=][= E Tenebrae Lux IV =][=

[Firepower]

That's as sure as Sigismund's a Death Guard character.

Prepare to be cleansed. *Reloads flamer*

Stop getting me excited. Those flamers make my skin tingle

My first thought was "Then burn away all the skin."

But you'd like that, I wager. So instead I think we should just lock you in a sensory deprivation chamber for a few months.

[Jolemai]

... and yet that is still an experience, one which a follower of Slaanesh will no doubt revel in. The torment of silence, the whiteness of the walls, room, clothing, the outright blandness of it. Any Slaaneshi worth his flayed skin would adore it.

[Forté]

That's as sure as Sigismund's a Death Guard character.

Prepare to be cleansed. *Reloads flamer*

Stop getting me excited. Those flamers make my skin tingle

My first thought was "Then burn away all the skin."

But you'd like that, I wager. So instead I think we should just lock you in a sensory deprivation chamber for a few months.

Again. You lot did that last year. Was a rather enjoyable experience though it did grow a little boring being the same day in, day out.

[nismogrendel]

I'm not clear on what is a valid before state.

 

Assembled?

Assembled + primed?

 

I have a few models already assembled and primed, but no paint work yet.  Is that a valid starting point for a vow?

[Olis]

I'm not clear on what is a valid before state.

 

Assembled?

Assembled + primed?

 

I have a few models already assembled and primed, but no paint work yet.  Is that a valid starting point for a vow?

 

Yep, you're fine. The most that a model is allowed is a base coat, so primed is a-ok. :tu:

[WarriorFish]

Get those models vowed nismo, glory waits for no man! :D

[Captain Semper]

Ok guys, Weekly updates will be happening on Saturdays since I'm systematically unable to put them together on Fridays,,, so tomorrow.

[Brother Argent]

But Saturday is today... for me at least...

[The_Chaplain]

 Tremble, ye foes of the Imperium! For on this day, and what is sure to be recorded in the annals of glory, a new and mighty weapon has been delivered to my sanctum so that I may better smite those that defy the immortal God Emperor!

 

  This airbrush shall be as my crozius in the field, dependable, reliable and always at the ready!

[thamier]

do the horus heresy vows count as imperials or traitor faction?

[Aias]

Thamier, Heresy Era is all one faction for ETL. Got to band together against those upstarts from the future!

[Captain Semper]

ETL IV - THIRD WEEKLY UPDATE

http://fortressofunforgiven.homestead.com/ETL_2015_Poster_V1.jpg

So participation reached an eye-watering 400 by the end of the third week… The infamous third week blues, although still there, they had a smaller effect than in previous ETLs and the general enthusiasm is really humbling as the Frater just bring forward some amazing work! Keep going because there is still plenty of ground to cover!

On the news front, the new HH book V: Tempest has become available and some already have it (others still wait for it ) while we still wait for the Cult Mechanicus to hit the shelves! Rumors for an imminent new SM Codex are also all over the place and even an update on the Dark Angels Codex is in the cards… A lot of things are happening in this ETL!

Now, the most important bit: We are entering Week 4, which is THE LAST WEEK OF RECRUITMENT! So if you plan to join the ETL, even if your minis have not arrived yet, even if you’re not sure of how much you want to vow, even if your Codex is rumored to be updated, just make your first vow now! It doesn’t have to be big; all you need to do is commit with a single mini! You can always do more later!

JOIN ETL IV NOW! THE DOORS WILL CLOSE ON JUNE 1^st NEVER TO OPEN AGAIN!

Remember, those who join the B&C in order to participate in the ETL can wear (if they want to) the Foreign Legion badge in their signature

THE BADGE OF THE FOREIGN LEGION:



This is a badge that can be worn by anyone who joined the B&C to specifically join the ETL. The B&C welcomes the new frater and hope to see them around even after the completion of the event.

Now lets see how the ETL IV looks like in this third week:

E TENEBRAE LUX IV – Week 3

FactionParticipantsVows Points pledged Completions RateCodex 63 74 41,516 5,501 13.3% Black Templars 25 31 13,543 1,641 12.1% Imperial Fists 9 12 7,948 1,870 23.5% Iron Hands 7 8 4,443 965 21.7% Raven Guard 2 2 760 0 0.0% Salamanders 3 3 2,725 0 0.0% Ultramarines 5 6 2,325 190 8.2% White Scars 1 1 160 0 0.0% Index Astartes 11 11 9,612 835 8.7% Blood Angels 62 66 36,888 3,121 8.5% Dark Angels 43 51 41,760 4,241 10.2% Space Wolves 28 31 29,299 1,955 6.7% Realm of Chaos 56 61 51,830 4,205 8.1% Forces of the Imperium 67 82 53,551 4,230 7.9% Astra Militarum 24 33 19,056 1,810 9.5% Grey Knights 7 7 5,060 0 0.0% Adeptus Mechanicus 29 33 26,361 2,420 9.2% Sisters of Battle 4 4 1,590 0 0.0% Inquisition & Agents 3 5 1,484 720 48.5% Horus Heresy 81 91 84,556 11,678 13,8% TOTAL 400 456 339,400 34,931 10.3%

