Thoughts - End Times: Khaine

So rumours have been filtering in the 3rd End times based around the elves called Khaine! As an elf player that makes me very happy its time for the good guys (and the dirty druchii) to get some lime light! So what can we expect from this release?

From Nagash and what we know so far of Glotkin we have -

A big kit for the big character of the books so Nagash and Glotkin.

Brand new characters on big mounts 3 options per box.

New units, Morghasts, Spirit hosts and blightkings.

Uniting multiple armies into one legion and stream lining rules.

So far between the two there is definitely a pattern, hopefully it carries on for Khaine! If so what will we be looking at?

First off rumours are that the dark elves will not be getting any new toys in this.

Well if it is Khaine the name of the book we should expect a big old Khaine centre piece model like the others. Some have been saying an avatar but if Nagash is now a god who is on the table top I wouldn't be surprised if we did get the god on the table.

The character and mounts is a hard one for us elves! I am assuming a character from each elven nation old or new I couldn't guess. High elf side of things they are saying Aenarion, Caledor the dragon tamer or even Imirk returning. Like the other kits I think we will be seeing a brand new monster for them to ride rather than anything existing in the lore.

New unit like above will probably something be completely random and not in the lore! Heres hoping for lion/dragon riders. Currently its been a swarm base and the rest monstrous infantry size which isn't really an elf thing but GW could surprise us!

And of course all the elven nations in one legion! Rules wise High elves and Dark elves losing hatred/valour of ages now that they are one. But an all encompassing rule? No clue. Undead got the undead rules streamlined so there was so difference between the two armies and gained the rule that stops the army crumbling when the general is lost which is huge! Glotkin rumours are some sort of magic phase altering thing that the demons have, I dont play them so I have no idea what that is.

Lastly lore wise it seems the elves are being little bickering humans to arrogant to deal with the doom on their door step im putting that down to bad writing as elves always seem to be written poorly by gw and black library. The old elf hater joke comes to mind.  Old characters rising current characters culled from the army like the other books.

However I have hope for the lore that will be coming in fingers crossed the story wont be focused on elves being grumpy teenagers!

Next time ill be looking at the core options opened up to a joint elf army!

- Pete

X-Wing - Getting Competitive

I have never been a big competitive player, in fact I have always avoided players who are, its just boring and to serious! When all I want to do is have a laugh gaming with some friends or a randomer at my local store or club.

However recently that's starting to change, competitiveness it slowly growing on me and the need to win to! I blame x-wing, I am really getting into the game my wallet hates me for it bit I am loving it and I am lucky to have a great place to game and plenty of friends who play it.

Im thinking its certain players who have bought this out in my specially my mate Harri who is the king of competitive gaming and has been awesome enough to impart his knowledge and really has got my flying better and builder better lists.

Recently we have had over a couple months a store tournie followed by an Epic doubles. The tournament is the one I want to look at. Roughly 16 players jumped in and we all played five. At the end of this I came fourth, 3pts off third and I had faced all three of the top players. So I had a hard match up!

My first attempt of a competitive scene.

I won 3/5 games. One of the losses was a terrible defeat I dropped one ship over all, my second was so so close and an utterly enjoyable game and two of my wins where flawless!

So over all I did pretty good for my first run I think my list was pretty solid and my flying was awful in the game I was ruined at and the rest I felt I kept getting better and better the more I played it.

I played the trust mini swarm with a phantom as a flanker and an interceptor squeezed in.

Howlrunner

2x Academy Pilots

1 x Sabre Squadron Pilot

Whisper - Veteran Instincts, Advanced Cloaking Device, Fire Control System 

99pts

Simply put. Everyone sits in the swarm and jousts while Whisper darts around acting as a second threat forcing the opposing player to choose between it and the swarm, either way I am happy. The Interceptor is in the swarm for extra punch and also another big target other than Howlrunner. Any thing to draw a bit of fire off poor Howlie!

So that was my list, It worked it was solid but for the next tournie on the way I looked at ways I could improve it. The big problem with my current list is that the Fire Control System on Whisper is a big waste. Whisper is moving about so much that there's usually a better target to be shot at rather than the target locked ship.

 To make more use out of it I have got to add Weapons Engineer which means losing the Interceptor and putting another Academy into the swarm. I am not a fan putting even more points into a costly ship! Even though it is a good one, its to fragile for when it goes wrong.

So with 2 points spare (well 3 but I am not giving up that initiative!) I thought what other problems I had during my games. Being a swarm I am usually getting shot first and a lot of the time that means I will be losing a ship.

So swam tactics for Howlrunner to be used on the Interceptor. Problem solved! Most of my ships should eb shooting first with Whisper at PS9 and Howlie and Sabre Squad at PS8. SO fingers crossed a ship goes down between the three or at least drop a decent amount of damage.

Howlrunner - Swarm Tactics

2x Academy Pilots

1 x Sabre Squadron Pilot

Whisper - Veteran Instincts, Advanced Cloaking Device

99pts


The min maxing has begun and I am loving it! Next play will be a rebel mini swarm Ethan and three B-Wings is the idea.

Thanks for reading my rambling essay.

- Pete