Updated Iron Priest

I was pretty unhappy with how my Iron priest looked with a dinky little standard thunder hammer. The wolf shape was cool and wolfy, but I feel that an Iron priest should have a massive intimidating weapon. I picked up a set of 3rd party hammers from my LGS and started to kitbash. 

The handle is from a frost axe, which I used to extend the thunder hammer. The new length is close to the height of the hammer the actual Iron Priest model has. I am really happy with the new look, though I wish I could have easily had the hand up higher on the grip. 

Thoughts on the new book, and some new models!

The new book is out, and I love it, even though it broke my heart in a few places. The changes to tempestus (mainly murderous being WC2 large blast and living lightning having short range, but shock is cool. ranges fit with how wolves play) Removal of Mark of the Wulfen (I had so many models ready for it!) Removal of chainfist/SS (Spent a good deal of time converting one) and the removal of some of the characters special abilities. Njal lost his storm, and doesn't know all of tempestus (which seemed to be the way to go with the new books) Grimnar lost his special buffs too. The warlord traits are hollow remains of what the sagas used to be, that probably hit me the hardest. EW turned into +6 FnP. Though the awesome daemon trait table might have just spoiled me, the SW ones do seem too situational.

As for the good... DREADNOUGHTS!!!!!!!!
Hell yeah dreadnoughts with storm shields, murderfang, hellfrost weapons! I love them all! A point reduction for just about everything outside of special weapons. Wolf claws getting +1 strength, lone wolves not taking up force org. Teleporting TDA, drop pods with locator becons, Iron priests are ICs, I could just keep going on! There is a lot about this book that I really love, much, much more than I dislike. So I picked up the book and some models ASAP.

I left work an hour early, swung by the store and grabbed everything I needed for a good (not too unhealthy) fenrisian night. Cheese, imitation crab, beer, and models!

I magnetized the dreadnought to use every option outside the normal DCCW and bjorns fist. Murderfangs claw will make for a nice default great wolf claw, and I can swap it off for the shield when I want to.

 Of course, I magnetized it to the same polarity as all my other models, so that lead to some silly business.

 I plan on having a set, maybe 5, of super magnetized marines. This Iron priest is a test of one, both arms and the torso are magnetized. I could swap him over to a foot marine no problem. I may plan on doing the same with wolf guard. So the same 5 or so dudes can get on bikes, or jump packs if needed.

 I had a very good time putting the flier together, only magnets are for the meltas to be skyhammer. I don't plan on running heavy bolters. Because I have so many bodies lying around, and I didn't prime the inside to paint it. I wanted something to block the view a little. So I made a marine to stand at the front.

Between stormclaw and these models I have burned through about 100 magnets. My TDA have every option available, including 5 heavy flamers. I don't know why or where I got 5 SW heavy flamers, but I have them. I figured, just in case lone wolves could have them, plus it looks pretty cool, even if I will rarely if ever run a single heavy flamer!

Progress on the trials.

It's been too long since I updated, and I am sorry. I haven't really done any trials recently, and I am considering streamlining the process, as one group of blood claws can take 3-5 hours. The result is maybe 4-6 names, and I have way, way too many grey hunters lined up for that. So I may generate names in the same fashion I did, and do a simple few D6 rolls. Maybe a reverse leadership on 3 or 4 D6. You fail, dead, you pass, grey hunter. You do well, grey hunter with option for special weapon, you do really well and you enter into the running for TWC, long fangs, and Iron priest hood.

I have been working on my Wolves, just not doing the trials. The new starterbox was really awesome, and boosted up my army to new heights, especially because I had just bought some GH before hand. All in all I have around 60 walking models, and I think only 20 or so are named. However about 45 are modeled, though they don't get a head until they have a name. I am trying to give them all unique poses, which has lead to a lot of custom weapons.

 Hand crafted "fenrisian" weapons

Dwarf converted weapons, all with dwarf belts and helms.

