2022 and beyond

 Hi everyone. Long time and no see. Things have been very difficult and awkward both with work, real life and hobbying. This blog just has not crossed my mind until now but I think it is time to get back to blogging about Warhammer and stuff. 2022 seems like a good point to do that and hopefully with Covid getting under control the real world might open up again. But until then this is a little update as to where I am gaming-wise.

With regards to 40K I have been able to get quite a few games in since 9th edition dropped although due to the pandemic it has mostly been the same few people with one or two exceptions. Really looking forward to getting some games against everyone else again. I'm still really enjoying 9th edition and I've had some opportunity to try out the Crusade rules and I may well do a proper post about that in the near future.

The biggest thing this past year has been the opening of a new games shop / cafe in my home town called GamesHub. It's about time we had something like this and it's even better as the local club lost it's regular venue at the start of 2021, although whether the old club will regenerate or just become a part of the new shop is to be seen. Right now though we are starting a 1000 point league in store that will run for several months and I have my first match against Death Guard in a couple weeks. Normally I do well at low points values against Death Guard so fingers crossed I should be able to get a victory early on. I'll detail the league as it gets played in future posts.

The Rift Wardens chapter is growing quite well as during the pandemic I have had a lot of time to paint. There is only three or four small models left to paint until my pile of shame is done. I will try to get that done over the next month or so. 

That's basically where I am right now at the start of the year. Time to shake off the cobwebs and the general apathy and get this blog moving again. I look forward to chatting to you all again soon.

10 points for a painted army?

In the 9th edition rules there is a new addition that says that you get 10 victory points if your army is painted to a battlefield standard. I think it is a bit of a silly rule especially as it is technically part of the rules system now. Such a rule... the requirement of a three colour minimum.. used to be a part of every tournament. After all, you want your models too look good to anyone walking past rather than grey plastic. 

It has always caused some consternation among a lot of Warhammer players that painting your models is just as big a part of the hobby as setting up a table and fighting it out against your friends. That painting was a requirement to play Warhammer. As some one who doesn't really enjoy the painting element (although these days my space marine force is fully painted) and for many years never had a painted army, I find it unfair to push this sort of element onto the fun and friendly casual game. But that is what is happening under 9th edition.

I personally would not use this rule and if playing against someone who had an unpainted army - whether due to time or a lack of desire to do so - I would simply say we're not using that rule. Let's just play. In competitive tournaments, leagues and the like, I can see that makes sense to use this to make people play painted forces or risk not winning over all (most likely) but it should not have been included as part of the core rules. 

Why?

Two reasons.... firstly, by the wording this means that tournaments can be played by opponents who do not paint their models. They will be down on points but it does not stop them playing. I'm sure most TO's will stick to a rule of painted armies so this isn't such a deal.

Secondly.... no where does it say what the definition of "painted to a battlefield standard" actually means. Is that the same as the old three colour minimum? Or does it imply something more? I would assume that the model itself must be painted with suitable colours and not just slapped on. Does it require models to be based? Probably not.

I don't think this was well thought out by Games Workshop and I'm sure that it was included solely to try and nudge players into buy their paints as a money making exercise. Painted model is always going to look better than the basic grey. I just don't like the concept that GW are trying push everyone into an area of the hobby that not everyone is interested in. Surely, having people play the game is a better way forward?

What are your thoughts on this? 

Objective Markers part 1

While have a bit of a post lockdown clear out recently I found a sealed box of booby traps from the release of 4th edition's Cities of Death supplement. With 9th edition not needing numerical objectives I figure they would do well. Just needed something to mount them on and I found that at work. Where I work we sell child proof plastic caps for electrical sockets. Tonight I glued on the appropriate "booby traps". Now I just need to paint them.

Got my Indomitus box this week as well so it looks like I may have a bit of hobby painting and building to do over the next couple weeks.