Night Lords Tallarn Commander's Chaos (Three 'Zerkers Completed)

[Tallarn Commander]

Hello everyone,

 

Back in January I brought the Night Lords (with an attached daemon patrol detachment) to a local tournament at Laughing Dragon Games in Issaquah, Washington here in the United States. It was a fun tournament--all my opponents were very kind. An awesome Saturday spent throwing dice and playing with toy soldiers!

 

 

My list was my Chaos Soup XXXV list....

 

Being a "Chaos Soup" army consisting of a  Night Lords Chaos Marines Vanguard and a Chaos Daemons Patrol featuring Cruel Chosen, Horrific Hounds, and various and sundry other horrors of the Warp

Long ago there was a noble family, the House of Nightfall. They lived in an age of peace and stability established by their world's ruler. Their ruler was Konrad Curze, the fair and just lord of the garden planet Nostramo. And then one day, a corrupt and weak emperor sent an assassin to slay the Lord Curze. The vile assassin succeeded. The emperor then destroyed the paradise that was Nostramo. House Nightfall managed to escape in their merchant families' vessels. But since that day they have never forgotten and  vengeance upon the emperor will be theirs!

House Nightfall is a mercenary and merchant house, sort of like a Chaotic Rogue Trader family. The house ruling council owns and operates over a dozen star systems, a score of void ships, 3 warbands of Night Lords Chaos Marines, a free company of Chaos Knights, and 9 regiments of Traitor Guard and Chaos Militia. This particular force represents House Nightfall's 2nd Battalion of Night Lords.


■ NIGHT LORDS CHAOS MARINES VANGUARD DETACHMENT (1,511 POINTS)

HQ [300 points]
☆ Daemon Prince Buzzard, wings, hellforged sword, malefic talon, Mark of Slaanesh, knows Smite/Death Hex/Delightful Agonies,  Warlord (180)
• Spell: Death Hex--casts on an 8, 12" range, 1 enemy unit loses invulnerable saves
• Spell: Delightful Agonies--casts on a 6, 18" range, buff a Slaaneshi-marked unit with 5+++ feel no pain
• Warlord Trait: to be rolled randomly before the game begins
Daemon Prince Buzzard was already an ancient crime lord on Nostramo when Conrad Curze began his purge of criminals and the corrupt. Seeing which way the winds were blowing Buzzard wisely reined in his followers and moved his criminal operations underground so that the Nighthaunter could not sniff him out. When the call for volunteers to join the Night Lords came, Buzzard, who was at the end of his mortal life, joined up.
Normally such an elderly man would not have been transformed into a space marine. But Curze saw something of a kindred soul in Buzzard's fierceness and penchant for instilling fear. The Nighthaunter allowed the native Nostroman into the ranks of the Night Lords. As a Night Lord, the rejuvenat processes kept Buzzard alive and, over time, thriving. He saw a great many things as the Night Lords wandered the verse converting mankind to follow the empire. He saw the purple darkness of the Lamenian Nebula. He saw the fear in those who joined the empire under threat of death. He saw Grand Cruisers burning near the Suns of Xerxes. And he saw the glorious bloody pyres of those who refused to join the empire.
As did most Night Lords, Buzzard wholeheartedly supported Horus' uprising because he believed the Emperor's persecution of the Night Lords was sheer hypocrisy. The subsequent descent of the Night Lords into Chaos was really nothing new to this hardened criminal. He took things in stride when the Night Lords splintered following Curze's assassination. And over the millenia, through treachery and guile, Buzzard managed to become a Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided.
A few centuries ago, Buzzard crossed paths with House Nightfall. He was amused by this mercenary company of mortal humans with their warped memories of the Nostramo that was. He was, however, quite impressed at the fact that House Nightfall commanded 3 Night Lords Chaos Marine mercenary warbands, 9 Renegade and Heretics Mercenary Chaos Militia Companies, and even a company of Freeholder Chaos Knights. He was also astounded at the network of anti-Imperial clients and allies House Nightfall had forged. Buzzard soon allied himself with House Nightfall. A move he does not regret because he now commands House Nightfall's 2nd Claw of Night Lords Chaos Marines. He has gained a seat on the House's Ruling Council of Eight. While his faction is a lesser faction on the council, he is content to slowly let his power grow as he watches how the winds blow. He is amused at how things have and have not changed since his days as a Nostroman crime lord.

☆ Master of Possession Ruven Godslayer  (95), Mark of Slaanesh (15), Staff of Possession, bolt pistol, knows Smite/Mutated Invigoration/Pact of Flesh/Delightful Agonies=120
-Spell: Mutated Invigoration--casts on a 6, 18" range, buffs 1 friendly unit with +1 toughness and/or strength
-Spell: Pact of Flesh--casts on a 5; 18" range; heals a core, daemonkin, or character unit D3 wounds, if target is core it can also get another model back at full health
-Delightful Agonies--casts on a 6, 18" range, buff a Slaaneshi-marked unit with 5+++ feel no pain
-Relic: The Liber Hereticus
• caster can cast 1 additional spell
• the first spell cast every turn has +6 inches to its range
Unlike most of the Night Lords, Ruven is not from Nostramo. Nor is he a criminal acquired by the Night Lords on a post-Heresy raid. Instead he was forged by the Chaos Gods within the Warp itself as an assassin. He accomplished his first assignment aeons ago when he killed a minor God who was a rival to Slaanesh long ago.
But Ruven objected to being a God's plaything and slipped his yoke by escaping into the universe. Since then he has wandered the verse selling his services to Aeldari, Necrontyr, Golka, and a hundred other species.
He came across House Nightfall and agreed to serve as a contract Sorcerer, a pact that has benefited both sides. Most of the Night Lords believe his name to be hyperbole, only those in the pro-daemon faction of the House Nightfall ruling council know Ruven truly is a Godslayer. They hope to strengthen their cause by recruiting him as a Council member. Something he has so far shown no interest in.


TROOPS [110]
○ Jarvak's Jackals, 5 Legionaries, 5 bolt pistols, 4 chainswords (90), Balefire Tome--bearer knows Smite and Prescience=110
The Chaos Legionaries Squads of House Nightfall consist of mercenaries, murderers, torturers, and thieves. They have long furthered the interests of House Nightfall and are well paid in slaves, armor, and weaponry. During combat they skulk around the battlefield, avoiding a fair fight. They grab objectives, pepper the enemy with bolt shots, and then pounce where they are least expected, flaying the enemy alive with chainswords. They excel in terror tactics, slipping behind enemy lines to slit throats and terrorize the foe.


ELITES [759]

♤ Aspiring Champion Ravenblade's First Claw, 8 Chaos Chosen (200), Mark of Slaanesh (15), Icon of Slaanesh (5), meltagun (10)=220
-Relic: Black Rune of Damnation:
• enemy units' attacks against the bearer's unit are at -1 to wound
• enemy psykers within 18" of the bearer perils on any doubles
The First Claw are murderous bastards who have scrounged up rare and powerful melee weapons. They are veteran Chaos Marines equipped with superior weaponry: force shields to ward off blows and powerful chainglaives that can easily cut a dreadnought in half. In a legion consisting of murderous criminals, First Claw are seen as particularly heinous scalawags.

♤ Aspiring Champion Jadath's Nameless, 8 Chaos Possessed=224
Most Night Lords do not worship the Chaos Gods, at least not openly. The Sons of Curze see Chaos as merely a tool, a means to achieve an end. But they are not above hiring worshippers of Chaos to do their bidding. The Nameless are just that: mercenary worshippers of Chaos from the "Warpborn" warband. The Nameless have each given their true name to a Chaos Daemon. Each of these fools is slowly losing control of his soul and being overtaken by a daemon.

♤ The Atramentar, 5 Chaos Terminators, 2 combi-bolters, 1 accursed weapon, 4 combi-bolters (165), Mark of Slaanesh (15), heavy flamer (5), chainfist (5), 3 powerfists (15)=205
The Atramentar are the warband's veterans. They enforce the will of House Nightfall. Their job is to keep an eye on the newcomer Daemon Prince Buzzard and to ensure he acts in the best interests of House Nightfall. They wear ancient suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armor that can teleport the wearer over great distances.

♤ Malcharion, Chaos Helbrute, Helbrute Fist, multimelta=110
Malcharion once once a hero of the Night Lords who fought alongside Conrad Curze. House Nightfall's Warpsmith Hoth recently revived Malcharion from his long slumber in a stasis chamber. He is not amused.


FAST ATTACK [130]

◇ Bats Out of Hell, 7 Chaos  Raptors, 7 bolt pistols, 6 chainswords (147), Mark of Khorne (15), powerfist (10)=173
The Chaos Raptors epitomize the Night Lords way of war. They prowl near the foe's flanks terrorizing the most vulnerable enemy units and avoiding a fair fight.


HEAVY SUPPORT [170]

□ Death Bat, Chaos Predator, Soulshatter Cannon (130), two lascannons (40)=170
The Death Bat Predator and its crew have been fighting the Long War since the Horus Heresy. Death Bat's Soulshatter Lascannons can pierce the toughest enemy armor at long range. In their free time the Death Bat's crew likes to craft palaces made of living human flesh.


■ HELLTIDE, A DAEMONS OF CHAOS PATROL DETACHMENT  [487 POINTS]

HEADQUARTERS [185]
☆ Gary, Daemon Prince of Nurgle, Malefic Talon (150), wings (35), Hellforged Sword (10), knows Smite/Shriveling Pox=185
• Spell: Shriveling Poc--casts on a 6, 18" range, visible enemy unit is at -1 toughness
• Relic: Corruption
-a relic weapon that is str 8, ap -3, and damage 4
-the target of Corruption's attacks cannot use any ignore wounds rules such as feel no pain
Gary oozes forth from the warp to spread disease and decay. He uses the blessings of Granfather Nurgle to empower his spells and Hellforged Sword. Gary has made certain treaties and pacts with the Night Lords' Master of Possession Ruven that allow the forces of his helltide to enter the mortal realms.

TROOPS [150]
• Aife's Assassins, 10 Plaguebearers, icon, instrument=150
The Plaguebearers pour forth from the warp to spread Dooooiom and virulent fevers.

FAST ATTACK [152]
◇ The Dogs of War, 8 Flesh Hounds of Khorne=152
The dogs of war are beings of hate. They will take, and you will give. You will die so that they may live.


