Death From The Skies Arrives! A quick Review

Well it has arrived, my copy of Death from the Skies arrived this morning, after the postie forced it through the door (note to postie - if the package is bigger then the letter box its not meant to go through it) and already I've read it.

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First up a quick disclaimer as i havent had a 6th ed game yet or used fliers I wont comment on rules but will be happy to answer any questions or specifics you might ask

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Initial thoughts are - WTF did I pay for? this book is roughly the size of a new White Dwarf if not slightly smaller, the only thing that actually stops it being identical is the cover seems slightly thicker! personally I feel the most ripped off i have ever being by GW, the product seems small, pathetic and certainly not worth the money. OK i appreciate this is just a stop gap measure but til the codex comes out for the appropriate army this is a true money spinner from GW - if FW hadn't saved the day earlier with some amazing customer service this moan would have being much worse

Ok so on to the actual pages, they are well laid out as we have come to expect from GW with some very nice artwork too. Most of the models we see aren't new and are just from the studio armies but then again looking at fliers is fun even if you have seen them before.

Rules wise nothing new really from reading my current codex and rulebook, there some amendments of course but if you have any specific questions please ask, will be quicker and more fulfilling to answer them for you below :) I think from what i can see the aces are a nice idea and one i will be looking in to in great detail, again apologies but not knowing much about 6th ed and fliers i would rather answer your questions.

The campaign idea, like with crusade of fire, is mediocre, however it does give some good ideas (and a few tactics) and makes a change to see some white space marines as opposed to blue. Some thought has gone in to the two new missions you get and comparing them to previous games they look entertaining, i was just hoping for a few more i guess.

One thing i do like though is the burning skies "stand alone" game idea. that and the special manouvres really are the stand out rules for me in the book and something i will be looking at getting some 6th ed games under my belt for.

There are some nice showcase models and as mentioned while they are the studio models they are good. The one thing i personally think is missing from a modelling side is the conversions or scratchbuilds you see in some of the other codex model sections.

In summary, this is an OK stop gap measure, however it is definitely over priced and is far from codex standard. For the information it brings though it is very useful - good to have all the updated rules in to one place - just wish there was more to the book. Would I recommend it? to a single solo purchaser no, if however there are 3-4+ of you that game together regularly then yes, all chip in and buy one copy that way you will all have the rules and it wont cost the earth that way.
For me the book, mainly due to its small size and high cost only rates a 2 and 1/2 stars.

So once again as i havent played 6th ed if there are any specific questions or queries about the book please ask and i will do my best to answer them for you.

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An update from Forgeworld via their forgeworld facebook page, they have advised we consider this an official FAQ:

The rules don't overlap onto Imperial Armour Aeronautica. Any of our flyers that list Deep Strike among their special rules can still Deep Strike.
Stormravens cannot carry Contemptors.
Storm Eagles aren't available to Blood Angels. There's a price for refusing to reveal STC data.

an interesting update and a shame about stormravens but even more so about the storm eagles, i know a number of people fancying these but it certainly does cut the number of buyers down :(

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The back cover is just a load of pictures of the flyers for sale.

Page 5 - 20: "The Battle of Cadrim" - This looks like a slightly extended version of the section in White Dwarf when the storm talon came out. It includes the same pictures of the White Scars armies etc.

Page 23 - 29: Air War Missions.

Mission 1: Deadly Bridgehead: Space Marines with Necron[i] allies, against Orks.
Mission 2: Scramble; Space Marines V Orks
Mission 3: Aerial Assault: Necrons V orks with Space Marine allies
Mission 4: Death from the Skies: Necrons V Marines

Page 32 - 40: Burning Skies - Looks like a reprint of the Crusade of Fire rules

Page 40 - 55: Gallery pictures

Now we're coming to the important bit

Page 56: StormRaven Beastiary: It includes the FAQ updates. EG, a Dreadnaught taking s10 hits if the flyer explodes and is zooming. The important note is [i]Blood Angels and Grey Knights armies use the rules printed here though their storm ravens have additional wargear options and rules - see the army list for details. Also, new piece of artwork. An ultrasmurf storm raven.

