Warhammer 40K Fireteam

Fireteam

The next small boxed Warhammer 40k game is here with Fireteam, putting Space Marines against Necrons.

Fireteam is meant to be a way to introduce Warhammer 40k to new players, giving them essentially a small kill team that can easily be a starting force towards a solid 1000 point army when they graduate to a true tabletop experience. Being a skirmish type game it is meant to be quick paced and the designers have more than achieved it. As tabletop gamers we have have those friends or family members we want to bring into our hobby and box is a perfect way to do that with 40k.

One of the best things about this release is the value. It sells for about $50 at book stores and if you were to take the same models from Games Workshop directly would easily cost at least $100! Gameplay is easy to learn and the campaign mechanic is a great way to bring experienced gamers and newer players together for a story where the war is not decided by a single battle. Essentially you mix and match key elements of a campaign to tell the tale of this fight you are waging while unlocking special gear that will benefit you later. Overall this is a great value to players starting out with either Space Marines or Necrons and will make for an engaging way to introduce other players to this wonderful world of 40k.

Space Marine Adventures Doomsday Countdown

Doomsday Countdown

Space Marine Adventures is back for another round of murder fun with Doomsday Countdown courtesy of Games Workshop and local bookstores like Barnes and Noble.

With the first volume of Space Marine Adventures players took turns facing down the Necron threat, however this time, in Doomsday countdown, it’s time for hunting Chaos cultists. Players take on the roles of three Space Marines and move about the map trying to defuse a bomb before it detonates. All three Marines are members of the illustrious Ultramarines Chapter and facing off against seven cultists, these particular models were previously featured alongside Warhammer Quest Blackstone Fortress.

These Adventure boxes are intended to be an introduction into the world of Warhammer 40,000. The models for both the Space Marines and Cultists are push to fit and easy to assemble, making that part of the hobby much less difficult to ease in to. Even in this game there will be lots of dice rolling to be had so it feels like a Warhammer game in that respect while using common model types.

The previous release had used tokens instead of models for the enemies so the fact they return to models, especially these cultist models, is a huge improvement. The mechanics are very much the same to the previous version so if you’ve played before this is very much a continuation. Even though this is the third volume you don’t need to have played the previous iterations to get into this one. Beyond getting additional Chaos cultists (which I always need) you also get some great tiles that can easily work along with tiles for Blackstone Fortress. This is another great way to introduce your friends and family to the world that is Warhammer 40,000!

Warzone Octarius books 1 and 2

Warzone Octarius

Warzone Octarius has come to give us new rules for Orks and Tyranids as well as for using Rogue Traders and even Kill Teams.

Warhammer 40k is constantly evolving and over this year 9th edition is no different. The Warzone supplements expand on rules for existing factions and share the story of a particular warzone. The second round of this is Warzone Octarius with books 1 and 2. The previous books were based on Charadon but I suspect Octarius was chosen due to the recent release of Kill Team: Octarius which featured exclusive models and terrain.

Book 1 brings us rules Cadia, Tyranids and the Armies of Renown: Kill Team. Now with the branding of Kill Team I originally assumed this would be the squads from Kill Team: Octarius but instead these Kill Teams are part of the Deathwatch and are comprised of Space Marines. Book 2 however brings the Kill Team flavor with rules for the Blood Axes, the Ork team from the Octarius box, along with Rogue Traders (Astra Cartographica) and the Speed Freeks Speed Mob as this book’s Army of Renown.

These books are less for casual or competitive players but more for those that like to follow an official campaign. Charadon did not see a Kill Team release but with Octarius receiving it’s own warzone books so soon after it’s Kill Team release I am fully expecting that the next warzone will be centered around Chalnath.

Warhammer 40K Shadow Throne and the codex precursor

Shadow Throne

The Genestealer Cults are facing off against the Adeptus Custodes on Terra in Shadow throne from Games Workshop for Warhammer 40,000.

About once, sometimes twice a year, Games Workshop releases a new starter, typically surrounding a specific theme. To end 2021 they brought us Shadow Throne and it is centered around the Genestealer Cults infiltrating Terra. These days it seems like there is some form of Genestealer Cult activity on nearly every planet so it was only a matter of time before some reached Terra. You would think that there would be ways of preventing this in a place where the Emperor of Mankind himself resides.

