STILL MOAR STUFF!?

Over the last few weeks I have acquired... a few more things... despite really wanting to AVOID acquiring MOAR STUFF!?

It started with piggy-backing on a few orders Orion was placing to build up an army of Hungarians! That stuff is already painted! 

Then, two weekends ago, I pedaled out to the Warhammer Store to pick up this month's Free Miniature of the Month - a Death Korps of Kreig Engineer miniature... since I do actually HAVE a few... (though I've yet to FINISH painting ANY of them!?).

That same week I ended up placing a few of my own orders... 

The MAIN reason was, again, to pick up a few game mats for different environments. Because they're made in the USA, I was concerned that Canadian retailers that stock them might be raising their prices on them considerably in the not-too-distant future (because of the constant threats of a trade war and reciprocal tarrifs being announced) and wanted to just pick up two more before that happened... and... partly to get free shipping from the two places I ended up ordering from... and because both of the places had considerably discounted Bolt Action miniatures... I picked up a few other things along with them... 

The first to arrive was.... another order from 401 Games... 

Included in this order was Bolt Action: Armies of Germany 3E, French Army Weapons Teams and Casualties, Fallschirmjager Squad (Tropical Uniform), Gebirgsjäger Squad, US Marine Corps War Dog Teams, and a F.A.T. Mats 6'x4' Grassy Plains game mat (for some battles on the steppes of Russia!)! 

Next was an order from Kingdom of Titans... 

F.A.T. MATS 60"x44" Alpine game mat (for... REASONS!?), a second Chi-Ha Japanese tank, and an Afrika Korps Pak 36 light anti-tank gun and crew!  

Oh, and I got some Bersaglieri Forward Observers... from.. elsewhere... 

Okay... SERIOUSLY... I'm DONE NOW... well, for now... maybe... 

I'm definitely done with the Mats... There are a few things that I could get to finish off a few of the smaller WW2 forces... and there are a few things I'd LIKE to get for some of the others... once I've finished what I have! 

The Plan of Action to get all this (and the other WW2 stuff I have!) done is:

1. Chi-Ha Japanese tank
2. US Marine Corps War Dog Teams
3. French Army Weapons Teams and Casualties
4. Sd.Kfz 222 Armoured Car
5. Italian M14/41 Tank
6. Italian M14/41 Tank
7. Bersagieri Forward Observers
8. Panzer III
9. Panzer III
10. Panzer III
11. Matilda II
12. Matilda II
13. Matilda II
14. Matilda II
15. Cruiser MkI (A9)
16. Cruiser MkI (A9)
17. Cruiser MkI (A9)
18. Cruiser MkI (A9)
19. Cruiser MkI (A9)
20. Italian Colonial Troops 
21. British 8th Army 6-pdr Anti-tank Gun and crew
22. German Afrika Korps LeFH 18 10.5cm medium howitzer and crew
23. Italian Bersaglieri Breda 2cm AA gun and crew
24. Afrika Korps Pak 36 light anti-tank gun
25. Fallschirmjäger Squad (Tropical Uniform)
26. Fallschirmjäger Squad
27. Fallschirmjäger Squad
28. Fallschirmjäger Squad
29. Fallschirmjäger Command Squad
30. Fallschirmjäger assorted extras
31. Gebirgsjäger Squad
32. Panther
33. Panther
34. Panzer IV
35. Panzer IV
36. (assorted Heer Infantry) 
37. (assorted British Commandoes) 
38. S.A.S. Jeep
39. S.A.S. Jeep
40. S.A.S. Jeep
41. LRDG Truck
42. LRDG Truck

I THINK that's all the unpainted stuff I have for WW2 forces...?

 If I did ONE of these a week, it would take me to the end of the year!? Luckily at the moment, I seem to be working a bit quicker than that... 

I'm not 100% sure about the order of things... I put the French and Japanese and USMC stuff at the top, because ALL of those things are otherwise DONE, so it would be nice to knock those out and keep those forces DONE! 

