About My Blog

Ave Omnissiah!

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My blog is primarily my own personal fluff in the Warhammer 40,000 universe regarding the Draconis system such as the Knight House Yato in Ryusei, their Household Militia, the Draconian Defenders, and the Forge World of Draconis IV with its Adeptus Mechanicus priesthood, Cybernetica cohorts and Skitarii legions, and the Titan Legion, Legio Draconis, known as the Dark Dragons.

Featured Post

Retrospective: Imperial Knights

Today, we're going to a Retrospective on...Imperial Knights! I mean, this is primarily an Imperial Knight blog, so obviously if I'm ...

Friday, October 28, 2016

Forge World Mechanicum

It looks like Forge World is coming out with new Mechanicum models for you to use in your Horus Heresy battles! Just awesome!

On their Facebook page, they apparently pasted this picture fr the Open Days of Warhammer World on 5-6th November:



Hell yeah! We're finally getting a model for the Mechanicum Macrocarid Explorator! It's about time! It's not a brand new tank as its profile and rules are already inside the red Mechanicum: Taghmata book, so you can check that out. It's great to see that this awesome Macrocarid Explorator finally get its own model, and no more converting Land Raiders or whatever!

Not only that, we have a new model for another Mechanicum unit! Presenting the...



...Vultarax Stratos-Automata! It's an airborne unit, a flyer similar to the Valkyrie or Vendetta we are all so familiar with - as you can see, with those hover pods, it looks like an exotic gunship. However, it's not a flying vehicle, but counts as a Monstrous Flying Creature instead. You can pre-order it on its Forge World page, and the rules are also available. To sum it up, the Vultarax is a Monstrous Flying Creature with Toughness 7 and 4 wounds (can you say awesome!?), and is equipped with blast weapons AND Haywire weapons. That means those Land Raiders will die to your Vultarax arc blasters because they are Heavy 3 with Shred! And Haywire! Its havoc launchers are heavy 2, blast, twin-linked AND forces your opponent to re-roll successful cover saves! Plus you have 2 of them! Can you say awesome?

On the other hand, their weapons' AP are pretty low - AP5 for all of them, so you might have trouble clearing out Space Marines in Power Armor with their 3+ armor save. That said, the purpose of this guy is to take out enemy vehicles (and probably blobs), so leave that Space Marine or Terminator to your Thanatar. The Vultarax will be getting rid of those Dreadnaughts, Sicarian Tanks and whatever vehicles or flyers (as long as tehy're not Monstrous Flying Creatures). They also cost a whooping 175 points each, so think long and hard before throwing in a squadron of them in your army because the points will add up. On the other hand, it counts as Fast Attack, so you should have available slots for it.

Here's the description from Forge World:

The Vultarax was the most common Stratos-automata in widespread use by the Mechanicum Taghmata at the outbreak of the wars of the Horus Heresy. A robust, multi-role war engine, heavily armed and fitted with sophisticated sensory gear and able to operate in diverse and hostile environments, it proved itself a keystone of Mechanicum Explorator Expedition forces both as an armed, high mobility scout and as a hunter-killer and rapid response unit in open battle.

The Vultarax Stratos-automata is Flying Monstrous Creature armed with a Vultarax arc blaster, a versatile weapon capable of burning out the cogitators and engines of enemy vehicles, and two Setheno pattern havoc launchers, long ranged missile systems designed to wipe out infantry units, even in heavy cover. These armaments alongside it's impressive armour, flare shield and enhanced targeting array, make the Vultarax Stratos-automata a formidable force on the battlefield.


So what are you waiting for? Pre-order the Vultarax now! Unless you're broke like me.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Official Space Hulk: Deathwing website is now live!

Yes, you read that right. The official Space Hulk: Deathwing website is now live! According to the Space Hulk: Deathwing official Facebook page, the official website is finally up and running (not like it was dead before this, it always existed). But they have added plenty of content, such as Overview, Gameplay, Lore, Classes, Weapons, Coop and Bestiary. Check them out if you're interested!