Lizardmen weapons, and attempts at high cheekbone older faces.

 No heads, but my favorite, SHIELD BASHERS! (Shield CC weapon, not stormshield)

Some guys I was just having fun with. Giant hammer is magnetized!

2 badasses I threw together just to do it. 

Ill have an update with my progress on the new models since the release in just a moment.

Small update, painting some models.

Ok, so I did some trials a bit ago, but I never posted them because I am super lazy. Plus the trials went terribly, just some of the worst rolling I have ever seen. So many misses in combat, so many fails to wound! The upside is that a few did make it out, barely. So I think I have 4 more, these ones from caves. They sport the new dwarf weapons and all have matching belts to signify their clan.

The real reason for the post is the painting. Specifically Ringus is painted. I wish I could go back and change a few things while I was modeling him, but overall I am happy. I also purchased a Gamesday Wolf priest to accompany my 7 pewter wulfen models. For gameplay they will be represented by a blood angels allied detachment, they will be death company.

I also recently acquired Bjorn the Fell handed, who I mainly purchased and painted because I love the hell out of it. Lastly, a Contemptor Dreadnought. Who I plan to field, with the crazy FW drop pod they can take, the turn the arrive you can pop smoke and get a +3 cover save, but not shoot anything. So it could be pretty nice.

Second trials, Chaos chaos CHAOS!!!!!!

As a preface for this. Midway I stopped keeping track of each individual, and wrote a single wall of text, my apologies. Next, this battle was organized with a handful of models, literally I just grabbed a bunch of stuff. I wanted a match that, if the SW did well, they could end it quickly, but if they did poorly it would quickly turn against them. A naked herald of nurgle with +1 wound and the portal glyph. I think, 7 plaguebearers, 8 cultists and a flesh hound. Cultists outflanking, and the fleshound coming in from reserves to cause a bit of havoc late game. As I went through the trials, I added a bit of narrative, such as additional summons, and some rewards for the cultists who did well. It turned out to be a very, very enjoyable match. 


SW lose first turn, 1-2 and fail to seize.
Both armies advance, BC don't fail any leadership. Cultists outflank turn 2! Daemons charge in, Rignus scores another wound on the herald with overwatch, then slams him into the ground with his counter attack. Then quickly hurries to attempt to destroy the horrible portal glyph. Kordar is charged but the fires have no effect on the daemon, he fails to cause any wounds, but manages to hold off the plaguebearer. Unfortunate, as there are plenty of targets for his flamer now. Gehgin is assaulted by nurglings, and with a fury deals 3 wounds to the horrible little creatures. However the swarm manages to bring him down with a lucky blow. A volley of fire from the SW takes out the portal glyph, 2 cultists and the nurglings. All of the wolves but Thogus make their charge putting all but 2 cultists in CC, daemon and heretic blood will stain the ground! Rignus obliterates a plaguebearer with his power maul, Thir strikes down a plaguebearer with his chainsword, Baergbar slams his powerfist into a plaguebearer , taking its torso clean off its body. However kordar and Rov, while causing wounds to the plaguebearer, cannot seem to inflict any damage on it whatsoever. The forces of nurgle are weakened, but still remain! Geim, Bul and Dunaak slay cultists, but Yeraim is struck down by a lucky bayonette jab. The gods are so pleased with the cultist, they reward him. Rolling double 6 on the table, the lowly cultist becomes a daemon prince. The flesh hound is drawn to the slaughter and enters the material realm and runs towards Rignus. Bul Consolidates back away from the newly spawned daemon prince, nearly certain this will be his final foe. The daemon prince advances, while the 2 remaining cultists fall into a mad rage upon gazing at the daemon prince. They assault Dunaak and Geim, overwatch misses and geim faulters, failing his counter attack and fumbles with his attacks! Even in the cultists mad rage it only manages to scratch Geims armor. The daemon prince Charges Bul, who fumbles his overwatch, but stands ready, as a true astartes with his counter attack, he is fearless... but the daemon prince is too much, swatting him into a nearby wall and crushing his ribcage.