After that I tried to keep focused on finishing up stuff for the North African campaign... Though the exact order of all the things for North Africa might switch around a bit... 

Our games will probably shift as Orion gets her Hungarians done, but I have NOTHING I need to paint for that as ALL of my Soviet Horde is complete and I have no interest in buying anything else for them!!

Of course there will be other things I'll be painting - There are SO MANY things I could paint up for the new Fantasy campaign we've started... and probably will... So they'll be snuck into the Queue, as required... but I'm going to try and stick to using things I already have painted, for the most part, so as not to get overwhelmed by it all and start to lose focus and interest when it becomes more burden than fun!!

I may even sneak a few 40K or AoS items into the queue from time to time, just to keep my toes into that... Most likely Eldar/Harlequins or Emperor's Children... but possibly some zombies or Skeletons for the Soulblight Gravelords...? 

The packaging for those two orders were fascinating... Both had a free shipping threshold. For 401 games in Toronto it was $165CAD. For Kingdom of Titans it was $199CAD

401 Games send the shipment in the GIGANTIC box! it was about 4'x1'x1'!? 

and it was just FULL of packing material!? 

kind of had to dig to find things and briefly wondered if they're remembered to put any of the order in the box!? 

Like, SO MUCH packing material!? 

I did, eventually find all the things... but in comparison to the size of the box, the order seemed rather diminutive!? The other long, skinny cardboard box within the cardboard box was the Game Mat I ordered from them all rolled up... 

Kingdom of Titans, by comparison, sent the order in a box less than a quarter of the size! barely larger than the tank box in length and width... 

And they were apparently totally okay with bending the rolled up mat to shove it into the box... 

To be clear, I am not COMPLAINING about either method. Both got my stuff to me lightning quick and without much trouble... Would totally order stuff from either in the future... 401 Games has a LOT of Bolt Action stuff and sells it for considerably less than what it would cost to order direct from Warlord Games!! 

BLACK FRIDAY

I did end up wandering over to Dragon's Den games to pick up a few items on Black Friday...

A box of Corvus Cabal cultists (as they've been discontinued), Slaves to Darkness Endless Spells (because I am going to try and focus on getting all my Slaves to Darkness stuff finished up in the new year) and the Provisionally Prepared Commemorative Series set... (because SPACE HOBBIT SNIPERS!)

I've already got the Slaves to Darkness Endless Spells mostly assembled, and the Provisionally Prepared mostly assembled - in three parts for painting - the two figures are on temporary individual bases for painting. After I painted the base and terrain on it, and paint the two Ratlings, I'll finish assembly.

STILL working on that Game Report from Wednesday... 

Warhammer 40K - Tallarn Task Force

Because I haven't taken one in a while (and I've added things recently) here is the ENTIRE TALLARN TASK FORCE (so far)!!

The force comprises elements of 382nd Tallarn (Desert Raider) Regiment, the 451st Tallarn Tank Regiment, the 178th Tallarn Artillery Regiment and the 17th Super Heavy Regiment (and are supported by elements of the Departmento Munitorum and the Adeptus Mechanicus. 

Here's what the force looks like on paper (currently):

