Games Workshop / Warhammer Newcastle

Out and about on my travels once more, and I was in the city of Newcastle (UK) recently in the north of England. As per usual, I navigated my way to the local Games Workshop store (Warhammer now) to poke around and see what it was like.

The physical location of the store is very near the Monument railway station (metro) in Newcastle and therefore provides a hugely convenient place for footfall. Indeed, it is one of the better located Games Workshop stores that I've been to in larger cities in the UK or Australia. It is very near some of the modern, large shops and shopping precinct in the city centre and honestly is situated almost perfectly.

The inside of the store is on par with modest sized stores in similar cities. There were a range of tables set up when I was there, for both Age of Sigmar and for Warhammer 40,000. Of particular note was the 40k table that I took a few pictures of below. Clearly in a Necromunda set-up, this display was something that I found both hugely striking and quite inspirational, if a little outside the budget of someone just starting out in the hobby I suppose.

Close up of part of the scene below, focussing on a crate that is being hauled upward. Another very nice detail on the splendid display!

The store itself was well staffed, and they were polite to me, but not nearly as pushy as some of the other stores that I've been to. Indeed, I had a good browse without being molested by constant questions about what armies I was collecting and game systems I was interested in. This was a nice change - they got the level of interaction right for a veteran like me! Thank you.

Overall, I might have given it a slightly lower mark, but the display blew me away, so 5/5 stars!

Daemonology in 30k: Possession

Analysis. 

Rounding off the discussion on daemonology in 30k is the return of an old favourite that has been present in the game as long ago as Realms of Chaos.

In short: sacrifice the caster and replace her or him with a greater daemon! It is certainly worth the points cost, but probably best to play later in the game, just before the sorcerer or caster has lost their final wound for the match.

As for emanations, don't forget that Lord of Sorcery can be taken for free here, which in turn means potentially more daemons to summon. Or just take wings, or something equally good. Actually, since its a greater daemon that is appearing on the battlefield, there's not too much negative aspects to this power.

The only drawback with this power is if the caster fails their test, in which case it results in an automatic perils of the warp. Even so, this is still a risk worth taking for having a bonus greater daemon join your team on the battlefield.

Daemonology in 30k: Incursion

Analysis. 

The penultimate power on the new daemonology list in 30k is Incursion. This is also a summoning spell that creates a unit of either three beasts, or three brutes.

To be quite candid, I cannot envision a situation in which the player would choose beasts over brutes, given the option. Not only are brutes more expensive in terms of point, thus giving the controlling player more points, it is reflected in their stat line which is simply superior in every way to the beasts. Choose brutes. Every time. Only if you desperately want troops is there any reason to choose beasts. But I'm sure a daemons player won't be short of troops to be honest. And there's always the primaris power for that too(!).

As for the emanation to give to the unit, wings remains a solid choice along with the others that I noted in the original Primaris summoning power.

Overall, this is a powerful summoning spell, which is justified by the warp charge cost of the power. I'm not sure it is quite as warp charge points effective as Sacrifice, but its still well worth-while. 

Daemonology in 30k: Sacrifice

Analysis. 

We now turn to a conjuration power which is similar to the Primaris power of summoning. 

As the name implies, there is a sacrificial offering to the chaos gods in exchange for a one of the most trusted servants making an appearance on the battlefield.

What I found odd about this power when I first read it was the fact that the only thing to be sacrificed is a single wound. In other words, one does not (technically) have to remove a model from the tabletop, which is what I thought it would have been. Instead, you can just choose a multi-wound model to drop a single wound and gain a new miniature out of it. This is perfect for many armies since a wounded praetor will hit just as hard as one on full wounds. 

The summoned daemon, in turn, is a single Chosen miniature. In effect, this is (over) fifty free points of miniature appearing on the table for the controlling player at the cost of a single wound. This is therefore a solid power.

Unlike the Primaris power though, it only requires a single warp charge and is therefore much easier to manifest. The points cost of the summoned unit is therefore almost in line with the one-third reduction in warp charge required. I will refer readers to the Primaris power for suggestions on the single emanation permitted, with one important difference. As they are a chaos chosen daemon, they can be given the Lord of Sorcery upgrade for free (taking the effective unit worth to 75 points). This thus reinforces armies like Tzeentch in a very effective manner, and probably means it is one to watch out for on the battlefield. 

Daemonology in 30k: Infernal Gaze

Analysis. 
If Dark Flame was a bit "shrug", then Infernal Gaze is its cousin, "meh". As a beam power, it is okay more or less for 1 warp charge. However, with a range of 18 inches and a very low strength that is not tied to the strength of the model using it (unlike emanations), the power just doesn't have much of a place in a Ruinstorm army to my mind.

Sure, the armourbane effect is nice when required (as is fleshbane), but if the daemons army is not pulling off anti-armour in another way, then this power will not make much difference what so ever.

In my (biased) opinion, this power is simply in the okay category rather than being amazing, or totally worth it. Even Word Bearers sorcerers have access to better (literal) fire power than this in principle. 

Daemonology in 30k: Dark Flame

Analysis. 
As a witch fire power, this particular daemonic dakka is okay, but not spectacular. The torrent template is very nice, but nothing to write home about. The strength is fixed (and not based on the strength of the user as the emanations are in the daemons of the Ruinstorm list is).

The AP is poor, and soul blaze is (and mostly has been) in the okay category without being outstanding.

This, then, is a moderate power and one to think of leaving at home if you have a heavy flamer to hand instead, or for daemons, if you otherwise have corrosive vomit at a native higher strength.

Shrug overall.