So let’s see this one by one:

CODEX
In a nutshell: low average vow. Otherwise they got everything: high participation, high completion rate, healthy re-vowing rate… everything. Good news is that it is still early in the event, and high participation levels matter more than anything else. So the idea is to continue at the same pace of recruiting and make this last week count! The Tempalrs are certainly leading the effort, but all forums are active and as such I expect the participation to rise further. Interestingly Codex has the second highest (and very close to the highest) completion rate. Which means their making their points count. Keep recruiting and you’re sure to be contesting the top position!

BLOOD ANGELS
Spectacular recruitment effort! The BA forum is practically born again! Yes they have the lowest average vow, but this is not the time to worry about that. Carry on recruiting like this and you have nothing to fear! But beware: one of the main advantages of small average vow is the implied ability to increase your vow turnover. However your completion rate is not very strong right now which is another area to keep in mind. Once the recruitment period is over, you’ll need to spring into action and start completing your initial vows leaving room to re-vow and leverage up your capacity. You can do it – I have no doubt about that. But for the moment you need to focus on recruiting – it appears that new recruits carry more points – your average vow jumped 60pts vs. last week.

DARK ANGELS
Do I need to put the “DAs auto-win” clause on the table? Or can we win without it? With 43 participants we lag vs. almost all our rivals and although we have a fairly high average vow that keeps us competitive right now, it means that fewer participants share an increasingly heavier burden. On average we have pledged some 300pts more per participant than the Codex and BA counterparts… When those start getting their second vows in, in earnest we’ll be faced with an impossible situation. We need more recruits, even by bringing our average vow lower. Now it’s the time to stand your ground Angels of Darkness, now is the time to make the Lion proud!

SPACE WOLVES
The Week 3 blues affected the SWs most of all adding just one participant in the week. That is not very good news because now in the last week of recruitment the pressure rises. On the positive side, and is the SWs tradition, you have the highest average vow in the ETL. This normally would be a point of concern, but not for the Wolves of Fenris! No sir! I’m sure you’ll deliver on that, but will you have the time to re-vow? If there is a faction that can afford a drop in the average vow in favor of increased participation, it’s the SWs. So, a week left to recruit. Do it and surprise all the other factions! Onwards to victory!!!

REALM OF CHAOS
Participation is strong, but not among the highest. However, with a fairly high average vow and reasonable completion rate, you are still contending for the top. The Black Crusade event that runs in parallel is certainly a booster – something that will show its ugly teeth later on in the event. Now use this last week to get more lost souls in your ranks and cover the gap. The Week 3 blues did affect you, but don’t let this be a handicap for the rest of the event. Bring your numbers up and the title of Primus Inter Pares will be within your grasp!

IMPERIAL FORCES
The second highest participation, the second highest points pledged, average vow below the ETL average but not too much (that’s a good thing) all work in your favour. On the negative side, the completion rate is somewhat lower than the ETL average, but you have time to correct that. Now in the eve of the release of Cult Mechanicus, the IFOR need to get the last shipment of recruits in and close the deal. The Week 3 blues did not affect you as much as others but the main rival, the HH Faction will not be an easy foe to beat. Cannon fodder you say? Bring it in while you still can!

HORUS HERESY
Week 3 blues? 81 participants! Case closed. The HH is in the best position vs. all other Factions. Most participants, most vows, highest amount of points pledged and (importantly) highest completion rate. Only point of concern the relatively high average vow. This has not shown as a weakness yet but it may become a problem in the next phase as the initial enthusiasm wanes and we face a challenging June… If you keep true to your vows you’re on the path of victory. If you falter, there is a long way to fall… Still, the recruitment period is on, and the more new recruits you bring in, the better. Even if it lowers your average vow…

So until next week, keep the new recruits coming!!!

[Kilofix]

Lots of Blood Angels this year. Will give Dark Angels some competition.

 

As the other bunch of ZEALots seem to have fallen off. Poke, poke, poke....

 

Heresy of course is insane. Both participation-wise as well as the look of the stuff they are putting out.

 

I'm just going to keep building robots as best I can.

[deathspectersgt7]

Thamier, Heresy Era is all one faction for ETL. Got to band together against those upstarts from the future!

Pish Posh !!! ya'll made the future that way . Now we have a Rainbow of Colors to dabble on not just 18.

