The Outcast Dead - A Review

Every series has its ‘down points’ and Black Library’s ‘Horus Heresy’ series is no different; I still haven’t dared read ‘Fallen Angels’ after having to give up on ‘Descent of Angels’ halfway through. On the whole though, the series has been an amazing ride through the defining moment in the history of Warhammer 40K’s Imperium of Man. This is very much down to the fact that ff you’re one of the Black Library’s ‘big guns’ then you’ve probably already contributed to this series. Graham McNeill has already made a name for himself with his ‘Ultramarines’ series (amongst others, I’m thinking of the ‘Sigmar’ books here) and has also made his mark on the ‘Horus Heresy’ series with books like ‘A Thousand Sons’, ‘Mechanicum’ and ‘False Gods’. So... A new book in a series that I will always make time for that is written by a writer who has proved to be one of the mainstays of the ‘Horus Heresy’ books. You can’t go wrong here... can you? Of course you can’t, Graham McNeill turns in another ‘must read’ moment in an Empire’s fall...

Astropath Kai Zulane is having a very bad day. You would have thought that it couldn’t get any worse than being one of only two survivors of a catastrophic encounter, in the Warp, that claimed an entire ship and left Kai unable to use his psychic powers. Unless Kai can master those powers once more he is fit only for psychic kindling in the Hollow Mountain.
It can get a lot worse though. As the Heresy burns throughout the galaxy, Kai suddenly (and through no fault of his own) finds himself in possession of a secret that both sides would kill for. It’s a secret hidden so deeply in his psyche that not even Kai knows what is. All he knows is that seven of the most deadly men on Terra have broken out of the most fearsome prison on the planet in order to take him to their master. The forces of the Imperium are in pursuit though, will the renegades make it off the planet or will they fail at the last? Does any of it even matter...?

Like I said earlier, I know that I’m in for a good read when I see Graham McNeill’s name on the cover of a ‘Horus Heresy’ book and that record remains unblemished with ‘The Outcast Dead’. That’s not to say that the book is perfect but it was close enough for me not to put it down (apart from that moment when the baby was crying) until I was done. The nature of this book means that it’s very difficult to avoid spoilers, I’ll try my best though...

One of my chief complaints about the ‘Horus Heresy’ series, as a whole, is that pretty much everyone reading it knows how it ends. I’m talking about the gamers mostly but anyone with a passing knowledge of the internet can do a quick Google search and see how it plays out. The big question then is how to keep things fresh and interesting in the meantime? Other authors have tackled this question in a number of ways but this time round, McNeill takes my original complaint and makes it the centrepiece of the plot. Characters in ‘The Outcast Dead’ have to ask themselves what they can do about a person they know is carrying information pivotal to the outcome of the civil war. The answer is simple, get to him before the other side does...

The outcome is a race against time with both sides trying to get their hands on a secret so secret that not even the carrier knows what it is (you can probably guess it though and it’s a good one). McNeill really ramps things up by making it clear just what the stakes are as well; most people who discover the secret have a nasty habit of dying through not being able to handle its sheer immensity and Kai Zulane is the only one who’s still alive. Nothing less than the fate of an entire galaxy rests on what is in his head, stakes don’t get a lot higher than that! McNeill gives ensuing events a pace that is appropriate to what is ultimately at stake here; things move very quickly but not so fast that you can’t keep up. McNeill has a great concept on display here and he wants to be sure that you make the most of it. It’s not just the chase though as elements of the Imperium’s earliest history make an appearance that adds another layer of detail to an already richly layered background (the Petitioner’s City adds a level of squalor that contrasts nicely with the Emperor’s Palace) . I think long term fans will get the most out of these moments but they’re worth the price of entry nevertheless.Add a healthy dose of paranoia (no-one really knows who to trust) and you’ve got a plot that captures the imagination and refuses to let go.

Every chase must come to an end though; if they don’t then things run the risk of getting boring without a resolution. McNeill gets this as well and punctuates the plot with moments where backs are against the wall and there is no way out except to fight. McNeill has already proved himself to be more than adept at throwing gene-enhanced humans up against everything (including each other) and the resulting scenes here pack all the punch you would expect from a Warhammer 40K novel.
There is a more thoughtful air to it as well though as we see Zulane’s treatment at the hands of Imperial authorities who fight to remain true to the Emperor’s vision whilst facing the demands of war at the same time. The interrogation scenes are harrowing but also a testament to the strength in Zulane’s character. If you’re anything like me then you’ll be rooting for him too. There is a real shade of grey to ‘The Outcast Dead’, especially when we see the treatment of Marines deemed to be traitors only by the actions of their brothers. Neither side comes out of this looking good and that’s the way war goes...

I only have the one complaint and this could equally well be applied to the series as a whole. There is so much going on that there is the constant need to put it all in context of the wider struggle. Constant referring back to events already covered makes the series drag and it can make ‘The Outcast Dead’ drag a little as well. We’re more than a few books in now and I really want to feel like things are moving forward, we already know that certain events have happened. ‘The Outcast Dead’ being placed in context like this made for an unwelcome counterpoint to a plot that tore ahead in other respects.