Additional Information
♤ Total points=1,998

♤ Command Points
-1 for Ruven's relic
-1 for Buzzard's warlord trait
-1 for Gary's relic
-1 for Ravenblade's relic
Starting Command Points=2

♤ Number of Models: 56 (44 infantry, 2 vehicles, 8 beasts, 2 Daemon princes)

◇ No Prisoners
Number of wounds available for "no prisoners": 123 wounds, so a max of 14 points if you killed all non HQ infantry models

◇ Assassination
Number of points available for "assasination": 10 (3 characters)

◇ Bring It Down
• Number of points available for "Bring it Down!": 5

 

 

 

 

Note to Dr. Ruminahui: I failed at copying and pasting from Word. Again. Feel free to edit the above so it looks normal.  :)  

 

Here's a photo of my army

 

 

My warlord Buzzard

Daemon Princes sure die quickly this edition. I think I need to give Buzzard some defensive relics and/or traits. Just for fun, I rolled randomly for his traits at the start of each game. :)  Sometimes I rolled useful traits and sometimes I rolled less useful traits.

 

 

Master of Possession Ruven Godslayer

MoPs sure are good this edition. I'd feel bad about using them except I had a 7-game losing streak going into this tournament.

 

 

 

Some shots of my Raptors, the Bats Out of Hell

I think this was my first time using Raptors since the new Codex dropped. I was very unimpressed with their performance. They quickly were blown away and when they managed to get off the charge they just bounced off of opponents. And I forgot about their -1 fear effect so that was moot as well. 

 

 

First Claw, my Chaos Chosen Squad

These chaps sure are fun to use. They benefit greatly from their Mark of Slaanesh.

 

 

My Atramentar, a tough-as-nails termie unit

 

 

Nightclaw, recently downgraded from a termie lord to a termie with heavy flamer

 

 

 

Deathbat, Chaos Predator Annihilator

While not particularly competitive in today's uber-shooty meta, this model is very fun to use and consisently chips away at the enemy

 

 

Bolivar with Malevolent Tome and his Legionaries

Legionaries with the tome really help my Night Lords perform during the pyschic phase

 

 

 

That's it for the army showcase. Next up is a report on Game 1.

 

 

-------TO BE CONTINUED BELOW--------

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

------------------GAME ONE: NIGHT LORDS VS. THOUSAND SUNS------------------

 

Game 1 found the Sons of Curzed pitted against a fellow Chaos army, Thousand Suns. They are always a fun, tricksy army to play against. 

 

My opponent's army was something along the lines of...

 

HQ

-some sort of psyker

-some sort of psyker

-A Daemon Prince

 

TROOPS

-medium-sized Rubric Squad with bolters

-medium-sized Rubric Squad with bolters

-small Rubric Squad with flamers

 

ELITES

-brick of 10 scarab termies

-emergency backup brick of 10 scarab termies

 

He probably had other things that I forgot as well.

 

 

 

The board at deployment, Night Lords on the left at Thousand Suns on the right

 

 

My Flesh Hounds, Daemon Prince, and Chosen before the game begins

The Flesh Hounds were promptly blown away on Turn 1

 

 

On Turn 1 a block of Scarab Termies bamf forward into a building

 

 

This squad of Scarab Termies (thankfully) failed its charge against my lines on Turn 1 and I promptly counter-attacked with my Termies and DP

 

 

On Turn 2 his Daemon Prince managed a charge against my Possessed but flubbed his rolls and got beaten down for his troubles

Hmm, his DP does about as well as my DP

 

 

On his Turn 2 his emergency backup Terminator Scarab squad prepares to make mincemeat out of my termies, the Atramentar

 

 

 

And on my Turn 2 the surviving elements of my main line (everyone else had died to a hail of bolter fire) hit his line but didn't do much

Malcharian the Helbrute and First Claw the Chosen struggle against a mass of Rubrics

 

 

After that it was pretty much a mop up and I was tabled by Turn 4. I had killed 2 sorcerers, a termie squad, a DP, and the flamer rubrics. He killed off my whole army. But it was a fun Chaos vs. Chaos matchup with termies fighting termies and tactical spell blocking. With both sides having lots of caster--I had 4 he had 7 or so--we had to be very careful with our spells.  We weren't sure why we were fighting each other but we figured that the Night Lords, being Night Lords, weren't showing enough deference to the Changer of Way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tallarn Commander]

------------------GAME 2 VS. CUSTODES-------------------

 

Game 2 featured the forces of House Nightfall facing off against the guardians of the Corpse Emperor, the Custodes. 

 

 

A vague aproximation of my opponent's Custodes list

 

HQ

-shield captain on bike

-Trajan? I cannot recall

-1 or 2 other characters

 

TROOPS

-some Custodian Guard

-some Custodian Guard

-some Custodian Guard

-Some Sisters of Silence

 

ELITES

-a Contemptor Dreadnought

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

-a hover tank

-a hover tank

 

The game was over quickly and I was blown away by shooting and then chopped up in assault. He tabled me by Turn 4 or so and I managed only to kill his Sisters Squad. That's what happens when a top-tier army with a good general goes up against a mid-tier army with a casual general. :) But it was still fun because I got to play with my toy soldiers.

 

 

We had some fun dreadnought vs. dreadnought melee. But he got the charge off so Malcharian was quickly dispatched.

 

 

My Raptors deep strike on Turn 3 (he kindly reminded me I had the squad in reserve) and then get blown away

 

 

Custodes mop up my firebase on Turn 3

 

 

My termies held out longer than my other units did

 

 

 

 

The board on Turn 2 or 3, Night Lords on the left and Custodes on the right

 

 

And the forces of midnight clad slink off into the darkness to lick their wounds....They will be back!

 

 

 

 

Game 3 to be continued below.............................

 

[Tallarn Commander]

------------------GAME 3 OF THE JANUARY 2023 LAUGHING DRAGON RTT: Night Lords vs. Black Legion------------------

 

Game 3 of the tournament found me at the bottom table (like normal) and my foul forces of Chaos were set to go against....Abbadon and his foul forces of Chaos.  My opponent is a nice chap who I've played before. For instance, in Bremerton last Spring in this game:

 

 

https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/321042-tallarn-commanders-chaos-january-tournament-updates/?do=findComment&comment=5869176

 

 

He's a fellow casual player and longtime Chaos player and games against him are always close and fun. We tossed dice and reminisced about the Chaos that was and the Chaos that would be. For backstory, since my army is essentially a mercenary force we decided that Abbadon had hired House Nightfall and then not paid them. Hell has no fury like a mercenary scorned so 2nd Battalion was sent to collect on Abbadon's debts.

 

 

His army was something along the lines of:

 

HQ

-Abbie

-MoP

-Warpsmith (if I recall correctly)

 

TROOPS

-Full-sized Tzeenchian Squad replete with tome

-Full-sized Slaaneshi Squad replete with tome?

-Full-sized unmarked Squad replete with tome?

-Squad of 20 Cultists

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

-Squad of 3 Oblits

-Squad of 2 or 3 Oblits

-Deffy

 

 

Here's a shot of the board after the forces of House Nightfall moved out on Turn 1

 

 

First Claw Moves Up the Board

 

 

 

The thin black line stands defiant

 

Deffy takes potshots at Plaguebearers

 

 

Abbie glows!

My opponent regularly wins best painted army awards because of his amazing paint jobs, conversions, and use of LED lighting, which you can see here on Abbie

 

 

On Turn 2 my line hit his line, here you can see First Claw ripping apart his Oblits

 

 

 

And Second Claw decimated his Legionaries and grabbed the objective. 

 

 

 

But Deffy strides forward defiantly, he never like the Oblits anyway

 

 

And he and the Legionaries easily remove the Plaguebearers and Daemon Prince Gary from the objective

 

 

 

And Abbie easily dispatches Daemon Prince Buzzard

 

 

 

In the end it was a very close game but the deadbeat Black Legion won. Abbadon will continue to refuse to pay House Nightfall its due!

 

And so ended a very fun weekend of Warhammer 40K. Thanks to the TO, Laughing Dragon Games, and all my oponents. I was fortunate enough to earn the award for Best Sportsman.

 

 

Ave Dominus Nox!

 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

Greetings fellow Chaos followers,

 

Last month I brought my Night Lords to another Rogue Trader tournament. This tournament took place at Mugu Games up in Everett, Washington. As always, I had a great time. I even managed to break my 16-game losing streak by actually winning a game of 40K. Huzzah!

 

 

My Night Lords list (2000 points)

 

HQ

-Lord Saris, Terminator Lord with various upgrades including the "Dirty Fighter" warlord trait (not that I actually remembered I had this trait)

-Deadsoul, Terminator Sorcerer with upgrades including the Eye of Tzeench relic (I had recently finished painting Deadsoul so this was his first time in use)

 

TROOPS

-Harbingers, 10 Khornate Legionaries with upgrades

-Jackals, 10 Slaaneshi Legionaries with upgrades

-Reavers, 10 Tzeenchian Legionares with upgrades

 

ELITES

-Malcharion, Helbrute with fist and multi-melta

-Harry, Helbrute with fist and multi-melta

-The Atramentar, 5 Chaos Termies with upgrades

 

FAST ATTACK

-Bat to the Bone, 4 Chaos Bikers with various upgrades including the Black Mace relic

-Night Riders, 4 Chaos Bikers including the Blade of the Relentless relic

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

-Deathbat, Chaos Predator Annihilator with upgrades

-Oscar, Obliterator

-Night Snipers, Chaos Havocs with autocannons

 

 

 

Here are some photos of my Night Lords

 

 

House Nightfall's 3rd Battalion in all its chaotic glory

 

 

The Reavers Legionary Squad

 

 

Symbol and grimoire

 

 

Freshly painted Terminator Sorcerer Deadsoul

Before Conrad Curze's rise to power Deadsoul was a gang Enforcer and professional hit man on the Nostromo that was. Dozens of gang leaders hired Deadsoul to do their dirty work. While a criminal he welcomed Nighthaunter's rise to power because it forced the street gangs to adapt or die. Incompetent crime lords were quickly killed by Curze and only the smart ones survived. But there was still need for a discrete assassin and so Deadsoul thrived and the trains ran on time.

Deadsoul signed up when he heard of the call for volunteers to join the ranks of the Night Lords. He had witnessed Nighthaunter from afar and had seen in Curze's black eyes a kindred soul, a murderer with a heart as dark as the Night. Deadsoul knew he and Nighthunter were cut from the same cloth.
Subsequent events proved him to be correct and the former assassin enjoyed nothing more than terrorizing and flaying "enemies" of the Empire.
By the time of the Horus Heresy Deadsoul had already begun dabbling in the black arts anyway so turning rebel was easy for him. When the Night Lords splintered into many different factions Deadsoul became a sorcerer for hire, which was not very different than his previous profession as an assassin for hire.

