Weapon patterns, marks and mods, and the squearoll

This has been on the list a while. It was sparked off by a discussion on weapons in 40K at an old Outside the Box, but could work for all kinds of games using dice to resolve success and failure.

The starting point was the fact 40K is nearly 27 years old now, in which time a lot of the core weapons have been sculpted in various forms. Compare the original lasgun for the Imperial Guard - or Army as it was - and the Squats, cult etc. to more recent versions. In the real world, reflected in historical and modern wargaming, various modifications and variants also exist, and the same could well be true for other more fantastical settings.

Think about all the possible forms that slings, bows, crossbows etc. can or could take, let alone the range of melee weapons. This is true also for many if not all technologies in conventional science fiction, science fantasy and fantasy, possibly even innate abilities.

Crewbrew (2) - tertiary functions & compartment use

Seeing the new troop variant of the Dragonfly from puppetswar, partway between thunderhawk, valkyrie and Squat gyrocopter, I got to thinking more about that underslung compartment and how small a role vehicle interiors still have in play.

So this is the second in the crewbrew run of supplementary homebrew, with suggestions this time for 40K. The first section below is a set of actions not so commonly covered in wargaming, the second an approach to compartments for systems that don't offer one.

                                                                                                                              

Tertiary functions

Once per turn a crew member may perform one of actions 1-7, in addition to any usual role. A passenger may do so instead of moving, shooting or performing another action. A friendly passenger does so automatically, while an unfriendly passenger must attempt to do so, succeeding on a 4+ on 1D6. None of the set may be performed in any other way.

1. open/close either one adjacent hatch, doorway or ramp, or all simultaneously
2. turn interior/exterior lighting on/off - if either type of lighting is on, but not both, units firing in and/or out are one degree more accurate; in 40K, under nightfighting, the first band is 24", not 12"
3. communicate with another compartment over the intercom - if the compartment has at least one exterior portal currently open, this turn the vehicle is able to move up to one unit of measurement further or perform one other task one degree more accurately; in 40K, +1" or +1 to hit
4. patch into a local, aerial or orbital relay - so as to send a message as described in entry 7.
5. send a message over standard frequencies - if the compartment has at least one exterior portal currently open, next turn any one friendly unit is subject to the effect described in entry 3.
6. disable a device enabling any one action 1-5. - the action may no longer be performed
7. repair a device disabled by action 6. - roll 1D6: on a 6, the action lost is available again

* No hatch, doorway, ramp etc. may be opened and closed in the same turn, even by different individuals.
                                                                                                                              

Compartment use

Each closed, crewed vehicle is assumed to have at least one compartment, but may have many, e.g. for transport. If unclear, before the game the players agree the number, distribution and capacity, as well as access: the hatches, doorways and ramps leading to each. Compartments are assumed to be connected internally by single doors.

Width in human-sized models is for a hatch 1, single door 2, double door 3 and ramp 4.

This is the number who can attack or be attacked through it when open, at range or in close combat. The player controlling the passengers decides who is visible; blast attacks into a compartment affect all within. An attacker may only enter a compartment if number of occupants falls below the width of the portal attacked; for each full turn in which at least one unfriendly passenger is within the vehicle, crew cohesion falls by one.

A crew member cannot perform a usual role if a) engaged in close combat, b) firing a non-fixed ranged weapon or c) outside the proper compartment; distraction then applies.

                                                                                                                              

How would that affect your game? If you're using point values, they might need tweaking.

Linked with all of this, and that Dragonfly too, you might be interested in the release of Khurasan's Polecat and Caiman, two vehicles in both the 15mm range and the 28mm.

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Why I appreciate S&W and you might - even for 40K

Today it's Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day.

Lots of readers of the Expanse will know what S&W is - a rules-light tactical roleplaying game, and more especially an Original D&D 'retroclone'.

But quite a lot of people reading have probably never even heard of S&W: this is for you.

I'll look at what I appreciate about it, then what you might, then finally a way of using it to do something it's not explicitly designed to do: run 40K. There's a discount today too.

40K OSR? (21)

More 40K OSR? We know what 40K is, or think we do, but what's an OSR? Still a good question.

If you're part of it, feel free to use Colonel Kane's logo, here to the right, and think about linking to their exemplary blog Tales from the Maelstrom.

Since the last update Major Hazzard has posted an Eldar shuttle and crew - with spirit warriors.

And there's more of that heresy right here...