Rignus makes a call, for all the space wolves who can, to get into cover and fire at will, he marches to attempt to hold off the daemon prince. Baegar moves to the flesh hound with support from Thir. Kordar and Rov are still locked in combat with a seemingly invulnerable plaguebearer. Geim finishes off the cultists and begins to run for cover. Rignus causes a wound to the Daemon Prince with his plasma pistol, Dunaak fires with his bolt pistol, also causing a wound. Baergbar and Thir assault the flesh hound. It swings at each of them once, landing a blow on Baergbar, but failing to get through his ceramite armor. In return, Baergbar lands a fearsome blow to the flesh hound, returning it to the warp. Rignus charges the daemon prince, more than succeeding, if he can survive the overwhelming power of the daemon prince, he may be able to slay it. With skill like no other, Rignus deflects 3 of the massive blows. His wolf amulet burning with the rage of Leman Russ himself, the wolf priest is saved from doom, only receiving one wound, he survives to strike back! Hitting with 3 of 4 attacks, and wounding with all 3 the daemon prince is barely banished back to the warp!!! All that remains is a single plaguebearer, but the gods are furious at the loss of their champion, 4 plaguebearers enter the material world, scattered throughout the battle field. Some rise from the ground, while others seem to walk in from thin air, as if a curtain had been in front of them. Kordar and Rov STILL cannot destroy the plaguebearer, nor can it destroy them. Rignus is furious with them and decides to show them how it is done while the other blood claws begun to fire at the newly arrived plaguebearers. Dunaak blasts one away with his bolt pistol, Geim lands a shot, but it passes through the daemons body. Rignus destroys the stubborn plaguebearer, shouting as his foolish bloodclaws as he does. All the remaining daemons are locked in combat with blood claws, the taint may finally be purged. Geim fells a plaguebearer. Thogus kills another, and Dunaak kills the last one. The battle has finally ended.

So a brief confession. Last week I had actually done the second trials against necrons. I had a bad day, trials were pretty bland, I just remember Kordar being useless as hell. When I recorded this trail, I overwrote the past one without saving. Lucky for several of the blood claws huh? I decided to reflect a bit on the progress of this batch thus far.

Kordar: 1)Did well 2) Stuck in combat the whole time. Will have to prove his worth in 3^rd trial.

Rov: 1) Fails horribly and immediately. 2) Locked in CC the whole time. Will have to be AMAZING in 3^rd trial.

Geim: 1) died early on, failed. 2) Did well. Will have to prove himself in the 3^rd trial.

Gehgin: 1) Deid very early on 2) died very early on. Will have to do amazingly well to stay a blood claw.

Yeraim: 1) Recklessly charged in and died 2) Died to cultist, which lead to daemon prince, shit... probably wont make it.

Thogus: 1) Did great, possible MotW. 2) Doesn't make it into CC, does OK. Looking good, still has to do well in round 3 to make GH.

Bul: 1) Does OK, but falls thanks to recklessness. 2) Does well, unfortunately is in the path of the DP. Will have to do well.

Baergbar: 1) Does well with the powerfist. 2) Does well with the powerfist. Looks good for Baergbar, but the powerfist may be too much, he might do better with a less heavy weapon.

Thir: 1) Dies early to daemonettes. 2) Survives, but doesnt do anything fancy. Will have to do very well.

Dunaak: 1) Does good, reaps a decent tally and survives. 2) does well, wounds the DP and kills plenty. On track for GH.

Rignus: As usual, Rignus has shown to be a great choice for wolf priest. This battle he did something worthy of the sagas and felled a daemon prince in hand to hand combat. For this he will be greatly rewarded, and the Fang will forever remember the name Rignus.

The future of the Wolves, and some forgotten blood claws.

