1000 Chapters

I stumbled across this page last night and was seriously impressed. The author of this blog compiled and organized a page of 1,069 loyalist space marine chapters and counting. No one does things like this because they're bored. You vacuum because your bored. You build things like this out of love of the hobby. If you're looking for inspiration for your own chapter this is as excellent place to start. For the glory of the Golden Throne I hope he's backed up this site. I don't know how current it is but I did see that he did an update about a year ago.

In his own words...
"Each marine image links to a chapter resource page. Most of the canon chapters link to the Lexicanum. The fan made chapters link to a forum, or blog, posted Index Astartes (IA), or a gallery of painted miniatures. Some fan made chapters are missing their link. You can tell the ones missing an IA as no boarder will be displayed around the image when you hover over it. If you click on one of these images you’ll see a request page asking if you know where the chapter comes from."

This is linked preview to the page. Click it and go explore.

Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Allies Rules

The allies rules are the most exciting change to 6th Ed for me because of all the options they open up. Like many veteran players I have multiple armies and yet still from time to time I get a little bored. With the new options because of allies I've tossed all my old army list into file-number-trashcan. I can now field chaos space marines with my orks you say? I can dump how much Imperial Guard into one troop choice to field with my deathwing space marines? I can use an ork flyer with my khorne berserkers? Something you should understand about the tactics I use. I almost never play to win. I play to either to blow shit up, to mess with my oppenents head, or to try out a new tactic. With the new allies rules it's like an all new game for me. All the other new rules... yeah those are nice. I'll learn them and adapt like everyone else. But allies are going to be a whole new form of crack. I also think this benefits the new players. If you have a friend who doesn't yet have enough points to play on his own just let him be your ally in a game. That way you don't have to worry about any weird doubles rules.

Rules after the break

40k 6th Ed Rulebook Review: The book NOT the rules

Why is no one talking about the book itself? I know many us think when a new rulebook comes out the first thought that goes through many of our minds is, "Do I really need to spend the money on this book? Is it worth it?" I for one was skeptical. I saw the price and my initial reaction was one where I stopped breathing and felt like I coughed up blood. That all went away when I finally got it in my hands. It's big, heavy, and full color. When I say full color I mean it. Black and white pages are all gone. I know Games-Workshop has a reputation for recycling artwork and I was worried about how much they would with the new rulebook. Don't worry. The new eye candy in the book is going to keep you busy for a while including several fold out pages. The binding on the book is solid and comes with an attached silk bookmark. The cover is hardback and feels like it could take a bit of beating or give one out. If you don't give a shit about the pretty artwork, the background, or don't absolutely need the rules right now... ok then maybe wait for a pocket edition, epub, etc. Personally I don't think my money was wasted and am glad Games-Workshop stepped it up a notch. Now I'm going to spend a couple of weeks going through this book page by page and line by line.

From the first page as you open the book...

"For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind by the will of the gods and the master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He us a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium, for whom a thousand souls die every day, for whom blood is drunk and flesh eaten. Human blood and human flesh - the stuff of which the Imperium is made. To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable. This is the tale of those times.

It is a universe you can live today - if you dare - for this is a dark and terrible era where you will find little comfort or hope. If you want to take part in the adventure, then prepare yourself now. Forget the power of technology, science, and common humanity. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for there is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter and the laughter or thirsting gods.

But the universe is a big place and, whatever happens, you will not be missed..."