In running this year's Origins events, we had a number of interesting rulings come up, as you might expect.  Most of them we ruled correctly on, a few we got wrong, and one in particular I WISH I had gotten wrong, but didn't.

I'm talking about dedicated transports.  The problem is, the main 40k rulebook just doesn't have much to say about them.  They're a squad option now, other units can use them but not start the game mounted up in them, and (thanks to the GW FAQ) we know they count as separate units for purposes of shooting.

But what about victory points or kill points?  Or unit cohesion?  Well apparently, they leave that up in the air.  The rulebook just doesn't address it.  Some of the newer army books do (the ones written since 5th Ed), but the older ones (and their online errata/FAQ's) do not.

So here's the problem, an actual case study from the Origins RTT...  Daemonhunters army, an Inquisitor and Retinue (150 points) picked a Land Raider (250 points) as their dedicated transport.  At the end of the game, the character and retinue died to a man, but the Land Raider was unharmed.  And the game was decided on Victory Points.

Now Codex Daemonhunters (print or online PDF), being a 4th Ed army book, does not say anything extra about dedicated transports, so we go to the 5th Ed Rulebook to figure this out.  The transport isn't listed as a separate unit, so it counts as an option purchased for the squad.  So the opponant who killed the inquisitor and retinue but not the Land Raider has inflicted 50% or more casualties on the squad, but has not wiped it out.  So according to page 300 of the rulebook, he gets 50% the total value of the squad, which is 200 points.  (Half of the character and retinue, and half of the undamaged land raider, because it is a purchased squad option.)

But any 5th Ed Army book will say in the description of the dedicated transport that it doesn't take up a force org slot BUT OTHERWISE COUNTS AS A SEPARATE UNIT.  So not only is unit cohesion crystal clear on that one (thanks guys!), but Victory Points are back to the classic way of doing it.  The 150 point squad with a 250 point dedicated land raider in the above scenario is worth 150 victory points.

But the real problem... is that we are counting victory points differently depending on which Codex the army is from.  Same body count, Codex Daemonhunters gives up 200 VP while Codex Space Marines gives up 150 VP.  (Codex Tau Empire, for example, is in the same boat as Daemonhunters, so don't assume it's just the PDF-only army books that are subject to this.)

The solution... would be for GW to insert one sentence on page 67 of the rulebook, either in an errata or an FAQ, the same sentence they're putting in every new army book.  "These vehicle choices do not use up any force org selections but otherwise count as separate units."

And if GW hasn't done this by next year's Origins RTT, expect a house rule to that effect.  Victory points should never be calculated differently depending on the army being used.  That way madness lies.

Yes, I know I haven't been updating as regularly as usual, but it has been that time of year -- Thanksgiving, Christmas, relatives coming and going, deadlines to meet, traveling here and there.  And, now I have a presentation to give this weekend!

However, with the new year that means we need to start getting serious about plans for Origins, so expect things to ramp up pretty quickly.  It would, however, help if my supposed <nudge> fellow bloggers <wink> would post more often. <sigh>

Until then let me employ the time honored manipulative Internet tactic of posting the one thing that always gets attention even when it has nothing to do with your blog or Youtube channel -- kittens!

I picked up my new pets over the holiday season -- a pair of (Traditional) Siamese cats named Leo and Martin.  My first Siamese was a great companion, so this time I had to go for two.  I've been trying to teach them 40K so we could play a few games, but so far I haven't gotten them past thinking that when you "kill" a model you aren't supposed to try to eat it.  Sort of like Orks that way, just a lot more fuzzy.

If nothing else the cats explain why I haven't been posting as much -- all that time necessary to feed them and pet them and watch them chase after bits of wrapping and generally be silly and on and on and on.  It's tiring.  Yup, really been too busy.  Haven't had the time.  Yup, not my fault.  No, honest.  Really.

Over the last few days I was off enjoying Christmas the forces of Chaos -- otherwise called spammers -- have been hard at work spamming this blog with "comment spam".  After nearly a hundred spam messages in three days I have decided to impose moderation on all comments from now on.  Sorry, but it's the only apparently way to stop the scourge.  So, if your comments don't pop up immediately now you know why.  At least it is better than having to remove comments completely.

I have an update as to the Armoury Games break-in -- the name of the confessed perpetrator.  Ironically, I have a picture of him because he was at the World's Largest Apocalypse Game at Origins this last year.

William Dupree

Apparently, Mr. Dupree had gotten himself in trouble on various online trading sites for "selling" GW models he didn't actually have.  Partially in an attempt to get out from beneath the problem he broke into Armoury Games to steal its GW stock.  He immediately began to ship out full or partial kits to satisfy the "sales" he made previously.  So, if you have received (or will) models from him in the last week you are likely holding stolen goods.  Don't worry -- since the kits have for the most part been sent out as individual bits Armoury Games will not want the pieces back as they are no longer fit to be sold -- and insurance will cover the losses.  Just keep in mind what happened.

He was caught thanks to an accomplice who gave up his name to the police when questioned.  In turn, William confessed when the police confronted him.  It is likely that he had a third partner named Todd Piotrowski, but so far there is insufficient evidence to arrest him (in large part because Dupree will not give him up).  The best estimate at this time is that Mr. Dupree is looking at 1-3 years of hard time.

Frankly, I have no sympathy which is why I am posting his picture and the name of his likely accomplice.  Whatever happens they shouldn't be welcome in any gaming establishment or group ever again.

Good news -- the primary thief behind the Armoury Games break-in has been caught and has confessed to the crime.  I won't say here who he is (at least until I know it is appropriate), but it was indeed a gamer.  Fortunately, he turned out to be a rotten criminal.  Most of the stolen material has been recovered.  Hopefully, the rest will soon follow.

Looks like Christmas may be pretty good after all!

This is turning out to be just a great week.  More bad news -- Armoury Games, one of the local gaming shops here in Columbus (technically in Pickerington, a suburb), was the victim of a break-in this last weekend.  The thieves took as much as half the stock, primarily Games Workshop models.

What's telling -- and disturbing -- is that the theft was clearly the work of someone who knew the shop well.  That means that in all likelihood a gamer(s) is behind this.

So, I would like to ask everyone to keep an eye open for anyone from the Columbus area with a sudden surplus of models, most likely to sell.  This is the sort of crime that gamers can't afford to let go unpunished.

Some of you might be wondering why GBPrime doesn't post all that much here.  One reason is that he has three young children (including twins!), but lately it is also because of a slow motion tragedy in his family.  His kid sister has been suffering from cancer.  Sadly, she lost her battle with the disease yesterday afternoon.

Julie Elizabeth Meadows
6 May 1973 - 13 Dec 2009

She leaves behind her husband, two young kids (4 and 6), parents, brother -- and all the rest of us.  She was only 36.

I hope you will join me in offering the deepest possible condolences for their loss.

I'm sure some of you may have already seen this, but it was too good not to post to pass along the word.

Inkygirl did this in response to GW's latest jihad against fan made materials.  I am usually more willing than many to cut GW a break in such matters, but they sure do seem to go out of their way to anger their best customers.

Something like this happens on a regular basis and despite the numerous complaints GW seems to go on without changing or even big effect.  Yet, sales are down and shops are closing all across the business, not just in miniatures but gaming in general.  Likewise, GW prices continue to skyrocket.  I fear that in the end something is going to have to give.

After all, wasn't there a time when TSR looked like the unstoppable juggernaut in Role-Playing?  Now it doesn't even exist.  I hope GW is paying attention.