He wandered the verse and one day stumbled across House Nightfall. Delighted to find descendants of Nostroman refugees, even if their stories of the past were a bit incorrect, Deadsoul immediately offered his services as a sorcerer and was hired on the spot. Deadsoul does not pay particular attention to the political infighting among the council members, which is why Lord Saris Fleshscape prefers to work with him.

 

Terminator Lord Saris

Lord Saris is something of an oddity within House Nightfall. He is a neutral party who largely ignores the ruling council's political infighting. Instead, he is a sort of populist demagogue who works to ensure that the needs of the rank and file are met. It is he who ensures the indentured workers are housed and fed. It is he who ensures the militia and mercenaries are paid. And when a Heretic Astartes goes feral and preys on a civilian it is Saris or his Atramentar who mete out final justice.
As a neutral party, the council often asks Lord Saris and his 3rd Battalion warband to undertake missions that are particularly high in both risk and reward. Missions in which victory might grant too much glory to a particular faction if they succeed. As such, Saris has earned a reputation as the council's fixer. In his free time he likes to landscape the ruling council's gardens using human flesh.

 

The Jackals Legionaries Squad

 

 

 

Lord Chamorro, former Biker Lord and leader of 1st Battalion. Now just a Chaos Biker. She and I really hope that GW brings back Chaos biker lords.

I sure

Champion Chamorro was once a Chaos Lord who commanded House Nightfall's 1st Battalion. But she failed in an attempt to usurp a member of the ruling council. In punishment she was demoted to a rank-and-file Legionary. * She has since earned her current status as the Aspiring Champion of her own Chaos Biker Squad. She is still ambitious and hopes to regain her warband and to eventually gain a seat on the ruling Council of Eight.
* GW for some reason eliminated Chaos Biker Lords

 

Good 'ol Malcharion, sometimes a Helbrute and sometimes a Contemptor

 

 

Deathbat, Chaos Pred

 

 

Oscar the Obliterator and a Havoc

This was the first time I had used him since about 2004 or so. Sadly I usually deployed him behind cover and forgot about him. But he did serve screen out deep-strikers at least (something a 25-point spawn could have done just as well). D'oh!

 

 

The Atramentar

They didn't really miss losing armor of contempt because the enemy lost it too!

 

 

The Harbingers Legionary Squad

 

 

 

-------------------CONTINUED BELOW WITH GAME ONE: NIGHT LORDS VS. WORLD EATERS--------------------

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

---------------------------GAME 1 OF THE MARCH RTT: NIGHT LORDS VS. WORLD EATERS----------------------------

 

As a World Eaters player, I'm happy that their codex has made them a top contender. Although, since various units were eliminated from the list my 2,200 points of World Eaters is now only 1,450 points of World Eaters. So it'll be awhile before I can field World Eaters at the tournament level. Sigh.

 

I learned from this game that World Eaters Eightbound and Exalted Eightbound are very, very good. So good that my opponent apologized to me for using them. The good thing about this game is that it was over quickly. :)  But my opponent was also very nice as he ripped my army apart and shredded it to death. I was tabled on Turn 4 and all I'd done to his army is kill a Dreadclaw, a squad of Zerkers, and a squad of 3 Eightbound.

 

Here are some photos:

 

The board at deployment

 

 

Nightsnipers Havoc Squad

They were ingloriously thrown forward as a desperate screening unit during this game. Poor bastards.

 

World Eaters hit my biker screen

Biker Lord Chamorro told me "This job of screening could be done better by a Cultist Squad at half the price." I responded, "Be quiet, you."

 

 

Scrum in the middle

 

 

Harry vs. Eightbound

 

 

Sorcerer Deadsoul's first (and last) stand

 

 

Juggie Lord Takes out Malcharion

I've wanted a juggie lord for decades. Now I can add one to my World Eaters again, Yay!

 

 

 

 

 

---------------------------GAME 2 OF THE MARCH RTT: NIGHT LORDS VS. ADMECH----------------------------

 

 

For Game 1 Terminator Lord Saris was hired by a mysterious entity to destroy an AdMech force that were combing the ruins of the Planet Everett IX. My opponent's list was something along the lines of:

 

Admech

 

HQ

-3 or 4 repair type Techpriesty characters (sorry I don't know much about Admech)

-1 Skitarii character, the Marshall I think?

 

TROOPS

-1 reallly big squad of Skitarii

-2 or 3 smaller Skitarii squads (?)

-A squad of 3 tracked Kataphrons

 

ELITES

-Squad of 5 Infiltrators

 

FAST ATTACK

-Ironstrider Squadron of 2 to 3 with lascannons

-Squad of 5 Skystriders--these blokes looked really cool

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

-Dunecrawler with big gun

-Dunecrawler with big gun

-Dunecrawler with big gun

 

TRANSPORTS

-1 Dunerider

 

 

This came was very close.  It was (thankfully) a very dense urban board with very limited lines of sight. If this had been a more typical board with a normal amount of cover it would have been another Marianas Turkey shoot for the Tau. But, like the defenders of Stalingrad and a thousand other urban battlegrounds, the army with less firepower took advantage of dense urban terrain to even the playing field. 

 

The game featured both of us screening our backfields from deepstrikers  with firebase elements while manuevering up the board. As such, it was as much a game of chess as it was 40K. I really like how 8th and 9th editions, with their emphasis on objectives, have forced gunline armies such as the Tau into the middle of the board. I hope we keep this in 10th edition.

 

Lessons Learned

1. Don't deep-strike next to an intact Tau gun line. Actually, I already knew this. But on Turn 2 when I deep-striked the Atramentar Terminator Squad, Lord Saris in Terminator Armor, and Sorcerer Deadsoul in Sorcerer Armor I commented to my opponent, "Now deep-striking here behind this building on the right flank would be the smart move. And deep-striking on my right-flank where I can possibly charge you would be the fun move. Guess which move I'm going to make?" My opponent guessed, "The fun move?" And he was right. My termies all failed their charged and got blow away for their trouble.

 

Termies drop in on the Night Lords right flank

 

 

Lesson Learned Number 2: Remember to "retrieve data" when you have chosen it as a secondary. D'oh!

Lesson Learned Number 3: Don't forget to shoot with Oscar the Obliterator, he's not just there to deny deesptrike and outflanking to Rangers and Skystriders. D'oh!

 

In all, it was a very fun game. I'd have to say my MVPs were my two Chaos Biker Squads who managed to advance up to his flank and charge it on Turns 1/2 and then tie him up in melee with liberal uses of the 2 CP Night Lords strat "We Have Come for You" which locks units in melee. I'd sure like to keep this strat in 10th edition. But I understand what GW is saying about subfactions, they currently contribute a lot to game imbalance because they introduce so many additional variables during play-testing. If they take away "We Have Come for You" I will understand.

 

 

Chaos Bikers during deployment

 

 

 

My Biker Squads "Bat to the Bone" and "Night Riders" being champs

 

 

In the end the forces of the AdMech won a very close victory and, for once, my army was not tabled. Instead I enjoyed a fun, close game.
 

Sadly, House Nightfall's defeat meant their mysterious client refused to pay them. And Chaos Lord Saris earned a black mark in the Council of Eight's Book of Grudges.

 

 

 

----------------------------GAME 3 OF THE MUGU GAMES MARCH RTT: NIGHT LORDS VS. SALAMANDERS----------------------------

 

For Game 3, Chaos Lord Saris was hired to deal with a pesky force of Salamanders Space Marines. I love playing against Salamanders. Their generals are always nice, casual, well steeped in the lore of 40K, and often have gorgeously pained armies. This was true of my great opponent on all counts.

 

My opponent's army: Salamanders at 2k (not entirely accurate since it's from memory)

 

HQ

-Chaplain on Bike

-Librarian

-Vulkan

 

TROOPS

-Squad of 5 Infiltrators

-Squad of 5 Infiltrators

 

ELITES

-Squad of 10 Vanguard Vets kitted with meltas and such

-Squad of 5 Aggressors with powerfists and flamers of doooom

-Emergency Backup Squad of 5 Aggressors with powerfists and flamers of doooom

-Apothecary

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

-Squad of 3 Eliminators with their super sniper rifles

-Emergency Backup Squad of 3 Eliminators with their super sniper rifles

-Squad of 5 Assault Termies with shields and hammers

 

TRANSPORTS

-Drop Pod (for the Vanguard Vets)

 

 

Sadly I didn't take many pics. j

 

The game pretty much boiled down to 3 melee scrums:

 

My Left Flank

I pitted the bulk of my forces to this flank: Termies, Lord, Sorc, and both biker squads. He dedicated an Eliminator Squad and an Aggressor Squad to this flank. The mobility of the Night Lords (deep strike and bikers) meant they could arrive on this flank "firstest with the mostest" as Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest would say. This meant that I was victorious in this scrum.

 

As an aside, General Forrest had a very complicated history after the U.S. Civil War, first working with the KKK  in the 1860s as a horrific racist to crush the rights of blacks and then he had a moral upheaval in the 1870s and shifted to supporting African American rights and advancement, which made him an enemy of the KKK).

 

My Center

I tasked my 2 Helbrutes and 2 of my Legionaries Squads, the Reavers and Harbingers, with holding the center. They were pitted against an Aggressor Squad, an Apothecary, an Infiltrator Squad, and Vulkan to this flank. Interestingly, we pretty much attrited each other into mutual destruction in this fight and it was a draw with not much remaining other than a Helbrute and remnants of the Harbingers on my part and remnants of his Aggressors on his side. So it was a draw.

 

My right flank

I only dedicated a squad of Legionaries, the Jackals, to this flank. They held their own for awhile, but were eventually take out by his termies and an Eliminator Squad.

 

 

I didn't take many photos during the game, so here are 3 images:

 

 

Harry treats Vulkan with extreme prejudice and bops him on the head, thus knocking the Salamander unconscious

 

 

Jarvak's Jackals are surrounded and eliminated on my right flank, with Aspiring Champion Jarvak being the last to fall

 

 

In the end, it was a very close game and the forces of Chaos had beaten the forces of the Corpse God by something like 6 or so points. Huzzah! More importantly it was a fun, close game. 