• Captain Alhazred (as Cadian Castellan) (1 model) 45points
• Platoon Command Squad (5 models) 60 pts
• Platoon Command Squad (5 models) 60 pts
• Platoon Command Squad (5 models) 60 pts
• Commissar (1 model) 30 pts
• Commissar (1 model) 30 pts
• Primaris Psyker (1 model) 60 pts
• Primaris Psyker (1 model) 60 pts
• Regimental Preacher (1 model) 35 pts
• Regimental Enginseer (1 model) 45 pts
• Regimental Enginseer (1 model) 45 pts
• Regimental Enginseer (1 model) 45 pts
• Infantry Squad (9 models) 60 pts 
• Infantry Squad (9 models) 60 pts 
• Infantry Squad (9 models) 60 pts 
• Infantry Squad (18 models) 120 pts
• Infantry Squad (18 models) 120 pts
• Infantry Squad (18 models) 120 pts
• Heavy Weapons Squad (3 models) 60 pts
• Heavy Weapons Squad (3 models) 60 pts
• Heavy Weapons Squad (3 models) 60 pts
• Scout Sentinels (1 model) 60 pts
• Scout Sentinels (1 model) 60 pts
• Tallarn (as Attilan) Rough Riders (5 models) 70 pts
• Tallarn (as Attilan) Rough Riders (5 models) 70 pts
• Tallarn (as Attilan) Rough Riders (5 models) 70 pts
• Basilisk (1 model) 135 pts
• Basilisk (1 model) 135 pts
• Manticore (1 model) 180 pts
• Manticore (1 model) 180 pts
• Tank Commander (1 model - Battle Cannon) 205 pts
• Tank Commander (1 model - Demolisher Cannon) 205 pts
• Leman Russ Battle Tank (1 model) 180 pts
• Leman Russ Punisher (1 model) 160 pts
• Leman Russ Vanquisher (1 model)155 pts
• Taurox (1 model) 65 pts
• Shadowsword (1 model) 440 pts

Total: 3665 points

And then here is what I still have to assemble and/or paint... 

• 2x Commandant (1) 
• 2x Command Squad (5) 
• Primaris Psyker (1)
• 6x Infantry Squad (10)
• 3x Heavy Weapons Squad (Lascannon) (3) 
• 3x Heavy Weapons Squad (Autocannon) (3) 
• 2x Heavy Weapons Squad (Heavy Bolter) (3) 
• 4x Scout Sentinels (1) 
• 1x Armoured Sentinel (1) 
• 12x Roughriders (1x unit of 10, plus two extras) 
• 4x Chimera
• 8x Assorted Leman Russ Tanks 

I didn't figure out the points for all of these as a lot of them wouldn't currently be allowed in the current edition... 

I'll have to spend some time figuring out which Leman Russ variants I'd use. Originally, I thought I'd have three platoons of three Leman Russ Battle tanks and then use the leftovers as Tank Commanders and specialist tanks... but Tank platoons aren't a thing anymore and you can only have three of any one data card that isn't battleline... and tanks are not battleline... So among the 13 that I have three can be Tank Commanders (which could have a Battle Cannon) and three can be Leman Russ Battle Tanks (with battle cannons) and the remaining seven have to be different variants... at least in the 10th edition rules... 

Mind you... I coudl just stick with the original rules because WHEN AM I EVER GOING TO FIELD THIRTEEN TANKS (other than in Apocalypse... and those will have different force construction rules!)

Likewise, all those Heavy Weapons Squads are entirely useless as I can have a maximum of three... and the three Mortar Squads currently fill that role... 

I am three roughriders shy of being able to field three full units of 10... Do I want to spend $30-50 each to buy those off of ebay... or do I sell a few of the ones I have and just live with two units of ten and one unit of five... (If ever I got painting the others I have, I'd probably break down and buy the extras... as absurd as that may seem...) 

I also got this guy - an old Warhammer Fantasy character from the land of Araby... I thought maybe I could use him as a Death Rider Squadron Commander (as key words like "Death Korps" and "Tallarn" are largely useless now...? OR I coudl mount him on a 100mm base on top of a pile of rubble and call him a stand in for a Lord Solar ...? OR I could just give him a camouflage smok and add him to one of the existing Roughrider squads and then I'd only need TWO MORE!? 

Also not pictured in either of the large photos above are these minis I have set aside for use in Kill Team. They're mostly done, but I have a few that I started to convert to make into a number of the specialists that are available to an Astra Militarum Veteran 

What's even MORE ridiculous is this isn't even the ONLY Imperial Guard/Astra Militarum army I have... I mean, this is the LARGEST ONE, by far... but still... I also have Catachans (that I use as Guaiacan Commandoes - a regiment of my own devising) - which are mostly done... and Valhallans (which are mostly unpainted) and a small contingent of Cadians... Oh, and then a enough other plastic models set aside to form a half-dozen MORE Kill Teams for Necromunda, the 11th Antari Rifle, Tempestus Scions, and the new Kasrkin Kill Team... 

