Warhammer 40,000 - 10th Edition

 There is a new edition of Warhammer 40K in the pipe. The start box is currently in preorder, sort of... it sold out within minutes of it going up for pre-order!? If I really wanted a copy, I'm sure I could get one from my FLGS... but I don't. I may not even buy the main book - at least not straight away. 

GW has released the core rules as a free PDF along with ALL the new datasheets and point costs. Which is nice. Now that the points are out, as of today, I've been looking over my forces and seeing what I can put together. 

WHY!? Am I actually going to PLAY the damned game...? Maybe! There is a tournament coming up in July that I'm seriously considering going to. 

The tournament is Battleforce Recon. It's a smaller event with smaller forces (1000 points!). I attended in 2018 and in 2019 - and it was good fun! I signed up for it in 2020... but.. COVID happened... They ran it last year (2022), but I just wasn't ready for hanging out in crowds at that point. I'm not sure I'm all that exited about it still... but... 

This year, like in 2018, everyone will be playing with brand new forces for a brand new edition. In 2018, Warhammer 40000 - 8th Edition had just come out and none of the new codexes has been released and everyone was playing with Index armies. The armies will change as new codexes get released... but for now everyone has armies with limited abilities and special rules to keep track of. 

So I have been looking at my various forces and pondering how they are to be organized under the new rules. One thing that has really changed with 10th edition is, as far as I can tell, they have completely ditched detachments. The only requirement is that you have at least ONE Character model - to lead your force... and... that's pretty much it...? Beyond that you can take up to three of anything else that isn't a Unique unit or character, and up to six of anything that is labelled "Battleline" - those are generally your bog standard infantry soldiers... 

THIS caused be SOME anxiety as I have Many, MANY Imperial Guard Infantry Squads!? But yesterday they released the new data cards for the Astra Militarum and I'm still, theoretically, going to be able to field up to 12 squads... sort of... Astra Militarum "squads" can now be fielded in 10 or 20 model units... (yikes!).

Also, I have enough tanks to, theoretically, (once they are all painted) field and entire tank squadron! The new construction rules have kind of wrecked that plan as none of those tanks are "Battleline"!? Not even the standard Leman Russ Battle Tank... All of the variants have their own Data Card, so I can take up to three of each - three standard Battletanks, three Vanquishers (bigger gun, better at taking out vehicles), three Executioners (giant plasma cannon), three Punishers (giant gattling cannon), three... you get the idea. It will kind of force me to field way more of the special variants - I'd originally intended to have three platoons of three - each platoon having two Battle Tanks and one of the special variants... Ah well... How many times and I actually going to roll out with that full Tank Squadron. Honestly the time I finish it, there will be at least one new edition out - and it may have entirely changed by then!? 

This will make things a little EASIER for my Aeldari force, however. If you recall with the previous (9th edition) Codex - Dire Avengers, which had been "Troops" in previous editions and formed the core of my Aeldari fighting force, has become Elites and only Rangers and Guardians were allowed as Troops... which meant the corps of my figthing forces would be Rangers (who, technically, aren't even part of any particular Craftworld, they just show up to fight alongside, from time to time) and/or Guardians (who are just ordinary citizens that are pressed into service in dire circumstances)!? 

Now I no longer HAVE to include Rangers OR Guardians - I can have a force made up of entirely Aspect Warriors - the real warfighters of the Aeldari Craft worlds... 

So below is what some of the forces I have might look like - what I can field now... in some cases what I could potentially field if I got all the stuff I have painted... and what I might take to Battleforce Recon. 

Did I mention they got rid of power ratings...? Oh, they got rid of Power Ratings alright... But points have been super streamlined. Units are just; a unit of X include y troops for Z points... not points per model and points per weapon and every different option... which is kind of what they tried to do with Power Rating... but now they're doing it with points (basically the Power Rating x20 = points...) People like the bigger numbers I guess...? 2000 points sounds like a more supstatian force that one that's got a power rating of 100...?

Harlequins

Now, Harlequins have been lumped back in with the craftworlders and can be included as part of any Aeldari force... but I was looking at things and realized I could almost put together a 1000 point force of JUST HARLEQUINS... It might be tough to get them all painted in time for Battleforce Recon... but sometimes a DEADLINE is just what I NEED to do such a thing. 

The Current Troupe - Troupe of the Eternal Lament

What I have done:

• Troupe Master - 55 points
• Shadowseer - 60 points
• Solitaire - 115 Points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Troupe (6) - 75 points 

Total: 515 points

BUT I do also have another 26 Troupe players if various states of paintedness. Originally I was going to organize them into four more units of 6 (with two spares left over) ... but that would be five Troupes... and TROUPES are NOT Battleline... No matter I can just reorganize them into THREE TROUPES. Troupes can be fielded in groups of five, six, eleven, or twelve...? (I THINK this is because the current Harlequin box comes with six miniatures... but one of those miniatures can be used to make your Troupe Master - which would leave you only five for a unit).

So I am ONE miniature shy of being able to field three Troupes of eleven. 

OR four miniatures shy of being able to field three troupes of TWELVE!? 

(I think Keiran had some spare metal Harlequins that they had picked up insome used lot... I may be able to steal/buy those from them!)

If so, I would be able to field the force as: 

• Troupe Master - 55 points
• Shadowseer - 60 points
• Solitaire - 115 Points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Troupe (11) - 165 points 
• Troupe (11) - 165 points 
• Troupe (11) - 165 points 

Total: 935

Which would leave me 65 points... Perhaps they could be joined by a unit of rangers (55 points)

OR (If I did manage to scrounge up four more Harlequin players... 