 

Here are my thoughts on how I'd grade my units:

 

HQ

-Lord Saris in Termie armor: he died without doing much in most games, but I still love Termie Lords: F but a C because of nostalgia

-Sorceror Deadsoul in Termie Armor: this was his first outing and the first time I've used a sorcerer instead of a Master of Possession since our new Codex came out last July. Boy, the regular spells available to him  are pretty lame compared to the MoP's spells. He took Death Hex (which rarely worked since it casts on an 8) and Warptime (which was rarely useful since we can no longer charge after using it). I think I'll shelve poor Deadsoul til 10th Edition when hopefully he gets better: F

 

TROOPS

-Harbingers, Jackals, and Reavers, 3 full squads of Legionaries: there's a reason none of the "meta" CSM lists (read Black Legion with bricks of 10 Termies and some squads of Possessed) never take full squads of Legionaries. The folks were lackluster in every way, but I love 'em. And in games against other casual opponents such as the Salamanders, they do fine: C grade

 

ELITES

-Harry and Malcharion: my 2 Helbrutes were both solid midfield units that contributed in both melee and shooting: B

 

-Atramentar Terminators: my squad of 5 Termies often did wonderful things in melee: A 

 

FAST ATTACK

-Bat to the Bone and Night Riders Chaos Biker Squads: This was the first time I've used Bikers since the Codex came out and, wow, I'm really impressed. It's like they are a sleeper unit that truly shines thanks to the 3rd wound and their speed. These suckers did what was asked of them by chipping away at and tying up the enemy: A grade

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

-Oscar the Obliterator: no grade because I kept forgetting I had him. Sigh.

-Night Snipers Havocs Squad: their autocannons didn't do much, I think I'll try a squad of 4 with lascannons. F Grade

-Deathbat: very vulnerable to enemy anti-tank weaponry but still a solid and fairly cheap way to reliably chip 3 to 6 wounds a turn off of the enemy from across the table. You cannot really ask for more: B

 

 

The March Rogue Trader Tournament at Mugu Games was a superb event. Thanks to all my opponents and to the Tournament Organizer, who always runs excellent events. He will be bringing an army to the July Tacoma Open so I'll see him then.

 

 

 

House Nightfall's Night Lords, "The quick and the dead."

Edited April 19, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

In addition to last month's tournament, I've been hobbying a bit on my Night Lords. I started 3 projects, 2 of which I completed. 

 

The projects I started and completed in March are:

-upgrading 5 Night Lords Aspiring Champions

-Sorcerer Deadsoul

 

The project I started in March and am still working on is:

-Second Claw, a squad of 10 Night Lords Possessed Marines

 

 

Here are some photos.

 

 

As noted above, I painted up Terminator Sorcerer Deadsoul last month

 

 

As you can see he has various bitz and bobz added on, including a Cthuluesque head on his staff.

 

For the time being, our Legionaries champions can get powerfists and plasma pistols for free. So I removed magnets from the arms of all my champions and gave each a permanent glued-on plasma pistol. Four of them also got permanent, glued-on powerfists while 1 champion kept her power sword. Here are some photos

 

 

 

Champion Batista before his new kit was painted up

 

 

And after the new kit is painted up...

 

 

Champion Jarvak, before and after photos

 

Champion Rosas before...

 

 

...and after

 

 

 

Champion Evita, before and after

 

 

 

And, finally, good 'ol Champion Hatred

 

 

And, as an effort to at least win 20% or 30% of my games (my current win % with this Codex is 13%), I've decided to cave to the meta and add a squad of Night Lords Possessed. The good news is that I've used winnings from various "best sportsman" awards to buy this squad so it only cost me $5 (plus $20 for 10 Night Lords shoulder pads from "Pop Goes the Monkey" on Etsy).

 

Here are some work-in-progress pics of Second Claw, House Nightfall's Possessed Squad

 

 

The champion, name is to-be-determined

Death to the Tau Fire Warrior!

 

Some of the squad

 

 

 

And here's how I justify the Night Lords including a squad of Chaos-worshipping lunatics into their ranks:

 

Most Night Lords do not worship the Chaos Gods, at least not openly. The Sons of Curze see Chaos as merely a tool, a means to achieve an end.
But some Night Lords do go rogue and begin worshipping the Dark Gods. When this happens, they are given a choice. They can face the swift justice of an Atramentar's axe or they can join House Nightfall's Second Claw
Second Claw are Possessed who have each given their true name to a Chaos Daemon. Each of these fools is slowly losing control of his or her soul and being overtaken by an entity from beyond space and time. The Council of Eight keeps a close watch on them to ensure their taint does not spread.

 

 

 

Enjoy the photos!

 

 

Night Lords, "In midnight clad."

Edited April 20, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[madlibrarian]

Dude I love the slaughterpriest conversion! Such a good shout. Might do a similar one myself 

[Tallarn Commander]

Thanks for the kind words!

 

 

Yesterday I went to another fun Rogue Trader Tournament. This time it was in Issaquah, Washington here in the United States. The venue was Laughing Dragon Games. They always hold excellent tournaments and yesterday was no exception.

 

 

I decided to bring a fun, fluffy Night Lords "Host Raptorial" army featuring 30 jump-pack troopers.

 

 

Here is my list...

 

 

Chaos Space Marines List 52, 2022 Codex, Night Lords

May 2023 Laughing Dragon Rogue Trader Tournament

Being a Night Lords Chaos Space Marine force featuring a Host Raptorial, Capricious Chosen, and various and sundry other horrors of the Warp

Long ago there was a noble family, the House of Nightfall. They lived in an age of peace and stability established by their world's ruler. Their ruler was Konrad Curze, the fair and just lord of the garden planet Nostramo. And then one day, a corrupt and weak emperor sent an assassin to slay the Lord Curze. The vile assassin succeeded. The emperor then destroyed the paradise that was Nostramo. House Nightfall managed to escape in their merchant families' vessels. But since that day they have never forgotten and vengeance upon the emperor will be theirs!

House Nightfall is a mercenary and merchant house, sort of like a Chaotic Rogue Trader family. The House's Council of Eight owns and operates over a dozen star systems, a score of void ships, 3 warbands of Night Lords Chaos Marines, a free company of Chaos Knights, and 9 regiments of Traitor Guard. This particular force represents House Nightfall's 2nd Battalion of Night Lords.

 


HEADQUARTERS

☆ Daemon Prince Buzzard (130), wings (35), Mark of Tzeench (15), Hellforged Sword, Malefic Talon, knows Smite, Skeins of Fate, and Death Hex=180
• Relic: The Gorget of Eternal Hate: Buzzard's armor save goes from a 3+ to a 2+, his invulnerable goes from a 5++ to a 4++, and when Buzzard is killed in melee roll a D6 for each enemy unit within 3 inches. On a 1 that unit takes no mortal wounds, on a 2 to 5 that unit takes D3 mortal wounds and on a 6 that unit takes a flat 3 mortal wounds.
Daemon Prince Buzzard was already an ancient crime lord on Nostramo when Conrad Curze began his purge of criminals and the corrupt. Seeing which way the winds were blowing Buzzard wisely reined in his followers and moved his criminal operations underground so that the Nighthaunter could not sniff him out. When the call for volunteers to join the Night Lords came, Buzzard, who was at the end of his mortal life, jumped at the chance to join.
Normally such an elderly man would not have been transformed into a space marine. But Curze saw something of a kindred soul in Buzzard's fierceness and penchant for instilling fear. The Nighthaunter allowed the native Nostroman into the ranks of the Night Lords. As a Night Lord, the rejuvenat processes kept Buzzard alive and, over time, thriving.
He saw a great many things as the Night Lords wandered the verse "convincing" mankind to follow the empire. He saw the purple darkness of the Lamenian Nebula. He saw the fear in those who joined the empire under threat of death. He saw Grand Cruisers burning near the Suns of Xerxes. And he saw the glorious bloody pyres of those who refused to join the empire.
When Horus began his uprising, Buzzard wholeheartedly supported the rebellion because he believed the Emperor's persecution of the Night Lords was hypocrisy at its finest. The subsequent descent of the Night Lords into Chaos was really nothing new to this hardened criminal. He took things in stride when the Night Lords splintered following Curze's assassination. And over the millennia, through treachery and guile, Buzzard managed to become a Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided.
A few centuries ago, Buzzard crossed paths with House Nightfall. He was amused by this mercenary company of mortal humans with their warped memories of the Nostramo that was. He was, however, quite impressed at the fact that House Nightfall commanded 3 Night Lords Chaos Marine mercenary warbands, 9 Renegade and Heretics Mercenary Chaos Militia Companies, and even a company of Freeholder Chaos Knights. He was also astounded at the network of anti-Imperial clients and allies House Nightfall had forged. Buzzard soon allied himself with House Nightfall. A move he does not regret because he now commands House Nightfall's 2nd Claw of Night Lords Chaos Marines. He has gained a seat on the House's Ruling Council of Eight. While his faction is a lesser faction on the council, he is content to slowly let his power grow as he watches how the winds blow. He is amused at how things have and have not changed since his days as a Nostroman crime lord.

☆ Master of Possession Ruven Godslayer, Staff of Possession, bolt pistol, knows the following spells: Smite, Mutated Invigoration, Pact of Flesh=105
-Relic: The Liber Hereticus
• caster can cast 1 additional spell
• every successfully cast spell has +6 inches to its range
Unlike most of the Night Lords, Ruven is not from Nostramo. Nor is he a criminal acquired by the Night Lords on a post-Heresy raid. Instead, he was forged by the Chaos Gods within the Warp itself as an assassin. He accomplished his first assignment aeons ago when he killed a minor God who was a rival to Slaanesh long ago.
But Ruven objected to being a God's plaything and slipped his yoke by escaping into the universe. Since then he has wandered the verse selling his services to Aeldari, Necrontyr, Golka, and a hundred other species.
He came across House Nightfall and agreed to serve as a contract Sorcerer, a pact that has benefited both sides. Most of the Night Lords believe his name to be hyperbole, only those in the pro-daemon faction of the House Nightfall ruling council know Ruven truly is a Godslayer. They hope to strengthen their cause by recruiting him as a member of the Council of Eight. Something he has so far shown no interest in.