• Big Jim at Galaxy in Flames released the latest version of Killzone - now updated for sixth - and posted on changes and rules being tested, as well as looked in 1, 2 parts at adapting his Soul Reapers to the new CSM book.

• Old School Terminator at Dark Future Games has been suggesting parts for modelling better noise marines, bezerkers, Thousand Sons and plague marines, and is building an alternative flyer, but Nurglified - the hellworm.

• I managed to overlook Spiky Rat Pack last time - izeColt has now finished Hagard and the Færwyrd, with a snippet of fiction, and okkiW is building Task Force Pherion, in both cases for playing 54mm Inquisitor at 28mm...

• ... regarding which, zhu bajiee suggests a possible origin for the Inquisition symbol and presents a rebound tome of some classic 40K rule resources.

• Staying on the subject of playing at smaller scales, Relic at Lead Space has 1, 2, 3 more 6mm Epic Crimson Fists models for use in skirmish games, ...

• ... and scottsz has some shots of how it can look in practice, with a map, ...

• ... while Carl at Dropship Studio is back and redoing a titan battlegroup, ...

• ... Wargaming Workshop has phantoms - one reposed - and revenants ...

• ... and Realms of Chaos has two great gargants: a snappa and a gutbuster.

• At 15mm scale Dropship Horizon suggest possible base space marines...

• ... and for Ork conversions in 15mm, Wesley over at TheOrky 15mm SciFi suggests the bodies of those Wasteland Warriors with Khurasan orc heads.

• Still with greenskins, FrDave at Blood of Prokopius has stats for Ork types in Stars Without Number, for the Black Reach campaign he's developing, ... 

• ... Kamui at Creative Twilight is working on old-new lootas with grotbots...

• ... and The M42 Project have more on the Grün, as well as some possible sub-factions, and continued developing their ruleset, an alternative for 40K.

• Master Bryss posted the first abilities of the revised creature creation rules.

• Laughing Ferret has a possible genestealer cult character and hybrids.

• At Confessions... dwez has done more work on the Tyranid defence line...

• ... Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze is retailing his dragons' teeth tank traps, ...

• ... - and there's a tutorial at 122nd Cadian if you fancy making your own - ...

• ... but Spyrle decided against mass-producing his Eldar-inspired defences.

• T Planet at Conflict Valorax showed off some potential scatter terrain for 40K interiors and some mixed-source adeptus mechanicus and Squats.

• Grazer at Claws and Fists has a scratchbuilt overlord armoured airship.

• Mordian7th is working on some sagitarii robotic weapons systems for his adeptus mechanicus and making progress on the scratchbuilt leviathan.

• Mike at SC Warhammer near-scratchbuilt a big cannon for the traitor guard.

• At From the Warp Ron has a superb tutorial for Death Korps-like troopers.

• Robert Morris at Back to the Keep has some pics of classic IG regiments...

• ... Col. Ackland at The Thunder Guard has a thorough introduction to two producers of conversion kits suitable for building a praetorian-like regiment...

• ... and Blight Wheel Miniatures have added arms to the new human range.

• Back to the Crimson Fists, Coopdevil of FightingFantacist played the Battle at the Farm from Rogue Trader, with miniatures then with the counters.

• TastyTaste at BoK has some thoughts on the Horus Heresy then and now.

• At The Evandalists, vandalworks has an interview with the ex-GW designer Andy Chambers, and there's an older blog interview here at Digital Waaagh!

Also worthy of mention, Rob at Warhammer 39,999 is selling a large range of classic miniatures for various 40K armies and some fantasy, with the final day being Sunday.

I have a contribution this time too, the introductory post to a series on developing 40K the wargame into an easy-start RPG, with or without a GM. The next part isn't far off.

If you think I've missed anything, leave a link in the comments, even to your own work.

Update: In the comments scottsz has a link to Angel Barracks, where there's 6mm with possible counts-as squigs, a wheeled chimera-like chassis and various humans.

I also want to mention Dave G's weekly updates at Wargaming Tradecraft, which very often link to fan-made art, and BoLS this week had a Necron piece with a timelapse.

And I've just seen Curis at Ninjabread recently posted on building a Squat force - the Furnace Valley Brotherhood - with some newly-painted classics and current stats.

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40K OSR? (20)

It's been a while since the last fuller 40K OSR? post, even if the list of Epic-related links came close. Maybe it's the summer, or maybe sixth?

But what is an OSR anyway? A good question.

