Tyranids, BFG and Overtime

Working, working, working..

Sorry for the lack of updates guys, but you know, Heart of the Swarm is coming out soon and we're crunching pretty hard for it!

Anyways, you might remember in my earlier posts that I acquired a fairly large Tyranid army.  This is true.  Now.. how am I going to run them?  Well, my Swarmlord will be leading the way, just like it did in 5th Ed.  Fortunately, we now get to roll some badass spells via Biomancy and its going to be pretty exciting to play with the new and improved Nids.  If Tyranids had a superhero, it would be Bioman the Fearless.

Check out the list:

1751

HQ:

Swarmlord (Bio) = 280

+Tyrant Guard (LW) = 65

TROOP:

10x Termagaunts = 50

Trevigon (Claws, Cluster, Adrenal, Toxin, Catalyst, Onslaught) = 235

10x Termagaunts = 50

Trevigon (Claws, Cluster, Adrenal, Toxin, Catalyst, Onslaught) = 235

19x Genestealers = 266

ELITE:

Doom (Pod) = 130

2x Hive Guard = 100

2x Hive Guard = 100

HEAVY:

Trygon (Prime) = 240

It's one point over, but hey, if anyone really complains, I'll just drop another Genestealer and add more Termagaunts.  The idea here is pretty simple:  Cascading cover as much as you can while giving yourself the option to reserve hard or pressure harder.  Infiltrating Genestealers away from your enemy while your Trygon Prime and all your MCs run towards his lines will certainly make him sweat.  Target saturation is the name of the game and as long as you a lot of that, you're playing Nids correctly.  The last thing you want to do is get yourself into a situation where your opponent can focus on one thing at a time.  Spread your threats out and Tyranids will do just fine.

Doom comes in in the Pod on T2 on a 2+ because of Swarmlord and even though the Outflanking changes made Genestealers less stellar, it's still problematic for anyone who's bundled up.  No one wants Genestealers on their flanks in a reliable manner, and that's exactly what Swarmlord does with his Alien Cunning special rule.  As you can see, I don't have anti-air.  You know what?  I don't really care!  Air units in this game have to climb all over my little gaunts while I go ahead and score in the backfield.  Of course, should the need calls for it, I can always mod up an AA Flyrant with dual devos and call it a day.

At 1850, I add an additional Hive Guard in each unit and voila!

+++++BFG+++++

As for BFG, well, I honestly love the game.  I don't really play it for the rules because there can be some wonky imbalance, but I do love myself some space battles.  As some of you know, I play Eldar in BFG.  I used to own an epic asston of Corsair Eldar, but that was so long ago that I no longer own the army.  Looking through the current factions, I want to get CW Eldar, but I don't think I''m going to invest any more money in a game that's no longer updated/supported.

The current system of BFG is that you either play FAQ2010 or play with the older 2007 official rules, or play with BFG:R.  I hate it when games have to be "modded" in order for things to be fun.  As much as I love the mechanics of BFG (orders, weapon types, lore/fluff), I hate the fact that there are several different versions of the game.  The most popular version of the game now is FAQ2010, but it's not an official GW product.  Sure, it might have been made by some of the designers, but GW never signed off on it.  2007 is the official rules, but there's a lot of questionable stuff in there that's a little hazy.  BFG:R is completely fan-made and unofficial, so as good as it might be, it's not the real game.  In fact, it's pretty far from it.

Then, there's the price.  I looked at the GW website the other day because I was thinking about ordering a fleet, and holy shit did the prices change.  Given, it's been forever since I've played the game, but I didn't expect the prices to be this!  For crying outloud, most of the capital ships are 35 bucks a piece!  For solid metal, meant to be played in a dead/unsupported game.  You've got to be kidding me.  Who knows?  I might even alter/re-design some of the BFG rules to allow for Initiative/alternating player phases to playtest.

