Friday, July 11, 2014

White Dwarf # 24 - Stormclaw

This week's White Dwarf features the new "starter" set for 40k, Stormclaw.


As has been leaked all over this week, the box features two new characters to lead the collected forces in the box, with Orks and Space Wolves facing off. While there are only two new models in the set, it still checks in as a great deal, with $175 of minis not counting the two new sculpts and the mini rulebook and campaign book.


The new release section is followed by an article from Jervis Johnson about using a deck of playing cards in games of Warhammer Fantasy. His rules seem to borrow or mirror some ideas from Malifaux, with drawn cards determining a strategem and event for each turn.

This article is followed by a pair of short battle reports using the Stormclaw set and missions, then a Paint Splatter article on painting Grukk Face-Rippa, kin of Kelly, the new and slightly modified Ork Warboss from Stormclaw. It's definitely a cool model, but most of it seems like a slight adaptation of the Assault on Black Reach warboss, with some details being the exact same, like how the klaw connects to his arm.


The article continues to also show how to paint the Wolf Lord Krom Dragongaze.

In the rules section, this week we get a White Dwarf Exclusive, rules for Gerantius, the Forgotten Knight, a hero of Sanctus Reach. He comes in at a pricey 500 points, 130 points over his generic cost. But with that comes +1 WS/BS, It Will Not Die, a 3+ Invulnerable for his Ion Shield, and the Striker special rule, which allows him to shoot in the same turn he runs as well as re-rolling 1s on the Stomp Table. He cannot be a Knight Warlord, but is a character, and generally an interesting and potentially strong choice.

In the design section, the sculpters of Krom and Grukk discuss their inspirations, and Gav Newton cites the Assault on Black Reach Warboss as the main inspiration, though I feel like it goes a bit further.

Anyway, that's it for this week's White Dwarf review. Pretty light on the release front after a month solid of new Ork kits. We'll have to see what's in store next week.

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