=][= PLOG 90 Days to Prepare for Astronomi-con 2016

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

So, I made the mistake of skipping Astronomi-con last year in favour of attending a local tournament. The local tournament was definitely a different scene from Astronomi-con. The local scene is very competitive with very tough lists, no composition. All things considered I did well (2 losses that could have been wins with a little better luck, 2 ties, one of which would have been a win for sure given more time) and it was fun, but the more narrative style of Astronomi-con with its tough comp rules and unique missions is where it's at for me.

 

Astro is usually in July but they just announced this year it's going to be in April! So I quickly decided that there was no way I could realistically get my Angels Sorrowful (BA Successors) finished in that timeframe. Whereas I can get a workable Inquisition/Militarrum Tempestus force ready to go in that time since I only need to assemble/paint 1 crusader, a couple acolytes, 16 Scions and 2 Taurox Primes to get it done.

 

Below is the list I'm planning:

 

II. INQUISITION DETACHMENT

HQ

Lord Inquisitor Soulis - Ordo Xenos Inquisitor w/ power armour, power sword, rad grenades, servo skulls x3

ELITE

Soulis' Warband - Crusader x3, DCA x2,Arco Flagellant x2, Acolyte w BP/CCW, Ministorum Priest, Land Raider
Inquisitorial warband - Acolyte w/ melta x2, Acolyte w/ bolter x2, Acolyte BP/CCW x2, Psyker, Chimera
Inquisitorial warband - Crusader, Acolyte w/ plasma x3, Acolyte w/ bolter x2, Psyker, Valkyrie

 

 

II. MILITARUM TEMPESTUS COMBINED ARMS DETACHMENT

HQ

Command Squad w/ meltagun (x3)

TROOP

Scions x8 w/ Flamer (x2), vox Taurox Prime w/ gatling cannon

Scions x8 w/ plasmaguns x2, Taurox Prime w/ missile launcher
Scions x5 w/ meltaguns (x2)
Scions x5 w/ grenade launchers (x2)

GRAND TOTAL = 1500

 

 

Unfortunately Astronomi-con's composition system, which is designed to and does a good job of toning-down lists and keeping power gaming out of the tournament, rather unfairly penalizes a list like this since the codices I'm using have no Heavy Support options. So I am only scoring 15/20 composition for a list that is not really that hard. But I think it will be fun and I don't have time to field anything else.

 

At the WAAC tournament, my "marginal" units all did quite well, especially the deep-striking Scions, the swiss-army knife warband, and the Valkyrie warband. This won't be an optimized list since it's more about getting the army ready with minimum painting so that I can actually attend. I'll have fun anyway, but a non-optimized list may be better than expected given how well "garbage" units did for me at the WAAC tournament.

 

If I have time, I might paint-up the long-languishing Lord Inquisitor Soulis in terminator armour model and shuffle the warbands around a bit. Rad grenades in that HTH squad will be pretty sick though.

[Dosjetka]

Cool! I look forward to seeing more of your painting; it has been too long! :tu:

[WarriorFish]

In the cut throat meta people tend to expect the same, so something the curve ball list leaves them at a disadvantage. It's fun the play with metas like that but at the end of the day you've got to decide what you do with your list. I think it's a nice characterful list, but I do prefer the plasma Scion CS load out - juicy and effective! Whatever happens your army is going to look cool on the table, so don't forget to give us pictures of your additions soon ;)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks for the encouragement. 16 Scions, 2 Taurox Primes and a few acolytes may not sound like a lot in 90 days but for me it will be a push. I'm going to do a bunch of assembly today and post pics of what needs to be done.

[Isiah]

ND how do you deploy the two non-Taurox Scion squads - deep strike or footslog? And what are their roles?

 

Are the grenade launchers worth taking? Never been a great fan of them myself.

 

Anyway just to say post pics of this army when complete as I'd love to see it. Kudos to you for keeping the =][= flag flying

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Non Taurox Scions will definitely be deep striking.

 

I haven't assembled the grenade launchers yet so I might change my mind on that. I'll probably assemble a few options since I bought that scion value pack with a valk, two Taurox, and 25 scions a while back so I have access to the models.

 

Everyone hates on grenade launchers but I've found them to be a decent multi purpose weapon that can assist with thinning hordes or hitting light vehicles as the situation requires. I feel that I have enough anti tank and anti MEQ between 5 plasma, 7 melta, Taurox prime with missiles and the Land Raider but am a bit lacking for horde with 2 flames and a Gatling cannon plus HTH warband. So grenade launchers seemed to fit the bill with more range than flamers. Only other option might be hotshot volley guns but I'll be deep striking or on the move so seems wasteful.