It’s a relatively minor complaint though as McNeill comes up trumps again with a tale that shows the more covert side of the Heresy as well as the more squalid side of the Imperial dream. Another highly recommended tale from one of the Black Library’s top authors.

Nine and a Half out of Ten


Till Next Time

KD

PS As usual taken directly from the usual source

Since last time

So bad news first: king con was cancelled so I still haven't painted my landraider, but I did paint the last 2 termi's.

Good news The necrons have been re-released and I love them again. some of the things they have done i don't like (destroyers got totally nerfed: 1 less shot, 1 less Strenght and move as jump infantry instead of jetbikes) but most of the stuff I love whip coils & rending for wraiths, entropic strike for scarab swarms, extra wound for spyders, mindshackle scarabs, vehicles other than the monolith, weapon options for immortals who are now troops and so on.

on the painting front I am nearly finished the 21 traitor guard I have so far I hope to get those finished along with some minor changes to the one painted ogryn and assemble the nurgle champ before xmas. My forgeworld order has been placed and I hope to have that assembled along with the the rhino and the remainder of the ogryns assembled and sprayed by end of january.

BTW I am looking for an effective but simple color scheme for my vehicles if anybody has suggestions please feel free to post up a comment. It has to suit the following list:
1 x Rhino
1 x Chimera
1 x Leman Russ
1 x Basilisk

So all thats left to buy for the Traitor guard now is 1 x guard squad, 1 x command squad, 2 x boxes of zombies and the basilisk.

Finally, I am on the scrounge again; I need 4 x termi bases and the hull lascannon for a leman russ if anybody has them lying around let me know.

Till next time

KD

I'M BAAAAAAAACK

Well its been a while to say the least. But I finally got up off my ass to start posting again on my blog. Lots has happened since my last post most of which is too boring to put up here. Down to the important stuff; Gaming!

Since I was talking to you last I have started 2 new armies in 40k and started a new gaming system as well.

The new armies are Blood Angels (Who dosen't love Superhuman space vampires) and IA7 Chaos Renegades which I am building for NWG2012. I am also attending King-Con and have to finish off painting some chaos marine stuff for it (2 Termis and my Land-Raider) so the next year or so is going to be VERY busy. I will put up the armies as they stand soon so you can see how the look and I will keep you up to date with my progress on each.

The other system I have started is Force on Force. This is a gaming systen based on real life armies from various stages of history from WWII to Vietnam to Modern day. The models we use are 1:72 scale or 20mm. So far I have a 100% record having won both starter games with my friend Greg :) he has given me some of the plastic models he doesnt want and I had some modern germans that I will add to them to make a decent sized force. (more stuff I have to paint) after I will buy some Revell 1:72 vehicles to round it off.

In other news I am pleased to announce that my 8 year old son is now hooked on playing the computer game Dawn of War and he is now collecting a 40k army of his own (Ultramarine Space Marines). To help him out I gave him by space marine stuff and Santa brought him the AoBR box set for Xmas. As part of his presents this year he is looking for the SM Batallion box which I am sure SC will have no problem in bringing.

Till next time

KD

April Challange.

I GOT A JOB. This is a good and a bad thing. Good because I can now restart buying man-dollies and attending tournaments. Bad because it means I have a lot less time for painting/ Blogging etc. So this months challange has taken this into consideration. It is as follows:

Paint SM Dreadnought
Paint SM Drop-Pod
Assemble SM Landspeeder no 1
Assemble Tactical Squad no 1
Paint Sarge of Tactical Squad 2

I have signed up for Brocon in mid july so between April and May I hope to have my new space marine army fully assembled and sprayed leaving June and half of July to get them painted. If not done I will use my chaos. To assist in the task Martin from Gamersworld, Jervis Street will be ordering in the entire force for me on its own. Cheers Martin!

Till next time

KD

March update I

I know I have been quite lazy with my updates this month and for that I apologise. But I do have a very good reason just not one I want to go into. Anyway here are the photos of the stuff I have done so far:


Repaired & touched up SM Captain


First 4 Khorne Chaos Warriors


Fabius Bile


First 3 Flayed ones

After putting these up I noticed that I forgot to sand the base of one of the flayed ones and didn't paint the sand on the Standard Bearer. So due to the date and the fact that I am no longer an unemployed Bum (Yipeeee) over the remaining few days I hope to get those 2 models based, finish off the flayed one squad and paint the tomb spyder.

