South  Auckland Miniatures
Wargames Club

Newsletter March  1998

Table bookings for next month:

As mentioned in last month's newsletter, each meeting is now divided into a morning session (9am to 12.30pm) and an afternoon session (1pm to 4.30pm), thereby enabling members, if they desire, to play two games each meeting, effectively doubling the number of games you can play at the club in a year. Alternatively you can just come to the morning session or just come to the afternoon session or play one game that takes the whole day or whatever. We are just trying to provide the opportunity for playing more games - it's up to you how you want to work it.  Bryan has the table booking sheet available each meeting where you can book a table for the next meeting for a morning or afternoon session or a whole day or whatever. First in, first served on table bookings, however if there is a shortage of tables (unlikely) then members will get preference over any visitors. Bryan will still record details of table bookings either at club meetings or during the month (phone 2680820) and will also try to find you an opponent if you need one, or organise you a game if possible. Table bookings will continue to be published in each month's newsletter so everyone knows what is happening.

Club fees for 1998:

Thanks to all the members who have paid their fees. (There are still a couple of people outstanding - you know who you are!) We have used some of this money to pay the Church and now have the use of the hall for the rest of this year. Some of the money goes towards the postage costs of this newsletter, with the balance of the money available to pay for prizes/awards or anything else that members feel will be beneficial to the club as a whole. An updated membership list is attached.

Warhammer 40K League from 1997:

The final results of this league that the club ran during 1997 are:

News and rumours
A new plastic Skeleton Warriors Regiment boxed set is coming soon.  On the sprue there will be enough spear arms to fit all the skellies. The most interesting thing is that there is now Beastmen skellies just to add a bit of variety!! They will come complete with stick on horns!! The ordinary skellies are cool as well, one has the back of his head missing indicating a particularly nasty life or should that be death??. One still has an eye ball in the skull! A couple of the bodies are also armoured. Also on the sprue is little oddments like spikes etc, and also a gravestone!!  Add in the metal parts to make a command group and you have in my opinion one of the best boxed sets ever!! GW are onto a winner here, this Regiment idea is the best for a long time!!

The Undead are being split into two armies, one from Sylvania the other from Nehekharan. Courtesy of Jervis Johnson are some of the new rules on these Undead armies. One thing in particular is that some Skellies (including Archers) will be able to skirmish, and skellie archers use "dead snakes" instead of arrows! (Too much Conan if you ask me!) This means that they ignore to hit modifiers and always hit on a 5+! Useful screening troops at last!! Chariots will only cost 30 pts and you can have regiments but they are less powerful and have a single stat line, perhaps like swarms. Tomb Kings will lead the Nehekharan Undead and will be improved, they have a "Tomb Kings Command" which is like Vanhel's and according to Jervis can't be dispelled! Magic back up is provided by Liche Priests. Skeletons will be the main troop type for Nehekharan. The Sylvanian Undead will have Zombies as their main grunt troops and Zombies now lose wounds when defeated in combat instead of the entire unit melting away.  Apparently the wo different Undead armies will hate each other. But don't expect to see these new army books  to at least early next year! Oh, and in 2 years WHFB is being redone, but that is a long way off!

The new Mercenary Army book is going to be out soon including the particularly interesting Dwarf Slayer Pirates - all the normal Slayer stuff plus they now have guns and -1 to hit, decent replacements for the crap Thunderers...why? They can move and fire!! Twice!! They have so many pistols they never need to reload...-1 to hit in h-t-h for your enemy due to beer fumes!! They are led by Long Drong Slayer..a tall Dwarf apparently?, who claims lineage back to Drong the Hard from the Grudge of Drong campaign pack. Also in the Mercenary book are Pikemen.These guys fight in four ranks when stationary, two when charging. Enemy suffers -1 to hit, you get +1. This is due to the fear of the enemy charging into a unit that can hit them from about 12ft away!!! Pikemen will also always hit first (due to the length of the pikes) unless a character with a magic item that entitles them to hit first is in the charging unit...interesting eh??? The remainder of the Chaos models are out soon along with Siege and the Chaos Champons book.

also Blood Bowl is making a come back expect to see it on the shelves in april - KC

last months necromunda tourement went well with some very tight game and some complete massacare. But I think we all had fun. Any way to the victor the spoils, the winner was Ivan Soo with 1873 with Dictator Davies right behind on 1800, oh so close.

Congratulaions Ivan, please see me about your prize and thanks to you all for making it a good day

Kevin the Crushed (bo ho)