[WarriorFish]

Grenade launchers are useful and cheap, just not usually on Scions. However when you're running a Scion list proper that changes as the flexibility can be useful for a squad to support the others.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

WarriorFish, those are my thoughts. I wouldn't bring grenade launchers on scions if they are just a smaller/support element to another force like IG. But in a list like this where I'm fielding close to 40 scions and they represent the majority of my boots on the ground I think it changes things a bit.

 

That said, any thoughts on volley guns? Am I on the right track in thinking they'd be wasted in a mobile force like what I have planned here? Granted I don't always have to deep strike and there are some missions where I might want to have a static unit to deploy in cover somewhere. But I think the majority of missions I'll be moving stuff fast and aggressively.

[WarriorFish]

I don't like volley guns. Maybe on a CS for volume of fire if you don't have a specific purpose for them (and why aren't you taking plasma, if so? :P ) but otherwise "more of the same" fire power has never really appealed to me. Even less so on an elite army where units are to valuable to be left without effective counter to something like armour for example.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Yeah, that's what I thought to. In theory the volley guns are cool, and I really like the way they look, but with the salvo special rule they just don't fit well with Scions -- at least how I use them which is fast and in-your-face. They should have been Assault 3 or something. That would have been fantastic.

Anyway, yesterday I got some good assembly done and built my two Taurox Primes:

The blackness on the second one is from an ill-advised and ill-fated attempt to paint the interior. I just found it too tedious and this is why this Taurox Prime sat on the shelf disassembled with a partially painted interior for over a year. So I said it and glued the thing shut (the one vehicle I took the pains to paint the interior of I never look inside of and nor does anyone else), and said let's get this thing done.

I'll undercoat these bad boys this afternoon and hopefully start applying some paint tonight. Or possible assemble some Scions if they need a second layer of undercoat (yes, I know, better to do several light coats but I am impatient/lack time, and I have "gotten away with" a single thicker coat for years now).

I don't know if others have warmed to the Tauroxes or if many still hate them (I haven't been in the AM fora much at all) but they have really really grown on me since they were released. I now really like them and can't wait to have these things rolling out next to my =][= Land Raider and Chimera. I think this army is going to look bad to the bone on the table once it's finished.

[WarriorFish]

I have warmed to them thanks to people's little additions and some nice paint jobs, but I can't see myself getting any. Maybe if I ever build a pure Stormie list so I can have Primes (stock ones are junk)... hopefully GW will see the "modest" sales and give them an injection next update ;) Whatever flavour you take, in number is best I think.

 

Nobody ever looks at the insides. Even when I showed people I had modded the Inquisitor's Land Raider doors so they could open. Get them painted and ready for the table - looking forward to seeing how you paint them up :)

[Isiah]

Tauroxes, I still think they'd look better on many wheels rather then its current weird tracks system :huh:

 

Anyway -- I'm liking the extra 'stuff' you're adding to yours. Gives them more character.

 

Cheers

I

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Isiah: yeah, the tracks are a bit weird but they've grown on me. I guess wheeled would look good in a certain way but wouldn't fit the Imperium aesthetic IMO. Each to their own, but I'm more than happy with having them as-in in my force. Be interesting to see how they perform on the tabletop. I'm expecting them to get shredded fast, so anything they do above-and-beyond that is gravy. The =][= warband in the Land Raider will be the heavy lifters along with the deep strikers.

Continuing to roll along, and finished assembling the 8x Scions with 2x flamer squad last night.

Also, I counted up my Scions and was pleasantly surprised to learn that I have more painted that I had previously thought. I forgot that my plasma squad was already 7 strong so I only need to pain one more Kasrkin (and I already have one who's based plus his fatigues painted red) to finish off that squad. Then these eight, and then all I have left is the 5-man grenade launcher squad. So that's 13 instead of 16 models to complete. Every little bit helps when you're as slow as I am.

[Epimetheus13]

Hey! I'll also be taking Inquisition to Astro, though I'll be pairing them with Legion of the Damned. Will be great to meet another INQ player. I went last year to Astro for the first time, took Dark Angels and had a blast.

 

I'll try to snap some WiP pics and post my army list here as well.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Epimetheus -- that's awesome! When I went to Astro Totonto in 2014 I was the only one with any inquisition stuff. I took =][= allied with Death Korps of Kreig. Had a blast even though I didn't win any games.