Here's the home page of the official Space Hulk: Deathwing website, and if you want to skip to the Games page, you can access it here.

Remember, the game is released for PC on November this year (2016), and you get 15% off AND a free weapon if you pre-order it! I've already pre-ordered my copy on Steam, so yay. For the Emperor!


Above is a peek of what the revamped website looks like! Please enjoy!

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Thousand Sons

And now...Games Workshop has released a teaser image for the Thousand Sons themselves!

I'm not going to lie, the Thousand Sons are my favorite Space Marine Legion pre-heresy. It's unfortunate what happened, and how they ended up going into Chaos, but...I'll see what I can do. I have always loved psyker armies, and the Thousand Sons fall right into that favorite category of mine. It's just too bad the Imperial Guard Primaris and Wyrdvane Psykers are not as reliable, but I did consider building a Grey Knights army back in the day just to spam Psychic Terminators. In the end I didn't, but hey, whatever.



At least we have the Blood Ravens, who are supposedly the successor chapter to a Loyalist company of Thousand Sons who escaped the burning of Prospero.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Who are the Adeptus Custodes?

I'm sure everyone is getting really excited for the Burning of Prospero release. I know I am, even if I am unable to afford the box set or the models. Actually...I might just say to hell with it and splash my savings on it, ha ha ha...then again, I might actually wait for the Thousand Sons codex and Rubric Marines before combining everything together. We shall see. In any case, this isn't about what I might or might not buy, it's about the Adeptus Custodes.

The official Warhammer 40K Facebook page has released a tidbit about the Adeptus Custodes. For those of you not familiar with the lore, the Adeptus Custodes are basically Super Space Marines. The very best of the best, the cream of the crop of what is the most elite forces, and basically each one is a Primarch equivalent in his own right. Well, the details are below.



As a further elaboration, the Adeptus Custodes are mnown as the Custodians, and they are charged with the sacred duty of protecting the Imperial Palace and the Golden Throne itself (that coffin-like thing that the rotting carcass of the Emperor writhes inside, barely sustaining his life). They are the Guardians of Terra, never leaving Terra itself and rarely departing from the Imperial Palace. They are the ones who decide who gets to enter the throne room, and when.

That sounds badass enough to you?

Anyway, they answer only to the God-Emperor himself! I think their overall commander is the Captain-General or something and he is one of the High Lords of Terra. A small section of three hundred Custodians are known as the Companions and they will never leave the Emperor's side. Ever.

The Custodians themselves are larger and much more powerful than the normal Space Marines, so expect their rules to scale up otherwise. I wouldn't be surprise if a single squad of Custodian costs as much as an Imperial Knight itself, with S10 and 6 Wounds or something, ha ha.

Anyway, we shall see what their rules are like! They will be awesome! However, despite their legendary status, the Custodians still die as easily as everyone else, even to the psychic powers of the Thousand Sons! The quest for knowledge will persevere! Ahem...sorry, I'm not committing heresy, honest. Don't report me to the Commissar.

Let's all look forward to the release!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Space Wolves burn Prospero

The official Warhammer 40K Facebook page has released a new video for the Burning of Prospero (click on the link to watch it). This time, it's the Space Wolves justifying their heinous crime of assaulting and razing Prospero to the ground.

I take offence to the bastard Greigor Fell-Hand claiming that the Space Wolves warned the Thousand Sons. They did no such thing, merely scoffed and insulted the Thousand Sons' beliefs and values! And then he claimed the Emperor (All-Father, because of his supposedly Nordic tendencies...well, Space Wolves take after the Norse mythology) pointed his blade at the Thousand Sons. He did no such thing! It was Horus who twisted the Emperor's messages! You were only supposed to bring Magnus back to Terra, not burn Prospero! Preposteros!

Magnus and the Thousand Sons have always been loyal to the Emperor! The Light of Knowledge will never die! FOR THE EMPEROR!

And did the Space Wolves not notice it was strange the Thousand Sons weren't fighting back and doing anything while they indulge in their freaking murderous tendencies? This is why I don't really like the Space Wolves. Then again, my perception has been altered by the novels Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns so I'm pretty biased toward the Thousand Sons and developed a prejudice against the Space Wolves.