[Aias]

Pish Posh !!! ya'll made the future that way . Now we have a Rainbow of Colors to dabble on not just 18.

A rainbow, maybe, but they're all dark and tainted. We still have hope, even if it's growing dimmer by the day. We can still end this and prevent your future from coming to pass. Winning the ETL would be a good start.

[Jolemai]

Lots of Blood Angels this year. Will give Dark Angels some competition.

 

 

We have bigger fish to fry than the Dark Angels.

[Forté]

A rainbow, maybe, but they're all dark and tainted.

You sure :P

[paulJam]

 

CODEX

...Interestingly Codex has the second highest (and very close to the highest) completion rate. Which means their making their points count...

 

no point going to the battle if you're not going to fight !!

 

great commentary again Captain Semper !!

[Captain Semper]

http://fortressofunforgiven.homestead.com/ETL_2015_Poster_V1.jpg

 

THE B&C NEEDS YOU!

 

This is the time of the year that B&C turns to you for support! In order to keep going and improve the B&C, like everything else, requires funding. We all enjoy spending time here, but the continuation of the B&C and it's further improvement depends largely on you: the frater. 

 

DO NOT SHY AWAY - ANY DONATION IS VALUABLE AND VALUED!  For more info on how to donate follow this link

 

 

NOW IS YOUR TIME - MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

[Joe]

Quick clarification.

 

If I submit a vow before the entry deadline, I'll need to post the completed vow before the 17.00GMT deadline on the 1st of June then to carry on posting anything else? Is this correct?

[Olis]

Not really, no. Recruitment ends on June 1st - after this date no new participants can enter. Anyone who makes at least one vow must complete it (or them) by August 1st.

[Joe]

Aha, that's fair enough. I wasn't sure whether or not my third Forge World order and eBay stuff would arrive by then, so I was a bit worried about making the vow and not having anything to show. :p I've noticed a few people using order confirmations as an indication of participation. Is this allowed?

[Captain Semper]

Yeap, Oli said it right. 

 

Regarding your before pic, the  order confirmation is a novelty... I think the best think to do is to wait of the new minis to arrive and edit the photo back in your vow post. You don't have to provide the "before" pic at the time of the vow.

[Joe]

Fair enough. I'll write up my vow and do that then. Cheers. \o

[Captain Semper]

ETL IV - FOURTH WEEKLY UPDATE

 

http://fortressofunforgiven.homestead.com/ETL_2015_Poster_V1.jpg

So four weeks have passed already… One can say that the ETL is one third down, two thirds to go! However the fourth week does not coincide with the end of the recruitment period – we still have three days to go until June 1st. So this is the ultimate chance you’ll get to join the event before the doors close forever. And make no mistake, on June 1st, at 17:00 GMT the doors will close and no further participants will be accepted in. The only way to take part in the event after the June 1st deadline is as an out-of-competition entry.
 

 

SO IF YOU WANT TO BACK YOUR PREFERRED FACTION, NOW IS THE TIME TO JOIN!

On other matters, it is evident that after the Codex Imperial Knights, the Codex Cult Mechanicus and the HH book Tempest, now Codex Space Marines is about to hit the shelves! This creates an interesting situation for the ETL. As Cult Mechanicus and Tempest are not replacing existing books and Imperial Knights, although replaced, it did not create controversy, as the two old entries remained unchanged in the new book, Codex Space Marines may have significant (in the context of the ETL) changes vs. the previous version.

How are we going to deal with that? Well here’s how:

All vows should be made using the current Codex at the time of the vow and it remains unchanged regardless of whether a new Codex is released during the life of the ETL. In case a new Codex is released all existing vows that have yet to be completed will remain as per previous Codex and exactly as they were pledged originally. There will be no change in points or retrospective repricing.

However the new vows that are to be made after the release of a new Codex are supposed to consist of units as described and as “priced” in the new Codex. It is possible that some units may disappear from the new Codex. Well, tough. You cannot go back to the old Codex even if your chosen unit does not exist in the new one. It is time to consider alternative “count-as” options.

I’m sure there will be a lot of questions on that, so feel free to ask if the above does not cover you.

Last but not least I would like to raise awareness on the funding effort conducted by the B&C. The forum, like everything else, requires funds to run and improve. The staff, have plenty of ideas to keep this an exciting place for you spend your online gaming time, ranging from software upgrades that will enhance your online experience to events and other initiatives that aim to strengthen the sense of community among the frater. But the B&C is not the staff, it’s the frater. And unless the frater support the community, then little else will.

