Long Time No Post

So yeah, Nursing school will melt your face, and your spare time. Not a ton of time to keep up with the blog (unless you're procrastinating doing some homework!)

40k has completely given me over to "other army envy." Especially since I'm like 0-10 against Tyranids since they've come out (even one game against a newbie). CSM have a lack of shooting and are a bit overcosted if you ask me. But I'm not here to complain about the problems with my army, I'm here to complain about something else!

For a few months now, I've had this sneaking suspicion that I'm going to get screwed over. Let me elaborate, you see today BoLS posted an article talking about the rumored to-be-released armies for next year. CSM is nowhere on that list. Nor have I heard any chatter/rumblings/news at all about them getting a new codex. It's also pretty widely accepted that GW is going to update every codex before they release a 6th edition of 40k. and it's anticipated that will only be 2-3 years away.

So what who cares? Well, what this means is that for the second codex in a row, the signs are pointing towards Codex Chaos Space Marines having the dubious honor of being one of the last few codices released in a lame duck edition AGAIN. I think everyone can agree that, for the majority, armies released before a new edition arrives are at a serious disadvantage (even when the codex shows foresight to new rules and changes for the new edition). And it's not really the design studio's fault, they do at least attempt to plan ahead a bit. But the meta game changes with each codex release, and as time goes on what's effective may be drastically different than what the designers had in mind. And like I said, it ain't for lack of trying. It's just something you cannot control for.

Why put so much stock into rumors? Because BoLS schedule rumors are pretty much spot on with few exceptions.

Don't take this the wrong way, there are absolutely other armies that are WAY more deserving of an update before CSM gets some update love, but being one of the very last updated armies again is going to seriously irritate me.

In other news, I'm apparently a masochist. Even though I'm still not done painting my Black Legion (but who finishes completely painting an army anyways?) I am going to take the leap into Warhammer Fantasy. Most of the regulars at my FLGS are getting into Fantasy. It's something I've been interested in for a while now. I like a lot of the story and lore, not as much as 40k, but I'm familiar with it enough since I played the Warhammer MMO for a few months. I think I'm going to play Lizardmen. The only other armies that interest me in the slightest are Skaven (didn't want to paint/build that many models) and Warriors of Chaos (I already got my evil Chaos fix for the most part). Unfortunately we already have people that play both those armies and I want something different (since we now have like 5 or so of us that play CSM at the FLGS). So far there aren't any multiples of any armies which is good. I enjoy that they are really strong in melee and in magic.

But of course, drawn like a moth to the flame, they are one of the last codices released from the last edition. BAH!

Thanks Tasty and I R Bad Blogger

A big thanks to Tastytaste of Blood of Kittens for posting my article on Tzeentch on his site.

I'm not going to lie, I've been a bit burned out on 40k lately. But this might be the spark that reignites my passion for 40k. Part of the problem is that my friend who I play the vast majority of my games against plays Blood Angels and I don't have enough pew pew in my CSM list(s) to take down all his Storm Ravens, Dreads, and possibly a Vindi or two.

I apologize to the few readers I have for not updating more regularly, however one thing I refuse to do is to "break" news that BoLS, YTTH, Warseer, etc. have already gotten to.

I would like to have this post not be completely fruitless, so I'll leave you with two blogs I read on a daily basis and that inspire me as to what this blog may one day accomplish.

The first is Blood of Kittens, which has some very unique things like the community pimp, 40k D-bag (because drama can be hilarious if you're far enough removed from it), but what drew me originally was the coverage of all the GT's around the country (and Canadia).

The second is Brent's Strictly Average. His posts are precise, intelligent, and pretty freaking funny. As a plus he lives roughly in the same geographic area I do. His e-mails with Ron of FTW was quite amusing, as well as his stalking of Jawaballs.

Lastly, something I listen to every day as I am a huge Pardon the Interruption fan is The Tony Kornheiser Show, if you like sports (even though it is WAY more an entertainment show than a sports show) I HIGHLY suggest giving it a listen a few times.

Best. Orks. Ever.

So I've been composing a list, doing a bit of shopping, and just generally getting an idea for a possible 2nd army. Orks. While browsing around I happened to catch a glimpse at the single greatest Ork army ever.

A Treatise: On the State and Origins of Tzeentch in 40k

This is sorta pseudo fluffy and also a gigantic wall of text, you have been warned.

I have been reading The Inquisition War since Christmas (I'm usually much faster when I don't have school going on). It brings a lot of interesting ideas and sort of fluff theories. Also reading Just_me's wonderful article on the Emperor a few days ago inspired me.

I love Tzeentch, and Nurgle too to a lesser degree, the fluff the formerly loyalist legion how/why they fell, etc. I connect to it a lot. A lot of CSM players/fans and I guess more broadly anyone who is remotely interested in Chaos sort of have "their God." Some people LOVE Khorne and Slaanesh, they don't do a thing for me. Nothing, nada. But I really get Tzeentch. The desire to control, to hold forbidden knowledge, the mastery of powers others cannot comprehend. Hook, line, and sinker.

With reading Index Astartes, various other codices, and sources a (possibly) radical thought has emerged. What if all Chaos is the Lord of Change?

In older fluff (specifically The Inquisition War) it either implies or states that the Emperor's mind has become fragmented, often warring with itself through the various parts of personality now each made manifest as an individual voice. A deity with Multiple Personality Disorder. Cannon has it that Khorne was the first of the Chaos Gods to fully awaken. As each of the 4 (major) dieties makes up Chaos as a whole, couldn't they be the fragmented personalities of a whole? As Chaos was congealing different parts of the persona awakened, Khorne as rage/anger/hate, Slaanesh as excess/hedonism/pleasure, Nurgle as despair/stagnation/disease, and Tzeentch as change/knowledge/magic.

We could also then suppose that the Chaos God with the greatest emphasis of knowledge and ambition make up the greatest plurality, and therefore consciousness, of this evil gestalt. In the same way that the Eldar are hoping to form Ynnead, might the Great Schemer be plotting to become a singular evil deity?

I would like to challenge the assertion that Tzeentch "can never win." If the Changer of Ways ascended to the top (regardless of the absorption of the others to form one mega-evil) he would still be able to manipulate every being beneath him. There would still be ambition, backstabbing, and beings trying to claw their way to the top. Something like an infinitely vast corporate ladder that no one could truly hope to finish climbing. Their would still be the hope and drive to ascend by the Great Conspirator's puppets. He may even let a few of them come close to succeeding for amusement. Pages 152-153 of the BRB gives one of my favorite stories about Tzeentch and his manipulation of his antithetical brothers.

Diametric opposites abound in 40k. Chaos is the malevolent reflection of life in the Warp, with the Emperor generally seen as the embodiment of good (though he is not without flaw, due to inaction or other means). The C'tan are in many ways the evil opposite of Chaos. They abhor the warp, but still seek to keep all life in the universe under their heel. Each has their own agenda as well as a horde of followers. There's 4 C'Tan left. Technology vs. magic. Called Star Gods, etc etc etc. Though all of that is a discussion for another time. So could not this point to Tzeentch as the most direct opposite of the Emperor, and lead to a path that would only see Tzeentch (and therefore Chaos) ascending to its rightful place and finally shackling the galaxy once and for all?

To steal something from a great Edward Norton film, I'm going to end with a quote (from Codex: Daemons)

"Don't you see? My Master Tzeentch cares not which of the Great Powers of Chaos you serve.

In the end, aren't the followers of the Blood God changing valiant warriors into headless corpses? Aren't the worshipers of the Lord of Flies changing strong, healthy bodies into rotting, diseased carcasses? Aren't the disciples of the Dark Prince changing stern, steadfast heroes into slaves to their own senses?

Chaos is a struggle to change, you must agree. Change rules all."

TL;DR Tzeentch > all

Thanks to those that somehow managed to read all of that. I'd love to hear what anyone thought.
-Atrocity

Graduation

Hey everybody,

So I recently graduated college (woohoo!), and will now have more time to devote to painting, playing, and the blog. That is until I go back to school in August. I am glad to know that other now college alum's (http://strictlyaverage.blogspot.com/) are feeling the burn of not being able to play in 'Ard Boyz this year since GW, in arguably the dumbest move of 2010, has moved it to the day EVERYONE graduates college. I'm totally not bitter. Whatever.

Since I'm still in pseudo-academic mode after turning in my Senior Capstone (aka thesis) I'm going to write a bit about the Black Library book I've been reading for some time and how I think the Emperor reflects in Chaos. Going to be sorta fluffy, but bear with me when it inevitably hits today or tomorrow.

Not Dead Yet

No I haven't left the blog for dead quite yet, I just finished presenting my Capstone project (Senior Thesis) and am finishing up on 3 more projects and 2 tests I have this week. More to come (hopefully) within the next 7 days.

First Tournament Battle Reports Pt. 1

Game 1: So my first tournament game ever I played a guy who used Ultramarines. It was his first tournament as well and we had to wait til 15 minutes in before he had returned from his hotel room to get his list and then he only had one for the judges so it had to be copied. It was awful! I don't want to bash the guy but there's something to be said for knowing what stats your weapons are without having to look EVERY turn. He also felt the need to use his laser pointer to check his models LoS all the time. Other than that he was a pleasant follow to play against. He ran a Termie Librarian with Smite and Vortex had a TWLas Razor, 1 10 man tac, 1 5 man tac, a Vindi with 2 storm bolters, a Dread in a drop pod with meltas, a 5 man scout squad (missiles and lascannons), a devistator squad (with Missles and lascannons too) and a group of termies with 4 PFists and a sgt with a Psword.

I have the scenario list in front of me and it was Capture and Control (aka 2 objectives) & Spearhead. I placed mine in a ruin close to my table edge with a rhino full of Plague marines, a DP, and 2 Oblits. He placed his in a ruin as close to the 12" dead zone as possible surrounded by scouts with his 10 man tac about 6" away from the objective. My Vindi, 2 rhinos, and a DP are lined up side by side to roll into him as fast as possible (these are also not even 12" from my objective ruin) with a lone Oblit in a ruin as close as I could get him to a balcony. Turn one comes and his drop pod with Dread comes in and takes a shot at one of my rhinos (due to scattering too far from the Vindi) and his termies come in and shoot at my vindi getting nothing. Takes some pot shots at rhinos and such and gets nothing. I fly my Prince and take out 3 of 5 termies and wipe them out on sweeping advance. My Obliterators blow up his Dread. and my Vindi blows his Vindi's cannon off. He immobilizes my Vindi and one rhino still staying back and shooting. I rush my lone unscathed right into his loose blob and they get blown out of their rhino and eventually wiped out later.

It gets down to turn 4 or so and we have 30 min left and I haul my Plague Marines from the immobilized rhino with a daemon prince flying close by gunning for that objective since mine is completely safe due to the vast distance. I am fortunately able to move my DP 12 and assault 6 to contesting his objective and assaulting with my plague marines the turn later since his 10 man tac squad had moved to get better shooting lanes and ended the game 2-0. I scored 17 for controlling both objectives and +1 for destroying his highest point cost unit. He scored 3 with the same bonus. Final 18-4.