• Troupe Master - 55 points
• Shadowseer - 60 points
• Solitaire - 115 Points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Death Jester - 70 points
• Troupe (12) - 180 points 
• Troupe (12) - 180 points 
• Troupe (12) - 180 points 

Total: 980 points - I could make the Shadowseer a Reader of Runes for +20 points and that would be 1000 points even... 

OR maybe I could field two Troupes of 12 and one Troupe of six and add in an Aeldari War Walker - that I could paint up in all sorts of fun Harlequinesque colours!?  

Aeldari

This is the rest of the Aeldari that I have currently painted. I have loads more in various states of completion - including a few units that are VERY CLOSE to being complete... but this is what is DONE and ready to play right now! 

• Farseer Thymiltelyir (1) - 65 points
• Warlock Conclave (2 -Adryllewi and Broelwyn) - 60 points
• Rangers (5) - 55 points
• Rangers (5) - 55 points
• Rangers (5) - 55 points
• Shrine of the Fading Night Dire Avengers (10) - 140 points
• Shrine of the to-be-named-shrine Dire Avengers (10) - 140 points
• Warp Spiders of the Shrine of the Mean Red Spiders (10) - 200 points
• Wraithlord Kloethades (1) - 160 points
• Wraithlord Phinyndros (1) - 160 points
• Wraithlord Melynaearian (1) - 160 points

Total: 1150 points

Boom! That right there is a force big enough for Battleforce Recon, right there! I just have to drop one of the Wraithlords and I've got 990 points! 

The Stuff that is closest to being finished include

• Dark Reapers (5) - 75 points
• Howling Banshees (10) - 170 points
• Autarch (1) - 65 points
• Warlocks (4) - 120 points
• Farseer (1) - 65 points
• Guardians (11) - 110

That would be another 605 points, for a total of 1755. Just need another 245 points for a 2000point force.

Of course, I could mix in the Craftworlders and Harlequins... and that would be 1665 points without having to paint a single thing... 

I have SO MANY other things I could paint up to add to the force... Like thousands of points more... But there is little point even considering those at the moment. 

Cadia

I have LOADS of Astra Militarum, but I thought I've had a quick look at what the small force of Cadians might add up to for a smaller tournament. (I'm not SUPER excited about bringing Imperial forces to a tournament, as there are SO MANY other Imperial forces... and it's always a bit lame fighting other Imperial forces... but anyway) 

• Platoon Command Squad - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad - 60 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Cadian Shock Troops - 65 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Regimental Preacher - 35 points
• Regimental Preacher - 35 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points

Total: 580 points...

Not much, it seems. I'd need a lot more to bring that up to 1000!? The few things I have that I could finish up and add to the force amounts to: 

Platoon Command Squad - 60 points

CREED! (using old model in place of new one) - 55 points

Kasrkin - 120 points

Primaris Psyker - 60 points

Total: +295 points  = 875 points

A Leman Russ Battle Tank is 195 points. I could add that and remove a few of the others to make 1000 points. 

Tallarn Desert Raiders

Stuff that I currently have painted )I'd have to drop ONE of the Platoon Command Squads, above, as I can only have THREE!?): 

• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Infantry Squad (9) - 65 points
• Infantry Squad (9) - 65 points
• Infantry Squad (9) - 65 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Commissar - 35 points
• Primaris Psyker - 60 points
• Regimental Preacher - 35 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Rough Riders (5) - 80 points
• Rough Riders (5) - 80 points
• Rough Riders (5) - 80 points
• Leman Russ Battle Tank - 195 points
• Leman Russ Battle Tank - 195 points
• Leman Russ Vanquisher - 190 points
• Leman Russ Punisher - 180 points
• Leman Russ Demolisher - 220 points
• Scout Sentinel - 50 points
• Taurox - 65 points
• Shadowsword - 440 points

Total: 2885

So... lots already done... 

What would 1000 points look like? Looking at what I took to the 2018 Battleforce Recon... 

• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Platoon Command Squad (5) - 60 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Infantry Squad (18) - 130 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 60 points
• Scout Sentinel (1) - 50 points
• Roughriders (10) - 160
• Leman Russ Punisher - 180 points

Total: 1080

Close, I'd have to shave off 80 points. I guess I could just take five Rough Riders...? That would make 1000 points, even... 

Chaos Space Marines

This was the force I've been thinking of building up to take to any tournaments... because Chaos Space Marines will fight ANYONE - including EACH OTHER!? 

I don't really have a recent picture of the entire force... this is most of them... 

But there have also been more Noise Marines added since the above picture was taken... 

Currently the full force looks like:

Heratic Astartes Daemon Prince (1) - 180 points

Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour (1) - 100 points

Sorcerer (1) - 60 points

Master of Possession (1) - 70 points

Legionaires (5) - 100 points

Noise Marines (5) - 85 points

Noise Marines (5) - 85 points

Noise Marines (5) - 85 points

Obliterators (2) - 160 points  

Traitor Guardsmen (10) - 70 points 

Traitor Guardsmen (10) - 70 points 

Cultist Mob (10) - 55 points

Venomcrawler (1) - 140 points 

Total: 1160

Again - could go with these and not have to paint a thing! I'd just need to lose 160 points from these...? Maybe lose the Master of Possession and a unit of Traitor Guard and the Cultists...? Add in some Intoxicating Elixers?

I have no end of minis I could paint up to add to this force as well... another 15 Noise Marines, 20 Chaos Space marine Legionnaires, 10 Terminators, 5 Raptors,  and so many cultists and accursed cultists and mutants and Dark Commune... 

