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First up sorry if this has been covered before in the multiple Forgeworld/Games Day threads but I thought I would post a few first impressions of IA9, as I did for IA8 some months ago to help those that are undecided about FW books or have to wait for it to be shipped to some far flung hell hole (i.e. the colonies ).

I avoided allot of the previous threads (such was my anticipation of IA9) but a quick look through has not revealed anyone reviewing the book, so as ever MODs please lock if you fell this is a duplication.

So first impressions;

I got home from work tonight to find a card wrapped parcel (ala Amazon/Play packaging) rather than boxed as previous editions. Nontheless all was fine and a nice shiney book and poster were contained within.

This continues FW's new benchmark standards set with IA8, a slightly slimer volume at 210 pages (rather than 245) and the same £45 price tag, but a very smart piece of work as we have come to expect.

I'm not usually a poster sort of fella, but the system map (Maelstrom Zone) really looks the business. Even I a 34 year old man am now spying a place on the wall for this (next stop pop idols ), but I digress. The other side for you more action oriented types has a rendition of Ancient Kleitor - a vernerable dread of the Astral Claws. Also quite smart but nothing we haven't seen before. Both pieces are also include in the book and Ancient Kleitor appears as one of the 2 page character kit pieces.

Once again I have lucked out, although I only placed my order at the start of last week the title page has an unidentified squiggle on it. Two pages later this is identified below the intro as Alan Bligh's signiture.

The contents (if not the detail) of the Badab War itself are fairly well known to all so I will not go into this and the contents page of the book have certainly been put out by FW (and I don't want to give our any spoilers) but I'll breifly cover what is in the book.

The first 30 odd pages cover the background and geography of the conflict. As we have come to expect, lots of digital action photos, historic documents and cut away panes are included amongst the text. It starts with a general over view and then moves through the planets/systems visited by the conflict. All pretty standard stuff from FW which to my mind means it is pretty fantastic quality, although I have not yet read enough (much at all in fact!) to be able to comment on the usal bugbear with FW - editing.

Next section is the Chapters of the Badab War. I think this is well know but here is the full list;

The Astral Claws
The Fire Hawks
The Marines Errant
Red Scorpians
The Fire Angels
The Raptors
The Lamenters
The Novamarines
The Howling Griffons

As you would expect each Chapter has its own fluff and heraldry included and interestingly both predecessor Chapter and know decendant Chapters are listed as well. This is also the section where all of the unit and vehicle slides are located noting eminent combatants and machines denoting relevent weaponry.

The third section is the campaign itself and more importantlty for players the missions. I have not read the first 5 missions at all yet but what I can say with barely contained excitment is that what is also here is a "Blood in the Void" section containing shipbard warfare and another mission: the Boarding Assult Mission along with boarding assault strategems. The whole Blood in the Void only stretches to 10 pages so shouldn't overly complicate standard 40k rules but it does include a designers note that "this expansion to the rules is a chaotic and fatal affair....Hyper competitive players will be better served elsewhere!". You have ben warned!

Next up is something I'm less interested and that is the Lords of Destruction section. Here be the characters - all 12 of them. I'm sure these will be covered as the discussion continues but suffice to say they are the leaders and heroes of the Chapters detailed in IA9 and I'm sure that FW will have a model for each in the near future.

Also included here is something much more interesting and that is the only Army List in the book - The Tyrants Legion. A real mix of Space Marines and Auxilia (Imperial Guard) units. For some reason this really puts me in mind of what I imaginged a force to be back when I first read Rogue Trader. I've only skimmed this section but I quite like the look of it as a force, although for all I know it would be pants on the tabletop even with all of the characters available (yes I am that bad!). What price FW producing Auxilia units though, a new IG regiment would be most welcome IMHO.

Finally as with all IA books we have the apocalypse rules section to see us to the last page.

Well thats my (not so) quick review of IA9 - The Badab War Volume 1, I hope this is helpful to some of you. I'm off to read this badab-boy

Thanks for that. Planning to buy it no matter what, as I am a Lamenters and Badab War nut, but an interesting read.

Nice, i'm interested in seeing how they paint their Astral Claws since I play Claws of Lorek CSM.

Very nice review , thanks for the info!

Very nice review, I am waiting for my copy with baited breath. It is one of the few places where I can get information on my Howling Griffons

Should have this myself by the end of the week...Lamenters here I come!

I'm just looking forward to all these chapters not being a collection of gimps and weirdos as they were in that terrible cursed founding WD article years back.

Let me take care of the next 10 posts for y'all

something, something, more space marines, something, why not make something else, something, I'll buy it anyway.

Hey KK, do you like you some pale, scarred, s&m space elfses? They should be out soon.

VermGho5t wrote:Hey KK, do you like you some pale, scarred, s&m space elfses? They should be out soon.

PFT! Pull the other one. What next, you gonna try and sell me some plastic Cadians?

