Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Total War: Warhammer

I've always wanted to really get the Total War games, and despite multiple run-ups at Shogun 2 and Rome 2, and previously Warhammer III, I haven't been able to really get a good grasp on things. I have gotten fairly deep into campaigns and eventually reached a point where I felt stuck, or perhaps lost.

I'm a fan of Warhammer, mostly on the 40K side, but more and more on the fantasy side as well. As of this writing, Games Workshop has revived the old fantasy setting in the new game Warhammer: The Old World, which is itself a re-invention of the "rank and flank" style game that Warhammer Fantasy Battles was prior to it being retired and the setting being reinvented as Age of Sigmar.

I've been caught up in the hype around The Old World coming out, but rather than drop $300 or more to buy more plastic models that will sit around for months or years before being painted, and then only rarely played with, I am working through it by taking another charge at Total War: Warhammer. 

At one point or another I bought the first of the three games on Steam, and so I figured I would play it some before eventually moving on to the second and eventually settling into a groove playing the third, which I have already had some experience with. I like to get the full context of things, though, so this is my planned way of going about that.

I have an army of Ironjawz Orruks (orcs) for playing Age of Sigmar on tabletop, some of which are the same models used in The Old World for Black Orcs. These were that, originally, and then brought forward into AoS as 'ardboyz. Recently, though, 'ardboyz got a new kit, that look different and are armed differently. I bought my models when I did, though, and so I'm left with the old 'ardboyz models which are also the old Black Orcs which are also once again the new Black Orcs, for the new game I don't play yet. But that I might at some point. At any rate, I am playing Orcs and Goblins in Total War: Warhammer, at least in my first campaign.

I've been enjoying the RTS battles so far, but the best method to manage grand strategy map eludes me. Should I just sit and wait and build up a massive army and go seize the neighboring territories? Or is it better to have multiple smaller forces? How do I keep my populace from being too restive at home, and which settlement upgrades should I pick, and when? Why do my armies have 5-6 different stances they can take on the map? Which of those is best, for what, and when? These are the questions I'm grappling with at the moment. Nevermind actual grand strategy, I just need to get my bearings. 

Sunday, January 7, 2024

2024 Booklog

The Hunt for Vulkan by David Annandale

The Beast Must Die by Gav Thorpe

White Dwarf 483

White Scars: A Codex Space Marines Supplement

Warhammer: The Horus Heresy - Liber Mechanicum

The End and the Death Volume III Dan Abnett

White Dwarf 484

White Dwarf 485

The Art of the Horus Heresy

The New Leviathans by John Gray

Watchers in Death by David Annandale

The Last Son of Dorn by David Guymer

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Gaming 2023

Final Fantasy XI

Mario Party Superstars

Hyper Light Drifter

Achron

Desynced

Burnout Paradise

Wipeout HD

Starfield

Dirt 5

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Blood Bowl III

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III

Fall Guys


This was a year dominated by my return to FFXI. Apart from that, most games here only got a single short session or two. I don't feel like I've played enough from 2023 to nominate a GOTY, but of the newer games I've played like Rogue Trader over Starfield so far.

I don't have anything upcoming in 2024 that I'm especially hyped to play. I'll probably just dip into things in the backlog, mainly.

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Reading 2023

The Successors: A Space Marine Anthology
The Trial of the Mantis Warriors
The Fields of Abundance
The Shel'tain Affair
Garro: Knight of Grey
Arks of Omen: Abaddon
The End and the Death Vol. 1
Arks of Omen: Angron
White Dwarf 476
Dawn of Fire: The Iron Kingdom
Kin
White Dwarf 477
The Emperor's Gift
The Emperor Expects
White Dwarf 478
Dawn of Fire: The Martyr's Tomb
The Wolf's Hour
White Dwarf 479
Rogal Dorn: The Emperor's Crusader
The Last Wall
Primacy
Light of a Crystal Sun
A Memory of Tharsis
White Dwarf 480
Fabius Bile: Manflayer
The End and the Death Vol. 2
Genefather
Throneworld
Visage
The Long Promise
Dawn of Fire: Sea of Souls
Gruntwork
White Dwarf 481
The Nine
The Last Loyalist
White Dwarf 482
Echoes of the Long War

Again, a whole lot of Black Library (Warhammer) fiction. I guess I get all my non-fiction needs from news articles, social media, and podcasts. I do want to read more history books, though. I've got several I've been meaning to get to, or slowly progressing through.