If you think you might be a part of it, feel free to use Colonel Kane's logo, here to the right. If you do, consider giving him credit and putting Tales from the Maelstrom in your blogroll. They have 1, 2 reports up since last time and more minis.

So here we go, with some fine fusion this time...

• Relic at Lead Space is mixing Rogue Trader - that's first edition 40K - with the Lovecraftian skirmish game Strange Aeons and playing at 15mm scale with classic factions: a genestealer cult and Squats. And he's using 6mm Epic models to play skirmish games, with some good-looking marines here.

• Von is getting into Epic and has some first impressions at GAME OVER...

• ... and something could be up because two other bloggers recently posted about starting too, MANGAMAX here at 2000 AD and Closet Gamer here...

• ... and Zac posted a report from an Epic tournament with a lot of pictures, and a little further back also played another game using second edition.
  

• FrDave at Blood of Prokopius has gone from the idea of using Rogue Trader - the RPG this time - to explore Christianity in M41, to planning a campaign set around Black Reach using Stars Without Number and D&D categories for 40K factions - with some abhumans up already - onto detailing Black Reach, with 1, 2, 3 posts up so far on mapping a hive like a megadungeon.

• James S at Warp Signal has even more examples of custom background.
  

• Dallas at Fawcett Avenue Conscripts has been posting on RT-era minis and fought the Battle at the Farm in a campaign for 40K's 25th, in 1, 2, 3 posts.

• Dave Bone gives examples of campaigns mixing systems at The Wargate.

• Oddleg reported on a final campaign game that used their Space-Munda system and has some thoughts on count-as Chaos marines and guard.

• Griffit is building a set of characters for In the Emperor's Name, with stats.

• The M42 Project is still building an alternative to 40K - updated goals here.

• At Confessions... dwez has 1, 2 marker sets for sixth, and possibly beyond.

• Thor at Creative Twilight has been updating the entries in the mission set.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber posted fortification power source rules.

• Virtual Stranger at The Grim Cheapness... builds a thunderbolt in card...

• ... and Loken highlighted a scratchbuilt blasta bomma at Apocalypse 40K.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze is all but scratchbuilding an Ork kopta karrier.

• Mordian has been very busy, but to pick a few highlights, he converted and painted his own version of Angron, painted up a knight errant and finished even more of his adeptus mechanicus, and is now building a leviathan.

• Warhammer in Progress has some excellent plague marine conversions.

• Mike at Santa Cruz Warhammer is converting up a traitor guard force.

• Ron at From the Warp looks at souping up kit rhinos and builds the turret and the sponsons of the original predator, but in the style of the FW version, and has the start of a heresy-era jetbike and death korps-inspired unit.

• TheAmbit has a marine command squad on jetbikes of a different pattern and converted a Cruorian war beast for Dark Heresy, with the intro here.

• Master Bryss just posted the first part of his revised creature creation rules.

• Carjacked Seraphim posted some rules for a very familiar-looking 'Catachan firebreather', examples of counts-as land speeders in the style of the RT grav-attack vehicle and some pics of the original land raider instructions.

• demi_morgana has some great scavvies and got their bunker into a zine.

• Lasgunpacker used an odd mix of parts to get Neo-Soviet power armour.

• Adeptus-B posted a good-looking Dark Heresy report at Zorcon's Word.

• Mercer at Imperius Dominatus has some ideas for enhancing Planetstrike.

• Fritz posted on experiments with a multiplayer approach to Space Hulk and some musings on Dark Heresy and the current state of D&D and 40K.

• LuckyNo.5 shows some inspiration - it's dark, and could even be horrifying.

• Josh Graboff at The Signe of the Frothing Mug offers up some thoughts on violence in gaming and 40K, also looking at the nature of space marines.

• Hungry Ghosts reminds us of the comment on the Squats that made a 40K myth, has a Ratling and Squat size comparison, completes the series on Squats in Epic and shows another bold conversion, a rust monster biker...

• ... and with chariots back and Chaos big again, there's more inspiration for mounted character conversions in this set of tables at The Dungeon Dozen.

• Finally, Big Jim at Galaxy in Flames reports the Killzone update is close...

I can't possibly have got more than a fraction of it with the length of time involved, so as ever, feel free to leave links to anything else you think should be in, even your own work.

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40K OSR? (19)

What's a 40K OSR? There's some basic info on 40K here and a definition or two for 'OSR' here.

Colonel Kane's logo is to the right, and ready for anyone who identifies with the idea. If you use it, consider giving him credit and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your blogroll for the inspiration.

