Stripping the Paint of the Past

Hello all! Aseldi here. Recently, I appear to have been making a backwards move with my goal to paint up a 1250pts Space Wolf army for Conflict Scotland... I've been removing the paint of totally unrelated models!

My first army when I came to the hobby was the Dark Angels... Back when Codexes cost £12... Well, many things have changed since then, not least the price of the codex, or my allegiances. The Lion would not be pleased, but Russ showed him who's boss, so no losses there.

Anyway, my point. I had Azrael and Ezekiel (the latter happens to be one of my favourite models in the whole game actually...) sitting on the shelf, bearing the splatters of a far younger self. I'd even gone to the extent of varnishing them, so their shine seemed to congeal all the mess already upon them.

But anyway, to my point: acetone is really effective for stripping the paint off metal models! Basically nail varnish, I just poured some into a jar, put my models in, and left them overnight.
By the next morning, the paint and varnish had softened enough to be removed with a bit of scrubbing from an old tooth brush, and the acetone had also dissolved the superglue.

So now I'm left with the models as good as new! Maybe I'll get round to painting them again some day...
-Aseldi

Land Raider Variants and Space Wolves

This is a topic which has been causing me no end of wonder recently. In my most recent article, the 1250pts Space Wolf list, you will see I opted for the Land Raider Redeemer eventually to deliver my Wolf Guard (maybe a bit Deathstar(ish)) unit into the heat of battle! (excuse the pun)

But I believe this topic to be one worthy of a little more debate. In our codex, we have access to 3 Land Raider Patterns, the usual, the Crusader and the Redeemer. Here I hope to list the reasons for taking each, and my opinions on them.

Right, so first up we have the usual Land Raider. Weighing in at 250pts, it's expensive as always. (one thing I'm surprised at is that the points weren't lowered in the Dark Angels Codex, but I'm sure they have their reasons). Armed with 2 twin-linked Lascannons, and a twin-linked heavy bolter, it's got a lot of firepower! As well as a transport capacity of 10 and AV 14/14/14 with 4 HPs, all for 250pts. This is the variant I feel is hardest to decide upon the role. For a start, it carries the long range weapons of our arsenal, is the most survivable vehicle we have access to. So I feel sitting it at the back of the battlefield, putting the Lascannons to good use is wasting the overall potential. But sticking a squad of Wolf Guard and the like inside it and pushing it forward is also a little risky, since it reduces the fire ability. For these reasons, I tend to leave this one back in The Fang, it doesn't know what it wants to do with itself.

The Crusader. Again, 250pts, but this time armed with 2 Hurricane Bolters and a twin-linked assault cannon, frag assault launchers, with a transport capacity of 16!! Definitely the dedicated assault vehicle we want to deliver the death star to define all deathstars. The hurricane bolters are effective at the grange this vehicle wants to operate at, close, as does the assault cannon. The one thing it lacks is the straight up fire power. You could argue this is offset by the sheer volume of shots it can deliver, and the payload it will probably be carrying, but when I'm spending 250pts on something, I'd like it to do a little more than simply deliver a unit to the battle safely. This is something the standard Land Raider does well, with it's Lascannons able to de-mech enemy units for the occupants to charge. But with the Crusader, unless it's Dark Eldar you're fighting, with their paper aeroplanes, you're unlikely to get much in the way of de-meching, or softening of the more elite units. Instead, you get something which can soften up an enemy unit moderately, before a 16 (or 8 terminator) model unit finishes it off. Frankly, even I don't take squads this big. Despite the safety of its armour, I still feel there's too much risk involved. And as mentioned above, I like to feel my vehicles do something in the battle, other than merely soften an enemy unit.

This leads me on to the final variant, the Land Raider Redeemer! 10pts less than the other 2, at 240pts (for some reason...) it comes with a transport capacity of 12, a twin-linked assault cannon, frag assault launchers, and my favourite bit: 2 flame storm cannons!! Possibly my favourite weapon in the game - These S6 Ap3 beauties reduce even marine units to molten slag in one shot, even if they decide to cower in cover!
But back on track. Personally, I feel that a capacity of 12 is perfect. It allows for a terminator armoured character to accompany our Wolf Guard Terminators, nothing more I could really wish for. A 10pts multi-melta brings it up to 250pts along with the others, and adds the extra firepower we need to do some serious damage to enemy tanks. The assault cannon is a very useful weapon (the amount of times i've seen it destroy Rhinos...). And the Flamestorm cannons are perfect for dealing with the many MEQ units in the local meta. Unfortunately, the positioning of shots can sometimes be difficult, and if the enemy is optimising model spacing... A dismissed kill count will be achieved (as well as a disgruntled look). But overall, this is my favourite variant.
Able to decisively reduce units threatening to get close with melta weapons, and soften the enemy unit before it's occupants charge in.

