[WOD] Austin Tales (1): The Vigil

Up at dawn. Head to Sand's. Work on adaptation again. Leave and head to the Row. Up the stairs (man, my ass is going to look nice), unlock the door. 

Inside, he's on the bed, under the sheets.  I sit next to him and keep hold of his hand, thinking of anything but the future. 

He neither breathes nor rots- in complete stasis. This idea is so foreign to me I just don't understand. I keep hoping something will change, but it doesn't.

Time to head downstairs to tend bar. I lock the door behind me as I slip it shut. 

After my shift, back upstairs and wait the night away, holding his hand as nothing changes. 

Weeks of this and time starts to blur on itself - I'm no longer sure how long I've been waiting. I've been waiting and the answer is always the same. There's never any change.

Is this still Austin? Have I gone back by mistake? Is this an even worse torture than never having something to hold onto? 

I leave Sand's and head to the Row. I head up the stairs (yeah, I'm rocking a smaller size jeans) and unlock the door.

He's not there. 

I check the window, look for mirrors (they're sneaky), check for trapdoors. Nothing.

He's not there. 

Faster than I can believe, it's time to work the bar. I head downstairs, with nothing but bees in my head.  I work, considering options and adaptations.

A man comes in the bar, and he asks for the usual. His voice sounds familiar, but I can't place him. He talks, and it becomes clearer- it's him; just different.

Did he go over, and come back changed? Is this where my world starts turning?

He's bewildered and babbling, and out pops a word I've heard; but never from him: wife.

He's not there.

Terms

Here you should find a list of  common, across the board terminology. Please ask if you have questions. Also feel free to add any you think should be included but are not.


H2H or HtH is hand-to-hand (combat)
=I= is the Inquisition (quite clever, that one!)
chimeltavets (or variants thereof) describes IG veterans in chimeras armed to the teeth with meltaguns
FNP is Feel No Pain, which is a
USR, or a Univeral Special Rule (from the main rulebook); many of these are abbreviated.
FOC is the Force Organisation Chart,
WAAC is 'win at all costs',
RAW is 'rules as written' as opposed to
RAI which is 'rules as interpreted'.


++ is short hand for invulnerable save.

++ for a save also can be an Orwell reference. In Newspeak a thing can be "doubleplus good". So a 3+ save is good, but a 3++ is obviously even better. ;)

Aka, 3+ saves can be negated with AP, 3++ however is an invulnerable.

Check out the entirety of THIS post if you are an Imperial Guard Player! 

Tyranids

This is where I will post links and information for Tyranids players.

For a whole new approach, take a peek over at Kennedy's blog. 

Orks

This is where I will post links and information for Ork players.

The Lexicanum is good for basic concept and background, working out from the Ork page.

The Stuff of Legends has catalogue pages for years of Ork minis.

The Premier Ork Forums


Ork Tacticas / Reviews
http://kirbysblog-ic.blogspot.com/p/codex-reviews.html (fester)

http://bloodofkittens.com/blog/category/ork-defense-force/ (nfluger)

And don't forget to visit DaMastaCheef over at DaLongWayzDezertGroup - He's got some fabulous Orky things going on! 

Imperial Guard

Here you should find a pretty comprehensive list of terms, phrases, information and other goodies associated with the Guard. Please let me know if you think something should be added or if you have questions.


First, visit Defending Humanity.  His Terms and Definitions page will save your life.


Then, visit Admiral Drax - you won't find a nicer bloke. His conversions are tremendous, his armies are fun, and he loves those commissioned to serve him.

Chaos Daemons

This is where I will post links and information for Chaos Daemons players.

Check out Brent at Strictly Average

His collection of battle reports, hobby stuff and other wisdom is worth your time.

[40K] Arguing With Paint, Vol. 2: Opinions Welcome

In my last adventure with removing paint, I was regaling you with my distressingly bad results.

I'm glad to say that with the liberal application of your sage advice, I've assembled a small force of really plain guys.



And One Pre-painted Black Templar Termie. There's 4 more in one of the bags.


But I still have a lot of work to do. I have all the guys in the Batallion Bag to do:

Plus the Vehicle Transport bag:

Borrowing the Eldar Codex for a day. NOT playing them.

