Frustrating lack of progress.

OK. I got four revel BMP2s. So the 13th Mech can now mech up. I got three of the LRMBT accessory sprues - these include the hull (not much of an accessory, more of a neccessity, IMO). I've got plasticard for the sides, so these will be wolverines as soon as I can find 24 suitable wheels from somewhere. And another ten cadians (who will doubtless become Bloodcoats).

Somewhere north of here I have Valks and more LRMBT to pick up. So my plastic crack mountain is just getting bigger. As you can tell by the mere fact that I am posting, my laptop is better. And the IT guys saved Army Builder for me - hurrah for the IT guys.

I've attracted another follower - welcome. I really hope that I'll be able to post some form of WIP before you die of boredom waiting for me to do something.

I've been in the garage this morning - I was going to do a bit of scenery (twigs and picture wire barricades on hard board basing) but it is too damn cold in there. I'm looking forward to finally firing up the airbrush I bought myself for my birthday. It's raining quite hard, so that's another thing to have to wait until it's both drier and warmer.

Once I've got the senior dog back from the vet this afternoon I may do a little painting. I can do that at least whilst she-who-believes-she-is-in-charge is out.

Devos IV map

I do have maps, honest I do ! I've even found them. On my (own) laptop. But they are in campaign cartographer and blogger doesn't want to load them.

I'll work on that. I should be seeing AD and CNJ over Christmas. If they can't make it work...

Whether the weather be hot, or whether the weather be cold.

Well, the snow in the Eastern USA has made the news. The family I stayed with in Kent during the summer have been snowed in twice in a week. Here the merest dusting of snow mostly went and then it rained at dusk and then froze over night. Not a nice Sunday morning.

The grand Christmas raffle has been drawn at my employer's client's offices (half an hour from where I live). Tommorrow (Tue 22 Dec 09) or Wednesday I'll take my company's winnings to our offices (two hours plus north of where I live). I'm not expecting an easy journey. I might buy a shovel on the way home.

As well as delivering the winnings of the raffle, I hope to pick up my fixed/cured/rebuilt work laptop. I copied everything for work off of it on to a little red USB stick which I now appear to have misplaced. And also, my only copy of Army Builder (with all the attendant files to prove that I have bought and paid for it) is on that computer. So I'm hoping that when I get it back, Army Builder is still on it. Although it does depend what the IT service provider's brief is. I hope to find out in the next few days.

Ravenor and the consequences of contemplation on the Devos IV campaign.

I did wonder about my =I= list. WH without battle sisters. I was thinking that IST were more fluffy, despite the fact that the Adpeta Sororitas were more capable. I was quite happy building my list around a Lady Inquistrix and another Inquistrix (ie her interrogatrix) and their respective retinues. Certainly not the sort of thing to win a competitive battle, but characterful and multi talented enough to be worth fielding in a themed game against some heretics and a bunch of witches.

And of course there are the repentia, death cult assassins and zealots. All good stuff.

Having now read Mr Abnett's Ravenor omnibus I am if anything more content with my =I= list. It fits the Devos IV campaign well. Lady Josephine will be the glue that holds the Imperial forces together. Without her firm direction, I'm sure the DKK would be tempted to make no discrimination between the Loyal (to the emperor) 2nd PDF Regt and the Loyal (to their homeworld) 13th Mech Regt and 99th PDF Regt.

That could provide an interesting possibility. Perhaps the Imperial side has to spend points on having either the Lady Inquisitrix or her Interrogatrix in their force - to keep them in the campaign. If the rebels kill or capture both of them, then the Imperial side is gripped with interia as the commanders of the various forces disagree. I like this idea, but it is a little un military. I'm quite sure that the Departmento Munitorium would make sure that there was a definate command structure in place before even launching their planning phase. I might be able to weave it in as a one game idea somewhere:

There would be a composite force made up of elements of most if not all of the IG/PDF consituant units. And the Interrogatrix would be the glue holding them all together. If the rebel player somehow nutralises the Interrogatrix, the IG player must make an immediate moral check for each force element to represent the units prediliction to follow its own agenda once the imperative of the =I= is removed.

All of a sudden I can see snipers becoming important. Snipers to hunt independant characters and snipers to hunt the other side's snipers (at the minute the Cadian 144th have two special weapon squads of snipers. The 13th Mech have two individuals). I can see that an increase in snipers is on the cards.

So back to Dan Abnett's work - I might be tempted to try Eisenhorn and/or the Gaunt's Ghosts books. I've been through Gunheads, Ice guard, Eldar prophecy and Dark Millenium. All OK. And Sandy Michell's Cain is a hoot. I liked that so much I bought a copy for a chrimbo prezzie for someone.

Dan Abnett owes me four hours of sleep

I picked this of off my bookshelf at the weekend. Last night I lost four hours when I'd normally be asleep. Today I have a mild headache and huge dark rings around my eyes. Curse you, Dan Abnett !

OBTW, the book is excellent.

From WD 232

The key strategic point in the Leighrid sector is the world of Berrima Prime. A staging point for trans sector commerce and the main arms manufacturer for the sectors forces. It's fall to a massed raiding fleet struck a devistating blow to imperial operations in the area. The imperial response, led by the Blood Angels Commander Dante, arrived to find Chaos and Dark Eldar forces fighting over the spoils. Seizing the moment, he led two full companies of Blood Angels to spearhead the reclaimation campaign.

Sounds interesting, as everyone knows that the Adeptus Astartes would attack at some randomly selected point with overwhelming force, alerting the Chaos and Dark Eldar, drawing their reinforcements to the region. At which point the Astartes Commander would dust himself off, declare his work done and remove his 7' tall powerarmoured rainbow warriors back to their galactic love nest. So the IG could 'mop up' more of the enemy than were there when the Astartes arrived in the first place.

Pick a side (or not)

FW Death Spinner. Template weapons for the Eldar !

Ok then, this is obviously going to proceed in an escalation campaign manner. We now have (in the previous two posts) games specifically to advance the story line.

The battle for the Promethium refinary will see if the PLA get the resources they need to take on the Imperial Guard.

There will be a 'running the gauntlet' type senario to see if the Iggies get the resources they need to take on the PLA.

There will be two points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loose. These might well translate into extra strategy points (allowing that side to seize the initative more easily) or apocalypse stategy card thingies (Apocalypse strategic assets ?).

So, scoring the armies wins, draws and defeats seems straight forward enough.