Friday, September 30, 2011

Enter the Epistolary

+++ TO: All Citizens of Formosa
+++ FROM: Inquisitor Astoraga Cespedes
+++ SUBJECT: Data entry for Inscription of Epistolary.


So first things first. I have tons of old WHFB sprues and bits. I fell out of WHFB with 8th Ed, and set my sights back on 40k. This is also what gave me a good bits-base to make an Inquisition force. In that spirit, I wanted to get my HQ up and running first. So I give you a very mild conversion of the current Finecast Space Marine Librarian: Epistolary Cassius and his Psyber-Owl Bubo.

The only work done on him was:

  • Did a simple weapon swap to a Nemesis Warding Stave
  • Added an Inquisitorial icon on his head in place of the chained book
  • Added a brass =][= symbol to the Librarian's kneecap
  • Did a hand swap to added a book from the Skaven Plague Monk models and altered the hand a bit and added a purity seal
  • Gave him a custom Psyber-Owl plucked from an old Wood Elf kit plus a little custom eye piece (my personal favorite touch)








I really cannot wait to paint this guy, but I still have much more building to achieve first.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Truth Finders of Formosa

+++ TO: All Citizens of Formosa
+++ FROM: Inquisitor Astoraga Cespedes
+++ SUBJECT: Data entry detail for
force requisition

Before I get building this Inquisition force, I must admit, I have fallen into a horrible trap that I am well aware of: I have made a list and I am buying and building it without ever having played it. I know that is a cardinal sin, Emperor forgive me.

My list is meant for garage games and is in no way anything near a tourney list or the brutality of an 'Ard Boyz list. As much as I hate the word, this list can be seen as being somewhat 'fluffy', though I still think it's quite competitive.

The following is what I will be building f
rom the 5th Ed Grey Knights codex and documenting in this blog. They are grouped for hobby purposes, not in unit structure. I also plan on naming most of them and adding a back story for the lot:

1
Torquemada Coteaz (Emperor bless him)

1 Librarian in Terminator Armor

1 Techmarine with OSR

5 Servo-Skulls

2 Inquisitorial Chimeras wheeled with set back turrets

2 Las-Plas Razorbacks

1 Rhino

1 Land Raider Redeemer

2 Psyfleman Dreads

4 Jokearo Weaponsmiths (I know, I know; suffer not the alien and all that...)

6 Death Cult Assassins

1 Mystic

1 Banisher

8 Acolytes with Storm Bolters

1 Acolyte with Flamer

3 Acolytes with Plasma Guns (which will most likely die on the 1st shot to the dice gods)

3 Acolytes with Meltaguns

3 Acolytes with Hot-shot Lasguns

4 Crusaders with PW and Storm Shields

8 Psykers

That about rounds it out though I am toying with sneaking in a Psybolt HB Razorback by dropping some points in other places. We will see.

And to kick all this off, I picked up what is the first of many Finecast models to come.Introducing the one, the only,
Torquemada Coteaz! Nothing special here, just cleaned him up and based him, but hey, without him, this list is illegal and and liable to an Exterminatus order.


More to follow, with lots of conversions as the order of the day.

+++ END TRANSMISSION

Now for Something Completely Different

+++ TO: All Citizens of Formosa
+++ FROM: Inquisitor Astoraga Cespedes
+++ SUBJECT: Formal Review of Lexicanum Traitorus Extremis


This is something a little different; a review of an abridged audio book. I recently purchased a selection of digital download audio books from the Black Library. I picked up some of the Horus Heresy series I had never known more than what I had read of it in the main rule book and codices.

First off, let me say that they purchasing of, and downloading of the audio books in MP3 format was simple and pain free. They also allow you re-download the file at any time in the future if you lose yours or just want it again. The file can easily be added to iTunes and when you tell iTunes that it is an audiobook it just falls into place.

The first book I listened to was the first in the Horus Heresy series, the abridged Horus Rising by Dan Abnett.