TROOPS
○ Champion Jarvak's Jackals, 8 Legionaries, 7 bolt pistols, 4 chainswords (144), powerfist (0), plasma pistol (0), heavy chainaxe (0), Mark of Slaanesh (20), icon (0), Balefire Tome (20)--bearer knows Smite, Diabolic Strength, and Delightful Agonies, lascannon (0)=184
○ Champion Rosas' Reavers, 7 Legionaries, 10 bolt pistols, 5 chainswords (126), powerfist (0), plasma pistol (0), heavy chainaxe (0), Icon of Chaos Undivided (0), Balefire Tome (20)--bearer knows Smite, Prescience, lascannon (0)=146
The Chaos Legionaries Squads of House Nightfall consist of mercenaries, murderers, torturers, and thieves. They have long furthered the interests of House Nightfall and are well paid in slaves, armor, and weaponry. During combat they skulk around the battlefield, avoiding a fair fight. They grab objectives, pepper the enemy with bolt shots, and then pounce where they are least expected, flaying the enemy alive with chainswords. They excel in terror tactics, slipping behind enemy lines to slit throats and terrorize the foe.


ELITES
♤ Malcharion, Chaos Contemptor Dreadnought (140), multimelta (10), Chainfist (5), heavy flamer (5)=105
-Be advised that a Chaos Contemptor's chainfist is a str14, ap-4 melee weapon. It does 2D3 dmg. to non-vehicle targets and a flat 6 dmg. to vehicle targets
Malcharion once a hero of the Night Lords who fought alongside Conrad Curze. Warpsmith Hoth's dark magick's have recently revived Malcharion from his long slumber in a stasis chamber. He is not amused.

♤ First Claw, 5 Chaos Chosen, 4 Accursed Weapons, 5 bolt pistols, 5 bolters (125), powerfist (0)=125
The First Claw are murderous bastards who have scrounged up rare armor and melee weapons. They are equipped with force shields to ward off blows and powerful chainglaives that can easily cut a dreadnought's leg in half. In a legion consisting of murderous criminals, the Chosen are seen as particularly heinous scalawags.


FAST ATTACK
◇ Bbbbbrrrrrble, Chaos Spawn=25
◇ Raaaaawwwwrrr, Chaos Spawn=25
The Chaos Spawn wander about the battlefield mewling, oozing, and slaughtering.

◇ Champion Terrorclaw's Bats Out of Hell, 10 Chaos Raptors, 10 bolt pistols, 9 chainswords (210), Mark of Khorne (15), powerfist (10)=235
◇ Champion Ragnar's Death from Above, 10 Chaos Raptors, 10 bolt pistols, 9 chainswords (210), Mark of Khorne (15), powerfist (10)=235
The Chaos Raptors epitomize the Night Lords way of war. They prowl near the foe's flanks terrorizing the most vulnerable enemy units and avoiding a fair fight.

◇ Warpnight, 10 Chaos Warp Talons=280
The Warp Talons are more akin to daemonic Blood Hounds than Chaos Marines. The Night Lords normally would not tolerate such daemonic taint amidst their ranks. But they see Warpnight not as fallen Chaos Marines. Instead, the Night Lords view the Warp Talons as a symbolic manifestation of Curze's hatred towards the Empire's hypocrisy.


HEAVY SUPPORT
□ Death Bat, Chaos Predator, Soulshatter Cannon (130), two lascannons (20), Havoc Launcher (0), combi-melta (0)=150
The Death Bat Predator and its crew have been fighting the Long War since the Horus Heresy. Death Bat's Soulshatter Lascannons can pierce the toughest enemy armor at long range. In their free time the Death Bat's crew likes to craft dresses and suits made of living human flesh.


□ Mary the Maulerfiend, Mauler Fists, Lasker Tendrils=140
Mary aspires to be the first Night Lord to reach the enemy lines. She is a happy Daemon engine. She loves making new friends and giving them a big old hug. Sadly, her new friends usually do not survive her "hugs."


♤ Total points=2,000

♤ Command Points
-1 for Buzzard's Gorget of Eternal Hatred
-1 for Ruven's Liber Hereticus
Starting Command Points=4

♤ Number of Models: 57 (51 infantry, 3 vehicles, 2 spawn, 1 daemon prince)

◇ No Prisoners
Number of wounds available for "no prisoners": 113 spawn and non-HQ infantry wounds, so a max of 12 points if you killed all non HQ infantry models

◇ Assassination
Number of points available for "assassination": 7 (2 characters)

◇ Bring It Down
• Number of points available for "Bring it Down!": 6


Night Lords Trait: Terror Tactics
• Each enemy unit within 9 inches of a Night Lords unit is at minus 2 leadership and is at minus 1 during combat attrition tests (this lead debuff can stack with Raptor, and other units' fear abilities!)
• melee attacks get plus 1 to wound against units below half strength or with a leadership of 5 or less

Night Lords Stratagems
♤ In Midnight Clad: minus 1 to enemy shooting at that specific Night Lords unit (1 CP)
♤ Sound the Black Hunt:
• re-roll 1's against an enemy unit that is below starting strength
• or re-roll to hits against an enemy unit that is below half strength or that has a leadership of 5 or less 1 CP)
♤ Flay Them Alive: If a Heretic Astartes unit kills a warlord all enemy combat attrition tests are at minus 1 (1 CP)
♤ Underhand Scheming: unit can charge even if it fell back (1 CP)
♤ From the Night: unit can deep-strike 1 turn earlier (1 CP/2 CP for daemonkin)
♤ Screaming Skies: jump pack unit leaves the board and cam deep strike back on next turn (1 CP)
♤ We Have Come for You: enemy units in melee cannot fall back unless they are a vehicle, titanic, or an aircraft (2 CP)
♤ Vox Scream: one enemy unit within 12 inches loses all aura abilities for a turn (2 CP))

 

 

 

 

 

 

------------------------GAME 1: NIGHT LORDS VS. BLACK TEMPLARS--------------------

 

Game 1 was against a very nice Black Templars opponent with a gorgeously painted army.

 

I'm a bit fuzzy on space marines units but here's a vague aproximation of what he had:

 

 

HEADQUARTERS

-2 or 3 characters, one was an apothecary and 1 was a chaplain

 

TROOPS

-Big unit of Crusaders

-Big unit of Crusaders

 

ELITES

-Redemptor

-Redemptor

-The new Brutalis Redemptor--his was so beautiful my eyes hurt!

-5 Assault Termies

-5 Assault Termies

-5 jump pack Vanguard Vets

-5 Blade Guard

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

-3 Eradicators

 

 

Here are some photos of the game:

 

 

 

The board at deployment

The thin black line on the left and the thin blue line on the right

 

 

The dynamic duo, Malcharion the Contemptor Dread and Mary the Maulerfiend

These 2 units were consistently my heaviest hitters yesterday, they definitely earn MVP status

 

 

Crusaders Move Up

 

 

Mary and Malcharion Take Out a Redemptor

 

 

 

Brutalis KOs Buzzard while the Warp Talons, Squad Warpnight, Drop the Brutalis Down to 1 Wound

 

 

 

Mary Waves Hello to Some Black Termplar Vanguard Veterans

She just wants to be friends with them

 

 

Redemptor Prepares to Wipe out Squad Warpnight

 

 

 

 

 

Brutalis with 1 Wound and the Chosen Squad, First Claw, Size Each Other Up

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile Ruven, my Master of Possession, and the Reavers Legionaries Squad Just Chill Out in my Backfield

 

 

 

As is typical since the 9th edition CSM Codex came out, I was easily defeated by my opponent. But it was a fun game nonetheless. My games against Black Templars are always fun because usually both sides want to get into melee.

 

 

 

---------------------GAME 2 TO BE CONTINUED BELOW--------------------

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

OK finishing up my tourney report from 3 months ago...D'oh!

 

 

-----------GAME 2: NIGHT LORDS HOST RAPTORIAL VS. SLAANESHI DAEMONS OF DOOOOM ARMY

 

 

Game 2 was a fun game against B'elakor, and a host of fun Slaaneshi-themed daemons. I'm slowly building up my own Undivided Daemon army and I look forward to using some of the units my opponent had, especially his Daemonettes and Fiends.

 

 

The board at deployment

 

 

The Host Raptorial Deploys with Daemon Prince Buzzard in the Vanguard

 

 

 

B'elakor Grumpily Eyes the Night Lords Across the Table Before the Game Begins

 

 

 

On Turn 1 my Raptors and Warp Talons hit B'elakor without doing too much damage

 

 

 

And on his Turn he counter-attacked with a vengeance, and with a huge cow lady (Shalaxi) 

 

 

Fiends finish off poor Buzzard

 

 

Death from Above Raptor Squad faces off against the Contorted Epitome

 

 

 

Raptors finally find someone their own size to pick on

 

 

The Dynamic Duo, Mary and Malcharion, finish off B'elakor

I sure am sad that 10th Edition has done away with Contemptor Dreads. [Pours a little out for the bygone Contemptor].

 

 

Various and Sundry Slaaneshi Forces Take out Mary and Malcharion

 

 

Fiends mopping up

 

 

 

As usual this edition, I was slaughtered. But I had a blast!

 

 

 

 

-----------GAME 3 CONTINUED BELOW----------

 

 

Ave Dominus Nox!

[Tallarn Commander]

-----GAME 3 OF THE MAY 2023 LAUGHING DRAGON RTT IN ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON (USA)------------------------------

 

TAU VS NIGHT LORDS

 

 

Both sides square off, the thin blue line and the thin orange land white line

 

 

Legionaries grab objective

 

 

Chosen push into the middle of the board

 

 

Fire Warriors chip away at Legionaries

 

 

 

First Claw Hits the Tau Line

 

 

Warpnight chases after Crisis Suits....this got a bit like Benny Hill

 

 

 

Buzzard Pretends He's a Stealth Suit after he takes out a Crisis Suit Team (it doesn't work and he is gunned down)

 

 

 

The Tau mop up

 

 In the end, the Tau easily won.

 

 

And so ended a very fun tournament with my thematic Host Raptorial army. I was easily crushed in each game but I had a blast and I managed to win Best Sportsman. Huzzah!

 

 

 

Night Lords, "The quick and the dead."

 

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks again for your battle reports with pictures - they are always a great read.

[Tallarn Commander]

Hello everyone,

 

I made it to the GW Tacoma Open last month. I had a blast. All my opponents were very nice and I had a great time. I also managed to win 2 out of 8 games. Since these were my first games of 10th Edition, my 10th Edition win percentage is now at 25% which almost doubles my 9th edition win percentage of 13%. Huzzah! As with last year's Tacoma Open it was great to see people I haven't seen in a long time and to meet new people. I look forward to going next year as well.

 

As I did last year, I brought my Night Lords. I brought a thematic fast attack force with 2 Raptor Squads and a Biker Squad.