Originally this release was meant to coincide with the release of codices for both the Genestealer Cults and the Adeptus Custodes but due to delays with production they have been delayed until January of next year. Currently the Shadow throne boxset is on preorder and will be released this Saturday. Games Workshop also promises that any preorders made beyond their initial run will be done as part of a second production run! The majority of this box has been released previously but that doesn’t make it any less worth picking up. For the GSC the Genestealer Patriarch is by far one of the greatest sculpts released thus far for the army and is joined by an exclusive Reductus Saboteur. The GSC though are not the only ones to get a new model- enter the Blade Champion for the Custodes! This is possibly the MOST dynamic model we have seen in quite some time for them and the pose reminds me of the Black Templar’s new champion.

What I am most looking forward to with this release though is the fact that I get to revisit one of my favorite armies from 40k- Tyranids, if only slightly with a single model. Additionally though both factions come with nearly enough to be full kill team patrols for the aptly named Kill Team.

A New Gang Enters the Underhive- the Outcasts Gang

Outcasts Gang

The Outcasts Gang joins the denizens of the Underhive with their own house book and a new terrain feature!

There are displaced residents all throughout the Underhive of Necromunda and now gangs of these Outcasts have started banding together, even worse they are taking their fighting to some of the Underhive Markets! These gangs are comprised of either those removed from the traditional gang houses or those that are less desirable. Many of these dregs of society are looking for a way of living outside the social hierarchy of the planet and doing so will usually leave them with shorter lifespans, but so does simply living on Necromunda. Check out our thoughts on the latest releases:

Underhive Outcasts Gang

What makes this team stand out is the randomness of their uniforms and that there is no unifying theme. Weapons, armor and clothes have SOME similarities but are more of a hodgepodge of all things that are found in the Underhive. I love how the heads have a lot of unique properties compared to the other gangs that look so similar to each other. One guy even has a faux-hawk!

The Book of the Outcast

This book contains the rules needed to run the new Outcasts Gang along with all their support options, weapons and gear available and even the hired guns they can, well hire. Everything you need to take them on to the table is contained here. All that’s left is finding an opponent and a table.

Zone Mortalis Underhive Market

Speaking of finding a table, the Underhive Market is here to help with that. Necromunda, when at it’s best, gives players a many tiered table to play against each other on. The more levels, passages, buildings, archeotech or just plain rubble on your table then the more on brand your game will be. This set changes that way of thinking, forcing players to have fights that are mostly in the open and for added personality you could add Sloppers to try and sell food to the gangs while they fight among the stalls. There will still be plenty of cover but no where near enough for most players. Combining all of the different Zone Mortalis, or at least the ones that are available, should make for quite the interesting board and this addition adds some very different flavor to the table.

The Market is by far the item that has me most excited, and leaves me hopeful we will see some vastly different terrain options in the future. Same goes for the gang itself, perhaps this is the precursor to us getting a Scavvies, Ratskin or Wastelands themed gang in the future.

Black Templars join Ninth edition of Warhammer 40k

Black Templars

Over the last two months Black Templars have released not only their codex but also a huge selection of models to compliment it!

Since Gen Con this year Games Workshop have been ramping up their releases for the Black Templars, starting with a collector’s edition Army Box. This Army Box even featured a special edition of the codex with art by John Blanche. Even better is this is the same art that was featured on the Third edition starter of Warhammer 40k! For me that made this box even more special because that was the first starter I ever played of the game so this box was a must have for me (see the featured image). The Templars have always been the only “good” Space Marine faction I’ve ever been interested and it’s not just because of all the black armor (I use a lot of black in my painting for uniforms). It’s all about that classic Templar knight aesthetic. I’ve always been fascinated by the Templar knights from the Crusades in history and their iconography. The fact that you get all the black armor AND the iconography on these soldiers is a win.

Black Templar Start Collecting box

Features 16 units and a Primaris Impulsor! This box is the first time I will have ever built an Impulsor and I can’t wait to do so. The Impulsor is the only model that was NOT a new release that came in this box. This includes the Crusader Squad which is available by itself as well- see below.

Crusader Squad

Sword Bretheren

This is by far one of the most intimidating Space Marine squads (that fight for the Emperor anyway) and I kind of want to paint the one like Wolverine- you know the one I mean.

High Marshal Helbrecht

This is a massive improvement of the original sculpt and is an amazing model on it’s own. I have seen some recent conversions using this that made for a fantastic Stormcast Eternal- I’m leaning towards doing the same with mine.