Page 57: Storm Talon: Still 2 HP. It now has the Strafing Run rules. Type (Flyer, Hover). Escort craft rules looks to be clarified to avoid anything BS-ey. Can't escort anything using Outflank / Deepstriking. Plus other stuff. NO supersonic rules

Page 58: Valkyrie/Vendetta: Exactly the same as the IG codex, but with HP's added in - Same as rulebook. Also the Grav Chute Insertion rules have been updated with the FAQ rules

Page 59: VoidRaven/Razorwing: I'm assuming these are the same? Razorwing Armour 10, VoidRaven Armour 11. Night Vision/Supersonic rules

Page 60: DoomScythe: Looks the same as before
Page 61: NightScythe: Broadly the same as before. They clarify the embarked unit doesn't take damage when destroyed. Also they enter through normal reserves? No mention of rembarking on a night scythe... However. "If a night scythe has moved more than 24", the disembarking unit may only fire snap shots."

Page 62: Dakkajet: No Hover. However, Strafing run, supersonic. Fighta Ace upgrade has been renamed to 'flyboss' - it basically gives him Strafing Run against things you don't get strafing run against.... Aside from that, same as before.

Page 63: Burna Bomber, Blitza Bomber: Seems the same as before, with obvious changes. No hover. Supersonic, waaagh plane! Edit: Yep, points costs and upgrades are identical to White Dwarf.

Page 64: Wargear. A burna bomb is a bomb... Death Ray looks like it has rules changes... It hurts friendly models too. It can't hurt zooming flyers or flying monstrous creatures.

Page 65: Wargear. Everything looks the same.

Page 66: StormStrike Missiles: I dunno what to say, they actually seem to kick rear end... S8, AP2, concussive...

Page 68: Army List:
Storm Raven: Heavy Support: Yup, marines and templars get storm raven. Nothing for space puppies. Grey Knights and Blood Angels don't get stormstrike missiles. The rest looks broadly similar
Storm Talon: Marines/Black Templars only (typical). Fast Attack. A lot cheaper in points. The most expensive version is 10 points cheaper than before.

Page 69: Army List:
Valkyrie And Vendetta: Identical to earlier rules

Page 70:
Razorwing, Voidraven, Doom Scythe, Night Scythe:
I think these are identical to their normal rules

Page 71: The Ork Flyers: In all honesty, they seem the same as the white dwarf. I think someone with more of an ork brain will need to pick out the diffferences.

Page 72: Summary Page.

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an update and response to peoples queries are in the comments below, if you have any more queries or specifics you would like to know let me know and i will hopefully get them answered for you asap.

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UPDATE:
Once again Darog at Darog's Company has published these great photos of Death From the Skies.

SPACE MARINES

DARK ELDAR

NECRONS

ORKS

IMPERIAL GUARD

REFERENCE

PILOT SKILLS

These are like Warlord Traits and you pay for them.

Ultramarines Contemptor and Predator - An update from Dan

Dans second update of 2013 here and already hes on fire, shaming both me and Chris with his progress (though he was been working on these a while :) ) below are pics of his latest completed models, A Predator and his Contemptor Dreadnought.

Both models are great and are showing great improvement, especially the Contemptor, and looks like the force is growing nicely.

Ultramarines Command Squad - An update from Dan

Dan has recently provided a further update to his Ultramarines force, this time in the guise of his command squad. Personally I really like the models and the use of various parts and weapons, such as the storm shields, to tie them all together.

The models are clean and simple conversions but they work really well together, the only thing missing to my mind is a nice sheild for the apothecary, however overall a great unit and one that works well with the Sicarus model. Cant wait to see some pics with paint on.

Not so Grey Knights - An update from Chris

So time for another hobby update from the compatriates, Chris has recently decided to ditch the Tau army he was working on and has decided to head down the route of the Grey Knights. Whilst this is a pretty common army now Chris has decided to try and differenciate his from the others out there by tackling a red scheme for them.

These are just inital WIP pics but looks like the scheme could work out in the end, assuming of course something else doesnt catch his attention.

A nice start and some nice models, cant wait to see if they get finished and cant wait to see the army expanded with some new and exciting models.

Ultramarines Rhino - An update from Dan

Seems that Mr Dan has been a bit busy over the past few weeks and has started to expand his Ultramarines force up to the 750 point mark. He recently sent me pictures of his latest project his Ultramarines Rhino:

An interesting take on some of the parts, particularlly the driver. Must say I like the idea of the top hatches and just hope this gets used for a Techmarines ride or for a squad Devestators.
A good start and cant wait to see the rest of his expansion force.

