Postcards from the Edge

'Zoom! What was that? That was your life, Mate! Oh, that was quick, do I get another? Sorry, Mate that's your lot.'

So it's been a while, belated Happy New Years and all; the quote above, from a certain Torquay hotel owner, kind of sums up my past few months. Life has been a fast and bumpy ride to which the hobby has taken the proverbial back seat.

I'll make no apologies, I think even the most committed of us hobbyists (bloggers or not) drift from time to time with the changeable currents of our daily lives and I've never intended The Veil's Edge to be anything but an extension of my hobby; granted one that's hopefully shared and enjoyed by those who are kind enough to read it.

While I always like to get at least a few posts in a month, to force a schedule would be to make posting a chore and that’s something a hobby should never be. Anyhow, enough navel-gazing, there's enough fluff in the blog already (incidentally why is it always blue?)

2012 is upon us and has the potential to be a momentous year for 40k. Can it really be 25 years since I first journeyed into the Dark Millennium?

We've got rumours of various Codex releases, with all the promise of new figure ranges they entail and of course the coming of 6th Edition. It's just a hunch, but I have a feeling it's arrival will herald a new age and that the timeline clock may finally click over into the 42nd Millennium with a very large Bang!

I'm starting work on my 'Welcome Home Emperor' banners early ;o)

Thanks,that is all.

Forge World New Releases : Phoenix Lord & Titan Power Glaive

Having once more defeated my erstwhile allies the Eldar (sorry Will, had to mention it), this time with a Blood Drinker Mech list, in a very close 2000 point game last Tuesday night; I thought I would attempt to liven their Spirit Stones with the contents of the latest news letter from Forge World.

Set for release on the 28th of November and now up for pre-order are Irillyth, Phoenix Lord of the Shadow Spectres and the Phantom Titan Power Glaive.

Books in Brief : A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill

This is without doubt a great book and goes into the favourites section of my Heresy collection alongside Horus Rising, Legion and Mechanicum. It's the first Heresy book in a while that actually moves the series forward despite its events remaining before Istvaan.

Graham McNeill really defines the 'Sorcerer Astartes', fleshing out these very different Marines and orchestrating the most believable and moving fall of a Legion to date; casting a shadow of doubt over my own staunch loyalist views *shudder* somebody call the Inquisition!

He makes a sterling effort to forge coherency amongst the broken and confusing cannon of the 40k verse (at one point openly questioning and including in the story arc one of it's contradictions) with many questions that have niggled me for years finally answered and some great hints dropped about others.

Some faults, McNeill still loses himself occasionally (although he is getting better) in overblown and unnecessary description, how many times we need to hear how totally awesome a Primarch is, or how the Son's control and balance their powers, we hear you we get it, please stop repeating yourself Graham. All this does is slow down the flow of what is a captivating story and fills up extra pages, are you trying to meet a certain word count?

Also I lost track of how many times he used the word Impossibly... something was Impossibly strong, Impossibly bright, Impossibly Impossible!!! Really grated and I found myself cursing out loud every time I bumped over one, there must be host of better words for describing an amazing power or technical feat.

Other than these minor quibbles (what do I know, I'm not a bestselling author) this is an awesome read and I highly recommend it.

Drop Site Massacre : Death Company Drop Pod

Taking far longer than it had any right to and damaging my calm along the way, I present the first of my (almost) completed Drop Pods.

Reprogrammed : Matt Ward talks revised Necron Background

As I sit and wait for my latest and again delayed copy of White Dwarf to drop through the letter box, contemplating whether it still merits subscription. GW have offered up another slice of video, this time featuring Matt Ward talking about his revised background of the Necrons and giving a taster of the play style of the units in the new codex. I found it quite interesting, but not being a Necron player of old, I'm unsure whether Mr Ward has done a Lucas style re-edit and left you all screaming Noooo at the brutalisation of a much cherished back story.

Blood Drinkers Fandex : Chapter Honours

A final push on the Chapter background for the Fandex and I've put together a potted history of engagements and events involving the Blood Drinkers mostly over the past few centuries of the 40k timeline. I've included what I can find from the few official bits of writing featuring the Chapter, noting the source at the bottom of the post (although I have added or omitted minor detail to aid in the overall flow of my story telling) the rest is based on what battles I've fought with my army over the years and from the depths of my occasionally fertile imagination (they'll be the overly long bits).

Gaming Table Project : Another Brick in the Wall

You may have noticed in yesterdays Death Company post (if your eyes weren't riveted to the foreground by the sheer awesomeness of the painted miniatures) ;o) that there were now two blasted buildings crumbling in the background of the gaming table.

Death Company Progress

Following the encouraging result with my test miniature, I've finally pressed on with a few more Death Company. As you can see I'm using some older incarnations at the moment (I think these guys are late 90's 3rd edition sculpts) mainly because I've still got a stock of them laying around the Forge, I hate to waste them especially when it means a few quid saved.

Judgement Day : Official Reveal Date for Necrons?

For your viewing pleasure, GW posted this little teaser on their site today, throwing a big hint that Novembers White Dwarf will see the official ribbon cutting ceremony on the new Necrons; simple but effective, I think it's kinda cool.

Chain Reaction : Life Size Chainsword Replica

Completed the Space Marine solo campaign? Racked up every achievement? Seen the breadth of your domain and wept (manly tears) having no more foes to conquer?

Well my friends, solace may be at hand; for those of you who have won big on the lottery, own an energy company or happen to have sold your copy of Aurelian Gold Edition on Ebay, one of these beauties lies within your grasp.