EVEN MORE RIDICULOUS... is the fact that there are a few things I'd still like to get for the Tallarn. Aside from the Roughriders, I thought i would be fun to have a few more Super-Heavy Tanks. Like maybe a Baneblade and a Stormlord (or two) to make a Super Heavy Company. The two Stormlonds each carry an entire PLATOON of infantry with Vulcan Mega-Bolters on the front... I think they would be insane... but it would only be useful for Apocalypse... and how often to I play that!? 

I do have a game report for the weekend's tournament in the works... but this seemed easier and quicker to finish up... and so i did... 

Warhammer 40K - Tallarn Scout Sentinels

Scout Sentinels RULE in 10th edition... finally they are faster than Leman Russ tanks - I thought it was utterly ridiculous that the SCOUT vehicle was SLOWER than the tanks it was supposed to be scouting ahead for... Also, they do cool stuff that reconnaissance troops should do - like SPOT ENEMIES! 

Here it is, the second Scout Sentinel! Just in time for the tournament tomorrow! 

Like the Basilisks and Manticores, this one doesn't have as much stowage or other conversions (headdress) to make it more distinctly Tallarn.. But, also like the Basilisks and Manticores, this was a used model I bought off someone else assembled. I tore off the Multi-Laser and replaced it with a Missile Launcher and did add a bit of gear before repainting it... but I didn't feel like I had the time or energy to pull the pilot out and remove his head and add headgear similar to the other Sentinel pilot. I'm okay with that... At SOME point I may add jerry cans (like I have on the other), but I'm not in a rush to do so. I have a half-dozen more sentinels to either assemble or repaint... I'd rather get those done before doing more work on this one, though...  

The two of them together... 

The older one originally had a Lascannon, which I discovered the first time I used it, is almost entirely useless... so I replaced that with a Missile Launcher as well! 

Part of me feels like maybe I should have canned one of the Mortar-armed Heavy Weapon Squads in favour of taking another of these... alas... it is a little too late now! 

Here is the entire force I am bringing to the Tournament 

• Captain Alhazred (as Cadian Castellan) (1 model) 45points
• Heavy Weapons Squad (3 models) 60 pts
• Heavy Weapons Squad (3 models) 60 pts
• Heavy Weapons Squad (3 models) 60 pts
• Scout Sentinels (1 model) 60 pts
• Scout Sentinels (1 model) 60 pts
• Basilisk (1 model) 135 pts
• Basilisk (1 model) 135 pts
• Manticore (1 model) 180 pts
• Manticore (1 model) 180 pts

Total Points for Models: 975

(Plus the commander will have the Grand Strategist upgade - allowing him to issue an additional order each command phase - for 15 point, bringing the total to 990) 

I also made these this past week:

Hunter-Killer Missile Tokens

Hunter Killer missiles have been an option for most Astra Militarum vehicles for a number of editions now- one shot ATGMs that cost 5 point, if you wanted them. Now that everything, regardless of options taken, all cost one amount (i.e. gone are the days of a point value for the vehicle, then more points based on which weapon options... now a vehicle is one cost regardless of what options you take!?) so there is no reason NOT to take hunter killer missiles... But the problem is, it's unclear where they should be mounted on most chasis - on a Leman Russ I'd mount them just above the main gun - like older Soviet tanks with ATGMs mounted on them... Because they are a one-shot weapon, however, I decided to mount them on square bases and treat them like counters - to be placed on the vehicle in question and removed once they've been fired off - presumably in the first round!

Like such... Not bad, eh? 

Anyway, tournament starts tomorrow! Say a brief prayer to the God Emperor of Mankind for me and my Space Wolf partners, there are all sorts of filthy xenos and accursed heretics we will likely have to face! 