So I have been combing what little I have posted, as I have finally started to keep record of each Space Wolf on my phone. This way I can easily make note of impressive feats and song worthy battles. While doing so I noticed I had left a bit of a stray pack behind.

Knud, Fafnir, Garin and Ulkoa are still alive and well, but still blood claws. With a new batch from the caverns having already started, a new set of trials will have to wait for these few. I started to think, maybe these few just are not meant to be grey hunters. Perhaps they would be better suited as Thunderwolf cavalry, or long fangs (I know, young long fangs and all). Or maybe they just need one last chance to prove they have what it takes? A small group of blood claws, stranded behind enemy lines, outnumbered and outgunned.

As for the future of the wolves (no it isn't bad news) I have been torn on an army list. I like to plan out my armies before I make the big purchases, it's an expensive game after all! I have decided on drop pod wolves as my starter army. Alpha striking is something I miss dearly from my daemons. It doesn't just end with that though. What would be interesting about bland and basic infantry spam? That wouldn't be very awesome at all. So I will be using Blood angel allies, they will count as 13th company. The allied contingent will be made of:
Reclusiarch, using the 2003 gamesday wolf priest
Death company, using the old metal Wulfen models
optional inclusions
Death company Dreadnought, thinking about the FW dread, still unsure
Storm raven gunship (but this baby is expensive!)

The general idea will be something like

Rune priest
7 GH pod wolf standard, plasma gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, plasma gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, melta gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, melta gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, melta gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, flamer
Reclusiarch
7 death company, pod
Death company Dreadnought, blood talons, pod

This is a 1500pt rough list. There is a good chance I will remove 1 of those GH units so I can flesh out the rest with more fancy stuff, like MotW, power fists, and all that fun jazz. Every game, 13th company will be held in reserves, while the wolves do the alpha dropping.

Recruits from the deeps, the first trials!

This is the first attempt at actually typing the trials instead of scratching them on paper as I go. So there is a great deal more recorded. 

Kordar with his flamer advances up to meet the insanely fast daemonettes (move 6, run 8!) and positions himself to hit them with the giant burning fist of flamer. Rov and Dunaak support him from behind. With a quick pull of the trigger, 4 daemonettes are covered in flames and seem to dissolve. A group of plaguebearers was advancing from behind. Kordar hits one with a wall of death, killing it, but is charged by 2 others that land 3 hits and 1 wound that did not break through his armor, Kordar strikes down a plaguebearer, then the other, surviving the slow poisoned blows. He burns one more on overwatch, and then fails to deal any damage to a second that assaulted him. Taking no damage in return, he manages to slay the second plaguebearer and free himself from its grasp.

Rov’s scent seems to be what the beast of nurgle wants. He fires at it advances, unable to deal any notable damage to it. The beast assaults Rov, he fumbles on overwatch, and in a panic fails to land any hits. The beast is excited landing 3 poisionous wounds. Rov’s armor blisters and breaks under the horrible acidic weight of the daemon and he falls in battle.

Geim sees the daemonetts advancing, fails to land a hit with his pistol and is assaulted by 2 of them, he panics and fails his counter attack, then is slain by a rending blow that pierced straight through his torso.

Gehgin with his plasma pistol, fails to land a hit with it at the oncoming damonette. The daemonette closes the gap, locking Gehgin in brutal combat. Blows are exchanged, but the daemonette takes an opening and rends Gehgin, putting him out of the fight.

Yeraim Fires at the oncoming Daemons, missing, frustrated he doesn’t listen to Rignus’ commands and charges in to the Daemonette that is pushing back Gehgin in combat, hoping to save his ally. Yeraim underestimates the daemonette. Both Yeraim and Gehgin are slain with rending hits before they could even strike back.