That's a lot of guys! Not all of them are being done right now. The guys I THINK I might use for league are staying ugly for the moment until I have a list- I don't want a crucial model to be in the soup come game day.

Here's one that is seriously un-pretty; but I'm not sure what his weapon is... help?

I also discovered even MORE surprises while going through the bags, getting little men ready for the swimming pool. Any idea why a Landspeeder would have magnets HERE?

The Landspeeder and many of the other Fast Attack/Heavy Support presented a totally different dilemna -
for the most part, the bodies are a very acceptable black. It's the highlight colors of really, really orange that I'm not thrilled with. Should I dip them, or leave them as they are and paint over the offending color? I'm really debating the Rhino seen in my first bat-rep, as it's a LOT of orange. Here's a bike, as an example of the rest of the models configurations.

Dip, or just repaint?

There were some genuinely nice models in the bunch. This 'Dred was lovely- but not what I'd like for my army. He's getting a bath, too; despite being very pretty.

I assembled all these conscripts into a bucket (rather than my small Rubbermaid bin, which can only handle about 15 guys at a time) to be covered by Purple Power and paint removed. (This idea was the brilliant suggestion of TheDude.)

As stated before, there are quite a few more to be dipped yet- but they are potential army bait and staying out for a little while longer. At least until I have a couple 1K lists...

Next on the list after paint removal is test models. I'm hoping for the weekend, as this week is stuffed with some very exciting but massively time consuming activities.

Much more to come, with modeling (um, some Termie arms fell off... that means I can stick hammers on...) and painting (I'm aiming for a no-black used "black" color) and batreps etc.

Be Well,

Lo

[Birthday] CONTEST!!!! Update

Only three more weeks to enter! Don't miss out on this birthday party in reverse, where I give the presents to you! I am still keeping the prizes a secret for now, but never fear- there are no duds!

I have received eight really lovely banner entries. Some of you have breathtaking imaginations that translate truly well to the visual realm. Each one is really great in its own regard- please keep it up. 

I have also been fortunate to find three excellent motto submissions in my inbox! Don't overlook the power of words, especially not to a self-professed word nerd. All the entries are well done. I can't wait to see what else you readers might have up your sleeves!

Thank you to each and every one of you that has entered so far! I've really loved your fantastic submissions.

Speaking of readers, I hit 90 followers recently. Only 10 more to go to hit 100, my personal goal to achieve before my birthday. I'm pretty thrilled and hope to bring you all kinds of great stuff to read. Never fear, roleplaying fans, I have a TON of good material on deck for you.

If there's something you'd like to see me cover, please feel free to send suggestions to me via email or comments here... I'm giving stuff to YOU, so let me know what you want!

Don't forget to send your entry by email (available in my profile) by 10:00 AM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, February 12, 2011.

Good luck!

[40k] Battle Report (BT vs SW)

So it was 2nd week of Escalation League at the store. We were still on 750 points, and after my massive FAQ'd out army changes, I decided to run a list with some missile launchers in it. (I mean, I have them, why not use them?)

My list was roughly:

EC, AAC

Chaplain MOS (Tankhunter)
Att'd Termie Command Squad - all w/Tank Hunter
-Sergeant Powerfist, Power weapon
-Missile Launcher
-Assault cannon
-Power fist, storm bolter

Troop #1
5 Initiates (1 flamer), 2 Neophytes (1 plasma)
Rhino, Pintle storm bolter

Troop #2
5 Initiates (1 Lascannon), 1 Neophyte (plasma)

My opponent had the most beautiful, tricked out, completely converted and gorgeously individualized models of Logan and 10 Wolf Guard Terminators I have ever seen. He used Chaos figures, but they were breathtaking.



Spiky Logan & Crew


We used the same rules for deployment and objectives as last game, and we got "long board edges" - which NEITHER of us could fully figure out how to implement. We called another player over to get it set up, but it was seriously confusing.

His win conditions - primary: control both his objectives and secondary: have more friendly models in his deployment zone than enemy. My win conditions were primary: control ANY 2 objectives, and secondary: most expensive unit kill equal or greater points value of opponent's models.

