+ inload: Upcoming 3rd edition gaming event +

+ Tears of the Eye of Terror +

+ A 3rd edition campaign day +

Astartes – but are they working to defend or destroy Kasr Holn?

 

+ {InloadsummVAL=} Plans are afoot with the good Sinan to run another 3rd edition narrative campaign day; this inload offers an overview. Also present is a look into the Red Corsair Raider kits, with a particular eye on Retrohammer gaming +

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+ After Armageddon +

Following the fun of running an Armageddon-themed campaign day [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], Sinan has twisted my arm (admittedly, it didn't take much convincing!) to help organise a follow-up day of 3rd(ish) edition gaming.

This time, we'll be refighting part of the Eye of Terror Campaign, which you may remember fondly...

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+ Staring back into the Eye +

While it's subject to change, we wanted to get as much info out as possible early on, so people can start planning and building their forces. The current plans:

• Aim and rules:
• A relaxed, fun and thematic day of 3rd edition 40k with like-minded hobbyists.
• Rules and theme: 
• Refighting part of the conflict on Kasr Holn, one of the Fortress Worlds in the Cadia system. 
• We'll be using 3rd edition rules, rolling in the later revisions such as the updated assault rules from White Dwarf. These have been collected together and compiled into the '3.5' edition rules.
• We want people to bring the armies they want, so we're very open to people using the Codex they want – as with the Third War in 3rd Armageddon event, if you prefer the later Chaos Codex to the earlier one, for example, you'll be able to build armies using that. Basically, if your army was useable during any part of 3rd, you'll be able to use it.
• Date: 
• Saturday December 5th, 2026
• Location: 
• Hildenborough Village Hall, Kent, UK
• Defenders: 
• Imperial Guard (1999, 2003 and Eye of Terror codices et al.)
• Space Marines (incl. Dark Angels, Space Wolves et al.)
• Inquisition (incl. Grey Knights, Sisters of Battle etc.)
• Craftworld Eldar.
• Attackers: 
• Chaos Space Marines (both the earlier and famous 3.5 codices are welcome)
• Chaos Daemons
• Lost and the Damned
• Traitor Imperial Guard.
• Models
• Whatever you like! If you want to bring out classic models from 3rd, that's great; and likewise if you want to bring modern models or custom conversions, that's equally good – the important thing is that they fit the theme.
• Games: 
• Two* over the course of the day (possibly three – subject to discussion)
• Price:
• £30 or less 

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+ Grand Warlord and Aspiring Warlord tickets +

To make things accessible and friendly, Sinan and I are aiming to have 'Grand Warlord' tickets which allow you to bring two 1,000pt lists that combine into a larger 2,000pt army; and cheaper 'Aspiring Warlord' tickets that allow you to bring a smaller 1,000pt warband.

This allows people with large armies to bring a cohesive collection, or if you can't decide whether to bring World Eaters or Traitor Fen Guardsmen, Grand Warlords can bring both!

If you're a bit nervous about coming along to an event on your own, you and a mate can buy Aspiring Warlord tickets and stick together for the event. Your armies can match or complement each others', but equally if you want to bring your classic Eldar and your friend want to paint a new Astartes Praeses force, that's also cool.

... and if you are happy to come on your own, but only have a smaller army or would struggle to bring a big force on the train, that's also cool – just purchase an Aspiring Warlord ticket and we'll find you a gaming partner or organise smaller games for Aspiring Warlord ticketholders. All the results will count!

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+ Hitting the theme +

Theme is at the heart of this event – we want everyone to walk away with stories of the cool events and fun they had, so it's pointedly not a competitive event, and we ask everyone coming to bear that in mind and choose their armies with that in mind.

The Eye of Terror campaign is full of great potential, and rich with threads to follow. There will be some campaign-specific characters and units that you'll be able to add to your armies, and we encourage you to explore the background and theme your army around it.

For the Imperials, the defence of Kasr Holn will be supported by the Chapters of the Astartes Praeses, so if you fancy adding a squad of Night Warch, Relictors  or Crimson Scythes to your army, you'll be able to. You'll also have access to the cream of the Cadian armies.

For the Chaos attackers, you'll have access to Daemon Engines beyond the Defiler, along with some of Abaddon's most powerful Chosen – not to mention some other surprises...

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+ Do you want to know more? +

If this sounds like the sort of event you'd like to get involved with, keep an eye on +Death of a Rubricist+ and join the event Discord – here's a noospheric nodelink invite: [+noosphericexloadlink embedded+].

There you'll be able to meet other players and discuss army lists, and tactics and strategies in specific Chaos and Imperial areas.

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+ Red Corsair Raiders +

And because it's not really an inload without models, I wanted to show off some of the new Red Corsair Raider models. These are awesome – effectively truescale marines that you can buy off the shelf. 

This, GW, if you're inloading, is what I'm after – more of these, please!

I don't have a huge problem with Primaris Marines, but I do like the old look of Space Marines. These models really bring back that look, but combine it with the new larger size of GW models. Being able to build classic marines off-the-shelf without extensive conversion is bliss.

These are a beautiful update to the old Tactical Squad, improving the proportions while retaining the particular look and charm of the older styles of armour. The boltguns are larger, but not quite so long and 'tacticool' as the Primaris bolt rifles, and the plates of the armour remain nice and clean, with fewer additional plates, panel lines, cables and ports than the Primaris equivalent.

New Marine next to a 2nd ed. starter monopose Marine

... and next to a Primaris-based conversion.

I was interested to see what was possible using the kit as it comes, and I'm pleased to say that you can make a full combat squad of basic boltgun-armed Tacticals, as you can with the squad images. The only additions are a few shoulder pads and a bit of trimming down of loincloths – everything else is straight from the kit.

The kit's a bit limited to be perfect – with just five poses and quite distinctive armour (there's a near-complete Mark III suit, and one that has lots of Mark IV details, for example), you can get away with a couple of squads, but adding more will quickly start to look repetitive without conversion.

Fortunately, the parts are happily nice and compatible with other Marine kits. Heads, backpacks and shoulder pads are perfectly compatible with the older ranges, and the arms will swap out/combine with Primaris arms. I'd suggest the lighter Primaris armour (Phobos) arms will work very well, as they lack the extra forearm bracing.

The Horus Heresy kits will also probably work, but the heads are quite dinky. I'd suggest the HH character kits, which are bigger, for some reason, than the line troopers.

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+ 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!