Celesticon Incoming, More 6th Ed Thoughts

My current 'to do' pojects.

So I've just returned from a hectic Disneyland vacation with the family.  It was fun but it was a lot of work to hustle the kids (age 4 and 14 months) around but certainly worth it to see their enjoyment.  So obviously no updates on the blog or painting of any kind.

That doesn't mean endless hours driving to LA weren't spent theorycrafting up the next lists for Celesticon!  There are 2 40k events that I am currently planning on attending.  First is a 2k event (no double FoC) run by Reece from Frontline Gaming/Zero Comp.  It is a "Lazy Boy" event with only 2 long rounds and softscores to boot. 

The second is a 3 round event run by local vetran 40k player/TO Doc Dragon and is a 3 round 1750 game.  This kinda follows what I'd call the usual breakdown of 'winners': Best General, Best Sports, Best Paint, and Best Overall where each of those previous scores represent 1/3 of the total score.

So softscores and just a few rounds to get some wins.  My kind of event!

The question, as always, is what to take.  The bikes have done pretty well so far in 6th edition and the only thing I think they could use a little more help with is fliers.  So I've been looking at the following upgrade from the Golden Throne Tournament list I took.

Captain on Bike, Power Fist, Artificer Armor, Storm Shield
4 Bikes w/ 2 Plasma, 1 Combi Plasma + Attack Bike w/ MM
4 Bikes w/ 2 Plasma, 1 Combi Plasma + Attack Bike w/ MM
4 Bikes w/ 2 Plasma, 1 Combi Plasma + Attack Bike w/ MM
5 Bikes w/ 2 Plasma, 1 Combi Plasma + Attack Bike w/ MM
5 Scouts w/ Telion upgrade
2 Attack Bike w/ MM
2 Attack Bike w/ MM
2 Attack Bike w/ MM

Eldar Farseer w/ Jetbike, Doom, Runes of warding and witness, spear
3 Gaurdian Jetbikes w/ 1 Shuriken Catapult

Aegis Defence Line w/ Quad Gun

So basically I'm adding the Attack bike upgrade to the 4th squad, scouts w/ Telion and the Aegis.  The Aegis and the scouts are a nice little package.  The camo cloaks or in this case Telion they get stealth so a 3+ cover save normally.  Telion has a BS6 so that is nice to use on the quad gun, plus if it is a unit he is shooting at he gets to always choose what models take the wounds.  Of course the primary purpose is to down fliers and flying MCs.

To get this ready I need to paint: 5 Scouts, 1 Attack Bike, Aegis + Quad Gun

Now if I wanted to go to 2k I'm less sure of what to add.  Probably for the sake of painting I drop Telion down to the normal sarg and just add camo cloaks to the units (net -35) and add an Attack Bike to each Fast slot and drop in the Libby on a bike w/ Nullzone.  I kinda missed him a few games, and essentially that is 'only' 4 more bikes to have painted.

The biggest downside to the bike army is that I don't consider them 'done' by a long shot.  I basically have them based and shaded with a good clip of details, but I'm missing brown on the seats and the rest of the highlighting.  Now for just bringing them out on the table they look nice enough and they get a fair amount of compliments, but I have plans to make them look a lot better.  However there is just no way I can see getting that whole army painted beyond the current level in two weeks.  So they may score 'ok' in paint but they aren't really anything to write home about either.

On the flipside I am really interested in bringing my Imperial Fists out for a tournament.  I keep thinking this list could do great yet I never bring it out for big games.  I feel like I should step outside of my comfort zone and just go for it!  So for 2k I've cooked this list up to use:

Lysander
Termie Libby, Nullzone, Gate
10 TH/SS Termies
RifleDread
RifleDread
10 Tacticals Flamer/Missile w/ Las/Plas Razor
10 Tacticals Flamer/Missile w/ Las/Plas Razor
Typhoon
Typhoon
Auto/HB Pred
Auto/HB Pred
Whirlwind
Aegis w/ Quad Gun

So it is a bit of deathstar supported by long range vehicles.  It its a bit light on troops but of course you combat squad everything and 5 dudes just sit in Razorbacks as long as they can.  One combat squad with the Missile guy goes to man the Quad gun and that plus Dreads hopefully can down fliers.  I would use the Aegis to get 4+ cover for as many vehicles as possible and maybe put the speeders in any ruins that I could use Lysander to turn into 3+ cover.  Beyond that the Deathstar either plays "Thunder Bubble" or just advances on to the enemy position and tries to beat face.

What do I need to paint to get this army done?  One terminator, the whirlwind turrent and the Aegis.  That's not a lot, though I do need to dip a few other guys and base them as well.  Beyond that I did pick up another old school Termie Libby to replace the newer model I have done but I guess that isn't necessary.  I've also got a display board in progress I would love to finish up as well.

The downside? I'm out of the yellow paint and the last terminator arms are on order. I was hoping to have them Friday but the shipment didn't come.
The questions that remain are 1) is the army actually any good and 2) does it really look any better than the bikes?  I think it does just because it is more 'done', but frankly they are just dipped and anybody that knows what they are looking at will see that it was not an exceptionally skillful paint job.  So once again it looks nice, but it really could use a few weeks of highlighting and detail work to really make it shine.

The other problem is I have no idea what to do to drop it down to 1750.  I guess I could trim the deathstar but then you're left with something that is not so scary.  I could trim all the heavies out and hope the rest of the mech will hold up enough but I'm not sold on it.

So where does that leave me?  I don't know but I've pretty much got to decide if I focus on making one army (probably the bikes) look as good as possible and use them in both games.  Or I just paint up the few units I need to the level the armies are currently at and run bikes at 1750 and the Imperial Fists at 2000 points and let the paint scores fall where they may.

I'm leaning toward the latter.  That gets both armies a bit closer to 'done' and after this tournament I can figure out how to step either of these up to the next level.

Of course CSM drops soon too so that is also looming on the horizon.

OH and I will have to return the Eldar bikes to my buddy at some point, so I would need to pick those up and paint as well if I keep those Eldar in the bike army.

The endless cycle of painting continues...