With that in mind, I decided not to jump into BFG with the actual product line, but I have a bunch of Aquan Prime sitting around doing nothing that I feel comfortable with proxying.  I asked around and it seems like no one really cares, since realistically, all you need are flight stands.  Oh, and I never understood why Eldar ships needed Solar Sails to get around the galaxy.  You're masters of the universe; more advanced than all save the Necrons, stealing suns, building cities inside different dimensions, and here you are cruising around in a fucking boat.  I never understood that nor cared for it, so I'm happy to use my AP models for some BFG.  Oh, and most likely we're going to be playing with the 2010 rules.

+++++Random+++++

Did you guys hear that there's a new flyers supplement that's coming out for 40K?  I don't know if these are going to be new rules, new models, or errataing/FAQ'ing the existing models, but I'm really looking forward to this release.  Do not confuse this with high hopes though.  I have no idea what kind of supplement this is going to be, but I'm hoping for better flyer rules, maybe a points hike on some underpriced pieces of shit like the Vendetta/Valkyrie, and add some god damn Vector Dancer to my Eldar aircraft.

Lastly,

The buyer that wanted my BAs canceled on me last minute so the army is available again for sale.

Asking for 350 for the lot.  I will only sell it as a whole.

Blood Angels
PICS:
http://lkhero.blogspot.com/2010/04/blood-angels-released.html
30x ASM with BA Icons, kit-bashed with Death Company stuff
2x Infernus pistols as meltas in every squad, each squad has a Champ with Fist
3x kit-bashed Sanguinary Priests, 2 with JP, 1 on foot
1x kit-bashed Libby with JP
5x Sanguinary Guard, Fist, Banner
3x Baal Predators (new plastics)
Metal Tycho
Metal Mephiston
Metal Dante
An epic ass ton of BA sprues

Pro Cycling Manager: Season 2011

Pro Cycling Manager: Season 2011

• Developer: Cyanide
• Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
• Genre: Racing
• Release Date: Q3 2011 (UK)

About Pro Cycling Manager: Season 2011

In a fine mix of management and sports simulation, lead as a sports director one of the official team of the new cycling season. From sponsors to finances, from your cyclists training to negociation of their contracts, you have all the cards in hand to lead your team to success! Sense of tactic will also be required during the races, where each of your decisions will be important if you wish to win the most prestigious competitions!

Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP SP2/Vista SP1/Windows 7
• Processor: Pentium 4 2.2GHz/Athlon XP 2800+
• RAM: 1024 MB (XP)/2048 MB (Vista/7)
• Video Card: 128 MB 100% DirectX 9 and Shaders 2.0 Compatible nVidia GeForce 6600/ATI Radeon X700 orhigher
• Hard Disk Space: 6 GB
• Sound card: DirectX 9 compatible
• Internet: Internet connection required for online game

Download Pro Cycling Manager: Season 2011 – Direct Links

Part 1 – 1.95 GB

Part 2 – 1.93 GB

Part 3 – 2 MB

www.elj-games.blogspot.com

This completely breaks my immersion

Yeah, I have a problem.

My Fast Skimmer with Aethersails moving 42" gets hit by a Guardman's rifle butt on a 3+.

Remember that talk we had a few days ago about good game design?  About immersion and how things make sense?  Yeah, the above absolutely kills all forms of imagination.

What about you folks?  What breaks your immersion in your gaming?

PS - I'm getting into BFG again.  My gaming group here's jumping in pretty hard.  Gonna play Craftworld Eldar, using the FAQ2010 rules.

GDS: The hallmarks to a great book

Remember GDS stands for Game Design Series!

There are three things I look for in a army book when it gets released.

These three things are:
Overall Design
Internal Balance
External Balance

Overall Design is how well the book translates its fluff, lore and background into the gaming world.  I think this is pretty straight forward as you can pretty much read every unit entry, and then read the rules.  Does it reflect well?  Does it make sense?  This should be well-reflected in the "actual" feel of the codex and its rules.  It must feel right to the player playing it, both in consistency terms and in terms of imaginative immersion.

e.g. The Void Raven Bomber is designed to be a more destructive air-ground aircraft compared to the Razorwing.  Both aircraft are designed for ground annihilating ground targets, but the Void Raven has more armor, a Void Mine, stronger Lances, and deadlier missile options.  Because of its heavier payload, its points cost is noticeably higher than the Razorwing.