Well... I have some options for Battleforce Recon (if I end up going)... and I have lots I could just get playing with, if the mood struck (though I'd have to get creative about where I'd play, as the game room is still out of commission!). Maybe I should stick to Kill Team and Warcry as planned... 

Taking Stock of the Astra Militarum

 So... I did a thing... AGAIN....

I picked up the new 9th Edition Astra Militarum Codex. 

Am I going to be playing 40K again soon? I don't know... but I do always like to be prepared! And the Astra Militarum are one of the largest collections of minis I own. 

I went a little overboard with 40K in 8th edition. I ended up with SEVEN Codexes!? (Astra Militarum, Grey Knights, Imperial Knights, Chaos Knights, Chaos Space Marines, Chaos Daemons, Drukhari - plus the T'au, Genestealer Cult, Ork, Eldar, and Harlequin ones the kids got!? ). So far I've only picked up Aeldari and Cadian codexes and NONE of the fluff books - The Arks of Omen books look interesting... but I bought SO MANY of the Psychic Awakening books and never made much use of them and they're pretty easy to find for, like, $5-10, now... so... I'll just wait. 

Maybe if there's an Emperor's Children book, but I have a feeling that won't be for another year (and, possibly, another edition!?). Haven't even picked up the Chaos Space Marine book - which is the only other force I kind of think about working on, from time to time... 

There have been some not insignificant changes to the Astra Militarum. Some are great. Some... less so... Some have made it a little more challenging to field certain forces of Astra Militarum that I have. 

Special Weapon Squads, Wyrdvane Psykers, Veterans, Platoon Commanders, Company Commanders, Lord Commissars, and Conscripts are all just gone... Well... there are still Platoon Commanders, but they've been included in the Platoon Command Squad - which is now a Headquarters option (Yay!). 

Other stuff that used to be Elite options are no longer so. Regimental Advisors - Master of Ordinance, Officer of the Fleet, Astropaths - are all options that can be added to Platoon Command Squads instead of being individual Elite options. There are SO MANY things that used to be Elites, but are no longer, that in some of my Guard forces I might actually have a hard time coming up with Elites to field to fill that slot in a Brigade Detachment!? 

Commissars are still Elites, but you CAN field one that doesn't fill an Elite slot for every Command Squad you have (I won't ever be using that option, as in many forces Commissars are the ONLY Elites I have now and they NEED to fill those Elite slots!). Commissars also issue their own orders (like officers), which makes them far more useful! 

The [Regiment] keyword is gone. You can include stuff from any regiment in a detachment and not lose whatever Regimental Doctrine you pick. 

In addition to Ursula Creed (daughter of Lord Castellan Urarkar Creed) there are a Cadian Castellan (which KIND OF replaces the old generic Company Commander) - a higher order of officer than the one in the Platoon Command squad... I just do not get WHY they called it a "Cadian" Castellan and not just a generic "Castellan" or "Commandant" or "Company Commander" or whatever... In game terms it would be a perfect thing to represent the old Captain Al'rahem (Legengary Tallarn Commander - which I have a few of!?)... but... it's called CADIAN Castellan!? 

There are a few weirdly named things like that: CADIAN Shock Troops (why not just call them "Shock Troops"?), ATTILAN Roughriders (why not just Roughriders!?), etc... I suppose it doesn't REALLY matter, because they can all be put in a unit together... but it kind of bothers me, because there are a few units I'll probably end up using that.. well... won't be "right"!? 

I have Tallarn Roughriders... Original Games Workshop models. I brought them out to a tournament as part of a force made up entirely of Tallarn models - just after 8th edition was released and Roughriders were in the brand new Index. Everyone kept calling them Attilan Roughriders and I had to correct them and point out, NO, they are actually TALLARN Roughriders - look at the freaking models!? Now if I were to show up at an even with them, people will still call them Attilan Roughriders... and they'll be right... because that's what they unit is called ATTILAN Roughriders!? 

I know, I know... it's a stupid hang-up... but there it is... 

The deal with Cadian Shock Troops is that they're just like your bog standard Infantry Squad except that they can't have a Heavy Weapons team, but instead can have two special weapons. Because Special Weapon Squads are no longer a thing, I'll probably fold a lot of the ones I previously had into "Cadian Shock Troops" units... except that they're Tallarn or Valhallan or Catachan miniatures... 

Oh, and there are actually "CATACHAN Jungle Fighter" squads!? They're a LITTLE like the Cadian Shock Troops, in that they don't have Heavy Weapons Teams and can have two Special Weapons... except that those special weapons can only be Flamers. But they do score extra hits on sixes when fighting Melee... Why not just call the "Assault Squads"!? 

The veterans in Platoon Command Squads no longer have a Ballistic Skill of 3+. But the medi-pack in the Command Squad is AMAZING, though (every time a model in the squad would lost a wound a roll of 5+ means it doesn't!?)!! So way more incentive to put in a medic and leave the Heavy Weapons teams in the Heavy Weapons Squads. Regimental Standards now have an aura ability that every Astra Militarum Core unit within 6" re-rolls 1s when making any attacks (instead of the +1 Leadership they use to confer)! Guess I'll be painting some of those up now! 

Vanquisher cannons on Leman Russ tanks now have a 14 strength and deal d3+6 damage!? Which now makes them worth taking! Previously they had been the same strength as a regular Battle Cannon... they dealt more damage, but made only one attack. As the Astra Militarum isn't known for it's amazing Ballistic Skill I feel like it's always better to have MORE ATTACKS as at least you'll hit with SOME of them and do SOME damage! That extra strength and damage is suddenly worth the risk (of missing) to deal some serious damage to heavily armoured opponents! Though Turret Weapons in Leman Russ tanks now get a +1 to hit, so... even more worth it! 

