Preferred Enemies - A Warhammer 40K Podcast

We’re back together in Kansas City for the 2023 Midwest Conquest! In part one of this episode, we talk about the tournament, our games, and the winners, as well as the Titan-themed shenanigans we got into on the day before the big event. In part two, we talk about Boarding Actions (thanks to Dennis bringing up his terrain set from Texas), our experiences, the big differences between it and standar...

Warhammer Fest 2023 has come and gone, but in its wake we have a whole slew of revelations about 10th Edition. The biggest reveal? The launch box and its contents! We dig into the coverage about the upcoming Leviathan box, including the models, the book, and the deck of cards. Deck of cards? Yes, deck of cards. We also do a day by day dive into all the 10th edition coverage from the end of April,...

The conclusion of the Arks of Omen series is here, and with it comes the return of a second loyalist primarch to the 41st millenium. What is Lion’el Jonson up to in this final book, and how does it work into the larger story? What is Vashtorr’s endgame? Does Chaos win or lose this narrative ark? What does this set up for 10th Edition? We dig into the synopsis, as well as this final take on Boardin...

After a month away, we return to a plethora of previews and new releases – so many, we dedicated the entire episode to them! In this episode, we cover the arrival of Vashtorr, the new Boarding Patrols boxes, Arks of Omen three and four, the accidental Dante deployment, and the full Adepticon 40K preview, including the biggest announcement: the oft-rumored and now-confirmed 10th Edition of Warhamme...

The Arks of Omen storyline continues, and this time we look at the second volume, which is headlined by everyone’s favorite angry angel, Angron. What draws him to wage battle against the forces of the Imperium, what does Khorne have in store for the sector, and what is Vashtorr the Arkifane’s real goal in all of this? In addition, we get the second installment of Boarding Action rules, with this b...

Rev up those chainaxes and slap on some red armor – it’s time to talk World Eaters! In this episode, we take a look at the new World Eaters codex and tell you 8 things you need to know about it. Yes, it’s down from our usual 10, but Khorne insisted on 8. We talk about the things this codex has, as well as the things that are surprisingly missing. Also, news and new releases, your listener mail, ho...

Last episode, we took a look at the new Arks of Omen detachment in this season’s Grand Tournament packet. In this episode, we’re going to look at what you can actually do with it. We take the detachment through its paces and see how far we can push its flexibility. Bloody Rose Sisters of Battle? Death Guard Terminus Est force? The Eight? Oops, All Squigs? We try our hand at those and much more. Al...

New year, new season, new narrative! In this episode, we take a look at both new Arks of Omen books. First, we examine the Arks of Omen Grand Tournament booklet, with its new detachment structure. Is this book going to give us the grand flexible army-building we’ve been hoping for, while keeping the balance improvements from Nephilim? Second, we delve into Arks of Omen: Abaddon, with a focus on th...

To wrap up the year, we take a look back at happenings between 0000022.M03 and 0997022.M03. It was a year that brought us the update of the final 8th edition codexes, seasonal 40K, quarterly balance dataslates, and even a brand-new faction. What armies dominated the full return of super-major events? Did Games Workshop win the battle to balance the game, or is there yet more war to wage? Should th...

The year is winding to an end, and there’s a lot to discuss in the last couple of weeks! Fortunately, Rob, Dennis, and Richard are here to tackle the topics. We discuss the end of the US Open Series, both in the Competitive and Narrative tracks, with a deep dive into all the stops Games Workshop pulled out for the narrative finale. Also, we talk about the last Metawatch of the year and what it tel...

It’s time to bite the bullet, grab our t-shirts and flashlights, and brave something otherwise unknown to us – talking about the Imperial Guard! We dig into the codex included in the new Cadia Stands box and discuss 10 things you need to know about the new Astra Militarum. From the new subfaction-free regimental doctrines to the new units, and all the high points inbetween, we do our best to dig i...

The US Open is in our hometown, and we had to attend! In this episode, Kevin, Dennis, and Rob discuss their experience at the 2022 Warhammer US Open in Kansas City, where all three attended the Narrative event. After a primer in Crusade last episode, how did our trio fare? Who won – the valiant forces of order or the nefarious forces of ruin? What happens when you bring a Ta’unar to a narrative ga...

