Implausible Nature
  • Home
    • Links and Contact Page
    • Site Index
    • Site Primer >
      • Casual vs Competitive Players -- Healing the Divide
      • Laeroth's Take On Building Fluffy Armies
  • Laeroth's Blog
  • The Njesta Crusade
    • Black Templars Army Lists
    • Njesta Crusade Fluff >
      • Black Templars Background Literature
  • Black Templars 101
    • BT 101: Where to Start >
      • BT 101: Unit Analysis
      • BT 101: Building Low-Point BT Armies
      • BT 101: Commonly Used Abbreviations
    • BT 101: Building an 9th Edition List >
      • BT 101: Building A Competitive 9th Edition List
      • BT 101: Building Another Competitive 9th Edition List
    • BT 101: Assembling Your Crusade
    • BT 101: Playing With Your New Army >
      • BT 101: Tactics
      • BT 101: Duality
    • BT 101: The Conclusion
  • Painting and Modeling
    • Black Templars Gallery
    • How To Paint Black Templars

It's a sad day indeed.

3/27/2010

0 Comments

 
Went home to visit the folks and decided to pay a visit to the store that began my journey in 40k.  Its a Hobby Town USA, and I was appalled to see the state of it once inside.  Apparently the previous store owner Jon sold it to a new guy last year right before the economy went to hell.  There was no Reaper Minis on the wall when there used to be hundreds.  There was maybe 5 blister packs of Fantasy and 40k each, and perhaps another 5 squad boxes for both games as well.  It was pitiful.

I mean seriously, I know...KNOW...Jon told me that the table top gaming was a large part of his profit just a few years ago.  Now its gone.  Along with all the guys that I used to hang out with.  The new owner didn't even carry the paint or decent brushes anymore (I use Vallejo brushes).  Not a good sign.  I felt like someone ripped out a piece of my heart and threw it in a fire.  Now Grand Forks, ND doesn't have anything or anywhere that supports Warhammer 40k.

Twas a sad day for me and a sad situation for the area's hobbyists.  Does anyone else have a similar experience with a favorite gaming store?
0 Comments

Monday Evening Madness

3/23/2010

0 Comments

 
Its been awhile since I've been able to blog here, such is the problems of working so much while in school.  However, sacrifices must be made for the CO7 trip to be made.  Working as much as I am is allowing me to firm up funds for the trip.  Good times!

In other news, Dark Eldar seem to be very close to release time.  The rumors are starting to flow with much more frequency and via reliable sources.  They are slated for release Aug-Oct 2010.  This is PERFECT for me, as I'll have completed my Black Templars army by this time, allowing me to concentrate on these sadistic space elves.  A full new model line is just what the doctor ordered!

I also got in a game against the Tau last night during my club's gaming night.  Everyone has been on a Warhammer Fantasy kick lately, so 40k had been put on the backburner.  However, the Njesta Crusade came back full force and won a decisive victory over the Tau Empire.  Expect a battle report for this game for the April update.  :D

Also, I'm trying to find the time to write up my article regarding Duality for posting here on Implausible Nature.  This has been prompted by a debate of sorts on the Bolter & Chainsword forum (Black Templars subforum) regarding the topic.  Its quite a great read.  Just be warned that most of the posts are significant in length.  I'll try to have my article up by April 1st.

Finally, I accepted a vow of completion on the B&C forums to finish a Crusader squad of 5 initiates and 4 neophytes, plus their Rhino by April 26th.  Here is the written proof of this acceptance!  Let the games begin!  :)
0 Comments

Talk of the Town: Black Templars Predators!

3/10/2010

1 Comment

 
As the subject suggests, the Black Templars community seems to be at an impasse over the use of Predator Annihilators or Destructors in their army lists.  Each have their own benefits and disadvantages, but balancing that with the remainder of your forces is key to deciding which is more beneficial to a Black Templars player.

Now, I'll say right away my preference is to field Destructors.  The main reason is primarily due to its cost (its 110 points).  Another is duality.  While some people dislike that term, it really is an important one in 5th Edition.  Duality means that a unit may fulfill more than one role on the battlefield with at least average success.  Destructors have a normal role of anti-infantry fire.  However, you can easily conscript them to become light-armored vehicle hunters.  Raiders (Dark Eldar), Orc Trukks, Rhinos, Land Speeders, etc all come to mind here.  6 Str 5 and 2 Str 7 shots a turn at a AV10-11 is scary.  They also do exceedingly well against Monstrous Creatures with their cheap torrent of fire armaments. 

