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 -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... 

Kill Team - Welcome (Back) to the Jungle

For nearly a full Imperial-standard year, A Squadron, #2 Commando, 222nd Guaiacan Commando Regiment, remained hunkering down in their heavily fortified firebase repelling assault after assault of Tyranids or Orks... or sometimes both in one night.... Occasionally, there would be no assault - but all would be kept up by the noise of the Tyranids and Orks fighting EACH OTHER deep within the Jungle with terrifying ferocity! It was utterly exhausting. Had it not been for the brave pilots of the Aeronautica Imperialis, bringing in daily flights of supplies and reinforcements. Nearly half their number had become casualties - killed or taken out of the line due to incapacitating injuries. 

Then if fell silent for good. Well, as silent as it got deep within the Jungles of Xoxigar Tertium. After a few dozen Chronocycles of no attacks, it was determined that patrols should be sent out. See what happened to the Orks and Tyranids. Had they destroyed themselves repeatedly dashing their forces against the steadfast Guaiacan's Firebase? Had they all finally killed each other out there in the Jungle? Were they all just regrouping for further attacks? 

Presence Patrols were sent out to re-establish their authority in the region. Known locations of nearby villages and remote stations were scouted first. 

They didn't expect to find much in the way of human survivors. A few of the settlers in nearby villages had sought refuge in the firebase when things went really bad and had long since been evacuated to the capitol of Xoxigaria or one of the other cities in the region. 

Hammer Troop was one of the first to head out. They were inserted via Valkyrie to a nearby logging facility. It was completely abandoned and nearly utterly destroyed. The Orks must have torn it appart and used the scrap metal to make weapons and their absurd machines of war. 

From there the team proceeded over land to look for any signs of enemy presence 

Their first encounter was not with the Terrifying Tyranids or the Ferocious Orks... but what looked like humans. A rather weary, ragtag group of humans... They were armed, though. Were these rebels that had fled the cities? Could they possibly be workers or settlers that has somehow survived the relentless assaults of the past year? That simply couldn't be - the Guaiacan Commandoes had barely held on - and they were highly trained and well equipped war-fighters. 

Sergeant Hammer called out to them - asking them to lay down their arms and prepare to be searched. The mongrel group simply replied with heavy gunfire. They had their answer....

Last week Finnegan and I played our second game (my third) of the new Kill Team - and started a campaign! I decided I'd like to play my Guaiacan Commandoes and Finnegan wanted to play his Genestealer Cultists, which last saw action in the Rise Up campaign last summer, indeed the Kill Team are survivors of the uprisings that took place in cities across Xoxigar Tertium - most were brutally put down by the PDF with the aid of and Inquisitor of the Ordos Xenos and her personal detachment of Marines of the Deathwatch. 

SCENARIO

We played the Duel of Wits scenario out of the Kill Team Core Rulebook. 

FORCES

Hammer Troop - Veteran Guard Kill Team

3 Troop, A Squadron, #2 Commando, 222nd Guaiacan Commando Regiment

• Sergeant Hammer (Sergeant Veteran with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword) 
• Cpl. Hunt (Confidant Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife)
• Cpl. "Voxer" O' Rielly (Comms Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife)  
• Cpl. "Doc" Hauser (Medic Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife)
• LCpl. Weirzynski (Demolition Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife and Demolition Charges!) 
• LCpl. Hughes ( Spooter Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife - and Mortars on call!)
• Pte. Oswald (Sniper Veteran with Long-Las and Fighting Knife)
• Pte. Dyck (Gunner Veteran with Plasma Gun and Fighting Knife)
• Pte. Loiselle (Gunner Veteran with Grenade Launcher and Fighting Knife)
• Pte. Melton (Gunner Veteran with Meltagun and Fighting Knife)
• Pte. Quincy (Trooper Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife)
• Pte. Jules (Trooper Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife)
• Pte. Sack (Trooper Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife)
• Pte. Dane (Trooper Veteran with Lasgun and Fighting Knife)

The Ebony Vipers - Brood Coven Kill Team

• Morris "the Strixx" (Neophyte Hybrid Leader with Power Pick and Auto Pistol) 
• Escalosa (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Autogun) 
• Maria (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Autogun) 
• Edna (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Autogun) 
• Dawn (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Autogun) 
• "Madder" Gerald (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Autogun) 
• "Diminutive" Jack (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Shotgun) 
• "Bellowing" Fred (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Shotgun) 
• Sean (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Shotgun) 
• Gaston "the Guy" (Neophyte Hybrid Trooper with Shotgun) 
• "Mad" Agness (Neophyte Hybrid Gunner with Grenade launcher) 
• Wilfred (Neophyte Hybrid Gunner with Webber)
• Three-Armed Pete (Neophyte Hybrid Heavy Gunner with Mining Laser)  
• "Smelly" Percivalt (Neophyte Hybrid Heavy Gunner with Seismic Cannon)  

THE GAME

Sorting things out. 