Warhammer 40K - Tallarn Manticores

Two more Self-Propelled Artillery beasties finished up for the Tallarn Desert Raiders Task Force! 

Two Manticores of the 178th Tallarn Artillery Regiment.

Left - Manticore #525 - Hanaq (Fury)

Right - Manticore #525 - Ghayz (Wrath) 

I just have one Scout Sentinel to touch-up (as I replaced it's Lascannon with a Missile Launcher) and a second to finish painting - by Saturday! 

After that!? Age of Sigmar stuff! A mix of things for Warhammer Underworlds and some stuff for the Soulbound RPG! 

Warhammer 40K- Tallarn Basilisks

Finally finished up the BIG GUNS for the Tallarn; a pair of Basilisks.... for now... I had other plans for customizing these with more kit in custom racks and baskets full of prometheum canisters... and maybe some camo netting.. and some CREW!? But I just didn't have enough time or energy or money... Someday I may get around to upgrading them... maybe... 

Basilisks of the 178th Tallarn Artillery Regiment 

Basilisk #666 - Tahtim (Smash) 

Basilisk #669 - Alfatha (Shaft)

Both of these I picked up used for a small fraction of what they cost new. Both no longer had the steps to the platform at the back, and one was missing the railing... but new ones are $75 and I think I paid about $20 for each of these, so... I thought of trying to rebuild the step ladder on both and some kind of rail for the one missing it... but then said "fuck it, why!? No one will care!?"

I'm not entirely sure what I'd do about crew... I could just model them out of greenstuff.. or use some spare guard as a base and add stuff to make them look Tallarn... 

Victoria Models makes "Desert Scorpion Heavy Weapons Crew", but most of the arm options are carrying lasguns or crate with ammo clearly much smaller than the shells required for this gun (because they are meant to be crew for infantry-poratble heavy weapons - like mortars or heavy bolters) - though ordering from them I could get some appropriate-size shells I could stack on the platform at the back... It would be $50+ to get six crew.. do I really want to spend that much more money on these just to have some crew on the back...?

One option I had considered (and may still do) was drape some camouflage netting from the Gunshield to the back of the platform - to entirely obscure the platform (so I wouldn't really need to put crew on there. I'd probably want to drape some over the barrel too... 

Or... I may just leave these as is.. because how much 40K am I actually going to be playing in the near future... and how many of those games will involve these basilisks!? 

On to the Manticores!!

40K10E - Exercise WOLF HAMMER

 4.979.018.M42

Before embarking on the voidships that would take them to the Xoxigar System, the Tallarn Task Group participated in a series of Military Excercises amongst themselves, and also with a detachment of Space Wolves who happened to be in the system. 

Armed with non-lethal paint-marking ammunition and blunted melee weapons the forces met at a remote desert ruin with orders to seize and hold a number of objective areas. 

I played my first game of Warhammer 40,000 (10th Edition) this week. My friend Orion had, a week earlier, been looking for a partner for an upcoming tournament in February... and I'd been feeling like it had been a long time since I played 40K... and i like playing with Orion... and volunteering to be her partner would mean I get to play a few games over that weekend in February and IDEALLY A FEW PRACTICE GAMES BEFOREHAND!?!? So this was the first of those practice games... Orion is bringing Space Wolves and I'm bringing a detachment of my Tallarn Imperial Guard, so we played with those. 

For the tournament, we are toying with the idea that Orion will bring a detachment very similar to the one played in this game. I'm going to finish painting up a bunch of self-propelled artillery I have (Manticores and Basilisks) and bring those (along with a few Scout Sentinels and all the mortar-armed Heavy Weapons Teams I have and sit back and provide artillery support while the Space Wolves to their CHARGE UP AND WRECK SHIT thing... 

Now, I don't have the Basilisks and Manticores painted yet... and that would be a terrible force to play on it's own.. so I just rolled out with a mix of Infantry, Cavalry (because I thought it would be funny to have a bit of a cavalry battle with the Thunderwolf Cavalry!), the three Heavy Weapon Squads and a tank.... 