Till Next Time

KD

Beastmen WHFB Army List

As promised here is the other list I have drawn up. As mentioned in the title it is a Chaos Beastmen List:

Lords
General
1 Beastlord 145 145
1 Heavy Armour & Shield 9 9
1 Gnarled Hide Chaos Gift 15 15
1 Mangelder 50 50

1 Great Bray Shamen 200
1 Lvl 4 Upgrade 35
1 Staff of Darkoth 50
1 Dispel Scroll 25
1 Hagtree Fetish 20


Heros
1 Gorebull 140
1 Heavy Armour 15
1 Axes of Khorgor 40
1 Uncanny Senses Chaos Gift 10

1 Bray Shamen 75
1 Level 2 Upgrade 35
1 Chalice of Dark Rain 40


Core
23 Gor c/w Extra Hand Weapon 8 184
1 Full Command Unit 25

23 Gor c/w Extra Hand Weapon 8 184
1 Full Command Unit 25

20 Ungor C/W Spear 6 120
1 Full Command Unit 15

10 Ungor Raiders 6 60


Special
4 Minotaurs c/w Extra Hand Weapon 59 236

19 Bestigor 12 228
1 Full Command Unit 30
1 Manbane Standard 35

7 Harpies 11 77


Rare
1 Ghorgon 275

TOTAL 2398

Let me know what you think of this list and which of the 2 would be more compedative.

Till Next Time

KD

Chaos Mortals WHFB Army List

When (not if) I get a new job I will of course be attending tournaments again. So as not to get bored by attending 40k tourneys I have drawn up a couple of Fantasy lists. First up is a Chaos Mortallist. Based on the most recent rules it is ETC legal so let me know what you think.

Lords
General
1 Sorcerer Lord 235
1 Lvl 4 Upgrade 35
1 Mark of Tzeentch 20
1 Skull of Katam 50
1 Dispel Scroll 25
1 Shreiking Blade (Cause Fear) 10


Heros
1 Exaulted Hero 110
1 Mark of Khorne 15
1 BSB Upgrade 25
1 Banner of Rage 35

1 Exaulted Hero 110
1 Chaos Steed & Shield 21
1 Chaos Runesword 50


Core
19 Chaos Warriors C/W Halberds 16 304
1 Mark of Khorne 30
1 Full Command Unit 30

19 Chaos Warriors C/W Shields 16 304
1 Mark of Nurgle 30
1 Full Command Unit 30

5 Marauder Horsemen c/w Flails 15 75

5 Marauder Horsemen c/w Flails 15 75

25 Marauders c/w Flails 5 125
1 Mark of Khorne 30
1 Full Command 20


Special
5 Chaos Knights 40 200
1 Mark of Khorne 30
1 Full Command Unit 50

1 Chaos Chariot 120


Rare
1 Hellcannon 205

TOTAL 2399

Tomorrow I will put up the other list I drew up. Feel free to compare and contrast both lists.

Till Next Time

KD

Prospero Burns

It feels like a lot longer ago but it was only back in October last year that I read Graham McNeill’s ‘A Thousand Sons’; one half of what promised to be an epic (and tragic) tale of the opening stages of the Horus Heresy. And very good it was too (if aimed a little obviously at long term fans rather than the casual reader), certainly more than enough to have me very much looking to reading the same tale all over again from the perspective of the Space Wolves .
Illness (the authors, not mine...) meant that the wait for ‘Prospero Burns’ ended up being a little longer than anyone had anticipated but my anticipation for the book never lessened. In fact, it’s safe to say that ‘Prospero Burns’ was the one Black Library book that I’ve been waiting for above all others.
All good things come to those who wait and that’s what eventually happened with my copy of ‘Prospero Burns’. And it’s well worth the wait; I would even go so far as to say that ‘Prospero Burns’ is the best ‘Horus Heresy’ book yet...

Following the events of the Council of Nikaea, unregulated use of psychic powers and the pursuit of occult knowledge have been strictly forbidden by the Emperor himself. Well intentioned as it was, the breaking of these edicts by the Primarch Magnus the Red has ultimately cost thousands of lives and cast the Emperor’s own plans into disarray. The Emperor is enraged and the ultimate sanction looms; Primarch Leman Russ and his Space Wolves Legion are sent to bring Magnus and the Thousand Sons to justice.
Kasper Hawser’s time with the Space Wolves has shown him many things about this most bestial of legions but he hasn’t seen anything like the sacking of Prospero and he won’t even begin to divine his own true role in events until it’s far too late...

The Horus Heresy series retells a period of Warhammer 40K history that fans are already well aware of. The trick then is for each author to strike a balance, giving new readers a chance to jump on whilst not repeating stuff that long term fans already know, and at the same time fleshing out the detail to give us a story that’s fresh and new. Abnett may fall down slightly when maintaining that balance but what he does give us is a compelling tale that turns itself inside out to spring a few surprises. It’s the tale of espionage and counter espionage that ‘Legion’ really wanted to be but fell short of.

‘Prospero Burns’ is a tale of manipulation and scheming, decades old (the longest of long games in fact), that is all aimed at one particular point in time and for a particular purpose. What better to illustrate this level of deception than by telling the story through the eyes of the man who is unwittingly at the centre of it all?
What is initially a simple study trip to the Space Wolves home planet Fenris is gradually revealed to be a lot more for Kasper Hawser and it is the way that this is done which more than held my interest. Questions are either answered with more questions or not answered at all until the time is right. This gradual unfolding of the picture did an admirable job of getting me hooked early on and, despite knowing how it would eventually all turn out, I couldn’t help but be surprised by the detail of how it ended. This was very much a case of, ‘I knew it would end like this but I didn’t quite realise that was how it would end...’ Everything falls into place so neatly that you will wonder how you never saw the big picture to start off with.