Know no Fear - Book Review

Know no Fear by Dan Abnett
Unaware of the wider Heresy and following the Warmaster’s increasingly cryptic orders, Roboute Guilliman returns to Ultramar to muster his Legion for war against the orks massing in the Veridian system. Without warning, their supposed allies in the Word Bearers Legion launch a devastating invasion of Calth, scattering the Ultramarines fleet and slaughtering all who stand in their way. This confirms the worst scenario Guilliman can imagine – Lorgar means to settle their bitter rivalry once and for all. As the traitors summon foul daemonic hosts and all the forces of Chaos, the Ultramarines are drawn into a grim and deadly struggle in which neither side can prevail.

The latest in the book in the series depicting the Horus Heresy conflict that depicts the Ultramarines facing off against the Word Bearers and is penned by my favorite author Dan Abnett. The novel starts off with the Primarch of the Ultramarines - Roboute Guilliman, 13th son of the Emperor - returning to Ultramar and the planet Calth to gather almost the whole legion to launch against an Ork invasion of the Veridian system,  backed up by a large force of the Word Bearers

For any 40K fan the Battle of Calth is seen as one of the pivotal moments in the Horus Heresy. It is worth considering though that during the great crusade the Word Bearers and primarch Lorgar built up a reputation for their extremist religious views, idolising the Emperor and committing violent atrocities against those who were slow to adopt their beliefs. When the Emperor found out he ordered Guilliman and the Ultramarines to raze the whole city of Monarchia - which was known as the "perfect city" after the Word Bearers brought it into "compliance" and was seen as their proudest achievement. Lorgar and his entire Legion were then forced to kneel in the city's ashes before the Emperor and Guilliman. It's therefore not difficult to see why the Ultramarines were chosen for this fate, Lorgar and his Legion held a grudge ever since and saw this as the perfect opportunity to extract some revenge.

I liked the authors idea to write the narrative in the present tense, it's a brave move by the author but one that works remarkably well and makes the reader to really feel a part of the battle. I am quite overwhelmed at how the author manages to keep juggling all the separate elements, people, places and events that make up this epic battle - the narrative moving from one scene to the next without disorienting the reader; it's an impressive feat and one that deserves an applause.

I loved the fact that Abnett spends time personalising each and every character - even the minor ones that die moments later which gives a much richer and more personal feel to the battle, one that the reader is emotionally attached to. Even with all these cataclysmic events going on we still get treated to some real human touches such as Ventanus' attempts to protect those around him and the bitter-sweet tale of the fallen warrior who is lucky enough to be "reborn" as a Dreadnaught only to find himself hurtling toward the planet at terminal velocity after his ship is blown to pieces. My other favorite moments are the points at which not only does Abnett explain some of the idiosyncrasies of the Ultramarines (the red sergeant helmets for one) but he actually portraits this with humour and style that is often lacking in Black Library Marines.

The main protagonist is the Ultramarine progenitor Guilliman and his analytical mind, attention to detail, considered strategy and dry humour are amongst the highlights of the novel. Abnett does a brilliant job of portraying him as a "super-human" figure without it seeming over the top or condescending. This is then frames against Word Bearers launch a devastating attack, scattering the fleet and slaughtering all who stand in their way, summoning a host of foul demon and the very forces of Chaos itself to aid their fight and described in language that could only be described as delicious.

Without doubt this is the best Horus Heresy novel to date and the way in which it is dealt with makes this my favourite Dan Abnett book too. In fact it almost cost me an Ultramarines army until I realised I could never portrait the amazing characters that have been brought to life in the novel. Without any shadow of a doubt, any apology or shame this novel gets a righteous and well deserved 5 out of 5 from me and only hope the next Ultramarines book is half as good.

Available from:
http://www.blacklibrary.com/
Dan Abnett
Paperback • ISBN 9781849701341

The Gildar Rift - Book Review

The Gildar Rift by Sarah Cawkwell
When the ancient warship Wolf of Fenris emerges from the warp, Imperial forces find that it has been overrun by the dreaded Red Corsairs. However, this is no mere raiding party – Huron Blackheart and his entire renegade fleet soon follow, intent on conquering the Gildar Rift and tightening their grip on the sector. Lance batteries and torpedo salvos burn fiery contrails through the void, and only Captain Arrun of the Silver Skulls Space Marine Chapter can halt the renegades’ advance. The fate of the Rift will not be decided in the heavens but on the surface of Gildar Secundus below.