Internal Balance is a balancing factor with all things considered within your own army book:  How the book comes together, where the units fit in, how do they scale, do they conflict on the force organization, how they're priced compared to other options..etc. Internal is exactly that, it's your book and your book alone.  This plays a heavy part in whether or not a book is considered fun or not.  Does the book have enough viable options for different army builds?  Do those army builds appeal to the new, casual and competitive player?

e.g. Wyches and Warriors fulfill different roles, but are both great Troop choices.  Both excel at their respected roles of close combat and shooting, and both are priced competitively.  As an Dark Eldar player, both are excellent and viable choices when designing their army.

External Balance is a balancing factor when compared to the game as a whole; more importantly, against other "factions" that exist in the same game. How do they balance out compared to those units in respects to unit cost, function, special rules, force organization, ..etc, is strictly comparing one unit from one army to another.  This plays a heavy part in the metagame, general longevity of the army book, and how much fun a player can have before realizing he's either outclassed or is facerolling people.

e.g. Grey Hunters are more cost-effective than Tactical Marines from the Space Marine codex.  For less points, you get Counter-Attack, a close combat weapon, cheaper weapon options, and better upgrades.  No heavy weapon options, but don't get me started on Long Fangs!

From a player/gamer's perspective, there's no greater importance than these three things for me.  The book has to make sense, the fluff has to play out accurately on the table, and the balance must be good.  There is no order of importance because all three are vital to the success of the army book.  Poor design leads to a lot of raised eyebrows and that's always no good.  Shoddy internal balance means less player options, unneeded restrictions and general frustration.  And well, bad external balance means you're either too weak or too powerful to compete fairly in the current metagame with the rest of your peers.  No one likes that.

Let me know what you guys think about this!

I think I'm a Xenos player

Reminds me of Epic Armageddon.

After looking through the Dark Angels codex briefly, I can't help but look through my collection of armies past and present and make some self reflections.

I started Warhammer 40K playing Grey Knights.  I then bought into Space Marines, followed by Space Wolves and then Blood Angels.  Eventually, I sold all my Grey Knights for Eldar and Dark Eldar, but ended up selling them before I moved to Cali.  Somewhere along those lines, I got into Death Guard as well.  In short, I was a Power Armor player for the longest time.  As much as I won with my PA armies, my win rate didn't even come close to the success I had with Eldar.

So that's when it hit me.  Am I meant to be an Eldar player?  I pretty much accepted the fact that my knowledge of the game from an Dark Eldar perspective is a lot more profound.  There's just a lot more thought processes going on at once.  I write better tactics, share more in-depth strategies, and give more responsive feedback.  As a result, I also preform a lot better on the table.

What about you guys?  Which armies do you own and which one defines you the most as a player?

Just Cause 2 – PC Game

Just Cause 2

• Developer: Avalanche Studios (SE)
• Publisher: Square Enix Eidos Interactive
• Genre: Action
• Release Date: March 23, 2010 (US)

About Just Cause 2

Rico returns to action in the sequel to Avalanche Studios' gargantuan action game. Just Cause 2 stars Rico Rodriquez, back to wreak havoc once again, this time with a new destination -- the huge playground of the South East Asian islands of Panau. The sequel features more stunts, vehicles and weapons than ever before and an incredible overhauled grappling hook system. Panau itself is an incredibly detailed and vast 1000 sq km game world of different climates and ultra-realistic weather effects. Leap from your plane and skydive from 10,000 feet down into a tropical jungle, tear across an arid desert in a dune buggy or climb your way up a snowy mountain in a 4x4. The vast open-ended, unique gameplay is back, allowing you full freedom once again to free roam and explore the massive world of Panau and tackle your assignments however you want.

Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows Vista/7
• Processor: Pentium D @ 3 GHz / Athlon 64 X2 4200
• Memory: 2 Gb
• Hard Drive: 10 Gb free
• Video Memory: 256 Mb
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 / ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
• DirectX: 10
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• DVD Rom Drive

Recommended System Requirements

• OS: Windows Vista/7
• Processor: Intel Core 2 DUO @ 2.6 GHz / AMD Phenom X3 @ 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 3 Gb
• Hard Drive: 10 Gb free
• Video Memory: 512 Mb
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 / ATI Radeon HD 5750
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
• DirectX: 10.1
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• DVD Rom Drive

Download Just Cause 2 – Direct Links

Part 1 – 700 MB

Part 2 – 700 MB

Part 3 – 700 MB

Part 4 – 700 MB

Part 5 – 700 MB

Part 6 – 584 MB

CRACK

KeyGen

www.elj-games.blogspot.com

Look what I picked up today

Looks like I got a bug problem.

Man.. Merry Christmas to me!
Looks like that some very alien battle reports are going to be rolling out in the next couple of weeks.

Have fun with this one guys.  I need to grab myself the new Hive Tyrant kit and 3x Tervigons to finish it all.

PS - If anyone has any Carnifex Devourer sprues, let me know.  Two of my fexes don't have any weapons!

PPS - The Blood Angels are claimed! Everything else is still left!

Call of Duty 5: World at War

Call of Duty: World at War

• Publisher: Activision Blizzard
• Developer: Treyarch
• Genre: First-Person Shooter
• Release Date: November 11, 2008

About Call of Duty: World at War

Call of Duty: World at War throws out the rulebook of war to transform WWII combat through a new enemy, new tactics and an uncensored experience of the climatic battles that gripped a generation. As U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers, players will employ new features like cooperative gameplay, and weapons such as the flamethrower in the most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date.

Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP/Vista
• Processor: Pentium 4 @ 3 GHz/AMD 64 3200+
• Memory: 512 MB (1 GB for Vista)
• Hard Drive: 8 GB Free
• Video Memory: 256 MB (nVidia GeForce 6600/ATI Radeon X1600)
• Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
• DirectX: 9.0c
• Keyboard & Mouse
• DVD Rom Drive

Download Call of Duty 5: World at War – Direct Links

Part 1 – 700 MB

Part 2 – 700 MB

Part 3 – 700 MB

Part 4 – 700 MB

Part 5 – 700 MB

Part 6 – 700 MB

Part 7 – 700 MB

Part 8 – 700 MB

Part 9 – 700 MB

 Part 10 – 700 MB

Part 11 – 700 MB

 Part 12 – 700 MB

Part 13 – 57 MB

Crack

www.elj-games.blogspot.com

Cleaning house, fresh start

Maybe?  Should I?

UPDATED with what I'm actually selling!!!

Alright guys, I think I'm going to do some cleaning house.
I haven't done this since I got rid of my Dwarves some many years ago, but I think I'm going to part ways with some of my armies.

First, all my current active armies:
Dark Eldar (since 3rd)
Space Wolves (since 3rd)
Blood Angels (since 3rd)
High Elves (since 6th)

My current inactive armies:
Death Guard (FW) (never really play them)
Cygnar (stopped playing WM for the most part)
Axis (No one plays Dust Warfare)

I'm actually thinking about parting ways with all of my inactive armies and one active army.
Unfortunately, Blood Angels drew the short end of the stick.

I don't enjoy playing them as much as I did back in 3rd and I find myself taking them out less and less with Dark Eldar and Space Wolves in my army arsenal.

If any of you readers are willing to take these armies off my hand, let me know.
All models are current, all assembled and expertly cleaned, unprimed, unpainted.

+++INCOMING TRANSMISSION+++

Since a lot of people have asked about the armies... here's what I have..

