And introducing...

So, Grazer mentioned me briefly around Christmas time and that I would be posting to the Claws and Fists blog. Well, I'm ever the procrastinator and it's taken until now for me to actually get around to doing something about it!

I was introduced as a 'veteran gamer' (thanks Grazer!), but the reality is that apart from a dabble in my teens I've only recently re-introduced myself to miniature wargaming. It was around 5 years ago after losing another game of Risk that I declared: the only reason I lost is that there is no tactics involved, and it's mostly a case of random dice rolling and castling up until strong enough to attack en force. The irony I'm sure is obvious here...

So, the day after, I got my arse down to Warhammer World and walked out with a copy of 5th Edition and the starter set. Initially playing at home with my bro, I rapidly built up my armies and scenery collection. Around a year after getting back into it I contacted 1st Company Veterans...and here I am now.

I would describe myself as a fluff player rather than hardcore competitive. I only play armies that I feel represent the background, without the feeling I'm playing some sort of narrative story I just don't enjoy the game. However, that doesn't mean I don't play to win every time! I have a preference for fast, hard-hitting armies and am not afraid of taking risks.

So, what armies do I play?

I've sold off 2 armies:

1. A Khorne CSM force built around terminators in a Land Raider and a ton of berzerkers.
2. An IG force of ratlings, ogryns (beautiful models), a couple of Leman Russes and a healthy block of gun-line infantry including lots of HWs.

And I have remaining:

1. A Evil Sunz Speed Freaks army - lots of choppa boys in trukks and a 20 man (ork?) unit of Stormboyz with Zaggstruk. I also have Weirdboys, a couple of SAGs (love me some SAGs). I've also got a BW, a load of killa kanz and a Deff Dread. Got some warbikes (no, not the crazy over-powered 5th Edition nobz). Oh, and a Stompa! It's an eclectic mix of stuff that is great fun to play, and despite it being a hybrid mix works pretty well for me. I also like how it's painted, very gritty but colourful and cohesive.
2. Alaitoc/Beil Tan Eldar. It started as mainly aspect warriors, but I added rangers and Wraithlords later. I got tired of the green & white and spent a fun couple of months stripping EVERYTHING back to the plastic or metal and repainting it. Again, I love the look of it and is great fun to play, if very hard to win nowadays (new codex please). 
3. Daemons. I'm going to talk about this next:

My daemons are predominately a Tzeentch force but with a bunch of other stuff in there. I have 40 bloodletters which I rarely play now as I played them with my (now sold) Khorne CSM army. I played screamers, flamers and horrors in 5th and generally got laughed at, but did win more often than I lost (I have an amazingly lucky scatter dice). Then the WD update came along and the army basically played itself, not great fun. The old codex also suffered from an ever so slight lack of options, but there was beauty in the simplicity. The new codex is great though and I can see a ton of new ways to play, and thankfully most of my existing models will continue to be useful.

I'm also glad to see the Tzeentch stuff toned down again. An army that is a challenge is fun to play. I also like that I don't have the crazy 50/50 daemonic assault split, although I can still reserve my whole army if I choose to do so. I'm going to collect another god next as I prefer mono-god armies. I'm leaning towards Slaanesh, but not in the standard colours - I'm thinking something more bright pink/deep purple with possibly human coloured skin.

Right, I think that's enough for now. I'm going to post again soon with my army list and hopefully some feedback on how it plays. I have a game with Grazer on Sunday so I'm hoping to have a photo or two to post - everybody loves to see Squats valiantly fighting despite being (nearly) extinct!

One last thing - I've just finished my 9 plastic flamers tonight and ready to play them painted. Am I crazy to field them?