I actually didn't expect to be attending the Bay Area Open...

I actually didn't expect to be attending the Bay Area Open despite buying my tickets several months ago.  It just wasn't looking like it would work out financially, professionally, and personally with my family.  Lucky for me everything fell into place this last weekend, I will be driving up with Dis and Sand Friday and participating in the 40k Championship event.  I think everyone reading this is probably aware but the BAO is also an ETC qualifier plus the winner receives a 1750 point army (painted!) of their choice.  Nice prize pool and 117 players signed up as of this posting means it is going to be a great event!  The only problem is my painting motivation left me when I thought I would no longer be attending and now, Wednesday night, I have quite a bit to finish...  After the break is the run down on what part(s) of my GK army needs paint.

40k Expansion: Zone Mortalis

It looks like Forge World will be releasing rules for close/closed quarters combat in the 41st millenium.  It would certainly explain the rash of miniatures we have seen from FW that have a boarding party theme to them.  The Assault Ram, the special HH boarding Marine etc.  If you want a peak at the rules go here.  It looks very promising, I for one have always been interested in playing a boarding party, besides Space Hulk, in the 40k universe.  It would be particularly cool to reenact some of the more legendary boardings from 40k.  The Emperor boarding the Vengeful Spirit, Tyranids boarding the Biel-Tan Craft World, boarding of the Doom Engine etc.  Just being able to have battles in underground bunker complexes would be cool.  Doesn't seem like it would work out in a competitive environment but that's actually fine by me.  Looks like I may have a reason to by the Caestus Assault Ram after all.  Oh, and some of these too.

Here is a link to the boarding party kits.
Cool picture from FW of the walls and a game in progress.  You can find more here.

Necron Battleforce, is it any Good?

Up for Advanced Order on GWs website is the Necron Battleforce.  I have to say this Battleforce is definitely one of the better ones GW has out right now.  It comes in at $105 US which is a bit more than the old standard of $90 but $105 seems to be the new standard for Battleforces so we should get used to it.  The reasons why I think this kit is one of the better starter sets falls into the same reason I thought the Space Wolf set was awesome.  More after the break.

Book Review: Horus Heresy Know No Fear

Greetings C&C readers,

PytnNutD (yes there are other people involved with C&C other than Overwatch, we’ve just been on vacation) here with a look at the latest Horus heresy Novel: Know No Fear. If you are like me and have turned to an iPad, or similar device, for all your book purchases then you may have noticed that the latest HH novel has been released in digital format before its scheduled arrival in its standard paperback format (at least here in the US).

So for the non-spoiler info, aka what info has already been released and/or teased.

This particular novel is about the World Bearers betrayal of the Ultramarines around the world of Calth and the devastating battle that ensues............Read on for a spoiler filled account of one of Dan Abnett's best HH novel thus far........Know No Fear

Knowledge is Power: Tells, Information Gathering and the Art of Wargaming.

Rounders, if you like poker you need to see it.

Poker is one of my favorite games and I am fairly good at it.  I can't be a pro or anything but I make out well in the "home" games I play in and normally I turn a small profit on my trips to Vegas.  I am not exceptionally gifted mathematically, nothing like many of the Warmachine crowd, Dis or DemonCaliber really know all the maths; but I have a really good instinct when it comes to poker and wargames in general.  Instinct in 2 ways; I have read about and played enough poker that I have a feel for the statistical probabilities involved in a hand, and the second is my ability to quickly and often by instinct gather information from my opponents.  I play the player not the cards in poker, and I often find I do this in wargaming as well.  Miniatures games are fought on more than the 3 dimensional table top, there is a significant mental and emotional aspect to the "war" being fought between the two opponents.  All aspects of wargaming require knowledge.  Knowledge of the game system, armies, FAQs; but equally important is knowledge of the local Meta, your opponents local Meta, his/her current standings, how their last game went etc.  Competitive Miniature Wargaming has more to do with poker and information gathering than you might think.  The Blood Ravens in 40k lore have a motto; "Knowledge is power, guard it well."  I may not be guarding it well by writing this but don't expect me to reveal everything...  More after the break.