40K OSR? (22)

It's been yonks since the last 40K OSR? update.

Not sure what a 40K OSR? is? If you know what a 40K is, and an OSR, you're pretty much there.

If you're part of it, feel free to use Colonel Kane's logo, here to the right, and consider linking to a superb example: their Tales from the Maelstrom.

Since that last update, they've set up and run a multiplayer Rogue Trader game, posted the photos and mused on the nature of old school.

And there's been plenty more going on too, for various systems and scales, and none.

• Mutants and Magic outlined a Mutant Future-WFRP blend - Weirdhammer.

• Jack at Tales of the Grotesque posted stats for various Tyranids in WFRP.

• Zhu Bajiee looks at a possible origin for the Tyranids in M.A.R. Barker's Tékumel and possible examples of UK politics appearing in the hobby...
  

• ... and SandWyrm at The Back 40K GW being a public limited company.

• Relic at Lead Space found a source of Epic-scale counts as Tyranids and looked at building up a Crimson Fists force for NetEpic over one, two posts.

• Fictive Fantasies posted two draft expansions for Fictive Hack (pdf), first for space marines then for genestealer cults, plus a scenario and playtest. 

• DarthMeer at The Heralds of Ruin took us all the way up to Kill Team v1.6.
  

• Col. Gravis released a possible IG bike and is crowdfunding field pieces.

• James at Warp Signal posted on the Ratling Project, a major reimagining.

• Master Bryss posted the second part of creature feature for sixth edition.

• TJ Atwell did Iron Warriors and Night Lords in Dark Future's bits series, ...

• ... Davey at The Marienburg Gazette uses this set for plague marines ...

• ... and smiler at Brush of Fumbling just posted a list of skirmish options.

• The guys at Spiky Rat Pack have been producing too much superb work to list - just go and look at it - but one piece, the Living Coffin, ties in with...

• ... the pic-heavy Arkke Retour series at Tears of Isstvaan on a return to the Yggdrassilium tree, for more INQ28 gaming with John Blanche and friends.

• Paul Schaefer mentioned a Necromundan Caves of Chaos at Talysman's.

• Unite All Action showed some great Necromunda Van Saar conversions.

• Lasgunpacker discussed the scope for normal life in the 41st millennium.

• John Bell - The Retired Adventurer - posted a map with lists for the Tellian Sector and psyker and warrior packages for 40K in Stars Without Number.

• Krisken at Scratchbuilt 40K has posted once, twice on a land raider build...

• ... Ansu at Farseer with a Brush once, twice, thrice a card Leman Russ, ...

• ... John Hanan III at Zorcon's Word once, twice the fairly rare arvus lighter...

• ... and Unite All Action - second mention - once, twice a cool Ork trukk, ...

• ... plus Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze finished the immense Ork kopta karrier.

• Andrew Lotz brings the warlock titan in line with the phantom at Apoc 40K.

• Phil at The Shell Case looks at getting back into 6mm Adeptus Titanicus.

• At Dropship Studio Carl gives advice on weathering Epic-scale vehicles...

• ... and Sigur at Tale of Painters converted up a 6mm Hunter anti-air rhino.

• J. D. Brink of Chaos Theory has a way of reintroducing shooting modifiers.

• Finally, The M42 Project has posted a lot more, including an introduction. 

I've probably missed a huge number of posts so feel free to leave links in the comments.

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Apocalypse come (1) - Your actual eaters of worlds

In sixth edition 40K some factions can only ally come an apocalypse. Trouble is, a 41st millennium apocalypse might just end up being moar of everything available, rather than something suitably eschatological and worthy of the game that gave us Realm of Chaos.

But then a lot of apocalypses can seem fairly samey. In an effort to help I thought I'd run a series with a few slightly lesser-spotted ideas, but not for any one system or setting.

The first theme I've had in mind a few weeks, but a comment at BoLS recently prompted me to post. The context was the idea that the new Horus Heresy releases mean people start playing what is effectively a new game - Warhammer 30,000 - just space marine on space marine. The commenter joked there could be a Warhammer 50K of Tyranids only.