Kasrkin are back... which is weird to me... because the Tempestus Scions that kind of replaced them a couple editions ago are still in the book... and they're pretty much THE SAME!? I honestly thought the Scions were a generic form of Kasrkins and they'd disappeared from the previous codexes as part of a move towards more generic troops - no need to rules for Specialist Cadian troopers since Cadia has been... y'know...  DESTROYED and everything...? 

I know... I know... CADIA STANDS!!! 

Sentinels now have a 12" move! It was SO IRRITATING that the Reconnaissance unit of armoured detachments moves SLOWER than the actual tanks they were supposed to be probing ahead of!?  

I'm sure there are more things, but these are a few of the key things affecting the forces that I have! 

These are not particularly useful any more... Wyrdvane Psykers. This is the only deletion that affected me in any way - not that I ever got around to painting these. I picked them up because they looked fun, but I don't think they were particularly effective units and these never really went with either the Tallarn or Guaiacan (Catachan) models of the main forces I was working on at the time. Not sure what I'll do with them now...? Maybe pass them off as Primaris Psykers for some of the forces that done HAVE dedicated Primaris Psykers (Valhallans and Tallarn?) 

So... of course I dragged out ALL THE ASTRA MILITARUM and took stock of what I had and how it could potentially be organized and what needed to be done to complete forces. 

Here's what I've got...

CADIAN

I did a bit of a stock taking of these before (when I first heard the new Codex was coming - and heard a few of the rumours about the coming changes):

40K - CADIA STANDS!!!

I had been regretting the decision to rebase the Officers on 32mm bases when I heard they are no longer separate characters and are part of a Command Squad... But upon reading the actual rules, they ARE still considered "Character" models, so...not so regretful. 

Regimental Standards are so WORTH IT now - previously they only gave +1 leadership to any units within 6"... Now they give every unit within 6" the ability to re-roll any 1s rolled in any attack!? There is no longer stats for Colour Sergeant Kell - but I might just paint him up to include as a regimental Standard for one of the Command Squads! I have two other standard bearers I can paint up to include in the other two Command Squads (not that I'll likely ever use ALL THREE command squads)

(oh, and my Cadian medics can now have a Laspistol AND a Chainsword - as many of those old models are armed with! Previously, you could only have one of Lasgun or Laspistol or Chainsword) 

There are not stats for Lord Castellan Creed anymore... but there are stats for Castellans and I could paint up Creed to use as one of those (or just use him as a stand in for his daughter, Ursula Creed, who IS a character in the new book!?) 

So the force could be fielded as a Battalion Detachment and look like:

Headquarters (2-3)

• CREED! (using old model in place of new one) - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• (+ Astropath added to Command Squad +2PR)
• Primaris Psyker - 3 PR

Troops (3-6) 

• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (0-6)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Kasrkin - 5PR

Fast Attack (0-3)

Heavy Support (0-3)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total: 43 Power Rating

I have other Regimental Attachés... but they're not particularly useful. Master of Ordinance buffs artillery and Officer of the Fleet buffs anything flying, and this force has none of either... The Astropath is now just a Psyker (with less wounds and attacks than the Primaris Psyker, but has a special Psyker Ability that can potentially generate a command point)

The only things I need to paint to complete this are the Kasrkin, Creed, the Standard Bearers and the Primaris Psyker - 15 models. So I imagine I will be working on those in the next week or so, just to have a COMPLETE FORCE!!!

If I were to start a Crusade Campaign with these (as there are SO MANY Crusade options in the book) I might begin with a Patrol Detachment that looks like:

Headquarters (1-2)

• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• (+ Astropath added to Command Squad +2PR)

Troops (1-3) 

• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR
• Cadian Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (0-2)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Kasrkin - 5PR

Fast Attack (0-2)

Heavy Support (0-2)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total: 25 Power Rating

Regimental Preachers are still a thing, and I have a few of those that could be added in... along with some Inquisition troops which (I think) can be added to any Imperial detachment without losing a Regimental ability... or maybe its just an Inquiditor that can do that...? anyway, a few more things I could add in to bring it up to 50... 

VALHALLAN 

Next to none of this is done, but it's also a relatively small force (if just considering the infantry) so, could be knocked off before taking on some of the larger ones... 

I have:

• 3x Platoon Command 
• 1x Commandant ("Cadian" Commandant... but not Cadian... uggggh...) 
• 6x Infantry Squad
• 4x Heavy Weapon Squad
• 2x Commissars 
• assorted extras

With these, I should be able to put together a battalion detachment:

Headquarters (2-3)

• Castellan - 3 PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR

Troops (3-6) 

• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR
• Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (0-6)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR

Fast Attack (0-3)

Heavy Support (0-3)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total Power Rating: 53

I have a few other things - from an assortment of other manufacturers - that I thought I might use with the Valhallans. The AA-tank could be a stand-in for a Hydra, the other...? Maybe an Armageddon Pattern Medusa - self-propelled mortar/bombard. 

The Aerosan - vehicles on skis, propelled by giant propellers - one (the transport version) I thought might be a stand-in for a Taurox, the other two (reconnaissance) could be stand-ins for Sentinels.

The KV-2s would be stand-ins for Leman Russ tanks (I have extra barrels to replace the ones that came with the tanks). In Epic there was an Imperial Guard tank that looks a lot like a KV-2 called the Ragnarok - which is what I was going to call these... but I'll just use the Leman Russ stats. 

The BA-64s I thought could also be used as stand-ins for Sentinels.. 

If (when?) I ever got these all assembled and converted and painted, I'd be able to field a Brigade Detachment... 