Ironjawz vs Sylvaneth 05/14/23

 I'm officially playing Age of Sigmar now, too! I got my first game in against James, who was gracious enough to walk me through the basics, as I had shown up with some models with some paint on them, but not having read much in the way of rules. 

This was the kickoff of the slow-grow AoS league at my local Warhammer store, using some campaign rules that have come out in recent months' White Dwarf issues. It's called Da Great Stomp!!! or perhaps some less Orruk-y equivalent. 

I have long been an admirer from afar of the Ironjawz model range, and I had even bought a few of the kits that were just waiting around to be worked through. I had some nebulout plans for the future, but when I heard about the upcoming campaign which was very Orruk-centric but without any Orruk players, and the games for which I could likely make most weeks, I knew I had to rise to the occasion. So, I quickly chose a 500 point force from what I owned, got that built and primed, and even got some green on the skin of a few of the models.


For the game, since it was the beginning of the campaign, 500 points was the intended size. James has a force of Sylvaneth that he was able to whittle down to appx 500 points to give me a learning game, and both of us a campaign scoring game. 

Being deep into the hobby for a few years now, I'd learned a little about AoS rules through osmosis, and being familiar with other GW games like 40K, Heresy, Blood Bowl, and Titanicus. James was very good about walking me through the AoS turn sequence, and letting me know the little differences in things like unit coherency, fighting and engagement ranges, and such from other GW games.

We played a very simple 'kill 'em all' battle, without using any Battleplan as laid out in any rules anywhere. His Sylvaneth were able to strike and fade, making it hard for me to hit back when they hit me, but I did get my boys in to a good scrap a time or two, and that was fun.

In the end, my Megaboss made a long charge into some Kurnoth Hunters and was able to take down one or two before being killed himself. I was left with only Morgok, of Morgok's Krushas, who rushed at the enemy general, a Branchwych. Unfortunately, it was not to be, and my Ironjawz were wiped out. 


       

This was a fun game, though, and I'm looking forward to playing a lot more in the next several weeks.


Saturday, April 22, 2023

Grey Knights vs Talons of the Emperor 04/21/23

 I hadn't ever played Grey Knights up at the store before, and I wanted to get in a game there with the current Codex before the advent of 10th edition, as with my previous game with the Astra Militarum.


I found myself facing Custodes Jonathan, as he goes by on Discord. We'd played before, when it was a Custodes mirror match. 


This was a hard fought one, without a doubt. Grey Knights are definitely capable of downing Custodians, but his two big dreadnoughts and the presence of the Sisters of Silence combined with Custodes' natural affinity for slicing through Astartes stacked the odds against me in a big way.


It was a good smash-up of a training exercise, though. Surely these two paragons of the Emperor's Glory would never actually come to blows, right? Right?

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Adeptus Titanicus Demos

 After the excitement of Adepticon, I wanted to bring some of the joy of Adeptus Titanicus back to my local scene, so I asked the store manager of the local Warhammer Store if I could run some demo games sometime. He obliged by suggesting a day and then posting about it on Facebook beforehand to draw in more interest.


I got to the store that Saturday morning and set up a small board with just a couple of Titans on either side in an approximately balanced approach. I also set up a few other Titans and all my terminals and such to show people what the game is all about and how it looks and works. 

I ended up demonstrating the game through a few turns to a few different people, had a good time doing it, and hopefully got a few more people interested in playing a game that seems curiously underplayed, though many espouse its greatness. I did meet a couple of potential future opponents, as well, whenever I can potentially set up a game again.


Friday, April 7, 2023

Astra Militarum vs Goff Orks 04/07/23

 Knowing since Adepticon that the 10th edition of 40K is on its way, I resolved to get in a few games of 9th with factions I hadn't played much outside of my own house, and in this case, with a Codes I bought but hadn't played at all.


I resolved to take 1000 points filled with as many tanks and mechanised infantry as I could. 


The opponent was playing Goffs, and while they're overpowering in close combat to my mere Guardsmen...


the sheer brute force of four Leman Russ battle tanks proved too much for them to handle. 


