered, -2 if outnumbered 2:1 or more, -3 if 3:1, etc.  
• Trapped: If a unit cannot perform a full fallback without doubling back, it is destroyed.
• Regrouping: Must be at least 50% strength, no enemies within 6" and in coherency. +1 if no enemy within line of sight. If it regroups, it cannot move, but can shoot or assault. If it fails, fall back an additional 2d6".
• If fall back to the table edge, the unit is destroyed. 

Vehicles / Characters / Psykers:

• Do not have hull points, only damage tables. Different tables for Glancing, Penetrating and Ordnance.
• Assaulting a vehicle: attack the side you charged. Automatic hit if stationary, 4+ to hit if it moved 6" or less, 6 to hit if it moved more than 6" last turn or is a skimmer.
• Psyker must pass test to use power. Perils on 2 or 12: one hit at S6 with no saves. 
• Characters treated as separate unit in assault. Must be in base contact to fight (not within 2"). Wounds on their unit do not carry over onto character.

Missions:

• Scoring units: Everything is scoring unless falling back. We can discuss if we want a house rule to give Objective Secured (tiebreaker) to Troops. 
• Victory Points are the points value of the unit. 
• Night Fighting: Units can see 2d6 x 3 inches.  

Traitor Militia

I was able to paint up a flavorful squad of traitor militia one weekend recently. Love their look! Should be fun to see them on the battlefield soon.

Blood Angels Terminators

Elite Blood Angels forces have reached the Xhorik System in response to a critical distress call from the planetary governor. All humanity in the sector must only hope they aren't too late...

Third Xhorik War Scenario Ideas

 The War of the Beast

Here are a few ideas I have been thinking about that would align with the story written for the war so far. They are just ideas and we do not have to play all (or any) of these, but hopefully they get some ideas flowing. We can continue to add to this list with more ideas. 

Take and Hold: Orks vs Planetary Defense FOrces

The Orks made planetfall in the far northern Halimur wastes to avoid the worst of the planetary defensive fire. They then pushed south into the populated lands. Planetary defense forces were rushed north to meet the advance, but unfortunately, they were initially short on heavy armor as House Harkathe vied for influence over the planetary governor in Chiros Nova. The Imperial Guard PDF consists of regiments from Kozar, Unimund, Bhorivor, the great houses, and more, all thrown together quickly in an attempt to stem the invasion. The PDF would be limited to maybe one or two tanks at most but could also include sentinels, sentry guns, heavy weapon squads and Ogryn battle suits. 

Cleanse: Orks vs Tyranids

Orks and Tyranids clash in the taiga and forests along the northern border of Bhorivor. The Orks have pushed the human defenders back and have been attacking the cities of Vayya and Ironton while Speed Freaks pillage across the land. In the meantime, the Tyranids are awakening in large numbers and already beginning to transform the meager biomass of the far north into brood nests. They attack into the rear of the Ork armies. Both sides are aiming to destroy as much of the enemy as possible. Should be a good simple battle to get used to the Fourth Edition rules and with lots of infantry to kill. 

Activate the Shields: Drop Troops Veterans "bug Hunters" vs Tyranids

This would be based on the scenario from the Anphelion Project where the veteran D-99 Drop Troopers have to turn on the containment fences and get attacked by Tyranids in the process. In this case, they could be restoring power to a defensive system that will close the Tarnon Pass to the Tyranids. We would modify the armies slightly from the book in order to suit our collections, but we could do a pretty close approximation of this scenario as it is written. In our case, this a veteran company that has been fighting the Tyranids continuously in the north of Kozar for months and they have been augmented with experimental combat drugs to give them an edge against this new Xenos threat. 

Last Stand of Rovund: Red Brotherhood vs Orks

This is the scenario described in The Dark Hour where a small garrison of Red Brotherhood held the fortress-monastery of Thorrosin against the Orks on Xhorik Prime while the main war was being waged on nearby Occular. This battle sees the last of the Space Marines on Xhorik Prime killed, until the later arrival of the Blood Angels. This would be a classic "last stand" scenario where the Ork army is never ending and the game must end with the complete destruction of the Space Marines, who are trying to kill as many Orks as possible before they die. We can use Pete's old Red Brotherhood models or we can substitute Blood Angels (also red) or we can leave this battle aside and play it another time. 

Tunnels of Death: Blood Angels vs Tyranids

Terminators and other infantry are in the tunnels beneath a now-infested Imperial city in Bhorivor, looking to destroy the breeding centers and nests of the Tyranids. They have to move through the rooms destroying eggs/nests while clashing with genestealers (we can use the same models to represent multiple squads during the game). They eventually realize they can never destroy them all. Zone Mortalis type mission. 

