The Wolfling Project

As the day shortens at the end of the year, discussion turns to predictions of the future. The Doomers predict mass starvation, global economic collapse, and a world that makes "Fallout 3" look like a theme park.

More hopeful souls embrace the vision of a techno-Rapture, when alternative energy and the end of history produce a well-tended Shire, where inept Baby Boomers somehow procure hydrogen-powered hypercars and cheap MRI scans.

We're likely to end up in the middle. In the future, we will be forced to eat Hobbits.

Currently 0-2, although one could be a tie.

That 1850 force was designed as a run-of-the-mill mech Marine list. The braindead parts:

• One Land Raider, instead of two (or none) @ 1850 points.
• Only one HQ @ 1850 ... and Cassius instead of Lysander.
• A single Vindicator ... not good. Truly a hit-or-miss proposition. In one game it only proved useful for immobilizing a rhino and exploding inside enemy lines.
• A mix of LC and TH/SS Assault Terminators instead of all-TH/SS.

The good stuff -- "general cheese":

1850 points, 11 AFVs. Variants of this list have been very successful.

NOTE: Modified to add 2nd Manticore, tanks upgraded, &c.

HQ
Company Command Squad:
Regimental Standard
3x melta guns
Chimera w/ML, HHF

TROOPS
10 Veterans with 3x Meltagun
Chimera w/ML, HHF
10 Veterans with 3x Meltagun
Chimera w/ML, HHF
10 Veterans with 3x Meltagun
Chimera w/ML, HHF
Infantry Platoon:
Platoon Command Squad w/4 Flamers
Chimera w/ML, HHF
Infantry Squad with AC
Infantry Squad with AC
Infantry Squad with AC

ELITES

FAST ATTACK
Vendetta w/ Heavy Bolter Sponsons x2

Looks like Brutal Conflict is a set of scaled-down version of the 40K rules. They also have force rosters with different limitations and point costs.

Good stuff: it's under current development (not abandoned); the rules are similar to 40K; denormalized movement; expanded wound chart; handles small team (2 - 4 models) construction well.

Concerns: different point values means no direct translation from codexes; no "legendary" units (like Wraithlords or dreads) yet.

A lot of the rules clarifications are contained in a forum on Warseer.

A generic, mechanized force.

HQ: Cassius

Troops:

- Tactical Squad with 10 marines, meltagun and heavy bolter, PF sarge, dedicated Rhino
- Tactical Squad with 10 marines, flamer and missile launcher, PF sarge, dedicated Rhino
- Tactical Squad with 10 marines, meltagun and lascannon, PF sarge, dedicated Rhino
- Scout squad with CCW and heavy bolter, all with camo cloaks and PF sarge

Fast Attack:

- Land Speeder Storm with Multi-melta
- Land Speeder with HB, Multi-melta
- Land Speeder with HB, Multi-melta

Elites:

**DRAFT** (problems listed at the end)

A skirmish force contains two parts: Core and Reserves. The Core forces are your primary characters, which are eligible to advance if the game is played as a campaign.

Reserves are used in larger games (up to 300 points) and can be modified as needed throughout a campaign. They are not able to advance while they are part of the reserves.

Core force rules:

• A hard limit 160 points, including all wargear and upgrades.
• A minimum of four models, and a maximum of twelve models.

I'm thinking about rules possibilities for a homebrew skirmish game in the 40k universe. The bulk of the rules and points would come from the current 40K rulebook and codices.

Some ideas:

• Denormalized movement (every figure doesn't move 6").
• Average game: 160 points, hard cap @ 300 points. Figure base cost must be 100 points or less.
• No vehicles (except as terrain / scenario objectives). Monstrous creatures, dreads, &c allowed as special opponents (i.e. a single Wraithlord.)

Cut these out of scrap acrylic yesterday. The Lamenters official design can be made from Corel Draw primitives easily. The physical product was a 1/8" thick, 1 1/2" diameter plastic pog, etched on one side.

Hope it inspires others! Next version: Chaos symbols for my Traitor Guard.

The results of the second cleaning session: a lot of work with coarse and fine steel wool, a wire brush, and a buffing wheel.

The rust is gone from the exterior surfaces, but pitting remains, as I don't want to put these on a grinding wheel.

Pitting shown on barrel (black)

Detail of the replica flintlock.

I started the restoration of a pair of replica Revolutionary War flintlocks with Chuck on Sunday. They had a lot more rust and pitting on them than I remembered from my initial inspection. Storage in cloth bags for the last twenty years wicked away most of the protective oil. Fortunately the insides of the barrels are not pitted or damaged -- and they're smoothbores, not rifles.

We disassembled one homebuilt rifle from its Springfield stock and started work. An hour of steel wool and sandpaper gave middling results on the exterior of the barrel and the retaining rings.