I don't remember what the scenario was, exactly... there were objective markers in the middle and one in each players deployment zone. Points were scored for holding objectives at certain times... other objectives were determined by drawing cards each turn... it was a lot to keep track of! 

(I always think it's a bit silly when Imperial Forces fight each other... sure... one of them could have been "corrupted" or just mistaken as enemy by overzealoused combatants... regardless, I suggested this could be a training exercise and we went with that...) 

All set up and ready to go! 

My force consisted of a Tank Commander in a Leman Russ Punisher, front and center, flanked by two squads of Tallarn Roughriders (there was a third squad of roughriders that I kept in strategic reserve... but it turns out I probably didn't need to do that...). Beyond the roughriders on either side were VERY LARGE squads of Infantry (Guard can be taken in squads of 10 or 20 now... and so I had two squads of twenty - each with a Platoon Command Squad attached, making the unit 25!).

 Behind all of them were three Heavy Weapons Squads (armed with Mortars) and Castellan (they're called Cadian Castellan in the rules which SUPER ANNOYS ME - why not just call it a Castellan - or Captain, for that matter?! Are ALL guard commander by Cadian commanders now!?) 

In the centre across from me was a large unit of Thunderwolf Cavalry with a Wold Lord and some other Character attached - all armed with Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields . There were Terminators (with lightning claws) and a Librarian in terminator army facing my right flank, and some Primaris Reavers facing my left flank along with some special character with ALL THE SPECIAL RULES!? 

(or... maybe it was just the Wolf Lord with the Thunder Hammer and the rest had some other sort of nasty melee weapons...?) 

The Space Wolves went first and on that first round, Orion drew a secondary objective card that scored bonus points for taking out monsterous creatures or tanks... so the tank had to go! During the movement phase the Thunderwolf Pack came tearing across the table... 

And in the Charge Phase piled right into the tank - AND the roughriders!? I spend one command point to do some overwatch fire... I dont recall it doing anything particularly useful... 

The Wolflord himself took out the tank...!? 

The Tank Commander had a special rule - Death Befitting An Officer - that says when the model is destroyed, one D6 is rolled and on a 2+, before removing it can shoot as if it were the Shooting phase and as if it had its full wounds remaining.

Of course, I rolled a one... 

Then they piled into the Infantry squad (platoon?) on my right. 

The Infantry contacted in the pile-in move, piled in themselves and attacked... with little success... I think they were overwhelmed at the sight of the Wolflord and were too busy asking for autographs and selfies to remember they were supposed to be fighting a mock battle... 

On my turn, the ROughriders fell back... and then charged back in... 

At SOME point during round one... either during the Wolves initial charge or during this counter charge... I did actually take out two of the Thunderwolf Cavalry... and I THINK it was roughriders that did so, with their Melta-tip-armed lances... I think... 

And that was the ONLY damage I did to this unit all game... 

The roughriders were wiped out...

Also on my turn, the engaged Infantry squad fell back from the Thunderwolves... and could not do anything else that turn. The other Infantry Squad advanced on - and seized - the objective marker on their flank! The three Heavy Weapons Squads all fired their mortars... which I don't think did a damned thing against all these ridiculously armoured marines...?!  

During the consolidation move, after wiping out the roughriders, the Thunderwolf Cavalry surrounded the Mortar Squad and Castellan that were holding 

On the Wolves second round, the Primaris Inceptors arrived! (and the character with ALL THE RULES) moved up on the Tallarn Squad that had seized the objective! 

The Primaris Inceptors opened fire and knocked out almost HALF of the Infantry Squad!? 

Over on the other flank, the Terminators charged the other Infantry Squad! 

And the Thunderwolf Cavalry overran the Castellan and Heavy Weapons Squad in the middle (after throwing grenades at the Heavy Weapons Squad on my right flank - nearly wiping them out!?) 