Man...I really want to build a Thousand Sons army once the codex is released, but with my meager student stipend and probably my lack of time because I need to study, research and write papers, I really doubt I'll ever get around to it. At least my loyalist Imperial Guard army and Imperial Knights, and my Adeptus Mechanicus War Convocation are complete. Too bad they're still stuck in Singapore, and it's pretty hard for me to commute to a Wargaming place from New Hope City. Ugh. We shall see. The light of knowledge shall shine once more!

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Made to Order Imperial Guardsmen



Good news for Imperial Guardsmen! For a limited time only, Games Workshop has decided to release Made to Order Imperial Guardsmen for you to add to your collection! They are the classic Imperial Guardsmen that we all know and love. The range includes Cadian Kasrkin, Mordian Iron Guard, Valhallan Ice Warriors, Tallarn Desert Raiders, Armageddon Steel Legion, all with special and heavy weapons, officers and sergeants if you so desire. Special characters are back too, with Sly Marbo (but he's no longer in the codex?!), Captain Al'Rahem, Lord Solar Macharius (uh, he's not in the codex either, is he?), and Commander Chenkov (thank the Emperor this guy isn't in the codex, though while he's brutal and cruel, he does lead from the front like a badass). There's also an Astra Militarum Tank Crew and Techpriest Enginseer in there for some reason (I thought you could get the Techpriest Enginseer normally).

Anyway, if you're interested in purchasing these awesome classic models, please visit Games Workshop's official website for more details and order them online!

Friday, October 14, 2016

Burning of Prospero

I'm not sure if I have ever written a review for it, but Prospero Burns was one of my favorite Horus Heresy novels, alongside Thousand Sons. My number one favorite is still Mechanicum, though. The point is, I never thought I would ever see the day Prospero Burns turn into an actual tabletop game.

I only have one word to say. Awesome. Oh, and not forgetting the 5 models of Sisters of Silence. Wow. Just wow.





As you can see, you will have 30 Legion Veterans 5 Tartaros Terminators, 5 Custodian Guard, 5 Sisters of Silence and two characters - Ahzek Ahriman and Geigor Fell-Hand. Plus terrain pieces to represent Prospero. Cool! If I ever have the money, I might just get it, but...oh well. I don't know if I will ever have the money. Sorry, but a graduate student hardly earns enough to eke out a living, never mind indulge in the expensive Warhammer 40K hobby.

Anyway, one of my favorite points about the Horus Heresy novels Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns is that the Thousand Sons are actually loyal to the Emperor till the very end. That's also the reason why I don't like Space Wolves. It's their fault my Thousand Sons were forced to turn to Chaos for help. Ugh. All part of Tzeentch's plan, no doubt. Damn it.

Anyway, I'll see what I can do. In addition to this release, I've heard rumors about Rubric Marines, and a potential new, separate codex for the Thousand Sons. In addition to that, there's a plastic miniature of Magnus, the Daemonic Primarch, as you can see in this video (click on it, because I can't find the youtube version, sorry)...

But I do have the Youtube trailer for Propsero Burns embedded down below. ENJOY! And keep faith in the Emperor, Thousand Sons, for he will forgive your betrayal and welcome you back once you renounce your ties to the evil Tzeentch!


Friday, October 7, 2016

Freeblade

I have finally downloaded Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade on my phone! So I can play the game on my phone anytime I want.

To be honest, I probably will not play it all that often because it'll obviously drain my phone's battery, and I need it to make calls, send messages, etc. If I want to game, I'll be using my computer. But hey, being a Warhammer 40,000 fan, especially a fan of Imperial Knights, it's a must-download for my phone. Already the cinematics look awesome, with the Knight-apparent surviving the Rite of Becoming and earning his own Knight Paladin. We shall bring down the forces of Chaos that dare invade Taranis! FOR THE EMPEROR!

