Miniatures Monthly 006: Them Horses Are Weird

Tom and Chris discuss new Space Marines, the art of Open War, our first games of 8th edition and the start of a new Age of Sigmar campaign. Plus: the ongoing cabbage quandary as it pertains to flaming balls, Abaddon’s lack of chill, the joy of a big drybrush, matters of gamefeel, and loads – [...]

Tom and Chris discuss new Space Marines, the art of Open War, our first games of 8th edition and the start of a new Age of Sigmar campaign.

Plus: the ongoing cabbage quandary as it pertains to flaming balls, Abaddon’s lack of chill, the joy of a big drybrush, matters of gamefeel, and loads – loads! – of questions.

Seven is the number of Nurgle, by the way. Six is Slaanesh.

While you’re at it: here’s Hipsterhammer, the Warhammer blog of Matt Sheret and Kieron Gillen. And here’s that Dawn of War III reveal trailer, which also reveals just what it takes to make a Space Marine smile.

After we recorded this episode Tom settled on a chapter for his Primaris: Iron Hands!

Tom’s ‘Cadbury purple’ Death Guard.

Tom’s Vanguard Raptors and the talking bird that tells them if they’re being charged.

Chris’ Burning Chariot of Tzeentch.

Chris’ Changeling, featuring swirly space-base.

Tom’s Aetherwings capture one of Chris’ objective markers, which is also a bird, in the first game of our new Age of Sigmar campaign.

The Changeling heads off an advance by Tom’s Fulminators.

Tom’s Vanguard Hunters strike Chris’ back line in our first AoS battle of the month. Then: daemon bollocks.

The start of the second battle of our new campaign. Tom’s Stormcast form ranks to protect their newly-won defensive position in the Realm of Metal.

Across from them, Chris’ Daemons of Tzeentch – under Arcanite leadership – take up an uncharacteristically defensive position.

Tom gives Chris the first turn, which Chris uses to hide the Burning Chariot from Tom’s long-ranged shooting.

Tom’s Lord Relictor summons a Lightning Chariot to send the Fulminators surging across the board to flush out Chris’ concealed heroes.

It turns out, however, that ‘how do I kill a Fulminator’ has been on Chris’ mind since our first game.

Meanwhile, Tom’s Stormcast consolidate their rad-looking defensive line.

Chris wins the initiative in round two. The Arcanite cabal channels its energy into the Ogroid Thaumaturge. Infused with Daemonic Essence and flaring with energy from both Infusion Arcanum and Soulburn, the doombull thunders out of the ruin into the waiting Fulminators.

The Thaumaturge succeeds in killing one Fulminator and, using its Timeslip Pendant to attack twice, badly wounds the other. On Tom’s turn, the advancing Heraldor honks at the ruin and deals mortal wounds to the Thaumaturge, Chariot, Sorcerer and Herald.

Tom’s defenders pull to the right to contend the exposed Tzeentch heroes, but the first round of shooting doesn’t do much.

Tom wins initiative at the start of round three, but the battlefield is swept by an iron wind that reduces shooting and casting ranges and prevents one unit of Liberators, along with Chris’ Herald and Screamers, from running or charging. Chris advances his units as far as he can under the cover of the storm.

On Chris’ turn, the Thaumaturge and Chariot kill the dreaded Heraldor. The Relictor retreats and, at the beginning of the fourth round, incinerates the Thaumaturge with lightning. The Judicators take down the Chariot with arrow fire – evening out the scoreline.

A torrent of magic and fire slays a number of Liberators who had already been wounded by the iron wind. Chris’ Screamers charge, but achieve nothing and lose one of their own.

Chris wins initiative in round five. The Herald Folds Reality to bring one Screamer back, while an Arcane Bolt from the Horrors kills the remaining Liberators to put Chris ahead on points. The Screamers retreat, and Chris’ wounded heroes hide.

Chris protects a 120-point lead behind the ruin closest to his objective. Both heroes are wounded, but Tom doesn’t have line of sight.

Another Lightning Chariot sends the Vanguard Raptors across the board into a flanking position. They’ve got one shot at assassinating Chris’ Sorcerer to win the game – and miss. Chris claims a minor victory, the first time his forces of Tzeentch have ever beaten Tom’s Stormcast Eternals.

Follow Miniatures Monthly on Twitter @MinisMonthly for more pics of our projects. Otherwise, can find Chris on Twitter at @CThursten and Instagram as Exitwarp. Tom’s on Twitter at @PCGLudo.

Our intro music comes courtesy of Mike Debenham.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can contact us at [email protected].

You can listen to this episode on YouTube and find all other episodes in the series via this playlist.

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Thanks for listening, everybody! Miniatures Monthly will return on Tuesday 29th of August.