Chaplain Grimaldus & Retinue

Grimaldus doesn’t seem to have that standard Skull helmet that we usually see on Chaplains but his retinue are what REALLY make him stand out. I love the fact that the standard itself already has those details on the model and it is not done freehand, it gives me hope that I will do this model some justice when I paint it.

Black Templars Castellan

Out of all of the new sculpts this was probably the one I was most excited to receive (Games Workshop provided each of the items listed on this page for our review) because it is based on the artwork by John Blanche and is the FIRST time this model has been officially created. The porportions are more along the lines of the classic chunky Space Marines and I don’t even care. Between the massive axe and the skull-engraved shoulder pad, this is one bad ass model.

In summary I am ACTUALLY looking forward to building and painting my first ever Space Marine army and can’t wait to see what else they might come out with for the Black Templars!

Kill Team returns with another installment of the current edition – Chalnath

Kill Team Chalnath

Games Workshop has released a new version of Kill Team with Chalnath and they sent us a copy for the purpose of reviewing it.

Kill Team is essentially the skirmish version of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000. Players take small squads of fighters, or even a smaller and more elite force and battle for objectives or simply to eliminate the other team (this is my preferred way to play any tabletop game). Officially this is the fourth edition of the Kill Team game type but the third as a standalone title. The points systems are vastly different than your standard game of 40k but very similar in nature to that of Warcry in relation to Age of Sigmar. Now the first three editions also differed in points values when compared but Chalnath is the second installment of this edition and is much more in line with Warcry.

Teams are comprised of roughly 1000 points and depending on the faction will determine how many models you will be using, for example, Adaptus Mechanicus will typically have more troops on the map than Astartes. Another big difference between this version and previous iterations is that the list building is much more limited this time around. For Kill Team I suspect this is to better control balancing for the game, possibly to minimize some of the min/maxing that some players do to give their play style an advantage. With the new limitations on list building I think this is a huge improvement because I like having a variety on the field of battle and like to fight a variety.

Overall I found this to be a great introduction game to the world of Warhammer 40k and in the smaller scale makes trying new armies much easier and way cheaper. The new models for both Tau and Adepta Sororitas are some of my favorite for both factions. Kill Team: Chalnath features new Tau Pathfinders and Adepta Sororitas models along with some familiar looking terrain and is setting the precedent that every three months or so we will see a new Kill Team release, each centered around a different kill zone. Additionally both releases of this edition have also had exclusive models and the first absolutely had exclusive terrain options. This time I have yet to find confirmation about the exclusivity on the terrain but it looks quite similar to some we’ve seen previously. I can’t wait to see what other exclusive models and terrain will be coming with each new kill zone! This is a fantastic starting point for anyone looking for a new army or to add to an existing army.

Aeronautica Imperialis: Wrath of Angels

Aeronautica Imperialis

Aeronautica Imperialis returns with Wrath of Angels, the third boxset for the current edition and first to feature Aeldari and Adeptus Astartes.

The previous edition of Aeronautica Imperialis was released about this time last year and unlike other Games Workshop IPs it appears we will only be seeing a single full box release each year. Wrath of Angels focuses on a fight between Aeldari (commonly referred to as Eldar) and Adeptus Astartes (commonly referred to as Space Marines). Like each of the other full starter releases we get two ship types for each faction, this time with the NIghtwing, Phoenix Bomber, Xiphon Interceptor and the Storm Eagle Assault Craft. The folks at Games Workshop sent us an advanced copy for the purpose of this review and as always this guarantees we will share our opinion but not a specific opinion.

For the most part gameplay is the same as before (this rulebook features the latest FAQ items in it over previous releases) but adds a few new abilities that are exclusive to the new factions. One ability is Jink, it allows a ship to defy the laws of physics and move one space in any direction before the targeting phase. In most games you cannot negate a natural max roll on the dice but with the Holo Field you can! With the Techmarine you can heal a ship once per game.

The only complaint I really have about this box is that it is the third (out of three) full release featuring a faction from the Imperium of Man. There seems to already be an oversaturation of these factions. That being said I understand the reasoning, Imperium models sell quite well and as a business I would put the primary focus on the groups that would see the most sales.

Overall this is same amazing ship warfare game we have seen with some minor twists and new ships to build and paint. For fans of the either faction and of AI this box is a must have!