The Gildar Rift is one of the latest novel in the Space Marines Battles series. This novel is written by Sarah Cawkwell and prior to this novel I had not read any other BL works by her, or at least not knowingly, and I as such I went in with an open mind and was far from disappointed by what I found. In the Gildar Rift The Silver Skulls Space Marines have taken it upon themselves to patrol the Gildar Rift to repel the ever present xenos threat. The Silver Skulls differ from the other chapters by being very superstitious. They also have a number of Powerful psykers, Prognosticators, who are consulted before important decisions to try and divine the outcome before the course of action is followed. I liked this as in some cases it seemed that some officers would even ask for their blessing before even reloading their bolter!!

Captain Daerys Arrun is in charge of the fleet assigned to protecting the Gildar Drift, and has moved from his flagship to the Dread Argent to oversee a bold and controversial experiment. The Dread Argent might not be a flagship, but it is still a formidable engine of destruction, which is why when they receive a distress call from The Wolf of Fenris Daerys Arrun feels confident they can assist the Space Wolves. A small team is assembled to board the friendly spaceship to determine what is going on, but it's assumed the situation is hostile. Nothing can prepare them for what they find on board. The arch-enemy have launched an attack on the system with the Wolf of Fenris being the bait which springs the trap. The Silver Skulls find themselves in dire straits both in space and down on the planet. Every move they make has been foreseen by the insane, but brilliant traitor, Huron Blackheart. Fury grips Daerys Arrun as he watches his brothers fall to the traitorous Red Corsairs. The Silver Skulls ranks are thin enough already and they cannot afford to lose more, but more importantly they cannot let the system fall to the arch enemy.

Like with everything before things can get better they have to become worse. In this case Sarah Cawkwell certainly delivers on disasters, and things get so very bad it almost hurts to read. OK so it does feel forced in one or two places, but that’s the nature of compacting major events in to small novels, but when accompanied by explanations of why the space marines are helpless to act it does feel a bit odd, but not out of place.

Sarah Cawkwell does a very good job in raising the stakes and building up suspense and her work with the characters emotions mean that you begin to share captain Daerys Arrun's pain every time one of his men die. The Gildar Rift is, from start to finish, an intense read with a lot of fighting. I also liked the ship to ship battles as their immobility makes those battles a great juxtaposition to the fluid ground fighting. The whole novel and battle pretty much boils down to how much punishment your ship and your men can take! It might sound boring but it's actually pretty exciting, and you can feel the ship tremble from the impact of the enemy's missiles. Down on the planet the fighting is more brutal and personal with The Silver Skulls are facing a horde of cultists and Red Corsairs and I feel that Sarah Cawkwell does a good job describing the mayhem and it feels convincing with a quick pace.

The Gildar Drift was a solid delivery from Sarah Cawkwell and is packed full of the right ingredients to please even me! The underlying plot device (don't want to spoil the whole point of the book) made things interesting and felt like a fresh idea. The only issue I have with it is that when you read the plot device the marine's constantly worry it’s the wrong thing to do and is heresy but for me it just makes me think that actually its already that something that happens in other Adeptus branches within the imperium so it isn’t that wrong - cryptic I know but once you’ve read it you’ll understand - or email me if you don’t know what I mean. If, like me, you expect a grim read, non-stop action, and religious zealots you have found the right book. I think it's fair to say The Gildar Rift was an excellent first outing for the Silver Skulls and Sarah Cawkwell but it is most definitely setting the stage for a second novel. Without about The Silver Skulls suffer from a bloodied nose, and I would like to see them take the war to the Red Corsairs, giving them the initiative and the first strike. The plot and characters as well as the potential for more novels gets a solid 5 stars from me for this newest of 40k writers.

Available from:

http://www.blacklibrary.com/
The Gildar Rift by Sarah Cawkwell
Softback • ISBN 9781849701075

Deliverance Lost - Book Review

Deliverance Lost by Gav Thorpe
As the Horus Heresy divides the Imperium, Corax and his few remaining Raven Guard escape the massacre at Isstvan V. Tending to their wounds, the bloodied Space Marines endeavour to replenish their numbers and return to the fray, taking the fight to the traitor Warmaster. Distraught at the crippling blow dealt to his Legion, Corax returns to Terra to seek the aid of his father – the Emperor of Mankind. Granted access to ancient secrets, Corax begins to rebuild the Raven Guard, planning his revenge against his treacherous brother primarchs. But not all his remaining warriors are who they appear to be… the mysterious Alpha Legion have infiltrated the survivors and plan to destroy the Raven Guard before they can rebuild and threaten Horus’s plans.