He chose to let me deploy and go first (he's not dumb) and I stuck my Rhino squad on top of an objective. The EC was SUPPOSED to go there too but I got mixed up and he wound up with the little Cru squad.

The little Cru squad came in pretty close to another objective and scooted over there to babysit.

Correct me if I'm wrong on this next one, please. Because Termies were attached to Chappy, they did not deep strike and came in on a board edge at the top right and walked (ish) towards one of his objectives, using buildings for cover as they went.

By the way, in the massive pile of not appealing to my sensibilities stuff, there were a couple true treasures. Check THIS guy out:

He needs a bigger base, but wow, he's gorgeous.

My oppoenent bunkers Logan and his 5 Wolf Guard in a ruin, directly behind an objective, but not visible to my guys at all.

He uses a brilliant strategy of picking me off from a distance and we spend a couple turns with him shooting at me, trying to move my little Cru squad off the objective. It's a pretty darn good plan! I wish I'd thought of it and planned against it.

He does knock my guys off their objective and they move across the board. I took some friendly advice and moved back some, trying to protect the objective, and got blown up (except EC, who yet again refuses to die. He's all alone at the objective- but as an IC, he's not a scoring unit and can't help me win).

At this point, his second Wolf Guard squad is doing some sneaking of its own, using a building to keep out of sight.

(They eventually move through the building and come out at the "bottom", which is closer to my side of the board..)

My Termies and the Chappy start moving closer to his objective marker. They come out into the open and tada, my opponent has this fun surprise for them:

That's a BFG, folks!

I get shot at, and of course, I move towards that furry fellow to bash him up. I mean, who wouldn't, right? I shoot some more (he saves!).  But wait, there's more:





His friends!

 The rest of the Wolf Guard come out to play and there's a very, VERY, VERY embarrassing moment where I realize I forgot to buy wargear for the Chappy and he does not have a frickin' gun. My opponent was more than friendly about it and spotted me a point so I could shoot away.


The game ends at the end of turn five- my Termie squad isn't close enough to his objective marker to contest it, and EC can't hold mine, so victory is snatched away at the last moment.


Overall, this was a FUN! game. It may sound slow here, but I really had a good time. I learned a lot- especially when Righteous Zeal does and does not come into effect, and enjoyed a really nice time with a great opponent.

What I learned - this week, it was all "What I can improve on" lessons:

PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS- Not having even a bolt pistol was hilarious, but truly not anything I care to repeat. I also had a turn where I forgot to move. Plus, EC in the "wrong" squad wasn't smart, either. Ugh.

YOUR OPPONENT WILL KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES.  Prepare for them, at least a little.

BT IS A ---MUCH!-- SHOOTIER ARMY THAN I THOUGHT.  I need to learn how to use that to my advantage instead of being surprised by it.

About my opponent:
I could not have asked for a more fun guy to play against. He was truly a great opponent. He was very forgiving of me looking up the rules a lot, and offered me grace when I needed it- but he didn't do any "gimmes" or give me any kind of 'preferential' treatment.

I do want to win, but fairly.

Next week is 1000 points, and I am considering bikes, because MAN BT is SLLLLLLLLLLLLLOW.

be Well,

Lo

A simple message

Let it be me
if the world is night,
shine my life like a light- Indigo Girls

It seems appropriate today.

[Weekly Whimsy] Breakthrough

[Welcome to World of Wonder's Weekly Whimsy! This week's topic is deeply personal to me, so I hope you'll forgive it for being a little different than previous weeks.] 

Catch a fallin' star an' put it in your pocket
Never let it fade away- Catch A Falling Star (as sung by Perry Como)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's cold and dark outside, and I'm tired. I have a long way to go, and I don't want to do the work. I just want to curl up and sleep, but you won't let me. You're insistent, pushing me forward to an unseen frontier. 

The world outside is changing, folding in on itself as nature slashes away at the sleepy landscape with razors of ice. I'm tucked away from it all, in a cocoon of warmth and quiet. There is no reality outside of my own.  

Records are broken and everything changes, in the span of 56 hours.

My haze breaks into clarity after days of effort, after my goal has been achieved, after the breakthough. It's only in the dim morning glow that I notice the ice and snow outside- but the record breaking cold can't touch the warmth in my heart.