The Independent Characters | Warhammer 40k Podcast

Apologies for the delays in getting this episode out to you - Internet at Carl's house has been down for over a week. Thank you Frontier Fiber.
Episode 283 is here, and it's the biggest game we've ever covered on the show. Ivan and Craig organized a Legions Imperialis mega-battle they called (Super) Titan MegaDeath, a supersized take on the TitanDeath format that strips the game down to nothing but Titans and Knights. Eight players split into two armies of over 22,000 points each and threw down on Herryx IV, fighting over the Ascension Spire in a custom narrative mission called Siege at Thestor, complete with home-brewed rules for defense grid command shrines, an orbital Scorched Earth doctrine, and a planetary void shield network.
The numbers alone are wild: 227 Titans and Knights on the table, including 31 Warhounds and 24 Reavers between both sides. We break down what TitanDeath is, how it differs from Adeptus Titanicus, the custom rules we bolted on to make a game this size actually playable, and how the battle shook out. Tune in for the full breakdown of the biggest game night in Independent
Time Stamps:
0:00:00 - Show Intro, Elite Choice, Hobby Progress, and Games Played
1:07:10 - Fresh Blood for 11th Edition: Part 1
1:43:10 - Fresh Blood for 11th Edition: Part 2
2:19:10 - Final Discussion and Show Closing
Relevant Links:
The Independent Characters Patreon
Tablewar! - SPONSOR
Herrick Games & Hobbies - SPONSOR
Goonhammer Media Network
Adepticon
Games Workshop
The Black Library

First of all let me just say thank you for your patience as this episode ran late! We had a technical failure where the files of all the interviews I recorded became corrupted… which caused delays as I scrambled to schedule repeat interviews where I could due to scheduling! But here we are… done and live! - Carl

A full year of hobby progress is coming to a close as Carl, Chelle, and Adan sit down to unpack everything the 2025-26 Hobby Progress Challenge became. Around three hundred hobbyists answered the call back in September, and by the time the dust (and the plastic shavings) settled, the community had painted well over eighteen hundred units between them.

The hosts dig into who stuck it out for all twelve months, which bonus categories the community embraced and which ones got left gathering dust on the sprue, and crown the participants who topped the leaderboard through sheer bloody-minded consistency. Expect community voicemails, a few honest confessions about which of the three hosts actually kept pace with their own challenge, and a hard look at what it really takes to paint through an entire year without losing steam.

The actual ending of the Hobby Progress Challenge is at the end of this month, and the drawings for prizes will happen (hopefully live!) in the first week of September. This has been our most successful run of this event so far! Thank you for being a part of it!

Time Stamps:
0:00:00 - Show Intro, Elite Choice, Hobby Progress, and Games Played
1:07:10 - Fresh Blood for 11th Edition: Part 1
1:43:10 - Fresh Blood for 11th Edition: Part 2
2:19:10 - Final Discussion and Show Closing
 
Relevant Links:
The Independent Characters Patreon
Tablewar! - SPONSOR
Herrick Games & Hobbies - SPONSOR
Goonhammer Media Network
Adepticon
Games Workshop
The Black Library

In Episode 281 of The Independent Characters, we open the doors once again to The Warrior Lodge, our roundtable-style discussion format where we bring together voices from across the Warhammer 40,000 community.
This episode, Carl, Josh, and Adan are joined by Blake, better known to the community as "Big Nasty B", from Life After the Cover Save! Blake brings his own perspective from across the hobby to the table as we dig into a variety of topics currently on the minds of 40k players everywhere.
Whether you're a veteran general or newly initiated into the grim darkness of the far future, The Warrior Lodge always has a seat at the table for you - and this time around, we've pulled up an extra chair.
We hope you enjoy this episode of The Independent Characters!
 
Time Stamps:
0:00:00 - Show Intro, Elite Choice, Hobby Progress, and Games Played
1:03:45 - The Warrior Lodge: Part 1
1:43:35 - The Warrior Lodge: Part 2
2:08:20 - Final Discussion and Show Closing
Relevant Links:
The Independent Characters Patreon
Tablewar! - SPONSOR
Herrick Games & Hobbies - SPONSOR
Adepticon
Games Workshop
The Black Library

The dust is still settling on the launch, of 11th Edition, and this edition is more than rewrite the datasheets - it has redrawn the battlefield itself.
Objectives are no longer abstract circles on the cloth; they are terrain, fought over and held, and the table now has a correct shape in a way it never did before. For the competitive crowd, that clarity is a gift. But what about the rest of us - the ones who came to Warhammer 40,000 for the story?
In this episode, Carl, Josh, and Adan ask the question: has the new edition quietly designed narrative play out of the core box? They dig into the shift from objective markers to objective terrain, the creep of tournament layouts into the standard game, and the worry on every kitchen-table general's mind - is 11th simply too deadly to be played on the boards we actually love to build?
Along the way, they pull the conversation back from the ledge, mapping out how thematic objectives, flexible layouts, and a little fearless house-ruling can keep the soul of narrative gaming alive and well in the new edition. And with a fresh wave of hobbyists arriving on the heels of the launch, we make the case that the intention was always meant to be a sandbox, not a courtroom.
Pull up a chair, set the terrain however you like, and remember - the rulebook is a tool, not a cage.
We also have an announcement coming shortly for all levels of Patreon Subscribers who want a sticker from our Pride Month Sticker for free. Expect to hear about that in the next day or so. If you want one... or two.. we will send it out to you!
Time Stamps:
0:00:00 - Show Intro, Elite Choice, Hobby Progress, and Games Played
1:15:15 - New Rules, old Narrative
1:39:45 - Old Narrative, new players
2:03:00 - Final Discussion and Show Closing
Relevant Links:
The Independent Characters Patreon
Tablewar! - SPONSOR
Herrick Games & Hobbies - SPONSOR
Darcy Bono Creations
Hobby Homeworld
Adepticon
Games Workshop
The Black Library

With 11th Edition launching this month, there has never been a better moment to hand a friend a Space Marine and say "let me show you something." A new edition resets the table - rulebooks, starter sets, and community energy are all aligned toward accessibility, and even veteran players are re-learning the game right alongside newcomers.
In Episode 279, we dig into the art of hobby mentorship: how to recognize this rare window of opportunity and use it to bring new and younger players into the grimdark future without overwhelming them before they ever roll their first dice.
We cover the full journey of introducing someone to Warhammer 40,000 - from choosing the right entry point to starting with the story rather than the stat blocks. We share the mistakes we made when we first started, reflect on what we'd do differently, and offer practical advice on how to read your new player - whether they're a painter at heart, a lore lover, or someone who just wants to push cool models around a table and roll fistfuls of dice. The key, as always, is meeting them where they are and letting their enthusiasm lead the way.
Whether you're mentoring a friend, a family member, or a complete stranger at your local game store, Episode 279 is your guide to growing this hobby the right way - one new player at a time.
 
Time Stamps:
0:00:00 - Show Intro, Elite Choice, Hobby Progress, and Games Played
1:07:10 - Fresh Blood for 11th Edition: Part 1
1:43:10 - Fresh Blood for 11th Edition: Part 2
2:19:10 - Final Discussion and Show Closing
Relevant Links:
The Independent Characters Patreon
Tablewar! - SPONSOR
Herrick Games & Hobbies - SPONSOR
Adepticon
Games Workshop
The Black Library