Warhammer 40k Kill Team Octarius review

Kill Team

Games Workshop has released a new version of Kill Team with Octarius and they sent us a copy for the purpose of reviewing it along with the Compendium.

Kill Team is essentially the skirmish version of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000. Players take small squads of fighters, or even a smaller and more elite force and battle for objectives or simply to eliminate the other team (this is my preferred way to play any tabletop game). Officially this is the fourth edition of the Kill Team game type but the second as a standalone title. The points systems are vastly different than your standard game of 40k but very similar in nature to that of Warcry in relation to Age of Sigmar. Now the first three editions also differed in points values when compared but this is the first to be more in line with Warcry.

Teams are comprised of roughly 1000 points and depending on the faction will determine how many models you will be using, for example, Adaptus Mechanicus will typically have more troops on the map than Astartes. Another big difference between this version and previous iterations is that the list building is much more limited this time around. For Kill Team I suspect this is to better control balancing for the game, possibly to minimize some of the min/maxing that some players do to give their play style an advantage. With the new limitations on list building I think this is a huge improvement because I like having a variety on the field of battle and like to fight a variety.

Overall I found this to be a great introduction game to the world of Warhammer 40k and in the smaller scale makes trying new armies much easier and way cheaper. The new models for both Orks and Astra Militarum are some of my favorite for both factions, especially the bomb squid. He is legit the first time I have said a squig was adorable. At the time of writing this we have already seen the announcement for Kill Team: Chalnath and features new Tau Pathfinders and Adepta Sororitas models along with some familiar looking terrain. I can’t wait to see what other exclusive models will be coming with each new kill zone! This is a fantastic starting point for anyone looking for a new army or to add to an existing army.

Necromunda Hive War: a new starter featuring House Delaque

Necromunda

Necromunda has been one of those games that will always hold a special place in my heart. Thanks to Games Workshop we have the opportunity to dive back into the underhive.

This is not the first time we’ve delved into the world of Necromunda, nor the first time we’ve received review materials from Games Workshop. As with any other item we’ve received the shared opinions are not influenced by the source. This isn’t the only Necromunda item we received either- we were sent a copy of the House of Blades and the Mercator Nautica Syphoning Delegation from Forge World and we will be discussing them each!

Hive War

Hive war includes two full gangs (House Escher and House Delaque), a full set of objective tokens and additional Zone Mortalis terrain. For both gangs these are the same as can be found in the normal gang boxes. Objective tokens are the same as the original Second Edition boxset as is the Zone Mortalis terrain. Each of the items in this box can be ordered separately but you are getting them at a discount getting them boxed together. The only difference in this box is that the rulebook is updated to include all FAQ changes prior to the book’s printing!

Set in the Warhammer 40k universe, Necromunda is a hive planet that produces munitions for the Astra Militarum. The planet is covered in massive hive cities but below these are the homes and territories of numerous gangs, most of which have aligned themselves to one of the major house- Escher, Delaque, Goliath, Orlock, Cawdor and Van Saar. Each house operates under strict morals and rules that members must abide by.

Gameplay is as solid as before- when you played with the FAQ rules previously there is no transition to the new rulebook. This is not a new edition, just an updated printing. Any chance at more terrain, models I don’t have, more objectives and additional models for your favorite faction is a win for sure and for me this box has that in spades. Escher have always been my favorite House to play so additional models are great as that will allow me to try some new load outs that will also appease the WYSIWYG crowd as these will already have the weapons.

House of Blades

In addition to containing the most up to date lore on House Escher, House of Blades features rules for the main fighter types- Queens, Matriarchs, Death-Maidens, Wyld Runners, Sisters, and Little Sisters. Additionally you will find rules for the various abilities or weapons used by this House and even how to hire the various brutes and thugs. This includes how to hire the Syphoning Delegation as well! This book is a must for fans of House Escher or any other House that wants to know more about their enemies.

Mercator Nautica Syphoning Delegation

The Delegation has some special ties to House Escher but can work with any law abiding gang. With this trio I love the concept draining the water from my enemies to then sell to others for a profit. Aesthetically they look like they might belong with a Tau army in 40k but really feel like a call out to days of first edition when we had elite members from high up in the Spyre coming down to eradicate some of the gangs. The chosen paint scheme GW used I feel is too bright so I will be doing something a bit darker but am looking forward to the task as well as fielding them with my Eschers.