In case this is all new to you, and don't feel bad about that, the Tyranids are a biological, self-evolving, nomadic civilisation from the intergalactic gulfs or beyond, directed by their psychic hive mind. They consume pretty much everything and evolve around problems.

That was a pretty freaky idea once, but today, for me - and without the infiltration of the genestealer cults especially - they're just a more colourful, general purpose armed force.

So how to get the horror back, but without the cult body horror? It could be by homing in on the broader existential aspects, and going for a more save-or-die cosmological tone.

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.

_

40K OSR? (15)

Another flood of 40K OSR? links. I let them build again, but I'd like to get this weekly to fortnightly.

Various definitions of 'OSR' are here and Colonel Kane's logo is to the right. If you use it, consider giving him the credit and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your roll as a fine example - since the last time they've posted on Rogue Trooper.

And away we go then - just don't look down...

• First a PSA: Inquisitork is moving blog, to The Maddening Words of C M Forde.

• A Night Lords playtest codex developed via TCP was announced at Galaxy in Flames, the blog now renamed Big Jim's Hobby Adventures.

• Chaos Gerbil released his Codex: Lost and the Damned Fandex v4.

• Tabletop Fix announced an Inquisitor sourcebook from Dark Magenta.

• Rules Man Bryssling has an unfinished post from Rules Manufactorum on rules design for tournaments and a reworking of Necron flayed ones.

• Kraggi at The Varcan Cluster posted the 36-entry events table for the campaign as well as parts 7 and 8 of the rules and pics of 1, 2 maps.

• The campaign is underway at Terminus Omega, with 1, 2 parts of an IG v. Harlequin battle report, details of a solo approach and throne agents.

• Thor's final versions of the King of the Hill, Search and Destroy and Target Priority missions were posted at Creative Twilight, along with updated versions of The Long Haul and Attack and Defend.

• At Warpstone Flux the current army list challenge uses a fiery scenario.

• Nurglitch is looking at a card-based approach to Adeptus Titanicus.

• Naftka at Faeit 212 reports the sixth edition leak is real and part of a plan.

• There's a celebration of 25 years of Rogue Trader at Fawcett Avenue Conscripts, and thanks to Dave G at Wargaming Tradecraft for the link.

• Not so far back, Stillfrosty at White Scars has the Movie Marines rules.

• Also re old rules, HoP has links for 'flash 40K' via Dracus' Journal.

• Gotthammer at Collegia Titanica has the second Koronus Gazetter.

• Kenzie's blog has 1, 2, 3 more write-ups for the Dark Heresy campaign.

• Miniature-wise the big news was Mantic's human Corporation range, ideal for counts as IG, and the Privateer Press Colossals, possible knights.

• Eldar Addict has some dangerous-looking Dark Eldar grotesques in 1, 2 parts so far based on this approach by Lucky No. 5 at Eye of Terror.

• Warhammer in Progress has an unusual Ork trukk build, the Grot Rod, and a work in progress on the wider Ork army, with all kinds of conversions.

• Unite All Action has an old, bits-heavy feral Ork warboss conversion.

• Ron at From the Warp sculpts detail to get a fuller Mk. 6 power armour, and has an Eldar corsair based on Forge World's, modelled and painted.

• Hungry Ghosts has the Chaos Squat bikers on parade in 1, 2 parts.

• Cameron at Rust and the city is building a spectacular Imperial renegade force and looking for some advice on going with counts as Grey Knights.

• Laughing Ferret is working on a scary counts as genestealer cult.

• Mordian7th finished a whirlwind built the good old White Dwarf way and now has a Magnus the Red as well, with possible rules in the post.

• At Spiky Rat Pack izeColt is part-sculpting a mutie and companion.

• Apocalypse 40K linked to work on a scratchbuilt Eldar superheavy flier and a Nightwing and mentions the Necron-like Cyber Bike and Orc Gruberwagen from Puppets War and Chaos pauldrons from Kromlech.

