It’s time for another big paint-and-play event at Drawbridge Games in Pittsburgh, PA. This time we’re doing an event that will get people painted some new things for forces: the various and sundry cast of named Characters in the 40k universe. It’s an event we call Who’s the Boss King of the Hill!

Why is it called King of the Hill? Because it will be a royal rumble style match where the winner is the last model standing or the one most central on the hill that will compose the middle of the board for the event.

Why is it called Who’s the Boss? Because participants will get a randomly assigned two characters from the pool brought by everyone, making for a whole bunch of wild team-ups amidst these HQ’s/Leaders/Bosses during the event. No one knows until the event starts what random bosses they’ll end up fielding from the pool we’ve generated.

Event Details: 6:30pm set-up, 7:00pm start on Thursday, March 14th. Participants can bring one or more painted “named character” models/units from the list below for Warhammer 40k (tho only one of each will be available for the random draw). To participate you must be comfortable with other people touching your models (carefully, of course), and bring a printed version of the model’s stat card. Players should bring their own dice and measuring tools.

Rules: Players will place their duos on the battlefield in points cost order on the first turn, and then playing cards will be dealt that determine order of turn. The two character units are separate, and do not have access to any army rules not on their cards (no army-wide rules for their faction nor detachment bonuses or enhancements). They are treated as friendly faction models to each other (have each others’ faction keywords) but cannot form one unit. A player’s turn is a normal sequence of 40k with all phases. In the combat phase, for ongoing combats with multiple opponents a draw of cards will determine order. There are no CP. Each player will get one re-roll token chip (can be used to re-roll their own die or force another player’s die to be re-rolled), and there may be ways to acquire extra based around what unit is generated for the participant in the random seeding process. A winner is decided either when there is only one unit left (or two units controlled by the same player) or when time is reached at which point victory is given to the model closest to the top of the hill at the center of the table.

Painting and Raffle: As always with Drawbridge events, we’ll be having a raffle for great 40k prizes that everyone gets a chance at winning. For every unit newly painted for this event (specifically for this event) a player will get an additional entry into the raffle. There will also be additional entries awarded for the overall winner, the player we vote got the “worst team”, and for gold, silver, and bronze best-painted awards. Painting of models needs to be at least three colors and based in some way.

“Named Characters”: The tradition of named characters in 40k goes back a long way: the difference between any old Ork Warboss and Ghazghkull Thrakka. They might be “epic heroes” now, but we generally know who they are. The following is as comprehensive a list as I could manage of current named characters with official models. And we do ask that players use the official models for these from 40k–no 3D printed or scratchbuilt versions. If they’re somewhat modified that’s okay, but should be recognizable as the official model from GW.

Faction	Named Characters
Space Marines	Chaplain Grimauldus & Retinue; High Marshal Helbrecht; Commander Dante; Mephiston; Lion El’Jonson; Azrael, Supreme Grand Master; Tor Garadon; Iron Father Feirros; Kayvaan Shrike; Adrax Agatone; Salamanders Captain Vulkan He’stan; Kor’sarro Khan; Roboute Guilliman; Marneus Calgar with Victrix Honor Guard; Chief Librarian Tigurius; Captain Uriel Ventris; Ragnar Blackmane; Bjorn the Fell-Handed; Ulrik the Slayer; Murderfang; Njal Stormcaller; Wolf Lord Krom; Logan Grimnar on Stormrider; Arjac Rockfist; Canis Wolfborn;
Grey Knights, Deathwatch, and Imperial Agents	Castellan Crowe; Grand Master Voldus; Lord Kaldor Draigo; Kyria Draxos, Coteaz, Greyfax, Karamazov, Eisenhorn
Adeptus Sororitas	Celestine, the Living Saint; Aestred Thurga, Reliquant at Arms; Morvenn Vahl, Abbess Sanctorum; Daemonifuge Ephrael Stern and Kyganil; Junith Eruita; The Triumph of Saint Katherine; Sister Superior Amalia Novena; Canoness Veridyan
Adeptus Custodes	Talons of the Emperor Valerian and Aleya; Captain-General Trajann Valoris
Adeptus Mechanicus and Imperial Knights	Belisarius Cawl; Canis Rex
Astra Militarum	Lord Castellan Ursula Creed; Gaunt’s Ghosts; Nork Deddog; Lord Solar Leontus; Seargent Harker; Sly Marbo; Colonel “Iron Hand” Straken
Chaos Daemons	Be’lakor, the Dark Master; The Masque; Skulltaker; Karanak, The Hound of Vengeance; Rotigus; Sloppity Bilepiper; Kairos Fateweaver; Skarbrand; Epidemius; Syll’Esske, The Vengeful Alliance; Horticulous Slimux; The Blue Scribes; The Changeling, Shalaxi Hellbane
Chaos Space Marines, Death Guard, Thousand Sons, and World Eaters	Abaddon the Despoiler; Vashtorr the Arkifane; Fabius Bile; Cypher; Mortarion; Typhus, Herald of the Plague God; Magnus the Red; Ahriman; Angron; Khârn the Betrayer
Aeldari and Drukhari	Maugan Ra; The Visarch; Jain Zar; Eldrad Ulthran; The Yncarne; Yvraine; Fuegan; Asurmen; Karandras; Illic Nightspear; Baharroth; Prince Yriel; Lelith Hesperax; Drazhar
Orks	Boss Snikrot; Boss Zagstruk; Ghazghkull Thraka and Makari; Kaptin Badrukk; Mad Dok Grotsnik; Mozrog Skragbad; Zodgrod Wortsnagga
Leagues of Votann	Kâhl; Ûthar the Destined
Necrons	Imotekh the Stormlord; Orikan the Diviner; Illuminor Szeras; Trazyn the Infinite; Anrakyr the Traveler; Vargard Obyron; Nemesor Zahndrekh
Tau Empire	Commander Farsight; Darkstrider; Commander Shadowsun; Longstrike
Tyranids	Old One Eye

Also, some “named” characters actually appear all over (e.g. the Swarmlord, Avatar of Khaine) so those are out. If there are any I’ve missed, let me know and I’ll add to the list. Likewise if any of these have lost rules for 10th edition.