Busy hobby holiday weekend

Well I had the chance to playtest my list the first day of my 3 day weekend. I played down to 1650, but only dropped the strike squad. I lost horribly to Eldar/DE. Reserves came in late and piecemeal, and I'm not sure how well I played to the mission. At first I thought about completely scrapping the list and starting over. But these are the growing pains I have to expect. So I have made a few changes, still keeping within the general terminator theme. Here's an updated list.

HQ
-Coteaz....because I need him to play competitively. I have a fine cast model already painted, so it's not a big deal. The other inquisitor I made may make an appearance in big games though.

Troops
-10 terminators, same incinerators
-10 terminators, same psycannons
-6 warrior acolytes with bolters in a psybolt razorback. They are cheap and I had the models nearly built for the unit anyway.

Fast attack
-same storm raven

Heavy Support
-same dreadknight
-same Crusader but now with a multi melta. This thing is costly, but I believe it can and will be hard to kill.
-psybolt dreadnought with autocannons. I was originally going to use gun servitors...but realized that I can only have 3 with guns. So they were scrapped for this guy.

I think this list is better, although I did spend a few days getting bitz ready to make 10 gun servitors only to realize I can only have 3. I need today with it before I make more changes. I think I need more henchmen or some purifiers. Maybe the psycannon termies will have to go. On the bright side, I won't have to convert 10 servitors...sadly I have some multi meltas coming in from eBay that I won't need.

I spent Sunday playing Talisman Prologue on the iPad. It's pretty addictive and makes me want to actually try the board game. Monday I was able to get a game of WFRP2nd edition. Just continuing the campaign. I had to rush at the last minute to get things prepared. We made the plans on Saturday, so I had a little time to read over the first campaign adventure and flesh out some subplot stuff. The game went great once again. It's not a challenge at all to GM. Everyone just works together great, like we've known each other longer than the 4 times now we've played. So overall, it was a GW weekend.

Ready to playtest

I've gotten some good progress this week on my GK. I've put the legs on the dreadknight and assembled most of the inquisitor. Everything is good enough to playtest on the tabletop in friendly games. I just need to find some time to actually do that. I even put paint to one of my termy justicars. I wasn't even thinking about it, I just picked up some new paints and started working on it. I tested out a value scale with the grey paints I had chosen. It helped a lot with choosing the exact colors. I'm happy so far, even though the armor is drybrushed. I usually stay away from large amounts of drybrushing, but I think these guys will need it.

I've also shuffled around the list. The dakka stormraven has been dropped for a land raider crusader. I figure I can put the inquisitor with a combat squad of terminators in it. Keeping with the all-comers theme, I figured it wild he more balanced that way. The raider is also a big target that opponents may not have an answer to. The profile is also big enough to hide units behind it. Combine that with possible 2nd turn assault and I may have a beta strike strategy on my hands provided all of my reserves come in.

So my plan is to pick my targets right away. So 2nd turn the storm raven can come in and take out a target, the incinerators drop down to cause havoc in the enemies back lines, the raider brings it's contents into assault, and the two units on foot provide support fire to whichever unit needs it. I don't want to be reactive, but proactive. If I focus on the mission and disrupting my opponent, then I may just win the game through determination and strategy rather than a better army list. Jack up a player's flow and see if they fall apart. I should also begin to define the dual roles of each unit. That way I make sure they are always persuing their goals and not wasting time being indecisive.

Away for the weekend.

I didn't get much done this weekend. I was out of town for family stuff. I did manage to get a few hours of hobby each night of the week though. And I found some cork for my Grey Knight bases too! But I think that I am going to shift gears and focus 100% on my friend's Deathwing army. I'd like to get them done quick and play a few games before giving them back. Memorial Day weekend is my next free hobby weekend, so I am rushing to get them done. Sadly, it seems impossible.

As for my GK, I have decided on my list and how I am going to use most of the units. I'm keeping the daemon blade inquisitor and just giving him some servo skulls to help with deep strike pressure. I plan to combat squad one unit of terminators to have 2 incinerators deep strike in tandem with the dreadknight with heavy incinerator. Psychic communion and the servo skulls on the inquisitor should add a little stability to pull it off. I have also replaced the dakka stormraven for a landraider crusader. In it I will put the other half of the combat squaded termies with justicar attached to the inquisitor. They can also be switched out for the strike squad if I think I'll be facing a helldrake. The basic strategy is to present a tough core with some incoming reserves to hit my opponent where it will hurt the most. The melta/lascannon stormraven will hunt fliers, and the incinerators will torch units hiding.

Now, the daemon blade... It doesn't look too good on paper, but I did a few practice rolls and was very surprised at how nasty it can get. I think I'll surprise opponents with the brutality the inquisitor could potentially dish out. Now I know I should drop the daemon blade and use an ordo xenos and psykotroke. But I guarantee I'll get enough shit for playing GK as it is. I want a unique army that I can call mine. So that means I will choose some of the fun wargear over the competitive.

Terminators built

I've had some good progress on my Grey knights and a project for a friend. I'm touching up and re-basing a counts-as Deathwing army and squeezing in some work on my own. The entire Grey Knight force I'm putting together is composed of repurposed models from armies I've purchased from people. So far 20 terminators are ready for paint. Next is 10 strike marines, an inquisitor, and a dreadknight. As it turns out, the bits I got for the inquisitor was one of the last orders from Spikey Bits before they had to stop with the bits trade. The dreadknight is going to be the most work out of all the units. I am completely re-posing the model to lunge forward and for it's heavy incinerator. Every joint is getting cut and moved. The pilot will be the biggest challenge. I won't be able to mount his legs to the legs of the dreadknight in the same way. I think this is why the model is notorious for it's single pose. The legs just don't work with how it's designed.

The problem I'm having with my inquisitor is the wargear load out. My hope was that the daemon blade, combined with warlord traits, and psychic powers would lend versatility between games. Sadly, any mastery levels added by the daemon blade won't lend any more powers. So potentially an inquisitor with two blades can become a level 3 psycher....who only has one power... Not that useful. I still plan to go with power armor, daemon blade, and mastery level 1. Only one power, but the versatility is still there to some extent. Probably the most enticing is the model only costs 78 points. Once I get more models ready for paint, I'll finalize my list and how I'm going to use it.