Like the Inq28 battle report posted yesterday, which also has news on a July event at GW HQ.

Here's the list, with a lot of new rules especially.

• As per yesterday, The M42 Project lives on, still looking to improve on 40K.

• Big Jim over at Adventures in Wargaming updated the Soul Reapers codex.

• Bryssling has core rules for Kill Team IV, and a fix for Necron destroyers.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber posted a blended ruleset for Mighty and Planetary Empires and has the map and background for the campaign.

• Hum_Con at Wargames & Stuff looks at creativity and random tables, covering emergence and narrative in wargaming and Ghazghkull's history.
  

• At Do You Have A Flag? Headologist gives us rules for a space marine chariot attack bike - conversion here - and more on the world of Mawdryn.

• Brian at A Gentleman's Ones has a Killzone roster and trails the tables.

• At Confessions... dwez has the story of techno-archeologist Avro Vulcan.

• A while back I forget Dark Magenta's new Inquisitor pdf - the full list is here.

• At Spiky Rat.. izeColt finishes the Rifleman and okkiW begins Nicodemvs.

• Ron at From the Warp has another sculpting guide, this time scrollwork.

• At Heresy Workshop Will Wright explained how to make icicles, introduced the counts-as Sly Marbo and showed an old-and-new mixed entourage.

• Pedro Kantor at 2nd City Warzone has some mechanicus weapon teams.

• LuckyNo.5 continued the Mariners Blight nautical marines at Eye of Error.

• Godfrey at Rites of Battle looks at marine body size in concept and minis.

• Apocalypse 40K posted a preview for a possible pre-Heresy jetbike...

• ... while Desert Scribe at Super Galactic Dreadnought showed IG originals.

• Outremer has been posting part-sculpt Nurgle conversions at The Back 40K, including sorcerers and a dread, and just posted scratchbuilt vindicators.

• Warhammer in Progress posted ideas for spawn and wants obliterators. 

• ShotDownMind converted a batch of Dark Eldar grotesques from all kinds.

• Fine Detail Miniature Painting have been busy, with 1, 2 more video battle reports for Necromunda, an ash nomad with long rifle and some spyrers.

• Odd-Leg has another Necromunda report, this time a multi-player game.

• Linked with that, 40Korigins posted some work in progress hive terrain.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze has three posts on an alternative to Forge World interiors - basics, scatter pieces and a setup - and no. 25 on the wagons.

• This time too there's a Ragnarok, a past build newly souped up by Hudson.

• TheAmbit posted plenty of conversions, including a buzz saw deffkopta, warbikes and an unusual deffrolla, as well as a scratchbuilt warhound.

• Mordian7th has a command trench built around a separated titan head.

• Wargaming Workshop finished the Epic Squats and moved on to the Eldar.
  

• Still with Squats, Tentakel Games posted a trio of classic images, showing Squat bikers, Khornate Chaos marines and a Bloodthirster with stats.

• And Space Crusade art keeps coming at All Things Fett, with 1, 2, 3 more. 

The usual applies: if I've missed anything at all, just leave a link, even to your own posts.

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40K OSR? (17)

Yet another batch of 40K OSR? links, because the posts are coming thick and fast. There are some definitions for 'OSR' here, but my current mood has me thinking 'Other School Revelation'.

Colonel Kane's logo is to the right. If you identify with the idea and want to use it, consider giving him the credit and adding the great Tales from the Maelstrom to your blogroll as an inspiration.

• The Hogs of War finished the fortress walls and posted 1, 2, 3 scenarios - the first for the table with the walls - and a set of 18 mission cards per player.

• Stealthy Stealth posted entries for fire warriors and the devilfish, the second part of the Tau Fandex being developed over at Creative Twilight.

• Brian has more Killzone design at A Gentleman's Ones, the themes, and Loquacious at World of Wonder posted the full interview for the ID series.

• The current army list challenge at Warpstone Flux uses deep darkness...

• ... and Odd-Leg played 'Space-Munda' with a new rule for flickering lights.

• Curis at Ninjabread looks at costing Squat thunderers in the current Epic.

• Gothmog has ideas for moving the history on at Sepulchre of Heroes.

• Bryssling has some unfinished fiction not posted at Rules Manufactorum.

• The DH campaign at Kenzie's blog reached an agriworld and a starport...

• ... and Gotthammer has an update on the RT campaign at Collegia Titanica.

• Ron over at From the Warp sculpted a Tyranid spore mine in greenstuff, ...