 

 

 

 

 

July 2023 Tacoma Open List

Night Lords Chaos Marines, House Nightfall, 3rd Battalion, 2000 points
Long ago there was a noble family, the House of Nightfall. They lived in an age of peace and stability established by their world's ruler. Their ruler was Konrad Curze, the fair and just lord of the garden planet Nostramo. And then one day, a corrupt and weak emperor sent an assassin to slay the Lord Curze. The vile assassin succeeded. The emperor then destroyed the paradise that was Nostramo. House Nightfall managed to escape in their merchant families' vessels. But since that day they have never forgotten and vengeance upon the emperor will be theirs!

House Nightfall is a mercenary and merchant house, sort of like a Chaotic Rogue Trader family. The House's Council of Eight owns and operates over a dozen star systems, a score of void ships, 3 warbands of Night Lords Chaos Marines, a free company of Chaos Knights, and 9 regiments of Traitor Guard. This particular force represents House Nightfall's 2nd Battalion of Night Lords.
 


CHARACTERS
☆ Lord Hatred Sourscowl, Chaos Lord, Mark of Slaanesh, powerfist, plasma pistol, Intoxicating Elixir=90
Lord Hatred Sourscowl is a relatively recent member of House Nightfall. He was born into a powerful family of Rogue traders and lived the life of a swashbuckling explorer. But his first love was always archaeology. When his parents were killed during a trade deal gone awry, Hatred inherited a small fleet of Explorator vessels and their crews. His passion lay in unearthing and examining ancient artifacts, xenon or otherwise. He soon set to work trading, exploring, digging, and swashbuckling throughout the verse. The Ordos Hereticus became suspicious of Hatred's activities, but never had enough evidence to convince House Sourscowl's political allies that Hatred was corrupted.

It was on a dig on the 3rd moon of Oros Prime that he found a shard of the Black Rune of Damnation. Fascinated, he took the object back to his ship and studied it. He soon realized its full potential. The shard granted superhuman abilities to the bearer, but at the cost of their soul. Hatred willingly trapped his soul within the black artifact and gained rapid reflexes, superb strength, and other abilities. For example, the Rune whispered insights to Hatred, informing him of where the best trade deals and the best archeological dig sites could be found.

Somehow the Ordo Hereticus faction soon got wind of Rogue Trader Hatred's soul-trapping Black Rune of Damnation. They were not amused. The inquisitor Javeert began chasing Hatred and his retinue through the verse. After numerous escapes from Javeert, Hatred turned to House Nightfall for salvation. House Nightfall agreed to protect Hatred if he surrendered the Black Rune of Damnation, his Explorator vessels, and their crew to them. House Nightfall promised to kill Inquisitor Javeert and erase all evidence of Hatred's existence from the Inquisition's databanks. Hatred begrudgingly agreed to the deal. House Nightfall's covert operatives succeeded in eliminating Javeert and erasing Hatred from their files. Hatred was saved! And House Nightfall gained a valuable ally (they do have Hatred's soul in their possession after all). And this new ally had a knack for both interstellar trade and archaeology.

As a recent House Nightfall member, Hatred Sourscowl has had to work twice as hard as everyone else. Aspiring Champion Hatred's bravery, luck, and tactical acumen have impressed House Nightfall's leadership. Time after time Hatred and his Harbingers Squad have overcome long odds.  Consequently, the Council of Thirteen has promoted Hatred for the duration of Operation Terror in Tacoma. He is no longer the leader of the Harbingers, a squad of 10 Legionaries. Instead, he is a brevet-rank Chaos Lord in command of the entire 3rd Battalion: 68 Chaos Marines, 20 Chaos Cultists, and 3 vehicles. Is Hatred up to the task? Only time will tell.

☆ Evita, Chaos Exalted Champion, bolt pistol, combi-weapon, Exalted Weapon, Mark of Slaanesh
Exalted Champion Evita has been a freeblade Chaos Marine for centuries. She travels the verse, selling her mercenaries' skills to any non-Imperium clients with enough coin. She is currently working for House Nightfall and is bemused by the fact that she is a mercenary working for mercenaries. Her melee ability is unsurpassed and her martial skills encourage those around her to fight harder.


BATTLELINE

● Sergeant Lobo's 2nd Squad, 20 Cultists, 18 brutal assault weapons, 2 close combat weapons, 17 autopistols, 2 flamers, 1 bolt pistol=110
The Cultists are detached from the Nostroman 9th, one of 9 Traitor Guard Regiments operated by House Nightfall. The Traitor Guardsmen are a diverse lot. Some fight for coin, some for Chaos, some fight against the fascist Imperium, and some fight for the sake of fighting. They are all well-equipped combat veterans who are willing to put their lives on the line as long as they receive their due from the Paymaster. The Squad Champion is Sergeant Lobos, a Xenos mutant-Hyena who has taught his squad how to use the ruinous powers to read the moons' portents. He is aided in this task by Moontongue, the squad's shaman.

● Champion Batista's Bastards, 10 Legionaries, 9 bolt pistols, 6 chainswords, powerfist, 10 close combat weapons, heavy melee weapon, plasma pistol, Havoc Autocannon, meltagun, Mark of Khorne, Icon=200
● Champion Jarvak's Jackals, 10 Legionaries, 9 bolt pistols, 5 chainswords, powerfist, 10 close combat weapons, heavy melee weapon, plasma pistol, Havoc Autocannon, meltagun, Mark of Slaanesh, Icon, Balefire Tome=200
● Champion Rosas' Reavers, 10 Legionaries, 9 bolt pistols, 5 chainswords, powerfist, 10 close combat weapons, heavy melee weapon, plasma pistol, Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Mark of Slaanesh, Icon, Balefire Tome=200
The Chaos Legionaries Squads of House Nightfall are made up of a motley collection of mercenaries, murderers, torturers, and thieves. They have long furthered the interests of House Nightfall and are well paid in slaves, armor, and weaponry. During combat they skulk around the battlefield, avoiding a fair fight. They grab objectives, pepper the enemy with bolt shots, and then pounce where they are least expected, flaying the enemy alive with chainswords. They excel in terror tactics, slipping behind enemy lines to slit throats and terrorize the foe.


DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
○ Dragonne, Chaos Rhino, combi-bolter, Havoc Launcher, Mark of Chaos Undivided=85
○ Murcielago, Chaos Rhino, combi-bolter, Mark of Chaos Undivided=85
These ancient transports maneuver the Night Lords around the battlefield.


OTHER DATASHEETS
◇ Aspiring Champion Chamorro's Bat to the Bone, 6 Chaos Bikers, powerfist, 5 Astartes Chainswords, 6 close combat weapons, 2 meltaguns, 4 combi-bolters, Mark of Slaanesh, Chaos Icon=190
The Chaos Bikers epitomize the Night Lords way of war. They prowl near the foe's flanks terrorizing the most vulnerable enemy units and avoiding a fair fight. Champion Chamorro was once a Chaos Lord who commanded House Nightfall's 1st Battalion. But she failed in an attempt to usurp a member of the Council of Thirteen. In punishment she was demoted to a rank-and-file Legionary.* She has since earned her current status as the Aspiring Champion of her own Chaos Biker Squad. She is still ambitious and hopes to regain her warband and to eventually gain a seat on the Council.
* GW for some reason eliminated Chaos Biker Lords

♤ First Claw, 10 Chaos Chosen, 8 Accursed Weapons, 2 powerfists, 10 bolt pistols, 10 bolters, Mark of Slaanesh, Chaos Icon=230
The First Claw are murderous bastards who have scrounged up rare armor and melee weapons. They are equipped with force shields to ward off blows and powerful chainglaives that can easily cut a dreadnought's leg in half. In a legion consisting of murderous criminals, the Chosen are seen as particularly heinous scalawags.

♤ Malcharion, Chaos Helbrute Dreadnought, multimelta, Helbrute Fist, close combat weapon, heavy flamer, Mark of Chaos Undivided=155
Malcharion was once a hero of the Night Lords who fought alongside Conrad Curze. Warpsmith Hoth's dark magick's have recently revived Malcharion from his long slumber in a stasis chamber. He is not amused.

◇ Champion Terrorclaw's Bats Out of Hell, 10 Chaos Raptors, powerfist, 7 Astartes Chainswords, 10 close combat weapons, 2 meltaguns, plasma pistol, 7 bolt pistols, Mark of Slaanesh=190
◇ Champion Ragnar's Death from Above, 10 Chaos Raptors, powerfist, 7 Astartes Chainswords, 10 close combat weapons, 2 meltaguns, plasma pistol, 7 bolt pistols, Mark of Slaanesh=190
The Raptors scream down from the aethers, with chainswords aglow and eager to flay the enemies' skin. Each has joined the Chaos Raptor Cult and has now merged with her or his unholy jumppack.

Total points=1,995
Total number of models=91

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Here are some army photos....

 

 

Army shot

 

 

 

Bat to the Bone Biker Squad

 

 

Aspiring Champion Evita and Sparky the Bat (army mascot)

In most of my games I forgot about her +1 to hit buff unless my opponent reminded me. D'oh!

 

 

Brevet-Rank Chaos Lord Hatred

He's really an Aspiring Champion in a Legionary Squad, but he was temporarily promoted for this tournament.

 

 

 

--------------GAME 1: NIGHT LORDS VS. BLACK TEMPLARS---------------

 

Game 1 pitted the Sons of Curze against the Black Templars. It was a fun game but it was not a close one as the forces of the Corpse God quickly and easily blew my Night Lords away. He tabled me and I think I killed 1 of his units. 

 

 

The board at deployment

 

 

 

The new Brutalist Dreadnought is, well, brutal

 

 

 

 

First Claw (Chosen) Charge a Land Raider

And here I learned that, in this edition, other units can still shoot me even if I'm engaged in melee with a vehicle. Who thought this was a good idea? The game already heavily favors shooting. It's not like shooty armies needed another buff. Sigh.

 

 

Chaos Bikers Dragor and Doom Rider

 

 

Jackals Legionaries Squad Shuffles Onto Objective

Having Objective Secured 2 on Legionaries is really nice

 

 

Harry the Helbrute Moves Around a Building

Helbrute auras sure are useful this edition

 

 

 

----------GAME 2 CONTINUED BELOW-----------

Edited August 12, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

==========GAME 2: NIGHT LORDS VS. NECRONS===============

 

Game 2 was a much closer game and very fun. In the end the forces of the Necrons squeezed out a narrow win. CSM are definitely stronger in 10th thanks to Dark Pacts. If this game had been in 9th, the Necrons would have easily crushed me.

 

 

The board at deployment

 

 

 

Night Lords Move Out! Biker Champion Chamorro screams, "I feel the need! The need for speed!"