When you add Abnett’s ability to write consistently excellent military science fiction then you’ve got a book that satisfies on more than one level. Abnett gets right inside the beast that is humanity’s Great Crusade and turns it into a living and breathing animal on the page, complete with a structure that is complex enough to accurately reflect its great purpose whilst also being simple enough to get to grips with quickly. Abnett also once again demonstrates his ability to accurately portray the common soldier on the field and adds yet another layer of welcome detail. You will probably never have a better view of mankind’s endeavours in the thirty-first millennium than you get with Dan Abnett.

When the guns start pounding the story ramps up another gear; especially when you see the Space Wolves take to the field. Abnett has already taken time to dispel some of the notions that this Legion is nothing but a gang of bestial killers with the cunning they display during the long game. This is none more evident than in the Primarch Leman Russ himself who orchestrates affairs with a purpose that belies his status as a mere brawler (although he is fond of the grand gesture as well, check out what he does to an enemy space station...). When the fighting kicks off in earnest though, Abnett leaves his readers in no doubt that the reputation of the Space Wolves, as the Emperor’s ultimate sanction, is thoroughly deserved. There is a raw animal power here that burns in every axe blow made by a Space Wolf and you feel it every single time. On the whole, Abnett generally delivers a balanced account of what it means to be a Space Wolf although the flow of the story is sometimes interrupted by Abnett’s pandering to the casual reader with more background detail than is perhaps necessary.

This is really only a small complaint though when set against what is undoubtedly a quality offering from Dan Abnett. ‘Prospero Burns’ completes the picture initially begun by McNeill’s ‘A Thousand Sons’ and in some style. Highly, highly recommended.

Nine and Three Quarters out of Ten

Till Next Time

KD

PS: As usual this review was taken directly from:

http://www.graemesfantasybookreview.com

PPS: I would also like to take this oppertunity to wish my wife a very happy #% Birthday today.

March Challange

This month I am going to split myself between a few armies to avoid boredom. So the plan is as follows:

Space Marines
Re-assemble and touch up the SM Captain (Cato Sicarius model)
Assemble, base & Spray SM Termi Librarian.

Necrons
Repair & Repaint 5 x Flayed Ones
Paint Tomb Spyder

Chaos Mortals
Paint 9 x Chaos Warriors incl FCU (Khorne)
Paint Nurgle Hero

The SM Termi Librarian will only be completed assuming that it arrives in time. (was ordered last month so shouldn't be a problem)

Till next time

KD

February Painting Challange Complete

YAY ME! I completed my painting challange for this month. I finished off the last few Ungors last night. Here are the photos of the models. Hope you like them.


Ungors with spears


Ungor Skirmishers


Group Shot

I will let you know what the March Challange will be tomorrow.

Till Next Time

KD

February Painting Update 3

With 4 days to go I may actually get this challange complete. Of the 10 remaining models left to do I have 5 done and the other 5 are about 60-70% done. All I have to do is avoid painters finger (ie putting it on the Long Finger) and it should be a cake walk to get it done.

Photos will follow ASAP.

Till Next Time

KD

Dead Space 2

The Good: Campaign starts strong and ends strong;Dismembering necromorphs is as thrilling as ever; Some great new necromorph types; Wonderfully atmospheric visuals and sound design; Exhilarating multiplayer. The Bad: No significant gameplay advances over the first game Single-player falls into predictable rhythm for a while Some dull objectives. Isaac Clarke, the unluckiest space engineer of the 26th century, is more unfortunate than ever in Dead Space 2. 2008's superb Dead Space took the style of survival horror shooter action exemplified by games like Resident Evil 4 and meshed it with an atmospheric deep-space setting and some terrific, distinctly sci-fi gameplay elements, creating something that felt simultaneously familiar and unique. Dead Space 2, on the other hand, will feel thoroughly familiar to those who have played the original; its few improvements over Dead Space are minor tweaks rather than game changers. But blasting the limbs off of hideous necromorphs remains tremendously satisfying, and although the pacing lags a bit during the game's middle portions, this second outing packs more than enough scares and surprises to make stepping back into Isaac Clarke's suit extremely worthwhile. In addition, a new multiplayer component successfully translates Dead Space's particular breed of dismemberment-focused combat into a pulse-pounding team-based experience that casts you as both humans and as the foul necromorphs. As long as you've got the stomach for it, Dead Space 2 is one sci-fi horror thrill ride you definitely want to take.

The first few moments of Dead Space 2 smartly accomplish a good deal in a very short amount of time. We get a glimpse into Isaac's psychological state, his psyche still tormented by the painful loss he experienced on the Ishimura during the events of the first game. We also learn that the three years since then have been little more than a blur to Isaac--he's in some kind of hospital facility, but has only the vaguest memories of his time there. And almost before you can say "necromorph outbreak," you take control of Isaac as he runs for his life from the hideous creatures who, for reasons that aren't immediately clear, have suddenly appeared and started slaughtering the human population here in the Sprawl, a vast urban area on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Isaac, who said not a word in the original game, has a voice here, and although he's a bit bland as a character, the intensity of the action that surrounds him makes you feel invested in his desperate struggle for survival. Revealing glimpses into the world of Dead Space--such as a trek through a Unitology center that sheds light on the inner workings of the church whose activity is inextricably linked to the necromorph outbreaks--keep the momentum rolling during the early chapters. The game later falls into predictable rhythms for a while, but it picks up steam again toward the end, as the story goes to some unexpected and exciting places and puts almost as much emphasis on Isaac's struggle against his own demons of guilt and regret as on his battles against the necromorphs.

But those battles against the hideous undead mutations remain front and center, where they belong. The key to dropping necromorphs is still blasting off their often frighteningly pointy limbs, which you do with a number of repurposed mining tools and a few actual guns, all of which feel powerful and are immensely fun to use. All of the weapons from Dead Space return in this sequel, including the plasma cutter and the line gun, which fire beams of energy capable of slicing necromorph limbs clean off. Another returning weapon is the ripper, a terrific tool whose spinning blade can result in a noisy, grisly end to necromorphs who make the mistake of getting too close to you. And there are a few new weapons as well: the detonator lets you place laser-triggered trip mines to set explosive traps for approaching necromorphs, and the javelin gun fires spikes at such a tremendous velocity that any necromorph unfortunate enough to be in their path is likely to find itself impaled to a wall.

As you progress, you can upgrade your weapons with nodes that you collect, making them noticeably more effective at limb-ripping and laying waste to necromorphs, resulting in a satisfying sense of progression. What's more, it seems kinesis technology has seen remarkable advances in the three years since Isaac's fateful trip to the Ishimura, and it's now a much more effective offensive tool. Using this ability to pick up severed necromorph limbs or any of the sharp rods conveniently scattered across the Sprawl and hurl them at necromorphs is no substitute for a trusty plasma rifle by your side, but it works well in a pinch. There's a delicious feeling of dishing out poetic justice in turning the necromorphs' own limbs against them, and making use of this tactic is an effective way to conserve your often very limited ammo supply.

The first few moments of Dead Space 2 smartly accomplish a good deal in a very short amount of time. We get a glimpse into Isaac's psychological state, his psyche still tormented by the painful loss he experienced on the Ishimura during the events of the first game. We also learn that the three years since then have been little more than a blur to Isaac--he's in some kind of hospital facility, but has only the vaguest memories of his time there. And almost before you can say "necromorph outbreak," you take control of Isaac as he runs for his life from the hideous creatures who, for reasons that aren't immediately clear, have suddenly appeared and started slaughtering the human population here in the Sprawl, a vast urban area on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Isaac, who said not a word in the original game, has a voice here, and although he's a bit bland as a character, the intensity of the action that surrounds him makes you feel invested in his desperate struggle for survival. Revealing glimpses into the world of Dead Space--such as a trek through a Unitology center that sheds light on the inner workings of the church whose activity is inextricably linked to the necromorph outbreaks--keep the momentum rolling during the early chapters. The game later falls into predictable rhythms for a while, but it picks up steam again toward the end, as the story goes to some unexpected and exciting places and puts almost as much emphasis on Isaac's struggle against his own demons of guilt and regret as on his battles against the necromorphs.

But those battles against the hideous undead mutations remain front and center, where they belong. The key to dropping necromorphs is still blasting off their often frighteningly pointy limbs, which you do with a number of repurposed mining tools and a few actual guns, all of which feel powerful and are immensely fun to use. All of the weapons from Dead Space return in this sequel, including the plasma cutter and the line gun, which fire beams of energy capable of slicing necromorph limbs clean off. Another returning weapon is the ripper, a terrific tool whose spinning blade can result in a noisy, grisly end to necromorphs who make the mistake of getting too close to you. And there are a few new weapons as well: the detonator lets you place laser-triggered trip mines to set explosive traps for approaching necromorphs, and the javelin gun fires spikes at such a tremendous velocity that any necromorph unfortunate enough to be in their path is likely to find itself impaled to a wall.

As you progress, you can upgrade your weapons with nodes that you collect, making them noticeably more effective at limb-ripping and laying waste to necromorphs, resulting in a satisfying sense of progression. What's more, it seems kinesis technology has seen remarkable advances in the three years since Isaac's fateful trip to the Ishimura, and it's now a much more effective offensive tool. Using this ability to pick up severed necromorph limbs or any of the sharp rods conveniently scattered across the Sprawl and hurl them at necromorphs is no substitute for a trusty plasma rifle by your side, but it works well in a pinch. There's a delicious feeling of dishing out poetic justice in turning the necromorphs' own limbs against them, and making use of this tactic is an effective way to conserve your often very limited ammo supply.



The ripper is messy, but it sure does get the job done.


The Sprawl's pressurized environment also occasionally offers a spectacularly reckless and dramatic way to eliminate some necromorphs. Certain rooms have windows that you can easily shatter with a shot of your weapon or a hurled object. The instant you do so, everything in the room--furniture, necromorphs, and you--is rapidly pulled toward the window as the air rushes out into the vacuum of space. To save yourself, as you are being pulled toward the opening, you must quickly shoot a sensor that brings a metallic emergency door down over it. It's a risky and thrilling maneuver that brings some action-movie-style craziness to what is often a more grim and atmospheric adventure. These Hollywood set-piece moments and others that involve speeding trains, pursuits by massive necromorphs, and other surprises are great, but they're not entirely enough to keep things from falling into a predictable rhythm for much of the second half. Still, things start revving up again as you approach the conclusion, and the outrageous final moments make for an intense and truly memorable climax.

Despite your powerful and satisfying arsenal, you still feel as if you're in constant danger, and that's never more the case than when you're faced with a few of the terrifying new types of necromorphs that make their debuts here. One new variety, called the pack, resembles a twisted version of a human toddler. Individually very weak, these terrors run at you in groups, emitting bloodcurdling shrieks all the while, and if one manages to leap up onto you, it can cause tremendous damage. The other new standout necromorph type is called a stalker. These hunters display an intelligence previously unseen in necromorphs, making use of cover to try to stay hidden from you until they decide to strike, charging at you with incredible speed. It's particularly satisfying to hit one of these charging beasts with your very useful stasis ability, stopping it in its tracks before blasting it to bits. On the other hand, these creatures are so speedy and so prone to charge at you when your back is turned that Isaac's slow turning ability can at times become less a source of tension than a source of frustration

Stasis remains an invaluable part of your arsenal, but turnabout is fair play, and the bile of another new necromorph type, the puker, slows you down almost as much as your stasis ability slows the necromorphs down, leaving you extremely vulnerable for a short period of time. All of these new necromorph threats fit in perfectly with all the returning varieties from the first game, creating a diverse and deadly assortment of both short- and long-range attackers to keep you constantly on edge as you make your way across the Sprawl. Unfortunately, as in the first game, the camera sometimes contributes to the challenge. When you're backed up against a wall and a necromorph gets too close to you, the camera often won't show you your assailant, and targeting the creature can require you to move around to get a decent angle, which is frustrating when your health is rapidly being slashed away.

You might think that with no mission captain issuing orders to Isaac, this time your objectives might be more diverse and engaging than the go-here, fix-this tasks Isaac was saddled with in Dead Space. Alas, that's not the case. Isaac must still play galactic repairman; you need to fix elevators, deactivate AIs, align solar arrays, repair drills, and so on, none of which is terribly exciting. The occasional simple puzzles you encounter and a basic hacking minigame you must frequently complete provide nice little breaks from all the dismembering, though. Solving those puzzles sometimes involves moving through zero-G environments, and the way you do this has changed, for better and for worse. Whereas before, you looked around for a suitable surface to land on and then automatically jumped across the zero-G space, you can now hover in place and move freely in all directions. This added freedom allows for some fun moments in which you must soar around large open spaces to interact with objects. But you can always orient yourself to the ground with the push of a button, so these changes come at the expense of the delightfully disorienting sensation that went with seeing the Ishimura from dizzying new perspectives as you stood on the wall or ceiling of a chamber.

In addition to playing a lot like its predecessor, Dead Space 2 looks a great deal like the visually impressive original. Dead Space cleverly incorporated your health meter and stasis meter into the back of Isaac's suit, and that's still the case; there's no distracting HUD, which lets you feel all the more immersed in the atmospheric environments. But the size and diversity of the Sprawl give Dead Space 2 a very different atmosphere from the original game. Your journey takes you through hospitals, shopping districts, residential quarters, schools, and other locales, all of which are positively packed with details that create a haunting sense that this is a place with history, a place where, up until very recently, people lived normal lives. This variety also means that the Sprawl is not as consistently oppressive a location as was the Ishimura, and at times you may miss all that time spent in the claustrophobic industrial corridors of the planet-cracker. But Dead Space 2's bigger, more sprawling and action-oriented campaign gives the game its own identity; this is the equivalent of the blockbuster movie sequel Aliens to the first game's more moody and intimate Alien. The sound design is an absolutely essential part of the immersive spell the game casts. Recorded announcements echo eerily through the empty corridors; each blast of your weapons rings with the convincing pound of a powerful industrial tool; and the terrifying shrieks, screams, and wails of the necromorphs send shivers up your spine and adrenaline coursing through your veins.

The single-player campaign clocks in at around 12 hours and offers some solid replay value because you can start new games and carry over all your purchased, upgraded equipment, or even try tackling the "hard core" mode, which restarts you from your last save each time you die and permits you to save only three times over the course of the entire campaign. But the real draw to returning to Dead Space 2 time and again is its terrific team-based competitive multiplayer. Divided into humans and necromorphs with up to four players on each side, the multiplayer gives the human team a series of objectives they need to complete within a time limit--interacting with consoles, carrying items, destroying objects, and so on--while the necromorphs' only goal is to stop the humans. The humans all play exactly like Isaac in the single-player, and the opposing players get to choose one of four necromorph types each time they spawn: the elusive pack; the long-range, wall-crawling lurker; the resilient puker; and the hard-hitting spitter

The setup will feel immediately familiar to those who have played Left 4 Dead 2's competitive multiplayer, but the Dead Space trappings make it a wholly different experience, and an exhilarating one at that. While the mood of the single-player campaign is one of sustained tension and dread, broken frequently by necromorph attacks, multiplayer games create the frantic sense of a constant, desperate fight for survival against an unending onslaught. Humans are individually tougher than the necromorphs, and they have the advantage of spawning with a health pack in their inventories. But unlike the humans, necromorphs can choose where to spawn, making it possible for them to split the humans up and overpower them. Teams alternate once on each map so all players play both sides, and regardless of which side you're playing on, the mode strongly encourages coordinating with team members; taking down humans as part of an organized necromorph assault is immensely rewarding, as is completing an objective as a human player in the final few seconds of a hard-fought match. You earn experience points and level up as you play, gaining access to new weapons, more stasis power, and other benefits as a human and more powerful attacks as a necromorph, which, while nothing new, makes this multiplayer even more addictive.

Dead Space 2 doesn't bring with it the same sense of experiencing something utterly new and innovative that its predecessor did. But it's nonetheless a terrific game, with a campaign that simultaneously leaves you satisfied and eager for more, and intense multiplayer that gives you a great reason to keep coming back to this terrifying universe. Unless you're just plain chicken, this is a sci-fi horror adventure you definitely want to suit up for.

Till Next Time

KD

February Painting Update 2

As Promised here are the photos of the Ungors, the Tusgors & the Nurgle Biker.


The Ungors


The Tusgors


The Nurgle Biker C/W Melta Gun

Till next time

KD

February Painting Update 1

Just a quick update on this months challange so far:

The 10 ungors that had to be based from the block unit are done and all 4 tusgors are about 50% done. I will put photos up of the 10 ungors and the tusgors up soon.

I got an email during last week telling me that my meltas order are on their way so should be here soon.

Till Next Time

KD

February Painting Challange

Well with a new month comes a new challange. This month since I have recently purchased 10 Resin Melta guns from the site: http://bitspudlo.com/en (9 for the guard and 1 for the Chaos Biker). I am going to finish off my nurgle biker. But the bulk of the challange this month will be coming from my Beastman WHFB Army. I am going to try and get all 30 ungors finished off; the 10 that just need basing, the 10 that have to be painted aswell which includes the Cmd Unit and the 10 skirmishers that just need basing. Also I will try to get the 4 tusgors done.

Till next time

KD

Details & Expansion

After picking the imperial guard as my new list I soon decided that I wouldn't be going with the standard paint scheme. Having recently read the excellent "Chapters Due" by Grahame McNeill I decided to paint them up as Maccrage PDF. The Guards are going to be painted Ultramarine Blue/ Kommando Kahki while I will try to copy the camo pattern below onto the vehicles.


Proposed Pattern

While I was coming to this conclusion it got me thinking about an Apocolypse expansion but rather than just add more guard I was thinking I would add some space marines (Ultramarines to be exact) and of course a superheavy. So what I decided was I would do up a 1750 ETC legal Space Marine List so that when it was added to the Imperial Guard it would come to 3500 points. All I had to do then was add in a baneblade @ 500 Points and it would produce a nice themed 4000 point Apoc force. The Defenders of Maccrage will be born.

So without further ado I dug up my copy of the Space Marine Codex and began to work. This is the list I came up with:

HQ

Space Marine Captain 100
Artificer Armour 15
Plasma Pistol & Relic Blade 45

Command Squad 115
Champion & Std Bearer Upgrades 30
Meltagun & Power-Fist 35
Rhino C/W Extra Armour 50

Librarian (Powers TBC) 100
Terminator Armour & Storm Bolter 30


Elites
Dread C/W M/Melta in Drop-Pod 140

Assault Termies in Drop-Pod (Lead by Librarian) 235


Troops
10 Man Tactical Squad 170
Missile Launcher
Melta 5
Powerfist 25
Razorback 40

10 Man Tactical Squad 170
Missile Launcher
Melta 5
Powerfist 25
Razorback 40

Scouts Squad C/W Sniper Rifles 75
Camo Cloaks 15


Fast Attack
Land Speeder C/W HF & M/Melta 70 140

Land Speeder C/W HF & M/Melta 70 140


TOTAL 1745

Now I have some of the models for this already such as 1 Drop pod, the command Squad, the Dread and the commander (Cato Sicarrius model) so all I need to buy for this is the Termi Librarian, the Assault Termi's, 2 Tactical Squads, 1 scout squad, 4 land speeders, 1 drop pod, 1 Rhino, 2 Razorbacks & of course the Baneblade.

Till next time

KD

Next Batch

As promised here are the photos of the Plague bearers and the repainted Rhino.


Plague Bearers


Iron Warriors Rhino

Hope you like them. Like I said due to real life commitments I will be unable to complete the Land-Raider so it will form part of next months challange.

January Painting Update II

Well the Plague Bearers are done, I just finished them about 20 mins ago. I hope to finish the rhino tomorrow and get photos of both up. I don't think I will finish the landraider due to real life commitments so it will pass on to next months challange.

Promised Photos

Slightly later than promised here are the photo's of the Thousand sons, Noise Marines and the Raptors. Now I know that none of these are going to win Golden Daemon prizes but I am happy with them.


Raptors


Thousand Sons


Noise Marines

These guys all have converted Sonic Blasters. (Except the guy with the Blastmaster) These were made by removing the muzzle and magazine from std chaos bolters and then adding the speaker from the cadian vox unit to where the muzzle should be. I then attached a piece of copper wire to where the mag should be leading to the back-pack.

Hope you enjoy them.

Till next time

KD

January Painting Update

So here is the first update on my January Painting Challange. The Challange was to get the 4 remaining Plague Bearers finished and to Re-paint a Land Raider and a Rhino in Iron Warrior Colors.

So the status so far is as follows. I finally figured out the colors I used for the original Plague Bearer. I think its GW Graveyard Earth, Followed by GW Blue Top Flesh Wash, Allow to dry, Drybrush P3 Beast Hide, Light Drybrush GW Kommando Kahki. I have also sprayed the Rhino & Land Raider both AP Black first then AP Plate Metal. The Rhino is now Approx 80% done with just a few more details left to do along with the Decals.

I know I promised pictures of the 1k sons, noise marines and raptors but I cant find the cable for my camera at the moment so they will have to wait for that to be found.

BTW Since I am almost running out of AP Black Spray I decided to spray the models for next months challange. Exactly what they are you will have to wait and find out. :)

Till Next Time

KD

Army List Update

You may remember a while ago I was playing about with the IG Codex and drew up a 1750 point list. Well after talking to a few friends I made some changes. Firstly as I wanted the list to be ETC legal I had to get rid of Knight Commander Paige as there are no named Characters allowed. I also got rid of the Tech-Priest as without his servitors (who I couldn't fit in) his chance of repairing vehicles was too slim. I then changed the focus of the command squad by dropping the bodyguards, the commanders power weapon and changed the Melta guns to Plasma guns. Making them an Anti Troop squad instead of the anti vehicle/ Troop mix they previously had. I then got rid of the extra armour from all the Chimeras as their need to move was not THAT vital especially since I had the Vendettas.

So with all those changes I had some points to spare so I added in a small squad of Ratlings as a static Objective contesting unit. Since they would be spending most of their time in cover, their stealth special rule would come in very handy, making them very difficult to kill from shooting. I then added in a Bane-Wolf Tank as an additional Anti Power-Armour/ Horde Unit Thanks to its 2+ to wound, AP:3 no Cover save weapon.

So here is the revised list:


1 Company Command Squad 50
1 Plasma Pistol 10
1 Vox Unit 5
1 MediPack 30
2 Plasma Guns 15 30
1 Carapace Armour Upgrade 20
1 Astropath 30
1 Master of the Fleet 30
1 Chimera Transport 55


Elites
4 Ratling Snipers 10 40


Troops
1 Veteran Squad 70
3 Melta Guns 10 30
1 Vox Unit 5
1 Chimera Transport 55

1 Veteran Squad 70
3 Flamers 5 15
1 Vox Unit 5
1 Chimera Transport 55

1 Veteran Squad 70
3 Melta Guns 10 30
11 Grenadiers Upgrade 30
1 Vox Unit 5

1 Veteran Squad 70
3 Melta Guns 10 30
11 Grenadiers Upgrade 30
1 Vox Unit 5


Fast Attack
1 Vendetta Gunship 130

1 Vendetta Gunship 130

1 Banewolf Tank 130

Heavy Support
2 Hydra Flak Tanks 75 150

1 Leman Russ Vanquisher 155

1 Leman Russ Punisher 180

Till next time

KD

Forward Planning V

Firstly let me wish all my Readers & Followers a Happy New Year

Due to a mistake on my part I didn't finish my challange. I accidentily left my models and paints down in my Father-in-laws house between Xmas day and New Years so obviously I didn't get any painting done for that week. The final result is as follows:

Noise Marines: Complete
1K Sons: Complete
Raptors: Complete
Plague Bearers: 1 Complete 4 Sprayed (Unchanged).

I will hopefully have photos of all 3 completed units up over the next few days. The Challange for this month is to Finish the Plague Bearers, Repaint 1 x Rhino & 1 x Land Raider in Iron Warrior Colors as per the Predator done previously.

Till next time

KD