So much armor on such a small battlefield at 1000 points probably didn't make for the most enjoyable game for my opponent, in hindsight, but he seemed to be having a good time nonetheless. I just wanted to run a tank squadron, really. if we were to re-rack I'd probably limit myself to two Russes, and fill in the remainder of the points with more infantry.

Monday, March 27, 2023

Adepticon 2023

 


"Come to Adepticon this year, and you can stay at my place," Dave said. Reader, I had to take him up on it.


Adepticon is the annual wargames convention in the Chicagoland area, and probably the largest Warhammer-centric event worldwide each year. There is a merchant hall, there are preview events, gaming tournaments, and lots of enthusiasm for the hobby on display.


Aside from just enjoying the trip, food, time spent with friends, and general vibes, Dave and I participated in the Adeptus Titanicus event, the Siege of Valia-Maximal run by the Graying Legion game club, which I gather is based on the East Coast. Above you can see the campaign map, which all of the action in the 3-day event was based off of.


Dave and I only played in the first two days of the event, which consisted of a singles day, then a doubles day. I played three games solo vs a single opponent on day one, then Dave and I teamed up to take on two other teams on day two. 



Each game was more fun than the last, culminating with a couple of real great battles on day two. I won't try to annotate any of the few images here, but they were all lots of fun.


I can remember playing against Legio Mortis, Mordaxis, Lania Skara, Vulpa, and another that may have been Crucius.


I won one game in the singles event, and we lost both in the doubles, but they were both good contests. Titanicus is, as they say, the best game GW makes.


Dave actually won an award, which we surmised was 'fan favorite army' sort of thing, since apparently there was another that was 'best painted.' His Titans do look amazing, though, so well earned!


Sunday, February 12, 2023

Talons of the Emperor vs Tau Empire 02/10/2023

 This game was such a blowout that I don't really even want to recount it. These pics are in no particular order.


My force was mercilessly leaf-blown off the table by a triple-commander Tau list at 1,000 points.


Doesn't seem right, does it? Three tooled-up commanders at 1,000 points?


I guess that's one thing to keep in mind in games like this. Consider how the game will play out for your opponent. Particularly when it's not a particularly competitive environment. 


Like say, a casual Friday afternoon game at a store not known for it's hardcore crowd.


Not that I'm bitter. I probably tend too much toward the narrative or rule-of-cool skew when it comes to list building. I'm used to losing on account of it.


I should have required more terrain, and any at all to block line of sight for this game.


Another area I've been deficient playing with Custodes... their 2+ armor save and 4+ invulnerable save make them tough, but far from invincible.


And the low model count per unit make it so that games can snowball against you once you start losing models here and there.


I probably lean too hard into Sisters of Silence in my lists, but they're very cool models.
I think I'll remove the Vigilators squad until such time as I can give them a transport to take up the board.


I've already drafted another list for next time, and it'll include a buffed up Venerable Contemptor.

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Adeptus Custodes Mirror Match 01/27/23

Last week I got in my third game out with my Adeptus Custodes, or Talons of the Emperor as they are more properly known when in concert with the Anathema Psykana, or Sisters of Silence. 

This was also my first game against another force of Custodes.


We played at 1,000 points, generating a mission from my Tempest of War deck.


His army was much heavier than mine, with both a Contemptor-Achillus and a Telemon Heavy Dreadnought. Against this I had the dubious advantage of more models.


We both had Blade Champions, but where mine was my Warlord, he actually had a Shield-Captain in Allarus armor as his Warlord.


I ended up being outdone on objective play by just a little, but then also down on kill points.


His indominable dreadnoughts didn't help my cause much, either.


While my Custodians and Sisters did put in a decent showing, we were definitely outclassed here.


I knew this was likely going in, so why didn't I at least bring along my Venerable Contemptor dreadnought?


I guess the allure of an infantry-skewed list was just too much to resist.


It was a good looking game, at least.


Saturday, January 7, 2023

Talons of the Emperor vs Deathwatch 01/06/23

I got in another game with my Talons of the Emperor force, their second time out, versus Deathwatch this time. 

This is a player I've played against a time or two before, and the same army as he had once when I had my White Scars, though he brought different units this time.