@notprop - Can you give us a rundown (in general terms, natch) of the different characters? I don't expect armylists for each Chapter, but do the rules give any hints at how to play a force of that Chapter (like the Lamenter character having BA Descent of Angels or such...)

Death By Monkeys wrote:@notprop - Can you give us a rundown (in general terms, natch) of the different characters? I don't expect armylists for each Chapter, but do the rules give any hints at how to play a force of that Chapter (like the Lamenter character having BA Descent of Angels or such...)

This would be very helpful, seconded.

I'm fairly certain that there's nothing really "special" about the non-army list Chapters/Characters. IA8 had a good example of this with the Raven Guard Chaplain and the Elysian characters.

Thanks for the rundown.

Looks like I'm going to have to get my Fire Hawks project up and running...

Kanluwen wrote:I'm fairly certain that there's nothing really "special" about the non-army list Chapters/Characters. IA8 had a good example of this with the Raven Guard Chaplain and the Elysian characters.

Well reds8n did say they each had a "Replace Combat Tactics with ... X" rule. Some people might want to see that, or just hear about the fluff and what they've done with the various Chapters (I, for one, would like to know what they've done with the Howling Griffins, as I've always liked that Chapter).

And why can't people be interested in them Kan? Can you stop being WRONGBADFUN for just a moment?

H.B.M.C. wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:I'm fairly certain that there's nothing really "special" about the non-army list Chapters/Characters. IA8 had a good example of this with the Raven Guard Chaplain and the Elysian characters.

Well reds8n did say they each had a "Replace Combat Tactics with ... X" rule. Some people might want to see that, or just hear about the fluff and what they've done with the various Chapters (I, for one, would like to know what they've done with the Howling Griffins, as I've always liked that Chapter).

I'd be like to know too, frankly. But don't be surprised if some of the characters aren't as special as you hope.

And why can't people be interested in them Kan? Can you stop being WRONGBADFUN for just a moment?

Pretty sure I didn't say "You're not allowed to be interested in the Chapters! Rawr!", HB.

Just saying that the precedent was set in IA8 where, rather than make characters that drastically alter the army--they just added some named variants of "standard" units with an occasional gimmick or perk that alters Apocalypse games.

H.B.M.C. wrote:
And why can't people be interested in them Kan? Can you stop being WRONGBADFUN for just a moment?

You could always do what I did and ignore list him. It would be a double bonus. You won't see his trolling, and I won't see his trolling after you are compelled to quote it.

Ahem, thats quite enough of that thank you Gents.

Thanks to a particularly slow morning in the office heres summary of the special characters from the book. MODs please edit if any of this contravenes the Dakka limits on posting rules. I have tried to list the particularly special bits, in addition all of these characters have standard rules tht you would expect from their character type along with their generic equipment.

Chaplain Dreadnought Titus Dreadnought Confessor of the Howling Griffons – As you would expect, a mix of dreadnought and chaplain (Dreadlain?) rules. Inspires fearlessness and is a HQ choice.

Lugft Horon, Master of the Astral Claws – All round hard bastard with Ordinance 2 Orbital Bombardment, all units use his LD10, may re-roll to steal initiative. HQ choice, no other chapter masters in the same force, allows honour guard without using another HQ slot.

Captain Corien Sumatris, Captain of Astral Claws 2nd company, Tyrants Champion – Another hard bastard, CC specialist, endows furious charge on any unit he is with and +1 WS within 12”. HQ choice allows command squad without using another HQ slot.

Armennus Valthex, The Alchemancer, Patriarch of the Forges of the Astral Claws – Read master of the forge with enhanced abilities, Allow himself and one infantry squad to upgrade BP/bolters to hellfire rounds, Dreads/Ven./Ironclad Dreads can be taken as Heavy Support and Elite choices. HQ choice.

Lt Commander Anton Narvaez, Captain of Marines Errant 4th Company and the Star Jackal. An all-round tactical captain if you like with some boarding action related skills, MC plasmagun. HQ Choice.

Magister Sevrin Loth, Chief Librarian of the Red Scorpions – Master Psyker (3 abilities per turn), fancy Armour (potentially 2++). HQ choice, no other chapter masters in the same force, allows honour guard without using another HQ slot.

High Lord Commander Carab Culln, Chapter Master of the Red Scorpions – Yes its that man again (previously only a commander in IA4), another all round hard bastard, Eternal warrior, adds +1 to combat resolution, can ignore combat tactics and/or replace sergeants with apothecaries, relic sword that increases his attacks by the difference between respective WS. HQ choice, no other chapter masters in the same force, allows honour guard without using another HQ slot.

Captain Tarnus Vale, Praetor of the Fire Angels 3rd Company – May replace combat tactics with tank hunter ability, stubborn, any vehicles he is being transported in is also a tank hunter. HQ Choice.