This may be Gav Thorpe's first Horus Heresy novel but he successfully brings his years of experience with other Black Library franchises to bear on what seems, at first glance, to be a side-story in the epic's history. 'Deliverance Lost' makes Corax and his legion interesting and believable characters with more back-story than most Legions in the universe. I really enjoyed seeing how Corvus the Primarch came to be Corax the Saviour and how a colony of slaves came to be a Legion in the Empire of Man.

Where the Horus heresy series is great is when it tells you something about the history of a Primarch or a Legion you didn't know before and makes you want to see them again. Where it fails is when it just tells you about events that happened or fights that occurred. 'Deliverance Lost' has characters with motivations and desires making decisions that have consequences. Technically it may not be written with as much structure and elegance as other HH novels, and there is perhaps a little good old bolter-porn in there, but 'Deliverance Lost' has character and texture in spades. It even makes the Imperial Fists seem fun. The Alpha Legion are perhaps not so well drawn but they are of course by nature hard to pin down.

As for background and teasers to the universe at large, well, there is plenty for lore-buffs to sink their teeth into; glimpses of the Emperor's work on the Golden Throne and the role of alien cultures in the Heresy, several mentions of the 'lost' Primarchs and clues as to their fate, and possibly even a few clues as to future releases in the Space Marine line of miniatures - spot the novel vehicles named herein.

Deliverance Lost is not just for fans of the Raven Guard - Corax's attempt to reconstitute his Legion with the aid of the Emperor is probably required reading for anyone watching the Horus heresy evolve. The way in which it is handled and the way the other various parties get involved really show the intricacy of the Horus Heresy series for me. For me it isn't all big battles and destruction but it is about the battles inside the characters and in this case I think that has been captured perfectly.

With that in mind and the build up it promises I think this deserves a solid 5 stars just because it shows the other side to the war.

Available from:
http://www.blacklibrary.com/
Gav Thorpe
Paperback • ISBN 9781849700610

The Last Ditch - Book Review

The Last Ditch by Sandy Mitchell
Imperial commissar Ciaphas Cain returns to Nusquam Fundumentibus to crush the ork attacks which have been plaguing the frozen planet. But when his ship crashes into the wastelands outside the capital it disturbs a far greater enemy, one which has lain dormant under the permafrost since long before the Imperium came to this world, and could now threaten the whole sector. Faced with ongoing greenskin raids and keeping an over-enthusiastic novice commissar under control, Cain must rally his men and confront whatever emerges from beneath the rapidly melting ice...

Yet again commissar Ciaphas Cain finds himself staring death in the eyes. This time it's due to negligence and greed. He is attached to the 597th Valhallan regiment, on route to a planet with an Orc infestation. The ship they are travelling on suffers from shield failure while in the warp, and something manifests on the bridge. The instruments on the bridge are badly damaged in the fight against the demon, and they lose control of the ship. Not even down on the planet and fate is already against Ciaphas Cain, who is now trapped in a steel coffin hurtling towards a fiery death in the system's star.

As always, there is a million to one chance a risky plan will save them, and as any Terry Pratchett reader knows, these will work nine times out of ten (or eleven times if you're very lucky). You can't really call what happens next a landing, it was more of a slightly controlled crash. By controlled I mean they got to choose to hit a planet instead of a sun. On the way down they hit a mountain, which happens to be where the Orc horde is hanging out. Ciaphas Cain and the Valhallans now face some very angry orcs bearing down on them. It's pointed out how this is something the Valhallans look forward to, orcs being their hated enemies, but not at all to the liking of Ciaphas Cain. His favoured enemy is danger of any kind, but he'd rather run away than face it. Wise man.