For my part, I had just added a newly painted Blade Champion to the list:

Blade Champion
Aleya
Custodian Guard with Spears x3
''
Prosecutors x5
Allarus Terminators x3
Venerable Contemtor Dreadnought
Vigilators x5
Witchseekers x5

This all came to 1000 points on the nose.

My opponent had roughly:

Primaris Lieutenant in Reiver Armour
Deathwatch veterans x5 --missile launchers
Deathwatch veterans x5 --plasma guns
Invictor Warsuit
Gladiator Lancer
Land Raider Redeemer

I completely forgot to take any pictures for the first turn or two, but my opponent went first, and drove his Land Raider up to my lines and promptly roasted several of my Sisters of Silence. He also picked off a Custodian Guard or two in that first turn before I could do anything.


In my turn I moved a lot of stuff up toward the offending Land Raider and after firing off some potshots to little effect, charged it and brought it down in combat, forcing the Veterans inside with their missile launchers to hop out. Unfortunately none died in the emergency disembarkation.


On the other side of the battlefield I had a squad of Custodian Guard and the Allarus Terminators moving toward the Gladiator and Invictor, though they got reduced to about half strength on the way.


Eventually I mopped up, mostly in combat, the veterans with the missiles and their Terminator-armored leader, and turned my attentions over to the side of the board with the Gladiator tank and Invictor warsuit.

Along the way, my Contemptor took some shots at the veterans with plasma guns that had deep struck into my deployment zone, but did nothing. More of them died to their plasma guns overcharging and exploading then I killed, in the end, though all did die.


I misunderstood a fight order rule and that may have ended up letting my Blade Champion and Custodian with spear kill his Invictor when that wouldn't have been possible. Oops! Well, to make up for it, I gave him first turn even though I'd won the roll off...


In the end it came down to his Gladiator on a single wound being his only model left. I had my Blade Champion, single Custodian, Aleya, and a single Vigilator remaining, and the edge in Victory Points from playing the objectives all game, as well.


This was a mission generated from the Open War deck where there were three objectives to control and one at random would end up being worth more VP each round. The deployment zones were two triangles that met in the middle of the board from each long edge, and the twist this game was that Aura abilities would only go out to 2" (from 6" in most cases).

What did we learn?

Even Custodes should deploy behind some cover.

Autocannons are hateful to play against with Custodes.

Sisters of Silence die like Guardsmen despite the better armor save.

The 4+ save against mortal wounds from the Emperor's Chosen Shield Host rule is maybe even better than the free reroll it also grants.

Arcane Genetic Alchemy (can't be wounded on anything less than a 4) is well worth the 1 CP to protect your high-investment golden guys.

My Vigilators at least could probably use a Rhino.



Sunday, January 1, 2023

2022 Reading

White Dwarf 467
Prophecy of the Wolf
Codex: Necrons
Severed
White Dwarf 468
Codex: Astra Militarum
White Dwarf 469
Codex: Craftworlds
Mark of Faith
Wolf King
War Zone Nachmund: Vigilus Alone
Wolves of Fenris
Battle of the Fang
The Hunt for Magnus
White Dwarf 470
Fist of the Imperium
Sigismund: The Eternal Crusader
Dawn of Fire: Throne of Light
The Divine Instrument
White Dwarf 471
Sanguine
War Zone Nachmund: Rift War
Vaults of Terra: The Hollow Mountain
The Librarian’s Acolyte
Fearful Symmetries
The Brightest and Best
A Small Cog
White Dwarf 472
Cthonia’s Reckoning
Watchers of the Throne: The Regent’s Shadow
The Caligari Archivum: Burden
I am Slaughter
Vaults of Terra: The Dark City
The Siege of Terra: Echoes of Eternity
Fabius Bile: Primogenitor
Fire & Blood
Predator, Prey 
White Dwarf 473
Prodigal
The Horus Heresy Book One: Betrayal
The Iron Without
Renegades: Harrowmaster
Prince of Blood
The Path Unclear
White Dwarf 474
Fabius Bile: Clonelord
Confession of Pain
Aria Arcana
White Dwarf 475

And so another year of tons and tons of Black Library (Warhammer) fiction draws to an end. I did also plow through GRRM's Fire & Blood, which I highly enjoyed.