Valhallan Brigade Detachment

Headquarters (3-5)

• Castellan - 3 PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Tank Commander (KV-2)- 10PR

Troops (6-12) 

• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR

Elites (3-8)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Regimental Enginseer - 2PR

Fast Attack (3-5)

• Sentinel (BA-64 - 2) - 6PR
• Sentinel (Aerosan - 3) - 9PR

Heavy Support (3-5)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Leman Russ Tank Troop (KV-2 - 2) - 18PR
• Wyvern or Hydra (1) - 6PR

Total Power Rating: 105 

THIS version of the force seems like it's a long way off, though (with all the assembling, converting, and painting of all the vehicles)... Maybe a retirement army...? 

  

GUAIACAN COMMANDOES 

Another Force that is almost entirely painted... but needing to be rebased. This will probably be the second priority after the Cadians... unless I get fixated on the Valhallan Infantry...? Once I finish up a few more minis to fill out a few infantry squads (absorbing Special Weapons troopers that haven't been moved into Platoon Command Squads) 

Here's what I should be able to field:

Guaiacan Brigade Detachment

Headquarters (3-5)

• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Primaris Psyker - 3PR

Troops (6-12) 

• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• ("Cadian") Shock Troops - 4PR
• ("Cadian") Shock Troops - 4PR

Elites (3-8)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Sly Marbo - 3PR
• Ratlings - 2PR
• Ratlings - 2PR
• Ogryn - 4PR

Fast Attack (3-5)

• Sentinel (1) - 3PR
• Sentinel (1) - 3PR
• Sentinel (1) - 3PR

Heavy Support (3-5)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR

Total Power Rating: 97

Tallarn Infantry

(and finished armour - basically whatever I could field NOW!) 

The Tallarn are the LARGEST force I have, by far. I could potentially field multiple detachments of Infantry and Armour (once they're all done)

Most of this needs rebasing... but what I have could ALMOST be fielded as a Brigade... I'd need one more elite - Another Commissar? Maybe a Ministorum Preacher or a Mechanicus Enginseer (I used to have the problem of TOO MANY ELITES and not enough slots!?) 

This is what I can field RIGHT NOW, fully painted (with an Enginseer or Preacher slipped in to fill an Elite slot!):

Tallarn Brigade Detachment

Headquarters (3-5)

• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR
• Tank Commander - 10PR

Troops (6-12) 

• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR
• Infantry Squad - 4PR

Elites (3-8)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR
• Enginseer? Preacher? - 2PR

Fast Attack (3-5)

• Roughriders (5)
• Roughriders (5)
• Sentinel (1)

Heavy Support (3-5)

• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Heavy Weapon Squad - 3PR
• Leman Russ Tank Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Tank (1) - 9PR

Total Power Rating: 117

(the Shadowsword would have to be in a separate Auxiliary Super-Heavy Detachment - and would add another 26 Power Rating - for a total of 141!?)

Really, I could not ever paint another Tallarn and I'd be FINE! 

But, y'know... just in case I ever had the opportunity to play some APOCALYPSE level games again... 

Tallarn Infantry TO DO

Still lots TO DO!

• ("Cadian") Castellan (Captain Al'rahem) - 3PR
• +2 more Platoon Command Squads - @4PR=9PR
• +8x Infantry Squads - @3PR=24PR
• +4x ("Attilan") Roughriders (5) - @5PR=20PR
• +10x Heavy Weapon Squads  - @3PR =30PR
• +6x Sentinels @3PR=18PR

I could potentially add up to another 104 Power Rating to the Tallarn force!? 

There is zero chance I will ever need all of these Heavy Weapon Teams/Squads... There are 32 Heavy Weapon teams making up 10 Squads - with a few left over (7x Heavy Bolters, 3x Mortars, 10x Autocannons, 12x Lascannons!?) - in addition to the two squads of Mortars I already have painted!? 

Tallarn Armour TO DO

Well this is ALL of it, really - painted and still-to-do. Initially, I planned on only having a couple tanks to attach to the Tallarn infantry as heavy support... but as I started acquiring more - through used lots that local dudes were selling off (dirt cheap!). I kind of amassed enough to field it as a purely armoured/mechanized  force!? 

I thought I might steal some of the to-be-painted Tallarn Infantry away to make a fully-mechanized force of sorts. It could be fielded as a spearhead Detachement... or Maybe a Battalion Detachment...? 

Tallarn Spearhead Detachment

Headquarters (1-2)

• Tank Commander - 10PR
• Tank Commander - 10PR

Troops (0-3)

• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR

Elites (0-2)

• Commissar - 3PR
• Commissar - 3PR

Fast Attack (0-2)

• Sentinels (3) - 9PR
• Sentinels (3) - 9PR 

Heavy Support (3-6) 

• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR 
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR 
• Basilisk - 7PR
• Basilisk - 7PR
• Manticore - 7PR

Transport 

• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR

Total Power Rating: 170!? Sweet Jiminy!? 

OR

Tallarn Mechanized Battalion Detachment

Headquarters (2-3)

• Tank Commander - 10PR
• Tank Commander - 10PR
• Platoon Command Squad - 4PR

Troops (3-6)

• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR
• Infantry Squad - 3PR

Elites (0-6)

• Commissar - 3PR

Fast Attack (0-3)

• Sentinels (3) - 9PR 
• Sentinels (3) - 9PR 

Heavy Support (0-3) 

• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR
• Leman Russ Troop (3) - 27PR 

Transport (1 per Infantry)

• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR
• Chimera - 5PR

Total Power Rating: 155

There are also "Tank Ace" skills I could potentially add up to 5 tanks at 2PR each...

These mechanized forces, like the Valhallans, are probably a LONG way off...  

