Space Hulk - GDC Gameplay Demo

Fall 2013 Release

Blog/News Reading Tool Review: Netvibes

Except for email and a couple of websites I decided to go internet dark for a couple of weeks to test out RSS readers. Recently I've found myself spending hours a day reading news sites and blogs, and when I didn't one day I felt as if I had missed an intangible "something" that I would never be able to find.

I went through long lists of every kind of testing many out as I went along. Most while simple in appearance were not intuitive to configure. Finally I found and starting testing out a web-based reader called Netvibes. Bear with me I know the name sounds dumb but how many services on the internet do we have that don't? Being able to bring it up any browser is a huge bonus to me as I have a long history of hardware failing unexpectedly at bad times. Also there is no worry of compatibility or having to worry about devices synchronizing. By default it has a homepage like appearance with blocks you can move around. These blocks can contain either RSS feeds or widgets that are easily added by clicked on an "add content" button that is always at the top of your browser window. If you don't like the homepage style view there is toggle button (again always visible) at the top labeled "reader". This instantly changes your page into a tradition RSS reader view with all your feeds along the left side of the screen.

For my test I added all of my favorite tech news sites and over a dozen blogs I follow. I'm not a fast reader by any stretch but I have been able to go from a couple of hours a day of reading to a couple of hours once or twice a week and I know I haven't missed anything. The only drawback I've been able to find is if you go to certain blogs like I do to see their blog rolls you can't add the rolls all at once. With that said adding any site only takes a copy/paste and a click or two, literally seconds.

If you haven't tried this tool or one like it I highly encourage it. If you have a reader you use and like please feel free to drop a link in a comment below.

Custom Master of Deathwing

In the spirit of the Dark Angels codex coming out next month I thought I'd toss this up. One of the armies I play is field-as deathwing and this is my Master of Deathwing I made a while back to lead them. The body is a metal space marine force commander, arms are plastic thunder hammer and storm shield, face plate is a shoulder pad from Warhammer Fantasy that I trimmed up, and one of the shoulder pads is from the Dark Angels Vehicle accessory sprues. We'll just have to wait and see for the next codex to find out if he get's retired.

Battle Report: 1k Necrons vs Grey Knights

Necrons vs Grey Knights: 1000 pts

Preliminary: Battlefield setup: The Scouring, 6 objectives, Vanguard Strike table setup

Warlord Traits: Necrons: Princeps of Deceit, Grey Knights: Conqueror of Cities

Turn order: Grey Knights won the roll off, and Necrons failed to seize the initiative.

Deployment:

The Grey Knights arrived with two Rhinos and their Commander. One Rhino was in the back field, while one was on the line, ready to surge forward. The Commander stood next to an objective within some trees.

My Necrons arrived with one warrior squad , Scarab Swarms, my Destroyer Lord with two Destroyers and two Heavy Destroyers, and one Spyder near the edge.

Turn 1:

The center Grey Knight Rhino moved to the center of the table, deploying a 5-man Grey Knight squad, and shooting at the Necron Warrior squad, killing one.

The downed Necron Warrior isn't down for long as it revives. The Necron Warrior squad, Destroyers, and Heavy Destroyers fire upon and kill entire Grey Knight squad.

Turn 2:

Two Grey Knight squads deep strike onto the battlefield, one behind the square tower, and one missing their mark deploying out in the open nearby the green tower. A Callidus Assassin deep strikes behind the Necron Warrior squad. The Grey Knight squad within the back field Rhino emerges to take control of an objective. Unleashing hell, the open Grey Knights fire at and kill one Destroyer and one Heavy Destroyer. The Rhino and other Grey Knight squad near the square tower fire upon the encroaching Scarab Swarms, causing three wounds. The Callidus Assassin kills 3 Warriors upon her arrival.

One Warrior and the Heavy Destroyer rise back up to fight another day! My Monolith then deep strikes into the back field, into the center of Grey Knight territory. Two warrior squads deploy, one from the Monolith, one walk in from the side behind the Callidus Assassin. Firing all its majesty, the Monolith kills three Grey Knights. The Monolith-deployed Warriors wreck the nearby Rhino. In the center of the battlefield, the Scarab Swarms wreck the other Rhino. The two Warrior squads fire and kill the now sandwiched Callidus Assassin. Emerging from cover, the Spyder fires on the nearby Grey Knight squad, and along with the Destroyer and Heavy Destroyers, take down the entire squad.

Turn 3:

The Grey Knights still holding an objective, fire upon and annihilates the entire Necron squad. They can't rise back up if there's no one left! Outraged, the Commander unleashes his Psycannon at the Monolith, but fails to damage the armor.

My Spyder, Destroyer, Heavy Destroyers, and Destroyer Lord all advance up the center of the battlefield. One of my Warrior squads redeploys out of the Monolith. The newly emerged Warriors fire upon and finish off the Grey Knight squad, clearing them off the objective. The Heavy Destroyers manage to cause one wound on the Commander. The Monolith unleashes upon the remaining Grey Knight squad, hunkering down in the corner woods, killing 4 of them.

Turn 4:

The Grey Knight Commander fires at the Monolith, still without causing damage. The remaining Grey Knight misses his Necron Warrior targets.

My Destoyers and Spyder continue moving up the center of the table. The Monolith positioned itself to suck the Commander into its portal, but failed to do so. Firing its cannons, the remaining Grey Knight is killed, leaving all attention on the Commander. The hail of gunfire from the Monolith, Destroyer Lords, and Destroyer bring him down to finish off the Grey Knights' force.

Necron Victory.

Victory Points:

Necrons: 13 (10 from objectives, 1 from Line Breaker, 2, from Slay the Warlord)

Grey Knights: 1 from First Blood

Lessons: This is my first major success on my own with 40k, and I feel this could not have gone much better for me. I feel my tactical decisions and unit placement worked very effectively. And while I was concerned with getting into close combat with the Grey Knights, I managed to keep them at bay.

Free Stuff

DriveThruRPG has a large free section. Free is good. This isn't an endorsement of the site. It's an endorsement of free.

Want some free miniature rules because you want to try something new?
Heavy Gear Blitz Rulebook

Looking for a way to test out a new miniature but don't want to pay for a bunch of new minis?
15mm Paper Miniatures

Terrain?
Paper Buildings

Remember BESM? Here are the core rules if you want a quick easy to learn flexible RPG.
Tri-Stat Core Rules

In the late 80's and early 90's there was a Star Wars RPG by West End Games. Here are the core rules now available for free. Don't miss the links at the bottom for even more free D6 files.
D6 Core Set Bundle

Stop Motion Animation + 40k = a different kind of AWESOME

I think it speaks for itself. These guys did a ton of work, and there is about an hour of videos in the series. I think it's a great idea, and if Red Beard and I have time this summer we're talking about giving some similar a try. After you're done with your cartoons you know you need something to watch. You know you do.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqNWT3NBrio&feature=player_embedded&list=PL8E8477394AF4BC7B