Book of the Year has to go to The Siege of Terra: Echoes of Eternity, hands down. 

I'll give my Honorable Mention status to both Fire & Blood and Watchers of the Throne: The Regent's Shadow, which stuck with me in the time since reading it more than most of these.

2022 Game Tracking

Halo Infinite
Necromunda: Underhive Wars
The Horus Heresy: Battle of Tallarn
Stephen's Sausage Roll
Assassin's Creed Origins
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
The Shrouded Isle
Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon
Elite Dangerous
Total War: Warhammer III
Battle Brothers
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
The Horus Heresy: Legions
Forza Horizon 5
Fortnite
Spelunky 2
Horizon Chase Turbo
Yakuza 3 Remastered
Warhammer 40:000 Battlesector
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Diablo Immortal
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall Unity
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
VVVVVV
Unity of Command
Hundred Days
Shootas, Blood, & Teef
Devil Daggers
Gloomhaven
Battlefleet Gothic: Armada
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
Mass Effect
Final Fantasy XI

So these are the games I played in 2022? A meager lot. How many of these were released in 2022? Maybe three?

Diablo Immortal
Total War: Warhammer III
Shootas, Blood & Teef
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

On doing the research, these four games were released this year. Err, last year. I'm going to award GOTY to the one I played the most, then. 

GOTY 2022 -- Total War: Warhammer III

Second place goes to the one I liked best of the rest.

Runner-up -- Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Not to cast any shade on the titles above, but I've been sort of  "out of the game" this year--last year. I hope something comes along in 2023 that gets me more excited for digital gaming.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Alpha Legion vs Space Wolves 12/18/22


I got in a game at the local club against Space Wolves the other night. We played the mission War of Lies on a Dawn of War deployment at 3,000 points.

My opponent was proxying some 40K models, but from what I recall his list was like this:

Geigor Fell-hand
Hvarl Red Blade
Varagyr Terminators x10
Grey Hunters/Stalkers (not sure which) x10
Another unit of the above
Contemptor Dreadnought
Leviathan Dreadnought
2 Land Raider Spartans
Sicaran Battle Tank


He won the roll off to choose to deploy first and go first (unles the other player can Sieze the Initiative), but let me have the first turn. I infiltrated my Headhunter Kill Team, but not very far up. I knew he would be coming my way, and I wanted to keep some range to let them hopefully do their thing and take out a character.

In the first turn, I destroyed his Sicaran with my Spartan, and killed a few of his Troops with my own Sicarans. I think I shot at his Leviathan but didn't ping off any wounds with the Kratos. I got confused regarding my Kratos about whether I had paid the points for Flashburn shells (I had), so I didn't use those, and so the Kratos was weaker against the Leviathan and Spartans on the other side than I would have liked. From now on I'll remember that yes I definitely have paid for the Flashburn shells every time I field the Kratos tank. 


Later on, I went to fire at his Spartan with mine and mine was immobilized by a Return Fire reaction. It slipped my mind that this reaction was not actually possible (only defensive weapons can be used when a vehicle reacts), but we made good on it later on when he gave me a freebie reaction with my Spartan under similar circumstances. He even let me target something out of my firing arcs.

The play of the game has to go to his use of his Advanced Reaction. When I moved up a squad of Veterans to make use of the 9" Rapid Fire range of their Banestrike bolters, he reacted allowing a unit to first make an Initiative move toward me then a charge, in my Movement phase! 


We wrapped the game up early after only 3-4 rounds of the 6 this mission states, because it was getting late. We talked through what might have happened if we carried on, and while he was confident I would have taken out his Dreadnoughts, and thought I had a chance to win (as VP seemed close), I think it would have come out in his favor once my remaining Line units were wiped. I was already down to almost no answers to his heavier units, and without the scoring units, he could have had it sewn up, I think.

I guess this way I don't have to count it as a loss, though! 2-0-1 for the Alpha Legion, so far.

Lessons learned:

It's hard to go into lists with 2 Spartans and 2 dreadnoughts. I don't know if tooling up more for them is the right answer yet, though.

Always take the Flashburn shells on the Kratos.

Heart of the Legion is very good, make sure to use it. Evade's 5+ Shrouded roll is also very good.