Space Hulk: Blood Angels vs Orks

This is one of the last battles of the campaign. The Blood Angels have realized that the infestation of these new Xenos is nearly impossible to eradicate, and the Orks are too numerous and too dispersed for their small forces to defeat. The entire region of Bhorivor has been overrun and the Blood Angels have declared the military leaders of the Federation of Unimund as heretics for giving weapons and ammo to the Orks while the Kozar forces are loyal but lack the heavy armor required to eradicate the invaders utterly. Their only option is to destroy the Ork Rok in low orbit and lay waste to the part of the planet that is most infested with bugs and Orks. But the Rok is far too massive even for the weapons of the Blood Angels' Cruiser to destroy from the outside. So a Blood Angels boarding party enters the Rok to set explosives in the fusion engine cores that will destroy the Rok from the inside and result in a massive asteroid storm directed across the portion of the planet that has been lost to the invaders, the Chirosov Valley. To get to the engine core (and back out!), they must fight their way through the Ork defenders. Zone Mortalis type mission. 

Hold the Line: Blood Angels and Drop Troops vs Orks "and" Tyranids (Finale)

With the Blood Angels boarding party conducting their mission to destroy the Rok, the land forces of the Imperium are tasked to holding the Xenos in the Chirosov Valley where the majority of the debris will fall, causing volcanic eruptions and choking dust storms that will eradicate the Xenos infestation. The defenders mass their forces to hold the Uzsok Pass while the Xenos are trying to break through to the Valbaara Plateau in the west. The Orks and Tyranids are not allies, but they both have the same goal: escape from the Valley of Death behind them and ravage the remaining Imperial lands before them. This battle will be fought on the big hexagon table (we need to give some thought on the setup, whether to use the bridge, or have the invaders moving through the canyon, etc.) My thought is that the weak Drop Troopers and the strong Space Marines together might present a balanced foe for the Orks and Tyranids, who both struggle with tanks. The goal of the Imperial forces would be to prevent any Xenos from reaching past a certain line (one side of the bridge or off the board, etc.) We could throw the Traitor Guard in here somewhere as well.  Just as long as it is a huge battle with a lot of factions fighting! 

Other Ideas for the Future:

In the future, I will make some Blood Axes and give them some looted Imperial vehicles so we can play out that aspect of the campaign, where they use them against the Tyranids and ultimately against the humans. 

Termagant Swarm Complete

Now this looks like the swarm of skittering claws and slathering fangs that you envision when you picture a Tyranid army!

The ten bugs in the front row are Bill's originals. My quick and dirty copies are the other 30 I painted with a quicker Contrast method. 

Recipe:

1. Prime with Greyseer
2. Spray Tamiya white from above
3. Wash entire model with Nuln Oil
4. Black Templar the carapace, slightly diluted
5. Ork Flesh the tail, hind legs, and exposed interiors on the legs and guns
6. Magos Purple the tubes and tounges (two coats)
7. Second coat of Black Templar on the carapace, slightly diluted
8. Additional Nuln Oil in joints and head
9. Touch up the white sections with White Scar or Bold Titanium White

Base:

1. Paint entire base grey with craft paint
2. Apply white glue and kitty litter
3. Slop on white craft paint
4. Paint rim with Mounrnfang Brown (two coats)

I'm pretty sure that's it. 

I think if I give them all a spray with a clear coat that is maybe a semi-gloss finish it will help tie them together better. Currently the Contrast models are a little flatter than the glossier originals. And it should help to protect the paint and the base. Maybe the next time we get some good weather. 

546.M32 Map of Xhorik Prime - Uhmik

This is a map of the northwestern continent of Uhmik on Xhorik Prime in the year 546 of the 32nd millennium at the start of the Third Xhorik War. 

This map shows only the most major cities (red dots), roads (black lines), railroads (purple), mines (orange dots), and fortresses (red triangles). Black dashes indicate roads that are only passable seasonally. There are numerous smaller settlements and roads crisscrossing the lands. Concentric circles indicate District Capitals. Chiros Nova recently became the new seat of the Planetary Governor. 

Uhmik is split into three major regions or Imperial Districts: Unimund, Kozar and Bhorivor. 

Unimund consists primarily of the lands that formed the Federation of Unimund at the time of the First and Second Xhorik Wars during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. This has always been the industrial heart of Xhorik Prime. Kozar is the land of the former stratocracy of Kozar, a proud militaristic society populating the rugged mountains of the north. Bhorivor is the land that used to be nearly uninhabitable wastelands prior to massive Imperial colonization and terraforming. It is now a rapidly growing center of agriculture with some of the most populous cities on Xhorik  

This map represents Xhorik at its greenest and most verdant phase of its long history. 