• ... Spikey Bits showed a screamer-killer conversion from the current kit...

• ... and LuckyNo.5 at Eye of Error posted a tutorial on sculpting tentacles, with thanks again to Dave G at Wargaming Tradecraft for putting up the link.

• For help casting your work, Tallarn at still practicing_ has an introduction.

• Krisken has part three on the DIY rhino chassis at Scratchbuild 40K...

• ... and Redscorps finished work on a modified design for the predator.

• One I missed last time is Fire Broadside! on alternative IG vehicles...

• ... and The March Rider at Codicium Aeternum also reviews a six-wheeler.

• Following all of which, I'll give a mention to my own crewbrew expansion.

• Brovatar is working on a female C'Tan, with parts here and a video here.

• Cameron at Rust and the city converted a plague marine champion, and the trio of WIP marines seen in that post are shown finished in this one.

• Warhammer in Progress shows 1, 2 obliterators built from starter set rat ogres, but if you prefer ready-made, The Hogs of War found a fine batch.

• Fine Detail Miniature Painting has some finished ash waste nomad conversions for Necromunda, with pics of the basecoated minis here.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze posted part eight of the ongoing series on 3D printing defensive walls and 17 and 18 on converting Ork looted wagons.

• At Confessions... dwez added a terrain template to the archive page.

• At The Dark Workshop Cursed13 is building an spaceship hull turret.

• Infamous at Cobblestone Chaos looks at grocery store terrain materials.

• Apocalypse 40K has an update on the legal situation re Chapterhouse and Paulson Games and reports Quantum Gothic is back, with plenty of pics.

• Colonel Shofer linked to this solid video on the Pig Iron System Troopers.

• Steve at Bleaseworld posted 1, 2, 3, 4 batches of newly-painted early IG.

• Old School Terminator interviewed Goatboy over at Dark Future Games.
  

• There's an at-a-glance archive for the John Blanche art at gothic punk.

• For Old Stuff Day Griffit linked to a tumblr for the Rogue Trader era.

• And finally, another 1, 2 images from Space Crusade at All Things Fett.

You know how it works: if I've missed anything, just leave a link, even to your own posts.

_

40K OSR? (14)

More 40K OSR?, and just a week from the last.

I'm aiming to post smaller updates more often, with more wild cards, for non-40K gamers too.

Some possible definitions of 'OSR' are here and Colonel Kane's logo is to the right. If you use it, consider giving him credit and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your roll as a fine exemplar.

On to the action then, with the wild cards mixed in, just because it really is hard to draw the line.

• Sad news first: Tobias Reinold passed away; he may have been relatively unknown, but he gave us a lot and shows how much we can each achieve.

• Grazer posted a three-page preview for Codex: Squat Stronghold over at Rogue Trader, and there's discussion underneath with Sons of Taurus.

• Sons of Taurus also adapted the Lost and the Damned project to Killzone.

• I've just found Dangerous Brian's Terminus Omega; this week he posted on the pre-40K Laserburn books, a possible navigator, with Rogue Trader stats, and some converted 15mm counts as Tau, but he also has more counts as ideas, finished Orks, terrain and details of a new campaign.

• On 15mm minis, Atom Kid has more at Maximum Rock & Role Playing.

• Also on campaigns, Tallarn may have finished one run, but Kraggi at the Varcan Cluster is running another one and posted a huge mass of great rules in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 parts so far - you can see all of the material here.

• At Confessions of a 40K addict dwez posted on a modular terrain plug base, the Dawn of War plasma generator and a new man-made hill.

• There's a superb tutorial on building a tabletop at wargaming tradecraft.

• At Dark Future Games Old School Terminator is converting and sculpting a daemon primarch, Angron, and also posted an obliterator conversion. 

• Will Wright at Heresy Workshop has a converted Blood Pact priest.

• Spikey Bits looks at magnetising options, using the land speeder kit.

• Apocalypse 40K points out a counts as jetbike due soon from MaxMini.

• At Adeptus Malaysia deathkorp is in uncharted territory with 3D printing.

• Natfka at Faeit 212 reposts what may be surprising news re The Lord Inquisitor fan-made movie, suggesting GW is finding a way to accept it.

• BoLS posted a logo sheet with various adeptus mechanicus markings. 

• Chosen entries are up for the chapter design contest at For Holy Terra.

• There are 1, 2 new pieces of John Blanche artwork over at gothic punk.

• CounterFett at All Things Fett showed a piece of art in Space Crusade.