We’ve spent a lot of episodes talking about 9th Edition 40K, but one thing we’ve never really touched on is 9th Edition’s spin on narrative 40K, Crusade. With three of us getting ready to play in the Crusade event at the Warhammer US Open in Kansas City, it’s time to turn our focus towards this neglected format! In this episode, we delve into the nuts and bolts of Crusade – what is it, how it work...

What started out as an April Fool’s joke is now in our hands – the new Leagues of Votann codex and army box are here! We delve into this new faction, discuss their lore, and pick out ten (or is it eleven) things you need to know about this army! From their grudge-based special rules to their slow-and-steady playstyle to their wild new weaponry, we dig in and forge ahead with Dennis’s new favorite...

What rough beast, its hour come at last, slouches from the Warp to be born? It’s the new Chaos Daemons codex! In this episode, we talk about 10 Things You Should Know about the new Daemons book. Is the Warp Storm table manageable now? How about the new daemonic saves? And how do the servants of the various Chaos Gods actually play on the table? We dig in and discuss this and more. Also, news, new...

We put out the call into the warp for commentary on our episodes about game complexity and stratagems, and the warp answered! Our choir of astropaths was busy collecting messages, and now we have a whole episode’s worth to go through! We talk hobby tips, Chaos Space Marine corrections, tournament scoring, and more! Also, as always news and new releases, our hobby progress, and a Morale Phase broug...

In episode 258, we asked the question: Has Warhammer 40K become too complex? In this episode, we discuss an editorial on Frontline Gaming that suggests fixing the complexity and balance issues of 9th Edition with one simple fix. One single errata, this article claims, could correct the flaws of 40K and bring in a new, better age of the game. We take a look at that suggestion and give our thoughts,...

We’re near the end of the 9th Edition codex cycle, and the Eye of Terror finally gets its due – the new Chaos Space Marines codex is here! How do we feel about this new book? Is it everything we’d hoped? Are marks useful? Is one extra wound enough? Will the galaxy burn? Are cultists viable? And what about the World Eaters and their White Dwarf codex? We talk about all this and more as we look at 1...

We promised to release it before the end of June 2022, and we managed to come through just in the nick of time – it’s our review of the 9th edition Genestealer Cults codex! How do these bald mutant rebels and their alien overlord(s) manage on the modern tabletop? We talk about 10 things you need to know about the newest Genestealer Cult codex. Also, news and new releases, your listener mail, our h...

Instead of recording two episodes for one codex – we remember you, Codex: Aeldari – we’re doing two codexes in one episode! This time, we’re taking a look at both new Knights codexes. How do the Imperial and Chaos Knights stack against each other? What new tricks do the Chaos knights have to even the field between them and their loyalist counterparts? Which faction’s new special rules are the bigg...

2022 is here, live events are back in full swing, and that means that the Midwest Conquest is back in Kansas City! This time, we’re not running the whole show, but that just means we get to play in it! Rob and Dennis discuss their time at Kevin’s Friendly Tournament, Richard talks about the best painted army, Larry from the Heroic Morale club joins us to talk about the GT, and we finish up with a...

With all the codexes that have been coming out with more and more complicated army rules and layers of customization, have we reached peak rules bloat? Has 9th Edition Warhammer 40,000 finally reached the tipping point? Will it collapse under its own weight? In this episode, we take a look at the current state of complexity in 40K, how it compares to past editions and design philosophies, and what...

Another Ninth Edition codex has dropped, and this time, it’s the Tyranids’ turn to get updated! So, what does the Hive Mind bring to the table in this new edition? What do you need to know about this book and how it works? What’s up with all the new Synapse-related rules? How adaptable is this army that constantly evolves and adapts in the story? In this episode, we try a new tactic for examining...

A lot of news has hit over the last two weeks, and it’s time for us to dig in! Adepticon has come and gone, and with it come another batch of previews and product reveals! Chaos and Imperial Knights getting side-by-side releases! Two-wound Chaos Marines! The return of Horus Heresy in plastic! After that, we discuss the absolute circus that was Adepticon’s 40K tournament and what it implies for the...

We continue our look at the massive new Aeldari codex with a dive into the other two factions in the book – the Harlequins and the Ynnari. Both factions have had their impacts on the competitive scene in the past, but how do they fare now that they’ve been subsumed into the larger Aeldari book? How do they exist alongside their craftworld cousins? Do the Harlequins still have all their old tricks...