Hopefully an article which will help you decide which variant to field, and not too long winded... If you feel I've missed anything out, or have some gay ideas/feedback of your own, as always, feel free to leave a comment!
-Aseldi

1250pts Space Wolf Army List

Greetings! Aseldi here once again, this time with a 1250pts army list I've been working on. Originally, this was intended to be taken down to Conflict Scotland, but due to financial reasons, unfortunately can't.
So here it is!

HQ:
Rune Priest - 120pts
-runic armour


TROOPS:
Grey Hunter Pack (10) - 245pts
(Rhino)
-plasma gun
-plasma gun
-power fist
-Wolf Standard
-Mark of the Wulfen

Grey Hunter Pack (10) - 235pts
(Rhino)
-flamer
-plasma gun
-power fist
-Wolf Standard
-Mark of the Wulfen


ELITES:
Wolf Guard Pack (5) - 510pts
(Land Raider Redeemer, multi-melta)
-wolf claw, power fist
-wolf claw, power fist
-wolf claw, power fist
-power fist, storm shield
-power fist, storm shield


HEAVY SUPPORT:
Long Fangs Pack - 140pts
-5x missile launchers


TOTAL: 1250pts


Ok, tactics for this list.
Normally, I would deploy the Rune Priest with the Long Fangs, with 2 spells from Divination (thanks to what was pointed out on my last army list, it seems that we can't pick and choose, unfortunately). Another tactic might be, for extra fun, putting it with the Wolf Guard. But this I feel is a little suicidal, as he can be challenged out and killed too easily. But imagine the carnage that could be inflicted with a well placed Jaws of the Wolf Wolf?!

The Grey Hunters, as usual, would push up the midfield and stand on objectives, the Rhinos acting as shields after they'd deployed the troops in their positions, or acting as a quick getaway vehicle in case of an impending charge from a powerful enemy unit.

Now, the Wolf Guard. I though for a while on how to arm these guys, and how to play them, since I've just bought my first pack and want to give them a go. As it turns out, they've become quite a death star! Risky, I know, for a 1250pts list, but I do have some reasons. The total lack of range is offset by the Land Raider Redeemer they've been given. At AV 14 all round, and 4HP, it's a very sturdy beast! And I stand by this, despite some claims that HP have merged vehicles. The Flamestorm Cannons are insane! Especially with the amount of MEQ armies running about, this will make short work of them. The multi-melta was added in the case of needed to de-mech a juicy target for the WG to dispose of. The WG should make short work of any squad in CC. The WC/PF combo is a little 'power play', but it costs the same points as dual WCs, with the added bonus of getting to choose a PF or WC. I imagine this tactic may be changed in future, meaning that two of the same specialist weapon must be used for the bonus attack, but for now I'm sticking with this. Hence the magnetising (more on that in a future post). The SS also give a bit of staying power.
Overall, this unit will be very hit and miss, it does contain nearly half the armies points, but I imagine, if used well, would be able to make them back brilliantly! It will also act as a great distraction, taking the brunt of the enemy fire off the far more valuable Grey Hunters, as they claim objectives. So the idea with these guys: point them at an important enemy unit. Watch it die.

And finally to the Long Fangs. A veteran unit of many battles, these guys are a must have in an army. As discussed before, disgustingly cheap, with the ability to take 5 missiles, and split fire, just brilliant. These will be offering fire support to anything threatening the Wolf Guard or Land Raided Redeemer.


There we have it! As always, thoughts and feedback welcome in the comments. As a thought, is the layout ok? As in how I display the units. And is the tactics discussion too in depth or lengthly? Let me know, and I'll see what I can change!

That's all for now, may the dice always roll in favour of the brethren of the Russ!
-Aseldi