 

 

SO PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT B&C

 

 

No donation is too small – all are important and are greatly appreciated. Just click on the link above

Now lets see how the ETL IV looks like in this fourth week:

E TENEBRAE LUX IV – Week 4

Codex	68	81	44,291	6,819	15.4%
Blood Angels	73	79	43,628	4,548	10.4%
Dark Angels	44	53	42,350	5,542	13.1%
Space Wolves	32	35	30,402	1,955	6.4%
Realm of Chaos	65	74	59,450	5,035	8.5%
Forces of the Imperium	74	92	58,253	8,000	13.7%
Astra Militarum	27	37	21,086	2,815	13.4%
Grey Knights	7	7	5,060	0	0.0%
Adeptus Mechanicus	32	37	28,396	4,825	17.0%
Sisters of Battle	4	5	1,905	360	18.9%
Inquisition & Agents	4	6	1,806	720	39.9%
Horus Heresy	88	103	93,578	16,168	17,3%
TOTAL	444	517	371,952	48,067	12.9%

So let’s see this one by one:

CODEX
The Codex faction has been extremely resilient in true Space Marine fashion! With 68 participants and an above average completion rate, are in a very good shape indeed! The average vow is some 200pts below the average of the ETL however and this may become an issue in the mid-term. The remedy to that is either high re-vowing rate at about the same levels or higher value follow up vows. But as I said, this is a mid-term concern. Now you still have three days to recruit and this should be the focus!

BLOOD ANGELS
The BA forum is the biggest surprise of the ETL this year. It has risen from mediocrity to being among the contender for the top position! But beware: you have a fairly low average vow (much like the Codex) but unlike the Codex you have a below average completion rate. Now the only solid way to mitigate the low average vow is to have an increased re-vowing rate especially early in the event. It is important to start seeing some completions to leave adequate time for second or even third vows within June. Do not underestimate this. Your advantage in number of participants may dissipate if you do not back this with at least an average vow. Do not see this as a need to increase the values of the individual vow – rather see that as an opportunity of higher turnover of vows… Oh, and your numbers may be on the high side now, but unless you get more recruits in, the next three days may prove crucial! Keep recruiting for as long as the doors remain open!

DARK ANGELS
Brothers, we need to make a final effort to bring in all Unforgiven from across the Galaxy. We only have three days to build-up our numbers in order to reach our previous years’ levels of 60+. Even so, we need to get the strategy correct. So far we’re doing the right thing: above average completion rates means we remain close to the top and with a proper re-vowing rate we’ll be all right… Right now the re-vowing rate (subsequent vows over first vows) is 17%, which compares favorably with every other faction except IFOR! Let’s hope, these last three days will help our team to increase its participants count, but whatever happens, it is important to retain a high completion rate and re-vowing rate to remain in the game!

SPACE WOLVES
Space Wolves have now 32 participants the smallest amount among all factions. Is this a problem? Maybe for others, but not for the Wolves! They are accustomed to have fewer numbers and they make up for it with large individual vows. One can only wonder what would happen if more Wolf Lords were to join. Speaking of which, you still have three precious days to build-up your numbers! Even a handful of new recruits may prove precious in the long run! On the strategy front, you need more completions. I know you have a large average vow, but that’s your burden to bear. You just have to be better than the rest: finish more points, to the best of your ability, quicker!

REALM OF CHAOS
Some last minute recruitment means that Chaos is roughly where it left off last week. Still strong – but not the strongest and with a completion rate among the lowest in the ETL it means something must change. You guys have the resources, both a lot of participants and a reasonable average vow. So get cracking! Once you increase your completion rate, good things will start to happen. Now use those three remaining days to get in as many more recruits as possible and get to work!

IMPERIAL FORCES
IFOR retains the second highest participation albeit with one more participant than the BAs, the third highest points pledged only 1,200pts behind Chaos. However they have a clear advantage in having the second highest completion rate and the highest vow turnover in the ETL at 20%! So, plenty of points pledged, average vow lower than average (a good thing in this context), high completion rate and the highest vow turnover. Loyal servants of the Emperor, you’re a candidate for the top position! Just use the last three days to get as many more recruits as possible!

HORUS HERESY
Biggest participation ever. I mean for any faction of any of the ETL to date. Also largest amount of points pledged, largest completion rate but not as high vow turnover… Here lies a risk. Although HH faction leads so far it appears it’s expending its resources faster without replenishing… Truth being said, the first vows alone may prove enough, but it’s still a long way to go and procrastination may start to settle in June. So the strategy here is to complete your first vows fast to have the opportunity to revow when you still have the momentum going. If you wait too long you may face a nasty surprise… But let’s face it, HH has more than double the points of the next rival. A good position to be in.
 

 

 

JOIN ETL IV NOW! THE DOORS WILL CLOSE ON JUNE 1st NEVER TO OPEN AGAIN!