Setting up. 

FIRST TURNING POINT

All ready to go! 

During the Target Reveal step each of us had to nominate one of the Objective Markers (NOT adjacent to our own Drop Zone) to be our Primary Objective for the Turning Point - then, either side, if they controlled either of the Objectives nominated, could spend an action point to do the Gambit action to score 1VP. 

Also, at the end of the Turning Point, if one team controlled more Objectives than the enemy an additional 2VP could be scored. 

Finally there were Tac Ops cards that could be revealed at different times - sometimes in the Target Reveal step... sometime when you did the action that scored them... which ALSO scored VP.  

I think I had nominated Objective #3 and Finnegan had nominated Objective #4...? 

Hammer Troop - 222nd Guaiacan Commandoes

I used the Move! Move! Move! Order (adding 1" to everyone's Move characteristic for the Turning Point) and the Into the Breech Strategic Ploy (which allowed ALL friendly Guard within my Drop Zone a free Dash action - as long as it took them closer to the enemy's Drop Zone!) . 

Every turn I had Cpl. "Voxer" O'Rielly within 6" of Sgt Hammer so whenever Hammer chose his order for the turn, O'Reilly could use his Relay Orders ability so all the Team would be affected. 

The loathsome Ebony Vipers skulking in the jungle - not expecting to run into the guard they had fled in the City out here in the JUNGLE!? 

Finnegan used the Cult Ambush - allowing him to change orders of his operatives during the First Turning Point (Usually, during the First Turning Point, you must use the order given to the Operative when they were deployed - for the remianing Turning Points, new orders are give when the Operative is activated) 

Finnegan had the initiative for Turning Point One and started things off my moving Morris "the Strixx" - his Neophyte Hybrid Leader up - remaining concealed behind cover. 

For my first Activation, Cpl. "Voxer" O'Rielly used his solitary Action Point (using the Relay Orders ability reduced his APL for the Turning Point) to do the Signal action, which gives an extra APL to another Operative within 6" - in this case, LCpl. Weirzynski - the Demolitions specialist.

Two Neophyte Hybrids moved up on the Guaiacans right flank. Also under Conceal Orders, they remained invisible to the Guiacans. 

LCpl. Weirzynski used the bonus action point to Move, Dash, and his Plant Mine special action. 

As part of the action, he also had a Free Dash - to get the frack out of the way! (and back into cover).

I was wondering how the Demolitions specialist could even be useful - having to get to a place, set up a bomb, and then wait for someone to actually GO there and then blow them up!? I mean, who would even go near the bomb - which is obviously right there on the table... Then it occurred to me that it could be used for Access Denial - plant a bomb on an Objective Marker, if the enemy moved up to try and score it... Ka-BOOM!

Of course... I realized afterwards, the bomb would have to be placed, and enemy would have to move up to it later in that turn of before the demolitions expert went in a later turn... and THEN the Demolitions guy would have to activate to trigger it... 

ALSO, I realized afterwards, that I could have just spent his action doing the GAMBIT and scoring VP!? 

Still figuring this stuff out... 

Wilfred, the Neophyte Hybrid Gunner with a Webber, moved up to take up a firing position overlooking one of the Objectives. 

Ptes. Dane and Quincy both moved up to Objective #3 - controlling it. Dane got there with one Action Point to spare, so he did the Gambit Action - scoring the Guaiacans their first VP! 

One of the Neophyte Hybrid Cultists was able to get a line of sight on Pte. Dane and took a shot - doing 6 damage, injuring him severely! 

Pte Jules was close enough to Objective #3, that he ran up and scored it! 2nd VP for me, and denied Finnegan the possibility of scoring either this turn! 

Another Heophyte Hybrid moved up and shot Pte Jules with his shotgun. 

A second moved up and finished off Pte Jules with his autogun! First casualty! 

Hearing the crack of fire, Pte Oswald, the team's sniper, turned and spotted the Cultists firing on Pte Jules. Sean, the Cultist with the Shotgun, was seriously injured by the shot - the only thing that saved him from being taken out was the fact that the shot had gone clear through the trunk of the tree his was taking cover behind! 

