Rust, Dust & Ceramite

Since it's (almost) Saturnalia, I'll step outside my own little self-absorbed world and promote a couple of projects which are well deserving of attention.

First up, Big Jim over @ Galaxy in Flames indicates a Special Operations: Killzone update is imminent. Sounds like there's been some significant reworking of the PDFs and all sorts of adjustments and additions. Supposed to be up Friday evening. Links:

Galaxy in Flames: http://galaxyinflames.blogspot.com/

Killzone Discussion Boards: http://specopskillzone.freeforums.org/


Second in order (but not cool factor) is another squad-based combat offering in Mordheimer and crew's Death Squads. Death Squads differs from Killzone in that it is extremely character-centric, with enough customization options to choke a grox. Well suited for long-term campaigns. Newly revised version, now in a split core/scenario format for less printer ink pain, due for release any second. Great stuff.

Discussion boards & downloads: http://www.deathsquadsgame.com/

Take a few and check out these phenomenal fan-based projects. It'll be worth your time.

Good deed... done.

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Two little-known facts:


1) Eons ago, after hearing some friends speak enthusiastically about a tabletop war game set in the distant future wherein genetically-altered space troopers battle against space elves, space zombies and space orks... I rushed down to the closest brick-and-mortar and excitedly purchased my first two squad boxes in giddy anticipation of my first game.


One box of Tau Fire Warriors. One box of Necron Warriors.


Imagine my utter dismay when my companions literally laughed themselves out of their chairs as I proclaimed proudly I was "ready". They pointed at me too. While laughing. Pictures of me with a mullet are certainly more embarrassing... but not by much.


2) Upon hearing that I would likely need several more 30.00 - 40.00 boxes just to qualify for entry-level games, and the the strength of the models was directly proportionate to the amount of money spent on each, I swore on every shred of my existence on this material plane that I would NEVER even CONSIDER participating in a game so obviously designed to bilk money from consumers! I demand freedom! Military-Industrial Complex be damned! No sheep, this guy! They could take their overly-expensive game and shove it! 


Yeah... okay. So much for scruples.


So what does this have to do with the price of wheat in China? Here's the thing... my recent (re)interest in slightly more micromanaged squad-based combat, and consequently the Kill Teams/Necromunda/Death Squads rule-sets, got me to thinking: while I can (and, will) use Games Workshop models in these smaller scale confrontations... I don't have to. I'm not strictly playing 40K any more, so the obsessive-compulsive inside me doesn't need to be bothered on a very basic level if every one of the models that hits the table doesn't have some GW basis under the conversion. As epiphanies go, its not a doozy... I know. Not always the sharpest spoon in the drawer, me. But coming to this realization ramped my (re)enthusiasm up by eleventy and opened up a world (wide web) of possibilities.


I hit the internet and started my searches with coolness as the the determining factor. Two of Merc's Minis Kemvar line (featured in an earlier post) were the first purchases. They got here yesterday and man, they are pretty damn incredible... if a bit of a pain in the keester to assemble. Then I recalled stumbling across the Infinity line some time back and how impressed in general I was with the sculpts. But... darn it all, I couldn't use them because they're not official models.


I have five on the way...

When you are through changing, you are through.  ~Bruce Barton.


Why Necromunda? Months of anticipation awaiting the release of Battle Missions, followed by somewhat of a letdown from the rather generic Kill Team rules included in same, has renewed what was only a causal/passing interest in Necromunda from way-back-when. The new Battle Missions Kill Team rules are acceptable in the context of quick-n-dirty for the 40K player who wants small scale squad-on-squad once in awhile. I’m more interested in some depth from the individual units as I won’t have to worry about three dozen of them at a time. I’m also keen on the possibilities for character/model advancement in a campaign setting, with the corresponding options to tailor skills, allow for originality, and permit customization. To “be different”, so to speak.


And anyone who has had the misfortune to see my cheesy CSM/Kroot army build knows I am all about different.


In my furious searches for rapidly dwindling Necromunda resources on the internet, I stumbled across the fan-based project Death Squads. These folks (who obviously are all independently wealthy and have little to no need for sleep, or are robots) have compiled a marvelous work which builds on the original Necromunda rules and incorporates many of the cooler aspects of its more modern cousin, Mordheim. Through this massive undertaking they have managed (in my opinion) to remain true to the original Necromunda, and anyone who is familiar with those rules will note the enhanced similarity immediately. I have not gone through both sets of rules and picked out the differences… and likely won’t. On cursory comparison it seems the Death Squads rules exist as a natural progression of Necromunda if the latter had been supported at the same level of 40K through the years. As opinions vary, I encourage you to take a look for yourself.


Death Squads most recent “Living Rulebook” at v0.44, and it is well worth the 30sec it will take to register at their forums and download. I see it as high quality stuff… and I’m a picky bastard. If interested, find all the information you desire @ http://www.deathsquadsgame.com/


While I am currently building Necromunda gangs and getting my feet wet on the tabletop (what an odd statement) with those rules, I have no doubt that very shortly I will migrate to the Death Squads venue as it allows for additional races, options, weapons, skills, etc. which simply don’t exist in the original Specialist Game’s offering. In anticipation of requiring some unique character models, I’ve been digging through my various dusty crates (more on those later), and have purchased these phenomenal figures…


I’m hyped about the concept overall, and I’ll keep you posted on the lot of it. I think this is just the sort of spark I needed to reignite a dwindling interest in the hobby.


That, combined with avoiding the ridiculous, angsty, argumentative 40K forum threads on the interwebz like the plague… and I might actually start enjoying the game again.


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