It's a girl!

At 9:35am on Friday October 29th, Amy gave birth to our first daughter (though second child), Alice Marie Goldberg! She's 20" long and weighs 8 lbs 2 oz.

We fully intend for her to grow into a hot gamer chick, but for now we've still got about 30-ish hours at the hospital.

Otherwise I'll be back with some more hobby news in about a week or so, so thanks for stopping by!

A little bit of everything...

Wow, just looking back at the blog posts I've made over the last few months, I've really dropped the ball on updating this thing. I started covering Fantasy 8th Edition and the games I was going to be playing while learning the new system, and I was going to have hobby store reviews after the Collectormania incident. Also, since then, I have played in two tournaments and another event at a convention AND I hosted and played in a local tournament.

I guess I have a bit to put into this blog, and I'll start by giving my opinions on the Dark Elves AND coverage of the convention I went to.

Part 1 - Dark Elves in 8th Edition Fantasy

 So far, I've thoroughly enjoyed running the Dark Elves. Though I was proxying with D&D miniatures at the time (hadn't picked any actual models up yet), I was able to learn a lot about how the army operates and learned their strengths and weaknesses pretty quickly, both in combat and in unit efficiency. I discovered I really liked Corsairs, and a close second would be Wyches. I'm not a fan of Reaper Bolt Throwers, regular Dark Elves, Cold One Riders, and Har Ganeth Executioners. In my opinion, the book really supports an "in-your-face" assault-oriented play style (with hints at competent defensive play as well), and Corsairs, Wyches, Hydras, Blackguard, and Cauldrons really epitomize this motif.

Here's a list I've been running at the 2,250 point level:

LORDS
Dreadlord (Whip of Agony, Armor of Darkness, Pendant of Khaeleth, The Other Trickster's Shard)

HEROES 
Death Hag (Cauldron of Blood, Battle Standard Bearer)
Sorceress (Level 2, Power Stone, Seal of Ghrond)

CORE 
30x Corsairs (Command)
25x Corsairs (Command, Sea Serpent Standard)
16x Repeater Crossbowmen
16x Repeater Crossbowmen

SPECIAL 
20x Blackguard (Musician, Standard Bearer)
War Hydra
War Hydra

Now, I found that while I have only 8 "units" on the table, each one hit like a sack of bricks! The Cauldron of Blood really is the catalyst that holds the army together, as its ability to grant either a 5+ Ward Save, +1 Attack, or Killing Blow is invaluable (when used at the right time). Honestly, having an army that hits first (Initiative 5) with re-rolls to hit in the first round of combat (Eternal Hatred) is awesome. Then, giving that army special abilities like Frenzy (from the Sea Serpent Standard) and Killing Blow (from the Cauldron) backed up by a Sorceress who is reducing characteristics by using the Lore of Shadow, is awesome.

I will be picking up my Dark Elves in February, and it will be the first army where I will force myself to paint a unit before I can use it. I'll go one unit at a time until I can field small forces (and continue playtesting and learning) and then before I know it I'll have my 2,250 point list ready to go to tournaments!

Part 2 - Tacticon 2010 Coverage 

Apologies, as unfortunately my sweet Digital Camera was being repaired during the event, so most pictures were taken using my phone (which admittedly does have a 3MP, 10x zoom Camera).

Click HERE to read Day 1

Click HERE to read Day 2

Click HERE to read Day 3

Enjoy!

Blood Angels 3rd Company - WIP

So, after a bit of inspiration and thought, I've decided that after I pick up the remaining bits of my Blood Angels army in February, I will take my army more seriously (and get to painting!). In the mean time, I have finally come up with names for the sergeants and characters in my Company, and have listed out it's contents here. This thread will be updated with progress on getting the Company organized, built, painted, and photographed.

Blood Angels 3rd Company

History

930.M41 Day of the Swordwind.
Only the stalwart actions of the Blood Angels 3rd Company preserve Explorator Station Ghosa Prime from the unprovoked fury of the Biel-Tann Eldar.

941.M41 The Second Battle for Armageddon.
Waaagh! Ghazghkull descends upon the hive world of Armageddon. The Blood Angels are one of three Space Marine Chapters to respond. Such is Commander Dante's reputation that Tu'shan of the Salamanders and Marneus Calgar of the Ultra marines cede overall command to him. Fighting is fierce in and around the hive cities, with the determination of the defenders matched only by the unremitting battle-lust of the Orks. The Blood Angels bear the brunt of the close-quarter fighting, chiefly because only the overcharged engines of their Lucifer-class Rhinos can hope to keep pace with the roaming convoys of Ork Trukks and Battlewagons. The tactical maneuverability of the Blood Angels proves to be crucial in the later stages of the campaign. The 3rd Company, under the command of the newly promoted Captain Erasmus Tycho, forms the heart of an armoured spearhead that cripples the chief Ork supply lines, leaving the Waaagh I 's Mekboyz without the necessary gubbins and gears to keep the massive Skullhammas and Stompas fully operational. With its 'eavy guns thus neutralised, the Waaagh I is finally broken before the towering walls of Tartarus Hive, where Dante and Tu'shan famously fight side by side against Ghazghkull's bodyguard.