• On the subject of alternatives, specifically Ork buggies, Whelp Slayer likes the Mantic Raptor; thanks to Miniature Musings of a Bear for the link.

• Old School Terminator at Dark Future Games has some uses for the new Mantis Tank from Blight Wheel Miniatures, with the measurements here.

• Imaginary Life shows off some 28mm bits good for cultists and marines.

• An alternative to buying new of course is refurbishing old, and Sign of the Aquila is doing that with a marine dreadnought in 1, 1.5 parts so far.

• There are sci-fi interiors at Hudson, for a Space Hulk, BFG and 40K mix.

• Hogs of War posted a work in progress on a set of large fortress walls.

• Vitor at Aurelius Legion finished the ventilator, inspired by Necromundicon.

• At Confessions... dwez painted the modular plug and the second man-made hill, and posted 1, 2, 3 updates on the plasma generator.

• Goblin Mini-Mart has some work in progress Necromunda scrap wastes. 

• Redscorps has research station terrain, with a weathered stormraven.
  

• On the 3D printing front, Apocalypse 40K also has a shout-out for a pioneer.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze looks at using 3D printing for defensive walls in 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 5a, 6 parts, as well as building elements in 1, 2 parts so far.

• How 3D printing might change things is suggested by this story at TGN.

• CounterFett has 1, 2, 3, 4 more pics from Space Crusade at All Things Fett. 

In case you haven't read it yet and you have an interest, I'll also plug my recent post on ownership of IP. It's closely linked to the essence of this and possibly 3D printing most.

As ever, if you think I've missed anything, even your work, drop a link in the comments.

Update: Here's the first, a link to a series of posts at The Retired Adventurer on using Stars Without Number to run games set in the 40K universe; the introduction is here.

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40K OSR? (8)

This week's update on a possible 40K OSR. What is it? Some potential definitions here.

If you identify with the concept, especially if you're putting out new ideas, feel free to use Colonel Kane's 40K OSR logo - to the right.

If you do, consider crediting the Colonel and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your roll,
as one of the great 40K and gaming blogs.

So what does this week bring?

Fresh approaches, a scenario and battle report, conversions, brand new rules and original writing, as well as some comment and reflection, all in that order. Plenty.

• Martin at Fire Broadside! shows a way forward with plans for Necromunda using the AE Bounty ruleset and minis including the Pig Iron Kolony Ferals.

• Mik at Mik's Minis is on the same track re rules, but with SuperSystem; his thinking on 'UN40K' is here. He gives us a scenario with background and briefings for the Imperials - Dark Angels and IG - and the aliens - Tau and Orks - following up with the battle itself, using the alternative ruleset.

• Mordian 7th Regiment has some converted adeptus custodes terminators...

• ... and Ron at From the Warp shows us how to do it for power armour.

• Staying with conversions, Lantz has a striking adeptus mechanicus cult abomination at The Magnet Pro, another entry in his AdMech FanDex.

• Hungry Ghosts has more inspirational converting at his blog, as ever a spot-the-bit contest from across Citadel history; this time it's an undead Khornate Squat-genestealer hybrid. Something for many there, if not all.

• Getting back to rules, sonsoftaurus has been working on Codex: Lost and the Damned and given us entries for two units, stalk tanks and operatives.

• Bix at The Veil's Edge has more material for the Blood Drinkers Fandex, this time round chapter organisation. I mentioned the post in this week's summary of the strange new worlds blogroll, but it's relevant here too.

• Thanks to jabberjabber at Warpstone Flux I got to read an alternative history for the Dark Angels published at The Bolter and Chainsword.

• N Wright over at Lawful Indifferent explains a dislike of space marines, at least in the context of 40K roleplay, a post with strong language; wargamers are forgiven, and Bix certainly is for the depth of personality in the chapter.

• Strong language at FightingFantasist too, in a farewell to GW metals.

If you think anything else should be in here, just go right ahead and leave the links.

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