Image result for freeblade

Need to crush some heretics? Call in your friendly Knight today! Approach your Munitorum Department for more information.

Titanicus Maniple

Forge World has just released a Titan bundle that's titled Legio Titanicus Titan Maniple! If you're interested, you can go to their website through the link and take a look. It looks really awesome, and includes 1 Warlord Titan, 2 Reaver Titans and 2 Warhound Titans.

Just the image alone makes my mouth water...

https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-GB/Legio-Titanicus-Titan-Maniple

Legio Titanicus Titan Maniple

Yeah, the thing looks insane, doesn't it? Rain down destruction with the wrath of the God-Machines of the Imperium!

Of course, do take note that the whole thing costs 2,850 British pounds, so think long, hard and carefully before whipping that credit card out and making that purchase. Even if the Sterling has fallen in value, that doesn't mean you should jump at the chance. Well, it's your money, and if you're devoted enough to donate that tremendous amount of funds the the Omnissiah, be my guest.

But don't whine to the Ecclesiarchy later when your wife divorces you or something......

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Black Library and Scholastic

As you guys probably know by now, I'm quite the bookworm (you have seen my book reviews on this blog, right? ...right?). So Black Library is essentially quite an important factor in my reading experience.

Today I'm going to share with you guys a good piece of news regarding Black Library because I also tried to ask Scholastic some questions, but...nope. No such luck. So it's a comparison between the two publishers. And I'm proud to say, as a Warhammer 40K blogger (if I even qualify for that), that Black Library so far seems to be the more superior of the two, particularly when it comes to customer service. And books. Yes, Black Library's books are exorbitant, but a lot of their books are worth the money (World Engine, Ciahpas Cain and Gaunt's Ghosts, for example). The Horus Heresy books, hmm, some are hits and some are misses, but Mechanicum is my favorite, and I did love Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns. Those were great. Vengeful Spirit, not so much, and Cybernetica and Tallern: Ironclad were sort of disappointments. Oh well. But the quality is there.

I'm not sure what books I like from Scholastic except the Goosebumps series which were a nostalgic blast from the past. My favorite, particularly, was Give Yourself Goosebumps, which sort of shaped my sense of humor and threw me down the writer's path in the first place. Speaking of which, Freeblade will be put on indefinite hiatus until I finish my Manga story. Sorry about that. But yeah, the only books I'll probably buy from Scholastic is the outdated and finished Give Yourself Goosebumps series

And now...the comparison. The customer service in Black Library has been brilliant and excellent. A few months ago, or probably even a year ago, I emailed Black Library, asking if I could purhcase a paperback or at least a hard copy version of Ciaphas Cain The Emperor's Finest and a few other books. The response came almost immediately, and the Black Library staff who replied to me was very helpful, explaining that there were no plans for a third Ciaphas Cain Omnibus (yes, I asked if there will be a third Ciaphas Cain omnibus), and that the books I wanted were out of print. He offered the ebooks, and I replied that I don't have a Kindle or any software to read the ebooks, which were in epub format. He replied fairly quickly, explaining that I could either download an epub reader for my computer and read them with it, or I could convert them to Adobe Read documents (hmm...I can't remember if that's something he told me, or something I went to find myself). In any case, I didn't want the strain on my eyes, so I eventually went to Amazon to buy my missing Ciaphas Cain books, Baneblade and other Warhammer 40K books that I was looking for.

Now that I'm in America, and I've gotten my hands on a Kindle Paperwhite, I will definitely purchase all the Ciaphas Cain ebooks all over again, never mind I already have the physical copies (well, I donated my physical copies to Battle Bunker back in Singapore for a mini-library for Warhammer 40K fans to read). I'm also planning on buying the entire Gaunt's Ghosts collection, which is a sweet deal at about a hundred bucks. Part of this decision was influenced by the excellent customer service Black Library provided, the good feeling the staff left me when they responded to my queries.

In contrast, Scholastic falls short.

