Mental Expansion: An ode to odd tourney rules.

On August 28 the Team will (mostly) be participating in a Rogue Trader in Carbondale, IL. Normally this would not be blog-worthy, but the tournament rules set us back on our collective heels and I thought I'd share my ponderings on the situation at hand.

The abnormal rules are as follows (edited and cleaned up for spelling and grammar):

'Old school' force comp is what the RT turnies used ten years ago. It stated that you had a minimum of 40% troops so at 1750 points you need to spend at least 700 points on selections from the troops section. That includes any transports and upgrades. You cannot spend any more than 25% on HQ, Elite, Fast Attack, OR Heavy support, so you can spend up to 437 in any one of those catigories.

Now, at first reading I was like "Huh?" Then I re-read and re-re-read and finally it clicked. At this point a couple team members opted out due to not having enough models or just plain not wanting to deal with it. And that's fine. I refuse to play Champions for the same reason.

I was about to join them until it hit me that a) I'd be passing up a chance to hang with my bros, b) I'd miss out on much needed play experience before Adepticon MkII, and c) I might just learn something. So I reluctantly stepped outside my little box and started banging away at an army list.

Submitted for your edification, it is thus:

HQ: Marshall with Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield, Crusader Seals

Elite: Sword Brethren Assault Termies- 3 Lightning claws, 2 TH/SH Furious Charge

Heavy: Land Raider Crusader- Extra Armor

Elite: Emperor's Champion w/ Accept Any Challenge

Troops: Crusader Squad- Bolt Pistol/CCW x8, Flamer, Pistol and Power Fist

Neophytes- Bolt Pistol/CCW x9

Troops: Crusader Squad- Bolt Pistol/CCW x8, Meltagun, Pistol and Power Fist

Troops: Crusader Squad- Bolter x3, Plasmagun, Plasma Cannon

Troops: Crusader Squad- Bolter x7, Meltagun, Pistol and Power Fist, Frag Grenades

Transport- Drop Pod

Fast Attack: Land Speeder- Assault Cannon and Heavy Bolter

Heavy Support- Vindicator- Dozer Blade, Extra Armor

Total: 1750

Elites: 12.3%

Fast: 4.6%

Heavy: 22.9%

HQ: 8.3%

Troops: 44 %

It works and it might actually work on the table. Guess we'll know in a few weeks.

Army Showcase: Salamanders Troops

We skimped on our troops in the final, hectic run to Adepticon. They need detailing, highlighting and then washed before I'll call them done. They'll get squad markings, flames on their right shoulder pad and their transports will get dolled up too. Both to add more detail to the model, and to tie them to their squad. I wanted to try a mix of bits (forgeworld, chapterhouse studios, etc.) on the transports just to break up the similarity between, what would be, eight identical tanks. Having never seen a color picture of a Salamander with hair, we took a wild ass guess and went with bright red hair. It grows on me, but I'd be interested to hear what other folks think or have done.

Sniper Scouts (didn't work out so well for me at Adepticon):

Tactical Squad (8 of these guys, outfitted in a similar fashion):

Rhino Transport:


Razorback Transport:

Converted Returned Deathwatch Sgt: