Tau Sun Shark Rules Rundown

Here is a quick rules rundown of the Tau Sun Shark from the upcoming codex:
Armor/BS: 11, 10, 10, 3HP, BS3
160 points base
Weapons

• Pulse Bomb Generator - S5 AP5, Large Blast, Bomb
• Missile Pod - S7 AP4
• Networked Markerlight
• 2 Seeker missiles (S8 AP3)
• 2 Interceptor Drones

5 points more nets you a twin-linked missile pod - so really, why not? You can also select vehicle upgrades from the armory but I'm not sure dumping more points into such a fragile unit is worth it.

For me, the most interesting thing about this flyer are the interceptor drones. These guys are armed with twin-linked Ion Rifles (30" S7 AP4, rapid fire) and come with a bevy of special rules:

• Skyfire
• Interceptor
• Afterburners
• High speed deployment
• Supporting fire

First off, the ion rifles have an additional firing protocol which nets you a 30" S8 AP4, small blast at the expense of a Gets Hot! roll. Not too terrible when you consider the drones are only BS2 and twin-linked means you can re-roll the Gets Hot. 2 Strength 8 shots is enough to put paid to most side armor in the game.

Skyfire and interceptor should be fairly obvious - park these guys midfield and wait for a pot shot at your opponents Zooming flyer. Afterburners let these guys Turbo boost and High speed deployment allows the drones to disembark during the movement phase even if the flyer is in Zooming mode. Supporting fire is the new Tau special rule allowing fire support of friendly units in Overwatch.

What you end up with is a interesting flyer that can drop a decent strength large blast in the movement phase, disembark some fairly nasty little hornets, and still grab a shot at a different unit (with what appears to be a turret mount) with a decent, twin-linked, light armor killer. And did I mention the seeker missiles? Oh yeah and them too. Between the turret mount missile pod and the ability for seekers to reach out a touch anyone, anywhere it shouldn't matter which way the Shark ends up facing at the end of the movement phase.

The drones of course will make an easy target and likely get swatted pretty quickly. But with some judicious placement they could live long enough to do some damage to either a ground or air target.

Any thoughts on this interesting new unit? Would you consider running it?

As a footnote, the Razorshark has the same stat line but comes armed with:

Quad Ion Cannon - S7 AP4 4 shots

Burst cannon (S5 AP5 4 shots) or Missile pod for +5pts (S7 AP4 2 shots)

2 Seekers missiles

At 145 points, it's not a bad little Air to Air fighter but to me lacks the X factor of the drones. Still probably a better choice in the battle for air supremacy that has become 40k.

How are you going to build your 'shark kit? Are you even going to get one?

The Art of Empathy - Gamer Style

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups. In the business universe, this concept has been adapted into the Art of Empathy - a set of personality models used to assess and empathize with prospective clients as a way to ensure a successful business relationship. A personality model is simply a set of descriptors that combine to form a recognizable archetype. The Art of Empathy details a matrix of four personality models with the goal of identifying an individual's personality as a gradation between any two models in the matrix. Identifying a person's placement within this matrix allows the user to better empathize and support that person's needs within a business setting. 

This got me to thinking whether the same might hold true within a gamer setting - namely would it be possible to identify and empathize with an individual on the basis of where they would fall within a set of gamer archetypes. The ultimate goal with this concept is to create a better gaming environment by understanding your opponent in advance and tailoring your game direction and preconceptions to how your opponent understands the game.

The simple notion here is to identify the type of gamer based on this set of traits. The matrix is comprised of two sets of diametrically opposed traits. Someone who is strictly a Painter by definition cannot be a Player as he does not enjoy the play aspects of a miniature game and a strict Player has no desire to paint miniatures and is happy to play with any representation of game figures. A Formalist plays strictly within a game universe which means using only prescribed models and/or models developed specifically for a game system. In opposition, the Inventor takes pleasure in using whatever models/conversions as he sees fits, which could include models from other systems, extensive conversions to "count as" something else, etc. 

Having said all of that, very few gamers will fit neatly into any one of these four personality models. The gradient arrows in the graphic above represent a sliding scale of personality traits and I maintain that any gamer will exist within one of these gradients. For example, I find myself somewhere between the Inventor and the Player, with a general tendency toward the Inventor model. All of my miniature armies have some aspect of heavy conversion to them and I tend to use rules that show off these conversions to good effect. However, I still build lists that are intended to be effective in normal game play and do enjoy getting deep into the rules mechanics.

Where do you see yourself within this matrix? How about your friends? Would using this matrix to better understand how your opponent sees the game help you to adjust your perceptions and thereby have a better game? Did I miss the mark with these models? Are they nuanced enough to capture the type of gamer personalities that you have experienced?

As a footnote, the following are visual cues to identify a given type of gamer:

The Player

• Models painted to a basic standard (or unpainted)
• Proxied models that are being used to "play test" a unit or option
• Multiple units that are identical, or nearly so, to provide list redundancy

The Formalist

• Models painted within a specific theme including unit markings and identifiers
• Army lists that are self-limiting in order to represent a theme "in game"
• Will have a depth of models within a specific theme (i.e. every unit from a given army)

The Painter

• Will have one of many different models
• Will be painted to a very high standard
• Will actually not be at a gaming table to game (i.e. is probably just entered into a painting contest)

The Inventor

• Heavy use of conversions throughout the army
• May be using a ruleset that "plays as" the intended theme of the army
• Will have "counts as" options that are consistent throughout the entire army

Adepticon - Team Remote Presence

Remote Presence is sponsoring one of the top teams in the 40k gamerverse. Having gathered gamers from near the D.C. Metro area, this fearsome foursome could likely prove to be this season's solid middle performers!

In the run-up to the grand weekend here are a couple of pics of Lo Pan's DKoK army:

Here is a pic of the beginnings of a hoard. The basic team with be two 1k lists each comprising a twenty-five man infantry platoon.

A close-up shot of the heavy weapons team - looks like someone brought an air-guitar to a gun fight!

This was all Tim's idea - he loves DKoK!

Quadcopter UAV

These guys do a very quality series on R/C vehicles. In this one they test an Arduino based chipset that basically allows any RC plane or copter to become a drone (UAV). This video also shows how you can fly a quadcopter via First Person View (FPV) with a remotely transmitting camera and a goofy set of goggles.

I would recommend skipping forward to the bit where the copter is flying hands free. You will also see a demo of the FPV technology shortly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZQoGfCKKLo#t=8m30s

Miniatures Up for Bid

This may be the first of many posts in which I am selling off a good chunk of my miniature wargaming gear. No, I am not leaving the hobby but I am consolidating as I embark in a new one - Arudino-powered UAV-based gyrocopters! More on that mouthful in another post.

The following link takes you to my ebay listings. If you win an auction, drop me a note for discounted (or perhaps free) shipping:
Austin's Ebay Goodies

I also have a good size collection of painted/based Tyranids (2 color airbrushed - but its still painted). Leave me a comment if you are interested in checking them out for a quick sale.

Dark Angels 6e Rules Preview

Given the dearth of Dark Angels rules rumors, I figured I would post a translation from the Spanish site Akiba Station. With only three days remaining, this post will soon be OBE (overtaken by events) but at least its something to whet your appetite:

General Rules

• The special rule "Inner Circle" gives hatred against Chaos Space Marines and Courage.
• The table of Warlord includes options to increase the turboboost 1D6 of motorcycles, rabid Assault, +1 / -1 to the roll of reserves, courage, feel no pain
• Belial will cost 190 points and can change their weapons as now at no additional charge. Allows Deathwing Terminators as troops.
• Land Speeder Sammael has its shield 14 as an alternative. Allows bikes are troops.
• Azrael allows bikes and terminators as troops. Gives a 4 + invulnerable to his unit and his power weapon is S6 AP3.
• No specific psychic Dark Angels. However Ezekiel has an AP2 S4 attack, if this hurts the enemy and survive, subtract 3 to its BS and WS.

Deathwing Knights

• +1 To their strength if in base contact with each other
• The champion's CCW is S +2, AP3

Deathwing

• The champion's CCW is S +2, AP2
• Land Raider gets Venerable rule (re-roll result in damage table) - "Deathwing Vehicle" upgrade for 30 pts

Land Speeder Revenge

• The plasma turret is S7 AP2, 3 shots or large blast shot

Land Speeder Shroud (80 pts)

• Has the dark rule, which gives +2 to their cover save.
• A 6 "units have +1 to their cover save.

Ravenwing Dark Talon

• Vortex Cannon: Strength 5, AP-, small blast, blindness.

Nephilim Jetfighter (about 150/160 pts)

• Megabolter revenge: Strength 6, AP4, Heavy 5
• Blacksword Missile: Strength 6, AP4
• Relentless Hunter: Allows exchanging a result of the enemy weaponry destroyed by an immobilized result.

Black Knights Ravenwing (126 pts, unit of 3)

• Hammer Corvus: Strength +1, AP-, Rending
• The plasma have a range of 18 "rapid fire. Seems to provide a special rule to bolter shots later.
• The champion carries the Sword of Caliban, A +1 AP3.

Command Squad Ravenwing.

• Same points as the Black Knights.

Ravenwing (80 points, unit of 3)

Primaris Psyker with Force Axe

The 40k bug has been nibbling at my toes lately. Got in a couple of games yesterday with my Inquisition with allied Guard list. First game was against a straight CSM list - the spiky marines got tabled. Next game against the Sisters of Battle - let's just say the nuns with guns got revenge for their sisters' blood spilt by the Grey Knights!

A direct repercussion of these great games is a fully painted Primaris psyker (missing highlights but done enough). Although not much of a star in these two games he does tend to anchor a twenty man guard platoon pretty effectively. This Primaris is a mix of parts from various kits: legs and torso are Cadian, arms, axe, and head from WFB Empire Militia kit, a Necromunda laspistol, and the haft from the power maul on a Dark Angels upgrade sprue.