The Annihilator is essentially the king of tank hunting capabilities for the space marines IF its allowed to fire.  The problem is, its super expensive at 145 points and provides very little in the way of duality for a BT player.  Sure, it'll likely penetrate whatever it shoots at.  But what happens if you have no mech to shoot at or have run out of targets?  You have a very limited use vehicle thats forced to shoot 3 lascannon shots at infantry, which likely will have 4+ cover saves.  Good game.  It is decent when firing at Monstrous Creatures, but you're not going to scare any of them.  Most have 4+ wounds and can't be instant killed because of high toughness.  PLUS, those MCs will also have those cover saves.  Why not just try and put 8 wounds on a MC rather than 3?  Doesn't work nearly as well in my opinion.

If you need AT fire, I'm a big advocate of the Destructor mix.  That is the Autocannon/2 Lascannon kit out.  This clocks in at 125 points, which is 20 points cheaper than an annihilator with 3 lascannons.  What this does is gives you one more shot against MCs, infantry, lightly armored vehicles, AND you retain your ability to punch into heavily armored vehicles for 20 points less!  Another advantage that is often not discussed is that many opponents may often discount an AC/Las mix because they don't think it'll present as much a problem to them as say Land Speeders might.  This may allow it more turns to fire, whereas, your opponent will immediately target your Annihilator (hereby Trilas) as its a blatant AT unit that he fears.  Would you not do the same?  He needs his mech alive as much as you need yours, so Trilas often find themselves on the receiving end of AT fire.  And the Predator's AV 11 side armor doesn't help the Annihilator's cause.  At least the Destructor is cheap!  This isn't even hypothetical situations or tactical planning on my part, its formed from dozens and dozens of games of experience using our current codex.

It is an innate trait for people to react defensively against things that "scare" them.  Trilas is very scary to mechanized lists and will die early (or be chain stunned).  A AC/Las mix might get away with a turn or two, depending on your opponent's target priorities.  Even if it didn't, I must reiterate lack of duality point.  Trilas just don't function well in roles other than AT.  Destructors can, Destructor mixes can (albeit only slightly better than a Trilas, but is 20 points less!).

"In the end, it doesn't even matter."  You must tailor your lists to your area's metagame.  If all you play is Leafblower IG lists, then perhaps a few Trilas is a good idea.  But don't expect to be competitive in a non-comp tournament (i.e. 'Ard Boys/Grand Tournaments), as you'll be facing a much more diverse group of people.  Ultimately, do as you wish.  But just keep in mind what was said above.  :(
1 Comment

Yikes!

3/5/2010

0 Comments

 
And I thought the Tyranids were bad...the Blood Angels DEFINITELY got an drastic improvement over their last codex.  I can only hope that the Black Templars get the same treatment as the Space Wolves and Blood Angels have gotten.  Then I'll be immensely happy.

In the meantime, I have to find a way to incorporate more AT into my lists as I will be playing a Blood Angels player on a consistant basis.  Their 'Stormraven Gunship' is immune to extra penetration roll from meltas, so I'll be needing a new method of destruction.  Thinking about changing one or two of the Predator Destructors in my all comers list to having lascannon sponsons instead of heavy bolters.  While this will hamper their ability to target infantry as much, it'll give them duality in the form of AT fire and can target elite units such as Thunderwolf Cavalry or monstrous creatures.  All that for a much cheaper price than a Predator Annihilator (20 points).

So in summary, the Blood Angels are going to be excellent from the early look at the codex.  A refreshing change from their current underpowered codex.  If the codex trend continues, we might be seeing a similarly powerful Black Templars codex in the next year along with the Dark Eldar (with their reported release in late 2010).  Makes me super excited!
0 Comments

    Laeroth's Blog

    This blog is devoted to the Black Templars chapter and the tactics, list building, and general musing associated with them.  Readers will see occasional posts from Marshal Laeroth.

    Check out the Implausible Nature YouTube Channel!

    Follow me on Twitter!

    Like what you see and want to help support Implausible Nature?  Click the link below and donate!

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    May 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009