Death Guard
PICS:
http://lkhero.blogspot.com/2012/07/more-death-guard-on-way.html
35x Forgeworld Death Guard
4x Meltaguns, 4x Plasma Guns, 4x Champs with Fists, rest are Bolters, 2x with Icons.
FW Death Guard Sorcerer NIB
2x FW Death Guard Marine conversion kits
2x FW Death Guard Terminator conversion kits
An epic ass ton of sprues, has a bunch of special weapons (at least 4x of each), and enough to build 10 more marines, 5 as Death Guard (yes, I have more bodies and shoulder pads), 5 more Termies, and it even has possessed and CSM Lord stuff.
Last I asked was $325 for the lot.
SOLD

Blood Angels
PICS:
http://lkhero.blogspot.com/2010/04/blood-angels-released.html
30x ASM with BA Icons, kit-bashed with Death Company stuff
2x Infernus pistols as meltas in every squad, each squad has a Champ with Fist
3x kit-bashed Sanguinary Priests, 2 with JP, 1 on foot
1x kit-bashed Libby with JP
5x Sanguinary Guard, Fist, Banner
3x Baal Predators (new plastics)
Metal Tycho
Metal Mephiston
Metal Dante
An epic ass ton of BA sprues
Asking for 30% off MSRP, everything is already assembled.  Essentially, you're paying to get a battle-proven army, from someone you know (read and learn from hopefully!), and are helping him gear for his next army.  Asking for 350.
SOLD

Dust Warfare:
Gorillas Pack + Markus
2x Panzer Walkers
2x Battle Grenadiers
1x Heavy Recon Grenadier
1x Heavy Kommandotrupp
1x Observer + Sniper
1x Core set

Only played twice.
Asking for 150.
SOLD

Perdita Crew for Malifaux
Comes with..
Perdita Box
Enslaved Nephilim
Executioner
2x Death Marshals (NIB)
Guild cards

Only played once.
Asking for 75.

pStryker
eHaley
pNemo, eNemo
Siege
Squire
Charger
2x Hunters (1 NIB)
2x Defender/Ironclad/Cyclone magnetized
1x Ol' Rowdy
1x Thorn
1x Lancer
full ATGM + UA NIB, new models
Rangers
Full Storm blades + UA, 3x gunners, all metal
B13
Arlan Strangewayes
2x Gun Mage Captain Adepts (1 NIB)
2x Jr warmaster (male, female)
1x Viktor Pendrake
pEyriss
Reinhodlt
Piper
Gorman
Aiyana and Holt
Anastasia
and probably more merc solos, I don't even remember
Asking for 300 for the lot.
SOLD

All models are well constructed, expertly put together, well-cleaned and battle-proven. Asking for retail - Asking for 50% off retail

+++END TRANSMISSION+++

Oh, and by the fresh start, what do you think of this list?

1750

HQ:
Swarmlord = 280
+Tyrant Guard = 60

TROOP:
10x Termagaunts = 50
Trevigon (Cluster, Adrenal, Toxin, Catalyst) = 195
10x Termagaunts = 50
Trevigon (Cluster, Adrenal, Toxin, Catalyst) = 195
10x Termagaunts = 50
Trevigon (Cluster, Adrenal, Toxin, Catalyst) = 195

ELITE:
10x Ymgarl Genestealers = 230
3x Hive Guard = 150
Venomthrope = 55

HEAVY:
Trygon (Prime) = 240

Happy New Year everyone!

Yup, pretty accurate.

Well, there was no apoc and we're all still here.
Awesome.

Looking back at 2012, I wanted to ask you guys what more do you want from this blog?  Yes, I know I know, activity would be great, but I can only write based on the events that unfold around me.  There's work, the family, the house, all that great adult stuff that keeps you away from your hobbies.  And then of course, there's motivation.

I can't really force myself to play games, it must happen naturally.  Lately with holidays and seeing family, there's hardly any room to break out the minis and get games going.  However, I've been doing some research into The Hobbit SBG and that might be something I get into.  I don't know, only time will tell.

What would you guys like to see in 2013?  More WHFB?  40K?  The billion other games I play?
How about another writer to help keep the site active?

Feel free to let me know.
Happy New Year everyone!