• This week's Blogroll Spotlight at FTW also has plenty of OSR-y links.

• On that big sixth edition leak-not-leak, Jake Thornton at Quirkworthy has a theory and sandwyrm at The Back 40K a good look at the evidence.

• Finally, the Citizens post here has new rules by SinSynn, and ideas from garrisonjames, and I'm thinking of hosting work on a possible new faction.

As ever, feel free to add links to anything at all you think I've missed in the comments.

_

40K OSR? (13)

Long time, no update, so this time it's massive.

As usual, if you're not sure what a 40K OSR? could be, there are potential definitions here.

If you identify with it, especially if you're coming up with new material, Colonel Kane's logo, to the right, is ready to use. If you do, consider giving him credit and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your roll. The battle report the guys posted just before Christmas should be reason enough.

This time milestones, bad news and possible surprises, plus the usual wild cards at the end.

• As mentioned, Killzone v 3.0 is out after playtesting, with some thoughts up at A Gentleman's Ones and notes on the future at Galaxy in Flames.

• Big Jim also announced the TCP podcast and Bay Area Open narrative event, and posted on progress with the Soul Reapers - the codex is here.

• Rules Manufactorum has now gone in its original form, but been adopted by the renamed Casual Rules Bryssling of a Ruthless Mind Manufactorum.

• Sons of Taurus has now released Version 1.1 of the Codex: Lost and the Damned, and there are designer's notes and a sample army list up too.

• Sons of Taurus also introduced Ethereal's Projects, home to a fandex each for the Lost and the Damned, the Tau and the Sisters of Battle, and today linked to the progress report at Rogue Trader on Codex: Squat Stronghold.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber posted a power, Psychokinetic Sphere.

• Tallarn at still practicing_ posted the end of the planetary empires campaign with two more rules, Tremors and Pyroclastic Barrage; I don't think I've ever mentioned the 5 minute history series, but it's a great refresher.

• Gotthammer has been posting on Rogue Trader RPG at Collegia Titanica, with the superb Koronus Gazetter and a set of non-player characters.

• At GAME OVER Von and Lexington ponder the motives of the Necrons.

• Lantz finished another unit for the AdMech FanDex, the Caminus Priests, and converted a Skitarii Jetbike based on the Antenociti Workshop kit, while Sandwyrm at The Back 40K also likes Micro Art Studios minis.

• Pirate Viking Painting has solid conversions for generic Imperial infantry.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze had this emplacement mentioned at FTW, here, has a CAD development of it here, and was also busy with the Ork looted wagons at BoLS, the highlight for me being this thorough guide.

• Also linked there at FTW was The Mentor Legion, focused on the chapter.

• Chris Swaine at Roll With It converted a fine Malakim Phoros from IA9.

• Spikey Bits ran a tank conversion contest and got some great entries, with this Tau titan arguably the most unusual, spectacular and controversial, while the blog as a whole is tipped by Lantz as a possible heir to BoLS.

• Hungry Ghosts has posted huge amounts since the last update, including a look at the HQ, the third appendix for Historia Squataticus and a space Skaven, plus three parts of a series on Bob Olley not-Squats, 1, 2 and 3.

• At 3++ Aueretious Taak posted a Tyranid army using classic miniatures.

• Dylan Gould has a mass of Necromunda gangers and some classic IG.

• Back at FTW, Ron talked about leaving the gaming aspect behind.

• Tears of Envy's blog has another new piece of artwork by John Blanche...

• ... there are 1, 2, 3 more 40K-themed sketches over at Spiky Rat Pack...

• ... and at Confessions... dwez has more classic pieces by Gary Herrod, ...

• ... while back on Squats and Tyranids, Curis at Ninjabread pointed out the Beardy Bastards web comic, and looked at use of orange in sci-fi...

... and both of those links could almost be wild cards, making me think the distinction might be blurring as time goes by. Here are the three that seem just outside this time.

• Atom Kid over at Maximum Rock & Role Playing is in the early stages of sculpting a Space Ork in 15mm, i.e. at more or less half the usual size.

• At Swords & Stitchery the prolific Needles holds a weird, retro sci-fi mirror up to the Imperium with this post, offering a setting concept for Rogue Space.

• And Sandwyrm, again at The Back 40K, looks at GW's half year results.

All related posts here get the 40K OSR? label, so you can keep up with what I see. If you think I've missed anything, go right ahead and leave the link to it in the comments.

Update: As usual I find one right away - Spyglass Asylum has a John Blanche mini.

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