I also have these two Valkyries. One I bought new, the other I got in a used lot. Not really meant to be part of any particular force. I had thought I'd do them in a generic Aeronautica Imperialis grey so they could be used with any force... But now I'm thinking I could do them in a green camo top and attach them to the Guaiacan Commandoes (I had previously thought I might use the original one in Kill Team as an objective - "Get-to-da-choppa!" extraction point, kind of thing!) 

Every so often, I get crazy, megalomaniac ideas of doing an entirely AIRMOBILE force - Infantry all mounted up in Valkyries and supported by other gunships and ground attack aircraft... but I don't think it can even be done in regular 40K anymore - as there are no Airwing Detachments and a max of 2 fliers in any other Detachments... (Also, it would be CrAzY expensive - Valkyries are now $100CAD, and the cheapest Forge World flyer is the Vulture gunship at  $150!?) 

Maybe I'll just have to get some Aeronautica Imperialis stuff painted and pick up a flight of Valkyries (and any enemy force I'd need) for that and have the air approach be "off-camera" and played out with Aeronautica Imperialis

And then there's the drawer FULL of assorted extra Astra Militarum stuff that aren't really part of any of the above forces. Most are earmarked for Kill Teams. I have Necromundan and Antari Rifles Kill teams that I'd started plus some Tempestus Scions that I got with the previous edition of Kill Team... then I got a MORE Scions and three or four more squads in a used lot I picked up... Almost enough scions to put together a patrol Detachment. 

I could probably convert the spares to other Kill Teams, and sell them off...? 

Or make a Mash-Up Regiment Detachment with squads from piles of different regiments that have all been 

WHEW!!! That was a LOT. 

Seems kind of daft, when I get it all out and take note of it all... 

40K - CADIA STANDS!!!

 Or... so they say... 

This past month I've started a massive re-basing project in anticipation of the new Warhammer 40,000 (9th Edition) Astra Militarum Codex. I thought it would be released hot on the heals of the new Cadia Stands box set... and I'd be posting this, the first of the forces to be rebased, with its new Organization all spelled out... but this has not been the case. Despite the box set being released - with the SPECIAL EDITION of the new Guard Codex... the regular codex has NOT been released yet nor shall it be for at least another two weeks!? 

The entire force, so far, re-based. 

This is all the old Cadian/Generic metal Guard figures I have painted so far - which is MOST of them. There have been some changes to the way the Guard is organized in the new edition - it looks like Platoon Commanders are now a headquarters option and are part of a Command Squad  - as they were in (almost) all previous editions! (Unfortunately i STARTED this rebasing BEFORE I learned that and I based all the commanders on 32mm bases - as in 8th they were independant character models and I've started basing all such on the slightly larger bases... bah... not changing it now!)

Once the codex is out I'll break down the new organization and post better pics of each unit... 

I have a handful of other items to add to this force - a small squad of Kasrkins, extra elements for Command squads (the standard bearer), Primaris Psyker, etc. (the Tallarn are for Kill Teams). HOpefully I'll have these done by the time the Codex is released so I can include them in a Complete Force post. 

I also have Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed, Colour Sergeant Kell, and Commissar Yarrick models, I got in a lot of Guard a year or so ago, which I thought I might get around to painting up for use with these guys - for "historical" battles...? Defending Cadia from the Black Legion, and such. Apparently all of these characters have been dropped from the new codex! 

The plan is to rebase all of the Tallarn and Guaiacan Commandoes onto plastic bases as well (as I'd been doing with the Aeldari earlier this year).

I have been up to other hobby business - MORE re-basing (of... OTHER things) - but more on that (and what I'm PLANNING for them!?) in another post...

40K -Assorted Imperial Guard - Rebased and Touched Up

 With renewed interest in 40K - brought about by a mix of actually getting to play Wrath & Glory and the whole 40 Days of 40K thing AND the imminent release of a new Astra Militarum Codex... I've been pulling miniatures out of drawers and considering things and reorganizing and dreaming. No interest in BUYING anything NEW - just wondering what I can DO with what I already have... 

First I rebased and partially repainted some Astra Militarum tank crew. They were all painted at different phases and had a mix of colours and I just made them more uniform and looking like they were part of a Tallarn tank crew - in case I needed them for the in-person Wrath & Glory campaign. 

I also wondered about reorganizing and possibly rebasing some of my Astra Militarum forces... In case I wanted to actually PLAY Warhammer 40000. The Guaiacan Commando jungle fighters seemed most likely - as they are pretty much COMPLETE - and weren't so HUGE a force that slowly re-basing and touching up would be too arduous... 

Also they're a good size that could be used in a Crusade force for a smaller Narrative Play campaign. If I fielded EVERYTHING, I'd have 115 models and a 69 Power Level force (according to the 8th Edition Codex). 

To get things going, over the weekend I rebased a few character figures... 

Guaiacan Commando officers and... their equivalent of Sly Marbo... 

I've started basing Astra Militarum character models on 32mm bases - so they could stand out a bit more and not get lost in the units. As Company Commanders have been character models for the last two editions of the game, I based all the officers on 32mm bases... THEN I started reading some of the rumours about the new Codex... It seems like Company/Platoon Commanders may now come with Veteran Command Squads and might not be Character models anymore!? GAH!?

Okay... so maybe no more reorganizing or rebasing UNTIL I actually SEE the new codex!? 

Looking at the Tallarn Infantry (and not including the armour)... I have about the same number of painted models and Power Level as the Guaiacan Commandoes... PAINTED models... but I have SO MUCH MORE Tallarn still to paint... Though I AM running a role-playing campaign involving Tallarn... So MAYBE I'll be getting to these sooner rather than later...? 