Sandy Mitchell has done a remarkable job with The Last Ditch. Ciaphas Cain is a great character, and I would struggle to jot down everything awesome about him. According to himself, he is a selfish layabout, who wants nothing but peace and quiet, but also the admiration of those around him. Sandy Mitchell has always made sure to, in my opinion, to give us room for doubt. I think Ciaphas Cain is a hero, just a very modest one. Not only is our hero well written, Jurgen, his aide is also great. Together the two form a truly dynamic duo, capable of overcoming every obstacle. Whereas Ciaphas Cain is a dashing leader of men and a great swordsman, Jurgen is quiet, stoic, and a master marksmen. He is also not the sharpest chainsword in the armoury, but his ability to follow orders to the letter more than makes up for it. The dialog between the the two is so much fun, and even though Ciaphas Cain mocks Jurgen on occasion he does not tolerate rudeness from others directed in his aide's way.

Sandy Mitchell delivers a stronger plot than in the previous Ciaphas Cain novel, The Emperor's Finest. It feels more like one coherent story this time, instead of three short stories, which was the case in The Emperor's Finest. I won't say the story in The Last Ditch is amazing as by now they seem to follow a familiar script. Ciaphas Cain arrives to deal with threat A. He tries to direct from behind as many bodies between himself and danger as possible, but manages to volunteer to a dangerous mission. He then discovers threat B which is much greater than threat A. For me the plot is just the medium through which all the awesome action and punchy dialogue is delivered, so I can easily forgive the familiarity. This is what I expect from my Christmas reads anyway, cozy and fuzzy familiarity. Makes me feel safe and happy.

The Last Ditch is another triumph for Sandy Mitchell, which delivers on all points I expect from a Ciaphas Cain novel. No matter where our Commisar turns he faces danger, unspeakable horror, or Jurgens BO. When he is not busy fending off alien killers, he is usually in the middle of being sarcastic or making a funny observation. Fun, danger and BO, what more could you ask for? A good old 4 stars for me as it keeps the character going, just a shame there isn’t much development (or Amberley) in the novel but lets see what’s coming in the future.

Available from:
http://www.Blacklibrary.com/
Sandy Mitchell
Hardback • ISBN 9781849701242

Hammer and Anvil - Book Review

Hammer and Anvil by James Swallow
The Sisters of Battle are the Emperor’s most devout worshippers, fierce warriors preaching the purity of the Imperium and scourging their enemies with bolter and flamer. On a distant world, the Ecclesiarchy outpost of Sanctuary 101, was wiped out by an implacable foe - the fearless, soulless necrons. Now, a mission of the Sisterhood has returned to reconsecrate the site - but the metallic nightmares still lurk in the darkness, guarding a secret that has lain dormant for millennia. A vicious battle will be fought - one that can only end in the total destruction of the unrelenting xenos, or the annihilation of the proud Sororitas.

This is the second Sisters of Battle title from James Swallow (third if you count the audio book) and one that keeps the reader attached to the members of the sisterhood that we first met back in 2006. Whilst this novel is set in a similar time to the previous, it does show that when an author takes a break from the characters it can often be quite hard to reacquire, let alone acquaint, themselves with them in quite the same manner. In this case this sadly leads to a book that leaves the reader wondering if they’d been short changed as the characters were completely different. In the case of this title, i think however luckily that hasn’t been an issue which, for me, was a huge relief as this book works well as a standalone rather then a sequel.


As a brief overview it has taken ten years for the Sisterhood to be able to return to Sanctuary 101 and reconsecrate the site. But as a result of politics, the Sisters are accompanied by Tegas of the Adeptus Mechanicus for some purpose of his own. And Canoness Sepherenia has some deeper purpose of her own, beyond the reconsecration of their convent and memorialising their fallen sisters. Strangely, the bodies of the sisters previously slain by the necron ten years before had previously been claimed by the Ordos Xenos. Things become that much murkier when the sisters find a strange, single metallic head. An alien artifact? The necron. To tell more would be a spoiler but suffice to say we get some fantastic action and some intriguing looks in to the Necron world.

As usual with James’ writing its crisp, to the point, no added frills and like the sisters, battle hardened to keep the blood and glory brigade happy. Add to this a battle with the Necrons, as well as facing off against the double dealing machinations of other parties and it’s a title that really does keep you glued from the first page to the last. I look forward to sharing more of the sisters exploits in future titles. My only real gripe with the whole book is that it was clearly written as a Necron codec release piece and in some cases takes showcasing the new range/models (albeit in a story form) more seriously then the action. Still for me as its a Sisters of Battle book its redeemed and gets a respectable three and a half out of five.

Available from:

http://www.blacklibrary.com/
Hammer and Anvil by James Swallow
Softback • ISBN 9781849700658