M32: The Third Xhorik War - Early Stage

'Ere We Go!

The Ork advance swept from the far northern latitudes down into Bhorivor. Some probing attempts to enter Kozar from the north were repulsed as the Ork forces struggled in the rough mountain passes against the airborne Xhorik drop regiments. The path into the Chirosov Valley lacked such natural barriers and so the humans had to rely on the strength of the planetary defense forces (PDF). 

Bhorivor deployed twelve infantry divisions (nearly 150,000 men) to their northern border via rail lines as soon as it became clear where the bulk of the Ork forces were making planetfall. They were commanded by the aged General Thoctus, great uncle to the planetary governor. Unfortunately, they were not well supported by armored columns. Most of the planet's armor was in the region of Unimund and it was unusually slow in reaching the front. The Orks were advancing rapidly, and the PDF divisions did not have time to establish well-fortified positions. General Woundwart was able to utilize Dagzag's highly mobile Speed Freaks to attack the humans' flanks and disrupt their lines before launching a frontal assault with his Blood Axe warband, supported by Deathskull firepower. The first battle was a decisive Ork victory. Several regiments were nearly obliterated outright, such as the Xhorik 113th Infantry Regiment, the Vayyan Rifles, which suffered over 80% killed or wounded. General Thoctus was forced to fall back. The only thing that saved his army from complete destruction was that the Death Skull warband, Da Skulltakas, stopped to loot the battlefield rather than pursue the fleeing humans.

The Planetary Defense Forces fell back through the snow-covered coniferous forests along the northern frontier of Bhorivor. Thoctus knew it would be futile to try to reform the line under these conditions and he retreated all the way back to the walls of Vayya in an attempt to reorganize his battered forces and await the overdue armored reinforcements. 

House Harkhathe

House Harkhathe had existed as a noble house in the Empire of Yitus for at least one thousand years before the Great Crusade reached the system. They were experts in the scheming political intrigues of the Empire and they became one of the most influential and powerful of the noble houses, eventually taking control of the entire Federation of Unimund, the wealthiest and most populous cities of Xhoirk Prime. In the century prior to the First Xhorik War with the nascent Imperium of Man, four of the last six royal chancellors had been of House Harkhathe.  The Great House fought against the Emeror's Legions until Yitus was brought into submission. During the Horus Heresy, they sided with the Death Guard and eagerly looked forward to taking control of Xhorik once the Loyalist forces were driven out. 

After the Heresy, multiple senior House members were executed by Imperial tribunals. They then suffered the indignity of serving under a hereditary planetary governor appointed by the High Council of Terra and of seeing the regional capital of Unimund being renamed from New Barbarus to Bauenbar. The Imperial governor began a program of massive terraforming, converting the eastern wastes into the great fertile valley known as Chirosov, named after the agri-world of Chiros, the source of most of the new settlers. Soon, the region of Bhorivor became the most populous, surpassing even the mighty industrial heartland of Unimund. Huge new cities were surrounded by hundreds of miles of farmland, providing Imperial tithes of food and men. In the late 31st millennium, the seat of the planetary government was moved to Chiros Nova. 

All the while House Harkhathe maneuvered for position and looked for a chance to regain their former prestige and power. From their ancestral home of Harkhold, they planted their agents in the governor's household, the PDF and the planetary intelligence services. They were able to get the head of their House, Count Morvuld Harkhathe, appointed to the planetary High Council, who were second only to the Imperial Governor himself. Morvuld was able to use his position to enable his House to maintain private armed forces loyal only to him, separate from the PDF regiments provided by Unimund. In the last decade, the name of the regional capital was even changed back to New Barbarus, in an effort to rekindle the passions of the population of Unimund for a time when they were dominant over the entire planet.

When the Ork invasion occurred, Morvuld Harkhathe saw a golden opportunity to gain absolute political control of the planet for his house. He decided to delay his forces' mobilization to the front by as much as possible without being accused of outright treason. The Unimund regiments incurred all sorts of "unavoidable" delays and made slow progress. The logistical situation gave ample opportunity for excuses. The journey by rail is long and tortuous, with no direct routes. And the main road through the mountain pass could only handle limited traffic, especially in winter. By delaying his forces' arrival, Count Harkhathe hoped to see Bhorivor teetering on the brink of collapse and defeat. Then he could extract political concessions from the nobility for his rescue while simultaneously playing the hero to the common people. Thus he would build sufficient political support from the nobles and the wider population to force the planetary governor to abdicate to him. And if that did not work, then a "friendly fire" incident could eliminate the governor and his son. House Harkhathe would rule Xhorik Prime, as they were always meant to, even if they had to pay tribute to a far distant Emperor, for now.