ANOTHER force that is, more or less, complete is a small collection of old metal generic guard/Cadians I have... Like the Guaiacans, I decided I'd start with rebasing the character models... who may not be character models anymore... 

Since the jungle fighters will have greenish-jungley bases. The Tallarn will have dry-brown-desert bases... I decided I could probably do this small force of Cadians on urban Sector Imperialis bases for fun... 

Assorted Cadian(-ish) Characters - officers and commissars. I also did weapon swaps on the officers. They all had laspistols, which are useless... gave two of them plasma pistols and the other got a bolt pistol. 

Also, Grim Jack... 

Not Imperial Guard. I just decided it was time to rebase him. I thought it might be fun for him to show up as a bounty hunter in Nercomunda or something like that... 

Back At It - 40K Imperial Guard

After all that moaning in the other day's post about not getting any painting done, I'm back at it... I couldn't NOT paint for that long! I sat down while we finished off Season One of The Boys and another episode of Jack Ryan with some stuff that was nearly done and only requiring a couple colours (and was thus easy to carry all things required upstairs to paint while watching said shows - and also required minimal decision making).

I also got reading again over the weekend. I'm a painfully slow reader - always have been - and so, especially during times of stress, I find it really hard to stay focused and motivated to read anything... I'd started reading Eisenhorn: Xenos a few months back - when I was still running the Wrath & Glory game. but sort of stopped a month ago when the game fizzled out. I'm not sure how I got on it, but I finished it up over the weekend and all thoughts of Greek Mythology Distractions faded and I was focused on 40K again... Not so focused to jump back in painting Noise Marines, or anything... but enough to get me painting this handful of Imperil Guard.

After that I thought I best strike while the iron is hot and keep on reading... but what to read next? Malleus - the next book in the Eisenhorn series seemed an obvious choice. Or maybe finish up that Omnibus of Kal Jericho novels I'd started... but stopped after I finished the first novel...? That might get me excited about Necromunda again. Or the same thing with he Path of the Eldar Omnibus...? Or finish reading the Blackstone Fortress novel!? Did I do any of these? HELL NO!? I started reading Caiphus Cain: Hero of the Imperium (hence, painting Imperial Guard - although I probably should have started in on some more Valhallans!). Despite so many other books and series left in limbo, I am not regretting reading Ciaphus Cain - it's a good rollicking romp, and just what I needed.

Anyway... Imperial Guard...



Twelve Generic Imperial Guard. Painted in the manner of Cadians, but really just meant to be standing for any bog-standard, generic regiment of the Imperium. They are all older metal Citadel/GW miniatures.

While painting them, I got thinking these, painted in other colours, would make great Chaos Cultists or Traitor Guard - especially the older Rogue Trader Era ones - with less standardized equipment.

I only meant to have a squad or two, but this has slowly grown into a large platoon!

No flocking or tufts as I kind of ran out...

The Generic Guard, so far...



I often organize forces like this into semi-permanent units - marking them on the bottom of the bases for easy sorting. I haven't settled on a TO&E for these guys just yet. One option is to call them a Vanguard detachment:

HQ
Company Commander
Company Commander
Company Commander

Elites
Command Squad
Command Squad (+ Heavy Bolter)
Command Squad (+ Autocannon)
Veteran Squad
Veteran Squad
Veteran Squad

I was thinking of an actual organization like a WW2 Commando Troop - the Troop consisting of a Troop commander and their Command Squad and two Sections, each with a Section commander, Section Command Squad, and two Veteran Infantry Squads

Command Section
Troop Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (with Medic, 2 Signallers, Melta Guner)

Section One
Section Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (with Medic, Autocannon)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Grenade Launcher)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Grenade Launcher)

Section Two
Section Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (with Medic, Heavy Bolter)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Grenade Launcher)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Plasma Gun)

With this organization I have a sergeant and two regular soldiers left over... I've called them Veteran Squads because I have an over abundance of Special Weapons - enough for two in each squad - and regular Infantry Squads can only have one.



For a regular platoon, they could be reorganized as a Battalion Detachment as follows (as in the picture above... but without two of the Command Squads...):

Platoon Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (Medic, Signaller, Heavy Weapon - either Heavy Bolter or Autocanon)

Infantry Squad (with Flamer)
Infantry Squad (with Flamer)
Infantry Squad (with Flamer)

Special Weapon Squad (with two Grenade Launchers and a Flamer)
Special Weapon Squad (with Grenade Launchers, Plasma Gun, and Melta Gun)

I don't think I have any others on hand to paint up. This is part of the reason I did these - it finishes off a force! Or, at least, finishes all the ones I HAVE at the moment... I'm definitely not saying I won't ever pick up anymore!

Actually, now that I think about it, I DO have a bunch more that's sort of part of this force... I do have other Generic Imperial types that would serve along with these Guard - Commissars, Sanctioned Psykers, and the like... but, in my brain, I don't really think of them as "part of THIS force" as they could be used with ANY of my Guard forces...



Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Hopefully more painting! Might not be Blackstone Fortress or Noise Marines or anything else I was really PLANNING in the Q2 Plan... probably just some "low-hanging fruit" individuals and small groups that finish off existing squads or forces that need little decision-making or attention or even thought to do... but something is better than nothing, right!?



I have these on the workbench right now... maybe I'll get to them...

Or, perhaps, VALHALLANS (and a Commissar!)


In Other Painting News... 



I have been doing some other painting. Last week I finally finished drywalling I started... oh... 17 years ago!? I mean I hung the drywall 17 years ago and started mudding it... and... never really finished. I got started again a few months back and finished it off last week. This week primer and a base coat went on.

