Space Marine Tactical Squad

When the Imperial Guard codex was on the horizon I eagerly jumped on it. Partially because IG was the original army I wanted to play and partially because I was burnt out on my Marines.

I did some reflection recently and I think I figured out why I was so burnt out on them. All of my tactical marines (at least the so-called "bolter dudes" and most of the sargeants) were from Battle for Maccragge and Black Reach box sets. Bascially it meant that I had an army full of cookie cutter troops.

No wonder I was burnt out, I had assembled and painted over 40 nearly identical marines.

I picked up a box of Tactical Marines yesterday and built one. Getting a chance to customize a marine has fixed a lot of the issues I think I had.

Been working

As anyone who hangs out at The Gaming Experience here in Bakersfield can tell you, I have been covering the table with models being painted. I am nearing completion of the 55 odd man penal* company.

Once I am done I promise pics. Clansittingducks better hold me to it...

*Meant to be a small point legal army on its own so there is a Company Command Squad, Veteran Squad and 2 Chimeras while trying to maintain the penal legion feel.

Alright, I've had enough

Enough with cookie cutter anime heroes and bad guys.

Bad guy:
I want to kill (so and so for a reason or everyone for no reason)
Laughs maniacally
Beats/kills up someone just because they can
Laughs more

Good guy:
But I don't want to hurt anyone
I don't want anyone to get hurt
Someone else please solve this


Seriously, when I think of all the Bond villains (which are pretty stereotype) they all had defined motives other than simply because I am insane (which the usually were too). Even insane people have an objective, it may not be quite in line with what sane people would do, but they have one. It is sad when the average Bond villain has more depth than most things I have dragged out of the average anime.

You would think that I have snapped watching some Dragon Ball Z episode or something, but no, Phantom has done it for me, never mind the 1 step forward 2 steps back that most of the characters have taken at one point or another in their development; it is time for the climax, so everyone is just bat shit insane. No rhyme, no reason, nothing.

As I think back on it, the only real character that has been absolutely evil that didn't do the above was Johan from Monster, although across 70 odd episodes he may have once or twice. Even that most insane character still had a motive and a shred of thought process for his actions.

Seriously, is it too hard to have a bad guy that actually has a plan that has anything to do with anything? Scythe just randomly sets up people to fight and die. Not even his enemies, just pits his servants against bystanders and each other; despite having shown no real psychopathic tendencies for the other 20 odd episodes.

I think I will just leave this series unfinished. I will probably be happier with the various endings that I can imagine than the one I will get.

The unexpected

I love it when I am playing 40K and try a "what the hell" style move and it works out. I played a friendly game of 40K on Saturday with my Imperial Guard against Chaos Marines.

We were both playing assault oriented armies, Berserkers vs. Penal Legion. My opponent ended up a little bottlenecked and I tried to take advantage and immobilize his lead Rhino. Well, a ridiculous amount of shooting later it was still going strong (no glancing/penetrating hits). So, I tried my last resort item.

I charged with my sentinels. I ended up immobilizing the vehicle and gumming up the passage in between the terrain pieces well enough to actually halt his army in addition to blocking the Berserkers in the Rhino.

Moral of the story, 55 point sentinels are well worth it to body block a tank column.