inload: Thoughts on 3rd

+ Radnutz Runtsmasha's Rampage +

+ I had the great joy of blowing the dust off Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition last night with Pootle77 and Sinan, the former bringing his Death Skulls orks to break some Steel Legion heads, and the latter bringing the Elysian cavalry – and his excellent camera skills. All credit to Sinan for the awesome and atmospheric pict-captures! +

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+ Slipping back into the groove+

We played a 1,500pt game to try to brush up on how the game worked ahead of the Third War in 3rd event we're running in March. 

Accompanied by a general chorus of 'Is that a rule in this edition?' and 'Does that work like this yet?',  we set to and polished off the game in about three hours from set-up to finish. Not bad!

We played the 'Take and Hold' mission, which involves the defenders (Steel Legion in this case) setting up Troops and Heavy Support within 12in of a central objective. The attackers – Pootle's Feevin' Gits Death Skull army – then take first turn, moving onto the board from a long table edge.

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Daybreak came reluctantly to Armageddon, the sun red and sullen. A company of the Steel Legion 7th were already on the move, their dustcoats stiff and greasy after a night in the cold comfort of the minehead entrance – one of the short-term mineheads that dotted the plains to the west of Death Mire.

The Commissar, in the blunt manner Karstein had come to realise was his only way of speaking, had told them that the burnt-out shelter they'd spent a shivering night in were the result of the last war – the inevitable result of not standing up to the orks, and the future for the hive, if the soldiers of the company didn't pull their weight.

If it were possible, that particular observation had flattened Karstein's spirits still more.

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At a weary signal from the Captain, shrugging himself into his greatcoat, the company moved out. Their destination: the comms-hub at the nearby Hab-Beta Sub-Four. 

The settlement was barely worth an identifier. Little more than a handful of three-storey habs surrounding a dismal little church, it was one of dozens such anonymous hab-complexes built to house mineworkers. Destruction and dereliction had added nothing to its charm.

Worse, thought Karstein, rolling his eyes, was Winkworth's grousing. The heat. The dust. The boredom.

At least he'd one day leave the Hab-Beta Sub-Four behind. No such luck with the grumbling squadmate.

Something whipped past his helm, buzzing. Irritably, he brushed his gauntleted hand across his collar, warding off the sandfly. It came back wet.

He started dumbly at the red stain on his glove – had he... No...

Winkworth's headless corpse slumped across him, bearing the startled Steel Legionary to the floor.

All at once, the ash wastes erupted with orks, yelling and firing. Clad in black and blue and grey, they barrelled towards the company, which was slow in responding.

At the screams of the Commissar, las-fire began to fall down-range, pinging off the ork's clanking vehicles or falling wide of the mark.

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Coming back to 3rd after many years was interesting – in comparison with 2nd edition and the post-8th versions, the game feels very stripped-back and streamlined. Between the three of us, we managed to get the game complete within two and a half hours, even with lots of consultation of the rulebook!

I regret to inform our superiors that the 7th Army suffered a stinging defeat to da Feevin' Gits, with the complete loss of Steel Legion operational command and Salamanders 2nd Company support – and the Elysian 46th also suffering heavy casualties. Those orks are tough!