The Reavers (Hounds of Morkai?) and the Characters with ALL THE RULES charged the Infantry Squad and sent even more of them back to the dead and injured area... 

the terminators took out EVERYONE except the Lieutenant and the two sergeants in the Infantry squad that they attacked (that's 22 infantry from this squad... in ONE turn...) 

One my turn, I brought back one of the Roughrider Squads... The Astra Militarum now have a Strategem called REINFORCEMENTS! which allows you to spend two command points whenever one of the regular units with the REGIMENT key word to moved them into the Strategic Reserve instead of the dead pile... The charged in on the right flank and - briefly - seized THAT objective... 

This was "success" was very short-lived as the Terminators just turned around, on their next turn (Round Three), and charged them and sent them back to the reserves before they could even claim any victory points for holding it... but don't worry... THEY'LL BE BACK!!!

The Thunderwolf Cavalry rode down the remains of the infantry platoon and Heavy Weapon Squad as well... 

And the last few Guard on the left flank were finished off the rest of the other Infantry Squad...

Because I'd already spent two command points to put the roughriders back in reserve, I wasn't able to do so with either of the Infantry Squads... had I been a bit more with it, I probabably would have let the Roughriders go and called in one of the infantry units - and brought them right back in to contest this objective on the left again... alas... 

On MY Third round I brought on the Roughriders I initially put in strategic reserve AND brought back the ones that were taken out by the Terminators... 

The ones at the Wolves rear charged and overran the small group of allied Voidsmen that were holding the objective in the Wolves rear... 

This "success" was also short-lived as the Primaris Inceptors just pivoted slightly and opened up with their non-lethal paint-marking ammunition covering the roughriders from head to hoof in vibrant blue paint and sent them back to the reserves... how they will EVER be able to clean all that paint out is anybody's guess... 

The Thunderwolf Cavalry had also come charging back across the field... but were clearly not needed!!

On my end of the Fourth Round... I brought MORE Roughriders back on... seizing the objective in MY Deployment Zone

The other Roughriders tried to charge the Hounds of Morkai... but three were splattered with paint rounds from the Primaris Inceptors who fired overwatch as they moved up... 

The three remainind charged the Hounds... and.. did nothing but get sent back to the reserves... 

on the final round the Thunderwolf cavalry wheeled about and charged back towards the Roughrider... 

...and sent them galloping back to the reserves!!

Also in the final round the Character with ALL THE RULES tried to take out the remaining Heavy Weapons Squad, that has been firing away every turn and... just not hitting anything... 

They DID manage to take out the Character! (by finally using the GRENADES! Stratagem, that Orion had been using all game!? I will have to remember to use that every damned turn... as it was FAR MORE EFFECTIVE than ANY of my regular fire?!

Orion sent me along this report of the game which tallied up all the victory points... 

Yeah... 98- 26... and ten of those points were just for having a fully-painted force... and another seven was because I drew the Assassin and No Prisoners secondary objectives in the final round and happened to take out that Character... 

It was a fun game - largely because Orion is a riot to play games against (and a very patient instructor!). I like what's going on in 10th edition, so far... It all seems very streamlined and simplified which makes for fairly fast play - or what I imagine will be fast play, once I remember all my own damned stats and special rules.. (there aren't THAT many!?). I imagine once more codexes get released, there will be more and more special rules to keep track of... 

The game is really about scoring objectives and I didn't LOVE the constant changing of objectives every turn with the cards... but that's largely because I was trying to keep track of so many things, each time I drew a card and tried to read it, I felt like I recognized all the words on the cards a "definitely English" but could take no meaning from any of them... or those that I could, it was clear there was NO POSSIBILITY of MY force being able to DO any of those things... 

I feel like the guard MAYBE had possibilities... if it were in the hands of someone who actually KNEW all the special rules and knew what to DO with them. Hopefully we'll get some more games in SOON. And, now that I've PLAYED it, I'll be able to re-read the rules and have a better understanding of it (I had read the rules in advance... but often when I do that, my brain does not retain much of it or understand its meaning until I've actually PLAYED a game and re-read them!!)