 

 

 

Jackals Legionaries Squad Takes out Scarabs

 

 

 

And Skorphekhs Take out Jackals

 

And then First Claw (the Chosen) took out the Skorpekhs (not shown)

 

 

Raptors and Bikers Grab Objective

Bikers and Raptors are not particularly competitive but against fellow casual players with non-meta lists like in this game, they can contribute nicely.

 

 

 

================GAME 3 VS. LEAGUES OF VOTANN===============

 

Boy the Leagues of Votann sure have been debuffed since 9th Edition. It seemed a bit excessive. I was able to beat them easily. sadly it seems like the Squat army has some huge structural weaknesses. It was still a fun game for both players though. My opponent was very chill and was re-entering the hobby after many years away. I believe he was Canadian (there were quite a few folks down from BC and they were all very nice!).

 

 

The board 

 

 

Night Lords Eye the Land Fortress

 

 

 

Raptors and Bikers Move Out

 

 

Chosen vs. Beserks

 

 

The Bastards Legionaries Squad Prepares to Charge Land Fortress

The Mark of Khorne sure is useful when it comes to taking out high toughness targets in melee.

 

 

Chaos Lord Hatred charges the Beserks

 

 

 

 

===============GAME 4 CONTINUED BELOW===============

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

===============GAME 5 OF THE 2023 GW TACOMA OPEN: NIGHT LORDS VS. TAU===================

 

Even thought there were over 400 40K tournament players, Game 5 was against the room-mate of someone I know through work. Small world eh? It was a very fun game against Tau. Sadly, the Tau easily and quickly ripped me apart in shooting.

 

 

The board at deployment

 

 

A gorgeous Taudar

 

 

Night Lords chip away at the Tau in melee

 

 

Chosen and Legionaries try in vain to hurt the Taudar

 

 

Breachers treat Raptors with extreme prejudice

 

 

 

 

===============GAME 5: NIGHT LORDS VS. CHAOS KNIGHTS==============4

 

Game 5 was against a Chaos Knights player. And the game went pretty much how you would expect it would when you have a strong army against a casual melee army. I killed 0 units and he quickly tabled me. But he was nice as he trounced my toy soldiers. :)

 

The board at deployment

 

 

 

Chaos Knight stomps away

 

 

 

Bikers charge on the left flank

 

 

 

Legionaries charge War Dog

 

 

 

With all the CSM dead, the Chaos Knights mop up the remaining Cultists

 

 

 

================GAME 6 TO BE CONTINUED BELOW=================

Edited August 12, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

==============GAME 6 OF THE JULY 2023 GW TACOMA OPEN: NIGHT LORDS VS. ELDAR===============

 

My 6th game was against Eldar. I had heard a lot of scary talk about Eldar and how they were over-powered in the current meta. Luckily with my poor win-loss statistics I was pitted against a fellow casual player. You could really tell he toned down his list and played what he enjoyed rather than what was meta for Eldar. As a result, I had a very fun and incredibly close game. In the end, the Eldar won a close victory and the Sons of Curze slinked off into the night.

 

 

The board at deployment

He has a Hornet! I love Hornets.

 

 

The thin blue line prepares to move out

 

 

 

 

 

The Bikers slowly chew away at the Wraithguard who can shoot into melee but they roll horribly for most of the game so it doesn't matter

 

 

 

 

Hornet jumps out of melee with Raptors and nabs objective

This causes Ragnar the Raptor Champion to scream in frustration, "Get back here you sneaky pointy-eared bastards!"  

 

I sure miss the Night Lords strat that lets me lock people in melee. I sure hope we get that back when our Codex drops. :)

 

 

Jackals Legionaries Squad (briefly) command the center of the board

 

 

 

Wraithguard menacingly approach Ragnar and his Death from Above Squad while the Bastards Legionaries hope they get get ignored

 

 

 

 

===============GAME 7 OF THE GW TACOMA OPEN:  NIGHT LORDS VS. BLOOD ANGELS==============

 

In Game 7 I was up against a Blood Angels opponent. My emo-jump pack assault army against his emo-jump pack assault army. So a mirror match! My opponent was very nice and this game was also very fun. It wasn't very close as his assault marines and their army rules are way better than mine.

 

I am very sad at the recent changes to Space Marines which caused them to lose fun and fluffy units like Land Speeders and Assault Marines. A large part of my opponent's list was made invalid overnight. This seems incredibly unjust on the part of GW. 

 

 

The board at deployment: Red vs Blue

 

 

Bats Out of Hell Raptor Squad moves out

 

 

Blood Angels Assault Marines and Landspeeders move up

 

 

 

Melee in the Middle: Malcharion and the Reavers Legionaries Squad against Assault Marines

 

 

 

Loyalist vs Rebel Jumppack Troops

 

 

 

===============GAME 8 OF THE GW TACOMA OPEN: NIGHT LORDS VS. ULTRAMARINES===============

 

Game 8 found the Midnight Clad facing off against a traditional foe, the Ultramarines. This was probably one of my favorite games of the tournament. My opponent was a very nice casual chap and his army was very fluffy. The game was also incredibly close but, in the end, the Sons of Nostramo were victorious. Huzzah!

 

 

Blue vs. Blue: The board at deployment

 

 

Ultramarines Firebase

 

 

Raptors on the Right Flank

 

 

Raptors, Lord, and Legionary Tie up Brutalis and Repulsor

After much of the game both sides units would attrit each other to death, but the Legionaries OC2 meant I held the middle

 

 

 

Redemptor mops up on my right flank

 

 

Sparky the Bat and the Bastards Legionaries Hold an Objective

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

=============CONTINUE DBELOW==============

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

==============2023 GW TACOMA OPEN==============

 

And a final shot of Champion Rosas and his Reavers Legionaries meeting an untimely demise

 

 

 

In the end, I won a couple of games, enjoyed all my games, and got to meet all sorts of nice folks. I'm definitely going again next year.

 

 

Here are some thoughts on  the CSM units I brought to the tournament, although we are all still learning since it's early in the edition....

 

Units that Punch above their Weight

• Chosen Squads
-8th Edition Codex:  they consistently punched above their weight with 5 plasma or 5 melta, especially with Endless Cacophony they could deal some serious hurt.
-9th Edition Codex: These suckers quickly became my star unit in 9th. With 33 Accursed Weapon attacks and 6 powerfist swings they did exclennt damage in melee. Plus unlike Possessed they can go in a Rhino.
-10th Edition: my star unit in 9th Edition got even better in 10th Edition! They gained fleet of foot, Dark Pacts are a great army-wide rule, and their powerfists gained 1 more attack each.
 

• Cultists
-8th: a cheap objectives unit that can cower on backfield objectives or screen.
-9th: still a good utility support unit
-10th: still a good utility support unit Sticky objectives is wonderful.

 

Units that Punch at their Weight

Bikers
• 8th: dies quickly without doing much
• 9th: dies quickly without doing much
• 10th: a good support unit. Dark Pacts and the ability to take icons sort of revived this unit. They are hybrid and really good at achieving secondaries.

Chaos Lords
• 8th: Biker and Raptor Lords with Claws of the Black Hunt were excellent melee blenders
• 9th: I was forced to use subpar foot Lords
• 10th: I still only have Chaos Lords on foot. But now they can bury themselves in squads and grant me a free (repeatable) strat. Huzzah! I usually use him to give his unit fleet of foot.


Exalted Champions
• 8th Edition: utterly useful! They gave all units within 6 inches full re-rolls to wound in melee.
• 9th Edition: their buff was debuffed down to just re-rolling 1s to wound
• 10th: good. They give their squad +1 to hit.

• Helbrutes
-8th edition: good hybrid units, cheap and often effective in assault or shooting
-9th Edition: good hybrid units, they are now even cheaper and with DR1 they got tougher
-10th Edition: a bit less good this edition but not bad. They got way more expensive, going from 110ish points to 160ish points. They gained a wound, 2 points of toughness, and a 2+ save, but lost damage resistance. They did gain a nice aura buff. Multimeltas gained a point of strength but lost 6 inches of range and most vehicles gained 2 points of toughness making melta weapons much less effective than twin lascannons (which went from D6 damage to D6+1 damage and which lost a shot but went from str9 to str 12 and gained the ability to re-roll wound rolls).

• Legionairies
-8th Edition: 5 CSM with lascannon are not bad (but not good either) at holding backfield objectives.They are a troop tax that occasionally hurts the enemy a little.
-9th Edition before codex: a fluffy but decidedly crappy unit. 10 trooper squads with triple melta can contest midfield objectives for a turn before dying horribly. 10 trooper squads with 2 lascannons often can hold backfield objectives for the whole game while chipping away at the enemy. In many games this firebase unit is my only unit that survives the game.
-9th Edition after codex: 10-trooper squads are mediocre in casual games but worthless in competitive environments. 10-trooper Legionary Squads don't pack enough punch in the midfield (with 2 specials, 7 chainswords, a fist, Balefire Tome, an icon, and a mark). With 2 wounds (finally) they will survive longer. Now that they cost 18 points each rather than 12 points each I switched from using them as backfield objective campers anymore. I'll use cheaper squads of 15 to 20 Cultists instead to hold the backfield.
-10 Edition: Legionaries got a little better in 10th. Squads of 10 assault-oriented Legionaries (Champ with fist and plasma pistol, lascannon, heavy chainaxe, 7 chainswords, and an icon) is a good unit against casual opponents and a mediocre unit against competitive opponents. Slaaneshi squads use fleet of foot to reach melee faster and act as a vanguard unit while Khorne units act as a 2nd wave brawler unit. Legionaries in 10th work well alongside Chosens units. The Legionaries provide OC2 and some punch while the Chosen provide the real hitting power.



Units that Punch below their Weight


• Raptor Squads
-8th Edition: expensive and died quickly without doing much. The exception to this was the squad of 15 Raptors which would deepstrike and then use the Raptor Strike strat to get a 3d6 charge. Now that was a good unit.
-9th Edition: even with a relic, mark, and icon (for the bikers) these units did not pack a decent punch in melee.
-10th Edition: good at doing secondaries but not much else

Rhinos
• 8th Edition: meh
• 9th Edition: meh
• 10th Edition: meh

 

 

 

Ave Dominus Nox!

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Tallarn Commander]

....oops...technical issues experienced and my long post featuring 12 new Night Lords and 3 new Nostromans was lost. D'oh!  :(    Will repost later.  