Thogus is taken off guard by the ferocity and horror of daemons. Perhaps a flashback to his parents death? He fails to land a hit with his bolt pistol, then fails his counter attack. Taken off guard he barely manages to save himself against an onslaught of 2 daemonettes. He sees an opening and strikes one down with a bludgeon to the head. The second strikes back, but Thogus is ready, dodging the attacks and cleaving the daemonette into 3 pieces with his chain sword as Yeraim and Gehgin are slain. Thogus fails to hear the commands of Rignus, he is in a blood fury now. He charges the daemonette that slew his comrades, dodging all blows, and returning with 3 massive arcs of his chain sword. He is assaulted by another Daemonette as it leaps into the ruins towards him, he slays it before it can land a blow. The last daemonette finally makes it to the fray, unable to land a scratch on Thogus, and taking a massive fist to the head, crushing its skull.

Bul Calmly kills a daemonette with his bolt pistol, then misses the second time and is assaulted. He kills the daemonette in close combat, taking no wounds, but the fury takes over as he sees 3 of his allies fall to the rending claws of the daemonettes. He assaults the closest daemonette, and is slain before he can land a blow

Baergbar: wielding a might powerfist lands a steady aimed bolt pistol wound on the beast of nurgle. Excited to use his power fist, he disobeys Rignus and assaults the beast as it crushes Rov. He lands a wound with his powerfist, but the beast seems. He is then assaulted from behind by a deamonette, who deals no damage to him, the powefist is heavy and he misses with his single attack. Rignus Slays the daemons and Baergbar assaults a plaguebearer that has been locking Dunaak in combat, killing the horrible daemon.

Thir is calm and ready, landing a hit with his pistol, but not causing any damage, he assaults a daemonette, striking perfectly with his chain sword. To his surprise the daemonette had no wounds, it should have split the horrid thing in two! In his astonishment, 2 more damonettes join the fray. Thir is overwhelmed and falls.

Dunaak: Fires his bolt pistol, causing the upper half of a daemonette to simply vanish in a fine mist of unholy colors. Assaults a Plaguebearer that is locked in with Kordar, killing it. He is then assaulted by 2 plaguebearers, unable to land an overwatch hit, or any other damage. The plaguebearers deal heavy damage, but Dunaak is able to stay standing. He manages to slay one, and Baergbar slays the other.

Ringus: Failing to hit the beast with his plasma pistol, Rignus decides to take the horror on himself. Issuing orders to his claws, he assaults the beast after it crushes Rov, wounding the horrible thing. Baergbar ignores his commands and in a thirst for glory assaults the beast as well, only getting in the way. With his mighty power maul, Rignus lands several more wounds, slaying the beast as well as a daemonette who joined the battle. The daemonette had a killing blow on Baergbar, but Rignus intervened and was unharmed.

MVPs

Kordar - The flamer gave him a great start, and he protected his flank from a horrible assault of daemonettes and plaguebearers. If not for him, the daemons would have most likely overrun the flank, and possibly the unit. 

Thogus - I couldn't have asked for a better narrative to play out in any of the trials! Starting with a bad omen, which is a D6 roll of 1 when the recruits are given names, it's only impact is for fluff, and in this case it did well. Thogus went from fumbling meat in power armor to a berserker during this battle. Failing to hit, then counter attack, I thought Thogus would just be a failure under a bad star, but then slaying 2 daemonettes, failing leadership and avenging his fallen allies was perfect. I really hope Thogus does well in the next trial, he seems to be cursed with the wulfen. 

There were some who did pooly, and some who did OK. They will have their chance to prove their worth in the next trial. I also realize that there are past blood claws who did not participate. I have decided to stop rolling blood claws into new recruits, it helps keep each new bunch themed. 

Instead, down the line I will have an all or nothing proving grounds. Sort of a "one last chance" for the blood claws who just couldn't quite cut it. These will be gruesome missions to represent the unit of blood claws taking on a difficult front of the battle on dire hopes to make grey hunter. The mentality is that they would rather die in combat than fail to make the grade. Those who succeed will do so with such great honor, they may even make wolf guard.