The Chaos Trolls make probably for the best proxies for Crypt Horrors/Flayers right after the Gorger Mawpack. Can't wait to get this guy on the table.
I listened to the recent debate around Hasan being barred from entering the UK, and by the end I wanted to pour molten lead down my ears. It degenerated into yet another asinine, wanky chin-stroking session about the paradox of tolerance, free speech and the marketplace of ideas, ie. shit Dave Rubin was spewing 10 years ago. It was regarded then and it is regarded now.
These days there are honestly few things in politics that get my blood boiling as much as these smug circlejerks where fuckwit (usually right-wing) Americans sniff their own farts and regurgitate talking points like "The UK is sliding into authoritarianism" (really fucking disappointed in Polumbo when he said it btw, I thought he was at least decently informed) while paying zero attention to actual cause and effect. These people don't live in reality. They just want to endlessly hem and haw about abstractions in their kindergarten hugbox where the free flow of information and debate leads humanity into the land of chocolate rainbows and puppies.
Meanwhile those of us living in reality are seeing the actual consequences of their pathologically infantile fantasy in real life: misinformation in its golden age, foreign propaganda campaigns running rampant, some of the biggest media personalities spewing shit on a daily basis that would have gotten them barred from every academic and media institution 30 years ago, and some of the most regarded people you can imagine running some of the most important institutions in the world. "A lie travels thrice around the world before the truth can get out the door" has never been more true.
Freedom of speech in the way we've conceptualized it since the invention of the printing press is hopelessly outdated in the world of social media. Media used to be a much more gatekept and regulated system even without government intervention due to the inherent limitations of the physical world: you had costs of printing and replication, limited broadcast capacity, editorial boards, limited hours in the day, you needed equipment and people who knew how to use it, even timezones in a way kept misinformation in check. The stuff Alex Jones spews to millions worldwide and makes millions spewing used to be relegated to the most unhinged, buttfuck nowhere radio stations because of these limitations. Social media has done away with all of that.
If the people like the libertarian Destiny debated had their wish, we would be living in a media system populated exclusively by Alex Joneses, Hasans and Asmongolds, because these people equate amount of attention with merit, and do not believe in accountability, causality or responsible communication.
The recent(ish) news about wargear costs coming back in 11th edition, as well as several other changes 40k has made in the current and coming edition has had me wondering this. Because looking at the general arc of 40k's development ever since 8th edition blew up the then long-time status quo, it's kind of hard to escape the feeling that the rules writers are slowly steering the ship back to how things were in previous editions.
Examples of this would be the aforementioned wargear costs, but also the recently revealed Snap Shots rule (first introduced in 6th edition), universal weapon abilities in 10th (just a lighter version of Universal Special Rules from 3rd to 7th edition), and how Thousand Sons basically got the psychic phase back as an army rule after 10th removed it from the core rules. Some things make me think that even a return to points per model might be on the horizon: the Victrix Honour Guard has literally more points profiles than the number models you can include in the unit, which is just beyond ridiculous.
This makes me think 2 things:
Thoughts?
I'm heading to a tournament at the end of July after not having been in one for ages. I'm by no means a tournament player and don't aim to game the meta, but I'd still like to be somewhat competitive at least. So here's the list:
Flesh-Eater Courts 2000 pts
Battle Formation: Lords of the Manor.
Regiment 1
Regiment 2
Regiment 3
Manifestation Lore: Primal Energy
Faction Terrain: Charnel Throne
The rough plan is that the two units of Crypt Horrors act as the hammer, the Cryptguard give protection to the Archregent, and the Varghulfs and Morbhegs snag objectives and harass smaller units due to their mobility. The Gorewarden swoops in with the Cryptguard and either the Haunter or Varghulf where needed. The Cardinal provides coordination and backline support, and the Archregent gives some defense against shooting-heavy armies. I haven't considered battle tactics yet, so if you've some in mind that might suit this feel free to recommend.