I emailed Scholastic last week, asking if they might digitalize Give Yourself Goosebumps 23-42 and the Special Editions for Kindle, because they already digitalized Give Yourself Goosebumps 1-22 for Kindle, which are on sale in Amazon. I wanted to buy the whole collection in one go, so I was waiting for that.

Up till today, I have yet to receive a response, even though they promised on the website that they will reply within 1 business day. 5 business days have passed and...no reply. Ironically, I received an email from Scholastic, but it wasn't a reply.

It was a survey, asking how I found the customer service from Scholastic. I was highly amused. How do I fill in a survey about how helpful the response was when I received absolutely no response whatsoever?

So in the comments, I wrote, "a response would have been great." after ticking the not helpful at all box for the "how helpful do you the rate the response?"

Now, this isn't a condemnation of Scholastic. I'm sure they're a great publishing company, and they probably are too busy to respond to my query, which is fine. Scholastic has been responsible for publishing many great books that shaped my childhood, and I'll be forever grateful to them for that at least. The survey probably was sent by mistake (if it wasn't, then something is seriously wrong with their system). But seriously, to those who criticize Black Library, this is what I wish to point out. For all of its faults, Black Library has an excellent customer service, and all of their books are digitalized. It's easy for me to find any book I want and purchase the ebook into my Kindle, even if the paperback or hard copy is no longer in print. Scholastic, on the other hand, has yet to digitalize their entire collection, which makes it hard for me to buy any of their books, and their customer service, in comparison to Black Library, has been relatively subpar so far. Maybe they'll respond to me eventually - I'm holding hopes on that. It's fine if they're not planning on digitalizing Give Yourself Goosebumps 23-42 and the Special Editions, but a response will at least be nice. At the most, I'll be bitterly disappointed and I'll just buy one or two books from 1-22 instead of grabbing the enitre collection at one shot

It's sad, because I wanted to share with my nephews and nieces the marvelous Give Yourself Goosebumps books that I devoured during my childhood. If they don't digitalize it...well, too bad, I guess? At least there's Joe Dever's Lone Wolf series which are available online. That's another awesome series that I enjoyed during my childhood, and when I have the time I might go through them once again. Ah...Lone Wolf is awesome. For Sommerland and the Kai!

Anyway, yeah. So that's my experience with Black Library and Scholastic, and I hope it enlightens you guys and will be of some use to readers who are considering what books to buy.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Tau Empire Fleet for Battlefleet Gothic: Armada

Well, I don't really play Battlefleet Gothic: Armada anymore (I was only in the game for the awesome singleplayer campaign and amazing storyline of the Gothic Wars), so that's why I'm pretty late with this piece of news, but I thought you guys might want to know about it...that said, you probably already learned of it from Natfka or other blogs or from the Battlefleet Gothic: Armada Facebook page. But anyway, here's the news.

The Tau Empire fleet is coming to Battlefleet Gothic: Armada as a dlc. It's one of the first (the first being Space Marines) that's being brought in to expand the game's factions as Focus Home Interactive has announced somewhere that they will eventually have all the factions in the original tabletop game in the Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, so look forward to more! Tyranids, Necrons and even the Adeptus Mechanicus are rumored to have their own fleets coming soon, so look forward to it.

And here's an awesome trailer video for the Tau Empire.


Damn it, how dare those insidious xenos ambush the brave men and women of the Imperial Navy! They will suffer our wrath! By the way, I'm pretty sure the Imperium won the Damocles War, only to be forced to pull back because of Tyranid incursions elsewhere in the sector. Otherwise we would have kicked those blue Tau asses...

Except that we got our own asses handed back to us in Kauyon and Mont'ka so I probably shouldn't be gloating about the Damocles War. Oh well.

Worse, the 13th Black Crusade has just landed back on us (is it being retconned? What happened to the global 13th Black Crusade campaign or Eye of Terror Campaign a few years back? Are they going to ignore the results and go for a new storyline?), so it seems the Imperium will be attacked on all fronts as we move into the 42nd Millennium. Ugh.

But never fear, the Emperor protects! We will destroy all our enemies, be they heretical traitors or xenos filth! FOR THE EMPEROR!