 

We'll for sure have to chat at the tournament.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

WarriorFish, those are my thoughts. I wouldn't bring grenade launchers on scions if they are just a smaller/support element to another force like IG. But in a list like this where I'm fielding close to 40 scions and they represent the majority of my boots on the ground I think it changes things a bit.

 

That said, any thoughts on volley guns? Am I on the right track in thinking they'd be wasted in a mobile force like what I have planned here? Granted I don't always have to deep strike and there are some missions where I might want to have a static unit to deploy in cover somewhere. But I think the majority of missions I'll be moving stuff fast and aggressively.

 

I've been tossing this around in my head the last few days while painting my Taurox Prime with the Gatling Cannon ... I am now gravitating towards giving flamers instead of grenade launchers to the non-meltagun deep-striking squad. It seems to me that flamers would be very useful against Tau Pathfinders hiding in cover with their markerlights, or Imperial Guard behind Aegis Defence lines. The ability to ignore cover would be very nice in those applications, but my concern is over the level of precision that would be required on deep strike to have those flamers within range (versus 24" on the grenade launchers which gives more leeway and I could always deepstrike behind the cover so that enemy don't benefit from it anyway). Thoughts? Anyone have experience trying to deepstrike flamers?

 

A carefully placed servo skull should help with the accuracy, since troops in cover/behind an Aegis are unlikely to sally forth to chase away the servo skull. But still, I'd have to be spot-on with the scatter roll to avoid mishap or landing too far away to use the flamers.

[WarriorFish]

Deep striking is always that element of risk vs reward - flamers just ups that. Personally I'd consider it a "next turn" weapon unless I was keen to strike immediately. In your list I'd be inclined to keep the GLs, at least on one of the units. Two would be a steep price to pay if both scatters went awry.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks for your input, WarriorFish, which is insightful and helpful as always. I think you make a good case for staying the course with grenade launchers and I think I will do just that.

 

If I feel it is really important and worth the risk to deep-strike flamers, I can always deep strike the 8-man squad rather than driving around in the Taurox Prime.

[WarriorFish]

The choice is always good to have, one of the advantages of Stormies :)

[CaptainHelion]

I've deepstriked far too many flamer squads, and the point about "next turn weapons" is a good one. You might get lucky, and have the templates in the exact right place, but I can basically guarantee that'll happen once and it will be amazing, and then never again.

Deepstriking to set up for a next turn strike is a much more reliable option. If you can set it up that there's more than one possible target, depending on how your deviation takes you, then you're golden, no matter what happens over the intervening turns.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Well, one Taurox Prime down, one to go, and 13 Scions, 1 Crusader and a handful of Acolytes and I'm tournament-ready.

After posting these pics, I realised I had neglected to paint the aquilas on the hotshot volleyguns. This is now done.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. It feels like it's not as dirty as my other vehicles, but as I was putting the much on those fenders would be blocking much of it so that's why above the tracks it's not too muddy.

[WarriorFish]

The Taurox looks brilliant in those colours, GW take note!

[Icepick]

Indeed it does, very well done, sir! Simple yet impressive, a quite the fitting look for an inquisitorial vehicle: Dark, imposing and dangerous as it should be. Do you mind if i "borrow" your type of scheme once i add some armor to my forces?

 

Keep up the good work, i'm very excited to see your scions now!

[Epimetheus13]

Fantastic work! Nice mud effect on the tracks, what did you use there?

 

I Agree w WarriorFish, looks so much more imposing in black and silver than in cartoon turquoise.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, all, I'm glad you like it. The Taurox Prime has really grown on me even more through building and painting one. I am happy with how this one turned out. After I'm done preparing for Astronomi-con '16 I'm tempted to buy a third Taurox Prime and try it out in my Emperor's Own Sorgecian Rifles vehicle scheme, I think it would look even better painted that way.

 

Indeed it does, very well done, sir! Simple yet impressive, a quite the fitting look for an inquisitorial vehicle: Dark, imposing and dangerous as it should be. Do you mind if i "borrow" your type of scheme once i add some armor to my forces?

Keep up the good work, i'm very excited to see your scions now!

 

By all means, please do use this scheme if you like. I certainly claim no ownership over it, as I basically took the scheme from my old Witch Hunters' codex and extrapolated how they painted chimerae and rhinos in there over to how a Taurox Prime might be painted. I'm looking forward to getting pain onto my Scions myself.

 

Fantastic work! Nice mud effect on the tracks, what did you use there?

I Agree w WarriorFish, looks so much more imposing in black and silver than in cartoon turquoise.

 

Thanks!

 

The mud effect is very simple. I just stipple on Steel Legion Drab (which is also the colour of my infantry bases).