A Neophyte Hybrid Cultists shot at Pte. Dyck (one of the few that didn't have a Conceal Order this first Turning Point) luckily he was still in cover and the shot missed. 

Pte. Dyck returned fire with his plasma gun vapourizing part of the tree the cultists was hiding behind - and part of the cultist too - taking him out of action! 

A sudden blast of light as bright as the sun flashing through the dark undergrowth of the Jungle tends to draw fire, though... and through the rest were concealed, that didn't stop them from being affected by the frag grenade launched at Pte. Dyck. Though Dyck and O'Rielly managed to emerge unscathed, Teh Sarge and Doc Hauser were both injured - the Sarge pretty severely! 

Pte. Loiselle decided to put an end to that Cultist launching grenades at her crew - and fired a Krak Grenade at the Cultist Gunner... and that gunner harassed hammer Troop no more - at least in THIS skirmish! 

A Cultist made a move. Pte Melton moved up under cover to prepare for an attack the following Turning Point. 

One of the Cultist Heavy Gunners moved up, under cover, into a position where they could bring fire down on the Guaiacans. LCpl. Hughes, the spotter, repositioned to get a better view of things. 

The other Cultist Heavy Gunner moved up beside the first. Doc Hauser slapped bandages on Sgt. Hammer and himself (we'd missed the rule that you cannot do the same action twice in the same round...) - not that it helped wither of them THAT Much!? 

One last cultist took a shot at Pte. Dane - severely wounding him! 

At the end of the Turning Point, the Guaiacans scored another two VP for holding more objectives than the Genestealer Cultists - bringing their total to Four!

SECOND TURNING POINT

The State of things at the beginning of the Second Turning Point

Same thing... slightly different angle....? 

I managed to win the initiative for the Second Turning Point. I nominated Objective #3 as my Primary Objective and Finnegan nominated Objective #1 - in the center of the battlefield as his. Sgt Hammer game the TAKE AIM! Order (which allowed friendly Guard to re-roll ones when shooting - which Cpl O'Rielly relayed to all) and I also used the TAKE COVER! Strategic Ploy (which improved the Guard's save characteristic when fired upon in cover!). Finnegan used the Lurking in Shadows Ploy (which also gave the Cultists some benefit when being shot at in cover). 

In the Target Reveal Step, I revealed ALL of my Tac Ops Protect Assets (Bonus VP if I take out two or more Enemy Operatives within 2" of any Objective Markers) , Hold the Line (bonus VP if there are no Enemy within 6" of my Drop Zone) and Stand Fast (bonus VP at the end of any Turning Point I control MORE objectives) 

View from the other side. 

Pte. Dane went first and did the Gambit Action on Objective # 3 (+1 VP!) and then got the hell out of there before someone finished him off! 

Pte. Sack activated at the same time as Dane and Took a shot at one of the Cultists - causing 2 damage. 

One Neophyte moved up and did the Gambit on their Primary Objective scoring their first VP of the game! Another Joined him to secure the Objective and took a shot at Pte. Loiselle and missed! 

Pte. Melton stepped around the corner of the tree he was hiding behind and aimed a superheated blast of air at tone of the cultists (Bellowing Fred), melting his weapon... and clothing... and flesh... and that was the end of Fred's participation in this action! 

Fred's screams drew the attention of one of the other cultists who fired on Pte. Melton and missed. 

Another (Jack), maneuvered to get a clear view of Pte. Quincy and blasted him with his shotgun! 

LCpl. Hughes brought in fire from the On Call mortars back at the firebase - blasts from the falling bombs severely damaged Jack... 

The Heavy Mining Laser fired on Pte. Dyck and wounded him! 

Pte. Loiselle fired back at the Heavy Mining Laser. This time she fired Frag - hoping to catch the other heavy gunner hiding behind the dame cover. Both were damage - but neither enough to compel them to give up the fight! 

The Gunner with the Seismic Cannon also shot at Pte, Dyck - and missed, but hit Cpl. O'Rielly! 

Doc Hauser moved up and sprayed some Synskin on Pte. Dyck's wounds and gave him a shot of Stimm and he was good to go again! 

Wilfred, the Cultist Gunner with the Webber moved up and blasted Loiselle with Sticky Goo! this injured her and reduced her APL (we're STILL not entirely sure if this reduces it for the one turning point, or until the Operative is activated again - we are assuming it's until the Operative is next activated for now... need to remember to re-read the rules AGAIN - looking for clarification on that!) 