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Sorry about your lost post.  After you resurrect it, when you have a moment do you think you could do me a favour and post a picture of Defy directly beside an actual leman russ model or (if you don't have a GW Russ) your predator?  I'm trying to figure out how big Defy is in comparison.

 

Thanks in advance. 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Tallarn Commander]

 

 

Sure,

 

Here are some Deffy and Russ pics. I hope they help!

 

 

Deffy and Emperor's Shield Side by Side

 

 

 

Deffy and Iron Duke Seen Lengthwise

 

 

Deffy Alongside 5 Tallarn Russes

 

 

 

Deffy Surrounded!

 

 

Deffy brings some Nostroman 9th Russes for backup

 

 

Deffy is taller than the Russes but kinda, vaguely similar in size otherwise. But spacial judgement is not my strength unless I'm guessing Basilisk ranges. :)

===================================================

 

Hello everyone,

 

I didn't do much hobbying over the spring, but last month and this month I've completed quite a bit. 

 

You all have probably seen some of these models in the ongoing Call to Chaos challenge, but others you have not yet seen. So here are some completed Nostroman 9th 
Traitor Guard and House Nightfall Night Lords miniatures....

 

 

Sister Magrog, Nostroman 9th, Aspiring Champion for 3rd Squad

Sister Magrog is from Victoria Miniatures. She is, not surprisingly, a Slaanesh devotee. She likes to whip herself, her squad members, and the enemy. She recently usurped Kira and gained control of 3rd Squad through a "whip off" competition.

 

 

Decimus, Chaos Lord (also used as a Chaos Chosen)

 

 

Decimus seen from the front

 

 

Even though I've played Night Lords since 2002 I haven't really felt brave enough to do bloody flesh til this year. I'm trying it more now and I like it. I might have to retroactively applied bitz of flayed human skin with dried blood effects to some of my older Night Lords.

 

 

 

 

Taloghast, Chaos Chosen (or a Legionary or Havoc Aspiring Champion with plasma pistol and Accursed Weapon)

 

 

Decimus and Taloghast, the Dyamic Duo Before

 

 

 

Decimus and Taloghast, the Dynamic Duo After

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Cultist Grenade Launchers got way better in 10th Edition, I decided to upgrade a couple of Nostroman 9th troopers to grenadiers.

 

 

Doctor Chaos Gets a Grenade Launcher

 

 

 

Crowsoul Also Gets a Grenade Launcher

 

 

Completed Nostroman 9th Grenadiers

 

 

So far these 2 are too busy running around the board sticking objectives or cowering in ruins to use their grenade launchers. But at least they look cool.

 

 

And I finished up a couple of female Nostroman meltagun troopers: Heretek and Menagerie

I sure love the Victoria Minnies sculpts!

 

 

 

Menagerie

 

Heretek with cable arm

 

 

 

 

All 5 of the Nostroman 9th's Meltagun Troopers

 

I hope you enjoyed the pics...next up 2nd Claw, 10 Night Lords Possessed

 

============================CONTINUED BELOW===============================

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks - the defiler is a lot smaller than I thought - it doesn't look like I need to worry about the footprint when I convert my own out of a leman russ, then.  Those are some fine tanks you have swarming Deffy there.

 

Love your new conversions - its always great to see whatever zanniness you produce.

[Tallarn Commander]

Thanks Dr Ruminahui!

 

 

And......

 

Here is my squad of 10 Night Lords Possessed, 2nd Claw

 

 

The 2nd Claw's fluff:

Most Night Lords do not worship the Chaos Gods, at least not openly. The Sons of Curze see Chaos as merely a tool, a means to achieve an end.
But some Night Lords do go rogue and begin openly worshipping the Dark Gods. When this happens they are given a choice. They can face the swift justice of an Atramentar's axe or they can join House Nightfall's 2nd Claw.
2nd Claw are Possessed who have each given their true name to a Chaos Daemon. Each of them is slowly losing control of his or her soul and being overtaken by an entity from beyond space and time. The Possessed are closely watched over by House Nightfall's commissars and Atramentar. Any who fully succumb to the Daemon within are quickly executed.

 

 

Seen from the side

 

 

Seen from the rear

 

 

Squad Champion, Shadow, partial to Malal/Malice

Shadow lurked in the darkened streets of one of Nostramo's hive cities. A merciless killer. Fear of the Nighthaunter convinced Shadow to shift from killing anyone to only killing criminals and adamantium magnates who exploited the poor. But at his core, Shadow was a worshipper of Maliel and resented his hunt being limited by Curze. When the call to join the 8th Legion came down, Shadow eagerly joined up. And he was quite happy to learn that his worship of Maliel would be tacitly supported by Curze and that, as a Night Lord, he could kill anyone he wanted. 

 

The Anointed

A Khornate worshipper if there ever was one, The Anointed likes to "anoint" his foe by impaling them with his banner and then he anoints his victim with their own blood and then smears it on his unholy icon

 

Hartoth, the fastest member of Second Claw

He tells his foe that if they can outrace him, he will let them live. They never can outrace him.

 

Troll Slayer

Originally a member of the VI Legion, Troll Slayer grew up a master hunter in the wilds of Fenrisia. He served in the Space Wolves for millenia before siding with the Night Lords and, as such, knows the tactics and secrets of the Corpse God Worshippers. His knowledge allows House Nightfall to successfully raid numerous loyalist storage facilities for spare parts and ammuntion.

 

Anarchus

Anarchus truly embraces the freedom brought about by Chaos. He deeply resents anyone telling him what to do.

 

 

Mentash

Mentash was once a powerful sorcerer and a leader of one of House Nightfall's Council of Eight. Sadly he read too many tomes of that which we should not know. Now he is little more than a gibbering monster.

 

 

Death Caller

Death Caller was once a member of the Raptor Cult. While he misses soaring through the air on jets of flame, his newfound powers are well worth the loss of flight.

 

 

Bleak Brother

Bleak Brother is the squad's true believer. He often tries to convert other members of House Nightfall to worship Slaanesh. Sadly, most members of House Nightfall are not particularly devout and so Bleak Brother has never actually converted anyone. Still he tries.

 

 

Rulek

Rulek is an interesting study in the question of "Who watches the watcher?" He was once an Aspiring Champion in the Atramentar. The order of Chaos Terminators who serves as judge, jury, and executioner in House Nightfall. Ironically, their job is to monitor House Nightfall for Chaos taint and to kill any who are too infected (a little bit of infection is fine though). But, over time, Rulek himself became a devout worshipper of Khorne. His fellow Atramentar tried to ignore it. But when he began summoning Bloodthirsters his fellow Atramentar placed him in Tormenter Chains and forced him to join 2nd Claw. How the mighty have fallen.

 

The Bewitched

A former member of 1st Claw, House Nightfall's premier Chosen Squad, the Bewitched was found in bed with a harem of Slaaneshi daemonettes. She was subsequently stripped of rank and forced into 2nd Claw.

 

 

 

I also upgraded a few more troopers from 25 mm bases to 32 mm bases. Here is Var Jahn before and after the upgrade.

 

 

 

And, as many of ya know, I'm currently working on a batch of 15 Chaos models for my last pledge in the summer Call to Arms event.

 

 

Here are some WiP pics from my 3rd pledge. 

 

Most of these are for my home-grown warband the Warpborn.

 

 

The Warpborn's fluff

The Warpborn were all vatborn within the warp itself. Made from Geneseed that was made wholly within the warp. They were a project of the Dark Mechanicus, intended to be slaves and cannon fodder in the Dark Techpriests' forces. They were also intended to prove that a Chaos Marine force need not consist of fallen Astartes. But the Warpborn had other ideas. They didn't want to be anyone's playthings. After decades of servitude to the Dark Mechanicus they finally achieved freedom in a glorious slave uprising. The small band of rebels stole a Dark Mechanicus ship, kidnapped a navigator, and took to the stars. They now wander the verse pillaging, burning, and liberating anyone they perceive to be enslaved.

 

 

 

 

 

Murder of Crows, Slavers' Bane Squad, Warpborn Warband

 

 

Zharr, Slavers' Bane Squad, Warpborn Warband

 

 

Ultimate End, Slavers' Bane Squad, Warpborn Warband

 

 

Freedom Until Death, The Liberators, Warpborn Warband

 

 

Death Gaze, Slavers' Bane, Warpborn Warband

 

 

 

Sarvak Khrul, Eightbound, World Eaters

 

 

Sarvak Khrul with future squad mate, SoulEater

 

 

I have no idea who is going to be the 3rd member of this squad of Eightbound. Although when my Mini Wargaming Ravaged Star order arrives (apparently the freighter is on its way from China) then I can use some Possessed from there.

 

 

And some of you may have noticed that Sarvak Khrul is on a desert base. All of my other World Eaters are on my standard red Chaos bases. This is because as recommended long ago, I am finally going to gradually go back and upgrade all of my World Eaters miniatures, about 50 to 60 or so in all, from red bases to desert bases. 

 

Here is a link to the original recommendation by Dr Ruminahui:   https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/321042-tallarn-commanders-chaos-completed-nostroman-9th-night-lords-minatures/?do=findComment&comment=5136645

 

 

Red Talon, Aspiring Champion in the Nostroman  9th

 

These are gorgeous sculpts but they dwarf my current Nostroman 9th so I think I'll only paint up these 3. Red Talon has some additional pouches added to his gear.

 

 

Saul the Sniper, Nostroman 9th

Saul has an additional scope and icon added to his rifle

 

 

Horned Darkness, Rogue Psyker

 

 

Hulhunter, Liberators Legionaries Squad, Warpborn Warband

 

 

 

 

 

And a wip shot of my 3rd pledge as of this morning

 

 

 

Enjoy the pics!

 

 

Warpborn, "Death to the Dark Mechanicus!"

Nostroman 9th, "Death to the False Emperor as long as we are paid!"

World Eaters, "Kill! Maim! Burn!"

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Tallarn Commander

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Your possessed in particular look great.  Are the longer tentacles from that and the spawn kit, or did you make any of them yourself?  If so, I wouldn't mine knowing how - I'm always looking for a good tentacle. 

[Tallarn Commander]

Thanks!

 

Sadly, yes I think the longer tentacles are OoP from the old metal 2nd edition Spawn, the plastic 3rd edition Spawn, some old metal 2nd writing Nids, and the plastic Daemon Prince tail (but the plastic kit that was replaced by the new plastic Daemon Prince last year).

[Lord Abaia]

I really like how the purple demonic flesh compliments the midnight-blue armor of your possessed. And reading the bios of your models is always a treat. Thanks for the updates.