955.M41 The Gehenna Campaign.
Commander Dante and the 3rd Company battle against the Necron Legions of the Silent King amidst the dusty wastes of Gehenna. For three weeks, neither side can seize the upper hand, with Dante's tactical brilliance stretched to its limits in countering the time-space manipulations of the Silent King.
The stalemate is broken only when a Tyranid splinter fleet enters orbit, forcing the two armies to break off hostilities and fight the common foe. The impromptu alliance proves to be the Tyranids' undoing. Following the final battle at Devil's Crag, Dante and the Silent King go their separate ways, both forces now too battleworn to guarantee victory over the other, and, at least for the Blood Angels, the idea of turning on those they had so recently fought alongside, a rather distasteful one.

995.M41 Beheading the Serpent.
Tycho's 3rd Company is one of many Space Marine strike forces that responds to the threat of Hive Fleet Jormungandr. Though Tycho leads his Battle-Brothers to several crucial victories, so reckless are his tactics that the Sanguinary Priests begin to fear for his sanity.

998,M41 The Third Battle for Armageddon.
Ghazghkull returns to the arid world at the head of another, vaster Waaaghl Over two dozen Space Marine Chapters respond this time, which is fortunate as the Blood Angels are forced to deploy much of their strength against the growing threat of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Nonetheless, honour demands that the Chapter provides assistance to beleaguered Armageddon and Dante sends his 3rd Company and a generous complement of support units. In the course of the campaign. Captain Tycho finally succumbs to the Black Rage and dies a valiant death on the outer walls of Hive Tempestora. Command of the 3rd Company passes to Galan Machiavi.

Quotes

"Blood calls out to blood. so they say, Let us
spill that of our enemies with all due haste.
that we may hear its cry all the clearer,"
- Sergeant Arcula. Blood Angels 3rd Company

"When war is eternal. the blood of the foe
is the only coin that can enrich a warrior.
and the glory of victory holds the only hope
of final redemption."
- Brother Zargo. Blood Angels 3rd Company

Force Roster

Captain Machiavi
Chaplain Tiberius
Sanguinary Priest Phaelon
Honor Guard

Sgt. Decimus – Tactical Squad 1
Sgt. Arcula – Tactical Squad 2
Sgt. Nereus – Tactical Squad 3
Sgt. Quintus – Tactical Squad 4
Sgt. Gaius – Tactical Squad 5
Sgt. Karpos – Tactical Squad 6

Sgt. Marcus – Assault Squad 1
Sgt. Kallias – Assault Squad 2

Sgt. Galenos – Devastator Squad 1
Sgt. Alcaeus – Devastator Squad 2

Dreadnoughts: Ares, Zeus, Orion, and Tychian

Support Units:
6th Company Bike Squad 1 - Sgt. Claudius
6th Company Bike Squad 2 - Sgt. Julius
6th Company Bike Squad 3 - Sgt. Valerian
1st Company Vanguard Veteran Squad 1 - Sgt. Aetos
1st Company Vanguard Veteran Squad 2 - Sgt. Kiron
1st Company Terminator Squad 1 - Sgt. Thaddeus
1st Company Terminator Squad 2 - Sgt. Damian
1st Company Terminator Squad 3 - Sgt. Zeth
1st Company Terminator Squad 4 - Sgt. Evander
1st Company Terminator Squad 5 - Sgt. Proteus
1st Company Terminator Squad 6 - Sgt. Bastiaan
1st Company Terminator Squad 7 - Sgt. Gideon (SH)
1st Company Terminator Squad 8 - Sgt. Avram
1st Company Terminator Squad 9 - Sgt. Lorenzo (SH)
1st Company Terminator Squad 10 - Sgt. Zarek
10th Company Scout Squad 1 - Sgt. Gordian
10th Company Scout Squad 2 - Sgt. Leon
10th Company Scout Squad 3 - Sgt. Donicus
10th Company Scout Squad 4 - Sgt. Otho
10th Company Scout Squad 5 - Sgt. Barrius
2 Sanguinary Guard Units
1 more Honor Guard Unit
4 Land Speeders
2 Vindicators
2 Baal Predators
1 Predator
2 Whirlwinds
2 Land Raiders
2 Furioso Dreadnoughts: Moriar, Thor
3 Furioso Librarians: Zeddicus, Alatar, Severus
10 Chaplains
4 Librarians

Headquarters
Chief Librarian Mephiston, Lord of Death
Commander Dante
Captain Tycho
Chaplain Lemartes, Guardian of the Lost
The Sanguinor
High Chaplain Astorath the Grim, Redeemer of the Lost
Brother Corbulo, Sanguinary High Priest

Coming Soon...

Over the next few months, I will try to complete several projects that I've been working on for QUITE a while. I have a long list of things I've started and haven't made any progress on, and I've decided to share them with you all if not to have a list actually written down somewhere.

• Post pictures of each unit in each of my armies on my webstie (sort of an ongoing WIP log)
• Finish painting 1,850 points of Tyranids for GenghisCon in February
• Finish painting 2,000 points of Blood Angels for general use at my LGS
• Sell off my Orks as three different lots on eBay (I'm looking for between $700 and $1,000 for them)
• Finish painting my club's Planetary Empires set for a campaign coming up this holiday season
• Update my website (include more content for different games, change layout, incorporate blog)

 Hopefully I'll keep this blog updated with progress on all of these fronts, but for now, I am working on painting the Tyranids and will try to get another batrep up with the Blood Angels by next week.