Pte. Oswald adjusted his sites and put a neat hole through the Webber Gunner, taking him out of the action for now! 

Two Neophyte Hybrid Cultists (Sean and Edna) rushed Private Sack blasting away with Shotgun and Autogun and trying to secure the objective. 

Pte Dyck lit up the jungle with the supercharged particles projected from his plasma gun. When the smoke and steam cleared there was one less Cultist standing by the Objective in the centre of the battlefield.

Morris, the Cultist's Leader, charged Pte. Melton. The attack was ferocious and damaged Melton severely... but in the confusion, the Neophyte Hybrid also injected the Meltagunner with... something (this was a Tac Op - instead of doing damage with one attack die that WOULD do damage -  he instead scores 1 VP). Melton, for his part, did some damage to the Enemy's leader! 

Cpl Hunt shot at a Cultist and missed. Another Cultist joined the one on the central Objective. 

Cpl. Weirzynski detonated the bomb he'd set by Objective #4 - and just blasted the two nearby Cultists off into the bush where they lay low for the rest of the action! 

At the end of the Turning Point,  I scored 2VP from Tac Ops - Protect Assets (Bonus VP if I take out two or more Enemy Operatives within 2" of any Objective Markers) and Hold the Line (bonus VP if there are no Enemy within 6" of my Drop Zone). Finnegan scored 2VP for holding more objectives. 

THIRD TURNING POINT

For the Third Turning Point, I had the initiative. I used the Take Cover and Clear The Line Strategic Ploys and Sgt. Hammer issued the Take Aim! Order. Finnegan used Lurk In Shadows again. 

Loiselle cranked a frag grenade at the Two Neophyte Hybrid Cultists cowering by the Objective Marker in the middle of the table. Both were injured, but neither take out of action! 

One of them performed the Gambit action (+1 VP) and then shot at Loiselle - and missed. The other Shot at Pte. Dane - and also missed! Guess they were a little concussed by the grenade that just went off in their faces! 

Pte. Dyck fired his plasma gun, again, at the Cultist operating the Mining Laser - and injured him severely - but Three-Armed Pete soldiered on (with one wound remaining). Then Dyck decided to relocate - AWAY from the Sarge, "Voxer", and "Doc" Hauser. 

More cultists were on the move and took shots at assorted Guard - missing. 

Private Sack moved into cover and did the Gambit action on Objective #4 (+1 VP)

Pte Dane and Jack exchanged shots - both missing. Pte. Dane staggered away, trying to get into some kind of cover. 

Morris - The Genestealer Cultist Leader smashed down Private Melton with his Power Pick! 

Exchanging shots... no one hitting anything... 

LCpl. Hughes called in the mortars again... some stray shrapnel winged the Cultist's Leader, but completely missed Jack - who was down to just one would - teetering in the open. 

Seeing the Plasma Gunner flee his hiding spot into deeper cover, Three-Armed Pete turned his sites on Loiselle who was seriously harassing - his fellow cultists with her grenades. The searing heat of the mining laser blast burned Loiselle badly, she crawled under some cover and would take no more action in this skirmish. 

Oswald, the sniper, picked off another Cultist sitting on the Objective in the centre of the action. 

The Seismic Cannon Operator, having no visible targets, relocated. 

Hunt dashed over to the right flank which was having some trouble and took a shot at the Cultist standing in the open, hoping to finish him off... but he staggered and swayed as Hunt took his shot and it missed! 

Their numbers depleted, The Grenestealer Cultists were now able to use Overwatch Fire - Jack shot back at Hunt, peppering him with shotgun pellets. 

Doc healed the Sergeant up to full (Synskin and Stimm does the job every time!) 

Weirziynski took another shot at the mad ccultist blasting away with his shotgun and FINALLY took him down! Or maybe Jack just decided to call it a day and dropped and rolled into cover and crawled away on his belly... 

Again I scored VP for the Protect Assets and Hold the Line Tac Ops, Finnegan got VP for holding more Objectives. 

FOURTH TURNING POINT

Morris "the Strixx" charged Trooper Dane, who was barely able to stand at this point, One blow from his Power Pick took him down...  but he did not deliver a killing blow... instead he picked up the downed Trooper and hoisted him up onto his shoulder and scurried off into the Jungle...!? 