Somehow I convinced Amanda to let me paint it like the entryway to a dungeon!?



this is a mock-up of what the stonework I'm going to paint on the walls will look like. Eventually the trim and doors will be painted a dark (slightly-greyish) brown - to look like old wood...

Cadians

...or some sort of generic 40K Imperial Guard...

I finished off the last of the old-school metal radians I have this week. Well... ALMOST all of them... there is still a standard bearer who is going to need some extra work and an artillery officer... But in terms of the sharp-end infantry grunts... well, THEY are all finished!!



The new (and yet, not-so-new) guys.

These are all older metal Cadians from Games Workshop. I picked them up off eBay not so long ago - along with a few of the others I've already painted. A couple I picked up from my friend Paul when he was offloading them a few years ago. Some of the others, however, are some of the oldest GW figures I own - the "Rogue Trader Era" ones. I striped and repainted them in the last few years to use as "veterans".

The Entire Force!

(I'm not going to say "so far" because I really have no desire to add any more to this. I already have THREE OTHER Imperial guard forces - Tallarn, Guaiacan/Catachan, and Valhallan - I really don't need a fourth! Of course, I probably didn't really "need" a second or third...)

Unfortunately I seem to have acquired enough for three squads, two regular infantry squads, one veteran squad... and THREE COMMAND SQUADS!?  This seems like it's a nucleus for an entire company - with a company command and two platoon commands! The intention here was not to use these as a force for 40K, but rather as a force for Kill Team (or other smaller scale SF skirmish games?) or with Wrath & Glory (if it ever comes out!?)

The force is actually not a bad size for Kill Team - loads of infantry with a few options for special weapons... The only thing I might add (if I were to use them for Kill Team is a couple snipers)

Here are the individual squads...



Command Squad #1 - The Company Commander (and a casualty and a commissar and... an extra dude...?)



Command Squad #2 - Platoon Commander



Command Squad #3 - Another Platoon Commander



Veteran Squad (half of these I've had for over 25 years! though they were repainted more recently)



Infantry Squad #1



Infantry Squad #2



Assorted vehicle crew - despite the fact that I have no vehicles for this force and have no intention of acquiring any... perhaps these need to be repurposed as Tallarn crew...


Coming soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog: 

Well it is Friday and we've been trying to play Kill Team on Fridays... Finnegan seems in a better spirits today - Maybe we'll get some games in this evening and I'll be able to post reports of those actions over the weekend....?

I do have the standard Bearer and Artillery Officer on the workbench with an assortment of other 40K characters - mostly Imperial-types. Terrain bits are lurking nearby...

Bog Standard Cadian Infantry Squad

Contemplating the extrapolation of current events into near future modern conflicts for my new micro armour to engage in got a little to dreary for me - so I thought I'd cheer myself up by painting things for a brighter future - the grim, dark future of the 42st millennium...



A squad of bog-standard Cadian Infantry. The figures are old metal castings from Citadel Miniatures/Games Workshop.

I currently don't have any plans to put together an entire force of these for 40K. I'll have two regular squads and a veteran squad and two or three officers (each with a command squad)... Seems a bit excessive to have three officer and three command squads for a force of three infantry squads... alas, that is what I have... I also have a Chimera IFV I painted up for the old plastic Cadians I had (but then traded away). I really just wanted to use these with Role-playing games (Wrath & Glory, etc) or low-level skirmish engagements with 40L or Kill Team!

I have to say I'm pretty excited about Kill Team - which is available for pre-order and goes on sale this Saturday. Shadow War; Armageddon was a lot of fun, but I picked it up AFTER I picked up 8th edition 40K and felt it really could have waited and used some of the changes that were introduced in 8th edition. Well Kill Team is looking like it's pretty much now going to be that game I wished I had.

I'll be over at my FLGS (Dragon's Den Games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada) bright and early on Saturday to pick up my copy... and the Sector Mechanicus Kill Zone... and some Data Cards... and Probably the Fangs of Ulrich - I don't really care for the Primaris Reavers... but I'm sure I'll make use of them. I do have a few other Space Marines in a box somewhere - including a few Space Wolves - that a friend found at a garage sale some time ago. I though I might knock a few off to have an extra Kill Team for someone else to play with. Also the kill team boxed sets are pretty good deals - costing less than the miniatures and terrain would cost when bought separately.

I think Finnegan's planing to pick up the Space Ork Kill Team as well and is going to trade me the Galvanic Servohaulers for the Genestealer Cultists in the base set - to add to the growing force of Genestealer cultists he started with Deathwatch: Overkill.

It seems likely that I'll be running this as a Demo at ToonCon and probably as the campaign for the Winter Wargaming Weekend in February.


Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

I played a game of 40K with the family - a simple introductory game so Amanda could FINALLY try out here Sisters of Battle! I should have an report of that action sometime later today or tomorrow.

Speaking of Sisters of Battle and Kill Team - on thing I'm a little disappointed about with the new game is the notable absence of the Sisters as a playable faction!? What is up with that!? I'm sure they'll add them in at some point (I imagine they'll have a bunch of expansions like the Gang War books for Necromunda that) at the very latest next year when they release the NEW PLASTIC Sisters. One bonus of the new Kill Team is that it essentially uses the same stat line as regular 40K so despite there being limited troops that are available as options in the game (for Matched Play, at least). If you were running a game and really wanted to throw a chaos Sorcerer up against a Kill Team you probably could without too much muss and fuss... or if you really, REALLY wanted to play a Sisters of Battle Kill Team - you probably could figure out something for that as well - at least to play among friends that are okay with them being added in as a house rule...