Lias Issodon, Chapter Master of the Raptors – All units may exchange Combat Tactics for Stealth , reduces enemy reserve roles, sabotages one enemy unit at the start of the game, Malice a 30” heavy 4 bolter with stern guard ammo. HQ Choice allows honour guard without using another HQ slot.

Malakim Phoros, Master of the Lamenters - His unit is fearless and forces a re-roll of successful morale tests, Use the BA codex, Once wounded he increase ST and A by 1 and gains rage, as does his unit. HQ Choice allows honour guard without using another HQ slot.

Captain Mordaci Blaylock, Captain of the Novamarines 1st Company – Terminator with MC chainfist, can choose to pass or fail any morale test and can not be pinned. Terminator and Terminator Assault squads are scoring. HQ choice, can take command squad.

Knight-captain Elam Courbray, Grand Champion and Captain of the Fire Hawks 8th Company – Jump pack, All units lose combat tactics and flame weapons count as twin linked. Assault and Vanguard units are scoring, He and his unit have the counter attack and hit and run special rules, Rending power weapon that can do a single ST8 rending hit when charging, must concentrate attacks on independent characters. HQ choice, can take command squad, they can all take jump packs as well.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:Let me take care of the next 10 posts for y'all

something, something, more space marines, something, why not make something else, something, I'll buy it anyway.

In the Grim Darkness of the far future, there is only Marine on Marine violence.

It would be nice if they made some other stuff too.

I have no interest in buying this because it has nothing that I'm going to use.

Mmmmm. Chaplain dreadnought confessor. Sounds tasty for fluff, even if fearless is kind of meh.

Wow some of those characters sound ace! I'm tied between Captain Mordaci Blaylock and Captain Tarnus Vale. Tank hunters or scoring vanilla TH/SS Termies?

I think some of the characters are very cool and characterful indeed, and add nice options for players.

I was/am also very happy with the boarding missions and the rules for those, not least the recommendation of using Space Hulk tiles

notprop wrote:Ahem, thats quite enough of that thank you Gents.

Thanks to a particularly slow morning in the office heres summary of the special characters from the book. MODs please edit if any of this contravenes the Dakka limits on posting rules. I have tried to list the particularly special bits, in addition all of these characters have standard rules tht you would expect from their character type along with their generic equipment.

*snip*
lots of juicy info
*snip*

thanks for the rundown. except for the lamenter character, it's cool that they're using the 5th edition space marine codex feature of the HQ modifying the rules via chapter tactics. it sounds like a stupid comment but IIRC the second vraks book came out with an IG list that used the previous codex's rules instead of the one that came out a few months earlier. the book sounds like a must buy simply for the amount of characters, boarding action rules, and the story fluff of a cool war that's been around since RT. damn....

p.s. i'm guessing from the number of times you wrote this (pretty much for every character) but i believe every chapter master can take an honor guard without using a slot while other HQ IC's can take a command squad. it's a standard feature of nonspecial marine variants.

"High Lord Commander Carab Culln, Chapter Master of the Red Scorpions – Yes its that man again (previously only a commander in IA4), another all round hard bastard, Eternal warrior, adds +1 to combat resolution, can ignore combat tactics and/or replace sergeants with apothecaries, relic sword that increases his attacks by the difference between respective WS. HQ choice, no other chapter masters in the same force, allows honour guard without using another HQ slot. "

Wait. Wut?

So Anphelion Project takes place -before- the Badab War? Really?

And Vraks takes place before that even.

The Siege of Vraks started on 166813.M41.
The first report of the mission on Anphelion is 8194850.M41.
We need the Badab Wars dates (the ones according to FW).

Hm... i'm thinking of using the Raptors CM for my Raven Guard force now... that is if i get IA: 9. Thanks for the info notprop!!

Hmm... so it looks like you need to take Culln to swap sarge's for apothecaries eh? Looks like another FW order in store for me then!

Athera wrote:"High Lord Commander Carab Culln, Chapter Master of the Red Scorpions"
Wait. Wut?
So Anphelion Project takes place -before- the Badab War? Really?

Maybe he keeps being demoted for being tactically unsound? We'll probably find somewhere in IA9 that the Red Scorpions lose/run away again (even though they are on the winning side)

Marushi wrote:Hmm... so it looks like you need to take Culln to swap sarge's for apothecaries eh? Looks like another FW order in store for me then!

you can technically take the red scorpions list in vraks one or two that does that army wide (it was written, however, with 4th edition marine codex rules). all this stuff is opponent's permission anyways but i agree that you're more likely to get someone to allow a single character than an army, even if that "army" only differs in 2 or 3 ways from the standard.

i personally like the nova marines character that lets terminators be scoring. yay for my deathwing moving into 5th edition and still being somewhat useful!!

Looks like Badab War was later... and began in 901.M41.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Badab_War