(Finnegan played the Capture Hostage Tac Op - played when you take someone out of action - and the Operative that won disappears from the table - carrying off their hostage - and scored 2 VP)

The funny thing is there are no further ramifications for the captured trooper, which I find odd... They are treated like any other casualty and make a casualty check and, unless they roll a one, are fine and return to action immediately! In NEcromunda gang members CAN be captured by other gangs and either ransomed back or the gang can try to mount a rescue operation or they can be sold to the guilders... I guess it's a little harder to come up with what might happen as there are so many wildly different species with wildly different outlooks on each other... presumably he was interrogated and probed and possibly injected with... stuff... and then escaped!? 

Hughes called in a mortar strike on the Cultist holding the central Objective - injuring the neophyte hybrid there and taking out the Seismic Cannon operator nearby! The surviving Neophyte did perform one last Gambit action and held out hoping to keep hold of the Objective for one last turn. 

Oswald ended that possibility with a clear shot through the cultists shoulder. 

Dyck moved back tho his original firing position and took one last shot at Three-Armed Pete and finished him off... or at least finished off his will to continue fighting and forced him to flee... 

Sack performed one last Gambit action for one more VP. 

at the end of the Turning Point the Guaiacans claimed more points for Hold the Line AND Protect Assets AND Stand Fast (holding the most objectives) - in addition to the points they scored for holding more objectives in the first place!? 

The game ended with the Guaiacans prevailing 16VP - 10VP! 

POST GAME

Quinn, Jules,  Loiselle, Dane and Melton had all be incapacitated with injuring during the brief engagement. Checking on that after the smoke cleared, all were find (nothing a little Synskin and Stimm couldn't fix) Melton was in a little rougher shape - he looked like he might bleed out from the blow from the Power Pick - Doc Hauser had to dig a little deeper into his medical kit and fetch out a self-sealing arterial couple and a bag of universal-plasma. (I failed Melton's Casualty test - BUT if one still has a medic on the table at the end of a game, ONE failed casualty test may be re-rolled! 

Finnegan wasn't so lucky - without a medic, he had to just take the battle scars for two of his troops that failed casualty checks. Jack - who had been blasted multiple times by Mortar rounds and shot a few times with lasguns ended up with s Sever Concussion. Edna - one of the ones knocked out by Weirzynski's demolition charge blast ALSO ended up with a Severe Concussion. Both very apropos! 

finally we tallied up experience points - this was a bit of a chore doing it after the fact - good thing I'd take so many notes! We decided this was a thing we out to do throughout the game in the future! No one made it to veteran (6XP) but Morris, the Genestealer Cultists leader earned five and four of the Guaiacans earned four each - including Sergeant hammer, Weirzynski, Dyck and Oswald. Others on both sides got one or two - sometimes three... 

Because I hadn't had a chance to look over the Spec Ops missions beforehand, I kind of retroactively decided I'd work on 10.0 Secure District Spec Op from the Core Rulebook (which narratively makes sense). To complete the Spec Op I have to complete FIVE GAMES in which I score VP from Protect Assets Tac Op or the Plant Banner Tac Op and then complete ONE game where I score VP from the Central Control Tac Op!  I didn't even have Plant Banner in my Tac Op Deck (but I will make sure to in future games!) but I DID score points via Secure Assets - so that's one game down - five to go! Upon completion of the Spec Op, I gain an additional three Requisition Points and can either add a piece of rare equipment to my stash OR increase my asset Capacity by one. 

If we're going to keep playing in the Jungle, I think I'm going to need to make some more appropriate  barricades - maybe some log piles?  

I'm really loving the game! I have a few things that kind of bother me a little... but not enough for me to not enjoy the game immensely... 

One problem with the rules is that Charge is a 1AP action cannot be done in the same activation as a regular move and does NOT include a fight action. I think the Charge Action  SHOULD Have been a 2AP  action that included both the move into contact and the first round of fighting - without any restrictions on using move - this would give Operatives with an 3 APL the option to move THEN charge and fight! 

Pistol Range - I do LOVE that pistols are incredibly short ranged compared to rifles... but I almost feel like it's TOO short. I mean, MOST operative can CHARGE farther than a pistol can shoot...!? I'd like RNG (pentagon/6") weapons to shoot up to 2 (pentagon/6") if the target is within the first (pentagon/6") they shoot normally, if firing beyond that - up to 2(pentagon/6") - they get one less attack dice. 

I like that being wounded (more than half wounds lost) drops the Move by 1(circle/2") - I would rather things (like wounds or Overwatch fire) that "degrade" WS/BS instead reduced the number of attack dice for said attacks. I think it would be a cleaner way of degrading a fighter's ability under those circumstances. 

As I said, though, I can live with things the way they are...