Graviton (from my Contemptor's palm gun) can make charging difficult since it leaves behind a blast area of difficult/dangerous terrain. Charging through difficult terrain means a -2 to the roll, and those chargers fight at Initiative 1 in the following combat.

Watch out for that Space Wolves advanced reaction! 

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Alpha Legion vs Word Bearers 12/10/22

Last night at the Ordo Fanaticus club in Portland I had my second game out with my Alpha Legion, playing The Horus Heresy.

I played against a guy called Gregor, whose Word Bearers army I had played once before, with my White Scars, a few months back. Indeed, I recognized a few of the units he brought along this time.

He was running a list like this:

Warmonger Consul
Moritat Consul
2x Tactical squads
Tactical Support squad with plasma guns
Reconaissance squad with shotguns
Gal Vorbak big unit of 6
Ashen Circle unit of 10
Contemptor Dreadnought
2x Sicaran battle tanks

My list was this:

Delegatus Consul
2x Tactical squads
Veteran squad of 7
Veteran squad of 5
Cataphractii big unit of 10 in a
Land Raider Spartan
Headhunter Kill Team of 10
Contemptor Dreadnought
2x Sicaran battle tanks

Interesting coincidence that we both brought 2 Sicarans. At least one Contemptor seems like a given, with how good they are in this game. We were playing at 2500 points. I have a little over 3000 painted, but Gregor didn't have quite that much done and wanted to maintain a certain standard in that regard.

You can see much of his deployment below.


We were playing the mission Tide of Carnage on the Search and Destroy deployment map.


I won't do a play-by-play report here, but only some of the highlights.

I began deployment and took the first turn, and started my Headhunter unit infiltrated and scouted very close to his lines, aiming to take out his Support squad with the plasma guns. I managed to take out 7 of them in the first turn, and caused the remaining 3 to flee. Then, when it was his turn and he was going to try to take out the remaining Headhunters not killed by Return Fire, I used Smoke and Mirrors, the Alpha Legion advanced reaction, to redeploy them 12" away and out of sight! 


My units of Veterans again proved their worth in this game by twice slaughtering opposing squads more than twice their size of Tactical marines. Their high Weapon Skill and power swords make them slice through regular infantry like butter.


Gregor reserved his Warmonger with Gal Vorbak to deep strike, as well has his Moritat with Ashen Circle. In both turns when one of these units arrived, I got off a double Interceptor reaction. There was minimal effect into the Gal Vorbak, just because they are so tough, but the Ashen Circle were substantially damaged. Augury Scanners giving free additional Interceptor uses might be a bit much!


I did learn from one mistake I made this game. It was neigher the pic above or below this line, though. They were both good plays.


When his Gal Vorbak appeared in my backfield, I knew I had to deal with them immediately.


I used Interceptor against them, as I mentioned. The template on them is from my Contemptor's Graviton gun.


Here's my mistake: deploying my WS4 Cataphractii Terminators to charge into the WS5 Gal Vorbak.


My Terminators did very little to them in combat, and ended up losing the combat, falling back, and being swept by the Gal Vorbak! I lost 7 unscathed Terminators with little in return aside from perhaps roadblocking the Gal Vorbak's way into my nearby Tactical squad.


When the Ashen Circle and Moritat arrived from reserves, they scattered and landed on dangerous terrain, which, combined with my two Interceptor reactions, immediately killed 8 of 10.


In the end, with my Cataprhractii fled, I cut down the Gal Vorbak with ranged fire from my Sicarans, Spartan, and Contemptor, then used the dreadnought to charge and smash the enemy Warlord, the Warmonger consul. Here is where we ended the game, after my fourth turn.


A few takeaways from this game:

1) Veterans are still very good value for points, particularly into WS4 infantry. Mine are extra good because they have Banestrike bolters (Alpha Legion) and I also pay for power swords on them, which does make them expensive. Worth it, though.

2) I should probably run them with either a character in each squad, or vexilla at the least, since they top out at Ld 8.

3) The above, but doubly so, for my Cataphractii. They are mostly Ld 7.

4) Never ever ever ever fight against a unit with higher WS

5) Coming in from reserves is very risky in a world of Augury Scanners giving units free Interceptor reactions to no limit.