I will start with the technical end of things. The audio quality was great, but I was listening to it in my car, not through headphones. But still, I had no complaints. The reader, Martyn Eliis, is excellent. He does about 5 voice types and cycles through them throughout the series and all of them are plausible and well performed.

I never read the full unabridged novel so my take on the story is only on the abridged version. From the outset I was somewhat confused, but that was only because I, like any 40k fan, already know the outcome of the series and I think is what led to my confusion as I wasn't sure if the rebellion was in progress, etc etc.

The story flowed well, and what ever was cut to abridge it was not missed as I felt I had received the full tale. The descriptions of the characters and universe are spot on and really give you sense of the rich detail and brutal realities of the world. The battle descriptions can become somewhat repetitive. If I have to hear about the killing stroke of the chainsword one more time...

That leads into my next point, and second criticism. I guess because it's early in the 40k timeline that weaponry is not super advanced yet (i.e. no Tau) but they really praise the bolter and chainsword as ultimate weapons. Yet in practice, at the current place in the timeline, they are free or 1 point items that most people would swap out for anything short of a lasgun or laspistol.

I think the one lesson I really learned is that the Astartes are one cocky bunch of bastards who 'know' they are better than all the rest of humanity. I think this point is drilled home mainly because it becomes their biggest weak point for downfall in the end; limitless pride.

The Xenos in this book are very cool and gives a glimpse into a lost time and a universe that spans much bigger than the stories in the main rule book and codices. It makes me really want to see stuff from the old Rogue Trader book show up, like Zoats, Squats, and Ambulls.

Overall, I really enjoyed the audio book and have actually finished the second as well, False Gods (review soon to follow) and started really reading with the paper back version of Galaxy in Flames, which is getting it's audio version this January. I am just so eager I cannot wait for it.

Horus Heresy (Abridged Audio Book) written by Dan Abnett and performed by Martin Eliis: 8/10

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

A Gathering of Might

+++ TO: All Citizens of Formosa
+++ FROM: Inquisitor Astoraga Cespedes
+++ SUBJECT: Data entry for start o
f Initial Force Requisition

So beyond the Forge World good
ies, I also have two Chapter House wheeled Chimera kits to work with.


Also coming in were the Pig Iron Productions heads I want to use for my Acolytes. They are the HD2 Kolony Militia head sprues.


I also found plenty of IG and WHFB bits to begin carving out some Acolytes, Banishers, Crusaders, and so on.


In my bits gathering, I stumbled across a bag of sprues from the first Rogue Trader Space Marine box set that GW ever released. I forgot I even had these little beaky fellas. Not sure if I can put them to use here, but maybe if I do any Acolytes in Power Armor I can use these, as the body is much smaller than the new Marines.


Time to get building...tomorrow...

+++ END TRANSMISSION

A Gift From THQ

+++ TO: All Citizens of Formosa
+++ FROM: Inquisitor Astoraga Cespedes
+++ SUBJECT: Insignia Aquisition


I recently received a packet from a friend at THQ, publishers of the new Space Marine game. Beside some t-shirts and lanyards, I also got a wicked shoulder badge sticker patch. It's a sticker but the top side is cloth like real patch. It's also a decent siz
e. It's a shame I am not a huge fan of Ultramarines, but hey, who can argue when it's free. Now I need to figure out where to put it...















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The First Arrival

+++ TO: All Citizens of Formosa
+++ FROM: Inquisitor Astoraga Cespedes
+++ SUBJECT: Arrival of Forge World Initiates


The Forge World came through. Inquisition bits have arrived.





















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First Post

+++ TO: All Citizens of Formosa
+++ FROM: Inquisitor Astoraga Cespedes
+++ SUBJECT: Data entry for start of Initial Force Requisition


Time to kick things off. I am going to post the progression of the happenings with a new Coteaz Inquisitor army that I am beginning. Hope you find this entertaining and informative.

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